AN: next chapter yeehaw/ sorry its a short one umu

thanks for all the reviews they make me happy umu && i figured out how to reply yeah! i wont be updating as frequently becos i have a new fic im working on at the same time! its enoshima x kirigiri if thats something ya are interested in ;9

Ishimaru stared up at Monokuma, "But if they've already been mailed, how would that work?" His voice was carefully leveled and devoid of much emotion.

"You see, if you murder someone and get out of this academy in the next day or so, then you could probably go tell your parents that you got out on your own! And if they see you inperson, then they have no reason to go rescue you from the terrible Hope's Peak!"

Ishimaru's face seemed to crack, and he grabbed the person closed to him, Kirigiri, and started to sob. His hands scrabbled at her back and she winced, patting his back awkwardly.

Monokuma silently watched the pair for a moment, before turning back to the general concensus of students, "Well, the letters will arrive in two days, so if you wanna murder, do it tonight! Upupupu!" And then he disappeared.

My head spun again, I had a deadline now, I had to kill and I had to do it tonight. My hands shook and I felt someone staring directly at me.

I felt so weak, I was cornered.

No. There was a way out, I know there must be.

If someone had asked me yesterday if I could kill without hesitation, I would say that I could. But now that I'm faced with actually having to do it, and not even having enough time to flesh out a plan all the way, I was shaking, pale, lost, and maybe I'd even go so far as to say I was scared.

No, I wasn't scared.

There must be a way!

I felt like pulling my hair out and screaming "Get a hold of yourself. You're making a fool of yourself, get it together!" But of course I merely stared forward with a calm expression and turned to walk out of the room.

I heard footsteps from behind me and a hand grab my arm. I whirled around and stared at Kirigiri, who was grabbing my forearm with a leather-clad hand. Ah, so that was who's eyes were looking at me.

"You are suspicious." Kirigiri said neutrally. "The most suspicious people are being paired up with two of the others so that no one starts anything. You're in mine, Naegi, and Fujisaki's group. We are the only group of four since sixteen is not divisible by three." She scanned my face carefully for any hint of expression and then continued, "You are to stay with us at all times, so that if a murder happens we can assure you have an alibi and if me, Naegi, or Fujisaki turn up dead we will know who did it."

I nodded slowly, but inwardly felt like screaming. I could take one person, but if I had three people, even those as weak as Naegi and Fujisaki against a singular me, there was no way I could kill both of them. Not to mention they'd know immediately what happened when their bodies were found.

Maybe if I could brainwash one of the other group's into working with me I could do something. They couldn't resist four on three.

I measured my voice carefully and started, "Who are the other groups?" I still winced at the fact it wavered slightly regardless.

Kirigiri paused before saying, "That's classified. I'm the only one who knows that, if it got out, you could locate the group with your friends in it and organize a group murder. I've set up a schedule individually with the group leaders so that no groups will come in contact with each other if they stay on schedule."

Damnit.

I looked at her skeptically, "You got all that done in the ten minutes that have passed since the end of the movie?" She shook her head and smirked at me slightly, an interesting expression on her usually blank face.

"That's what you missed at the meetings." She said with a teasing lit.

I frowned at her, "Okay, where is Naegi and Fujisaki? I don't want to wait aroud any longer than I have to."

"Here!" Naegi said, standing next to Kirigiri, "I've been here the whole time..." Naegi said with a put-off expression.

I smirked in a slightly playful way, "Terribly sorry that commoners fade into the background for me."

Wait, playful? I'm acting playful towards Naegi?

I blinked and looked down at him, who was giving me this wide-eyed, hurt, expression that he seemed to always have when I talked to him. I did feel maybe slightly bad for what I'd done, but I was overall thankful he hadn't picked up on the playfulness that had replaced the bite in my words.

I turned to Kirigiri, who raised her eyebrow to me. She mouthed the words, "You like him?" At me and raised her eyebrows slowly. I turned away quickly so that she couldn't read whatever expression I currently had.

Fujisaki joined us in that awkward moment and I abruptly started to walk away, the other three starting and following after me soon after.