"Arisu?" Keijiro spoke as the guy and the girl beside him walked over.

Saeko pointed at him. "Doggy!"

The girl by his side was confused by that and Arisu only chuckled.

"Wow, you actually found this place," Keijiro said, "my condolences."

"How did you two get here?" Michael asked.

"We followed some cars that belonged to the Beach," Arisu explained, "we kind of got kidnapped because of it though..."

Arisu then gestured to the girl next to him. "Oh! This is Usagi."

Keijiro observed her. "So, this is the girlfriend you told us about?"

Usagi gave Arisu a look and Arisu waved his hands.

"I said friend! Only a friend..."

Keijiro laughed at the guy's red face. "You're too easy, man."

"Are these the people who helped you in that game?" Usagi asked and Arisu nodded. She then bowed towards them. "Thank you for helping him."

Inori grinned smugly. "It was no problem. That's just what the Royal Serenity does."

"It doesn't matter how many times you say it, we're not going along with that group name," Ousuke told her.

Keijiro looked back to Arisu and Usagi. "So, did you get the answers you were searching for?"

Arisu rubbed his arm. "Not exactly but it was somewhat helpful."

"Good. Well, bye." Keijiro began to walk away but Michael stopped him.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked him, "you're just going to leave like that?"

"Aguni said our rooms are still available so I'm going to go enjoy a hot bath like I deserve," Keijiro said and Inori let out a loud gasp.

"Baths?" She clasped her hands together.

Keijiro looked between Inori, Ousuke, and Saeko. "Ousuke can room with Michael and I guess Inori and Saeko can take Fujitaka's room..."

"No offense, by why's Ousuke rooming with me?" Michael asked.

Keijiro turned on his heel. "You can't change your mind now." He then walked off leaving the others behind.

***

When Keijiro entered the room he once occupied the last time he was at the Beach, it was exactly the same as he left it. Still a mess and on the bed there was even beach clothes laid out for him.

Keijiro closed the door behind him before dropping his gun and bag on the floor then made his way to the bathroom.

.......

Relaxation  {100%}

Keijiro sunk deep into the warm water and let his hair down. He knew he didn't want to come back to this place but he would still enjoy its perks.

Keijiro leaned his head against the wall behind him. He almost forgot about the three people here he would need to avoid in the meantime: Chishiya, Kuina, and Tatta. He couldn't even imagine telling them what happened to Fujitaka. He already felt pathetic and weak as it is.

Aguni's little threat about him leaving again didn't scare him. Keijiro planned to wait until nightfall when the Beach residents go out to play again and quietly slip away with his group. He was definitely not going to let Saeko stay here longer than she needed to. He just hoped Inori won't get too comfortable with the luxuries.

It felt like an hour had passed before Keijiro finally got out of the bath and dried himself off. Instead of leaving he actually took time to look in the mirror.

Keijiro didn't even realize it's been so long since he's looked at his reflection. His dark hair had grown longer and he could see the various cuts and bruises on his body from the games he's played.

"I hope it's nothing internal," Keijiro murmured to himself. He then looked down at his gun shot wound. "Eh, I'm sure I'll be fine."

Keijiro left the bathroom and planned on getting dressed but there was a knock at his door. He assumed it was Michael coming to negotiate where Ousuke would be staying.

Keijiro only had time to put on a pair of swim shorts before opening the door.

"Look, the dog's staying with you—" Keijiro stopped and stared down at the person in front of him.

Chishiya.

Before the guy could get a word out, Keijiro slammed the door in his face.

"That was rude." Keijiro heard Chishiya say from the other side. "Are you going to act like you aren't in there?"

Keijiro scrambled for his shirt then stood in front of the door and cleared his throat. "I think you have the wrong person, ma'am." He expected to hear angry stomps receding from his room but instead he heard a click.

Keijiro watched as Chishiya easily opened the door with some device in his hand and stepped inside.

"I think that's an invasion of privacy," Keijiro said to him.

"Have fun on your little trip?"

"It wasn't a trip." Keijiro huffed. "It was a successful escape."

"Then why did you come back?" Chishiya made himself comfortable on the bed.

Keijiro shooed him off of it. "Uh, this isn't your room. And I came back for personal reasons but don't worry we'll be gone soon." He crossed his arms. "The question is, why are you still here? I thought you had some kind of plan."

Chishiya smirked. "I actually intend on putting that plan into action today. It'll be the perfect time considering what just happened."

"You mean Hatter's death?" Keijiro asked which slightly surprised Chishiya.

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, Aguni mentioned it." Keijiro tapped his chin. "I'm just wondering why he's the leader now."

Chishiya looked to the side. "It's a long story. Not that you would know..."

Keijiro stared at the guy before laughing.

"What is it?" Chishiya asked him.

"You missed me, admit it."

Chishiya turned around to leave.

"You must have been so heartbroken to see that we left without saying goodbye," Keijiro continued, "we just couldn't risk you guys snitching on us. Tatta already looks like he can't keep a secret but Kuina's cool..." He watched Chishiya open the door. "Where are you going?"

Chishiya turned around to face him. "I didn't care about your disappearance, I was just curious. Although, it was nice to have a break from you and your antics."

"Yeah, right," Keijiro said, "cats aren't really great at showing affection but don't worry, I get it. So, what's the plan?"

"Plan?"

Keijiro looked at him like he was stupid. "Your plan. You obviously need me for it since you came here."

Chishiya chuckled at him.

"What's so funny?" Keijiro narrowed his eyes.

"I don't need you for my plan and I don't want you anywhere near it. I've already found beneficial helpers for that."

"Oh... well, it still doesn't make sense."

"What are you talking about now?"

"If you don't need my help for this plan then why are you here?"

Chishiya fell silent.

"Aha! You must care! I mean Kuina's not even here with you—"

Slam!

Keijiro stared at the door Chishiya left through. "How rude." He then grabbed his gun since he was still technically a militant and left to go find the rest of his group.

Michael, Ousuke, Inori, and Saeko were outside near the pool area and they were all wearing the proper Beach attire.

"Where's Arisu and his little girlfriend?" Keijiro asked, approaching them.

Michael shrugged. "He said they both had something else to do."

Keijiro didn't want to think that Chishiya's plan and those two disappearing was a coincidence. He then looked down at Saeko.

"Why do you have her out here around these thugs?" He asked.

Inori tilted her head, wearing a purple bathing suit. "No one's even paying attention to us. She's fine."

Saeko kicked her feet while sitting on the lounge chair. She had a red popsicle in her hand and didn't look scared anymore.

"This seems a little too much," Ousuke said, observing the partying residents around them, "how are they not worried and stressing about the next game they'll have to play?"

"Not everyone's living in angst like you." Inori yawned. "Just relax."

Ousuke pursed his lips. "I'm not anxious... I'm just self aware."

Keijiro sat down on the lounge chair next to Michael. "Alright, so the plan is to leave tonight when the residents go off to play the games like they usually do."

Inori pouted at him. "Already?"

"Ugh, I knew this would happen. You took a bath too, didn't you?"

"How'd you know?"

"Ahem!"

A voice cleared their throat from behind them and they all turned around to see a guy wearing a hat glaring at them.

Tatta pointed to Michael and Keijiro. "Where have you two been?!"

"Who's this loser?" Inori asked.

Michael stood up and patted the guy's back. "Nice to see you too, Tatta."

Ousuke narrowed his eyes at him. "Is he a friend?"

"Yeah, so cool it," Keijiro said.

Tatta only frowned at them. "Chishiya said you three abandoned the Beach for your own selfish purposes."

Keijiro scoffed. "Oh, did he now..."

"But Kuina said it was for the better that you all got out of here," Tatta went on then looked through the group, "hey, where's Fuji?"

Keijiro grit his teeth. He's always told Tatta to protect Fujitaka in the past and he himself couldn't even follow his own orders.

"He's gone," Michael explained, "he and Keijiro got caught up in a hearts game and he didn't make it out."

Tatta stood there frozen. "What? But... he..." Tatta then looked at Keijiro's guilty expression and didn't say anything else.

"Way to ruin the mood," Inori whispered and Ousuke shoved her.

"Don't be rude," Ousuke responded, "we weren't as close to Fujitaka like they were."

Tatta then saw Saeko sitting and finishing her popsicle. "Woah, is that a child? I've never seen a child around here before." He then shivered. "God, even kids aren't safe in this world."

Keijiro tapped his foot. "Now that I think about it, are there any more children here? I mean Saeko can't be the only one."

Saeko's eyes lit up. "There could be more kids like me?"

"I don't know if that's such a good thing." Ousuke sighed. "What kind of people would even bring young people to this place?"

"How do you know it's people?" Inori asked, "it could be aliens, or something supernatural!"

"That actually doesn't sound so hard to believe," Michael said, "I mean, how else would you explain the lasers that come down from the sky?"

"And the highly advanced games that somehow run themselves," Ousuke added.

"You can go over your conspiracy theories later," Keijiro said then turned to Tatta, "so, what have we missed while we were gone?"

Tatta fixed his hat. "Well, not much I guess. Hatter is missing so now the militants have taken over which kinda sucks."

The rest of the group glanced to Keijiro when Tatta mentioned Hatter being "missing" and Keijiro held a finger up to his mouth telling them to shh.

"He disappeared after going out to play the games with the rest of the residents and executives," Tatta continued, "things have also gotten harder since Niragi's returned and started harassing people again."

"Yeah, I met him," Keijiro said, "he sucks."

Tatta grinned at Keijiro. "I know a few people who actually prefer you being the right hand man rather than him. Said that you were more laid back."

"Well, too bad." Keijiro stretched and looked around the pool area at the other residents. "We're not staying long."

"What?!" Tatta practically shrieked then quieted down when people started to look at them. "You're just going to leave again?"

"Yup."

"You could come with us," Michael suggested, "you shouldn't stay at the Beach any longer than you have to."

Inori held her hands out. "Uh, I don't think the Royal Serenity can handle another person. It's already cramped as it is."

Tatta nervously shifted on his feet. "I... I don't know if I can go back out there. I can barely protect myself—"

"Which is why you should leave," Ousuke said, "if you stay in here, you'll never learn how to protect yourself. You're getting too attached to this sheltered environment."

"I'll... I'll think about it." Tatta then scurried off before the group could say anything else to him.

"Yeah, I don't think he's coming with us," Keijiro said then sat up straight, "uh where's Saeko?"

The group all stood on alert and scanned the pool area.

"There!" Inori called out.

Keijiro looked to where she pointed and saw Saeko sitting at the edge of the pool, happily kicking her feet in the water.

The group exhaled with relief.

"Don't you all know how to watch a child?" Inori criticized. "You're all unfit parents."

"Oh, wow. You didn't know where she ran off to either," Keijiro said then sat back down.

"What do we do now?" Ousuke spoke, also sitting back down and putting his head in his hands.

Keijiro looked up at the sky. "We wait."

The sun began to set faster than expected and Keijiro stayed outside to watch over Saeko in the pool while the others left to do who knows what.

A few residents, mostly females, had tried coming up to talk to him but he made it clear he wasn't interested in any small talk. He even saw the two guys who stole his guns last time he was at time the Beach. They obviously avoided his gaze and fled from the area.

Judging from the darkening sky, Keijiro figured it was almost time for the residents to play again so he got up and walked over to Saeko.

The little girl was splashing in the pool, disturbing the residents who were trying to do other things in the pool. She sprayed anyone who came near her with water and went to grab a green pool noodle but Keijiro called out to her.

"Stop being a menace and let's go." Keijiro saw how she frowned, clearly not happy with the order. "Aren't you hungry? All that swimming must've tired you."

"Ooh, can we have ice cream?" Saeko asked and immediately climbed out of the pool.

Keijiro grabbed a towel from a resident passing by and gave it to the girl. The resident looked ready to protest against that but saw the gun on Keijiro's back and kept walking.

Saeko wrapped the towel around her and followed Keijiro inside. There were already a few residents waiting in the main area but Keijiro went straight to his room to get his things and change back into the clothes he came here with.

"Go to Inori's room and change." Keijiro told Saeko. "We're leaving. Now."

"Aw. No more pool?"

"Do want to swim or do you want to live?"

Saeko began to think about it and Keijiro rolled his eyes then ushered her along.

A few minutes later, Keijiro made his way back down to the first floor with his bag and gun. He saw the rest of the group in their original clothes, waiting for him.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Ousuke whispered like they were about to do a heist.

"Why are you acting all scared?" Inori laughed. "When the crowd leaves, we'll make our way back to the Royal Serenity and get out of here."

Michael sighed. "Who's to say the militants won't come after us again?"

The question made Saeko frown and hold onto Inori's leg.

"Well, Aguni did say I'll face the consequences if I try to leave again," Keijiro let them know.

"Are you serious?" Ousuke ran a hand through his hair. "We can't leave then."

Keijiro smiled. "I'm sure I'll be fine though."

"Are you sure you want to risk it?" Michael asked, "we're just going to keep running away?"

"Yeah."

"They need to hurry up and call one of their cult meetings already," Inori said, "I'll miss the hot water but this place is still weird."

Keijiro was about to agree but saw two people making their way to the exit looking extremely suspicious.

"Hold that thought," Keijiro said then took off after them. He left the main area and followed the two outside who looked like they were about to leave the Beach entirely.

Chishiya and Kuina.

Keijiro scoffed to himself. "And he was pissy about me leaving." He walked closer and overheard what they were saying to each other.

"I just feel bad for Arisu," Kuina spoke, "are you sure he'll be alright?"

"If you're so worried then you should go help him," Chishiya answered.

"And why should we be worried about Arisu?"

Chishiya and Kuina both turned around to see Keijiro watching them.

Kuina held a hand to her heart. "Don't do that, man. Nice to see you too."

"You know Arisu?" Chishiya asked.

"Yeah, we played a game together. He's cool, so I hope nothing bad happened to him." Keijiro then remembered the plan Chishiya kept mentioning. "Wow, so were these beneficial helpers you talked about, Arisu and Usagi?"

Keijiro then saw something in Chishiya's hands. "Playing cards... wait don't those belong to Hatter?" He then gasped dramatically.

Chishiya only stared at him. "What's wrong with you?"

"You killed Hatter, didn't you."

It was silent for a moment before Kuina started to laugh.

"What a waste of time," Chishiya said and turned around only to feel a firm hand on his shoulder.

Keijiro glared at the man, not joking anymore. "Okay, so it's obvious that you most likely threw Arisu and Usagi under the bus for this stupid plan of yours. Where are they?"

Chishiya removed Keijiro's hand. "Always so quick to get attached to strangers." He looked at the empty space next to him. "That reminds me, where is that little blonde boy of yours that followed you all the time? I didn't see him among your new group."

Kuina eyebrows furrowed and she turned to Keijiro, worried. She then saw his expression and understood what happened.

"This place really sucks," Kuina muttered to herself, feeling tears in her eyes.

Keijiro grit his teeth with his eyes still on Chishiya. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" Chishiya raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For reminding me why I didn't like you. To even think I was going to tell you my new nickname for you."

"I don't care to know anyways." Chishiya turned to Kuina. "Are you coming?"

Kuina looked between them then sighed before following her friend. Keijiro watched them walk towards the exit but then saw Chishiya's expression change.

"Stop," Chishiya said which startled Kuina.

Kuina stood still and turned to her friend. "What is it?"

Chishiya didn't answer and took the key bracelet the Beach gave him before throwing it through the exit. To all of their surprise, a red laser came down and struck it. Kuina stepped closer and now saw the force field that stopped them from leaving had surrounded the entire Beach.

"Of course," Chishiya said, pocketing the playing cards, "just when I thought things could work out for me."

"Isn't that one of the force fields that usually surrounds a game?" Keijiro asked out loud then turned in a full circle, "don't tell me..."

A scream could be heard from inside the hotel building and Keijiro rushed back in, leaving the other two behind. The main area was now crowded with all of the Beach residents surrounding something in the middle of the room.

Keijiro pushed his way forward and was surprised to see Usagi since he thought something had happened to her and Arisu. He then looked down at what she and everyone else were staring at.

In the center of the room was a girl lying on the floor in a bikini with a knife through her heart.