"Maybe it is better to know nothing than to know everything that will hurt you."
I patted Aeizen's back to calm her down. I knew she wanted to cry, just resisting not to.
"Players, back to the game. I repeat, players, back to the game. Round 4 will start in 10, 9,"
"Thanks for helping me." Even though she didn't cry, I knew she was sad.
I smiled at her and stood up, then held out my hand. "Let's go?"
For the first time, I saw her sincere smile. She grabbed my hand and stood up.
"8, 7, 6,"
We're back, and the sky still looks the same. It's still as strong as concrete, so we can go back safely. The clouds aren't moving, maybe it means we won't fall if we step on them, and if the clouds move, we are really going to fall.
"5, 4, 3,"
I turned to our silver team's bleachers. First caught my eye. He just stared at me, expressionless. He didn't even smile. Sometimes I don't really understand him. Well, that's so him.
"2, 1,"
I returned my attention to the game.
"*whistle*"
Round 4 has started. Just one round before everything will be finished. Before round 4 started, we discussed that we would play normally and not chase the ball too much because of the trap that was ready on our sides.
01:12
I passed the ball to the other team before Sixzen ran closer to the ball, and it fell completely to the floor. The ball turned to gold. Inside, the side became a heart, like Sixth's case. The middle of it was a torn leaf.
Sectwen's eyes widened for reasons we don't know. She couldn't focus on the game. Another bizarre behavior. She is the sixth victim.
"Sectwen!" Twentieth shouted at her to call her attention but she did not catch the ball and Forzen chased the ball.
Forzen stumbled, crossed the line, and fell. We were shocked because it was no longer the sky that was beneath us but the sea. A sea with a strong storm!
"Help!" she shouted while supporting her weight using her hands.
"Aeizen, help her, we'll play!" Sixzen commanded. I noticed that her single hair bun is messy and loose. Her hair might be in the way of her eyes.
Sixzen can't help but continue the game because she's the best one on their team.
"Focus, Sectwen," she also advised Sectwen, who looked startled.
Everyone is distressed because a while ago it was mud, sky, and now it's the sea. What's worse, it's stormy and it looks like there's a tsunami, so Aeizen has a hard time reaching her hands to Forzen.
"I-I'll help her!" Sectwen pulled Forzen's another arm and helped.
We can't help them because we must play against them. Is this what Author wants? Are we going to choose what is more important? A single person at risk or the lives of the majority? Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as Forzen was safely lifted.
*whistle*
Round 4 ended. We are looking forward to not scoring anymore. What we wonder is how Forzen was when Aeizen, and Sectwen picked her up from rushing water. Sectwen told me why she suddenly lost focus. And like the previous two I talked to, Aeith, and Sixth, they remember something about their memories from the past, which caused them to be miserable.
"Players, back to the game. I repeat, players, back to the game. Round 5 will start in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,"
We are back again. Last round, finally!
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1,"
The timer was delayed again in counting. It must have something to tell us.
"This last round will be a special one. Previous rules were eliminated except for one new rule: There must be one team ... who will win this game."
Very similar to what it said yesterday.
*whistle*
The gold team settled first. The ball is directed in my direction. I passed it to Fourth. I nearly missed it, but I got lucky. Tenth spikes it. I notice that she adapts from playing volleyball.
Unfortunately, it was less than thirty minutes into round 5. The gold team had already scored. The ball turned silver, in the middle on one side there was a heart, in the middle was a... baby?
We were the first to settle, it went to the other team. While playing, I could hear a deep breath to my right. I turned my back at Tenth. Her eyes widened as if she had seen a ghost. She held her stomach. While looking at her, I didn't realize that the silver ball was flying towards my face again and...
"Second!" my team shouted.
The ball hit me in the face and knocked me down. When I opened my eyes, my team surrounded me and lent me a hand. When I sat down and told them that I got myself, they continued playing while waiting for my recovery. My vision dimmed, and my eyes narrowed when the vision cleared. I felt a spark all over my body. My breathing got heavier. I couldn't sweat for some unknown reason, but I feel cold in my brain. My heartbeat quickened. My whole body was hot, and my brain was cold. I feel mixed and various emotions. Joy, sadness, frustration, depression, fear, anger, and so on. It was as if I wanted to cry but couldn't. There's a sudden appearance of an image on me that I can't describe clearly what it is.
Did others feel the same way before that changed their whole mood? I turned to Tenth, who was on one side and crying. My teammates couldn't do anything because Tenth was in bad shape, and they had to end the game because there were only three of them playing. I hadn't seen what was inside the ball before, I would have known why I was feeling this right now that fumbled my mind.
*whistle*
Round 5 is over, finally.
"Second!"
I feel heavier on my eyelids. I heard their callout. Someone is running. I felt tired. I can't stand this anymore. Then everything faded and became dark.
***
"Hey, are you okay? Wake up!" I heard the husky voice of Aeith. Yes, it was her.
I opened my eyes and saw the two worried faces of Aeith and Fourth.
"I-I thought you wouldn't wake up, Second!" Fourth sobbed.
"Oh my! Stop worrying us, will ya?" Aeith is acting tough.
What happened? I am still lying down. Then I noticed that I was lying on the floor of the fifth floor. I'm back from wearing a school uniform. It's a bit dark, and the court is gone. The volleyball court and bleachers are gone. The game is over must have been over then.
I smiled at them.
"Why did you pass out?" Ninezen seems concerned. I didn't notice him right away.
Third sighed. "Still, glad you're awake."
"That's Second for you. You're a weed!" Seventh is trying to act cool with his jokes.
I feel better, yet I feel weak. I'm still really tired. I want to rest in my room with my soft blanket and pillow. Speaking of pillows, I caress the thing that supports my head as I gradually lift my head to sit.
"Pffft" Fifzen seems to be holding his laughter.
I was holding so I looked at it, dark blue? I saw someone's chin and face. My eyes widened as I looked at him.
"Bwahahaha!" they all laughed.
"W-What's up?" First stuttered.
Then I realized that I had been lying on First's thighs earlier. I instantly stood up without their support. First averted his eyes, covered his cheek with the back of his right hand, and walked away.
"Where are the others?" I asked them to get out of that embarrassing moment.
"Downstairs," Aeith replied
"How's the game?" I asked them. I passed out, so I don't know what happened and what the results are. Sadness replaced the faces of those who had once been happy to tease me.
"Did something happen?"
"It's okay... well…" Fifth can answer me directly.
"Answer me, please," I could no longer contain my emotions. Looks like something bad has happened. This is not good.
"Tenth is dead," Fourth burst into tears and Fifth immediately calmed her down.