Progress

*Kei Machida's POV*

//July 22, 2040//Sunday//

"Oh, Machida! You guys are back?"

As soon as we entered the cafeteria, Raku greeted the three of us along with Kiyoko, and Kanade who were sitting with him.

"Hey…"

Right after we entered the cafeteria, Kiyoko walked straight towards us, and pouted at me with those piercing eyes of hers.

"I told you to stay here a few days ago."

"I'm not comfortable with those kinds of dramas."

While the two of us are staring at each other, Asahi, and Ichika walked past us, and went straight towards where Raku and Kanade are sitting.

"Oh! Is this what Megumin made?" Ichika asked.

"It looks good."

The two of them sat down and started eating along with Raku, and the rest.

"Sigh… Listen to me next time, okay?" Kiyoko said.

"O-Okay…"

"Come on. I bet you are hungry."

I followed Kiyoko, and the two of us joined the others who were enjoying the food that Megumin made for us.

"Did all of you talk to Hyakuzawa yet?" I asked.

"We did, and I think everything is going to be okay."

"But where is he?"

"Oh! Everybody is here!"

As soon as I asked that question to Kiyoko, Megumin showed up when she left the kitchen with a jolly aura like usual.

"Oh! Megumin! Do you know where that big guy is?" Raku asked.

Right after Megumin showed up, she smiled at us, and we saw Hyakuzawa who followed her from behind.

"H-Hello…"

Hyakuzawa looks way more composed than before, and it seems to be that he has calmed down when he is with us.

But…

"HAHAHAHAHA!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING, HYAKUZAWA?!"

Raku laughed hysterically to the point that he couldn't catch his breath as soon as we saw Hyakuzawa wearing an apron that is decorated with pink hearts.

"I asked Hyakuzawa to help me wash the dishes that I used to cook for our lunch." Megumin answered bluntly with innocence.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! THIS IS HILARIOUS! I CAN'T! THIS IS TOO FUNNY!"

"O-Oi… Shut up, Raku…"

I can't believe what I am witnessing right now.

From the monster who was full of rage, and hostility to whoever he sees. Hyakuzawa turned into a person who is now getting teased by someone who he have beaten up a few days ago.

Suddenly, Hyakuzawa noticed our presence, and walked toward us.

"Are the three of you okay?"

I didn't sign up for this drama shit. Is he talking about the injuries that he gave us?

Sigh… Let's get this over with…

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about it." I said.

"I'm good as well."

I thought mine, and Asahi's response was enough to satisfy Hyakuzawa's question, but he then suddenly bowed down in front of us.

"I'm really sorry for what I did…"

There was a moment of silence around us, and it seems to be that the three of us are the only ones who can break that silence.

I really don't like to be in this position at all… What should I tell him?

"Are you apologizing for what you truly did or are you just saying sorry for yourself?"

WHAT WAS THAT QUESTION? YOU JUST MADE IT WORSE, ICHIKA!

I glanced at Ichika, and she was serious about what she just asked for Hyakuzawa.

BUT WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT QUESTION?!

"I know what I did was wrong, and it is unforgivable."

"If you are telling us that you can't be forgiven, then that apology of yours is nonsense-."

"But even if that was the case! I want to do my best to redeem myself not just for you people, but for myself as well!"

Hyakuzawa said those words while standing proud in front of Ichika who was full of doubts from his apology earlier.

"I want to be a better man, and I'm really sorry for what I did!"

After what Hyakuzawa just said out loud with his head raised high up while looking at her, Ichika walked in front and stared directly at him.

"Do you know? I also tried killing everyone who is here inside. I also apologized as well even if they have a choice not to. If you want to be forgiven you need to put some action in it, and not just through your words."

I saw Ichika smile, and reach her hand to Hyakuzawa.

"I forgive you, Joichiro Hyakuzawa. So let's do our best to help these people who helped us as well."

Hyakuzawa took her hand, and he looks like he was about to cry because of what Ichika just said.

"How about you two? What do you say?"

Ichika looked at the two of us who is waiting for our answer.

"As long as you don't hurt us again, I forgive you." Asahi said.

"How about you, Machida?"

Forgiveness, huh?

A person who has done things that almost killed us. Should I really forgive a person like him?

Why should I? Even if you can say that we are fine after what he just did. The damage has already been done.

People are like that all the time. After they did something regrettable, they will do anything just so they can be forgiven by the people around them. As much as I want to hold back my emotions, I want to tell to Hyakuzawa something.

"If you have killed someone? Is forgiveness enough for a piece of shit like you?"

In my opinion, people who did cruel things before should just rot with the regrets they did.

People like them… People like them…

I can still remember what happened to my parents on that day…

"MOM! DAD! BIG SIS! WHY?! WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO YOU?! WHY?!"

PEOPLE WHO DID CRUEL THINGS LIKE THEM SHOULD JUST!!!

"WHYYYYYYY???!!!"

"Yeah, I accept your apology…"

I almost lost my cool for a second…

"THEN! LET'S CELEBRATE!"

Raku stood up from his seat with his glass of water that he was holding raised up in the air.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Raku?" Ichika asked.

"What do you mean? All of us are now are finally okay with each other, and now we can work together!"

That's right despite everything that happened to all of us, we are now on the same page on working together on getting out of this place.

"Raku is right. I'm also happy that all of us are now on good terms with each other."

"Ah! But Hyakuzawa just finished his food earlier." Megumin said.

"I can still eat if there are seconds."

"Of course there are! Let me get you some!"

"Well then! Cheers for our future in working with each other!"

With Raku's speech full of optimism, all of us ate lunch happily while talking with each other.

I guess having fun like this is fine sometimes.

How long has it been since I am around with these many people with big smiles on their faces?

After we were done eating. Kiyoko asked what the three of us have investigated earlier. I know that there is a possibility that Ichi is listening to us right now, and I messaged her that we can talk about it later.

While they were busy having fun, I was completely dwelling on my own thoughts on the information that I got about this place.

Hyakuzawa was drugged by none other than Ichi, and that is why he became a monster who was unable to understand logic back then.

But just like what Asahi said earlier, this doesn't make sense at all.

Ichi has powers that no human can do, and you might consider him a God at this point. But why do those foolish things such as drugging someone, and why couldn't he do something far worse to drive us insane? There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered

What I learned is progress for me in this investigation, but this is not enough to solve the problem.

Ichi… Who is he?

I need one more clue… Just one more, and I might be able to find some answers about it.

"Umm… Machida!"

While I was gathering my thoughts, Kanade suddenly called me who has been quiet for a while now.

I looked at her, and she took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I-I'll help you! Let me help you dissect Shinsuke's body later!"

I was at a loss for words when Kanade brought this up to the people who didn't know about Shinsuke's corpse that is inside the laboratory.

"What are you talking about, Kanade?" Megumin asked.

"Let me explain what Kanade meant by that."

Kiyoko filled them the details about everything regarding Shinsuke's corpse. She told them everything from how she planned to preserve the corpse for future investigations, and how I want Kanade to dissect the body for clues.

Everyone was astonished, but it seems to be that everyone is used to these absurd things at this point after everything that happened.

"You are smart, but terrifying as well, Sasaki. No one even thought about something like that especially when we witnessed someone dying on our first day here in this school." Asahi said.

"I thought that it was the best action to take. I know what I did was immoral, but I want to do something that can probably help us in the future."

"I-I'm sorry if this is the worst timing to open this up. But I want to tell this to Machida as soon as possible so I can give him more time to investigate this place."

I thought that it is already over, and Kanade has lost all her courage to do something immoral as meddling with a dead person's body. I didn't expect that those words will come from her own mouth.

"You were scared shitless back then. Why the sudden change of mind?" I asked her.

"Oi! Watch your mouth when talking to Kanade, Machida!"

I ignored what Ichika is saying, and focused solely on this person with rabbit ears who was also looking back at me.

"I have been through a lot of thinking when you talked to me. I agree that I was a coward back then when I don't want to do something that only I can do."

"Oi, Kanade. You don't need to be so hard on yourself-."

"Raku, let her speak." Sasaki said.

"Are you really up for the task? Can you really do it?"

After I asked her that question, Kanade immediately stood up.

"If dissecting Shinsuke's body will lead us to a huge clue. If what I will do can save all of us, then let's do it."

Honestly, I thought little of these people at first.

But these people are amazing.

In situations like this. It's either you fall into despair or use it as a motivation to look for hope even if it is impossible.

And these people chose to not give up, and all of them are trying to improve to get stronger.

At first, I thought of these people as tools that I can just use for my own benefit because I assumed that they will stay the same as time passes.

"Since we are done eating, do you want to do this right now, Kanade?"

But I was wrong.

"Sure. Let's go!"

Even if they are not up to par with Kiyoko who is strong, and honorable from the start, everyone did their way to stay tough even if we are in a place full of mysteries, and uncertainties.

All of these people who are in here right now.

I admire their growth, and they are someone who I am starting to respect.

******** TO BE CONTINUED ********