That Wasn't Supposed To Happen

Iudicium Declinationis et Infortunii- Part 1

After Monokuma's announcement, Kyoko and Byakuya quickly left the room, somehow side by side even though probably neither wanted that. Hina and Sakura left immediately after the two of them, leaving Chihiro alone for a second who couldn't help but look at the body again. The body of his classmate. The corpse of his friend.

Sure, Hifumi was... weird at times, but he still didn't deserve to die. Though, did any of them?

Chihiro took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that were starting to flow before following the others to the elevator.

It didn't take long for everybody to enter and for the doors close before it started descending.

Everybody was spaced out, with only Hina and Sakura standing next to each other. It wasn't hard to figure out why, Chihiro could practically feel the suspicion in the air. At this point, it almost felt familiar.

Then, with everybody in it, the elevator started lowering, uttering it's all too familiar clunking sounds. It fell lower and lower and as suddenly as always, the ride was over. The doors opened once again, letting everybody out.

Kyoko and Byakuya both walked out with their usual indifference- almost as if this were normal occurrence to them, almost as if their classmate wasn't dead.

Sakura walked out with the slightest hint of anger radiating off her, clearly mad that this was happening once again. Hina didn't look much happier.

Taka, like Sakura, was clearly angry. However, unlike Sakura, his anger was aimed at one specific person. It wasn't hard to guess who.

Hiro walked out with a mix of nervousness and uncomfortableness radiating of him. Chihiro couldn't blame him, these trials were... less than pleasant.

Chihiro followed Hiro out and took his usual place next to the clairvoyant. It then occurred to him that he was the only person who was still in between two others. He didn't want that to change.

"Hmm... Just the seven of you, huh? Really? That's so few! You must be so lonely!" Monokuma said once everyone had taken their place.

"You say that like it's not your fault we're all that's left!" Hina said angerly, glaring at the bear.

"I wonder, will the class trial end with one less classmate again? Or..." The black and white bear said, completely ignoring Hina. "...will your school life come to an end completely?"

"Let's just begin." Kyoko said coldly.

"Not so fast!" Monokuma said, waving his paw at the lavender-haired girl.

"Let's begin with a basic explanation of the class trial! So, your votes will determine the results. If you can figure out "whodunnit" then only they will receive punishment. But if you pick the wrong one... Then I'll punish everyone besides the blackened, and the one that deceived everyone else will graduate!" Monokuma finished, his grin somehow growing.

"Now, you may begin!"

"I believe it's best to start with the cause of death. It was missing from the Monokuma file after all..." Kyoko said, tearing away the attention from the bear.

"Isn't that obvious- I mean, I-I didn't look at the body for long, but it was pretty clear that... Hifumi had his throat slit..." Hiro said, his nervousness still clear.

"But shouldn't it have bled much more than?" Hina asked, having calmed down a bit. "I may not have the best knowledge about wounds, but I remember reading somewhere that a slit throat causes a lot of bleeding..."

"Maybe the killer cleaned it?" Chihiro asked, a bit unsure, especially when Kyoko's eyes fell on him.

Kyoko shook her head. "I'm afraid that's wrong, Chihiro. The killer would have needed to wipe it away with either a wet cloth or a dry one. Both would have left traces that weren't on the body."