Truth, Perjury, and Sacrifice

Family History

Makoto, Kyoko, Toko, and Komaru sat in Makoto and Kyoko's living room, with the communicator screen on and linked to the apartment complex. "Anything yet?" Nagito asked.

"Nothing. I'm sure they are okay!" Komaru said.

"They landed an hour ago!" Nagito said, fidgeting.

"Sit down, Nagito, I'm sure they are okay."

"Do not tell me that! Do you know how terrifying plane crashes are, Hajime? They could be lost at sea and we would have no idea!"

"Nagito, where's your phone?" Makoto asked.

Nagito patted his hoodie and pants packets down, only to realize he didn't have his phone on him. He launched out of view from the tiny screen and returned within the minute. "No messages."

At once, three cell phones began to ring: Nagito's, Makoto's, and Komaru's. They each immediately answered the calls, a resounding "hello?" echoing amongst them. "Hey! Sorry for the late call. Uh, dinner went a little longer than expected," Karen said.

"I'm just glad to hear from you. Did you all call separate phones?" Nagito asked.

"Yeah? How did you know?"

"We set up that monitor system at Makoto's house and we've been on call with them for the last two hours."

"You're insane and worrying that much will kill you."

"No, it will make me live longer. You know how my luck works."

Karen sighed, "Oh, yes, how could I forget. Well, we're heading to our rooms now, so try to get some sleep yourself."

"It's nearly 10 am here, Karen."

"Okay, well if you're not going to sleep, I have to tell you something." Karen moved the phone away from her mouth, shutting the hotel door behind her and Byakuya. "I told Claude that Nagisa and Kotoko were my kids."

"You what?" Nagito laughed. "Wow, they've been living with you for what, a few months?"

"Shut up! Why am I friends with you?"

"That's a long list that I don't feel like going over. What did they say?"

"No one said anything. Literally. Dinner was quiet until we were saying goodnight afterward." Nagito heard Byakuya say something in the background. "I'm not going to apologize! It was either going to be them referring to us as parents or something, or this. I just took the uncomfortable step first."

"He's telling you to apologize to two children?"

"Well, it has only been a few months," Makoto said with the phone away from his ear.

"Oh we are not discussing this through a literal game of telephone," Karen said. "Alright, I'll text you with updates. Of all types."

"I don't want to know your sex life, Karen. Not anymore at least." Hajime looked at Nagito.

"You're insufferable," Karen chuckled. "I'll talk to you later!"

Once every phone call ended, Karen heard a knock at the door. Through the peephole, she saw Hina on the other side. "Hey, is something wrong?" Karen said, opening the door.

"No, except "my children"?!"

"Can we let this go!?" Karen crossed her arms. "I wasn't trying to force anything, I just didn't want to explain everything to Claude, okay?!"