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.

I want to acknowledge the reviews I received for this past chapter since I know many people (me included) don't write comments for fics. I really appreciate the time you guys take to give me your feedback. Poffin, thank you so much for your wonderful and insightful review, it made me so happy to think someone would doodle Hikari (I can email you what she looks like in my head if you want) and get so invested in my story. I did get it all so don't fret. Please do not worry about being harsh. I'm amazed that the reviews I received so far are positive. There is definitely a reason why Hikari feels comfortable with Hajime...you might know why by now or maybe it hasn't been revealed yet~. Main reason why Hikari was bullied was because a lot of kids thought she was creepy for being able to see ghosts and be possessed by them. Hikari is a main character, but there is more than one main character in this fic. That is why I don't solely focus on just Hikari, especially in these recent chapters. I also prefer to use the SHSL titles than the Westernized "Ultimate" ever since I watched NicoB's Let's play of the 1st game on youtube. So for Hikari to be able to channel a spirit is to empty her mind and say their full name. Her sleepwalking will be explained later on in the story. Some of your theories are very interesting and definitely possibilities~. You'll just have to continue reading to see if your theories about characters are right.

I also want to thank everyone who have supported me so far! I know updates take a while since I write around 30 pages (sometimes more) for each chapter and I try to write at least one page a night if I'm not too busy with real life.

Chapter Nineteen

Letting Go

Everyone watched in disbelief as blood continued to seep from Fuyuhiko's torso as he knelt low to the ground. Ibuki was the first to break the silence. "This is…" the Musician said slowly before she connected the dots and let out a high-pitched scream. "AAAAAAAAAAAH! It's blood! It's bloooooood!" Once those words reached everyone's ears, they all started to panic.

"Haaaaaaaah!" Mikan shrieked, her light greyish-purple eyes wide with shock. "Kuzuryuu…has slit his own stomach!"

"Whaaaaaaaat!? Are you saying he cut open his own friggin' stomach!?" Kazuichi shouted in incredulity, his own eyes bulging out.

Hikari rushed to the Yakuza, feeling adrenaline flow through her veins as she knelt down to his left. "Kuzuryuu!" Chiaki blinked in surprise, watching the Spirit Medium as she was trying to help Fuyuhiko up, wrapping his left arm around her neck.

"Wh-What…what are you doing…?" Hiyoko stuttered, her complexion losing all of its color as Hikari slowly helped Fuyuhiko to his feet.

"I-I didn't think…" the blond male began to say weakly, his right arm covering his newly made wound, "I'd be forgiven with such…a half-assed apology… B-But…if I don't do this…m-my feelings…won't feel resolved…!"

"You fool!" Nekomaru reprimanded loudly, looking very worried. "That doesn't mean you should slice your stomach!"

Hikari started to shake against Fuyuhiko, tears already falling down her cheeks as she supported him. "You…you are so stupid, Kuzuryuu!" the distraught girl scolded Fuyuhiko harshly as blood dribbled out of the boy's mouth when he struggled to talk, tears of his own cascading down his face. "You said that you can't die…" Hikari closed her eyes and shouted, "I won't forgive you if you die!" Fuyuhiko blinked in awe at Hikari, frowning deeply.

Shit… Did I fuck up again…? the Gangster cursed internally, seeing how distressed everyone was acting, especially the young woman barely holding him up.

"We must carry him to the hospital as soon as possible…!" Mikan said in a small panicky voice.

"Y-You're right!" Nekomaru agreed, looking over to the Mechanic. "Souda…lend me a hand!"

Kazuichi ran his hand over his beanie, still in pure disbelief. "Y-Yeah…sure thing…" The two boys hurried to Fuyuhiko and Hikari.

"It's okay, Seishin. We'll take it from here," Nekomaru said as soothingly as he could with his rough-sounding voice. Hikari hiccupped as the Team Manager gingerly took Hikari's place and supported Fuyuhiko's left while Kazuichi took the Yakuza's right.

"S-Stop it…I can walk there myself…!" Fuyuhiko growled yet felt too weak to shake the boys off of him.

Mikan clenched her fists tightly, mustering up all the authority she had as a Nurse. "There's no way you can walk!" Her courage immediately faded away as she whimpered with glossy eyes, "Haaaaaaah… Even though I took the time to patch you up, now I need to sew your wounds all over again!"

"Tch…I feel so ashamed… I-In the end…I made trouble for everyone again…" Hikari couldn't help but nod vehemently at Fuyuhiko's words, trying to wipe her never ending tears.

"Wh-Who cares about that? Let's go!" Mikan ordered. The Nurse frantically led the three boys out of the restaurant with a sobbing Hikari in tow.

"Idiot… Moron…" Hikari mumbled as she followed the small group. "So, so, so stupid…" Her insults becoming fainter as she disappeared from the view of everyone who were left behind.

Hajime was astonished by the unexpected bond between the Yakuza and the Spirit Medium. For some reason, an uncomfortable feeling was churning in his stomach as he saw that the two became close so quickly. Why do I feel uneasy…? Am I thinking too much into it because of the talk I had with Nanami? I just hope it's nothing foreboding… He gave Chiaki a quick glance who shrugged in response, the Gamer looking just as puzzled.

Chiaki had quietly watched the whole interaction between Hikari and Fuyuhiko, trying to make sense of the new and sudden development in her bespectacled friend. I wonder what caused this… Could this be favorable for us? Further observation is probably required…

^o^ ^o^

"You cannot be doing that anymore, Kuzuryuu," Mikan chided the Yakuza after washing her hands, turning to the young man as she wiped her hands dry with a paper towel. Fuyuhiko was laying on the bed in the hospital room he was growing accustomed to, Hikari sitting at her usual spot next to him. The Nurse saw that Hikari was still upset and understandably why. "If I didn't…didn't take care of it when I did…" The apron-wearing teen gripped the used paper towel and held back a sob. "You w-would've died…"

The boy closed his eye. "…I'm very sorry." He really didn't know what else to say to fix his latest blunder.

"Please just…stay here and rest. We can't risk your injuries reopening again…" Mikan practically begged, clasping her hands. She relaxed slightly when Fuyuhiko responded with a solemn nod. "All right... I'm going to go clean up the operating room and wash up. I-If I see Monomi, I'll ask her if she can get you some clean clothes from your cottage, Kuzuryuu. Y-You are not to leave this room other than going to the bathroom, o-okay?"

"Understood…" he replied in a monotone voice, feeling way too weak at the moment to argue.

Mikan glanced over at Hikari whose eyes were still red and puffy from crying. Her clothes were blotched with bloodstains from when the Spirit Medium tried to help Fuyuhiko at the restaurant. "S-Seishin, you should go back and change. It's not sanitary to keep those clothes on…"

"I will. I just want to stay here for a bit longer," Hikari said, her voice finally not cracking anymore. Mikan looked from Hikari to Fuyuhiko before looking back and nodding to her friend.

"O-Okay… Kuzuryuu, I-I'll come check up on you when I'm done cleaning." With that, the Nurse hesitantly left the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Hikari looked at the Yakuza angrily. "What the hell was that!? I didn't say to start fresh as in the afterlife! What were you thinking!?"

Fuyuhiko was waiting for Hikari's scolding ever since he got out of the operating room. Nevertheless, he still held back a grimace. I swear…she could be Natsumi reincarnated for all I know… "I know, I know." He sighed and shifted slightly to get comfortable, sweatdropping slightly when he saw the girl having puffed her cheeks out and her arms crossed. "Are you sure Natsumi isn't still possessing you?" Hikari blinked with an eyebrow raised.

"No… Am I acting like her?" When Fuyuhiko gave a short nod, Hikari itched her cheek as she looked upwards in thought. "Hm… Well…sometimes if I channel a spirit, I might emulate some of that spirit's traits or feelings for a short duration of time. It doesn't happen every time though."

"Is that why you brought snacks I really like yesterday?"

Hikari blinked. "I did? I got them at Rocketpunch Market because I had a feeling to pick them. I really didn't have a specific reason." She blinked again and glared at the Yakuza. "You better not be changing the subject on purpose! You better have a good explanation for almost killing yourself!"

"Fine…! You can be annoying when you want to be…" Fuyuhiko sighed and started to explain his actions. "Doing what I did today…is common in my family's business if someone really fucked up… On second thought, it is extremely rare…I only witnessed one hara-kiri in my life so far. I think performing hara-kiri was more of a custom during the Sengoku period. Anyway, if someone fucked up in the Kuzuryuu Clan, they'd have to cut off their pinky and be disowned by the family for life."

"That's a stupid tradition," Hikari remarked bluntly.

Fuyuhiko shrugged. "I did it because I know actions speak louder than words and that was the first thing that popped in my head to atone for what I caused..."

The glasses-wearing teen gave him a deadpan stare. Seriously…? Well, he does have a lot of traditional Japanese décor in his room… Maybe he's really into samurai culture? "But still…it was as if you forgot what you said a couple of days ago…" Fuyuhiko frowned and stared at the ceiling. "Heh… There's no way I'd die from something like this… There's no way…I can die…"

"You said that because you know deep inside that Pekoyama sacrificed her life so that you would survive. She did what she did for you even when she knew the consequences for her actions…" Hikari said softly.

Fuyuhiko snapped his head to her, his eye glassy with unshed tears, a fire starting to burn in his veins. "She didn't have to, damnit! I should've been the blackened… I should've…been in her place…"

With a heavy heart, Hikari quietly watched Fuyuhiko gradually break down. He's definitely going through survivor's guilt… He really cared for Pekoyama… The Spirit Medium waited patiently as the Yakuza composed himself, the boy wiping his eye furiously with his sleeve. "Pekoyama wouldn't want you to carry any burden of guilt. I can tell that even without seeing her ghost or being possessed by it. She really cares about you. She wants you to live with your head held high. I'm sure Koizumi would forgive you too. So please…let go of this guilt…"

As if I'm the only one… And I bet on my life it has to do with you depending on your talent and sister… Fuyuhiko thought with a derisive snort, having seen Hikari still holding in many regrets throughout the days spent on the island thus far. Whenever he saw Hikari, Fuyuhiko could see a deep sadness behind her blue eyes. He could tell that the girl was weighed down by a heavy burden and only chalked it up as just the loss of her talent. However, ever since Natsumi mentioned to him that Hikari had lost her sister, Fuyuhiko was beginning to understand how heavy the weight of losing your most precious person felt, especially now. He stared at her with a deadly serious expression. "I will try…but only on one condition. You need to let go of relying on your talent…and on your dead sister."

"Wh-What…?" the Spirit Medium spluttered, feeling as if she got the wind knocked out of her. "Wh-What are you saying…?"

"I'm sayin' exactly what I mean," Fuyuhiko stated point blank. "If you want me to give up the guilt of shoulderin' the deaths of Koizumi and…and Peko, you need to let go of this obsession with your talent and sister. You know as well as I do your sister wouldn't want you to be chained down with grief over her death. She would've wanted you to live with no regrets."

Hikari squirmed on the seat nervously, averting her eyes away from the Yakuza, both hands gripping her skirt's fabric tightly. But…without my talent…without my sister...I'm…I'm… "…I'm nothing."

"Bullshit." Hikari blinked and turned to face Fuyuhiko again who appeared to be agitated. "That is total bullshit. You're not nothing. You're a living, breathing human being. You're what…sixteen, seventeen years old? We all are just starting to live our own lives."

Hikari started to wring her hands anxiously. Is this what I'm really afraid of…? Being nothing? "B-But…I feel like I don't have a purpose… I accepted the invitation to enroll at Hope's Peak Academy not because of my talent… Sure, my talent gave me that ticket to go there…"

"Then why?" Fuyuhiko pressed, trying to push the Spirit Medium to let everything out, something he should've done for himself a long time ago.

"For Kotone-onee-chan…" Hikari whispered, staring at her trembling hands in her lap. "She…she was the talented one… Kotone was a musical prodigy… She was very skillful with anything music related… Onee-chan created beautiful songs and played them masterfully on the piano and violin. All she wanted was to graduate from the Academy and make sure that my family's needs were met…"

Fuyuhiko frowned. Her family must not be well off… He stayed silent and nodded for her to continue.

"I didn't realize that Kotone was sick until I was in elementary school… She had Leukemia, but after getting treatments, she went into remission. The medical bills piled up because of the treatments and hospital visits, so she used her talent from a young age to earn money. However, shortly after Kotone started going to Hope's Peak as the SHSL Violinist, the Leukemia hit her hard and took her life.

"You see, my sister took care of me since I was very little. My parents worked nonstop to make sure we had a house and were fed… I didn't really have any dreams to strive for that didn't include my sister. My dream before her death was to travel the world with her and work as her piano accompaniment for her violin music. The only dream I had ever since her death was to fulfill her own dream…to graduate from Hope's Peak and take care of my family with my sister's music. Without my talent, I cannot channel her spirit and play the violin like her. If I let go of Onee-chan…"

"You wouldn't dishonor your sister if you let go of her or her dream," the Yakuza commented. "Yeah, you might think that you're nothing because you don't have a dream of your own, but you're not the only person who doesn't know what to do for the rest of their life. I doubt many people had a dream since childhood and have stuck to it until it was accomplished. Hell, I don't really know what to do after I graduate since I was so hell-bent not to inherit the Clan. My point is…isn't looking for your purpose in the world what life is all about?" Fuyuhiko sighed when he noticed that Hikari was still unconvinced. "Look, you're not alone. You have friends here who will back you up in any situation. …If anything, you'll have me if you feel you don't have anyone in your corner. We can help each other find a dream to go after once we get off this fuckin' island."

Hikari fiddled with her necklace nervously. "I feel like it's going to be hard to let go…"

Fuyuhiko smirked bitterly. "Never said it was going to be easy. But if you want me to let go of the guilt, you have to uphold your end of the bargain too. Don't ask me to do something like this unless you have the balls to go through it yourself. If I can do this, you can too." The two stared each other down, tension slowly building between them before the black-haired girl closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"F-Fine…I'll…I'll try…but don't expect it to happen overnight!" she warned as Fuyuhiko grinned and held out his hand to make the pact.

"Likewise, Seishin." Hikari felt a small weight lift from her chest when she heard his words of acceptance. She took his hand and the two shook on their promise to move on from the troubles in their hearts.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari sat on her bed in her cottage, yawning as she tied back her hair into her usual twin tails, her hair still damp from the nice warm shower she just had. She jolted out of her drowsiness when she heard a rhythm of knocks at her door. "Who could that be…?" the Spirit Medium murmured as she got up and cautiously went to the door. The girl took a deep breath to calm her fast beating heart as she slowly opened the door.

"Hiya, hiya!" greeted the Musician cheerfully, her pale skin practically glowing against the darkness of night. The eccentric teen leaned toward the smaller girl with a smile. "Allow me to apologize for the sudden visit…" Ibuki closed her eyes and cleared her throat with the intention to sound serious. "Um…so it looks like an invitation got sent to everyone. You didn't check your mailbox so Ibuki took it upon herself to get the mail for you! So ta-da!" Ibuki handed Hikari the invitation who sweatdropped.

Did…did she break into my mail? "Uh… Thanks, Mioda…" Hikari said hesitantly, taking the invitation and started to read it. "'Invitation ticket… 9:00 p.m. at Titty Typhoon. …Party for Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko's recovery.' Is…Is this a trap?" Definitely seems suspicious… I mean, Kuzuryuu is still in the hospital… Hikari sweatdropped more when she saw Ibuki taking offense to her question.

"That's rude! Don't put this in the same category as Monokuma!"

Hikari looked at the invitation, then up at Ibuki a couple of times before she tilted her head curiously. The invitation seems to match Mioda's style… "Did you do this?"

"Wh-what do you m-mean? Ibuki d-doesn't know anything at all!" the Musician blurted out with nervous laughter, fiddling with her fingers. "I-Ibuki only gave you the invitation…"

Which you took from inside my mailbox when you realized I didn't check it today… Hikari thought, holding back a sigh.

"Anyways!" Ibuki shouted, her arm in the air excitedly. "Ibuki has to prepare so I'll go on ahead! I'll leave it to you!" The bright pink-eyed girl dashed out into the night before Hikari could get a word in.

"Leave what to me…?" Hikari wondered out loud. "Maybe I should go… Mioda probably worked all day for this and it is for Kuzuryuu's sake… It's for 9 p.m., right…?" She took her e-handbook from the table nearby and checked the time. "What the hell!? It's going to start in twenty-five minutes! I have to hurry!" Hikari scrambled to get ready and rushed out the door, making sure she locked the door behind her.

The Spirit Medium ran as fast as she could to the bridge that connected the first island to the central one. She started slowing down when she caught up with Hajime who was walking briskly towards the third island. "Hinata…! Wait for me…!" Hikari called out breathlessly. Hajime halted and looked back, blinking.

"Seishin?" he said as she reached him, panting heavily with her hands on her knees.

"S-Sorry…" she wheezed, trying to get her breath. "Mioda…gave me…short notice…on…party…"

The brown-haired boy smiled weakly. "Same here. Let's go together, then."

Hikari straightened up, her body temperature rising. "Th-Thanks…" She wasn't quite sure if the sudden body heat was from running all that way or if it was because she was going to a party with her crush. Hikari kept her eyes on the ground as the two started walking over the bridge to the third island. Hajime glanced over at her every so often, a nervous feeling squirming in his stomach.

This feels awkward… Hajime thought glumly as they strolled over to the Titty Typhoon. I haven't really spent time alone with her since the time we were at the beach going through the library's books… What should I say to her? I told Nanami that I'd keep an eye on her when I could. And I am… I'm her friend...right? "So…uh…how did you become close with Kuzuryuu so quickly?" Hajime froze where he stood when he heard those words come out of his mouth and immediately had the impulse to run to the nearest cliff and launch himself off of it. Why the hell did I say that!?

"Huh?" Hikari asked in confusion, blinking at the tie-wearing boy whose ears were turning a nice shade of crimson from embarrassment. Fortunately for Hajime, it was then that they reached the music venue.

"C'mon," Hajime urged his companion as he almost jogged over to Gundham and Nagito who were loitering outside. Hikari raised an eyebrow at Hajime's retreating back and shrugged lightly before walking over to Gundham, making it obvious that she was ignoring the Luckster nearby.

"Hello, Gundham," she said politely.

Gundham stood with arms crossed and nodded. "Good evening, Vessel of Wandering Apparitions." He closed his eyes as a slightly agitated Hajime approached from trying to have a conversation with Nagito. "Tonight's constellation…heralds the banquet that celebrates Kuzuryuu's resurrection." His abrupt and loud laughter caused Hikari to jump slightly. "Fuhahahahahahaha! How idealistic! Now then, let us begin the ceremony of darkness!" Hajime sweatdropped, holding back a sigh as Hikari weakly smiled.

"Y-Yeah…let's…haha…" Hikari said cautiously, nodding a little before Hajime gestured to her to follow him into the venue. When they got inside, Hikari noticed that everyone was present, including Fuyuhiko. "Kuzuryuu…? Shouldn't you be…?" Hikari started to ask, surprised to see the Yakuza already out and about considering what happened earlier in the day.

The blond male frowned slightly. "What…? Is it bad I came?" Hikari couldn't help but sweatdrop.

"It's not that… Should you be moving around this much?"

Fuyuhiko scoffed lightly, crossing his arms. "It's gonna be fine. It's nothin'. I'm not that weak."

"There's no way you're okay!" Mikan whined, tears forming in her eyes. "You're seriously injured!"

"They took the time to throw a party for me…" Fuyuhiko said in a low voice, placing a hand on his hip. "There's no way I wouldn't come…" The Spirit Medium blinked and smiled softly.

This is coming from the guy who didn't want to come to Togami's party days ago... He definitely is different from when we first met.

Mikan still looked very worried. "I understand how you feel, but you really shouldn't overwork yourself…"

"I'm not…overdoing…it…" Fuyuhiko replied, tired from Mikan's overprotectiveness but maintaining a polite demeanor towards her since she did so much for him lately.

Nekomaru let out a loud sigh. "Fine then. Just let him do whatever he wants."

Mikan's lip quivered, hesitant to back down. "B-But…"

"It's fine, just let him be. Apparently yakuza have pain tolerance down to an art…" Fuyuhiko closed his eye with a frown, memories of his days with Peko before the killing game started to come to his mind. He blinked as he felt someone nudge him a bit, bringing him back to the present. He glanced to his left to see Hikari next to him, her arms innocently behind her back as she gave him a small comforting smile.

That's right, the Gangster thought to himself as he gave a nod of acknowledgment towards the bespectacled girl. I made a promise. I can't stay in the past like that. I have to try to move on. That's also why I came here.

Hajime watched the two carefully, crossing his arms. What is this unsettling feeling I have when those two are together? I can't put my finger on it… His mood soured instantly when Nagito walked up to him with a grin, Hajime remembering the short conversation they shared before he walked away from the Luckster.

^o^ ^o^

"Why hello there, Hinata!" Nagito greeted with a sly smile.

Hajime eyed him warily. "Komaeda… Mioda invited you too, right?"

"Yeah, I'm honored. But since everyone else is also going to be there celebrating Kuzuryuu's recovery… No matter what, I think it's too rude for someone like me to go inside before everyone else arrives… Ah, you don't have to worry about me. You can go inside first." Hajime shrugged, already feeling exasperated by Nagito's presence. He was about to walk to Hikari and Gundham when Nagito sighed with disappointment, the white-haired teen noticing that Hikari was deliberately ignoring him. "Aw… And here I thought I could talk with Seishin for a bit." Hajime couldn't resist glancing back at him suspiciously, alarms going off in the plain teen's head.

"Why…?"

"Oh, it's nothing really... I thought she'd be interested in my help to give her hope. She seems to be surrounded by an aura of despair lately…"

Hajime glared sternly at the Luckster. "I doubt she'd ever accept your help…so don't even try. Seishin has us to help her get over whatever it is that's bothering her."

Nagito blinked and raised his hands in defense half-heartedly while wearing a sheepish smile. "I see, I see. No need to be so protective over, Hinata. She is a very capable young woman." Hajime walked away a bit quickly, feeling a bit annoyed with himself for allowing Nagito to get under his skin.

^o^ ^o^

I just don't understand him at all… What did he mean by that? I'm just looking out for Seishin since she's my friend. I know that she can take care of herself… Hajime thought in frustration, his eyebrows furrowing.

"It looks like Saionji definitely didn't come," Nagito commented as he scanned the room, still standing next to Hajime.

"…That seems to be the case," Gundham stated nearby.

Hajime felt a breath of fresh air when Chiaki approached them. "And…Owari's not here too," she pointed out, her hands on her backpack straps. The Team Manager detected that as well, surveying the room.

"Wh-What is that wild woman off doing?" he grunted, clenching a fist. "I hope she's not planning to do anything strange…"

"…Oh my!" Sonia exclaimed as the stage lit up brightly and Ibuki stood on stage with a red and white electric guitar in front of a propped up microphone.

"Heeeeey y'all!" Ibuki shouted into the mic with a wide grin. "It's Mioda Ibukiiiiiiiiii! Thanks for coming out today! My specialty is making beef stew!" Ibuki continued her introduction as she quickly gained everyone's attention. "Haha! I may not look like it but people tell me that I'm a nurturing type. So I'm gonna do my very best performance so I can make everyone feel better. I hope you're all pumped up!"

That was a pretty good intro… Hikari thought as everyone was starting to feel excited to finally hear the SHSL Musician's debut on the island.

Seeing that her friends were ready to listen, Ibuki enthusiastically pumped a fist in the air. "All right, I'll start singing this first song with full-on energy! So put your hands together for…'From Me to You Too'!" Spotlights suddenly turned on and were aimed at the stage, most of the light shining on the unconventional girl as she took a deep breath before she began playing.

I wonder if Mioda will be as good with music as Onee-chan… Mioda probably has a better range with instruments, but I doubt her singing can beat Onee-chan's… Hikari couldn't stop smiling as the anticipation to hear Ibuki's music built up like a balloon in her chest. That balloon popped as soon as Ibuki started screaming into the mic. Hikari cringed next to Fuyuhiko who tried his best to seem unaffected by the constant screeching. The Spirit Medium dared to look around to gauge everyone's reactions. Kazuichi appeared as though someone was torturing him, Mikan was holding back tears as her body trembled violently, and Gundham looked horrified with his hamsters shaking against him in fear. The others did not seem to enjoy the first song that much.

"Thank you everyone!" Ibuki beamed once the song ended and the spotlights dimmed. After a couple of moments of silence, the Mechanic finally let out an ear-piercing scream.

"I'm gonna get c-u-r-s-e-d!" he wailed, wearing a look of terror.

"S-Such an overwhelmingly baleful resonance!" Gundham bellowed, a couple of hamsters in his hands having fainted. "Even my Four Dark Devas of Destruction look less lively than usual!"

Sonia clasped her hands against her chest, her face pale. "I-I too…am starting to feel chills…!"

"With a title like 'From Me to You,' I thought it was going to be a sweet love song!" quavered Mikan, the tears now released freely from the Nurse's eyes.

Hajime sweatdropped as he came to a realization. "I-If I recall…the reason why Mioda left the high school girls' band was…"

"Creative differences…" Chiaki finished seriously. Hajime nodded. However, there seemed to be one person who disagreed.

"Yahoooo! It's awesome!" cheered Hiyoko, jumping up and down in glee. "That's the first time I've heard such a famous song!"

Hikari blinked in confusion. That was a famous song?

"…S-Saionji!?" Hajime yelled, surprised to see that the Traditional Dancer actually showed up despite her evident dislike towards Fuyuhiko.

Chiaki smiled softly at the kimono-clad girl. "Ah, you came? I'm glad."

Hiyoko puckered out her lips in annoyance. "S-So what if I did…? I was invited too, you know…"

"But…if you're attending Kuzuryuu's recovery party, that means… You've…already…" Mikan struggled to voice her thoughts, weakly smiling at her known bully. Fuyuhiko stayed quiet with his arms crossed, appearing subdued. Hikari felt her body tense a bit as if ready to defend Fuyuhiko from Hiyoko's impending verbal abuse.

Hiyoko blew a raspberry, looking away from the Yakuza and staring at the wall. "A-Are you stupid…? Don't misunderstand. There's no way I'd forgive him that easily…" She turned back to face him with a glare. "Cause…he's a yakuza, you know? He's the type of person who preys on people by tricking them. Even now, he's probably just pretending to be sorry…so he can try to trick us!"

Hikari glowered at the shorter girl. "Do you seriously believe he's pretending? Was his aim really to trick us this morning when he-"

"No, I get why she'd think that of me…" Fuyuhiko interrupted, staring at Hikari as if telling her to stand down. Hikari blinked at him and frowned slightly, closing her mouth.

"Hmph! Yeah, that's right. That's why we're never going to believe in you," Hiyoko spat, still wearing a pout and acting as if she didn't hear Hikari's retort. "Get it? This doesn't mean we've made up or anything. I'm only cooperating with you until we get off this island."

"…Huh?" both Fuyuhiko and Hikari gawped at Hiyoko, stunned that the kimono-clad girl was willing to work with the Yakuza at all.

Hiyoko pointed a finger at him. "Just remember…if anything happens, you're the first one who's gonna get cut off."

Fuyuhiko frowned and bowed his head with mixed feelings. "Sorry…" Hikari stared at Hiyoko and felt the corners of her lips curve upward.

Maybe she really is a good person deep down…beneath this prickly façade… Hikari wondered to herself as Hiyoko glared daggers at the Spirit Medium.

"What are you staring at, Four Eyes?" the Traditional Dancer scowled. The black-haired girl sweatdropped and looked away to avoid confrontation.

Still a work in progress…

Mikan started to sob again but this time with a smile. "Eeee…I'm glad… I'm really…really…glad…"

"Ew, don't cry!" Hiyoko barked at the Nurse even though her own eyes were glassy. "Pigs have no right to cry! You're grossing me out!"Hikari held back a heavy sigh.

Definitely still a work in progress… she thought to herself flatly.

The Traditional Dancer tapped her foot impatiently after a few minutes went by without much happening. "Boooring… How much longer are you guys gonna be bummed out!? I came all the way here 'cause you said it was a party!" She turned to Ibuki, jumping up and down eagerly. "C'mon Mioda! Hurry up and start the next song!"

"Roger!" the Musician asserted with gusto into the microphone. "Thanks for waiting! Let's go right ahead to the next song!" Almost everyone refrained from showing displeasure.

"…Huh? There's still more?" Nagito complained.

"Now that the recovery party is in full swing, I've got a ballad prepared that totally fits the mood… Grab a partner and slow dance to…'I Squeezed Out the Baby But I Have No Idea Who the Father Is'."

"Stop it! NOOOOOOOOO MOOOOOOOOOORE!" Kazuichi begged loudly.

Hikari bit her bottom lip anxiously. Is there any excuse I can make to back out of this and maybe leave early…? My ears honestly cannot take to hearing another song…

Monomi popped out of nowhere as if the heavens above heard Hikari's desperate plea, however the stuffed rabbit was panicking.

"H-Hey!" the bunny reproached the group of teens. "What's everyone doing here!?"

"Whoa, Monomi!?" Hajime jumped back since Monomi decided to appear right next to him and Chiaki.

"Heeey, don't interfere!" Hiyoko whined, quickly feeling disappointed. "Aw, and I was enjoying such a fun party too!"

Monomi gasped, suddenly becoming depressed. "Wh-What…!? I wasn't invited to the party…"

"Kyahahahaha! Obviously not! You'd ruin the party if you were here!"

"Wh-What…!?" Monomi became even more dejected, her ears flopped low to her head. She shook her head furiously, remembering why she went to them in the first place. "…But seriously, now's not the time! Now's not the time to enjoy a fun party!"

"…Wh-Why?" Hajime asked slowly, starting to have a really bad feeling.

"A-Akane…Akane is… Akane is dueling Monokuma!"

"Wh-What did you say…?" Nekomaru gaped, looking very concerned.

"A-At this point, Akane's gonna be in danger… Please…do something…to save her!" Monomi frantically pleaded to everyone.

Chiaki frowned, a hand to her chest. "It looks like…my bad feeling was correct."

"Fool... That stupid fool!" Nekomaru roared before he clenched his fist tightly. "No…I'm the one who was the fool… It was my mistake to not keep my eyes on her! Tch…! As a team manager, I should've had a proper grasp of my athlete's private life… Damniiiiiit! This failure will haunt me for the rest of my life, or my name isn't NIDAI NEKOMARUUUUUUUU!"

"U-Um… N-Now's not the time for regret! Let us make haste!" Sonia anxiously urged her friends.

"OF COOOOUUUUUURRRRRRRRSSSE! Damnit…! Kuzuryuu finally returned to us… The thought of anyone else in our group getting taken… I won't allow it! I will never allllllllooooow iiiiiiiitttttttt!"

Hajime turned to Monomi. "Hey Monomi…! Where's Owari and Monokuma!?"

The sad rabbit pressed her paws together in front of her. "U-Um…they're at the beach where we first arrived at this island…" She jumped anxiously, her ears shooting straight up. "Please hurry! If you don't, Akane's gonna get killed!"

"You don't have to tell me! I'm going FULLLL SPEEEEED AHEEAAADDDD!" boomed Nekomaru as he ran out of the music venue like a mad bull.

Chiaki stared after the Team Manager. "We should hurry too," she said solemnly. Everyone nodded their heads in agreement before they all rushed after Nekomaru.

Hikari stayed in the back of the pack since Fuyuhiko was having trouble keeping up due to his injury. She made sure to stay with the Yakuza, flitting her eyes toward his torso for any signs of his wound reopening.

Fuyuhiko glared half-heartedly at the girl. "Will you…stop…that? I'm not…gonna…drop dead…"

"Your wound might reopen, though," Hikari pointed out to the annoyed blond. "You're pushing yourself too hard right now… You're in obvious pain."

"Who cares about that now? Owari might be in a worse state," Fuyuhiko asserted harshly, gritting his teeth as he walked at a fast pace. Hikari sighed and remained by the injured boy's side, knowing that it was useless to argue with the Yakuza when he was being stubborn. The Spirit Medium blinked as she saw Chiaki stop at the end of the bridge connecting the central and first island while everyone else proceeded to the beach on the first island.

"Nanami? What's wrong?" Hikari asked her close friend. Chiaki glanced at Fuyuhiko and Hikari before answering.

"Not everyone's here yet. I'm making sure no one is left behind."

Hikari raised an eyebrow and looked over her shoulder to find Ibuki and Hajime heading toward them on the other end of the bridge. The glasses-wearing girl nodded to the Gamer, Hikari's bangs covering her eyes. "I understand… Let's go, Kuzuryuu." Hikari walked past Chiaki, Fuyuhiko right behind the black-haired teen.

What the hell was that? Fuyuhiko thought as he stared at the back of his friend's head. He took a moment to have a glimpse behind him, seeing Ibuki speed past Chiaki with Hajime not far behind. The Gangster got even more curious when a worried Hajime stopped and talked to the calm young woman. Fuyuhiko watched as Hajime seemed to compose himself before the two of them continued to the beach. The Yakuza turned back to Hikari with a slight frown. I don't get it… I thought those three were tight…unless there might be some feelings… He sighed and shook his head. No, now's not the time to think about that. We have to make sure Owari is all right.

Once everyone reached the beach, Akane was on her knees breathing heavily, cradling her right arm while staring at Monokuma just a few yards away.

"O-Owari!" Hajime called out in alarm.

"Looks like you're just barely avoiding any fatal injuries…" Monokuma observed as he eyed the Gymnast, slightly impressed. "Yup, at least your agility is worthy of praise. But did you only challenge me just so you could show me your sweet dance moves?"

Akane growled in frustration as the bear's taunting rang in her ears. "D-Dammit…! Why…why can't I even graze you with my attacks!?"

"Well, you know…we're on completely different levels," the stuffed bear explained. "That means we view the world differently. It's like a character from a punk manga challenging an enemy from a superpowered battle manga. Puhuhu, it's obvious you can't win."

The group of teens stood helpless at a distance. Kazuichi looked at the others in disbelief. "Hey…hey… Is she really serious about not even grazing it…? Owari…is just fighting a stuffed animal…"

Nekomaru clenched his fists as he stared ahead at Akane and Monokuma. "Monokuma is an advanced machine… If it's designed for combat, it's probably capable of exerting such power… However…as far as speed is concerned, Owari is far faster than any athlete I've ever seen! And she says she can't even graze him with her attacks? Is that…even possible?"

"However…because it's possible, that's why she's in this situation, right?" Nagito remarked cheekily before sighing. "As long as she's ended up like that, there's not much we can really do about it. At the very least, we should…overcome the despair of Owari's death, and use it as 'fuel' to bolster our hope. …Like Kuzuryuu did, you see."

Hikari was biting the inside of her cheek, eyes closed as she listened to Nagito ramble on. It's not worth it… It's not worth getting worked up over him… Hikari felt her head throb and her left eyebrow starting to twitch. Restrain yourself, Hikari… Yet once the Luckster mentioned Akane's impending death and Fuyuhiko, the Spirit Medium snapped her eyes open and almost ran up to Nagito to punch him. That never occurred because Chiaki linked her right arm with the fuming girl's left and Hajime held Hikari's shoulders from behind, keeping Hikari still.

Hajime mentally sighed in relief and smiled weakly at Chiaki who nodded back. Nanami was right when she said earlier that we should be near Seishin when Komaeda's nearby… I wish Seishin wouldn't get so wound up by him…but Komaeda really doesn't help himself either…

Fuyuhiko unwittingly held Hikari's right arm as if sensing her urge to jump Nagito. The Yakuza glared darkly at the white-haired boy, a vein pulsing above his left eyebrow. "Don't fuck with me! I…never want to feel that feeling ever again… If I have to feel that way again… I'll make sure I stop it, even if it costs me my life…!" Hikari gazed at Fuyuhiko and frowned, the tension and rage building up in her body slowly dissipated as Hikari heard his words. Seeing this, Hajime stepped back, releasing his hold on the Spirit Medium, noticing with a small frown that Fuyuhiko still hadn't let go of Hikari.

Mikan panicked on the other hand. "N-No, you can't! You'll really die if you keep overexerting yourself!"

The Gangster gritted his teeth, his hand shaking against Hikari's arm. "It's…just a little life Peko gave me… It's not precious anyway…!" Hikari opened her mouth to sternly rebuke his statement, but the burly Team Manager beat her to it.

"You stupid idiot! That's all the more reason you need to take care of it!" Nekomaru reprimanded with fire in his eyes.

"…Huh?" Fuyuhiko gaped at the bulky young man, expecting Hikari to be the one to scold him. Fuyuhiko didn't need to look at Hikari to know she was puffing her cheeks out in annoyance and glowering at him. He knew he relapsed to those guilty feelings momentarily.

Nekomaru cracked his knuckles and neck, facing Akane and Monokuma once again, his back to his friends. "You guys stay back…! I'll take it from here…! This is NIDAI NEKOMARU's final firework! Make sure you sear it into your eyes!" With that said, Nekomaru ran straight to Akane.

Monokuma moved his right paw so it was pointing at Akane, his white paw turning into what appeared to be a mini cannon aiming right at the girl. "Now then, it looks like everyone's here, so I might as well finish this! Didn't I say I won't allow any rule violations against me? This…is what happens when you break the rules! Disappear!" A white light blinded the teens, many of them shielding their eyes. Hikari stumbled back as the ground shook from the force of Monokuma's attack, Fuyuhiko having let go of her arm moments ago. When the light faded and everything calmed down, Hikari blushed lightly when she found herself supported by Hajime. She glanced up to find his light brown eyes on her. The plain boy was about to ask if she was okay until he heard Akane's voice.

"Ah…ah… N-Nidai!" Everyone couldn't believe what they were seeing. Akane was still on her knees, staring in disbelief at a heavily wounded Nekomaru lying in front of her. "N-Nidai… Why did you…s-save…?"

"Ha…" Nekomaru managed to croak out, blood pouring from his head, his shirt and jacket singed to expose his upper chest, steam rising up from his badly burnt and bloodied chest. "Isn't it obvious…?" The red fluid flowed from his wide smile. "Supporting their athletes…is…a manager's duty… H-However… Wh-What a shame… For someone like NIDAI NEKOMARU…to… It was just a little shot from a bazooka… I really am the worst… Heh…hehe…hah…"

"G-Get a hold of yourself! Nidai!" Hikari's body started to shake in Hajime's hold, her hands covering her mouth to keep any sobs from letting out as she watched Akane and Nekomaru. Hajime frowned deeply at the scene before him, gently tightening his arms around the distressed Spirit Medium in an attempt to comfort her and partly to try to comfort himself.

"Owari… The time I've spent with you…i-it…it wasn't so bad…" Nekomaru admitted as he stared at his friend, tears falling down his cheeks. "Don't…die…Akane…" Akane's eyes widened when Nekomaru called her by her first name and started to shake him, getting no response.

"N-Ni…" The brunette bowed her head, closing her eyes tightly before screaming, "Nekomaruuuuuuuuuuu!"

"Are…you kidding me…?" Hajime barely managed to say.

"A-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Kazuichi yelled at the top of his lungs. "Nidai dieeeeeeeeeeeed!"

The black and white bear blinked, a bit taken aback. "Wha…? Wha-Wha-Wha…? Holy craaaaaaaaap…! Instead of the rule violator…Akane…" He looked down at his feet, dejected. "What a major failure! I ended up killing Nekomaru, who had nothing to do with this!"

"H-Hold on…" Akane gasped, her head on Nekomaru's chest. "I-It's faint…but his heart is still beating…!" She bolted to a sitting position and turned to everyone. "He's not dead yet!"

"…Eh!?" Mikan wheezed between sobs, her lips quivering.

Monomi raised her paws in the air, calling out to Monokuma. "Then you gotta hurry and treat him!"

"Hey Monokuma… You can do something about this, right…!?" asked a pale-faced Fuyuhiko. "Save Nidai like you saved me!"

"Hey hey, th-that's right!" Monomi nodded, staring at Monokuma with a cross look on her face. "If you kill someone who didn't violate the rules, that makes you the one who violated the rules!"

Monokuma tilted his head from side to side as if in deep thought. "Well…then let's just say we're even!"

"…Huh?"

The bear covered his mouth with his paws and giggled. "Puhuhu… In exchange for forgiving Akane for breaking the rules, let's just say Nekomaru was the sacrifice…" Not able to hold back any longer, he leaned back and starting laughing. "So isn't it okay to say we're even!?"

Monomi jumped in shock, panicking again. "Y-You're not gonna save him!?" Seeing that Monomi wouldn't let this go, Monokuma sighed heavily, turning his back on the rabbit.

"Jeez…guess I have no choice. It's annoying, but it'd be boring if he died a meaningless death…" He twirled around with a paw in the air. "Sooooooo…for today only, I'll activate my special trump card." Suddenly, the sound of sirens started ringing out from the distance but gradually got louder as the noise was coming closer.

Monomi jumped in surprise as an ambulance raced recklessly to the beach. "…Ha-wa-wa!? This again!?"

"Just leave the rest to me: Doctor Killgood!" Monokuma declared, pulling out a stethoscope out of thin air and proceeded to put it on.

"He even recycled the same line again!"

"We got to get this patient to the Monokuma Hospital ER and get him under 24 hour observation, stat!" Monokuma ordered as Nekomaru was placed into the ambulance before the bear jumped into the driver seat. "Sooo I'll see you later!" Then he drove the ambulance away with sand flying off the wheels of the vehicle.

"What…the hell…?" Hajime mumbled as he loosened his grip on Hikari, the boy trying to make sense of what he saw. "Why did this…happen…?"

"Hey…he's gonna be all right, right? Nidai's…gonna be saved, right?" Kazuichi asked in a feeble voice. At this point, Hikari was standing on her own despite her legs feeling like jelly.

Hajime looked to the Mechanic, trying to sound optimistic. "O-Of course! He's obviously going to be saved!"

"But Kuzuryuu finally returned to us…" Sonia cried softly. "I cannot believe Nidai is gone now…"

"N-No…more… I can't stand this…anymore…!" Mikan said in a broken voice.

Hiyoko glared at the Nurse. "Hey, can you stop yelling? Screaming won't help, you know!"

Mikan closed her eyes tightly as more tears fell. "C-Cause…'cause 'cause 'cause…!"

"You ugly pig! This isn't 'cause! This is what happens when we let our guard down! All this talk about everyone getting along… We were just fooling ourselves." The small girl's lip began to quiver as her eyes were becoming glassy. "We were…just pretending we understood the situation we're in… Teamwork, friendship, cooperation… Nothing matters… The stupid ones will just be killed one after another… It won't be a mystery when you're eventually betrayed… That's why I'm never gonna rely on anyone… That's the 'reality' here."

Sonia sniffled, looking at the Traditional Dancer. "A-Are you saying it is meaningless for us to even work together…?"

"If it really did have meaning, Nidai wouldn't have ended up like that!" Hiyoko responded before letting out a strangled sob. "He ended up like that…because of his weird feelings of friendship…" Hiyoko turned to face the brunette. Akane was still on her knees, gritting her teeth, staring at where Nekomaru was laying on the sand. "…Hey, you understand too, right? When the stupid ones try to act on their own, it makes trouble for everyone else." The blonde with pigtails gripped the hems of her kimono sleeves as she stepped toward Akane. "So can you please not involve me? I don't wanna die a meaningless death."

"S-Saionji, blaming Owari will not help solve anything," the Princess reasoned with a frown.

"Hmph!" Akane grunted as she slowly stood up. "We don't…hafta worry about coach Nidai…"

"…Huh?" gasped a stunned Sonia.

Hiyoko let out her own "hmph" before looking to the side in disgust. "Man, that's disappointing… It's all your fault and you're not even worried about him…"

"O-Owari…you're not worried about Nidai…?" Mikan whimpered.

"Damnit!" Akane growled, glaring at everyone. "There's no need to worry about worryin'!" Hikari watched sadly as Akane was trying her hardest to stay strong, the Gymnast clenching her fists tightly and sweat was starting to form on her face. "I know coach Nidai is a monstrous guy. There's no way he's gonna die from somethin' like that… There's no doubt! Nidai is definitely gonna come back!" Akane's vigor quickly faded as she slumped her shoulders, her glare disappearing. "S-So…when that happens…I'll make sure…I'll apologize to him. Cause I was too weak, and I caused him trouble… So when he comes back…I'll make sure…to say I'm sorry."

"Owari…" Hajime whispered sorrowfully, nobody knowing what to say to the guilt-stricken girl. Not too long after that, everyone silently walked back to their own cottages with worry heavy in their hearts.

Days Left: 12
Survivors: 13