Part 18

Ann: Ran, what's wrong?

Ran: Nothing... this always happens after recalls...

Ran: Gah!

Ann: Ran, uh, do you... want me to give you a kiss?

Ran: Really? Yes, miss Sakura...

Ran didn't even have the energy left in her to be excited. It took all she had just to say the words out loud enough for Ann to hear.

Ann bent down, picked Ran's face up by the chin, and kissed her on the cheek.

Ran: Aw, just the cheek??

Ann: Just the cheek.

Ran: Time to solve the case.

1: Why were Koizumi's hands so clean?

2: Who stole the key to the tool shed?

3: Was Koizumi the target of the killer?

4: Why did Makoto Asakura go to the swimming pool?

5: Where was the rope used to hang Koizumi hidden?

6: Why was Makoto's corpse moved?

6: Why was Makoto's corpse moved?

Ran: It looks strange at first, but because we tested the pH value, the question's easily resolved.

Ann: That's right. The killer wanted to obscure the time of death by moving the corpse. After all, between the death and the body discovery, there were two whole meals where everyone was present.

Ann: If we'd decided to go search for Makoto as soon as we found she was missing at lunch, we'd have figured out her true time of death instantly.

Ran: Right, so the killer wanted to obscure the time of death by moving Asakura's corpse, then.

4: Why did Makoto Asakura go to the swimming pool?

Ran: Makoto sure doesn't look like a swimmer. And the pH value of the fluid in her body confirms for us that she did in fact drown in the pool, and wasn't drowned somewhere else and moved here instead.

Ann: Yep- questions about the location of the crime scene are always important. Let's note this one down.

1: Why were Koizumi's hands so clean?

Ann: This is a bit of a strange question.

Ran: Yes, but it's quite important. Koizumi's cause of death is very clear, because she only had strangulation marks on her neck, without any other external injuries.

Ran: If she killed herself, she'd surely have subconsciously used her hands to clasp the rope, resulting in rope detritus being left behind under her fingernails.

Ran: No matter how strong one's determination to commit suicide is, nobody can defy instinct. Every person who chooses suicide via hanging always leaves behind a corpse whose fingernails are distinctly marked.

Ran: Not to mention, it's rather unlikely that Koizumi had a strong resolve to kill herself in the first place.

Ann: I see. Even if we assume it was homicide, it doesn't explain why her fingers were so clean. There must be another clue in there.

Ran: Yes- and as any killer would have used a rope to strangle Koizumi, then as long as Koizumi was awake, she surely would have grabbed the rope, or the culprit's hands.

Ran: But not only is there nothing of significance left under Koizumi's fingernails, I haven't seen any of our classmates with scratch marks, either.

Ran: We should think about this one for a while. Perhaps it will point us right to the culprit.

5: Where was the rope used to hang Koizumi hidden?

3: Was Koizumi the target of the killer?

Ann: Even though two victims appeared this time, but we can't conclude so simply that Makoto, who was killed second, was the true target of the killer.

Ran: Right- the killer could have killed Makoto to prevent her from finding some key clue.

Ran: Then whether or not Koizumi was the killer's target could help us decide the killer's future actions. If Koizumi was the primary target, then we'll have to prioritize Makoto's case.

Ran: Since if the killer was forced to kill Makoto, there's a great possibility that she may have left a flaw there.

Ann: Mm. We can try thinking on this some more, yeah.

2: Who stole the key to the tool shed?

Ran: That's a stupid question, it might as well be the same as asking who the culprit is.

Ran: Of course we need to figure out who the culprit is, but not from the starting point of the key.

Ann: That's right. We have far too fews about the key.

Ran: Let's scratch this one off.

Ran: Alright, that's the questions. Let's begin deduction.

Ann: Feels like the clues are all over the place this time. No idea what the results of our reasoning will be.

Ran: That's okay. No matter what results we come up with, we'll gain something from it. If we don't like the answer, we can go back to looking for more clues.

Ann: Sure. Let's begin, then.

Ran: (First off, why were Koizumi's hands so clean?)

Koizumi was wearing gloves

Koizumi was strung up only after she fainted

Ann: So you're saying that there's the possibility that the culprit first caused Koizumi to lose her consciousness, before hanging her to death?

Ran: The possibility exists. But no matter what, Koizumi must have been strangled by that rope while she was awake.

Ran: Since the back of her neck has significant abrasive marks as well, clearly indicating that the rope was bound very tightly to her neck and constantly abrading it at some point, not merely just tied to the neck.

Ann: Mm, so, because she has no other outer injuries, if she fainted it must have been due to being choked out.

Ran: Miss Sakura, has an incident of poisoning ever occured in this school? Any incidents of pharmaceutical tranquilization count as well.

Ann: Never. There aren't any pharmaceuticals in the nurse's office with lethal potential, either.

Ann: Aya once hurt herself in an accident, and before Miho patched her up, she looked all over the place for some painkillers or tranquilizers, but met with no success.

Ran: It was that bad? To the point of needing tranquilizers?

Ann: Yeah. Miho gave Aya some stitches. But later on after that, Aya was killed and revived, which got rid of the stitches and the scar entirely.

Ran: So even scarring is repaired, wow. I see. But this also proves that, besides Koizumi having been strangled, no other methods for inducing unconsciousness without causing detectable injuries exist.

Ran: The killer could only have used the rope while she was awake.

Ran: In a recall, I helped Sai wash some vegetables after I finished showering, and she gave me a pair of gloves to do so with.

Ran: If Koizumi were wearing those gloves, their thickness would have been enough to guarantee that no traces would have been left on her fingers while she was struggling.

Ann: Indeed, after Koizumi put on those gloves, even if she struggled, the only signs would have been left on the surface of the gloves, which could be restored to new with a simple wash.

Ran: More importantly, in the normal timeline, Makoto went down the stairs without encountering Koizumi at the time.

Ran: It could very well be that she noticed the gloves that Sai used while washing the vegetables, and combined that with the fact that Koizumi's hands were unblemished to deduce who the culprit was.

Ann: So, going back to Koizumi, she might have helped Sai prepare food ingredients for the next day, and thus put on some gloves.

Ann: And then the culprit decided to attack her at some point in time after this.

Ran: Was Koizumi the target of the culprit?

The culprit has yet to kill the true target

Makoto was the culprit's target

The culprit chose Koizumi randomly

The culprit has yet to kill the true target

Ran: That one we can't really start to guess about if it were the case, and it doesn't really have much bearing on the current deductions anyways.

Makoto was the culprit's target

Ran: If that were the case, the culprit wouldn't have had reason to kill Koizumi.

Ran: The dorms are a very closed, and relatively small, space. In such an environment, committing a meaningless murder would only raise the number of clues.

Ann: Well, this kind of thing happens a lot in detective novels, doesn't it? Even in a closed environment, the killer still keeps on murdering, one after the other.

Ran: Do you enjoy reading detective novels, miss Sakura?

Ann: Not particularly. I've read a few after I arrived here, mostly for educational purposes.

Ran: You used to love reading them. In fact, you were the one who influenced me to start reading detective novels myself.

Ran: Speaking of which, has there ever been a pleasure killer in the school before? The kind that's not goal-oriented and just wants to kill everyone for the fun of it.

Ann: Not at the moment, and I doubt in the future, either. After all, this is just part of the curriculum, there's no reason to do something like that.

Ran: Well, doing irrational things is part of a pleasure serial murderer's modus operandi. But I agree that it's not likely someone like that could show up in the school, either. In conclusion, Makoto being the killer's target seems implausible.

The culprit chose Koizumi randomly

Ran: Right, Koizumi only told you about taking a shower just before she went to take it, miss Sakura. The rest of them couldn't have possibly known that Koizumi would go to shower by herself.

Ran: So the culprit must have planned to kill the last straggler in the dorms, and chose Koizumi by luck.

Ann: Which is to say, if Koizumi had taken her shower together with someone, then the culprit might have settled on killing Makoto, or perhaps Sai, instead?

Ran: That's right. But we both understand, don't we, miss Sakura.

Ann: Yes.

Ran: And finally, why would Makoto go to the pool? Well, if that's the question...

Ann: After reasoning the two previous questions out, the answer seems pretty self-evident, doesn't it?

Ran: There's still some strange points. Makoto should have known who the culprit was by the time she went to meet the culprit at the pool, or perhaps the culprit actively invited Makoto to the pool.

Ran: If it was the former, then it's quite strange- Makoto could have simply pointed the culprit out in front of all of us, after all. And if she wasn't certain by that point, it'd still have been too dangerous of her to simply meet the suspect alone.

Ran: If it was the latter, I don't know why Makoto would have agreed to the culprit's invitation. With all the clues she had, was she still not able to deduce the identity of the culprit?

Ann: I understand what you're thinking. The answers to the two previous questions point the culprit's identity to her. But Makoto's death is just too strange.

Ran: But if the process of the murder can be recited, plus the clues of the two cases, it's probably enough to pin down the culprit. Whether that's enough to revive Makoto, though...

Ran: I'll just try a recitation of the case, assuming that Makoto actively chose to meet the culprit at the pool. Based on the timeline, this possibility seems more likely.

Ran: If I'm wrong, then I'll just start over from the top again. You'll accompany me for it, won't you, miss Sakura?

Ann: Yes, of course.

Ran: Let's head downstairs and confront her, then, miss Sakura.

There seems to be some kind of sound? (Requires Investigation 8)

Probably just imagining it

Use Temporary Points

Miho: Just now, Sai came back, and she and Aya went to pack some things up in their room. After all, after this, we'll be swapping our dorms back to normal again.

Miho sounded like she was very happy about being able to share a room with Aya again. Her emotions and tone of voice were clearly quite positively inclined.

Ran: Eh? Sai?

But, at Miho's words, Ran's vellus hair stood on end.

Ann: Ran!

Ran: Ah, ah, uh, I know, I know!

Ran spun and began dashing back up the stairs towards the second floor, Ann following quickly after her.

Miho: What's wrong? Suddenly-

Miho caught on pretty quickly after that, and awkwardly rose from her seat, chasing after Ran and Ann, leaving behind only a thoroughly confused Tama in the kitchen.

Ran ran to Aya's door, furiously trying to turn the doorknob, but it'd already been locked.

Ran: Aya! AYA!

Ran: (Aya's about to be killed. Sai, you...!)

Ann: Ran, we'll break the door down together.

Ran: Alright, let's do it.

The two of them counted down from three, and repeatedly charged at the door together. But, unlike in the movies, they didn't crash right through the door and collapse into the room from their shared momentum.

The door stood without the slightest hint of becoming dislodged, as it ought to.

Ran: What do we do, it won't open...

Ann: Aya!

Miho: Out of the way, you two!

Miho caught up and used her room key to unlock the door.

Miho: Ah... Aya, it's okay... I'm fine...

Sai: Guess I've been caught red-handed, huh.

Sai: Alright, I guess you've probably figured out I'm the culprit?

Sai: If you haven't figured out, then I gotta say, it's a real bummer if you caught me in the act out of sheer dumb luck.

Ran: Relax, with your half-baked skills, I've long-since figured it out.

Ran: C'mon, let's go downstairs, and I'll recite your criminal process.

Aya: Oh man that scared the crap outta me. So that's what it feels like to get shivved, ah ha haaaaa.

Sai, who'd been caught in the act, had no intent of pleading her own innocence. She and Ran made the barest token effort at the recitation, and Aya, who'd been dead for less than five minutes, was right back on her feet again.

Even her clothes had been repaired to as good as new.

Aya: Eh? Why're your eyes so puffy and red, Miho? Did you cry for me because you were sad I was dead, Miiiiiho?

Miho, still half-crying: You're so annoying.

Aya: C'mere, you, it's okay, don't cry.

Aya tried to hug Miho, but Miho pushed Aya away by the face, preventing her from coming any closer to Miho.

Ran: ...Y'know, I'd already known that you all didn't take this whole murdering business seriously at all, but, Aya, you've seriously taken the carefree apathy one step above and beyond.

Ran: (Aunt Miho and Aya have always been like this since high school, huh. Compared to their older selves, I seriously can't detect a bit of change in their relationship whatsoever.)

Aya: Hey, I'm just in a good mood, okay.

Sai: Try not to take it too far, or else Miho's going to get mad at you again in a bit.

Sai carried over a pot of tea, set it down on the dinner table, and started pouring tea for everyone.

Ran: Oh, look, and you've got tea too, huh. Someone's sure got it easy.

Sai: Well, your process of reciting the murder process is always pretty fun. Even comes with pictures for us all to look at.

Sai: So let's just treat it as a story, and enjoy it while sipping tea together, yeah?

Ran: There's two of us who won't be able to hear the story, though.

Sai: Can't be helped. After all, the two of them were actors.

Ran: (What is with Sai's attitude, wow.)

Ran: Whatever. Let's get started, then. This case wasn't that complicated, so we can finish retelling it pretty quickly.

Sai pushed a cup of tea towards Ran:

Sai: My apologies for boring you with this case, then.

Sai didn't sound like she was making a joke. Ran wasn't sure how to respond.

Ran: Eh? What's that mean?

Sai: Nothing. You go on.

Ran: Okay then. Time to begin retelling the case.

Sai: Wait a sec, how did you know that Makoto went downstairs? Did she ever bring it up to you?

Ran: I ran into her yesterday when I left the dorms to go find miss Sakura.

Miho: .....

Ran: Right, Tama? When I asked Makoto she said she wanted to go out for a walk.

Tama: That's right. Asakura-san said the same thing to me as well.

Miho: So that's what happened. No wonder Koizumi's hands were so clean. I was very focused on figuring out how that could be the case, but I couldn't find any clues.

Aya: Because you were more concerned about meeeeee~ at the time!

Miho: Please stop talking.

Ran: Okay okay please stop interrupting me you two.

Ran: (The way these two bicker and play around is giving me some serious nostalgia.)

Aya: Y'know, that night Sai was panting a little after she returned to the room.

Sai: You have no idea how hard it is to carry an unconscious body.

Ran: So why did you get her to put on the gloves anyways?

Sai: Well, it's as you said, I didn't want signs of struggle to remain on her hands. I figured that someone who committed suicide wouldn't struggle.

Sai: And also, I really did want her help with the food prep. Like, with prepping fish I was worried she'd prick her fingers on the fish spines. It happens to me all the time.

Ran: ...Okay. Sure.

Ran: (I really have overestimated the degree to which they take this sort of thing seriously. They really don't bother to focus on lowering detection risk as their primary priority at all, do they.)

Tama: So, you're saying, that Koizumi-san was selected randomly? The true target wasn't her?

Ran: That's right. In fact, I don't think Asakura was the target, either.

Miho: Then that means...

Aya: Well, obviously that means I was the target, then, right?

Sai: Actually, it wasn't you either. My target was Miho.

Aya: EH?! Why did you kill me then! I'll have you know that being killed hurts!

Sai, grinning like a loon: Haha, maybe I did it just to see your infuriated reaction after the fact.

Sai: You're telling me you figured it out through pH testing?? And here I was so confident that pH testing wouldn't work on ingested fluids.

Ran: (Huh? Sai didn't push back on my theories? I was sure she'd say something along the lines of Makoto not having a reason to go to the pool, that Makoto could have simply revealed the results of her deduction in front of everyone else immediately.)

Ran: (And in fact I'm mostly bullshitting this whole 'Sai and Makoto face off at the pool' scenario. I couldn't even begin to describe what they actually faced off about.)

Ran: (It's a bit strange...)

Sai: Yeah, that all's about right.

Ran: I'm curious, though- even if you'd gotten away with it, how were you planning on escaping from Aya's room?

Sai: Hey, you're pretty smart, aren't you? Help come up with a perfect escape for me would ya.

Ran: That's- Ugh, whatever, it's not important. Everything I recapped up to now has been correct, right?

Sai: Ayep they are.

Ran: So Makoto and Koizumi should be reviving in the morgue right about now. But there's still some questions I don't understand.

Sai: Well, feel free to ask.

Why did you kill people who weren't your target?

What did Makoto say to you when the two of you met up?

Ran: Why did you kill people who weren't your target?

Sai: I knew you'd want to ask that. But there's another question you want to ask too, right? I can answer both of them together, because the answer to both of them are the same.

Ran: The same? How come.

Sai nodded, and slowly turned her teacup with her right hand. She sat, face to face, with Ran Ibuki. For some reason, Ran felt like she'd had countless experiences before where she'd faced off with Sai Yano just like this.

Ran: (Could Sai's memories-)

Ran didn't feel anything like a headache, or anything that might herald an oncoming headache.

Sai: I know you like reasoning. You talk about how perverse and wrong our actions are, but you find satisfaction and pleasure in the act of thinking, and you greatly enjoy the process of deduction.

Ran: What are you saying.

Sai: So, since you like it, I thought I'd try to do something you'd find fun. Sadly, my criminal powers weren't enough to live up to your expectations.

Sai: Originally I was trying to set up one of those closed circle serial killer cases, one of those And Then There Were None setups, but it looks like I'm just not up to the task of stimulating you.

Sai: And Asakura was the same- she'd noticed that you enjoyed this kind of thing, so she showed up at the pool to belittle me. She said that my methodology was childish and that she'd seen through me instantly.

Sai paused there and eyed Tama before continuing.

Sai: Then she told me to kill her. Said that maybe it'd let Ran have a bit of fun.

Ran leaned forwards until she'd crashed into the edge of the table, nearly flipping her cup of tea over.

Ran: Why? What's the meaning of something like that... And, this way, it's like Asakura has killed herself for a second time... I...

Sai: It's because she was grateful to you. You helped her and Tama's relationship return to normal, and helped her mental wellness start to move towards a better direction.

Tama: That's right, Ibuki-san. I share the same feelings that Asakura-san does.

Tama stood up, and reached out to hold Ran's hand, trying to reassure her.

Tama: Please don't blame yourself for Asakura-san's actions. She just wanted to do something nice for you.

Ran: (It's useless. I couldn't be of any use to Asakura. She's already killed herself at the crossroads... she's already dead... she won't come back to life.)

Sai: Look, I was the one who actually did the deed, so it doesn't count as suicide, okay? You're overthinking this.

Ran covered her face with her hands.

Ran: I know... but...

Ran: (Stop thinking about these things- since there's no way to change what happened with Makoto Asakura and Koizumi-sensei, there's no point to me being miserable about it, so I should just stop thinking about it.)

Ran: Okay. I understand.

Sai: In conclusion, you're correct again this round. Look forward to the next round- once it's Tama's turn I'm sure she'll have something incredibly spectacular in store for you.

Tama: Ah, Yano-san, if you say it like that, I'm going to feel so much pressure on me...

Ran felt like there was something stuck in her throat. She turned and cast a plaintive look at Ann.

Ann: What is it, Ran?

Ran: Miss Sakura, my only desire is for you to regain your memories and to depart here with me. I am not, in any sense, 'enjoying this', as they say.

Ann: I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Doing what you want to do and working on finding my memories aren't mutually incompatible.

Ran knew that what Sai was saying about her wasn't wrong. She was clearly enjoying the death games, and through them she was even growing closer with Ann Sakura. Perhaps there really was nothing wrong with them.

Ran: (If even miss Sakura thinks it's okay, then perhaps I should really just keep walking down the path I'm on right now.)

Ran: Right. Those who are killed will revive, so... even if I enjoy it, there's nothing wrong with that, right?

The sound of stars revolving flashed through my awareness. If Ran Ibuki chose to remain here, then I-

Ann: So.

Ann Sakura fixed her eyes on Ran. I suddenly started worrying if her face would spontaneously morph into that head-like spherical perceptual organ.

Ann: So I will live the way I want to, as well.

maybe just staying here with miss Sakura would be pretty nice too

Makoto: Ran, I'm quite looking forward to seeing the letter that Tama has apparently written for me.

Makoto set down and closed Notes From Underground, leaned back on her chair, and let out a long exhalation.

She tapped the cover of the book lightly with her pointer finger. Ran watched Makoto's smooth finger, and waited for the other girl to dispel her anticipation.

Makoto: My previous issues perhaps stemmed from a lack of self-confidence- both in myself and in the environment around me.

Makoto: Just doing the things I was supposed to be doing, wrapping them up cleanly and checking them off, and then continuing on the next thing I'm supposed to do, without any faith that these actions could bring me any greater understanding of anything, or any thought about how I should connect myself to the greater world around me.

Makoto: And then Tama invaded my life all of a sudden. Her endless curiosity and fervent love stifled me, and caused me to sink into chaos.

Makoto pulled her hand back to support her chin, with a smile.

Makoto: And at the same time, she attracted my full attention. Without knowing it, my entire 'checklist' had become things related to Tama- including, of course, killing her.

Ran: Okay, you're saying all this in a really romantic tone of voice, but you have to know how fucking scary that sounds, right.

Makoto: Well, it's not the same anymore. She's learning temperance, and I'm learning to trust her.

Ran: I also feel like Tama was being a bit too intimate with you, before. The way things are now is pretty nice.

Makoto laughed joyfully, shoulders lightly shaking, and then leaned her head, giving Ran a meaningful gaze that made her ears go red.

Makoto: Actually she's being even more intimate and passionate with me than ever before. She likes the way I am now better than ever.

Ran: Please don't make me have to picture strange things in my head. Please tell me about something else, quick.

Makoto put a hand on Ran's shoulder.

Makoto: Well, I understand why Sai likes teasing you so much now. You're so much fun to play with.

Makoto: The 'temperance' I speak of refers to the way that she will no longer, in the future, seek to take care of me in all things and all possible ways. Before, Tama's incessant caregiving made me think that she didn't respect me to do things on my own. Like if she didn't do it for me, I couldn't even button a shirt, brush my own teeth, or wipe my mouth properly.

Makoto: Well, that's all in the past, no need to linger on it. Thanks again, Ran.

Ran: NO fucking PROBLEM. In the future you can thank me by never pulling this 'actively inviting someone else to kill you' nonsense ever again.

Makoto: I know you're not very accustomed to accepting benevolence from others. I'll limit myself to within your boundaries.

Makoto: So that'll be it for now, then. Tama's about to bring me that letter of hers, I believe.

Ran: Sure. Just try not to make a mess of the library, okay?

Tama: Ibuki-san, when I saw Asakura-san's corpse, I experienced a strange but wondrous feeling. The meaning of my life instantly evaporated in that moment, but then was immediately replenished by another, even stronger one.

Tama: Even though, at the time, I'd lost Asakura-san, the experience ultimately left me with a better understanding of what it was that I relied on to continue to live on.

Tama: And the reason why I was able to think of this was all because of your support, Ibuki-san!

Tama stood on her toetips, seeming quite excited.

Tama: So, if there's anything I can help with, in the future, please tell me. I'm sure Asakura-san is thinking the same.

Ran: Go ahead and find Asakura. I'm sure she's quite impatient to see you.

Sai: Ibuki? You ran off so immediately with Ann after we drew lots, I was half thinking you might have run off to commit a murder.

Ran: Ridiculous. I wouldn't commit a murder.

Ran: (I didn't pull the culprit card this time, either. If I had, I would probably have tried to figure out some sleight of hand that'd prevent the others from noticing, before tossing it back and swapping it with a different card.)

Ran: (After today, the pool's probably freezing over. It'll be a long time before Sai gets to go swimming again. Maybe I'll go watch her swim again later in the day.)

Aya: Ahahaha, Miho, you, what is this? How did you get something like this?

Miho: I don't know, I, I clearly followed Sai's recipe to the letter...

Aya: Ran-chan! Come check out Miho's incredible Quantum Cheese Fettuchini!

Ran: A- what?

Miho: Aya! Don't-

Ran poked her head in, to see that there was kind of viscous white liquid plated in front of Miho. There seemed to be some solid components suspended in the gelatinous substance.

And, on the other side of the table, Aya had a plate of italian pasta covered in golden-brown cheese. Ran was trying to imagine how, if these two plates were indeed meant to be the same entree, just how Miho ended up with what was on her plate.

Ran: Let me get a taste.

Aya: See? Clearly you can make something like this if you just follow Sai's cookbook's instructions to the letter. I don't know how Miho was able to make a Nobel-Prize winning scientific innovation out of her attempt.

Miho: Please don't talk about it any further...

Ran: Aya, you should consider doing the cooking for you and Miho when you're together later on.

Aya: Well, aha, y'know, rather than do the cooking, I'd rather be fed.

Aya: But, well, seeing how pitifully poor Miho's cooking skills are, I suppose I could help her with her pathetic attempts at midnight snacks in the future.

Miho: Don't say nonsense like that in front of Ibuki-san. I don't go for 'midnight snacks'-

Aya: No, you totally do. Remember that one time-

Ran: Koizumi!

Koizumi: Eek! Ah, Ibuki-san!

Koizumi turned around, one hand over her heart, with an expression of pleasant surprise.

Koizumi: Please tell me before you prank me like this, next time.

Ran: It's not a pleasant surprise if you give them away beforehand.

Ran: Y'know, miss Sakura and I come up here pretty often.

Koizumi: Oh, yes, I know. Ann tells me about it frequently.

Ran lowered her head. She was thinking about what the best distance between herself and Koizumi should be in their interactions, to best lower the awkwardness on both sides.

Koizumi: Ibuki-san...

Ran: Uh- yeah?

Koizumi: Next time, let's go out for another picnic. I'll bake some more cookies and prepare some drinks again.

Ran: Koizumi, I-

Koizumi: I'll invite Ann, and the rest of the class as well. How's that sound?

Ran: ...Mm.

Ran nodded and slid a tiny bit closer to Koizumi.

Ran: Sure. Let's go together.

Ran: Miss Sakura!

Ran rapidly stepped forward towards Ann, and quickly noticed that there was something in Ann's jacket that was shining with white light.

Ran: Ah, wait!

The fruit knife stabbed towards Ran's heart, and half its blade sank into her chest. She coughed, and her mouth was filled with thick, viscous blood.

Ran didn't push her away, but was rather pushed onto the window. The notebook in her hands was dropped to the floor as well, splayed open to a pair of blank pages.

Ann Sakura pulled the blade out, and immediately plunged it into Ran's neck. She began increasing the force, trying to slice open Ran's neck horizontally.

But some muscle seemed to have jammed the knife's blade, so she was forced to pull out the knife and take a few steps back to watch as Ran kneeled before the notebook.

The force of her impact with the wall had squeezed all the blood out of Ran's mouth, and now her chest and stomach were erupting like fountains with blood.

Ran: (This is...)

She looked down, watching her blood slowly come to surround the notebook, before being absorbed by its pages, drop by drop.

The sudden assault had caused Ran to sink into muddled chaos, but in the midst of the chaos, one eye-searing light was coming right towards her.

Ran suddenly opened her eyes wide open, throwing away for a moment both her pain and the fact that she was about to die.

She opened her mouth, and shouted, as countless memories barraged her awareness like a storm.

Ran's pierced heart began palpitating wildly, causing more blood to gush forth. She opened her mouth, raised her head, and stared Ann Sakura dead-on in the eyes.

Ann: Ran.... I....

Ann Sakura's hands clenched the handle of the knife tightly, squeezing out between her fingers the blood that Ran had splattered on her.

Slowly, she closed her eyes, and with her last light saw that the fresh blood all over the floor had almost been fully consumed by the notebook.

This filled her with peace.

At last, everything in front of Ran began to twist, distort, and change, and ultimately fade into endless darkness.

OLD SCHOOLHOUSE CHAPTER (PART 2) IS COMPLETE. TIME TO RAISE YOUR FUCKING STATS, KIDDO, THOUGH WHO THE HELL KNOWS IF YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO USE'EM WHERE YOU'RE GOING

Now entering the very final Recall. Saving here is highly recommended.

Enter Recall mode?

Enter Recall

Don't enter Recall, continue the game

Ran: Sai, what you said, could it possibly have something to do with your little sister?

Sai rose to the surface of the water, and brushed away the rivulets of water and clinging strand of hair from her face with her two hands, showing her forehead and her eyes, which to Ran looked as pellucid and clear as those of a cat.

Sai: It's possible. After all, I love my little sister a lot.

Ran: Ick, saying it so straightforwardly like that. How gross.

Sai: My sister's not that much like me. She's rather energetic, but also very polite.

Ran: Well, disregarding the energetic part, from the polite part, she does sound quite different from you, then.

Sai made a gesture, and splashed some water from the pool at Ran.

Ran: Hey!

Sai: That'll learn you for being overly wordy.

Ran stood a little further away from the pool, before continuing her inquiries.

Ran: So, you feel like you're slowly forgetting things regarding your little sister?

Sai: Let me think.

Sai: Her curiosity's very strong. Ah, no.

Sai: She always said she wanted to leave her hometown, and go live in Tokyo. But I don't think this has anything to do with curiosity.

Sai: The place we live, on the map, it gets marked in as the same place as the town next door. But in reality, there was an entire ocean strait between us and there.

Ran: So you lived on an island?

Sai: Mhm. A very small island. Forget the name, you've probably never heard of it.

Ran: So you lived on the seaside. No wonder you liked swimming so much.

Sai: It's nothing to do with the sea. I never went swimming in the sea anyways; the pools in town are cleaner and safer.

Sai: But there was never anywhere to go in town anyways, so all the adults and kids alike congregated at the swimming pool.

Sai: To dodge the crowds, that's how I picked up the habit of going for early and late swims.

Ran: I see. But based just on what you've said here, it sounds like you remember it pretty clearly.

Sai: Maybe it's an illusion on my part.

Ran: If that's the case, there's not much I can help you with. Miss Sakura's issue is enough to keep me busy on its own.

Sai: I know, I know, I was just rambling about it. Get outta here, you.