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“We must do it, it’s the only way.”
“But… you know it’s dangerous, do you? It’s dangerous for me. And fatal for you.”
“Yeah, of course I know. I’m the one who came up with this plan after all. But I feel it’s important for me to take this course of action.”
“Why? Isn’t there something simpler? Something that doesn’t involve… your death?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure, and I’m scared. I guess dying is not healthy. But it’s our best shot. We have to unmask the mastermind as fast as we can. We have to stop this madness.”
“We can stop it together.”
“You need to be free and investigate. I’ll be the lamb you need for that freedom.”
“I’m not convinced…”
“I made my choice. It’s final. And you don’t get a say in this matter.”
“Well then, as you wish. I’ll do my best to honor your sacrifice.”
“I know you will. I trust you.”
“You’ve got that wrong! It wasn’t Saihara-kun! He didn’t kill Amami-kun! I… I…”
What? What are you trying to say, Akamatsu-san? That guilty tone, the fact you’re not speaking anymore, your downcast stare...
No. It can’t be. It’s not true. It’s a lie! A damn lie!
“Oh oh oh oh! Looks like someone has a little crime to confess!” says a way too amused Ouma-san, pointing one of his fingers in her direction.
The rest of the class seems to be trying to take in the idea. And some of their horrified faces strangely comfort me: it looks like they don’t believe it, just like I do. Kind of heartwarming, not being the only one who finds this eventuality outrageous.
“Is… is it true? Did you really…” Shirogane-san stammers.
The only answer she gets is silence.
I don’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Akamatsu-san is so brave, so determined, so full of life and hope and everything beautiful a human mind can contain…
She's not a killer. I won’t believe it even if she says it outright.
“I… I killed Amami-kun…”
And here she does it. She just said it outright.
I angrily pound my fist against the podium: “That’s not possible, Akamatsu-san! It’s not! You were with me the whole time! I didn’t do it and you didn’t do it! We are each other’s alibi!”
“That’s not entirely true, Saihara-kun, and you know it. Remember when I said I needed the bathroom?”
You… you took that as an excuse to go and commit a murder? Are you serious?
“You were away for like two minutes…”
“More than enough to hurl a shot put ball down the chute and smash Amami-kun’s head to pieces.”
I’m left without words, incapable even of thinking.
This thing that just happened… has destroyed me. It will continue to destroy me.
“Why? Why?” is all I can muster. Her prolonged silence is a burden on my heart.
So it was all a lie to you? Your motivational speeches, our friendship, all the effort you seemed to put in resolving this mess peacefully… it was all a facade. A ruse.
You don’t imagine what kind of wound you just inflicted on me, Akamatsu-san. You can’t even begin to fathom.
I barely manage to stand up, my knees want to become mud and stop sustaining me.
Then she speaks again, her voice just above a whisper: “Forgive me… I’m sorry, I was weak… but please, believe me when I say… I had a reason…”
“We all can see your reason” Iruma-san spits “You just wanted out of here and you killed Amami for that! You’re disgusting!”
Hoshi-kun murmurs some words, I can’t hear them but his expression is something you usually see on TV when a serial killer is about to strike. Other reactions range from incredulous to wrathful. No one is able to remain straight-faced, and even Harukawa-san lets her eye twitch a little.
There’s a vote. I’m the only one who doesn’t pick her as the culprit.
“Well” Monotaro shouts at full lungs “we have the first winner of our death raffle!”. He and his brothers advance towards us, probably wanting to take Akamatsu-san in their metallic hands and crush her right where she stands.
Momota-kun, Gokuhara-kun and Chabashira-san put themselves between the mechas and their intended victim: “You will not touch her, you filthy bears!”
“That won’t be necessary.” Monokuma sneers. He bangs his gavel on the big red button and a collar wraps itself around her neck.
She gets yanked away.
We powerlessly watch her gruesome, cruel, inhuman execution.
I weep.
And despite everything, I want to believe her desperate plea: “I had a reason.”
I hope it was a good reason, Akamatsu-san. Something worth the soul-crushing pain I feel.
The elevator is slowly descending.
I look around and see Shirogane-san, Yumeno-san, Kiibo-kun, Harukawa-san. We are all that remains of our group. The five survivors.
And I’m positive one of us is the mastermind. I think it would be anticlimactic if they died before the grand finale.
The problem is: I have no clue about their identity. The only thing I know for sure is that I’m not the evil mind behind all this.
Everyone scrutinizes everyone else. Tension is at its maximum. They’re probably thinking what I’m thinking.
I’m afraid I didn’t look hard enough into the matter and, in doing so, arrived near the finishing line without enough information.
This trail of thought is making me depressed. Then a familiar, ghostly hand squeezes my own and gives me courage.
I didn’t forget you. I forgave you.
And I got completely convinced you had a valid reason for that heinous act.
Some would say I deluded myself, and maybe they’re right. I don’t care. I need that strength. It’s what made me come where I am now.
I wouldn’t be alive if not for it.
I would have let myself die slowly.
Now that mindset is one hundred kilometres away from me. I want, I need, I pretend an answer.
I need vengeance for Akamatsu-san.
It’s all the mastermind’s fault if she fell from grace. And mine will be the hand that deals out justice for her.
I'll have your head on a pike, bastard.
We take place in the trial room.
Monokuma is about to make us start debating when…
“Wait!”
That voice… it can’t be…
We all turn in its direction and surprise overwhelms us: it’s Amami-kun.
Alive.
This… this is… completely insane…
We all saw him, dead as a doornail, on the library’s floor.
Yumeno-san is the first to break her astonishment: “My magic is powerful, but not powerful enough to bring the deceased back from the other side. I would have done so for the others, if that was the case.”
“That’s a sweet thought, Yumeno. But I didn't need your assistance.”
“What are you saying?”
“I never died.”
I can’t help but let out a small cry of amazement. My brain is screaming that there must be some kind of trick, but something else wants me to believe him.
“Let’s say that’s true. How do you explain it? Your corpse was a sorry sight” Harukawa-san inquires.
“Simple. As the Ultimate Survivor, I barely clung to life and… okay, it’s a bit embarrassing but I must admit I simply got lucky and somehow managed to come back.”
“What?” is Kiibo-kun’s shocked question.
“So you lied about your amnesia”. Harukawa-san again. She seems very distrustful of him, and honestly I can’t blame her.
“Yeah, I did. Sorry about that.”
“Why did you lie?”
“It was vital for the plan.”
“The plan? What plan?”
“The plan Akamatsu and I had concocted.”
A plan? What is he babbling about?
“Let me guess: during the trial for my supposed death, she ended her confession saying something like I had a reason. Am I right?”
Is he the Survivor or the Clairvoyant? The previous generation’s one looked nothing like him.
When Shirogane-san confirms his intuition, he exhales: “She was too good for this sinful earth. You see, we were in cahoots and we came up with this scheme: she had to quote unquote kill me, knowing full well I would almost certainly survive her attempt, and die for it. This would give me a window of opportunity, allowing me to roam freely around the school to gather information about the mastermind. And giving me… us an opening to attack them.”
“Attack them how?”
“They executed her for my death, isn’t that right? But as you can see I got better. So, if I remember the rules correctly, the mastermind is guilty of an unjustified murder.”
That’s… that’s pure genius. I’m sad it took her life to pull this stunt, but it’s genius nonetheless.
Harukawa-san, in an act of defiance, leaves her post and approaches him: “Well, I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. This story is too absurd to not be real, and I don’t think you could come up with it all on your own. But tell me, did you take advantage of your position as a not-dead victim?”
He smirks, satisfaction clear on his features: “You can bet your ass I did. Akamatsu’s noble sacrifice gave me liberty and time, and the only regret I bear is to have been too slow. For this I will apologize to the ones who died for my incompetence when I’ll meet them. But it did bring results. It really did.”
I finally find the nerve to say something: “So… you mean…”
He points his index finger at Shirogane-san: “Tsumugi Shirogane, I hereby indict you for the unwarranted killing of Kaede Akamatsu. And for your role as the mastermind.”
She really did have a reason. The most worthy reason of all.
A reason worthy enough to die for.
“I told you, didn’t I? I was sincere” an otherworldly murmur in my ear. I smile.
Akamatsu-san, I’m glad my faith in you got so richly rewarded.
I'll now make sure your killer gets the asskicking she so richly deserves.