Author's Note: Corpse Party is not my property.

Chapter 6: Why Worry?

"Mifune Satsuki?"

"Present."

"Asahina Yuki?"

"Present."

"Sakutaro Morishige?"

"Present."

"Kenneth Sakamoto?" Yui's eyes descended upon the empty seat by the window that was just next to Morishige's desk.

No one but her, Seiko, Yoshiki, Satoshi, Mayu, Naomi, and Morishige looked at the desk bereft of the familiar anonymity of the halfblooded loner.

With great reluctance, she ticked off yet another box in the class's attendance list. It's been five days already since anyone had last heard of him.

"Shinozaki-san." Yui addressed the class representative, who was slightly fidgeting on her seat since she wanted the lessons to commence immediately.

"Please make sure you make a copy of the class notes and homework for today's lesson, and for the coming ones later today for Sakamoto."

"Yes Sensei." Ayumi answered with a mechanical voice, as she did on the previous two school days last week before the weekends rolled by. Being a class representative meant that you had to record whatever lessons, and notes made during the periods of lecture, for purposes such as this. Duly noted however, Kenneth's work was seriously stacking up and she had the unspoken duty to deliver it all to his house, daily until he could return back to class.

While she wasn't particularly bothered by doing the job of having an hour's worth wasted on delivering that jerk's homework on his doorstep and returning back to her house, Ayumi was actually frustrated that Kenneth would get into further trouble due to his own bullheadedness that no one in particular comprehended.

Just why would he actually let himself be thrashed like that?

"Sensei, do you know when he's coming back?" Seiko suddenly asked.

All eyes descended upon the twin tailed brunette. Reactions of shock, bewilderment, anger, incredulousness, and a trace of disgust was somewhere there that she out of all people present would, or even could ask such a question.

Yui answered her after a sigh. "I, I'm not sure...our dean hasn't really given anything besides noting us of his current condition in the assembly."

Seiko shrunk back into her seat, dejected.

Yui proceeded without much further delays, finishing up with recording the attendance for today and gave a few announcements. One student mattered less than the rest, no matter his or her role. In hindsight, Kenneth's absence was actually a blessing. No one would be distracted today to insult him or even curse his presence explicitly. And none of the teachers would stoop low enough to give him prejudicial looks and treat him with an according level of respect.

And she didn't need to worry about him either.

"All right, now I'm sure you guys remembered last week's homework. Can someone be kind enough to recite The Charge Of The Light Brigade to us all before we get into deconstructing, analyzing and understanding each stanza?"

…

"Naomi…?"

"Seiko."

Seiko had her hands and face unceremoniously lying on the table, and she mewled. Yes she mewled like a very distressed cat would.

"Lend me those balloons." Seiko requested with a deadpan voice.

"Eh?!" It wasn't the request that startled Naomi, but it was the deadpan tone present in her best friend's voice. Seiko wasn't the kind who deadpans at anything. Ever.

Seiko shambled herself out of her chair, and immediately fell face first on Naomi's huge chest. That finally cleared Naomi's shock. Enough to push Seiko off abrasively until the twin tailed brunette nearly stumbled and fell on the floor, if Satoshi hadn't rushed forward to stop gravity's whim from finishing its course.

"Just as I thought..." The normally cheery brunette sighed.

For the first time ever for the past five years they've got to known each other, Naomi had to comprehend the fact that her best friend, Seiko Shinohara, was unhappy.

Why on Earth was the kitty smiling good natured pervert, her best friend, who was her best friend, unhappy?

"Um…Shinohara? Are you okay?" Satoshi said as he gently helped Seiko to her feet.

"Yeah. I'm okay."

"You're not feeling under the weather?"

She shook her head.

"Did you lose your cat pajamas or something?"

"Eh? How did you know I have cat pajamas?" Seiko stared at him. Suddenly a slow, familiar perverted grin stretched across her face. "You're not spying on me every night, are you…Mochida?"

"Haaaaah?!" Satoshi exclaimed with shock. "Wh-why would I do that…?"

"Because deep down in that goodie two shoes self…you're a huge perv in disguise?" She emphatically gives a flirtatious wink at the boy.

Both Naomi and Satoshi faces were painfully red from embarrassment. Naomi was actually more embarrassed that her best friend flirted, if only a bit, with the boy she liked.

"A-actually, I had a hunch, since you're into cats and everything about them…" Satoshi trailed off, still reeling from embarrassment.

Seiko giggled again. "Aw…I was hoping to catch you red handed."

"Seiko…Mochida-kun actually means well." Naomi said. Strangely however, she didn't get a usually overly exuberant response from her best friend.

"I'm fine, really. Nothing bothering this bundle o' fun." She assured with a smile.

Somehow, Naomi wasn't really buying it. Something just felt off about how Seiko was acting these past few days.

"You know, the class suddenly feels stuffy. I'm just gonna get some air. Catch you guys later!"

Naomi and Satoshi barely had time to react when Seiko suddenly walked out of the classroom.

"Shinohara's being weirder than usual…" Satoshi mused. Naomi silently agreed.

Kedouin originally had thought he would have nothing to relevantly important today to deal with for today. Just documents to run down on and official forms that needed his signature and all. At least it was better than standing up on a creaky podium in some class to teach his students.

Mind this, he loved his students. He just didn't like having have to work these old bones around in a regular basis compared to the other teachers. He was already at his prime at this point and he needed to take better care of his body.

Besides, he's got his snacks to come along in a small fridge and a TV situated on the left to at least spend his rest of his leisure time, and probably some in between bouts of procrastination…hey even the most respected people have their lazy moments. But he's not in the mood for that, not now at least, since the work he was doing had his attention totally focused on it and nothing else.

The creaking of his door being opened hardly deterred him.

"Kedouin-sama. You have a visitor requesting to meet you."

"Does he have an official appointment?"

The secretary's face dropped with worry. "No. But he says he has requested for one four days ago."

Four days ago? I don't remember anyone sending any appointments. Then again, I can't remember what I even ate this morning…

Kedouin finally looked at the secretary, who was peering at him from the half open door. "Is it important?"

"That's what he claimed." The secretary replied.

Kedouin paused for a moment. It was probably an officer from the education ministry explaining about yet another meeting with the rest of the district level school principals and deans that HE was supposed to attend for discussing about how to improve the education system and all that same old bull that was never going to be implemented. Or maybe some angry parent demanding his presence for a wanton reason regarding their child who was studying here. Whatever the matter was, he wanted to keep it short so that he could return to his work.

"Send him in."

"Sir?"

"You heard me." Kedouin sternly repeated. The timid secretary nodded silently and closed the door.

A few seconds later, a tall Caucasian skinned man, dressed in an immaculate black suit and tie, wearing a pair of tinted sunglasses entered the room. He didn't bow before the principal, neither did he extended a greeting hand. He did however stopped before the principal at a respectable distance from his desk.

"Makoto Kedouin? Dean of Kisaragi Academy?"

"Yes. I'm the man himself speaking." Kedouin wasn't expecting a British man in a suit out of all people to drop in his office. His earlier indifferent attitude towards approaching what he thought was going to be a short insignificant meeting was immediately replaced by a mix of worry and anticipation.

Not to mention his use of English was a little rusty over the years. Probably because after studying in America twenty years ago he posted himself back to Japan and stayed there since.

"Conrad Archer. I'm a custody rights officer from Britain." He pulled out his wallet, flapping it open to reveal his identity card and occupation's ID card.

Kedouin raised a beleaguered eyebrow. A custody rights officer? Here? Now this impromptu meeting just got strange.

"I see. But what brings a random custody rights officer here to a Japanese school?"

Conrad removed his glasses, folding them and hung it on his collar. His stormy gray eyes really accentuated the serious baritone that seemed to echo in Kedouin's ears.

"There is no issue overtly huge or anything. I'm just here because I would like to discuss with you a certain matter regarding a student who is studying here."

Eh? That seems plausible…

"I see. But if that's the case, was it really important enough for you to come here without an official appointment?"

Conrad looked at the Japanese principal square in the eyes. He meant business. Kedouin himself seem to understand this mere, unspoken factor judging on how the man was establishing his self-impression onto him. Being here with a suit, and a commandeering voice that tinged the familiarity of certain important figures that Kedouin had ever associated in his life. The kind of figures that were on a whole different level of societal standards and were recognized for their contributions to making the society they were responsible for to be become better in a certain aspect. And the recognition they got was the true luxury of their efforts. Regardless of who they were, where they came from, or what they did…they earned it.

Kedouin felt as though he was supposed to bow to the man for some reason the moment he entered in here. He just couldn't fathom why he felt like doing it, and instead the logical part in his head immediately took over to start being guarded against the likelihood of an intruder on the school grounds.

"Yes…that should've been established long before I arrived." Conrad pressed the bridge of his nose. "However, I can assure you that this matter is important enough for your attention that I cannot let time be tarried for it."

"I will listen to what to have to say, but this still doesn't excuse you from treading foot onto school grounds." Kedouin sternly said. "As far as I'm concerned now, you're intruding on governmental property."

Conrad's face darkened. "The government has given officers like me the authority to step on wherever grounds as we please, as it is a necessity for my job's functionality to be maximized with full effect."

"Do you have concrete proof that the jurisdiction of your line of work lies beyond your country's borders? You do know that you're not in Britain anymore right?" Kedouin asked in a matter of fact tone.

Conrad eyed Kedouin much longer than he intended, before taking out a wax paper envelope containing a single document from the folds of his suit and handing it to the dean. Kedouin took out the document and started reading it. It was actually a notice regarding that the owner of the document had 'full unrestrained access to any public, private and governmental facilities for the duration of his stay, or until the requirements of the task assigned has been fulfilled', with a seal of approval from the Japanese Embassy and the Japanese government's human right's department, as well as the necessary credentials from the British government itself. Conrad held back a smirk, knowing by Kedouin's disgruntled features that the British officer in front of him spoke the truth.

"Mr. Archer, you may have a document that speaks out in favor of your presence here. But please, do refrain from this unprofessional approach whenever you're around such settings like this. It's unsightly and frankly, disruptive for the conducive environment that exists here."

Conrad's brow furrowed with annoyance at the honest reprimand given to him. He was very well aware of his actions, and he silently cursed for not planning his course of action properly in an entirely non-Western environment. However he was impressed with the fact that the old dean was still able to be assertive of his role in the present event over the person with a much more prominent presence than him in the room.

"I believe you have a transfer student enrolled here recently." His tone returned to a measureable amount of aloofness.

Though slightly off-put by his bluntness, Kedouin answered. "Well, this school does receive a few of these lots once in a while. Sometimes we get French and American kids who stay around until they've completed senior years or so -."

The officer interjected mildly. "That is none of my concern. The one I'm talking about is from Portsmouth, England, and his transfer happens to be a permanent enrolment until he fully graduates from this establishment."

Kedouin was dumbfounded. Here was a random fellow in a suit and tie, looking like he's probably a spy or a hired killer from a first glance perspective than a custody rights officer, asking about…?

"Mr. Archer?"

"Haven't you read the details of the file that came along with this particular student, Mr. Kedouin?" Conrad was reasonably annoyed at the dean's lack of reaction to the matter he was addressing. He didn't sit on a blasted plane for sixteen hours to get a blank answer for one of the many questions that he prepared for this meeting.

Kedouin did a double take, realizing that he must have missed something important out, or two, when he read Kenneth's unremarkably unique credentials that one day after an appointment with the district's academic officer. It was clearly obvious from the man's very presence here, he was associated with the relevant importance of those files.

"Well?"

The principal asked. "What has this student got to do with you?"

Conrad gave an all knowing cynical smile, which finally achieved the desired effect of unnerving the once composed dean. "He's an old client of mine."

Alone on the rooftop, Seiko was silently berating herself.

Why was she doing that? She herself couldn't figure out why. But it sure as hell didn't allow one painful memory from slipping out of her mind.

The image of Kenneth being stretchered off into an ambulance was probably one of the most disturbing things she'd seen in her life. That was saying a lot if one paid close attention to how someone that didn't seem to follow the way of the world around him with a lackadaisical and carefree disposition turned into a pathetic form of his once proud self.

Especially seeing his face containing so much anger and pain, when he glanced back at the school from where the paramedics were helping his broken self to the stretcher.

It was haunting her, seeing someone in so much pain and no one was actually doing something about it. The doctors without doubt would perform their jobs, but that was not the help she was referring to.

Was there no one around here that even wanted to care for his wellbeing? Most of the school's community were actually glorifying whoever who committed the atrocious act in the first place, and that alone was enough to rivet her once cheerful and easy going behavior down to the ground. How can they think so despicably of one person just because he was different from the rest of the crowd he was subjected to?

Hate itself is a cruel poison that stems itself into the minds of humans, especially when it's caused by a blinded or one-sided sense of perception, and then it spreads and sticks with the ones that are so easily influenced by its whims. She couldn't go against every single person who had such blind hatred against Kenneth, because one, she had no idea how to counteract their beliefs with good reasonability and two, doing so would give them the wrong impression, no wait…that wasn't it, they'd probably start directing the same amount of hate towards her, slowly, but steadily before it eventually becomes a fine line for her to be the next victim in line.

Call this a school body's twisted sense of pack mentality.

She held both sides of her head, agonizing the prospect of her friends hating her. Naomi hating her.

"Why does it have to be like this?" A sigh escaped her lips.

"Seiko?!"

She swiveled her head in response to the voice of Naomi, who was earlier dumbstruck by her best friend's actions, but she had recomposed herself and was trying to track her down.

"Seiko?!"

Seiko wanted to answer her best friend, who was at the bottom of the stairs that led to the rooftop.

Would she still like me…?

"Seiko!"

Hurried footsteps up followed suit, sending the still hesitating Seiko into a sudden panic.

Ah snap, there's hardly nowhere to hide!

She quickly scurried to the back of the rooftop's entrance.

"Seiko…?" Naomi knew something was wrong concerning her best friend, but this unexpected turn of events proved well enough for her doubts. If any better, she hoped Seiko would at least hear what she has to say about Kenneth as well.

A shuffling sound behind the entrance caught Naomi's attention. "Seiko, c'mon…you're behind there aren't you?"

"Nope! This Seiko you speak of is not present in this area!" Seiko answered back with the most un-Seiko-like voice she could muster.

Naomi shook her head, amused. "Can we talk, please?"

"Aren't we doing that now?"

"Come out of there, girl." Naomi said. Then with an afterthought, albeit ludicrous by any standards, and more regrettable on her account. "I'll let you grope me all day if you do…"

No answer.

"Two days?"

"No complaining!"

Naomi bit her lip, knowing that despite the ridiculousness of Seiko's reply, she muttered assent. "Done."

However she didn't expect Seiko to come flying out the sky and down towards her. The result was Seiko happily burying herself in between Naomi's breasts while her best friend laid back first on the ground, dazed after she crashed into her.

"Seiko…"

"MMMM?"

"Can we talk first before you um…?" She trailed off, blushing effervescently.

Seiko giggled, getting off Naomi and helping her up. Naomi calmly dusted some dirt of her skirt and turned her attention back to her friend.

"You're worried about Sakamoto-san, aren't you?"

It struck Seiko right then and there. She wasn't expecting that to come out of Naomi's mouth.

"Wh-what?"

"I asked Yui-sensei to give you a heads up once she gets news from the dean. But here's what I got now. He's home, resting. He was discharged just three days after…that day."

Seiko started fumbling nervously. "N-no…why…why would I be worried about him?"

"Because you always are the only person who actively tries to communicate with a loner like him? Oh yeah, you were the only one who asked about him today."

Seiko had no words to counter that. It just spoke the truth then and there and denying it would do her no good.

"Hey, don't beat yourself over it." Naomi tried to comfort her.

"You're not…angry, or upset, at me or anything?"

Naomi was nonplussed. "Why would I be angry at you?"

"Well…" She trailed off, unable to directly answer her best friend.

"Seiko?" Naomi sternly asked.

"Wouldn't you be upset if I looked out for Sakamoto-san's wellbeing? You and the rest aren't too fond of him right…?"

Naomi slowly comprehended what Seiko was implying. It was an innocent, but misplaced question. After all she was among the few members of the group who seemed to dislike him. However the reality was that she and the rest didn't know what to feel about Ken at all.

But for Seiko to actually consider that her best friend would turn on her for a reason like this?

Naomi sighed, and then bonked Seiko's head.

"Ow…what was that for?"

Naomi's face was the picture of utmost seriousness. "You're being silly…the only thing I ever get peeved at is you trying to grope me all the time."

Seiko, with a mischievous grin, asked. "But you like it when you get those balloons squeezed don't ya'?"

"It's not like that!" Naomi defiantly shouted, her face blushing heavily. She then clutched her forehead, sighing again. "Seiko, what kind of friend would I be if I turned my back on you because of a disagreement we had over a matter like this?"

Seiko faced the ground, unable to answer her. She had a point.

Naomi continued. "And for the record, I don't…it's not that I don't like Sakamoto. I just don't know what to think or feel about him. And I don't see the point of hating someone I don't even know…"

"But everyone else doesn't like Sakamoto!" Seiko weakly sighed.

"I'm not like everyone else!" Naomi protested. "If I was anything like them, I'd feel sorry for myself because I'm giving someone a poor judgment of character after just one look at him."

"Yeah…but -."

"By right, they should at least have some courtesy to treat him like he's still a person!"

Seiko was stunned at Naomi's statement. She did not expect her to be this honest…about her opinion for Kenneth.

On Naomi's account, she might have hardly associated herself with Kenneth, but she did not look down nor ever spoke ill of him because she believed that Kenneth, like every other human being, was still deserving of courtesy and respect, even if he was giving off the impression that he didn't care for how people treated him.

Plus, it was obvious that she was looking out for her best friend's interests, and that was a grateful confirmation of doubt that Seiko appreciated silently. She also should've never doubted that Naomi out of all people would blindly hate her because she was trying to be on good terms with an outcast. An outcast who was only an outcast because he was giving off that impression of being one and everyone else had bought into it.

"I…I see." Seiko took a deep breath, steadying herself on the railing. "Naomi? You really…you really mean it?

"Yeah. I do."

"You're not just saying it to make feel better right?" Seiko pouted.

Naomi firmly shook her head. "Cross my heart." She smiled. "This is an honest opinion from me to you about Sakamoto."

It was all Seiko needed. Plain and simple as that. She didn't want pity or advice. What she needed was someone who could understand what she felt right now.

Naomi was taken aback when Seiko suddenly hugged her tightly, bawling out rapid streams of, "Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry!"

The short haired brunette gently patted her best friend's head.

"Thanks for understanding." Seiko released her hold on Naomi, and smiled brightly. There it was, that familiar smile of hers.

She chuckled. "Promise that you won't ever doubt me again."

"Promise!" Seiko smiled assuredly.

Naomi hoped Seiko was at least for now, back to her normal self. Sometimes this girl could be a handful to worry…but that's what friends do. They were supposed to worry for the other at times of trouble, no matter what.

She started to pinch Seiko's cheeks teasingly. "Nah, this isn't enough. You gotta smile bigger!"

Seiko bubbled with mirth, trying to fend off Naomi's fingers.

Unbeknownst to Naomi however, Seiko's joy right now was not entirely of her doing.

I knew I could count on you Dad!

"Hmm...?"

You have 5 missed calls. 2 unopened voicemails.

Kenneth wasn't an avid phone user unlike most people that he knew. Calling and texting was somewhat out of his league, even if his phone was significantly expensive and had more features compared to the flip phones that the students in his school, even his family members in this house were using.

I wonder who could it…oh, of course, who else?

Whilst he had nothing better to do for the rest of the day, he had been ignoring the fact that Seiko had taken the liberty to call him, repeatedly, since he was discharged from the hospital.

This was probably the seventy sixth time in a whole week. Why the heck was she wasting her phone credit just to ask, "Hey, is everything okay?" or leave a "Get well soon!" or some other half-hearted clichéd and empty wishes of wellbeing that are just as worth as the amount of words in the sentence.

How much are her monthly phone bills anyway? Her parents would definitely be furious at this months' worth, regardless the amount and maybe then she'll stop calling him altogether. Yes, that seems satisfying enough to let her have a lecture from them about communicating with boys, gaijin boys in particular, and then they would ground her for a year until she was allowed to use a phone again -,

Yeesh, I'm thinking too much. Just ignore her, Kenny, just ignore her and she'll forget about you like everyone else, eventually.

"Oi, jerk." Kenneth glanced at the uncharacteristically unattractive in any sensible manner bitch of a little sister. "Pass the remote."

"Why?"

"My favorite gameshow's coming up! And you're not obviously watching the TV are you."

What is it with these weird Japanese gameshows featuring…weird as fuck challenges involving mopey sound effects, and a bunch of adults just laughing their asses off and running around the place like a bunch of preschoolers swinging phallic objects and shooting paintballs at each other, and even trying to douse one another with slimy curry while the audience somewhere laughs hysterically and the host just goes along awkwardly in fashion. He expected Misa, to be more obsessed for Japanese anime instead. Wasn't that supposed to be a thing in Japan?

He wouldn't ask this out loud though. It was a foolish misconception that he out of all people should never ask.

"Knock yourself out." Kenneth flung the remote to her direction, only for Misa to stumble and fall onto the floor as she was trying to catch it mid-air.

Kenneth couldn't resist a chuckle at the stupidity of the effort.

"Meanie." Misa grumbled, rubbing her sore forehead.

"It was already flying towards your face anyway, so better safe than sorry."

The dry joke only served to piss Misa off further. "Screw you."

Kenneth only responded by raising his hands in mock innocence.

"Kenji -."

"It's Ken, woman." Kenneth snarled at Izumi, who was at the dining table across the living room that was cluttered with documents and files that she was meticulously inspecting and marking. She was still clad in her formal work attire, even though she had arrived back three hours ago and already had taken dinner.

She sighed. She wished that Ken would go easy on her sometimes, especially when she was still in the midst of working. "I got some news from the school today."

"He's in trouble isn't he?!" Misa exclaimed.

Kenneth however paid no attention to Misa, turning his head to look at his mother.

"Mr. Kedouin had a meeting with a contact of yours today."

Contacts? Uncle and Auntie…no wait, that's improbable. They're busy off as they are, aren't they?

"Who is it?"

"A fellow named Conrad."

Kenneth swore his heart skipped a beat. It was as if time itself had decided to stop and slap his face.

Misa asked. "Who's Conrad?"

Kenneth stared at her contemplatively. "No one important."

"But you know him? He knows you too, doesn't he?"

Kenneth tried to focus his attention on the stupid gameshow to avoid answering. It however served to irritate him after the first few minutes of unfamiliar Japanese accents and brainless humor decided to needle his brain.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"To sleep." Kenneth muttered and trudged off back to his room, leaving a nonplussed and annoyed Misa to simply glance at her mother for answers.

She however, returned back to her work, keeping her face low to avoid Misa, and that was the end of it.

However in both Izumi and Ken's minds, this unspoken matter was actually far from over. They both knew it.

Just a few more chapters of plot and character building before we get to the main meat of this story. Stay tuned folks!