Chapter 23: Our Class Trial II

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Kaede Akamatsu's P.O.V

"S-Shuichi..?"

I felt the tears that I had been holding spill out.

A pale boy with olive eyes and ebony hair entered the trial grounds that we were in. There was no doubt about it. It was the supposed victim, Shuichi Saihara.

I desperately wanted to run up to him and hug him tightly, but this wouldn't really be the best time to do so.

The others who had their backs facing him turned around, having similar gasps and murmurs of shock and disbelief.

"W-W-WHAT!? HOW ARE YOU-" Monokuma had started before quieting down soon after.

"I would be asking the same thing. I don't know how I managed to survive or why I was targeted but I do know one thing. It was the mastermind who tried to get rid of me, " Shuichi explained.

Shuichi gave me a quick look of sympathy before continuing.

"Akamatsu didn't commit the murder. She isn't the mastermind either. ...There's something Harukawa, Yumeno, and I have been hiding from you."

"Before you continue with all that nonsense, how about you take your place in the podium? We have to continue the class trial after all!" Monokuma interrupted.

Shuichi opened his mouth as if he was going to refuse, but then shook his head and walked to his podium.

Class Trial Resumed (?)

Kaito Momota: Well, glad to see you alive sidekick!

Himiko Yumeno: Harukawa and I really thought you left us for good.

Kokichi Oma: Well anyway, don't you got some explaining to do? Unless you want me to spoil the surprise for them.

Maki Harukawa: Wait, what? Saihara don't tell me you-

Shuichi Saihara: H-Harukawa, Yumeno, and I come from the future...

Miu Iruma: You expect us to believe that bullshit!? As if! Time travel is impossible dumbass!

Kokichi Oma: Maybe learn to stop making such dumbass comments, and keep your smelly breath in your dirty mouth.

Miu Iruma: D-Dumbass comments?

Kokichi Oma: Anyway, continue what you were saying Shumai.

Shuichi Saihara: O-Okay then. I don't really know how I managed to turn back time as I thought it was impossible as well, but here we are. Harukawa, Yumeno, and I decided that we would try to stop this game from starting this time. The killing game did start in the previous timeline that we were in.

Shuichi Saihara: It started with Rantaro being the first victim. Kaede was executed for it, but she was framed. We wanted to stop that from happening this time around.

Kaede Akamatsu: ...Why didn't you tell us about this sooner? We could have avoided all of this...

Shuichi Saihara: I'm sorry Akamatsu. I didn't know how you guys would react to this, so I decided to not say anything about it to anyone.

Kokichi Oma: B-But what about me?? Do I not count as a human being? Words hurt Shumai.

Kaito Momota: YOU TOLD HIM BUT NOT US!?

Shuichi Saihara: He pressured me into telling him! He wouldn't leave me alone!

Maki Harukawa: I'm disappointed in you...

Miu Iruma: How do we even know you're telling the truth anyway? You've been pretty lovey-dovey with Bakamatsu lately. You're probably just trying to cover for her!

Himiko Yumeno: I don't really think Harukawa or I would go along with Saihara's story if it wasn't true. Especially Harukawa.

Kaito Momota: Yep! I know for a fact that Makiroll wouldn't act like this is true if it really wasn't! Plus, Saihara wouldn't lie about something like that!

Maki Harukawa: S-Stop acting like you know me, idiot.

Rantaro Amami: Anyway, if you came from the future and all that, do you know who the mastermind is?

Shuichi Saihara: Mhm. It's-

Tsumugi Shirogane: How can we know if he's really telling the truth though? We've all only known each other for a few weeks!

Kaede Akamatsu: Saihara would never lie about something as serious as this. Maybe I have only known him for a few weeks, but if you try hard enough, that's all the time you need to understand someone completely. It's pretty rare, but giving the circumstances that we are in, it's very much possible.

Shuichi Saihara: Akamatsu...

Gonta Gokuhara: Gonta believes in all his friends as well! Saihara is telling the truth!

Kirumi Tojo: I will believe in Saihara as well. I doubt he would lie if it would cost him his life to do so.

Angie Yonaga: Atua and I will trust in Saihara as well!

Rantaro Amami: Well, like everyone else, I don't think you're lying either. So, who's the mastermind doing all of this?

Shuichi Saihara: It's...Tsumugi Shirogane.

Kaito Momota: W-What?

Tsumugi Shirogane: ...

Kaede Akamatsu: Shirogane say something!

Tsumugi Shirogane: ...

Shuichi Saihara: She was the one that hit me with a shot put ball and hid my unconscious body. She was trying to frame Akamatsu with my "murder". She was going to start the killing game this way.

Shuichi Saihara: You had a feeling that I knew a little too much, didn't you Shirogane? You were trying to get rid of me and Akamatsu since we were the most problematic issue in your plan, am I right?

Rantaro Amami: I-Is this true Shirogane?

Miu Iruma: Say something already Goddamn it!

Tsumugi Shirogane: ...I should have realized putting a detective in a killing game was a dumb idea...









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