Danganronpa: Goodbye Despair

Chapter 4: DETERMINATION

Rule 5: Once a murder takes place, a class trial will begin shortly thereafter. Participation is mandatory for all surviving students.

Rule 6: If the blackened is exposed during the class trial, they alone will be executed.

Rule 7: If the blackened isn't exposed, the remaining students will be executed.

Rule 8: As a reward, the surviving blackened will be forgiven of their crime and allowed to leave the island.

Rule 9: The body discovery announcement will play as soon as three or more people discover a body for the first time.

Rule 10: Destroying any property on this island without permission is expressly prohibited. This includes the surveillance cameras and monitors.

Rule 11: You are free to investigate this island at your own discretion. Your actions in this regard are not limited.

Last Rule: Additional school trip rules may be added at the headmaster's discretion.

As Hajime raised his head from his e-Handbook with a heavy sigh, he saw the dark courtyard of the hotel. He sat on a bench, paralyzed with thought.

Hajime: "Is he... really going to make us do this?" There was no way he could believe that this was now his reality. Even so, this was undeniably real. No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, the moment he experienced and felt it for himself... it became undeniably real. This is a reality that couldn't be more different from his usual daily life. School, studying, job hunting, exams, going for walks, riding the train, lectures... that kind of daily life was no longer his.

As he looked up, he saw stars glimmering in the night, covering the sky like a sheet. They looked as if they were about to fall into his hands like fluttering snow. For the first time since he arrived at this island, instead of the night sky he's grown accustomed to, he saw a night sky that was far too beautiful. As he stared blankly into that night sky, he suddenly imagined those words in his mind.

Hajime: 'The student who murders their classmate will be able to leave this island...' When they were forced to hear those words, they just stood there silently. Nobody said a word, and eventually, everyone scattered and vanished. And it led straight on to the first night, a night so beautiful it enchanted Hajime. And yet, his heart was horribly upset. That kind of beauty was definitely far different than his usual daily life.

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Monokuma: "Ahem! Hope's Peak Academy's school trip executive committee has an announcement to make. It is now 10pm. Nighttime can be confusing... if you're out at night and accidentally run into a killer... then it sucks to be you! But if you're worried about that and can't sleep, I've prepared a cottage on the hotel grounds for each of you. Every single one of you, please feel free to rest in your own rooms. However, before you go to bed, I strongly recommend you lock your doors. You never know how might be planning to kill you! Puhuhu!" This sudden announcement came from the monitors located around the island, it seems like this will be a thing going forward.  

Hajime: "A cottage, huh..." Everything that happened today was really getting to him, so he decided to leave and head to his cottage. Hajime found it without any trouble, finding it across from Kazuichi's cottage and right next to Byakuya's cottage. When he opened the door and entered his cottage, he closed the door behind him, locked it, and took a quick look around. "...Damn it!" He collapsed onto his bed and placed his face into his pillow. "What the hell?!" He didn't want to see anyone anymore, he just wanted to be alone forever. 'I have nobody I can trust... even if I wanted to trust them, I don't know anything about them yet. The only person I can trust is myself... no, even I don't believe that.'