Winner of the Event

"You really showed up, didn't you?" Furuya asked, his voice laced with disbelief as he stared at Yasushi, who had walked into the school, attracting the gaze of many curious students.

The following day had dawned, and despite Yinhaie's vehement objections, Yasushi had made the firm decision to attend school. Jingliu, on the other hand, had given him her unwavering support, and thus they found themselves there.

"I can't let a minor inconvenience like a serial killer putting a knife in me keep me out of action. Stop being such a wimp, man," Yasushi responded with a broad grin, his eyes gleaming with a defiant spark as he addressed Furuya.

Furuya looked at him as if he had lost his mind, shaking his head in silent exasperation. He knew that attempting to dissuade Yasushi now was an exercise in futility, so he chose not to waste his breath. As they moved to get ready, the whispers among the students grew louder, speculating about the reason behind Yasushi's injuries. This only seemed to amuse Yasushi even more.

"You're really basking in the attention, aren't you?" Laura remarked, her voice tinged with a mix of horror and amusement as she took in the bizarre scene unfolding before her.

"Am I? I'm just being myself. Nothing out of the ordinary, except maybe showing up to school after last night's... events," Yasushi replied, glancing at her with a nonchalant smile. Laura couldn't help but laugh, her laughter ringing out, an odd counterpoint to the strangeness of the situation.

"Regardless of Yasushi's current condition, he can't be expected to handle too much work. Unless, of course, we want his recovery to stretch out indefinitely. I think it's only sensible that the rest of us step up and cover for him until the competition is over, which isn't too far off now," Jingliu declared, her voice firm as she addressed the group, her eyes scanning each face to ensure her words were taken seriously.

"Why not? After all, he did put an end to the killing spree by knocking Mizahara out cold last night," Xinyi chimed in, a hint of admiration in her voice. She gave Yasushi a playful nudge, a gesture that seemed to acknowledge both his bravery and the sheer absurdity of their circumstances.

"Can we just get this show on the road already?" Yasushi grumbled as they began their day and the event.

+-+

As the day unfolded, it moved forward smoothly, without any notable disturbances. When a certain hour arrived, the group collectively decided to pause their activities and gather for a meal. They chose their usual spot, a familiar haven amidst the bustling city grounds. Yasushi, still recovering from his injuries, hadn't prepared anything, but Jingliu stepped forward, carrying a small basket with a quiet grace.

"Yinhaie and I prepared this since Yasushi couldn't. Please, enjoy," she announced, her voice calm and inviting. She handed each of them a small box filled with carefully prepared food.

"This feels like we're dining out at a casual restaurant," Furuya remarked, accepting his box with a mix of surprise and gratitude. As he opened it, his eyes widened at the sight of the various delicacies inside. Without a moment's hesitation, he began eating, his delight evident as he exclaimed, "Oooh! This is good!"

The rest of the group quickly echoed his sentiments, their appreciation manifesting in satisfied nods and murmurs of approval. Yasushi glanced at Jingliu, a silent nod of gratitude passing between them.

"That's good then. I wasn't sure if it would suit any of your tastes," Jingliu admitted, a modest smile playing on her lips, her relief subtle but unmistakable.

As the group settled down to eat, the initial silence between them was punctuated only by the sounds of chewing and the occasional rustle of packaging. It wasn't until Furuya broke the quiet that the conversation began to flow.

He started recounting the scolding he had received from his mother for being out so late the previous night. His explanations had been met with skepticism at home, prompting him to have his family turn on the news to validate his story.

"Oh yeah… the news. What did it say? I just went straight to sleep last night," Yasushi inquired, his curiosity piqued. His eyes flicked to Jingliu, who had been practically glued to his side the entire night. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly averted her gaze, a gesture that did not go unnoticed.

"They thankfully didn't use our names or faces," Laura chimed in, providing the details Yasushi had missed. "They just mentioned that some students were attacked during the garbage collection event and emerged relatively unscathed. They highlighted that one student bravely confronted the killer and managed to overpower them, though he was injured in the hand." Her explanation was thorough, capturing the essence of the news report.

"The internet is having a field day with it, calling you all sorts of names. A hero, a fool, and everything in between," she added, chuckling at the absurdity of the online reactions. Her laughter was light, almost musical, contrasting with the serious undertone of their recent ordeal.

"Can't really expect anything else from the internet," Yasushi remarked with a casual air, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and disdain. "Their stupidity knows no bounds. Half of them are just keyboard warriors who would cower if confronted in real life."

"Sounds like you're more than willing to beat up those keyboard warriors if you ever see them in real life," Furuya commented, his brow furrowing in concern as he observed Yasushi.

"Yes," Yasushi responded, his tone deadpan as he flashed a sinister smile. "I have a love-hate relationship with the internet. It's both a blessing and a curse. But people like them? I genuinely want to make them pay."

"They're just trolling you. Calm down, man. Jeez," Furuya replied, his worry deepening as he tried to reason with his friend.

"I have—" Yasushi started, but then abruptly stopped himself. Memories from his previous life flooded back, moments and actions that would surely make others view him as utterly insane.

In his previous life, Yasushi had been pushed to his limits by relentless insults. Driven by a simmering anger, he engaged in obsessive stalking to uncover the identity of his tormentor. He meticulously pieced together information about where this person lived, worked, and socialized. Armed with this knowledge, he concocted a plan to cause trouble in their professional life by "providing" incriminating evidence.

The old Yasushi had entertained far darker thoughts, imagining scenarios of direct confrontation and violence. They both lived in the United Kingdom, and his anger nearly drove him to take more drastic measures. However, the looming threat of prison or jail held him back, preventing him from following through with his desire to physically confront and assault the person.

"—not done anything to them at all," Yasushi said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes as he glanced around at the group.

Xinyi laughed, her tone teasing. "I have never heard anything so fake in my life. Did you, what, learn how to code and all that jazz to find out where they lived and go there to beat them up?" Her words were meant in jest, but Yasushi's brief hesitation gave her pause.

"...You didn't, right?" Xinyi asked again, her voice tinged with genuine concern now. She studied his face, searching for any hint of the truth, her playful demeanor giving way to worry.

Yasushi's smile lingered, a veneer of calm masking the shadows in his eyes, shadows that hinted at a past he had no intention of revealing.

"Of course not, stop panicking," Yasushi replied, his voice even flatter, betraying none of the turmoil beneath.

Sensing the tension, Laura deftly steered the conversation to safer waters, unwilling to probe the depths of Yasushi's veiled history. She knew that some truths were better left undiscovered.

The rest of their time at the event, and the ensuing week, passed without incident. Their lives resumed a semblance of normalcy, though a subtle undercurrent of the recent past lingered. They continued with their routines, the everyday minutiae providing a comforting distraction from the harrowing events they had endured.

However, a small shadow of disappointment loomed over them. The black bags they had lost to the police, used as evidence in the investigation, were never returned. Despite their frustration, they had no choice but to accept this outcome. The bags, containing pieces of their everyday lives, were now part of a legal labyrinth they had no control over.

+-+

The final day of the event had arrived, bringing with it a palpable sense of anticipation that thrummed through the city. The winner was to be announced near the grand statue of the goddess, an iconic landmark that stood sentinel over the bustling streets. Yasushi's school wasn't the sole participant; numerous other schools from across the city had also thrown their hats into the ring, making the competition fierce.

As the mayor of the city began his speech, the various groups of students gathered, half-listening to his words. They had heard it all before, the usual platitudes and ceremonial niceties that accompanied such events, and so they allowed their minds to wander, paying only cursory attention to the man at the podium.

Yasushi and his group, in particular, were acutely aware of their slim chances of victory. The confiscation of their initial batch of black bags by the police had dealt a significant blow to their efforts. Coupled with Yasushi's injuries, which had undoubtedly slowed them down, they had resigned themselves to the fact that they wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the leaderboard.

The mayor's speech seemed interminable, dragging on for a full thirty minutes before he finally reached the climax. With a practiced smile and a theatrical pause, he announced, "As you may know, today we reveal the winner! And the group that collected the most bags is…!" He let the suspense build for a moment longer. "It goes to Julian's group from Maramoono High School! They collected over two hundred and eighteen bags in total!"

"Fuck this," Furuya muttered under his breath, though he had anticipated their loss. His words were a mixture of frustration and resignation. "Ah well, at least it's over now and we can... go back to the boring school life."

"Yeah, normalcy returns," Yasushi replied, his gaze fixed on the winning group as they ascended the stage to collect their prize. The crowd's applause felt distant, a background hum to the thoughts swirling in his mind.

As Yasushi stood there, his phone buzzed, pulling him from his reverie. He pulled it out and saw a message from Yinhaie: "We have everything now. Please come home as soon as you can so we can explain Mizahara's situation."

Jingliu, standing close enough to see the text, nodded to him. This simple gesture conveyed a shared understanding — they were finally on the verge of uncovering Mizahara's motivations for the killings. The mystery that had shadowed their recent days was about to unravel, and with it, they hoped, a semblance of closure.