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Kirumi's day went just like the many previous days that she spent trapped in this mysterious school. Waking up extra early to prepare breakfast for everybody. Right after everybody was done, she would clean the dishes, and then attend to cleaning the classrooms, corridors, the library, the game room, the gymnasium, and the ultimate's respective labs. After that, she would check if her classmates required any help with any personal tasks, which almost all of them usually did. Be it helping Gonta locate any bugs around the outdoor school area, assisting Miu in the making of her inventions, aiding Angie with her "offerings" for Atua, moving some artifacts around with Korekiyo in his anthropologist lab, and so on.
It was no sweat for the Ultimate Maid. If a task needed to be done, Kirumi would ensure the best results were achieved. She found that there was a satisfying rhythm in her work, akin to the ticking of a metronome on a piano. The completion of one work's "tick", to be soon followed by the next one's "tack".
The only one who seemed to take an issue with the maid's workload was none other than Kaede Akamatsu, the kindest and friendliest person Tojo has ever met. Kirumi knew that Kaeded's worries were tied to the blond girl's caring side, but the green-haired girl reassured her time and time again that she didn't mind the tasks. But that never stopped Kaede from inviting Kirumi to hang out just to relax for a bit. They would go to a quieter spot, drink tea (that Kirumi prepared beforehand), and hold a simple conversation, mostly centered around Kaede's interests in music and piano artists (Tojo would chime in her own opinion and interests, yes, but she preferred keeping the topic on what the other person enjoyed).
Kirumi had to admit that the tranquility was very welcoming, especially when accompanied by Kaede's bubbly personality, but she usually ended the break to resume her work when an acceptable amount of time had passed. Kirumi couldn't help but find it adorable how Kaede would insist on spending just a little more time with her, and with the big puppy eyes she would give, it was really hard to say no to (a fight the maid didn't mind losing to), but it was only a matter of time before she had to leave.
But even as they parted for the day, Tojo would continue thinking about the Ultimate Pianist, her mind easily drifting off to daydream about the blond girl, with her cheeks adopting a slight shade of pink and a strong beating drumming within her chest. She knew such thoughts were distracting, but Kaede stuck to her heart like gum in hair.
The only thing that could wake Kirumi from dreamland was the question of whether Akamatsu felt the same, because reality was a very cruel, but effective alarm clock.
Kirumi wasn't foolish. She knew that Kaede was this friendly to all her friends at the school, so to think there could be more between them was fruitless. Perhaps it was for the best, after all, a maid yearning for her master was selfish and impossible, so it was better to ignore such feelings and avoid the heartbreak altogether.
When she came back to her senses, Tojo remembered that she had yet to clean the bathrooms. After picking the right materials for the job from her Ultimate Lab, the maid made her way toward the toilets.
After finishing cleaning the mirror and the sinks, Kirumi was about to mop the floor, when she noticed something shiny underneath.
-["Now, what could this be?"]-Kirumi thought to herself as she crouched to pick the curious object, now analyzing it in her hands.
It was some kind of golden key, with the most noticeable detail being the heart-shaped bow and red gem in the middle. Another odd detail was how the two small bits were so high up in the shank.
Kirumi found the object very weird, as she doesn't recall any door that could be unlocked with this key in particular.
-["Perhaps it belonged to one of her classmates?"]-The idea emerged, and that seemed like the most likely scenario. She couldn't think of any of the Ultimates that could own something like this, but it didn't hurt to ask...after she was done cleaning the bathroom.
She stored the key in her pocket, and resumed her task.
Kirumi's nighttime went just like the many previous nighttimes that she spent trapped in this mysterious school. After storing her cleaning supplies, she headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner for everybody. Right after everybody was satisfied, she would clean the dishes, tidy up the kitchen, and then check if everything was in order. After that, Tojo would leave for her personal quarters, and drop herself onto the bed.
The difference is that this time, she felt something in her pocket. Reaching for it, the familiar odd shape hit her like a wave.
...Shit! She forgot about the key.
Pulling it out, Tojo pondered if she should go door to door and ask about the key. It would be bothersome, and disrespectful on her part as a maid, but she already messed it up the moment she failed to notify her classmates about the key.
But the moment Kirumi got up from her bed to deliver the key, Monokuma dropped from the ceiling, falling face-first to the floor, now blocking the entrance
-"Gah!"-Kirumi jumped in surprise
-"Now where do you think you're going at a time like this?!"-He asked after ungluing his face from the floor like a cartoon character-"I hope it's for murder. Oh, do me a favor and grab some milk on your way back"
-"...I was just going to return this key that I found"-Kirumi explained after recovering from the sudden surprise, showing said key to the killer plushie
Monokuma got up from the floor, and took a better glance at the object in the maid's hand. He laughed-"Puhuhu, you can be quite silly at times, don't you know that?"
-"S-Sorry?"
-"Do you have any idea what you have in hands, missy?"
-"...A tacky key?"
-"T-TACKY?!?! HOW RUDE!!!"-He clearly was bothered by her remark-"I WASTE MY VALUABLE TIME COMING HERE, ONLY TO BE DISRESPECTED BY YOUR HURTFUL COMMENTS!!"-He let out a depressed sigh-"If my art teacher were here, he would have a heart attack from such criticism...which would be funny as hell!!"
-"Pardon me, but did you say "key of love" ?"-The maid questioned
-"Heck yeah, miss!"-Monokuma placed his hands on his hips(?)-"I'll even explain how to use it"
-"How to use it?"
-"Puhuhu. That key opens the way to a very special place. A place you might've seen in the vicinity of the casino, where there is a wonderful hotel named Kumasutra"
-"I see"-Tojo glanced at the key once more-"So this key opens the door for the hotel?"
-"Ding ding ding! Right on the money!"-The bear exclaimed, now displaying a naughty smile-"Which is good. A healthy teenager's brain is supposed to be obsessed with sex and lust!"
Kirumi didn't know what to say about Monokuma's comment, or if she even wanted to say anything at all
-"That key you got there should help you clear out some of those carnal desires! So I hope (or rather, Despair) that you're ready to let it all hang out! Just remember to read the instructions"
After saying that, Monokuma gave Kirumi a piece of paper (that had the same tacky love-dovey decorations as the key)
It's time for The Talk
The Love Key Talk
This is a key that is used to unlock the Love Suite
When night falls, you and one other person that you hold most dearly will be invited to the Love Suite
There, you will be part of that person's fantasy
They will see you as their "ideal", and basically just swoon all over you
Think of it as a kind of dream that lets you escape this cruel, dark reality
That's why it's so important to play the role that person wants you to
If you do something that breaks character, the other person will wake up in anguish
Well then, that's it! Stay Safe! Enjoy!
Kirumi was at a loss for words at the note she just read, unsure whether to believe it or not
-"Oh? You seem skeptical"-Monokuma noticed, tilting his head in curiosity-"Why don't you try it out for yourself, then? Go ahead, take that Love Key out for a spin..."-The bear cackled in pure, despairful glee-"Now then, let love take hold of you! It'll make you sweeter than a bear's honey pot!"
And thus, Kirumi watched Monokuma bounce away. The key began weighing heavily in her hand
-["This is stupid"]-She thought-["To peep into what her friends lust for would be very inappropriate and shameful for a maid"]
Tojo was more than determined to simply throw the key away in order to avoid risking having one of her friends have their desires revealed
But! She then remembered one part of the note that caught her attention
"You and one other person that you hold most dearly"
...Clearly, this couldn't mean.....or could it? She wouldn't be there....or would she?
Kirumi's pale-green eyes darted between the key in her hand, and the trash bin in front of her
She took a deep breath to think about it better
...
With each heavy step she took towards the hotel in the dead of night, a part in the back of her head shouted for her to go back, that she was being a selfish, terrible maid. Yet, Kirumi persisted, telling herself that she's just gonna see if this was real, to satiate her curiosity. Perhaps the hotel needed some cleaning that only the Ultimate Maid could do, now that she held the key. And if somebody else was there, she would just return another time
-["But if shes there...."]-Tojo couldn't even find an excuse for that last part
Kirumi now stood in front of the building, with faint hues of pink illuminating her face. She looked up at the neon sign that read "Hotel Kumasutra", and then down to the entrance in front of her. After another breath to reinvigorate her confidence, the maid went inside.
The lobby floor was surprisingly...plain. Just an empty reception desk, a small waiting area with a sofa, and a table. From what Monokuma was saying, she expected something more crude (and to the likes of Miu). She turned to the elevator at the end of the hall and entered. The elevator was normal as well, save for the peculiar heart-shaped button right on top of the other normal ones, and said heart button had a key entrance right in the middle
-["So that's where it goes"]-Picking up the Key of Love, the sage-haired girl put the key inside, turned it, and then pressed the button
The elevator roared to life, and began ascending
It was a short ride that ended with a ding. The doors opened to another corridor, this time with darker illumination, and a red door with a red neon heart painted on it at the end
-["Welp, I suppose this is the point of no return"]-Kirumi mentally prepared herself as she marched toward the door. Her hand hesitated from turning the golden knob at the last second, but Tojo's desires won in the end. She turned the knob, and stepped inside...
The room was now more fitting for the depravity Monokuma was hyping for
On one side was a "bath area", equipped with showerheads, benches, and buckets for seated washing, and a slide (for whatever reason) that led to a massive bathtub that no doubt could fit two people at once.
The other side was even more depraved. Against the dark brick wall, there was a wooden X-shaped cross to tie someone up (be it with the leather straps or handcuffs), with a red bench right in front of it for other kinks. Fixed on the wall, there was a rack holding different types of tools for BDSM, like whips, ropes, masks, and gag-balls.
And smack-down in the middle, there was a Monokuma-themed carousel, with a creepy horse dancing around a big bed that had a heart-shaped bedframe with lightbulbs on it
This room was the perfect marriage between love and lust, innocent and horny, dreamy and carnal, gentle and rough, cute and sensual
The more Kirumi stood in this room, the more awkward she felt eyeing the different objects. Shame crawled its way up her throat like bile, making her feel dizzy and very regretful for partaking in this nightly adventure
-["I bet she won't even show up"]-Kirumi exhaled in annoyance, mostly to herself by letting Monokuma trick her-["Better to get out of here before anyone notices"]
But right as the Ultimate Maid turned back to the exit, she saw the red door opening, and the person who appeared sent a cold shiver down Tojo's spine
It was Akamatsu Kaede! The moment the Ultimate Pianist laid her purplish-brown eyes on the maid, she flashed a huge smile, and dashed towards Kirumi, quickly enveloping her in a hug
-"Oh Kirumi! You're here!"-Kaede happily exclaimed, jumping with excitement while still having Kirumi ensnared in her arms. She only stopped moving to look up deeply into Tojo's pale-green eye, showing another sheepish grin
This interaction alone was enough to send Kirumi into a high-flustered panic, painting almost the entirety of her face in a shade of magenta. Being this close to Kaede, partaking in this sort of intimacy, being able to even smell the strawberry shampoo Akamatsu used was too much for the poor maid's heart
-["W-W-What is wrong with Kaede?! She's usually extroverted, but not to this degree!"]-Kirumi pondered about it, and that is when she remembered another detail of the note
There, you will be part of that person's fantasy
They will see you as their "ideal", and basically just swoon all over you
-["So, this is just a fantasy in her eyes, and I'm playing...her ideal lover"]-The last part of the thought made her face heat up. Things were moving far too quickly, and what was meant to be just a quick peek to satiate her curiosity was quickly turning into a wild roller-coaster for her heart
Kaede let go of the maid, and while chuckling, she stepped a bit closer to the bed, still staring at her lover
-"Isn't this nice, love? I told you taking a vacation together would be a delightful idea"
-["A "vacation" ?"]-Kirumi placed her finger and thumb on her chin, wondering what the context could be in this act-"Where are we now, if I may so ask, miss. Kaede"
That seemed to annoy Kaede, as she furrowed her brows, crossed her arms, and pouted her lips-"Geez, you forgot already? And there you go again, treating me like I'm just your master. Don't just call me Kaede! Call me sweetheart or something, geez"
-"Ah, my apologies for upsetting you, mis-...S-Sweetheart"
But the blond girl's annoyance was short-lived, as she gave a warm smile full of love-"Relax, silly. You know I could never be mad at my beloved wife. I guess old habits die hard"
The moment the girl in front of Tojo mentioned the word "wife", it almost made her pass out (and if she were a robot akin to Keebo, that would be the moment she would blow up into pieces)
-"But just to refresh your memory. We're in Italy now. I'm going to perform in front of a crowd in Rome, and I wanted you to come with me"-Kaede let out another playful chuckle-"It sure took a lot of convincing to do so"
-"Italy, how...interesting"-Kirumi said. She had worked for some high-ranking masters in Italy for some time in the past, but to actually see one of her classmates also take an interest in the country was quite peculiar (even if this was, again, just a fantasy). Then again, with Kaede's talent, she could see the blond girl performing all over the world-"I take it that you are well versed in speaking Italian, correct?"
-"Well, I did take some classes, but uhh..."-Kaede let out an awkward laugh of embarrassment-"I was hoping that you would help me in there"
-"Understood! I shall aid you with such regards so that you may enjoy Italy without any worry for language barriers"
Akamatsu stared back at the maid with a deadpanned expression after hearing her response
-"...Is something wrong, miss Kae-"
-"You did it again! You're treating me like I'm your master!!"-Kaede complained, pointing an accusatory finger at the other-"I don't want to enjoy Italy by myself! I want to do it with you! With MY wife!"
Kaede sat on the bed, hanging her head low to avoid facing the maid. Kirumi would be lying if the sight didn't make her heart sink with guilt
Oh woe, what a puzzle. Normally, Kirumi would throw every bit of herself to help her master in need, no matter the sacrifice. That was her code, her selfless devotion
But what to do when the one she's attending isn't her master, but her loving wife, who is asking Tojo to not be the Ultimate Maid, but herself? To separate these two identities seemed impossible in her mind, but the small glimpses of the blonde's sad expression plastered on her face cracked the cool and calm mask of the green-haired girl. With a deep breath, she was set
With a newfound determination, she sat beside Kaede on the bed, their shoulders now glued to one another-"...Kaede...I'm sorry"-Kirumi placed her hand on top of Kaede's
-"It's fine"-Kaede sniffed her nose, gripping back Kirumi's hand. She forced a small smile-"I guess I was just being selfish, that's all"
-"You're wrong, my dear. I was the one who not only underestimated your needs, but also our relationship"
Kaede finally raised her head to glare back at the maid in enchantment, allowing Tojo to continue
-"The world holds my talent as the Ultimate Maid in a very high regard, and so do I, but loving you, making you happy, should be the highest of priorities. And I say this not as a maid, but as your wife"-Kirumi placed her other hand on Akamatsu's cheek, using her thumb to wipe away the tears-"So I'm sorry...sweetheart, and know that I, Kirumi Tojo, love you very much"
-"...Kirumi..."-Kaede cooed, as she used her hand to pull back the maid's sage-colored bang, allowing the pianist to see the honesty in both of Kirumi's green eyes. She smiled, a smile so wide and full of joy-"I love you too, my dear wife"
Both girls had their cheeks adopting a faint shade of magenta, madly blushing at the very intimate moment they shared. Their faces were so close to one another, and slightly growing even closer, their lips merely inches apart from one another
-"May I, my love?"-Kaede whispered, their hot breaths mixing with the other
Kirumi chuckled-"You may, my dear"
The two girls closed their eyes, and braced for the kiss
Kirumi simply embraced the soft and warm feeling of Kaede's lips on hers, not giving a darn anymore if this was a dream or not. All she cared for now was tightly hugging her lover, to not let go, and to hopefully let this moment play for all of eternity. To give her love, and to receive the pianist's love, was all that mattered
Yet, her wish was cut short when the biological need for air kicked in. The two girls parted, gasping for air as they realized that perhaps they were too eagered to make out for very long. After a moment of silence, they shared some laughs
Kaede lowered her head, planting her ear on Tojo's chest, listening to her heartbeat. It beat with a wild, yet elegant manner, akin to a very well-rehearsed rock n roll concert
-"I love the sound of your heartbeat"-Akamatsu uttered-"...It's my favorite melody, one that I could hear forever"
Kirumi hugged her "wife", caressing her blond hair to make her listening experience more comfortable-"I'm glad to hear it, sweetheart"-She gave a small peck on top of Akamatsu's head
The Ultimate Pianist adjusted herself, now taking the maid's hand to place on top of her chest
Tojo's eyes widened at the beauty of it. It too pounded strongly, with nice small intervals in between
-"Remeber this beat, because that is what it plays when I'm with you"-Kaede gave an honest smile-"No matter how apart we may be, the memories of your pretty green eyes, your beautiful sage hair, your soothing voice, and your comforting heartbeat will always remind me that we're gonna be together, no matter what"
-"...Me too, love. I shall always remember your love, and how much I love you"
.
.
.
.
.
When Kirumi opened her eyes again, she realized that instead of the weird Love Room that she had admittedly grown used to, she was back in her personal quarters
She doesn't recall making a trip back here. The last memory the maid had of last night was lying her head on the pillows of the circular bed while embracing......Kaede.....in her arms.....
Tojo's face immediately heated up as her pale face was overwhelmed by a strong magenta blush. She plunged her face into her hands as the romantic memories of last night surfaced. Every single little detail that she remembered made the green-haired girl more and more flustered
But the more she remembered, the more she...liked it. To have such a lively dream, where the girl she crushed on reciprocated her feelings, and they kissed, hugged, and shared a warm hug felt...good
Pushing those (pleasant) thoughts to the side, Kirumi finally got up from her bed, set on starting another day of maid duty. She just hoped her thoughts of Kaede weren't going to distract her (especially after such a dream)
Arriving at the courtyard, she did notice both Kaede and Miu, crouched near patches of tall grasses
-"WHERE IS IT?! WHERE THE FUCK IS THAT FUCKING THING?!?!"-Miu exclaimed as she continued to look frantically
-"D-Don't worry, Miu. I'm sure it gotta be here somewhere"-Kaede reassured her friend, before noticing the maid. She got up and greeted the green-haired girl with a big smile-"Good morning, Kirumi"
-"G-Good morning to you too"-Kirumi fought hard to hold her composure as merely looking at Kaede's enchanting purplish-brown eyes triggered her memories of last night-"May I ask what is that you're searching for"
-"Oh, it's for Miu, actually. She lost a key yesterday, and she dragged me along to look for it"
The moment "key" got mentioned made the maid ponder with worry-"May I ask what the key looks like? I did some cleaning last night, so I might have come across it"
-"It's all brass or something, has a tacky heart-shaped head, and it's very good to shove it up your ass if you don't have a dildo around"-Miu explained (in her own "unique" way) from where she crouched
-"To say the truth, I did not see it"-Kirumi lied
-"Fucking fuck! What a useless maid you are!"-Miu complained. She got up to search another patch of grass-"Yo, Kaeidiot! Did I say you could stop looking?! Put your ass on it!!"
-"...You don't need to be so rude"-Akamatsu exhaled-"Sorry about that. Miu woke up very cranky when she realised she had lost whatever this key is"
-"It's okay. It is my duty as a maid to help others who request my aid, and I failed miss. Iruma"
Kaede grasped Kirumi's hands and lifted them up, forcing the maid to look into her eyes-"No! You shouldn't just accept any disrespect at all! You might be the amazing Ultimate Maid, but you're Kirumi Tojo first, a wonderful girl that deserves all the love and respect in the world"
-"K-K-K-Kae-e-ede"-Even with her calm facial expression, her voice began faltering a lot. The eye contact, the hand contact, Kaede's sweet words, all of it just made the dream last night seem more and more real by the second
-"Oh, sorry"-The pianist let go of Tojo's hand, which made the maid immediately feel so cold and alone-"...By the way, I had a dream with you last night"
That simple line was more than enough to make Kirumi's whole body shake like a washing machine with two bricks inside its tub. Cold sweats be damn, the maid was rapidly firing ice bullets-"R-R-R-R-Rea-a-lly?"
-"Yup"-Kaede smiled so innocently, completely unaware of Kirumi's panic
-"M-M-M-May I-I-I-I ask w-w-w-what the d-d-dream was ab-b-b-bout?"
-"Oh, it was...silly..."
The more the blond girl took her sweet time to actually say it, the more Kirumi felt that she was going to die from a panic attack
-"...We were two cowboys, travelling around the wild west while we hunted down Kokichi, who was a wanted OutLaw in my dream. Oh, and Shuichi was our horse for some reason"-Kaede said, letting out a giggle of embarrassment-"Like I said, it was silly"
-"...Oh"-In the blink of an eye, Kirumi was back to normal-"...It was indeed silly, but it does sound very fun"
Miu suddenly butted in between the two-"Welp, it's not here either. Fucking great, man"
-"Perhaps Monokuma found it? We could always ask him"-Kaede suggested
Tojo's eyes widened, cuz that bear sonofabitch would most certainly spill the beans about her being the culprit of the robbery, and then Kaede would learn for what selfish reason Kirumi used it, and be disgusted, and hate her, and maybe even kill her, and and...
-"Oh yeah sure, let's ask the fucking killer robot that kidnapped us into this killing game"-Miu replied sarcastically-"Goddamn, you have the dumbest fucking ideas of all time, ya know that?"
Kirumi never felt so relieved for having such a stubborn classmate (although the way Miu spoke to Kaede pushed Tojo to want to kill Irumi for disrespecting the pianist)
-"What's so valuable about that key anyway to have you so worked up about it?"-Kaede asked
-"Well, apparently that sucker unlocks a sex hotel, and I wanted to use it with Kiibo to see how his insides feels, if ya catch my drift"
-"...Eww"
-"FUCKING WHATEVER!!"-Miu grasped Kaede's wrist-"You. Me. DanganVegas. Gambling. Now!!"
-"Aww man, now? I wanted to hang out with Kiru since she's here"-Akamatsu whined
-"I DON'T CARE!! LET'S FUCKING GO NOW!!"
-"It's alright, Kaede"-Kirumi reassured with a nice smile (a faint blush painting on her face after hearing the nickname the pianist gave her)-"I am quite late for the morning duties, so you should spend time elsewhere"
-"Well, if ya say so. I just hope we can see each other again"
Before the maid could confirm or deny, Kaede was violently pulled by the Ultimate Inventor towards the Casino area, as if they were in a cartoon
-"...I look forward to it"-Kirumi muttered-"...sweetheart"
-["Maybe it was for the best that Miu is dragged me away"]-Kaede thought to herself as the two girls arrived at the casino, with Miu already fighting for her life (and monocoins) in the Outlaw Run-["After all, how could I face her so closely after that dream?"]
Akamatsu remembered the dream once more, more specifically the part where they camped by a campfire, with cowboy Kaede and cowboy Kirumi sharing the same cans of beans, the same tent, and a kiss underneath a beautiful vast sea of stars
-"AH, I FUCKING LOST AGAIN!!!"-Miu punched the steering wheel (whimpering in pain right after). She turned to the Ultimate Pianist-"...Funny story: I'm a bit broke, so can ya pay this round? I promise I'll give you half of whatever I win next"
-"T-H-E--H-A-L-F--O-F--Z-E-R-O--I-S--S-T-I-L-L--Z-E-R-O"-Monodam, who was standing beside the game, added in his robotic voice
-"Can it, ya lil bitch!!"