The Obvious Plan B

"Yukawa… Is that really you?"

Yukawa walked near him with a scary smile that extends from each of his ears. His loud but slow breathing vibrates through the whole room.

"You've witnessed that, don't you?" He stopped midway right after asking.

"You… you've shown your true colors," Manabu said with trembling legs. "Yeah, I've witnessed it. What will you do to me? Kill me?"

"I'll leave the answer to you. Now that we're alone, let's have a nice talk first, don't we?"

"Is there anything to talk about?" Manabu said as he readied a fighting stance while his other hand is preparing to get something from his pocket.

"Too many to count from the leaves of a tree. You bet the reason you're locked here is to ask you this. If you wanted to lead our classmates back then, why didn't you step up?

"No… You already knew about the situation, on why people resented me and put me on that pedestal. We're different, Manabu. You wanted it, and I was forced into it. But instead of helping me, why did you resent me more?

"You have a mouth, Manabu, and I'm a simple listener. You already had the opportunity to show everyone you're the most fitting leader, yet you proved yourself that you're a coward.

"That's no Politics, Manabu. Don't be like your corrupt father too. You might earn the title, but you won't earn money, fame, and respect from it. What will it give you are heavy burdens. Do you know what I mean? Do you want to look at the result? Look at me now!!" Yukawa shouted, opening his arms wide and laughing deep like the devil.

"Leave me out of that matter, Yukawa. You're already like that before you took that role," Manabu replied. "For what reason made you think I wanted to be a leader, you childish fiend?"

"You tried your best pulling me down my place, destroyed everyone's respect for me, and even spread rumors about me. If you're not trying to take my position, why do you resent me too much? What did I just do to you? It's a childish reason I believe."

"You know, Yukawa," Manabu's trembling stopped, "I hate bad and disrespectful guys. I don't need to elaborate it further, you murderer."

"The only disrespectful guy here is you." Yukawa rushed toward him with a fist that is ready to punch.

Manabu quickly puts his hand from the pocket and pulls out a small butterfly knife that still has dried blood stains in it. He held it with two hands as he points it to Yukawa. Though his words might be brave, his hand still shakes tremendously.

Yukawa didn't stop charging as Manabu might have a behind his pockets. Based on what Saori said that she heard stabs of the knife when she heard the killer, that's why he concluded that the one who killed Kino might possess some sharp weapon.

Yukawa dodged his frontal stab and slid his foot with a low crescent kick that made Manabu fall to the ground. In order not to escape, Yukawa sat over Manabu's body with his knees locking both Manabu's arms on the ground. Manabu struggles to escape.

Yukawa quickly threw the knife from Manabu's hand. He landed punches on his face. While he continues doing it, he smiles with his eyes wide open. Manabu grinds his teeth and groans as his head hit both the punches and the ground.

"This… Is for the unreasonable grudges that you have for me," Yukawa yelled as he land another fiery fist per sentence. Manabu grunts with the hot sensation developing from his head every hit.

"This is for the foolish and corrupt blood that you have…

"This is for the jealousy you've rooted because of your childish mindset…

"This is for lying to us and hiding the truth…

"And this… this is for killing anyone here!

After Yukawa pulled his stunt with force, Manabu's face is completely flooded with bruises and blood already. Yukawa can completely sense that Manabu's chasing his breath in and out. Manabu's breaths shudder as he groans with the pain of not wanting to suffer anymore.

"Say, Manabu. Are you saying you're not the cause of what I am now? That made me so mad… and so happy simultaneously, you know? These grins won't be worth it without this satisfaction.

"Now that you've given me a reason to be violent, prepare this delivery to be your one last painful meal. Bon Apetit!" Yukawa belted as he readies to throw his last punch at the weakened Manabu, but before he swings it directly, Ryo stopped him.

"Yukawa, stop!! You're already overdoing things! Look at him! Aren't you satisfied with this yet? You promised us that you're not going to overdo things. This is all just an act."

Yukawa's anger might have worsened a bit but his smile fades away as he looks at the unconscious Manabu's worn-out face. He slowly drops his arm like a noodle falling down the floor.

He looks at his blood-tainted fist with a painful look and a down-turned mouth. Suddenly, that clammy hand shakes extensively, losing control of his nerves. His shoulders tightened while bursting his breaths too much, then he shook his head repeatedly, and with regret.

"I've done too much… I'm sorry."

5 hours later, it's already eight in the evening. The five of us remained in the storeroom while Yukawa and Manabu stayed at the laboratory.

When Manabu woke up, all he can see was darkness all around him even though there was moonlight. Without knowing where his bruises and wounds are, he can just feel the sting of the pain that recovered from earlier.

His hands are behind him while he sits on the floor near the window. When he tried to move, he struggled, and later he knew that he was tied already.

"What happened," Manabu stuttered as he still hisses out of pain. He suddenly felt someone move behind him.

"You awake already?" Yukawa, the one who's behind him, asked. "You're a pulp beaten from a pinch."

Manabu can't see, but he can feel that Yukawa was also tied behind him. His voice seems falling already down the void. "Why are you here? Don't tell… me the hunter was you along… Isn't it Saori?"

Because of the beating that happened earlier together with the dehydration that everyone is facing, Manabu is already weak that he can't move his legs anymore. His cheeks formed a crater, and black is what's under his eyes. "Water…" He whispered.

"Saori's the first one, but she exchanged with me. That time, I'll know she'll be safe from being killed. That time, I only have two suspects, Hirari and you," Yukawa explained.

"What do you mean? You're a hunter… Didn't you… kill anyone?"

"No. I promised Saori I won't be killing anyone. I just debunked the additional 'fake' rule written in the paper," Yukawa said but he got a reply made of seconds of silence. "Hey, why did you suddenly become quiet?"

"You… You're not the killer… But Ryo…"

"It's all just an act. The plan is to force you to help me kill him, but I snapped early. Of course, I don't really plan to kill him. He's just a decoy.

"No… That's not…" Manabu stopped and took a deep breath as he noticed himself over-stuttering. "Don't you have any plan B… do you?"

"What makes you think that? The hunters are already caught. The game will be settled. Is there any need for a plan B?"

"Oh, God… Yukawa… You should have just killed me…"

"Why are you surrendering all of a sudden? Did some sense kicked into you?"

"No… That's not… That should be the plan B… Did the rule say… If the hunter killed one another… the game will end."

"Are you turning me into a murderer again? You're right, the rumor is true, but I protected my sister with it, that is why I have no regrets. I already promised not to be violent anymore because you see, I'm getting out of control like what happened earlier."

"What you did… is just right… but you should have killed me… or we're in huge trouble…"

"What are you even saying? Can you please elaborate? Because I can't understand beaten up people's language."

"I'm not… kidding. I'm doing this… for everyone…"

"For everyone, or for yourself? I bet the only reason why you killed everyone is that you're so scared about that extra not written on the paper.

"You already have the choice to collaborate with us. We might all be strangers, but you already know me. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. Sometimes, my mouth goes wild when I went out of control, but my memory becomes fuzzy on it.

"But if you cooperated with me, like Saori, we would've solved this situation faster. We won't have to surrender ourselves to dehydration and betrayal.

"I know you, Manabu. You're bad at words and might not be socially adaptive, but you're a better leader than me. I forgive everything that you've done because I know that being bad isn't your intention, just like what you're doing now."

"Thank… you, Yukawa… but that isn't the matter… that I want to talk about."

"I'm all ears," Yukawa said as he point his right ear towards Manabu.

"You might think… that this peak tension might… have finished already… but it's just starting… furthermore…

"Kino is the only one that I've killed."