Phantom Thieves of Hope - A Danganronpa X Persona 5 Story.

Chapter 32: Professional Baggage Carrier

X

"I don't believe you!" Toko snapped, "how can you be so talented and yet so unbearably dense!"

"Hey!" Kaede stammered back "I-I said I was sorry!"

"S-Sorry's not gonna cut it!" Toko spat back, her classic stutter starting to resurface due to her frustration, "do you have ANY IDEA how WORRIED we all were! We thought you'd been expelled, and when you didn't show up later in the day, we were even more convinced! But NO! You were just ditching class and goofing off WITHOUT TELLING US!"

She pulled out her phone and opened the messenger app, showing it to Kaede with crazed eyes.

"See that!? That's the SEND button! It just takes ONE TEXT!"

"Hey, look, I really can't say anything other than I'm sorry! I was having such a good time that I got distracted and...forgot!" Kaede was practically on her hands and knees, begging, "I'll buy you some cake and tea as an apology, and we'll call it even!"

"NO!" Toko growled.

"Um...cookies then!?" Kaede continued to bargain. Toko could only pinch the bridge of her nose and grumble.

"Kaede...you are incredibly talented and deserve all the good things that happen to you, but I wish you would think before you act a little more," Toko pursed her lips, "being the responsible one is KILLING me, and the last thing I need is ANOTHER Komaru!"

"Hey!" Komaru sitting next to Toko, shot her a look.

"Alright, ALRIGHT, everybody just calm down!" Monomi hopped in the middle in an attempt to diffuse the situation, "Toko. Even though Kaede did make a mistake, and you have a right to be frustrated, you must consider that she was spending time with her twin sister whom she hasn't been in a friendly relationship with for years. Kirie's arrest may be the thing she needs to rekindle that love between one another, so can you really fault her for prioritizing it?"

"I mean..." Toko shifted in place awkwardly, "when you put it like that..."

"Come now, I think we've berated Kaede enough...or rather, Toko has..." Makoto chimed in, "this is a celebration of a job well done, you know?"

In the Thieves Den, Makoto and the team had set up a horigotatsu on the floor, and Komaru had brought and cooked some tasty food for a celebratory meal in the wake of Kirie's defeat. Kaede had not gotten back to the team until that morning after spending the rest of the evening with her sister, trying to make amends, hence Toko's frustration, but fortunately, Makoto was able to bring them back to the point at hand. He stood up at the head of the table, with Toko, Komaru, and Kyoko on one side, and Shuichi and Kaede on the other, with Monomi at the far end with her own small bowl of food.

The mean consisted of a makeshift buffet, which included pizza, sandwiches, pancakes, hamburgers, smoothies, and basically a smorgasbord of treats made to each member's liking. Makoto cleared his throat and began speaking.

"Now then...In celebration of defeating Kirie Akamatsu and changing her heart, and in honor of a much brighter future for all of us around this table...CHEERS!"

"CHEERS!" the rest of the Phantom Thieves...cheered, and as Makoto sat back down, they clinked their glasses together. 

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Komaru and Kaede wasted no time in stuffing their faces, and neither did Monomi, who had a variety of vegetables in her bowl already. Shuichi and Makoto, while more moderate, paced themselves, and even Toko seemed ready to gouge down. Kyoko however, seemed a bit reluctant.