Podium order (clockwise):

Momoka Ito

Jun Mujun

Tsubasa Haneda

(X) Hiroto Oshiro

Takeru Tao

Yuna Koyama

Emi Togami

Koi Amaki

Rin Ono

Jeffrey Silverstein

Shingo Chiba

Naomi Shimizu

Mizuki Tenshi

Akiko Narumi

Ryu Minamoto

Kenji Sasaki


CLASS TRIAL

ALL RISE!


"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial!" says Monokuma. As expected, he's sitting in a large, raised chair by the wall, watching over us. "During the class trial, you will present your arguments for who the killer is, and vote for 'whodunnit.' If you vote correctly, then only the blackened will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong person… then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and that last surviving student will graduate!"

"This whole trial is rigged!" Jeff shouts, holding out his fist. "None of us killed Hiroto! It was the Mastermind, who's hiding somewhere in this school!"

"Bzzzt! WRONG!" says Monokuma. "One of you definitely killed Hiroto Oshiro. I saw it happen in 4K resolution!"

"Prove it!" Jeff demands.

"Um… were you listening?" Monokuma says, head tilted. "That's not how this works! You guys have gotta figure it out yourselves!"

"Let the truth-seeking process play out, Jeff," says Takeru. "If your theory is correct, it can certainly be proven."

Jeff grips his podium, looking upset.

"Okay, then!" says Akiko. "First of all, our adorable Captain has a few words!"

"Um," says Mizuki, "l-let's keep this civil, and… o-orderly…"

"Stick to the facts, guys!" says Akiko. "Let's not get nasty and personal! Don't just start throwing random accusations!" She winks at me. "And most of all—give Koi some space! She's still finding the right words for her confession! I'm sure it'll be amazing when it's done!"

"No it won't!" I snap back. "I mean—no I'm not! And what happened to not throwing random accusations?"

"It's not exactly random," says Naomi. "All of the evidence points to one person, and seems to preclude anyone else."

"I-I know it looks bad," I stutter. "But I seriously didn't do it! I-I would never do something like that to Hiroto! He… he was closer with me than anyone else here!"

"Emotional appeals won't work here," Shingo says, frowning. "We have to follow the facts. Your inner feelings are unknowable—and therefore irrelevant."

"NO THAT'S WRONG!" Kenji shouts, a bit too loudly. "I mean… it's not objectively wrong, but… I disagree!" he says less loudly, pink-faced. "I think… we should take what we know about Koi into account! She's not the kind of person who would kill anyone—especially not Hiroto!"

"That's right!" says Jeff. "None of us would kill Hiroto!"

"…Well, I don't know about that," says Kenji. "But… definitely not Koi!"

"Kenji, how much do you know about Koi?" Naomi asks. "I never got the impression that you two were particularly close."

"W-well…" Kenji mutters, his blush deepening.

"Naomi, how can you say that?" I ask, feeling deeply hurt. "You probably know me better than anyone here. Do you really think I'm capable of… doing this?"

"I never said I wanted it to be true, Koi," Naomi says, looking at me with pained eyes. "But I can't avoid the facts, either."

"I gotta admit—it doesn't sit well with me," Ryu says, staring at Hiroto's crossed-out portrait. "Hiroto was all about Koi. And Hiroto was a man whose judgment I trusted. I know where the evidence points… but that doesn't mean I gotta like it."

"I mean… I like Koi, too," says Tsubasa. "We nerd out over otaku shit together. She seems pretty cool." His voice lowers. "But… this isn't a normal situation. Even good people can crack under pressure."

"Hmm," Momoka drawls. "She seems nice, but… this is a killing game, so…"

"Plus, she was totally freaking out this morning," says Yuna. "If she killed someone, then… it totally makes sense that she'd go into shock! She must've totally regretted it!"

"We're already getting off track," says Shingo. "Let's go over what we know. Koi, by her own admission, spent the night in Hiroto's room. The door was locked when we found it—as it ought to have been, since those doors lock automatically. The only key was his e-Handbook, and it was in the room. Koi was with Hiroto when he died, and no one else could have been."

"But… we should at least consider alternate theories," says Kenji. "If the facts don't match what we know about Koi, then… we shouldn't be hasty about jumping to conclusions. We should look at the facts from every angle."

"Do you have any particular angles in mind?" asks Shingo.

"I-I have a few theories," Kenji stutters. "I mean, they're really just starting points…"

"Let's hear them!" I say, smiling.

"Oh, my," says Emi. "How lucky you are, Koi. This handsome knight in shining armor has come to rescue you with his clever theories." Her smile widens. "Perhaps you can help him along? By sharing evidence, you might give this clever boy some clever ideas."

Wait… already?

She wants me to share… that?

But…

"L-let's get to the evidence later," I say, my smile shrinking. "For now… I want to hear Kenji's theories."

"Um," says Kenji, "so… I've been thinking hard about this. And I think it's possible that the killer was already in the room when Koi entered. They were hiding somewhere, waiting for Hiroto to fall asleep."

"The hidden assassin," Takeru mutters. "An ancient tactic."

"And how did this killer enter the room?" asks Shingo.

"Like I said—these are just starting points," Kenji admits sheepishly. "I-I don't have all the details nailed down yet. But… I think it's worth looking into."

"But where would they have hidden?" asks Jeff, deep in thought.

"Yeah," says Tsubasa. "Our rooms are pretty basic. There aren't many hiding places."

"There's one great hiding place, actually," Kenji says, smiling. "Under Hiroto's bed, there's a space large enough for anyone to fit. And because there are flaps hanging down from the bed, that space is completely hidden. I think the killer… was hiding there the entire time!"

TRUTH BULLET: UNDER HIROTO'S BED

"N-no, that's… wrong," I say hesitantly. "Um… sorry, Kenji. But I actually looked under Hiroto's bed after I lay down next to it, and there was nothing there."

"Oh," Kenji says, his smile disappearing. "Um…"

"Oof," Tsubasa says, cringing. "Shot down."

"Hey—it was a good try," Ryu says, grinning at Kenji. "A man's gotta take his shot."

"Wait—I'm not done!" Kenji says, his spirits rising again. "Hiroto's closet also has enough room to fit a person. Maybe the killer… was hiding in there the entire time!"

TRUTH BULLET: HIROTO'S CLOSET

"Um…" I say hesitantly. "Sorry, but… no, that's wrong. We opened the closet several times to set up my makeshift floor bed next to Hiroto's—we needed sheets, and pillows, and stuff. But… there was no one in there."

"Oh," Kenji says, his spirits falling again.

I give Kenji an apologetic look. "Sorry," I repeat.

"Poor Kenji," Momoka mutters. "He's trying to help, but… Koi won't let him…"

"It's okay, Kenji!" says Akiko. "Keep going! This is giving Koi plenty of time to come up with her perfect tearjerker confession!"

"I told you, that's not what's happening!" I snap back.

"Haha, of course not!" Akiko says, winking at me.

"I-I have one more idea for where the killer may have hidden!" Kenji says, trying to regain his confidence. "It's kind of a longshot, though…" He hesitates. "Koi… when you were in Hiroto's room, did either you or Hiroto ever use the bathroom?"

"No," I say. "We'd both already gone—and we went to sleep pretty soon after I came in."

"So… that might be it, then," Kenji says, a hint of a smile returning. "Maybe the killer… was hiding in the bathroom the entire time!"

TRUTH BULLET: HIROTO'S BATHROOM

"Um…" I say hesitantly. "S-sorry, but… that's also wrong. Before I entered Hiroto's room, I heard his toilet flush. And when he answered the door, he said he'd just used the bathroom. So… there was definitely no one hiding in there."

"Oh," Kenji says, his face falling.

"I-I'm glad you're trying, though!" I say, feeling terrible about how dejected he looks.

"Wait, what the heck is going on?" says Yuna. "This is totally weird! Koi is shooting herself with Truth Bullets!"

"This is definitely not how Danganronpa is supposed to go," Tsubasa says, looking confused. "You're supposed to use evidence to prove your innocence, not your guilt."

"Hmm," Momoka drawls. "This is pretty unusual…"

"I-I'm just trying to get the facts straight!" I say, feeling like the situation is slipping away from me. "Besides—it's not like I can hide this information. I already went over the whole night with Takeru—and Jeff and Rin were also there."

"Indeed," says Takeru. "Your manner of thinking, Kenji, is similar to mine. I considered the same three potential hiding spots—each with their own unique stats.

"To maximize attack, an assassin would hide in the closet. This offers enough room to assume a fighting stance, and allows the assassin to leap out for a rapid surprise attack.

"To maximize defense, an assassin would hide in the bathroom. The bathroom door can be locked, creating an impenetrable fortress.

"To maximize stealth, an assassin would hide under the bed. Though it offers low mobility, this hiding place is unlikely to be discovered.

"However, when Koi recounted her tale to me, she quickly eliminated the bathroom and closet as possibilities. Furthermore, I mentioned the possibility of an assassin hiding under the bed—and Koi reacted by eliminating that possibility, as well." Takeru pauses. "This… immediately struck me as odd," he says. "Regardless of innocence or guilt, a person would not normally be so eager to eliminate such possibilities. Even an innocent person would likely keep that information withheld—though dishonest, withholding it might allow others to seek out other suspects, and prevent them from focusing on an innocent one." Again, Takeru pauses. "I see two potential explanations," he says. "Perhaps Koi is an unusually honest person—almost uniquely so. Or perhaps… she cannot face the truth of her crime, and must instead focus on smaller truths."

"That make sense, psychologically," says Naomi. "Koi is so horrified by what she's done that she can't confess directly. She can only confess indirectly—by sharing evidence, and allowing us to prove what happened ourselves."

"Wait—so this is your super awesome confession?" Akiko says, confused. "You're turning your confession into… some sort of puzzle for us to solve?"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "That's kind of strange, though…"

"Y-you guys have this all wrong!" I say, panicked. "I'm not… that's not what I…"

I'm panicking. Kenji's dejected. This isn't going well.

"Oh, my," says Emi. "What a tight spot you're in, Koi. If only there were some piece of evidence that exonerated you." She touches her cheek. "I wonder… does such evidence exist?"

I see. She still wants me to share that.

But… Kenji's trying so hard…

"Wait a moment," says Kenji. He's forcing himself to stand tall. "I… I'm not done yet! Even if the killer wasn't hiding in Hiroto's room… there are other possibilities to consider!"

"Yeah—maybe they clipped through the door!" says Tsubasa. "…Sorry, just thought I'd lighten things up with a bit of gaming humor."

"Tsubasa's joking," says Shingo, "but frankly, that's about as likely as any other explanation for how the hell this killer supposedly broke into Hiroto's room. Let me emphasize, once again, that the door was locked."

"But… what if it wasn't locked at first?" says Kenji.

"What are you talking about?" says Shingo.

"These doors lock automatically," says Naomi. "If they're closed, they're locked."

"But what if the killer did something to prevent that?" says Kenji.

"Like what?" asks Yuna.

"I-I don't know the details," Kenji admits. "But if they did something to prevent the door from locking—or maybe to prevent it from closing all the way—then they could've snuck in at night, while Hiroto was sleeping… and that's how they killed him."

"But the door was locked," says Naomi. "I tried to open it this morning when Koi was screaming, and it wouldn't budge. We only got in because Monokuma unlocked it."

"It was locked this morning," Kenji says, regaining his energy. "Because after the crime, the killer undid… whatever they did. They must have tampered with the door earlier—before Koi entered the room. So, when Koi entered Hiroto's room… his door was already unlocked!"

TRUTH BULLET: LOCKED DOOR

"Um…" I feel a crushing pain inside. "That's…"

Everyone's looking at me…

"That's… wrong," I say reluctantly. "Um… sorry, Kenji. But… I was rattling the doorknob before I entered Hiroto's room, and… it was definitely locked."

"Oh," Kenji says, his energy fading.

"Sorry!"

"She's shooting herself with Truth Bullets again!" says Yuna.

"To tamper with the door," says Shingo, "the door would have to be open at some point. From what I understand, the door was opened only once after Koi entered—during her brief conversation with Tsubasa."

"Yeah," says Tsubasa, "and I wasn't nearly close enough to do anything. Plus, we all passed by pretty soon after that. None of us could've touched the door."

"Maybe the door was opened… at some other point?" Jeff says, looking troubled.

"No, it wasn't," I confirm. "That was the only time… and I'm positive that Hiroto closed the door all the way."

"To summarize," says Shingo, "the door was locked when you entered; the door was locked when we entered; and at no point in between could the door have been tampered with. We've also eliminated all potential hiding spots—so the killer wasn't hiding in the room, and the killer didn't break into the room." He glares at me. "Do I have that right?"

"Um…" I stammer.

"Hmm," says Momoka. "It's looking worse and worse for Koi…"

"W-wait," says Kenji. "It's a longshot, but… there's still one more possibility I've thought about." He tries to regain his confidence. "I didn't think it was likely, but now that we've eliminated everything else… I think it might be possible." He tries to smile. "Hiroto's e-Handbook was the key to his room. It's true that we found it in his room afterward, but… was it always there? We don't have Hiroto's testimony, so we can't confirm this, but… maybe Hiroto had allowed someone into his room before Koi entered. And maybe that person… took Hiroto's e-Handbook without Hiroto noticing. The killer put the e-Handbook back in Hiroto's room after the crime… but before that, the killer had it with them!"

TRUTH BULLET: HIROTO'S E-HANDBOOK

"Um…" I say quietly.

Everyone waits.

"Are you going to say something, Koi?" asks Shingo.

"Lemme guess," says Tsubasa. "It rhymes with 'Flow, that's flong.'"

"Well…" I mutter. "…It is wrong, though. Hiroto showed me his e-Handbook last night. And… at the crime scene, it was in the exact same position he put it down in. So… it definitely wasn't stolen."

"Oh," Kenji says, his face falling.

"Um, sorry," I say for the zillionth time. "Do you have… any other theories, maybe…?"

"That was the last one," Kenji says, looking away, sounding more dejected than ever. "Sorry, Koi," he mutters. "I guess… I was pretty useless…"

"N-no!" I stutter. "I-I'm glad that you're trying to help!"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "I feel bad for Kenji, though…"

"Yeah," says Tsubasa. "The poor dude's getting clobbered."

"I gotta admire the guy's persistence," says Ryu. "But sometimes, you just gotta accept that you backed the wrong horse. Especially when that horse keeps kicking your ass."

"I'm not trying to kick anyone's… anything!" I insist. "I… I…"

"Regardless of what you're trying to do," says Shingo, "what you've done is successfully proven your own guilt. So, congratulations."

"Okay, Koi!" says Akiko. "It's time to hit us with that confession! It's okay if it isn't perfect! As long as you pour your heart into it, I'm sure it'll go fine!"

"I—I'm not going to confess to something I didn't do!" I snap back.

"Koi, please!" says Yuna, misty-eyed. "I don't like this game you're playing! It's obvious to everyone that you did it, so please, just… confess, already!"

"But it doesn't make sense," says Jeff. He's staring at his hands; a brutal internal conflict is playing across his face. "No matter how much proof there is… it… it doesn't make sense that Koi would do that! Why…? Why would Koi kill Hiroto? Why… why would she…?"

"Isn't the reason obvious?" says Naomi. "She did it for love."

Everyone looks at Naomi.

"Um, is that supposed to be obvious?" says Tsubasa.

"She committed murder… for love?" says Yuna.

"Hmm," says Momoka. "I don't get it, either…"

Naomi sighs. "Allow me to paint a picture," she says softly. "Two young lovers, trapped in an inescapable killing game. The tall, dignified Ultimate Attorney, Hiroto Oshiro. And his doting Ultimate Fangirl, the auburn-haired Koi Amaki. One passionate evening, Koi slips into Hiroto's room, hoping to share his bed—"

"There was no bed-sharing!" I shriek, red-faced.

"Hey, don't interrupt the story!" says Yuna. "I was just starting to get invested!"

"…But the night was to end in tragedy," Naomi continues. "Hiroto retrieves the knife he's kept hidden in his room. 'No, not this request again!' says Koi. 'I told you—I could never do such a thing!'

"'You must do it,' says Hiroto. 'You know the rules. Only one survivor may escape this nightmare. I'm sorry, my love—but I cannot bear the thought of letting you die in this awful place! If only one of us may leave—then I will ensure that it's you! No matter… what it takes.'

"'No—I can't do it!' Koi says, tears flowing down her freckled face. 'I could never kill you, darling!'"

"I didn't call him 'darling'!" I shriek, redder-faced.

Naomi ignores me. "Yet Hiroto insists. 'If you don't do it, then… I'll kill everyone in this school! I will ensure you're the last survivor!'

"'No—you can't!' Koi objects. 'Monokuma will stop you!'

"'I'd like to see him try!' says Hiroto.

"'I—I can't let you die for nothing!' the tearful girl moans.

"Hiroto hands her the knife. 'You know what you must do, then.' He lies in his bed, under the covers. 'Make it look as though I were killed in my sleep.'

"The heartbroken girl… complies.

"Yet even after washing his blood off her body, Koi cannot face the reality of her crime. She looks again upon the face of her slain lover—and faints. When she wakes, many hours later, she again must look upon the murder she's committed—and it's too much for her to bear. She screams and screams, and faints once more. She cannot go through with the cover-up.

"In the end, Hiroto's sacrifice was all for naught. Because, tragically, the one factor he never accounted for… was his own beloved's broken heart."

"Naomi…" Akiko says, wiping a tear. "That… that was beautiful."

"W-what a horrible dilemma," Mizuki says, also wiping a tear.

"I-I'm sorry, Koi!" Yuna says, sniffling. "I… I didn't know…!"

"That's not what happened, though!" I say, trying to pretend I'm not also misty-eyed. "It was a good story, but… Hiroto would never do that!"

"It was a good story," Jeff agrees, wiping his eyes.

"Well, I had to fill in some blanks," Naomi says. "But that's more or less the gist of it."

"No it isn't!" I say, my defiance overcoming my admiration for Naomi's talent. "Also, were you implying that I was naked throughout that entire scene? Don't think I didn't notice!"

"Well, a bit of fanservice never hurts the sales numbers."

"This isn't one of your freaking mangas!"

"I'd buy it if it was, though…" Momoka says, wiping her eyes.

"I would too!" says Jeff. "Koi… to think you actually went through that…!"

Ugh. Even Jeff thinks I did it now?

"It doesn't matter," says Shingo, "whether she acted out of selfishness or love. But now that the more… emotion-driven among us have a story to latch onto, I think it's safe to say that the facts and our feelings all align in a single direction. Maybe we should just get this over with."

"Voting time already?" says Tsubasa.

"Excuse me, Naomi," says Emi. "I have a question about that story. Specifically, I'm intrigued by this theory that Koi washed the blood off her body. As I understand, Hiroto's bathroom was investigated thoroughly—yet not a trace of Koi's presence was found."

"Well," says Naomi, "I suppose that's the one part of the crime scene Koi did manage to cover up—before she lost her nerve."

"Interesting," says Emi. "Koi did quite a remarkable job, then, of covering her tracks. She supposedly used Hiroto's shower—yet she managed to remove every strand of hair. Very impressive, for such an otherwise sloppy cover-up."

"Does this disprove anything?" Shingo says, brow furrowed.

"Disprove?" Emi repeats. "No, I suppose not. Though, if blood turned up on some other piece of evidence, I believe this story would have to be reexamined." She turns, and looks at me. "I wonder… does any such evidence exist?"

She wants me to talk about… that.

But…

I…

I… don't want to…

"You're all seeing this through the wrong lens," says Jun.

We look at Jun. It's the first time he's spoken up.

"When you hear something's impossible," Jun continues, "you think, 'It's impossible.' Do you know why I'm the Ultimate Hacker? Because when I hear something's impossible, I think: if it is possible, what else has to be true? What conditions have to be fulfilled?"

"And what have you concluded?" asks Naomi.

"For the impossible task of framing Koi Amaki," says Jun, "someone had to get past Hiroto's locked door. And that bothered me. I've tried everything I could think of to trick the scanners outside our doors—and nothing's stuck."

"Oh, yeah," I say, "I guess I was going to ask Monokuma, um… there's no way anyone hacked their e-Handbook to trick the scanner, or something, right?"

"Of course not!" says Monokuma. "I've said it before, and I'll say it again—those e-Handbooks can't be hacked! They can't be destroyed, either! So don't get any ideas about temperature-related glitches! That was fixed a long time ago!

"And before you ask—no, there's no other way of tricking the scanner. Nothing like that happened in this case—or any other case! I don't usually give away info during these trials—but I won't let this school's integrity go tarnished! Our technology is top-notch!"

"Okay, okay, we get it!" says Yuna. "No one hacked anything!"

"Well," says Jun, "not electronically. But the locks have a physical component, as well. And that's where I believe the impossible might be made possible."

"Wait—haven't we already gone over this?" says Tsubasa. "Kenji said that someone might have prevented the door from locking—but we ditched that theory, right?"

"Too soon, I think," says Jun. "You all decided it was impossible. You didn't ask: if it's possible, what would have to be true?" He grins. "The answer's pretty simple. When the door locks, a bar extends from the door to a hole in the doorframe. To make the impossible possible, your best bet is to physically block that bar."

TRUTH BULLET: KENJI'S EXPERIMENT

"I agree!" I shout excitedly. "I think the bar can be blocked! And… that's thanks to something Kenji showed me!"

"R-really?" Kenji says, looking up from his dejected stupor.

"It was that thing you did in the bathroom!" I say.

"…This sounds kind of private," Jeff says, recoiling.

"The bathroom lock," I say, "uses the same type of metal bar as the dorm room lock—even though it's triggered with a dial, instead of with electronic… stuff. But when Kenji turned the dial, and put his hand in front of the bar… it didn't extend at all. Just applying some pressure was all it took." I smile at Kenji. "That was a pretty helpful clue! Good job, Kenji!"

"Th-thanks," Kenji says, blushing and looking away. "But… I don't know. I thought maybe the bar had been blocked with a wedge or something. But… there isn't enough space between the door and the doorframe."

"Yeah," says Tsubasa. "Plus, there's no evidence that the lock was tampered with."

TRUTH BULLET: MARKS ON HIROTO'S DOOR

"No, that's wrong!" I say, my energy rising. "Jun found some tiny white marks on Hiroto's door! I saw them too, and so did Rin!"

"White marks?" says Naomi.

"What are you talking about?" says Shingo.

"Well, not on the door itself," says Jun. "They were on the bolt—the metal bar that extends to lock the door. Specifically, on the surface of the bolt—the only part that's visible when it's fully receded."

"It's sort of like…" I say, thinking. "Like… if you tear off a sticker, sometimes little bits of sticker are still there, where the sticker used to be."

"I believe 'residue' is the word you're looking for," says Jun.

"Right!" I say. "It was like… sticker residue!"

"I see, I see," Jeff says, crossing his arms and nodding. "So, this definitely proves that…" He touches his chin. "Um… what does this prove?"

"It's definitely weird," says Tsubasa. "But I don't think it proves anything."

"Hmm," says Momoka. "I wonder if it's relevant…"

"I believe it is," Jun says, grinning. "You might agree with me, once you learn what created those marks."

TRUTH BULLET: STURDY TAPE

"It must've been the tape!" I say. "That roll of really sturdy tape you found in the storage room!"

"Ugh, we have to talk about that now?" Tsubasa says, rubbing his hand.

"Wait a moment," Shingo says, looking at Jun. "That tape—is that what you were looking for the entire time?"

"Something like it," says Jun. "What interests me is the color. If you put that tape on a dorm room door, no one would notice it. It would blend right in."

"Yeah," I say. "And those white marks are an exact match for that color!"

"That t-tape was really strong," says Mizuki. "I had to b-bring a pair of dangerous scissors that w-we confiscated during the first r-room check."

"And it was hella sticky," Tsubasa says, grimacing.

"Just unraveling it was an ordeal," Shingo says contemplatively. "Something that strong and sticky… it might be able to block the bolt from extending."

"Normal duct tape probably wouldn't be strong enough," I say. "But this tape would be."

"The best part is," says Jun, "no one would notice. You'd only know the door was unlocked if you tried opening it without unlocking it. Usually, you'll unlock the door without even thinking. And if you're not looking for the bolt, you won't notice it's been covered up."

"It's an interesting theory," Shingo admits. "But it still has a few holes in it. If the killer entered the room before Koi, where did they hide? If they entered after Koi, when did they tamper with the lock? The timing doesn't make sense."

"Even if those marks are evidence of something," says Naomi, "I don't see how they'll help us catch the killer. We can't connect them with any particular person."

TRUTH BULLET: MARKS ON KENJI'S DOOR

"No, that's…" I begin.

I stop cold.

Suddenly, I remember why I'd been avoiding this entire line of thought.

"…Wrong!" Jeff concludes. "Sorry—I just don't like being left hanging."

"Koi, what's wrong?" says Yuna. "Did your tongue dry up? You need hydration!"

"I got somethin' right here, if you need it," Ryu says, holding up a bottle of seltzer water.

"You're wrong, Naomi," Jun says, grinning darkly. "Rin and I inspected every dorm room door. We found exactly one bolt with those same white marks."

"What?" says Naomi, taken aback.

"Rin, is this true?" asks Shingo.

"Whatever," Rin mutters.

It's the first word Rin's spoken so far. Every time I look at her, she's just… clutching her elbow, staring off into space, with a deeply troubled look in her eye.

"Um," says Tsubasa, "I'm taking that as a 'yes'?"

"Rin," says Jun, "you wanna tell them what we found?"

"No," Rin says curtly, still looking no one in the eye.

"Well," Jun says, "I'll look like a damn idiot if no one backs me up on this." He grins at me. "What exactly did Rin tell you, Koi? I wasn't around to hear it."

"Um…" I say, feeling my stomach sink. I look at Rin. "Rin…"

"I don't want to be a fucking part of this, okay?" Rin mutters.

"Hmm," says Momoka. "Rin's acting weird…"

"Rin…" Yuna whispers, concerned.

"So, whose door was it?" asks Tsubasa. "Why is no one saying anything?"

People look at Jun, then Rin, then me.

"Koi, please," says Naomi. "Please, just… tell us what Rin told you."

I look at Jun. He's grinning at me. I look at Rin. She's staring down at nothing.

I look around. Everyone is waiting for me.

I don't want to say it.

But… I have to…

"It was Kenji's door," I blurt out.

"Huh?" Kenji says, looking at me with wide eyes.

Gasps and murmurs fill the room.

"Kenji's?" Tsubasa says. "Seriously?"

"Wh-what are you talking about?" Kenji says, panic seeping into his voice. "My door… had the same marks as Hiroto's? Wh-what? Why…?"

"I don't know!" I say, trying to quell my own panic. "I'm sorry, but—that's just what I heard! It might not mean anything!"

"Jun, is this true?" Shingo asks.

"Sure is," Jun says, grinning. "Without a doubt. That tape residue was on Kenji's door."

"Wait… what?" Jeff says. "What does this mean? I'm more confused than ever now!"

"Think of it this way," says Jun. "Let's say the killer did put that tape over Hiroto's bolt. Would that be the first time they used the tape like that? Or would they have tested it first?"

"Jun's got a point," says Ryu. "Testing that tape out on someone else's door would be risky as hell. If you fucked up, you'd have some awkward explainin' to do. Better to test it on your own door first, to make sure it works right."

"What… what are you saying?" Kenji says, his eyes widening further. "What… why… I don't understand…"

"It's okay, Kenji!" I shout, trying to reassure him. "It's… it's just a random piece of evidence! No one's saying that you're the killer, or anything!"

"Well, they're not saying it," says Tsubasa. "But they're sure as hell implying it."

"That's ridiculous!" Jeff shouts. "Kenji—there has to be some other reason those marks were on your door! Right?"

"I—I don't know!" Kenji yelps. "I… I don't understand! I don't… I don't know what's going on…!"

I feel a horrible pain in my chest. My own words made Kenji feel this way…

He did so much for me… and I made him feel this way…

"This is intriguing," says Shingo. "But Kenji as the culprit still raises too many questions, and answers too few."

"It's more than intriguing," Naomi counters. "I think… we need to completely reexamine this case."

"I guess I'm sorta biased," says Tsubasa. "I always found it hard to believe that Koi would commit murder. But… I don't really know Kenji very well at all."

"Hmm," says Momoka. "Kenji's kind of an enigma…"

"I promised Koi that I'd try to believe her," says Ryu, "so… sorry, Kenji."

"Wait—I'm confused," says Akiko. "Why are we accusing Kenji all of a sudden? Other than this one random thing, doesn't pretty much all of the evidence still point to Koi?"

"That's what I was thinking!" says Yuna. "We can't just switch narratives so quickly!"

"I'm getting whiplash!" Jeff says, clutching his head.

"HOLD ON!" shouts Monokuma. "It looks like you're split down the middle!"

We wait.

"That's all I wanted to say," says Monokuma. "Sorry, but this courtroom isn't set up for Scrum Debates. Carry on!"

There's a pause.

"Akiko's right," Shingo says, breaking the silence. "The timing still doesn't make sense. When would Kenji have entered Hiroto's room? According to Occam's razor, the simplest answer is the most likely. We know of just one person who definitely could have killed Hiroto."

"If I was forced to vote right away," says Naomi, "I'll admit—I'd have to vote for Koi. But that vote wouldn't sit well with me at all. There's something strange going on, here."

"So… what now?" asks Tsubasa. "Are we just… stuck?"

"I don't know," says Naomi. "I wish we had more to work with."

"We're out of evidence already?" asks Jeff.

"Unfortunately, we might be," says Shingo.

"Heh," says Jun. "Is that so? I wonder…"

"If we are out of evidence," says Shingo, "then we don't have much else to discuss."

"I'm… not sure I agree with that," says Naomi. "But I don't know how to refute it."

"Oh, dear," says Emi. "How unfortunate. We were beginning to make progress—and yet, the trail of evidence seems to have run dry." She touches her cheek. "Though, I wonder if someone has evidence they are afraid to share?"

"Afraid?" says Shingo. "For what reason?"

"Why, there could be many reasons," says Emi. "For example, perhaps someone is afraid to appear suspicious. Or… perhaps someone is afraid to cast suspicion on their friend." Emi turns, and looks at me. "Though, I hope such people remember that fourteen of us will die if the truth is not reached."

I turn, and face her. We're standing right next to each other. For a moment, it feels like the rest of the courtroom has faded away.

"Emi…" I whisper, just quiet enough so that only she can hear.

Emi's smile shrinks. She stares at me, waiting.

"What… are you doing?" I whisper. "I don't understand. You could have mentioned it this whole time. Why are you making me say it?"

Emi's smile disappears completely.

"You must learn to be strong," Emi whispers. "Otherwise, you will die in this place."

We're quiet for a moment.

I turn around, and look at Rin. She's still clutching her elbow, looking at no one.

I turn back, and look at Emi.

"Rin has made her choice," Emi whispers. "I expect great things from you, however."

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" shouts Yuna. "This isn't the time to gossip!"

"Trading secrets in this setting…" Takeru says. "Such behavior will only cause alarm."

"P-please…" says Mizuki. "I-if you have something important to say, then… p-please share it with everyone…"

"Something important?" Emi repeats, touching her cheek. "Well, importance is subjective." She smiles at me. "I will let you decide, Koi. Was the topic of our conversation important enough to share?"

She's going to make me say it, after all…

I grab the railing of my podium, and close my eyes. I take a breath.

TRUTH BULLET: BLOODY BEDSHEET

"Um," I say.

This… is really hard…

"We found a bedsheet," I mutter, my eyes still closed. "In the laundry room."

"A bedsheet?" says Momoka.

"Oh, was it mine?" asks Jeff. "I washed my sheets yesterday… I don't think I left any behind, though."

"Um," says Akiko, "so, either Koi forgot what 'important' means, or… there's something different about this bedsheet. And I'm guessing it's the second one. Right, Koi?"

"Um…" I stare at my hands. "Yeah… well… it had been splattered with blood…"

There's gasping and murmuring.

"Holy shit!" Tsubasa yelps.

"B-blood?" Yuna gasps, covering her mouth.

"Splattered?" says Naomi. "You're certain? A normal bloodstain could be caused by many things."

"Y-yeah," Akiko says nervously. "Maybe one of the girls, you know… in the middle of the night…"

I shake my head. "This wasn't a normal bloodstain. It definitely looked like it had been splashed with blood. There were little dots all over."

"Fuckin' hell!" says Ryu. "We fuckin' missed that?"

"What the heck!" Yuna shouts. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"Um, yeah," says Akiko, "this isn't the kind of thing you should keep to yourself, Koi."

"This better not be some kind of joke," Shingo says, brow furrowed.

"Hilarious if it is, though," Jun says, grinning widely.

A bunch of people talk and shout over each other.

"U-um…" Mizuki says. "E-everyone, please…" But she's not loud enough, and her voice fades into the crowd.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Naomi screams.

Everyone shuts up.

"Koi," says Naomi, "please—tell us exactly what you found, and how you found it."

"Um," I say. "Well, I found it behind the washing machines… but… I'm pretty sure Emi found it first… she made me search the room, though… she was testing me, I think…"

"What?" says Shingo. "Emi—what is the meaning of this?"

"Y-you can't treat evidence like a game!" says Mizuki.

"I was interested to see how Koi would react," Emi explains. "From her behavior, I deduced that she had not hidden the bedsheet—and was, thus, not the culprit." Her smile widens. "I also enjoyed the opportunity to test Koi's cleverness. I believe she passed."

"Is it just me," says Tsubasa, "or does this keep getting more fucked up?"

"So many lies and deceptions," Jeff says. "I… don't know what to believe anymore!"

"Keep going, Koi," Naomi prompts.

"Well," I say, "I had to fish it out with a broom, and… it was a white bedsheet, but blood had obviously been splattered on it. It was behind the middle washing machine—it's a tiny space, and I needed a flashlight to see it."

"Who else saw it?" asks Naomi. "Just you and Emi?"

"Um… Rin was also there…"

"Rin?" says Shingo. "Is this true?"

"What fucking ever," Rin mutters, still not looking at anyone.

"Um…" says Akiko. "That's not an answer, though…"

"I don't to be a fucking part of this, okay?" Rin growls.

"None of us do!" Yuna shouts. "But we don't have a choice!"

"Rin," Mizuki mutters. "P-please…"

"God, fine," Rin growls. "It's all fucking true. There was a fucking blood-splattered bedsheet in the laundry room. I was fucking there. Fucking happy now?"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "I wonder what Rin's problem is…"

"Wait—so it's actually true, then!" says Tsubasa. "Like, if three people saw it, then—there's no way they're making it up!"

"This keeps getting more and more infuriating," Shingo says, glaring at us. "Why the hell did all three of you keep this hidden until now?"

"Um…" I mutter. I glance at Kenji—he's still looking away. He still has pain and confusion in his eyes. I'm sorry, Kenji…

"Of the three who saw this evidence," Emi says, "two were, shall we say, in the grip of sentimentality. The third feared that, because of this sentimentality, the other two might be unwilling to share the truth. Had Rin and Koi refuted me, my own claims would mean nothing." Her smile fades. "More than that, however…" Her face turns serious. "I have absolutely no desire to fight for those who will not fight for themselves. The very thought disgusts me." Suddenly, her smile reappears. "Though, perhaps that is just another type of sentimentality."

"Um… can someone please translate?" says Jeff.

"I think I understand," says Naomi. "Koi and Rin… didn't like the implications of what they found. Is that right?"

"What implications?" asks Tsubasa. "Wait—I got it!" he says, his face lighting up. "You've just gotta search every room, and whoever's missing a bedsheet, that's… that's…"

"The culprit," Momoka finishes. "Probably…"

"So—so this is the most important piece of evidence out of all of them!" Yuna shouts. "And you guys just… kept quiet about it all this time? What the heck!"

"Well… unless it was Hiroto's bedsheet," says Akiko. "Then we're back to square one."

"I highly doubt that," says Naomi. "It doesn't match with Koi and Rin's reluctance."

"I'm assuming," says Shingo, "that you three were smart enough to count the bedsheets in each room?"

"Rin and I did so quite thoroughly," says Emi. "Nearly every room had the correct number of bedsheets. There was only one exception." She looks at me. "Do you recall what that exception was, Koi?"

She's going to make me say it…

I think I understand. She… won't fight for me if I won't fight for myself.

Even if I have to…

Even if…

I…

TRUTH BULLET: KENJI'S MISSING BEDSHEET

"It was Kenji's room," I mutter.

I briefly glimpse at everyone's shocked faces. At Kenji's horrified face.

Then I stare at my hands, cringing.

"W-what did you say?" Kenji asks, his voice trembling.

"Yes, it's true," Emi says, smiling serenely. "Kenji's closet had three spare bedsheets, rather than the typical four."

"I-I'm missing a bedsheet?" Kenji practically yelps. "What? When…? How…?"

"Rin—" Shingo begins.

"Whatever," Rin interrupts. "She's telling the truth. God."

"Hmm," says Momoka. "Rin's attitude makes sense, now…"

"I have no idea who's framing who," Rin continues. "But, like. I'm so fucking pissed that I got dragged into it."

"Wait—this changes everything, though!" says Akiko.

"I agree," says Shingo. "Kenji is now the prime suspect. The only way Koi could've done this is if she stole Kenji's bedsheet—perhaps by tampering with his lock."

"Our doors open inward," says Jun. "To tape over the bolt of someone's door, you'd have to step inside their room."

"Kenji," says Shingo, "I don't suppose Koi has paid any visits to your room recently?"

"I… s-she… what?" Kenji yelps, sweating profusely. "I—I don't understand…!"

"Furthermore," Shingo continues, "the marks on Hiroto's door bothered me—Koi wouldn't need to tamper with Hiroto's lock. But…"

"…But Kenji would!" Tsubasa finishes.

"Exactly," says Shingo. "It seemed unlikely at first—but the evidence is starting to point away from Koi, and toward Kenji."

"It's always the quiet ones, huh?" says Tsubasa.

"I-I didn't do it, though!" Kenji stutters. "I… I…"

He's speechless. I see his broken face—and I'm crushed, crushed, crushed with guilt.

"Though, it intrigues me," says Takeru. "Kenji seems incapable of verbal self-defense."

"Well, he's never been the most articulate guy," says Ryu. "He probably never thought we'd make it this far." He smiles at me. "Looks like I backed the right horse after all, huh? Sorry I doubted you for a moment there."

"I'm so sorry, Koi!" Akiko says, clutching her head. "I tried to pressure you into confessing to something you didn't do! I'm so stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

"I'm sorry too, Koi!" Yuna says, misty-eyed. "I… I should never have said those things…!"

"W-wait a moment!" I say, finally finding my voice. "Aren't you guys jumping to conclusions? I know I didn't do it, but… that doesn't mean Kenji did!"

"Koi, please," says Naomi. "You've been trying to indict yourself this entire trial. Isn't it time you gave it a rest?"

"If," says Shingo, "by some miracle, we prove Kenji's innocence—then you go back to being the prime suspect. You understand that, right?"

"But…" I say. Once again, the situation is slipping away from me. "It—it doesn't make sense! Kenji tried so hard to defend me! Why would he do that, if he was trying to frame me?"

"What was the outcome of that attempt?" says Jun.

"Koi," says Naomi, "by the time Kenji was done 'defending' you, everyone believed you were guilty."

"Yeah," says Tsubasa. "I was seriously ready to vote for you."

"By answering Kenji's questions honestly," says Shingo, "you more or less proved your own guilt."

"Ironic, isn't it?" says Ryu. "The man kills the Ultimate Attorney—and then pretends to be the world's shittiest attorney."

"I didn't…!" Kenji mumbles. "I would never…!" He's getting less coherent. His breaths are fast and unsteady. He clutches his head, and shuts his eyes like he's in tremendous pain. "I don't understand…!"

"Wait, though!" I shout, feeling terrible. "Kenji… showed me the trick with the bathroom lock! Why would he do that, if he wanted to prove that I'm guilty?"

"I can think of a couple reasons," says Jun. "Maybe he knew I'd already figured that out. Maybe he didn't think you'd be able to make anything of it." He grins. "Either way… it sure put you on his side, didn't it?"

"His kindness paid striking dividends," says Emi. "Even now, you insist on defending him—though this would return suspicion to you."

"B-but… no!" I stammer. "Kenji was… he did so much for me…!"

"I'm sorry, Koi," says Naomi. "I know you're less experienced in these things. But when men do things for you… they don't always have the purest motives in mind."

"This isn't about your freaking hang-ups!"

"Kindness can be transactional," says Jun. "Just like anything else."

"To trick your enemy into believing they are an ally…" Takeru says contemplatively. "A cunning tactic—though a dishonorable one."

"Sorry, Koi," Ryu says, shrugging. "It's lookin' more and more like you got duped."

"But… Kenji…" Jeff says, looking troubled. "Could he really…?"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "He's sweating a lot…"

Kenji's drenched in sweat. He's hyperventilating, clutching his temples, wide-eyed and terrified. "I don't understand…" he keeps muttering. "I… don't understand…"

It hurts too much.

His pain hurts me too much.

The pain that I caused him, with my words.

It's too much. I can't let it go on.

Forget the truth. Forget the trial.

I just… have to stop this.

"Kenji," I say.

But he doesn't look up. He's in his own world. His own Hell.

I clench my fists, look right at him, and shout: "I BELIEVE YOU!"

Finally, Kenji looks at me.

"I believe that you're innocent!" I shout. "I believe you're telling the truth! And… I'm going to prove it! Because…" My voice lowers. "Because you believed in me. I'd given up on everything. I didn't care what happened anymore. But you came to me, and you…" I wipe away a tear. "And you told me that you believed me! And that was enough! Just knowing one person believed me! That was enough to keep going forward!" Tears are falling, falling down my face. "I investigated for you! Because you believed in me! Because I wanted to prove you right! And that's why… I promise to believe you to the very end! I'll keep believing in you, no matter what! I… know how much that matters. I know how it feels to be alone. But I won't let that happen!

"So please, Kenji… snap out of it!"

Kenji is staring at me. His mouth is slightly open. I can't read his expression. But his breaths seem to have slowed down.

Rin is finally looking alive. Her gaze shifts back and forth between me and Kenji.

There's silence for a minute.

"Um," says Rin. "I still have, like. No idea what's going on? But, like. Fuck it. I'm going to believe in both of you. In case that, like… means anything to you."

More silence.

"Heh," Jun mutters, grinning. "Isn't this something?"

Kenji's breaths are steadying. He closes his eyes.

His eyes open—with renewed intensity.

"The tape," he says. "Where did it come from?"

I smile widely. Kenji's back.

"I've never seen that roll of tape before," Kenji continues. "Whoever owned it—that's the true culprit."

"It's an interesting question," Shingo admits.

"We never found anything like it during room checks," says Naomi.

"And those first two room checks were realllllly thorough!" says Akiko.

"My nighttime room checks aren't really that thorough," says Tsubasa, "but for what it's worth—I'd never seen that roll of tape before, either."

"During our first two days here," says Shingo, "I tried to organize and document every item in every room—especially the storage room. But I never found that tape."

"There are too many coincidences, if you ask me," says Jun. "Starting with the flaw in our locks. It's a pretty glaring flaw. You wouldn't expect it in such a high-security place."

"Oh… I get it," says Tsubasa. "You think that Monokuma… created that flaw on purpose?"

"That makes sense," I say. "He wanted someone to exploit it."

"Puhuhuhu…" Monokuma laughs. "What can I say? A few security flaws here and there is the perfect spice to add some zest to your killing game! Try it at home, kids!"

"Another big coincidence," says Jun, "is how well that tape blends in with our doors."

"It's the exact same color," I agree. "That has to be intentional."

"I understand," says Naomi. "That tape… probably comes straight from Monokuma."

"But what does that mean?" asks Yuna. "Was it hiding somewhere in the school?"

"That's possible," says Shingo. "But given that no one else found it, I have a better theory for where that tape came from." He points at me. "Tell them, Amaki!"

"Wait—me?" I say, confused. "Why?"

"Sorry," Shingo says, grinning slightly. "I just thought you'd appreciate the reference." He crosses his arms. "If someone else independently thinks up the same theory—then I'm more likely to be on the right track. But if I say it out loud, you can't think it up independently. So, I'd like to hear it from you. Where did that tape come from?"

"Um…" I mutter, thinking.

"I'll give you a hint," says Shingo. "It starts with a P."


-HANGMAN'S GAMBIT-

P*****TS

PR****TS

PRE***TS

PRES**TS

PRESE*TS

PRESENTS


"It must've been one of those presents Monokuma gave us," I conclude.

"My thoughts exactly," Shingo says, his smile growing. "That morning, we took every present to the cafeteria as quickly as possible for the mass opening. By then, however, eight people had already opened their presents. One of those people might have switched out their gift for something else—and kept their true gift hidden somewhere."

"And their true gift was the tape!" I add.

"So—that narrows it down, right?" says Tsubasa. "The killer's gotta be one of those eight people…" His eyes widen. "Wait—I'm one of those eight people! Crap!"

"That's what you get for being hasty!" says Yuna.

"It is ill-advised to accept mysterious gifts from one's enemy," says Takeru. "The Trojans learned this many ages ago."

"But I—I got those classic game guides," says Tsubasa. "Shingo—you did those super thorough room checks. You know I didn't have those."

"That's true," says Shingo. "Though, if I did know you had them, you obviously wouldn't have switched them in."

"The smart thing," says Ryu, "would be to switch the tape with something unique that no one's seen before. That way, everyone thinks it must really be your gift."

"I searched as hard as I could," says Shingo, "but I'm sure there are things that I didn't find. Perhaps those game guides were hidden in the Ultimate Hacker's Office, for example—in which case, Tsubasa retrieved them after my second thorough room check. The next morning, he switched them with the tape, and hid the tape somewhere."

"Hey—what's with the focus on me all of a sudden?" says Tsubasa.

"Sorry," Shingo says, smiling slightly. "It was just an example."

"Seven other people also opened their presents," says Tsubasa. "And two of those presents were just cheap vending machine crap!"

"Ryu's seltzer water, and Jun's potato chips," I say, trying to recall each gift.

"Hey," says Ryu, "it may be cheap, but a hydrated body ain't crap."

"Heck yeah!" says Yuna.

"Also," says Tsubasa, "Emi had that empty safe—but we're just taking her at her word that it was empty when she found it."

"You shall continue to take me at my word, I hope," Emi says, wearing an eerie smile.

"There were four other opened presents," Naomi says, thinking. "Rin's makeup kit. Momoka's, um…"

"Whale poop," I mutter.

"Ambergris," Momoka corrects. "It's more like whale vomit…"

"Kenji's book on ancient languages," Naomi continues. "And Koi… also got something."

"A big ol' girthy dildo!" says Akiko.

"Akiko!" I squeal.

"Oh… oops!" Akiko says sheepishly. "Was that not public knowledge? Sorry!"

"I think we all sorta figured it out from context," Tsubasa mutters.

"Oh, so that's what it was," says Jeff.

"Hey, wait a minute!" says Yuna. "We haven't narrowed it down at all! Both Kenji and Koi opened their presents—so either of them could've gotten the tape!"

"Mhm," Momoka agrees. "Plus, Koi's present was the kind of thing she'd keep hidden…"

"Oh, good point!" says Akiko. "If Koi already had the dildo, she definitely would've hidden it somewhere hard to find. And since Naomi had never seen the dildo—Koi could've switched the tape with the dildo, and no one would know!"

"Do you really think she'd, like… waste a perfectly good dildo?" asks Rin.

"Maybe she had two dildos…" says Momoka.

"She could've been hiding all sorts of dildos!" says Akiko.

"I don't know," says Naomi. "I searched hard, but I didn't find a single dildo. If Koi had multiple dildos, I'm sure I would have discovered at least one dildo."

"WILL EVERYONE PLEASE STOP SAYING THE WORD 'DILDO'!?" I scream, hiding my burning face.

"Dildo!" says Monokuma. "Dildo, dildo, dildo! …I just wanted to feel included."

"The point," says Shingo, "is that Koi still could've gotten the tape. And more importantly—so could our prime suspect, Kenji Sasaki."

"Ryu," says Kenji. "You did two thorough room checks before those presents appeared. You know I didn't have that book in my room."

"I sure as hell don't remember seeing it," says Ryu. "The thing is… I wasn't really looking too hard at the covers of all those wordy books you got in there. I was more just searchin' for dangerous objects."

"I joined Ryu during the second of these thorough room checks," says Takeru. "For what it's worth—I, too, never saw this scholarly scroll."

"I checked the morning we got the presents," says Shingo. "It wasn't the most thorough room check—but I did poke around more than normal. Still, I didn't find any tape."

"And… I checked Kenji's room that same night," says Tsubasa. "I mean, was a pretty basic room check. I didn't see that tape, though."

"Well… the idea that the tape was a present is just a theory, right?" says Akiko.

"It makes sense, as far as theories go," says Naomi. "But, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be getting us anywhere."

"I… I guess this was sort of a dead end, huh?" Kenji says sadly.

"It's okay, Kenji!" I say. "I've been looking at you—and you've been thinking hard this entire time. I'm sure you can think up some way to find the killer!"

"There's only one thing I can think of," Kenji says, trying to stifle his nervousness. "The timing. Like Shingo said—it doesn't make sense. When would I have snuck into Hiroto's room?"

"It couldn't have been before Koi entered," says Shingo. "Not only because there were no hiding places—more importantly, you were seen outside the room during Jun's nighttime experiment. Which means you must have entered the room later—while Hiroto was asleep."

"No, that's wrong," Kenji says calmly. "The door was locked when Koi entered."

"Yeah!" I say. "Which means the tape had already been removed by that point! And it's not like anyone could have tampered with the lock afterward—the door was closed!"

"There's only one plausible explanation," says Shingo. "You're simply wrong about the door having been locked."

"I'm… wrong?" I say, taken aback.

"Think about it," says Shingo. "No matter what, you must be wrong about at least one key detail. Either you're wrong about the hiding spaces being unoccupied… or you're wrong about the door having been locked. The former would be rather strange—did you really fail to notice an entire person? But the latter isn't quite as unlikely. Not to mention, it matches the timing of the prime suspect's whereabouts."

"But I'm positive the door was locked!" I insist.

"It may seem unlikely," says Shingo. "But of the available options, it's the least unlikely assumption we can make."

"By your own account, Koi," says Takeru, "you were in a state of mild panic when you attempted to open that door. Panic can alter our perception of reality."

"Well, there you go," says Shingo. "It's not that big a leap. And if Kenji is the culprit, it's the only real leap we have to make." He crosses his arms. "Alternately, you could've killed Hiroto, Koi. But that involves adding further assumptions—you'd have to steal Kenji's bedsheet through some unknown means, and you'd have to tape up Hiroto's door for unknown reasons. The technical definition of Occam's razor is that the scenario with the fewest assumptions is most likely correct. If Kenji is the culprit, we need only assume that the bolt was taped up when you entered Hiroto's room, and that you mistakenly believed the door was locked. If anyone else is the culprit, our assumption begin to multiply. Thus, Kenji is the most likely culprit." He adjusts his glasses. "It's also good Bayesian reasoning… but I won't waste everyone's time explaining what that means."

"I feel like I lost the thread a while ago," Jeff says, scratching his head.

"I think I get it," says Akiko. "Shingo's saying that something unlikely has to be true. So, even though it's unlikely that Koi would be wrong about this… it still might be true."

"What's likely is subjective," says Kenji. "I just… don't believe that Koi would be wrong about this, when she seems so certain."

"I am certain," I say. "Actually… the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that the killer was in the room when I entered."

"Wait—haven't we gone over this?" says Tsubasa.

"You already checked all the hiding spots!" says Yuna. "There's nowhere left!"

"Shingo," I say, smiling slightly. "If we can prove it's possible that the killer was already in the room—that would become the most likely scenario, right?"

"If it's plausible," Shingo corrects. "And it depends on how plausible."

"If the killer was in the room," I say, "then…"

"…I have an alibi!" Kenji says, a thin smile appearing on his face. My heart lights up.

"It wouldn't exonerate you, exactly," says Naomi. "But if you can prove that it's possible… we'd have to rethink who the prime suspect really is."

"But how would it be possible?" asks Jeff. "The killer had nowhere to hide!"

"It… it's worth looking into, at least," says Kenji.

"It is!" I agree. "And we'll start by asking when the killer entered Hiroto's room. I've been thinking about it—and I think I know the answer!"

"You do?" says Kenji. "Was there a… perfect time to sneak in?"

TRUTH BULLET: TAKERU'S ACCOUNT

"There was!" I reply. "Takeru—you said that Hiroto liked to walk around the school after his 9 p.m. room check, but before the 10 p.m. announcement."

"Indeed," says Takeru. "I witnessed the victim depart for this stroll on the very night he was slain."

"So—that must be it!" Kenji says excitedly. "If the killer knew that Hiroto took a walk each night, then—they could've waited for it, and snuck into his room between 9 and 10 p.m.!"

"And then they removed the tape!" I say. "Which is why the door was locked when I entered! Which I'm not wrong about, by the way!"

"An intriguing theory," says Emi. "Though, I wonder where this killer supposedly hid?"

"Not in the closet," Jeff says, thinking. "Not in the bathroom. Not under the bed. So… where?"

"Maybe they were clinging to the ceiling!" suggests Akiko.

"A wall-climbing jutsu?" says Takeru. "Even I have not mastered that technique…"

"Heh," says Jun. "Quite the pickle, isn't it?"

"I… I'm not sure where they hid," I admit. "But I'm the one who was in there, so… I just need to… think really hard about it."

I think.

I think.

I think and think and think and think and think…

Think, think, think, think, think…

Ugh, I can't think of anything?

Where the heck could they have hidden?

I need to think harder.

C'mon, Koi. Think harder!

Ugh…

Maybe…

Maybe I should do that thing Hajime does in Danganronpa 2.

That thing where he visualizes the problem as a virtual obstacle course…

Maybe I'll try that.


-LOGIC DIVE-

Question 1: Hiroto used his bathroom _ _ _ I entered the room.

A) before
B) after
C) both before and after

Answer: A) before

Question 2: I looked under Hiroto's bed _ _ _ I lay down.

A) before
B) after
C) both before and after

Answer: B) after

Question 3: The incident with the loud music happened _ _ _.

A) before I entered the room
B) after I lay down
C) after I entered, but before I lay down

Answer: C) after I entered, but before I lay down

Question 4: The killer could have changed places _ _ _ the loud music incident.

A) before
B) after
C) during

Answer: C) during


"It's all coming together!" I shout.

Everyone looks at me.

"Um… are you okay, Koi?" asks Jeff.

"You spaced out for a minute there," says Tsubasa. "Then you shouted 'It's all coming together!' for some reason."

"The killer changed places!" I announce.

There's some confused and surprised murmurs.

"What… does that mean?" asks Kenji.

"Like, how though?" asks Rin.

"Hiroto used his bathroom before he let me inside," I say. "So, at that moment, the killer wasn't in the bathroom—they were under the bed!

"I looked under Hiroto's bed after I lay down to sleep. So, at that moment, the killer wasn't under the bed—they were in the bathroom!

"The killer started out under the bed—but at some point, they changed places. When Hiroto and I fell asleep… the killer was hiding in the bathroom!"

"From a stealth position to a defensive position," Takeru mutters. "Interesting…"

"What the heck are you talking about?" says Yuna. "Did I miss something? How the heck did the killer just waltz to the bathroom right in front of you?"

"Do you, like… need glasses?" asks Rin.

"Your eyes are going bad from malnutrition!" says Yuna. "This is why you need to eat your vegetables!"

"It's true—we didn't notice," I say. "The killer came out from under the bed, and walked to the bathroom—and neither I nor Hiroto saw it happen. Because we were distracted!"

"Distracted?" says Tsubasa.

"That would take one heck of a distraction!" says Yuna.

"Ohhh, I get it," Akiko says, winking. "Koi and Hiroto were doing something distracting."

"Hmm," says Momoka. "They were focusing on each other…"

"That kind of thing would be pretty distracting," Jeff says, blushing slightly.

"Will you guys stop jumping to conclusions?" I yelp. "That's not what I meant!"

"I… I think Koi is talking about a different distraction," says Kenji.

TRUTH BULLET: LOUD MUSIC INCIDENT

"Yeah!" I say. "It was that incident where Monokuma blasted loud music in the hall!"

"My fucking ears were, like… bleeding," Rin says, cringing.

"That was not a pleasant experience!" says Jeff.

"Heh," says Jun. "Sorry about that…"

"Jun was testing the rule about sleeping outside our dorms," I say. "He recruited Kenji, Rin, Tsubasa, and Jeff to protect him. I didn't know that at first, though… I just heard loud music from Hiroto's room."

"That music was quite the nuisance," says Emi.

"I was totally confused!" says Yuna. "I thought someone was just being annoying!"

"Well… you're not wrong," says Tsubasa. "That someone was Monokuma, though."

"I think I remember hearing it, too," says Akiko. "I just had no idea what was going on."

"We were confused, too," I say. "Hiroto and I both went up to the door… then we opened the door, and tried to talk to Tsubasa, but the music was too loud… then the music stopped, and Tsubasa explained everything to us. At any of those points, the killer could have moved from under the bed to the bathroom, and we wouldn't have noticed."

"Oh, crap!" says Tsubasa. "So—I helped the killer get away!"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "It was probably when the music was playing, though…"

"I agree with Momoka," I say. "If we couldn't even hear the killer—plus, our backs were turned—that would be the perfect moment to switch places."

"Man," Tsubasa mutters. "I was standing right there. But… I couldn't see past Koi and Hiroto in the doorway." He sighs. "Jeez… I hate being short."

"Hiroto was a big guy," says Jeff. "It would've been hard to see past him… no matter who you were."

"Plus, it might've happened before we even opened the door," I say.

"So… wait a moment," says Akiko. "If all this is true, then… Kenji's original theories were mostly right!"

"I… I was wrong about the closet, though," says Kenji. "And the e-Handbook…"

"Hiroto used his closet both before and after the distracting incident," says Takeru. "Thus, we can surmise that the assassin was never hidden within. Is this correct, Koi?"

"Yeah, that's right," I say.

"This assassin had planned to remain under the bed," Takeru continues, thinking. "However, as you lay out your sleeping arrangements, this hiding space became at risk of discovery. Thus, the assassin moved to the bathroom at the first opportunity—locking the door to fortify their new position."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what happened!"

"If so… this assassin prioritized stealth over combat readiness. Such an attitude aligns with the manner in which Hiroto was slain."

TRUTH BULLET: MONOKUMA FILE #1

"There was no sign of a struggle," I say. "Hiroto probably died in his sleep."

"Indeed," says Takeru. "If we assume that this was the desired outcome… hiding under the bed would be the most logical option. Thus, I believe that your theory is a sound one. Though, this is mere speculation."

"This is all just speculation," says Shingo. "But I have to admit… it's convincing."

"I agree," says Naomi. "If we assume that Koi is right about the door being locked…"

"I am right," I insist yet again.

"…Then this is starting to look like the likeliest scenario," Naomi finishes.

"And that means Kenji has an alibi!" I say.

"Plus the rest of us who were with Jun," Tsubasa points out.

"So it's not Koi or Kenji?" says Yuna. "This is so confusing! We keep going back and forth and back and forth!"

"Hmm," says Momoka. "I feel dizzy…"

"Um, I'm just gonna let you guys figure this one out," says Akiko. "I've been wrong way too many times today."

"To find the killer," Kenji says, thinking, "we need to figure out who stole my bedsheet."

"If you're not the culprit, Kenji," says Shingo, "then those marks on your door become the most interesting question. I'd written off the marks on Hiroto's door as an unsolvable mystery. I thought that maybe you'd invited yourself into Hiroto's room for a chat at some point—and then taped up his bolt. Without Hiroto's testimony, we couldn't prove or disprove that such a meeting had occurred."

"If it's not Kenji, though," says Naomi, "then someone taped up both Kenji's door and Hiroto's door."

"And… that's how the killer stole my bedsheet," says Kenji. "They used the tape to prevent my door from locking… snuck in at some point… and removed the tape afterward."

"Unlike Hiroto," says Shingo, "we can ask you for your testimony."

"It's like Jun said—the doors open inward," I say. "To put on that tape, someone had to step inside Kenji's room."

"Had any visitors lately?" Jun asks.

"N-no…" Kenji answers. "I… don't really get visitors…"

"Heh," says Jun. "In that case, I can think of just one reason why someone would be in Kenji's room." He looks at me, grinning. "And it starts with an R."

Ugh. This again?


-HANGMAN'S GAMBIT-

R*** C*E**

RO** C*E**

ROO* C*E**

ROOM C*E**

ROOM CHE**

ROOM CHEC*

ROOM CHECK


"It must have happened during a room check," I say.

"That makes sense," says Naomi. "Kenji's room checker just had to wait until Kenji's back was turned—and then apply the tape to his door."

"So—this narrows it down to just four people!" says Yuna.

"Hmm," says Momoka. "The four male room checkers…"

"No," Jun says, grinning. "This narrow it down to one person. If you consider everything we've talked about, you'll realize who the culprit is."

He's right.

When I put it all together…

A male room checker…

Someone who opened their present…

Someone without an alibi…

There's only one person who fits.

I don't like it, but…

Based on the evidence we have right now…

You're the only one!