Kokichi listened to (Y/N)'s footsteps as they became more distant to his dorm. He immediately sat up once the coast was clear. Wow, I can't believe I'm that convincing, he thought to himself, impressed at his own feat. The leader stretched out his limbs before reaching underneath his bed and grabbing something. Here it is. In his hands was a small diary along with a pencil. In his slightly childish handwriting, he began to write in his newest entry.

Dear Diary (second day),
The black and white robot bear, Monokuma, has installed a new motive to kill: all of us will die if a murder doesn't happen by nighttime two days from now. Isn't that just great? Now I can't trust anyone! And... I've decided to take some other matters into my own plans. But there's this other certain person. Their name is (Y/N), and they are the Ultimate Truth Holder. Interesting, huh? Me and them... we're polar opposites, almost. We've had a few encounters, and so I think I'll continue to do some tests with them. I mean, despite all that I've done, they have still managed to deal with me. Most of the others have had it by now. They sounded like they wanted to sob when I made fun of them, but they still took my hand... To keep things simple...the people here are just interesting. I have many plans-

Kokichi jumped in place when he heard someone ringing the intercom in his room. He messily shoved everything that he was working on back in its original hiding spot. He went back into his 'normal' persona and walked to the door. "Hellooooo," he said to the person waiting outside for him.

"Hey Kokichi," Shuichi greeted. "Uhm, would you like to hang out?"

The purple-haired leader shrugged before replying with a "sure".
***

You were sitting alone in your dorm, bored out of your mind. What the hell can I even do? You rolled your eyes for them to land in a random direction. You had tried to sleep for about five times at that point, and of course all attempts just had to be futile. When those didn't work, you gave up entirely and decided to just think. There were many things that needed some attention, anyway.

How about I think about the time limit, hmm? you humored yourself. You walked over to your table and rummaged around, finding some secret drawers. You picked up some paper that you found in one of them along with a pen. Making sure not to make any mistakes, you made the beginning of a list. "How to stop the killing game...? Or... How to escape the time limit?" You made both lists, one on each side of the paper. I may just... A grim thought had appeared in your head. However, you scribbled it down desperately as to have for an answer to fall back on.

"God, this is just...f*cked up," you whispered to yourself. You definitely could feel the despair starting to tap at your walls. "No, I don't think I could handle it...could I?" Shaking your head profusely, you crossed your idea out multiple times. It ended up looking like a message that a madman had crazily marked out to avoid it from being seen. Instead, you slowly wrote down another solution as to how to escape the time limit; one that wouldn't be helpful to just yourself, but rather the entire group: 'kill myself'.

You gagged a bit after reading that over again. The thought of it was disgusting, and absurd, but on the other hand...there was so much more. You sighed, nothing else really coming into your mind at that moment. Then, you suddenly remembered the thing that you heard about in the library.

You exited your dorm quickly, making sure to lock it before heading out, and dashed to the basement of the school. You used a trick to lessen the sound your footsteps made, just to make sure no one was going to follow you and ask questions. You slid carefully to a stop in front of the library doors and quietly slipped inside. You let your eyes scan the room, letting out a small hum. Again, nothing stood out as odd. This is getting annoying, you thought, closing your eyes. Are they just playing some trick or...whatever??

You heard something sound from above you. Nothing was there. Huh, must be some students just walking around the halls. When you looked up, you noticed that a particular bookshelf had no books on top of it. All of the others had more books stacked on top of them. So why not this one? It then came to you, that that might be the thing Kaede and Shuichi were investigating. "What are you all hiding...?" you muttered, as you put a hand on the bookshelf. When you picked up some of its books, they were real, actual books. Nothing suspicious. There were no hidden buttons, flips or switches; you knew because you had taken almost every singular book off of their shelf, only putting them back once you decided that nothing was there.

You groaned as you pushed your entire weight up against it, but nothing happened. "Fine. How about I pull you instead, little..." Frustration flowing through your veins as adrenaline, you were easily able to pull the bookshelf. To your surprise, it actually started moving away from it's original place. "Woah," you said disturbed. Behind the disguised door was another door, painted white on one side and black on the other. Just like the pattern on Monokuma... you connected in your head. There was a little card reader beside it, which you assumed was the way to get inside considering there were no doorknobs.

"Huh? What's this?" It seemed like there was something in the place where the card would be swiped. Curious, you stuck out your pinky and nudged it as far in there as you could. Swiping it back with one swift motion, you grimaced as there was suddenly dust on your finger. Wiping it off in disgust, you moved the bookshelf back in place and prepared to leave the room. You were then at the bottom of the staircase when you heard someone.

"Uhm, (Y/N)," a voice called out to you. You spun around to where the sound came from, finding the Ultimate Detective standing there.

"Oh, hey Shuichi. Didn't see you there," you spoke to him. "Do you need anything?"

"W-Well, I just finished hanging around with someone, a-and they wanted me to give this to you," he said while handing over a book. It was really old since the cover had been worn down. A book, eh? You tilted your head at it before looking up again.

"And whom may that 'someone' be?"

"Er...Kokichi," Shuichi responded, shifting his gaze and putting a hand up to his head. Your expression filled with curiosity.

"Kokichi? What would he have to give to me?"

"I'm not sure. He kind of just shoved this in my hands and told me to give it to you, a-and then just ran away... Ahh, where did you just come from...?" The detective looked nervous as he bit on his inner lip.

"From the library." Shuichi all of a sudden grew darker. You couldn't quite tell what was going on through his head, but you did feel that he was doubting your statement. "Why, do you not believe me?" The blue-haired teen just muttered out a few noises. "Why don't you look for yourself," you said sternly; your finger was pointed toward one of your eyes at that point, which had by then turned into their miraculous, vibrant light blue.

Shuichi slowly nodded and gulped. "I see..."

Tightening your lips, you put some thought into what you were planning to say next. "Well, if you're asking as an alibi then I'm just going to stop you right there and say that I am not planning to kill anyone," you explained to him, quietly adding, "as of right now I'm not." You gave your eyes a second to settle down. "So, is that all the business you have with me or did you want to talk or something?"

"Uhh, well, I was going to talk with Kaede...but she's probably busy," Shuichi replied in his normal quiet manner. "I-I guess we can hang out, it you want." You nodded.

"Okay. How about we head over to the gym?"

"Ahh...sure..." The two of you walked beside each other, making your way to the gymnasium. It didn't take too long to get to the large room, ancient-looking and overgrown with various greenery. Upon stepping in, you noticed Rantaro walking around doing nothing. You waved over to him.

"Hey...!" Turning his head, you knew you had caught his attention. "Shuichi and I were just going to do random stuff, would you like to join? You wouldn't mind, would you, Shuichi?" The detective shook his head, and gave the other green-haired male a welcoming smile.

"Sure, I'll join." He walked over to you to.

"Great. So now, is there anything either of you want to do in particular?" you asked the teens in front of you. Shuichi shook his head and looked down to the ground while Rantaro glanced up at the basketball hoops, humming in curiosity as he did so.

"How about we try...?" He motioned over to them with a nod of his head.

"Sure, that sounds fine," you replied. You tilted your head at the quiet detective, who gave a nod in return. "Alright then. Let's try this." Shuichi found a basketball for you all hidden somewhere in the gym. You all took turns trying to make it in the basket for some time after that. Rantaro and you were making it almost every time, with forming sweat showing off your all's victory; Shuichi, however, proved himself to not be the best at physical activities.

"I...never participated in many sports as a child, so I'm not as experienced or good at this," the detective said sheepishly.

"Don't you know how weird it is having you just watch us like this? And when we're all supposed to be hanging out," you spoke.

"Mm, how about we join you there on the floor, Shuichi?" Rantaro asked, holding his hand out while making the offer. "You seem a bit lonely, and the floor looks like quite a nice break from all this." He shrugged slightly before nodding, and the two of you sat down next to him. "Sooo... Would any of you like to discuss our situation with this killing game?"

Shuichi shifted uncomfortably in his place, and you stayed silent. "How about any ideas with the time limit?" The blue-haired male put a hand up to his mouth, and you were quick to shake your head. Awkwardly, you forced yourself to put an arm up to your face, which blocked your turning eyes from sight.

"(Y/N), is something wrong...?" Shuichi asked you slowly. Right, you thought, he's the only one who knows why exactly my eyes change color. You sighed, knowing that the secret was too precious to tell anyone else about. Why would you, anyway...?

"It's just...I'm hot. I've been moving around too much, and I look disgusting having my face covered in sweat," you explained. Well, it wasn't an entire lie since that's really what I think, you reasoned in your mind. You uncovered one eye and looked at the detective. Since you weren't telling a full lie, what he saw was a mysterious yet beautiful mix of blue and purple in your iris. You hid your face again after a second.

"But anyway, I'd rather die with you all than have someone else die so others can live." You looked back up to the teens with honesty in your eyes, an unusual seriousness in them as well. "But...! I do want to live." And I'm going to do anything I can for it.

"Hey, (Y/N)?" Rantaro asked you. "Those are some nice contacts. Where'd you get them?"

"Uh...huh?"

"Your eyes... I could have sworn that they weren't as bright as they are now."

"Oh, yeah...! They're, er, contacts. I can't remember where I bought them at." You gave Shuichi a wary look, growing subtlety more nervous as you knew they were quickly turning purple.

"Wait, they're changing... How...?"

"Ah, they're um...special contacts. (Y/N) told me that they were specially designed to change color at random intervals," Shuichi covered for you. You let out a quiet sigh, thanking him greatly inside your mind.

"Very interesting... Talking about interesting, who do you all think is the most interesting of the other students?" Rantaro questioned innocently, changing the topic. You and Shuichi put a little thought into it.

"Well... I-If I were too honestly choose... I don't want to put anyone down, but it'd probably be Kiibo. I mean, he is the Ultimate Robot," the detective responded.

"Yeah, I see where you come from. It really is surprising how a robot can be so complex and smart; but, of course I'd never tell him this myself. He'd call me out for being robophobic." The green-haired male then turned to you. "What about you (Y/N)? Who's the most enticing person in your eyes?"

"Kokichi," you said plainly. The teens in front of you just smiled or smirked. "What?"

"And why do you say him?" Rantaro asked you smoothly, with what seemed to resemble a smirk on his face.

"Well, he's all over the place. You can't ever be one hundred percent sure what he's feeling or thinking, and he basically never opens up. Plus, he lies...a lot. I mean, I only find it natural for the Ultimate Truth Holder to be interested in him, is it not?"

"I guess. But we've seen you two go running around that one time, and just today we saw you carrying his tired body back to his dorm room. Shuichi, you can back this up, right?" You made a face and just eyed him up and down. Does this guy even know what he's talking about? you wondered.

The blue-haired detective nodded. "And besides..." Shuichi added. "...Rantaro said 'enticing', not exactly 'interesting'."

"What's really the big difference?" The males shook their head playfully and knowingly at you. You sighed. "But hey, Rantaro? You aren't that bad... I-I guess, I'd see you almost as...an older brother, in the right circumstances." You rested your head on the palm of your shoulder and looked away. You were playing with fire, opening that much to someone—and on top of that, someone whom you haven't known for more than a week, and had the potential to kill you.

"Oh, really?" the teen asked shyly. "Aw. How very nice of you!" He wore a warm smile, and gave off a friendly aura. ...I hope he doesn't die. At least, not soon...

"A-Alright, I'm done with this sentimental bullsh*t. Is there anything else we can talk about?"

"Well... Mm? What's that you got there?" Rantaro pointed at the book that you didn't realize you were clutching tightly to your chest.

"Uhm... Hey Shuichi, isn't this the book you gave me?" you asked.

The detective shook his head. "Kokichi was technically the one to get it. I was only the delivery boy... But what does it read?" You hummed in curiosity. Opening the cover and looking over the first page, it didn't seem familiar to you at all.

"I mean... I don't know. This doesn't have a proper title shown anywhere, either."

"Trying flipping to the back?" Rantaro offered. You shrugged your shoulders, but went to the last page anyway.

Skimming through the words, you finally began to realize that you did remember seeing something like it. "Wait, I think that I've actually read this before."

"You have?" Shuichi asked.

"Uh, yeah. Kokichi and I were reading the end earlier today, before we parted ways." You closed the book softly. "But why would he give this to me, though?" Both of the teenagers before you shrugged cluelessly. A moment of silence passed, and you began to feel the awkwardness in everyone including yourself grow. You didn't know just what, but something felt like it was missing.

"Puhuhu~!" you heard a voice sound out. Oh god— In the middle of the circle you all had made with your bodies appeared the infamous black and white bear, Monokuma. You scowled at the stuffed robot bear. "Whaaaat? Am I not welcome here?" he asked, noticing your sudden expression.

"Of course you're not. You are the very bane of my existence, and maybe even the others' as well," you told him sternly.

"Well excuuuuuuuuse me, your honor. I was just wanting to inform you all, you can now go to the Monomachine to use any Monocoins you've gotten to exchange them for a randomly selected prize. You can give them away as a gift or keep them, but your bonds with others will strengthen if you give them a gift. Anyway, that's all. Just decided you all should know." Monokuma bounced away from you all and into the shadows.

"...Ah, would you all like to go find this 'Monomachine'?" Shuichi asked shyly.

"Sure," Rantaro spoke.

"Hmm...I think we have a map on our Monopads. Let me see..." You took out your own Monopad and pressed a few buttons. You indeed were able to find a map of the school, and eventually you were able to point out where the newly founded machine would most likely be. "I think I have the location. Let's go, guys."

The three of you stood up from your previous sitting positions. You stretched out your limbs a little bit before starting to walk, leading them to the place according to your map. It didn't take too long to get there. You entered a room you hadn't seen before while looking around the campus, which had the big Monomachine along with a typical gift station; but there was also a person.

The person turned around to you all, not expecting to see you all. They then smiled. "Ohhh~ So we've got Mr. Talentless, the detective to my phantom thief, and the sweetheart~ Wow, I didn't expect you all to follow me here." Sweetheart? Again? You closed your eyes to let out a small, frustrated breath before looking back up.

"Cut it out, Kokichi," Rantaro spoke politely. Inside, you could tell that he was a bit touched by being called 'talentless'.

"Uh... Kokichi, what are you even doing...??" Shuichi questioned in pure confusion. The small male had a few items in his hands.

"Ah, well. You know~ I was just getting some stuff for the future," the purple-haired boy responded.

"Really? I wouldn't find you to be the type to actually give someone a gift," the green-haired teen said incredulously.

"Oh. Now who ever said I was getting it for someone else~??" He suddenly turned to you. "But then again, I could be...lying," he said, and then winked at you. You felt a strange feeling in your stomach, similar to that of a lighthearted tickle.

As the two other teens you were with began to take their turns at the Monomachine leaving you and the other boy to talk, you asked Kokichi, "Speaking of gifts...Shuichi gave this to me, telling me that you actually wanted him to give it to me. Why would you do that...?" You held out the book in front of you.

"Who is to say that he wasn't lying~?" Kokichi retorted. He slyly put up a finger to his lips, doing the best he could as to not drop anything. Shuichi turned around to you all for a second, a hurt expression on his face, and then turned back to the machine.

"...You're lying."

"Nishishi! You got me! Yeah, I really did tell him to give that book to you."

"But...why?" You were honestly confused about it.

"Wellll... Umm, I dunno. Do you really need me to explain any specific reason though?"

"I... I guess not." Kokichi stared deep into your eyes, causing you to shift uncomfortably and avert your gaze to the other teens who seemed to be just finishing getting different prizes.

"Alright (Y/N), Shuichi and I are finished. We'll be heading somewhere else to sort out our stuff, okay? You can use the machine now." Rantaro and Shuichi had very little compared to the big amount that the purple-haired boy possessed. "Oh, Kokichi. Would you like to join us on our way to the dor—"

"Nah, I'm good. I'll be staying behind in here, thanks." The other teens nodded.

Before they left, you quickly called out to them. "Hey, wait!" They turned to face you. "I just...wanted to tell you all goodbye." You tried not to seem soft while saying those words. "Oh, and also; Rantaro?" His full attention was on you at that point. "Uhm...maybe we can hang out some more later, yeah?"

"Sure, I bet I could make that happen," Rantaro spoke. He looked at you straight in the eye and deep into your soul. "I'll make sure of it." Shuichi smiled at the sight before him while the other male bid you adieu with a hand gesture.

The teens finally walked out of the room, leaving just you and the Ultimate Supreme Leader together alone. Awkwardly, you pulled out some Monocoins that you didn't even know you had and inserted them into the Monomachine. A prize came out for you. You repeated this for a few times in an uneasy silence, before finally someone spoke up.

"You know, you didn't have to stay behind. I'm...sure you aren't waiting behind for me or anything like that," you said.

"Oh, the contrary. Well, you're just slow, so I decided to actually wait behind juuuust for you," Kokichi replied.

"But they offered to walk with you. You all could've spoke to each other and maybe even have some small fun. Surely you would like to 'do something interesting'."

"Ugh, can we please stop talking about those other two!? You and I are the ones talking together, so the focus should be on us!"

"Alright, alright, okay! I get your point." You got a few more prizes before turning away from the machine for the time. "I have everything. I'm ready to go back whenever you are, Kokichi." You looked over at the boy. Without any warning, he threw something over at you. It hit you on the head, but you managed to catch it. "Oww...!" You tried to rub the spot on your head that had been attacked.

"Nishishi~ Thanks for carrying some of my stuff!" Kokichi gave you a cheery smile. "What would I do without you~?" You groaned a bit in annoyance, but didn't speak up about it. "Hey, when we're putting away our things can we stop by your room first?"

"Huh? Why? I actually believe that our dorms are right next to each other," you told him.

"Oh come onnnn! I just wanna see your room, that's all!" You sighed before replying with a "fine" and continuing on to the dormitory. The male beside you just widened his smile, which caused that tickling sensation in your stomach again. Despite that, however, you couldn't help but to feel a heavy dread hanging you up like a rope from serene ease.

Word Count: 3933
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Edit: I just realized... uh...eh?? HOW?! Thank you all so much for the 4k reads on this book! It means a lot to me, and it makes me feel good as a writer to know that that many people like my work! ^-^