The soft light of the morning sun, which only half an hour ago pleasantly illuminated the room, gives way to the bright and powerful rays of the midday sun approaching its peak. The muffled sounds of booming music reach my ears, confirming that it must be at least late morning. Silent and careful not to make any jerky movements, I lower my tired gaze down and look sadly at the black mop of hair. Gently, I keep running my hand over his hair soothingly, even though he has fortunately been sinking into a deeper sleep for the past hour.
After not a single one of his tears would escape, his body was numb and his eyes empty. Yuudai's head rests on my lap and I take care to breathe shallowly so as not to awaken him from his brief moment of rest. I've never been good at saying the right words to grieving people, and especially not in this case. What words could possibly soften such a loss? Still, leaving him alone while he lingered in this rigidity didn't feel right. And while this familiar gesture might give him even a small comfort, the unspoken words still dry my throat. Perhaps I should have told him what had happened, but it would have done him no good. Yuudai is not the person who is looking for answers at this moment. His thoughts are not yet about how Izumi died, for his heart feels only the pain of her loss. I don't even want to imagine what that must feel like.
He took out a bottle of vodka from his liquor cabinet last night, willing to drown that pain in his chest and numb his body. But between the heart-wrenching slurps and the stifled screams, he couldn't down a single sip. At one point, I moved the bottle an arm's length away from us so he would stop trying desperately in his grief. But if he were to ask for the bottle again, how could I deny him?
His behavior is beginning to worry me, this rigidity he has fallen into in the meantime was frightening. He seemed almost cathatonic, didn't react to my voice or other stimulus-inducing sensory perceptions. He should still have a few visa days left, maybe I can talk to the hatter that he does not participate in a game for the time being. Or better yet, I'll contact Ann right away. The way the Hatter looked to me yesterday makes me doubt that he would be considerate of Yuudai if there was even a chance that he could obtain a new card. I think Ann could talk to him and convince him that it would be better to let Yuudai take some time off. Because I think in his current condition he wouldn't last long and at the same time could put the other participants at a disadvantage.
Sighing, I lean back against the wall behind me and look up at the ceiling. What if Yuudai goes into a match and can only think about Izumi? It doesn't have to be his current state, which can become dangerous for him. Maybe he is sabotaging himself and aiming not to survive his next game. People grieve in a different way and these games offer no small opportunities to end that grief.
Jerking open the door to the room, my head snaps out of my thoughts in the direction of the entering footsteps. I look at a harried young man who leans slightly against the doorframe to take a breath. With a stern expression on my face, I raise my index finger to my lips to indicate that he should be quiet. After his eyes fall on Yuudai's sleeping body beside me, he seems to understand and puts on an apologetic smile. Silently, he gestures for me to come into the hallway and my eyebrows draw together suspiciously. I nod slightly and point to one of the armchair cushions the man hands me, and gingerly I lift Yuudai's head to write the cushion underneath. Briefly, I remain seated in a crouch to make sure he continues to sleep, and as his chest continues to rise and fall evenly, I straighten up and follow the man in the baseball cap into the hallway. After letting the hotel door fall noiselessly into the lock, I look curiously at the man and realize that he looks familiar from somewhere. He seems to have caught his breath and after a sad look at the closed door, he returns my gaze. The sensitivity he shows makes me suspect that he knows Yuudai and with a scrutinizing look down at him I notice that he is not carrying a weapon.
So no one from the military squad.
"You should come back later if you need something from Yuudai," I counter, crossing my arms in front of my chest to make my point. With his mouth open, he turns his head toward the closed door and seems to want to say something, but I just furrow my eyebrows and forestall him in wonder. "You're not here for him, are you?"
"N-no. You're supposed to come to the conference room, now."
"Right away, what's happening....?", I silently ask his name, tilting my head slightly in curiosity. This commanded haste does not come from the rushed young man; he seems too shy and nervous to determine and get out even these words.
"Tatta," he replies perplexed, looking down the hall to the stairs, "I need to find Ann, do you have any idea where she might be?"
"I guess if she's not with the leadership or in her suite she should be in the basement working on her research," I inform him and after he grimaces in disgust at the thought, he nods wildly and starts moving again. I, however, stay put and gently nibble at the skin on the side of my fingernail. Something already seemed off yesterday; it makes me uneasy to be cited to the leadership team. I give myself a jolt and stroll along the corridor, trying to delay whatever may come by my slow steps. But inevitably I reach my destination and notice from far away that more armed soldiers are guarding the entrance gate to the conference hall. Cautiously, I throttle my speed a little more and approach them.
"Hey-hey, stop!" one of the gorillas notices me and runs toward me with an outstretched arm to keep me from approaching. A nice welcome, but I thought I was expected? Cautiously, I stop a healthy distance from the man and furrow my eyebrows.
"Let them through," I hear a bored voice and look over the shoulder of the soldier from the military squad to Niragi, who has playfully shouldered his sniper rifle. He comes running to us and looks down slightly at the other armed man. "Orders from Aguni."
With a half step to the side, he grants entry behind the human barricade and while not taking my eyes off the strange man with the pistol, I pass through the cleared entrance and run to Niragi. Together we stroll towards the front door and I keep my gaze on the doorbell as I turn my head slightly to the side.
"What's going on anyway?", I lower my volume that the conversation stays between the two of us. With a strange feeling, I stop in front of the closed door and turn to Niragi. Confused, I examine his facial expression and, contrary to normal, I can't quite relax. Something glitters murderously in his eyes and in general his posture seems changed. Usually it is a mixture of amusement and self-confidence, which can change at any second to his aggressive demeanor. But this is different. It seems somehow... playfully brutal. Domineering. Impulsive.
"Ah, go in and check it out," he moves his face closer, his eyes widening. I don't take a step back, which he seems to notice, and after he licks his lips at my scrutiny, he looks toward the door in a prompting manner. I nod in understanding and without another word I walk towards the right wing door. Pushing down the cold clinger, I run into the conference room and hear by soft footsteps that Niragi is following me on the step. My gaze sweeps over the attendees, who look to me with little participation. Most of the Beach members have a fixed gaze on the center of the room and I follow it as the sounds around me fade out.
A white sheet has been stretched on the meeting table, a corpse with sprawled limbs laid out on it. My eyes dart to Aguni, who has taken up his position at the headboard and is looking down at the dead man's face with his arms folded. I do not need to step closer to identify the lifeless body as that of the hatter. An oppressive feeling spreads through me and I stop near the entrance. I wasn't particularly close to the Hatter, but losing him right after Izumi feels wrong. The whole order I thought I knew in Borderland is going down the drain and I am unable to do anything about it. But the most important question at the moment is, what will happen to the Beach Hotel?
I look away from the dead Hatter and my eyes brush Mira's across from me. She still has her head slightly lowered, but she gives me a brief smile of encouragement.
Silently I dare not say a word and remain like the others quiet in the humble mood. My gaze sweeps through the room and I answer familiar black eyes that scrutinize me. Swallowing hard, I withstand the cold black and my jaw tightens as I spot my uncle. I am not the only newly charged person in this room. Still, I come to attention and my ears twitch slightly as Niragi moves away again and seems to be talking to someone outside the conference room.
"There seems to be important news, "the first clear words ring out and I can immediately place this voice, "Let's go in."
The double doors on both sides open with a modest swing and both the man with the white vest and the newcomer both enter one after the other. My eyes linger on Chishiya and I struggle to show no reaction for the bystanders. Likewise, he seems to take notice of me after a glance at what's happening, and from his facial features I can tell he's silently asking me what I'm doing here. Imperceptibly, I shrug my shoulders and as he moves to the foot of the table, Arisu positions himself between us. He smiles nervously at me and I return it just as noticeably, since he doesn't seem to care about keeping it a secret.
Once again the doors swing open and Ann rushes in, paying no attention to those present and heading specifically for the main table with the hatter. Tatta, who had also been the messenger of my message, enters behind her and the heavy doors slam shut again with a loud noise in the silence.
"I guess he couldn't solve the game, our maintenance team found him by accident in Shinjuku. Refilling fuel," Tatta says, seeming to tune out the bystanders. Ann approaches the Hatter with an outstretched hand and seems to be aiming for the artery of his neck, but before she can touch him, Niragi intervenes.
"Hey-hey-hey. Will you please keep your hands off him, you necrophiliac?" he retorts dismissively, and the forensic artist pauses in her motion. Her eyes slide down and seem to fix on something na the Hatter's chest.
"There's a gunshot wound here. Were there any weapons involved in the game?" she remarks, and I snap to attention. The Hatter boasted of being able to solve any game of any category. Overconfidence is not unusual, but a clean shot at heart level? That doesn't quite seem to fit.
"Probably. A few people nearby thought they heard gunshots," Tatta continues, and my eyes lower before sliding over to Chishiya. He looks at the ground, his head slightly tilted toward Arisu, and shakes his head imperceptibly. Arisu, who seems to have been waiting for a reaction, averts his gaze and opens his mouth slightly in understanding. The two have come together and seem to be communicating silently.
"Oh man. Why didn't he take some soldiers with him?" my Niragi sighs playfully and joins inside the circle.
"What happens to our Beach now?" a topless man speaks up, swallowing hard. He has neither sufficient clothing, nor does he carry a weapon to be of the military squad.
"I suggest you don't tell anyone. It would scare them too much," Mira speaks up and when I look to her, she again meets my gaze. Unfortunately, I understand her statement only too well; the Hatter has created this refuge for us residents. He has maintained the balance between the conventional players and the military squad. That balance has now passed away.
"As the number two, I am now the leader then," the number two intervenes and squeezes his black glasses, playfully aware of the responsibility. I shake my head slightly and resist the urge to stumble back a step. If he takes the lead, I won't last long. My uncle tightens his shoulders imperceptibly in the tailored suit and seems aware of his role as the new number two.
I wonder what would happen with Takeo Arakida near the top of the leadership line?
"Wait a minute, shouldn't the strongest of us be leading us instead?" the sniper makes a significant sideways glance at Aguni, who still has his eyes on the Hatter. "We were the ones who managed to free us from the traitors. Yet we were treated as if we were not there. We are ending that injustice today."
"The vain dictator got it this time, the power shifted didn't it? Why don't we be democratic and let the majority decide?" says Niragi, adopting a tone I'm unfamiliar with. He moves forward past the number two with playful steps and the window front in her back only illuminates the scene all the more. "All in favor of Aguni becoming our new leader?"
Aguni the leader? I look to the one addressed, but still he pauses in his position. Arms folded, looking down at the dead Hatter. From the beginning I have observed what special bond unites the two. He seems to mourn sincerely, yet he seems strong and ... thoughtful. Does he even have a plan for how to move forward? I look at the others present and notice that no one is stirring. I hear a metallic grinding behind me and don't need to turn around to find Last Boss standing up and pulling the sharpened sword from its scabbard.
"What a tired response," Niragi sighs with a sick undertone which is meant to reflect disappointment. He nods to the man behind me and winks with a certain expression on his face. I turn my head sideways and notice the tip of the blade aimed at Ann's stomach. I want to retort bitingly that he should take the toothpick away from Ann, but I don't want to be responsible for the consequences of this remark, so no word leaves my lips. Slowly, the sword tip rides up Ann's abdominal area and I tense my jaw to resist the urge to intervene. As the metal lethal tip reaches her neck, the forensic scientist puts her head back slightly and just glares indifferently at the man. What self-control this woman displays is impressive.
"I'll ask again, who's for Aguni now?", Niragi amusedly throws into the room and a feeling arises in me that I've never had so much respect for Ann as at this moment. Although a razor-sharp blade touches her neck, she only rolls her eyes boredly and raises her hand yieldingly. Niragi then lowers his head, underestimating her, and a thin strand of black hair hangs in his face.
"This isn't going to be decided democratically," Mira remarks, and I detect a lowered gaze despite her confident stance.
"Oh, but I think you're wrong," Niragi approaches the speaker and takes the gun from his shoulder. He points the barrel of the gun at Mira's head while licking his lower lip broadly after next sentence. "You have a chance to choose now."
Mira's expression remains strong until she takes a deep breath, swallows, and raises her hand. It seems that the barrel of a gun can also change the course of history in a pinch. Niragi's gaze slides past my ultimate ally and fixes on a new person I don't care if she dies.
"What about the leading number two over there? What's it look like?" he approaches the uppity man like a predator, and amused, I observe a humble attitude in my uncle's ally for the first time. A sideways glance at Niragi shows me that even the heart specialist raises her hand yieldingly, though she doesn't seem happy about it. Niragi seems to fixate on the next person, and he looks past the black-haired strong personality to a shirtless stranger, who also raises his hand. The sniper already seems to set his sights on a new target and heads for this one. But while he has always held his sniper rifle threateningly with one hand, he now puts both to the weapon and playfully moves toward Chishiya.
"And what about you?"
Chishiya looks up at Niragi, unimpressed, with raised eyebrows. I fear this moment is inappropriate, but I relax at his typically superior expression and can't help but smile briefly. Although the barrel of a gun is pointed at him, he seems unimpressed and disinterested.
"Chishiya. You're not looking down on us, are you?"
"As stupid as you are."
I turn my head back slightly to disguise my laughter, and since all the attention is on the two of them, only Ann notices my amusement. I'm sorry, but there's a gun pointed at Chishiya's head and he's insulting Niragi too, damn I love that confidence. Niragi approaches him even more and the grip on his gun gets stronger, more aggressive.
"Your look really pisses me off, do you get it?", Niragi brings out and points the barrel of his gun directly at Chishiya's chin area. But what does his opponent do? He just puts his head back slightly and I can't help but grin proudly. My eyes roam around the room and when I notice my uncle eyeing me, my grin is nipped in the bud. He is the only one who has noticed and acknowledges it with a silent nod. I swallow a heavy lump and turn back to the action. "You have such a way of looking at one condescendingly."
Chishiya's eyebrows twitch, a playful smile tracing his lips, and he raises his hands upward in amusement, as if to surrender. For a brief moment, his eyes swivel to me and I bite my lower lip lightly to keep from grinning like an idiot.
"I choose Aguni to be leader," he looks at Niragi from bottom to top analyzing snidely, "Are you okay with the fact that I didn't choose you?"
"I'd better hope you think about how you're going to act in the future," Niragi purses his mouth and his head turns to me. As he walks past Arisu toward me, I feel something in my back and stiffen slightly. Seems like the sword is now pointed at me. I risk a cursory glance at Chishiya, and dare I say it, his amused, relaxed demeanor is crumbling. Niragi looks behind me and clicks his tongue, winking slightly with his right eye. I feel a draft near my spine and tilt my head to the side, peripherally noting Last Boss retreating and taking his sword from me.
"Sayuuri," Niragi approaches with his face. Niragi has instructed Last Boss not to threaten me with his blade, which is why a little pressure comes off of me. "Can I trust your voice?"
"I'm not even in leadership," I whisper to Niragi so no one else will understand us unnecessarily. "Why would you value my opinion?"
"That's the next item on the agenda. Just trust me, so..."
"Have I ever disagreed with you?", I smile saccharine. Niragi tilts his head and squints his eyes more as he approaches with the last step. I may have contradicted him from time to time, which makes me smile even wider at my statement. "How could I not choose Aguni with that smile?"
I raise my left hand to cast my vote and when I hear a slight laugh right from me, I turn my head to Arisu in surprise.
"Hey, where are you with your thoughts?", Niragi approaches the newcomer with a dangerous aura, the barrel of his rifle pointed at his neck. Arisu, startled, lays back far, his expression reflecting pure respect for the loaded weapon. "Didn't I say, I'm waiting for your answer. Whose side are you on kid?"
Last Boss quickly lunges forward toward Arisu and he flinches, startled. Niragi starts laughing loudly in amusement at the newcomer, while Arisu just seems to focus on the sharp blade for now.
"You just got a real scare, didn't you? Haha that's funny, all right," the sniper's laugh echoes throughout the conference hall and Arisu raises his hand hesitantly. Niragi seems confident of his power over us and laughs loudly, after pointing his rifle emphatically towards Arisu once more, he continues his round. One by one, people raise their hands, reluctant but humble to the firepower of this monstrous weapon.