Thanks to ItsMagik1 on Reddit/Discord for translating the official Danganronpa: Kirigiri novels. The next few chapters use excerpts from his translation.

In case you are unaware, Danganronpa: Kirigiri (DRK) is an official novel series that tells the backstory of Kyoko and her fellow detective Yui Samidare. If you want to read it, you can find the full English translation by ItsMagik1 on Reddit. Google danganronpa kirigiri translated and it should be among the top results.

Note that most of DRK is written from Yui Samidare's point of view, which may not make sense if Kyoko is telling the story, but I just left it the way I found it.

For the most part. I might add some things here and there…

Of course, this will be spoiling the entire DRK series. You have been warned.

In his quarters, Makoto watched as Kyoko crushed another hidden camera underneath her boot. The device violently shattered into pieces. She collected the fragments into a bag and continued searching.

A while later, Kyoko took in a deep breath. "Whew! I believe that's all of them."

Makoto sheepishly pressed his fingers together. "Umm, I'm glad that's taken care of."

"Indeed," Kyoko said. "Let's pray that the footage never goes public." A tint of pink lit up her cheeks. "Not that I'm ashamed of… us, but, you know..."

Us? Is there really still an us?

Kyoko quickly composed herself and left to throw the surveillance equipment overboard. When she returned, she gave Makoto her usual blank stare. For some time, both remained silent.

Kyoko pursed her lips. "… do you want to talk about it?"

"Which part?" Makoto asked.

The concern in Kyoko's violet eyes was more pronounced than it had been back in the courtroom. "Makoto, are you really okay?"

He lowered his head. No, he wasn't. He didn't know which was the worst part. The fact that he had almost died? That Kyoko had almost died? That he had killed someone to save her? All after being knocked unconscious, dragged to Nakazawa's corpse, and framed for murder?

He still felt the terror of the knife thrusting out from the smoke, how close that blade had gotten to his stomach. How Kyoko had swept it away just in time, and how close the second knife had gotten to her. If either of them had been just a bit slower, the other would have been dead. They wouldn't be standing here, still able to live whatever life they could in this tragedy. Thinking about how narrowly they had escaped death...

The shivering that Makoto had thought he had gotten under control came back.

The worry in Kyoko's eyes grew more intense. "Makoto, talk to me. Please."

A whimper escaped Makoto's lips as he met her gaze.

I need to be strong. For her.

Makoto spoke hoarsely. "I… don't know. I didn't know the knife was poisoned. I wasn't expecting to… kill someone." He couldn't believe the words had come out of his mouth. "It still doesn't feel real. I never thought I would ever… do that."

He looked straight into Kyoko's eyes. "But, I don't regret it. I wasn't going to let you die. I meant it when I said I'd do it again if it meant protecting you." He felt a salty sensation in his eyes. "I won't let anyone hurt you." He sniffled. "I will never let anyone…"

Tears fell down his face.

Eguchi hadn't been a good person. He was a murderer. He had killed Nakazawa, he had tried to kill him, and he had tried to kill Kyoko. Makoto had done what he had to. Even so, it was a sickening feeling.

Kyoko frowned. "I've never taken a life myself, so I can only imagine what you're going through. I am sorry that you had to resort to such a measure, even unintentionally."

Makoto wiped a tear off his face. He wasn't okay, but he couldn't let Kyoko worry. He kept his gaze fixed with hers. "Kyoko, thank you for saving me."

Kyoko's mouth opened slightly, pausing a while before she spoke. "I should be the one thanking you. You're the one who saved me."

Makoto held back a groan. Don't tell me she feels even more in debt now.

He shook his head. "He went after me first. I was the one he wanted. He would have killed me if you hadn't stopped him, but only because you got in his way…"

Kyoko bit her lip.

Makoto gave her a knowing look. "Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. You should be proud of what you've done today, Kyoko."

Please. I know you're frustrated. You're probably thinking that if you were stronger, I wouldn't have had to save you, but you are strong. I didn't just save you. We saved each other.

"You said I'm a hero, but you're my hero, too."

Kyoko almost turned her head away, but she stopped herself, keeping her eyes locked with Makoto. "I'm glad you weren't hurt. Not physically, at least. You protected me, like you always do. Thank you, Makoto."

He gave a slight smile, but then he looked at her with his own concern. "What about you? Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "You don't have to worry about –"

"Kyoko, I need to know if you're okay." I'm not the only one who almost died today.

After a long pause, Kyoko nodded. "It wasn't my first near-death experience. Although…" She toyed with a strand of her hair. "I admit that seeing you in such danger was nerve-wracking."

"Yeah, I feel the same about you. That was too close, for both of us."

Makoto made up his mind. Kyoko almost dying was definitely the worst part. He gazed upon her gorgeous lavender hair, her stunning amethyst eyes, her radiant face. How anyone could rid the world of such beauty was beyond him.

Kyoko stared at him quietly for some time. Her eyes darted from side-to-side as she finally puffed out words. "Makoto, I know it's hard to tell, but I, umm, I'm here for you. Emotional support may not be my strong suit, but I, uh…"

"It's okay," Makoto said. "I know expressing yourself isn't easy for you, and I'm okay with that. Yeah, I said that you don't need to hide your feelings from me, but I don't need you to force anything, either. I just need you to be… you. I don't need you to be anything else." He blushed. "God, that was cheesy, wasn't it?"

Kyoko managed a smile. "It was, but… I like it." The smile was short-lived as she frowned again. "But I'm the one supposed to be comforting you."

"Kyoko, don't."

"Sorry," Kyoko said. "I don't mean to put myself down. I just want… I need you know that I… I care about you." Her cheeks were a deep shade of red as she struggled to speak. "So, if there's anything I can do…"

For once, Kyoko was the open book. Makoto knew that she had struggled to comfort him after Eguchi's death, and he knew that she was beating herself up over it. Makoto needed to let her know that it was okay.

"You're doing fine," Makoto said. "Don't worry. I know you care about me. Don't go feeling like you're not expressive enough or something. I like you the way you are." I love you the way you are.

Her eyes drifted to the side. "Does it really not bother you? How cold I am?"

"You're not cold, Kyoko. Not really." Especially not now, jeez.

"Reserved, then."

Makoto sighed. "Your personality is not a problem that needs to be fixed. You're beautiful, Kyoko. Inside and out."

"… I appreciate that," Kyoko said earnestly. "Even so, I do want to be a bit… warmer for you. Every romantic relationship requires some level of affection. Am I wrong?"

Makoto's heart skipped a beat, but not in a good way. Does she really want to keep…?

Out of nowhere, Kyoko practically leapt into him and wrapped him tight in her arms. Her embrace was warm and loving. Under different circumstances, it would have made Makoto's heart melt.

Kyoko pulled her head back to stare into his eyes. Her gaze gradually trailed downward, to his lips.

Makoto's heart pounded. Is she going to…?

Closing her eyes, Kyoko leaned in close.

Makoto didn't have the strength to refuse, if only just once more. He closed his eyes as Kyoko's lips met his. The kiss was soft and gentle, tender enough to send a shiver down Makoto's spine. A picture perfect moment.

But, as they pulled back, Makoto gave Kyoko a serious look. Kyoko's mouth opened slightly in trepidation. "Is… something wrong?"

Makoto's stomach sank deeply. He opened his mouth, but the words wouldn't come out.

In a rare show of vulnerability, a hint of panic appeared in Kyoko's eyes. "Makoto…?"

God, even when laced with dread, hearing the sweet sound of his name from Kyoko's lips didn't make this any easier. Makoto nervously met Kyoko's gaze. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to say what had to be said. "Kyoko, can we really keep doing this?"

Kyoko's mouth opened wider. "What? You want to stop?"

"I don't want to," Makoto said. "Believe me, I don't want to at all, but I feel like… we kinda have to?"

"Why?"

Fuck, Makoto felt horrible. Kyoko was working so hard to break out of her shell for him, and now he had to explain why she had to stop. He felt like a damn traitor, but it had to be said.

"W-well," Makoto said, "two things, I guess. For one, we got caught. I know you wanted to keep… whatever this is a secret, and that didn't work out. I won't blame you if you think we're, umm, compromised."

Kyoko shook her head. "The damage is done. The Remnants have already seen how important we are to each other. There's no going back from that. Nothing we do now will erase the past."

"I… guess that's true," Makoto admitted. "But there's an even bigger problem."

Kyoko's breath hitched. "And that is…?"

Makoto averted his gaze. "You're my boss now."

There, he had said it. The horrible truth. The reason why they couldn't be together anymore, and now that he had brought it up, he had no doubt that Kyoko would stop considering any notion of romance between them immediately. The pain of his now forbidden love crushed Makoto to his core.

Kyoko blinked. "You're worried about… that?"

"Aren't you?" Makoto asked. "Dating your boss is like, one of the biggest no-no's there is."

Kyoko's lips pursed tightly. "I may be your boss now, but I'm still me. I'm still the same friend you bonded with at Hope's Peak Academy. Am I wrong?"

Makoto frowned. "Yes, you are my friend." But that's all, isn't it?

"Then there's no problem," Kyoko said. "We're mature, responsible adults. We can separate our professional and personal lives."

"I'm pretty sure there's regulations against it," Makoto muttered.

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "Makoto, relax. It's not like I'm going to hit you with a quid pro quo. You are always free to say 'no' to me." As she said that last sentence, she nervously brushed her hair. "Are you really that worried about it?"

"Are you not?" Makoto asked. "I'm surprised you haven't called this off already."

"And I'm surprised you're being so quick to give up," Kyoko countered. "That's not like you."

"I…" Makoto winced. "I told you. I don't want to end this, but it's not so simple anymore. You're gonna be so busy. Will there even be time?"

Time, that really was their enemy.

Their relationship needed time to grow, but what if they ran out of time?

That day had been a stark reminder of how fragile their lives were. How everything could end without warning.

To be honest, Makoto couldn't help but feel a little angry that Kyoko had taken the job. So soon after admitting their mutual crush on each other, Kyoko had put herself into a situation that made things so difficult. Why had she done that? Couldn't someone else be the Division Head? Why did it have to be her?

And, not to mention it put a huge target on her back. The image of Nakazawa's bashed-in head was still fresh in Makoto's mind. The thought of Kyoko ending up like that made Makoto sick.

"You're not wrong," Kyoko said. "I did take on a heavy burden, and that job will have to come first. However, that doesn't mean I intend to abandon my feelings for you. It won't be easy, but we'll make it work." Kyoko gazed deeply into him. "I want this to work."

Makoto's mouth opened wide as he stared awestruck at her. She truly wanted this? Makoto had never imagined that Kyoko would be the one convincing him to stay together. Did Kyoko really like him that much?

Why? What had Makoto done to win her heart like this? Sure, Kyoko had praised him for his role in stopping Enoshima, declared him the Ultimate Hope, thanked him for all the kindness he had shown her, called him her hope, and, uh, well, those might have been reasons to admire him, but they weren't reasons to be with him. Makoto knew how hard it was for Kyoko to trust someone, let alone fall in love. What was it about him that made Kyoko want to take such a massive leap?

Makoto recalled Kyoko's words from the detention center.

I can never repay what you've done for me.

Their relationship, that wasn't part of Kyoko's 'atonement' too, was it?

Makoto shivered. No, how could he even think of something so horrible? Kyoko would never love him for the sake of penance. If Kyoko wanted to be with him, it was because she genuinely liked him, right?

What about me? Do I truly love Kyoko?

Before Kyoko, Makoto had hardly any romantic experience whatsoever. The closest was his brief crush on Sayaka, and given how that had turned out, Makoto didn't know what lessons he could take from it. He felt totally clueless. How could he be sure that what he felt was legitimate?

I think I love her, but is that really true? Do I actually understand what it means to be in love? Or is this something else? Is it just stress relief? A trauma response? Delusional infatuation? Lust? Or…?

"Makoto…"

Snapping back to reality, Makoto's heart ached as Kyoko looked at him with a pained expression, almost like she wanted to cry.

"Do you really think we should stop?"

Makoto shook his head. "I don't want to."

Kyoko's eyes were filled with yearning. "I don't want to, either."

"You're not worried it'll get in the way?"

"Of course I'm worried," Kyoko said. "I'm terrified, but… you make me want to push past that fear. There's a reason why I named you the Ultimate Hope. Even when I'm at my lowest, your optimism inspires me to keep facing forward." She smiled weakly. "So, can you show me some of that optimism now?"

His heart pounding, Makoto gaped at her. "Kyoko…"

Why am I doubting myself? She's amazing, and if I'm making her happy, how could I take that away from her?

He held his chest and smiled warmly. "You're right. What was I thinking? I don't want to give up, either."

Kyoko folded her arms and gave him a lopsided smile. "You're not saying that out of pressure from your boss, are you?"

"Not at all!" Makoto said. "You're not my boss right now. You're my best friend."

"Hehe. Good, because I despise leaving an investigation unfinished. That said, I hope you'll be patient with me. I have zero experience in this field."

Makoto chuckled. "I was just thinking the same thing. I'm not great at romance, either."

"Hmm, I suppose we'll learn together, then." Kyoko kept smiling, but her cheeks turned pink as she averted her gaze. "Look at you, making me fight for this. Is this part of your plan, Makoto? Push me away so I'll cling to you harder?"

What?! Makoto gaped in shock as he raised his hands. "N-no! Absolutely not! I was serious! I would never…!" As Kyoko smirked, Makoto realized his mistake. "Oh, you're…"

Kyoko giggled. "Makoto, I know that subtle manipulation isn't in your vocabulary. Your concerns were spoken from the heart, as befitting your honest to a fault self."

Makoto pressed his head against his hand. "Ah, heh, sorry. I'm a real idiot sometimes, aren't I?"

"Perhaps," Kyoko said lovingly, "but that's part of what makes you so charming."

Makoto blushed. "I, uh, I'm not sure if I should be happy about that, but, umm…"

Kyoko smiled. "Well, you are brilliant, too. You proved it in the trial just now. You were able to break the Imposter's mask all on your own, and you even saw through the trap at the end. I bet you would make a fine detective yourself."

Makoto felt his cheeks grow even hotter. "You don't need to flatter me."

"I don't do flattery, Naegi-kun. If I give you a compliment, it's the absolute truth."

He needed a moment to compose himself. And Kyoko was worried about her lack of experience? Makoto couldn't let her do all the work. He needed to flirt back. "Well, uh, you're, umm, really smart, too. I've never met a detective as amazing as you. Uh, not that I've met a lot of detectives, but…"

Kyoko hummed. "Well, I have met detectives better than myself. Speaking of which, perhaps it's time for me to honor my promise."

Makoto tilted his head. "Your promise…?" His eyes widened. Oh, right. I had almost forgotten.

"Are you still interested?" Kyoko asked.

"I mean, if you still want to tell me," Makoto said.

"I do," Kyoko said. "Whatever happens or doesn't happen between us, I can say with confidence that you're every bit as important to me as she was." She paused. "I never thought it would happen, I had sworn not to let it happen, but it did. You've gotten just as close to me as… Yui-oneesama."

"Yui?"

Kyoko nodded. "Her name was Yui Samidare."

"Yui Samidare…" Makoto finally knew her name. "Oneesama? She was like a sister to you?"

"She was," Kyoko said. "She really was." Her gaze firmly met Makoto's. "I wouldn't mind telling you more. If you're interested, that is."

Makoto smiled warmly. "Like I said. If you want to tell me, I'm happy to listen."

Kyoko pulled up a chair and sat behind Makoto's desk. "I promised you, did I not? Will you listen to my story?"

Makoto pulled up another chair and sat on the opposite side of the desk. "Gladly, Kyoko."

"We'll start at the beginning then. The day I met my big sister…"

Kyoko told Makoto of a case she had taken on, back when she had just been thirteen years old.

She had been a newly registered detective of the Detective Library, Detective Shelf Classification '919.' Kyoko had received a commission to investigate a potential incident at a place called the Sirius Observatory, along with four other detectives. Among them was the person who would become like family to Kyoko, Yui Samidare.

"She was a sixteen-year-old high school student," Kyoko said. "She happened to attend the same school as me. Being three years apart, she said that she felt less like an upperclassman and more like a big sister. She wanted me to call her 'oneechan,' but I opted for 'oneesama' instead." Kyoko smiled fondly at the memory. "She was quite flustered by that, but I said it didn't matter and kept calling her 'Yui-oneesama.'"

"Oneesama?"

"No, no, it doesn't need to be so formal, don't add 'sama,' just a simple 'chan.' Oneesama feels a bit embarrassing."

"Yui-oneesama."

"D-don't do this, it's embarrassing! Change it to the other one."

"I don't think it matters what you get called," Kirigiri said with a sigh. "Let's stop talking about this and move quickly. You are going to fall behind, Yui-oneesama."

"You're doing this on purpose!"

Makoto let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, I can see 'oneechan' being too familiar for you. I'm surprised you were even willing to call her 'oneesama.'"

"I found her strange at first," Kyoko said. "She said that she wanted to be a detective for the sake of justice. At the time, this was an alien concept to me. In my case, being a detective was the same as being alive. I had once imagined that if I were to stop being a detective, I would dissolve into sea foam like the Little Mermaid."

Makoto pursed his lips. "I know you love what you do, and that's great, but there's more to life than work, you know?"

Kyoko tapped a finger against the table. "I will admit that the more time I spent with Yui-oneesama, the more I wondered if I was too obsessed with my identity as a detective. Not that I regret it. I'm still proud to be a Kirigiri. I just realized that… it doesn't mean I have to be an empty shell."

Makoto wasn't sure how to feel about that. On one hand, there was something pure about Kyoko's passion for detective work, but on the other hand, it was such a heavy burden for someone so young. And it had practically been forced upon her. That was no way to treat a child.

Makoto wanted to ask Kyoko more about that, but he wasn't sure how. He didn't want to risk offending her by insulting her family. He wasn't sure how sensitive a subject this was for her. Maybe it would come up later.

Kyoko continued the story. She explained how everyone had suddenly fallen unconscious while investigating the observatory, and how someone had forced Kyoko to inhale a sleeping drug herself. Once she had awoken, the horrific murders had occurred. The three other detectives dead, all their limbs dismembered for some mysterious reason. And since Kyoko had been the only one left, Yui naturally ended up suspecting her and handcuffing her to an armchair.

"Why did you do such a thing, Oneesama?"

Kirigiri didn't shout loudly, but asked in a calm tone.

"You are asking me why? I should be the one doing that." I kicked the shears on the floor away from her. "I thought I met a good friend. Did you kill all three of them?"

"Three...? Killed...?"

She widened her eyes for a moment, then dropped them, as if lost in thought.

"So... it's already too late..."

She is still sitting on the ground and lowered her head, feeling very dejected.

"Too late?" Makoto asked. "Did you blame yourself for not being able to save them?"

Kyoko gave absolutely no reaction, as if she hadn't heard him. Makoto figured he wasn't getting one.

He wondered how Yui had felt. Had Yui really believed that a thirteen-year-old girl was capable of murdering three people? Especially in such a horrifying manner?

"Uh, anyway, you did it. Even if your arms are this thin, if you have these sturdy gardening shears, you should be able to cut necks in one fell swoop."

"Makoto," Kyoko said sharply, "are you thinking that a thirteen-year-old girl wouldn't be capable of such a thing?"

Makoto jumped. As always, Kyoko had read him like an open book. "I mean, yeah?"

Kyoko huffed and crossed her arms disapprovingly. "Even though I wasn't the murderer, Yui-oneesama was wise to suspect me. My age had nothing to do with it. You need to stop judging things based on narrow-minded cultural assumptions, Makoto."

"Uh, sure," Makoto said. "Anyway, Samidare-san must have seemed pretty suspicious from your perspective, right?"

"No," Kyoko said. "I knew it wasn't her."

"Oh? Because she was your 'oneesama?'" Makoto teased, knowing full well that wasn't the case.

"I had evidence," Kyoko said. "Before I fell unconscious…"

"I grabbed the murderer's hand."

"Grabbed?" I said disappointedly. "That's it?"

"Yes. It's a pity that I couldn't catch or bite the murderer, but I still touched his hand. Since my vision was blocked by the white smoke, that touch became the only clue I have to the murderer."

Kirigiri said while staring at her fingertips.

"What did it feel like?"

"It was a man's hand."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"That hand had no characteristics, but it was undoubtedly a man's hand. Because there is nothing in the human body that expresses the difference between men and women more than hands and fingertips."

"Hmm... is that true? Have you ever sensed a man's hand?"

When I asked this, she looked surprised, and froze for a moment.

Long stillness—

After that, she resumed her explanation, looking as if nothing happened.

"Although I haven't killed anyone, I did read up about what murdering someone feels like. Does it make sense now? Then I will go on to say..."

"Wait, your reasoning is too strange. Oh, could it be that you haven't held hands with boys before..."

I said this deliberately, and she fell silent again.

She is probably really angry this time. She turned her head to the side as if she is refusing to talk to me.

Makoto couldn't help but smile. "That embarrassed you, did it?"

Kyoko scoffed. "I had no interest in such things. I was irritated because I had to question my reasoning over such a trifle. To make sure I was right, I held Yui-oneesama's hand and confirmed it was different from the killer's."

"Aww, you held hands."

Kyoko rolled her eyes. Then, with a smile, she reached out her hand and grabbed Makoto's, squeezing it tenderly. "I don't lack for experience holding a boy's hand now."

Makoto felt himself blush as Kyoko traced her fingers over his hand, as if to memorize every inch of it. He wondered if Kyoko could even feel it, not only through her gloves, but also through her burns. Although, judging by the contented smile on Kyoko's face, she seemed to be enjoying herself.

After some time, Kyoko pulled her hand back and cleared her throat. "Anyway, Yui-oneesama agreed to investigate the possibility of a sixth person while I stayed handcuffed."

Makoto frowned. "That was dangerous, wasn't it? If the murderer came out, you wouldn't have been able to defend yourself."

"It couldn't be helped," Kyoko said. "For what it's worth, Yui-oneesama promised to come save me if I screamed."

"You will come to save me?"

"If there are uninvited guests, that means you are innocent. I will do my best to protect you."

"Is that so... but I think it will be too late by that time." Kirigiri still looked as if this had nothing to do with her. "But what I want to say, even if there is an uninvited guest, my innocence still can't be proven logically. The reason why that person is hiding is not necessarily related to the murder; it is also possible that..."

"This stuff doesn't matter," I interrupted her. "If someone is sneaking around, kicking his butt is definitely the best choice."

"...I guess."

"You were… very understanding," Makoto said.

"Of course," Kyoko said. "No matter how much Yui-oneesama wanted to believe in my innocence, she couldn't assume that unless it was logically proven." Her eyes fluttered strangely. "That said, it would have been a grave mistake to focus too much on me. She couldn't waste all her time proving that I wasn't the killer. She had to explore every possibility thoroughly, and catch the true culprit." There was a slight crack in Kyoko's voice. "I'm glad she understood that."

Makoto wasn't sure why Kyoko seemed so agitated, but he let it go for now.

After some investigating, Yui had shown Kyoko the letter of commission she had received, which led Kyoko to a startling realization.

When Kirigiri saw the text, her face suddenly became pale and bloodless.

"Yui-oneesama… this is not a normal murder."

"Wh-what's going on?"

"This is most likely… a game."

"Wait, what?!"

Makoto jumped out of his seat. "A game?! Are you saying…?"

"Yes," Kyoko said. "There was an organization behind this killing game, and it would be the first of several I became involved with."

"S-several?" Makoto's face turned pale. "How many killing games have you been part of?"

Kyoko smirked. "What? Are you jealous that you were not my first killing game?"

"Don't joke about this!"

Kyoko sighed. "You don't need to worry. Even then, I was prepared for danger."

Makoto rested his head against his hand and frowned. "That's awful. One killing game was bad enough for me. I can't imagine the burden you're carrying."

"I can handle it," Kyoko said. "I'm not telling you this so you can share that burden with me. I don't intend to use you as my personal therapist. I just feel like…" Kyoko blushed. "I…"

Makoto tilted his head. "Yes?"

Kyoko took a deep breath. "I feel as if telling you about my time with Yui-oneesama… will make you feel more like…" Kyoko averted her gaze and spoke in a barely audible whisper. "… like family."

Makoto felt his own face grow warm. So cute…

"You can take your time," Makoto said. "You can tell me as much or as little as you want to."

"No, I'm ready," Kyoko said. "I want you to know everything. Get comfortable. It's a long story."

Kyoko explained how she and Yui solved the Sirius Observatory case, and Makoto paused no shortage of times to remark how much of a genius Kyoko was (A body double's dismembered corpse hidden in the telescopes? Seriously?!) After eliminating all other possibilities, it had turned out that the killer had been hiding in the armchair that Kyoko had been handcuffed to the whole time, which was possible because the killer's legs had been removable prosthetics, allowing him to fit inside.

Unbeknownst to Yui, Kyoko had essentially been held hostage. The killer had been holding a knife to her back while inside the armchair, and Kyoko had anticipated that the killer would strike if Kyoko had directly called out his location.

"Therefore," Kyoko said, "I poured vodka on my skirt and prepared to ignite it."

Makoto's eyes popped. "What?"

"I'm serious. In order to identify the murderer, you have to put your life on the line, that's what Grandpa taught me."

"What are you talking about, Kirigiri-chan, stop!"

"And, I was ready to give up my life for the truth from the beginning."

She said in a chilling voice.

At this time, her eyes— were a grayness that saw through death.

Kirigiri's thumb pressed the lighter's grinding wheel.

"Stop!"

"I'll light it in 5 seconds."

The blood drained from Makoto's face. "Kyoko… that's insane!"

Kyoko shook her head. "On the contrary, it was the best chance to capture the culprit."

"But, what if it didn't work? Were you really going to burn yourself?"

"Yes."

"Why?!"

"I told you," Kyoko said. "A Kirigiri will give up their life to solve the case."

Makoto clenched his teeth. "That's, you shouldn't think like that. You should value your own life more."

She looked back at him sharply. "I could say the same to you. You almost threw your life away during Ikusaba's trial."

"That's different! I wasn't going to let you die!"

Kyoko folded her arms. "Oh, so I can sacrifice myself for you. Good to know."

"That's not…!" Makoto sighed. "Are you ever going to let that go? You just helped me out of a murder trial. Isn't that enough to call it even?"

Kyoko's gaze drifted to the side. "Maybe it's not about 'getting even.'"

"Eh?"

Kyoko brushed her hair. "I do feel indebted to you, but that doesn't matter. I want to protect you because you're worth protecting. I don't need any other reason than that."

Maybe Makoto didn't have the right to complain. He knew that if it came to it, he would die to protect her as well. If they ever faced another situation where they had to choose… Makoto would have to make sure he won.

Makoto blushed. "I'm… glad to hear that, but you should protect yourself, too. I don't want you to put a case over your life. I won't be happy with an ending where you're dead."

"Yeah, Yui-oneesama told me the same thing." There was guilt in Kyoko's eyes as she stared at Makoto. "I can't promise anything. This isn't a world where we can expect a happy ending. That's why…"

Kyoko reached out her gloved hand and placed it on top of Makoto's. "That's why I want to use the time we have to the fullest."

Makoto's chest tightened, but it was bittersweet. He couldn't stand the thought of Kyoko's life being cut short. It wasn't that he couldn't live without her or anything pathetic like that, but Kyoko deserved better than an untimely death. He wanted her to live a long, happy life, and if Makoto could be part of that life, all the better.

"Umm, maybe we shouldn't worry about the future right now," Makoto said.

Kyoko tightened her grip around Makoto's hand. "I'm sorry, but we have to be realistic. I fear there's a high chance that one of us won't live to see the end of this war."

He gasped. "What? Why are you saying that?!" A knot tightened in his stomach. "Because the Remnants caught us? Or because you're a Division Head now?"

"That's part of it," Kyoko said. "I just have a bad feeling, and my bad feelings often turn out to be well-founded. You could say that I sense the Shinigami's footsteps in our not-so-distant future."

He shook his head. "You're not going to die. I won't let that -"

"Makoto…" Kyoko gave him an almost pleading look. "Your positivity is one of your best traits, and I know you will do everything in your power to protect me, but we must always prepare for the worst. Do you understand? In case something happens, I… want us both to be ready for it."

"But, uh…" Makoto lowered his head. He would have been lying if he said the same thought hadn't crossed his mind. This world was cruel. How could he, even with his optimism, honesty say that they would both definitely survive?

"Umm, how exactly should we 'prepare?'" Makoto asked.

"Well, what we're doing now is a start," Kyoko said. "Telling you this story is one thing I'd like to do before it's too late. Aside from that, well, I'm not sure. We'll need to come up with activities we'd like to do together. A bucket list, if you will."

Okay. Makoto didn't like how morbidly Kyoko had put it, but basically all she was saying was that she wanted to spend time with him. So, what could they do together? What did Kyoko like? Uh, that's a tough one. What would she like? It didn't help that options were limited thanks to The Tragedy and being stuck with the Future Foundation. Hmm, this was a more difficult question than Makoto had anticipated.

"Uh," Makoto said, "I guess we could watch something together? Or play games?"

Kyoko hummed. "Games, you say? Are you familiar with chess, Makoto?"

Makoto chuckled. "I was thinking more along the lines of video games, but that works. Why? Did you play a lot of chess before?"

"My grandfathers would play with me sometimes," Kyoko said. "I could never beat Fuhito, but I did eventually best Tohachiro." She smirked. "Be warned, Makoto. That was no small feat."

Makoto laughed. "Right, because all smart people must play chess."

Kyoko laughed back. "I suppose it is rather cliché, but it was one of the few pastimes we afforded to ourselves."

"Komaru and I played sometimes," Makoto said. "She would always beat me. I can't imagine I would fare any better against you."

"You will never know until you try," Kyoko said. "Well, we can take some time thinking over our bucket list. Let's continue the story for now."

Kyoko explained how the killer had surrendered in response to her threat. The killer had been an arson victim, and he had taken revenge on the arsonist. The killer had then explained what he knew of the organization behind the killing game, the Crime Victims' Relief Committee. Apparently, the Committee had existed to give victims a chance to take revenge on criminals who had never been convicted, but the Committee didn't care if innocent people were hurt in the process. The killer in the Sirius Observatory case had also murdered two unrelated people in addition to the arsonist. The only person the killer had not been allowed to kill was the designated detective. In that case, Yui Samidare.

These games had been called 'Duel Noirs.'

"Thanks to Yui-oneesama, we were able to find the truth," Kyoko said.

Thanks to her, huh? Makoto held his chin. "How did you feel about her at that point?"

"I felt… gratitude," Kyoko said. "I don't blame her in the slightest for suspecting me. In her position, it was only natural. However, although I can't explain why, for some reason I wanted her to believe in me."

"The answer is very simple," Kirigiri said briefly, and then continued. "But— before telling the truth, I have one thing I want to ask you."

Kirigiri looked up at me and said.

"What is it?"

"I want you to believe that I am not the murderer."

Kirigiri's expression was more serious than ever.

And she had that kind of expression as if she was pleading me, something I had never seen before.

"If you believe me, then untie the ribbon on my right hand. Just the right hand is enough."

What exactly is she planning to do?

I have no idea.

But I decided to believe in her anyway.

As a detective.

—I untied her right hand.

"Thanks."

It was then that I saw Kirigiri's cute smile for the first time— or at least I thought so. Because her expression lacked change, it was probably just my imagination.

"And she did," Kyoko said. "I don't understand why that made me so happy. I'm not sure why I felt this need for her to trust me. Detectives should never believe someone on emotion alone, but I was truly glad that she put her faith in me."

Makoto smiled. It may have seemed strange from Kyoko's perspective, but to him it couldn't have been more obvious. Even though they hadn't known each other long, Kyoko had cared about Yui, and she had wanted to be closer with her.

"We both went back home after the case," Kyoko said. "But it wasn't long until we met again."

Five days after the case…

The students in the class noticed that I was looking into the classroom and began to stir a commotion. It spread to Kirigiri quickly, and that's when she finally noticed me.

Our eyes met.

However, she looked out the window again as if nothing happened.

"Wait, why are you ignoring me?"

Well, Makoto had thought Kyoko had wanted to be closer with Yui. He still did, but Kyoko made it hard to tell sometimes.

Kyoko lowered her head in shame. "I know. I regret my poor social etiquette now."

I walked into the classroom, and stood next to Kirigiri, looking down at her with my arms crossed. The eyes of the entire classroom were now focused on us, and even the students who were chattering incessantly were silent.

Yui had to practically drag Kyoko out of class to speak with her. They had discussed the aftermath of the case. How the Committee had killed the perpetrator for losing the game and being unable to repay his debt to the Committee, and Yui had expressed her desire to keep investigating the Committee.

"I'm getting the impression that... you really like to play hero, Yui-oneesama. Some say that people who try to be heroes die early."

"That's because they put their lives on the line." I puffed out my chest proudly. "As a detective, I was prepared to sacrifice myself for the greater good a long time ago. This is not your specialty."

"Is that so..."

"Can we stop talking about sacrifice?" Makoto asked. "For five minutes?"

Although, Makoto admitted it was interesting that Yui and Kyoko had both been willing to put their lives on the line, but for different reasons. Yui for justice, and Kyoko for her Kirigiri pride.

"I know how you feel," Kyoko said, "but that did make me more curious about her. Unlike me, she had not been born a detective. I wondered where she got her determination from."

"Did you find out?" Makoto asked.

"We'll get to that."

As Kyoko and Yui had wrapped up their discussion, they had agreed to meet at the Detective Library after school.

"We're on a date, a date!"

I told those girls that, and they squealed. I went back to my school building while listening to their voices from behind.

Makoto grinned. "Oh, so you do have experience."

Kyoko eyerolled. "If we're counting undercover operations, sure."

After school, they had taken the bus to the Detective Library. On the way there, the two had briefly discussed each other's families.

"Grandpa is in Los Angeles right now. I told him about the incident on the phone, but he wasn't too concerned. That means that incident wasn't enough to catch his interest, I think."

"Really?" Makoto asked. "You were thrown into a killing game, and your grandfather didn't care?"

"Naturally," Kyoko said. "No one had commissioned him to investigate, so it was irrelevant to him."

"Irrelevant?!"

Kyoko turned her head away. "We'll revisit this topic later."

"B-but, but…"

"We'll revisit this topic later."

Makoto's shoulders slumped. "Okay, then…"

"Next stop, In Front of the Detective Library— In Front of the Detective Library—"

The bus announcement rang.

"Kirigiri-chan, you want to press the bus-stop button."

"I didn't say I want to press it."

"Then is it okay if I press it?"

"Feel free to do so."

"...Let's press it together. I'll count, one, two..."

"Just press it already."

"Fufu, just kidding."

In his blissful ignorance, Makoto smiled. Very cute.

Once they had arrived at the Detective Library, they updated their DSC cards.

"Yui-oneesama's rank had increased to 887," Kyoko said. "Mine had increased to 917."

In any case, our ranks have been improved, which is a good thing. Kirigiri's talent is getting recognized, which especially makes me feel very happy, as if this is my own matter.

"Aren't you happy?"

"I am."

"If you're happy, you should smile. Want to take a picture as a memento?"

"People told me to suppress my feelings as much as possible."

Makoto frowned. "Your family, you mean?"

Kyoko gave a silent nod.

So, Kyoko's emotional suppression really had been part of her training. That didn't help Makoto's opinion of the Kirigiri family. He admitted that there was practical value for a detective being able to hide their emotions, but was it really something Kyoko had to do all the time? As important as detective work was, her happiness mattered, too.

Changing the subject, Makoto asked, "what do the ranks mean again?"

"It's a three-digit classification," Kyoko said. "The first digit indicates the detective's specialty. My '9' denoted that I specialized in homicide. The second is a sub-specialty. My '1' stood for impossible crimes. The final digit is the rank, the lower the better. It was my goal to reach rank '0.'"

"I'm sure you reached it eventually, right?"

Kyoko reached into her jacket and took out a black business card, her DSC card. '910' was printed on it.

Makoto smiled. "I'd expect nothing less."

"It's not that impressive," Kyoko said. "I never made it to 900, let alone triple-zero."

She explained how the rank could further increase beyond a single zero by replacing the sub-specialty with another zero, further still by having all three numbers as zero.

"I'm sure you would have gotten there," Makoto said.

"Don't get me wrong," Kyoko said. "It didn't matter to me. I've already gotten what I wanted out of it."

Right…

The card also had a photograph of Kyoko. She looked much younger, about thirteen? Had she not updated it since she had first gotten it? Makoto supposed that Kyoko really hadn't cared about it beyond getting into Hope's Peak.

Makoto noticed something else about the photograph.

"You used to braid both sides of your hair?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko's eyes widened for a moment. "Oh, umm…" She nodded. "Yes, I used to, but now I don't."

Hmm? Makoto titled his head and stared at the single braid on Kyoko's left side. Was there a story behind that? Makoto had never thought much about it. He had always seen it as a tasteful application of asymmetry, but maybe there was more to it?

Kyoko scowled. "And that's all I have to say about that."

Makoto got the message. This topic was off-limits. For now, at least.

After realizing that such high-ranking detectives were likely to have crossed paths with the Crime Victims' Relief Committee, Kyoko and Yui had left messages for several asking for assistance, and then they had waited.

In the meantime, Christmas approached. At her home, Kyoko had received a call from Yui.

"Can you come to school the day after tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"Then let's meet at the school gate at 7 PM."

"The school gate should be closed by then."

"But it will open the day after tomorrow. Why you may ask? I'll tell you then. You must come!"

And when the day had arrived…

"I'm sorry to call you out so late!"

I waved my hands to greet her from far away before she reached the school gate.

"It's because there is Christmas Mass today." Kirigiri said, with both hands in the pockets of her coat. "The question you mentioned when you called. You hung up the phone before I said the answer, so that's what I came here to tell you today. Now then, I'm going back."

Kirigiri turned around and really started to walk back along the road.

Makoto stared at Kyoko incredulously. "Did you seriously come all that way just to tell her that?"

Kyoko pursed her lips. "Well…"

"… pfft." Makoto couldn't stop himself from laughing. "K-Kyoko, haha, I think she wanted a little more than that, ahahaha!"

Kyoko's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "Yes, I think my lack of social skills has been well-established."

"S-sorry," Makoto apologized. "It's just… a very 'you' thing to do."

Kyoko grunted. "I'm not sure how to take that."

"I think it's part of your charm," Makoto said warmly.

Kyoko sighed. "Really, I am ashamed of my behavior back then. Especially considering that she had prepared something so thoughtful."

She talked about how Yui had taken her to the school rooftop to watch the Christmas celebrations. Yui had said that she was grateful to Kyoko. She had told Kyoko that she had felt driven to become a detective because she had lost her younger sister to a kidnapper, a case which had never been solved.

Makoto didn't say anything, but he had a bad feeling where that was going.

"She said she had doubts being a detective," Kyoko said. "She wanted to help others, but sometimes she believed she was just fooling herself. However, something about my 'indomitable spirit' inspired her. She said that she would have loved to learn it from me."

"Well, she's not wrong," Makoto said. "You do have an indomitable spirit. That's one of the things that make you so amazing."

Kyoko folded her arms. "Hmph, you and Yui-oneesama both love to flatter me."

"It's not flattery if it's true."

Kyoko shyly twirled her hair. "Regardless, I wasn't sure how to respond. I wish I had told her how much I respected her as well. Had I known her better, I would have assured her that she was a great detective and had no reason to doubt herself."

Even the sentiment alone warmed Makoto's heart.

"I did thank her at least," Kyoko said. "After she gave me her present."

"This is called a rose-in-vitro. It looks exactly like you... Would you be angry if I said that?"

Kirigiri's eyes sparkled, and she shook her head.

"That... uh... thank you, it's beautiful..."

Her face turned slightly red as her gaze was transfixed on the rose. It looks like she liked the gift very much. The snowflakes were slightly coating the vitro, making the glass look more and more translucent.

Makoto whistled. "Smooth."

"I couldn't believe she would get me something like that," Kyoko said. "We had only just met, yet she was treating me like, well…"

"Umm... Yui-oneesama."

"What?"

"Am I a replacement for your dead sister?"

Kirigiri looked up at me through the rose-in-vitro.

"Th-that's not true! There is absolutely no such thing, you are you. How could anyone be able to replace my dead sister?"

"Really? That's good."

Makoto gaped at her. "Kyoko, that's uh, that's a really, umm, loaded question."

Kyoko looked away in embarrassment. "I realize that now."

"Umm, were you worried about it? Being a replacement?"

"More curious, I think," Kyoko said. "I certainly understand how she felt now. You remind me a lot of Yui-oneesama, but you are not a replacement for her. The void of losing someone like that isn't something that can ever be filled."

Makoto frowned, thinking of the friends he had lost. "Yeah, that's true."

"Despite the odd question, this was a happy moment for me. Yui-oneesama's gift and kindness solidified my curiosity in her."

"I understand," Kirigiri said, holding the rose-in-vitro to her chest. "By the way... I also have to thank you, Yui-oneesama. Thank you for believing in me during that case."

"Not at all... I haven't done anything worthy of thanks..."

Kyoko clenched her fists. "But she did. She had done something that I would soon fail to –" She sighed. "Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Makoto decided to try and keep things lighthearted. "So, it is safe to say you made a friend?"

Kyoko held her chin as if trying to solve an impossibly complex crime. "Maybe?"

"You did," Makoto said. "I'm glad you made a friend, and I think you were, too."

Kyoko opened her mouth like she was going to argue, but she slumped her shoulders and nodded. "I suppose so." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, next thing we knew, a helicopter showed up."

"What?"

"Yes, a helicopter."

"What?"

"A helicopter."

"I heard you, but… what?"

"One of the detectives responded to our message," Kyoko explained. "Suisei Nanamura. He invited us to investigate another Duel Noir, and we accepted."

"But, how did he even…?" Makoto sighed. "Never mind. Just don't tell me it was playing Ride of the Valkyries."

Kyoko gave him a blank stare.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me."

"Would it help if I said part of it was played live?"

"Stop. Just… stop."

Nanamura had been a DSC 900 rank detective, a top-class homicide specialist. Kyoko spoke of how he had taken them to an expensive restaurant to discuss an upcoming Duel Noir. When Nanamura had asked them why they were pursing the Committee, Yui and Kyoko got into an argument.

"By the way, why are you girls pursuing the Crime Victims' Relief Committee?"

Nanamura asked.

"That's because... we can't just sit back and do nothing about a criminal organization like this!"

I said with my head held high.

"Uh-huh."

Nanamura nodded with a deep smile.

Then he turned his gaze to Kirigiri.

"And you?"

Kirigiri shrank her neck slightly.

"For no reason, I didn't receive a commission in the first place."

"I- I told you, we are a team now." I couldn't help but refute Kirigiri. "Also, don't you have the desire to fight the Crime Victims' Relief Committee too?"

"No, I am only interested in making my talent as a detective get recognized."

"...Your goal is to increase your rank? How can you say that? Especially after being subjected to their game, don't you feel resentment toward them?"

"...I do feel resentment."

An unexpected answer – she answered me with her usual expression. Either she is not good at showing her expressions, or she is just the ultimate poker face... "In this case, you can join me in my fight against the evil organization! The job of a detective is not only to deal with the case at hand, right?"

"I will help you investigate if you commission me, Oneesama."

"You're such a..." I bit my lower lip, restraining my agitated self. "Don't you have any thoughts of your own? Are you a doll that won't act without a commission?"

At my words, Kirigiri slowly turned her face around and responded with a cold look.

Is she angry?

"What's the point of a detective without a client? Self-satisfaction?"

Kirigiri said, turning her face away.

"Yeah, it's surely for self-satisfaction, probably. But that's what the pursuit of the truth is all about, right?"

I couldn't help but stand up and say.

"Pursuing the truth– really. What a childish thing for you to say, Oneesama."

"You're the childish one here!"

So that's what Kyoko had meant before. The Kirigiri family only cared about the truth in the context of serving a client, which was why her grandfather had been disinterested in the Committee. If it wasn't part of their job, it was meaningless to the Kirigiris.

If Makoto was being honest, he agreed more with Yui's point of view. No one could just be a machine that blindly followed orders. People needed principles, a sense of right and wrong to guide their decisions, and anyone taking on a job like detective work should value helping others. Makoto didn't see himself as a hero, despite what some people told him, but he always wanted to do the right thing whenever possible.

And, he also knew why Kyoko had wanted to increase her detective rank.

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Something to say, Makoto?"

Makoto smiled innocently. "No, nothing."

"You agree with Yui-oneesama, don't you?"

"I didn't say that."

"It's written all over your face."

"Is it?"

Kyoko looked at him coldly. "I'm not a detective with the intention of helping others. Remember that, Makoto."

Makoto could recite a litany of contradictions to that claim, but for now, he just smiled and nodded. "I know."

Kyoko grunted. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"That smile… it's just like Oneesama."

"...Oneesama, as I said before, I didn't become a detective for reasons such as protecting people or uncovering the truth."

"I know."

—I know that, no matter what you say, your desire to protect others, and the desire of seeking the truth, both of these are always present in your heart.

Makoto kept smiling. "Well, you did say I remind you of her."

Kyoko sighed, her expression filled with chagrin. "Let's just move on."

After discussing the upcoming Duel Noir, Nanamura had left the restaurant, and in a real jerk move, he had left without paying, forcing Kyoko to foot the bill with her grandfather's credit card.

"What the hell?" Makoto murmured. "Leaving a high schooler and middle schooler to pay for that expensive meal? What a cheapskate!"

"He liked money," Kyoko said. "He jumped out the window, by the way. Several stories high."

Ugh, this guy…

After that, Yui had walked Kyoko home. There, Yui had met Kyoko's maternal grandfather, Tohachiro Uzuchi.

"Are you the one trying to kidnap my Kyōko!"

The voice came from above my head.

An old man in a kimono is standing on the wall with the snowy night sky behind him– by the time I noticed him, it was too late. The old man landed behind me, lightly struck my knee sockets with his cane, and slammed my shoulder with his hand. I didn't have time to resist, and I was knocked to the ground in one fell swoop.

Before I realized what's happened, I had fallen on the floor.

The old man's cane is coming down.

All I can do was stare up at it–

"Wait, that's not him!"

Kirigiri hurriedly stepped forward to stop it.

The cane was suddenly fixed in mid-air.

I raised my hands while lying on the cold asphalt.

"I- I concede..."

"Grandpa, take a closer look, she is a girl."

"What?" The old man stared at me carefully, then unceremoniously grabbed my chest without hesitation. "Hmm... indeed..."

"H-heyyy!"

Makoto squinted. "The hell?"

The old man's hand was unexpectedly strong. I slapped his hand, leaped up, and quickly moved away from him.

"This is Samidare Yui-oneesama. She is a detective from the same school as me."

Makoto noted that Kyoko wasn't shy about introducing Yui as 'Oneesama' to her family.

"Ah, so it's you," the old man said, scratching his gray-haired head. "Sorry, sorry, I misunderstood because I received news that my granddaughter had a dinner outing with a man—"

Makoto gave a nervous laugh. "So, uh, should I be worried if I ever meet him?"

"That won't be a problem," Kyoko said. "He's dead."

Makoto frowned regretfully. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Kyoko said as if it had nothing to do with her. "We'll… get to his death later."

"… is any of your family still alive?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko shrugged. "Who knows?"

Who knows? "Wait," Makoto said, "if that's your answer, then there must be someone who at least might still be alive."

Kyoko sighed. "A fine deduction, Makoto." She paused for a moment. "From the Killing Game, remember those videos Monokuma showed us of our families?"

With a pit in his stomach, Makoto nodded. "How could I forget?"

Kyoko gave an ironic laugh. "Interesting choice of words. I was shown my paternal grandfather, Fuhito Kirigiri. I didn't even recognize him at the time, but if he was shown to me, then…"

Makoto gave her a serious look. "Do you think he could be in Towa City?"

Kyoko shrugged. "Who knows?"

"I don't know how your relationship with him was, but he is your family, right? Don't you hope he's okay?"

"I do," Kyoko said. "Unlike my father, he never abandoned me. If he's still alive, I hope we can save him." She looked into Makoto's eyes. "And, as Division Head, I promise that I will do everything in my power to find your family. It's not really in our division's jurisdiction, but I will do what I can."

Makoto smirked. "I thought you don't intend to help others?"

Kyoko blushed. "You're an exception."

"Oh? I wonder…"

Kyoko lightly slapped his cheek. "Anyway…"

"Are you the one who made the call earlier?" The old man looked like a different person with a calm smile. "My granddaughter, Kyōko, is the one who is thankful for your care. Kyōko isn't used to life here. She is always alone. I don't know what to do about that, and I have been worried for some time. However, now that she is with a good partner like you, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Right, Kyōko?"

"Yes."

Kirigiri hid behind the old man, slightly lowered her head to express her agreement. She felt a little more restrained than usual. She looked like an obedient little lamb.

She's so meek in front of her grandpa...

"Very well, Once Kyōko becomes a first-class detective, I'll definitely abolish that curfew rule!"

"Really?"

Kirigiri asked with a look of surprise on her face.

"I will abolish the curfew as soon as when Kyōko becomes a self-reliant detective."

"Yes, I will be a great detective."

Kirigiri answered with sparkling eyes.

"Yep, yep, good girl."

The grandfather patted his granddaughter's head.

Kirigiri squinted happily.

Makoto smiled. He still wasn't sure how he felt about the Kirigiri family, but it seemed like Kyoko's grandfather loved her at least.

"It's nice to know he wasn't too strict," Makoto said. "I'm glad he supported your friendship with Samidare-san."

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Samidare-san?"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

Kyoko shyly averted her gaze. "It just feels weird for you to address her so distantly."

Makoto smiled awkwardly. "Well, it's not like I knew her."

Kyoko folded her arms. "I feel like she would want you to call her something more familiar."

"What? But, how can you know for sure?"

"Just because you didn't know her doesn't mean you can't understand her."

"Umm…" Makoto nodded. "Alright! In that case, how about Yui-chan?"

Kyoko gave a satisfied smile. "Yes, she would have loved that." Her gaze grew wistful. "I wish you could have met her. I think you two would have gotten along well."

"Me too," Makoto said. "I hope you'll get to meet my sister one day."

"Yeah." She looked at him with interest. "What is she like?"

"Uh, well," Makoto said, "she's kind of like me, I guess. An ordinary girl." He gave an awkward laugh. "It feels a little rude for me to say it, but that's how she would describe herself."

Kyoko smirked. "If she's anything like you, she must be extraordinary."

"Ahaha, yeah, she wouldn't say that."

"Neither would you," Kyoko said. "Yet your self-assessment is greatly divorced from reality. It may be the one area where you Naegis lack optimism."

"Heh, maybe."

"But surely she can't be a carbon copy of you. How is she different?"

Makoto held a finger to his chin. "Umm, I guess I would say she's more, uh, rambunctious than me? Heh, you should have seen her the day I got my invitation to Hope's Peak. She was more excited than I was. She and my parents were so happy for me."

Kyoko gave him a warm smile. "Sounds like you're a great family."

"Yeah."

They spent some time talking about Makoto's daily life with his family. Shows they liked to watch, games they liked to play, restaurants they went to, mundane things like that. Makoto felt self-conscious how normal his life was compared to Kyoko's, but Kyoko seemed to enjoy listening nonetheless.

Eventually, they conversation returned to Kyoko's time with Yui.

"Hey, Yui-oneesama. Can I ask you a question?"

"What?"

"Is it weird to prioritize detective work over the death of a family member?"

"Eh? Uh, well..." I thought, tilting my head. "It's not so much weird as it is strict."

"Strict?"

"The meaning of this sentence is that one should concentrate solely on completing detective work, right?"

"No, that's not it. For the Kirigiri family, detective work is more important than the death of a family member. This is not a rhetorical device like metaphors, but a creed that must be followed."

"Is that so..."

"Is it weird?"

"It may be a little unusual... but I think it's cool. That means you are proud of being a detective, right?"

"Unusual?"

Kirigiri is unrelenting.

What's wrong with her?

Did she have doubts about the family creed of the Kirigiris?

She is extremely proud of her identity as a detective, yet she has doubts about her family creed that had been instilled in her since she was a child.

"What do you think?"

I asked her this, Kirigiri thought for a while, and then said:

"I don't think... it's weird."

"Really. It's nice that you're able to say that."

"But...this might just be my own blind thoughts." Kirigiri said with her face turned. "Otherwise, I would feel empty inside..."

She lives as a detective.

To her, being alive is the same as being a detective.

That's all she has.

but—

"It's okay. As long as I'm here, your heart won't be empty, I won't let that happen."

I took her hand, pulled her into a hug, and patted her little back gently.

"Is it okay for me to stay like this?"

She looked up at me and said.

"Of course. You are the coolest and purest detective in the world, aren't you? Let's work hard together, starting from tomorrow."

"...Yeah."

Makoto was surprised that Yui had seemed so… accepting of the Kirigiri creed. Yui had thought it was 'cool?' If Makoto was being honest, it sounded kind of insane? Detective work came before anything else? Even the death of a family member?

Yui had proudly said that she would sacrifice herself for the greater good, but he was certain that she would never allow someone like Kyoko to die for the sake of a case. And he knew from their earlier argument that Yui hadn't agreed with the Kirigiri philosophy that detective work came first. But despite that, maybe Yui hadn't wanted Kyoko to doubt her identity as a detective, unlike Yui herself, or maybe she just hadn't been bold enough to criticize Kyoko's ideals again.

Or, maybe Yui simply hadn't understood what it really meant and just wanted to cheer Kyoko up. It was sweet how Yui had tried to give Kyoko something besides detective work to fill her heart with. For Kyoko to worry about being 'empty' without her family's creed… again, that was no way to treat a child.

However, Makoto couldn't be sure how much of this was actually the result of her upbringing, as opposed to Kyoko's own nature. Her interactions with Tohachiro gave the impression that her isolation was self-imposed, not something her family had forced on her. He imagined Kyoko would always be a loner at heart, only opening her walls for her closest friends, and those whom she considered family.

The situation was still murky. Just how strict had Kyoko's training been?

"So, to clarify," Makoto said, "you keep saying that detective work comes before the 'death' of a family member, but what about the life of a family member?"

Kyoko hummed. "The same applies. As I've said, a Kirigiri is always prepared to put their life on the line, and we will accomplish our goals even at the expense of others."

Makoto's stomach sank. So, even if their own family was at risk…

"I warned you," Kyoko said sharply. "That's the kind of person I am. A Kirigiri does not exist to help people, not even family. Our creed is simple. We only fulfil our commissions without bias or personal desires."

No, she didn't mean that. Even if that was the Kirigiri creed, Kyoko was more than that.

"Why?" Makoto asked. "What is so important about being 'neutral?' What motivates you? You said it's a 'sacred duty,' but what's the point if it doesn't help anyone? How is your work so important that you're willing to die for it?"

"Because truth is neutral," Kyoko said. "Exposing the truth does not necessarily lead to a 'good' outcome. We don't judge if a mystery should be solved or not, nor do we investigate for self-satisfaction. Detective work is a profession. We provide the objective truth as a service to our client, nothing more or less."

"But, even if innocent people have to get hurt…?"

Kyoko folded her arms. "There are limits, of course. We're detectives, not assassins. We would rather not get anyone killed, but we are not out to save anyone, either."

How cold.

"… you had your doubts, didn't you?" Makoto said.

"I…" Kyoko turned her face to the side. "I can't deny that. I don't want you to pity me as some poor little girl who was 'forced' into detective work. I take pride in it, and that pride isn't something that can be forced." She raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"Huh? About what?"

"Our creed. Am I wrong to be proud of it? Should I scorn the Kirigiri name?"

Makoto's eyes widened. Where had that come from? How was he supposed to answer that? Now he knew how Yui had felt. It was like he was stepping into a minefield. "You're, umm, kind of putting me on the spot here."

"I want to know what you think," Kyoko said. "If you're worried about my feelings, don't be. Just tell the truth."

Makoto exhaled slowly. "I mean, it would help if I knew more. I still don't know much about how you were treated. You told me a little about Tohachiro-san, but what about Fuhito-san?"

"What about him?" Kyoko asked.

"What kind of person was he? Did he ever hit you or anything? Like, show emotion and you get slapped?"

"You think he abused me?" Kyoko questioned.

Makoto shrugged. "I won't know unless you tell me."

Kyoko wasn't truly a cold person. Makoto stood by that statement, but he couldn't deny that the glare she gave him was freezing. "Work with what you have."

Oh, come on!

He just didn't have enough information. Would Fuhito really have sacrificed Kyoko in the name of detective work? How harshly had he trained Kyoko? And what about Jin? Had Fuhito kicked him out of the family? Or had Jin left of his own volition? What was the Kirigiri family really like?

But, as Kyoko had said, the Kirigiri creed itself was simple. Although he didn't know how it had worked in practice, Makoto could offer his opinion on the theory.

Makoto took a deep breath. "Okay then. The truth is, I think it's insane. Family should come before your work. You're a human being, Kyoko, not a mystery-solving machine."

A bit of color faded from Kyoko's face. "Insane…?"

The knot in Makoto's stomach tightened. "I'm, uh, sorry if I offended you, but that's how I feel." Please don't hate me, please don't hate me…

Kyoko shook her head. "No, I appreciate your honesty. In fact, I think… I needed to hear that."

Makoto's mouth fell open. "Huh?" What does she mean?

Kyoko sighed. "It's complicated. I do love my grandfathers, but I've already strayed from their teachings. You're proof of that. I've vowed to protect you above all else, and I don't intend to break that promise."

Makoto smiled nervously. "Should I feel guilty for that?"

"Not at all," Kyoko said. "Although I am still proud to be a Kirigiri, I've decided that doesn't mean I have to blindly follow our creed without exception. I'm my own person, with my own wants, my own goals, and… my own friends."

"Kyoko…" Makoto took Kyoko's gloved hand into his. "I'm glad you realized that. You deserve to live for yourself."

Kyoko intertwined her fingers with Makoto's. "Well, maybe not just for myself…"

Makoto's face grew hot once again. For someone with 'zero experience,' Kyoko sure knew how to get his heart pounding.

His smile grew warm. "There is one thing Yui-chan said that I agree with. You are the coolest and purest detective in the world, and I won't let you feel empty, either."

Now Kyoko was the one blushing. "You're, umm, really cool, too."

"Heh, uh, I'm glad you think so."

They held hands in silence for a while, quietly enjoying each other's company.

Kyoko yawned.

Come to think of it, what time was it? Makoto checked his phone…

"Kyoko… it's 3 AM."

Her eyes widened. "Really?"

Makoto nodded sheepishly. "Guess we, uh, lost track of time."

Kyoko sighed. "I suppose we must get our rest. My duties as the new Fourteenth Division Head start tomorrow, after all. We'll have to continue the story another time."

"Yeah," Makoto said sadly. He knew Kyoko was going to be busier than ever, but he hoped they would still make time for each other. "Goodnight, Kyoko."

Kyoko got up from her chair. "Goodnight, Makoto."

She walked towards the door and reached for the handle, but her hand froze.

Makoto titled his head. "Uh, Kyoko?"

She slowed turned, but her eyes didn't meet him. Her voice strained as she spoke. "Actually, would it be alright if I… stayed here a bit longer?"

"Stay?" Makoto asked. "But, if you stay any longer…" His eyes widened. "Are you saying…?"

With shaking breaths, Kyoko nodded. "I would like to remain by your side a while longer, so would you be willing to spend the night with me?"

Makoto couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Really? You want to… sleep with me?"

Kyoko folded her arms, but it couldn't hide the blush on her face. "Not beyond the literal meaning, mind you. I'm not trying to move that fast."

"But, like, in the same bed?"

Kyoko breathed deeply. "If you don't mind…"

Makoto still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Did Kyoko really want…?

"… oh, I get it," Makoto said. "This is the part where you say 'got you,' right?"

Kyoko shook her head. "No, it's no joke. I'm serious."

Makoto was speechless. Seriously?

"Only if you're comfortable," Kyoko said. "It's fine if you don't want to."

Although his heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, Makoto managed a smile. "No, I… I would like that."

"Th-then it's settled," Kyoko said. She walked to the bed, took off her boots and jacket, and hopped on. Makoto turned off the lights and did the same. The blossoming couple lied in the bed together.

Makoto rolled to the side, facing away from Kyoko. He could smell her lavender scent next to him. Even just her presence was…

He felt something hug him tight from behind. His cheeks turned redder than ever. Kyoko was…?!

"Is this okay?" Kyoko whispered.

"Yes!" Makoto said emphatically.

Kyoko giggled softly, and she kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Makoto."

"G-goodnight, Kyoko."

Kyoko kept holding him tight, snuggling her body close against his. Makoto felt her warmth wash over him. Although it was nerve-wracking at first, Kyoko's comforting embrace eventually soothed Makoto's soul. For once, he actually felt like the Ultimate Luckster.

Are you happy, Kyoko?

Is this making you happy?

I hope so.

I love you, Kyoko.

In Kyoko's arms, Makoto drifted to sleep.

AN: I feel like it's so rare to see them together during this time period. It's like I'm committing Naegiri sacrilege.

As you can see, I wasn't kidding about last chapter's teaser. I thought it would be interesting to imagine what it would be like if Kyoko tells Makoto about Yui, especially when we get to the end…