Beneath a Liar (Oumasai) [Discontinued]

Part 22: Virtual Crimes

(Sorry my updates aren't always regular, I get pretty bad procrastination sometimes.)
(Shuichi's POV)

After Kokichi says his face feels better he leaves saying he has business to attend to. I expect Kokichi to come back later tonight but he doesn't. The bed feels empty without him. The next day I see Kokichi at breakfast but he keeps avoiding me. After that, I don't see Kokichi again until nighttime when Miu gathers everyone in the computer room.

"You have to go to the Virtual Wold! It's super fun. Plus, I spent hours modifying the program for you guys." Miu tells us.

"If you want us to go that badly, then why don't you drop to your knees and beg." Kokichi suggests. Miu surprises us by actually dropping to her knees and begging. Monokuma appears telling us that he has hidden the secret of the outside world in the program. The group eventually decides to go. Miu tells us how to properly do it as we set up.

After we're all ready we go to the virtual world. Everybody's avatars are in chibi form. Kokichi punches Kiibo to check that out senses are connected to our avatars. Miu shows us around the world and explains some more things. While in the chapel, Kokichi whispers something quietly to Miu. We split up to look for the secret of the outside world. While searching we hear a loud noise. We continue searching in vain.

Eventually, we give up and go to log out until only Kokichi and I are left. I take the opportunity to ask Kokichi why he's avoiding me. I grab his arm to stop him. He turns to face me. "Hey Shuichi!"

"Kokichi why are you avoiding me me?" I ask.

"I don't know what you're referring to." He lies.

"Come on Kokichi, I know you're trying to hide something from me, you can tell me."

His eyes filled with tears that threatened to overflow. "I-I don't-"

I pulled Kokichi into a hug. He grabbed onto me and started sobbing. "I-It wasn't my fault! I'm not a bad person Shuichi." He clung to me tighter. "Please f-forgive me, please..."

"Kokichi? What happened?"

"It wasn't my fault." Kokichi whispered as if he we're convincing himself.

"What happened?" I asked again.

"L-Lets just go." Kokichi sniffled then wiped the tears from his eyes. "You can go first."

"You sure you'll be okay?"

"Yeah, I just need a moment to get myself together."

"Okay," I reluctantly left Kokichi alone as I logged off.

What awaited when I returned shocked me. The body of Miu Iruma, the Ultimate Inventor lay dead before me. Tears ran down her face as she grabbed her throat.

Kokichi walked forward. He appeared to have completely regained his composure. There was no sign that he had been crying. "Omg, the thot died! This is so sad, Alexa play Despacito." I looked at Miu's corpse and remembered my encounter with Kokichi. Is this what he was talking about? Kokichi didn't... kill Miu, did he?

We spent the next hour investigating. After that we went to the trial. Kokichi grabbed my hand in the elevator. "Ready for the trial partner?"

"Huh?"

"You're my partner, I'm gonna help you solve the case." He smiled.

"Okay..." I spent the elevator ride down thinking about the case. Kokichi couldn't have done this, right? I hope so. Suddenly a guy with floofy white hair entered my mind and asked if somebody said hope. Wow, that was a weird thought.

We step into the trial grounds to discuss the case. Kokichi helps me, although it's more like leading than helping. Kokichi definitely knows more than he's letting on. But he's not the killer, he can't be...

"Kokichi seems suspicious." Maki says. I feel my heart drop. They're starting to suspect him... A part of me wants to believe that he can't be the killer, but with the conversation we had earlier it's hard not to doubt him. No, he can't be the killer. I just need to find some sort of evidence... It hits me.

"He can't be though." I say.

Maki sighs. "Listen, I know you don't want to see him be the blackened but-"

"I have evidence! His avatar was edited so that he would freeze if Miu touched him, so he couldn't have killed her."

"That... makes sense." Maki says. I sigh in relief before I realize that somebody else had to have killed her. But who could that be? After a while of arguing we still can't find the killer.
I'm glad that Kokichi isn't the killer, but he definitely knows something.

"I never went to the rooftop." Kokichi says.

"Wait, isn't that a lie? How did you know about the brick handrail?" I say.

"Huh?" Kokichi starts acting nervous. Everybody continues to suspect him. "Wait I remember! Himiko said it earlier!"

"Nyeh?!" Himiko says.

"Ooohhh, you so clumsy, girl!" He says.

I still think he's hiding something, I don't want to, but I might have to lie.

"I was in the salon the whole time." He says.

"I went to the salon and you weren't there, I even waited there a while." I lie.

Kokichi pauses and seems shocked. "You... lied?"

"No, it's the truth, I didn't see you there." I say.

"I wonder why I didn't see Shuichi when he passed me. Oh well, he's probably right." Tsumugi says.

"I knew you were lying!" Kaito says.

"Why do you guys hate lies that much?" Kokichi asks. "There's only one truth, but endless possibilities for lies, y'know? And some of them are only white lies," He looks at me. "Or lies to protect people. If you deny all that *just* because it's a lie... Then that means you guys are terrible at being lied to! Seriously, the worst!"

"Stop it and tell us the truth already, you went to the roof and killed Miu, didn't you?" Kaito says.

"I guess I'll tell you. Consider it my revenge." Kokichi says.

"Revenge?" Gonna asks confused.

"Shuichi, you lied to me so I'm gonna take away your fun." He starts to confess his plan. Monokuma admits that Kokichi worked with him to make a motive. "So here is the truth that you guys want soooooo much. The culprit is Gonta."