Confessions at World's End

That day after Yukawa's plan was executed, we saw Yukawa and Murata carrying the beaten-up Manabu to the laboratory. I thought Rise's group will be shocked, but with Rise leading, they clapped with crisp nods.

"Pfft… Deserve," Rise giggled. "Now that you found the culprit, what's your next move?"

"We're going to tie both the hunters and this game will end," Yukawa replied.

"What do you mean both? Did you find the other one already Or…"

Yukawa opened his arms as a reply right after putting Manabu near the window. "I didn't kill anyone, I'm just taking this role to investigate the rules more."

"Saori… You didn't say anything about this!" Rise barked.

"That's… because Yukawa said not to tell you after he executed his plan. I'm sorry," I replied with water in my eyes.

"Tch! It's like I'm an outsider."

"You chose to be, aren't you?" Ryo followed up.

With Ryo leading, Yukawa and Manabu are both tied with rope. The immobilized two sat still while waiting for their judgment but…

"Nothing's happening…" Rise commented.

"M… maybe we can wait until the day ends," I suggested.

"It's rare for you to suggest, Saori," Murata said.

"She might be right. I think it's better to isolate us in this room. I'll watch over Manabu if he tries to escape," Yukawa said.

"You seem to plot something…" Rise said suspiciously, but Yukawa's face is painted with gloom. His eyes are staring straight as his mind floats into space.

"No, that isn't it. We might have cleared the game, but there's still something I feel uncomfortable about."

"What spider-sense do you have? Perhaps you're a superhuman or a drug pusher," Rise asked with an insult.

"Something seems off."

We tried to brainstorm Yukawa's suspicion but no one discovered what it is. The five of us remained in the storeroom while Yukawa and Manabu stayed at the laboratory. Rise forced us into it with Yukawa's decision that the poison might benefit us if they escaped.

Minutes later, Ryo stares at the outside the same way Yukawa did. I approach him and ask. "What are you thinking, Ryo?"

He started with a heavy sigh. "I can't put Yukawa's words out of my head. We should be clearing this game already. If we wait until tomorrow, death might come to us early."

"I believe we can survive this day without any deaths," Saori ensured with a warm smile. Everyone's lips are already cracked except me. That's the realization of why Rise called us out.

"All of you, hear me out." "It's been two hours since we caught the hunters. Now, there's something I want to talk about, and it's survival. With this, no one's getting benched to hell."

"Do you really expect us to wait for seven days, don't you? There's only one match stick left," Murata argued.

"Why are we still cautious? The hunters are already bound. There's no need to worry, pea-brained maggots.

"Hail the genius of me for discovering that the water in that stash isn't poisoned."

"Huh? What made you think so?" Ryo asked.

"If that is, then Saori and Yukawa should be dead by now. Yukawa expected us to take poison to last for a day, but in previous deaths, the only maximum that they lived is 8 hours.

"To put it simply, we can survive until the seventh day if our guess about the hunter isn't correct. Now, who's mouth are you listening to?"

Rise's boasting only got one clap of appreciation, and it's from Sara. Because of that, Rise winked her eyebrow with a clenched jaw.

"Wow, Rise, you are so intelligent! You're worth a thousand books! All hail Rise!!"

"We're still unconvinced. What if you're just luring us to take the poison?" Ryo asked.

"What are you talking about?" Rise took a beaker and scooped the water in the stash. Without hesitation, she gulped it straight down her esophagus. "Mmmm… Fresh! Why do I lure you to something I didn't even plan myself? Or do you want to follow those murderers? When those two talked, you're all ears, but when it's me, shit comes out of your mouth."

"I'm still unconvinced. The poison doesn't kick in easily. If that took effect later, are you responsible?"

"Cut me in too many parts if that's the case. Drink now, or your kidneys might fail soon. Speaking of failure, you're too coward to be called men. Are you the idols of strength or just nuts?"

The girls followed Rise's trail of drinking the water. That's already enough to convince the boys since Rise didn't plan on killing both her followers or else Rise would end up the same as Hirari.

The boys then followed drinking as they suffer from dry choking in their throats. The loss of the soothing that they crave vanished as the water run through their bodies. They hoarded the water enough to satisfy their dehydration for two days.

After that, everyone came back to their normal senses, but the lack of energy made to the torture is still there. Three groups are formed while they rest at each corner of the room: Rise's, Kyo's, and the sole me.

I overhear some of their conversations, and most of them are talking about what will happen after this game is finished. Will they let us escape? Or we'll continue drowning in a deeper void of suffering?

To lighten the mood, Sara quickly comes close to me as she introduces a different topic. "Hey, Saori, or should I call you Saorin too?"

"I… it's fine. What's the matter?"

"Do you like high school romance?"

"I kinda… like them a bit. Why you ask?"

"You know, you're a perfect character in a romance movie, a princess perhaps. Of course, every princess has a prince charming. To be blunt, what's you type in men?"

"It's… Uhm… simple, reliable, and responsible maybe. I like the man who will save myself when I'm drowning," I answered as I fidget both my fingers.

"You really are one! That's cute of you. Oh, by the way, aren't those traits present in one of the boys here?"

"Who?"

"Why don't you know? He's already very close to you."

It's late than I noticed that she's referring to Yukawa. "That's… I told you, it's not like that!" I exclaimed as I deny her statement with an obvious blushing face.

"Sheesh, sister, you're all red. Just tell me the truth. It's just the two of us here. Perhaps you like Yukawa, even for a bit?"

A flush creeps across my cheeks as I sweat. Her question made me speechless as I swallow hard. I gazed away from her after my chest tightened. "J… j… just… a bit…" I stuttered.

She suddenly jumps in joy with a not-feminine laugh and her gleaming eyes. "YAHOO!!! She confessed! She confessed!"

Because she's loud, Rise noticed her with her lips pressing together. "Oy, Sara, what are you shouting about? High school romance?"

"No, it's college," she replied proudly.

"Tsk," Rise clacked as she quickly turned her head away.

Sara follows up another conversation with me. "Sorry, Rise's always like that. But if we're talking about romance, she might be the most serious of us all. It's just that she's hit hard by it because her man is foolish. That is why he hates that matter the most.

"But if she had a more kind and better man, she won't be like that. So you are lucky to find someone with the same trait as you're finding. If she's still in love back then, she'll the first to say this to you.

"Confess now, or you'll regret it later."

"I… I'll keep that in mind."

Five hours after we checked the stashed water, I came to the laboratory room to check Yukawa. I'm holding a log I used as a torch. When I entered, I caught the two talking in solitude. I came near them to tell Yukawa something.

"Yukawa… there's something I would like to confess."