The Onigakku : The Ultimate Gameplan

Chapter 1: Day One - Morning

Takaki Yuya's Point Of View

I was told to meet at Hime Park, which was considerably weird. The park looked not only isolated but also abandoned. The trees were wilting, all of them. It was as if they were crying and in pain. The playground were rusted and broken. Everything about the park seem eerie. Why did the company that endorsed the program wanted all the participants to meet here? Can't they think of a nicer place to gather everyone up?

"Hey. Yuya, right?" a fellow with a dark circle around his eyes beamed his weak smile to me. I nodded and glanced at his nametag. It says Yamada Ryosuke. I wonder what this boy want with me.

"Don't you think it's suspicious?" he mumbled to me, with his eyes pierced right through me. He looked a little creepy and the way he stared at me gives me chills.

"What is?"

"Really? You haven't notice?" he raised his right eyebrow as if deciding if I was an idiot or simply being oblivious. He whispered a few words to himself before he left me hanging.

Weird.

Now that I mentioned it, everyone are kind of weird.  I do not know how the program pick their participants.

Just somewhere near the bus, there were three girls chattering to each other - often quite loudly. They were not that bad looking which for me looked like an ordinary highschoolers. The strange thing was that they were really immersed in their colorful world so much that they could not see how wrong this meeting place looked like. Are they blind or something?

Then there were this couple. They were not talking to each other, but playing with their phones. I can tell they are a lover by their matching shirt and matching glasses - which apparently was just an accessories to them.

Then there was this dude, the one who talked to me earlier. He was just talking to himself, nearby the broken swing. His dark eyebag and ruffled hair made him look a little too crazy. From time to time, he would scribble something on his little notepad with a crocked smile on his face.

And last but not least, there were two siblings. By the look of their face, there was a high chance of them being twins. The girl looked rather forlorn despite having his brother by her side. It seems like she does not want to join this program at all. Which was obviously different with the brother. It seems like he was enjoying every moment of it.

We were just loitering around the park, waiting for the last participant to join in this group of weird. The guide, who apparently seem anxious because we were already running late, kept on glancing on her wristwatch.

"Hey. Can't we just wait in there?" I approached her and pointed at the bus. I had no idea why we needed to stand outside just to wait the tardy latter.

"I'm sorry but it is a must for everyone to be here before we can go inside the bus."

Such a stupid reason.

Not long before I had that little conversation with the guide lady, a lad who looked like my age came rushing to her. "I'm sorry," he puffed and huffed, probably exhausted from the sprinting.

"Take your nametag and then we shall get inside the bus," the guide answered with a pleased smile before walking away from us to the others. Probably to tell them it was time to go.

The tardy guy grabbed the only nametag on the table that says Yaotome Hikaru. He tried to pin it into his shirt with such difficulties . I rolled my eyes and started walking to the bus. I guess that Hikaru guy does not like to be left alone because not a moment sooner, he was right by my side - apparently still struggling with pinning the nametag.

"Does everyone have to wear their nametag?" he questioned me with quite a flamboyant tone as we climbed onto the bus.

"Yes." I gave a short and sharp answer. Without giving a second thought, I walked to the end of the bus. I like sitting at the back. I don't know why. I just kind of do.

To my suprise, Hikaru followed me and sat quite close to me. He flashed a smile to me as if wanting me to compliment on his effort for successfully pinning his nametag by himself. What is he? A little kid? For goodness sake.

Through our journey, I kept my mouth shut. I wrap both of my arms around my chest and stared outside the window. The bus was not exactly quiet - with the chattering and mumbling.  And Hikaru was not exactly charming either.

"Did you ever get that feeling - when you stare out the window and listen to some music - it makes you feel like you're in a music video or in a film?" he nudged me with a big grin on his face. I was not exactly trilled having him by my side. He was quite annoying. "Come on. Don't tell me you've never felt like that!" he insisted when I did not replied his silly question. I wonder if anyone have told him that having him certainly and most frustratingly suffocationg? I wonder if I tell him just that, will he leave me alone?

"I have. Now stop disturbing me," I exclaimed, quite calmly and politely. Despite me being labelled as a delinquent by my own peers, I am not as much fond of hurting other people's feeling. I would try my best to be polite but words are just difficult to construct.  I can hardly find the right phrases or words that would be considered as polite.

However, Hikaru did not faze by my words and continue to chat. I closed my eyes, pretending to sleep - just so he would shut his mouth up. And apparently it did not work. So I ended up slumbering along the ride for real.

I dozed off into my dreamland despite the busy and buzzing chattering in the bus.