Bloodless Prey

Everyone circled again with the same location as yesterday. Because of passion, Hirari took the lead in investigating this matter.

"Who the heck hoarded the chips!? Is that you, Saorin?"

Saorin? Did she just feel too close to me? Anyway, I'm still the first to be suspected even with my body bound with rope.

"No, I can even vouch," Yukawa said and raises his hand. "There are no bits of the smell of potatoes in her mouth. Common sense that she's tied."

"Then you're here as a witness, Saorin," Hirari said. "Have you seen someone enter the room?"

"N… no. I've seen no one," I replied.

"This must have been hoarded before the incident happened. Did someone check the stash that time?" Manabu asked.

"Oh…" Yukawa laughs as he scratches his head. "I forgot."

"You forgot!? That's our whole week's supply, you know!?" Rise argued. "I checked it yesterday because I'm the one who took the first pack. At the time we ate, there should still be four bags remaining."

"Then, is it possible that Kino took it already before the incident?" Yukawa asked. "He's still guilty of harassing Saori, you know?"

"Are you still defending her?" Rise argued. "She might have been shutting her mouth up because she's an accomplice!"

"If we're considering assumptions, then I'll add this too. Saorin is too pretty that a pageant competitor champion wouldn't match," Hirari said. "That's it! I'm completely out of trust for the people in this room!"

"What do you mean, senpai?" her follower, Yurata, asked.

"Can I ask a favor for you two, Yurata and Taki?" Hirari asked. "I'll watch over Saorin with Yukawa. Can you watch this room for me? If you notice something unusual, you can rush to me directly."

"Yes, senpai!"

"As long as you asked senpai, I'll follow it!"

"Then good," Hirari agreed. "Then, can we move out, Yukawa, Saorin?"

She's still using that nickname for me. We move to the other room after the meeting. I think that it is only conducted to test if Hirari can trust them or not. When we closed the storeroom door, Yukawa and I were shaken by a loud burp.

"Oops!" Hirari exclaimed with a smile and a peace sign while we confusedly stare at her.

"It must be nice, no? Using our resources so just you can stay here." Yukawa said. "You did the act quite well."

"I accept the humble compliment. I mean it's alright. If the three of us are here, we can watch each other together."

"You're right. With us being split up, it's difficult for the murderer to move."

"What do you mean, senpai?" I asked.

"The murderer's identity will be exposed if he moves a single tile. With the process of elimination, we can prove that a hunter is on what group."

"But this… this needs a sacrifice, right?"

"I still can't think of a plan to avoid that. For now, we three are in a trial. This might be our permanent room for now. If murder happens, we can vouch for each other," Yukawa explained. "You have any suspicions, Hirari?"

"First, I'm sure that's not me. Second, the loud girl-rillas in the other group might have known something already. They're trying their best to stop us from talking," Hirari replied.

"That's not even concrete proof, Hirari."

"I'm too dumb for that. I just know one thing. Whoever it is, he or she's 'pretty creepy'," Hirari replied. So, that's what she meant by that words.

"What about you, senpai?" I asked but he looked at me with narrowed eyes which Hirari didn't see.

"Me? I don't have a proof for such claims, but the ones who caught my suspicions are Manabu and the two other boys. What are their names again?"

"Murata and Ryo? I didn't hear much about them."

"It's not personal. I just don't like the aura of quiet people. Of course, Saori is an exception."

"Just say a sis-con like you just like Saori," Hirari teased, making us both turn red.

"W… w… what are you saying, Hirarin!" I stuttered out of embarrassment that her nickname naturally appeared in my mouth.

"Damn your jokes, hungry tomboy! I also don't like people who are loud without any sense," Yukawa said.

"Quite kind of you to say that you like me too," Hirari replied with a smirk.

"Tsk," Yukawa clacked.

"Oh? Yukawa the optimistic is angry?"

"I'm starting to regret your plan earlier than expected."

"Plan? What plan?" I asked.

"Oh, I didn't say it to you yet. Hirari already planned to hoard the chips. Sorry, we fooled you guys," Yukawa said with his clasped hands as he bows at me.

"Oh, no… It's alright. She already mentions to me that she can't live without cravings. But can I ask for the reason why?"

"We don't want any more problems on division. If those chips still exist, it will be the cause of fights. With the existence of water supply, I think we don't need such things anymore."

I see. He seems problematic about the division from the start. "Are you working together since the start?"

"Yeah, that's what he meant when he said I'll lick his armpits. Hell, this Yukawa boy is much brighter than I thought. He's just a person with ADHD before, but now…" Hirari explained.

"Hey, watch your words, you freak!" Yukawa reacted. With their faces and humor, I can't help but laugh slightly. The tingle in my body made them stop and synchronize with my laughter. The whole room was filled with laughter then.

"We don't have a water source here. I shall take another bucket for us. I hope that the water source won't cut off," Yukawa said,

"Seriously, the atmosphere here is quite lively. Thank you for ruining our time. You may go," Hirari complained about her hands pointing out the door.

"Holy… That was unintentional. Sorry!" Yukawa bows lower than usual.

For the day, the air became quite lively because Hirari joined the group. We didn't run out of topics to discuss, more about her fame and hobbies, and her anger at spoiled people like Rise as she name-called.

We created a time rotation because there's also a clock in the storeroom. For every eight hours, one of us will sleep, and the two will be guarding each other. Luckily, this day doesn't have a bad omen like yesterday, and so as I expect.

The sleep rotation started with Yukawa in the afternoon, Hirari in the evening to midnight, and I'm in the morning, balancing a strict eight-hour rule.

But the morning of the next day came. Still bound by ropes, I didn't wake up naturally, rather, Yukawa shook my body repeatedly. He continuously calls my name until I came to my senses.

"Saori! Saori!"

"W… what?"

"Wake up! Something bad happened!"

I didn't even hesitate to wake my senses. With Yukawa, he guided me to the other room where the danger has been. The moment he opens the door, I gasped with an incredulous stare and eyes that appear red.

Yurata and Taki, they are both lying on the floor, side by side. Rise and the teary-eyed Hirari are both trying to resuscitate them with non-stop CPR, knowing that they will still be alive. Seeing Hirari in that state hurts my heart.

"Hirari, we're already doing this for fifteen minutes. More of it, we'll break their ribs!" Rise argued.

"SHUT UP! THERE'S NO WAY THEY'LL DIE! Yurata, Taki, I know you are still sleeping. If you hear me, please wake up!" Hirari shouts with a tearful voice that breaks.

"Without you… Who will be the next captain of our team? Please don't die on me… I still need you both!" She continues pumping their chest for the next five minutes.

I can see the fatigue from Rise, and I know that's the same for Hirari. The moment she stopped, she closed her eyes, turn her head down, and withdrew into the hands of fate.

"I can't… do more… I'm sorry…"