Love Hotel V3

At quarter to one the alarm on the hotel clock went off. Komaeda had been dreaming, but the dream went as soon as he woke. He slapped the alarm off, and then collapsed back again.

He didn’t want to move. He never wanted to move from this bed again.

Hinata was not sympathetic. ‘You need to go.’

‘What’s Usami going to do,’ Komaeda said, ‘drag me out physically? Do you think she’s got some kind of super strength?’

‘Maybe,’ Hinata said. ‘You’re not that heavy. Come on.’ He pinched the skin under Komaeda’s ribs; Komaeda slapped him away, only for Hinata to grab his hand, and push it back down against the bed so that he was leaning over Komaeda.

‘That’s not conducive to me getting up, Hinata-kun.’ He was half-hard just from Hinata holding him down.

Hinata sat back abruptly. ‘You should’ve set the alarm for earlier.’

Komaeda reached out to him in the dark, and kissed him, brazenly, until Hinata thumped his chest to make him stop.

‘Go,’ Hinata said.

Komaeda knew there was no use pouting about it; the last thing he wanted, after all, was for Usami to turn on the lights and catch them at it. So he made himself get up off the bed and stumble through the bare minimum of dressing. He was going to have to shower, he thought, because he did not want to share a bed with Akamatsu while he stunk of sex. Also, he needed the cold water.

If Akamatsu stirred when he came in, she didn’t say anything. He had the quickest cold shower in the world, and he thought he’d gotten away with it until he slipped under the covers and Akamatsu murmured, ‘Were you with Hinata-kun?’

Komaeda’s heart went tight in his chest; he made himself answer normally. ‘Yes. Go back to sleep.’

‘I’m happy for you.’ She didn’t sound happy though; Komaeda was afraid he was going to have to deal with the emotional Akamatsu he’d wanted to avoid.

‘It doesn’t mean anything,’ he said. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

‘Liar,’ Akamatsu said. ‘After all that big talk …’ Her voice drifted off, and maybe Komaeda had gotten away with it after all, just by virtue of the hour. Akamatsu wasn’t awake enough to really have a go at him.

Even if he deserved it. Even if he was going to pay for it later.

Luck this good couldn’t last.

---

Everyone was on edge the next morning. It was as if they expected the same thing to happen again: the announcement of death. Komaeda sat with Akamatsu and Shirogane, as was usual, but Saihara didn’t come to join them that morning, and Akamatsu picked at her food.

‘Did something happen last night?’ Komaeda asked. Neither Akamatsu nor Shirogane were saying much.

‘Nothing,’ Akamatsu said, and stabbed an innocent sausage that had never done anything to her. ‘This just sucks. Not that some people seem to care.’

She meant him. He felt suddenly as if he should be avoiding cutlery as well.

But they were interrupted before he could respond. ‘You really dropped me in it last night,’ Amami said, appearing behind him. Amami hadn’t brought his breakfast with him, which suggested he’d come only to deliver this admonishment.

‘What did I do?’

‘That room,’ Amami said. ‘You could have said what the game was.’

Akamatsu looked reluctantly up. ‘What game is this?’

Amami explained to her the room where Usami had set up Seven Minutes in Heaven, all the while giving Komaeda his most unimpressed look.

‘Sorry,’ Komaeda said. ‘I didn’t think it would be a big deal.’

Akamatsu was frowning at him too. ‘You can be pretty insensitive sometimes, you know that?’

‘I hear that.’

‘But what about that room?’ Shirogane said. ‘Did you find anything?’

Amami sighed. ‘Yes, but it wasn’t very helpful. Turns out you can connect to the wifi –’

‘What?’ Akamatsu’s voice was the loudest; she clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around to see if anyone had noticed.  

‘So that’s what the password was for,’ Shirogane said. ‘But it wasn’t helpful?’

‘We could connect to the network,’ Amami said, ‘but if we tried to access anything, we kept getting redirected to kids’ sites.’

‘So you couldn’t contact anyone for help.’ Akamatsu deflated.

‘I think Kirigiri-san was going to try again with Fujisaki-kun,’ Amami said. ‘Probably she should have gone with him in the first place instead of me.’ He sighed, as if he were troubled by the memory of having to kiss her.

‘Amami-kun,’ Shirogane said, ‘don’t you think there’s a reason she invited you?’

‘Well, we were already together …’

‘Kirigiri-san didn’t know about the kissing thing,’ Komaeda felt compelled to point out.

‘I think you’re leading her on,’ Shirogane said to Amami, ignoring Komaeda.

‘Me?’ Amami said. ‘When did I do that?’

‘I don’t think he’s leading her on,’ Akamatsu said. ‘He might just be dense.’

‘Whoa, it’s not like that.’

‘Does she know that?’

Amami looked at Komaeda helplessly. Komaeda shrugged.

‘Perhaps you should just go with it,’ he said. ‘After all, the two of you can have your happy ending and leave here and no-one has to die because of it.’

The energy that filled Amami left him; he sighed. ‘If only it were that easy.’

Eventually Usami made her inevitable appearance.

‘I’m glad to see you all so lively,’ she said to start with (as false a sentiment as Komaeda had ever heard). ‘I know you must be eager to hear the results of last night’s poll. We had a lot of ties this round.’

No-one cared, Komaeda thought. Or maybe they did, but only because a bad result might be the death of them.

‘In the male category, our third-place contestants remain unchanged: Saihara-kun and Naegi-kun, you two have made it again. Perhaps this should be the start of a beautiful bromance?’

No-one clapped or said anything. Usami waited an awkward moment too long before continuing.

‘In second place we see some change though … Amami-kun, you’re in there, but in a shocking twist, Togami-kun has risen to meet you! Well, we all know the cream rises to the top, right?

‘But still, Togami-kun hasn’t done well enough to best our top-rating contestant, which is, once again, Hinata Hajime! Congratulations, Hinata-kun. It’s an amazing result.

‘But those of you who voted for him might like the consider this –’ Usami lowered her voice – ‘Hinata-kun didn’t write down the name of the person he’d been kissing only a few hours before polling! So cruel, Hinata-kun! You should take people’s hearts more seriously!’

Whatever commentary they had been expecting, it was not that. Komaeda couldn’t even look for Hinata’s reaction, because his whole table was looking at Komaeda for his own.

Of course, Amami had told them about the secret of the room behind reception. And Shirogane and Amami both knew who he’d been there with. Akamatsu might not know that, but she knew other things …

Hinata wasn’t going to be happy about this.

Usami moved on, oblivious to the response from the room. ‘Things are shaking up more in the women’s category! Of course, one of our joint-leads has left us. So who has risen to claim her spot? Wow, I’m so excited to share with you all!

‘First! In third place, we have Koizumi-san and Tojo-san! Tojo-san, you’ve dropped in the ratings but I’m sure your remaining fans are all the more fervent for it!

‘But what’s this – second place is another tie? That’s right! Sonia-san and Kirigiri-san, you’ve both done well.’

Amami didn’t react to hearing Kirigiri’s name read out, more’s the pity.

‘And in first place, oh gosh, wow, it’s another tie! Everyone is just so enthusiastic for the lovely ladies we have here. Congratulations to Maizono-san and Akamatsu-san! It’s especially wonderful when you think Akamatsu-san didn’t even rank last time … but that’s the power of love!’

The table looked at Akamatsu, who had her hand clapped to her mouth. She looked overwhelmed by the announcement.

Usami went on to deliver the rest of her spiel about the day she had planned and the wonderful dates they’d be having that evening, but Komaeda barely listened. Eventually Usami shut up, and let them get back to talking amongst themselves.

‘I really don’t know why that happened,’ Akamatsu said.

‘Well, we weren’t voting along gender lines this time,’ Shirogane said. ‘I admit, I couldn’t stop thinking that the ratings must have something to do with immunity … so I put you down on my list, Akamatsu-san.’

Akamatsu’s lip trembled; she was touched. ‘I told you,’ she said, ‘you can call me Kaede.’

‘Kaede.’

‘That’s so sweet.’ Akamatsu’s voice became a wail. ‘I didn’t even think of doing that! I’m so terrible!’ It would have sounded worse, except that Akamatsu was obviously fragile to start with.

‘Not at all,’ Shirogane said. ‘We just happened to have talked about it, that’s all.’

‘But apart from me,’ Akamatsu said, wiping her face as if she’d been in danger of tears, ‘Komaeda-kun, do you need me to give Hinata-kun a talking to?’

‘Please don’t say anything,’ Komaeda said.

‘She wasn’t really talking about you, was she?’ Shirogane seemed sceptical.

Komaeda hushed them with his hand.

It didn’t matter that Hinata hadn’t put his name down; Komaeda could never really have expected that. But he knew Hinata wouldn’t want to be talked about like this. Komaeda already felt as if he’d been indiscreet. Although perhaps it was better if people knew it was him, rather than thinking Hinata had been leading on one of the girls.

However Akamatsu might have felt toward him earlier, she at least was only outraged on his behalf; the looks that Shirogane and Amami gave him were harder to bear. It was hard to say why they bothered him – it wasn’t quite pity that he saw. He was familiar enough with pity, given all that life had thrown at him.

Something other than pity …

Komaeda looked around for Hinata; he was tidying up his breakfast things, having some hushed conversation with Souda. What excuse would he be making? Komaeda’s gut twisted.

It wasn’t really okay. It wasn’t okay, but if this was the price he had to pay he would take it. It was better to be a secret shame than … what?

He couldn’t keep Hinata anyway. At least this way, Akamatsu wasn’t at risk. He wouldn’t be so selfish as to prioritise his own heart over her life. He was trash that should have been thrown out years ago; she actually contributed to society. The world was the better for having her in it.

Even Hinata was at least trying to do something worthwhile. Komaeda was the one who was worthless here.

He met Hinata’s eyes across the room.

And, oh, Hinata looked so caught out. Komaeda could almost have felt bad for him, being exposed by Usami like that. Except now Hinata was walking toward him.

For a moment, Komaeda’s traitorous heart considered running away. It would serve Hinata right to have to chase him. But he was pinned by Hinata’s eyes.

‘Can I talk to you for a minute?’ Hinata was standing right in front of him, and Komaeda was suddenly aware of every part of his body; his fingers clutched on his thigh; the press of the table against his forearm; his face tensed; and Hinata looking right at him.

‘I can’t stop you,’ Komaeda said, but it didn’t come out dismissive like he might have wanted it to. Hinata narrowed his eyes slightly, and – oh, he was annoyed. Hinata was annoyed by his response. Somehow that was thrilling.

‘We can leave you two alone,’ Akamatsu said, rising to her feet. ‘Komaeda-kun, my earlier offer stands.’

‘Should you really want them to work things out?’ Amami said, which revealed too much; Hinata looked at him in surprise, but Amami and the others were already clearing the table and leaving.

Hinata slid into the spot where Akamatsu had been.

‘Why does that guy think we need to work things out?’ Hinata said. Which obviously wasn’t what he’d come over to talk about, but it was such a straightforward question that Komaeda found himself babbling to answer.

‘I told him and Kirigiri-san about that room. I mean, not everything about it … they had to work that out themselves … oh, but I never said in the first place, did I? While we were in there I found …’

‘What?’

‘Ah … someone’s wifi password, it turns out. But Hinata-kun …’

It was hard to keep his mind on track when Hinata looked at him so directly. Komaeda was aware not just of his skin and flesh, but his own heartbeat, the blood pumping through his body.

‘But what?’ It was only prompting; Hinata wasn’t annoyed any more, Komaeda didn’t think.

‘It’s not that I didn’t tell you on purpose; it’s only that I forgot I’d picked it up until I went to the baths. And then I thought Kirigiri might find it useful –’ Hinata was looking annoyed again – ‘so I gave it to Amami-kun to give to her and I guess I should have told you but I forgot.’

‘Komaeda,’ Hinata said, ‘you don’t have to tell me.’

‘But I should, right? Or else …’ He found himself biting his lip. ‘Anyway, that’s how come Amami-kun knows it was me Usami was talking about. Also Kirigiri-san and Shirogane-san must know too. I didn’t tell Akamatsu-san about the room but she worked it out anyway …’

‘I don’t care about that,’ Hinata said.

They stared at each other for a moment. ‘You don’t.’

‘I mean –’ Hinata ducked his head – ‘it’s kind of embarrassing, but whatever. That’s not …’ Hinata lifted his head again. ‘It is true, what Usami said. But I don’t want you to think it means … look, I’m not good at this.’

‘Okay.’

‘And you were so weird that afternoon … but that doesn’t matter. I just … it’s not any of Usami’s business, you know?’

‘Well, she is literally the one telling us what to do.’

‘But why does that mean we should go along with it? We shouldn’t be making it easier for her. She – they – they’re just messing around with us anyway.’

Ah, Komaeda thought. Hinata was hurt more by the situation than he was, because Hinata expected the world to make sense. To be fair, despite the blatant unfairness of it all. This world where some people had talents that the world loved, and where some of them could try hard and never be good enough …

They didn’t deserve this situation. Some of them would rise to it with aplomb, but that didn’t justify what it was. The utter lunacy of it.

Someone was messing around with them.

‘Amami-kun said there was wifi in that room, but their internet access was still being blocked somehow. They were going to talk to Fujisaki-kun about it.’

‘What’s that got to do with –’

‘You’re right, Hinata-kun. They’re just messing around with us, and we shouldn’t go along with it.’

‘Sure.’ Hinata seemed taken aback.

‘I’ll forgive you for leaving me off your list. That was probably too much to expect anyway.’

Hinata winced.

‘By the way, what did you tell Souda-kun?’

‘Souda?’ It took Hinata a moment to work out what he meant. ‘Just that it wasn’t what Usami made it sound like.’ Hinata looked across the room. ‘I think he was mostly concerned I hadn’t done it with Sonia.’

‘With Sonia-san? Wow, he must really have high expectations of you.’

Hinata met his eyes again. ‘You’re being a dick.’

It was so sudden that Komaeda had to laugh. ‘Not at all, I …’ He had to catch his breath. ‘I mean, if he thinks that … and then it’s just me …’

‘Can you be a bit quieter?’

‘Oh, sorry, Hinata-kun.’ Komaeda schooled his expression.

‘It’s alright.’ Hinata looked over at the table nearest them, but they didn’t seem to be paying any attention.

Komaeda leaned in across the table toward him. ‘I’m sure you could get with Sonia-san if you really tried.’

‘I’m not –’ Now it was Hinata who raised his voice, and realising that, he shut his mouth and scowled at Komaeda.

Komaeda really did like him.

He was prevented from causing any more aggravation by Usami’s reminder that they had their next scheduled activity in five minutes and perhaps they could wrap up the chit-chat.

‘You’d think they could at least give us one day’s weekend,’ Komaeda said, getting up.

‘What would you do if they did?’

‘Hmm …’ Komaeda pretended to think about it, but he knew already what he wanted to do was drag Hinata to bed. And that was the reason he was completely and utterly screwed, because he wasn’t meant to have gotten to the point of considering that.

‘Scratch that, don’t tell me,’ Hinata said, maybe reading his face.

‘What about you, Hinata-kun?’

‘Go outside,’ Hinata said, right away. ‘I know they wouldn’t let us, but that’s all I really want to do.’

‘I don’t mind being indoors, but it would be good if we could at least open a window …’

Indeed, they were stuck with another round of indoor activities. This morning’s theme was ‘games’. Usami had set up the conference room with an assortment of board and card games. Of course, she couldn’t be so disinterested as to let them choose their own groups. This time, Komaeda was put in a group with Naegi, Koizumi and Oma.

‘Doesn’t it feel like Usami is trying to split us up, more than letting us get to know each other?’ Komaeda said. He was thinking that she was choosing groups of people who hadn’t had much to do with each other.

‘She’d probably say that’s the point,’ Naegi said. ‘We should give everyone a chance, or something like that.’

‘It’s more fun to play games against strangers anyway,’ Oma said.

‘Is that because you think we won’t know if you cheat?’ Koizumi said.

‘Oh?’ Oma lifted his eyebrows. ‘You’ve heard about me.’

‘I don’t like cheaters,’ Koizumi said firmly.

‘I guess I’ll play fair, then,’ Oma said, ‘if it will keep Koizumi-chan happy.’

Koizumi’s face twitched.

‘What are we going to play?’ Komaeda turned to look at the piles of games Usami had stacked up on tables at one side of the room.

‘I want to play 1830!’ Oma said.

‘What’s that?’ Naegi asked, as Oma went to get the box.

‘This one,’ Oma said. ‘It’s about building railroads.’ He smiled widely, like that was a winning topic for a board game.

‘It says 4 to 6 hours,’ Koizumi said.

‘Yeah. If we pick a long one, we don’t have to keep choosing new games, right?’

‘Seriously?’ Naegi said. ‘They make games that long?’

‘I think this a bit complicated for a “getting to know each other” game,’ Komaeda said. ‘Why don’t we start with something simpler?’

‘Aww,’ Oma said. ‘I’ll hold onto it in case you change your minds later.’

They ended up playing a simple party game to start with – one that required only a moderate ability to portray a range of emotions while saying simple words like ‘what’ and ‘huh’. Komaeda didn’t think it was actually possibly to cheat at. It didn’t rely on luck either, which was refreshing.

After that, they played Risk, which might have been more of a strategy game than Koizumi would have liked, but was less intimidating than one with a minimum 4-hour play time. Komaeda started off well, having lucked out in his positioning, but as the game went on, Oma convinced the others to help gang up against him – only to betray them in the final act and sweep the board himself.

They all stared dazed at the board. Oma leaned back in his chair with a grin, having declared his victory. ‘And that’s why they call me the Supreme Leader.’

‘I’ll know not to play against you in the future,’ Naegi said.

‘Aww,’ Oma said, ‘but it was fun!’

‘I guess that’s why you prefer playing with strangers,’ Komaeda said.

‘Right? It’s hard to take people by surprise when they know you well. Most of my friends wouldn’t have trusted me like that.’

‘What a thing to say!’ Koizumi clearly disapproved of how proudly Oma had spoken.

‘It’s a shame,’ Komaeda said. ‘If they hadn’t fallen for it, I probably would have won.’ He ran his hand through his hair. The game had been a good distraction, for a while.

‘Should we play another game before lunch?’ Naegi asked.

‘I’m worn out after that,’ Koizumi said.

‘Something we don’t have to think about too hard,’ Naegi said, as if he were making a promise. He found a pack of cards to play Old Maid, which ended even more quickly than expected because Komaeda had a knack for picking the right cards out of people’s hands.

‘That wasn’t much fun,’ Oma said. ‘We need some extra rules.’

‘No, that’s my fault,’ Komaeda said. ‘I’m always lucky when it comes to card games. Unless I’m playing for money.’

‘Money would make it more interesting.’

‘We’re not gambling,’ Koizumi said.

‘What about extra rules like, if you have a 9 of clubs in your hand, you have stick out your chin the whole time?’ Oma said.

‘Excuse me?’

‘Like this,’ Oma demonstrated. ‘Ya hafta do it when ya talk too.’ He both looked and sounded very stupid.

‘That seems like it would be uncomfortable,’ Naegi said.

‘That’s the point.’ Oma put both hands behind his head, leaning back again; he seemed very cheerful. Even though they were playing a game with extra rules themselves – and rules with considerably more serious consequences.

‘I’m sorry to interrupt while you’re all having fun,’ Usami proclaimed, ‘but it’s almost time for lunch and I still have some announcements to make. I’ll give you five minutes to wind up your turns, okay?’

They’d already ‘wound up’.

‘Don’t you wanna find out where she’s built and just smash every single Usami into smithereens?’ Oma said.

It seemed like the sort of statement Koizumi might object to. But she only sighed. ‘I certainly wouldn’t mind smashing something.’

‘The production machine?’ Naegi suggested.

‘Mm.’

‘Hehe. I knew you’d have a violent streak to you, Koizumi-chan!’

‘Well, it’s this situation!’

‘But surely you’re not worried?’ Oma said. ‘Not with that fat pig of a roommate.’

‘This never should have happened to any of us,’ Koizumi snapped. She seemed genuinely upset.

‘Geez, Oma-kun,’ Komaeda said. ‘You sure know how to bring the mood down.’

‘You’re such a flatterer, Komaeda-kun.’

**

Usami’s announcements, when she got to them, were about their next scheduled dates. Which were that evening. It really was absurd that she was carrying on with this farce – but perhaps it was admirable too. Certainly Komaeda had never been as committed to anything as Usami was to this matchmaking concept.

‘Again?’ Oma said, when his name was read out with Celestia’s. ‘But I already played with Celese-chan.’

‘I thought you two got along,’ Naegi said.

‘Sure,’ Oma said. ‘If natural nemeses can be said to get along.’

Komaeda was the next one in the group to be read out; he’d been paired with Ikusaba. He sighed. Obviously he wasn’t going to get who he’d actually wanted, but it would have been nice to have someone he was friendly with. He’d had no cause to even think about Ikusaba since their initial meeting.

Koizumi had been paired with Gokuhara, which Oma immediately teased her for; despite her protestations, Komaeda didn’t think she was unhappy. Naegi got Akamatsu, which he seemed a little surprised by.

‘Did you not put her down?’ Komaeda asked. Although it wasn’t as if he’d put Ikusaba down himself.

‘No, I did …’

‘Well, I’ll try not to get in your way as her roommate.’

‘Hey, that’s not a very nice thing to say,’ Koizumi said.

‘Oh? I didn’t mean anything by it.’

Oma gave a little laugh, like he knew exactly what Komaeda had meant by it.

‘I just mean that you shouldn’t hold back on my account,’ Komaeda said. ‘Say the two of you do happen to fall madly in love.’

Koizumi frowned at him. Naegi looked like he wasn’t sure if Komaeda was joking or not. Which was fair enough.

---

At lunch time, Akamatsu was with Shirogane as usual, but also Mioda and Chabashira. They formed an aura of female-ness that Komaeda was reluctant to penetrate; it was for that and no other reason that Komaeda sat with Hinata instead.

‘You must be relieved to be with Mioda-san again,’ Komaeda said – that was the match Usami had announced.

‘I don’t think “relieved” is the word I was thinking of,’ Hinata said. ‘Hi, Nanami.’

Nanami had approached them from behind Komaeda’s back; he was surprised when she sat with them. Komaeda hadn’t much to do with her.

‘What about your date, Nanami?’ Hinata pushed his food around listlessly. ‘Fujisaki, right?’

‘Mm. He’s nice, I think.’ It was a very non-committal response. Was that because she was saying it in front of Hinata? Komaeda still wasn’t sure that Hinata shouldn’t like her. ‘Do you think Usami would let us swap around groups this afternoon?’

‘I think she’s pretty anti group changes,’ Hinata said.

Nanami sighed. ‘I saw Oma-kun grab that copy of 1830 … I was really hoping I would get the chance to play it.’

‘1830?’ Hinata said.

‘It’s a strategy game about building up railroad corporations. But you really need everyone to be interested.’

Komaeda thought Hinata looked dangerously close to saying he’d play it with her.

‘You wouldn’t have time to play it this afternoon though, would you?’ Komaeda said. ‘Not when we have our dates this evening.’

‘Well …’ Nanami held her finger to her mouth and looked skyward. ‘We’d have to make it a quick one.’

‘… just how long is this game?’ Hinata asked.

‘It depends,’ Nanami said. ‘But you probably would want to start it before lunch time. I think you’re right, Komaeda-kun. Maybe I should ask if Usami would change the schedule.’

‘You want to change it?’ Hinata said.

Nanami nodded. ‘It’s one thing to have all these activities planned out for us … but aren’t we about due for a weekend?’

‘It is our sixth day here,’ Komaeda said.

‘Then tomorrow should be a day off,’ Nanami said. ‘I’ll talk to her.’ She nodded to herself, satisfied, and went on eating her lunch.

‘Wow,’ Komaeda said. ‘I thought I was relaxed about being trapped here.’

‘It’s not like getting worked up has gotten us anywhere,’ Hinata said.

Nanami shrugged. Komaeda thought of Akamatsu and Iruma dismantling Usami. But it wasn’t like Nanami asking politely would stop Usami from eliminating any more of them either.

‘By the way,’ Hinata said, ‘did Saihara and Akamatsu have a fight?’

‘What?’ Komaeda followed Hinata’s gaze toward a despondent-looking Saihara. He wasn’t sitting with Akamatsu like he had been the last couple of days.

‘I don’t know,’ Komaeda said, words coming slowly. ‘She was in a bad mood this morning, but I thought that was my fault.’

‘Is that why you’re not sitting with her?’

‘No. I just thought they looked like they were about to start an all-girl punk band and I didn’t want to get in the way.’

That got Nanami’s attention.

‘Do you want to be in an all-girl punk band, Nanami-san?’

‘I can’t play any instruments except for Guitar Hero.’

‘I’m not sure that matters in Mioda’s bands,’ Hinata said.

‘Hmm. Maybe I will join.’ To Komaeda’s surprise, Nanami got up and walked over to Mioda’s table – where she was immediately and warmly welcomed.

‘I wasn’t expecting her to actually get up and go,’ Komaeda said.

‘I think she’s just a bit like that,’ Hinata said.

‘I can see that.’ Komaeda looked back at Hinata, who still wasn’t really eating. ‘Are you not feeling well, Hinata-kun?’

Hinata glanced up at him, and then shovelled in a mouthful of food, like a child being watched by a schoolteacher.

‘I’m fine,’ he said, after he’d swallowed. ‘It’s just … someone died yesterday, you know?’

‘I don’t think anyone’s forgotten.’

‘I don’t know … we’re still playing games, aren’t we?’

‘And Usami’s game most of all.’

‘Yeah.’ Hinata pushed his plate back.

‘I wonder if Kirigiri-san spoke to Fujisaki-kun about the wifi in that room yet. Do you want to ask?’

‘The wifi? Oh … what you said this morning.’

‘I guess she might not have had time.’

Kirigiri was sitting with Amami and Togami, although it seemed to be the men who were in conversation – Kirigiri looked as if she were considering something else.

‘What was it Amami said?’ Hinata asked.

‘They kept getting redirected to some children’s site. Probably you need to have logged in with a registered device.’

‘So someone’s going in there and connecting to the internet? What for – to report back on us?’

‘Maybe. Or maybe they just couldn’t stand to let their social media accounts languish even for a week.’

Hinata snorted.

‘Let’s go ask, then.’

But before they could get to Kirigiri’s table, it became evident that there was a commotion going on at the other end of the dining hall. Tsumiki burst in – Hinata muttered, ‘What’s she upset about this time?’ – and threw herself into a surprised Enoshima’s arms.

‘Junko-chan!’ she wailed. ‘Junko-chan, it’s too awful!’

Everybody stopped to listen, whether they meant to or not.

‘It’s Kuwata-kun! He’s d-dead!’