A/N: Here's my contribution for Day Five: Mastermind, taking place after "Maki Moves In!" Please read, review, and enjoy!

The Ultimate Detective and The Ultimate Hope Gaiden: Momoharu Week 2022!

Day Five: Mastermind!

Kaito walked on the cloudy path, glancing around at the numerous humble houses lining the surroundings. Ever since dying, the former astronaut had slowly but surely become accustomed to the afterlife, with the help of Makoto's former classmates.

Before he knew it, Kaito had become fast friends with the deceased members of Class 78th. Not as close as they were with each other; Kaito knew that he would never truly be part of the family they had crafted for themselves. But he considered himself lucky to have such good friends in the afterlife.

I'm glad to be with my grandparents again, but it's still nice to know that I won't have to wait until Maki Roll passes on to have friends up here. Kaito smiled as he continued to walk absentmindedly down the fluffy, white path. Sayaka, Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Taka, Hifumi, Celeste, Sakura…I may have met an early demise…but I'm still blessed to have met the eight of them-

"Hey, watch where you're going, you idiot!"

"Ah, my bad…" Kaito's apology trailed off as the familiar insult echoed in his ears. He bumped his fists together, scowling as he exclaimed "Hey, wait a sec! Idiot?! Only Maki Roll gets to call me that!"

"Geez, you're annoying. And who's Maki Roll? On second thought, don't' tell me. I'm already bored."

Bored?! Maki Roll's not boring! Who the hell is this person, anyway?!

Kaito at last looked up at the person he had inadvertently ran into. The former astronaut froze as he stared into the blue eyes of a familiar, strawberry blonde girl. Her hair was tied into twin pigtails, her slender waist offset by her rather impressive cleavage. Though he was certain he had never met her before in his life, Kaito knew the girl in front of her like the back of his head.

"…Junko Enoshima…"

Kaito growled, clenching his fists at the sight of the Ultimate Despair. Junko glanced at him, raising an eyebrow in slight surprise.

"…Yeah, that's me. Why are you surprised, though? Let me guess, you're still new to this whole afterlife thing." Junko's face drooped in sadness as mushrooms suddenly populated her head. "Don't tell me everyone down there has already forgotten about me? All that work and nobody even remembers what I did…how disappointing…HEY!"

Junko found herself lifted off the ground by the shirt. Kaito gritted his teeth, clenching his fists around the fabric as he suspended her in midair.

"Trust me, I know exactly who you are…the mastermind of the Tragedy, the one who destroyed society and caused untold deaths throughout the world, the one who forced her own classmates to kill each other!" Between the footage Maki Roll and I saw while on the run from the Remnants, and the stories we heard from the Naegis, I know all out the atrocities you caused!

"Puhuhu!" A new cutesy-eyed Junko giggled. "That's right, a Gold Star for you! You didn't flunk History class when you were alive, after all."

"How can you live with yourself after what you've done, you bitch?"

"Uh, I'm not living with myself! I'm dead, you know! Ahahahaha!"

Kaito quickly felt his patience with the former fashionista being tested. "You…you…"

"Junko!"

An exasperated, feminine voice caused both of them to turn their heads. A freckled woman with short, black hair stomped up to them, exasperation clear in her eyes.

"Hey, Muku!" Junko waved. "Give me a hand with this idiot, won't you?"

Muku… Kaito's brow furrowed in confusion. Why does that name sound so familiar…?

The woman sighed, shaking her head. "Junko, what did you do? I doubt you'd be dangling off the ground if you hadn't gotten on the guy's nerves."

How can this girl even stand her…? Kaito wondered as Junko shook her head.

"No way, Muku! I'm innocent this time, I swear! I was just minding my own business when this idiot-"

"Hey, I already told you, don't call me an idiot!" Kaito interjected, his patience thin.

The girl frowned apologetically as she turned to Kaito. "I apologize for my sister's actions. I'm Mukuro Ikusaba."

"…Ikusaba…?" Kaito's eyes widened as his grip slackened, causing Junko to unceremoniously fall to the ground.

"Hey! Be a little gentler, won't you?" She whined, only to be ignored by the former astronaut and soldier.

"Ikusaba…you were one of the masterminds of the Tragedy!" Kaito exclaimed in shock as Mukuro nodded, her eyes suddenly downcast with guilt.

"…Yes, I was…it's a role that I've come to regret ever since I died…" She locked stares with the now agitated Kaito, her eyes dead serious. "Since the end of the Killing School Life, I've decided to repent for my crimes by keeping my sister here in check."

"I…I see…" Kaito muttered, awkwardly averting his gaze.

Mukuro furrowed her brow, cockign her head in confusion. "By the way…did you go to Hope's Peak, by any chance? I feel like I've seen you before, but I can't put my finger on where…"

"Uh, no, I've never been to Hope's Peak Academy…though I would have attended as part of Class 79th-"

"Ah, now I remember!" Now wearing glasses, Junko stood up, lecturing "Momota Kaito, set to enroll as the Ultimate Astronaut. Raised by your grandparents who perished during the Tragedy. Scouted by Headmaster Jin Kirigiri after forging your way into astronaut training, but later dropped when Hope's Peak Academy was transformed into a shelter."

Seeing Kaito's incredulous stare, Mukuro explained "When we ransacked the headmaster's office, we came across a list of profiles for the 79th Class. She probably recalled it once you said you were going to be enrolled." Seeing Kaito nod, Mukuro turned her attention back to Junko. "So, Junko, are you going to apologize to Momota-kun?"

"…She'd need a lot more than one apology to make up for what she's done to me, me personally!"

"Huh?"

Junko and Mukuro stared in confusion as Kaito began to rant, "Because of her Tragedy, the polluted atmosphere gave me an incurable disease that slowly killed me and took me away from my Maki Roll!" He glared at the stunned fashionista as he seethed, "I'll never forgive you for that!"

Junko blinked for a second before her lips twitched into a satisfied smirk. "Puhuhuhu…so you're saying I dealt you a slow, constant despair. Knowing you were gonna die, but not knowing when you'd finally kick the bucket…you must have felt despair knowing at you every waking moment!"

"…Enough, Junko." Mukuro grumbled as she grabbed the back of Junko's collar. "I know it's not nearly enough, but I apologize on our behalf for everything Junko's done. I'll do my best to keep her away from you, you have my word on that."

Kaito grimaced, but silently nodded. "I'll…do my best to believe in you…"

Mukuro nodded gratefully as she walked away, pulling Junko with her. "Let's go, Junko."

"Aww, but I was having so much fun!" She whined, pouting as she and her sister disappeared from Kaito's view.

Now alone, Kaito shook his head and turned in the opposite direction. He continued his walk with a slight stomp, needing to seriously burn some energy after his encounter with the Despair Sisters.

Yeah…it's probably best if I avoid those two at all costs…Ikusaba seems decent enough now that she's repented…but even I can't stand being near Enoshima. I'll make sure Maki Roll avoids her too when we finally do reunite…


"Ah-choo!" Maki sneezed, slightly lurching forward as she rested her hand on her baby bump.

"Hm?" Kyoko glanced at Maki with a curious concern. "Something wrong, Maki?"

"No…" Maki's brow furrowed as she lamented, "I just had a feeling that idiot was talking about me up there…"

Makoto smiled, commenting "Hopefully Kaito's making some good friends up in the afterlife."

"Indeed." Kyoko nodded, grimacing as a familiar, malicious face entered her mind. "Just so long as he stays away from Enoshima."

"…Yeah, though I guess it's inevitable for them to cross paths at some point…" Maki admitted, glancing down at her belly. "I'm just glad our baby won't have to deal with someone like Enoshima. I feel bad for Kaito though…"

"Well, I'm sure he can handle Junko's tauntings." Makoto smiled hopefully.

"Indeed." Kyoko concurred. "Kaito's strong, and he'll have the support of our other classmates, too. He'll be just fine."

"…Yeah, he will…" Maki stared at the ceiling, a small smile gracing her face. I hope you're happy up there, Kaito. We're gonna miss you, but I promise, we'll be okay.