The Beginning of Chaos in Misaki's Life

…The second day of camping began, and suddenly, the two teachers gathered us for games.

Kaito: …Why are they wearing blue and red?

Park: I don’t know, but I like the color blue, so I’m fine with it.

Kaito: You’re really easy to convince.

Ren: Is this about what you said earlier… about their rivalry?

Misaki: Believe me, when they sit together, it’s like a civil war.

Ren: Then that’s bad for us.

Eri (looking at Kaito): Hey.

Kaito: This looks bad… what is that girl planning?

Misaki’s mom: Alright! We’ve gathered you all here for today’s activities. You’ll have to complete three tasks, and the fourth one will be a special reward—but only if you win the first three. Understood?

Misaki: Here we go… I feel like burying my head in the sand.

Shubo’s teacher: Like she said, you’ll need to cooperate today. First game: camping. You have until noon.

One student: That’s not bad.

Teacher: Without food or tents.

Students: Seriously?

Misaki’s mom: You’ll be split into blue and red teams.

Kaito: Finally, I’m away from my biggest threat—Eri. Goodbye!

Eri (smiling): Hey~

Park: You won’t survive the first challenge if Eri’s after you.

Kaito: Alright, what should we do first?

Park: The girls and Ren will set up the tent, while we look for lunch.

Kaito: I suddenly feel like a caveman.

…We started building the tent, but couldn’t find any food.

Students: We searched everywhere but didn’t find anything. What now?

Kaito: I don’t know…

Smell of food…

Park: I smell something delicious!

Students: Yeah!

Eri (holding food): Hey guys, want some?

Kaito: Is she serious?

Red team students: Eri! What do you think you’re doing with our food?!

Eri: Sharing with friends.

Red team students: Then why give it to the blue team?

Eri: Because they didn’t find anything.

Red team: That’s not our problem!

Eri: But… we haven’t built our tent yet.

Red team: You didn’t need to say that.

Park: Wait, why didn’t you build your tent?

Eri: Something unfortunate happened… it got destroyed.

Kaito (in his head): Definitely her fault.

Eri: So why don’t we work together?

Park: Work together?

Eri: Yeah, we have the food and you have the tent.

Red team: We need to check with Bori, she’s the leader.

Kaito: We should ask Misaki too.

Bori: I agree.

Red team: The leader has spoken.

Misaki: I agree too.

Kaito: Since when do students actually agree?

Eri: I handled that before the games even started.

Students: How did you know?

Eri: That’s a secret.

Bori (thinking): Of course she didn’t tell them she spied on the teachers. She’s so sneaky.

Jun: That means we get to be with the girls… lucky!

Bori: Shut up.

…And so, we started cooperating and sitting together. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching us.

Misaki’s mom: Looks like Eri is easing the mood and making them work together.

Red team teacher: Yeah… and ruining our plan to see which team is better. I want to thank her personally… by blowing her head off.

Misaki’s mom: And I’ll make sure my sweet daughter Misaki is protected—by emotionally scarring Kaito.

Shubo’s teacher: So… what now?

Misaki’s mom: Let’s look ahead. They’re cooperating now, right?

Shubo’s teacher: Look ahead? Perfect… too bad a random animal might break their bonds—haha.

Students, sitting together: Cooperation was actually nice.

Jun: Yeah, seeing the girls happy makes me happy too. Wait… what’s moving over there?

Kaito: Oh, that’s a… boar?

Park: A BOAR?! RUN!

Students: RUNNN!!!

The boars looked confused…

Ren: Oh my god… we actually escaped.

Bori: Y-Yeah…

…After all the students regrouped…

Teachers: Since the first game ended badly, you’ll be punished. The losing team will have weekly exams until the end of the school year.

Students: WHAT?!

Teachers: The next challenge is… tug of war!

Students: PULL! We can’t lose!

Park: If we lose, we’re living in exam hell!

Blue team: We won’t lose!

Jun: Pull! So many girls are waiting to date me!

Red team: We’d rather take the tests than hear you talk.

Minto: Pull! For our freedom from exams!

Students: Are we the exam liberation army?!

Dory: Just win already!

Red team: We’ll win!

Result: Red team wins.

Reason: Eri put a frog in Kaito’s pocket. It jumped when he moved, scared him, and he let go of the rope.

After being asked: Eri: I didn’t even know about the game, but it would’ve been a waste not to prank him.

Kaito: Have mercy on me…

Third challenge: Find the hidden flag in the forest. Teamwork is key.

…Back to the bullies…

Bully 1: I hacked the cameras, now what?

Leader: Keep searching.

Bully 2: Where?

Leader: Try the nurse’s office. That picture upsets Misaki…

…Back to the camp…

Misaki’s mom: You lost the last game, but the next one is worth two points.

Park: Why?

Misaki’s mom: You’ll find out.

Kaito: We’re doomed…

Misaki: So, where’s the flag?

Ren: You’re asking me?

Misaki: We need to find it to end this nightmare.

Misaki’s mom: Are you trying to cheat?

Misaki: The other teacher already told the red team where it is.

Misaki’s mom: What?! Move, everyone! It’s in the center of the forest.

Kaito: Why did you ask?

Misaki: To make our target clear. I have a plan.

…Red team…

Jun: Middle of the forest? All I see are trees.

Eri: We’ll find it. Any objections?

Minto: Nope.

Jun: Me neither.

Minto: Hey, isn’t that the blue team?

Jun: They’re moving. We have to hurry!

…Blue team…

Ren: What’s the plan, Misaki?

Misaki: Find the flag.

Park: That’s… basic.

Misaki: You actually believed my mom?

Ren: What do you mean?

Misaki: My mom is always prepared. She’d never put it somewhere easy. Each teacher probably hid one—one in the middle, and one near their team.

Kaito: Sherlock, please… my brain can’t keep up.

Misaki: We’ll split up—one team with me, one with Ren, and one with Kaito to search the middle.

Students: Ughhh…

…Everyone picked a team. I stayed with Park.

Park: Don’t worry, I’m with you.

Kaito: Yeah… we’ll find it in the middle.

But someone was watching them…

Kaito: Alright, search over there, I’ll go here.

Eri (suddenly): K-A-I-T-O~

Kaito: AH! Eri?!

Eri: Haha! You should see your face!

Kaito: Stop! You scared me!

Eri: Want to win?

Kaito: What?

Eri: Do you want to win or something else for both teams?

Kaito: This round is worth two points. I wish we could tie, but it’s not possible…

Eri: Then I’ll win. Bye~

Kaito: Hey!

Kaito thinks: I should follow her… maybe she knows where the flag is.

Eri: Kaito! I found it!

Kaito: We’re doomed…

Eri: Your fate is in my hands. What will you pay for the flag?

Kaito: Money?

Eri: No.

Kaito: A favor I’ll never forget?

Eri: Nope.

Kaito: I give up. I just wanted a tie so this nightmare could end.

Eri: You’re right… here, take it.

Kaito: What?

Eri: I’m giving it up.

Kaito (holding the flag): Thanks, Eri… where’d she go?

…Both teams found their flags. But because the teachers cheated, the third game was canceled. Just as the red team’s teacher was about to celebrate, Eri mentioned the frog prank—so it ended in a tie.

Eri was the real winner—not just for the tie, but because she put glue on the flag, and I still can’t get it off.

…At night…

Teachers: Since camp is ending, we’ve added one last event: the courage test. Choose three friends and go into the forest.

…Everyone took turns until it was our turn.

Ren: I’m scared.

Kaito: Yeah, I can tell—you’re clinging to me.

Misaki: She’s right. It’s dark and dangerous.

Kaito: You’re also clinging to me.

A voice from behind a tree

“HAHAHA I’m the mummy!”

Kaito (shining light): And I’m the pharaoh.

Mummy: AHHHH!

Ren: Who’s supposed to be scared here?

Eri (dressed as a ghost): OoOoOo I’m a ghost~

Kaito: Not scary.

Ren: Yeah, not scary at all.

…Suddenly, Misaki clutched my arm, trembling. She kept repeating “Iroha”… I don’t know who that is, but Misaki was shaking and unresponsive. Her mom came, wrapped her in a blanket, gave her a sedative, and argued with Eri about the costume. Eri didn’t even understand why.

…Back to the bullies…

Bully: Leader, I found a picture that matches the description from the guy with glasses.

Leader: Show me… yeah, that’s Iroha. Pretty girl with a pretty girl. Too bad she’s dead.

Bully: So you’re going to get revenge?

Leader: No… revenge is boring. Just take something from the girl’s belongings.

Bully: Why?

Leader: Just do it. If she’s still traumatized, we can use that.

…Back at camp…

Teacher: Everyone, pack up.

Ren: Is Misaki okay?

Teacher: Yes. But wait to see her. Pack up for now.

In the tent

Misaki’s mom: Why do you still remember that? It wasn’t your fault.

Shubo’s teacher: Don’t be so hard on yourself. Misaki is strong. Did you give her the sedative?

Mom: Yes.

Shubo’s teacher: I thought she had gotten over that memory.

Mom: So did I… but it’s hard to forget someone you loved more than your own life.

…We took the bus back and returned to normal school days. But Misaki didn’t come for a week. Every time we tried to visit, her mom said it was better if we didn’t.

After two weeks, Misaki came back. Everything seemed normal… but I still didn’t know the secret that made her so sad.

One of the bullies is waiting outside...

Kaito: Let’s go get some noodles from that shop.

Ren: Sure. What do you think, Misaki?

Misaki: I’ll go with the majority. And your name is Park, right?

Park: Yes, and I’m in.

(One of the bullies approaches Misaki and bumps into her.)

Bully: I’m sorry.

(Misaki, annoyed): Did he… put something in my pocket? What is this…? (She turns toward the bully.)

Kaito: Hey, you!

Misaki: It's fine... But I’ll have to cancel our plan. I have some things I need to take care of. I’m sorry.

(Misaki looks around for the bully.)

Misaki: Where is he? He was just here… (Her hand trembles.) How did he get that photo?

---

Three weeks passed since the photo incident, but every week, Misaki found one of her notebooks missing. She kept searching until one day she received a message saying: "Meet me here after school."

(Misaki arrives at the place.)

Misaki: So you're the one who took my journals.

Leader of the bullies: You’re so harsh. I was just returning them.

Misaki: After stealing them?

Leader: That’s unfair. I didn’t steal them. One of my friends did because he likes you.

Misaki: Give me my journal. Or else.

Leader: Oh, scary… Fine, here.

(Misaki takes the journal and starts to walk away.)

Leader: I like strong, scary girls. But it’s a shame your friend died. I bet she was just like you.

(Misaki stops, afraid, and turns back.)

Misaki: How… how do you know about her?

Leader: Oh, your poor friend… the one who was seriously ill and in danger. But she chose to save you. I have my ways.

(Misaki grabs him.)

Misaki: Tell me how you found out! And were you the one who put that picture in my pocket?

Leader: Scary… You could say that. But that’s not the only photo I have. So why don’t we talk?

Misaki: What? How many photos do you have?

Leader: I’ve got a few. Poor girl… You want the only photos of your friend. So how about a deal?

Misaki: A deal? What kind?

Leader: You give me $100 per photo. I have three. That’s $300. What do you say?

Misaki: Where would I get that kind of money?

Leader: I don’t know. But if those photos really matter to you, you’ll find a way. See you.

(After he leaves, Misaki sits down and cries.)

Misaki: What am I going to do...?