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Mahiru’s funeral was a simple affair.
Given the current circumstances, all that could be done to celebrate her life and mourn her loss was a framed picture of Mahiru placed in front of the freshly ironed thin white blanket that hid her corpse from the world.
Kotoko wasn’t allowed to attend her actual procession of course, it would be disrespectful for her murderer to strut into her funeral as if nothing happened and Kotoko didn’t want to risk a possible confrontation.
So she stays in her cell.
It was on the 3rd night that passed after her death that Kotoko made her move, tiptoeing out of her cell and occasionally pausing to ensure that the sound of nihility wasn’t disturbed.
It was still there, the picture of Mahiru and the thin white blanket surrounded by half empty bottles of nail polish, women's magazines and fake red roses, everything that Mahiru had requested from the guard and must have been placed by Yuno prior to the ceremony.
Kotoko made it on time, before her body could mysteriously vanish.
Neither of them were too sure what happened to the prisoners after they held their makeshift funerals. The day after Haruka’s funeral, his body was gone, funeral shroud and all.
If it weren’t for the small trinkets offered to remember him, it would be easy to assume that the pitiable 17 year old never even drew breath in this strange existence.
And the same could be said for Shidou.
As Kotoko stands in front of the blanket, she recalls the conversations they had throughout the trials, self indulgent yet mindless chatter which only achieved the purpose of wasting time.
It always started the same, Mahiru completely ignoring every indication that Kotoko did not want to converse with her and making herself comfortable for what would be at least 15 minutes of wasted time.
She then starts with a question, whether it be about Kotoko’s workout routine or life before Milgram or even something as simple as what her favourite dessert is.
Kotoko never answers but Mahiru never minds, instead she continues this very one sided conversation with the topics spanning from the recent love advice she read on the new issue she ordered to how Amane is doing in her studies.
“Kotoko-chan looks lonely sitting here all by herself.” Mahiru declared one day during breakfast.
Kotoko wasn’t but she decided it wasn’t worth the hassle of telling Mahiru that, who was making herself comfortable right across from her.
They were strangers at that point, only knowing the basics of each other yet she was casually chatting about her day as if they were best friends for years.
“Kotoko-chan, do you mind if I ask?” She queries one day before bombarding her with questions about her style and if she does a martial art.
“I can’t tell if you’re making fun of me or are just an airhead.” Kotoko replied back.
“Kotoko-chan, is there anyone waiting for you?” She inquired on a rather uneventful afternoon.
Mentally entertaining her question, perhaps Kotoko’s brother is still waiting for her. She could never forget the panic in his face as he visited her one day while in custody. There was something in his face that wanted him to believe that Kotoko was innocent, that his baby sister couldn’t have murdered someone and be linked to several other assaults.
As for her parents, perhaps they were desperately trying to convince their gossiping neighbours that it wasn’t their Kotoko on the news. Or perhaps they were tearing their hair off, trying to figure out where they went wrong, why their oldest child is a perfectly ordinary office worker but their youngest is now a convicted murderer.
“No one is waiting for Mahiru anymore.” Something shifted in the mood, even if Mahiru still had a smile on her face.
It was a melancholy smile but a smile nonetheless.
Mahiru didn’t approach Kotoko for a few weeks after this.
“Kotoko-chan I admire you.”
For what reason?
“Kotoko-chan, if we were to leave Milgram, do you think-”
“Kotoko-chan, you know I-”
“Kotoko-chan.”
“Kotoko-chan?”
“Kotoko-chan!? Why!?”
“Sorry… for… calling you over…”
Even though Mahiru should hate Kotoko, for everything she did to her, not even the slightest trace of detestment trickled down her cracked pink lips.
Kotoko finally asked something from Mahiru, to hear any grudges she had.
Instead she was smiling, but why?
What satisfaction did Mahiru find in calling over Kotoko?
Was it because she was lonely? It couldn’t be, she was attended to by Shidou and Yuno, with the rest of the prisoners occasionally visiting her.
“Happy birthday”
“..........”
Kneeling down next to the sheet, Kotoko gently pulled it back to reveal her emaciated body with a small smile still engraved on her face. Mimicking the one she wore the last time she approached Kotoko. Mimicking the one she had for every other conversation they had.
In the grand schemes of things, Mahiru and Kotoko were strangers who only knew each other’s name, age and general interests.
Kotoko knew nothing about Mahiru’s crime and the same was the case for Mahiru.
So what game was she playing?
“You’re nuts.”