I thought I'd post a couple of recollection chapters I pre-wrote a little while ago (this one was done a long time ago, Lilian's more recently) mostly to buy me a little more time in completing the next main story chapter but also because I thought considering where we are in the story, Moeka's in particular would be quite appropriate to post now.

Anyway, please enjoy!

I had been staring at the note for hours.

Well, the note and the dress, in alternating bouts of misery. I looked over at it, balled up and thrown in a corner of the room. I was sitting on the floor in the opposite corner, but it was still too far away. Somehow, whatever happened, I didn't think I'd ever be able to wear that dress again, not after having found the note in its pockets.

I'd liked that dress too, it was one of a bunch that I'd bought off of a website that made super awesome clothes that were both pretty and girly and practical. i.e. having proper pockets. I'd found a few nice casual things as well as outfits for the funeral home on there, and Kimiko and I had gotten our outfits for Hope's Peak winter dance on there. We'd planned to get something for the summer dance this year too. Funnily enough, it'd been Dad who'd told me about this site-he'd overheard detectives talking about it, it had been a site in a victim's search history.

Dad.

I sighed and looked down at the note again. "If you don't kill someone, your parents will die. I know how to find them." I didn't want to believe it, I didn't. But if I didn't, and then we got out, and Mum and Dad were dead….what would I do? How could I live?

But these were my friends. My friends. We'd laughed and cried together, we'd embarked on this second school year of ours with so much hope. I was one of their class reps, and I'd already failed them by not keeping us safe. I suppose in a way that bear was right. If Katsuya and I hadn't come up with this idea, if I hadn't encouraged it, then we'd still be in school. We'd still be safe. I couldn't kill them.

And yet, even as you say that, you snuck a knife out of the kitchen.

I'd shut it away in a drawer the moment I'd managed to get it in here. But yes, once I'd seen the note-and most importantly, once I knew that others had received the note too, I'd taken a knife. I didn't want to kill, yet I had to. I had no intention of killing, yet I'd made a plan to. Contradictions that couldn't be reconciled, no matter which way I looked at them.

I can't do this. How do I do this?

Overcome, I huddled into a ball and just let myself cry for a long time. I cried, and cried and cried, until I couldn't breathe. And then, when I was done, I slowly got up, shakily walking over to the shower area to wash my face. I stared at myself in the mirror. Then, just as slowly as I'd gotten up, I walked over to the drawer I'd taken the knife from, and slowly opened it. It lay there, and it seemed to glint. Flashing, as if to taunt me. As if to say, go on, then. With effort, I pushed back another sob and then slowly curled my hand around the handle.

It was night-time. Nobody would be out-not after what we'd agreed. With the exception of that midnight feast, and the time Takaaki had got trapped in the kitchen, nobody had disobeyed the rules we'd put in place for ourselves to keep safe. Rules that I had been 100% behind. Katsuya and Fumiaki, they'd done what they'd done during the day, in moments of panic. So nobody would be out. Even if I actually picked this up, and left the room with it, I wouldn't find anyone.

So it'll be fine, right? I can say to myself that at least I tried. But I won't need to hurt anyone, and then hopefully we'll be able to find a way of fixing this so that Mum and Dad will be safe. Yes. That's what I need to do.

Ever so carefully, I picked up the knife, held it tightly by my side. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Then, resolutely, before I could hesitate or buckle, I quickly left the room. As I'd assumed, there was nobody around. It was dark, and quiet. Completely silent. I took a breath, and a few more steps, and then a few more. Nobody here, nobody here, nob-

Supressing a gasp, I quickly retreated around the nearest corner and held my breath as I watched to see who or what it was I had sensed. Short, slender and….blue hair. Pastel blue hair. The figure drew closer, though turned away from me. Akari-chan. Oh. Oh no. I missed them. After Katsuya had died, she'd more or less stopped talking to everyone except Azami. We were in the same situation, but all the same. I missed her.

But you came out looking for someone, and she's here. You know what to do.

Akari kept walking, slowly looking around, still not spotting me, oblivious. I gripped my knife, covered my mouth with my other hand. Then I looked properly at her and realised that she, too, was holding a knife.

Oh.

Oh.

Of course she would have had a note. And the stakes were higher in some ways, with her most important person being right here. It was no surprise that she'd decide to come out to act on that. I couldn't blame her for it, not when I was doing the same.

But, I couldn't let her. So I took a breath, gritted my teeth, and moved forward.

Please, forgive me.