The last omake before we move on to chapter 2. I hope you enjoy Kikoi's Fte's.

My eyes flutter open when something falls onto my face. It's a paper wrap. Someone probably threw it away. I wipe it off my face and yawn, shaking out my hair to get rid of loose grass.

That was a great nap…hm? I…can't remember what I was doing before that… Oh well, who cares. Let's see what I'm going to do now.

I feel as if I should talk to someone. However, I first need a present. So, I walk to the Kumachrome shop. Kumachrome, like usual, ignores me while reading a magazine. I put a coin in the slot machine, not even sure at this point how many I have.

A capsule falls out, I open it and see a lucky charm inside of it. It has the shape of a four leaved clover. Hm. How should like this? I feel as if I could give it to plenty of people here.

With my new gift, I walk outside and look around. To my dismay, most people are talking. I huff as I wander around, trying to find someone who is alone and not Rea. I'm that concentrated on not wasting my gift that I almost miss Kikoi standing in one of the corners. She looks at me as if she wants to talk.

Well, might as well. Kikoi is pretty nice after all…

I walk up to her and flash the most non-threatening smile I can muster. "Hey Kikoi, want to talk?"

Her eyes briefly flash down, but then she nods.

We spend the time in absolute silence.

Shit, this isn't working how I hoped it would work. Maybe I should try giving her that gift?

When I hand the charm to her, she blinks in surprise. But then, she gives me a shy and thankful smile as she takes it. Woohoo! Score one!

And then we return to the absolute silence as I start to realize that a shy girl and an introverted nerd may not be such a good combination. Damn, neither of us are saying a word. We're both waiting for the other to begin. Guess I'll have to be the one to break the ice.

But just as I open my mouth, Kikoi surprises me by cutting me off. "…Um…uh…nice…nice weather…it is…today…"

I blink confused for a moment, but then I decide to go along. "Yeah, it sure is…"

Just as quickly as the spark of conversation happened, it disappears. Although, Kikoi seems to be muttering to herself. Poor thing. Has absolutely zero idea on what to do. I may be introverted but at least I know my way somewhat around words.

"Look." I tell her. "If you're more comfortable talking to Masato, it's fine. You don't have to stress yourself for all of this if you're too uncomfortable. I'm not taking it personally."

She looks at me. But then slowly, her head shakes. "No…I…I wanted…I had…I wanted to talk to…to you."

Huh? That's strange? She doesn't want to talk with him? Did anything happen between them?

The words blurt out of my mouth before I can stop myself. "Are you having a fight with Masato?"

My accusation seems to have hit a cord. She frantically shakes her head with wide eyes. "No! Nothing like that! It's not…! We're not fighting!"

Oh jeez, way to go Yurika.

"I'm sorry!" I pretty much panic. "I was just wondering why you talk with me instead of him. He's your friend, right? I figured something must have happened if you don't want to spend time with him."

My words don't reassure her. "I-I still…! We're okay! It's just…I…well…"

She falls over her words, trying to say what she wants to say. At this point, she is pretty much grabbing her head and hyperventilating. Realizing things are getting a bit too much for her, I take a deep breath.

"Kikoi. Calm down. I'm not going to judge you for whatever you say. Take a deep breath and tell me what you want."

She still looks rather frightened at me, but then, she slowly starts to calm down. Like I told her, she takes a deep breath and stares right at me.

"I want to talk to you…to learn how to talk to other people."

Oh.

Oh!

OH!

"Of course." I pretty much smack myself for the head. "You want to talk to other people to learn how to be less shy and confront your weakness. And if you talk to Masato, you won't accomplish that."

Her head goes up and down, nodding as I understand her words. "Right!"

But one question still remains. "But why me? Why not someone else? Hanako loves company, she'd gladly talk with you. I'm rather introverted…"

"Um…well…that is exactly why. You…you see…extroverted…people…they talk…well…um…a lot…so I-I don't…well…get to say anything. And then, comparing you…to other…introverts…"

Yeah, I bet I look pretty tame compared to Mizuki or Isamu.

"I see…" I mutter for a moment. But then, I give her a smile. "…Let's do it then. You talk and pretend I'm mute. And maybe after a while, we'll drag someone else in. Hey, how long do you bet we can annoy Mizuki before she starts insulting us?"

Despite her being a taken aback a bit, there is a mischievous spark in her eyes. A spark waiting to be ignited. I spit on my hand and extend it to her. "Promise between women?"

She returns the smile and the spit-shake. "It's a deal."

A stuntwoman trying to overcome her shyness by making a deal with an introverted nerd. Someone should make a movie about this. Joking aside, I think I learnt something about Kikoi today.

We agree to meet up another time, after wiping our dirty hands on our shirts. Cracking my stiff shoulders, I head back for my dorm. Just as I open the door—

I slept in again. With a sigh, I roll out of bed. I'm not even hungry. Just…bored. I need someone to talk too…let's get a gift first…

Getting out a bed takes a moment or two. Or three. Or five. But I eventually manage. I pull on my vest and step outside. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I enter the Kumachrome shop and head straight for the Monomachine.

When I roll in a coin, a poster of an action movie rolls out. Alright…so this would either mean Shinri…or…

I head out and I see Kikoi standing by the door in the dormitory. With a smile, I approach her. "Morning Kikoi. Ready for your first try?"

She nearly jumps when she hears me voice, but she calms down immediately and nods. I give her a smile and we go inside to sit at the table. A few moments of almost complete silence pass by. Maybe I should give her a nudge. How about that gift?

I present it to her and she immediately takes it, eyes wide with fascination. Looks like another great match to me!

This time, I try to remain silent while allowing Kikoi to speak. It's…a bit painful to see her struggling so much with her words.

"A-and that is…why…I…uh…um…sorry…" She looks at her feet and I can't help but pity her. "That's okay. You wanna take a break? Listen while I talk?"

She gives me a tired smile, but she shakes her head. "No…I'll…I'll be fine. Maybe…ask a question? For a long answer?"

I give her a nod. "Sure, I've got a question or two anyways."

"Fire away."

That I will. "How come you're more comfortable jumping from the first floor in the dormitory than speaking to others? I know you're a stuntwoman and all, so you should be used to those things, but still…"

She bites her lip, probably wondering how to answer that. I patiently wait for her. After a while, she finally seems to have an answer. "It's…like…when you jump out of window…I just need to…I just have to, well, brace myself. And remember safety procedures…"

I nod to encourage her to go on.

"All of it…it's…I know what I need to do. But…in a conversation…you need to pay attention…to words…and emotions…say what you want and what they want to hear…think how it will affect them and you…t-there is just so much…I'm afraid of messing up…"

She shakily looks up. "If…if I mess up my stunt…only I get hurt…but if I mess up talking…I'll hurt others…"

Ah, I see. She is afraid of offending or hurting people. Don't see that much in this day and age.

"I-I know…it sounds weird…because it's silly, right? But…it intimidates me. What…what if I say something bad? But…my therapist…she said that if I don't talk…I'll forever be scared of speaking… I don't want that…so I need to learn how to do it…"

Understanding her struggles, I give her a soft pat on her shoulder. "I see. You want to protect people so much, you're afraid of offending them, right?"

Glad someone understands her, she nods heavily. "Indeed! Stunting is not so scary, since I know what I'm doing, but…but a conversation! That is so versatile! I don't know what I'm supposed to do! Especially meeting new people! New people are hard, you don't know their limits…"

I'm a bit taken aback by her sudden string of words. Once she realizes that, she flushes a deep red. "S-sorry! I-I…didn't give you…a chance to speak…"

It's too adorable. I snicker behind my hand. "Sounds like you need to learn to stand your ground a bit more and place yourself a little bit more over others."

Her blush doesn't go away and she keeps looking at her feet, but I see a small smile of her lips that warms my heart.

I think I learnt a little more about Kikoi today.

After a few more minutes of me reassuring her everything is alright, we decide to continue our session another time. I go for my dorm room again. When the door shuts behind me, I open up my E-Book.

"The reason why Kikoi is so shy is because she is afraid of hurting others. That is why stunting doesn't feel like a big deal to her, but socializing is a huge thing for her. Talking to new people is the worst, because she doesn't know their limits."

With that said, I close the E-Book and—

I suddenly wake up from my place in the shower. Did…did I doze off in the freaking shower!? I need more sleep…

But now that my hair is wet, and I can't blow it dry, I can't go back to bed again. So, I get up, turn off the warm water, dry myself off, get clothed and step outside. I go straight to the Kumachrome shop.

When I put in a coin, I get a miniature car. It's silver and pretty, but not something I'm going to keep. Let's see who will like this gift.

I decide to try Kikoi. I find her behind the school, enjoying the shade. "Ready for the next session?" I ask when I approach her. She turns and nods.

When spend some time with our session. I think she's improving. Maybe I should give her a reward…

She definitely appreciates the gift, as shown by the awestruck look in her eyes. "T-thanks…"

Another day, another session. And to my delight, Kikoi is getting more comfortable around me and thus, more comfortable speaking.

"And then…well…my mom says: 'Why don't you take your leeching el novio to the fucking parking lot and tell him to go fuck himself!"

I blink as the foreign words come out of her mouth fluidly. I recognize the English word 'fucking' but aside from that…

"And then she…my uh…La Tìa…my aunt…looks over her shoulder and sees me…because, well, I was still in the room…and I was five. I-I hadn't meant to listen in, but I'm five, and…you know… S-so then, she sees me in my cute nightdress with a Felina the Cat plushy and she…um…goes a white as a ghost. My mom…she turns around and sees me…with horror. And I'm just: Mama? What does 'fucking' mean?"

She laughs, but she lost me. I try to laugh along, but it's not as genuine as I hoped. The moment she notices, she starts panicking. "A-ah! I should not…ah, have used such vile…strong…language…"

"No, no, it's fine." I laugh. "Given the chance I'd probably swear more than Homura."

Relaxed when hearing that, she gives me a smile. "No one…swears more than Homura."

"Ok, true, but seriously, I was just surprised how you switch so fluidly to English and…Spanish, I guess?"

Her eyes look away, slightly embarrassed. "Ah…well…that is…"

I give her a minute to form her words.

"My grandmother is from Mexico…and my mom is from America…the USA…so I'm only half Japanese…and I grew up with three…you know…languages…"

Damn, growing up with three languages? No wonder she slips.

I grin. "English class must be a breeze if you grew up with English."

But to my surprise, she shakes her head. "I'm actually…homeschooled."

Oh?

"M-my parents…they are actors…they met on a set in Namibia. And…and after I was born…they continued to act. So…since they had to travel…a lot…I had to…come as well. I can't do that with normal school…so I take online courses."

As I can only start to imagine what it must be to have actors as parents, I grin at her. "That is so cool! Your parents, actors? Awesome! Did you learn from them?"

She merely shrugs. "No, not…really. I-I can't act well…and I'm too shy. One day however…I met a stuntman. He showed me…how to jump from a moving motorcycle…ever since then…I wanted to be an actor myself…and ride a motorcycle…"

There is a hesitant tone in her voice that tells me something. "Your parents didn't like that, right?"

"No, not at first…but then that stuntman started training me…and showing me…how to do stunts…without hurting myself… My dad later bought me…a quad…if I promised to be safe. I tried a lot of things…tricks and such… Eventually my parents came around."

Her eyes are sparkling of enthusiasm. "And now, I can do more tricks! A-and when I become 18, I'm allowed…allowed to ride a motorcycle! So right now, I'm looking…in magazines…for bikes…I want a brown and black one…I'm gonna call her Blackbird…"

She continues talking, as if I'm no longer there, as if she has been waiting for someone to unleash the flow of words like a fountain on. It's heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

"A-and my dad promised me…promised me to look…at actual…"

Her face suddenly pales, as seems to have just realized something. Her enthusiasm disappears as snow for the sun and her eyes fill themselves with misery.

"S-sorry…can we…continue another time…?"

The words have to forced out and I can clearly see she needs some time alone. I nod.

Man, talk about a mood whiplash. Although…I think I learnt something about her today…

We quietly part ways. Once in my room, I take out my E-Book.

"Kikoi is half-Japanese and can speak three languages. Her parents are actors and as such, she was homeschooled. She showed interest in stunt work over acting and convinced her parents to allow her to stunt. She wants to have a motorcycle of her own one day."

The heavy mood I took back doesn't want to make me socialize much more, so I—

I feel like socializing today. I come to that conclusion while I'm eating a riceball in the cafeteria. When I'm done, I go for the Kumachrome shop. This time, my purchase ends up being a small soap bar that smells really well.

Well, I'm doing well with Kikoi. Maybe she'll like it.

I find her near the ladies' restroom. She is just leaning against the wall, doing nothing. I head over. "Want to continue the session today?" I ask her. She looks up, smiling in recognition and nods.

Kikoi talks to me while I stay silent and I occasionally ask a question. Eventually, I give her the gift.

"F-for me? Um…uh…thank you…very much…"

If anyone else said that, it would be sarcastic. But since it's Kikoi, I'm counting it as a win.

This deal has become common practice with us now. I stay silent while Kikoi talks and keeps the conversation going. It's tough, but she is doing better and better. I'm just thinking of taking things to the next level when she switches topics again.

"…And like you said, confusing languages is annoying…but not as annoying as…well…having all those traditions. I-it sort of depends where I am…but…it's mostly American and Japanese traditions. M-my grandma was so mad I couldn't attend…Dias de los Muertos… with my mom's side…of the family… she flew all the way over here to smack my father and teacher with her sandal."

The image of a little old lady flying across the ocean to hit two grown man with her sandal is too funny not to snort. When she sees me laughing, she becomes more confident.

"Honestly, she smacks my father a lot. She still thinks…my mom should have married an American."

"She sounds feisty to me."

"She is." She smiles sheepishly. "But she is very sweet to me and my mom. It helps I don't look that Japanese. It must be my skin tone."

We fall silent again. Kikoi fiddles with her jacket. I decide to take the leap. "Kikoi, what do you think? Are you ready to take in another person in our group?"

It's as if she's struck by lightning. She freezes up, the question spinning in her head. Her face pales. "A-already?"

"You've gotten pretty far already. You're stuttering less, and you've gotten more comfortable talking to me. Do you think we can try asking a third person to join us? We can start with Toshiya, he is polite enough not to interrupt."

She looks away. "I-I…I don't know…"

I can't help but frown. "If you only talk to me, you're going to have the same problem as with Masato."

"I-I know…"

Just as I cross my arms to think how we're going to solve this problem, something comes to mind. "You know, there have been a few times when you were talking fluidly and determined, as if you weren't shy. How come?"

There no immediate answer. Just an embarrassed look on her face. "T-those are either…well…sometimes there is too much…going on…to think over my words…and other times…they're movie quotes…"

Ah, well, that makes some sort of sense…I guess…

Silence falls between us. Kikoi looks at the ground. I suddenly notice there are tears in her eyes.

"I…I hate this. I-I hate freezing up…when someone asks me a question. I hate not being able…to look into someone's eyes. I-I hate…being fearful of people."

"Kikoi…"

"I promised to protect people. B-but…how…how can I…can I do that…if I can't take care…of myself? I-I am so shy…how can I help everyone…when I can't talk properly to them? Heh…I'm so…pathetic…weak…I couldn't even stop…"

I watch as Kikoi hugs herself, tears streaming down her face. "People…they call me…brave and…courageous…but I-I…I'm not. Because…I can't…I don't fear my work…but I fear talking…and socializing…how could anyone call me brave?"

My heart becomes a little heavy as the topic hits a bit close to home. Without thinking, I say: "I am still calling you brave."

She obviously did not expect that, if her surprised face is anything to go by. "Huh? What are you…"

"Sure, things may not go so well when it comes to socializing with everyone else. But you're making efforts to surpass that." I point out.

"W-what?"

"You could have locked yourself in your room and shied away from everyone save Masato. But you didn't. You go every morning to the cafeteria, walk around and most importantly, you came to me for help. You knew you had a weakness and sought a way to fix it, even though that way scares you. In my opinion, you're a brave person."

Still not convinced, she looks away. "But I still can't…"

I frown. "But you're trying. You of all people should know you can't learn a skill in a day. That's why you need to practice. First with Masato, then with me, and only then comes the next step. Taking steps. That's how we're going to do things."

For a moment, she is silent, but then she looks at me. "We?"

Damn, got myself in a pinch here. "Well, are you going to do this on your own then?"

She shakes her head, but there is still a concerned look in her eyes.

I hope she drops the subject soon…or I'll become a hypocrite. Aside from that, I learnt more about Kikoi today.

We end our session and split. When I reach my room, I open up my handbook again.

"Kikoi is self-conscious about her own bravery. She doesn't think she's brave because she is afraid of confronting her fear. Of course, that is bullshit and I called her out on it. Even if the steps are small, she is working on her problems."

With that filled in, I decide to take it easy for the rest of the day. So, I hop into my bureau chair and—

I can't remember when I fell asleep. But, that really wouldn't be the first time. I wriggle myself out of bed and when I do so, I notice a letter shoved underneath my door.

Huh?

At first, I'm hesitant. But curiosity overwhelms me, and I take the envelop. When I open it, I see it's from Kikoi.

"Dear Yurika,

I'd like to talk with you in private, if that's possible. Could you meet me in my room?

Kikoi"

Sure, that doesn't seem suspicious at all. But whether it's Kikoi's niceness or simple stupidity, I decide to go. But not without a gift. After quickly getting a shirt with a famous judoka on it, I head towards Kikoi's room. After a last moment of hesitation, I knock on the door.

After a moment of quiet, Kikoi opens the door and practically pulls me in. Her strength, despite having witnessed it firsthand, surprises me and I almost trip over her chabudai. The small table scrapes a bit over the floor but remains undamaged.

"Are you okay?" Kikoi almost yells at me.

"Yeah, just, next time, don't pull someone into a room."

She goes very, very quiet. To make her feel better, I give her the shirt. She blushes a bit and takes it. "Um, you can…sit wherever you like."

Kikoi's room is one giant cultural pot. Mexican flowers and cloths in vibrant colors, an American flag, a Japanese table and a whole lot of souvenirs from all over the globe. Motorbike magazines are sprawled across the floor, there are posters of famous actors and stuntmen almost covering the walls and various birds are carved out of wood. Every time I look at something, I notice something new. My room is so boring compared to hers.

I eventually regain the strength in my legs and go sit at the chabudai. Kikoi makes herself comfy at the other side, crossed legged. She smiles awkwardly.

"I'm still not used to sitting on my legs. They…fall asleep easily."

"It's fine, I prefer cross-legged often too."

We fall into silence once again. But this time, it's not awkward. It's a nice kind of silence. One that shows the trust and friendship we've build up together.

Finally, Kikoi breaks the ice and the silence. "I want to end our deal."

Her words feel like something just slammed into me. "What?"

She flinches. "I don't mean it in a bad way! It's…well…I've had some time to think…and you're right. I need to start talking to other people. But…I want to try it on my own first. To see if I can do it. To see if I can overcome my fears on my own."

Chuckling, I look at her. "That's very brave of you. So, who are you going after first?"

"Well, I might start with Toshiya, like you said. Maybe I'll move onto Noriko next. And after that, I'll just see." She absentmindedly scratches the back of her neck. "I…just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. For giving me a bit of confidence again. I…had a rough time both now…and before…"

Curious, I cock my head. "Before?"

Her face falls, as if she is remembering a bad memory. "Well…I haven't told you about the reason I'm here, right?"

I slowly nod.

"You see…it happened about a few months back. My parents…had just signed a new contract for a new movie, but I…didn't want to split, now that I had finally made a friend. Seeing I could take care of myself, my parents agreed to let me stay here…with my grandma and my trainers. It was fun. I got to meet another girl through Masato and we became fast friends. Everything was great…until…"

She wraps her arms around herself and brings her legs to her chest. "My judo trainer…he got sick…so a replacement was called in. At first…he was friendly…until he asked me if I was single…"

Major alarm bells go off in my head, but it's too late to stop her now.

"After that…he started insisting…on going on a date. I was single…and only a few months away from becoming 18…so why not spend more time. I…thought it was creepy…so I said no. Or, well, I tried to…but I was so afraid…I could barely speak. My friends, they…insisted to tell him off…until I did. He dropped the subject for a while…until he photographed me in the locker room."

Good fucking god. "Yikes."

"Yeah. He said that…if I didn't go on a date with him…he would spread it on the internet. So…so I…so I did. I-it was…awful. He kept trying to hug…and kiss me…and afterwards, demanded for a second date. And another…and another…and every time, it was worse than the last."

Jesus, that is one hell of an abuser.

"Couldn't you do something about it? Beat the crap out of him, call the police?"

She shakes her head. "He had a black belt, I have a brown belt. Qua skill, I was beneath him. He always kept an eye on me, so I couldn't call the police. I only got to call my friends. I tried to hide what was happening to me, but Masato noticed. He confronted me, and I confessed. He…he was so mad…you wouldn't believe it. But…he couldn't do anything, just like me."

I guess this is the point where she turned things around, for better or worse. "How did you get out?"

Her eyes look down, tears streaming down. "…My other friend suggested killing him."

What?

"I didn't agree at first, because I could never kill someone. But then Masato mentioned he had connections at a local aquarium and how we could set it up like an accident. I protested, but it was either that or suffering more of that trainer. So, I eventually agreed."

I'm almost afraid to ask. "And…how did I go?"

She is at the point of trembling. "Terrible. The workers found out what we were doing, apprehended us and saved him. His lawyers were better than mine and my parents were on a faraway island. Actually, they're still there."

"Your parents…do they know?"

There is a quiet 'no'. "I hoped to get out before they'd know…but…"

Yeah, Monokuma's plans put a stop to that.

Just as I'm about to comfort her, she takes a deep breath. "But…there is no use…crying over spilled milk." Her sudden English confuses me briefly. "I need to go on…and become strong…so I can apologize to my parents…and become the person I've always dreamt of being."

And with that, she seems to relax a little. When she sees my amazed stare, she just giggles. "So, I'm going…to try and talk to other people. But…I'd like us to remain friends."

There is really only one thing I can say.

"Yeah, I'd like that too."

Kikoi spits on her hand and holds it out towards me. I copy her. As we shake hands, I can feel our bound deepening.

We talk a bit more, until I decide to return to my room. We wave each other goodbye as I head out. Filled with a strange warmth in my heart, I walk to my room. When inside, I decide to check out the E-Book.

"Kikoi told me about her crime and the backstory behind it. How she was harassed by her trainer and eventually tried to kill him with Masato's help. Her parents don't know what happened to her, which is why she is determined to grow stronger. Because of this, she has broken our deal, but she wishes to remain friends. I wish for that too."

I smile as I look at the pink star, before closing the E-Book. I made a friend…and I'm happy I did.

New item! Leather jacket: proof you have cleared chapter 1!

New skill! Emotional Analysis: weak points will stay on screen longer.

New skill! Daredevil: deal more damage during Panic Talk Action.

New item! Ainosuke's underwear: a dark pair of briefs with red lining. Looks strangely based on one of those fancy panties for females.

New item! Kikoi's underwear: a pair of black boy shorts. Very comfy and very sturdy. Handy during exercise.

Unlocked Trivia!

- The chapter title comes partly from the movie The Crow, or well, the accident during production of the movie. The actor for the main character would be shot around the end of the movie and they were supposed to use blanks. However, the gun ended up fatally wounding the actor. I felt a movie accident would be fitting for this character.

- A crow is also one of the black feathered birds Kikoi is obsessed with. The main reason for her choosing Blackbird out of all other bird names is because it sounds cooler.

- The swan refers to Ainosuke, for obvious reasons.

- Most of the characters in this story are recycled OC's. Kikoi and Ainosuke are no exception.

- The number four in Japan is an omen of death. It's like the number 13 in the west. Pretty fascinating, really.

- I intended for Ainosuke to be more of a grey character, but I feel I made him lean a bit too much to the sympathetic side. Although, it is kind of hard to balance a character with a crime like his.

- I don't know Spanish. At all.

- Ainosuke's and Kikoi's zodiacs are Aries and Gemini respectively. Birthdays and zodiacs were chosen at random. This may or may not change.

- I'm planning to put the E-Book profiles of those who've been maxed out on my Bio. Stay tuned!