Caregiver: Kaito Momota
Little: Maki Harukawa
hello!! this one was requested by Esmeswishes :) thanks for requesting! kaimaki is always a sweet ship to write for, so i hope you all enjoy it! i do want to say that this contains spoilers for danganronpa v3's second chapter. if you're not finished with the second trial in v3– it's probably better to just not read this one yet haha— just wanted to let you all know! :D take care and have a wonderful day <3
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Maki was certain that out of all of the times she should be regressing, it should not be right now, in the middle of the class trial.
She didn't know why she had regressed. It wasn't like murder was something that was foreign to her— and she wasn't all that close to Ryoma.
...So, why had she regressed?
Maybe the impact was beginning to hit her—hard. She had something to do with this trial— she could prove that Ryoma was still alive at nighttime, meaning that all alibis up to this point were utterly useless.
Her real Ultimate ability could very well be exposed, too. That wasn't something she needed, at all.
Yet as Kokichi grinned at her accusingly, reminding her that her and Kaito were the only people who did not have an alibi, she could not find herself able to speak. She was scared if she did, her words would come out all shaky and slurred.
She had to keep her unbothered and neutral demeanor up— Showing emotions would get you nowhere in this killing game.
"Are you two struggling to bring up the first topic?" Kokichi snickered, "In that case— allow me to offer a starting point! What about those motive videos? I'm sure those would hold some really important clues."
Maki paused. Ah... Kokichi did gather up everyone's motive video. He very well could have found out that she had Ryoma's motive video.
...That would only be more evidence pointing towards the fact that she committed this murder.
"Who got Ryoma's motive video?" Kokichi hummed in thought, his expression laced with fake confusion, "Well, hint hint, it's either Kaito or Maki! What do you think, Ultimate Detective?"
Maki averted her gaze to the floor, and it was then that she realized just how much she did not want to be here right now. She did not want to do this class trial anymore and she did not want to be a suspect anymore— because she knows she did not do it— she's absolutely positive.
...So why was she getting blamed? This wasn't fair! She just wanted to go back to her room and be alone!
"...I believe Maki had Ryoma's motive video," Shuichi said.
"Woah! And you knew that because you got Kaito's motive video, riiight?" Kokichi spoke in his sing-song voice.
It irritated Maki.
However— she knew that if she stayed quiet any longer, that would speak volumes in itself. She was being forced to prove that she did not kill Ryoma.
...She had to say something.
"J-Just... because I had Ryoma's video, doesn' mean I killed him," She said, but her voice cracked and went soft, and she cringed, "Your evidence not sufficient."
Kokichi didn't waver at her response, his grin possibly getting wider.
"Aww, are you sure, Maki? You're stuttering a lot... Look at you, you're sweating!"
"Hey!" Kaito called out, and Maki blinked, "Don't accuse Maki! I know she didn't do it— and I know I didn't do it either."
Kokichi narrowed his eyes.
"You're trying to tell me neither of you are the culprit?" He said, his tone of voice clearly unbelieving, "And what evidence do you have to back that up?"
Kaito gave him a smile and a thumbs up.
"I just have a hunch! And this isn't just any hunch— It's one of Kaito Momota, luminary of the stars!"
Kokichi rolled his eyes.
"You're telling me you're basing our lives... on a hunch?"
Maki couldn't help but get even more annoyed. She was happy Kaito was trying to stick up for her, but no one would believe that she was innocent just because of a hunch.
She had to speak herself.
"No, I... I have evidence. Proves I'm not the killer."
"Really?" Kokichi mocked her, and he was speaking down on her as if she was a small child.
That thought left her to wince. Surely he didn't know...
"Hey, Kokichi!" Kaito furrowed his eyebrows, "Leave Maki alone. Give her a chance to explain her alibi."
Kaito didn't give Kokichi a chance to respond to that before he turned to face Maki.
"Hey, Maki," He said, his voice less harsh than it was with Kokichi, "You just explain your alibi, okay? Don't let him bother you."
If Maki wasn't in such a young state of mind, she might have snapped at him for treating her so gently, like she needed reassuring.
But right now, the reassurance was very much welcomed.
She fidgeted with a strand of her hair, taking a deep breath and beginning.
"I... I met up with Ryoma. Nighttime," She stated, "He... wanted his video. For a reason to live. So... gave it to him."
"Since I saw him alive at night..." She continued, "The alibis before night don' mean we're innocent."
"Hmm... You're right," Kokichi nodded, "But what if everything you just said was a lie? If no one can prove—"
"Actually, Kokichi," Shuichi began, "Kaito and I train with each other every night. We remember seeing Maki speaking to someone else at nighttime. I didn't bring this up beforehand because it didn't seem relevant, but now we can confirm Maki did meet up with Ryoma."
...Huh? Shuichi was lying for her? Why was he trying to defend her innocence?
...He was friends with Kaito. She would believe it if he defended her because Kaito believed in her.
"I don't know..." Kokichi drew out the last word, "I still think Maki's lying, don't y—"
"Kokichi," Shuichi said softly, "Drop it."
"Yeah!" Kaito chipped in, "Maki's alibi is sufficient."
Kokichi looked like he might have argued even more, but he seemed to realize it wasn't exactly worth it.
"Fiiine," He sighed, "So we all agree with Maki's testimony?"
No one made any complaints or disagreements.
And so, with that, the trial proceeded, and Maki automatically felt a huge weight lift off of her shoulder.
She was not the prime suspect anymore. This would be okay.
The end of the trial eventually came, all of the evidence revealing that Kirumi was the killer.
They voted. They spoke to Kirumi, looking for reasons and explanations as to why she did it.
Maki didn't even want to look as she ran away. She knew it would be futile anyways— and she was not in the right state of mind to watch the execution. It left her with a sinking feeling in her chest, despite the fact that she wasn't all that close to Kirumi.
Maki was quick to leave the trial room when it was all said and done— or at least, she tried to, when she suddenly felt a tugging on her wrist.
"Hey, Maki!" She recognized Kaito's voice, and she felt frustrated. She just wanted to be alone, regress alone, yet he could not even grant her that.
"Wh-What?" She stuttered.
"Are you alright? I mean..." He soon trailed off, "That was a pretty brutal trial. And I dunno... You just seemed a little off during the whole thing."
Ah. If Kaito had noticed, then that meant everyone else had, too. How humiliating.
"'M fine," She insisted, "Nothin' wrong. Leave me 'lone."
Kaito kept his gaze firm on her, and he frowned, speaking once more.
"Hey, Maki? I know it's not really any of my business, and you can tell me if I'm wrong, but... are you regressed?"
Maki felt her blood run cold as she swallowed nervously. What...? How did he know what that was?
Her pale and shocked face must have answered his question in itself, because he offered her a cheery smile.
"Hey, don't worry if you are! My sidekick regresses too, so I'm pretty good at this whole thing," He said pridefully, "If you really do want me to leave you be, I will, but... if you'd like, I could stay with you?"
...What was he offering?
"Are you..." She blinked, "Sayin' you wanna take care of me?"
Kaito grinned.
"I could totally do that! We can go watch cartoons in my room or something," He said, before coughing awkwardly, "I mean— not like I regularly watch things like that! I'd only be doing it for you."
Maki couldn't help but feel herself smile, despite her anxiety about the whole situation.
Kaito might tell everyone. Kaito might use this to take advantage of her.
...But Kaito also might be kind to her about this whole thing. He might do his best to ensure she doesn't deal with this whole thing alone.
So, despite her worries, she felt herself grab onto Kaito's hand, letting her guard down for the first time in a while.
"...Would like that."