●・○・●・○・●
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT,
the streak

-

༇ DUST clings to Kaede's clothes as he walks. Arisu is beside him, occasionally brushing shoulders with him. Neither of them has spoken much.

They finally reach house. Kaede's chest tightens. He doesn't know what version of Kaoru he'll find inside, and who else will be there.

Arisu bangs on the door.

It's Kiyoshi who opens the door. His eyes widen.

"Kaede! Arisu!" He sputters. "You're back!" Not fond of clingy hugs, he steps aside.

Kaede immediately rushes into to his house and spots Kaoru on the couch. His hoodie sleeves are tugged over his hands. Faint, dark bags color the skin beneath his eyes, which carry a dull sort of look.

Unsure whether he should touch Kaoru or not, Kaede swallows. His throat visibly bobbles. "I... hope you're okay. I found out through Hotoke. Don't worry about her, I made sure she won't come back," he says quietly. "Are you okay?"

"She didn't get to finish it," is all Kaoru says. He straightens. "Aguni and our new friend Nao are inside. I'm glad you're back. Come in. We have food."

Kaede blinks, a bit stunned by how fast Kaoru brushed it off. "Okay. If you ever want to talk—"

BOOM. The front door slams open.

"PEASANTS, THE ICONS HAVE ARRIVED!"

Arisu almost topples onto the ground. Kaoru flinches and glances up. Aguni blinks. Nao pulls a face.

Hana bursts into the living room, arms wide. Behind her is Shirabi, dragging in an empty bottle of alcohol (which explains a lot) and a fresh bruise across his cheek. "We lived, bitches!" he announces. "And none of you texted us once to check up!"

"We don't have internet," Nao mutters from the kitchen.

"Details!"

Hana rushes toward Kaede and throws her arms around his shoulders before he even gets the chance to process the fact she's very much alive in front of him. "Are there any others here?"

He buries his face into the crook of her neck. Tightly wraps his arm around her, fists clenching around the back of her shirt. "A few. Kaoru and—"

"Kaoru!" Hana screams. She practically pushes Kaede off her, elbowing him in the nose in the process, and jumps at Kaoru next.

"What the— why is your dad here?" Shirabi points at Arisu, then at Aguni. "And that guy."

"My dad, Aguni, Sakiko, and Baya all ended up in the Borderlands. At least, we suspect Sakiko and Baya are here—"

"Hello!" Nanaka strides in first, face flushed. Renji lingers behind her, carrying two backpacks. He looks worn down, as always ever since Shoma died.

Just behind him, with a curious expression and a slight smile, a girl steps inside. She glances around the house slowly, eyes scanning everyone.

Nanaka gestures to her dramatically. "This is Suzume—"

"Suzume!" Nao scrambles off the kitchen chair, careless about her wound that no longer even seems to hurt, and attacks the girl with a hug.

Suzume returns the hug, then bows her head slightly. "Hi. It's nice to meet you all. Is... Hotoke here?"

"Shh!" Nao slams a hand to her lips. "I'll inform you about that later. Don't mention her."

There's a beat of silence. Then Hana bursts out laughing, and Shirabi follows, the smell of alcohol coming along. "I love her."

Renji steps aside and says gently, "We found someone else too."

From behind him, a small figure peeks out. Her hair is messy. Her eyes are wide but calm.

"What?" Hana stammers, as if only now noticing that Arisu and Aguni are here, too. "Sakiko?!"

She and Kaoru run up to their little sister at the same time, falling into a group hug.

The silence breaks when the front door opens again.

Footsteps, three of them. Nozomi bursts in, spotting Kaoru instantly.

"KAORU!" She darts through the hallway, pushing past the others without a glance, and throws herself at Kaoru in a hug that nearly knocks him over. Her arms clutch his neck. He catches her mid stumble, grunting softly as she nearly strangles him. "Don't do that again," Nozomi says into his shirt. "I thought you were dead!"

Right behind her, Elikai walks in, slower, followed by Baya. She doesn't walk so much as float behind them, her face pale, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. There's a tremor in her hands.
She looks like she's halfway out of her body.

"We found her in an alley," Elikai explains. "Figured this was the safest place."

Recognition flickers in Baya's eyes. "Again. I'm back again. Again," she whispers.

Nozomi gently releases Kaoru and rushes back to Baya. "You're here now. It's okay. Look, Hana, Kaoru, and Sakiko are here—"

The life seems to spring back into her eyes immediately. Her eyes dart across the room. First, she sees Kaoru. His arms are still around Nozomi, his face tense. Then she sees Hana, frozen halfway between shock and disbelief, holding onto Sakiko's hand. Baya's knees buckle.

Kaoru moves first. He lets go of Nozomi without a word and crosses the room in seconds. His boots slam against the floor as he reaches her. "Mom." His voice cracks.

Baya sinks down onto the floor, and Kaoru drops to his knees with her. She grabs at his hoodie, fingers clenching the fabric like it might vanish. Her breath hitches. "I thought I'd never see you again," she whispers.

Kaoru cups her face gently. She's colder than he expected. "I'm here with you now."

She leans into his touch as she shifts her gaze. Baya's eyes fill with tears. "Hana. Sakiko," she whispers.

A sob bursts from Hana's throat as she dashes across the room and nearly tackles both Kaoru and Baya in a tight hug. Sakiko doesn't say a word. She just kneels beside them, slowly slipping her arms around Baya's waist, resting her head against her mother's chest. They all hold each other tightly.

Baya presses her forehead against Kaoru's, then Hana's. She cradles Sakiko like she's a baby again. Tears drip down her cheeks. "Is everyone here? Everyone that's supposed to be?"

Nanaka looks around, quickly counting, then nods. "All here."

●・○・●・○・●

The house feels warmer by the time everyone is seated. They've collected dozens of pillows and mattresses from other houses, turning the Chishiya living room into a big, cozy place, too warm compared to the outside world.

"Let's individually explain what happened the past days, as we were split up," Nozomi decides.

"I was with Renji and Suzume," says Nanaka. "We played a game. Later on, we came across Sakiko, then we went here. That's it."

"Same thing goes for us," Shirabi responds. "We wandered around a bit and played a game before coming here."

"And found a bottle of alcohol," Kiyoshi mutters. "Anyway, we immediately went to this house— Kaoru, Hotoke, Nao, and I. Aguni eventually appeared. Hotoke's... gone due to private reasons. We'll tell you if we feel comfortable with it."

"Our story is similar. Elikai and I wandered around, played a game, and came here after we found Baya."

"Eh, I found my dad," Kaede finally offers. "Same story as yours."

Arisu clears his throat.

Kaede glares at him. "What now?"

"Tell them about the other thing."

He blinks. "What other thing?"

"You know what other thing." Arisu looks like he's about to pull Kaede's hair out. "Say it."

"Wait, did you read my poems—"

"Kaede killed the King of Spades," Arisu blurts out.

Silence.

The entire group freezes while Kaede looks at the ground, red to the ears. He shrugs a bit. "It's, eh, convenient. He's a different King of Spades than the parents know so it probably wasn't equally as hard—"

Arisu coughs. "When I come home, I'm going to pray for Yuzuha. I'm going to cook dinner every day. I'm going to spoil her— the genes are too good. It took us hundreds of people and several weeks, then everyone got stabbed and we needed a bomb and Baya got hurt and everyone nearly died and then I created this guy," he motions at Kaede, "and he killed him in one take with his fists and a pole and he barely has a scratch—"

"Thank you, Arisu, for your life story," Aguni says dryly.

"Yeah, we all really appreciate your wife's genes."

"And we also love how you realized it's not in your genes."

"Clearly, if he did gain some of my genes, he'd be strong and smart—"

"I am smart!" Kaede argues.

"Debatable."

"Anyway," Nozomi says loudly. "Aguni, Arisu, Sakiko, and Baya definitely need to play a game tonight. We need to come up with a plan and a sleeping arrangement. We're with fourteen people now."

"The four of us will join a game together," Arisu decides, "while the others rest."

"But—"

"No. We can handle it just fine. We don't need any unnecessary sacrifices."

"They think we're too old," Aguni grumbles.

"Sakiko is super young, Mom clearly needs a hand, I can hear Aguni's ribs crack every time he moves, and Arisu sounds like he's on drugs," Hana points out. "We need to help them."

"No. You go figure out your sleeping arrangements while we play a game, because I know you will spend hours debating who you'll share a bed with," Sakiko snaps back.

Nozomi clears her throat and stands. "We can't all fit in this house. I say half of our group goes to Arisu's house, which is next door, and the other half stays here. It seems fair that Kaoru, Hana, Kaede, Arisu, and Baya claim their own bedrooms, and everyone else either joins them, takes a guest room, or the living room."

Shirabi raises an innocent hand. "Can I make the arrangement?"

"Absolutely not."

"Please? You can always decline. Just let me write down my plan."

Nozomi sighs. "Fine. Go ahead. Let's see it."

He spends the next minutes writing his plan down on an enormous piece of paper, then explains it to the group like it's a school project.

BAYA & ARISU IN BAYA'S BEDROOM
To cause drama between the husbands and wives and to create a possible affair

HANA & KAEDE
1. They sleep in Miyu's room.
2. It's a small bed so they cuddle.
3. Slowly, tentatively, Kaede takes his shirt off, followed by his pants, and when Hana does the same... the scene fades to black...

I DONT CARE ABOUT THE REST!
- Yoshiro Shirabi

"What an... insightful plan," Kiyoshi mutters.

"I could be more explicit if you want, but there are minors here now." Shirabi nods towards Sakiko. "So, agreed? Do we have a plan?"

There's a pause after Shirabi's presentation.

Kaede doesn't speak. He just stares at the oversized paper, blinking. Hana, beside him, is as red as her shirt. She lifts a hand like she's about to speak, then lowers it again, then lifts it once more in surrender.

"Okay, okay. Let's ignore Shirabi's list and go back to something practical."

"I'll sleep on the couch," Kaoru offers, still curled protectively near Baya.

"I'll join you," Baya says.

"Sakiko and I will take her room," Nanaka volunteers.

"Cool," Elikai nods. "I'll stay at Arisu's house. Less crowded."

"Same," says Renji.

"I guess I'll take Souta's room there," Nozomi says. "It's not so bad."

"And I'll— wait," Shirabi pauses mid sentence. "Where does that leave Hana and Kaede?"

"Oh no," Hana says quickly. "We are not going back to that. There are so many options."

"There are two beds left for you to choose from," Shirabi says innocently. "One in Miyu's room, which is small and definitely suited for cuddling, and one in the attic. And the attic is dusty."

"I'll take the attic," Hana says.
Kaede stands at the same time. "I'll take the attic!"

A beat.

Arisu raises an eyebrow. "You guys want to fight over the attic?"

"There are bugs in the attic," Sakiko pipes up.

"Spider eggs," Nao adds helpfully. "I saw them."

Hana visibly pales. "Then maybe not the attic."

"Great. Miyu's room it is," Shirabi claps. "Settled."

"No no no—" Hana protests, "Kaede can take Miyu's room, I'll sleep on the couch—"

"Kaoru and Baya already took the couch," Kiyoshi points out.

"I'll sleep in the bathtub."

"That's filled with gun parts," Aguni grunts.

"I'll take the balcony!"

"It's unsafe," says Elikai.

"Then I'll—"

"You'll take the bed," Shirabi finishes firmly.

Kaede and Hana both look around. Everyone is suddenly, inexplicably, completely united in one thing: getting them into that room. 

Shirabi leans into Kaede's ear. "Listen, this is your chance. We have hope. I talked to her. I interviewed her for you. And I'll tell you everything she said if you just share the bed with her. If you don't... I'll never tell you."

Kaede's eye twitches.

Nozomi clears her throat. "You two trust each other. You'll be comfortable. There's nothing wrong with a little closeness."

"We're not—"

"I know," Nozomi cuts in. "But sleeping next to someone can be grounding. You've both been through a lot," she says, faking sadness.

Kaede looks at his father, helpless. "Help me. As my father, you shouldn't allow me to sleep next to women."

"I should encourage it," Arisu responds.

"Where is Shush when you need him?" Kaede whispers. Shush would've dragged him out of that bed himself—

"Don't deny it. You want it, too," Shirabi whispers again.

Kaede swallows heavily. Shirabi has a point. Obviously, he wouldn't mind sharing a bed with Hana. But making a fuss might make it seem less like he's... abnormally obsessed with her. 

"Sleep," Suzume says. "That's all."

Shirabi, mouths: and perhaps a kiss.

"Stop," Hana peeps, turning bright red. Kaede groans into his hands.

But despite all the resistance and the embarrassment, twenty minutes later, they're standing at the door to Miyu's room.

Kaede hesitates. Hana sighs.

"Look away. I need to change," she says.

"Actually," Kaede says, "I need a moment. Bye." And he storms into a different bedroom. "Help me."

Kiyoshi looks up from the bed, blinking. "Sorry?"

"How did you do it?" Kaede sits down on the bed as well, leaning closer than necessary. "Tell me your secrets. Wait, if Hana and I, hypothetically, happen to cuddle, would you maybe mind telling me what her favorite cuddle position is? You should know, right?"

"It's been over eight years since we dated," Kiyoshi says dryly.

"So? How did you even win her over? I'm literally getting nowhere! No process, Kiyoshi! None! Should I wither and—"

"Be blunt."

His face falls. "What?"

"Hana likes it when you're blunt. It gives her a direct choice and direct knowledge. She won't know what to do with you if you're so careful all the time. At this point, pull her in for those cuddles."

Kaede looks like he's about to be sick. "What?" He repeats.

"If you mess up, whatever? You've waited for so long. Now it's time to shoot your shot."

"I just... grab her? What if she pushes me off? What if I go to jail for assaulting a woman?"

Kiyoshi sighs, sitting up straighter on the bed as he looks Kaede dead in the eye.

"You're not assaulting anyone, Kaede. You're not going to pin her down and kiss her. I'm saying if you both happen to be lying there, awkward, and she's not moving away, then you try something. The worst thing that happens? She says no. The best thing? She's been waiting just as long as you have."

Kaede stares. "You make it sound so casual."

"Because it is, in the right moment."

"Okay. I can do that. Just... be normal."

"Which you are famously bad at."

Kaede scowls. "Last time I was blunt, it did work. Maybe you're right. But..." he perks up. "Shirabi talked to Hana. He said he got information. I need to know what it is—!"

He runs out of the room. Kiyoshi, curious enough, sprints after him. Once in Shirabi's room, they plop down on his bed.

"What did she say?" Kaede demands.

Shirabi raises an eyebrow. "Who?"

"You know who. Hana."

"What did she say when?"

"Shirabi." Kaede runs two frustrated hands down his face. "Don't play dumb. Please, tell me what she said."

"And me," Kiyoshi adds in.

Arisu and Aguni, walking through the hallway, pass the door. Arisu stops. Aguni follows his example. "What's going on here?" Arisu peeks inside. "Are we holding a secret meeting?"

Shirabi claps his hands. "Awesome! Okay, grab Kaoru and Renji, too, while we're at it. This is now a meeting."

"What?" stammers Kaede. "I was going to ask for private advice—"

"Girls also gather up when they're texting their crush. This is our version of it." Kiyoshi pats Kaede on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, all the men from their group are gathered in Shirabi's current bedroom. Aguni, Kaoru, and Renji look like they really, really don't want to be here.

"This reminds me of when everyone teamed up to get Chishiya to ask Baya to be his girlfriend," Arisu realizes. "He backed away twice before he actually did it. Kaede, you better not make history repeat—"

"I'm not going to ask Hana anything! I just wanted to know what Shirabi found out about her feelings and wanted to know how to act once we're sharing that bed together."

All eyes go to Shirabi, who dramatically clears his throat.

"So... Hana might know that you're in love with her," he says.

"What—?!"

"But!" Shirabi holds up one finger. "She said she needed some time to figure herself out, and then she would focus on you to see if things would work out."

"But," Kiyoshi also says, "if you be blunt, she can work on herself and focus on you at the same time."

"Exactly! You're pretty blunt. Seika was blunt. Be blunt."

"Did we all have to gather here just to tell me I should be blunt?" Kaede mutters, ashamed.

"No. Kaoru knows Hana very well. He should enlighten us about her."

Kaede blinks. "But I also know Hana very well. It wouldn't make a difference."

"Kaoru probably knows more than you." Shirabi motions at Kaoru. "Kaoru, tell us something."

Kaoru looks up like he's forced to be here (he is). His hair is a little disheveled and he has a border expression. "She's in her head a lot. Overthinks. She's scared of being a burden. If she gets even a hint you're hesitating, she'll shut herself down and back away. So if you want her, you need to show her. Properly."

Shirabi claps his hands. "Now that's what I mean! Does anyone else want to share anything? Perhaps how they won over a girl? Kaede can use the advice."

"I—"

"Not you, Arisu. You're useless in your own love story."

Kaede allows himself to fall backward onto the bed. "Where is Shush when you need him?" He wonders once again.

"Chishiya?" Aguni finally speaks. "If you want proper advice on love, your dad is even more useful than Chishiya."

"How? Shush is like... hated by everyone, yet he managed to win Sushi over—"

"Sushi? Shush? Where did you get this from?"

"I couldn't pronounce Shuntarō Chishiya when I was young. It became something like Shushiya. Then it became Shush. Sushi just sounds like Yuzuki. Anyway, point is, Shush would be very useful right now."

"It wouldn't surprise me if he shows up here soon," Arisu mutters. "Yuzuha will stay with Miyu and Souta. But do you think Kuina, Ann, and Heiya will... keep calm?"

Aguni makes a sound. "Heiya's got a new fling. Probably too busy with that. Ann and Kuina won't risk it."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," Arisu responds. He stands up. "Anyway, Aguni and I have to go get Baya and Sakiko. They must be ready for the game now. Good luck, Kaede. If I die, you need to kiss Hana, deal? For my honor. It's a shame my son's been single for so long."

"You were older than me when you finally met Mom," Kaede shoots back. "My work has been in progress since I was eight."

He also stands up, embracing his father into a hug. "Don't die."

Arisu, more emotional now, pats his back. "I won't."

Kaede steps back and looks at Arisu and Aguni with crossed arms. "Do anything to make Sushi and Sakiko survive. I'm saying this because Shush will kill you if something happens."

Arisu nods. He looks at the others. "Good night everyone."

Aguni adds in with some kind of grunt before he wanders out of the room, Arisu alongside him.

Kaoru flies past them, running down the stairs. "Mom!" He calls, suddenly panicked. He stumbles into Baya and automatically wraps his arms around her. "I'm scared."

He can feel her swallow against him. "Me, too. But I'll make it, Kaoru. Don't you worry. Knowing that you, Hana, and Koko are here gives me so much more hope. Especially since Koko will join my game. I'll do anything to protect her."

His bottom lip almost starts shaking. "Don't... sacrifice yourself for anyone. Please. I love the others but... you're my mom." He presses his face deeper into her shoulder.

"I'll do my best," Baya whispers. She pulls away, cupping Kaoru's face to look him right in the eyes. "Tell me what happened to you."

"What?" He stammers.

"You're acting off. Something happened, and Kiyoshi's comment about that Hotoke earlier felt weird. I want to know and help you before I go into that game."

He looks down at the ground. At their shoes. Baya's, black with flowers sewn to the sides, and his, simple sneakers. "Nao got hurt. Kiyoshi, Hotoke, and I brought her here. I took care of Nao's wound, like Dad taught me, and then I went the kitchen where Hotoke started complimenting me. Weirdly. She pulled me onto the couch and put her hand in my boxers. I... I froze, Mom. She kept going, kept saying things, and I wasn't able to do anything about it. I did tell her to stop but it didn't work. I was overstimulated. I couldn't even think, let alone move. My whole body just kind of... shut down. I couldn't yell. I couldn't even cry. I just went quiet and hoped she'd stop on her own, which she only did when Kiyoshi came down the stairs. He sent her away after he found out.

Baya's heart feels like it splits clean down the middle. "She touched you," she says slowly, "when you asked her not to?"

"And I thought maybe... maybe I was just being dramatic, because I'm an adult and she didn't even get to finish. Or maybe I should have done more to stop her. Maybe if I yelled louder or shoved her off—"

"No," Baya cuts in. "No, baby, no. That's not how this works. You did say no. And she ignored it."

"I kept thinking maybe it didn't happen the way I remember," he admits. "Maybe I let it happen. Maybe guys don't get to feel violated. And I didn't like it when everyone kept talking about Hotoke."

Baya grabs his hand. "You do," she says, voice shaking. "You get to feel violated. You get to feel upset. You get to call it what it was."

He blinks hard. One tear escapes, then another.

"What she did to you wasn't just wrong. It was assault. I'm so sorry," she whispers. "I'm so, so sorry."

Kaoru breaks. He sobs into her arms, leaning against her like a child. She holds him tighter than ever, her own tears falling freely.

"I felt disgusting," Kaoru cries. "I ignored Nozomi when she asked what happened. I didn't want her to look at me like I'm... like I'm dirty."

"You are not dirty," Baya says fiercely. "You are not broken. You are not weak. What happened to you doesn't define you. And anyone who makes you feel less than whole for surviving is not worth your time." She draws back and looks him straight in the eyes once again. "It happened to me too. And I wish... so badly, I wish I could've had someone say these words to me when I was your age. So I'm going to say them to you now."

She grips his hands. "I believe you. I am furious for you. And I will never let anyone minimize what you've been through. You're going to heal. And I'll be right here every step of the way. If she were here, I'd kill her."

Kaoru looks surprised by the cold edge in her tone but realizes she means it. The anger in her eyes isn't performative.

"She violated you when you were vulnerable. She took something from you. I don't care what kind of image she gave others. What she did was unforgivable. First, she goes around lying to Hana, and then she assaults you?" Baya's hand tightens around Kaoru's, almost painfully, her anger clear. "I will—"

Aguni clears his throat. "We're about to go to the game. Is everything okay here?"

Baya quickly wipes her tears. "Yes, just give us one moment. Can you make sure Sakiko ate and drank enough?"

Aguni gives a curt nod before he disappears again.

"I'm sorry for making you upset right before a game," Kaoru murmurs.

Baya smiles softly. "I work more fiercely when I'm angry. I'll be back." She hugs him again. "Try to catch some sleep in the meanwhile."

"Okay," Kaoru says hoarsely. "Are you sure I shouldn't come with?"

She shakes her head. "No. Arisu is smart, Aguni is strong, Sakiko is fierce, and I..." she trails off for a moment.

"You're everything," Kaoru tells her. "Everything the others can't be. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you're useless, Mom. You're not."

She smiles again. "And I'm everything others can't be," she repeats. "Thank you, Kaoru. Either way, we have a dream team. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay." He squeezes her hand. "Did you tell Hana bye?"

"Yes. Just a while ago." Baya starts walking towards the door, waving to Kaoru at last. "I'll see you."

He waves back, a sad smile on his face. "Good luck. Wait, can I see Sakiko?"

"Sakiko said she didn't want to tell anyone bye because it would sound like a real goodbye. You'll see her after the game," Baya promises. "Bye, Kaoru."

"Bye, Mom."

The door closes with a soft click, leaving Kaoru in a silence that doesn't last all too long: someone storms down the stairs.

"Kaoru!" It's Kaede, breathing heavily. "Have you seen Hana?"

Alarmed, Kaoru blinks. "What? No. Why?"

"Well, I spent many minutes building up my courage and putting on cologne so I could cuddle her but when I finally opened the door, Hana wasn't in the bed. And I can't find her anywhere else."

"What?" His face pales. "Nowhere? You've checked everything?"

Kaede is also pale. "Yes. How many days did she get on her visa?"

"Shirabi said they got six from their last game. She shouldn't have to play a game tonight."

"But what if she does?"

"Why would she do that?"

●・○・●・○・●

If I play games every night instead of waiting for my visa to expire, the others will have to play less games so we can get out of here faster, and I'll become a better person.

That's her mindset as she walks into the game arena. If she's right about what game it is, she chose the most questionable one of all. But everyone must be thankful if she completes this game.

She opens the doors and ends up in a wide banquet room, dimly lit by flickering chandeliers. A table stretches the length of the room, lined with silverware, napkins, and towering centerpieces of fruit and flowers. The setting is almost dreamlike, but it smells wrong.

Other players begin to arrive: a man in ragged clothes, a woman whispering under her breath, someone dragging their feet with a hollow stare. Hana glances at them all. There are ten in total, including her.

A chime rings from above.

"Game: Dine. Difficulty: Nine of Grey Joker. Rules: Every round, each of you must consume what is placed in front of you. If you refuse, hesitate too long, or try to escape, you will be eliminated immediately. The game consists of three rounds."

Hana feels her blood run cold. I chose this. I'm helping everyone. This is worth it. She repeats that thought like a mantra, trying to block out the nausea curling in her stomach. She sits down at the table. Cuffs slide around her ankles and wrists.

Metal doors slide open at the back wall. Staff emerge, suited with their eyes hidden behind masks. Each carries a silver tray, which they place in front of the players. Steam curls from the lids.

Several players recoil when the cloche is lifted. One vomits instantly.

Hana's dish is a stew. At first glance, it almost looks edible. But the smell tells the truth. There's a note pinned under the bowl. She lifts it with trembling hands. "Subject 259, deceased. Male. Forty-three."

Her stomach turns. She looks across the table. Other people are reading their notes in silence, horrified. One man begins to cry. Another woman is shaking so badly she drops her spoon.

Someone screams and starts resisting against the chains. She's gone before the second scream leaves her mouth: a single hit to the back of her skull. Her body crumples beside the chandelier.

No one else moves. Hana doesn't blink. She picks up the spoon. One bite. Just one bite. I'll throw up later. Just one bite. Understand what your Mom went through.

Her hand trembles. She can feel the heat of the meat. Her vision tunnels.

Across from her, a man lowers his spoon and closes his eyes. He's shot next. The game is not interested in hesitation.

Hana forces herself to chew. The texture is wrong. The flavor is thick, metallic, and something her brain refuses to name. She swallows and nearly gags, fingers digging into her leg under the table to stop from retching. It's just chicken. It's just meat.

In the second round, trays come out again. This time, the food is raw. The note says: "Subject 112. Died 4 hours ago. Beware, may still be warm."

Someone slams their fists into the table and tries to throw their tray. They're eliminated on the spot. Hana's hands shake violently. She looks down. There's hair on the flesh. Real, unmistakable hair. She thinks of her mother. Of her own body. Of being human. Then she swallows another bite.

Tears stream down her face as she chews, slow and silent. Her body doesn't want to do this. It goes against every instinct, every code of morality she's ever had. But she does it.

Only four players remain when round three starts.

The trays arrive. This time, it's not unrecognizable meat. They're fingers. Baked. A bit burned at the ends.

She almost vomits. She can't breathe. She feels the panic crawling under her skin. Stop. Focus. Eat. Just survive.

She reaches for the fingers and bites down.

The other three drop their spoons. They would rather die.

Bullet by bullet, the others fall until she is alone at the table. Breathing hard. Face covered in sweat and tears. Jaw trembling, spoon slipping from her hand.

The voice returns: "Game clear. Congratulations."

Hana slumps forward, her head in her hands. Her throat burns. Her chest aches. Her body screams. Her mind refuses to accept what she's done. She doesn't know how long she sits there. Eventually, a door opens. She walks through it without looking back.

Her steps are uneven, legs shaking and buckling with every inch forward. She can't feel her fingers. Her mouth tastes like copper. Her stomach has been threatening to revolt for the last minutes.

She finds a stairwell and grips the wall for balance, then begins to climb, knees buckling on the first step.

Breathe. Keep breathing. Just one more step. She doesn't remember how she gets to the top.

The second her shoes hit the empty lot at the top, Hana stumbles off to the side, into the grass, away from the building, and falls to her knees.

She throws up. Over and over. Her body convulses. Her stomach lurches with every breath. She claws at the grass to ground herself, sobbing through each wave of nausea. Her mouth burns, throat on fire. Tears stream down her face and mix with sweat and bile.

It doesn't stop after the first time. Or the second. Or the third. She's retching long after there's nothing left inside her. Her body just keeps trying to reject everything: what she ate, what she did, what she saw.

She tries to inhale, but her chest tightens, and she ends up coughing instead, wiping her mouth with her sleeve only to gag again at the memory of the texture. She falls onto her side in the grass, body curled tightly, knees to her chest. Her entire back heaves with the effort of breathing.

She doesn't know how long she lies there. Eventually, the stars come into focus above her. The night wind cools her damp skin. Her sobs slow from violent to shaky. She opens her mouth and gasps in a sharp breath.

She stands up after a while. Crickets chirp distantly in the trees as Hana walks down a path toward a lake. Her boots had grown too heavy, so she abandoned them back near the field where her body rejected everything.

The trees part and the lake appears in front of her, with ripples dancing lightly across the surface. Mist clings to its edges, curling over the rocks. It doesn't frighten her. If anything, the silence feels sacred.

She looks down at her reflection. Her face is pale, lips chapped, hair matted with sweat and ash and the scent of rot. Her clothes are still the same ones she wore in the dining hall. Even now, she can feel the cold fabric sticking to her skin like a memory she can't peel away.

Hana begins to undress. Her shirt comes off first, damp and crumpled, sticking to her spine. Her pants follow. She peels off the socks, then her underclothes, until she stands there completely bare in the moonlight. The breeze kisses her skin.

She steps into the lake. The first touch of water makes her gasp—it's colder than she expected, and her skin prickles with goosebumps. She walks in deeper, the water rising to her knees, her waist, her chest. When it reaches her collarbone, she inhales deeply, then dives.

●・○・●・○・●

By the time she's dressed into freshly stolen clothes, Hana walks back into the house. She peeks into the living room, and sighs in relief. Her mom is asleep next to Kaoru on the couch, a card next to them: Queen of Clubs.

She checks if Sakiko, Arisu, and Aguni are also back: they all are. Only then does she tiptoe back to Miyu's room.

The sight of Kaede's back meets her. He's sitting at Miyu's desk, writing something in a small notebook. When he hears the creak of the door, he spins around immediately.

"Hana!" He jumps up. "Where—"

"I was just cleaning myself up," she lies. "It took longer than I thought. The water was nice. Sorry for not telling you."

He blinks a few times, then seems to accept her excuse. "Okay. Either way, I'm glad you're back. Are you not cold?"

She shakes her head and steps closer. "What're you writing? A poem?"

He nods.

"Can I read it?"

Kaede unexpectedly slams the notebook closed with a slapping sound.

A silence falls.

"Eh, sorry." He scratches the back of his head. "Eh... I have a few that you're allowed to read, though. Here." He scrolls through the notebook before handing it to her, the page open and ready.

Hana gently feels the weight of it in her hands. It feels vulnerable, holding such thing. She could just run away with the notebook right now and read every single one of his thoughts.

"This one?" She points at the page just to make sure.

"Yeah, and the one on the other page." He motions lazily, as if it's nothing.

In silence, Hana reads the poems, her facial expressions changing by the second, from shocked to sad to happy and back to shocked.

"Wow," she breathes, and that's all she's able to say for a while.

Kaede smoothly takes the notebook and hides it in a drawer. "You like it?"

She nods so fast that it hurts her head. "They're amazing! I want to read them all. Can I read them all? No, of course, I can't, but... ah, they're so amazing—!"

He stares at her for a moment, then laughs out loud. "Thank you."

"You could probably write a really mean poem and still make it sound pretty." She smiles. "I love it."

He looks down, the moon lighting up the faint blush on his cheeks. "Thank you," he says again, then eyes the bed. "I can sleep on the floor if you want."

"I don't mind sharing it. You're warm."

His face visibly lights up. "Okay, well, then... would you want the left or right side?"

"Right. I like the wall side." 

Kaede takes something from the desk. "I got this from your room. Figure you'd want it."

It's one of her nightgowns from before she left to Australia. It's made of purple lace, with soft, black flowers etched onto it.

"You chose the prettiest one." She grins widely. "Okay, turn around. Don't peek."

"I won't." He spins around. "Would you mind if I sleep in shorts only? I don't like sleep shirts."

"Is that an excuse?"

"For?"

"Never mind." Hana snorts. She taps his shoulder when she finishes changing. Kaede simply throws his shirt off and joins her in the bed. It's small. Nowhere near as long as Kaede's legs, nor wide enough to properly fit the both of them.

"I don't have a flashlight right now, but next time I do, best believe I'm going to inspect your tattoos closely, okay?" Hana warns, her back turned to him.

Kaede's breath hitches for a moment, fond yet scared of the idea. "Sure."

He lies there, as stiff as a board, waiting. He shifts uncomfortably for the following minutes. Hana just continues staring at the wall.

"Hey," she says eventually. "You can get closer."

Kaede freezes. "What?"

"You can get closer. I don't mind. Like I said, you're warm, and we're both not comfortable in this awkward position."

"Ah." He clears his dry throat. "Okay."

Kaede wraps one arm around her waist, pulling her into him. They fit like puzzle pieces. Hana's hair is loose, long and tickling against his face, but he doesn't mind. She smells good. Her arms are bare, one of them sliding over his before she intertwines their fingers. Kaede's heart actually stops.

"Why don't men shave their legs," she mutters sleepily. "It tickles."

"We have shaving cream. I can—"

"Don't do it now, dummy. And don't do it if you want to be called gay by Shirabi." Hana laughs quietly. "Don't shave your legs. Honestly, do shave your armpits."

"I will," he promises. "Any other shaving wishes?"

"Hm... no. Just the armpits." She mockingly pats his arm. "Any shaving wishes for me?" 

"No, I don't care." He breathes in deeply, the smell of whatever perfume she put on earlier entering his nose. "This is nice."

"Yeah," she agrees. "Day one of the streak."

His eyes snap open. "Streak?"

"Yeah! Kaoru and I used to have a sleepover streak. Even when our parents didn't allow us to have a sleepover, we'd sneak to each other's room to keep the streak up. Our highest record was twenty days."

"Hm." Kaede hums, acting way too calm compared to the way his heart is pumping in his chest right now. "Okay. We can do it. Better take advantage of Shush's absence."