thnks fr th mmrs || Wallace "Kagemori” Kanta || Epilogue
It started off with a single notification: a missed call from Megumi Ugumori. Their band’s bassist. The ping started Kagemori initially, as they hadn’t heard their phone go off in months,
Then another notification: a missed call from Kagemori’s mother.
As those who were alive left Hope’s Peak’s Most Excellent returned to civilization (and therefore, cell reception), Kagemori’s phone pinged with the soon uncountable number of missed call and text notifications. Worried messages from his bandmates, less personal tweets from fans on social media, business emails from booked venues booked inquiring if Deadman’s Party would be canceling their tour performances.
Most were ignored for now, that was a shitshow they could deal with later. Leaning a bit more against E.ve’s shoulder with a weary sigh, Kagemori returns their most recently missed video call. A white haired girl picks up the phone almost immediately, suspicious until she studies Kagemori’s face for a few tense, quiet seconds. Her sudden sobs likely disturbed everyone within earshot.
“You look like shit, hun!!”
“…thanks, Megumi…”
When the visual kei artist made the trip back to Tokyo, his bandmates were there to meet him. Blue, white, and brown hair joined Kagemori’s own purple in a group hug that threatened to topple them over. One misstep and suddenly Kagemori’s stumbling over Gou’s platform sneakers, Katsa’s laughing warmly and Megumi’s voluminous skirts cushion their descent to the concrete. Deadman’s Party is reunited and crying together on the pavement. No one’s mascara made it out untouched, but tears were dried in order to introduce the person somehow still holding Kagemori’s hand. It was, of course, E.ve. Who may have been fidgeting silently throughout the whole reunion.
Breathless and smiling, Kagemori inhales to give E.ve some sort of introduction - Katsa and Megumi were looking at their joined hands expectantly - but first, the drummer (tiny terror that Gou is) blurts out something abruptly:
“Arent’cha that one streamer guy?”
Considering everything that happened, Kagemori was initially hesitant to leave E.ve’s side for very long - what if this was a dream? What if they woke up back in Mirai.co’s clutches - one or both of them dead? It was obvious both of them needed some time to heal from the horrors of the mutual killing game, both in the physical and mental sense. So, after a quick post on social media explaining that they were fine and that Deadman’s Party would be postponing their tour for about a year, Kagemori went quiet on the public front for a bit. The prying questions were just… something Kagemori couldn’t face immediately. After a trip to get snacks and, perhaps, medical attention… rom-coms, cheesy vampire movies, and as many blankets as Kagemori could carry were then brought to E.ve’s apartment. The two of them holed up there for a bit, trying to feel ok again after… everything. Twilight and cuddles helped.
After some time, he would take E.ve (who would later just go by Eve) on an actual first date. Then a second, then a third. The two bros could be spotted raising hell on Dance Dance Revolution mats across Tokyo, splitting high scores across every arcade while shooting each other absolutely sappy glances. Saying that he made Kagemori’s heart sing wasn’t an overstatement. They helped keep each other stable in the time after the killing game… and Kagemori helped Eve through his confession to his fans and in finding out who he was outside of speedrunning games.
Kagemori would visit their mother when they were ready. They chose not to mention the threat on her life that the first motive presented, as they still… had no idea how to sort through why she was targeted instead of their bandmates. To avoid their step-father, most of Kagemori’s time at home was spent with his younger half-brother. Their one-sided sibling rivalry seemed stupid now, so maybe Kagemori could start letting go of their jealousy.
It was for the best that their mother no longer represent them, at least as their band’s manager. That was one decision they’d thought about in the long weeks of captivity.
They had made some mistakes in the first 19 years of their life, but the effects of the fifth motive (reliving a night they’d rather forget) made them realize saving their fellow ex-gang member was not one of them. Staying out of touch with them WOULD be a mistake, so they’d take the first possible opportunity to visit a small farm in Osaka. Maybe Oleander would still want to see them, even after Kagemori had distanced themself from everyone to save their reputation.
They kept their word. Kagemori helped out with the reserve course protests as much as their body would allow, yelling themself hoarse while standing, hip cocked, in the front of picket lines. They were never one to be shy about fighting for the causes they believed in, so when Hope’s Peak’s president to hear out their demands… well, they felt a bit of smug satisfaction. But the voice in their head undermined the protest’s success with whispers of, “how many reserve course students lead to the killing game?” Perhaps it was a good thing they graduated that year.
At some point during Kagemori’s time recovering from the killing game, they went on a short trip to Gwangju. They wished it was under better circumstances, but Mickey had promised to show them around. The promise felt more bittersweet now. Kkwaegori-kun the stuffed duck made the trip as well, but Kagemori decided to ultimately keep him.
They drew the line at wearing clear jeans in her honor because they were, in Kagemori’s mind, a crime against fashion. So were speedos, but… Still, Kagemori would make sure everyone remembered Kyung Min “Mickey” Oh and her work.
More than a year after the escape from Hope’s Peak’s Most Excellent: a promotional video posted to the Deadman’s Party social media page. Beginning immediately, all across Japan: The Phoenix Tour. Aptly named, as many critics speculated that the “kidnapping” crisis would end the band’s career. The highs and lows of the past two years were the perfect musical drive, so the band hit the road. With… one roadie even their bassist had grown accustomed to: Eve had shotgun now. Not that anyone minded too much, four was the perfect number to play Mario Party while Kagemori drove.
The tour went better than anyone could have expected, especially after the tragedy at HPME. Kagemori truly came alive onstage, aloof persona slipping away as they hit high notes and death drops. They were the now former SHSL Visual Kei Artist for a reason, as anyone with a ticket could see. Given the success of Deadman’s Party’s tour, the band had a bright future ahead of them.
Over time, Kagemori would be more comfortable being public about their relationship with their boyfriend. It wasn’t Eve - not at all. Kagemori’s first relationship was based on a secret, having it exposed almost ended their career. Their second: a publicity stunt, a lie that became too comfortable. The visual kei artist was hesitant sharing details at first, not wanting anyone else sticking their nose in their relationship. But… as apprehension wore off, so did Kagemori’s aversion to public displays of affection. They were happy and everyone should know, damnit! Only idols had to worry about their fans getting upset by that stuff, so Kagemori considered his bandmates yelling “GET A ROOM!” at him to be character development.
The two were kicked out of many couples cooking classes in their attempts to learn how to make something that wasn’t cup ramen. Eventually, Kagemori got the hang of it. Kind of.
…but what of their relationships with their classmates?
Kagemori still reached out to Hinata sometimes, texting her his increasingly less clumsy attempts at sewing stuffed animals. The visual kei artist hoped she could be a better friend to Red than he could, at the very least. They’d ask for updates, hoping he was doing better but not pushing it further.
Reiko Eigawa… was someone Kagemori genuinely wanted the best for, as she was one of the many victims of Mirai.co’s schemes but one of the few they got to know better than others. They, at some point in transit back to civilization, asked about the ring that rightfully belonged to her. She had someone waiting for her on the outside, after all. Someone that would have appreciated her no matter how she came home, whether that was flesh and blood, a giant robotic mantis, or somewhere in-between.
Of course, they kept in touch. Kagemori was happy for Reiko when, some time in the future, a ring remained on her finger. They weren’t often one for romance usually (says one half of the only endgame class ship), but the visual kei artist would insist on meeting the blonde journalist that she went on about. They had bad experiences with such people, but perhaps the love of his Reiko’s life would be an exception.
And there was the matter of Ubatsi - no, Kunie Sasamoto. The measurements had to be altered significantly, as Kunie now had lost two arms and gained a bit in height after being de-robofied, but Kagemori finally made them the leather jacket that they’d sketched before Riko’s death. Sometimes, the two of them would get together to sew and catch up (because Kagemori’s delinquent days were now, pointedly, behind them). Ultimately, Kagemori was happy that they’d get a second shot at life with their sister… and they’d hope to whatever god was out there that Kunie wouldn’t do anything shady and reckless. The shadows they’d seen during the final motive motivated them to keep a watchful eye.
Kunie and Riko had tickets to their tour whenever they wanted, wherever they wanted. That courtesy was extended to any of HMPE’s victims that they were, at least, on friendly terms with. Unfortunately, some bridges were burned in the killing game’s final moments.
They would never truly like Preston, not at this point. An understanding was reached between them before the mastermind trial, but it turned stale in the aftermath. However, Preston was important to Eve. Kagemori would respect that and, at the very least, be courteous to the one who helped Atsuko’s scheming. Maybe forgiveness could come some day, but it wouldn’t come nearly as quickly as Eve’s had. Especially not if Preston was still half-pining over Eve, Kagemori did have eyes after all.
Their friendship with Atsuko Fujimoto, at least the one they thought they knew until the mastermind trial, was left behind at HPME: a dress design hastily torn out of a notebook and left in a trash can. Her influence on Kagemori lingered in the songs they would write in the months after the killing game… not that they would ever give her the satisfaction of knowing that.
Ultimately, Kagemori wasn’t the same person they were before Hope’s Peak’s Most Excellent. Kagemori Kanta was now far from an island, as they actually had a few friends (and in one case, much more than a friend) that were outside their band.
…and perhaps, despite the pain and losses they endured, they now had more reasons to sing than before.