"Mmmngh…"
I'm staring at a ceiling again. Lately it feels like all I do is wake up and count the pipes overhead. Judging from the layout, this must be my dorm room. As my foggy consciousness rewinds, the last thing I recall is stubbornly duking it out with Owada in the sauna.
"Never imagined Owada would blurt out his secret at that exact moment."
I was running on fumes, brain barely booting, when he suddenly went full throttle and dumped his trauma on me. Somehow I must have given a halfway decent answer, because he looked satisfied. Anyway—who even won that contest?
I'm about to sit up and hunt for the results when the doorbell shrills. I throw on something presentable and crack the door open. Mukuro Ikusaba is waiting outside.
"Ah, K. Night shift's coming up. We're supposed to swap with the kids upstairs…"
Hold on—it's night already? Damn it, the outcome of the sauna smack-down isn't the priority anymore. I still haven't cooked up a cover story for my own secret, and the clock's already fast-forwarded.
"Right… give me a minute. I'll grab my things and head up, so—"
"W-wait, hang on! I'm not finished talking yet. D-don't just slam the door in my face… Are you… embarrassed to be alone with me?"
She averts her eyes, cheeks flushing. If I didn't know her true identity I might find it cute, but with that knowledge jangling in my head it's mostly unsettling.
"So? What did you actually want?"
My lukewarm tone makes her scratch her head before she gets to the point.
"It's just… doing night watch on the second floor all by myself is scary. So I was wondering if you could, y'know… stay with me?"
Yeah, right. A woman who camped in active war zones is suddenly afraid of a dark hallway? This is a ploy—she's trying to block any secret planning I might do with Kirigiri during the night cycle. Great. How do I say no?
"Can't you ask someone else?"
"Owada's like a rabid beast, no thanks. Celeste is impossible to read—having her nearby is scarier than being alone. And Kirigiri already turned me down…"
"Even so, I'm not exactly useful protection."
"True, you're probably useless in a pinch… but worst case I can use you as a human shield?"
"Excuse me—what? Ugh, forget it."
I'm too dumbfounded to argue. She must take the silence as consent, because she keeps rattling on.
"Look, just to be clear—even though I asked you first, d-don't get the wrong idea! I'm not some easy girl, okay? I take good care of my body!"
Given that she's basically a [Ultimate Soldier], the statement tracks.
"Great, settled then! I'm counting on you tonight!"
"Hold up. I never actually—"
Too late. She clamps onto my arm and starts hauling me toward the stairs. I try prying her off, but brute strength against a supersoldier? Yeah, no. Using [Ultimate Soldier] power while dressed like a schoolgirl is cheating, you know!
"Hey. Where do you two think you're going?"
Just when I think I'm doomed, Big Sis Kirigiri steps in, blocking our path.
"Huh? I told him I'm scared to spend the night alone, so K agreed to keep me company. We're heading upstairs—bonding time!"
Mukuro's blatant lie makes Kirigiri glare at me daggers. This is NOT what it looks like!
"I never—"
I open my mouth to explain, only for Mukuro to squeeze my arm hard enough to make tears spring up. Seeing my pained, pleading face, Kirigiri sighs.
"Fine. I'll join you."
"What? You literally refused me five minutes ago!"
"That was when it was just two people. If we'd planned on a trio from the start, I would've accepted."
"I… guess that makes sense…?"
For a split second Mukuro's mask slips—her eyes turn icy—but she quickly pastes on a smile and nods.
"Then the three of us will—"
"Yo, K! Time to head up—huh? What're you doing over here?"
Owada barges in mid-conversation, staring at the Mukuro-Kirigiri-me sandwich before pulling a betrayal face.
"You little punk! When you were pep-talking me you SWORE you were single for life! What the hell is this?!"
Please don't turn this into a drama…
"We're simply sticking together tonight in case something happens," Kirigiri explains, flat and chilly. Owada relaxes.
"Ah! If that's all, I'm in too. I'm way more helpful than that scrawny counselor, anyway."
Both Kirigiri and Mukuro's expressions drop below freezing. I shoot Owada a desperate stop-talking glare, but he winks back like, "Don't worry, big bro's got this."
"My, whatever are you all plotting here?"
And of course Celestia Ludenberg glides in. After hearing the story from Owada she declares that being left alone would place her in the gravest danger, so she must join as well.
"…"
"…"
"Well, with five of us holed up together, nobody's dying tonight," Owada says, scratching his head, blissfully oblivious to the frost radiating from Mukuro and Kirigiri.
I sigh. Looks like tonight is going to be anything but restful as we all trek toward the second floor.
.
.
.
.
We stake out the library as home base.
"So what now? We just huddle in here all night?" Owada asks.
"That was the idea, wasn't it?" Celeste replies.
"I mean, yeah, but pulling an all-nighter doing nothing sounds lame…"
"Then read one of the books surrounding you."
"Ugh, books are the worst. Unless they're comics."
Their banter drones on while Kirigiri and Mukuro maintain sub-zero silence. The tension prickles my spine, so I pointedly look elsewhere.
Come to think of it, there should be a laptop in here. I rummage around but don't see it. Fujisaki must have borrowed it to set up [Alter Ego]. That AI is our wildcard—I've got to keep it safe.
There really are mountains of books. I'm not exactly a bibliophile; back in the 21st century my hobbies were gaming and online forums. Web novels, sure, but paper books? Haven't cracked one in years.
Still, can't just vegetate all night. I reach for a random volume when Kirigiri addresses us.
"Unlike the first floor group, we know next to nothing about this level. Instead of five people clumped together, we should split up and scout for info."
"A wise proposal, but how shall we divide the teams?" Celeste asks.
"Two on reconnaissance, three stand by here. When the first team returns, we swap—thoughts?"
"Fine by me, but who goes where?"
Kirigiri trails off, locking eyes with Mukuro. Mukuro glares back. Celeste sighs.
"We could draw lots. That way no one can complain."
Silence. Then grudging assent all around.
Turns out Celeste and I are paired, while Kirigiri, Mukuro, and Owada form the other team.
"Would you three mind heading out first? I have something to discuss with Mr. K," Celeste says, smiling.
Kirigiri and Mukuro leave without a word. Owada scratches his head and lumbers after them, and suddenly it's just Celeste and me.
She sits gracefully, satisfaction flickering in her eyes. "Tell me, Mr. K—do you enjoy gambling?"
Gambling? I don't dislike it, but I rarely get the chance. Sports betting at most. I tell her I'm basically a novice. She chuckles quietly.
"Hmm… delightful."
Honestly, Celeste is hard to deal with. Other students eventually drop their masks and show some humanity. Celeste? Eternal poker face. No idea what she's thinking.
"Would you care for a little wager?"
"What, out of nowhere?"
"I do adore bets… and I find I have use for you."
"Okay… what's the stake?"
"Loser grants the winner one wish."
"Nice on paper, but no enforcement. I could just refuse."
"If it's enforcement you need, leave it to me!"
Monokuma bursts from the shadows, eyes gleaming.
"Oh my, Monokuma. And what do you mean by that?" Celeste asks.
"Simple—we add it to the School Regulations!"
Wait, he can just tack on rules like that?
Your E-Handbooks have been updated!
—This rule applies only to K and Celestia Ludenberg—
Any wager mutually agreed upon by the two shall be binding. Failure to honor the result will lead to execution.
"There, compulsory enough for you? So, wanna bet?" Monokuma snickers.
I'd have to be insane to gamble against the [Ultimate Gambler]. Then again, the canon Celeste is unpredictable enough to kill. I have zero leverage. Maybe a crazy play is better than none.
"All right. I'm in."
"My, how decisive. Let's choose our topic."
She ponders, then smiles.
"You're remarkably well-liked, Mr. K—friendly with nearly everyone, yes?"
"Uh, I guess? Why bring that up?"
"Someone so respected must be hiding a secret catastrophic enough to shatter that trust the moment it's revealed."
My face freezes. Celeste covers her mouth, laughing softly.
"How about this: we make your 'secret' the wager. Once it's exposed, you have twenty-four hours to win the support of two-thirds of the fifteen other students. If you succeed, you win. If not, you lose. Fair?"
Two-thirds… heavy, but if I can't persuade that many people, surviving the Killing Game is hopeless anyway.
"Deal. Let's do it."
"Excellent. The rule takes effect immediately."
"Sure. Whatever."
I steel myself, already planning tomorrow—when Monokuma erupts in cackles.
"Puhuhu… K-kun, you're such an idiot!"
"What now, furball?"
"Isn't it obvious? Celeste is one of the fifteen you need to convince! Puhuhu! You've already failed to sway your first voter! Upupupupupu…"
Oh. Right. Damn it.