Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on the manga/series Liar Game. It is in no way a work of the original author Shinobu Kaitani who is a genius for creating such great work. This is purely made up from my imagination. I love Liar Game and this is my way of showing it. Please enjoy!

Anticipating the Future

They did it, they passed! Nao couldn't believe she actually made it this far into the Liar Game; of course, it wouldn't have been possible without Akiyama's help. Though she sensed that the final stage was going to be ten times more intense than what she'd experienced thus far, she wouldn't be deterred. Though she wasn't going to proceed to the finals, her goal of ending the game still remained the same. Furthermore, she had Akiyama as her ally. She knew nothing would stop either of them from bringing down the LGT organization no matter how devious or difficult the final stage may be. She believed that they'd beat this horribly twisted game.

It'd been two days since the semi-final round ended, yet Nao still felt jittery. Maybe she was still recuperating from their latest battle or maybe she still couldn't accept the fact that it was over, but she knew she needed to prepare herself so she'd be ready to give support in any way she can. This final round was going to be the most important battle even if she wasn't going to be in it. It just meant so much for her to see the game end.

Since the game started, her life had changed drastically. Not only did it expose her to things she never thought existed before, it also taught her more than she expected. As challenging and cruel this game is, she learned many important lessons in life. Rather than weakening her belief in the nature of human beings, it only strengthened and confirmed what she knew all along – that people can be good. Through the different rounds, it has continually showed her that if people unite together towards the same goal without harming one another, they can save everyone. It also affirmed her belief that even when facing the alluring power of money and greed, personal desires can be overcome for the greater benefit of the good.

Nao smiled as she walked towards her apartment. It was such a good feeling to be alive; she hardly believed her luck. She looked up towards the sky and smiled widely at the white sun that was shining radiantly amidst the gray skies. Like the sun, Nao vowed to do everything in her power to stand strong no matter what obstacles gets thrown her way.

Same day

Shinichi Akiyama watched from the bench as a man frantically chased after the robber who took his briefcase. He continued to watch them as they disappeared from his line of sight. He could've lent a helping hand, but how many people can he help? It was useless; it still wouldn't change a single thing because human nature is selfish. Being used to the ugliness of society, it really wasn't anything new to him; on the contrary, it was an all too common sight. How many times had he seen such despicable displays like this? Too much, he supposed. In this world, only the fittest survived and that was plain reality. Harsh, but true. Being weak would only mean you'd get eliminated and destroyed. However, he was slowly beginning to believe that not everything may be as how he originally thought, and it was all because of one girl.

Akiyama thought about the events that all started since he met Nao Kanzaki. He didn't know what it was about her that affected him so, but he guessed it is her insistent honesty that stroked something in his heart. In the beginning, it was her honesty that reminded him of his mother that convinced him to listen to her story. But as he got more and more involved in the game, he found himself ultimately wanting the same things in her quest - to bring the LGT organization down. It was funny how nothing ever mattered to him anymore after his mom's death, except revenge, but with Nao, he found himself naturally coming to her aid whenever she was in trouble. Somehow, she had become his weakness unknowingly. Even their enemies saw it and used it against them to their disadvantage. But it was also this very stubborn honesty and her desire to help everyone that pulls the others into following her, which allowed them to move safely from one level onto the next. Though it was uncomfortable and puzzling to him that he would put in so much effort into helping this girl in the first place, Akiyama felt he had to shield Nao from the devious lies in this repulsive world. Maybe by keeping her pure, he can believe that there is hope after all.

The previous battle had been tough. He wasn't sure what was going to happen in the next round, but he made a promise to himself that he would bring this game to an end once and for all. For his mother, for himself, for Nao, and even for the others, he needed to do this in order to let go and move on. Akiyama didn't want to admit it, but he was worried about the last round. No one knows what will happen or what kind of game it was going to be. Now that the responsibility has been put upon him solely, it felt surreal. After all, they knew that there was going to be only one winner in the end. And the thought of fighting alone made Akiyama uneasy.

The ending results of the semi-finals were not what he envisioned. A part of him was relieved that Nao was out of the game. That way, she would not be in any danger of falling into debt. But another part of him was somewhat disappointed. It had been their goal to destroy the game in the first place that they decided to continue and fight til the end. But without her by his side, it was a different kind of feeling. If she had been able to proceed to the final round, he was confident they'd win. Though she may not be the brightest, but her trust, determination and strong will made up for her weaknesses. By not giving up, she was able to endure all the challenges and gotten to where she is. And along the way, he saw Nao grow. He realized this long ago, but Nao might've been the one who could actually beat this vicious game. Akiyama knew it was a slim chance, but it was a chance nevertheless. Now that things have come to this, he was going to continue on no matter what the circumstances. Though he was going to fight with everything he had, there just wasn't any guarantee.

In this world that is filled with constant betrayals and deceptions, it was unpredictable of was going to happen. And for once, he couldn't guarantee an ultimate strategy where everyone would win. Looking up at the sky, he saw the clouds surrounding the sun. It was as if the dark clouds were conspiring to swallow the whole sun up. Akiyama couldn't see a bright future, and braced himself for what was to come.

Notes: While we wait for the movie, I hope this can serve as some sort of distraction. I still haven't finished the story yet, so apologizing now for my slow updates. All comments and suggestions are greatly welcomed, and encouraged. Thanks for reading!