Chapter Text
All she wanted to do was help him. That's all she was trying to do. How did things turn out like this?
Shizuka Matsuki never had many friends in her life. In fact, she never had any. Upon hearing she was accepted to Hope's Peak Academy, she decided to change that. This time she would have friends, lots of them, no matter what. But things didn't go the way she planned. She found herself trapped in the school with no way out, locked with fifteen other students she didn't know, and forced into a killing game. It would be an understatement to say she was afraid. She didn't know who to trust here, or if anyone was even worth trusting. She knew nothing about these other Super High School Levels, and in a situation like this the others would probably be too worried to get close to her. That is until she met him.
His name was Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Super High School Level Hall Monitor, and she couldn't figure out what it was but something about him drew her in. Maybe it was his red eyes, she always had an affection towards the color, but she felt as if it was something more. It was almost as if she knew him from somewhere. But that was silly, this was the first time they had ever met. She couldn't have known him before. But if that was the case, then why did she feel like she would be safe with him? He certainly didn't push her away, he welcomed her with a boisterous laugh and a smile. "I can tell you're a hard worker, Matsuki-kun!" is what he told her. And she was happy.
The two of them became friends. He personally woke her up in order to escort her to breakfast in the morning, he talked to her about art and painting while admitting he was a fan of her work, he made her smile just by being himself. He did manage to make her blush with some of the things he said, his social awkwardness the main cause of that because he never had any friends before either. So he would say something that in his mind sounded platonic and innocent, but it actually meant something more. But she never told him, she knew that he meant well after all. And he never suspected why she blushed either. At first it was just friendship, an instant bond they couldn't explain. But something brought them closer together.
The night of the first trial had filled her with dread, she still felt sick from seeing Kuwata's dead body. Though it surprised her when Ishimaru knocked at her door and asked if he could come in. He was worried about her, after watching the execution he could see the fear on her face. He didn't dare say it out loud, but he couldn't stand seeing her so afraid. He wanted to make those feelings go away, even if he didn't know how. Matsuki herself wasn't sure how she felt, she had no idea if she was okay. So much had happened in one day that it all seemed like it was too much. Ishimaru asked if there was something he could do for her, anything that could help her through this. She asked if he would stay with her, she didn't want to be alone tonight. He just took one look at her before saying he would stay there. He had to have been hesitating to do so, Matsuki just knew it, but he could see that leaving her alone would do more harm. It was then that Matsuki felt her face turn red, but this time it was more than just words that caused it. Something about this felt right, she could feel her heart skip a beat. This wasn't just friendship, not to her. She felt something more for him, but she didn't dare tell. The rest of that night had been spent in awkward silence until the painter had fallen asleep.
Things returned to what little normalcy there was the next morning. A new area opened up for them, but no way out was found. Togami and Fukawa stopped coming to breakfast with the others, deciding that working with the others was pointless. And then the biggest surprise came, Oowada and Ishimaru became friends. They were calling each other "brother", and Matsuki felt happy if just a tad bit jealous. Ishimaru told her he had never made any friends, so maybe his friendship with the biker would do him good. Maybe things would get better.
But then Monokuma said he would reveal all their secrets if there was no murder soon. Matsuki looked at the slip of paper in fear, how did he manage to find out about her past? The others seemed to have similar reactions. They had twenty-four hours before everything was revealed to the world. Ishimaru suggested that everyone reveal their secrets to each other, and while it wasn't a terrible idea Matsuki just couldn't do it. She didn't want them to know the truth about herself, not after she had worked so hard to gain friends in this place. No one else was up to it either it seemed, so everyone returned to their rooms.
And Ishimaru knocked on her door again, once again with the noble intent to make sure she was okay. But she wasn't, and admitted so, she couldn't be after knowing that Monokuma learned about her secrets. It could ruin all she had worked so hard for, everyone's opinion about her would change. Ishimaru asked her what could be so bad that it would change the other's opinions? It was hard for her, but Matsuki decided to tell him, if there was anyone here that she could trust it was Ishimaru. So she told him everything. About how the happy girl was nothing but a mask, how she had been so alone her whole life, how no one had ever wanted a thing to do with her, how she thought that if she changed herself it would make people like her. She never wanted anyone to know that she was just some sad and lonely girl who was desperate to make friends. Before she could continue though, she felt Ishimaru's arms wrap around her. This was different, she never expected Ishimaru of all people to be hugging her like this. He surprised her again, because the next thing he did was ask her "Why didn't you tell me?"
He tells her that he would never think differently of her because of something like that. He was all alone too until meeting her and his new found brother. He understood her pain better than anyone else could. And he will never leave her side. Matsuki starts crying, but they're not tears of sadness. She's happy that someone accepts her, the real her. And all she can do is thank him because there's not much else to do. That time they both fall asleep next to each other, and it's the best sleep either of them has had since they came here. But it would be the last night of peace they would have.
The next morning Monokuma wakes them up, telling them that something happened last night, they should look around. And they both find Naegi and Togami looking at Fujisaki's dead body and the announcement goes off once again. Another investigation is held, and Matsuki nearly does throw up this time. Ishimaru stays by her side throughout the investigation and reassures her that they can do this, he knows they will. And she wants to believe it, even though there's a tiny shred of doubt in her heart. But then the trial comes, and the evidence is pointing towards Oowada being the culprit. Ishimaru doesn't want to believe it of course, his brother could never do something like this! And Matsuki doesn't want to believe it either but the proof is staggering. He even admits it himself and that's that. But Ishimaru continues to scream no, you can't do this, spare him please! But Monokuma ignores his cries, and they all have to watch Oowada's execution. By the end of it Ishimaru is on the floor in tears, and Matsuki is right beside him trying to comfort him like he has tried to do for her. But she knows that a comforting hand and words aren't enough to heal him, they can't make him better. The real world doesn't work that way. All she can hope for is that with her help and time, he will slowly heal. It's not impossible, but not instantaneous. And that night she's the one staying with him in his room, telling him that she won't leave him and she'll be there if he needs anything. He doesn't reply though, he's in a state of shock at this point. There's nothing more she can do now.
The next morning he's unresponsive. He doesn't speak to anyone, not even Matsuki. The most she could get out of him was a nod or shake of his head. It was worse than she thought, but she wasn't going to falter. She stayed with him as they explored the new floor. She was happy because now there was an art room opened up, but now was not the time for celebrating. The rest of the day flew by, even with the discovery of Alter Ego. Matsuki just couldn't find it in her to be as happy about it as the rest of them. She wished Ishimaru good night, and told him to come see her if he needed something. But once again, there was no reply. She wasn't going to blame him though, she would probably be in a similar state if something like this happened to her best friend. She just returned to her room, thinking of a way she could help him further. But she didn't know that that would be the last time she ever saw Kiyotaka Ishimaru.
Which brought her to the present day, the next morning as she stood outside of Ishimaru's door.
"Ishimaru-kun? Are you there?" Matsuki asked as she rang the doorbell. "We should be getting to breakfast now, we don't want to be late." No reply came though. She knew he had been in pain after Oowada's death, but now he was shutting even her out? "Well, I'll just be going to the dining hall then. I'll just tell the others you're not hungry or something. I'll come check up on you later. Bye..." As she walked away, she realized that he probably didn't even hear a thing she had said.
She barely ate much that morning, she just wasn't feeling hungry for some reason. She was too worried about Ishimaru to care about her food. He was already starting to get worse. But what could she do to fix things? It's not like she could just flick a switch and make his pain go away, and she didn't want to try that anyway. Still, she wanted to see some hint of the boy she met in the gym on that first day. Even the smallest, briefest hint of a smile would be enough for her. Yet there was nothing she could do to fix it, to help fix him. The only thing she was any good at was painting.
Wait... Painting... Of course! She might not have been able to tell Ishimaru how she felt, but she could show him. And maybe, just maybe, she'd get a smile out of him. Some sign of her Ishimaru so she wouldn't have to worry so much. She didn't hesitate to head straight for the art room after she finished eating. She pulled out a canvas and easel, grabbed all the paint she would need, and got to work. She already had the perfect image in her mind too. All she had to do was work her magic and make it real. It felt like hours had passed when she decided to take a break and finish things later. It was getting late and she could use something to eat. But that was when she saw him. Or rather, ran into him.
At first she didn't recognize him, but Matsuki began to realize that the person in front of her was indeed Ishimaru. But what had happened to him? His hair had turned white and his eyes were on fire. And there was this look in his eyes, a harsh cold stare that she had never seen on him before. Did he get worse without her knowing? What happened while she was painting? "Ishimaru-kun, are you alright?" she asked, trying not to sound afraid. "Are you feeling any better?"
Ishimaru glared at her, and it was so unsettling to her. She had never seen him give that look to anyone. What was causing him to look at her like this? "Who the hell is Ishimaru?! I'm just freaking me!" he said, a voice that barely sounded like the one Matsuki was familiar with. "And what happened is none of your damn business, little girl!" The painter felt a pain in her chest upon hearing those words. This wasn't like him at all. He had gotten worse, so much worse. Matsuki tried to find the words she wanted to say, but they got caught in her throat. "I don't need anyone, especially you! All I need is my brother! Now stay out of my way, I have more important things to do!" As he walked away, Matsuki could only stand there in disbelief. Was this what heartbreak felt like?
That night, she fell asleep feeling lonelier than she did when she first came here. She felt used, tossed aside, hurt. All she wanted to do was help him, and now he said he didn't need her. Didn't want her. Matsuki had heard a lot of hurtful things before, but nothing like that. She thought they were friends, was that all wrong? He told her he would stay by her side, was that all a lie? She didn't know anymore. She just kept hoping it was a bad dream that she could wake up from at any moment. The next morning would just prove to be worse.
The whole group was called into the bath house first thing in the morning. Even though she went, Matsuki truly didn't want to be there. She barely listened to the scolding Kirigiri was giving Yamada. It had nothing to do with her after all. Though when the idea that Yamada was in love with Alter Ego was brought up, she felt a sinking feeling in her chest. More than anything right now, she didn't want to think about love. It just made her feel worse. She tried to block out the entire conversation, hoping it would end quickly so she could go up to the art room in peace. But then he emerged from the sauna, wearing nothing but a towel, and shouting at the top of his voice. She couldn't help but blush because he was standing there with no clothes on, and wow she had no idea he had so many muscles, but it was only a natural reaction. She just tried to look away, hoping that he wasn't looking at her. But she couldn't block out the conversation unfolding in front of her, no matter how hard she wanted to.
"Oh, Ishimaru-chi! I see you're feeling better?"Hagakure asked. He must not have encountered this person last night, this person who looked like Ishimaru.
"Who's that Ishimaru you're talking about!?" he shouted back.
"Um, it's you, right?" Hagakure asked.
"I'm telling you, it's not me!" "Ishimaru" barked back. "It's obvious! Ishimaru and Oowada... That makes me Ishida! Or something." Ishida. That was what he called himself. This was the name of the man who took away the boy Matsuki loved. It was true then. Ishimaru was gone.
And then Naegi explained what had happened to change him into this. He wanted to see Alter Ego, wanted to apologize on Oowada's behalf. The program had tried to reassure him by taking on the biker's visage and using words he believed Oowada would tell him. And after that, Ishida came into being. Matsuki didn't blame Alter Ego, he was only trying to help, but his actions caused more harm than good.
"Hey, you. Yamada!" Ishida called out to the doujin author.
"Y...yes?" Yamada asked.
"You fucker. I don't know what your intentions are, but let me warn you... Brother is mine and mine alone!!" Ishida proclaimed. "I'm talking about Alter Ego... It's him who breathed my brother's soul into me... I won't let anyone else touch him, you fuckers!" He didn't care anymore. It was true. Matsuki had just been a doll for someone once again. She didn't want to think like that, but the more she continued to listen the more it seemed that way.
"I will not yield. Ishimaru Kiyotaka-dono... Let me declare this to you loud and clear." Yamada said. "Me and her, our fate is tied by the bonds of love!"
"Me and him are tied by our fierce camaraderie!" Ishida said, the anger between the two of them raising. If this kept going on then they might actually...
"Both of you, stop this!" Matsuki said as she walked over to the two of them. "You shouldn't be fighting about all of this! It's not going to do us any good!" She hoped that maybe one of them would listen, one of them would be the sensible person and stop this. But of course not.
"Why should I listen to you?!" Ishida said. "You're just jealous, you can't handle the idea that I'm not attached to you!" No, that wasn't it at all. She just wanted all the fighting to stop. "Well I'm done listening to you, you hear me?! I'm no longer your shoulder to cry on, so why don't you just run off and quit wasting my time?!" What happened next was a shock to everyone, and no one could tell if it was an accident or done on purpose.
But Ishida's arm had moved in just the right way with just the right amount of force, sending Matsuki flying straight into the lockers. The entire room falls silent, and for a moment all anyone can do is stare at the painter crumpled on the ground. Everyone is shocked, even Ishida himself. Asahina finally breaks the silence by running over to her. "Matsuki-chan! Are you alright?" she asks as she takes a hold of her hand and helps her back on her feet.
Matsuki doesn't answer. Something inside of her managed to snap. All the sadness and pain and anger and heartbreak that have built up inside have finally hit the breaking point. And her own dark side starts to show itself. "So is that all I am to you? A waste of time?" she said quietly, the tears forming in her eyes. "IS THAT ALL I'VE EVER BEEN?!" she shouted. "WAS OUR FRIENDSHIP JUST A LIE TO YOU?! THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT IT WAS FROM THE VERY START, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO FALL FOR THIS AGAIN, BUT I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR ONCE! I TRUSTED YOU! FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I THOUGHT I COULD TRUST SOMEONE AND THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR IT?! I TOLD YOU THINGS I'VE NEVER TOLD ANYONE ELSE, TOLD YOU MY DEEPEST SECRETS! AND NOW YOU JUST WANT TO TOSS ME ASIDE FOR THAT COMPUTER!
"I DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL YOU ARE, ISHIDA, BUT YOU'RE NOT THE PERSON I FELT A CONNECTION WITH! YOU'RE NOT ISHIMARU-KUN, AND YOU BARELY RESEMBLE HIM! IF YOU REALLY THINK I'M SUCH A NUISANCE, THEN FINE! I WON'T BOTHER YOU ANYMORE! YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF YOU, ISHIDA?!" She doesn't think before she acts, and before she knows it she's walking over to Ishida and slaps him in the face. "THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF YOU! I HATE YOU! I NEVER WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF BEING HURT BY OTHERS! IN FACT, I WISH YOU'D JUST DIE! SO SCREW YOU BECAUSE I'M DONE! I'M DONE WITH PRETENDING, I'M DONE WITH TRUSTING, AND MOST OF ALL I'M DONE WITH YOU!"
No one knows how to react. Everyone is looking on with shock because they'd never seen this side of Matsuki, though she doesn't care anymore. Her anger and pain have taken hold of her by that point, and it shows. Her face is red and her eyes are watery. And with no more to say she storms off. Because why should she stay there anyway? She runs into her room and locks the door, she doesn't want to see anybody after that. She doesn't care who knocks to try and talk with her, especially him. But she's convinced herself that he truly does hate her, that Ishimaru is gone and Ishida is all that remains in his place. That Ishida will be glad that she's finished with him.
But back at the bath house, Ishida is rubbing the red mark on his face she left behind and staring at the exit. And he's beating himself up inside because he's just realized what it is he's done. He never meant to throw her into the lockers, he only meant to push her away gently. He didn't mean what he said, at least not now. He didn't want her to hate him. Because he's truly realizing what Ishimaru couldn't, that he's in love with Matsuki. And now he's killed any chances he ever had because of this. Because of his fuck-up, she wants him dead. He can't think of any ways that he could fix this. He wants to run after her and apologize, but feels that it won't work.
The silence is finally broken as the meeting continues, and Kirigiri and Oogami make it explicitly clear that neither Yamada or Ishida are to approach Alter Ego. And that is to be the end of that. The meeting quickly ends and Ishida notices Oogami and Asahina make their way to the dorm rooms, though it's not either of their rooms they stop in front of. Because they're standing at her door, and the swimmer is ringing the bell and hoping for an answer. "Matsuki-chan, is everything okay in there?" she asks. "We were hoping you'd join us for a swim in the pool or something. If it's Ishimaru you're worried about, then me and Sakura-chan can handle that jerk! You're always welcome to spend time with us, you know."
Matsuki's door doesn't open, and there's no reply. Because in her own room she's crying into her pillow. She doesn't want their pity, even if they're actually worried about her and trying to help. She just wants to be alone. Eventually, the two girls realize that she's not coming out and go on their way. Once they're gone, Ishida walks up to the door himself. He has no idea what he's doing there, it's not like he would fare any better after all. For what feels like an eternity, he just stares at the nameplate. He finally decides to knock at the door, but doesn't dare speak. He knows it's a lost cause, but even he has a small sliver of hope in his heart that tells him he can change this. That she was just acting out of anger and frustration that had built up and didn't mean the things she said. Just as before, no answer comes. He even rings the bell once or twice, but it does him no good. He decides it's just better if he leaves, he doesn't deserve her kindness after what he's done, and walks away to go spend more time in the sauna. But he misses the slight cracking open of the door, and the broken gaze she has when no one is there.
Matsuki finally leaves her room the next morning, her anger subsided for the most part. She still holds contempt towards Ishida and wants to avoid him, but she knows he's not going to show up at the breakfast meeting. He stopped doing that a long time ago. The others are shocked to see her enter the dining hall. "Hey, Matsuki-chi finally came out!" Hagakure said.
"We did not think you would be joining us after what happened yesterday." Oogami admitted.
"Are you feeling alright?" Naegi asks.
Matsuki doesn't try to smile, she's still too upset to try. "Yeah, I'll be fine." she said. "I just needed some time to myself after all of that."
No one bothers to question her further as the discussion moves forward. Matsuki just tried to eat the meal she's gathered, but she can't block out the conversation. "We do not know what Ishimaru is up to..." Oogami said.
"Meh. We should just let him be... That idiot!" Yamada said, his anger from before still present. She didn't say it out loud, but Matsuki agreed with him. Why should she care about his absence from breakfast? She only came because she knew that he wouldn't after all.
"You're surprisingly angry, aren't you." Asahina said.
"It's unavoidable." Hagakure said. "We're talking about rivalry in love, right?" Matsuki felt her hand clench into a fist. She tried to ignore the rest of the conversation as she ate her breakfast. But Genocider Syo and Togami's entrance made doing so impossible. Especially once the heir asked about Ishimaru's behavior.
"I saw him walking around yesterday, but something about him was strange." he said.
"I'm afraid Ishimaru-kun is beyond help now." Celes said.
"W...wait, Celes-san! Don't say such things!" Naegi said.
"She's right though, Naegi-kun." Matsuki said, trying not to let her anger come through. "He's a lost cause at this point. Trying to help him would only be a waste of time." She returned to blocking out the conversation, only tuning into one thing Togami said.
"Let me warn you. Don't let yourself rely on a fake sense of friendship. It may just come back and kill you."
Breakfast remained uneventful after Togami and Syo left, and the instant Matsuki finished eating she left the dining hall. She didn't know why, but she found herself walking to the art room. The unfinished painting was still sitting there, causing her more grief. Part of her wanted to destroy it, get rid of everything that reminded her of him. But she knew it wouldn't do her any good. That painting could never change anything. Another part of her wanted to finish it. She was still a painter, no matter the circumstances, and she never liked leaving a painting unfinished. It was best to get it over with, then she could hide it somewhere and never look at it again. She pulled out her paints and got to work.
And watching from behind a pillar near the entrance is a pair of red eyes, looking at the painting with shock because they know who it was meant for originally. But now it would never be given to them, and it makes their heart ache. They leave, not wanting to be spotted by her. They'd already done enough to her, and they had no real reason to bother her anyway.
She finishes the painting a few hours later. It's not one of her masterpieces, but it's still a great painting. It's nothing complicated, just her and Ishimaru smiling together in each others embrace. A painting that was once filled with love, but now it's just a reminder of what could never be. She doesn't bother to date it, she doesn't even know what day it is in this place anyway, or even leaves her signature on it. All she does is give it a title: Foolish Desire. It wasn't what she originally planned, but it's the only appropriate name she can give it. She places it in the repository where she won't have to look at it again.
Leaving the art room, she finds Celes walking towards her. "Ah, Matsuki-san. Just who I was looking for." she said. "I was searching for someone who would be willing to play a game of cards with me in the rec room. I figured that after what happened yesterday, it seems like you could use someone to talk to. I know we haven't spoken much, but I would greatly appreciate your company."
Matsuki wasn't sure how to respond. On one hand Celes wasn't the most trustworty person, she was known as the Queen of Liars after all, and she didn't feel like being used again. But on the other hand, she'd prefer anyones company over Ishida. She thought for a moment before replying. "Alright, why not." she said. If Celes truly was trying to use for for something, she had no idea. And frankly she didn't care. Being around others meant it was less likely she would be approached by Ishida.
Celes gave her a smile. "Splendid." she said. "I hope you are good at poker." The two of them walked to the rec room in silence. Matsuki had to be thought the rules of poker, but she wasn't really trying that hard. Celes kept beating her every time anyway, but that was only natural for a Super High School Level Gambler, at least the painter suspected so. "You're still upset over Ishimaru-kun." The gambler said as she shuffled the deck again. "A classic case of a broken heart, no doubt."
"What are you talking about?" Matsuki asked, trying to sound confused instead of mad. "I don't have a broken heart."
"There's no point in lying to me." Celes said. "I can tell that you were infatuated with Ishimaru-kun. The way you used to look at him made it obvious. Not to mention how much time you spent together. Even if none of the others could see it, I did. Am I incorrect?"
"Well... no. You're not." Matsuki admitted.
"I assume you never told him this?" Celes asked.
"No, I didn't." Matsuki answered. "I thought he wouldn't like me if I told him that. I didn't want to ruin our friendship. But I guess it wouldn't have mattered if I was so easily replaced like that."
"Do you truly hate him and wish he would die as you said?" Celes asked.
"I...I don't know." Matsuki said. "I want to hate him for what he did, but I don't think I can bring myself to do so. Maybe I was just angry and said things I didn't mean in the heat of things. But I certainly can't just go and tell him that. I'm pretty sure he can't stand me. Besides, I don't want anything to do with him right now."
"Understandable." Celes said. "It would be nice if a problem such as this could be easily solved. But once words have been spoken, they're not easily taken back."
"I know, I know." Matsuki sighed. "I only wanted to help him through all of this, who knew a simple computer would turn everything upside down?"
"Life is filled with risks, and this was simply one of them." Celes said. "There's no need to beat yourself up over it. Why don't we continue our game and forget about all this for now, hm?"
"Sure, that'd be nice." Matsuki said. If only she could forget about Ishimaru. That would make things so much easier on her. At least the others seemed to care about her to an extent. Maybe she could move past all this somehow. But life is too unexpected for her, and later that night she's called into the bath house with everyone else. Including Ishida. She doesn't speak to him, or even acknowledge his presence. She just turns her head away from him before he notices her and walks to another corner of the room. She misses the brief pained expression on his face that no one else seems to notice. He really has screwed up with her. Before long, Hagakure enters with Naegi.
"Hey, you bastards! How long were you thinking of keeping us waiting?!" Ishida shouted, acting like nothing is wrong. He looked at his watch in irritation. "It's almost 10 p.m! Time for all the good kids to be in bed!"
"Oh, shut up, you..." Yamada said.
"What's that?! Are you going to cry?" Ishida said. Another argument between them was starting. Matsuki didn't care. She wasn't about to step in and get thrown around again.
"Ishimaru... I see your condition is as grave as was reported." Togami said. "That said, it's not so bad. You finally built some character."
"What was that, you fucker?! Don't speak to me as if you have something rotten stuck between your teeth!" Ishida said.
"This is a waste of time." Matsuki said, possibly in a harsher tone than intended. "We're all here now right? Can we get on with this?" She wanted to leave as soon as possible. She continued to ignore Ishida, who had glanced her way. He didn't expect her to say something so bluntly like that.
"Kirigiri, it was you who requested this meeting. What do you have to say?" Oogami asked.
"Isn't it obvious?! It's all about Alter Ego!" Hagakure said.
"Yeah! Did it finally find something helpful?" Asahina asked enthusiastically. "What is it? The mastermind's identity? A way out?"
Kirigiri didn't answer. It was as if she were hesitating to answer. "It's gone..." she finally said. "I found out when I came in here to check on things earlier this evening. Alter Ego, the laptop, disappeared..."
A feeling of shock went through everyone. Alter Ego was gone? What happened to him? Who took him and where to? Even Matsuki was shocked. While she was a bit happy that it was gone, she was still worried. Did Monokuma find it? Or was it taken by someone in the room? "Y...you're bluffing, right?!" Asahina asked. There was no reply though.
"She's... not here?" Yamada said.
"It's probably the mastermind's doing, isn't it?" Celes suggested. "Perhaps he noticed what was going on?"
"Alter Ego said it would give a shout if anyone it didn't recognize came into the locker room." Kirigiri said. "If it was the mastermind who took the laptop, I should have heard something."
"Maybe you missed it and didn't hear him?" Matsuki asked.
"I was in the laundry room next door all day. I couldn't have missed something like that." Kirigiri explained.
"B...but... If it wasn't the mastermind..." Naegi said.
"I have already solved this mystery. It is you who is the culprit!" Yamada said, pointing a finger at Ishida. "Ishimaru Kiyotaka-dono! You're the villain who took her away, aren't you!"
Ishida was shocked at the idea that it could have been him who had taken it. "I'm a Super High School Level Hall Monitor! It's my job to keep things in order!" he insisted. "I will never be a culprit!"
"With the way you've been acting lately, I wouldn't be surprised if you did take him." Matsuki said, her anger still lingering. She didn't usually suspect people like this, but her feelings clouded her better judgement. "You even said you didn't need anyone else, just him. Why wouldn't you just take him for yourself?"
Ishida was even more surprised at her sudden accusation. Even if she was rightly mad at him, he didn't think that she would be so quick to accuse him. "If anyone here is suspicious, it's him..." he replied, pointing at Yamada and trying to ignore the painter. "His face and his 100 percent body fat tell me the whole story!"
"What was that?! This isn't even my true form! I still have three transformations left in me!" Yamada said. "...I mean, it wasn't me! I'm sure it's you who is the culprit!"
"Nonsense! It's you!" Ishida said.
"Um, I don't think anyone is going to confess here, so how do we decide which one it is?" Hagakure asked.
"I think the probability it's either of them is low." Kirigiri said. "I told Alter Ego to raise it's voice if either Ishimaru-kun or Yamada-kun came into the locker room."
"Y...you did what?" Ishida said.
"I felt there was danger one of you would try to take it away, so I took some precautive measures." Kirigiri explained.
"Nevertheless, it never yelled..." Celes pointed out.
"That means it wasn't either of them." Kirigiri said.
"So... who was it?" Hagakure asked.
"I think I have it." Togami said. "If it wasn't the mastermind, and it wasn't Yamada or Ishimaru, it must be one of the remaining students. Me. Naegi. Celes. Oogami. Matsuki. Asahina. Fukawa... The culprit is in this list."
"Why would any of us do such a thing?!" Asahina asked. "We have no reason to!" That wasn't entirely true and Ishida realized it. Matsuki could've taken it out of jealousy. But he didn't want to believe it. No matter how destroyed his relationship with her was, he could never suspect her of such a thing.
"How about this possibility? We have a traitor among us." Togami said. "One of us is working for the mastermind. That is, they're a mole. And it was they who took Alter Ego away. Doesn't that make sense?"
"What makes you so certain about that?" Matsuki asked.
"I've been thinking about it for a while now." Togami said. "There could be someone among us working for the other side. The mastermind may be employing someone to make sure this game runs smoothly." No one knew what to say in response. The idea that one of them was working against them was just too unreal. "Why are you all so quiet? Didn't any of you think of that possibility before?" Togami asked.
"I don't care!" Yamada shouted, his voice suddenly becoming quiet. "I don't care. I don't care who... just save her. Please save her. Please, I beg of you. Bring that angel back to me..."
"I feel the same..." Ishida said, tears in his eyes. "If I lose my brother again, I don't know what I'll do. Please. If anyone saves my brother... I won't even mind bowing down before them..." Matsuki actually thought she was seeing some of Ishimaru in him in that moment. She felt pity for him. She began to wonder, if she found Alter Ego could she get Ishimaru back? If he was willing to do anything for the person who found him then just maybe... She didn't show it though. If she was going to do this, she didn't want to look desperate. Even so, it was unlikely that it would even work. But if there was a chance she could get Ishimaru back, she was willing to take it. Because she understood how they felt. Deep down she still wanted to save the one she loved.
"At the very least, the chances that Alter Ego has been destroyed are very low at this point." Kirigiri said.
"If that was the culprit's goal, it would serve them much better to just destroy it in this room." Celes added.
"That means the culprit had some other goal in mind." Oogami said.
"That doesn't matter tight now. None of it matters..." Ishida said. "I will definitely bring brother back! That's what a man's promise is all about!"
"I'll show you! I'll save her! With the power of love!" Yamada said. The sound of Monokuma's voice sounded through the building, telling them all that it was Night Time.
"I'm sorry, but can we leave the investigation for tomorrow?" Celes said. "Let's all go get some rest."
"How can you say that so calmly?!" Yamada asked.
"It will be much more efficient to work during the day than to run around tired." Celes said.
"This isn't about efficiency! It's all about the attitude!" Ishida said.
"If we all move around during the night, the mastermind is sure to notice something is wrong." Kirigiri said. "I'm in agreement. We should postpone the investigation until tomorrow. Naegi-kun, what do you think?"
"Yeah. I think I agree." Naegi said. "If the mastermind notices, we lose everything. Ishimaru-kun, Yamada-kun, I know how you feel, but... Just try to endure it for one night." The two didn't argue back, accepting that they could only wait.
"Well then, let's all go get some sleep." Celes said. "We start looking for Alter Ego first thing in the morning."
"I also suggest you all think hard about who might be the mastermind's mole." Togami said.
With no more to say, everyone began to return to their rooms for the night. With most of the others gone, Ishida spotted Matsuki heading towards the exit. This could be his only chance to salvage things with her, maybe ask if she'd be willing to search with him. He reached out to her, placing a friendly hand on her shoulder to get her attention, but before he had the chance to speak she did so first. "If this has anything to do with Alter Ego's disappearance, I had no part in it." Matsuki said, not even bothering to turn and look him in the eye. "I don't have any reason to take him in the first place. And before you ask, I'm not a mole either."
"But I-" Ishida tried to counter but was cut off again.
"But nothing! I'm not going to be looking for Alter Ego for you, I'm doing it because it's dangerous for him to get in the mastermind's hands and that's it." she said, hoping it was a convincing enough lie. "Just leave me alone, Ishida, I don't want to talk to you. I only want to talk to Ishimaru-kun, and you're clearly not him. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." She pulled her shoulder out of his grasp and walked away, leaving Ishida alone.
"I can't just go back to being Ishimaru though." he said to no one. "Matsuki... Why did this have to happen? If only I were better at talking to people, then maybe this could have been avoided! Maybe I could have the courage to tell you the truth.
"Because the truth is I need you, Matsuki. What do I have to do to tell you that?" Her words from yesterday repeated in his head. "Do I really have to die to redeem myself?" With nothing left to do in the bath house, Ishida returned to his room.
The next morning was when things changed, and not for the better.