Another: The Class of 1999

Chapter 25 - Back To Death

Despite the amazing conversation that Clarissa and I had just had, I knew that we had a more pressing matter to deal with.

Our missing classmate, Fujiwara Riku.

Clarissa wanted to walk with me, and I really want them to, but I felt like I needed to be alone. Riku had been a good friend to me, once we'd learnt to understood each other. Our friendship had been rocky, but I still cared for him. Although, having said that, after what he'd done to Clarissa, I was almost tempted to murder him myself.

Putting my rushing adrenaline from my conversation with Clarissa behind, I dragged my exhausted body around the back of the hotel and into the small woods, where I spotted Riku. He had his back facing me and was examining his hands, turning them over carefully.

I leant against a tree, catching my breath, watching him. I was about to open my mouth and announce that I was there, but he turned to face me.

"I think I know why you're here," Riku said.

There was remorse in his voice and he sounded hurt, but he tried his best to smile.

I didn't smile back.

"You lied to us. You lied to me." I hoped the emotion might make him feel guilty. "You weren't certain that Clarissa-san was the dead one, were you?"

He just shook his head.

"Then why, Riku, did you pretend that they were? Are your 'superpowers' even real?"

"Yes they're real," Riku almost looked offended. But he still refused to meet my eye. "I DO have my power. I CAN sense death."

"Then who is the dead one?" I asked.

Riku clenched his fists and looked down. "I'm sorry, Tsuki-cchi."

At first, I didn't understand what he was referring to. What was he apologising for? Then my heart began hammering... Was it me? Was I the dead one? Was that why Riku befriended me? But it didn't make sense... I was new to class. He was being bullied and ignored. If he knew I was the dead one, why didn't he just kill me immediately to end the deaths and save his suffering?

Then it dawned on me what he was trying to say...

When did you figure it out?" I asked him.

"I... I guess I was a few months ago," Riku began. "When I first met your aunt, I began having crazy dreams, almost like having déjà vu. Like when I remembered that I had been in Yomiyama before, and sharing nicknames with another friend, my favourite animes and mangas being one from years ago... somehow feeling like I didn't fit in with this timeline. You know, my parents also treat me like I don't exist. Or, the parents the calamity gave me this year. They're always busy with work, despite their old age, and are never at home. It dawned on me... Perhaps they're my actual parents from before, from whatever years I actually lived in. I just... I guess I eventually realised it."

"So tell me about when you first got to the town at the start of this year," I instructed, my voice sounding a lot harsher than I was intending, but I was angry. No, I was furious.

"Tsuki, please believe me when I say that this calamity has given me memories of a life lived. I have memories of previous birthdays and learning to ride a bike for the first time, smelling the ocean on holidays, tasting sushi for the first time... All of which I assume are now fake. I didn't know they they weren't real... My hands were freezing when I first arrived this year," Riki told me. "This town is full of death. Death lingers. My hands couldn't take it, my prosthetic fingers were hurting so much. I had to wear gloves."

"And then?"

"Then... When I arrived to class on the first day and the curse was explained and the story of 1972, before I was the one everyone ignored, I decided to shake everyone's hands and find out who could have been dead."