Danganronpa: Painful Truth

Necessary Letdown

"But Maki! I still don't understand!" Tenko wailed, wiping at her streaming eyes with her sleeve. She hadn't stopped crying since Himiko had chosen to follow Kaito outside, to check on Kokichi. Somehow, despite her emotional state, she didn't falter under Maki's glare, which had only intensified since the conversation had started. She remained as defensive and self-assured as ever.

Himiko's sudden interest in helping Kaito bring Kokichi back had certainly been unexpected at first, but as I thought about it, it occurred to me that it did make some amount of sense. There had been subtle hints sprinkled throughout our time in the killing game, it had just been too absurd and trivial of a possibility to be acknowledged at the time. It was likely that Tenko hadn't noticed it at all, and simply assumed Himiko was too angry to be in the same room with her. I couldn't imagine the explosive display of emotions we'd be subjected to if she found out the truth.

Maki sighed impatiently and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You don't understand because you don't listen to others. That's what that brat was trying to tell you."

"See?! You don't like him either!" She pointed an accusing finger at Maki. "So why is everyone taking it out on me? Especially Himiko!"

"If you think those two insults are on the same level then it's pointless trying to explain anything to you," Maki snapped, enunciating her words forcefully. "It's not about liking him, it's about civility. Some things don't need to be said, unless cruelty was your intention."

I made one last attempt to mediate the argument. "Look, Tenko, no one is taking anything out on you. We just want you to understand that Koki-"

"Quiet Shuichi!" Tenko cut me off abruptly. "The girls are having a conversation!"

"Are you though?" I groaned under my breath. The term was being used rather loosely, considering how little actual communication had occurred. Tenko was a good person, but even I was beginning to feel exasperated by her stubborn behavior. "Ah, sorry Maki, but it doesn't seem like I'll be able to help anytime soon."

We were both mercifully rescued from further confrontation by Kaito's return. He had somehow exchanged Himiko for Shigeri, who seemed significantly more upbeat. Their dead, chilling expression was gone, and they wore their usual smug smirk.

"Hey guys! Miss me?" Kaito called out playfully as he approached. "How's the damage control?"

"Ah, Kaito," I smiled with relief and stepped slightly closer to him, away from the tense argument. "Yes, actually. We were just considering...a different approach. Talking to her doesn't seem to be working."

"Huh? You serious?" He frowned slightly, but not for long. He put one arm around my shoulders, and the other around Maki's. "Must be a hell of a job! My two best sidekicks wouldn't give up that easy!"

Maki flushed angrily as she was yanked away. "Hey! Do you wanna d--" She stopped herself just in time, scowling. "...suffer?" she amended awkwardly.

Shigeri snickered from behind us. "Goddamn, what an improvement. Way less terrifying."

She glared over her shoulder at them, then up at Kaito. "You brought the wrong one, idiot. That's not Kokichi."

"Hey, fuck that." They yawned and sipped from their cup of grape soda. "I'm never the wrong one."

"Don't worry, Maki Roll!" He winked at her, beaming. "He'll be back any minute."

"Maybe not right away, if he's lucky," Shigeri added slyly.

I leaned slightly into Kaito's arm as the others chatted, silently drawing comfort and confidence from his enthusiasm. Although the party had been mostly enjoyable thus far, and I'd been excited to attend, I'd never liked large social gatherings overall. The slews of information, in assorted voices of various volumes, all competing for focus, were exhausting. Tenko's indignant, panicked presence had only made it worse, but now that Kaito was back, and Maki was no longer bashing her head against Tenko's strange concept of logic, I felt my lost energy returning.