Tsumugi waved soullessly as the Academy collapsed around her, K1-B0's lasers destroying everything she worked for. She didn't know exactly what to feel, everything had gone according to script, just for it all to get flipped on her head.
She chose to go out just like Junko did in the first killing game, cosplaying as she waved to the audience, well, if anyone was still watching, that is. As more and more debris fell around her, Tsumugi ditched the cosplay, feeling a sense of danger from above as the sounds of rocks falling from above played in her ears.
She stepped back, and then only saw darkness.
***
Shuichi slowly climbed out of a pile of rocks. Assisted by Maki, he helped to pull out Himiko. The trio observed the surroundings, noting the large hole in the dome and how the set they were in seemed to be seemingly collapsing. "We need to go." Said Maki, already starting to take off, Himiko in tow.
"Y-Yeah.. I'll.. be right with you guys." They exchanged conversation about what exactly is out there, and what the future held for them. As the other two left, Shuichi chose to stay for a moment, observing the debris and the collapsed school before him. He remembered the tragedies he suffered and the challenges and obstacles they faced, but he emphasized to himself the will to create a new future.
Suddenly, he heard some rustling. It was from a pile of rocks in the distance, as some of the rocks shuffled slightly. Shuichi rushed over to the rocks, using all his strength to help push the top rock off. He was greeted with a.. surprising sight.
He saw Tsumugi, coughing loudly as she shakily reached for her broken glasses, putting them on to get a better view of the boy standing above her. "I-Oh.. h-hey Shuichi.. I see you came back for me.." She said weakly as she extended a hand up to him. "T-Tsumugi? Uh.." Shuichi didn't know what to feel. Hate? Sympathy? Disgust? Many feelings flooded Shuichi's mind, however he impulsively took Tsumugi's hand, pulling her up.
"H-Hah.. t-thank.. you.." Tsumugi said as her eyes closed, her body fainting and collapsing forward into Shuichi's. He stared down at the unconscious girl in his arms, her weight almost making him fall too. Tsumugi.. didn't look the best, to say the least. She had cuts and bruises all over her body, her glasses looked like they got shot through, and her hair was all dusty and disorganized.
Realizing her unstable condition, he quickly had her leaning onto his shoulder and then dragged both of them out of the dome, as he took the first steps to a new world.
***
Tsumugi's eyes flashed open, she was looking up at the ceiling, hearing the faint sound of beeping next to her. As she looked down, Tsumugi realized she was lying in a hospital bed. She then suddenly felt the pain of her wounds rush to her, causing her to grab her stomach as she reached for her glasses and put them on, the spectacles seemingly having been fixed for her. She blinked a few times, her vision still disoriented as her mind recollected itself. Tsumugi was confused, was she alive? Is this hell? How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was being crushed by a group of rocks, laying underneath them for a few minutes, and then seeing a bright light appear above her.
She looked to her left, giving her a surprising sight. Shuichi was asleep in a chair next to her bed, a small line of drool running down his face. Tsumugi's head filled with more questions, why was he here? He should hate her for what she did, and yet it seemed like he was watching over her. She painfully sat up in her bed, reaching her hand out to Shuichi and poking his nose. "Boop!" Tsumugi giggled as she kept poking him. "Mmh.. Huh..?" Shuichi's eyes slowly opened as he woke up from the poking.
He looked at her, blushing slightly at her touching as he wiped the drool off his face. "Hey.. Tsumugi.. uhm.." An awkward tension filled the air as they both looked at eachother. Eventually, Tsumugi broke the silence. "What.. happened?" She asked him, still confused about the events that transpired. "O-Oh, uh.. you got trapped in a bunch of rubble, and I saw some movement so.. I came over and pulled you out." Shuichi explained to her. "You.. saved me? Why? I wouldn't think you would consider me worthy enough to live." Tsumugi said the last line half sarcastically.
"I.." Shuichi seemed unsure on how to respond, "Even after everything, I don't know, it wouldn't feel right for me to just knowingly leave you to die." He himself seemed uneasy about his own response. "It's not like you are going to become a mastermind again, especially since Danganronpa is over." His words disheartened Tsumugi, "O-Over? It can't be over..! I-I put my life's work into Danganronpa!" She replied in a tired voice. Shuichi seemed slightly annoyed as he replied, "Are you.. do you seriously still want to work for Danganronpa, and be a mastermind again?" Tsumugi looked annoyed herself at his distaste towards the show.
"Yeah.. of course I do, I enjoyed every part of it.. it was fun. " She answered while crossing her arms. "Y-You killed Rantaro.. you were responsible for this whole tragic event.. I don't.. get you.." Shuichi seemed distraught and tired from her attitude. "You don't need to get me, Shuichi. You saved me, after all." The two looked at each other in silence, neither sure of how to continue this uncomfortable confrontation. "Shuichi, why are you here?" Tsumugi asked suddenly. "I mean, there must be a reason you chose to watch over me instead of continuing on with your new life, right?" A small smirk curled on her lips as she remembered a subtle detail she added to his character when writing him.
Shuichi was stunned by her question, unable to formulate a response as he looked down. "I.. I just wanted to make sure you were ok.. because I felt it was the right thing to do, even if you were the mastermind." He says in a slightly quiet voice. "Because it was the right thing to do, hm? You can say that, but considering how much you hated me, I don't think doing the "right thing" is enough of a motivator for you." Tsumugi teases him as her smirk grows. "F-Fine.. we used to be friends before everything, I mean, you comforted me after Kaede's death.. and you were always so nice.." Shuichi looks up at her. "I guess a small part of me.. wants that back." Shuichi blushed as he spoke.
"You still want to be friends with me..? Even after I manipulated you and your friends?" Tsumugi says in a curious voice. "N-No.. I said a small part, not that I actually wa-" Tsumugi cut him off. "But you admit that you, even if just a small part, still wants to be close to me?" Shuichi looked down, avoiding her questioning gaze. "Y-Yeah.. if you want to see it that way.." He sheepishly replied. Tsumugi had a smirk on her face as she reached out to his face again, rubbing his chin. "W-What are you doing..?" Shuichi's face reddened, however he didn't move away or try to stop her. "I'm.. just testing.." "T-Testing what..?" "Testing.. you.." Tsumugi moved her hand up to his cheek, softly cupping it as she rubbed it.
Shuichi felt frozen as he blushed more, instinctively leaning into her hand. "I.. uhm.." His voice stuttered. Tsumugi pulled her hand away back to her side as she giggled. "Did you like that, Shuichi?" She teased. Shuichi didn't respond for a few seconds as he looked to the side. "Y-Yeah.." He said quietly before speaking up. "I.. I'll let you rest, Tsumugi.. I guess I'll see you tomorrow.. or uhm.. whenever I come back." He quickly stood up, quickly walking out of the hospital room as Tsumugi watched and smirked. "Ah.. he's adorable.." She said to herself as she laid back in her bed, wincing at the pain from moving.
***
Tsumugi would spend the next few days recovering, Shuichi would come by everyday, visiting her and making small conversation. She enjoyed his visits, it gave her someone to talk to and his presence was enjoyable. Shuichi learned to handle her infatuation with Danganronpa, only bringing up the topic when he wanted to remember something. For Tsumugi, her condition would soon improve, allowing her body to function normally, the pain she felt from moving beforehand having gone away.
Tsumugi slowly got out of bed, her legs shakily managing to stand up as she stretched them. Shuichi watched her, having a slight smile. "Ah.. there we go..!" Tsumugi said happily as she walked over to Shuichi. "Well, I guess I'm good to go now, my legs are.. fine now.. I think." She tilted her head. "Y-Yeah.. it's good to see you feel fine now.." Shuichi stands up, tilting his head up at her. Tsumugi suddenly leaned forward, hugging Shuichi tightly as she rubs his head. "Ah.. T-Tsumugi.." Shuichi's face instantly blushed as he hugged her back.
"Shuichi.. thank you for being with me.. even after everything." She squeezed him tighter, leaning down slightly and planting a soft kiss in his hair. They held each other for a minute, only stopping as Tsumugi pulled away. "Well, let's go, shall we?" She smiled. "We both have lives to live, now." Tsumugi said as she slipped her hand onto his, squeezing it tightly. "Y-Yeah.. let's go.." He smiled and blushed as he looked up at her.
"Oh, and, for looking over me.." Tsumugi leaned down, softly pushing her lips into Shuichi's as she kissed him, squeezing his hand tightly. "Mhm.. Tsumugi.. I.." Shuichi leaned back up into her lips. "I.. I love you.." He said in a shy and quiet voice, kissing her back. "I love you too.. Shuichi.." Tsumugi held the kiss for a little longer, before pulling away and licking her lips. "Mmh.. That was nice, we should do that more often." She said in a teasing and gentle voice. "We.. uh.. yeah.. we should.." Shuichi replied in a shy voice, breathing a bit heavily.
They looked into each other's eyes with a mutual smile. Tsumugi squeezed his hand as she turned to the door, leading both of them out of the hospital room and into their new lives.
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