Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

1.3 - Take Number Two

"Hold on... Was this bear black and white? Like it's colors were split in half?" Rantaro inquires from the chair of the desk table I'm sitting on, prompting me to frown and shake my head.

"It was dual colored, but this one was red and white. It was even wearing a cape... And to be honest, I don't think there's only one of them..." I explain, noting the serious look on Rantaro's face as he processes my words and stares at me quietly.

"...How many of us were there in total? Do you remember?"

His shift in tone means business, but even though it's not like he's upset with me or anything, I can't help but feel like I've done something wrong under his piercing gaze. It feels like the look he gave me after I almost tried to play off stomping on Kokichi's foot...!

"S-seventeen of us altogether from what I counted. You yourself speculated that there would probably only be sixteen of us in total though..." I inform him, watching as he closes his eyes and rubs his forehead in thought.

"...Shit."

I squeak a little, making Rantaro snap out of his daze and open his eyes to look at me in surprise. I can't help but blush as I avert my gaze and stutter, "P-profane..."

...

And just like that, Rantaro is laughing, making my face burn bright red before I realize I can't handle the feeling of humiliation. Knowing I have no true escape, unless I want to get chased down by one of those mechas out in the hall, I jump off the table of the desk Rantaro is sitting at and dive back into the locker I'd come out of, closing it shut and leaning back against the wall of the now cool metal to calm my stimulated nerves.

"W-wait! I'm sorry, I promise I wasn't laughing at you," Rantaro catches his breath on the other side of the locker door, making me shake my head and press my hands against my cheeks in embarrassment. "Prairie?"

"Liar," I whimper, before gathering my dark hair over my face to hide my blushing features and block him out of view when he proceeds to open the locker up himself.

I feel him stare at me, waiting for me to give up and come out of the locker. Instead of being mature, I stay exactly where I am until I hear him sigh in amusement. The sigh makes me shrink back into the locker, but then Rantaro steps in with me a little, wiggling in until I feel him...hug me.

If my nerves weren't stimulated before, they sure are now.

"I promise I really am sorry. It was just really unexpected and reminded me of my little sister," Rantaro admits honestly, resting his chin on my head. It's a good thing he can't see my face, since it's practically on fire at this point. I half expect that resting my cheek on the locker wall would melt the metal.

He probably doesn't mean for it to seem this way, but... He's sort of being attractive on accident... I think, counting to ten in my head and then forcing myself to look up so he gets the idea to move back. Since the door's open, it's not too dark in the locker that I can't make out Rantaro giving me a smile before taking my hands and stepping back out of the locker with me in tow.

"Ready to go then? I'm counting on you to lead the way since you know where to go and I don't," Rantaro says, releasing one of my hands but retaining his hold on the other. "We'll run on the count of three."

...

"One... Two..."

I steel my muscles for the run, ready to lead Rantaro as best as I can. I do know where to go this time, so this shouldn't be much of a problem. We just have to outrun those machines out there in the halls.

"...Three!"

We open the door and make a beeline down the right side of the hall just as a mecha turns to face us from the far left of the same hallway, revving up an engine that makes my gut twist anxiously. This mecha has blue accents, unlike the green, pink, and red accented machines I'd seen before.