Brats & Brains (Shuichi x Kokichi)

5 - Drowning In Kisses And Lies

~ Shuichi

I ultimately decide to tell Kaito about the contents in his motive video, and after a while of searching for him, I encounter a group of people in the dining hall, arguing about the motive videos; it seems everyone else received the wrong motive video, too.

"I don't think we should exchange the motive videos," Kaito argues. "If we keep them to ourselves, we can prevent more murders from happening!"

Kokichi giggles his signature giggle. "I disagree, Kaito. I personally think we should exchange videos. In fact—we should have a watch party!"

"Why? For entertainment?" asks Kaito.

"Well, that, and for another reason—if we keep our motive videos from each other, it'll spark arguments and tension and that's exactly what Monokuma wants," Kokichi explains. "He wants us to argue and he wants to split us up."

"That's exactly my point!" Kaito argues. "We can't trust each other! If we return the videos to their owners, we can't trust they won't kill anyone!"

"I agree with Kokichi," Ryoma says in his thunder-deep voice. "All Monokuma wants to do is create rifts between us."

I decide not to participate in their argument, so I go back to my room. Maybe I shouldn't give Kaito his video after all; I'm not exactly sure what depths he'll go to in order to make sure his grandparents okay.
~
The next morning, we all eat breakfast in the dining hall before Himiko and Angie perform their magic trick; Himiko plans on diving into a tank full of water and must find a way out before a glass box of piranhas drops into the tank Himiko must escape from. Not many people are thrilled, including me, since this could lead to the killing game being resumed. But alas, the show must go on, I guess.

Himiko jumps into the tank and Angie closes the curtain and the sixty-second timer starts. If Himiko can't escape, will Angie become the blackened? I don't have a good feeling about this magic show, but I can't stop it now. Nobody can.

But Gonta thinks he can.

Twenty-seconds before the timer runs out, Gonta jumps on top of the tank, examining the scene and looking for a possible way to help Himiko, but he can't. By the time the timer runs out, there's no sign of Himiko's survival, and the piranhas are unleashed from the box. Horrified, Gonta leaps off the tank as the rest of the students gasp in horror.

"Let's see if Himiko was able to escape!" Angie exclaims, not seeming phased. She pulls open the curtains, and I'm startled to see not Himiko's body, but Ryoma's body floating in the tank surrounded by ravenous fish. The piranhas spin around the body and the water starts to turn red with Ryoma's blood. All that is left of Ryoma are his bones and the remains of his clothing, which sink to the bottom of the tank.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Miu screeches.

Everyone starts screaming and I start to feel weak and dizzy like I did when Rantaro—this time it's partly because I'm still sore from exercising last night. The breakfast in my stomach starts creeping up my throat, so I head towards the exit to find a wastebasket in case I have to puke.

The screaming continues as I violently throw up into a basket right next to the doors of the gym. This can't be happening... Someone else was murdered, and we don't even know if Himiko survived her escape. What if they're both dead?

I return to the gym, wiping my bile-stained mouth, to see Himiko standing in front of the tank, gasping at Ryoma's remains in the tank. Thank goodness she survived at least. But now we have to figure out who killed Ryoma... Was it Himiko? Is this why she set up the magic show? To kill Ryoma?

Monokuma broadcasts his body discovery announcement on the monitors, so we all go our separate ways to investigate. Before I could go anywhere, Kaito beckons me, requesting to assist me in my investigation. Why is he suddenly being so friendly to me?