Apocalyptic Despair (Danganronpa UDG Fanfic)

Chapter 4

"Jeez! How much longer were you gonna hold her hand!? You're like a creepy fan meeting an idol!" Toko tells the boy

"No! It's not like that... It's just, this wristband..." He stares down at both Kei and Komaru's wrist. "Could it be...? Were you also captured by those kids who call themselves the Warriors of Hope?" The boy asks them.

"...Huh?" Komaru exclaims

"And then you got thrown out here, and told it was part of some game, right? Well, look! Me too!" The boy explains to the both of them as he shows them his own wristband.

"Ah, that wristband!" Komaru exclaims with an expression of realization on her face.

"So you really are just like us." Kei mutters

"Oh, this is great! Well, not... completely great. I'm already at my wit's end trying to figure out what to do... I guess I was just so relieved to see someone in the same spot I'm in. Still... could be better." The boy says with a heavy sigh.

"I sorta understand. I'm also a little glad to know that we're not alone in this situation." Komaru admits.

"I guess it's nice..." Kei mutters.

"Right!? Right!? Oh, that reminds me, I never told you my name! I'm Yuta Asahina!" Yuta tells the three with a carefree grin.

"I'm Komaru Naegi. Nice to meet you, Yuta." Komaru says as she smiles back at Yuta

"I'm Kei Shinohara. It's not the worst to meet you..." Kei mutters as she puffs her cheeks.

"Okay!" Yuta exclaims as he starts tracing his index finger over his palm as if he was writing something down. "Komaru... Naegi. And... Kei... Shinohara..." He mumbles

"...What're you doing?" Komaru asks him

"Oh, this? If you wanna really remember a name, write it down on your palm three times." Yuta explains to her

"Oh, I see. I've never heard of that before in my life." Kei responds

"Ah, but seriously, it is so reassuring to finally have a friend to work together with!" Yuta cheers before he turns towards Toko only to see that she's glaring at him.

"Oh, hey, by the way... who's this?" Yuta asks Komaru and Kei as he points towards Toko. "She's kind of been... glaring at me this entire time..." He adds

"...Oh, this is Toko. Toko Fukawa." Komaru explains to him.

"I-It's fine, you don't have to make introductions like this... Not for an outcast like me." Toko mutters as she glares at Komaru and Yuta

"Listen to you two, going on like you're lovers already! And you j-just met!" She adds in a teasing tone.

"I-It's not like that!" Komaru tells her with a flustered expression.

"Tch... Can we just cross the bridge already?" Kei grumbles under her breath with a weirdly annoyed look on her face.

"She's right! I'm sure we'd all be happier on that side of the bridge." Yuta points to the other end of the bridge. "Now let's hurry up and get out of this town!" And with that, he runs off.

"Toko, we should go too!" Komaru suggests as she starts walking

Toko, however, merely stares off in the direction that Yuta went with a conflicted expression.

"What's the matter, Toko?" Kei asks her.

"Like I said... I-I don't like it. I have a very bad feeling about this..." Toko tells them

"Oh, you're just being paranoid! Come on, if we don't hurry, Yuta will leave us behind!" Komaru says as she runs off to catch up with Yuta.

"H-Hey, don't just run off! Hold on!" Toko exclaims as she chases after her.