Torment and Lies (New Danganronpa V3 x OC)

[20] Chess

*kicks door down* POKEMON TRAINER ICHIKA.

Shuichi wandered around campus, eventually finding himself at Miu's lab. He opened the door when, to his surprise, he noticed a small redhead looking around the lab, seemingly trying to find something.

Shuichi walked up to the girl. "Ah... Yumeno-san?"

"Ah-!?" Himiko's head shot up and she spun around to stare at Shuichi with wide eyes, calming down when she realised it was just him. "Oh, Saihara. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

"Nyeeeh." Himiko let out a deflated sigh. "I'm trying to find a chessboard."

Shuichi blinked. "A... chessboard?"

Himiko nodded. "Yeah. One time, Ichika dragged me here to hang out with Iruma and she showed me how to play chess."

"Aki-san can play chess?"

Himiko nodded quickly with a small smile. "She's actually really good at it too! Every time I played against her, she would always win in the end." She gave a small pout. "I would've used my magic to win... but it would've been unfair to her."

Shuichi just chuckled. "I see... Well, why are you trying to find it now?"

"Well, Ichika seems to like playing chess, so I thought I'd bring the chessboard to her lab and we could play a bit there, to help cheer her up." Himiko rubbed her left arm. "Even if she says she's okay, I'm still worried..."

"You're... a good friend, Yumeno-san." Shuichi said with a small smile.

"Nyeh?" Himiko's eyes widened. "Nyeh! Of course I am." She twirled her fingers. "I-Ichika is an important person to me so... I want to be there for her like she was for me. But... I can't seem to find it." She sighed, looking rather deflated.

Shuichi hummed and placed a finger on his chin. "Monokuma might have cleaned this place after the last trial. Well, even if he got rid of it, I have a chessboard of my own." He gave Himiko a small smile. "Want me to get it for you?"

"You have a chessboard!?" Himiko's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Saihara! Do you want to come and play chess with Ichika and me? I'm sure she'd appreciate the company."

Shuichi blinked and then nodded. "A-Ah... sure."

"Alright! I'll meet you at Ichika's lab later tonight!" Himiko beamed.

"Later tonight?" Shuichi tilted his head.

"I... um..." Himiko pressed her index fingers together. "I don't know where Ichika is right now, so I'll try and find her. I've been trying for a while, so let's meet up at a set time so we don't miss each other."

"Ah, I guess that makes sense." Shuichi nodded with a small smile. "I'll see you there then."

"Mmhm!" Himiko nodded and then rushed out of Miu's lab, presumably to try and find Ichika again.

***

Shuichi found himself at the trunk of Ichika's lab again at dusk, nervously staring up at the ladder leading to the top. He took a deep breath and grabbed a hold of the wooden sticks of the ladder and started climbing up.

Finally reaching the top, he walked into the lab and noticed Ichika was already there, scribbling away on a small notepad in the corner by the beanbag section as well as someone else who sat right next to her, watching her intently over her shoulder.