𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗘 || 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝘅 𝗢𝗰

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗢𝗳 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀; 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘄𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲

"Me?"

Kenya nodded, not making eye contact with her. Kumiko had a red blush spread across her whole face.  Most of it was from being flustered, but some of it was from being freezing cold. Her mouth seemed to dry up as she couldn't form words due to her shock.

Kenya began to speak once more, "Can we still be friends?" He asked, seemingly not flustered at all.

Kumiko paused, "You say that as if I don't like you back." She said quietly, looking down as she walked.

Kenya widened him slightly, his cheeks and nose covered with a pink tint to them. A small smile stretched across his face as they continued to walk, neither of them saying anything.

The two held hands the rest of the way.

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THE NEXT MORNING Kenya and Kumiko had gone together to go get Satoru and Kayo. They held hands on the way there, neither of them mentioning what happened yesterday.

When Kenya and Satoru arrived, they found Kayo and Satoru sleeping next to each other as they shared a blanket.

"Wake up." Kenya said, standing in front of Satoru as he kept hold of Kumiko's gloved hand, "It's morning."

Kayo and Satoru fluttered their eyes open, before realizing that they were so close to each other. They hastily separated as Satoru's arm was previously around her.

"Good thing Kumiko and I stopped by." Kenya smiled with a small chuckle. He's so cute, Kumiko thought to herself, slightly blushing at his actions, "We have to get out of here before the Izumi Elementary kids get here."

On the walk to school, Kumiko and Kenya walked hand-in-hand as Kumiko had her head rested on his shoulder. Satoru seemed to notice that Kumiko and Kenya were acting closer than usual.

"Hey, did something change between you and Kumiko? Something seems different." Satoru asked in a whisper so that Kumiko didn't hear him.

Kenya looked at him, "I confessed." He said vaguely, although Satoru knew exactly what he meant. He smiled and patted Kenya on the back as if saying 'Nice!'

A thought suddenly hit him, in a few days, Kumiko was going to become the second victim. Well, the first victim assuming that Kayo lives due to Satoru's actions allowing him to change the future. He needed to start planning on how to save Kumiko.

Kenya was all he needed.

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"DON'T tell Kazu or Osamu about this," Satoru started, "Sorry for getting you involved, Hiromi."

Kumiko, Kenya, Satoru, Kayo, and Hiromi were inside the bus where Kayo was staying whilst playing a game of cards. Kumiko and Kenya were sitting close but making sure that neither of them could see each other's cards.

"No worries! I'm glad you're counting on me!" Hiromi responded, holding the cards over his mouth to hide them as he spoke, "Even if I went home, I would be alone until 8 pm anyway."

"Same," Kumiko muttered, Hiromi smiled at her and she blushed out of embarrassment, not realizing that she said that out loud.

Satoru felt his heart drop for a moment, "Kumiko. You stay home alone?" He said, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows.

She looked at him with confusion, "You didn't know? My dad works really late, so I stay home alone. I don't really mind it though."

Satoru didn't want to kill the mood, so he changed the topic. However, before doing so, he thought for a moment. How could I prevent her from becoming a victim? She's constantly alone. I can save Kayo, but can I save Kumiko? Kenya becoming friends with her maybe has made her less likely of a target, as she's no longer constantly alone. She originally disappeared on March 10th. Maybe the day of her disappearance has been set back because of my actions? Still, if the date was set back, it was probably only set back by a few days. That's not enough. How can I save her?

Satoru nods and changes the topic finally, "Anyways, I wanted to say sorry to you too, Kayo. Shutting you up in here..."

"It's okay. I've never had so much fun," Kayo smiles at him softly, "I'm glad I mustered the courage to come here."

Satoru returned the smile, "I'm going to stop by your house tomorrow morning," Kenya interrupted, "Her mother will have no choice but to call the police after that."

"Right."

"I get why we're doing what we're doing, but what are you going to do at the end?" Hiromi asks, worried about getting in trouble.

"Don't worry. I'll take full responsibility." Satoru smiles slightly, looking at Kayo.

"You're an idiot." She said, looking at her cards, "If I talked you guys into it, and then you helped me..." She trailed off, throwing down two aces.

"No one will be to blame right?" She smiles, "I win."

The three children gaped at Kayo before Hiromi spoke, "You're right."

I hadn't thought of that.