𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞'𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 | Inquisitormaster & Zsquad| Danganronpa

꩜ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟏 ꩜|| 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝

JUNIOR YEAR - MARCH

✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧

Trigger Warnings for this Chapter: Hypnosis/Brainwashing mentions

✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆🕸️⋆⁺₊✧

~Zach's POV~

Whatever the hell that girl did to me, I think I'd rather be completely hypnotized or whatever she was trying to do than this! I haven't been able to leave my room without a blaring headache dribbling through my head, and then that weird red-world sequence would follow. Sometimes, if I were the luckiest person ever, the world would twist and turn to the rhythm of haunting voices spewing ghastly words. Even better, it's only on the right side of my head. The left, completely fine. I've tried drinking water, taking a nap, using headache medicine, and even sitting upside down to get the blood flowing. Every one of those attempts only made it worse!

Then, I made the brave choice to go to school and push through it. That was the worst thing I could've done to myself. Our little group of friends was talking and switching topics, but nothing was retaining, and I was starting to feel nauseous, so I left to go to the bathroom. The proposition my body had sent to me was right, thank goodness I left when I did, and now I'm standing in front of the mirror, two things come to mind.

One: My right eye's red again, which I've found to be the indicator of my misery when it decides to come back to me. Every single time, it's like I can feel a tingling behind it before it happens, then it'll leave on its record. Gingerly, I press my fingers to my temple, and it only shoots a bolt of pain through every wrinkle on my brain, and I swear aloud, fighting the urge to collapse as dizziness overwhelms me.

But, number two: Why did Alex punch the glass the other day? The damage had been reported when the dorm administrator came to check it out, and after they'd tried figuring out what happened, Alex had been going to the counselor at least once a day ever since it'd happened. But she hasn't told us anything about what the discussions were, not even Jade. We'd tried asking, but nope, she doesn't know. No one knows. And the amount of force she would've had to use to shatter the entire thing... I've punched the mirror my fair share of times, but it didn't even crack once!

I can't wrap my head around any of it. Well, obviously not know because I'm about to reach into my ear and tear whatever the pain is out.

From behind me, I hear the bathroom door open, but I don't make an effort to turn around. But when I look up in the mirror, I make up for my lack of reaction with how quickly I clasp my hand over my right eye and whip around to face Luca.

"Oh, hi," Luca chimes, a gentle smile playing on their lips. They walk up to the stall, but don't step inside.

I feel compelled to ask, "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to know that you're one of them."

"One of who?"

Luca turns to me, and that smile hasn't faltered once. "Remember when I told you I'd look through Levi's stuff to see what I could find? I found something, and if you fit with it, then you're one of Junko's henchmen."

"Oh, hell no," I exclaim, throwing my hands up in the air. It's only when I let them drop to my sides that I realize what I've done. Under my breath, I swear to myself.

Taking a few tentative steps toward me, Luca looks me up and down, but his gaze locks on my eye, specifically my right. "That. You're eyes are supposed to be pink, right? But there's something wrong with yours... Only one of the red. You feel normal, right?"