Danganronpa Midnight: Lantern Lament (Fanganronpa)

Chapter 2 - A Grasp of Fading Spotlight - FTE: Shouko, Yuna

I dragged my legs along the dirt that made up most of the paths on the camping grounds, occasionally kicking some small pebbles that were in my way.

Who should I talk to...Who even is available right now? Some people have to be busy with their labs and cabins.

That's when my foot came to a stop at a root of a tree that had dug itself underground. Slowly looking up, I realised I was directly under Shouko's lab.

I could hear some...mumbling? Sounded frantic too.

I wonder what Shouko is up to right now. Supposed I should check up on her.

Firmly, I grabbed the bars of the wooden ladder and climbed my way, pushing myself up once I reached the top of her lab. Getting up off my feet, I glanced around and saw Shouko desperately looking out of the small window, holding up one of her many ghost-hunting equipment while looking around.

She's really into this...The girl didn't even hear me climb up here.

A bit of a weirdo, isn't she?

"Uh...Hey?" I called out to Shouko causing her to flinch. When she did, the metal box in her hands she was using slipped and fell to the floor.

"Oh...Oh no! Crap!" She exclaimed, not even looking back at me. Instead, she leaked out the window to check it.

"Ah, sorry about that." I rubbed the back of my neck before thinking of an idea. "I can get it for you if you want."

"Y-Yes! Please! What if it breaks?"

"Alright, alright...! I didn't expect to get this rushed."

After I climbed back up the ladder, I tossed the thing carefully around my hands and then inspected it.

"Hey...Someone is lucky. It's completely fine." I shrugged then she snatched it out of my hands and got back to work. "What are you even doing?"

"A...last-minute hunt...Every second counts." She replied, staring out the window as the machine occasionally beeped.

"And this ghost hunt has you all stressed and out our breath because...?"

"Because this might be the last time I ever ghost hunt in my life!" She explained, fully focused. "I...I need to find something. I gotta!"

When Shouko is really concentrating, she seems not tired at all. In fact, she's more energetic. I guess ghost hunting really is her life.

"Why are you so stressed about finding a ghost anyway? Even when they don't exist..." I mumbled that last bit so she didn't hear me.

"I...I just have to! Cause I have to see him again." She said, finally turning around.

"Whose 'him?'" I asked.

"W-Wait. You actually want to know?" Shouko was surprised.

"Uh...Yeah? Why is that so shocking?"

"Because no one has actually bothered to ask...Most just assume I'm a weirdo and walk away."

I won't bring up the fact that I called her a weirdo literally two seconds ago.

But do I really want to learn more?

-
Do I want to learn more about Shouko?
> - Yes <
- No
-

"Well, it doesn't look like I'm walking away, am I? And I'm sure this won't be as weird as the ghost hun with you and Aki a few days ago." I sat myself up upon the table. "So go ahead. Who is this mysterious 'him?'"