DAY TWO ; 9:00 A.M.

"All I'm saying is, it's weird," Fuyuhiko said, kicking at a rock. Peko Pekoyama watched him walk for a few seconds before her eyes darted around to make sure that nobody was near. The two of them were at the very edge of the island; near a few danger zones at B10. If they wanted to move much more, they would have to go inland. And Pekoyama much preferred the outskirts. She didn't have to watch so much that way.

Fuyuhiko turned around to look at her. His face was indignant, and though there were dark circles under his eyes, he didn't look much different from a normal day.

"We haven't seen anyone since those two the yesterday," he said. "We've heard gunshots and screams but we haven't seen a fucking person."

"That's good," Pekoyama said. "If we can avoid confrontation, we can avoid death."

"And then what? What happens when we're the only ones left?"

The answer hung between them. Both of them knew. Pekoyama would kill herself, and Fuyuhiko would win. It was simple, or it should have been. But Fuyuhiko kept challenging it. He kept asking the question over and over even though he knew the answer.

"Then I die," she said. "And you go home."

"Damn this fucking thing all the way to hell," Fuyuhiko spat. He kicked a rock over the side of the cliff. "I'm not going to let you kill yourself for me."

"Then we'll both die. It's my duty to die for you in things like this."

Fuyuhiko scowled. But he didn't say anything, and Pekoyama was glad. She wanted him – needed him to accept it, because when he failed it accept it it made it harder for her to accept it. It was something she'd spent her whole life anticipating, dying for Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, and if he was unwilling to let her go it made her question if she really should.

But of course she should. It was her duty, after all. It was her job.

"I don't want you to die," he said, finally, and her heart stopped for a second. He stayed turned away from her, but his voice caught in his throat as he spoke and she had to swallow hard and dig her fingernails into her palms to keep her composure. "I don't know what I'd do without you. I just – I just need you, alright? I just. Fucking. Need you. And if you die, then-"

"Then you'll have to find a new me," Pekoyama said, and she saw his shoulders tense up under his shirt.

"I can't do that, Peko. I need you, not the – protection you give me. So – don't say things like – you're going to fucking die when it's the two of us. I know that that's the only thing that can happen, but I don't want-"

"Okay," Pekoyama said. She pressed her lips together and nodded, even though she knew that he couldn't see her. "Okay. We'll think about that when it happens."

"Yeah," Fuyuhiko said. He cleared his throat. He spat over the side of the cliff, and turned to face her. "Should we head farther in?"

8 STUDENTS REMAINING (?)

Oh, by the way, the update schedule is going to be a little weird this December – but it will be at least three chapters a week, just usually, probably more! So here's our breather chapter, and I will see you next time!

Also, this is probably ending. Soon-ish? Like, not in the next group of chapter but we have eight (?) little children remaining and not all of them are going to be lasting very long.