Exactly as depicted in Western culture: a skeleton, the complete antonym of life. It carries a scythe, its blade so sharp it evokes agony just to look at. The black holes where eyes should be radiate endless darkness as if I could see behind them the graveyard where all its victims lie.
"Jocchi, are you okay?" An unexpected whisper breaks my train of thought.
Manabu? So, you can't see what just happened? Considering what those kids said over the loudspeakers, this must be a sign that I'm actively participating in the so-called game they announced.
"Yes, I'm just shocked. It's not every day you see someone vanish like that."
"Maybe because I'm always immersed in fiction where this is possible, it didn't affect me as much."
"Hey, Manabu. Do you think a person can sense something no one else around them can?"
"Hmmm… Let me think… It's plausible. Could it be you're in a different position than the others? Like a player?" he asks.
"I'd rather not, but I may be."
"And what do you plan to do about it?"
I don't know. I have no idea what to do. Besides, once my death ends the game, I'll naturally become a target.
As I consider replying to Manabu, I notice a figure moving around the crowd of students—a fleeting glimpse of golden hair.
There she is. I can't let her slip away this time.
I try to move toward her, but the dense concentration of people slows me down. Step by step, she gets farther away.
When I finally manage to break free from the cluster of bodies, she's already out of sight.
She's somewhere. She can't just vanish like that.
I search briefly around the area but find no trace of where she could have gone.
Before I can lament, I notice strange movements within the crowd. In perfect sync, everyone turns around.
The only presence capable of commanding such spontaneous obedience enters the courtyard, megaphone in hand. Her path parts the masses fluidly.
Finally, accompanied by the other four prominent council members, she stops in front of us with her cold blue gaze. She stares at us for a few seconds, and as the agitation finally subsides, she sighs and raises the megaphone to her lips.
"Stop acting like monkeys and listen to what we have to say!"
The student council president, Yukihara Mikoto, begins her speech rudely. Yet, no one seems bothered by it. Perhaps they don't mind being demeaned by someone so beautiful.
Without caring about the insult, a desperate student tries to bring up what just happened to his classmate.
"BUT ASAHI—"
The president's watchdog, better known as Vice President Tanaka Takashi, doesn't even let him finish his comment, interrupting with a loud shout.
"QUIET! Let Kaichou finish speaking!"
The friendlier council members, Hasegawa Haruki and Kobayashi Keiko look slightly embarrassed by the vice president's rude outburst. Nakamura Natsuki, on the other hand, is trembling with fear. I wonder how this girl even became a class representative—she seems to have less backbone than I do.
"Hey, Takashi-san. That was unnecessary," says Haruki.
"One cannot interrupt a superior and go unpunished. Don't you agree, Hasegawa-san?"
Holding the position of vice president and being so close to the president has evidently resulted in deep idolization. However, the one to respond to the watchdog isn't Haruki but his master herself.
"I do not recall giving you permission to perform such an unnecessary action," she states coldly.
"I was just ensuring no one interrupted you," he replies, startled.
"And yet, you made me waste more time addressing your unnecessary outburst than if you had simply let the boy finish his sentence."
Takashi widens his eyes and slowly lowers his head in disappointment.
I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. He must feel utterly crushed by her scolding.
She tosses a strand of her long hair over her shoulder and raises the megaphone again.
"Anyway, the student council is aware of the circumstances we find ourselves in, and what the voices claimed through the speakers appears true. That being said, we will maintain order among the students while seeking a way to escape this 'game' with as few fatalities as possible. For that, we need everyone's cooperation. Does anyone object?"
No one could. Everyone is desperate, yearning to believe in some guiding light to lead them out of this nightmare. And there's no better light than Yukihara Mikoto. Even in the face of a supernatural event, she shows no signs of nervousness or insecurity.
4:44 PM
Currently, we're in the school lobby, as the student council has summoned all classes.
Since the commotion outside, I haven't seen the mysterious foreign girl, so there's nothing to distract my attention. The president also seems unlikely to make another announcement for now.
Since everything is at a standstill, I might as well rest in some corner.
"Hey Johann, all good?"
I was fine until you came to bother me. Shouldn't he be more concerned about the situation we're in?
"Shoucchi, I told you not to disturb him. You shouldn't mess with a friend who was ready to dream sweetly of his waifu."
"But what I have to say is more important than your imaginary waifus," Shou retorts to Manabu.
"What could be more important than that?"
"I heard we're getting dorms!" he exclaims excitedly.
I continue to observe their debate with a resentful gaze. Why are they so thrilled about dormitories?
Shortly after, we head toward where Miyu and the other second-year students are gathered. Keiko and Haruki stand at the front, indicating they'll pass on the council's instructions.
Purposefully, I sit far from those three so I can listen to what the representatives have to say.
Haruki begins to speak.
"All right, everyone. I think you're all aware that we'll be confined to the school for almost a week. Since the sun is setting soon, the council has decided to arrange dormitories."
Keiko presents a poorly drawn floor plan of the school and elaborates on it.
"The rooms on the left side of the block will be the girls' dorms. On the right side will be the boys' dorms. Each room will have a representative, likely a council member. Any questions?"
Keiko's explanation seems complete, and apart from the poster's quality, no one has any questions—except for a certain someone.
"I object! According to my sources, it should be a single dorm!" Shou stands up and starts throwing a tantrum.
I'm relieved I sat far from him. Everyone is looking at him with confusion or disgust.
Miyu stands up and grabs Shou by his tie.
"Kobayashi-san, don't take him seriously—it was just a joke," she tries to smooth over Shou's outburst.
Shou resists her pull and persists with his statement.
"Miyu-chan, I've never been more serious—OW! What was that for?"
She elbows him in the stomach, not discreetly at all, to shut him up.
"It's because of people like your friend there that separate dorms are indispensable," Keiko says, looking at Shou with disdain.
Their usual behavior isn't limited to the three of them. How can they act so normal when everyone was terrified just a few hours ago?
After the brief meeting, the three re-enter my orbit, chattering about the most random topics imaginable.
"You know what I think is even more absurd than dividing the dorms? Not going after the identity of one of the three players," Shou comments.
Shou's suggestion isn't new. The reasoning is obvious, but even so, I'd like to hear him say it explicitly.
"And why should they?" I ask.
"They just need to kill one of the three, right? Surely someone would be willing to sacrifice themselves for the group."
"Shut up, Shoucchi! That's absurd!" Manabu responds, clearly upset.
"Why so irritated?" Shou asks, startled by Manabu's reaction.
"It doesn't matter—just don't say that again."
"I agree with you, Manabu-kun, but there's no need to act like that toward Shimizu-kun," Miyu interjects.
"Well, I agree with Shou. It's the easiest path, isn't it?" I comment.
"But Jocchi?!" Manabu's eyes widen.
"See, Manabu? Even Johann agrees with me! It's the most efficient method—maybe even the only one. Johann's smart, so he must've realized it too."
The game's rules are overly simple and likely intended to lead to this decision sooner or later.
"But there's one detail. I'm a player. So, what will you do, Shou?"
Miyu starts looking at me with concern. Shou, however, simply averts his gaze.
9:37 PM
Finally, it's time to sleep. Usually, I try to sleep before ten o'clock. My lifestyle resembles an old man's, which fortunately seems to be the standard the student council is enforcing.
We've been assigned to separate dorms. Half the girls are under the president's supervision, while the other half are with Keiko and Natsuki. As for the boys, they've been split between Haruki and Takashi.
"Twenty minutes until lights out!" Takashi announces.
Under normal circumstances, I'd hate to be in this guy's group, but in this case, it's perfect. He has what it takes to keep Shou and Manabu quiet.
I look around. Everyone's preparing sleeping bags or makeshift blankets with what the school had. The dejected expressions on their faces are almost visible; they must've had some expectation of a school campout but ended up under the grumpiest council member's watch. Unlike them, I'm already lying down, eagerly waiting for the lights to go out so I can rest after this long day. But nothing compares to the satisfaction of seeing the extroverted students' plans ruined.
I glance at the ceiling with an internal smile and gradually close my eyes.
"Psst."
Apparently, my satisfaction can't last as long as I'd like. I pretend I didn't hear Manabu calling me and remain silent.
"Hey, Jocchi," he persists.
He won't stop until I answer him.
"We're supposed to be silent. Didn't you hear?" I open my eyes and whisper.
"I heard, but we're bored."
Bored? Initially, I didn't care much about escaping or not, but now I see how much I miss being far from these two.
"Seriously, who sleeps this early?" Shou comments.
I retract my earlier statement about Takashi being able to keep them quiet. Not even God could grant me peace with these pests around.
"So, what do you want from me?" I ask.
"Jocchi, we're worried about you. Have you thought of a plan yet?"
Oh? So, he's finally thinking about something serious?
"A plan? I've already said I'm a terrible strategist."
Shou chimes in again.
"But what will you do about the game you're involved in?"
"Absolutely nothing. I'll pretend I'm not playing and wait it out."
"Hey, you! It's quiet time," we're interrupted by a scolding from the vice president.
Day 2
6:23 AM
The quiet is suddenly broken.
"Everyone up!"
Takashi's shout drags me out of my precious sleep. Am I serving in an army without knowing it?
I get up, still groggy, and look at the clock. It's 6:24 AM. Not that I mind waking up early—this is usually my routine. But wouldn't it be more practical to let everyone sleep? It'd make their surveillance job much more manageable.
"It's still six in the morning! Let us sleep a little longer!" Shou protests.
Shou's protest spreads among the other dorm students. The collective desire to sleep until lunchtime is palpable.
Takashi furrows his brows and replies harshly.
"I won't say it twice. These are orders from Kaichou."
Ah, so she's the mastermind behind this? Does she plan to maintain regular school hours just for the sake of order? I wouldn't doubt it. She takes her position too seriously, demanding an intangible level of perfection for school standards.
Since these are the president's orders, everyone who joined Shou's democratic fight abandons the ship, obeys Takashi's orders, and starts tidying their sleeping bags.
"And did she even say why, Takacchi?" Manabu asks.
"Takacchi? Ah... whatever. The situation is complicated, and I haven't been given much information yet. However, we had issues with the first secretary, Kobayashi Keiko."
Takashi seems tense as he explains.
"Issues? Like she's feeling sick or something?"
Silence.
Takashi simply stares forward. He doesn't even need to answer Manabu's question. His fixed gaze says it all. But when his bitter voice finally reaches our ears, we understand that our peace is truly over.
In a low tone, Takashi responds.
"She was found dead at dawn."