A Clay Assassin: A Danganronpa After-Story

Chapter 5: The Offer

The table we sat at was naturally small in size. After all, it was just me and my new parents. If I wanted to, I could easily grab the right figure's gaudy watch and rip it straight from his hands.

The left figure broke the chains of silence holding this room.

"Ahem... Miss Harukawa?"

He spoke with perfect clarity, and the draw of confidence seemed to erase any trace of anxiety he had upon entering.

"Miss Harukawa, I know there must be a lot still going through your mind at the moment. And we would like to deeply apologize for the events we helped transpire for so long... We fully understand the repercussions of our actions and we would like to both apologize and offer you a deal to prove this," the left figure continued.

Any and all fuse that this situation could have left me burnt in mere milliseconds.

"Don't you dare talk to me. I don't want your apology. I don't want to hear anything out of your damn mouth ever again. You let so many people die, you inhuman scum! You deserve to die in everyone else's stead!" My voice raised higher with each sentence, my hands clasping for a knife that wouldn't appear.

"Maki, calm down! Please listen to them. You know all of us here are to blame for supporting this, please hear them out. They wouldn't come here to hurt you. I mean come on, they're already under strict public surveillance, anyway." The soothing voice of my father restored the fuse in the same span. Whether either figure had something to say, I couldn't notice as the right figure continued on:

"We would like to create a new Danganronpa. In this instance, it would not be a killing game, but instead we would like to introduce you to the public sphere and show the three of you the real influence you've had on everyone while documenting it and your lives following the cruel Final Game. Call it a personal apology from the departed Ms. Shirogane, if you will."

His voice was fumbling, and his speech seemed quite unprepared even though the files proved otherwise. The rest of the papers were separated into two stacks about as thick as mine, both stapled together and separated by a larger border. And that watch... how could he wear something so gaudy?

Part of me wanted to slam the door on all of them. But part of me... wanted to believe them.

"Fine... go on." The words stammered out of my mouth. They could probably tell I was faking...

"As I'm sure you know, Mr. Saihara and Ms. Yumeno are attending the same school. We originally planned for the three of you to carry on with normal lives, but we recently discovered Tsumug— I mean, Ms. Shirogane had wanted to make amends. And thus, we would like to take the three of you on a world tour, and show you just how you've changed all of us."

"W-What? I didn't do anything, it was all Shuichi..!" I looked away, my face flushed a deep red. I admit, it was nice to finally hear some proper praise, but most of it belonged to Shuichi after all.

"Yes, well... without you, Mr. Saihara, or Ms. Yumeno, it wouldn't have been possible. You were really strong," the right figure continued, "I um... my daughter, um... participated in the 52nd  killing game, you see... I'd like to thank you for ending all of it."

"A-Ah... I see..." A tinge of guilt masked my confusion. "You're welcome, then? I'm... sorry to hear about your sister... I can't imagine how terrible that is." The left figure, likely fearing the conversation's direction, butted in:

"Let's not dwell on the past, shall we? And in any case, we'd like to take you out of school in about a month. You don't need to attend that at all- you've honestly become a celebrity to the public."

"W-What? I thought you wanted these children to live a normal life?" Father butted in, clutching his chin and stroking his stubble, somewhat agitated.

The watched figure chuckled, "Ah, well... reality isn't so 'kind,' it seems. The public doesn't want you to bear that burden. So what do you say, will you come with us? We can give you two weeks to think."

Burden? How can a life devoid of killing games ever be a burden? How could a life without the worry of your friends betraying each other ever be as bad?

But... I don't really know this world too well, so I can't really say I know whether or not a normal life would be painful. I suppose I should give this guy a chance.

"Alright, fine. I'll consider it," I turned away, "and thank you. I... want things to end on the best note too."

The figures both responded in unison. "Thank you, Ms. Harukawa. We await your response."

The two men gathered their things, their mannerisms and attitude more upbeat than when they entered, and quietly left.