?????? 10/8

[catphone]

WHO: All of Yogen
WHAT: Something is brewin...about to begin.....
WHEN: 10/8 afternoon
WHERE: Everywhere!
WARNINGS: ┐(´ー｀)┌ Will update if needed.

[sometime in the afternoon, after the student council wraps up for the day, someone takes control of the overhead system. the voice sounds some sort of way, but it starts anyway.]

Good afternoon! I’ve decided to break up the monotony and the dreadful tones we’ve had over this past week with a little game. It’s a scavenger hunt of sorts, because I have information on some of the murders that you all haven’t figured out.

But I’m not going to just give it to you, so you’ll have to participate!

I’ll give you the first clue.

“On the rare occasion that the average detective takes a break, he needs somewhere to store his things. Small, perhaps, but he may have something deadly to hide!”

Let’s see how you do!

[the audio cuts off...

but then a message pops up on the message boards.]

u can help each other out!! but u gotta do a little bit of leg work!! u wont win just by sitting around talking 2 each other on here!!

remember: friendship is magic!!! (˶◕‿◕˶✿)

oh, oh, oh!!

You have until midnight to find me.
Fail, and face erasure of the facts.

Comments

[futurebullets]

When you say "beneficial", that doesn't really give me a lot of reassurance... He's not a tool, you know.

[It rubs him the wrong way, the same as it rubbed him the wrong way when he found out that gun belonged to Joshua.

And yet.]

But... if that's really what you're going to insist on, then promise me.

Promise me, Kiryuu, that he won't die under your watch. Promise me you'll keep him safe.

[comprises]

[Josh isn't going to argue that part. he shakes his head, even though Hinata can't see it.

but the second bit he has to read. and then reread. Hinata's request catches him off guard, and he giggles a little.

the irony of it all. when the last person who intrigued Joshua, more than Komaeda even does, is someone that Joshua had killed by his own hand.

twice.

the giggle turns into a full out laugh now, and there's a part of him that's glad that a lot of them are out running around and playing his game. he'd probably sound fully insane right now, thinking about it, but he composes himself enough to respond.

he's so amused.]

you would ask me? you dont even know me. you dont know what ive done, or what im really like, but you would ask me for help on keeping one of your dearest friends alive? i could be anyone.

[he thinks about the last time Joshua had seen Hinata, panicking over Komaeda trying to shoot himself in the head while bleeding. they'd been lucky to not go to the void that time.]

truth be told, im no babysitter, and the one youd have me protect seems hellbent on letting himself die for his values. itd be a challenge, to be sure.

[Hinata gets all of that, and there's a moment where that's all he gets.

but then he gets another text.]

but i do have a weakness for challenges, im afraid. ive put a lot of work into him becoming one of...my helpers, as it were. itd be a shame for all of that to go to waste.

i suppose ill do what i can do to see to it he doesnt do anything rash.

[futurebullets]

[His heart is pounding hard between pauses, his eyes trained on you don't know what I've done, but his shoulders slump with relief and exhaustion both when the final part comes in.]

...You're right, I don't know you that well at all. But there's no way I can just stand by and let you put him in danger like that without some kind of guarantee. Not when he means a lot more to me than being a... helper.

But even if the way you're saying it makes me nervous... I'll believe in you, for now. Komaeda is... reckless, and with the way things are in this place, all we can really do is try.

[comprises]

oh ive definitely noticed how reckless he is. we both found out when he first met face-to-face, hm?

and what IS he to you, hinata? curious minds so want to know.

[futurebullets]

[Hinata stops walking, right in the middle of the hall, and because nobody else is around he says out loud-]

God, this bastard.

[It's annoyance and grudging appreciation all in one.]

Yeah. I learned a lot more about him that day than I expected to.

And you don't have to make it weird, you know, especially on the public forum everyone can see. [Hinata knows his face has to be burning, even as he types it out.] But he's my friend. A friend that's always there when I need him the most. What other curious minds want to know besides yours?

[comprises]

i'm not making it weird if you're not making it weird. you could just say that he's a very good friend, but the way that you seem flustered about it makes me think you're hiding something.

what would you say that you wouldn't want eyes to see? is there something you don't want Komaeda to know?

do you desire him, Hinata?

1/2 I'm sorry this became a two-parter

[futurebullets]

[Hinata stops, dead still. Face goes completely, utterly red as he reads over the same line once, then again. Then again.

Finally, he replies.]

Hey what the FUCK is wrong with you, actually

2/2 ok I'm done now

[futurebullets]

There's absolutely no way, that you can suggest I'm the one making this weird in any shape or form and then go and say something like that.

I told you everything there is to say! And I went beyond just saying he's a good friend! I don't have anything to hide, people in this school are way too nosy

[His fingers freeze. Just like they were about me and Saihara. It's like ice water splashed over him, grief fresh in his chest again, and Hinata takes a breath to steady himself. Maybe some of it is called for, but his emotions have been all over today and it's exhausting.]

people in this school are way too nosy about me and literally anybody else here. It's irritating.

[comprises]

[cue Joshua probably laughing somewhere about Hinata being so Upset. this kid really is easy to upset isn't he...]

what can i say? when there is so little to entertain oneself with, you have to find something to inquire about.

but you've told me all i needed to know, regardless of whether you told me or not. for that, i thank you for being so upfront and honest with me.