Oneshot- Death Game of Painful Truths (Requested by Umair)

In an ordinary classroom stood three students of varying qualities. There was the delinquent, the need, and the female class president. They looked at each other as a strange 'mascot' hovered before them, casting a shadow over them this afternoon.

"What da hell y'want? The delinquent's accent was strong as he stood paralysed like the rest of them.

"God has imparted you all a 'game'. So please be sure to follow the rules and entertain~!" The devil-shaped mascot spoke with a satanic smile. It's face then turned to the class president on the right.

"You don't have a choice in participation." His eyes glowed red intimidatingly as he turned his head.

"Why us?" As the mascot heard this meek question from the nerd he looked at last, it laughed:

"The only participants 'invited' to play in this game are those who have deep secrets that would break all their relationships when found out~" It eyes had clear insanity within them as it looked at them.

"The rules of the game are simple. You all will find out each other's secrets by hook or crook, and any method is viable. You have until midnight to find out each other's 'most important secret'. All those who fail to find out the secret of their two friends will be 'eliminated', and those who succeed will survive~! Now... play nice with each other, okay?"

It's entire body disappeared into the shadows of dawn as their paralysis wore off, the three of them had heavy breathing as they looked at each other with eyes that couldn't accept what was going on.

"Dat 'thing' messing with us, ain't it!?" The spiky-haired youth was the first to speak once again.

"Please calm down a little. We should take this moment to try and understand what these 'rules' are before anything." The class president spoke while pushing up her glasses, calming herself down enough to think of a solution to what happened.

"Is this actually, you know... real?" The nerd asked in disbelief as he held his head with a panicky look.

"Do ya think we all went batshit crazy, then?" The delinquent asked angrily as he grabbed him by the collar. The youth woke up from his daze as he realised his mistake, then quickly shook his head.

"But... are we going to die?" As the spokesperson of negativity, he voiced out his worries openly.

"We won't." At the class president's words, the two turned their head after hearing her resolute tone.

"And why are ya so sure?" The delinquent let go of the nerd's collar and looked at her with suspicion.

"There's three people here, and as long as we all tell our secret to the other two. We will all survive."

This sounded reasonable to them. Even though the mascot threw out the word 'death' to them, he didn't say that anyone was required to die. From the rules given to them, all they had to do was confess their 'deepest secret' to each other.

"Then what are we waitin' for?" The delinquent said as he looked at his 'good friend' with a smile.

Seeing that the class president was also looking at him, he couldn't help but voice out a complaint:

"Why do I have to say it first?"

"You aren't going to...?" The class president was surprised, thek was she supposed to go first.

"Hmph." Seeing that this wasn't going anywhere, a bored look appeared in the delinquent's eyes as he looked at the clock. He reached his arm towards the window, but felt an invisible barrier an inch away from it. This trapped them in the classroom.

"We can't go out, and there's a lot of time left 'till midnight. Let's sit down first." He pulled up a chair and casually sat onto it. His eyes shifted from the nerd to the class president with hidden worry.

"...Fine." The class president spoke and the nerd just went with the flow, sitting down in front of the same desk. The three of them were silent for a moment as they weren't able to say anything.

"Damn this bloody game..." The delinquent murmured with a bloodlust for that mascot.

This silence went on for a few more minutes until

"...We really were an unlikely trio." Was what the nerd said as he sighed with reminiscent eyes.

From as far as he remembered, their whole friend dynamic had formed from a certain incident.

A study group where he, the most diligent in his studies, could help them to improve their grades.

After his dog died, he believed he'd never be happy again until they approached him. There was a stiff expression on all of their faces as they truly wanted to protect their relationship, but the threat of death was weighing on them and time was still passing.

Ten minutes turned into an hour, and one hour turned into two hours before the delinquent finally started to look at them nervously. His eyes became filled with an unknown fear as he looked around.

"You guys... just say what your hiding!" Was the first words he said after his patience ran out.

"..." The two couldn't answer as they looked away from him, causing him to break down a little.

This situation couldn't go one. Someone had to say something, they HAD to say their most important secret to each other. If they don't say anything, all of them will die just like that devil told them. He didn't know how, but that 'barrier' scared him.

Would their body explode, get crushed, or be 'turned off' like a phone? What will happen?

At was with this rush of fear that he spoke:

"I injured that dog you loved." The guilt he'd been holding in his heart as he spoke to the nerd.

"And you hurt your leg because of me!" The eyes of the class president widened after hearing that.

"You... y-you... did WHAT?!" A furious expression appeared on the nerd's face as he jumped over the table and slammed the delinquent to the floor, the pure malice on his face made even the class president break out of her daze as she got up.

A loud banging sound resounded as the nerd punched his face, but he didn't fight back.

"I'm sorry... I hung out with idiots who I really shouldn't have stuck with." The nerd's eyes were red as he remembered the injury on his dog's back one time. He couldn't believe it was HIM who did it!

A hand grabbed his shoulder and stopped him from going further, then the girl behind him spoke:

"What do mean by what you said...?" She wanted him to clarify the words that she heard properly.

There was a certain incident she remembered from before they became friends. Although she DID get close to them to study, that was only because her dreams of being an Olympic Runner was dashed.

The incident that ruined her... was when she fell down the stairs at school. Her leg was injured to the point she needed stitches, and her dreams of the future was ruined without any prior notice...

"I don't remember it clearly, but I remembered after the incident that I had dropped a bottle of water on those stairs..." Even after hearing that he was the culprit from his mouth, she was still calm.

"That's why you joined the study group."

"Umm, yeah, that was one of them." His eyes twitched as he looked away from her gaze.

A turbulence of emotions appeared in her churning heart, but she found herself unable to get angry.

As he was the first to confess, she found it only natural that she told him a certain secret as well:

"I guess I already had my revenge by ruining your reputation." His eyes widened as her reply made him stare blankly. If there was one reason he was disillusioned by the bad friendships he had before meeting them, then it was after word got out about the animal abuse he and his 'friends' did. How they easily abandoned him was what hurt him most...

"..." The nerd got off of him and looked away from them, trying to cope with the sorrow he felt.

The dog he raised was his family. Even when he was being bullied back then, it was thanks to his close friendship with his dog that he was able to survive those days without becoming suicidal.

Although he hated the delinquent, he couldn't deny that after his dog died, this 'study mate' he made drove away those bullies that was harassing him all the time. His will to study was also earnest, not just a result of guilt from what he had done back then.

The class president started at the delinquent who was slowly getting up from the floor with a complicated expression. It was just an ordinary gossip with her friends sometime before the incident that hurt her leg, but it DID hurt him.

As she had spread gossip about him even before he accidentally caused her injury, she didn't know whether it was right to get angry at him or not. The kind of things he had to suffer after being considered a heartless demon by others was so extreme back then that she suddenly felt that they were even. He had to deal with social-justice-mongers after the fact as well as permanent repercussions like it being left on his record...

"We even?" She asked in the delinquent's tone before stretching out her hand towards him.

"...Even." He didn't know if things they experienced balanced out but he'd forgive for their friendship.

He took her hand and got up, before they both looked at the nerd they had both be drawn to.

"I also injured your dog out of anger once after being depressed about what happened." She told him truthfully as it was one of the reasons someone as smart as her joined his study group even though she didn't particularly need it.

"Hmmm..." As if he had let go of his anger, the nerd responded to her. He hid the melancholy he felt...

They didn't rush him to give an answer after what they revealed. As the two of them felt extremely guilty for what happened with his dog and realised only now how strong his feelings were for it.

The two waited for his answer, for him to reveal his own secret so they could get out of this 'game'...

However, even after three hours went by and they kindly waited for him to speak, he still kept his mouth shut. Slowly, they came to realise that his eyes didn't look like they were mourning anymore.

"Hey, you-"

"I'm not telling you guys. Just die." He interrupted the delinquent before they realised their situation.

The rules stated that they needed to hear the most important secret of both their friends. They each needed to hear two secrets before they could be given a 'pass' and not be killed by that mascot.

Right now, only the nerd fulfilled the conditions of being able to leave alive. For the two of them though, they needed one more secret from the nerd or else they'll die by the time the moon rises.

"Don't you joke around!" The delinquent grabbed him by the collar again, but was responded coldly.

"I'm not joking with you." His eyes were dead serious as he would let them die at midnight.

"I know what we did was wrong, but for the sake of our friendship, can't you forgive us?" The class president spoke out of desperation, she didn't want to be killed...! Not here... Not now...!

"Forgive you...?" His eyes were filled with a hint of madness as he was ready to watch them fall.

The class president felt her heart fall into despair as she saw those eyes. She felt the guilt in her heart rushing forth. Her mouth opened but no words could come out after seeing those eyes.

"Don't talk nonsense with him! Have you forgotten what that devil said?" The delinquent was the only one who spoke with reason after the two biggest stones on his heart were lifted. He was brimming with confidence as he spoke to the despairing girl.

"He hid something from us as well!" These words he finished with renewed her determination, but she chose not to speak as her hand touched her chin. Many thoughts started arising in her head as she was putting all the puzzle pieces together.

Seeing the determination in the delinquent's eyes burning brightly, the nerd couldn't help but sigh. In truth, he didn't truly hate the delinquent after all he did despite being abused by justice-mongers and the like. They were the best of friends who had gone through much together. So would he be able to let the past go for the sake of their friendship?

Even though that devil mascot said that they could force each other to tell their secrets by hook or crook, the delinquent didn't move a muscle to hit him or the like... He only stared at him as if trying to make his feelings known through his gaze alone.

Those eyes, were as crystal clear as usual...

The nerd's heart was visibly moved as he took his hat off, revealing his long locks of hair that was always hidden underneath. Though it was messy and unkept, the slight alterations he made to his appearance after also taking off his glasses made the delinquent realise something. He let go of the nerd's collar in shock as he realised that...

He was actually a frickin' girl!

"This is my most important secret. I never wanted to tell anyone this... As I'm not that girly, after all."

"..." Though hearing this secret surprised him, a wave of relief overcame him as he realised the death game was finished. They now all won and will survive! This was the time for celebration!

"Let's celebrate! I'll share my favourite chocolate with you all! Hehe~" A big smile was plastered on his face as he went into his bag to take out a bar of chocolate that he split into three pieces.

The class president and female nerd also took a piece blankly as he was filled with a jovial mood.

They glanced at each other and accidentally made eye-contact before looking away. If the class president wasn't sure before, then she was absolutely sure about a theory she made in her heart. Yet she forced out a smile to accommodate the delinquent who finally felt free of his guilt.

Another few hours went by in this state, until there was only ten minutes left until midnight. As the time crept forward, the female nerd felt her heart being grasped with a strange emotion as he watched the excitement on the delinquent's face.

Her hands trembled a little, but the delinquent grabbed her hand and spoke to her reassuringly:

"Nothing will happen to us. Even if that devil goes back on his words, I'll frickin' kill him first!" The tall guy patted his chest and made his stance abundantly clear, which moved the nerd again.

She wanted to say something, but felt conflicted on the inside as she thought about her dog...

"You lied... didn't you?" Even as the ticking sound of the clock could be heard, the class president spoke up with a serene expression on her face. The words she spoke hit the female nerd's conscience.

"...What?" The delinquent looked confused, but was unable to say anything as he felt a tremendous force pressuring onto him as the time was ticking closer and closer to midnight. The only person not affected by this ethereal force was the nerd.

"If it wasn't for him reminding me, I wouldn't have realised a clear detail in what that demonic plushy said. He said that our secrets would hurt our relationship, and maybe that's why each of us consider anything that could harm it our 'most important secret'." Even as the pressure weighing on her was increasing, she still continued to speak:

"From what I can tell. The most hurtful thing you can tell me is that you were actually the one who caused me to fall and injure my leg, while the worst thing you can tell him is that you were the one who spread the rumours about him." She felt her head hurting as the clock was still mercilessly ticking.

Both of them felt a sense of suffocation as the strength was being sapped out of their bodies.

"..." The female nerd silently looked at the time as her eyes started to unable to focus properly.

"Why did you wait until now to say this...?!" The nerd couldn't help but question, she knew that the only thing she needed to do was nod her head and agree with her for the two to be saved. Her eyes turned to the despairing delinquent in sorrow...!

"You, class president, I already knew you hurt my closest friend. That was the reason he died." She told her while being in denial about whether they were 'even' or not. The class president may have lost her dream, but she lost her only good friend.

There was a time in the past when she was trying to get back at her bullies- No, that wasn't exactly it... The bottled up rage and resentment had flowed out of her that day when she coincidentally saw the bottle the delinquent had dropped near a flight of stairs. It was then that she got the idea on making the next person who would come running out of class fall for the sake of dispelling her negativity.

It was similar to the mindset people get when they just want to watch the world burn. She forgot her own personal morality and harmed someone unrelated to her for the sake of venting her feelings. It was perhaps destiny that the very same person she had wronged that day would only day give the final injury that killed her beloved dog.

She wasn't able to accept them being 'even'. If the class president wanted to get revenge, then she should have hurt her...! Her dog was innocent, he didn't deserve to die! He didn't! He didn't!

It was then that a loud voice broke her daze:

"Argh....!!!" The delinquent roared furiously as he slammed his head on the floor in denial, unable to believe that he had foolishly thought she had forgiven him. No, he hated himself for lying to his own conscience for the sake of convenience.

"I don't know if you'll believe me... but I really am sorry." His voice was sincere and void of pretence.

The clock kept on ticking, and the final minute was arriving as the hatred in the nerd's heart continued to burn! She couldn't forgive them! There was no reason in her heart that she should forgive the manipulative class president who was clearly aiming for her sympathy and the delinquent who was so dense it took the threat of death to give her a proper apology. She couldn't forgive them.

And yet still shouted before the clock hit midnight:

"I DID HURT YOU BOTH!" As soon as the words exited her mouth, the pressure on them vanished.

"Congratulations~ The three of you have survived the 'game' given to your by God! Your reward is your life and exemption from ever participating in a death game ever again~" The voice of the mascot resounded as the female nerd picked her bag.

Even though she still hated them, she didn't have the heart to kill them. To her, that wasn't something she was capable of doing after the time they spent together, so you could say that the class president's scheme had ended up working...

Before that former female friend of hers ever started to gossip, the female nerd had already posted a picture of the group abusing animals on multiple forums. She previously believed someone as kind as her delinquent friend was just being framed by the group and had no part in it, until he ended up confessing his deeds out of fear.

In the end of the day, who among them was most deserving of being called the 'victim' among them?

Even as the next day arrived, she had no answers.

It was a new day, but now she had lost something she had considered precious. After all that had happened, she was sure that she'll end up alone again. Just like after her dog had died...

That loneliness... she could bear it. She wasn't sad anymore. Not sad at all... Not even one bit...

In fact, solitude didn't even make her lonely.

She was fine by herself. All she needed to do was focus on her studies and get into college. She went to the library and picked up a book, ready to learn as much as she could like the robot she is.

She can do this...!!!

It was then a shadow was cast on the letters of her book. The nerd lifted her head to see two familiar figures sitting before her, seeming to be deep in their studying as they used the notes she had painstakingly written for them yesterday.

"What? We aren't here to make friends."

"We just wanna study with ya~" The delinquent smiled as that night was thrown under the bridge.

Looking at the two, she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief wash over her as she started crying. The memory of he dog was painful to her, and she hadn't forgiven them, but she felt that one day, maybe she might make an exception.

But just for today, they'd study together after all...