❀ The Disease Called Love [Oumasai/Saiouma] ❀

You're Just Playing Pretend

✧ Chapter 25 ✧
[ You're Just Playing Pretend ]
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Shuichi held his arm up to block the light from the projector. "What.." he muttered but soon, realised what he was seeing. On screen, was a girl with long strands of hair. She was a thin figure, one Shuichi occasionally has seen around the campus. And she seemed to be arguing with someone else who was facing away from the camera.

"Mikan?" he heard the other students mutter amongst themselves. The girl who was standing amongst them whimpered but didn't say anything. The other student who was arguing with her in the video seemed to be rather angry, as the hand gestures made it seem as such.

Shuichi wanted to look at the trembling Ultimate Nurse who was standing a few feet away, but his eyes stayed on the screen. He needed to know who was Mikan talking to.

Additionally, the recording seemed to be taken by a digital camera... not a surveillance one. Mikan was cowering in front of the figure, who seemed to be telling her off. Strangely, the angle of the camera couldn't seem to capture the face of the accuser.

After what seemed like minutes of arguing, that's when it happened. The person gave Mikan a shove backwards, making her knock into the wall. As if in slow motion, everyone watched with bated breath as her elbow shattered the glass of the fire alarm.

With her other hand, she reached out to grab for something to break her fall. Unfortunately, that something happened to be the lever for the alarm.

The camera switched off, making everyone immediately turn to Mikan. "You.. actually tripped the alarm huh?" Saionji scoffed, "I'm not surprised by THAT, you pig vomit!"

"No no!" the nurse whimpered, "I-I was pushed! It was an accident!" "But who were you pushed by?" Makoto asked worriedly, "I.. don't mean to drag the other person into this mess but.."

"I-I.." Mikan held her arms, backing away as Togami pushed up his glasses, as per usual. "Are you avoiding the question? If so, you better shove your cowardice aside and tell us everything."

"But.. why can't Monokuma just tell us himself?" Mitarai spoke up, "That way we can avoid this pointless argument.. right?"

"Hmm.." Monokuma tapped his chin, "I would, if I could, but I can't."

Without even missing a beat, Akane raised an eyebrow, "What? Why? You better have a good explanation, small fry."

"Because I was busy and I didn't want to watch this boring argument, blah blah blah. Someone brought this video to me, and tada. These two culprits got my attention." the bear explained.

Shuichi frowned, narrowing down the case.

So Mikan and some other person were arguing without the notice of Monokuma. Which meant that whoever was filming the recording, must've been the traitor, since they could hand the footage over to him easily.

All that's left now is to try to find who Mikan was talking to.

"I-I can't say who it was because I forgot!" Mikan kept explaining as Ibuki pulled a face, "Huhhh? Forgot? How can you forget in such a short time?"

"But.. but I do remember it was a tall person." the girl managed to say, "And they were really strong. And h-had a deep voice."

"If that person had a deep voice, it could be one of those males!" Tenko readied her hands as Asahina frowned. "That's incredibly sexist."

"What? I hate males!"

"We know Ms. Chabashira.. now quiet down." Kirumi sighed, looking around at the students. "It appears that this has turned into a debate, hasn't it?" she looked at Monokuma, who was sitting on his podium and eating a jar of honey.

"Huh?" the bear tilted his head, "Oh, yeah yeah, whatever. It's like.. a weird alternate universe scenario I've always thought about! Except with more killing and less.. love. I'm talking about brutal back-stabbing and- y'know what? Imma file that idea off for later use." he rubbed his nose.

"Say what now?" Nekomaru asked.

"Just debate and whatever, you guys are boring me." the bear waved a paw in their direction, "Then as a reward for finding out the two culprits, you'll be rewarded with two punishments!"

"H-How is that a reward?" Makoto asked as Shuichi frowned, thinking hard. He needed to get to the bottom of this...

He flinched when someone touched his elbow, getting his attention. "Who- oh.." he calmed down when he saw who it was. "What's wrong?"

Kaede was frowning slightly at Class 78. Naegi Makoto's class. "One of them. I'm positive it's one of them." she whispered to him. "Look at the expression on their faces."

Shuichi turned his gaze to the students, surveying each expression closely. Sakura was in a defensive pose, Asahina seemed to have turned pale, ever since Monokuma had shown the video. Hagakure was consulting his crystal ball for help but of course, no avail.

Makoto was arguing with Monokuma with the help of Togami and Kirigiri while Sayaka was well, flirting as per usual. Each student had a mixed emotion upon their faces...

Except Chihiro Fujisaki, who was surveying the scene with a thin frown on her face. She seemed to be on the verge of saying something important. She kept looking at Mondo, and Ishimaru, squeezing her hands together.

"- We have an alibi, you worthless scums!" Celestia kept protesting to Korekiyo, who seemed intrigued by her use of language.

"It's one of you degenerate males!" Tenko was shouting as well as she protected Himiko, who seemed rather bored by everything. Every student seemed to be growing restless and even starting to cast each other looks of doubt.

He had to stop it.

Kaede tapped Shuichi's hand again, getting his attention. "Remember what I said. You have confidence now, don't you? Don't be afraid of the truth." Shuichi looked at the blonde haired girl, seeing her determined expression. "..."

"Chihiro Fujisaki," he spoke calmly but loud enough for everyone to hear, "Do you have anything you want to say?"

The hazel eyed girl stared at him, looking terrified, "Wh-What? What do you mean?"

"Hey! Pipsqueak!" Mondo immediately rounded on Shuichi, who stepped back since the taller male was rather intimidating. "Who do you think you're accusing huh? You mess with Fujisaki, you mess with me!"

"Mondo.." Fujisaki shook her head, "I can fight for myself, remember?" she told him. Without a word, she turned to Shuichi, waiting for him to continue. "What do you mean, Shuichi? Are you accusing me?"

"I'm not accusing you. But based on the expression on your face, you seem to be withholding information." the blue haired boy said.

The girl narrowed her eyes at him, "What does that say? You're just going around in circles, Shuichi. You don't have any definitive proof that I pushed Mikan."

She's avoiding the question. Shuichi thought. Chihiro doesn't seem to be the one who pushed Mikan, but she was definitely hiding something. But what?

Mondo looked back and forth between Shuichi and Chihiro, his fists clenched as Ishimaru watched silently. "Y'know what, screw it!" Owada pounded his fist against his other hand, "If you're going to execute someone, it better not be Chihiro or Kiyotaka here. It's me!" he looked furious as he admitted..

"I pushed Mikan!"

♥ End of Chapter Twenty-Five ♥