Chapter 5: The First Suspicion
Ren Sakamoto stood with an air of gravity rarely seen from him. His voice, steady and direct, broke the tense silence.
"Alright, everyone. Let's have a meeting and find the Killer."
The others exchanged glances and nodded, a heavy unease hanging over them. The intercom crackled to life.
Accountant (over intercom): "Are you ready to vote?"
All Players (in unison): "Yes."
Accountant: "Proceed to the third floor."
The players arrived at the designated location, where thirty slips of paper lay perfectly aligned on a table. Each picked up five sheets, their faces taut with stress.
Accountant: "You may write the name of one player and your guess of their role on each paper. You can leave papers blank if you wish."
Some scribbled furiously. Others paused, hands trembling. When they were done, they submitted the slips into a locked box.
Back on the second floor, silence reclaimed the group. Every breath, every shift of weight felt louder than it should.
Accountant: "I will now tell you if your guesses were correct. For each correct guess, you gain one extra life. But I will not reveal who voted for whom, or which guesses were accurate. Winners and losers will be revealed at the end. Until then... trust no one."
Everyone froze, uncertain if they should be relieved or more afraid.
Aoi Himura (scribbling angrily): "If I'm wrong, I'll take the hit. But if I'm right… I'll expose the bastard."
Shun Hayashi (calculated): "Two lies. Three truths. One trap. Let's see who survives logic."
Ren Sakamoto (smirking): "I wonder how many think I'm the Killer... might be fun if they do."
Tatsuya Kuroda (leaving one blank): "Information is power. But silence is stronger."
The Accountant's voice returned.
Accountant: "Tatsuya Kuroda, you have five guesses: two Innocents, two VIPs, one Detective."
"Ren Sakamoto: one VIP, two Innocents, one Killer."
"Shun Hayashi: two Killers, two Innocents, one Detective."
"Mei Tsukino: three VIPs, two Innocents."
"Aoi Himura: two Killers, one VIP."
"Daichi Hayasaka: one Detective, two VIPs, two Innocents."
The group broke apart after that, their footsteps fading in separate directions. The fractures were visible now.
Mei and Shun headed to the third floor. Daichi and Ren to the first. Only Aoi remained on the second—until she heard footsteps behind her.
She spun around sharply.
"Why are you following me? Are you stalking me now, Tatsuya?"
Tatsuya's expression remained unreadable.
"I know who the VIP is."
She blinked. "What? You're lying."
"I'm not. I wouldn't waste my time. I can even tell you their name."
She crossed her arms. "Then say it."
But Tatsuya paused. He studied her.
"First, you tell me something."
"What?"
"Your past. You've been at Kurohane for years, but no one knows anything about what happened before. You never talk about yourself. You don't trust anyone. Why?"
She stiffened.
"You're always angry. Ready to fight. That kind of anger... it doesn't come from nowhere."
Aoi looked away. Her hands clenched into fists.
"That's my secret. I don't want to tell you."
"Your choice. But if you do... I'll help you find the Killer."
She was quiet for a long moment.
"...Okay. Fine. Stop. I'll tell you."
She breathed in slowly.
"When I was a kid, I lived with my parents. We were poor. My father, Raikuro, worked hard. My mother, Ayame, stayed home. We barely got by. Then my father borrowed money from a gang. When he couldn't pay it back... they came. They beat him. Killed him. Killed my mom too. I saw them burn the house. I watched the smoke. I was alone."
Tatsuya said nothing. He just listened.
"Then a man appeared. Black coat. Asked me why I was sitting in the road. I said I was alone. He said, 'Don't worry. First... what's your name?' I told him. Then I asked his name. He said, 'My name is Shion. I am your new father. You are not alone anymore.'"
The words hung in the air like ash.
Tatsuya watched her. For a second, something flickered in his eyes.
But then it was gone.
To be Continued
Next In Chapter 6:Masks Of Sweetness