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Kazumi watched as the cutely dressed girl made her way through the room, speaking to each person, finally coming to Chishiya and his partner. It was too far away to tell for sure but she was certain they were being extended the same offer to join their group that everyone else was given.
After a short conversation they moved on, approaching Kazumi and Akane, who stood nervously by her side. "Hi there! Would you two like to join our group, we're asking everyone." Her tone was sickeningly sweet, like the smell of rotting fruit.
"Sure, we'll join." Kazumi answered for the both of them.
"We will?" Akane questioned.
"You don't have to! It's entirely up to you." The sweet girl reassured, but both she and Kazumi understood it wasn't quite that simple.
"No, no it's really okay! I was just surprised." Akane relented.
Cheerily smiling the sickly sweet girl gathered all the members of her group together, arranging them into a circle. They each took turns standing before the group, letting a chorus of voices call out their suit.
When their time was up, they filed into one cell per person, according to the instructions relayed over the speakers. Kazumi felt nerves building in her chest, despite her confidence in the accuracy of her guess. Standing in the solitary cell, she waited until prompted to make her guess, calling out "Heart" into the silent room.
The timer ran out and her neck remained in one piece so she supposed she must have guessed correctly. The sound of the cell lock clicking open, signaling it was time to leave.
Stepping out into the wide prison hallway, her eyes briefly caught Chishiya's. She knew it would have been announced if he had died the last round, but it was still a relief to be able to confirm his wellbeing for herself.
Returning to the large circular room with newly decided suits, Akane found Kazumi rather quickly, eagerly joining the side of someone trustworthy, at least for the time being.
As the large group went about their strategy, one at a time stepping up to have their suit announced aloud, the two stuck to the edge, Kazumi careful not to get too comfortable with the people in the center. They'd likely die soon.
"Do you think the whole game will go like this?" Akane questioned, nervously watching the others in the room. "Maybe being stuck here wouldn't be that bad."
Kazumi shook her head at the notion. "This game will end one way or another. Either the Jack or the other players will eventually make a move, start whittling the numbers down."
