Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

2.9 - A Prize For A Price

A/N: The above art is my own work and for my own use only!

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Ten minutes later and all I can think about is that stupid fruit- so much so that I can't focus on any of the tests I've attempted because my thought process always u-turns back to Rantaro's nectarine. It's totally and obviously a trap. The nerve of that guy...

Where the heck did he even get it? I don't see any fruit trees around here and I could have sworn I didn't see any in the kitchen.

About an hour later, it becomes glaringly obvious I'm not going to be able to focus on anything if I don't get my hands on the nectarine Rantaro has. Until the fruit was put in my line of sight, I'd had no idea just how much I loved the taste of it- one that is still burnt fresh in my mind despite the fact that I can't actually name the last time I'd even had one. Now that I'm thinking of the fruit and aware of the memory of its flavor however, I can't get it out of my head.

Staring at every game I tried, I was subconsciously drooling. Sometimes I'd forget to close my eyes and even when I did, the only thing I'd see were images of the nectarine I'd abandoned with that smiling heathen. It's a pretty frustrating issue...

But I have a solution! One that needs no interaction with Rantaro, at that.

I'll just find a nectarine of my own! He had to get it from somewhere, he didn't just pull it out of thin air. And since it's a food item, it's likely that it came from the kitchen and I just missed it when I examined the area before.

I'm gonna get myself a nectarine without Rantaro's help, and that's that. I won't let him hold anything over me!

I climb back up the stairs two at a time, trying to appear composed and undeterred by Rantaro's presence in the first floor hall. He's still got that nectarine at hand, but now he seems to be relaxing with a book. I can't tell what book it is, and when I realize I'm looking at him like I told myself I wouldn't, I turn my head away swiftly to continue my way to the kitchen. Good thing he didn't notice.

"Your face is much UGLIER than usual, UGLY!" Monokid blurts out, standing on the dining hall table with another new cardboard guitar at hand. No one else is in here but him, and I narrow my eyes on the kub when I hear the familiar endearing name they love using for me.

"Is this the only place where we can get food in the school?" I ask straightforward, passing the table so the blue monokub hops down to follow after me into the kitchen.

"You're actually THAT worked up over a dumb wannabe peach?!" Monokid snorts, guitar propped up over his shoulder like a tool rather than an instrument. "Yeah, the shit you fleshies need to survive is all here! You could probably get snacks from the student store monomachine though. Actually, I'm pretty DAMN sure nectarines come out of the monomachine only! You have to have tons of lucky though to get one- which YOU definitely lack, UGLY! HA!"

Why wouldn't nectarines be found in the kitchen?! And what's his monomachine he's talking about?

I decide to dig into the kitchen, practically tearing it apart in search for even a tiny nectarine at least. When I find nothing of the sort, I look around at the mess I've made in the kitchen and make a whining noise of distaste.

"See? Wha'd I tell ya, ugly! ...Now clean this shit up," Monokid giggles, looking like he's enjoying watching me suffer in my endeavors to find my desired treat.

The fact that my mouth keeps watering when I recall the nectarine flavor is starting to get annoying the longer I don't find one of my own. However...besides the fact that trying to get one is a lot more work than just submitting to Rantaro's trap, it would be a prize to see his face if I were to just randomly walk out with my own nectarine. It'd definitely foil his efforts to bribe me into talking to him, that's for sure.