The Mastermind's Lies | Mastermind Shuichi AU

Chapter 10 - Impossible

...

My whole entire body froze. The air around the room suddenly felt more heavy.

'No...'

"Shuichi? What were you doing in the girls' bathroom?" asked Keebo nervously.

No...

Shuichi stared at the floor with seemingly panicked eyes.

"Shuichi!" Keebo's voice pierced the silence.

His eyes snapped up to look at him.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I zoned out." he said.

His voice was trembling, much like how my whole body was trembling right now.

I won't believe it.

"You zoned out? Just when we started talking about you?" asked Tsumugi, suspicion in her voice.

I don't believe this.

"U-uh, s-sorry and uh, yes, it's true I did encounter Tsumugi on my way out." Shumai muttered.

...

"But why were you in that bathroom Shuichi?" asked Himiko, her hands gripping the borders of her stupid ugly hat.

...

"Oh! And when we asked Motherkuma to give birth to a Monokuma, you said "give us one" didn't you?" asked plain Jane Tsumugi.

Multiple gasps were heard from all around the room. I saw Kayayade staring at the screen, eyes wide and mouth wide open in shock.

Miss assassin spoke.

"The bathroom, your sudden disappearance, the fact you never said "give birth" to Motherkuma, Kaede's lie, it all makes sense now. Shuichi Saihara... you're..."

Her voice was laced with anger.

"You're the Mastermind of this horrible killing game. And that's the truth."

...

There was another heavy silence.

"Aw man, I've been caught. Bummer."

My heart skipped a beat.

That playful tone, that mocking tone, it didn't even felt real.

"Yep, you caught me! I'm the Mastermind of this marvelous killing game! Oooooh, how exciting! The thrill, it's so good!"

He grinned like a madman, giggling like a psychopath.

This isn't Shumai.

This isn't Shuichi.

This isn't the shy detective I've grown to like over the past few weeks.

This was a complete stranger.

"No! This has got to be a joke! Shuichi must be pulling a prank or something! My sidekick would never... do something like that!" shouted Kaito, his voice trembling and his face filled with emotions.

"S-shuichi?? This can't be! He can't be the Mastermind!" said Kaede, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Everyone else either had a distressed, confused, horrified or panicked expression on their face.

"Shuichi... y-you..."

Maki spoke softly yet menacingly.

"You traitor! You bastard! You absolute monster!"

His eyebrows twitched like he was mentally deranged and then he let out the most unhinged laugh that I've ever heard. It felt so forced, yet genuine at the same time.

Everyone in the living room and class trial room was terrified.

I couldn't believe it.

Did he... lie to us all this time? How did I not see it? I've seen through Shuichi's lies before... but how didn't I see through this one?

This whole thing itself never felt like a big fat lie.

When he finished laughing, his face twisted into disgust.

"Call me whatever you want, I don't give a flying fuck about anything you say! All I care about is..."

He grinned.

"The despair filling your faces! Oh, how beautiful it is! This is... t-this is awesome!"

Beside me, Kaito was muttering the word "No" all over again, his eyes not peeling away from the television even just one second.

Everyone in the trial room began gathering all together, except Shuichi of course. Maki stood protectively in front of the three others, her face twisted in anger and small tears prickling the corners of her eyes.

Shuichi smirked and climbed on top of the pedestal.

He stepped all over the others and finally reached Monokuma's throne, where the bear was waiting.

When he got there, Monokuma jumped on his shoulder and giggled as Shuichi smirked even harder.

Suddenly, Kaede stood up and ran out of the living room. Rantaro went after her immediately, as well as Kirumi.