[Task 11] Flushed Away | Ririko
After a decidedly unpleasant morning, Kumiko had been hoping for a much more entertaining afternoon. And indeed, her afternoon had gotten off to a flying - or, as would be more apt to say, a splashing - start. She’d been having so much fun larking about with her friend in the fountain that the volleyball player had almost managed to forget all the worries and concerns that were hanging over her like clouds, which had multiplied tenfold to form an overcast sky after that morning’s events.
However, her brief spot of sunshine was quickly cut short by metaphorical rain when another of those announcements which Kumiko so loathed to hear rang out across the complex, blaring the news of a murder to all pupils. A glance at the Monokuma file confirmed it: Eun Yun Yu was dead.
Aito, Benito and Tsukasa had been one thing - she’d never exchanged so much as a word with the former two and as for the latter their communication had been brief - but Eun Yun was quite another. This death felt like she’d been kicked in the face. She’d known them. They’d exchanged puns together! And now a chill was sent down her spine and her heart fell and she wanted nothing more than to rewind time.
They were still stood in the fountain, soaking wet from their folly which had only been a few minutes prior but now felt an eternity away. Instinctively - both to provide comfort to her friend and perhaps to derive some for herself - Kumiko reached out her arm and placed a hand on Ririko’s shoulder. She didn’t say any words. Words weren’t necessary, and she could provide none to soften the blow. But she placed her hand there anyway, a silent signal to Ririko that she was there for her.
She let it rest for a short while before she spoke. Kumiko surprised herself - her voice was choked, distressed. For once, she was struggling to feign cheer. Reality had come crashing down, hard.
“I guess we’d better try to find out Yun-Yun-Kun’s killer then, huh. You got any idea where we should start?”