Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.

Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it, especially in this chapter since a good portion of it came from my imagination.

Thank you for the continued support, everyone! I really appreciate it!

Chapter Eighteen

Opening Up

Laying on the hospital bed was a heavily bandaged Fuyuhiko. He was wearing a robe over all of his bandages, some bandages wrapped around his head and covering the right side of his face. Mikan was feverishly pacing back and forth close by, checking his charts and vitals often. Hikari felt as if her legs were becoming like jelly so she quickly sat down on a chair against the wall next to the bed. He's alive…! Maybe I can ask him more about the possession yesterday… He was the first and only person to witness my talent coming back.

Fuyuhiko eyed all of his visitors, Hajime being the last to enter the room, the plain boy still standing in the door way, hand on the doorknob. The injured teen turned his head to the window. "What…? You all look like you've seen a ghost…"

Hajime stepped further into the room. "K-Kuzuryuu…are you all right?"

"Heh…" the Yakuza chuckled weakly. "It's just a scratch."

Mikan whimpered, her lower lip quivering. "Th-That's not a scratch at all, though…"

"Well, I'm relieved to see you!" Nekomaru said in relief. "I was worried you were done for!"

"Heh… There's no way I'd die from something like this…" Fuyuhiko said bitterly, his eyes still looking out the window. After a pause, he whispered, "There's no way…I can die…" Hikari stared at the blond boy with a frown, hearing everything he said since she sat right next to him.

You don't want Pekoyama's death to be in vain… she thought sadly, guilt starting to creep into her heart. That guilt started to clash with her desire to question him about her talent and to use him for her own benefit.

Mikan turned to her friends, tears watering her eyes. "Earlier…I asked Monokuma and he showed me his medical records… There's a lot of sword-related wounds… But…they were relatively light wounds. No organs or nerves were damaged… Considering how fiercely he was attacked…this is pretty miraculous!"

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek, the guilt definitely overtaking her yearning for her talent. However, another layer of guilt was building on top of that, the girl starting to feel bad for almost putting aside her thoughts for reuniting with her sister's spirit.

"Haha…you're a ballsy one," Kazuichi said to Fuyuhiko in a feeble voice, rubbing the back of his head. "Is this what's called 'having the devil's luck'?"

"…Who knows?" Chiaki spoke out, blinking. "Maybe it wasn't luck. Maybe…Pekoyama gave her life to protect Kuzuryuu. If she really wanted to protect Kuzuryuu at all costs… It's not strange to think…that she would've done that. No, I think it's better if we think about it like that." Chiaki looked over at Fuyuhiko. "You think so too, right Kuzuryuu? That must've been what you thought… There's no way you can die, right?"

Fuyuhiko's expression became forlorn before he shifted in the bed so that he was facing the window and his back was to the group. "Who knows…?"

Of course she did… Hikari thought as she stared at her hands in her lap sadly. Kuzuryuu was her most important person… Anyone would do that for the one they hold dear, even if it means certain death… The Spirit Medium closed her eyes, her fingers twitching and her heart started racing once that thought entered her head.

"Um…I think Kuzuryuu should rest here for a while," Mikan advised, clasping her hands as if begging her friends to listen to her. "His wounds haven't fully healed…so it'd be bad if he overexerted himself." The Nurse smiled happily with a tinge of pink in her cheeks. "No need to worry. I'll take care of him for the time being. I mean…that's what nurses are for."

Akane placed a hand on her hip, nodding. "…You hear that, Kuzuryuu? Just relax and get some sleep." She grinned wickedly as she rolled her shoulders. "I'll be the one who avenges you!"

"Seriously, he's not dead!" Kazuichi hollered at her.

Mikan cowered slightly at the aggressiveness of her friends' personalities. "U-Um…you shouldn't…you know…talk so loudly…in front of the injured…"

Nekomaru closed his eyes, crossing his arms. "Owari…Kuzuryuu has finally come back to us. You better not do anything reckless… I can't stand…the thought of losing someone…any longer."

Akane's eyebrows furrowed as she cracked her knuckles. "I know that! I just hafta win, right!?"

"This is bad…" the Mechanic warned in a nervous tone, "she doesn't understand at all…"

"Heh…then do whatever you want!" the Team Manager rumbled, his pinky finger digging into his ear.

Hajime raised his hands half-heartedly. "H-Hey…Nidai…!"

The burly male then picked his nose, grumbling. "You're the kind of woman who refuses to listen once her mind is made up. I know that all too well… So do whatever you want. I don't care about you anymore. However…" Nekomaru placed his hands on his hips and gave the Gymnast a serious stare. "I'm never going to do 'it' to you again!"

Sonia blinked, tilting her head slightly to her right. "Huh? …'It'?"

"P-Please keep your voices down!" Mikan shrilled loudly, clenching her fists.

"H-Hey… Wait a sec, Nidai…" Akane stuttered, taken aback by Nekomaru's declaration. "I-It was my first time… I never thought…something that feels sooo good even existed in this world… M-My body still hasn't forgotten… And now you're sayin'…you're just gonna stop all of a sudden…? L-Look…my body's getting' all hot again just thinkin' about 'it'…!" The brunette stepped closer to Nekomaru, her cheeks reddening.

Kazuichi gaped at the two, looking at them with wide eyes. "H-Hey…you're kidding me… I-Is 'it' what I think it is…?"

Ignoring the pink-haired pervert, Nekomaru sighed heavily. "If you're not going to heed my warning, it's unfortunate but 'it' must come to an end!" He headed out the room when he finished talking.

"Wait! H-Hold on! I…I can't live without 'it'!" Akane pleaded, chasing after him in desperation. A long awkward silence lingered in the air.

"…I wonder what that was all about," Sonia mused cluelessly.

Mikan smiled, exhaling in relief. "Phew…it's finally quiet… It's such bad manners to raise your voice inside a hospital."

"…Humans are such foolish creatures," Gundham muttered, arms crossed and his hamsters resting on his shoulders. Hiyoko said nothing the whole time she was there, but her gaze seemed as if it was going to burn holes into Fuyuhiko.

"…Hey, Saionji?" Hajime blinked, glancing at the blonde with pigtails, noticing Hiyoko's behavior.

The Traditional Dancer turned her head away from the hospital bed with a pout when she realized Hajime was watching her. "It's…nothing…"

Hajime sweatdropped with a frown before having Kazuichi invade his personal space. "…Hey, why are you making such a scary face?" Hajime asked as he took a step back.

Chiaki watched silently as Kazuichi swung his arm around Hajime's shoulders and whispered to him excitedly. Hajime obviously appeared very uncomfortable with the closeness, whispering back. The Gamer blinked when Kazuichi let go of his ahoged friend with a loud gasp. "Wh-What an inspiring quoooooooooooote!" the Mechanic gushed with stars in his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Hinata, my eyes are open now, thanks to you!" Kazuichi shouted, clenching his fists and feeling pumped up. "All right! Let's go run together!"

Hajime gawked, pointing at himself dumbly. "Huh? Me too!?" He stumbled a bit as the beanie-wearing teen grabbed his arm and dragged him to the door.

"Let's go! To our horizon!" Kazuichi exclaimed as he lugged an apprehensive Hajime out of the room to who knows where.

"Uhh…Okay…" Ibuki said, puzzled. "Well, I'm out. Gonna go play with all those instruments at Titty Typhoon! Got my creative juices flowing~!" She gave a quick wave before skipping out gleefully. Sonia and Gundham left shortly after that. Hiyoko glared at Fuyuhiko's back one more time before rushing out.

Chiaki looked at Mikan who was checking on Fuyuhiko for the fiftieth time now before turning to Hikari who seemed to have calmed down from her mini panic attack. "Do you want to head back to the cottages?" The Gamer waited a few moments in silence, observing Hikari analytically. She was just about to ask Hikari if she was okay when the Spirit Medium shook her head slightly.

"You…go on ahead… I want to stay a bit longer, if that's okay…" Hikari whispered, still staring down at her lap.

Chiaki stared at her friend a few moments longer before nodding slightly. She looked over at Mikan and motioned the Nurse to the door. Mikan blinked and followed Chiaki.

"Wh-What is it, Nanami?" Mikan asked meekly.

"Can you make sure Seishin gets back to the cottages okay? She's…having a rough time lately," Chiaki explained.

"Oh? Well, it had been an overwhelming day yesterday…" Mikan commented sadly, glancing over at Hikari. "She does seem to be paler and withdrawn… Should I give her an examination?"

"No, no… I don't think it's anything physical… It's probably stress or depression…maybe both."

"Hmm…" Mikan frowned, a bit let down she couldn't perform a medical examination in the newly discovered hospital. "All right. I'll accompany her back to her cottage when I'm done here."

Chiaki bowed a little, causing Mikan to blush in embarrassment. "Thank you, Tsumiki."

"O-Oh…it's n-no p-problem…" the apron-wearing girl giggled, waving a hand half-heartedly. The Gamer smiled gently and left.

Mikan checked Fuyuhiko's records again, making sure to keep an eye not just on the Yakuza, but on Hikari as well. However, she didn't have to worry since neither of them seemed to move at all. The Nurse left the room every now and then for various small chores that came to her mind like checking the hospital's blood bank and inventory. It was during one of these times that Hikari started humming softly to herself.

Someone's still here? Fuyuhiko wondered, looking over his shoulder. He watched the dejected young woman as she fingered her thin silver necklace, spacing out blankly while humming a song he was unfamiliar with. What the hell is up with her…? He blinked and turned back to his earlier position when he heard the door open. He noticed the humming stopped, wondering if Hikari woke up from whatever daydream she was having when Mikan came into the room.

After Mikan looked over her wounded patient one more time, she turned to Hikari with a nervous smile. "S-Seishin? The sun is starting to set… We should start to walk back to our cottages…" The Nurse fidgeted slightly when she didn't get a response, her anxiety increasing by every second that passed. Fuyuhiko stared out the window watching the sun slowly touching the horizon, sensing a bit of an awkward silence seeping into the room, starting to feel somewhat uncomfortable himself. The tension in the room faded when Hikari finally spoke albeit two words.

"All right," the Spirit Medium said blankly, slowly getting up off the chair. Mikan nodded quickly, not quite sure how to handle the situation. The bandaged girl knew about mental illnesses, but her expertise was focused more on the physical and medical. Having heard that Hikari was going through what looked like a depression, Mikan didn't want to accidently push her into a nervous breakdown. So, the Nurse stayed close to the troubled teen on their journey back, letting Fuyuhiko know that she will return tomorrow to see how he was doing before the two girls left the room.

The Yakuza moved so he laid on his back again, his left eye's gaze fixed on the ceiling. Why did she stay here so long? She didn't even say a word to me. More importantly…how did she possess Natsumi's soul? Why? Why only hers? Has Seishin's talent come back or was it just some stupid fluke?

Hikari waved goodbye to Mikan when they reached the bespectacled girl's cottage, Hikari walking into her home, closing the door behind her. Why was it that I was able to channel Kuzuryuu's sister when I can't even contact my own sister? she thought as she took off her shoes and knee-high socks, getting ready to retire for the night. Was this the only time? Does Kuzuryuu know more than he's letting on? Hikari laid in bed, taking off her glasses and placing them on her bedside table.

Hikari and Fuyuhiko both thought the exact same thing as they slowly drifted off to sleep. I need answers…

^o^ ^o^

The following morning Hikari found herself sitting next to Chiaki in the hotel lobby. Hikari sweatdropped slightly as she watched Chiaki wait near the arcade machine, the Gamer having allowed Kazuichi to play on it. As time slowly passed, Chiaki's patience grew thinner, the girl pouting slightly, her hands getting restless. Hajime walked up as Chiaki sighed heavily before glancing back at him as he approached. "G'morning," she greeted with another sigh.

Hajime quirked an eyebrow. "What happened? You don't sound that excited."

"Souda's…playing that arcade machine over there."

"You can just play it together," Hajime suggested.

"Mmmm…" Chiaki hummed. "I played one match with him earlier. He told me to give it my all, so I did…"

"I warned him…" said Hikari plainly.

"I got yelled at for winning a flawless victory. He said I was childish for playing seriously against an amateur."

"And I told Souda that he deserved that loss after listening to him whine like that."

Hajime smiled a little, sweatdropping. Well, I'm glad to see that Seishin seems to be doing better than yesterday. That reminds me…I was going to ask Nanami about Seishin's behavior lately… I'll try to make time today to hang out with Nanami then. The tie-wearing teen strolled over to Kazuichi who looked up and grinned toothily. Hikari stood up and stretched out her arms, turning her head to Chiaki.

"Want to head up to eat? I haven't eaten much these past couple of days and the hunger is catching up with me."

The Gamer pouted slightly, looking at the arcade machine longingly, wanting to play one more session before breakfast. "Okay…" The two girls headed towards the stairs to the restaurant, passing by Hajime and Kazuichi.

"Yo Hinata! How are ya!?" the Mechanic asked.

Hajime blinked in curiosity. "Are you playing a game? It's rare to see you playing games."

"Yeah well, Nanami's always playing it, right? I couldn't help noticing. …So she's letting me play for a little while."

Chiaki stopped and faced the boys, tilting her head. "Hey hey… It's not like…this is my machine. There's no reason for me to give you permission."

"You say that, but…" Kazuichi trailed off, itching his cheek. "You're like the queen of the arcade machine."

Chiaki tapped her chin with a finger, a bit surprised. "…You think so?"

"You serious!? You're not aware of that at all!?" Kazuichi blurted out in shock. "W-Well…after getting beaten up in the previous match, I'll definitely return the favor!"

"Nope, you don't have to return the favor."

"What did you say…!? Are you saying that I have to just stay a loser…!?" However, he cheered up because he soon placed his hands behind his head with a wide smile. "Then lemme tell you this. You'll definitely catch this topic's bait! You wanna listen, right? Right? Right?"

Hajime placed a hand on his hip, holding back a sigh. "You just really want to say it."

Chiaki stared at Kazuichi. "Hmm…then, what is it?"

The Mechanic winked and gave a thumbs up. "Hehehe, listen and be amazed… There's a street on the third island with lots of busted machines, right? I found some portable game console thing in the junk over there!"

"Huh, huh!? Really? Is that true?" the Gamer gasped, clenching her fists excitedly, giving Kazuichi her full attention.

"See, what'd I tell you!? You totally took the bait!" The jumpsuit-wearing boy took out a beaten up old handheld game system from his pocket to show Chiaki. "But still, it looks like this is out of order."

"Awww…how useless…"

"Hey! Hold on, hold on! Who do you think I am!? I'll definitely fix it up till it's like brand new! Then, when it's all fixed, I'll give it to you!"

"Hmm… Then I'll wait but I won't look forward to it…probably."

"Hey, hey, hey! 'Probably'!? Look forward to it! Otherwise I'll be sad, you know!? Just watch! I'll completely fix it up, and I'll make you say thank you with tears running down your face!"

During the back and forth banter between Chiaki and Kazuichi, Hikari kept walking up the stairs. What is this feeling…? Loneliness? Jealousy? Maybe hunger is what's making me emotional… Hikari thought halfheartedly, though she knew there was no point to try to compare herself to Chiaki. She already came to that conclusion a couple of days ago.

Hajime quietly watched the Spirit Medium leave without her closest friend, a feeling of concern start to form in the pit of his stomach. She's definitely not acting like herself… he thought as Hikari disappeared from view. By the time Kazuichi, Chiaki, and Hajime got to the restaurant, everyone else was already there, the group in good spirits and eating breakfast. Hikari sat across from Sonia, eating a healthy portion of food.

Noticing that everyone has arrived, the Princess decided to speak up. "Um…the day ended halfway yesterday, so let us try to put together our information about the new island."

Hiyoko huffed in frustration. "In the end, we couldn't even find a way to escape from this island, right? Seriously…you guys are useless…"

"But there's a music venue!" Ibuki exclaimed excitedly, an arm raised in the air.

"I got that but…what about the clues that we really need?" Nekomaru asked. "Clues like…information about this island…or anything that might help us understand what's happening to us?"

Nagito smiled, having an answer. "In the town with all those machines, I found a clue contained within a file inside one of those laptops."

"You saw that too?" Hajime asked, blinking.

"I…was told about that by Komaeda," Sonia mentioned, pressing a finger on her chin in thought, "so I checked it as well…"

"I saw it, too," Gundham recalled. "It's about the fact that Hope's Peak Academy has already been destroyed."

"Huuuh!? Hope's Peak Academy has been destroyed!?" Ibuki cried out, stunned.

Nagito waved his hand carelessly, brushing off that claim. "It's probably just another one of Monokuma's pranks. There's no way Hope's Peak Academy would fall. But…even if it is a prank, it's not something he should be allowed to do…" His expression grew darker as his hand formed into a tight fist. "A symbol of hope getting destroyed… It's not something you should even joke about…!" His ominous glare was quickly erased and replaced with a happy disposition seconds later. "Well, if you're still wondering about it, it might be better if you just confirm it for yourself."

"I-If I remember to do it, I'll give it a try…" the Musician laughed anxiously, freaked out by Nagito's instant changes in behavior.

"So basically, on that island we found no way to escape, nor any useful clues this time around…" Gundham stated before he chuckled to himself. "Oh hold on… It's 'this time again,' not 'this time around.' Kehehe…"

"You don't have to correct us each time!" Mikan squeaked in tears.

Sonia smiled and flexed a bicep, her other hand resting on the muscle. "However, it is not all bad news! Kuzuryuu will be able to return to us!"

"That guy pisses me off, but it sure makes me happy to think that he's gonna come back to us!" Kazuichi said, relieved.

"He's recovering extremely well so…" Mikan informed the group through sobs, "I'm pretty sure he can be discharged from the hospital in one week. However… He's…probably lost the use of his right eye…forever."

"Hmph. He totally deserves that…" Hiyoko muttered darkly.

"H-Hey…aren't you going a little too far?" Kazuichi asked nervously, sweatdropping.

Akane leaned back in her chair, completely satisfied. "Maaaaan, I sure did eat! I'm stuffed today, too!"

"Jeez…" Nekomaru sighed. "You certainly eat a lot, without even listening to what the others are saying…"

"…Okay then, since I'm stuffed, I should go train now." Hikari sweatdropped, not sure if this was Akane's way of coping with the situation or if she was really that oblivious with what was going on around her.

"Oh…? 'Train,' you say? You hate training. How rare of you," the Team Manager remarked.

"If I don't do it, I won't get stronger… I have to do it." The brunette stood up and gave a quick wave before leaving. "…Bye now!"

Ibuki blinked, leaning forward. "Oh my, my! She's like…really pumped up."

Nekomaru watched after the Gymnast, a worried scowl on his face. "Ha! I hope she's not thinking about doing anything bad!" Everyone silently agreed.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari rapped at the door with her knuckles, waiting outside Fuyuhiko's hospital room for a moment before letting herself in. She walked into the room carrying a plastic bag of snacks and drinks as Mikan checked Fuyuhiko's wounds. Both Mikan and Fuyuhiko blinked at the Spirit Medium, not expecting to see her there. "S-Seishin? Wh-Why are you visiting Kuzuryuu again…?" Mikan asked hesitantly.

Hikari frowned slightly. "Should I not?"

Mikan grimaced and waved her hands in defense. "N-No! Y-You can… You can do wh-whatever you want…! I-I didn't mean to tell you what to do…! I-I'm sorry!" Fuyuhiko kept quiet, his gold colored eye watched the Spirit Medium before looking at the ceiling, appearing as if he was uninterested with what was going on.

"Figured Kuzuryuu was hungry…" Hikari said before her gaze rested to the side, mumbling, "I know from experience that not everyone likes hospital food…"

Fuyuhiko blinked in puzzlement, not sure what Hikari was up to. Mikan blinked and smiled, tapping her fingertips together. "O-Oh! That's very nice… Thank you, Seishin." The glasses-wearing girl nodded and went over to the chair she sat on the day before. She made herself comfortable as Mikan dressed Fuyuhiko's wounds and wrapped fresh bandages for the Yakuza.

Once finished, Mikan put the old bandages into a biohazard receptacle and washed her hands. After turning off the faucet, the Nurse turned around, shaking her hands of excess water droplets. She sweatdropped a little, seeing that Hikari nor Fuyuhiko moved out of their positions for half an hour. The blond was looking out the window, sitting up against the plethora of pillows Mikan had placed on his bed. Hikari was still sitting on the chair, the plastic bag she brought laying by her feet, the ebony-haired young woman seeming to be zoned out. Mikan fidgeted nervously, sensing the atmosphere becoming awkward again. Wh-What is going on…? D-Do they think I'm a waste of space…? Maybe I should g-go for a bit… Mikan smiled anxiously, tears welling up in her eyes, her whole body trembling. "U-Um…I'm j-just gonna go…and make s-sure that the hospital's and pharmacy's inventories are properly st-stocked and o-organized… G-Got to always b-be prepared f-for emergencies…" she babbled, trying to pointlessly justify her reason for leaving the room. "I-I'll be b-back s-soon!" The frazzled teen rushed out of there in tears.

A long minute passed before someone finally talked. "Really…why are you here? It can't just be to bring food to me," Fuyuhiko asked before facing Hikari.

"That is actually half-true…" answered the Spirit Medium honestly, her hands in her lap. "I needed to talk to you."

"Let me guess…about possessin' my little sister's soul, right?"

Hikari quickly looked at him with a look of surprise. "H-How…?"

The boy closed his eye slowly. "I wanted to talk to you about that myself." Hikari rotated the chair so that she can face him in a more comfortable manner, leaning forward with rapt attention.

"Was it really your sister I possessed? What did she say? Did anyone else take over my body? What happened?" Hikari probed desperately, her hands tightly gripping the bedsheet in front of her.

Fuyuhiko blinked at the girl, taken aback slightly at her behavior. "Hey, chill out! I also got questions for you. Why did you summon my little sister? Did your talent come back or was that really a freak thing? Why is your talent gone anyway? None of us except Hinata lost theirs." The two of them stared each other down, wanting the other to answer first. After a long pause, Hikari frowned and relaxed her hands.

"I…I really didn't know that was going to happen…" Hikari whispered. "I wanted to find out if you had a sister and if the photos from the arcade game were real. I wanted to get to the bottom of Koizumi's murder and the evidence was pointing in your direction…" Fuyuhiko's lips curved down, but stayed silent, letting Hikari continue. "…I know what it feels like to lose a sister…especially if the sibling bond was strong." The girl looked down, blinking back tears she felt forming in her eyes. Hikari cleared her throat to fight her voice from breaking. "…In a way, I wanted to give you closure if your sister did actually die…"

"Turns out she did…" Fuyuhiko mumbled in a heavy voice. "I'm not sure if forgetting about it is a blessing or a curse…"

Hikari sighed, causing the Yakuza to focus on her. "But…I think that possession was a miracle, if anything… I still do not have my talent back… It's been gone since I arrived in the classroom…"

Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow. Since we were in that classroom…? So, before we got to the island…? "Why?"

The Spirit Medium scrunched up her face in frustration. "I don't know…"

"Well, nothing much happened when my sister took over your body… She let me know that I avenged her so that I wouldn't feel guilty… That was it, really." Hikari frowned deeply, clenching her fists, mouthing something under her breath. Fuyuhiko blinked. "What?"

"It's not fair!" Hikari snapped at him, hot tears falling down her cheeks. "Why was it your sister that came and not mine!? Everyone is using their talents on this stupid island while I can't!"

If Fuyuhiko wasn't shocked at Hikari's behavior before, he certainly was at that moment. He barked right back at her. "Hey! Did I ask for you to get my sister involved in this!? Hell, I never knew you could be such a selfish bitch! Who the fuck cares if someone can use their talent here or not? Does it matter in this situation where you might end up dead with one or not?"

"Shut up! You don't know me! I only want my talent so I can see my sister. That's…the only way I can see her now..."

"Like I said, you're so fuckin' selfish. You only care about yourself and your feelings that you don't take into account that there might be other people who are sufferin' like you or even worse. Just look at Hinata. He doesn't even remember his. You should be damn grateful for knowing what your talent is." Hikari closed her mouth, being on the verge to tell the Yakuza off again until Hajime's name came up.

I…I forgot that Hinata has forgotten about his talent… He acts like it doesn't bother him so much so that I completely forgot…

"And yeah, I lost my sister…" Fuyuhiko went on, staring the other teen down with a stern look in his eye, "but I'm not going to bitch about not seeing her again since I know that she's watchin' over me. She told me that through you. The same is said for you. Your sister is probably doin' the same thing. If you stand by the 'seeing is believing' bullshit, then you don't have much faith in your sister always bein' there for you."

Hikari sat back in the chair, her body temperature high from all her pent up emotions and having set them free towards Fuyuhiko. She inhaled deeply through her nose before standing up and stomping to the door. The fuming young woman grabbed the knob and glared angrily back at the Yakuza before storming out, slamming the door loudly. Fuyuhiko could only sit up in bed, blinking blankly at the door.

"Tch…" he clicked his tongue, annoyed with the frustrating Spirit Medium but also with himself.

"Hey, Onii-chan…? Can you…try to be nice to this girl? She lost a sister too…" "Damnit..." he swore under his breath, his eyebrow furrowed. "I'm not doing well at keeping my word, huh, Natsumi…" He ran a hand through his hair in irritation, not quite sure what to do.

After a few minutes of just sitting there, Fuyuhiko's left eye caught sight of the clear plastic bag that Hikari left behind. Watching the door carefully, the boy leaned down slowly and took the bag's handles, pulling it onto the bed with ease. With one quick glance toward the door, Fuyuhiko peeked inside to see the contents. He blinked, surprised to see snacks and drinks that he liked, sweatdropping as his stomach grumbled in hunger. His eye narrowed slightly as he placed his hand inside, digging out a smaller plastic bag that was protecting its contents from the drinks' condensation. The smaller bag held a deck of playing cards and a black eyepatch with a white spiraling dragon embroidered on it. Tsumiki must have told everyone about my eye's condition… Fuyuhiko guessed as he looked at the eyepatch in his hand quietly. I think I know what I should do right now…

^o^ ^o^

Hikari didn't know where she was going when she emotionally left Fuyuhiko's hospital room. All she knew was that she needed to be alone to collect her thoughts and feelings. The girl let her feet take her up the stairs instead of toward the building's lobby. Hikari opened a door to what appeared to be an on-call room. Four long windows took up the whole wall opposite the door, each window having white billowing floor-length curtains. Half of the room was occupied by boxes, hospital dividers, IV hookups, and stools. The other half had a bed in the right-hand corner in front of two of the windows with a stool and cabinet nearby. The yellow monitor rested above the bed on the right wall, the camera on the opposite wall focusing on the center of the room. Probably to get as much of the room in its shot… Hikari thought as she stepped into the room and sat down on the bed, looking out the window.

I feel so angry because I just haven't gotten my way all my life… Hikari thought sadly as she shifted herself on the bed so that she was hugging her legs. My childhood wasn't made of roses and sunshine… I have been surrounded—haunted-by ghosts since god knows when… My sister died… I lost my talent…which meant I lost my sister for the second time… And I'm forced to stay on this island to participate in a deranged stuffed animal's killing game… She sighed deeply, feeling tears slide down her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Yet, another stream of thoughts flowed into her mind.

Was my childhood really that bad? Yeah I was poor, but my parents constantly worked to try to keep our house and to keep us fed…especially when Onee-chan fell ill… Onee-chan was there for me and didn't brush off my talent as just me imagining things… Even when she passed away, her spirit was always with me. Hikari opened her eyes slightly, still deep in thought. I lost my talent when I got to Hope's Peak, but…Hinata also lost his talent. He doesn't even remember it…

The black-haired teen bit her lower lip as she began to confess her faults to the empty room. "I…realize now that I've taken my talent for granted. I mean, it's been with me all my life. I've never been alone in this way… I was so scared ofbeing alone that I honestly didn't care about anyone around me or what they were going through. To survive in this world, I felt that I had to be dependent on someone around me. That's why I clung to Nanami most of the time. She was the first person I felt comfortable with. I knew all along that I was weak-hearted, but I didn't want to do anything to fix it."

The Spirit Medium frowned deeply, tightening her grip around her shins as she recalled the Yakuza's unyielding words that were directed at her.

"Hell, I never knew you could be such a selfish bitch!... You only care about yourself and your feelings that you don't take into account that there might be other people who are sufferin' like you or even worse… You should be damn grateful for knowing what your talent is."

"Am I…really that selfish?" Hikari wondered, starting to feel guilty about how she felt and acted during her time on the island so far. She was alive and relatively safe for now. She may not have use of her talent, but at least she knew what her talent was. Some of those on the island didn't have the luxury to even breathe, their lives unfortunately cut short. I really should just be grateful for what I have…

Fuyuhiko stood outside the room in the hallway, feet away from the doorway. He frowned, carrying the plastic bag Hikari brought by the handles, as he listened to the girl as she voiced out her flaws. The Yakuza certainly didn't mean to eavesdrop, but he didn't want to walk in there and interrupt her. Fuyuhiko was sure that the Spirit Medium might hear him if he decided to retreat back to his room. He waited a few minutes more in the hallway, wearing a white hospital robe and slippers, his body tense and fully alert in silence. Gripping the plastic handles of the bag, the Gangster took a deep breath and walked forward, turning into the room and appearing as if he just got there. Hikari lifted her head, blinking at Fuyuhiko who stood in the doorway. The teenaged boy stared at her quietly, ignoring the itch caused by the bandages wrapped around half his head and parts of his body. Like in the past few encounters, the two were eyeing each other, hesitant to make the first move and waiting for the other to do so.

^o^ ^o^

Mikan walked down the hallway of the hospital with a satisfied expression on her face while carrying a box of extra supplies from the pharmacy that she planned to store in the hospital. She sighed blissfully, her cheeks having a rosy tint to them. "I forgot how relaxing and therapeutic organizing medical supplies could be! Let's see…all of the hospital's supplies are stocked and organized… I brought some extra necessities to the pharmacy from the hospital since both facilities are on different islands… Since I organized most of the pharmacy's stock before the last trial, I only needed to add the hospital's surplus and bring the pharmacy's to the hospital." She giggled, closing her eyes. "I'm so happy I decided to bring an empty box I found in the on-call room with me. Now we'll be ready for almost any emergency on this island and the second island!" She turned the knob to Fuyuhiko's hospital room and strolled in. It took the Nurse a few moments to process what she was seeing before she reacted.

There was no signs of Fuyuhiko or Hikari in the room, the bed unmade with some bandages lying on top of the tousled sheets. Mikan felt her jaw drop as the blood drained from her face, using all her willpower to hold onto the box of extra and valuable medical supplies. "Wh-Wh-Wha…!? Wh-Wh-Where's Kuzuryuu!? He's still…recovering…!" She wildly looked around and decided to place the box on the chair Hikari sat on earlier before scrambling to the door to search for her patient. Is he okay? Is he with Seishin? Has Seishin d-done anything to him? She has been acting s-strange lately… Those kinds of thoughts ran through the Nurse's mind a mile per minute. She skidded to a halt when she neared the on-call room on the second floor of the hospital.

"Not quite sure if it's the motive…" Mikan heard Hikari's voice in the room. "Hit me." Mikan gawked at what she was hearing.

S-Seishin's getting beaten up!? Is she being interrogated about Monokuma's motive whatever that may be…? The trembling girl closed her eyes tightly in fright. Ohhh… Wh-What should I do…? Should I go get the others? The hesitation was immediately squashed when she heard Fuyuhiko's loud outburst.

"Fuckin' hell was that!? Are you sure you're not a witch?" Mikan burst into the on-call room instinctively, holding her breath. Like in Fuyuhiko's hospital room, the scene before her caused the poor girl's mind a while to process what was happening. The frazzled apron-wearing teen was looking at Fuyuhiko and Hikari sitting on the bed, facing each other. Around the two were cards, food wrappers, and a couple of half-empty bottles of water. More food wrappers and empty drink containers laid on the floor next to the bed. Both teens looked fine, Hikari shrugging casually as Fuyuhiko glowered at her, agitated.

Hikari gathered the cards and started shuffling them a bit haphazardly as if she hasn't much experience. "I dunno… Never played Blackjack until you taught me. Isn't it just luck? Anyway, it's up to you if you want to see that film. It's very bad though… I don't really get what the point of it was…"

"If it was created by that stupid bear, of course there wouldn't be a point. Everything he does is terrible," Fuyuhiko grumbled, looking less restrained from his bandages, having taken off the ones constricting his hands and arms before he went to look for Hikari earlier.

Hikari blinked and turned to her left, finally noticing Mikan. "Oh, hello Tsumiki."

Snapping out of her stupor, the Nurse gaped at the pair's change in attitude since the last time she had seen them. "K-Kuzuryuu!? Why aren't you in your room? You should be resting…!" Mikan said in a panic, ignoring Hikari for the moment and rushing over to the Yakuza. The trembling girl checked his wounds fanatically.

"Hey! Knock it off, I'm fine," Fuyuhiko reassured Mikan, swatting away her hands from him. "…I needed a change of scenery is all." Hikari stared at him, surprised he would lie to cover up the real reason why the two ended up there. A faint trace of a smile graced her lips as Mikan was still unconvinced with Fuyuhiko's health status, checking his pulse.

"But you sh-shouldn't be taking off your bandages… What if your wounds reopen?" Mikan fussed, checking her apron pockets to see if she had any clean bandages on her. Fuyuhiko looked slightly annoyed, sighing as Hikari held back a couple of giggles which caused a few cards to fly out of her hands as she was shuffling the deck. They all stopped what they were doing before they started to laugh, first Hikari, then Mikan, and even Fuyuhiko joined in.

The blond teen took the cards from Hikari's hands and those that have fallen on the bed and floor. "Seriously…you people can be so bothersome…" he muttered as he shuffled the cards with ease.

The Spirit Medium smiled. "I think you're getting used to us…" she said as she motioned Mikan over to join in the card game. Mikan blushed slightly as she contemplated whether she should or not. Hikari got up and pulled the nearby seat over to the side of the bed, patting the seat for Mikan to sit. Tears of joy welled up in the skittish girl's eyes as she sat down, Fuyuhiko dealing the cards on the bed.

^o^ ^o^

"Oh! On my back to the hospital, Mioda invited you and me to come to the beach on the first island for a surprise. She said to wear yukata and to come when it got dark…" Mikan said to Hikari brightly as the two girls and Fuyuhiko walked down the stairs to Fuyuhiko's hospital room. "I think she asked all the girls to go. Do you want to come since you feel better…?" she asked hesitantly.

The bespectacled girl looked to be in thought, remembering the last time the girls in the group tried to get together for some fun. She quickly hid her slight frown with a content smile. "I think I'll pass. The sun has already set. Don't you have to get ready?" she asked as the trio walked into Fuyuhiko's room, the sky gradually turning darker. Mikan looked out the window and gasped loudly, anxiety starting to take over.

"O-Oh my! I do…b-but… I have to change Kuzuryuu's bandages…!" the Nurse whimpered, her body trembling.

Hikari smiled comfortingly, placing a hand on the nerve-wrecked girl. "It's okay, Tsumiki. I can change his bandages if you want. You deserve to relax." Mikan sniffled, looking at the Spirit Medium with uncertainty.

"A-Are you sure…?"

"Just go," Fuyuhiko said bluntly. "I'll be fine. I'm familiar with taking care of my injuries."

Oh yeah, he should since he is a yakuza… He probably has dealt with plenty of injuries… Hikari thought as Mikan scrunched her face trying to decide what to do.

"Mmm… O-Okay…" the apron-wearing teen finally relented, "but I'm going to give you the gauze, bandages, and tape before I go, alright?" Hikari nodded as Mikan bustled about the room, placing the materials on the end of the bed, getting rid of the old bandages lying on top of the bedsheets. "Just leave that box there. I'll take care of it tomorrow," Mikan instructed as she gestured to the box of medical supplies she put on the chair earlier.

"Sure," Hikari nodded again.

Mikan checked and double-checked the materials on the bed before letting out a small sigh. She turned to Hikari gratefully. "Thank you for doing this for me, Seishin."

Hikari closed her eyes, smiling. "It's really not a problem. I'm glad that you're taking some time to have fun. You have worked very hard since...Togami's death…" She blinked in surprise as Mikan gave her a quick hug and smiled sadly, Mikan's lips quivering and eyes watering.

"Y-Yeah… Thank you again…" With that, the emotional Nurse left Fuyuhiko and Hikari alone for the second time that day.

The Yakuza gave Hikari a sidelong glance, crossing his arms. "Like I said before, I'm capable of taking care of myself."

Hikari blinked, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Oh? Don't you need help tying your eye bandages? Isn't the tape at the back of your head?"

Fuyuhiko paused and slowly sweatdropped, realizing that she was right. "Tch… Whatever…" he muttered as he sat on the bed with his arms crossed. "I'll let you do that, but I can handle the rest. Got it?"

"Fine, fine," Hikari sighed softly as she approached the boy and started unwrapping the bandages covering his right eye, making sure to be careful. Putting the used bandages aside, the ebony-haired girl turned to face her friend only to freeze up. Her eyes focused on the red vertical line from his temple bisecting his closed eyelid and right cheek, accentuated by the stitches throughout the line.

Fuyuhiko silently watched Hikari's reaction before closing his uninjured eye. "Don't bother with the pity. All of this was because of my stupid actions. It's fine. I'm sure everyone else would agree. I caused Koizumi's death so they probably think that I deserve this…Ow! What the hell!?" he snapped at the Spirit Medium who pinched and pulled his left cheek hard.

"You're wrong!" Hikari said sternly. "Everyone was and is still so worried about you. Don't you remember when everyone came here to see you yesterday? We have always seen you as one of us…as a friend. We didn't want to lose you too…" Fuyuhiko blinked at her, a bit stunned.

"Really…? You guys saw me as a friend even when I was off on my own?"

Hikari nodded. "Even when you were acting like a prick." He lightly glared at her comment. The girl continued talking as she inspected the wound, making sure it hasn't reopened. "You should join us to eat at the hotel restaurant during meals once you recover. Everyone would want you there."

A frown formed on the Yakuza's lips as Hikari started putting on some fresh bandages over his wound. "I don't know… Wouldn't it be awkward for me to be joinin' everyone after what happened these past few days?"

"Hmm…" Hikari pondered quietly as she got on the bed with a bit of tape, scooting around to face Fuyuhiko's back. "How about starting fresh…? I'm sure everything would work out in the end," she suggested thoughtfully as she secured the wrappings.

^o^ ^o^

Ibuki jumped in the air with her usual display of high-energy as Nekomaru, Mikan, Sonia, and she walked ahead of Hajime and Chiaki. "Wooohooo! That was great! We should do it again sometime!" Sonia nodded with sparkling eyes, the group leaving the beach on the first island after watching the fireworks the two boys ignited.

Hajime smiled while walking beside the Gamer, happy that the day went by without anything traumatic happening. He slowed his pace, starting to frown. Thinking about trauma… I wonder if Seishin is all right. I haven't seen her since breakfast… Now that I remember, I should ask Nanami about her… "H-Hey Nanami?" he asked with a soft voice so that only Chiaki could hear causing the girl with pale mauve hair to pause and look back at the boy who at that point stopped walking. "Can I talk with you for a bit?"

Chiaki tilted her head with curiosity. "Sure. What about?" Hajime had to admit, Chiaki looked very different wearing just a yukata since he was so used to her wearing her hoodie and kitty backpack. However, he didn't mind the change of appearance since Chiaki was always going to be Chiaki.

"Uh…well, I'm a bit worried about Seishin… She hasn't been herself for the past couple of days," Hajime said hesitantly, a hand running through his hair. "I just don't want another murder or something…" the tie-wearing teen added, having a strong feeling that he had to justify his concern to Chiaki for some reason.

"Oh…" she said, a serious expression forming on her face. "Can we talk in my cottage?"

Hajime blinked, his cheeks starting to burn up at the thought of being in a girl's cottage. I have been inside Koizumi's, but that was totally different…! This is a living girl's room! "U-Uh…s-sure…! Let's go, then…" He followed Chiaki to her cottage, his hands starting to sweat. Is this a good idea…? I'm going to a girl's cottage…at night…alone… Is anyone watching…? What would they think? Oh, I'm inside already? Hajime didn't realize that he walked inside the Gamer's cottage due to his worries about rumors and the fact that he was going to a female classmate's domain for the first time in his life. He glanced around, not too surprised by the décor in the room. Definitely is Nanami's room for sure…

"Seishin's been going through a really tough time," Chiaki explained briefly, sitting down on her pink floor chair, reaching for her handheld system she left on the floor.

"Yeah, I noticed," Hajime pointed out, crossing his arms. "Was it really because of the last trial and what happened after it? She seemed better this morning…"

The girl frowned slightly as she started up the game in her hands. "Well…she puts a lot of pressure on herself during murder investigations since she can't help by using her talent…I think." Hajime nodded, remembering an agitated Hikari during both investigations when she wasn't able to communicate with Byakuya's or Mahiru's spirit. "It seemed that when she was able to use her talent, Seishin couldn't remember…and she hasn't been able to use it since."

Hajime frowned. "That must be very frustrating…"

Chiaki nodded, her eyes glued to the handheld's screen. "She was so upset knowing that…because she really misses her older sister."

"Huh? What does that have to do with what's going on here?" Hajime asked in confusion.

The girl quickly glanced up at him. "Her older sister's deceased…probably."

"Did she tell you that?"

"She didn't need to," Chiaki said with a frown while shaking her head. "The night we dropped her off at her cottage, I stayed with her all night. Before we fell asleep, Seishin said that she missed her sister. I think she was sad that she couldn't contact her even though she was able to channel Kuzuryuu's sister's soul."

"That makes sense…I guess…" Hajime still wasn't quite sure if it was that or if it was just because she missed her older sister who was waiting for her to come home just like how everyone else's families are doing the same. He gritted his teeth at the thought of the families who were waiting for those who would never be able to come home. Togami…Hanamura…Koizumi…and Pekoyama… Their families are going to be devastated… He shook his head a little to bring him back to the reality at present. "But why did Seishin have that breakdown? Did she explain it to you?"

The room was quiet save for the clicks coming from the buttons Chiaki's thumbs pressed. After a few moments, Chiaki broke the silence. "No, she didn't. Maybe everything was just too overwhelming for her… She felt weak after the vote for Pekoyama and she actually did faint after the vote for Hanamura…" Her fingers stopped moving, the Gamer staring down at the handheld as if deciding whether or not to share more information with Hajime.

"It's okay, Nanami," Hajime said with a calm smile. "I understand if you don't want to share something private between you two." He closed his eyes, his smile getting bigger, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I have seen that you and Seishin have a very close bond that I don't want to get in the way of due me just being nosy…"

The girl looked up and stared at him with an unreadable expression. I feel like I can trust him with this… I believe it might be beneficial in the long run especially if Monokuma is actually breaking through the security measures for that… But I hope I don't actually need to use his help. "Actually…there is something I think you should be aware of," Chiaki said slowly as if thinking about the exact words to say before speaking.

"Oh? What is it?" Hajime blinked, his body involuntarily tensing up in case it is some form of bad news.

"Well… Seishin might be prone to sleepwalking."

Hajime tilted his head to the side, not quite sure why it was alarming to Chiaki. "Really? Is it really serious to worry about that? Can people open doors if they are sleepwalking?"

Chiaki nodded solemnly. "She did it before."

The brown-haired teen gaped, his eyes wide. "Wh-What!? She did!?"

"Mmm…" the Gamer confirmed as she placed the handheld in her lap with a frown. "It was the night of the first class trial. It was after we all came back and went to our cottages… I couldn't sleep so I went to the hotel lobby to play on the arcade machine. After I played a few games, I heard someone come in through the lobby and going to the restaurant. I didn't think anything of it and didn't know it was Seishin until I went to investigate out of curiosity… Her eyes were glazed over holding a knife…"

"A knife!?" Hajime blurted out in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Chiaki looked at him grimly. "Yes…but luckily, I managed to disarm her and wake her up. Seishin was disoriented and terrified about the whole situation when she came to. That's why I think she was sleepwalking. She had no recollection of doing any of that, but she did admit that she had a history of sleepwalking in the past though they were rare occurrences." The Gamer paused again, figuring out how to word her request to Hajime without it sounding as important as it really was. "Can you help me keep an eye on Seishin whenever you have the chance? You don't have to do much…just watch for any alarming behaviors from her. They usually show up after a trial so hopefully we won't have to worry about that. I want to prevent any more murders…and keep all of our friends safe."

Hajime blinked, once again amazed by Chiaki's infrequent displays of determination and seriousness. Seishin must be dearer to Nanami than I thought. I never expected Nanami to be weighed down with worry since she appears to be so laid back. He clenched a fist with resolve and smiled earnestly down at the girl. "Of course, Nanami. I'll watch over her too. Seishin is a good friend of mine too."

Chiaki's wrinkles of concerns faded as she smiled gently. "Thank you, Hinata."

^o^ ^o^

"Hey! Seishin!" Ibuki's voice rang out as Hikari stepped out of her cottage the next morning, the Spirit Medium closing the door behind her. Hikari blinked as she turned to face the ever-energetic Musician.

How does she do it every morning? It takes all my willpower to get out of bed, Hikari thought tiredly as Ibuki bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet in front of the shorter girl. "Hi, Mioda. You seem very…alert this morning."

Ibuki grinned proudly. "That's because there's something awesome at the restaurant! I was just finishing with gathering our sleepyhead friends! I'm glad I only had kicked one door in! Hmm…actually I feel a bit bummed that I only had to kick one door in. It was pretty fun!"

Hikari sweatdropped. Only…kicked one door in? I'm lucky to have met her when I was leaving my cottage… "Well, let's get going to the restaurant then." The two girls strolled over to the hotel, walking up the outdoor flight of stairs that led directly into the restaurant. Once Hikari entered the restaurant, she quickly realized what Ibuki meant. Most of the other teens had already arrived and have gathered around Fuyuhiko who stood before them wearing his usual clothes as well as the eyepatch Hikari gave him yesterday. "K-Kuzuryuu…?" Shouldn't he still be in the hospital? I doubt he has recovered enough, going by Tsumiki's words yesterday…

"Hey, what happened?" Hajime asked as he just reached the top of the stairs from the lobby and approached the group.

When he saw that everyone showed up, Fuyuhiko bowed. "I got something I wanna say!"

Hajime gawked at the Yakuza. "…Kuzuryuu!? Is it okay for you to be moving around like this so soon!?"

My thoughts exactly… Hikari thought with a slight frown.

"Well…he shouldn't be okay…" Mikan said uncertainly, looking very confused.

"Whatever I say after this point…" Fuyuhiko began, "I apologize in advance if I make a mistake! My last name is Kuzuryuu! My first name is pronounced, 'Fu-yu-hi-ko'! I'm still an inexperienced member of my family's business! From this point forward, I hope we get along so we can get to know each other better!"

The Spirit Medium blinked and started to sweatdrop. Is he really starting over fresh? He doesn't have to introduce himself again... We know who he is… Nevertheless, the raven-haired girl couldn't help but notice the edges of her mouth curve in an upwards direction. Everyone else didn't know what to make of what they were witnessing.

"Just…what the hell was that?" Gundham muttered, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

The Gangster placed a hand in his pocket, feeling a tinge of embarrassment. "I-It's nothing, really… Just a greeting…"

Kazuichi chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Um…that eyepatch of yours…" Hikari fidgeted a little and felt her ears burn, just realizing that Fuyuhiko was wearing what she got for him. Fuyuhiko must have detected Hikari's shyness about the gift and shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ah…it's nothing," he said shortly, looking to the side, crossing his arms. Hikari gave him a small, yet grateful smile.

"There's no way that's nothing, since…that eye is no longer…" Mikan whimpered, tears starting to form.

Nekomaru gritted his teeth, clenching a fist in grief. "So you can't see out if it, huh…"

"Heh…" the blond male chuckled with a grin, "it's only one eye. Besides, don't I look like I've gained some prestige or somethin'?"

"Kuzuryuu…" Sonia murmured in concern.

"Hmph! Why are you acting all cool and stuff!?" Hiyoko demanded, glaring at the Yakuza, still blatantly angry. "Don't you understand the position you're in right now!?" She pointed her finger at him, her hand shaking in fury. "You… Do you really think we'll forgive you that easily for what you did!?" The Traditional Dancer lowered her head so that her bangs covered her eyes. "Don't you get it? It's your fault Koizumi is dead," she said quietly. "…No, not just Koizumi. Pekoyama died because of you, too." She raised her head again in a defiant manner towards Fuyuhiko. "It's all your fault!" Fuyuhiko frowned, closing his eye and lowered his head silently.

He knows that all too well… It's like I can feel the weight of guilt pushing him down… Hikari thought gloomily, watching the eyepatch-wearing boy.

"U-Um…Saionji… We've finally been able to get together with everyone…" Mikan said meekly, holding her hands together.

"And?" Hiyoko snapped at the Nurse. "So what if we're all here? You better not say we're 'friends' or something. There's no way a killer like him will ever be our friend!

Hikari's sense of empathy for Fuyuhiko caused her, with anger burning in her heart, to move towards the smallest teen to defend her new friend, but Fuyuhiko placed a hand on the Spirit Medium's shoulder. Hikari glanced back at him with a stunned expression. She frowned as he lifted his hand, the girl noticing how heavy his hand felt when he touched her.

"Yeah, you're right…" the Yakuza admitted, putting his hands in his pockets. "It's all my fault… I already know that… It's my fault…that those two are dead…"

Hiyoko stood her ground, staring at Fuyuhiko coldly. "Are you…planning to just give us your 'so what?' attitude?"

"It's…not that…" he said slowly before going to his knees and bowed to the ground in front of Hiyoko, his hands balled in fists. Everyone was taken aback, especially Hiyoko. Hikari felt her mouth gape open.

"Huh…? What the heck? Hey, don't mess with me! Do you really think we're gonna forgive you if you just drop to your knees and cry!? Do you think a half-assed apology will make us forget what you've done!?"

"No…I don't think that at all…" Fuyuhiko replied weakly. Hikari blinked, not sure if it was her imagination that she heard a tearing sound. It didn't take long for her to comprehend the meaning behind the noise as she saw blood starting to flow from Fuyuhiko's midsection and start pooling on the floor around him. She gasped loudly, her hands flying up to cover her mouth, not thinking that he would literally open himself up to the group.

Days Left: 12
Survivors: 13