- 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 -

Chapter 28

-

...

And I did wake up.

Letting out a deep breath that must've been stored in my lungs forever left my body... and light finally met my eyes again- No wait, that's a fricking white blanket! Ugh, go away.

Ahem.

Where was I? This placed seemed familiar.

... Ah. The mortuary. Right. I mean, it was quite cold I guess. Don't know how to get this thing open, either. But I needed to check out something else...

I took a hesitant glance at my arms... and they were there. My arms were there. I had a body!!!
It felt quite... broken...? It's been a while since I've felt something. But even if it was pain... The sensation of feeling something on my skin again was the best thing ever. These arms... They were still bruised like the last time I got to see them. But... They were there.

Now, I really had to get out of this chamber, so I got all my might together and just pushed the small door, and it eventually opened up.

Crawling out weakly, I landed on the floor with a loud thud. I swear, that hurt a lot. It also smells like rats and dead bodies in here- I mean, I also basically still looked like a defrosted corpse for sure... That's what it felt like, at least.

But the dead man walking who's telling this story right now really should get going now, so I'll just do that.

As I finally made it out (with a lot of effort), I looked around my surroundings like the first time;
Snow. It was snowing. And it was the day of Christmas Eve.

Fuck...

Everything started to hurt after a bit, not just my bruised arms, yet everything. My legs started to give in, and I didn't have any strength left to get any further... God... So that's how a defrosted chicken feels like, eh? Okay, enough jokes about my suffering.

Let's face the real questions;
- How am I alive.
- Why am I alive?
- Where are my friends?
- And where is Goro.

I... I really needed to know those things. But now I was just a clueless sheep like usually again... I didn't know if I could even take.. another.. step before.. collapsing...

....

- - - - -

"WHAT?!"

More despair fulfilled the group. It only took this sentence, and even though they were all already suffering so much inside, every surprise created another sting.

"H-he did what..? Please tell me you're joking, Maruki-san..!", Kasumi exclaimed while covering her mouth in shock. She didn't have a big relationship with Akechi, but they were still friends.

"I'm afraid this is the truth... Sumire-san."

"... W-what...?", backing away, the girl eventually hit the wall with her back; a look of horror on her face that none of the thieves had ever seen before on her cheerful face.

Maruki silently adjusted his glasses, a clouded expression of sadness in his eyes as he then continued to speak, a tune to his voice that made it seem that he truly didn't want to say these words- but was more so forced to; "I'm deeply sorry... But Akechi-kun made me realize, I can't change what had happened anymore. And... neither can you. Kasumi... is dead."

"N-NO! That's not true!"...Sumire then screamed out while the rest of the thieves kept on watching, unsure of what to do or say- after all... None of them could've thought that their new friend wasn't who she said she was.

Eventually her screaming turned into crying, and she flopped down onto the floor, stopping to resist. "I A-AM..! I..? I... I'm not her..."

"Y-Yoshizawa...", Futaba, who had now also grown very fond of the red haired female, moved to just hug her tightly. "It.. It's okay-! I... It doesn't matter who you are to me...! B-because I.. I love you..."

"... You.. What...?", Sumire now just stared at her, unsure of what to say, but then she grew very pink. "H-HAAA?! F-Futaba-senpai--"

"I'm not your senpai!!"
Still chuckling though, Futaba then just continued to hug her, trying to keep her calm.

"... My god.", Sojiro then quietly mumbled, but actually he had to smile some. His daughter confessing to somebody? That made him the most proud father ever.

The rest was actually so excited about it too- but there were more important things at the moment.

"... So, Maruki.", Makoto then went on, noticeably being the most serious; "Did Akechi-san really...?"

"... Yes, he did. But he... he did it for Kurusu-kun. I don't know his state right now... But things are how they were planned originally from the start. Kurusu-kun should be alive now... But..."

"... You don't know about Akechi, correct?"

"... Indeed."