"You kiddos are right once again!" Monokuma said. "The killer of Hirokazu Tsukuda... is Hirokazu Tsukuda!"

Almost immediately, Monokuma looks sad.

"Aw... how boring." Monokuma said. "I don't get to execute anyone today... well... I'm out! See you losers!"

And with that, Monokuma disappears.

We were just left there...

Forced to deal with the aftermath of this trial...

What the hell...

Monokuma...

Monokuma should have executed himself!

He's the reason that Hirokazu killed himself!

There was just nothing but silence, the only things ringing across the room was Kaori's sobs as she mourned the loss of her lover.

"So..." Seungyeon said. "Are we just gonna trust Naomori...?"

"Huh?" Naomori said. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean..." Seungyeon said. "You made the poison, you know? You're easily capable of killing us!"

"Seungyeon, there's no need for drama." Miyumi replied. "God... I just wish this would end. I'm so tired of all this."

"So am I..." Eunji sighed.

"I mean... look at the bright side." Naomori said. "We don't have to watch anyone else die?"

"I-I guess..." Youngjae sighed.

"I do have a question." Takashi said. "For Seungyeon."

"Hm?" The actress replied.

"Why did you try to sabotage the investigation?" The white haired boy asked.

That's true...

If she didn't mess around with the crime scene...

That probably would have led to us getting to the wrong conclusion!

"Ah... well..." Seungyeon said, falling silent.

Seems like she's ashamed of what she's done...

"Uh..." Seungyeon said. "S-Since I saw Kaori leave the library... and I thought she was the killer... I thought... "hey, why not make this class trial fun? Since you already know who killed him!"... that... was obviously a bad call."

"Fun?" Izumi replied. "What's so fun about solving who MURDERED our friends!?"

Yeah...

What the hell, Seungyeon?

"I-I mean... not fun..." The actress replied. "I-I just like seeing how Eunji works! She's so cool when she figures shit out!"

Eh...?

"What?" Miyumi asked.

"This isn't a detective or murder mystery game, Seungyeon." Youngjae said. "It's real life. Our lives are at stake here."

"You don't think I know that!?" The actress replied. "Fuck, I basically snapped under the pressure here! I'm pretty sure I'm gonna die any second here, so excuse me for trying to get something out of this!"

Then there was just silence...

Seungyeon has taken this killing game pretty hard...

But it still doesn't exactly justify all she's done.

"W-Well..." Eunji replied. "We ended up figuring out who the culprit really was, and we're still alive... I suppose we can cut Seungyeon some slack?"

"Eunji?" Miyumi said.

Yeah... look at me playing devil's advocate...

How Seungyeon is...

Probably could have been me if I didn't handle Ayaka's death so well...

"R-Really, you mean that?" Seungyeon said. "Oh, thank you thank you!"

"Yeah, but next time? Don't fuck with the crime scene, okay?" The idol remarked.

"R-Right, of course!" The actress replied, nodding her head.

"She's like a puppy dog all of a sudden." Izumi remarked. "Looks like you got a fan, Eunji."

"Also, there won't be a next time." Miyumi said. "This is the last trial."

Kaori stands up, wiping away her tears.

"I have some questions for Kaori, as well." Eunji said. "Kaori... why did you make it seem like you killed Hirokazu?"

"E-Eh?" Kaori replied. "W-Well..."

"I suppose that is a valid thing to ask..." Yeeun said. "But cut the girl some slack as well? She did lose her boyfriend after all."

I guess that's right...

But just like with Seungyeon, Kaori's behavior could have easily led to us getting to the wrong conclusion!

"I-I mean... I didn't exactly say that I killed him, right?" The dancer replied. "I-It was Seungyeon that was pushing it, anyways..."

"You could have defended yourself, ya know?" The idol said.

"I-I guess... just like what Seungyeon said... she knew you'd get to the right conclusion anyways." The dancer replied. "Not a lot goes past you."

"You gotta give Miyumi some credit too." The idol replied. "She helped lead me in the right direction."

"Yeah." Miyumi said. "Since my dearly beloved here leads the conversations though... it seems like you guys always forget about me! Hmph, my pride as a detective!"

There was just some quiet laughter at Miyumi's comment...

But it didn't seem like Kaori was done speaking her peace.

"Guys... I do have something to share with you all." The dancer said.

"What's up?" Eunji asked.

"H-Hirokazu's last words." Kaori replied. "He... said he believes in us. All of us. T-That... there won't be anymore killing. T-That we'll work together once and for all... and put an end to this killing game. That's... that's why he made this sacrifice. To keep us together in unity. So nobody has to distrust each other anymore. So that we can have hope."

Hirokazu...!

You really were a wonderful guy...

I'm so sorry that you're gone...

"So..." Kaori sniffled once more. "H-He told me... that I should stay strong. For his sake. That I should have hope. To keep fighting. To end this killing game... so I will."

The dancer straightened her posture.

"We're so close." Kaori replied. "I know we can end this killing game... so... let's leave here... with our heads held up high... alright?"

"Yes... that sounds good!" Eunji said. "We have to keep hope alive. For Hirokazu, and for all those that died in this horrible killing game."

"Alright... let's go." Miyumi replied.

With that... we all left the class trial room.

Izumi... she is still the key to all this.

Now more than ever, she must kept safe.

I think that's why Hirokazu made sure she wasn't dead.

He knew how important she is...

It was another day.

Someone...

Seungyeon?

Seungyeon was in the workshop.

"Hah." Seungyeon said... She was working on something... but what?

What was she working on?

"Don't worry..." Seungyeon said. "Don't worry, everyone... I will put an end to this killing game."

She smiles. "Once and for all!"

It's been a couple days after the fact.

Kaori was still obviously broken, but she was getting better day by day.

She was better than me in that regard.

Anyways...

I was in the courtyard, with Miyumi.

We were just looking at the fountain together, sitting on the bench.

"Eunji..." Miyumi said. "We're going to get through this."

"Yes, we are." Eunji replied.

"And we'll beat Monokuma."

"We will."

"So... let's keep hope alive."

That's right... We'll keep hope alive!

For everyone!

Monokuma, your plans will fall through soon enough!


CHAPTER 4: NEVER FALTER, NEVER HINDER, NEVER GIVE UP

END

Eunji Park: Alive

Yeeun Kim: Alive

Izumi Yamamoto: Alive

Seungyeon Kang: Alive

Ayaka Suzuki: DEAD

Miyumi Takahashi: Alive

Reika Kurosawa: DEAD

Kaori Minami: Alive

Youngjae Seo: Alive

Takashi Okazaki: Alive

Naomori Morita: Alive

Ichiro Arakawa: DEAD

Jutaro Harada: DEAD

Hirokazu Tsukuda: DEAD

Kazuhiko Ishibashi: DEAD

Masahito Kiyabu: DEAD

Remaining Students: 9