The Fear of the Past //Saiouma (Pregame)

Chapter 17

"A problem? What could you possibly mean?" Kirumi was the first to speak up.

"You big idiots." Kokichi crossed his arms. "Isn't it obvious? Someone used the phone."

The others didn't even turn around. They assumed that Kokichi was just lying, like he always did. Ryoma however, looked at him directly, his expression hardening.

"What... did you say?" Ryoma whispered in that deep voice of his that seemed to out of place for his size. He was sweating, almost as if Kokichi had said something wrong.

"Don't pay attention to him." Maki sighed. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell us?"

Kokichi burst out laughing. After calming down, as well as ignoring the weird looks he was given, he walked up to the phone, brushing past through the other students. He glanced at Ryoma slightly, giving him a evil smile.

He turned his back to the stage, and spread his hands out wide. "This my friends, is what Ryoma means!"

Serveal "what are you doing?!" were thrown all throughout the room. Kokichi's smile just grew bigger.

With graceful movements, he picked up the phone. With immaculate accuracy, he quickly put in a number that belonged to a D.I.C.E member.

The students looked at him with horrified faces, waiting for the phone to start ringing, for a voice to start talking. After a while, nothing happened. They looked at each other confused.

"It not... ringing." Gonta asked out loud, more of a statement than a question. It was what exactly what everyone was thinking.

"That's right buggy boy." Kokichi said while holding the phone with his pointer finger and thumb, dangling it around the same way one would dangle a dead rat. "The phone did not ring... which means...?"

"That it was already used..." Shuichi finished for him, earning a smile from the Ultimate Supreme Leader. However, the other students didn't respond quite as positively.

"That's right Mr. Detective!" He turned to look at Ryoma, his smile still remaining, yet it gave off a hostile vibe. "What does short stuff over here has to say about this?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Ryoma responded. Kokichi looked at him with a innocent look on his face. "How did you know that the phone was already used?"

"That's right... Kokichi. How did you know?" Kirumi asked. She didn't want to believe that he had been the one to use the phone. She trusted him. "Please do tell us. I'm sure that we can clear up some misunderstandings."

"Hmm?" Kokichi feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about? I-i was just trying t-to help you o-o-out... why are you so mean?!!!!!!" 

"Oh...? What's this?" The voice that they all knew so well interrupted their discussion.

"Why, hello Monokuma!" Kokichi waved friendly. Monokuma waved back. "What brings you here on this lovely evening?"

"Geezers kid. At least someone appreciates my presence." Monokuma said as he gestured to the disgusted looks of the other students. Kokichi nodded in understanding.

"What do you want?" Maki asked, looking at him, her face dark. She seemed ready to unstuff Monokuma at any moment.

"I couldn't help but noticing that the phone was used!" He wiggled happily. "Im sooo glad that this old piece of junk was used. I thought that it would just rot in the basement."

He walked up to the group, his red eye shining. "Now... who did it?"

They looked at him blankly. Did he really ask them who did it? It wasn't aa if the culprit would just raise their hand up and say "Yup, that's me! I used the phone even if we promised that we wouldn't. Also, I pretty much could be a blackened." Really, that was silly.