"...What?"
It was such an utterly unexpected question that I had no choice but to ask that in return.
"..."
Shu merely looked at me with a calm smile.
It was a silent plea for me to answer, no matter what.
"W-why are you asking something like that out of nowhere...?"
"...Just answer me. Please."
"..."
No matter how I looked at it, she did not seem to be joking.
Realizing that, I sank deep into thought.
If Shu were the one who had driven us all into this place... the so-called 'mastermind.'
How would I treat her at that moment?
There were broadly three choices.
Kill her out of resentment.
Kill her for a motive.
Have someone else kill her.
...It was disgusting.
"...Shu."
This reality, where it was fitting for us to have a conversation like this. And...
"If you're the 'mastermind'... then I'm really sorry, but..."
Myself, for having even entertained such a thought, if only for an instant.
"Then do everything you can to run away."
More than anything, the sense of justice inside me that whispered I could not bring myself to protect her.
"...Shoko."
"I know, you're just asking. What kind of mastermind would make a big show of asking to be stopped at this point?"
"...Well, that's true."
"But I... can't defend them, not even as a joke. ...That's all."
"........."
With a strange sense of guilt, I lowered my head slightly, clenching the fist I had rested on the railing.
"...Pfft—!!"
And then, as though she had been waiting for it, Shu burst into laughter at the sight...?
"Puhahaha!! Wow, you reacted exactly how I expected, Shoko!"
"W-what...? All of a sudden!? I answered seriously, in my own way...!"
"Ahahaha, I know, I know! I only made that 'joke' because I wanted to see you like that! Pfft..."
"Y-you little...!? Is this revenge for when we were kids?!"
"Oh, it's not like that! Your pranks were always fun! Ahh, but I wonder why you haven't pulled one even once since we got here?"
As she said that, she shrugged with that characteristically funny expression of hers.
"Well, given the situation... a-and besides, I've matured quite a bit too, you know?!"
"My, my. If we're talking about maturing... I'm not losing to you in 'more ways than one,' you know~?"
"What...!"
With that, she blatantly leaned forward, showing off the 'pressure' of her body.
I was not some awkward innocent, but naturally I could not help feeling embarrassed.
"Well? Any rebuttal...? Like, telling me to prove you're not losing, th-that sort of thing... I'm kind of looking forward to it, you know...?"
"...N-no... I-I mean... d-don't do weird things like that... Ugh..."
"...Blegh."
I immediately turned my head away so she would not feel awkward, but had I done something wrong?
"...Y-you idiot who can't take what's being handed to him!! Why does your competitive spirit suddenly disappear only at times like this?! Argh, seriously!!"
"What...? W-what are you talking about, Shu...?"
"Hmph! Fine, then! I'll gratefully accept that kind consideration of yours!"
...Whatever it was, it felt harder to understand than placing first in the police civil service exam.
"...Mm..."
I awkwardly scratched the back of my head and had to pretend to be as nonchalant as possible.
"...Hehe."
Watching me like that, she smiled fondly again.
"Honestly... our Shoko has always been so entertaining, then and now!"
"Oh, really...? That's good, then... More importantly, could you stop calling me 'our Shoko'?"
Then Shu suddenly lifted her head and murmured.
"Ah... This is fun. Really... fun..."
The light of the night was woven sacredly into her eyes.
"Shu..."
She looked so beautiful that I found myself staring, as though bewitched.
"Whew... Whenever I'm with you, Shoko, I always lose track of time... It's a feeling I don't get even when I'm seriously working..."
"...I feel the same way. Time passes much faster talking to you than when I'm spending three days and nights on an assignment, you know?"
At that, her eyes slowly closed, as if to say she had seen enough night for now.
"...Shoko, I'm wondering whether I can even dare say something like this."
"...There's no such thing as 'daring' between us. At least... that's what I think."
Smiling in satisfaction at my words, she said:
"I'm glad I came to this academy."
There was not a hint of hesitation in her words.
"Hm, you're glad...?"
"Haha, maybe that sounds a little crazy? But it let me meet you again, Shoko, and talk to you again... I thought that alone was enough."
"...No. If that's what you mean, then I'm... glad too."
My gaze was fixed on the railing. I could not bring myself to say it while looking her in the eye.
"...Hey, Shoko."
"...Yeah, Shu."
"This might be talking too far ahead, but will you make me one promise?"
"A promise...?"
The next moment, she gently moved closer to me.
"If... the two of us safely escape from this academy... if we can..."
"W-wait, Shu... Um, aren't you a little too close...?!"
Squeeze...
She hugged me tightly.
"Come find me. Promise me you will."
Then she whispered those words to me.
"...!"
"...Haha, why are you so stiff? I mean it literally! Don't tell me that once we leave this academy, we'll be separated for another ten years... You wouldn't say something that hurtful, would you? I'm not that patient of a woman, you know?"
"Ah..."
Sure enough, when we were children, we had been forced apart by adults.
But now things were different.
Now that she and I had found each other again,
as long as we each had the means and circumstances, we could stay together like friends again, just as we had before.
No, we definitely would.
"...If that's all, you didn't even need to say it."
"...!"
I pushed her tightly embraced body back just slightly, letting only the full moon remain between us.
"I'll definitely come find you. It's a promise."
Squeeze...
I whispered that, and this time I drew her into my arms.
"Sh-Shoko...!"
"No saying I'm too close. That would be a contradiction."
"Ah..."
Her instinctive resistance immediately melted away without strength.
"...I-I guess it can't be helped... If it's forbidden, then..."
All I began to feel against my back was the warmth of her hands.
"B-but... how long are you going to keep hugging me...?"
"Ah...! S-sorry...!"
At those words, I finally let her go.
"..."
Yet the distance between us remained close enough that, if one of us made a 'mistake' and fell forward...
'Ngh...'
Our lips might touch.
"Ah... Um, it's late now, so should we call it a night? You're tired too, right...?"
"Ah... y-yeah...! I guess so! We have to... continue the investigation tomorrow, after all."
But how could I do something like that?
We were not even dating... not yet.
"S-so, Shu... I really had fun today."
"...Me too, Shoko."
Etching that into my mind once more, I headed for the elevator.
"...Hm? Shu, aren't you coming?"
"Ah, you go on ahead...! I just want to be alone a little... longer."
"Okay... I understand. Just don't stay up too late!"
Ding!
Right then, the elevator doors opened.
"Then, Shu, see you tomorrow!"
"Yeah, Shoko!"
Leaving her farewell behind me, I left the rooftop.
And so, naturally, I did not hear it.
"...Good night."
Her slightly conventional farewell.
*
*
The next morning, the cafeteria on the first floor of the annex.
"Hey, Keisha. Morning."
"Oh, Tsurudo. You're here already. Huh...?"
It was unexpected.
"Hm...? Hey, Shoko! Welcome!"
"Mayumi, would you mind not talking while you're eating? You're spraying food everywhere..."
"Shokong! Is your head all better? Tana brought some blood just in case! Uh, where did it go...?!"
".........You drank all of it earlier because you said you were thirsty. Idiot. Glutton."
I had thought yesterday would make things even more awkward between us, yet everyone had gathered in the cafeteria.
"Well, I guess hunger is something no one can resist, huh?"
"Is that so... Huh?"
Again, it was unexpected.
"Hey, where's Shu...?"
Of all people, Shu was nowhere to be seen.
"Roshiya...? Who knows? Maybe she's taking a shit or something?"
[Ah, fuck off first thing in the morning;; 凸(ﾟДﾟ#)]
"O-okay... I'll apologize, Kaiju. More importantly, Keisha, you should fill your stomach first. She'll show up on her own."
"Hmm... I suppose I will."
A sense of unease washed over me, but I heavily nodded and started walking.
Whirr...
At that moment, as if it had been waiting for us, the cafeteria door opened.
"Hah... hah...!"
"...Shu!"
The person who entered was, astonishingly, Shu herself, gasping for breath.
"Ah! Shukong! Hi! Good morning!"
"What, you showed up right away? What were you running around in such a hurry for this early in the morning?"
"Hah... This isn't... a time to be so carefree..."
Having barely calmed herself, she drew everyone's attention and asked us to listen.
"Shu... what on earth happened?"
At my question, she finally steadied her breathing and continued.
"...I received it."
"What...?"
Then she took something from inside her clothes and handed it to me.
"...Th-this is...!"
It was a neatly folded 'note.'
"O-open it... Then... you'll understand."
Her unusually grave tone made me swallow hard as I unfolded the paper.
"Hm...? What's going on with you all?"
"Sonoconsigliere... I'd rather my tea time not be disturbed."
Hearing the commotion, the others gradually gathered around me.
"........"
As if answering them, I began to read it silently.
"W-what the hell is this...?"
And I could not help but murmur that.
[Welcome to Kyusen Academy, Ultimates.]
Because it was not a mere note, but surely a letter addressed to us.
[I—or rather, we—are the ones who invited you all to this academy...]
And the people who had sent the letter were...
[The so-called 'mastermind' and 'white mastermind,' the Ultimate Black and the Ultimate White.]
None other than 'them.'
The moment I read those epithets, my breath caught, but I kept moving my eyes down the page.
It has already been four days since you came to this Kyusen Academy.
During that time, we have provided you with no fewer than three motives for murder.
...And yet this is all we get in return.
Everyone alive, everyone refusing to kill, everyone still existing.
In short, it's boring.
We shall refrain from vulgar remarks, but we are deeply disappointed in every one of you.
Therefore, we have decided to take matters into our own hands.
If, by seven o'clock this evening, you do not find us—the Ultimate Black and Ultimate White hidden within this academy—
we will acknowledge the failure of this 'murder game' and personally...
slaughter every last one of you.
Well then, we look forward to seeing what you can do.
With that, the letter came to an end.
"......."
And as we read it, we all understood at once.
"...Hah."
Something had begun to twist horribly out of shape.
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