After we went to the common room, I made sure to find Reko and call her over.

I really hope this goes well for Alice!

Sara and I hid behind a wall, with me peaking around the corner to look at what happens, of course.

They stared at each other for a good while, clearly uncomfortable with the situation at hand and Alice holding the bongos behind his back.

Reko scoffed. "...If it's nothin', then I'm outta here." She turned around to leave.

"W-Wait...!! Reko!" Alice reached out for her, but thought better of it when she turned around and glared at his outstretched hand.

The ex-convict cleared his throat and showed her the instrument he was holding. "Aren't these bongos yours...?" He asked awkwardly.

The singer's eyes widened and she took a step back in shock. "That's...!! Why do you...!?"

"...I found them at the Prize Exchange." Alice smiled fondly as he looked down at the instrument in his hands. "I was surprised. I thought you'd long since thrown them out..."

Reko scowled and crossed her arms. "...Yeah. I always thought about tossing 'em. But I could never do it..." She admitted.

"Because of me, right?" His hands started to tremble.

The girl just nodded slowly.

Alice took a deep breath. "That day...when you sent me that letter telling me you were cutting contact, rather than shock...I just thought... "yeah, I figured"."

He took a step forward and looked her in the eye. "You are...a musical demon overflowing with talent. I thought you were quick to forget your garbage, deadweight brother, living life as it suited you."

"I told myself that...to find relief. To confirm that my actions had no effect on you..." His expression became solemn as he admitted this.

"But..." He lifted up the instrument so that it was between them. "You couldn't throw away those bongos..."

Reko's eyes were closed and both her teeth and fists were clenched. She was shaking.

Alice continued. "Hahaha... They sell these just anywhere..." He started pointing out the things he mentioned next. "The traces of use...and of careful maintaince to conceal that fact...

He looked his sister in the eyes, filled with regret. "The more I look at them, the more they look like traces of your suffering."

"Urk...!!" Reko finally opened her eyes and glared at her brother. "Shaddup! What're you getting at!?"

"Reko..." Alice presented the instrument with trembling hands, ready to hand it over. "Let me apologize. I made you and our parents...suffer for so long..." He raised his voice suddenly. "It may sound flimsy! But it's how I really feel...!!"

He lowered his head. "I'm truly sorry...Reko... Would you accept these...?"

...

The girl took the bongos from him...

And threw them to the ground.

"What...?" I whispered out in disbelief, Sara gasping beside me.

Alice stared blankly at the instrument that lay in pieces on the ground in front of him.

"Huh...?" He took a step back, a very confused look in his eyes. "R...Reko...?"

The girl snarled at the ground. "...Such a piece of shit." She then looked back at Alice with a furious glare. "Didn't I tell ya? I was always thinking I'd throw these damn things out!"

Alice was sweating and clenching his trembling fists. "...Reko..."

She stepped on the broken pieces of the instrument as she pointed a finger in his face, clearly in a blind rage. "Don't act like a big brother, Alice! You and me are complete strangers now."

The girl picked up a piece and showed it to him. "You think this crap'll let us reconcile? You even realize you Toon a person's life...!?"

Alice gritted his teeth in an attempt to keep his composure. "...For 2 and a half years, I've never once forgotten about my crime..."

"Then why would you ever interact with me again!?" She bellowed as she threw the piece of the bongos on the ground once more, with much more force than necessary.

Reko backed up and snarled at him.

"Don't get in my goddamn way!! Murderer!!"

What the fuck...??

This is horrible!!

The Reko I know wouldn't have destroyed her brother in such a way!!!

Who the fuck is this imposter in front of me!?!?

Suddenly I felt Sara grabbed my hand and drag me with her in between the two. "Please, wait!! Reko!!"

"Sara, (F/n)...!!" She looked astonished that we were there.

"Don't meddle with us, Sara!!" Alice screamed so loudly, I was scared he'd hurt his voice box.

This is the first time he's ever called her by just her first name...!

"B-But...!" Sara was also surprised and her stutter showed it.

"Tch...!!" With that, Reko stomped out of the common room and left the three of us behind.

"Reko!!" She yelled after her.

"Go." I instructed her with a blank expression.

The ginger haired girl looked confused. "What...?"

"Go after her. I'll stay with Alice." I grit my teeth. "It's better you go after her because right now I'm very fucking pissed and don't want to see her face."

Sara hasn't seen me this mad since we found out Sou influenced Joe to find the Sacrifice Card, so I shouldn't be surprised that she didn't expect to see such rage from  me at that moment.

After a second, she nodded. "Alright...!" And just like that she ran after the singer.

I took in a deep breath to calm myself and turned back to look at ex-convict. "Alice, are you-?"

He was picking up the pieces of the broken bongos. Very delicately, not missing a single small piece.

It broke my heart to see him do this.

"Reko...hadn't changed at all." He chuckled without any humor in it. "At least...not when she's around me."

I'll hold off on the information I know. I'm sure he wouldn't believe me in the state he's in.

"Alice..." I kneeled down on the ground opposite of him and helped him pick up the pieces of the broken instrument. "I know it is NOT my place to say this, but what Reko just did was completely out of line. She could have handled that so much more calmly, not to mention not breaking the goddamn bongos you bought her!"

"...(F/n)."

I looked up at him, surprised that he refferen to me by my first name as well. "...yes?"

He narrowed his eyes at me with a serious expression. "I ask that you don't hate Reko."

"Huh...?" I tilted my head.

"Just because you saw one side of her...doesn't mean that's all she is." He attempted at a weak smile. "Believe in...the Reko you know."

Alice took in a deep breath. "You, (F/n) (L/n), and Sara Chidouin have helped me this far. I feel...I was finally able to take a step." He bowed his head to me. "I'm in your debt..."

He was about to get up, but I placed my hand on his shoulder to stop him. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alice. There's more than one side to you as well, you know? You're not just some cold blodded murderer." I attempted to smile at him, through the pain I felt for him. "You're a caring brother, and overall a good person. From what I've seen of you in this Death Game anyway, that's the opinion I have on you."

There was silence for a couple seconds, before he stood back up and quickly faced away from me.

I saw his shoulders shake.

"Do you need a hug...?" I ask.

Alice looked at me over his shoulder.

He was crying...

"Save your kindness for someone who deserves it..." He choked out and started walking out.

Without thinking I ran up to him and hugged him from behind.

"You deserve kindness, Alice. What you did doesn't have to make you a bad person. I can already see that you're not. Obnoxious at times? Yes. Bad? No." I let my own tears spill from my eyes as I told him this.

We stayed like that for about 15 seconds before Alice unwrapped my arms from him. His lips trembled as he offered me a small smile. "You are much too kind for you own good, (F/n) (L/n)."

And just like that...he was gone.

I wiped my eyes on the sleeves of my hoodie and felt a tap on my shoulder. "Sorry...got a bit emotional..." I mumbled.

Sara nodded and sighed. "Well this was a disaster..."

I snort at her matter of fact tone. "You can say that again."

We shared a small laugh at how bizzare this situation was in an attempt to calm ourselves down.

Surprisingly enough it was working.

Maybe we were just getting desensitized to it all. Who knows at this point?

"Sara! (F/n)!"

I turned around to see that it was Q-taro who had shouted our names.

Sara jumped at this instead. "Yagh...! W-What is it?"

He backed up a bit. "Woah... Sorry fer scarin' ya. Just wanted you two to come someplace."

"What place...?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

Q-taro gestured behind him with his thumb. "Come over to the Ruined Corridor, y'hear!? And don't keep me waitin'!" Having said his piece, he walked away to the meeting place.

"What in the world is it...?" Sara murmured.

I shrugged. "Only one way to find out, I guess!"

She nodded and the two of us headed straight for the Ruined Corridor.

Q-taro was standing over by a huge crack in the wall waiting for us. "You're here! Nobody saw ya two, right?"

"I don't think so?" I said looking over my shoulder.

Sara crossed her arms. "Where are we going?"

"This here passage!" He pointed to the crack beside him. "Can the two of ya fit though?"

I walked over and tried to see if I could fit. "Yep, I'm good." I looked over at the two of them. "See you on the other side?"

"Yep...be careful!" Sara said with a worried expression.

"Always." With that, I squeezed my whole body inside the passage and waited for the other two to get through.

It was super dark. I could barely make out the shapes of many junk piles all around me. There was also a monitor with some electrical equipment, a computer chair and familiar mop of blond hair.

As soon as I recognized him, I heard Sara and Q-taro squeeze into this hidden room.

"Huh. You guys are late." Keiji chuckled and stepped towards us.

I shrugged awkwardly. "Sorry, we had to...take care of some stuff first." Sara nodded.

"Fair enough. This way, this way." The detective motioned for us to follow him over to the machines.

"Keiji...?" He cut Sara off.

"Quiet... We can't risk alerting anyone to this place more than we already have, just in case." The blond explained.

Once we stepped up to the electronics, Keiji grinned. "Q-taro finally found it..."

"Found...what?" Sara asked.

Q-taro grabbed something from besides a junk pile and showed it off with a proud grin. "Kai's laptop, 'course."

"SAY WHAT-?" I was quickly shushed by the two. "Sorry! Where did you find it??" I whispered.

"Right here in this room!" The baseball player replied.

Sara ran a hand through her hair. "But this laptop should have vanished from the first floor after Kai retrieved it..." She pointed out. "Why is it here on the third!?"

The red head shrugged. "Beats me... But there's no mistake, this is Kai's laptop."

"The possibilities I can think of are, either someone collected this and put it here...or Kai put it here." Keiji suggested.

My eyes widened. "You know what? That's actually a valid theory! Kai was involved in this Death Game somehow, after all!"

"Hold it, guys. Seek the truth later, alright?" Q-taro interjected. "Sara, Keiji, (F/n), I called ya over so you could break into this laptop! I can't use a computer fer beans"

Well that's a new phrase

Keiji laughed at that. "Wahaha... Investigate what's on it? Let's give it a shot, you two."

"I don't know how much help I'll be, but okay...!" I shrugged.

Sara nodded. "...Alright!"

Q-taro opened up the laptop and pressed the power button. "Okay, it's on!"

He put it on one of the machines and all three of us focused our attention on it.

He looked over at us three. "Please... Get us some good info! Anything!"

"W-Wait a second!! We should come up with a plan first for what data to look for...!" Sara suggested.

Before anyone had the chance to propose anything, the laptop displayed a password entry screen.

"Well shit... Any ideas?" I asked.

Keiji's eyes widened. "Wait. Not good... The battery indicator..."

"W...Whaaaaat!? Shoot...! It's still nearly drained!!" Q-taro groaned in frustration.

The ginger girl signaled for us to stop talking. "I-It's okay! I know the password...!! Sou mentioned it in the Main Game...!"

"Oh yeah, that's right!! I completely forgot!" I smacked my hand to my forehead in realization. "It was Chidouin, right??"

Sara nodded and quickly entered the password.

...

------------------------------------

Password is incorrect.

-------------------------------------

"Wha...?" Sara was speechless. "The password's...wrong!!"

"What the...!?" Keiji leaned closer to the screen, as if that would help him learn the true password.

Q-taro grit his teeth. "You kiddin'!? What's goin' on!?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Did Kai change the password or something!? Or maybe Sou lied about it?? Shit!"

"Kai...changed the password!" Sara decided. "That's the most probable explanation!"

The baseball player was startingto panic. "What do we do!? The battery's at 4 percent!!"

"What would Kai change the password to??" I  bit my nails from the pressure.

Keiji turned to the ginger girl. "Sara...! Type in something only you would know!"

"Only I...?" She questioned.

He nodded. "If Kai really had a connection to your family... I bet he'd use a password we couldn't guess."

"That doesn't really narrow it down...!" She pointed out.

"Just go with your gut! It should be something easy if he did it last minute before the Main Game!" I suggested.

Sara concentrated and thought about it for a bit before taking a deep breath and typing her idea into the little box. 

...

------------------------------------

Starting up. Welcome.

------------------------------------

"Hwoaaaaah!! Nice work, Sara!!" Q-taro exclaimed.

Keiji grinned. "Alright...!"

"Way to go!" I smiled at her.

"The battery's on 3 percent!! What do we do!?" The red head quickly asked.

Keiji furrowed his eyebrows. "Emails...! Let's check the emails Sou talked about."

"Good idea! Here, let me do it!" I proposed.

Sara nodded and stepped aside. "Alright...!!"

"Time to find out if Sou was saying the truth for once or if it's just another fabrication!" I said as I clicked the email icon.

I checked the emails Kai sent from this laptop.

------------------------------------

[Sent Email 1]

As planned, 17 people have been secured. Just in case, is there no error in the date of the Death Game?

Everything is proceeding smoothly.

[Sent Email 2]

I feel a deep affection for miss Sara as well. I will certainly protect her.

I am prepared to offer myself up for the Chidouins.

[Sent Email 3]

It's about time.

If any harm comes to Sara Chidouin, I will stand against even you as an enemy.

[Sent Email 4]

Miss Sara is looking forward to the games. Surely her friend will also take part.

------------------------------------

"They exist! He didn't lie!" I exclaim.

I honestly have no idea why I'm so surprised by this, I knew it was possible he was telling the truth.

Guess I just didn't think it was probable.

"Yep... Exactly what Sou said they were." Keiji  said more to himself than us.

"He didn' lie...?" Q-taro questioned.

The detective's eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Hm? Wait, these emails... We just read them in reverse order...! From the newest to the oldest!"

"Oh shit, you're right! Lemme take a look at the received emails!" I quickly started searching for them.

Sara played with her bangs, obviously anxious. "Let's hope we'll get some answers from them...!"

Sure enough, there were whole conversations over email on this laptop.

I smiled to myself. "Jackpot! Let's read them properly!!"

"Good plan!" Q-taro said with a nod of his head.

I sorted the emails and began reading.

------------------------------------

[Grouped Emails #1]

[Received Email]

Hello hellooooo! (^^)/
Didja know? Sara's going to a board game meetup!

Wonder if she's goin alone...
Papa's worried she might make sum bad friends...

[Sent Email]

Miss Sara is looking forward to the games. Surely her friend will also take part.

[Received Email]

Kaiii~? I never told you, so when'd you find out?

I swear, about the only time I have any idea what you're up to is when you're there at home replyin from your computer,,,

Aw well, keep up the guard work!

Thankies a million!

------------------------------------

"T...This insipid message...!" Sara looked me right in the eyes. "That's exactly how my dad types!!"

My eyes widen. "That's how your dad types!?" I shook my head. "Nevermind! We don't have time to talk, we gotta continue reading!"

------------------------------------

[Grouped Emails #2]

[Received Email]

Kai. You betrayed us?

Betrayed the organization. Betrayed me.

[Sent Email]

It's about time.

If any harm comes to Sara Chidouin, I will stand against even you as an enemy.

[Received Email]

Unforgivable. It's all come to nothing.

Just try and struggle. With your puny arms.

------------------------------------

Q-taro pointed at the screen. "H...Hey, the guy in this email...!"

"It's...not my father!" Sara assured.

Keiji rubbed his chin, completely concentrated. "From the context, maybe one of Kai's parents...? And it says Kai betrayed the organization."

We continued...

------------------------------------

[Grouped Emails #3]

[Received Email]

Hello hellooooo! (^^)/
Feelin kinda in danger lately...

Well ok, its Sara they're after.
She's being targeted.

I'm attached to this house, but I guess I gotta discard it and run.

...Will you come with, Kai?

[Sent Email]

I feel a deep affection for miss Sara as well. I will certainly protect her.

I am prepared to offer myself up for the Chidouins.

[Received Email]

Oh Kai...u really are the greatest hero ever.

Thankies a million!

------------------------------------

"Another conversation with my father...!" The ginger girl's thoughts were racing a mile a minute, I could tell. "Dad knew that something would happen!"

The detective hummed in thought. "Discard the house and run..." He looked over at the girl. "Sara, were you making plans to move soon, say?"

She shook her head. "I didn't hear about that... I didn't hear anything...!"

"Settle down!" Q-taro hushed them. "Keep reading (F/n)...!"

I nodded. "Gotcha!"

------------------------------------

[Grouped Emails #4]

[Received Email]

Are you the contact? You should know not to use this adress. I'll hear the report, but follow the rules from now on.

[Sent Email]

As planned, 17 people have been secured. Just in case, is there no error in the date of the Death Game?

Everything is proceeding smoothly.

[Received Email]

I see. You've done well.

...On a most futile effort.

Thought you could pretend to be my contact and disrupt things, Kai?

You're at home right now, away from the Chidouin house. Aren't you?

I've got a tip for you. The phrase you just sent, "X people have been secured," is the trigger that sets the plan into motion. 

You fell for the trap, Kai.

Sara Chidouin will be captured soon.

Thankies  a million.

------------------------------------

"This one is...! From the day of the kidnapping...!!" Sara covered her mouth in shock.

Q-taro scratched his head. "What's the big idea!? I'm not followin' at all!!"

"I'll sum it up." Keiji started recalling the facts. "I'll sum it up. Kai was in correspondence with two people... One was Sara's father. And the other was...one of Kai's parents, who belonged to the kidnappers' organization. It seems Kai betrayed the organization... He chose to instead protect Sara. And to do that, on the day of the kidnapping...Kai sent a fake email to the organization." 

He shrugged. "Maybe the idea was that it'd disrupt the organization, letting Sara escape... But...his ruse was fully exposed. He just got used instead. 'Cause "thankies a million"...waas the signoff used between Kai and Sara's dad. The emails were going straight through. All their exchanges...went to the organization..."

I took a step back from the computer. "That is insane!! This whole situation is so complicated...God..."

Sara started pacing back an forth. "Then...then...!! Kai wasn't a stalker at all...! He guarded me in secret...to protect me...!"

"An' the only time Kai left his guard duty..." Q-taro stroked his beard as he talked. "It was when he sent emails from home!"

"That's one crafty trick." Keiji murmured. 

Suddenly Sara stopped pacing and mumbled. "He tried to warn me...!"

"Wha-?" Before I could react to what she said, Q-taro spoke up.

"...The battery's gone dead."

I facepalmed. "Ah, shit..."

"Couldn't get any info related to escape after all." Keiji sighed.

Q-taro's expression turned serious. "But still... Sure enough, Kai wasn't a good-fer-nothin' villain!!"

The blond raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that information really...beneficial?

"Maybe...? We at least know more than we did before!" I pointed out.

Keiji closed the laptop with a sigh. "If we can just get it charged... We'll boot this laptop back up."

The baseball player tuned to look at the ginger girl. "Sara..."

"You hold onto it, Q-taro." She cut him off.

He tilted his head at her. "Me...?"

"Yes..." She nodded.

I shrugged. "I have no objections. I know I don't trust myself to keep it safe..."

Keiji scratched his neck and looked at each of us. "...For the time being, let's not tell everyone else about this. It's a secret weapon just for us three... Make sure you don't spill the beans."

"I gotcha." Q-taro said.

I nodded. "You got it. We won't say a thing without consulting you three! Right Sara?"

"Right...!" She confirmed.

"That's settled, then. We should act just the same as yesterday." The detective instructed.

The red head gave him a thumbs up and a grin. "Y-Yeah! I'll hide the laptop in my bedroom and go do an attraction or somethin'!"

"Sounds like a plan." I shrugged.

With that, Q-taro hid the laptop in his jacket and and left for his bedroom.

"We should get going too." Keiji pointed out.

"Yes..." The ginger haired girl nodded. "You ready to go (F/n)?"

"Think so. Let's get outta here." I confirmed.

With that, we made our way for the Common Room.

[Author's Note]

We're getting closer and closer to the end of Part 1!

Guys, get ready to vote for who you want to live.

You get to pick how this story goes, so start thinking about it!

I'll hold a vote once we get to the end of the Trust Barter Sub Game.

Let's make this story together! :D

Kaja is finished here ^^

[Word Count: 3842]