Niko: Err… You sure this is the right keyboard? It doesn’t even have letters on it.

Koharu: Don’t touch that.

In the newspaper clubroom, Niko Segawa is fluttering from one desk to another, fiddling with the various bits and bobs lying around, from old printouts over stuffed animals Hanako brought to a Rubik’s cube no one can remember bringing in. One table, across from Koharu’s by the large window, has been cleaned up entirely and fitted with a desktop computer equipped with all sorts of technology neither girl has ever seen before.

From behind her own laptop, an exasperated and irritated Koharu is glaring at the popular girl’s inability to sit still, the tension between them broken only as the door opens. Seia walks in, an anxious look on her face.

Seia: Hello, Newspaper Club. Did the IT man already set up my braille sense on a computer in here? 

Koharu: Yeah. On the desk across from me, by the window. If following my voice is something you can do.

Seia: (She makes her way quickly over to the right desk, running her hands around until she finds the machine. She breathes a sigh of relief) Dad would have a heart attack if this went missing. Usually I keep it with me, but IT-san wouldn’t give up until I let him set this thing up here himself. 

Niko: (she awkwardly scoots out of the way as Seia passes her by) C-Careful, there’s a… (Seia is already sitting down as Niko warns her) … thing.

Koharu: … School doesn’t usually drop everything to accommodate disabilities. (without looking up from her laptop, she continues to mumble) Guess I shouldn’t compare.

Seia: I suppose IT-san wanted to feel like he was helping. This school seems like… (She nods to herself) I haven’t had people crash into me on purpose or had my stuff stolen yet. (She gives a thumbs-up) An improvement.

Koharu: … Yet.

Niko: H-Hey! Don’t say that!

Seia: It could still happen. But here I seem to have boys lining up to help me do things, instead of pranking me. Talk about a big change. 

Koharu: … Looks like I really shouldn’t compare.

Niko: (she chuckles) Sometimes there’s a lotta merit to being good-looking!

Seia: I’m sorry, I’m being rude. I’m Seia Yamano. I joined the Newspaper Club. Is it just you two? 

Hanako: Ah… sorry, I’m here as well. Hanako Sasaki. (Her voice is a little listless, and a little bit softer than usual)

Koharu: The one doing the fake cutesy voice isn’t even a part of this club.

Niko: W-What? You can’t decide that all on your own!

Shinju: (A voice comes from down the hall, approaching the club room) Hey! (Shinju enters a moment later) Do I hear you ganging up on Niko again? 

Hanako: I-I’m not—

Koharu: Just stating facts.

Niko: I-I have the form! I just have to find the right time to fill it in, you know?

Shinju: Sheesh, since when did the form matter so much? 

Hanako: …If we’re being technical…

Koharu: Don’t care about the form. Care about articles. Contributing to the paper.

Niko: I-I’m working on that too! I’m just looking for the right angle.

Koharu: You were supposed to write an article about the brass ensemble qualifying for the prefecturals.

Niko: Yeah, I know that!

Koharu: Nationals have already happened at this point.

Niko: … Oh.

Shinju: Yeah, well, I don’t think anybody in this city’s been paying too much attention to high school brass band competitions for the last little while.

Koharu: Or anyone anywhere.

Niko: T-Then why are you getting on my ass for not writing about it!

Hanako: The rest of us finished our articles.

Niko: Look, you dorks may not understand, but most people are in clubs because they want to hang out with the people they like. I’m not gonna let you guys call me out for wanting to spend time with Shinju. Or the rest of you, for that matter. We’re friends, aren’t we?

Shinju: Should be, last I checked! … Is Nishioka still a member? 

As if on cue, the door to the newspaper club room opens.

Yosuke: S-Senpai! You gotta check this out! (as he notices the others, he immediately lowers his voice) Oh, uh… Hello everyon—Y-Yamano…? Wh-What are you doing here?

Seia: (She waves) Hello. I decided to join the Newspaper Club. 

Hanako: (she’s sitting in the corner with her plushies) Ah, that’s right. So, Yosuke, you had news?

Yosuke: You heard about this kid in my class, Shinomiya? His… Well, his dad passed away. Or rather, he was found dead. Murdered.

Koharu: … Can you at least pretend this has anything to do with us?

Yosuke: What? He’s… a student at our school, right? I-I mean, we have to—

Koharu: You gonna solve his father’s murder so he’ll be your friend? (she scoffs)

Yosuke: You don’t get it. Shinomiya hasn’t seen his father in years. His parents separated, his dad fell on some hard times and ended up homeless.

Niko: Oh, is this related to that thing on the news?

Koharu: … This has nothing to do with the school.

Yosuke: Since when does anything we investigate have to do with the sch—

Koharu: “We”?

Yosuke: Yeah! I-I mean, like us, as a club, not like us, as in you and I.

Koharu: You were just in this club to spy on us for people who tried to kill us.

Seia: So… Nishioka-kun is Balancer-san that Yui told me about. I thought so. 

Yosuke: N-No! They… They just used me as their gopher, I never really belonged with them, it… it was a tremendous mistake, and… (he sighs, averting his gaze) I-I told you I’m sorry, didn’t I? And I showed—

Koharu: (she looks away as well) Whatever. You want to keep working on the newspaper, I’m not stopping you.

Hanako: It’s settled, I suppose. Hm. But do we have any other major leads for a paper? It’s not technically school related, but…

Seia: Are we allowed to report on crime? My old school newspaper was just sports events and the founder’s birthday and things like that.

Koharu: Big difference between the things we report on and the things we actually investigate. School board’s reshuffling. Should give us enough to publish.

Yosuke: Do you actually care who becomes the new chairman?

Koharu: Depends. (she gazes out of the window, biting her lip) … Cause of death?

Yosuke: (he shrugs) You think Shinomiya told me that?

Koharu: … (she sighs) Can’t be bothered to care. This is just mafia stuff. Power vacuum in the wake of the evaluation. Of course there’s gonna be executions.

Yosuke: B-But what if it’s… (he awkwardly gestures at Shinju, Hanako and Seia) y’know, that stuff?

Koharu: Killing random bums? Doubt it.

Shinju: There aren’t any Balancers left hanging around that we never saw, right?

Yosuke: I’m, eh, pretty sure that wasn’t a part of the plan, no.

Koharu: (she stands up, closing her laptop) Going home. Need to think about this. (she glares at Yosuke) … Alone.

Yosuke: D’you need any help with that?

Seia: (She cuts in rather quickly) Could I ask you, Nishioka-kun, to show me to the faculty office? I still need to turn in some of my paperwork. 

Yosuke: H-Huh? Err… sure?

Seia: (She stands up, making her way to the entrance) Thank you. That’s a big help. 

Yosuke: (he follows after Seia, leaving the trio and Niko on their own in the clubroom)

Koharu: (she sighs)

Hanako: …I wonder if she did that on purpose. Anyway… (A bit listless, Hanako begins to gather her things)

Shinju: Uh, Hanako, hold up a second. About when we visited the gym the other day… 

Hanako: Huh? Oh, um… right… w-well— (she pauses, as if stopping herself from instinctively lying to her friends, shaking her head.) …It’s nothing… serious, Shinju.

Koharu: So it is something, then.

Hanako: Ah, well… y-yes.

Shinju: I know who can solve this! (She pulls out her phone) Um… hang on a second… there! (She holds up her phone for Hanako to see. The screen is filled with a grayish blur at first, eventually pulling back to reveal it was Kinu snuffling at the camera) He can smell when you’re not feeling great! 

Hanako: (Her entire face seems to light up, eyes shining with life once more as they transfix on the phone. She watches this video on loop for a couple minutes, then shakes her head, as if from a trance.) R-Right. Um… th-thanks for that, Shinju. I just… I just had a disagreement with Yui, that’s all. It was a rather, um… heated conversation, which is why I left so swiftly. Given what she’s going through… I-I can’t hold it against her when she snaps, not right now at least.

Shinju: What’s to snap about? Isn’t everything all over now? 

Hanako: Yui has… lost quite a lot.

Koharu: So why do you care, then? Not because she’s older that she’s right.

Hanako: W-Well, no one likes getting yelled at… Besides, not like I can relate… I haven’t exactly… known loss like Yui has.

Shinju: Um… so what did she yell at you about? I’m confused. 

Hanako: Th… that I didn’t understand loss the same way she did. She… wasn’t exactly wrong…

Shinju: … What the heck kind of thing is that to yell at someone? 

Hanako: She said I… didn’t “get it” which… (Hanako just trails off, shaking her head)

Koharu: She’s just looking for someone to blame her grief on. Ignore it.

Hanako: …Maybe you’re right. Both of you. Well, um… (Pulling her bag over her shoulder, she makes for the door, turning with an unconvincing smile) Thank you. Both of you. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Koharu: (she frowns) … Sure.

Shinju: Maybe I should have ‘Haku pop by the gym. Yui seems to respect her weirdly much. 

Koharu: Don’t see how this is our business, but suit yourself. (with a sigh, she unceremoniously crams her stuff into her backpack) That woman’s more trouble than she’s worth.