Danganronpa Midnight: Lantern Lament (Fanganronpa)

Chapter 1 - A Sad Party of One - BDA and Investigation

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Chapter 1 - A Sad Party of One
Deadly Life
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"No...No way..." I stared at the body, ignoring the whispers from the crowd surrounding me. I could feel my mouth hanging wide open from the absolute shock I was facing.

There, right before my eyes...

Was Akemi...

Although, he looked completely different to when I had last seen him just a few hours ago. He was paler and his eyes were shut, never opening again. His body was sat upright against the counters, surrounded by unnatural bloodstains.

My eyes then landed on both of his wrists. Akemi's sleeves had been pulled all the way up to his shoulders and revealed two long vertical slices, one on each of his wrists reaching his forearms. The wounds looked strange though, slightly charred with a crimson hue which covered them, the mark producing a harsh smell of burning flesh.

But even after all that, the hard truth was that Akemi...Was dead.

I couldn't believe it. I had literally spoken to him just last night. He was so glad about his change in character and even apologised.

But...I never properly accepted it. Crap, now I feel terrible...

Akemi didn't get to apologise to the rest of our classmates either like he wanted to. And that secret he tried to keep that he was planning to pursue yesterday night, did he manage to do that too?

Akemi...What happened to you?

And...Why? I know you used to be an asshole, and that's probably how everyone will remember you as now. You never got to say sorry...

And so brutally too. Those long cuts look super precise and deep.

There...surprisingly isn't a lot of blood though. I wonder why that is.

"It appears the game has finally begun." Ryoko smiled, standing behind me and looking at the body. "How exciting."

"Exciting?!? More like annoying." Yukari said. "I can't be pissed though. The guy was a jackass."

"You...You can't say that. He's dead." Tatsuo sighed.

"So? That gives me more reason to speak my mind." She scoffed. "Why are you sad, huh? He wasn't creepy to you, so I don't get it."

"No one was supposed to die. That was the plan..." he glanced back at Akemi's body. "I suppose someone just didn't care."

"No duh."

"This isn't the time to start bickering, ok guys," Finn spoke up. "I mean...The poor guy got murdered, you know."

"Obviously! But...who did it? And why?" Kairi wondered.

"I don't care...I'm just pissed that they ignored the entire point of my party! It was about getting along, not stupid murder." Akihiro exclaimed.

"Can you try to take this more seriously?" I groaned.

I left that group of people who eventually started to slowly argue about what to do to meet with Hidemi and others who were scattered around the dining hall.

The attorney was crouched by Kokoro who was clinging onto Shunsuke.

Damn, even the Ultimate Mortician seems down, staring off to the side.

"T-This...T-This is awful! I can't take this...I want to leave!" Kokoro cried onto Shunsuke's shoulder.

"I get what you mean Kokoro...But you have to stay strong ok?"