I'll Save You ~ Amamatsu

Ch 1, Part 3

"I will end this game, all on my own."

My eyes widened in shock. The last time Rantaro said that.. it got him killed.

Even though it was my fault last time.. I don't want him to die again. I swore to myself that I would protect both myself and Rantaro at the very least. I have to stop him-

"Okay, okay, can you two lovebirds just shut up for a second?!" Monokuma suddenly appeared and said to Kokichi and Shuichi. Pretty much everyone was startled. Well, guess I'll just have to talk to Rantaro later..

"Oh, hey Monokuma! Enjoying the show~?" Kokichi said.

"You two are so gross.. I might just vomit.." Himiko said, literally looking like she was about to throw up.

"This isn't a damn dating show, kiddos! Jeez, if you're gonna do that, take it to your rooms!" Monokuma yelled at them, clearly also fed up by their lovey-dovey behavior.

Kokichi sighed. "Alright, fine then, guess we'll just have to take this to your room, Shumai~!" Jeez, it's only been a day, what kind of bond have they even formed now?! It most definitely wasn't like this last time. Maybe it has something to do with me not being by Shuichi's side as much..

Shuichi blushed once again but Monokuma got a word in before anyone could say anything else.

"Anyways! Back to what I came here to say! I'm here to present to you your very first motive to kill!"

Everyone was shaken by those words. The motive.. I'm guessing it's going to be the same as last time.. The First Blood Perk.

I wonder.. Would I have been better off if I just.. took the chance and escaped?

N-No, I couldn't have.. Leaving them all there to die.. I couldn't do something as selfish as that. Plus, I would've felt guilty, knowing that I killed Rantaro on accident and paid no retributions for my crime.. Maybe it was better that I just ended up getting executed..

Anyways, Monokuma announced the same motive as expected, and everyone else was scared as usual. Monokuma disappeared after, leaving everyone chatting and wondering about the motive. But I could care less about the motive. Right now, my main focus is keeping Rantaro safe and making sure he doesn't do anything stupid. I want him to trust me..

I looked around the room for him, but it seemed like he had already left. Kiyo's still here, though, maybe he could tell me where he went.

"Uh, hey, Kiyo? Do you happen to know where Rantaro went? I want to talk with him about.. something." I awkwardly asked Kiyo.

"Oh, yes, he told me he was going to the library for a little while." Kiyo responded back. The library.. Bad memories of that place flooded back into my head. Setting up the trap, discovering Rantaro's body..

I quickly shook off all the bad thoughts. I had to talk to Rantaro before he actually ended up doing this whole plan solo.

"Alright, um, thanks Kiyo!" I quickly replied and ran off to the library.

I finally got down there a few minutes later to find Rantaro searching for a book.

"No.. Not here.." He mumbled.

"Hey, Rantaro! What are you looking for?" I asked him. He stopped what he was doing and turned to look at me. He calmly smiled at me.

"Ah, hey Kaede. Nothing really, just seeing if there's anything that'll somehow help us escape.." Oh, so that's what he was doing..

"Oh, alright.. Um, Rantaro? I want to talk to you about.. Well, you know.. I overheard from your conversation with Kiyo earlier that you're making a plan to end the killing game..?" I asked awkwardly. Jeez, I'm always so bad with this sort of stuff..

"Oh, uh.. You heard that?" Rantaro asked me, as if it was some sort of secretive thing.

"Yeah.." I replied quietly.

There was an awkward silence for a minute. Whenever we talked, it seemed neither of us ever knew what to say. So, we just stood there quietly.. Rantaro opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. We really are just clueless teens, huh? I stared into his bright green eyes.. It's so easy to get lost in them- Wait what?

I sighed. One of us had to say something.

"Look, Rantaro.. I don't want you doing this all on your own-"

"Kaede, I'll be fine. I.. Don't need anyone's help." Rantaro interrupted and said in a stern tone.

"No, Rantaro, you don't get it. If you're going to plan something, at least let me help a little-"

"Didn't I just say I don't need anyone's help?!" Rantaro snapped back at me, leaving me a little shocked.

"..Sorry, that was, uh.. Uncalled for." He apologized immediately after, in a quieter tone this time.

"I-It's fine.." I responded. I forgot how difficult Rantaro can be at times..

"Rantaro.. Let me do something to help you with this. Trust me, nobody can make a plan to end a killing game and have it succeed all on their own. I know from, uh.. Experience." I told him. At that moment, he seemed skeptical of me.

"..You're implying that you've been in a killing game before this one?" Rantaro asked me. My eyes widened, though I should've known he was going to say that. Rantaro is pretty smart, but I don't know if he's smart enough to stop the mastermind.

"Ah, um.. Yes. Let's keep that between you and me, though.." I said. Rantaro nodded.

"Please, Rantaro.. Is there anything at all that I can do? If not, can you at least tell me? I don't want you being alone in this." I asked him again.

"..Sorry, Kaede. I understand that you're worried, but.. I have to do this by myself. That way I can prove that what I'm doing means something. I don't want you pitying me because I don't remember my Ultimate talent."

"B-But I'm not trying to pity you! I just.. Want to be a good friend and help you when I know you need it. Because that's what friends are for, right?"

Rantaro seem shocked when I called him my friend. A small smile grew on his face.

"Thank you, Kaede. Maybe I'll tell you soon.. Right now, it's all a matter of trust.." Rantaro said. I can see where he's coming from. He wants to feel like he can completely trust me before he tells me anything important..

"..Alright, Rantaro. If that's what you want, then I'll respect it. Just try not to do anything too stupid." I smiled back at him. He laughed.

"I'll try my best not to." Rantaro paused for a moment, then continued. "Thanks again, Kaede. I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Yeah, see you later, Rantaro."

He walked out of the library, no books in his hands, but I guess he was satisfied with our conversation, and that was enough for him.

I smiled to myself. All Rantaro needs is time and a good friend that he can trust. And I'll be happy to give him both.

~~~

A/N: hellooooo again! it's currently 2am on a school night as i'm typing this but i really don't give a shit anymore lmao- aNyWaYs, i added some more actual amamatsu moments to this chapter because this story needs it and i am fangirling over my own work so um i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i do bc i love writing this story and wanna make like a million chapters for yall so yeah um uh have a good day or night or whatever and um yeah i'll see ya in the next chapter bestiesss