Battle Royale

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

27

Shogo's face softened as he continued, "They even gave me a card autographed by the Dictator. What an honor that was. It looked like some kid scribbled on it, though I can't remember the details, since I tossed it into recycling."

In sharp contrast to Shogo's cheery voice, Shuya took a deep breath. It was true any third-year junior high school student could get thrown into the Program, but...how could you end up in it twice? Of course if he didn't have to stay back, it would never have happened, but even so the chances were as slim as winning the lottery. But now it all made sense how Shogo was so familiar with the game, how he noticed the sleeping gas, and of course, the scars all over his body... but if it was true—it was completely outrageous!

"That's...," Shuya said, "that's outrageous."

Shogo shrugged. "The game was in July, but because I suffered heavy injuries, I was hospitalized for a long time. It gave me time though to study a bunch of things including stuff about this country—but only while lying in bed. The nurses and staff were really generous and brought me books from the library. I guess the hospital was my school. In any case, that was how I ended up repeating third year all over again. But..."

Shogo looked at them.

"...I have to say, even I didn't expect I'd be in this game again."

That's right. Shuya recalled their recent—actually it was already three hours ago—conversation. When Shuya asked, "Did you already kill someone before Kyoichi?" and Shogo had answered, "Well, this time, it was my first."

Noriko then asked. "So those who've been selected..." She rephrased the question, perhaps thinking that it sounded too much like winning a sweepstakes prize, "So the ones who've been in it already aren't exempt?"