Beta Read by Lupus Overkill


Shizu looks up from her breakfast to see Takumi immediately rush past her into the kitchen. Clearly, he's still feeling incredibly paranoid, as his movements are stiff despite their quickness. Still, he didn't rush back outside when he saw that she was in here. Perhaps he feels some manner of comfort around her. Either that or he doesn't view her as a threat.

She's suddenly filled with some kind of determination, and she's not exactly sure why. Swallowing the last of her breakfast, she collects her cutlery and quickly enters the kitchen as well. Takumi is currently hunched over by the fridge, so she deposits everything she's carrying into the dishwasher and leans on the counter, staring down at him.

It takes him a moment to realize that she's there, but, when he does, he flinches and slams the fridge shut instantly. "Gah! What are you doing?!" he shouts.

"I wanted to talk to you," she calmly replies. Eyeing his empty hands, she raises an eyebrow. "Did you already choose your breakfast, or did you forget to grab something before you panicked?"

Underneath his bag, his eyes widen. "I… shut up," he grumbles, slowly opening the refrigerator again to pull out a carton of milk. "Look, I'm not in the mood, so just get this talking thing over with already."

Shizu waits for him to move away slightly before she responds, in case of another startle. She needs to learn more about him, but she can't exactly keep asking about his feelings directly. A roundabout method may work better. "I was curious about your talent."

He trembles slightly at that. "What about it?"

"Why are you the Ultimate Cover Artist?" she asks.

"W-what kind of question is that?!" Takumi shouts, whirling around to face her in a single motion. "You really think my voice is that bad that I can't be a cover artist?!"

Shaking her head, she responds, "That's not even close to what I was implying. I just have a bit of a hard time imaging you as someone who would want to cover songs in the first place."

He crosses his arms. "Great… Now, I'm apparently not allowed to like music at all either. Guess what? I need to pass the time somehow when I'm alone in my room!"

Shizu can feel a headache coming on. Takumi is certainly good at twisting things to take the worst possible interpretation, she'll give him that. Suppressing a groan, she says, "Again, that is not what I meant. Many people enjoy music, but most people do not then go on to make their own music, be it covers or original. I was wondering why someone such as yourself would get famous for an activity such as that, especially when you seem to not enjoy attention."

This actually seems to quell his anger, believe it or not. He freezes in place before turning back around to pour milk into his cereal. "…Ugh, fine. Look, I've always been musically inclined. Even back during my early school days, I was in choir and stuff. I was always humming tunes whenever I got the chance. It's only natural that I'd pick it up. Nothing strange about it."

"That certainly explains one part of my question, but I would like a little more clarification, if that is fine," Shizu presses.

"I was getting to that part," he complains, raising his hands up in the air. Luckily, he wasn't holding anyone, or food might have gone flying. "I never wanted to get famous or anything. I only posted some of my stuff online. I never meant for it to start getting popular at all, let alone be arrogant enough to think that anyone else would enjoy it. It was just… just a thing." He trails off near the end of his sentence, perhaps lost in memories.

She nods along to his explanation. "I see. Online trends are certainly hard to predict. However, I am still curious why you decided to become an Ultimate. Surely you knew that the spotlight would be pressed even further onto you once you accepted."

He scoffs. "Yeah, don't I know it? That government guy was real persistent. Wouldn't leave me alone no matter how many times I declined…"

Tilting her head, she says, "Forgive me, but I can't see that stopping you."

"Of course it didn't." He almost sounds a little proud with that statement, though his mood drops again as he continues. "But bills don't care much about what I want."

She nods. "Ah, monetary issues."

"Don't act so surprised. Everyone needs to pay for things, especially someone like me. It doesn't matter that I didn't want any of the stuff that came along with the title of Ultimate other than cash. Videos weren't paying as well, and…" He pauses in his rant. "Ugh, whatever… I needed the money, and he had money. At least I got to keep doing something that I sort of cared about. End of story."

He picks up his bowl of cereal, and, before she can get another word in, quickly marches out of the kitchen. As the doors close behind him, Shizu notices that he neglected to put away the milk and the cereal box. At least some of her questions were answered, but, judging by his hasty departure, there is still more to this story than he's willing to divulge.


Conversation with Takumi Haruko (2)

- Apparently has been involved with music even from an early age

- Posted videos of his cover songs online, never expected them to gain any traction

- Why would he risk anyone seeing them, though? Could point to him originally not being quite as cowardly when first performing covers of songs

- Only accepted his Ultimate title after been pressured by money issues (seems to still be hiding something here)


There's a bit of noise coming from the infirmary. It's most likely Samia rummaging around through the cabinets, perhaps in an attempt to take inventory of everything again. Still, it's probably best to check it out just in case. Maybe she could lend a hand.

In reality, it's Kazuha who's going through the infirmary's cabinets. Currently, she's holding a small bottle, reading the label on the back. Then, she sighs, puts it back, and reaches into the cabinet for another one. She's so busy with her task that she hasn't even heard Shizu's entrance.

Shizu clears her throat. Kazuha straightens up slightly and turns around. Her face splits into a small grin. "Oh, hi Shizu! I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in. I hope you weren't waiting for a long time!"

"Believe me, I don't have the patience to wait around for something like that," Shizu clarifies.

"Oh." Kazuha adjusts her cap as her smile dips. She regains it quickly, however. "W-well, anyways, is there something you wanted in here?" She moves to the side of the cabinet, letting Shizu see the inside. Despite the fact that Kazuha's probably been here a while, it looks like everything is still organized. She must have put everything back into place.

Shaking her head, Shizu replies, "No. I simply heard some noise and came to investigate. Was there something in particular you were looking for?"

Kazuha nods, moving back into place and putting the bottle back. "Yeah, I'm looking for some stuff that helps with sleep issues."

"Are you having trouble falling asleep?" Shizu purses her lips.

"Oh, sorry, it's not for me. It's for Joshua," Kazuha explains. "He's been showing up late to pretty much all of the meetings that we have. I know he's been having trouble with sleep stuff, so I wanted to see if I could help him out somehow. So, I came in here to look for stuff to either help him fall asleep sooner or to wake up faster. So far, I've only found these sleeping pills, and I'm not sure he'd want something like that…"

Shizu blinks. It's not exactly out of character, but, still, there's something about that which she finds odd. "I see… Did he ask you to do this for him? I think that he should probably take these matters into his own hands."

"No, nothing like that," Kazuha quickly denies. "I was just talking to him, and he mentioned his sleep troubles. So, I came over here to see if I could find a solution!"

"That is nice, but I think that it might have been wise to get Samia to assist you. She knows this room much better than the rest of us," Shizu claims.

Frowning, Kazuha shakes her head. "I thought about doing that, but I didn't want to bother her with something personal like this, especially not if I could do it without her help. I mean, it's only looking over the labels and seeing if I find something that might help out. It's time consuming but nothing too awful."

"Certainly, all of this is very thoughtful of you, but there is no need to take all of this on by yourself," Shizu says, adjusting her glasses.

Kazuha seems a little surprised by this, since her eyes go wide and her head moves backwards. "Huh? Am I doing something wrong? I didn't mean to pry into Joshua's business or anything…"

Huh. That's not exactly the reaction she expected. "I wouldn't say you were doing something wrong per say," Shizu attempts to elaborate. "I'm certain that Joshua would appreciate your efforts, but I'm also certain that Samia would not have been annoyed to lend a hand if it meant helping someone else out."

At this, Kazuha blushes a little. "O-oh, right… sorry. I guess this sort of thing just comes naturally to me, y'know?"

"How so?" Shizu asks.

"Well, I've been doing stuff like this for most of my life, actually," Kazuha explains. "I had to take care of both of my younger siblings a lot of the time when our parents were busy. Not that I hated it, far from it. It wasn't even too much work, to be honest. But I have been helping them out for a long time now, and I guess it sort of made me want to always help out."

Nodding along, Shizu replies, "I see. But didn't you say that Joshua didn't ask for your help?"

"You can't always trust people to say when something's wrong, you know," Kazuha states. "My little siblings couldn't always explain what they needed or even if something was wrong. It's just something that you have to pick up on if you want people to be happy."

Shizu can definitely relate. It does make sense. After all, planning strategies is rarely straightforward. She can't just rely solely on the information that is provided to her at the start. "I suppose that life lessens like that still apply to more than just children."

"Right!" Kazuha vigorously agrees. "It's also helpful for things like zoos. Animals in captivity behave way differently from wild animals. You need to pick up on signs that something's wrong right away, and those signs aren't always the same ones that you see out in nature. Intuition and a lot of experience is the key!"

"…I hope you're not saying that we are caged animals," Shizu deadpans.

Kazuha gives a nervous chuckle. "Well, you have to admit that the metaphor's a little apt. I mean, we're totally trapped in here under completely different conditions than, say, voluntary isolation. There are different warning signs that something's wrong. But having a wide berth of experiences can help us pick up on those signs. At least, that's what I think."

"Hmm…" Shizu neither confirms nor denies this, even as Kazuha fidgets slightly in place. "Well, whatever the case, perhaps you should simply talk to Samia, at least in this case."

"Maybe…" Kazuha bites her lip. "I didn't really find anything on my own. Nothing seemed to be all that useful. Samia could have some different ideas…" Tilting her head back and forth for a while, she eventually comes to a conclusion. "Alright, I'll do it. Thanks for the chat, Shizu!"

Shizu steps to the side as Kazuha rushes past her. There's little point in hanging around here any longer, especially not when she has so much to think about.


Conversation with Kazuha Kimura (2)

- Attempted to solve Joshua's sleeping problems by finding the correct medicine, unsuccessful as of now

- Didn't think it was worth getting help from Samia over

- Used to having to look after people, noted younger siblings and animals in captivity as examples of having to help those who did not always ask for it

- Either someone who cares a lot of about people's wellbeing or someone who likes to be in control at all times


The next time that Shizu manages to catch Takumi is when he's leaving the laundry room. It makes sense that he'd have to clean his stuff eventually, though she is a little ashamed to admit that she could imagine him wallowing in his filth if it meant not interacting with people. The most bizarre thing is that it's not even that late.

He doesn't seem all that willing to talk, though, at the very least, he doesn't flinch at her approach. He tries to push past her, but she catches his arm. Immediately, he begins struggling. "H-hey!" he yells. "What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!"

"I was attempting to start a conversation, and it looked as though you were not willing to even acknowledge my presence," she responds in an even tone.

"That doesn't mean you have to manhandle me!" he complains, still shifting around wildly. "Didn't you even consider that I don't want to talk?"

She ignores the fact that her grip isn't even that tight. "Yes, I did. In fact, I had only a few seconds to consider that before I presumed that you were going to run back to your room before I could address you."

His eyes narrow under his bag, and he looks to the floor. "…Ugh, so what? That still doesn't change the fact that I'm not in the mood for talking."

"As far as I'm aware, you have never been in the mood for talking," Shizu says.

His movements start to lessen. "If you think that, then why are you harassing me this time? Can't you just leave me alone?"

She shakes her head. "We've all been trapped in the same situation together. Running off and trying to be alone doesn't change that fact. It's in my best interest to at least understand you. That's the selfish answer, at least."

Perhaps the perceived brutal honesty in her statement struck some kind of a chord, as Takumi finally calms down. He attempts to cross his arms but forgets that his right arm is still grasped. He settles for trying to look casual. "…Fine. Let's make this quick then. What do you want?"

"You mentioned posting your covers online," Shizu states, finally letting his arm go.

Takumi rubs it, as though he was actually injured. "Ugh, is that what this is about? What, did you think that you've seen some of my videos or something?"

She raises an eyebrow at that. She's never been the kind of person who wastes time flipping through videos aimlessly, especially not with her job… No, no sense thinking about that right now. "No. I was simply curious. Did you physically appear in any of your videos?"

"What? You mean like get on camera?" He slouches a little, clearly unimpressed. "What do you think the answer to that is? I thought you were supposed to be able to put two and two together."

She feels her eye twitch involuntarily. "I was just curious because of the bag on your head. I was wondering if it was part of a costume or something, but I should have known better than that."

Takumi's hands instantly fly to his bag, and he grips it tightly. His breathing begins to speed up. "Y-you… what are you t-talking about? Why do you c-care about some dumb b-bag?"

…There's a lot to unpack there. However, the direct approach will probably only cause more anxiety, and Takumi is smart enough to call her out if she tries to backpedal at this juncture. "…It's a little hard not to notice," she eventually says. "There are quite a few ways to stand out online. I didn't want to assume anything negative is all."

"S-sure… fine then, whatever." His grip doesn't loosen, but it doesn't appear that he's going to run away just yet. "Y-you're just mocking m-me."

"Getting exasperated, yes. Mocking, no." She resists the urge to pinch her forehead, choosing instead to keep her eye contact steady.

"Like I'll b-believe that…" Trembling slightly, Takumi takes a deep breath. "Y-you think I'm ugly a-and hideous, but you're n-not brave enough to s-say it to my face."

Shizu asserts, "Unless you are talking about your personality in a metaphorical sense, I guarantee that I am unable to make any judgments about your physical appearance. Not that I care much about that in the first place…" She mutters that last bit under her breath.

Mulling this over for a moment, he chooses to continue glaring downwards. "This b-bag is just b-barely better than my face. Don't try and lie to me. I c-can see right through that bullshit."

"You got bullied about your appearance when you were younger." It's not a question, but it does come off a bit harsher than she meant it to.

"F-figure that out all on your own, h-huh?" He finally drops his arms back down, though probably only so that he can cross them. "Y-yeah. Face, body, voice, personality… Y-you name it, and they h-hated it. Couldn't stand my s-singing… Couldn't stand my face… Can't blame them…" He quiets down finally, looking defeated.

Shizu chooses to spare him of any more grief for the moment. "…I'm sorry you had to go through with all of that."

"W-whatever," he mumbles.

"Thank you for your time," she continues. "I'm sorry for catching you off guard. I'll let you go now." Before he can scamper off, she adds, "…If you ever need someone to rant to, I have been told that I'm a good listener."

He chokes a little and refuses to meet her eyes. "Yeah, sure you are. You and your notepad remember everything."

Sighing, she leans onto the wall opposite him. "Regardless, the offer still stands. That's all that I wanted to talk about for now."

Takumi seems to focus mostly on the "for now" part of her sentence. Giving a shaky nod, he takes a few slow steps before bolting away again. It appears that things aren't going to get any easier in the near future. How annoying.


Conversation with Takumi Haruko (3)

- Got bullied a lot during his early years, seemingly resulting in a huge inferiority complex and paranoia

- Bag could be a response to bullying

- Bullying seems to have lasted for a good while, perhaps took a while for him to finally hide his face? Maybe some other cause for wearing it?

- Never appeared physically in his cover songs, just posted the music


As it turns out, Kazuha is the queen of surprises. Shizu had just been heading down to pick up her laundry, as it should have been dry around this time. However, when she arrived in the laundry room, Kazuha was there, actively folding her clothes for her.

"Excuse me, what exactly are you doing?" Shizu asks in what she hopes isn't too confrontational of a tone.

Kazuha looks a little surprised but smiles regardless. "Hey there, Shizu! I hope I'm not messing things up, but I came here to do my own laundry and I saw that yours was already done drying. I know that some of my stuff gets bad wrinkles if it's not sorted right away, and I didn't know how long they had been done. So, I sort of just started taking your clothes out and organizing them."

Returning the smile, Shizu says, "No, that's perfectly fine. Thank you very much. You didn't have to do that at all."

"It's no problem, really," Kazuha clarifies. "It's not like I'm busy with anything today… or any day, now that I think about it."

Shizu puts the hamper on the floor, kneels down next to her, and considers the pile. She's certain that the she wasn't too late picking up her clothing, so the amount that Kazuha has already folded is quite the achievement. Still, this is her stuff. It's only fair that she help finish what little remains. "It is a bit concerning that you have taken to entertaining yourself by doing extra laundry."

Kazuha gives a sad laugh. "Well, there's not much to do here. It's barely been more than a week, and I'm already starting to get weary in here. When the most exciting room in here is the lounge, that's not a great sign, you know?"

"Could you say that we're like a bunch of caged animals?" Shizu prods.

"Only if the cage is really bad," Kazuha claims after a few moments of thinking. "Most of the zoos that I've seen do their best to keep their animals happy and stimulated, but there are always a few that just completely mistreat them. Small living spaces, no toys, inadequate diets, no shelters to hide from visitors… it can get really bad."

"I can imagine." Shizu thinks about their own living conditions. They've got only the bare minimum necessary for modern life. Nothing in terms of entertainment has really been provided.

Nodding sadly, Kazuha continues. "Animals get really restless then. They'll start pacing around, biting on the bars of their cages, or sometimes they'll just do nothing at all. The managers of those zoos don't even care, though." Her fists start to clench. "As long as they get the animals there in the first place, that's all they care about. It's animal cruelty!"

There's fiery passion in Kazuha's eyes, but it's mixed with a sort of primal fear. Perhaps she's also picked up on the implications of what that means for their own situation. As long as Monokuma gets the desired behavior out of them, he's fine leaving them like this. That's not exactly a comforting topic at this moment, so Shizu asks a follow up question. "You are the Ultimate Zoologist, correct? Is there something you can do to stop this from happening, aside from campaigning against it?"

Kazuha sighs. "I've definitely put a some of the funding I've gotten into shutting those zoos down and relocating the animals to either better zoos or, in some cases, conservation areas, but there's lots of other things I have to spend it on, too. Conservation of endangered species is a huge priority, as is cleaning up areas that people have destroyed with pollution."

"It sounds like you rarely get to make use of the funding for personal reasons," Shizu notes.

"Oh, of course not." Kazuha shakes her head rapidly. "This is all personal stuff. It just so happens to also help out the environment a ton in the process. Besides, it's not like I spend every cent on zoology things. A lot of it gets sent back home to my family as well!"

Shizu recalls Kazuha's living situation from her previous talk. "I suppose that would help your parents out a lot. If they have more money, perhaps they could afford to work less."

Kazuha places the last of the shirt into Shizu's hamper while nodding. "They've been working so hard to support me and my siblings, so it's the least that I could for them. Now, they've finally got the time and energy to spend time together. I'm really grateful that I've been able to help out so much."

However, there's something off about this statement. Shizu scratches her chin. "The way that you're talking makes it sound like you're not spending time with them."

"Well, I've kind of gotta go around the world and help out animals globally, right?" Rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly, Kazuha says, "I'm being funded to do this stuff by the Ultimate Initiative, after all. Plus, if I don't lend a hand where it's needed, there's a chance that things won't change for the better, right?"

"I suppose not…" Sighing, Shizu picks up her hamper. "Thank you for helping me with this. Next time, however, you need not worry yourself about this. I am quite capable on my own."

Waving her off, Kazuha gives a friendly smile. "And I already told you that it's no worry at all. If there's anything I can do to help out, then I should do it. We've all got to do our best to make the world a better place. So take care of yourself!"

"I will see you later, then." With that, Shizu bids Kazuha farewell. She repeats the conversation over and over in her head as she lugs her hamper back up to her room. She doesn't want to forget any details before she has a chance to write them down.


Conversation with Kazuha Kimura (3)

- Seems grateful for the Ultimate Initiative scouting her, given all of her uses for her funds

- Spends time flying around the world helping with conservation efforts and studying

- Family is poor, so great deal of funds get sent back home

- Perhaps a little too self-sacrificial, given desire to jump in and help regardless of the situation

- Not exactly annoying behavior but could become concerning


It might just be her ears tricking her, but Kazuha swears that she hears something coming from the lounge. It's faint, unlike the conversation she might be expecting to hear. Glancing at the clock, she realizes that… hang on… it's a little hard for her to focus. Yeah, okay, it's only a little after 6 PM. Maybe she should go check it out.

Rubbing her eyes and suppressing a yawn, she stumbles forward into the doorway of the lounge. She leans on the side and blinks rapidly before finally taking in the scenery. The only person inside is Chouki, who is, unsurprisingly, looking at the fish tank.

At the sound of her footsteps, he whirls around and glares. His body is tense, and he doesn't appear to relax at all when he sees that it's only her. "…Ugh," he grumbles.

Kazuha yawns again and puts on a small smile. "Oh, hey there Chouki. What are you doing out here? I hope I'm not interrupting your free time."

He scoffs. "Of course you are."

"Oh…" She wracks her brain for something to respond with and eventually comes up with, "Well… I hope you're enjoying yourself, then."

"I was." Narrowing his eyes, he refuses to let her out of his sight.

"Well then…" She feels her smile start to waver. "At least the fish are looking super nice and happy today."

Chouki's expression softens by a fraction, but she'll take any victory that she can get. "Someone's gotta make sure they're doing okay. There's no way I'm going to trust that bear to take care of them without someone holding him accountable."

"Then, you're doing a great job supervising them. I'm sure they're grateful for everything that you're doing."

"Please." He traces a finger along his hand, over his tattoos of his veins. "Don't patronize me like that. They're fish. I care for them, but that's all. I'm under no delusion that they're loyal to me or anything."

Kazuha frowns. "But you've been showing up every day here, right? Then, I'm sure they recognize you. Even just seeing someone visit them every day should give them enough stimuli to check you out from behind the glass. You're like a mini-fish hero."

"I'd rather not prescribe dumb human emotions to fish. They're natural and innocent. I thought you'd know more about that, being a zoologist and all," he accuses.

"I'm more into reptiles than fish if I'm gonna be honest." Her joke falls flat when her brain catches up to her mouth, and she remembers her audience. "But, anyways, I know that we can't one to one personify animals, but it still cheers me up to think about it."

Shaking his head, Chouki responds, "Not me."

"…Yeah, I kind of got that impression." She leans harder into the doorframe and winces as it digs into her shoulder.

A strange expression worms its way over Chouki's face as he looks at her. "…Why are you even still here? You're sounding even dumber than normal."

She flinches back at the insult. It hurt a lot more than she expected it to, honestly. "Sorry, I just wanted to check up on you. You've been all alone for a while now. It just seemed like a good opportunity to make sure you were doing alright."

"Hmmph," he huffs. "How'd you even know I was here in the first place? Tracking my schedule or something?"

"Huh? N-no, nothing like that. I just heard something in here, so I walked over."

"…I wasn't making any noise. Sounds like you're just imagining things." Chouki looks into her eyes again. "Sounds like you need some rest or something. It'd explain why you thought talking to me was a good idea at all."

"W-what? No, I'm fine!" To prove her point, Kazuha pushes herself off of the doorframe and stands at attention. "If anything, you're the one who needs some assistance."

"Yep, I knew it. You're delusional."

She pleads with him. "It's not healthy to lock yourself up without talking to anyone, though. Even if you are coming to look at the fish every day, that's no substitution for human interaction. Like, what about Pal? I'm sure he'd love to talk with you, even if it's just for a few minutes."

"Pal's a weirdo who thinks he's a siren." Despite his tone, he looks uncertain about the harshness of his statement.

"Maybe so, but he's your friend, right? …Acquaintance, maybe? It can't hurt to at least try, right?"

There's a glimmer of understanding in his eyes, but it's quickly snuffed out by indifference. "Tsk… guess you're not the only tired one if I'm considering listening to something like that. I need some rest."

When he moves to go for the door, she blocks his way. Nonplussed, he barely even considers her a threat, though he does appear annoyed that even she's taller than he is. Then, he grunts and pushes her aside. She's thrown wildly offbalance and only barely manages to latch onto the doorframe again. He takes the opportunity to skulk off, pouting all the way.

Kazuha stares after him and suddenly finds that she's breathing deeply. She stands there for a few more minutes before shaking her head and pushing herself upright. There will be time to dwell on that later, not that she wants to. It's not nighttime yet. There's still a lot left she could get done today. She'll have to make time to find Chouki again later.


Shizu leans absentmindedly on the kitchen wall, just out of sight from the door. This is probably one of the dumber ideas that she's had, if she's being honest with herself. Still, desperate times call for desperate measures. Over the past few days, Takumi has been even more absent than usual. Normally, she would see fit to give him some space, but she's starting to get concerned that he's not even eating anymore. Thus, she's decided to wait in the kitchen for several hours to see if he'll show up for a very late dinner.

She's been waiting here since 8:30 PM, but her patience has finally been rewarded. Around 11 PM, Takumi slinks into the kitchen, cautiously tiptoeing around. Despite this, however, he doesn't seem to have noticed her. That's going to make this awkward.

Shizu considers letting him discover her on his own before deciding that would be a terrible idea. Instead, she begins walking towards him. At the sound of her footsteps, he leaps into the air, whirls around, and freezes. "Good evening, Takumi."

"W-what are y-you doing here?!" he shrieks. "Y-you're gonna k-kill me, aren't you?!"

Well, that's a good starting point. "Of course not." Adjusting her glasses, she rolls her eyes. "I think I could come up with a better attack plan than casually walking towards you in plain sight."

"W-why else would y-you be waiting for m-me so l-late at night?" he stutters. His entire body is trembling so much that it's a wonder he's managed to stay standing.

"Literally the only reason I've sought you out thus far is to talk to you," Shizu explains, exasperation slipping into her voice. It's unfair because he has every reason to be afraid. At the same time, she is getting fed up with his skittishness. "Tonight is no different. You have been nearly impossible to find at all, so I had to come up with a new plan to talk to you."

She can hear his teeth chattering as he speaks. "Y-you want to interrogate m-me more?"

"As far as I can tell, you've only been eating at obscene hours like this. There is no way that is healthy, both for your body and for your mental health." Her voice is stern.

Takumi gulps. "W-why do you care about that? It's none of your concern."

Shizu crosses her arms. "It is most certainly my concern. All of us are trapped in this situation together, and our lives depend on one another. Even if you don't believe that I care about you as a person, at least accept that as the truth. At least believe that I have some selfish reason to care about your wellbeing."

"I don't w-want any of your pity," he mutters.

She tilts her head. "I'm sorry?"

He speaks with a bit more confidence than before. "I said that I don't want you to pity me. It's n-not worth anything, and I don't need any of it."

"Is that what you think this is?" she asks. "I assure you that I'm not attempting to imply that you would be weak for consulting with me."

"Sp-speak for yourself," Takumi retorts. "I-if you think th-this is about being weak, th-then you really don't know anything at all…"

Pinching her forehead and gritting her teeth, she says, "Then, please, help me understand. I can only do so much on my own, and, when the only context I have is you saying you don't want pity, then I have only a few ideas. Or do you not trust me to help?"

"You're either lying through your teeth about wanting to help or…" He trails off and makes a strangled noise. "W-whatever. The point is I've dealt with people like this for enough of my life to know there's no point to it. Things will only get worse."

Her glasses glint sharply. "Worse for you or worse for those that try to help you?"

When his body locks up and he refuses to speak, she has her answer. For the first time, it feels like she can see right through him, as if that bag on his head is his actual face. It crumples as he breathes deeply, filling the room with a light crinkle. They simply remain there in silence until she feels the need to say something.

"I don't know what happened in your life, so I hope you'll allow me to make a few mistakes in my current judgments." He remains silent, save for his breathing. Thus, she continues. "You're certainly right that you've got no reason to trust anyone, but it almost feels as though you don't want to let yourself trust anyone. Maybe someone got close to you in the past, and you feel as though you hurt them. Maybe someone important in your life left unexpectedly, and you don't want to feel that pain ever again. But, at this point in time, I'm going to stop prying."

"H-huh?" Takumi looks up for the first time in a few minutes.

She repeats herself. "I've only been selfish these past few days. If you don't want to talk about your life, then there's nothing I can do to make you feel comfortable about that. I've learned all that I can about you, but that information has certainly come at a cost."

He steadies himself. "S-so, what are you g-going to do then?"

"I'm going to leave you alone." She marches towards the kitchen doors without looking back. "That's what you wanted, right?"

Takumi starts to say something. "I-"

Though Shizu waits for him to finish, he never does. In the end, she sighs and waves behind her. "Goodnight Takumi. Please, if nothing else, take care of yourself." She doesn't hear him call out again as she makes her way back to her room.


Conversation with Takumi Haruko (4)

- Trust issues seem to stem from past somewhere, though reason for them is anyone's guess

- Seems to be miserable not trusting people yet forces himself to do it anyways

- Do not attempt to contact him again, even if it seems like a good idea at the time. You will only make things worse


Takumi's nerves are on fire as he peers into the dining room. He can do this. He knows that he can do this. There's nothing wrong with going to eat lunch at a regular time. If anybody thinks it's weird, he can just tell them to think about the time. Or maybe he could just run away again.

He relaxes a smidge when he sees that nobody else is there. Right. It looks like he doesn't have to have an escape plan ready at the moment. Feeling ever so slightly more confident, he walks into the kitchen.

…and stifles a scream when he sees that Kogi is leaning against the counter, staring at the oven.

Kogi looks over his shoulder, sees Takumi, and waves at him, all in one casual motion. Then, he flips back around without a care in the world.

"Y-you!" Takumi stutters.

He doesn't turn around again. "Yes, it's me."

"W-what are y-you doing here?" He hasn't run away yet, so that's a huge victory in his mind.

"I'm making food," Kogi replies dully.

Takumi points in accusation. "Th-that's not what I mean, a-and you know it! I m-mean, why are you here in the first place? W-weren't you the one m-making a big stink about l-leaving the group?!"

"Does it look like I'm with the group right now?" Kogi shrugs. "Sure hope not. Otherwise, I've been really blind."

He has to be mocking him. That's the only reasonable explanation. "H-how can you just stand there and j-joke about that? There's n-no way you're s-suddenly comfortable b-being discovered by everyone. Y-you've gotta at least feel embarrassed or s-something!"

"What a pain." Pinching his forehead, Kogi faces him. "I'm not taking back what I said, and I'm not changing my mind all of the sudden either. All I'm doing is making some food because I felt hungry. I didn't mention anything about going on a hunger strike."

"B-but…" Takumi trails off, in disbelief that, yes, this is actually his argument.

Kogi rolls his eyes. "What about you then? How come you're out and about? Thought you were one of the ones who went into hiding."

"I-I'll have you know that I-I'm just getting lunch! That's all." To punctuate his point, Takumi crosses his arms.

He nods. "So you're a hypocrite then."

"What?!"

"Hey, you just yelled at me for apparently breaking my promise for food. Yet, here you are doing the same thing. Hence, hypocrite."

Takumi can just hear the calm smugness dripping off of his voice, and it makes him bristle. "It's different. Aren't you supposed to be a protestor or something?"

Kogi glowers at him. "That's my talent, yes."

"Th-then, you should h-hold yourself to some kind of higher standard o-or something," Takumi declares. "Y-you tried to lead e-everyone into splitting up, but y-you're not even comfortable g-going through with it completely. P-plus, i-if you do change your mind, then the others a-are gonna expect you to apologize or something."

"Didn't realize you were a protesting expert." Not giving him the chance to respond to that remark, Kogi continues. "I wasn't trying to lead anyone. I just said what I thought and why I thought it. If anyone else agreed with me, then that's their decision. It sounds to me like you're more concerned about your own actions then you are with me."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're getting cross with me for apparently having second thoughts about going solo. Let me clear something up for you right now: I don't regret it. I still think this is the best way to keep myself safe. But it sounds like you've got a much greater scope of this splitting ways than I did."

Takumi clenches his fists. "You said y-you wanting nothing to do with anyone else. That s-sure sounds to me like y-you don't even want to look at any of the others."

"Yeah, it does, at least to you. That's the scope I was talking about." Kogi drums his fingers along the kitchen counter. "You've taken your own standards, applied them to me, and then got shocked when they're different. Hell, it almost sounds like you're having second thoughts about leaving everyone."

"Sh-shut up!" Takumi shouts.

Nodding, Kogi turns away. "Okay, have it your way."

The two of them stand there with only the noise coming from the oven filling the room. No matter how much Takumi glares at the back of Kogi's head, he refuses to acknowledge him. Finally, he gets fed up with the atmosphere in the room and storms into the pantry. Secretly, he hopes the banging of the door startles Kogi slightly.

Takumi's eyes scan the shelves for something to eat. There's no way that he's going to stick around in the dining hall for lunch, not now. No, he needs something to take back to his room. Eventually, his eyes fall on a bag of potato chips. They're not healthy in the slightest, but he doesn't care. They taste good, and that's all that matters. As he goes to pick the bag up, however, he spots another bag that's already been opened. For a brief moment, he stares at it. Then, for no particular reason whatsoever, he picks it up.


All throughout breakfast, Shizu couldn't help but glance over in Kazuha's direction. Something was definitely off about her. She wasn't talking as animatedly as usual, for one. Even as Soraru shakes her shoulder to get her excited, the most she can manage is a little smile. Her eyes have some fairly dark circles underneath them too. It's not a great sign.

Therefore, she waves off Michio's invitation to hang out in favor of confronting the zoologist before she has a chance to rush off and do who knows what. Given her current state, it would probably have something to do with collapsing. She might have already, actually, since she went to put her dishes away a while ago and hasn't come out since. The others don't seem all that worried, so it's likely she's overreacting slightly.

Shizu waits until the group has left before heading into the kitchen to talk. Kazuha is facing the door, washing off a plate in the sink. She's humming to herself, but her eyes are glazed over, and the circles seem even darker than before. Shizu whistles sharply to get her attention.

Kazuha barely seems aware of what just happened. "Huh?" she mumbles, blinking slowly. Then, she notices what she's doing and freaks out. "Huh?! Oh no! I'm wasting water!" She hastens to turn off the sink, dropping her plate in the process. "Aah!"

Rushing to her side, Shizu picks the plate off of the floor and stares into her eyes. "I'm not even going to bother with the pretenses. Please tell me what the problem is, preferably before you drop more dishes."

"I-it's nothing, really," Kazuha tries to persuade her, raising up both of her hands. "I'm just a little sleepy. That's all."

Once more, Shizu fixates on the bags underneath her eyes. Now that she's looking, Kazuha's hair is also fairly messy, with several split ends and tangles. "In that case, please inform me why you are having trouble sleeping. And don't attempt to lie to me."

"Hey, there's no need to be so pushy," Kazuha bites back. However, she instantly looks alarmed with what she just said, eyes wide and hands rushing up to her cheeks. "Wait, no! I'm sorry. That just slipped out. Please don't take that to heart!"

"It's fine. I am being a little intrusive. Given your current state, you've earned the right to be annoyed." Having said this, Shizu moves on. "However, you still have not answered my question."

Kazuha holds her forearm and averts her eyes. "I'm sorry. It's just… I can't stop worrying about everyone. I guess that it's been messing up my sleep schedule a little."

"So, your exhaustion has come only from staying up late and has nothing to do with anything else." Shizu's tone is flat.

"W-well, I mean… Probably?"

"It has absolutely nothing to do with you attempting to help others out with menial tasks that they may or may not have asked you directly about."

Kazuha's stiffening is all the proof that Shizu needs. She tugs on her baseball cap, covering her entire face in shadows. Her mouth is a thin line that refuses to move.

Shizu has to be the one to move things along, apparently. "There's no way to make this not sound like a lecture, so I refuse to even try. You need to take a break, and start being concerned for yourself first and foremost. That's easier said than done, but look at yourself right now. Please at least attempt to make that effort."

"But everyone needs help!" Kazuha shouts. "They're all lost and confused, and several of them have already thrown themselves completely into panicking!"

"That may be so, but that doesn't mean that you must be the sole undertaker of this task," Shizu reasons.

Kazuha clenches her fists. "You can't just say that! All you've been doing this whole time is hide by yourself and take notes on everyone! How's that going to help people?"

Shizu involuntarily tenses up. "That…" She takes a few breaths and calms herself. "That is a fair assessment of my actions. It is my preferred way of helping people, as I cannot force myself into action unless I have a good idea on how to act. Still, I reiterate that your own method of helping is detrimental to yourself."

"But that's just it! You say that you're trying to help, but you're doing nothing! How am I supposed to stay back and wait when I know that no one else is going to do anything? Do you just want people to suffer?!" Tears are beginning to stream down her face.

Crossing her arms, Shizu remains silent.

This only further impassions Kazuha. "You can see it yourself during breakfast, right? Everyone's smiling and laughing, but they can't keep their eyes from darting around, worried that, someday soon, someone is going to strike. They remember the people who have give up trusting one another, and they're ashamed to admit that they're maybe thinking the same thing. They need someone that they know they can trust, and no one is trying to step up. Is this just supposed to go on forever?!"

Suddenly, her spirit breaks entirely, and she collapses onto the tile flooring. Shizu slowly kneels down to meet her. She desperately wants to physically comfort her, but she has no idea what to do with her hands, so she awkwardly pats Kazuha's back.

Apparently, this is at least somewhat correct, as Kazuha quickly engulfs her in a hug. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she wails.

Slowly, Shizu returns the hug. "It's fine. You've not said anything wrong at all. You have nothing to be sorry for." This only makes her cry harder.

Eventually, she runs out of tears. With several shaky breaths, she begins to rise. Shizu, trapped in the hug, stands up along with her as support. Once fully upright, Kazuha disentangles herself, sniffs loudly, and pulls her hat back up. Her eyes are red. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you. Even if you're telling me that I wasn't wrong, I should have said it in a different way."

"If you need to let out your emotions, then I'm willing to be that outlet. After all," Shizu smirks as she pushes up her glasses, "I haven't been doing much besides taking notes. It's the least I could do." Kazuha looks like she wants to apologize again, so she cuts her off. "I already told you that you weren't wrong. You've got nothing to be sorry for. But, if you really want to apologize to me, you would head back to your room and get some rest."

"That…" Kazuha mutters. "That actually sounds pretty nice right about now."

"It's your choice," Shizu says calmly.

She nods. "I think… I think I'm going to go back to sleep. Thank you for listening to… that."

Shizu is thrown off guard when Kazuha rushes in for another hug. This one is quicker, as Kazuha quickly pulls away. With a little smile, the first genuine one that she's given all morning, she walks out of the kitchen, presumably back to the fourth floor. Shizu hopes that no one else stops her on her way there.


Conversation with Kazuha Kimura (4)

- Worrying tendencies have finally come to a head, as she's been losing sleep trying to assist people and worrying about what might happen

- Probably would have kept up façade until called out on it

- Don't know if she's going to slow down at least slightly, but perhaps rest will clear her head

- I may need to act sooner in the future


Shizu had just gotten out of the shower and was about to start getting ready for bed, only for her doorbell to ring. It's not all that late, but she is concerned nevertheless. What was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?

To her utter shock, Takumi stands at the entrance of her room, with a strange mixture of terror and determination in his eyes. "…Can I come in?" he mutters.

"…Sure," she eventually says. This is certainly piquing her interest. Stepping out of the way, she gestures for him to walk inside. He looks like he wants to bolt but instead speed walks into her room.

Once she closes the door, he speaks up. "Her name was Yuri."

She blinks. "I'm sorry?"

"You kept b-bugging me about why I wore the bag. Yuri's why." The words seem to take an infinite amount of force for him to say, and he doesn't appear able to speak any more.

"I see…" Shizu murmurs. "So, was this Yuri a bully of yours or something?"

"S-shut your mouth!" he yells suddenly. "D-don't talk about her l-like that!"

Raising up both of her hands, she attempts to calm him down. "Okay, I apologize for saying that. I had nothing else to go off of, and you did not seem keen on explaining. In that case, was she your friend?"

He looks at the ceiling wistfully, his rage evaporating. "Yuri was… she w-was everything to m-me. W-when nobody else c-cared, when nobody else th-thought anything of me, she was there. Not even my p-parents thought I was good f-for anything, but not Yuri. She n-never doubted me, th-thought my covers were the greatest thing i-in the world."

"Sounds like that's what you thought of her," Shizu muses.

He gives a bitter laugh. "N-not like I thought that at first. Hated how st-stubborn she was. Th-thought she was just making f-fun of me. But she n-never did. She actually managed to beat my stubbornness. Th-that's just the k-kind of person she was. Couldn't say no to her."

Truthfully, Shizu has a very hard time imagining that, but she chooses not to say that. Instead, she replies, "Was she involved in any way with your cover songs?"

"Yeah. We c-collaborated on a bunch of songs and st-stuff." Somehow, through his bag, he looks nostalgic. "Th-those were the greatest years o-of my life. Even managed to w-work up the nerve to ask her out a-and all. Sh-shouldn't even have worried, since she s-said yes right away. No matter what I was d-doing, she was always there f-for me. "

"And then she left," she finishes.

He clenches his fists. "Y-yeah."

Shizu has no idea what to say in response to a breakup, but, for better or worse, she never gets the opportunity to say anything about it.

"It w-was supposed to be a normal date. N-nothing special. J-just a w-walk in the park. A-and then…" His breathing quickens, and his stutter gets worse. "Th-the c-c-c-car."

"Oh." It's all she can say in response, and she kicks herself for it.

"I-it came r-r-rushing right at me." His bag is starting to get wet as his tears soak through the paper. "B-but, she w-was there f-for me. Y-Yuri pushed me out of the w-way. Sh-she t-t-took the hit. A-and… and then…" He sniffs loudly and is unable to continue.

Shizu quickly rushes to his side. "I'm sorry."

He leans into her completely and loses it. "Sh-she never m-made it out of th-the hospital. I n-never even g-got the ch-chance to s-say th-thank you or g-goodbye."

"She died protecting you. I'm certain she did not regret that," Shizu explains.

"Sh-she was always protecting me!" he wails. "Sh-she was the o-only one who was e-ever there f-for me, and I killed her! D-don't even s-say I d-didn't, 'c-cause I'm not listening t-to that!"

She holds onto his shoulder. "…Very well then."

"C-couldn't even bear t-to look at m-myself again after that." Takumi grasps at his bag with a single hand. "Th-that's why I wear th-this stupid thing… C-can't look at th-the face of her killer. P-pathetic, right?"

She dodges the question. "It sounds as though this has been weighing down on you for a long while now. I'm grateful that you trusted me enough to tell me this. May I ask you what made you decide to do this?"

"No one c-can ever replace her. I d-don't want to feel that way ever again. B-but I realized…" He starts to right himself a little, pulling out of her grasp. "I m-might not ever have to feel that w-way if I p-push people away… b-but I'd never h-have had Yuri i-in the first place if I p-pushed her away too."

"Was it worth it?" she asks. "Was the pain of loss worth getting all of those precious years with her?"

"I don't know," Takumi admits. "B-but I've only ever h-had nothing since. W-well, I've h-had my service dog, a-and he's wonderful, b-but he's not a p-person. I'll n-never know if s-something worth losing i-is better than nothing if I n-never let m-myself have something."

Shizu adjusts her glasses. "So, what will you do then?"

"In a h-horrid place like this, l-loss is gonna be inevitable." His fists start to clench, but they relax suddenly. "B-but, if I treat it l-like it's nothing, th-then that's almost w-worse than feeling l-loss, right? So, I'll try."

The confidence in his voice is unlike anything she's heard before. "You'll try to get along with everyone, or you'll try to not to feel anything?"

He shouts, "W-which one do you think?! A-after everything I've s-said, that's your question?"

"Maybe." She smirks.

"J-jerk," he mutters.

She dips back into being serious. "I think that's a noble goal. Even if it is just in small, incremental steps, I think most people will appreciate your efforts."

"D-don't expect me to t-take off my b-bag or anything anytime s-soon, though," he declares. "C-can't just feel comfortable o-out of nowhere…"

"You've already talked to the person who's been bothering you the most," she explains. "I'd say that's a huge step outside of your comfort zone. There's no need to push yourself too far, so please take a breather. You deserve some rest."

"Ugh… Don't remind me. Hope I don't regret this in the morning." He starts walking towards the exit. "Thanks for listening, I guess. Later."

"Hold on. Will I see you at breakfast tomorrow?"

Takumi pauses at the door before turning around. She almost thinks she can see a smile underneath his bag. "Sure. You can count on it." Then, he walks into the hallways, and the door swings shut behind him. Somehow, Shizu can't stop herself from smiling either.


Conversation with Takumi Haruko (5)

- Reasoning for wearing bag on his head relates to girlfriend who sacrificed herself to save him

- Hasn't had anyone believe in him except for her and also service dog, could explain why he's certain misfortune will fall to those he trusts

- Chose to confide in me, no pressuring on my part

- Claims to be about to make an effort to rejoin the group

- Could learn a thing from his ability to put his paranoia and pride aside and admit when he's wrong


The couch in the lounge, Shizu decides, is incredibly comfortable. It's not quite at bed levels of comfort, but it's definitely soft enough to suit her just fine. In addition, it keeps her upright, meaning that her brain won't start putting itself in sleep mode. Truly, this is the perfect place to go over her notes again.

"Um, excuse me," a voice calls from the hallway. "Are you busy, Shizu? I can come back later if you want."

Kazuha is standing in the doorway, hands clasped behind her back. Shizu gives her a quick shake of her head. "It's nothing that I can't do a little bit later. I'm free to talk, if that's what you need."

"Oh, thank you!" Grinning widely, she takes a seat next to Shizu and bobs up and down happily.

Shizu regards her with an even stare. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Totally! Thanks for asking," she confirms. "Also, sorry again for letting all of that stuff loose on you. I know you said not to apologize, but I can't stop myself from feeling bad. So you have to accept it, whether you want to or not." She giggles after saying this.

"Very well then." Tapping her pen on her notepad, Shizu replies, "What about… other areas? Are you having trouble stopping yourself there as well?"

Kazuha sinks a little into the cushions. "I don't think I'll ever fully be able to stop myself from trying to help as many people and animals as I can. It's part of who I am," she admits. "But I've given it a lot of thought."

"Please, take your time."

"I've been looking after people my entire life. You already know about my younger siblings, right? I think I mentioned them." When she gets confirmation, she continues. "But, I don't think I ever really stopped, y'know? Even now, I've been sending them a lot of the money I've gotten from the Ultimate Initiative. Because, if I don't support them, then my parents will have to start working overtime again, and nothing will change. I can't just stop doing everything that I can to help."

"I'm sensing a bit of a catch here," Shizu mutters.

Kazuha nods. "I hadn't really thought about it before, or maybe I stopped myself from thinking about it. They're my family, but I'm their family as well. Wait, hang on, I'm not saying that I don't think they love me! That's not what I'm trying to imply at all!"

Shizu attempts to puzzle out what she means. "Are you wondering, perhaps, if they're just as worried about you in return? Worried about their daughter who spends a lot of time traveling the world, feeling homesick and lonely?"

"I saw myself as doing the right thing, so I never considered how I was doing at all or that others might be worried about me." Kazuha sighs. "It sounds totally selfish when I word it like that, huh? Like I think I'm above everyone else."

"That's not the impression that I've gotten. It sounds more like you've subconsciously put yourself lower than everyone else, as though you're not allowed to have negative feelings."

"I'm trying to be someone that others feel comfortable relying on." She gives a sad chuckle. "But I can't really do that if I start breaking down."

Shizu clicks her tongue. "That reaction is somewhat inevitable given the pressure and the current circumstances."

"Right. Like I said, I've been doing a lot of thinking." Kazuha presses her hands into the cushions as she sits up straighter. "I already told you that I don't think I'll be able to ever fully stop myself from wanting to help, and I don't think that leaving everyone to fend for themselves is a great idea either. But I promise that I won't let myself burn out like that ever again."

Considering her statement, Shizu eventually responds, "An interesting proposal. However, I hope you don't plan on convincing me with that. What sort of measures are you going to take to prevent that?"

Kazuha beams at her. "You're gonna help me!"

She blanks. "…Come again?"

"Come on, keep up a little," she giggles. "You said it yourself, right? You've been spending a lot of time just taking notes, and you need to get out there more often. Well, this'll solve both of our problems. If we're both working together, then I'll have less individual workload. That'll help me keep in tip-top mental shape. Plus, it gets you, y'know, doing something!"

"…And if I refuse?" she asks.

"Shizu, I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't back out of something like this," Kazuha says.

She shuffles around on the couch. "That's quite a lot of confidence you've got there."

"It doesn't just have to be us either. I'm sure that Michio and Pal and Sawako would love to pitch in and help. It'll be a whole group effort."

"Hmm… a group effort." Shizu smiles. "If it's going to be at that scale, I suppose it only makes sense to make sure everything is running smoothly."

"That's the spirit!" Kazuha cheers. "We'll keep everyone together until we finally find a way out of this situation. Then, we'll work together to escape."

"Sounds like I'll be relying on you for a little while longer," she muses.

The two of them chat for much longer than Shizu anticipated. They don't really have any big plans other than a nebulous "work together", but, for once, Shizu feels comfortable with that. There's something about Kazuha's cheer and confidence that makes her feel at ease with not plotting out all of the answers. Truthfully, she's grateful to have gotten to know her.


Conversation with Kazuha Kimura (5)

- Self-sacrificing nature deep within her, unlikely to ever fully go away

- Feels responsible for looking after all of her family, even at this point in time

- Had issues fully realizing the own issues with her own nature, as attitude certainly wasn't a bad thing on its own

- Endeavors to take more time for herself, if only to ensure that she's able to help everyone out to the fullest

- I've been roped into socializing more, not entirely sure how to feel about this


A/N: Hey folks. Sorry this took a while to get out. It's not exactly the next bit of story, but I hope this has been entertaining in it's own right. I do plan on finishing every characters' free time events if they didn't survive to the end of the chapter, so you can expect more of these in the future. The little bonus scenes without Shizu are hopefully interesting in their own right, and I hope that they're not too jarring transition-wise. The actual next chapter is still going to be a while, however. It might even take longer to get out than this one, if my workload has anything to say about it. In any case, I hope you all have a fantastic day.