A Reason to Care

Chapter 3: Suspicion

"You know, for someone who doesn't know your antics, you look like you're placing a curse on me by muttering my name repeatedly like that..."

"Eh? I just have trouble remembering someone's name without doing this, you know," Aoi said.

"Well, I suppose it's alright as long as you don't forget my name again," Chihime turned to a certain student wearing a dark green jacket. "Hey, Chihiro! Are you a fan of swimming?"

"No....I.....don't like wearing swimming suits," Chihiro answered uncomfortably. "But still...it sounds like the locker rooms here have all the exercise equipment you could ask for. Maybe I'll give it a try. I'd kind of like to get a little stronger..."

"Well, it's nice to see you developing other interests outside your talent!" Chihime sent a bright grin to Chihiro's way.

"Yeah....," she smiled back, "But, even though I do want to get stronger, I'm not even brave enough to step foot into the locker room."

"Ah! Is it because of the gun hanging from the ceiling over there?"

"Uhh....no....It's just...." Chihiro's eyes started to well up with tears as she looked down to the ground with shame.

"Hey, don't cry!" Chihime wheeled over in an attempt to give the timid programmer a hug. "It's alright if you can't tell me now! I'm pretty sure you have a valid reason for not entering the locker room. Besides, you can always train at the gym! Aoi and Sakura can help you too, if you want. Right?"

Aoi gave a thumbs up towards their direction, giving a radiant smile which Chihime gratefully returned.

But...this is far too suspicious to brush off. Chihime thought as she helped wipe away Chihiro's tears. Chihiro being the Ultimate Programmer....does contradict with some of the information she had read. There is no doubt that Chihiro was trying to hide something from the rest of them....Chihime could only hope that this has no bad intentions in doing so.

Just at that moment, Makoto came out of the boys' locker room, "Anything suspicious in there?" Chihime asked.

"No, it's just a normal locker room."

"Hmm....I guess that has to be expected," Chihime frowned while twiddling her fingers, "I checked the girls' locker room and I found nothing too."

"Hang on a second," Aoi interrupted. "Why would you ask Makoto to check the locker room if there's a gun aiming towards them?"

"Monokuma told me that he placed it there to prevent students entering the locker room of the opposite gender. Since Makoto is just checking the boy's locker room, and he is a male, he's relatively safe," she said.

"That's right!" Monokuma said, appearing suddenly. "Only a handbook can grant access to the locker rooms depending what gender the student is."

"If I catch any one of you trying to sneak in, this gun will turn to your head.....and go DUKKA DUKKA DUKKA!"

"But what happens if someone loans their handbook to someone else?" Celeste, who had remained silent the whole time, asked, "A boy could borrow a girl's handbook, and that would get them into the girls locker room, would it not?"

"Wh-? That never even occurred to me!" Monokuma said, "Time for a new rule then! As of this moment, loaning your e-Handbook to another student is strictly prohibited."

A beep sound rang through the room, and some of the students took out their E-Handbooks to check the new rule update. Chihime tugged Makoto's sleeve, prompting him to hand her his handbook for her to view.

"Don't you have a handbook, too?" he asked.

"I do. I just don't feel like taking it out now."

"Okay, so the new rule regulation is now in place! See ya!" Monokuma said before taking his leave.