When Mitsuhiko walked outside of the hall to the Theater he found a figure leaning on a corner of the room, near the stairs. –"Takayama-kun?"- That armor and red clothes were unmistakable. The Bodyguard stood up, not too surprised to see somebody. –"You. Looking to shoot somebody with the gun you received?"-
No, not with that one. –"Of course not! I was exploring"-
-"Exploring. As if you have never been here before. You studied here for years and at least once you must have been here as a commander"-
-"I didn't study in Delacroix, moron"- Mitsuhiko withheld most of what he wanted to say –"What are you doing?"-
Takayama considered for a moment not saying anything, but the apparent advantages of replying with the truth outweighed the disadvantages. Raising his hand he pointed to a tiny black box, glued onto the corner. –"Do you see that?"-
-"I'll look closer"- he tried to check but Takayama stopped him, pushing him back.
-"Better not. What you see there is a microphone. I have set at least thirty microphones around"-
-"Microphones?"- Takayama never seemed somebody who dealt with technology like that.
-"Yes, microphones. Foreknowledge goes a long way when it's about protecting people. If I know what everybody is doing and what they plan I'll be able to combat any troubles accordingly"-
-"Did you make it by yourself? Are you good with machines, perhaps...with robots?"- Takayama being Lily's creator? It could be possible. Takayama smiled wistfully, maybe imagining himself creating a robot.
-"I'm not that good. Besides my specialty are microphones and transmissions, anything needed to listen to other people's plans. Lily is out of my league. Now if you excuse me I must continue"-
Knowing there were microphones hidden all over the place was a mighty deterrent to Mitsuhiko's plans, but they weren't enough to dissuade him to stop. He just needed to plan around that, find the microphones. –"And how do you plan this to listen to all the microphones?"-
-"I already took care of that"- Takayama said smugly –"I'll be able to listen to every word anyone says. Nobody is going to get away with murder as long as I'm around"-
-"Why would it be important for you to protect us? We're your competition; don't you want to get into the Main Board?"-
-"What for?"- Takayama shrugged –"I already am in contact with them. Being a Main Board member would make everything harder for me"-
-"But if anybody else tries to get into the Main Board you'll die!"-
Takayama descended the stairs towards his bedroom –"We're not going to let Monobear or Lily make us kill each other. Yasumoto-san, Kayano-san, Kishio-sensei and I have promised that we're going to keep peace in this place at all costs. No murder will happen.
We're building a metaphorical fort. You better not do anything, Hikari-kun. Oyama-san and you are the most unstable people in here, from what I see"-
Mitsuhiko ran to him –"Why so interested on protecting us? Just because you're a Bodyguard?"-
-"...it's not just that. Have you forgotten why DeeEy exists?"- Takayama stopped, talking with great seriousness –"We're here to restore the world. Sure, our personal interests for power are the biggest incentive we have, but we must restore the world and there are two robots here that are trying to stop us.
That's the duty of Diavolos Avante"-
Mitsuhiko thought for a moment Takayama's words. It was true. Could they be letting their wishes to get into the Main Board be blinding them? Were Yurie and him wrong? Ridiculous. Once we get into the Main Board we'll be able to work better. Fourteen lives is a small cost to being able to restore the world.
Maybe thirteen, if I can find a way to save Kimiko, but I doubt she'd agree to murder anybody.
-"I can't let this happen!"- Monobear had appeared from behind the fountain –"If this is going to stop people from killing then it must be against the rules"-
-"It isn't. Nothing you or Lily said yesterday overrules what I'm doing"-
-"Give me one of those"- Monobear took a microphone, looking at it closely –"Upupupu...I see, I see...This is going to be easy..."-
-"What's going to be easy?"- Takayama raised his eyebrows, worried. The bear tried to look as innocent as possible, which was extraordinarily hard.
-"Oh, it's nothing. I'll be taking this. Continue what you're doing"- Monobear walked away towards the second floor, throwing up and down the microphone. Takayama frowned, for a moment reconsidering placing the microphones, but finally decided to continue no matter what Monobear planned to do.
-"That bear can go impale himself with a spit for all I care. I'll keep going"- Takayama muttered.
-"Just curiosity, Takayama-kun...if you find out somebody is planning a murder and attacks what would you do?"-
Takayama pushed his glasses to his forehead, looking at Mitsuhiko intensely. –"What a strange question, kid. I'll tell you what I'd do.
I didn't turn into a good bodyguard by letting things happen. These microphones are the result of my work. If I found somebody trying to kill I'd simply..."- to summarize what he was trying to say he dragged his finger over his neck. Mitsuhiko felt himself tensing at the concise answer. –"The best defense is offense. Attack before you're attacked; strike them before they strike you. What doesn't exist can't attack you.
Some people say I have a paranoia complex but it's hard to call me paranoid when I turn out to be right so often"-
-"I want to help you"- Mitsuhiko said. If he could check where Takayama would be placing microphones then he'd be able to plan accordingly, find where there were no microphones and create the crime scene there. Unfortunately the Bodyguard wasn't stupid. Remembering the gun and what Yurie and Mitsuhiko had said when they arrived to the Meeting Room the day before it was clear they couldn't be trusted.
-"No. Stay away of me"- he said coldly, going away. Refraining from insulting him any further Mitsuhiko let him go. With some luck he'd be able to follow Takayama and see the location of a few microphones, as well as knowing how he planned to keep tabs on so many machines.
I followed Takayama for an hour, seeing him place a few microphones.
Takayama entered to his bedroom after he finished placing the microphones and that marked the end of Mitsuhiko's stalking. At no point Mitsuhiko saw anything that could allow Takayama listen to the microphones, so the only possible conclusion was that it was in the bedroom. Just in case the hunter searched in all places he knew to see if there was a machine in contact with the microphones.
The only place where it could have been a possibility was the Administrative Offices, but after checking all computers there was nothing to be found. All of them were empty, just like the one he had checked earlier. It was now confirmed Takayama's bedroom must be the one to hold the contraption or...whatever allowed listening to them.
Shouldn't be too hard to enter there. The classrooms doesn't have locks, it's a matter of keeping him busy while I sneak in. But even if I did I could only listen, it'd be hard to know where the microphones are.
Deciding that it wasn't worth it to try Mitsuhiko decided to simply be more careful, find a safe place. The only possibility would be to communicate with Yurie using some way that didn't involve saying it aloud. One mistake and they'd have the rest of the group buzzing around them.
-ooooo-
-"Kimiko, I need to ask you something"- The Tea Demon had been in her bedroom when he went to see her.
Mitsuhiko was trying to think of a way for him to save Sugita. If she helped in the murder could she be considered a culprit? Having three different culprits would make it hard for everybody to guess correctly. Sure, there was only one Main Board spot but he doubted Sugita had what was needed to be in such an important position.
Although...they hadn't talked in quite a while, since he moved to Kyoto. Sure, they had been in contact through phones and email, but the contest was pretty much the first time they met face to face since they were kids. Maybe she had changed.
-"What is it?"- Sugita smiled kindly.
-"Kimiko, please answer me honestly...you wouldn't kill anybody, right?"-
-"What's up with that question?"- she dropped the smile.
-"...if you suddenly got into a chance to kill without fail...would you do it? Please be honest, Kimiko..."-
The Tea Demon stared for a moment, unsure of what to say. –"That's a strange question, but...no, I wouldn't"-
-"You mean you don't want to be part of the Main Board?"-
-"I do, I do, but it would mean everybody else's death, right?"-
Mitsuhiko nodded. Expressing worry for everyone's lives indicated it wasn't very likely she'd accept. I either trick her into cooperating somehow or I simply don't get her involved. Let's go with the second option. Sugita averted her eyes. –"Hikari-kun, I promise you that if anybody dies and I'm the culprit I'll confess, no matter if it was an accident, self-defense or even a planned murder"-
-"Did you get attached to us?"-
-"What? No! To me almost everybody is a stranger and I don't really care what happens to them. It's just that...look, I don't want to talk about this"- Sugita crossed her arms. There was something strange in Sugita's behavior. Her tone did show she was telling the truth when she said she didn't care about the commanders, but then why would she confess causing a death?
-"Can I enter?"- Mitsuhiko doubted Takayama had installed microphones inside the bedrooms, at least for now. Sugita nodded and stepped aside, letting him go in. Sugita's bedroom was very similar to his own; there were almost no differences –"But seriously, Kimiko. Killing somebody is the only way to get out of this place. You have to be ready to end a life"-
-"I'm telling you I won't. Seriously, Hikari-kun, why the sudden questions? Did something happen?"-
-"Nothing yet, but it's just matter of time before it does"-
-"And will you be the killer, by any chance? You have been worrying me. Since you got here you seemed...I don't know, changed. Would you seriously not hesitate before ending a life?"-
-"I'm an assassin, I can't afford to hesitate"-
-"I see. You really went from hunting deer to hunting people. It's only matter of time before you get killed yourself"-
-"I'm offering you a chance, Kimiko. If we both kill somebody then both of us would get out of here, even if only one would go into the Main Board. I'd be willing to give the spot to you!"-
That didn't sit well with Sugita. Her face reddened while she grabbed Mitsuhiko's arm, making him bend down until he was directly in front of her eyes –"You scum of the earth, would you leave your fianceé to die here?"-
...oops. He had forgotten about that little detail in his hypothetical scenario. He had been just trying to find out how willing she'd be to join him into the plot. Inadvertently he surely had made her more reticent to try to take part of it. Without taking a moment to breath Kimiko continued berating him. –"I can't believe you have turned into that kind of person, you asshole. You're going to go away and not talk to me until I say it's okay. I won't tell Yurie about this because nobody deserves to hear their love is going to let them be killed but if I see you even thinking about letting her die I'll make sure everybody knows about this.
Understood, Hikaru?"-
Mitsuhiko nodded slowly, aghast. It sure had spiraled out of control. Kimiko let him go, her eyes filling with tears –"You have changed a lot. I can't find anymore the kid I knew..."-
-"I wasn't a good person either when I was a kid"-
-"I know you weren't but I never thought you'd sink this low. Now go away"- Kimiko pushed him towards the door, practically shoving him onto the hall. The hunter fell onto the floor, dazed, while the door closed behind him with a bang. I haven't changed that much, have I?
So far his attempts to go around and talk to people had been tremendous failures. First Takayama, making him remember what Diavolos Avante should be doing, and now Sugita made him realize how despicable he was sounding. But I can't stop. Yurie would never forgive me if I don't do something to win. I must continue.
Looks like it'll be only Yurie and me. Sorry Kimiko. I tried to save you.
From what he remembered Sugita had always been somebody who gave great importance to friends, once even saying she'd give her own life to save people she appreciated. In elementary school she had never been one to socialize, in fact Mitsuhiko had been her first friend. Mitsuhiko could still remember how their last meeting before his departure had been.
They had met in her home, in one of her traditional tea parties. He had been living with Sugita's family for a couple years by now since the death of his parents and they had done him the favor to let him live with them. Sugita had been quite a cheerful girl, but in that moment her cheerfulness was gone -"Are you sure about all this, Hikaru-kun? I don't like the sound of this"-
-"I'm fed up with Hope's Peak. I can't continue hunting while I'm a student and it's pissing me off!"-
-"And going to Kyoto will help? There aren't hunting reserves there"-
-"I know what I'm doing! Trust me, Kimiko, besides we can continue being in contact!"-
-"What will my parents say? They're not going to let you go just like that"-
-"I'm not their son; they have no control over me"-
-"They worry about you. Maybe if you explain the situation to them..."-
-"I was told to not to tell anybody about this. It's an important job, I can't just reject it!"-
-"Does Yurie-san know about this?"-
-"She does. Everything will be okay"-
Sugita left her cup down, trying not to cry. –"Promise me you will be safe. I wouldn't forgive myself if anything happened to you...if I could stop you somehow"-
Even if he didn't want to admit it he had his own doubts as well. The person he had talked with had promised he would be safe and that if he was successful with his task he'd be rewarded handsomely...although Mitsuhiko had wondered several times why they had tasked a teenager with the job. –"I'll be fine"-
-"If you're ever in trouble tell me, Hikaru-kun. I'll leave everything and rescue you no matter what happens. You're my best friend!"-
-"You're my best friend too. I promise I'll tell you if anything happens"-
And nothing had happened. Mitsuhiko had gone to Kyoto, he had completed his job and he had been rewarded. Kimiko had been notified and while she had been relieved she had inquired what he had been doing, as she had realized he had never told her. Mitsuhiko never gave a straight answer and that was the end of the matter. The promise of going to rescue him had never been claimed.
And it looked like it never would, judging by how he had been treated just now.
I stayed outside of Kimiko's bedroom for a while, hoping she'd come out. She didn't.
-ooooo-
While Monobear had reacted to the microphones by taking one to do who knew what despite claiming it was against the rules, Lily had a pretty different reaction. –"Do you people seriously think a few flimsy microphones are going to stop you? A killer will kill even if there are microphones around. Show me which one of you is clever enough!"- she had droned to those who were around once she found one of Takayama's little boxes on the rail of the stairs.
However when Lily thought nobody was seeing her she had gone around, finding microphones and getting rid of them, especially the ones around the bedrooms in Camp Lily. Maybe she's protecting her creator.
-"Lily, are you really okay with the microphones?"- Mitsuhiko had asked while the little girl had climbed one of the stone statues in Camp Lily, trying to take off the black box on top of the figure's hand. Mitsuhiko did it for her, figuring he may as well help her.
-"If I were okay I wouldn't be taking them away"- Mitsuhiko gave her the microphone, seeing how she crushed it between her fingers –"It's annoying to know somebody is listening to what we say"-
-"But you have pretty much been telling everybody"- Lily had already ranted to at least half of the commanders. Takayama had seemed pleased to how the girl had spread the word about the presence of the microphones. –"A killer would be most likely to kill if they didn't know about them"-
Lily smiled wickedly –"And that's why I'm getting rid of them. People will kill if they know they aren't being listened...kihihihihi..."-
Hearing Lily laugh was pretty unnerving. Her voice sounded so metallic when she laughed it seemed more like cogs in need of a good dose of oil. Weirded out Mitsuhiko receded, trying to not to show the panic he was almost feeling
-ooooo-
It was almost dinner time, once again cooked by Sugita. She had taken the spot of cook between the commanders and everybody was happy for that. Everybody was waiting for dinner to be served, once again forming their little groups, with no change from earlier. The only changes were that Sasuga was in the Kitchen with Sugita and Kobayashi was with Emiko. Yurie had attempted to approach but he had limited himself to give her a piece of paper with just a few words written. 'Meet me in the Administrative Offices at 10 PM'.
Mitsuhiko noticed there was somebody who once again was alone, watching everybody with a scowl. The hunter approached, thinking quickly the advantages of targeting Mitsuishi. He was pretty much the most disliked commander, nobody would object if he died. Besides the more isolated he felt the quicker he'd attack somebody. –"Why so alone, Mitsuishi?"-
-"I'm watching everybody huddle like panicked rats"- Mitsuishi sneered –"We're DeeEy commanders, we should be used to taking care of ourselves and our people. Why would we need to stay together?"-
Mitsuhiko made a gesture of exasperation. –"You want to join them, don't you?"- The Flying Demon blanked his expression, annoyed, but finally admitted.
-"...yes"-
-"Is it self-preservation or is there some other reason?"-
-"Self-preservation"- Mitsuishi replied pretty quickly –"If they see me alone they'll attack me. I can already see it in their eyes, they want to attack me. What have I done for them to want me dead?"- All traces of compassion Mitsuhiko may have felt vanished when the pilot continued –"They're jealous of me. None of them can do the things I do. That's why they want to kill me, because they don't want to admit I have the edge over them"-
-"I don't see how your briiiiiiilliant pilot abilities will help you get into the Main Board"- Mitsuhiko made the sarcasm very clear.
-"That's because you're not intelligent enough. Why don't you try to be like me, somebody who can actually take care of oneself? Or are you going to cling to them and hope for the best?"-
Mitsuhiko couldn't take it anymore. Mitsuishi was insufferable; no wonder nobody could bear to spend a bit of time with him. –"That's why nobody wants to spend not even one minute with you. You belittle everybody but everybody knows you're exactly the same than everybody else"-
-"Don't act innocent, Hikari-kun"- Mitsuishi gritted his teeth –"I heard what you said yesterday when you arrived. If that isn't belittling then I don't know what it is"-
-"But unlike you I know when to contain my own feelings of superiority. Stop being a jackass and maybe we'll try to give you a chance"-
Mitsuishi glared at the hunter but after a moment he looked away, defeated. –"I can't be that bad. There are people worse than me. Admit there are"-
-"And that's another flaw you have. You care too much about what other people do or think. Stop being so goddamn stubborn and admit you're the one who is in the wrong"-
Mitsuishi stood up, pretending to dust down his jacket –"You think about that. I'll take my dinner now"- That was a waste of time. There's no way Mitsuishi is going to change.
The dinner arrived after a while but the commanders didn't have enough time to enjoy it before Lily and Monobear arrived to ruin the peace. –"I can't believe what I'm seeing! Are you...getting along with each other?"- Monobear asked, practically shouting.
-"Nobody is so anxious to get into the Main Board at the cost of everybody else's lives"- Koshimizu replied calmly.
-"Oh oh oh! That's impossible! Aren't we all murderers, after all? What are a few lives more?"-
-"We're already taking actions to ensure nobody dies"- Takayama said with proudly –"Nothing you or that girl tries to do will make us fail"-
-"I don't need to do anything"- Lily said, taking a dish and flipping it around absentmindedly –"All I have to do is to observe! Sooner or later one of you will break in pieces just like this!"- And so she threw it onto the floor. Unluckily for her the metaphor didn't work at all, as the plate resisted. –"That's not fair!"-
-"You failed, Lily. No surprise. I'll show you how to push people to murder"- Monobear stood on a table, ensuring everybody would see him –"You all think you're smart with your buddy-buddy friendship schoolyard club, but I can see what all of you do when you're alone.
What would you do if I said one or more of you is already planning murder?"-
-"It's them, isn't it?"- Tanaka pointed at Mitsuhiko and Oyama. Apparently she had been briefed about the boasting they had done the day before.
-"Not telling! But you can't trust anybody. Before you know it the person you trust the most...BAM!"- Monobear jumped, startling those nearest to him –"You get stabbed in the back!"-
-"N-No-Nobody would dare, right?"- Kobayashi seemed to be the one most affected by Monobear's words. –"We're all being good"-
-"If you're so sure then sleep with your door opened tonight!"-
-"Yeah, why don't you do that if you're sure nobody will do anything?"- Lily supported Monobear –"I'll give you all a chance: if by tomorrow night nobody has died I'll give all of you a special reward. Let's see if you manage to hold until tomorrow night"- the girl smirked.
-"I'll do the opposite offer! If somebody has died by tomorrow I'll give you a reward! The Main Board spot will only be the beginning compared to my prizes"-
-"You have no hope to win, Monobear"-
-"I'm beary sure they'll take the chance I gave them"- Monobear was exuding confidence. Lily groaned, not wanting to get involved in a petty fight.
-"Whatever"-
-"What kind of reward will it be?"- Hosoya asked. Mitsuhiko turned around. So was Hosoya planning to do something, after all?
-"It's a se-cret! Kill and you'll win it"- Monobear said.
-"What about you, Lily? Got something better than him?"- Lily didn't reply, instead leaving the Cafeteria.
-"Poor Lily, she couldn't bear the pressure. Don't disappointment, everybody! Remember the smiling face in front of you is hiding their claws behind their back!"- and so he disappeared.
Everybody stayed silent during dinner. It was ridiculous to think to take an offer that wasn't even defined what it was. There was no guarantee that Lily or Monobear would even make good to their word, for all they know. Nobody would be so dumb as to risk their own lives for something that may not even be true...
...right?
After dinner Sugita announced that she had prepared some tea. –"It should be here in a moment. Romi-san will bring it"-
-"Are you sure you should have left the blind woman to deal with that?"- Yasumoto inquired.
-"Oh, just because she is blind doesn't mean she can't do something as simple as this. Just watch"-
-"I don't trust her to be okay"- Mitsuhiko stood up –"I'll check on her"- Sugita shot him a dirty look but didn't protest. The hunter walked into the kitchen, where she found Romi in front of the stove with a teapot, waiting for it to boil. She was singing to herself.
-"...I don't want to be resigned to be the remains of myself / nor blame everybody else / for what's my incumbency and responsibility...fuck it, that doesn't work"-
-"What are you muttering?"-
Romi turned her head around without the slightest hint of surprise –"It's not something for you to worry about. What do you need?"-
-"Just wondering if you needed help with the tea"- Attacking a blind woman? It could work, but Yurie wouldn't be happy. Still, a murder is a murder.
-"I don't need any help. I can deal with this by myself"-
-"How do you do that? Aren't you blind?"-
Romi sighed. –"Again, not completely blind. Besides even if I were there are several hints that allow me to live like anybody with a set of intact eyes"- Romi grabbed a spoon and touched the teapot softly, tracing the edge of the circumference with the spoon. –"As the handle had the same color than the teapot and it's too thin I can't see it, but I can find it easily"- The Lyricist Demon grabbed the handle. For a moment Mitsuhiko tried to alert her about not taking the teapot with bare hands, but then he realized she was wearing some thick-looking leather gloves. If he remembered right, she had it since he had seen her the day before.
-"What's up with those gloves?"-
-"They're something I commissioned. There are tiny details in objects I can't see and could hurt my figners, so I use these gloves to avoid any wounds. They severely handicap my touch sense in my hands, but I think it's fair trade"-
Romi took the teapot to the counter and brought out a tray with cups, serving the tea in them. –"I know exactly where to stop, as the tea makes sounds when I'm serving it. It's the same with any liquids"-
-"And to carry the tray? You'll have to keep it in front of you and that'll make you not be able to look onto the floor"-
-"No problem with that"- Romi took the tray with the teacups and started walking –"When there are things in my path I...I feel a strange tingling sensation on my legs. Must be some sort of instinct I acquired after losing my eyesight. I can do anything anybody can do"-
-"I bet you couldn't aim a gun to shoot something"-
-"Nobody likes a smartass, Hikari-kun"-
Much to Mitsuhiko's admiration Romi was able to walk around, taking the teacups and passing them to every commander flawlessly. Once she was done she returned with Mitsuhiko. –"Learned yet to not to underestimate me?"-
-"Yeah..."- It was true. Romi had demonstrated her blindness didn't stop her from living or doing anything. –"I bet your prefecture is in perfect order with your leadership"-
Romi looked away –"It is, but...I can only hope they'll be okay. Do you have any idea if the Main Board will come at some point? I want to talk to them"-
-"Trying to cajole them into giving you the Main Board stop early?"-
-"No"- Romi talked very seriously –"I just came here because I was going to come here either way, to talk with Volkos. I was going to notify him that..."-
-"...that what?"-
-"...that I'll be leaving Diavolos Avante"-
Wait what. –"You can't be serious! Why are you leaving?"-
Romi touched her teacup, still not taking a sip. –"I feel unhappy. DeeEy is starting to...make me feel unsatisfied. We have been going in circles for a year already and Veritas hasn't done anything yet"-
-"Give him some time; you don't have to leave yet"-
-"We have been waiting for too long already! Sure, we're expanding, but SHSL Despair continues to be strong and we haven't done not even a dent on them! Where's the progress? When will we stop needing these organizations?"-
-"Someday. Don't worry that much about it"-
Romi spoke sadly. –"I'm a woman who likes peace...I took the spot as commander because I wanted for the world to get better but nothing has progressed...I just want to be able to relax and travel like I used to do before the Despairing incident thing happened..."-
-"Again, that'll happen soon. Veritas is a smart man, he won't let us down. Besides we have the Main Board. They're helping too"-
-"...will we be able to have a simple life, Hikari-kun? That's all I want"-
The truth was that Mitsuhiko didn't know. He was already used to his life as the Hunting Demon. While he dreamed with commanding counties and letting other people take care of nations and the rest he couldn't imagine how it'd be. –"You will, when we're done. Resist. Besides how'll you tell Veritas?"-
-"Well...I got accepted into Delacroix school thanks to my talent as a lyricist. I think it'd be appropriate if my links to DeeEy are severed with a song too. I want to tell Veritas what he's doing wrong and finally...be myself"-
The Hunter was unsure of what to say. He didn't feel the same Romi did so it wasn't like he could give her a tip. The most he could do was to listen. The Lyricist Demon had continued her singing. –"I don't want to be unable to control my anger/ nor keep carrying in my eyes that sadness... yeah, that could work. Doesn't rhyme but phonetically maybe..."-
Romi and I drank our teas.
-ooooo-
At 10:00 PM Mitsuhiko entered the Administrative Offices, where he found Yurie. The girl was sitting in front of a computer, typing something. Without saying a word Mitsuhiko approached and looked at the screen.
Yurie had created a rudimentary word processor and was typing in it. 'Don't say anything aloud. Just type. Got a target yet?'
Mitsuhiko took the keyboard. 'I do'. Yurie stared at him in silence until it was obvious she was waiting for him to continue. The former SHSL Hunter bit his lip and gave the name. They had an advantage over their future victim; it shouldn't be too hard... 'Amy'
'Is that the codename?'
'I mean Kobayashi-kun. Let's kill him'
Yurie rolled her eyes, annoyed. 'There we go, you once again going with the easy option. I suppose I'll have to accept it. How'll the plan go?'
'We'll call him to a place where we can kill him. I propose we do it here'
'Mitsu-chan and Yurie, in the Administrative Offices...and with what weapon? The gun?'
'My gun. We should hide behind a table or something. Then we put our hands on the gun, we pull the trigger and we're done'
'Simple and to the point. I like that. Tomorrow?'
'Tomorrow. What time?'
Yurie stopped for a moment, mulling the options. '2 PM. After shooting Kobayashi-kun I say we return to our bedrooms instantly. We won't be leaving any evidence besides the bullet and you already said how to deal with the bullet thing. We should be fine'
'It's settled. See you tomorrow at 2 PM'
Yurie closed the file and deleted it, also getting rid of the word processor. The hunter left without looking back, going straight to his bedroom. After verifying he still had bullets in his personal gun and taking out the Twin Beretta he had been carrying around the whole day Mitsuhiko entered into his sleeping bag and fell asleep.
Just before falling asleep he realized that Lily had never said a word to the rest about having gotten rid of the microphones.
