✧ Chapter 41 ✧
[ No Breath Can Be Taken ]
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[ Shuichi's PoV ]

A blur.

That's all it ever was..

As Kokichi and I were dragged away.. everything seemed to pass by in a flash of light. My thoughts. My feelings. My memories. Was this what it was like to die? To see your life flashing before your eyes as you stare at the dark blue sky?

The journey to the Hospital was a long one, but Kokichi never lost his grip on my hand. We were forced into a small truck, with tinted black windows and a small space to fit two people at the back. Monokuma sat in front beside an unknown driver, seemingly excited about the prospect of driving to our demise.

While we were dragged away by the Beast, Monokuma, had tied Kokichi and my hands together. When I questioned the bear about it... he stated that it was for a purpose.

"I don't like the sound of that purpose," Ouma muttered to me while we were in the truck, "Whatever it is, he's hiding something. He lied. And I hate liars."

During the whole journey, Ouma's personality seemed to have become cold and he looked slightly paler than usual. As if everything he had planned did not go the way he had hoped it would. He kept scratching his arm, running his fingers across the skin as if out of habit.

I could feel his hand trembling with either shock, or the fact that Rantaro's blood was still trapped under his short nails. He was so quiet, I couldn't help but worry about him. But I didn't know what to say, or how to comfort him. I couldn't even comfort myself.. I was so lost in my own thoughts, that I didn't realise that he broke the silence, "Thank you, Shumai.. for.. y'know. Trusting me."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him, "Shumai? Since when do you call me that?" I chuckled, as Kokichi seemed to relax. Maybe if I don't show how afraid I am.. would that help him?

"I dunno," he sighed, leaning against the backrest, "That's a nickname I just thought about. Why? Don't you like it?" he started to smirk, but I shook my head. "You can call me whatever you want, Ouma."

He sniffled before suddenly giggling. "I'm not crying, if that's what you're wondering.."

Even though he looked happy, that statement sounded half hearted, as if he didn't seem to have the energy anymore. I didn't know how to react to this Ouma. This strange personality of his. It was as if the realisation of Rantaro's betrayal had broke him; turned him into something else.

Ignoring the ache in my heart, I pulled him in for a kiss, realising that I had never felt love in such a long time.

Even Kokichi seemed surprised.. by what? I don't know. Maybe I had held in all the affection I had for him for too long. I didn't fall in love the moment I saw him. But I also didn't fall in love the moment I kissed him a mere hour ago.

I fell in love the moment I started to realise how much he cared. Even though he chose not to show it. We held the kiss for a moment, before slowly pulling away. His face was flushed with red as he ran his hand across his arm.

I glanced at the gesture, noticing that strange scar he had.. but I turned my attention away from it as soon as Ouma spoke up once more.

"Hey Saihara-chan, are you okay?" I heard the other boy ask over the sound of the engine. "You've been quiet about your feelings y'know?"

I paused, realising that he was now staring at me with a look of concern, his face still tinted with a faint blush. "Don't get me wrong," he giggled, "I love your kisses. But you're being clingy and I don't like that."

I caught the lie and rolled my eyes, "Yeah right, you're lying again. You like me being clingy."

Kokichi grinned and leaned against my shoulder, watching the black windows lighting up every now and then. "If the Reverse Serum does take our memories away.." he began to say as I focused on his slightly trembling hand, "I don't want to forget you, Saihara-chan.."

I stared at the roof of the van, focusing on his words. He didn't want to forget me? Did he know more about the Hospital and the Serum more than he let on? "I.. don't want to forget you too, Ouma." I murmured.

We had a reason to be afraid, after all. The Hospital was like a death sentence.

"Which is why," the other boy suddenly leapt up, making our hands swing together, "Ow!" we yelped, "Jeez, Ouma," I groaned, using my left hand to rub our wrists as I pulled him to sit beside me once more. "Be more careful next time, we're in a moving vehicle for God's sake.."

"Sorry," he whispered, but he smirked while apologising so I wasn't sure if he meant it or not, "Anyway, I have a plan. It's about those glass partitions that separate the rooms, maybe we can try to remind each other about ourselves by using gestures and sign language. I'm betting that the walls are soundproof."

"Wait- what?" I asked, feeling slightly confused as Kokichi huffed impatiently. He sounded frustrated as the van rolled to a stop, with Monokuma giving out instructions to someone outside. Kokichi turned to me, rushing on.

"The hospital has many many rooms, hundreds, in fact. But each room has a glass partition in the middle. With a bed on each side."

Monokuma threw open the doors and pulled at our chains, but I didn't lose my grip on Ouma's hand as he continued to talk.

"First, they lock you and the other person into the rooms. Then the doctors pick who gets to receive the Serum first. When they've decided, they'll inject the chosen patient with it."

"Secondly, the person who didn't receive the Serum will have to watch the other start to lose their memories.. the effects are slow. Just a warning."

"Thirdly, when the person finishes with their memory wipe, they're labeled as a Empty— in my own words, of course — and marked with a Monokuma symbol by their necks-."

"Are you done talking?" Monokuma sighed, sounding bored as he stopped strolling. "Man, you're such a chatterbox, Mr Panta."

"That's a splendid nickname for me, Mr Monokuma!" Kokichi grinned, breaking out of his seriousness for a moment, "I'm not done explaining what's going to happen. But hey, Momokuma, you heard me, right?"

The bear scowled, which looked difficult to do, since half his face was.. split in half, "Well yeah I heard ya. You just rambled on and on without stopping! What do ya want?"

"Saihara-chan looks like he doesn't believe me.." Kokichi gestured to me, looking slightly hurt, "I'm sad.. after all, you're supposed to trust me, Mister Detective."

"Yeah yeah, whatever he said was true, if that's what cha implyin, ya little liar," Monokuma grumbled, "I cant wait to throw you two into yer rooms and watch you suffer."

So.. he wasn't lying. But how did he know all this information? How could he say it with so much confidence?

"Wait, Ouma.. how do you know what's going to happen?" I asked quickly. A sudden quietness fell upon us the moment Monokuma opened a door to a hallway. The hallway of the Heartbreak Hospital.

Everything seemed normal, a reception counter and many rows of unoccupied chairs. However, the windows were lined with heavy plated metal plates with bolts to keep them in place. Overkill.

There was no natural sunlight, but instead, the room was illuminated by large fluorescent lights overhead. Giving it an unpleasant feeling of a unnatural room.

Kokichi didn't seem to hear me as Monokuma dragged us both towards a door. We were still wearing our school uniforms, of course. However, it seemed rather out of place at a hospital. I decided not to dwell on that at the moment.

Kokichi continued to hold my already sweaty palm, even as Monokuma led the way to a elevator. "Going up." a female voice said through the speakers as the bear pressed the button.

I didn't know which was scarier, the fact that a plush robot could operate an elevator or the fact that the lobby seemed deserted.

"There's only one way." I noted the single gold button, at the side of the wall. I just wanted to break the silence, even if it meant saying something so obvious.

"Yep! Wow, you're very observant." Monokuma replied sarcastically as I saw Kokichi raise his eyes to the ceiling.

"To answer your question.." the purple haired boy suddenly whispered as Monokuma hummed a song under his breath. "You know my talent, don't you?"

I frowned, unsure if he was talking to me, "Of course.. you're the Ultimate Supreme Leader."

Kokichi grinned and continued speaking softly, almost to a point where I had to bend down to listen to him, "Yep! And as a evil Supreme Leader, I have to know tons of tricks. I don't need to be a computer whiz or a locksmith to know how to hack into things. Such as Keeboy's forbidden box."

I was about to ask a question when Kokichi used his right hand and pressed a finger to my lips, nodding to Monokuma who had his back turned. "I discovered that silly 'Do Not Touch' box ages ago, hidden amongst Keeboy's gadgets. I found out how the Serums were made. How the system is run."

"But the Mastermind?" I asked just as quietly. Ouma's lilac purple eyes flicked upwards, to a number indicated at the top of the elevator. Level 41.

"Not yet. It just states the technicalities of the equipment used.. and.." he suddenly looked annoyed, upset even. He seemed like he was being truthful a lot, which was a surprise. Maybe he was tired of lying. Was that even possible?

As I was thinking, I didn't realise that Ouma had not finished his sentence.

"If Keebo had those notes in that box. He too, was a Monokuma Traitor."

♥ End of Chapter Forty-One ♥