"Yo."

That voice.
That fucking voice.

It could only belong to the worst person in the world — the person who was supposed to be dead.
Niragi.

It followed soon after the gun shot that had your heart lurching at the sound of Chishiya hitting the floor. You dropped to the ground just as fast as he did, using the car as cover and peaking around the back of it.

Something squeezed your chest tight at the blood that showed itself through the white of his jacket. "Shiya..." the words fell from your lips in a whisper.

But he heard you.
He would always hear you.
He moved his head towards the direction of your voice and shook it the smallest amount. Don't move. I'm fine.

He couldn't audibly say it, but he knew you understood. Even if you didn't agree with it: your feet barely staying glued to the ground.

He pushed himself up to his elbows, one hand applying pressure to his wound. God, it hurt. It's like fire that spread over his stomach.

Is this how you felt?
And yet, you continued on for a weeks without letting it slow you down.

With the pain making his mind fuzzy, he glares at Niragi. "Did you mean to miss a vital organ?" His characteristic sarcasm takes some weight of your chest. He's okay.

Niragi, on the other hand, has never looked worse. His clothes are tattered beyond recognition, and his face isn't any better. Devoid of the metal piercings, he looks like an asian Deadpool.

It's not a pretty sight, especially when he's smiling maniacally and pointing the barrel of his gun at Chishiya.

"I didn't want to end things with a surprise attack," he shouts, stumbling forward. "So, let's begin. It's a new murder game." He shrugs halfheartedly. "Not like there's anything else for the three of us to do here."

What he's saying makes no sense. Your head knocked back in disbelief, bumping the door of the car. You called out from behind your cover. "You want to start a game between players?"

You can't see him from where you are, but Chishiya does. He sees Niragi perk up, the movement making his stomach churn and his jaw clench. You just revealed yourself.

"Oh?" Niragi's voice is heavy with surprise. "You're still alive, Y/n? I really thought I had finally killed you off," he spits, eyes searching for you in the surroundings. But after a moment, he decides he'd deal with you later.

"Fuck off, Y/n. This is between us boys."

Chishiya shakes his head again. He knows you're looking at him, despite his eyes being on Niragi, who outstretches his arms like a madman.

"The three of us are the same: social outcasts, losers. Yet, we still want to know how it feels to be alive, more than anyone," he preaches like it's been rehearsed in his burnt mind time and time again.

He keels over suddenly, and spits up blood. It's dark and it comes from deep in his lungs. He's dying, and he wants to go out with a few more kills. That sick bastard.

"I don't have very much time left." Stating the obvious, Niragi steadies himself. "Do me one last favor. One more game." From his belt, he pulls a second firearm out, tossing it at the feet of Chishiya. "Come on! I thought you guys were my bros!"

He couldn't be more wrong.
But Chishiya hesitates, eyes burning at the sight of the gun. He's never shot one, and before now, he's never been shot. But somewhere in his mind, he lets his old self take over, and picks it up.

"Sounds like fun," he says, sounding like the man he was when you first met. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

"Arisu, what do you think?" The blond asks the boy who hasn't moved from his spot.

"What do you mean?!" Incredulously, Arisu whips his gaze to look at Chishiya. The shotgun shakes in his grip.

"Oh, come on, don't play dumb," Chishiya quips. "I know you've got a bone to pick with me. We might as well deal with it right now. We can settle things once and for all."

Your brows furrow, unable to recognize the carelessness in Chishiya's voice. You gulp.

Would he go back to his old self?
Would he indulge in Niragi's sick sense of a game?
Or would Arisu prove himself, making Chishiya realize this isn't what either of them wanted.

"What the hell are you talking about," Arisu questions with such ferocity, his throat burns. "There's gotta be another way to do this," he tries to reason.

In the back of his mind, Arisu begs you to stand up, to call out and bring Chishiya back to reality. But from the tiny sliver of your silhouette he could see, you were barely keeping consciousness. Blood pooled at your feet.

You couldn't risk yourself.
Not yet. Not now.
You had no weapon.

Arisu tightens his hands around the shotgun, the firearm heavy in his hold. He'd have to do this himself.

Without a word, Niragi shoots first.