Hi guys! Here is part 3! For this, we will have Nao's POV again!


It was the middle of the night. The whole building was silent. Everything was still. In a hallway on the fourth floor, Nao was crying on Norio's shoulder. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. His voice was quaking. There were times he was choking in tears. He wanted to pull back. He wanted to let go of Norio but he couldn't. All he could do was rely on Norio to stay still.

After a few minutes, Nao was finally able to pull himself away from Norio. He wiped his tears with his hands. From all of the crying, Nao's eyes were irritated and turned red. He took deep breaths to calm himself down. All he could do was look at Nao. He wanted to say a lot of things. He wanted to thank him for giving him a shoulder to cry on. He wanted to thank him for taking the time to talk to him and checked on him. He wanted to thank him for reminding him he has friends. However, all of those words only stayed in his mind. The only thing he could say was, "I'm sorry for crying on you…"

It was apparent in Norio's expression it was not what he expected Nao to say. He must have thought of another response. However, he did not say anything more. All he did was simply put his hand on Nao's shoulder and said, "It's alright." He pulled back his hand and put it back in his pocket.

Even though it was only two words, it was enough for Nao to calm down. He did not think it would be the words he needed to hear but he was thankful for Norio saying it to him. He looked around and noticed the empty hallway. The silence became apparent to him when the two of them only looked at each other anticipating the other person's next action.

With Nao's hoarse voice, he said, "I am going back in my room."

Norio understood what he meant. He simply nodded and said, "I hope I will see you tomorrow join us for breakfast. Everyone would love to see you again." After that, he walked away from Nao. Nao watched Norio slowly walk to his room. Once he reached his room, Norio opened his door. Before he entered, he looked at Nao and said, "Good night." After that, Nao was alone in the middle of the hallway.

Nao looked back at his door and thinking of the silence he will have to bear again all by himself. He slowly walked back to his room. Slowly, he turned the doorknob and opened it. He took a step inside and the loneliness seeped back in him. The view of his untidy room reminded him of what he was grieving about. His room is identical to his room back home.

With heavy steps, he walked to his bed. Then, he sat on the floor beside the bed. Immediately, he curled up because of the memories coming back to him. It was not just Umeko's death that was bothering him. There was also the trauma of seeing his mom hang herself. Both women were important to him. However, he lost both of them as well. The two women he loved were willing to die. His mom killed herself while Umeko was willing to be executed.

Nao could only see it as unfair. Why do I have to keep losing all of the women in my life? What did I do to deserve this? Why couldn't I be happy? Why couldn't I have them still breathing beside me? They were too precious to deserve this fate. I wish I was able to say something to make them change their mind. I wish I could have told Umeko it was wrong to throw her life like that.

Instantly, tears were flowing again. Nao is breaking down again. This was a cycle he has been doing for the past two days. There were moments he would forget the sadness and feel numb. But after those moments, loneliness and self-pity creeps back in and stabs him in the heart. He was an emotional trainwreck. He could not stop. He wanted to stop but he could not.

As he was crying, he looked at the door. He tried to think of what Norio told him to make him stop. It was the only thing he could think of. He knew abandonment was his issue. To fight it back, he tried to tell himself he was not alone. I have friends. I am not alone. They will be there by my side no matter what.

All of a sudden, he remembered everything he did to Eri. Immediately, he started questioning his friendship, the only thing he is holding onto right now. Fear starts to envelop him. It was the fear of being isolated. He knew that he pushed them away. It was not just Eri whom he literally pushed away. It was also everyone else whom he constantly ignored while he was having an internal struggle. A phrase kept ringing in his head which intensified his fear.

He kept hearing Asuka repeatedly saying, "You did not have to be a douche, douchebag!" He felt shrinking as the words grew louder in his head. It was the truth in her words that is haunting him. It was blunt just like what is expected from Asuka. She is right. I was a douche. I should not have pushed Eri. All she was trying to do was help me. I need help but all I am doing right now is swatting them away.

Thinking of Eri brought him back to when he kicked her to the floor. He remembered the look on Eri. Even though he had kicked her, all he saw was worry for him on her face. She only wanted was to help him and Nao knew that. The innocence and kindness in her face made him regret everything he did to Eri. I was her friend. All she was doing was being a friend to me. Even though I pushed her away, she still kept on worrying about me. I don't deserve a friend like her. I need to repay her for that. I need to apologize to her.

Ending up with this conclusion, his tears finally stopped. For the first time since seeing Umeko's execution, he felt like he was sure of what he was about to do next. He stood up and went on his bed. He lied down and was determined to make everything right. Tomorrow, I will set things right. I know I am not yet done healing but I think I will make it through as long as I have people like them around me.

Eventually, he fell into a deep slumber.


The morning came. It was forty minutes before Monokuma's morning announcement. Even though Monokuma's annoying voice has not been aired yet through the sound system. Some people were already awake. It was either due to a goal or a problem.

Nao was in his bed staring at his ceiling thinking of the day ahead of him. He could not move due to excitement and nervousness. He wanted to resolve his issues with everyone but is afraid of being rejected from having another chance to redeem himself. Thinking about it made him lie in his bed thinking of all of the possibilities everything going wrong. All he could do was hope for the best.

He got up and went through his daily routine. For the first time since the last trial, Nao took a shower and cleaned himself. Soaking water, Nao felt relaxed. The tension that he built up inside vanished as he took a bath. He took his time dressing himself up. Once he was ready to go outside, he grabbed his tablet and went to his door.

Once he reached his door, he stopped. Anxiety was holding him back. Fear of not being forgiven only made it worse. He slowly grabbed the doorknob. Then, he looked at the door. This is scarier than I thought it would be. I can't hide forever. I will eventually need to get out of here. He slowly turned the doorknob and opened it. Once it was open, he looked at the hallway and a smile formed on his face. All I have to do now is step outside.

Slowly, he stepped outside of his room. As he stepped out, he saw Eri standing in front of a door. He immediately wanted to approach her. His mind felt like it will explode from everything he wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her he is sorry that he has been such a jerk. He wanted to thank her for being a patient friend. He wanted to offer her his help in anything she will do. He wanted to tell so much but he was not able to. Suddenly, the door Eri was standing in front opened. She immediately went inside and left Nao alone in the hallway.

When he was left alone, he felt like he was drained of energy. All of his excitement vanished. I was ready but I guess I will just have to find another time to tell her everything. I need to be patient just like her. As he was about to go downstairs, a question formed in his mind. Whose room did Eri go in? He took a closer look at the door. Immediately, he knew whose room it was because of the pixelated icon. It is Norio's. What is she doing with Norio? Maybe I will have to ask her that as well.

After that, he tried to be not bothered by what he saw first thing in the morning. He continued to walk and passed by some of the rooms. He saw Reyes', Manon's, Eri's, and eventually Rei's. He looked at Rei's room and remembered their last private conversation. It has been long since I thought of Rei's secret. She said someone also knows everything she is hiding. I wonder who that person is. Are they still alive? I hope they are. I hope they help us get out of here.

Realizing he was standing for too long in front of Rei's room, he decided to get a move on. As he was walking, Monokuma's announcement was finally blasted through the audio system. "Wake up! Time to commit a murder! Hahahahaha!" Monokuma's voice was unbearable. All he could think of was the hatred he has for Monokuma. If it was not for you, Umeko would have still been alive. Before he exploded in anger, he decided to continue walking.

Eventually, he made it in front of the kitchen. Once he was there, he stopped. He froze. All he could think of was the times he and Umeko spent inside the kitchen. All of those beautiful memories are flooding his mind. It was too much for him to handle. It was overwhelming. He was having trouble breathing. He leaned to the wall and tried to catch his breath. Nao, you can do this. It is just a kitchen. Cook like you would normally do.

Once he was calmed down, he slowly pushed the door and went in. The kitchen was empty and silent. Nao looked at the room as the silence slowly picks at him. The silence reminded him of the absence of Umeko. He remembered her laughter filling up the room. He can imagine Umeko already almost finished with everyone's breakfast. It was as if he could see her alive in the room. The sight of the kitchen is making it hard for him to swallow the fact that Umeko is gone. He took a deep breath and said, "This is the reality. I need to accept it."

Slowly, he went to the pantry and looked at the ingredients available. He immediately thought of Umeko being able to decide quickly what she wants to cook. "If she was here, we would have start cooking by now." He continued to stare hoping something comes into his mind. However, all he could think of was Umeko. "If Umeko was here, at least one of the meals are vegan." He continued to look and all he could remember are the recipes Umeko taught him. Even in his decisions, he could not shake the idea of Umeko. Eventually, he decided to cook everything vegan. This will have to do.

He started grabbing the ingredients and prepping. He decided to make vegan chicken and waffles, granola bowls, and orange juice. Inside, he laughing at himself. It was silly for him to do this. It was unreasonable but he could not help himself. It was the answer he wanted. I am such a fool. People might hate me for cooking them tofu as chicken. I can't stop now. I am already almost finished prepping. I hope everyone will eat this.

As he was slicing tofu, he heard the door open. Once he heard it, he thought to himself that he will smile to that person. He will greet them with happiness. He wanted to act as if nothing happened. But, that wasn't what he did. He turned to the door and saw Asuka enter. As soon as they locked eyes, all he could do was awkwardly stare at her. Eventually, he broke the stare and went back to cooking.

Asuka was surprised to see him inside the kitchen. She was prepared to do the cooking all by herself. She did not think she would see him arrive in the kitchen earlier than her. As soon as Nao broke their stares, she ran to him and hugged him. "Nao, you're back! Yeah!"

Nao was surprised by this. He was expecting her to completely ignore him. He even thought Asuka would question him being in the kitchen. However, she did not. She completely went to him and hugged him. It was a nice surprise. He tapped on Asuka's arms around his neck. Immediately, Asuka let him go. Nao looked at Asuka who smiling from ear to ear. I guess she really is happy seeing me again.

He looked at her and said, "You are not mad of me?"

Asuka suddenly flicked him on the forehead. "I was mad at you for being a douche yesterday but I knew you were going through some shit and you would eventually come back to your senses. And, you did fucking come back! Everyone will be fucking happy to see you!"

Hearing this made Nao smile. Suddenly, his eyes were tearing up. "You really think so?"

Asuka saw his eyes and said, "There is no need to fucking cry about it. Of course, everyone will be happy to see you like this. I swear they will be pumped up!" To hear that everyone wanted to see him okay made him filled with happiness. He truly thought he has pushed them away but they were willing to wait for him to be okay. That thought was enough for him to smile at Asuka. Asuka smiled seeing Nao smile again.

Asuka looked at the food Nao was preparing and asked, "What are you trying to make?"

Nao answered, "Vegan chicken and waffles, granola bowls, and orange juice."

Asuka giggled and commented, "Sounds like a meal Umeko would love to eat." Nao did not say anything and just smiled at her. She was right and he could not deny it. Maybe he came up with the menu because would love it. No matter what the reason was, it did not matter. As long as everyone was fine eating it, it will be okay. That was how Nao thought of it.

Nao told Asuka how to help him. Eventually, the two working in unison helping each other in everything. Between the two, Asuka was the one asking Nao what to do. Nao happily answered every time. It was at that point when Nao realized the kitchen does not feel as lonely as he entered it earlier. It was filled with laughter and people walking around. It was as if Umeko was still there. However, this time, Nao is not as sad as earlier.

It did not take long for the two to finish the meal. The two brought out the food to the cafeteria. As soon as the people saw the food coming out, everyone was excited to eat. Nao stayed behind and was contemplating on how to show himself to the group. He was nervous thinking he might get a tirade from Hana. After a few seconds, he stopped fidgeting with his hands and stepped outside. Silently, he stood there with everyone looking at him.

Nao wanted to say something even just a quick hello but he was afraid. The silence was taking forever to be broken so Asuka finally shattered it by saying, "He cooked our breakfast." Everyone was surprised to hear this. Hana immediately asked, "You did?" Nao simply nodded to answer. All of a sudden, everyone except Norio shouted with happiness. Hana tells him to sit beside him. Nao immediately did so.

Takashiro quickly asked him, "Are you back for good?"

Nao answered, "I am still trying to move forward but I think I will be okay for now."

Takashiro clapped his hands and said, "Nao is back! Yeah!"

Nao was happy to hear this. After that, he looked at Eri who was silently smiling at him. Once she saw Nao look at her, she tried to avert her gaze from him. Nao expected this. After everything he did to her, he knew she might be uncomfortable seeing her again. Before eating, he knew he had to address it. He called Eri's attention and said, "Eri, I am sorry for everything. I really am."

Eri simply replied with, "I-I-It's alright." Nao was happy to hear this.

Everyone continued eating. Finally, they were all complete. Everyone was laughing and having great conversations with each other. It felt like everything was right. Nao could not believe this was happening to him after everything he did to them. I hope this does not stop. I hope we will stay like this forever. No! I know we will stay like this forever. I will make sure of that.

Eventually, everyone was done eating. Samuru was the first to leave as usual. The remaining six continued talking to each other to pass time. Hana suddenly put the spotlight on Nao. She quickly turned to him and asked, "What made you come out of your room?" Everyone looked at Nao and was interested to hear his answer. He did not know what to say. He looked at Norio. What should I say? I am not sure if Norio would be comfortable if I tell them the truth.

Nao could not say anything and just looked at Norio. Eventually, Hana said, "You keep on looking at Norio. Did he do something?" At first, it was just a harmless tease. However, with how Nao's face suddenly went blank, Hana decided to keep teasing. "Oh my gosh! He did something! Norio talked to you, didn't he? Come on! Tell us what he told you that changed your mind! Come on! Come on! Come on! Spill it!"

Suddenly, Takashiro and Asuka joined in. The three were loud. It was starting to confuse Nao. The pressure was rising. He did not know what to do or say so he accidentally blurted out, "I cried on his shoulders!" It suddenly became quiet and everyone turned to Norio for an explanation. Nao looked at Norio and mouthed the words, "I am sorry…"

Hana slowly said, "So… You let Nao cry on you… Is that true?"

Norio answered, "I talked to him and said he should let us help him move on we are willing to help him. All of a sudden, he cried on my shoulder. That is pretty much what happened. Move on!" Everything was stunned to hear this. It was shocking to hear Norio consoled Nao. It was something everyone did not think Norio would do.

Hana suddenly said, "Is Norio having some sort of character development? From a cold-hearted logical robot, he is now becoming an empathic human."

"Again, I am not a robot!" Norio said.

Everyone laughed except for Nao and Norio. Nao was confused. He turned to Asuka and asked, "What is going on?"

Asuka answered, "Hana has been teasing Norio he is becoming human since he is starting to show some emotions by laughing."

"He laughed?" Nao asked.

"Yup! You should not have fucking missed it. It was a rare thing to see." Asuka answered. Hearing this, Nao realized even though he isolated himself for two days, he has already missed out on a lot of things. Immediately, he regretted not being able to be there to hear Norio's laugh. He wished he did not waste his time sulking. Realizing this, he thought he must have missed on a lot of other things. Because of this, he wanted to know what else happened.

"What other things happened when I was locked up?" Nao asked.

Hana answered, "Samuru has been isolating himself as well. Asuka is more responsible now. And, Eri and Norio are friends. Isn't that right, Eri?" Eri and Norio are friends? It suddenly reminded him of what he saw earlier. I guess they are now close enough to have the other person in their room. Good for Norio!

Eri answered, "Uhmmm… I guess so…"

Takashiro suddenly added, "But I am still her best friend!"

"No, you are not! Eri said she thinks of you as her older brother." Hana added.

Takashiro said, "Oh, right! I am her brother!"

After a few minutes, everyone decided it was time to do other things they were supposed to do. Asuka and Hana went into the kitchen to wash the dishes. Norio sat a separate table and took a nap. This left Nao to be alone with Eri and Takashiro. Nao was enjoying Eri and Takashiro talking to each other. He admired the innocence the two have. It was their smiles that remind him that even if they are locked up, they can still find ways to be happy. He suddenly thought he must have been like that if Umeko is still here. He could imagine them talking about nature and what their lives are. Thinking of the tragedy that happened to him, he wished it will not happen to them.

After a few minutes, Eri went to the comfort room. This left Nao with Takashiro. Takashiro immediately turned to Nao and said, "Now that we are alone, I have been wanting to tell you this." Nao was surprised by this. Takashiro was still smiling and cheerful but he had an aura of maturity that he had never seen from him.

Nao asked, "What is it?"

"Next time you hurt Eri again, I will make sure you get a taste of your own medicine." Takashiro claimed. He did not expect to hear a threat from Takashiro. It was weird to see someone as sweet as Takashiro threaten him.

He immediately said, "So, this is the real you? You have finally shown me who you really are."

Takashiro answered, "I don't get what you mean. I have been showing the real me. This is just another part of the real me, someone who cannot stand his friends being hurt."

Nao understood what he meant. Childish most of the time but can also be serious and mature… I guess that is the difference between him and Eri. Eri is innocently childish while Takashiro has the duality of childishness and maturity. Seeing this, Nao was fascinated by Takashiro. He quickly said, "I am guessing Eri knows you like this as well."

Takashiro answered, "I think so."

Nao then replied with, "If Eri trusts you even seeing this side of you, then I know you must be a trustworthy person."

Takashiro simply smiled and answered, "I promise I will never break your trust!"

After that, Nao looked around the room and saw Norio sleeping. The sight of him immediately reminded him of what he saw earlier. He wanted to know the reason for Eri to enter his room. What happened? Norio is not the type of person who would just let somebody in his room. They said he and Eri are friends but what would be the reason for them to meet in his room? As he was deep in his thoughts, he turned to Takashiro. Does he know about this?

Nao looked at Takashiro. It was obvious he had a problem. Takashiro saw this and asked, "Is there something troubling you?"

Nao was surprised Takashiro asked him. He was hesitant to ask him specifically about what he saw so he decided to ask him in a general way. "Uhmmm… How close are Norio and Eri? Are they like best friends?"

Takashiro chuckled and simply answered, "Eri is as close to Norio as everyone else. Hana had been just teasing them because, for the past few days, they would come here for breakfast together. You know she loves to tease everyone with everything she can. Why? Is there a problem with those two?"

Nao lied and said, "I was just curious since Hana teased those two earlier. Now I understand why she said those things." It looks Takashiro does not know anything about it. I don't want to ask anymore because something might happen to their friendship. After that, he quietly waited for Eri to come back. Once Eri came back, he could not help himself but look at Eri with curiosity. It looks like our little Eri has a secret she is sharing with Norio.

As soon as Eri came back, Takashiro talked with her as if nothing happened. Nao watched in amazement as the two talked about random topics. Eri is really important to Takashiro.


It was three in the afternoon and Nao was dying of boredom in the cafeteria. No one was really interested in talking to him. Norio was silently in the corner. To Nao, it seemed like Norio was observing everyone and was deep in thoughts. It was clear he did not want to be disturbed. Eri and Takashiro had their world and he could not keep up with it. He looked at Asuka and Hana who were giggling. He knew they would let him join their conversation but he is too afraid of Hana's teases.

All he could think of is what would he be like if Umeko was still around. If Umeko was here, I would not be bored. She can bring up any topic and I would gladly talk about it with her. I guess I was too close to her that I was not able to make deeper connections with everyone else. This is what I get for being reclusive for the past few years. Nao sighed as he drowned himself in thoughts of what he would be doing right now if Umeko was here.

After a few more minutes, he could not take it anymore. It was too silent for him when there were people around him to talk to. He stood up from his seat, turned to Eri and Takashiro, and said, "I am going to walk around." The two simply waved their goodbyes before Nao left them. He walked out of the cafeteria and asked himself where to go.

He looked to his right and saw the entrance to Monokumaland. Seeing it reminded him of the death of Mako, the murder committed by Umeko. The anger and pain brought by the memories quickly eliminated it as an option. I will never set foot in that amusement park again. That place ruined everything great I had here.

After that, he turned to his left and saw the entrance to the gymnasium. He quickly dismissed it as an option seeing there is nothing he could do in there. Because he could not think of where to go as of the moment, he decided to walk around the hallways of the building. He thought that he might stumble in an interesting place.

As he was walking on the stairs to the fourth floor, he met with Samuru who was going down. Nao greeted him with a hi. Samuru replied with, "Hello!" Before Samuru could walk past him, he asked, "Why are you isolating yourself from everyone?"

Samuru took a long time to answer. Nao looked at him as he waited for an answer. As he was looking at him, he noticed Samuru's poor condition. The man had eyebags. He was paler than he usually is. His hair is a bit of a mess. Some of his clothes are not well placed. It looked like they were just thrown on without care. His movement is lethargic as well. He did not have his usual strong presence. What is happening to him?

"Are you taking care of yourself?" Nao asked.

Samuru answered, "I am sorry. I am having a hard time processing your question." This response confirmed to Nao that Samuru was in a bad shape. He looks like he needs some sleep.

Nao asked, "Are you punishing yourself for Mako and Umeko's deaths?"

Samuru just looked at him lifelessly. His face was blank. Is that what is keeping him up awake at night? Nao told him, "You do not need to beat yourself for deaths. Monokuma is the one responsible for everything. I am sure Monokuma just used some special trick to make that photo. I hope it is not real. I choose to believe it is not real. I trust you Samuru. Now, take care of yourself."

Samuru simply nodded.

Nao continued to ask, "Where are you going?"

"The kitchen. I need something to drink." Samuru simply answered.

After that, Nao let him make his way to the kitchen. Nao continued to go to the fourth floor. Once he was there, he first went to the statues. He stared at his statue. He noticed that the statue was wearing a gold wristband that said "7". After noticing this, he looked at the other statues and saw similar wristbands with different numbers. Everyone had a number from one to sixteen. Reyes' was "14" just like the number assigned to Reyes' photo. These numbers might mean something but I am not sure what it is for. I should just keep this in mind in case it becomes useful.

Other than remarking the statues as tacky, Nao wandered around the fourth floor. He stumbled upon the two locked doors. He stood there trying to figure out what could be behind it. To him, the first locked door was bigger than the other. The other door was similar to the door of everyone else's room on the floor. This could be a bedroom but whose bedroom is it?

Seeing that there really is not much he could do other than speculate, he moved on to the other rooms. He noticed that the arrangement of the rooms is similar to their former quarters. I don't get why Monokuma made us transfer here. My room was the exact replica of my room back at home. I don't see how anyone would kill after seeing their rooms. It might make people long for their homes but I don't think it is enough to push us to edge. None of us who are still alive is that shallow. No matter how much he tried, he could not wrap his head around their new motive.

After that, he continued to tour the floor and saw a door with flowers painted on it. It had a sign that said "Welcome! We are open!" It was his first time seeing the door. This must be where the others went after I locked myself in my room. He took his time and opened the door to find a beautiful garden. It was something he had never seen quite like anything before. It is breath-taking.

Nao stepped on the cobblestone path and wandered around. He saw plants he had never seen before. Some ponds reflected the beautiful blue sky. Several fountains were scattered around. Each fountain had a unique design. Not one looked the same. To him, it was as if he was outside the building. After taking in the scenery, he found a clear meadow and sat down. He looked up and saw the sky through the glass. The glass must be shatter-proof. If it isn't, everyone would have broken it yesterday.

After that, he sat in silence while a cool breeze gently grazes his skin. It looked around and felt like he was truly outside. Even the breeze is realistic. Monokuma must have spent fortunes making this place. After a few seconds, he lied down and looked at the sky. It is a beautiful place. If Umeko was still here, she would love this place. She would have definitely loved the ponds.

He could not help but think of Umeko again. All he could think of what they could have done in the garden together. He imagined both of them having a romantic picnic right where he was lying down. Both of them would visit the place every day. He could even see Umeko watering the plants. To him, it felt like the place was made for her. It was the perfect place for Umeko.

"Umeko, you have missed out on the most beautiful garden. I wish you are with me right now. I could hear your excitement seeing the flowers and the ponds. From this moment, whenever I see a beautiful sunset, a pristine lake, or any breath-taking scenery, I will remember you. It will always remind me of you, your kindness, and your beauty."

Nao stayed in the garden lying down doing nothing. Eventually, the sky was turning dark. "I guess night is coming." As the night turned dark, the garden came to life. Nao sat up straight and observed as the garden turned more beautiful. The cobblestone path lit up. Some of the flowers glowed in different colors. In a matter of seconds, the area had animatronics of fireflies swarm the whole place. It was magical. He looked up at the sky and it was filled with stars. Nao cannot believe what he was seeing. I never imagined this could become more beautiful.

As he was taking in the view, he heard two women entered the garden.

"See! It is beautiful, right?" Asuka shouted.

Hana replied, "This is amazing! Everyone should see this!"

The two women wandered the garden and eventually found Nao. "Nao! This is beautiful, isn't it?" Asuka asked.

"It is! And, I was lucky enough to see it transform into this." Nao answered.

"I am so fucking jealous of you! It must have been magical." Asuka said.

Nao points at the sky and said, "Look up."

The two girls looked up and saw the beautiful starry sky. It was clear. There were no clouds. Everyone can see the constellations clearly. The moon was full. It was a sight to see. Suddenly, Hana had an idea. "We should have a picnic tomorrow night here! It would be so cute!"

Nao and Asuka agreed.

"Just think of the fun we can have! You and I can play some of our songs! Let's play games! This is the best place to talk our hearts out! Let's have an open forum as well! I am so excited!" Hana added. Hearing this, Nao's excitement was building up. It sounded like a great plan. He could see everyone having fun and laughing loudly. It was something he really wishes to happen. It will be a great way to take my mind off of Umeko.

After that, Nao stood up and said, "I think we should tell this to everyone over dinner."


The dinner was already over. Everyone was still at the table talking to each other. Eventually, Hana brought up the topic of the picnic. "Guys! Asuka, Nao, and I have a proposal." Everyone was all ears to this. After a few seconds, she said, "Let's have a picnic in the garden tomorrow night! It is a beautiful place for a picnic at night! Trust us. There are fireflies, glowing floors, and lit up paths. The starry sky was beautiful as well."

Everyone immediately agreed to this plan. Nao was extremely to hear this. To see that everyone wanted to do it really made him more excited for it tomorrow. He turned to Hana who was explaining what they will be doing tomorrow. "Tomorrow, you will be seeing us perform some of our songs. We will be having games as well. Let's also have an open forum. Afterward, we will eat!" Everyone was all in for the plan as well.

"Asuka and Nao will be in charge of the food. So, what do you guys want them to cook?" Hana asked.

Samuru immediately answered, "Can we get something sweet, maybe doughnuts? Also, can you make coffee?"

"Sure, that will be easy!" Nao answered.

All of a sudden, Hana said, "No coffee!"

Everyone was surprised. Nao, who loves coffee, asked why. "Why not?"

Samuru added, "I really want coffee!"

Hana immediately responded saying, "I hate it! It is too bitter! Blehhh! Can't you think of something sweeter?"

Nao expected this as her answer. He had observed Hana has a liking for sweets. Anything bitter is probably by her. However, even though Samuru had not suggested coffee, he would have suggested it. Knowing Hana's preference, he said, "Don't worry! I will make a drink coffee-flavored that is not too bitter. Trust me, I already know what to do!"

Hana took her time to think about it. Eventually, she agreed to it. "Fine! I have faith in you so you better not let me down." Nao was ecstatic to hear this. He really wanted to make a drink using coffee.

After that, people have listed several suggestions. The group wanted macaroons, tarts, chips, and sandwiches as well. They also talked about what the others were going to do. Eri and Takashiro volunteered to help in setting up the place. The other two boys were not yet sure what they can do to help. However, the group did not pressure them to help and just let them be.

After that, everyone went on their separate ways. Most of them have left to go to bed already. One of them was Nao. Nao was in front of his room looking at the door. He reminisced about the sadness he was feeling earlier. However, it was completely overshadowed by his excitement for tomorrow. He entered his room, took a quick bath, and changed into his pajamas. He lied down his bed and after a few seconds, he was finally happily sleeping.


That is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it!

What do you guys think of what is happening so far? Are you guys excited for how things will go down? Who do you think will be the next victim? Tell me by voting on the poll on my profile!

If you guys want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can join the discord server for this story by using the link on my profile!

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it!

Good luck to all of us!