Entertaining a Small Thought

4th Arc Part 1: Another Beginning with a New Self

4th Arc: Truths Are Cruel, So Lies Must Be Kind

Daily Life

It was the morning after the third class trial. Just like it was any other day, I got up after the morning announcement and walked over to the dining hall, where everyone else was waiting.

"Good...morning everyone." I greeted weakly.

"Yeah...good morning." Kaede returned the greeting with a weak nod.

"Good...morning..." Keebo sighed with a sad expression.

Yeah, I kind of figured this would happen. No one can really be happy when such a dark atmosphere is hanging all around us. But that's to be expected after what we've been through. After what just happened, who can expect any of us to be enthusiastic?

Well...there were actually two exceptions. Two people who were somehow very enthusiastic at this very moment.

"What's wrong, bro!? Not gonna eat!?" Kaito pretty much shouted at Shuichi happily when he saw he wasn't eating his breakfast.

"If you don't eat, Gonta will eat you instead, Shumai," Kokichi added with a smirk.

"He'll eat me? Don't you mean my breakfast...?" Shuichi asked, sweat beginning to form on the side of his head.

I sighed while shaking my head. Of course these two doofuses were still acting the same way, as always. It's like nothing can ever get them down or make them change their ways. It's a little reassuring, actually.

"Speaking of Gonta, where is he? He still isn't here." Rantaro asked.

"Good question. I haven't seen him since this morning." Kaito nodded.

"He's probably still sleeping..." Keebo replied.

"But he's never slept in before, has he?" Kaede asked with a frown.

"..." Damn, the atmosphere here is killing me! It's so heavy, like it's mentally beating everyone here, myself included.

"Hey! Why are you all moping around like this!? Look alive! We're teenagers, aren't we!?" Tenko then shouted with her usual energy, though there seemed to be a lot more now than before. "Your good mornings are too sad and quiet! If you talk like that, you'll never feel better!"

"Tenko?" I questioned with a curious look.

"Weird. I thought you'd still be the most depressed out of all of us after what happened." Maki noted.

"Of course I'm depressed! I've never felt this much pain and sadness before in my life! It's like my heart was crushed and stomped on before it was burned to a crisp!" Tenko shouted. "But being sad isn't going to help anyone! Not me, not any of you, and not any of the people who have died! That wouldn't make Himiko, Angie, or any of them happy! So I'm going to keep living like I always have: with positivity! This is Tenko Chabashira's new start!"

"New start? Would it really be a new start if you are not changing anything about yourself?" Kirumi asked.

"W-Well...I might have reconsidered some things." Tenko admitted while poking her fingers together nervously. "I've...thought about how childish I can be, and how naive I can be. I can't always change that kind of stuff, but I can at least try. So... that's why I'll try to be nice to all of you. Even..." Tenko made a face before she shook it off and continued. "Even...the boys."

"Oh? Is our misandrist finally giving up her male hating ways?" Kokichi asked with a curious expression.

"Only if you don't act like a degenerate, Kokichi!" Tenko shouted at him before her expression softened. "I've had to learn over and over here that...not all boys are bad, and not all girls are good. That's been proven to me many times. First with Tsumugi, then with Angie, and now...with Himiko. It's been beaten into me so much that I want to throw up! So, I just want to get along with everyone now, no matter what!" Tenko exclaimed before she gave a slightly sheepish look with a small blush of embarrassment. "S-So...please take care of...the new me..."