The Mastermind's Lies | Mastermind Shuichi AU

Chapter 28 - The Real Truth

My thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Well, it's too late!"

I recognized that voice.

...

It was that stranger's voice from Friday night.

"Team Danganronpa speaking here... there's no way out! You're the Mastermind and that's it!"

"B-But I simply c-can't d-do it! I-I'm not evil! I don't have bad intentions and I simply can't bring myself to be an accomplice to other people's despair!"

The man speaking let out a little giggle, which was quickly followed by a laugh, and finally, it erupted into a long deranged laughter.

I cringed. Shuichi was trembling and he looked like he was about to pass out anytime now.

"It's too late! Too late too late too late! You're going to have to act the part, just like you did in that stupid fake audition of yours! That's what you get for acting like that!"

Shuichi started crying again. It made me almost furrow my eyebrows in anger.

I understood now what was going on.

...

"I won't do it! If you keep me here as a Mastermind, I'll end the game early and make sure I die first!"

I felt my eyes widen involuntarily, before I quickly shifted my face back to a more mischievous look for the cameras. I didn't expect to hear that.

"Oh? Is that so?"

The voice snickered again.

"Look up."

The camera glitched and Shuichi disappeared. Another image replaced him. It was the image of a kitchen, from a high angle. There were two people, a woman and a man, eating at the table and chatting.

"What... what the hell..." Shuichi stuttered.

"You see this? Now, let's make a deal."

The voice snickered again. The image flashed back to Shuichi.

"You play the role of the Mastermind, create marvellous motives and traps to get the participants to kill each other without saying a word. If you don't do that, it's simple really; your family dies. And I'm not only talking about your uncle and aunt, I'm talking about your beloved parents too."

...

Holy shit.

Shuichi... was a victim of blackmail and extortion this whole time?! I could barely keep a smile on my face to avoid the camera's suspicions. 'How did I not notice it before?? Gosh these idiots must have rubbed their idiocy on me."

Shuichi spoke out, absolutely terrified. Now that I knew everything, I felt like shit. I felt like shit for treating him the way I did and I felt like an idiot for not seeing it earlier.

This is terrible yes... but this whole situation is incredibly dangerous. If these bastards of Team Danganronpa managed to effortlessly lie to us, to me, about everything, I can't even begin to imagine what they're truly up to.

"How did you..."

"Now now, it's not the time to be asking such questions! Will you accept the deal? If not, the four hitmen situated all around your uncle and parents' houses are all ready to shoot, right under my orders!"

My blood ran cold.

"Yes... yes I will do it, but please leave my family alone... they're all I have left-" Shuichi choked out, his voice shaking and cracking. I felt the tears build up in my own eyes from seeing him like this.

"Perfect! Now, head to a random classroom and stay there until someone wakes up, alright?"

He nodded, his lips trembling as he slowly stopped sobbing.

"Oh! And don't forget our promise!"

The familiar phrase was the last thing I heard from the man, before all audio and video cut off. It snapped to another video. Shuichi was in the library with Rantaro when all of a sudden, he smashed him across the head with a shotput ball. I felt my face twitch from the brutality. I looked at Shuichi, he looked terrified and panicked, realizing what he'd done.

I couldn't take it anymore and closed the file. I took out the USB and put it in my pocket. I smiled, showing the camera I'd enjoyed it, and left the room.

I walked over the my room, my mind processing what I'd just seen.

As I flopped onto my bed, I felt my hands start shaking. Shuichi...