Despair's Little Game (Book 1)

7. Murder in the Name of Hope, Live in the Name of Despair

Munakata was getting really annoyed at this stupid game. How had a bunch of children trap him inside a room? He wasn't even able to use his last resort, as they had been taken from him as easily as if he was four years old.

He needed to defeat the remnants of despair, needed to build up the world's hope. He needed to kill them all.

Break through the wall.

The thought came easily, it was what he did every time he needed to get into a room. But these walls were different than the ones he'd entered before.

Earlier he had smashed through glass walls and Thad others be able to smash the walls before him.

Now he was the last one left. The last Hope alive. The rest were all going to kill him. The attacker was sure to come into the room during the next sleep. He had to get out before that could happen.

He finally managed to pull his sword out of the ground. Then he aimed at the wall next to the door, and stabbed his sword as hard as he could at it.

It cracked slightly. Munakata pulled his sword out, and stabbed again. And again. And again.

Repeating over and over.

He needed to get out. He needed to kill the despair. For everyone who had died at the hand of these killers. For Yukizome...

The four of them talked while they waited for Kyoko to wake up. It's already been a long time since Toko finished tying her up again.

Byakuya was getting impatient, "Why won't she just wake up already? This is pointless, waiting for something that might not even happen."

"H-hey, calm down now," Ryota muttered, "we can't get all angry- you said yourself- she's got a pulse right?- if we gave up now-"

"I don't care. It's pathetic. We're just sitting around until something happens. Munakata is bound to come along and kill us soon." Byakuya pushes his glasses up his face in annoyance, "I'm not waiting anymore, I'm going to find Munakata."

"Wait- Togami-" Makoto interjected as Byakuya went to leave, "Don't you think you might miss-"

"...What's going on?..."

Byakuya froze. Then he quickly regained his composure. They all turned to the far wall.

Kyoko's eyes were narrowed. She looked at each of them in turn and then settled on Byakuya, "...Where am I? Why am I still tied down?"

Byakuya made sure to look at the floor intensely before answering.

"You've been rather suspicious. We've all agreed that you could be the mastermind."

Makoto winced at his words.

All agreed...

He certainly hadn't agreed to this.

"I see... What makes you think that?" Kyoko's expression didn't change. She sat up best she could.

Byakuya closed his eyes, "You still haven't told us your forbidden action. You've been quiet, quieter than usual, and we haven't seen you walking around."

Ryota's hand rose nervously, "A-actually I was with her for the first few time limits... she was investigating the bodies..."

Byakuya went silent for a moment, "Then that only gives more possibilities of you being the mastermind. You wanted to make sure your targets were really dead, and that your plan was working."

"..." Kyoko stared at the floor, she seemed deep in thought at these accusations, "How can I prove I'm not the mastermind?"

Makoto was surprised at this question. Didn't Kyoko know how to defend yourself against evidence? Or perhaps she was buying time? There's no way she actually was the mastermind... right?