『 ♧ Escape Artist ♧ 』『 RANMARU KAGEYAMA × DANGANRONPA V3 』

CHAPTER 2-7: One Step Further

1ST PERSON(?) POV:

"So I just have to turn it around, right?"

Oh, this will be fun.

I smirked internally while looking to Maki, who stared to Kokichi with a dark glare. I could tell she had something up her sleeve, and I couldn't wait since I was a little bored of Kokichi's 'death debate' ideas.

"It's not like I owe that idiot a favour or anything for defending me..." Maki continued. "But that hopeless idiot may have encouraged me a bit." As she spoke, Kaito continued to grieve about the insults, but he was ignored as kirumi spoke up.

"What are you trying to say, maki?" She asked.

"I didn't wanna say anything.. but I can't stay silent forever, so I'll tell you.."

"Oh? Tell us what?" Angie asked.

"... I met up with Ryoma during nighttime yesterday."

Well shit.

Now that it's out that he was alive past 10 pm, all alibis since now are useless since we have no time of death now. I look over to Kirumi, and I can see her face go slightly pale.

"So ryoma was alive at nighttime?" Keebo said.

"Wait, but I thought the murder happened between 8 and 10 pm?" Tenko asked.

"If what Maki says is true, then we have no basis for suspecting only Kaito and Maki." Korekiyo concluded.

"On top of that, now everyone else is a suspect, since nobody's alibi covers the entire time period of nighttime... God, how annoying.." I sighed.

"That means me and Maki aren't suspects anymore!!!" Kaito cheered.

"Quit fucking around! Do you think I'm dumb enough to swallow that crap!?" Miu yelled back.

"Yes, this seems a bit too convenient." Kirumi exclaimed.

"But why did Maki only wait until now to mention that?" Keebo asked. Suddenly, a laugh echoed through the room, and everyone turned to the expected source that is Kokichi.

"It's totally obvious! Maki's soooooo desperate that she has to lie!" Kokichi claimed. I looked to Kirumi, then back to Kokichi, and raised my voice as well.

"Y- yeah... no way, she's only choosing to say this now when it's super c- convenient for her? I don't believe a word of it.." I murmered dramatically.

"See? Even Cotton Candy knows!" Kokichi followed. I glared over to him, signalling for him to shut up, then focused back on the conversation. Just as I did tune in, a certain someone was speaking up again. Luckily, it wasn't Shuichi.

"Hey Maki, don't listen to what this little degenerate has to say, we'll listen to you!!" Tenko encouraged the girl from her podium. Maki let out a quiet sigh, then began to open her mouth.

"It must have been... a little after midnight last night. He visited me at my research lab. He wanted me to show him the motive video that i received." Maki explained boringly.

"As I recall, Ryoma had Maki's video, correct?" Kirumi asked.

"Hold on, so does that mean you both received each o- others motive videos!?" I asked sternly. I was hoping it would make her more suspicious, but nothing seemed to change.

"Uh, maybe... I actually didn't check the one I got, so I wouldn't know." She stated.

"Psshh, yeah, so c- convenient." I pitched in.

"Do you have a problem with me, Ranmaru?" Maki quickly snapped back.

"N- no ma'am!"

"What happened after that, maki? After he asked you for his motive video." Shuichi asked, changing the subject and saving my life.