closer to despair

Chapter 8: no amount of therapy will fix this

The day after the first execution. The air was heavy and everyone seemed exhausted. It even took a slight toll on me. Nevertheless, I continued working. Well,, more or less..
I lied to the students saying Monokuma was requiring DNA samples from each of them. Some were more opposed than others. But I got at least one sample from the remaining students, along with their fingerprints. I collected strands of hair, saliva, and blood.

Once I finished that I head to the chemistry lab and began running tests and filing information. I was mainly doing this so I could entertain myself. Along with being able to solve the murder on my own using pieces of DNA left behind. What can I say? I love putting all of the pieces together. It's really satisfying watching it all fit like a puzzle. And let me say, solving a murder is much more fun than just looking at a corpse.

I just finished setting up all of the tests now I just have to let them run. I take off my disposable latex gloves and tried to rub the sleepiness out of my eyes. I fall back and slouch into my office chair. As it spun around my eyes meet with a certain someone's. In such a shock, I jump back sending me and the chair flying into the counter. Monokuma stared at me for a solid 2 seconds before erupting into a fit of laughter. My face was now painted a bright red and I let out a grumble.

"Whaddya want?", I ask in an annoyed tone as I brush a stray lock of hair from my face. The despair bear merely giggles. I roll my eyes and shift my safety goggles to the top of my head. As Monokuma recovers from his laughing spell he leans up on the counter.

He looks over the equipment I have set up and says, "You must really take pride in your work, huh?"

"O-of course I do. Why wouldn't I?", I say perhaps a bit too defensively. I was still trying to recover from my shaken ego.

"Maybe I should present a new motive to make things more exciting for you," he snickers.

"NO- no,, I'm quite fine with my blood samples, thank you very much." 

"Hm well that's too bad I already have the next motive picked out." Then out of seemingly thin air Monokuma tossed a thin stack of half sheets of paper. They scattered as they hit the countertop. In big text you could read students names with something different after.

Makoto wet the bed until the fifth grade.

Kiyotaka was once 2 seconds late to class.

"What's this supposed to be?", I asked puzzled and slightly annoyed that he was interrupting me over something so stupid.

"The motive is secrets they don't want out. Y'know you're lucky I didn't dig through your personal life (upupu)." He gave me a lil nudge of the elbow.

Ignoring the last bit (give or take a little blush), I say, "Do you really think some silly secret is worth killing someone over??"

"You don't know the lengths one will go to keep a secret." Two slips of paper caught my eye in particular.

Toko Fukawa is the serial killer known as Genocide Jack.

Mondo was the cause of death for his brother, Daiya Owada.

Though I didn't know what these meant to them, I could only hope that the students wouldn't succumb to the mastermind's game.