Welcome to the next part to this story! We are getting closer and closer to the dreaded Chapter 3 case, and I'm both excited and horrified! It might take a few more chapters till our dreaded case appears, but nonetheless I hope you will continue to enjoy these types of chapters nonetheless.
ToonGuy: "Thanks! Glad you enjoy this story so far! Major death flags for Kakuma! Well, let us hope what he is planning will do us good in the end. Haha, seeing you sound so worried and nervous makes me feel like I've done a well job setting up conflict and potential murders! Haha, well, let us hope for Kakuma's safety, and in the end for Ryoichi to do the cast good more than harm... Haha, like always, love your thoughts, and I like how you're thinking about the mastermind already. Yes, the motive will bring someone death! Mwahahaha! Anyways, hope you'll enjoy this chapter!"
Agrael: "Yes, a definite strong motive. Who knows how far someone would go just to save someone? Haha, a lot of possibilities, I do like seeing you thinking more pairs out of Nezumi and Kaniza too. Monokuma will always ruin the hope filled in the Ultimates' eye, haha. Nice pun, but haha let us hope for Kakuma's chances of survival. Everything ends badly, and that's why it leads to murder! Mwahahahaha- okay, I'll stop."
TheRoseShadow21: "Yes, another motive that's sure to cause some murder! Let's hope what you said is right, or wrong, your choice~ Yes, I like the direction I'm making Kakuma head into, and I'm glad you liked the idea too! Of course, death flags will be raised. Aw, glad you noticed Fumio and Saori's interactions! Haha, thanks! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well!"
PainX65: "Yes, I really enjoy how Eggplant killed Eggplant. My personal favorite scene is when Eggplant went to Eggplant and slapped Eggplant in the eggplant. That personally was my favorite, but I'm happy that you enjoyed how the eggplants are all acting in the story!"
liammarklh88: "The motive is my favorite, in all honesty~ Yes, a strong motive that will surely target those who are closest to one another. Haha, well, let's see where this heads into... If it gets Kakuma or anyone else into trouble! I look forward to the ship, but mostly let's just see what happens to Ryoichi. I'm glad you enjoy Monokuma and Minori's interactions with one another! Haha, thank you. Good luck on your story!"
VioElcina: "Yo friend! Haha, well, of course, that is what everyone expects. A murder will always happen because this is Danganronpa! Fumio does make a lot of good points, but Ryoichi does to an extent as well. Haha, I'll just be here waiting then~"
Ziggymia123: "Hello! It's nice to see you here! I saw your SYOC story you posted and might submit a character if I have the time~ Haha, glad you like Minori as of yet (I said yet for a reason), and it's nice to see you like the other characters as well. I'm glad you seem to worry for others aside from Nezumi and Kaniza~ Kakuma is someone to worry about after all, nonetheless the others as well. I'm seeing that a lot of people like Saori! Very interesting! It's nice to know that Saori's being liked by the people here, haha."
Minori's dream was merely that of darkness. It was nothing, just a black void. He had dreamt of nothing, and despite the welcoming peace that sleep allows someone to have, the darkness in his head only served to make him anxious.
The pseudologist sighed. He had woken up just a few minutes earlier, however he was still inside of his bed. He wondered what to make of that void, but he knew it was futile to even question it. He didn't have a dream, and that was the reason for the void.
Minori looked around the room. It was about a few minutes after Monokuma had called the morning announcement. He was sure that the others were in the dining hall, eating, but at the moment he wasn't hungry. He was just observing the room, silent. His worries were continuing to overwhelm him, and that must've been the reason for why he continued to question everything around him.
His head was hurting. Minori groaned. He forced himself up from his bed and went into the restroom. He splashed water on his face and checked himself out on the mirror. He looked fine as always. Maybe he was a little bit tired. He didn't know, but mentally, he was. He worried about Monokuma and Kakuma. He was worried over Ryoichi's group. Were they alright? Will they be able to create the bomb? Minori wasn't sure.
What might've been the one that made Minori worry most was the motive. If it wasn't the initial thoughts before that had worried and stressed him out now, it was the motive. The motive was the reason why Minori was questioning everything at the moment.
The motive was much more terrible and cruel. In comparison to the others, this motive was brutal.
Minori honestly held a strong belief that people would do anything they could to save their loved ones. From killing someone to scamming someone- anything was possible. If it concerned someone who held of great importance to another, then that person will do anything to save their loved one. It was a given. Those who loved someone will want to see that someone be safe, healthy, happy, etc.
It was a given that people hold strong bonds, and Minori knew those bonds could kill someone.
Naturally, Minori was worried about everyone because of it. As cruel as it sounded, Minori wasn't confident in that someone wouldn't kill for another. Even someone quiet as Fumio or someone as harsh as Kakuma could kill. Even someone who held strong values like Seiga could kill.
Anyone could kill, and if he didn't know that before, he did now.
That bitch is making a fool out of us... He's making a damn fool of us. Minori frowned, the image of Monokuma appearing in his head. Seriously, where the hell did he even come from and why even bother to make us kill for 'entertainment'? Bastard takes goddamn pleasure in that. Why would anyone take pleasure in such an atrocious thing?
Minori stopped for a moment. He frowned, slapping his face. He knew best to not let his hatred overwhelm him. He knew he had to keep any negative thoughts inside, locked. He didn't want anyone to see through him- to see that he was stressed out and desperate for a way out.
And to see that I actually do lie to them.
Minori smirked inwardly at the thought. He would never forget that he had lied to the others about his secret. He knew he wasn't as trustworthy as he made himself out to be. The Ultimates were fools in believing in him so easily, and Minori loved that. He loved how trustworthy they were towards him. That honestly made him smile even if he felt like he didn't deserve that amount of love.
He honestly loved it- they trusted him, and he honestly wish he could keep it that way forever.
Minori let out a sigh for a second time. He was now worried about Ryoichi's plan. He remembered that he and the others were to speak together, but other than that meeting everyone were to split to their groups. Minori's focus was on Ryoichi, and honestly he was worried that his plan would not work.
It might though. You never know. I'll have to check.
The pseudologist combed his hair and changed. He looked at himself for another time before heading out, making his way to the dining hall. He opened door and, as expected, everyone was present. Everyone seemed to be preparing their food, Kaniza and Sagiso already having gave the Ultimates their meal. Minori was just barely in time for them to get settled down to eat.
"Yo, what's up man!" Seiga looked happily at the man, energetic as ever.
Minori couldn't help but smile at him. "Hello, Seiga. It's nice to see you here."
"Here you go." The pseudologist found Sagiso moving a bowl of rice and fish towards him. She was the one who was sitting next to him. She observed him slowly for a moment, then frowning. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Minori nodded. He then eyed the group. "So, what are we going to do about the motive Monokuma gave us?"
"I'm still going to work on the mechanism with Ryo. I won't change my mind about that." Seiga grinned, pointing to Ryoichi who was happily eating into his food. "I feel like if we're able to build the bomb in a day or two, we'd get out of this shithole in no time flat."
Fumio bit into his lips. It was obvious he disagreed with that statement. "Uh..."
The stunt double eyed Fumio for a moment, then looking away and continuing, his focus on Ryoichi. "Ryoichi, you got the list of what we need, right? We'll be able to find them in the storage room, if not the MonoLottery room."
Ryoichi gulped down his food and eyed the man. "Right! I have the list right here, Mr. Kosoku." The investigator handed Seiga a piece of paper, the stunt double taking it and observing it. A hum escaped the man's lips as Ryoichi then turned to Rin. "Are you sure you don't want to help?"
"No." Rin frowned. "The plan won't work."
"Geez, don't be such a negative Nancy." Kaniza let out a playful giggle, eyeing the jeweler. "You'll just make Ryoichi feel worse for you."
Rin looked up to Kaniza. It was subtle, but Minori instantly saw some sort of dislike in the woman's eyes.
"Kaniza, I hate to be blunt," Kamui began, eyeing Rin worriedly. He knew that the woman was pissed, and honestly it was worrying. He couldn't help but hold his breath as he continued, "but that sounds almost akin to an insult."
Kaniza's eyes widened. She blinked for a moment before awkwardly smiling, scratching her head. She looked at the jeweler with a nervous gaze. "Did I offend you?"
Rin continued to glare slightly at the woman, but sighed. She shook her head and glanced away. "No."
"So, what are you guys going to do about the motive again?" Kakuma asked. He seemed to have noticed the tension as well, the wedding planner clearing his throat and eyeing Sagiso. "Do you have any idea of what you guys should do firstly, Sagiso?"
Sagiso frowned as she bit into her food. A moment passed before she gulped it down, now speaking. "I believe that we should over one another and stay as seperately from one another outside of group work as possible. We should look over one another and check if anyone is suspicious, to see if there is any suspicious behavior."
Kakuma scoffed. "So technically, you want us to babysit one another?"
"Sounds like an idea." Saori crossed her arms. "There does seem to be nothing else that can be done-"
"You could all join our team." Ryoichi grinned at the group.
Saori glared at the man, but continued nonetheless. "I don't there is much to do except to look over one another and make sure there is no suspicious behavior. There is a possibility of accomplices, as much as I hate to say it, but I will have to agree with Sagiso."
"Wow." Seiga whistled.
"So we're going to have to watch over one another..." Nezumi frowned at the idea.
"That doesn't mean we have to watch over one another 24/7 right?" Kaniza eyed the psychogeographer curiously. "It's impossible for us to watch over each other at every single second and place."
Sagiso nodded. "Of course, that is something to take into consideration. I believe that to counter that we should tell each other where we'll be going. I believe that we need to be watched over at least occassionally, but we also need to report what we are doing to others and have others agree that you were doing what you actually were doing."
The pseudologist cupped his chin, nodding at the idea. "Technically we tell people what we're going to do and where we are."
It's a nice idea, but it's not enough to actually stop a murder.
Minori knew that. He knew that absolutely well. He was completely sure of that.
"We'll report on what we were doing and where we are right here around dinnertime... I'd say around six o'clock." The psychogeographer seemed confident in that statement. "You must be present here around dinnertime, or we'll naturally suspect you."
"Can we make this more dramatic? Y'know, for the sake of the motive and all that shit?" Seiga eyed Sagiso. She didn't answer, leading to the stunt double to clear his throat loudly. A wide smile was on his lips as he spoke. "If anyone's late to the dinner table, even if by a few minutes, we'll force you into your room and have you locked in there for a day!"
"Woah." Kaniza was shocked. "That's actually pretty intense..."
Kamui frowned as he raised a hand. "How about if somebody's lying though?"
Sagiso crossed her arms. "That's why we're going to watch over one another and tell others what we're doing. It is our responsibility to look over one another and make sure that nothing suspicious is happening."
The investigator smiled widely. "Besides, we could tell who's lying if we ask Mr. Watanabe!"
Minori's eyes widened. He looked at Ryoichi who was smiling at him. It honestly made his heart clench. He didn't know why, but he almost felt like he was drowning in a dark abyss of darkness.
Darkness. It was a place where no one would find him.
Seiga eyed the pseudologist for a moment. He was silent as he eyed Minori blushing, then grinning a bit slyly. "Guess we can count on you then, huh?"
"W-what?" Minori was shocked. Though he knew that everyone was relying on him for a lot of things, the continuous load that has been thrown over his shoulders was beginning to overwhelm him. His head was aching, and though pained, he let out a smile. He knew he had to be the one to help people. "Yeah, sure-"
"Minori needs rest." Sagiso frowned, eyeing Ryoichi and Seiga. "I think we could all depend on one another to find a lie in someone's words, right?"
"True..." Ryoichi awkwardly scratched his head, laughing.
Seiga eyed the psychogeographer for a moment. He then let out a snort. "Of course."
Sagiso sighed, then looking at the pseudologist. A disappointed look was written over her face, and it made Minori avert his gaze. He didn't know why she threw him such a look now, but it was obvious why she was looking at him that way-
-that was he was lying, that he was continuing to lie to himself.
However, it was not only that.
It was also the fact that Sagiso had noticed that Minori wanted to feel like he was helpful- that he was the one people had to rely on. Despite how flustered he acted and despite how humble he tried to be, he wasn't.
He wanted people to rely on him.
Shit. I feel like shit now.
Minori held his breath. He looked over to Kakuma. The wedding planner had noticed that as well, the man glaring at him. If Kakuma had only noticed the overwhelming burdens over Minori's shoulder before, he now noticed the greed that was slowly but surely beginning to overtake Minori's head.
"So, where are you going to be setting up the mechanism?" Sagiso was looking at Ryoichi, frowning his way. "I need to know where you and the others will be working at."
Ryoichi clapped his hands together. "Oh, we'll be working on the bomb inside of my room. That's all. We'll be getting the tools from the storage room on the third floor and the rest from the MonoLottery room."
"Do you even know how to build the bomb?" Kakuma raised a brow as he eyed the man.
"We have a basic understandng," Nezumi replied, eyeing the wedding planner shyly. "We should be able to build one."
"I estimated that we'd be done in a few days." Seiga grinned widely at the group. "We'll be able to stop Monokuma with this shit! Ha!"
"Nice." Rin's voice escaped the air, though it was obviously filled with sarcasm.
"Hopefully the bomb will work." Kamui eyed the investigator. He had his arms crossed. "Are you certain everything you need is inside of this school?"
Ryoichi nodded happily. "Yes! Of course."
Kamui did not seem to believe that, simply frowning.
"You all look so worried." Seiga frowned, eyeing the group. He could tell that everyone was doubting Ryoichi's plan. "Be confident guys! We'll definitely be able to build this shit and stop Monokuma. You guys worry too much."
"I think it makes sense that we're worried," Saori murmured underneath her breath, somewhat displeased.
"Just be optimistic!" Kaniza smiled widely. She stood up confidently. "Like me! If we continue to think positive then we'll be able to stand together against Monokuma and escape from this place."
Everyone looked uneasy. Kaniza's sudden optimism proved overwhelming.
And she noticed this. The astrophotographer noticed this and frowned, then looking over to Nezumi and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Look, even in a place like this, we must be optimistic still!" The woman stared intensely at the man. "You believe the same, right Nezzy?"
The thief was obviously flustered, his cheeks blushing a deep red. "O-of course."
Kaniza eyed the thief for a moment, then throwing her arms around him. "Yay! I love you, Nezumi!"
"K-Kaniza..." Nezumi was stuttering at this point, shocked at her affectionate gesture. He was shocked. He was flustered, and he was unable to do anything once he felt something light on his lips.
It was a kiss. It was a light kiss. A peck. It was a kiss on the lips. Although quick, it was a kiss, and that nonetheless caused Nezumi to blush even redder.
"U-um...! I-I-!" Nezumi quickly hid his face from the audience, Kaniza grinning as the thief hid his face.
Kaniza looked to the group, winking at them. "See? We could still be happy here! We could still be optimistic here and fight!"
"Well, shit." Seiga grinned an awkward smile, crossing his arms. "What a way to show off girl."
"That was cute." That was all Fumio wrote in his notepad. He did seemed genuine with what he said though, his eyes brightening the moment he saw the kiss being played out.
Kakuma scoffed as he averted his gaze. He sipped into his glass of water.
Despite whatever the intentions, the kiss did cause the atmosphere surrounding the group to ease. Everyone began to eat a bit more lightly, their conversations now a bit more silly and comedic. There were smiles thrown left and right, and despite the concern over the motive and Monokuma, everyone seemed to be healthy. No one looked stressed out in the slightest bit.
Luckily, Minori was able to act akin to them. He was able to lie to himself that he was fine.
An hour passed before everyone had finished their food. Minori took his plates into the kitchen, placing it down to the sink where Kaniza and Sagiso were. The duo were washing the dishes as Minori helped bring the plates over. He did help them out afterwards, and soon enough that chore was now finished. Everyone was jubliant.
Hm... Minori looked around. Everyone was gone, off to do their chore. The pseudologist observed the area for a moment, then shrugged inwardly to himself. I suppose I should check on Ryoichi and the others. They should be in his room, right? Yeah.
Minori recalled that he should report to the others of his actions. However, there wasn't anyone in the room. The pseudologist sighed. Well, Ryoichi and the others would know that I was with them though, so I guess I don't really have to look for someone to report to.
And so Minori had decided to check on Ryoichi's group. He opened the dining hall and began his way into the hallways, walking over to the dormitories. The pseudologist was surprised that not many were near the area, however he did suppose that everyone else would be interested in investigating the third floor. It shouldn't be a surprise now that he thought about it.
Minori made his way over to Ryoichi's door. The door was slightly opened, the sight of Ryoichi and the others inside. Minori was about to move, however he stopped. He frowned. He looked to the side, eyes widening. "Uh, Sagiso?"
The auburn woman's eyes widened. She was right besides the door, just to the side where the group couldn't see her. Obviously, she was spying on them. "Oh." A slight blush appeared on her face. She averted her gaze and coughed. She then looked to the pseudologist. "Hello, Minori."
"Um, hello." Minori raised a brow. "Why are you out here?"
"I'm watching them." Sagiso frowned in return. "Stand over here with me. I don't want Ryoichi and the others to see us."
The pseudologist was silent. He honestly did not know what to say, but listened and walked to the side. He eyed the woman for a moment. "Uh... Pardon me if I'm being rude, but you know you could just go inside there and watch them from there, right?"
The woman frowned, eyeing the man. "I rather not. Although I did tell Kamui and a few others that I'd be watching Ryoichi's group, I did not tell those four particularly because I want them to work without being under the influence that I'm watching them. I want them to act genuine towards me."
Minori crossed his arms. "So, you're suspicious of them? Sagiso, their door is opened. I don't think they're planning anything. They're not even trying to hide anything from us."
The psychogeographer let out a sigh. "I know that's the most likely possibility, but I need to make extra certain of that. They might be holding up a disguise, and besides..." Sagiso peeked inside the room, then darted her direction back to Minori. "... I feel like it's better for me to worry over them from here. I feel like I'd be in their way if I were to nose my business into them."
"I see." Minori slouched, forfeiting. "I guess you have a point."
Sagiso nodded.
The duo were silent, unsure of what to do. Minori eyed the woman. Sagiso was simply observing the group from afar, concentration entirely focused on the group. Minori sighed. Well, he wanted to check on Ryoichi's group and ask them about their progress, but he supposed he should stand by Sagiso's side and watch from the sidelines as well.
"So..." Sagiso's voice suddenly appeared out of thin air. The white-haired man looked to the woman who was eyeing him. "You came here because you wanted to check on them as well, right?"
"I did, but after what you said I think that it's better to watch from the sidelines." Minori awkwardly smiled.
"Ah." Sagiso let out a nod. She thought for a moment before looking back at the man. "How about we talk to pass the time? I don't believe that they could hear us, so I think we could have a conversation to pass the time by."
"I thought we were going to just watch Ryoichi's group?" Minori couldn't help but playfully eye Sagiso.
The psychogeographer rolled her eyes, though it was obviously playful as well. "We can watch over them while talking. I think that's alright with you, Minori?" She then stopped, a sudden sly smile creeping on her lips. "Or do you prefer Minnie?"
"A-ah, Minori's fine with me." The pseudologist blushed. "But sure, we can talk in the meantime."
Should I hang out with Sagiso?
You already said yes, idiot! / No, get out of here!
Sagiso: Hm... You're doing fine, right? You look healthy.
Minori: I'm fine, Sagiso. You really do not have to ask. I'm more concerned about you.
Sagiso: Really? But I'm fine. Hm... So, is there anything in particular that you would like to ask me?
Minori: Hm... If I had to be honest, I'm interested in how you became a psychogeographer. Those who work in psychogeography explore the urban environment and express how the urban environment effects the individual's emotions and behaviors, correct?
Sagiso: Huh. I'm pleased that you know that much about my talent.
Minori: Ah, right. Thank you.
Sagiso: So, you would like to know about how I became a psychogeographer, correct?
Minori: Yes. I am quite interested in learning about you.
Sagiso: Well, if I had to pinpoint when I was first invested into the concept of psychogeography, I'd had to say it was ever since I was little. It was all because of my mother. Since my mom was sick all the time, so when she wanted us to walk around a different town, I was really invested in making sure my mom would enjoy what she saw. I wanted to make my mom as jubliant as possible, after all.
Minori: I see.
Sagiso: In order to make the trip as satisfying to my mother as possible, I took surveys around the towns near where I was to see which town would provide the most enjoyable adventure for my mother. I also surveyed many different places and observed the people around in other to list out which places my mother would like to see. I used what I saw and routed the trip.
Sagiso: Doing what I had done had led to my mother being satisfied with the trip. Seeing my mother smile... Seeing her happy made me happy, and that led me to continue surveying places and observing areas. I eventually realized that I enjoyed doing surveys and observing different routes, and that eventually led me into becoming a psychogeographer.
Minori: That's really sweet. So your talent came to be all because of your mother.
Sagiso: It did. I was only doing it to make my mother happy, but then I realized that I actually enjoyed this work of mine. Taking surveys and observing the environment was a way to pass the time.
Minori: That's nice to know. It's nice to know that about you, Sagiso.
Sagiso: I'm glad you found it interesting. I'm surprised that you're interested in learning more about me. Shouldn't you be more concerned with yourself?
Minori: Of course not. I like learning about the people around me. I'm more interested in others than I am about myself.
Sagiso: Really? I still think you should take care of yourself more though. You shouldn't be so concerned about others.
Minori: I mean...
Sagiso: I have an idea. I should help you relax. I'll teach you why psychogeography is important.
Minori: Huh? Oh, uh, Sagiso, it's fine, really I-
Sagiso: There will be no objections. I will show you how psychogeography can help you become more relaxed. I want you to not stress out about anything, after all.
Minori: Uh...
Sagiso: Alright, that settles it.
Minori: I feel like I wouldn't have a say in this whether I wanted to or not.
Sagiso's Profile Card: 1/1
Note: Sagiso had gotten into psychogeography because of her mother. She wanted to make her sickly mother happy during a trip of their's, and so she surveyed different towns and observed places where she figured her mom would enjoy to see herself. Seeing her mom happy seemed to cause Sagiso to grow an interest in psychogeography altogether.
Minori sighed. He honestly felt like he had little to no choice but to agree to Sagiso's 'request'. He tapped his fingers as he looked at the woman. She was looking at him for a second before turning to eye the door.
Well, she was about to spy on Ryoichi's group again, but the door fully swung opened.
Seiga was outside of the room. He looked over to the side where he found the duo in hiding. A wide grin escaped his lips, and he let out a laugh. "Are you two eavesdropping on us? Y'know you all could've just came in here and watch us there!"
"O-oh." Sagiso quickly cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "I am sorry. It seems like I'm suspicious of you and the others, right?"
"Nah, not at all!" The stunt double let out another hearty laugh. "You guys are just worried about us, huh? Don't worry. We're all good here!"
Minori couldn't help but smile, nodding. "Of course. Did you open the door because you noticed us though?"
Seiga shook his head. "Nah, I just saw you two the moment I opened the door. I was just gonna get something to add to the list of shit we need. I was also gonna get a glass of water too, since I'm tired and all that bullshit."
"Right." The pseudologist acknowledged the man's words. "How's progress?"
"It's going well." Seiga nodded at this statement. "A bit complicated to actually build, but with me by their side I know we'll get it done!"
"That's nice to hear." Minori hummed his acknowledgment.
"I'm sorry if I was a burden." Sagiso looked fiercely at the stunt double. "If my spying caused you any harm, then I'm sorry. I didn't want to bother you and the others."
"I told you it's fine!" Seiga laughed another time. "Seriously, it's cool! Drop it. You wanna go inside and watch us now?"
The psychogeographer frowned. She cupped her chin, thinking for a moment. She then shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll go to the library to take a rest instead. Please excuse me."
Seiga and Minori were unable to say anything as the woman left, heading her way towards the library. The duo were left to their lonesome with the door opened, unsure of what to do next.
"Uh..." The stunt double let out a toothy grin. He was awkwardly scratching his head. "I guess I should get going now. I don't want to waste Ryo and the others' time any longer than needed. I'm gonna head to the MonoLottery room and see if the thing they need is in there."
"Ah, right." Minori nodded slowly. "I should leave too."
But where?
Seiga looked at Minori. It was obvious the man was expecting an answer, and Minori himself was expecting one as well. "Um..." Minori darted his eyes back and forth. He wasn't sure of where to go next. "I'll be hanging around the first floor."
"You don't know where to go?" Seiga raised a brow.
"Sadly not." The pseudologist sighed. "I just know I'll be staying around this floor. Where I go depends on what happens."
The stunt double shrugged. "Makes sense. It's not like we always think of where we go everyday. Well, I'm gonna go now. Bye!"
Minori watched as Seiga left, moving down the hallways. The pseudologist sighed. He honestly did not know where to go next. He knew he could stay in his room and sleep his way to dinnertime, but he knew that was a waste of time. He should be checking on the others at least.
Well, I guess I could just walk around the area and see who I run into.
And so that's what Minori decided to do. He walked around the hallways for a while, looking around to check on the others. He saw Seiga heading over into the dining room after a while, and then he saw Kamui walking towards the library. Minori knew that everyone seemed to be busy at the moment, and that honestly made him feel lonely. It was as if he was the one who was being useless at the moment.
He moved in a cycle, and he moved back. He was moving aimlessly at this point.
How many minutes just passed? I felt like it's been almost an hour.
Minori sighed as he observed the area. He was back where he started, and so he continued back down the path. He was walking towards the dining hall before he saw the door opening, revealing Saori and Sheina who were walking outside the area.
"Oh." Saori seemed to have noticed the pseudologist, eyes widening slightly. "Hello."
Minori nodded. "Nice to meet you too, Saori, Sheina."
Sheina didn't say anything. The body broker sighed, deciding to speak instead. "What're you doing out here?"
"I was just walking aimlessly, to be honest." Minori let out an awkward chuckle. "I had nothing else to do, and I didn't feel like resting at the moment. You can call this an exercise, sort of..."
"I would say sleep is much better than to live. Eternal sleep." Sheina stared blankly at the pseudologist.
"Uh..." Minori averted his gaze, unsure of what to respond with.
"Sheina." Saori frowned, glaring at the woman. She shook her head with a sigh, crossing her arms. She looked back to the pseudologist. "What you do is your choice. I only ask because of what Sagiso said during breakfast."
"I know that. So where are you guys heading next?"
Saori sighed. "To my room. Sheina will be going to her's too."
"Oh, I see." Minori nodded. "I'll continue to walk around the area for a little longer."
Saori and Sheina nodded as they left, leaving Minori to continue wandering. Minori looked around the area for a moment. He saw the two leaving to their rooms before looking around the area, then spotting Rin who was heading towards his way.
"Hello." Minori approached the woman, a smile on his face. "Where are you going, Rin?"
Rin eyed the pseudologist for a moment, eyes dull and expression indifferent. She averted her gaze. "Is it any of your business?"
"Technically, it is considering what was said during breakfast." Minori frowned, crossing his arms. He eyed the woman with a stern expression. "And even if we hadn't proposed something like telling each other our locations without fail, I'm worried about you anyways, Rin."
"Why?" Rin squinted at the man. "First it was Ryoichi, then now it's you and Kamui... Even Sagiso..."
"It's because we care about you." Minori couldn't help himself. He was saddened at the fact that the woman seemed annoyed by that statement. "We know you're not a bad person. You killed Fuwari because she asked you to. You couldn't help it. You wanted to kill her, to relieve her of the pain."
"And how would you know what I felt that time?" Rin was glaring at the man. "You don't understand anything."
Minori bit into his lips. "Maybe I don't, but I know you're still a great person. You're not a bad person at all."
"You really believe that?" The jeweler was eyeing the man. Doubt was written all over her face. "You must be lying to me."
"I'm not." Minori frowned. "I care about you. Everyone cares about you. You don't deserve to be like this, and we know that."
"How can you even help me?" The woman clicked her tongue. She was annoyed at the man's words. "It's futile to even try. Ryoichi's plan will be in naught as well as everyone else's..."
Minori looked at the woman for a moment. He cupped his chin, pondering. A while passed before the man clapped his hands together. An idea had wrapped around his head. "Then how about this? You and I could have a conversation today."
"What?" Rin frowned. She was glaring at the man. "Why? How is that supposed to help me?"
Minori smiled. "If we were to have a conversation, you'd be able to vent away your stress. You'll be able to relax more easily if we just have a normal conversation, something that we can talk about everyday."
The jeweler seemed hesitant. She was eyeing the pseudologist for a moment before sighing, shaking her head. "Alright, fine. I'll do it."
Minori smiled inwardly to himself. Alright, I should be able to make Rin feel better through this, even if it's only for a little bit.
Should I hang out with Rin?
Aw, hell yeah! / No, don't do it!
Rin: So, what do you want to talk about?
Minori: Hm, let's see... Well, we could talk about yourself instead. We know about your knowledge as a jeweler, but I'm curious to know a bit more about you yourself. Is it alright if we can talk about that?
Rin: I suppose it's alright... What do you want to particularly ask me about?
Minori: Well, I would like to know about your family, for starters.
Rin: My family, huh?
Rin: Well, they were the reason why I became a jeweler in the first place. My parents co-owned a company called the 'Hoseki Jewels', and I was the next one in line to run the company.
Minori: I see, so it was because of your family's line of work.
Rin: Mhm. I really didn't mind though. I was able to learn much about how to manage a business and how to properly inspect gemstones through my family's line of work. I was even able to learn how to price jewelry based on their quality.
Minori: It sounds like a tiresome job. How do you even know how to price the gemstone fairly and accurately?
Rin: You shouldn't be asking. It'll take a long time to explain it. I can only say that it depends on the quality of the stone, the amount of care put into it, etc. There are a lot of things needed to be considered.
Minori: I can see that.
Rin: Yes, I was known for my ability to manage the company ever since I was seven. It is also to note that I was an only child, so I was all my parents had left to throw the business onto.
Minori: But you didn't mind being the one in charge.
Rin: That's correct. It may be a burden to others, but I am honestly glad that my parents threw such a task upon me. I was able to become a professional at this skill.
Minori: Well, I'm glad you seemed to like your job as a jeweler.
Rin: ... Yes.
Minori: That's great! I'm glad we talked about this. You look a bit less stressed out now.
Rin: ... Oh, that's right. I forgot that you were trying to calm me down.
Minori: Mhm. See? Do you feel a bit more relaxed now?
Rin: ... I... I guess you could say that.
Rin: Thank you. I will now take my leave if you don't mind. I need to clear my head a bit in my room.
Minori: Ah, right, of course.
Rin's Profile Card: 2/2
Note: Rin came from a family who co-owned a company called 'Hoseki Jewels', and because Rin was an only child she was next in line to take over the company. At the age of seven she was able to manage the business well with her proficient skills.
Minori smiled a bit as he watched the jeweler leaving to her room. He glanced at his MonoPad. It was only an hour left before six would strike, and Minori decided it was best to wait inside of the dining hall. He had nothing else to do anyways, and so he walked into the room.
Surprisingly, there seemed to be a few people inside of the room.
"You're going to wait for time to tick by too?" Fumio showed Minori his notepad.
The pseudologist nodded, taking a seat down next to the scholar. "I will. I have nothing else to do, and I do not want to be late. I fear that Seiga might actually run along with the idea of isolating someone in their room if someone were late."
The scholar looked amused at this, replying in his notepad. "I surely hope not."
"I don't think Seiga's that brash of a man." Kamui eyed the duo as he sipped into a glass of water. "He won't do that, I'm sure."
Minori shrugged, a playful expression escaping his face. "We'll only know if someone came in here late."
The trio held a short conversation for a while. A few minutes later came Kaniza and Sagiso, the duo declaring that they'll be cooking. The trio decided to help the two women out, and before the clock struck six everyone was able to finish cooking the food.
The meals were brought outside to the dining hall. Unsurprisingly, everybody seemed to be present. The meals were handed out to each person as well as the drinks. One by one were all the food and drinks passed out, and soon the meeting began to start.
"Alright," Sagiso began, taking a seat down. She was sitting next to Kaniza and Rin. "We'll be discussing about what the each of us were doing as well as have others testify that you are not lying."
Ryoichi smiled. He bit down into his piece of salad. "Well, I was working on the bomb the entire time with Mr. Kosoku, Ms. Tsukitaiyo, and Mr. Jirokichi inside of my room. They can testify for me as well."
Nezumi nodded slowly. "Yes, Ryocihi's right. We were together throughout the day. Seiga went out for a bit to get a glass of water and something else for the bomb though."
"I can testify for him." Minori looked to Sagiso. He then looked to the stunt double who chuckled in response. "He told me so around halfway into the day."
"Yeah, besides, Seiga came back within a few minutes." Kaniza giggled. "He can't do anything suspicious if it took only a couple of minutes."
Seiga placed his hands to his hips, a proud expression escaping his face. "So I'm all good to go then! Hmph!"
"What were the rest of you doing then?" Sagiso looked to everyone else.
"I was talking with Sheina inside of the dining hall. I have Minori and Sheina to testify for that." Saori looked to the duo who acknowledged her words silently. "After we talked we went back to our rooms to rest."
Sheina sighed as she averted her gaze. "I just talked to Saori the entire time before leaving to my room to wait for the time."
Kamui eyed Sagiso. "I met you at the library for a bit. I then left and talked to Rin."
Rin sighed. "Yeah, it's true. I met him along the way, and after I talked to him I bumped into Minori. The time stamp between my conversation with Kamui and Minori were an hour difference. Well, anyways, we talked before I left to my room."
The mortician let out a small smile. "After I talked to Rin I went to the dining hall where I met Fumio. Shortly after that we met Minori, then Sagiso and Kaniza."
Fumio scribbled into his notepad, nodding. "It's true. I was in the dining hall first. Before I went to the dining hall, I was resting in my room. Kakuma saw me walking to my room right after breakfast."
Kakuma raised a brow. He looked at the scholar for a moment before nodding. "I did. I was going to the third floor to investigate the place further, and I saw Fumio heading to his room before I went."
The psychogeographer nodded slowly. "Do you have someone to testify for you going to the third floor?"
The wedding planner frowned. He eyed the woman for a moment, then sighing.
Minori eyed the wedding planner curiously. He noticed the unease in Kakuma's eyes, and so the pseudologist quickly cleared his throat. "I saw him. He was heading up the stairs and I asked him where he was going. He told me he was going to investigate the third floor."
Kakuma threw Minori a look, but stayed quiet.
Sagiso was silent, but then nodded. "Alright." She crossed her arms, having put down her fork. "I was watching over Ryoichi's group after breakfast. I ended up meeting with Minori and we ended up watching over Ryoichi's group."
Seiga laughed, noticing the look of bafflement on Ryoichi's, Kaniza's, and Nezumi's faces. "You could say they were spying on us. I saw them after I went out to get what we needed."
Sagiso cleared her throat. She seemed a bit embarrassed about that fact. "Anyways, after Seiga had found Minori and I, I told them that I was heading to the library. That was where I met Kamui."
"Mhm. That's correct." Kamui hummed his acknowledgement.
Sagiso looked to Minori who nodded. "Well, firstly, I went over to Ryoichi's dorm where I met with Sagiso. We talked for a bit until Seiga came, and then I walked around the first floor for a while before running into Rin. I then talked to her before heading inside the dining room where I met with Kamui and Fumio."
Seiga cracked his knuckles. "Yup! I can testify to that!"
Rin sighed. "Me too."
Kamui and Fumio nodded their heads in approval.
Sagiso took this as fact, now pleased with what she had heard. "Alright, then it seems like nothing concerning is happening. That's good to hear."
"Nice!" The stunt double pumped his fist up. "We're definitely gonna beat Monokuma at his own damn game at this point! With the bomb and the shit we've planned, we might actually stop that bastard!"
Kaniza laughed at the man's energetic personality, throwing her fist up as well. "You tell him, Seiga!"
Everyone seemed amused at the duo's optimistic personality. They all couldn't help but smile, even Kakuma who slightly smiled before quickly biting into his food. It was a peaceful, positive atmosphere. An atmosphere definitely needed to counter someone who worked under the name of Despair. What was needed most in this room was hope. To defeat despair, you would need hope.
Hope. Unity. Togetherness.
Everything in this room was needed to counter Monokuma.
An hour passed by until everyone was finished. The dishes were cleaned and everyone had left to their lonesome. Most had left to their room while some either stayed in the dining hall to speak or left to hang out somewhere else. Minori heard that Nezumi and Kaniza were hanging out inside of the stargazing room, and Ryoichi had dragged Rin somewhere. He also heard Fumio and Saori talking to one another, and it was obvious that everyone was trying to get along.
The pseudologist smiled as he left the dining hall. He was about to walk to his room to sleep when he noticed Kakuma who had opened the door. Minori frowned as he glanced to the wedding planner's way. He was moving his hand, making a motion.
He wants to talk?
The pseudologist looked left and right. No one seemed to be around the area, and so the man quickly walked over to Kakuma. He went inside the man's room and closed the door, eyeing Kakuma who took a seat down on his bed.
"What do you want?" Minori asked, curious. "Is it about Monokuma again?"
Kakuma looked at the pseudologist for a moment. He nodded. "I learned a bit more about this place and Monokuma, that's all. It's nothing big as of yet, but it does give us a lead."
Minori's eyes widened. "What are they?"
The wedding planner smirked confidently. He crossed his legs together. "Well, one thing for starters is that there are five floors in this school. Currently we have seen about three floors, and there are two more that we need to discover."
"Five floors in total?" Minori frowned. He cupped his chin, pondering. "I see. That is something to note... Hm, I do wonder why Monokuma would limit us to one floor per... er, murder."
"Other than what you would consider motivation? I'm not sure." The wedding planner pursed his lips. "However, if Monokuma told me this, there must be a reason behind it. I suppose he figures that tidbit of information would serve as entertainment to seeing my reaction."
"That might be another reason, possibly." Minori shrugged. "What else did you discover?"
The man averted his gaze. "That Monokuma has outside influence."
"So someone 'is' working with him." Minori eyed Kakuma for a moment. His eyes then widened. "Hm, but then this is a huge concern. If Monokuma does have outside influence, then if we do escape from him, he still has the means of having us be stopped."
Kakuma sighed. "Yes, that is true. However, I also want to note that Monokuma hinted that he not only has influence from the outside world, but that someone in here might be watching him from the sidelines."
"An extra person?" The pseudologist raised a brow.
The wedding planner frowned. His expression was darkened. "I'm thinking of one of us. One of us may be responsible for this entire killing game."
"What?" Minori eyed the man. He was shocked, his mouth hanging slightly agape. "I-I mean, I thought about that before, but I really don't want to believe that..."
"I know we all don't, but it's something to consider." The wedding planner kept a stern expression. "It's a possibility."
The pseudologist sighed, but nodded his head. "You're right. So that's all you wanted to tell me?"
Kakuma thought for a moment. He then nodded. "Yes, that's all. I'll tell you anything else I learned from Monokuma tomorrow."
"That's nice to hear." Minori smiled. "I'll see what we can do to counter those... possibilities."
The wedding planner was silent, but Minori could hear him humming his approval. He did not want to think of that certain possibility at all either.
"Alright, guess I'll be leaving." Minori looked at Kakuma who nodded, the pseudologist walking over to the door. He creaked it opened. "Bye."
"Mhm."
Minori opened the door and left, closing the door behind him. A sigh escaped his lips, the man inwardly shaking his head. To think that one of their own, one of their friends, was working behind Monokuma- that was a complete betrayal. It would be something that would break everybody's hearts, and Minori knew that for sure.
But hopefully that's not the case... Hopefully Monokuma's messing with us.
The pseudologist held his breath. Of course he wanted to believe that. Of course he wanted to believe that his friends were honest, that they weren't lying- he didn't know. He doesn't know everyone as much as they would know themselves, and it was obvious.
Well, only time would tell, I hope-
"Minori?"
The pseudologist's eyes widened. He quickly looked back to find Sagiso. The woman was eyeing him, an obvious look of suspicion on her face. It was obvious why she was suspicious.
It was because Minori was speaking to someone he should've loathed. He was speaking to someone whom he never acquantanced himself with. He was speaking to someone who hated him.
"Sagiso..."
The woman bit into her lips. She observed Minori for a moment before shaking her head. She frowned, now her arms crossed. "What were you talking about with Kakuma?"
Minori averted his gaze. He honestly didn't know what to say. A perfectly valid excuse went right through his head. "It's nothing serious. I was just checking to see if he was alright."
"You weren't going to ask anyone else though." The psychogeographer pursed her lips. "What exactly were you talking about with Kakuma?"
"It's nothing." The man bit into his lips. "It's nothing to concern yourself with."
Sagiso shook her head. "It is something I need to concern myself with. You'll only raise my suspicions if you don't answer me, Minori. I need to know."
"We weren't talking about anything special." The pseudologist frowned. His heart was racing. "It's nothing to worry about."
"Then why do you look so scared when you saw me outside earlier?" Sagiso clenched into her fists. She was irritated. "Just tell me what you two were talking about, and I won't press on any further."
Minori clicked his tongue. "It's nothing. Kakuma and I were only talking in order to get along. That's all there is to it."
"That's a lie and you know it." The woman grabbed ahold of the man's shoulders. "Minori, what's wrong? Why don't you want to tell me?"
"It's nothing, seriously." Minori grabbed ahold of the woman's hands. He released her hands softly, putting them down to her sides. "Don't concern yourself with this."
"Concern myself? I have every right to concern myself with this." Sagiso bit into her lips. "I thought you hate lying. I thought you didn't want to lie."
Minori's eyes widened. "I do hate lying. I never wanted to be a pseudologist."
The psychogeographer frowned. She glared at the man. "Is that really the case? If you hate lying, why are you lying to me? Why are you even trying to hide the fact that you're lying to me?"
"That's-"
"It's hypocritical, that's what." Sagiso sighed, shaking her head. A pained look escaped her face. "Minori, you're acting like a hypocrite right now."
"Is it any of your business to nose in what I do?" Minori found his voice raising. He didn't know why, but his heart was racing. His body was hot, and Minori had lost what he was thinking. He was saying something he never wanted to say, ever. "Stop nosing yourself in my life then. If I continue to be a bother in your life, then just ignore me. You don't need to worry about me."
The psychogeographer was shocked. Her face paled. "Minori-"
"Stop. I know you're doing this in order to look like you care about me." The pseudologist glared at the woman. "You just want to look like you're being helpful in order to satisfy your own greed to look dependable. It's silly. It's obvious you're just trying to make yourself look like you're capable."
"What's with you?" Sagiso found herself glaring back at the man. Her voice was pained, almost hollow. "Why're you acting like this? It's like you believe you're not the same as me."
Minori frowned. "What?"
"You're allowing your own greed to get into your head. It's not me who's the problem, it's you." Sagiso averted her gaze. A saddened expression escaped her face. "You're trying to act like you're the dependable one, that you could save everyone. It's as if you think less of us."
Minori was silent. He didn't know what to say, simply staring at Sagiso who shook her head sadly.
"Let me guess." A pained chuckle escaped the woman's breath. "The reason why you don't want to tell me is not because Kakuma told you not to, but because you believe that you're the only one whom Kakuma can trust."
Minori bit into his lips.
"You believe that Kakuma could only trust you. You believe that if you told others about this, then you'd lose that sense of dependence that you feel like Kakuma has towards you-"
"That's not the goddamn case!"
Silence.
Minori's face paled. He quickly covered his mouth as he eyed the woman.
He realized it a bit too late. He had yelled at the woman, and she was looking at him painfully. Her face was entirely covered in those expressions of sadness, pain, fear, and most importantly- disappointment.
"Shit." Minori averted his gaze. His head was aching. "Sagiso, I-"
Sagiso instantly shut off the man, her eyes watering with tears. Her look was all it took to make Minori silent. She clenched her fists, her teeth clattering.
Footsteps.
The woman had ran into her room. The door was shut closed, echoing into the air.
Minori was left in darkness, left to wallow in his own regrets. He knew it was his fault, and he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself that easily. He knew that he messed up, and honestly-
-his heart told him it wasn't his fault.
"Fuck, what the hell's wrong with me?"
Minori let out a bitter laugh. He looked around the area. It was completely, completely silent. Minori was left with only himself and the darkness to speak to, to laugh at, to mock at. He was left to laugh, to laugh at his pitiable self.
Because, yes, he is pitiable.
He had never noticed it. He never noticed that he was allowing his ego to grab ahold of him, to overwhelm him. It was deadly, and it was deadly silent.
It was deadly to the point that it caused Minori to hurt someone.
The man held his breath. His heart was aching. His head was aching, and the pseudologist couldn't help but stand in place.
Tears were rolling down his eyes, and the man tried his damn hardest to hide it.
And here's the next chapter of Disparity! I got this out quicker than I expected to, most likely because I'm actually quite excited for how this entire chapter will turn out! I did a bit of planning and improvising as I wrote and wrote, and I'm actually confident in what I have planned in the future~ Not entirely confident, but confident nonetheless.
Also, as of note, this story and AoD may be reaching their cases soon. I will most likely be focusing on one case at a time (probably whichever story's cases comes first) since I do not want to accidentally mix in this case with the other, so whoever comes out first... Well, I'll be focusing on that entire trial and all first, then the other. Hope you'll all don't mind!
Anyways, the next poll may be up soon, but I'd guess it would be most likely when the next chapter rolls in. The next chapter will be close to the murder, after all~ Hope to see you all next chapter!