Love Hotel V3

Good luck was winning an all-expenses-paid trip to a tropical island, just for buying the right brand of cleaning product. Komaeda hadn’t even filled out any forms or submitted any receipts – he should have known better than to sign up for the loyalty programme, he supposed.

That sort of luck always made his heart sink.

If there had been anyone to tell him to refuse, perhaps he would have. If there were anyone he would have wanted to take the trip with, he definitely would have refused. But when it was just him, it didn’t seem worth the effort. It would only be something else next week; there was no point resisting one’s fate.

That’s why he showed up for the flight. The plane didn’t drop out of the sky and the taxi driver didn’t scam him – so by the time he arrived at the resort, where someone was eager to carry his bags, his heart was immovably heavy.

It was at the hotel that the scorpion’s tail revealed itself.

‘Mr Nagito Komaeda,’ said the woman who checked him in, ‘you’re here for Love Hotel series V3, aren’t you? Your match is already checked in.’

‘Sorry, love hotel?’ This wasn’t exactly a love hotel – the foyer was wide and spacious, with high ceilings and floors that at least pretended to be marble.

‘I’m sure you’ll get along smashingly,’ the woman said, with an obscenely bright smile. She handed him the key card for his room.

 ‘You didn’t say Love Hotel V3, did you?’ The last dregs of hope drained from his heart. ‘I won the Jif Cream Cleaner competition.’

‘Yes, yes,’ the woman said. ‘Everything’s all prepared. I think you got very lucky myself – such a talented young woman!’

Komaeda thought back to all the paperwork he’d signed – there hadn’t been any talent waiver in there, had there? Still, there was no point in arguing with the hotel about it. He’d just have to suck it up. Even if he had accidentally ended up on a reality dating show, they couldn’t force him to participate with sincerity. He would just do his best to deter his partner and hope she turned her attention elsewhere. That would be good for the cameras, wouldn’t it? She could drive a wedge between some other poor budding couple, and Komaeda would be left alone to read by the hotel pool. He’d already seen pictures.

---

When Komaeda and his bags were deposited at room 413, she was waiting: Akamatsu Kaede. She sat by the window, flicking half-heartedly at a tablet – but she jumped to attention when he came in.

Komaeda wondered where exactly the cameras were.

‘It’s Komaeda Nagito-san, isn’t it?’ Akamatsu said. She was pretty enough, Komaeda supposed, if you were into that sort of thing. Girlish, but not fussy.

‘Yes. There’s been a mistake, though. I didn’t sign up for any dating show.’

‘Oh.’ Some of the stiffness left Akamatsu’s posture. ‘Thank goodness I’m not the only one.’ She pointed to herself. ‘I came here to take part in a recital, but when I arrived, they said it was this Love Hotel thing … is it some kind of joke, do you think?’

‘It would be an odd sort of joke,’ Komaeda said, but he wasn’t disagreeing.

‘If it’s serious …’ Akamatsu dropped her gaze. Komaeda felt sorry for her, then – a woman stuck in a hotel room with a strange man.

‘Don’t worry,’ Komaeda said. ‘I’m not interested in any sort of relationship. It is strange though.’

It would be one thing if it were he alone who was inadvertently starring in a reality dating show – that sort of thing was only to be expected – but if this woman had been duped into it too, there must be more than just his bad luck behind it.

‘You said you were meant to be here for a recital?’ he asked.

‘Oh, yes! I’m a pianist. Akamatsu Kaede.’ She ducked her head. ‘Nice to meet you.’

‘Likewise.’ Komaeda had heard of her, actually – Akamatsu had made a name for herself when she was still in school. The press did love a pretty face. Not that Akamatsu didn’t have the talent to back it up – Komaeda had watched a video of her New Year’s Eve performance the previous year, and been moved. ‘What are you reading?’

‘It has the schedule and information on all the contestants,’ Akamatsu said. ‘It looks like we have some free time now.’ She handed him the tablet, and as he took a quick look at the guide, she said, ‘Do you want to get a head start?’

‘What with?’

‘Meeting the other contestants.’

---

There were 48 contestants – Komaeda didn’t bother reading all the profiles. They had each been matched with a contestant of the opposite gender; however, they were allowed to pursue others if they wished. They were expected to return to their assigned rooms at night, at least for the hours between 1 am and 6 am. (There was no mention of what penalty might be applied if you slept elsewhere.) The room came equipped with a king-size bed, but Komaeda didn’t relish the idea of sharing.

There were a number of organised activities, as well as ‘free time’ slots where they were expected to ‘further their connections’ with the other participants. Komaeda couldn’t tell from the guide what the format of the show was. Was the intent that they all be partnered up by the end? Or would those who didn’t make romantic progress be removed from the game? That would be him, Komaeda supposed, unless the show was more flexible than its set up implied. But he dismissed that thought as it came to him.

There were a number of participants gathered in the hotel bar when Komaeda and Akamatsu entered. Several of them Komaeda recognised – hadn’t that ox-like woman brought back gold in the last Olympic games? And that expensively dressed young man was the Togami heir, whom Komaeda knew from the business news.

It was with something like a thrill that Komaeda realised he might be out of his league here.

Akamatsu stuck by him as they bought their drinks. Then she turned, completely at ease, to the woman beside them at the bar. ‘So, are you caught up in this Love Hotel thing as well?’

‘I don’t know why,’ the woman said. She had a nervous but polite way of talking. ‘I thought I’d been sponsored for a photo shoot, and then it turned into this. I’m Shirogane Tsumugi. My match already ran off.’ She gestured to a group of energetic-looking young men gathered at the other end of the room, who eyed the women like lions.

Akamatsu introduced the two of them; Shirogane’s eyes flicked over Komaeda with an interest that was worrying.

‘That’s not your real hair, is it?’ she asked. She stepped forward, so that Komaeda was forced to hold his hands up and step back.

‘I’m afraid it is,’ he said. ‘I was sick when I was younger, and the stress made it turn white.’

‘Is that right?’ Shirogane said, her interest diminished. ‘I thought maybe it was a wig. I was going to ask where you got it from.’

‘Only my parents, unfortunately.’

Shirogane smiled, to indicate that she knew that was a joke, and turned her attention back to Akamatsu. Komaeda knew he was superfluous.

Well, that was probably just as well. It wouldn’t do to get too attached to Akamatsu, even if it was only as an unfortunate comrade-in-arms. Was there anyone else in the room he should try talking to? Or would it be better just to observe? While he didn’t doubt that he had been drawn randomly from some pool of unwitting contestants, he felt certain that the others had been chosen. Had they all been tricked into coming here? Komaeda couldn’t imagine what scale of deception had landed Togami in the room with them. Perhaps that was a coincidence, and he was only here on business …

‘See anything you like?’ Akamatsu said, her voice suddenly and surprisingly close to him. She hadn’t been completely distracted by Shirogane after all.

‘Like I said, I’m not interested.’

‘Really?’ Akamatsu looked at him with an expression that was assessing without being cold, and then she looked out across the room to where Togami was sitting. ‘Shirogane-san, there weren’t any rules about having to pursue opposite-sex relationships, were there?’

‘Oh!’ Shirogane turned pink. ‘I don’t recall … I mean …’ She took a breath. ‘There weren’t. You can’t take that sort of thing as read these days, can you?’

‘Right. I’ve heard on overseas shows, it’s quite common for female contestants to pair up together.’

They’d misunderstood him. But Akamatsu looked so excited that he didn’t feel like correcting her on his account.

‘You like that sort of show, do you?’ Shirogane said.

‘Sure,’ Akamatsu said. ‘Sometimes, when you’re travelling, you want something you don’t have to think too hard about.’

‘I don’t know about that,’ Shirogane said. ‘There are so many things out there that I want to watch and I don’t have the time –’

Komaeda returned to watching the room. With the Olympic judo champ – or was it wrestling? – were another couple: a daintier but athletic-looking young woman, who spoke to her excitedly, and a man of quite ordinary handsomeness, who appeared out of his depth.

Maybe it was Komaeda’s luck again, that their eyes met across the room. A frisson went through him, and it was impossible to say if it was good luck or bad. It wasn’t that there was anything so remarkable about the other man. Komaeda didn’t recognise him from anywhere. But apparently the moment of eye contact was enough that the man excused himself, and began to approach Komaeda.

Komaeda tried to quash the way that made his stomach flip flop. There was no point to it.

‘Please tell me you’re not another Olympic medallist,’ the man said. ‘I’m beginning to feel a bit out of my depth here.’ Was that desperation in his voice?

‘Not at all,’ Komaeda said. ‘I have no accomplishments to speak of, don’t worry.’

It was funny, but he thought the other man actually looked relieved when he said that. He slid into the spot on the other side of Komaeda from Akamatsu. Akamatsu looked at them curiously a moment, and gave Komaeda a smile that felt oddly like a thumbs up.

‘I’m Komaeda Nagito. I won the Jif Cleaning Cream Trip of a Lifetime, and here I am. And you?’

‘Hinata Hajime. I, uh, signed up.’

Komaeda’s eyes went wide. ‘Really?’

‘I don’t know why everyone else seems to think they’re here for something else,’ Hinata muttered.

Komaeda laughed. ‘You must be special, if they let you just sign up.’

‘Don’t say that.’ Poor Hinata looked miserable; it must be getting him down.

‘Why’d you want to sign up anyway?’ Komaeda asked. ‘Is your love life that bad?’

‘It’s not … it’s kind of …’

‘You don’t have to answer that.’

‘I didn’t think I’d actually get in,’ Hinata said. ‘I think I was just bored.’

‘Ah.’ Komaeda looked him over. He supposed Hinata might be dressed up compared to usual, if he’d come to star in a dating show, but if Komaeda had to guess … ‘Are you in business?’

‘What? No. No, I’m still a student. I’m studying law.’

That was more interesting than regular office work, Komaeda supposed. Not that he’d know. ‘Where are you studying?’

‘M– University.’

It wasn’t a particular impressive name, and Hinata looked like he knew it. Komaeda found he felt sorry for him. The hapless half-rate student who’d got thrown in with all these young prodigies.

‘Akamatsu-san – she’s the one I was matched on – she’s a concert pianist.’

Akamatsu paused her conversation to give Hinata little nod.

‘And Shirogane-san …’ She’d said something about a photo shoot … perhaps she was a photographer?

‘I do cosplay,’ Shirogane said.

‘You mean … professionally?’ Hinata looked thrown.

‘Hmm. Well, it lets me pay for all my materials and travel, so … I guess so.’

‘Komaeda-kun, you never said about yourself,’ Akamatsu said.

‘Me? Oh, it’s not interesting.’ They were all looking at him though. ‘You could say I don’t really have to work.’

That didn’t ease the weight of the three pairs of eyes on him.

‘If I tried,’ he went on, ‘I’d probably ruin anyone who had the misfortune to hire me, that’s my luck.’

Everyone’s expressions had become very fixed, somehow.

‘Anyway, you don’t have to worry about it. It’s not like I’m going to be marrying any of you!’ Komaeda laughed, but the tension remained.

‘Say, Hinata-san,’ Akamatsu said, ‘seeing as you’re the only one here who actually signed up for this … what exactly is the goal here?’

‘The goal? It’s a dating show.’

‘Yes, but are they expecting there to be wedding bells at the end? Is there a prize or something? Assuming we don’t get kicked off.’

‘There wasn’t a lot of detail,’ Hinata said.

‘They can’t be planning to kick us off,’ Komaeda said, ‘given none of us chose to be here in the first place. Except for Hinata-kun, of course.’

‘I can’t be the only one,’ Hinata said.

‘Do you think so? I wonder.’

‘We’ll find out soon enough,’ Akamatsu said. ‘It might not be a bad thing anyway. You do get tired dating other musicians.’

‘At least they’re not only interested in you when you’re in costume,’ Shirogane said, with a sigh.

‘Is that “interested”, or …’

‘The wrong kind of interested.’

‘Hinata-kun,’ Komaeda said, ‘I bet your girlfriend dumped you and that’s why you’re signed up for dating shows now.’

Hinata almost choked on his drink. ‘No way,’ he said, eyes wide. ‘How did you know?’

‘Oh, was I right? Hmm, well, I guess maybe I’m a plant by the producers.’

‘What about you?’ Akamatsu nudged him. ‘No tragic tales?’

‘I was never very lucky in love,’ Komaeda said. He was curious about Hinata’s ex, though. What was the sort of girl he liked? He supposed he’d have ample opportunity to learn, if they went through with this ridiculous scheme.

It wasn’t as if Komaeda had anything better to do. No point resisting the whims of fate. But surely some of these people would rather walk out? It should be beneath Togami’s dignity, at least.

‘I suppose we must all have our singledom in common,’ Komaeda added, ‘or they wouldn’t have brought us here.’

---

At 7.55 pm, the music in the bar cut out, and there was an announcement over the speakers.

‘Attention all of our Love Hotel participants. Shortly, we will hold the welcome ceremony in the main hall. The ceremony will begin at 8 on the dot, so don’t be late! Let’s all have a lovey-dovey, heart-throbbing time!’

‘This is it,’ Akamatsu said, slipping down from her barstool, only a little wobbly. They’d all had a few drinks at that point. ‘I almost hope they don’t give us an explanation.’

As they made their way to the main hall, Komaeda noticed the reception staff seemed to have disappeared. As had the bartender, come to think of it. But there were enough contestants to make the space seem lively. Maybe the hotel’s usual staff were being swapped out for the duration of filming?

As they began to fill the hall, another announcement played on repeat: ‘Please take your assigned seats next to your partner. Holding hands is optional – but why not give it a try?’

Akamatsu giggled the first time she heard that.

‘It is kind of exciting, don’t you think?’ she said, as they took their seats at the back of the hall.

‘Are you thinking of taking things seriously?’ Komaeda said.

‘Why not? It might be fun.’

There was a bright note in her voice – Komaeda wondered who it was that had made her decide this ‘might be fun’. Or maybe it wasn’t even just one person; Komaeda didn’t know Akamatsu’s tastes.

The lights in the hall dimmed, and a hush fell over the gathered participants. The repeated announcements gave way to a jaunty tune. Next to Komaeda, Akamatsu drew herself straighter.

The tune reached its climax, and the lights on the stage came up – and something very strange appeared beneath them. It wasn’t a person – or perhaps it was a person in a costume, but the proportions were all wrong. If it hadn’t been standing, Komaeda would have assumed it was a large soft-toy rabbit. But it was standing, and it was moving.

‘Attention!’ The rabbit’s voice filled the room – the same voice from the announcements. ‘Welcome, everyone, to Love Hotel V3. That’s right, it’s a fresh round of Love Hotel, and I’m your host, Miracle Girl ★ Usami. Or just Usami – after all, we’re all friends here, aren’t we?’

The soft toy appeared to titter. There was something grotesque in seeing a toy move, but it was hard to keep your eyes off it.

‘For those of you who haven’t heard, Love Hotel is the heart-throbbing, lovey-dovey project that’s designed to let you, our amazing participants, find the love you’ve always dreamed of. We’ve prepared lots of exciting activities –’

‘Is this a joke?’ Someone interrupted Usami; a light picked out the culprit: Togami, his arms folded in disdain. ‘I didn’t sign up to waste my time on this.’

‘Wowsie.’ The stuffed toy appeared thrown for a moment. Komaeda found himself smiling. But Usami rallied. ‘Love is never a waste of time!’ it said (or she said, because the rabbit did seem very feminine). ‘That’s why we’ve brought you together today! Even if you don’t believe in the power of love, we’re sure, with a little Usami Miracle ★ Magic, you too will –’

‘This is a joke,’ Togami said. ‘I’m leaving.’

He stood, and began to make his way out from between the seats. The spotlight followed him.

‘Wait!’ Usami jumped up and down. ‘You can’t leave.’

Togami stopped at the end of the aisle. ‘Can’t I?’ It sounded like a threat.

Komaeda found he was enjoying himself immensely.

‘You can’t leave the hotel unless you find your darlingest most eternal partner in love. That’s the rules!’

Togami didn’t respond, but left the hall.

‘Ah, well,’ Usami said, when the doors had swung shut. ‘Even if he tries to leave, he won’t be able to. But don’t worry! There’s a perfect love match for even the most sceptical amongst you! Maybe your initial match won’t work out, but that’s why Miracle Girl ★ Usami is here to help.’

The doors to the hall swung back open. Togami stormed back in. ‘Unlock those doors.’

He didn’t, entirely, address Usami – he was looking for monitoring equipment. Obviously, whoever was running this was listening in.

‘Usami couldn’t even if she wanted to.’ The rabbit hung her head. ‘And let me say, it makes me very sad that you’d give up on love so soon. But that’s exactly what we’re here to overcome!’

Togami tched loudly, and he stalked to the back of the hall – he looked like he meant to make a call. He could probably buy the hotel if he wanted to. And the Love Hotel production company. The whole island …

‘While we’re together, all outside communications will be unavailable,’ Usami went on. ‘That’s so we can concentrate on what really matters – the people who are with us.’ She attempted to form a heart over her head.

Komaeda didn’t look back at Togami again, but he could imagine the face he was making.

Akamatsu put up her hand then.

‘Yes!’ Usami said. ‘Akamatsu-san!’

‘How long will this run for?’

‘Like I said, no-one can leave until they find their love match.’

‘Are you saying we won’t be making our return flights?’

‘We’re happy to make any arrangements necessary.’

Now Akamatsu had started things, other people were putting their hands up too.

‘Ishimaru-kun.’

‘How will we know when we’ve made our match? Is there a test?’

Usami gave a little giggle. ‘Usami knows, that’s how!’ She flourished a wand. ‘True love leaves its trace on things.’ That was all the answer she would give, apparently. ‘Hanamura-kun.’

‘What if we’re not ready to tie ourselves down to one person?’

Komaeda was impressed with his confidence in asking such a smarmy question.

‘Real love is out there for everyone! Ah, but I’ve been told to say you don’t have to restrict yourselves before you’re ready to make a commitment. Just be honest, and everything will work out!’

Were they saying people should feel free to screw around? That seemed like an easy route to drama.

Hanamura put his hand up again, but Usami was looking for someone else to ask.

‘Chabashira-san.’

‘Why have we been matched up with partners of the opposite sex?’ Chabashira demanded. ‘Isn’t that discriminatory? Not all of us want to share a bed with a filthy man –’

‘That’s right,’ another woman put in. ‘Where’s your concern for our safety?’

‘First things first,’ Usami said, ‘anyone who behaves inappropriately will be kicked out the programme. Love isn’t love unless everyone is happy.’

‘But not everyone wants to be here,’ the second girl went on. ‘Aren’t you encouraging bad behaviour in that instance?’

‘Offenders will be dealt with appropriately. Remember, Usami knows everything that goes on in this hotel.’

‘We should at least be able to choose who we room with,’ Chabashira said.

‘But that’s the concept,’ Usami said. ’48 strangers, thrown together by the vagaries of fate!’

From what Komaeda had heard, they weren’t even all strangers – Hinata’s match Asahina had been on the Olympic team together with Oogami, and they didn’t seem to be the only ones with a connection.

‘I have an idea,’ another woman said. ‘We should put all the guys in chastity belts.’ The way she said it made it sound like that was an idea that excited her more than anything.

‘Let’s have one person at a time, please. I still haven’t responded to Chabashira-san’s question. The initial matches are only to get things started. You’re free to pursue whoever you wish. Love doesn’t discriminate.’ She waves her wand in an arc, which somehow left a rainbow trail in its wake – some sort of hologram, perhaps.

It was pretty rich, Komaeda thought, to expect people to purse whoever they wished on a reality TV show. Whatever Usami said, people had to go back to the real world at the end of it.

The questions went on a while longer, following a similar pattern – someone would raise a concern, and Usami would respond with platitudes. It was beginning to sound less like ‘quirky reality TV show’ and more like ‘mass kidnapping’. Komaeda kept that thought to himself – if the forces of this production were able to impede even the Togami name, then those weren’t people worth kicking up a fuss to. Komaeda would roll with it, as he always did. And there was no point in distressing Akamatsu or the others by being too suspicious. Although if any situation warranted suspicion, this one did.

‘That’s going to be our last question for the evening,’ Usami finally said – the voice behind the rabbit was beginning to show her weariness. ‘We still have this evening’s activity on the schedule, and I know no-one wants to miss out.

‘That’s right, it’s time to test out your lovey-dovey compatibility with a round of Rapid Fire Talk!’

---

Rapid Fire Talk was, it turned out, a variant on speed dating. It was intended to be run over two sessions, already seemed like it would be interminable. And contrary to Usami’s protestations of inclusiveness, you only interacted with members of the opposite sex in Rapid Fire Talk. For Komaeda, the event quickly became a chore.

To start with, Komaeda and Akamatsu took seats opposite each other. They had moved to the dining room for this event, which had the tables set out in long rows.

‘This seems silly,’ Akamatsu said. ‘We’ve already met each other.’

‘Not necessarily,’ Komaeda said, looking down the row of participants – some were clearly introducing themselves for the first time. ‘You waited to meet me, remember?’

‘I guess I did,’ Akamatsu said. ‘What should we talk about then? Why don’t you tell me about your family?’

‘Ah,’ Komaeda said. ‘That’s probably a poor choice of subject. It’s just me. My parents died when I was young.’

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t realise.’

‘Why would you? Anyway, I’m used to it. What about you, Akamatsu-san?’

Akamatsu told him about her parents (both alive) and her twin sister (also alive). They sounded like ordinary people, but Akamatsu talked about them fondly.

After that, Komaeda spoke to Oogami Sakura, the martial artist whom Hinata’s match had been talking to; Komaeda had the feeling she was bored with him as soon as he said he avoided physical activities (the feeling went both ways). Then Ibuki Mioda, another musician, who peppered Komaeda with questions so that he felt anyone who dated her would be exhausted constantly.

Ikusaba Mukuro didn’t say much; she seemed uncomfortable with the situation. She did however admit to working as a mercenary, which was at least intriguing.

Sonia Nevermind, who was apparently a foreign princess. She certainly had the demeanour to make that believable. Celestia Lundenberg also made a claim to royalty, which might have been more believable if she wasn’t so obviously Japanese. She had been drawn in by the promise of a poker tournament.

Koizumi Mahiru after Celestia and Sonia seemed positively banal: she was a photographer. Komaeda felt as if she disapproved of him as soon as he admitted to not working. Well, that was fine.

Shirogane, whom Komaeda had already met. Chabashira Tenko, the one who had questioned the mixed-gender sleeping arrangements so vehemently. She insisted on Komaeda declaring his lack of intentions before saying anything about herself (she was another martial artist).

Iruma Miu, an inventor who immediately hit on Komaeda whilst also insulting him. Hinata’s match Asahina, who was friendly and upbeat about the situation; Komaeda found himself wondering whether or not she was Hinata’s type. He could imagine Hinata getting flustered around her.

Lastly, Saionji Hiyoko, a traditional dancer from a storied family; she was already over the situation. Which was fair enough, but she probably didn’t need to indicate that by calling them all losers.

At the end of the session, they were instructed to pick the top three people they would be interested in dating. Komaeda wasn’t sure how he was meant to answer that – speaking to the other participants hadn’t changed his mind about not wanting to participate in the whole scheme. He could leave it to his luck, but if it came down to it, he wasn’t sure he wanted to endure someone like Iruma.

In the end, he put down Akamatsu (a known quantity who already knew his feelings about the situation), Ikusaba (he had the feeling she would leave him alone) and then, out of some kind of perverseness, he wrote down Asahina’s name. Well, it was random at that point.

After he had handed his selection in, Komaeda stopped to talk to Hinata again.

‘How did it go?’ Komaeda asked him. ‘Have you found the love of your life yet?’

‘I think I made a mistake,’ Hinata said. ‘I didn’t know everyone would be so … impressive.’

‘It does seem that way,’ Komaeda said. ‘I wonder why they asked for applications at all.’

Hinata’s looked pained.

‘Well, I’m sure there’s a plan,’ Komaeda said encouragingly. ‘Don’t you have some secret talent you just have haven’t mentioned?’

‘Not … not really.’

‘Hmm. Maybe that means you’re the star?’

‘What?’

‘Maybe the rest of us are just actors, and we’ve been paid to take part.’

Hinata paused. ‘I don’t think that’s the case.’

Obviously Komaeda knew it wasn’t. But there was a moment before Hinata responded, when he’d appeared to consider it, and that was interesting. If you were needing a protagonist for this sort of show, it would be the ordinary, everyman type, wouldn’t it?’

But their conversation was ended by Usami asking them to return to their assigned seats. That was really just to close the evening; it was nearing 10 pm already. Breakfast would be at seven the next morning, followed by another round of Rapid Fire Talk. Despite Komaeda’s intention to roll with everything, the thought made his heart sink.

Had they really needed to go for such a large cast?

---

‘That was tiring,’ Akamatsu said, as they made their way back to their room. ‘Worse than meet-and-greets after a performance.’

‘Did you learn anything more about why we were brought here?’

‘Hmm. Not really. Most of us are in the same boat. There was one other guy who knew coming in, but he was randomly selected; he didn’t apply.’

‘Oh? Who was that?’

‘Naegi Makoto. He was a few chairs down from you – short guy.’

‘I didn’t notice.’

‘Not your type, huh?’ Akamatsu said, and then she laughed in a very particular way, like she was embarrassed.

‘Did you put him down?’

‘Sure.’ Akamatsu lowered her voice, although there was no-one else in the corridor. ‘I don’t like to say it, but there’s a lot of weirdos in the group. Oh, that’s a mean thing to say though!’

‘It’s only natural,’ Komaeda said. ‘People with talent aren’t required to be normal. Not like the rest of us.’

‘Are you a normal person, then, Komaeda-kun?’

‘Well, I do have unusually bad luck. Or unusually good luck, that I’m still alive after all the bad.’

They got back to their room, with its very large bed that nevertheless seemed too small. Komaeda didn’t like to share, even if it wasn’t with random women he’d only met a few hours ago. Akamatsu would be offended if he suggested she sleep on the floor, though.

‘Let’s see.’ Akamatsu went to the cupboard, and emerged holding another pillow. ‘Let’s put this down the middle, then we can pretend we’re in separate beds.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Komaeda said. ‘It must bother you, being expected to share with someone like me.’

Akamatsu made a negative noise. ‘I think I probably lucked out.’

Komaeda thought of Iruma, and thought the same was probably true for him too.