Time for some review replies!

TheRoseShadow21: Great to see you reviewing again! Yatarou is indeed letting his insecurities get to him, and undone is the best word to describe him - death flags have been risen. Thanks for reviewing!

Katastic Writer: Shizuka really has an interesting backstory. I'm hoping to flesh it out more in the coming chapters! As for Chigusa's agenda, we'll have to wait and see. I have just finished the fifth Class Trial at the time of writing this reply, and wow... the waterworks were way too real. It's hard to see one of your favourite characters in so much anguish for being alive. I can only wait for the sixth and final trial to rock those tears away with some pure, unadultered epic showdown. Please. I need it. Desperately. Thanks for your review!

Revolution921: Thank you for the kind words! I'll doing my best to flesh out Shizuka's backstory now that his secret is finally out, and boy is there a lot to cover! Haha, thank you for reviewing!

ACT 4: Despair is a Dish That's Best Served Cold

CHAPTER 3: Snow Way Out

NOON

Location: Mess Hall

I had just gone down the stairs and made my way to the Mess Hall when a soft, muffled conversation stopped me in my tracks. Surprised, I resumed my trajectory and followed the sound, which was conveniently coming from my destination. Opening the doors to the place where we'd gathered beforehand to eat breakfast, I saw a good few people - everyone but two of us were missing, those two being Shizuka and myself.

Looking around for somewhere to stand in as Monokuma had not arrived yet, I noticed a palpaple, almost opressive feeling deep inside my chest. The air in the Mess Hall was heavy, and the small talk that the smaller, divided groups were ensuing in was merely a way to ignore said tension. Swallowing the knot in my throat, I cocked my head to the left and right, seeing Eita, Sakurako and Akahana on one side of the room, sat down at the now empty dining table, Riou, Kikyo and Yatarou on the corner of the room, right opposite where I'd come in from, and Chigusa fidgeting with her handbook by herself.

Although a bit sorry for the Gardener who sat alone, I was a bit more at ease when she looked my way with a smile on her face. Smiling back, I nodded as a small, quiet greeting and stood in place as she turned her attention back to her device. I turned around and walked over to Riou's side. "Hey, guys." I said, warning everyone I'd just come in.

"Hey there!" Kikyo greeted with a smile. "Where have you been?"

"The Relaxation Area upstairs." I answered. "Pretty nice place... a pool, a hot tub, a sauna, a turkish bath... it's real neat!" I paused before sighing, the depressing atmosphere seeping into my brain for a second. "If only we could enjoy it without any fear..." I noted sadly.

Flinching at the implications, Kikyo looked away. "We'll be fine as long as we're careful." Yatarou added. "If we stay together, there's nothing that can stop us!"

Stay... together, huh?

I wish I could be as positive as I want to be and agree with Yatarou. Let's stay together! Nothing can go wrong! But... is that really so? We're not really in our best moments as far as trust is concerned... a look around the Mess Hall speaks volumes about how we were separated by these class trials. In fact... ever since the party in Verdant Views, we haven't even been all together to hang out and build our bonds. We're not a group anymore... that's out biggest enemy in this Game.

That's why I'm not sure we can esca-

Something hard hit the top of my head and my neck was flung forward, widened eyes looking down at my feet. "Snap out of it!" Riou roared. "What're you lookin' so glum for, now!?"

Being forcefully pulled back into reality, I shook my head. "N-Nothing! Sorry..."

"Don't lie to me, babe." Riou glared, with equal halves of worry and seriousness in his eyes. "I know you were thinking about something bad. What's up?"

"It's n-nothing, I'll just shrug it off. Nothing important..." I excused myself, struggling to find another topic of conversation. As I looked down, embarassed to lie to Riou as I looked him in the eyes, I felt something push me forward, and a rugged, hard yet soft surface met the side of my face. With widened eyes, I looked up, finding myself in Riou's arms.

"I want you to tell me all about it later, babe." the Boxer smiled, eyes squinting. "Making people worry isn't nice, babe. And I know you well enough to know you're nice."

Blushing I looked to the side and smiled. "S-Stop that..."

"Sure, sure..." Riou shrugged, arm still around my shoulders, pressing me against him. "You can't unhear what I said, so no point in repeating it." he joked, making me laugh. To the side, Kikyo and Yatarou had goofy smirks on their faces. "What?" Riou asked, a bit more stern, his chest vibrating with his rougher voice.

"Nothing, nothing..." Yatarou shrugged, while Kikyo said something else at the same time. "You're just so cute together!"

Both the Boxer and I blushed, looking at each other in the eyes, and I turned away with a smile. "D-Don't say stuff like that!"

"Huh?" Riou took his free hand and lifted my chin up so I could see him again. "Why can't they? I agree with them. We're a cute couple."

Fangirling at the c-word, Kikyo and Yatarou silently lost it, making Riou and I chuckled at their silly, erratic movements and mouthed screaming. After an instant of silence, a smile appeared on my face as I finally felt what I was longing for ever since we've arrived at this city. Comfort. Safety.

"I love you, Riou." I blurted out, hugging the muscular Boxer, my arms barely touching on the other side of his large torso. "S-Sorry if that's cheesy, but... I do."

Riou laughed. "I love you too, pipsqueak."

"Y-You memorized my name and now you're not gonna use it?" I joked, arms still around him. We stood there in blissful silence for a moment - a moment that was cut far too short by the creaking of a door. I opened my eyes, seeing Yatarou and Kikyo eyeing who'd just come inside, and the look on the Tour Guide's face said it all. The final Super High School Level student had arrived, and almost as if on cue, a certain annoying teddy bear appeared.

Erupting from beneath the dinner table, Monokuma backflipped from under the tablecloth and proceeded to somersault onto the actual table, landing around the middle. "Come, one and all! Why is everyone so far away?" Monokuma skipped the greetings and went straight to the point of the meeting.

Begrudgingly, all nine surviving students stepped forward and stood in front of Monokuma in a loose semi-circle, waiting for the ursine to speak. "Well?" Akahana began.

"What?" the monochrome bear asked back.

"Why are we here?" Chigusa voiced from one end of the semi-circle, Shizuka next to her.

After a long, drawn-out sigh that turned everyone's attention to the young Prosecutorial Attorney, Akahana stood silent, her eyes closed. She parted her lips slightly before revealing her guess, a guess that conveniently matched a few others'. "The motive. Hurry up."

"Huh?" Monokuma stepped back in shock. "You want the motive? Oh, wow, couldn't you say you're planning a murder already?"

Akahana snorted mockingly. "Like I'd ever stoop to that. I just want you to leave as soon as possible."

"I'll have to agree." Eita nodded. "I'm not in the mood to be here, if I'm being honest." he added dismissively in his signature monotone voice.

A bit taken aback by how well Akahana and Eita, as well as Sakurako next to them, were taking the fact that they'd been given a new motive to commit murder so nonchalantly, Monokuma put his paws to his hips and had a dumbfounded expression on his face. "Well now, you're making this boring! If you're not going to be all like 'We'll never give in to your motives!' or 'That was the last time someone died!' or 'I would rather eat tofu for the rest of my life!' or insert other blatantly wrong statement here then... then... then I won't have any joy in giving you motives! Do you want a bored host?" Monokuma ranted. "Being constantly bored and monotone is a boring characteristic! Boring, boring, boring! That's why I'm so over-the-t-!"

"Can you hurry up?" Sakurako insisted.

"Oh, wooooooooooow..." Monokuma stomped furiously. "Now, you're interrupting me!? How dare you!? Why, I should punish you for disrespecting the principal!"

Sakurako sighed and kept quiet. Shizuka spoke up. "What is the motive you have in store for us now?"

"Oh!" Monokuma jumped, breathing erratically with excitement. "Oh, oh, oh!" he continued. "A Hitman asking for a motive!? That's miiiighty suspicious!"

"Agreed." Yatarou spat.

I rolled my eyes and responded. "Hurry up, Monokuma."

"Ah, and the protagonist speaks up! Is that an actual backbone, I see?" Monokuma mocked, making a gesture similar to squinting his eyes, his stubby arm placed on his forehead as if he was protecting his eyes from a light. "Now then, I really should get started with the meeting..." Monokuma said sitting down, looking deep in thought. "I have so many students waiting for this new motive!"

"So it is a motive." Kikyo deflated, her final hopes of it being something else completely dashed. "Well... it's no use fighting back. Give it to us."

Monokuma's head shot up. "Give you?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "Why should I give it to you!? It's not like I have it!" he retorted.

"H-Huh?" the Gardener interjected. "How?" she added

"If you don't have it, who has?" Riou asked.

Under his breath, Yatarou muttered something in a low voice as he turned his eyes elsewhere. "My money's on Shizuka..."

"Wrong!" Monokuma replied, pointing directly at Yatarou. Still a bit confused as to how the robotic bear could have heard him, he was cut short by the ursine's rambling. "Well- not wrong..."

"I was right!?" Yatarou inquired, surprised.

"Of course he'd have the motive!" Monokuma shrugged before standing back up and rubbing his palms together. "In fact... you have the motive!" Monokuma announced pointing at Yatarou.

"Wh-What!?" the Tour Guide shouted.

"And you have a motive!" Kikyo took a step back in surprise as she found herself at the end of the direction of Monokuma's paw. "And you have a motive! And you have a motive! And you have a motive! And you have a motive! And you have a motive! And you have a motive! And you have a motive! Everyone has a motive!"

A moment of silence passed by before I could hear Chigusa mumble something. "Was that a reference t-"

Trampling over the Gardener's words, Riou stomped his right foot forward. Instinctively, I grabbed his arm to try and stop him. Not moving any further, Riou looked at Monokuma with a hateful grimace. "What do you mean we all have the motive?"

Monokuma whistled the Boxer's query away nonchalantly, letting his impatience build up quickly.

Stomping forward once again, Riou repeated himself. "Answer the damn question, bear!"

Deflated, Monokuma slumped. "Oh sheesh... kids these days... no one says 'please', no one says 'thank you'..." he ranted, before doing a complete one-eighty and stomping forward with the same vigor as Riou. "What a bunch of heartless scamps! Whippersnappers!"

"Can you please hurry up?" Shizuka said calmly.

"Finally!" Monokuma exclaimed, before dropping the motive casually. "It's in your handbook. You'll notice there's a new tab open for you all!"

Reluctant, silence fell among us. A bit hesitant, we exchanged a few glances, directing it at whoever we felt more comfortable looking at. After an instant of staring into Riou's eyes, I slid the device out of my pocket and turned it on, examining the options in the menu. "There's a... book?"

"A movie?" Chigusa guessed, from the tab's title. "It sounds dramatic."

"Twilight Syndrome Murder Case 2?" Shizuka voiced aloud.

Monokuma tensed up with excitement. "Did any of you get the reference!?" he exclaimed, before bursting into a cackling mess before coming to an abrupt stop, looking around him. "Huh? No one?" he added before looking at Yatarou. "Not even you?! Mahiru wannabe, this is basically your original's main plot point!"

"Who is that Mahiru anyway?!" Yatarou retorted.

"Sometimes memory loss is a bitch, huh?" Monokuma sighed. "Ah well, that's water under the bridge. Anyway! You're wrong! It's not a movie, and it's not a book! It's a-"

"It's a game." Akahana interrupted Monokuma, who glared at her with a menacing, shining red eye. "What? I think the 'Touch Screen to Start' and the 'How to Play' gave it away."

Dejected, Monokuma shrugged. "Ah well. More water for the underside of the bridge! Have fun, everyone!" he finally exclaimed before jumping out of the table and back to where he'd come from - underneath it. After a confused Kikyo gave chase, she found no such bear under the dining table, and sighed, defeated.

"Figures." Eita commented. "He wouldn't be there."

Sakurako nodded in agreement, and Yatarou voiced Kikyo's question - one he shared, coincidentally, with most of us. "What's a game supposed to do to make us commit murder?"

"I... don't know." Chigusa stated plainly after pondering on it for a few seconds. "I'm coming up short... maybe there's some brainwashing involved?"

"Monokuma wouldn't do such a thing." Sakurako theorized. "So far, the incentives were money, betrayal and chaos - they were all motivating us to commit the crime, but no one motive forced us to. I do believe the trend is not to be broken with this fourth motive."

We all went quiet for a second. "The way this videogame is supposed to motivate us is of no interest." Akahana stated matter-of-factly. "As long as we never play it, we have nothing to worry about. So let's come to an agreement, right here and right now."

"To not play the game?" Kikyo guessed.

"Correct." Akahana replied, nodding. "That way w-"

"We won't have to worry about a murder happening?" Shizuka mockingly continued Akahana's sentence, and judging from the tense look on her face as he said it, the Hitman had guessed the Prosecutorial Attorney's reasoning perfectly. "Oh, for heaven's sake. Do you really think we can afford to trust each other blindly?"

Biting her bottom lip, Akahana was unable to answer. "Shizuka, don't ruin the mood, please. It's better for us to try..." I pleaded. "Try and make it so the last murder was the last one."

"That kind of hopeful spiel is what made the past culprits almost get away with their crimes." Shizuka shrugged and sighed. "But these are the ramblings of a Hitman. For you guys, I'm merely coercing you to play the game so I can exploit your knowledge later down the line." he concluded, before turning to Yatarou with a correction. "Well, if you're smart enough to think far ahead."

The Tour Guide gritted his teeth. "You little..."

"Shizuka, stop it." I spoke up, making Yatarou step back. "You're not helping your case! So just stop. We want to live in peace for however long we can... we've got Monokuma to worry about, so I'd appreciate it if you knocked it off."

The Hitman glared at me and nodded. "I apologize then. What's said is said, however. I'll be in my room, if anyone needs me." Shizuka politely excused himself out and left the Mess Hall, leaving the remaining eight of us in awkward silence.

"Wow..." Yatarou broke the silence with an equally awkward start to a conversation. "You were really nice to him. I couldn't have done that."

"You're complimenting a Defense Attorney for defending someone?" Akahana raised an eyebrow as she mocked.

I sighed, and looked away, Riou staring daggers into the Prosecutorial Attorney's eyes. "He's on your side, pipsqueak, cut it out."

"I'll be taking my leave now." Akahana stated as she nodded and left, in the Snowfall Resort's direction. "If you'll excuse me."

The tension easing up with every person who'd left, Riou and I were the only ones left in the Mess Hall after everyone else had gone their own separate ways. Feeling a bit safer with him around, I turned to him. "So, what do you think we should do...?"

Energetic as usual, Riou flexed his pecs as he reminded me of our plans. "We should get ready for our jog! We can't stay inside the lodge forever!"

"Oh, r-right!" I responded. "I almost forgot... let's go!" I added, getting a bit closer to the Boxer. "Let's stop by my room so I can get my clothes."

EARLY AFTERNOON

Location: Snowrise Resort - Main Hall

After getting the workout gear Riou and I had brought from the mall during our time in Marine Views, we made our way to the main hall of the resort we shared with Chigusa and the others. Sitting idly and by himself, was Eita, who was engrossed in something concerning his electronic handbook. Greeting him for the politeness of it, he nodded back and went back to attentively looking at his device.

A bit paranoid, I sighed, voicing my worries in a low tone. "You don't think he's checking the motive videogame we got from Monokuma earlier... right?"

"Don't worry..." Riou comforted me, patting my head. "Maths pipsqueak is a smart kid. He wouldn't do something like that."

"Maybe his curiosity is getting the better of him... or maybe he's hadit with the whole killing game... maybe he's really planning something!" I rambled, my rare pessimistic self taking over for a brief moment. "Or maybe he's playing it in case someone murders someone else because of the game! Then he'd already know everything he'd need to!"

"Tsukushi!" Riou called me, stopping us both in our tracks by giving me a firm but not too hard slap on the back of the head. My head blank, I turned to him. "Don't. Worry."

Rationally going over the past few seconds, I shook my head violently. "Sheesh... I'm- I'm so sorry for that... I've been under a lot of stress."

"I know, babe." he nodded with a smile. "Don't overdo it."

I smiled back at the taller boy and blushed. "Sorry, anyways. You're the best." I added while I got closer to him. For a split second, an intrusive thought blasted through my mind.

Riou is under so much stress too, but he's not letting any of it show... is it for me?

I'm worried he'll burst if we keep this up much longer...

Heh, I'll have to help him out too! I'll think of something to make Riou super happy and relaxed!

"Babe?" Riou called me again. Waking up from my thoughtful daze, I rushed to face him, confused. "You were way out." he chuckled. "Literally staring at me!"

With a smirk, I shrugged. "I was just thinking of something."

"Something?"

"Oh, you'll see soon-ish." I replied, not wanting to give anything away, determined to surprise Riou.

Stepping forward, Riou and I approached the door to the outside of the lodge. A firm grip on the double doors, he pulled the doors with all his might, but with little results to speak of. After a pained groan, Riou did the opposite and tries to push the doors open, leading to a similar end. With a defeated sigh, I scratched my cheek. "We really are trapped here, aren't we?" the Boxer bit his lip after his query.

"Seems like it." I concluded. "We tried it before but... I thought it'd open after we started looking through the lodges." I bit my thumbnail and looked down. "Damnit..."

"That means... we're not going to jog today!?" Riou asked, almost offended at the locked door. "No! I refuse!" he growled, stomping his way back to the Mess Hall. Midway through though, he was unexpectedly stopped by two new visitors to the lodge.

The two lady-like teenagers standing in front of him with their arms crossed, Eita to their right, faced Riou with stern looks. "I'll save you the trouble and tell you. The Snowfall Resort's front door is also locked tight. No pulling or pushing is going to get it open either." Akahana stated.

"I can corroborate." Sakurako nodded, one of her hands moving to grip her sunglasses, fidgeting with the part of it that stands on the bridge of the nose.

Skeptic, and - from the looks it - a bit enraged, Riou silently stomped away into the Mess Hall, presumably to check Akahana and Sakurako's statements for himself. Leaving me for a few seconds, I spoke up. "What does this mean?"

"Simply put, we are currently inside the smallest sector ever." Akahana shrugged.

I nodded, thinking about the lodges as a whole. "That would explain why there are so many different places here... the garden, the dungeon and the spa area."

"I personally find it weird for a dungeon to be inside this lodge in the first place." Eita chimed in, now looking up at the three of us, elbows resting on his knees and fingers intertwined with each other. "Don't you?" he added

"Valid point." I conceded. "So... we're really going to stay stuck here, of all places?"

Akahana grimaced and raised an eyebrow at me. "There's always a way out." she suggested, the implications of it being a little too grim for me ponder on. "I believe this confinement from the outside world is a sort of additional motive given to us by the mastermind."

"We arrived at this conclusion together." Sakurako added. "It's in human nature to want an open space to stay in - fresher air, more spacious environment, et cetera... Chigusa and Yatarou are very outdoors people, so I believe them to be the most affected."

Before I could think of it, Eita narrowed the motive's impact even further. "Chigusa has an indoor garden to focus on if she wants to unwind, however... Yatarou isn't so lucky."

"And he's being put under a large amount of stress. The Killing Game and, especially, Shizuka are to blame." Sakurako concluded.

Fearing for my close friend, I defended the Tour Guide. "Yatarou wouldn't do that..." I said, although lacking a bit of conviction.

Clearly noticing said lack of conviction, Akahana simply stated. "I would be careful, if I were you. Being trusting could prove to be fatal in our current situation. Tension is quickly rising among us, being close to everyone could be a blessing or a curse."

"Are you saying-"

"I'm saying you are a potential victim, Hananari. Watch your back." Akahana said, an air of threat about her. Although her words were a warning to keep me safe, I could detect no concern or worry for my wellbeing. If anything, her cold and analytical posture made it seem like she out for me. Although...

...that couldn't be true, could it?

That being said, a dejected Riou trudged through the Mess Hall doors he's left open on his way out, head hanging in shame. Reading the air, it was easy to gather the fruits - or lackthereof - of his ventures to the other side of the lodge. Deflated, he stood silently as he approached our little group. "No luck?" I start up a conversation, but the Boxer simply shook his head.

"As I said." Akahana chimed in. "Do be careful. If you'll excuse me." she warned once again, leaving towards the Mess Hall, presumably towards somewhere in the other lodge.

Sakurako excused herself, going upstairs towards the spa and relaxation area, leaving only me and the two other boys. "I'm sorry we couldn't go outside today, babe..." Riou apologized. "I didn't mean to break a promise."

Rushing to comfort him, I rested both of my hands on his shoulders. "No, no, no, that's fine, babe! You couldn't have known this'd end up like it did. No need to say sorry, okay?"

"You sure?"

"Totally sure!" I reassured him, seeing a faint smile grow back on his face. "We can spend time together in lots of different ways! We can... um..." I trailed off, starting to think of a good date plan.

Chiming in, the quiet, monotone Eita spoke up. "You can sleep over at each other's dorm rooms."

"Hm?" I turned my head towards the Estimator, surprised that he even offered a suggestion. "A... sleepover, huh?"

Eita nodded. "At this point in a relationship, the most common activity enjoyed by both parties would be physical proximity. Sleeping over in the same bed would prove the easiest way to accomplish said activity successfully."

"You would bring maths and probabilities and easiest outcomes into this..." I joked, giving him a bit of a smile. "I like the sound of it though!" I exclaimed, turning to Riou before adding something. "Not necessarily because of maths, but because I could really use some extra heat at night!"

Now pumped up about the new idea, Riou cracked his knuckles, back and finger joints before fistpumping the air. "Sounds like an awesome plan, pipsqueak! And it gives me another idea!"

"Oh?" I ask, as confused as I was curious.

"I still need to make up for breaking a promise so... I'll prepare a surprise for you!" Riou chuckled, excited. "This is the best idea ever, Tsukushi, you're gonna love it!"

Eyes widened, I tilted my head. "Huh? Y-You really don't need to, though, babe..." I stated, blushing as I scratched the back of my head.

"I want to, though! A real man owns up to his mistakes!" Rushedly approaching me, the Boxer's lips crashed into mine for a moment leaving me frozen for a few seconds, as Riou made his exit. "I'll be in my room preparing! Please, come by as soon as the Night Time announcement rings!"

Standing there, at a loss for words, Eita poked my shoulder, completely apathetic as per usual. "Tsukushi, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah!" I reply, getting back to my senses. "I'm just... anxious? About his surprise, I guess."

"Would you like some tea?" Eita offered, surprising me a bit. Noticing my shock, he added. "It's unlikely of you to quickly cure small anxiety issues by yourself without any help. Therefore, I want to help."

A second head tild later, I asked. "Why would you though? Akahana just got done telling us we shouldn't be too trusting. It could come back to bite us."

"My calculations are always correct, Tsukushi, and they tell me you are worthy of my trust."

"Oh!" I interjected, smiling at the compliment. "Thank you, Eita! I'll... I'll accept then. Should we go to the Mess Hall?"

"Yes." he nodded, still expressionless.

Hang out with Eita?

[Yeah, sure] [Oh, heeeeeell no]

Eita: As we're sitting down, I want to ask you, Tsukushi. How are you?

Tsukushi: How am I?

Eita: Yes. A simple question.

Tsukushi: As... As well as I could, I guess. Riou is helping me get through most of this, and I'm helping him.

Tsukushi: I think it's the same with you, Akahana and Sakurako, right? You formed a small alliance or something.

Eita: Oh, it's nothing like that. We're looking for safety in numbers, much like you, Riou, Kikyo and Yatarou.

Tsukushi: W-We never said we were looking for safety in numbers.

Eita: Are you not then?

Tsukushi: ...

Eita: Maybe not on purpose, but you're still trying to survive by using your logic, Tsukushi.

Eita: It's only natural of you to do so. Don't be alarmed.

Tsukushi: I guess...

Tsukushi: And... how are you? I know the last trial hit quite close to home.

Eita: You're talking about Yori... right?

Tsukushi: ...Well, yeah...

Eita: I am quite distraught. And understandably so, I'd guess.

Eita: After losing someone close to them, the logical outcome for most people is to be sad and mourn over that loss.

Tsukushi: There we go with the probability again...

Eita: I have told you, Tsukushi. It's hard for me to understand feelings. I haven't been exposed to them for too long.

Eita: I may not be unable to feel, but I am unable to show feeling. It's hard for me to understand anything but maths.

Tsukushi: I don't think that's the case anymore.

Eita: Oh?

Tsukushi: You're still mostly expressionless, Eita... that's a given. But you've began to show a bit more emotion lately.

Tsukushi: I could tell how sad how you are now, and how sad you were during the investigation in Marine Views.

Tsukushi: You're becoming more and more... human, I guess. No offense.

Eita: None taken. I appreciate the honesty. I just don't see it.

Tsukushi: I do, though. You're slowly opening up to yourself, Eita, and that's great to see!

Tsukushi: The next step is trying to stop using maths to explain feelings. It's not going to work... ever.

Eita: Understood. Thank you.

Eita: I'll... try to be less analytical, unless the situation calls for it.

Tsukushi: That's the way, Eita! I'm proud of you for trying. It's a big step!

Eita: Hehe... I see. I have something I wanted to ask you.

Tsukushi: Oh... That came out of nowhere.

Tsukushi: What is it?

Eita: Do you think you could live without Riou or someone protecting you?

Tsukushi: ...

Tsukushi: ...

Tsukushi: E-Excuse me...?

Eita: Do you?

Tsukushi: Well... I might be able to, but I don't want to. I love Riou, so it's only natural I'd like him to be here.

Eita: I see...

Tsukushi: Why the sudden question?

Eita: Noth- No... I think I should talk to you about this.

Eita: Do you remember Setsune?

Tsukushi: Um, I vaguely remember you talking about her a while back... it was just after we met.

Tsukushi: What about her?

Eita: Setsune is my sister. My younger twin sister.

Tsukushi: Oh! I had no idea you had a sister, let alone a twin. Of the opposite gender, too.

Eita: She entered Hope's Peak alongside me. She's known as the Super High School Level Archer.

Tsukushi: Wow! Your sister was also a Super High School Level student? In archery? That's so cool! Talk about coincidence too.

Tsukushi: Why mention her now, though?

Eita: I'm worried. Worried for her well-being.

Tsukushi: Worried? Wh- Oh. Do you... Do you really think so?

Eita: It's entirely possible. Monokuma has implied that we aren't the first ones thrust into this situation.

Eita: Besides, a situation this perfect and grandiose requires massive amounts of preparation. This can't be the mastermind's first time.

Tsukushi: So... you're worried about her being in another killing game.

Eita: That's the gist of it, yes. I can only hope she has found herself a Riou, as well.

Tsukushi: Eita...

Eita Kurogane
Despair Shard obtained!

After a slight altercation between the group, we dispersed and Eita led me to the Mess Hall. Sat down, we talked about how Eita wasn't too good at reading or expressing emotions as they couldn't be explained through mathematical methods, even going so far as to being unable to tell me exactly how he felt about Yori's death. After coming to terms with how he'd grown in the past couple of weeks, he mentioned his twin sister Setsune and how worried he was about her possibly being in a similar situation to us, since she'd entered Hope's Peak alongside her brother. Finally, he hoped his sister had someone to protect her like Riou protects me.

Can't say I didn't like that last tidbit, haha.

Hm... I've still got a hot minute until nighttime rolls around. Who should I hang out with?

A/N: I managed to update in three weeks rather than four. That's good, right? Act 4 is reaching the halfway point. As you might have gotten from the little tl;dr from Eita's FTE, next chapter will be entirely devoted to Free Time - the obligatory FTE chapter.

QOTC: Since you've had quite a while to read everyone's characters and see their interactions, I want to ask. What do you think of the cast so far? Who's your favourite character? Who do you wish survived a bit longer?

Until next update, Yamazaki... out!