Revelation Of An Ordinary Life

Spread your legs

Today was a new day and another day of tape viewing. I got ready as usual, but while having breakfast Kei called me.

"Hey, Kiyotaka," her voice was unusually reserved.

"What is it?"

"They're going to show that today, aren't they?" She was definitely nervous about what was going to come.

"Probably," I replied nonchalantly.

Whether the tape cuts straight to the action or builds it up for context is the unknown in this scenario.

I heard a sigh. 

"I guess I should've expected this from the beginning, do you want me to stick up for you?"

I wasn't too surprised that she was nervous about what was going to happen but having her stick up for me was a possibility that I had already accounted for and crossed out. If she sticks up for me then it's just my influence changing their opinions; I can't have their views of me to be clouded.

"That won't be necessary, Although I am curious about what you're gonna do," Kei's handling of this situation is what I'm looking forward to.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You're gonna get a front-row seat to my amazing acting skills again. You better be prepared," Although I couldn't see her expression I have the feeling that she had a proud look on her face.

"I'm looking forward to it then."

I talked with Kei about trivial things for the next few minutes until I finished breakfast. As I left my room and got into the elevator I saw the number going down instead of up. This isn't that unusual, but the number stopped on the girl's floor and then kept moving until it got to mine. As the doors opened I found a familiar strawberry haired girl with blue eyes, but there wasn't the familiar aura emanating from them as there usually was.

I got in and an awkward silence ensued until the girl next to me began to speak.

"H-hey Ayanokouji, how are you?" She was practically forcing herself to say anything.

"I'm not doing terrible, how are you?" It's common courtesy to ask how someone else is if they asked you.

"Well I was feeling really sick yesterday, but I'm doing all better now," Ichinose did a thumbs up.

Anybody could tell that she was lying. Her baggy eyes, dishevelled hair and lack of conviction in her words all conveyed how she was feeling. She was completely shattered.

We got to the ground floor and started walking to school, but Ichinose was walking slightly behind me and there was complete silence as we made our way to the building. I went to my classroom and Ichinose went to hers. Similar to the last time, I got a nonexistent reaction to my entrance. We were all taken to the hall and sat in our seats as the voice came back.

"Have any of you wondered if the person next to you was suffering?"

What a dark opening, but it certainly made me wonder. During my time at that place, suffering was a constant in every person's daily life, so I got used to people around me feeling like that. It's similar to a person's voice that you've never heard before. Over time you get used to it and ignore it.

"I have multiple tapes to show you today and I don't even have to give any of you context since you can see it play from the beginning,"

I glanced over at Kei and I could tell she was nervous but was still hoping to give her best. Whether the willpower she has is enough to get her through this is questionable, but I'm intrigued by the uncertainty of the outcome.