I walked back into school, rubbing my tired eyes. I had spent most of the night studying for the finals and doing my homework.

I made sure the letters were put away and hidden inside of my bag.

I don't know what compeled me to take all of them with me, realistically I only needed the third.

But...I felt compelled to take all three. I thought these letters would only be a childish game.

Some riddles and Ouma teasing me and then he would probably lead me to a dark alley way and scare me.

Then he'd come back saying how he made my heart 'die' with worry and everything would go back to normal. But Ouma was never personal.

He never talked about himself. Like his home life or more in depth about his orginization. He was friendless and always weaseled out of personal questions.

Those should have been warning signs. But I didn't do it, I didn't ever notice the bullying. Was it from our class?

I know Momota and Harukawa, Ouma's prominent 'enemies'. They weren't bullies though, for all the times Harukawa threatened Ouma it was only out of Ouma's previous pranks or poking fun at.

They would never go this far. It was out of character. The other classes I rarely saw, I guess I can thank how introverted I was.

I often heard how those classes were serious and had no sense of humor from my class. Mainly Iruma throwing insults, usually Ouma would later pop in and call her a slut and she would get flustered.

He would always do that when someone tried to bring some of them to our class for a party.

It made sense now. Why would he want bullies like that invading his life more?

And afterwards someone would scold him. Usually Akamatsu or Tojo. And that would be the end of it.

I changed my shoes and moved through the day as quickly as possible till it was finally lunch.

I opened the third letter and read the riddle again.

The one room where it shows exactly as you see yourself as.

Here's a hint: it smells of crap.

It confused me. But I immediately thought of maybe a mirror, after all looking at one shows a perfect reflection unlike the school fountain or a window.

But I dismissed the thought for a bit. The boys bathroom was heavily damaged and graffitied. The mirror wasn't even clear anymore as the janitors gave up cleaning it, and it was also cracked through the center.

Still. It had to be a mirror, I convinced myself. Somewhere in this school there had to be some kind of room with a mirror that somehow was connected to Ouma.

I patrolled the halls searching every nook and crany that I could find. No mirrors.

I was about to give up when I realized something. I wasn't thinking about where Ouma would go and do throughout the day. It's where I would go.

Subconsciously I had only stayed at the safe areas where I wouldn't feel any dread. But our school has two sides.

Being over a hundred our school had gone over many renovations and the older part has long been abandoned. It was going to be taken down or renovated by the end of the year.

No one usually went over there. Ignoring how I would be late to class I headed over to that side and finally found another bathroom. I opened it.

The whole bathroom was probably once painted an old beige color but was painted over with all sorts of paints, ink, and even spray paint.

It was covered, varying from childlike drawings to more artistic and developed. It even reminded me of Yonaga's work though hers was much more advanced and better. Did Ouma do this?

The art on the walls were much more proficient than the drawings displayed on the letters.

However comparing the drawings I could see this was all the same artist. Over years of drawing on the walls and the stalls.

Looking around and under a pot of dead flowers a letter stood out.

Dear Saihara~

Wow you must be so obsessed to have found this letter! Did you see all the spiders? Gokuhara would love this!

I chuckled. He would huh? I decided to tell him later. He probably would like this.

Obsessed? Is that how he saw this? I don't know.

So how do you like the old place? I've been here a lot so I added a few personal touches :p

No kidding.

This is the beginning of my conquest of the world! But yeah you're probably wondering why I made you go to an old bathroom.

Well you remember the last letter right? About how everyone doesn't exactly like me.

Meh who cares what those idiots think right?

I wish I could say I was thinking like that. Nope, no matter how much I wanted to I couldn't block it out.

Oh no...

There's also some other secrets you're going to find out soon! I promise! Let's just say they weren't happy and all the panta in the world wouldn't help.

Hey Saihara remember the pool party in seventh grade? That Amami held in his giant house!

I remember. Only our class went and Amami's siblings and parents were out for the week on a vacation. Amami opted to stay behind to make his house a big hang out area.

Especially since he and Akamatsu had just gotten together. Everyone showed up and what back then seemed hilarious Ouma showed up wearing a jacket to the party even though it was blistering hot.

Everyone called him crazy, that he should take it off and go swimming like most of the class.

Ouma got really defensive and what at first seemed funny got more and more frustrating. Ouma was as red as a tomato in a bad way. He ended up leaving the party and never coming back when he refused to take off the jacket.

Let's see how long it takes Saihara chan to figure out why I didn't take off my jacket. I'll tell you at the end.

I would always actually hide in this bathroom. I found it once when me and Momota (that idiot >:( ) were running around.

Eventually I got really tired and my chest hurt like crazy so I ran through through this part of the school and hid inside the bathroom.

Soon enough this became my hiding spot and it was great! Seriously no one ever goes here so I became a weird bathroom guy.

No one would ever find me no matter how hard they looked, it's hidden enough away but not so much when you do see it that it doesn't draw suspicion.

Eventually once I accidentally cut myself when I was making food with a knife...

And it was relieving. For two split seconds I got distracted from whatever made me slowly going insane. Remember that's what everyone calls me!

Insane.

You can see where this was going.

Ouma....no why....why would you do that....?

Sorry Shumai. I did. And I kept doing it. So much so where if you even looked at my arms everyone would have known.

It was stupid I bet you're thinking. That I should've gone to someone for help.

Well Saihara. You already know why if you remember. No one would've cared.

Who does care about that kid who cuts themself?

Here's your riddle and don't worry (though you probably aren't) where I am I can't do it anymore.

Over the horizon, follow the northern star, high above the ground, there's a tower hidden for all who don't look up.

Shumai...if you're really reading this...I hope you find me soon.

From,
Kokichi Ouma

I didn't know what to say. I could only whisper to myself seeing tears fall onto the letter, "I care Ouma...I care...I'm going to find you...I promise..."