Saihara's POV:

I...I could be put back in Danganronpa.

When I first learned Danganronpa was essentially a show, I never thought the further implications. How it would continue to affect me even after the game ended, I just knew whatever that future held I would reject the game to live on.

But that simple statement shattered everything. Everything I had done in the 53rd game could mean nothing, I could be put back in that hellish landscape, I could become someone like Ouma or Shirogane, a monster, and I...

I could forget Akamatsu. I could forget about what Momota did for me during the game, Yumeno's sorrow over Chabashira, Tojo's determination, Harukawa finally smiling, I could forget everything about them and become someone I could never be proud of.

It sickens me to think of it.

"SAIHARA!" a voice called out, I saw Maiko, she was trembling, I wonder if I was.

"I won't let it happen," she told me, my eyes widened, "I won't let them put you back in the game, I won't let them do it, ok?" she promised. I had a hard time believing her, "did you make that promise to past participants?" I asked.

Maiko looked down, "I didn't tell them, I only told you because you changed everything in your game," she told me. My eyes widened, "Danganronpa endings vary, they always either end in despair or hope, they always are destined to happen again" she started, looking down at the floor, before looking up at me.

Her eyes were filled with determination and she gave me a small smile, "you changed that" I raised an eyebrow confused, "you rejected the game and everything it stood for, you changed the hearts of the people watching Saihara, for the first time I had hope that maybe this could finally end" she told me, tears were forming in her eyes.

"Does that mean there won't be a new season?" I asked. Maiko's smile faltered, "Danganronpa has always received backlash, minor, mainly from the friends and family of participants, but never from the mass public.

"You changed that, now more people are rising to end the games, and for once Danganronpa received a low amount of auditions for the next seasons, it's fully possible that you finally started us on the path to end the game," she told me.

"I don't think I did much," I told her, she shook her head, "you changed everything...which is why Danganronpa can't afford to put you in another game, not as Shuichi Saihara," she told me, "not as the person you were in the 53rd game, so you won't go back in" she assured me.\

"What about Yumeno and Harukawa?" I asked concern filling me for the two remaining survivors, "I can't guarantee, likely they will be spared as well due to the reaction the season had in general" Maiko tried to comfort. 

It didn't help much.

"Can...can the game end?" I asked she started walking towards the door, "in my lifetime, nothing like this has ever happened...I know that's not saying much, I'm only a few years older than you are but...trust me when I say I believe it can" she told me, as she walked out the door closing it behind her.

Leaving me to dwell on the conversation.

~-~-~-~

??? POV

The women walked down the hall, the tiled floor squeaking underneath her shoes, as she walked towards the third ward, the path was memorized step for step, she had time to memorize every single crack on the floor, to the flickering light that lit up a narrow hallway.

She stopped as she ran her fingers through her hair, ruining the work she had put in the morning, and wiping off her makeup with a tissue, and removing her coat, revealing her maroon woolen sweater and black tights as she entered inside of the room.

She remembered this look so well, as she adjusted her glasses she closed the door softly behind her, she gazed at the flowers on the desk. They were beginning to wilt, she would need to find new ones.

Finally, she took a seat on the cushioned chair and faced the sleeping boy. 

He was thin, you could individually count the ribs on his body, and his face sullen, his dark black hair was long reaching towards his soldiers, she didn't have the heart to cut it, and his pale skin looked unhealthy.

IV's were connected to his stick-like arm, along with the heart monitors and machines attached to his body, the beeped softly, as she looked at the sunset of the room, from there she could see the nearby city.

She often wondered if that was the city she grew up in.

She squeezed the boy's hand unable to hold back in the tears as she choked and stumbled with her words unsure of what to say, "hey Rai...I've been working hard lately..." she started, unsure of what to say,

"The world has changed a lot from when we were young, it used to be so much darker, I can still remember the sights of the kids with the dead expressions in the classrooms...they looked so tired...

"We were like that too I bet, I-" she choked, her voice refused to work with her, and try to keep going with the joyful tone, as she surrendered several tears which fell onto Rai's bed.

"You've been sleeping for a long time now Rai...you should wake up soon, the world looks so beautiful...I want to see more of it with you...do..." she paused. She always had this question burning in her mind since the day she awoke from the game.

"Do...do you think...I.." she fumbled with her words, as she sighed, "sorry, I can't ask still" she apologized, "I'm sure you're tired of hearing me trying to ask...aren't you?" she asked. The boy didn't respond as she sighed standing up and pushed his hair away from his forehead kissing his head lightly.

She smiled widely as she could as she got ready to leave, "I'll see you tomorrow" she promised as she walked through the door, and the second she heard the lock she fell down onto her knees and sobbed.