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.

A/N: I'm sorry that it took long to update! Life happened; colds and illness caught up to me after months flew by without getting sick, but I'm doing well now. Despite the "mini-hiatus," I still worked on this chapter when I had time and the motivation. Thank you for your patience and support, it means the world to me to see people interested in this work based on a "what if..." I had in my head. Please enjoy this latest update.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The Morning After

Hajime plunged farther away from the ocean's surface, his eyes desperately scanning for something. Where…!? he thought anxiously as a few bubbles escaped his mouth. Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to find what he was searching for, a huge cluster of bubbles further below. The teen used all of his energy to swim towards it. I have to hurry or else…! As he got closer, the bubbles began to dissipate, revealing that the ahoged boy wasn't after a what but a whom. Hikari drifted unresponsively in the ocean depths before Hajime, the girl on the verge of unconsciousness. I'm coming, Hikari…! Hajime thought as he gritted his teeth, bubbles starting to stream out of both sides of his mouth. However, something was happening in front of the boy that made his blood run cold. Wh-What the hell…? Hajime thought in shock as the Spirit Medium's flowing long black hair that was undulating around the girl began to morph into shadowy arms. His eyes widened when the sinister arms latched onto Hikari and were pulling her down towards the ocean's dark abyss.

"Hajime, help me…!" his friend called out frantically to him with fear in her eyes, hopelessly struggling against the apparitions' grasp.

I can't hesitate now! I have to save her! Hajime thought determinedly, ignoring the fact that she was able to talk underwater. Furrowing his eyebrows, Hajime pushed himself to his limit to catch up to the Spirit Medium. He reached out his left hand when he noticed Hikari weakly move her right hand upwards to him.

"H-Hajime…!" the girl repeated, her voice becoming weaker since a ghostly hand was gripping her throat.

I'm almost there…! Hajime extended his hand as far as he could towards Hikari's outstretched hand. Their hands were slightly out of reach, their fingertips barely touching each other's before the shadows yanked the Spirit Medium with a powerful force. Hajime could feel his heart stop as he helplessly watched Hikari being pulled into the murky depths below.

"Hajime! H-Hajime…!" she screamed, her eyes becoming dull while her arm began to float limply as she continued to descend, eventually becoming devoured by the ocean's darkness.

N-No… Th-This can't be happening… he thought in disbelief, the boy slowly going into shock. Water was beginning to invade inside Hajime's now vulnerable body, his muscles aching and his lungs burning for air. H-Hikari… the distraught teen closed his eyes in pain, his throat feeling constricted and his chest heavy as air bubbles started pouring out of his mouth toward the surface. "Hikari!" he yelled in anguish.

^o^ ^o^

Hajime's eyes snapped open, the first thing he saw was the ceiling in his room. His heart was rapidly beating inside his chest, his breaths short and fast. The plain boy felt very close to hyperventilating if he was not already at that point. I-I'm in my room…? Hajime wondered deliriously as his light-brown eyes darted around the familiar surroundings. He closed his eyes and took a deep inhale to slow his breathing and to calm himself down. Shortly after he collected himself, the ahoged teen frowned. But…why do I feel weighed dow-what the…!? Hajime shouted mentally, his face becoming a deep red. A-again…!? he thought helplessly as he stared down in utter incredulity at Hikari who was fast asleep against him like Mikan was the previous morning. Yet, unlike Mikan, the Spirit Medium didn't have her body crushing down on the poor boy's chest. The girl was cuddled up against Hajime's right side, her head resting on his shoulder with her face towards him. Her right arm laid lazily over his chest and her right leg bent at the knee over his waist in a somewhat uncompromising position for Hajime's liking at that moment. Wh-Why is she laying like this…!? Hajime gaped at his sleeping friend, feeling like his whole face was burning. His train of thought halted, fragments of his nightmare flashing through his mind. Hajime's eyes shifted to Hikari's face, concerned. I-is she…? He held his breath, afraid to even finish the thought as he stared at her. Much to his relief, the Spirit Medium's body was warm against his as she breathed softly with slightly parted lips.

I'm so glad…it was just a dream… the boy thought with a weak smile. Hajime felt the tension in his body gradually ease while he watched Hikari's chest rise and fall steadily. However, that innocent action caused the plain teen's eyes to settle on the girl's cleavage which was pressed against his side. Hajime's face immediately returned to the deep shade of red he wore not even minutes ago, undoubtedly feeling his body temperature rise in this unusual situation. I don't think the shirt choice was the smartest idea I had… he thought, embarrassed, forcing himself to avert his eyes away from Hikari's breasts which were becoming noticeable through the white fabric. His eyes concentrated on the window, faint rays of sunshine trying to peek through the open blinds into the silent room.

The sun must be rising by now, Hajime observed as the sunlight was slowly creeping into the room. He watched the light pushing the dim shadows back to take their places, the shadows attaching to the various objects inside the cottage. The teen's gaze lowered once more to land on the Spirit Medium, a tinge of red dusting his cheeks. Focus on her face… Focus on her face… he instructed himself, staring at Hikari as she slept. It didn't take long for his awkwardness to melt into a calm expression as he watched the girl. She looks so different right now…so at peace… Hajime noted as he studied her face quietly, how her silky black hair flowed around her face and how her porcelain skin glowed in the early morning light. When was the last time I had a peaceful sleep…? the ahoged teen asked himself with a hint of lethargy, his eyelids closing a little. I can't really remember… Hajime admitted, recalling that he was having restless nights recently.

He continued to silently stare at the slumbering Spirit Medium, blinking as a few strands of the girl's hair slid down to partially cover her face. Hajime lifted his left arm very slowly and, hesitantly, moved his hand to Hikari's face. His long fingers gently brushed the stray hairs away and placed them behind her right ear, his hand lingering on her skin. Why do I feel so relaxed right now with her? he wondered, his hand gliding down to cup her cheek, feeling Hikari's warmth against his palm. I don't feel the uneasiness in my chest anymore… This feeling…it feels familiar somehow… Hajime thought with a faint curiosity, his thumb absentmindedly stroking her cheek. His eyes gradually shifted from her face as a whole to concentrate on her soft-looking pink lips. Hajime looked at Hikari's eye level when her lips closed suddenly, the boy seeing her eyes open.

Both teens blankly stared at each other, their faces just inches apart. At that point, as if she just realized the situation, Hikari's eyes widened and her face turned as red as a ripe cherry. The panicked Spirit Medium used her arms to push away from Hajime, propelling herself back into the wall with a hard thud. Hajime blinked and lunged forward in alarm, covering Hikari's mouth with his hand when she opened her mouth to scream. "Ssssh…! Hikari, it's just me, Hajime," he said. "You're all right. Do you remember what happened last night?" The girl stared at the ahoged boy with unfocused eyes for a few moments before she started calming down. She blinked a couple of times before she nodded. Hajime blushed lightly when he noticed that his hand was over Hikari's mouth. "Are you okay now? You're not going to yell out, right?" The blind young woman nodded again before he pulled his hand away. "Sorry about that… It's still pretty early in the morning and I didn't want to wake up anyone," he explained as he sat back, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand guiltily. What the hell is wrong with you, Hajime? he scolded at himself. How did I end up that close to her…? What would have happened if she didn't wake up then…? His face flushed at the possibilities.

"I-I understand…" Hikari whispered, her cheeks still rosy. I can't believe I woke up practically on top of Hinata! No, I should say Hajime… That's right, we said we could call each other by our given names… It's so embarrassing, though. I feel so shy even thinking about saying his name since I'm so used to calling him Hinata, the girl thought, squeezing her eyes shut and held back a squeal of giddiness.

"Oh, you probably want your glasses, yeah?" Hajime asked with a nervous chuckle, looking to his right. Luckily for Hikari, he was not paying attention to the short-lived display of the Spirit Medium's excitement about the closeness between them. He leaned over the bed's headboard to reach for the red pair of eyeglasses from the top of his dresser. "Here you go," the plain boy said, smiling empathetically as he placed the glasses in Hikari's hand, the black-haired girl having composed herself by that point. "It must really be tough…not being able to see without glasses…"

The Spirit Medium blinked before she smiled a little in appreciation. "Thank you." She unfolded the arms and slid the glasses on her face, replying, "I'm not one-hundred percent blind… I mean, I can see colors and lights. It's just that everything's really blurry without my glasses and I get dizzy if I really try hard focusing on an object or something… Like when I woke up a couple minutes ago, I reacted like that because I saw a blurry outline of a person, not realizing that it was you."

"Have you considered wearing contact lenses?"

"I don't like putting things in my eyes," Hikari admitted, a look of distaste on her face as she waved off Hajime's suggestion. "Plus, I just find that whole process a hassle. I also don't want to go to sleep wearing them if I happen to forget to take them out. I heard it's bad for your eyes if you do it enough times."

"Then what about corrective surgery or something to fix your vision?" Hajime asked, shifting his position to sit more comfortably on the bed, crossing his legs on the mattress. "I'm sure Hope's Peak has helped nurture many brilliant eye doctors who made life-changing breakthroughs. Maybe one of them can help you so you wouldn't need glasses."

"Technically, when I'm possessed by a spirit who has good vision, I wouldn't need glasses," the blue-eyed girl pointed out matter-of-factly, closing her eyes. "Besides, I've been so used to living with my eyes like this, I can't imagine living with 'fixed' eyes." Hikari opened one eye to peek at the boy across from her when she felt an uncomfortable silence starting to form. Hajime sat there quietly, looking downward with a conflicted look, hands in his lap. "What?" she asked, causing Hajime to take a deep breath and stare at her with a stern, yet concerned expression.

"…What happened inside your cottage last night?" he questioned, biting the bullet to ask the Spirit Medium. "It didn't seem like you were sleepwalking…" the boy added, seeing Hikari appear dismissive. The glasses-wearing girl frowned with a grimace as if she was caught in a lie. Nevertheless, Hajime pressed on, "Were you possessed by a spirit like with Kuzuryuu's sister? I mean…before you fell off the bridge, you looked at me… Your eyes were a different color and you weren't acting like yourself." Hajime clenched his fists on his lap in frustration when he watched Hikari fidget nervously, avoiding eye contact. He once again began to feel that tense knot in his chest that he had been familiar with for the past few days. "Why won't you tell me? Do you not trust me?" Maybe she would tell Kuzuryuu since they're so close… he thought morosely, not daring to say that out loud. I assumed that she would trust me now after what happened last night…

Hikari turned her head at Hajime quickly, feeling taken by surprise initially. The Spirit Medium bit her lip, gripping the bottom hem of the shirt that she was borrowing with both hands. "It's not that…" she said softly, closing her eyes briefly before facing the ahoged teen. "I…" she started to say, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I…tried to contact Tsumiki…and then her beloved…"

Hajime's eyes widened. "Why? I thought you said that you couldn't…"

Hikari shook her head. "I couldn't sense Tsumiki at all…and then I tried sensing her beloved and couldn't…at first…"

"What do you mean? Why would you even try?" the boy asked with a hint of exasperation. "Tsumiki almost killed you yesterday yet you still wanted to contact her?"

"I…I had to…!" Hikari insisted, her eyes becoming glassy before jerking her head away to prevent Hajime from seeing her cry again. "I had to see if…I was the traitor…"

"H-Huh?" The plain boy stared blankly at her, his eyebrows raised. "You…the traitor?"

The Spirit Medium sniffled, closing her eyes tightly. Damnit… I said that out loud…? Well, there's no turning back now… She felt herself getting choked up, but swallowed her sobs and kept speaking, "What if the traitor doesn't know they're the traitor…? What if they just can't remember like how we can't recollect our school memories…? What if they can't use their talent…? What if-"

"Wouldn't that make me the traitor?" Hajime interjected calmly.

"H-Huh?"

"Honestly, those questions do pop up in my head from time to time," Hajime commented. "I mean, what if I don't know that I'm the traitor? I can't remember my school memories or even my talent for that matter. Based on your thinking, wouldn't I be considered as the traitor?"

Hikari frowned, tucking some hair behind her ear. "I forgot that you still don't know your talent…" She looked back shamefacedly at Hajime. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay… I'm sure it'll come to me eventually…" Hajime smiled weakly though his tone was melancholic. He cleared his throat, eager to change the subject and get back to the topic at hand. "So, you tried contacting Tsumiki's 'beloved'…? Was that who was possessing you?"

"Yes, well…I'm pretty certain…" the Spirit Medium sighed, a hand rubbing her temples. "I black out and have lapses of memory during spirit channeling often. So…I am not one hundred percent sure that it was Tsumiki's loved one, but that is my belief."

"How did you do it if you've been having trouble sensing spirits ever since coming here?"

"I used the items in my room to perform a séance…" Hikari muttered with a trace of bitterness in her voice. "I have never used items like incense or an incantation circle to communicate with the dead. I never really believed in using them." She deeply sighed with a frown. "I think, subconsciously, Tsumiki's words got to me after the trial, you know? The thoughts just wouldn't go away…so I gave in and did the séance."

Hajime's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "The thoughts…wouldn't go away," huh? I feel like that sorta happened to me last night too. I remember having this strong urge to go outside… Fortunately, that resulted in me finding out that Hikari was missing which led me to rescuing her in the end. But is it a coincidence that we both had strong urges to do something out of the ordinary last night? "How do you usually channel a spirit then?"

I must not have mentioned how I channel spirits to the others, Hikari thought to herself before beginning her explanation to her friend. "Well, there are a couple of requirements for a successful possession. One is to have a clear image of the person who would possess you. It can be in the form of a video clip, a picture, or even the spirit's appearance if you could see them."

Hajime blinked in realization. "Oh, so was it because of the photos we found in Koizumi's room that checked off that requirement for Kuzuryuu's sister to take over?"

"Yeah," Hikari nodded in confirmation. "The second requirement is knowing the spirit's full name as in knowing both given and family names. Kuzuryuu happened to say his sister's name as I was leaving his cottage that day. I felt kinda bad for him because I definitely understood the pain of losing a sister so that's why I tried to summon her."

Hajime stared at the ceiling in thought as Hikari's expression turned somber while she remembered the oh-so-familiar feeling of loss. "The requirements make sense, but…" he murmured, his arms crossed. "How did you know who Tsumiki's 'beloved' was for them to take over your body? That I don't get."

"That…is a mystery to me as well," Hikari sighed heavily, closing her eyes and bowing her head in defeat. "I try to recall what happened after I sat down on the incantation circle, but all I can come up with is fog and the strong scent of incense… Everything after that until the time I woke up on the shore is a blank." The Spirit Medium opened her blue eyes and looked up when she felt Hajime's warm hand on her petite shoulder.

"Hey…it's okay," the ahoged teen said soothingly. "Maybe it'll come back to you eventually. I mean, what happened last night just means that your talent is gradually coming back, yeah?" He blinked when he saw Hikari bite her quivering bottom lip.

"I…" she whispered, her bangs covering her eyes as stray tears began to slide down her cheeks, "I don't…want it anymore…"

"You don't want it…? What do you-"

"I don't want my talent anymore…!" Hikari cried out, starting to sob loudly. She leaned her body forward towards the surprised boy who slowly wrapped his arms around her tiny frame.

"H-Hikari…" Hajime frowned, looking down at the top of her head as she wept against his chest.

"It s-scared me so much, H-Hajime… I had never been possessed by s-such a…powerful and dangerous apparition… And my sister wasn't there to protect me… N-No one was…except you…" the Spirit Medium stuttered, looking up at him with glossy eyes. "I almost…died…" The terrified Spirit Medium dug her deep purple nails into Hajime's shirt, her body shaking. "That's why I…I decided to stop spirit channeling…to stop actively searching for ghosts…especially if it would lead me or my friends into danger…"

Hajime remained silent, gently rubbing her back, words failing him. What could he tell someone who didn't want their talent when he felt so desperate to remember his? "Are you sure…?"

"Y-Yes…" she hesitated, biting the inside of her cheek in an attempt to prevent any more sobs escaping her lips. "It's just hard…to let go, you know…? When I made that decision after you brought me here last night, I…I felt like a part of me died… It's like I lost my family all at once…like I lost my sister all over again but this time for good…" Hikari closed her eyes tightly, her body trembling as the Spirit Medium used all her willpower not to cry. I don't want to do this in front of Hajime… I've cried so much in front of him during the past twelve hours… I feel so embarrassed… Who would want to be close to someone who's constantly struggling with her emotions like this…? Hikari blinked in surprise when she felt Hajime's arms tighten his hold around the girl.

"You don't have to hold your feelings in anymore, Hikari," Hajime whispered against her hair. "It's okay to let it out…to cry…"

It took a few moments to process what he was saying. The Spirit Medium bit her bottom lip instinctively to cease any sobs from coming out. I'm allowed…to openly cry…? She can remember being told multiple times throughout her life not to cry, even as a young child.

"It was just a nightmare, my dear child. Go back to bed."

"Stop being so sensitive. There's no ghost, but only the wind rattling the window."

"Wipe your tears, Hikari. Even when I'm gone, my spirit will never leave you."

Hikari closed her eyes tightly once more, recalling the time when she was harshly chastised from her extended family during her sister's funeral for being inconsolable.

"Stop bawling! You're seven years old now! You need to show everyone that you're strong since you have our musically gifted blood in your veins. Your talented onee-san would want to see you succeed and do better than your useless parents."

Her parents did not defend her from their relatives' reprimanding, the couple exhausted from their lives' relentless hardships and were consumed in their own quiet grief after being chewed out by those same relatives. After that incident, the Spirit Medium finally understood why her parents were cut off from the rest of the family. The young child then decided that she must protect her heartbroken parents and work hard to follow in Kotone's footsteps to make her parents' lives more comfortable. She made a vow to herself not to cry in public anymore but only when she was all alone. That self-made oath was broken once the killing game started and Hikari was put in a constant position of vulnerability which caused many moments full of tears being shed.

Kuzuryuu also told me not to bottle up my emotions but… Hikari thought, leaning against the brown-haired boy's chest, what Hajime is telling me feels somewhat different… The distraught girl didn't know how to properly explain it if someone were to ask her, but she had a faint understanding that she was completely safe in that moment. In this short period of time, Hikari could let all of her walls down and become fully vulnerable without any judgment. Despite every fiber in her being screaming at her to pull it together and not look like a total basket case in front of the person she secretly loved, Hikari allowed a strangled sob escape followed by many more. She clung to Hajime as if her life depended on it, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

Hajime closed his eyes with a frown, his chin resting on the top of her head. He held her somberly, rocking a little from side to side in an effort to give her what little comfort he could provide her. Hajime had no idea how else to help his friend, feeling powerless as he heard her cry bitterly. The front of his shirt was getting damp from Hikari's tears but he didn't mind as long as she was feeling better from releasing the sorrow that weighed heavily in her heart.

^o^ ^o^

Hajime glanced up from his seat on the sofa when the bathroom door opened and Hikari stepped out. "You all right?" he asked with a hint of concern.

"Yeah…" the Spirit Medium replied, nodding a little with a smile, "I think I will be…" She felt refreshed after washing her face from her tears. Hikari also noticed, besides feeling the loss of throwing away the core of her identity, that somehow the world didn't seem as dreary anymore…as if the world became a little bit brighter. She couldn't remember how long it had been since she felt like that.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

The sound of the monitor turning on reached the two teens' ears, signaling the morning announcement was about to start. "Ahem," Monokuma began his daily recording, "Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make…"

"I should head back to my place now…" Hikari said, her cheeks red and her eyes avoiding Hajime. "My clothes aren't in the bathroom anymore and I don't want the others to get the wrong idea if they see me in this…"

"O-Oh, yeah…they would get the wrong idea if they saw you like that…" Hajime agreed embarrassedly, his face starting to heat up.

Hikari walked over to the dresser to get the key to her cottage, blocking out the evil bear's voice on the screen. "Monomi most likely took my clothes with yours last night. Your laundry's gone too so that must be it." Hajime made a disgruntled look at the mention of the stuffed rabbit but swiftly changed his expression when the young woman turned towards him.

I shouldn't let Hikari know that Monomi was at the beach doing nothing to help back then since she seems to be one of the few people here who tolerate Monomi… Hajime reasoned with himself as Hikari walked to the door.

"Thank you again, Hajime," the Spirit Medium said shyly but with appreciation, "for saving my life last night..." Now Hajime's ears began to burn. The plain boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"O-Of course… I mean, you would've done the same if the roles were reversed, right?"

"Right. Well…I'll see you at breakfast," Hikari smiled up at him happily with rosy cheeks before opening the door and jogging the short distance to her cottage in the morning light.

The Spirit Medium unlocked her door and stumbled into her living space, wanting to get inside fast. Once she entered her cottage, however, Hikari definitely thought twice about wanting to get in. The objects used during the previous night's séance were where she remembered them being. The room had a strong scent of incense that still lingered in the air despite the windows being halfway open.

"I don't think I can live in here like this…" the bespectacled girl admitted apprehensively to herself, feeling a chill run down her spine and the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. "I doubt Monokuma would let me move out though…" she grumbled with a heavy sigh before frowning. "Besides, the empty cottages belonged to those who died…and that won't do me any good if I have decided to stop using my talent." Not being able to withstand the heavy atmosphere in the room anymore, Hikari moved rapidly to grab some clothes and hurried to her bathroom where the fragrant smell was not as overpowering.

^o^ ^o^

"Man, the food today was awesome as usual!" Akane exclaimed as she munched on some eggs and bacon, sitting in the hotel's restaurant across from the giant Nekomaru robot.

The steel-plated Team Manager grinned, a hand to his chin as he stared at the Gymnast. "As always, you sure do eat a lot! I feel relaxed just by looking at you!" Many of the teens around Nekomaru smiled weakly and fidgeted nervously, not used to their friend's new appearance except Chiaki who was in her usual calm demeanor.

"Anyway…" the Gamer said, sitting next to the burly teen and looked up at him, "what are you gonna do, Mechamaru?"

Hajime gaped at the Gamer across from him. "Mechamaru? You're used to him already!?" Hikari just closed her eyes with a small, knowing smile.

"Honestly, I'm not surprised," the bespectacled girl stated as she picked a slice of toast up from her plate to her mouth. Chiaki glanced to her left at the Spirit Medium, tilting her head in slight puzzlement.

"What am I going to do…?" Nekomaru echoed the hoodie-wearing girl's words.

Chiaki turned back to face the robotic teen. "For food… Do you need, like…oil? Regular? Premium?"

Kazuichi itched at his cheek thoughtfully. "Nah, he doesn't need oil. Since he said he's 'pure electricity,' maybe he's battery-powered or something…"

"I can totally eat normal food! Especially rice dishes, I can't keep my eyes off them!" the Team Manager yelled, aghast at even the thought of not being able to eat his favorite foods. The outrage didn't last long, his mood deflating to one of glumness. "However…I've been feeling a little down today…so I don't have much of an appetite…"

"Are you malfunctioning!? If you show me your insides, I can fix you up, you know!" the Mechanic said excitedly, inching closer to the silver robot with stars in the beanie-wearing teen.

"NOOO MEANS NOOOOOOO!" Nekomaru bellowed, scooting away from Kazuichi.

It looks like our group is regaining some normalcy with the usual antics… Hikari sighed lightly, sweatdropping. Once she heard Nagito's laughter, the Spirit Medium felt what little positivity she was able to muster up in order to move on from her troubles suddenly sink into her stomach.

"Tch," Fuyuhiko clicked his tongue in annoyance, sitting across from Hikari, "so you're here, too?"

"Ah, I'm sorry…" the Luckster apologized with a carefree smile. "I should know my place and not speak out of turn when everyone's gathered like this. However, I just wanted to make sure I spoke to you about what happened yesterday."

D-Does Komaeda know what happened last night…? Did he see me possessed…? Is he going to tell everyone…? the ebony-haired girl fretted, the color draining from her face. Hikari felt her heart climb up her throat and gave Hajime a quick glance. She saw that he, too, seemed a little unnerved. Yet, when they eyes met, the plain teen put on a faint smile to try to reassure his friend that there wasn't a need to worry.

"What happened yesterday…?" Hajime asked cautiously.

Nagito crossed his arms with a slight frown. "That person Tsumiki called her 'beloved.' I can't help thinking about that and it won't get out of my head…" Hajime stared at the white-haired teen, hoping Nagito didn't sense his apprehension.

Does Komaeda suspect that Hikari tried to communicate with them last night…? Hajime thought as red flags waved furiously in his mind. I have to keep my cool… I don't think it's a good idea to tell everyone about the séance now. Based on the past twenty-four hours, Hajime thought the attention would push Hikari over the edge and she would start panicking. With that in mind, he didn't dare look in the Spirit Medium's direction but he did see Chiaki out of the corner of his eye, feeling relieved that she could silently calm Hikari down.

Of course, Hajime was right in that Hikari would be uneasy. She felt her body get hot, her hands shaking uncontrollably under the table on her lap. She breathed through her nose with quick inhales, her throat tight as if her heart really was lodged up there. The bespectacled girl thought she would pass out right then and there when Chiaki took one of Hikari's hands and held it in her own lap, the Gamer's cold hands squeezing her friend's fingers comfortingly. Luckily, the cold sensation brought the Spirit Medium out of her mini panic attack though Hikari was still feeling shaky.

"Hm? Am I just a coward for worrying about that?" Nagito asked when no one spoke up.

"Yes, it crossed my mind as well but…" Gundham admitted hesitantly, "based on how she phrased it… It was…as if she was speaking to an entity that does not exist in this world…"

"Wouldn't it be possible for Seishin to communicate with them then? She has done it with Kuzuryuu's sister, right?" the Luckster wondered with a smile. "Tsumiki mentioned that Seishin's talent has returned." Fuyuhiko felt a vein throb above his eye, obviously irritated that Nagito mentioned his dead sister so nonchalantly. He looked across the table at his smaller friend and saw Hikari staring blankly at the half-eaten food on her plate.

She's probably still traumatized from everything that happened yesterday. Hell, any sane person would be if they were attacked from behind and left for dead, gone through a trial hours later and was asked by their attacker to be possessed by their loved one… Fuyuhiko surmised with a frown, watching the Spirit Medium's body tremble anxiously. "Seishin said that she couldn't do it, bastard, so…" the Yakuza said sharply to Nagito, "she can't do it. And I suggest you never mention my sister again or I'll cut your fucking tongue out of your mouth." Fuyuhiko leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms when he saw Hikari glance up at him. She smiled weakly and mouthed a grateful "thank you" to the still bristling Gangster. He breathed out of his nose with a tiny huff but bowed his head slightly which caused Hikari's smile to grow a bit more.

Akane stuffed her face with another mouthful of food. "Then there's nothin' to worry about!" she stated simply, dispelling the short-lived tension in the air.

Hajime was still trying to comprehend the familiar uneasiness in his gut whenever the Yakuza defended their petite friend verbally or physically. Just ignore the feeling… Maybe I ate something that didn't agree with me… he thought to himself even though he knew that was a blatant lie. Hajime wasn't sure what he was trying to deny, but he felt too exhausted to think about it at that time.

"Seishin is still recovering from her head injury, correct?" the Princess asked with concern. "We shouldn't push her to do too much."

Hikari blinked and blushed shyly. "I'm all right…and you can call me by my given name… I mean, we've all been through so much together…" Everyone looked at her in slight surprise, causing the Spirit Medium's cheeks to get redder. "W-well, Nanami called Nidai by his given name, kind of… Y-You don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable…!" Ugh…! This is so embarrassing…! Why am I so awkward…!? But, Sonia is right... I did get attacked by Tsumiki just yesterday so wouldn't my head hurt way more than the slight ache I have right now? Also, Fuyuhiko seems to be recovering rather quickly from his injuries besides his eye… Does the island have magical healing properties or something…? Just thinking about all of this is making my head hurt more…

"Sure," Hajime agreed with a supportive smile towards the twin-tailed girl. "That makes sense." Now Hikari nor I would have to explain why we call each other by our given names. That would be a weird situation to be in, knowing our peers… They'd all think that we got together or something like that… Chiaki smiled and nodded. Of course, everyone else gave their consent as well, Sonia clapping happily with excitement at this new level of bonding with her friends and Kazuichi having stars in his eyes with the thought of being able to drop the "-san" from "Sonia-san."

"Anyway, more importantly…" the Breeder's deep voice cut in, "what we should really be thinking about is…the Future Foundation, our enemy. If that fearsome organization also known as World Ender is truly responsible for our imprisonment…then investigating who's behind that organization is our top priority!"

"However…the more I think about it, the less sense it makes," Sonia said dejectedly. "Why would an organization that's secretly plotting to end the world…make us suffer like this?"

I wish I knew… Hikari thought unhappily, frowning with her eyes closed. If only I could provide something useful from my near-death experience last night. She shook her head in shame. No, I got to stop thinking like that. I gave up my talent and I'm not looking back.

Fuyuhiko rocked his chair back and forth from its back legs, arms still crossed and his gaze at the ceiling. "They went to a lot of trouble to abduct us and bring us to…this island."

"Not only that, they took away several years' worth of memories of our lives at Hope's Peak Academy…for reasons that are also unknown," Nagito stated pensively, a hand on his chin.

"Future Foundation! World Ender! Hah!" Nekomaru boomed, his yellow eyes literally lighting up. "There's obviously something wrong with you if you believe in something so unrealistic!"

Kazuichi sweatdropped. "…You're one to talk…"

Yeah… I mean, who would believe us if we said that our friend who was so close to death is now a robot? Hikari thought with another sigh, sweatdropping as well.

"But…" Nagito interjected, "what we should be most concerned about, as it relates to the Future Foundation…is the traitor from the Future Foundation that's hiding among us."

This is unfortunate…just when she started to calm down… Hikari must think that she is the traitor…probably, Chiaki thought, her lips curved downward once the Gamer felt Hikari's hand start shaking again in her lap. The backpack-toting girl gave a sidelong glance to the Spirit Medium whose body was beginning to tremble again. Hikari clenched her free hand into a tight fist, biting the inside of her cheek.

Breathe, Hikari told herself, her eyes glued to what was left of her breakfast: a partially eaten piece of toast, a couple of pancakes, and a few bite-size watermelon cubes. You don't believe you're the traitor… There might not even be a traitor. Just zone out until this anxious feeling passes… Focus on breathing and take slow breaths… She used the same breathing technique Chiaki used with her right after Peko's execution. The Gamer smiled softly when she observed that Hikari was taking the initiative to calm herself down. Chiaki squeezed her friend's hand encouragingly. Chiaki wasn't the only person who noticed the rise of the Spirit Medium's anxiety.

Why did he bring up another sensitive topic for Hikari? It's like he knows how to get to her… No wonder Hikari acts so hostile towards him, Hajime thought as he stared hard at the Luckster after a quick glimpse of the twin-tailed girl's reaction. I'm definitely not divulging what happened last night in front of everyone. They might think she's the traitor. I'm not comfortable about this talk of a traitor myself… What if I'm…? Hajime closed his eyes with a frown, not wanting to even consider the possibility of him being the traitor since he still had no idea what his talent could be.

"I wonder who it is…" Nagito mused out loud, running a hand through his white locks. "The true identity of the outsider among us and trying to ensnare us…"

Kazuichi looked at the Luckster across from him, annoyed. "Nagito's obviously the most suspicious, though…!"

"Even a childish organization blathering about ending the world wouldn't accept someone like me," Nagito chuckled with his signature carefree smile before he sighed in disappointment. "Nobody wants a worthless human like me to join their group…" His pessimism was very short-lived however. The pale teen grinned once more as he looked at everyone. "You guys should know that feeling well, right?"

Chiaki blinked at the Luckster, tilting her head to the side in confusion. "And that's the reason why you're not the traitor…? I don't understand your theory at all."

"Fine, then…who do you think is the most suspicious?" Fuyuhiko asked, the Yakuza moving his gaze from the ceiling to Nagito.

I hate feeling these waves of anxiety… Hikari complained mentally, crossing her legs to keep them from fidgeting. I wish I can stop this shaking… She closed her eyes, bracing the fallout of what was to come. I know you're going to say it's me… Just say it and get it over with, Komaeda, the Spirit Medium thought resignedly, the girl still not comfortable calling the Luckster by his given name.

"I nominate Hajime!" Nagito said cheerily, raising a hand. Hikari slowly opened her blue eyes and blinked a couple of times. She looked over to Hajime who appeared just as bewildered as she felt.

"…Huh?" the ahoged teen breathed as if the wind was knocked out of him, staring at Nagito.

The white-haired teen smiled sheepishly, closing his eyes. "Well…isn't it normal to doubt the most unlikely candidate?" Nagito asked, holding his hands out as he defended his choice. Then, the Luckster gave Hajime a serious look. "Not just that…you're the only one here who still doesn't know what talent you possess… If we're basing this on an outsider hiding among a group of Super High School Students, Hajime should be doubted right away. I mean, at least Hikari knows what her talent is despite not being able to use it much."

The Mechanic turned from Nagito to the stunned young man. "Then…Hajime's the traitor!?" Suddenly, Hajime started feeling nervous as everyone's eyes were now on him.

"O-Of course not! What are you even saying!?" he quickly responded.

"You shouldn't raise your voice like that," Nagito sighed as he crossed his arms. "We might become even more suspicious of you, you know?"

"Th-This is obviously your fault!"

Hikari frowned, looking at Hajime with a sympathetic expression. The Spirit Medium chewed on her bottom lip nervously, wanting to speak up for her friend but her fear of being called the traitor held her in a vice grip.

"Settle down! Stop fighting!" the Princess ordered with an authoritative voice. At her command, everyone quieted down swiftly.

"Don't you think fighting with ourselves like this is Monokuma's trap!?" Nekomaru scolded his peers.

"Th-That might be true…but…" Hajime weakly protested.

"All right, I'll handle this! Just leave this matter to meeeeeeee!"

Hikari smiled weakly at her robotic friend, feeling as if an invisible weight was lifted from her chest. I'm glad there are confident and reliable people around. Just as that thought crossed her mind, a flash from the past flickered before her: Byakuya standing in front of the whole class when they were in that very same restaurant during the second day of their stay on the island.

"Don't worry, as long as I'm the leader, I won't let anyone become a victim. I will guide you all! That much, I promise." The SHSL Affluent Prodigy's words rang in the Spirit Medium's ears right before another memory came to the forefront of her mind: the hefty teen's dead body lying in a pool of blood underneath the table in the old restaurant just a day later. Hikari grimaced, closing one eye as similar moments from the recent past flickered in her head as if they were snapshots: Mahiru smiling at Hikari after giving her word about keeping Hikari's crush a secret before it was brushed away to reveal the moment the bespectacled girl saw Mahiru's corpse with her head covered in blood leaning against one of the beach house's doors; Peko playing with the other girls outside of Rocketpunch Market dissolving to Peko's lifeless body laying on her side after sacrificing herself to protect Fuyuhiko, swords embedded in her back; Ibuki with a shit-eating grin on her face laying in mud next to the Spirit Medium only to be covered by the memory of the Musician hanging by her neck above the stage, her head covered with the hemp bag; Mikan winning a hand of blackjack with Fuyuhiko and Hikari in the on-call room at the hospital during Fuyuhiko's stay burning from the inside out to show the moment of the execution when the Nurse was on a rocket flying through the sky at Mach speed.

"Hey, hey…are you okay, Hikari?" Chiaki whispered, seeing the Spirit Medium wince a second time, the twin-tailed girl placing a shaky hand on her head.

"Y-Yeah…" Hikari assured her concerned friend with a slightly pained smile. "I just have a headache." She reached for her glass of water and took a few sips. What was that just now…? Hikari wondered to herself, her eyebrows furrowing as she frowned. A premonition? Her deep blue eyes peered through her glasses to look up at Nekomaru. I really hope not…

"Whaddaya mean?" Akane asked, bits of food flying out of her mouth as she talked.

The Team Manager grinned proudly. "To eliminate this tense atmosphere, allow me to present to you my new function that I discovered last night."

"N-New function…" Kazuichi whispered before he whipped his head to his left with a loud gasp, barely able to contain his excitement. "Don't tell me…is it flight!? C-CAN YOU FLY!?"

Nekomaru's mouth twisted in discomfort towards the Mechanic's close proximity. The robotic young man reeled to his left, almost bumping into Chiaki who didn't seem to mind since she just started playing on her handheld console. "It's not a conventional function like that! It's far more practical and novel!" Nekomaru gently pushed Kazuichi's head back so that the bigger male can sit more comfortably in his seat in front of the table. "Now then, let's go…!" he yelled, his yellow eyes lighting up. He made sure there was two empty glasses on the table in front of him before he moved his hands to the spikes where his ears should have been. With a twist of his hands, two different colored liquids gushed out from his eyes into the two glasses. "Whoooooooooaaaa! BEHOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!"

Sonia flew her hands up to her mouth in alarm. "N-Nekomaru is crying!"

"Hardly! I'm not crying! My right eye dispenses cola…and my left eye dispenses Rooibos tea… BEHOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD!" A long and awkward pause fell on the group as they took in what they just heard.

"Are you kidding me!?" Kazuichi screeched, being the one to break the silence. "…What are you, a soda fountain!?"

Fuyuhiko sighed with his eye closed as he leaned his chair forward, making it stand on all four legs with a thud, "I know we'll be here all day if we keep commenting on every little thing you do…" He snapped his eye open in irritation, clenching a fist. "But what the hell was Monokuma thinking giving you a function like that!?"

"Right, right!" Monomi agreed wholeheartedly, the rabbit jumping onto the center of the table occupied by Chiaki, Hajime, Hikari, and Fuyuhiko. "The guy…he's definitely fooling around! Monokuma's just toying with other people's bodies!" The stuffed animal's ears then dropped forward, the bunny looking depressed. "I, too, was modified by Monokuma so I totally understand how Nekomaru feels…" She twirled around to face Nekomaru like a ballerina. "But don't be depressed! You'll get used to it! It's surprising how quickly you'll get used to it!" It took a lot of self-restraint for Hajime to just sit there with a mildly annoyed expression on his face towards Monomi, but he managed…barely.

Akane glared at the stuffed bunny, cracking her knuckles. "Don't go buttin' in our conversation all of a sudden! I'll kill you until you die from it, you stupid rabbit!" Monomi jumped in fright, causing the table she was on to shake slightly, the plates and glasses clinking as a result.

"…That's an extremely violent thing to say to someone!"

"You showing up at this time means..." Fuyuhiko said slowly, watching the rabbit with a golden eye. "Did you come to tell us that you've defeated another Monobeast?" Monomi spun around again to face the Yakuza with an arm up in triumph, suddenly looking proud.

"Yippie-kai-ay! You're cooooooorrect!" she confirmed happily.

Yeah? If you can defeat these terrible Monobeasts, then why didn't you help out Hikari when she was on the verge of death last night instead of watching while hiding behind a tree? Hajime thought irritably, his eyebrows furrowing a little in frustration. The plain teen crossed his arms, biting his tongue to keep his thoughts from erupting out of his mouth like a volcano towards Monomi.

"Once again, you can visit a new island, so please take this opportunity to get along with everyone…" the pink and white stuffed animal advised the teens, appearing to be unaware of or just deliberately choosing to ignore Hajime's subtle displeasure towards her.

"…I ain't going," Kazuichi stated before he sighed in exasperation. "What a drag."

Monomi looked at the Mechanic in puzzlement, a paw to her chin. "Eh?"

"Even if we go to the new island…it's not like we're gonna find a way to escape this place, right?"

"Rather…I feel as though the opportunity to kill increases every time we go to a new island…" Sonia said with a disheartened look, "So…it might be best if we do not go…"

Monomi jumped in bewilderment with her arms in the air. "Ehhhhhhhh!?"

"I don't know what you're planning, fiend, but we're not going to fall for it…!" Gundham snarled, pointing a finger at the stunned bunny.

"Th-That…that's a misunderstanding…" Monomi stammered nervously as she tried to explain herself, her ears drooping forward. "I was just…" At that point, Monokuma jumped onto the table where Sonia and Gundham were sitting at, the bear looking unamused.

"Argh, jeez! How annoying!" Monokuma complained loudly before he brandished his sharp claws in front of everyone. "Just stay back and leave the rest to your big brother! I'll give you an example of how to lure these guys to you, little sis!"

"Hey! Wh-What are you doing!?" Monomi huffed angrily at the black and white bear. "You're…acting like we're allies or something…" The stuffed bear crouched down, picking up a spoon from the table. Then, he jumped into the air and started whacking at the rabbit with the utensil violently. That attack caused both animals to fly off the table.

"Didn't I tell you to stay baaaaack!?" he yelled at Monomi as he continued the assault.

"GYAAAAAAAA!" the bunny cried out painfully. "This technique… It's impossible to defend against it or evade it!" Once he had his fill of walloping Monomi with the spoon, Monokuma threw her into the restaurant's kitchen. Some of the teens grimaced when they heard the impact of the stuffed rabbit colliding into the hanging pots and pans in the adjacent room. Monokuma waddled back, dusting his paws off victoriously before he took Monomi's place on top of the table where Hajime's group was at.

"There, now that I've mopped up the annoying one… Okay! Since you guys are feeling down in the dumps, I'll make you guys so excited your noses will bleed! Compared to the earlier investigations, I've prepared a special treat that's completely different than before!"

Chiaki tilted her head to the side. "…Treat?"

"Oh, you took the bait?" Monokuma giggled behind his paws. "I guess it's true…if you wanna get a shut-in out of their room, carrots work best!"

Fuyuhiko slammed a fist on the table, causing both Hajime and Hikari to jump in surprise while Chiaki blinked at the Yakuza. "Who the fuck cares about that!? Hurry up and tell us what the treat is!" The Spirit Medium gaped across the table at Fuyuhiko, astounded that he is interested in whatever Monokuma was enticing them with.

"Puhuhu… It's an amazing treat," the bear teased. "Don't wet your pants. Well, it's okay if you do…just don't spray it on me. I've prepared a bunch of stuff you guys might find interesting on the new island! Such as…clues about the Future Foundation…" Hikari quickly turned her attention to Monokuma with slightly wide eyes, biting her bottom lip with apprehension.

"…Huh?" Nagito managed to utter, looking stunned.

"Such as…parts that may be useful for making a ship…"

Kazuichi gawked, his jaw dropping. "Are you for real!?" Monokuma barely contained himself as he saw the increased excitement emanating from the teens.

"And also…." the stuffed bear glanced to his left with a glint in his lightning-shaped eye, "your student profiles from your time at Hope's Peak Academy!"

"…Huh?" Hajime breathed, staring back at Monokuma with incredulity. If the evil toy was able to look any more pleased with his plan to lure the teens to the new island, he definitely would have; however, Monokuma was just a stuffed animal with a frozen expression on his face. Despite that, he kept playing his seemingly innocent role.

"Sooooo do your best to explore!" Monokuma gladly encouraged. "Take caaaare!" Then he jumped off the table and disappeared into thin air.

After a long and silent moment, Chiaki looked around at her peers. "Hey, hey… What should we do?"

"O-Our only option is to go…obviously…" Kazuichi grumbled, gritting his teeth. "We might be able to go home if we have the ship parts…!"

"I plan to go, too," Nagito chimed in with a smile. "If there are clues about the Future Foundation, we need to make sure we see them."

Hikari frowned, sinking back in her chair. Do we really need to...? After last night, I'm not sure it's a good idea… It definitely isn't going to be the safe choice…

"…What about you, Hajime? Of course you're going, right?" the Luckster asked in an blatant tone to the brown-haired boy who seemed a bit distracted in his own thoughts. "If you look at your student profile, you might be able to find out what your shining talent is. It's a chance for you to clear any suspicions, right?" Hajime immediately focused his attention to Nagito, the plain teen noticeably provoked by him.

"What suspicions…!? I don't think anyone here doubts me…!" Hajime said defensively, glaring at the white-haired teen.

Nagito blinked in surprise. "…Ah, I see." Hajime shot a glance at the two girls across the table, subconsciously looking for reassurance. He sweatdropped slightly when he saw Chiaki facing her lap.

She must be playing a game on her handheld… Hajime inferred before he turned to Hikari who gave him a small smile and a nod. At the very least, Hikari supports me… The Spirit Medium kept an eye on him after that brief exchange of glances.

I didn't really expect Komaeda to suspect Hajime like that, Hikari thought, her smile becoming flat. It makes sense, but I honestly trust Hajime. I mean, he saved my life last night! I don't think the traitor would do that if they worked with World Ender who are making us participate in this stupid killing game… I just hope Hajime finds out what his talent is soon. I never noticed how heavy that burden of not knowing his talent was for him until now since he always appeared to be fine. Plus, I was too caught up in my own selfish issues with my own talent but not anymore...

"It seems you've all prepared yourselves for the worst!" Nekomaru boomed as he started getting up from his seat.

"That means we're gonna go, right!?" Akane asked enthusiastically, grinning as she stretched her arms and legs. "I'm starting to get pumped up!"

Sonia nodded with a determined look. "If everyone is going, I shall accompany you as well."

"But there's also a possibility that Monokuma set a trap," Chiaki pointed out after she tucked her game console inside her backpack. "We should be careful where we step." At that point, everyone started cleaning up their breakfast dishes, the teens all abuzz about exploring the new island. When Hikari finished clearing her spot at the table, she scanned the restaurant and breathed a small sigh of relief before jogging over to the Gamer who was heading to the stairs that led down to the lobby.

"Hey, Chiaki!" the black-haired girl called out to her friend who paused at the top of the stairs and looked back at the Spirit Medium.

"Hm? What is it, Hikari?"

The bespectacled teen smiled sheepishly and clasped her hands together. "Can you please do me a favor before we go and check out the new island?" Chiaki blinked at her with mild curiosity, her head tilted to the side and her hands holding her backpack straps.

Days Left: 8
Survivors: 10