Ouma's POV:

I wonder...if I had been smarter...if I had been stronger...would I have stopped myself before I posted that message? Would I have been able to change what happened...? What if I still did, what if I could have taken what they said but still have said no...would I...

Would I have been able to live my life?

~-~-~-~-~

Panta-Chan Asks: If a person is truly worthless if they don't have anything to give to the world, should they sign up for Danganronpa? If I signed up for Danganronpa, could I become someone worth keeping alive?

Neko-Neko: That's too many big words for me to understand >.>

Neon Fusion: Well of course! You want to become someone like the ultimate then the only way is to join Danganronpa! The rest of us are worthless cadavers, so become someone great!

Astral: I mean I guess, how worthless are you?

Minty: AWW WE'RE ALL TRASH! DO IT! AFTER ALL, WE'RE GOING TO DIE ANYWAY! SO why shouldn't we die becoming someone amazing? 

Bumble: Wow even reading this you sound pathetic! Ugh, your character would be annoying on Danganronpa, to be honest.

KaiBro: I think so! You should join it!

Venom: You sound worthless.

Xa: Why the hell not?

Do it... 

Do it ...

Do it... 

DO IT ...

DO IT!

....

...

The messages kept flooding in by the hour, and now I recognized what this group truly was, it wasn't like what those girls had talked about, it wasn't what ScifiGirl had talked it up to be, it wasn't a fun community of people with similar hobbies that I was dreaming of.

It was a suicide group, I understand it now...I understand now why...why I have to audition for Danganronpa, because...this is the better alternative. They can fix me.

They can fix me, they can recreate me, I won't have to feel scared or lost or lonely anymore...all my despair, all those unhappy memories can go away, I won't have to be weak anymore! I won't have to have anyone protect me from now on... now...NOW I CAN FINALLY PROTECT THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT!

New Message!

I clicked open my inbox.

Dear Panta-Chan:

Our moderators have been eyeing the chat and you have shown your interest in participating in our show! We're very interested in the type of character you can become, so you have been invited along with ninety-nine other teenagers to participate in our elite auditioning process!

...

...

If you are interested in becoming a part of Danganronpa season fifty-three then please click on the link below for more details on our auditioning process!

I questioned as I looked down at the link, before eventually clicking on the link not caring if I got any viruses anymore, I'm...I'm tired. The link took me from the website into a little what seemed to be a private chat between me and a list of other names, with my screen name popping into the chat along with the list of other members.

Congrats on making it this far! NEXT STEP is to arrive at this location ##### in Tokyo Japan, on July 19th a print out badge will be given upon arrival to prevent you from getting mistaken for a bystander! 

I hesitated on the screen for a while. Audition...I...I can audition for Danagronpa....but...what should I even do with this...? It's not like I have any dreams...it's not like I can do anything...I...it's funny isn't it?

I'm scared...I'm scared of dying...that's the only reason...is it? I don't want to die...even in a simulation...I don't want that...but...but if that's what it takes...if dying is what it takes to become someone better, to change as a person...then a little thing like fear...I should be able to put it aside.

Right? it's for the greater good, it's for the best that I take this chance...so I don't have to make others suffer anymore...I have to become brave, someone who won't be scared and run away from conflict anymore.

I'm...I'm going to be different...and maybe...

I glanced down at my phone and picked it up, scrolling through my text messages to a familiar number as I paused thinking before I decided to start typing.

Saihara, please meet me in the park, the one we always went to, there's something I need to ask you.

~-~-~-~-~

The sky was covered up in dark gray clouds, occasionally the sound of thunder would crash as if teasing rain despite the dry air, it sent a shiver down my spine as the wind rustled the trees and I could see the loose leaves spinning around the fountain as I stared at them in awe.

"Ouma?" Saihara called, I turned around to face him, he looked nervous as he kept looking to the floor, a new bandage was on his face feeling me with guilt as I walked closer to him, "Saihara..." I started, he just continued looking down.

"What...what do you need to ask me?" he asked trying to divert the conversation away from the bandage, I sighed, it's useless...finally I looked at him dead in the eye, "Saihara, tell me, in all honestly, do you think people like you and me deserve to be alive?" I asked.

Saihara's eyes widened as he seemed completely shocked by my question, maybe it was because...because for once I wasn't stuttering, I had rehearsed this in my head, no...no this question was building into my mind for years, burying in...this was just the first time I breathed it out into the air.

"Why do you ask?" he decided to avoid the question, that's fine I was prepared for this, "this world is c-cruel..." I started cursing myself for the stuttering, "i-it cheats, a-and lies, and t-takes advantage o-of people l-like us...p-people who c-can't fight b-back, w-we're m-meant to be nothing m-more than a p-pawn to be u-used by others..." I told him.

"B-But...but what if...w-what if w-we could change t-that?" I asked him, "w-what if w-we could become p-people who DESERVE to b-be alive, w-wouldn't that be s-something amazing Saihara?" I asked him, I felt my excitement and desperation leaking into my voice as I looked at him, hopefully, please understand...

...

"How?" he asked, it hurt a little to hear him say that, but I don't know why..." we can j-join Danganronpa...and b-be given a fresh start..." I told him, his eyes widened, "S-Saihara, w-what if we j-joined together? W-We could become the p-people our parents d-dream and p-pray for! W-We won't e-ever have to b-be hurt again! D-Don't you w-want that...? D-Don't...don't you want a life w-with me?" I asked.

"A l-life where...w-where I can p-protect you like y-you protect me?" I asked, he didn't say anything for a while, "is...is that possible?" he finally said breaking up the silence, I smiled at him and nodded.

"Y-You can be a d-detective...a b-blackened l-like you always d-dreamed of...and I-I'll be your victim..." I offered, he seemed a bit hesitant, "d-don't worry...I w-won't mind dying i-if it's for you...I-I'm sure the me in there will still l-love you as I do n-now..." I tried to assure him.

I smiled wider, that's...that's a relief...

"Ouma...you love me?" he asked, my eyes widened as I felt myself blushing, oh god...I said it didn't I?  I nodded, "o-of course I do...silly...I-I've always..." I told him, he looked hesitant to trust in my words so I did the only thing I could think of as I grabbed onto his jacket, he was caught off guard and as a result, bent down as I kissed him.

At first, he did nothing, but then he gave in and kissed me back, a sense of longing passed through the two of us as I pulled back and smiled at him, "d-do you b-believe me now...?" I asked, Saihara still looked surprised.

"That was my first kiss" he eventually told me and my eyes widened as I immediately let go stepping back, "I-I'm so sorry! I s-should've asked t-then! Oh, g-god why am I s-so s-stupid?!" I screamed, "I'm glad it was with you," he said.

My eyes widened, "r-really...?" I asked and he nodded, "thanks...thanks for that Kokichi..." he told me and I felt myself blushing when he said my first name, "Kokichi?" I asked him questionably, "we've been dating for a while...and seeing as we just kissed...I thought it would be appropriate, I'll stop if you want" he offered.

I shook my head, "no...no please don't....Shuichi" I told him, he blushed as well as the two of us then sat against the fountain, holding hands as I leaned against him, "I-I'm glad you came..." I told him.

"I'm sorry I avoided you...I just...I didn't want you to get hurt because of my family..." he admitted, "shoo...it's fine...I'm ok, they c-can do w-whatever they want...I-I've heard it all before...ok?" I told him, "that doesn't make me feel better," he told me.

"Well...t-then w-when you and m-me come back...we c-can make it so n-neither of us have to g-go through t-that again...ok?" I asked him, he nodded.

We would be ok...we would go to this...because we were together...

...

...

...

...

...

...

No!

I pulled away from the vision as I crumbled down to my knees, the pregame looked at me shocked and surprised, "w-what's wrong?" he asked, "I-I'm doing w-what you told me...?" he repeated confused, "you...you made him join..." I mumbled.

"H-Huh?" he asked, "it wasn't enough that you made yourself join...I thought it would have been the other way around, but no you made Saihara join the killing game with you" I accused him, "what the FUCK is wrong with you?" I screamed.

"Y-You s-still don't understand!" he tried to reason but I brushed him off, "SO WHAT? SO WHAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE PERSON YOU ARE?! SO WHAT IF PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF YOU!?! WHO THE FUCK CARES! IT WAS YOUR LIFE TO LIVE NOT THERES! SO WHY DID YOU THROW IT AWAY!?!" I screamed.

The pregame looked at me shocked, "you're not the one who gets to decide if you don't deserve to exist alright? NO ONE gets to decide that...that's what...that's what..." I started as I sat against the wall.

"My classmates think I'm a horrible person because of what I did, some are probably thinking it would have been better if I had just died or if I had never even existed in the first place, you said you wish you didn't create me...but you know what?" I told him.

"I CHOOSE TO BE ALIVE STILL! And I'm not going to die just because of what assholes think of me or tell me!" I screamed, pregame was in tears, "o-of course y-you would say that..." he said jokingly.

I glared at him as he leaned down against the same cracked wall as me, "I w-wish...I h-had someone like you...I w-wish s-someone h-had stopped us...b-but..." he trailed off as he sighed longingly.

"It's to l-late..." he said regretfully as he looked at me, "I o-only have...o-one memory left...l-left to give you..." he told me as he reached out his hand I shifted away. He frowned, "w-why...why a-are you...?" he asked questioningly before he looked down.

"I...I m-messed up with you...I-I'm sorry..." he said, "I h-hurt you...and I-I'm sorry...I-I'm sorry I b-brought up p-painful memories...I k-know what I-I've done is u-unforgivable but..." he once again reached for me.

"P-Please...trust me...j-just one last time..." he begged, the room crumbled around more, the space we were in growing smaller with each passing second. I took his hand.