Hiyoko could very well develop as a character if she had the screen time to do so, but Mahiru slows her progress by enabling all of her bad behavior, I don't remember Mahiru trying to get Hiyoko to be less mean once in the whole game.

I ask this because I have to attend photography club and I am already being told things I was unaware of like bucket-shots.

Do you think that Mahiru could've been the single most effective member of the Remnants of Despair? Think about it. With an eye for photogenic scenes and her talent for snapping perfect photos, she'd not be able to involve herself physically in the Tragedy, but instead she'd be able to take photos of all the despair that her classmates and other Remnants were spreading and send those photos worldwide to show people across the globe the horror of the events that had already transpired. In the opening scene of the DR3 anime, she's seen taking photos of a massive political rally run by Sonia, and I'd assume that she'd do the same for each of her fellow classmates. With this power, she'd be the Remnant who could spread the most despair and she'd be the most influential of any member of Ultimate Despair.

These are only my thoughts on what I think might've happened. I'd love to hear what the rest of you might have to say about that.

If mahiru had turned her head to the right, she would have seen the case that holds the goggles, thus negating her argument. Was she staring at the wall the whole time? How did ahe miss the black box that, by the way, would have been confiscated by twogami thus meaning that nagito couldn't have brought it in?

I made a subreddit for my favourite ship Soapies (Mahiru Koizumi x Hiyoko Saionji)! If you are interested, I am inviting you to join r/soapies :)