Danganronpa: String Theory (DrV3)

2.10 - Rebound

"Not whine if people tell you you're suspicious and creepy," I answer coyly, watching as the air of sternness around him twists with mild hints of confusion and eventually settles into a smile. He probably noticed I cooled down real quick, or he thinks he imagined the jab. Either way, disaster averted!

"You're adding to it, no one's ever said I'm creepy," Rantaro accuses, to which I playfully answer without missing a beat, "That's funny, because I could have sworn I just did right now."

...

I let out a squeak and giggle when Rantaro suddenly pokes my side, making me pull my nectarine back as I jump out of his range of pokes and scurry ahead into the library to escape him. It's the only assaulting poke he gives me thankfully, the green eyed teen flashing me an innocent and laid back grin before following me into the library and scanning for any others like he'd done in the game room. It's just us in here though.

When I dropped the jab about Rantaro keeping secrets, he didn't try to actually deny anything. Was that on purpose?

I peek at Rantaro curiously for a second, turning away quickly and walking deeper into the dusty gothic-esque library before he can look back my way and ask if I need something. I'm nearly finished with the nectarine Rantaro gave me, nibbling on the juicy leftovers as I stroll on over to one of the shorter shelves and sit on it. I look back at Rantaro, earning a smile of mild amusement as he walks past me towards the back of the library to get on with whatever he's here for. He paces around the back wall thoughtfully, as if he's looking for something in particular.

By the way he moves the books around, I assume he must be looking for a particular book. Watching quietly, I simply finish off my fruit before cleaning my hands and wrapping the nectarine pit in my napkin.

Rantaro has taken out his monopad and is looking through it as I walk to the stray trashcan to dump my napkin. Returning to him, Rantaro switches off his monopad and tucks the device in his pocket without a comment.

Hm...I guess he must have something he needs to keep a secret in his monopad as well.

Decidedly, I say nothing about it and watch him move the books some more...until something jumps out at me. Rantaro seems to notice it right away when I do, though he doesn't seem to realize I've caught wind of the same discovery.

Namely that the middle shelf at the back of the library happens to be the only shelf that doesn't have books stacked up on top of it, unlike every other one.

My eyes drag down- enough that they eventually land on a particularly suspicious gap in the middle of a couple of books. Curious, I go ahead and reach in carefully, finally garnering Rantaro's attention when he notices what I'm doing. I feel around momentarily before my fingers come in contact with a sort of mechanism, prompting me to frown a little as I gently feel for how it works. It's a sort of latch function, with wires that connect to the very back of the shelf.

"There's some sort of mechanism here," I comment, fingering the latch hesitantly. What if it's a trap that activates when I pull it? The wires in the back aren't very comforting, and I wouldn't put it past a place like this to set up horrible traps for us.

"Let me see," Rantaro inquires, prompting me to slip my hand out of the way so he can reach in and-

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest when the bookshelf suddenly starts to open with a dreadful rumble, scraping the floor as I jump back a few steps with Rantaro.

So...was this what Rantaro was looking for in the library? How'd he know there was something around here of interest in the first place?

"And you call me reckless. That could have been a trap and you just yanked it all willy-nilly," I accuse, though other than an embarrassed laugh, he doesn't dwell on my callout.