Black Black Lotus ch5.5

When these two were still in elementary school...

Yesterday~
Ahaha

Hey, did you know?
They say that crossing is haunted~

Eeh? Is that true...?
You can hear a voice saying "save me~"
Kyah!
Cut that out!

Are you okay?
We're sorry, Renna-chan~

You scared me~
...

That voice just now... It couldn't be.

Eh? Renna-chan?

Class A

Y-Yeah~...
What's she like...? I think she's a normal girl, but...

...
But what?

Ah! But,
now that you mention it, today...

when Renna-chan pointed out a calculation mistake the teacher made,
her voice echoed throughout the class... At least, it felt like it...?
...

Phew...
What am I doing...? This is stupid.

Oh...

Are you okay?
Y-Yeah.
Thank... you...
Uh...
...?

!?

Are you okay!?
Hah

p10

I'll change your fate,
my little pale pink bud.

Some day, when you bloom into a flower...

p11

let's change fate together.

Black Black Lotus ch6
p1

We never did catch that Narue since then in the end.
She's been away from school this whole time, after all...
She's still home sick.

Did we do something bad...?
Eh...?
...

Don't worry about it, Renna!
She's the one who should be feeling guilty!

More importantly, are you free tomorrow?
Come out with me!
Huh? ...Okay.

Today, these two are on an outing♪

These clothes won't suit me.
Never mind that.
Just try them on. You'd promise you'd go along with me today, didn't you?

I thought we'd just be choosing clothes for you, Fuuka...
Come on! This too!

Gimme a shout when you're ready~

Honestly, that Fuuka...

I know she's doing this for me as a change of pace, but...
!

Fuuka?

That suits you!
HYAH!

That voice...!

Y-You scared me...
All I did was speak to you.
Sorry...

!

Hmm.
Not bad.
Yep yep.
!!

I've never had my legs exposed this much before...
Uuh
Easier to move around in, right?

Look. A twin look.

It really was you, Renna-san.

Huh? It's you...
I'm Shiozaki Kasumi.
I could hear Renna-san from all the way outside.
Eh?
You heard that...?

Was I really that loud...?

Yeah. You let out this amazing voice sometimes, Renna.

A-Amazing!?

...
I see you're trying on clothes, so let's go somewhere else.

Renna-san's voice certainly rocks people in an amazing way.
Eh? Eh?
Not always, but sometimes.

Sometimes...? What does it feel like?

...

Nothing much.
I just get this kinda feeling like I need to do something, or rather...
a feeling like I need to protect you, or rather...
Eh?

It's nothing!

...It was the same when you brought it out in front of everyone, wasn't it?

I'm sorry I couldn't help you back then.
D-Don't be. Everyone understood once I explained everything...

That's the power of your voice, Renna-san.

My voice...?

Yes.
I think so too.
It makes you feel restless.

Now that you mention it...
Long ago, Black Rose-sama also...

p10

Yeah. Back when she gave you that weird nickname.

She must've noticed something about my voice ever since we were children.

...But the reason I'm with you
isn't because of that.

Fuuka.

...

p11

What's wrong?
I got a reply.

Die with me.

I don't think we can resolve this by ourselves.
No duh.
It's a suicide matching site, after all...
Wait.

Ah.

Is that "that site"?

Yeah, it is.
Hah~
Um, I got curious and looked into it
and Fuuka joined me.

I-I was curious... about Black Rose-sama...

p12

I understand.

But are you posting on that site for the sake of that curiosity?
That's dangerous.

Renna does some crazy stuff if I'm not there to protect her, after all.
Eh?

I don't do crazy stuff.
You totally do.
...

Um,
may I be of assistance?

Eh?

p13

I've been curious about Kyouko-san this whole time too,
about how things turned out like that...
Even the police are saying it was suicide.
Eh?

When the police stopped us the other day,
they said they didn't know anything.

So they spoke to you two
as well, huh?

They questioned me too.
But afterwards, there was a rumor saying "the investigation had been closed
due to pressure"...

p14

...Pressure?

It's just a rumor,
but it got me thinking that if the police won't investigate, we have no choice but to do it ourselves...

Ah, then together we can...

...we can...

Pfft

p15

Fine with me.
Three heads are better than two.
Are you sure?
We just so happened to reach a dead end anyway..

We lured out this suspicious person who's been on that site for a while,
but we don't know where to go from here.
When was this?

About five days ago, I think, on XX Building.

If it happened on that day...
then I might have an idea of who this person is.

p16

Really!?
Who!?

...

It's White Rose-sama.

The beautiful rose has thorns...!?

-
Black Black Lotus ch7

The unrest of an unexpected person...!

I might have an idea of who this person is.
It's White Rose-sama.

Eh...? No way...
White Rose? The one from our school?

That day... I just so happened to be walking on the neighboring street.

That's when I noticed White Rose-sama going into a rental room.
I wondered what she was doing there and walked past it when...

The beautiful white rose is stained with the color of blood...?

Eh? You mean...
White Rose is ***...?

Why would a rich girl from Fuyou...

But Black Rose-sama was also...

I don't blame you for not believing me.
I only caught a glimpse of her myself.

It may have just been someone else wearing the same clothes.

Sorry for saying something unneccessary.
You must think I'm suspicious...

I-I believe you!

There you go again...

I believe you,
so please investigate with us.

...Kay.
Wah

I'm hungry, so let's eat some cake!
Eh? Me too.
...Alright, me too.

What's that?

..I can't!
Eep!
Like I care~
What's up, Rina~?

There seems to be some serious comraderie going on over there~

Let me have a bite of your cake, Fuuka~
Let's trade. What about you, Kasumi?
I'm not giving you mine.
Huh!?
They look like rich kids~

Think that voice would sell~?

White Rose-sama, huh...
I have no idea what kind of person she is...
But if it really was her,
that would explain why Narue-san was covering for her...

We never know everything about someone's true nature.

Even Black Rose-sama had both a gentle side and a terrifying side.
Maybe even more sides beyond those...

I wonder what the true Black Rose-sama was like.

If I hadn't ran away back then,
maybe I could've known...

About White Rose-sama

This is...

p10

Hah~
That test was exhausting!

Fufu
That was the worst!
The total worst!

Do you two normally have discussions in this kind of place?

It's fine, ain't it?
We won't get eavesdropped on this way.
Hehe

p11

Going to the karaoke box in uniform is against school rules.
Eh!?

I had no idea...
Did you not read your student handbook properly?

Going to places of amusement in your uniform is against the rules.
Our uniform stands out, after all.

Eeh...?
Like we were gonna read all of that!
Right~?

Please be careful, Renna-san.
Fuuka-san is rather odd as far as Fuyou students go.
Hah...
What was that!?

p12

So, how'd it go with White Rose-sama?
Upon entering high school, she moved here from another prefecture by herself.
I have a friend in that prefecture, so I asked her to look into what happened while she was in elementary and middle school...

What are these...?

The Sixth One in OO City - Special - New Cat Corpse Found in Public Park
Latest in strange cases, police investigating under breach of animal protection law.
Elementary School Student Falls From Emergency Staircase
Male student fell from fourth floor.
Elementary School's Rabbit Killed
Was stabbed with a knife-like object.
Middle School Student Stabbed to Death
Body found on the riverbed.

p13

These are all incidents that happened in White Rose-sama's vicinity.
The culprit was never found.

You saying these were all White Rose's doing?

I don't know.
All I can say at this point is that a lot of strange cases happened around her.
But from what my friend looked into, White Rose-sama was apparently feared by some people.

It seems that during elementary school, she would protect those who were bullied and quarrel with their bullies.
That's a good thing, right?

No, it isn't.

p14

It was then that White Rose-sama
allegedly used a sharp object without hesitation.

The fact there was bullying involved never made it to the news back then.
It was all about why White Rose-sama was carrying a knife around and what would make her cut someone just like that.
It simply became "that girl is scary".
There were rumors that she might have been the one who killed the school's rabbit too.

p15

That gentle White Rose-sama did such a thing...?
But if that is the case, then the one who pushed Fuuka's friend was...

Looks like looking into her was worth it.
If White Rose is ***, then she's committing serial murders.
And she's supposed to be Fuyou's idol? Don't make me laugh.

p16

Is she's assisting all of the suicides *** replies to,
then she's already at serial killer level.
If she's had that personality since childhood and became a serial killer...

...then it won't be long until she can't control herself anymore.

p17

It's gotten late...
But I need to buy a notebook.

p18

Ah!

Sorry.

p19

Good evening.

Eh?
Eh?

I saw you~
You were shoplifting<3

Eh!?

p20

Hey~
We've got photographic evidence too.
Whatcha gonna do?

Rina's got Renna in her sights. Now's not the time for that...!!

-
Black Black Lotus ch8

Do you know the value of using the rich girls of Fuyou?

I-I
would never...

Shoplift? Then why don't we go straight to the police?
Th-That's...

That uniform's Fuyou, right? That rich kid school?
If the police get involved, you may have to drop out, y'know?
Why don't you become my friend?
Do that, and I won't tell anyone about what happened just now.

I've got lots of friends.

Fuuka
Finished!
What's up? We're waiting.

Phew...

Fuuka

All - Friends - Official
Fuuka
Okay~
Rina
Come straight away if I call for you~
Mom
Has sent you a stamp.

I can't tell Fuuka...
She'll get caught up in this...

She's going straight home today too.
No arcades or karaoke or anything.
Those are against school rules.

White Rose-sama's the student council president, so she goes home late.
Hirai Narue was part of the student council too, right? There's a connection.

You don't look so good. Wanna head straight home?
The two of us can keep on tailing her.

Ah, no, I'm fine.

...
...
Ah!
Hey, she's getting away!

Wait for me~

!?

White Rose seems kinda spacey...
Could she really kill someone?

She certainly doesn't seem like anyone suspicious.
That's true, but still.

That's one swanky apartment building.

I guess her parents must be loaded?
I believe White Rose-sama lives by herself.
Geh
So she's living in a high-rise on her parents' money?

I'm not so sure.
It seems both of White Rose-sama's parents have passed away.
Her house was engulfed in a fire, so she had to move here.
Awkward...
Oh, is that so?

Sorry, I need to head to cram school now...
Guess she's not gonna show herself that easily, huh?
Let's just call it a day~
Indeed... Well then, see you tomorrow.

Hey, we're here.

Huh...?

You accompanied me all the way to my house...?

It's the least I can do. You've been looking pretty down these past few days, after all.

p10

If anything happens, let me know.
We're friends, right?

That's right.

Fuuka lost a friend to that website too...

p11

Thank you.
I'll do my best.

Ah.
Sure.

p12

See you tomorrow~

Rina
Come straight away if I call for you~
Meet me in the café behind the station
Third floor
Open map

p13

She's late~
Ah~ There she is.

Don't you know the meaning of "come straight away"~?

What do you want from me?

p14

Huuh?

How scary~<3
We've got a favor to ask~

We're meeting up with someone in a bit,
so lend us some cash.

Simple, right?

...I refuse.

p15

Eh~? You think you're in any position to refuse? Don't you want the perks of being our friend~
If it's about that photo, I didn't do it...

Then why don't we go to the police?

...I don't care.

Hmm.

Mm.
?

p16

Eh? Why do you...

They're both rich kids from Fuyou too, right?

That kid with the black hair seems like she'd be popular<3

p17

M-
My friends have nothing to do with this!

I knew it... Your voice has the power to control people.

Nothing to do with this? Friends have a wonderful connection.
They help each other when they're in trouble.
Your friends are the same too, right, Renna-chan?

p18

If you're in trouble, they'll come save you, right?

If anything happens, let me know.
We're friends, right?

p20

I won't let you put my friends in danger...

p21

Danger? How rude~ We're not gonna do anything dangerous.
We plan on being friends with you for a looong time, Renna-chan<3

And with that voice of yours,

we might be able to do all kinds of things.

...My voice?
Eh!? For real?

Rina.
It says Kayoko went and jumped off a roof.
Eh~? Bit fast, isn't it?

name: Kayo
I can't take it anymore. Somebody please help me.

p22

When did this happen!?
Huh? Gross.

Says it was about 5pm this afternoon.

5pm...?

That's when we were tailing White Rose-sama...

I guess it's not her after all...
I have to let the other two know.

p23

I need to call them...

p24

Renna-chan, let's continue our chat somewhere else.

For your friends' sakes too.

p25

!?
It's a fire!
What!?
Lemme out of here!
A fire!?

Kyaah!

p26

Hah Hah

Hah
Hah

p27

That person is...

p28

I sincerely apologise.
It seems the emergency alarm in another building malfunctioned.
Is that all?
Don't scare me like that.

Lame...

Aw man~
And we were about to finish things up today too.

Whatever. I've got her friends and family in check.
She's naive if she think she can get away~

p29

Same goes for you.

Huh?

p30

Why... Who...?

The request this time around wasn't "assisting" a suicide. It was "revenge".
It read, "I can never forgive her, so make her suffer the same fate."

It's not a site for requesting people be killed...
but I accepted it anyway.
Ah...

I have to protect my students.

p31

I am the student council president, after all.

White Rose-sama.

p32

White Rose-sama... No.
Orihara-senpai. It's you, isn't it?

...And just when
I had come to your rescue.

Renna makes contact with White Rose-sama. Is she in danger...!?

-
Black Black Lotus ch9

Orihara-senpai...
You've worn that outfit before, haven't you?

At the QT Building up ahead.

What's this? You been taking peep photos or something?
That wasn't me.
Eh...?

It'd be bad to stay here for too long...

At last, a confrontation with White Rose!

Darkness lurks within that gentle smile...

B-But
I saw someone who looked just like you the other day, White Rose-sama!

At the nearby rental space
wearing the exact same clothes you are...
Clothes...

Which rental space is this?
Eh...?

I don't really remember,
so could we go check together?
That's...

These clothes are kinda embarrassing,
but they're perfect for taking a nighttime stroll.

You know that I'm Fuyou's student council president, right?
Even buying cup ramen at the convenience store at night would spark rumors within the school.

Eh!? That's not!

What do I do...?
White Rose-sama's surely confident that I don't have the evidence to convict her.

But... you know Hirai Narue-san, don't you?

Hirai-san? Sure. We're both in the student council, after all.

...

Hirai Narue won't betray me.

I don't know about what this rental space is about,
but I'm not gonna be caught by some wannabe high school detective.
I've made all kinds of compromises...
so I can keep living in this society.

...

p11

...Fu...
..."She's" not here anymore.

If there's no other business, I can see you home if you'd like.
It's dangerous to be out alone at night.

...She's not alone, though.

p12

You're talking about whether or not you're ***, right?

p13

I know about this message board. People have asked for my advice on it.

Drop the bullshit...!

B-But,
when I tried to send a message to ***-san on the site, Hirai-san came to silence me.

Hirai-san was involved with ***-san and felt indebted to them.
...Anything come to mind?

p14

Fu...

Beats me.

No matter how close people are with each other...
No, it's because they are close that they have things they can't say.
I don't recommend forcing people to expose themselves.

They may have things they want to hide so badly...
that they would rather choose death, y'know?

p15

Is that a threat?

p16

A threat? Surely you jest. Everyone just has their own circumstances.
For example, can you tell me why you've been investigating this message board?

My best friend... was killed by that site...!

Killed?

p17

This is a Suicide Matching Site, right?

Then what are you implying killed her?

Was it someone who was simply asked to be with her in her last moments because it was scary?
Or maybe some people who sent her off with a "guess you have no choice but to die"?

Or maybe

p18

it was some idiot who was oblivious to her suffering?

I-I...
It's nothing. Thank you.

p19

I...

Hey.
Did something happen recently? You haven't been looking so good.

Ng...

...It's nothing.
Thank you.

If there's anything bothering you, let me know. I'll punch it into submission.
Ahaha

p20

Why... didn't I listen to her more properly...!?

I just wanted to know...
what expression that girl made at the end...

Ah.
It's...
...It's all
my fault.

p21

You're wrong!

You're wrong...
The reason she never told you
was because she didn't want to worry you, Fuuka.

She was scared.
She couldn't say anything... because she didn't want to get you involved...

That's all it was, Fuuka.
It was because she loved you.

p22

Just looking at you gives me energy, Fuuka.
I need to do my best too,
so always stay by my side.

p26

...I was truly hoping...
that girl wasn't scared or crying until her last moments...
That's why...

p27

...If you get scared, you can always quit.
That's how the Suicide Matching Site works.

There's been a few girls who have quit that way.
Such as Hirai-san.

p28

But if they still insist on choosing death,
then someone will stay by their side until the very end
to lessen their worries and loneliness just a little bit.

That's the kind of site it is, is it not?

...Was it the same for Black Rose-sama?

p29

Was Black Rose-sama
in a situation that made her want to die...?

Who knows? I don't really know much about her.
I don't even know why she posted to that site herself in the first place.

"Herself"?
What do you mean by that...?

If you can keep quiet and listen, I might be willing to tell you.

p30

...

P-
Please tell us...

The one who came to me for advice on that site was Black Rose...
Kyouko-san.

p31

The one who created Black Black Lotus
was Kyouko-san herself.

The truth comes to light...!

Black Black Lotus ch9.5: Side Story

What is reflected in White Rose's eyes...?

There's a trick to making it in this society while indulging in your own hobbies.
It's discreetly choosing your opponent and environment.

In this world, there are people who are better off not existing.

...And also
people who wish they no longer existed.

I'm aware that I'm different from other people.

I just need to be the way someone wants me to be at the time,
and adjust my hobbies to what people want from me.

Being frank about how I want things to be
is something I mustn't do in this current society.

So I pretend.

I can't jump on my own, so somebody please give me a push.

...

...Ng!

Th-Thank you
for coming...
It's fine. Anything you've forgotten?

...
No...

...

...I couldn't tell anyone about these thoughts I've been having.
Not my family...
nor my friends.
And so I'm asking a complete stranger... Sorry.

It's fine.
I accepted because I like it.

p10

Um...
Why did you accept something like this?
I'm sure... it would only feel displeasant...

Not at all.
I accepted because it's a hobby of mine.
Eh? Your hobby...?

p11

...Ng

Witnessing someone's death, I mean.

...Doesn't
that make you feel hurt...?

You're so kind.

p12

It's fine.
I'm grateful to the girl who suggested I could live this way too.

...Do you know each other?

p13

It's someone who's full of mystery.

p14

Aah...
It's moments like these
that I

p15

live for.

Desire blooms into dark flowers.

-
Black Black Lotus ch10

What is that girl looking at?

Wh-Why would she make that!?
A suicide matching site of all things...

Why indeed.
I haven't heard the true reason either.

That site was made about two years ago, right?
Did Black Rose make it so she could kill herself...?

...

She wasn't the admirable person you thought she was.

Huh? So what kind of person are you saying she was!?

If I had to describe her...
I'd say she was meticulous.
She drew attention everywhere she went,
and excelled at reading people's hearts.
She was someone who you could easily approach, but to spin it another way,
you could say that "she was the one who chose to approach other".

What's meticulous about that?
I'm saying she was good at manipulating people.

You have some idea what I'm getting at, don't you?

Eh?

You have a unique voice, don't you?
It moves people's hearts
and makes them your ally.

You don't get people like those every day, even among singers and voice actors.

Ah. That thing, huh?

I'm certain Kyouko-san found your voice quite alluring.

It can't be. I...

Hah

Don't tell me, White Rose-sama too...!?

*** and the admin were connected...
If they were White Rose-sama and Black Rose-sama respectively then...

does that mean Black Rose-sama saw through White Rose-sama's nature...
and left her in charge of the replies so she wouldn't have to post herself...?

That girl had her own objective, did she not?
That messageboard was just a part of it.

However, she died before I could learn what exactly that objective was.

...And you're not the one who killed her?

Perish the thought.
I'm grateful to her.
I wouldn't call her my friend or anything,

but she was someone who understood me.
I see... The mood I'm in might just be regret.

Sorry for calling you over so suddenly...
Thanks for coming.
There's no need to thank me!

p10

In fact, you should've called me sooner.
What were you doing there anyway?

It's okay.
I won't cause you any more worry.

Oh right. I need to get in touch with Mom.

Rina
Notifications - Invite - Share - Block
Block this person?
Yes - No

p11

has been blocked.

Recording list
Recording 2
Recording 1

Next time you ignore my summons, we're going to the police.

p12

Fine, if you say so.
You did call me, after all.

But still, that stuff about White Rose and Black Rose doesn't leave me feeling relieved at all.

We didn't get any dirt on White Rose in the end.
And who wouldn't thought...
that Black Rose was the one who made Black Black Lotus.

There is one thing I'm curious about, though.
What is it?

p13

name: canttakeit
I should never have been born. Someone please save me.

This post hasn't been resolved for a little while now.
Eh...?

There's a message included and it got a response too,
but it hasn't been resolved...
Could it be because the admin was Black Rose...?

p14

Guess we've got no choice but to look into this.

p15

If you want to know more about Kyouko-san,
it might be worth going to this place.

Ah, but
it's a place that serves alcohol,
so if somebody spots you there and reports you to the school, you'll be disposed of...

so I'm not going to say
that you should go.

p16

We'll have to make sure the school doesn't find out...

...

p18

I-Is this really gonna work...?

Just act like you own it and you'll be fine.
Besides, today...

p19

is a masquerade party.

Let's give it our all!

-
Black Black Lotus ch11

It's a party, after all♪

This place is pretty amazing, huh?

There's a lot of bad adults around, though.

I've seen that old guy over there on the news.
He's a local celebrity apparently.

M-Maybe it's someone else? He is wearing a mask, after all.

You sure? His belly looks identical.

But this really is a world of adults.

Was Black Rose-sama involved in this world too...?

If it's your first time here, I can show you around?
You blonde beauty!

Really?
Then do you know anyone who's committed suicide?

HUH?

You could turn me down normally, y'know.
Hmph
I wasn't trying to turn you down or anything.

Haha...

I was told to look for this mark, but where do we start looking...?

Is something troubling you?

There's something we want to know,
so we're looking for someone with the intel.

Intel? About what?

Black Rose.
...Or I guess I should say,
Mayuzumi Kyouko...

?

...Well then, this way, please.

!
Th-That's...

p10

This room is...
This is the VIP Room.

Bringing up a dead person's name isn't something you do at a party.
It ruins the purpose of everyone wearing masks.

p11

So you called us here to warn us?
The fact you know it's a dead person's name means you must know about Black Rose, right?
You have that shady vibe about you.
...

U-Um!
We just want to know!

Know what? What purpose would a dead person serve you?

Or do you want to know why she died?
Searching for the motive of someone who didn't leave behind a suicide note is quite vulgar.
Didn't they teach you Fuyou ladies that?

p12

She knows we go to the same school as Black Rose-sama...

It's true that searching for the motive behind someone's suicide may be rude.

But still...

p13

I want to know
about what the girl was thinking
and what objective she was working towards.

...

I've already... run away once.

p14

...Ng.

!

p15

Take a seat.
Looks like you'll be meeting her.

Meeting who?
You don't need to know that.

...

p17

I don't need your names.
They're such meaningless things, after all.

Do you know about Black Rose?

I only know a little,
but at first, I thought you two were her successors.

Successors? For what?

p18

...You mean Black Black Lotus?

Why did that girl make a suicide matching site?

She didn't look like she was going to kill herself at all.
In fact, she had called for me that night.

p19

Why did Black Rose-sama call for me that night?
At first, I thought she had mistaken me for one of the respondees,
but if that were the case, she could've just messaged them on BBL.
Also...
if Black Rose-sama really was the admin,
she'd know whether or not that response was me.

How much do you actually know about that girl?
An unattainable flower that everyone admires?
A school celebrity?

p20

I-I've...!
known her... since long ago...

Back then... Black Rose-sama wasn't like how she was recently...

The only thing that girl has going for her is her looks.
I feel sorry for her. If I recall...

They felt sorry for her...?

p21

Why did they feel sorry for her...?

That girl
was neglected by her mother, wasn't she?

p22

Even I don't know everything about her,
but I'm certain that girl
made that site because she wanted to live freely.

Just what was Black Rose's wish...?

-
Black Black Lotus ch12

Remembering the sight of Black Rose...

Ah, Kyouko-chan...

...
...
See you tomorrow~

You're saying that girl's being neglected by her mother?

Her mother's single, right?
Well, there's rumors that she has a lover.
Eh~!?
I heard she gets plenty of child support.
Then she should be able to raise her properly.
Yeah.

Why
do people feel sorry for that girl?

The heart of "that girl" that nobody knows...

I remember...
Black Rose-sama was apparently neglected by her mother...

By her mother?
Hah

?

...It certainly didn't seem like she was blessed.
Her mother wasn't around by the time I first met her.
Wasn't around? You mean she left home?

She apparently died.
In a fire, I believe.

Afterwards, she was taken in by her birth father.
Her living situation improved considerably,
but she was an illegitimate child.

The father had his legal wife
and the girl's half-sister, who was about the same age.
The fact she was in an instable position hadn't changed.

Back then... the only people holding the mother's funeral were the funeral home staff themselves.

If I recall, not a single one of her relatives was present...

So that girl was probably thinking this whole time
about how she could live freely.

Freely?
Black Rose looked like she was doing whatever she wanted already.

Freedom, young miss,
is about not being intimidated by anyone.

Not letting your life be thrown left and right because of someone's whim.
Not having everything stolen from you and being thrown out with nothing.
Those with that kind of strength are truly free.

B-But that
would be difficult for anyone to achieve.
Indeed, it would be difficult.

But
that girl was determined to obtain it.

p10

What are these?

...Ng!

That's just a fraction of it.
Everyone has things that they can't let the public know about.

But...

p11

by grabbing ahold of those "bad things"
that person can no longer threaten you.

...

Are you saying Black Rose-sama obtained these weaknesses from other people?

p12

...That's just one way of going about it.

Some people worked with her, some were afraid of her.
There's many who shudder in fear at the thought
of someone knowing things that were thought to have been silenced.

You'd be surprised what humans are capable of when they're prepared to die.

p13

Don't tell me
the reason she made Black Black Lotus was...!

Becoming the admin of a suicide matching site of all things would make you quite the talking point, right?
If you were to be indicted, you life might be at stake.

So that's why she made that site!?

p14

Naturally, the girls who provided this data were all victimised and forced to keep their mouthes shut.
"Don't worry about me. Please use this."
Maybe they wanted vengeance?

Or maybe they just wished to reduce the number of girls who might go through the same thing.

!?

p15

...Alas, that wasn't the original data.
Only that girl has all the data.
She surely wanted to entrust it to someone.
That's why I've been waiting

for her successor.

p16

...I was mistaken.
Even though...

I saw Black Rose-sama like that,
I didn't understand anything.

p17

What happens if I am her successor?

I intend to discuss what you'll do from now on
and her collaborator.

In that case...

p18

After hearing all that, I'm even more confused as to why Black Rose committed suicide.
Yeah...

But I never thought you'd say that, Renna.

In that case, if I hold onto the original data and accept the position of her successor,
would you delete the data you have on you?

p19

I just felt like... I needed to do something...
Well, that's very much like you.
We couldn't exactly leave those pictures be.

But now we're all out of cluse.
Should we try asking White Rose one more time?

About that. There's one thing that's been bugging me.

Black Rose-sama was taken into a family alongside his father's wife and her half-sister, right?
Why don't we try asking them?

p20

You just don't get it.

My big sis left home last year and was living by herself.

p21

You don't know a thing about us.

The relationship she had kept hidden is...

Black Black Lotus ch13

Kasumi and Black Rose. What is the relationship they've been hiding...!?

Big sis... Eh!?
Black Rose-sama...?
Kasumi-san... You're her half-sister...?

That means... you have the same father, right?
When you put it that way, I think I can see a resemblance...

You don't believe me?

The shape of the memories they've carved together...

B-But why didn't you say anything...?
We may be blood-related, but it's only half.

If people learned Black Rose-sama had a half-sister,
it'd be a scandal all over Fuyou, right?

I was surprised when I learned I had a big sister,
but my big sis was very kind to me.
My mother didn't take kindly to her...
but I always admired my big sis.

But I couldn't let myself be spoiled by the fact we were connected by blood...
My big sis was a perfect person.
I couldn't do anything that might ruin her reputation.

That's...
Black Rose-sama would never...

So you wanted to know why your sister died, right, Kasumi?
...That's right.

I had a feeling my big sis was hiding something.

You could've told us that from the start.
Ah.
No wait.
I guess you couldn't.

Um... Sorry.
It's fine.
I'm the one who acted like a complete stranger at her funeral.

Mayuzuki Kyouko - Funeral Service

p10

...I really had no idea
why my big sis would do something like that.

Sorry for not saying anything.

It's fine.
It's not like we were very considerate either.

...So, did you find out anything
about my big sis?

p11

Ah...

p12

I couldn't tell her... anything...
About how Black Rose-sama made the suicide matching site...
About how she used that to gather information... and grab ahold of people's weaknesses...

RINE
Just now
You have a new message

p13

Fuuka
It couldn't be helped
She's her family, so we can't say anything careless

Even though Shiozaki-san gave us information about White Rose-sama... I did something bad.

But I need to at least understand things a little better first...

In the end, I still don't know why Black Rose-sama committed suicide.
All I know is her past and the things she did...

p14

I was blessed with my family.
When I said I wanted to move, they agreed without asking why.

What would I have done if I was in Black Rose-sama's position?

p16

If anything, Black Rose-sama was trying to live.
She worked with White Rose-sama and that woman from the club so she could live freely.
It was for that reason that she saved me back then too.
So why would she commit suicide...?

I'll be waiting for you at school,

my little pale pink bud.
...Huh?

p17

name: Black Rose
I want you, who will remember me forever, to kill me
Comment (1)
Understood. I shall kill you.
name: Pale Pink Bud

Who... wrote this reply?

p18

Up until now, my focus was on what Black Rose-sama typed,
but this reply... is strange.

Understood. I shall kill you.
name: Pale Pink Bud

Fuuka only knew that Pale Pink Bud was referring to me
becaus she saw me react to this reply.

Besides that, nobody should've known about this nickname...
except for one person.

p19

Don't tell me... the one who wrote this reply...
was Black Rose-sama...?

What was her aim...?

Black Black Lotus ch14

What is Black Rose-sama's goal...?

If it was Black Rose-sama who wrote this response...
then why did she...?

What was she doing back then...?

Sorry to be so sudden. There's something I wanted you advice on. Could you come to the nearby park right away?
Map

It's okay, I'll come.
I don't want to cause you any trouble, Renna-chan, so delete this message.

Black Rose-sama called me to the park before making me delete the evidence.

Why... did she do that...?

Don't tell me...!

I'll pray for you. So that you may forgive me.

So even you pray, huh?

Belief is freedom.
Especially at this school.

What's the occassion?

You look so tense.

Thank you for the other day.
I'm here to discuss what we've learned.

So?
Did you learn anything good?

Yes.
Black Rose-sama had something she wanted to accomplish
and acted the way she did to achieve it.

...To live freely.

I know Black Rose-sama.
I know
that she's not someone who'd commit suicide.

In fact, it's the opposite.

The opposite?

You should know better than anyone, right?
Don't speak ill of the dead.
Excuse me.

To me, Black Rose-sama is someone who saved me in the past.
But Black Rose-sama must've expected me to repay her in some way.

If they can be useful, she'll save them.
If not, she'll eliminate them...

That's who Black Rose-sama is.
If you think about why she created BBL or what she used it for,
it's likely for the same thing, even now.

That's why, on the night Black Rose-sama died,
she wasn't actually supposed to die.
That's what I think too.
But in that case, what was she trying to do?

That even, Black Rose-sama called me to a different park.

p10

But all that was there was a written invitation to BBL.
I got scared and went home...
When I first heard that Black Rose-sama had died in a different park,
I thought I had gotten the meeting place wrong.
I also considered...

that the person who replied to me changed the meeting place in order to deceive me.

Hmm?
But that wasn't the case, was it?
No.

The important point is the nickname used in the reply.
Only Black Rose-sama and I knew about it.
But I'm not the one who wrote it. Which means...

Understood. I will kill you.
name: Pale Pink Bud: 20XX

p11

You're saying the one who wrote it
was Kyouko-san?

...

Heh. Is that so?

In which case, it seems that Kyouko-san called you to a different park at the same time
for a different purpose.
Yeah.

p12

She called you at night to a nearby place
to try and create "a time where you had no alibi".

I knew it... White Rose-sama thought the same thing...

~~~

p14

...Back in elementary school, I knew how terrifying Black Rose-sama was.
With my personality, I would no doubt be unnerved if somebody brought up my old nickname out of nowhere.
...
Urk...
So if someone said "you did it" regarding that night's events and used that nickname,
I would've been described and became really suspicious.

That's why Kyouko-san wrote a post under your nickname
and called you out...

p15

To frame you, who knew of her past,
as the culprit that evening.

Renna was just being used...?

-Black Black Lotus ch15

What lies beyond her gaze...?

Hah
Can I ask... just one last favor?

...That girl is special.

To you, who I wanted to always be special...

In order to use me as a scapegoat,
Black Rose-sama called on me.

In other words...

she tried to pin the crime she was going to commit on me.

That night, I picked up a BBL card in the park.
Black Rose-sama most likely planted that herself.

But the contents of the card itself didn't matter.

To you, who wants to die, and you, who wants to kill.

Eh!?
Is that so?

It's main purpose was to make me overlook the knife it was stabbed with.

In actuality, the knife I took out was the same kind Black Rose-sama was killed with.
I believe she had prepared two knives.

You're saying she needed you to plant fingerprints on it?

Most likely...

I was surprised and left the knife at the scene,
but it would've still been beneficial for Black Rose-sama had I taken it home with me.

So long as I grabbed the knife with my own hands.

Renna-chan.

If it's you...

I see.
But I can't believe she would commit such a crime. It's too risky.

I think so too.

But if she was BBL's administrator,
then there might've been an exchange that we couldn't see.

Inbox
New emails
I know it's you

You're BBL's administrator, aren't you? I know it's you. What else might you be doing?

...

Because of that exchange, she might have decided that this was someone
who she "couldn't leave be".

She could've told me.

So Black Rose went to meet up with this person blackmailer,
but she ended up being the one who got killed.
You think something happened?

I don't know yet, but...

Fu...

Alas, I have no idea.
I'm not that person, after all.

...
White Rose-sama isn't lying...

If it was her,
Black Rose-sama would've acted differently too.

In which case...
But going by what you said, I think I have an idea of who it might be.

Eh!?

This person had info on her that was so dirty, she had to go meet them in person.

It was someone she would be willing to give her own life for.

In other words,
it had to be someone special to her, right?

Am I wrong, Pale pink bud-san?

p10

It's not me.

p11

Sorry, I know. You were at a different park that night.
Phew...

The one who was with Kyouko-san...

was you, wasn't it?

p12

No no.
What're you...

p13

You scared me~
Oh, you were there?
How long have you been...

It's not me.

I...
was never special to that person.

p14

You think so?
You shouldn't be able to tell what's in another person's heart, should you?

Ng...

Thought so...
Well, let's put aside who Kyouko-san thinks is special or not for now.

What is evident is that you've been lying.

You claim to have seen me changing clothes in a rental space,
but I've never used that rental space.

p15

That should become clear if you look into it.

Isn't that a matter of which one of us is more trustworthy?

Oh my. Someone's pretty confident in herself.
It's like you're convinced that I'd come up as the culprit.

p16

Where did you find out about that, I wonder?

Kasumi-san knew about White Rose-sama's other side...

It's a fact that White Rose-sama changed into a hoodie.
That's how the rental space story was fabricated.

So then why does Kasumi-san know about that?
We don't know anything.

p17

Hah

I just happened to...
Kyouko-san told me
that you're a "special girl".
...That girl is special.
You're wrong!
I'm not spe-...!

Hey, you! That's Black Roses's little sis you're...
...!

Fuuka, wait!

p18

Her little sister...
Is that so?

Why you... You lied about hearing it from Black Rose, didn't you?
Lied...?
You could say that. Maybe I just thought I had heard it from her.

Ng

But it's true that you were special to her.

Kyouko-san never once tried to tell me about your existence.

p19

That's undeniable proof that you're special, is it not?
I-
I...

p20

Kasumi...

I'm the one who called you here,
Nee-san.

I know all about
what you're doing.

You saw my post, didn't you?

p21

Won't you kill me?

Some unexpected words from her little half-sister...?

-
Black Black Lotus ch16 (Final Chapter)

A meeting that feels like destiny.

This person is my big sister...

She's so pretty.

Nice to meet you, Onee-san.
Let's get along from now on.

...

A pleasure to meet you.

Because I met you, my fate was changed...

I-I'm...
not special to Nee-san...

I'm...
just...

Nee-san.
Would you kill me?

...What are you saying?

I know what you do to people, Nee-san.

I'm serious.
I want you to kill me
with your own hands.
...Is something troubling you?

It's not that... It's because
you won't tell me anything, Nee-san.
Even if I said I'd help you, or become your accomplice,
or do anything for you,
you won't let me get involved with you.

No matter what my family says, you're everything to me.
Won't you rely on me?

Hah...
Don't say such silly things.
This has nothing to do with you, Kasumi.

Stop that!

What I do has nothing to do with you.

I guess I really am...

Wait!

Noo!

p10

Ah...

p11

I-
I'm so sorr-...

It's fine. Don't worry about it.

!!
I'm fine...
Hey, can I ask just one last favor?

p12

A favor...?

You simply need to deliver a letter.

You'll find it in the drawer in my room.
The address is already written on there.
That girl

is special to me.

p13

I wasn't special to that person.
She wouldn't share any secrets with me.

That's why I wanted to be a scar.
A scar that girl would remember
for the rest of her life...

p14

Is that why you tried to get her to kill you?

Why you!

That's right.
But in the end, I couldn't become anything.

That girl never told me anything important.
I just wanted to know
what she was thinking and what she thought was important.

p15

Matsuoka Renna-sama

You understand, don't you?

That's why I approached you.
So I could learn about my sister.

If you know something, please tell me.
I want to know.
Why did my sister...

cut her own wrists back then?

p16

I-...
I...

Get going before someone sees you.
Hah...

Ugh!

Nee-san...!

p17

Stop it!
Uuh...
Hurry...

To you who wants to die and you who wants to kill

I simply want to live when I want to live
and die when I want to die.

p18

I'm sorry for making you feel so lonely,
but I didn't want you to get involved with this.

p19

After all,
you're my one and only...

p20

There's no way she'd know
why she did something like...
I know.

p21

I had thought the same thing.
That an angel had come for me.

p22

You were important to Black Rose-sama.
She didn't want you to bear her sin.

She didn't want you to see her other side.

p23

You were her...
You're my one and only...

p24

light.

p25

...I don't believe it.
I just can't.

I mean, I wasn't a worthy little sister for her at all.
Even if I wanted to catch up to her, she'd keep getting further and further away...

p26

All I could do...
was love her...

p27

So what's gonna happen to Kasumi?

I don't know.
I don't think she'll be charged, though...
I guess the case is closed, then.
Black Rose sure had a lot of mysteries surrounding her, huh?

Yeah... But I think she was a strong person.

Someone who lived for the sake of living.

p28

And someone who would give up her own life to protect someone dear to her...

Well,
you've still got me!

Be sure to keep relying on me from now on!

Fuuka.

p29

I'm home~
Welcome back.
There's a letter for you.

Eh?
Who could it be from?

Matsuoka Renna-sama

p30

Mayuzumi Kyouko

This is insurance in case the worst happens.
I'm sure it'll be useful to you, right?

p31

You're a special girl.
Just like me, you have the power to change people's fates.
Isn't that right?

My pale pink bud.

p32

She certainly did change my fate.
Now that I know how she lived

and about her strength,

I...

Black Black Lotus vol1 extras

160cm
Light-weighted
Matsuoka Renna
Fuyou Girls' Academy 1st Year
Born June 16th, Blood type A
Hobby: Solo Karaoke
Gentle and deligent
Quick thinker
Surprisingly courageous

165cm
Muscle
Hinoue Fuuka
Fuyou Girls' Academy 1st Year
Born April 18th, Blood type O
Hobbies: Watching videos, Working out
A kind, easygoing and energetic girl who specialises in kickboxing.

Afterword

Urk
You keep making such a complicated expression.

Nice to meet you!
I'm Ogishiro, the artist of Black Black Lotus. Thank you for picking up this book. This is my first original serialization so it hasn't gone perfectly, but with lots of strength from Mikumi Teren-sensei and my editor, I managed to draw Volume 1.

Special thanks...
Mikami Teren-sensei!!
My editor Moritani-sama~!
Everyone from Comic Dengeki Daioh-G's editorial department!
Thanks for helping, Yanai-san!
And of course... all you readers!!!

Just like Renna, more hardships await, but I'll work hard to make the unpredictable developments that await in this story exciting, so let's meet again in the next volume!

p10

Postscript
by Teren Mikami

Good day to you, Mikami Teren here. For this work, Black Black Lotus (henceforther referred to as BBL), I thought "I wanna do something like this!", drew up a plan, the editors at Dengeki Daioh-G gladly said "Let's do it!" and here we are. Now then, aside from being a manga author, I write light novels. My works mostly lean towards romantic girls' love comedies, but since long ago, I've been someone who loves suspense that sends my emotions shivering. Since I had the chance, I wanted to try writing another genre that I love. It's this feeling that led to BBL. Thank you so much for picking this up. Our protagonist Renna-chan gets caught up in a dangerous and suspicious world. It is a certain girl's death that sets the wheels of fate in motion and invites her to this world. I hope you'll continue to enjoy it. And another big thanks to the manga's artist, Ogishiro-sensei. They helped get across the emotions of these girls, who are giving their all to survive while laughing, crying and suffering. Please continue to take care of us! Well then, this was Mikami Teren.