Dangan Ronpa: Mokuteki no nai satsujin [On Hold]

Part Five: Thanatophobia

October 9, 2027 08:00

Several contestants arrive just as breakfast begins. With the removal of two more contestants, more tables begin combining. Along with the usual table of Shadow, Nicholas, Kaylee, and Brandon and the table of Peter, Vackra, Margaret, and Gillian, a third table of Samuel, Angela, Jason, and Eric now exists.

At the third table, Angela has tears streaming down her face.

"I just can't believe Jack would do something like that! He was always so nice to me," she sobs.

"Sometimes the worst of times brings out the worst in people," Eric remarks.

"Quit it with your deep thoughts, I'm grieving!" Angela retaliates. As she buries her face in her hands, Jason comforts her by rubbing her shoulders.

"I liked your thought, Eric," Samuel offers. Eric simply goes back to painting, having completed two already.

A table over, Margaret quietly sings a song to herself.

"Margaret? Are you alright?" Peter asks, earning a stiff nod from Margaret.

"She's been doing that a lot, have you not noticed?" Vackra asks.

"I guess not," Peter concedes, then jumps as Gillian grabs his hair.

"What are you doing?" Peter asks.

"Your hair is impossible to manage! This is terrible!" Gillian scolds.

"You're not my mother!" Peter complains.

"There are girls here, don't you want to attract them?" Gillian whispers harshly.

"Oh please, the other two girls already had their eyes set on someone," Peter says glumly.

"Fine then!" Gillian huffs, ending her harassment of Peter's hair. She suddenly stands up and storms off.

"What's her problem?" Peter asks Vackra.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Vackra replies.

"I guess she likes to be in control," Margaret sighs, before going back to singing her song.

At the final table, Shadow comforts a silently sobbing Kaylee.

"I just don't want to die," Kaylee sobs.

"I know, and I promise I'll protect you," Shadow whispers back.

"Get a room!" Nicholas teases.

"Shut up! She's..." Shadow begins.

"Not handling the circumstances well?" Brandon offers.

"Exactly," Shadow mumbles, putting his arm around Kaylee. They suddenly stand up and exit the cafeteria.

"I feel bad for her," Nicholas sighs.

"Teasing them didn't help much," Brandon remarks. Nicholas slaps his palm against his forehead.

"Why am I such an idiot?" Nicholas asks.

"We're teenage guys, we're supposed to be idiots," Brandon says. Nicholas takes his plate, moves it to the side, then drops his face on the table.

"Why?" Brandon laughs.

"Compensation for my idiocy," Nicholas says, muffled. Brandon begins chuckling, then stops when he notices Jason staring out the cafeteria opening.

-=-=-=-=-=-

October 9, 2027 15:30

"Why exactly are we heading to the cafeteria again?" Peter complains to Gillian, having just woken up from a nap.