Danganronpa: Melancholic Mayhem

Chapter 5 Part 4- The Good, The Bad, And The Blackened

I picked up a red marker, drawing a big red X over Araigu's face. My hands shook as I did. Was I... scared? Araigu was the only thing that could get us out of here. And now... it was gone. No, stop! I shook my head violently back and forth.

I can't think like that. I have to get us out of here. No one else can help me. If we want to get out of here. I'd have to be the one to do it. I'm the cop. Everyone looks to ME for safety and security. And I've failed at every turn.

I took another photo, and made an X over it. This one was of Kajiwara. I sighed, frowning. I wanted to get to know him better. I really wished I had. He'd seemed really interesting. But I was never going to get a chance to talk to him. Especially right now. But... he seemed really nice. I frowned, placing the photo back.

I took one last photo off, pausing as I scanned it with my eyes. I sighed, crossing out the face. Taguchi seemed like an interesting character. He made a lot of trouble... but I don't know... he seemed to be changing. Anyone can change, right?

Well, if Hano Yoshiko can change, then anyone can change. Hano Yoshiko... I'd met her first when I broke into her house and arrested her with a bunch of other officers. And last I saw her... she was really nice and shy. How... is that even possible? I paused. Why are those memories so fuzzy? I don't remember them being so fuzzy before. But they just feel... fuzzy. I shook my head. I need to get back to what I was doing.

I put the photo back up. Wasn't Taguchi a criminal? Yeah, he had to be. He wouldn't have gotten a talent if Yuutsumi didn't see that he was currently in custody. I sighed, sitting back down at my chair.

I rested my elbows on my desk, tapping my head with one of my fingers. My parents had always said I had to do this right. I have to save everyone. That's why the raised me to be a police officer. The tapping got faster. I can already hear what they'll say if I get home.

"Kawata... you wanted this. You always said you wanted to be a cop when you were a kid. You always wanted to make us proud." They paused. The tapping became faster. "And yet you still failed. You failed us. I don't know why we ever hoped you'd be special. Because after this... I can't even believe you're our son. Don't bother coming home. You don't deserve our name."

The tapping became faster. It kept speeding up. Just faster and faster. It was starting to hurt my head. But I couldn't stop. They were so disappointed in me. I'm a failure. How am I even apart of the family!? I'm such a disgrace that I couldn't even protect fifteen other people! How am I the Ultimate Police Officer!? I DON'T DESERVE THIS TITLE!!! DO I EVEN WANT THIS TITLE!? I NEVER ASKED FOR THIS-

I snatched a pencil out of the pencil cup, and threw it at the picture frame on my nightstand. It knocked it off, the item falling to the ground and smashing the glass. I stared at the frame for a moment, before slowly getting up from my chair and picking it up. I wiped the broken glass that was still on the front of it. I frowned.

I hated this picture. It was the day I "graduated" from the police academy. Even though I wasn't olde enough, and definitely wasn't qualified. They still made me do it. I sighed, placing the picture frame face down on the nightstand. I'd have to pick up the glass later.

Suddenly, I heard something coming from my door, I spun around, my hand hovering over my taser. I stared for a long moment, before losing my tense posture. A... file? Slowly, I approached it, picking it up. I sniffed it once. Okay, it wasn't laced with any chemicals. I turned it over in my hands. There was a note on the back of it. "Hopefully, you can solve this, and save us all." It read. I glared at the note for a moment.

This wasn't a handwriting I recognized. To be fair, no one has really written anything yet. Or if they have, I don't remember it right now. But the wording on this note was just weird. This was probably some sort of joke. Or worse, a motive.