No one responded — they wished they didn't have to.
Everyone looked around warily but never dared to keep eye contact.

You viewed everyone from your higher position on the table.

Judging from the distinct reactions to the questions, there were two completely different answers.
All you needed to do was make sure the right one was chosen.

"Keep this a secret from the rest," Mira spoke clearly, being the first one to fill the uncomfortable silence. "They'll be shaken by this."

Her hands were lightly touching and hovering by her chest.
The tips of her fingers threaten to pale from the rising pressure she was putting on them.

Keiichi steps forward, his glasses gleaming in the light. "I'll be the next Number One."

"Wait a minute," Niragi stops him, leaning dangerously close to the man. "Shouldn't the strongest person be the leader," he asks and there's a heavy glance towards Aguni.

The gun on Niragi's shoulder makes Keiichi hesitate.

"We're the ones who have been getting rid of the traitors. Yet, we've been treated as shadows the entire time," Niragi scoffs, his face pulled into his normal, patience-thinning look.
"This unfair treatment ends today!"

"If Number One dies, everyone moves up a number," Keiichi says challengingly. "We agreed on this rule."

Niragi rolls his eyes. "The snobbish dictator is dead. The power has shifted, hasn't it," he asks with a grand gesture of his free arm. "Let's just be democratic and go with majority."

"So..." he drags almost childishly. "Who agrees that Aguni should be the new leader?"

Silence.
Nothing.
There's no movement from anyone except Niragi, who slides next to Mira.

You tense at a rising feeling that had lied deep in your chest.

What is he doing?

You're pretty sure he knows no one will vote for Aguni to be their leader, other than him.

What is he doing?
What is he thinking?
What is he planning?

You're unsure, so unsure and that makes you nervous.

The slight unknowing feeling is terrifying and you try not to show the tilted frown that creeps up on your lips.

Something's about to go wrong, to change.
... and you aren't sure you're ready for it.

Last Boss shifts from his spot when Niragi pulls a face of disgust that's paired with a nod.

Your senses tingle for you to move but you resist and stay stuck in your place.

Unsheathing his sword, Samura jumps froward and holds it loosely, tracing it up to Ann's face.
She gulps and tilts her chin away.

"I'll ask again: who agrees that Aguni should be the new leader?"

Having no other choice, Ann brings her hand up with a defeated sigh.

There's something in the room that thickens the air.
Tension?
Bloodlust?
Hate?

Whatever it is, you don't let it waver you.

Chishiya almost had the audacity to click his tongue.

This is stupid, reckless, and dangerous.
With Hatter dead, the militants now had the power to overthrow everything.

That's what they were doing.

But that wasn't what made Chishiya think long and hard about the situation and it's possible outcomes.

No.
He was thinking about you.
You and your crouched position upon the table.

You haven't moved since the longing question was asked — not that Chishiya noticed.

Why?

From what he observed, you would've already made a move to defend the agreed-upon rule.
But now...now you were nearly a shadow.

Click.
A shadow, an afterthought.
That's exactly what you were, what you needed to be.

Sitting silent and practically unfazed, you observed every little detail you could.

Every change in facial expression.
Every shift in body stance.
Everything.

Fuck, you're so smart.

In his mind, in another world where he showed his surprise, Chishiya's jaw dropped in awe and every stone cold aura he gave fell away to welcome your persistent skills in an embrace.

He could so get used to you.

"This... is not majority rule," Mira's voice cut through the blond's thoughts.

Niragi scoffed and leader closer to the woman's left side. "It is, isn't it."
He gripped his gun and placed the barrel up to her chin. "You're free to vote after all."

Mira's lips shook in an emotion mixed with fear and hesitation when Niragi stuck his pierced tongue out and grinned like an maniac.

Slowly, her hand rose.

"What about the former Number Two over there," Niragi asked after smiling smugly at the lifted vote.

He knew he was in control.

Keiichi voted yes after a reluctant sigh.

Finally, Niragi held his gun the right way and directed it at a certain blond.

You kept your protective glare to a minimum and shrunk even more into yourself.
Aguni was standing right behind you, and you couldn't risk him noticing you or your thoughts.

Thankfully, Niragi and Chishiya were a very big distraction.

"What about you," Niragi asked to the blond, barely reviving a careless glance in return.
"Are you looking down on us, Chishiya?"

He couldn't help his half-lidded, nonchalant, mocking eyes when he looked back at Niragi and said. "You guys are really stupid."

You wanted to laugh.
Ah, he's the one.

Niragi pushed the gun into the blond's face. "Those eyes of yours really piss me off."

With a growing smirk, Chishiya raised his hands. "I vote for Aguni to be leader," his said with sarcasm and looked Niragi up and down. "Are you alright with losing me as a precious "yes" vote?"

The wide eyes and testing sneer Niragi wore showed the full extent of his emotions.

He's beyond angry.
Furious almost.

"I hope you reflect on how you should act in the future," he spat before stepping away to face a blanking Arisu.

Was it worry?
Shock?
Whatever it was, The Last Boss pulled Arisu out of his own head with a swipe of his sword.

Arisu flinched back and didn't hesitate to lift a hand.

Everyone followed after, one-by-one showing their hands out of fear.

All except-
"You."

Niragi scouted his way over to the end of the table you crouched on.
Your stance was strong and your usual smile was unwavering.

Niragi showed his anger through a growl and suddenly grabbed the strings of your jacket.
It brought the two of you closer.

"You and your stupid smile. You're just like that baka over there," Niragi said with a cock of his head toward Chishiya.

"But lucky for me," he grunted and pulled you off the table, making you move fast to get your feet back under you. "I can lay my hands on you whenever I want."

He let go of your strings to shove you in Chishiya's direction.

You stumbled.
The blond glared.

"I can do much, much more than bruise that cheek of yours," he flared out threateningly.

Everyone held their breath.

"Oh yeah...?" You asked, speaking out of nowhere. Your voice sliced through the thick air of the room.
No one excepted you to talk, to speak, to reply.

"Then do it."

It was a moment of hesitation.
A quick intake of breath.
The moment for the bewilderment to take over.

Niragi reels back his fist.
Your hand rises before he has a chance to swing.

Nothing could've prepared Niragi enough for the shock he felt when you gave up so easily.
He was frozen in his spot, hand pulled back for a punch that would never be received.

You let him win.
Without a fight, without a fist thrown, without a point made.

Nothing.

The surprise he felt stuck with him and he turned away without another word for you.

"So the new leader is decided, yes?"

"Hatter wouldn't allow this," Mira interjected in a last attempt to overthrow the vote. "If he were alive, he would not have allowed this."

Niragi laughed and repositioned himself next to Hatter's head.
"But he's dead."

His next move is wrong and corrupt.

He slams the butt of his gun against Hatter's lifeless cheek.

It's sinful and indecent and you almost gag.
The smile on your face slips away.

"The dead won't know what's going on."
He hits the dead leader again.
"See?"

Again.
And again.
And again.

Till, finally, he stops to spit on the bruised face of a dead man.

"Alright," Aguni speaks and it stops Niragi's restless, obscene movements.
"From now on, I will be the Beach's new king."

Niragi sets his gun on his shoulder that ables him to clap. "Isn't it wonderful?"

He's the only one clapping.
"Now, boss. What's left is the succession ceremony," he says to a blankly staring Aguni.

"Let's open the black envelope."