Masked Hope (Nagito x Fem!Reader)

Chpt. 1: Class Trial Pt. 5

". . . That sounds fishy!" Akane disagreed.

"If I remember correctly, you can tell when a person is lying by licking their sweat. . ." Teruteru trailed off. "So if you want, you should try licking me!"

"There's no need," I spoke up. "For lack of a better phrase, you've made a stupid mistake, Teruteru."

"Huh. . .?"

"But I heard Teruteru's voice in the dining hall! Ibuki swears on her honour!" The musician promised.

"That's right. Teruteru was in the banquet hall, not the storage room." Nagito defended. "Which means. . . he's not the killer. I don't see any mistakes."

"Well then allow me to explain." I sighed. "Hajime's already established how Teruteru couldn't have been in the banquet hall. The fact that he went through with his story despite that evidence is what I would call a 'stupid mistake'."

"I've already said it. . .?" Hajime mumbled.

I looked at him and nodded. He took a moment of silence to think before lifting his head in realization.

"You're referring to the fire door, aren't you?" He confirmed.

I smiled. "I knew you'd get it. If we're sticking to the theory that the fire doors were closed, there's no way Teruteru could've made it to the banquet hall during the blackout."

"Wh-Why. . .?" Teruteru muttered. "Why do you want to keep falsely accusing me!?"

I flinched at his volume. "I-It's not like I want to accuse people. . .! I'm just following the evidence. . ."

"You should be so proud of yourself, Y/N." Nagito smiled. "You're just progressing toward the hope you believe in. . . Now, show me more of your hope. Will that be enough to crush Teruteru's hope?"

I felt my stomach turn hearing his words. Nagito. . . what's happened to you?

"But then what about Teruteru's voice in the banquet hall?" Ibuki asked again.

"Maybe it was a recording or something?" Mahiru suggested.

"Nope," The musician disagreed. "Definitely a live voice!"

"Right, as long as I have her testimony. . ." Teruteru trailed off. "The fact that I was in the dining hall cannot be disputed!"

"Just because we heard Teruteru's voice in the banquet hall doesn't mean he was literally in the banquet hall." Hajime objected.

"Huh? Wh-Why. . .?"

"Remember the floor in the banquet hall?" Hajime recalled. "It was full of gaps, right. . .? So even if you shouted from under the floor, it should have sounded just like the voices in the banquet hall."

"But. . ." Teruteru ran his hands through his hair as he panicked. "But-but-but-but-but-but. . .!"

"I see. . . So he brazenly shoued from under the floor to make us think he was in the banquet hall." Peko summarized.

". . .Is that true, Teruteru?" Mahiru questioned.

"H-Hold on a second. . ." Teruteru stuttered.

"C-Can you explain this, Teruteru!?" Mikan followed up.

"I told ya to wait a sec, ain't IIIIII!?" He shouted.

"Hyaaaaaaa!?" She reacted.

"What're y'all even sayin' anymore!? I'm tellin' ya I was in dat dere banquet hall durin' da blackou'!" He defended.

". . .Where are you from again?" Hiyoko asked.

"Oooh I was born 'n West Azabu and raised 'n South Aoyama!" He answered angrily.