Kotori was being deceived. Her want was one thing imprinted on her. It will by no means come true. The cat was twisting info to her profit.

She in all probability counted flowers rising on prime of a corpse as “changing into a flower.”

“Takanashi Shizuki confessed her crimes to you and wished you to die. You had been afraid of being killed your self, and your concern was directed to the symbolic purple flower. You believed that the flowers would kill you, which led to your want to flee from actuality. Saori’s physique was recovered and your sin was delivered to gentle. Even for those who survived, you may not escape from that reality. So that you wished to cease being human… However there’s no level.”

I grabbed her arm. Kotori shrank, shaking her head as she tried to flee my grip. However I held her down.

I fastened her with a tough stare. “You’re in a protected place now. Takanashi Shizuki has had her revenge. She won’t soiled her palms in a manner that could possibly be traced again to her simply. You must settle for actuality. You lined up Saori’s demise and buried her physique. Because of this, two folks died. That reality can’t be undone. What’s the purpose of operating away?!”

Kotori shook her head wildly. Her giant eyes darted round. Phrases spilled from her trembling lips.

“I don’t know something,” she denied. “I… I do know nothing… Saori…”

“How lengthy do you propose to maintain on operating?! You deny, avert your gaze, want to turn out to be a flower. Ultimately, you’re nonetheless scared!”

Kotori’s breath seized in her throat. Tears fell from her giant eyes.

I prayed fervently that my phrases would attain her. That was all I might do.

She wanted somebody to be offended together with her. She wanted somebody to guarantee her security. However nobody did it. I knew I wasn’t sufficient to fill that function. I didn’t even know if this was the suitable factor to do. Nonetheless, it was higher than staying silent.

If she didn’t want to depart, the ocean of flowers wouldn’t disappear.

She would all the time be alone.

“The sector of flowers is gone. Burned up. Do you need to keep in them without end?!”

I lifted her physique up. Kotori screamed. Water dripped from my garments. I dashed by way of the pathway, stepping on the grime. Dashing previous the vegetation, I carried her all the best way to the glass wall.

With one arm holding her up, I slammed my hand on the wall. Thankfully, the solar hadn’t set but. I might see a small Western-style home past the glass, the pale blue sky, and the inexperienced grass.

“Look, Kotori-san. There aren’t any flowers.”

“…”

There have been flowers at our ft, however I pressured her eyes away from them. My hand left a blood within the form of my palm on the glass.

“There are solely two of us right here, you and me.” I continued mendacity prefer it was nothing. “You don’t must turn out to be a flower anymore. Working away from actuality gained’t change something. You’re protected now.”

Heat rays had been pouring down from the sky. Kotori was hanging onto my neck, wanting exterior. Her eyes narrowed barely.

She opened her mouth, and petals fell from her lips.

“It’s throughout now.”

The entire tragedy ended that evening.

That was a reality and the reality. The tragic story of the 5 women was over and would by no means change.

There was no want for her to turn out to be a flower within the first place.

Kotori threw herself at me. Tears moist my hair. Her complete physique was trembling.

Conserving her face down, she pressured the phrases out. “I’m accomplished.”

The final piece of petal fell from her mouth.

Resembling a lump of meat, it dropped onto the water.

“I don’t need to do it anymore.”

Deeply relieved, I fell on my knees.

Kotori in all probability realized the irregular state she was in and have become scared. Her concern of the present state of affairs prevailed over her concern of being killed by the flowers. That was all; my phrases had been meaningless. Nonetheless, I used to be glad.

I used to be grateful to listen to these phrases from her.

I lowered her to the bottom. She ought to have given up her weird want to turn out to be a flower. I patted her head with my unhurt hand. Kotori shrank again. Sensing that I didn’t imply any hurt, she relaxed.

All of the sudden her face tensed.

“Ah, however the White Rabbit’s bell has already rung,” got here a energetic voice. “How really unlucky.”

I had fully forgotten about her.

Kotori’s eyes snapped open. Her complete physique convulsed, and she or he collapsed into my arms. Her pale lips had been trembling. As I peered inside, my breath caught.

Roots had been forming on her moist tongue.

A small bud sprouted.

“You’ve seen somebody flip into bubbles earlier than. This shouldn’t be that shocking to you, cutie. ‘Eat a flower to turn out to be a flower.’ It’s definitely a metaphor, with the flower being likened to flesh, however on the identical time it’s a contract. I don’t lie. When the consumption of flowers exceeds a sure stage, her complete physique will germinate. It’s that form of oddity. I applaud your noble efforts, cutie, however ‘tis a pity.”

The cat sauntered towards us, her black cloak faring. The light curve of her stomach caught my eye. Her stomach gave the impression to be bulging.

It delivered to thoughts a mom cat with an enlarged stomach.

She bowed theatrically.

“Time is up,” she pronounced.

“In any case that speak of being trustworthy with the gamers, you lie,” mentioned a grumpy voice.

I smiled.

When it got here to theatrics, she was far superior.

“This is the reason you’re nothing however a clown.”

Snap.

A purple parasol blossomed. Crimson stood stark in opposition to a inexperienced backdrop.

A determine in black was standing within the greenhouse. Her eyes narrowed in displeasure.

Mayuzumi slowly twirled the parasol. The buds in Kotori’s tongue withered away immediately. All of the sudden, her neck swelled, plant roots crawling beneath her skinny pores and skin. Her shoulder ripped open. Blood trickled down by way of a small gap, and a seed leaf grew.

“No, no, noooooo!” Kotori shrieked.

Shaken, she waved her arms round to get away from the roots. But it surely was rising beneath her pores and skin. No quantity of flailing would take away it. The roots stretched over her shoulder.

Mayuzumi squinted. She closed the parasol.

She spun it in her hand, and it flew straight up within the air. Simply earlier than it hit the glass ceiling, the parasol bloomed and fell on her shoulder.

Mayuzumi twirled it once more.

The subsequent second, the roots on Kotori’s pores and skin withered away. The purple flowers at her ft drooped one after one other. Kotori was left with a weal on her pores and skin.

All the pieces returned to nothing.

Mayuzumi closed the parasol, and the final of the purple disappeared.

“So…?” Mayuzumi groaned.

The cat clapped her palms loud. On her face was an harmless, childlike smile. There was no malice in it.

She gave a broad smile. “Ah, fantastic transfer, younger girl. You’re worthy of the very best of praises. By the way, I used to be a bit of bit off with the time. It wasn’t on function. You’re free to assume that it was, after all. Anyway, I’m so blissful you’re again.” The cat giggled.

Mayuzumi shrugged. “I assumed Odagiri-kun would have completed by now, so I came visiting, solely to listen to your silly voice. I would like him to drive me residence. Ready alone was a backbreaker, however I needed to do precise work in the long run. This isn’t my form of sport. Copying the fox? Revolting.”

Mayuzumi shook her head and set free a weary sigh. “I do know you’ll by no means cease pestering me, so I confirmed up. I don’t actually care whether or not Kotori-kun lives or dies. Collaborating in a baby’s sport as soon as is greater than sufficient. So what’s your plan now? How can we deal with the loser of the sport?” she requested languidly.

Her gaze was fastened on the cat’s stomach. Holding the trembling Kotori tight, I noticed the cat. She had no extra hostages.

The cat raised her palms flippantly. “Nicely, Ms. Kotori is protected now. Relaxation assured.”

“So now I simply must hit you, and it’s case closed,” I growled.

The cat’s eyes flickered. Smiling, she held her personal stomach with a grim look.

“No violence please. I don’t need this physique harm for varied causes.”

I had no intention of obliging her request. And there have been a whole lot of questions I wanted to ask her.

Holding Kotori in my arms, I headed for the doorway to forestall the cat’s escape.

Swiftly, a telephone began ringing. Seconds later, Mayuzumi pulled her mobile phone out of her purse.

She pressed it in opposition to her ear. “It’s me. Oh, I see. In order that’s what occurred. No, simply speaking to myself.”

After exchanging some phrases backwards and forwards, Mayuzumi hung up. She shot the cat a chilly stare.

Mayuzumi answered my voiceless query. “Shizuki-kun disappeared from her residence after she was discharged from the hospital. She’s presently lacking.”

The cat smiled. Holding my gaze, she unfold her arms extensive.

“It will be uncouth to speak about it in additional element. Allow us to relocate, my associates. Why don’t we simply let Ms. Kotori sleep within the automotive? No ambulances. Explaining what occurred is an excessive amount of bother. It will be higher for her too if we simply despatched her straight residence afterwards. Now, then.”

She clapped her palms as soon as.

“How about one final sport?”