Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

4.8 - Reasons to Lie

...

"No, not like that! A little closer. Just so the antennas brush her nosey..."

Antennas...like on a television...?

"...not sure...might poke eye..."

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

When I hear a frustrated whisper and a sigh of resignation, I crack open a blurry eye to see a bright green shape taking up a large portion of my vision. It moves a little, tickling my skin so I wiggle my nose. A giggle escapes me at the feeling, enough to get me sitting up where I can rub the sleep out of my eyes. I fell asleep?

Once my vision is clear, I see what's tickling my face.

It's an insect, a large one that almost looks like a praying mantis mixed with a chunky locust. It isn't until I've blinked two more times that I reach out to touch it, making Gonta pull it back quickly a few inches.

"Oh! Hold out hand- safer for nymph if it walk itself," Gonta says, prompting me to obey and watch as he tips his much larger hand to get the bug moving. Realizing the insect is nearly the size of my own palm, I end up putting my other hand out as well to give the bug more room.

"How long was I asleep...?" I ask once the hefty green insect sits on my hand, ignoring the prickly spines along its skinny legs. It's like its legs are made up of thorny rose stems.

"Like, maybe ten minutes? Neeheehee! Aw man, but I was hoping for a different outcome by using a bug to wake you up," Kokichi laments, making me dip my head a little so Gonta can't see my disdain for the presence of his companion.

"G-Gonta sorry...! Can't leave Kokichi because of promise...Gonta really sorry. Know not easy for Small Prairie," Gonta answers with a flustered look as I alternate moving one hand in front of the other for the bug when it keeps walking forward. It takes all my focus on the bug to hide my disappointment that my efforts and words haven't swayed the mountain sized teen, and yet Gonta still notices the change in my mood...

"It's whatever," I comment with a stiff smile, just as Gonta stands up and readjusts his tie, holding his hand out so the bug can return to his hand. With the bug still moving forward across my palm, it easily continues back into Gonta's waiting hold until I'm no longer holding any of the insect's weight. He returns to the wall of caged bugs and gently places it in its respective home, closing the lid tightly and walking towards the exit of the room.

That's a little confusing since we agreed to hang out and see bugs together, so I give him a curious look. I eventually get my answer after a second though.

"Gonta...even more sorry for this, but Gonta need to handle extremely important thing. Small Prairie need to wait with Kokichi here until ready! Then we start Insect Meet-and-Greet!" Gonta says, causing my eyes to narrow on his troubled, yet determined expression.

Stay here? Alone with Leech Face?

"You're joking, right?" I demand dangerously, noting Gonta's mild flinch at the sudden shift in my tone of voice. "You expect me to stay in a room with the jerk that I threw a bowl of soup at? Willingly?"

Gonta surprisingly doesn't answer. To my shock, he opens the door and meets my eyes one last time with an apologetic look. My heart strains with an anxious flare when I realize he isn't about to listen, leaving me to watch as the door closes shut firmly on my objections.

I stare at the door for a long minute, eyeing it with dry annoyance.

Well, it's not like there's a lock on this door to stop me from actually leaving in the first place. And there's no way I'd stay here even for sweet Gonta, so...