'Italic text'==Command 4 [Thursday, 22 October 00:00]==
[10/21 Thursday 00:00 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: This is the King's Game in which everyone in your class is participating. The King's command is absolute and must be done within 24 hours. ※ You can not withdraw from the game. ＊Command 4: Student Number 17 Tasaki Daisuke(m) and Student Number 20 Nakajima Misaki(f) —The two of you will have sex. END]Nobuaki sighed deeply.
"For them to have sex...this is too much! They would never do that!"
At that moment, Chiemi called him.
"What do you think?" Nobuaki asked casually.
Chiemi's voice was panicked.
"What do I think of it?! What were those 4 messages about? Hideki and Satomi will be hanged as punishment? And the next command is for Daisuke and Misaki to have sex!? Misaki is Shouta's girlfriend!! How could this happen? The person who started this game has gone too far!"
"Even if you ask me, I have no idea. This command is ridiculous! And if you're really worried about Hideki and Satomi, why not phone them? I'll phone Hideki, and you phone Satomi."
"Okay!"
With that said, Nobuaki ended the call and phoned Hideki; however, he could only hear endless ring tones.
"What's wrong with Hideki?! Is he still playing Pachinko? ...Or maybe he just turned off his phone?"
He ended the call and phoned Chiemi. "Did Satomi answer her phone?"
"No, she didn't..."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Chiemi's worried voice, Nobuaki laughed and told her, "Forget this stupid King's game. You don't need to worry."
"Really? But..."
"They won't actually follow the commands and go hang themselves, right? Get some sleep now, and we'll see what happens at school tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..."
"Just wait till tomorrow, and get some sleep tonight."
"Okay... Good night."
Nobuaki knew that Chiemi was worried, and he had tried to calm her. However, he himself felt uneasy. He phoned Hideki again to try to make himself feel better, but there was no answer. As for Satomi, he didn't have her phone number so he couldn't phone her.
"I guess I'll just wait for tomorrow, then."
Giving up, he went to sleep.
<The Next Morning>
The students in the classroom were talking about the King's Game. Among them, Mami and Misaki were talking enthusiastically.
"Misaki, have you read the message this time? You have to have sex!", Mami clapped, doubling over laughing.
"I read it! When I saw my name, I was a bit curious about what command would be, but when I saw it, I was shocked that I have to have sex!"
"Even I wouldn't say that having sex is easy. Besides, you have a boyfriend already."
"If I really have sex, Shouta would kill me! If it were another command, maybe I would accept it."
"Misaki, maybe you actually like these games?" The two girls laughed and clapped.
"What are you saying?! Misaki, you've gone further then me! You once hung out with a guy and rented a room, didn't you?"
"Ayahhhhh! How did you know?"
"It's a small world."
Misaki slapped Mami's back, and their laughter filled the classroom. Nobuaki hurried to the two, who were laughing and joking, and said, "Mami, do you know Hideki? Did you phone him last night or this morning?"
Mami replied, laughing, "Yeah! Around 10, he was playing Pachinko and won a bunch. He was even showing it all off in front of me."
"10? What happened after that?"
"Nothing."
"Really... I tried to call him after 12, but he didn't answer, and he never called me back."
"So?" Mami's tone was filled with impatience.
"Arn't you worried about him? Hideki and Satomi are to be punished and [hung by the neck]—didn't you receive this message? Will that person... do something bad to them?"
"Ayhaaa~ ~ I don't care! I'm more interested in the King's command for Daisuke and Misaki to have sex."
The only thing in her brain was to have sex.
"Okay...Thanks."
Nobuaki returned to his seat.
In the classroom now, the excited and curious students formed circles around Daisuke and Misaki. Didn't anyone notice Hideki and Satomi haven't yet arrived to school? Nobuaki thought.
"Hey, Chiemi, have Hideki and Satomi come in yet?"
"Not yet. Satomi didn't call me back too."
"It's almost time for the morning assembly..."
After a short while the teacher came into the classroom, bringing along with him a heavy atmosphere. In the end, Hideki and Satomi didn't show up. The students returned to their seats one by one. When they were seated, the teacher spoke in a serious manner, "I have some bad news. Toyoda Hideki and Ishii Satomi passed away last night. Their guardians notified the school this morning."
His words stirred up a commotion in the classroom. Nobuaki stood up and asked, "Sir, about the death of Hideki and Satomi... Were they hung?"
For an instant the teacher's breath was taken away.
"That's right...How did you know?"
"Err..."
"Their parents suspected that their children were being bullied in school, but we teachers have assured them that there was no bullying whatsoever."
"Hideki isn't someone who would commit suicide because he's being bullied! He isn't!" Nobuaki roared. Chiemi, on the other hand, covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
"Yeah! There was also no one bullying Satomi..."
The teacher tried to calm the students down, "I thought so too, so please don't blame yourselves!"
Some in the classroom cried painfully; some lowered their heads; and others were restless and you could see the uneasiness on their faces. At this chaotic moment, someone shouted, "Does this have something to do with the King's command yesterday?"
The classroom filled with whispering sounds once again.
"What is that? What's the King's Game about?" asked their teacher. He obviously knew nothing about the King's Game.
Nobuaki told the teacher about the events that had transpired.
That everyone in the class would receive a message at midnight. That the message would contain a command for a few members of the class. That Hideki and Satomi did not follow their command, so they had received punishment.
"How can anything like this happen! Why would you even believe in such a stupid message? I know it's hard for you to believe this, but please don't get too involved in these matters. Just continue to focus on your studies. The morning assembly for today ends here." Wanting to quickly drop the subject, their teacher ended the assembly.
"Wait, Sir! How can we focus our studies during something like this!?" A student called to the teacher, but he had already left.
"How can he act like this?! Hideki and Satomi are already dead! They're our classmates! Is focusing on our studies really more important than our friends?!"
Nobuaki shouted to the empty teacher's desk. He fixed his eyes on Hideki and Satomi's seats—just yesterday the owners of these seats were sitting here as usual.
After the teacher left the classroom, the students gathered swiftly and started their discussion.
"Anyone know why they hung themselves?"
"Don't tell me that if we don't follow the commands, we're going to die!"
"How could this happen?"
"But they..."
Nobuaki interrupted Mami and Minako's conversation.
"Is the game that important?! You guys should at least care about Hideki and Satomi..."
Misaki then charged in with an ashen look, "Hey, if the King's Game is for real, then, if I don't have sex with Daisuke, would I become like them?"
Nobuaki could not answer her. He wanted to tell her 'Just ignore that stupid command.', but Hideki and Satomi's deaths were facts.
Suddenly, Shouta shouted angrily, "Misaki! Please don't believe in this! This must be a coincidence. If you follow that stupid command, I won't forgive you! I'll definitely break up with you!"
Misaki replied with a shivering voice, "But I'm scared... I don't want to die like them..."
"I won't believe in something like that! Daisuke, come over here!"
Daisuke approached him timidly.
"...So?"
Shouta grabbed Daisuke firmly by the collar and lifted his body up.
"If you follow the King's command and have sex with Misaki, I'll kill you!"
Daisuke turned his face away from Shouta, then said timidly, "I understand..."
"You hear it, Misaki? This goes the same for you!"
"But..."
Nobuaki, who didn't want this to go any further, quickly went to stop them. "Leave it, Shouta. Calm down, they haven't done anything wrong yet."
"Stay out of my business, you annoying little.."
Shouta loosened his grip and left the classroom. Misaki then returned to her seat.
"Hey, Mami, Minako. How can I explain to him? Should I just die instead?"
Mami and Minako couldn't reply. To Daisuke, Misaki, and Souta, their friends' deaths were far less important than the decision they have to make right now. Noticing their awkward atmosphere, Naoya ran to the front of Nobuaki and asked, "Is the King's Game for real? If it is..."
Nobuaki brushed him away with his hand.
"The King's Game... What kind of shit is this! Hideki and Satomi are already dead!"
"Oh...Sorry..."
Chiemi was weeping at Nobuaki's side. Nobuaki gently stroked her head. As he did, tears rushed from his eyes.
Hideki and Satomi would never come back. They died as the message promised for not following the command. This must have stirred everyone into a panic.
Should the appointed two follow the command this time? Was the death of the other two only a coincidence?
In the chaotic classroom, Misaki took out her phone and tried to send a message to someone.
Some were particularly mindful of the punishment of the King's Game. Some were sad for Hideki and Satomi's death. Some others were confused about whether their deaths were simply coincidence or not.
The classroom atmosphere had altered greatly since Hideki and Satomi, the fun makers of the class, passed away.
Perhaps slowly starting to accept that Hideki and Satomi's death was true, most classmates were afflicted with grief. Knowing that Hideki and Satomi would not be in the class ever again, many classmates couldn't help but cry.
The after-school bell rang and Nobuaki packed his bag and prepared to return home as usual. Chemi approached him with a sad face.
"Can I stay at your house tonight? I want to stay with you."
Nobuaki lightly tapped on her head and replied gently, "Sure, you can come over."
Chiemi wiped off her tears and smiled to cover up her sad face. She held on tightly to Nobauki by the sleeves of his uniform, as if telling him she was ready to go.
On their way home, the two did not talk. They were scared that if they did, they might talk about Hideki and Satomi. Just thinking about them made them tear up, so they stopped talking so they would forget about the King's Game. Chiemi held tightly to Nobuai's sleeves the entire way for emotional support. They still didn't talk after they had entered Nobuaki's room. All they could do, they thought, was snuggle up to each other and heal their injured hearts with their body warmth.
Suddenly, after some time, their phones rang together.
[10/22 Thursday 21:12 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: Obedience Confirmed END]Nobuaki stood up abruptly.
Receiving the 'Obedience Confirmed' message means that Daisuke and Misaki had followed the command due to fear of the punishment.
"Did Daisuke and Misaki really follow the command?"
Chiemi could not help but cry, "Maybe... What if we receive the same command next time, then what will we do, Nobuaki?"
Nobuaki held her in his arms and comforted her, "Who said anyone had to follow the commands! But, now everyone in the class knows that Daisuke and Misaki had sex..."
"Shouta must be going berserk right now."
"I think so too—let's phone Daisuke and Misaki to find out. I don't know Daisuke's phone number, so I can't call him. Oh, I think you have Misaki's phone number, right?
"Yeah, I do," Chiemi replied.
"Then please phone her. Actually, no, please don't."
"Why?"
"Do you have to ask? Could you really just go and ask her if she had sex with Daisuke?"
"I.. I can't.."
"Then you don't need to call."
After a few hours, their phones rang again. Half asleep, Nobuaki crawled up, rubbed his eyes and took out his phone.
[1 New Message]
He turned on the lights and woke Chiemi up. Chiemi was also sleepy and drowsy.
"What?"
"We've received a message again. It's probably the King's message."
[10/21 Thursday 00:00 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: This is the King's Game in which everyone in your class is participating. The King's command is absolute and must be done within 24 hours. ※ You can not withdraw from the game. ＊Command 5: Student Number 30 Yahiro Shouta(M) —In front of everyone, Yahiro Shouta will have to give out any order. The person that is declared must follow his order as if it is the King's command. END]"Now Shouta has to give out an order..?"
Chiemi replied with a sleepy tone, "Thats fine, right? He just needs to make a simple order and that's it."
"Right! Hey, are you still asleep?" Nobuaki asks.
"Ugh.. Just go to sleep."
"What's a simple command like?"
Chiemi coldy replied, "Sleep."
"Isn't this command too vague? Something simpler like 'eat something' or to 'breath' would work better—what do you think?"
Nobuaki looked at Chiemi for her response, but she had already fallen into deep sleep.
"...You're right—sleep will work.."
'Italic text'==Command 4 [Thursday, 22 October 00:00]==
[10/21 Thursday 00:00 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: This is the King's Game in which everyone in your class is participating. The King's command is absolute and must be done within 24 hours. ※ You can not withdraw from the game. ＊Command 4: Student Number 17 Tasaki Daisuke(m) and Student Number 20 Nakajima Misaki(f) —The two of you will have sex. END]Nobuaki sighed deeply.
"For them to have sex...this is too much! They would never do that!"
At that moment, Chiemi called him.
"What do you think?" Nobuaki asked casually.
Chiemi's voice was panicked.
"What do I think of it?! What were those 4 messages about? Hideki and Satomi will be hanged as punishment? And the next command is for Daisuke and Misaki to have sex!? Misaki is Shouta's girlfriend!! How could this happen? The person who started this game has gone too far!"
"Even if you ask me, I have no idea. This command is ridiculous! And if you're really worried about Hideki and Satomi, why not phone them? I'll phone Hideki, and you phone Satomi."
"Okay!"
With that said, Nobuaki ended the call and phoned Hideki; however, he could only hear endless ring tones.
"What's wrong with Hideki?! Is he still playing Pachinko? ...Or maybe he just turned off his phone?"
He ended the call and phoned Chiemi. "Did Satomi answer her phone?"
"No, she didn't..."
"Is that so..."
Hearing Chiemi's worried voice, Nobuaki laughed and told her, "Forget this stupid King's game. You don't need to worry."
"Really? But..."
"They won't actually follow the commands and go hang themselves, right? Get some sleep now, and we'll see what happens at school tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..."
"Just wait till tomorrow, and get some sleep tonight."
"Okay... Good night."
Nobuaki knew that Chiemi was worried, and he had tried to calm her. However, he himself felt uneasy. He phoned Hideki again to try to make himself feel better, but there was no answer. As for Satomi, he didn't have her phone number so he couldn't phone her.
"I guess I'll just wait for tomorrow, then."
Giving up, he went to sleep.
<The Next Morning>
The students in the classroom were talking about the King's Game. Among them, Mami and Misaki were talking enthusiastically.
"Misaki, have you read the message this time? You have to have sex!", Mami clapped, doubling over laughing.
"I read it! When I saw my name, I was a bit curious about what command would be, but when I saw it, I was shocked that I have to have sex!"
"Even I wouldn't say that having sex is easy. Besides, you have a boyfriend already."
"If I really have sex, Shouta would kill me! If it were another command, maybe I would accept it."
"Misaki, maybe you actually like these games?" The two girls laughed and clapped.
"What are you saying?! Misaki, you've gone further then me! You once hung out with a guy and rented a room, didn't you?"
"Ayahhhhh! How did you know?"
"It's a small world."
Misaki slapped Mami's back, and their laughter filled the classroom. Nobuaki hurried to the two, who were laughing and joking, and said, "Mami, do you know Hideki? Did you phone him last night or this morning?"
Mami replied, laughing, "Yeah! Around 10, he was playing Pachinko and won a bunch. He was even showing it all off in front of me."
"10? What happened after that?"
"Nothing."
"Really... I tried to call him after 12, but he didn't answer, and he never called me back."
"So?" Mami's tone was filled with impatience.
"Arn't you worried about him? Hideki and Satomi are to be punished and [hung by the neck]—didn't you receive this message? Will that person... do something bad to them?"
"Ayhaaa~ ~ I don't care! I'm more interested in the King's command for Daisuke and Misaki to have sex."
The only thing in her brain was to have sex.
"Okay...Thanks."
Nobuaki returned to his seat.
In the classroom now, the excited and curious students formed circles around Daisuke and Misaki. Didn't anyone notice Hideki and Satomi haven't yet arrived to school? Nobuaki thought.
"Hey, Chiemi, have Hideki and Satomi come in yet?"
"Not yet. Satomi didn't call me back too."
"It's almost time for the morning assembly..."
After a short while the teacher came into the classroom, bringing along with him a heavy atmosphere. In the end, Hideki and Satomi didn't show up. The students returned to their seats one by one. When they were seated, the teacher spoke in a serious manner, "I have some bad news. Toyoda Hideki and Ishii Satomi passed away last night. Their guardians notified the school this morning."
His words stirred up a commotion in the classroom. Nobuaki stood up and asked, "Sir, about the death of Hideki and Satomi... Were they hung?"
For an instant the teacher's breath was taken away.
"That's right...How did you know?"
"Err..."
"Their parents suspected that their children were being bullied in school, but we teachers have assured them that there was no bullying whatsoever."
"Hideki isn't someone who would commit suicide because he's being bullied! He isn't!" Nobuaki roared. Chiemi, on the other hand, covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
"Yeah! There was also no one bullying Satomi..."
The teacher tried to calm the students down, "I thought so too, so please don't blame yourselves!"
Some in the classroom cried painfully; some lowered their heads; and others were restless and you could see the uneasiness on their faces. At this chaotic moment, someone shouted, "Does this have something to do with the King's command yesterday?"
The classroom filled with whispering sounds once again.
"What is that? What's the King's Game about?" asked their teacher. He obviously knew nothing about the King's Game.
Nobuaki told the teacher about the events that had transpired.
That everyone in the class would receive a message at midnight. That the message would contain a command for a few members of the class. That Hideki and Satomi did not follow their command, so they had received punishment.
"How can anything like this happen! Why would you even believe in such a stupid message? I know it's hard for you to believe this, but please don't get too involved in these matters. Just continue to focus on your studies. The morning assembly for today ends here." Wanting to quickly drop the subject, their teacher ended the assembly.
"Wait, Sir! How can we focus our studies during something like this!?" A student called to the teacher, but he had already left.
"How can he act like this?! Hideki and Satomi are already dead! They're our classmates! Is focusing on our studies really more important than our friends?!"
Nobuaki shouted to the empty teacher's desk. He fixed his eyes on Hideki and Satomi's seats—just yesterday the owners of these seats were sitting here as usual.
After the teacher left the classroom, the students gathered swiftly and started their discussion.
"Anyone know why they hung themselves?"
"Don't tell me that if we don't follow the commands, we're going to die!"
"How could this happen?"
"But they..."
Nobuaki interrupted Mami and Minako's conversation.
"Is the game that important?! You guys should at least care about Hideki and Satomi..."
Misaki then charged in with an ashen look, "Hey, if the King's Game is for real, then, if I don't have sex with Daisuke, would I become like them?"
Nobuaki could not answer her. He wanted to tell her 'Just ignore that stupid command.', but Hideki and Satomi's deaths were facts.
Suddenly, Shouta shouted angrily, "Misaki! Please don't believe in this! This must be a coincidence. If you follow that stupid command, I won't forgive you! I'll definitely break up with you!"
Misaki replied with a shivering voice, "But I'm scared... I don't want to die like them..."
"I won't believe in something like that! Daisuke, come over here!"
Daisuke approached him timidly.
"...So?"
Shouta grabbed Daisuke firmly by the collar and lifted his body up.
"If you follow the King's command and have sex with Misaki, I'll kill you!"
Daisuke turned his face away from Shouta, then said timidly, "I understand..."
"You hear it, Misaki? This goes the same for you!"
"But..."
Nobuaki, who didn't want this to go any further, quickly went to stop them. "Leave it, Shouta. Calm down, they haven't done anything wrong yet."
"Stay out of my business, you annoying little.."
Shouta loosened his grip and left the classroom. Misaki then returned to her seat.
"Hey, Mami, Minako. How can I explain to him? Should I just die instead?"
Mami and Minako couldn't reply. To Daisuke, Misaki, and Souta, their friends' deaths were far less important than the decision they have to make right now. Noticing their awkward atmosphere, Naoya ran to the front of Nobuaki and asked, "Is the King's Game for real? If it is..."
Nobuaki brushed him away with his hand.
"The King's Game... What kind of shit is this! Hideki and Satomi are already dead!"
"Oh...Sorry..."
Chiemi was weeping at Nobuaki's side. Nobuaki gently stroked her head. As he did, tears rushed from his eyes.
Hideki and Satomi would never come back. They died as the message promised for not following the command. This must have stirred everyone into a panic.
Should the appointed two follow the command this time? Was the death of the other two only a coincidence?
In the chaotic classroom, Misaki took out her phone and tried to send a message to someone.
Some were particularly mindful of the punishment of the King's Game. Some were sad for Hideki and Satomi's death. Some others were confused about whether their deaths were simply coincidence or not.
The classroom atmosphere had altered greatly since Hideki and Satomi, the fun makers of the class, passed away.
Perhaps slowly starting to accept that Hideki and Satomi's death was true, most classmates were afflicted with grief. Knowing that Hideki and Satomi would not be in the class ever again, many classmates couldn't help but cry.
The after-school bell rang and Nobuaki packed his bag and prepared to return home as usual. Chemi approached him with a sad face.
"Can I stay at your house tonight? I want to stay with you."
Nobuaki lightly tapped on her head and replied gently, "Sure, you can come over."
Chiemi wiped off her tears and smiled to cover up her sad face. She held on tightly to Nobauki by the sleeves of his uniform, as if telling him she was ready to go.
On their way home, the two did not talk. They were scared that if they did, they might talk about Hideki and Satomi. Just thinking about them made them tear up, so they stopped talking so they would forget about the King's Game. Chiemi held tightly to Nobuai's sleeves the entire way for emotional support. They still didn't talk after they had entered Nobuaki's room. All they could do, they thought, was snuggle up to each other and heal their injured hearts with their body warmth.
Suddenly, after some time, their phones rang together.
[10/22 Thursday 21:12 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: Obedience Confirmed END]Nobuaki stood up abruptly.
Receiving the 'Obedience Confirmed' message means that Daisuke and Misaki had followed the command due to fear of the punishment.
"Did Daisuke and Misaki really follow the command?"
Chiemi could not help but cry, "Maybe... What if we receive the same command next time, then what will we do, Nobuaki?"
Nobuaki held her in his arms and comforted her, "Who said anyone had to follow the commands! But, now everyone in the class knows that Daisuke and Misaki had sex..."
"Shouta must be going berserk right now."
"I think so too—let's phone Daisuke and Misaki to find out. I don't know Daisuke's phone number, so I can't call him. Oh, I think you have Misaki's phone number, right?
"Yeah, I do," Chiemi replied.
"Then please phone her. Actually, no, please don't."
"Why?"
"Do you have to ask? Could you really just go and ask her if she had sex with Daisuke?"
"I.. I can't.."
"Then you don't need to call."
After a few hours, their phones rang again. Half asleep, Nobuaki crawled up, rubbed his eyes and took out his phone.
[1 New Message]
He turned on the lights and woke Chiemi up. Chiemi was also sleepy and drowsy.
"What?"
"We've received a message again. It's probably the King's message."
[10/21 Thursday 00:00 From: The King Subject: The King's Game Body: This is the King's Game in which everyone in your class is participating. The King's command is absolute and must be done within 24 hours. ※ You can not withdraw from the game. ＊Command 5: Student Number 30 Yahiro Shouta(M) —In front of everyone, Yahiro Shouta will have to give out any order. The person that is declared must follow his order as if it is the King's command. END]"Now Shouta has to give out an order..?"
Chiemi replied with a sleepy tone, "Thats fine, right? He just needs to make a simple order and that's it."
"Right! Hey, are you still asleep?" Nobuaki asks.
"Ugh.. Just go to sleep."
"What's a simple command like?"
Chiemi coldy replied, "Sleep."
"Isn't this command too vague? Something simpler like 'eat something' or to 'breath' would work better—what do you think?"
Nobuaki looked at Chiemi for her response, but she had already fallen into deep sleep.
"...You're right—sleep will work.."
