Love Hotel V3

The morning started with Akamatsu saying, ‘Sorry about last night,’ all sheepish after she woke up.

‘It’s fine,’ Komaeda said. ‘Who am I to stand in the way of love?’

‘That’s …’ Akamatsu bit her lip.

‘As Usami would put it.’

‘Haha, yeah …’

Breakfast had its own share of sheepish faces – not the least of which was Usami’s, rabbit though she was.

‘If everyone’s here,’ Usami said, ‘I have an apology to make. A very important medicine was left in the kitchen yesterday and it was used by mistake in some of your desserts. I mean, in everyone’s desserts. It was used in everyone’s desserts. Um … so if you felt frisker than usual, that’s why.

‘I need to say that this isn’t Hanamura-kun’s fault. Usami should have known better than to leave something so important out. So …’ Usami trailed off.

Amami lifted his voice above the murmuring. ‘So you’re saying we were drugged.’

Usami gave a single heavy nod.

‘I really am very sorry,’ she said. ‘Um, but it’s not a bad drug! There are no side effects. Um, provided everyone was careful and used the proper protection …’

Komaeda felt embarrassed just watching her.

‘Why’d you even have something like that in the first place?’ Kuzuryu said. ‘What the fuck kind of project is this?’

‘Heh-heh – it’s a love project, like I said before. But sometimes people need a bit of encouragement.’

‘Don’t you think this has gone on enough, Usami-san?’ Sonia said. ‘Can’t you let us go home already?’

‘Come on, everyone!’ Usami said. ‘You can’t give up so easily. Things might seem like a chore now, but I promise, a bright love will bloom for all of you –’

‘She can’t change script, can she?’ Akamatsu said, but quietly. ‘I guess she is just a toy after all.’

‘Hmm … I feel like we’re letting her off the hook if we think that way,’ Komaeda said.

‘It’s not like we can hold her accountable.’

He looked sidelong at her. ‘You seem very calm about this.’

‘Well …’ Akamatsu tugged on her hair. ‘It’s not like I did anything I didn’t want to. Even if we were given something like that.’ She looked at Shirogane across the table, with a plea for understanding in her eyes.

‘Hmm … but didn’t you say you weren’t comfortable dating two people at once?’ Komaeda said. ‘Doesn’t it change that?’

‘Ugh.’ Akamatsu folded her head in her hands. ‘Don’t remind me.’

‘It doesn’t sound like you regret your choice, though,’ Shirogane said. She looked over toward where Saihara was sitting.

‘No …’

‘I’m sure Fujisaki-kun will understand.’

‘That kinda makes it worse,’ Akamatsu said. ‘Anyway, Shirogane-san, what about you?’

‘Me?’ Shirogane glanced over Komaeda. ‘I think we can discuss that another time.’

‘Aw,’ Akamatsu said. ‘I don’t wanna be the only one …’ She turned sharp eyes on Komaeda. ‘Where did you end up last night, anyway?

‘Akamatsu-san, you shouldn’t ask that,’ Shirogane said.

‘Why not?’ Akamatsu said. ‘It’s not like he doesn’t know what I was doing!’

Komaeda winced. ‘I mean, I’d prefer not to …’

She scowled at him.

‘I was very boring anyway,’ Komaeda said. ‘I watched a movie. Not even the sexy kind. There were zombies.’

Akamatsu looked disappointed at that. Well, it wasn’t like Komaeda was going to tell her what had actually gone on between him at Hinata.

‘Don’t worry about me,’ Komaeda said. ‘Shouldn’t you talk to Saihara-kun?’

‘Should I?’

‘Well, otherwise he might just think you were using him for his body.’

‘Komaeda-kun!’

‘Obviously you wouldn’t do something like that, but he might think that’s all it was.’

‘You might be right …’

Komaeda, for his own part, was not looking for Hinata, or to see what his reaction to Usami’s revelation was. He didn’t want Hinata to avoid his eyes, or be disgusted with himself, or with Komaeda.

Now it was morning, it was too depressing to think of.

‘I feel like if I talk to Saihara-kun now, everyone will be watching me,’ Akamatsu said.

‘It kind of has that feel, doesn’t it?’ Shirogane said. ‘Everyone wants to know who hooked up with who.’

Akamatsu waited until she’d finished her breakfast – and people had relaxed a little – but she did go over to talk to Saihara.

‘Must be nice for things to be so simple, huh?’ Shirogane said. Maybe some of Komaeda’s mood had shown on his face – or maybe it was just that Shirogane had her own feelings about the situation they were in. And about Akamatsu’s choices.

Saihara seemed pleased, when Akamatsu spoke to him. Truthfully, there was something banal about it. There was no epic or tragic romance to be had – just the ordinary product of whatever hormones or compatibility had attracted the pair to one another.

‘You went on a date with Saihara-kun too, didn’t you?’ Komaeda said. ‘Does it bother you?’

‘Why should it? They already look so ... lovey dovey.’ Shirogane looked disgusted at her own choice of words.

‘How do you think they judge it? You know.’ He gestured upwards. ‘What makes a relationship real enough that they get to go home?’

‘How would you decide, Komaeda-kun?’

‘Me? No-one’s going to ask trash like me to judge that sort of thing.’

‘Well, let’s say Usami asked all of us. “Do you think these two people are really truly in love?” How would you judge it?’

Komaeda considered Akamatsu and Saihara, who were making bashful conversation. ‘I would say it’s too soon to say.’

‘You think so?’

‘They like each other now, but they might be bored of each other tomorrow. So I don’t think I could say they’re in love.’

Shirogane sighed. ‘I guess we might be in here for a while then. If I’d known, I would have brought more supplies.’

‘Supplies?’

‘Even with all the activities, we have quite a bit of free time. I could be working on a new costume right now. Or at least catching up on my shows … this whole no-internet business is very inconvenient.’

‘True.’

‘Have you ever considered cosplay yourself, Komaeda-kun? I can think of quite a few characters you might be able to pull off.’

‘Me? I wouldn’t want to do anything so attention-seeking.’

Shirogane’s expression went very flat.

‘I mean, I wouldn’t want to draw attention to myself. I don’t mean you’re attention-seeking – obviously cosplay is your passion.’

His attempt at undigging himself was interrupted by a kerfuffle at the end of the dining hall – Tsumiki had rushed in.

‘H-Has anyone seen Togami-san?’ she called out, the pitch of her voice lifting till it cracked.

Everyone looked about the room – Togami wasn’t present. There would have been a fuss already if he had been. Togami wasn’t the only one absent either – Kirigiri was also missing.

‘Don’t worry, Tsumiki-san,’ Usami said. ‘I can find any of you at any time!’ She said it brightly, like it wasn’t creepy in the slightest. ‘I’ll be back in a jiffy.’

She made a rapid exit. Tsumiki was equally rapidly surrounded by a crowd of concern – when had she last seen him; wasn’t he too badly injured to move? Komaeda wasn’t worried about any of that. He made his excuses to Shirogane, and went to where Amami was seated, watching the show.

‘Good morning, Amami-kun. Did Kirigiri-san already leave?’

Amami wouldn’t meet his eyes. ‘I was going to take her something later.’

‘I can give you a hand if you like.’

‘Nah, it’s fine.’

‘Are you sure? Can you manage two breakfasts on your own?’

He knew from Amami’s annoyed expression that he was right. Kirigiri was with Togami. Or Togami was with Kirigiri.

‘Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking … whatever it is, don’t worry about it. I’ll manage fine.’

‘If you say so. I’m probably letting my imagination get the better of me.’ Komaeda smiled, but Amami looked uneasy. Probably wondering if Usami would go along with things.

‘This probably won’t come up,’ Amami said, ‘but if you get hurt … don’t go to Tsumiki-san for help.’

‘Oh?’ Komaeda looked over to where Tsumiki was being comforted by Koizumi.

‘She’s not what she seems.’

That was interesting.

‘Alright. I’ll try not to get hurt. Although with my luck …’ Amami didn’t want to hear about that. ‘Thanks for the warning.’

‘Any time.’

Komaeda could have paid a visit to Kirigiri himself. But if Usami was investigating, Togami would be found soon enough. Presumably if Tsumiki was some sort of danger, then … what? Komaeda wasn’t sure what Usami would do if one of her subjects as a danger to the others. Would she intervene? Would she remove the offender? So far she hadn’t done more than give platitudes in the face of concerns. And she had left drugs in the kitchen where Hanamura could put them in everyone’s food. Komaeda struggled to consider that an oversight.

Not that he hadn’t benefitted from it himself.

Unwillingly, he found himself looking for Hinata.

Hinata was sitting next to Souda, looking slightly harried. Souda was doing the talking; Komaeda hadn’t spoken to him at all, but he seemed the kind of person who was hard to avoid.

Komaeda could have gone over to Hinata. Like Akamatsu had gone over to Saihara. Like nothing untoward had been revealed.

But before he could make himself, Hinata looked over – looked right at him. And his expression was appalled.

Komaeda’s whole body ran hot and cold; he wanted to interpret that emotion as having to do with anything but him. But no, there it was: Hinata was appalled at what they’d done.

Perversely, that made Komaeda want to go over more.

‘What did you do to deserve a dirty look like that?’ Amami said. Komaeda jumped; he’d forgotten who he was with.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Really?’

Komaeda looked back at Amami, who wore his dubiousness so disingenuously.

‘I’m not the one who did anything,’ he snapped. Amami, thankfully, only lifted his eyebrows; Komaeda needed to cool his own temper.

He hadn’t intended to sit with Amami, but he sat down now.

‘Did something happen between you two?’

Komaeda covered his face with his hands. ‘Does it make sense that anything would happen between us?’

‘I think a lot of stuff happened last night that people weren’t intending.’

Komaeda lowered his arms. He considered Amami. ‘Does that apply to you too?’

Amami laughed it off. ‘I wasn’t talking about me.’

‘Well. Whatever did happen, I think it’s quite obvious Hinata-kun would not like me talking about it.’

He expected Amami to tell him off for being indiscreet, but instead … he looked sorry. For Komaeda.

That really took the cake, didn’t it? But it wasn’t as if Komaeda wasn’t used to it. People were always looking at him like that – sorry for him, but with no intention of ever reaching out to him. Such was life.

Before Amami could say anything to make it worse, Usami arrived back.

‘D-Did you find him?’ Tsumiki said.

‘Ah … about that …’ Usami toed the ground, before presenting a bright smile. ‘You can relax, Tsumiki-san.’

‘How can I relax? My patient has disappeared.’

Apparently, the situation was a good one if you wanted a lot of women to pat you consolingly. Tsumiki had her distress down pat.

‘It’s alright, though,’ Usami said. ‘Togami’s brush with death has given him a change of heart.’

‘It – it has?’

Usami lifted her arms to make a heart over her head. ‘Togami-kun is experiencing his own budding romance! That’s why he snuck away. He said he’s feeling much better. Did you know?’ She did a pose like some sort of magical girl. ‘That’s the power of love!’

‘How much of this do you think Togami-kun actually said?’ Komaeda asked Amami.

‘I’m guessing it was through gritted teeth.’

‘Is Usami that stupid, I wonder?’

Amami lifted his eyebrows toward the rabbit, who was now doing some sort of love-heart inspired dance, while Tsumiki stammered out reasons that Togami should still be under her care.

At last, she said, ‘Who is she?’ Her voice was as cold as Komaeda had ever heard it.

‘Now, now,’ Usami said. ‘Togami-kun’s shy. He said I shouldn’t tell everyone.’ She let out a happy sigh. ‘So sweet!’

‘B-But I’m not everyone.’

‘I cannot break my maiden’s promise! They will reveal their love when the time is right.’

Tsumiki, for all her timid exterior, looked like she was about to blow a casket. It was pretty funny, if Komaeda had been amenable to amusement.

‘How long do you think it will take her to work it out?’ Komaeda asked.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Amami said grimly. ‘Usami’s the only one that matters for this.’

---

Their group activity for the morning was arts and crafts – making friendship bracelets (or ‘more than friendship bracelets’, as Usami suggested). They were assigned groups – Komaeda’s table included Oogami, Maizono and Ishimaru, none of whom he’d had much to do with.

When Komaeda took his seat, Oogami folded her very substantial arms and fixed her gaze on him.

‘Oogami-san, wasn’t it?’ Komaeda said. ‘I enjoyed your skit yesterday.’

Oogami said nothing; Ishimaru and Maizono seemed uncomfortable. Komaeda would have thought he could rely on an idol to attempt to leaven the mood.

‘Oogami-san, have I done something to offend you?’

‘Ah, Komaeda-kun,’ Maizono said, ‘you know Oogami-san is Hanamura-kun’s roommate, right?’

‘Huh? I didn’t know that.’ He almost felt sorry for Hanamura, except it was probably for the best.

‘It’s not whether you’ve offended me,’ Oogami said, ‘it’s whether you’ve offended basic human decency.’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Someone as weak-willed as Hanamura-kun,’ Ishimaru said. ‘Did you mean to take advantage of that?’

‘What?’ Komaeda’s voice went sharp.

‘Last night –’ Oogami’s fearsome eyes were fixed on him – ‘did you or did you not suggest Hanamura-kun use that drug on us all?’

‘What?’ Komaeda said again. ‘“That drug”? I didn’t even know what it was.’

‘Hanamura-kun said you did.’

‘Oh, well, I guess if it’s his word against mine …’ Komaeda looked across the room, and wondered how far this story had gotten. ‘It wasn’t in a medicine container; it was in a bottle labelled “love-love essence” and I was making a joke. How was I meant to know that Usami had left something like that there?’

‘Indeed,’ Ishimaru said, ‘how did you know?’

‘Oh, for –’

‘We don’t know that you’re not on her side,’ Maizono said. ‘I’m sorry, but we have to be suspicious. It’s not like you were brought here for a job like the rest of us.’

‘And Naegi-kun was picked up off the street,’ Komaeda said, before he took a breath. ‘No, you’re right. I am suspicious. And it’s not like I’m trying to get out of here the way some people are.’ Togami, at least, had tried; Komaeda didn’t know if these three had made any effort. ‘If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll leave the table.’

No-one told him not to.

Komaeda sighed, and he put his hand up to get Usami’s attention.

‘Komaeda-kun, is there a problem? None of you have even got started!’

‘I want to switch tables.’

‘What?’ Usami sounded alarmed. ‘But I picked out these groups specially!’

Drawn them out of a hat, perhaps.

‘It’s my fault,’ Komaeda said. ‘No-one wants to be a group with trash like me.’

Akamatsu would believe he wasn’t involved, Komaeda was sure – but she was at a table with Asahina, who would have heard Oogami’s story. And if she’d mentioned it to Hinata …

‘I’m sure that’s not true,’ Usami said. ‘Anyway, I can’t ask someone to swap now. Everyone else has already gotten started.’

It was braiding embroidery floss together, Komaeda thought – it wasn’t so complex that you couldn’t move once you’d started.

‘What if I just sit on my own, then?’

‘But the point of the exercise is that everyone is working together. No, I’m sorry, Komaeda-kun, but I think it’s best if you stay with your current group.’

Komaeda sighed. Again, his tablemates kept quiet. ‘Fine. I’ll do my best to be unobtrusive and not bother anyone.’

After that, he simply ignored them. Let them be uncomfortable, if they wanted. Komaeda took the floss colours that the others weren’t interested in, and turned his attention to his project. Who would he make his bracelet for? Akamatsu, perhaps. It would feel presumptuous to call her a friend though … Amami would probably take it the wrong way if Komaeda tried to give him anything. Perhaps …

Hinata entered his mind again.

Komaeda wasn’t thinking about Hinata. They weren’t friends. Whatever had happened last night, Hinata clearly wasn’t happy with him.

Maybe he should forget whoever he might actually want to claim a connection with. Give it to Oogami, who was sitting right there. It wasn’t like it meant anything. This activity, all the supposed bonding they were meant to achieve – it was all meaningless.

But what could Komaeda have expected? It wasn’t like things could ever have worked out in his favour.

---

At the end of the session, Komaeda had made three bracelets. He laid them out in front of Oogami, Maizono and Ishimaru, and said, ‘For the three of you. Thanks for your company this morning.’

And walked out. He didn’t head to the dining room for lunch – he was in too sour a mood to pretend disaffection.

Maybe he should go to the bar and sneak away a bottle of something. There was something appealing about the idea, at a time like this.

Not that he ever would. Instead he went back to his room, and he put some music on his phone, and lay there with his headphones in, staring up at the ceiling and thinking nothing in particular.

He was six tracks into some playlist he didn’t remember making when Akamatsu burst into the room. At least, it felt like bursting – if she’d knocked, he hadn’t heard it. He sat up and pulled the headphones from his ears.

‘Why aren’t you at lunch?’ he said.

‘Why are you acting like you care what Hanamura-kun tells people?’

How was he meant to answer that? ‘I can’t help it if they listen to what he says.’

‘So you’re just going to hide?’

‘Why not? No-one’s going to miss me. At the moment I’m only making things harder for everyone.’

‘So?’

‘So?’

‘That doesn’t mean you have to hide away. Things are going to be hard no matter what. I mean, we are literally being kept here against our will. Shouldn’t that be what’s on our minds?’

‘You can say that,’ Komaeda said, ‘because you didn’t do anything that you regret. Obviously not everyone feels the same way.’

Akamatsu gave him a dirty look. ‘I don’t think someone like Oogami-san did “anything she regrets”.’

‘No, she’s a virtuous human being, I’m sure. And it’s great that there are people like that in the world. But some of us belong in the gutter.’

Akamatsu crinkled her nose. ‘You’re trying to be annoying so I’ll go away. It won’t work. I’m not an only child, you know.’

‘What’s that got to do with anything?’

‘It means I’m going to keep bothering you until you come out,’ she said. ‘What are you listening to anyway?’

She came and sat on the bed, taking one of the earphones without waiting for him to offer. She listened in silence for a few seconds, and then she said, ‘How can you stand this?’

‘What?’ Komaeda put the other earphone back in. It wasn’t anything objectionable, unless Akamatsu had a problem with enka.

‘The quality!’ Akamatsu said. ‘Did you buy the cheapest earphones you could?’

‘Well, they’re only going to break anyway.’

‘You did! Oh, this is no good …’ Akamatsu took out the earphone and hopped off the bed. Musicians had sensitive hearing, he supposed. She came back with her own headphones – proper over-ear ones.

‘I don’t think it’s going to make a difference anyway,’ Komaeda said. ‘This phone is six years old.’

‘It … it is?’

Komaeda nodded.

‘I mean … for music that shouldn’t really make a difference, but why have you kept such an old phone?’

‘It’s like me,’ Komaeda said. ‘I’ve dropped it onto concrete, into water … somehow it always survives. Even if I leave it somewhere it makes its way back to me. I think it’s cursed.’

‘… isn’t that lucky, not cursed?’

‘Cursed,’ Komaeda said sadly, ‘because as long as this one works, I can’t buy a new one.’

‘Ah … I understand.’ Akamatsu looked at the phone very intently, so that Komaeda felt compelled to hide it from her.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said. ‘You don’t need to smash it with a hammer or anything just because you think I need a new one.’

‘I wasn’t thinking that.’

‘I wouldn’t be able to replace it until we’re out of here anyway.’

‘I won’t do anything to your phone. You are welcome to use my headphones, though.’

‘If I do that, they’ll probably break.’

‘I can replace the cable, see?’ Akamatsu said, and pulled the cord out to demonstrate. ‘It’s not the same as earphones where if one of the wires gets munted you have to throw them out.’

‘Have you got a spare cable?’

Akamatsu conceded that she did not.

‘Then I’ll stick with this.’

He tried to put his headphones back in, but Akamatsu grabbed hold of his wrist.

‘Come have lunch,’ she said. ‘It’s not like you have to talk to anyone.’

‘I’ll pass.’

He looked pointedly at her hand on his wrist.

‘Are you going to skip dinner, too?’ she said. ‘I’m not bringing you any.’

‘Maybe I’ll ask Amami-kun. He apparently doesn’t mind that sort of thing.’

‘What?’

‘Nothing. Are you going to let go any time soon? I might take it the wrong way.’

She let go, but put her hands on her hips. ‘You’re being ridiculous.’

‘No. I’m just giving the others what they want. My presence will only spoil the meal.’

‘Alright,’ Akamatsu said. She sat back down on the bed, and, with a very unimpressed look on her face, took one of Komaeda’s earphones again. ‘I’ll just keep you company then.’

It was too much trouble to send her away – not if he didn’t want to alienate her altogether. So he endured it. The way Akamatsu endured his tinny headphones and only getting the left-side sound of the music.

Skipping lunch, though, didn’t get him out of their afternoon activities. Komaeda did consider just not going when the chime went off, but Akamatsu was already pulling him upright.

They were in the same groups as the morning, which showed a remarkable lack of flexibility on Usami’s part. This time they were meant to building bridges out of dried noodles, which was the sort of engineering challenge you assigned to children. Thankfully, Komaeda’s scapegoat status meant his group didn’t look to him to contribute. Which was probably just as well if they didn’t want to be done too quickly.

Ishimaru’s method of bridge construction wasn’t completely off, but he was methodical to the point that it was a hinderance and not a virtue. While he instructed the others, Komaeda amused himself by taking his own noodle and breaking it into the tiniest pieces he possibly could. It would serve whoever right had to clean it up.

Funnily enough, Hanamura didn’t seem to be a pariah – he was in a group with Mitarai, Kirigiri and Iruma, all of whom were willing to acknowledge him. Probably it had just been Komaeda’s bad luck that gave him the group he had.

Hinata was in a group with Oma, Fukawa and Mioda, who looked like they were struggling to get anything done at all. Hinata had to keep stopping Oma and Mioda from building a throne instead of a bridge. Honestly, they seemed like they were having fun, if your idea of fun included amusement at Hinata’s peeved-off face, which Komaeda supposed shouldn’t have been an attraction for him after that morning but was.

Did he really think Komaeda was culpable in what had happened with the desserts last night?

When time came for testing the bridges’ strength, it was thanks to the distractibility of Hinata’s group that Komaeda’s group didn’t come last. Hanamura’s group was in fact the one whose bridge held the most weight – Iruma was supposedly some sort of inventor, so it made sense she’d be good at that sort of thing. She may also have been driven by a sense of competition, based on the way she said ‘Suck it, Souda!’ and made an extremely rude gesture when the win was announced.

Their prize for coming first was that they each got to choose another participant for an ‘extra-special date’ tomorrow evening. The rest of them were encouraged to make their own arrangements, but they wouldn’t be getting any nine-course kaiseki, plus spa time.

As if they couldn’t have used the hotel spa any time they wanted.

Komaeda wasn’t picked anyway, so he didn’t have to consider it too hard. Neither was Hinata, which he could be meanly happy about instead.

---

That evening, they were not being forced to go on any dates. Instead, they were having a nighttime pool party. The problem with being restricted to a hotel, Komaeda supposed, was that there were only so many potential settings for things. Unlike the earlier pool party, however, this time the bar would be open.

‘I hope you’re not going to hide in our room again,’ Akamatsu said, coming up to him after Usami’s encouragements were done.

‘No, I should make an effort,’ Komaeda said. ‘I wouldn’t want Usami to kick me out for lack of trying.’

‘And I bet you’re pretty hungry right about now,’ Akamatsu said. ‘What do you say we raid the kitchen for some instant noodles beforehand?’

‘I don’t know,’ Komaeda said, ‘is it safe to let me in the kitchens again?’

‘I don’t think they make noodles with aphrodisiac packets.’ Akamatsu clapped him on the shoulder, then looked to her companion. ‘Saihara-kun, you want to come get a snack with us?’

Saihara seemed taken aback by the suggestion – or taken aback by Komaeda’s inclusion, perhaps. They hadn’t spoken up till now.

‘I upset Akamatsu-san when I didn’t have lunch earlier,’ Komaeda explained.

‘Right … she did say something about that.’

‘Shall we go?’ Akamatsu seemed unperturbed by any awkwardness; that was, Komaeda supposed, a part of her charm. Saihara certainly seemed to think so.

‘So, Saihara-kun, I hear you’re a detective too,’ Komaeda said.

‘Too?’

‘You and Kirigiri-san.’ The three of them walked to the kitchen together. ‘Have you gained any insight into our situation?’

‘I don’t know if I can say “insight”,’ Saihara said. ‘This isn’t the sort of thing I usually deal with.’

‘Oh? What’s that?’

‘You know … cheating spouses, lost pets.’ Saihara laughed in a self-deprecating way, which Komaeda disliked him for.

‘I guess we could call Usami a “lost pet”,’ Akamatsu said.

‘But in this case, we need to find the owner and not the animal,’ Komaeda said.

‘Do you think someone here is involved?’ Saihara said.

‘Wouldn’t you want to be if it were you?’ Komaeda said. ‘Ah – but I’ve been informed that I’m suspicious myself, so take that with a grain of salt.’

They arrived at the kitchen. Akamatsu had obviously scoped it out already, because she went straight to a cupboard packed full of cup noodles. ‘Ta-dah. Do you have a preference?’

They put in their orders, and Akamatsu pulled out the packs for them.

‘I know detectives eat a lot of cup noodles,’ Saihara said. ‘But what about you, Akamatsu-san?’

‘I’ll eat anything where I don’t have to turn on a stove,’ Akamatsu said. ‘But what you were saying, about someone here being involved … do you really think that’s possible?’

‘It’s something you’d need a lot of resources for,’ Saihara said. ‘But then there’s people like Togami-san here, so who can say?’

‘Somehow I can’t see a guy like that setting this up …’

‘It does seem like a lot of people here are quite well off,’ Komaeda said, thinking of Amami and his ability to travel indefinitely.

‘Not me,’ Saihara said glumly.

‘I won’t say I’m not comfortable,’ Akamatsu said, ‘but not to that extent. My family’s just ordinary, after all. I guess that means you’re the most suspicious one again, Komaeda-kun.’

‘It does seem to work out that way … unless we’re all lying, I suppose.’

‘True …’

‘You two are pretty serious about this, huh,’ Saihara said.

‘I know!’ Akamatsu said. ‘Why don’t we make a list? After all, a lot of people here are pretty famous. We gotta know some stuff for sure.’

They spent the time before the party constructing dossiers on all the participants (themselves not excluded). Even if it was a meaningless exercise – there was no reason to suspect the mastermind behind their situation was participating – it was an interesting way to pass the time. Probably Kirigiri had done something like this already. Komaeda wondered if Saihara would be offended if he suggested they compare notes. Probably not. Probably he’d insist they could have nothing to add, and Kirigiri’s work would be superior under any circumstances. It was the sort of thing Komaeda might say himself, except he suspected Saihara would actually believe it.

Komaeda would have expected Akamatsu to have better taste in guys, honestly. There must be something she got out of interacting with a guy like that.

‘I guess we better start thinking about heading to this party,’ Akamatsu said at last.

‘Do you need time to get ready, Akamatsu-san?’ Saihara asked.

‘Nah. Although I guess we should bring our swimsuits … why don’t you grab yours, and we’ll meet you up there?’

‘Alright.’ Saihara looked uncertainly at Komaeda before he left; if Saihara were interested in Akamatsu, probably he didn’t want to leave her alone with a guy who was supposedly a competitor.

Akamatsu made it worse by leaning in toward Komaeda. ‘Don’t think you’re getting out of this.’

‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’ He’d recovered somewhat from the shock of Oogami’s accusations; it didn’t matter if he were suspected, after all. If it brought the others closer together, then it could only be a good thing.

Komaeda thought of that, and not of the fact that Hinata probably wouldn’t come to chat with him beside the pool this time.

Back in their room, Akamatsu got changed into her swimsuit, wearing a dress over it.

‘Come on,’ she said, when he didn’t grab his own swimsuit. ‘Aren’t you going to swim?’

‘I’m not sure we should be combining swimming and alcohol.’

‘Oh, so you are planning to drink?’

‘Well, yes.’

‘Get changed,’ Akamatsu said. ‘Please. For me.’

Komaeda sighed. He didn’t know that it was something he should do for her sake, but it was easier to go along with it than resist.

---

At some point, the roof had been decked out with fairy lights, although it was still too early for the dark to show them off. A trestle table had been set up near the bar with an assortment of picnic-style foods and a punch bowl; the bar proclaimed itself OPEN.

‘I wonder if anyone knows how to make a decent cocktail,’ Akamatsu said. ‘Maybe Amami-kun … he has that vibe.’

‘I’m sure someone will reveal themselves.’

Akamatsu waved at Saihara, and went to join him at the trestle table. Komaeda tagged along, although the idea of being their third wheel for the evening didn’t really appeal.

Akamatsu went straight for the punchbowl, ladling them both out a drink. Saihara had already grabbed a beer from somewhere.

The punch, thankfully, tasted nothing like osmanthus.

Hinata arrived later, dragged onto the roof by a cheerful-looking Mioda. She had no hesitation in getting behind the bar. Komaeda heard her ‘boo’ when Hinata asked for a beer.

Komaeda was compelled, then, to join them.

‘Are you taking orders, Mioda-san?’

‘Sure sure!’ Mioda said. Hinata stepped away from Komaeda, but he didn’t leave altogether. ‘I only know how to make a zombie though. Otherwise it’s highballs for you.’

‘Why don’t you just give me a whiskey?’

‘Sure, if you wanna play like someone’s uncle.’ She picked a bottle from the shelves behind her. ‘I hope you don’t care whether the whiskey’s any good, because I have no idea.’

‘Aren’t you trying a bit hard?’ Hinata said, when Komaeda took a sip. It was actually a very pleasant whiskey.

‘Oh, Hinata-kun, you’re talking to me now.’

‘I never stopped talking to you …’

‘I guess I imagined that terrible look you gave me this morning.’

Hinata looked like he regretted saying anything.

‘Asahina-san spoke to you, right? I heard from Oogami-san all about how I misled poor Hanamura-kun into drugging everybody.’

‘Well, did you?’ Hinata looked Komaeda in the eye. Somehow, it was electric.

‘Hinata-kun, all the label said was “love-love essence”. I was making a joke. Who expects that sort of thing to be left in with the cooking supplies?’

‘I told him that,’ Mioda said, leaning her elbows on the bar counter. Komaeda wondered if the amber concoction she was drinking was one of her so-called zombies – it definitely wasn’t a simple highball. ‘Should I tell you a secret, Nagito-chan?’

‘Don’t,’ Hinata said.

‘Uh-oh, Hajime-chan is annoyed!’ Mioda said. ‘Guess I better keep my mouth shut.’

‘Now I am curious,’ Komaeda said. ‘But before that, Hinata-kun, which did you think it was – that I tricked Hanamura-kun into doing it on behalf of whoever’s behind this? Or for something else?’

‘I don’t know,’ Hinata said.

‘You must have come up with some explanation.’ Did he think Komaeda had done it to specifically target him? How would that work, when Hinata was the one who had invited Komaeda in? Was the one who had touched Komaeda first?

Hinata glanced at Mioda, before looking back at his beer.

‘Perhaps you don’t want to say it in front of Mioda-san.’

‘Don’t worry about me,’ Mioda said. ‘I don’t intend to remember anything from tonight.’ She sucked up the last of her drink through the straw, irritatingly.

‘Don’t you think you should take it easy?’ Hinata said to her.

‘Why? It’s not like I have anything to do tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after that. In fact, maybe I should just drink myself into a coma and hope Prince Charming wakes me up!’ She laughed like she was hysterical.

‘Are you hoping that might be you, Hinata-kun?’ Komaeda asked.

Hinata looked as if he considered Mioda’s declaration highly trying. ‘Definitely not.’

‘Hmm … are you even trying to get out of here?’

‘I’m pretty sure kissing comatose girls doesn’t count as love on either side.’

‘See?’ Mioda said. ‘Hajime-chan is so trustworthy.’

And why was that? Because Hinata hadn’t gone after one of the girls last night? Or was it just the aura Hinata gave off – like he was someone you could lean on in a storm?

‘Must be nice,’ Komaeda said. ‘Being trustworthy.’

That made Hinata look more annoyed.

‘I guess I can’t know what that’s like.’ Komaeda let out a heavy sigh. ‘Well, I’ll leave you two alone now. Thanks for the drink, Mioda-san.’

‘Any time!’

It was easier to leave than to keep facing Hinata. Because Hinata’s annoyance wasn’t enough to make Komaeda want to avoid him. Hinata’s annoyed face was better than his disgusted face, after all – so didn’t that mean Komaeda had made progress? But if he thought of things in those terms, he was only setting himself up for a fall. It was better for Hinata if they avoided each other …

Komaeda kept telling himself that.

---

He went to join Fukawa, who was standing by herself with a bottle of green tea.

‘You’re not drinking tonight, Fukawa-san?’

‘S-Says who?’ she said. ‘I could’ve slipped something more in here.’

‘I just saw you buy it.’

Fukawa clicked her tongue. ‘Fine,’ she said, ‘I’m not drinking. I wasn’t even going to come except that stupid rabbit dragged me up here.’ She tightened her grip on the bottle so that the plastic dimpled.

‘So it was compulsory.’ Togami had been recused, because Komaeda hadn’t seen him, but Kirigiri was up here. Did that mean she’d left Togami alone?

‘Who does she think she’s kidding?’ Fukawa muttered. ‘It’s just going to be the same as ever … the popular ones get together and the rest of us get left in the trash.’

‘I’m not sure I want to be included in that statement.’

‘I mean, look at them.’ Fukawa gestured toward the deck chairs, where Enoshima had Kuwata’s arm slung over her shoulder, his hand resting against her breast. ‘Do they really have to flaunt themselves like that? It makes me sick.’

Komaeda wondered. Maybe their behaviour was a bit much, but it was a party. Fukawa could have just looked away.

‘Do you think Enoshima-san is really interested though?’ Komaeda asked. ‘She looks bored.’ Like Kuwata had been talking at her a little too long.

‘She’s still letting him feel her up in front of everyone. I guess you can’t expect someone in that business to have any self-respect.’

‘You mean modelling?’

Fukawa drew her breath in like Komaeda had just said a dirty word.

‘I guess that’s why you like Togami-kun, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘Because he won’t involve himself in any of that?’

‘That’s right!’ Fukawa said. ‘Byakuya-sama would never sully himself with that sort of debauchery!’ She clucked her bottle of tea to her chest in a picture of earnest belief.

‘But that sounds boring for you, Fukawa-san, if he’s who you’ve set your sights on.’

‘What are you im-implying?’ Fukawa said. ‘There’s a difference between commoners rutting like animals, and … and …’ She obviously didn’t want to refer directly to the concept of Togami having sex. Well, that was fair enough. She was obviously envisioning some sort of spiritual experience. From what Komaeda had heard about Togami family succession, he didn’t think Togami would see things the same way.

‘I wonder who he’s with now,’ Komaeda said. Just to see the way Fukawa jerked. ‘It’s not with you, is it, Fukawa-san?’

‘W-Why would you even bring that up?’

‘You don’t have any suspicions?’

‘Please,’ Fukawa said. ‘He was obviously just trying to get away from Tsumiki. Imagine having that after you all the time.’

‘I think some people wouldn’t mind.’

‘Oh? I suppose you’d like a dumb bitch like that doting on you.’

‘I wasn’t talking about myself,’ Komaeda said. He was beginning to remember why he’d got so fed up with Fukawa the night before. It obviously wasn’t just alcohol that made her nasty. Although probably Komaeda had been asking for it, prodding her about Togami.

‘I think I need another drink,’ he said, and Fukawa didn’t even notice that he didn’t offer to bring her anything.

---

Komaeda rejoined Akamatsu, who was sitting with Saihara and Shirogane by the pool. Shirogane and Akamatsu both seemed to be drinking one of Mioda’s zombies.

‘Have you tried one of these?’ Akamatsu asked him. ‘They’re really good.’ She giggled.

‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to move the rest of the night,’ Shirogane said, from her deck chair. ‘I’m just going to be stuck here.’

‘People got so worked up about Hanamura-kun’s desserts, but they willingly drink that sort of thing,’ Komaeda said. ‘Isn’t it strange?’

Akamatsu laughed. ‘To be fair,’ she said, ‘most people aren’t drinking these.’

‘Mioda-san was so exciting when Akamatsu-san said she’d try one,’ Saihara said. ‘I wasn’t brave enough myself.’

Komaeda hung out with them for a while, nursing a second whiskey and trying not to keep track of where Hinata was at any point in time. Chatting to Mioda or one of the other girls. Drawn into some sort of card game with Oma and Celestia. Laughing at something Hoshi had said.

How could he get along with so many different people? It didn’t seem to bother him that he was nobody in comparison to them. And they all actually seemed to like him.

It bothered Komaeda. But he couldn’t tell which angle it bothered him from.

Akamatsu prodded him with her foot. ‘Just go over if you want to talk to him,’ she said. Her words were a little slurred, although she hadn’t gone bright red the way Shirogane had.

‘No,’ Komaeda said. ‘He’s annoyed with me right now.’

‘About last night?’

‘Mm.’

Akamatsu lowered her voice. ‘Maybe I should give him a talking to.’

‘I don’t think that would help things.’

‘I don’t know why people are so worked up about it,’ Shirogane said. ‘It might have been an aphrodisiac, but it’s not like being horny isn’t a problem you can’t take care of yourself.’

She said it dismissively. Saihara splortled on his beer, and had to have a coughing fit while Akamatsu patted him on the back.

‘That’s a very mature attitude, Shirogane-san,’ Komaeda said, although it gave him more information about Shirogane than he needed.

‘I hate guys who blame other people when something makes them horny,’ Shirogane said.

‘Do you get that a lot?’ Akamatsu said. ‘When you do your cosplay, maybe?’

‘You’d be surprised,’ Shirogane said. ‘Or not. Sometimes it’s the most respectable-looking guys too. I hate creeps like that.’

There wasn’t really anything Komaeda could say in response to that. Although if Shirogane was putting Hinata in that category, he didn’t think that was right.

‘But that’s why people are worked up, isn’t it?’ Saihara said. ‘Because some people are like that.’

Akamatsu folded her arms. ‘Like Oogami-san was meant to go back and sleep in the same room as Hanamura-kun. Even if she could deal with him, that’s not the same for everyone, right?’

Shirogane sighed. ‘I wonder why they made us do the whole room-sharing thing anyway. It’s not like they can have thought we’d all make good couples. I know you two get along –’ she meant Akamatsu and Komaeda – ‘but it’s not like you and Celestia-san –’ now she meant Saihara – ‘even have anything in common.’

‘She honestly terrifies me,’ Saihara said.

‘I just don’t understand what they were thinking.’

‘It’s because they want to stress us out, isn’t it?’ Komaeda said. ‘No-one wants to share a hotel room with a complete stranger. Especially not one of the opposite sex. No offense, Akamatsu-san.’

‘Maybe we should ask Usami,’ Akamatsu said. ‘Where is that rabbit?’ She turned her head – Usami was currently having some sort of disagreement with Amami, who looked like he was trying to leave the party. Curious. Amami didn’t seem the type to avoid parties on principle, so he must have had something else in mind.

‘I don’t think we’re going to get any answers out of her,’ Saihara said.

‘Maybe we just haven’t tried authoritatively enough,’ Akamatsu said. ‘We need a baseball bat or something.’

‘Wow, Akamatsu-san,’ Komaeda said. ‘You’re scary when you’re drunk.’

‘I don’t think we need to go that far,’ Saihara said. But Akamatsu was already rising to her feet.

‘Saihara-kun, you’re not the sort of detective who puts yourself in danger, are you?’ Komaeda said mildly.

‘That’s not the point!’

‘Hey, Usami!’ Akamatsu hollered, her hands cupped around her mouth. ‘I wanna talk to you.’ She beckoned to a harried-looking Usami.

Amami folded his arms.

‘Just a minute!’ Usami said. She was obviously trying to talk Amami down from something.

‘No!’ Akamatsu said. ‘I demand an explanation.’ She began to make her way over to Usami; Saihara grabbed her elbow to steady her when it turned out she was wobbly.

Shirogane sighed, still reclined on the deck chair. ‘Do you think this is really necessary?’ Komaeda was the only one listening, although she could equally have been addressing the air.

‘Why can’t we leave here?’ Akamatsu said, jabbing toward Usami with her finger. ‘What is it you really want?’

‘I just want to see everyone happy,’ Usami said.

‘No,’ Akamatsu said. ‘No no no.’

‘Is there someone else we could ask?’ Saihara said. It was hard to tell if he was supporting Akamatsu or holding her back. ‘You must report to someone, right?’

‘I can’t share that information.’ Usami hung her head.

‘We should smash her up,’ Akamatsu said.

‘She’s right.’ Iruma joined in. ‘Why’ve we gotta be stuck here just coz some jumped-up kids’ toy says so? We oughta take her apart.’

‘Now, now,’ Usami said, backing up. Amami, Komaeda noticed, had slipped away while she was distracted. ‘Um, we won’t tolerate threats at this hotel. Everyone has to work together –’

Usami’s platitudes were no match for a group of suddenly infuriated (and also drunk) experimental subjects. No baseball bats were required – although Iruma did seem to produce a toolbox from out of nowhere. Nidai held onto Usami’s body while Iruma set about dismantling her. Saionji stomped on the parts. The anger was a sudden wave that swept over them; once it was gone, only a pile of fake fur and metal remained.

Everyone looked at it in a shocked daze – and then at each other, not sure what to do.

‘Now look what you’ve done,’ came Usami’s voice again. But not from the pieces. A new Usami had appeared from the elevator doors.

‘Well, maybe it will make you all feel better to have released some of that excess energy. Even though Usami would rather you use it for more peaceful activities …’

‘So there ARE more of you,’ Nidai boomed.

‘We did think something like this might happen,’ Usami said.

‘Should – should we dismantle this one too?’ Iruma said.

‘If there’s any more violence,’ Usami said, ‘I’ll use my pixie dust to put you all to sleep!’ She made a flourish with her wand.

Akamatsu’s spirt had left her. ‘How many of you are there?’

‘As many as there need to be. But don’t you worry about that. Now, I hope we can move on from this and keep enjoying the party.’

‘How can we enjoy it?’ Akamatsu said. ‘We’re prisoners.’

‘I think “guests” sounds nicer, don’t you?’ Usami said.

‘Come on, Akamatsu-san,’ Saihara said. ‘You gave it a shot.’

The group that had gathered drifted apart again. Usami’s reappearance had thrown everyone.

‘“As many as there need to be”,’ Komaeda said. He was still standing by Shirogane. ‘They must need somewhere to store them all, don’t you think?’

Shirogane squinted up at him. ‘It’s no good,’ she said. ‘We can’t get to the basement without a key card.’

‘You tried it?’

‘I don’t like this situation either.’

People weren’t as resigned to the situation as Komaeda had thought, clearly. Of course, those were people who actually had things to do with their lives. Of course they would find it an imposition to be here.

‘That could have gone better,’ Akamatsu said. She sat back on her deck chair despondently.

‘At least we learned something?’ Saihara sat beside her.

‘Right.’ Akamatsu shut one eye. ‘And hopefully Amami-kun manages what he was trying to do.’

‘Akamatsu-san,’ Komaeda said, ‘don’t tell me you were trying to provide a distraction.’ Perhaps she wasn’t as drunk as he’d thought.

‘No.’ She clenched her fists. ‘I really did want to take Usami apart.’

‘Hang on,’ Saihara said, ‘what about Amami-kun?’

‘He was trying to leave the party,’ Komaeda said.

‘It probably wasn’t even for any good reason,’ Shirogane said. ‘If that’s why you went after Usami, it seems a waste.’

‘But we’re all on the same side,’ Akamatsu said. ‘And Usami’s on the other side. So if Usami doesn’t want someone to do something, I think we should help them do it.’

‘We don’t know we’re all on the same side, though,’ Shirogane said. ‘If Komaeda-kun’s suspicious, then so’s that guy. I mean, he showed up here just coz some girl told him about it? That’s weird, right?’

‘It does sound strange,’ Saihara said. ‘But it’s not that much stranger than anyone else’s story. And he was arguing with Usami.’

Shirogane looked decidedly unimpressed.

‘Do you not like Amami-kun?’ Komaeda asked her.

‘I don’t like flashy guys like that,’ Shirogane said. Komaeda wasn’t sure what she meant by flashy – just that he dyed his hair? Amami didn’t come off as show-offy to Komaeda. But it was true that their backgrounds weren’t dissimilar. Maybe if Komaeda had been blessed with his luck instead of cursed, he would have turned out like Amami, and Shirogane would take equally against him.

No – that seemed impossible. Without his bad luck, Komaeda would be a completely unremarkable human being, good only as a stepping stone for others. And he never would have ended up in a situation like this.

‘Maybe we should all just drink until we’re trashed,’ Akamatsu said.

Saihara disagreed with her, but Komaeda wasn’t sure she was wrong.