This Cake Is No Lie

An uneasy girl lays casually on a thick dusty rug, looking up at a slowly twirling ceiling fan. She couldn't remember exactly how long she'd been laying there. But after waking up and finding herself alone for the day, she felt demotivated to do much of anything.

That girl was Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Magician... or so she once thought. She didn't quite know what to think anymore these days, however. Not since learning that her entire being was an elaborate lie.

It had been several weeks since they had escaped the killing game... the 53rd killing game... the final killing game, they certainly hoped. They had convinced the world to abandon Danganronpa.

Well... in truth, they had only managed to obtain a majority vote in that final trial. Once they escaped their prison, they learned that the world was now bitterly divided between those who were inspired by their message... and those who weren't.

There had been no official word from Team Danganronpa on whether the series would continue. And their silence only served to ignite the flames even harder.

One day, Shuichi had said, they would investigate everything about Team Danganronpa and the killing game show they ran... but for now, the survivors were just trying their best to... well, continue surviving. In a world that they, as fictional characters, didn't belong.

The days immediately following their escape from the dome were the most stressful and scary. Wandering through dense forests and through disheveled mountain passages. By the time they reached anything even resembling civilization, they were dirty, exhausted and starving.

But they did it. Together.

They had taken refuge in an abandoned motel on the outskirts of a town they didn't recognize. It took some doing but they managed to create something of a home for themselves. They weren't sure how long it would last but... it was so nice to find comfort after everything they had endured.

They had converted the recreation lobby of the motel into their new home. It was tiring work moving the beds in from the filthy rooms... but laying down on soft sheets was worth all the effort and more.

They strung up old christmas lights they found in the storage closet around the room, which gave it a rather... cozy atmosphere. Fortunately, the place still had power and running water. It was more than they could've asked for.

Himiko rolled to the side in her new indiscreet black hoodie. They had tucked away their uniforms from... that place.

"We'll be too easily recognized", Maki had warned, "We need to find new clothes".

Besides, after going through the wilds to get here, their old uniforms were looking pretty shabby. Himiko's only concession was keeping her mage's hat. Which Maki reluctantly agreed to... so long as she never bring it into public.

So there she laid, in a stock black hoodie, with a different set of red skirt and black stockings. Her hat hanging proudly on a coat rack. They were comfy enough.

"Nyaa...", she moaned as she sat up, her stomach growling fiercely. It was time to feast.

She walked over to a cupboard, stocked with dozens and dozens of styrofoam cups, each filled with dried ramen. She grabbed one, filled it with water from the sink and placed it in the antique of a microwave the motel provided.

They had only been eating convenience store food since they arrived. It was cheap and it was filling. And that was all that mattered. Still, every now and again she really missed Kirumi's cooking.

She sat on the dusty old couch and began to eat the packaged ramen with a plastic fork. This was her life now and it was honestly more cozy than she ever expected climbing out of that dome.

They weren't doing any of it honestly. They scrounged up spare change from all over town and swiped food where they could. They didn't feel good about it. But they could never hope to get jobs as... well... people who didn't officially exist.

"After everything we've been through... the world owes us this much", Maki had said on the subject. They all agreed.

It was unusual that she was the only one at home. Normally only one of them left the motel at a time. It was less conspicuous that way. But she had awoke to a note telling her both of them had gone out scavenging today.

That was why she was uneasy. She didn't like being alone... not anymore. Not in this unfamiliar world. It was just the three of them together... maybe one day that would change but...

Suddenly there was a knock at the door... one knock, pause, two knocks, pause... three knocks. It was the signal that it was one of them and not some unwanted intruder. She jumped to her feet.

She repeated the knocking pattern to confirm she was there and then proceeded to undo the various locks. Opening the door, she saw Shuichi standing there, holding a big cardboard box. She could see it was lightly snowing behind him... winter was coming.

He shuffled his way inside and dropped the box in the corner of the room. He started clutching his knees and panting.

"You okay, Shuichi?", she asked.

"Ah... yeah, I'm fine. Just tired", he replied, taking off his jacket and hanging it up. He wore a red and black striped shirt and faded black jeans. Those were just found in a dresser around the motel.

He flung off a pair of boots and a ski cap, falling onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Himiko sat on the other side of the couch casually.

"It's getting colder, huh?", she asked.

"Yeah... we might need to start using that space heater we found in the shed...", he said.

"You and Maki didn't go together?", she asked.

"No... Well, we left together but we went seperate ways after a bit. She said she'll be back by evening", he answered.

"You want something to eat?"

"Nah... I can go a bit longer"

They had to be careful and ration their foodstock. Shuichi tended to eat the least out of them.

"Heh. You don't have to force yourself to be dependable, you know. You can eat if you want to", Himiko joked.

"It's nothing like that... and I like to think I've been pretty dependable, all things considered", he said with a faint smile.

"Nyaa... I know... I'm just joking", she admitted.

Truthfully, he was the most dependable person she had ever known. She wouldn't be alive now if not for him... but it would've been embarrassing to just say that so casually.

"Nobody recognized you?"

"Not that I could tell... amazing what a change of wardrobe can do", he replied.

"Heh. I remember when someone thought Maki was just cosplaying as herself... that was kinda funny", Himiko reminisced.

"Yeah, she didn't think so though. She cut her hair short the very next day", he pointed out.

"She looks so different now...", she mused.

"We all do... you don't even wear your hat much anymore", he sighed, gazing over to it. Himiko crossed her arms with a slight pout.

"Well if you want me to so badly...", she grumbled.

"Heh, it's not that! Just an observation!", he assured her.

She rubbed her arm nervously. "It's just... even that... is a reminder, you know", she admitted. Shuichi put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"I understand that feeling", was his simple comment.

He fiddled with a strand of her hair out of curiosity. "Both of us are growing out a bit, huh?", he said.

"I wanna cut it soon", she mumbled.

"Me too. Let's ask Maki, she knows her way with blades, right?", he said jovially. Himiko chuckled.

"When we met her, she looked like never had a haircut in her life", she mocked.

"And now she's our resident expert. How things have changed" he finished the thought.

There was a brief silence.

"Honestly, I'd be lost without her. She knows how to survive better than us... always knows how to ration food and cover our tracks... she's always thinking of stuff I'd never realize", he admitted.

"Yeah... she's really dependable too", Himiko stated with a low tone.

"What's wrong?", he asked, sensing the mood had shifted. He'd gotten too good at reading her lately.

Himiko lifted her knees to her face and wrapped her arms around them. "It's nothing... it's just you and Maki are so amazing and sometimes I feel like I'm just... here", she stated solemnly.

"Heh... I don't know about me being amazing or anything...", he began.

"But I've been thinking myself... we can't feel guilty about... surviving. It's... it's like he said. Life's purpose is to be lived... we don't have to justify it to anyone but ourselves", Shuichi said calmly.

Himiko had a faint smile on her face. "Yeah, you're right...", she said as she leaned against him. She didn't even realize she had done it.

Shuichi blushed slightly and fidgeted in his seat... but accepted it. Wasn't the first time... that was how they were now.

They ended up sitting back to back, reading manga from the local library to pass the time. Libraries really were great things.

Sooner or later, the familiar knocking pattern echoed through the room. Shuichi answered the door. Himiko overheard some hushed whispering as she flipped through pages in her book.

"Hey, Himiko... could you close your eyes for a second?", Shuichi asked out of the blue.

"Nyaa? Why?", she asked.

"Just trust me", he said.

She sighed, dropping her book on her face lazily, covering her sight.

After a moment, a hand reached over and pulled the book off her face. The first thing she saw was the blaring but tiny flame of a candle in the dim room.

Shuichi and Maki were on their knees, holding a small cake in front of her. "Whaa--?", was all she could say. It took her ramen-fed brain a moment to even process this strangely alien food.

"We saw it on the newspaper. Today's your birthday", Maki said bluntly... but with warmth.

Himiko's face became flustered, to think she didn't even know it was her own birthday. Then again, she hadn't known what day it was in... well... ever, come to think of it.

"Nyaa... b-but... it might not be my real birthday", she stammered.

"That doesn't matter. You're the only Himiko we know so... this is the only birthday that matters", Shuichi reassured her.

"I... I don't know what to say...", she whimpered.

"You don't have to say anything. Just blow out the candle", Maki told her with a slight smirk.

She was so stunned by this sudden display that it actually took her three tries to muster up a breath that could do that.

"Happy Birthday, Himiko", Shuichi said with a gentle smile, placing the cake on the table behind them.

"Hm. You did get that thing, right?", Maki asked, glaring at him. He nodded enthusiastically and started digging through the box he had brought in earlier.

"Okay so... maybe this is a bit silly but... when I saw this, I thought it'd be perfect for you so...", he said, his own face becoming flustered. He pulled out a white tiger plush and pushed it nervously into Himiko's arms.

"Nyaa! T-This is...", she stuttered.

Shuichi scratched the back of his head, "I remember you told me about your tiger cub... I know it didn't really exist but... I thought this might bring good memories... or something", he explained in a nervous tone.

Himiko looked at the white stripped tiger in her hands. It was true, she was a little old to be given stuffed animals but... looking at this plush made her feel really fuzzy inside. Those memories might be fake... but it all felt very real to her.

She lunged forward and gave Shuichi a hug. "T-Thanks... Shuichi... It really does...", she admitted.

Shuichi coughed awkwardly, "Is that so? Well... that's great", he said, inwardly very satisfied. She let go and placed her new plush on her bed. It's funny... she remembered cuddling a real tiger cub so fondly... well, maybe she'd rediscover a bit of that feeling now.

"I thought it was a stupid idea at first but... I'm glad I was wrong", Maki said.

Maki cut the cake... she was the best with blades afterall. They shared it, not caring about rations nor reason. They were celebrating... celebrating being born... and being alive.

They talked about whatever came to their minds. They talked about the present, they talked about the future... they tried to avoid discussing the past... they usually did. But they knew they could if they needed to, and that's what was important.

Halfway through, Himiko's eyes watered a bit. She was... really, really happy. And she fought against the guilt telling her that she didn't deserve it. Because of course she did. She deserved to find happiness... they all did.

And together, they'd continue to find it.

It was, quite literally, the best... and in a way, the first birthday Himiko Yumeno had ever had. And she could only hope it was just the first of many.

The End.