Danganronpa: Locked Doors of Despair

Ch.5 Deadly Life Part 5: Of Trust, Truth, and Time Limits

Chimon

Yuu grits his teeth and clutches his head in his hands with so much force that his arms are quivering. It makes me worry that he's trying to crush his own skull. His breathing is belabored and he looks like he's about to be sick. "Yuu," I reach out, trying to keep my voice calm and steady.

"I CAN'T!" he interrupts. "I... I can't do this anymore! I can't send a best friend to die again," he pleads, voice cracking. "I can't. It hurts too much. I had to kill Sayuri... and I had to kill Bisque... and now you're telling me that Ren and Zu teamed up to betray us, and I have to kill one of them next? I can't believe that..."

I cast a glance at Azumi and Ren themselves. Azumi is clutching at the fabric around her heart, avoiding eye contact, and biting at her lip ever so slightly. Her expression is clearly distressed, and I'm trying to get a read on exactly why. Ren seems like he's actively trying to be much more reticent. All I can read is a grim determination. What is he doing? What are either of them doing?

"I can't believe that..." Yuu repeats once again. And then his eyes open softly. He squints and his eyebrows furrow. Suddenly, he slams a fist on the table, making us all jolt a bit. "FUCK IT. I DON'T BELIEVE IT."

"Hey, are you gonna be okay?" Fujiko asks, alarmed.

"The laddie's gone fully addle again," Wakumi rolls her eyes.

"No, I haven't! I'm very much in control of myself right now," he declares, "and so I'm going to choose, right here and right now, that I'm done!"

"What do you mean? What, are you just gonna not vote? Yuu, you'll fucking die that way!" Gou scolds.

"I won't let that happen! Once we find out who the killer is, I'll fucking go over and push the button myself, Yuu!" I threaten. You. Will. Stay. Alive. You fucker.

"That's not what I mean! What I mean is, I'm going to... take a trust fall here. I know I have literally no logical basis to stand on here, but I don't think it's either of them! That's just what my gut is telling me."

"Aye, I admire yer moxie, but ye can't clear someone based on yer gut instinct, savvy? Just cause yer body don't think they did it doesn't mean ye suddenly got the evidence ye're lookin' fer."

"I... I know. But the thing is, I want... I want to fight for something other than just my own safety, for once in my damn life! I want to fight for someone else! I've been afraid of trusting for such a long time, but I literally lost my damn mind because I wouldn't let myself have faith in other people! If I've learned anything here, it's that never trusting is just as harmful and dangerous as never doubting!" he rants, working himself into a fervor. His eyes are full of clarity and purpose, like this is something he needs to do. "I want to believe in the people who treated Tozen with such love and kindness... and the people who acted the same way to me. They wouldn't try to trick us! They wouldn't try to get us all killed!"

Monterio... are you seeing this, from somewhere? Look at him now. You sacrificed yourself to let this happen. I will do everything in my power to protect what you died for.

It seems like I'm not the only person moved by it all. Azumi's expression becomes even more distraught. She yanks at the fistful of costume that she's holding, and then... "I'm sorry, Ren! I'm so sorry! More than anything, I wanted to deliver you safely home. I wanted to help you honor Nari's wish, and to rescue someone that Tozen deeply cared about, but I cannot continue to deceive everyone. I don't want... to die... and I don't want Yuu to die... I don't want anyone else to die."

I swivel my head to look at Ren immediately. I need to catch his reaction. My speed is rewarded. For the quickest of instances, he bites his nail and draws his eyebrows together in confusion, and then he pulls himself together. "Okay. See, everyone? I did it. I'm the one who—"