四

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

[Private]

[ page number marked here, followed by notes written in archaic japanese ]

Another HiME here. Why is she looking for Kanzaki-senpai? She really sounded like she was ready to kill him. There's something I missed even while I was there. Something important, isn't it?

...It's not important anymore. The Festival can't repeat itself here. I hope things remain calm, for Takumi's sake. None of us asked to be part of such horror, but he especially...deserves a normal life.

It's not my business. I won't make it my business.

[ written even smaller, then quickly crossed out as if she's changed her mind ]

Add Kuga Natsuki to the watch li Not my business.

[/Private]

[Takumi]

Your sisters' friend is here, Takumi. But please don't meet with her without my company. Just like with the president, I have my reasons.

And don't think I can't tell that you're up to something. Where have you been?

[/Takumi]

[ written formally, but anyone who knows akira somewhat decently should be able to recognize the handwriting ]

I know that people are taken from here all the time, even if they can't control when they leave. I'm often hearing people debate back and forth on methods they could try.

But my question is this: How does one ensure that they never leave?

Comments

[encryptedlock]

[dictated back]

If I knew, I'd be doing it. The only trend I know of is that people who are really quiet tend to go a lot more often than people who get themselves involved, make connections with other people, that sort of thing.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

So it has a habit of keeping the people who it deems useful.

[encryptedlock]

Guess you could say that, but its criteria for "useful" sure isn't anything we've really been able to pinpoint.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

But there are patterns.

[encryptedlock]

Right. Like how practically everybody's special in some way - you almost never see people here with regular boring lives.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

But there are some. Why would it choose only a few?

[encryptedlock]

Oh, there are outliers in everything. One of my friends was near dead silent for a couple months, but he didn't leave.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

You didn't visit him?

[encryptedlock]

It's rude to break into a friend's room, you know. [Notice how he specifies "friend".] So if their name's on the door but they don't answer, they're here but they don't want to be bothered.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

Or they're lying on the floor after suffering a stroke or a heart attack.

If someone doesn't respond to anyone after a few days, that's usually a little more serious than wanting to be alone.

[encryptedlock]

Yeah, see, I went through training with people who would try to shoot me in the face if I interrupted their special alone time, so. Might just be habit.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

I have a friend with a health condition, so I suppose that colors my habits as well.

[encryptedlock]

Oh, yeah, definitely. Like if Sister got quiet, I'd probably assume she's ODed or something and check up on her. When Grif's quiet, it's because he's too lazy to open his damn journal.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

ODed?

[encryptedlock]

Yeah, she, uh. Has a drug problem.

[setsubousuru.livejournal.com]

...Isn't information like that normally kept private?

[encryptedlock]

[He snickers.]

Yeah, she was high in the lobby the other day? All you really have to do is talk to her and you'll realize she has issues.