Love Hotel V3

Dead. The word reverberated through the room.

‘H-He must have been in so much pain still,’ Tsumiki said, ‘but he never said –’ She burst into heavy, weeping tears, muffled only slightly by Enoshima’s shoulders. Enoshima rubbed her back consolingly; Komaeda wondered when they’d become friends.

‘Hey, Komaeda,’ Hinata said, standing stock still beside him, ‘this is a joke, right? It’s just for show?’

‘I don’t think Tsumiki-san would play a joke like that.’ But then, Komaeda didn’t know her really. All he knew of anyone was what he’d seen since he got here, and at least one of them had to be lying. One of them was putting on a show.

Tsumiki was still incoherent when a depressed-looking Usami reappeared.

‘I’m sorry to say this,’ she said, ‘but Tsumiki-san is correct. Kuwata-kun is no longer with us.’ She hung her head.

At some point, Kirigiri had stood up. ‘What was the cause of death?’

Tsumiki, sniffling, pulled away from Enoshima to say, ‘He took too much morphine. Th-the cartridge was empty when I went to tell him about tonight.’

Kirigiri nodded. She turned to Usami and said, ‘With your permission, I’d like to examine the scene.’

‘Is that really necessary?’ Usami said. ‘I trust Tsumiki-san’s assessment of the situation.’

‘Of course,’ Kirigiri said. ‘But someone already tried to hurt Kuwata-kun. It may be that they decided to finish the job.’

‘Someone hurt Kuwata-kun?’ Usami said. ‘Who would do such a thing?’

‘His fall the other night wasn’t an accident,’ Kirigiri said. ‘Someone set up a trip wire.’

Usami gave a jolt like someone had attacked her. ‘Usami didn’t see anything!’

‘That’s why I’d like to examine the scene,’ Kirigiri said. ‘It may be that there are things you didn’t see here as well.’

Suddenly, the room was frantic with questions. No-one liked the thought that a murderer was among them – even though Kuwata wasn’t the first person to be killed. Perhaps it was Kuwata being better liked that made the difference? Or just that violence was more shocking when it wasn’t committed by an authority figure. If Usami counted as one of those.

‘Do you think she’s right?’ Hinata said. ‘Did someone here do this?’

Komaeda felt like he was getting a headache. ‘Probably. Kuwata-kun was obviously suffering a head injury, but he didn’t seem like he was in that much pain, did he? He seems like the type to complain if he were.’ He took a seat back down, and Hinata joined him.

‘I wish that didn’t sound right,’ Hinata said.

‘Of course, there are cases of nurses who kill their patients, too.’

Hinata baulked. ‘You can’t be serious.’

‘Togami-kun didn’t trust her. He ran away, remember?’

‘Wasn’t that because – oh. He just told Usami that.’

‘Yes. I mean, it’s possible that he fell for Kirigiri-san as well, but I don’t believe that was his main purpose.’

Togami stuck with Kirigiri when she went to check the sick bay, Komaeda noticed.

‘Kuwata … I can’t believe that one of us could have done this.’

‘Why not? Do you think they assessed us for homicidal tendencies before they brought us here?’

‘I don’t want to believe that anyone would do this.’

Komaeda supposed he couldn’t blame Hinata if he were more comfortable with the idea of Kuwata’s death being an accident than a murder. Komaeda found it more distressing if it were an accident, himself. He preferred death to be the result of human malevolence than human stupidity.

But Hinata wouldn’t appreciate that thought.

---

Usami declared after that that their afternoon board game session was now optional – ‘but it might help you keep your mind off things!’

‘What are you going to do, Hinata-kun? If I’m honest, I think I could use the distraction.’

‘You want to play games?’ Hinata looked startled. ‘Didn’t you still want to talk to Kirigiri?’

‘It seems she’s busy, though.’ Komaeda found himself biting his nails. ‘Maybe I’ll ask Amami-kun if he knows.’

‘Right.’

Hinata was distracted then by Souda coming up, his usual upbeat demeanour replaced by gloom.

‘Hey, Hinata, what were you gonna do? This is too crazy, you know?’

Hinata agreed that it was.

‘I’ll talk to you later,’ Komaeda mouthed, after Souda began to opine about what a great guy Kuwata was and who could possibly have had anything against him (a sentiment that Komaeda didn’t think Souda would be professing if Kuwata were still alive). Hinata gave him a little nod, and Komaeda left them to it.

Amami was talking to Iruma, of all people.

‘I’m ready whenever,’ Iruma was saying. ‘It’s Fujisaki who needs to hold up his end of things.’ She snapped her mouth shut when she saw Komaeda approach. ‘Whadda you want?’

‘Just to talk to Amami-kun,’ Komaeda said. ‘But I can wait.’

‘It’s fine,’ Amami said. ‘What was it?’ There was an edge of impatience to his voice.

‘I was wondering if Kirigiri-san had spoken to Fujisaki-kun about that thing, that’s all. And as she’s busy, I thought I’d ask you.’

‘Wow, talking in code, are we?’ Iruma said. ‘You think I’m too dumb to realise I’m being left out?’

‘You’re not being left out,’ Amami said, before responding to Komaeda. ‘She spoke to him, but we haven’t had the chance to go there yet.’

‘I’m still here!’ Iruma said.

‘Maybe Iruma-san would like to take him,’ Komaeda said. Amami laughed, and then looked guilty for it.

Quickly, Amami explained the situation to Iruma (although he left out the kissing part). Evidently he trusted her that much.

‘Komaeda-kun,’ he continued, ‘I don’t know if you noticed, but after you leave the room, it seems like you can use your key card to get back in.’

‘Really? We didn’t try that.’

‘So we could ask Fujisaki-kun now. Hopefully, Usami is distracted.’

‘Alright. But if your key card works, does that mean that rule isn’t in effect any more?’

‘… we didn’t test that part.’

‘What rule?’ Iruma said. ‘I bet I can break through whatever lock they’ve got on faster than Fujisaki anyway.’

‘What do you think, Komaeda-kun?’

‘Bags not if I have to do it with her,’ Komaeda muttered.

‘Like I’d do a skinny ass like you anyway,’ Iruma snapped back. It apparently didn’t matter that she didn’t know what he was talking about.

‘If it comes down to it, I will,’ Amami said.

‘Hey, why does it sound like you’re planning something kinky? If you’re trying to double-team me, I –’ she paused and grew flustered – ‘well, I guess I’ll consider it.’

‘It’s nothing like that,’ Amami said. ‘Remember, we’re inviting Fujisaki-kun as well.’

‘Three on one, huh? I shoulda known you were into some wild shit, Amami.’ She grinned, while Amami winced. ‘I like it.’

‘No take backs,’ Komaeda said. ‘I get Fujisaki-kun, if it comes down to it.’

‘Shouldn’t that be up to him? How’s Hinata-kun going to feel if you’re going around volunteering to kiss people?’

‘If Hinata-kun cared, he should have written my name down, shouldn’t he?’

‘W-Wait,’ Iruma said. ‘You said kissing?’

‘You might have to kiss someone to get out the room,’ Komaeda said. ‘But Amami-kun and I already cleared it, so hopefully it won’t be necessary.’

They walked and argued, looking for Fujisaki. He turned out to have gone back to the conference room where all the board games were, but he was working on his laptop rather than playing anything.

‘Yo, Fujisaki.’ Iruma sat down next to him. She jutted her thumb toward Komaeda and Amami. ‘These two want you to join their weird sex cult.’

‘Ignore her,’ Amami said.

‘Hey, I’m just tryna give a guy a warning! Fujisaki, if you hadta choose between a banging babe like me and one of those two losers, who would you choose?’

‘Uh …’ Fujisaki looked up from his screen, eyes wide and wary. ‘I guess I’d choose you, Iruma-san.’

‘Yes!’ Iruma said. ‘Take that, ya pervs!’

The conversation would have been more bearable if the four of them had been the only ones in the room.

‘Fujisaki-kun, we wanted to try that room we told you about. You have time, right?’

‘He doesn’t have time, he’s still tryna write his super lame virus.’

Fujisaki was weirdly blushy about the insult. ‘I’ve got time. It’s not like I was expecting to have the afternoon free anyway.’

The reference to Kuwata’s death cooled Iruma’s energy a little.

‘Thanks, Fujisaki-kun,’ Amami said. ‘I really hope we can get a message out.’

Fujisaki closed his computer. ‘I hope so too.’ He considered Iruma and Komaeda. ‘I guess Kirigiri-san’s busy right now.’

‘What,’ Iruma said, ‘were you hoping to give her the pash? You should be glad you got an upgrade.’

‘Did you need to grab your laptop too, Iruma-san?’ Amami suggested.

‘Right. I’ll meetcha down there – don’t start kissing anyone without me.’

‘You know,’ Komaeda said, ‘I can stay out of this if you’d prefer.’

‘You’re coming,’ Amami said. ‘I haven’t forgiven you for not warning us about the room.’

Fujisaki smiled at Amami warmly. ‘You’re scared of Iruma-san, aren’t you? She’s not as pushy as she seems.’

‘I’ll believe that when I see it.’

---

‘Let’s see if this works,’ Amami said, when Iruma had rejoined them at the door. He pulled his room card out; when he swiped it, the door beeped its ‘unlock’ sound.

‘That’s a relief,’ Komaeda said. ‘It would have been awkward convincing Usami we all wanted to go in together.’

The room was dark inside, but Amami and Kirigiri had evidently done a better job than Komaeda of checking the room, because Amami knew where the light switch was. They all filed inside, and let the door fall shut behind.

Komaeda thought the sound it made was awfully like the sound of it locking.

‘Bags I get the screen,’ Iruma said, heading for the desk. She jumped when the projector message from Usami started playing. ‘I see, I see,’ she said as it concluded. Fujisaki meanwhile had sat cross-legged on the floor and was already busy with something.

‘Do you think there’s other places like this, Amami-kun?’ Komaeda asked. They sat back against the wall for lack of anything to contribute.

‘Yeah,’ Amami said. ‘If you go to the coin laundry between midnight and 1 am …’

‘Then what?’

‘I know this one!’ Iruma said. ‘You gotta get naked, right?’

‘That’s what it says. I don’t think that one traps you, though.’

‘You didn’t experience it yourself, Amami-kun?’

‘No … I usually just wash things in the bathroom sink, to be honest.’

‘Whoa!’ Iruma spun around on her chair. ‘Amami, that’s so groody!’ She sounded impressed rather than disgusted.

‘Well, you don’t always get to use a laundry while you’re travelling … plus you need the right coins.’

‘Is Kirigiri-san alright with that?’ Komaeda asked.

Amami laughed awkwardly. ‘It probably is groody, isn’t it? I should just ask Usami for the change …’

‘Alright,’ Fujisaki said, ‘I’m online.’

‘Already?’ Amami said.

‘Already?’ Iruma said. ‘Shit, I guess you won this round, Fujisaki. You can claim your prize later.’

Fujisaki ignored that comment. ‘What did you want me to do,’ he said, ‘contact the police?’

‘Hang on, Kirigiri-san gave me an address to use.’ Amami crawled over to sit beside him, and read out the email address from his phone. ‘What do we even say?’ he said after that.

‘They’ll probably think this is a prank.’

‘But this is someone Kirigiri-san knows, right? So they must know she’s missing. I mean, we’re all missing right now …’

‘You’re only missing if there’s someone to miss you,’ Komaeda said.

‘Okay, I’m online too!’ Iruma said, belatedly. ‘I’m gonna see if we’re famous.’

Komaeda got up to lean over her shoulder.

‘Here’s something!’ Iruma was browsing news sites. ‘The disappearing prodigies … oh, and there’s Asahina. Keeping quiet about her newfound love for pussy, I see!’

‘Just read what it says,’ Amami said from the floor.

‘Oh, you know … two of Japan’s brightest sporting stars have been found … blah blah blah … police are investigating with urgency to return the other young people home … shit, why’s it taking them so long? They know where we are right? Come on and break the doors down already.’

They were silent a moment. ‘Maybe we’re not where we think we are,’ Amami said.

‘Uh, how?’ Iruma said. ‘I know the hotel I checked into.’

‘Amami-kun, are you thinking something like, they put us to sleep after the first night and moved us to a perfect replica of the original hotel?’ Komaeda asked.

‘But it’s right on my phone,’ Iruma said. ‘Even if the internet’s down, GPS still works. And GPS says we’re still in the same place.’ She brandished her phone in front of Komaeda’s nose.

‘If they could move us to a completely different hotel,’ Fujisaki said, ‘then they could have interfered with our phones. They might be showing the wrong location.’

‘That’s crazy talk,’ Iruma said. ‘Moving us to a different hotel – that’s a whole nother level of effort –’

‘Not really,’ Komaeda said. ‘If this were a normal hotel, someone could have just broken a window already.’ That was the first point of weakness the more desperate members of the group had tried. ‘Does the article says who’s missing?’ He changed the subject. ‘I’m pretty sure no-one will have noticed my absence, but I’m curious about the others.’

‘Let’s see …’ Iruma scrolled down. ‘It’s not a complete list.’ She read out the names – Akamatsu was mentioned, as was Kuwata.

‘Piece a shit journalism this is,’ Iruma muttered – she hadn’t been name-checked herself. She searched for her own name after that, and was apparently relieved to find both a news mention and a thread from some despondent Blue Check followers.

‘Should I post an update?’ Iruma asked. ‘“Help, I’m being held prisoner by a fucking pink rabbit.” I mean, what did Asahina even tell the cops?’

‘They don’t know,’ Amami said suddenly, and he sat up straighter. ‘They don’t know about Hanamura-kun.’

‘I’m putting that in this email,’ Fujisaki said. ‘Iruma-san, I think it’s best if you don’t post anything.’

Iruma had moved on anyway. ‘This one’s meant to be a complete list,’ she said, scanning a Seddit post. ‘Aw, Komaeda, looks like no-one misses you!’

‘That’s not a surprise,’ Komaeda said. ‘Is there anyone else who isn’t mentioned?’

‘Fujisaki’s there … no Amami, though.’

‘I was meant to be travelling anyway.’

‘Togami is “unconfirmed” – I guess they wouldn’t want to let anyone to know that he was out of action, huh?’

Hinata wasn’t on the list, which made sense – even if his family had expected him to remain in contact, he wouldn’t be connected to the ‘disappearance of Japan’s young prodigies’. Kirigiri and Saihara were also both absent.

‘It’s not a very complete list, is it?’ Komaeda said.

‘Well, Seddit is fulla lazy asses,’ Iruma said. ‘But I guess some of us prodigies are just more prodigistic than others!’

‘Save it out anyway,’ Amami said. ‘I’m sure Kirigiri-san will want to see it.’

‘I should send a list as well,’ Fujisaki said. ‘How many of us are there?’

’44,’ Komaeda said. ‘It was 48 to start with.’

‘Right … let’s see if I can remember everyone …’

While they were compiling Fujisaki’s list, the screen that Usami’s message had appeared on flickered back into life.

‘It seems like you need a hint,’ the Usami on screen said. ‘Either that or you’re just really enjoying yourselves! Remember, the key part of Seven Minutes in Heaven is the K-I-S-S-I-N-G.’

‘That’s not a hint,’ Iruma said. ‘That’s just giving us the answer.’

‘Sounds like a hurry on,’ Amami said. ‘It might ping Usami if we’re in here too long.’

‘Hang on,’ Fujisaki said, ‘I’m on 38.’

Amami helped him complete the list, and Fujisaki sent off the email.

‘We can come back once we clear, right?’ Fujisaki said. ‘I have some ideas about the GPS thing.’

‘Yeah, we can come back,’ Amami said. He got to his feet. ‘I guess it’s too much to hope for that the door will just unlock.’ He tried it anyway, but no luck.

‘You and I have already cleared,’ Komaeda said. ‘Maybe it’s just those two who need to?’

Fujisaki, who was still crouched with his computer, froze.

Iruma swung round in her chair. ‘Well, well, well, Fujisaki. How about it?’

‘Right,’ Fujisaki said. ‘I guess there’s no way around it, huh?’

‘Hey!’ Iruma said. ‘You should be excited. It’s a real fucking privilege to kiss someone like me, you know.’

‘Sure,’ Fujisaki said, climbing to his feet. To himself, more than anyone else, he said, ‘It’s only a kiss.’

‘Hey!’ Iruma said again. ‘It’s gonna be the best fucking kiss of your life!’ And she strode up, grabbed Fujisaki by the collar, and pulled him in to what turned out to be significantly more than a peck on the lips.

Komaeda had to look away. He found Amami’s eyes, and saw in them a kindred horror at being forced to witness this.

When Iruma let Fujisaki go, the two of them were panting.

‘Right,’ Iruma said. ‘Let’s get out of here.’ She grabbed her computer, and Amami tried the door handle again.

‘Looks like that wasn’t enough,’ he said – not very apologetically.

‘Whaddaya mean that wasn’t enough? Who’s judging this shit?’

‘No, I mean I guess the system knows how many people are in the room.’ He looked back at Komaeda again. ‘Sorry, Komaeda-kun.’

‘It’s really alright,’ Komaeda said – but when Amami stepped toward him, he stepped back automatically.

Amami stopped. ‘Are you cool with this or not?’

‘I’m cool,’ Komaeda protested. But he did think this probably wasn’t what Hinata had had in mind with Komaeda had said he’d talk to Amami.

‘Really?’

‘It’s your revenge, isn’t it?’ Komaeda said. ‘Because I didn’t tell you and Kirigiri what to expect. So I can endure it.’

‘Hurry up and pucker up already!’ Iruma said. ‘I’m not here for this consent-negotiation bullshit.’

Amami gave her a dirty look.

‘It’s alright,’ Komaeda said again. And then made himself hold very still as Amami leaned in to kiss him. Very gently and briefly.

Amami pulled back and looked at Komaeda like he was worried how he would react.

‘Come on,’ Iruma said, ‘that wasn’t juicy at all.’

‘It’s not a freaking show,’ Amami said.

‘I think the door unlocked though,’ Fujisaki said. He tried the door, and this time the handle moved freely.

Komaeda felt almost disappointed, for some reason. It wasn’t that he’d wanted Amami to kiss him with fervour … it was just the part of this that felt a kiss should be something more than just a brief brush of lips. Between you and someone who was only with you under duress.

He missed Hinata already.

---

Hinata was still in the dining hall, talking quietly to some of the other guys. Komaeda had the sudden urge to slot himself in next to Hinata, to lean his whole body against him, and to have Hinata put an arm around him. Except that was never going to happen. Hinata looked up and saw him, though. He said something to Souda, and stood up from the table. Komaeda hovered by the doorway, and waited for Hinata to come to him.

‘Did you talk to Amami?’

Komaeda nodded. He folded his arms across his front, defensively. ‘We took Fujisaki-kun and Iruma-san to that room.’

‘Oh?’

‘They know we’re missing,’ Komaeda said. ‘Out there. Well, those of us who matter, anyway.’ Was that the most important thing he had to say? ‘Asahina-san and Oogami-san got home safely, it seems.’

‘That’s great,’ Hinata said. He was looking at Komaeda quite intently, so that Komaeda wanted to pull him away.

‘And Fujisaki-kun sent an email to one of Kirigiri-san’s contacts in the police. But, Hinata-kun, I don’t think we’re where we thought we were. Because otherwise they should have come for us already, shouldn’t they? If Asahina-san and Oogami-san made it home …’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Do you think maybe they moved us?’ Komaeda had felt fine before, but now he was unsteady. He really wanted Hinata to lean on, but they were right there in front of the others, and Hinata didn’t like him that much.

‘What do you mean, moved us? We’ve been at this hotel the whole time.’

‘But what if it’s a different hotel?’

‘That’s … that’s nuts,’ Hinata said. The expression in his eyes changed; he looked lost, suddenly.

‘Is it? Hinata-kun … don’t you think it’s best just to go along with things?’

That slapped Hinata’s lost expression away. ‘No way.’

‘But if we can’t be rescued …’

‘They have to be able to work out where Asahina and Oogami came from. And you said Fujisaki sent a message –’

‘What does that tell them, Hinata-kun?’ Komaeda dug his fingers into his arms. ‘Only that we’re being killed off.’

Hinata glanced behind himself, to where the others were still talking. ‘Let’s go for a walk.’ He put a hand on Komaeda’s arm and steered him from the dining room.

‘Who was Kuwata-kun roomed with? You should match up with her, Hinata-kun.’

‘Yonaga,’ Hinata said, ‘and I’m not doing that.’

‘She’s not your type?’

Hinata gave him an annoyed look, and didn’t answer. ‘What about you?’ he said. ‘You didn’t kiss Amami?’

‘Oh,’ Komaeda said. ‘It was barely … barely a kiss.’

Hinata lifted an eyebrow at him. ‘Disappointed?’

‘No!’

Hinata’s eyebrows only went up higher.

‘Where are we going anyway, Hinata-kun?’

‘I don’t know,’ Hinata said. They’d got to the elevator lobby. ‘Up to the roof?’

‘Right. Maybe we can see something that will be useful.’ He had to tell himself there was something useful they could do.

They got into the lift. Komaeda waited until the doors were shut before he said, ‘It really was barely a kiss. I just didn’t want to have to do it with Iruma-san –’

‘You can kiss whoever you want,’ Hinata said. ‘I guess you wrote his name down too.’

‘Yes, but … that’s not fair, Hinata-kun. You can’t judge me for that.’

‘Sorry.’

‘You’re not sorry.’ Komaeda grabbed Hinata’s wrist, but then the elevator doors were opening and he let go again. Hinata rubbed his wrist; it wasn’t that Komaeda had grabbed him harshly, though. Komaeda didn’t know why the motion bothered him.

There were already people on the roof – Owari doing laps, and Nidai timing her. Even Nidai seemed lower energy than usual. He lifted an arm to acknowledge them, but didn’t try to talk.

Komaeda and Hinata got drinks out the vending machine, and to the far end of the pool. Komaeda walked to the edge of the roof first, to look out at the landscape. There weren’t any other buildings close by, so it hadn’t been obvious, but now Komaeda could see that the road wasn’t the one they have come in on.

Unless he was just telling himself that. The vegetation was different, maybe. But who paid attention to vegetation?

He let it go, and sat down next to Hinata on one of the deck chairs. He wasn’t sure if Hinata was mad for real or not.

‘Hey, you know I’m not interested in Amami-kun, right?’

‘No,’ Hinata said, ‘I don’t know that.’

‘I’m not. I’m really really not.’

‘Does he know that?’

‘Why wouldn’t he know that?’

‘I don’t know,’ Hinata said. ‘You asked him on a date. You talk to him a bunch.’

‘I do not!’

‘You do.’

‘Hinata-kun, he … he knows who I like anyway.’ Komaeda let his voice trailed off. He’d wanted to say he knows I like you but wussed out. Even though Hinata should already have known.

Komaeda could have lied to himself and blamed it on fear for Akamatsu, but that wasn’t it at all. He was only afraid for himself. Afraid of being rejected. Afraid of loss. Did it matter which? They were tied together anyway.

‘I can’t believe someone else is dead and this is what we’re talking about.’ Hinata dropped his head suddenly in his hands.

‘It’s fine,’ Komaeda said. ‘Kirigiri-san is investigating that. She’ll uncover the truth.’

‘You think it’s okay just to leave it to her?’

‘What, do you want to be a detective too now, Hinata-kun? We’ve already got two of those.’

‘That’s not what I meant.’

‘Did you want to play the prosecutor, maybe? You never told me what sort of law you wanted to go into.’

‘I’ll have to pass the bar before anything,’ Hinata said. ‘Even if I do that, it’s not that likely.’

‘You do want to be a prosecutor.’ It was a relief to be talking about something normal. ‘Isn’t that very hard? And you’re taking time off school.’

‘I might still throw it all in,’ Hinata muttered. ‘It only matters if we get out of here anyway.’

‘True.’

Hinata lifted his head again. ‘You’re less freaked out now.’

Komaeda would have liked to have protest the idea that he had been freaked out. Hinata was right, though.

‘I guess you distracted me. Congratulations. If you drop out of law school, you can go into counselling instead.’

Hinata snorted.

‘I can picture it, actually. You have a very reassuring aura, you know.’

‘I think it might take more than that.’

‘Maybe I should tell you something really shocking, and see how you react.’

‘Haven’t we had enough happen that’s shocking? Can you really beat this last week?’

He probably could have. But Hinata might not have found that game much fun.

‘Do you really think Tsumiki killed Kuwata?’ Hinata said, when Komaeda didn’t answer.

‘I think someone did. Why do you think it couldn’t have been her?’

‘It’s just … she’s a nurse. She doesn’t seem like she’d have it in her to kill someone.’

‘You haven’t had to deal with many medical professionals, have you, Hinata-kun? You know what happens in chemo? It’s just poison. You’re poisoning someone and hoping they’re stronger than the cancer is. You can’t do that if you’re not willing to hurt them. Same with surgery, you know. Overdosing someone on morphine is much easier than cutting into them, don’t you think?’

‘But that’s different. That’s for a reason.’

‘I’m sure if Tsumiki-san killed Kuwata-kun, she had a reason. Maybe she thought it was for his own good. Or maybe she didn’t think he’d actually die, and she wanted him drugged for something else.’

‘… you have a very suspicious mind.’

‘No. I just don’t think that because someone’s a nurse they must be a good person.’

‘You’ve dealt with a lot of nurses, have you?’

‘Didn’t I say?’ Now he thought of it, Hinata hadn’t been there when he’d said it to Shirogane. ‘I was sick when I was younger. I spent a lot of time in hospital. Met a lot of nurses.’

‘You had cancer?’

‘How did you know?’

‘Just what you said about chemo.’

‘They didn’t think I’d survive. I wasn’t meant to know that, of course, but you can tell when they look at you. One nurse used to tell me I shouldn’t fight so hard and wouldn’t I rather just see my parents again? Because they all knew I was an orphan.’

‘She said that?’

‘Yes. I imagine she might have thought it was a good idea just to give me a bit too much morphine and let me drift off … well, not that that would have happened. I’m allergic to morphine.’

‘I see …’

‘Anyway, you don’t need to listen to me ramble about myself, Hinata-kun.’

‘I don’t mind. You should be able to tell someone this stuff, right?’

Hinata said it fervently enough that Komaeda felt his eyes prick. It wasn’t fair, that Hinata should say things like that, when they were meant to be keeping indifferent to one another.

Not that Komaeda was very good at that either.

‘See?’ Komaeda said. ‘That’s why you’d make a good counsellor.’

‘That’s not really what I was aiming for …’

‘Oh? I guess it would be inappropriate, if you’re a counsellor who’s having sex with your clients.’

‘Yeah, it’s a good thing I’m not your counsellor,’ Hinata said drily.

Komaeda laughed.

He wanted to tell Hinata how much he liked him. He wanted to kiss Hinata right there, Nidai’s presence be damned. He wanted them both to walk out of here, as if they had earned the right for that. As if they could arrive back in Japan and anyone would know they’d been missing.

Well, Hinata’s family might. The newspapers wouldn’t. Their survival would be completely and utterly irrelevant to the rest of the world.

‘Should we go back downstairs?’ Hinata said.

‘Downstairs?’

‘I mean, to my room.’ Hinata bit his lip and only very slightly blushed.

‘Let’s,’ Komaeda said, and stood up so quickly that he almost fell straight back down.

But Hinata steadied him.