Why do I keep doing this to myself?

This is highly based off the manga with the same name. You don't need to read it to understand, but it's a damn good read, so check it out.

'This is the King's Game, in which your entire class will be participating

The King's commands are absolute, so please fulfill them within 24 hours.

You will not be allowed to withdraw mid-game.'

No one ever questioned where it came from or when it began, because it was extremely fun at first. The whole class would get texts from the King, or Ousama, commanding them to do something or else get "punishment". No one had found out what these punishments would be yet, the tasks given were awfully harmless. Say who you like or kiss someone's feet or whatever. It wasn't serious.

At first.

Kiku was the one to suggest they all call it "Ousama Game", figuring it sounded much more natural and interesting. It caught on with everyone else, and it was common for people to greet each other with a casual "did you see Ousama's task for today?" It was fun, and everyone was always eager to play.

But the day they found out what a penalty would be, the game lost any sort of entertainment.

'Command 3: Student Toris Laurinaitis grope the breasts of Student Sofia Petrenko. Failure to do so will result in punishment.'

When Arthur Kirkland arrived to school, he was approached by his closest friend, Alfred F. Jones. Alfred ignored his hello to ask, "Did you see the task Ousama sent?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, brushing past him to get to class. "Of course I did. What a weird, gross challenge. Poor Toris. I don't think he has it in him." Toris Laurinaitis was possibly the most meek boy in the class, constantly stuttering his words and hiding behind his friend Feliks Łukasiewicz for safety. There was no way he would be able to grope anyone, even if Sofia was sweet and gentle enough to let him if needed. He was just that type of person.

"Oh, it won't be that bad. People have done it by accident plenty of times. I'm sure once on purpose will be easy." Alfred shrugged, opening the door to their classroom.

Everyone was already there, chatting easily. Everyone except for Toris, that is. It seemed the Lithuanian had skipped school, too embarrassed to complete the task in front of everyone. Feliks confirmed this when Arthur asked.

"Ousama is, like, totally inconsiderate. Tori is too shy to do that to any girl, especially Sofia." He shrugged, twisting a lock of blond hair with one finger. "So Ousama will, like, just have to deal with one failure to do his dumb little challenge. Oh well."

That was that. Sofia didn't really care anyway, and everyone else quickly moved on to talk about other things, Ousama at the back of their minds. True, all were curious to see what kind of punishment their classmates would get for failing to do what was ask, but no one believed anything serious would happen. Ousama probably was some prankster who liked to see them do dumb things. Not much of a threat.

The day came and went. Arthur was up late doing his homework, when his phone buzzed with a text at exactly 11:50.

'10 minute warning. Student Toris Laurinaitis must grope Student Sofia Petrenko's breasts or suffer the punishment.'

How annoying. Arthur was unimpressed with Ousama's commitment to the whole punishment system, as it wasn't much of a big deal. He packed up his schoolbooks, jumping in surprise when his phone buzzed again at midnight.

'Since you have not carried out the King's command, I sentence Student Toris Laurinaitis and Sofia Petrenko to hang by the neck.'

A cold chill went down Arthur's spine at these words, quickly deleting it before shutting his phone down. Who would joke about that? Whoever Ousama was, they had a sick sense of humor. Oh well. Hopefully Toris wouldn't get teased too much from failing the challenge.

He fell asleep, an uncomfortable aura still surrounding him.

The students of class 2-H were strangely silent the following day, for reasons that were unknown to even them. Francis Bonnefoy admitted that something just felt "off". This was perhaps the most accurate way to describe how they were all feeling. When they all got to their seats, ready to start the day, their teacher went to the front of the class. Usually chipper and enthusiastic, his face was grim and eyes red, as if he had been crying.

"There's been...a tragedy..." he announced to his students, eyes downcast, not wanting to see the reactions. "Toris Laurinaitis and Sofia Petrenko...both committed suicide last night..."

No one could even process this at first. The only sound that erupted was Feliks' choked sob, somehow worsening the atmosphere further. Kiku was the one to speak up first.

"How did they do it...?"

"Coincidentally, they did it the same way simultaneously...their parents found them hanging in their rooms..." He shook his head. "I'm not sure if it was a pact or..."

But everyone knew this wasn't a planned event.

It was the punishment of Ousama Game.

Before continuing this twisted tale, it's important to know the relationship of all the characters in class 2-H.

The school they attended was not a regular one. It held students who excelled beyond others, from all over the world. Alfred F. Jones was the only one who was born in America.

Along with Alfred, there were 28 other students in class 2-H: Arthur Kirkland, Francis Bonnefoy, Matthew Williams, Ivan Braginsky, Yao Wang, Kiku Honda, Feliciano and Lovino Vargas, Ludwig and Gilbert Beilschmidt, Antonio Fernandez Carriedo, Roderich Edelstein, Elizabeta Héderváry, Heracles Karpusi, Natalia Arlovskaya, Feliks Łukasiewicz, Mathias Køhler, Tino Väinämöinen, Emil Steillson, Lukas Bondevik, Berwald Oxenstierna, Basch Zwingli, Erika Vogel, Abel De Jong, Emma Wouters, and previous Toris Laurinaitis and Sofia Petrenko. Their ages varied, with Yao being the oldest at 18 and Erika being the youngest at 15. For the most part, the class got along well, and easily called each other friends.

The only romantic relationship in the class was between Elizabeta and Roderich. They were dubbed the 'parents' of 2-H, considering how much they resembled a married couple.

The Vargas' and the Beilschmidts weren't the only ones who were related. Ivan, Natalia, and Sofia were all siblings, having been raised in different households. Lukas and Emil were stepbrothers. Erika and Basch were half-siblings. Matthew and Alfred were cousins, a fact that Matthew was somewhat humiliated by, due to the American's loud and brash nature. Emma and Abel were raised together, having no blood relation but considered brother and sister nonetheless.

These relations did nothing to deter any friendships. Family members got along just as well, aside from the occasional familial bickering. There wasn't any hard feelings when it came to class 2-H.

All 28 of them were just one big family.

Now, however, it was all 26 of them.

"It doesn't make any sense..." Ivan began, as they all gathered around during lunch time. Feliks was with them, but his uncontrollable sobs made them wish he had gone home. "Neither of them were depressed, I know for a fact Sofia wasn't. So...Ousama had to be the one behind all of it.

"How is it possible to make two people hang themselves?" wondered Ludwig aloud, refusing to touch his helping of sausage and potatoes. "Maybe it's a serial killer tricking us?"

"No...there's something different about this," murmured Kiku, staring out the window. "Ousama is Ousama. I think whoever is doing this, isn't a killer or psychopath. Someone, or something, that's bored and wants to watch us suffer."

The way Kiku said this made Arthur shudder. "Why us? What have we done?"

"Anyone in this situation would ask that. Every person murdered or tortured or kidnapped asks the same thing. I think it's because...they were just at the wrong place at the wrong time."

Eerie silence, the kind that made everyone squirm.

"This person...thing...is going to Hell for this!" hissed Lovino, trembling as he grasped the cross on his neck. "What kind of monster would kill two people because of a game?"

The Vargas brothers were known to have been brought up strictly Catholic, with a rich artist for a grandfather. Though Lovino took their religion seriously, his younger brother Feliciano seemed breezily carefree. He was happy to kiss Ludwig when Osauma commanded it, giggling as he explained to his fuming older sibling that he was just playing the game. He wasn't giggling then, a mournful expression replacing his dreamy one.

"I don't think we should crack who it is just yet. Let's play the game...maybe there's an end to it once Ousama goes through all the students?" suggested Antonio, tilting his head to the side in that airheaded puppy way he had of doing things.

So far, Ousama had only gone through a few of them. Feliciano, Ludwig, Ivan, Francis, and Gilbert had been the only other ones to receive a task. Along with Feliciano and Ludwig having to kiss, Francis was made to lick the feet of Ivan, and Gilbert had to admit who he had a crush on (which was Elizabeta, to the class's amusement). They could technically count Toris and Sofia to that number, even though those two didn't complete their task. So that meant Ousama still had...

"Twenty one to go." Tino paled at this number, shaking his head. "That's too many, isn't it? What if Ousama makes other people do more sexual things?"

"Then we have to do them!" declared Mathias. "No matter how bad they are, no one else should die, right?"

"For once, you have a point," relented Lukas, ignoring the bright grin shot his way. "Toris didn't know the consequences, but we do. If we just complete the tasks, we'll all be okay."

"Then it's settled. We do whatever Ousama says!" Alfred concluded, as if he had been the one to make up the whole thing.

"Um...excuse me?" Matthew whispered, waving his hands so everyone would see. It was easy to forget about Matthew. "What if Ousama...makes us do really bad things? Like steal or vandalize..."

"Petty crimes are worth living," stated Yao firmly.

"What about killing?"

No one spoke. Truthfully, that had been the question in their minds as well. Would Ousama make them commit murder as a task? Even more, would they do it?

"Let's stop talking about this!" barked Basch, an arm wrapped tight around Erika, who was close to tears. "We need to just-"

He was cut off by a melody of ringtones and vibrations. Everyone had received a text simultaneously. Which could only mean one thing. Ousama's task of the day.

They looked over at each other. Why so late? Why now? Could Ousama hear them talk?

Without another word, the class of 2-H checked their phones, ready for today's challenge.

The characters who don't have human names make me cry