Tanaka's voice broke the silence, sharp and deliberate, cutting through the natural symphony of the woods. "The test wasn't over," he said, his tone laced with confusion and a hint of accusation. His eyes scanned the faces of his companions, their expressions a mix of awkwardness and unease. The moonlight caught the edges of their features, highlighting the uncertainty etched into their expressions.
Miyu was the first to respond, her voice steady but tinged with defensiveness. "It's not because of me," she said, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her gaze flickered to Hana and Haruto, who stood side by side, their usual synchrony on full display.
"Then who caused it?" Hana and Haruto asked simultaneously, their voices overlapping perfectly, as if they were two halves of the same thought. Their eyes darted between the others, searching for answers.
Yuno and Yuki remained silent, their faces thoughtful as they tried to piece together the puzzle. Yuno's brow was furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line, while Yuki's eyes darted around the group, as if he were mentally cataloging every detail. Before either of them could voice their thoughts, Rin stepped forward, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Uhm, uhm… perfect timing," Rin stammered, her voice trembling slightly. "I was just about to tell you guys… I caused it." Her words hung in the air, heavy and unexpected. She avoided eye contact, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
Tanaka's eyes widened in shock, his usual composure slipping for a moment. "Rin, whom do you wanna kill?" he asked, his voice rising slightly. The question echoed through the clearing, causing the others to freeze in place.
Hana's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What? Why would Rin kill someone?" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. Her shock was mirrored by Haruto, who stood beside her, equally stunned.
Miyu, however, seemed to piece things together faster than the others. Her eyes narrowed as she studied Rin, her expression a mix of curiosity and understanding. "You didn't get it, did you?" she said, her voice calm but probing. "The only logical possibility we can think of is that a devil helped Rin. That means she had the intention to kill someone. That's how the condition was met, and a devil showed up to her, helping her bring you guys and herself to this location. Am I right, Rin?"
Tanaka's mind raced as he processed Miyu's words. "I get it," he said slowly, his voice steady but tinged with realization. "Like how you figured out that the fake one wasn't me. I couldn't tell the fake one about what kind of person I am because even I can't describe myself better than an observer. I knew this might cause me trouble, but to think an observer was there in my friend circle… and that it would be Rin… makes me wonder why?" His gaze locked onto Rin, his eyes searching hers for answers.
Rin, however, refused to meet his gaze. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his stare. Tanaka and Miyu exchanged a glance, their minds clearly working through the possibilities. Tanaka, ever the pragmatist, decided to take the direct approach.
"Rin," he said, his voice firm but not unkind, "what action of the fake one made you think it wasn't me?"
Miyu's eyes flickered with understanding, as if she had already guessed the answer. She had two possibilities in mind, and one of them was too embarrassing to voice aloud. She could see Tanaka struggling with the same thought, his reluctance to say it out loud evident in the way he hesitated. Instead, he turned to Rin, waiting for her to explain.
All eyes were on Rin now, the forest around them fading into the background as the group focused on her. She swallowed hard, her nervousness palpable. "The way Tanaka looked at Hana was different compared to what he usually does," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her words were met with stunned silence.
Rin's gaze flickered to Tanaka, her eyes pleading with him to understand what she couldn't say aloud. Her blush deepened, and she quickly looked away, unable to hold his gaze. Tanaka's eyes widened in realization, and for a moment, he was too stunned to speak. He stared at Rin, his mind racing as the pieces fell into place.
Miyu, ever the observant one, broke the tension with a dry remark. "Tanaka and Rin, please do this another time. We've got better things to do right now," she said, her tone laced with amusement.
Rin's face turned crimson, and she stammered, "Huh? You didn't have to say it so loudly!" Her embarrassment was evident, and she buried her face in her hands.
Tanaka, however, was still reeling from the revelation. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and he couldn't tear his eyes away from Rin. The others exchanged knowing glances, their expressions a mix of amusement and curiosity.
Hana and Haruto, ever in sync, spoke simultaneously. "What was that?" they asked, their voices overlapping perfectly. Their clueless expressions only added to the awkwardness of the situation.
Yuki couldn't help but chuckle at their synchrony. "Hana, Haruto, are you two one person or what? You speak simultaneously and say the same words," he teased, his tone lighthearted.
Hana grinned, her usual cheerfulness returning. "People say that once two people get married, they start to look alike. But in our case, it's speaking simultaneously," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Haruto smiled, his gaze softening as he looked at Hana. "What you just said makes me think we're already married," he replied, his tone warm.
Yuki laughed, and even Yuno couldn't suppress a small smile. But Yuno's mind was still working, trying to piece together what had just happened between Rin and Tanaka. Before she could voice her thoughts, Rin spoke again, her voice trembling.
"Once I realized that something was wrong with Tanaka, I needed time to think. I wanted to be alone to pull the strings of this situation," Rin explained, her words coming out in a rush. "When I was in one of the houses we asked for, the most logical possibility to me was that this was all done by Tanaka. That's when I decided to kill Tanaka and m-m-myself…" Her voice trailed off, her face burning with shame.
Yuno's eyes widened in realization, and a mischievous smile spread across her face. "You would kill yourself after killing Tanaka," she said, her tone teasing but not unkind.
Rin's shock was evident, her face turning fully red as if her deepest secret had been exposed. She stammered, unable to form a coherent response. Tanaka, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Rin, I never realized that," he said, his tone soft but tinged with shock. His eyes searched hers, trying to understand the depth of her feelings.
Rin's composure finally broke, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Because I couldn't say it… I couldn't give any hints… I'm sorry, Tanaka. I'm late," she said, her voice choked with emotion. The tears spilled over, streaming down her cheeks as the weight of her unspoken feelings finally came to the surface.
Miyu couldn't resist a teasing remark. "Ah, I'm jealous of you, Tanaka. Like how much a person loves you that she would even kill herself after killing you," she said, her tone playful but her words carrying a hint of sincerity.
The others nodded in understanding, their expressions softening as they realized the depth of Rin's feelings. Hana, Haruto, Yuno, and Yuki exchanged glances, their silent communication urging Tanaka to take the next step. Tanaka, still processing everything, finally understood what he needed to do.
He stepped closer to Rin, his movements slow and deliberate. Gently, he reached out and wiped the tears from her cheeks, his touch tender. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world around them faded away. Rin, desperate to express herself, opened her mouth to speak, but Tanaka pulled her into a hug before she could say anything more.
The embrace was warm and comforting, but also intentional. Tanaka wasn't ready to hear what Rin wanted to say, not yet. Rin, overwhelmed by her emotions, clung to him, her tears soaking into his shirt. She was in a state of desperation, unable to think clearly, but also relieved that her feelings were finally out in the open.
Yuno, ever the mediator, broke the silence once more. "Friends," she said, her voice calm but commanding attention. "Yuki isn't my first boyfriend."
The statement caught everyone off guard, and all eyes turned to Yuno. Even Rin and Tanaka pulled away slightly, their attention shifting to her. Hana and Haruto exchanged curious glances, while Miyu's expression softened, as if she understood the weight of Yuno's words.
Yuki nodded, his gaze steady as he looked at Yuno. "Yuno, so you're gonna tell them?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Yuno smiled, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and resolve. "I think it's the best time. Maybe it'll be useful to someone," she said, her gaze lingering on Rin and Tanaka for a moment before she continued.
"Yuki is my third boyfriend," Yuno began, her voice steady but tinged with emotion. "Before Yuki, the two were just after my body. The first one was my first crush. Somehow, I managed to propose to him, but I was certain I'd be rejected. He was popular among girls, good at sports, and handsome. I didn't believe I was special, but when he accepted me, I was happy… until one day, I saw a girl yelling at him while crying, saying he used her body and left her. After that, I broke up with him."
She paused, her eyes distant as she relived the memory. "When I told him I wanted to break up, it was after school, and no one was around. He got angry and tried to fulfill his desires, but a student saw us and pushed him away. He was tall, so my ex got scared and ran. I started crying, but the student helped me up and asked if I was okay. I thanked him, and he said it was nothing. A few days later, he proposed to me, but I wasn't interested in relationships anymore. I didn't want to make him sad, so I accepted. But one day, he messaged me, and I realized he was after my body too. I broke up with him."
Yuno's voice grew stronger as she continued. "I was naive, but after what happened, I made myself strong—physically and mentally. A few months later, when my friends and I got to school early, I was sitting on a desk. A boy came in and said it was his desk. I moved, but the way he spoke was different. I turned to see him, and despite the desk being clean, he gave it a filthy look and cleaned it. That's when I wanted to know more about him."
She turned to Yuki, her smile soft. "Yuki, continue it," she said, her tone encouraging.
Yuki nodded, his gaze steady as he took over the story. "Yuno isn't my first girlfriend. My two ex-girlfriends were after my body, but I told them we'd wait until marriage. They didn't agree, so I broke up with them. I lost interest in relationships, but a few months later, a girl came to talk to me in class. She said she wanted to talk about something, so I waited for her after school. I expected her to ask for a relationship, but she asked a weird question instead. She wanted to confirm something and said if she was right, I should say 'yeah,' and if not, forget the conversation."
He paused, his eyes meeting Yuno's. "She asked if I remembered the day she was sitting on my desk and if I'd given it a filthy look. She wondered if I wasn't interested in girls' bodies. She was so nervous and shy, but I realized she was different from my exes. I told her she was right and ended up sharing my past. She started crying and said it was relatable. She had two ex-boyfriends who were after her body, and she'd broken up with them. She said it was a relief to find someone like me and asked if we could be friends."
Yuno smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "And here we are," she said softly, her gaze sweeping over the group.
The forest seemed to hold its breath as the weight of their stories settled over the group. Each of them had their own struggles, their own secrets, but in that moment, they were united by the bonds of friendship and understanding. The moonlight bathed the clearing in a soft glow, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch toward the future—a future filled with uncertainty, but also hope.