Danganronpa One Shots

Tenkaede

I wake up screaming, my hands going directly to my neck. I swear I can still feel the phantom noose around it. The piano music of Der Flohwalzer is still echoing in the back of my mind. 

My fake execution that happened two years ago still haunts me to this day. The nightmares didn't happen as often, but they still do plague me occasionally. I sigh, and go on my phone. I play some classical music to try and calm myself down, but it doesn't seem to be working. It's 2 AM.

Should I text someone? Who would even answer at this hour? Probably Shuichi, but he's such an empath it's hard to vent to him without feeling bad. I just want someone to distract me right now.

I scroll through my contacts. Kirumi? No, she goes to bed at 9 o'clock every night. Maki? No way. She'd just get super mad about the killing game and would rage for a few hours.

Hmmm... Tenko. She's my other best friend, along with Shuichi. I decide to text her. 

"You up?" Amazingly, three bubbles pop up as she starts typing immediately.

"Yeah!!! I was going for a late night jog lakjhflwuieh" I laugh a little. 

"What's up??"

"I had a nightmare, just woke up :/"

"Aw Kaede I'm sorry, I still get those too :( want me to come over?"

I think about it for a second, but I kind of just want to get out of here. My house is so empty and quiet.

"Nah, I kind of want to get out."

"Alright ;)"

"What does that mean??"

";)" 

I roll my eyes, grinning in spite of myself. Tenko is pretty unpredictable sometimes. I run over to my closet and grab a pair of jean shorts and a tank top. I'm just finishing putting on my converse when I hear someone knock on my door.

"Heyyy!!!" Tenko gives me a big hug. I blush, and hug her back. 

She looks at me and pouts, cupping my face in two of her hands.

"Hmmm. It's worse than I thought. No worries, Tenko's gotcha!!" She grabs my hand and pulls me out of the house. 

"Where are we going?" I giggle. She pulls me over to her car, the sunroof open.

"Everywhere!" She jumps in the driver's seat. I get in the passenger's.

"And yet nowhereeeee!!" She reaches over to the stereo and turns on the radio. Intense rock music fills the car. It's strangely calming, and we both start screaming along to the lyrics. We're driving on the mostly empty highway, the moon bright above us. 

After a few minutes though, I start to get overwhelmed by all the sound. That's when a keyboard solo comes in and I start to freak out. I feel tears coming to my eyes, and I start to claw at the phantom rope around my neck. I can't breathe, it's too loud... 

Tenko seems to notice I'm not singing along since she turns off the radio.

"Ah, Kaede??" I can't talk. She pulls over to a rest stop, which is empty. She opens the windows, and the night air is comfortingly quiet and cool. It takes me a few minutes of hyperventilating before I'm able to regain composure.

"I'm sorry..." I massage my neck around the scar the noose left all those years ago.

"Don't apologize." She turns towards me and pushes a lock of my blonde hair behind my ear. I smile half-heartedly.