Chem Lab

Chapter Twenty Nine: Friendship

"What do you mean by, a fake Hope's Peak Academy?" Kougyoku asked, looking bewildered.

"There are too many things here that the original school does not have. For example that fence outside. That should have never existed. Or the trial room, the mechanism that exists in the trophy room, or even where the punishments take place."

"So you think someone created the school..." Amy trailed off.

"...For the sole purpose of the killing game?" Kochi finished the sentence.

"Exactly. And from that, my bet is someone had gathered all this information on us, forged a letter to make it seem it came from the actual school, and gathered us here."

"But why? Why us specifically?" Yumiyo asked, confused.

"They probably just picked a bunch of Ultimates that lived near the fake school and picked them." Toshika summarized.

"Exactly. So for one reason or another, they specifically wanted a killing game between Ultimates... no matter what."

Everyone was silent for a moment before Kutsumi sighed.

"I think we should all take a breather and meet up here later. For a moment, let's all go and eat."

Everyone nodded silently. They all traveled silently together down the halls...

Until Amy approached Masane.

"Hey girlie!" Amy exclaimed excitedly.

"Hello Amy. How can I help you?"

"I was wondering if I could steal Yumiyo for a bit and play board games with her today?"

"Haha I'm not her mom, go ahead."

"Yeah but you are pretty protective of her so I wanted to let you know."

"Deal."

Amy chatted with Masane animatedly as they made their way down to the cafeteria, Yumiyo next to them. Before long they all made their way to the cafeteria.

Everyone sat down as Kougyoku and Kochi began preparing to make breakfast for everyone.

Raou, sitting next to Masane, turned to her. "Hey Masane, how are you?"

"Me? I'm ok despite what we found. It's not the wors-"

"That's not what I mean."

It seemed deadly silent as everyone was watching the conversation. "What do you mean?"

"How are you handling the death of Yoshikawa?"

Now it was deadly silent.

Masane looked down at her silverware, finding it easier to focus on than the topic on conversation.

"I'm... I'm fine."

"Masane don't you dare lie to me." Raou glared at Masane.

Masane glared back. "What do you want me to say? That I feel absolutely destroyed that the one person I was in charge of DIED because of me? That my childhood friend is the one who killed him, out of jealousy? That my mother had to drive home with her youngest child's dead body? That my father couldn't care less that his only son is dead? I am crushed and absolutely broken and nearly everyone of my peers, my friends, is afraid of me because of how I reacted in sheer anger!"

Everyone had watched with eyes wide, some with fear and some with guilt.

"Masane I didn't mean..." Raou tried to amend the situation.