the wish
I smiled and sat high up in my chair. My friends surrounded me and Aoi placed the cake in front of me.
“Don’t be shy Makoto! Blow out the candles!” Kyoko said.
“Oh oh! And make a wish! That’s very important!” Aoi said, jumping up and down. We all glanced at her and she just kinda shrugged. I just smiled and blew out the candles. Thinking carefully about my wish. I wish all my friends were alive… that they could all be here with us. I sighed and watched Togami slowly pull out the candles. I laughed a bit until I yelped in surprise as I felt my head being pushed into the cake. I shot up quickly and gasped.
“Tokoooooo!!” I yelled. She just giggled along with the rest of the group. I smiled just seeing them happy like this.
“C’mon love, I’ll get you cleaned up” Togami said, stifling his laughs. He grabbed my hand and led me to the sink, wetting down a towel and slowly wiping the cake off my face. I smiled and licked some off my face and he kinda bapped me on the head.
“Ack!!” I quickly covered my head and laughed. He rolled his eyes but smiled.
“C’mon you two!! Niagi has to open gifts!! Yasohiro and I actually got him gifts this year!” Aoi yelled. I nudged Togami and he sighed. He whipped the remaining cake off my face and I had to drag him back. I sat down and Toko handed me her gift first.
“It’s from me and Genocider!” She exclaimed excitedly. I remember specifically telling her that Genocider couldn’t be here because she kept trying to attack Togami. I opened the gift carefully and noticed a book. I picked it up and it was titled The peak of hope. I teared up a bit and smiled.
“Thanks Toko…” I said, my voice breaking a bit. She nodded, her braids swaying without any wind. Aoi placed her gift next, standing tall.
“First time I had enough money to get you something!” She said proudly, putting her hands on her hips. I smiled at her and rolled my eyes a bit.
“C’mon Aoi. You know I liked your homemade cards.” She pouted a bit and I sighed. “But I’m going to like this too,” Her eyes lit up again and jumped happily. I unwrapped it to see a baseball. I looked at her and raised my eyebrow. She huffed and turned it over and my jaw dropped. The ball was signed by Leon Kuwata.
“You would not believe how much those run for!” She said, huffing a bit. I smiled at her.
“Thank you, this means a lot.” I said, teary eyed. “J-just, how many of you have have gifts like this?” I asked. I watched as each of my friends raised their hands. I sighed.
“Alright alright, Your turn Yaso” I said, smiling through the tears. Yasohiro handed me a large gift bag. As I grabbed whatever was inside, a painting was pulled out with Hifumi’s signature on it. I looked at him in shock and he smiled.
“These things aren’t cheap” He said, scratching the back of his neck. I Set the painting carefully on the counter so it wouldn’t be ruined. Then Kyoko approached me and smiled a bit. We were helping her show more emotions when necessary and she’s doing good. For the most part. I opened the box to see a computer. I shot my head up and looked at her.
“It’s Alter Ego… I found the ball and it definitely took a while but I got it put back together.” Everyone stared at her, somewhat teary eyed.
“Don’t cry yet, you still have my gift,” Togami said, somewhat playfully. He sat the envelope down and I looked at him. He just smiled a bit and shrugged. I opened the envelope to see two tickets to a show. Sayaka’s show. I smiled at the memory and looked up at him happily. I got up and hugged all of them tightly.
“You guys are the best!!” I said through tears. Aoi and Toko began crying as well, the whole party a mix of happiness and sadness at all the memories.
“How did you two afford these..?” I asked Aoi and Yaso, somewhat suspiciously. They both grinned sheepishly.
“Wellll… I might’ve bargained with someone for it. A trade. I gave him my swimsuit for it.” We all looked at her.
“AOI!!!” Kyoko shook her by the shoulders, yelling how irresponsible that was. She just giggled.
“C’mon!! I’m not stupid! I gave them my brothers!” She giggled. We all gaped at her. She used to be this sweet naive girl, but that was before the games. Now, she’s a little more cunning. The games affected all of us negatively. Kyoko finds everyone more suspicious than ever, Togami cries every night now, Toko refuses to get attached, Yasohiro always needs to be around someone and have an alibi, and even I find myself hallucinating about my friends. I see them in the corner of my eyes, everywhere. It hurts… It always does…
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I sighed softly, walking next to Akane towards the park. Kazuichi was busy like always, Fuyihiko didn’t wanna go, and Sonia had duties to take care of. The games have been hard on all of us, and we’re always finding ways to cope. Sonia hasn’t seemed affected like we have, she’s the only one who hasn’t lost their loved one. Kazu buries himself in the garage, fixing things day and night to forget about the games. But he definitely bought a hamster, no matter how hard he tries, he knows he can’t forget him. Fuyhiko started collecting katanas that people lost or no longer wanted, placing them at the memorial for Peko. Akane stays devoted to her training in memory of Nekumaru. And me? Well… all I keep in me is hope. Because that’s what he would’ve wanted.
“C’mon, don’t be so gloomy! I’m here on my day off so at least cheer up for me!” Akane yelled. I smiled sheepishly at her
“Sorry, got caught up thinking” I said, my voice quiet. Her eyes softened as I spoke, my pain reflected in her.
“Look, we all lost a lot, I know you’re upset that the others are trying to forget but why can’t you try to forget..” Her voice was soft, afraid to overstep. That was another thing, ever since her fight with Monokuma, she’s weary about overstepping and crossing lines she shouldn’t.
“No. And I won’t try. He wouldn’t want that.” Akane seemed disappointed. She and the others hadn’t forgiven him, but they couldn’t deny they missed him.
“Alright… Hey a fountain!! C’mon, tell me you have a penny or two? I wanna make a wishhhh!!” She exclaimed, jumping up and down. I smiled and dug through my wallet and found two pennies. Just enough I guess. I’d like to think he’s giving me some luck. Akane flipped hers into the fountain and I stood there, thinking of my wish. I wish my friends were here. Alive. Still with us. I wish he was still with us. I flipped my coin into the fountain and sighed.
“Hey, wanna get ice cream?” Her face lit up and she dragged me over. I wanted to enjoy it with her. I really did. But I kept thinking about my wish. I know it’s all fake and it won’t happen, but it’s like I can feel them, all of them. Not just him. Whatever this feeling was, it felt like hope, like he was reminding me to always have hope, and I planned to do just that.
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The night sky was always so pretty, yet it felt like a burden to be here. I looked to my left to see Himiko, teary eyed as she traced patterns in the sky and then to my right to see Maki sharpening her knife on a stick. I sighed and stared up at the sky again. Things have been tense since the games. Upon learning none of us were actually special, we’ve all been weird i guess. Himiko can’t even look at magic props and Maki locked away her weapons. Not to mention I can’t even watch true crimes anymore. Not that I would want to after what we’ve been through. Himiko sat up quickly and gasped,
“A shooting star!! Quick, make a wish!!” Maki and I looked up to see the shooting star. I had no hesitation for my wish, I wish they were still alive. Maybe not Tsumugi but the rest of them. I just want them back. I can even forgive Tsumugi.. I think. I wanna forget, but I see them everywhere, all the time. It’s so painful… save me.