Work Text:
Contestant #203
Name: Akamatsu Kaede
Gender: F
DOB: 26/03/2000
Dearest Contestant,
As Team Danganronpa, we reserve the great honor and pleasure of congratulating you on your acceptance onto our crew. We are so excited to have you! As of today, you, Akamatsu Kaede, are now officially a part of the World’s Favorite Killing Game!
Congratulations, Miss Akamatsu, you made it.
Sincerely,
Team Danganronpa
Kaede’s eyes drifted over the letter over, and over, and over, more times than she could count. It was single sided, all the information they knew she’d need all condensed. The envelope had been stamped with a deep red wax and the Hope’s Peak official seal.
Her parents had already left for work, and her sister for school. For their normal, boring, tragic lives. She read the letter over again, a grin spreading wide onto her face. Well, she wouldn’t have that anymore. That girl, Miss Akamatsu Kaede who had been accepted to be a part of her favorite killing game, was so much more important now that she would be famous. She was going to have it all. Every little thing that she’s ever wanted, she could have. The clothes, the hair, the lovers, she’d have them all soon.
She was already supposed to have left for school. Glancing over to her phone she saw the time read about half past eight. School had already started.
Her grin only widened, fingers tightening on her letter, crumpling some of the edges.
Maybe she’d skip school that day.
Maybe she’d go out and get boba tea with some of the money her parents had given her and sit outside, savoring the taste.
She could go on Twitter and laugh at all the losers and the rejects mourning the loss of their careers after not having gotten accepted into their favorite show.
Maybe she’d go to the park wearing her best clothes and just run through all the fresh spring grass with an easy breeze blowing around her.
She could do anything.
Anything.
Kaede was electric, buzzing like a live wire and ready to set fire to anything and everything in her path. She was alive. She was destructive. She had the world at her fingertips, and she was going to show it, because this was it.
Her big break. Miss Akamatsu Kaede was going to be famous and she was going to let everyone on this miserable fucking planet know it. Not just see it or witness it, but know it. Like an electric eel in their guts when she walks past.
Akamatsu Kaede is here, she is alive, and she’s going to let the world know it deep in their cruel little hearts.
-
“Miss Akamatsu, over here!”
“Hey, over here!”
“Smile dear, you’re on camera!”
“That’s right! Now keep that pose, this’ll look marvelous in the papers.”
“You look absolutely devilish! Keep up the good work and there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll win that game!”
“Miss Akamatsu—”
“Oh, she’s a shoe in to be a survivor!”
“Survivor? No, no, I bet she has to be the mastermind!”
“Over here, Akamatsu!”
“Mastermind? You really think so?”
“Hey, hey! Smile for me, alright?”
“Well, who else has the right looks and personality?”
“I suppose…”
“Miss Akamatsu!”
“You don’t think?”
“Look over here, darling!”
“Well, don’t you think she has protagonist potential?”
“You’re on fire, Miss Akamatsu! The camera loves you!”
“Oh?”
“Hey!”
“The blonde hair, her voice…”
“Miss Akamatsu, over here—”
“That look in her eyes too.”
“Miss Akamatsu!”
“Darling!”
“Oh, I see…”
“Look over here, hon’!”
“You see it too, then?”
“Over here!”
“Hey! Hey!”
“Well, now it’s impossible to miss.”
“You’re a star, Miss Akamatsu!”
“She’s like a wildfire!”
“There, there! Hold that pose!”
“Hey!”
“Akamatsu Kaede—”
“Smile!”
-
A pianist.
That’s what they were making her. A world class pianist with a kind heart and an even sweeter voice to match.
Kaede would have been upset. She would have been furious. To make her , of all people, a pianist for god’s sake! How fucking boring could you get? That wasn’t who she was, not at all, not one bit. She would have set fire to the studio, she should have set fire to the studio.
But she didn’t.
The protagonist.
They were making the pianist with blonde hair and pink eyes and a voice like honey the protagonist.
Kaede was giddy. She could barely hold in her excitement in the meeting room where the announcement had been made and had to excuse herself. As soon as the door locked in the ladies’ room behind her a giggle escaped her and she stumbled over to the mirror. Dull pink eyes stared back at her.
Another giggle escaped her throat, then a louder, harsher laugh burst through, her mouth opened in a wide, wolfish grin. With her teeth bared she cackled and screeched into the barren, stark white room.
What luck! She really must be the luckiest girl in the entire world, first to have even been cast for Danganronpa, and second to be the protagonist ! HA! It was almost enough to make her forget about being a pianist.
She doubled over laughing again, small hands— pianist’s hands — reaching up to grip the mirror as she did so.
Honestly! She really should have been more upset than she was, but she didn’t have it in her. “The protagonist…” She whispered as she let out a small breath. “Oh, the protagonist!”
Kaede looked up once more into the mirror. She brought a hand up to feel her hair— she always thought it could have more volume. She pulled a section of it taut, a few strands breaking off in the process. She moved to her nose which she always wished had been pointier and to her weirdly shaped cheeks, not fully rounded like a child’s would be, but not fully sculpted either, and pulled at them. Would they make her freckles more prominent?
Would she wear makeup in the game? Honestly, she didn’t think she’d mind it if they didn’t provide any.
The pink of her eyes caught her attention again. She had always thought them to be much too dull. She pulled at her eyelids, smearing her mascara, and wondered if they’d give her contacts. Or lasik. Anything to brighten them to the teddy-bear pink that the protagonist was to have.
Grinning again, Kaede turned the sink faucet on, washing her hands of the mascara and dead hair.
She loved it.
Akamatsu Kaede— the protagonist.
God, she adored it.
Kaede dried her hands and adjusted her blouse and skirt, then leaned down to re-tie the laces of her shoes. When she stood again she readied herself to leave the room, looking to the mirror one last time with a kind smile and dimpled cheeks.
If a pretty, pink, put together protagonist was what they wanted, then that’s what Kaede was going to give them.
-
“Akamatsu!”
“The protagonist, Akamatsu! How do you feel?”
“Smile for the camera! Everyone wants to see the new star of Danganronpa!”
“Darling, over here!”
“She’s a sweetheart! She’ll steal the show!”
“Your hair is beautiful Akamatsu!”
“Absolutely! But I can’t help but wonder…”
“Who are you wearing Akamatsu?”
“You’re stunning, hon’!”
“Wonder what?”
“Beautiful! Amazing!”
“Well, I mean, haven’t you noticed Danganronpa’s been upping the ante with it’s plot recently?”
“I love you, Akamatsu!”
“I guess I have noticed that…”
“Hey!”
“Yeah, I mean, do you really think she’ll make it to the end?”
“You’re like a fireball, Akamatsu!”
“It’s fair to assume she wouldn’t—”
“Hey! Over here! Over here!”
“But with a face as beautiful as hers, why wouldn’t she!”
“Akamatsu!”
“Akamatsu, hey!”
“I suppose…”
“Can I get your autograph?”
“Hell yeah! Akamatsu, over here a second, we love you!”
“We love you Akamatsu!”
-
“With Danganronpa’s fifty-third season set to air in less than two weeks, we’re here with Akamatsu Kaede, our protagonist, to answer some questions for us! Miss Akamatsu, how are you feeling tonight?”
Kaede let out an airy laugh, eyes roaming over the enormous crowd—all for her— and replied, just as rehearsed, “Well, I’m quite alright, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to these big spotlights though.”
The host laughed, Kaede doesn’t remember the woman’s name. “Oh yes, I remember that sentiment well. Don’t worry darling, you’ll get used to them eventually.”
Kaede smiled and crossed her legs in the weirdly shaped chair she was told to sit in. “Well I’m just glad to be here in all honesty.”
“I’m sure you are! Tell me, how was it? Going from your normal highschool life to life as a celebrity, that must be a hard transition, right?”
That was a trick question, right? Her manager had told her that reporter’s would do that to bait a less humble response from her. Was this what he was talking about? “Well, it certainly hasn’t been easy,” she started, flattening the skirt fabric in her lap. “I mean, keeping up with my friends and my homework while also trying to balance all of, well, this , has been pretty hard.”
“Oh I’ll bet! Say Kaede— Oh! Can I call you Kaede?”
She hesitated.
Why?
Would it hurt anything to say yes? Her manager hadn’t warned against this, plus maybe it’d help with her public image! Not that it was suffering, but maybe this could keep her in the limelight like she craved so badly.
“Of course! That’s my name isn’t it?” Kaede giggled, looking over to the camera closest to her and winking for good measure.
“Wonderful! Well, Kaede, have you met the rest of your castmates yet? Or are they waiting until you get in the game for you to meet them?”
“Not yet, no, they’re having us all wait I think, though I think I heard that some of my castmates knew each other previously.” Kaede replied easily.
“Interesting… Well are you excited to meet them?” The host asked, quirking an eyebrow and taking a sip of her steaming coffee. Without looking she could tell the audience had put all their focus onto her as well. She loved it.
“Definitely!” She grins, leaning forward in her seat, “I even heard the talents this year are really something!”
“Well I’d hope so! Coming from you darling, that really means something.” The host says to Kaede, then quickly shifts her focus to the audience— or rather, the cameras. “Now unfortunately we need to take a quick commercial break, but when we come back you can bet your bottom dollar that we’ll have the best summer clothing tips. Before that though, would everyone please give it up for Miss Kaede!”
The audience erupted into applause and cheering before Kaede had even fully turned toward them. When she finally did face them though she found them all standing and clapping, screaming her name.
“I hope you win, Kaede!”
“Kick their asses, Kaede!”
“Kaede—”
“Hey, Kaede—”
“Kaede—”
“Kaede—”
“We love you, Kaede!”
-
Two days. That’s how long she had until she’d be in the game. Two days and all the stakes would be on her. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, watching for any flaw or mistake.
This was what she was looking for, right? She wanted this, right?
When Kaede had first been cast she could feel it in her heart and in her squirming guts that this was what she had waited her whole life for. This was what it had all been leading to.
Wasn’t it?
Yes.
Yes.
Of fucking course it was.
This was right. Everything was the way it should be, with Kaede at the top of the world and everyone else begging at her feet.
(Or maybe, in some cruel, twisted, turn of fate, it was the other way around and she was the one begging at their feet for forgiveness).
-
“The game starts tonight for you!”
“Are you scared?”
“Kaede how do you feel!”
“Smile for one last set of photos, Kaede!”
“Well she’s made it all the way here.”
“Over here Kaede!”
“She’s gutsy. Do you think she’ll make it through the game?”
“Smile wider, darling!”
“I think she’ll try.”
“Kaede, look over here sweetheart!”
“Kaede, this way!”
“This camera, Kaede!”
“Kaede—”
“Say, does she look a little green to you?”
“Kaede!”
“I thought it was just the lighting…”
“Smile!”
“Do you think she’s alright?”
“Is she nervous for the game?”
“How are you feeling, Kaede?”
“Kaede, hon’, I love your style!”
“Kaede—”
“Kaede—”
“Oh, Kaede!”
“Oh my god!”
“Is she okay?”
“What happened?”
“Kaede!”
“Do you still think she’ll make it?
-
A fainting spell.
The great Keade Akamatsu had fucking fainted on live television and she was going to be submitted into a virtual killing game in less than twelve motherfucking hours.
“Fuck.”
“Fuck,” she said again into the hands covering her face. Then she flipped over in the hard nurse’s office bed she had been brought to and slammed her face into the pillow.
“Motherfucking bullshit cocksucking bitch!” She screamed, throttling the pillow muffling her. “Goddamn it what the FUCK!” She let out a guttural scream, furious tears falling into the pillow.
God, this was just so stupid! What the fuck was wrong with her?! She couldn’t believe this.
This was it.
Was this the end?
She was ruined now.
On live fucking television before she had even had the goddamn chance to die in the actual fucking killing game.
She howled once more in anger, kicking her legs into the bed, probably ruining the white sheets in the process.
“Well that’s certainly a good way to make an impression.”
Kaede stilled, cold-blooded fear invading her veins. God. Fucking. Damn it.
“What the fuck do you want?” She growled, not bothering to lift her head to look at the person infiltrating her tantrum.
“I came to bring you some water and a muffin. The techs said it’d be best to eat something before going into the game.”
That was right. It was starting soon wasn’t it. She really wasn’t all that hungry to begin with, but she figured she should probably eat something unless she actually wants to die, not just in the game.
Cautiously, Kaede peaked her mascara and tear-stained face above the pillow and immediately caught the other person’s gaze. Their eyes were the same shade of green as their hair and the amount of piercings they had on made Kaede jealous.
She glanced down to the food he had set down on the table next to her, then back up at him. “And who, may I ask, the fuck are you?”
The person smirked and leaned against the wall, crossing their arms. “A friend. A buddy, you might even consider.”
“Okay. Alright. I’m gonna need details if you want me to eat that food, buddy .” She said, pushing herself up with her arms. She assumed her hair was probably in the most disarray anyone outside of her family had ever seen and she didn’t even want to know what her face looked like.
The person cocked their head to the side, shutting their eyes for a moment before nodding. “You know, that’s fair.” They pushed off from the wall and opened their eyes once more, reaching a long, tanned arm towards her, “Rantaro Amami.”
Kaede looked to his arm, processing the name, trying to figure out where she’d heard it before, then it clicked. “You’re one of the students,” she said, reaching out to shake his hand. “Well, you were cast as a student. Right? I saw your name on the casting list…”
“That’s right,” he replied, an easy smile on his face. “I’m sure we’ll become well acquainted soon enough.”
She let go of his hand, adjusting her position on the bed to be more comfortable, looking back to the food on the table. Amami must have seen her looking, “Like I said before, the techs said it’d be wise to eat before going in.”
“When?”
Amami hummed, quirking a brow.
“When do we start?” Kaede asked, reaching for the muffin and the water, and starting to munch on some of the smaller bits.
“Ah, I think they said in around seven hours, but you know,” Amami shrugged. “There’s still some contracts and tests and stuff before everything else. We’re getting down to it though.”
Kaede hummed now, sipping on some of the water. She tried to ignore the way he was just standing there, but it was starting to get on her nerves.
Before she could say anything though, he said: “How about, when you finish eating I take you to get cleaned up.”
“Excuse me?” She replied, glaring at him.
“I mean, you probably don’t want to feel gross going into the virtual reality machine, right? I can show you where the showers are and get you a change of clothes.”
Her glower didn’t waver, “I can get my own clothes, thanks.” She picked at her muffin for a little bit. “...I’d like that shower though.”
Amami smiled. “Sounds like a plan, Akamatsu.”
She glanced up at him, scowling. “Whatever.” Then, “...Thanks.”
-
“Thirty seconds to launch!”
“Well, here we are.”
“Yeah.”
“Think she’ll stick it through?”
“To the end?”
“Fifteen!”
“Where else?”
“Well…”
“Ten!”
“I hope she does.”
“Doesn’t sound like you have a lot of faith.”
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know...What you always say.”
“Five!”
“Well then—”
“Three!”
“I know she can do this. Know why?”
“Why?”
“Launch it!”
“She’s gutsy.”