Heir & Heiress

Chill in the Air

"Ah, Karen!" Ishimaru sternly "greeted" me. "I see that...Byakuya's not with you".

"Well, no. It's a coincidence that we show up together".

"But you wo-would know where he mi-might be," Toko sneered at me. "You seduced him into a corner and killed him, didn't you?"

"I would never!" Bitch! "Haven't you learned not to paint targets based on guesses?" I glanced at Makoto.

"I do-don't trust someone who betrays the nighttime rule," the writer scoffed. The others focused on me with expressions of surprise and disappointment.

Fukawa wasn't just painting a target, she was trying to turn the others against me. "No, no, it's not what you think. I was just returning something to Byakuya," my hands were shaking. If something did happen, Fukawa would try to frame me as the culprit! "And I'm going to find him to prove it!"

"Makoto, go with her," Kirigiri crossed her arms, staring at me with her usual emotionless and cold scrutiny.

"The hermit spits accusations and you deem me untrustworthy?" She didn't answer me, simply urged us to hurry up. While the others spread out across the first floor, I went straight for the second floor. Although Kirigiri sent Makoto to follow me, Chihiro and her had the same idea to search higher ground. If Byakuya wasn't in his room, then there would only be one other room to check. I slid the library door open, stepping aside for Makoto to peer in. "See? He's fine. Now everyone can stop pointing fingers".

"But what are you doing here? Everyone was worried and started looking for you!"

Byakuya glanced at me, then to Makoto. "Why would you search for me?"

"We promised to meet in the dining hall every morning".

I rested a hand on Makoto's shoulder, "Technically, Byakuya didn't 'promise' anything. Just like how we didn't 'promise' to shut ourselves in all night," I shot a glare at Fukawa, who was shuffling behind the others.

"Don't act like yo-you're innocent!"

"How the hell do you even know about anything between us?!" I couldn't keep a level head with the stuttering girl blurting every detail about my personal life. I sighed, "Not the problem right now. Anyway, you all see that there was no need to worry". I maneuvered around the others, standing beside Byakuya.

"I was just reading. I've never read such vulgar literature, but it might prove useful".

I slid the book towards me, reading the cover. I never thought there would be a day where he would read fiction, "You've never read a mystery novel before?" I chuckled, flipping through the pages. Useful? I shut the book, setting it aside. "What exactly do you mean by 'useful'?"

"For reference," Byakuya focused on the others, not even glancing in my direction. Surely, he's planning some kind of trap. "I plan to win with originality. Otherwise, this game would be boring, wouldn't it?" I stepped back, bumping into one of the short bookshelves. Game? Byakuya grinned, "We should at least take the opportunity to enjoy it".

"This isn't a fucking game!" Mondo stood inches from Byakuya's face. "Wipe that smartass grin off your face!"

"It is a game," We turned to gawk at Celeste. "A zero-sum game of life or death instead of, say, interviews and exams," she said, turning to Byakuya. "Of course, you've never considered that you might lose".

"Of course, he hasn't," the words tore from my throat, training an eye on Byakuya's proud stance. Will you stop making the others hate you?

"If you keep talking big like that, you'll just end up dead!" Hina, along with the others, looked upon Byakuya will utter contempt.

"There's no point in arguing with him. He's an elite; someone who's known victory since birth and has gotten anything he desires, is that not so?" Celeste laughed behind her hand. It was a vague way of explaining how Byakuya was raised, but accurate none the less. "I understand. We're alike in that regard".

"Shut your mouth," Byakuya walked over to the door, preparing to leave. "I have no intentions to play your game of cooperation let alone attend any meaningless meetings. One of us could easily poison all of the food ahead of time".

"Before you make your grand exit, you do remember that there can only be one survivor, correct?" Kirigiri glanced in my direction and exchanged cold glares with Byakuya.

"Did you not hear the gambling addict? I know how to achieve victory on my terms," Byakuya nodded in my direction before shutting the door behind him. I hated how difficult it was to read him; he wasn't really planning to kill someone...right?

"Is there something we don't know about?" Kirigiri turned her gaze onto me. I was really starting to hate being stuck in the middle of conflict.

"Sneaking out past curfew, sleeping in his room, they even agreed on an 'alliance'. Although, I didn't know that allies made agreements by ki-kissing," Fukawa sneered. "Like I said, you seduced him into protecting you!" She pointed an accusatory finger in my face. "I ev-even caught you sneaking out of Byakuya's room wearing his clothing".

"I didn't seduce him! We knew each other before being trapped here," I shrugged, avoiding the judgmental stares. "I don't agree with his views on our situation, but...I won't turn against him. No matter how long you rant out of envy," I tossed a cold glance at Toko. Why bother denying an eye witness' account knowing that most of them wouldn't believe me?

"You're not even going to attempt to change his mind? He could kill one of us!" Hina gripped my shoulders. "How can you stand beside someone like him with how he treats people?"

I gently removed her hands, "Because I trust Byakuya. If it would ease your minds, I can try talking to him, but don't expect drastic improvement". With that said, I removed myself from the library. I wasn't going to explain that Byakuya was the only one I could truly trust in this hell hole, nor explain every detail of our lives before coming here. I knew that wasn't what they wanted to hear anyway. They wouldn't have believed me if I said Byakuya wouldn't kill someone; hell, I wouldn't believe it either. Byakuya's serious, cunning, intelligent and could definitely get away with murder, but he wouldn't act if he didn't have a bulletproof plan