Phantom Thieves of Hope - A Danganronpa X Persona 5 Story.

Chapter 43: Things I've Never Felt Before

Cool Morning - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Shuichi Saihara had grown up reading detective novels. Many assumed that reading stories about your job could go one of two ways. Either you found them really boring, or really relatable, which hooked you in.

For Shuichi, it was neither. He enjoyed the sense of mystery a good writer could provide and enjoyed making his own theories. His keen observation skills aided him in figuring out the mysteries, but it was still fun and oftentimes satisfying if he turned out to be right.

If he wasn't? All the better. It was a twist that he hadn't seen coming and it opened his eyes.

But detective novels and mysteries were not the only genres that the young Saihara liked to peruse. He was a fan of a few genres...particularly romance.

Romance novels arouse powerful emotions in us and help us feel an emotional connection to the characters. The reader frequently feels a similar intensity and passion in their real-life relationships as a result of this elevated emotional experience.

Many people—especially single people—would tell you that reading romance novels only makes your loneliness in real life more apparent. Those who were in relationships but ended them are particularly affected. Something that humanity generally considered sad and pathetic; that people could become envious of the book's characters.

That was not Shuichi's experience, though. Romance novels, if anything, made him feel LESS alone. Every time he wanted to visit, there were all these fascinating new acquaintances and lovers waiting for him inside the book's pages.

Besides, the young man's daily burn of anxiety was soothed by reading romance novels. What could be more seductive, after all, than a book that would take away all of his worries? If only for a brief moment in time.

There are many happy-ever-afters, reassuring and dependable book structures, neatly wrapped up side stories, antagonists or villains getting their deserved punishment, the boy winning the girl, or the heroine discovering self-love and accepting nothing less than what she deserves. That was more than just consolation for Shuichi.

Emphasis on "was"

Ever since becoming close with Toko, who specialized in romance novels, Shuichi had been opened to a whole new selection of these books. Even before meeting her, he'd read some of her work before, but now was getting proper recommendations from the author herself. And boy, she was GOOD. That talent of hers was more than earned.

However, Shuichi had started reading his current romance book a few months ago...But during that month...his life had changed.

"Ugh! Are you really bringing that up?"

Shuichi's eyes were taken away from his book as he overheard the familiar voice of Kaede raise an octave. She was standing at the front of the dorm room lobby, looking rather flustered and frustrated, talking to 3 of their female classmates: Tsumugi Shirogane, the soft-spoken Ultimate Cosplayer, Tenko Chabashira, the androphobic Ultimate Aikido Master, and Miu Iruma, the loud-mouthed and rude Ultimate Inventor.

"Some degenerate male tried to hit on you!?" Tenko snapped, slamming the desk with her hands, "What did he look like!? I will track him down and let him HAVE IT!"

"Chill the fuck out!" Miu snapped, "she ain't even done telling the story yet!"

"Right, so...I brought Kaede to one of my favorite hairstylists yesterday. I'm friends with the owner and I wanted to see if there were any accessories or styles that she was interested in," Tsumugi continued the story that Shuichi had clearly missed most of, "so I went in for my cut, and I walked out to see this guy chatting Akamatsu-chan up."