“i am saying it straight!” kiyotaka snapped back immediately, though his tone never lost that rigid sense of discipline. “every student must be held to the same standard. that includes them.”

near him, makoto looked uneasy, glancing between you and the others. “but we don’t actually know why they haven’t said anything yet. there could be a reason—”

“then they must state it,” the dark haired male interrupted without hesitation. his gaze shifted back to you, unwavering. “silence in the face of accusation only obstructs the truth. if there is an explanation, it is your duty to provide it.”

your fingers clenched into fists at his tone. why did he always have to word things that way? it was endearing at times, but right now it was not.

though to be honest, it wasn’t like you hadn’t expected this. you knew the moment your disappearance was brought up that it would come back to bite you eventually. stir up suspicion and possibly get accused of the murder. still, hearing it laid out so bluntly, with everyone watching and waiting, made your throat feel tight in a way you couldn’t easily ignore.

“i…” you hesitated, the words catching before they could fully form. “i can’t say.”

“huh?” leon leaned forward, brows knitting together. “what do you mean you can’t say?”

“that’s not an answer,” byakuya added coldly, arms folded. “if you expect anyone to take you seriously, you’ll need to do better than that.”

even toko scoffed under her breath. “s-so suspicious…t-they’re totally h-hiding something…”

kiyotaka watched you carefully, as if weighing your words against everything else he had observed so far. there was no mockery in his expression, no malicious judgment (of course he doesn’t want you to be falsely accused), just a strict expectation that you would correct this. and somewhere inside of him, he feared the lingering possibility his classmates plagued in his mind—what if you really did have something to do with the murder?

“‘cannot’ is not an acceptable response,” he said at last, volume backpedaling to a lower one now but no less firm. “if you are withholding information, you are interfering with the trial itself. that is not something i can overlook.”

mondo frowned. “if you’ve got something to say, just say it already. dragging this out ain’t helping anyone.”

you could feel every pair of eyes in the room pressing in, judging, expecting. the longer you stayed quiet, the worse it looked. you knew that. you knew exactly how bad this was getting.

but just thinking about saying it out loud...your face felt draining of color at the thought alone.

“i told you,” you muttered, unable to meet anyone’s gaze. “i can’t.”

taka exhaled sharply through his nose, frustration finally breaking through his composure.

“this is not a matter of preference!” he exclaimed, voice rising. “we are conducting a class trial. lives are at stake. if you have information that could clarify your involvement, you are obligated to present it!”

the force of his words hit harder than anything else had.

for a moment, you didn’t want to respond. but exasperation burns through when your boyfriend, in this case, was like a bug refusing to let go.

“fine!”

the word came out louder than you intended, halting the discussion in its tracks. even kiyotaka paused, caught off guard by the shift in your tone.

your hands moved before you could second-guess yourself, pulling the item from your bag and placing it down on the podium with more force than necessary.

“i wasn’t doing anything suspicious,” you blurted quickly, the embarrassment already creeping into your voice but you remained frustrated. “i was just…working on this.”

its fabric unfolded slightly where it landed. a neatly stitched armband, carefully made through with clean stitching that left no doubt how much effort had gone into it. the design was simple but precise, structured in a way that mirrored kiyotaka’s own strict sense of order. a vibrant red hue matching his current one instead etched with a moral compass design and talent written on the inside.

nobody spoke for a moment. until mondo blinked and said, “…you disappeared all day for that?”

“no way. seriously?”

“wow...you made that?” makoto’s eyes widened in disbelief.

aoi beamed at the sight, hands clasped together as she sighed in relief. “that’s so cool, y/n!”

on the other hand, kiyotaka had gone completely still. his gaze dropped to the armband, then slowly lifted back to you, expression unreadable for once. the earlier intensity hadn’t disappeared, but it changed into something hardcore of a realization.

“you were…making this?” he asked to make sure.

you crossed your arms firmly, still refusing to look at him directly. “it was supposed to be a surprise,” you admitted, voice dropping. “i didn’t think i’d have to explain it in the middle of a trial.”

hagakure shook his head, still surprised at the turn of events. “you almost got yourself pinned as the killer over an armband?”

“i didn’t think it would turn into this!”

taka then stepped forward, headed to where you were. he reached out and picked up the armband, holding it carefully in both hands as he examined the gift. his fingers traced along the seams, taking mental noting of the effort and time it must have taken you to make something meaningful like this for him.

“the craftsmanship is exceptional,” he said, giving that rare soft smile he doesn’t intend to but saves only for you.

the room went a little quieter (ignoring byakuya’s comments of “moving along to actually important things”), though not in that overused dramatic way—just enough for his words to stand out.

“if this is the truth,” he continued, voice regaining its usual firmness, “then your actions, while poorly communicated, do not align with those of the culprit. your absence was not malicious in intent.”

byakuya gave a small, unimpressed huff. “an inefficient use of time, but not a crime.”

“oi, so they’re not the killer then?” leon asked.

makoto nodded quickly. “uh, right. there’s no reason to suspect them anymore.”

kiyotaka looked back at you. the stern edge in his expression had softened, if only slightly.

“in the future,” he said. “you must understand that withholding information in a situation like this leads to unnecessary confusion. transparency is essential to maintaining order.”

you groaned quietly, face still warm. “yeah, i got that part already…”

“…however,” he added, “your intention was not improper.”

that was about as close to gentle as kiyotaka ishimaru ever got.

mondo snorted, deciding to poke a little fun into the situation much to your dismay. “damn. you really went all out for him, huh?”

your embarrassment instantly spiked again. “can we not—”

but taka had already turned slightly, adjusting the armband with careful attention.

“…we will return to the main discussion,” he announced, posture straightening once more. “there is still a culprit to identify!”

yet he didn’t remove your gift from his arm, wearing it like a badge of honor because of the hard work you poured into creating something meaningful just for him to wear.

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all eyes were fixed on you as the evidence mounted—your absence the entire day of the murder, the ‘convenient timing’, that you so happened to have that most likely resulted in this class trial. its been dragging on long enough for patience to wear thin until frustration replaced logic. and now, it had circled back to you.

korekiyo stood beside you in the circle, listening attentively to the debate though his attention never strayed far from your direction. his head was tilted slightly, golden eyes reflecting a quiet, unsettling interest that contrasted with the rising tension in the room.

“fascinating,” he murmured during a beat of struggling silence. “the narrative constructed around my beloved is quite convincing on the surface. yet human behavior is rarely so simple. to accept this at face value would be…disappointingly shallow.”

kaito exhaled sharply. “man, can you quit talking in riddles? it’s not complicated. they were gone all day, right when the murder happened. that’s not something we can just ignore.”

maki’s gaze turned into that chilling one as it landed on you, causing goosebumps to appear on your skin. “do you want to die? if you have an explanation, now’s the time to give it.”

shuichi hesitated before speaking, but when he did, his tone was careful. “we’re not accusing you without reason. but…the timeline doesn’t work in your favor. if there’s something we’re missing, you need to tell us.”

you didn’t respond to prevent the situation from getting out of hand (even though it already was, unfortunately). the silence stretched just long enough before one certain troublemaker fought it.

“ooooh, this is getting good!” followed by an excited clap.

kokichi’s grin widened immediately, leaning forward with clear interest. “refusing to explain yourself in a class trial? that’s basically begging everyone to think you’re guilty.”

“don’t twist it like that, degenerate!” tenko snapped.

“i’m not twisting anything,” kokichi responded with an innocent shrug. “they’re the one staying quiet. just think about it.”

meanwhile, gonta looked both concerned and confused. “but, gonta don’t think y/n is capable of doing that. y/n not do bad, right?”

“oh shut up gonta. everyone here knows the truth already and you’re still confused? come on.” oma scoffed.

even keebo seemed troubled, by the way his robohoge stood in panic. “remaining silent under these circumstances only increases the likelihood of misinterpretation. clarifying your whereabouts would be the logical course of action.”

the pressure wasn’t subtle anymore. it pressed in from every direction, tightening with every passing second. you shook your head, small but firm. “i can’t,”

kaito dragged a hand down his face. “you’re making this harder than it needs to be!”

“then we have no other choice than to consider you a suspect.” kirumi added.

“it’s not unfair if they won’t talk,” kokichi chimed in, obviously entertained. “if anything, it’s super suspicious. maybe they’re hiding something way worse.”

“that’s enough,” shuichi cut in quickly, though the tension in his voice betrayed his uncertainty. “we don’t know that yet.”

through all of it, korekiyo had remained quiet. eyes closed for a second in concentration, studying. “my dear,” he said, turning toward you fully now, volume lowering just enough to separate itself from the noise around you, “you have endured their scrutiny with admirable restraint. but even the most patient soul must know when silence becomes a burden rather than a shield.”

“you are not one to falter under pressure without reason,” he continued. “which means what you conceal holds significance beyond mere convenience.”

that was the problem; it did. all you wanted was to spend a special kind of private moment with your partner and show him the gift you had prepared for him, but in this joke of a prison, your classmates have mistaken your (still unknowingly) entire day of disappearance for a murder you didn’t commit.

your thoughts tangled as every eye remained fixed on you. saying it out loud felt ridiculous. worse than ridiculous. it felt...humiliating, in a way you hadn’t anticipated when you first started making it. now recalling on that, it was dumb not to have thought about a scenario like this playing out later. maybe you would’ve been ready by then.

but life decides things differently.

“i said i can’t.” you repeated quieter now, your voice losing some of its earlier firmness.

“then let’s vote already,” maki spoke like she was over with this entire thing already. and she clearly was. “dragging this out won’t change anything.”

that hit harder than anything else, because you knew she meant it. a sharp breath left you as you straightened, forcing yourself to move before the situation tipped any further out of your control. if you didn’t say something now, this wouldn’t just be embarrassing. it would be final.

“…wait,” you muttered, causing the side arguments to hit the brakes.

you reached into your pocket, slower this time, your movements lacking their usual confidence. the object in your hand felt heavier than it should have as you pulled it out, carefully wrapped in cloth you had gone out of your way to keep hidden all day.

“i wasn’t killing anyone. i spent all that time in my lab. i just...didn’t want anyone to see this before it was finished.”

almost done in unwrapping it, the cloth fell away to reveal a small talisman. it didn’t carry a simple or decorative without meaning kind of design. every detail carried intention, from the carefully polished bone pieces woven into the structure to the dyed threads binding them together in intricate patterns. at its center, the small carved mask rested perfectly in place, etched with symbols you had copied from some research books you’ve taken out of the library for.

“…you disappeared all day for that?” ryoma asked, blinking.

miu burst out laughing almost immediately. “no way! you’re telling me this whole trial was fuckin’ close to going south because you were making spooky crafts for your creepy boyfriend?!”

tsumugi leaned forward, eyes lighting up. “wait, no, that’s actually really detailed…those patterns aren’t random, are they?”

himiko squinted at it. “nyeh…it looks like something you’d use in a ritual…”

standing there while all of them reacted at once made it infinitely worse than just saying it. your gaze stayed fixed anywhere but them, shoulders tense as the reality of how this looked settled in all at once.

korekiyo stepped forward, simply reaching out, hands careful as he lifted the talisman, examining it with an attention that bordered on reverence. his fingers traced along the carved mask, following the engraved symbols as if committing them to memory.

“this…” he whispered in barely hidden awe. “you created this in such a short span of time?”

“i used your notes,” you admitted with a nod, still avoiding eye contact. “from the book you left open last week. i didn’t want to get it wrong.”

“the structural accuracy and symbolic placement…you did not simply imitate. you understood its meaning.”

“it’s because i didn’t want it to look cheap,” you muttered. “it was intended to be a secret until i showed you later. not…this.”

“nishishi~ yeah, well, surprise! the whole class knows now.”

“kokichi, stop please.” shuichi muttered, though there was a faint, relieved exhale behind his words as the motive behind your disappearance wasn’t murder.

kaito shook his head, still processing. “jeez, you seriously should’ve just said that earlier…”

korekiyo finally looked up from the talisman. those golden eyes settled on you again adoring intensity. “ah, my beloved,” he said softly, “to devote your time to such a creation…even under these circumstances…how beautifully human.”

he held the talisman a moment longer in his bandaged hands before resting it carefully against himself, right over his heart as though it already belonged there.

behind him, the main debate resumed, attention moving back toward who’s the actual culprit? as the tension around you dissolved into scattered reactions and muttered comments. but the weight of the moment didn’t disappear so easily.

“you need not shrink from their reactions,” he added. “what you have made holds meaning far beyond their fleeting amusement.” his hand brushed yours briefly beneath the podium, grounding.

and for the first time since the accusations began, the pressure eased—replaced by something far more manageable, even if the awkwardness of the reveal still lingered stubbornly in your chest.

the surprise had been ruined. but in the end, not misunderstood.

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at a glance, byakuya looked indifferent as ever, as though the trial were nothing more than an intellectual exercise. but there were small tells—barely noticeable shifts in his stance, the faint tightening in his jaw whenever your name came up—that betrayed something less detached beneath the surface.

makoto spoke up, concern evident despite his attempt to stay rational. “you disappeared right after breakfast, y/n,” he said cautiously to avoid togami’s wrath. “no one saw you for the rest of the day. if there’s a reason for that, you need to tell us now. otherwise…um..”

he didn’t finish, gaze downcast as his hand went behind his neck in awkwardness. though the message was clear; we’ll have no choice but to vote for you.

kyoko’s eyes settled on you next, sharp in her calm way. “the estimated time of death falls directly within the gap of your disappearance,” she added. “right now, your silence is the only thing filling in the blanks.”

you didn’t respond. you didn’t want to—it was either going to worsen or result in more confusion, and you weren’t going to risk it. your fingers curled tighter against your palms, nails pressing into skin as if grounding yourself in something physical might make this easier to endure. but you knew better. it wouldn’t. nothing about this situation was easy, especially not when the truth felt so painfully out of place here. blood, evidence, accusations—and then there was what you had actually been doing.

it sounded ridiculous in comparison.

“i have nothing to say,” you answered finally, your voice flat enough to shut down further questions before they even formed.

ding ding. that made things worse.

celestia let out a quiet, amused hum. except you could already tell how much she was seething underneath that facade. “how interesting. refusing to defend yourself in a situation like this is either very bold…or very foolish. what could you be hiding, hm?”

“it’s irresponsible!” kiyotaka’s voice boomed across the room. “a trial is not a place for secrecy! if you possess information relevant to the case, it is your duty to present it!”

aoi shifted uneasily, glancing between you and the others. “you’re making this really hard, you know…? we don’t want to think it’s you, but you’re not helping.”

“still refusing?” byakuya’s voice finally cut through, cool and precise.

you shook your head in response. his gaze never left you, unwavering, studying every change in your expression, every flicker of hesitation you tried—and failed—to hide. he wasn’t guessing like the others. he was observing, dissecting. and his patience was wearing on thin ice now.

instead, you looked away, feeling that burn of fluster creep up your neck, spreading across your skin as the weight of everyone’s attention pressed down harder. saying it here, in front of all of them, felt too embarrassing in a way you didn’t prepare for. you planned everything carefully for one certain someone. the time, effort, even pulled an all-nighter. it was never meant for this.

“how tiresome,” he continued, tone edged with impatience. “if you intend to act like a fool, at least do so efficiently. your silence is not mysterious. it is inconvenient.”

your jaw clenched as you forced yourself not to react. of course he’d say something like that. of course he’d reduce it to something irritating, something beneath him. would’ve been easier if he just stayed silent.

“then why don’t you stop asking?”

“on the contrary,” he replied immediately, “i will continue asking until you provide an answer worth hearing.”

“…if you’re not the culprit,” makoto said more gently (probably to get the words out of you). “then please. just tell us where you were.”

“no.”

“…i see,” byakuya scoffed, expression unchanged. it almost sounded like he was done but, “then i will ask you one final time.”

“where were you during the time of the murder?”

you could feel it breaking you down, piece by piece. the longer you held onto it, the worse this became—not just for you, but for everyone else trying to move forward. and somehow, that made it harder to justify staying quiet.

...

“i wasn’t…doing anything related to the case,” you started hesitantly, words coming out uneven despite your effort to keep them steady. “i spent all day in the art storage room.”

“you want proof? fine, but i’m not the murderer.” your fingers removed the lid from the sleek black box you had found somewhere, revealing the white gloves neatly placed inside.

they were unmistakably tailored, its cut matching with his usual style perfectly, the leather smooth and carefully treated. its stitching almost seemed invisible from afar, only noticeable if you looked close enough, and with the subtle lace woven along the sides and fingertips.

however, for a room that’s supposed to always be loud with arguments and people talking over one another, the trial room was dead quiet. even monokuma just sat there, though the tick mark on his forehead was prominent, just as he was about to get mad and scold everyone, toko beat him to it.

“w-w-what!? you m-made something f-for master byakuya?!” she glared at you, clearly fuming at the sheer audacity of being so boldly direct (even though he’s legit your boyfriend).

you stared back at the writer in confusion. “uh, yes? why wouldn’t i?” you muttered under your breath, fighting the urge to roll your eyes.

then leon blinked, ignoring the storm brewing from toko. “wait...you’re serious?”

aoi leaned closer to take a better look. “you made those, y/n? whoa, i never knew you had such a great talent!”

“so that’s where you were…” makoto let out a small breath, relief clear on his face.

kyoko studied the gloves for a moment before nodding. “that accounts for the missing time.”

you turned to byakuya next, admitting, “it was supposed to be a surprise,” the words coming out more defensive than you intended. “and i wasn’t planning to announce it in the middle of a trial.”

“hmph.” was his response as he took the gloves carefully in reluctant yet poorly expressed gratitude, his usual confidence momentarily quieter as he examined them. hands traced along the stitching, testing the material, noting every detail without rushing.

when he slipped one on, it was a perfect fit. his fingers flexed once, then again, as if confirming what he already knew.

“…impressive,” he said at last, though his tone remained restrained as to not show too much of the actual please he felt. “the measurements are exact. the craftsmanship is acceptable.”

you huffed lightly. “that’s high praise coming from you.”

“it is.” he replied without hesitation. “…idiot.”

“excuse me?”

“you prioritized this,” he continued, ignoring you. “over your own defense.” when you finally glanced up, his expression had settled back into something composed, but not entirely the same as before. he adjusted the glove once more, smoothing the fabric before turning his attention back to the rest of the class.

“next time,” he warned in his ‘specifically for you’ tone. “you will inform me beforehand.” a brief pause followed when byakuya cleared his throat and added, “…though i suppose the result justifies the earlier inconvenience.”

and that was the closest thing to gratitude you were going to get.

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celestia observed it all in cunning silence.

one manicured nail rested lightly against her lips, calm composure on max, her eyes moving silently from one speaker to the next. unlike the others, she didn’t rush to fill in the missing gaps of the murder timeline, instead opting to wait until the right moment presented itself. and when it did...

“how strange.” her voice was not raised, yet it held enough to steer the discussion.

“what is, celeste?” aoi asked.

celestia didn’t move from her place, looking amused, like the answer had been sitting in front of them all along. “we seem to be circling the same conclusion,” she continued, tilting her head slightly. “and yet, no one has addressed the most…suspicious detail.”

makoto blinked. “suspicious detail…?”

“you’re referring to y/n’s disappearance, right?” kyoko’s eyes narrowed a fraction as she locked looks with the gambler.

“correct,” celestia’s gaze drifted ‘til it settled on you. the word itself was spoken gently, but the effect was not.

sayaka was next to react with a concerned expression. “is that true, y/n? no one saw you during that time?”

“yes but—” except celestia indirectly—or no, most likely on purpose—interrupted your response. “how curious,” the girl added. “most individuals, when faced with suspicion are quick to defend themselves. and yet y/n remains silent.”

“i already said i can’t explain it.”

“mm, not cannot, but will not.”

“that’s not what i—” “is it not true, then?” celestia’s expression stayed the same. it was still hard to tell sometimes what she was really thinking behind that poker face as she held your gaze, as though weighing your reaction more than words.

sakura raised a hand slightly to steady the tension. “if there is a reason for your secrecy, you must say so, y/n. remaining silent will only deepen suspicion. let us help you.”

chihiro nodded in agreement, albeit nervously. “i-it’s okay if it’s something small...you can tell us.”

you exhaled quietly, frustration building beneath your ribs. this wasn’t supposed to go like this. none of it was. “i’m not the culprit. isn’t that enough?” the exasperation in your tone was obvious; you were starting to get tired of this back and forth. what shitty mood was your girlfriend even in, trying to kick you under the bucket?

celestia’s smile sharpened just slightly. “an assertion without proof,” she replied. “how unfortunate.”

oh my gosh. that did it. not the accusation—because she wasn’t outright accusing you—but the way she made your silence sound like a free choice, something suspicious rather than personal.

when the slightest of hesitation crossed your face, “ah,” she sounded pleased. “so there is something you are protecting.”

“it’s not like that.”

“then clarify it.”

“oh okay, so you want everyone to see what i made for you?”

celestia blinked, momentarily stunned. “repeat that again?”

pulling the object from a pocket, you placed it onto the flat surface in front. “you think i was busy killing somebody? no. there’s your proof.”

the lace caught the light first, then its shape. the full piece unfolded by your fingers showing a two-toned choker, black lace on the middle and white on top and bottom parts, added with subtle frill trims to match her white headpiece, delicate patterns stitched together to pair up to other gothic-like outfits she owns.

“...huh? so we wasted time over a gift?”

“please shut that mouth of yours, makoto.” celestia responded with a smile.

makoto swallowed, shooting you an apologetic look. poor guy just blurted it out without thinking. kyoko watched this and gave a sigh. “y/n, are you firm in your defense?”

“yeah. i know it’s hard to believe, but trust me. this took longer to finish for me to be on a killing spree.”

kyoko cracked a tiny smile at that. “very well then.”

sayaka’s eyes lit up in amazement. “it looks so pretty and delicate. you did a great job!” “it’s really detailed.” chihiro agreed.

“alright, that’s enough everyone.” a clap of hands followed by celeste. she turned toward you, her palm extended, gesturing for the choker with a polite, “thank you” when you gave it.

there was nothing about her expression that suggested surprise, only a measured sort of interest as she examined every detail. “how meticulous. didn’t know you had an artists’ eye for these things,” her gaze never left the object as it dangled from her hand. “you devoted an entire day to this, and still chose silence when suspicion turned your way.”

“such craftsmanship! the dedication alone speaks volumes!” hifumi exclaimed, striking a dramatic pose.

even sakura’s gaze softened once she realized, understanding settling in without the need for further explanation.

celeste hummed softly, finally lowering the choker back onto the podium. “regardless of personal sentiment,” she said, turning her attention back to the class, “the timeline now holds. the absence has been explained, and there is no longer a basis to pursue suspicion in that direction.”

kyoko nodded. “that’s correct.”

as conversation soon redirected you exhaled in relief, the tension in your shoulders finally easing, hoping the moment would pass entirely.

it didn’t yet.

once the trial was done with, celestia moved past you on her way back, but this time she didn’t stop right away. instead, she paused just enough to glance at you from the corner of her eye.

“for future reference, allowing yourself to become a suspect over something so trivial is hardly a wise strategy.”

“i know. lesson learned.”

“...but. if you insist on creating gifts, perhaps i may request you to make me other accessories in exchange for becoming my personal stylist.” she offered.

well. guess you don’t have anything to lose either way by accepting, right?

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chiaki rests her chin lightly against her hand, eyes half-lidded but focused. “the timeline still doesn’t connect. there’s a whole block of time where we can’t place you anywhere…and that’s kind of a big problem.”

gundham exhales through his nose, arms crossed beneath the dramatic fall of his scarf. “an absence in the record is not proof of guilt. the void itself cannot act.”

“yeah, but it sure makes things suspicious,” kazuichi mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. “i mean, no alibi at all? that’s like asking for a big ‘suspect me’ sign…”

hajime doesn’t say anything at first, pondering deep in thought. he suddenly glances back at you, conflicted, like he’s trying to find something in your expression that clears everything up without forcing you to say it out loud.

“…you keep saying you didn’t do it,” he finally says. “but you’re not giving us anything else to work with.”

“i don’t have to prove something i didn’t do,” your reply was instant. probably harsher than you intended, whoops.

the words hang there; not wrong on your behalf..but not helping.

ibuki jumps a little behind her podium, eyes wide with curiosity rather than accusation. “but it’s like a mystery inside a mystery! if you’ve got a secret, it’s gotta be juicy, right?”

“it doesn’t have to be ‘juicy,’” mahiru cuts in seriously, frowning. “though you’re not making this easy on yourself. people are going to keep doubting you if you stay quiet.”

“i know that.”

“then why—”

“i said i know.”

that stops her. not because you raised your voice, but because of how intense it sounds, like you’re holding something back by force.

before mahiru can start full-on arguing with you—a small, uneven sound like a squeak came from the side.

“p-please don’t fight…!”

mikan’s voice barely gets heard through the strain but it’s enough to pull attention her way. she looks like she regrets speaking the second it happens, shoulders curling inward as if she’s trying to make herself smaller under everyone’s gaze.

the noise quiets down to hear what she has to say, but hiyoko isn’t having it.

“ugh, what do you have to say now, you filthy pig? just hurry up and die already!”

“shut it saionji. let her talk.” you shot the blonde a glare of warning, then turned back to mikan, nodding for her to continue. hiyoko huffed in annoyance but listened.

“i-it’s just… um…” her hands twist together nervously, fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. “e-everyone’s getting really intense, and…and maybe there’s a reason y/n can’t say anything yet…!”

...except hiyoko is quick to taunt her. “oh please, here we go. you’re defending them now? based on what, love confessions?”

mikan flinches hard, eyes darting down. “i-i’m not defending anyone! especially not because they’re..um..” her face rapidly changes to the shade of a strawberry. “i just—i mean—i don’t know anything either, but—!”

“so don’t interrupt.” hiyoko scoffs, only to be faced with an, “then why don’t you?” from you in return.

the nurse’s voice catches completely, eyes wide, and for a second it looks like she’s going to shut down entirely, retreat back into silence, but she forces the words out, looking at you in appreciation.

“…it’s scary,” she blurts out, facing your classmates now. “wh-when everyone starts deciding things like that…it feels like it’s already over before you can even explain…!”

there’s enough pause for her to keep going, even if her voice is shaking worse now.

“a-and…sometimes people don’t say things because they’re embarrassed, or…or they think it’s not important enough, or…” she glances at you briefly, then immediately looks away, face flushing further. “o-or they just don’t want everyone looking at them like that…”

nagito tilts his head, smile faint but unreadable. “embarrassment, huh? that’s an interesting possibility. though i wonder if something like that would really outweigh the risk of being suspected.”

“it might,” hajime says before he can stop himself. everyone looks at him as he frowns slightly, like he didn’t mean to say it out loud. “if it’s something personal…i mean.”

“you’re all making a lot of assumptions.”

“then correct them,” mahiru says firmly.

“i can’t.”

“won’t,” hiyoko snaps.

across the room, mikan takes a small step forward without realizing it, as though she’s trying to do something—anything—but doesn’t know how. “y-you don’t have to say it all at once…” she offers weakly. “just… a little is okay too…”

as seconds pass, you debate your answer. the pressure doesn’t explode this time. it just builds, quiet and constant, until it’s impossible to ignore. “…it’s not related to the case,”

“that’s not enough,” chiaki replies gently.

“i know.” “then—” “i get it,”

“is it something you made?”

the question comes out of nowhere.

mikan clamps her hands over her mouth immediately after, eyes wide like she didn’t mean to say it at all. “i-i’m sorry! i didn’t mean to assume—!”

“…why would you think that?”

“i-it’s just—!” she stumbles over the explanation. “y-you’ve had thread on your sleeve since yesterday, and there was that smell like antiseptic and fabric glue, and—and your hands had those little marks like when you sew too long and—” she cuts herself off, mortified.

“i wasn’t watching you or anything weird!! i just notice things sometimes and—i’m sorry—!”

“no,” your hand dips into your bag. “you’re right about that.”

pulling the item out, you show a small sized compact, but handmade; purple and lavender tones branding the object, stitching slightly clumsy yet reinforced decently, designed to hold weight without tearing. a soft inner lining peeks out where the zipper parts slightly, organized in a way that makes its purpose obvious the longer someone looks at it.

“is that...a pouch?” hajime asks, confusion and surprise written on his face.

“for medical supplies,” you add reluctantly with a shrug. “i spent all night making it.”

mikan blinks. then blinks again. she doesn’t know how to react; is she confused? yeah. did she expect this? no. but it does look really pretty..and indirectly compliments her hair color with its lighter tone. whether that was on purpose or not, that answer will remain unknown (it is).

“…for…medical supplies?” she echoes timidly.

your gaze softens as it lands on her. “you keep losing your stuff. bandages, scissors, whatever. i figured something like this would make it easier to carry everything around.”

mikan’s hands start shaking, tears welling in her eyes. “f-for me…? are you sure?”

rather than getting annoyed or lashing out, it only makes you chuckle. “for you only. don’t make it a big deal.”

“i’m not—! i just—!” her voice breaks completely, and she has to press her hands to her chest as to stop it from bursting for a second before she can continue. “n-no one’s ever—i mean— something like this is really hard to make properly, and it’s really pretty and organized and—” she looks like she might cry for an entirely different reason now.

“THIS HAS GOTTEN SO EMOTIONAL IT’S MAKING ME WANT TO TAKE A TEARY SHIT!!” nekomaru yelled, wiping away a fake tear.

ibuki nodded aggressively. “yeah! if i wrote a song about this, it’d be called, ‘I Got Suspected Of Murder Just For Making My Girlfriend A Gift!’!”

“my, that title matches wonderfully!” sonia encouraged, eyes sparkling.

hiyoko groans loudly. “are you kidding me? we almost voted based on that?!”

“well,” chiaki gives a small nod. “at least that explains the missing time.”

hajime relaxes slightly, tension easing out of his shoulders. “yeah…it does.”

“it’s fine.”

the trial finally resumes, attention bouncing back to the actual case now that your alibi was accounted for. but mikan doesn’t move. she stays where she is, staring at the pouch like it might disappear if she looks away. “…i’m really sorry,” she says suddenly, turning toward you in a small panic again. “i-if i hadn’t said anything, you wouldn’t have had to—”

“it’s not! you were trying to keep it a surprise and i ruined it and now you’re going to hate me and—”

“you didn’t ruin anything okay?” you reassured before she’d spiral any further.

she freezes, hesitant when she asks, “…really?”

“yeah, it’s yours anyway.”

her hands hover uncertainly before she picks it up, holding it like something fragile despite how sturdy it actually is. “…i’ll take really good care of it.” she promises softly, voice still trembling but steadier than before. when she sees you don’t reach out to take it back, the nerves in her body loosen as she relaxes.

Like, he dances over peoples boundaries all the time and violates their personal space for shits and giggles, but when you don't seem to mind and actually engaged in it, he's genuinely concerned. Not because you're reciprocating, but because it's him, the least likeable person in the building.

He really wouldn't know what to do with himself in that situation, he just sorta freezes. Be it a hug, headpat, or holding his hand, his response is so delayed he doesn't even register what happened until you're gone.

Please, no one approach him, he's not okay.

Probably avoids you like the plague at first because the things you make him feel is so foreign to him and definitely distracts him from his supreme leader plans.

If he's ever questioned about it, he of course gaslight and denies everything and calls you weird or something but he has a hard time lying directly to you

Thinks you have some ulterior motive and calls you out on it but you're just standing there confused.

Once he figures out you truly are no threat to him, he's in a weird position. For starters, you're not gullible to fall for or aid him in his schemes and second, you're always hanging out with him when you can so he can't get rid of you.

He thinks it's annoying at first but once he gets over his ick with his emotions, he'll constantly align himself in your presence (Because he's touch starved and wants attention) and be his clingy self again.

He'll demand piggy back rides and drag you everywhere because he can.

„ nagito komaeda

- he thinks your ultimate is so hopeful!

- he finds so much hope in the fact you help prepare dead people before their funeral

- doesnt really find the things you do scary? again, he sees hope in it

- doesnt really get it but he loves to learn about everything you do

„ shuichi saihara

- he thinks its so cool

- he loveeees looking at your art! he finds it so cool

- literally wants to be your emo detective bf so bad

- might confess to you through a letter with skull stickers LOL

„ korekiyo shinguuji

- he thinks your ultimate is so beautiful

- he finds beauty in the fact you care about these dead bodies

- might even care about you more than his sister

- maybe just maybe starts killing people so that you can work on more dead bodies n stuff

„ rantaro amami

- definitely interested!

- he doesnt really understand some things either but he listens very well when you explain stuff to him

- gifts you beautiful gothic rings henrjfhbd

- omg he gives you animal bones that he got from his hikes because he knows you work with them AWW

„ kokichi ouma

- definitely tells dice about it

- he pretends to be scared and fake cries but laughs and tells you its a lie when you tell him you know he’s lying

- wont admit it but he thinks your cool as FUCK!