SOMETHING X1

“Vomiting blood?” Sen lowered his screen and began scrolling again.

Ren dashed to the bathroom. Janka sat on the floor with a dark pool flowing around him. He clenched his chest.

“It’s okay now...” He struck his chest. 

Yao entered and bent down to Janka. “Did you eat anything weird?”

“I don’t think so?” Janka rubbed his head, trying to remember.

Ren grabbed Janka’s arm and helped him up. “let’s get you to bed…” 
Under his grip he felt something wet on Janka’s arm; he took a look, and there was a fresh scar. “You are bleeding.”

Yuzuru and Morrissey entered. Yuzuru noticed the scar. “It’s the same as Kaya…” He grabbed Janka’s arm. Janka jerked his arm and ran into one of the stalls. Following him was the sound of vomiting.

“I should call in Riley…” Morrissey ran out.

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“Hmmm… The internals are alright; even the mud is working on the scars…” Riley sat next to Janka, hovering her hand over his chest.

“But the blood vomits won’t stop…” Morrissey tightened Janka’s hand.

“I bet that Damian did this...” Kaya crouched behind Riley and peered at Janka.

“Damian isn’t back yet….” Riley tilted her head, looking at Janka.

“Janka… How are you feeling?” Sen tugged Kaya away and stood at his place.

“N-not good…” Janka clenched his chest.

“You said you don’t see any internal problem?” Nive neared Janka's face.

“No.”

“Jacksaw, can you tell if it’s a curse?” Sen sat down at the bed’s corner.

“N-no….Nive (girl), she might-“

“Worthless—” Sen pressed his phone and looked at the time. “Look, it’s already 1:21…. Let’s sleep; if he dies Dac will get him.”

“JANKA!” Riley shook Janka's hand with a pale face.

“Did I jinx him?” Sen got up and leaned towards Janka's face, which was full of scratches. “Weird.”

Everyone drifted back to their beds; Ren stood amidst them looking at the dead body. Riley slipped next to him and grabbed Ren’s hand. “Don’t worry, Ren…he will come back to life.”

“R-right...” Ren looked at the body and clenched her hand tighter.

“Oh, that will vanish in about half an hour or so…” Yuzuru patted his shoulder. “Now let Riley go back…”

“Oh right…” He let go and walked back to his bed.

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There was an uproar at the breakfast table where a trial was held.

"As everyone knows… Janka died last night…" Yuzuru slammed a small hammer on the table, a white beard taped to his chin, dressed in judge attire. "If anyone knows something… Reveal” 

“Yes, sire! I believe it was Damian!” Kaya raised his hand.

“He isn’t here!” Riley took a sip of her tea.

“I am glad, Janka died… Tell Dac to not bring him back~.” Vivian clapped her hands smilingly.

Yuzuru looked at her and looked at the rest. “So, anyone other than Damian.”

“Morrissey! Janka ate his sandwich…” Ayu snickered, pointing at Morrissey.

“I didn’t!”

“I will be the judge of that!” Yuzuru spoke in a deeper voice.

“It must be Sen; he plots to kill and only tells Yao!” Nive (boy) smirked, glancing at Sem.

“Yeah, sure.” Sen got up.

“Mhmmm…..quite convincing.” Jacksaw also joined Yuzuru in a judge's attire. “So we have three suspects: Damian, Morrissey, and Sen!”

“I don’t think Sen would…” Nami giggled.

“Can you guys stop playing? I want to eat.” Yao poured tea in his cup.

Sen walked to the hallway and noticed Ren lingering at the corner looking at everyone.

“If you want to join them, why don’t you just join?”

Ren jolted, waving his hands. “I-I don’t….i mean to do…b-but-“

Sen raised his brow. “Are you thinking they are being heartless, playing on Janka's death?”

Ren lowered his head. “I know he will come back, and I have accepted that fact, but—”

“If we just cry over temporary deaths, then life will be painful…. Go join others, joke around...” Sen walked past Ren.

“Why aren’t you joining the rest… Nami, Yao and Yuzuru are there…”

“Does he look like the type to have fun…?” Cero hugged Ren from the back and blew in his ear.

Ren shuddered. “Do you have a sense of personal space!?”

Cero twirled his hair and turned to Sen. “Remember, Toby’s wandering soul was seen before we left for the war.” Cero’s ears flickered and he bent closer to Sen.

Sen shoved him away. “I remember, Mr Best Friend.” He smirked, staring as Cero’s ears twitched.

Sen turned around to leave when he suddenly stopped and turned around to them.
“If you want to meet Toby’s soul that badly, then go to his room maybe...” He glanced at Ren and pointed at him. “Take Ren; he is the only one who met Toby…maybe Toby is showing himself to him or something…”

Cero sighed and glanced at Ren. “I think it’s unfair…that you saw him while I was his best friend.”

Ren fidgeted and looked at his feet.

“Mr Best Friend, you left Toby when he needed you the most.” Sen dragged Cero closer.

“Haha, keep your moral dictation to yourself; you have no idea what I have been through!” Cero grabbed Sen’s arm, his pupils elongated.

Both of them let go of each other, and Sen walked away waving his hand. “If you find him, do let me know what he said…”

“As if we will tell that good-for-nothing!” Cero wagged his tail and pulled Ren closer with a jerk. “Let’s go, wolfie~.”

“hehe…” Ren nervously let out a laugh.

The two walked, passing different rooms; Cero stopped in front of one and looked at the name tag. “I am sure this is Rose’s room, not Dillan’s.” Cero turned to Ren and let out a sigh. “I am really pissed…why did Toby meet you and not me…?”

“Maybe because I am a spirit—“ Ren shrugged.

Cero wagged his tail and whacked it on Ren’s face. “Idiot, you weren’t a spirit from the start.”

Ren recalled he had met Toby on his first day too. But he decided not to talk about it, since Cero behaved more like a jealous boyfriend than a best friend.

Cero looked at Ren. “Are you still afraid of Sen?”

“N-no…..he is just intimidating…”

“Haah… Everyone finds him intimidating because he is almost everyone’s first guide,” Cero shrugged. “The type of fear for a strict teacher.”

“Riley, she was showing me around, but Sen showed up!” Ren’s fingers twitched.

“Aww, but Sen was the nicest to you~.” Cero poked Ren’s nose. “Even if he killed you~”

“Can we not talk about that?” Ren shuddered, remembering his first day. “I remember on my first day Nami told me to beware of Yuzuru but I think he's actually a go—”

“Good?… Good people don’t beat up others for no good reason.” Cero smiled with a feline stare. “Did you forget the silent treatment?”

“N-no-“

“You are lucky they left you alone."

Ren tightened his fists, reaching Toby’s room.
My start was bumpy
But I saw everyone, and surely everyone has more than one side.

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Yuzuru wandered into the kitchen. “Hmm…maybe at midday a juice or a chocolate or—”

He noticed Morrissey crouching on the floor. Yuzuru opened the fridge. “Ah, come on, Morrissey, I know you didn’t kill Janka over a sandwich….”

“T-that’s n-not it.” Morrissey’s body trembled. Yuzuru helped him stand up; in front of his eyes, scratches erupted all over Morrissey’s face and arms.

Morrissey doubled over, and blood gushed out of his mouth. Yuzuru took a few steps back and ran out of the kitchen; the door swung behind him.

“Morrissey, he is vomiting blood!”