It was dinner time already. Mitsue and Otoha had finished cooking and serving their dinner. Even though it was time to eat, only eight campers were inside the dining hall. They were the same eight who had eaten breakfast and lunch together earlier. Silently, Mitsue was eating his dinner beside Hiroto, the only other one who was quiet, while the others were having a fun conversation or are at least trying to have one.
How can I tell them that the collar is completely impenetrable? They are trying their best to stay positive. To dump them with this bad news will just ruin their hopes. I should at least tell them after they are done with their fun conversation. That is the least I could do for now.
During the group's conversation, Mizuki asked, "By the way, where were you Kia earlier? I was looking for you. I could not find you anywhere."
"Why were you looking for me?" Kia asked.
"I was going to ask you to help me with something. Luckily, Yo was willing to help me." Then, Mizuki turned to Yo. "Thank you for helping me earlier! You were an angel sent by God to help me!"
Waving her hand bashfully, Yo said, "It was nothing! The real angel between the two of us is you! You are so pure and sweet! I don't know anyone like you!"
"Thank you for the compliment! I am just trying to live the way my God wants me to!" Mizuki replied.
Then, Yo turned to Kia asking, "Going back to Mizuki's question, where were you earlier?"
Kia replied, "I was with Orie and Mitsue in the tool shed. We were trying to rid of this thing." Kia pointed at her collar.
"You did mention something about helping Mitsue with that this morning. How did it go?" Otoha asked putting her hands together.
Suddenly, Kaoru interjected, "I am sure it went well! With our great leader, they must have discovered something!
"Well… um…" Kia could only look at Mitsue.
I guess it is time to tell them what happened. Letting out a sharp exhale, Mitsue replied, "We used everything we can but we were not able to make a dent or a scratch on this fucking thing."
Immediately, the room fell into silence. No one dared to say a thing. All they could do was look at their food and let the bad news sink in. Shit! This is exactly what I did not want to happen. But what the fuck was I even expecting? I sure knew they would not be jumping up and down laughing their ass off and cheering like there is no tomorrow after hearing that this fucking nightmare can't be scratched nor dented.
Out of nowhere, teary-eyed, Mizuki asked, "Does this mean our situation is hopeless?"
To know that my news is probably going to make Mizuki cry is making this feel so much worse. Fucking bullshit! Can someone say anything good? Please…
Suddenly, Yo stood up commanding everyone's attention. Pointing at everyone, Yo shouted, "It is not yet over until it is over! We still have two more days to figure out how to get this thing off! We still have plenty of time to save ourselves. We just need to continue finding a way out of it!"
Then, Kaoru added, "But you heard them say the collar is impenetrable. How can we get something indestructible off of our necks?"
Yo replied, "Well, we can cross out whatever they did. We just need to think of another way. Simple as that!"
"I love how you say 'Simple as that!' even though it is not that simple." Otoha commented.
Putting her right index finger on her cheek, Yo replied, "What is not so simple about it? Just try new ways to get this thing off of us! Soak it in water. Heat it. Pour acid on it. There are so many things we can do if we just try them all! Isn't it simple if we think of it that way?"
Suddenly, Mitsue let out a laugh. Everyone looked at him as he giggled while staring at his plate of food.
Hiroto asked, "Why are you laughing?"
After a few seconds, Mitsue stopped. He looked at Yo and answered, "I am amused by Yo. You are extremely naïve and childish. It can be overbearing but our group needs the same mindset as yours right now."
Showing a thumbs up, Yo said, "I do not understand what you meant by overbearing but all of it sounded like a compliment so thank you!"
Shaking his head, Mitsue added, "Yo is right. It is not yet over. We still have more time and we can try to do more things. Let's all stay as positive as her."
Kia added, "Let's continue trying to take our collars off tomorrow. We will definitely get it off tomorrow. I can feel it!"
Mitsue nodded. I hope so… I truly hope so…
After that, the group continued eating their dinner. Eventually, they finished eating. One by one, they left the dining hall. As soon as Mitsue reached his cabin, he changed into his sleeping attire and fell asleep.
It was only five in the morning and the sky was still dark blue. The moon was still visible although fading with the sky growing lighter as daylight peaks through the horizon. The island was in deep silence. Only the swooshing of the leaves caused by the cool breeze and the occasional crashing of the waves onto the island could be heard.
Most of the campers are still fast asleep in their cabins occasionally tossing and turning on their beds. Though most of them are deep in their slumber, there were still some who are already up. One of which was Mitsue silently awake lying on his bed. He had his hands under his head while he stared quietly at the ceiling of his cabin.
Yesterday was shitty! Everyone was extremely disappointed to hear that the collar was impenetrable. The news really brought down the group's morale. Good thing Yo was there to be the source of the group's undying optimism. Her innocence somehow lightened up the mood making it bearable to see their disappointments. To see everyone's faces shrivel up out of sheer disappointment fucking sucks. I hate this feeling! I hate letting people down! How can I be this useless!
Suddenly, he sat up straight. He curled up his right hand into a fist. Grinding his molars, he stared at the door. Today is the second day of wearing this goddamn collar. Tomorrow will be the last day of wearing this thing. And, possibly our last day of being alive if we do not find a way to get this thing off. I need to do something quickly. I need to get this thing off today. I cannot let our torment continue until tomorrow. If this stays on our necks at the end of today, I don't know what it will do to all of us. It might just push someone to the edge. I might even consider… doing it…
Then, he stood up from his bed. Slowly, he made his way to a wall. Out of nowhere, he punched it with his right hand making a loud thud echoing through the room. He stood still with his fist on the wall. All he did was stare at the floor while his knuckles bled.
Don't be ridiculous, Mitsue! Stop it! You are a rescuer! You save people's lives. You do not kill! Killing is not tolerated! It will never be tolerated! It is an act too foul to be tolerated. But… part of our training is saving as many people as we can even if it means prioritizing someone else's life over another. What if the most I can only save is twelve?
Then, he took his fist off the wall. He touched his bleeding knuckles as he stared at the dent on the wall he made from his punch. Taking deep breaths, he mumbled, "This is so stupid of me… Punching a wall for nothing…" He took a step back from the wall and stared at it for a while.
The day has only started and I am already in a bad mood. Calm down, Mitsue! Just breathe! Everything will turn out fine. You will make sure of it. You know you will. You do not let people down. You have never once let a person down.
Then, his focus shifted to his bleeding knuckles. I should dress this wound first. Immediately, he took a quick bath, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and went out of his cabin. He went straight to the clinic. As soon as he reached the clinic, Mitsue dressed his wound.
"All done. I should go back to my cabin and wait for a few more hours. Then, I will go to the dining hall." Mitsue said looking at his dressed knuckle.
After this, Mitsue went out of the clinic. As he was making his way to his cabin, he saw a man walking in front of him. The man was carrying a rake with him. The man was a bit ahead of him and could not tell who it was. Who is this? And, why does he have a rake?
Carefully, Mitsue continued following the man to the cabins. Suddenly, the man stopped. He turned around and Mitsue saw it was Hiroto whom he had been following all this time. Hiroto? Why is he up this early? Then, he began raking the ground. Does he always rake the yard this early?
While Hiroto was raking the lawn, Mitsue made his way to his cabin's porch. He sat down on the porch and continued watching Hiroto raking. He is as quiet as ever. The only time I hear him say anything is when he is talking to Monokuma… and me. I wonder why he is always so quiet. What goes on inside his head all the time? He always looks like he is operating on a different plane of existence.
Mitsue continued watching Hiroto rake the lawn. He would occasionally stop to wipe the sweat off of his forehead. Other than those times, he was laser-focused with his chore. Why is he so dedicated to doing all of the chores I told him to do? Based on how cold he is to other people, it is natural to assume that he would be one of the more defiant ones when it comes to doing the chores. But, he is not. He was not like that at all. He just rolled with it.
Looking at Hiroto, Mitsue asked, "Why are you up so early?"
Hiroto stayed silent and continued raking the lawn. He does not want to answer…
Mitsue continued, "Why are you up so early just to rake this lawn?"
Hiroto stopped and looked at Mitsue. Surprised, Mitsue asked, "Did I say something to make you stop raking?"
Hiroto shook his head and went back to raking the lawn. Hmm… That was weird.
"Are you always up this early just to do this?" Mitsue asked. I bet he is always doing this early. I never saw him rake but the lawn is always clean. And, I know for a fact Connor has not raked this lawn, not even once.
Hiroto continued to stay silent.
Hiroto has not had any help raking this lawn and this lawn is huge. How can he do this much work alone without getting annoyed? He has a partner. Why doesn't he use his partner's help? Why do all of it on his own? What is he trying to prove?
Looking around him, he saw the porch of Connor's cabin. On it was a rake. Seeing this, he got up and went to Connor's porch. As soon as he grabbed the rake, he went to the lawn and began raking with Hiroto. He deserves help and it is a great way to clear my mind.
While he was raking, Hiroto went to him and suddenly snatched the rake from him. Shocked, he stared at Hiroto.
Expressionless, Hiroto said, "Don't rake."
Looking at his rake, Mitsue replied, "Give me back the rake. I want to rake."
Hiroto replied, "No, you can't!"
"Why can't I?" Mitsue asked.
"Because… it is my chore, not yours." Hiroto answered glancing at his right.
Sniggering, Mitsue replied, "What a lousy excuse… Just give me back the fucking rake. I promise I won't get in your way." Then, Mitsue reached out for his rake.
Quickly, Hiroto put the rake out of Mitsue's reach. "You are getting in my way by just raking this lawn with me. Just go back to your porch and let me take care of raking the lawn. Use that time to rest your wounded knuckle." Hiroto said looking at Mitsue's bandaged hand.
"I am still capable of raking even with my fist like this." Mitsue replied showing off his bandaged knuckle.
Then, Hiroto began moving closer to Mitsue. Unsure of what was happening, Mitsue stood still glaring at the expressionless face of Hiroto. Only a few inches apart, Hiroto stopped. Suddenly, he dropped Mitsue's rake. Instantly, Mitsue's focus was diverted to the rake. As soon as Hiroto dropped the rake, he raised his hand and flicked Mitsue on the forehead.
With his left hand on his forehead, Mitsue shouted, "What the fuck was that for? Are you looking for a fight?"
Shaking his head, Hiroto replied, "Why can't you just sit down?"
The two fell into silence. Mitsue was angrily glaring at Hiroto while Hiroto was looking at his right. Why am I going through all of this just for a fucking rake? If he badly wants to rake this whole lawn on his own, so be it. What does he even get from raking this whole friggin area anyway?
Staring at Hiroto, Mitsue replied, "Fine! I will sit down."
Mitsue walked away from Hiroto. Then, Hiroto began raking again. On the stairs in front of his porch, Mitsue sat down and unconsciously watched Hiroto as he raked the whole yard.
Resting his face on his left hand, Mitsue murmured, "What a weirdo… He is so cold and expressionless. Is he even human? Are his facial muscles still working? I never saw him frown nor laugh. He always has this blank expression. I don't get him. I cannot understand him."
As he was talking about Hiroto, Hiroto was making his way near Mitsue's area. I need to shut up. He might hear me. Speaking of shutting up, he is always silent. He speaks rarely. You cannot even sustain a proper conversation with him. What is up with that? But, earlier, we were having a proper conversation. I think that is the longest I have heard him talk. He must be extremely passionate about raking the ground alone to make him talk for so long. I wonder what else can force him to talk more…
Hiroto took his time raking the yard while Mitsue sat in silence curiously watching Hiroto do his chore. After a few minutes, Hiroto was done raking. The leaves were piled near his cabin. Then, he placed the two rakes in the center of the pile. After doing so, he began walking away from the cabins. Where is he going?
Curious, Mitsue stood up from his porch and followed Hiroto. He ran up to Hiroto catching up to him. Mitsue stopped running once he was on the left side of Hiroto.
"Where are you going?" Mitsue asked.
"The dining hall…" Hiroto simply replied. After that, the two walked silently side by side. Neither of the two was making any eye contact. Hiroto was only looking forward while Mitsue was looking at the floor. This is extremely awkward… Why did I even chase him?
While the two were walking silently, Hiroto suddenly gripped on Mitsue's arm. Then, he fell to his knees. He touched his collar with his right hand. Surprised, Mitsue looked at him and saw Hiroto had his eyes wide open and gritting his teeth. After a few seconds, Hiroto let go of Mitsue.
With a smirk, Mitsue asked, "You were zapped, weren't you?"
Hiroto nodded.
Suddenly, an announcement played throughout the island. "Good morning campers! What a beautiful day to kill someone! Just a friendly reminder, you only have two days left before your head goes ka-boom! Hahahahaha! I bet one of you is reminded of this by getting shocked just now! Hahahahaha!" Monokuma shouted. Then, the transmission stopped.
Turning to Hiroto, Mitsue asked, "Are you okay?"
Hiroto nodded again. After that, Hiroto stood up. The two continued walking to the dining hall. It did not take them too long to reach the hall. Once they went inside the hall, both of them went to the usual table they would sit at. Hiroto was the first down. He chose to sit where he usually would. On the other hand, Mitsue decided to sit in front of him. Mitsue had his arm crossed while Hiroto put his arms on the table. Then, Hiroto placed his head on top of his arms and closed his eyes.
Is this the reason why he is always sleeping in here in the morning? Is it because he wakes up too early to clean the yard? He does not have to wake up this early to rake it. He could do it after breakfast or in the afternoon. Why go through all of this trouble just to rake? What is his motivation? I don't get it.
The hall was completely silent. Hiroto was taking a nap while Mitsue stared at him. No one was saying anything nor moving a muscle. After a few more minutes, the silence was shattered when the door swung open. The door was opened by Kaoru and Otoha. The two of them were chatting away. When they saw Mitsue, the two stopped.
Surprised, Kaoru greeted Mitsue, "Good morning! You are already here. That is earlier than when you would normally arrive. Is there a problem? Do you need my assistance?"
Mitsue shook his head. Looking at Kaoru, Mitsue answered, "I just woke up earlier than I would normally do. It is not that big of a deal."
"Oh, that is great to hear then! If you ever need my help, just tell me and I will be there to help you in no time!" Kaoru replied taking a seat beside Hiroto. Otoha sat beside Mitsue.
Looking at Mitsue, Otoha asked, "Do you have any special plan for today?"
"I will still try to get this thing off. I will maybe ask for Kia and Orie's help again. I might even ask Yo for some ideas. Her head seems to be full of wacky ideas. They might be what we need to free ourselves from our collars." Mitsue answered.
Otoha smiled. Then, she turned to Kaoru. Noticing this smile, Mitsue asked, "Why are you smiling like that?"
Shaking her head, Otoha replied, "It is nothing. I am just glad you are getting along with Yo."
Me, getting along with Yo? As if! I am just that desperate to even consider help from that shit for brains. How can I even get along with someone who is the exact opposite of me? I cannot see myself getting along with her. Never!
"You must be joking?" Mitsue replied.
"Just forget what I said." Otoha replied turning to Kaoru.
Mitsue became silent again. He just watched Otoha and Kaoru talk and ramble about the most random things. It was not new for him to just listen to conversations. It was always like this for him. How can people talk for so long about the most random things in life? Don't they have anything better to talk about?
Listening to the two talk about dolls and aromas, Mitsue unconsciously mumbled, "What a useless conversation…"
Otoha and Kaoru stopped. The two of them looked at Mitsue at the same time. Kaoru asked, "What did you say, Mitsue?"
Waving his hand, Mitsue replied, "Nothing. Carry on with your conversation."
"Oh, okay…" Kaoru replied. Then, he went back to talking to Otoha again. Mitsue became silent again. Uninterested to join the conversation, he rested his arms onto the table and put his head over it just like Hiroto who is in front of him. Looking at the wall, he whispered, "I hope this day gets better…"
After a few more minutes of silently looking at the wall, Mitsue sat up straight when he heard the door open again. This time it was Kia, Orie, and Yo playing with Rafiki. Rafiki was on Orie's shoulder pointing at Yo and it was as if the monkey was laughing at her. With her hands clasped, Yo shouted, "Hop on my shoulder too! I want to give you a ride! I promise I will be gentle! You will not regret hopping on me! I swear! Please! It looks so fun! I want to also carry you around!"
Putting her hand on Yo's shoulder, Kia said, "I am sorry eager beaver but I don't think Raf wants to ride on your shoulder just yet."
"Why? I am a nice person too, aren't I?" Yo replied.
"It is not like that. He just has not spent that much time with you. Don't worry! I am sure he will try to hop on your head someday!" Kia replied.
"I guess I will just have to be patient." Yo pouted.
The three ladies made their way to the group. All of them greeted the group and quickly sat down. Instantly, Yo rested her face on her hand looking at the monkey on Orie's shoulder. Yo murmured, "You are so unfair, Raf!"
What happened? Why is she so obsessed with this monkey today? I don't see any benefit from having a monkey on your shoulder. It will just get in my way if it ever chooses to sit on my shoulder. I will probably just flick it off my shoulder.
Smilingly, Otoha asked, "What is the problem Yo?"
"Nothing…" Yo answered.
"If there is nothing wrong, why are you pouting? Do you pout when there is nothing wrong?" Otoha asked.
Yo shook her head.
"If that is the case, why don't we replace that pout with a smile. Come on, smile for me. You look prettier with a smile." Otoha said.
Slowly, Yo's mouth curved into a smile. "That is it! You look like a princess! Just like Cinderella!" Otoha commented happily pointing at her.
"Stop saying things like that! You are making me believe it is real!" Yo said blushing.
"It is real! You look like a princess!" Otoha continued.
Yo is anything but a princess. She is ill-mannered. She is too talkative, always keeps on rambling about random stuff. Most of the things she says do not make sense. She is too childish and too irresponsible. She is nowhere near being a princess.
With his arms crossed, Mitsue sniggered staring at the wall. Then, he took out his monopad and looked at the time. Staring at his phone, Mitsue mumbled, "7:48 am… Someone other than Hiroto has been zapped already and someone else will be zapped soon."
Then, he put his monopad back into his pocket. It is almost eight. I bet most of these people are hungry. Suddenly, Mitsue stood up grabbing everyone's attention. Turning to Otoha, Mitsue said, "It is time for us to cook. I am sure all of you are hungry already. None of you are just admitting it because you are all too busy chitchatting."
After that, he walked into the kitchen. He was immediately followed by Otoha. Instantly, both of them discussed what they were going to cook. With Mitsue taking the reins, the duo was able to come up with the menu quickly. They immediately started cooking.
Both of them were fairly quiet. Mitsue was focused in his station while Otoha was only minding what she was cooking. They did not exchange words that much. They would occasionally ask about the food they were in charge of preparing but that was the only thing they would interact about.
While Mitsue was leaning on the counter watching his food to cook, Otoha asked him out of nowhere, "Who got here first? Was it you or Hiroto?"
Surprised, Mitsue asked, "Why do you want to know?"
Smilingly, Otoha replied, "Kaoru and I had a silly wager about who was the first one to arrive here. My guess was Yo while Kaoru guessed Hiroto."
"Your bet was on Yo?" Mitsue asked furrowing his eyebrows.
Nodding, Otoha replied, "Based on what Kaoru has told me, they were always the first two to come, except for today."
Why am I surprised Yo comes here early? She told me days ago she wakes up extremely early because she got used to being, basically, a maid for her family. But, it is interesting to know those two are always here first. I wonder what Yo was doing with Hiroto all those times. She must have forced Hiroto to talk to her but seeing him every morning tells me he drowns out Yo's voice and quickly falls asleep. If I am right, I will be amazed by how he can fall asleep despite the constant yapping of that little girl.
"So, who arrived here first?" Otoha asked again.
Staring at the stove, Mitsue replied, "We came here together."
"You came here at the same time?" Otoha asked.
Mitsue nodded.
"Wow! Nobody would have been able to guess that will happen." Otoha commented.
It was all just a product of weird circumstances.
"Did Kaoru say anything more about how Yo and Hiroto are always here first?" Mitsue asked.
"Kaoru mentioned that he would always see Hiroto asleep while Yo would slightly dance while humming random tunes while sitting in front of Hiroto."
Hiroto must have bored her to death to make her hum and dance all on her own…
"What happened to your hand?" Otoha asked.
Surprised, Mitsue raised his fist. Looking at his fist, Mitsue answered, "Just a silly accident. Nothing too serious."
"When did the accident happened? Last night, your fist was okay." Otoha asked looking at Mitsue's fist.
"I scratched it as soon as I woke up." Mitsue lied. Why is she asking too many questions about my fist? Just drop the topic already.
"Clearly, you have already taken care of it." Otoha commented.
"Giving myself a first aid is nothing new to me. As soon as I scratched my knuckle, I went to the clinic to dress my wound. Actually, that is how Hiroto and I came here together." Mitsue added. I hope this will steer the conversation away from me. I can't tell her I punched a fucking wall.
"You met Hiroto at the clinic?" Otoha asked.
Shaking his head, Mitsue answered, "On my way back to my cabin, I saw Hiroto raking. It was before the morning announcement. I just watched him rake. I wanted to help him out but, for some reason, he was incessant with raking alone. He forced me to just let him do it."
"That is interesting to hear. Hiroto is weird. He does not talk much. He is always alone. Every morning, he is always taking a nap while everyone around him is laughing. I wonder why he is like that. At first, I thought he was just shy but, now, I don't know why he is being like that." Otoha commented.
Obviously, he is not shy. That I can tell from the way he shooed me from helping him. I wonder what his deal is.
After that, the two continued with their cooking. It did not take them long to finish. Quickly, the two of them served the group's breakfast. Otoha gave the group their plates and utensils while Mitsue served the dishes. While they were serving the group, Mizuki arrived. With Mizuki being there, it was the same group who ate together yesterday.
After serving the dishes and plates, Otoha and Mitsue joined the group and sat down. Otoha commented, "It is just the eight of us again today."
"I wonder if the rest are eating properly… They have not come out to eat with us. I am worried they might be skipping meals." Kia commented.
Patting Kia in the back, Mizuki replied, "You don't need to worry about that. Judging the number of plates I washed yesterday, all of them ate their meals, just not with us."
"That is good to know. I was really worried if they are not taking care of themselves." Kia replied.
"Don't worry. God is always there to guide them. He will never let them down. Trust in Him and He will always have your back." Mizuki said.
Smilingly, Kia replied, "Thank you for that sweet reminder. I am just feeling down recently. It is saddening to see that we do not eat together anymore. I wish we can go back to when we were all still happily eating together. There are times some of us might get under our skin but at least we still trust each other enough to eat together. I hate Monkuma for causing a rift in the group."
Taking Kia's hand, Orie said, "It is alright. I am sure everything will go back to normal once we get these collars off."
Suddenly, Rafiki jumped from Orie's shoulder onto Kia's arm.
Caressing Rafiki's head, Kia said, "Thank you guys for the comforting words. I really needed it."
"Don't worry Kia! I am sure we will get through this somehow!" Yo said giving Kia two thumbs-up.
Everything will go back to the way it was. I will make sure of it. We will get through this situation.
Clearing his throat, Mitsue caught everyone's attention. Staring at his plate, Mitsue said, "Let's eat our breakfast first. The food is getting cold. It would be a waste to eat all of this food Otoha and I prepared if we eat it cold."
Otoha added, "Mitsue is right! Let's dig in!"
The group began eating. Kaoru nudged Hiroto to wake him up. Otoha passed around the food so everyone can take a piece of the meal. It did not take long for laughter to replace the silence in the hall. With Yo naturally leading the light-hearted conversation, the mood completely shifted from Kia's sad take on their situation to Yo's silly antic-driven acts.
While the group was eating, Mitsue said, "Kia and Orie, are you interested in helping me find a way to get this collar off our necks today?"
Kia answered, "Of course! I will do anything for the group!"
"If Kia is helping out, count me in as well!" Orie added.
Suddenly, he turned to Yo. Letting out a sharp exhale, Mitsue said, "Yo… Mind helping us out?"
Pointing at herself, Yo replied, "You want my help?"
Rolling his eyes, Mitsue said, "Is there anyone here who is also named Yo?"
"I am the only Yo here!" Yo shouted.
"So, do you want to help us or not?" Mitsue asked.
Standing up giving her two thumbs up, Yo said, "I would gladly help! I shall assist you in your quest to freeing us from these collars! I shall shower you with greatness! It is wise of you to seek help from me! Hahahahaha!"
What is up with that monologue?
Giggling, Otoha commented, "I am sure you will be a great help to them but eat up first so you can shower them with your greatness properly."
"You are right! I need my stomach full so I can give them my vast wisdom properly!" Yo replied with both of her hands on her temple. Then, Yo sat down and continued eating.
I am already regretting my decision. I hope she does not become a handful.
While the group was eating, the door suddenly opened. Following the loud swoosh from opening the door was a greeting.
"Good morning campers of Meishu Island!" Kai shouted waving his right hand at the group.
Kai showed up… I did not expect that. Wait, he is not alone.
Behind him were the rest of the campers who have not shown up during mealtimes. What are they doing together?
Beside Kai was Kaya. With her right arm akimbo and rolling her eyes, Kaya commented, "Just for everyone's information, I did not want to come here." Then, Kaya looked at Kai. "But this fool would not stop pestering me to come with him here. It was extremely annoying. I already endured getting zapped earlier. I would have lost my sanity if Kai did not stop."
"Everyone is here! Yeah! I am so happy we are finally complete!" Mizuki shouted. She stood up and ran towards the others.
Smilingly, she greeted them, "Hello! You should all take a seat and join us for breakfast!"
Immediately, Otoha stood up. "I will go grab some plates."
Then, the group went to the table. Mizuki linked arms with Kaito.
"How are you Kaito?" Mizuki asked.
"I am fine…" Kaito answered visibly trembling.
Unlinking from Kaito, Mizuki said, "Just relax! Nothing will happen to you with everyone here!
Kaito nodded.
Everyone quickly sat down except for Akari. The only spot left not taken is beside Mitsue. Glaring at Mitsue, Akari shouted, "Can someone give up their seat for me? I am too scared to sit here. Someone might drag me out of this hall again."
This bitch is looking for a fight…
Snickering, Mitsue replied, "Just give her a goddamn seat. Her butt is itching to sit down since it is the only thing she is good at, sitting still, looking pretty."
"Ooooh! Shots fired!" Kai commented.
"How dare you say that!" Akari shouted. Then, she suddenly slapped Mitsue.
Kai audibly gasped pointing at the two of them. Giggling, Kai commented, "This is why I brought everyone here, to see this kind of drama unfold!"
Smirking, Mitsue said, "You slap like a bitch. Probably because you are one."
"Oh my gosh! He did not just call her a bitch!" Kai shouted.
"You…" Akari shouted.
Suddenly, Naoki stood up. Grabbing his plate, he said, "Um… You can have… um… my spot…"
Turning to Naoki, Akari said, "Oh… Um… Thank you! At least one of us here knows how to help out a lady in need and be a gentleman."
You have been a needy lady since day one. Everyone you have interacted with has adjusted for you and you don't even know it.
Akari and Naoki switched places. After Naoki sat down, the group continued with their breakfast. It did not take long for someone to break the awkward silence.
"What made you bring all of them here?" Orie asked Kai.
Kai answered, "Yesterday was boring because not everyone is here. There was no drama. There was only sulking which was extremely dull and boring and draining. Because of that, I decided to drag all of them here to see some drama unfold. Seeing the tension between Mitsue and Akari proved to me that I made the right decision!"
"Of course, you were right… It is your field of expertise after all." Orie replied.
Then, Kia asked, "So how did Kai get you all here?"
Connor answered, "Dude has no chill. He kept on banging on my door until I agreed to go with him."
Twirling her hair, Akari added, "It was completely annoying. He ruined my beauty sleep. I might get wrinkles because of this."
She turned to Kai shouting, "If I get a single wrinkle because of this, I will make sure that you will pay for it!"
Giggling, Kai replied, "Honey, I don't need to do anything for you to get one. You already have one."
Immediately, she ran her hand over her face. Frantic, she asked, "Where is the wrinkle? Is it huge? Am I ugly now?"
Yo answered, "Kai is lying. You do not have a wrinkle. You still look like the way you would normally do, a beautiful doll."
Looking at Kai, Akari said, "You monster! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"A heart attack? Don't be ridiculous! My lie can at most cause an asthma attack. Stop exaggerating." Kai said.
"An asthma attack? How do you know your lies can cause asthma attacks?" Kaito asked.
Kai nodded. "Trust me. I have tested my limits before." Then, Kai giggled.
Who did he lie to and got an asthma attack after hearing his lie? Poor soul… That person deserved better than being lied to by this asshole.
Out of nowhere, Mizuki commented, "I am so happy right now! We are complete! We can finally face our problem together!"
"Who said anything about that?" Kaya replied.
"What do you mean?" Mizuki asked.
"I do not know about the others but I only came here because of Kai. Other than that, I have no intention of staying with the group. As soon as I am done eating, I will go back to my cabin where I feel safest." Kaya answered.
"Isn't that lonely?" Mizuki asked.
"Just because I will be alone does not mean I will be lonely. There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely." Kaya answered.
Suddenly, Connor commented, "I would not mind staying here a little longer."
"Sure, you would not mind it." Kaya said rolling her eyes.
"I was scared. Who would not be scared of getting killed? This collar made me tremble in fear. But, being here, it reminded me that it is better to face this kind of problems together. At least someone has your back. And, what Kai did earlier kind of reminded me that you can't isolate yourself forever. Sorry if I am being incredibly cheesy right now." Connor continued.
Clapping, Kai commented, "That was one heck of an inspirational speech!"
Waving his hand bashfully, Connor said, "Dude! Stop it! It is embarrassing!" Kai proceeded to clap louder.
"How incredibly naïve!" Kaya commented.
Kaya stood up. Looking at everyone, she said, "I am done with my breakfast. I am leaving."
Then, Kaya proceeded walking to the door. Suddenly, she dropped on her knees. Her hands wrapped around her collar. After a few seconds, she shouted, "Seriously! Two times in a row today?"
"Did you get zapped right now?" Kaito asked.
"What does it look like to you? Do I look like someone who drops on their knees randomly?" Kaya answered standing up.
"What if I say you do look like someone who likes to get on their knees?" Kai asked.
"Oh, shut up Kai!" Kaya shouted.
Suddenly, an announcement was aired. Through the broadcasting system, Monokuma announced, "Hello campers! It is 9 am and someone had been zapped again! Hahahaha! Anyway, I am not here to laugh at that person. I am here to tell all of you to get your lousy butts to the campfire grounds, now! See ya!"
What is he up to this time?
"I guess we have no choice but to end our breakfast here…" Kaoru commented.
The group immediately made their way to the campfire grounds. Once they have reached the grounds, they noticed a clear lottery box on the stage beside the podium. Inside the lottery box were several envelopes.
"What is that?" Kaito asked pointing at the lottery box.
"I am glad you asked!" A voice coming from behind the group said. The group turned around and saw Monokuma waving at them.
"Hello twerps!" Monokuma greeted the group.
"What are you doing there?" Orie asked.
Giggling, Monokuma answered, "Trying to surprise all of you! Did I surprise you?"
"Kind of…" Mizuki answered.
"Yes! Mission accomplished! Anyway, let me make my way to the stage to explain what is about to happen! Hihihihi!" Monokuma said.
The bear made its way to the stage. He hopped onto the podium and leaned onto the lottery box.
"I know all of you are wondering what this lottery box is. Well, I wanted to tell you about this thing because it will spice up our killing game! Bwahahahaha!" Monokuma shouted.
Spice up the killing game? What is up to right now?
"What do you mean by spice things up?" Kai asked.
"Listen kiddos! When I gave you those collars, I knew it was not going to be enough to produce a killer out of you. From monitoring all of you, only two of you really considered killing as an option. But, sadly, both of them turned down the idea which is so disappointing. There was so much wasted potential. One person threw rocks off the cliff to let off some steam while another person stupidly punched a wall to vent out their festering murderous intention. With this box, I am sure half of you will be determined to kill because of what this lottery box holds. Hihihihihi!"
Immediately, Mitsue hid his bandaged fist in his pocket. Fucking hell! He knew I was considering it but I was never going to go through with it. If people connect the dots, they will know I was the one who punched the wall.
Suddenly, Kaya said, "Can you please stop stalling? Just tell us what it is inside that box!"
"You really are a feisty one, mushroom girl. Okay, let me tell you what this box has. Are you ready to find out what these are?" Monokuma asked.
"I am getting excited! I could already see drama forming because of this!" Kai commented.
"Shut up Kai! It is not something to get excited about." Kia shouted.
Patting the lottery box, Monokuma said, "This lottery box contains all of your deepest, darkest secrets. Hahahahaha!"
Secrets? How does he know our secrets?
"You are bluffing dude! How can something like you know our secrets? There is no way dude." Connor commented.
"You want to test me, sir inferiority complex?" Monokuma asked.
Inferiority complex?
Connor took a step backward. Mizuki grabbed his hand and asked, "Are you okay?" However, Connor only stood silent.
Smirking, Monokuma continued, "I know everything about the campers on this island. I know your most shameful secrets, your deepest desires, your most embarrassing moments, your traumas. All of it I know. And, I know how to use them properly to get this game going!"
How much does this bear know about us?
"Now, here is how it will all work. I will be calling you to gather here randomly. Once you are gathered here, I will be selecting two random envelopes containing the secret of the person whose name is written on it. I will be doing this until tomorrow. I will only stop gathering you here if either I have revealed everyone's secrets or someone is already dead. Don't worry. I will make sure to reveal all of the secrets in this box before your collars explode if no one really dares to kill so that it will be fair for everybody. But, I highly doubt there will be a secret in here that is not worth killing someone to keep it hidden or a secret, when shared, will cause a killing. Hahahahaha!" Monokuma maniacally laughed.
A secret worth killing to keep it hidden… But, Monokuma also said something about a secret that will cause a killing. What does he mean by that?
"Shall we get started?" Monokuma asked placing his paw onto the crank of the lottery box.
"Wait!" Mitsue shouted.
"What is it, twerp? I am so excited to reveal somebody's secret!" Monokuma shouted.
"What do you mean a secret that will cause a killing?" Mitsue asked.
Shaking his head, Monokuma answered, "Don't you get it? Some secrets inside this box are entangled with some of the lives of the campers on this island."
Entangled with some of the lives of the campers on this island?
"Now, let's get this starting!" Monokuma shouted. The bear began rotating the handle. This caused the box to spin. The more Monokuma rotated the crank, the faster the lottery box spun. The lottery box kept on spinning and spinning until it slowly stopped. Once the box stopped, Monokuma reached into the box and grabbed two envelopes. Raising the two envelopes, Monokuma shouted, "We have our lucky winners for this draw!"
Then, Monokuma read the names on the envelopes. "Our lucky winners are… Mitsue Naozumi and Kiania Salvador-Hishima, your group's leader and assistant leader! What a lucky coincidence! We are going to air out your leaders' dirty laundry!"
Waving around one of the envelopes, Monokuma said, "Let's find out first Mitsue's secret!"
"Oooh! I wonder what kind of secret does our great leader has." Kai commented.
I am also curious about what secret of mine will he air out. Do I even have a secret? I can't think of anything that will make me kill.
Slowly, Monokuma opened the envelope. Then, he unfolded the paper inside the envelope. Instantly, Monokuma said, "Ugh! I forgot how boring your secret is! It is the least interesting secret out of everyone in this group."
"What is it?" Mitsue asked. What is my secret?
"Mitsue has never been in a romantic relationship before. Ugh! Yuck! How undramatic!" Monokuma shouted. Then, he crumpled the paper and tossed it to the side.
Confused, Mitsue asked, "That is my secret? Really? I don't think that is even a secret of mine."
"How anti-climactic! Boo!" Kai shouted.
"My options were extremely limited, okay? I did not have that much to pick! Why did you have to be such an open book? You lived under constant pressure and strict rules! Any normal teenager would have rebelled and done some shitty things and kept it as a secret but you did not do anything like that! Because of this, I had to write something embarrassing instead of a secret. It was either this or the fact that you have never received chocolate during Valentine's day, not even the friendly ones!" Monokuma shouted.
"You never received chocolate for Valentine's day?" Hiroto asked.
Didn't he listen to Monokuma?
Raising his right brow, Mitsue answered, "Do I have to repeat what Monokuma said? I never received chocolate for Valentine's day but I never really cared about it."
"Why?" Hiroto continued to ask.
Is he for real?
Rolling his eyes, Mitsue answered, "Maybe because nobody fucking cared enough to give me one! I am not really bothered by it. I am not embarrassed by that fact as well."
Giggling, Monokuma commented, "After seeing this reaction, maybe I should have chosen this as your secret instead."
"It does not really fucking matter. You already said it." Mitsue replied.
"You are right! Anyway, let's move on to our next secret! Wild child, are you ready for your friends to know your dirty little secret?" Monokuma shouted pointing at Kia.
Mitsue turned to Kia who was pale all-over. What secret does she have?
Holding Kia's hand, Orie asked, "Are you okay?"
Nodding, Kia replied, "I think so… I am just not sure what secret of mine will Monokuma reveal."
"I am sure it is nothing to make a fuss about." Orie said.
"Thank you! You really are a sweet friend." Kia said.
Suddenly, Monokuma said, "Let's see if you will still be holding Kia's hand after hearing her secret. Upupupupu!"
Monokuma opened Kia's envelope. Then, he slowly unfolded the paper. Smirking, Monokuma said, "This is one of the juiciest ones out of the bunch."
What is her secret?
Monokuma cleared his throat. Then, he said, "We all know our dear Kia is a member of Shorai Society but do we all know everything she does for that group?"
What is he trying to say?
Confused, Orie asked, "It is just an environmental group, isn't it Kia?"
Kia slowly nodded.
"Well, it is an environmental group but it does have one weird governing ideology." Monokuma said.
"What is it? Spill it!" Kai shouted.
"Her group believes that in order to keep the balance in nature, the human population needs to be halved." Monokuma said.
"What kind of Malthusian theory bullshit is that?" Kai shouted.
"And that is not all! Because of this, her group supported the Remnants of Hope with their aim of culling the useless humans on Earth! Essentially, she, and the rest of her group, became errand boys and girls of the Remnants of Hope and did as many atrocities as the remnants did. Hahahaha!" Monokuma revealed.
Everyone stared at the frozen Kia. She immediately turned to Orie. "Let me explain."
Suddenly, Orie let go of her hand and took a step back. "Orie, I am not a bad guy! I swear!"
Then, she turned to everyone. "Please, you have to believe me! I did not do anything wrong!"
"That is what the villains always say in all of my novels…" Kai commented.
Giggling, Monokuma said, "I think my work here is done! Goodbye! See you all in a few hours! Hihihihihi!" Then, Monokuma disappeared into thin air.
The campfire grounds fell into silence as all of the campers stared silently at the newly revealed supporter of the Remnants of Hope, Kia.
That is it for this update! I hope you enjoyed this! What do you guys think of the additional motive? What do you think of the secrets that were unveiled or will be unveiled?You can tell me through a review!
If you want to talk about this story and other stuff, you can always join the server for this story. The invite is on my profile.
Anyway, that is it for now.
Good luck to all of us and stay safe!