The curtains rise on the same wooden stage as before. A Hope's Peak banner is hanging on the back wall. Monokuma sits in the center, shaking his head from side to side, smiling gleefully at his audience.

"Ahem, so... By now you've noticed that the killing game has begun, but... there's still room for a little laughter!

"It seems our newest students, already so full of despair, still have some hope of escape! Puhuhu... So when will it begin? When will their hope begin to die? Is it time yet? Is it time?!

"Such heart-pounding excitement!"

The lights start to fade, and Monokuma and the stage disappear into the darkness, the crimson glow of his eye winking out.

I woke up to the sharp beeping of my watch on the nightstand. Alright, let's get back on track! I spent a good hour stretching and squatting and doing everything I could from my room. Alright, that felt great! Now for a light cool-down jog. I'll jog to the gym and finish there!

I jogged all around the halls, working up an awesome sweat! I headed through the gates at the end of the living area to run around the school area- and heard a noise. It sounded like metal hitting metal, a dull ringing sound coming from up ahead. Could it be... Is there someone outside the hatch? Are we finally getting rescued?! I quickened my pace, running into the main hall. Finally... We're finally free-!

And there was Sakura Ogami, surrounded by large throwing weights, hurtling them one by one at the hatch. Each one got progressively larger, but she threw them all with ease, arcing them towards the hatch and hitting it every time. The hatch wasn't the one taking the damage though- it was the weights, becoming more and more misshapen. "Sakura?"

She stopped, turning her head slowly. "Hina. What are you doing in here?"

"I heard noise and thought- well, I thought maybe it was a rescue team, but- what are you doing in here so early?"

"I am combining my morning training regimen with an attempt of escape," she responded, picking up another weight. "Unfortunately, it hasn't been working out very well. I may need to find new weights in that strange shop across the hall." And she threw the weight at full force towards the hatch. It crashed in, a ringing noise echoing throughout the room and into the hall, and it fell to the ground, a little more bent than before.

"Jeez, what is this thing even made of? To destroy your weights like that," I wondered, stepping closer. "All this doesn't feel real, does it?"

"It does seem unnatural," she agreed. "Perhaps I've done enough damage for one morning." She started picking up her weights, stacking them in her hands as best she could.

"Here, let me help!" I tried to pick up one of her smaller weights, but it was heavier than I thought it'd be, and the odd shape didn't help. "Are you gonna take these back to your room?"

"I am. Thank you, Hina." She walked to the open doors. I followed her.

After a bit of lugging weights around, we eventually got them all back to Sakura's room semi-intact.

"Whew! If I didn't have an awesome sweat before, I sure do now!" I could feel my entire body becoming sticky. I probably smell awful! That's so embarrassing...

Sakura lifted one of her arms, bringing her face up to it. She immediately grimaced, lowering it again and turning her face away. "Indeed. We still have several minutes until morning. I wonder if the bathhouse water runs during nighttime..."

"Why, of course it does!"

"Waaahh!" I jumped. Monokuma had appeared right behind me. I turned to face him, stepping back. "Where did you come from?!"

"Who, me?" He cocked his head to the side. "Why, I just heard two of my lovely students discussing the bathhouse regulations and thought I'd answer your question! That's what a proper teacher would do, after all. Puhuhuhu!" He pressed his hands up against his mouth. "And the answer is yes! As you know, restroom facilities are turned off at night. But you see, the bathhouse is not considered a restroom facility by Hope's Peak Academy! And as such, the community tub and sauna in the bathhouse are open for student use even during nighttime!" He leaned forward. "Oh, and don't you worry about any peeping from those disgusting boys in your class! There are two baths: one for the boys, and one for the girls! No need to fear! Now go live it up in there, ladies! See ya laterrrrr!" And with that, he disappeared.

I looked at the spot where he'd been standing, then at Sakura. "Well, I guess we can use the bathhouse then," I said, before turning away and walking towards my dorm. "I'm gonna grab some clothes to change into and head over there! Feel free to join me!" I went into my room and slammed the door before she could respond. My entire face felt red-hot. I got my clothes together and tried not to think about what might be about to happen.

Just me and Sakura, alone.

In the bathhouse, taking a bath.

Naked.

I grabbed a water bottle and splashed my face. Stop that, Hina! Stop it! That's not appropriate! Pull yourself together! I wiped the excess off with my towel, picked up my clothes, and headed out the door. I can be mature about this. I won't do anything to come onto her or push her boundaries!

She never showed. I took my bath and got clean, but Sakura never came. I guess I should be relieved; I might've passed out if I saw her shirtless. But still, it was a little disappointing. I must've made her uncomfortable somehow... I have to make it up to her!

As I put on my watch, I realized it was already past seven. Huh, that's weird. I didn't hear the morning bell go off... I stepped out to the locker rooms, than headed to the dining hall for breakfast. I was the first one there, so I sat down to wait for everyone else. After a few minutes, the door opened.

"Hahaha, what are you even sayin,' bro?"

"Me? What are you saying, bro?"

Standing in the doorway was Taka and Mondo, and they were really getting along. Mondo had his arm around Taka's shoulders and was ruffling his hair. Taka laughed and swatted his arm away.

"Come on, bro! We should make breakfast for everyone this morning!"

"That's genius, bro! It'll be a testament to our brotherhood!"

They were both laughing and shoving at each other playfully as they walked towards the kitchen, totally oblivious to me. It was weird, but nice. I mean, at least they weren't at each other's throats anymore! "Morning, guys! How'd last night go?"

They noticed me for the first time. Taka gave me a big grin and a thumbs up, and Mondo wrapped his arms around his shoulders from behind. "Good morning, Hina! Last night was the greatest of my life!" Taka replied cheerily.

"Well said, bro! Our competition of manliness forged a bond that can never be broken!" Mondo agreed, staring into the space ahead with a hardened expression. "The strength of our bond can never be matched!"

"Wow, guys, that's super cool! I'm so happy for you!" And I was! I was glad that they'd finally stopped fighting and were getting along! They really were like fire and ice, dancing around each other in a weird harmony. "So, who won the contest?"

"That doesn't matter! What's a measly contest between brothers?!" Mondo yelled suddenly.

"I suggest we just forget about that silly contest! Forget, forget, forget beam!" Taka declared, moving his hands to form a circle, then pushing them away from himself. The two of them laughed in unison.

"Well, okay! Congratulations on your, uh... brotherhood! You guys said something about breakfast?"

Their eyes widened a bit as they remembered. "Yes, that's right! We'll prepare the manliest breakfast to celebrate our newfound brotherhood!" Taka exclaimed, slamming his fist down on his open palm.

"Yeah, and it'll be fuckin' delicious, too!" Mondo agreed. "C'mon, bro. Let's get to the kitchen already!" He grabbed Taka's hand and started pulling him over to the kitchen doors. It was weirdly reminiscent of the morning before, when Sayaka and Makoto had done the same.

"What did I tell you would happen?" Leon sat in the chair beside me, grimacing. "I knew they'd be all over each other by the end of it."

"Wait, did they really-?"

"I dunno. Probably. They told me to scram sometime around ten. But it's not exactly hard to fill in the blanks. God, you should've heard what they were saying…" He slammed his head down on the table. "It wasn't exactly safe for work."

"Ugh, not at the table!" I don't want to know anymore. "Let's just forget about it and move on, okay?"

"If only I could."

I went back to my room after breakfast to let my stomach settle. I'd been working so hard those past couple days, and it'd been starting to affect my digestion! After I sat for a bit, I decided to head back out and talk to the others. I can't just sit here and do nothing waiting for something to happen, or Monokuma and whoever's behind all this wins!

I headed out of my room and saw Sayaka doing the same. She looked over and smiled at me. "Good morning, Hina! I was just about to go for a walk around the school. Care to join me?"

I thought about it. Should I spend time with Sayaka?... Sure! "Sounds great! I've got my walking shoes on anyway!"

"Oh, great! Let's go then!" Sayaka and I walked laps around the school, talking about nothing in particular. Honestly, I did most of the talking though. Sayaka was a really great listener! Eventually, we made it back to the dorm hall.

"Thanks for walking with me, Hina. I feel much calmer now!" She beamed at me, opening her door for me to enter. "What with everything that's been happening, I'm glad I've made some friends I know I can trust!"

I bowed jokingly, following her inside. "Yeah, totally! I mean, we may all be stuck here, but that's no reason not to be friends!" And if we're all getting along, then no one will want to betray anyone! "Once we're all out of here, I can't wait to actually go to class with everyone!"

"Me neither," Sayaka agreed. Then she stared into my eyes. "It's good that we're all getting along, isn't it? Because no one will want to betray anyone then."

How does she keep doing that? "Haha, stop reading my mind!" I punched her in the shoulder playfully. "But yeah, that's kinda the idea."

"I'm glad we've got someone like you here to look out for everyone," she smiled. "I don't know if you've really noticed, but everyone's really looking up to you. Actually, I am too." She blushed a bit, playing with her hair. "Actually, Hina, can I ask you something?"

"Sure! What's up?"

"Have you ever had a dream?"

A dream? Of course I'd had a dream. I mean, everyone's got a dream at some point. What a strange question! "Yeah! My dream has always been to get a gold medal in the Olympics!"

"Wow, that's great! So you always wanted to be a swimmer? I'm so happy for you!" Sayaka giggled. "What made you choose swimming?"

"Well, it was kinda just the obvious choice for me. I mean, I was always the best swimmer in my grade, and I had a lot of fun with it, so I thought, 'why not try competitive?' Ya know? And I don't just do swimming either. I also do tennis, basketball..." I counted them off, realizing just how many sports I've been playing. Have I ever even done anything else?... Guess not.

"Gosh, that's so many! It's good that you're so passionate about it." She nodded her head earnestly, leaning forward. "When you really want something, you can never take your eyes off of it, not even for a second! Right?"

"Yeah, exactly! Like, when everyone else wants your dream just as much as you do, then you can't let them gain the upper hand, even for a second!"

"You get it!" Sayaka took my hands in hers, gazing into my eyes. "I was worried no one here would understand, but you do!" She smiled happily.

"Well, yeah. We might come from two different worlds, but it doesn't really matter where you go. Everyone's gotta compete, right? That's just how it is!"

She looked at me seriously again. "Hina... may I tell you my dream?"

I put my free hand over hers. "Of course. Whatever it is, I'll listen and do my best to help. I promise!"

She smiled again. "Thank you, Hina! I won't forget this." She released my hand and started playing with her hair. "See, when I was a kid, I was always alone. I never knew my mom, and my dad was always working, so I spent all my time at home, watching the house."

I settled in, excited. I didn't think I was gonna get to hear this... the story of how Sayaka decided to become a popstar!

She continued. "It got quiet in the house a lot, so I would put the TV on while I was home. Do you remember those idol shows that would come on in the midday, and the debuting idols would perform?" She looked at me as if she expected an answer, but before I could speak, she kept going. "Those shows became some of my favorites. Those idols would always smile so brightly and sing so beautifully... They made me feel less alone. Like everything was gonna be okay."

She folded her hands over her heart. "So one day, I decided that I wanted to share that feeling with everyone that felt the same way I had. I didn't want anyone to feel alone ever again." She met my eyes again. She was starting to tear up. "I did whatever it took to achieve that dream. But in the end... it was worth it. Every moment, every choice, every heartbreak... It was all worth it, to build the dream I wanted so badly. I want to shape the world for the better, and save every lost, lonely little girl I can. Just like those girls did for me." She wiped her eyes. "Ah, sorry, I got a little emotional..."

I took her hands in mine. "Don't be! That was beautiful, Sayaka! Your dream is amazing! And look, you said it yourself! You did it; you're doing what you've always wanted! Be proud of yourself! You went through so much to get here, but it was worth it, wasn't it? Now, you bring hope to people who'd never have it otherwise! You're doing so much good, Sayaka!"

I tried to comfort her, but my words seemed to only make her cry more. "Yeah, but... a dream like that is ongoing, Hina. I have to keep working every day to keep it going! If we're all trapped in here... Every moment I'm in here, I risk losing everything, everything I've worked for!" She grabbed her arms, holding herself tightly, backing away from me. I tried to comfort her, but she kept backing away. "I can't stay in here... Everything I've worked for will be destroyed forever! The world will move on without me, and I'll be alone again! I don't wanna be alone anymore!"

She suddenly lunged forward, pressing her head into my chest, her arms holding a vicelike grip on my shoulders. "I don't know what to do... I've been trying to keep it together, but... I just can't take it!"

I held her, not saying anything, letting her cry it out. We sat there for a while. She must've been holding all this in ever since the announcement... I thought she was doing okay, but she's been keeping all this fear hidden from everyone. "Sayaka... I don't know if this helps, but... at least when we're found, there'll be a big story on you! I mean, all of us, but it'll still be a huge media story! All these Ultimate students kidnapped and taken who knows where... I bet you'll be getting all kinds of talk shows and interviews after this!" I held her tightly, trying to help as best I could. "The world can't forget about you just like that, Sayaka. I guarantee it."

She sniffled. Then, she started to laugh. It wasn't much, but it was something, and she'd stopped crying. "Thanks, Hina. I needed that." She rubbed her eyes, standing up again. "Um, I think I'm gonna spend some time alone now, but... thanks for listening, Hina. It helped me more than you know." She smiled, and even though her eyes were red and blotchy and her face was puffy from crying, it still felt genuine.

"You're welcome, Sayaka. Anytime!"

She rubbed at her eyes with her sleeves. "Haha, this is embarrassing... Thank you for listening, but I think I'd like to be alone for now."

"Oh, of course! I'll give you some space." I got up to go and opened the door. I looked back at her. "You'll be okay." And I closed the door gently behind me. I hope she's okay... I'm glad she trusted me with her feelings. I think we became a little closer just now.

It was getting late in the day, and my laundry basket was still full of clothes, so I decided to head to the laundry room and thin it out a bit; I'd forgotten to wash it all before heading to Hope's Peak, and it was starting to smell kinda gross. I hoisted it up over my shoulders and headed for the laundry room. It was by the bathhouse, right...?

Right as I got up to the doors, they swung open, revealing Taka and Mondo laughing heartily. Taka held the door open for me as he left, waving back at Mondo. "I'll see you later, bro! Let's meet up for dinner!"

"You got it, bro!" Mondo shot him some finger guns as he left. I dragged my laundry to one of the washers and started loading it up. He turned to face me. "Hey, you need some softener for that?"

Should I hang out with Mondo while my laundry is running?... Okay! "Yeah, thanks!"

We spent some time looking through the stack of magazines in the laundry room. There weren't any good sports magazines, but we did find one with cars and motorcycles and stuff!

"Damn, they really don't got any of the good bikes in here!" Mondo flipped through the pages, indignant. "This place really fuckin' sucks." He threw the magazine back on the table.

"Mondo, I get the feeling the magazine isn't what you're mad at." Not like it's hard to figure out what he's really upset with, though. "We've just gotta make the most of our time here, and refuse to give up! Eventually, we'll get something!"

"Maybe, but that doesn't mean it'll be anything good." He looked up at the camera in the corner, clenching his fist. "Whoever pulled this shit's got money and power, and they're throwin' us all in a killing game. If we don't play along, how do we know what they'll do?!"

"We don't. They could do anything to us. But..." I could feel the fear rising in my chest. I'd been distracting myself these past couple days, avoiding the dread of what could be, but it was hard to fight. I pushed it back down. "But we have to stay positive! Anything new we get is good, because it gives us something new to work with! It gives us the chance to find something to help us- a clue, a door, something, and something's not nothing! We just have to stay calm and stick together!"

"Shut up about the whole 'sticking together' thing, will ya?! It's really pissin' me off!" He glared daggers at me. "You keep sayin' how we have to all be best fuckin' friends and everything will work out, but it's not! We've all been kidnapped and we are going to die. Don't ya fuckin' get it? We can't fuckin' smile our way out of this! So shut up already!" He stomped away from the table, checking his clothes. "Fuckin' Christ..."

"Hey, don't talk to me like that!" I tried to stare him down, but it was hard to see him. Tears had started to blur my vision. Tears? "I've been trying to help as best as I can! I'm scared too, Mondo! Don't think I'm not! But if pretending like everything's okay will help keep everyone together, then that's what I'll do! It's been working so far! Nothing's happened! Everyone's still alive! And as long as I can help it, I'll keep it that way! I won't let anyone die; I can't! Okay?! I'm doing this... for everyone's sake." I slumped into a chair, exhausted and sobbing. I'd been carrying that ever since we got here, ever since we met Monokuma. I've been trying to act all happy and brave, but it's too much for me to take on. And now... I'm only making him feel worse.

Have I been making everyone feel like that?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Mondo was knelt in front of me, looking really concerned. "Shit... Stop cryin', alright? You didn't do anything wrong, I didn't mean to go off on ya..." We stayed there silently, the only sounds being my muffled tears and the whir of the machines. I hadn't let myself cry over our situation since we got here, and it'd been building up inside me. Three days... we've been here three days! And we're all powerless to it.

In here, my skills mean nothing.

My training is useless.

If I can't keep the class together...

"Hey, Hina. I've got a shitty temper, alright? So don't listen to a word I say when I get all worked up like that. You've been doing great." He pat my shoulders, grinning at me. "But for hell's sake, don't keep all this shit to yourself! It'll only make things worse, for you and everyone else." And with that, he stood back up. "And hey, me and my bro have got your back, yeah? So if it gets to be too much, you ain't alone. And that's a threat, ya hear? We'll drive that goddamn bear out of business, just you wait!"

He looked so ready to fight right then and there, swinging punches in the direction of the cameras and making faces, I couldn't help but start laughing. This class... It's kinda funny how quickly we're all becoming so close. I mean, we only met a couple days ago, but... I feel like I've known them all since forever! "Mondo... thank you." I wiped my eyes, embarrassed.

*Bing!*

"Ah, that's my shit." Mondo grabbed his basket and opened up the dryer, piling his things into it. He slammed the door back, than hoisted up the basket and headed for the door. "Hey, catch ya later, alright? My door's always open." He backed out of the room and whipped around as the door shut.

That was kinda embarrassing how I broke down like that... but I'm glad I got to have this time to talk to Mondo. I think we're getting a little closer!\

Evening came, and I was alone in my room. Well, I've worked out lots... I got my laundry done... I took a bath, and ate properly... God, I wish there were some donuts in the kitchen, but I haven't seen any since we got here...

*Ding, Dong, Bing, Bong*

The monitor flickered, revealing Monokuma again. "Attention, students! It is now ten pm, and it is officially nighttime. Soon, the doors to the dining hall and gym will be locked, and entry at that point is strictly prohibited. Good night! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite~"

The monitor switched off. I'm starting to get tired of that alarm... I rolled over. Might as well try and get some sleep. As I started to drift off, I thought about everything that's happened since I got here. The announcement... our search throughout the school... everyone I'd met... Sakura... I felt totally helpless. But at least I knew I wasn't alone in feeling that way. Besides, it's not like anyone will actually die...

The curtains rise on Monokuma's wooden stage. A motorized toy car zips onto the stage and stops by Monokuma's feet. Monokuma sits in the center, shaking his head from side to side, smiling gleefully at his audience.

"I need an incredible, fast-acting pick-me-up! If it doesn't act now, it's the same as giving into regret. What do you think guides the world?

"Speed, of course! That's why Formula One drivers are so popular! Any idiot can accomplish something if they take it slow. Even a human piece of garbage can create a masterpiece if they spend their entire life on it!

"Someone who does things in a timely manner, however, is both wise and admirable. Straight is better than a curve or angle. Freestyle is better than the backstroke or breaststroke! Drive-thru is better than sit-down! A Sunday comic artist is smarter than a graphic novelist! What I'm saying is, speed is the gold standard of the standard world.

"Which is why I said I need that pick-me-up!"

The lights start to fade, and Monokuma and the stage disappear into the darkness, the crimson glow of his eye winking out.

Morning came, and with it, my morning workout. I only got about ten reps in before collapsing. I was too tired to continue, physically and mentally. I was getting really out of it, and that wouldn't do! I needed to get my energy back up... I needed donuts!

As soon as the morning announcement came, I showered quickly, getting ready for breakfast as quick as I could. Sweet, fluffy, and glazed goodness, here I come! Just as I stepped out of the bathroom, I got a knock on my door. Perfect timing! I wonder who it is? I opened the door. "Good morning!"

Sakura stood outside my door. "Hina. You didn't arrive to breakfast on time; we were worried."

"Wait, what? It hasn't been that long, has it?" I looked at my watch. "I was just taking a shower before I came to breakfast, that's all!" She was worried about me?

"Ah. I see." She stepped back, giving me room to leave. "My apologies."

Huh? "Um... Sorry, I'm a little confused. What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Yesterday morning, when Monokuma gave us the option of using the bathhouse together, you seemed afraid. So I refrained from joining you. I can only assume that's why you weren't in the bathhouse this morning. Was I incorrect?"

Her face was neutral, but her voice sounded uncertain. So the reason she didn't come to the bathhouse yesterday... was for me? "Oh, gosh, no! You didn't do anything, Sakura, it was all me! I promise! You're great!"

She seemed surprised. Then she started to smile. It was the first time I'd seen her smile since we got here. It was subtle, muted, like she hadn't smiled in forever. But somehow, it was the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. "That's a relief." Then, just like that, it was gone. But the effect of it lingered in us both.

I held out my hand. "Let's head to breakfast now! I'm really hoping for some donuts today!"

She hesitated, then took it. Her hand engulfed mine. "Very well." Then she shook it, released it, and started to walk down the hall.

Not really what I was going for, but I'll take it! I quickly followed, staying right by her side. We got to the dining hall and sat in our usual spots.

"Good morning, Hina. I hope you are well," Celeste greeted me as I sat down. "Is everything alright this morning?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for asking!" I felt a chill go up my spine.

"Well, that is certainly a relief. We were all quite worried when you were late to the meal." She laughed. "Although it is Hifumi and Hiro preparing for us this morning, so it likely will not be much of a meal."

As if on cue, the kitchen door slammed open, and Hifumi wheeled out a table full of trays and dishes, all covered. Hiro followed him, a napkin around his arm. "Greetings, everyone! This morning, we have prepared for you a breakfast of the highest quality!" Hifumi announced to us.

"We combined our knowledge of every plane of existence to create a stellar breakfast worthy of even Emperor Jimmu himself! There's no doubt that this meal will charge up our spirits to the highest level you're capable of reaching!" Hiro declared excitedly. "Presenting to you... the Ultimate Breakfast!"

The two of them tore off the lids to reveal a few different things: rows of grilled salmon, a large serving bowl of miso soup, and a big block of tofu! But there were also a couple stranger things: namely, a large cheese pizza, a plate of bright pink cookies, and cans of lemon-lime soda.

"We've combined a traditional cuisine with a broad-minded thinker's best creative fuel to create the perfect way to start the day!" Hifumi said smugly, adjusting his glasses. "This combination allows for maximum productivity, health benefits, and deliciousness!"

"Not only that, it'll open up your soul's ears to the next level! And the more you eat, the stronger the effect!" Hiro continued. "We've got plates for everyone, so grab as much as you want! We've got more in the kitchen!"

"Ooooooooh, that looks delicious! Do ya mind if I try?"

Monokuma had appeared. He hopped up onto our table and onto their cart of food, stomping on the pizza. "I love salmon!"

"Headmaster Monokuma! Please refrain from trampling our breakfast!" Taka shouted. Mondo started to get up, but Taka put a hand on his shoulder, and he sat back down.

Hiro and Hifumi were holding each other, shrieking. Hifumi was flapping his arm at the table panickedly. "Get off of the food! You'll ruin it!"

Monokuma looked up from the salmon plate. "Excuse me? Is that any way to speak to your headmaster?!" He kicked the block of tofu at them, and it hit Hifumi squarely in the face. "Show some respect!"

"Hey, hold on! If we aren't allowed to attack you, how come you're allowed to attack us? That's not fair!" Makoto yelled.

"Oh, come on! That didn't hurt him! But fine, if you feel so strongly about it, I'll add it to the rules," Monokuma sighed. He perked back up. "I'm a fair bear, after all. Anyway! I just wanted to let you all know that there'll be a meeting in the gymnasium today! Please head there at your earliest convenience! Oh, but I'll let you all finish your breakfast first! See ya soon!"

He jumped off the table, spilling soda into the miso, then disappeared between the tables. At the other side of the cafeteria, Byakuya got up from his table and started heading to the door. Celeste and Kyoko stood up as well. "We should get this assembly over with now," Kyoko said, "so it'll be over and done with."

"I agree!" Taka decided, rising. "Everyone should head to the gymnasium quickly and in an orderly fashion!"

"Wait, hold up! What about breakfast?" Hiro pleaded. "We've got more in the kitchen that Monokuma didn't get into, and he said we could eat first, right? So-"

"Forget it, Hiro. It's fine," Hifumi muttered sadly, holding the broken block of tofu in his hands. "It's not like it would've done anything, anyway."

"K-Kind of a weird choice, s-serving pizza and miso together anyway," Toko said, rushing past him.

I went over to Hifumi. "Breakfast looked amazing, Hifumi. And it'll help everyone feel better after whatever Monokuma's got for us, I'm sure of it! Don't look so down, okay?"

"Yeah, Hina's right! I'll go wrap up everything else so we can get it ready once the meeting's done!" Hiro agreed.

Hifumi wiped his face with his sleeve aggressively. When he pulled it away, he'd left a thick red rubbing mark on his nose and cheeks. "Okay," he agreed. I pat him on the shoulder, and we headed to the gym.

The class all got to the gym, waiting. Watching. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen students that don't know what to expect. Then, springing up from behind the podium and landing on top is a black and white bear, with a crimson eye and a sinister smile. He looks at all his students, then laughs.

"Puhuhuhu!"

"Good morning, students! I wasn't expecting you all so soon! What, did you all lose your appetites or something?" Monokuma asked innocently, cocking his head.

"Yes," Byakuya said curtly.

Wow, rude! "Hey, don't be so mean! Breakfast looked great, you guys," I yelled, first to Byakuya, than to Hiro and Hifumi.

"You don't have to act all nice," Hifumi retorted.

"Anyway! For the reason you're all here today," Monokuma interrupted. "You see, I was wondering why none of you had started killing yet! I mean, come on! Three whole days of being trapped here and nothing?! All the pieces were here- sixteen emotional teenagers with a unique set of skills, all cut off from the outside world and given the chance to kill or be killed- who wouldn't jump at that? But I've figured it out! Something very crucial to the killing game has been missing! Can any of you guess what it is? Hmmmm?"

Toko grit her teeth and spat, louder than I'd heard her before: "You're talking about a m-motive, aren't you? A r-reason for us to want to kill each other."

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding! You're absolutely correct, Ms. Fukawa! I may have trapped all of you here, but that wasn't nearly enough motive! No, no, that only set up the stage! So to give you all a motive, I've created sixteen very special videos- one for each of you- to give you just a little glimpse of what's happening out there without you!"

"Hey, don't be like that," Junko said in a monotone voice. "Saying things like 'not enough motive' and then making videos to torture us... That's like, super depressing."

"Well, I certainly hope it's not depressing! I want you all to be filled with panic, rage, and despair by these videos!" Monokuma replied, mimicking horror. "Do let me know if the video is too dull for you, will you? I'm always looking for constructive criticism! Although, watching you all try to find out what's going on here and uncover all my secrets is just so entertaining in and of itself! So by all means, keep searching, too!"

"Interesting. So you don't intend to stand in the way of our finding the truth..." Kyoko thought out loud, a hand on her chin.

"Um, where exactly are these videos you made for us?" Chihiro asked quietly.

"Oh, right! Well, your videos are exactly where you'll need to go to watch them! Now go on and watch them now, and let the real fun begin! Puhuhuhu!" Monokuma spun on his leg and jumped back into the curtains on the stage, disappearing from view. The assembly, at least, was over.

"Wow, he didn't even tell us where to go? What a letdown," Leon scoffed.

"Actually, he gave us very simple directions, plankton," Byakuya said haughtily. "Although I suppose it's not surprising that a cretin like yourself wouldn't be able to piece it together."

"Hey, what'd you just call me, bitch?" Leon's face went red.

"Language, Leon! Byakuya, enough!" Taka stepped in between them, arms out. "Now's no time for this!"

"It never is, is it?" Junko tossed her ponytails. "You can't expect us to all get along peachy all the time!"

"I think everyone just needs to calm down for a second," Makoto tried to say.

"Nah, let 'em yell it out. Gotta get it out somehow, right?" Mondo shut him down.

"You'd know about letting your anger out, wouldn't you, Mondo?" Sayaka shot back, glaring daggers.

"Hey, you guys aren't still taking this all seriously, are you?" Hiro asked, exasperated. "I mean, this is probably just some kinda rite of passage for a fancy school, right? The video is probably gonna say we've all gotten punked or something, so let's go find it!"

"I suppose that's a possibility. Either way, Hiro's right. We need to find and watch those videos," Kyoko said calmly.

"He said that our videos were where we could watch them, right? Then wouldn't they be in the AV room?" Chihiro asked.

"Precisely! We should head there immediately!" Taka agreed.

"Hold on! How do we know this isn't a trap?" Hifumi interrupted. "For all we know, something awful could be in there waiting for us!"

"I'll go ahead and check!" I offered. If there is something dangerous there, I'll take care of it for everyone!

"It may be too dangerous to face alone. I'll join you, just in case," Sakura said, headed for the door. "Let's go."

"Okay! We'll be back soon, guys, promise!" I followed her out the door before anyone could object.

We walked down the hall together, watching every corner and shadow for something different- something new. "Do you think there'll actually be something dangerous in there?" Sakura asked me.

I sighed. "Well, not directly, but... whatever we will find is supposed to be a motive, so it can't be anything good." Toko's lab rat theory was still weighing on me- that we were experiments to them, being observed and manipulated to test our limits and push us to kill. I put on a smile. "But whatever there is, I'm sure we'll be able to face it together, no matter what!"

When we got to the AV room, everything seemed the same. Nothing was out of place, and there wasn't anything new, save for a single cardboard box resting on top of the nearest row of disc players. I opened it up and looked inside. There were a bunch of discs, each in their own case with a name written on it.

"It appears the fear of ambush was unfounded," Sakura said. "I will go and retrieve the others. It won't take long."

"Alright! I'll wait here!" I waited until she left, than started digging around the box. Which one, which one...? Ah, there! I pulled out my disc and headed for a disc player. I opened up the case carefully and put it in, put the player's earbuds in, and watched the screen.

It would've been better if I hadn't.

The screen switches on, revealing a young boy in a small bedroom. He looks extremely similar to Aoi Asahina, with dark hair, big brown eyes, and a huge smile. He's close to the screen, adjusting the camera's angle.

"Okay, it's recording!" He runs further back, than looks at the camera with pride. "Hey, Hina! Are you actually getting this?" He waves at the screen excitedly. "Hey! Good luck at Hope's Peak, alright?! But you better look out! I'm coming for your title! Yeah, that's right, soon I'll be the Ultimate Swimming Pro instead of you! Nyeh!" He pulls at the skin under his eyes and sticks his tongue out. "This video is supposed to get to you a couple days after you're all moved in and stuff, alright? So-"

The screen freezes on his face, then zooms in on him. An unwelcome, familiar voice starts to speak.

"Ah, Yuuta Asahina. What an excitable young man! And his big sister must love him so very much! Little Yuuta is so proud of his big sister! But oh no!"

The screen flashes, and the small room is now decimated. The bed's been overturned, the window is broken. Outside is a cloudy, dark crimson hue. Toys and clothes are scattered across the ground, and a dark color is splattered on parts of the wall.

"What's happened here? What could've happened to this innocent little boy's well-being? I sure do hope that he's okay! But how can we know for sure?"

The screen goes black, and bright red letters fill the screen.

Find the answer after graduation!

My body felt frozen. My mouth was dry. My watch started beeping- my bpm was getting too high. I didn't care. I backed up, away from the player, away from what it showed me. I tripped on my own laces and landed with a thud. I kept scooting back. It was too much. I can't do this... I have to get out of here! I have to find him!

"Hina! What's wrong?" Behind me was Taka. He grabbed my arms and I was standing up. "Hina?"

"The... the video... I.." Yuuta's in trouble... Something's happened to him, I know it!

"The video?"

Everyone else had come in, and one by one, they all found their videos and went to the disc players. And pretty soon, they were all acting the same.

"Wh- This can't be real!"

"I-I can't take this anymore! L-Let me out!"

"This is..."

"Wait, was this all real?!"

"I see... So that's what he meant by motive."

Kyoko was calm as ever, a hand on her player. "A fear tactic to make us more desperate. Very clever..."

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

Sayaka rushed out of the room, shoving the people around her aside. Makoto and Chihiro fell to the ground, hard. I snapped out of it and ran over to them.

"Sayaka, wait!" Makoto got up, running after her. They disappeared into the hall. I offered my hand to Chihiro, and she rose to her feet. Tears had filled her eyes.

"Everyone remain calm!" Taka tried, but his voice was shaky, and he was sweating. Mondo reached out to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Taka gripped it tight. "We don't know for sure that those videos are real!"

"How do you know that?" Leon demanded. "Maybe you're just trying to get our guards down, so you can-"

"Don't you see?" Sakura interrupted. "This is what Monokuma wants. He wants us to fight."

"The videos must be fake anyway," Mukuro agreed. "He likely pulled from preexisting footage and edited it to make us desperate."

"If that's true, then it was really good editing," Chihiro said. "It sure looked real..."

"It is like the prisoner's dilemma," Celeste chimed. "Say two countries are on the brink of war. But both countries want peace, and agree to scale back their forces as a sign of good faith. But both fear the other will betray them, so neither scale back their forces, and they both betray each other." She brushed off her skirt. "That is what he is trying to create in a way."

"Well, you won't see me getting caught up in it. Good day." Byakuya left, taking his dvd with him.

"Yeah, me neither! I'm getting outta here!" Leon stomped off. One by one, so did everyone else. Eventually, it was just me, Taka, and Mondo.

"Guys... those videos... They're fake, right?" I looked up at them. "I mean, they were super convincing, but... they've gotta be, right? Like Mukuro said."

"Of course... It was merely a display of photoshop!" Taka agreed. He couldn't meet my eyes. "Right, bro?"

Mondo stalked over to the cardboard box and put his disc back in. "Hell yeah this shit is fake! No chance in hell somethin' like that could ever happen!" He picked up the box and brought it over to us. "We should round up everyone's discs and get rid of 'em. There's an incinerator in the trash room we can use to burn 'em."

"Good idea! And next time Monokuma tries to give us videos, we should be careful. They're all designed to make us want to kill, after all." We both put our videos back in the box.

Mondo hoisted it up onto his shoulder. "I'm gonna find everyone and get their videos off of 'em. You two sit tight, alright? I've got this one." And he left.

Taka and I stood by each other, not saying anything. I pressed my back against the wall and slid down to the floor. He sat by me.

"What are we gonna do?" Taka's face looked pale, panicked. Now that everyone else was gone, he'd put down his leadership role. Now, it was just the two of us, small and afraid.

"I don't know." I couldn't help him. I was just as lost as he was. "I can't help you right now. No one can. Because those videos... We don't know if they're real or not! I wanna believe that they're faked, but we don't know! I don't know where my brother is, or what's happened to him..."

"It was your brother in your video?" He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to me. "Hina, I'm so sorry. You must be very close to him."

"I mean, yeah, I guess so." I took his handkerchief. "I mean, we've always looked out for each other, ya know? Like siblings are supposed to do. But what about you? Who was in your video?"

He hugged his knees. "My father was in mine. I... don't know how I feel about it."

I wiped my eyes. "What do you mean?"

He closed his eyes and rested his head on his knees. "My father and I... We have a complicated relationship at best. I mean, we share similar ideals, and he's always pushed me to be my best, but... sometimes he's not so pleasant. Being accepted to this school was supposed to be a dream! I'd satisfy our dream, and I'd finally meet talented individuals like myself! People who valued hard work above all else, like you and me." He sighed shakily. "Being trapped in here with all of you has been stressful, but... it's also been quite nice at times. I never realized how much more freedom I'd have away from home- an odd sentiment for our situation, I know, but- it felt... good." He looked back up. "I've always thought that, as long as I could follow the rules I was given, than everything would work itself out in the end... So why? Why am I being presented with this impossible choice?!"

Taka... He's always working so hard to follow the rules. He wants to make his father proud of him, so he keeps putting himself at the front. But now he's stuck between a rock and a hard place, and there's nothing I can offer him.

He follows the rules...

"Taka, thank you for telling me." I handed him his handkerchief back. "I'm sure your father would be proud to see how you've been doing since we've got here. And ya know what? I've got an idea, if you're able to hear it."

He took it back and wiped his eyes. When he tucked it back in, his usual confident look was back- a little broken, but back. "An idea, you say? Very well then! Let's hear it!"

Good, he's back. "Taka, you were a hall monitor at your old school, right? Did you ever get any smart kids that would try and find a loophole in all the rules to get away with stuff?"

"Why, yes, I was! There was always someone who'd get sassy and-" His eyes widened as he realized. He looked at me in horror. "No."

"I know it sounds bad-"

"Hina, please-"

"But you need to become-"

"Isn't there another way?-"

"What you want to destroy the most."

"I can't!" He stood straight up. "To use the rules like that? It's dishonorable!"

"But Taka," I plead, "it could be our best chance. If you, who understands rules better than anyone, can find a way to get someone- any one of us- out of here to find help, than it has to be you! Right?"

"But, Hina, what you're asking, it goes against everything I believe in! How can I do this?"

"It'll be okay, Taka." I smiled, putting my hands on his shoulders. "We've got this, alright? It'll be okay."

His lip quivered, eyes tearing. Then his face hardened. His eyes glowed with determination. "I... I understand. In order to save our class, I'll do what I have to. Even if that means... weaponizing the rules." He closed his eyes as he spoke, ashamed with himself.

"We're doing the right thing, Taka," I assured him. "This way, we can save everybody. You'll see!"

He forced a smile. "Right! I'll find a solution in the rules by tomorrow morning! We can tell the others at breakfast! You make the meal for us tomorrow morning in preparation, alright?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "I'll fry up the best donuts you can imagine!" Just then, our stomachs both growled. "Oh, right. We never ate breakfast."

"Ah, excellent point!" He brought a hand to his chin. "Then we must go and eat! Quickly! To the kitchen!"