..............
[Monday, November 8, 01:35 am]
Yumeto was looking outside from the window of the computer room. The moon is floating in the sky and the stars are twinkling. When he lowered his gaze, he saw the lights shining on the school grounds. Someone seems to be moving the lights, and sometimes they change the place they illuminate. Seeing the men in protective clothing walking around in front of the school gate, Yumeto let out a sigh.
"The people who monitor us are also having a hard time. If they get infected, they might get caught up in the king's game."
While muttering so, Yumeto shifted his gaze to the computer display nearby.
There, the names of the surviving students were displayed by group.
.....Hisashi, Narumi, Yohei, and Iori.
.....Souta and Satoshi.
.....Takeshi, Miki, and Hinako.
.....Yumeto, Yuna, and Fuka.
.....*Sousuke (missing)
"Including Sousuke-kun, there are 13 people left....."
A deep wrinkle formed between Yumeto's eyebrows.
.....Because of the letter order, I don't think Sousuke-kun is the king when he's not here. Then, the most likely king would be Souta-kun, Satoshi-kun, Takeshi-kun, Iori-san, and Hisashi-kun. Souta enjoys playing the king's game, and Satoshi doesn't hesitate to kill people. Takeshi was suspected by the police as a suspect. Does Iori-san have anything to do with Sosuke-kun, who went missing?
What about Miki-san and Hinako-san? If Miki-san were the king, she wouldn't have given orders to kill Hideyuki-kun, who she loved. And Hinako-san who didn't know she was near the vase of Keldo virus on the day the king's game began. Then she is...
An image of Yuna and Fuka popped into Yumeto's mind.
...Just as Hisashi-kun said, we won't be together all the time. Even when I closed my eyes, they tried not to talk too much so that Seiichiro and the others wouldn't find them, so even if they had disappeared on the way, I wouldn't have noticed. Even now, Yuna and Fuka are going to take a shower.
"Yuna-san and Fuka-san are kings..."
Yumeto shook his head left and right.
.....No, it can't be. Yuna was sad that her classmates would fight each other. Fuka was afraid that she would die. And yet, she will infected herself with Keldo virus and join the King's game?
At that moment, the computer room door opened and Yuna and Fuka entered. The two had changed into their training clothes, and their hair was damp.
Fuka offered Yumeto the water bottle she was holding in her hand.
"This, Yumeto-kun. I brought you a cold one."
"Thank you"
Yumeto received a plastic bottle with water droplets on it.
"Did you meet anyone?"
"Yeah. It looks like there were people who used the shower. Maybe it's Narumi-san and others."
"I guess everyone is taking it easy for now. There is still time until the next order."
"Yes. we had time to sleep, and I was refreshed after taking a shower."
"Yuna-san, did you get some sleep?"
Yumeto called out to Yuna who was next to Fuka.
"Ah...Uh, yeah"
Yuna blushed and turned away from Yumeto's gaze.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"No, no, um....ah...."
Fuka tapped Yuna's shoulder as she fidgeted.
"I can't help it anymore. Shall I speak first?"
Fuka took a deep breath in her and stared at Yumeto.
"Yumeto-kun, we have something to say to you."
"What do you want to say?"
"Yeah. For now, let me tell you"
Fuka took a step forward and stood in front of Yumeto.
"I like Yumeto-kun."
"Eh.....?"
Yumeto opened his mouth wide open.
"...You liked me, as a member of the same group?"
"No, it means love."
"Ah...."
"That's the expected reaction. Didn't you realize that I liked Yumeto?"
"I thought you didn't hate me though."
"...Haaa. I thought I make myself appealing to you so much."
Fuka shrugged her shoulders and sighed.
"Well, the fact that he doesn't know this kind of thing, is maybe one of Yumeto's good points. But at this rate, he probably doesn't even notice Yuna."
"About Yuna-san?"
"Yuna also liked Yumeto."
"Eh?"
Yumeto turns his gaze to Yuna. Yuna turned her face bright red and her mouth is shaking.
"Hey, Yuna. You decided to confess together, right? Say it quickly."
"Uh...I know. I'm not good at this kind of thing, so wait a minute."
Yuna turned her gaze to the ceiling, took several deep breaths, and then stared at Yumeto with her eyes swaying like the surface of water.
"Well then, let me tell you. I also like Yumeto-kun. I've been interested in you since the first time you helped me in the king's order, and even now, thanks to Yumeto, I think I'm alive because of you. Not only that, but before I knew it, I had fallen in love with Yumeto-kun."
"Ah, I have to give a reason too."
Fuka opened her closed lips.
"I think it was when the king gave orders for a tag game. Yumeto let me go even though he might die. Even after that, he helped us as the leader of the group. Being caught up in the king's game, It's the worst situation I've been involved in, but I'm happy that I've become friends with Yumeto-kun."
"Hey, wait a second!"
Yumeto looked back at Yuna and Fuka alternately.
"What is this situation? Normally, when you confess, don't you do it with only the person you're confessing to? I've never heard of such a form of this confession before."
"That's true. But Yuna and I decided to confess at the same time."
Fuka looked at Yumeto with serious eyes.
"Hey, Yumeto-kun. We're participants in the king's game. we were able to clear this order, but we might die without being able to clear the next order. Then I thought it would be better for us to tell you honestly how we feel."
"..."
"So, which one will you choose, Yumeto? Me or Yuna?"
"Oh, that's..."
Yumeto wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. His mouth dries up and the heartbeat in the back of his left chest quickens.
Yuna chuckled when she saw Yumeto with his mouth wide open like a goldfish.
"Well, this is also an expected reaction."
"Ah, it's obvious! I never thought I'd be confessed to in such a situation. What's more, two people at the same time..."
"Just for help, I can congratulate Yuna even if Yumeto-kun chooses Yuna. Yuna said the same thing too."
"Congratulate?"
"Yeah. Just like I like Yumeto, I like Yuna too. Of course, it's not weird. We're all in the same group and we're doing our best to survive together. We're like comrade-in-arms"
"So do I."
Yuna interrupts the conversation.
"I don't mind if Yumeto-kun chooses Fuka. I feel lonely, but if Yumeto-kun's lover is Fuka, I can understand."
"That's why, Yumeto-kun can choose without worrying about it. you can choose either me or Yuna. Oh...., if you say you like girls other than us, we might get a little angry. Narumi-san or Iori-san....."
"No, it's not....."
Yumeto shook his head left and right.
"Ah....a..."
Yumeto clenched his fist while making a strange noise.
..... What is this? Well, I'm happy to be confessed, but it's impossible for two people at the same time.
Yuna and Fuka looked at Yumeto with serious eyes. Unable to endure that gaze, Yumeto closed his eyelids tightly.
.....Would you choose between Yuna and Fuka? Yuna spoke kindly to me, as a transfer student, and having her by my side made me feel at ease. Fuka has an easy-going personality, and I enjoyed talking to her.
Yumeto thought that both of them were attractive women to him.
"...…I can't choose."
After several minutes of silence, Yumeto let out a squealing voice.
"Both Yuna and Fuka are women who are too good for me, I am very happy that these two people said they liked me. But the way things are now, I'm confused and can't choose between you two."
"....I see"
Fuka slightly moved her neck vertically.
"You said before that you can't think about love in this situation. But for me, because we're in this situation, so I thought I'd confess."
"I'm sorry. At times like this, I think it's right to choose wisely..."
"It's okay. I'm relieved, too. Besides, I found out that you likes me as much as Yuna."
Fuka smiled softly.
"Well, it's cleared up here now. It would be a shame if I died without being able to convey my feelings to the person I liked."
".....That's not going to happen."
"I don't want to die either. But there are things you can't do anything about, right?"
"Yeah. I might die with the next order."
Yuna let out a subdued voice.
"That's why I agreed with Fuka's proposal. We both knew that we liked Yumeto. Let's confess together, and even if the other person was chosen, let's congratulate each other."
"I don't really understand, but is that okay? If other person is chosen, it means that you will be dumped, right?"
Yuna nodded at Yumeto's question.
"It's fine as long as you dating with someone we can trust, even if I get dumped. Ah...but I might be depressed for a few days."
"I see.... I'm no good. I couldn't choose between you two. These two choices are very difficult."
"Was it a difficult choice?"
"Of course! Yuna-san and Fuka-san... are both attractive..... and...."
Fuka burst out laughing when she saw Yumeto mumbling.
"Ahaha... Yumeto's attitude when he confessed to us might be funny more. He was really impatient."
"Hey, it can't be helped. I've never been confessed to."
"Heh, is that so? I had a feeling that Yumeto-kun would be popular."
"That's not true. I've received chocolates for Valentine's Day, but I think they were obligatory chocolates....."
Yumeto wiped the sweat off his forehead and drank the water from the plastic bottle. Then, he bowed deeply in front of Yuna and Fuka.
"Yuna-san, Fuka-san, thank you very much. If you still like me, who is so indecisive, please give me a little time. I'll definitely give you an answer."
"Answer....?"
Fuka looked at Yumeto with calm eyes.
"That's right. Someday, you have to choose between me and Yuna."
"I know. When the king's game is over, I'll make a proper decision."
"Yeah. But now I can't die either. Until I hear your answer properly."
"I'll be in trouble too if you die. I don't think I'll ever be popular again."
"Fufu, well then, let's do our best. It's no good if Yuna dies too."
"I know. I don't want to die without knowing which one Yumeto-kun would chose."
"In that case, it maybe good that I haven't chosen now."
At Yumeto's words, Yuna and Fuka looked at each other and burst out laughing.
..................
Order 11
[Monday, November 8, 00:53 pm]
The smartphone he was holding rang.
Yumeto swallowed his saliva and lowered his gaze to the LCD screen.
[11/8 00:53 pm.
Sender: King
Subject: King's Game
Text: This is the king's game that played by students in Class 2A of Akaikeyama High School.
*The King's orders are absolute, so please obey them within 24 hours.
*Withdrawal is not permitted.
*Order 11: Yohei Nakajima writes the names of two classmates in his student handbook. Punish those whose name is written. However, if the person whose name is written have student handbook of a male student who is currently alive, it will be Yohei Nakajima who will be punished.
END]
"Student handbook of a surviving male student...."
Yumeto took out the student handbook he had in his pocket.
...With this order, you can't use the girl's student handbook, and you can't use the dead male student's handbook either. Yohei-kun wouldn't write name of Narumi-san, Iori-san, and Hisashi-kun in the same group. Besides, Souta and Satoshi cannot be specified either, Those two can protect themselves just by having their own student handbook. In that case, the group that Yohei-kun would write the name of would be Takeshi-kun, Miki-san, and Hinako-san, or our group. Both of these group have only one boy's student handbook, so they can't completely protect their friends.
Yumeto's throat moved like a wave.
.....Who should I give the student handbook to and protect them?
"Yumeto-kun..."
Fuka grabbed Yumeto's arm.
"I understand what you're thinking, Yumeto. You're trying to hand over your student handbook to either me or Yuna, right? But that's not something to worry."
"Isn't that something to worry about?"
"Probably, Yohei-kun should write Yuna's name."
"Why do you think so?"
"That's because Yuna is a candidate for the king."
Fuka glanced at Yuna.
"Of course, I don't think of Yuna as the king. But from the perspective of other groups, Yuna is a suspicious person. Because she protected Tomoki-kun well before."
"Wait a minute!"
Yuna let out a loud voice.
"It's true, Yohei-kun might suspect that I am the king. But it's also Fuka. Fuka also complained to Seiichiro's group, not to bully their classmates, right?
"But I don't think I am under suspicion as much as Yuna. If Yohei-kun wants to end the king game, he should designate someone who has a high chance of becoming the king like you."
Fuka grabbed Yuna's shoulder tightly.
"Do you understand? When Yohei-kun write your name, then you will die if you don't have a boy's student handbook, you know?"
"It's the same for Fuka and Yumeto!"
Yumeto listened silently to the conversation between Yuna and Fuka.
...Certainly, if Yohei-kun wants to kill the king on this order, there is a high possibility that he will writing Yuna-san's name. However, if Yohei thinks that I will hand over the student handbook to Yuna-san in anticipation of that, he will even write Fuka-san's name. No, maybe he'll write both names.
In my mind, Yuna and Fuka are punished and die. Two people with broken necks and covered in blood...
Yumeto's spine shivered.
...No way! I have to protect these two people! But you can only protect one person. Who should I hand my student handbook?
Yuna and Fuka simultaneously touched Yumeto's shoulders as he was thinking desperately with his fists clenched.
..................