Fanganronpa: Destination Despair

Part 2/Chapter 16

"That..." I started, "...Actually makes sense." I thought about it for a second. "Yeah! Think about it! Maybe the killer jumped Yukiya when they were on their way to the thrift store! And the killer brought them into the hot springs, and Yukiya would struggle, in which they would leave marks on the floor from trying to get away...!"

"Says the one we're painting as the killer." Allie said. I somewhat ignored her.

"I didn't really think that much into it, but now that you explain it like that, it makes a lot more sense." Aiko said, tapping their chin. "So the killer jumped Yukiya and dragged them all the way to the gender-neutral baths, since that's where the marks led to."

Haru jumped in the air. "Yay! Good job, Ai! You're so smart!"

Aiko blushed a bit. "Th-thank you... But it was mostly Sachi..."

"You both did great!" Haru giggled.

"But continuing that line of thought..." Chidori started, "What did the killer do after that? Kill Yukiya in the baths?"

"I mean... That sounds about right." I said, "But... There was also some other evidence in the baths that was rather odd, so to speak."

"What do you mean "odd"?" Ishibuko asked.

"Well... For starters, there was a a bunch of water on the floor next to the actual hot springs. And in the water there was a small piece of gray plastic floating around." I explained.

"Plastic?" Mars asked. "From what?"

"I'm not too entirely sure... There's a large variety of things it could be from." I answered, rubbing my chin.

"Maybe, for the water puddle, Yukiya was struggling a lot and they accidentally fell in?" Chidori suggested.

"I don't know... I mean, the fact that they brought Yukiya all the way to the pool is suspicious." I said. "I mean, why the pool? If you wanted to do it in the hot springs, then I feel like the changing room is a better choice."

"I have a question." Izumi suddenly said. I noticed that she was looking down at her e-Handbook.

"Huh? Um, okay, ask away." I said, surprised by the random comment.

"How do you guys think Yukiya died?" Izumi asked.

"From her wrists being slit, duh!" Ishibuko said mockingly. "Were you not paying attention at all?"

Izumi cleared her throat. "... "The victim is Yukiya Yasu. They were found in the shed outside the wood at around 11:50 P.M. The time of death is estimated to be around 11:25 P.M. sharp. There are bruises on their wrists. Just above the bruises are slits in their wrists." Sound familiar?" Izumi asked.

"Isn't that the Monokuma File?" Mirai asked. "The second one?"

"That would be correct." Izumi nodded.

"Okay... But why bring it up now?" Tomoka asked.

"Think about it. Compare it to the first one, from the last class trial. What is different?" Izumi said, almost ordering us to do so.

I thought for a second. I tried my best to recall the first one. It had gone over when Shikumo had died, when he was discovered, injuries, internal and external, as well as-

I gasped. "I've got it! It's the cause of death!"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Haru asked. "Doesn''t it already say it in there?"

"No," I said, "it doesn't. It mentions the slits and wrists as injuries, but not as the cause of death."

"Holy shit! You're right!" Ishibuko exclaimed.