It was three in the morning and the sky is a jet black hue. The vast horizon was covered with several cotton-like cumulus clouds passing by as the wind drifted them somewhere far away from the island. Although covered by the giant, voluminous clouds, there are some rare instances that stars would peak through and have their twinkling beauty be visible to all of the inhabitants of the remote island. Surrounding the island was the mysterious great blue ocean with its waves violently crashing down onto the rocky walls of the island. It was a cool early morning with a breeze gently flowing through the island as it rustled the plants that it has passed by.
Most of the campers are still tucked in their soft lush beds sleeping tightly as the night slowly passed by. The campers were enjoying the peace the early morning brings as it enables them to gain more time to recover from the strenuous day they had yesterday. From looking around the new area to listening to a gut-punching reality check, all of them were exhausted from simply navigating through yesterday. None of them wished for anything that would come to disrupt them in their silent sanctuary except for one of them.
On his bed with his warm cozy blanket still covering him, Mitsue has been wide awake for a while now. His eyes were open and were fixated on the streak of light that was coming from the gap between the curtain and the window. Alone in his room with only deafening silence keeping him company, the emergency response team leader could only wish for anything to suddenly come by and free him from the torture of stillness.
Why am I awake already? I am an early bird but this is even too early for me. I should not have gone to bed earlier than I would normally do last night. Why did I sleep as soon as I came back from the dining hall? It is probably because I was so full from eating what Otoha cooked for us. Thanks to that pathetic choice, I am now stuck like this. I want to sleep so that the silence will not bother me. If I continue like this, nightmares will haunt my thoughts. That is not how I want to start my day. I cannot be brooding when the sun has only risen.
Turning to his left, Mitsue let out a deep sigh. What can I do? I have been trained to be like this. I used to wake up early and worried immediately about my team and the possible accidents that may happen my team is on duty. It never bothered me to have those thoughts invade my mind around this time but the difference between my situation right now and back then is that the problems I will be thinking of right now are problems I do not want to face.
"The transmission yesterday was truly a bummer." Mitsue mumbled to himself. We were having a blast before that bombshell dropped. Everything was going great. We just came from playing in that beautiful flower field forgetting the grim situation that we are in. We were about to have a great dinner together. Everyone was excited to eat up whatever Otoha has planned to cook for us. All of it was going perfectly. Of course, something like that had to come by and ruin everything. Is it so hard to ask for a normal day? All I want is a day wherein I forget we are in a shitty mess.
After sighing, Mitsue mumbled, "I am so jealous of them…" Those who were rescued are so lucky. They must have struck gold when they found out that they can ask for help. I am sure they celebrated when a troop came to rescue them. If I were them, I would jump in joy when I see a helicopter from the army or a ship from the navy. When will I be able to celebrate like that? It is great that they are safe. I wish we were too. I hope someone will swoop in and get us out of this hellhole. I will never wish this on anyone, not even to my greatest enemies.
"If only the microphone was not snipped off…" Mitsue whispered to himself. Why did Monokuma have to tamper with the radio? Seriously! It was not doing anything to him. It was just lying around the radio shack, waiting for someone to use it. If only the microphone was still intact, we could have already asked for help days ago. We would have been saved by the military. I could be sleeping comfortably in my house right now enjoying every bit of silence. It truly sucks when you want to ask for help but you have no way of asking it.
Out of frustration, Mitsue gripped onto his blanket and put it on his face. Suddenly, he let out a scream fueled by anger. "Fuck this life!" I hate you Monokuma and whoever is controlling you! If you are suffering, why did you have to rope me into this fucking mess? I was perfectly fine with my life! I did not have much to worry about anything. My life was comfortable. Even though the army made us live on this island by force, I am sure everyone would be having an amazing time living the simple life this camp offers. We could have gotten that if that fucking bear did not ruin it! I really wish that bear glitches and vanishes into thin air!
"I wonder how the other camps are doing?" Mitsue mumbled to himself. Sunako shared with us that other camps were taken over by The Regime. Other than us, there are other ultimates who are being terrorized in ways no one can imagine. The purpose of taking us to these secret camps is to save us from whatever they want to do to us. Now, there are ultimates other than the four we lost on this island who are either dead or missing in action. It makes me wonder if other camps are also being forced into doing this killing game. Are they being monitored by some weird-looking animatronic as well?
I am beginning to question Monokuma's allegiance. Is its controller part of The Regime? It is natural to assume that they are but from what has happened so far, it does not feel like it. They would not choose to harm Kia or Kai. They are one of them. There is no need to put them through this torture. All of the motives have been neutral. They have exposed both people who hate and praise them. If they are not part of any organization, why did they suddenly show up in the middle of a fight between the government and The Regime? It does not make any sense to me. What is their purpose in doing all of this? And, how did they know we are here? Isn't this place supposed to be confidential?
Then, he removed his blanket off of his face and proceeded to stare at the ceiling once more. Taking deep breaths, he recomposed himself. "Because of that crappy transmission, everyone is in shambles." Mitsue whispered to himself. Kaito had another breakdown. He was doing better yesterday. He had an amazing time spending it with everyone, especially Connor, in that field. It was beautiful to watch him recover. All of that amazing progress was for nothing. He is for sure going to lock himself up in his room again. If I could just make sure he will not have to hear anything related to his trauma, I will do it.
Then, we have Akari… Akari is a fucking mess. There are no words to describe how she was yesterday. She is not the girl who was in love with herself which I hated her for. That lady did not care about how she looked or what anyone would say to her. She was defeated by this game. The woman we saw yesterday was like a hollow cocoon. Just like Yo said, she was lifeless. Naoki's death heavily impacted her. It is like she has given up on living. I do not think though it is simply because of Naoki's death. She is superficial but I do not think she is that shallow. It must have open her eyes to something devastating.
And, we have Mizuki who is the most distraught by all of this. She cried the hardest as soon as she was told there was no way to escape the island just yet. She must be worried sick about the people back at her home. What kind of sick twisted bastard would let an innocent little girl like Mizuki join something as brutal as this killing game? They are a heartless monster who will go the extra mile just to enjoy watching people suffer for their sick pleasure. Mizuki does not deserve to be immersed in something as grotesque as this game. She should remain as the sweet little angel that she is. The world needs more people like her.
Shaking his head, Mitsue murmured, "As sweet as she is, she does make me worry about her being the leader." I never thought of her being in that position would cause so much trouble. Kai is making a big mess out of it. He is constantly fighting with Kaoru. He knows he is like arguing with a brick wall when he is trying to talk some sense into that little guy but he keeps bickering with him. There is no winning in kicking Mizuki in the mud when Kaoru is around. I wish he could just let that go. Everyone will be better off without their constant berating of each other.
For Kaoru, I wish I could just jam his head into the wall so that some fucking sense might grow inside his head. Kai has made some valid points but Kaoru will not listen to them. I am not saying Kai is entirely right about Mizuki but there are some things left to be desired about Mizuki's leadership. She has her strong points and her weak points. Every leader has one. Constructive criticisms should not be treated as an attack. It is there to help the person improve. Without it, they will not be able to progress. If only Kai will learn how to not come across as a dickhead and Kaoru will learn how to listen, maybe we will be better off.
But having said that, I wonder what Mizuki will do now that someone is openly complaining about her. I am sure that must have lit the fire under her ass. Something must have clicked when she heard those criticisms. I do not think she will be childish enough to take all of what Kai said personally. I do not think she is that kind of person. Based on her beliefs, I think she will do a self-evaluation. She should do that since that is the only way to improve. Hopefully, she will use all of that and assess herself so she can focus on the things she needs to work on.
"I feel like I have been lost in my thoughts since forever." Mitsue whispered to himself. This must be how it feels to be in an asylum. There is no sound. The silence is not comforting at the very least. There is no one to talk to so it is easy to drown in your own thoughts. This is fucking torture. I need to get out of this bed. I have to fucking dash out of this room. Being alone with this much crap in my head is not how I want to start the day. What time is it anyway?
Carefully, Mitsue reached out his right hand to his bedside table. Blindly looking for his monopad, he patted randomly on objects until he felt the cold screen of the device he was searching for. Once he was sure of what was in his hand, he placed it in front of his face. Pressing the button on the side of the monopad, a blinding light flashed to his eyes. Instinctively, he squinted until the glow was not anymore jarring. Slowly opening his eyes again, he gradually gained a clear view of the time that was displayed on the device. 3:59 am! What the fuck?
In a flash, he sat up straight as he discarded his monopad to his side. After glancing to both of his sides, he grunted as he scratched his head. Why am I awake so early? I should still be sleeping! What is happening to my sleeping pattern? This island has fucked me up. All I want is a great sleep while having an amazing dream. However, what I got is a wake-up call by my crappy thoughts in the three in the morning. This is fucking bullshit.
Out of annoyance, Mitsue got out of his bed throwing his blanket to the side. I will fix you later. Immediately, the emergency response team leader walked into his bathroom and brushed his teeth. After doing so, he grabbed a new set of clothes from his cabinet and haphazardly changed his outfit. Looking at himself in the mirror, he rolled his eyes. "Whatever! It is not like anyone this early will see me outside." Once he was dressed, he grabbed his monopad from his bed and walked to the front of his door.
I will rake the whole grounds outside all by myself just to clear my thoughts. Hopefully, that will distract me from all of the bad shit that is replaying in my brain. I do not care if I have to be alone in the dark. I will rake every inch of that area. I am sure I will be the first one to be out there instead of Hiroto. When that guy walks out of his cabin, he will be surprised to see me raking already. He will be like "Oh shit! You woke up before I did! That is impressive!" He will be the one who will follow my lead in doing this task this time. I cannot wait to surprise him.
After a few seconds of stalling, Mitsue put his hand on the doorknob and quickly turned it allowing him to pull his door open. As soon as he stepped outside of his room, Mitsue was greeted by the radiance of the giant moon. The glow of the bioluminescent plants lying nearby lit up the area. Looking around, he finally had his vision fixated in the middle of the ground. As soon as he laid his eyes on what was in front of his cabin, surprise enveloped him. In front of him was the ultimate runway model raking the grounds already. He is already awake? How early did he wake up?
Noticing Mitsue's presence, Hiroto stopped and turned to the emergency response team leader. "You went out of your cabin earlier than your usual time." Hiroto commented, blankly looking at the runway model. Is he usually awake by this time already? Has he always been raking at least one hour before I get out of my bed to help him? If that is the case, how the fuck has he not gone mad at me for letting him do all of the work for that long every single day?
Mindlessly, Mitsue grabbed his rake and rushed to Hiroto's side. Before diving into his job, he turned to Hiroto. "Are you usually awake by this time raking out here on your own?" Mitsue asked, placing his hand on the model's shoulder.
"No. I just woke up earlier than I normally do as well." Hiroto shared, pausing from doing his task.
"So, what time do you normally go out of your cabin and begin raking?" Mitsue asked, pulling his hand back to him.
"Probably around 4:30 am… It varies really. It depends on how early I wake up." Hiroto answered, going back to his task. That is a relief to hear. I do not make him rake for an hour on his own most of the time. He must have woken up unusually early. I wonder what made him get out of his bed at this time. If I am him, I would stay inside my room cooped up until 4:30 rolls in. Is something bothering him as well?
Going to the women's side, Mitsue began raking the leaves. Although they were separated by several feet, it did not stop Mitsue to start a conversation with the runway model. "Why did you wake up early? Is there something bothering you?" Mitsue asked.
"If something is bothering me, what will you do?" Hiroto asked back. Is he not comfortable sharing with me what is in his mind? Does he still have reservations when it comes to me? I guess our relationship is not that deep then. Honestly, I thought he would consider me as his friend by now. I must be the only one thinking about it. I am a fucking idiot to think this cold prince also sees me as such. All I am must be to him is that one barbaric person he is forced to spend time with raking the ground.
"I do not really know what I can do to help but I am willing to listen." Mitsue answered.
"I am worried about my mom. She must have gone nuts when her account was frozen by the Neo-Remnants. Whenever she has no money, she drinks to ease her mind about being broke. I wonder if she is drunkenly sleeping on the floor right now hugging a wineglass. I hope she does not catch a cold falling asleep there." Hiroto shared after letting out a sharp exhale.
"Did you forget that Sunako's team sent out financial assistance to our families? I am sure she is fine. She must be sleeping peacefully in her bed without any financial burden." Mitsue commented.
"You do not know her like I do. Once she got the cash aid, she must have bought a dozen bottles of any alcoholic beverage she can find. She does not see money as a form of help as her own. Her ego will not take it. To deny it, she will spend it on those intoxicating drinks. I never really understood the hype about those drinks. All it does is bring out the drinker's most extreme version. Losing inhibition is different from being truly free. Drunkards confuse the two with each other." Hiroto shared. Hiroto's mom does sound like a real piece of work. She does not seem to be a nice mother to him. However, despite all of this, Hiroto is still worried about her. He loves his mom so much despite her shortcomings as his parent. I would have never guessed Hiroto has a soft side like this from looking at him.
"I do not want to talk about this anymore. Let us change the subject." Hiroto shakes his head, turning to Mitsue. "You must be happy Otoha will be helping you out with Ayame." I almost forgot about that. Otoha did promise to help me figuring out Ayame's identity. We were supposed to talk about it after dinner but no one was in the mood to talk about something so trivial after the crap we went through before the meal. Does Otoha still remember she will help me?
"I am. It feels like I am not alone in doing this. I have someone who has my back. If I can be honest, it feels nice to be supported by someone. Although I am still unsure if Otoha can really help me, I am optimistic I can do something with her help. Is it wrong of me to think like that?" Mitsue shared. It might feel like I am being childish but I really like it when someone is pushing me to achieve my goal. I never had anyone do something like this for me. It feels new to me to receive this kindness.
"No. I am happy for you that you found someone willing to help you get to the bottom of this. To me, Otoha is the perfect person to help you out. She is one of the most approachable people in the group. I am sure she can guide you into making Ayame into your friend." Hiroto encouraged Mitsue.
"That is reassuring to hear. I really want things between me and Ayame to go over smoothly. I do not want to fight with them or do anything to lose faith in me. I want to do this right." Mitsue shared, nodding his head.
"Good luck with that." Hiroto remarked.
"Thank you!" Mitsue replied.
"Hearing you say all of that makes me wonder why you want to befriend Ayame so badly." Hiroto added.
"It probably has something to do with Iris…" Mitsue mumbled.
"Iris?" Hiroto asked. Oh shit! Did I think out loud? I did not mean to share that with him. It is better to clear things up before his imagination fills in the gaps.
"I used to have a pen pal named Iris back then. We used to leave letters for each other to find within the academy. We would write to each other everything about our lives. We shared our daily struggles, our small victories, corny jokes we heard from people, our petty complaints about life… We were an open book to each other." Mitsue shared.
"It sounds like you have a great friend." Hiroto commented.
"They were the only friend that I ever had and I managed to fuck things up." Mitsue shared with a heavy sigh.
"What do you mean?" Hiroto asked.
"In the end, they stopped giving me letters. I was back to being alone in my world. I had no one to talk to anymore. I did not need to wait for lunch to find a letter every day just to hear something from them. They vanished into thin air." Mitsue shared.
"You must be angry at them for leaving you on your own like that." Hiroto guessed.
"How can I be angry at them when it was my fault why they stopped talking to me." Mitsue snickered.
Hiroto stopped from raking and turned to the emergency response team leader. Resting his hands on the tip of the rake's handle, Hiroto's forehead creased from curiosity. "Your fault?" Hiroto asked, raising his left eyebrow.
"Why are you acting like you are surprised to hear that I ruined it all. You should have known by now that I am a crappy person to deal with. Honestly, I do not know how you can stand me for this long. What I did to Iris was unforgivable. I already knew they were having a hard time but I still chose to berate them over their problems in life. If I had not scolded them and just gave them the kind words he needed, maybe we would still be friends right now. And, I would have probably known by the now who they truly are." Mitsue shared.
"It sounds like you are beating up yourself too much over that." Hiroto went back to raking. "To me, it seems like there was some sort of miscommunication between the two of you. If that is the case, both of you should carry the blame, not only you. You must have done everything you can to mend your relationship with them. That should be enough to clean your conscience. Forgive yourself already."
"I wish it was that easy to do." Mitsue commented. If Iris only knew the days I went crazy searching for their letter in the academy… If they only knew how sorry I am for all that I said… If they only knew how much I want to take back all of the harsh words I shared with them… If they only knew how sorry I am, maybe that is the only time I can forgive myself for being a dickhead to my only friend.
After that, the two men continued doing their task in silence. Mitsue was on the women's side while Hiroto was on the men's side. Neither of the two took a break in clearing the area of dead leaves. Although they continuously stayed on their feet for a long period, no one made petty complaints about feeling fatigued or having their feet ache in pain. All they cared about was to rake in peace. For Mitsue, it was all an attempt to clear his mind of the mess from yesterday. The motion of pulling leaves with a rake and the idea that Hiroto was near him was enough for him to find the peace he wanted at the start of his day.
The two men diligently worked on their jobs without noticing time passing by them. The jet-black sky grew into a vast light blue welkin signifying the coming of the day. The radiance of the moon slowly dissipated as the warm glow of the sun gradually peeked through the horizon. The hundreds of twinkling stars disappeared with the big puffy cumulus clouds. Instead, the sky was enveloped with dozens of cirrus clouds making it look like giant feathers were gracefully floating by the blue yonder, looking for the perfect place to land on. The slumbering island has woken up to greet the sunshine and, soon, its inhabitants did as well.
"Good morning campers! It is time to wake up! Get your butts off of your beds and do something productive today! Put all of your energy into a singular goal. May I suggest your goal be killing one of your fellow campers? Hahahahaha!" Monokuma shouted through the intercoms. With one blast of the morning announcement, the day for the campers has finally begun. Hearing that obnoxious voice is a great way to ruin my mood. I fucking hate that bear.
Hearing the morning announcement, Mitsue paused and looked around him. It looks like I am done for today. I have cleared the women's cabin of dead leaves. Hope the wind does not scatter the pile of leaves. I will feel like shit if crap like that happens. Then, the emergency response team leader glanced at the runway model's work. It looks like he is done with his side as well. Staring at Hiroto, Mitsue noticed his heavy breathing and the sweat on the model's forehead dripping down his face.
After days of seeing him do this task, again and again, I have never seen him sweat like this. Did he overwork himself? After all, two hours of doing nothing but raking a wide area is exhausting. He should take some rest. Concerned, Mitsue made his way to the model who had their back towards the emergency response team leader. After several steps, Mitsue stopped. There is definitely something wrong. I could tell it from his stance. He is usually relaxed in whatever he was doing. He is not like that today. It feels as if I could hear him cursing at someone right now.
Slowly, Mitsue reached out his hand. After a few seconds of stalling, he proceeded to gently tap on Hiroto's shoulder. Instantly, Hiroto flinched away from Mitsue. In a snap, the runway model turned around with a worried look on his face. Something is bothering him.
"Are you okay? Are you still worried about your mom?" Mitsue asked.
"It is not that. I am fine. There is nothing to worry about." Hiroto answered with his face change into his usually stoic face. It is not his mom who is making him worry, then what is?
"Are you sure?" Mitsue asked again, tilting his head.
"You do not need to worry about me." Hiroto answered, walking away from Mitsue. The runway model went straight to his cabin with his rake leaving Mitsue standing alone in front of Naoki's cabin. He does not want to share whatever is messing with him. That is okay with me. After all, he does not see me as a friend. All I can do is wait for him to be comfortable enough to share his burden with me. I hope it does not take him too long until it is too late for him to do anything about it.
"I stood here for too long." Mitsue whispered to himself, shaking his head. I should head inside and take a shower. I do not want to greet anyone looking like I dunked myself in oil. The emergency response team leader went back to his cabin. Putting his rake beside his cabin door, he went inside and headed straight to the bathroom. Immediately, he took a shower. Afterward, he dressed up and went to his door. Everyone is in a shitty mood right now. I should try not to add to that. After a few seconds, Mitsue finally went outside.
Once he took his last step off of his patio, Mitsue quickly made his way to the dining hall on his own. During his peaceful stroll, he saw a familiar figure walking in front of him. With his back slouched, Connor was walking at a sluggish pace towards the same destination Mitsue was headed to. It is great to see Connor will join us again for a meal. Yesterday, he did not join any of the group meals. He completely isolated himself from everyone. Ever since the second trial, he has not been acting the way he used to. This is not the Connor we know. Even seeing him walk right now, I can tell his body is on autopilot while his mind is running elsewhere. Let me check up on that poor guy.
Mitsue ran up to the saxophonist. Once he was beside him, he gave Connor a soft pat on the shoulder. "Good morning! Headed for breakfast?" Mitsue asked, pausing to match Connor's snail-like pace.
Hearing Mitsue's voice, Connor quickly turned to Mitsue. "Oh! Ah… Hello… Sure, yeah dude! I… I am going for breakfast!" Connor greeted Mitsue as his face was completely covered with unsureness. Is he okay? It seems like he is unsure of where he is going. Does he know he is outside of his room right now? I need to get to the bottom of this. I cannot let this great guy deteriorate. We need his normal energy. It might help the team's morale.
"I am also going to the dining hall. Can I join you?" Mitsue asked.
"Of course dude! Why do you need to ask?" Connor answered, nodding his head.
"That is great to hear." Mitsue remarked.
The two men took a few steps forward. Instantly, both of them could feel the awkwardness in the air. Neither of them was talking nor looking at each other. Shit! Do I have to say something? What should I ask him about? Is there something we can talk about comfortably? Thinking about it, I do not really know much about Connor. Although I have been around him a lot, I still do not know much about him other than being the chill "bro" that he is. I do not know what might set him off. It is better to shut my mouth than accidentally open up a sensitive subject.
Out of nowhere, Connor giggled. Why is he laughing? Did I do something funny? "I am sorry for suddenly laughing. Your face screams 'I want to say something but I do not know what to talk about.' It was hilarious to look at."
"Is that so? I am sorry for that." Mitsue shook his head in embarrassment.
"It is alright, dude. It is kind of my fault why you were like that." Connor shared, patting Mitsue on the shoulder.
"Your fault? You did not do anything wrong." Mitsue remarked, creasing his forehead.
"I did not do anything specifically but my sucky mood must have caused the awkwardness. I could not even bring myself to look at you. That is how absorbed I am in my negative thoughts." Connor explained.
"Do not worry too much. I understand why you are like this. After going through the mess of Naoki's murder case trial then followed by yesterday's depressing news, anyone would be in the dumps like you right now. Actually, I am surprised to see you outside. I honestly thought you were going to lock up inside your cabin again." Mitsue added.
"That trial really put me in a bad place. I feel like what Kaya told me is on a loop in my head. It sucks." Connor shared.
"What are you talking about?" Mitsue asked.
"You know… I am talking about how Kaya thanked me for coming up with the idea of having a party. It feels like I am the reason that everything became a mess. If I had not suggested it, maybe no one would have died." Connor shared.
"You know Kaya was only saying that to pass some of the guilt on others. Those words should not mean to you. They are nothing. Those are just empty words from a desperate criminal." Mitsue reassured Connor.
"I know that. Everything was Kaya's fault but it just reminds me of my brother. I really hate it whenever I remember my brother screaming at me that I mess things up. It makes me feel nothing compared to him." Connor shared, sighing heavily. Connor's brother? What did his brother do to him?
"It sounds like you do not have the most brotherly relationship." Mitsue remarked.
"He hates me." Connor bluntly shared.
"That cannot be true. How can anyone hate you? You are a great guy. Everyone on this island likes you." Mitsue asked.
"Everything I do will never please my older brother, Aiden. I figured this out when I received my title. He was infuriated to know someone as lowly as I became an ultimate just like him. It still blows his mind to this day." Connor shared.
"Your brother is an ultimate too?" Mitsue asked.
"He is the ultimate conductor." Connor shared, turning to Mitsue with a weak smile. "When I became the ultimate saxophonist, I became a part of his orchestra. I knew he is a terrifying conductor to play for. I heard how much he mistreated his staff which is why I was scared of being a part of his orchestra. When I joined, the mistreatment of his staff stopped. People thought it was because I was there which made him an admirable brother. Unknown to anyone, I was punished for everyone's mistakes backstage. He did everything to torment me because he believes that I am messing with the orchestra. I cannot stand it. It made me feel small. I know I am not a mess but it is hard to think like that when someone has yelled it to you several times."
I fucking hate his brother. How can his brother hurt him so much? Just because he is older than Connor does not give him the right to treat him like shit. If his orchestra has messed up before his brother became a part of it, what made him think it was all Connor's fault? If anything, it is his fault since he is the one in charge of his orchestra. His brother is lucky that I am not his younger brother. If not, I would have bashed his head against the wall a long time ago. Hearing all of this is making me see red.
"Does your parents know about this?" Mitsue asked.
"Yes, they do but there is nothing they can do about it. After all, to my mom, Aiden is the golden child while I am just her second child." Connor shared with his eyes drifting to the side. Another crappy mom…
"What about your father?" Mitsue asked.
"My dad was the only one who felt like a family to me. However, there is not much he can do." Connor answered, shaking his head.
"Connor, you are not a fuck up." Mitsue commented, putting his hand on the saxophonist's shoulder. "You have to stop believing your fucking asshole of a brother. Do not listen to his crappy words. Just like Kaya's words, they mean nothing. Everything that they have said to you is a desperate attempt to drag you down. Your brother is insecure about you. If he has to put you down to feel superior, that shows how little faith he has in his talent. He has to compare himself to other people to feel assured about his abilities. People like them are nothing to be fucking scared of. They are not the kind of people who should be stuck in our minds. Let that dickhead die of anger when he sees you succeed as an ultimate. We should never pay attention to bastards like him."
"I have never heard anyone call my brother a dickhead." Connor laughed.
"He is! How can anyone be that unreasonably cruel to their younger brother?" Mitsue remarked, rolling his eyes.
"Thank you for that. I needed to hear that." Connor thanked, smiling at Mitsue.
"If you ever feel like crap again, you can always ask for my help. I will be listening to your problems. And, if you feel lonely, you can always ask the boys to hang out with you again. I am sure you would love that. And, if anyone, and by anyone I mean Hiroto, does not want to join you in something, just tell me and I will make that guy sit through with whatever you plan to do." Mitsue shared.
"Thank you so much! I will always keep that in mind. Although, I do not think there is any need to force Hiroto to join. But, it will surely be amazing to see you force that guy to join in group activities. I am so lucky to have you, Kaito, and Hiroto as my buddies. You are the best bros I can ever ask for." Connor smiled at Mitsue. It is good to see him smile like this. I hope that smile stays on his face throughout the day. It is better to see him like this.
The two men continued their lovely harmonious stroll under the rising sun with the cool breeze brushing their skin. After a few more minutes of dawdling their way to the hall, the pair finally made it. Mitsue opened the door for the saxophonist. After Connor walked into the building, Mitsue soon followed. As soon as he stepped inside, Mitsue saw the faces of the people inside. At their usual spot, Hiroto, Kaoru, Mizuki, Otoha, and Yo were gathered together. Look how at how miserable they all are.
Mizuki did not exude the usual angelic aura she had. With her head bowed down and her mouth pouting, the televangelist was silently seated in between Otoha and Kaoru. To Mizuki's right was Otoha. Although she was donning her usual sweet sisterly smile, it was apparent the dollmaker was not in her usual upbeat mood. She kept looking left and right as if she was looking for someone to get her out of there. On the other hand, Kaoru was not hiding his uneasiness. The aromatherapist was looking at Mizuki with worry painted all over his face. On the other side of the table were Hiroto and Yo. As usual, Hiroto was stoically looking at everyone. His cold stare was the epitome of the group's discomfiture. However, unlike the rest of the group, there is one whose mood seemed to be perfectly normal.
Leaning onto the table with her facing Otoha, Yo was waving her hand at the dollmaker. "Otoha, your lobster and the spaghetti ugly and oily last night were so delish! It was a shame not everyone got to taste your amazing creation!" Yo shouted as she turned to the two people beside Otoha. "You should cook it for everyone again! Thinking about it makes me salivate like a pitbull! I want to eat another plate of it right now!"
"Thank you, Yo! By the way, it is 'aglio e olio' not 'ugly and oily'." Otoha shared, giggling.
"Oh, is that it? I do not know those kinds of food but I do know that I like putting them in my mouth!" Yo shared as she laughed heartily. It is good to see not everyone is suffering. But, it makes me wonder what will be this woman's breaking point. It does not seem like there is anything that can bring her down. Yesterday we received the worst news ever and she can still laugh like her normal self. Is she terminally delightful or a great actress to pull off a happy face while aching internally. If she is hurting, I hope she asks for help though. It is hard to pretend to be okay all the time. It is not a fun job to do. It is more tiring to force smile than to let out everything and cry, literally. We use more muscles to smile than to cry.
After a few seconds of looking at the table, Mitsue and Connor went straight to the group. Immediately, they were spotted by the fan club president.
"Good morning Mitsue and Connor! The morning today was nice, don't you think so too?" Yo greeted the two as she energetically waved her hand in the air. Once the two men were in front of the group. Yo went out of her seat and sat next to Otoha instead.
"Mitsue, you can sit beside Hiroto." Yo pointed at the seat she vacated, winking at the emergency response team leader. She really thinks we are an item. This girl has one heck of an imagination.
"Thanks…" Mitsue monotonously remarked, sitting beside Mitsue.
Following Mitsue was Connor who sat beside him. Once the two were seated, Yo asked, "How was your sleep last night? Mine was amazing because I had Otoha's spaghetti something!"
"Did not sleep much." Mitsue shared.
"Really? What kept you up? There is no need to be shy! You can always tell me if you have a problem." Yo replied, tilting her head as she stared at Mitsue.
"It is nothing to worry about." Mitsue simply shrugged it off.
"You say it is nothing but it makes you sleep irregularly. It does not sound nothing to me…" Yo commented, turning to Connor. "How about you, Connor? How did your night go last night?" Yo asked.
"It was nothing out of the ordinary." Connor shared, unsure of what to say.
"Ooooh! It sounds like you had a wonderful sleep! Good for you!" Yo commented.
Connor simply stayed in silence. Can someone change the subject? This is making me uncomfortable and I can see it in Connor's face that he is too. I do not really want to sit here and listen to Yo talk about everyone's sleep. Everyone is not in the mood. Even Mizuki is simply pouting in her seat. The only one who seems interested in talking is Yo. I like her positive mental attitude but sometimes you just have to let people stay sullen. There are things a nice chat cannot fix and sadly this is one of them.
"Otoha, do you have any idea for breakfast?" Mitsue asked.
"I was thinking a simple quiche with pancetta, mushroom, and cheese will do and maybe a pitcher of orange juice. Does that sound good enough for everyone?" Otoha asked the group. It is easy enough to cook and is fitting for a breakfast. I think it is a great choice especially when you are not in the mood to cook. All you have to do is wait patiently for it to cook in the oven.
"That sounds like a great plan." Mitsue nodded to Otoha.
"I think I should get started. Some of you might be getting hungry already. And, others might come as well. We do not want them to come in here without food yet on the table." Otoha shared, weakly smiling at everyone. Gently, Otoha stood up from her seat preparing to leave.
Suddenly, Yo stood up from her seat as well. "Let me help you! I promise you I know my way in the kitchen. There is no need to worry about me slicing my finger off from using the mandolin. I will follow your directions as if my life depended on it. So, what do you say? Will you pick me as your assistant this time?" Yo offered, leaning towards the dollmaker.
"Sure." Otoha nodded before going to the kitchen. I did not think she would quickly agree to that. She must not have the will nor the strength to say no to Yo anymore. If I was in her position, I would have just probably nodded to Yo and moved on with my life disregarding her existence for most of the time.
"Wait for me!" Yo ran towards the kitchen as she rushed to follow Otoha leaving the hall with no one to fill the space with their cheerful demeanor. The remaining camper in the hall stayed silent as they waited for the two ladies to come out of the kitchen with their breakfast. Kaoru was still worried about Mizuki while the televangelist rested her head on the table to take a quick nap. Connor soon followed. Hiroto was completely indifferent about everyone. His eyes landed on random objects in the room but they were never fixated on anyone. Just like Hiroto, Mitsue looked around him, specifically the faces of everyone who were deep in sadness.
After minutes have passed, Otoha and Yo finally went out of the kitchen with everyone's breakfast. The duo carried three pans of quiche and a pitcher of orange juice with them. "Here is everyone's food! I hope you will feel the love we have put into it." Yo shared as she put down the last pan of quiche on top of the table. After doing so, the ladies gave everyone their plates and utensils. Once everyone had their plates, Otoha invited everyone to eat.
"Let's all dig in." Otoha uttered, pointing at the food in front of them.
Although the aroma was enticing, no one was enthusiastic to eat. Unlike before, it was not like there was a race to the serving spoon for the dishes. It was only Yo who seemed excited about eating. "I cannot wait to dig in! If no one is rushing to get the first slice, then I will!" Yo exclaimed, grabbing the knife for the quiche. Quickly, she grabbed a slice while everyone only looked at her even though there were other knives and serving spoons to use. Once she had a slice, she drove her fork into her slice. Before she took a bite, she looked at everyone who was still only looking at the food in front of them.
"Everyone, we should all eat!" Yo stated, putting down her bite.
Suddenly, the fan club president stood up and grabbed another slice of quiche. Unexpectedly, she put it on Otoha's plate. "Here is your slice!" Afterward, she put a slice onto everyone's plate. Seeing that everyone had their share, Yo sat down. Grabbing her fork with quiche on it from her supposedly first bit, she looked at everyone again.
"Now that all of you have your quiche on your plate, you do not have any more reason not to eat! Eat up, everyone!" Yo told everyone before taking her first bite. "Delicioso!" Yo shouted, doing a chef's kiss.
A few seconds have passed and everyone began eating as they would normally do. However, unlike what they would usually do, it was taking them longer to finish their portions. No one was rushing through their food. It did not seem as if anyone wanted a second helping except for Yo. The quiche is amazing but I am not in the mood to eat. Honestly, I am not in the mood to do anything. If possible, I want to just lie in my bed right now. However, knowing I hated how silent it was in my room earlier, I do not think I want to be stuck in there on my own. I am confused about what to do or where to go next after this.
The group continued with their meal in silence. As expected, Yo was the first one to finish her meal, showing off to everyone her empty plate. "I am all done! I wonder who will be next! I cannot believe how slow everyone is eating. The food is delicious. It should have awakened your appetite by now." Yo remarked. Then, the fan club president grabbed the pitcher of orange juice and poured herself one. "Now, it is time for me to gulp down this bright orange juice!"
After having a sip of the juice, Yo took the pitcher and poured everyone a glass. "It is a great juice. All of you should have a sip after eating your quiche!" Yo shared, pouring a glass for Otoha. No matter what Yo did or say, no one had the energy to match hers. All they could do was focus on their meal as they try to fight the haunting thoughts in their minds. The silence prevailed through the hall when the doors suddenly opened.
The doors swung open creating a loud thud against the walls echoing through the hall. With the entryway open wide, the warm light of the sun peeked through and shone on the path towards the group who were sullenly eating their breakfast. Outside the hall was the man behind the loud crash catching everyone's attention. Waving his hand at everyone, Kai, the ultimate drama writer, was smugly smiling at the group. "Good morning everyone!" Kai greeted the group. With his left hand in his pocket and his right hand freely dangling, the drama writer walked towards the group.
As soon as he stood in front of everyone, Kai immediately noticed the downcast mood in the room. Observing this, Kai took a step back and looked at everyone once more. With a creased forehead and sly smile, the drama writer sat beside Connor. Once he was seated, he went on to greet everyone again.
"Hello everyone! It looks like most of you woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Why is everyone pouting? Did all of you had terrible nightmares? What haunted you in your dreams to be this despondent this early in the day?" Kai asked the group, tilting his head towards the group.
"Good morning Kai! Did you have an amazing sleep last night?" Yo asked, handing the drama writer his plate and utensils.
"It was splendid. I had the most peaceful sleep I have had for a long time. If Monokuma had not shouted through his speaker, I would still be sleeping sound like a baby on my bed. The soft pillow, warm blanket, plush bed, and cool air wanted me to stay longer. Right now, if those objects were given the ability to talk, I can hear them screaming my name asking me to use them for a little longer. But alas, I have to get up and begin with my day of nothing but amusement." Kai shared. If you really think your room wants you there, then just stay locked inside. Nobody wants you out here. We will be better off if we had a day when you are completely shut in your cabin.
"That is great to hear! I am so happy someone had a decent sleep last night! Anyway, enough talk about last night. We should focus on the present and what is about to hit us for the day. With your tummy filled, you can conquer anything so I suggest you eat the quiche Otoha and I prepared. After that, drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. It was a workout to squeeze out all of the juices from those oranges." Yo shared.
"You cooked this?" Kai asked, pointing at the quiche. "I would have never thought something as beautifully presented as this dish is made by you."
"Yes! Does it not look fantastic?" Yo cheered.
"It is! Whenever I think of you cooking something, I always imagined there will always be a fire in the end. It is surprising to see the kitchen has not been reduced to ashes after you used it one time. Congratulations on achieving a safe cook!" Kai commented.
"It might not seem like it but I am very handy in the kitchen. My knife skills are to die for. I even know how to julienne and chiffonade! And, my palate is exquisite! Sometimes, I feel like I have the tongue of a god! Whenever I am cooking, I always think I am making a feast for the most amazing people on the planet." Yo shared.
"Sure sure… Let us see if you really are as good as you say you are in cooking." Kai stated, scooping a bit of the quiche with his fork. Once he took a bite, Kai stared at the fan club president as he agonizingly slowly chewed his food. With every chew, the drama writer made a new facial expression teasing Yo. Anticipating Kai's final verdict, Yo leaned towards the drama writer. After a few more seconds, Kai finally gulped down his bite. Then, he took a sip of the juice.
"What did you think? Is it not oh so yummy? I told you I have the golden touch!" Yo asked.
"It was… not bad. You surprised me that it is edible. Good job for making a decent meal. Not everyone can cook something anyone can make them say 'Oh, I guess that will have to do for my breakfast.'" Kai shared, giggling as he pointed at his plate of food. And there he goes with his teasing again. It has officially started. His quest to find a drama has commenced. When will Kai ever get tired of causing shit?
"Excuse me but the quiche was tasty!" Yo defended her food.
"Otoha, what did Yo do for this dish?" Kai asked.
"Oh, she chopped up the herbs and mushrooms for the quiche. If it is not up to your taste, it is probably my fault since I was the one who seasoned it." Otoha answered, placing her hand on Yo's shoulder.
"You usually cooked better food than this. You must have been distracted by Yo, weren't you?" Kai asked.
"She did not distract me. She was a great help. If I were distracted, it would not be because of her. It is probably due to everything that has happened so far so do not blame her for the subpar food." Otoha answered, forcing a smile on her face. Otoha, your food is amazing. Do not let this bastard get into your head. This dickhead does not know what he is talking about. All he wants is to cause a fight or something that would give him the rush of the drama he loves so much.
"You are too kind for not putting her under the bus. If I were you, I would have let Yo take the fall if someone was complaining about my food." Kai mumbled as he took another piece of the quiche.
"Can you just eat silently? Your opinion is shit! All you are doing is adding to the dampened mood of the group already. Can you not see everyone is not in the mood to put up with your shit. Just eat your goddamn food while everyone tries to enjoy theirs. Stop being such a dickhead. Everyone thinks the food is great. It is just that no one has the energy to pretend they are in the mood to eat when everything about their life is falling apart. You are just trying to fuck with anyone you can. It is so fucking annoying." Mitsue shouted, pointing at Kai.
"You say the food is great but no one here has even touched the food that much. How can I believe your words when you do not have proof to back up your statement? If I think the food is mediocre, you cannot do anything to change my mind. Although that is how I feel about this food, it does not mean I will not appreciate it. Food is still food." Kai shared, taking another small bite of the quiche afterward. If you are going to eat it, just shut up already. There is no need to be nasty about it. Keep that shit to yourself.
The group continued with their meal. With Kai making the room gloomier, everyone ate at a slower pace. Most of them looked like they were forcing themselves to take a bite and swallow their food. The ones who were slowly losing appetite earlier had completely lost theirs from listening to Kai. Some opted to simply drink their juice in between bites just to make themselves finish their plate. However, for some, the one serving Yo gave them was too much to handle. Putting down her utensils and then pushing the plate away from her, Mizuki shook her head in defeat.
"I cannot eat anymore. It is too much for me." Mizuki shared.
"Are you sure my leader? You need a full stomach to push through the day. You might faint in the middle of the day because you lack energy. Can you not take another bite?" Kaoru worriedly asked, pausing his meal for a second.
"I am sorry but this is too much for me." Mizuki answered. Then, she turned to Otoha and Yo. "I am so sorry ladies for not finishing the meal you cooked for me. This means in no way that I did not like your cooking. I am just not in the mood to eat right now. I will try to eat everything the next time you prepare something for me. I promise!" Mizuki remarked.
"It is alright. I totally understand." Otoha patted Mizuki on the shoulder.
"It is no biggie! I hope the few bites that you had were enough to at least uplift you even for a second!" Yo added, giving her two thumbs-up.
"I am really sorry." Mizuki reiterated.
Out of nowhere, the drama writer began to snicker as he takes another bite of his quiche. His obnoxious laugh quickly drew the attention of everyone. After swallowing, he drank from his glass as he looked at everyone whose eyes were on him. Raising his eyebrow, he smiled at the group before taking another bite. What is this lunatic thinking again? There is nothing to laugh about. Kai, just shut up. Do not say a word. Keep that fucking crappy thought to yourself. The hall fell silent after Kai stopped with his sinister laugh.
"Why were you laughing?" Kaoru asked. Oh my fucking god! Why did you have to ask him that question? No one is saying anything about it because no one cares to listen to another crap this man has to share. Did you not learn from anything last night? Stop asking him because nothing good comes out of his mouth. If you are curious, kill that curiosity!
"Are you sure you want to know the reason?" Kai asked, tilting his head as he smugly stared at the aromatherapist. Just say no! Do not humor the fucking bastard!
"Yes." Kaoru simply answered. You are stupid! What the fuck! Of course, he said yes. He does not have a brain to use. Mitsue rolled his eyes as he readied himself for another showdown. Let me take another bite before another fight ensues.
"It just amazes me that Mizuki is willing to waste food that was prepared for her. Even if I were not in the mood to eat, the least I can do is finish my plate. Thinking about it, it is kind of rude to not eat everything. It is like telling the ones who cooked that I cannot be bothered to eat the meal you have prepared for me and I do not really care about you or your feelings. If I was the one who cooked it, I would feel like I was slapped in the face." Kai explained.
"Mizuki did not waste her food! She ate some of it!" Kaoru quickly defended Mizuki. Here we go again!
"Moron, her leftovers are waste. No one is going to eat them anymore because someone has touched them. If no one is eating it, it will become a waste of time for the cooks to have prepared that serving. It is also a waste of the ingredients that were used for that particular dish. And here I thought someone like her with a belief system like hers will not like to waste food." Kai shared, grinning playfully at Kaoru.
"Who said her quiche is going to be a waste?" Kaoru asked. Suddenly, the aromatherapist grabbed Mizuki's plate. "I am going to eat it. Therefore, she will not be wasting food." Kaoru began eating Mizuki's leftovers.
"You are willing to go this far for your leader. I wonder what will be your limit. What will make you stop idolizing your leader? Is there even a limit? Are you truly willing to be blinded by the person's role? As long as they are your leader, you will do everything for them. This honestly scares me of whatever you can do for them…" Kai mumbled, raising his eyebrows in disgust.
"I do not care whatever people say. As long as it is for my leader, I will do it because it will be the best for everyone. A happy leader means a happy group!" Kaoru shared, taking another bite of the quiche afterward. That is twisted. Where did he learn that? A leader's happiness should never come first. The happiness of both the leader and the group should be equally prioritized. A leader is useless if the group does not want to listen to them while a group is lost if the leader is crap.
"Tell me something. What do you even like about Mizuki as a leader? What sets her apart from the rest of us that makes her a leader that is worth worshipping? Entertain me with your answer." Kai asked, pointing at Mizuki.
"That is easy! Mizuki is kind to everyone. She is sweet which makes her an approachable leader who is willing to listen to everyone. Also, she knows her boundaries and does not go overboard. Her principles in life are the principles we need to follow. And, she is trustworthy. She will tell you the truth without being harsh. She is a considerate leader. Those are the reasons why Mizuki is the best! I hope that is clear enough for you to see that Mizuki is the leader we all need!" Kaoru explained.
After hearing Kaoru's explanation, Kai stared at the aromatherapist. With his eyebrows furrowed and his hand on his chin, the drama writer looked intently at Kaoru's eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Kai finally shared his thoughts. "I am still unconvinced. All I heard were generic adjectives to describe most of the people in this room. Is that really all you have to tell me why I should consider Mizuki as my leader? How disappointing is that."
"How dare you say something like that! You should not underestimate those qualities! It may be simple but it truly separates leaders from followers. If I were you, I would heavily consider all of those things in picking your leader." Kaoru shared.
"Honestly, was anyone here convinced with that reason?" Kai asked. Suddenly, the drama writer turned to the saxophonist. "Connor, tell me what did you think about all of that?"
Everyone's eyes were now on Connor. Glancing from left to right, Connor prepared to speak. "Not really but I think Mizuki can be a great leader…" Connor shared.
"The keyword there is can. That means you still do not think Mizuki is a great leader. If you did, you would not have said it in the way you have said it." Kai pointed out. "This is only proving my point. Mizuki is not fit to be a leader for this group right now."
"Shut up Kai! You do not even know what you are looking for in a leader. All you do is bash them for drama. You are no help at all." Kaoru shouted at the drama writer.
"Actually, I know what I am looking for in a leader and I must say that my standards are higher than your superficial description of Mizuki. Truthfully speaking, I am getting tired of this bickering about Mizuki being the leader of the group. I believe I have made my point by now. Looking back at how Mizuki was appointed as the leader, she was not picked by the group to be a leader. She did not volunteer either. Her role was handed down to her by Naoki, who is dead. Should we not consider that fact?" Kai reminded everyone. That is true. We never picked her as the leader. She only became one because Naoki wanted her to be his moral compass. Now that Naoki is gone, there is no need for her to stay in power. The one who wanted her is gone.
"What are you trying to say?" Mitsue asked.
"Hear me out. To settle this once and for all, why do we not hold a good and honest election? Mizuki can be one of the candidates if she still wishes to be the leader. This way, no one can say anything about who is in power. And, the candidates can also tell us what they plan to do for the group if they are ever put in power. This will shut up anyone complaining about who is in power. Also, everyone gets to decide who gets the role. It will not be self-appointed or only one person will have the choice. What does everyone say?" Kai asked everyone. It does seem like a great idea. I think we should do this.
"Let's do it." Mitsue agreed with the idea.
"How about you, Kaoru? Any qualms?" Kai asked.
"If this will be the only way for you to stop complaining about Mizuki, I am okay with it." Kaoru answered.
"That is great! Let us hold the election in the art and crafts cabin two days from now. Is that okay with all of you?" Kai suggested.
"Sure!" Kaoru answered.
"Great! It is a go then for the election." Kai shouted.
"Wait, who is going up against Mizuki though?" Mitsue asked.
"That is easy! I only have one person in mind." Kai answered. Then, the drama writer turned to someone. Pointing at this person, Kai continued. "I nominate Yo as our leader."
"Me? Why me?" Yo asked pointing at herself. Yo? Out of everyone, why choose her?
"It does seem weird to choose her but, if you think about it, it makes sense. Based on the preparation for the party days ago, she is hands-on with everything. She helped out everyone that needed help. She did not hesitate to approach anyone to lend a hand. Also, she is constantly optimistic. I do not like a leader who always seems tired of having to deal with problems. Optimistic leaders are infectious. Plus, she knows when to put her foot down or take a step back depending on the situation. And, she has experience as a leader. Her talent is literally about being a president. I think these reasons qualify my nomination of Yo." Kai clarified.
"Are you up for it?" Mitsue asked Yo.
"Well… Being a leader is a tough choice to make but if someone believes I can do it, the least I can do is acknowledge it by going through with the nomination. I will gladly run for the position of group's leader." Yo agreed.
"Splendid! Is there anyone else who wants to run? Is it only Mizuki and Yo who are interested?" Kai asked the group but no one replied. "If that is the case, we have our two nominees. We have Mizuki and Yo. I am excited to see how this will turn out!" Mizuki versus Yo… I never thought I would see them duke it out for that position. This will be an interesting election. It is either the docile Mizuki or the rambunctious Yo.
"If you ever elect me, I will do my best to serve you all!" Yo shouted.
Kai continued with his meal and quickly finished it. After doing so, he stood up and said his goodbyes. "Nice chatting with everyone but I have to go. I cannot wait for Yo to overthrow Mizuki. Hahahaha!" After saying his piece, he went out of the hall leaving the spacious area free of his dramatic banters and desperate begs for a fight to happen.
The seven campers remained in the hall as they ate their meal silently except for Yo who was done with hers. I wonder who will win this election. I may be uncertain about who will come out victorious in this election. However, I do know that I have no clue who I will vote for.
That is it for this update! I hope you enjoyed reading this!
For this update, we had an FTE with Connor again! What do you think of his backstory? What do you think of the election? If you were one of the campers, who will you vote for? Do you think an election for the leader will help the group? Tell me your thoughts through the comments.
If you want to talk about this story and other fun stuff, you can always join the discord server for this story. The invite is on my profile.
Anyway, that is it for now!
I hope you enjoyed it!
Good luck and stay safe!