The fourth time they met was during the fall. After Kaede and Shuichi played through the first trial to Trigger Happy Havoc, the former finally started to understand the appeal to DanganRonpa. One chapter led into another, one season led into another, and after a few days, Kaede was fully caught up in the series and was now a huge fan of the series. Sort of.

She still didn't like the fact that real people were dying, but the cases and the characters were more than enough to make her overlook that part. Naturally, he favorite seasons were the first few- consisting of only games and anime.

Luckily for her, those were Shuichi's favorites as well. The two shared a lot of favorite seasons, cases, executions, characters, and even ships.

Well...

"Whatever you say, Soudam shipper." Kaede rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

For the most part that is.

"I still can't believe you like Sondam more than Soudam!" Shuichi put a hand to his heart, feigning hurt. "I thought I could trust you!"

"You say that as if I like Soudam at all!" The blonde retorts. "Not only are Nevermind and Tanaka almost canon, the voice actor for Tanaka literally said that he, alongside other members of their class, don't even like Souda!"

"Okay, yeah," Shuichi shrugs, "Souda kind of deserves that- but him and Tanaka hold such juicy enemies to lovers potential! And I know you're not bringing up canon into this debate after what happened with Naegi and Kirigiri!" He points an accusatory finger at her, a playful glint in his eyes.

Kaede's cheeks flush as she's reminded of their convo. "That was a joke!"

"Naegi can have Maizono!" Shuichi's impression of Kaede is so repulsive that she can't help but burst out laughing- much to the annoyance of the people around them. "Kirigiri is my wife!"

Kaede almost tips her chair back with how hard she's laughing. "Can you blame me? I have a soft spot for detective characters, give me a break!"

"Yeah but seriously? That's such a lame reason to hate Naegi." Shuichi shakes his head, clicking his tongue."

"I said that ONE time!" She pouts, sticking her tongue out angrily. "And I didn't even mean it!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Shuichi quirks a teasing brow. Kaede flicks him on his forehead, snickering as he flinches from the slight pain he feels. "I'll stop teasing you about hating on Naegi. Someone around us might hear me, think I'm serious, and try to pick a fight with us. They already look annoyed enough."

Kaede looked around, and true to his word, everyone in her sights did look annoyed to some degree. When word got out that auditions for the 53rd season of DanganRonpa would be opening, Shuichi and Kaede decided they'd go together.

"On that note, If I'm being entirely honest, I thought you looked kind of dumb with those foldable camping chairs on your back." Kaede admitted. "And I also thought it was weird how early you suggested we should get here. But considering how long we've waited so far, and not to mention the huge line behind us," They both crane their necks back after this comment, taking a moment to look at the tons of people in line after them. Shuichi cringes at the sheer amount, whereas Kaede continues where she left off. "I'd say that was probably the smartest call I've ever seen you make."

"Was..." Shuichi pulls his attention away from the crowd and back towards Kaede. "Was that an insult or a compliment?" He laughed nervously, unsure as to how he was supposed to feel after hearing her confession.

"A compliment, duh." Kaede lets out a light snort. "You're smarter than you let on."

"Stop giving me such back-handed compliments!" Shuichi whined.

"What do you want me to do instead, kiss you?" The corners of her lips etch upwards into a smirk as she rests her elbow on the armrest of her camping chair, resting her chin in her palm and watching her prey with an expectant gaze.

Poor Shuichi played right into her hands, his face instantly breaking out in a fervent blush. "H-Huh?!" He started sputtering, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a retort.

Before he was able to properly reply to her, however, a noise rang throughout the crisp autumn air that caught everyone's attention.

Ding Dong Ding Dong!

Shuichi took this opportunity while he still had the chance. "Would you look at that!" He stammered, his entire body trembling two parts with embarrassment from Kaede's bold statement from earlier and two parts with excitement at the familiar tune. "The line's probably gonna start moving soon, so we better get up now!" He exclaims, shooting up from his seat. The speed and force of such a sudden movement is too much for the poor foldable camping chair to handle, and it topples over and folds back up in one swift motion.

"Well." Kaede bites her tongue, trying to stifle her laugh as she gets up. "That's... one way to fold up a chair-" As soon as the last syllable leaves her mouth, she bursts out laughing for the second time that day, shaking so hard she struggles a little to fold her chair back up.

"It's not funny." Shuichi huffs indignantly, picking up his now folded chair and slipping it back into the bag he brought with him.

"Funny or not, it was definitely worth missing my morning lecture for." Kaede folds up her chair and stuffs it back into the bag it came in. "Oh, hey, what are we gonna do with the chairs?" She asks. "Since they're so strict about the dress code, I assume we can't carry them with us when we audition. Think we can just leave them and hope that no one steals it?"

"Well, they're just camping chairs, so even if someone does steal them, it's not that big of a deal." Shuichi answers with a shrug, grateful that the topic of conversation was changed. "We'll figure it out when it's time for us to audition."

The sound of someone clearing their throat catches their attention, and they turn their heads to see the person behind them standing with their arms crossed over their chest. "Can you guys get a move on? The line's already starting to move, and we haven't waited here for hours just to be held up by the likes of you."

Kaede's unphased by the rude remark, sticking her tongue out at the stranger before grabbing Shuichi's hand and skipping off. "S-Sorry!" Shuichi calls out to the stranger as he's dragged off by the blonde, face flushing once again from the sudden contact.

The process of entering the building is fairly quick. By the time Kaede and Shuichi enter, the waiting room is nearly full. One of the Team DanganRonpa workers hands them each a slip of paper- Kaede's labeled 153 and Shuichi's labeled 154. They were on the final leg of their audition, the only thing left to do before the actual taping was wait until it was their turn.

"I can't believe that despite how early we came there's still over 100 people before us." Kaede hums, her pink eyes darting all over the place as she takes in the spacious waiting room.

The auditions are taking place at an amphitheater not too far by bus from either of their houses- the room they were currently waiting in had a few benches that some people had already made themselves at home on. "Yeah, and did you see all those people behind us? There has to be at least 1,000 people waiting in that line."

"And only 16 people get accepted?!" Kaede exclaims.

"Probably less, depending on what kind of plot they decide to go with." The blonde lets out a groan at his answer, and Shuichi chuckles a little.

Figuring they were going to be there for a while, they took out their chairs yet again. Surely enough, they were there for over two hours and thirty minutes, spending all that time idly chatting about random things. The people around them came and went as the minutes ticked on, but Kaede and Shuichi paid no mind to them- too busy stuck in their own little word to care.

"Number 150." The milestone number catches the attention of both Kaede and Shuichi. The time draws nigh, and the former couldn't be more excited. The latter, on the other hand, was a bit nervous- something that the blonde easily picked up on.

"You ready?" She asks him.

Shuichi nods. "Yeah! I've been waiting for a whole year for this!"

"A whole year? I thought you've been into DanganRonpa for a while now?" She tilts her head in confusion.

"Last year, the auditions ended the day before my birthday." Although he chuckles, there's a hint of bitterness in his eyes.

"Yikes." Kaede cringes. "Do the auditions happen at the same time every year?"

He shakes his head. "It varies. This time, instead of ending right before my birthday, it's actually starting on my birthday, so that's nice, I suppose."

Pink eyes widen at the information just announced. "It's your birthday?!" She exclaims- just a tad bit louder than she intended. "And you didn't tell me?!"

"Now you know how I felt at your graduation ceremony!" Shuichi protested, raising his hands in a defensive manner.

"But you didn't even tell me that your graduation ceremony had already passed!" Kaede pointed her finger at him in an accusatory fashion.

Unable to come up with a retort, Shuichi gives in. "I guess you're right about that..." He chuckles awkwardly, averting his gaze. "My bad..."

Kaede sighs. The nervousness is back. "Happy birthday, Saihara-kun."

"Thank you, Akamatsu-san." Shuichi smiles.

"I'm sorry if I came off a bit strong there..." She mumbles.

"Huh?" His eyes wander back to Kaede. "No, you're fine. Why the sudden apology?"

"You seem a bit upset."

Shuichi flinches. "Why am I surprised? Of course you'd notice. It's nothing, really, I just... I guess I'm starting to get a little nervous, is all."

"Really? Well, you look good, so there's no need to worry about your appearance. Actually, wait," Suddenly, she grabs Shuichi's tie, fixing it up a little. He chuckles as he watches her fiddle around with the piece of fabric. "Okay, now you look good. Also, are you gonna wear that hat during your audition?" She asks, a little skeptical.

Shuichi's eyes flick up towards the hat in question. He shrugs. "I always wear it whenever I go out. I don't really know why- I guess it's just a habit of mine. Maybe I'll take it off when it's time for me to go up. Who knows."

"Is it even allowed? Their dress code is kind of weird," She adds, gesturing to her own outfit. The people auditioning on the show were required to wear their high school uniforms and nothing else save for some accessories.

"I mean, I did wear this hat during high school, so I'm sure it won't be a problem." He answers. "Either way, my appearance isn't what I'm worried about."

"Number 151."

Kaede watches as he averts his gaze to his hands currently resting in his lap. "Is there something on your mind?" She already knows the answer- the question is just her way of asking if he wants to talk about it.

"Why are you auditioning for DanganRonpa?" He asks. It's out of the blue, and such a blunt question from such a timid guy has Kaede taken aback for a brief moment.

"It's a bit dumb..." She admits, twiddling a strand of her hair between her fingers.

"It's alright." Shuichi turns his gaze back to her, offering a small, supportive smile. "You know I won't laugh at you."

"If I'm being honest, I hate it here." It's Kaede's turn to avert her gaze. "Horrible things are happening all over the place, and every time I hear about something I always feel so insignificant. I try my best to make the world a better place as much as I can- like defending you the first time we met back in the winter. My goal is to be a detective so I can help people out, just like how I found Taro. Yet... I feel as if no matter what I do it won't be enough. Although I'd really prefer not to be on a reality show where I have a one in sixteen chance of dying that goes up with each day, there's no denying the show's popularity. If I get in, perhaps my hopes will reach the viewers all throughout Japan, and maybe then I can bring change to the world in my own way..."

Shuichi's breath is taken away from such a genuine, down to earth answer. He wasn't sure what kind of answer he was expecting from her, yet he's only a little surprised after hearing it, just enough to render him completely speechless. It feels as if time freezes, and the world around them comes to a stop as he tries to think of a response worthy of such a noble reason.

"Number 152."

The announcer's voice is enough to reign Shuichi back to reality. The first thing he sees is Kaede, a nervous glint in her pink eyes as she's now twirling the strand of hair she was playing with early. She's waiting for a response, he realizes, and he clears his throat, speaking whatever came to mind in order to soothe her nerves. "You never fail to amaze me."

"Huh?" Kaede's voice is meek- a rare side of her that he's never seen up until now.

He knows better than to take advantage of people in their vulnerable moments- especially not after that speech he just heard- yet he finds himself taking this chance to rest his hand on her free hand, which was currently resting on the armrest of the chair. "All I ever hear is people joining DanganRonpa for the fame or the money," Her eyes beg him to continue, and who is he to deny her request? "Your reason is so selfless and kind, I can't help but envy you a little, Akamatsu-san." He silently chuckles, giving her hand a light squeeze.

The smile he's grown so fond of over the months is back on Kaede's face, and neither of them could be happier. "Thank you, Saihara-kun." He can feel her hand turn under his. She intertwines their fingers, returning the gentle squeeze he gave her earlier. "What's your reason?" She asks.

"Compared to your reason, mine's a bit more selfish." Shuichi raises his free hand to his chin as he sheepishly smiles.

"As long as it's not for fame or money, I'm sure it's fine." Kaede assures him.

"Well..." He cringes slightly. "If I'm being honest, my motive is fame-driven." Kaede frowns, and he scrambles to correct himself. "But not in the cliché way where I want the attention of the entire world! I just want the attention of my parents..." His voice trails off as he averts his gaze. "I already told you a bit about them. We used to be a tight-knit family before they became famous in the film industry. Now, it feels as if we're total strangers. My musical skills are good, I've practiced for years and I've been told this by a lot of people; but deep down I know it's not enough to satisfy them. I understand your feelings of insignificance all too well, and I'm more desperate than I'd like to admit. Knowing their son is on a show as popular as DanganRonpa is sure to catch their attention and gain their favor once again, right?"

It's Kaede's turn to be stunned into silence. He was right when he said it wasn't in the cliché way, that's for sure. Unlike Shuichi, however, when her words fail her, she doesn't sit around as she tries to come up with something to say- rather, she decides to take a different approach instead.

Without warning, she reaches forward, wrapping her arm around Shuichi's shoulder. She can't quite bring herself to let go of his hand, so it's only a half hug. Alongside the armrests in between them, the hug actually turns out to be a bit awkward and uncomfortable.

Despite this, Shuichi's still over the moon with such a pleasant surprise. He ignores the awkwardness in favor of appreciating the sentiment, returning the gesture by wrapping his arm around Kaede's waist.

"Your parents don't deserve someone as sweet as you," She whispers, her breath so close to Shuichi's earlobe that it tickles. Her voice is soft, yet he can feel the way she trembles as she says it. Whether it's from sadness or anger is something he can't quite tell.

Regrettably, he pulls away from the hug- although it feels nice, he'd much rather look her in the eyes before he said these next few words. "Thank you, Akamatsu-san." It's a statement that has to be one of the most genuine things he's ever said. The blonde averts her gaze, and Shuichi purses his lips. She's definitely upset. "But please, don't work yourself up about it. This is a matter between my parents and I, and I know that they're bound to notice me eventually no matter where I end up."

Kaede's still not convinced, yet she decides to give in anyways. "Well... Even if you can't get their attention, you've definitely caught my attention- and you haven't even auditioned yet!" She chirps, turning her gaze to meet his eyes once again. "In fact, I'd say you've changed my life in more ways than one, Saihara-kun," She hums.

Shuichi lets out a small laugh, her words bringing him a sense of comfort and lifting his spirits up. "For the better, right?" He asks, leaning slightly closer to her.

The stare Kaede gives Shuichi only grows more intense. It makes him a little nervous. "For the better, right?" He asks yet again, albeit this time with more urgency.

"Number 153." The loud voice catches both their attention.

Kaede jumps up from her seat and skips away from Shuichi and towards the announcer- the sudden increase in nervousness from the musician making the blonde giggle a little. "Of course!" She assures him, turning her head back and waving at him. "I'm just messing with you."

Shuichi watches Kaede wink at him, and all he's able to do is wave back, his heart fluttering madly in his chest as he watches her disappear onto the stage.

Kaede's left with a similar feeling as she walks away. The second she passes through the doors, however, it's replaced with a more ominous feeling as she makes her way onstage. The previous contestant before her looked a bit disturbed as they went back to the area she just came from. All she could muster up was a smile and a thumbs up- which most likely went unnoticed- before she finally stepped foot onto the stage.

What awaited her was an empty theatre, devoid of any signs of life. The only thing of note save for the intricate designs on the theatre's walls was the sole mic in the center of the stage, and an X made out of tape a foot away from it. She smooths out her skirt before approaching the marked spot on the stage, eyes darting around as she observes her surroundings some more.

"State your number, name, what talent you want, and tell me why you'd like to be on the 53rd season of DanganRonpa." Kaede's pink eyes look up at the noise. Since it's all around her, she assumes it comes from the control booth. She's able to see it from where she stands, yet it's too dark inside for her to tell if there's anyone in there. "You have a minute."

With only a minute to audition, Kaede has no time to dwell on the details. "Number 153... My name is Akamatsu Kaede. I'd like to be casted as an Ultimate Detective. I got into DanganRonpa a few months ago, and I'm totally obsessed! For the most part... If I'm being honest, the world around me is so disgusting. Murders left and right, random grown men preying on young girls, exploitation of poverty-stricken workers all over the world, everywhere you look there's always something horrible going on, and I can't bear to stand it. So... that's why I'm perfect for a killing game! I don't have any faith in humanity! Yet, there's a part of me deep down that wants to fix that in my own special way, no matter how long it may take! DanganRonpa becoming a reality show is truly disturbing to me; killing real people for the sake of views and money is wretched no matter how you may look at it. Despite that, I believe that if I make it on the show, my hope for a better world can reach viewers all over the world!"

Kaede was met with a thick silence after she finished. Despite the nervous pit festering in her stomach and growing with each passing second, she kept her eyes glued to the control room across the room.

"Excellent. Thank you for auditioning for the 53rd season of DanganRonpa. Please exit the way you came from."

Kaede let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she stepped away from the microphone. She did as she was instructed and exited the way she came from, passing by a certain dark-haired boy on her way out. "Good luck, Saihara-kun!" She throws him a thumbs up and a big smile.

"Thanks, Akamatsu-san!" He smiles as well, giving her a swift nod before making his way onto the stage. He's greeted with the same sight as she was- an empty theatre with only a microphone and an indicator on the stage as to where he should stand. Planting his feet on the tape and straightening his posture, he takes a deep breath to steady himself.

"State your number, name, what talent you want, and tell me why you'd like to be on the 53rd season of DanganRonpa. You have a minute."

Shuichi wastes no time getting started. "Number 154... My name is Saihara Shuichi. I've always been such a huge fan of DanganRonpa and... Always wanted to be in one. If I were a contestant... I would want to be an Ultimate Pianist! I know there's been a few characters with musical talents in the past and I've always loved those characters, so I would want to be one of them. Ah, but I don't have to be a pianist! I'll be anything to be part of the show and I mean that- anything- I'll do anything to be part of DanganRonpa! My parents are famous in the film industry overseas, and I want to prove to them that my skill is on par with theirs! I promise, if I get selected, I will work as hard as I can to achieve that dream! If it comes to it, I will come up with the best, most gruesome murders, I promise! Everyone will love it! And, a character with a musical talent hasn't been the blackened yet, so I'm sure I can do that! I'm also thinking about... The perfect punishment for the Ultimate Pianist!"

The silence he was met with was deafening, and it took all of his might not to break down on the stage due to the sheer amount of nervousness he was feeling.

After what felt like ages, the voice from before finally made its appearance again. "Are you friends with Number 153?"

Shuichi quirks a brow. "Akamatsu-san?" He asks. Realizing that the person asking might not remember the name, he clears his throat. "The girl before me? Uh, yeah! In fact, I got her into DanganRonpa!"

Once again, Shuichi's met with silence. Only this time, the response comes much faster. "Excellent. Thank you for auditioning for the 53rd season of DanganRonpa. Please exit the way you came from."

Although he was still shaking from the exhilaration, Shuichi felt as if the weight of the world had just been lifted off of his shoulders. He was quick to scurry off the stage, murmuring a quick "Good Luck" to the person he passed on the way out. 

In the waiting room, Kaede was in the same place from earlier, leaning her elbow on one of the folded up chairs with a smile on her face. "Saihara-kun!" She waves him over, still holding onto the chair at her side as she stands up straight.

Shuichi hums. "What's the matter, can't fit the chair in the carry bag?" He asks.

Kaede pouts, holding out the bag. "It was hard, okay? At least I got the other one in!" She shrugs her shoulder, tilting her head in the direction of the carry bag on her shoulders.

He can't help but chuckle as he takes the bag from her. "I'm just teasing you. Revenge for that little stunt you pulled earlier. This chair's always had problems fitting into the bag, but there's a little trick to it."

The blonde takes notice of the way his hands shake as he puts the chair into its bag. "How'd your audition go?" She asked.

Shuichi groans as he slings the strap over his shoulder. "I kept repeating myself- I probably looked like an idiot out there."

"Awww, I'm sure you did great, Saihara-kun!" Kaede assures him.

He scoffs, averting his gaze. "I sure hope so." Turning his gaze back to her, he holds out his hand. "I can hold onto the chair, by the way," He offers.

Kaede shakes her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm fine. The carry bags literally have straps on them- this is just like holding a backpack. Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

"Hm?" Shuichi hums.

"You're the birthday boy!" Kaede uncrosses her arms and pokes her finger into his chest. "I should be holding your stuff for you."

"Ah, right," Shuichi scratches the back of his neck sheepishly. "How about we both just hold a chair each?"

Kaede nods. "Alright, but we're celebrating right now! And it's my treat!" She makes sure to put extra emphasis on that last part- after the last two times they went out, Kaede felt bad that she had yet to pay. 

"Okay, okay," Shuichi raises both of his hands up submissively. "But, we don't have to do anything special... I've already had a great birthday spending it with you so far. We can just head back to my place or yours, order take out, and laugh at shitty DanganRonpa smut on Wattpad."

A strong blush spreads across Kaede's face, and she's quick to turn on her heel in order to hide it from Shuichi. "Nope! We're going whether you like it or not!" She doesn't check to see if he's following her as she hands her number to the worker at the door and hurries out of the venue.

"But... is it really a gift if I don't want to...?" He sighs to no one in particular before letting it go. At least she was cute. He hands his number to the worker at the door, before jogging to catch up with Kaede, who was already waiting for him at the light.

"Hey, how long does it take for the results to come out?" Kaede asks once Shuichi's standing by her side.

"Hm..." He has to think for a moment. "I don't actually know. It's not as if there's an official air date for the new season, so it could be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Speaking of that... Have you heard about the Flashback Light Theory?" Shuichi inquires.

"No," Kaede shakes her head. "What is that?"

"The flashback lights they use in the series are used to alter the character's memories, right? There's a theory going around that because of that, our reasons for auditioning for DanganRonpa don't really matter, and they're only looking out for appearances since they could just alter our memory and possibly our personalities at will."

It seems like a reasonable idea, yet there's a few discrepancies. "But if that's the case, then why is there a wait in picking out the contestants?" Kaede points out.

"Well, the lights only alter us mentally. The main reason going around is that the time in between is used to alter our physical appearances. The more bulky characters train while the characters meant to be bigger have their diets altered. And at the end, they can just use the flashback light to make the contestants forget all about those few months."

The light turns green. Kaede nods her head. "That's actually pretty interesting..." She muses. The cars come to a stop, and the two step onto the crosswalk. "I mean, it seems as if-"

Kaede never gets to finish her sentence.

A sleek back car coming out of seemingly nowhere pulls up right in front of them. The two jump back in the nick of time, barely managing to dodge the vehicle. While their minds were reeling with the shock of such a sudden, near-death experience, the doors to the car fling open, two men in suits coming out of them and approaching the two.

"What the- Hey!" One of the men grabs Kaede's shoulders. "What the hell?!" She barks, slamming her fist down on the foreign fingers on her shoulder and yanking herself out of the man's grip when it loosened up.

Another black car pulls up, and even more men come out. "Look out!" Shuichi calls out to Kaede, elbowing a man trying to grab him.

Turning on her heel, the blonde narrowly avoids another pair of hands grabbing at her. She accidentally backs into someone else, however, who wraps their arm around her shoulders and covers her mouth with their free hand. With her quick thinking, Kaede licks the hand on her mouth. The person flinches at the weird action, moving their hand away in confusion. Kaede uses this opening to move her head closer and bite down on the hand in front of her, eliciting a yelp from the person behind her as they backed away instantly. Now that her arm was free, she elbows the person behind them, sending them even further back.

The man she managed to avoid earlier was still trying to grab for her, much to Kaede's dismay. She took a step back, before lifting up her foot and landing a solid kick on the aggressor's ankle, turning her head to Shuichi after she watched him tumble. "Saihara-kun!"

"Where the-" Shuichi swings his head to the side, narrowly avoiding a punch to the face. "Hell did you-" He shoves a man to his left off of him. "Learn that?!" He asks, pushing a man to his right towards Kaede.

"Self defense class." She answers, delivering another swift kick to the back of the knees of the man Shuichi sent her way. "I hate to say it, but this isn't my first rodeo," She frowns, watching as the attacker's knees buckle. "More importantly, where the hell did these guys come from?!" She exclaims as she looks around, noticing the ones she knocked over earlier starting to get back up.

"I think you should run!" Shuichi calls out, socking a man in the jaw. He cringes at the cracking noise that followed as he watches blood spill from his mouth, the stench hitting the musician's nose almost instantly. "You're probably better at fighting than I am-" He mutters an apology before he kicks one of the guys square in his groin. "But on that note, you're probably faster than I am!"

"But I can't just leave you here!" Kaede protests, delivering a smooth chop to an arm coming her way. "I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you!"

"What are you, a DanganRonpa protagonist?! We don't have time to be heroic, get out of here and get some help before it's too late!" He begs her, ramming into the side of a man approaching the blonde and sending him crashing into one of his colleagues. "Please!"

Kaede inhales sharply. Shuichi just made a perfect opening for her- if she was going to escape then now was the best time. She sprints towards the gap in between their attackers, and right as she's about to get through, an unknown hand grabs at the back of her shirt, yanking her away from her freedom. Her collar rises up and presses against her neck, and she lets out a cry from the sudden pain. 

In her moment of vulnerability, two other men appear on either side of her, grabbing an arm each and hoisting her up into the air. Kaede flails her legs around in an attempt to land a kick on one of them, but it's to no avail. "HELP!" She calls out in hopes there's someone nearby who could intervene as she squirms around.

Shuichi whips his head around and finds Kaede apprehended, much to his horror. Not even a second later, he feels the impact of large knuckles collide with his cheekbone, sending him stumbling back. "Shit!" He curses under his breath, turning to face the group of men before him.

With not a lot of options left, an idea suddenly strikes Shuichi that he wishes he'd thought of sooner. He thrusts his shoulder forward, the strap of the carry bag flying off as he grabs onto the strap with one hand and the actual case with another. He pulls the chair back a little, before lugging it forward and landing a hit directly to the gut of one of the men, watching as he stumbles directly onto another guy and sends them both to the ground. He tosses the carry bag up into the air slightly, shifting his grip and holding onto it as if it were a club.

With Kaede already caught, she's left to watch hopelessly as more men surround Shuichi. She could tell that he wouldn't last long from how hard he was heaving and the way his movements started to turn sluggish, combined with the sheer number of enemies. "Saihara-kun!" She calls out yet again. The three men with her take her to one of the cars they came up in, one of them opening the door and the other two shoving her in.

Kaede thrashes violently about as they try to shove her into the vehicle. She grabs onto one of the hands forcing her in, sinking her nails into the flesh as hard as she could and scratching hard enough to draw blood.

As soon as the arm lets go of her and retracts, Kaede grabs onto the car door, pulling herself forward. The other two men aren't able to hold her back fully, but she doesn't get far. In the midst of her thrashing, her head collides directly with the top of the car. The blow sends Kaede stumbling back into her seat, her head throbbing as the world around her starts to spin.

She lunges forward as she opens her mouth to call out one last time, but she's too late. The car door closes in front of her. No matter how hard she pulls at the handle or pushes at the door, it remains locked and unmovable. Seeing that the manual lock was gone, Kaede was backed into her last resort, reeling her fist back and swinging at the glass as hard as she could. She grits her teeth with each hit as the pain in her hand starts to grow. What kind of glass was this window made out of?!

When her hand goes numb, she switches to the other fist and continues her barrage of punches. After another minute, she finally gives up, her fist throbbing and her head pounding. With nothing else she can do, Kaede silently prays that Shuichi makes it out safely before her eyelids start to close and the world finally fades to black.

6k Words

Author's Note: Holy SHIT that was a big chapter. I kept adding stuff to it and before I knew it I was at exactly 6000 words. Hope this long chapter makes up for the just as long wait! I had a sudden trip and got back a few days ago, so whoops! Next chapter out in one or two days. I was thinking that the last chapter would be the longest, but now that I have this monster of a chapter on my hands, I'm not too sure if that statement still holds ground.