Danganronpa: ocem

Chapter 5 Part 14 (Investigation)

We made sure to act like we were in a hurry to find out who had been killed. 

Ashton: Look surprised.

Ashlyn: Of course.

We rushed into the laundromat and were met with the same thing we faced just minutes ago, except this time Hanako and Yu Xuan were standing over the heads on the ground. 

They looked sick. I tried my best to look stunned.

Ashlyn: What the hell? 

Yu Xuan: I... Ashlyn, Ashton, you're here.

Ashton: W- What's going on?

Hanako: They were killed... Sophie, Rachel and Chloe.

Ashlyn: What? How did you find them? 

Yu Xuan: The washing machine door was open and their heads were on the floor. I almost slipped on the blood... 

Hanako: It's disgusting... I can't even look at it without wanting to gag. 

Ashton: How did this even happen?

Hanako: We have no clue, but there's only four of us alive now.

Yu Xuan: Where were you both before this? 

Ashlyn: Hanging out. We're each other's alibis. 

Yu Xuan: Where were you hanging out?

Ashton: Maybe these questions should wait for the trial. 

I couldn't believe how suspicious Ashton sounded. I shot him a look and decided to keep quiet. 

Ashton: I can't believe this would happen... To my only friend too...

Hanako: I'd say I was sorry for Sophie, but...

Yu Xuan: One of us here is a killer, we need to get to the bottom of this.

Ashton: Were you guys given the Monokuma file? 

Hanako: Um, right, yea. Monokuma came earlier to pass it to us. There's only one for Sophie.

Ashton: Did Monokuma say anything when he appeared?

Yu Xuan: No, he hasn't been very chatty. When we asked for the other two files he just did the stupid laugh and disappeared. 

Ashton: Right.

...

Saying there was tension in the air would've been an understatement. It was basically Ashton and I against Hanako and Yu Xuan, and they knew they were right. They probably had solid alibis, we had none. In fact, we were, with no shred of a doubt, guilty. 

The best way to get out was to gaslight them into thinking it was some kind of a suicide. 

Ashton seemed to be thinking the same thing.

Ashton: Shall we start the investigation then?

Hanako: Yea, of course.

- - - INVESTIGATION BEGIN - - -

Yu Xuan: The time right now is around 2pm. 

Ashlyn: Alright, who's going to read the Monokuma file? 

Ashton: I'll do it. It's for Sophie after all. 

He grabbed the file and read it out for the three of us to hear. 

Ashton: The victim is Sophie, the ultimate programmer. The body was found in the laundromat, where the victim was also killed. The cause of death is decapitation by a sharp object. Other than that, there are many bruises and scars all over the victim's body. There are no other external injuries. The time of death is around 9am.