Chemical Engineering

Chapter Fourty One: Kingdom Countdown

Kumiko ran as fast as she could, Hiroko right next to her, through the halls. Countless thoughts infiltrated her mind about who could have possibly died.

Ryozo?

Misaki?

Gin?

Akiko?

Kaori?

Or Aiyanna?

Only one way to find out...

Rushing to the fourth floor to reach the balcony, both girls pushed open the door only to gasp in horror.

A boy and a girl, uncuffed to one another, sat against the railing, facing the door. They held hands, as if accompanying each other to the afterlife. One boy, a ginger freckled boy with a St. Bernard pin on his shirt and the girl, with black braids and large glasses atop her face. A discarded teacup sat opposite of both victims, the thinned liquid spilling out.

Gin Bando, the ultimate scuba diver and Akiko Matsumaru, the ultimate glass blower... were murdered.

Hearing her companion speak drew Kumiko's attention. "Hey Kumiko, what's that next to them?"

Seeing where Hiroko pointed, Kumiko saw a silver metallic key labeled AG. Seeing this sparked a memory from not too long ago, regarding the keys.

"So what's to stop build-a-dick from just cuffing us again? And what do our keys even look like?" Ryozo asked.

"Call my name and I shall appear!"

"Are you saying your name is build-a-dick?" Hiroko snickered.

"Ignoring that. Anyways! I will say as the keys are pretty hidden, once uncuffed I will not bother said group with the 'friendship bracelets' as I call them. And also each key has a tag attached. So Kumiko and Hiroko's has a tag labeled KH. Aiyanna and Kaori are KA, Ryozo and Misaki are RM, and finally Akiko and Gin are AG."

Before Kumiko could think more on this and what it could mean, the door burst open once more.

Coming in were the two final groups, the four being Kaori, Aiyanna, Ryozo and Misaki. Aiyanna who looked horrified, Kaori who was ready to cry, Ryozo who grit his teeth in anger, and Misaki who seemed confused.

"W,w, what happened?" Misaki asked.

What does it look like happened?

"M, my buddies..." Kaori stuttered, looking at his fallen companions.

"Where is that damn fox! Lets... let's just get this over with." Aiyanna's shoulders dropped under the weight of yet another murder.

"Hello babes and biyotches! I heard you were aching for my arrival!"

...silence.

"Damn tough crowd. You guys act like you've seen a dead body... or two." He adds, noting the additional victim.

"Just... give us the files already, you sicko!" Ryozo yelled.

"Yipes! Your wish is my command, Inkface! But first, an additional present!"

Skipping around, not only were they given the files of their friends but keys, likely to fit everyone's cuffs.

"Let's not waste any time, shall we? Uncuff yourselves and get to work! You know the drill by now!"

Uncuffing themselves immediately, Ryozo being the first one freed, quickly followed by Misaki and the others. Then without hesitating, as they were on limited time, they began reading the files.