Danganronpa: Locked Doors of Despair

Ch.4 Daily Life Part 3: Of Family, Friends, and Crushes

Gou

"Slow, slow, quick quick. Forward, forward, right right. See, it's not bad at all! Now try looking up at my face. Trust that your feet'll know how far to go."

I tear my eyes off the floor and examine Kana's expression. It's skeptical, studious, as though she's examining every facet of my performance. She's probably one of the scariest to learn from. But for once, she came to ME asking if I wanted a lesson. Honestly, that makes me even more nervous, because I have a feeling that she wants something out of me. Apparently, Monterio is making paper cranes with Chimon. I didn't really expect either of them to be the superstitious sort, but it seems like they wanted to get a wish! Either way, Kana needed a temporary playmate, it seems, and apparently I was chosen.

"So then the grapevine. I need to flip my thinking around, cause I'm used to doing it in the opposite direction. Okay, so for you... take a step to the left with your left foot, and then cross over it with your right leg, like so. And then pull your left leg around and back to the side. Move your right foot behind the left, and then repeat. Like... this!" She demonstrates, hiking her dress up slightly so that I can watch her ankles cross. As I start to get the hang of it, she begins to speed up a little so that I have to work to keep up. "Hey, you're doing solid! I coulda sworn you would've had two left feet, based on our first practice, but you've definitely improved. Now, back to position!"

I grab her hand with my left hand and cup her waist with my right dutifully. "Hey, uh, Kana?" I chime in as we start again.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry if I'm missing the mark... and misjudging your intentions... but is there any particular reason for this? Do you need anything?"

She gasps. "How dare you? I have had nothing but the purest intentions. I'm merely helping a friend with his earnest request to learn dancing, something that happens to be very special to me!"

I furrow my brow. "Okay, really, what do you want?"

She gives a mischievous smirk. "Don't worry, it's nothing strenuous or terrible. I just want you to bend my ear a bit, right?"

"What do you want me to talk about then, exactly?"

"How's your friendship with Wakumi? I haven't exactly been eager to pursue any sort of bond with her, cause we would probably be... volatile together, but I barely know anything about her!"

I grimace, feeling my heart start to quicken in alarm. "We shouldn't gossip, Kana. Nothing good comes of it."

"Really? I've found that venting is really helpful, sometimes! Besides, we're all in a death game. The more we know each other, and the more we bond, the less likely we are to want to hurt each other, right?"

I groan. She always has been very persuasive. "Fine. But if we're doing this, it has to be an information exchange. I tell you about Wakumi, then you tell me your opinions on Chimon."

"Deal! I'm way too curious. Besides, nobody will tell me anything about the fact that those two showed up drenched to the trial, and it's making me very upset!" she pouts.

"About that... she never told me, either. She's been really different since then, though. I'm sure Joanie's death hit her really hard. But the thing about Wakumi is that she's a very angry person. Trust me, I've known a lot of angry people in my life, but normally they try to bury it a little. She seems to flaunt her rage, like she needs it and likes it. I don't know why. I'm trying really hard to get to the point where I can say I understand her, but she fights it so much. It's frustrating."

"I can imagine. I'm sorry if you feel like you're going unrewarded or even hated for your efforts. I'm sure Monterio must've felt the same way about me at first. But I'm sure you'll eventually make some sort of breakthrough! I was really angry, too, but sometimes, people just need to get out of their own heads." Suddenly, she give a light wince.