Kapitel 30: 26
They ended up moving approximately one hundred meters southwest of their previous position. By the time Shogo was done tying the wire around the bushes again, it was already 9 a.m. The sun was high in the sky, and the air smelled like a forest in May. The sea, which was visible as they moved through the trees, glistened a brilliant blue. Islands were scattered across the Seto Inland Sea. If they were hiking…this would have been a prime spot.
But they weren't. Every single boat that passed by circled around the island at a great distance, tiny as dots, and the nearest one was the gray guard ship in charge of the western region. Even that ship was pretty far, but you could see the machine gun installed at its head.
After Shogo was done setting the wire, he took a deep breath and sat down in front of Shuya and Noriko. Once again he placed his shotgun between his feet.
"What's wrong? You're both so quiet now," Shogo asked.
Shuya looked up at Shogo. He hesitated—and then asked,
"What made them do that?"
Shogo lifted his brows. "You mean Yumiko and Yukiko?"
Shuya nodded. After hesitating, he said, "I mean it should have been obvious. They could have anticipated that. I mean, according to the rules of this game…" he sighed, "we're supposed to kill each other."
Shogo put another cigarette between his lips and lit it with his disposable lighter. "They seemed close. Weren't they in some religious group?"
Shuya nodded. They were very normal girls, but there was always something that separated them from the other girls, like Noriko and the neutral faction that included Yukie Utsumi and her friends. He thought it was because of their religion. "They were part of some Shinto religious group called the Halo Church. They have a church located on the Yodo River bank, off the state highway when you're heading south." Shogo exhaled and suggested, "Maybe that was part of it. You know, 'Love thy neighbor.' "
"No, I don't think so," Noriko said. "They weren't— especially Yumiko—very committed. They said they didn't really get it, that it was just a social thing."
Shogo mumbled, "I see," and looked down. Then he continued, "Well, the good aren't always saved, and this game is no exception. It can be the irresponsible ones that end up making it. But I respect anyone who stands by their conscience, even at the risk of failing and being rejected by everyone." He stared back at them. "They tried to believe in their classmates. They must have believed, if we could all get together, then we might end up being saved. We should commend them for that. We couldn't do that." Shuya took a deep breath. Then he agreed, "Yeah." After a while, Shuya looked up at Shogo again. "I don't think…you're an enemy. So I want to trust you."
Noriko joined in, "Me too. I don't think you're a bad person." Shogo shook his head and grinned. "I have to tell you, I have no talent cheating girls." Shuya grinned back. Then he said, "So why won't you tell us? No, if you can't tell us how we're escaping, that's fine. But why not? Is it in case we meet up with other people and tell them too much? Is it because the others can't be trusted? Or that you can't trust them?"
"Hold off on the interrogation. I'm not that smart."
"I don't believe you."
Shogo rested his elbows against his knees, held his chin, and looked to his side in contemplation. Then he looked back at them. "Shuya. You're right. I don't want the others to find out about my plan, and even if you two didn't tell them, I wouldn't want the others to even know that you two knew what it was. So I can't tell you."
After Shuya thought about it, he exchanged glances with Noriko and nodded. "Okay then, I understand. We'll trust you. But—"
"Something else bugs you?"
Shuya shook his head. "It just seems like there's no way out of this situation. So I'm—"
"Perplexed?"
Shuya nodded.
Shogo blew out some smoke and rubbed his cigarette into the ground. He ran his hand through his short hair and said, "Nothing is perfect. Most things have flaws."
"Flaws?"
"Yeah, a weak spot. I'm going to aim for that weak spot."
Shuya didn't understand. He squinted his eyes.
Shogo continued, "I know this game better than you two do."
"How's that?" Noriko asked.
"Don't stare at me with those big eyes, girl. I'm shy."
Noriko gave a blank stare and then smiled a little, asking again, "How?" Finally Shogo said, "Do you know what happens to the survivor of this game?" Shuya and Noriko looked at each other and shook their heads. That's right, there was one survivor in the Program. After you manage to make it through this absurd game, the Special Defense Forces soldiers shove you in front of the news cameras so they can have an image of the victor ("Smile. You must smile."). But they had no idea what happened to the survivor after that. Shogo looked at Shuya and Noriko and continued, "The winner's forced to transfer to another school where he or she is ordered not to mention the game and is instructed instead to lead a normal life. That's all."
Shuya felt his chest well up inside and his face froze. He stared at Shogo and realized that Noriko was holding her breath.
Shogo said, "I was a student in Third Year Class C, Second District, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture." He added, "I survived the Program held in Hyogo Prefecture last year."
27 students remaining
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein