Sooooooooo, I'm back after two stressful weeks of exams with another chapter, hopefully of a decent standard..? To be honest with you, I was relaxing yesterday just casually on YouTube when I realised that I had a chapter to write, so.. oops! I'd tell you how my exams went but you probably just want the juicy conclusion to the cliffhanger I left you on for two weeks. If you do wanna know, then pop me a message. About popping me a message, I'm going to try and get in contact with all the artists that I've left hanging, but if you haven't heard by me by the end of Thursday, then help me out and send me another one. Thanks and I hope you like this chapter!

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At the sound of those words, three very distinct different realisations hit the assassin at the same time.

1)    Shuichi sounded absolutely terrified. There was a fear in his eyes that could only have been created as if he was glaring into the eyes of a monster, a creature of nightmares... or even a ruthless tyrant...

2)    The detective had forgotten everything, it wasn't like his memory was blotchy; like he was simply forgetting a few distinct and important details. No, this was completely different, Shuichi seemed persistent with his one idea, with his one belief, and it was clear to see that he believed in it with his entire soul. 

3)    And finally, the final realisation. He looked... cold. Maki recognised that look, that glare of anger and resentment, but with nothing else. Shuichi was blank and broken behind his beautiful golden eyes, which weren't shining their potent yellow colour anymore; instead what laid there was a dull metallic grey, which shadowed one of a machine that had chiselled down due to days and days of repetitive intense pressure and overworking.

Those three thoughts were clear as day, Maki found herself unable to move.

Kokichi's entire body was shuddering as if a lighting bolt had struck don his spine, creating a haunting chill. As he clutched his knees with his shaking hands, he bit harshly down on his lip, hating how his pale and thin hands trembled all the way along from his fingertips to the very bottom of his wrists.

The words that Shuichi had spoken were so simple and plain.. but they caused him to fall to the floor in a crippling amount of pain. Kokichi could feel a burning in his chest so powerful that his heart might well have been on fire, burning and starving him.

Still, Kokichi slowly moved backwards against the wall and hauled himself up off the ground, travelling his hands up against the wall behind him as he moved, to make sure that he didn't lose his balance and slip back down. If that happened, he knew that he didn't have enough strength to pull himself up again.

"You're being stupid Shuichi, I'm not dead, lookie here!~" He choked on his tears as he blurted the sentence out desperately pushing away the reality he wanted nothing to do with, but knew that that was the one he was going to have to face eventually.

The detective wasn't having any of this, he furrowed his eyebrows and glared down at the smaller boy, flaring his nostrils with the pure feeling of anger that was coursing through his veins. "How.. How'd you do it then? I've been trying to wrap my head around it ever since my eyes set of you, and I can't work it out. Can you not play anymore games and blatantly tell me how you survived that hydraulic press?"

Matenrou0907 What can I say about this.. well for one, OH MY GOD! It's so good, they're so talented, right? All the details are absolutely perfect, especially with Shuichi's expressions and Kokichi's as well. The shadows and the bandages as well, they're all perfect. Thank you so much!
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His sentence was formal and blunt, there was no love or passion tracing his words or rolling off his tongue, there was only frustration and exhaustion. Previously Kokichi had heard Shuichi mention how often he was lied to, especially early on when they had met, he especially remembered the times where Shuichi echoed the exact tone of voice he was using now when talking about the version of him from the other game's traits.

But still, he decided to play it like the liar this version of Shuichi knew him to be, maybe this way, he could extract some information that the detective had previously never let escape his lips.

"Nishishi~ For a detective, you're being dumb right now, you couldn't figure it out? Mannnnnn, I'm super disappointed in you Shuichi!"

By the way Shuichi reached forward to pull himself to the edge of the bed, pushing his glance straight to the floor as his fair fell lifelessly downwards covering his face, it seemed that those words had most definitely struck a nerve.

"I never thought you were truly a monster before now, I thought that you were coping with the killing game in your own way, despite how you messed with us all, I could.. I could understand that! Even when you called yourself the mastermind, I understood that as well, somehow.." Shuichi began to tap the sides of the bed-frame with his index finger over and over again, each time hitting the frame with a small 'twang', "But in the end, this was all a game to you, wasn't it? So tell me Kokichi, Kaito died for nothing, didn't he? You sacrificed him without a strain on your conscience like a pawn, just like you did with Gonta."

The liar's face faltered as he heard those poison-tipped words slip so innocently out of the detective's mouth.. before he could reply back however, Maki intervened and finally took a few steps forward, presenting herself more prominently than before. "Shuichi, what you're remembering isn't right for this game.. Kaito is still alive, as well as and Gonta and Kirum-"

Nekonaj drew this one and the one above it, they're soooo cute, aren't they just? Maki is absolutely perfect and so is Shuichi, everything is just perfect with this!

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"If they're still alive, then is everyone else as well..?" Shuichi questioned, scrambling down to put both his feet firmly to floor, getting ready to stand up, "I want to see Kaede then, where is she?"

Maki shook her head in order to signal that the answer was no, because she wasn't able to tell Shuichi that Kaede was dead.. he looked excitement and full of hope; plus she had become attached to him lately.

"B-But.." the detective stammered, clenching his fists as he forced himself up from the bed, only to lose his balance completely and flop back weakly down, "Why is Kaede dead.. and why is he still alive..? I don't understand, I just can't.." His hands were now scraping and tapping anxiously against the sides of his skull.

Kokichi hated seeing this, but what could he do..?

Put bluntly, there was nothing. 

His feet moved on their own as he found himself wandering over to the bed where Shuichi was sitting back down. "Kaede is dead Shuichi, you're just going to have to get over that."

That sentence made the atmosphere of the room tense and uncomfortable and with good reason as well. Even Kokichi himself had no idea how he had managed to make himself sound so cold with that statement; maybe he was getting too good at pretending to be the version of himself that Shuichi hated so much.

Shuichi shuffled away from him, glaring over his shoulder with a disgusted look, "Why you? Why are you alive and not her..?!"

"Nishishi~ You think I like any part of this game? Before I was kidding, but you really are stupid, maybe even just as stupid as Gonta." He let out a small bundle of laughter, "You've saved me too many times to count, it's your fault that I'm alive and that's the bottom line. Believe it or not but you're not just another person to me. You're not allowed to forget me! I-I stole your heart, remember?~"

maxisntsatan did this bundle of cuteness. I actually really love the colour scheme that they've chosen because the only thing that's in colour is a tear.. ahh god. Strikes the heart strings right there. Big oof..

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Shuichi's look saddened as he noticed the unusual emotional appearance on the other's face. But there was an even weirder fact; he did remember Kokichi stealing his heart and he remembered staring out at a beautiful school view with him at his side.

But were those memories fact or fiction?

JocelynDraw13 adorable. Why and how is everything you guys draw completely adorable? Like this is exactly how I imagined it in my head.. thank you so much for this!

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The detective flinched as he felt something on top of his hand and instantly stared down at it, noticing a pale hand on top of his, the distinct purple nails confirming who it was. For some reason though.. it didn't feel odd, if anything it felt like it was meant to be.

MoaThorup did this drawing and awe. That's simply all that I can say. I can't not love any drawing that includes Kokichi with purple nails, that's basically my headcanon.

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Maybe it wasn't a lie afterall..?

And if it wasn't, he needed to get his memories back as soon as possible..

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Also thank you so much for making this book #1 in Danganronpa! That's amazing!

Thank you Diamond_Violet :)