Hello, and welcome to the beginning of the end of Chapter 4! Here, we will finally get to... well, our favorite and most dreaded part. Well, have fun with this chapter, for it is most definitely needed! And as mentioned by a dear fellow person who messaged me (TheLlamaLord, thanks!), I realized that it's been a year since this story has been created! I'm so happy and so sad at the same time, for this story will soon be over... I'm surprised that I even came this far, and especially all the way into the fourth chapter! And in just a year? That's amazing! Anyways, thanks to TheLlamaLord for mentioning that to me, haha!
PoisonBanana: "Rin and Fumio are certainly popular, aren't they? Of course, death must come sooner or later to ruin this beautiful mood. Let us see who will die, who will bite the dust. Haha, nice to see you, my dear friend!"
TheRoseShadow21: "Aww, glad you enjoyed the scene! Suffering will always be painful, upupu. Aw, but one must bite the dust and die. Let us see who will die in this chapter! And thank you, as always!"
ToonGuy: "We always get closer and closer to the suffering, huh? Oh my, it seems like Minori's still being accused of being the mastermind, haha. I see Fumio and Minori are becoming a popular ship. Upupupupu! Fumio is always cute, best boy definitely! Haha, really? Conditioning does tend to ruin someone's mind, whether good or bad~ Yes, because next time will be death!"
liammarklh88: "Aww, thanks! I'm glad I'm always able to make your day better, if not at least a little! Pfft, I see the romantic tension will never develop now. Yes, but of course! Nothing will ever go right in the world of Danganronpa! Yes, Rin is such a poor girl, let us save her! Fumio's just everyone's favorite character now, huh? He's so loved! We must do a countdown, haha. Aww, thanks! I do wonder that myself, haha. Thank you for always enjoying the chapters I sent out here~"
Ziggymia123: "Aww, I know right? But don't get a cavity! Cavities are bad for you! That is definitely fine. You can claim that you're right at any given point that way XD Aw, the poor group just wants to have fun though! Aww, thanks!"
TheLlamaLord: "Mhm, Fumio is definitely interesting. Yeah, sounds forced at some parts. Some are intentional, and some aren't, sadly. I should definitely improve on that in the future! Thanks for pointing that out to me! Interesting thoughts on who will die! Let us see if they are true."
FruitlessKitty74: "Aww, don't make me sad! I don't want to make you sad! D: I will comfort you whenever you are sad."
BIG THANKS TO MY BETA READERS: KISL, liammarklh88, zephryr!
Minori couldn't help but smile the moment the morning announcement sounded.
"Hello, my awesome Ultimates! It's another day, another morning, another twenty hours to live! Don't die today, or do, I don't know! Upupupupu!"
Minori hardly registered what the bear said. Why he was smiling was mainly because of what was planned today. It was the day where happiness would take over that sense of fear and anxiety. Today was supposed to be the day where everything went according to their plan- not to Monokuma's.
Murder will not happen. Minori wanted to believe that, and so he smiled.
Like always, the man changed his clothes before moving out. He made his way over to the dining hall where he met the others, Kamui and Saori setting the dishes down. Sheina and the others waved at him, the pseudologist waving back.
Today was going to be an exciting day, he was sure of it.
"We baked french toast and some breakfast pizzas," Kamui began, having arranged the dishes to be set in the middle of the table, "I hope they'll taste good. If not, we cooked some chicken noodle soup."
"You guys always work so hard for us!" Kaniza beamed, her raven hair bouncing place to place as she clapped her hands excitedly. "You guys really deserve a medal or some sort!"
Saori shook her head, calmly placing each glass of water in each seat. "That is not necessary, but thank you for your kindness."
"You should give yourself some more credit." Rin twirled her spoon around with ease. "I've been waiting for a day, did you two oversleep or something?"
"I doubt we can because of the morning announcement," Kamui replied, smiling. "Sure, we might wake up during the morning announcement, but it doesn't take long to finish cooking all the food. I doubt we will ever oversleep."
Sheina grinned. "Don't let karma bite you in the back though. You might jinx yourself."
The mortician playfully rolled his eyes at the egyptologist, then taking his seat. With him and Saori having taken their seats, everyone began to feast into their food.
"Are you all excited?" Sheina began, eyeing the group. Her eyes were sparkling with a childish glint, hands clapping together. "The ball's tonight!"
Kamui bit into his slice of pizza. "Saori and I will have to cook the food. It shouldn't take us too long, so hopefully we can start a bit earlier than dinnertime."
Sagiso shrugged. She smiled at the group. "Balls usually happen at night, so if the ball happens around dinner I'm not going to be mad. I rather not probe you and Saori to finish cooking the food faster and end up burning the kitchen."
The body broker chuckled. "I doubt we'll ever burn anything."
"You give us both too much credit," Kamui joked, grinning at Saori who shrugged with ease.
"I'm excited regardless of time," Fumio admitted, nodding to Sheina whose smile widened in an instant.
"Of course!" The woman crossed her arms, proud and haughty. "This is going to be the best ball you've ever been to, I assure you all."
"It better be." Kaniza grinned slyly at the egyptologist. "You've been hyping up the ball, after all!"
"Well, obviously. I can't wait!"
With excitement completely overwhelming their faces, everyone continued to eat their food. It didn't take long before everybody finished, Saori and Kamui leaving to wash the dishes. Kaniza and Rin decided to follow Sheina towards the auditorium, and then Fumio and Sagiso left together to discuss something.
Minori was comfortable with his time of silence. Though he enjoyed the company of others, he loved to spend time alone as well. Everyone needed a balance of both, after all.
Hm… I should think about our overall situation for a bit.
Minori headed back to his room, opening it up with ease. He walked inside and closed the door behind him, walking over to the shelves. He opened the middle one to find Kakuma's document- the one he found in the fourth floor- and the key that had been made in the printing room.
The pseudologist frowned, looking over the document. His mind recalled back to the code Kamui found, then to what the group had discussed. His mind finally rolled over to what was discovered inside of the MonoLottery room.
If we're being documented and if the class trials are being documented as well… Then this killing game is not just for 'entertainment'. There is a reason why Monokuma and the mastermind planned this killing game. It's not just for entertainment, because if it were, then Monokuma wouldn't bother to document this.
If anything, he could've recorded us even if we knew this from the beginning for his own purpose. If he bothered to document this, there is some other reason behind all this.
The pseudologist cupped his chin, staring intensely at the piece of paper.
Hm, Monokuma hasn't approached me since last time either. Is he busy with something?
It's not like I miss his company, but he usually meets me at times to taunt me. I swore he would've approached me and taunted me about what I found.
Minori sighed. He honestly wasn't sure what Monokuma was even doing at the moment. Honestly, he actually had no idea of who Monokuma was exactly nor his purposes or where he was. He had no knowledge of Monokuma other than the fact that the bear was sadistic, monstrous, and outright insane.
Whoever worked alongside Monokuma was downright insane, hysterical. Minori wanted to curse that person for existence. Whoever worked with Monokuma, whoever built Monokuma, or whoever had the slightest idea to push Monokuma into this twisted consciousness of insanity- he wanted to rid of them all.
Besides, whoever they are caused Kakuma's death. Monokuma, the mastermind, everyone… Those fucking bastards will pay.
Minori sighed deeply, feeling his stomach churning. His heart was burning, and he knew better than to allow himself to lose composure. He took a few deep breaths and steadied himself.
One. Two.
There, he was calm now.
Minori powered up his MonoPad, if only for a short second to check the time. Although he knew the ball would take place today, time seemed to be running quite too slowly for his liking. He couldn't help but grow more and more impatient as seconds ticked by.
Ugh, I can't sit still. I should stand up and hang out with some people in the meantime. My head will just hurt if I think about Monokuma's intentions too much…
Still, nonetheless, his heart ached when he eyed Kakuma's document. He couldn't help but want to tear up, having believed that Kakuma would've befriended everyone if it weren't for such a horrid game. Horrible, just horrible.
His heart truly ached for everyone. Everyone shouldn't have died so easily, so abruptly- it was as if they died without meaning, without value.
Or maybe this killing game was to tell them that they meant nothing? That Ultimates meant nothing? That they were useless no matter the title?
The answer was unclear. No one knew.
Minori sighed, scratching his head. He looked around the room, scanning for nothing in particular. Nothing interested him now, and the man placed the document back into the shelf. He closed it gently before heading outside the dorm.
The pseudologist decided to make his way to the dining hall for a snack. What snack he didn't know, but he desired one nonetheless. Walking past the dining hall and into the kitchen, he found Kamui and Saori.
"Oh, hello, Minori!" Kamui greeted, smiling with a polite nod. He was carrying plenty of spaghetti noodle packs in his hands. He easily carried the ton over to the other side, then ripping one open and pouring it into the boiling pot. "Do you need something at the moment?"
Minori shook his head slowly, watching the noodles boil. "No, just wanted to get a snack."
"You just ate a few hours ago," Saori said, not even sparing the pseudologist a glance. She was busy slicing her tomato. "Don't overfill your stomach."
Well… True, I'm not that hungry, but…
Minori awkwardly smiled. "I'll just eat a chocolate bar and leave."
"Chocolate?" Kamui pursed his lips. "Hm… I think they should be in the fridge. Sagiso said that they're there so that the chocolate doesn't melt."
Those are going to take a while to bite into and eat then.
"Ahem, never mind then." Minori walked closer to the duo. "Do you two need any help?"
"Oh." The mortician eyed the pseudologist with interest. "Are you not going to rest, Minori?"
"No, I'm free." Minori looked around the area. "Do you need help with anything? I'll try to help as much as I can."
"If you say so then!" Kamui turned to Saori. "Do you need any assistance with anything?"
Saori frowned. "Hm…" She looked down at her workplace, then around the area. She tapped her foot softly in a rhythm, a moment passing, then turned to Minori. "Can you grate the cheese? I want to use that for the pizza."
Minori nodded, moving over to grab the grater and a chunk of cheese. There, he began to work.
Apparently on the schedule for the meals were quite varied. Kamui and Saori planned to cook some spaghetti noodles with a white sauce and a red sauce- two to choose from, or plain if one desired. They also baked pizza in which they found dough accessible from one of the cabinets. Other than such meals were salmon baked in a lemony flavor, salad as a staple, and crunchy fried chicken to top everything off. There were also chicken noodle soup and egg flower soup to make everyone happy.
Desserts also came in a bundle. Minori instantly realized how much the duo were willing to make while working. Not only were there pastries of cream puffs and cheesecake slices available, but there were also cookies and brownies as well.
Drinks came quite easily. There were fruit punch, pineapple juice, and water available. Water and fruit punch were obvious, but pineapple juice was made simply to add a small variance. A cute touch, if Minori had to admit.
A few hours had passed since then, and now the food was ready. Or, at least, the trio were sure that the food was ready.
"Alright!" Kamui clapped his hands together. "We should take these to the auditorium before changing."
Saori nodded slowly. "Right. I had almost forgotten about my gown for the ball."
"Mhm. Here, I'll help."
Minori took ahold of a few dishes, bringing them over to the auditorium alongside Kamui and Saori. They placed it gently down the long table covered in a black-and-white cloth, then arranging it accordingly to their type. Drinks were first, the dishes went second, and finally the desserts for last.
The pseudologist sighed, placing down the bundle of chocolate chip and snickerdoodle cookies. He eyed the cookies almost hungrily, but held himself back and decided to take a look around the area.
The auditorium was decorated elegantly. There were round tables covered in a soft white cloth, then four chairs surrounding each table. In the center of each table were a vase with a flower inside of it, blooming beautifully. Other than that was the decorations around the entire room, bundles of shining gold and silver to be seen hanging.
Almost like a professional ballroom setting itself.
Minori chuckled. He turned to eye Kamui and Saori. "This place looks amazing, huh?"
Kamui smiled widely. "It honestly does. I am impressed by how much work was put into the decorations and arrangements."
"We're few in comparison to any regular ballroom party," Saori said, although amusement was apparent in her expression. "A few of us in comparison to hundreds… Well, I do enjoy being around my close acquaintances."
"Mhm." The mortician nodded. "That's right."
The body broker eyed the area slowly, then turning to Minori. "Seiga's going to be present, correct?"
"Oh, Seiga?" The pseudologist awkwardly smiled. "I'm hoping so. Did any of you talk to him today?"
Saori and Kamui glanced to one another, then shaking their heads.
"You should talk to him." Saori crossed her arms. "We want to include everyone in our group, after all."
Minori smiled softly. "True. I'll see if I can talk to him then."
"Mhm." Kamui smiled back. "The ball will start soon, after all."
The pseudologist nodded. He waved goodbye to the duo for now, heading off in search to accomplish his mission. His search was started with his path towards the stunt double's room.
Seiga should be inside of his room. I'm just hoping he won't push us away again.
Minori headed over towards the stunt double, however faltered once his eyes widened. The door was already opened, and there was someone who was in front of the door.
Fumio?
Fumio was speaking to Seiga, the stunt double's expression slightly uneasy as he listened to the scholar. Fumio was talking with a slightly agitated expression, the stunt double on the other hand responding with an awkward smile.
Minori quickly made his way over, interjecting into the conversation and stepping between the duo. "Hello."
"O-oh!" Fumio's eyes widened. He almost jumped at the man's entrance. "H-hello, Minori."
Seiga held his breath. Sweat trickled down from his forehead. "Uh, hey."
"Seiga, are you planning to stay inside there?" Minori suddenly turned to eye the stunt double, giving him a firm and stern look. His eyes almost stared into Seiga's.
"That's… I'm not sure." The stunt double averted his gaze. "Wouldn't I just ruin the damn party?"
"That's why I'm saying you won't!" Fumio puffed his cheeks, face red. "Don't be so stubborn."
Minori observed the stunt double's expression. It was entirely filled with hesitation and guilt. The stunt double was still blaming himself.
Idiot.
The pseudologist suddenly grabbed ahold of the stunt double's shoulders. He didn't bother to hear the man's sudden cries as Minori moved him further into his room.
Minori turned to Fumio. "I'll help him change. I'll make sure he comes to the ball with us."
"W-what? Oh." Fumio blinked for a couple of times, then nodding. "Sure."
The pseudologist threw the scholar a wink, then closing the door behind him. His grip on Seiga loosened as the stunt double took a step back, slightly nervous and pale.
"What do you want?" Seiga asked, eyebrows furrowing. His hands were clenched into fists. "Going to the ball is my choice, right? I didn't tell you that I was or wasn't going, so-!"
"Seiga, just calm down and look at me."
The stunt double froze. He slowly nodded and stared at the man.
Minori smiled. It was a calculated smile that almost seemed too natural, too genuine. "Fumio's not going to leave or ignore you if you just don't go. He doesn't hate you."
"But-"
Minori shook his head. "You don't have to be so scared. Like we talked about earlier, we won't ostracise or fear you. Don't be so worried."
"T-that's…" Seiga averted his gaze. He was biting into his lips. "I'm just not sure if I can believe that. I might end up yelling at Fumio and the others again. I kept trying to tell myself that you're right, that everyone's right, but…"
"But what?" The pseudologist frowned. "Seiga, please, just come with us to the ball."
"Why?" The stunt double furrowed his brows. "Why the hell do you even care?"
Minori's expression was steady. "Because you're still a part of us. Even if the glass heart in our bodies has all broken down into sixteen different pieces, you're a valuable piece that cannot be replaced by anything. We're all trying to make up for those missing pieces, and you're a valuable asset in helping keep us together."
Seiga was silent. He was holding his breath, face slightly pale.
"Are you sure?" The stunt double began, asking Minori in a low voice. "Are you sure Fumio or the others won't tell me to run back here and stand down, dying out of pity?"
Minori's face twisted into worry. "Why are you so hesitant?"
"... Monokuma."
He should've known. It should've been obvious.
No, it was already obvious to Minori. Just, he should've known that Seiga would've known. It should've been obvious that Seiga knew himself- knew what was wrong with him.
"Minori, I'm not fucking stable," the stunt double began, grabbing ahold of the pseudologist's shoulders. He brought the man close to his face. "I know I will just snap at Fumio or at the others sooner or later. I've been locking myself here because I know it will happen."
Minori's heart was beating, quickening and quickening. Still, he held his composure and shook his head. "That's because you're not believing in yourself. No one's stable."
"What?"
The pseudologist smiled forcibly, forcing himself to continue staring at Seiga. "You wouldn't know. We're being manipulated by Monokuma. We're all unstable right now. Maybe not to the extent of being obvious, noticeable to everyone, but… The signs are all there."
Seiga stared at the pseudologist, a sudden chill overwhelming his body. He quickly looked away. "What the fuck's happening then?"
"Whether unstable at a huge extent or not…" Minori chuckled bitterly. "Everyone's going through the same symptoms. Their heads are hurting, yet they continue to play the 'I'm fine' role. Nothing bad has happened yet, but something must be done."
"... Then…" Seiga bit into his lips. "Then why plan this party?"
Minori releases his grip on the man. "To brighten everyone's moods. It's a stress reliever, to put in a calculated standpoint. To be honest, it's merely a way for us to have fun and forget everything."
"To have fun." The stunt double smiled awkwardly. "I… I guess that's right."
Minori calmed himself. He eyed the man for a moment. "You're going to the ball then, right?"
"It's a stress reliever, right?" Seiga chuckled. "It sounds like a way for me to calm the fuck down. I think I'll go then."
The pseudologist smiled, clapping his hands together. "That's great! You're not going to betray those words, right?"
The man nodded. "Of course not. I'll go there."
Quite a change. A mood change, but nonetheless desirable.
Minori glanced around the room. "Did Sheina give you your clothes? You should go change."
"Oh." Seiga walked over to his closet. He opened it up and pointed to his suit. "Yeah, I got it."
"Alright, I'll head out then." Minori began walking to the door. He opened it slightly and turned to eye Seiga. "I'll come pick you up later."
Seiga's eyes widened, but he was unable to say anything as Minori walked out of the room and locked the door behind him.
Minori let out a sigh as he leaned against the now closed door.
Alright, I was able to persuade him. Hopefully he won't suddenly change his mind… Monokuma's really doing a number on him.
The pseudologist frowned.
I wonder how everyone else is faring. They don't seem that different from normal other than Fumio… but those were 'those' times.
Minori bit into his lips.
Yeah, it's definitely only to the extent of how much Monokuma's helpers messed with us. I still don't know why they're doing that though… or how. It's only bothering me and I can only make assumptions… it's creepy.
"Minori?"
Minori jumped. He had indulged into the world of dreams and suddenly had forgotten Fumio who was in front of him.
"O-oh!" The pseudologist smiled instantly. "You're still here, Fumio?"
The scholar nodded. "Mhm. I was worried about you and Seiga."
"That's really sweet of you." Minori chuckled. The urge to just ruffle the scholar's hair and embrace him out of content for Fumio's being was tempting, but he held himself back to simply smiling. "I managed to convince Seiga to come with us to the ball. I'll pick him up when he is ready."
"T-that's great!" Fumio's lips curved to a wide smile. It contrasted beautifully against his pale complexion. "He was unwilling to agree when I was talking to him."
Minori nodded. "He's just worried he'll end up hurting you and the others. It seems like that fear is overwhelming him more than his desire to be with us."
"Really? That's so sad." The scholar frowned. "I feel bad for him…"
That's all Monokuma's fault. The bastard, if not his damn friends, are messing with us. They're messing with us, and I have no goddamn reason why they're doing it.
If only I could think of a reason… Then…
The pseudologist sighed, scratching his head. "He'll be there at the ball now, at least. Hopefully he won't end up leaving early though."
"Mhm!" Fumio nodded. "Everyone misses him…"
"Well, let's not worry about that now," the pseudologist said, throwing the scholar a warm smile, "The party will start soon. We should change clothes now."
The scholar nodded. "R-right."
Minori and Fumio went their separate ways for now, the duo heading to their own dorm rooms. The pseudologist easily made his way into his room, walking over to the closet and opening it to reveal his tuxedo. He gently grabbed ahold of the clothes and closed the closet doors, then making his way to change.
As he was changing, a few thoughts escaped through his head which were followed by answers.
Will Seiga be at the party? Of course, Minori would make sure of that.
How long will the ball take from start to finish? Possibly the entire night.
Does the tuxedo look fine? He didn't know. Sheina and the others had to be the judges of that.
These were trivial thoughts, but nonetheless better and much more fun loving than those he usually had. These thoughts relieved him of stress, and if he ever thought long and hard about their overall situation, then a quick thought about the party will hopefully make him happy.
Just hopefully. Temporary, yes, but hopefully.
Minori adjusted his clothes in the mirror. He positioned the tie around him carefully. He combed his hair and brushed it, hoping to make it neater than usual. A few minutes passed before he felt that he seemed to look decently professional.
Alright. I should get going then.
The pseudologist made his way outside the dorm room, throwing on a confident posture. He headed first towards Seiga's room, knocking on the door.
A few seconds passed before the door creaked opened.
"Minori?" Seiga eyed the man strangely, then noticing his attire, lost his stiffness and smiled softly- even if it was for a brief second. "You look nice in that. You trying to impress someone?"
The pseudologist grinned at the man's words. He couldn't help but miss Seiga's usual remarks. "I bet you look nicer than me, haha."
"No, haven't you seen my fucking skin and eye bags? I look like shit," Seiga said, shaking his head. Still, he decided to open the door more which allowed Minori to observe his entire body.
Seiga was wearing a dark blue tuxedo, nonetheless one close to a navy blue color. He was wearing a black collared shirt under that suit of his, then a white tie around his collar. On the bottom were his matching pair of dress pants and black dress shoes.
"Why're you still staring?" Seiga raised a brow. His cheeks were slightly pink as he grabbed ahold of Minori's shoulders and shoved him slightly. A nervous smile was on his face. "Geez, stop staring, will you?"
Minori awkwardly smiled as he noticed the subtle look of embarrassment on Seiga's face. "You look good though. Just make sure Sagiso doesn't see your face- she'll end up bugging you about your eye bags."
"Sounds like you've had experience with that," Seiga mused, raising a brow.
Minori blushed immediately. "O-oh, shush!"
The stunt double awkwardly smiled. It was obviously forced. The man was definitely trying to make conversation with Minori, and it seemed to be working- at least, decently. All he hoped now was to not fuck up when the party actually starts.
Minori was sure he wouldn't. He was confident that nothing would go wrong.
"Let's go then."
Minori and Seiga headed out together. Although the conversation between the two had dwindled, the pseudologist was sure that the stunt double would be fine. Still, confidence was not at all permanent. Minori stole a glance over to side, hoping to take a look at Seiga and clear himself of any doubts.
Seiga was still a bit weary. If it weren't for Minori and Fumio, the man most certainly would've locked himself in his room- and that was a likely possibility, given how Seiga's pride and confidence couldn't destroy that obvious look of worry on his face. The stunt double seemed to steal glances back and forth, sweat trickling down his forehead. He continued to look worried, anxiety almost overwhelming him before his eyes met Minori's. Seiga instantly looked away from the pseudologist and coughed loudly, almost as if to rid of the tension.
Minori inwardly frowned. He decided to say nothing, knowing that Seiga might snap if he were to bother him in his disturbed state of being.
Hopefully his mood won't constantly switch back and forth…
The pseudologist couldn't say much else however, continuing to walk towards the auditorium alongside Seiga.
The first person to notice the duo was Kaniza herself, the woman having just walked outside the room.
"Oh my heavens!" Kaniza gasped. She threw her hands over her mouth, eyes blinking rapidly, almost shining brightly in comparison to the sparkles in her dark blue gown. "S-Seiga!"
Seiga jumped at this, face paling. He glanced over to Minori who tried to shoot him a comforting glance, but quickly cleared his throat and grinned. "Hey there. Haven't seen you for a while, Kaniza."
"Seiga!" Kaniza couldn't care less about the man's nervousness (most likely she hadn't even noticed it), embracing the man tightly. Her smile was warm and entirely genuine, the woman releasing Seiga with a relieved sigh. "I'm so glad you're here. I was beginning to worry that you weren't coming."
Seiga nodded slowly. "Fuck, yeah, that's…"
The astrophotographer shook her head, moving a hand up. "No, no, it's fine. I'm not mad at you. I can't be considering everything that's been going down."
The stunt double looked troubled by this. To him, that seemed like a lie. "Yeah, I guess so."
Kaniza giggled sweetly, then turning to Minori. "You look nice in that! Sheina and the others really did a great job with all our clothes."
Minori smiled. "I agree. Everything looks amazing. They've really done a splendid job."
Though it's still to note that there's no way we would've been able to sew clothes so perfectly like this unless we're the Ultimate Designer or whatnot… Nonetheless bombs…
"Mhm!" Kaniza opened the door behind her, motioning the duo inside. "Come, come!"
Minori and Seiga stole a look with one another, then headed into the ballroom.
"Testing, testing- Oh?"
Someone's voice spoke loudly and articulated. Minori and Seiga directed their gaze, following the source of the voice. Through the speakers and from the microphone held in hand, Kamui was on top of the stage.
"Seiga?" He was blinking repeatedly, unable to believe his very own eyes. He almost dropped the microphone held in hand as well. "Y-you're here?"
Seiga gulped, slowly walking forward into the room. He slowly made his way over to Kamui who was eyeing him in shock. "Uh, hey."
Kamui's expression hardened. He slowly brought the microphone down to the ground before hopping off the stage, meeting eye to eye with the stunt double. He observed him for a short, brief moment.
"Uh…" Seiga awkwardly raised a brow. "Should I go?"
Kamui cupped his chin. He rubbed it for a few seconds, then shaking his head. "Where were you?"
"What?" The stunt double's eyes widened.
"You locked yourself in your room, and now you're here." Kamui crossed his arms. "Don't you have something to say to everyone?"
The stunt double smiled forcibly, scratching his head. "Uh… dude, what do I have to say?"
Kamui stared at him, almost in disappointment. That expression disappeared without warning however, as the man instead smiled back and grabbed Seiga's shoulders. "Stay with us this time, alright? Don't lock yourself in, please."
"Y-yeah." Seiga was baffled. "Alright, sure."
From where Minori stood, it was obvious that Kamui wanted to say something else to Seiga. That smile from Kamui's was fake and obviously forced, and it was also obvious that Seiga was completely baffled by what was happening. Minori assumed that Kamui wanted Seiga to admit his guilt and apologize to everyone, and Seiga failed to realize that.
Seiga's still a prideful person, after all… and Kamui's the type of person who expects us to treat one another equally.
Minori sighed. He honestly hadn't even realized that the stunt double seemed unwilling to apologize for the discord he had caused so far. To lock himself in his room and cause the others to worry was definitely aggravating. It was obvious that Kamui would've expected something from Seiga, but instead he had gotten nothing.
"Please relax here, Seiga," Kamui continued, noticing the paleness in the stunt double's face, "This is a way to relieve your stress. This party isn't meant to further your stress."
"I know that." Seiga frowned. He looked around the area, uneasiness in his eyes.
The door opened, Sagiso walking into the room alongside Saori, Rin, and Sheina. The quartet of women were speaking to one another, then grinning widely once they met Kaniza straight into the room.
"Hey, there he is!" Sheina suddenly grabbed ahold of Sagiso, forcing her to turn her body. She even grabbed the psychogeographer's face and directed it to the front. "There's your prince!"
Minori's eyes widened as he took a look at Sagiso. She was wearing a beautiful white gown, pearls decorating her waist and the skirt of her gown designed in a flowery symbol. The woman was even wearing her auburn hair different from her usual twin braids. Instead of her hair tied into braids, it was laid down, hair flowing, wavy and silky.
She was like an angel from the skies above.
"S-Sheina!" Sagiso quickly shook her head, prying the woman off of her. Her entire face was red, fists clenched. "P-please be more courteous, would you?"
Rin sighed, shaking her head. She walked over to meet Minori and the others, holding onto her gown in order to not trip. "You guys look great."
Kamui chuckled warmly, toying with the black bowtie that contrasted well to his dark gray tuxedo. "Mhm, and you look well in that gown."
The jeweler rolled her eyes. "Of course I do."
Kamui slowly rolled away from Minori and Seiga, the mortician now engaging in a pleasant conversation with Rin.
Saori approached the duo now, focus entirely on Seiga. "It's good to see you're here. I was beginning to get frustrated over how you isolated yourself from us."
"Oh!" The stunt double jumped. "That's… well."
The body broker raised a brow, but then said nothing as she left. Her beautiful black gown which was designed almost to symbolize a swan in a pristine, empty river flowed side to side as she walked back to Sheina and the others. The egyptologist and astrophotographer were busy teasing Sagiso.
Minori sighed, turning to Seiga. A playful smile was on his face. "See? Just relax, you'll be fine here."
Seiga furrowed his brows. "Uhuh."
"Oh my god, you two are too much for me." Sagiso was covering her mouth, entirely red now. She was standing still in place, Sheina and Kaniza high-fiving one another. She didn't even move as Saori patted her back.
The door opened once more, and it stayed opened, for the last guest had arrived.
Fumio was walking happily into the room, twiddling with his white suit. He first waved to Sheina's group who waved back at him, then his eyes sparkling with excitement as he noticed Minori and Seiga. There, he immediately ran over to their side.
"I-I'm so happy to see you here!" The scholar cried, almost too excited. It was as if he was a child, his smile almost goofy in a sense. He immediately caught himself in this act however, quickly clearing his throat and blushing. "H-hello, Seiga."
"You…" Seiga's expression looked hurt. He resorted to shaking his head, looking away from the man and murmuring underneath his breath. "You're such an idiot…"
No one caught ahold of the man's words, Fumio clapping his hands together. "Uh, the party is starting now, right?"
"Oh, right." Minori turned to eye the stage. It was empty. "Uh, I think someone should be getting on stage-"
"I got it!"
Sheina quickly ran over to the stage, almost as quick as light as she zipped straight to the top of the stage, microphone in hand. A mischievous smirk escaped her lips as she suddenly threw a hand up, other to her mouth.
"Hello? Can you all hear me?"
Everyone began to cheer, applauding the woman.
The egyptologist twirled in response, her exotic hues of bright colors sparkling under the lights. "I, the Son of Osiris, commend ourselves for an amazing job throughout our investigation! This ceremony, right here, right now, is our treat to our soon to be victory!"
Kaniza was caught up in the moment, jumping up and down. "That's right!"
"That's the spirit! The Gods grant us our desire to party then!" Sheina confidently laughed into the open. "Let us party then!"
"Woohoo! Yeah!"
The party officially came to a start. Music began to play, resonating into the room which was happily filled with a lively atmosphere. People began talking to one another and dancing, others eating food and bouncing to the beat. They couldn't care less about whatever was outside of the ballroom- all they cared about now was to party and have fun for the rest of the night.
Of course, it was obvious that some people came in and out during various times at the party, but that was nothing to worry about. People always bustled in and about, but they always came back. It was nothing to take notice of at all.
Minori smiled, engaging himself in a conversation with Saori and Kamui. The trio found themselves bumping into one another while grabbing their drinks.
"Everyone's in high spirits." Kamui chuckled. He sipped into his drink of fruit punch. "I love how lively we are."
"Almost as if the killing game was never a thing." Saori crossed her arms. She was watching Kaniza who was helping Sagiso out with her dance. "If only Monokuma took care to value life more."
Kamui sighed, rocking his cup back and forth. "We can always pray that everyone's souls will rest at ease. I'm still disgusted by the fact that Monokuma cannot be bothered to prepare our poor friends a proper burial."
"That is fine." Saori spoke without much emotion, only interested in watching Kaniza and Sagiso. The subtle look of amusement was on the body broker's face however. "The soul is all that matters. It leaves the body, so the body does not hold value anymore."
Kamui tensed up at this, however kept a firm smile as he chuckled. "I almost forgot you were a body broker."
The body broker nodded, not bothering to glance back at the mortician. "Mhm."
Minori, noticing the awkwardness beginning to weave its way through, quickly cleared his throat. "Have you two danced yet? The song sounds really nice right now."
"I'm surprised Monokuma had a plentiful amount of CDs," Saori mused, focus now turned to the song playing. A satisfied hum escaped her lips. "It does sound quite nice."
Kamui chuckled. "I wonder what else will be playing."
"Same-" Minori noticed Kaniza motioning him over. "-Ahem, excuse me."
Minori walked over to meet Kaniza. The woman smiled happily. "Minnie, I want to ask you something!"
The pseudologist wondered if he'd regret this instantly. "What is it?"
Kaniza giggled. "You went out on a date with Sagiso last night, huh?"
"T-that's-!" Minori blushed red. He looked around the room before looking back to Kaniza. "D-does everyone know?"
Kaniza shrugged. "I mean, it's pretty obvious at this point. Even the stars above would've laughed if someone didn't know that."
The pseudologist sighed, shaking his head. He figured Rin or Sheina told everyone else about this. He could only hope Fumio won't join in on the teasing.
"Is that all you have to say to me?"
The raven laughed, throwing Minori a thumbs-up.
Oh goddamnit.
Minori rolled his eyes, leaving the woman to be. He was about to head back to Kamui and Saori, however stopped in his tracks- he found himself eyeing quite a peculiar scene, after all.
Sheina was grinning wryly, whistling. Seiga was on the ground, breakdancing in the middle of the floor.
"Woah, you go, Seiga!"
Seiga spun on his head before leaping off from the floor, standing perfectly on his two feet. He winced, gripping his hand. Noticing the look of worry on Sheina's face, he quickly smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine."
Sheina frowned. "Are you sure? You don't have to dance if you don't want to."
"We're here to have fun." The stunt double awkwardly chuckled. "I wanted to entertain you and the others."
The egyptologist was hesitant, however laughed it off and threw an arm over the man. "Alright then! Why don't we drink the night off with some punch?"
"Punch?" Seiga raised a brow. He thought for a moment before his cheeks turned red. "O-oh! You mean the fruit punch. Right, I'm fucking stupid."
Sheina laughed, dragging Seiga over to the line of food. "Let's go! I'm sure you haven't eaten yet anyways."
Seiga was unable to decline the offer, being dragged over towards the food. There, Sheina gulped down a shot of fruit punch, sighing and then handing Seiga a cup. He eyed it strangely, then shrugged, shooting it into his mouth.
"Yeah!" Sheina cried out. "Drink! Eat! Let's have fun here!"
Kaniza poked her head out from where she stood. Her interest was instantly grabbed. "Ooh, are we all going to have an eating contest or something?"
"Let us drink the punch in moderation," Kamui said, eyeing Sheina who was now drinking shots of fruit punch. The mortician was unable to say anything more however, for the egyptologist shoved him a glass. "O-oh dear heavens, are you insane? Why're you so hyper-"
Kamui was unable to speak any further. Everyone began exclaiming and cheering loudly over hm.
Saori sighed, watching chaos unfold before her very eyes. She quickly left to the other side of the room where Rin and Fumio were, the duo eating and drinking at a table.
Minori slowly backed away from the scene, moving one step backward before hearing a yelp behind him.
"O-oh! Sorry." Minori quickly turned around, then finding Sagiso. His cheeks blushed a faint hue. "Oh, Sagiso."
Sagiso eyed the man with a warm smile, unbothered by his movement. "Nice to see you, Minori. You look well in that. I'm glad it seems to fit you well."
The pseudologist smiled. "Same to you. You look much more beautiful than you usually are."
"I-I see." Sagiso's cheeks blushed red. The woman averted her gaze. "You really think so? Sheina wanted to put my hair down as well, so…"
"You look fine like that." Minori chuckled. "No matter what you wear, I think you look beautiful."
"Gosh, you're such a flirt." Sagiso grinned playfully. "You almost made me swoon for a moment there."
The pseudologist rolled his eyes. He heard the song coming to an end, and another one beginning. "That wasn't my intention. It was a genuine compliment."
Sagiso eyed the man for a moment. Her gown was sparkling under the light. "So, would you like to dance?"
Minori's face grew redder. His heart almost burst from the woman's words. The sweet voice of a man serenaded the background, a orchestral tune helping to accompany that.
"Aw, come on, why do you look so embarrassed?" Sagiso grinned at the pseudologist. It was an attempt to tease him, but it was obvious that she was embarrassed herself. "It's like what we did yesterday, remember? Do you not remember how to dance?"
"Of course I remember," Minori was able to say, quickly composing himself. He then held out his hand to the woman. "You won't end up hurting yourself while we dance, right?"
"Don't worry about me." Sagiso winked. "I was able to dance with you yesterday, after all."
The pseudologist grinned. "Then I have nothing to worry about."
Sagiso rolled her eyes, but grabbed ahold of Minori's hand as he held her up, putting her feet over his. Minori gave the woman a warm smile before beginning to move to the rhythm of the song, Sagiso swaying her body in the process. The duo gracefully moved around the ballroom, their thoughts straying away from the world around them. They couldn't care less about the noise buzzing about, nevertheless those pairs of eyes which stared straight at the duo. They simply danced and danced.
It was as if hours had passed in the midst of the night. It would've been romantic if the stars were high above, bright and clear without any clouds to dim the lighting. It would've been gorgeous for the couple to be in the middle of the night, a pristine lake that sparkled and acted like the lights from below. The lake where the ballerina and her partner would dance- the swan and the prince.
A swan, because, yes, Sagiso was a beautiful swan that sparkled under the light placed down upon her. A beautiful sight for Minori to behold. Her white gown contrasted beautifully with the darkness of his suit. A contrast, a match made for heaven and hell.
For life and death.
Minori spun around, taking his partner with him. He smiled as he heard her giggles, expression completely that of genuine admiration as he twirled her around and around.
The song eventually came to an end, and the duo finished off their dance with warm smiles. They looked at one another happily, pleased with their delightful, exquisite sequence.
Applause.
"Woo!" Kaniza was the first to cry out, face red. She ran over to the duo and threw her arms around each one. "You two were amazing out there!"
Fumio's lips were curved to a wide smile. "You two looked like you were having fun there."
"Ah…" Minori awkwardly scratched his head. "Well, I suppose you can say that."
"Let's cut open a cake or something," Rin said. She seemed more than willing to jump into the fray. "We must celebrate for that amazing performance."
Sheina grinned widely. She shot two glasses of fruit punch up to the air. "We must celebrate this beautiful scene to the Gods! Drink, we must!"
Kamui groaned, groggily looking up from his table. "Really, you want to feast more…?"
Seiga shrugged. The competitive fire in his eyes brightened as he noticed Sheina gulping down a shot of fruit punch. "I'm honestly fine with anything."
Sagiso and Minori glanced at one another, laughing. They were embarrassed- of course, that was normal- however, they were overwhelmed with amusement and excitement, following Sheina's orders as everyone began to drink and eat more than a beast could ever afford to take in.
Like what had happened before, everyone indulged themselves in their chaos. By Sheina's command (and the lack, though mainly inability, to overturn the authority to themselves), everyone ravaged into the buffet in front of their very eyes. Everyone drank and ate left and right, and if it wasn't apparent that everyone was livelier than ever, it was obvious now.
"Woohoo!" Sheina was jumping to and fro. She had captured Kaniza in her grasp, the astrophotographer laughing alongside Sheina. It was to note that the duo were laughing for no reason.
Rin yawned, letting out a groan. Her entire face was red. "Guys… Did we accidentally drink alcohol or something? Everything's spinning."
"I-I assure you I did not mix the drinks up!" Kamui cried. His moods were constantly changing from second to second. "Ugh, my head hurts."
Saori gulped, eyeing the group. She was slightly moving off beat, almost close to losing her balance. "I-I told you all to drink in moderation… Sheesh…"
"I think someone spiked the drinks!" Seiga screamed. He was roaring in anger. "Let me at them!"
"S-Seiga!" Fumio was tearing up, trying to calm the man down. "Please!"
"Did someone really spike the drinks? I…" Sagiso was speaking groggily. She was laying down on the table, on the verge of fainting. "I should've known about this…"
"I'm surprised we even have alcohol anyways!" Kaniza giggled happily, hiccuping simultaneously. "Hehe! I'm having fun! Let's dance some more! Kamui!"
Kamui gasped, fear in his eyes. "W-why me?!"
Kaniza jumped up from her seat, but before she could charge into the frightened Kamui, she fell straight down.
"Eek!"
Kaniza fell unconscious.
"Oh dear heavens…" Rin groaned. She was on the verge of throwing up. "I need to rest or something…"
"I-I'll help Kaniza-"
Saori fell off of her seat. She was too dizzy to even consider moving, leading to Seiga running over to her despite falling on his own face in the process.
"Haha!" Kamui snorted. "Loser!"
Seiga snarled at the man. "You wanna fight, you fuck?!"
"No!" The mortician quickly raised his hands up. "I'm sorry! Aah!"
Kamui began running for the door, but ended up hitting against the wall in the process. He instantly fell back, knocked unconscious.
"Idiot…" Rin groaned. She was breathing heavily. "That's why you shouldn't stand up and bother… Ugh…"
Minori was frozen. He gulped, watching the entire scene unfold before his very eyes. He felt his own head spinning. His entire body felt limp and heat was overwhelming his head. His heart was burning, and he couldn't even bother to mutter a single word. All he could do was think, and even thinking was hurting him.
The fruit punch was definitely spiked. Why though? Is this just a joke, or was the fruit punch mix actually a mixture of alcohol and punch…?
What am I even saying? Fucking kill me. My head hurts…
Minori could hear someone crying in the background. Crocodile tears were heard as Seiga began screaming. Fumio and Saori were left trying to calm everyone down in their drunken states, Sheina laughing in the middle and Rin silently falling into a state of unconsciousness.
Fucking… Just make my head stop spinning…
And his wish was granted, for he immediately fell down unconscious.
Darkness.
And even more darkness.
Darkness continued to stay and stick for a few hours until the faint voice of someone knocked him from his poor state of being.
"... wake up…!"
He couldn't hear well. A small groan escaped his lips. Darkness stayed around his world.
"... ori… wake…!"
"Mm…"
Minori felt hands shaking his shoulders. They were cold and rough- it seemed like whoever was waking him up had just awoken themselves.
"Ugh…" The pseudologist slowly found himself opening his eyes. Tired, tired eyes which screamed at the sight of light. He wanted to shut his eyes again, however kept them opened for he saw the person in front of him. "Oh… Kamui…?"
Kamui was staring down at the man, right across the table. The mortician was tired himself, cheeks flushed of its color. "God, I can't believe we got drunk! Ugh, anyways, Minori, get up."
Minori blinked a couple of times, rubbing his eyes. He slowly forced himself up from his seat to stand. "How about the others?"
The mortician frowned. He glanced over to Kaniza who was walking around the room to wake the Ultimates. "I just regained consciousness."
"How many hours have passed?" Minori asked.
Kamui pursed his lips. "Uh… Two? Three? I'm not completely certain…" He then quickly shook his head. "Nevermind that. We should wake up the others-"
"Kamui!"
The mortician turned around, Kaniza having called out to him. She had recently woken up Fumio and Seiga. "Did you wake up Rin already?"
"Rin?" Kamui frowned, expression slowly hardening. "No, why?"
Kaniza held her breath. "She's not in here."
Minori's heart jumped.
"Oh my god." Kamui immediately threw his hands over his mouth. His face immediately paled, more so than the whiteness of snow. "This… This is a setup!"
"K-Kamui!" Kaniza quickly waved her hands about. She realized the man's panic without a second thought, and instantly did she want to crush it. "This is just a mistake! She probably just woke up early and decided to rest in her room!"
"Y-yeah!" Minori quickly jumped at the idea. He grabbed ahold of Kamui's shoulders, holding the man down in his panic. "Rin's probably just sleeping in her room right now. It's-"
Seiga looked over to Minori. He had groggily awoken. "What's happening?"
Minori froze. "Uh… It's nothing. We're just going to look for Rin."
"For Rin?" Sagiso bobbed her head up. She had regained consciousness alongside Saori and Sheina. "Why? She's… Where is she?"
"Wait, Rin? She's gone? Rin? Rin?!" Sheina jumped up immediately. Fear instantly overwhelmed her face, body jumping up and down. "We need to look for Rin!"
"H-hey, calm down!"
Kaniza tried to calm down everyone, but Sheina immediately ran outside the room. The egyptologist's efforts were followed by Kamui who began rushing away from the room. Soon, everyone followed without a second to even ponder what was happening.
No. No! This must be a mistake! This is a terrible mistake!
Minori shook his head. He had no time to think now. He had to look for Rin.
Rin! Rin! Please be safe!
Minori charged out of the door, turning his head left and right. He began checking each room, each area. She wasn't there. She wasn't anywhere.
He charged straight at the dormitories. He knocked at the jeweler's door for violently.
One. Two. Three.
Nothing.
Minori groaned.
Shit. I need to break through-!
"I got this!"
Minori's eyes widened, suddenly finding himself shoved to the side. Seiga immediately swung his hip, foot flying straight into the door.
Whoosh!
The door flung opened.
No one was inside. In fact, everything looked the same. There was nothing off about the room at all. Nothing inside of the room that was suspicious.
"Shit!" Minori cursed underneath his breath. "Where is she?"
Seiga shook his head. "We need to look somewhere else."
Minori and Seiga ran around the entire building. Everyone was split up in different areas of the building. There was hope that someone would run down, yelling that everything was fine. There was hope that Rin would appear, mocking the group for their nervousness.
No, none of that had happened. Nothing good was happening.
Minori panted, sweating as he turned a corner. He was now on the fourth floor. Rin was not to be seen. She wasn't anywhere at all.
The first floor? Inside of her room? The laundry room? The library? No, she wasn't there at all.
The second floor? Inside of the gymnasium or cafe or the swimming pool? No, she wasn't there at all.
The third floor? Inside of the music room? Choir room? Anything? No, of course not. She wasn't there at all.
How about now, in the fourth floor?
Minori only had to cross his fingers, praying.
No, she wasn't anywhere in the hallways. Minori caught notice of Fumio who was worriedly speaking to Saori, their faces pale.
The door to the changing room swung opened. Minori ran inside, but-
"Ah?!"
The pseudologist slipped and fell to the ground. Landing on his bosom, the man let out a low groan.
What the hell…?
Minori turned to the side, behind. There was a glint on the ground.
Is it… What? Why… why is the floor wet?
Minori turned to Seiga. The stunt double was looking around the room, left and right. He was pacing back and forth, shaking his head.
"I don't see her anywhere." Seiga gritted his teeth. "Where is she? What the fuck?"
"Rin? Rin?!"
Kamui ran into the room. He was breathless, looking everywhere from left to right, back and forth. His eyes met with Seiga's and Minori's.
"H-have you guys seen her yet?"
Minori averted his gaze. That tone of desperation was all too apparent. "Kamui…"
Kaniza ran inside the room. "Hey, guys-"
She immediately threw her hands over her mouth, and immediately fell down.
"W-what?" Seiga's eyes widened, the woman almost falling to his feet. "Kaniza?"
"Oh my god…" Kaniza was shaking. "Oh my god, oh my god…"
"Kaniza?" Seiga grabbed ahold of the woman. "What the fuck's wrong with you? What happened?"
"I… That's…"
Kaniza pointed up, a shaky finger directing the stunt double's attention to that direction.
Up, up, and about.
Up, up, and about to… Rin.
To Rin's body.
To Rin's bloody, bloody body.
"H-holy shit!" Seiga jumped back, screaming. "What the fuck?! Is that Rin?!"
"What?" Kamui's face paled. He slowly looked up, and immediately regretted it. He began gagging, grabbing at his stomach. "This… I have to go-!"
Kamui instantly ran out of the room.
Minori bit into his lips.
There's…
He slowly moved his head up.
There's no way…
Dark brown hair, now dyed in red. Limbs with the complexion of pale, now sickly and blotched with purple and red hues. That beautiful gown, now tainted in crimson red.
There was no doubt about it. It was Rin.
Rin Hoseki, the Ultimate Jeweler, and the Ultimate Jewelry Thief.
Minori gritted his teeth, turning to Seiga. "P-put her down! She might-!"
Seiga didn't bother to respond, immediately running over to the machine and pressing the button.
The pulley began to move, bringing down the surface of metal. It was descending. Slowly, slowly descend. Impatience struck Minori's mind as he ran over to the jeweler's side.
"Rin!"
Minori twitched. He flinched at the sight of the woman. Her entire mouth was covered in blood. Her entire face was hues of purple, pink, blue, and red. Her body was bathed in blood, and from closer inspection it seemed that her wounds were internal.
Internal, internal wounds that burst opened and ate at her skin. Her skin was opened and her entire body was covered in opened wounds and blotches. Disgusting. Gory. Disgusting.
It was disgusting.
"Oh my god…" Kaniza was murmuring under her breath. She was panicking, breathing shallowly and quickly. "Oh my god, this can't be happening, this can't…"
Seiga gently moved Kaniza and Minori to the side. He bent down to meet Rin's body, then pressing a warm hand over the woman's heart. He waited for a second. A frown. He quickly pressed his fingers to her neck and wrists.
"... G-guys!" The stunt double turned to the duo. "S-she's still breathing!"
"W-what?" Kaniza gasped. She immediately threw herself at Rin, unaware that her own gown and hair was covered in blood. "Rin! Rin! Oh my god! Please!"
Rin's eyes were dull. Those big eyes of her's were now lost of its color, lost of its life and shine. They were devoid of life. No, her eyes were clinging onto that want of life, but it was dwindling.
The subtle movement of her mouth moving disappeared. Cough, cough, goes the blood. She was coughing up blood and choking. She couldn't even move her body. Her wounds continued to open, and more continued to form.
"Oh my god…" Kaniza was sobbing. "W-what should I do? W-why… How do we…?"
Seiga bit into his lips. "I… I don't fucking know…"
Minori held his breath. He felt tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes. He noticed everyone running into the scene.
"Rin?!" Sheina cried. She threw her hands over her head and without warning, fainted into Saori's arms.
"I-I saw Kamui running out, and…" Sagiso bit into her lips. She was being carried by the body broker. "... I can't believe we let this happen."
"N-no!" Kaniza shook her head. "Guys! S-she's still breathing! We might be able to save-!"
"She's dying."
"H-huh?"
Saori walked over to Rin. She eyed the woman for a moment, then slowly turning to Kaniza. "She's bound to die. She's been poisoned."
The astrophotographer's eyes widened. "No… B-but can't we do something about it?"
Saori gritted her teeth. "Her injuries are too much for her to handle. She's… She's going to die."
"No…" Tears began to overwhelm the woman's face. "But why…?"
Fumio was trembling, hugging himself tightly. "This is horrible…"
"B-but Rin's still alive!" Kaniza cried. She was sobbing loudly. "S-she's suffering right now! She can't even speak!"
"... Are we…" Minori slowly eyed the group. "Are we going to let her die like this?"
"W-what?"
The pseudologist averted his gaze. "She's suffering."
Kaniza jumped at this. "I-I can relieve her! I-!"
"No, don't!" Sagiso's tone suddenly shot up. She was breathless, eyes diluting. "Don't. Don't do that, please."
"But…"
"Don't! Don't you remember what happened the last time someone did that?"
Kaniza opened her mouth to respond, but was silenced by Fumio who shook his head. The woman was forced back into weeping.
Sagiso panted deeply. She threw Minori a look. "What're you doing?"
"I… I don't know."
Shit. Why did I think of that? What the fuck?!
"Rin…" Sagiso looked down at Rin. She was staring straight into Rin's dulling eyes. "I'm so sorry."
Rin wanted to speak. It was obvious, given the woman's furrowed brows. Her eyeballs rolled left to right, but it was obvious she couldn't see. She couldn't see well. She couldn't hear well. She was breathing.
Breathing which became shallower… and shallower…
And finally…
Her breathing stopped.
She fell limp, and her head rolled back.
Death.
Ding dong! Ding dong!
"Hello! There's been a body discovered! I repeat, there's been a body discovered! Please report to the er… changing room immediately!"
Something broke inside of Minori.
That broken heart of his broke even further, and he fell deeper into despair.
Chapter 4 - Part 1 END
Our Poor Subconscious Minds
Survivors: 8
Would you like to save?
[YES] | NO
... And that is the end to this chapter! We now have our Chapter 4 victim, but who can be the killer? Well, the answer lies within the trial (or possibly investigation), so please wait patiently and continue to ponder on who could've killed our dear victim!
Like always, between my two stories, I will juggle one trial at a time! I'm not sure which trial I will focus on at this time, but I will for sure have an answer by the time I release the next chapter to Act of Despair!
And like always, please go support our dear friends and fellow writers! Crimson Spider Lily and zephryr both have their own SYOCs out, so please feel free to submit characters to them! Also, another fellow writer still has a SYOC that is open and that is from our dear writer Orlando Butler! Please do go and support these creators if possible~
Thanks, and have a great day!