Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

1.4 - Third Time's a Charm

I'm probably going to be one of the first murders. I can't kill anyone...but I'm pretty sure someone can kill me. I'm small and an easy target- at least that's what I assume looking at myself. Me and that red haired girl look super easy to pick off.

The doors slam open again. I ignore it.

Wouldn't it really suck...if Rantaro ended up murdering me? Not even realizing how much I look up to him and how nice I think he is? ...I wish he could remember our other two meetings. He liked me then, but now-

"Hey."

A face suddenly appears above mine, blocking my view of the ceiling so I flinch and squeak in surprise. Rantaro watches in mild amusement as I quickly sit up and turn to rest my back on the wall again, a slight smile playing at his lips. When I don't say anything and don't smile back, he clears his throat.

"Can I sit with you?" He asks carefully, examining my face for signs of my mood.

My eyes flick past him to the four other boys I've met with two other times, Gonta, Korekiyo, and Kiibo quickly looking away from us and confirming my suspicions that they must have all agreed to send Rantaro after me. Rather than look away like they do, Kokichi gives me a bright grin and waves his arm very obviously, up until Kiibo smacks his shoulder and turns his chuckling form around to look away too.

When I look back up at Rantaro to see him still waiting patiently for my answer, I feel my cheeks turn red at the attention and cover my jaw with my hair, mumbling in response.

"D-Do what you want," I huff, knowing full well my attitude is curt and unwarranted. It's not Rantaro's fault he can't remember...but I'm bitter about it anyways. It's not fair.

Rather than take offense, he smiles more and takes a seat next to me. Why does he smile so much? It's annoying me.

It's only annoying you because you're upset. If you weren't so angry, that smile would melt your heart like chocolate fondue, a rebellious thought makes itself known in my head much to my irritation. Shut up, brain.

"...So. I'm guessing my memory loss of whatever happened before is why you looked so upset when I fell out of the locker this time, right? It's because I forgot you?" Rantaro surprisingly cuts to the chase to my surprise, making me look up at him beside me where he's decided to trace the lower hem of the velvet strip on my skirt like I'd been doing before.

I'm almost enchanted by his easy going demeanor to disclosing a confirmation before I train my tongue and look away from him quietly. I can't tell him, no matter what. I just need to keep reminding myself so I don't say anything.

"...I don't know what you're talking about," I decide to go with, feeling very guilty for lying to him but biting down on the bullet regardless.

Rantaro glances my way from the corner of my eye, but I keep myself from looking his way.

"I guess it's just a feeling I'm getting, whether you confirm it or not. After all, I thought I was seeing things, but you looked somewhat relieved to see me when I fell out of the locker. It makes sense if we already met and had gotten along back then. I think the thing that completely confirms that I forgot you though... That has to be the fact you had one of my sweater sleeves already tied around your arm. Like I had cleaned and treated your arm already for the first cut you'd gotten on it. Isn't that right, Prairie?" Rantaro explains, much to my aggravation.

He's a pretty critical thinker himself, I muse to myself, before standing up and taking a step back to face him, well aware of the other four boys eyeing us as Rantaro jumps to his feet too.

"What are you hoping to gain out of telling me this? I already told you, I don't know what you're talking about," I respond sharply, stutter completely gone due to my temper taking precedence. "If you keep asking me, I'll-"