Danganronpa: Dead or Alive

👁‍🗨Chapter 18: You Reap What You Sow👁‍🗨

Jiro's hands trembled as he stared down at the paper. The words seemed to wrap around him, squeezing the air out of his lungs.

Jiro Kinoshita murdered his own mother.

"I-I...what..?" Jiro his mouth become incredibly dry.

Every time he breathed in, it felt like hot sand was tearing through his throat.

This couldn't be right. It has to be some kind of a joke at his expense.

But it wasn't very funny.

'Why can't I...remember anything about my family?! Was I really some murderous deviant before I lost my memory? If that turns out to be the case...then maybe it would be best if I simply stayed how I am now..'

Jiro quickly shook his head.

No. He couldn't run away from something like this. It was a motive. If no one killed in time, then his secret would be revealed, telling everyone that he was a murderer.

But...

Jiro nearly fell out of his seat as he heard a knock on the door. He quickly jumped up and shoved his paper into one of the desk drawers.

After stumbling over multiple things, he finally made it to the door, albeit looking like he got hit by a plane.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to find the tall rapper standing there, will a concerned smile on his face.

"...yes?" Jiro asked, his eyes flitting around nervously.

"Sorry for intruding, my man
But I heard when a clatter began
It came from here
So I had to be clear"

Jiro blinked. He was confused, to say the least.

"You...what?" He finally asked.

Ryo chuckled.

"Heard something from your room, man. Came to see if you were good."

The shorter boy felt his jaw hit the floor.

"Wha-?! You can...talk normally!?" He shouted.

Ryo's smile only seemed to grow brighter. He had a certain lighthearted aura about him that made others reflect the feelings that he gave off.

"Sure can." He reassured.

Jiro sighed in defeat as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He was starting to get a slight migraine from all this.

"You good, J? Seem kinda outta it." Ryo resumed.

"How can I...not be. With everything t-that's...happening. How are you not..." Jiro turned to the side and coughed into his arm, brushing off the pain he felt in this throat. "..the same..?"

Ryo politely waited for the boy to finish.

"Cause I gotta be a good role model. If everyone's sad, then it'll stay sad. So I'll be happy, so not everyone is sad." He explained, bobbing his head slightly.

"That made...no sense..."

"Ah sorry, man. I just speak it how I think it. Didn't mean to confuse you." Ryo said, smiling apologetically.

Jiro grit his teeth slightly. Why was this guy apologizing?

"My bad for being a bother.
If ya need me, just give a holler!"

Ryo nodded to the shorter boy and gave him a blinding smile.

As Jiro shut the door, his missed the last few words that Ryo uttered.