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To put it simply: Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist, was an aloof person.
He rarely made an interest to bond with his classmates or go exploring across the Ultimate Academy; he found where he was supposed to be and rarely left his lab, minus announcements from that wretched bear. Perhaps one might say he was lonely. But Korekiyo preferred the slow pace in life, unlike his more rowdier classmates.
Perhaps that is why he took a liking to Rantaro Amami, whose Ultimate Talent was still unknown by everyone, not even by himself.
In concept, Rantaro was a lot different from Korekiyo. He kept his ground and stood it firmly against Monokuma, while Korekiyo usually went along with the crowd with the belief he agreed most with. Amami was more charming and extroved; Shinguji more creepy and introverted.
But in actuality? They had a lot in common. Rantaro was quickly separated from the rest of the group, due to his unnerving, all-knowing nature and his lack of an Ultimate. The Ultimates were just like sheep, alienating the wolf among them. Humanity truly is beautiful, Korekiyo sighed to himself.
Due to the nature of the killing game, Korekiyo didn’t get to spend a long time with the boy, due to his untimely death sparking the game off. He couldn’t help but feel bad for the man, but shut all thoughts of the memories with him out, due to the more pressing matters at hand.
He really wished he hadn’t, in retrospect.
Two nights before Amami bited the dust, Korekiyo was walking to his room. All the Ultimates were preparing for nighttime, and he was planning to do the same. A quick glance behind him made him see the boy. He was waving goodbye to Kaede, and turning to go to his room. The boy had an air of tension around him, Korekiyo took to note. But if I was in his shoes, I would be tense too. He has a target on his back as big as a board…
The two then suddenly locked eyes. Rantaro, who was the outgoing one of the two, gave a smile and a little wave, as to initiate conversation. Korekiyo nodded in retaliation, although he really didn’t want to converse at the moment. He just wanted to rest for the day ahead.
“Hey, Korekiyo.” Rantaro started.
“Yes, hello Rantaro.” Korekiyo reluctantly kept going. “Are you going to sleep like the rest of us? Or are you investigating to break the bears’ rules…”
“I suppose I could have.” Rantaro gave a smile. “But I just wanted to go to the cafeteria. Had a long day of thinking and I need a snack. Care to join me? Or are you heading to sleep…?”
Despite his best wishes, Korekiyo said yes.
The two walked down to the cafeteria together. “Huh, looks like they packed all the food away.”
“What a shame…” Korekiyo put a finger to his lip.
“But at least they still have ingredients.”
“We can only do it if one of us knows how to cook. I can only make soup, if that is any…consolation...” Shinguji admitted.
“I actually know how to cook.” Amami said, grabbing some ingredients. “I can show you how to make some snacks, if you like.”
“…Sure…”
And so the boy did. Guiding Korekiyo along throughout the process, they were able to make a couple cakes, some fruit salad, and even some trail mix. Shinguji was quite amused at the boy’s skill.
“How did you even learn to make all of that.” Was the only question on Shinguji’s mind.
“Well,” Amami thought. “If you really want to know, and if your killing of me is going to be more bias, then…I have a lot of sisters back home. 12- to be exact. I had to take care of them when my parents couldn’t. You learn a lot of skills that way.”
“Oh.” Shinguji nodded. “I had an old sister back home. She fell terribly ill, and I had to take care of her in her last days.”
“Oh…I’m sorry, Korek-“
“Don’t be.” Shinguji’s mind was deeper in his past.
“…” The air grew terribly tense around the two. Korekiyo noticed the clock, saying that it was five to 10 pm. “Well, I guess it’s time to say goodnight, Amami.”
“I suppose it is.” Rantaro sighed, but still kept his warm smile. “Hey, don’t get too lonely in your bubbly, Kork.”
Shinguji nodded. He didn’t mind the nickname but was too tired to protest against it. He said Goodnight to the strange boy, for one of the last times in his life. He felt like he grew a little closer to Rantaro that day.
After his death as well as Kaede’s, Korekiyo found himself all alone again. His aloof nature was getting on some people’s nerves. At least he had a lab to get away from them, but the lack of conversation was starting to get to him. And, the rise of the Student Council was really getting on his nerves. So, he made a plan: a really bad plan, one that would result in his death.
He went back to the cafeteria after the failed seance. He was dreading the class trial, as he would most likely die. It happened to Kaede, it happened to Kirumi; no matter how hard he tried to convince the other Ultimates otherwise, it would happen to him. But even if he did die, he’d see his sister again. The person he adored like no other, the person he was a slave to for about a year, the person he murdered hundreds for just for her to have friends, the person he was going to die for in the next 24 hours. He was happy, wasn’t he? This was exactly what he wanted, right?
He found himself back at the cafeteria, alone. His hands felt like guilt and his mind was racing. The only thing he could do was sit there. He thought about his dead classmates. Although he didn’t talk to them much, he wondered if they were doing all right on the other side. Maybe they had found peace. Maybe they were all in hell. Korekiyo didn’t mind.
Because humanity was beautiful like that. It was fair and unbiased, like a judge deciding where you deserve to go based on how you lived. It was messy, but beautiful. It was kind, but ruthless. It was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and Korekiyo followed in its faith.
Korekiyo thought about this, as his body propelled him to the kitchen. Like muscle memory, he began following Amami’s recipe. Every chop, every stir, every movement was a perfect replica of what he had showed him. And, after a while, he had made the snacks.
Sister, he asked liked a worshipper to the shrine, would you like this?
And somewhere in his heart, his own personal rebellion made him ask a separate question.
Dear students up in the afterlife, will you accept me? Even after what I have done, Angie and Tenko…?
Both questions would be answered in the next 24 hours. And whatever the outcome would be, Shinguji was ready to accept it. Heaven or hell, hope or despair, sister or Rantaro. Because humanity was the judge of him. And if he didn’t have that, then what did he have?