I didn't think it would be this quiet.
When people imagine death, they probably think of pain. Fear. Regret.
But the strangest part was the silence.
No footsteps.No arguments.No accusations.
Just darkness.
Maybe I should introduce myself properly.
My name is Yuki Hoshino.
The one they called The Star.
I believed in hope.
Even when the doors locked.Even when the screens told us one of us was an Imposter.Even when everyone started looking at each other differently.
I thought if I smiled, if I talked to everyone, if I reminded them we were still classmates…
Things wouldn't fall apart.
I was wrong.
The first time I felt it was during dinner.
No one sat in groups anymore.
People chose seats based on distance.
Distance meant safety.
Distance meant survival.
I tried to talk to them.
"Let's make a schedule.""We should move together.""No one should be alone."
Some nodded.
Some avoided eye contact.
Some stared at me like I was naïve.
Maybe I was.
The night before I died, someone spoke to me.
They asked softly,
"Do you really believe everyone here is innocent?"
I didn't know what to say.
Because for the first time…
I wasn't sure.
Still, I answered,
"I believe people can choose not to become monsters."
There was a pause.
Then they said something I still remember.
"That belief will get you killed."
I laughed.
I thought they were being dramatic.
The next morning, I woke up earlier than usual.
The hallways were empty.
The lights flickered slightly — they always did at that hour.
I went to the courtyard.
It was the only place that still felt like outside.
Cold air. Grey sky. Artificial trees.
But quiet.
Peaceful.
For a moment, I forgot about the game.
That's when I heard footsteps behind me.
I turned.
Someone was there.
I won't tell you who.
Not because I want to protect them.
But because the truth is…
It didn't matter.
What mattered was their eyes.
They weren't angry.
They weren't afraid.
They looked… resolved.
Like someone who had already decided something long before that moment.
I asked them,
"Are you okay?"
Such a stupid question.
They didn't answer.
They just walked closer.
Slowly.
I remember thinking:
If I scream, someone might come.
But I didn't scream.
Because a small part of me believed—
If I stayed calm…
If I trusted them…
They would stop.
They didn't.
When they grabbed my arm, it was firm. Not violent.
When they pushed me, it was quick. Efficient.
I fell against the concrete edge.
The world tilted.
Pain came after that.
Then warmth.
Then cold.
I heard them say one thing before everything went dark.
"I'm sorry."
And you know what?
I believe they meant it.
That's the worst part.
Because it means the game is already working.
We're not killing each other out of hatred.
We're killing each other…
To survive.
If you're reading this—
If you're watching us—
Remember this:
The Imposter isn't the only monster here.
Fear will turn all of them into one.
Even the kind ones.
Even the strong ones.
Even the ones who look like heroes.
Especially them.
Because the ones who try to protect everyone…
Are the ones who break first.
Present Time
The alarm rang across the academy.
Students rushed toward the courtyard.
A small crowd had already formed.
No one spoke at first.
Yuki Hoshino lay near the concrete edge, her body covered with a white sheet from the infirmary.
The digital board above the courtyard lit up.
FIRST CASUALTY CONFIRMEDREMAINING: 21
A long silence followed.
Then—
"…So it started."
The voice belonged to Ren Kurogane.
No one disagreed.
Some students cried.
Some turned away.
Some began looking around.
Not at the body.
At each other.
Aiko Fujimori clutched her sleeves tightly.
Daichi Moriyama stood with his arms crossed, expression hard.
Mika Shirasagi whispered something under her breath.
Haru Tachibana stared at the ground, unmoving.
And near the edge of the crowd, one student spoke quietly.
"We need to find out who did this."
Heads turned.
The student continued,
"If we don't act now, the next one will die tomorrow."
Another voice responded sharply,
"And how do you plan to do that? Interrogations? Trials?"
Silence.
Then someone said what everyone was thinking.
"What if the killer is standing right here?"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Distance grew.
Eyes hardened.
Trust fractured.
Above them, the screen flickered again.
RULE UPDATEViolence is permitted.Surveillance will not be provided.Escape condition unchanged.
Find the Imposter.Eliminate them.
The game had officially begun.
And somewhere in the crowd—
Someone was already planning the next move.