Chapter 20!!!!!
Mizuki couldn't believe their ears.
Tsukasa couldn't kill, Rui couldn't kill.
Mafuyu…
Mafuyu was next…
They ran to her cell, hoping their friend wasn't in her interrogation yet, hoping she wasn't being tried for murder yet.
Mafuyu sat on the floor of her cell, silently pressing the keys of a synthesizer.
It sounded just like…
"Woah, Mafuyu! Where did you get that?"
Mafuyu looked up at them, her hands still on the synth.
"The Warden gave it to me."
She turned back to the instrument, Mizuki sitting down beside her.
"And… That was the song I recommended to you that one time, wasn't it? I didn't think you'd actually listen to it."
Mafuyu nodded.
"That song makes me feel something."
Their eyes widened in surprise. Did that mean they'd helped her?
The song wasn't exactly the happiest but…
"Does… That song make you feel happy?"
"I… I think… It makes me understand my feelings a bit more…"
She played the song quietly, Mizuki humming along.
Their arms were against each other, Mizuki resting their head on Mafuyu's shoulder as the bitter memory of the recent conversation they'd heard from Tsukasa and Rui slowly but surely slipped to the bottom of their mind.
"I'm… Not afraid of getting judged as guilty, Mizuki…"
Mafuyu said, her fingers still softly playing.
"... Me neither… But…"
Their sentence was cut short as the two fell into a comfortable silence, the piano peacefully surrounding their ears in each other's company.
"Hello, Prisoners! We're approaching the end of the first trial!"
Mizuki jumped when they heard Es' voice, Mafuyu suddenly wrapping her arms around them.
"With one interrogation left and probably the best nap of my life awaiting me, let's get this done.
So, lastly, Prisoner 010.
Asahina Mafuyu, let's get this over with."
Mizuki worriedly looked at Mafuyu as she stood up, letting go of them.
"Mafuyu…"
Mafuyu looked back at them.
"I know you don't mind but…
Try to be innocent…
Okay?"
Mafuyu nodded and walked through.
Honami found herself in front of Akito's cell again, the latter's heart skipping a beat when the last interrogation was announced.
"Mochizuki."
She turned to look at him.
"I'm nervous out of my mind as well… And this is only the first trial…"
Akito locked eyes with Honami, wondering how she'd guessed what he was going to say.
He laughed hopelessly.
"Y'know… My brother was a prisoner here too…"
Well, Akito really had no way of confirming it, but the thought of being unforgiven made him go mad just by thinking about that possibility.
He just wanted to think he had chances of getting out if Fuuta had.
Even if they could be false ones.
"That's… Curious."
Honami wasn't sure how to respond.
"Honami."
From the end of the hallway, Ichika called Honami dryly.
Should she stay by Akito's side or…
"Honami?"
Ichika walked towards her.
Minori had gotten rid of all evidence.
She had an alibi, she wasn't even a suspect.
Yet she'd accidentally confessed to a former classmate?
This was bad. As bad as it could get.
What if Shiho decided she was guilty all of the sudden?
Minori really did not want that, who would even want that?