5:14 P.M.

The group stopped in the residential area to have a quick rest and a bit of dinner. Sonia didn't let go of the crossbow as she crouched down to inspect Hinata's leg – it was now impossible for her to roll up his pants to try and investigate the wound. She didn't know if there was something on the arrows that had infected it so drastically, or if he had gotten something from the island in it.

Either way…

"Hinata-san, I believe I will have to ask you to take off your pants."

Hinata jerked backward, nearly toppling over and taking Naegi with him. Sonia waited, kneeling on the ground, fingers tapping her thighs. Eventually, Hinata swallowed. "Can. Can we not do this around everyone," he said. Sonia nodded and took Hinata from Naegi, steering him to a nearby house.

"The rest of you can come in when we're done," she said. "Perhaps we should make shorts of your pants, Hinata-san, so that this does not happen again."

Hinata nodded and Sonia, keeping a good grip on the crossbow, kicked in the door and dragged Hinata inside. She closed the door behind her, glancing around. The house didn't seem undisturbed at all, but that didn't mean that nobody was inside. She'd have Hinata take off his pants near the door, and she would stand with her back to him and watch.

After a bit of struggling, Hinata got his pants off.

"They're off," he muttered, not looking at her when she crouched down to inspect his wound. Sonia peeled the makeshift bandage away from his wound and winced as she saw yellow-y pus underneath. "S-shit."

"We need medicine," she said. "This is… I don't know how, either from the crossbow or something on the island, but it is infected. We're going to need to stop the infection in its tracks, Hinata-san."

Hinata blew air from his mouth and sighed. "I don't know if that'll happen," he said. Sonia, her worst fears brought to light, glanced at him. He met her eyes. There was absolutely no hope in his. "Maybe it'd be best… if you'd just leave me here. You guys can…"

"No!" Sonia said, standing up. "I am not going to leave an injured friend and classmate behind to die! I refuse! You are going to fight off the infection. I am going to bandage it up again and we'll stop by that clinic on the map on our way to the lighthouse. It is not far from here, and then we can get to the lighthouse and heal you. You are not dying on my watch. I forbid it."

"Hajime-chan is dying?"

Mioda burst through the door, nearly tripped over Hinata, and did a one-handed cartwheel into the larger part of the house. Owari and Naegi followed, Naegi giving Hinata a sheepish smile. Hinata turned beet red.

"Mioda-san, can you please rip these into shorts?" Sonia asked, handing Mioda Hinata's pants. Mioda snapped off a salute.

"Aye-aye, captain!" she said cheerfully. "Ibuki will turn Hajime-chan's pants into Hajime-chan's shorts! Very fashionable."

Sonia shut the door. "Why did you come in here?" she asked Naegi.

"We saw someone," Naegi said. "It looked like Saionji. We didn't… I thought that…"

"She won't be a good person to have around," Sonia mused.

"Oh, right," Mioda said. "Ibuki was supposed to be quiet."

"Either way, we do not seem to be under attack," Sonia said. "It is perhaps safe to say that we are safe from Saionji-san for now."

"For now," Hinata muttered, taking his now-shorts back from Mioda and struggling to get them on. He sighed.

"Either way, let us have our quick dinner," Sonia said, forcing a smile. "Perhaps there is something in the kitchen?"

"Ibuki is on it!" Mioda said, bounding to the kitchen. Naegi followed her, a slightly sheepish smile on his face. Sonia and Owari knelt beside Hinata, lifting him and supporting him into the kitchen.

"It's going to be fine," Sonia said, though she wasn't quite sure if she was trying to convince herself or the others.

23 STUDENTS REMAINING

One more chapter tonight!