After a few forced rounds of karaoke and  sipping of our beverages, Gurin and I parted from the group. " That was fun wasn't it?" She said stretching. I tossed my head to the side. " it was something to do I suppose, " I replied. She smiled. " aw just admit you had fun, yan-chan! " She added while nudging my shoulder. " Whatever floats your boat," I replied. She  clasped her hands. " Awe you're implying that you had a good time~ I'm touched," she said enthusiastically. I rolled my eyes.

She then took the time to describe in great detail about the cafe, the staff, her favorite videogame, other shops, basically anything that came to mind she began to express her opinions on them more and more. I silently nodded along. Not like I had anything to really add anyway. Her words blur the passing minutes.

" Okay but now I am even more serious than before! Do you think Amai looked at Taro weird? " She asked. I turned my head  to her. " What do you mean?" I asked. She gripped the sides of her arms. "I don't know. Like, she took one look at him and this light just flashed over her eyes?? And she like stalked him with her eyes while he was leaving??? " she asked very worried. I paused and thought about it. " she seemed fine to me, why?" I replied. She looked away frowning. "I kinda find it odd how-WWAH!" She began before running into the school's gate. "Ow," she lightly moaned.

I stopped and looked up to face the looming walls of the school. It gave off a unwelcoming spirit in the fading light. " So how do you-well we get in?" I asked. Gurin recomposed herself. " Nothing to fear yan-chan! " She cheered. She walked over to a wall covered in brush. Well nearly brush, as she then tapped a fake part of shrubbery and a blue screen appeared. She typed the school's access code and tapped the top side to turn it off. The gates slowly rolled out of our path, bellowing in harsh tones. Gurin turned to me. " Come on let's go! " she stated and happily prance inside.

I stared at the looming dark bars in front of me. Gurin turned around a few meters away from me. " Don't be afraid! It's three hundred percent safe here!" She called to me. Scared? I'm not scared. I just forgot to walk with her. " I'm coming, " I reply back to her and began to walk up to the school building.

" Okay! So: I'm gonna go bust inside the computer lab and grab gema's laptop. He really needs to stop leaving it in there, so clumsy! And after that I'm gonna go up to the roof and write a couple emails to Yandere dev! " she started to explain. She turned to me abruptly and began walking backwards, " It's kinda a habit of mine since we don't have WiFi at home for longer than an hour when I get home! So I guess we meet up there, after you find your female necessities!" I gave her a confused glare.  " How did you complete your paper if you don't have access to the internet for long?" I asked. She flipped her green hair, " I am the most  fastest typeset in the third year! " She boasted. I raised an eyebrow. " I guess that explains why it looked rushed," I remarked. She pouted. " Awe come on! I made corrections! Not everybody is perfECT-" she started to explain as she walked back into the locked doors.

" I see your point," I tried to joke. Gurin rubbed the back of her head. "Glad I could reason with you yan-chan, " she replied in a joking fashion and a closed eyes smile. I look behind her hair at the glass doors to the locker room. " How do we get past this part? " I asked. She stood up straight. " There's a key in a rock near a tree around here somewhere... I just gotta remember which tree," she explained. I sighed with an annoyed tone.

" This school has several trees. How are you-" She threw her arms up. " I know! It makes zero sense-o!!! It's designed to be physically impossible so only the staff and Megami know where it is! " she shook her head with a displeased look. But then she glanced over to me with a small smirk smearing over her face." But I never said we are  going in through the front. " She began to walk away from the door. " This way! follow me!" She said motioning to her while running. I grunted a followed suite.

After a few more basically laps around the school we stop at the back of the school. Gurin started to crawl around on the sidewalk muttering. I looked down to her. This is time wasting away from me. I need to test my hypothesis now. " You don't know how to get  do you?" I asked. " You need to be more patient yan-chan! " She huffed as she searched. " The club leaders came up with idea to copy the key and hid it under a patch of broken cement! " She sat up.

" Ya' know, now that I'm thinking about it. I think that might be how those revelry rascals got in here! Oh no! You don't think they took the key do you? " She panicked. I furrowed my brows. " How would they even know the key could be under there?" I said annoyed stopping my foot. A small section broke. Great. Now I'm a vandal. Gurin eyes lit up and she began to crawl to the broken walkway. " Could you move your foot?" She asked curiously. I nodded and lifted my foot away from the fractured surface. She pulled the piece of concrete out and began to smile.

" Hey! You found it! Wow. Guess Pipi didn't say the right location when I asked her," she stated and began to rise up. She detached the small copper key taped to the under side. She handed the palm sized object to me. " You can put this back. I'll grab more tape from the art club, when we leave," She said cheerfully. She promptly turned around and unlocked the door and ran inside.

I stepped inside. The hallways were dimly lit almost like a veil of ebony coated the walls. It must not have been Gurin's first time wandering darkness. I must have hit at least three different boxes. Annoyed,  I pulled my phone for its flashlight app. A small spot light hit the school's marble floor. Okay, sight problem: now solved. I began to walk up the stairs. Now...

How do I test my theory?

Well. For starters I'm going to need something similar to Najimi's weight and something to mark on said item so I can throw it off the roof. Maybe a mannequin from the sewing club? Yeah. That could work... oh wait. That club is down stairs. I groaned and stomped back down the stairs. I should really think my internal monologues before I start walking.

Midori's pov.

" There you are!" I say to the completely  not alive object lying on the table with scattered laptops. I snatch the button littered black and orange bag.

" You little rascal! Gema should really be more careful with you! I mean it makes sense since you got all his work on his new dating sim game and this is like what? The fifth time?! Seriously! I hate being here without my club mates talking enough! Uhhhhg! it's also your fault too! I don't know how, but it is! Equal blame so equal punishment! " I tell the bag in a scolding tone waving a finger at it. I glance over the very empty  room. " Really... really hate it..."

I shake my head. " Oh well, can't worry about that now, now can I ?" I say to myself as I sling the sack over my shoulder. Now what was going to do again? I forgot. Hmm... oh well! I'll just email my favorite game developer until I remember. I happily trotted out the ro-oh wait! I began to walk backwards. Silly me...I forgot to turn off the light! I flipped the switch and shut the door behind me. There...now to the roof!

I began my trek upstairs and clicked the connect to internet on my phone. An update appeared in the corner. Oh goodie! The developer uploaded a new video today! I wonder what it's about... I click the link in anticipation, causally licking the strawberry lip gloss from my lips. The screen flicked to a video watching website. His persona greeted me with his unnaturally smooth voice.  Oh poo... it's just another 'please no spamming video' hmph! This is like what the third one? We get it all ready! You don't want us to spam you but i know if I don't; i'd be failing the character you put in the game about me. If we stop, she'll go away! And she's technically like my character and that would just be totally unfair!
I pause his video and look up.

Hello doors!
I open the doors and walk out, hand on one of them so it wouldn't lock me out. I look around the area. Where's the brick prompt? I shimmy behind the door. Ah! There! I lift the block up and place it in the middle of the walk. I remove my hand from the very cold door. I watched as it slowly creeped to the brick to stop.

I turn on my heels and began looking for the strongest place for the WiFi. I trotted over to the north side rails, a well known favorite of mine. I stop and check the connection. Four bars...perfect! I prop myself against the rail. I swiped around looking for the e-mailing system logo I use. Suddenly

CRASH

I look up startled. " What the-"

CRASH

I sling my hand against the railing. What in the fresh tity was that? I hesitantly slunk off the railing and turned my head to my left side. Is it gonna happen again? I waited.

  Then I waited.

    Then I waited some more.

Nothing.

" Okay just a fluke! " I say to myself. I was about to lean on the railing and continue searching when the crashing and the bashing came back.

CRASH. Snap!

" Shit. I didn't mean to do that, " I heard a voice like yan-chan's say. Okay now i am highly confused. I swiped down on my phone and clicked the flashlight icon. " Who's up here?" I say aloud shifting the very small beam of light from left to right. " Uh, I am?" The yan-chan impersonator said. " Who's 'I' ?" I say. The beam landed on a faceless figure. Naturally, I scream and toss my only source of light behind me. " Don't freak out! It's just a mannequin, Gurin, " The voice said. I then heard footsteps. Oh no it's coming for me!!!

I quickly fumbled around for my phone. I felt its plastic case and quickly picked it up. I heard the door open. I spun around and shined the light at the creator. " Stay back!" I shout. " Gurin turn that off. " I focused on the whited out silhouette. Oh, it was the real yan-chan.  I compiled and swiped the app away. I look up to her now blackened silhouette. " You scared me there! What was that noise? " I asked. She looked down and shuffled her feet. She didn't respond immediately. " Well," she said, " want to see? "

I raised a brow at her. She probably couldn't see, it was way too dark now. " Okay? " I responded. " I don't know what you could possibly show me, it's pretty much zero on the viability scale!" She grabbed my risk. She pulled my along to the east railing. Next to the railing was the mannequin I saw and her phone on the ground, flashlight mode on.

" Look down there," She said. " I see your phone?" I respond confused.  She shook her head. " No. I meant the rails," She corrected herself. I peeked over the metallic rungs into the deep dark void. She picked up her light and casted it over a mangled mannequin like the one next to us.

Now I'm really, really, really confused!

" W-what happened here? Did it commit suicide because it had issues with the dress designs on it?" I partly joked. She shook her head. " They say if you knock a piece of bread with jelly down with the jelly side up, it will always fall jelly side down, due to it never completing rotation. So -" she started. " Who's says that? I've never heard of that!" I interrupted. " Trust me it's a thing," she responded.

She trekked closer to me. " Any way, that phrase became the base for my theory, " she continued. I looked over to her. " What kind? Like science theory or conspiracy theory? " I added. She placed her hand on the back of her head. " Maybe a bit of both..." she casually placed her elbows on the railing. " After my research, I concluded that the mannequins do follow the jam rule in their positions however,  they bounce. This is quite a problem with my theory, " She cupped her chin.

" I still don't follow you," I replied. She leaned off the railing. She walked over to the mannequin and placed a hand on its shoulder.  " Say this was a student contemplating suicide. Would it face their  death? Or," she started turning the figure,  "  Or would it turn away?"

That's a very disturbing question. " Well...I guess that depends on the student's personality, " I replied.  She stepped toward me. " Be more specific, " she instructed. Oh geez, really? You're being really weird. I look to the floor under my feet. " I guess... I guess someone who would be relieved by death, would look away? I guess..." I started unsure. I look to what I presume was her head and not the mannequin's. " Why? Are you thinking about- "

" No. I am making sure Najimi didn't do it herself," She explained. " What? What makes you think she killed herself then didn't do it, when the police have yet to decide what happened ?! I mean... It's kinda logical? She was running with Musume's group of friends though, and they're perfectly fine! They're jerk yeah, but mentally sound!" I replied. " Exactly, " she responded. What?

" I am so confused right now," I replied groaning. She shined her phone's light under her face. " Exactly. It's confusing! It doesn't make sense to roll it as a suicide,  since she  A.) seemed perfectly normal and B.) Her position doesn't make sense if what you believe is true! And..." she explained with much anger. She didn't say anything for a while. I think I should nudge her on. " And C.) ? " I added. It looked like she shook her head. I couldn't tell. She moved her phone away.

" And C.) ... well... I need video footage to prove my point, " Yan-chan said kinda shaky. I leaned off the rails. " You're not making any sense? What footage? " I asked. I placed a hand on her shoulder. She was shaking. Is she okay?

" How many-"
" No start from the beginning. I can't make sense from what you're giving me, so build on what you have already said," I interrupted. She lessened her shaking.

Man, I am tired of standing. I sit down on the lightly dusty floor of the roof. I pat a spot in front of me. She looked down. She probably didn't see that... I should do it again! I smacked the rough tiles. Huge mistake! I yanked my hand back as I winced in pain. She made a huffy noise. She slowly sunk down to her knees.

" You aren't going to freak out, if I say something strange. Will you?" She asked seriously. I shook my head vigorously. " Not gonna happen! " I say with utmost confidence. She sighed. " Okay. I can not feel emotions, " she said blankly. I blinked. " I... didn't quite catch tha-"

" I have not been able to feel emotions since I was a baby. If I do, it's only caused by another person or persons for short periods of time," she expanded upon.

I...
How...

You know what? Fuck it. I am not gonna hurt myself over this.

I rolled my hand. " Go on," I urged her. She tossed her head. I think her gaze landed to the edge of the ledge. " Most times, these ' feelings' are short and fleeting. Pitty, annoyance... they're short lived. I hated it, yet I couldn't find it in me to leave. They were emotions. Something I can't produce myself, " She continued. I tilted my head.

" You cried from my touch though? " I asked. " I can't do that by myself. I could do that because you were there... that is how it has been all  my life... until I saw them, " she replied. She said "them"  in a very breathy tone. She pulled her left hand close to her heart.

" Najimi and Churu. Their playful interaction gave me happiness... a long since of belonging... comfort... everything I have lived so long without knowing. I figured. If I put them together more while I am in the same room, I could feed off their joint happiness. But now," she trailed on. Her voice was filled with pain.  " N-now they're gone. So is all the light I knew. It's all filled by nothingness. " She began to shake again. I put a hand to her shoulder.

" So... from what I get... you're a fujoshi who only felt happiness near a very rude girl and an emotional imbalanced girl?" I stated confused. I think I may have heard her growl. " N-not to be rude by calling you that yan-chan! Hahaha! " I laugh off. I place my other hand on her available sholder. " But you didn't get to the part of the mannequin maiming? "

Ayano sighed. She crossed her arms. " I-I couldn't believe Najimi jumped off the roof of her own free will, let alone take her destined partner's life! So... I applied the jam theory to a human. More specifically, Najimi, so I borrowed a prop or two of the sewing club. "

I let go of her and sat back to take in the information I received. Hey she left out point c. I want all the facts here so I kinda need that.  " What about footage? What kind?" I ask.  She looked to her legs as if they had an answer.

" Do you think Info-chan is a myth?" She asked. I shook my head. " Well you would be right. She's been or was helping me bring Najimi and Churu together threw a specific kind of small payment,  since they were very minor tasks. I asked her how much for the video feed of last Friday, " She stood up.

" She said what I was giving her wouldn't compare to that video. I need something of equal value... but what?! What could be so similar to a life or death situation in payment by favors?!" She stamped her foot on the floor.

Okay.
So not only was she into girl on girl actions, she was trying to get by police. Okay, normal teenager stuff there.

She has a point though. From what I know about Info, there is no way mere gossip would satisfy her. There's probably another angle to her request. Hmm...

" OH! That panty site! " I say out loud hoping up. She turned. " The.. what?" She asked. I bounce up. " Obviously she needs more material for her panty shot website! She sells pics of girl's underwear to the guys. I saw Gema downloading pictures from last year's maid cafe! I think you can upload videos too, and they go for more! You can record something provocative and you can exchange it for your proof!" I explained.

I'm pretty smart aren't I huh?

She pondered it. She then grabbed my shoulder. " That might work." She replied. She raised her left pointer finger. " But, I now have a very poor reputation and girls with half a brain will notice me recording them. Also, what, pray tell, would I record?"

I cupped my jaw. Right. What could be a high ranking pervert video?

" I take gym with a few delinquent students. I could set up my phone to record them undress, and I'll send the feed to you!" I answer uncupping my jaw. " The delinquents wear such long skirts it's probably worth something?!"

She wrapped her hands around my hand. " Really? You'd help me?" She asked sounding very surprised for someone who can't feel. I snickered. " Course yan-chan! What are friends for?" I replied. I stopped and tilted my head. " We are friends right?" I ask.

She tossed her head back for a moment.
" Hmmm..."  She went very quiet.

Oh no! I bet I made her uncomfortable!  Ah-quick change topics! How about really bad pun-

She pulled her head forward. " I guess so," she replied shrugging. Oh!! Cool!!! I have a friend outside the gaming club! " Yay! " I exclaimed.  I wrap my non trapped around hers and squeezed really tight. I quickly changed my facial expression.

" Then I insist you call me Midori! " I stated with a pout. She sighed. " Really? This again? " I nodded. " Uh-huh! Calling me by my last name is way to formal! " I replied. She went silent. " How about... I call you 'M' instead? " She asked.

Hmmmm... M like Midori? I'm fine with it!

" A nick name? OOH! It's like the yan for your nickname! Even better!!! " I replied ecstatic. I really really do have a friend outside my club!!!!

Ayano's pov

" We are friends right?" She ask.

Huh. That's a good question. 

I tossed my head up to face the faintest shade of night sky.

What do I view you?

Well... you are very distracting and unbelievably load. You're also, if I am being frank, kinda childish. Yet... you did improve my lost state a small bit. You did help me get inside the school. And you just offered your assistance in piecing together this puzzle of death.

I wouldn't call it friendship ,however; compliance maybe?

The girl's hands began to fidget. She noticed my silence.

Well, better tell her what she wants to hear.

" I guess so," I replied. She tensed up, and squeezed my hand, admitting a soft 'yay' to herself. She raised a finger to her face.
" Then I insist you call me Midori! " She stated with an insisting tone in her voice.

I sighed. Great. That's exactly the next logical step. " Really? This again? " I asked. She quickly nodded. " Uh-huh! Calling me by my last name is way to formal! " she replied. I gave a slight huff. That's still a title for freind-freinds, which we're not...so...half way?

Half way.

" How about... I call you 'M' instead? "  I asked. She pondered about the suggestion. " A nick name? OOH! It's like the 'yan' for your nickname! Even better!!! " she replied practically bouncing off the tiled roof.

Good. Now that's cleared up.

I cast my gaze toward the void of sky lining the school's gate. Small specs of light began to pierce the thin mist of clouds above. I turned my attention back to Gu...

M . I turned back to M. " How about we get out of here before it's too dark for our phone lights? Hmm? " I say trying to sound sweet. She glanced over the rails. " Sure! But uh..We should probably clean that up yan-chan, " She replied.

Oh yeah. There's debri down there.

I gave a light chuckle. " Right... wanna lead the way.... 'M' ? " I suggest to her. She gave a very cheesy salute. " Yes ma'am miss yan-chan , ma'am! " She then  spun on her heels and ran towards the door.