"No! You need to stop! No no no no no no this isn't right this can't be! There must be a mistake. This wasn't Mondo's doing. It couldn't have been!" Ishimaru pled, hands firmly attached to the edges of Mondo's jacket, refusing to acknowledge that it would be to no avail.

"Just go to the vote, get it over with." Mondo said calmly, refusing to look Ishimaru in the eyes.

"Now time to move this trial onwards, and get the ball rolling. Everyone, take a vote." Monobear announced, much to the despair of Ishimaru, who was obviously having a breakdown. "Pick a classmate, although at this point, I'm sure the culprit is obvious."

Rushing towards Monobear in his first act of defiance against the small principal, his eyes well with tears and a fresh wave of pleas escape "Please no, no, no no, this cannot be. Stop! This vote is incorrect; Mondo could not possibly be the culprit."

Monobear counted up the votes and let out an 'Upupupupupup', "After a not-so-unanimous vote, Mondo Oowada has been pinned the culprit. Good job on saving your own skin, you bastards, although your classmate Ishimaru voted for himself. Majority rules saved him."

"It wasn't Mondo! My kyodai wouldn't do this, he isn't guilty of these crimes, there's no way. Please, this can't…" a heaving sob escapes, drowning his words and hurting his chest. His words drift off as a good many more tears spill from his watery eyes. His first real friend couldn't be dying, couldn't be about to die. This had to be prevented.

"It was me. I did it." Mondo confirmed, face white as a sheet at this point, any fierce exterior lost. Betrayal coursed through Ishimaru, but it was overpowered by the need to defend Mondo at all costs. He wouldn't have killed Chihiro if they hadn't been placed in this situation in the first place.

As their classmates look on with varied states of sadness and worry at what would soon play out during the gang leader's execution, Ishimaru moved towards Mondo again, grabbing his hand. More tears pricked at the corner of his eyes, but he stood firm, trying to sort out everything.

His unusual laugh playing out again, Monobear spoke up "Upupupupupu, your despair, Ishimaru, it befits you. It would be a shame to stifle such despair so soon. You have one day. Your blubbering has earned you one day. The stipulation is that you must spend the time with Oowada The only reason being that it amuses me. In exactly twenty four hours, you will view your so-called kyodai be executed in the most spectacular way yet."

This news should have brought a smile to Ishimaru's face, or a proper response, but there was none. There should have been joy at a full day left of life for his only friend, but he couldn't manage it. All he could do was cling to Mondo's arm and attempt to steady his breathing.

"A day?" Mondo asked, dubious.

"You have a 24 hour period to spend before your execution, yes. A little less than 24 at this point, go on, return to your lives." The bear aimed the last part towards the rest of the students gathered.

As their classmates shuffle out of the room, confusion across most of their faces, Mondo drags Ishimaru along, bars his teeth, and says "You didn't need to go about defendin' me, alright? I'm guilty, I did it, and now I have to live with the shame for another day. Because of you."

This hostility certainly wasn't something Ishimaru was prepared for; he withdrew his arm from where it had been clinging on Mondo's. "I-I didn't mean for… I only meant to…" he was shaking now, trying to stifle his emotions and return to a steady state.

"No, shhhhh." Mondo soothed, changing his words from bitter to calming. "I'm sorry, I just… I was able to hold a brave face for a while and I'll have to do it again later, it's… taxing."

Sniffling, Ishimaru raised his arm to take a look at his watch. "There are a few minutes until ten o'clock; we should go to our rooms." He announced wearily. He didn't think he could keep himself upright for more than a few minutes, anyway.

"'S where I was headed, yeah." The deep sense of foreboding as to what his execution may be kept him tense on the walk back to their rooms. They reached Mondo's before Ishi's, so he bade the other a good night and entered, not bothering to lock the door, seeing as he was a dead man walking anyway.

Carefully removing his jacket and placing it on the back of a chair, he readied for a long night of what would probably be tossing and turning with little to no actual rest. After donning a pair of sweatpants, the doorbell rang. Figuring it'd be someone wishing to confront him regarding Chihiro, he sighed "Door's open." He called, before recalling the soundproof tendencies of the school. Making his way over to the door, he opened it to reveal Ishimaru.

"Kyodai, I-" his words were drowned out by an undignified snort as Mondo took in the pajamas the other was decked out in.

"You're wearing Batman pajamas." Mondo scoffs, appraising the sleepwear the other had adorned. A short sleeved gray shirt with the yellow oval and black symbol in the center, as per the normal Batman insignia, and long pants with the insignia patterned all over. Not something Mondo would have pegged the hall monitor to wear.

"It was a gift from my younger brother. He admires heroes and I received this last Christmas," was the simple response.

"Whatever." Mondo waved it off "I thought you were dead tired? Go sleep in your dorky pajamas or whatever. 'S none of my business."

"I was attempting to go through my nightly routine to prepare for sleep when Monobear appeared. That's why I'm here. I've been informed by Monobear that for your remaining day I must be by your side. Short of intervals wherein one of us requires use of the restroom, I am to accompany you. It was one of the stipulations of your extra day. May I come in?" he inquired following the explanation.

Noticing they were still standing at the door, Mondo nodded, scratching the back of his neck "Y-yeah, sure, come on in." he closed the door behind Ishimaru and sighed. "Take the bed." He decided to offer.

"No, I couldn't impose! I'm only here due to Monobear's orders. You can sleep as you normally would."

"Fine, whatever. I'm tired, though, so I'm sleepin'" he collapsed onto the bed, running his hands through his hair and letting it all fall down loose past his shoulders.

"Are you going to go through the proper procedure of brushing your teeth?" Ishimaru inquired. "Oral hygiene is key."

"If you haven't noticed, I'm dying tomorrow. Hygienic practices aren't exactly high on my to-do list." Mondo sighed, closing his eyes.

"Then what is on your to-do list?" Ishimaru asked, taking a seat on the chair Mondo had previously draped his jacket on the back of. He set the pillow he'd brought from his own room on his lap.

Mondo considered jokingly replying 'You', but his face became pink-tinged with only the thought of saying it aloud. "Getting some rest. I'd love to be doing that." He snapped, closing his eyes. A sharp intake of breath from the other opened them again.

"My apologies, kyodai. I shall let you rest." He looked down at his feet, which were bare.

"You're like a restless spirit!" Mondo grumbles, pushing himself off of the bed. "I'll brush my teeth." 'No ulterior motives here. None at all.' Mondo ponders as Ishimaru grinned at his retreating figure.

Standing at the counter, he brushes his teeth with a bit more force than necessary. Returning to the room he asks "Why don't we share?" Ishimaru's eyes were on him as soon as the words left his mouth. "I mean, well, it's a decent sized bed and you can't just sit there 'til morning…"

"It's an agreeable proposition," He nodded, letting out an unexpected yawn, "I accept."

Flopping down on the bed, Mondo shifted to one side, allowing plenty of room for Ishimaru. In an attempt to make himself comfortable, Ishimaru curled up on his left side, facing away from Mondo. Content with the arrangement, Ishimaru's breathing evened out and he fell asleep quickly.

When Mondo was positive the other boy was unlikely to be woken, he wrapped his right arm around him possessively, giving him a kiss on the back of the neck before drowsiness overtook and he fell into a very restful slumber.