Chapter 24
"Y'know? I went to middle school with Haruka… It makes me so angry that no one could find her killer…"
An said, Minori's heart skipped a beat.
"O-oh! Yeah… I was so sad when I found out about it…"
"If I ever find them I'll---"
Es was done.
The verdicts of the first trial were going to be announced about an hour from then.
She decided to visit the prisoners for a moment before the nap of her life™
So, she walked out of the computer room, leaving Fuuta's file there, and hesitantly grabbing something else.
"Hello, prisoners!!"
Akito basically jumped as Es walked out into the hallway, Honami next to him.
"Hi Shii!!"
Shizuku shouted as she waved at Es with a bright smile on her face.
Es awkwardly waved back.
"Well, anyway. The first trial is officially over, your verdicts are already decided."
Mizuki freezed up suddenly, Mafuyu looking at them.
"Mizuki..?"
Tsukasa saw something in Es' pocket, recognizing what it was immediately as Es walked towards him.
She gave it to him directly, knowing she shouldn't.
"Take this, 001."
Es hesitated as she looked at Tsukasa one more time before leaving.
Tsukasa held the letter in his hands, light yellow paper he could recognize anywhere.
It was paper from Saki's favorite notebook.
The one from her first birthday at the hospital, the one she never used because of that.
It was folded neatly, and as he unfolded it he found himself almost tearing up when he saw his sister's handwriting in that paper.
But… if it was really Saki…
That meant that Saki knew he was there.
That meant Saki knew what he'd done.
He shook his head and focused on the letter.
There were no witnesses, Shiho was just an exception and Nene and Emu would never tell… he hoped so at least.
"Hi, Tsukasa.
If you're reading this, and I really hope you are, I miss you. Kusanagi and Emu do, too.
We're looking for you all. I promise. We've just been… A bit unlucky so far, but with Shiho as the prison guard and a little help from other people who were where you are, I think we can do it.
As to the… other thing…
Kusanagi told me about what happened. It was quite disturbing to listen to, not gonna lie."
Tsukasa took a moment to recompose himself, get himself together, putting the note to his side and taking deep breaths before continuing.
"Come on, Tsukasa."
"But I still want to find you. I still want to find Ichi and Hona and have Shiho remember us. Life is boring without you all here.
So do me a favor, if it's not too much to ask.
Stay safe, Tsukasa,
Love, your sister, Saki."
"Tsukasa?"
Tsukasa's vision was blurry, tears running down his face as he looked up to see Shizuku standing there.
"Oh, Shizuku. Hello…
What are you doing here, if I may ask?"
He wiped said tears out of his eye, as he stood up.
"I was taking a small walk with Shii and heard something coming from here, is everything okay?"
Tsukasa barely choked back the tears, giving her a smile.
"Oh, yeah uh-- Don't worry about it. I was just reading a letter that… Saki wrote…"
He was barely holding it in, Shizuku startling him by pulling him into a hug.
"...Shizuku!?"
Shizuku could feel him breathing heavily as he gripped the paper.
"You can't be okay when your sister is so far away from you, Tsukasa. Believe me, I know…"
She exclaimed, Tsukasa's eyes widened as his legs felt weak all of the sudden.
She pulled out of the hug as Tsukasa fell to the floor.
"Tsukasa… hey…"
She kneeled down next to him, patting his back slowly.
"Let it all out, it won't help to keep it in…"
Tsukasa buried his face on her shoulder and sobbed into it, Shizuku continued to pat his back as he did.
Es leaned on the wall, listening in on the older siblings' moment.
She had recorded the verdicts beforehand, so that she wouldn't have to see them in the moment they knew each other's results.
If anyone had been hurt by another prisoner, she'd wanted to know as late as possible.
She wanted to delay an inevitable disaster as much as she could.
"NO FUCKING WAY!!"
She heard noise coming from 007's cell.
Honami's cell.
She ran towards it, just as Honami's feet hit the floor.
"That was great!!"
Honami noticed her as she came into view.
"Oh! Es! Look at this!!"
She said, smiling brightly as she prepared to do something, Es' interest piquing at that point.
"Come on… Come on…!"
Honami did a backflip then and there.
"Holy shit."
Akito yelled.
"FUCK YEAHHH!!"
"Hoshino…?"
Mafuyu sat in her cell, playing the synth, when Ichika appeared.
"Hey… Asahina-senpai."
Mafuyu switched songs quickly, beginning to play one Ichika happened to love.
"Ah!! Isn't this--!"
"...Yeah…"
Mafuyu hummed to the song, as Ichika sat down.
"I'm surprised you know this song, Asahina-senpai. Do you like Vocaloid too?"
"I do, yes…"
Ichika's eyes lit up in excitement.
"Really!? Who's your favorite producer?!"
Mafuyu thought for a second.
"PinocchioP's Miku sounds… nice…"
"Really? I honestly thought you'd like ryo or even Mitchie-M."
"Mizuki likes Mitchie-M."
Before Ichika could answer that, Mafuyu continued.
"Ena likes Surii… Kanade likes Mafumafu…
And we listened to Wonderful★opportunity together one night while we worked…"
Mizuki needed to confront him about what they'd heard.
They were lucky enough to find him in his cell.
"Ah… Mizuki…"
Mizuki took a deep breath.
"Mizuki?"
"Rui…
Rui's eyes widened, him knowing immediately what was coming as his heart skipped a beat before Mizuki even said it.
What did you and Tsukasa do?"