Part 97: Chapter 4 Daily Life, Part 13

...

...

*Ding dong*



: Hunh...?

*Ding dong*

The sharp sound of the doorbell pierced my sleepy haze and pulled me back to the real world.





*Rattle*





: Makoto, get out here.
: Kyoko...? What's going on?
: Hina just came to see me, and she was white as a ghost. It sounds like something's happened.
: What...?

As soon as I heard those words, my heart started to beat a little faster. I suddenly found myself wide awake.

: She said for us to come to the rec room.
: The rec room...? Okay! Let's hurry!







: Makoto! Kyoko!
: Hina, what's wrong!?
: S-Something's not right... In the rec room...!
: What's inside?

There was a window on the rec room door, and I hurried to look inside. And when I did...



: Sakura...?

Is she...unconscious? She's sitting up in the chair, like she's...bowing her head.



: What's going on? Did something happen to her?
: I was just walking past, and I happened to notice her through the window... But I couldn't get the door open... I tried knocking, I tried calling her name... But she wouldn't respond...



: S-So what should we do? What are we gonna do!?
: First of all, we need to get into the room.
: But the door's locked, right? And if we break in, we'll be violating school regulations...



: We're going to force our way in.
: I just said--!
: The door isn't locked. It's not locked because the rec room door doesn't *have* a lock.
: Huh? Then why...?
: It feels like the door is pressing against something inside the room. Is it...the chair?
: Chair...?



: Either way, this door isn't locked. Which means, as far as I can tell, the rule doesn't apply.
: Then...there's no problem if we break in!?
: Let's smash the window. That should be the fastest way...
: Okay, I'll go get something to break it with! Wait right here!



Inside the rec room, Sakura still hadn't moved an inch... She's just unconscious...right?

: Is she...okay? I mean, it's Sakura, so I'm sure...
: ...

Kyoko didn't reply. There was only silence... But that silence didn't last long.

: Here!



: *Huff huff* I found a broom! *Huff* In the classroom! *Huff huff* Use it!
: You can handle this, right Makoto?
: C'mon! Please, hurry!
: Okay! You two, stand back!

I took hold of the broom and swung as hard as I could. Aiming directly at the window, all it took was one solid hit...



*CRASH*

♪ Music cuts out. ♪

The window shattered into a hundred pieces, scattering across the rec room floor. I stuck my hand through the now open window and started jostling the chair.

: The chair's pretty heavy... But if I can just...!

I pushed on it with all my strength, and finally the knob turned.

: Sakura!

I ran up to her as fast as I could. But the moment I laid my hand on her...

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...all I felt was cold death. I could feel only the last lingering warmth of a living body. Life had abandoned Sakura's body... And then...



*Ding dong, bing bong*





: A body has been discovered! After a certain amount of time, which you may use however you like, the class trial will begin!