A/N (Because this deserves a special announcement)

*hit pause* ALRIGHT. I've got some amazing fan art right here! This was made by Sunsetlover34
💕🌸 I LOVE THE COLOURING AND SHADING AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING FOR THIS.

I literally teared up when I saw this because AAAAA. I REALLY LOVE IT TO DEATH!!  THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! i think i should be arrested by the amount of love i'm giving to you.

LOOKS LIKE you shall be forever immortalised as long as this book lives, my friend :)

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P.S. More 'thank yous' will be published at the end of this book, along with some extra scenes and bonus 'alternate' chapters. :) Stay tuned 💕

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✧ Chapter 60 ✧
[ This Life Had Ended ]
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[ Shuichi's PoV ]

Kaito dropped Ouma to the ground, the shorter teenager hitting the floor with a loud thump. My heart ached, watching the two helplessly as the chain around my neck restricted my movements. I could only watch, straining against the force that was pulling me back.

However, despite our distance, Kokichi's eyes were fixed on mine, his gaze unfocused slightly before he seemed to fall asleep. He couldn't be dead- he was just injected with the Regain serum.. I couldn't risk my chance to at least hold him again.

I strained forward again, tears pricking in my eyes as the pain around my neck tightened. Grabbing hold of the chain which was weighing me down, I used my strength to pull against it.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Ignoring Kaito's shout, I gave the chain a sharper pull, making the metal links break. At the same time, I felt a rush of anger.

How could he dare to hurt Ouma like that..

How could I have let it happen-?!

I'm not going to leave you alone like that.. never again..

I found myself standing before Kaito, my fist hitting him across his cheek. His eyes were wide open with surprise, as if he were stunned. My arm swung back before bringing it down to his face once more.

But he recovered quickly, grabbing my clenched fist and kicking me backwards.

"You.. you actually dare-." he trailed off when a shadow walked up to me and the figure stood by my side. I turned my head up to see..

"Maki.?" I managed to say as the girl ignored me, her blood-red irises fixed on Kaito's amused yet uneasy expression.

"You can't seem to leave me alone, can you, Harumaki?"

Instead of answering him, she pulled out two daggers, the blades glinting. The assassin appeared to have healed form her previous injuries, but a pale, healing scar across her eye caught my attention.

There was blood on the side of her body as well, but she didn't seem to be acknowledging it.

"Go help Ouma," she readied her weapons as Kaito sighed, as if disappointed by her words. "I'll handle Momota."

"I must confess, dear Maki Roll.. I'm no match for you.." He spun a knife in his hand, readying the weapon towards the both of us.

"Shuichi, go. Now."

Holding the side of my neck, I stumbled forward, wanting to get to Ouma's side as quickly as I could. He was still lying on the floor, but at least the rise and fall of his chest proved he was alive.

"Don't you dare take another step!" Kaito pointed the knife towards me but I ignored him, continuing to stumble over to Kokichi. If I could remember, the Regain serum would take minutes to begin its effect..

"That's it.." the Monokuma Traitor rushed towards me but his knife was intercepted by Maki's double daggers. She forced him away from me and slashed at his arm, making him step backwards.

"Hey Maki Roll," he smiled slyly, dodging her hesitant blades, "I see that you don't want to hurt me.."

The girl didn't reply, she just kept on drawing him further away from Ouma and I. Her concentration was on him, as she attacked him over and over again. But she seemed to be holding back.

By the time I got to where Kokichi was lying, I had collapsed to my knees from exhaustion. After days, no, weeks, of waiting for him, enduring the pain and torture, he was finally in my arms..

"Ouma.. please just wake up. I'm here.." I didn't care if my tears were streaming down my cheeks, all I wanted was for the boy I loved to wake up.

On his neck, was a tiny pinprick where Kaito had plunged the needle in. My trembling fingers wiped away the small drop of blood.

This wasn't a fairytale, where the loved ones wake up with a simple kiss on the lips. This wasn't fiction, where a person would wake up just because the other begged them to.

This wasn't anything.. but reality.

"Please.. wake up.."

"Please.!"

Something I've come to accept. I despised reality, but I had no choice but to accept it as well. Since there was nothing I could do. Life goes on, even if you tried to ignore it.

But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt to try.

His expression was peaceful, despite the bruise on his cheek and his slightly parted lips. He was a person I couldn't help but fall in love with his childish personality.

As someone who loved solving crimes and finding solutions to puzzles, his personality intrigued me. I hated falling in love..

But he was the one who changed me.

I leaned down and pulled him in for a kiss, hoping with all my heart he would-

I heard a small gasp from the body before me. Along with a sudden sharp pain on my forehead as Kokichi hit his head against mine.

"Ow!" I yelped, a hand to my forehead as he groaned.

"Ugh.. must you seriously hit me that hard to wake me up?"

His voice.

His voice came back to me. I stared at the purple eyed boy in front of me, and gripped his hands.

"Kokichi?" I managed to whisper as the boy fixed me with his stunned expression. Nothing happened.. he just stared. He was here. He was awake, but I just wasn't sure if his soul was in him.

"Please.." I continued to whisper, my voice trembling, "Say something.."

A loud laugh made me flinch, and turn to see Kaito. He was on the ground his hands raised. There were was nasty cut across his arm, but he seemed to be ignoring the wound even as blood pooled beneath him.

Maki planted her foot on his chest, "..." regarding him with a stony expression. From this distance, I could see her knife trembling as she faced him.

"Poor Shuichi.." Kaito sighed, turning his head slightly to smirk at me as Kokichi closed his eyes. "You really don't remember how your serums work. I actually pity you.."

He then focused his gaze to Maki, a smile on his face as she hid her expression with the shadows of her hair. A gesture which Kokichi always did whenever he was thinking or hiding his true feelings.

"Come on now Maki.. don't you see? You're fighting a losing battle here."

"Outside, your little Remnant friends fall one by one, just as Kamukura predicted.. his predictions are never wrong, you see."

"Hajime is fighting for someone he doesn't even remember. Rantaro and Kaede could have been such a great couple if it wasn't for Saihara and Ouma's meddling."

"The world would have been a better place if they didn't start this meaningless project to get rid of Love."

"Maki, please.. don't listen to him!" I managed to whisper but of course, she couldn't hear me. In my arms, Kokichi relaxed once more, falling into a deep sleep. He must be exhausted.. but I needed him..

I couldn't do this alone!

Kaito smiled triumphantly as Maki held out a hand, tears streaming down her face as she helped him up. Dread filled my body as the two stood together, their hands clasped tightly.

Kokichi muttered something like a warning, his eyes still closed even as he lay in my arms.

I was alone..

Maki had turned against us and Kokichi was probably in pain.

And Kaito.? Where was the real Kaito?

Somewhere behind those cruel magenta eyes? Or long gone?

"I'm sorry, alright?!" I shouted, my face starting to burn as my vision blurred.

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen.. all I wanted was Kokichi.. he was with me. I.. I was too blinded by my own life that I didn't see he was right in front of me.."

The words poured from my mind as I rushed on.

"All I wanted was Ouma.. that's all I needed. Don't you know how painful it is to keep falling in love, getting rejected over and over again?"

The anger inside me burned as I raged on, fresh tears streaming down my face the closer I held Kokichi's hand. I need him. I need him right now. But he can't seem to hear me.

" I was so sick of it.. but there was nothing I could do except take everyone's ability to love! I was selfish.. and I just.. didn't-."

"Upupupu.."

A small laugh cut off what I was about to say as a ringing silence filled the room. My thoughts immediately went to Monokuma. That sounded just like him. But why did it sound much more feminine?

There was a loud rumble as the dust from the ceiling shook and pieces crumbled. In front of me, the dust cleared and someone stood before me. No, three people, in fact.

The room seemed to darken as the soft sound of high heels echoed throughout the room, and stopped.

"Hey everyone!" A girl with peach-blonde hair laughed cheerfully, as if she were addressing a crowd of admirers, "Sorry to keep you waiting my dear fans, Junko Enoshima is here!"

She took a step forward, and I realised that she didn't seem to be real. The girl was a holographic projection, so lifelike that I had mistaken her to be a living human. However, the two figures standing beside her seemed to be very much alive.

Izuru regarded me with his bright crimson eyes, his gaze not shifting from mine ever since the dust had cleared. He stood on Junko's right side, looking as neat and as proper as ever. Not so much as a scratch on him.

On Junko's other side, was a petite girl with green hair and a Monokuma hoodie. She didn't seem very threatening, but if she stood by Junko's side, I couldn't underestimate her.

The look in her green eyes glimmered with malice and eagerness.

"Nice to see you again, Saihara sweetie," Junko smiled at me. I watched as she stepped down from the platform and made her way towards me. "How have you been? I must say, you've grown a lot.. how adorable."

Her hair was tied into two ponytails with little bear clips, and she wore a black cardigan over a white dress shirt. With a red miniskirt and platform heels, she gave off a 'fashionable' vibe.

"Hellloo?" she placed a hand behind her ear, leaning forward in an exaggerated pose, "I think I asked you a question, cutie! I want you to answer me!"

Ouma was still lying in my arms, my left hand holding his to make sure he had a pulse. It was faint, but luckily, still there.

Behind me, I could hear footsteps of both Maki and Kaito. And of course, I was trapped in a room full of dangerous people who could kill me in a split second.

"Don't call me adorable, Junko.." I muttered, gritting my teeth as I looked away from her. "I'm not your little pet."

"Oh how unfortunate.." the woman laughed airily, waving her hand. Her nails were as sharp as talons, and her skin as pale as Ouma's. "I was meaning to be polite and civil with you, darling. But it seems like you're not in the mood."

"Perhaps its because your helpless little boyfriend is in no shape to run.. and you're left all alone."

I glared up at the woman, who smiled at me. She looked so harmless, much like a normal high school girl. But I knew, from the depths of my memories, she was as poisonous as a snake.

Without warning, she suddenly stretched out her hand and swiped at my head, making me flinch. But her fingers passed through, as if she were just a spirit.

She then pulled out a pair of thin silver glasses and placed them on the bridge of her nose, staring down at me haughtily, "As you can see, I'm merely a projection.. not actual flesh and blood.." she held out a hand, to prove her point. "So I cannot seem to harm you, no matter how much I so desperately try."

I swallowed nervously, trying to steady my rapid heartbeat. She sounded upset, but her voice was dripping with honeyed words and sweetness, "A mere projection of someone's desires.."

I raised my eyes to the bright lights overhead and realised that the Neo World Program was in use.

No wonder she was able to manifest. Someone wanted her here..

"Now Saihara darling.." she purred, pulling the glasses away from her face and made a cute expression, "Wouldcha mind telling me the juicy secrets of the three serums? I wanna be brought back to life and bring happiness and life to the world with my endless love!" she threw her hands up in the air with a laugh, throwing a bunch of pink flower petals into the air.

The green haired girl beside her silently mimicked her movement, but she didn't say anything even as she had a crazed smile on her face.

Izuru continued to stare at me with his unnerving gaze, rooting me to the spot.

"So? Whatchu say?" Junko suddenly leaned forward and stared at me with her ice-cold hypnotic eyes, "Wouldcha like to join me in my teeny tiny adventure?"

"NO!" I shouted, scrambling back and pulling Ouma with me. "Over my dead body! I'll never bring you back! You.. you encouraged me to do this!"

"Oh Saihara, sweetie.." Junko laughed once more, her laughter sounding so carefree, so innocent. "I'm not the one to blame.. you and Kokichi are. Speaking of which.. I see through your brilliant plan, Ouma.. I know you can hear me.."

I felt a weight in my heart drop, as she slowly walked in a circle around Ouma and I. However, the boy in my arms made no movement; if he was listening to Junko, he wasn't reacting.

Maki, Kaito, Izuru and the green haired girl gave their leader space as I held him close.

"You, darling Saihara, holds the key to the Regain serum. Kokichi holds the key to the Revival serum.. so the only way to revive me.."

She grinned widely and reached forward for Ouma. But wasn't she a mere projection? Surely she couldn't harm us-.

I tightened my grip around Ouma's shoulder. Pulling him away just as she paused, her wide maniacal eyes regarding mine.

"Oh~." Junko leaned back, her long fingers drawing away as I let out a breath I had been holding. "Were you actually thinking I couldn't harm you? I for one, admire the tiny ray of feeble 'hope' you have.." she gave a slight giggle as I managed to find my voice.

"Y-You're wrong," I managed to glare at her, "I'm not scared of you.." Ouma stirred slightly, his eyelids fluttering open as he hazily regarded me with a drowsy expression.

Junko clicked her tongue, straightening up and snapping her fingers. "You're forgetting I have my own friends too, my beautiful set of chess pieces.."

Izuru swept forward, and before I could process what had happened, he kicked me to the side. Kokichi fell out of my arms as I hit the floor. "No-.."

"Oh, good good!" Junko's cheerful voice rang in my ears as I struggled to get up. "Kamukura-senpai! You're sooo macho!"

"Kokichi!"

Izuru didn't seem to react to her exclamation, but he seemed rather weary of her. With a quick sweep of his arms, he scooped Kokichi up and brought him towards the crazed woman. I propped myself up with my elbow, the pain in my body slowly ebbing away.

"Don't.. touch him!" I managed to shout as loud as I could, my arms shaking. "What are you going to do to him?!"

Junko winked at me, playfully sticking out her tongue. "Why, I'm going to extract his memories of course! Gosh, I have to say, your little Regain serums take forever just to work.. so, I'll think of something to speed it up a little!" she snapped her fingers as something materialised in front of her.

A type of chair, connected to a helmet of some sort. "By using the Neo World Program," Junko whipped out her glasses again, "I can project my own desires as well! So.. I desire to extract little Kokichi Ouma's memories, and finally revive my beautiful body back!"

"Exciting, isn't it? Thanks to one brilliant mind in my group of Traitors.!"

I watched with wide eyes as Izuru strapped Ouma to the chair with thick ropes. He seemed to be half awake, his eyes closed and his head raised to the ceiling.

"No.. Ouma! Please, wake up!" I shouted, pressing my hands to the floor and shakily getting up.

"Kokichi!" I shouted as Junko made a face at me, sweeping her hair to the side as I stumbled forward.

"Shout his name all you want, my darling.. he can't hear you. And besides, you should probably.." she gestured to her face, making a wiping gesture.

I paused, my hands trembling. I couldn't breathe. I could barely stand.. so this wasn't the time to wipe away my tears.

I couldn't worry about that now. My vision was blurred with tears and the stinging pain in my chest was slowly killing me. As if someone was using a fork to twist my insides, making me want to throw up.

"Now, it's time to begin!" Junko giggled like a child as her hand hovered over a red button, located on the side of the chair. "Kokichi Ouma, Ultimate Superemo Leader, Mastermind, and-." she turned to me with a sly smirk, "Boyfriend of our beloved Shuichi Saihara.."

"IT'S PUNISHMENT TIME!"

A loud slam echoed throughout the room, as I froze. But the slam didn't come from the button Junko's hand was currently hovering over.

The slam came from the door at the other end of the room.

I squinted, trying to see through my haze as Junko started to laugh softly.

"Upupupu.. well, dear Saihara.." she spoke gently, but somehow, I was able to hear her well enough. She sounded surprised by the sudden turn of events. "Looks like your brave calvary has arrived.."

"However.."

She slammed her fist on the button and at the same time, the Remnants moved forward. "Junko Enoshima!" Kirigiri shouted out, her eyes fixed on the woman as she raised the barrel of her gun towards her.

"It's time for one final battle between Love and Despair!" the insane woman's voice laughed out just as Kirigiri fired the shot.

♥ End of Chapter Sixty ♥