Chapter 1: This Could Be Anywhere In The World (Daily Life 4)
Ding Dong, Bing Bong.
"Gyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood morning, students! Phewie that was a long one. How ya'll doin'!? It's 7 AM, so it's time to wake up and get your day started!" came the voice of Monokuma from the monitor hanging over the wall in Junichi's bedroom. "Oh, and before I forget, Hojo has free DVD players in the Mini-Mall! They're free because they're mandatory, go get them!" The bear shouted before the screen went back to a bouncing Monokuma head screensaver.
Junichi opened his eyes, and the first thing he felt was how sore he was. His body creaked as he got out of bed and took a deep breath. He didn't even change out of his clothes since last night, Monokuma didn't provide him with pajamas, and he thought if he took off too much of his clothes, his injuries would make it too hard to get himself dressed without help again. So he slept in his jeans and his shirt, taking his jacket and beanie off so he wasn't too warm in his bed.
It was wild he was actually trapped here, he kept feeling like this must be the longest dream of his life. But he woke up yet again, and he was still in this hotel room, and he was still in awful pain. He reached over to his dresser, pulling the bottle of pills over into his hand and emptying two capsules into his hand, quickly gathering enough spit to swallow them instead of getting a glass of water. The lump crawled down his throat, and he hauled his weak body out of bed, sliding his sock covered feet into his loosely tied shoes so he wouldn't have to get someone to tie them again.
He went up to the mirror, turned the faucet on and looked at himself… He looked like complete shit. His hair was dried out and frizzy, his face was paler than ever and he was starting to get these sunken rings around his eyes.
He gingerly took off his shirt to get a good look at his injury for the first time. He was expecting a hole wide enough to see daylight through as he took off his bloodsoaked bandages. The injury was cleanly stitched shut, with some dried blood on the edges of it. He slammed back a glass of water, then reached up to touch his injury, but was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"H-hold on! I'm getting dressed." He called out, throwing his grey flaming skull T-shirt back over his head, and did a sluggish jog to the door. Though, he hesitated to open it… Monokuma said it was a game to see who would murder someone first, would he be safe with his injury? He decided to take the risk, pulling the door open to see the bear mask-clad doctor standing in front of him, in her hand tucked a bandage wrap, her single pink eye looking down at the slightly shorter teenager.
"It's Kageri, I wanted to give you a fresh set of bandages this morning." She said, Junichi stepping to the side to allow her into his room and shutting the door behind her. "Would you like me to put them on, or do you think you could put them on yourself?" She asked, Junichi looking at the floor and crossing his arms in thought.
"I don't think I can use my arm to wrap it behind my shoulder without hurting myself, it might be better if I had you just do it," Junichi stated, Kageri nodding and walking over to the edge of his unmade bed.
"Sit down, then. I'll remove your shirt and start wrapping the bandages," she said, Junichi taking a seat beside her as she pulled his T-shirt back off of his body and started by pressing a gauze pad against his injured chest.
She slowly began to wrap his injury, alternating from wrapping under his arm, over his shoulder, and across his chest. It was tight that the bandage wouldn't slip, but not tight enough for Junichi to feel like it was squeezing his injured chest. "Did you take your pain medication this morning?"
"Yeah, I did," Junichi replied, taking a sigh.
"Did you eat anything before you took the pill? On an empty stomach, it might cause your stomach to bleed." Kageri explained. Junichi sat up and made an awkward clearing of his throat.
"Oh, uhh… I forgot about that bit." He said, half laughing to make him feel a little better about that mistake.
"Then as soon as we're done, you absolutely have to eat breakfast. I'll tell somebody to fetch Izumi early to cook something for you." She replied, using the bandages property to stick to itself to make tying a knot on his bandage unnecessary. She slid his shirt back on over his head, then went over to grab his sling and set it on his lap.
"I uh... I feel bad for making Izumi do so much work." Junichi said, shaking his head from the feeling of guilt.
"She offered to cover food for the students because of my boss' lack of preparation to cook meals for everyone." Kageri pointed out. "Doing something out of kindness doesn't mean you owe them unless you wish to show gratitude." She explained, Junichi looked up at her, but then another knock sounded on his door.
"...Why do people want to come to see me as soon as they wake up?" Junichi said, with a sigh, putting his sling back over his shoulder and standing up, as Kageri got off of his bed and followed him to answer the door.
"You must be popular," Kageri said with a soft, womanly chuckle. Junichi opened the door to reveal the familiar sight of Touki, in his usual brown outfit and matching hat.
"Yo, Junichi," Touki said, giving a little wave.
"Oh, what's up, Touki?" Junichi asked, his free hand stuffing itself into one of his pants pockets.
"I was going to ask if you saw Saya after we got done shopping for Izumi last night, I thought she was coming to dinner but she didn't show up!" Touki complained, Junichi narrowing his gaze at him. "I tried asking Izumi where she went, but she wouldn't tell me anything besides that 'she left' and won't be having dinner with us." Touki finished explaining, Junichi just sighing in response.
"I wouldn't know where she was, dude. Why does it matter, anyway? Doesn't she hate your guts?" Junichi asked, Touki just awkwardly laughing in response.
"Ahaha… Don't remind me." Touki said, waving a hand casually at him. "It was out of concern I'm not going to… present her with a greeting card or something, that'd be kind of stupid on my part," he added.
"Eh, she can take care of herself. I mean, she's not the one who got rammed with a spear," Junichi said with a weak shrug. "Anyway, I gotta get some food in my belly. You wanna come with?"
"Sure. Izumi's lab again?" Touki asked. Junichi nodded, heading for the elevator. "Unless you feel like getting frozen 'food' you can microwave from the Minimart. Though… we might also have to buy a microwave to do that." Touki added, with finger quotes on the word food.
"Yeah, I don't have the time, Monocoins or stomach for that " Junichi replied as another door opened in front of them. "I'm not sure I want to eat a half plastic microwave pizza covered in ketchup."
Surumi skipped out of her bedroom, waving to Junichi and Touki. "Good morning, Junichi! You're looking better today," she said with a cheerful smile.
"I think she needs glasses," Touki said under his breath, Junichi giving him a light elbow to the ribs.
"Thanks. Kageri changed my bandages and now I gotta get something to eat. You wanna come with?" Junichi asked.
"Certainly; The sun is drawing toward its apex. There is no better time for sustenance!" Surumi exclaimed, skipping toward the elevator. Touki looked askew at Junichi, who just shrugged and followed after Surumi. The three stepped into the elevator, Surumi pressing the button for the 20th floor. The ride was short, the door soon opening. They walked over to Izumi's lab, knocking on the door.
After a brief moment, the door opened to an Izumi with a flour stained apron, and hair as messy as it was long. "O-oh! Hey. You guys are here earlier than I thought." Izumi said, wringing her fingers as she spoke. "D-did you guys want breakfast? It's a la carte, so you just need to ask and I'll see if I have it."
"No, it's fine. We can come back later…" Junichi said, feeling slightly guilty, only to hear a small growl from his stomach. "On second thought, I do need food to go with my pain meds."
"Then come on in! Grab a table!" Izumi said, stepping aside to let them in. The students entered and grabbed seats at a table, Izumi hearing the rip of velcro. "Surumi, I told you before! No shoes, no service!" Izumi warned. Surumi grumbled and refastened her sandal as Junichi took a seat.
"S-sorry. Shoes make me uncomfortable." Surumi explained.
"Your feet make me uncomfortable," Izumi said, stepping out of the booth with a handful of small black notebooks, giving one to each student at the table. "So, what are you hungry for?"
"Besides you?" Touki asked with a wink.
"Uhh, eww," Izumi said, trying to laugh off the awkward feeling that gave her. Junichi grabbed Touki's flat cap off his head and whacked him on the head with it.
"Don't get us banned from Izumi's diner, dude," Junichi said. "You've caused enough trouble for us already."
"Alright, alright. I'll just order some pancakes," Touki said, taking his cap back.
"One order of pancakes. Got it! Junichi? Surumi? How about you?" Izumi asked, writing down Touki's order.
Junichi looked down at the notebook, seeing Menu written on it in permanent marker. Junichi opened the book, looking at the contents; hot and cold drinks, pancakes, waffles, sausages, hash browns, French toast, fried eggs and rice, cinnamon toast, scrambled eggs, omelets, bagels with cream cheese…
"Oooh! Grilled cheese! I'll have a grilled cheese, please!" Junichi said, holding up a finger to try and get Izumi's attention. Surumi puzzled over the menu, eyes scanning each item multiple times.
"Hrm… perhaps I should sample this grilled cheese. I must admit, I have tasted many human delicacies in my short life on this planet, but the grilled cheese has eluded me." she said.
"You never had grilled cheese before?" Junichi asked, Surumi shaking her head in response. "Well, then it sounds like this is gonna be your initiation! Make that two! And I want mine with a side of fries," he said, holding up two fingers.
"Two grilled cheese sandwiches, one with a side of fries! Got it!" Izumi said, writing down the order and heading for the booth.
"Hrm... can I have a fried egg in my grilled cheese sandwich, Izumi?" Surumi asked.
"Sure thing! One grilled cheese with a fried egg in it!" Izumi called from the booth.
"...Wouldn't that be a melt?" Junichi asked.
"I fail to see the point in calling it something else. It's a grilled cheese all the same, isn't it?" Surumi argued. Junichi's left eye began to twitch.
"Because… because it's not a grilled cheese then. It's a melt." Junichi said, chuckling a bit "Because a grilled a cheese implies the only thing you're grilling is the cheese. A melt is when you grill something with the cheese so the cheese melts into the other thing." he said, repeatedly chopping his palm with his other hand for emphasis on certain words
"But… if there's cheese in the grilled item wouldn't that make it grilled cheese? No matter what you put in it, if you grill cheese, it's grilled cheese." Surumi countered.
"No, that's wrong! It's not a grilled cheese anymore if you put other things in it besides the cheese! That makes it a melt!" Junichi exclaimed, hands shaking slightly.
"Junichi, it isn't that big a deal if she wants a fried egg in her grilled cheese. You're not the one eating it, you're getting fries." Izumi pointed out.
"Yes! On the side! If I put the fries in the grilled cheese, then it would be a melt! A fries melt! You can have any bread, but if you have cheese in the middle, it's grilled cheese! Nothing else or it's a melt! " Junichi said, voice slowly rising in pitch.
"But if it's a grilled cheese with just cheese in the middle then you wouldn't be able to change it, there'd be no variety." Surumi objected.
"Like hell, I wouldn't! I could change the cheeses! I could change the bread! I can have cheesy bread, I can mix the cheeses together! Do you want latke grilled cheese? Fuck it, you can do that! Anything is possible with just cheese in the middle, Surumi. Open your eyes!" Junichi shouted, slamming his hands on the table and slowly rising to his feet.
"Junichi! You need to calm down right now! You're getting worked up about food! Who cares!? It's cheese!" Izumi argued.
"It's about morality, damn it! We need to draw the lines! The cheesy lines! I can't have people blaspheming about what is or isn't a grilled cheese! We can't blur the lines of cheese, once we do the glue of society will dissolve! If I put two pieces of bread on your head, Izumi, are YOU grilled cheese, according to your flimsy logic!? What's a melt!? What's my life!? Is it all just grilled cheese to you!?" Junichi raved, wildly gesturing his arms.
"What was that about me getting us kicked out of Izumi's diner?" Touki asked.
"Junichi's being quite odd today," Surumi observed.
"I'm the only voice of reason in here! I'm sane in an insane world of lies. It's a melt, goddamnit!" Junichi shouted. "I'm an EDUCATOR!"
"You're losing your shit, dude," Yuuto said, walking up from the entrance. "What the fuck is he talking about?"
"Grilled cheese," Touki replied.
"I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING!" Junichi shouted, hands gripping the table as if he was about to flip the whole thing over.
"He's getting upset because Surumi wants an egg in her grilled cheese," Izumi explained to Yuuto.
"MELT!" Junichi yelled.
"...Okay, so he's being stupid. Got it." Yuuto said, giving a sarcastic thumbs up.
"Why must you spite me!?" Junichi asked, incredulity high in his voice.
"If she wants a grilled cheese get her one, who cares?" Yuuto said with a shrug.
"I DO!" Junichi yelled.
"Who the hell orders a melt these days? Like… specifically asking for a melt instead of a grilled cheese?" Yuuto asked as he looked for a seat, preferably away from Junichi.
"You're a goddamn heretic!" Junichi shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the Ultimate Drummer.
"Uhh… You might need to take a walk or something." Touki said.
"You people make me sick!" Junichi said, pulling at his hair. "I want grilled cheese and NOTHING ELSE!"
Surumi sighed, standing up from her seat and sinking two fingers into his shoulder. Junichi suddenly began to feel his body feel lighter, his anger fading away. "Now sit down…" Surumi ordered, Junichi slowly sinking back into his chair. "We are going to eat our… breakfast and carry on until the feast."
"...Okay," Junichi said, feeling his face muscles ease into a calm, if slightly loopy, smile. Surumi sighed in relief and took her fingers off of his shoulder.
"Okay, so Junichi might be a psychopath. I guess it's a good thing knowing that, right?" Yuuto said.
"I thought grilled cheese would be a nice little addition to the menu. I didn't think it would cause internal strife…" Izumi said with a sigh. "I'm just going to make that grilled cheese now before Junichi makes things weird again. Did you want anything, Yuuto?"
"You got chicken strips?" Yuuto asked.
"Lemme see… oh! I do! Just one serving for now." Izumi said, ripping open the bag. She quickly went to flip over Touki's pancakes, checking the pans and turning over the grilled cheeses.
"Jeez, she's a one-woman restaurant. Can she really cook four things at once like that?" Touki asked, looking at Junichi who was currently setting his entire face on his table. "Uh… Surumi, is he gonna be alright?"
"He should be fine. My skill with pressure points should be spot on if I understand human anatomy correctly." Surumi said reassuringly.
"Yeah, but he isn't moving," Touki said, poking at Junichi
"You might have to slap him a few times," Surumi said, thumbing a strand of her hair.
"But I thought he was dead! He's probably really injured, isn't he?" Yuuto replied.
"Surumi, I think we should pass on slapping him," Touki suggested.
"How about I wake him…" Yuuto said, taking a deep breath "WITH THE POWER OF HEAVY METAAAALLLL!" Yuuto shouted in a falsetto, posing with the devil horns in both of his hands. He cupped both of his hands over his mouth and shrieked in a high pitch scream in Junichi's ears. "YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Dyaahhhh!" Junichi exclaimed, nearly falling out of his chair. "W-what the hell was that!?"
"Annnnd now I'm deaf," Touki said, trying to quiet the ringing in his ear.
"Yuuto, no shouting in the diner, please." Izumi requested. "This is a place for people to eat and relax," she said as she stepped out of the booth with a tray full of food; two plates of sandwiches, one with a small stack of pancakes, napkins, silverware, syrup in a plastic dispenser and three cups of cold milk.
"Mmm... smells delicious," Junichi said as the adrenaline he felt from being shouted at wore off. He carefully took the sandwich into his hand. "Oooh, it looks so golden…"
"So, are you just gonna eat like none of that just happened?" Touki asked, Junichi giving an awkward chuckle.
"Ehehehe… sorry, I guess I got a little worked up…" Junichi said, rubbing the back of his head.
"A little? "You slammed the table and called Yuuto a heretic!" Izumi said from the booth.
"I know. I know. I'm sorry. I just… I'm very passionate about grilled cheese."
"I can't believe that's a real sentence someone said," Touki said in response
"Well, that and I guess it's because I'm so stressed out about the whole killing game thing. Whenever I start getting stressed out, I come up with something to obsess over about to stop thinking about whatever's in my head. If it's an anime or a video game, I'll spend all night binging that to drown out the static in my head." Junichi explained, taking a bite of his grilled cheese. "Mmmmm!"
"Sounds like the grilled cheese is good," Touki said, drowning his pancakes in syrup. "I imagine you get through a whole season in one night on some of your favorite shows."
"I do, then I forget like half of it from it all blending together and me fighting off exhaustion. And then I'm all like… 'Who are they fighting again? Why is the frog a phone?' and have to go like 5 episodes back." Junichi said, taking another bite. "Aww yeah, nice and melty…"
"Junichi I promise not to kick you out or give you some kind of… grilled cheese intervention if you don't freak out on me or Surumi again." Izumi said, daubing off the fried chicken to remove some of the grease once she finished frying it.
"It's fine. I'm cool now. Things got heated but I'm okay. We're golden. Like the cheese." Junichi said. "How are you likin' that melt, Surumi?"
"Just don't yell at me about it," Surumi said, biting into her sandwich. After a bit of chewing, she turned to Izumi as she set down a plate of chicken strips for Yuuto. "This sandwich is really well made. The fried egg adds a rich flavor and delightful texture to the middle," she said.
"Thanks, Surumi," Izumi said. "Here you go, Yuuto. Want anything to dip them in?" she asked.
"Yeah, gimme some ranch," Yuuto said.
"Alright. One saucer of ranch coming up!" Izumi said, heading back to the kitchen. "Catch!" she called, throwing a small plastic saucer full of ranch. Yuuto caught it, not letting a drop spill from the saucer.
"Hell yeah," Yuuto said, setting down the saucer and dunking a strip. "So, you up to somethin' today, Ichi?"
"I heard something about a mandatory DVD player. So I guess that's something the people running this thing want us to do?" Junichi asked.
"Oh yeah. But hey, we can wait. Mini-Mart's probably crowded, right?" Yuuto said with a shrug.
"Yeah, if everyone's going down to get their DVD players at the same time, then we should probably wait. I saw those videos of crazy women with machetes on black Friday, trying to get a new TV for their snot-nosed kids." Touki said as the lab door opened, Chiwa stepping into the diner.
"Ah, good morning, Chiwa! What can I do for you?" Izumi asked.
"Good morning, Izumi. Do you have any streusel cake?" Chiwa asked.
"Bless you," Junichi said.
"Huh? Oh, no. A streusel cake is an apple crumble." Chiwa corrected.
"Why didn't you say apple crumble then?" Junichi pointed out, Izumi suddenly slamming her hands on the bar.
"We're not doing this again!" Izumi shouted. "This is my diner, and I will name things as I please!"
"Well, if it's your diner, what are you gonna call it?" Junichi teasingly asked.
"I'm calling it 'Shut up, Junichi!' Now get out of my diner!" Izumi barked out, pointing toward the door.
"Dude, you are just striking out with the ladies," Touki said with a chuckle.
"Oh, shut up, Touki! Like you're doing any better?" Junichi shot back.
"Before the 12-year-old girl gets streusel and you get offended, I actually wanted your help on a project, Junichi," Yuuto said.
"Why me?" Junichi asked, finishing off the last of his sandwich.
"Dunno, you seem cool," Yuuto said with a shrug. "I just could use some help making something in my room."
"I'm not really suited for manual labor, y'know," Junichi said, waving his sling covered arm.
"Can you write with your right hand?" Yuuto asked, Junichi tentatively nodding. "Then you can help me, dude."
"Alright, if you say so," Junichi said. "You wanna come with, Touki?"
"Nah, I still gota pancakes to eat," Touki said, taking another bite of pancake. "It's pancake town and I'm culling the pancake population."
"That's a… concerning metaphor," Chiwa commented as she went to sit at the table beside Touki.
"Can I get the rest of my chicken strips to go?" Yuuto asked.
"Sure!" Izumi called, running out of the kitchen to grab the half-finished strips before running back into the booth. She came back with the strips in a styrofoam box, along with a small cup for the ranch dressing, shutting the box and sliding it over to Yuuto's hands. Junichi left with Yuuto out of the room as they went to Yuuto's bedroom.