Oh jeez, nicked with her own weapon? It wasn't the worst luck (Megumi had been the one who was shot, after all) but it was still pretty unlucky.
Well, at least it wasn't much! A little nick was probably easy to treat! Just clean out the wound, get some bandages on it, and it's a-okay! Yukie's hand would be fine in no time!
Megumi fumbled a bit when the pen light was thrown to her, but avoided letting it hit the ground. She gave a nod, giving a determined look.
"Understood, doctor."
Megumi tried to avoid any stupid off-color thoughts as she turned on the light once she too was out of the window's sight, focusing the beam above Shogo, but a bit in front of him, like how she imagined a spotlight would shine on an operating table. It was silly, but it seemed like the best way to go about it and-
There was knocking. Right at the front door.
The light went out, not from Megumi clicking or pressing any buttons, but from her placing her hand over the light.
Quick and silent, just like every night Daddy nearly caught her reading in the middle of the night.
They probably didn't have much time, so she needed to think quick.
"If anything bad happens...get behind me."
It was a whisper, barely audible, but it was the only thing Megumi could think of.
'I can take the bullet. They can not.'
I Wish I Was Back Home In Shiroiwa Again
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Utsumi dutifully held out her hand to Kawada, swallowing hard as his penlight revealed the angry red slice across her fingertip. She'd managed to slice herself from the fingertip to nearly the middle of the next joint, and her whole finger was coated with sticky red blood. Somehow, seeing the injury with her own eyes made it hurt even more, giving a shape and form to the pain and making it grow.
But then had come the knock at the door. At first she thought, "Oh, there are more people with Kawada and Eto, that's nice," but based on their reactions and the way Eto immediately doused the light, it became starkly clear that that wasn't the case.
When Eto suggested that they all rally behind her, Utsumi was horrified. No way was she going to let someone else take a bullet for her, and she especially wasn't going to let Eto take one for Kawada. It might've been old-fashioned, but weren't boys supposed to step up in times like this? He should be ashamed for putting Eto ahead of himself. But, this wasn't exactly the time to be moralizing about that kind of thing. Utsumi stood, trying not to tremble in fear, and grabbed Eto's hand. She would stand beside her, not behind her. At the very least, she could manage that.
But then had come the knock at the door. At first she thought, "Oh, there are more people with Kawada and Eto, that's nice," but based on their reactions and the way Eto immediately doused the light, it became starkly clear that that wasn't the case.
When Eto suggested that they all rally behind her, Utsumi was horrified. No way was she going to let someone else take a bullet for her, and she especially wasn't going to let Eto take one for Kawada. It might've been old-fashioned, but weren't boys supposed to step up in times like this? He should be ashamed for putting Eto ahead of himself. But, this wasn't exactly the time to be moralizing about that kind of thing. Utsumi stood, trying not to tremble in fear, and grabbed Eto's hand. She would stand beside her, not behind her. At the very least, she could manage that.
Utsumi had managed to cut the dickens out of her finger, like that one American comedy show skit Shogo happened to find a bootleg of. At least it didn't look like she needed stitches, though there was nothing Shogo could do right here if she did unless she wanted to turn septic from the fishing wire.
"...Think you lucked out," he said, his calloused hand gently gripping her finger and turning it over in the small ray from the pen light. "It doesn't look that deep, so I don't think you need stitches. But I'll do what I can."
He let go of the finger and stooped down to pick up the water bottle when a rapping came at the door. Something told him it wasn't the pizza he ordered.
...Though...
He scoffed, mostly to himself, and then gave Eto a pat on the shoulder after she swept in as their first line of defense. "I think I know who it is. I have a sixth sense."
Shogo swept past the girls, one palm out at them for a second before he made the short trip to the front door, opening it ajar and grabbing enough residual early-morning moonlight to see who was standing out there.
He clicked his teeth again and smirked.
"Oy, Kiriyama, you're early."
"...Think you lucked out," he said, his calloused hand gently gripping her finger and turning it over in the small ray from the pen light. "It doesn't look that deep, so I don't think you need stitches. But I'll do what I can."
He let go of the finger and stooped down to pick up the water bottle when a rapping came at the door. Something told him it wasn't the pizza he ordered.
...Though...
He scoffed, mostly to himself, and then gave Eto a pat on the shoulder after she swept in as their first line of defense. "I think I know who it is. I have a sixth sense."
Shogo swept past the girls, one palm out at them for a second before he made the short trip to the front door, opening it ajar and grabbing enough residual early-morning moonlight to see who was standing out there.
He clicked his teeth again and smirked.
"Oy, Kiriyama, you're early."
Kazuo Kiriyama nodded his assent to Kawada's comment. He shifted the shotgun slightly so it was held in only one of his hands and the barrel was pointed straight down. A silent recognition of both the danger the gun posed and the situation in which they found themselves. Shogo Kawada himself seemed in good health with no outward sign of any injuries, he was even smirking, seemingly pleased by Kiriyama's arrival.
"I did not wish to waste too much time." He said, before stopping to pause momentarily and tilt his head slightly to one side, eyes flicking past Kawada's face to look over his shoulder and deeper into the darkness behind him.
"You are not alone?" He asked.
"I did not wish to waste too much time." He said, before stopping to pause momentarily and tilt his head slightly to one side, eyes flicking past Kawada's face to look over his shoulder and deeper into the darkness behind him.
"You are not alone?" He asked.
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AnimeNerd
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If the situation had been a little bit different, Megumi would've been touched. Yukie was willing to stand beside her when she was risking her own safety. It was really sweet, in a way that almost brought a tear or two to her eyes.
As it stood, she felt her stomach twist a little bit at the same time. A part of Megumi wanted to tell her about the vest and how it would keep her alive while Yukie had no such protection. Yukie didn't even have a gun, she was clearly someone that could be trusted at this point! Saying something would probably only help.
But...something kept her back. Maybe it was Shogo's comments about not trusting people. Maybe it was the experience of getting shot by someone that immediately fled the scene. Maybe it was just the general air of the game, where it's hard to trust people you've known for a lot of your life.
But the vest could only really be useful in one way, and that was if no one knew about it. If everyone knew, they'd just go after her in other ways. Aim for her legs, go at her head, try to strangle her even. If she wanted to get out of here alive, she needed to keep quiet about it, even if keeping quiet made her feel super guilty.
Megumi was brought out of her thoughts as a hand settled on her shoulder for a moment, and Shogo stated he knew who was there.
She couldn't resist looking to Yukie once his eyes weren't on them anymore, eyes wide and confusion clear. She was silent, but mouthed the words on her mind.
'Who do you think-'
Oh.
Oh.
Oh no.
And sure enough, that was definitely Kazuo Kiriyama's voice coming from the same direction. The namesake of the class' gang of boys, standing just outside the building Megumi stood in, almost definitely holding a gun of some kind if she was unlucky enough, and seemingly making small talk with the boy she thought was an ally of hers.
She expected herself to be a nervous wreck if she died here, sobbing and trying her hardest to fight for her life, but as it stood? She felt more like a mannequin. She could move if someone pushed or pulled her, but otherwise she wasn't doing much of anything on her own, other than staring.
As it stood, she felt her stomach twist a little bit at the same time. A part of Megumi wanted to tell her about the vest and how it would keep her alive while Yukie had no such protection. Yukie didn't even have a gun, she was clearly someone that could be trusted at this point! Saying something would probably only help.
But...something kept her back. Maybe it was Shogo's comments about not trusting people. Maybe it was the experience of getting shot by someone that immediately fled the scene. Maybe it was just the general air of the game, where it's hard to trust people you've known for a lot of your life.
But the vest could only really be useful in one way, and that was if no one knew about it. If everyone knew, they'd just go after her in other ways. Aim for her legs, go at her head, try to strangle her even. If she wanted to get out of here alive, she needed to keep quiet about it, even if keeping quiet made her feel super guilty.
Megumi was brought out of her thoughts as a hand settled on her shoulder for a moment, and Shogo stated he knew who was there.
She couldn't resist looking to Yukie once his eyes weren't on them anymore, eyes wide and confusion clear. She was silent, but mouthed the words on her mind.
'Who do you think-'
Oh.
Oh.
Oh no.
And sure enough, that was definitely Kazuo Kiriyama's voice coming from the same direction. The namesake of the class' gang of boys, standing just outside the building Megumi stood in, almost definitely holding a gun of some kind if she was unlucky enough, and seemingly making small talk with the boy she thought was an ally of hers.
She expected herself to be a nervous wreck if she died here, sobbing and trying her hardest to fight for her life, but as it stood? She felt more like a mannequin. She could move if someone pushed or pulled her, but otherwise she wasn't doing much of anything on her own, other than staring.
Utsumi's blood ran cold as she heard the voice. Kiriyama. As in, Kiriyama of the Kiriyama family. Was he alone? Were his goons circling around the house, getting ready to attack? What exactly did Kawada mean, "You're early?"
Kawada was a delinquent, but he didn't run in the same circles as Kiriyama's gang, did he? But maybe in the all the chaos and confusion, the two of them had reached some kind of agreement, like a truce or something. Maybe they were planning to meet up, and team up to kill everyone else.
She looked over at Megumi, who seemed plenty afraid in her own right. Whatever Kawada had cooked up with Kiriyama, he must not have told her about it.
It was Kawada who had brought Megumi here, right? It was Kawada who'd asked her to stay and offered to bandage her up. What if he'd been stalling? What if he was keeping them there, so he could hand them over to Kiriyama and his guys, so they could take their weapons and kill them, or... or something even worse. It wasn't hard to imagine what Kiriyama's goons might do with a couple of helpless girls if they had nothing left to lose.
Would Kiriyama really do something like that? She didn't know. But she didn't know that he wouldn't.
She gripped Megumi's hand tighter, and dropped her voice to a whisper. "We need to get out of here. Now."
Utsumi punctuated the command with a firm tug, pulling Megumi towards the back of the house. There were windows. Maybe a back door. But they needed an exit, and they needed it now.
((Yukie Utsumi continued elsewhere))
Kawada was a delinquent, but he didn't run in the same circles as Kiriyama's gang, did he? But maybe in the all the chaos and confusion, the two of them had reached some kind of agreement, like a truce or something. Maybe they were planning to meet up, and team up to kill everyone else.
She looked over at Megumi, who seemed plenty afraid in her own right. Whatever Kawada had cooked up with Kiriyama, he must not have told her about it.
It was Kawada who had brought Megumi here, right? It was Kawada who'd asked her to stay and offered to bandage her up. What if he'd been stalling? What if he was keeping them there, so he could hand them over to Kiriyama and his guys, so they could take their weapons and kill them, or... or something even worse. It wasn't hard to imagine what Kiriyama's goons might do with a couple of helpless girls if they had nothing left to lose.
Would Kiriyama really do something like that? She didn't know. But she didn't know that he wouldn't.
She gripped Megumi's hand tighter, and dropped her voice to a whisper. "We need to get out of here. Now."
Utsumi punctuated the command with a firm tug, pulling Megumi towards the back of the house. There were windows. Maybe a back door. But they needed an exit, and they needed it now.
((Yukie Utsumi continued elsewhere))
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AnimeNerd
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A part of Megumi wanted to trust Shogo. He hadn't hurt her before, when he easily could have. He helped her, even. It seemed like they could get along.
But, perhaps ironically, his own words rang through her head like an alarm. A siren. A warning.
'Don't trust anyone, starting now. Not strangers in the woods in the middle of the night, not even who you think your friends are. If anyone thinks they can kill you, they will try. Got it?'
She got it now.
And she would follow it now.
So when Yukie tugged her away, she turned and didn't hesitate to follow.
[[And she didn't look back]]
But, perhaps ironically, his own words rang through her head like an alarm. A siren. A warning.
'Don't trust anyone, starting now. Not strangers in the woods in the middle of the night, not even who you think your friends are. If anyone thinks they can kill you, they will try. Got it?'
She got it now.
And she would follow it now.
So when Yukie tugged her away, she turned and didn't hesitate to follow.
[[And she didn't look back]]
Shogo watched Kiriyama's robotic yet fluid movements as he shifted his shotgun down. The door opened slightly more, inviting more moonlight in.
"Yeah, Eto and Utsumi are back there. I thought it would just be the two of us when I dropped you the note, but there were some developments on the way here. Please forgive me."
Wood creaked for a split second from within the house. Shogo turned his head towards the sound, but he didn't see anything other than the occasional dustflake that floated down like Sapporo snow. He scratched behind his ear before returning his gaze to Kiriyama at the front door, waiting what Shogo assumed was patiently.
"You come alone, too?"
"Yeah, Eto and Utsumi are back there. I thought it would just be the two of us when I dropped you the note, but there were some developments on the way here. Please forgive me."
Wood creaked for a split second from within the house. Shogo turned his head towards the sound, but he didn't see anything other than the occasional dustflake that floated down like Sapporo snow. He scratched behind his ear before returning his gaze to Kiriyama at the front door, waiting what Shogo assumed was patiently.
"You come alone, too?"
Kiriyama listened as Kawada explained himself. Betraying no outward emotion at the information that there were two others within the confines of the house. It did not appear to concern him one way or the other. His eyes followed Kawada's gaze when there was a creak from within the confines of the house, presumably caused by the movements of one of his two companions.
After a brief moment, Kawada returned his attention to Kazuo and asked if he too had come alone. In response to this comment, Kiriyama nodded and spoke again.
"I did," He paused momentarily as the sounds of some more movement came from within the house before continuing. "I left the rest of the family behind by telling them I had something to do. But do not worry, I didn't include any details. I did not think you would have wanted their presence."
After a brief moment, Kawada returned his attention to Kazuo and asked if he too had come alone. In response to this comment, Kiriyama nodded and spoke again.
"I did," He paused momentarily as the sounds of some more movement came from within the house before continuing. "I left the rest of the family behind by telling them I had something to do. But do not worry, I didn't include any details. I did not think you would have wanted their presence."
Shogo turned his head as the faint trickles of activity in the house continued. The hell were those girls doing?
Shogo clicked his teeth and pulled out his pack of Wild Sevens. Still had 15 left in this one, though luckily he found that whole carton back at the general store, so there was no concern over rationing them out. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
"I see," he said to Kiriyama's account. He smacked the bottom of the pack a few times, pulled one of the cigarettes out, and lit the end, a thin trail of smoke emanating off within a few seconds.
He took a drag for a few seconds before continuing. "I'll cut to the chase. I wanna work with you."
Shogo clicked his teeth and pulled out his pack of Wild Sevens. Still had 15 left in this one, though luckily he found that whole carton back at the general store, so there was no concern over rationing them out. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
"I see," he said to Kiriyama's account. He smacked the bottom of the pack a few times, pulled one of the cigarettes out, and lit the end, a thin trail of smoke emanating off within a few seconds.
He took a drag for a few seconds before continuing. "I'll cut to the chase. I wanna work with you."
Kiriyama's eyebrows raised slightly, it wasn't an expression that suited his face. As if he hadn't been surprised often in his young life. There was a pause that passed between the pair, the only notable noise being the continued quiet movements of the girls within the house.
Eventually, Kiriyama's eyebrows lowered and his face settled back into the bored expression that was so familiar to his classmates. Although his eyes stayed focused on Shogo's own, seeming to analyze him, looking for any hint of deception.
Then he nodded slightly. His finger coming off the trigger of the shotgun fully and instead just holding it by the grip.
"Okay," He said, "What is your plan?"
Eventually, Kiriyama's eyebrows lowered and his face settled back into the bored expression that was so familiar to his classmates. Although his eyes stayed focused on Shogo's own, seeming to analyze him, looking for any hint of deception.
Then he nodded slightly. His finger coming off the trigger of the shotgun fully and instead just holding it by the grip.
"Okay," He said, "What is your plan?"
The smoke wafted off of Shogo's cigarette as he grinned to himself, like he suddenly remembered a very funny joke. His teeth flashed at Kiriyama before it faded as quick as it appeared.
"Can't tell you just yet," he said sternly.
Shogo pointed to his own collar and then to his ear. Then he opened and closed his fingers as if he was operating a sock puppet.
"But if you're in, Kiriyama-san, we're going to tear up this fucking country."
The noise in the house died down. No one was screaming, so Shogo wasn't too worried.
"Can't tell you just yet," he said sternly.
Shogo pointed to his own collar and then to his ear. Then he opened and closed his fingers as if he was operating a sock puppet.
"But if you're in, Kiriyama-san, we're going to tear up this fucking country."
The noise in the house died down. No one was screaming, so Shogo wasn't too worried.
Kiriyama’s grip on the shotgun tightened for an instant as Kawada spoke of tearing down the country but it quickly passed and his hand relaxed. Whatever concern had been in his thoughts passing as quickly as it came.
“I’m in.” He replied, voice keeping the same near bored tone it had been for the rest of the conversation.
“Shall we go inside?” He asked, “I do not wish to stand out here all night.”
“I’m in.” He replied, voice keeping the same near bored tone it had been for the rest of the conversation.
“Shall we go inside?” He asked, “I do not wish to stand out here all night.”
The corner of Shogo's eyes glinted. "Wouldn't want that for you, either." He pulled the door open all the way and stepped aside, sinking back into the house.
He threw his pointer finger up for a brief second before heading back to the room he left the girls in.
"Oy, Kiriyama's...-?"
Shogo looked left and right, the question mark over his head as he wondered where the fuck Eto and Utsumi went. He even opened the closet door to make sure they didn't just run and hide.
He doubled back into the hallway and flashed a glance at Kiriyama before raiding further into the house like he was a part of the Glorious Dictator's secret police receiving a tip about contraband.
There was no sign of the girls anywhere, even the blood trail stopped halfway into the hallway. They dissipated into the air like mist.
Just like Keiko.
Shogo chuckled to himself for a few seconds before slamming his fist down hard on one of the tables. The post-bang silence hung heavy in the air. He knocked his fist on the table a few more times before returning to Kiriyama.
He bowed at Kiriyama before speaking again. "...Apologies, again. Looks like it's just the two of us, actually. But I would still like to talk for a bit."
He threw his pointer finger up for a brief second before heading back to the room he left the girls in.
"Oy, Kiriyama's...-?"
Shogo looked left and right, the question mark over his head as he wondered where the fuck Eto and Utsumi went. He even opened the closet door to make sure they didn't just run and hide.
He doubled back into the hallway and flashed a glance at Kiriyama before raiding further into the house like he was a part of the Glorious Dictator's secret police receiving a tip about contraband.
There was no sign of the girls anywhere, even the blood trail stopped halfway into the hallway. They dissipated into the air like mist.
Just like Keiko.
Shogo chuckled to himself for a few seconds before slamming his fist down hard on one of the tables. The post-bang silence hung heavy in the air. He knocked his fist on the table a few more times before returning to Kiriyama.
He bowed at Kiriyama before speaking again. "...Apologies, again. Looks like it's just the two of us, actually. But I would still like to talk for a bit."
With a nod and not much else from Kiriyama, Shogo and Kiriyama spent the rest of the night in the house alone. They talked, planned, and schemed until the sun rose over the eastern horizon, as it always did even during a death game.
((Kazuo Kiriyama and Shogo Kawada continued elsewhere))
((Kazuo Kiriyama and Shogo Kawada continued elsewhere))