"AHHH!" Kirumi let out a fierce cry as her heels clacked and she rushed frantically to the elevator.

'Can't die... can't die... can't die...' Kirumi thought.

"Even if I have to debase myself and eat filth, I... will... live!"

Her classmates were screaming at her to run, even when she was willing to put their lives on the line for her need to escape. They... were truly great people, but it mattered little now when all's said and done.

"AAAHHHH!" Kirumi screamed, her adrenaline filling her up and pushing her further than ever, running... running to the elevator.

Just running away from Death.

For her people... that's why she was running away.

A maid's duty was for the people. And as a maid, she had to... do what is right for the people.

Really, at first, she might have clients back at home, but nothing worrisome to warrant the need to kill people to escape. Because even if she did so, there would be so many risks coming to it... and as a maid, the people come first, anyone she served and that included her classmates even if it was forced upon her...

But a maid must, as it was always... always her selfless devotion.

But everything changed with a simple Kubs Pads. Curious, she watched it.

And found out something very, very important.

She was the Prime Minister of Japan. She needed to save her people.

For the greater good, she must escape. The lives of 13 students matter little to the whole nation, one that needed her and depended on her. One that she selflessly devoted to, and needed to continue, for her people...!

At that moment was when she planned a murder.

But apparently, you can't run from Death.

The gavel swung... and just like that, she was at her own execution...

Kirumi Toujou's Execution: Strand of Agony.

Kirumi was running, still running but she knew... it was too late. The stage was set, her execution was ongoing, but will she give up? She can't.

She was running from Monokuma, but now replacing him... were protestors, protestors that were now blocking her and asking her to quit, booing and hissing.

Because she... failed, failed to escape and continue her duty. She was... useless, worthless as the protestors jeered.

But still, she will prove them wrong, wrong that she was horrible, that the duty bestowed to her will be carried out. All she needed to do was escape.

... An out.

As if someone was answering her, a rope was thrown down right in front of her, thorny and all, but still a rope, leading upward.

... To freedom?

Kirumi should have known better than to trust anything given to her in her own execution of all places, but at the same time, no matter what...

She will live!

No loner hesitating, if there was one shred of a chance, she took the rope, her hands already bleeding out yet she climbed...

Climbed up a never ending climb, throng, her hands hurting. Circular saws, traps in her way, could be fatal, but she was too high up. She climbed still.

Blood was leaking through her body, all the cuts... but still, it was lucky that she was alive. Alive seeing a light.

Alive reaching it out.

She... escaped. Her people... she can come back to them.

But of course, it was too good to be true. Instead of her hand reaching endlessly to the light, all she touched was a piece of paper crudely drawing the opening of freedom, a mere delusion.

It's meaning was loud and clear. There was no escape.

The rope was nearly breaking.

It's meaning was loud and clear. Kirumi Toujou was still at her own execution.

Snap.

Fall. Kirumi was falling, falling endlessly but she will stop and she will also stop living, because it was... impossible, impossible for her to live at such a great drop.

She tried...

Thump.

And everything went black.

Loading...

0%... 3%... 15%... 38%... 50%... 76%... 8- BZZT!

ERROR... REBOO- BZZT!... FAILED... EJEC- BZZT!

0%... 39%... 6- BZZT! ... 87%... 10-BZZT!

EJECTIO-BZZT!

Thump.

A steady darkness, words, numbers and... a glitch. But even though Kirumi was dead, that it didn't matter, something didn't settle with her when she saw that glitch and she tried to fight it, even when she didn't know how. The end result was that she was ejected from something, but not without excruciating pain from her body and head...

She fell into someone's arms, slowly breathing, aching everywhere. ... It hurts more, where the scars are, but the rest of her body seemed to be shaking off the pain except for her head which she was enduring a splitting pain.

Pain... something never felt in death. Proof of being... alive? Does that mean... she survived the execution? Does that mean... she can save her people?

Kirumi slowly opened her eyes, and what met her vision let her gasp out in disbelief. She was in Rantaro's arms, next to a worried Kaede and...

Ryoma.

Kirumi jumped up immediately, her eyes wide with fear and guilt as she slowly backed away from him... from the person she undoubtedly killed, put a spectacle of and used for her needs.

... Why? What is this?

"Toujou-san, are you alright?" Rantaro asked, as Kirumi continued backing away and staring at Ryoma as if he was a feral cat. Ryoma only just chuckled softly...

In fear and confusion, it was only a moment afterwards that the scars she thought that bore her body were no longer, the only evidence they were there... were simply phantom pains.

And looking at Rantaro, Kaede and Ryoma... they were also fine. So was she... But Kirumi couldn't possibly comprehend.

"Can someone please explain?" Kirumi asked pleadingly, looking at only Rantaro and Kaede and throughly ignoring Ryoma.

Ignoring her sins...

"You better sit down somewhere, Toujou-san. What you are about to hear will be a little... over the top," Rantaro finally said.

And it was over the top, which is very well an understatement.

The Tragedy, Despair Apocalypse, Despair Minions... they were classmates of Hope's Peak, and they also willingly went into the killing game of their own volition to save Rantaro and Tsumugi.

Kirumi's mouth opened and closed without sound like a gaping fish before she let out a pressing question.

"My people... Japan..." Kirumi said. She needed to know. Needed... because that was the reason she landed herself in this mess, the reason for a big escape.

Kirumi's eyes darted around the room as she thought bitterly, 'From one prison to another.'

She wanted to look for an escape. As soon as she hopefully gets answers from Rantaro, she needed to escape and do her duty as the Prime Minister. She couldn't stay here a while longer.

But Rantaro shrugged and shook his head to Kirumi's question.

"I only know the basics but I don't know anything personal on you. If you want to know more, the best chances for you is to go through your computer or mobile," Rantaro said.

Kirumi was weighing her options now. She had no idea of her situation and her curiosity was taking over as she tried to process all that's happen and the new information that only urged her to escape from here and fulfil her duty.

And she needed more information. She couldn't save her country in ignorance.

As if it was a lifeline, Kirumi immediately went to a gray computer with web aesthetic, and immediately opened it up, thoroughly ignoring everyone else.

Her people... what happened to her people?! Was... was this the tragedy the Kubs Pad spoken about? She knew she was too late... but... could she salvage this? Could... she do something?

When she opened up her computer, a video screen immediately appeared right before her, and in shock, it was herself.

"To my future self, I hope you are doing fine under the circumstances, but I'm sure that there are many questions and little answers that you are facing now. So I will oblige to answer the best I can," Kirumi, herself from an unknown past, spoke in a calm way that Kirumi now didn't think she possessed anymore. For she was itching to know...

"The reason why this message is given is because sadly, myself along with some other people have been deemed possibly unstable if we ever get out of the dastardly killing game, so these messages would provide some support so that we don't do anything rash. Because however much you want to escape, for any obligation that they tell you in the killing game, it is irrelevant in the bigger picture."

'Irrelevant in the bigger picture?' Kirumi thought. It soured her, because what on earth could be so important that her people are considered irrelevant? She wanted to go right into the screen and demand answers.

But she continued to watch, because she needed to know.

"Depending whether you wake up as a victim or a survivor, then there is not much I should relay. However, wake up as a killer and no doubt they used that motive to spur me into doing something so selfish. Either way, I advice you to watch this video either way and please make your own conclusions. But I believe that you will make the right ones, the way you will become soon."

There was a moment of silence, in impatience, that hung the air. Not only for Kirumi, but Rantaro, Kaede and Ryoma who were watching alongside and can hear even if Kirumi wanted privacy.

"This will only take a moment's time, because you have no time to waste. I am sure that the most possible motive, according to my records and achievements, that the bear will most likely tell you about your obligations to the Prime Minister, with a twist."

"Because when the country was in danger with political and financial strife, I was hired as a consultant to the Prime Minister and brought Japan from the brink of destruction during my first year of Hope's Peak. Although I didn't stay as consultant for long and went to other maid duties once my services are no longer needed."

Services no longer needed... does that mean... Kirumi is not the... so...

Kirumi couldn't even begin to phantom before the other her spoke, "So I urge you not to act rashly with whatever information of being the assistant of Prime Minister or the equivalent, that the bear has led you to. After all, you have a more urgent devotion to get onto."

More urgent devotion? What could...?

Flash...

"Please trust us!"

"... our own good."

"It's going to..."

"... in time..."

"Secret..."

Voices, many voices.

"I don't know what I can do but..."

"No need..."

"In this together..."

Her voice and a few others.

"But..."

"Nishishi, then all you can do..."

Flash...

A wave of memories, and Kirumi muttered, "Depend on us as we depend on you. We are all in this together. You don't have to do everything yourself..."

"Toujou-san?" Rantaro asked, and Kirumi dismissed him while looking at the computer screen to realise she skipped a bit of the video, so she rewind the video. That memory... was it true? It certainly confirmed some of Rantaro's statement about this situation, but first...

"I can and will not say much for unwanted ears that might listen, but you must know this. That your duty... ever since you attended Hope's Peak, ever since the Tragedy, is to your classmates and friends, who in turn will help you when the need arises. As a maid, and because of that one time with the Prime Minister, you would surely have the need to help the people but know that helping your classmates in this situation now will benefit the people too. Now, I am done and delete this video immediately after watching it. Thank you."

And the video shut down. Kirumi was too shock but she deleted the video without any hesitation whatsoever.

"Toujou-san... are you alright?" Kaede asked, with concern in her voice.

"I..." Kirumi was for a lost of words. She was overwhelmed. What was she supposed to think? What was that video? What was that flash? What was real?

"Toujou," A low voice and with a wince of guilt, she knew it was Ryoma's but decided to pay heed, "I think your past self knows that whatever information the killing game gives you is false, or at the very least omitted. So, you should believe what that video said instead of that motive video in the killing game. And that flash you had, whatever it is."

"You think that's easy? Then I..." Kirumi said, her voice a bit rough because the implication could be... disastrous for the lack of better word.

"I also wanted to die back then because of false information. We were both tricked," Ryoma said.

"Tricked...?" Kirumi said, in a near whisper.

"Your motive video told you you were the Prime Minister although in actuality, you were a consultant for a short while. My motive video told me that I had nothing to live for although in actuality, I grew close to my classmates who helped me with living."

"Hoshi-kun... but I..." Kirumi said. She still felt guilty. This was all too much to take.

"I wanted to die back then. I let you kill me. I can't be angry at my own decisions and I can't completely blame you if it was partly my decision in the first place," Ryoma said in his low voice, really nonplussed that he was talking to his own killer.

"Why... why are you so calm about it?" Kirumi asked, her tone breaking.

Kirumi was not dead, that is indeed good news, but that meant she had to truly face the consequences of her actions, the one that was standing right in front of her right now. And she had expected... if the impossible were to happen, that she met her victim, that he would be angry at her, the silent treatment... something that a normal person would do in front of their murderer.

"Because..." Ryoma said, "This is no time to hold petty grudges. We need all the help we can get, and I understand why you did what you did. I wasn't in the same position exactly, but like you, I did kill and I understand the feeling and reason for it..."

But Ryoma didn't do any of that. He just calmly stated facts, comforted Kirumi and was acting as if everything was normal.

Kirumi didn't cry... but she couldn't even comprehend her next action in such a scenario.

Kirumi looked away from Ryoma. Even if he was cool about it, Kirumi was not. The feeling of guilt at what she done... could never be erased.

"Toujou-san, just now... I'm sure you experienced a flash," Rantaro broke in gently after a tense silent and Kirumi took this like an olive branch. She was once again running away, just like in the killing game, she knew. Running away from her sins, but... she couldn't help it.

In all that has happened, she now felt she failed herself as a maid, as a friend, and as a person. But she needed to get ahold of herself, after all, disgraceful as she had been, confusing as the information was given, she was a maid and she needed to assess her situation quickly.

And...

'Depend on us as we depend on you...'

Kirumi looked up at Rantaro and asked, "Do you know what those flashes mean?"

"Well, according to that letter, they might as well be flashes of our memories, and I don't think they are lying about that. After all, they have a familiarity to it..." Rantaro hummed.

Certainly true. But after what she experienced, can she truly believe it?

"Did you remember anything important, Toujou-san? Anything about our situation...?" Kaede asked.

"Actually-" Kirumi said but was cut off.

"Because there's an even much worse liar than me," Kirumi heard Kokichi's voice said, and she sun around to see a broadcast from the screens. She was shocked to see that it was her remaining classmates, the ones who are sound asleep in their pods.

Just because she 'died' does not mean the game stopped. She looked at the others, and they decided to watch the drama unfold. It was certainly an intrusion.

But after all that overwhelming information and contradicting facts, it was not an unwelcome one. A little reprieve if she will.

The rest of them were by the Shrine of Judgment, with Kokichi speaking up to them.

"A liar worse than you?" Shuichi asked doubtfully, which was the same sentiment of everyone inside and outside.

It was simply impossible to say there's a worse liar than Kokichi Ouma who loves to lie as he breathes, his lies always off the tangent and annoying. What could be worse than that?

Kokichi stayed silent... for dramatic effect, Kirumi guessed, before he said, "I'm talking about Harukawa-chan."

Kirumi saw that Kaede, Rantaro and Ryoma looked at Kokichi in shock while the others, including herself looked on with disbelief.

"Does he know?" Kaede asked.

"You guys know?" Ryoma asked.

"Yes, but how do you know?" Rantaro asked.

"Excuse me, what-" Kirumi butted in, wondering what the three of them were talking about before a voice interrupted their little conversation.

"What?" the rest could hear Maki ask, in the same disbelief as others.

"What do you mean, Harukawa is a liar?" Kaito asked, backing her up.

"Harukawa-chan admitted it during the class trial, remember?" Kokichi said, all cheers and smile.

"Hoshi-chan wanted her to show him his motive video cuz he was looking for a reason to live. But that wasn't the whole story... Hoshi-chan was blackmailing you, wasn't he, Harukawa-chan?"

Ryoma looked with shock before saying in a low voice, "It's like he knows things that he shouldn't."

"Wait? You really blackmailed Harukawa-san?" Kaede asked, surprised.

"Shouldn't you know?" Ryoma asked, nodding at the screens.

"It's not that we bother looking at them 24/7, you know? So we didn't see you meeting with Harukawa-san," Rantaro said.

"Blackmail...?" The rest heard Kiibo ask and their attention went back to the screens.

But blackmail.. it is indeed surprising because sure Maki Harukawa kept her secrets close to her chest and was a difficult person to get closer to, but what kind of secret...? After all, as Kirumi remembered, she was the Ultimate Child Caregiver.

"Hoshi-chan just so happened to discover Harukawa-chan's true identity," Kokichi said.

'True identity?' Kirumi thought.

"So he used that to blackmail her. I bet he said something like... 'If you don't show me my motive video, I'll tell everyone what you really are.'" Kokichi said, and Ryoma once again dawned on a shock expression.

"That's exactly what I said. I wouldn't be surprised if Ouma was actually nearby, spying on us..." Ryoma said, in a thoughtful voice.

"Really?" Kaede asked, frowning, "Makes me a bit worried for the others with someone as sneaky as that..."

"And smart," Kirumi added wistfully. He was certainly an annoying brat, but he was also intelligent, Kirumi would give him that. With his logical deductions when he drops the childish act.

"That's why Harukawa-chan didn't want us to know she met with Hoshi-chan," Kokichi declared, "She wanted to keep her true identity a secret! That's why she kept quiet until the last minute!"

"Wh- why you... What shit are you making up now? Harukawa's true identity? What-" Kaito said, but was interrupted by Kokichi.

"Nishishi, I have known Harukawa-chan's true identity the whole time," Kokichi said.

'The whole time... but is that a lie?' Kirumi thought, but Maki didn't seem to take it that way as suddenly...

"... Gh!" Kokichi choked as Maki, like a leaf in the wind, reached toward Kokichi and gripped his neck as she pulled him up off the ground. Everyone was in utter shock, not even able to say anything.

"Y- Y'know... th- this is an interesting t- turn of events..."

"Interesting turn of events? Being choked is an interesting turn of events?" Kaede asked, her hand reaching to her own neck, wincing. Kirumi remembered that Kaede's execution involved hanging... maybe it was too close to comfort. Rantaro seemed to notice Kaede's distress and moved closer to her in reassurance.

"B- But would you really... k- kill me in front of everyone...?" Kokichi asked, and the shock wore off a little more by that. There was nothing they can do in this scenario, but surely right after the trial and with witnesses... surely, another won't come to their ranks so soon?

"H- Hey, Harukawa! What the hell is going on?" Kaito asked, but made no move in aiding Kokichi. In fact, everyone was still too shell shocked to move or do anything, watching the scene unfolding like a car accident you can't look away from.

"Y- Yeah... you can probably... snap my neck like a twig right now... But that's... not your style... Y-You would rather... kill from the shadows..."

And with those words, Kirumi had a positive idea where this is going...

"Right... Miss Ultimate Assassin?" Kokichi leered at Maki who was still gripping Kokichi's neck with an angry stare upon him. Her grip seemed to tighten.

"Wait! No kill Ouma-kun!" Gonta, at the words Ultimate Assassin and seeing the tightening grip finally reacted, as he forcefully pushed Maki and Kokichi apart from each other. Everyone unfroze as well, at that very moment as they surrounded the duo while Maki looked incensed and Kokichi gave a smile of victory.

Kokichi stood up, his legs seeming to shake, and thus was aided by Gonta but he swatted it away. He looked at everyone, with his gaze lingering longer on Maki, now held down by Kaito and Tenko.

"Well, I'm sure after that little display, there is no doubt who Harukawa-chan is, but if you still need something more to believe, well... come to Harukawa-chan's Lab tomorrow. I mean..." his gaze lingering at Maki, "If you aren't the Ultimate Assassin, you wouldn't mind... right? But if you do mind, you know what that means."

Maki kept her glare fixed toward Kokichi, as he strode off without another word, although looking weak in the knees. Everyone also decided to leave, although they kept a closer watch on Maki after that little display.

"What a way to end the night... huh?" Rantaro asked.

"Indeed," Kirumi agreed, "Although I am surprised at these turn of events."

"Well... it doesn't matter. One way or another, someone would have found out about Harukawa's talent," Ryoma said, giving a glance at Maki's pod before his eyes rested on Kirumi. She tried not to flinch, her guilt still palpable, but she managed to gaze calmly back.

"Toujou, didn't you have some kind of flash of memory before that happened?" Ryoma asked.

"Oh... yes," Kirumi said, before she talked about it.

"I had brief flashes of us running away from Hope's Peak before the Tragedy, the Reserve Serial killing even happened," Kirumi started.

"What? What does that mean?" Kaede asked.

"Well..." Kirumi said, trying to weave the flashbacks into a competent story as she said it out.

***

It was a normal day at Hope's Peak.

But that day as ordinary as it may be... was the catalyst of all that is evil and chaotic, something that would catch the whole class into crossfire, and less desirable consequences if not for quick action of certain classmates.

... too many gaps, but Kirumi can remember some classmates crashing into the class. Rope, tentacles, hands, wires, confetti, moans, super Saiyan as those classmates, the oppressors pulled in a few more people, including Kirumi to their cause.

Because they said it had to do with *bzzt* and they understood as they helped along. The *bzt* that Kirumi herself witnessed one day, a long time ago, when she saw *bzt* sneaking around and worried, followed them. What she saw, witnessed, knew, was incomprehensible. And dangerous.

At that moment, she started becoming involved with *bzt*. And helping along the way secretly, up 'til and for this moment.

There were screams, shouts. Defending themselves, the oppressors telling it was for their own good.

In short, run away together was a kinder way of saying they kidnapped their classmates and brought them to *bzt* right before it happened.

Right before the riots, the Reserve Serial Killing and... the Tragedy, where the class was completely safe from all that.

How did they even know?

Well-

***

"Unfortunately, that's all I remembered," Kirumi said distressed.

"So you are saying a few of our classmates knew the Tragedy was going to happen before it happened and sent us all to safety because of that?" Kaede asked, her jaw dropping.

"At least we know what we were doing during our last moments of Hope's Peak," Rantaro mused.

"Apparently, in safety and in some kind of shelter, huh?" Ryoma spoke up.

"I guess... yes," Kirumi said, "But I don't remember what happened afterwards..."

The others expressed disappointment, but not at Kirumi herself and Kaede came to clap Kirumi's shoulder with a gentle smile.

"I'm sure something will come up soon," Kaede said gently.

"If anything," Rantaro quipped, "At least we knew what we were doing when the Tragedy struck."

"Yeah," Kaede said, "Any information is good information."

Kirumi smiled at Kaede's optimism. It could be quite infectious.

"How about we call it a night as well? I certainly need to adjust myself after... all this," Kirumi informed.

"Of course, if you need anything, please come to us, OK?" Kaede asked.

"... I appreciate it," Kirumi said, before they finally retired for the night.

But Kirumi needed to straighten a few things out for the time being...

***

She held too much contradicting information. She didn't even know what to believe. She was in a loss.

Kirumi didn't like that. She was a maid. She always had everything under control. She always knew what she was doing. She did hold herself fine with the others back then but...

That's wrong. To strongly believe in being the Prime Minister and doing everything for it to realize that she never was in the first place...

Then, what worth was her actions, in the end of it all?

Nevertheless... it was weird, to be so gung ho about escaping to now bidding her time in wait...

Because for the longest time as a maid, Kirumi didn't know what to do. What else could she do other than wait... and help and...

What else? In the end, could she do anything at all? After everything that happened. With everything going on. With her mind in a jumble that she began asking herself...

What is true? What to believe? What is real?

And finding herself answering...

Nothing might be true. She didn't know what to believe anymore. Is anything real?

To the point of...

Can she even trust herself after all that?

And she already knew...

Frankly, she can't.

In other words, Kirumi was actually very distraught. She wanted to straighten things out, but right now, she didn't know where to start. Because Kirumi was the blackened, a killer... by being tricked. What a bitter taste that was left in her own mouth. What foolishness. And Ryoma 'died' for...

There were a few knocks on her door to get Kirumi out of her contemplative... guilty... feelings before she composed herself, "Please come in."

Kirumi was shocked to see who it was: Ryoma.

"Surprisingly, it looks like I'm the last person you want to see. Although it should be the other way around," Ryoma quipped.

Kirumi was silent, still openly staring at Ryoma before he shut the door.

No longer taking the silence, Ryoma cut into the chase, "Toujou... I'm sure you wanted alone time. But after everything, I think you need someone to keep you company."

"That is not necessary. After all, how about you? You do not need to waste your time for someone like me... especially after everything I done," Kirumi said.

Actually, this was part of the maid mindset for Kirumi. She always served the people, but never the other way around. Because throughout her life, people always depended on her, yet she never depended on anyone.

"It's because of that that I came here. It's because of what you done that I came here," Ryoma said.

"Why?" Kirumi asked. That one simple word, for all of Ryoma's actions... barely made any sense to her.

"Heh," Ryoma chuckled a little before biting off a candy cigarette, "Because I might be the only one who might understand how you are feeling. And even after everything I said back then, you might still be a little worse to wear than what you actually displayed back there."

"Understand... how can you... because I was the one..." Kirumi said, a little loss for words.

"I killed the mafia after all," Ryoma said, "Although not the same at all, the aftermath was hard on me..."

The aftermath. The...

"Guilt, regret, second thoughts, depression," Ryoma said, those words expressing what Kirumi was right now feeling.

"I..." Kirumi tried to say something, deny everything Ryoma said. But she can't.

"I'm sure I'm the last person you want to be there for you," Ryoma said, "But at the same time, I don't think you should hold all this yourself..."

"A normal person would have been more angry or distanced themselves from their killer, even if it wasn't real," Kirumi finally said.

"Then, guess I'm not normal," Ryoma said, "In fact, none of us are normal. Because I doubt normal people would decided to voluntarily join this killing game, save Amami and Shirogane, I guess."

"... But is that true? Is any of this true?" Kirumi finally asked, the question inside her heart after all this time...

"Hmm?" Ryoma said, fiddling with his candy cigarette as he listened.

"After all... in there, how much was truth and how much was lies? And even here, what can we believe?" Kirumi asked.

"... You have got a point, Toujou," Ryoma said, "But not everything in the killing game were lies. After all, Harukawa is the Ultimate Assassin. That is true."

"Really? How are you sure that's not a lie?" Kirumi asked.

"Our past selves. We found out during our time of Hope's Peak."

"So then, why...?" Kirumi said, but she couldn't finish that sentence.

"Why was being the Prime Minister not true for you? The same as me having no one?" Ryoma asked.

It shocked Kirumi that Ryoma was being in tune with her, but it was like... there was a special connection between victim and killer.

"Maybe once upon a time they were true, but now they aren't. Maybe the bear decided to change things up so that we had the urges to kill. After all, it was a killing game. Maybe that's all there is to it," Ryoma offered.

Kirumi was silent. She didn't know what to do. But maybe the reason she pursued this line of thought, that everything was fake and lies, was because... she didn't want to believe in her situation.

She didn't want to believe she killed for a lie.

Before she knew it, Ryoma was right beside Kirumi, on the bed and patting her shoulder, as he said, "But that was then. This is now. Toujou... no one expects things to be OK. No one knows what's going to happen in the future. But there's one sure thing..."

And Kirumi's eyes met Ryoma's. She wanted to look away but she couldn't.

"You can fix things now. You can put aside the past and do better in the future. And you will have the rest of us to help," Ryoma said.

"But..." Kirumi started, before she stopped herself.

'Depend on us as we depend on you.'

She had never done that before, but... right now, more than ever...

A tear glistened in her eye as Kirumi started crying. Ryoma patted her shoulder.

The guilt, the uncertainty, the lies... she finally decided to give in.

"I'm sorry..." Kirumi whispered, finally apologizing for what she did, instead running away. Now confronting her problems head on.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," Ryoma said.

And maybe letting it all out at that moment cleared her mind a bit. And the questions started playing in her head.

What is true? What to believe? What is real?

She lifted up her head, and saw Ryoma give a small smile in return, and that's where... she knew the answer...

It's true that she wasn't alone. She can believe in her friends. It's real that whatever's going on is far from over.

But there's that question as well...

Can she even trust herself after that?

But seeing Ryoma, Kirumi remembered... her video where her duty... with her classmates... and that they will help...

So Kirumi gave a small smile, and whispered, "Thank you."

To Ryoma and maybe to her classmates who became her friends in the distant past, but could possibly be her friends as well given time. And she found her true answer to the question. That..

She can try, and if she can't, at least her friends, her people, can be help her trust.