The Boy With The Blank Stare: The Promise

Chapter Fifty Two: In Loving Memory

Saihara's POV:

It had been maybe a few days after Momota's passing, Kokichi didn't come to school for the first two days along with Harukawa, in fact, barely anyone seemed to have the strength for classes. How could they?

His desk was decorated with white stargazer lilies, and even a tiny model of a spaceship. His chair had been given a magenta jacket and it stood out as a solemn reminder to the rest of the almost barren classroom.

I glanced over at Kokichi, he was doing better than I expected, he was wearing his headphones which I realized now how long it's been since he actively wore them, he seemed to be reading a book in braille when all of a sudden Akamatsu was approaching him. I felt myself growing tense about her when she handed him a letter and seemed to say something, but I couldn't hear what it was. He stared at her confused before nodding, and before I could make my way to ask she approached me as well.

"Hey I'm helping to host an event at the park tonight, sorry for the late notice but I was hoping you and Ouma could come," she asked, I took the vanilla envelope from her hands. The information in it was sparse, just a location and a time along with a note saying how food and drinks would be provided.

However, it was the name of the event that had surprised me.

DICE Memorial Service

I turned over to look at Kokichi, I realized now that must've been what Akamatsu was talking to him about, he wouldn't have been able to read what was written. I got up from my seat and headed over to him, grateful for once for the school's lackluster education.

"Hey, Akamatsu explained right?" I asked, and he nodded, "so, do you want to go?" I asked, he shrugged, 'I don't know what this is, to be honest, and I've never been to a funeral before he admitted.

"Wait what?" I asked shocked, 'I don't think my dad had one, and when DICE died, I was still in the hospital recovering when they did that service, my mother I don't think she even really had a service and I wasn't there because my aunt thought knowing would hurt me, and Momota was only recent...' he explained.

I bit my lip, "I've been to two...but this doesn't seem to be like any service I've ever been to" I admitted, "I want to go" he said, "you sure?" I asked, "yeah...it's in DICE's name so I kind of has to see," he told me though I could see some apprehension in his eyes.

~-~-~-~

As we headed toward the clearing I could tell Kokichi was concerned, and I was too. It was a sudden invitation, and we didn't know exactly what the three had in mind as we were led to a small park. The area had been decorated with fairy lights and had set out tables with a white tablecloth on them. There was some food, mostly comfort food, and a small podium near the front. There was also...

Hung on one table near the podium was a simple photo, one taken years before what happened it seemed. It was of maybe fifth grade Kokichi, Chiasa, and the rest of DICE. They seemed to be at some sort of marine park and we're smiling widely at the camera while others like Danuja had become entranced by the sea life. I realized all too grimly how there likely weren't many photos of the entire group, so this might've been one of the last remainings.

Yet the photo was lit up with pride, and I realized beneath them were smaller photographs of each member individually. Rather than maybe a school photo, however, they seemed to be collected through different sources and times, like candid shots. It didn't feel like some sort of funeral, even with the inclusion of some flowers they weren't in big bouquets but tiny vases, a simple offering.