Unlike the semi-chilly weather commonly experienced in the spring season, souring heat waves took place in this tropical atmosphere.

Small waves started to hit my foot ever so slightly while only going as far as reaching the edge, ultimately going back.

Sometimes it would come stronger than usual; unleashing a fierce tide. Or on occasion, it would not reach my feet at all.

A common feeling when waking up is not to have a feeling at all. Usually, waking up to something ends up being the ultimate source.

Yet this time, it felt progressively natural, as I allowed the sounds of the small oceanic waves to interrupt my seemingly long slumber.

Opening my eyes, the bright sun and the cerulean sky appeared as if they were intertwined in a canvas.

Since I was laying down on a soft surface with no visible durability, I took a quick notice at how fragile it was and as I erupted my posture to the front, the sensation of sand became clear to my senses.

Feeling my palm on my face, my eyes, consequently, took a short glance at the endless horizon in the middle of nowhere. The visibility of the shells alerted me about the oceanic atmosphere that I was settled in. Yet not quite. The atmosphere, though resembling oceanic symbols was not oceanic, instead; tropical.

"....Right..."

My eyes refused to open up, so with a few touches in my eyelids above, I could finally come to my full senses, fully elevating myself from the pulpy extravagant surface.

"Look at the sky! I'm not going anywhere!"

"You did once say that, didn't you? ...It's working. Your figure in all its grace remains forever visible to me."

Millions lights; all washed away. Empty space; in all its grace.

I sincerely thought that your endlessness wouldn't be washed away and that it was here to stay.

However, I am firmly aware that it was never anything like that. Your novelty didn't contain any sort of endlessness to it.

"How exactly did it come down to this though..."

April 10th.

On Basara-sensei's command, or rather ---- on King George's loud tyrannical shout, everyone in the male dorm was forced to group up in the dining hall.

There, we all took our places, as Basara-sensei stood in front of the Christ cross with King George a few meters to his right side.

Plenty of tables could be picked yet this atmosphere was filled with a dreadful seriousness to it. No one was cracking any jokes whatsoever.

I took a seat next to Hyunda, who was seating on the table located the farthest to the east, right next to the window.

We traded glances yet said nothing to each other.

Something to notice is that I didn't see Susaga and Ryoken ever since it was April 1st.

On the other hand, Basara-sensei, after watching me take my seat, started the conversation.

"As you all know, your former classmate Yulia suicided a few weeks ago, and based on the unknown circumstances, I believe that the cause of it was created by a student in this class."

I thought nothing of this.

There wasn't any need to.

However, breaking the serious atmosphere, Tsudo was the first one to speak up.

"Hold on, teach... Didn't Yulia kill herself? She probably just had a few issues by herself, so how did you arrive at the conclusion that a student from our class was the source for that?"

Why is Tsudo even bothering?

You are questioning why someone with fake intentions who has no qualms about showing fake love would kill herself.

It's self-explanatory. She had nothing left to lose. Only I did.

"Yes, she did kill herself. However, she left a note in her room briefly. From the footage, she was shown to go all the way to her dorm and a few minutes later, only then, did she go to the hall and shot herself in the head."

Perhaps out of sheer curiosity, my eyesight completely widened as I saw a paper note being pulled out of Basara-sensei's pockets.

He then showed us the letter that was written in black ink and lastly, started to chanter what it had to offer to us.

Although distant, I knew for a fact that that was her calligraphy.

"Here is what it says: 'Please be aware of ---- this part was erased and cut ----- he's dangerous and he's a threat to everyone and... and... even when I'm gone I want everyone to know that ------ once again, it got erased and cut ----- is the evilest person on this planet!'"

"What... I don't trust this. She could have easily just decided to target any of us. Even if she committed suicide, I'm still not budging..."

Tsudo, once again, unable to accept what Basara-sensei had said, rebooked yet again.

Nevertheless, I didn't feel like trusting this information either. I won't trust anything that comes from you.

You'll pay the price for deserting me.

"I thought you might say that! Which is why, I brought all of her notebooks. Here, I'll let you all notice how the calligraphy matches."

King George handed Basara-sensei Yulia's notebooks and so, one by one, each of us took a few glances and compared the calligraphy to the one that was in the message.

After King George was done distributing the message and allowing us to be witnesses to the full-proof that this was indeed Yulia's calligraphy, Basara-sensei resumed.

"The obvious thing to take note about this message is that it's referring to a 'he'. Therefore, the primal suspect is one of you."

"Fucking bullshit! Anyone that knows her calligraphy could literally just do this! This is nonsensical as hell. It makes more sense to suspect the girls for pulling out something this cheeky."

Kawahara, discontent, slammed his table fearlessly, as he expressed his lack of happiness for the current situation.

Basara-sensei, on the other hand, wasn't having any of what Kawahara wanted.

"I did consider that option and still do, which is why, the boys and the girls will conduct separate special exams."

Hearing that, the majority of us couldn't help but be alerted.

"The exam will take place tomorrow. Kawahara, I did not eliminate the possibility of any of the girls being behind this. Which is why, subjective inspection will take place. HOWEVER, you retards, are at the top of the suspects. And that factor alone brought me to the decision of splitting the class until the end of this month."

"Huh...? How can you just split the class? It's not possible, sensei. I mean, we will still be in the same classroom, in the same block at the end of the day."

"That's wrong, Kuzan. Starting from tomorrow, all of you, will be in one specific place."

"What place, sensei?"

Not Kuzan, but Tatsu asked that.

Even though I was trying to remain unbothered by this topic since it concerns the one person I don't want to think about now, there was still a part of me that refused to be this illogical about it.

Therefore, I placed all my attention on the current situation as it concerned the special exam.

"That, I will tell you all tomorrow morning. At 7 am, tomorrow, direct yourselves to block A and wait until I show up, right at the entrance. That will be all. Feel free to think about it all you like and also, if you want to bring something along, then you are also free to do so."

That last sentence of his, shrouded with mystery, left me thinking for a bit.

Furthermore, as Basara-sensei dismissed the whole conversation, each one of us started to leave the dining hall, as it was still not yet dinner time though it was getting close.

"Wait, Daniel. We should talk."

"Why, Hyunda?"

I attempted to get up from my seat, but Hyunda's words suddenly stopped me from fully committing that action.

"The exam, what else? Your room, if you don't mind."

"Follow me then."

Thus, we went to my room.

There, Hyunda took a seat on the edge of my bed as I leaned back in my bed a little bit.

....I've been meaning to ask him something if I'm being honest...

"Mysterious, isn't it?"

"You mean the special exam, Hyunda?"

"Perhaps. The truth is, we don't know the content or contents of it, so there is undoubtedly a lingering mystery to it."

"You're right."

My eyelids started to feel insanely heavy as my mind felt like it just wanted to drown in a slumber.

Recently, the thoughts have been crawling back. They were away for a while and I was able to conduct myself properly but now, they are crawling back from the deepest of depths, wanting to take a more materialistic form.

"Daniel, what have you learned from her death?"

"Many things, but... I'm facing a dilemma right now. I don't know what to do anymore. I've hit the brick, so to speak."

Learning the knowledge that your death had to offer to me has provided me to be useful yet useless. In the end, it's just a lingering regret from the fact that I exposed my weaknesses to someone who left me without a second thought.

Henceforth, this dilemma is staggering. I'm paralyzed and the only thing I have to look forward to is the special exam.

I've held so many positive hopes that I was even willing to rewrite the reality that I had initially programmed for myself yet now it's all ruined.

"Have you hit the brick or were you under the brick's effect all along?"

"What do you mean, Hyunda?"

"The aftereffects of experience are transitory. They are resilient and permanent. Aren't you mad?"

"What's the point of being mad anyway? She's gone. I can't do anything with all this rage. It's just useless."

When you decide to leave like that, what do you expect me to do? To mourn your death like you are going to come back?

You're not.

"Not true. I do believe that your feelings deserve to be avenged to a reasonable degree. Yulia was an unfair person. You loved her yet she killed herself, leaving you here all alone. That's not alright."

"It was her choice, Hyunda. And, it was my fault for expecting something positive. Nothing I can do about it now."

"Yes. You can't do anything about her case. She's dead. However, what about how you feel? Your state of mind. The endless thoughts of depression. Did those leave?"

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

".......No. Not at all..."

Thanks to you, I can't sleep for more than 4 hours. My brain starts to remember the moments we shared that I thought that held little to no relevance yet every time I remember them, it hits differently now.

It all hits differently and it's sad because your death remains yet to be explained.

And every second I waste is more than I can take without you here.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?"

"I don't know Hyunda. How do you even fight this? They won't leave me."

"You don't have to fight the way you feel. Just accept it."

"Accept it...?"

"Yes, accept it. Yulia's gone. She's not coming back. She killed herself. To her, you weren't even that important. Otherwise, she would still be here. She probably spoke words of love to you yet would she actually be able to truly feel the way that she told you that she felt towards you by committing suicide? She's a fucking liar."

"I fucking know that already... But it's so fucking frustrating... Frustrating because I opened to someone and that someone just ended it all. I was fine with being discarded away, but this hit me in a way that I don't think I'll ever be able to fix myself. I won't fix, I rather weep instead..."

I don't know what to do anymore. How do you...

Like...

It's so fucking hard to move on, why the fuck did I get attached?!

Frustrated, I started to scratch the back of my head furiously as I waited for Hyunda to deliver his reply.

All in all, I'm open to new opportunities. I just want to take my mind off.

"So, you acknowledge that it's her fault?"

"It is her fault. She left me. Who else am I supposed to blame? Myself from not being there at the right time? Come the fuck on... I couldn't have foreseen this and I refuse to blame myself for her death. I'm done, man. I don't want to care anymore..."

"That's correct. However, this wouldn't have happened if you had made the choice of abandoning her early on. Daniel, you started to change your way of thinking in the end, didn't you? Your thought process surely must've become... subjective."

"Yeah, Hyunda. It got subjective. I prioritized my emotions. I was even allowing myself to think that I would be fine with not being able to search for my happiness, but, in the end, it didn't work."

Hyunda, midst this, was walking to my desk and there, he saw the list of my regrets, that I didn't bother to conceal.

Taking a short grasp of it, reading it, and then putting it in the same place, he took a seat in my desk's chair and spoke to me again.

"We could talk endlessly about this. However, the conclusion I want you to take here is that emotional conversations don't exactly hold up much in the end. What shapes humans are accumulated experiences. For example, Yulia's suicide was an experience that shaped you tremendously. That itself is proof that experiences weight more than words."

"Hyunda... I... If I'm honest with you, although I comprehend what you are trying to say, I doubt I can make much of it."

"You're right. That's something I've come to notice. Therefore, I already took a few steps ahead..."

"You have...?"

"Mhm."

He's murmuring while texting someone from the looks of it. I had to tilt my head just to look in his direction yet that's exactly what he's doing.

Then, a few seconds later, my phone vibrated and before I could take it out of my right pocket, Hyunda said a few words first.

"Don't check what I have just sent. What I have sent you are five videos. Five videos made for the purpose of helping you conduct your upcoming experience. Right now, you are lacking far too much experience."

"But... Why can't I check them right now...?"

"It would ruin the whole thing if they were already experienced. They contain valuable information that will make you grow in the upcoming exam. In other words, your experience will be to put that information into practice."

"But Hyunda, can I really put your words into practice?"

This is what I'm most worried about. Sometimes, I can't help but not fully understand what he wants me to understand in all totality.

However, despite my worries, Hyunda replied back with a confident smirk.

"Don't worry! I've summarized each video in a very easy and comprehensible way!"

.....Why do I feel like that was a roast...?

"Also, you probably don't have much to look forward to right now, so I'll give you something to look forward to. Hear me out. Throughout the program's length, I will give you ten separate life lessons."

Hearing that, left me with a surprising sensation.

"Though, they will only come at their respective time... Also, that aside, I should mention something."

"What?"

This time, his smirk vanished and he pushed the chair away with his own movements thus leaning his two legs on top of my desk.

"The upcoming exam will be crucial, most likely. The reason that we will be conducting the upcoming special exam is based on Yulia's suicide. You know what that means, right?"

"Yeah. Most likely, Basara-sensei will come up with some sort of method to evaluate each individual independently in order to form a better profile on the one that triggered Yulia's suicide, supposedly."

I don't care for the reason though. The fact remains, you didn't even seek me, at all.

Impatient, you just went ahead with your decision and decided to end it all. I don't have to think twice as to why you'd do something like that though.

It must've been fun to you, toying with my emotions to that extent. 

Expecting me to care now is beyond impossible.

"Yeah, that's correct, Daniel. Here is what I want you to understand. The suspect can be anyone in the eyes of others. Normally, this would not have to be important. But somehow, this will be important. That's what Basara-sensei implied."

"I understand. Strategically speaking, due to the note that Yulia left behind, the primal suspect will be a boy, therefore, one of us. What worries me is that I don't know what the exam will revolve around. It's far too open, Hyunda."

Basara-sensei explained little to no detail about it.

If I had to take a wild guess, he will explain it all tomorrow. No, he has to. It's his duty. However, the location remains suspicious.

Why block A?  

"I'm glad you understand. Now... There's something else that's necessary for you to understand. You remember what happened on April 1st, right?"

"How could I forget? She made sure she creeped the hell out of everyone with that message."

I didn't need to think twice about what Hyunda was talking about and to whom he was ultimately referring to.

"Yukishiro is out for this person. She is treating this as some sort of game."

"She's a lunatic... Did you see the way that she acted when she wrote the message? She spoke to this person that she has in mind like that individual was her plaything or some shit..."

"She's irrelevant, Daniel. What's not, is my point. My point being, this suspect is highly respectable and this suspect would also need to hide from all attention possible. In other words, this suspect might try and use others in order to make the suspect be someone who is not actually the suspect."

"True, Hyunda. Then, we have to be careful about this person. Trusting just about anyone else might be a mistake. We should keep this between ourselves."

"I agree. Let's keep it our secret. Moving on though... This will be a war for image."

A war for image...?

"You're probably wondering what I'm talking about and I'll explain it in simpler terms. A war for image is the equivalent of a battle to erase suspicion. Heads up though, this does not mean that making yourself look like a saint is the best move."

"I know, Hyunda. It's best to make someone else look like the suspect instead of making yourself look like the good guy. Because, at the end of the day, all that matters is one person."

"You're catching up, nice. Yes, that's what this will mean essentially. However, you will have to think. Throughout the exam, it might not be hinted how it will be done but the exam's ultimate purpose is to create a better image of the suspect."

"Yeah, that much Basara-sensei made sure we knew. Though, Hyunda, what about you? You're giving me this much advice and I plan of making use of it, but will you be alright?"

After yawning slightly, Hyunda replied.

"Yeaaaah. I'm harmless. I invite no harm at all. I'm sorta scared too, you know? If there is someone that's able to conduct psychological reasonings and infiltrate someone's mind like this, then... You just gotta be aware of that person, right?"

"...By the way, what was your plan back then? You can tell me now that Yulia is gone.."

I've been curious about this for a while.

Thus, I asked Hyunda about it, while getting up from my bed, in order to grab a soda in my refrigerator.

"Oh, that? Wait... I forgot about it... What was it again?"

"Wait, seriously...?"

"Yeah... Oh, wait, no. I do remember it now. Remember when I told you about that subjective/objective experience stuff? That was for the purpose of making you see why you should break up with Yulia. Because then, your mind was fully set on the idea. However, you couldn't even do that. And besides, your mind was filled with subjectivity back then, so my plan would ultimately fail... What a bummer."

As I opened my soda can and tossed one to Hyunda as well, I reflected on what Hyunda had just told me.

If I was able to reach out to Yulia, with my mind full of objectivity, then I would be able to swiftly break up with her and let my mind be at ease.

However, since it was full of subjectivity, I couldn't.

Now that I think about it, it wouldn't have mattered at all. You would be gone regardless. Your selfish action would ultimately kill my entire purpose.

"Initially speaking, I was forming another plan that would involve Sana, but I decided to drop it. It was a bad idea. Anywho, here."

Upon taking a seat in my bed once again, Hyunda tossed something back to me this time.

Thus, I caught it and took a small glimpse of it.

As soon as I saw six pills of it inside the small white capsule, my mind, transiently, felt a feeling of great joy.

"Don't consume them all at once. Do it moderately. Until the end of the month that's all there is."

"...Are you sure you're fine with giving me this, Hyunda?"

"As long as you consume them moderately and not all at once, I'm fine. Don't get addicted to it though. Xanax can often be lethal. Be aware of that."

"...I won't get addicted."

Ever since the day that Hyunda gave me that one pill, I haven't had Xanax again and those thoughts that were seemingly absent started to return.

In the effects of Xanax, my thoughts felt at peace; in an endless harmony of silence. It allowed me not to contract reality, as I was able to conduct myself properly.

However, with time, they started to return. 

I don't want those thoughts.

I don't need your voice in my mind again.

"Get some sleep. Or try to, at least."

Already on his way out, Hyunda spoke those words to me. Although, he probably realized that I wouldn't be able to do so.

Without any other words being exchanged, we ended our meeting and I tried to go to sleep, as soon as I turned my lights off.

I checked what time it was on my phone, for convenience's sake.

"7 pm..."

Liting up my lamp ever slightly, I reached out to the white capsule that was on my bedside table's surface.

There, I opened it and took ahold of one of the pills with my right hand.

Only five more pills remaining.

I know Xanax is a drug. I did do my research on this.

I won't get addicted. It's fine.

It's just every now and then, that will be all.

Thus, I took the pill to my lips and swallowed it forcefully with my own saliva.

Ultimately pulling my bedsheets close to me, I titled my entire posture to the right and started to get closer to the wall.

The fresh sensation, close to my brain, further allowed my mind to feel at ease.

After a few minutes, I finally achieved a stable state of mind which would nevertheless allow me to fall asleep.

9 pm.

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.

.

"Oh, he's up!"

"Is he though?"

!!!!

"Who's there?!"

Panicking, as I heard two unfamiliar voices, I immediately reached out to my lamp's cable midst the darkness and lit up the light.

No one was in my room.

Thus, I unlocked my room's door and with haste, I scouted the perimeter.

However, I also quickly realized that this was night hour's time already and that no one should be allowed to be out of their rooms.

It's a strict rule that no one breaks here.

The worst part about this is that those voices are not familiar. There were two voices yet...

Seemingly...

"....What the hell..."

Unable to draw a plausible conclusion, I went back to my room while locking the door.

"Hey!"

However, again, one of the voices spoke out.

"W-What?! Where is it coming from?!"

It's strange! The voice doesn't match my volume, it's as if it comes from my mind! It lacks the physical substance to it...

Once again panicking, I looked everywhere in my room, even below my bed yet I found nothing.

"...Am I hallucinating...? No, no, my mind is just... playing tricks on me... I should go back to sleep..."

As I attempted to regress back to my bed before I could, I heard a different voice, that had a different tone from the one that had just spoken a while ago.

"Give us a physical form, you idiot! We are not hallucinations!"

"I mean, you know us though, why exactly are you acting like we are strangers?"

"What the hell!!!"

"Idiot, keep it down! You'll wake the king up!! You should know he's a tyrant, Daniel!"

"How the hell do you know my name?! Show yourself!!"

"Dude, stop teasing him."

I'm going insane, I'm going insane.

This is not possible. I'm actually in a state of delirium.

Feeling pressured, I took a seat on the edge of my bed, while looking down.

Subsequently, as I took a deep breath, I stopped hearing those two voices.

"....What the hell was that..."

As I fell asleep once more, the voices did not assault my mind again.

April 11th. 7 am.

In the chilly morning, every single one of us was at the entrance of block A.

There, we saw, from afar, emerging from the door of the main teachers' office, Basara-sensei, with documents in his hand.

On his usual black hitman-like suit, after he opened the door, he invited us in.

"Accompany me, every single one of you. It goes without saying but if you don't partake in this exam, you are out of the program."

I don't believe any of us actually fell under the impression that it was a good idea to have such thoughts.

Not even Hyunda, who is one exam away from being expelled.

Climbing the floors, all the way to the top, we did not speak a single word, as we listened to what Basara-sensei, who was leading us, had to say.

"The special exam will be brief and simple. You will all be allocated to an island which was carefully selected by me and there, until the end of the month, if you are able to exit the island, then you pass the exam, congratulations."

"W-What?! Hold on, that's so vague, I demand a proper explanation, sensei! Island?! Getting out, what is this?!"

"You seem mad, Tsudo. Do you want to partake this or not?"

"...I don't have much of a choice..."

I didn't bother to argue, as I walked by Hyunda's side.

I took a sharp glance at him and did the same as he; think about the current words that Basara-sensei had just said.

Supposedly, we ten will be taken to an island, and there, our special exam will occur.

However, Basara-sensei was far too vague, which was most likely intentional. He only went as far as saying that the only way to pass the exam is to find a way out.

It's a blunder to expect a sophisticated explanation. He's telling me to think right now and besides, trust does me no good. 

At last, we had arrived at the rooftop. Basara-sensei opened the door and we all felt a strong gust of window. A gust, so strong, that we all had to shield our eyes with our forearms.

What we witnessed was ten individual helicopters standing allocated separately on this rooftop, ready to take off.

Basara-sensei, taking the lead once again, spoke to us, one last time, while ultimately going to the center of the rooftop, unphased by the wind blasts being reproduced by the helicopters.

"As you will enter the helicopter, the helicopter will take you to the respective island. Each staff member inside the helicopter will give you a card that contains a tracking pin. That pin, cannot be removed, until the exam is cleared. Should you remove it or destroy it, you are therefore disqualified. Also, only one of you will be able to enter the helicopter respectively. It will be according to my order though. Furthermore, as soon as one of the helicopters departs, five minutes will be made and until then, will the process repeat. That will be all. First, Kuzan!"

"Y-Yes, sensei!"

As Kuzan entered one of the helicopters, a factor that was underneath the surface lingered to the back of my mind right away.

This exam's premise is beyond vague and also, the major factor about this exam is that the special exam is nothing more than a sub-device used for the sake of gathering intel on the proper suspect.

Eventually, only Hyunda and I remained.

With two helicopters only left, Hyunda and I traded glances with each transiently.

"Daniel, you're up next."

"Yes."

Strangely enough, as I entered the helicopter and received the card from the staff member assigned for this respective helicopter, I started to feel dizzy.

The only thing that I remember of that moment is seeing the face of the staff member who had a hitman-like black suit with black sunglasses, taping my mouth with his own hands.

Which would, at last, bring me to the current scenario, where I terminate reminiscing how it all happened.