~ Postmortem ~

End of Episode 4

Love is giving someone the power to destroy you... But trusting them not to.

I don't know how I'm doing it, but I'm flying.

I'm free, I'm flying, into the air. I don't know how I manage it, but maybe it's because I'm in Hope's Peak that I can do stuff like this. After all, Hope's Peak Academy isn't your average high school. This is a school where extraordinary things can happen, and where tables can get turned in just a few seconds.

Hovering a few meters above the ground, I look down out of curiosity and end up regretting it.

Is that me...?

Wh-what am I doing lying down there when I'm way up here...?

Oh, wait a second. What's that red stuff on my hair and jacket? It's staining my green jacket with red patches, ugh. Now I have more cleaning-up to do...

Oh gosh, there's red stuff on my forehead too. What's it doing there? I wonder what it is and why I'm covered with it? Did I fall asleep in my spaghetti or something? And why am I asleep in the boys' changing room...?

That's when I see it.

The dumbbell. It's got the same red stuff on it, too.

And him.

The person.

He's on his knees, bent next to the motionless me, although it's impossible for me to see his expression because he's bent over. But I do recognize the trademark hair.

N-no, I gasp inwardly. It can't be that. P-please let it not be that. But it's no use, everything comes back to me like a flash of lightning.

The promise, the midnight workout, the secret, the changing room, the dumbbell, him.

"N-n-no," I gasp, but that's it, I can't reject the painful truth. It's been done, it can't be reversed, I'm who I am now.

And I'm now dead.

...

I know there's nothing left to do here, but still I stand for a few minutes with my hands covering my mouth.

Oh my God, that's me. Or rather, my lifeless body - powerless, worthless, cold, and limp.

That's it.

That physical body will be of no more use to anyone now. Everything's over, my life is officially over.

There's nothing left to do here.

Leaving him with his regrets, I fly through the ceiling of Hope's Peak Academy and out of the school into the sun. I blink and shade my eyes against it - it's been a long time since I've been exposed to sunlight.

Maybe too long...?

Suddenly my head begins to swim and the world spins before my eyes. I put a hand to my forehead. Nightmares of my past are coming back, my past which was hardly ever touched by sunlight because of that silly illness I had.

And, before I can even wonder if it was possible because I'm dead, I black out.

»̶✽«̶

When I come to, I find myself lying in a long and dark corridor. As far as I can see, I'm alone. I gingerly get up to my feet, adjust my skirt, and clasp my hands in front of me. I'm cold and alone and scared.

"H-hello...?" I whisper into the gloom. "I-is anybody th-th-there?"

No response. I really am alone.

That's when I see the light at the end of the tunnel. And... Is that a door...?

I know that I can't possibly stay here, so I walk to the end of the tunnel. I'll see where the door leads to. Upon reaching it, I put my hand on the doorknob, take a deep breath, and open it, knowing that I have no idea who or what lies behind.

...

"Well, well, well! If it isn't the little cutie."

The room behind the door at the end of the tunnel so closely resembles a classroom that I completely ignore the voice that greets me. This room is a classroom - it's complete with desks, chairs, lockers, and even a blackboard.

"Hello, Fujisaki-san!"

"Yo, Fujisaki!"

I tear my eyes away from the room interior and focus on the three people sitting in the room.

Three very familiar people.

My mouth hangs open. "M-Maizono-san?! K-kuwata-kun? Enoshima-san?"

The strawberry blond girl leans back in her chair. "Uh, calling me Enoshima-san was okay back at that school... But since we're out of it, call me Mukuro, yeah? I'm Mukuro Ikusaba, Super High School Level Soldier and Junko's sister." She rolls her eyes. "Of course, not like it matters anymore! Welcome to the Dead Students Society. You're one of us now."

She suddenly pulls at her hair and it comes off.

"A-ah!" I gasp.

"Don't worry, it's just a wig," Mukuro tells me as I stare at her. Her hair is actually very different - it is short and black.

Meanwhile, Maizono-san and Kuwata-kun are chatting to each other. I think it's weird, since Kuwata-kun turned out to be the one who had killed Maizono-san, but now they're talking as if they're friends.

They pause from their conversation to greet me.

"Hi, Fujisaki-san!" Maizono gives me a friendly smile, waving. Kuwata turns around and grins. "Yo! Fujisaki!"

I go over to their table. "H-hello...! Maizono-san and Kuwata-kun! How... How are you?"

"Mm..." Kuwata rubs his fiery red goatee, "It's a bit weird being dead an' all, but yeah! I'm totally fine!"

"Me too." Maizono smiles. "I'm glad I'm at least not alone!"

"So... Um... Everything's okay w-with the both of you...?" I cover my mouth with my hand right after, knowing I shouldn't have brought up the subject of Kuwata killing Maizono.

Maizono pats my hand reassuringly, then takes Kuwata's in her other hand. "Don't worry, Fujisaki-san, we're all okay now." She smiles at Kuwata, who unconsciously runs a hand through his hair with something reminiscent of a blush passing across his cheeks.

Interesting.

"O-okay. I'm glad!" I smile at them, and then return to Mukuro.

Mukuro offers me the chair next to her. "So, what're you in for, little Chihiro?"

"Huh?" I don't quite get what she means.

"You know... What happened? Were you murdered?"

"O-oh..." I look down at my lap, my last moments in Hope's Peak flooding back to me like a broken dam.

Love is giving someone the power to destroy you... But trusting them not to.

I was wrong for trusting him. I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I was wrong when I thought he wouldn't freak out when I told him my secret. I did something wrong, and I certainly paid the price for it.

...It turns out that Mukuro has been staring at me, waiting for me to say something. "You okay?" she asks with a frown.

"Y-yes!" I exclaim. "I-I'm sorry Ikusaba-san! I didn't mean to ignore you!"

"Hey, don't be sorry," she says quickly. "It's not your fault. I probably shouldn't have asked it anyway - you might not want to talk about it."

"O-okay... Sorry..." I sniffle.

"Hey, hey, stop it!" She grins at me and puts a hand on my shoulder. "Don't be sad, okay? Whenever you feel let down, remember that you've got Kuwata, Sayaka, and me! We're all in this society together."

"Okay," I say, forcing a smile.

Author's Note: This is my first Dangan Ronpa multi-chapter. Yay!

Anyway, I got the inspiration for this story from the ending credits of Dangan Ronpa: The Animation. Yep, the one in which all the dead students sit in a classroom. I don't know why, but it was rather memorable to me. Maybe there's something about seeing murdered people sitting there smiling.

I'd like to know what you think! Reviews are appreciated!