𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞'𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 | Inquisitormaster & Zsquad| Danganronpa

☆𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐☆ || 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬

FRESHMEN YEAR- DECEMBER

"She's been quiet ever since it happened," Darkness adds, pulling her gloves further over her hands.

"Ever since what happened?" Charli asks. She glances at all of us, confusion wrinkling the skin above her nose.

"Oh, right, you weren't there," Jade starts. Her jaw is tight, controlling her teeth from chattering. "Skye fainted not too long ago, and she's been distant with everyone. Even Sora— Especially Sora."

Snow fell slowly and silently around us, nowhere near as thick as it had a couple of days ago. My hands are nestled comfortably in my pockets, savoring the extra warmth from my gloves. The mix of snow salt and iced snow chunks crunch and crumble beneath our shoes as we tread the ashy path leading to the school building. I morphed my lips into an 'o', blowing out puffs of pale air and watching it become one with the frigid, cloudy atmosphere. Each time I'd glance at Jade by my side, her cheeks seemed to tint a deeper pink the closer we approached the building. She'd only caught me staring once, and the time she did, she stared back— her eyes as bright as her name against the white surrounding her— and flashed me a thin smile, the corners of her eyes wrinkling slightly. It wasn't impossible to tell that she was cold.

"Is there a point in going to the building?" Darkness peers through the snow, squinting as if trying to keep her eyes open.

From the other side of Darkness, Erza shrugs. With a sniffle, she comments, "I'm not sure they'll count it because of the whole heater situation thing, but I do need to use the clinic for some practice."

"Oooh, ooh, do you want to do my nails for practice? I'll pay you," Candi adds quickly, folding her fingers together at her chin in a pleading motion. When Erza agrees— even proposing that Candi wouldn't have to pay, which Candi denied— The influencer gives a satisfied hiss, clapping her hands together two times in celebration.

We're hit with a wave of snugness the moment we open the door and step inside. Sighing with a mix of relief and ease, I'm quick to slip my coat off and gloves and sling them into the crook of my elbow, the loose snow falling in clumps on the wooden floors of the foyer and melting into small piles. The doors before us open automatically once we step onto the carpet, and a shudder spider creeps up my spine and my skin prickles at the air conditioning running through the halls.

The moment I catch sight of the decorated halls, my heart kicks up in speed, and a smile appears on my face: paper snowflakes strung up elegantly along the higher wall trims and window sills, accompanying the winter and Christmas-themed stickers plastered on all of the walls we've passed. It felt as if magic traveled up and down the halls, raising the hairs on the back of my neck and piquing goosebumps along my arms, I swear I could hear the twinkling of Christmas Spirit sail by my ears. The decorations and holiday vivacity grow the deeper we get into the building. By the time we reached our classroom hallway, Christmas had thrown up everywhere and was too difficult to miss.

I slide open the door, step in, and notice how much brighter it looks compared to the snow day. With the sun seeping through the few clouds coaxing the world below in a thick white blanket, the room was illuminated by a warm glow with faint reflections on the floor. Bags were settled in seats and atop desks, but the bags' owners were nowhere in sight. 'They're probably off in their talent rooms,' I ponder, walking over to my desk and setting my things down.

"So... Since I'm here, I'll be in the physical training room thing. See ya," Jade hums, dropping her messenger bag onto the chair and walking right out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Before checking out my plan— which I wrote digitally— I noticed Darkness's eyes narrowed a quarter of an inch fixed on the door, concentrated like she'd open it again with her mind.