A/N (03/30/19) :
Sorry for slow updates. I've been pretty sick and extremely busy.
Just know that chapter twelve is in the works and I'm looking forward to posting it soon.
Also, I'll get to responding to any comments or anything I might have missed when I can. I'm sorry if I've gotten behind. <3
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Hello, everyone!
Thank you so much for the support! The votes, comments, and views mean so much to me. Thank you SO much for over 200 votes. <3
Things have been a bit hard for me lately, but this makes me feel so much better and I really appreciate it.
I hope you all have a nice day!
I'll post some art at the end of the chapter along with a speedpaint.
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After S/N, Shuichi, and Maki had joined Kokichi and I's side, my nerves began to settle quite a bit. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Considering that Kokichi had began to loosen up around the others, including S/N, I assumed he felt similarly; which filled me with immense joy.
Over the course of nearly two weeks, the five of us went about our daily lives. On the outside, we all appeared rather happy, and to an extent, we were. It was almost as if we were all normal, everyday people that hadn't been subjected to a horrific truth, or hadn't been traumatized—almost.
Though things were going well for the five of us, in the back of my mind I knew that things weren't over. Over the course of two weeks, none of us had made any attempts to change anything, and we had yet to lay out a plan. We spent those few weeks around one another, but after everything that had happened before, we took some time to focus on getting to know one another rather than speaking about the game. Things felt...peaceful. However, I knew that couldn't last. We would have to make a move soon—if we didn't, our happiness was likely to crumble for good.
It was a rather quiet, laid back day at the bakery. I silently peeked out of the kitchen, noticing S/N tapping her foot right outside the door. Since I didn't really have anything to tend to in that moment, I just eyed her. Then, my gaze shifted towards Kokichi as he stood behind the counter.
"Ugh, this place is a total drag today. No thiefs, fights, gossip, or anything," S/N groaned, stepping to the left of Kokichi. She lazily propped her elbows upon the front counter, then turned her head towards him. "Hey, why don't you wear the glasses all the time?"
"They're just an extra precaution," he replied, his gaze focused upon the front door of the bakery. "You know, things have been pretty crazy lately." He shrugged his shoulders, narrowing his eyes. "And I'm not even referring to those things you just mentioned."
"Heh, yeah," she replied. "These are ___'s old glasses, right?" She reached her hand towards his face, playfully tapping his glasses and causing them to slide down his nose. "Honestly, they suit you better."
"Better not let her hear that, S/N." Kokichi slid the glasses back up, then turned towards her with a smirk upon his face. "I mean, she's probably already pissed about you slacking off."
"Nah, It's been a chill day and ___ is back there." S/N crossed her arms. "So, lay off, 'Kichi."
"Don't call me that," he replied, narrowing his eyes. "Especially not in public."
"Whatever," she replied, annoyance in her voice. "Anyway, are you free after work? There's something I want to ask you."
"You can ask it now," he replied. "You know, since it's a chill day and you're totally not doing anything."
"I can't do it right now, dumbass." S/N turned slightly, narrowing her eyes. "People are watching."
After those words left her lips, her eyes met mine and she gave me a rather annoyed look. On instinct, I closed the kitchen door and retreated further into the back. I laughed nervously to myself, then went back to baking.
As I opened the oven, I heard the kitchen door swing open. My body shifted quickly in surprise, and I nearly dropped my tray as I locked eyes with Kokichi. Quickly, I regained my composure and gently set the tray down.
"Um," I began, a nervous laugh escaping my lips. "What do you need?"
"I just wanted to let you know that Maki's here," he said, a smirk upon his lips. "If I were you, I wouldn't keep her waiting."
Without questioning the boy any further, I slipped past him and stepped out of the kitchen. Upon exiting, I quickly noticed Maki casually chatting with S/N as she clutched a bag of sweets in her hand, which brought a smile to my lips.
"You wanted to talk?" I asked, catching Maki's gaze.
"Yeah, just for a minute," she replied. "Is that okay?"
"Of course," I replied. "Follow me."
Even though the store was rather bare today, I knew that talking in the front of the store wasn't smart. Without any complaints, the girl began following me into the kitchen. Once the two of us had reached a quiet, private area, I shot her a kind, yet curious smile.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"Well, Shuichi asked me to come, actually," she said. "He wanted me to ask you if we could all meet here after you close." She lifted the bag in her hands, smiling. "And I was hungry, so..."
"Kokichi and I don't have anything going on after, so that's fine by me," I replied, shifting my gaze for a few seconds, then returning it. "Do you mean S/N too?"
"Yeah," she replied with a nod. "You know how Shuichi said he wanted to gather allies? That's what he wants to talk about. It's been a little while, and he says we shouldn't wait any longer."
"Yeah, I agree. I was actually thinking the same thing," I replied, my expression growing slightly nervous due to her words. "I'll text you after we close, okay?"
"Sure," she replied with a reassuring smile, then turned and began walking away. "See you later, ___."
"See you."
Afterwards, the both of us silently exited the kitchen. Once Maki had said her goodbyes to S/N and Kokichi, I made my way towards the both of them. I motioned towards S/N as I stepped in front of the kitchen door.
"S/N, I need to talk to you about something," I stated.
"Ooo, you're in trouble," Kokichi taunted the girl, pointing his finger towards her with a smirk.
"That goes for you too," I quickly stated, narrowing my eyes as I pointed my finger towards the violet-eyed male.
"Shit..." He muttered.
Without any further complaints, the two of them followed me into the kitchen. Kokichi shot me a bland, questioning look while S/N gave me an annoyed look. At this, I nearly laughed, but managed to contain myself.
"We're closing a little early tonight, but that doesn't mean you two get to go home."
"What? Why?" S/N whined, crossing her arms. "You're not going to make us do hard work, are you?"
"No," I stated bluntly. "Maki and Shuichi are coming here tonight."
"Is everything okay?" Kokichi asked, concern lacing his words.
"Yes," I replied. "Maki said Shuichi wants to talk about gathering allies." I shifted my gaze between the two of them, noticing the now serious looks adorning their faces. "You know, like the other participants of the game."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asked, skepticism in his voice. "Sure, things worked out okay with Maki and Shuichi, but things could still go south, you know." He narrowed his eyes. "You think we should reach further?"
"Well, I don't know," I replied. "I think it's worth hearing him out, isn't it?" My eyes met Kokichi's, then I gave him a small smile. "I mean, Shuichi was willing to hear you out."
"...Right," he muttered, still looking rather hesitant.
"Come on," S/N said, placing a hand upon his shoulder. "Don't look so worried there." At this, his gaze met hers, and she gave him a reassuring smile. "You know the other participants respected Shuichi. Surely, having him to back you up would make gathering allies a hell of a lot easier."
"I didn't think about that," he mused, his gaze shifting upwards for a few seconds, then returning.
"It'll be a piece of cake," she said, removing her hand and giving him a thumbs up. "You have people defending you."
"Don't get too cocky now," I said, earning both of their gazes. "Take things one step at a time and be careful."
"Yeah, yeah; I know that," he replied, annoyance his voice. "She's the cocky one."
"Whatever, 'Kichi," S/N replied, shrugging her shoulders before turning away from Kokichi and I. "See you, losers in a bit. I'm going to go find something to eat."
Once those words left her lips, she sauntered out of the kitchen. She said she was going to go find something to eat, and yet she left the kitchen. Was she really just going to leave the store? What the hell.
"Her shift isn't even over yet..." I sighed, then turned towards the boy that remained in place. "Hey, Kokichi. Do you mind whipping up something for our meeting tonight?"
"What?" He asked, curiosity in his words. "Why me?"
"Because you did a great job last time," I said. "Shuichi and Maki will appreciate it." I smiled. "And so will I. I've done enough baking for today." I placed my arms behind my head, stretching. "I could use a break."
"What about S/N?" He asked. "She hasn't really done anything productive today."
"That's exactly why I'm asking you," I replied. "Besides, who knows when and if she will come back."
"Eh, good point," he said, snickering. "I guess I can then."
"Thanks. I'll leave it to you then. Make whatever you like," I replied, placing my hands upon my hips. "Just don't make a mess."
"Me make a mess?" He asked, a smug expression upon his face. "I wouldn't dream of it."
A little while later, when Kokichi was trying to ice a cake, S/N barged into the kitchen with a paper bag full of fast food; way too much for one person. Despite this, she refused to share with anyone. She casually stuffed her face as she watched the violet-eyed boy try to concentrate on his cake. It proved to be a rather difficult feat with S/N's mouth running non-stop. You would think the food in her mouth would shut her up, but alas, there was nothing that could do that.
Once Kokichi had finally finished icing his cake, he brought it out of the kitchen and set it upon a table by the window. S/N followed behind him, bringing silverware, plates, and a knife; wait, why did he let her do this?
After setting everything down carefully, she took a seat at the table. She then proceeded to eye the cake, her eyes full of...hunger? The boy sat across from her, most likely making sure she didn't try and sneak a taste before Shuichi and Maki showed up.
Then, as if on cue, Maki and Shuichi entered through the front door. Without hesitation, S/N shot up from her seat, causing the cake to jiggle slightly. She quickly ran towards Maki, beaming.
"Maki!" She exclaimed.
"Wh-hello?" Maki, stuttered out, a bit caught off guard. "...S/N."
"Hey, you guys," Shuichi said. "Sorry if we're a little late."
"No, you're fine," I replied. "Come on, lets all sit down then."
I led Maki and Shuichi over to the table by the window. Immediately, their eyes met the cake; I mean, it was a pretty damn good looking cake for someone that hasn't been baking that long. Shuichi and Maki sat on the left side of the table while S/N and I sat across from them.
"You guys better have some cake," Kokichi stated rather aggressively, taking a seat next to me. "Because I didn't make it for nothing."
"Um," Shuichi stuttered out, smiling. "Thank you. I will."
"Yeah, I want some too," Maki said.
At that, the violet-eyed boy's expression grew much brighter. I looked towards him, shooting him a smile before proceeding to cut into the cake; I mean, I sure as hell wasn't going to let Kokichi or S/N hold a knife that large. I made sure to cut a piece for each of us, handing S/N her piece first so she wouldn't complain.
"So, what did you want to bring up, Shuichi?" I asked.
"I'm assuming Maki told you why I wanted to meet up with you guys and talk tonight," he replied, sticking his fork into his slice of cake as he stared down at his plate. "But, that's not all I wanted to talk about."
"Huh?" I tilted my head to the side, staring curiously.
"I think that Tsumugi's mistake could be her downfall," he said, lifting his head and meeting my gaze.
"What mistake?" Kokichi asked.
"She had ___ kidnapped," Shuichi replied, turning towards him. "And ___ never signed any sort of contract. She was let go before that." He turned back towards me, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that right?"
"That's right," I replied, a tad of confusion in my voice. "But, how is that relevant?"
"You can say whatever you want about Danganronpa, ___," Shuichi replied. "And your actions aren't being prohibited in any way."
"Just because she can doesn't mean she should," Kokichi stated bluntly, violently stabbing his fork into his slice of cake. "That would be an incredibly stupid move."
"___ would receive a lot of backlash," Maki stated. "I doubt anyone would believe her."
"H-hold on, don't put words in my mouth," Shuichi objected, waving his hands in front of him. "I would never ask ___ to do something so reckless; not when the odds are stacked against her."
"Then why bring it up?" Kokichi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's true that she may be able to come forth eventually, but she would need evidence to back up her claims," Shuichi stated. He shifted his gaze between each of us before continuing, "but, I've gotten a bit ahead of myself. I think the first step is gathering allies. Though the public is unlikely to believe her, the other participants just might if Maki and I back her up." He turned towards me, a rather serious expression upon his face. "___, I think you could restore some of the hope they lost."
"Restore the hope they lost," I mused, placing a finger to my chin. "You want to start with Kaede then, don't you?"
"I..." he trailed off, looking away.
"You know where Kaede is," I replied. "You also mentioned someone else with her." Hesitantly, he turned back towards me. "Does that not seem like a reasonable place to start?"
"Yeah, I see your point," Shuichi replied softly, nervously fiddling with his fork as he spoke. "Though, since Kaede and I aren't exactly on the best terms anymore, I didn't intend on starting with her."
"Wait, I thought you two were..." S/N began to say, but then stopped.
I turned towards her, shaking my head in an attempt to tell her that she shouldn't bring that up. After that, the room became rather quiet. I turned back towards Shuichi, noticing the rather nervous, hesitant look plaguing his face.
"The sooner the better, right?" I asked, showing him a small smile. "Even if it is hard for you, it'll be even harder the longer you wait."
"Yeah," he finally said. "You're right... okay."
"So, how and when do we start then?" I asked.
"I...ugh.." Shuichi trailed off.
"You're off tomorrow, right?" Maki suddenly asked, a hint of force in her tone.
"M-maki?" Shuichi stuttered out, shifting his eyes towards her.
"Yeah," I replied. "I am, but Kokichi has to go in in the morning."
"That's fine. I don't think bringing Kokichi is a good idea anyway," Maki said.
"Wait, why the hell not?" Kokichi spat, his voice rather loud.
"Because Kaede isn't likely to trust you," Maki simply replied, seemingly unfazed by his outburst.
"I can take off work tomorrow," S/N said, raising her index finger.
"Absolutely not, S/N," I replied, looking towards her and narrowing my eyes. "You're not getting out of work."
At that, she just puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. She looked rather pissed. However, it's not like I wasn't used to that; she would get over it.
"Hm," Kokichi muttered, propping his elbows upon the table and nestling his head in his hands. "I don't know how I feel about ___ being alone with Shuichi."
"I'll go with ___," Maki suggested. "Kaede is more likely to trust me."
"Maki?" Shuichi asked as he turned towards the crimson-eyed girl, surprise lacing his voice. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," she replied. "And I'll be sure to keep ___ safe." She turned towards Kokichi, giving him a rather serious look. "I promise you that."
"Hm." Kokichi paused for a moment, then sat up straight and shrugged his shoulders. "Okay then."
"Wait, so you're okay with her going, but not me?" Shuichi asked, glaring at the boy across from him.
"Yeah, but you're not going," Kokichi replied, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't that what you just said?"
"That's not what..." Shuichi stopped mid sentence, then his eyes widened a bit. "Oh," he muttered.
"Hm?" Kokichi tilted his head to the side, curiosity evident in his eyes.
"It's nothing," Shuichi replied, a small smile on his lips. "Nevermind."
"Okay, it's settled then," I stated, shifting my gaze between everyone. "Maki and I will go." I turned towards Maki. "But, how are we going about this, exactly?"
"Stop by our apartment tomorrow morning," Maki replied. "Shuichi and I lived in that town before. It's not that far, so the two of us can catch the bus there."
"Sounds like a plan."
After Maki and I had finished discussing the plan, the five of us continued eating and discussing trivial things. When we finished, we all stepped outside, saying goodbye to S/N and parting ways with her. Since Maki and Shuichi lived in the same apartment complex as Kokichi and I, we all made our way back together, eventually saying goodbye and heading to our own apartments for the night.
The very next morning, I was woken up by a banging sound. It was undoubtedly Kokichi's fist against my bedroom door; that was something I heard rather often, though I never got used to it. I had slept through my alarm again, so my "backup" alarm had gone off. Damn.
I sighed, stumbling out of bed and making my way towards the door. I opened the door, meeting the gaze of Kokichi. He shot me a rather innocent smile despite the fact that he had probably left a dent in my door. I narrowed my eyes, then walked past him and made my way towards the bathroom so I could get ready. I already knew it was going to be a long day.
Once I had finished getting ready, Kokichi and I stepped out the door and began making our way to Shuichi and Maki's apartment. The violet-eyed boy stepped beside me, his gaze fixated upon me. I took notice of this, and couldn't help but smile despite everything.
"I'm kind of pissed that I can't go," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "But, I guess it's fine."
"Well, I'm a bit nervous, but I feel better since Maki's going with me," I replied, now smirking. "I mean, she makes a nice body guard."
"She can really pack a punch," he said, snickering. "But deep down she's pretty fragile, huh? That's sort of funny."
"That sounds familiar," I mused, trying to shift my gaze between him and the hall in front of me.
"I'm glad that they're friends now," he replied. "You know, Maki and S/N." He paused for a few seconds, shifting his gaze upwards. "Maki has opened up more since they became friends and she doesn't give me those angry scowls anymore." His smile widened, and he narrowed his eyes. "Well, not quite as often."
"Yeah."
"I heard that she's not with Kaito anymore," he stated. "But, that was sort of obvious since he's not around."
"So, Shuichi told you that too?"
"Nope, I heard S/N and Maki talking about it the other day," he replied. "I might have eavesdropped a tad."
"And by a tad you mean you heard everything, huh?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
"Maybe..."
Once Kokichi and I had made it to their apartment, I gently knocked on the door. Kokichi narrowed his eyes, giving me a rather curious look. I shrugged my shoulders, then knocked slightly harder. Within seconds, the door opened.
"Hey, Ma—wait..." I trailed off, scanning the girl with my eyes. She looked...different. "You... cut your hair," I spoke slowly and softly, pointing my finger towards her.
I looked the girl over once more. Her long, brunette locks weren't quite the same anymore. Now, they were much shorter; they were shoulder length.
"Yeah," she muttered, her eyes meeting the floor. "Someone recognized me yesterday even though I wear my hair down now. I had to lie my way out of it." She looked back up, her gaze still rather hesitant. "And since I'm going back to a place where a lot of people recognized me, I figured I should change up my look at least a little."
"Well, I think it looks nice," I said, smiling. "Are you ready to go?
"It almost looks like m—"
"Don't even," I interjected, cutting off Kokichi's words and giving him a disapproving look.
"Thank you, ___." Maki smiled at me, but then shot Kokichi a rather scary look. "Let me grab my bag, then we can go."
"Hey, you guys," Shuichi said, stepping towards the doorway and meeting my gaze. "___, thanks again for agreeing to do this."
"No problem," I replied, smiling. "Just wish me luck, okay?"
"A-alright. Good luck then."
"Okay, let's go," Maki said, slipping out the door and stepping next to me.
"___, don't get yourself killed," Kokichi said.
"I wouldn't dream of it," I replied, shooting him a smirk.
"Good," he replied, narrowing his eyes at me. Then, he turned towards Maki. "Maki, keep her in line." He paused for a few seconds. "And you be safe too."
"Yeah, sure," she replied.
"We're not even going that far," I said, narrowing my eyes.
"I know, but please let me know when you two arrive," Kokichi said, his words sounding more serious. "And if anything goes wrong."
"I promise I will," I replied.
"Hey, Kokichi?" Shuichi suddenly asked, causing the violet-eyed boy to turn towards him.
"Hm?"
"You want to come inside?" Shuichi asked, a small smile on his lips. "That is if you're not busy, I mean."
"I need to head to work soon, but I can stay for a minute..." Kokichi replied, a smirk on his face. "You know, if you really want me to."
"I do," Shuichi replied, then turned towards Maki and I. "Bye, you guys."
At that, Maki and I made our way out of the apartment complex. Within no time, the two of us found ourselves crammed within a rather stuffy, full bus. Since I wasn't particularly used to public transportation, I stuck close to Maki and silently stared ahead, knowing fully well that the two of us couldn't speak with so many ears listening.
Within no time, the bus came to a halt and several passengers flooded out. I felt anxiety rise within me, and I just sort of froze up. Then, the crimson-eyed girl grabbed onto my wrist and tugged slightly.
"Come on, this is our stop," Maki said, wasting no time pulling me out of the vehicle. "We're almost there."
Once the two of us had exited the bus and made our way onto the sidewalk, Maki let go of my wrist and began walking ahead. I quickened my pace and began walking next to her, eyeing her curiously as we continued forward.
"Maki?"
"Yeah?"
"You did tell Kaede that we're coming to talk," I began, pausing before continuing, "or at least that you're coming, right?"
"I didn't," she replied bluntly, glancing at me, then looking back ahead. "So, she can't leave before we show."
"I thought you two were on good terms." I tilted my head slightly, giving her a questioning look before looking ahead. "And what if she isn't home?"
"We're not on good or bad terms, but I have a better chance of getting through to her than Shuichi does," she replied. "According to Shuichi, she doesn't get out much, so hopefully she will be home. If she isn't we can come back later; it's not very far."
"Okay."
Soon enough, a rather small, yet nice looking home came into view. Maki began approaching said house, which brought me to the conclusion that we had arrived. Once the two of us had made it to the front door, Maki didn't waste any time knocking. After she did so, she glanced towards me and gave me a reassuring smile, though, I could tell that she was nervous as well. Perhaps she trying to hide that to make me feel better? As we waited at the door, I pulled out my phone and texted Kokichi to let him know that we had arrived safely.
After waiting for a moment or so, Maki lifted her hand to knock again. However, as soon as she was about to, the door swung open. In the doorway stood a tall, rather confused looking male. His hair was a yellowish-green and his eyes were the same hue. He wore a loose, dark gray sweater accompanied by some baggy, black pants. He was...Rantaro. Is this the person Shuichi was referring to before?
"Hey there, can I help you two ladies?" He asked, his voice coming off kind, yet confused.
"...Rantaro?" Maki's eyes widened, and she tilted her head to the side. "You're here?"
"Oh, wait a second," the male said, his voice rising a bit. "Maki? Gee, I almost didn't recognize you there." He placed a hand upon his hip, then glanced towards me. "But who—"
"Where's Kaede?" Maki interrupted him.
"Kaede?" He returned his attention towards Maki, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, she's here, but she's asleep right now."
"Is that so?" Maki asked, narrowing her eyes. "I'm sorry to just stop by, but there's something we want to talk to you guys about." She glanced towards me, then returned her gaze. "It's very important."
"Important, huh?" He shifted his gaze between the both of us for a few seconds, then sighed. "Fine then, come inside. I can spare a moment for the both of you. Just don't make too much of a fuss. Kaede isn't feeling well."
Rantaro stepped aside, allowing Maki and I entrance. Hesitantly, Maki stepped inside first, then I followed suit. Once we had all entered the home, he led us into the kitchen and invited us to sit down. Maki and I sat next to one another, then Rantaro sat across from us.
"Is Kaede alright?" Maki asked.
"She's fine. Poor girl doesn't have the best immune system though," he replied, a small laugh escaping his lips. Then, he turned towards me and his eyes met mine. "Anyway, who's this?"
When I opened my mouth to speak, I hesitated. In that moment, I just froze up. For some reason, I had a really bad feeling—but why?
"This is ___," Maki said. "She was the seventeenth student of the final killing game."
"Um, hello," I finally replied, rubbing the back of my head. "...Rantaro."
"It's nice to meet you, ___," he said, waving his hand with a small smile. "But, I can't say I remember there being a seventeenth student." His expression morphed into a rather serious one within seconds, but his words sounded calm. "Maki, is what you say true?"
"Of course," she replied. "You can ask Shuichi and—"
"Oh," he interjected, shifting his gaze upwards as he stroked his chin. "So, Shuichi sent you, huh?" He paused for a few seconds, then narrowed his eyes. "That's interesting."
"He specifically asked ___ to come, but I came by choice." Maki's voice grew a bit more forceful, rising in volume. "Now, you said Kaede is here. We came to talk to her too."
"Hold on now," he replied, looking back towards the crimson-eyed girl. "First of all, I want to know more about ___." He looked back towards me, his eyes practically piercing through me. "Tell me, why did you come here?"
"I've been told that each of the killing game participants signed contracts," I replied. "But, I never signed one. I was let go before being given the opportunity to do so."
"But whose side are you on?" He asked, giving me a rather skeptical stare. "I'm going to need you to explain a bit further."
"I'm on the side of all the participants," I replied, placing a hand to my chest. "Except Tsumugi, of course." I tightened my hand into a fist. "I was kidnapped, and nearly forced into participation. Though, I didn't remember any of it until recently."
"Hm, considering everything that happened I can't say I'm that surprised," he replied, crossing his arms. "But still, it's all a bit strange if you ask me."
"Anyway, the point is, Shuichi brought it to my attention that I'm not being held back by a contract, and what was done to me was a crime. I can say whatever I want about the game, though I realize that making a bold claim without evidence won't work out in my favor," I said. "But, with this new information, we were hoping we could gather allies and build some sort of plan. If we can find any evidence then just maybe..." I narrowed my eyes, nervously biting down on my lip. "Maybe we could finally make things right for everyone?"
"But, let me ask you this," he began, his words strangely blunt, "Is it really smart to unbury something that's done and over?"
"H-huh?" I stuttered out, my eyes widening in confusion.
"The game's over. The more attention you give it, the more likely it is to return," he stated. "You go around digging up evidence and making comments, there's a chance that you will be targeted." Again, his words came off blunt, but a hint of something I couldn't quite interpret was hidden within them. "I get wanting justice and all that, but shouldn't protecting those you care about be your main priority?"
"That is our main priority. That's why we're doing this," Maki chimed in, her voice stern.
"That right?" He looked towards her, a doubt in his eyes. "Well, I can't say I agree, but I'm not going to try to stop you." He shrugged his shoulders, a sigh escaping his lips. "I'm fine with us keeping in touch. However, Kaede and I don't want to get involved in something so dangerous."
"Maki?" A somewhat familiar, yet small voice suddenly sounded behind us. "What's going on?"
Maki and I turned, noticing a female, with a large, white blanket draped around her form, entering the kitchen. Her hair was a light, blonde color and her eyes were pink; It was undoubtedly Kaede. She eyed Maki and I, then came to a halt. As I studied her further, I noticed that her hair was a bit messy and her eyes appeared heavy; Rantaro did say that she had been asleep and that she wasn't feeling well.
"Hey there, Kaede," he began, his voice significantly softer and kinder, "We're just catching up a bit."
"But, who's with Maki?" Kaede asked, concern lacing her voice as she turned her attention towards the green-haired male.
"There's no need to worry about ___. She's just a friend of Maki's," he said, showing her a small smile. "Alright?"
"Oh, I see," she replied, shifting her gaze towards the floor.
"Did you need something?" He asked.
"I just came down to make some tea." She tightened her grip on the blanket as it began to slip off her shoulders, her body shivering slightly.
"Hey, easy now," he said, rising from his seat and walking over to her. "I know you're not feeling well, so you should head back upstairs." He carefully pulled the blanket back up on her shoulders, making sure it was securely wrapped around her.
"Oh, okay," she replied, lifting her head.
"Hey, I love you, alright?" The male spoke softly, then placed a kiss upon the top of her head. "I'll bring you some tea upstairs in a moment."
"I love you too," she replied, a small smile finally making its way too her lips. "Thank you."
Without acknowledging Maki and I again, the girl sauntered out of the kitchen and disappeared. I shifted my gaze towards Maki, noticing that she was still looking towards the direction Kaede had went.
"You and Kaede are...together?" Maki asked, pure astonishment in her words.
"Huh?" Rantaro turned back around, then made his way back to his seat. "Yeah, we have been for a little while." He sat back down, clasping his hands together and placing them upon the table. "You surprised or something?"
"Well, I just thought..." She trailed off, her crimson orbs meeting the table.
"You thought Kaede and Shuichi had something going, right?" He asked, seemingly unfazed by Maki's words. "Well, truth is, after the game ended Shuichi and I had sort of an unspoken rivalry going on."
"Rivalry?" Maki lifted her head, a look of disbelief enveloping her face. "I had no idea you even talked to Shuichi."
"Shuichi became sort of like a brother to me after the game, but that didn't mean I was willing to just brush my feelings for Kaede aside." He casually shrugged his shoulders, a light chuckle escaping his lips.
At that, Maki looked down again and the room fell silent for a moment or so. My gaze shifted towards the crimson-eyed girl, noticing the slight movement of her form; she was shaking?
"He doesn't deserve this..." She muttered. "W-why...would you...?"
"Why would I what?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. "He fled to another town and left Kaede behind." He eyed the girl, a look of confusion enveloping his face. "He gave up the fight for her, didn't he?"
"Shuichi never stopped fighting," she replied angrily, lifting her head. "That's why he left in the first place, dumbass!" She narrowed her eyes, biting down on her lip in frustration. "He wants to make everything right..." Her voice grew quieter, but the anger was still very present. "A-and he thought that doing that would help Kaede." She paused for a few seconds, then suddenly slammed her hand down on the table. "How can you claim that he was important to you, then hurt him like this?"
"Ah, is that right?" He asked, seemingly unfazed by Maki's apparent anger. "Well, I guess we both had different methods when it came to fighting for what we want." His voice grew a bit lower, his tone becoming serious again. "But, now that I've won, what's he fighting for?"
"Won? This doesn't change anything," I finally chimed in. "Do you really think he's so shallow that he'd throw her aside because of that?" I glanced towards Maki, then returned my attention towards Rantaro. "Besides, it's not like he's only doing it for her."
"Well, you got me there, ___," he replied, a light chuckle escaping his lips. "Shuichi's a good guy, and I really hope he finds happiness someday." He paused for a few seconds. "But, personally, I don't think Kaede is the key to that happiness for him."
"What do you mean by that?" Maki asked.
"Ah, don't think too much about it," he replied, waving his hands with a nervous smile upon his lips. "Anyway, you two should get going."
"First, answer my question," Maki demanded.
"Woah, calm down there, alright?" He replied. "I'll tell you, but you might not like what I have to say."
"Just say it."
"Well, you see Kaede's been through a lot," he stated bluntly. "She's not exactly the same person she used to be; she's not exactly the same person she was within the killing game." He crossed his arms once again, his gaze rather forceful, and not too pleasant. "It's true that Shuichi has changed quite a bit, but he's still got a long way to go. He's just not the type of guy she needs right now."
"So, you're saying she's better off with someone that's not willing to make a change; someone who isn't willing to fight?" Maki spat, glaring at him. "You're just a damn coward."
"I think the coward is the one that chose not to accompany the two of you," he replied. "In fact, you're not exempt from that title yourself, Maki. I mean, didn't you just up and leave Kaito without saying anything?"
"H-how the hell do you know about that?" She asked, disbelief in her voice.
"You don't know about what's been going on, huh?"
"Tell us now," I stated bluntly, narrowing my eyes at the male.
"As expected, people noticed when you disappeared," he said. "First, they noticed the absence of your voice in the background of streams." He paused for a few seconds before continuing, "Then, they noticed your absence when they saw Kaito in public." His eyes pierced through the girl. "But, most importantly, they noticed how he brushed off everyone's questions about you. He claimed that you were fine and that there was no problem."
"W-what?" She stuttered out.
"He could have told everyone about what happened between the two of you, but he chose not to because he knew that people would target you."
"..." Maki opened her mouth to say something, but then just lowered her head, causing her bangs to fall over her eyes.
"Rantaro, you never answered her question," I said. "How do you know these specifics?"
"I reached out to Kaito when I started seeing this stuff going around online," he replied bluntly. "So, he told me about it. Simple as that."
"Well, we've bothered you for long enough," I stated, rising from my seat. "Let's go, Maki."
"Hey, you two take care now," the male said, his voice strangely calm.
"...Yeah," I muttered.
At that, Maki rose from her seat and followed behind me as we exited the house. Once we were outside, the girl stepped in front of me and began walking rather quickly. She seemed really desperate to get away from that place—from everything.
Though I didn't agree with Rantaro about leaving things as is, I knew that he just wanted to keep Kaede safe. Sure, his idea of the right thing was different than ours, but not everyone's always going to agree on same thing. Also, I didn't particularly like that he swept Kaede off her feet after Shuichi left—in all honesty, I thought it was a bit scummy. However, did he do this because he cared about her that much? Did he really care about her enough to throw Shuichi, whom he said was like a brother to him, aside? Did he underestimate how much this would actually affect him? Would Shuichi be thrown into a pit of despair because of this?
Despite not liking that Rantaro hurt Maki's feelings, I felt like it was important for her to know that Kaito hadn't thrown her under the bus. It seemed like he still cared about her a lot, and she wouldn't have gotten that upset if she didn't care as well.
"Maki?" I asked, quickening my pace and stepping next to her.
"..." She remained quiet, her head still hanging low as she walked.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"..." Yet again, nothing left her lips.
"I guess that's a no then," I said, my voice soft. "I won't force you to, but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I'm more than happy to listen." At that, she stopped in her tracks, causing me to do the same. "I know you're closer with S/N," I continued, "but... I'm here for you too."
"I know that," she muttered softly. "I just... need some time."
After those words left her lips, I gently placed my hand upon the girl's shoulder. At the contact, I felt her flinch ever so slightly. Though her head was still hanging low and her bangs were covering her eyes, I noticed a tear roll down her cheek. She really was hurting, wasn't she? Perhaps, she was in a pit of despair?
After Maki and I had finally made it back to the apartment complex, I opted to walk her to her apartment. Considering that she was upset, I doubted that she would be willing to explain anything to Shuichi. Honestly, I didn't want to do that either, but I knew I had to.
Once the two of us made it to Maki's apartment, I knocked on the door. Within seconds, Shuichi opened it; had he been waiting closely by the door? As soon as the boy was about to say something, the crimson-eyed girl charged past him, disappearing into the apartment.
"Wh-Maki?" He stuttered out, looking behind him as she ran away.
"...We're back," I muttered.
"What happened?" Shuichi asked, concern lacing his voice as he turned back towards me.
"Well, we didn't get to talk to Kaede, but we got to talk to Rantaro..."
"So, he was there then..." He muttered, shifting his gaze downwards.
"Yeah," I replied, a frown upon my lips. "And neither of them want to be involved."
"That's.... A shame."
"I guess you can't win them all over, huh?" At that, I forced the fakest smile I could muster. "But, it's not like we're alone... I mean, all five of us have each other."
"It's...okay," he replied, lifting his head. "You don't have to force a smile for me, ___." A frown settled upon his lips. "Please, just tell me what's up with Maki. I know she's not going to."
"Rantaro brought up Kaito and she got upset."
"Oh, I see."
"Shuichi?"
"Yeah?"
"N-nevermind," I stuttered out, shaking my head. "I still need to stop by the bakery and let Kokichi know that we're okay, so I need to get going." I took a step back, instinctively balling my hands up in fists. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"
"Alright," he replied blandly.
"See you."
"...Yeah."
After that, I headed back to my own apartment. What I had told Shuichi was a lie; I had no intention of heading to the bakery to see Kokichi. I had a lot on my mind and I felt like I needed a bit of time to gather my thoughts.
As soon as I was back in my apartment, I collapsed upon my bed and pulled out my phone. I texted Kokichi and told him that Maki and I had returned home safely, then I apologized for not stopping by the bakery. It was still daytime, so I'm sure he was rather concerned when I claimed that I was too tired to go. Regardless, he didn't complain or nag at me about it. Instead, he just said that he was glad that we were okay, and that he would be home soon. At that, a smile tugged at my lips—somehow, he made things a little better.
My body shifted slightly, my head aching as I rolled over. When my eyes fluttered open and met the clock, I noticed that it was pretty late—and I was late for work too. I stumbled out of bed and changed as quickly as I could. Once I had finished, I made my bathroom and began getting ready.
As I was getting ready, my mind began to race. Yesterday, when I returned home after heading out with Maki, I just crashed and slept for the rest of the day. Kokichi had probably came home from work that night expecting to see me, only to realize that I had already went to sleep. Though, he didn't know how early I had actually turned in.
I sighed softly. I knew that I would have to explain things to Kokichi, Shuichi, and S/N rather soon; I wasn't looking forward to that in the slightest. Ever since things began looking up, everyone seemed so much happier—I didn't strip that away from them. I really didn't want to tell Shuichi the truth.
Once I was finished, I sighed and made my way into the kitchen. Immediately, I noticed a rather familiar male at the kitchen table—Kokichi. His head was nestled within his arms as he leaned over the table, a coffee mug merely inches away from his head.
"Kokichi?" I asked quietly, not wanting to wake him if he was actually asleep.
"Morning, ___," he muttered groggily, lifting his head from the table. His tired, sleepy eyes immediately met mine, and I almost felt like laughing—almost. "You have a minute?"
"I'm already late for work, so I don't," I replied, forcing a smile to my lips. Hopefully, he was too tired to notice how insincere it was.
"Shit, I didn't realize it was this late. I should have woken you up," he said, yawning. "Work was tiring yesterday and I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, so..."
"It's fine," I replied. "S/N is there right now."
"Mmm... I don't think that's very reassuring..." He mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open.
"You could have just slept in. You don't have work today."
"I got up so I could talk to you before you left," he said, showing me a small, innocent smile. "But, I guess that's not an option anymore..."
"Go to bed, okay?" I walked past him, then gave him a quick tap on the head before stepping away. "I promise we'll talk about what happened yesterday later."
"Umm..." He gave me a rather strange look. "I didn't mean we had to talk about that right now," he said. "I just didn't get to talk to you much yesterday, so I wanted to..."
"Really?" I asked, a rather bashful look appearing upon my face. "Y-yeah, I guess that's true..."
"Yeah," he replied, lazily rising to his feet and stretching. "Anyway, I'm going to take your advice and get some sleep." He walked up to me, smiling. "Have a good day." He waved, then began slowly walking out of the kitchen. "You better talk to me later."
"Of course." A smile almost made its way to my lips—almost.
After leaving my apartment, I quickly began making my way towards the bakery. Even though S/N was rather airheaded at times, and came off immature rather often, I knew that she was very capable of being responsible if it came down to it. So, in my absence, I trusted her at the bakery. Even if no one else did, I did wholeheartedly.
Once I had made it to the bakery, I rushed inside and immediately made my way towards the kitchen. When I swung the door open, I noticed S/N standing near the back, tapping her foot. Within seconds, she noticed my presence.
"Hey, ___," S/N said. "So, you finally showed."
"Yeah, sorry I'm late," I replied, a sigh escaping my lips.
"I'm assuming things didn't go too well," S/N said, giving me a questioning look. "Maki texted me and told me that the both of you made it home safe, but she wouldn't answer me when I asked how things went." She pointed her index finger towards me. "Also, that look on your face says a lot."
"Am I that obvious?" I asked. "I guess I'm not too happy about yesterday..."
"Tell me," she stated, walking closer to me.
"Well, we never actually got to speak to Kaede yesterday. We ended up speaking with Rantaro though," I replied, shifting my gaze downwards. "Then, he brought Kaito up, which upset Maki..."
"I can understand why Maki's upset then..." S/N said. "But, why was Rantaro at Kaede's place? Where the hell was she?"
"I saw her come downstairs for a moment, but then she went back up and we didn't get to talk to her," I replied, lifting my head to meet her gaze. "I guess the both of them are living together now. He seems pretty protective of her too."
"You mean like a big brother or something?" S/N raised an eyebrow.
"No," I said. "...They're in a relationship. I saw with my own eyes." Even though I knew this to be true, there was still a hint of disbelief in my words. "I think they are pretty serious too."
"Seriously?" S/N replied, surprise lacing her words. "But Kaede and Shuichi..."
"I know," I replied, grief within my tone. "I feel bad for Shuichi... A while back, when he first told me about Kaede, I could tell he really cares for her. He said that after the game she gave up on everything and that he wanted to restore her hope." I balled up my hands into fists. "She has changed a lot... She's very different from the Kaede that was in the game." I bit down on my lip. "Also, Rantaro and Kaede have no intention of joining our side..."
"That's a shame..." She replied, her voice strangely quiet. "So, he fell for that Kaede," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "But now that she's not really that Kaede anymore... Does he actually still love her?" She shifted her gaze upwards. "Hm..."
"I...don't even know," I said. "Last night, when I was about to tell him that she's with Rantaro, I hesitated. I couldn't bring myself to say it."
"So, he doesn't know what happened yet?" S/N asked, her eyes meeting mine.
"I doubt Maki has said anything to him," I replied. "She's dealing with her own stuff... So, I'm assuming he doesn't."
"Damn," she said, sorrow within her words. "You know, this all just made me realize something," she muttered. "I thought Shuichi and I were pretty different, but I guess we do have something in common."
"Hm?"
"Hey, can I be honest about something?" She asked, nervously rubbing her arm as she looked away. "I'm getting sick of keeping secrets, and I think you at least deserve to know this..."
"What is it?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"I sort of fell for Kokichi," she spoke softly, still looking away.
"Y-you did?" I stuttered out, my heart sinking.
So, S/N really felt that strongly about him then. How come I was surprised? She was the sole reason I knew about Kokichi in the first place, and she always talked about him back then. Even now, after meeting his true self, she appeared rather close to violet-eyed boy. I had already came to accept that I had feelings for him, but now, it really didn't matter anymore... Because I—
"Hey, don't get bent out of shape, ___," she replied, interrupting my thoughts. her eyes meeting mine again. She waved her hands in front of her, trying to calm me. "I don't intend on pursuing him or anything like that." Her hands fell to her sides, and she forced a smile. "I couldn't do that... I wouldn't do that..."
"...Why?" My voice came out rather pained, and I felt a heaviness within my chest.
"Because," she began, her eyes piercing through me, "I know you love him."
"L-love?" I stuttered out, my eyes widening.
Love? Did I hear her correctly? Did that word accurately describe my feelings for Kokichi?
"Tell me I'm wrong," she stated, a straight line forming on her lips as she gave me a serious look.
"I..." I trailed off, my eyes widening.
She was right. She understood how I felt better than I did, didn't she? Kokichi and I had been together for a while now, and the thought of losing him alone was enough to bring me to the verge of tears. He was incredibly kind, but he could be really sarcastic and make an ass of himself too. However, I wouldn't want him any other way. I mean, I liked that about him—or should I say loved? However, I couldn't do what Rantaro did to Shuichi. That would be...despicable, wouldn't it?
"That's what I thought," she replied, a forced laugh leaving her mouth. "Though, I didn't really fall for this Kokichi..." She looked away for a few seconds, then returned her gaze. "Similarly to Shuichi, I fell for the in game version..."
"But, that's still a part of him," I replied, sorrow within my tone. "He's much more like his in game self than Kaede is..."
"I don't know why you're arguing with me," she stated. "It's obvious that you're more deserving of him anyway." She shrugged her shoulders, showing me a smile. "And he deserves someone like you too."
"W-what are you saying?" I stuttered out, pointing my finger towards her. "You're deserving too!"
"Me?" She questioned, pointing towards herself. "As if..." She sighed, rolling her eyes. "I fell for a character... you fell for the real deal." She stepped even closer to me, placing a hand upon my shoulder. "You've done so much for him. I've done next to nothing. I mean, what could I possibly give him that you haven't already?"
"You are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for," I muttered sternly.
"A laid back slacker like myself?" She laughed. "Look, I just want you to be happy."
"B-but, that's what I want for you."
"And I will be," she replied. "If you're happy, that is."
"...How?"
"I actually thought a lot about this recently, and I realized that my happiness isn't with Kokichi," she said, a sad smile on her lips. "Maybe things are a bit hard right now, but things will get better." She removed her hand, then stepped back. "And now that I think about it, Shuichi's happiness probably isn't with Kaede...and that's okay."
"It is?"
"Of course," she replied. "Things don't always work out the way you think they will, but that isn't always a bad thing."
"Since when do you give good advice?"
"Since always, duh," she replied. "But, you know what?"
"What...?"
"I still think that Maki should be with Kaito," she stated.
"...I think that too."
"I'm glad you agree, because I've been trying to get in contact with him for a couple of days."
"You have?"
"Yeah, but he doesn't know me and he probably gets a lot of messages..." She raised her index finger. "I hope he sees at least one of mine."
"How many did you send?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.
"I don't know," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "A couple dozen, maybe more?"
"Damn, S/N," I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips. "You're probably the most persistent person I've met in my entire life. Kaito can't ignore you."
"Nope, because I'll just keep trying until I get an answer!" She exclaimed. "I cannot be silenced and I won't be ignored!"
"You're really something, you know that?" I laughed. "Thanks for cheering me up." My smile widened. "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied, smirking. "And you love Kokichi!"
"I never admitted to that," I muttered.
"You didn't have to," she said, pointing towards my face. "Your expression speaks for itself."
"..." I remained quiet, shifting my gaze away as a rather conflicted expression fell upon face.
S/N acted like the way she felt didn't mean anything, which really rubbed me the wrong way. Deep down, she still felt something for Kokichi, didn't she? Even if it was for the in game version, it was still him...right?
I shifted my gaze upwards, narrowing my eyes as my mind began to race. Was S/N really doing what would make her happy, or was she suffering for me? Did she actually feel worse deep down, but was somehow keeping it together? All these questions—would I ever truly know? She said she wanted to be honest, and yet I couldn't shake the feeling that she was lying when she said she didn't love this Kokichi—or perhaps she was telling the truth? Were there really two different versions of Kokichi, or were they both one and the same?
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I drew this for the cover a while ago. I also did an alternate version with him in his killing game attire too. These can be found in a larger size on my DeviantArt.
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Now, I drew this rather quickly to test out doing speedpaints.
I used OBS to record, but in the future I think I'm going to use Fraps because the quality is better with it.