Chapter 4. The important thing is that you, the one who enters Hope Peak...

"Kozuki is really chilling. I didn't expect her first reaction upon seeing me would be to immediately slam the door shut... Am I really that scary?"

"Well, I thought I wasn't fully awake at the time, so I just instinctively..."

"Haha, Kazuya Kozuki is quite the liar!"

"..."

Tsukino and Chiya didn't rush to reply; instead, they cracked the eggs into the pan first.

He had already tidied himself up, braiding his long black hair into a plait as always. Although he was simply making breakfast, he still made a point of wearing an apron.

Tsukino and Chiya looked down at the eggs in the frying pan: "But it really surprised me... Why were you at my door this morning? Was it a new prank?"

"No, I just wanted to go to school with Kozuki. It's really too much for Kozuki to suspect me of playing a prank right away."

Wang Ma Xiaoji stood aside watching Qianye fry eggs, seemingly not bored at all.

"Think about it, today is the day we move to Hope's Peak, right? So-called youth is a very important thing, even evil leaders sometimes want to enjoy it... Just kidding, I'm kidding you."

Upon hearing Wang Ma Xiaoji's voice gradually deepen from its initial cheerful tone, Qianye subconsciously turned to look at him.

Unlike his usual overly lively and noisy demeanor, Ouma Kokichi, who was smiling at this moment, seemed much more serious than usual... although this might just be an illusion.

When the most boisterous person in daily life suddenly becomes quiet, this contrast can easily give people the illusion that "something terrible is about to happen" or "Is he really serious?" It's normal for humans to feel disoriented and at a loss when things go against their usual habits.

Perhaps Wang Ma is just taking advantage of this.

Even though his voice was only slightly lower and softer than usual, it made people think, "This guy seems serious, maybe we should pay attention to what he's saying."

"because……"

Perhaps that was the reason, so even though Wang Ma Xiaoji's tone should have been normal and calm, Tsukino and Chiya sensed a deeper meaning in it.

"Because that night, Kozuki seemed to really want to invite me to leave with her."

After saying this, Wang Ma Xiaoji's smile brightened again: "How pitiful, I wonder if Xiaoyue Nowa will secretly hide and cry when she gets home at night? If that's the case... then I'd be happy to observe whether Xiaoyue Nowa's eyes turn red!"

Tsukino and Chiya sprinkled a little salt into the pot: "No, that's not what surprised me."

"Huh? Isn't that right?" Wangma Xiaoji tilted his head, pondering for a few seconds after being contradicted, then suddenly realized, "Oh, you're asking how I got in? Of course, I picked the lock!"

Tsukino and Qianye: "Ouma."

Wang Ma Xiaoji raised his hand decisively, like a well-behaved student being called on by the teacher: "I'm here!"

Tsukino and Chiya calmly stated the facts: "Didn't you already have the key to the front door? The room next door is yours."

"Ah!" A lightbulb seemed to pop out on Wang Ma Xiaoji's head. "Oh right. Sorry, it's been so long since I've been back, I'd forgotten."

Tsukino and Chiya's residence is a two-bedroom apartment. Originally, there were two bedrooms, one for his own use and the other as a guest room. However, after Chiya took Ohma Kokichi in over a year ago, she gave that guest room to Ohma.

Although Wangma Xiaoji spends his days outside doing who-knows-where after recovering his health and doesn't come back often, there's no doubt that he has the key to the house, and the bedroom next door is always waiting for him to return and rest.

Wang Ma Xiaoji humbly asked, "So, what is Kozuki Kazuha surprised about?"

Tsukino and Chiya gently stirred the eggs in the pan with a spatula: "I'm surprised you didn't just break into my bedroom."

"..."

The worst thing is when the air suddenly goes quiet.

Having spent so much time with Ouma Kokichi, Tsukino and Chiya were unexpectedly a little uncomfortable when the atmosphere suddenly quieted down in his presence.

He scooped the eggs out of the pan and placed them on a plate, then gave Wang Ma Xiaoji a look he thought was very puzzled: "What's wrong?... What's with that expression?"

Wang Ma Xiaoji looked terrified, cold sweat pouring down his face: "This...this is progressing so fast?! I'm not ready yet!"

After a two-second silence, Tsukino and Chiya agreed, saying, "...Thinking about it, it seems a bit too fast. I wasn't prepared."

"It's okay, Kozuki, don't worry, because I was actually lying to you."

"That was a lie... I never expected it."

In a sense, Ouma Kokichi could be called a master of face-changing, but his tone suddenly changed, and his face became inquisitive: "Didn't expect that? Actually, I didn't expect it either—I didn't expect Kozuki Kazumi to be so enthusiastic. Could it be that you were secretly looking forward to something last night? Since you wanted to see me when you woke up in the morning... So Kozuki Kazumi actually has a crush on me?"

Tsukino and Chiya continued preparing breakfast without changing their expressions: "Well, I just thought that if it were a prank, breaking into the room would be a bigger shock."

"To think of such a prank as picking locks and breaking into someone's room, Kazuma Kozuki is so evil! How could he do something so immoral!"

Would you like some miso soup?

"want."

*******

Since there were only two of them, and they had gotten up a little late today, Tsukino and Chiya prepared a very simple breakfast.

"Ah...so blissful." Wangma Xiaoji ate his sandwich and sighed with satisfaction after swallowing it. "Let Kozuki and Kazumi become my subordinates. They'll cook four dishes and a soup every morning, wash the dishes, and do it all without pay."

Tsukino and Chiya answered calmly, "First of all, if I remember correctly, Ohma, you'll also be staying at Hope's Peak, right? The preparatory course dorms are separate from the undergraduate dorms, so having to prepare four dishes and a soup together every morning is a bit of a hassle. Secondly, I've seen the information on the Hope's Peak website; there's a chef among the 'Ultimate' students enrolled this year, so inviting him would be more cost-effective."

Wang Ma Xiaoji: "Whoosh—whoosh—"

Tsukino and Chiya finished the last bite of their sandwiches without any surprise.

Ouma Kokichi, who had been snoring with his eyes closed, suddenly woke up with a start: "Huh? What happened? What were we talking about? Eh? Kozuki and you have already finished eating? So fast, did I travel through time?"

Tsukino and Chiya: "It's nothing, I just declined your invitation."

Wang Ma Xiaoji: "Hey—don't remind me of this sad fact. Speaking of which, it's really unexpected that Kozuki Kazuya would go to the Hope's Peak website to look at information on all the 'Ultimate High School Level' characters. On top of that, she's willing to pay exorbitant tuition fees to attend a preparatory course that's completely different from undergraduate studies. Kozuki Kazuya, you..."

The purple-haired boy paused slightly: "Could it be that you actually care a lot about things like 'talent' and 'hope'?"

"Hope's Peak Academy is renowned, so it's impossible not to care. However, that's not the most important thing."

Tsukino and Chiya, who had already finished breakfast, wiped their mouths with tissues.

His tone always seemed so steady, allowing one to guess his true emotions through his voice. One couldn't help but wonder if his voice would remain unchanged whether he was talking about the weather casually or facing a terrifying situation like a zombie apocalypse.

Just like right now.

As always, Tsukino and Chiya spoke in their emotionless voices: "The most important thing is that you have enrolled in Hope's Peak Academy."

Wang Ma Xiaoji was unusually quiet.

Unlike before, his expression was unexpectedly calm, making one wonder if he was secretly brewing some more intense evil intentions that were about to erupt... or perhaps he was simply stunned for a moment.

Taking advantage of this moment, Tsukino and Chiya calmly steered the conversation: "Actually, there's something else I'm curious about."

"So... since you've enrolled at Hope's Peak as an 'Ultimate Student,' then, Ohma, you must have some interest in Hope's Peak, right? What are your thoughts on Hope's Peak?"

"This one?"

Having quickly recovered and returned to normal, Wang Ma Xiaoji put on a thoughtful expression.

"Kazuki's question is exactly the kind of question an admissions officer would ask. How boring! Why should I answer it? But since Kazuki asked so sincerely, I might as well be merciful and tell you."

"Hope Peak is 'Ultimate'..."

Wang Ma Xiaoji seemed to remember something, and he smiled with narrowed eyes. When he said "Ultimate High School Level", his voice was slower than usual, as if he was savoring the word with deep meaning.

"If I had to describe the impression, it would feel like one of those situations where they'd lock up all the 'Ultimate' students and have them fight each other to the death~"

Tsukino and Qianye: "..."

Tsukino and Qianye: "…………?"

A note from the author:

----------------------

Chiya: Is that right?

————

I really want to play 100 Days of War, but unfortunately I haven't had much time to play games lately [crying emoji]

Actually, I did struggle with the Hope's Peak dormitory issue. Danganronpa Zero says that the south area of ​​the school is the Hope's Peak dormitory area and living area, but only undergraduates can live there, and they are exempt from the rules and live for free.

My first thought was that there were no dormitories for preparatory students on campus, but then I realized that the South Campus was probably a residential area exclusively for undergraduates. The dormitories for preparatory students, which require payment, are likely located in the West Campus, near the preparatory students' dormitories.