Chapter 34: we are an item

"Where is she" "So what are you going to tell me about the incident last night" "Uhmmm…teacher. Let's wait for Fuyumi first, she will tell you everything", said Kazumi while walking back and forth. "Then where is she? What is making her take so long?" "She went back to her room to get the evidence she found, I don't know why she's still not here" "I'll go and check on her", said Hitoshi as he run to get Fuyumi.

"Fuyumi, what is taking you so—" Hitoshi ran to Fuyumi when he saw her unconscious lying on the floor. "Fuyumi, Fuyumi"

"Aaah, aaaah" "Thank goodness you are awake, you make us worried", said Emica sitting on a chair beside Fuyumi's bed. "What happened?" asked Kazumi. "She came to me to get the evidence" "What did she told you"

"I thought Kazumi will know it first. He is the brightest among the brightest but you volunteer yourself to clean up that room. And then I think, uh she don't want anyone to steal her show. I leave that bottle under the cabinet on purpose to know who will solve the missing pieces first. I was just planning to get rid of you two, then Hitoshi and the others joined the group playing stupid detectives like they are on a manga. Don't give me that expression, even I also don't know why I am fun of you two. Maybe because you shine the brightest among all the students in 2-D? Or… you are just playing dumb about your feelings knowing that he can't move on with the dead girl" "Saki is not his girlfriend" "Oh so you just admitted that you like him. Hmm, even the smartest people get dumb when they like someone, it's too bad he don't feel the same way as you are. You will remain as his friend until he forget about Saki. Do you want an advice how will he turn to like you also? Try killing yourself, maybe he will fall for you also instead of competing with the dead"

"Fuyumi, hey Fuyumi", Kazumi snapping his finger in her face. "Huh?!" "What are you thinking, blanking out. I asked you what did she told you" "Huh…no…nothing…she just get the bottle and leave" "Then why are you unconscious when Hitoshi found you" "Uh…I just felt a little dizzy" "You should get some rest, let us handle this"

Kazumi and the group was about to leave Fuyumi on the room to take some rest when she called Hitoshi to stay. "No need to thank me, everyone will do the---" Hitoshi stopped what he was saying while sitting on the same chair where Emica seated a while ago when Fuyumi interrupt him. "Can we use your condition right now?" "Reminding me of that, we still didn't talked about it" "That is why I am telling you right now that this is the perfect time" "What makes you think? Is this have something to do with what you two talked about?" Fuyumi turned her head down without answering. "I knew it, she told you something" "Kazumi can't forget Saki until now", she said in a low and sad tone of voice. "Even I didn't met that Saki girl, I knew that she was one of a kind that Kazumi will fall for her" "She's a gangster, a delinquent, having a life of trash" "Woah, really?" Fuyumi nod. "I didn't know that Kazumi is into that kind of girl. Her last girlfriend is a good girl though" "He had an ex-girlfriend?" "In our old school" "What is she like, is she beautiful, smart?" "Woah, easy girl. She's beautiful knowing that his best friend also likes her. She's a girl having an angelic and innocent face though they just dated a month or two, I think?" "Tsk…what a trash. Why did they broke up?" "They don't broke up, the girl died. They just went on a date that night then the next day. They found her death in her own room. Kazumi can't take what happened knowing that his best friend died also after her girlfriend, until now they still don't know who did it" "That is why he transferred school, to forget all those things. His girlfriend and best friend must be so special to him. Then why would he like someone like Saki?" "Kazumi is the only one who know the answer"

"I remembered it!" Kota said from the silence around the table with Kazumi, Emica and Nakumi. "What do you remembered?" asked Emica. "Last night when I go the bathroom in the middle of the night, I was really scared that I heard things like someone is crying and wind are keep on giving me chills that felt so cold even I closed all the windows in the hallway" "So what did you remembered?", asked Nakumi. "I remembered ghost really do exist" "Are you scaring us?" "Why do we care if ghosts exist or not" "You guys, you don't know how to differentiate joke from serious. I'm just kidding" "This is not the time to joke around" Okay, okay, sorry then. What I really remembered about last night is when I heard a noise coming from the ladies room and I saw her" "What?! Are you peeking on her?!" "No, no that is not what I mean. What are you taking me for? I am not that kind of person. She was holding a large plastic bottle and it likes she's trashing what is inside of that bottle flushing it on the toilet bowl. I was half sleep that night so I didn't mind at all thinking she peed on a bottle and throwing it before anyone discovers it. But I still remember, I saw it clearly with my two eyes before my flashlight run out of battery. There is something like color red liquid flowing on the bottle she's holding" "Why did you tell us just now?" "I…I forgot…It just popped out of my mind right now" "Do you know where did she hid the bottle?" "I…don't…ah… in the trash can in the ladies room", Kota said like there was a light bulb above his head.

"It's not here anymore", said Nakumi who just dig the trash can in the women's room. "She's fast", said Kazumi. "We leave no choice, we had to take back the food coloring to her in order to prove that she is the culprit and Chiasa and Bashira is innocent" "What's the point of proving them innocent? Their punishment is about to end" "Even though, people will still point finger on them like they are true criminals and the real culprit will do the same thing again until she's not been discovered. This is not about who needs to be punish, this is about proving what the truth behind the lies is"

"Kazumi and company, can I take to you?", said the teacher. Without having any idea looking at each other with question mark on their faces, they followed the teacher. "What did I hear that you are accusing her as the one who did the pranking last night knowing that she is the victim", said the teacher pointing to the girl standing in the corner with teary eyes. "But—" "You are there, you also saw what happened. You should know better. I am disappointed in you Kazumi, all of you guys. I think I gave you too much favor and spoiled you just because you are in the top of your class." "Tsk, playing innocent", Kota whispered staring at her wiping her tears. "But…but teacher…" "You should stop what you are doing. If were you, I shouldn't worry too much playing games and enjoy the field trip", said the teacher as he leave.

"Nice play though, I'm afraid it is already game over", she said wearing her naughtiest smile walked passed by them.

"What are we gonna do now?", Emica asked Kazumi. "I told you, we should stop doing this", Nakumi added. "Kazumi" "Kazumi" "Kazumi" "Wait! I'm thinking!" ''This is crazy, I shouldn't have joined your group", said Nakumi. "Then go, we're not going to stop you. We even didn't asked for your help or to join us in the first place. We don't mind if you're gone" Kazumi said. Nakumi walked away and leave the group. "Nakumi wait", Emica move one step forward to follow Nakumi then stopped to look back at Kazumi and then follow her. "What will happen now?", Kota asked Kazumi. "It is not yet over, not until I saw her paying her sin. We're going to act like we already gave up until we take back the evidence and reveal her doing"

"You are Suki, right" asked Bashira to the girl eating alone in the canteen at the first day of school. "Would you mind if we'll join you?", she asked while sitting at the chair in front of Suki with Chiasa beside her. "Ah sorry, you must be wondering we didn't introduce our name yet. I am Suzuki, Suzuki Bashira and this is (pointing Chiasa) Ogawa, Ogawa Chiasa. We are on the same class. Class 2-D, right?" Suki nodded shyly with food on her mouth. "That was great, we could be friends. What…was your complete name again, Suki?" "O…Okamoto…Suki Okamoto" "Oh…Okamoto. I always see you around the campus last school year, you are always alone so I think of approaching you. I never thought that we are going to end up in the same class, much even better"

"Suki, the guys there are keep on looking at you. They found you cute. You are coming to the level of Fuyumi and Kitoki", said Chiasa approaching her to walk beside her.

"Suki, you are getting more followers on social media" "Oh, someone commented on your post", said Chiasa holding Suki's phone with Bashira sitting on the table inside the class.

"Suki, where do you want to go after class" "Suki, will you join our group in the role play?" "Suki, I followed you. You are not yet following me back" "Suki, are you free on Saturday?" "Suki, we're going to have a party at my place on Sunday" "Suki!!!"

"Suki, who is the guy on your post. Will you introduce him to us?", asked Chiasa holding her tray of food following Suki and Bashira beside her looking for a vacant table. Suki walked in the middle and face them with serious expression. She suddenly dropped the tray she was holding that catches everyone's attention. "What will you do if I don't want to introduce him to you? He's my suitor and I'm about to give him an answer today so I posted our picture on social media. I'm afraid that you will flirt with him and steal him away from me like you did the last time someone confesses to me. I am angry and sad that time but I forgave you because you are my friend" "What are you talking about, what?!" All student's in the canteen start whispering at each other looking at Chiasa and Bashira with those judgmental eyes. "Instead of getting angry at you, I chose to understand you. You just want someone to love you like the way you want to be loved. So even I was hurt that time, I turned a blind eyes and continue as your best friend. Even I am hurting inside seeing you two so sweet at each other and thinking that, that should be me" Suki began to cry and everyone empathizes her while Chiasa and Bashira doesn't have an slightest idea on what is going on. "I am afraid that if I will introduce you again to him, you will do the same thing. I already starting to move on and entertaining others. I don't know what I will do if I will be broken again" From sitting on the floor covering her face with full of tears, she stand and faced the two again. "You two! A horrible whore and an itchy slut. What a great combination, you two are really are best friends. You are both making me puke" All the students cheered Suki and throw foods to the two girls. "I treated you as my best friends, I trusted you. Remembering all those nights I run in both of your houses in one call even I am busy or sleeping that time just to comfort you guys, listening to all your rants in life and following all your orders even I already look like your servant. I thought you also feel the same but I am wrong, I should have listened to what the other people are saying, you are just using me to fulfill all your needs and wants. I am sorry girls that we came into this, I guess, friendship over", Suki ran out of the canteen while crying again. The students in the canteen start throwing things on them again while booing them. "S…Suki!!" Chiasa and Bashira followed Suki outside.

"Suki!!!…Suki!!!...Suki!!!" They found her sitting on one of the bench at the back of the school covering her face and crying. The two moved in front of her. "Suki" From crying, she burst out a laugh. "That was fun, I didn't know that people are that simpleton" while wiping her fake tears. "They easily believed on what others are saying without knowing the truth. I admit I guilt a little but—seeing those faces of yours, it priceless" then she burst a laugh again. "What are—" Chiasa was about to give her a punched but Bashira stopped her. "What will you gain in doing this? Sympathy?" "Sympathy? I don't really think so maybe because it is simply, I want to be happy? And I see you as my toys" "Why are you doing this to us? Are we not your best friends?" "Best friends? Huh, don't make me laugh. I never treated you as a friend. You approached me first and that makes you my toys" "You are evil. I will tell everyone how evil you are" "Then let's see who they will believe more between the tree of us", she said as she stand and move closer to Chiasa's ear to whisper, "See you on the field trip" then leave.

"Fuyumi, are you okay?", asked Kazumi. "Hmm… I'm okay. I can participate on the activities tomorrow" "That's good to hear", said Kota. "How are you? I mean, what progress you made today" Kazumi turned his head down. "We gave up, we can't continue this anymore, and even Emica and Nakumi left the group. They have warned me already to stop but I didn't listen. She take the teacher's sympathy and now the teacher see us as the bad person trying to bully her" "Huh?! She really got a nerve. I bet she already planned all these things from the start" "I think so…"

"Anyways, Hitoshi and I have an announcement to make. Don't panic, don't be so shocked, don't jump, don't shout or whatever reaction you will make, please don't" Fuyumi looked at Hitoshi first to give the sign then to Kazumi. "Hitoshi and I… are already an item" Fuyumi's face suddenly turned red as Hitoshi put his arms around her shoulder. "Huh?! What?!", that was Kazumi's reaction. "Stop!", Fuyumi said to Kota who was about to jump. "Can we talk alone Fuyumi?" Hitoshi wink at Fuyumi whose heart is beating as fast as Hitoshi drag Kota out of the room. On Fuyumi's mind, the phrase 'What am I doing' are keep repeating. "What are you doing?!", Kazumi asked. "W…what are you saying?" "You know that Hitoshi is not that kind of a person you think he is. I already told you countless times, I even warned you. He might be the one behind of all these things" "A…are you…j…jealous?" "Of course I am!" This time, Fuyumi's heart is going insane like it will beat out of her chest. "What are you saying, stupid", said Fuyumi holding her face that is heating up like a hot chili. "Aha, you are the one who asked me and I said I'm jealous" "Don't repeat it!" "Repeat what? That I'm jealous?" "I said don't say it again" "Why is it wrong to be jealous? Everyone feel this way. I'm jealous that you didn't told me that you like Hitoshi, I should've let you get close to him" "Are you that jealous of Hitoshi" "Of course, and I feel like of protecting you from him. You don't him that much and you are my friend, like a sister to me" "Friend…huh", Fuyumi whispered to herself.

"When did you guys start going out huh", asked Kota to Hitoshi who are both standing outside of Fuyumi's room. "When did you court her?" "When did you realize that you like her?" "How did it happened, c'mon tell me" Hitoshi remained silence. "What are you two doing in front of our room?", asked Nakumi who is with Emica that just popped out in front of them.

Finally, someone opened the door for Bashira and Chiasa, their punishment came into an end. "Huh, finally", said Bashira. "Can we go out now?" asked Chiasa "Did they found who really did it. I swear, we're innocent. We won't do something like that", said Bashira. "It's Suki" "I knew it. That night when we got punished, she smirked at me" said Bashira again. "Suki is starting again"