Chapter 16: Day 13

Footsteps approaching meant one of two things: Naegi was checking in on him, or Kirigiri wanted to gossip with him.

Togami wasn't quite sure which he preferred. Kirigiri would no doubt want to discuss the mystery of the school, which would confuse Togami even more. But Naegi's presence was… Well, Togami needed some space, if only for a short time. His mind was still reeling from the dream, no matter how many times he told himself to push such baseless thoughts aside, and he briefly wondered if he would even be able to sleep tonight.

As he folded his laundry and placed it in the plastic carrier, he glanced up to see a head of lavender hair and sighed. Kirigiri sauntered into the laundry room, a serious look across her face that told him he was in for a long conversation. He watched as she shut the door behind her. "Let me guess, more good news?" he sarcastically quipped. "At least this conversation will distract me."

"Always," she countered, a smirk crossing her expression as she took her seat at the center table. She glanced up to the corner of the room, and Togami's gaze instinctively followed. She was peeking at the security camera, which, as far as the corporate heir could tell, was still turned off. "But in all seriousness, I did find out some information that I thought to share with you."

"If nothing else, at least she doesn't like wasting time." Togami finished folding one of his jackets and set it in the plastic carrier. "What is it?"

"Fujisaki was able to install an AI program into the laptop," Kirigiri began. "She started working on it just today...and what she's found is already rather disturbing."

"This whole place is disturbing," Togami remarked. He set the final piece of clothing in the carrier, then quickly took his seat. Crossing his arms over his chest and one leg over the other, he leaned back in the uncomfortable, plastic seat, making sure he could look directly at Kirigiri.

"Yes, well, you'll find this rather unique. This school...it's been shut down. For nearly a year."

Togami's eyes widened. "Then you're saying that the school we're currently occupying has no functioning administration?" It should have hit him sooner that such was the case, but hearing it stated out loud put together a lot of pieces of the puzzle. "It would explain why we're the only students here, and why nobody has come to find us thus far."

"The Headmaster supposedly made the decision due to some sort of event," continued Kirigiri. "Fujisaki is looking further into it, although she admitted she may not be able to make much more progress. It's slow-going, given the work in the morning with the backups. Plus, I've asked her to keep our search private in order to avoid worrying the others. I was hoping to find something sooner than two weeks in, but, well… Here we are."

"Any ideas on what the event might have been that caused the shutdown?"

"Nothing yet."

"I see… So, thoughts on where this Headmaster might be?"

"He's either still here in the school, or…"

"Or he's somewhere else, and our mastermind took over this school, which has been abandoned for unknown reasons, in order to trap us. Either way, we were lured here under false pretenses to be victims to this charade."

"Correct."

"Do you believe the headmaster is the mastermind?"

"No."

The answer was shockingly confident. "What makes you say that?"

"Just...gut instinct."

Togami scoffed. "We'll need better than that, although I can't say we have much more to go off of for now. In that case, which theory do you believe to be more realistic? That he's here and perhaps even trapped like the rest of us, or that he's abandoned this place to be used by someone else?"

"I'm not sure yet… That's why I'm having Fujisaki continue her investigation." She frowned as she looked at Togami. "There's something else that's been bothering me, as well. But I'm not sure yet how to put it into words…"

"Then don't mention it," Togami replied. "Right now, it's worthwhile noting that we're in a school without an administration. That means that, when we leave, I know where to begin seeking answers to eradicate those responsible."

"Is that your plan? Wait until we leave, then find the culprits?"

"I've searched the archive's documents high and low. Unless there is a code of some sort, then there's not much more I can do." Togami's eyes widened as a thought rushed through his mind, however, and a smirk crossed his lips. "Though I suppose I could do a repeat search."

"Are you able to read some of the files in there that are in other languages?"

"The French documents, yes."

"Nothing there, either?" asked Kirigiri.

"Mention of a mercenary group, and a book of French politicians' secrets. That's about it."

"I see. But your idea is to merely wait out these 51 days?"

"Shockingly enough, I have to agree with Owada's previous remarks," Togami answered. "I'm not planning to test the gatling guns at the main gate. Just because the cameras aren't on doesn't mean that the other machinery isn't functioning. And the doors to the headmaster's office are closed. Unless we break that door down, then-"

"We can't."

Togami blinked in surprise. "What do you mean, we can't? Ogami certainly could."

"I tried to enter it. Even tried pushing against it. Monokuma appeared and threatened me. He stated that if I tried one more time, he would activate the weapons on all of us and injure me to set an example."

Togami's eyes widened in surprise. "So you proved that the mastermind is willing to harm us if it means keeping us in line?"

"Precisely."

"Bold of you to tempt that."

"I had to make sure I knew what our limitations were." She nodded and stood from her seat. "Search the archive high and low. I respect that that's your domain, but something tells me there's more in there than meets the eye."

"I'll see what I can do tomorrow."

"Not tomorrow."

Togami flinched at the response. "Excuse me? Isn't Monokuma going to demand we take tomorrow off? Why wouldn't I use that time?"

"I want you to spend the day with all of us. We're having a rec room party, and I think it would be best for you to be there."

"Absolutely not. I already spent the night with you all in the music hall. I did my part. Besides, you don't need me playing pool with the others so you can go sneaking off doing whatever it is you're planning to do."

"I'll be there too," Kirigiri countered. Smirking, she added, "How else am I to gauge your supposedly incredible talent when it comes to pool?"

Togami's eyebrow rose. "And where did you hear that from?"

"Who do you think?"

Togami rolled his eyes and stood from his seat. Kirigiri smiled and stood as well, waiting for Togami to grab the carrier before exiting the laundry room. The two came out and began heading towards the dorms. "So then why do you want me with you all tomorrow, if you're not planning to take advantage of my absence?"

"It relates to the thing that I'm struggling to explain," Kirigiri answered. "That's unfortunately all I can say for now."

"Hmph. And that's supposed to sway me?"

"T-T-There you are!"

Togami groaned as the familiar voice rang out. Stopping, he turned and looked back to see Fukawa sprinting out of the dining hall and rushing towards him. "I-I-I told him, I told him!" she exclaimed, smiling that crazy smile of hers at Togami as she approached. "I said, he had to m-make your coffee. He wants me dead, he thinks I'm hideous, b-but I still –"

"What are you talking about?" asked Kirigiri, who seemed equally upset by the interrupted conversation.

"M-Master Togami said that only N-N-Naegi could make him coffee," Fukawa slowly said, blushing profusely as she spoke.

"'Master'?" Togami's eyes turned to slits. "Just what the hell are you saying?"

"I-I mean, I know you love your coffee, M-Master," Fukawa continued, eyes wide as she stared in raw adoration at him. "And I didn't see y-you had a cup at dinner. S-So I, I told him! I said, he needs to m-make a cup." Giggling, she added, "I-I even w-w-watched him, s-so I could learn. A-After all, if I can learn how to make your coffee, then maybe you'll l-look at me the way you l-look at him, then I –"

"Wait," Togami interrupted sharply. "What are you even implying? Are you suggesting that..."

Kirigiri sighed heavily. "Go check the kitchen for Naegi," she whispered. "I'll take care of Fukawa."

While he despised taking orders, Togami's inner voice told him to bite his tongue and get away from the writer as quickly as possible. Still carrying his laundry, Togami sidestepped her as she turned on the balls of her feet and called out, "I-I-I hope you love my gift to you!" He could hear Kirigiri ask Fukawa what she was doing, why she called Togami 'Master,' and other important questions, but all Togami could hear in his mind as he entered the dining hall was one phrase.

"'Maybe you'll look at me the way you look at him.'"

What did Fukawa mean by that? Togami looked at Naegi like any other commoner. Why would she say such a thing? As Togami set his laundry basket down on the table, he stood in the silence, his mind racing. "I need this situation resolved. I can't have her following me like a dog calling me 'Master.' The others already thought I was some sort of abusive deviant. And Naegi…"

The thought of the Lucky Student spurred Togami to rush to the kitchen, where he came to a halt and blinked in shock upon seeing Naegi standing in front of the coffee maker, cup and saucer next to the machine. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as reality set in. Naegi jumped and looked over only to blush profusely.

"U-Um, well… Fukawa, uh, asked me to –"

"Fukawa's insane," he insisted, rushing up to the machine and slamming it off only to see that the pot was already practically full. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair before looking back down at Naegi, who appeared equal parts stunned and confused. "Listen…" Inhaling a large breath of air, Togami said, "I don't know what Fukawa's malfunction is, but she's absolutely lost her mind. I don't trust her at all, and neither should you. If she tells you I demand something, she's lying. Just try and avoid her until I work something out. She shouldn't be wasting your time or my time with any of this nonsense."

Slowly, Naegi nodded his head, causing Togami to release a sigh of relief. His gaze instinctively wandered to the pot of coffee, and he chuckled and shook his head. "This damn school is making us all insane," he muttered.

Naegi's chuckle evolved into a laugh as he nodded in agreement, breaking the awkward silence that was threatening to envelop them. He then leaned down and opened a cabinet, taking out another cup and saucer. Togami watched as he filled both cups up with the already-prepared coffee before sliding one of the saucers over. "I mean, I already made it," he noted, smiling warmly up at Togami. "And clearly we need it."

Togami smirked and slowly reached forward, grabbing the warm cup and lifting it.

"'Maybe you'll look at me the way you look at him.'"

The words shot through his mind once again. Peeking over at Naegi, Togami recalled the feelings from his dream, of Naegi's arms wrapped around him, of Togami's fingers on his cheek. He frowned and slowly set the cup down on the saucer, contemplating what exactly to say, when the sound of footsteps once again caught his attention. He turned to see Kirigiri peek her head around the corner. "She's gone...at least for a bit," Kirigiri stated. "Now's your chance."

Togami nodded and watched her disappear, but not before she shot a look at the cups of coffee on the counter. Sighing in frustration, Togami turned to look at Naegi and asked, "Do you mind carrying these?"

"No problem. Where, uh, are we going, though?"

"To my room. Quickly. Before Fukawa finds us."