With the fountain moving back in place, everyone splits up, most returning to their rooms, for the time being. It's still early in the day, but it seems everyone needs to take a moment to calm down, to breathe. They don't meet up for lunch, at least not in a large group, but they do all gather for dinner.
Well, Minoru hasn't shown up yet.
*Do you think Asada-kun is okay?* Juro asks, having tapped Ryoko on the shoulder to talk to her. Kaori is sitting across from them, moving her food around on her plate rather than actually eating it.
Ryoko gives him a look, then shrugs *No idea. He's been a very messed up the past few days.*
*I get you're worried about him.* Kaori signs, awkwardly holding her chopsticks between her fingers while moving her hands around, before putting them down so she can communicate properly *He's kinda in the same position Akiyama-kun was in.*
Juro nods. That's exactly what has him worried.
*But there's not much we can do about all that.* Kaori continues *Grief is a weird thing. You can't just fix it and make someone all happy again. There's likely gonna be a permanent change in Asada-kun's personality if he even gets over it, that goes for all of us.*
*Either way, whatever he does is on him. We can't control his actions.* Ryoko shrugs *At least everyone else is here, so if he decides to do something stupid, it's not hurting someone else.*
*I suppose that's one way of looking at it...* Juro sighs, propping up his arm so he can rest his chin on his hand.
Suddenly the door is swung open and Juro tenses up immediately. Minoru enters the room, still looking a little disheveled but better than he had before.
After a moment of silence, Youta asks "Asada-kun, are you alright?"
Taking a breath, Minoru shakes his head "I'm definitely not, but..." He bites his lip, "seeing what happened to Akiyama-kun... what he did made me realize something." He tears his gaze away from the floor, looking up at the group "I don't wanna end up like that." His voice is quiet, exhausted. Even though he's not short, he suddenly looks so small and fragile "I'm afraid of losing myself to... whatever this all is."
"Asada-kun..." Chinami is the one to speak up this time, standing up while folding her hands over her chest "We're always here f-for you."
Minoru looks at her "Shikata-san... I'm sorry for how I acted towards you. Kasai-san's actions... were something you had no control over."
Chinami shakes her head, smiling softly "I understand why it was h-hard for you to be around me. I'm not mad. You're not alone in th-this."
"Yeah, don't try doing it all by yourself." Mai agrees, tilting her head back. She has one arm swung over the back of her chair, leaning on it.
"If we want to push back against Monokuma... we have to try to rely on each other a little. There's no shame in needing help." Youta adds.
"We can all support each other." Juro smiles.
"This is very cliché, but yeah, I guess they're right." Ryoko shrugs, holding her Monopad in both hands.
"Alright, alright, are we gonna do the sappy group hug thing again, but properly this time?" Kaori says with a chuckle and, upon getting a confirmation, gets up to hug Minoru.
As Juro gets up to join them, he turns to Ryoko and holds out a hand to her while smiling gently. She sighs but takes his hand and lets him pull her into the hug with everyone else.
"Hey hey, anti-vaxxer, you should join too."
"I'm not-" Youta stops himself mid-sentence, shaking his head a little "Alright."
YOU ARE READING
Cabin Fever
FanfictionHe was on his way to Hope's Peak Academy, but he woke up in an abandoned cabin near a lake in the woods. How could the life of Juro Sasaki take such a drastic turn? Well, that's what he and his fifteen classmates would like to know too. But finding...
