Mended Branch (DR3 x OC)

Chapter 7.5: Zero

(A/N: As seen from the title, this chapter is basically all Danganronpa Zero stuff, so spoilers for that ahead.)

"Woah..." Katsumi couldn't help but say it out loud. She was looking around the neurology laboratory in complete awe as if she was in an exhibit. All sorts of shiny, new equipment lined the walls, surpassing even her wildest expectations with their quality. In contrast, however, her expression on the outside remained completely flat. "Matsuda-kun, when did you get all this new equipment?"

"...Yesterday," Yasuke replied lazily, lying face-up on the laboratory's bed. His eyes were focused on the open manga magazine in his hand. "The school just felt like being generous this month, I guess."

"On only the neurology laboratory?"

"They're probably going to upgrade the rest of the biology building anyway." He shrugged. "There's nothing special about this."

"But I've heard you also got a research grant, too... It just felt a little sudden to me."

"The school seems to do whatever it wants... Do you really think I have a clue about why I'm getting so many extra things?"

"..." Katsumi ended up replying with a simple "... I see." before sitting down at a table with one of the desktops and getting to her usual work. "Just wondering, how's Otonashi-san doing?"

"Huh? Her? Aside from the obvious, she's fine. I've made a bit of progress on my treatment."

"It seems like your research this year on memory has managed to come in handy. Without that, I would guess that her memory condition would've taken much longer to figure out."

"Yeah, I guess so... but even if you're aware of it, you don't need to go out of your way to worry that much about her, even if you are helping."

"About her..." Katsumi tried changing the subject. "Do we really need to keep her case a secret? It makes this whole thing look suspicious, even though we're just conducting research on that condition and potential treatment methods."

"I'm still standing by it. Do you really want to see how annoying it would be if it was revealed? It'd just spread into gossip and even crazier rumours among other students. Not to mention it'd confuse the hell out of her." He clicked his tongue in irritation. "In fact, it's already started to do that a bit."

"...I guess you're right about that."

Yasuke looked up at the clock in the neurology laboratory before clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Jeez, she can't even keep a schedule..."

As if on cue to respond to his comment, the door suddenly opened, with a bright voice emanating from the entrance. "G'day―eek!"

Right after that cheerful greeting was when a scalpel blade suddenly shot past the girl's ear and into the wall behind her, still vibrating from the impact. Katsumi turned her head to stare at Yasuke, his hand still lifted and held out from having held the blade beforehand. Somehow, he hadn't given even the slightest glance up while doing it.

Katsumi sighed a little to herself. "Matsuda-kun, this wasn't a very necessary time to do that." After noticing Yasuke visibly ignoring her words, she gave up and turned back to the computer. I even thought it was kind of cool back then.