"...is everyone ready?" Keebo asked hesitantly. We all stood at the shrine of judgement.

"Not like we even have a choice.." I say

"Kehehe... You are quick to understand. It's as though Monokuma has you trained." Kiyo and I both glared at each other

"We got nothin' to worry about. Right, assholes? We'll figure out the culprit, won't we?" Miu asked

"Of course we don't need to worry. The top suspect is super obvious this time... Riiiiight, Himiko?" Kokichi taunted

"Leave the poor girl alone, Kokichi." I said and Tenko spoke right after me

"Yeah, what Y/n said! If you don't leave her alone, I'll Aikido-chop your head off!" Tenko was already in a fighting stance, but I just tapped her shoulder and told her to calm down.

"This matter will be discussed in due time. You should save your arguments until then." Kirumi suggested

"Yeah, let's put an end to this at the class trial." Kaito added, we all agreed and then stepped into the elevator.

The ride was dead silent and once again, that chilling atmosphere returned. Nobody even picked their heads up, everyone just stared at the floor. Knowing the killer could be right beside you..is scary. Then the elevator came to a stop and the class trial begun.

——

"The blackened who killed Ryoma Hoshi is Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid!" Monokuma announced

"Wh-Why... why did it have to be Kirumi...?" Tenko sobbed

"Truly, this result was unexpected." Keebo stated

"How can you be so calm about it?" I asked sadly

"But... Gonta no can believe it... Kirumi was so helpful...for everyone... Same Kirumi... is also culprit!?"

"But, Kirumi... why? You were always so selfless.. how could you kill someone?" I questioned, but she just stayed silent

"Well Kirumi? Were your feelings towards us simply another falsehood?" Korekiyo asked

"I don't...think so.. I still believe Kirumi cares about us." Shuichi said

"...And how would you know?" Maki asked

"I can't say for certain, but I can sense that this trial has been agonizing for her."

"You can't say for certain, hm? That is what a detective would say." Kirumi finally spoke up, with a calm demeanor

"Kirumi.. are you upset..because of the people important to you?" I asked

"You mean like from the motive video? So Kirumi watched hers after all?" Tsumugi questioned

"Earlier, Kirumi mentioned that she had accepted a request.. maybe that request came from someone important in her motive video?" I said. Kirumi stayed silent

"...Do you have nothing to say for yourself?" Said Maki

"No, that's not it. I'm just... lost. Because if I tell you why I did it, you will regret what you've just done."

"Just say it already!" Kokichi shouted

"Please Kirumi.. just tell us. We all care about you a lot, we just want to know why you did it." I said

"Very well, then. If you are all so desperate to know.. I will consider this a final request, and tell you everything."

"No more lies, then. You better just tell us the truth, please and thank you." Kokichi added

"Yes, I understand.. Your reasoning was exactly right. The reason I murdered Ryoma..was because of what I saw in my motive video."

"So.. you really did watch your motive video." I say quietly

"Does that mean someone broke the agreement and traded you your motive video? Alright, fess up! Which one of you did it? Close your eyes and raise your hand if it was you!" Kokichi shouted

"That won't be necessary. I did not trade my motive video with anyone." Kirumi interrupted

"Huh? If you didn't trade with anyone, how'd you see your motive video?" Kaito asked

"She received her own motive video.." I said. Kirumi and I... were the only ones who got our own motive video?

"That is correct. I..have no idea why"

"Th-That's not possible!" Miu shouted

"Well actually, Kirumi wasn't the only one who got her own motive video.. Y/n got her own too!" Kokichi said, and some of the others looked to me in shock.

"Yeah, that's true. I thought I was the only one who got my own video, but Kirumi got her own too. I don't know why.." I looked to the floor.

There was a small pause of silence before one of the cubs spoke up to tell us that they had passed the motive videos out without checking the names. That's why it was all mixed up.

"I guess getting our own motive videos was just.. bad luck." I looked at Kirumi and she nodded

"..So you watched it without knowing why it was given to you?" Miu asked Kirumi

"What was in your video?" Kaito asked, but once again Kirumi stayed silent

"...well? You promised to tell us everything." Maki said

"I will tell you the truth in its entirety, but... I doubt that everyone will believe it." Kirumi said

"Then why don't we all watch the motive video together?" Kokichi suggested, everyone surprisingly agreed and the Monokubs played the video.

*skipping the video because I'm too lazy to write all of that..*

After watching Kirumi's motive video, everyone was extremely shocked. I mean, a high schooler as the prime minister?!? I would've never thought that something like that would be real. But it is..apparently.

After a while of talking with Kirumi and the others, Monokuma decided it was finally time for her execution. Of course she ran as fast as she could, but was still captured despite her determination.

And her execution wasn't any better..it was just a brutal as Kaede's. Everyone was still so shaken up about everything.

After we left the trial grounds, it was dark outside and everyone wanted to go to their rooms, but Kokichi had something to say..

"Oh, hold on. I have to tell you guys something"

"Hm, what is it?" I ask

"Everyone seems to be treating me like some kinda compulsive liar.. but that's ridiculous! There's a way worse liar than me in our group!" Kokichi paused for a second before a creepy smile appeared on his face as he continued to talk. "...I'm talking about Maki."

"What?" Maki said

"What do you mean, Maki's a liar?" Kaito asked

"Maki admitted it during the class trial, remember? Ryoma wanted her to show him his motive video cuz he was looking for a reason to live. But that wasn't the whole story... Ryoma was blackmailing you, wasn't he, Maki? Ryoma just so happened to discover Maki's So he used that to blackmail her. I bet he said something like..'if you don't show me my motive video, I'll tell everyone what you really are.' That's why Maki didn't want us to know why she met with Ryoma. She wanted to keep her true identity a secret! That's why she kept quiet until the last minute!" Kokichi explained

"Wh-Why you... What shit are you making up now? Maki's true identity? What—" Kaito spoke up

"Nishishi, I've known Maki's true identity the whole time." Just as Kokichi said that, something had flown past me. It was so fast I could barely catch it, but soon I realized the situation in front of me. Maki held Kokichi up by his neck, choking him.

"Y-Y'know... th-this is an interesting t-turn of events.." Kokichi struggled to breath.

I wanted to go help him, but what would everyone think of me helping someone like him? Would they lose trust in me as well?

"B-But, would you really... k-kill me in front of everyone...?" Kokichi still struggled as Maki kept her firm grip.

Finally coming to my senses, anger quickly took over my emotions and I rushed to the scene. I had punched Maki to the floor and Kokichi was let loose.

"..Y/n?!.." I faintly hear Kokichi say, I stood next to him, almost in front of him as Maki had already gotten up.

Not going to lie, I was scared. Maki looked like she was going to kill not only Kokichi, but me too.

"Y/n... you probably shouldn't have done that.. Maki is the Ultimate Assassin." Right as kokichi said that, I froze. Why didn't he say so sooner?! I just punched an assassin...I'm definitely getting killed!

"...Do you wanna die?!" Maki yelled but before she could even step closer, Kaito had pulled her back.

I took a step back to look at everyone else, and I was right. They were all looking at me weirdly. Probably saying 'why would you defend kokichi?!'. But I wasn't just gonna stand by and watch him almost die at the hands of Maki? While Kaito and the others distracted Maki, I noticed Kokichi leaving. I went to catch up with him.

—

We walked in comfortable silence until we reached the dorms, then Kokichi spoke up.

"...why did you do that?" Kokichi sounded serious..maybe even concerned?

"Hm..?"

"Why did you defend me."

"...are you seriously asking me that? We're friends! It's only natural I would protect you. I would... protect any of my friends." I looked over to Kokichi and he clearly wasn't his normal childish self. "Kokichi, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned.

"...nothing. Thank you, y/n." He turned to me and gave me a smile, then heading off to his room.

"Wait, Kokichi!" I stopped him before he could enter his room and I hugged him. "You looked like you needed one.. hope you don't mind" I say. He returned the hug almost immediately.

"Nishishi..! Y/n really does care for me~" the male teased and I let go of the hug. He seemed to be back to his normal self now, so we said our goodnights and went to our rooms to sleep.

——

A/n: I'm sorry this chapter is kinda bad😭 but I needed to upload another chapter so.. I hope you don't mind :) also tysm for 3k reads and almost 100 votes!! When I first saw it I was so happy