Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Komaeda, Nanami, what took you so fucking long? Everyone was worried as hell! You didn't tell Peko shit ‘sides keeping an eye on Ikusaba, and then you just go and vanish on us?”

“Sorry, sorry!”

Nagito laughed, raising his hands placatingly.

“Well, I do have news on that front,” he answered with an amicable smile. “Turns out my suspicions were wrong! Silly me. I've always been a bit paranoid! Ikusaba and her sister weren't doing anything. Oh, and look! We found Tsumiki. Turns out the whole thing was just a rendezvous with her girlfriend. Really, Tsumiki-chan, you made us all worry for nothing! Ahaha, it's all fine though. I'm glad everything worked out!”

‘Ryota’ glances at them skeptically. “...Tsumiki was meeting her girlfriend, you say?”

“That's right,” Chiaki spoke up, “Her girlfriend is actually Ikusaba's sister—Junko Enoshima. That's why Komaeda-kun was suspicious of Ikusaba; when he spotted Tsumiki earlier, she was with them, and he was worried they were doing something bad to her. So we went to confront Enoshima-san, using Pekoyama to distract Ikusaba in case they really were dangerous. But thankfully, Tsumiki was there with Enoshima when we got there, and she cleared everything up for us.”

“I'm sorryyyy!” Mikan cried. “B-Because of my irresponsibility, I made you all worryyyy!!”

“It's okay, Mikan-chan! But… Ibuki has to wonder, what did take you so long?” Ibuki peered at Mikan in concerned. “A meeting with a girlfriend—good for you, by the way!—shouldn't take days , should it?”

Mikan hesitated. “That's… well… Junko-chan is very passionate,” she blushed. “We… got caught up in ourselves.”

“Ohoho!” Teruteru grinned. “I knew something raunchy was going down! Congrats on getting your flower plucked, Tsumiki!”

"Quiet, you disgusting perverts! Ugh, I didn't need to know that!" Hiyoko snapped in disgust.

‘Ryota’ was hesitating. “Tsumiki… you're lying, aren't you?”

“H-Huh?” Mikan blinked, eyes wide and round. “Mitarai-kun, what are you saying?!”

“If you were visiting your girlfriend, why did you leave me a note saying you were searching for our mutual friend?”

“...Mutual friend?” Fuyuhiko muttered. “For that matter, since when are the two of you so close and buddy buddy that you have mutual friends that the rest of us don't know about?”

‘Ryota’ hesitated. “We've… gotten to know each other some, but we didn't want to make it a big deal… our mutual friend is very shy, so he didn't want anyone to know about him.”

“Mitarai-kun, don't take this the wrong way,” Nagito began, “But could it be that you're jealous?”

“Jealous?”

“From what you're saying, you spent a lot of time with Tsumiki-chan, but she never told you about her girlfriend, did she? For all we know, you're speaking out of resentment. Or perhaps… It goes even further than that, and you wanted to be her boyfriend yourself?” Nagito inquired. 

“That's not it at all. Mi—Our mutual friend was missing , and he's her patient. The note she left said she was going to look for him.”

“And why didn't you say this earlier?” Chiaki asked. “When we were looking for Mikan, this note would have been invaluable. Why are you speaking up now when we've already found her?”

“L-Like I said, this mutual friend is very shy. I didn't want to expose him to needless scrutiny.”

“But for all you knew, something really awful may have happened to Tsumiki-chan. Is your friend's privacy really worth more than Tsumiki's life?” Nagito provoked further.

 “That's extreme.” Ryota argued. “She wasn't in any danger, if what you're saying is true.”

“But she could have been. The reserve course is out there rioting, and you kept information on our missing classmates possible whereabouts… for what reason, again? Because your friend, who you won't even give a name for, is shy?” Nagito raised a skeptical brow. “How do we know this friend actually exists? This note could be made up for all we know.”

“I'm not lying! Why do you mistrust me so much?”

“Why do you mistrust us so much?” Nagito returned coolly.

“Calm down, Komaeda-kun,” Chiaki mediated. “This is easy to prove. Just give us the note, Mitarai-kun. Then there will be no reason to doubt you're telling the truth.”

‘Ryota’ hesitated. “I… don't have it anymore.”

“How convenient,” Nagito scoffed.

“What are you accusing me of? Making up lies just to stir trouble? What motive would I have for that?”

“As I already said, jealousy,” Nagito returned easily. “You wanted Tsumiki all to yourself, didn't you? That's why you kept your friendship with her secret, and why now that she's dating someone, you're trying to create conflict.”

“Komaeda-kun, don't accuse recklessly,” Chiaki scolded. “I agree this situation is odd, but it must be a misunderstanding.”

“I… Fine. Fine . I admit, I've been lying to you all,” ‘Ryota’ says, “But not about this. Look, here's the note, you can read it out to everyone—Tsumiki was looking for our friend. It's just that… the friend she was looking for was the real Ryota Mitarai.”

“...The real Mitarai-kun?” Chiaki asked softly, taking the note and scanning it.

“My real identity is the Ultimate Imposter. The real Mitarai asked me to impersonate him.”

“...This note is just as you said.” Chiaki confirmed. “Tsumiki-chan, what's the meaning of this?”

“U-Uhm!” Mikan clasped her hands together. “I… I left out important information, I'm sorry! I just didn't want to expose Imposter-kun's identity, so I left out Mitarai-kun in my story! I'm sorryyy!”

“And why didn't you say this sooner ?” Hiyoko narrowed her eyes. 

“The conversation was going s-so fast, and I wasn't sure what to say w-without exposing Imposter-kun! I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry, please forgive meeee!”

“It's okay, Tsumiki-chan,” Chiaki soothed. “Just tell us what really happened.”

“Uhm, well… I did find Mitarai-kun… He fell ill again, and I had to take care of him for a while… but Junko-chan found me when I was leaving, and I… became distracted… Ohhh, I'm so ashamed! I just… I just…” She sniffled. “My girlfriend was right there , and everything else just seemed so distant… I'm sorry…”

“Seriously?” Hiyoko glared. “And why have you never mentioned this girlfriend of yours before, Tsumiki? Something about this isn't adding up.”

“A-Are you accusing me of something, H-Hiyoko-chan…?” Mikan's eyes watered, staring at Hiyoko soulfully. “Me and Junko-chan j-just started dating. It's a new thing, and w-we didn't want to tell anyone yet, g-given her celebrity status…”

Hiyoko scoffed. “Tsumiki, cut the crap. You wouldn't be so irresponsible to neglect a patient to play hanky-panky ,” she sneered, “Nursing is important to you, and you take it seriously. I don't buy this bull!”

“I don't buy this either,” Pekoyama supported. “The way you talked about Ikusaba, Komaeda-kun, it wasn't just mild suspicion. It was hate . Like you knew for a fact she had done something unforgivable. Moreover, when we fought, it was clear that she was a dangerous person. I cannot imagine how many people she has killed… I have no doubt if it came to it, she would have killed me as well if she must.”

“Maybe you misheard me,” Nagito said, flippant.

“Komaeda-kun… You are also clearly injured. Maybe others wouldn't be able to tell, but I've seen many people injured before… You're hurt and hiding it.”

“Ahaha, you know how unlucky I am. I got injured due to some bad luck, that's all! Nanami-san can attest to that, if she must.”

“It's true,” Chiaki confirmed. “It was nothing more than a fluke of luck.”

Peko hesitated. “However… It seems severe. He can hardly stay upright, Nanami-san. And that doesn't explain his erratic behavior, either.”

“It's Komaeda,” Teruteru snorted. “Isn't it true he's always been erratic?”

“Not like this,” Peko denied. “Even if his logic is often hard to map, it's always there . Komaeda is a consistent person in that way. His feelings wouldn't change so easily.”

“They could,” Nagito says, a dark gleam in his eyes, “The world of our beliefs is always more unstable than we think.”

“If Peko says it, I'm inclined to believe her,” Fuyuhiko supported her. “Something fishy is going on here.”

“Fuyuhiko, don't take this the wrong way…” Chiaki tilted her head. “But why on earth should we trust you and Peko more than me and Nagito?”

“...What?” Fuyuhiko blinked, astounded.

“Well… You're Yakuza, Fuyuhiko. How is that more trustworthy than us? Not to mention, even outside of that, you're a suspicious guy, I think.”

“What are you… What are you talking about?”

“I'm… talking about Sato-san. Uhm… From what I've gathered, Sato-san and your sister, Natsumi, got into a lot of fights, right? Before Natsumi died, didn't they get into a fight, too?”

“How… How do you know all of this?” Fuyuhiko croaked, and Chiaki looked at him pityingly. 

“Fuyuhiko, I pay attention to my classmates. Not to mention, my friend, Hinata-kun, was friends with your sister. He would always vent about how stressed he was at her arguing with Sato. And how could I not pay attention to Mahiru's girlfriend? Many people were friends with Sato in this class, even if I didn't know her super well. I think you forget that.”

Fuyuhiko was pale. Peko narrowed her eyes. “Nanami, what's your point?”

“Obviously, even if it was a pervert who killed Natsumi, the Yakuza would need someone to blame, and Sato-san was a convenient scapegoat. That's what I'm saying. Maybe Fuyuhiko even believed it, that Sato killed Natsumi… Either way, isn't it suspicious that Sato died just a few days later?”

“Are… Are you accusing Fuyuhiko-chan of murder?!” Ibuki gasped.

“To be honest, I've thought this for a while, but I always dismissed my concerns,” Chiaki sighs. “I mean, how could the classmate I love murder someone? Poor Sato-san didn't do anything wrong, and yet… I never said anything, because what proof did I have? I didn't want it to be true… But… Now I have to reevaluate everything… Now Fuyuhiko is accusing me and my friends of something, even when we have no motive to lie… Like Peko said, why would Nagito's feelings change so drastically? Isn't the only explanation our story? And yet, he casts doubt on me. How is that fair? After what he did to Sato-san, he has the gall to accuse me ?! Tell me, everyone: who do you trust more? Me, your beloved class rep who has no reason to lie, or a murderer?”

“Hold on!” Peko protested. “You do not have any proof that Fuyuhiko is a murderer! That's just speculation.”

“And you have no proof I'm lying, and yet you accuse me.”

“Pekoyama, why are you so defensive?” Nagito stirred the pot more. “The whole time, the two of you have been corroborating each other's stories. Isn't that too suspicious? I don't believe I have ever seen the two of you talk, but all of a sudden, you're best friends?”

Peko hesitated.

“Did you know about him killing Sato-san, Pekoyama?” Chiaki cut in harshly. “Is that why you're defending him? You've been in on it the whole time?”

“It makes sense,” Nagito agreed, “Why else would they keep their connection secret?”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on!!” Ibuki cried. “The Chiaki-chan that I know would never make such accusations! What happened to having faith in your friends?”

“Faith, even when those friends led you to your grave?” Nagito scoffs.

“I don't think faith and doubt are opposites,” Chiaki protested the accusation calmly, “I doubt him, but I do want to have faith in him. Belief without doubt is a lie. You're asking us to believe blindly, but I don't think that's fair. Is that fair to Mahiru-san? When it was her girlfriend who got killed? Is that fair ?”

“Ibuki was her friend, too, Chiaki-chan!” Ibuki protested hotly.

“Waaahhh!” Mikan burst out into tears. “Kuzuryu-kun, did you really kill Sato-san?! Poor Satooooo! Sh-She, *hic*, must h-have been soooo scared!”

“Hold on, hold on!” Kazuichi protested. “Fuyuhiko's not like that! He w-wouldn't…”

“But Chiaki-chan isn't like that either!” Sonia protests. “You're asking us to doubt our friend, Kuzuryu! Our Chiaki! The girl we've all come to know!”

“Sato-chan…” Mahiru murmured. “Sato-chan died, and you're asking us to trust you, her murderer, over Nanami…? Are you kidding me?!”

Fuyuhiko flinched back from the vitriol in her voice. 

“Uh, I'm not the brightest or nothin’, but… I don't really think Nanami would try to trick us, ya know?”

“Right!” Nekomaru supported. “This all has to be some kind of misunderstanding! It's important to have FAITHHH!”

“Are you all idiots?!” Hiyoko demanded. “ Something is definitely going on! They aren't acting like themselves at all!”

“Perhaps they are imposters…” Gundham speaks up, holding his hamsters protectively, “Even the fearsome dark devas are shaking at their malevolent aura!”

“Gundham! How could you say that about Chiaki-chan?” Sonia demanded. 

“Nanami is the one who started throwing around accusations!” Peko pointed out. “Fuyuhiko and myself only said that something wasn't right. Please, can't we stop this fighting? Whether or not Fuyuhiko killed Sato, what's done is done, and it has nothing to do with this conflict. She's just trying to muddy the waters!”

“What's done is done…?” Mahiru echoed, then demanded, “What's done is done?! That was my girlfriend ! He killed my girlfriend !”

Quickly, Nagito grabbed Mahiru as she lunched at her. “Mahiru-san, calm down!” He said. “Don't…. Don't stoop to their level. You're better than that!”

Mahiru panted in his arms, before a sob tore itself out of her throat.

“Give me back Sato-chan!” She cried, as she banged on Nagito's chest as he enfolded her in his arms with a wince. “Give me back Sato-chan!”

The room was silent, except for her gut wrenching cries. The lines in the sand had been drawn, the class fracturing and divided, and all they had to show for it was Mahiru Koizumi, crying in Nagito's arms, despair painted plain to see on her face. They knew, somehow, listening to her, there was nothing more to say.

Nothing more they could say.

Mahiru Koizumi cried.

(Hidden behind her hand, Chiaki Nanami smiled.)