Truth, Perjury, and Sacrifice

Malignant

Makoto and Kyoko trudged through their front door. It was twenty after eleven at night, and it had been one of the longest days they had had in a long time. Minutes after Kyoko had locked the front door, a knock disturbed their winding down for the evening. Komaru and Toko, along with Hina, Sakura, and Hiro, were standing outside. "What's going on?"

"Can we....stay here tonight?" Hina asked. "I know it's super last minute, but with what happened today. We were just thinking that....I don't know." Hina's voice trailed off.

Kyoko held the door open for the surprise guests. She knew that this had to have been Komaru and Hina's idea, given that Hiro, Toko, and Sakura were simply supporting in the matter. "Do you want anything to drink?" she asked, stepping into the kitchen.

Makoto had already put the teapot on the stove, setting several cups on a tray. He glanced up at Kyoko and smiled. Makoto stepped away from the kitchen counter and approached Kyoko, wrapping his arms around her.

Kyoko could feel the slight tremor of fear in his shoulders. Recalling what had happened during the Final Killing Game, she could imagine what horrible thoughts were chasing Makoto inside his mind. Kyoko hugged Makoto back, gently resting her face against his.

From Makoto's side, he could see Toko and Komaru doing the same thing. Komaru caught Makoto staring, to which she smiled with tears in her eyes. Neither of them had expected to find someone who they would be so terrified of losing. Seeing Byakuya become so unraveled was shocking to everyone, but to those closest to him besides Karen, it was terrifying. Seeing the two of them soaked in their own blood, on the ground from attempted murder, reminded everyone that there were still those who hated them.

When the teapot came to a boil, Makoto and Kyoko finally released each other, letting Makoto carry the prepared tray. They sat around the living room, sipping on tea in silence. He noticed a few of them holding their cell phones in their hands. "Are you okay?" Makoto asked Komaru.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, nodding. "Uh, the people who kidnapped me didn't hurt me or anything. They didn't seem really interested in me once I was there, anyway."

Kyoko rose an eyebrow in response. If they truly had no intentions of harming Komaru, then Kyoko could assume that they only took her hostage as blackmail. "Did you happen to find out who took you?"

Komaru nodded, "A group called D.I.C.E, I think. Their leader was the one to release me."

"Do you remember their name?" Kyoko asked.

"Uh...Ouma? A shorter boy with dark purple hair. I couldn't see his face, though. Everyone was wearing a mask around me." Komaru explained. "Oh, but there was a girl that was with him. She was taller, with long blue hair in pigtails."

Kyoko nodded, deciding not to pry any farther for the time being. She would need to take Komaru in to show her the pictures, but not tonight. "How are the rest of you doing?" she asked.

Hina glanced up from her phone, "I'm not sure. It was so crazy tonight."

"May I ask why you're staring at your phones?" Kyoko asked, glancing at Toko, Hina, and Komaru.

"The hospital said they would call with updates," Toko said.

"It's only been half an hour or so. They're safe, guys." Makoto said.

"Yeah, but....she...died. Karen was dead for two minutes. And they ever said only eighty-five percent!" Hina said, slowly beginning to freak out.