"That's the truth behind your lies... Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist!" Shuichi yelled from his podium.
For all of us, it had been a long and arduous trial. Theories were thrown around with no shortage of accusations as well, until finally, it resulted in the reveal of a dark truth. One of the pictures from the cameras revealed that Rantaro noticing a particular camera which had it's flash on. There was one person who could've set up the flash, and the moment Shuichi revealed their identity, the horrible truth became clear: Kaede had set up a trap to kill the mastermind and Rantaro was it's unfortunate victim. I'd stayed silent this entire time, waiting for Shuichi to give the cue to make my argument.
"And that concludes the events of Kaede's trap." The detective finished his closing argument.
"N-No... Kaede... did it?" Gonta struggled to say.
"Damn it!" Kaito yelled in frustration.
"It is a truth I do not wish to accept, but since Shuichi has brought everything to light... We can at least try to trust the Kaede we've come to know up to this point." Kirumi said.
"The Kaede we've come to know..?" Tenko repeated.
"Even if she did commit a crime, what Kaede has said to us is not a lie. She wanted to protect us, and I firmly believe that to be the truth." The maid explained.
"If that was a lie too, it'd be the last straw for me. I'd have nothing left to believe in." Ryoma wistfully said.
"You guys are so nice..." Kaede muttered, tears streaming from her eyes. "Even though I betrayed you all..."
Kaede... after everything you've been accused of... everyone seems to still believe in you. I'm glad... I'm actually really glad... I thought to myself.
I saw Shuichi look at me with a smile and I found my resolve.
"Is everyone satisfied?" I asked the other students. "Kaede did what she did... to save all of us... are we all in agreement to that?"
Ryoma tipped his beanie down, covering his eyes as he spoke. "You'll hear no arguments from me."
"It's painful to think about. But, I can understand where she was coming from..." Tsumugi admitted.
"Atua says Kaede bears no sins upon her shoulders. She will be gladly be accepted into heaven!" Angie exclaimed.
Gonta tried his best to hold back his tears. "Kaede tried to save Gonta... but Gonta want to save Kaede as well..."
Me and Keebo didn't say anything as the two of us stared intently at Shuichi.
"Grrah, this is BULLSHIT!" Kaito shouted suddenly.
"Kaito?!" Kaede called out his name, surprised by the astronaut's outburst.
"Kaede, you stayed behind to try and help us... Like hell I'm gonna stand here and do nothing!" He went on.
"And what, pray tell, are you planning to do?" Kiyo asked.
"I'm gonna stand my fucking ground, that's what!" The astronaut loudly declared. "C'mon guys, Kaede's gonna get executed at this rate! We're all here so let's fight Monokuma together!"
"Together?!" Tsumugi repeated.
"Nyeh... me too?" Himiko hesitantly said as she started to sweat.
"Don't group me into your little suicide circle!" Miu yelled.
"Puhuhuhuhu!"
A familiar laughter echoed throughout the trial room as all of us looked at Monokuma.
"You'd really risk all your lives just to save one?" The twisted bear asked.
"You're damn right we would!" Kaito yelled at the bear.
"Like I said, don't run train on me!" Miu shouted.
"Gonta will fight if he must!" As he said this, the entomologist closed his fists with confidence. "After all, Kaede tried to save Kaede, but Gonta want to save Kaede as well!"
"Um, Gonta, you already said that." Tsumugi pointed out.
"I'll use my Neo-Aikido on machines if I have to!" Tenko exclaimed as she took a fighting stance.
"Everyone stop!" Kaede shouted.
Suddenly, the tense atmosphere of the room slowly drained as all of us looked at the pianist. Her face was ridden with guilt and stained with tears. It became clear to me and the others what the girl's true feelings were. She's had enough. Kaede only wanted this trial to end.
"Please... let's just end this..." The pianist pleaded sadly.
Most of us had equally sad expression on our faces as we resigned ourselves to follow Kaede's wishes. All it took was for the silence to continue and Monokuma would begin the voting process.
I turned to see Kaito, who appeared between a rock and a hard place as he spoke. "Dammit, I shouldn't be voting for you, Kaede."
"You shouldn't be voting at all." I firmly said.
The others looked at me in surprise. Mostly because of the tone I said those words in, that of clarity, assurance, and as if it was a command.
"What do you mean, Sharla?" Maki asked in her usual serious tone.
"We shouldn't vote yet." I muttered.
"Or to be more precise, we can't." Shuichi followed up.
"We can't?" Gonta repeated.
"Ummmmmm..." An elongated hum broke out of Kokichi's mouth. "I'm pretty sure we can if we wanted to. I mean, it's actually really easy. It's as easy as going 'HEY MONOKUMA, I THINK WE'RE READY TO START THE VO-'"
"SHUT UP!" Kaito yelled at the supreme leader before turning to me. "Sharla, what do you and Shuichi mean we can't vote yet?"
I closed my eyes as I responded, "Because this trial is far from over."
"Whhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaat?"
To everyone's minor surprise, the outburst came from Monokuma.
"The trial is far from over?" The twisted bear repeated my words. "If that's the case, then it would make this the longest class trial to date!"
"Who held the previous record for that?" Monotaro asked.
"Ugh, ya shoulda seen the guy. A real slowpoke, that one." Monosuke answered as he adjusted his glasses.
"He was like... a snail in molasses." Monophanie muttered.
Monotaro nodded in agreement. "Oh yeah... I guess now he's one with... wait, why am I getting a sense of deja-vu?!"
"Didn't I tell you weirdos to shut it?!" Kaito shouted, starting to become more and more frustrated. "Sharla! Shuichi! What do you two me-"
"Ugh, how long are we gonna play this game?" Kokichi whined.
"What was that?!" Kaito yelled as he turned to the supreme leader.
"I mean, how long are we gonna play this game of 'Sharla, Shuichi, what do you mean 'insert last thing Shuichi or Sharla said here'?" The purple-haired boy asked as he gave a sly smile to me and the detective. "It's pretty obvious our Ultimate Detective and Ultimate Sniper have something they want to say…If that's so, then they should just come right out and say it."
This was it, the moment of truth. It was a tough trial to deal with up to this point, but me and Shuichi knew it was going to get much more difficult from here on out. Either way, the two of us braced ourselves, for the next words to come out of our mouths would change the direction of this trial completely.
"Kaede is not the culprit." Me and the detective said in unison.
A long silence filled the room, as if the others needed time to fully process the five words that me and the now-hatless boy just uttered.
"H... Huhhhhh?!" Tsumugi was the first one to react.
The other students followed.
"Oh, so I guess it wasn't Kaede." Angie said in a happy, oblivious manner. "OK, time to continue the trial, everyone!"
"D-Don't just accept it so easily!" The cosplayer told the artist.
"W-What Shuichi and Sharla mean Kaede not the culprit?!" Gonta asked.
"Um, Gontaaaa, I thought I just said we weren't playing that game anymorrrrrre." Kokichi said, clearly not fazed by mine and Shuichi's words.
"Oh, Gonta sorry." The entomologist apologized.
"Forget all about that! We have more pressing matters right now!" Kaito suddenly shouted.
"Kehehehe, clearly we do." Kiyo laughed softly. "What exactly are you playing at, Shuichi?"
"Yeah!" Miu agreed. "You just spent the last few fucking minutes proving how she was the one who did it!"
"All I did was prove a possible method of murder. But that doesn't mean Kaede killed-" Shuichi started to explain but was cut off.
"Shuichi!" Kaede yelled out his name.
"Huh..?!" The detective reacted in surprise to her outburst.
The pianist suddenly gave him a warm smile. "You've done well up to this point. I didn't expect any less...but you still have a long way to go. You need to be more assertive. If you did that more often, you'd be a pretty cool guy."
It was clear to me what Kaede was doing. She had resigned to her fate. No matter what evidence Shuichi presented to try and convince her otherwise, it doesn't change the fact that she truly believed she murdered Rantaro. Regardless, the detective wasn't going to give up.
He looked at Kaede straight in the eyes as he spoke. "You are not the culprit, Kaede."
I watched as the pianist's warm smile turn into a frown. Not of anger, but a frown of confusion and desperation.
"Don't do this..." She muttered to Shuichi.
"Kaede..." The detective said. "You have to believe me. The trap you laid out-"
"Was how I murdered Rantaro!" Kaede finished. "Please, Shuichi, don't do this! You promised me you and Sharla would accept the truth no matter how frightening it was!"
Shuichi was beginning to stutter. "I... I know, but what me and Sharla are saying is the tru-"
"Shuichi, that's enough!"
I looked at the source of the voice and was surprised that it came from Tsumugi just as much as Shuichi was when he looked at her.
The cosplayer smiled wistfully as she continued. "I know how you feel, Shuichi...I really do. Up to this point, I had grown close with Kaede. The two of us shared some pretty good memories. I don't want her to die...in fact, had you not tried to convince us she wasn't the culprit a moment ago, I probably would've spoken out as well...and try to come up with an excuse why she couldn't have done it."
"Tsumugi..." Kaede muttered, touched by the cosplayer's words.
"But that's not what she wants!" The blue-haired girl exclaimed, now with tears streaming from her eyes. "She did what she did for all of us, and the least we can do is not have her suffer anymore! Let's end this trial... for her sake... OK, Shuichi?"
"W-Wait..." Shuichi muttered as he noticed things were starting to become out of his control. "We can't..."
"Stop stalling and let us vote already!" Miu shouted. "Y'think we're gonna just keep continuing the trial all because you have a crush on Princess Piano?!"
"The two have been somewhat close ever since we woke up in this academy." Kiyo pointed out. "That would explain why he would suddenly go back on his previous deductions and try to claim Kaede's innocence."
"Claim... her innocence?" Tenko repeated, getting a completely different context on what the anthropologist said. "Is that what you've been after this whole time, you degenerate?!"
"N-No!" Shuichi denied. "Everyone, if you just listen for one-"
"I will not allow you to speak any further!" The aikido master yelled as she took a fighting stance. "Not if your words will cause Kaede anymore suffering."
"Kid..." Ryoma spoke next. "It's bad form to stop a lady from what she wants to do. I don't like as much as you do, but we have to accept this truth."
"Nyeh..." Himiko whined. "This is starting to become a pain... for me and Kaede. We should probably vote now."
"I couldn't agree more, Himiko!" Tenko excitedly said to the mage.
Keebo looked around at the others nervously, he turned to Shuichi and he noticed that the detective was starting to become flustered, as if he wanted yell out something but couldn't. Me and the robot knew nobody was taking this seriously.
"Um, everyone, if I may have your attention?" Keebo spoke out. "I think we should hear out Shuichi first before we-"
"Nobady cares, Keeboy!" Kokichi yelled.
"Ah!" The robot exclaimed in shock. "N-No! This isn't right! Shuichi isn't lying because me and Sharla were-"
"Yeah, yeah we get it, you're a useless robot." Kokichi interrupted again. "Hey, why don't you make yourself useful and remodel yourself as a toaster?"
"H-How would that make me useful?!" The robotic student asked before shaking his head. "No, wait! I can't focus on that right now!"
The whole trial room descended into chaos, as everyone made accusatory remarks at Shuichi while Keebo and Kokichi fought amongst one another. I was tearing up as I gripped my hand into my hair.
Sounds of quiet sobbing echoed in the trial room. The voices from the others slowly stopped as we saw Kaede with her head buried in her hands as she cried into them.
"Kaede..." Shuichi muttered.
Tsumugi looked at the pianist and then closed her eyes as she spoke, "Everyone... I think it's time..."
"...I suppose it is." Kirumi said softly.
"Puhuhuhu..." Monokuma gave a slow and menacing laugh as he took his cue.
No... This wasn't how it was supposed to go... I thought to myself as I lowered my head.
The only me and Shuichi waited as long as we did to prove Kaede's innocence was convince everyone of her purpose in creating the trap. I theorized that even if we proved Kaede wasn't the one who ultimately killed Rantaro, it wouldn't change the fact that she set up a method to kill someone. The two of us didn't want to taint Kaede's image as an attempted murderer, we wanted to show her goodwill to the others. And to my horror, our plan worked frighteningly too well.
"Looks like the debate's finished, so that means it's Voting Time!" Monotaro excitedly declared.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this...
"Alright, you bastards! Press the button in front of you to cast your vote!" Monokid instructed.
Why won't anyone believe him..?
"And make sure y'all vote, cuz refusin' to vote is grounds for termination." Monosuke warned.
Why won't Kaede believe him..?
"At last!" Monokuma shouted. "The heart-racing excitement as the blackened and the spotless finally face off…"
It can't end like this...
"It's... VOTING TIME!" Monokuma and the Monokubs all shouted together.
It can't end like this..!
"EVERYONE SHUT UP FOR ONE SECOND!"
I whiped away my tears and saw that before the voting could start, Kaito called out to the others.
"Huh, what, huh?" Monokuma reacted. "What's happening? Are we not doing Voting Time yet?"
"HELL NO WE'RE NOT!" Kaito continued to shout.
Monotaro threw his paws in the air in surprise. "WHAT?! B-B-B-B-B-But we spent weeks memorizing our lines!"
"Ugh, all that time just thrown down the drain." Monosuke muttered.
"Like a goddamn virgin, we prematured all over the place!" Monokid yelled. "Dammit Monodam, I blame you for this!"
Monodam didn't say a thing.
"So, Kaito..." Kokichi said in a suspiciously friendly manner. "Wassup, buddy?"
"And what was the meaning of that outburst just now?" Kiyo asked.
"If I recall, he said that we're not voting." Kirumi said. "Am I correct, Kaito?"
"Damn straight we're not voting yet!" Kaito said with pride as he gave everyone a thumbs-up.
"Oh come on, not you too!" Miu exclaimed in frustration. "Argh, let's just ignore him. He's just a big dumb idiot anyway."
"Don't call me an idiot!" The astronaut shouted.
"Heeeeeeeeee!?" The inventor flinched back in terror.
"Anyway, I say we're not voting until we hear out Shuichi and Sharla!" Kaito exclaimed.
"Huh?" Me and Shuichi looked at the astronaut in surprise.
"Oh." Kokichi said simply. "So this was just a waste of time."
"What's that supposed to mean?" The spikey-haired man asked.
"C'mon, I thought we established Shuichi and Sharla's only trying to stop us because they don't want Kaede to die." The supreme leader explained. "And now that I think about it, Kaito, you don't want her to die as well, right?"
"Of course I don't!" Kaito proudly declared. "I don't think anyone does!"
"No one's accusing anyone of wanting her to die." Tsumugi said. "It's just we have no choice but to vote for Kaede..."
"Yeah." Kokichi agreed. "Unless, y'know, we all choose to die here and now."
"If that's what everyone decides, then I shall do so as well." Kirumi admitted.
Miu groaned in frustration. "I knew you'd try to get me wrapped up in your suicide circle!"
"It's not a suicide circle! And I'm not trying to get anyone killed!" Kaito yelled.
"Aren't you, though?" Kiyo wondered. "Between you, Shuichi and Sharla, trying to stop the rest of us from voting, you're effectively holding us hostage until we see things your way."
"First of all, what the hell is wrong with just hearing out shat Shuichi and Sharla have to say?!" The astronaut asked.
"Yeah, why are you trying to leave our theories out of this trial?!" I yelled.
"That is a fair point." Ryoma agreed. "Even if it does turn out to be a complete waste of time, then that's all it's going to be... a waste of time and nothing more."
"Ooh, I see, I see! Then there's nothing wrong with us hearing out Shuichi and Sharla!" Angie exclaimed.
Tsumugi looked up in curiousity. "I wonder about that..."
"What do you mean?" Kiyo asked the cosplayer.
"I've been meaning to ask..." The blue-haired girl looked towards the twisted bear. "Monokuma, is there a time limit to these class trials?"
"A time limit?" Gonta asked.
"You ask that now, of all times?!" Kaito exclaimed.
"S-Sorry!" Tsumugi apologized. "The thought never came up to me until now... and we've been debating for quite awhile now..."
"You have a point there." Tenko admitted.
"Well, Monokuma?" Maki asked.
The black-and-white bear put a paw to his chin. "Hmm, to be honest, I never considered the thought. I was always so sure that you guys would find a way to conclusively resolve them in a timely manner."
"So does that mean there's no time limit?" Himiko asked.
"Well, I wouldn't say that." Monokuma said ominously. "After all, class trials are meant to be entertaining. How can things be kept exciting when everyone ends up at an impasse or they're just too stupid to figure things out?"
"Then what's the time limit?!" I asked in a panic.
"The time limit is when I get bored!" The twisted bear siad triumphantly.
"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa?!" Tenko shouted in shock.
"Hah!" Kokichi laughed. "Why am I not surprised it would be a completely petty reason?"
"Just for reference, Father." Monotaro said. "How bored would you say you are now?"
"Hmm..." Monokuma thought about for a second before saying "I'd say... fifty percent."
"You're already at fifty?!" Tenko exclaimed.
"What do you mean 'already'?!" Kaito countered. "That just means we're only at fifty percent!"
"Huh, so you're the 'glass half-full' types." Tsumugi inquired.
"Time limit or not, it doesn't change a thing. We hear out Shuichi and Sharla, and worse-case scenario, we reach the time limit and vote for Kaede like you all planned" Kaito responded.
"I'm sorry, did you think I'd give you that big of a safety net?" Monokuma asked the astronaut.
"Huh?"
"Au contraire!" The twisted bear shouted. "If you reach the time limit, I'm just gonna execute everyone!"
"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!" Tenko yelled even louder than before.
"What the hell!?" Kaito couldn't keep his composure either.
"You scumbag!" I yelled.
"Then we can't waste any time! I don't want anyone else to die because of what I did!" Kaede shouted, finally recomposing herself.
"Kaede, I don't want anyone else to die either-" Shuichi started to say before the pianist cut him off.
"Then why are you and Sharla doing this?! Just vote for me, Shuichi! Vote for me and live on!" She shouted.
"I can't do that, Kaede!" The detective replied as he gripped his chest in response to his emotional pain.
"Why can't you and Sharla believe I'm guilty?!" New tears started to form in Kaede's eyes as she said this. "This is the truth I kept hidden from you two! Isn't it your duty as a detective and a sniper to end this!? Was I wrong to trust-"
"IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT, KAEDE?!" Kaito yelled at the top of his lungs.
Silence overcame the trial room. The others looked at the astronaut and saw that he was seething. He wasn't showing any boisterous anger anymore, what he showed was genuine.
He took a breath before talking again. "Kaede...I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm disappointed in you."
"Huh..?" Kaede responded.
Kaito looked away. "It's just, all this time you were saying how much you wanted all of us to escape from here and become friends. And now...here you are wanting to die so easily…"
Tsumugi shook her head. "Kaito, that's not fair... It's not like Kaede has a choice."
"The choice is right in front of her!" The astronaut shouted.
"Huh, what do you mean?" The cosplayer asked.
"I'm talking about Shuichi." The spikey-haired boy gestured to the detective next to him.
"Shuichi?" Kaede repeated.
"Think about it." Kaito continued. "He spent all that time explaining your trap, but now he comes out and says you aren't the culprit along with Sharla who stayed quiet up until now? There must be a reason for that, right?"
"Well yeah." Kokichi interjected. "Because it's a lie."
"Call it what you want, but I'm gonna believe in Shuichi and Sharla." The astronaut exclaimed.
"Kaito..." The detective muttered.
Kaede didn't say anything as she looked downwards, taking in the astronaut's words.
"That's all fine and dandy!" Miu broke the tense atmosphere. "But that doesn't mean I'm gonna believe in Poo-ichi and Shyla!"
"Indeed." Kiyo followed. "You've made your stance quite clear, but what's stopping us from still proceeding with the vote?"
Kaito stayed silent for a brief moment before deciding on his next words. "Then let me put it this way... unless I hear Shuichi and Sharla say their piece... I'm refusing to vote, even if you guys decide it's time."
"You're refusing to vote?!" Keebo exclaimed. "B-But if you do that then that means…"
"He'll get executed as well." Kirumi answered.
"So instead of taking us hostage... he's taking himself hostage?" Himiko wondered.
"G-Gonta no want Kaito to die as well!" Gonta yelled.
"Especially since it would be such a pointless death... and an easily preventable one at that." Ryoma muttered.
"Kehehe..." Kiyo laughed as he extended his arms in reverence. "For someone to risk their lives just to hear the words of two people... Spectacular, Kaito Momota, you have shown me the extent of your humanity quite well!"
"So what's it gonna be?" Kaito asked the others.
"I for one, will gladly hear out Shuichi and Sharla." Keebo spoke out first.
"Gonta wants to hear what Shuichi and Sharla has to say!" The entomologist agreed.
"Nyahaha!" Angie raised her hand excitedly. "I want to hear Shuichi and Sharla, too!"
"Very well." Kiyo followed. "You have my attention, Shuichi and Sharla."
The rest of the students gave similar responses of agreement. The trial room was now silent and everyone awaited what me and Shuichi have to say.
But before we could, the two of us looked at the astronaut.
"Kaito... we can't not thank you enough." I said.
"I'm don't know what's going on in those heads of yours, but from what I'd guessed... you two going to save her, right?" The astronaut asked.
"I...I truly hope that's the case." Shuichi said hesitantly.
Kaito scowled. "Don't think I'm not disappointed in you, too."
"What..?" Shuichi asked.
"You could've done a lot better trying to get everyone to listen to you."
"Oh...I'm sorry." The detective said dejectedly.
The astronaut sighed. "C'mon, where was the Shuichi that walked down the shrine brimming with confidence?"
"Huh?" Shuichi was taken aback.
"I'm just saying you looked pretty badass at the time." Kaito said.
"Yeah, it was pretty charming." I admitted.
"I... I didn't even notice..." Shuichi muttered. "In my mind I didn't really think about anything else. I was just so...so…"
"Determined?" Kaito finished.
"...Yes." The detective answered. "I was determined...to save her."
"Well, here's your chance." The astronaut pointed out. "You only get one shot at this, so bring your A-game. After all, if you and Sharla are going to save her...you may as well impress her while doing so."
Kaito gave Shuichi a thumbs-up and a wink. The detective could only blush at the astronaut's implication.
"Hey, are ya done making out with your boyfriend, or are we gonna get this show on the road?" Miu asked.
"No... we're ready." Shuichi said with resolve.
"By the way." Monokuma noted. "I'm now sixty-five percent bored of this!"
"Nyeh?!" Himiko squeaked. "A whole fifteen percent?!"
"Then let's not waste anymore time!" Kaito declared confidently.
"All right." I agreed.
I looked at Kaede, who still had her head lowered. It seemed like she shut herself off from the rest of the trial as if she had given up completely. I couldn't blame her, after all she had gone through. However, even if Monokuma says this trial is sixty-five percent over, me, Shuichi, and a few of the others knew this was only the beginning.