Danganronpa: ocem

Chapter 4 Part 18 (Trial)

Ashton: Sophie's revolver...

Ashlyn: Wait, but it was in Hanako's room! Maybe it doesn't have anything to do with the case...

Yu Xuan: No it does, remember the gun shot in Sumana's head? The one in the real world.

Chloe: It was kinda weird, why would Sumana need to be hurt in the real world when dying in the dream world is enough to kill her?

Rachel: Did Randi want to send her to the dream world? If Sumana was shot in real life, her consciousness would be transferred to the dream world, and she would have no way of escaping.

Hanako: Maybe she was resisting the attacks in real life, so Randi had to shoot her.

Ashlyn: Why don't we check the timings of the events. Are we even sure Sumana was awake when she was shot?

Ashton: Well Sumana died at 5.30am, which means she was asleep then. And the last time we saw her awake was around 8pm the previous day. So if she didn't leave the dream world, she wouldn't have needed to be shot in the real world so she could be killed, if that makes sense.

Hanako: Not really, but I get it.

Rachel: So now we know Sumana was shot so that she wouldn't be able to escape the dream world, since she was already in it?

Chloe: Randi just had to make sure her body was dead before she could kill her consciousness as well.

Ashlyn: So why was the revolver in Hanako's room when it should have been in Randi's?

Hanako: Am I being framed again?

Sophie: We all know our dearest Randi would never do such a thing, right? Go on, tell them.

Yu Xuan: You know she's been framed before like twice, we wouldn't believe you the slightest.

Randi: I-

Sophie: Tell them Randi, you didn't try to frame Hanako.

Randi: No I'm- I'm a good person-

Sophie: What were you planning, Randi?

Randi's hands gripped the stand in front of her tighter and tighter, her knuckles slowly turning white. She was tensing up, like she didn't want to admit something.

But what isn't she admitting? We already know she was the murderer.

Sophie: You're getting your chance to speak, use it wisely.

Randi: I- I didn't want to do it!

Ashton: Do what?

Rachel: Randi, please calm down...

Sophie: Remember the price. Remember what happened.

Randi: What happened? Fuck. Fuck. Don't make me remember. I'm a good person.

Ashlyn: Randi-

Randi: What the fuck happened to me? What happened to her? What am I doing? FUCK.

A scream shattered through the court room, one we'd heard many times from different people. And the anguish in her voice we could feel vibrate under our feet.

Randi: FUCK. FUCK. I WAS GOING TO KILL HANAKO TOO! SHE JUST KNEW TOO MUCH AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT BUT I NEVER WANTED TO DO IT BECAUSE I HATE MURDER AND I'M SUCH A GREAT PERSON. I PROMISE YOU I PROMISE I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER WANT ANY OF THIS. I JUST WANTED HER BACK, I JUST WANTED TO GET RID OF THE PERSON WHO CAUSED EVERY SINGLE OUNCE OF MY PAIN, SURELY YOU ALL UNDERSTAND! I NEVER WANTED ANY OF THIS, ALL I WANTED BACK WAS MY BEST FRIEND, AND SHE TOOK IT AWAY FROM ME! FUCKING GOD SHE TOOK IT AWAY!

For a second, the courtroom was quiet, and the only sound we could hear were the heavy breaths coming from Randi. A silent panic took over, and my eyes darted around, searching everyone's faces to see what the next course of action should be, only to realise everyone was doing the same thing.

Randi: But I'm good... I'm one of the good guys...

Randi began to sniffle into the palms of her hands, wiping away the tears sliding down her cheeks. But she was...

She smiled, but it wasn't sinister. It was an accepting smile, and the tears she cried seemingly made her lighter.

Randi: I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry... It wasn't Sumana's fault, she didn't need to die, and I never had to convince her to.

Ashton: Randi, can you tell us the motive now?

Sophie: Wait! The game it can't-

Ashton: Sophie, that's enough. She's been through enough, don't you think? Maybe it's time we let her explain herself.

Sophie cocked her head, irritated.

Randi: I'm sorry... I'm sorry Ashton, I'm sorry Ashlyn, Yu Xuan, Chloe, Rachel and Hanako. I'm sorry Sumana... And I'm sorry to...

Randi: I'm sorry Annan.

The old name stirred the air in the courtroom, and I knew everyone was thinking the same thing.

Yu Xuan: Annan? What does she have to do with this? She's dead.

Randi: You think I don't know that? She was just like my best friend.

Ashlyn: But you and Annan were never... You never talked much I didn't think you both were close.

Randi: We weren't. She wasn't my best friend, she was just like her. And they were good friends with each other too. Too good.

Hanako: Wait, I think it's piecing together. Your best friend was close with... Annan?

Chloe: When was that?

Randi: When we were just fourteen. Two years ago.

Ashlyn: Wait, so then the pictures- It was of Sumana and Annan, and then Annan and your- Your-

Randi: My best friend in the whole wide world. She was close to Annan after meeting her at a barista fair, they hung out every week. My best friend taught her how to make coffee, and Annan brought my best friend to all her gymnastics competitions. Everyone began to notice the new best friends, and you know what happened to people who were best friends with Annan.

Randi lowered her head, trying to stop herself from crying. But it was obvious how many memories were coming back to her, ones she had been suppressing for so long.

Randi: A few weeks before her 14th birthday, my best friend was found dead on the floor of the coffee shop she worked at. She died at seven in the morning, in broad daylight. The window of the cafe was smashed open, and so was her skull.

Randi: Just like that she was gone, and I was all alone, it's how I got this ultimate role instead of her. Her death was labelled a murder, but the police didn't try to find out who did it, because they already knew who it was, they just couldn't figure out the person's identity. It would've been so easy for them, if only... If only...

Rachel: Let me get this straight, your best friend was-

Randi: A victim.

Rachel: Of... Hannan...?

Randi: Of Sumana.