Alice in Borderland ~ Chishiya

27

'What exactly are we looking for?' I ask. 'I thought you didn't need to know the details,' Chishiya replies. 'If you want me to look for something specific, don't you think it would be helpful to know what that is?' We look at each other directly before he shrugs. 'I'm not going to say too much about that.'

'So you want me to help you search other people's rooms to find something, but you don't want to tell me what to look for?' He doesn't respond. If he's not going to tell me what he wants to find, why did he even ask me to join the search? Then why doesn't he just go by himself? I think about it for a moment.

'You're planning something,' I say, 'and if you tell me what you're looking for, then I know too much information about what you're up to.' I see that I'm right. I think about the moment I entered the conference room yesterday and saw a full table. Chishiya was also there, which means he is an executive member, probably because of the good cards he turned in. It's a dangerous position, and one tiny misstep could mean the end. If he's really doing something that's dangerous and I know something about it..

'You don't trust me,' I say. It didn't sound resentful of hurt, it's just an observation. 'I don't trust anyone,' he replies. 'And yet, you asked me to help you.' He nods. 'Why?' I want to know. He doesn't answer immediately. 'Because we might work well together,' he says with a smile. That's exactly what we said to each other after our hearts game. He didn't tell me that he could've electrocuted me if I didn't open the door for him and that he could've let me die afterwards. The fact that he didn't let both things happen, confirms that he can indeed benefit from me. He's a practical person. To a certain extent, I am too, but there's another aspect of me that he doesn't fully understand yet. I don't know why, but he would like to.

It has to do with my social and emotional side. I know, because he asked me why I waited for him before I closed the door during tag, when the most logical thing to do was to lock him in with the horsehead. I also don't know why I did that, but we both know that I acted out of respect for him without really risking my own life during the mascot game. The hearts game again boils down to the unknown. I freed him, without knowing that he was of any use to me. And that's something he doesn't seem to understand, yet he wants to.

He's asking for my help, because I've proven to be capable. I can think and I'm physically able to get a lot done. But I'm not the only one who has mastered that. Why is he asking me anyway? Is it because he also seems to be avoided by the Beachers and is also doing his best to avoid them?

Well, what difference does it make? As long as I have an idea of what he expects from me. 'So you're not going to tell me exactly what you want to find,' I say, 'but I have to help you find something that could be of value or have meaning. I'll have to let you know.' Chishiya nods. I nod, too, but not as an agreement. I look straight at him. 'And who says you're not trying to frame me?' I ask him. 'Who says this isn't an attempt to eliminate a strong player? How can I know this isn't a preconceived plan to lynch me?'

'You can't,' he replies. 'Why should I help you, then?' The answer "to have something to do" is not enough in this sense. He knows that, too. In fact, he doesn't seem to have an answer at all.

He didn't say my conspiracy theory is complete nonsense. He hasn't denied that he might be planning to do that, but I know he isn't. If he had wanted to betray or hang me, he would've done it during our hearts game. He didn't have any logical reason to let me live, but he did it anyway. In addition, he could manipulate a weaker person to help him. That's why he won't try to frame me now, either. Maybe he doesn't really need me to find what he's looking for. Maybe, although he doesn't want to release any information about his plan now, this is the start to get me involved.

'Okay,' I say as I get up. 'Okay?' he repeats in a questioning tone. I nod. 'Then let's get started.' His questioning eyes turn into a cautious look. 'You just said this could be a plan to set you up. Then why are you participating?' I don't feel like telling him that, but he seems eager to know the answer. Too bad, you can't know everything. Sometimes, you just don't have to ask questions. 'It's dangerous,' he says. 'It's not just anything. If they discover that we're snooping through their stuff and they find out that something is wrong, it can have destructive consequences.'