Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Danganronpa series. I only own Hikari Seishin and her family. I also do not own any video games I mention in this fanfic.

Note: I try to make the story as canon as I can with obvious creative liberties. Please let me know if any of the original cast is OOC and I will do my best to fix it.

Author's Note: From this chapter onward, you will notice that this story is going to begin to deviate from canon. There are multiple original scenes in this chapter which is why it took longer than I expected.

*For those interested, I suggest listening to Liz Robinett's cover of "Everything's Alright" (you can find it on Youtube) from the video game "To the Moon" (which I do not own) when you come upon the scene between Hagime and Hikari. That song really pulled me out of a writer's block for that scene. I give credit to NicoB for his Let's Play of the game (also on Youtube) where I came across the song. Please enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-One

No Progress

Hikari stood in the doorway of the on-call room, staring at Mikan and Hajime on the bed. The stunned girl could not believe her eyes as the Nurse climbed off of Hajime's chest, the plain teen immediately loosening his tie, gasping for air. The Spirit Medium felt frozen on the spot, her body trembling slightly. She instantly clenched her fists when she saw a worried Mikan pull Hajime's face towards her. Hikari couldn't hear what the two were saying, her own thoughts running rampant in her head, her eyes locked onto Mikan and Hajime as the bandaged girl shook the boy by the shoulders intensely to get him to regain his composure.

What the hell!? What's going on!? Why are they…? Are they…? I thought Nanami and he… He better not be…! Hikari mentally seethed, her thoughts rapidly losing structure to the point where she can only process the actual emotions she was feeling. Angry… Shocked… Confused... Sad…

"I-I'm sorry…" Hikari heard Mikan say to Hajime. "It was my turn to rest in the on-call room, and you were still sleeping… I felt bad waking you up since you looked really exhausted lately…"

"That doesn't mean you can climb on top of me!" Hajime said hoarsely, still trying to catch his breath. The Spirit Medium felt her body slowly release the tension built up in her muscles when she heard her crush's protest…before the tension quickly came back stronger than ever when the girl heard Mikan's response.

"Then…I'll be on the bottom next time!"

N-Next time…!? Hikari's eyes widened in fury, pushing the partially open door with such force that the door slammed loudly against the wall when Hajime was trying to get Mikan to understand that she should not have been on top of him in the first place. The sudden noise made both Mikan and Hajime jump a foot and stare in absolute shock at the irate Spirit Medium. The bespectacled girl could feel her body temperature rise, sensing her anger seeping through her own emotional walls out into the open air. Hikari was so unaware of her surroundings that she didn't even notice Fuyuhiko coming up behind her.

"Hey," the Yakuza called out to Hikari as he walked hurriedly to her. "You all right? You were taking a long fuckin' time to get Tsumiki and then I heard this loud racket…" He stopped talking when he saw the state the black-haired girl was in and turned to his right to find the source of the teen's ire. "H-Hey… What are…you guys doing…?" Fuyuhiko asked as he stepped into the room, gritting his teeth uncomfortably.

Hajime gaped, his own discomfort strengthening. "K-Kuzuryuu!?" He waved his hands in front of him very defensively towards both of the teens at the doorway. "No…this is…I really hope you didn't get the wrong idea…"

Fuyuhiko's expression almost mirrored Hajime's own, the blond taken aback. "Don't tell me…! W-Were you guys sleeping together?" He glared at both Mikan and Hajime, the Gangster clenching his own fist. "Y-You dirty rotten bastard! You guys are fuckin' high school students!"

"Seriously, you got this all wrong…" Hajime pleaded nervously. Even though Hikari was quiet and appearing to hold her anger back, everyone in the room could tell she was barely keeping it together.

If this was a manga or an anime, Seishin would definitely be surrounded by an intense fiery aura… Fuyuhiko thought with a sweatdrop before shaking his head, his focus returning to the situation at hand. "We don't have time for that! Komaeda…he's in danger!"

Hajime's anxiety faltered when hearing that. "Danger…what…?"

"When Seishin and I were dropping off snacks given to us by other group for the infected, we went into his room and…it seemed like he wasn't breathing…!"

"Huh…?" Mikan gasped, her demeanor suddenly becoming panicked. "Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh!? Th-This is bad! Now's not the time for us to rest!" She stumbled off of the bed and ran out of the room speedily. Hajime sat where he was on the bed, still trying to comprehend that one of them might be at death's door at that moment.

Fuyuhiko barked at the stunned boy. "Damnit! Hinata, now's not the time for you to be pitching a tent! We need to hurry!"

"S-Seriously, I'm not…" Hajime tried to explain but felt so overwhelmed. Hikari bristled at the exchange between the boys and stormed off while Hajime watched in bewilderment.

"Let's go!" Fuyuhiko urged harshly as he ran after the girls, the other male teen rushing behind him to Nagito's room. The boys saw Hikari staring at the door to the Luckster's hospital room, her expression unreadable.

"Seishin?" Hajime voiced quietly, taking a step towards her before the Spirit Medium turned her back to him.

"I…can't go in there right now. Tsumiki and you two can handle it… I'll check on Owari and Mioda," Hikari said monotonously, walking off before Hajime could even answer.

The ahoged teenager started to follow after her until the Yakuza yanked his arm back.

"H-Hey…!" Hajime looked back at the smaller male, surprised at Fuyuhiko's action.

The Gangster sighed in annoyance. "We have someone in a worse situation."

"Yeah, but…" the brown-haired boy wavered, frowning. "Why is Seishin so upset…? I have to talk-"

"Let her be," Fuyuhiko advised seriously as he let go of Hajime's arm. "She needs to cool down when she gets like this. I would know…" He put his hands in his pockets, frowning slightly. "Anyway, do you know she had an older sister?"

Hajime raised an eyebrow, still exasperated. "Yeah, but what does that have to do with what's going on with Seishin now?"

"Her sister passed away in a hospital from illness when Seishin was young," Fuyuhiko explained. "She didn't tell you that?"

"N-No, she didn't…" Hajime replied, his edginess morphing more into a somber mood before the usual restless feeling coiled in the pit of his stomach. Why am I feeling bad that she told that to Kuzuryuu but not to me? What's wrong with me…?

"I think Komaeda's condition might be triggering some of Seishin's buried feelings. Giving Seishin time and space helped her last time. So right now, we should help Tsumiki," the Yakuza said, opening the door to Nagito's room. With a frown on his face, Hajime gazed down the hall where he last saw the Spirit Medium before letting out a quiet sigh, following Fuyuhiko into the Luckster's hospital room.

Hikari opened and closed Ibuki's door behind her and quickly paced to the nearby chair, her whole body trembling. "Hello Seishin, thank you for visiting me again!" the Musician greeted cheerfully once she spotted the Spirit Medium. Ibuki sat on the edge of the bed, having finished one of her snacks, her dark pink eyes watching the distressed girl when she didn't get a response from Hikari. The robe-clad girl got to her feet and went over to stand in front of Hikari. "Are you sad? Water is starting to leak from your eyes."

The bespectacled girl blinked and smiled weakly as she rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mioda. I just…couldn't be in there with them…"

"Who caused your leaky eyes? Do you want me to give them leaky eyes?" Ibuki asked innocently, the black-haired teen sweatdropping.

"No one did," Hikari replied with a nervous smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm just a mess at the moment."

Ibuki stared at Hikari seriously for a minute before tilting her head slightly. "Do you want me to clean you up? I do not see any filth on you though."

"No, no…I meant that I'm emotionally a mess…" Hikari sighed heavily. "Your Gullible Disease can be troublesome at times, huh?" The Spirit Medium suddenly felt ashamed, covering her mouth with a hand fleetingly. "Oh, sorry…I don't mean you're troublesome! This whole situation is, actually… Anyway, I just needed some space away from the others so I can cool down… I never knew I can be this angry before we came to the island and now I'm stuck in my least favorite facility…"

Ibuki nodded. "This is indeed a troublesome situation."

Hikari sighed inwardly. I don't think I can ever get used to a dull Mioda… I hope this Despair Disease can be cured and soon. "Thank you, Mioda. I feel better after spending some time with you." Especially since I would've probably traumatized Owari if I went to her room in an angry mood…

Ibuki saluted her friend and smiled. "I am glad to be of assistance."

"I'll visit soon okay?" Hikari said as she stood up and patted the Musician's head. "Please get some more rest. We don't want your illness to get worse."

"Affirmative. I shall rest in bed to get better." The smaller teen smiled and gave a small wave before she left the room.

Hmm… They're still in Komaeda's room? As much as I dislike him, I hope Komaeda pulls through… Hikari thought as she looked down the hall to find it still empty. "I might as well check on Owari before I see if that equipment Souda gave us really works…" She lightly tapped on Akane's door before opening it. "Owari? It's Seishin. I'm just making sure you're doing okay."

"O-Oh…okay…" Akane replied meekly as she saw Hikari come in.

The glasses-wearing girl walked in cautiously, hoping not to give Akane any more anxiety than she was having already. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to bring you a snack?" Hikari asked, assuming that Akane never left her bed since the snacks Fuyuhiko placed in her room remained untouched. The Gymnast nodded while gripping a pillow close to her, tears welling up in her eyes. Hikari smiled sadly and walked over to the cabinet and took the small bag of chips. She pulled the chair close to the bed but made sure that she wouldn't invade Akane's space. The Spirit Medium plopped down onto the seat, opening the bag. "Here you go, Owari," Hikari said as she slowly handed the snack over to Akane.

"Th-Thank you…" the brunette whispered with a hiccup when she took the bag and started to eat.

Hikari's smile softened at her friend before she silently stared at her hands in her lap. It was a good choice to hide out in Mioda's room to cool down… I'm still mad... I mean…is Hinata really like that? Was his words sincere upstairs or was that just so he wouldn't be seen as a…a… The Spirit Medium shook her head and subconsciously reached to her chest to find only the fabric of her dark purple shirt. Oh, that's right… I took off my necklace so I wouldn't emotionally rely on Onee-san so much… She let her hand fall back to her lap, clasping her hands together with a frown. This is so hard… Hikari sighed tiredly, closing her eyes as she felt her body heavy with exhaustion.

A knock at the door forced Hikari to open her eyes, witnessing Akane jumping a foot and scrambling to the back corner of the bed, the tan-skinned teenager clinging to the pillow and making herself as small as possible. Hikari sweatdropped, taken aback by the Gymnast's actions before swiveling the chair around so that she can face the door as it opened. Fuyuhiko blinked when he spotted the Spirit Medium, his hand still on the doorknob. "There you are. Komaeda's breathing again, but…"

"I understand," Hikari said swiftly with a nod, indicating to Fuyuhiko not to continue so as to prevent a nervous breakdown from Akane. Fortunately, he seemed to take the hint as he frowned slightly towards the brunette and started to feel uncomfortable.

"Uh…anyway, can you show us how to use the equipment in the lobby? You're the one who set it up, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I can do that..." Hikari said uncertainly as she stood up slowly, hoping that she wouldn't get electrocuted again. Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow in curiosity as the glasses-wearing girl turned to Akane who was under the bed's sheets. "Owari, we're just going to the lobby, okay? Please get some rest." Hikari bent forward to listen for any response, seeing the blankets rustle with a couple of high-pitched whimpers of acknowledgment. The petite girl smiled gently and walked to the doorway where the Yazuka was waiting.

The two travelled the short distance from Akane's hospital room to the lobby in silence. Fuyuhiko figured that Hikari would open up when she felt the need to so he didn't attempt to ask why she was melodramatic earlier. Hikari didn't want to talk about it, feeling both relieved and grateful that the Yakuza didn't press her on it. Hajime looked up as Fuyuhiko and Hikari entered the lobby, smiling weakly at his female friend who went to the equipment without even a glance towards him. Hajime sweatdropped and glimpsed at the blond who shrugged half-heartedly.

"Okay, the blue light is blinking," Hikari stated, making the boys look her way.

"Does something happen…when it blinks?" Hajime asked cautiously, a part of him prepared to be chewed out for some reason.

Hikari's eyes turn to him briefly as the girl nodded. "Just have to press the button below the light for the screen to come on." She pushed the button on the pink monitor and stepped back in between the boys. The three watched the screen turn on, seeing Kazuichi on the screen with his hands on his hips.

"Heeey guys!" the Mechanic called out. "Can you see and hear me okay?"

"Yes, we can," Hikari replied. "How about us?"

"Hehe, loud and clear! Looks like it's perfectly connected! It appears you installed it properly, Seishin. Great job!" He gave her a thumbs up and a grin which elicited a small smile from the Spirit Medium.

"Souda…? Then this is…!" Hajime exclaimed.

"Heh, yeah, that's right…" Fuyuhiko said with a smirk. "This is…the way to communicate he was talking about."

"All right! Looks like it's time for the SHSL Mechanic to shine," Kazuichi declared, getting hyped up. "How about it!? This is what I've been working on! Remember that alley with all those shady-looking street booths? That's where I found this. It's just a surveillance camera for household use…and I just tweaked it a little. So now…it's basically a video chat device. Well, it's pretty hit-or-miss."

"Video chat, huh…" Hajime murmured, a hand to his chin. Not gonna lie…it is impressive.

Fuyuhiko nodded. "It's true…we don't have to worry about getting infected with this…"

"Sooooo…it may be a hassle but we'll be contacting each other with this from now on, okay!?" the pink-haired boy said happily, proud of his usefulness. "This was only a test run this time… So I guess this should be pretty fun."

Hikari blinked and leaned forward a bit. "Hey, Souda? I have a request for your group." Fuyuhiko, Hajime, and even Kazuichi looked at her with interest.

"What is it?"

"Well, we really appreciated the snacks you sent over… Is it possible for your group to drop off a bag of groceries in front of the hospital? We don't really have anything sustainable in the vending machines," Hikari said, explaining her reasoning for the request.

Fuyuhiko grinned knowingly and piped in. "Yeah. We can't get afford to get ourselves sick from lack of nutrients."

Hajime quirked an eyebrow, baffled. Do they know something I don't? I thought the vending machines were okay…

Kazuichi appeared as though he was mulling it over, scratching his chin. Hikari studied him carefully, thinking, Just a little more coaxing… The patients need the nutrition more than we do, honestly… "Please, Souda? I mean, even one bag a day would be great."

"Oh, fine," Kazuichi relented with an exhalation. "I'll see if the others want to help too. I'm pretty sure they will."

Hikari smiled warmly, clapping her hands together. "Thanks, Souda!"

"You guys better not be picky!" the Mechanic warned sternly. "You get what you get, all right? There are no food allergies, right?"

Fuyuhiko averted his eye in shame, hating the fact that he had lactose intolerance. He didn't want to reveal it in case that fact would be used against him, especially in a killing game. He started to open his mouth when he heard Hikari respond to the screen.

"No, right?" she said, looking at Hajime who blinked and shook his head, the boy surprised that the Spirit Medium was acknowledging him again so soon. Hikari turned to her left to face Fuyuhiko. The Yakuza blinked as the girl gave him a wink. "Don't worry," she mouthed. "I'll eat all the dairy."

The eyepatch-wearing teen couldn't help but let out a chuckle, closing his eye. Seishin must've found that out through Natsumi during that brief possession. I should be lucky that Seishin's the only one here who knows. He frowned when he remembered that the only person on the island who knew of his secret before Hikari was Peko. Peko…

"…Okay then, see ya later!" Kazuichi said before the live feed was cut, Hikari turning the monitor off.

Hikari turned to face the boys. "Souda left this while I was here in the lobby. The surveillance camera unit comes with a camera and a monitor. Anything the camera records is broadcast live on the monitor, that's what Souda told me anyway. He said that he prepared two of these sets, and swapped each of their cameras." I'm actually surprised I remembered all that since that was right before I electrocuted myself…

"I see…" Hajime said with a nod. "By swapping the cameras, his monitor will display what's on our camera and vice-versa."

"Before I forget," Hikari blurted out while the information was still fresh in her head, "apparently Souda also modified it a little. He widened its narrow communication range beyond just household use. But even so…he still had a limit, so apparently the signal couldn't reach from the hospital to the motel…"

"Then…we can't communicate between the hospital and the motel."

Fuyuhiko placed a hand on his hip with a grin. "You didn't notice, Hinata? Even I figured out without being told that he was contacting us just now from the music venue near the motel."

"From there, Souda told me that the signal reaches the hospital with no problems," Hikari explained further.

Hajime crossed his arms, frowning. "But they're staying at the motel, right? What happens if we can't reach them when we need to?"

Hikari nodded. "I did bring that up when I was setting up the equipment in here. We just arranged times for us to contact each other."

"So what are the times?" Fuyuhiko asked.

"Souda and I decided to keep it simple so it's set up for us to communicate thirty minutes after Monokuma's morning and evening announcements."

"So our next contact with them is going to be tomorrow morning. Don't sleep in then," Fuyuhiko teased lightly. He noticed that Hajime was not only staring at Hikari but at him as well. Fuyuhiko eyed the taller boy back, the Yakuza putting his hands in his pockets. "…Hm? What is it?"

Hajime smiled weakly, embarrassed that he was caught observing the pair in front of him. "Nothing…"

*Ding dong, bing bong*

All three teens immediately looked at the yellow monitor next to the hallway doors as that monitor's screen turned on. "Ahem…" Monokuma began reciting his usual nighttime broadcast. "Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make… It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiight…"

Fuyuhiko crossed his arms once the screen automatically turned off. "It's that time already, huh… Now then, where should we all sleep tonight…?" The Gangster smirked at Hajime. "Are you planning to use the on-call room with a certain someone again?" Hikari became rigid as she felt her body heat up with pent up anger while Hajime sweatdropped with a frown.

"Like I said…it's not what it looked like…" Hajime said wearily.

You better be right, Hinata… Hikari thought hotly, crossing her arms and breathing through her nose, her face maintaining a rosy complexion, making it a point that she was still wary of Hajime.

"Hey hey…aren't you misunderstanding?" Monokuma asked, appearing out of nowhere and not looking too pleased. "A hospital is a facility for sick people, so it's not for lodgings or young romance trysts, you know?" The bear's red eye glowed menacingly and brandished his claws.

Hajime jumped in surprise. "Y-You too!? What are you talking about…!?" The plain teen felt even more defeated when he saw Hikari stare at him with disdain. No one believes me…!? I thought Seishin would...

"Oh I see…" Monokuma sighed as he turned his back to the teens, facing the bulletin board on the far wall. "Your generation has fallen out of the habit of looking at bulletin boards…" He spun towards the three irately with his claws still out. "C'mon, take a look at the bulletin board! There's a notice on there, right!?" The teens looked at each other quizzically before nearing the bulletin board.

How come I wasn't aware of this before…? Hikari pondered when she saw the poster-size notice with a Monokuma face as its letterhead. "'Hospital Precautions: Eating and drinking is forbidden within the hospital building,'" the Spirit Medium started to read, making the humans present sweatdrop. "Oops…"

"I should punish all of you in here since you broke that rule…" Monokuma started to say slowly, arms crossed before he waved his paws carelessly. "But that would take out half of you guys! Where's the fun in that!? So…I will let you morons live for tonight since you were SO oblivious about this prominent notice! There are no second chances, got it!?" Hikari, Hajime, and Fuyuhiko nodded dumbly.

I really thought I was going to be executed for sure… Hikari thought as she felt her heart go back down her throat after being scared to death. She pushed her red-framed glasses closer to her face as she went back to reading the notification. "'…if patients do not need to be accompanied, overnight stays by non-patients are expressly forbidden.'"

"In other words, it's like the notices you often see inside hospitals! You can't stay overnight here!" Monokuma exclaimed, paws in the air.

"There is…one patient who needs to be accompanied," Fuyuhiko interjected, looking down at the bear.

"Hmm… Oh, you're talking about Nagito, right?" Monokuma sighed deeply, already getting impatient. "Unbelievable… Fine! Then I'll allow just one person to accompany him! The rest of you need to hurry up and get outta here!" Then the bear disappeared into thin air.

"Tch," Fuyuhiko clicked his tongue as he glowered at the notice. "'Hospital precautions,' my ass… He should've said so sooner…!"

Hikari turned to face the boys once more, frowning. "I think he likes to see us squirm in these situations…"

"Only one person can stay the night…" Hajime stated, crossing his arms. "And there's no way we can make Tsumiki leave…"

Fuyuhiko sighed, closing his eye. "Jeez, I guess we have no choice… We should head back to our cottages then."

"You're right…even if we stay here, we probably won't be able to do anything…"

The Yakuza turned to the doors that lead into the hall, waving a hand slightly. "I'll tell Tsumiki what's going on. I'll also check on Owari and Mioda one more time on my way out so you two go ahead and start walking back to the cottages." And maybe hash things out… The tension between them is so annoyingly uncomfortable that I can't fuckin' stand being near them for a second longer. That whole time felt awkward because of those two acting like a couple of stiffs. Both Hajime and Hikari gaped a bit at Fuyuhiko as he left the lobby. The two glanced at each other before Hikari averted her eyes downward and Hajime scratched the back of his head uneasily.

"I guess we should head back then…" Hajime suggested with a weak smile towards Hikari who silently nodded and already moved to the exit. He sighed wearily and followed the Spirit Medium out of the building. Hajime didn't have to jog long to be able to catch up to Hikari since his strides were longer than hers. He walked beside her as they reached the bridge to the central island. I'm not even sure if Seishin wants me around her, but I promised Nanami that I'd watch over her especially when she doesn't seem like herself…

"Monokuma said it himself… We don't know anything about each other's true nature." As much as I hate it admit it, Komaeda does have a point… I don't really know much about Seishin. Is she actually hiding her true self? Is she really a spiteful person? Hajime gave Hikari quick and sporadic glances as they strolled across the central island. Hikari's head was lowered slightly as if she was looking at the ground; Hajime wasn't quite sure since his friend's bangs hid her dark blue eyes. Hajime closed his eyes and shook his head. No, I trust Seishin. She seems to be nice to everyone except Komaeda but that was after he became…unpredictable. I mean, he was going to kill her as the first murder victim so she has every right to be so angry at him. Little did Hajime know but Hikari was having similar thoughts about him.

"Monokuma said it himself… We don't know anything about each other's true nature." What if Komaeda was right? What if we all have been hiding our true natures from each other? Kuzuryuu is the perfect example… He was so abrasive at first, but he's much more thoughtful now. Even Komaeda hid his true self until the first class trial… Is Hinata the same? Is he really a playboy who wants to be with some if not all the girls here? the Spirit Medium thought morosely, frowning deeply. It doesn't help that it happened in the hospital…during a hectic time like this, with Komaeda basically at Death's doorstep… Hikari took a couple of deep breaths as she felt her chest tighten when she compared Komaeda's situation with her sister's. I shouldn't think about that…I can't...not now...not in front of Hinata…

Noticing Hikari was becoming visibly distressed as she clenched and unclenched her fists when they reached the first island, Hajime began to feel very concerned. "Seishin?" When she didn't answer and kept going, walking past the animal ranch, Hajime felt like he couldn't stand by silently any longer. "Hey, Seishin!" he called out, his hand grasping her delicate wrist. He let out a faint sigh of relief when Hikari stopped, the girl not making any attempt to struggle out of his hold. The Spirit Medium stood a few steps ahead of him, her back to him as her twin tails swayed against the gentle breeze. "Are you…mad at me?" The stillness hung heavy between the two as Hajime waited, his hand still clasping onto her even though he loosened the grip since Hikari made no move to pull away.

"Yes…I am," Hikari said almost inaudibly, those three words breaking the quietness.

Hajime's lips twisted downward. "I told you, what happened in the on-call room wasn't what it seemed. Tsumiki climbed on top of me and fell asleep when I was sleeping…I had no idea until I woke up to find her whole weight on my chest. I really thought I was going to die. Please believe me...I wouldn't lie to you, Seishin." He tensed slightly when he felt movement against his hand, reflexively tightening his grasp. It was only when Hajime realized that Hikari turned her body to the left in order to see him that Hajime relaxed a bit. The boy watched her uneasily as her dark blue eyes locked onto his own light brown eyes through her red-framed glasses. It's as if she's staring deeply into my soul… Are spirit mediums capable of that?

"Are you sure…?" the bespectacled girl murmured. "What if…you're really hiding the real you? What if you really know your talent? What if you end up hurting m-"

"No way in hell!" Hajime interjected loudly, letting go of her wrist. "I'm not like Komaeda, Seishin. Though I could also ask the same about you… Are you really unable to use your talent or are you pretending that you can't? Are you hiding your true nature from us…are you actually a vindictive person?" Hikari gawked at him incredulously before her surprise faded to a disheartened expression, her eyes focusing on the ground.

"I'm the opposite, in reality…" the Spirit Medium admitted forlornly. "I have never experienced anger before I came to the island. I think I am more…I guess you can say emotional…because I can't use my talent. I really have no idea how I was able to channel Kuzuryuu's sister when I haven't been able to sense any souls since the day we all met on the island… I don't want to be this sensitive anymore, but after Komaeda betrayed us, I…" The girl paused, feeling her throat start to tighten as she felt her eyes water.

Hajime took a couple of short steps and placed his hands on Hikari's shoulders, staring at her with earnest. "I'm not hiding anything. I really don't know my talent. Hell, you'll be the first one to know when I find out about my talent, okay?" Hikari couldn't help but crack a feeble smile which caused Hajime to grin sheepishly before continuing to speak. "I told you that I'm not like Komaeda, and I mean it. I will not betray your trust. You're also not alone even though there are no ghosts here. I am your friend and always will be. You can always come to me if you need to. You even have the others like Nanami and Kuzuryuu..."

"…Thank you, Hinata," the Spirit Medium said softly when she looked up at him with glassy eyes. However, she avoided his gaze a few seconds later, trying her best to hold back tears.

Hajime leaned forward with a frown. "You're still hiding something…" His fingers gripped her shoulders once Hikari positioned her hands on his chest to weakly push him back.

"I…I can't…" Hikari choked out, biting her bottom lip. "I'm not ready to talk about it… Please…not right now…"

Hajime watched her as her whole body trembled, her hands shaking against his chest. Is there…nothing I can do to make her feel better…to cheer her up? He bent down so the two could keep eye contact. "…All right. I trust you and I hope you trust me enough to tell me your troubles when you feel comfortable to." Hikari nodded slowly yet sincerely before Hajime cautiously lifted his hands off of her shoulders. The teenaged boy let his hands fall to his sides, feeling powerless as he watched the miserable Spirit Medium make her way into the hotel's compound.

Hikari was astonished that she left Hajime without completely breaking down. She was also amazed that she walked to her cottage despite feeling like she would collapse at a moment's notice. I can't give in yet… If the disease is contagious, I have to shower… Hikari cautioned to herself mentally after she closed her door with a shaking hand. I cannot afford to get sick… About thirty minutes later, the drained teen walked out of the bathroom and flopped onto her bed. Hikari already could feel tears silently escaping from her eyes as she slowly reached out to her nightstand and gently picked up the silver chain. The heartbroken girl brought her hands to her chest as she cried bitterly on her side, curling up into a ball as much as she could, hearing the last song Kotone composed play on repeat in her head.

Why…am I reliving this again!? Hikari thought in anguish, gripping the necklace close to her heart, the chain intertwined in her pale fingers. I lost your physical form...your embraces, your pats on my head…on that day. But…I had you watching over me in spirit…until I arrived at this terrible school and got abandoned on this island! I lost not only my talent…but you, for a second time! I don't want to relive you dying again and again through my friends because of this stupid disease! I won't be able to handle it! I need you here, Onee-san! Please…come back… Eventually, the angst-ridden young woman fell asleep once she let all of her pent up anger and sorrow out, her cheeks tear-stained as she clutched her sister's keepsake in her hand during her slumber.

^o^ ^o^

*Ding dong, bing bong*

Hikari groaned as the monitor in her room automatically turned on for Monokuma's morning announcement. "My head hurts…" she whined, placing a hand to her forehead as she felt an annoying throb against her skull. The girl blinked when she felt something wrapped around her fingers and sweatdropped slightly when she noticed the familiar piece of jewelry. "Oh…" the Spirit Medium voiced once she remembered what happened last night. Her cheeks reddened as she untangled the necklace and returned it on her nightstand when she thought back to her conversation with Hajime. "I'm such a mess…" Hikari grumbled as she got up from her bed to get set for the day, involuntarily using the morning announcement as background noise. Maybe I needed that breakdown in bed last night… I do feel lighter in a way…calmer… the black-haired girl thought as she routinely got dressed.

As soon as she was ready, Hikari nodded to her reflection in her bathroom after giving herself a quick once over. "Alright," she said in an attempt to give herself a pep talk. "Just do my best… Shit! I need to hurry to the hospital if I want to make it in time for the video meetup! I don't have that much time!" The frazzled teen rushed out of her cottage but slowed down to make sure she had her e-handbook and key on her and that her door was locked before racing to the building she despised so much yet spent a lot of her time these past few days.

It was when Hikari came into the hospital lobby out of breath and body aching from the spontaneous sprinting session that Hajime and Fuyuhiko walked out of the building's main wing for the time to communicate with the others via video. The three teens blinked at each other, Hikari standing up straight from bending over and holding her side.

"I…was running late…" she explained, still catching her breath.

"Feelin' better than last night?" the Yakuza questioned with a hint of concern in his eye.

Hikari quickly peeked at Hajime who was watching her reaction as well, the Spirit Medium starting to feel her whole face heat up. "Y-Yeah…I…just had a rough day yesterday… I'm okay now."

"You sure?" Hajime asked, still worried.

Hikari quickly nodded her head. "Mm-hm… Oh, the incoming signal light's on!" The bespectacled girl strolled to the monitor, swiftly redirecting the conversation. Hajime frowned a little as his eyes followed her, not quite convinced she emotionally recovered that rapidly.

"Looks like they're already waiting," Fuyuhiko sighed as he took position in the camera's view to been seen by the others at the other end. "Let's hurry up and start the connection." Hikari gave another nod before pressing the button, turning on the monitor for Kazuichi to appear on the screen.

"Helloooooo!? How is it? Can you see my handsome face?" Kazuichi asked, leaning forward, almost covering the whole screen. Fuyuhiko rolled his eye as Hikari sweatdropped.

Hajime smiled awkwardly, sweatdropping a bit himself. "Yeah, I can see you real clear."

"Heh, we're good on our end too," Kazuichi proclaimed proudly, his hands behind his head as he grinned toothily. "I can totally see Seishin's and your broke-ass faces." Hikari sweatdropped even more as both boys behind her gave the camera a deadpan stare. "Oh, right! We decided that we'll drop off a bag of food and drinks when we grab food ourselves. Is that good with you guys?"

"Yeah, that'll be fine!" Hikari said gratefully. "Unfortunately, I think only patients can eat inside the hospital… Monokuma informed us of a no food or drink policy last night. We'll just have to eat right outside but that's okay since we always have nice weather."

Speaking of patients, I should let everyone know about Komaeda's condition… Hajime thought solemnly. "…Hey, are you the only one over there?"

"Nope…" Chiaki chimed in, moving the camera so it showed her face, "we're all here except for Saionji. And I'm glad you guys figured out how to get around Monokuma's mini-boss puzzle in order to eat without penalty." Hikari couldn't help but feel the corners of her lips move up when she heard Chiaki speak in gaming lingo. The Spirit Medium never realized that she missed that until then.

"What happened to…Saionji?" Fuyuhiko queried tentatively, prepared to hear the worst-case scenario. Then the camera panned over to Gundham with his hamsters on top of his shoulders.

"Kehehe…" Gundham cackled, his arms crossed. "It seems we all look like aberrant enemies in the eyes of that coward…"

"Um…" Sonia said as the camera moved to the right to display the Princess. "She…has locked herself in her room. She said from the other side of the door that she won't come out until the Despair Disease has been cured…"

"Hey, hey," Chiaki stated as the camera pivoted back to the Gamer. The pale mauve- haired girl leaned forward with her hand above her eyes like a visor. "So how about you? How are you guys doing?"

Hikari averted her eyes to the ground, feeling somewhat ashamed about her actions the night before. Hajime rubbed the back of his neck before he responded. "Yeah, about that… To tell you the truth, Komaeda's actually in serious danger-"

"I already know he's seriously dangerous!" the Mechanic interrupted noisily as he pulled the camera away from Chiaki and toward himself.

"Well, no…not that… He's seriously wandering the border between life and death," Fuyuhiko clarified somberly.

After a few moments of the video feed being swung violently back and forth, the camera at the music venue was finally in a position where everyone was shown. Gundham glowered at the beanie-wearing male as the Breeder sat back in his spot in between Chiaki and Sonia. Once he heard the news about Nagito, Gundham gritted his teeth with a shocked expression on his pallid face. "…What did you say?"

Sonia clasped her hands together in nervousness. "But…he is going to be okay, right? Komaeda is going to get better?"

"First Nidai, then Komaeda…" Kazuichi mumbled anxiously, gripping the hem of his dark grey beanie. "This ain't funny at all…!"

"Well…for now, we really can't say," Hajime reported with a frown. All of a sudden, Monomi jumped over the sitting group of four in the music venue in order to come into view on the video feed.

"You really can't say…?" Monomi asked before she panicked. "That's impossible!"

"Monomi!" Hikari exclaimed in surprise.

"Why are you on that side!?" Hajime questioned loudly.

"Um…cuz…it'd be dangerous if I got close to the hospital, since I don't even know what's going on there…" Monomi admitted quietly, her ears flopped forward as she poked her two paws together awkwardly.

The Yakuza clicked his tongue irately. "You…are really pissing me off. Like, why does a stupid stuffed animal need to be cautious about a disease!?"

"P-Please don't discriminate!" she pleaded before she got into a serious tone. "That Despair Disease is horrible… It's a dangerous disease that can even destroy this island. So…until we figure out how to deal with it…I will be on this side…" Right as Hajime opened his mouth to reply, Fuyuhiko almost made the monitor fall backwards when he cut the connection with such force.

"Don't fuck with me, you shitty stuffed animal!" Fuyuhiko cursed furiously, clenching his fist tightly.

Hikari turned to the Gangster in bewilderment, her eyes wide open. "Kuzuryuu!"

"What!? She seriously pissed me off!" he snapped at Spirit Medium who frowned, standing her ground. Fuyuhiko took a deep breath and tried to relax, placing his hand on his hip and moved to the doors. "Argh, damnit…I'm going outside to cool off." With that, he stormed out, pushing the doors roughly.

Hikari frowned as she watched the Yakuza leave before she looked back at Hajime. "I'll try to calm him down. Mind helping out Tsumiki? I'll take over when I come back."

"You sure?" the ahoged teen asked with uncertainty. "Maybe he needs space." The Spirit Medium smiled softly, catching the boy off guard a bit.

"Don't worry," Hikari said with sureness. "I think I can handle it. He may seem violent when angry, but he knows I'm his friend. He won't hurt me." Her smile faltered slightly into an awkward one. "Too bad our rotation plan didn't work out, huh? Anyway, I'll be back."

Hajime blinked as he stared at Hikari's back when she left, feeling a bit lost. I'm surprised that Seishin's mood did a complete turnaround. She sounded confident… I guess I don't need to worry about her as much, but I still can't shake this feeling I have when I see her with Kuzuryuu… He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Argh…! I should go check up on Tsumiki. I hope Komaeda's not doing worse…" he said out loud as he walked in the direction of the main hospital wing.

Hikari didn't have to go too far to see Fuyuhiko across the pavement sitting on the cliff, his legs dangling off the edge. He was tossing pebbles into the ocean absentmindedly when the Spirit Medium approached. The blond sighed as he dropped another rock in, watching the ripples form before he saw another stone fly into the water right after the one he threw in, causing another wave of ripples to overshadow the previous wave. "What the…" Fuyuhiko muttered, his body tensing up before he whirled to his right to find Hikari standing there with her hands behind her back calmly. "Fuck, Seishin! Were you seriously planning on giving me a fuckin' heart attack!?" he snapped, a hand on his chest as if that would help calm the rapid beating of his heart.

Hikari closed her eyes and smiled guiltily. "Oh…I'm really sorry! I kind of forgot you couldn't see to your right…" She slowly maneuvered herself so that the boy wouldn't peek under her short skirt as she positioned next to his right regardless of her previous comment.

"Tch… You really should be wearing pants or a longer skirt…" Fuyuhiko chastised his female friend, his eye closed and his usual rosy cheeks reddening even more.

Hikari blinked and grinned smugly, leaning closer to him. "Does that mean you saw up my skirt?" Fuyuhiko gawped, his whole face now red as he started to scoot back.

"Hell no! What do you take me for!?"

"I'm kidding!" Hikari giggled, a hand covering her mouth daintily. "You're quite the straight-edge for a Yakuza." Besides, I know your heart belongs to Pekoyama despite her being gone, Kuzuryuu…

"Are you here for something other than annoying the hell out of me?" he grumbled, crossing his arms.

The Spirit Medium fell silent and looked out over the ocean. "You shouldn't be that upset at Monomi for her decision to stay over there. And let me explain my reasoning before you start swearing up a storm," she requested as she put a hand up in her defense, the bespectacled teen seeing Fuyuhiko with his mouth open and ready to argue vehemently. "Even if she was just a stuffed animal, Monomi could still carry the disease on her body and maybe make the disease spread faster... I mean, she is the one who does everyone's laundry. She said so during the last trial. We cannot afford the disease to spread. I mean, that's the main reason why we split into two groups, right? It's best that Monomi stays with the other group and is safe from getting infected."

Fuyuhiko's face twisted with minor agitation, knowing that what Hikari was saying made sense. He sighed heavily and muttered, "Fine. But I'm still pissed that she was nowhere in sight until now. Coward…" Hikari smiled softly, happy that the Gangster appeared to be calming down. What she didn't expect was what he would say next. "Speaking about being upset, are you sure that you're all right? The only other time I've seen you that heated was when you briefly butted heads with Komaeda during the first trial. I think you might've been angrier last night. Was it because Komaeda's condition might have looked like your older sister's before she died? Or is it something else, since you seemed pissed at Hinata…" Hikari felt her face drain of blood, her heart skipping a beat with surprise.

"W-Well…part of it was because Komaeda's deterioriation was similar to Kotone's…" Hikari conceded unwillingly. "I really had a rough time last night…yet I feel much better today. It could be because I let it all out like you wanted me to."

Fuyuhiko nodded. "Understandable. Many people relapse to their previous outlook if they're tryin' to change their mindset. Glad you took my advice." The Spirit Medium slowly relaxed and let her guard down, thinking that was the end of the discussion. She instantly tensed up when the Yakuza asked her another question. "What's the other part?"

"H-Huh…?"

"What's the other part? You said that a part of it was because of Komaeda and your sister," Fuyuhiko remarked. "So…what's the other reason?" He turned to Hikari who sat frozen, her eyes fixed on her hands in her lap.

Wh-What do I do…? Should I tell him? Should I lie? Hikari's thoughts raced in her mind, her trembling hands forming into fists. Maybe it'll be easier to just jump off this cliff…

Fuyuhiko's eyebrows furrowed as he saw the obvious panic etched into her face and grabbed her forearm in the off chance she would make a run for it. "Seishin, you don't have to be scared. I won't tell anyone if you ask me not to. You can tell me anything. You even said that you feel better today due to opening yourself up emotionally last night. Who knows? You might feel better after talking about whatever else is troubling you." The Spirit Medium looked at Fuyuhiko with desperation in her eyes.

"Y-You…promise you won't tell anyone?" she whispered warily.

"Yes, I promise," the Yakuza pledged gravely, making sure to keep an unwavering stare with the worried girl.

"O-Okay…" Hikari said shakily, pushing up her glasses closer to her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she found the courage to tell Fuyuhiko her secret. "I…I…I like Hinata...romantically…" she managed to blurt out, her face beet red. The black-haired girl slowly opened one eye to see Fuyuhiko's reaction since she heard no response from him. Her other eye opened much quicker as she saw Fuyuhiko stared at her with an expressionless look. "Wh-What…? Why are you looking at me like that!?"

"Seriously, Seishin?" the Yakuza sighed heavily. "Before, you sounded as if you were going to tell me something devastating…like you were that traitor Monokuma had been talking about." He let go of Hikari's arm before he leaned back, his arms supporting him from behind.

Hikari blinked, a bit stunned at how unperturbed Fuyuhiko was when she told him. "You're not surprised?"

"Should I be?"

"Uh…well, I never said this to anyone. The only person who knew was Koizumi and she found out about it on her own during Togami's party…" the blushing girl said sheepishly.

"It's kinda obvious that you have feelings for the guy when you two interact sometimes…" he stated casually before he sat up and smacked his forehead angrily. "Shit! And here I was hassling him with you around because he was found with Tsumiki on the bed in the on-call room. No wonder why you were so pissed off last night."

Hikari waved her hands in the air gently. "No, no. Hinata and I talked so everything's okay…"

"So did you tell him your feelings?" Fuyuhiko asked, letting one leg hang off the ledge as he pulled one leg up to his chest and rested his arm on his knee.

Hikari frowned, shifting her body so she faced the ocean again. "N-No…"

"Tch…" her friend clicked his tongue disapprovingly, looking out at the water as well. "Why the hell not?" Hikari was quiet for a few moments before she answered the Yakuza.

"Because I know…" she started to say with a sad smile, "I know that he has feelings for Nanami and…I believe that she likes him too…"

"So what?" Fuyuhiko said challengingly, glancing at her. "Do you know this as fact? Are you even sure that they like each other like that? Did you ask either of them?"

"I don't want any awkwardness to jeopardize the bonds we three made together… I would rather smother my feelings for Hinata than lose both Hinata and Nanami as my friends… Besides, Nanami is way better than I am." She tilted her head so she could see Fuyuhiko out of the corner of her eye. "That…I think…is why I was so mad at Hinata. I thought he was two-timing not just me in terms of trust, but was deceiving Nanami too. I accepted that Hinata would pick Nanami over me. I knew that I'll carry that burden of rejection with a smile as long as those two were happy together. But, if Hinata betrayed her, I would never ever forgive him."

The suit-wearing young man beside Hikari sighed in resignation. "You really don't give yourself credit. You're not that bad of a person, Seishin, despite losing the use of your talent at will. I'm sure it'll come back. It did when Natsumi possessed you. And I know, I know…" he said, it being his turn to hold up his hand to stop Hikari from interrupting him. "You're going to tell me that there's nothin' that I'll say to change your mindset instantly. I won't tell you what to do since it's your life just like how you won't tell me what to do with my life. Though if I were you, I would still tell him if I had the chance, even if I do end up getting rejected. Believe me…I've learned the hard way when it came to that life lesson…" he said somberly as he slowly stood up, dusting the back of his pants off.

Hikari frowned as she watched the Yakuza. I know… You desperately wished you could've manned up and told Pekoyama your feelings sooner… The Spirit Medium closed her eyes gloomily. My situation…is different… Pekoyama and you had mutual feelings for each other… I…am the third wheel in my friendship with Hinata and Nanami.

"C'mon," Fuyuhiko said, holding out his hand, "let's go. I saw Nevermind and Tanaka walking on the bridge with a couple of bags. They're probably dropping off our food. And…" he added when he saw that Hikari didn't move, "I promise I won't tell anyone, alright?"

The girl smiled a bit cheekily when she took his hand for him to pull her to her feet. "You better not. If you do, I could tell everyone about your dairy weakness."

Fuyuhiko's mouth dropped, stunned, before growling at the bold young woman. "The hell you will! You'd be dead before you utter a word, bitch." Once Hikari was on her feet, he instantly let go and started grumbling under his breath, storming back toward the hospital. Hikari wore a self-satisfied look, hands behind her back. She knew that her secret would be safe if she reminded Fuyuhiko that she knew his secret. Hikari's grin disappeared as she thought about the reality of being in their predicament. In a killing game, the more people know about your vulnerabilities, the higher the chance that you will kill or be killed because of those weaknesses…

^o^ ^o^

The Spirit Medium had no idea how she ended up in the situation she was in currently. Hikari tensed up as Monokuma let out his signature laugh, both Akane and Ibuki standing behind the healthy teenaged girl in a dark and empty exam room. I guess it all started with a visit to Akane after everyone had finished taking turns eating outside… Hikari reasoned as she clenched her fists and warily watched the evil bear, recalling what happened just a couple of hours ago.

^o^ ^o^

"How are you feeling, Owari? Did you eat en- What the…?" Hikari blinked when she opened the door to find not just Akane but also Ibuki in the room. "Mioda? Did you wander out of your room again?"

Ibuki turned towards Hikari and nodded honestly. "Yes. I was bored resting all day so I took a walk. I came in Owari's room because I heard crying and wanted to know what the source of the wailing came from." Ibuki pointed at Akane who was bawling her eyes out on the bed and had already finished off three tissue boxes during the time spent at the hospital so far.

Hikari smiled weakly and walked to them. "Owari…what's wrong?" she asked calmingly as the smallest of the three sat down next to the Gymnast, rubbing her back.

"Oh…It's all my fault!" Akane wept, her face wet with tears and snot. "Nidai's gone…because of me!"

Hikari hugged Akane and glanced at Ibuki. "Mioda, can you please grab that tissue box behind you?" The Spirit Medium pulled from the hug and gazed compassionately at the crying young woman. "Nidai's not gone and it's not your fault. Nidai made the choice to save you all on his own. Besides, Monokuma's to blame for all of this. That bear was the one who inflicted that damage."

"B-But…if I didn't fight him…" Akane regretted, choking back sobs. Hikari smiled gratefully at Ibuki once the Musician gave her the box of tissues. "I never got the chance…to…to…a-apologize!"

"You don't need to apologize, Owari," Hikari said gently and handed over some tissues to the distraught teenager.

"I…I…want to...!" Akane howled remorsefully, her voice muffled by the tissues pressing against her face.

"Then, let us go search for him," Ibuki proposed. "If he is still heavily injured…" -Akane cried loudly at the mention of Nekomaru's physical state- "…then he must be somewhere in this institution."

The Spirit Medium sweatdropped, holding up her hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… I really don't think we should. You two still have a fever and need to stay in your rooms." Both girls stared at the bespectacled teenager with straight faces, causing Hikari to feel a bit on edge. I hope they won't think to explore the hospital on their own… And Mioda has been starting to wander out of her room lately…

Akane suddenly took Hikari's hands in her own. "P-Please, Seishin…" the tanned girl sniveled as her hands shook against her pale friend's fingers. "I just...have to see him…" Hikari's mouth twisted as she felt her resolve waver and crumble at the sight of the Gymnast's tearful pleas.

"O-Okay…but only for a little while," Hikari caved in with a heavy sigh. "You two really shouldn't be out of your rooms except to eat and to use the bathroom."

Akane sniffled and gripped Hikari's hands hard. "Th-Thank you s-so much… I wouldn't do this…by myself…"

The black-haired girl smiled weakly, doing her best to hide the throbbing pain in her fingers, and looked at both girls. "When we're out, I want both of you to hold each other's hands so no one would sneak away from the group. Also, you both have to stay close to me, understand?" The Musician saluted with a blank smile and took hold of Akane's right hand as the Gymnast nodded quickly, staying close to Ibuki. Hikari took a deep breath before leading the girls out of Akane's room. Let's hope that we don't find any trouble on the way…

The girls searched in every room on the second floor which were assigned to what appeared to be the hospital's workforce. A whole floor for a missing staff… An on-call room, conference room, offices… I wonder if this place was really busy… Hikari thought as she directed Akane and Ibuki down the stairs. The healthy teen glanced down the hall to the lobby. Hinata is pacing in the lobby and Kuzuryuu seems to be outside again? I did pop my head in Komaeda's room to find Tsumiki is still in there. It should be fine to explore this floor then. She looked back at the girls behind her, relieved that they are still following her conditions of staying close and holding hands. "I believe that this is just a two-story facility so we just have this floor left. After that, we have to go back, okay?" Both Akane and Ibuki nodded, Akane clinging to Ibuki's left arm.

The first floor appeared to be larger than the second floor, the ground level housing patient rooms, an emergency room, an operating room, exam rooms, storage rooms for equipment and medicines, and a blood bank. The only thing in common between the two floors was that both floors were devoid of life.

"Strange…" Hikari murmured when the three teens entered the last room they found on the ground floor. "Nidai isn't anywhere in this building…"

Akane leaned her head back and howled in grief. "He really is gone!"

Hikari turned around and patted the Gymnast's shoulder. "I don't think so… I think we would've been notified if Nidai died… I'm pretty sure that Monokuma would want to see us in misery over the loss of our friend. The fact that Monokuma isn't revealing where Nidai is just shows that Nidai is alive. So don't give up hope, Owari."

"My, my! What a motivating pep talk! I almost barfed all over your back from how sickening sweet it was!" Hikari heard a familiar and unwanted voice in her left ear, feeling a weight on her back.

"Oh, it is Monokuma!" Ibuki pointed out as Akane screeched and cowered behind the Musician.

Hikari spun around swiftly as the stuffed black and white bear jumped from the startled Spirit Medium's back and stood in front of the girls with his creepy visage fixed on them. "You called~?" he asked sinisterly before laughing hysterically.

^o^ ^o^

Hikari bit the inside of her cheek. Maybe searching the hospital alone with two infected people wasn't the smartest idea since Monokuma could show up without warning… "Why are you here? I don't remember calling for you," Hikari said, her arms crossed.

Monokuma tilted his head to the side, a paw to his cheek. "I heard my name and got curious about what you three were doing. Soooo~…why are you here?"

Hikari eyed the bear suspiciously, not sure if she should tell him the truth or not. However, the eccentric Musician chimed in. "We are looking for Nidai Nekomaru so that Owari can apologize to him." Hikari glanced back at Ibuki with an annoyed look before giving herself a facepalm.

No need to spill everything, Mioda… Why does she have to have the Gullible Disease? Hikari mentally complained as Monokuma started laughing again.

"Puhuhuhu! There's no way you can find him here!" he roared in glee. "Though I give you credit for trying!" Just as he stated those words, the bear disappeared into the darkness.

"Really…? That's all he came here for…to taunt us?" Hikari muttered, gritting her teeth in irritation.

"So he must not be here then," Ibuki said obviously, nodding to herself. Akane buried her head in her hands, wallowing in sorrow.

"Oh! Nidai's not here! I'll never be able to apologize to him now!" she shrieked against her palms.

"Mioda, can you lead the way back to your room?" Hikari asked Ibuki calmly once the Spirit Medium wrapped an arm around the distressed Gymnast.

"Okay!" Ibuki answered with a salute and headed off to the main hallway with Hikari and Akane in tow.

Hikari glanced at the brunette and smiled kindly. "I know we couldn't find Nidai today, but I'm sure that he'll come back to us soon. I mean, Kuzuryuu returned so Nidai will too." Akane nodded as a response, the toned young woman unable to verbalize due to constantly choking out sobs. The ebony-haired girl focused straight ahead to make sure they were going in the right direction, her eyes staring at Ibuki's back. Her smile faded as she felt a cloud of gloom hover over them. I just hope I'm right…

^o^ ^o^

*Ding dong, bing bong*

The yellow monitor next to the hallway doors in the hospital lobby turned on like clockwork. "Ahem…" Monokuma began reciting his usual nighttime broadcast. "Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make… It is now 10:00 p.m. Please return to your rooms and relax. Let the sound of the ocean gently rock you to sleep. Now then, sweet dreams everyone. Good niiight…" Hikari, Fuyuhiko, and Hajime quietly watched the screen shut down before they decided to speak.

"Damnit…" the Yakuza grumbled, a hand on his hip. "It feels like…a lot of stuff got skipped over and now it's nighttime already…"

Hikari placed a hand on her other arm with a frown. "Well, we really didn't do too much… We watched over the girls while Tsumiki tended to Komaeda…and that's pretty much it." I'll keep quiet about my time with Owari and Ibuki… Telling the boys about my search for Nidai with the girls might stress them out more than necessary… They're anxious enough as it is…

"It's almost time…for tonight's transmission…" Hajime noted as he looked down at his e-handbook.

"We should go back to our cottages when that's done," Fuyuhiko advised. "It's fuckin' annoying to keep going back and forth, though…"

Hajime glanced at his peers, putting his e-handback in his pocket. "But…before we go back, can we check on Komaeda one more time?" At that point, both boys turned to Hikari for an answer.

She blushed at the sudden attention and glanced at the floor. "I don't care…"

Fuyuhiko walked to the receptionist desk. "Go for it, Hinata. Leave this transmission thing to me. They're not gonna have a new clue anyway. I can handle this." Both Hajime and Hikari sweatdropped, remembering how the Gangster acted during the last transmission. Hajime gave the Spirit Medium a side-glance to which she acknowledged with a small nod.

"Then…I'll leave it to you," Hajime said before he walked out of the lobby. Fuyuhiko stood by the pink monitor, his golden eye staring at it as if the blue light would start blinking on his order. Hikari sat down on one of the seats across the room near the doors that lead outside. It didn't take long before the Yakuza got the signal to turn on the monitor.

Wow... I'm really tired all of a sudden… Hikari thought with a wide yawn, covering her mouth with her hand, eyes closed as Fuyuhiko started the conversation with the others on the monitor's screen. The drowsy girl stood up and stretched her arms before walking over to join the chat.

"So…yeah…sorry about cutting the meeting short earlier…" Fuyuhiko awkwardly apologized to the group at Titty Typhoon.

"Do not worry about it, Kuzuryuu," Sonia said with a small smile. "We are all under much stress lately."

"Has Komaeda gotten any better?" Chiaki asked as Hikari came into view of the camera.

"I don't think so," Hikari replied with a frown. "But…Tsumiki hasn't said that he has gotten worse either. She's been caring for him all day and Hinata just went to check on them."

"Ah, that's why he's not there," Kazuichi observed obviously.

"What about you guys?" Fuyuhiko inquired, crossing his arms. "Have you guys found any clues on how to get rid of this Despair Disease?" Everyone's faces on the other end dropped to somber expressions.

"The panacea of this horrid pestilence is still elusive to my All-Seeing Eye…" Gundham admitted unwillingly, looking frustrated as he looked away from the camera.

"So that's a no…" Fuyuhiko sighed.

"We won't give up no matter what," Chiaki said strongly. "We'll keep looking for a cure or even clues toward a cure. Just take care of everyone over there and keep us informed about Komaeda, okay?"

Hikari nodded. "Sure. I want you all to do the same. We don't want anyone else getting sick." The four teens at the music venue nodded back before they cut the connection.

"They didn't have a new clue, just like I said," Fuyuhiko muttered as Hikari and he went over to the chairs to wait for Hajime.

"But at least they're all healthy," Hikari pointed out optimistically, sitting down next to the Gangster who sighed in exhaustion.

"Yeah…" he agreed before spotting Hajime walk into the lobby. "…Yo, how's Komaeda doing?"

"I'm more worried about Tsumiki than Komaeda…" Hajime disclosed with concern. Hikari looked down at her lap, clenching her fists in annoyance. "She looks like she's had no time to rest…"

Fuyuhiko stood up, frowning. "Komaeda's probably not doing so well…"

"What about you? Are you guys done with the transmission?"

Hikari closed her eyes briefly and pinched her thigh hard in an attempt to steer her mind away from any thoughts that Hajime could like Mikan romantically. The Spirit Medium abruptly stood up. "We just finished a couple of minutes ago."

"Yeah, as I expected…we wrapped it up pretty quickly, like they had nothing new to report…" Fuyuhiko added with a tone of disappointment. "They're apparently trying to find a cure somehow, but there hasn't been any progress."

"So on both our ends…it looks like we had no results," Hajime concluded dismally.

"…Oh well. Let's look forward to tomorrow," the Yakuza said even though his voice didn't seem to believe in his own words, the three teens heading out to their cottages.

Days Left: 10
Survivors: 13