* CHOSE HOPE !

She giggled at his reaction before shaking his hand as well parting it afterwards,he honestly seemed like a very interesting individual,but with that aside Elise honestly couldn’t wait to get to know him even more.

His next question caught her completely off guard.There was a singer by the name belladonna?Elise honestly has not ever heard of someone like this.

“There is an actual singer by a name like this?Apologies but i didn’t even know somebody like that existed if I’m being honest with you,young man.”

                                          ━━━━━━ .:.『悲劇』.:. ━━━━━━

-✁- ℌ𝔬𝔴 - {

      ℌ𝔢 was going to do WHAT? He wouldn’t really go so far as to do that, would he? Naegi was already doing so much, him pushing his hands beneath her shirt would surely be her end, Fukawa was certain of it. Whatever solace she could find in his words was what he’d last said. Regardless of what bold he was being, he was still giving her an out if she so desired it. That had more of an impact on her than anything else right then as any other time someone tried to be bold or dominant, never did they consider the feelings of the other person, especially from what the author had observed.       𝔇𝔢𝔰𝔭𝔦𝔱𝔢 what he was normally like, he actually pulled the dominant act off well, especially since Fukawa really didn’t expect it from someone like Naegi. As much as she didn’t want to be scolded or worse in the case them being discovered, a part of her wanted to see if he truly would have the guts to do what he’d said he would. Grabbing someone’s chest was one thing, but to do so with skin to skin contact and even expose her torso in the process would be another. She had her doubts that he would go through with it, but Naegi often did unexpected things, thus she could only wait and see what he would do.    ❝   …ℑ-ℑ guess? But I really don’t think you’d g-go that far,                  knowing you. I mean, sure you’ve done this much already, bu-but I                    would think that this is your limit. There’s no way you’d actually                       go through with it, right?   ❞

                                                                    } - ＰＡＴＨＥＴＩＣ -✃-

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐈𝐓      𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐃      𝐒𝐇𝐄      𝐖𝐀𝐒      𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆      𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆,      𝐒𝐎      𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓      𝐖𝐀𝐒      𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃.      After   all,      again,      he   obviously   couldn’t   continue   if   she   told   him   not   to,      but   she   agreed   in   the   most   quintessentially   Fukawa   way   possible,      so   he   wanted   to   at   least   try.      The   act   was   all   just   for   the   sake   of   impressing   her,      so   if   he   was   going   to   chicken   out   now,      it   would   look   really   bad,      right   ?      This   was   meant   to   be   something   that   she   would   like      &      get   turned   on   by.      So   it   would   be   embarrassing   to   stop   because   he   wasn’t   bold   enough   to   keep   going,      rather   than   because   she   told   him   to   stop.

Of   course   she   wasn’t   wrong   in   her   assessment   ;         he   was   normally   the   type   who   wouldn’t   go   that   far.      He   wasn’t   some   super   dominant   tough   guy   who   took   what   he   wanted.      But   he   also   wasn’t   normally   the   type   who   would   grab   someone   like   this.      He’d   had   to   work   up   the   courage      &      get   hyped   up   by   a   certain   biker   just   to   do   this,      but   this   was   the   make   or   break.

Fortunately,      he   was   also   getting   pretty   turned   on   by   this,      &      it   can   be   pretty   hard   to   think   straight   when   you’re   feeling   the   heat.

The  reveal  seems  to  strike  Leon  speechless.    He’s looking down at the pack in Makoto’s hands with his lips parted in an expression of surprise.    So fixated is he on the object being presented to him that he doesn’t even look up at the other boy’s brightly blushing face.

Is he so flabbergasted that Makoto has them ?    But then —

“ No way !    You collect idol cards ?    Do you have any of Maizono — chan’s cards already ?    C’mon,  don’t hold out on me !    You gotta show me your collection ! ”

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄      𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄.      He's   ...   into   it   ?      Oh,      geez,      what   a   relief   !!      He   seriously   doesn’t   know   what   he   would've   done   if   Leon   laughed   at   him   or   teased   him   about   it.      Still   a   little   timid,      but   partly   because   of   the   surprise   of   Leon’s   excited   reaction,      Makoto   nods   hesitantly      &      licks   his   lips.

Even with jacket on it was difficult for him not to shiver and he merely nodded in response to the other’s words, hugging himself as he pressed forward despite how difficult it was becoming. If either of them, especially himself, stayed out too long in that sort of cold they would likely get ill or worse so the sooner they could find any help the better.

Though so far he hadn’t spotted even a light in the distance. Were the people who owned these fields simply farther away or was there no one around at all? He… He didn’t even want to consider that… There had to be someone out there. There had to be.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐎   𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓   𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄   𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄   𝐖𝐀𝐒   𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐄   𝐎𝐔𝐓   𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄,   𝐁𝐔𝐓   ...   maybe   they'd   just   picked   the   wrong   direction.      The   wrong   field.      Something.      That   had   to   be   the   case,      he   couldn't   imagine   the   rice   fields   stretched   out   that   far.      Only,      he   didn't   know   that   much   about   farming,      &      his   sense   of   direction   wasn't   exactly   the   best,      either.      It   could   be   that   they'd   only   crossed   half   the   field   in   this   time   for   all   he   knew.      &      of   course   there   was   every   possibility   they   just   hadn't   picked   the   right   direction   to   walk   in,      luck   or   no   luck.

Honestly, it felt as if there were no right or wrong answers with that statement alone, as worrisome as it sounded. Naegi without a doubt, was never a burden. Naegi was.. well, hope itself, it felt like. His presence alone shows a light that was at first, hard to see for Kirigiri, but now.. meant something more. She moves to squeeze his hand, allowing him a moment to be vulnerable. Allowing him a chance to let these feelings out.

Even if Naegi was a pillar, Naegi had feelings as well. Naegi was a person, as well.

“..Did I not do the same to you? Drag you down, I mean.” Kirigiri mused. “With my desperation to uncover secrets, I threw you under the bus. Even so..”

Kirigiri shook her head.

“It’s never a burden to admit you feel these things, or need help. It’s human, natural and normal.”

“In fact, I honestly hope you can rely on me with these feelings. Better to be open about them then not at all.. Better to discuss it then to close yourself off and hurt because of it, you know..?”

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒  𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒      𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄      𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄      𝐇𝐈𝐌      𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋      𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌.      Soothing,      it   eased   the   feelings   of   isolation      &      unease   that   had   followed   him   through   this   exchange,      &      brought   it   to   be   in   the   first   place.      It   was   incredible   how   easily   Kirigiri   seemed   to   find   the   words   to   persuade   him,      now      &      every   time   he’d   needed   her.      Could   it   be   any   wonder   he’d   come   to   trust   her   so   quickly   ?      That   when   he   had   been   in   the   position   to   be   thrown   under   the   bus,      he   abstained   from   saying   anything   that   would   have   pinned   the   blame   on   Kirigiri,      so   wasn’t   that   like   being   complicit   in   it,      at   least   to   some   extent   ?

(      Maybe   not,      but   he   forgave   her,      truly,      fully.      )  

❝   Kirigiri   -   san   ...   thank   you,   ❞            Makoto   said   softly.      He   breathed   in,      lifting   his   eyes   to   meet   hers.      Making   every   effort   to   let   go   of   his   frustration      &      to   open   himself   up.      The   only   way   to   do   service   to   her   words   was   to   do   just   that,      after   all.      &      he   needed   to   allow   some   vulnerability   for   that   to   happen,      difficult   though   it   was.

❝   Then   ...      I’ll   do   my   best   to   open   up   to   you.      I   trust   you.      I’ll   trust   you   with   my   feelings,      too.      I’m   grateful   you’re   here.      I’m   grateful   that   you’re   willing   to   listen.      It   means   so   much   to   me.   ❞            Softly,      softly.      There   was   still   the   matter   of   pulling   himself   together.      He   needed   to   gather   himself   before   he   could   really   talk   about   it.      But   he   had   to   trust   her,      &      that   meant   trusting   that   she   would   not   be   dragged   down   by   what   he   was   going   through.

Kirigiri,      too,      had   survived   the   killing   game.      &      while   she   was   not   looked   upon   as   a   pillar   the   same   way   he   was,      she   knew   better   than   any   of   their   peers   the   weight   that   was   on   his   shoulders   even   now.

Something in the way he speaks to her, so soft and gentle in nature, makes her feel safe and secure. Despite the horrible things she’s done, the despair she’s caused, Makoto Naegi makes no ill judgements of her. He runs his fingers through her hair and smiles warmly at her, like an old friend or budding lover might. She’s more than grateful to him for saving her. She’ll never fully recover from the illness that has seeped under her skin, infecting her completely. But she is able to make her own choices now, to decide what she thinks will be best for her. She has hope now.

“I do want to change!” She exclaims, smiling genuinely. “I w-want to be a better person! I’m n-not the old me anymore… m-my hair only reminds me of the past and I j-just…”

She trails off, tugging at the choppy strands again. “W-Will you help me then? I d-don’t think I’m ready to do it, just yet. B-But soon… Soon.”

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐈𝐓’𝐒      𝐒𝐎      𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃      𝐓𝐎      𝐒𝐄𝐄      𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒      𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄      𝐓𝐎      𝐇𝐄𝐑   !      So   good.      Heart   beating   just   a   little   faster,      a   little   fonder,      at   the   sight   of   her   wonderful   revitalizing   joy,      he   basks   in   that   renewed   life   he   sees   in   her   now.      Nodding   as   he   continues   ever   gently   to   stroke   her   hair.

❝   Yeah,      of   course.      I’d   be   honoured   to,   ❞               he   tells   her   softly.      Genuinely.      He   loves   that   he   can   be   a   part   of   her   change.      He’s   so   pleased   to   be   a   part   of   that   process.      That   anything   he   does   can   at   all   impact   her   life   for   the   better   feels   so   wonderful,      impactful,      like   ...   like   this   is   the   whole   reason   he’s   done   all   of   this.      The   sacrifices,      the   work,      the   risks.      It’s   been   all   for   this.      For   all   of   the   former   Remnants,      but   now,      more   presently,      for   her.      Physical   embodiment   of   all   he   believes   in.      Proof   of   a   person’s   capacity   for   change      &      of   the   essential   goodness   in   people’s   hearts.      

He   loves   her   smile.

Sitting   by   her   side,      fingers   in   her   hair,      talking   of   how   far   she’s   come      &      how   far   she’s   going   to   go   from   here,      he   feels   so   at   peace   he   could   close   his   eyes      &      lose   himself   in   the   moment.

     A part of her wondered how Makoto’s true intentions could be when it came to things like this. He seems flustered yet he is aware of a girl’s feelings and the intimacy of that. That did bring some relief to her, most guys would be pretty immature when it came to stuff like this. She was willing to talk about this without feeling grossed out or embarrassed, but merely out of curiosity. Plus, it wasn’t like she ever got experience any of that anyway since she was often focused on gaming instead. So this was kind of an eye opener for her to understand feelings of humanity in this situation. 

    A kiss to prove romantic feelings is pretty obvious, but she wanted to make sure and see that it is true of his own intentions. She’s pretty sure a kiss could be either friendly or romantically too. “Like this, right?” Suddenly bold, Chiaki leaned in to leave a quick kiss on Makoto’s lips. Sure it was unexpected, but at this point she was waiting for a reaction. 

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃   !!      Absolutely   thrown   for   a   loop.      Makoto   blinked      &      his   eyes   were   wide      &      bright   like   he'd   just   seen   the   heavens   open   up   before   him.      For   all   the   odd   places   this   conversation   had   gone   he   simply   never   would   have   expected   Nanami   to   actually   kiss   him,      &      it   was   such   a   soft   warm   feeling   that   it   could   have   swept   him   right   off   his   feet      &      up   into   the   air.      Obviously   it   wasn't   a   negative   reaction   he   was   having,      but   the   shock   was   kind   of   overwhelming   for   a   minute   there.      A   pretty   girl   like   Nanami,      just   kissing   him   out   of   the   blue   ?      That   doesn't   just   happen   !!

Anyway,      what   kind   of   feelings   was   she   trying   to   express   ?      He   couldn't   just   jump   to   conclusions,      but   on   the   other   hand,      hadn't   he   been   perfectly   open      &      honest   about   what   a   kiss   is   ?

          Any  pain  she  felt  in  her  own  body  was  quickly  forgotten  as  worried  gaze  begins  to look  him  over  for  any  sign  of  injury ,  FAILURE  to  find  any  leaving  her  visibly  RELIEVED .  Feeling  partially  RESPONSIBLE  for  his  fall ,  mouth  INSTINCTIVLEY  opens  to  begin  spewing  even  more  APOLOGIES  only  to  hesitate  upon  seeing  him  back  away  from  her ;  the  sight  causing her  stomach  to  drop  as  INSECURITY  begins  to  convince  her  that  his  actions  were  proof  of  how  AWFUL  it  was  to  be  around  her .  

       Smooth  envelope  with  his  name  written  neatly  on  the  front  lie  directly  beneath  her  fingertips ,  Selene  too  busy  gaping  like  a  fish  out  of  water  to  realize  that  she’d  UNINTENTIONALLY  exposed  the  reason  she  had  been  by  his  cubby  in  the  first  place  when  hers  was  nowhere  near –  a  letter  full  of  sugar - coated  ADMIRATION  meant  to  remain  ANONYMOUS  as  no  name  was  penned  on  the  bottom  to  lead  him  back  to  her .

     Willing  to  do  whatever  it  took  to  help  him  see  what  she  saw ,  words  began  flowing  the  moment  pen  hit  paper ;  the  ink  on  her  hands  a  medal  of  PARTICIPATION .

   ❝ I … I’m … ❞  unsure  what  to  say ,  words  become  hard  to  find .

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘      𝐇𝐄’𝐃      𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘      𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃      𝐓𝐎      𝐆𝐄𝐓      𝐎𝐔𝐓      𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌      𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑      𝐇𝐄𝐑.      It   isn’t   proper,      after   all,      &      surely   she   must   be   even   more   flustered   than   he   to   be   squished   up   together   like   this,      flung   into   a   boy   so   painfully   average   that   it’s   all   but   offensive   to   have   to   suffer   his   touch   ...   obviously.      That   can’t   be   anything   but   the   case.

He   only   belatedly   notices   that   envelope   she   has   tucked   under   her   hand   like   a   secret   waiting   to   be   told,      &      in   that   moment   he   thinks   that   she   must   have   been   on   her   way   to   tell   someone   something   very   important.      After   all,      nobody   writes   notes   like   that   unless   it’s   a   very   𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋   𝐌𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄.      The   kind   of   thing   you   can   only   say   with   words   written   on   the   page,      rather   than   spoken   aloud,      because   the   message   is   too   private   or   too   emotionally   charged   to   just   whisper   out   loud.

So   he   feels   a   tightness   in   his   throat      &      a   rush   in   his   chest   like   maybe   he’s   gotten   in   the   way   of   something   very,      very   meaningful.

Nekomaru would hear the voice and jumped down from the pillar, causing a rather loud sound upon his landing, his attention focusing on the scrawny looking boy in front of him. Nekomaru was disgusted the instant he saw Makoto, it was only natural for him to be surprised, that this scrawny weak man had been the one to end Enoshima, Nekomaru could not take him seriously, then again, he was heavily on guard, Nekomaru had seen the killing game broadcast and knew that all this kid needed was a show of emotional weakness, or to find something that contradicts, and he would go after it. He approached the boy, keeping a close eye on him, if Makoto showed even the slightest hint of weakness, he would attack Makoto. Nekomaru would stop his approach once he was a few feet away from him. ❞ Surprising that you come alone. Such decision will cause your death. ❞ Nekomaru would say, his voice dripping with malice and pure hatred, the tone of his voice was almost like a low growl, like a predator taunting its prey before killing.

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒   𝐎𝐅   𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓   𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄   𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄   𝐇𝐈𝐌   𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐇   𝐈𝐍𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐋𝐘.      He   knew   what   to   expect   from   the   Remnants   of   Despair,      those   most   vicious      &      violent   generals   of   Enoshima's,      but   the   former   Ultimate   Team   Manager   was   a   beast   of   a   different   breed   altogether.      Nothing   could   have   prepared   him   for   the   sheer   size   or   the   burning   hatred   of   that   man.      The   huge   muscles   bulging   furiously   from   the   neck   down,      the   lightning   that   seemed   to   extend   from   his   eyes.      Even   the   other   Remnants   couldn't   make   his   blood   feel   cold   the   way   that   Nidai   did,      just   from   the   sheer   power   in   him,      which   made   Naegi   keenly   aware   of   just   how   easily   he   could   snap   him   in   half   with   his   bare   hands.

As   if   the   𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐄      𝐎𝐅      𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐒𝐄𝐒   didn't   do   just   that.

Everyone has been rather low lately. It doesn’t help that their efforts to keep everyone alive had failed and now the group of fifteen is a group of thirteen. Sayaka and Leon’s deaths had hit the group rather hard - the reality of their situation setting in. Aoi herself had spent the night sobbing over the deaths of her classmates, pressed up against Sakura and terrified the same fate would await her.

Makoto seems to have been hit the hardest. Sayaka was a former classmate of his in middle school, at least that’s what Aoi can discern from the snippets of conversations she’s overheard between them. And she did sort of throw him under the bus in attempt to frame him. It’s no wonder he’s so depressed.

But Aoi is the type to stay positive - she needs to be! Her little brother is probably outside of the school waiting for her. And without Aoi to provide for them, Yuta would be alone in the world. So she’s made the decision to survive. She knows help is on its way. It has to be. There’s no way the world would be so cruel as to allow this killing game to happen. She just has to stay positive and things will work out for the best. Her mother used to say that all the time!

She takes another chomp at the pastry in her hands, enjoying it all she can. She isn’t worried that it’ll go to her thighs because she plans on spending the rest of the day working it all off. She perks up a little when Makoto mentions he should try working out too. 

“You wanna work out together? Sakura and I are gonna start by weight lifting and then we’re gonna totally check out the pool again today!!! You’re more than welcome to come join us!” She suggests. 

“Oh if you don’t wanna come swimming though we can totally run laps around the gym! That would be a good workout!”

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐓𝐎      𝐁𝐄      𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐓,      𝐇𝐄      𝐈𝐒      𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃      𝐎𝐅    ...      intimidated,      by   the   idea   of   working   out   together.      Not   that   he   thinks   there’s   any   shame   in   the   fact   that   he   is   decidedly   not   as   strong   as   the   two   girls,     nor   that   there’s   any   possibility   they   might   tease   him   over   the   fact      (      goodness   no,      Ogami   is   far   too   honourable      &      Asahina   is   far   too   kind      ).      But   there   are   times   he   feels   a   little   out   of   place   even   now   that   their   life   has   changed   from   one   of   learning   to   one   of   constant   vigilance      &      survival.    

Still,      even   this   is   welcome   distraction   from   the   pain   he’s   been   in   since   the   deaths   of   Leon      &      Sayaka.      He’s    been    trying   so   hard   to   be   strong   in   the   emotional   way,      really   he   has,      but   everyone   saw   him   fainted   dead   away   at   the   sight  of  the  body.    That  cold,    empty  body,    once  so  full  of  life    &    promise  ...  the  𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃  that  had  covered  not  only  her  clothes  but  his  vision,    so  that  even  when  he  closes  his  eyes  he  can  still  see  it,    just  as  plainly  as  he  could  see  her  face.

He  knows  she  tried  to  frame  him,    he  knows,    &    it  hurts  so  bad,    but  all  of  it  blends  together  into  this  one  tremendous  hurt  that  he  could  not  possibly  sift  into  neat  portions  or  categories  anymore.      There’s   too   much   of   it  now,      &      more  than  anything  he  just  wishes  there  were  some  way  that  he  could  have  done  things  differently  so  that  his  classmates  would  still  be  here  now.    𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄.    Unharmed.

He  blames  Monokuma,    whoever’s  controlling  the  damned  thing.    He  has  to,    because  it’s  the  only  means  he  has  of  coping  with  their  situation  at  all.    If  it  weren’t  for  that  bastard  putting  them  into  this  sick,    twisted  position,    then  nobody  would  ever  have  been  killed  in  the  first  place.    Regardless  of  who’s  done  what  or  why.    Regardless  of  who’s  betrayed  whom  ...  even  if  that  does  make  it  that  much  harder  to  swallow.

Makoto  just  wishes  he  could  have  them  back.    He  wishes  he  never  had  to  lose  anybody  at  all.

     Scared for…her? The statement had her taken aback, confused beyond words! And he claims she isn’t expendable - directly contrasting what she’d been told for years, what Fenrir had drilled into her head, what Junko had backed up - what she’d even begun telling herself. She pondered it in silence, lilac hues studying him. She would’ve thought he’d be confused by now. If he didn’t know her, somewhere in his mind he had to be questioning her determination to help him, right? Why she lied about who she was? But she…saw no indication of that. All she saw was concern, a caring concern she’d never had even from her own FAMILY. It…brought her a peculiar feeling of warmth, despite her shocked expression.

     Guilt weighed on her again. She thought she’d worked through this after she lured her classmates into the trap, after Junko led her to betray them. She thought she’d come to terms with the guilt, with her BETRAYAL. But Mukuro had only suppressed it. She knew she owed him an explanation. Turning her gaze to the camera, she let go of one of his hands, and reached under her skirt, unbuckling the latch and removing her second knife from its hidden sheathe. She raised her blade and threw it with pinpoint accuracy, hitting the cable connected to the camera and severing Junko’s feed. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was sure she could hear Junko loudly complaining about her, but Monokuma hadn’t shown up to gripe, so in Mukuro’s mind, it didn’t matter. Yet.

     A disquieted sigh escaped her. Whether she was ready to or not - she felt it was time to lay all her cards out on the table. He deserved to know. She owed him an explanation. Even in his condition, maybe the truth would give him a little more strength. “…It must be bothering you,” she began, softly. “You know me, don’t you? You recognize me but you can’t place the memory? Like a distorted sense of déjà vu? …It’s because you did know me. And everyone else here. Your memory has been altered, like everyone else’s. My sister did this. A sick game to show her ‘appreciation’ for you all. She pushed me to lead you all here. But…I’m not going along with it anymore.” Her expression hardened, eyes becoming more focused - yet her gaze grew distant. Like she was somewhere else, far away, in her mind. She spoke again, tone cold and uncaring.

     “If her death is what it takes, so be it. I won’t betray you again.”

     The question immediately sprang to mind. Was she assuring Makoto of that, or trying to convince herself? And she was getting ahead of herself again, wasn’t she? Ready to jump to action, to bring WAR to Junko’s doorstep. Would she even have the resolve to pull the trigger? Could she really do that to Junko, her beloved sibling, the one person Mukuro had always sacrificed EVERYTHING to protect? The thought brought her so much pain, and yet, she could almost deem the idea of being rid of Junko a pleasant one.

     But that wasn’t even accounting for the fact that she couldn’t just leave Makoto here. He’d be vulnerable. Monokuma could just step in and finish the job if she left- seeing how easily Junko resolved to kill her own sister, Mukuro knew she’d have no problem finishing Makoto off just to hurt her. So - she’d stay. Until Makoto was strong enough to get up and walk, she wasn’t leaving this room, unless she had to CARRY HIM. And given her considerable skillset, she’d have no trouble carrying him even in a fight. But she didn’t want to put him through that if she didn’t absolutely have to.

     Rousing herself from her thoughts, her gaze snapped back to Makoto’s face, her expression softening again. The words continued to ring in her ears: that she isn’t expendable. He was scared for her. Telling her not to cry. She finally raised her arm to wipe the tears off on her sleeve, inadvertently rubbing off a bit of blood on her cheek, speaking again, though in a softer tone. But she frequently stalled, long gaps between words, thinking her statements through. “I… Thank you. But you shouldn’t be so worried about me. Not…especially not after what happened to you. Just focus on keeping your strength up. Breathing exercises. You’re the most important thing here, right now.”

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒   𝐖𝐀𝐒   𝐀𝐓   𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓   𝐌𝐄𝐓   𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇   𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄   𝐀𝐒   𝐇𝐄   𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐊   𝐈𝐓   𝐀𝐋𝐋   𝐈𝐍.      Reeling.      Distorted   déjà   vu   was   the   perfect   way   to   describe   it.      It   felt   as   though   he   had   been   looking   into   a   foggy,      warped   mirror,      trying   to   see   through   to   the   blurry   faces   lined   up   behind   him.      He   was   struggling   to   wrap   his   mind   around   it.

What   was   this   life   he'd   forgotten   ?      How   many   memories   had   he   made      &      lost   with   the   strangers   all   around   him   ?      If   this   girl   was   telling   the   truth   ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒      &      he   didn't   have   any   reason   to   doubt   her   sincerity   in   this   bizarre   circumstance   ‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   then   he   not   only   knew   those   people,      he   had   been   friends   with   them.      He   must   have   been.      They   must   have   formed   enough   of   a   bond   that   her   sister   would   consider   it   worth   showing   her   appreciation   toward,      whatever   the   hell   that   meant   !!      &      she   ...   he   must   have   known   her   enough   that   there   might   be   some   crack   in   his   apparent   amnesia   when   he   saw   her   about   to   be   killed   by   that   damned   bear.

She   ...   𝐈𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀.      That   was   her   name.      𝐈𝐊𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀   𝐌𝐔𝐊𝐔𝐑𝐎.

❝   We   were   friends,      weren't   we   ?   ❞            Makoto   asked   softly.            ❝   You   ...   &      me,      I   mean   ...   we   were   friends,      right   ?   ❞            His   tone   was   gently   imploring.      He   wasn't   really   sure   what   kind   of   assurance   he   was   looking   for,      but   he   needed   it   from   her   now.      Maybe   it   was   just   the   fact   that   he   felt   that   strong   connection   with   her   in   the   first   place,      &      just   didn't   know   how   to   treat   it,      what   to   call   it.      Like   they   could   have   talked   in   the   halls   while   they   walked   to   class,      or   laughed   together   in   the   dining   hall.

Maybe   they   weren't   even   that   close,      but   he   only   thought   they   had   been   because   she   was   the   one   whose   memory   had   come   back   to   him,      even   just   a   little   bit.      Because   he   knew   he'd   known   her.      It   was   possible.      It   was   very   much   a   possibility.      He   just   ...   didn't   really   think   that   was   the   case.      &      that   could   be   due   to   bias   as   well,      but   Makoto   always   had   been   an   idealist,      head   full   of   hope.      He   preferred   to   go   with   his   gut   on   this   one.      He   would   hang   his   hat   on   the   possibility   that   they   had   known   each   other   well,      once.

Once.

But   not   now   ...   strange   as   that   was   to   try      &      believe.

How   could   memories   be   altered,      after   all   ?      How   could   her   sister   have   done   this   to   them,      &      why   ?      &      then,      what   would   have   made   her   sister   turn   so   violently   on   her   own   flesh      &      blood   ?      𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀,      he   thought      (      guessed   ?      knew   ?      deduced   ?      ).      Enoshima   had   tried   to   kill   her   for   stepping   out   of   line.      Was   it   because   Ikusaba   had   acted   out   or   was   it   the   plan   all   along   ?      Did   it   matter   ?      There   was   too   much   he   didn't   know,      too   much   that   didn't   make   sense.      He   couldn't   just   throw   out   random   guesses      &      expect   to   hit   his   mark.      He   needed   Ikusaba   to   tell   him   what   was   what.

Maybe   she   could   even   help   him   to   put   a   stop   to   this   game   before   anyone   really   did   get   killed,      be   it   by   Enoshima   or   by   one   another      (      regardless   of   their   resolve   to   the   contrary      ).      She   really   seemed   to   be   so   soft      &      kind,      in   spite   of   her   cold   sensibilities.      Like   there   was   someone   truly   caring   under   that   harsh   exterior      &      all   that   talk   of   death      &      betrayal.      A   warm   centre   in   layers   of   stone      &      stone.

❝   Ikusaba   -   san   ...   Of   course   I'm   worried   about   you.      I   was   so   scared   you'd   be   hurt   it   was   like   ...   I   acted   on   instinct.      Like   ...   I   couldn't   let   anything   happen   to   you.      I   don't   want   anyone   to   die   here.      I   don't   want   you   to   have   to   fight   ...   I   just   want   to   know   you're   OK.   ❞

                                  ━━━━━━ .:.『悲劇』.:. ━━━━━━ 

-✁- ℌ𝔬𝔴 - {

      ℌ𝔞𝔡 it been her own room, then she certainly would have kept Naegi standing, but she supposed since they were his room, it’d have been strange to keep him off his own bed for this long. Even now, he kept himself at a distance even when sitting on his own bed, still respecting her unspoken boundary. Regardless of her harsh words toward him, he still did this much for her when she truly didn’t think she deserved it. He truly was something else, though whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, the author was still trying to decide.       ℌ𝔢❜𝔡 asked that as if she wasn’t certain of her decision. Had she not been sure then she wouldn’t have asked him over in the first place, at least she was pretty sure that was the case. There were a lot of things that Fukawa was certain of, yet when she was around Naegi her mind became muddled and unsure, like she was second guessing every decision she made while in his presence. Was he messing with her head somehow? Or was his positivity an even match with her own negativity that it threw her off balance?       𝔚𝔥𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 the case may have been, the more he spoke, the more the author was caught off guard. What he said, it was almost as if it didn’t click in her mind, that he would want to contradict what she so often said about herself. As much as she wanted to justify it being a prank or that he had some kind of ulterior motive for saying these things, yet she never knew him to play pranks on people nor did he use people for his own gain in the time she’d known him.       ℌ𝔢 was being completely genuine with her.       𝔉𝔬𝔯 some reason, him being so genuinely nice and wanting for her to actually care for herself scared her more than anything. Maybe it was because she’d never experienced it before, or because it was such a drastic change from what she was used to, but nothing could have possibly prepared her for it.    ❝   𝔜𝔬𝔲… Why? Why do you like me? You do things like kissing                 me and say the things you do, and I’m only left to w-wonder                   why. What’s so special about me that makes you come back                     to me every single time? You say I’m smart, and p-pretty, but                       I can’t help but doubt that.   ❞                                                                  } - ＰＡＴＨＥＴＩＣ -✃-

‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒‒   𝐇𝐎𝐖      𝐃𝐎      𝐘𝐎𝐔      𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐍      𝐀      𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆   ?      Much   less   one   as   complicated   as   this,      with   all   its   nuance      &      all   its   unexpected   warmth.      He   liked   being   around   her.      It   was   sad   she   couldn’t   believe   it,      too.      He   enjoyed   talking   to   her,      spending   time   with   her,      even   with   that   shroud   of   negativity   surrounding   her.   To   him,      it   was   only   natural   he   should   keep   coming   back.      It   was   only   finding   the   words   to   tell   Fukawa   this   that   he   struggled   with.      Ah,      if   only   he   were   a   writer   like   she   !!

❝   Well   ...   because   you’re   you.   ❞

It   was   not   much   of   an   answer,      probably   cliché   or   something,      but   it   came   so   easily   that   he   couldn’t   help   just   following   it   out   to   her.      Sitting   with   his   hands   on   his   knees   at   the   foot   of   the   bed,      his   heart   on   his   sleeve   just   like   always.      He   thought   about   how   to   follow   up   such   a   simple   answer   for   a   moment,      with   his   lack   of   finesse   making   it   tricky   in   spite   of   his   best,      &      most   positive   -   thinking   efforts.

❝   I   think   that,      when   it   comes   to   being   smart,      it’s   easy   to   see   from   the   fact   that   people   love   the   books   you   write.      It   even   got   you   invited   to   Hope’s   Peak,      right   ?   ❞            He   beamed,      satisfied   with   this   part   of   his   answer.      Even   if   it   wasn’t   eloquent,      at   least   he   was   able   to   tell   her   how   he   felt.      That   it   still   might   not   be   enough   to   convince   her   was   a   possibility   that   dogged   him,      but   ...   he   couldn’t   let   it   catch   up   to   him   while   he   was   still   trying   to   find   his   footing,      so   to   speak.

❝   &      you   really   are   pretty.      I   think   you   just   don’t   see   it   yourself.      Maybe   that’s   why   you   like   guys   like   Togami   that   are   really   harsh,      but   ...   I   think   that   you   aren’t   being   fair   to   yourself   dismissing   your   qualities.      You’re   an   interesting   person,      Fukawa   -   san.      You   have   a   lot   of   things   about   you   that   make   me   like   being   around   you.      It’s   not   when   you’re   harsh   that   I   like   it.      It’s   when   you’re   really   invested   in   your   reading,      &      you   get   that   concentrated   look.      Or   when   you’re   writing      &      you’re   lost   in   your   own   world.      When   you   get   really   passionate   about   a   subject,      I   love   that.      I   feel   really   happy   when   I   get   to   see   you   getting   excited   about   something.      Those   are   the   things   I   like   about   you.      You   should   see   how   pretty   you   are   when   you’re   concentrating   or   talking   about   your   favourite   things   !!   ❞

Makoto   wondered   if   she   could   see   the   heat   in   his   cheeks   that   grew   as   he   spoke,      his   words   coming   faster   as   he   went   on.      Perhaps   he,      too,      was   getting   passionately   excited   about   a   topic.      &      since   that   topic   was   𝐅𝐔𝐊𝐀𝐖𝐀   𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅   ...   well,      that   boded   well,      didn’t   it   ?

Yeye,      I   haven’t   dropped  threads.      Just   haven’t   had   the   opportunity   to   write   much,      &      I’m   catching   up   on   my   drafts   presently.   :)

I’m   queueing   everything,      &      I’ll   be   caught   up   soon   !!