Chapter Text
Another day passes in the hell of a high school Shuichi and his classmates are trapped in.
Days and days wandering around the building and garden waiting for the next case, investigate and go to the trial to execute another friend. Last trial was exceptionally harder… Gonta and Miu gone, and Kokichi still walking around with a smile on his face like nothing happened, as if it was another Tuesday, or Wednesday, or whatever day they were in at this point.
Shuichi had decided to go for a walk to think. Think about everything, anything, nothing. Just to get fresh air was enough. Or as much as one can get in a caged dome.
He felt numb sometimes, and he'd probably walked around in circles for more than intended. So when he came back to the school's entrance, he barely had energy left, but wasn't feeling like coming back to the dormitory right now. Sleeping was good, sure, to stop thinking for a while, but he felt like needing something more stimulating, like playing videogames or wasting all his fake money at the MonoMono Machine. Or going to the Ultimate Pianist Lab.
That is always tempting.
He tries concentrating to go to the basement instead of the next floor, otherwise it'll just depress him more. Although, no one is around the hallways–
That means no one can really stop him from going there.
He stops walking to reconsider where he's going. The stairs to the basement are right there, but can't bring himself to go down. Going up isn't that worthy either… Nothing will get better whatever he does.
A loud noise interrupts his thoughts. He hears a voice coming from classroom A. Where it all begin... The killing game, the murders of their classmates, their friends. Kaede and Rantaro. Ryoma and Kirumi. Angie, Tenko, Korekiyo. Killed and executed by their friends. Even the Monokubs gone. Now Gonta and Miu, falling right into Kokichi's trap.
For all Shuichi knows, he could be next.
For a second, he thinks it's all in his head. The talking isn't real, neither the images of himself running from the classroom to go to the library and leaving her behind–
"The truth is I wanted her dead because I couldn't stand seeing you so close to her. Wasn't it obvious?"
Uh? I never said that–
"What!? Are you serious?"
Nothing happens for what fells like ages, trying not to get caught overhearing and so, until the first person talks again.
"Nyehehe.. Of course not! Why would anyone fall for a stupid robot? You were just her playtoy, everyone knows it. And so you're mine too!"
"Ughh… Can you stop being impossibly robophobic for 5 minutes?"
The insulting remarks and robophobia —that can't be a real word outside of a robot's dictionary— make it quite clear it's Keebo and Kokichi inside the classroom. He can assume they're talking about Miu. What is that guy trying to do now? Didn't he have enough already at the trial–
"Mmhh, Saihara? What are you doing here?"
"M-Monokuma?!"
Shuichi's body acts on his own, running chills all over it and jumping back a little. The bear appeared out of nowhere from behind, like he always does, with a plastic cup in his paw against the wall.
"I thought you didn't like gossip. Do you want one too?" Monokuma puts a cup on his hand without waiting for an answer.
"I do, what are you talking about… Wait, how do you know that? I don't remember telling you."
"Well, no one would ever guess that with this new behavior of yours, puhuhu."
Does it really look like I'm gossiping!?
"I don't blame you anyways, I also want to see how far this lovebirds can go"
Lovebirds? ...He can't be actually talking about the two in the classroom. Right?
"You know, this is the most interesting relationship-situationship-whatever so far. I can feel my heart beating so fast whenever they're together" says Monokuma blushing. "It gets our ratings higher than anything else! I like that even more." Aaaand now he gets his tongue out... Ew.
But if he of all people and robots around here is saying that, does it mean…
"S-so, they are like, together!?" That can't be possible— Keebo would never accept someone insulting his kind right on his face, on a daily basis.
"I wish!! Oma is very entertaining for everything but romance, and Keebot is not any better. Whoever built him forgot to put the romance option on, he can't catch a single indirect." Monokuma takes his claws out. Shuichi isn't sure if he's mad at Keebo, his dad or both.
But he wouldn't blame Keebo. Coming from Kokichi, his indirects are probably just more insults than anything close to romantic.
Suddenly, the door opens. Keebo gets out of the classroom in a rush and passes right next to them without noticing. The end of their conversation couldn't have been good… It looks like smoke and electricity are coming out of his head. Shuichi can hear the main door opening and closing, likely Keebo going to the dorms or his lab.
Monokuma pushes him closer to the door, throwing his arms in the air as if screaming "Go!". Shuichi tries stepping away, but Monokuma insists a little too much. Then he hears a pretty loud sigh from the classroom, annoyed.
He definitely shouldn't be intervening, but still finishes coming to the door and entering, not like the stupid bear would let him go anyways. Some of the desks are out of place, how much have they been fighting for? He never heard something as loud as the tables or chairs moving, even with Monokuma distracting him.
Kokichi is looking past the covered windows before realizing Shuichi is there.
"Ehh, Saihara-chan? What are you doing here– were you listening?"
"H-hi, Oma. Sort of... Sorry." Lying to him is useless, but he didn't really hear everything. "I just happened to pass by while you were discussing. Keebo didn't notice I was there."
Kokichi sighs again, more tired than annoyed this time. "Well, I guess you know the truth now."
He knows better than to trust the so called Supreme Leader, but if Kokichi believes he knows their whole dispute, he might get something out of that lying mouth of his. Something to confirm Monokuma's dreams, fantasies or whatever they are.
"Why did you tell Keebo that? Did you meant it or do you just want to see him suffer?"
"Never, why would I do that? I simply believe he deserves to know the truth." Sure.
Of course he's saying all of this in his regular playful tone and being ambiguous doesn't help, but considering what Monokuma just said... Maybe what Shuichi heard first is sort of true, pressing the matter should do it.
"You… got rid of Iruma, already. Why push him away if you want to be with him?"
"What?! B-be with him... Where did you get that idea?? I think you're imagining things, it's nothing like that. I just said that to laugh at him. Not like he'd understand either way." Kokichi responds too many things too fast. Quite a regular way to cover up, and the nervousness isn't much like him.
So they indeed aren't together.
But Monokuma only really denied that. He never said there might be actual feelings in between, just that they were bad at romance. Is he not imagining things after all? He needs more confirmation however, a little white lie could work since the other boy is already dispersed… Spending time with time does no good to Shuichi already.
"I'm saying it because I understand having feelings for someone and not being able or wanting to tell them–"
"Ohh. I see then. You miss your dead girlfriend soooo much you jump right behind the next guy that'll give you attention and has the same problem as you, apparently. Who is your fortunate one then? Momota?"
"What? That's not—"
"Don't worry, I won't tell him or Harukawa." He smiles mischievously" This isn't what I wanted! When did he get the lead of the conversation!?
"No no, I mean, you've been pretty interested in Keebo since we came here and–"
"Are you not? He's a robot, I still can't believe they'll let someone like that in. They just gave him that talent because he's the only one like that, don't you think?" Kokichi keeps interrupting him, very confident of himself as opposed to a moments ago. Of course, lying is basically second nature to him, if not his first.
He's not wrong, I've thought the same. Still, I wouldn't say we are at the same level of interested.
"Besides, what do you care if I hate, love or anything about that guy? You think he's my robot-boytoy or something? I didn't give a shit about Gonta or Iruma, same with Keeboy."
Kokichi smiles, the rest of his face going dark. And if things couldn't go worse for Shuichi…
"Wait, is it that you like me– No no, even better, you like Keebo and are jealous of me!"
"What!? No! Nothing like that!!" How did he even conclude that? Shuichi can't keep up with his rapid mood changes, it's something else having to deal with them in a trial. Kokichi is just playing him now and looks so happy abut it, like a child with starry eyes. Why would he even want someone to be jealous of him if not for his Ultimate title?
"Great. Or else I'll have to kill you next, since I don't have my best friend Gonta anymore to do the work for me."
If anything, isn't he giving himself away with this... declaration? It sounds like he means it, disguised as a bad joke at Gonta's expenses. Poor guy can't catch a break from Kokichi even when he's not here. Shuichi rolls his eyes.
Monokuma was right. Well, at least about Kokichi not being good at romance, because surely the bear is having a blast watching this.
"Nyehehe, that was a lie. You should know that by now."
Both stay silent. Shuichi still processing just happened, and who know what Kokichi could be thinking about. Technically, he couldn't get much out of Supreme Mythomaniac, but what he revealed was enough.
"I guess we can leave it here, nice talking to you. But don't go around bothering Keeboy with this conversation, okay? You're just gonna make things worse."
Kokichi finally appears being a hundred percent serious. It doesn't last very long, as he walks quickly to leave the room without looking back or making extra awful remarks. Not even a goodbye. He's trying too hard to no look like running away, because it really just backfired him terribly.
And now it's Shuichi alone in the classroom sighing loudly, but he doesn't have time to get lost looking at the window. As if in cue, Monokuma peeks through the door…
"Puhuhu. You believe me now, right? He's soooo stupidly in love with Robot Boy, it's not even funny."
You're the only one having fun, is what Shuichi wants to say, but it's better to spend his energy on another question.
"Fine, yes. I suppose Oma… might like Keebo. What about it— Are you going to use that as a motive or tell everyone else with a compilation of them on the monitor?"
"What about it?? Everything about it!! The video idea is good, but you have to talk to Keebo now."
"…"
"What?"
"…Excuse me?" Shuichi doesn't want to get more involve than he already is. Can't Monokuma play wing man himself or make a new Monokub for that?
"You heard me, go with him! He's in his lab."
"You can't be serious. I'm not their couple's therapist. You want me to tell him what I assume Oma feels? I don't think he even cares."
"Nono, you don't have to scream it in his face. Just make him realize he feels the same and they'll find their way." Monokuma blushes again, Shuichi doesn't want to know what he's imagining. "Even better, tomorrow you can push Keebo into Kokichi's arms like in those anime–"
Shuichi decides to ignore Monokuma's rambling, not like he could throw Keebo around easily like a puppet to begin with.
…How did I got in this mess again?