What Changed Inside Me

*Kei Machida's POV*

//July 22, 2040//Sunday//

"Machida, there will be an investigation where you will need the help of others. Not because you want to use someone for your own benefits just like how you think, but it's because you just really need their help."

I still remember clearly what you told me back then, Shinohara.

Maybe you are right.

Without the help of these people, I may not be standing here right now.

I need to tell them what is exactly in my mind right now.

I used Kiyoko's phone to unlock the door to her room and went inside.

When I entered the room, I saw a woman with a gorgeous body figure in front of me.

Her smell was fragrant, her luscious skin was shining through the light, and it seemed to be that she just finished taking a bath.

"K-Kei-?!"

Kiyoko was in front of me naked.

"AAAAH!!!"

*SLAM*

And of course, she instinctively went back to the bathroom and locked the door.

"I-I'm sorry."

"N-No! It's fine, Kei! Can you just please give me some clothes inside my cabinet?"

I did precisely what Kiyoko told me to do, and lent her some clothes.

Right after she took her clothes swiftly, and shut the door again, I sat down on her bed while thinking about something.

I wonder…

If Asahi didn't point out all of the things about how everything here is wrong then maybe I wouldn't be able to realize it yet.

If Kanade didn't treat my wounds when I was about to die, maybe I wouldn't make it alive.

If Hyakuzawa didn't provide me with that last piece of information to confirm my suspicions about the things I had in my mind then maybe I am still lost in my own thoughts.

And if Kiyoko didn't help me from the start. Then maybe I couldn't do all of these things at all.

Everyone here has done something so that we can handle the situation we are in.

It's funny how I changed from a person who doesn't care about the people around me to someone who actually cares for once.

This isn't like me, but this feeling…

It's not bad at all…

Having people to rely on is actually great.

But I don't know why this is happening to me. It's not like I have been with these people for a long time. So why have I changed a lot?

No, It's not like I am the only one who changed. But everyone here became a different kind of person for the better.

Ha… You already know the reason, Kei Machida.

Even if I know that Ichi was not doing his utter best to try everything to make us kill each other, all of us here are still terrified of what was happening in the first place. If it wasn't for her in the beginning, it is most likely that everyone here is going to try to kill each other just to get out.

How can all of the people here change quickly in just a short amount of time? How can we stay calm even if we are participating in a death game? How can we still be happy despite not knowing where we really are? And how is it possible to save the people here who were suffering because they are dwelling on their past lives?

I still remember what she just said when she stood up to Ichi when they all witnessed the hell that just suddenly showed up in front of them.

"I know we can do it. I believe in these people.

When I first saw her, I thought she was pathetic, and she was just putting a tough act in front of us.

When I heard what she wants to do together with everybody who is here, I found it funny, and I thought that she is deluded.

But she proved to me that I was wrong, and she is also the reason why I am like this.

I couldn't believe that this person had a huge impact on my life.

Even if all of the people here are falling deep down into the hole of despair. Even if there are things that I thought that it couldn't be fixed anymore…

She never gave up, and she found a way to prove to us that the impossible can still be possible in this situation.

That's right, all of these started because of her…

All of these things happened because she is here…

"H-Hey…"

This girl… She is not just extremely intelligent nor someone who is courageous enough to deal with anything no matter how hard it can be. That is not all it is to this person.

Kiyoko Sasaki is…

A person who can easily change someone for the better only because of her presence alone.

Kiyoko left the bathroom, and she was wearing the clothes that I gave to her earlier. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she was looking at me with that face of hers that is blushing because of what I saw earlier.

She is beautiful…

*BADUMP*

W-What am I thinking? Am I crazy?

"I-I'm sorry for being careless earlier, Kei."

"N-No! It's my fault for not knocking on the door before entering."

Get a hold of yourself! The relationship between the two of us is just a deal that we made when we met!

I still need to tell everyone something.

"Kiyoko, can you tell everyone to meet us here inside your room?"

"Huh? What if they are already asleep?"

"Just call them no matter what. I need everyone in here immediately."

"Can we just talk about this tomorrow?"

"This is important."

Kiyoko was quick on the take, and she knew right away that this is urgent.

"So you found some answers to the questions that have been bothering you, isn't it?" Kiyoko asked.

"That's right…"

She really is sharp.

Kiyoko contacted everyone, and in just a few minutes, everybody gathered here inside Kiyoko's room.

"Why are we gathered here this late at night?" Raku asked.

"I'm still sleepy."

"Shut up, Asahi! It's not like you are the only one who was sleeping!"

Everyone was confused about why they are all gathered here.

"So, why did you call us here?" Ichika asked.

Everyone was looking at me because I told Kiyoko to message everyone that I have to tell something important to them.

With all of the information that I have gathered, this conclusion that is inside my head couldn't be wrong.

"I know who Ichi really is."

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