With a grin, I continued through the alleyway. I turned to my side to look at the door with the light for only a couple seconds, but then I smirked and moved on. If my 'polar opposite' theory was correct, which I assumed it was because of the gate, then the entrance to Izuru's hideout would be at the back of the alleyway, not on the side. Perhaps this was Izuru's intention… Punishing people for having false hope in such a simple entrance was a great way to get people to stop believing in Hope itself... I felt bad for anyone else who even dared approach this area.

I plowed my way through the trash to the backmost alley wall. It didn't make sense for this much trash to be behind this fence, considering how the entrance was always locked. Then again, Izuru was the one who told me that rational explanations weren't always necessary.

As the one light grew further away, and the alleyway grew darker, I turned on my flashlight, illuminating the path in front of me. I shined it on the ground, to ensure what I was stepping in was just trash, and not a trap.

I eventually reached the back wall. And, just as I expected, it looked very similar, especially in size, to what I saw before on the other side of town.

Except there were two doorknobs.

Two doorknobs? Didn't the other entrance have only one?

Maybe I missed it… Whatever. Either way, this wasn't a very hard puzzle at all. Since the doorknob I used to open the first door was on the right, then the one on the left should be the correct doorknob, and the one that will open this door.

There was no trash bin pressing me tightly against the door this time, so opening it would be far simpler. I grabbed the leftmost doorknob, twisted it, and pulled to the right.

I could feel the door slightly budge. Swiftly, I turned off my flashlight and threw it in my pocket. I grabbed the doorknob with both hands this time, and I pulled harder.

The door very slowly opened. This door was obviously much heavier than the previous one, taking a significant effort on my part to heave the panel to the right.

What awaited my eyes was complete darkness.

I grabbed my flashlight and turned it on again. As I threw the light into the dark room, it seemed very barren.

However, this room wasn't a room. It was more like a corridor. It extended far deeper than the other room, deep enough that I couldn't tell what was at the end, even with my flashlight.

Hmpf. I'd find out what was at the end if I actually stepped inside and got closer.

With caution, I took my first step into the dark hallway. I could hear my shoes resonate as they hit the hard concrete. All the trash I stepped in made them sound more like a 'squish' than a footstep, though...

Seeing as the hallway was devoid of life, I took my second step in.

All of a sudden, two lights, to my left and right a couple feet in front of me, burned to life, illuminating the surrounding area so much that I didn't need my flashlight.

How convenient. I turned off my flashlight, for now, and put it back in my pocket.

I still didn't see the end of the hallway, but I did see that there was a red carpet lining the center of the path.

Even more convenient. I walked up to the carpet and wiped my shoes to clean them of the detritus from the alley. Besides, one always wipes their feet before entering someone else's place of residence. And it wasn't my carpet...

As I took another few steps, two more lights, a couple feet from the first ones, flashed on, lighting up more of the path. I continued until I could see the end of the hallway, which wasn't that far from where I started.

There was just a simple door. A clean, white door, at the end of the carpet. It was so… pristine.

I watched my step as I approached the door. Slowly, I reached out to grab the doorknob, and I stood to the side of the door as I twisted the knob. After detecting no excessive resistance, I calmly pulled the door towards me, blocking my view. I waited a couple seconds with the door open, and then looked inside from around the door.

It seemed to lead into some sort of foyer… There was a thick, reddish-brown carpet with all sorts of patterns on it laid across the hardwood floor. Bookshelves surrounded the room, with each book carefully placed and organized by category. The sheer number of books lined along the walls rivaled the Foundation's library itself. On the right side of the room sat an old fashioned wooden globe, with some markings on it that I couldn't decipher from my current position. On the other side of the room, there was a single chair. It had deep red upholstery, and even though the chair seemed expensive and formal, it also looked like it was very comfortable. Next to the chair was a small table with a reading lamp. The table was spotless. It was so clean, that I suspected it hadn't been used in a long time, until I looked closer and saw no sign of dust.

Hm... this room seemed way too perfect to be used frequently by Izuru. It was his house, after all. He has every right to use his foyer the way he pleases. And it's not like he's expecting anyone, either. No one would dare enter his hideout…

Well, except for me.

Wait, was he expecting me?

No, there's no way he'd know... I dismissed the idea quickly. I checked the hallway to make sure there was no sign of anyone, and then I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Very quietly, I took my first few steps inside the foyer, and slowly closed the door behind me. The other side of the door was a deep black, which wasn't really surprising at all.

But finding Izuru Kamukura's hideout? That was surprising. I never thought I'd find it. My heart was beating faster than ever in my excitement at finally solving the mystery. Or, was it being able to see Izuru? I couldn't tell...

The smell of something enveloped the air around me. It seemed like… deodorant… or something similar. Well, whatever it was, I couldn't get enough of it. It was so inviting.

I walked up to the wooden globe and stopped to examine it more closely. Those markings I noticed earlier… they were just white and black dots. They were differently sized, too. It was very staggering to notice the overwhelming amount of black dots that speckled all areas of the globe. The number of white dots was far less. Hm… that did make me curious…

I spun the globe around, looking for this city. It was very noticeable, actually.

Because the biggest black dot, and the biggest white dot, were both placed over that city.

Yes, that made sense. After taking another quick look around the room (nothing else stood out to me, really), I started sneaking down the next hallway.

The hallway wasn't lit up very well, which did signify that no one was in the area, but one can't be too sure. I checked every open room as I moved slowly through the hallway. Each room seemed to display the same luxurious style as the foyer, and not a speck out of place, either.

As I made my way to a perpendicular hallway to my left, there seemed to be some… sound… coming from that direction. I peered around the corner to take a look.

The sound was coming from the room at the far end of the hallway, which was glowing a faint blue. In that room, I saw the edge of a brown couch, and a potted plant, which from my perspective seemed to be a cactus. Why a cactus, I didn't know. But the point was, that the room at the end of the hallway looked like a living room, and the sounds indicated that Izuru was most likely watching television.

So, I very quietly tiptoed to the next room in the hallway, getting closer to the living room. I tried to catch a glimpse of Izuru, but I wasn't close enough. I made my way over to the next room, which happened to be a white-and-black tiled bathroom.

The sound was getting louder, and it seemed much more familiar to me. Now that I thought of it… that's how I knew it was the television.

Because I watched yesterday what Izuru is watching today. The show with Monokuma and the mechanical beasts. Why was Izuru watching that?

Well, he was. I could see him from the bathroom. He was only half paying attention to the television, though; he was furiously typing some commands into his laptop. Sticking out of the laptop was a USB stick. I stood there, hypnotized in the sight of Izuru Kamukura, until I heard something out of place.

"I know you're there."

The voice came from Izuru himself.

What? How? I mean, I was watching him… But it was from a spot that he couldn't see me back...

Izuru slammed his enter key and removed the USB stick, tossing it in his pocket. He looked in my general direction.

"So you've found it. I commend you for that. But you know, Kyoko… It's very rude to enter someone's living quarters without their permission."

Izuru placed the laptop down on the couch, and started walking towards me. Knowing that my cover was completely and utterly blown, I revealed myself, and spoke.

"Sometimes what must be done is greater than obeying such societal standards."

Izuru smirked a bit at that and responded, "As I'm aware."

Izuru was barely five feet in front of me now, and moving closer. He was wearing dark blue jeans, with a black belt against his slim waist. A tight black dress shirt covered his chest, and his glossy, black hair was draped down behind it. His pale, white face contrasted with the rest of his appearance, which also emphasized his bold, red eyes. Even though he wasn't dressed up much, he still looked great. I could feel my head getting lighter, but I stood my ground.

As he approached me, he started to speak again, seemingly curious. The deodorant smell was getting stronger now, and it engulfed me with its intriguing scent.

"But I must consider… what was the motive behind it?"

Izuru stared into my eyes, trying to decipher my inner feelings. His piercing gaze was intimidating, yet inviting, two deep pools of red judging me. I got lost in his eyes for a bit too long before realizing that I'd actually have to answer him. And if I didn't answer truthfully, he'd know it.

Even if I did answer truthfully, he'd know it. Izuru could read me like an open book. I tore my eyes away from his and closed them, facing downwards. I took a couple deep breaths, and began to think.

Did I really have to choose now? Well, if I did, that choice was pretty obvious. I'd choose Izuru. It'd keep both options open, plus it was the option I very much preferred. But would Izuru know if I wasn't fully committed?

My heart was beating faster and faster as my longing for Izuru grew. I opened my eyes and turned up, lest not to look too conflicted. Izuru displayed a grin unlike one I've seen before - it seemed to be filled with desire now. He looked at me with a face perfectly exhibiting the feelings I had for him. At this point, my heart ached for Izuru. It was a feeling I didn't know if I'd ever feel again.

But it wouldn't matter, right? If I got it right the first time, I wouldn't need to care about that.

My eyes softened a bit. In that moment, I knew. I didn't have to make a decision, but I did.

I'd capture Izuru Kamukura's heart.

It didn't matter if I'd turn out like my father. I didn't care about that right now. At least I'd be happy with myself. And at least I'd be justified in my decision; it's not like his choice was as enticing as Izuru Kamukura...

So without hesitation, as if I'd practiced it a million times, I spoke the words that had once troubled me.

"I love you."

Izuru's eyebrows raised a bit in surprise, then lowered. He then took his right hand and slowly pushed my long, purple hair behind my left ear. My face tingled at his touch.

"I love you too."

All the butterflies in my stomach collectively fluttered, and I smiled at his confession. I was probably blushing, but it didn't matter. Nor did I care about such trivialities when Izuru was within my grasp.

We stood there for a second. And then, that second became two seconds. And-

Argh, I couldn't take it anymore! I was here with Izuru, finally. And nothing was happening. There was no way I was losing this moment.

I stood on my toes, extended my face, closed my eyes, and kissed Izuru. Honestly, he seemed to be expecting it, based on the way he reacted. It felt even better than the first time, and I indulged myself in his lips.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me towards him. And, I did the same. A sudden warmth took over my body. We embraced each other for a good minute, and then Izuru started to move.

He was guiding me somewhere. I wasn't sure where, though. I didn't dare turn around to look, especially with Izuru's lips so close to mine. His repeated kisses captivated me.

Wait. Was he leading me there? I felt some sense of pleasure at the thought.

The room wasn't very far away from where we were standing. As we wandered into that room and I took a look around, I confirmed my assumption.

It was Izuru Kamukura's bedroom.

Already? Isn't that a bit too forward?

Well… It's not like it's that bad…

If I was a detective for the next ten years, I'd never experience this feeling, of intense happiness and satisfaction. In fact, even if it was twenty or thirty years, nothing could compare to my love for Izuru at that point. I'd never known love was like this. But then again, love is unpredictable.

Izuru took another couple of steps, and then pushed me onto the bed with him.

And then - Well, let's just say the rest is history.