Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

4.13 - Triggering

Just as I close my room door, so does a certain someone else from below. Their footsteps walk out from under the platform, enough for me to see who it is when they turn to look up at me.

"...Good morning," Korekiyo speaks up after facing me, his eyes twinkling with mirth just as I feel a shiver crawl up my spine. He doesn't look surprised to see me. "I made sure our companions went ahead of us so we could have a moment to ourselves on the way to breakfast."

He was waiting to catch me alone.

I stay rooted in front of my bedroom door, staring down at him cautiously.

"Do not be alarmed. As I've previously stated...you aren't my preferred first target. You will know when the time comes, I assure you," Korekiyo reiterates, as if thinking that will relax me. Of course, it doesn't. Furthermore, it's not like I couldn't figure that out on my own.

Still, I descend down the stairs after a second of pause, joining him where he's waiting at the bottom of the steps. Once I've joined his side, with a considerable amount of space between us, I pull up my hood while keeping my eye on him. I don't want to bank on the idea that he won't change his mind and off me earlier, so it's best to keep my guard up just in case. Better safe than sorry.

"Be careful not to slip. We wouldn't want you having any accidents so early," Korekiyo chuckles, walking ahead and pushing open one of the doors leading out to the courtyard. He holds it open for me politely, and although I do take the polite gesture, I also make sure to walk faster the closer I get to him.

My heart's beating unusually fast. I brush it off and try to control my breathing when it gets shorter, eventually allowing it to climb back down to a normal steady pace.

The initial walk towards the school is quiet but tense. All things considered though, Korekiyo isn't maiming or taunting me with his murderous personality anymore. If anything, he seems to be enjoying our walk in the snowy weather, even removing a glove and holding his palm out to catch a few stray snowflakes. To think someone who could make an expression as soft as that could also be a killer in disguise...

"I had a nightmare about you last night," I hear myself say, unable to hold my tongue as I come to a stop and blurt it out.

Korekiyo makes it another step ahead before pausing. His back is to me for a second longer than normal, but he eventually turns away from admiring the snow around us to meet my gaze. He doesn't look very surprised or worried. If anything, he looks like I said something completely natural.

"Oh?" He simply inquires, smiling behind his mask. I have to wonder if he's amused due to my fear of him...or is amused because he simply doesn't have the capacity to empathize with fears like those. Considering he's confirmed that he's isn't afraid to die himself, I can only imagine the latter to be true. "Am I already making such an impact on your life that you would be having nightmares of me?"

...

"You were drowning me," I state in no uncertain terms, prompting a raised eyebrow on Kiyo's part. He seems disappointed, but I'm not sure why.

"I must say, I am usually limited to the devices at hand during any given opportunity...but I wouldn't be so barbaric and cruel to use any such a method that would extend the suffering of a girl that is to become my dearest sister's friend. If there is one thing consistent in my methods, it's the fact I premeditate every encounter with the intent of a quick kill," Korekiyo states, pulling his glove back on. "Don't mistake my reassurances as anything other than simple correction of fact, but at the very least you needn't worry about a ghastly death such as that."