The Boy With The Blank Stare: The Promise

Chapter Two: The Diary

Class today started off weird. My Aunt never arrived, even after the whole class had been sitting around for maybe an hour. On the bright side, it meant no one could punish me and Ouma for being late... but I didn't see her in the morning at home either. She hasn't really done much since she figured out the truth about how Chiasa really died.

Wonder how that feels...thinking someone you loved killed themselves...and then it turns out that was all a big lie.

Would it be relieving? That fear that you might have caused it too disappears? Or would that make you feel even worse? Knowing how they died and in a more brutal way.

I sighed looking over at the class, Ouma was sitting at his seat with his headphones returned, he seemed to be in peace at least but in thought. I guess I can't blame him, everything the last few days have been unexpected.

A lot of revelations from both sides, I could barely wrap my head around it myself. 

The rest of the class just continued to talk amongst themselves, I was tempted to join in but instead just continued to read from a book I had received in the mail from my Father. It was the first time he had made contact with me since I left, and I was surprised it was a gift at that. 

He hasn't bought me a book since...

"You and Ouma have gotten close huh?" Akamatsu mentioned, snapping me out of my thoughts and I nodded "yeah I guess so...he's actually fun to talk to" I told her.

"Huh..." she whispered almost to herself "what?" I asked confused "it's just...for years I didn't know how to help Ouma, but seeing how you seemed to have helped him in a span of a few months... when I was clueless for years...kind of shocked me" she replied honestly.

"Maybe you should spend more time with him then" I slightly scolded "I mean I'm not always going to be here for him when it happens and I will continue to try to but you guys should help too," I told her.

Akamatsu didn't respond "I'm trying in the ways I know how" she responded "but that's not-" I started but got cut off with someone entering the room. The headmaster.

"Hello class, I have some news I have just received" they greeted walking up to the front of the classroom. "Your teacher, has sadly chosen to retire due to the incident involving the incident involving her daughter, and to my knowledge 'clear their head'" they told somberly.

"It's such a shame to me and my fellow staff as we always believed she would stay to see you all graduate, however, I suggest you give her support" they instructed. "We are currently searching for a replacement for the rest of the remaining year, so use today as a study day for any tests you have coming up" they ordered.

"Have a good day" they finished with a small smile and left the room as the room fell silent. "Huh...I never thought she would leave now..." Kiibo started "I mean they didn't when...sorry Ouma I didn't mean to" Kiibo started and Ouma just seemed to be ignoring them.

"I know" Amami replied "at least they can't call me a produce item anymore" they sighed in relief. "That was mainly Ouma actually like the time he-" Akamatsu started but Amami cut off "we don't speak of that picture day" he responded.

"But that was the funniest sh*t that ever happened at this f*ckin school!" Iruma cried out. "Yeah and I remember Ouma calling you a sl*t all the time" Amami retorted and Iruma went all nervous.

I just sighed as I opened my desk for one of my textbooks I kept in there. There sitting inside was a diary with a purple cover, it also had drawn on designs of cartoon characters. Huh? What's this...? Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the diary...

I couldn't help but look at the diary in curiosity, I wonder if they ever could have imagined what would have happened to them...had any weird feeling or sensation that they were going to die...

I ignored my curiosity as I reached for the textbook but the cover of the diary accidentally opened.

This Diary is the property of
Chiasa Jin, Riko Sanyu, Mirai Masako, and Tsuki Otome :P

No peeping is allowed D:<

What? A combined diary? So four of Ouma's friends were writing inside of this...I...

A thought occurred in my head, the substitute...he was never caught was he...? He never got to be punished for the crimes he committed, did he? He got away with everything, and all of Ouma's friends have died without any sort of justice, and Ouma...he's suffered for years by himself.

That isn't fair.

Wait a second...the school was said to have burned down. But these desks have survived, that shouldn't be possible they are completely unharmed in any way! I don't think Ouma would even know about the diary...I mean he can't even see who this truly belonged to...much less read it.

I decided to question Akamatsu for answers. After all she sat next to Otome before she died.

"Can we talk real quick?" I asked and she nodded though seemed confused as I brought her out into the hall. "What do you want to ask me about?" She asked. I took a deep breath "I know about what happened" I told her and her eyes widened.

"Y-you know a-about the-?" She started and I nodded "I know about the fire in the school," I told her.

"And the suicide..." she brought up, so she believes it to..."yes I do, I just had some questions," I told her and she nodded.

"I guess ask away...I mean Ouma probably told you this huh?" She said with a small laugh.

"It doesn't matter when, I just wanted to know how the desks survived the fire" I asked her.

She sighed "I remember the last day so clearly...it still confuses me sometimes...so one of Ouma's friends, his name was Takura Danuja, he called Momota, Harukawa, and me to help him with something" she started.

"They asked us to help move our class desks outside so they could throw a party...and right when we finally got the last one out" Akamatsu sniffled.

"The whole school was engulfed in fire" she answered shedding a tear. She stuttered as she restarted "I w-was so scared...I ran for someone to call the fire department...to getaway...Momota and Harukawa ran off somewhere else I didn't follow...but the next day...figuring out almost all of them died...it still horrifies me" she told me.

"I found a diary" I told her, "of four of Ouma's old friends in Otome's desk" I told her and Akamatsu raised an eyebrow.

"We didn't open them since then..." she mumbled to herself "I guess the custodial staff must have kept everything inside, we never checked and the parents never came to collect their things other than what was in the lockers,"  she told me.

I nodded, "thanks," I told her, Akamatsu just nodded as she got up to talk to someone I guess.

Justice...

Would...if I could find remnants of whatever fears DICE had before their death...if I found some sort of evidence it wasn't a suicide, than...that could start an investigation, especially with Ouma's testimony, when I convince him.

We could find the substitute. We could end it all, and maybe...maybe that will let Ouma be able to live the rest of his life in peace...

It might be foolish. But I want to try.