Our Hope

Chapter 18

The next few days, Kyoko, Makoto and Byakuya tried to mull over ways to revert the mess Fukawa had created. However, when Kirigiri and Naegi sat across from him, they looked concerned. "Makoto's an idiot," Kyoko opened the conversation pleasantly.

Togami stared at her, setting his cup down slowly, "Why is that?"

"I need your help," Makoto leaned forward, keeping his voice to a hush. "Munakata plans to kill the Remnants of Despair".

Byakuya waited for more information, "And? What seems to be the issue?"

Kyoko sighed, turning her gaze away. Makoto glanced her way before continuing, "I want to help them find their way back to hope". He was expecting Togami's full understanding but was disappointed.

"Naegi, I thought we've surpassed this extent of idiocy," Byakuya closed his eyes in obvious frustration.

"What bright idea does Hope Boy have now?" Byakuya opened his eyes, finding Karen standing by the table, sipping orange juice from a champagne glass. "Still thinking about little ol' me?" She giggled. The smile quickly fell when they didn't respond; she shrugged and sat next to Byakuya.

She wasn't as insufferable as Junko had been, but it was painful to watch Karen act as if she were Enoshima. "What are you drinking?" Byakuya's voice came out strained, flat. He watched her take a long, last sip.

"A mimosa. Cheap-ass champagne, though," she pouted. Setting her glass aside, Karen leaned on her elbows, hands crossing in front of her face. "So, you wanna save them?" she grinned as Makoto flinched away from the table. "I agree with them, you're an idiot". Byakuya intently stared; she had leaned back with arms crossed in thought.

Naegi glanced at Togami and Kirigiri, unsure of what to say. His eyebrows flew up in realization, "Help us then! You would know how to convince them," Makoto grinned. Byakuya couldn't tell if he was being serious or had shreds of a plan, but he didn't agree with this either way.

"Absolutely not! Don't pass your stupidity onto me," she sneered. Karen removed herself from the table, brushing a finger through Togami's hair as she left the dining hall. His hand flew to where her finger had touched; this wasn't the first time she'd toyed with him in front of others.

"Just what were you thinking asking her? She hasn't lifted a finger for Future Foundation since..." Togami trailed off, clenching his fist at the thought. He left the pair to sit alone; he needed to be alone. He had been selfish during the killing game but learned to trust others enough to carry on. But this woman was different. It took every cell of self-control to not want to reach out to her, pull her close, sleep next to her again; an overwhelming sense of sorrow had begun to eat away at his heart watching her slip farther away from him.

Later that night, Makoto knocked at Karen's door. Too eager to wait for her to answer, he swung it open, blinking at Karen as she stared out her bedroom window. "I think we should talk," he choked on his words.

"No manners, barging into my room, I see," She didn't turn her gaze away, "I'm not going with you on your suicide mission".

"You would have a better chance of talking to them".

She shook her head, "Because of despair? Because I was influenced by Enoshima?" She turned to him. "Are you fucking brain dead? My despair is different than theirs!" Karen crossed her arms, staring back out the window. "I'm sure they think I betrayed her". They stood in brief silence. She waved a hand, shooing Makoto away.

"If you change your mind, we're leaving tomorrow night, after dinner," Makoto left Karen the exact way he found her.

No one had seen Karen since Makoto's visit. "Are we r-really going to wait for her?" Toko asked, stepping onto the aircraft after Komaru. Her brow creased as the sight of Togami's frustration.

"I trust that she'll make the right decision," Makoto smiled. More minutes passed, pushing Makoto to settle into the aircraft.

"Leaving without me?" Her voice yelled against the whirring blades. Karen pulled herself in, ignoring Makoto's beaming expression. Sitting across from Byakuya, they exchanged meaningless eye contact; she quickly turned to stare out the window as they took off.