"I still can't believe that things have gone the way that they have," Yasuo said solemnly. "I suppose this really is it for me."

"I still can't believe that you would do something like this," Eryu responded. "I mean, I didn't want to think it. Just the idea felt wrong. But...I definitely can't ignore it now, that's for sure."

"What we need to know is why you did it," Hoshi said, sounding somewhere between angry and poignant. "I cannot, for the life of me, understand why you would do something so...terrible. That's not even covering the fact that you said that you loved her-"

Hoshi stopped as he saw Yasuo flinch at the statement. It must've really hit close to home, and even though Hoshi was clearly upset, he wasn't shying away from that fact.

"I know, I know," Yasuo replied. "I did. Or, at least, I thought I did. I remember I started to feel some very hard to describe emotions that I hadn't felt in some time. It didn't seem proper to make it explicit in any way. You all were, and are, very important to me, and I didn't want to burden anyone here with my own self-serving feelings...but…"

His expression began to look almost wistful, but Naoko doubted that it was entirely positive.

"I remember my heart would flutter at the mere sight of her. I remember taking the time to see if I would be able to hear her speak, or even smile. Just the thought of her smiling...it filled me with...I don't know how else to describe it but...hope."

"Good god, is this a bit, or something?" Kimi asked, grossed out.

"Wh-what?" Yasuo stammered. "I'm sorry, I'm not doing a bit. I'm being completely honest. I...I hoped that if I was kind, and made sure that she was happy, she could potentially garner an interest in me in turn. It was foolish of me to try, perhaps, but I still did. I did my best to comfort her. You know, when Kimi so callously abused her. I even had the good fortune of meeting her not long after, as she ascended the stairs to the first floor. I remember I noticed then that she was still in a poor emotional state."

"Oh, really?" Naoko wondered aloud. "I think I know what you're talking about."

"Well, that was simply another attempt, on my part," Yasuo continued. "If I played my cards right, I thought, I was sure that she would be won over. And, well, that night, when I attempted to get to sleep, I heard something odd. Someone had slid a letter underneath my door. It was signed by Sasa herself, and said, in some of the most wonderful prose I had ever read, that she knew how I felt, and that she felt the same way."

"That's…" Hoshi looked completely incredulous.

"What did it say?" Mariko asked.

"Well," Yasuo replied, "I'm afraid I don't have it with me. I flushed it down the toilet just last night. Still, I think I remember most of it. In it, I remember she wrote quite a bit. One section in particular I remember very well. It was perhaps less eloquent than most of it, but the emotions that came with it stuck to me: 'After what Kimi did to me, in front of everyone, yourself included, I don't know how to feel about myself. It made me feel worthless, and all things considered, it wouldn't be absurd to think I am. But even still, I want to thank you for everything you've done for us, and for me. Even though I'm sure I wasn't worth it, the fact that you came to me in my time of need when I was made to feel like some sort of freak means the world to me.'"

"Wait, wait," Takeshi stopped him. "That's a lot of self-deprecating. I didn't realize she was like that."

"I didn't notice that about her, either," Mariko agreed. "I remember us being together, and me talking to her, and she talked about being afraid, and things of that nature, but she didn't really talk badly about herself that much."

"Perhaps it's something that she kept to herself, to avoid seeming like a burden," Yasuo suggested. "I really wasn't sure what to think of what she wrote. All I knew was that I had a chance. I just needed to speak to her once, and perhaps, I thought, we could make a real connection. From how unhappy we had become due to our situation, that thought gave me...hope. Still, there's not a better word I can use to describe it but that."

"And then what?" Naoko asked.

"After that, I made my move, as one might say," Yasuo continued. "You were right about what you suggested, in regards to Sasa. I paid attention to her for some time, and when she spoke, I listened as best she could. I simply made an educated assumption that she would be in the music room. When we were making preparations, I offered to work in the game room and the music room. As I expected, when I entered the room, she was already in there. She was surprised to see me, but I quickly went to her to express my thanks, and how much her loving words meant to me."

"How did she react?" Yori asked.

"She…" Yasuo paused, displeasure rising in his voice as his words became noticeably stilted. "She acted like I was insane. She told me how she didn't love me, and before I could talk to her any further, she fled the room. I was stunned. The letter said that she loved me, and I had truly gotten my hopes up, only for her to slam a door in my face as she left me, alone, in that room. It was heartbreaking, I tell you."

"Why would she confess her love to you, only to tell you that she didn't?" Mareo asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"It didn't make sense to me, either," Yasuo agreed. "The only conclusion I could come to at the time was something that shook me to my core. I realized that that letter she had given me must have been some sort of sick joke. She saw how I acted towards her, and she wanted to punish me for having feelings for her. Something in me...I don't know what happened exactly, but I had a feeling, deep within me. I felt I had to do something. There, in the music room, I looked at the grand piano in the room, and I began to plan."

"Woah, woah, this is getting a bit ridiculous," Kimi interrupted. "You immediately decided that she was actually a heartless bitch? Wouldn't you think that that letter was fake?"

"Don't you think I considered that possibility?" Yasuo replied sternly. "Because I did. But it didn't make sense to me. Partly because I found the letter to be so well-written, it only made sense that it would be written by a masterful writer, such as her, the scriptwriter. Besides that, if someone were trying to do so in an attempt to harm me, then they would have to have learned of my feelings for her, and I was sure that if anyone knew, it would be her. If Sasa was the intended victim, then why would the letter be sent to me? Wouldn't she have been given a fake letter? Who would even have wanted to bring harm to either of us? Granted, I'm not one for understanding the mindset behind heartless pranks, but even still...the only idea that made any sense to me at the time was that she was playing with my emotions."

"How utterly monstrous of her," Bankei said. Something about the way she said that...or even just the fact that she said that, really got Naoko's attention. And he felt he wasn't alone.

"That's exactly what I thought," Yasuo responded. "My understanding of her was twisted beyond repair. Even through my drug-induced infatuation, I began to despise what she had done. It was like some sort of paradox. I felt I loved her to some extent, but I hated her at the same time. However, at that time, I...I wasn't myself. I don't know what came over me, but the part of me that hated her took control, and I began to plan."

"Was the plan like what Naoko and, y'know, the others were talking about?" Ishi asked.

"More or less," Yasuo replied. "I made the assumption that Sasa wouldn't be able to handle a social gathering for very long, and would leave, and that she would go to the music room. I also used my own talent to help my plan along, and waited until the perfect opportunity to take my leave. And yes, I did indeed slip a purgative into Haru's drink."

"Ah, shit," Haru said to himself.

"Indeed," Yasuo said. "What ended up occurring between you and Kimi was exactly what I needed, and then some. After I left the pool room, I went straight to the music room."

"Wouldn't you need to stop by the equipment room?" Naoko pointed out.

Yasuo shook his head. "I'm afraid you weren't entirely correct on that point. But I can explain what happened then."

During the party, at approximately 12:52

Yasuo stepped into the music room to see Sasa, exactly where he thought she would be. She was sitting in front of a music stand, upon which was an open music book, and had in her hands a flute so small and simple, one would be mistaken for thinking it were a recorder, if not for the fact that it was completely metallic. Sasa's eyes snapped towards Yasuo fearfully as he entered the room, and she quickly grabbed the opened book and moved to put it back on the bookshelf where she had taken it from.

Yasuo frowned. "What are you doing, exactly?"

"N-nothing," Sasa lied pointlessly. "Nothing at all." She placed the book back on the bookshelf. "I was just-"

"Enough with that," Yasuo interrupted her. "I thought you would be a better liar than this."

Sasa gasped lightly, fidgeting with the flute she hadn't had the time to put away, as she moved back towards where she was sitting. "W-what are you t-talking about?"

"You've been avoiding me since yesterday," Yasuo said. "I believe that I understand why. You were afraid to confront me after what you did."

"I...I d-didn't do anyth-thing," Sasa claimed.

"You didn't?" Yasuo asked incredulously. "Then who else wrote that letter I found under my doorstep? Who else could have poured their emotions into written words as well as you? And when I say that, I mean you really poured yourself into it. Your admission to desiring a future with a kind and dutiful provider such as myself...it felt so genuine. How do you explain that?"

"W-well, I don't, I w-wouldn't say that…" Sasa looked positively panicked at that moment, but Yasuo paid it little mind.

"Just answer me something. And do so honestly," Yasuo said in a grim tone. "Do you love me, like I love you?"

"Wh-what?" Sasa asked. "I t-told you, I don't love you. I l-love someone else. P-please, just-"

Yasuo sighed wearily, cutting off Sasa. "I...I can't say I expected it to be like this. But I don't think I can let go of what's been done to me so easily. The false hope that letter gave me...it's worthless. It always was."

Yasuo stepped forward, towards the grand piano, as Sasa watched fearfully. He lifted up the lid, and stuck his hand inside to grab the weapon he had stored there beforehand.

"What are you doing?" Sasa asked before the realization of her situation kicked in.

It was too late, though.

"After that," Yasuo continued, "I attacked her. However, in a panic, she managed to kick my arm, causing me to lose my grip on the hammer. From there, everything was the way you all determined. I grabbed the flute from her, caused her to choke on it, had her fall to the ground, and so on. Then, I took the hammer, brought it back to the equipment room, took a mallet, and saw if I still had someone I could frame that wasn't currently in the bathroom. The rest is self-explanatory at this point."

"...I still…" Mariko attempted to speak. "I still don't understand. You, you've been so kind to all of us. How...I mean-"

"It's okay, Mariko," Yasuo interrupted her. "I understand your confusion. I killed the woman I loved, and I risked all your lives trying to preserve my own worthless life. I suppose even I wasn't comfortable with the idea of making such an extreme sacrifice."

"That would certainly explain why you attempted to deny the accusations thrown your way," Mareo reasoned. "However, that doesn't explain why you'd endanger us or yourself in the first place. Why kill the woman you claim to have loved?"

"Even I don't know if I can fully answer that," Yasuo admitted sorrowfully. "I understand that our emotions have been tampered with. I suppose it's possible, though don't take my word for it, that my hatred was less as a result of being tricked by that letter, but more due to being rejected."

"Ah," Kimi said as if she understood, "I see what you're going for. You're saying you weren't good with rejection. That's what I call classic yandere."

"Kimi, this is serious," Eryu demeaned. "Stop making obscure references."

Kimi raised an eyebrow at him bemusedly. "Obscure?"

"The point I'm trying to make is," Yasuo continued, his voice a bit shaky, "I don't entirely know what happened to me. Something within me reared its ugly head, and I…I..."

As he spoke the last few words, it sounded like his emotions were flaring up. That indicator, however, was still not nearly as much of an expression of Yasuo's emotions as what would come seconds after the last word escaped him. Rather suddenly, Yasuo's eyes teared up, and he began to choke back sobs. This was something that Naoko wasn't really expecting him to do, but...if Yasuo was telling the truth about himself, he almost couldn't blame him...Almost.

"Oh, gods above," Yasuo choked out between sobs, "what have I done? What have I become? How could I have been so terrible to all of you? How could any of this even happen?"

"Yasuo," Naoko said reluctantly, "you really think that you weren't yourself?"

"Of course I do," Yasuo said before letting out a series of sharp sniffles. "I acted like a demented, conniving monster. If anything, I think that the Yasuo that you all knew before this...I feel as though that part of me wanted my plan to fail, at some point or another. All the risks I took, all the uncertainties...The fact that it all worked in the end just shows how much I've failed all of you. I don't expect any of you to forgive me, but I just want you to know that I am so, so sorry."

"OH MY. THIS IS NOT GOOD."

Yasuo took a moment to wipe the stream of tears off of his face and looked towards the large screen, where IMONO's eye symbol was. "H-huh?"

"None of this is good!" Mine pointed out. "You guys, this is terrible! Yasuo was just about the nicest person here, and it turns out he's a murderer! And now we're gonna lose him!"

"THIS IS TRUE. HOWEVER, WHAT I FIND ISSUE IN SPECIFICALLY IS WHAT YASUO IS DOING AT THE MOMENT. HIS PREVIOUS CRIMES ARE SHAMEFUL, BUT WHAT HE IS DOING NOW IS MERELY WORSENING THIS SITUATION."

"W-what am I doing wrong now?" Yasuo said, his voice cracking.

"YOU ARE TRICKING EVERYONE ELSE INTO FEELING SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS YOU. THIS MAKES THIS CRIME PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPACTFUL THAN MICHIO'S. AT LEAST IN THAT CASE, YOU ALL UNDERSTOOD HOW LITTLE YOUR LIVES MEANT TO HIM. HOWEVER, NOW I FEAR YOU WILL MOURN THOSE THAT DO NOT DESERVE IT."

"Don't deserve it?" Naoko asked back. "That's a bit extreme."

"I think it makes sense," Kimi said. "Then again, he's the one who hit yours truly with a mallet, so...Just don't tell me I'm wrong about this, and we're all good."

"ENOUGH. THE LONGER THIS CONVERSATION GOES ON, THE MORE IMPACTFUL IT WILL BE."

"Methinks it's already quite impactful," Bankei replied. "What's the harm in a bit more conversation?"

"QUIET. THE EXECUTION MUST COMMENCE NOW."

"Alright, fine," Yasuo said in resignation. "I'm...I'm sorry. That's all I want you to know. I wish this never would have happened."

(RUNNING UNHAPPYPATRON . EXE)

Before anyone really knew it, they were watching as Yasuo stood up on the large elevated platform created some time ago in the room. Like before, a loose half-circle of about a dozen humanoid robots stood between the platform and everyone else. However, despite the strangeness of the sight, it was what was occurring up top that was particularly interesting.

The giant IMONO Brute from Michio's execution was there as well, looming over Yasuo from behind. The Brute coerced him into stepping forward, a metal serving tray with what looked like a roast chicken on it being held in his hands. The tray seemed hot, based on the fact that it was burning Yasuo's hands.

Yasuo placed the metal serving tray down on the only other thing of interest in the room, that being a wooden table with a white cloth draped over it and some utensils already laid out. On the other side from Yasuo was a simple droid, not unlike the ones separating the spectators from the action. The only distinguishing feature of it was the fact that its torso was half-cylindrical, and looked like a compartment of some kind.

The IMONO Droid looked at Yasuo, then the chicken, then reached with its robotic arms and pulled off a leg. It then brought it up to its head, which only had that red and blue eye on it. The leg made contact with its "face", but nothing happened. It didn't have a mouth. Based on what little body language the Droid conveyed, it wasn't happy about that. Next thing Yasuo knew, the chicken leg was thrown at his head.

Then the other chicken leg connected with him. Then the rest of the chicken, then the serving tray, then the utensils, which unfortunately for Yasuo included a sharp knife that hit him blade-first on the right shoulder.

Yasuo was left mildly concussed, and the knife had actually drawn some blood, but otherwise, he was okay. He was mainly confused, actually, once he looked past the pain he was in. The Droid had nothing left to throw at him, at least...or, rather, that's how it seemed. After a few seconds, the Droid reached for the side of its torso, and popped open the lid to what apparently was, indeed, a compartment. Said compartment just so happened to be filled with a surprisingly large number of knives.

Yasuo looked on in horror as the Droid began to reach into itself and pull out the knives within, one by one. Each one was lobbed at him with great precision, each one hitting him somewhere different on the upper half of his body, and each one causing additional bleeding. The thing had to have thrown at least a dozen knives until Yasuo found himself fading, and the Droid switched tactics.

The Droid walked up to Yasuo, who by that point needed to be held by his torso by the Brute in order to stay upright, as he was close to death. The droid removed one final knife, and spent several seconds using it to carve something onto Yasuo's forehead.

This was the straw to break the camel's back, as Yasuo bled his last upon its completion. As one final act of malice, the Droid used the knife to slice off some hair from Yasuo's head, in order for what had been done to his forehead to be seen clearly. What was left behind was just a single shape: a star.

A/N: I think this is a good a time as any to say this, because the arc is wrapping up and I'm willing to admit it: I feel like I was in over my head writing this arc. I know I wanted it to be kinda comedic in tone, and it ultimately was, but damn, sappy, romantic stuff is not my strong suit. Oh well, it seems like I got through it. And if you're reading this, you probably have too!

Also, I just gotta say that I found myself waiting for a damn long time to write out this execution. Yes, it's pretty dumb, all things considered, but I still love it.