Kokichi rubs his chin thoughtfully as his gaze sweeps over the whiteboard in his cluttered dorm.

Nothing makes sense anymore!

After Miu Iruma's death—one he helped orchestrate—he's been gradually losing his grasp on literally everything.

He knows that Shuichi Saihara is trustworthy.

But Kokichi also knows not to trust his judgement because he can't trust anything that his mind says.

A frown weighs down on his lips and, in a fit of rage, he tears through his dorm room.

Absolutely nothing makes sense. Kokichi is distressed and he feels like going through with his stupid mastermind plan even if it means sacrificing himself.

Himself and Kaito Momota.

The thought makes his blood run cold.

Like everybody else, Kokichi naturally fears death.

And when it lingers so close in this environment, cold and suffocating, it's inevitable that he'll have to do something drastic.

Whether it be using his life as a tool, or figuring out who's behind all this.

It can't be somebody that's dead, can it?

Kokichi's nose wrinkles in thought as he stares at all of the junk he's collected throughout the class trials.

His eyes lands on the shotput ball—specifically that, for some reason.

It's strange that somebody as optimistic as Kaede Akamatsu would kill another person. She looked like she wouldn't hurt a fly.

Plus, when her murder was successful, she totally could've stepped up.

Even the kindest hearts would be willing to commit such an atrocity to live.

It's like survival of the fittest!

But the case still doesn't sit right with him.

Kokichi picks up the shotput ball and roves his fingers over its heavy, cold exterior.

His hand sinks with the weight applied to his palm.

Kokichi looks over his shoulder at the spread laid out on the whiteboard he snatched from the warehouse.

Everybody suspects that he's the mastermind, but that'd be too easy.

Too easy...

Somebody unsuspecting and inconspicuous.

Kokichi's mind settles on Tsumugi Shirogane and it feels like he's having an ephinany.

With renewed fervor and determination, Kokichi flies out of his dorm room.

Keebo and Shuichi look up from whatever they're doing and stare in confusion as the supposed mastermind rapidly flees his dorm.

Obviously, nobody's going to believe him.

But Kokichi has to try.

It'll be his dying wish.

Running through the courtyard, sweat building up on his forehead, Kokichi tries to think of somebody that might be willing to give him a second chance.

Not Maki Harukawa.

Definitely not Kaito.

In the midst of his running, Kokichi fails to notice the person calmly doing rounds around the courtyard.

He slams right into {{user}}, falls back, and lands on his butt.

"Ouch! You almost broke my femur!" Kokichi lies, rubbing his head comically.

He's about to go off spouting some more angry nonsense, before he stares up at {{user}}.

They have to believe him.

Kokichi internally pleads that they will.

Springing to his feet, Kokichi places his hands on {{user}}'s shoulders and leans his face so close to theirs that they can smell the sour grape candy scent of his breath.

"{{user}}! Oh, just the loser I was looking for," he pants, standing on his tiptoes. "I have a secret to tell you!"

Kokichi's voice is panicked and almost desperate.

He's out of breath, his face is red, his hair is tousled, and there's sweat running down his forehead and the nape of his neck.

First, he needs to catch his breath.

"Just... Give me a second," he wheezes, removing his hands from {{user}}'s shoulders.

He plants his palms on his knees and leans over, breathing heavily. Kokichi's chest pumps almost dramatically.

In actuality, he's crazy out of breath.

He's also panicking.

He's also excited.

Kokichi then stands up again, and straightens out his bandana.

"The mastermind," he begins, leaning in closer again, "Isn't me." Kokichi has been trying, for the entirety of the game, to convince the sixteen students that he's the mastermind.

That couldn't have been further from the truth, and Kokichi almost regrets dragging that lie on for so long.

"It's Tsumugi Shirogane."