Explosions trailed off behind us and my hair flew back due to the blast.

"So I guess this is it, then."

"I knew you'd leave us. It was inevitable."

"Taeki's not the same anymore."

"I know."

"He lost his memories. He doesn't remember you, me, Shimizu, Junko, or anything at all. All of it was lost. Especially his memories of you, Yumika."

My face scrunched up. This fucker. I knew exactly what he was doing. I'd known him for too long.

"I like him better this way. He's the Hope that'll kill us."

He needed to hear what he wanted to.

"Taeki? I don't doubt it. The most unlikely suspect is always the killer."

"So, you're going then?"

"Yeah."

"Don't die."

"I won't."

"I'm not saying this as a friendly gesture." A pillar fell behind us. "I'm honestly scared of what will happen if you die. So, in short, don't."

"Bye, Yumika."

So when I open my eyes in the morning, the thing I expect to see the least is Chikao's eyes sputtering around the room. I lean upwards in my cot, and stare right at him. He's got his knees up, sitting on the chair in the corner. He's pretty skinny, although fatter than before. I don't see his cheekbone now. That's a first. He always dyed his hair dark green, and it's starting to grow back in black.

When he sees that I've awaken he waves.

"Hello."

"Chikao. I thought you left."

"I did." He looks up and smiles. Chikao…Smiled? "I had an epiphany and came back."

What is he going on about?

"Ah, I don't want to disturb you, but I know you'll listen anyways."

I stand and pick up a knife on my bedstand. I'm just wearing my pajamas, but I don't care. When Chikao starts talking like this, it's definitely not a good sign. He's crazy enough as it is. Well, I guess, aren't we all?

"Woah, woah. Don't get hasty."

"I don't trust you."

"You don't trust your friend since high-school?"

"You don't get kicked out of Hope's Peak for no reason."

"Hey, you were involved, too. That's why you're my friend."

"I'm not your friend. You should know that best."

"Then why'd you keep me around all that time?"

Chikao rests his head between his knees and wraps his arms around them all. He's too confident. I don't want to admit it, but I can't let him roam around. Not with a talent like his.

"…"

I can't respond.

"I know the answer went *ping* in your head. My Ultimate Talent."

"You're no Ultimate.", I snap. "You're just like Taeki and I. Worthless. Why else were we in the Reserve Course?"

"Ah, and that's what I thought. But you see, I got a scholarship into the Reserve Course. That usually doesn't happen."

"What?"

What is he talking about?

"They wanted my talent so bad, but I just wanted to go to a normal school. So, naturally, we found a compromise. You also wanted my talent, well probably more to watch me. That's one of the reasons that you're in Despair. You're scared. So scared."

"Considering what happened last time, I am pretty scared of you, Chikao."

"I'm not talking about that. You kept me around so they they won't kill you. If they find out that a precious Reserve Course student is walking around all willy-nilly, and not dead via suicide, who knows what'll happen."

"But we weren't Reserve Course students! We were kicked out before the suicides started!"

"Ah, what was I saying earlier? Oh yeah. I'm a new Chikao now. I went to Towa city to see how Hope was doing. And everything was taken over by kids! It's amazing to see what can happen in a couple days. I talked to someone there. He told me that when you overcome Despair, the Hope is always greater. I agree. Despair is weak. That's why I love it. Then he tried to kill me once he figured out who I was. That didn't end up so well."

"Chikao. I'm going to stab you."

"No you aren't. You know what happens if I try to die."

"I never said that I would kill you. Just stab you."

"Ooh. Getting violent." He hops onto his feet. "Let's play, then."

I slash and slash, but nothing hits.

"You really need to get in the habit of practicing more. Ooh."

After a quick miss, a line of pink dribbles down his cheek.

"Fight back, Chikao."

"Fight back? No way. I mean, in a battle between hero and villain, the hero will always win, right?"

"I won't lo…" I tried to pinch off that last word. "Lo…" I couldn't. "I'm not a villain." It finally struck me. What the hell am I doing? Trying to kill someone? I don't want to kill him. I lowered my knife. "Is this…What you were trying to do?" Is this Despair? Why would anyone like this feeling? This horrible, shivering, piercing feeling? I'm drooling. I'm sweating. I'm horrible. I fell to me knees. How many people have I killed? Did I even think about it once? I couldn't even hear Chikao as he stepped closer and closer. He crouches and tilts my head up to him. He smiles a deathly smile, full of deathly colors. I feel his heated breath singe the hairs of my face. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'

Pink. I blink and the pinkness spreads across my eye like a tear. Through my other eye, I realize what's happened.

"Ha…You didn't want to kill me." His laugh is stricken pale. "The hero always wins. I told you that."

Real tears wash away those in pink. My knife, in his chest. Pink, splattered everywhere. My spirit crushed, my soul broken.

"I'm no…Hero…"

"What's…Despair to you? You…ha…saw it…didn't you? Your Despair."

He started to drop, and he reached his hand up to grasp my face, but instead it crumbled, and fell with him.

So this is Despair.

I stood up, dripping. Then what's Hope?