"It seems you didn't do a good job of erasing my memories, Tsumugi."

Rantaro Amami sensed the girl's presence behind him. However quiet she was when she crept up, moving her feet slowly as if stalking her prey, somehow Rantaro knew she was there at this moment. After all, he did spend an entire Killing Game with her...

Tsumugi Shirogane froze instantly after Rantaro's words, holding a heavy shotput ball above her head, in preparation to bash it into the boy's. Her eyes were wide in surprise at first, but then her brows furrowed, unable to comprehend how he noticed her. From her perspective, it looked like Rantaro was simply inspecting a camera stashed away inside one of the library's voluminous bookcases, unprepared for a visitor.

But he knew. He knew she'd show up. If there was one thing about Tsumugi, it was that her show must go on. Now that he had the Survivor Monopad, he knew exactly where her hideout was. And since the time limit for the first killing was approaching, she'd have to prepare her penalty, provided no one killed anyone.

To be honest, Rantaro didn't expect her to kill everyone. That would defeat the purpose of the show. She'd need to frame someone at this point, especially because the murder attempt on his life failed mere seconds ago, a shotput ball falling from the top of the bookcase only a few inches from his skull.

Which meant that he was her target.

But then again, one thing did stand out to him. If she really wanted her show to go off without a hitch, if she really wanted to kill him, then why could he remember everything? Why did he remember the last Killing Game, and all the time he spent with her?

Flashbacks of their final trial entered Rantaro's mind. He remembered their argument when she revealed herself to be the Mastermind. Someone so close to him, simply turning away in the blink of an eye? He couldn't believe it. It was so painful, after everything they've been through together... As they got further through the trial, Rantaro simply couldn't take it anymore. He was the first to volunteer to sacrifice himself to save the others. It was the only way to escape that reality... He didn't realize he'd be forced to participate in another one of these games...

But Tsumugi left all of his memories of these events in tact. He continued to wonder why... It would have been so much easier to simply have him forget everything, to have him participate in this Killing Game at the same level as everyone else... But maybe Tsumugi wanted him to remember... Maybe she couldn't bear to lose the Rantaro she befriended in the last Killing Game, even if it would jeopardize her show... And maybe she's reluctantly standing there behind him, still debating whether or not killing him would be worth it...

Rantaro turned around slowly and gave her a sly smile, yet Tsumugi's devious expression was unwavering.

"I knew you'd show up this entire time. I simply needed to wait for you."

The boy turned, looking down at the failed murder weapon sitting next to him. He chuckled a bit, giving the girl a lighthearted shrug, almost unfazed that had he been a step to the right, he'd be dead by now.

"But, heh, this camera got in my way... Someone tried to kill me with it... And I assume they're headed down here this very minute... You probably know all this, don't you?"

Whoever built that contraption was smart, Rantaro thought. He's seen his share of murders, but this setup allowed the murderer to be remote, provided the positioning was exact. Any normal person would've fallen for it, but he wasn't the Ultimate Survivor for nothing...

Tsumugi gave him a piercing glare, staring at him with her deep blue eyes, still motionless. Rantaro could hear her breathing slowly, and he was certain he was, too, even if he didn't realize it. Her eyes tracked him like a cat's would a mouse, ready to pounce any second.

And, she did. Tsumugi lifted the shotput ball and took a step towards Rantaro. An initial jolt of fear overtook him, but he reminded himself that she didn't really want to kill him. He'd just have to convince her of her own feelings. He raised his hands protectively, a casual smile appearing on his face.

"Whoa, whoa, Tsumugi, think this through. Do you really want to kill me? There's a reason you didn't erase all my memories. I'm sure you know it, too..."

Tsumugi stopped in her tracks, and the anger began melting off her face. She gripped the shotput ball hard, her hand shaking, but she couldn't continue to hold her guise. Discouragement overtook her as if she'd remembered a huge project she'd been procrastinating on.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about..."

Rantaro put his hands down and began pleading with her, his expression changing to a more serious one, akin to that of a counselor.

"Tsumugi, we loved each other. What we built in the last Killing Game... Our relationship... It was special. Having gone through fifty of these Killing Games as the Mastermind, seeing so many people die... You never had the chance to talk to someone like you did with me. Yet the one time you did connect with someone, you turned on them and broke their heart... You made the choice, and you chose the Killing Game over me..."

Tsumugi stared at Rantaro in awe, lowering the shotput ball slowly. It was almost as if the boy reached into her mind, yanked out her feelings, and served them to her on a silver platter. She remained motionless as Rantaro continued speaking.

"But still, you couldn't bear to let me go. So you persisted my memories in the next Killing Game, because you wanted our relationship to persist as well... And believe me, I do too... Even though you betrayed me, I still love you..."

Rantaro gave the girl a genuine smile as he reached out his hand towards her, beckoning her to join him.

"Tsumugi, this isn't the same game as the last one. It's a new beginning for both of us... We can start over, no more secrets. What do you say?"

Tsumugi was still in shock, her expression melting over the course of his speech, but she still displayed some concern. She brought the shotput ball close to her chest and stared at it, inspecting it.

"But... But if I don't kill you right here... the show..."

Rantaro instantly dismissed her, waving his hands and sighing. She needed to stop caring about the show, and start caring about herself. You'd think she'd realize that after fifty seasons...

"What about the show? Tsumugi, it's been fifty three seasons of the same Danganronpa! Don't you think that's getting a little, boring?"

Rantaro gave the girl a smirk, throwing his hands in the air playfully.

"What they really want is, a new type of show. They just don't know it yet."

Rantaro felt like he just committed heresy, but it got the point across nonetheless. Tsumugi stared at him, wide-eyed, contemplating executing him for it.

"A new type of show..."

She then began shaking her head slowly, speaking quietly at first but louder as she continued.

"No, no, no, no... They want Danganronpa... And I'm supposed to be their Junko Enoshima... I... I have to give them what they want..."

Tsumugi's nostrils hesitantly flared up in anger. She hefted the shotput ball yet again and began running towards Rantaro, the weight of the ball slowing her down.

Rantaro, unfazed, looked at her. Tsumugi's attack lost the element of surprise, and plus, physical strength wasn't her forte. He didn't know what she was expecting to do here, but whatever it was, he wasn't going to let her do it.

Rantaro lifted his hands up and grabbed Tsumugi's wrists before the shotput ball could connect with his head. She stopped short, mere inches away from his body. Rantaro stared deeply through Tsumugi's glasses and into her deep blue, wavering eyes, his green ones calm and compassionate. He smiled at her yet again, and he could feel the tension in her body releasing, her face growing less rigid.

"But you're not Junko Enoshima. You're Tsumugi Shirogane. You're the one I fell in love with."

Tsumugi's eyes softened as Rantaro spoke, and she turned away, a slight blush appearing on her face.

"I'm just plain old me, though... Why me... Without this show... Who am I?.."

"Tsumugi, you're more than just the Mastermind. You bring characters to life. Characters that make people sit on the edges of their seats, yearning for more. And not only that... You gave me life as well. I'd never exist without you... Not that I'd want to, anyways... You're perfect just the way you are. You don't need to be anyone else."

Tsumugi was still looking down, staring at the bookcase, as if she was a stranger in her own world. This was definitely new to her, Rantaro thought. Becoming an instant television star from these Killing Games... Pouring her life into them, depriving herself of everything else... She was completely used to people loving her for her work... But what she wasn't used to was loving one of them back... Rantaro released Tsumugi's left arm and gently grasped her chin, turning her face so that it was looking at his again. Tsumugi looked like she was about to cry, her eyes twinkling like the stars Kaito yearned to see.

"Rantaro..."

The boy could see countless emotions swirling in those eyes - love, anger, frustration, happiness, peace, confusion. She was clearly distraught. Rantaro gave her another smile, hoping to ease her transition. She didn't deserve to feel this way.

"Tsumugi, you wanted this encounter, even if it was against what the show was about. So there's no reason to feel conflicted... With someone who spends so much time in the skin of others, and so much time dedicated towards this game... It's about time you did something for yourself for a change. What do you say?"

The girl looked away and began thinking, breathing deeply, her eyes still quivering. After a while, she spoke in a calm, yet distant manner, not bothering to make eye contact. Rantaro could sense a hint of sadness in her voice, as if she was giving up on the world.

"But... Even if I did... None of this is real... This isn't the real you... This is all fiction... There was no reason to carry over your memories... I shouldn't have done it..."

Tsumugi turned back towards Rantaro and strove to continue her attack, despite her numerous failed attempts. She thrust the shotput ball towards his head, but Rantaro was too strong, his hands forcing her arms back. Tsumugi continued to struggle against him in vain, tears beginning to flow down her eyes, dripping onto the floor in a constant melody. A combination of sadness and anger overtook her as she grunted in frustration, her motions not getting her anywhere. Rantaro had a neutral expression on his face the entire time, waiting out her assault.

Eventually, she knew she was beat, and she stopped, catching her breath, looking downwards. She could barely breathe, though, as she was bawling her eyes out, her tears downpouring on both her feet and Rantaro's.

Rantaro remained calm, despite her actions. He released her arms and rested his hands softly on her shoulders. Rantaro could sympathize with her. When Tsumugi revealed to him that the entire Killing Game was staged, and everyone participating in it were fictional characters, Rantaro simply couldn't believe it. To him, the Killing Game and the events that ensued in it were real, but to her, to the one who makes those worlds, the Killing Games were just performances, cruel jokes that forced the participants into Despair while entertaining everyone who watched them.

Danganronpa 52 wasn't that. She never expected to create a fiction so real that she'd fall in love with one of her creations. He understood what she was conflicted about. He contemplated it for a while, too, once he was brought back to life here. He eventually came to the realization that even though this is fiction, this was still his reality. And it was just as real for her. Danganronpa is her life, anyways...

"Fiction can change the world, Tsumugi. And it already has. The reason you let me keep my memories... Is because you, as a person, wanted this to be real. You wanted to keep me around. You wanted our relationship to last. But even though your heart told you it was real, your head kept telling you it was fake. And you eventually believed that and turned on me. But the truth is that it isn't fake. It's just about as real as everything else."

Tsumugi looked back up at him, still sniffling. He ran his left hand through her hair, pushing her long, blue locks behind her ear. Her two sapphire eyes looked calmer now, after she released the emotions trapped inside her, a heavy weight off her chest. They stood there for a few seconds, and nervousness began to overtake Rantaro, considering they've been here for so long... He didn't know what would happen if they were seen together in here... Especially because Tsumugi was the Mastermind that everyone else wanted to kill... If he was going to survive this game, then she was, too... He needed to protect her...

Rantaro brought up his original question, lifting his hands in the air as if an officer was pointing a gun at him.

"I'm sure they'll be here any second, now... So, what's it gonna be? I won't fight back this time."

Tsumugi looked towards the doorway, and then back at Rantaro, stray tears still dripping down her face. She stared at him with a more determined expression than before. The boy gave her a compassionate smile, which made her smirk contagiously.

But that smirk didn't last long, as she gripped the shotput ball harder and began lifting it for the final time, bringing it above her shoulders, like a judge raising their gavel. Her deep blue eyes wavered as she held it there for a few seconds.

Suddenly, Rantaro heard the soft sounds of footsteps from outside the library entrance. Their eyes instinctively flicked in that direction. A slightly sinking feeling bubbled up inside of Rantaro. Things weren't looking very optimistic at this point...

Yet, at the last possible second, Tsumugi lowered the ball and started bolting towards her hideout, her free hand grabbing Rantaro's arm to lead him there as well. Rantaro followed as fast as he could, pure shock overtaking his feeling of imminent dread. When they were both safely inside, Tsumugi slammed the door shut behind them.

What came next felt entirely natural to Rantaro. Impulsively, he grabbed Tsumugi's shoulders and turned her around, thrusting her back towards the closed door. Tsumugi hastily rolled the shotput ball onto the floor with a thud, the sound comparable to her pounding heart, and went along with Rantaro, moving her face closer to his. Rantaro closed his eyes and pressed his lips against hers, leaning Tsumugi against the door. A few seconds went by in complete silence, neither of them letting the Killing Game or anything else get in the way of their embrace.

At this point, the two who set the trap for the Mastermind burst into the library. The footsteps of Kaede Akamatsu and Shuichi Saihara grew louder as they got closer to the door, echoing throughout the room.

Rantaro released their kiss and stared at Tsumugi with a grin. She smiled widely at him in return. Rantaro knew that wasn't an act; she looked genuinely happy for once. She deserves this, Rantaro thought... They both deserved this... The two of them continued to look into each others' eyes as they listened to the students outside their door.

"There's no one here... We didn't catch them..."

A dejected look appeared on Shuichi's face as he saw the tall, center bookcase closing. Kaede was quick to cheer him up, however.

"Shuichi, don't worry! I'm sure the cameras took a bunch of pictures. We'll find out who the Mastermind is, together."

"Ah, the pictures... You're right..."

Kaede and Shuichi began enthusiastically collecting the cameras in the area. Unfortunately, Rantaro knew that he was clearly shown in more than one of them... He chuckled and shook his head playfully at Tsumugi. It would be difficult, but he knew that somehow they'd make it out of this mess, now that they were together. All they had to do was figure out how.

"I wonder how we're gonna weasel our way out of this one..."