Masked Hope (Nagito x Fem!Reader)

(Deadly Life Part 1)

"Byaku. . .ya. . .?" Sonia muttered slowly. "Wh-Why is Byakuya. . .?"

"N-No. . .NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mahiru cried. ". . .Wh-Why!?"

"WHAT IS THIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSS!?!?" Nekomaru boomed.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Teruteru screamed.

I hesitantly stood up, shaking so much that I actually fell back onto the floor. Panic set in and I kicked myself away from the table until my back was against the wall. I brought my knees to my chest and tried to get as far away as I could from Byakuya. No. . . Th-That can't really be him, right. . .?"

Everyone took turns reacting to the discovery, so much so that Monokuma himself showed up to the party.

"Good gracious. . ." He sighed. "Things quickly took a turn for the worst. . .My my, now this is interesting! On this tropical paradise known as Jabberwock Island, the very first murder has finally taken place!"

"M-Murder. . .?" Hajime echoed.

"H-Hold on!" Nagito spoke, panicked. "Then, does this mean. . .!?"

"Puhuhu. . . Of course. . ." Monokuma giggled. "Byakuya. . . was killed by one of you."

"Wha-. . .!?"

"If you look at the body, you can tell instantly." The bear explained. "He was obviously murdered. Look, he has such a horrible expression on his face, don'tcha think. . .?"

I shut my eyes tightly as Monokuma described Byakuya's gruesome murder. I didn't want to think of him like that. . .

Despite my mental protest, Monokuma continued. "A face filled with regret that his life was ended by force, all thanks to someone else's selfish desires. . . To have a dying face such as this. . . If this isn't murder, then what the heck could it be?

"Byakuya was most likely sacrificed. . . by someone who reaaaaaally wanted to leave this island."

"L-Lies. . ." Hajime denied. "It's all lies! You're lying that he was murdered!"

As soon as those words left his mouth, I could feel my limbs tense up more as I squeezed my legs closer to my chest.

"Wh-What. . .is this!?" I opened my eyes and saw Peko standing in the doorway, Chiaki just behind her. "I-Is that. . . really Byakuya?"

Chiaki put a hand on her chest. "Why. . . why did this happen? Why. . . Byakuya?"

"I see, I see. . ." Monokuma sighed. "It appears Fuyuhiko is the only one who isn't here. . . Sooo, in the spirit of keeping everyone on the same page, how about we do this the usual way!?"

". . .Th-The usual way. . .?" I echoed quietly.

*Ding dong bing bong*

I heard the monitor above me activate and play a chilling message: "A body has been discovered! Now then, after a certain amount of time has passed, the class trial will begin!"

"Class. . .trial. . .?" I heard Hajime repeat.

"I've already explained this to you, right?" Monokuma asked. "If one of you gets murdered, the rest of you have to debate who you think the blackened is."

"Y-You mean. . . we have to figure out who killed him. . .?" I questioned from my place on the floor. Still, no one noticed me.

Who would notice a doll sitting in the corner? Now is not the time. . .

"That's right! From this point on, you guys must investigate and uncover the blackened culprit!" Monokuma summarized.

"It can't be. . ." Mahiru muttered. "Someone actually killed. . . There's no way!"