Danganronpa x Alice in Borderland - mxshroomblqnkiit (2025)

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter Text

Things I’d just like to say:

-This story will mostly feature V3 characters as the main cast. But fret not, THH and SDR2 are included.
-Please don't judge the Alice in Borderland roles I gave for the Danganronpa characters.
-Chances of me even finishing this up to season 2 is too low since I always lack motivation.
-English isn't really my first language.
-This is my first time working with AO3, so I still don't know how most things work.
-The V3 characters will be a mixture of pre-game and in-game. (At least my perception of them.)
-The background and irrelevant characters will be given random names and random Ultimates.
-My headcanons are also very much included.
- Very very very slow updates.
-Forgive me for not knowing canon Danganronpa lore well.
-I have this published on Wattpad.
-Also sorry if your favorite isn't here. I'm trying to include everybody.
-I often reread previous chapters and edit the paragraphs. Sometimes the ones that has a flashback, so if those don't align, pay no mind.

Here are romantic and platonic ships that I can assure you are guaranteed to happen in this story (if I ever even finish it.):

Romantic:
-Saiouma
-Irumaki
-Naegiri
-Komahina
-Tenmiko

Platonic:
-Saimaki
-Saimatsu
-Hinanami
-Kiibouma

___________________________________

Chapter 2: Three of clubs 1.1

Chapter Text

Time was like a stream, always rushing along, never quite asking where you'd like to go.

If you slipped in, well, you’d be whisked away, with nary a say in the matter.

It flowed endlessly, this curious little river of time, pulling you along as it pleased, with no mind to your desires or protests.

No choices here, you see – only the current knew where it fancied taking you.

And somewhere in that bustling stream, in a quaint little classroom, where the walls held secrets of lessons long past, a teenage boy lounged atop his desk, his posture languid and carefree. His eyes, heavy with the weight of tedium, drifted lazily across the room, tracing the delicate dance of dust motes caught in the soft glow of sunlight streaming through the window.

He sat, a lone figure amidst the hum of whispered conversations and the scratch of pencils on paper, as if he were a dandelion in a field of busy bees. The teacher’s voice droned on, a gentle lullaby of facts and figures, while he pondered the mysteries of time: Why must it crawl like a snail when he wished for it to race like a rabbit?

Time seemed to stretch, each tick of the clock echoing in his mind. His gaze wandered to the window, where the world outside seemed far more intriguing than the lessons droning on inside.

Suddenly, a folded piece of paper slid onto his desk, nudged with just enough force to catch his attention. The edge of the note caught the light, its presence understated yet deliberate, much like the blonde girl who had sent it. Her movements were quick, precise, leaving no room for unnecessary attention. She didn’t look his way—not now.

He unfolded the paper slowly, careful not to draw eyes. Inside, a few words were scribbled in quick, sharp handwriting.

“This place is a joke, Shuichi. Tell me you’re as bored as I am.”

A brief glance to the side showed her posture was unchanged, perfectly composed, as though she hadn’t just admitted, in her own blunt way, to sharing his quiet discontent. He stared at the note for a moment, the corners of his lips barely lifting into the hint of a smile. He picked up his pen, tapping it idly before leaning over to write a reply beneath her words.

”Kaede, I'm trying not to fall asleep.”

He folded the note and, in one subtle motion, slid it back to her desk. The gesture was quiet, much like their silent exchange, as if nothing had happened at all.

Kaede’s fingers slid over the note, unfolding it with the same quiet care Shuichi had shown. She glanced down at his neat reply and, for a moment, her lips pressed into a thin line. No smile, no outward reaction—just a slight pause.

“Always. You’re the only person here who doesn’t annoy me.”

Kaede, he thought, was a paradox.

Outside of school, she radiated warmth, her laughter brightening even the dullest days. She poured her heart into her piano playing, fingers dancing over keys. Yet here, within these four walls, a different version of her emerged.

She would glare at the chatter around her and made it clear that she wanted to distance herself from the crowd. It was almost humorous, how she could flip from effervescent to misanthropic in an instant, as if school transformed her into a version of herself she hardly recognized.

”I guess that makes two of us. Let’s keep each other sane, at least.”

Later at lunchtime, the cafeteria buzzed with the usual chaos of students, the air filled with laughter and the clatter of trays. Shuichi weaved through the crowd, his eyes scanning the sea of faces until he spotted Kaede at their usual table in the corner.

He slid into the seat across from her, relieved to find her there, her tray mostly untouched as she tapped her fingers against the surface.

“Hey,” he greeted, the familiar comfort settling in. “I thought you might skip today.”

Kaede looked up, a small smile on her face upon seeing him. “I almost did. But I figured it was better to face the madhouse with company.”

As their conversation flowed, Shuichi was just about to fire off another remark when a sudden voice interrupted them, loud and overly confident.

“There you two are!”

A taller boy with violet hair stormed up to the table, grinning like he’d just won a game no one else was playing. Without asking, he dropped his tray next to them and flopped into the seat beside Shuichi, making the table rattle.

Kaede raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, while Shuichi just sighed. “Kaito.”

Kaito slapped Shuichi on the back, nearly knocking him forward. “Come on, you guys look like you’re planning a secret evil takeover or something. Lighten up!” He flexed his arm like he was trying to intimidate the entire cafeteria, but all it did was make the blonde roll her eyes harder.

“We were just talking about how to make school more unbearable,” Kaede said, deadpan. “Maybe you’ve got some ideas?”

He laughed, clearly missing the sarcasm. “Unbearable? Nah! This place isn’t so bad. You just gotta take charge! Show everyone who’s boss!” He clenched his fist, clearly envisioning himself as the cafeteria’s self-appointed king.

“Uh-huh,” Shuichi muttered, rubbing his back where Kaito had smacked him. “And how do you suggest we do that?”

Kaito grinned, leaning in like he was sharing some grand secret. “Simple. You gotta be intimidating. Walk in like you own the place! No one messes with the guy who looks like he’s ready to knock them out.”

Kaede snorted. “Pretty sure that only works in sports movies.”

For reasons neither Shuichi nor Kaede fully understood, their trio with Kaito somehow worked. It shouldn’t have, not on paper. Shuichi and Kaede were the quiet, cynical pair who preferred to blend into the background, sharing snide remarks and dark humor like an inside joke with the universe. Kaito, on the other hand, was a burst of energy—loud, overly confident, and completely shameless about taking up space wherever he went.

After lunch, the trio wandered through the crowded hallways, weaving past groups of students without really paying attention to them. Shuichi walked slightly behind Kaede and Kaito, his hands stuffed in his pockets, while Kaede strolled next to him, arms crossed and eyes focused straight ahead. Kaito, as usual, dominated the conversation, his voice rising above the hum of chatter around them.

“I'm telling you, all we need is a plan,” Kaito said, gesturing wildly with his hands. “You guys focus too much on the negatives. We could totally pull off something fun. Maybe we skip out early and head to the arcade or something!”

Kaede raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Sure, because that’ll make sitting through the next three classes totally worth it.”

Shuichi chuckled softly, glancing at her. “Skipping school sounds more appealing the longer you talk about it.”

Kaito grinned, clapping Shuichi on the back—again. “See? That’s the spirit! You’re finally coming around.”

Shuichi couldn’t help but smile at that. As obnoxious as Kaito’s enthusiasm could be, there was something undeniably comforting about his persistence. He kept walking a step behind, watching as Kaito launched into another dramatic tale of something that happened at his last basketball game.

Despite Kaede’s initial skepticism and Shuichi’s hesitation, Kaito had managed to convince them—just this once—to skip the rest of the day. After all, the idea of sitting through hours of dull classes was unbearable when the outside world beckoned with so much more life.

The plan to hit the arcade had been Kaito’s grand idea, but as they wandered through the busy streets, each arcade they checked had signs plastered across the doors: CLOSED FOR RENOVATION or TEMPORARILY CLOSED. Kaito’s usual enthusiasm wavered each time, but he refused to give up hope until they reached the fourth one and found the same disappointing sign.

“Well, this sucks,” he muttered, staring at the shuttered door. “Who closes all the arcades at the same time?”

Kaede crossed her arms, staring at the sign like it had personally offended her. “Maybe the universe is telling you something. Like, ‘Go back to class, you idiot.’”

“Yeah, that or maybe you didn’t check if they were open before dragging us here.” Shuichi leaned against the wall beside her, his hands deep in his pockets, watching Kaito’s face slowly fall.

Kaito scoffed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “Okay, fine! Maybe I didn’t. But there’s no way I’m going back now.”

“Well, we’re already here. I’m not going back either.” She let out a sigh.

The bluenette pushed off the wall, glancing up and down the street, people rushing by in waves. “Then what now?”

For a moment, there was silence, as the city buzzed around them. Kaito ran a hand through his hair, looking around like he might find an idea lying on the sidewalk. Then, with a sudden grin, he pointed toward the heart of the city.

“Let’s just go to Shibuya Crossing,” he said. “Hang out, people-watch. It’ll be fun.”

Kaede arched an eyebrow. “People-watching? Really?”

“Hey, it’s better than going back to school.”

Shuichi exchanged a glance with Kaede. The thought of wandering back through the gates of their suffocating high school was far from appealing. And while Kaito’s alternative plan wasn’t exactly thrilling, the idea of being out in the city, free from responsibilities, was enough to sway them.

“Alright,” he said. “Let’s go.”

The blonde sighed dramatically. “Fine. Lead the way, Mr. People-Watcher.”

With Kaito in the lead, they left the arcades behind, heading deeper into the city. Even though their original plan had fallen apart, none of them seemed to mind.

The three of them stood there, side by side, letting the world rush by around them, content in the moment. It was one of those rare times where none of them had to be anything more than who they were—a bored kid with a detective uncle, a piano prodigy with too much on her mind, and a wannabe hero trying to live life in the biggest way possible. Somehow, it was enough. The Shibuya Crossing was as lively as ever, with people bustling about, cars honking and music blaring from nearby shops.

Kaede broke the silence with a question. “So uh, what now?”

The trio exchanged glances, all of them sharing a look of “we didn't think this far ahead.”

“Oh well,” Shuichi sighed. “I wish I could just go somewhere nobody knows.”

“It'd be pretty bad if zombies showed up in Shibuya, huh?” She snickered, picturing the scene. “If everyone gets bitten, they'll all turn into zombies!”

“Cut it out with the zombie talk and focus on where we should go,” Kaito said, trying to sound in charge.

“But if zombies did show up, only Kaito would survive,” Shuichi teased with a small smile, nudging his shoulder. “You'd take them down with just one punch.”

“No, it wouldn't be me.” He shook his head and turned to him. “You'd be the one to survive, Shuichi.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because you'd outsmart them.”

“Huh…”

“You know, Shuichi,” Kaito said with a sigh, glancing at the crowded streets. “Maybe you should stop hanging out with us and try to live a normal life.”

“What? Why would you say that?” The bluenette turned to him, tilting his head in confusion and waiting for a reply, but none came. He let out a soft hum and leaned back against the wall.

Shuichi's curiosity was sparked by Kaito's words, but he chose not to press the issue. Instead, the three friends settled into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. They stood there, leaning against the wall, observing the passersby and soaking in the lively sounds of the city around them.

“Ah, screw it!” Kaito suddenly exclaimed, surprising everyone as he bent down and wrapped his strong arms around Shuichi's thighs. In one swift motion, he hoisted him up onto his shoulders. “Here we go!”

“K-Kaito! What are you doing?” Shuichi gasped, taken aback. His hands instinctively grabbed onto the back of Kaito’s head for balance. He grinned, steadying himself as he held Shuichi's thighs firmly. “This is your Independence Day, Shuichi!” he declared cheerfully.

Meanwhile, Kaede whipped out her phone, excitement lighting up her face now that she was away from school. “Oh, we definitely need to take a photo!”

With a nod, Kaito started striding confidently into the busy streets of Shibuya, Kaede trotting along behind them with her phone camera ready. As they wove through the throngs of people, he called out loudly to the passersby, announcing their presence. “Move aside, coming through!”

A few people turned to look at the unusual sight of a man carrying another man on his shoulders, a phone aimed at them.

“Kaito, put me down! This is so embarrassing!” He protested, but a smile crept onto his lips despite his words.

Kaito soon spotted an open space in the middle of the street and came to a stop, spreading his arms wide and flexing dramatically. Kaede raised her phone, excitement in her eyes. “Hold that pose, Kaito! Let me get a shot!”

“Hey, don’t take my picture!” Shuichi exclaimed, laughter breaking through his embarrassment. Then, without warning, Kaito abruptly spun around, causing Shuichi to nearly lose his balance. His arms flailed wildly as he instinctively grasped Kaito's head, holding on for dear life. The world around him blurred in a whirlwind of movement.

“Here, Shuichi! Over here!” Kaede giggled, capturing the moment with her camera as flashes of light danced in front of them. “C'mon, Shuichi! Here! Smile!”

“Stop it already!” Shuichi yelled, his voice half-laughing, half-exasperated. Yet, despite his protests, a grin began to form on his lips. The initial shock of being spun around was quickly replaced by an exhilarating rush, the kind that made his heart race. The more they spun, the more Shuichi found himself getting swept up in the moment. He and Kaito were both shouting and laughing, enjoying the wild ride.

They didn’t care how foolish they looked, twirling around in the middle of the street like a pair of kids at play. It was just pure, unadulterated fun—an unforgettable moment of friendship that made everything else fade away. As the pedestrian light turned green and cars began to move forward, the trio suddenly realized they were still standing in the middle of the road, blocking traffic. Curious onlookers stared at them, a mix of amusement and confusion on their faces. Shuichi urgently tugged at Kaito's shoulders, desperate to get down. Kaito quickly understood and crouched low, allowing Shuichi to step off his shoulders just in time.

“Hey!” Shuichi exclaimed, taking a quick step back as a motorcycle zoomed past, nearly running him over. The trio turned to retreat, but another car sped by, forcing them to halt. In a panic, they turned and ran in the opposite direction, dodging traffic. Just as they thought they were in the clear, another car came barreling toward them. Adrenaline surged through Shuichi as a wave of panic began to set in.

Kaito, reacting instinctively, yelled out, “Run!”

Without a second thought, they dashed forward, sprinting down the street as cars whizzed by on both sides. “Hurry up!” Shuichi urged, pushing Kaito ahead.

“Look, fireworks!”

They were so lost in the thrill of their chaotic escape that they barely registered Kaede's exclamation. Fireworks in the morning sky? They didn't have time to ponder the strange sight, too preoccupied with their wild dash to safety.

Eventually, they reached the sidewalk, panting and gasping for breath. As the trio stumbled onto the pavement, their heavy breaths gradually slowed, only to halt abruptly when they spotted police officers exiting a nearby building.

Shared looks of anxiety passed between them.

“Where to!?” She exclaimed, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead as she hurried to keep up with Kaito and Shuichi. With the police in hot pursuit, the trio dashed into a subway station, only to find more officers coming down the stairs.

Shuichi, with his quick thinking, immediately steered the group towards the restroom, “Head for the restroom!”

“Guys, I'm a girl—” “Just move!”

They rushed into the male restroom, the door swinging shut behind them. Kaede awkwardly mumbled an apology, her cheeks burning red as she glanced around. Meanwhile, Shuichi and Kaito frantically scanned the cramped space for a place to hide. In a panic, they spotted a stall and rushed inside, locking the door behind them. The three of them clumsily compressed into the tiny space, their backs pressed against the walls and faces all but squished together.

All three of them exchanged glances, panting with hearts racing, before bursting into hushed laughter.

It was utterly ridiculous, hiding in a bathroom stall from the police, but somehow, they made it work—at least for the moment. As they all tried to suppress their laughter, a sudden and rather comical event occurred. The lights in the bathroom went out, plunging them into complete darkness. A collective gasp echoed through the stall.

“Power outage,” Kaede said quietly.

Shuichi slowly leaned his ear against the stall door, straining to hear anything over the unsettling silence. Glancing back at Kaito and Kaede, he said, “I’ll go out and check.”

“Be careful.” Kaito warned, his brow furrowed with concern as he watched Shuichi carefully open the door.

No one was inside the restroom. Not even a single stranger.

The silence was almost deafening.

They trudged out of the make restroom and into the subway. They were utterly alone, the silence broken only by the sound of their breathing and occasional distant city noises.

They headed to the entrance of the subway and not a soul was found.

Where did everyone go?

The trio spent the day exploring the eerily vacant city, the absence of people becoming increasingly disconcerting. Shops and restaurants were eerily silent, and not a soul was found on the streets. It was as if everyone had vanished into thin air. As the sun began to set, casting the city in a dusky orange glow, the group gathered in the center of Shibuya. A city that was already abandoned now plunged into complete darkness. Buildings loomed as ominous shadows against the black sky, the usually bustling lights now dead.

“Could it be...an evacuation drill...?” Kaede mused, trying to make sense of the situation. “Or an event? A flash mob, maybe?”

Kaito shook his head, letting out a sigh as he took a swig from a water bottle he had grabbed from a nearby store that remained oddly open. “The scale is too huge for that,” he replied, his voice laced with concern.

“If only the three of us remain here…” Shuichi trailed off, not bothering to finish his thought as he looked around at the quiet streets and monotonous buildings. “This is quite nice.”

“What?” They said in unison.

A chuckle escaped his lips. “Don't you find this exciting? It's like a situation I would see in my favorite show.”

The two of them exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of disbelief and concern. Kaito furrowed his eyebrows, leaning closer. “Are you insane?”

Kaede hummed as she started to nod. “...You're right. This is kind of nice.” A small smile formed on her face. “With this, we don't have to attend school anymore.”

“Have you guys gone crazy?” Kaiton narrowed his eyes, his mouth going agape.

“No one would be angry at us,” the pianist continued. “And we could eat and drink all we want, right?”

Shuichi joined in, sharing her enthusiasm. “Yeah, it’s like a free day in a deserted paradise!”

Kaito, however, struggled to keep a straight face. “Yeah, yeah, sounds like a dream come true. No parents, no responsibilities, just unlimited junk food and a city to ourselves. What more could you ask for?” His tone was sarcastic, but the glimmer of amusement in his eyes suggested he was starting to warm up to the idea.

She pushed herself off the ground, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. The quiet surroundings made her feel oddly empowered. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted as loud as she could.

“Echo!!” Her voice rang out, bouncing off the buildings around her, creating a playful chorus of repeated sounds. “Can I get a pizza and a soda?!”

Shuichi and Kaito joined in with Kaede, rising to their feet and standing together in the middle of the empty street. They giggled like little kids playing a strange game.

“I want some ramen!” Shuichi said, a genuine smile brightening his face.

“Dibs on all the cola!” Kaito added, his mischievous grin widening.

“And I want fried chicken!” Kaede exclaimed, her voice ringing out into the stillness. They all stood there, in the middle of the empty and quiet city, shouting out their food orders as if they were at a drive-thru.

The absurdity of the situation was not lost on them, but their spirits remained high.

Then, all of a sudden, the peaceful silence of the night was shattered.

A grand white canvas emerged against a nearby building, casting a bright glow that danced through the darkness like a mischievous flame. Bold letters blinked to life, proclaiming,

“WELCOME, PLAYERS.”

followed closely by a whimsical reminder:

“THE GAME WILL COMMENCE IN A MOMENT.”

“Game?” The pianist parroted, her gaze fixed upon the enchanting white screen, shared with her two companions.

”THIS WAY TO THE GAME ARENA”

Burst forth in grand letters, gesturing towards a beckoning path ahead.

“Game arena?” Kaito echoed, sounding more puzzled than concerned.

Shuichi, who had been quietly observing, turned to follow the screen’s direction and spotted...red lights. “Over there!”

Kaede frowned. “There are lights.”

“Is someone there?” The violet-haired boy hopeful asked. The three exchanged a quick glance. “Let’s go.”

They ran, their breaths coming in short gasps as they dodged past deserted streets and buildings. Every now and then, they would exchange worried glances, but they continued their dash towards the destination. At last, they reached the place the screen had pointed them to. The GM Building towered before them, its imposing structure casting a shadow in the night. However, unlike its usual dark silhouette, it was now adorned with a multitude of dazzling lights, twinkling like a festive Christmas tree, captivating their eyes.

In a moment of silent understanding, they began to walk forward, their footsteps echoing softly against the pavement. They lifted their gazes to a screen that declared,

“THE GAME ARENA IS UP AHEAD.”

With a nod, they cautiously moved toward the corner where an arrow pointed to the right. As they rounded the bend, they found an elevator, its doors a deep, foreboding red. Beside it stood a small desk, adorned with several phones, each one neatly aligned. A sign hung above them, stating:

“ONE PER PERSON.”

Drawn to the desk, their eyes darted between the elevator and the phones. Kaito reached for one first, examining its details closely, followed by Kaede and Shuichi, who did the same.

“FACE RECOGNITION IN PROCESS…”

“PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT.”

... ...

“WELCOME, ULTIMATE DETECTIVE.”

Shuichi stared at the screen, puzzled. Ultimate Detective? What does that even mean?

“Ultimate Pianist...?” Kaede read from the phone she had chosen, her expression skeptical. “It has facial recognition, too...”

“Ultimate Astronaut? Does this mean I’m destined to be one?!” Kaito exclaimed, a bright smile spreading across his face. But as his friends turned to him, his excitement faded into a sheepish frown. He cleared his throat. “Can we actually use these phones?”

“There’s no signal,” Shuichi noted, his eyes fixed on the symbol above the screen. “We can’t make calls with this.”

Suddenly, another message flashed across the phone, echoing the earlier announcement from the white screen:

“PLEASE WAIT FOR THE GAME TO COMMENCE.”

Below it, a countdown loomed ominously:

“TWO MINUTES UNTIL REGISTRATION CLOSES. THERE ARE CURRENTLY THREE PARTICIPANTS.”

“...What’s this?” Kaito asked aloud, his gaze still locked on the glaring white screens.

“A game.”

The three of them spun around, startled by the sudden voice.

There stood a slender young woman, poised and elegant. Her long ashy-green hair cascaded partially over her left eye, framing her face. She wore a long black apron-dress adorned with a spiderweb pattern, layered over a simple white dress. A purple tie added a pop of color to her otherwise monochromatic ensemble.

They exchanged bewildered glances before Kaito exclaimed, “There’s a human!”

“Uh... um, e-excuse me, do you know where everyone went...?” Shuichi asked politely, giving a slight bow.

The girl in the black dress stepped forward, her gaze stern. She turned to the Kaede. “May I borrow your hair clip?”

“...Sure?” Kaede replied, watching as the woman carefully removed the clip from her hair and then abruptly tossed it behind her. It hit an invisible barrier, erupting in a flash of red.

“What was that?!” Kaito gasped, stepping back. “A laser?!”

“Once you cross the borderline, you can never return,” the woman said flatly, her eyes fixed on the singed hair clip on the floor. “You have no choice but to participate in the games.”

Shuichi, ever curious, stepped forward to investigate the boundary. But just as he reached out, a red light flared to life in front of him, halting him in his tracks. A small hole opened in the ceiling, and thin, wispy smoke began to drift down.

The newcomer let out a sigh. “Please don't tell me…you're first timers? Did you three just get here?”

“Um…” Kaede hummed, glancing at her companions then back at the woman with a small shrug. “Yes…?”

Although, Shuichi frowned. “How do you know this? If you have information, just tell us.”

“My name isn't ‘you.’ It's Kirumi,” she replied coolly. “Kirumi Tojo. Labeled the Ultimate Maid.”

Just as the three friends were starting to process the bizarre situation they found themselves in, another person suddenly appeared. It was a regular schoolgirl in a standard uniform, and upon seeing the group, she exclaimed with relief.

“I'm so relieved!” She cried out. “Geez! I thought I wouldn't find anyone here!”

The trio stood frozen in panic as the schoolgirl approached the red line. Their instincts kicked in, and they began shouting warnings, desperate to alert her to the potential danger.

“No, no, no, wait!” Kaito yelled, his eyes wide with alarm.

To their surprise and relief, the schoolgirl crossed the line without any issue. She walked right through as if it were nothing. They all exhaled in unison, tension easing as they watched her join them, their worries momentarily forgotten. Before the schoolgirl could even speak, the woman who calls herself Kirumi stepped forward and wordlessly handed her a phone. Her pale eyes, calm and unreadable, fixed on the newcomer as she extended the device. “My condolences,” she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

“REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.”

“THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE.”

“GAME, 'DEAD OR ALIVE.’”

“DIFFICULTY, THREE OF CLUBS.”

The screen displayed a motionless three of clubs card. Kaede's brows knit together. "Three of clubs...?”

“RULE:”

“SELECT THE CORRECT DOOR WITHIN THE STIPULATED TIME.”

Shuichi blinked, confused. “What?”

“CLEAR CONDITION:”

“LEAVE THE BUILDING WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT.”

As unsettling as it all was, the red elevator doors slid open, revealing a wall with the word “START” written across it. The trio exchanged worried glances, their eyes darting between the elevator and Kirumi. She stepped inside without a second thought. “You'll die if you keep spacing out,” she remarked flatly.

The schoolgirl glanced nervously at the trio before lowering her gaze to the floor. Without a word, she hurried over and stood beside the apron-clad woman, her movements uncertain but resigned.

“There’s no time,” Kaito muttered, tucking the phone into his pocket as if sealing away his hesitation. Kaede sighed softly and followed, while Shuichi cast one last glance at the wall before stepping inside the elevator.

When the doors slid open again, the trio found themselves in a new room. The checkered-tiled floor and cold grey walls felt sterile, like the inside of a box too small for comfort. Facing them were two doors, each promising a different fate. One was labeled “DIE,” a skeleton grinning as if it knew the punchline to a cruel joke, while the other, “LIVE,” showed an angelic anime girl, her smile too sweet to trust.

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS TWO MINUTES.”

“Is this really a game?” Kaede scoffed, her eyes darting between the doors. “This is starting to get a little exciting.” With a curious grin, she started recording on her phone. “Now I'm sure this is some kind of event.”

Meanwhile, Kaito and Shuichi moved towards the “LIVE” door, examining it closely. Behind them, the schoolgirl let out a small whine. “I want to go home…”

Kaede shifted her phone to the girl, flashing her a warm (and maybe fake) smile. “It'll be fine. You're with us! We'll win the game, take the prize, and go home safe and sound.”

“The prize...?” the girl echoed, her eyes wide as Kaito and Shuichi moved over to inspect the “DIE” door.

“ONE MINUTE REMAINING.”

“Shuichi,” Kaito blinked at the detective (in training). “Which do you think it is?”

“Well... If it's a choice between life and death…” Shuichi trailed off, his gaze bouncing between the doors.

Kaede shook her head like a dog resisting a bath. “I wouldn't choose the one with the skeleton.”

Shuichi quickly turned to the more mature woman, his voice edged with apprehension. “What if we choose the wrong door?”

“The answer is ‘Live,’”she replied without hesitation, her voice as calm and certain as a still pond. “We should open the door that says “Live.’”

“How do you know that?” Shuichi's expression tightened, suspicion etched on his face as his gaze flickered from the angelic door back to her.

“Evidently, the appropriate option is the ‘Live’ door,” she said again, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. As they stood there, a faint scent of smoke began to creep into the air. It was delicate at first, like the distant wisp of a candle snuffed out in another room, but noticeable enough to send a shiver down their spines. The smoky tendrils slowly coiled around their senses, subtle yet insistent.

Kaede wrinkled her nose, her voice uncertain. “Um, do you guys smell that...?” She kept her phone up, still recording even as her unease grew.

Kaito’s eyes widened in alarm as he glanced downward. “Look!” Wisps of smoke began to slither up from the cracks in the floor, swiftly filling the room like a thick, suffocating fog.

“THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

The maid coughed, her voice strained. “The answer is ‘Live’! We have to open the door now!”

“Do it yourself!” Kaito yelled back, his voice slightly muffled by his elbow as he tried to shield himself from the haze.

“What will happen when time runs out...?” the pianist asked, her voice trembling as she covered her mouth and lowered her phone slightly, anxiety etched on her face.

Kaito shook his head vigorously, his urgency palpable. “We don’t have time! Hurry!”

Shuichi focused on the woman, extending his arms in a questioning gesture. “Why do you think that’s the answer? We can’t just choose to die, can we?”

“TWENTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

The schoolgirl, her nose pinched tightly between her fingers, cried out in a blend of impatience and fear, “I can't stand it anymore!”

With a surge of adrenaline, she rushed towards the LIVE door, her heart pounding like a war drum echoing in her ears.

Then, as if summoned by fate itself, a red laser slashed through the air, landing ominously on her head.

Pew!

In a heartbeat, her body fell to the ground, a marionette cut loose from the strings. Smoke curled upward from the wound, mingling with the chilling sight of blood cascading from her eyes and mouth. The door—once a sign of salvation—shut with a slow, deliberate finality, the poster nearby transforming into a cruel reminder of her tragic end.

Such a young life extinguished, snuffed out like a candle.

Chapter 3: Three of clubs 1.2

Chapter Text

With a swift fall, she collapsed like an actor cut from the performance, her body lying still as the curtains drew closed. He stood frozen, a spectator caught in a nightmare. He had thought it was all a game, a playful charade where no one would truly fall. The laughter faded, replaced by heavy silence, and the stage felt darker than ever.

He remembered the days when he wished for escape, dreaming of another world far from the monotony of his own. The reality he inhabited felt painfully dull, a canvas of gray. But this was no thrilling episode from his favorite TV show; it was actually reality.

“Did she just…die?” Kaede gasped, her eyes widening in shock, hands quaking as she fought to keep the phone steady, capturing the horror that unfolded before her.

“TEN SECONDS REMAINING.”

Kirumi quickly redirected her focus to the DIE door, gliding toward it with an eerie calm, opening it effortlessly—no laser poised to strike her. For a brief moment, they all stood there, hands pressed against their noses to shield themselves from the thickening smoke, caught in a collective pause as the countdown marched on.

“FIVE. FOUR. THREE.”

Kaede remained frozen, shock etched across her features, her mind struggling to process the horror they had just witnessed.

“Kaede! Quick!” Shuichi’s voice cut through the haze, yanking her back to reality.

“TWO. ONE.”

In a frantic rush, they all plunged through the DIE door just as the countdown hit zero. The instant they crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind them, sealing off the view of the fiery chaos they had narrowly escaped.

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE AND FIFTY SECONDS.”

“Th—that poor girl just died…!” The blonde gasped, wide-eyed, covering her mouth as if the image of the corpse had seared itself into her memory. She had once prided herself into handling blood and gore back then. But now that she actually witnessed it, she wasn't sure what to do.

Shuichi stepped forward, confronting the young girl in the apron dress with a stern intensity, his voice laced with accusation. “You were the one who killed that girl.”

She met his gaze calmly, her tone unruffled and matter-of-fact. “It was necessary for our survival. We are alive because of me.”

“What?!” Kaito exclaimed, disbelief and anger boiling within him. He stepped closer, fists clenched at his sides. “You’re acting like what you did was entirely necessary!”

“Do we choose ‘Die’ here, too?” the bluenette muttered, her gaze fixed on the white screen of the phone as the seconds slipped away. “Since the last choice was ‘Die,’ the next one must be ‘Live.’”

Kaito nodded vigorously. “Yes, it can’t be ‘Die’ twice in a row. But it’s difficult to choose ‘Die.’”

“I see,” Kirumi mused, resting a hand under her chin as she contemplated. “This is surely a game designed for us to select a sacrifice within the time limit.”

“Sacrifice?”

“The doors likely hold no true significance; what matters is who dares to open them. They’re forcing us to choose one person within the time we have.”

“You sacrificed that girl just now,” Shuichi said, his eyes flicking from his phone to her with flat intensity. “Why don’t you open the door next?”

She met his gaze coolly. “I believe that if I am to survive, it must be for the greater good of all mankind.”

“Are you serious? Just because you think your survival is for the good of all mankind, you expect the rest of us to follow along?” Kaito shook his head vigorously, his voice rising like a storm gathering strength. “We’re talking about people’s lives here!”

“ONE MINUTE REMAINING.”

Shuichi stole a glance at Kaede, who sat cross-legged on the floor, clutching her phone as if it were a precious treasure, her breaths coming in shallow sips. “At this rate, no one will dare to open the door,” he murmured.

“Everyone’s going to die in the fire when the time runs out!” Kaito scowled

“Then why don’t you open it yourself?” Kirumi twitched her nose slightly, fixing her gaze on Shuichi as if sizing up a curious creature. “Why insist that someone else take the leap? Perhaps the task is better suited for your hands.”

As the countdown dwindled, the room filled once more with acrid smoke, swirling around them like a mischievous spirit. The pale tendrils drifted up from the floor’s crevices, the stench growing stronger. “I’ll open it.”

“Shuichi!” Kaito hollered, panic threading through his voice as he watched the boy stride toward the LIVE door. But then, in a sudden twist, Shuichi cast a glance at the DIE door and veered toward it instead. “Stop, Shuichi! Don’t let her provoke you!”

He gripped the doorknob shakily, the texture cool and foreign against his palm.

“THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

“Shuichi!” Kaito’s voice rang out, filled with urgency, like a bell tolling in the distance. He could hear Kaito pleading for him to stop, yet his hand felt stuck, as if enchanted. Slowly, his knees gave way beneath him, and he sank to the floor, the doorknob slipping from his grasp like a dream fading away.

“As you can see, even you couldn’t open it,” she sighed, her tone dripping with condescension. “You, too, would have sacrificed that girl!”

“Shut the hell up!”

“TWENTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

“I’ll do it,” Kaito declared, hovering by the door like a ship caught in a heavy storm. “He’s got bad luck anyway.”

Shuichi yelled, “Kaito!”

“You’ll go after me,” Kaito glared at Kirumi, then turned his attention back to the door.

“TEN SECONDS REMAINING.”

“Kaito...” the bluenette murmured, still kneeling on the tiled floor. He watched as his friend took a deep breath, then grasped the doorknob and flung it open. “Kaito!”

To his surprise, no laser shot through his head.

“FIVE. FOUR. THREE.”

“K-Kaito...!” Kaede, who had been silent for what felt like an eternity, cried out as she rushed toward the DIE door, with Shuichi and Kirumi following close behind as the time dwindled.

“TWO. ONE.”

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE AND FORTY SECONDS.”

Shuichi gasped for breath, his voice shaky. “The time limit gets shorter each time…”

"I-I can't do this anymore...!" Kaede hunched over, fingers knotted in her hair like tangled threads.

“We’re taking turns,” the astronaut wannabe gasped, his voice sounding like a dying machine. He shot a glare at the other female. “You open the door next.” Firmly, he grabbed her wrist. “I’ll choose which door to open.” “Wait...!”

In a swift motion, he pushed her toward the LIVE door and shouted, “Open it!”

“No,” she replied simply, tilting her head in refusal.

Kaito took several deep breaths, his body still trembling like a leaf caught in a storm. He turned to Shuichi, who sat on the floor, trying to steady himself like a ship in choppy waters. “Hey, Shuichi. You’re the clever one in our group. Got any ideas?”

“...Ideas?”

“You always say there's a solution to every game, right?”

“This isn't a game.”

“You must know what to do!” Kaito urged, his voice rising. “You’ve always solved those puzzle games and cases from that show that I could never figure out. So do it!”

“This isn’t a game, Kaito,” Shuichi replied, shaking his head slowly, his expression heavy with despair. “It’s... all about luck now.”

“Think, Shuichi!” Kaito slid down to his level, kneeling sharply in front of him.

“ONE MINUTE REMAINING.”

“There might have been a hint somewhere,” Kaito suggested, trying to jog Shuichi’s memory. “First, we entered this building—”

“Stop it already!” the ashy-haired woman shouted, her back pressed firmly against the LIVE door.

“Then, the elevator took us—”

“I can’t do this...!” Shuichi felt the weight of panic rising as Kaito continued to press him for ideas. He usually relished solving puzzles and cracking cases from his favorite reality show, but this was different. This wasn’t a game or a mystery to unravel; it was a matter of life and death.

“Don’t give up, Shuichi! We can’t reset!”

“It's, It's impossible, I'm telling you...!”

“I'm telling you to think!" He faced him angrily. “I’ve been working my ass off, while you were just playing games and watching TV!”

Shuichi shook his head in disbelief. “What does that have to do with any of this?! You know how to... how to beat people up! What gives you the right to act so tough?!”

“Well, I'm sorry about that!” Kaito exclaimed, suddenly swinging his fist and landing a punch square on Shuichi’s face.

“Kaito, stop it!” Kaede pleaded, rushing closer to him, trying to restrain his arm.

Shuichi, on the floor, paused as something snapped. “Wait a minute…”

“THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

“BMW 523rd... It was a BMW 523rd.”

“So?” The violet-haired boy raised an eyebrow, curiosity sparkling in his eyes as he remained silent for a few moments, like a riddle waiting to be solved.

“...The answer is ‘Die.’”

The ashy-haired woman glanced at the DIE door, then back at Shuichi, her expression furrowing like a stormy sky. “How are you sure?”

“TEN SECONDS REMAINING.”

“...I’ll open the door,” His hand gripped the doorknob like it was a cold, twitching insect, with each breath coming out in unnerving, uneven puffs.

“Shuichi! Are you sure the answer is ‘Die’?”

He gritted his teeth and whispered, “Please…”

He gripped the doorknob tighter, feeling the cold metal beneath his palm, as if it were alive and trembling. With a swift motion, he slammed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. No laser shot out to strike him down. “This, This means it's correct, right?!”

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE AND THIRTY SECONDS.”

Kaito groaned upon hitting the tiled floor harshly, he glanced upward at him with apprehension. “Do you know which it is now?”

“The length of a BMW 523rd is 4 meters and 94 centimeters,” Shuichi explained, his voice steady and confident. “As far as I remember, there was one parked outside. The length of this building is equivalent to four of those cars… Therefore, this building is approximately 20 meters long.”

He pressed his back against the concrete wall, a look of concentration on his face. “My feet are 28 centimeters long.” He took a step forward, aligning his toes with his heels. “One, two, three... It should be around six meters.”

Beads of sweat formed as he continued, his voice tinged with urgency. “According to the evacuation map, the elevator is at the corner of this building.” Shuichi remembered casting a fleeting look to the wall before heading inside the elevator earlier. He firmly remembered seeing the evacuation map. It featured multiple rooms, corridors, and clear exit paths marked by red arrows leading to green exit signs. The elevator ("EV") was located in the top left, while male and female restrooms are indicated in the center. A curved staircase was present on the bottom right, offering another route to other floors. The map also included symbols, such as red dots and arrows, likely representing fire safety equipment, and Japanese text provides additional evacuation instructions. That's what Shuichi remembered.

“The building's structure forms a perfect square, and so do these rooms,” he murmured as the others began to rise, still groggy. “If each side of the building measures 20 meters, and each room spans 6 square meters, then there can only be three rooms along one side.”

“ONE MINUTE REMAINING.”

“Is there somewhere I can write?” Shuichi asked, glancing around.

“Here you go,” both Kaede and Kirumi offered him the items he needed. He knelt down, his hands trembling slightly. “Inside a square building,” he began, sketching a square on the paper on the ground. “If each room is also square,” he continued, drawing two lines both vertically and horizontally, “this floor should contain nine rooms.”

Kaede gasped in realization. “It's just like a puzzle game!”

“We began in this room,” he said, tapping the bottom square on the left. He then drew an arrow pointing to the middle square. “The schoolgirl met her end here,” he added, indicating the space above the left square. “This is our next room. Thanks to Kaito, we pressed on.” The ink flows steadily across the paper. “That means the door on the right is off-limits.” He gestured to the top middle square. “Then, I opened the door to this room.”

“TWENTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

“By process of elimination, these two rooms are out of the question,” he declared, crossing off the center and bottom middle squares. “I’m certain of it.”

“TEN SECONDS REMAINING.”

With a burst of urgency, he stood and pointed emphatically. “The answer is ‘Die’! The ‘Live’ door is a trap!”

“FOUR. THREE. TWO. ONE.”

The four of them sprinted toward the DIE door, narrowly escaping the flames that threatened to engulf them.

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE AND TWENTY SECONDS.”

Kaito, panting, flashed him a grin. “If your reasoning holds, we’ll make it out alive! You're incredible, Shuichi!”

“This game isn’t about luck! We can clear it together!” He chuckled, eyes fixed on the drawing. “According to my sketch, the next door is ‘Die’ too.” He lifted the paper and approached the door. “Are you ready?”

The aspiring astronaut nodded enthusiastically. “Ready!”

Shuichi pushed the door open, taking a leap of faith—a gamble grounded in careful calculations and deductions.

To their surprise and immense relief, no lasers erupted from the doorway.

“It worked!” Kaede exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with joy. A wide smile spread across her face as she reached out to give Shuichi an encouraging pat on the back. “Great thinking, Shuichi! You really pulled us through!”

Kaito sprang forward with a joyful cry, wrapping Shuichi and Kaede in a tight bear hug. His exuberance filled the room, his laughter echoing off the walls as he squeezed them both tightly.

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE AND TEN SECONDS.”

“What’s next?!” Kaito exclaimed.

Shuichi quickly scribbled on the paper, his finger pointing decisively at the lighter door. “It's ‘Live.’”

They pushed the door open, bracing for the worst, but once again, no lasers erupted. With a burst of laughter, Kaito seized Shuichi and Kaede in another tight group hug, his joy infectious. The bluenette chuckled, gently wriggling free from Kaito's grip. "Hey, hey, that hurts!" he teased, stepping back to rub his shoulders, a playful smile on his face. Kaito then turned to Kaede, his grin widening mischievously. Without warning, he scooped her up, spinning her around in a tight embrace, their laughter filling the air.

Shuichi watched the lively scene with amusement, but his expression quickly shifted to confusion as he took in the view ahead.

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS ONE MINUTE.”

Before them stood a solid concrete wall—no door in sight. Shuichi stepped back, his brows furrowing. “There’s no door in front.” Instead, he noted the doors were placed sideways: DIE to his left and LIVE to his right.

Kaede peeked over her shoulder, her smile bright and energetic. “What’s next?”

Kaito scratched his head, glancing at the walls. “Since the right door is off-limits, should we consider the outer wall?” He and Kaede, along with the unnamed lady, moved toward the DIE door. Suddenly, Shuichi shouted, causing them to halt.

“Wait!... I might have missed something.”

“FIFTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

The realization hit him: they were situated in the back-left corner of the building. The top-left section is shaded in translucent purple, indicating that was where they were. The clear condition was to leave the building. They're compelled to choose the DIE door, which leads them out. But if Shuichi recalls, there is no gap between that and the neighboring building. The LIVE door led them to the very spot where the schoolgirl had perished. Shuichi’s mind raced with questions. Why wasn’t there a door at the rear of the building? Surely, he must have overlooked something crucial. What could it be? He considered the rooms they had traversed—there was no room for any hidden tricks or surprises. If that were the case...

“There's no time to waste! We’ll all die!” Kirumi exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic. Kaito shot back, “You didn’t even open the door!” “You were the one who pushed it onto me!” “Give me a break!”

A light bulb lit over Shuichi's head. “A video!” He turned to Kaede, urgency painting his voice. “You recorded something in the first room, right?”

“We don’t have time for that!” Kirumi yelled out, shaking her head vehemently. But Kaede quickly opened her phone, fingers dancing across the screen in search of the crucial footage.

"THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING."

Shuichi focused, murmuring. “I might have overlooked something... some hidden thread.” He fast-forwarded, his heart racing like a drum. When he found the right moment, he zoomed in on the wall where the schoolgirl had met her fate. “There’s no door! The room she entered is a solid wall!”

“So what?” Kirumi shot back, her impatience flaring.

“This means…”

“TEN SECONDS REMAINING.”

The pen's tip touched the paper, and with a steady motion, it drew a diagonal line through one of the squares. The ink glided smoothly, leaving a thin, sharp stroke in its wake, cutting from one corner of the square to the other. He cried out, “the room that the girl died in isn't a square!”

Kaito hummed thoughtfully. “So, this door…”

Shuichi’s eyes lit up with a sudden spark, his finger lifting with all the certainty of one who had just solved a riddle, “Ah, there's another room behind it! Behind that door marked ‘LIVE,’ no less!”

“FOUR. THREE.”

Kaito dashed ahead without a second thought, Shuichi sprang in right after him, Kirumi followed with grace, and Kaede hurried closely behind, though not quite close enough. In that split moment, the fires sprang to life, and Kaede's leg was kissed by the flames just as she neared the threshold. With a startled cry, she stumbled, collapsing onto the ground beyond. “Ahh!!”

“THE TIME LIMIT FOR THIS ROOM IS TEN SECONDS.”

“Ten seconds?” The boy with violet hair shed his purple jacket in one swift motion, flapping it over the flames licking at Kaede’s leg. “Are you joking?”

“It’s not ‘Live’! It’s 'Die’!” Shuichi shouted, his voice urgent, as Kirumi reached for the door with its misleading, angelic glow. “Don’t fall for its trick!”

“FIVE. FOUR.”

“Hurry!” he urged, the words tumbling out as Kaito hoisted Kaede up, Kirumi following just before the fire could reach them. The four of them stumbled into the narrow, darkened corridor, breaths quickened. “Down the stairs!”

The stairway yawned before them, dimly lit and wrapped in an eerie silence, save for the clanging of their footsteps on the cold metal steps. Upon reaching the bottom, they all drew in sharp breaths, gasping for air as if emerging from a dream.

“GAME CLEAR.”

“CONGRATULATIONS, ULTIMATE DETECTIVE.”

The words flashed on the white screen of the phone he held, Kirumi sat down and panted out. “This achievement is entirely due to your efforts. Thank you.”

Kaede, however, let out a pained grimace, wincing as the adrenaline wore off and the pain began to unfurl. She couldn’t help but release low growls, each one a muted cry in a world gone wonderfully mad.

Kirumi noticed something strange ahead. There was a stark white table placed in front of them, its mere existence seemingly out of place in their surroundings. She raised a suspicious eyebrow and stepped closer to investigate.

A three of clubs playing card.

She picked the card up, staring at it with a mix of silence and skepticism, her eyes wide with wonder. The other three followed suit, their gazes drawn to the peculiar object as if it held the secrets of a forgotten realm.

“TO THE SURVIVORS OF THE GAME, A TRUTH BULLET WILL BE PROVIDED.”

The white screen illuminated, displaying three club symbols.

“ALL GAME SURVIVORS WILL RECEIVE A THREE PIECES OF TRUTH BULLETS.”

Shuichi creased his brows. “Truth bullet?”

Before they could consider its meaning, a weary figure approached from the alleyway. The man wore a black hat adorned with two blue tennis rackets, a black leather jacket, and a black-and-dark-blue striped jumpsuit that resembled a prison uniform.

Upon noticing the four, he spoke in a deep voice, “I’m going to... drop out of the game.” He lowered his hat with a heavy sigh. “You guys, there’s no end to this game, no matter how much you clear.”

“I don't have any truth bullets left.” Achilling smile spread across his face. “Finally... this is the end.” He nodded at them. “I still have a ways to go.”

And then—

Pew!

The silence was deafening as the four of them stood watching in stunned disbelief. The sudden appearance of the laser and the ensuing sound of the shot echoed through the alleyway.

Without warning, the entire area was plunged into total darkness once again. There was an eerie stillness in the air, the sudden absence of light making the surroundings feel even more ominous.

They slowly approached the corpse on the floor, the air thick with silence, save for Kaede's occasional grunts. Kirumi spoke softly, “When a new day dawns, you’ll die if you run out of Truth Bullets. Our Truth Bullets will run out too.”

Kaito huffed out. “Three more days.”

“If you don't want to die,” she said. “You’ll have to keep playing the games.”

Chapter 4: Five of Spades 2.1

Chapter Text

By dawn’s pale light, the group stepped into a city trapped in an uncanny hush. Digital clocks stood as silent sentinels, their usual flickering numbers extinguished. TVs, normally brimming with life, now gazed back with dark, empty eyes, and the IC chip devices hung limply in their pockets, as if their very souls had been snuffed out. It was as if the veins of the city had been drained, leaving behind an empty shell devoid of its lifeblood.

Shuichi sat beside Kaede in the dimly lit furniture store, his presence a quiet comfort as they waited. The room was cluttered with mismatched chairs, tables, and sofas—each piece like a forgotten memory gathering dust. The silence between them stretched thin, broken only by the soft rustle as Kaede shifted her injured leg. It felt strange, he thought, how even in a place meant for rest, they could find no real comfort.

She grabbed one of the devices—a radio—that lay scattered across the sheets beside her. “These seem to work for some reason,” she muttered, adjusting the dials with a practiced hand. “Probably because they don’t have IC chips installed.”

“What does that mean?” the bluenette asked from the other bed, his curiosity breaking through the silence.

“Maybe…”

***

Without a second thought, they dashed forward, sprinting down the street as cars whizzed by on both sides. “Hurry up!” Shuichi urged, pushing Kaito ahead.

“Look, fireworks!”

They were so lost in the thrill of their chaotic escape that they barely registered Kaede's exclamation. Fireworks in the morning sky? They didn't have time to ponder the strange sight, too preoccupied with their wild dash to safety.

***

It was utterly ridiculous, hiding in a bathroom stall from the police, but somehow, they made it work—at least for the moment. As they all tried to suppress their laughter, a sudden and rather comical event occurred. The lights in the bathroom went out, plunging them into complete darkness. A collective gasp echoed through the stall.

***

“It could be… an electromagnetic pulse attack,” she mused, tapping her lips thoughtfully. “I’ve read about it online. When detonated in the stratosphere, it’s a weapon that can wipe out all electronics in an entire city.”

“Really?” Shuichi blinked, his surprise evident. She nodded, and his gaze fell to the phone he’d kept from the night before, still glowing softly. “So why is this still operating?”

She turned to him with a sullen sigh, shoulders slumping. “I wish I knew.”

He glanced back at the phone, its disgustingly bright screen glaring up at him.

“TRUTH BULLETS. SHUICHI SAIHARA, THE ULTIMATE DETECTIVE. REMAINING: 3 DAYS.”

Before he could process the words, the screen flickered, shifting to a dull loading icon that spun lazily for a moment, then blinked out entirely, leaving the device lifeless in his hand.

He still wondered what that 'Ultimate' part even meant. When he had asked Kirumi earlier, just before she left with Kaito, she simply shrugged and said she wasn’t sure either, guessing it was just some title given to the player.

“So it’s useless if we can’t charge it,” he muttered, exhaling sharply as he placed the phone on a nearby desk, its once-bright screen now as dead as the city around them.

Meanwhile, Kirumi and Kaito moved through the same building, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty halls as they kept a watchful eye out for anything useful. Kaito’s gaze darted around, scanning the dimly lit surroundings, mentally cataloging anything that might come in handy. Kirumi, however, moved with precision, checking each room and storage compartment with the methodical care of someone who’d done this countless times before.

They stepped into a store that seemed to have what they needed. Kaito picked up a small but sturdy knife, testing its weight in his hand. “Alright! This’ll serve as a decent weapon.”

Kirumi glanced over, arching an eyebrow as she skimmed through the cooking appliances. “And what exactly are you planning to fight?” she asked politely.

“I dunno, zombies?” he shrugged, grinning, but her amused chuckle made him pout a little. “You can't use electricity and gas either, right?”

“I’m certain the portable stove can still be used,” she replied with a nod. “Batteries might work as well, so we can manage with flashlights. Besides,” her eyes softened slightly, “it’s my duty as a maid to serve. Don’t you want to eat something warm?”

“Maid? Oh yeah, you mentioned you were the Ultimate Maid,” Kaito said, slipping the knife into his pocket. “Are you sure it’s just some fancy title? Maybe it's a sign or something?”

“It could certainly be seen that way,” she agreed, tilting her head thoughtfully. “Perhaps it reflects something about who you used to be before coming here.”

“Who I used to be? Huh…”

Later in the day, the four of them gathered in an empty restaurant, sharing a meal of canned tuna and other non-perishable food they’d scavenged. It wasn’t much, and the taste left a lot to be desired, but it was all they had. They ate in silence, the only sound filling the space being the soft clink of cutlery against their plates, echoing faintly in the hollow, abandoned room.

“May I ask, what were you three doing? When everyone disappeared, I mean.” Kirumi inquired, taking a measured spoonful of food into her mouth.

Shuichi nodded, swallowing before he answered, “We were in a restroom.”

Kaede quickly cleared her throat, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. “The male restroom, to clarify... We were talking in the same stall.”

“I fear I don't really understand what's going on,” the maid admitted with a soft, resigned sigh.

“What about you?” Kaito turned to Kirumi, his curiosity piqued. “What were you doing when it happened?”

***

Flashback to Kirumi in a kitchen, orchestrating a culinary symphony for an extravagant soirée in a resplendent mansion. As she wove together the ingredients, ensuring they pirouetted in delightful disarray, the lights sputtered and vanished, plunging her into a surreal void, as if the sun itself had decided to play hide-and-seek.

With a curious heart, she set down the ladle, its weight familiar and comforting, and stepped into the dim halls beyond the kitchen. What she encountered was an eerie calm, draping over the house like an old, dusty curtain. Room after room offered only silence, as if the lively chatter had slipped through a crack in reality.

***

“I was in the kitchen of another's house, cooking for them,” she said, her words drifting through the silence. “When I left the kitchen, I couldn't find anyone at all.”

Shuichi leaned in. “Did you see or hear anything?”

“I don’t remember,” she replied, turning her head slowly, the weight of her words heavy in the air. “I arrived here three days ago, and I was thrust into a game. I was the only survivor; everyone else perished.”

“...What was the game?”

“I was at a subway station where a game involving poison gas was taking place. The gas caused everyone to vomit blood, and blood even flowed from their eyes.”

He placed the can of soda on the table with a soft thud. “Isn't it strange?” he mused. “When everyone vanished from this world, it was yesterday for the three of us, right?”

“Yes,” she affirmed.

“But for Kirumi, it was three days ago. Why the difference in time?”

“You're right,” Kaito said, lifting his head and nodding with a mix of agreement and skepticism. “And even the vegetables were rotten.”

“Yeah, it’s only been a few days since everyone disappeared. What could be the reason...?”

Kirumi rested her hand under her chin, lost in thought. “Perhaps time passes differently here?”

“What?” He responded, puzzled.

“I'm not really sure,” she continued, “but even among us, the times when people disappeared are different, right?”

“Could we have time-traveled while we were in the restroom...? It sounds ridiculous, but still…” Kaede shook her leg anxiously.

“That's impossible,” the aspiring astronaut dismissed, scrunching his nose slightly.

“But it's also impossible for people to just vanish.”

“Time travel is impossible.”

“How do you explain the game and the disappearances?”

“Don't ask me that.”

“In any case,” Shuichi interjected, pulling out the three of clubs card they found last night, “one thing we know for sure about this game is that there’s a game master. You know, a mastermind.”

Kaito arched an eyebrow, “A game master?”

“Someone designed this game,” he said, placing the card on the table with a serious expression. “I’m certain of that.”

“While we were in the restroom, did they move everyone in Tokyo away... and set up for this game?” Kaito theorized, as Shuichi continued, “Then they tracked our movements, too.”

***

“I don't have any Truth Bullets left.” A chilling smile spread across his face. “Finally... this is the end.” He nodded at them. “I still have a ways to go.”

And then—

Pew!

The silence was deafening as the four of them stood watching in stunned disbelief. The sudden appearance of the laser and the ensuing sound of the shot echoed through the alleyway.

***

Kaito tapped his finger on the wooden table, each tap mimicking the ticking of a clock. “Can a human really do that? But who could be behind it?”

“Could it be...the federal or state government or something?” the blonde pondered, tilting her head slightly.

“I’ve heard some rumors from my clients,” Kirumi began, her voice steady as a metronome. “An IT corporation from Europe wants to conduct an experiment to create a world in VR that is completely identical to the real one.”

“But shouldn't we be able to distinguish VR from the real world?” Kaito scratched his cheek, a frown creasing his brow. He recalled a time he had tried a VR set related to space; it felt incredibly realistic, yet he could still clearly differentiate between the virtual and the tangible.

Kaede glanced down at her bandaged leg. “It hurts... I don’t think VR can cause burns like that…”

“Is your injury getting worse, Kaede?” Kirumi’s nurturing instincts sprang to life as she turned her head toward her. “I could try to heal it again, but unfortunately, I'm not sure how to treat a burn like that.”

“It’s going to be fine, thank you, Kirumi…”

Later that night, Kaito and Shuichi stood side by side on an indoor balcony, their eyes sweeping over the quiet, empty expanse of the mall below. The silence enveloped them like a heavy blanket, the only sounds the soft shuffle of their footsteps echoing against the walls. Shuichi leaned against the railing, his gaze wandering over the deserted stores and the still escalators. “I think Kaede needs to see a doctor. Kirumi is doing well, but maybe it's best if we find a professional.”

“Shuichi,” Kaito huffed, his voice firm like a stone in a stream. “Let’s join the game tomorrow night, just the two of us.”

“What? But we still have three days left on our visas.”

“It's better to get used to the game while we still have time to spare,” Kaito said, leaning sideways on the railing to face Shuichi. “We’ll probably have to beat the next game with Kaede's injured leg... If we don't learn how to clear the games with just the two of us, we won't be able to protect her.”

*You're right, but…”

“And we can search for a doctor too," Kaito added, his tone shifting to a hopeful note, as if trying to capture the stench of decay in a glass jar. “It’s easier to meet people in games.”

"...Do we have to do that again?"

“There might be a hint as to what the game is about!” He exclaimed, his enthusiasm bubbling like a pot of writhing maggots.

Shuichi let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, I guess... If we join the game, we might be able to uncover their signature.”

“Signature?”

“If someone actually created this game, we'll definitely be able to discern their characteristics through the challenges,” Shuichi affirmed with a nod. “If we can discover that, we might develop a strategy to tackle the game.”

Chapter 5: Five of Spades 2.2

Chapter Text

The night had descended once again, enveloping the city in a shroud of darkness. The L-shaped apartment building jutted into the skyline, its unique silhouette standing out among the towering structures that loomed nearby, casting long shadows in the flickering streetlights.

A young woman with fair skin and extraordinarily long, dark brown hair cascading into two low twintails made her way up the staircase. Her uniform—a striking red seifuku with black sleeve cuffs—contrasted sharply against the deepening night. She wore a short, pleated black plaid skirt, and beneath it, red yoga shorts that extended just below her knees. Completing her outfit were sleek black shoes, perfect for a quick escape if necessary.

As she reached the entrance to the game arena, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights that buzzed overhead, she surveyed the crowd with a penetrating gaze, her expression stern and slightly menacing.

”ONE PER PERSON.”

With practiced ease, she selected one phone from the rack.

“FACIAL RECOGNITION IN PROCESS.”

“PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT…”

“WELCOME, ULTIMATE ASSASSIN.”

“THERE ARE CURRENTLY 10 PARTICIPANTS.”

“PLEASE WAIT UNTIL THE GAME COMMENCES.”

“ONE MINUTE UNTIL REGISTRATION CLOSES.”

Letting out a weary sigh, she leaned against the wall, her mind racing with strategies and possibilities. Just as she settled in, a tap on her shoulder jolted her from her thoughts, the touch of a newcomer breaking the tension of the moment.

“Excuse me,” He had spiky, desaturated brown hair with a prominent ahoge and washed-out hazel eyes. He had black jeans, a zipped-up dull green hoodie, an open black jacket with gold buttons, and red sneakers with white toes. “Where did all the people in Tokyo go?”

The female assassin merely glanced at him, her focus unwavering. She didn’t bother to respond as another figure slipped between them, drawing her attention away. Black hair, purple eyes, a uniform consisting of a brown tie, white button-down blouse, brown pleated skirt, black stockings, and black shoes. She looks inexperienced and new, but she's not.

The spikey-haired boy leaned the phone he took to the assassin, "This thing—" only to be interrupted, again, as two people approached between them.

“Huh, that’s a lot of people,” Kaito remarked, stepping confidently toward the entrance, Shuichi at his side. His eyes scanned the crowd as he added, “I wonder if there’s a doctor here.”

The assassin let out a quiet scoff, watching as the two brushed past her without a second glance. She turned away, distancing herself from their banter and the newcomer’s probing questions.

Once Shuichi and Kaito reached the white table, they each grabbed a phone, the cool plastic feeling foreign in their hands. Shuichi took a moment to take in the scene, observing the participants gathered for the game. His gaze fell on a figure lingering in the corner, shrouded in a white hood that obscured most of his features. Only the tips of his blackish-purple hair peeked out from under the hood, visible just above the shadow of his bangs.

”REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED.”

"THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 13 PARTICIPANTS."

***

- Harue Adachi, Ultimate Librarian

- Ryuichi Mineo, Ultimate Fry Cook

- Kagemori Naozumi, Ultimate Crossing Guard

- Ikuyo Nakamura, Ultimate Ballerina

- Ikumi Nakamura, Ultimate Cheerleader

- Kokichi Ouma, Ultimate Supreme Leader

- Otohiko Rikichi, Ultimate Dog Trainer

- Akitsugu Hagamori, Ultimate Bartender

- Makoto Naegi, Ultimate Lucky Student

- Maki Harukawa, Ultimate Assassin

- Mukuro Ikusoba, Ultimate Soldier

- Shuichi Saihara, Ultimate Detective

- Kaito Momota, Ultimate Astronaut

***

“THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE.”

“Excuse me,” the spikey-haired newcomer tapped Shuichi's shoulder. “Just what is this? I ended up here and...I have no idea what's going on.”

The bluenette answered, “It's a game.”

“Stop it,” Kaito whispered to Shuichi as he leaned closer to his ear. “Beginners will only get in our way. It doesn't feel great, but it might be a good idea to act like Kirumi did.”

“DIFFICULTY, FIVE OF SPADES.”

The twintailed brunette lowered herself to the ground, her movements deliberate as she began to stretch out her legs, easing into each motion with the familiarity of someone who'd done this countless times before. Meanwhile, Shuichi stood nearby, eyes narrowed with a hint of skepticism. He echoed what was on the screen, almost questioning, “Five of spades?”

“It’s a physical game,” an energetic blond suddenly appeared beside Kaito, seemingly out of nowhere. A confident grin spread across his face as he nodded, extending his hand. “Strength is everything here. Name’s Akitsugu Hagamori,” he introduced himself with a slight bow, his voice carrying an air of pride. “Labeled the Ultimate Bartender. Nice to meet you.”

Shuichi flickered his eyes, “Each mark has a meaning?”

“Exactly!” Akitsugu shook Shuichi's hand excitedly. “The mark on a trump card signifies the game's genre,” he began to list off.“Club is team-based, and Diamond refers to intellectual games. As for Heart...it's the most troublesome one of all.”

‘“Troublesome?’”

“It's a game of betrayal where you play with people's hearts.”

”And the titles...?”

”I don't have much info about it yet. But I'm sure it has something to do with what you were like before all this.”

“...What about the numbers?”

“The difficulty level,” the bartender said, leaning casually against the wall with a grin. “The larger the number, the harder it is to clear.”

“GAME, ‘TAG.’”

“RULE:”

“RUN AWAY FROM THE TAGGER.”

“A game of tag?” the detective-in-training echoed, leaning slightly toward Kaito. “Who’s the tagger?”

“How should I know?” He replied, shrugging.

“CLEAR CONDITION:”

“DISCOVER THE SAVE ZONE, HIDDEN IN ONE OF THE BUILDING ROOMS WITHIN THE TIME LIMIT.”

“YOU CLEAR THE GAME WHEN THIS OBJECTIVE IS FULFILLED.”

“TIME LIMIT, 20 MINUTES.”

“AFTER 20 MINUTES HAS PASSED, THE TIME BOMB HIDDEN IN THE BUILDING WILL EXPLODE.”

“THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE. THE TIME LIMIT IS 20 MINUTES. GAME START.”

“THE TAGGER IS ON THE MOVE.”

“We should look for an unlocked door.” Shuichi instructed as Kaito stood to his side, and Akitsugu trailed behind them like a lost puppy with a grin. After Shuichi approached the next door and discovered it was locked, Kaito grumbled, “We won’t make it if we dawdle like this!” Meanwhile, other participants on different floors were also trying to check their doors, some fumbling like desperate insects trapped in a sticky web, their movements frantic and futile.

"THREE MINUTES HAS PASSED."

As the three made their way to the next flight of stairs, a series of gunshots echoed through the air, sharp and jarring. The main duo exchanged nervous glances, their expressions twisting like pretzels in a pressure cooker. Cautiously, Kaito took the lead, moving slowly toward the staircase, each step as careful as a cat tiptoeing through a field of broken glass.

Thud!

A guy with big circled blood on his shirt fell on the upper staircase and landed harshly against the wall, causing Kaito to jerk back quickly as Shuichi flinched from behind him, he was discreetly reminded of that poor schoolgirl from last game.

”He's dead,” Akitsugu mused.

The two had nothing to say to that; instead, they carefully peered around the wall, trying to catch a glimpse of this elusive tagger. Was it a robot? A deadly laser like before? Or perhaps a human?

Shuichi's eyes widened in horror as the tagger came into view, slowly raising the gun in their hand and aiming directly at him. Just in time, Kaito yanked him back, narrowly avoiding the bullets that whizzed past. “Shuichi!” he shouted, urgency lacing his voice. Their shoes slapped against each step, barely touching the ground before they were propelled forward again down the stairs, like frantic cards being shuffled in a desperate game. “Hurry up!” “Quick!” “Run!”

As they reached the second floor down, Shuichi suddenly stopped Kaito from descending the next set of stairs. “Kaito, wait!”

They paused for a moment, watching as Akitsugu dashed down the stairs in a frenzy, his movements wild and frantic like a joker trying to escape a losing hand. The bluenette then grabbed Kaito, dragging him into a narrow hallway and shoving him against the wall. He pushed him into a small corner, quickly following him in and covering his mouth with a shaky hand.

Kaito’s back pressed against the unforgiving surface of the wall, trapped like a rat in a cage, squeezed into the tight corner with Shuichi. The tension in the air felt suffocating, stretching time until the sound of footsteps finally faded away.

*****

Meanwhile, in their base, the pianist sat in a chair, her bandaged leg propped up on a footstool like a wounded bird with a shattered wing. Kirumi hovered over her, tending to her injury, applying a fresh layer of ointment and securing a new bandage.

Kaede winced slightly as the cool ointment made contact with her burned leg, like ice meeting a freshly seared wound on a butcher's block. Kirumi noticed her discomfort and apologized. “I’m sorry. This may sting a bit.”

“It’s alright,” she managed a small smile, shaking her head. “I can handle it.”

The maid continued her work, her hands moving deftly and carefully to wind a fresh layer of bandage around Kaede's leg, as if wrapping a delicate porcelain doll in protective layers of cotton. Once she finished, she stepped back and surveyed her handiwork, “There. That should hold up for now.” She reached over to adjust the footstool, positioning it so that Kaede's injured leg was elevated.

The blonde shifted slightly in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position for her leg, which felt like a lead weight tethered to her by a strand of agony. (See what I did there?). She glanced up at her caretaker, who was now tidying up the supplies used, her movements precise and methodical. “Thanks for taking such good care of me, Kirumi.”

The maid paused for a moment, then bowed lightly. “It’s no problem at all, Kaede. I'm happy to help.”

“Do you think Shuichi and Kaito will come back...?” She asked, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt, a nervous habit that felt like a drowning fish thrashing for air, as she watched Kirumi place the ointment and bandages back in their designated spot.

“Yes, I have faith in both of them,” Kirumi nodded, her hands folded in her lap. “Shuichi is incredibly intelligent and has proven himself to be resourceful. And Kaito is strong, both physically and mentally. They work well together, and they're determined to survive and I'm sure they will return to us safely.”

“You're right. They have their strengths and have survived their own messes. Still, it’s hard not to worry when they’re out there risking their lives like it's a joke…” She looked down at her bandaged leg, a small sigh escaping her lips.

She leaned forward and rested a hand soothingly on Kaede's good leg. “I understand your worry, Kaede. It's only natural to feel anxious in this kind of situation. But fretting won't help them. Believing in them and supporting them from here is the best we can do right now.”

“Yeah... I just need to trust them and hope for the best.” She gave a small smile, feeling like she had finally found the perfect parental figure. “Thank you, Kirumi. You always know just what to say.”

As they continued their conversation, the maid noticed how antsy and uncomfortable the pianist was, shifting around in her seat like a caged bird desperate to escape. Realizing she needed some distraction, she decided to show her something she was sure she would be happy with.

“I have something to show you... Follow me.” She helped Kaede to her feet, making sure she was steady on her good leg, and led her away from their temporary base.

They walked through the desolate mall, and eventually, they reached a large space that looked like a former shopping area. And in the center of this open area, there stood a grand piano, a relic of better days. Even in its abandoned state, it was still a sight to behold - gleaming ebony wood and shining ivory keys calling out to be played.

“I thought this might cheer you up a bit. I found it while I was with Kaito earlier.” She turned to look at Kaede, who was staring awestruck at the instrument, her face lighting up like a child on Christmas morning.

Kaede practically hobbled over to the stool in front of the grand piano, her excitement barely contained, like a storm cloud ready to burst. She gingerly sat down, wincing slightly as the stool pressed against her injured leg. But she didn’t quite care. The piano drew her in, offering a place to escape, even if she wrote emo and misanthropic music with it.

The first few notes flowed out of her fingers, shaky and hesitant at first, but gradually gaining confidence as she continued. Her eyes were closed as she lost herself in the music, her entire being focusing on the sound of the keys beneath her fingers and the emotions they brought out.

For once, she felt like a different person. One who didn't hate the world and the cruel people who lived in it. The recent chaos weighed on her. Witnessing death and narrowly missing death was like standing in a room filled with rotting flowers. It made her rethink everything. She had always wrapped herself in bitterness, like a shroud clinging to a corpse. But now, the memory of that loss gnawed at her, a rat in a dark corner, forcing her to confront how fragile life really was.

*****

Akitsugu barreled down the staircase, limbs flailing like twisted roots yanked from the earth, leaving Shuichi and Kaito behind. He charged towards the lowest floor, hurtling through the corridor as if the walls bled around him. The tagger with the horse head mask lurched into view, its plastic eyes staring blankly. But before Akitsugu could react, the tagger's gun fired, the bullets tearing through him with a sickening force.

The bartender's lifeless body thudded to the floor at the fry cook's feet, like a discarded rag doll tossed aside. The old man's hands trembled violently around the doorknob, his breath hitching in his throat. ”This is impossible...!” He stammered, retreating a few steps as if the walls were closing in. ”Th-This is crazy! I can't do this!”

In a blind panic, the cowardly fry cook rushed toward the exit stairway, desperate for escape. But as he stumbled through the barrier of crimson, a sharp crack split the air, and a laser tore through his head. His body went limp, falling backward down the stairs, lifeless and rolling.

I suppose that's three participants out. Back with the main duo, they abruptly spun each doorknob they could find in the same hallway they found themselves in. Meanwhile, on the floor below, two young girls—the Ultimate Ballerina and Ultimate Cheerleader—were fleeing from the relentless tagger.

”Hurry up, Ikumi!” The ballerina shouted, her movements fluid yet frantic as she urged her twin, who lagged behind.

But just then, the cheerleader stumbled on her toes, and the ballerina spun around, her last word a choked cry of her sister's name. Bullets went through her chest, and she collapsed like a fallen star.

”Ikuyo...!” Ikumi screamed, her heart shattering as she turned to face the tagger, who was methodically reloading their gun. In a moment of defiance, she threw her shoe at the assailant, a weak attempt to ward off death. ”I’ll fucking kill you! Don’t come any closer!”

Tragically, her bravado was in vain; she took fell to the victim to the tagger's cruel aim. A few floors above, Kaito and Shuichi watched in horror, their eyes wide as the scene unfolded below. Shuichi gasped softly, and Kaito looked at him, dread creeping his voice. ”What do we do, Shuichi? Can you think of anything?”

”We can't clear this game with something like that...” He said, narrowing his eyes in deep thought. ”Just think, Shuichi!” ”Then you think of something...!”

Just then, the tagger's horse head swung toward them, and they dove to the floor, hearts racing like caged animals. Shuichi half-expected bullets to tear through the wall behind them, but instead, there was only silence. With bated breath, the tagger spun around, the mask's hollow eyes searching but finding nothing.

”The tagger didn't see us,” Shuichi breathed, the realization washing over him like cold water. ”His field of vision is narrowed because of his mask!” His eyes widened, and a grin broke across his face. ”That’s his weak point! That could be the key...”

The bluenette bolted down the hallway, and started shouting loudly. ”Everyone!” He hoped someone would catch his frantic call. ”The tagger is currently at the second level of the central area!”

”What are you doing!? Stop it, you’ll get killed!” Kaito yelled, trailing closely behind him.

”The tagger has terrible vision because of his mask!” Shuichi pressed on. ”We need to communicate the tagger's location to each other and search for the safe zone together!”

Somewhere on the highest floor, the guy in the white hood lounged against the cold concrete fence, a sinister smirk curling on his lips. ”Nishishi... It's a clever idea, but no one will respond,” he sneered, mockingly sighing as he rested his chin on his palm, a glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes.

A couple of floors below him, on the opposite side, the two-tailed brunette from earlier found herself facing yet another locked door. Her gaze dropped, and she spotted the tagger poised to ascend the stairs. ”The tagger is moving from the fourth level of the central area! Anyone nearby, run!”

With that warning, she sprinted forward, realizing she was on the same floor. Ahead of her, she saw a middle-aged woman. ”Quick, run away!” she urged, gesturing frantically for the woman to flee, but the woman merely tilted her head in confusion. ”What?”

The brunette spun around sharply, her hair whipping through the air as the tagger came into view behind her. Frustration etched on her face, she glanced back at the bewildered lady, furrowing her brow. ”I’ve done what I can. You should've run when you had the chance.”

Without another word, she leaped onto the concrete fence, vaulting off toward a nearby pole as the old librarian fell to the ground, shot down without mercy. The brunette climbed higher, deftly dodging the tagger’s bullets as she hopped from fence to floor with effortless grace.

Meanwhile, the figure observing from the highest floor tilted his head, intrigue sparking in his eyes. ”A climber, huh? She’s pretty good.”

”EIGHT MINUTES UNTIL THE GAME ENDS.”

”THERE ARE CURRENTLY SEVEN SURVIVORS.”

The spikey-haired lucky student was about to open a door, only to receive sudden bullets hit the wall as he promptly ducked down. Kaito covered his head and Shuichi looked up since they were nearby, he found the tagger a few levels up shooting from a far distance.

The two of them deliberately hunkered down and gazed ahead to see the inexperienced fellow clutching his head as the bullets continued echo harshly.

”Psst! Hey...!” Kaito called, cupping his hands around his mouth, desperation threading through his voice. ”Hey you! Over here! Hey!”

But he remained frozen, paralyzed by dread, his eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. Shuichi glanced back at the tagger, then tucked his phone into his pocket. Before Kaito could voice his objections, Shuichi began crawling toward the terrified boy, flinching with each gunshot that echoed like thunder in the cramped space.

”D-Don't just sit there, move!” He urged, patting the boy’s shoulder as if trying to shake him from a waking nightmare. With a final tug, he yanked him to safety.

Meanwhile, the supreme leader in white flicked his gaze to his phone, the countdown glaring at him like a hungering beast with only six and a half minutes left before it devoured them all. With a deep sigh that felt like inhaling smoke from a funeral pyre, he slithered away from his hiding spot. ”Time to make my presence known.”

Chapter 6: Five of Spades 2.3

Chapter Text

Shuichi, Kaito, and the unfortunate student surged down the desolate hallway, their paths briefly splitting when Kaito abruptly halted and shoved Shuichi toward the stairs. ”You go first!” he insisted, drawing the knife he'd unearthed alongside Kirumi, determination flickering in his eyes. ”Let’s take the tagger out.”

”What?! Kaito, we're up against a machine gun!”

”No, that's a human,” a new voice cut in, smooth yet laced with an edge. It belonged to a girl with black hair clad in a simple uniform. ”The tagger stands 190 cm tall and weighs 90 kg. He favors his right hand. His shooting skills are rudimentary. Most likely an ex-SDF officer or policeman.”

”I got it.” Another figure emerged from behind the blunt female, tossing her an extinguisher with a flick of his wrist, like a magician conjuring his next trick.

The female soldier handed Kaito the red extinguisher as casually as if it were a toy. ”Take this.” When he merely gawked at her, she stepped down the stairs, forcing the extinguisher into his grip. ”Let’s go hunt down the tagger.” She fixed an intense gaze on Shuichi, nodding sharply. ”You go find the safe zone.”

”What?” Kaito scowled at her, indignation flashing in his eyes. ”Hey! Don’t give us orders!"

With no time to spare, Shuichi affirmed with a nod. ”I’ll search from the top.” ”Shuichi! Don't do that!” Kaito's hand shot out, grasping his wrist with a grip that bit into his skin. Shuichi shook his head, swallowing down the knot in his throat. ”We don't have any other choice.”

”I checked the 5th on the south block and the 6th floor on the east and south blocks.” Another voice cut through, cold and detached, as if the words themselves carried a chill. Maki crouched on the edge of the concrete floor, balancing with a casualness that defied the drop below. She didn’t even flinch, eyes focused ahead as if the sheer height meant nothing. ”Let’s split up and search for the safezone.”

”Uh, I haven't checked the first and second floors.” Shuichi stammered, feeling like a fish out of water.

”Got it. I’ll take care of that.” She nodded, then leaped down a floor like a jack-in-the-box released from its confinement, gripping the edge of the fence like a bat clinging to a rotting branch. Shuichi and Kaito exchanged glances as the soldier murmured, ”It’s time to snuff out the tagger.”

”FIVE MINUTES REMAINING.”

As the soldier and the crossing guard creaked down the stairs like rusty machinery, the main duo paused for a moment. Kaito fixed Shuichi with a gaze as fierce as a wolf's, saying, ”Don’t die on me, Shuichi. Kaede needs us. I hope to see you later.”

”Okay.” He watched as Kaito descended down the stairs, then exhaled like a deflating balloon. shadows, then exhaled like a deflating balloon. Alone now, Shuichi sprinted up the stairs to the seventh level.

Kaito, on the other hand, drifted behind the black-haired soldier like a shadow, while the crossing guard led them through the dimly lit corridor. They both gripped extinguishers. ”He wields a MAC-10,” she stated with the coldness of metal, ”and empties his 32-round clip in 1.5 seconds.” Her eyelids sank like curtains drawn over a stage, ”We’ll strike when he's busy feeding it more bullets.”

”...Aren’t you a little too young to know this stuff?” He mumbled, earning a glare sharp enough to pierce bone. He quickly waved his hands like a startled bird. ”I don't mean to judge! It's just that you’re wearing a uniform, so I thought you were younger than me is all...”

She glowered, her eyes as cold and unyielding as chipped glass. ”I am Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier. I don't like being underestimated, so please don't. Thanks.”

Kaito had nothing to add, his lips pressed thin as paper. He nodded, moving to the side to begin their plan against the tagger. The crossing guard, who seemed more like Mukuro’s shadow, descended to join her. She gave him nothing but a stare, her eyes blank as empty sockets, before crouching down into her hiding spot.

”I’m over here!” Kagemori, the crossing guard, hollered, his voice cracking like shattered glass as he tried to lure the tagger. As the figure loomed into view, he stepped back with a grin that spread like an oil slick. ”Just come at me. I dare you!”

When he stood face-to-face with the tagger, his grin melted like wax, his eyes darting toward the soldier. ”Mukuro?” The tagger lifted its gun with a weighty, mechanical slowness. ”Mukuro? Mukuro!” The crossing guard yelled one last time before turning to flee, only to be brought down by a hail of bullets.

”You just let him die...?” The violet haired boy muttered, gripping the extinguisher like a last hope as the tagger fired bullets into the crossing guard’s lifeless body, each shot a funeral bell rolling in the air. When the tagger's plastic eyes locked onto him, Kaito raised the red object.

Before the tagger could snuff out his life, Mukuro blasted the extinguisher from behind, the foam exploding like a ghostly apparition. The tagger flailed their arms wildly, shooting at nothing, while Mukuro ducked to avoid the bullets, and Kaito followed suit.

The tagger clicked the trigger again, the sound echoing like a death knell. Reaching into their pocket to reload, Kaito shouted and swung the extinguisher at their head. The impact sent the tagger crashing into the wall, but they stayed on their feet, dazed but not defeated. Kaito blinked in disbelief before a brutal kick from them knocked the wind of his lungs, leaving him gasping.

Mukuro charged at the tagger like a bull seeing red. They fought fiercely, but soon she was thrown to the floor with a loud thud, taking a kick to the face from the powerful horse head.

Kaito lunged behind the tagger, wrapping his arms around their neck like a rogue vine, pulling out his small knife to stab at their shoulder. But his success was short-lived; he was hurled against the wall violently. Suddenly, the tagger pulled out a larger knife from their coat, the blade gleaming ominously. Kaito stood up, alert and ready, narrowly dodging a series of stabbing strikes that sliced through the air. His breath hitched as the blade came dangerously close to his waist, the edge biting his skin like a rat's teeth, blood that dripped like ink on a blank page.

Hearing him groan, she sprang up and kicked the tagger hard in the side, sending them crashing to the ground. Kaito dropped beside her, groaning in pain as he clutched his bloody side.

As the fight raged on, Shuichi floundered in his search for a safe zone. He rattled one door after another, each locked entrance a mocking laugh in his face. Desperation clawed at him as he gripped a doorknob, hunching down like a hunted animal. ”Think...” Shuichi muttered, straightening up and leaning against the fence, his eyes darting around in a panic as his fingers fidgeted nervously. Then, he spotted the door from which he had saved that person earlier—a door riddled with bullet holes. ”Why did he shoot from such a long distance...?” His breath hitched as realization struck him, and he rushed down to the door's level, encountering another figure, this time shorter than himself.

”So you realized that too?” The purple-haired boy, Kokichi Oma, approached with a smug grin so disarming it could sway even the purest of hearts, leaving even the wicked feeling flustered, his hands tucked inside his white jacket.

”...Yes. The safe zone is in this apartment.” Shuichi stepped forward, gripping the doorknob tightly, vivid flashbacks flooding his mind.

Kokichi glanced from the doorknob to Shuichi. ”Aren’t you gonna open it?”

”Why did the tagger chase us?” H asked suddenly, his voice laced with confusion. ”They could have just waited here.”

He shrugged nonchalantly, pulling out his phone to illuminate the screen. ”Seems like there's something else we don't know. But if you don't open it...”

“THREE MINUTES UNTIL THE GAME CONCLUDES”

Cautiously, Shuichi opened the door. It creaked wide, revealing a dark room with white walls that felt like the blank stare of a ghost. Little did they know... Shuichi’s instincts prickled at the back of his neck. “Look out!” he shouted, pushing Kokichi aside as a bullet zipped past them, sharp and angry like a wasp.

Kokichi reacted quickly, drawing his taser and zapped the figure that emerged—another tagger with a horse head. “You know, I used to have those in my room. The horse heads, I mean.” His smile was a twisted crescent, but Shuichi’s focus was locked on the taser. He chuckled darkly, “Nishishi... It never hurts to be prepared—”

Pap! Pap! Pap! Pap! Pap!

They ducked down, moving like shadows, barely escaping the barrage of bullets that peppered the floor like angry raindrops. Shuichi sprinted toward the inner door of the apartment while Kokichi bolted out, slamming the door shut behind them with a resounding thud.

The bluenette made it inside and quickly shut the door, locking it with a click that echoed like a heartbeat. Suddenly, the room transformed from a dark void into a blinding glare as artificial lights flickered on, illuminating a floor patterned like a chessboard, waiting for the next move. A few items stood out in the cramped space: two red buttons positioned high on opposite walls and a massive window looming at the front. Shuichi frowned at the sign that hovered in his mind:

”PUSH BOTH BUTTONS AT ONCE TO CLEAR THE GAME.”

He threw open the window, flailing his arms like a frantic windmill. ”Someone please come over! The safe zone is Apartment 553! It’s impossible to clear the game alone! We need two people to win!”

Kokichi, still propped against the door, let out a snort. ”Seriously?”

Shuichi jolted as the doorknob clattered to the tiled floor behind him. The door banged open, revealing the second tagger, who entered ominously.

”TIME REMAINING, ONE MINUTE.”

The second tagger raised their arm, gun in hand, and began firing. Shuichi instinctively ducked, propelling himself forward and pinning the tagger against the wall, desperately trying to wrest the weapon from their grip.

Kokichi leaned in from outside the door, peeking in nonchalantly since Shuichi had called for help. He quickly withdrew from view as the tagger started pulling the trigger, their arm thrashing like a fish out of water.

TIME REMAINING, THIRTY SECONDS.”

On her way, the athletic assassin, Maki, spotted a bright open window on the wall. She grasped the sill firmly and swung herself toward the next window, which was slightly higher up. With a powerful push, she propelled herself forward, landing deftly on the ledge.

”TWENTY SECONDS.”

Shortly, the brunette arrived, landing smoothly next to him. ”You called?” she asked, hopping down from the larger window left open by the bluenette.

”TEN SECONDS.”

Shuichi gasped, gripping the second tagger's right arm, which felt like a coiled snake. They raised it, aiming to shoot down Maki. She rolled to the side, easily dodging the bullets that whizzed past her.

”Hey!” Kokichi yelled from behind the door, brandishing his taser like a lucky charm. Then, he tossed it in her direction. Maki snatched the taser from the air, her fingers closing around it with lethal intent. With a quick jab, she drove it into the second tagger's ankle, releasing a jolt of electricity. They flinched, collapsing to the floor like a broken clock, thrashing their limbs around.

”FIVE. FOUR.”

Shuichi pointed at the red buttons, ”The buttons!”

”THREE.”

The two of them immediately stood up.

”TWO.”

And threw themselves to each button then slammed their hands sharply against the plastic.

”ONE.”

They both fell to the floor after the hit, bodies dropping like sacks of sand. Shuichi paused for a moment, his heart racing, before his movements became frantic. He reached for the phone in his pocket and stared at the screen, where the words glowed out.

”GAME CLEAR.”

”CONGRATULATIONS, ULTIMATE DETECTIVE.”

A soft groan broke the tension, drawing their eyes to the tagger. Kokichi, still lingering by the door, shifted his focus as well. The tagger's horse head lay discarded on the floor, revealing a woman with tangled hair and a bewildered expression. As she sat up, the collar around her neck began to emit a steady blue beep.

Shuichi began, ”Excuse me—”

Splat!

Crimson painted the once-white walls as the collar detonated on the woman's neck. Shuichi instinctively raised his forearm to shield himself, while Maki turned her head away, her eyes heavy with resignation, as of the violence around her was just another scene she had become numb to. Kokichi stood still, his expression blank, as though he were watching a puppet show without strings.

Meanwhile, Mukuro stepped forward, kneeling by the fallen tagger who leaned against the concrete wall, blood pooling beneath them. She sifted through their weapons, examining the cold metal and unused ammunition in their pockets.

Kaito's attention, however, was drawn to the phone that belonged to the tagger. The words saying:

”GAME OVER.”

“This person…” Kaito began, glancing between the lifeless body and Mukuro. “Were they also made to participate in the game?”

Mukuro didn’t respond, her attention fixated on the lifeless tagger. She extended her hand, methodically patting down the tagger's pockets as if searching for lost change rather than remnants of a life snuffed out.

Kaito sighed at Mukuro's silence, his gaze drifting to the other figure—the unfortunate crossing guard—slumped nearby. Suddenly, he heard a faint crackle of static emanating from the guard's pocket. Curious, he patted down the fabric until his fingers found a walkie-talkie. He lifted it to eye level, the device sputtering to life with a disembodied voice. “Answer… in our hands now,” it droned.

He raised an eyebrow skeptically. “'Answer'? Hey… can you hear me? What’s this ‘answer’ you’re talking about?”

The walkie-talkie only repeated itself, its voice monotonous. “Return. The answer is in our hands now. Return to the Mark of the City”

“‘Mark of the City’?” Kaito attempted to stand up straight, but he was still badly injured. He spun around, only to find the soldier had vanished.

“Return,” the device echoed again. “Return to the Mark of the City. Return to the Mark of the City.”

A few moments later, Shuichi slipped out of the apartment room, spine curling like a sick worm coiled around a thorn. The door, riddled with bullet wounds like an infected scab, creaked open to reveal the brunette who had pulled him from the depths. ”That woman...” He murmured, ”I killed her.”

Maki’s gaze was as flat as a corpse’s eyes, an unblinking stare before she let out a tired breath. ”Everyone was made to participate in these games. It's no one's fault.”

”Just what in the world is all this...?”

”Does it matter? I don’t know either,” she walked forward, her steps carving shallow graves. ”But... It’s sickening how much I’m willing to scrape and claw just to keep breathing.” She spared Shuichi one final glance. ”If you’re not ready to drown in the filth, you might as well choke now,” and she walked away.

A moment later, the lights vanished, plunging everything back into shadows. Kokichi sat in the blood-smeared checkered room, humming a tune to himself, hands buried deep in the pockets of his jacket like a thief preparing for a heist.

He approached the dead tagger and searched her pockets casually, treating her as if she were just another discarded item. Eventually, he found a folded piece of paper and tilted his head, unfolding it to see what it contained.

It was a roughly drawn, abstract design or sketch on it that appears to be a series of interconnected, curved lines forming a circular pattern. The drawing consists of a series of curved, intersecting lines that form a central, circular or web-like pattern. The lines appear to radiate outwards, creating a tangled, intricate design that lacks any clear, recognizable shapes or symbols. He tilted his head in curiosity as he wondered why such a drawing had something to do with something like this.

Chapter 7: Seven of Hearts 3.1

Chapter Text

”Someone radioed in?”

The pianist inquired. Shortly after their reunion, Kaito recounted his tale—how he unearthed a walkie-talkie from the graveyard of someone’s pocket. He nodded firmly, “Yeah,” while doing that, his injured side was being bandaged by Kirumi. “Thanks.”

He adjusted his sitting position into something comfortable, curling like a cat in the sun. “If we go to the place called the Mark of the City, we might be able to discover something.”

“Like where all the people who disappeared went?” Kaede questioned, sinking into the chair next to Kaito and Kirumi like a stone into murky waters. “Could it really be just an evacuation center?”

“Hm... Maybe everyone else is there,” he said. “Well, we can get there. It's just a matter of time.”

“What should we do?” Shuichi asked, absorbing their expressions like a sponge soaking up water. “Shall we try going there?”

“In any case,” the astronomer began. “We have no choice but to trust that voice for now.” Kirumi’s gaze flitted to Kaede, then back to the boys, her words slicing through the air. “Kaede won’t be able to make it with her leg injury.”

The two tensed at the mention of their friend’s injury, Kaede’s lips sagged like wilted petals. The detective exhaled slowly, “You're right.”

The maid's face mirrored Kaede’s growing concern as she subtly fidgeted with her gloved fingers, jittering as if tiny, unseen parasites crawled beneath her skin. “Both of us... We’ll run out of Truth Bullets today.”

“We’ll clear today’s game and wrestle you more Truth Bullets From the void,” Kaito declared, nodding with the fervor of a madman. “And then, let’s hunt for the Mark of the City tomorrow.”

He played with the edge of the bandage around his wounded waist, a grimace flickering across his face. He glanced over at Shuichi, who was staring off into the distance, his expression lost in thought. Kaito sighed, “I will go to the Mark of the City. No matter what. I'll do whatever it takes.” He reclined against the chair. “We still have hope.”

****

”But... It’s sickening how much I’m willing to scrape and claw just to keep breathing. If you’re not ready to drown in the filth, you might as well choke now.”

Shuichi leaned against the balcony of their temporary base, the rusted railing biting into his palms. The fresh afternoon wind tangled with his hair, teasing his ahoge like they were nature’s fingers. He recalled the words that stabbed daggers in his heart from the woman who assisted him back in the spade game.

He closed his eyes, trying to block out the images of the secondary tagger's head exploding, but they stubbornly remained, etched into his memory like a permanent scar.

He tried to think of something else, anything else besides seeing the blood in the white room. He found his mind wandering to his life before the borderlands. It was a life that seemed so distant now, like it belonged to a completely different person.

A boring and sad existence.

He wondered, how many lives could he have saved if he had taken the time to learn and grow as a detective instead of idly wasting away on the couch, watching the hours tick by on a reality show that didn't even mean anything? The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. A real detective would have been able to piece together a clearer picture of their situation and maybe even uncover the truth behind the games and the disappearances.

“Oh hey, Shuichi.” He turned to see Kaede standing there, leaning heavily on her crutches, a resigned smile on her face. He himself managed a weak smile, trying to hide his troubled thoughts. “Hey,” he said quietly, moving over to give her some space.

As she settled next to him on the balcony, a comfortable silence fell between them for a moment. The two shared a quiet understanding of the changes they had undergone since ending up in the Borderlands.

”Kaede, I'm...sorry.” He spoke up suddenly, giving her a side-long. ”I don't really know why I should be apologizing... But I feel like I should.”

”Sorry? For what?” Kaede raised her eyebrows in surprise, turning to look at him with a puzzled expression. She leaned back against the railing and shifted her weight to relieve some of the pressure off her injured leg.

Shuichi rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze for a moment. He knew his reasoning might sound a little convoluted, but he wanted to get his thoughts out. “I don't know... I just feel like I should be apologizing for something.”

She shifted a little closer to him, her hand instinctively reaching out to touch his arm in a comforting gesture. “You don’t need to apologize for anything, Shuichi.” She said gently. “We’re all in this messed up situation together.”

He blinked at her touch, surprised by Kaede's uncharacteristic display of comfort. He glanced down at her hand on his arm, then back at her, trying to lighten the mood. “Who are you, and what have you done with the Kaede I know?”

“Har har, very funny.” She replied dryly, withdrawing her hand from his arm. “I can’t be nice sometimes?”

“Hey, I didn’t say I was complaining. It’s just...strange. You’re usually a lot more...well, blunt and rude.”

“You’ve changed too, you know.” She commented, tilting her head with a thoughtful expression. “You’re more…decisive than before. More willing to take charge, it seems.”

“I guess I’m just...trying to figure things out, you know?” Shuichi scratched the back of his head, a faint blush blooming like a shy flower on his cheeks. He wasn't used to receiving compliments. “I can’t afford to be indecisive in this situation. We’d be toast if I just sat back and watched.”

“You're starting to act more like a detective now,” she said, her tone slightly amused. “Reminds me of your uncle, in a way. I guess all those lectures and practice cases he used to drown you in are finally paying off.”

“Yeah, well... I guess now I see how much he was trying to help me.” He muttered with a soft sigh. “I just... I never took it seriously. I always said no to the practice cases, I didn't want to listen. I didn’t even care.” He paused for a moment, his jaw clenching. “I don’t know why anyone would want to trust their life to someone like me.”

Kaede smacked him lightly on the shoulder, she huffed and rolled her eyes. “Enough with the self-deprecation, Shuichi. Stop saying ‘someone like me.’ You’re a hell of a lot more than you give yourself credit for. You just proved that in that door game. We survived because of you.”

“I know,” he let out a shaky breath, his voice strained. “But... what if I can't keep doing this?” He looked down at his hands, which were trembling slightly. He clenched them to stop them from shaking, but it didn't work completely. “What if I mess up the next game? There’s no more room for mistakes. Every wrong move could mean someone’s death.”

”Shuichi... If there was a piano here, I’d play a song for you. I promise you, it's not an emo one. But I think Debussy ’Claire de Lune’ would fit perfectly. The song’s like...like the reflection of the moon, seeing upon the surface. It calms the heart.” Kaede gently grasped Shuichi's shaky hand, her touch as soft and warm as sunlight filtering through morning clouds. ”Ah... Did you notice? I’m shaking, too. But, I’m sure if you weren’t here... I’d be shaking a lot more. I’d be shaking so hard, I couldn't do anything,” she chuckled bitterly. ”I’m still glad you’re here, though. Because of you, we survived that game even if it cost me my leg. But if you weren't there, my whole body would've burned instead. That’s why...I think you should have more pride in yourself. If I can believe in you, you should believe in yourself, too.”

Shuichi’s breath hitched as Kaede gripped his hand. Her words washed over him like a calming wave, easing the tension in his shoulders. It felt like she was casting a spell, her voice tangling around his heart like ivy creeping up an old fence. As he listened, the trembling in his hands ebbed, replaced by a warmth that wrapped around him like an oversized, mismatched sweater. He squeezed her hand in return, his heart swelling with a bittersweet blend of gratitude and guilt. Here she was, comforting him, when she was the one who had been injured. He didn't feel worthy of her praise.

“Kaede…” he whispered, his voice hoarse. He glanced down at their hands, his thumb gently stroking her knuckles. He swallowed, his throat feeling strangely tight. “I...don’t know what to say. I’m...sorry.”

”You can start with: ’I’ll try.’” She nodded to him with a small, rare smile. ”Go on, say it.”

“I...I’ll try." He said, his voice wavering slightly. It felt like such a simple vow, but there was a deep meaning behind it. He was promising to try to be better, to believe in himself. For her, for their fellow survivors, and for himself.

“Good,” she smiled softly. They stood there on the balcony for a while, hands still entwined, as if the world had pressed pause just for them.

****

The night was suffocatingly still as they moved forward, the only sound being the soft shuffle of footsteps. Shuichi, Kaede—leaning on her crutches with each step—Kaito, and Kirumi made their way through the dimly lit path.

”THIS WAY TO THE GAME ARENA.”

They soon arrived at the arena, a glass-encased botanical garden, veins of greenery pulsing like an organism straining against its own transparent skin. "Shinjuku Natural Botanical Garden," the sign bared its teeth at them. The four stopped at the barrier, its blue light crawling over their bodies like maggots before they took a step ahead.

Dragging themselves forward, they peeled through the lobby, which stood like the ribcage of some creature. Three tables waited, like organs left on display. The first was littered with dangerous tools—blades, hammers, and other sharp, jagged edges—beneath a sign that whispered, “FEEL FREE TO USE ANY OF THESE.”

The second table bore the phones, the devices staring back at them like dead eyes, glassy and unblinking.

Kaito reached out, his fingers curling around the hilt of a knife. “Are we dismantling something?” he muttered, lifting the blade as if testing the weight. “Yup, I'll take this. Y’know, just in case.”

Their focus shifted to the last table, which displayed the advanced mechanical headgear. The masks lay like sleeping beasts, their sleek surfaces reminiscent of polished bone, adorned with spines that curled and twisted as if alive. The spines connected the masks to the necks of whoever dared to wear them, resembling the collar of a creature in servitude, ready to fuse flesh.

“FACIAL RECOGNITION IN PROGRESS.”
“PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT…”

…

”ENTRY REGISTERED.”

The TV crackled to life with an almost eager pulse, like a wide grin stretching too far across a decaying face.

”WELCOME! SPONSORED BY SHINJUKU NATURAL BOTANICAL GARDEN.”
“PUT ON THE GOGGLES AND PROCEED TO THE GARDEN.”

They hesitated before the table, the mechanical headgear seeming to pulse in the dim light, like creatures waiting to latch onto their hosts. Shuichi was the first to step forward, his fingers trembling as they brushed against the cold surface of the gear. It felt unnervingly smooth, like the skin of something long dead but preserved for far too long. The spine crept along his neck, cold and invasive, latching onto his skin like roots digging into soil. He winced as the mechanical tendrils tightened, securing their hold.

”REGISTRATION IN PROGRESS…”
“CURRENT PARTICIPANTS:”
-Shuichi Saihara (ID: 100907)
-Kaede Akamatsu (ID: 100326)
-Kirumi Tojo (ID: 100510)
-Kaito Momota (ID: 100412)

The mechanical enhancement built into his eye had a glowing ring in its center, a subtle yet eerie red that spins like a targeting reticle. It’s as though his eye isn’t just seeing but calculating, analyzing everything in his line of sight with sniper-like accuracy.

”What’s this?”

As Shuichi turned, his mechanical eye flickered, the red reticle adjusting and locking onto Kaede, who stood just beside him. His augmented vision immediately recognized her, confirming her identity through the system. The gear on his head whirred faintly, processing the information as the small ID number flashed beside her, verifying her presence.

”Huh. My goggles recognized Kaede and the target cursor turned red,” he said.

”Yeah, when we look at each other.”

Kirumi nodded to their direction, holding onto the housing. “It must be a tracking function.”

”REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.”
”THE GAME WILL NOW COMMENCE.”

”DIFFICULTY, SEVEN OF HEARTS.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened, like old stitches tearing apart. “Hearts?”

“The mark on a trump card signifies the game's genre. Club is team-based, and Diamond refers to intellectual games. As for Heart...it's the most troublesome one of all.”

”...You play with people’s hearts and you tear them apart.” He stared blankly at the screen, his eyes glazed over like the glassy stare of a corpse.

Kaito's eyebrows sank low like two heavy clouds. “Seven? Isn't that kinda difficult?”

”GAME, ‘HIDE AND SEEK.’”

”RULES:”
-”ONE PERSON WILL BE THE WOLF, AND THE OTHER THREE WILL BE THE LAMBS WHO WILL TRY TO EVADE THE WOLF’S GAZE.”
-”ONCE THE WOLF DETECTS A LAMB, THE SENSOR WILL REACT AND THE LAMB WILL BECOME THE NEW WOLF.”

”Hey, wait a second!” He yelled out upon reading the rules. “You can't mean that the four of us have to compete against each other!?”

Kirumi lifted a palm to her lips, her eyebrows creasing. “Wait, would that mean…”

”That it’ll be game over,” Kaede continued for her. “For whoever is the wolf in the end!”

”THE CLEAR CONDITION IS, ONCE THE FIFTEEN MINUTE TIME LIMIT IS UP, IT’LL BE GAME CLEAR FOR THE WOLF.”

Chapter 8: Seven of Hearts 3.2

Chapter Text

”THE CLEAR CONDITION IS, ONCE THE FIFTEEN MINUTE TIME LIMIT IS UP, IT’LL BE GAME CLEAR FOR THE WOLF.”
”WHEN FIFTEEN MINUTES HAS PASSED, THE COLLARS FASTENED TO THE LAMBS’ NECKS WILL EXPLODE.”

”THE FIRST WOLF IS ID: 100326. KAEDE AKAMATSU.”

And like an applause from an unsuspecting audience, Kaede’s neutral blue profile turned into red. It had a cartoon wolf with a silly expression, its tongue sticking out in a playful, exaggerated manner.

”FIFTEEN MINUTES, COMMENCE.”

”Hah… Really?” She forced a dry smile, but it quickly shifted into a crooked frown. Her hands flew to the collar around her neck, fingers trembling as she tried to pry it off. Her nails scraped uselessly against the cold metal as her heartbeat pounded in her ears.

Shuichi rushed to Kaede’s side the moment he saw her struggling, his heart racing. Without thinking, he grabbed her wrists, stopping her frantic movements. “Stop it, Kaede! If you try to take it off, the collar might explode!” ”I don't care!” “Stop it!” “Leave me alone!”

For a moment, everything was still except for their ragged breathing. Then, Kaede’s eyes locked onto Shuichi’s, and in that instant, something shifted.

Shuichi’s once neutral blue profile turned a bright red, splashing across the screen like a spilled can of paint. Next to it, the cartoon wolf grinned like it had just won a prize in a bizarre contest, its exaggerated features stretched into a mocking smile.

”Shuichi?” Kaito frowned, arching an eyebrow at bluenette. He glanced at him and they locked eyes, causing for him to become the new Wolf. Even after their profiles changed, Kaito and Shuichi didn't stop staring at each other.

”When we lock eyes, the Wolf role is passed on,” he said. “That's the catch in this game.”

”So if the Wolf doesn't survive, it's because the lambs killed it?” Kaede exchanged glances with her two friends as Kirumi approached one of the tables. “What do we do, Shuichi?”

Kirumi grabbed a metal hammer. “I have an idea!”

Once Kirumi had drawn the attention of every player, their gazes locking onto hers like the grip of a noose tightening around a neck, the role of the Wolf was forced upon her. In that frozen moment, her eyes, cold and steady, met another's across the space. The hammer in her hand felt heavier now, not just a tool but the weapon of a hunter. She didn’t linger. Without a word, she ran into the depths of the botanical garden, the vast expanse of greenery now nothing more than a battleground dressed in vines and leaves.

”Kirumi! The one that needs to hide in this game is the Wolf!” Kaito’s voice tore through the stillness, thick with anger, as if the truth had clawed its way out of his throat. His anger flared as he watched her slip into the depths of the garden, and with a burst of adrenaline, he took off after her. “Kirumi!”

”Kaito!” His friends called out, the latter almost tripping.

He burst into the garden, the lush greenery swallowing him whole as he strained to keep Kirumi in sight. The air inside the garden was stifling, damp with the cloying scent of damp soil and rotting plants, like a mausoleum disguised in greenery.

The towering trees and thick undergrowth cast long shadows, turning once-innocent paths into dark corridors of death. She moved quickly, her steps purposeful. The garden offered no real sanctuary; its beauty was a lie, a mask stretched over the face of a monster. There were no flowers here—only the creeping, suffocating sense that something terrible was about to happen. “Stop running!”

Desperation fueled his pursuit, but Kirumi was quick, and soon she spotted a cluster of thick bushes. She quickly ducked behind them, her heart pounding as she pressed herself against the cool earth, her breath shallow. Kaito sprinted past the bushes, his frustration palpable as he scanned the area, his eyes darting between the foliage. The moment felt agonizingly slow as he continued onward, oblivious to the fact that Kirumi was mere feet away, tucked away in the safety of the dense greenery.

Simultaneously, Kaede struggled to keep pace. With crutches supporting her weight, she limped toward the entrance of the botanical garden. The burn on her bandaged leg remained throbbing with every movement, a searing ache that made it difficult to concentrate on anything but the pain. Before she could even step foot into the garden, her strength faltered. With a soft groan, she sank down onto the hard floor, the rough surface biting into her skin. She could hear the distant shouts of Kaito calling for Kirumi, their voices echoing through the air, but they felt worlds away.

”Kirumi, can you read me?” She asked through the headgear, it seemed it had a microphone like a gaming headset. “I still want to thank you. Can you stop running?”

”I’m sorry, I intend to live…” She murmured, like speaking to a deceased loved one’s grave. “I must survive…no matter what it takes… If I must debase myself, so be it! I would drink filth and eat carrion to survive!—”

The world around her seemed to shift in slow motion as she fell, the vibrant greenery blurring into a messy oil painting of madness. She hit the ground hard, the impact jolting through her body and knocking the wind out of her. For a split second, she lay there, stunned.

Kaito burst through the underbrush and finally reached Kirumi, who was still on the ground, stunned from her fall. Before she could react, he stepped closer, looming over her as he forced her chin up, compelling her to meet his gaze. He yelled, “Turn around!”

She instinctively tried to crawl away, desperate to regain some distance between them. But before she could make it very far, Kaito's hand shot up, gripping the back of her shirt with a fierce hold, anchoring her in place.

Feeling trapped, Kirumi’s heart raced. She quickly scanned the ground for anything that could help her escape. Her fingers brushed against a small, jagged rock. And in a swift, desperate motion, she swung the rock at him, aiming for the side where he had been injured. The sharp edge connected with a dull this against his waist, and Kaito staggered back, a grunt escaping his lips.

Time seemed to freeze. In that instant, they both felt the undeniable shift in their roles. He tried to get up and attempted to escape in the other direction, but the revelation angered the maid. She wasn't about to let this moment slip through her fingers. With a sudden ferocity, she grabbed the other side of his waist and began to hit his injured side again and again.

Just as she aimed for another hit, he took the opportunity. Quickly, he pushed her back, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Suddenly, a voice called out from the other side of the garden, breaking through the charged atmosphere. “Kaito!” His attention snapped back to Shuichi just as the two locked eyes. In that instant, the rules of their twisted game shifted again. The bluenette lowered his head, avoiding his gaze. “Both of you, enough! Stop it! I-If we work together, we might be able to figure this out!”

"You're so naive, this is a game of Hearts!" Kirumi grabs the knife Kaito once extracted from the earth like a bone from a grave.

”TEN MINUTES REMAINING.”

As he reached the edge of a dense thicket, he slowed his pace, glancing back to gauge how far she had come. But in that instant, he froze. Kirumi stood before him, her expression was unreadable as she slowly moved forward. “Do you want to live or die?”

Shuichi stood his ground. “All I need is some time, please! I'll think of a way to get out of this game!”

Kaito suddenly emerged from an underbush, trapping the detective between the two of them. Kirumi halted her advance, her eyes narrowing as she registered Kaito's appearance.

The woman bitterly smiled. “Make me the Wolf. Where's the justice when someone who has the desire to live dies? I have people on my shoulders. I can't die in a hellhole like this.”

”Shuichi,” Kaito began, panting. “We can't all survive in this game!”

As Kirumi prepared to lunge at Shuichi, her muscles coiling with intent, a sudden movement from the side caught everyone off guard. Kaede burst from the underbrush, reaching out with surprising speed and grabbed Kirumi by the arm, yanking her to the side. The force of the sudden pull sent them both tumbling to the ground, their bodies crashing against the soft earth. Shuichi watched, heart pounding, as the two girls fell in a tangle of limbs, mud splattering around them.

”Let me go!” She struggled from her grip. “Go, run!” “I said let me go!”

With Kirumi and Kaede grappling on the ground, the opportunity was too precious to waste. Shuichi stole a quick glance at Kaito, he quickly pivoted and sprinted away from the tangled struggle.

”EIGHT MINUTES REMAINING.”

After a frantic chase through the twisting paths of the garden, Shuichi finally lost sight of Kaito, the sounds of their footsteps fading into the distance. Just ahead, he spotted a narrow entrance partially concealed by thick vines. Without hesitating, he slipped into the tiny cave-hallway. Recalling the tools he had gathered before entering the garden, he pulled out a handful of screwdrivers and other tools, their metallic surfaces gleaming even in the low light. His fingers trembled slightly as he gripped a flathead screwdriver.

He positioned the glass against the wall, using it as a mirror to reflect light and reveal his reflection. The metal felt cold against his skin as he twisted and pried, but no matter how hard he tried, the headgear remained stubbornly affixed to his head. Each attempt only led to frustration as the tools slipped and failed to gain any leverage. He grunted in irritation, sweat beading on his forehead as he tried various angles and techniques, but the headgear wouldn’t budge.

”Where are you, Shuichi! Come out!” His friend shouted loudly, his voice echoing throughout the botanical garden. “You’re just gonna hide until time runs out?”

Shuichi picked up a pair of pliers, and as he turned the tool over, almost pinching the metallic collar on his neck, he hesitated. His breath hitched, would he risk it? Would the collar explode his neck and cover the room in his blood?

His hands trembled uncontrollably, and he felt the pliers slip from his grip. They clattered to the ground, the sharp sound echoing harshly in the stillness of the cave. It was a sound that seemed to mock him, a cruel reminder of his failure to act decisively. He covered his face in despair, sobbing slightly. “I don’t know what to do… I’m sorry. I’m sorry!...”

”What's the use of saying sorry? Shuichi!” Kaito grunted loudly, still gripping his now bleeding side. “In the end, that’s…all you ever do. All you ever do is say sorry!”

Shuichi wiped his tears away with the back of his hand, taking a shaky breath as he glanced towards the entrance of the cave. He sank to the ground, curling into himself as he hugged his knees tightly to his chest. The cold, hard floor pressed against his body, grounding him yet also reminding him of the reality he faced. His breath quickened, each inhale a struggle as the panic rose.

Shuichi buried his face against his knees, letting the world around him fade away for just a moment, cocooned in the desperate hope that somehow, everything would be alright.

This was just another one of his terrible nightmares, and he wanted to wake up.

Chapter 9: Seven of Hearts 3.3

Chapter Text

”I’m sorry…!”

Shuichi sank deeper into himself, clutching his knees as the weight of despair pressed down harder than ever. Tears streamed down his face, hot and relentless, mixing with the cold air of the cave. The muffled sounds of chaos outside—the shouts and scuffles—felt like a distant nightmare.

”I’m sorry…”

Why is this happening? How did it come to this? Where did it all go wrong? Weren't they all friends with each other several minutes ago? He guessed that's the effect of a Hearts game.

He pressed his forehead against his knees, the tears flowed freely, his body shaking with each sob. He felt lost, like a piece of driftwood tossed about in a stormy sea. Why does everything have to be so hard?

He thought about his uncle, who had always wanted him to be a great detective. He thought of Kaito and the others, who were out there fighting for their lives. He thought about himself, who wasted his life away instead of doing something worthwhile.

”I’m…sorry.”

What was the value of his life, anyway?

The sun hung high in the clear sky, casting down its warm rays on the small park where Kaede, Shuichi, and Kaito had decided to spend their day off from school.

They were sitting on a grassy spot under a large tree, its leaves providing a cool shade from the heat. Their backpacks were scattered on the ground next to them, forgotten for the moment as they chatted idly, enjoying each other's company.

Kaito, as usual, was the loudest of the three, his voice booming across the clearing. He was in the middle of regaling them with a tale of the latest sports match he had watched on TV, his enthusiasm infectious and lively.

Kaede let out a sigh, rolling her eyes. She was used to his loud and boisterous demeanor, but it was still a little too much for her sometimes.

Shuichi, on the other hand, was quietly listening to Kaito's story, his chin resting on his hand. He glanced sidelong at Kaede, noticing the annoyance on her face. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at her expression.

She glanced at him, catching his amused expression. She narrowed her eyes playfully at him, silently telling him to shut up. He grinned back at her, not bothering to hide his amusement.

Kaito, blissfully unaware of their silent interaction, was still going on about his story. “And then, in the last second, the team scored a goal! Can you believe it? It was insane!”

It was impossible to fully shut Kaito up, especially when he was this energetic. “Yeah, yeah. We get it, the team won. It's not like it's the first time.” She huffed, trying to sound uninterested, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

He stuck his tongue at her. “You’re just jealous because you don't know anything about sports.”

”I don’t need to know about sports to know that you’re annoying.” Her voice was laced with a mix of annoyance and affection.

”Hey! I'm not annoying, I'm awesome!” He flexed his muscles like an exaggerated bodybuilder, trying to prove his point. He glanced over at Shuichi, seeking support.

He knew how to play this game. He wasn't going to pick a side. He raised his hands up in defense with a small chuckle, “Oh no, don't drag me into this.”

”Traitor!” Kaito exclaimed dramatically, feigning hurt. Then, he turned back to Kaede. “See, you’re even turning Shuichi against me.”

As the conversation continued, Shuichi realized that they had finished the snacks they had brought along. Feeling his stomach grumble, he got up from his spot under the tree. “Alright, I’m going to buy some more snacks.” He said, stretching his arms. His legs were a bit numb from sitting in the same spot for too long.

He walked away from his friends, but a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He glanced back at Kaede and Kaito, still arguing, and couldn't help but smile wider. They were loud, yes, but they were his friends. He wouldn’t trade their friendship for the world.

Of course, it hadn’t always been like this. High school had begun with him more...isolated, withdrawn into himself. But they had barged into his life like a tornado, forcing him to open up, to enjoy their company. They had been the ones to pull him out of his shell, and for that, he was forever grateful.

Lost in his thoughts, wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. As he rounded the corner of a nearby building, he accidentally bumped into someone, the collision jolting him back to reality. He stumbled backwards, a sheepish expression on his face. “Oh, sorry,” he mumbled.

The stranger he bumped into was a boy shorter than himself. He couldn't remember much of his appearance but could only recall the color purple, with him wearing the standard school uniform, but with the jacket unbuttoned and the tie loosened. The boy offered a brief apologetic smile before quickly walking past, hands shoved into his pockets. It was a swift encounter, but it left Shuichi a bit flustered. He shook his head, feeling a bit foolish for spacing out so much.

As he continued towards the store, Shuichi's mind strayed back to his friends. He chuckled softly to himself, picturing Kaede and Kaito's faces as they continued their banter. They would probably be at each other's throats until he returned with the snacks. But he knew they meant well, that their arguments were just part of their dynamic. And even though he often found himself caught in the middle, he wouldn't have it any other way.

Wouldn't he?

”Shuichi! Come out!” His friend’s panting and groaning could be heard. “If you’re happy being a loser…then let me be the Wolf!”

Oh right. He was still in a nightmare.

Shadows flickered around Shuichi, elongating and warping, as if they were alive—mocking him as he wept silently. Each sob that escaped his lips felt like a betrayal, the kind that sank into the marrow of his bones. He pressed his forehead against his knees, trying to stifle his cries, but they slipped through the cracks, jagged and raw.

Kaito had initially sought him out, eager to confront the Wolf, perhaps even to save him from the darkness that clung to him. But now, as he staggered through the garden, clutching his injured side, he felt more like a shadow than a man. His breath came out in ragged gasps, every inhale seeped into his veins like poison.

Meanwhile, Kaede grappled with Kirumi, her friend transformed into a creature of desperate ambition. She struggled to maintain her grip on her, whose movements were frantic, like a trapped animal desperate for escape. She dragged Kirumi beneath a tangle of thick bushes, a hiding place that felt more like a grave than a refuge.

They were all bound by their will to escape the game that could break them, knowing only one could walk away in the end.

”THREE MINUTES REMAINING.”

Three minutes left, and he was still the Wolf. Shuichi sat there, his tears slowly drying, but the weight in his chest refused to lift. He felt small, useless, and trapped in a situation he didn’t know how to fix. Why was he still here? he thought, wiping his face with the back of his hand. He wasn’t a hero, wasn’t some brave detective like his uncle had wanted him to be. He was just… Shuichi. A guy who didn’t want to be here, who wasn’t cut out for this. He had no fight left in him. What’s the point of running anymore? He couldn’t win, not like this. There was no glory in surviving if it meant playing a game he never wanted to be part of.

I’m done.

The decision was simple, almost too easy. He didn’t want to fight anymore. He didn’t want to be the Wolf. All he wanted now was for this game to be over.

”I… I’ll quit,” he said, breaking the stiff silence. “I’ll…drop out of this game.” He hugged his knees tighter, breathing heavily. “You’re all… You’re all that matters to me. If someone has to lose at this game…let it be me.” He stood up slowly, feeling the stiffness in his limbs from sitting so long in the cold. “I'm leaving the game.”

He would give up the role of the Wolf to someone else. He never wanted it anyway. He was going to find someone else, anyone else, and pass the role of the Wolf onto them. Maybe then he could finally stop running, finally stop feeling like he was drowning in this nightmare. “Kaito? Kaede? Kirumi?” he called for his friends but no answer.

The garden felt eerily still, as if it were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Shuichi swallowed hard, trying to keep the panic from rising in his throat. He tried again, his voice cracking slightly. “Kaito? Kaede?” Still, nothing but the soft rustle of leaves in the distance.

”Guys!” He called once again, but to his avail. Meanwhile, Kaito sat slouched on an old wooden bench, hands resting in his lap as he stared blankly ahead. The distant echoes of Shuichi’s voice reached him, but he didn’t move. He heard his name being called, felt the desperation in it, but he remained still. Let him live. That’s all he could think. He wasn’t going to drag Shuichi back into this nightmare if he didn’t have to. His fingers twitched slightly, but he kept them still. He knew he could answer, make it easy, but he didn’t. Not this time. For once, maybe doing nothing was the best thing he could do for Shuichi.

Elsewhere, hidden in the thick bushes near the edge of the garden, Kaede crouched with Kirumi pinned beneath her. She had one hand clamped firmly over Kirumi’s mouth, her other arm wrapped tightly around her waist, holding her still. Her heart pounded in her chest as she listened to Shuichi's desperate calls, feeling each one like a sharp pang in her gut.

”Kaede!” Shuichi sprinted through the dense garden, his breath ragged as he pushed past the low-hanging branches and thick vines. His heart pounded in his chest, faster with every step as he ran to where he had last seen Kaede and Kirumi. As he neared the spot, Shuichi’s legs burned, and his chest heaved, but he didn’t slow down. The clearing came into view, just ahead—the old stone bench, the twisting vines, the place where Kirumi had fallen. But as he reached it, he skidded to a stop. His eyes darted around wildly. They were gone. “Where are you?! Kaede!”

”YOU BECOME THE WOLF IF YOU ARE FOUND. HIDE SO THAT THE WOLF WON’T FIND YOU.”

”Kaito! Kaede!” His eyes widened in panic as he began to search the area frantically, his footsteps quick and uneven as he darted around the clearing. “Come out! Let’s talk! Please!”

”HIDE SO THAT THE WOLF WON’T FIND YOU.”

”Kaito! Where are you?!” Kaito’s eyes flickered open as he heard the rush of footsteps approaching. He had almost called out to him, almost pushed himself up from the bench, but the weight of his decision pressed heavily on his chest. Instead, he stayed low, laying back against the bench to avoid being seen. Shuichi continued his frantic search, his mind consumed by thoughts of Kaede and Kirumi. He had no idea that Kaito was so close, hidden just out of sight. “Why won’t you answer me?! Kaito!”

”HIDE WELL, LAMB.”

”Where is everyone? Anyone?” Shuichi slowed his frantic pace, panting heavily as exhaustion began to creep in. He scanned the area again, his breath hitching in his throat. “Kaede! Kaito! Come out, please!”

He zigzagged through the paths, trying to remember the routes they had taken before, but the labyrinthine layout only added to his confusion. His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed past thorny bushes, heedless of the scratches that lined his arms.

Kaito, still on the bench, sat up, grunting in irritation, “My God, shut up.” Shuichi paused mid-step, the unexpected response cutting through his desperate search. “...Hey, do you guys remember? That time when I accidentally spilled soda on Kaede’s birthday at a karaoke place and it malfunctioned.”

”Kaito, where are you?!”

”Hah… We started singing improvised songs that we were supposed to play,” Kaede smiled at the memory. It was only a memory now. “We laughed a lot that day, didn't we?”

”Kaede?” This wasn't the time for reminiscing, and it made Shuichi frustrated at their lighthearted banter. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on past memories; not now.

”Yeah, we pretended to be characters from some soap opera. I remember when Shuichi snorted out another cup and it came out of his nose,” he laughed, like nothing ever wrong happened.

”Where are you, Kaede?! Kaito!”

”Shuichi.” She began. “Live for us. And you better not lose. Okay? It's a promise.”

Kirumi, who had been struggling in the thick underbrush, suddenly halted. The world around her faded, and for a brief moment, all she could hear was Kaede’s voice echoing in her mind. Live for us. She had only known these people for a few short days, and they were risking their lives for a single friend, and the thought of it shook her to her core. For Shuichi. For each other. She could never be like them.

”THIRTY SECONDS REMAINING.”

She turned to Kaede, who sat there, a smile breaking through her tears, the expression a beautiful blend of joy and sorrow. Without a word, they rushed toward each other, colliding in a tight embrace. No words were needed; the hug spoke volumes. Both cried, their sobs muffled against each other’s shoulders.

”It can't be me!” Shuichi yelled desperately. “I shouldn't be the one to live!”

”TWENTY SECONDS.”

”I’m behind you.” He turned around, seeing his friend slumped against the railing. “Shuichi.”

”TEN SECONDS.”

”Thank you.”

”FIVE, FOUR.”

”Kaito, wait!” He ran forward to his friend. The other two, away from the scene, could only hug each other tighter as the countdown went…

”THREE, TWO.”

Splat!

In an instant, it was over. Shuichi’s breath caught in his throat as he watched, paralyzed, as the device detonated. Blood and tissue splattered in the air like a celebration confetti for his friend’s death.

His world narrowed to that singular moment. Oh wait, his world had died that day.