The Battle Royale...That Never Was

The Battle Royale...That Never Was: Side Stories

Chapter 29: Day 12 Revisited: Toshinori & Mizuho

Day 12 3:00 PM

The other day, Toshinori sarcastically remarked that he wouldn't think of dating any of his female classmates because he thought they would be taller than him. In truth, he loathed everyone in his class, and wished that he could just graduate sooner or later and move on to a more prestigious high school, a school where he wanted to be popular with others instead of just being annoyed.

He sighed as he took out some rocks which he managed to find from the woods and threw one into the lake, obviously not wanting to be disturbed by anyone who'd dare cross his path.

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Meanwhile, Mizuho enjoyed herself as she had managed to encourage herself and her friends to have fun and have adventures together, true to the words she spoke to them back on the bus before they arrived. But, she seemed a bit doubtful: Of course she was pretty, but most of the boys who she tried her luck with were either dating another fellow classmate or has just fell in love at first sight.

In fact, Kaori and Yoshio had spent some time together and hanging out, while Megumi and Yoshitoki usually hung around with Shuya and Noriko.

"If I could find a handsome prince...I think that might make me feel a little better." she said to herself as she gazed up at the sun as a happy sigh escaped her lips.

Yet Mizuho didn't expect Toshinori, who referred to her and her friends as 'The Dreamers', near the docks, throwing rocks into the lake in solitude. Maybe she could talk to him, perhaps?

As she went towards him, she smiled as she asked, "Hey, Toshinori. What might you be doing here alone?"

Toshinori noticed and just replied, "I'm fine. Though I'd really don't want to talk right now. I'm much more comfortable being alone, thank you very much."

When he ran out of rocks, he soon sat down and looked up at the sky. However, Mizuho didn't seem to leave.

Instead, she sat next to him, and asked, "I don't understand. You seem so blue...don't you have any friends?"

"Friends? Ugh...even if I'm told to talk to other students like Kyoichi, I still don't want to make friends with anyone around here. I'd just want to be alone and be myself." Toshinori explained.

"But what about the girls around here? Like me?" Mizuho asked curiously, causing Toshinori to roll his eyes.

"I also don't want to get closer with any of the girls here, either. Sure, most of you are attractive, some of you are dating, but I seriously can't consider getting a girlfriend at this point." he replied.

This surprised Mizuho, causing her to say, "Really? Well...since you're pretty rich, but consider avoiding others, I actually have a little setback of my own: I'm schizophrenic, but it was never diagnosed. I guess this is the result of my imagining of mysterious creatures in the forest, I suppose."

Toshinori raised an eyebrow in bewilderment. "Wow...I actually didn't expect you to say that." But he still managed to maintain a neutral gaze towards her as he added, "Despite telling me that, though, it doesn't make me think highly of you as a friend."

Mizuho sighed, then managed to think of some ideas: she could either talk to him about her constant adventures with Kaori or Megumi, thus making him somehow interested in the conversation, or she could just kiss him on the cheek and make him blush. Gathering up all her courage, she then kissed Toshinori on the cheek, causing his eyes to widen in shock and a bright blush appear on his face, then glanced towards her.

"Mizuho? What..." he managed to say but managed to look down before he took a deep breath before he said, "What did you just do?"

"I think having friends is considered to be pretty important to someone like you. No one likes to be alone without any friends." Mizuho replied with a soft smile, winking also as well.

Toshinori couldn't believe it. All of this...just seemed to make his face light up as he managed a small smile as he replied, "Um...thank you.." as his blush grew even redder.

Mizuho giggled before she asked, "You wouldn't mind if we can be friends right? After all, like I said, no one doesn't like to be lonely. No one."

Toshinori thought about this before he nodded and replied with, "Sure. So, uh...tell me about your friends. What are your adventures with them like?"

Mizuho smiled before she began talking to him about Kaori and Megumi, and of course, Toshinori couldn't help ask her questions such as "Would you like to watch me play the violin after this trip?", and "Can I sit next to you at tomorrow's lunch?" and, oddly enough, "Do I look tall to you?" through the rest of the camping trip.

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After the trip, Toshinori & Mizuho became close friends, although the day before winter break, he asked if they would go out on dates, causing her to smile and accept. Post-graduation from school and college, he would be the successor to his older brothers, while she, although now diagnosed with schizophrenia as she admitted to him on the class trip, became part of a group of RPG enthuiasts and cosplayed as various female characters.

The two had yet to marry, although Toshinori did have plans to propose to her whenever the time was right.

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I will see you for the final chapter, ending this satisfying 'what if' of the kids from Shiroiwa Junior High if they were not selected for the Program and lived in peace, following their dreams and ambitions, as well as hooking up with some of their classmates, along with a new government for the sake of all of the families of those who participated in previous programs. Don't forget to review also!

With love for my fans,

Chrissy