The Boy With The Blank Stare: Punishment Time

Chapter Fourteen: Conspiracy

Sleep is a myth.

Every single night sincd Akamatsu visited I've been trying to prove that the police are hiding the murders of DICE.

The problem is that I don't know how deep this goes, and even with the letters not being for that day....

It meant at some point all of DICE considered ending their lives. Or at least a fair majority as some of the letters were typed so I believe those are the fake ones.

Ouma's was typed, along with three others. So at least eight DICE members potentially had mental health problems. One was cut out words from a magazine which was apparently part of that members childish nature, Riko Sanyu. Her parents found the magazine remains that day in her bedroom according to the report.

I can't have that much faith in those reports though- I can't have faith in anything. Everyone is lying or not aware of the whole corruption.

Some are dragged down so deep in this lie they end their life. Like Kiibo....and Ouma for years keeping quiet and just wanting to die...

All I can't think of is why. The school had plenty of trouble makers before and after DICE and the city has a mass amount of gangs, most even more violent.

So why did they target them specially? They also had the largest group so wouldn't it have been far more trouble to wipe them off?

I can't wrap my head around it. Something- some part of this whole mystery is blocked off from me and I can't find it.

So that's why I'm here now. Scanning every single document and researching everything I can find about every single member of DICE and any connections that costed their lives.

Most of DICE were from low income families, similar to Ouma having a single parent his mother.

But analyzing their parents backgrounds they had no criminal records except for one.

Genkei Fujioka and Ouma.

Fujioka's family were drug dealers and he apparently was transfered here to live with his grandparents.

Ouma's father...is another mystery entirely. Originally Momota told me his Father was an abuser who had died, but I can't find records of his death.

In fact a restraining order was placed on him the say day he was claimed to have died. The house Ouma lived in was under witness protection for three years until they gave up.

He was gone. There aren't any files or sketches of him to be seen, or even photos. The closest they have of evidence from him...was a carving on Ouma's mother's body.

She was also dead. Died earlier in the month. I can't believe it to be honest, I only met her once.

I felt pity. But I also felt guilty because my initial thoughts on learning of her death was the fact I couldn't ask her about him to gain more information.

So it's either Fujioka or Ouma who potentially dragged the substitute in. He's in the yearbook from that year, but he doesn't bear a resemblance to Ouma or Fujioka at all.

I'm stumped to be honest. I need solid proof, anything so I can take this up to maybe my Father so he can help me solve this whole mess.

My Uncle was wrong. I can't do this, how am I- on my first case supposed to stand a chance against a corruption that has spread for god knows how many years.

My Aunt isn't any help, she won't admit to anything she could have done to make Chiasa die. Much less if she maybe influenced it. She always blamed Ouma.

A part of me understands, he did invite her to DICE but...I can't see her not being that mischief master either.

Maybe my mind is morphing her to a saint because she's gone, but I just think of her very highly.

I was jealous of a dying girl...she told me she would be stubborn. To Ouma's tale she was.

Kicking and screaming till the very end, till death robbed her of an already short life.

To my surprise she even claimed to leave with no regrets. I wonder if that was actually true...

But is it wrong that now I feel guilty on also having a crush on the boy my dead cousin liked?

Everything is actually wrong at this point. Why did I even ask myself?

Ouma returned to school though. When he did he apparently acted like his original state but...

I think he's lying. I know Ouma, I know he didn't revert back to this because of one tragedy. He's stubborn...he's so stubborn he somehow got back.

He gave up a lot but he still came back so I know this isn't really him right now. He's planning something I assume.

And he won't tell me what...maybe that's for my safety or maybe I am just being paranoid.

But I don't care anymore. I just want answers. I just want for us to be friends, a chance to regain his trust in me.

I sighed...how do I do that though...?

I glanced over at the clock. Midnight. I decided to take a break and headed down the hall to grab some water when I stopped.

Chiasa's room. I know it was probably combed over and searched but...there was one thing only I knew.

Under the floorboards was a hole where she hid things. Maybe she hid something I could use as evidence there.

I loosened the floorboards and to my surprise found a single cassette tape and a letter addressed to DICE.

Curious I took it out and found the player in my Uncle's work space. I inserted it and clicked play.

.....
....
...

Ouma needs to hear this.