Chapter 2
They promised not to leave their rooms, and Kyoko had been planning to keep that promise, there was no reason for her to break it yet. Though she couldn't say the same for Celeste.
But she wasn't going to turn down this opportunity though. The ultimate gambler, Celestia Ludenberg was her side project while she stayed here. Kyoko wasn't one to leave her mysteries unsolved.
Even if the mystery of this killing game and Hopes Peak Academy was her number one priority, it didn't stop her from wanting to get to know Celestia during it.
Kyoko had realized it, Celestia inviting Kyoko over was a smart move on her behalf, she read her intentions and feelings like an open book. Kirigiri wasn't doing enough to hide them at all.
"You're always welcome in my room, even at night."
The words stuck with her. Celeste had a wonderful voice. Eerie and elegant, that's what Celestia was described as in Kyoko's head. Her voice and words reflected that deeply.
She looked at her notes again, and flipped to her page about Celeste. Reading through it and remembering their walk, trying to think of things to add.
She couldn't think of one more extra detail she wanted to add. If she wanted to, she could always knock on the gorgeous girl's door.
It was seven o'clock.
Firm, consistent. It was how Kyoko knocked on everyone's door.
"I'm going to bed, leave."
The voice from behind the door was agitated and aggressive. Kyoko made a mental note of that.
"Shall I just come back another time then?" Kyoko said this with the full intent of leaving after. She could come back the next morning or something. It wasn't a bother.
"Oh, Kirigiri! Give me a moment."
Her tone changed, she didn't know why it changed because of her, Kirigiri was confused to say the least, but at least she had something to do at the moment.
"Good evening, thanks excuse my outburst I wasn't expecting you Kirigiri." She smiled. One of her fake ones.
"I don't mind, don't worry about it."
"Did you have any business with me after this eventful day?"
"Were you not the one who said I was welcome to come to your room whenever?"
Celeste sounded a little annoyed. Kyoko could tell she was tired, she could hear it in her voice. And everyone was tired after this day, including Kyoko. She couldn't blame her. Though that just made her situation better, if Celestia Ludenburg was exhausted, there was a better chance of her slipping something she may not normally tell others.
"You do have a point then." She smiled again, but her smile wasn't as flashy and fake this time. "I also mentioned something about tea, didn't I?" She felt much more genuine and, she wasn't being sweet, nor smug. She was acting nicely on the line between the two.
Kyoko was fond of this.
"I do recall that. We do have time before the dining room is closed if that's what you would like."
"Well then, come walk with me Kirigiri."
As they walked side by side, the halls were silent except for the two girls footsteps. Many of their classmates had gone to bed or were in their rooms.
Celestia nodded. She was definitely suspicious from the response Kyoko gave about her Ultimate, though she moved on quickly. "So, when do you reckon the first killing will happen?"
It was a gruesome question for a normal person, to ask them about the impending murder that is doomed to take place. To ask when another one of their classmates would be found dead, the culprit being another one of the people among them. Especially since the rest of the group was keen on trusting each other to keep everyone alive and find a way out of the prison they were in.
But these two here were absolutely not normal.
"Of course, it's hard to say exactly when, or even if one will take place. I don't doubt that if we are here long enough it is inevitable."
"Well you couldn't forget that those who kill are promised to leave. Either you leave this school, which I am certain many would like to do right now, by planning the perfect murder. Or you die a brutal death."
Just as Celeste said that, they arrived at the dining hall. Celestia opened the door, allowing Kirigiri to enter first and they started making their way over to the kitchen.
"It's almost the ultimate gamble."
That last comment didn't sit very well with Kyoko.
"Well in truth there is no "perfect murder" like you say." Her voice began to raise as she spoke about this. Kyoko's voice grew more defensive and irritated. Just enough that you would notice it. "There is no such thing as an unsolvable mystery. There will always be enough evidence to convict someone. Though in the situation we are in, twelve people in an enclosed space, it only makes it easier to narrow it down to someone and prove them innocent or guilty. Therefore making this alleged "perfect murder " even more impossible."
Celestia smiled as she began to challenge Kirigiri's argument. "Though if someone were to kill you, the chances that they would get away with it is much higher, would that not be a perfect murder?"
"Luckily for everyone here I wouldn't go down so easy. I would never, nor will I ever be an easy target." She responded, this was what she truthfully thought, she had been framed and many other things in her past. All which she had gotten through. "And even if I were to die, I wouldn't underestimate the others here."
"We do have some interesting characters." Of course coming from the most interesting character of them all, it sounded a bit strange. "Though from what I've seen, I don't think anyone's deduction logic and reasoning skills could come close to yours."
This sounded a lot like a compliment. Which felt a bit strange, Kyoko Kirigiri never thought that she would every hear something like a compliment coming from someone who seemed colder than an ice bath sitting outside in the middle of winter. At least under the whole facade.
She couldn't quite come to that conclusion, the natural liar could be sucking up trying to get something from her, she didn't sound all that genuine.
"Though I wouldn't get too cocky if I was placed in your shoes." Celeste gave a little bit of a smile, not quite a smirk but close to one.
They had just entered the dining room.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"Well I'm sure there's one person who's capable of outsmarting the great Kyoko Kirigiri."
This was definitely her way of attempting to get under Kirigiri's skin, though it didn't hurt at all. She's heard very similar things before.
"Im sure there is, what I'm not so sure about is that they ended up in the same killing game at Hopes Peak as I did."
They entered the kitchen.
Kyoko continued, "there is also a difference between confidence and cockiness, and if I am being quite honest you do seem much more cocky that I do."
"You do have a point, though you can't be unsure that a person capable of outsmarting you didn't end up in the same situation as you. And just because I would be cocky doesn't exempt you from also being cocky."
"Some may say I'm cocky, though I know it truly is not that way and it is just confidence in my own skills and mindset." Kyoko started to feel a little irritated as Celeste was so set on proving that she was cocky and arrogant. Even though Kyoko knew otherwise it had started to itch the surface. "Though I'm quite sure I'm able to outsmart a few other high schoolers."
"Mhm." Celestia leaned onto the counter. Kyoko had sat on a stool on the opposite side. She was definitely very entertained by how defensive she thought the other girl was, though many would struggle in figuring out anything about Kyoko's tone had changed.. "How about some tea? Does that maybe intrigue Kyoko Kirigiri the Wise?"
She smirked, after giving Kyoko a made up title to mock her. Celeste smirked. It was almost a challenge, though not really in an enemy kind of way, in more of a, different way that was hard to describe. Kyoko's stomach turned, she ignored it.
Kyoko rolled her eyes at Celestes comment . It felt a little out of character for Celestia to tease her. Thought that could only mean that Kyoko had at least scratched the surface of Celestia Ludenburgs true identity.
"I will have some tea if you wouldn't mind." She took the offer as Celestia got ready to shoot back another snarky remark.
"Well, how humble, the intelligent and wise Kyoko Kirigiri would try tea made by such an insolent brainless fool like me." She continued to smirk, almost daring Kyoko to respond and join in on the fun. "I'm grateful."
"Well I would say that I'm the one who should be grateful." Kyoko responded, fed up with the one sided teasing.
"Oh?" Was Celeste's response, asking Kyoko to elaborate in one word.
"I mean having tea made by the Celestia Ludenburg. I should be grateful that she would even bother making something that she is going to share. I should be grateful that she is even making tea with her own delicate hands." Kyoko said, returning the mocking that Celeste had initiated.
Kyoko was more blunt than Celeste, though they had both gotten the message.
To Kyoko's surprise, Celestia kept quiet. She continued making the tea with a grin on her face.
The silence was extremely tense.
"Here you go." Celestia handed Kyoko a mug full of light tea. "The trick is to always brew the milk with the tea instead of adding it after. It is extra work, though it is really the only way you should add milk to tea."
"Brewing it in? That is?" Celeste nodded, and Kirigiri brought the drink up to her mouth.
It was really, delightful. That was probably the best way to describe it. The milk was nice, though the tea was still the strongest flavour. The hot drink warmed the esophagus as it ran through it. It was, elegant, nice, and just delightful.
It really did embody Celeste.
"So, Kirigiri, if you don't mind me asking, what is your ultimate?" Celeste asked. She was sly.
Kirigiri pulled the cup away from her lips. "I really don't see why I should tell you? No offence but from what I've heard you aren't very trustworthy."
"Whether that is true about me or not, by saying that you are revealing that whatever you are is some sort of secret."
"Mhm." Kyoko hummed. "And it also says I'm not a very trusting person. By guessing that you aren't some sort of genius."
"Maybe all this secrecy is why I'm so interested in you." Celeste continued to act sly, this sentence peaked Kyoko's interest.
She knew there was some mutual attraction of interest and intrigue between the two of them, though she didn't expect Celestia to admit it.
"Well by your mysterious aura and small yet noticeable deductions made which lead me to believe your deduction skills are above average. My intuition tells me that you may be a detective."
"I'm glad you find my deduction skills impressive, though that could be right and it could be wrong, honestly, my ultimate is none of your business no matter how interested you are or not." Kyoko said with a soft smile from the compliment.
This response only grew Celeste's interest in Kirigiri.
She stopped talking to take a sip of her tea. "Though really, I think I'm more interested in you than you are in me."
Celeste was surprised that Kyoko admitted the same thing that she had admitted, though she didn't show it.
"So the detective is interested in me? I don't know if I should be worried or excited."
Kyoko ignored the comment.
"How does a high school student like you, become the Ultimate Gambler? Not only is it impressive, or maybe just surprising that you've achieved the success you've had by gambling," Kyoko paused and shifted in her seat so she was leaning more towards Celeste. "It also brings up the question why. Why would a young girl begin to gamble in the first place? Would it be for money, or maybe just the thrill of it. If for money, why would you feel the need to gamble for money, maybe you came from a poor upbringing or maybe, it's a coping mechanism."
"Like I said, you're impressive." Celeste leaned on the counter opposite of Kyoko. "I'll give you some advice, if you're trying to hide that you are a detective for, understandable reasons,"
She paused, taking a sip of her tea. "Don't act so obvious."
She leaned in closer to Kyoko, who mirrored her actions, their faces almost meeting halfway across the counter.
Kyoko barely noticed until their faces were this close, Celestia wasn't wearing makeup. Her face lacking the pale powder and eyeliner that she usually wore. It was odd to see her like this, it felt intimate, like Kyoko got to see something that others would be lucky to catch a glimpse of. And here it was, inches away from Kyokos face.
"You don't want to make yourself a target." Celeste moved so she was whispering in Kyoko's ear, not daring to touch her. "I would hate to see you end up dead."
Kyoko, continuing to mirror Celestia, whispered into her ear, "I can handle myself, but thank you, for being so worried about me."
Celeste was the first to pull away, though Kyoko followed shortly after.
"Well you're not being so careful right now."
"How so?"
"Well you're all alone with a criminal right before nighttime." She smiled lightly. "Maybe I've already made you a target."
Kyoko downed the last bit of her tea before placing down her cup. "Like I said, I can handle myself. And I can also handle a petty gambler."
There was a bit of playfulnesses in the last remark, they both knew that.
"Don't underestimate me Kirigiri." Celeste downed her own last bit of tea before sliding her cup over to Kyoko. "I made the tea, it's only fair if you wash the dishes."
Celeste walked over to Kyoko on the other side of the counter before continuing. "I'm capable of handling cocky detectives."
She started to leave the room and had just reached the door before Kyoko started to have the last word.
"You look nice without makeup."
"Thank you. I didn't expect you to notice."
Celeste knew how deductive Kirigiri was, which made her think this was a lie. Though part of Kyoko wasn't so sure, maybe she was telling the truth, or maybe she just didn't expect Kyoko to say anything. Maybe she just forgot until it was mentioned.
But in the end, why she lied was a mystery to Kyoko at the moment. Her logic told her that it was a lie, and her intuition told her that part of the lie was the truth.
"I think I'd like to see your natural hair next."
Celestia hesitated before leaving. Like she wanted to say something but decided against it.
When Kyoko got back to her room. She threw away her notepad. Knowing that she'd much rather prefer to keep mental notes.