Part 34: Chapter 2 Daily Life, Part 7

: Good morning, everyone! It is now 7 a.m. and nighttime is officially over! Time to rise and shine! Get ready to greet another beee-yutiful day!





: Well, I guess I'd better head to the dining hall before anything else...



: Once again, nobody's in the hall this morning, so we make our way directly to the dining hall.



I went to the breakfast meeting same as always. But...





: Is this...everyone? It feels a little...small.

Byakuya and Toko had stormed off yesterday, and it wasn't too surprising they hadn't come today.

: Even the table looks bigger, somehow.



: I assume that is because three people are dead, and two are abstaining.
: Yeah, with five people missing, I guess it *would* feel kinda empty.
: Still... I know Byakuya's whatever, but shouldn't we go check on Toko?



: I vote no. She's super annoying.
: How can you be so cold? You are like a piece of rock candy.
: What!? No, rock candy isn't cold! It's sweet!



: ...Anyway, Byakuya's the real problem. If we don't keep an eye on him, he might really kill someone. You can see it in his eyes...
: We got no choice! Get some rope! We're gonna hafta keep him bound and gagged!
: I think that's going a little overboard...
: He's right! In this situation, there's nothing scarier than when an ally turns loose cannon! It's just like when we were kids, and someone would go crazy at sports day or whatever!



: What the fuck are you talking about!? You gonna use the rope to do tug of war or something!? Idiot!



: I'm not an idiot...!
: YOU'RE an idiot!
: Who are you callin' stupid!?



: ...
: Huh? What's wrong, Chihiro? You don't look so great...
: Oh, I'm just going through a little...self-loathing.
: Huh? Self-loathing?
: Well, after what Byakuya said to me yesterday...I just got so nervous, I locked up. I couldn't say anything. Mondo ended up having to help me out. And even *he* said I was someone who "can't fight back"... I...I hate how weak I am.



: Ahh, I see. So Mondo made you depressed.
: What!? How's it *my* fault!?
: I wasn't tryin' to be mean! Besides, girls are just naturally weak anyway right!?
: ...



: Gh...



: A-Are you...crying...?
: It's cuz you were screaming like a lunatic!
: Nng... *hic*



: Hey, c'mon, don't cry...I-It's my fault, okay? I won't yell at you anymore...



: Really? Not sure I can believe that...
: J-Just shut up...
: ...I got it! I'll make you a promise as a man!



: Promise...as a man?
: Maybe I mentioned this before, but... Ever since I was a kid, there was one thing my brother told me over and over again. He said that no matter what, a real man ALWAYS keeps his promises. That's what he left me.
: Left you...?



: Oh, yeah... My brother's dead.
: Oh...I see...
: Anyway, I don't wanna talk about it. Don't wanna make all you guys cry!



: Anyway, so you can trust me when I make that promise. So you don't gotta cry anymore!
: O-Okay.



: Thank you...Mondo.



: S-Sure...
: But...I still don't like how I am right now. I have to get stronger... If I'm so weak anything can make me cry...that's not good.
: Still, don't stress out too much about having to get stronger.



: No...I *want* to get stronger. Maybe I should...start working out...



: In that case, I would be happy to help you out anytime.
: B-But then Miss Fujisaki would get smashed into a billion pieces!
: Shut up, you.



: Hmhmhm...
: Ohh, finally cracked a smile, huh?
: Y-Yeah...
: Everyone...thank you.



Looks like Chihiro's gotten some life back. Yeah man! If we keep helping each other out like this we're bound to get outta this crappy place sooner or later! I mean...someday...I'm sure...



Still, our biggest concern right now is the other two, who never showed up for breakfast. What can I do to try and understand those two better?



: Okay, so...what should I do today?





: We have 2 Free Time events available to us right now. Since Chihiro is now feeling better about herself, we can hang out with her.



: We can find her on the 2nd floor outside the library by the study tables.



: Hello there, Makoto. Ehehe...how nice to see you here.



> Spend some time with Chihiro



: Eheh...yay! I really like talking to you.

I spent some time talking with Chihiro... Chihiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Blueberry Perfume: Very popular with men these days. But to be honest, although it does attract the ladies, most guys hate the smell...



: Ooh, it's really amazing! I'll take really good care of it. I'll hold on to it forever...

Seeing Chihiro so pleased with something I gave her makes me happy!



: No... No...!
: What's wrong, Chihiro?



: Ahh, it hurts...
: Huh? Did you get hurt, Chihiro?



: Oh, well...not really. I got bit by a mosquito last night.
: A mosquito? Oh, I figured something serious had happened, since you were saying how it hurt.
: Oh, did I give you the wrong impression...? S-Sorry...!
: You don't have to apologize. It was my own fault. But you said it hurts? Did it really bite you that hard?



: Yeah, see? Look.

She held out her arm. The huge red bump stood out clearly against her pale skin.

: Holy cow!



: It's way past itchy now. It really hurts...!
: But why's it so big? Did it bite you while you were sleeping or something?
: Oh, no. I was awake.
: But you didn't notice?



: No, I noticed. But...
: But what?





: Well, I felt it bite me, and I looked down at it. But I didn't do anything. I just sat there and watched it suck my blood...
: You just watched? Why didn't you smack it?
: Cuz...that would've killed it, right?
: Well yeah, but...
: It must have been really hungry to suck that much blood. If it was that hungry, it would've been really sad not to let it have anything.
: But...it's just a mosquito.



: Mosquitos are living things too, though. It might have its own mosquito family... S-Sorry, I know that's dumb...
: No, really, you don't have to apologize. But don't go scratching it, okay? That'll just make things worse.



: But what if it gets so itchy I can't take it?
: Well...in that case, just take the tip of your fingernail and push it into the bump. That'll help.



: Wow, I had no idea...!



: You're so smart, Makoto!

As she said that, she smiled like a tiny, cute little animal. I wonder if she does that on purpose... If so, that's a whole other level of scary.





: But anyway, don't you think it's kinda strange?
: Huh? What is?



: Well this school is completely sealed off, right? So how'd a mosquito get in? Maybe there's somewhere here in the school where bugs can live and grow. Some kind of...nature-y spot.

A "nature-y" place in the school...? Well, I can't say for sure that there's not.



: Or or or! Maybe there's a secret passage somewhere that leads out of the school!

A secret passage...

: Well, even if there's not, I'm sure we'll get out of here somehow. As long as we all work together, I'm sure we'll be out of here in no time.



: You're right! Working together is super important...
: Of course, I dunno how I can be useful. I'll probably just weigh you all down...
: That's not true! It makes me feel way better knowing you're here to help!



: It does? Really...?
: Yup! So let's all do our best, okay?



: O-Okay! Eheh... Thank you, Makoto.



: Chihiro's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with her. Your maximum number of Skill Points has increased! Hey, look at you go!



Once we were all done, I headed back to my room for a little while...



There's still time left in the day. I don't feel like just sitting here. Maybe I'll go explore.



: Next time, one more Free Time event and then back to the plot.