Chapter 1: Beyond the Basic
Akamatsu Kaede fidgeted with the hem of her jeans while she waited. She was at a local diner, sitting outside on the patio. Three menus sat atop the table, and a large umbrella protruded from its center, shielding her from the harsh summer sun. She moved her hands up to the table's wooden surface and began tapping the planks with her fingers, pretending to play a classical tune as if on a piano.
Her waiter delivered the sweet iced tea she had ordered earlier, and Kaede reassured him that the rest of her party would arrive shortly. She grabbed the glass and chugged half of it on the spot, feeling refreshed as it fended off the heat from her body. She continued to compose a melody upon the table as she scanned her surroundings for her group. None of whom passed by had business at the diner, as they neither slowed their pace nor stopped to look around.
Kaede sighed as she reached into her purple purse and pulled out her cell phone. It was a moderately sized pink device with a charm in the shape of a piano dangling off its side. She intended to check the time and was surprised to see she had a text notification, the name "Saihara Shuichi" displayed on the screen. She unlocked her phone and read it.
"So what's your first impression of your group?"
A smile formed on her lips as she stared at the words. She glanced at the time, which read 2:12 PM, and began forming her reply.
"They're not here yet. 12 minutes late. I'm a nervous wreck."
Kaede sent the message and placed her phone down on the table, continuing to look around for anyone who was familiar. Though she hadn't directly interacted with her group yet, she had seen plenty of students walking around campus before, so she hoped to recognize whoever was supposed to arrive.
It was an afternoon in late July, a week after Hope's Peak Academy had let its students out for summer break. Kaede began her first term at the prestigious school a few months ago, entering its walls as the Ultimate Pianist. Despite still being a teenager, she had made a name for herself with her musical talents, which led to her being scouted by Hope's Peak officials. She was excited to attend, and while her first term was certainly challenging, she did her best to make the most of it, learning new pieces to play and establishing friendships with her classmates.
However, the school's newest task had Kaede worried: a group project with her upperclassmen. She and her peers from Class 79 were each paired with one student from the 78th and 77th classes, and they needed to have a presentation ready for when the next term started back up. The parameters for the project were few, and it seemed like the school was giving them plenty of creative freedom, but since Kaede specialized as a solo pianist, working in a group was an unfamiliarity to her. They were to resume school in early September, so they only had little more than a month to prepare.
Kaede took another sip of her tea as she continued to wait for her two partners. She knew nothing about them save for the small details within the email the headmaster had sent her. The student from Class 78 was the Ultimate Martial Artist named Sakura, and from Class 77 was the Ultimate Breeder named Gundham. As soon as she had read what their talents were, her mind blanked as to what three people with such unrelated skills could possibly create together.
After a few more restless minutes of fidgeting and fake piano playing, Kaede noticed a woman and a man at the end of the street, walking together towards the diner. Their unconventional appearances would surely grab anyone's attention. The woman was the tallest, most muscular person Kaede had ever seen. Her skin was deep red, and her hair was long, white, and jagged, resembling a stereotypical depiction of a witch. She wore a white sleeveless shirt that hugged her torso tightly, and a gray short skirt that certainly clashed with her less than feminine physique.
He, on the other hand, actually looked more bizarre. Despite the sweltering July heat, he was dressed in a black overcoat, black jeans, and black boots, with a purple scarf that wrapped around his neck and partially obscured his face. His skin was extremely pale, likely that he would be sunburnt in little time, which was probably the reason for his heavy attire.
As Kaede had reasoned, she had indeed seen these two multiple times in passing on campus, and figured that they were her partners. While the woman must've been the Ultimate Martial Artist as evidenced by her rippling body, there seemed to be nothing about the man that suggested he was the Ultimate Breeder. Kaede then realized that there was little about her own attire that displayed her status as the Ultimate Pianist, save for her pink t-shirt that depicted several piano keys along with the words, "The keys to my heart".
Kaede stood up and slowly waved her hand at them, an unsure smile upon her face. There was still the chance that these were just two random students who happened to be passing by, and she didn't want to embarrass herself by flailing her arms at the wrong people. Luckily for her, the woman noticed her and waved back, prompting Kaede to sigh in relief. The man also looked in her direction, though he made no attempt at a gesture.
They both stepped through the fence that surrounded the patio and approached the table, and Kaede was able to see them in greater detail. The woman seemed even taller up close, easily surpassing six feet and being twice as wide as Kaede herself. Thick veins flowed underneath her skin, large scars covered her body, and her arms were so big that she could probably snap Kaede's comparatively tiny limbs in half with ease. She had a plain gray purse slung around her shoulder which, like her skirt, didn't seem to match her appearance.
The man had a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his left eye, and seemed to be wearing a heavy layer of eye shadow, all of which stuck out against his pale face. His most striking feature was his heterochromatic eyes, one a vivid red and the other a dull gray. His scowl was intense, showing no sign that a friendly interaction was under consideration in his mind.
Kaede struggled to find the words to greet these imposing figures. "U-uh, hi!" She spoke louder than she intended, and covered her lips with her hand. "A-are you, um, Sakura and G-Gundham?"
The woman smirked and let out a chuckle. "Yes, dear, I'm Ogami Sakura, the Ultimate Martial Artist." Her tone was deep and raspy. She extended her hand out towards Kaede. "Pleased to meet you. You must be Kaede."
Hearing her own name spoken aloud made Kaede feel like a spotlight was shining on her, and she scrambled to respond. "O-oh yeah, I'm Akamatsu Kaede, Ultimate Pianist!" She awkwardly attempted to grab Sakura's hand, which was significantly larger than her own, her fingers each being the width of a piano key. They shook, and Sakura was so forceful that her arm felt like a limp noodle. When the handshake finally ended, Kaede let her arm dangle lifelessly at her side, and she decided to turn her attention to the man. "And you must be Gundham?"
He crossed his arms and snickered, speaking in a hauntingly deep voice. "So you are the composer of melodies? Name for me your deadliest tune, and if it is worthy of being heard in the underworld, I shall grace you with my denomination."
Kaede stared dumbfounded at him. She noticed Sakura frown and sigh, a manner that suggested she was familiar with this routine. Despite his odd word choices, Keade did feel that she understood the gist of what he said. "Well, uh, there's 'Clair de lune' by Claude Debussy. That's... one of my favorites?" She looked at him with uncertainty.
His dual-toned eyes bore into her as he seemed to process her response, his gaze bringing discomfort to the nervous pianist. He then closed his eyes and appeared to grin underneath his scarf. "Indeed, a tune most suited for the servants of Hell. Very well, mortal, you have passed the test." Though he said that, Kaede was doubtful that he'd actually heard the song before, and probably could've named for him any piece and he would've accepted it. He opened his eyes and raised his hands to his chest. "Now, be thrilled that you are bearing witness to my revelation. My name carries great sway in my realm, so it is not to be used lightly. Listen closely, for I shall not repeat myself. I am Tanaka Gundham, the Overlord of Ice!"
Kaede stared at him, struggling how to handle any of what she just heard. Was this guy for real? Did he act like this all the time? This was definitely the most bizarre introduction she'd ever had with a person - if he could be called a person. "I'm sorry, the overwhat of what? I thought you were the Ultimate Breeder?"
Gundham scowled and looked away. "Yes, that is my title on this plane of existence, but it only applies to my temporary form. It fails to capture my true essence!"
Kaede didn't want to bother with further inquiry. "O-oh, well, it's nice to meet you… I guess." She extended her other hand towards him, the one that didn't yet feel like dead weight.
He stared at her outstretched hand, making no effort to reciprocate. "You'd best be careful, mortal. A fatal poison runs through my veins. If a being with low demonic energy such as yourself touches me, you shall not survive."
"Well, alright, then!" she said with haste, quickly retracting her hand. She did feel relieved that he refused, though, as she didn't want to risk losing her other arm to a hectic shake. She instead used her hand to brush her hair out of her face, the humidity causing it to stick to her skin.
Kaede took her seat, and they both followed suit - Sakura sitting adjacent to her, resting her purse on the ground, and Gundham sitting opposite her.
Kaede heard her phone vibrate on the table, likely a response from Shuichi. However, she didn't want to appear rude upon meeting her upperclassmen, so she quickly deposited the device back into her purse.
She picked up her tea and downed the rest of it, unsure of where to begin their conversation. Her confidence was feeling low due to how her partners seemed completely unapproachable right now, what with their motionless forms and lack of smiles. Regardless, even if their introductions were awkward, Kaede thought that it shouldn't be this hard for a group of Ultimates to talk with each other.
A thought finally came to mind just as Kaede finished her tea. "So you two showed up together? Did you meet up beforehand?"
"No, Gundham and I happened to bump into each other around the corner," replied Sakura. "I apologize for our delay. I hope you weren't waiting long."
"Oh, don't worry about it. It wasn't too long," Kaede lied. She was so anxious to meet them that she arrived at the diner half an hour before their scheduled time. She could only have imagined who her partners would've been, but now that she was looking at them face-to-face, her nerves only grew at their physically imposing natures.
Sakura seemed to pick up on this. "There's no need to be nervous, Kaede. I know we seem a bit abnormal, but I assure you we're just here for pleasantries. Isn't that right, Gundham?"
The breeder replied with a scoff.
Kaede went wide-eyed and held her hands up. "Oh, no, I wasn't - I mean, I didn't…!"
Sakura laughed softly. "Your gaze betrayed you. It's a look I'm all too familiar with. I know it's uncommon to see a woman of my stature. You don't need to hide your surprise."
Kaede slumped her head, feeling embarrassed and guilty for being called out. "I'm sorry. Normally I don't stare. I've actually seen you two around campus a few times. It seems really obvious in hindsight that you're the Ultimate Martial Artist, Sakura."
Sakura smirked in a manner that suggested she'd heard these types of comments before. "I'll take that as a compliment. I've worked hard to maintain my physique, so if my talent is obvious, then it means I'm doing something right."
Gundham scowled at Sakura. "Hmph, is there no mystery left in this world? You may be a warrior, but your lack of subtlety when it comes to your talent makes you easier to read and to defeat."
"Uh, Gundham, are you challenging Sakura to a fight?" asked Kaede.
Sakura glanced at him, and Gundham recoiled and stuttered. "W-what?! O-of course not! A Dark Lord such as myself does not engage with quarrels among mortals!"
"Are you sure? It sounded like you were challenging me," Sakura teased. "Normally I do not harm people, but I suppose a Dark Lord from another dimension is no mere person, right?"
"S-silence, fool! I was merely stating that the greatest of beings, myself included, are much more subtle."
While his talent may not be obvious at first glance, subtle was still the last word that Kaede would use to describe the pale-skinned man wearing dark clothes, heavy makeup, and a gigantic scarf.
However, she noticed that despite their less than friendly comments, there seemed to be an air of familiarity between them. "Um, so this is my first time meeting you two, but you seem to already know each other?"
There was a fleeting moment of eye contact between them, an exchange of deadly glares, before they abruptly turned their heads away from each other. It seemed Kaede had been right, but not in the way she had hoped.
There was an awkward silence, and the three of them grabbed the menus off the table and looked through them. Because Kaede had arrived early, she already knew what she wanted, but she pretended to scan the menu in order to avoid any further uncomfortable interactions. The only audible sounds over the next few minutes were the chatter from the nearby tables and passing traffic.
Eventually, the waiter came back to their table, and he froze in his tracks when he saw Sakura and Gundham. Her bulky body and his cold, brooding eyes really brought home how normal Kaede looked by comparison, being a petite girl with fair skin, blonde hair, of average height, and wearing appropriate summer attire. She noticed the waiter's eyes lingered on Gundham the longest.
"Can I help you, mortal?" the breeder said.
The waiter gulped. "Oh! Just, uh… I'm surprised you're wearing a jacket and scarf when it's so hot out."
Gundham bellowed exaggeratedly. "Please, I am the Overlord of Ice! The heat will never overcome me!"
The waiter looked to Kaede, who only shrugged her shoulders. "O-okay, then. Are you guys ready to order?"
"Yes, two waters, and fast!" shouted Gundham.
Kaede sighed exasperatedly. "Gundham, just take off your jacket and scarf if you're hot."
"Foolish mortal! You dare to -"
"I'm ready to order!" Kaede cut him off, not wanting to hear another rant. "A refill of my tea, and a cheeseburger with fries, medium-well, please!"
The waiter wrote her order on his pad before turning to Sakura. "A-and you, ma'am?"
She spoke in a polite tone. "I would like a decaf coffee, the steak platter with a side of broccoli, and a small stack of pancakes. Thank you."
Kaede cocked her eyebrow at Sakura. It was an unusual order for an afternoon lunch outing. Despite that, she found herself more curious about what Gundham was going to get, or rather, how he was going to order it. She saw the waiter finally turn to him.
"Bring me an ensemble of greenery worthy of the Roman emperor himself!"
He certainly didn't disappoint.
"Uh… do you mean a caesar salad?" asked the waiter.
"You're wiser than you appear, mortal. It seems you may have a dark aura within you, though only enough to be a low-level demon."
"Th-thank you, my lord?" He seemed unsure if his business was finished, so he scanned the table. When no one said anything, he quickly scooped up their menus and hobbled off back into the diner.
"Well, that was an experience," said Kaede. "Gundham, you do know that the caesar salad isn't named after Julius Caesar, right? Also, he wasn't an emperor."
Gundham appeared surprised and blushed. He took his arm and wiped sweat off his forehead. "Of course I knew that! That was a test, and you passed."
"Riiiiiight," she replied, turning her focus to Sakura. "Can you explain your order to me? It's a bit unorthodox."
"Certainly, Kaede. I require a high caloric intake to maintain my physique. Steak and broccoli are high in protein, and the pancakes are…" She blushed. "Well, they're just really good."
"No argument there," Kaede said with a slight grin. She actually felt proud that she was able to fluster both of them so easily. It made her feel more confident after their less than stellar interactions so far. "It's cool that you're still thinking about your talent even when you're away from school. I was hoping I wasn't the only one."
"There's nothing wrong with taking your talent seriously wherever you are," said Sakura with a hint of pride.
Kaede smiled at her. "Thanks, Sakura. That means a lot to me." The martial artist smiled at her, and she turned her attention to Gundham. "You, though. I wasn't expecting you to order just a salad. It's not typical of men."
"Hmph, I am no mere man, symphonist," said Gundham. "Performing the unexpected is exactly how I'm able to -"
Sakura interjected. "Gundham, will you please just get to the point?"
He regarded her for a moment before he sighed. "I'm a vegetarian. Animals are precious to me, so I don't consume them. Rest assured that I do not cast judgment on you for your dietary choices."
Kaede nodded, though she was positive that he cast judgment on people for other reasons. "Well, now that we're all here, should we talk about our project for school?"
"Of course we should!" exclaimed Gundham as he slammed his hand on the table, causing Kaede's empty glass to shake slightly. "The time for business is nigh!"
"Uh, yeah…" muttered Kaede. "So you two aren't new to this school like I am. Has a project like this ever been assigned before?"
"Nothing of this scale has happened to me before," said Sakura. "Perhaps Gundham has experienced this since he's been there the longest."
Gundham's icy glare returned as he crossed his arms. "Hmph, rest assured that this is a first for me, too. We've been paired off for assignments before, but it was always between members of our own class, never a mixing of realms."
"Hmm, weird," Kaede mused. "I wonder why the school decided to do this."
"Perhaps they wanted to encourage heavier interaction between the classes?" Sakura offered. "I'll admit that I'm fond of the idea. The curriculum mostly keeps us among our immediate peers. It's nice to branch out and meet others."
"Please, speak for yourself, mortal," scoffed Gundham. "This whole ordeal is a waste of time. There are few who are worthy to be in the presence of this Dark Lord, and a little excursion such as this will not easily increase that number."
Kaede looked at him in disbelief. "Wow, so we're not worthy, Gundham?"
He floundered, coughing a few times as he seemed to search for his words. "Well, I suppose you will have the opportunity to prove yourselves. But do not waste it! You only have but one chance!"
Kaede sighed in defeat. This was without a doubt one of the worst first impressions she'd ever had, and she wasn't entirely sure who was to blame. Gundham almost put Maki to shame in terms of insulting behavior. She wondered if it was too late to email the headmaster and request a different partner from Class 77.
"Moving on, what should our project be about?" asked Sakura.
"I'm not sure," replied Kaede. "Maybe we should talk about our talents and figure out where to go from there?" Sakura shrugged her shoulders, and Gundham merely stared at her. As neither had outright shot down her suggestion, she continued. "Well, as the Ultimate Pianist, I can play many songs on the piano, most of them classical. I've won a few competitions already, actually."
"Congratulations to you on that, Kaede," said Sakura. "As the Ultimate Martial Artist, I train my body and mind extensively everyday. I know a variety of different fighting styles and have won tournaments in multiple countries."
"As the Ultimate Breeder, I learn about many different animals and how to care for them," said Gundham. "There are no competitions in such a field, so I have no fancy trophy to show, but I do have a blog where I inform the public of rare breeds."
Kaede looked at Gundham in slight shock, which he seemed to notice.
"Do my abilities impress you, symphonist? It only makes sense that they would," he said with a cocky smile.
It wasn't what he said that impressed her, but how he said it. It was the first completely coherent statement he had made so far, no exaggerated verboseness attached. She noticed that it was also the first time he spoke of what he enjoyed doing, and she figured there was a correlation between the two. As her mind wandered, she closed her eyes and smiled, realizing that her analyses were coming from spending so much time around a detective.
"And where does this leave us?" came Sakura's voice.
Kaede opened her eyes, coming back to the moment. She racked her brain as she looked between the two of them. Despite their clear passion for their hobbies, nothing was coming to mind. "Man, our talents are so different. What are we supposed to make together?"
Another awkward silence surrounded them. They avoided eye contact with each other and looked down at the table's wooden surface. Kaede began to play another tune on the planks before a welcome interruption came by.
The waiter returned with their drinks. He placed a glass of tea in front of Kaede, a mug of steaming coffee before Sakura, and then began to tremble as he placed Gundham's two glasses of water before him. He quickly scampered off without saying a word.
Kaede noticed Sakura pull out a white bottle from her purse. She opened it and sprinkled what appeared to be a powdery substance into her coffee, stirring it around with a spoon.
"What's that?" asked Kaede.
"Protein powder," she stated. "It's a good supplement."
"Wow, you're super dedicated to your routine," said Kaede. "I'm impressed. I wonder what it's like to be a martial artist."
"Thank you, Kaede," said Sakura as she took a sip of her coffee. "Like any talent, it requires focus, hard work, and dedication. Anyone with those qualities can pick it up."
Kaede felt somewhat relaxed at Sakura's words, as they felt down to earth, relatable. "Focus, hard work, and dedication," she muttered. It was a simple statement, but it was true, nonetheless. Being a talented pianist took a lot of effort, and Kaede was reminded that anyone's talent would require just as much, whether they were a martial artist or a breeder or a detective. She took a sip of her tea, a refreshing wave coursing through her body as she cooled down.
She heard Gundham sigh. "So no one has any schemes to offer up for our success? Disappointing."
"I don't see you coming up with anything," retorted Kaede, glaring at him.
"Teamwork is beyond the realm of my powers," said Gundham with a smirk. Kaede stared at him quizzically, unable to fathom why he would have a cocky attitude after just admitting to something he was incapable of doing.
Sakura scratched her chin and spoke up. "Well, you play piano, I know how to fight, and Gundham… trains animals, correct?" She looked at him for affirmation, and he simply nodded. "What if Kaede plays a tune, and Gundham teaches an animal to do moves to that tune?"
Kaede nodded her head slightly. "Well, it's a start, I guess. But what would you be doing, Sakura?"
"I suppose I could perform some of my moves, as well," she said.
"So both of you would be performing at the same time?" asked Kaede. "But how would the audience know who to pay attention to?" She immediately regretted the inquiry, because what followed without missing a beat was -
"They would obviously pay attention to me since I'm the chosen one by the dark gods of the demon realm."
The most shocking thing to Kaede was the fact that he actually didn't shout, nor did he cackle, nor was there anything grandiose about his tone. He simply stated it as a fact.
Kaede tried to ignore him and keep her focus. "I'm not sure, Sakura. It sounds like we'd just be doing our talents individually but at the same time. The school might not be impressed by that."
"Forgive me, it was only a simple thought," said Sakura as she took another sip of her coffee, a clear hint of dejection in her voice.
"N-no, it wasn't bad!" Kaede said as she held her hands up defensively. "I just…! What I meant was…"
"It's okay, you don't need to apologize," said Sakura. She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms, and closed her eyes.
Gundham snickered. "To offend the beast yields great consequences, symphonist. I hope you're prepared to take them."
"Gundham, you're not helping!" Kaede yelled as she pulled at her hair. She smacked her forehead onto the table, staring at her feet through the gaps in the planks. She heard Gundham suddenly burst into laughter.
This wasn't going anywhere. No ideas were coming to mind. Their talents were too different. How were they supposed to work together? How were they supposed to do anything? How could they possibly call themselves students of Hope's Peak Academy after this?
She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone, no longer caring about any perceived rudeness she would be showing in doing so. As she thought earlier, there was a reply from Shuichi.
"Hey, don't feel nervous. You're great at talking to people. I'm sure you'll do fine."
Kaede stared at the words, her mouth hanging open. Her grip on her phone loosened and it slipped from her hand, colliding with the table. She slammed her head back down, stabbing her fingers through her sweaty locks. She wanted to lose it, to begin laughing like a crazed lunatic, but she refrained since Gundham was doing enough for the both of them.
"Um, is everything okay over here?" came the waiter's voice.
Kaede looked up and saw him standing next to their table, concern on his face. Her slumped over posture, Sakura's distance, and Gundham's guffawing would certainly cause anyone to worry. Before she could respond, though -
"Two more waters for me, mortal!"
The waiter gave a confused look to Gundham. "Oh, you already finished them? That was fast."
"Hmph, you could not possibly comprehend the desires of a dark lord such as myself," he sneered. "I must ingest the liquid of life to maintain this form! Now go!"
"O-okay, right away, sir!" he said as he scurried off in terror.
Kaede sighed exasperatedly and covered her eyes with her hands, frantically rubbing them in circles. It hadn't been too long since her partners showed up, and they still had the rest of their lunch date to get through. How was she going to survive today? How was she going to survive the next month with these two? How was she going to survive her remaining years at Hope's Peak Academy after this inevitable disaster?
Kaede picked up her phone and began her reply to Shuichi.
"Shu, you're lucky you're not here right now. 'Trainwreck' doesn't even begin to describe this. If my partners mysteriously vanish tonight, it won't take a detective to figure out who did it."
Kaede threw her head back onto the pillow, clutching her face in frustration. She pulled down on her cheeks, her eyelids drooping and her vision going blurry. She jerked from side to side upon the mattress, messing up the tidy blanket and sheets beneath her.
She heard the clicking of computer keys and turned her head towards the noise. Saihara Shuichi sat across the room at his desk, typing away on his laptop, his back to her. She tossed and turned on his bed faster, keeping her eyes on him and hoping to get his attention.
When he didn't acknowledge her, Kaede shouted, "Aaarrrggghhh, this is impossible!"
She saw Shuichi's head turn slightly to the side, though not enough for her to see his face. "Kaede, relax."
It wasn't the response she wanted to hear. She wanted him to look at her, to give her some input. "I can't relax! What am I supposed to do?! I have nothing for this project!"
"You just met them today," he said, still typing away. "Give yourselves some time to iron out your ideas before you start to freak out. I'm sure you'll come up with something when you meet up again."
Kaede sat up and stared at the back of his head in annoyance. "Meet up again? Shu, I don't know if I can see them again! It was almost impossible to have a conversation with them!" She began fidgeting with her jeans. "Sakura's kinda nice, but she's not very talkative, and I have no clue what planet Gundham is from! I'd rather be blindfolded and forced to play a piano with keys that are slightly smaller than normal!"
"That's… oddly specific," said Shuichi. "But cheer up. I'm sure you'll think of something." His words sounded dismissive and brought her no comfort.
"What are you even doing right now?" she asked, her tone slightly irritated as he focused more on his laptop than on her.
"Oh, a friend of mine sent me some critical thinking questions. I'm answering them to keep my mind sharp."
Kaede huffed and got up from the bed, strolling the short distance to his desk along the opposite wall of his bedroom. She looked over his shoulder and saw a word document opened. There were a series of questions, each describing a crime and asking for the culprit's identity using the clues given. There were so many words on the screen that she couldn't tell where the questions ended and where Shuichi's answers began. Just trying to read a sentence gave Kaede a headache.
She looked away from the screen before anymore info could flood her brain. "A friend sent these to you? They must know you're a detective freak."
"Well, she should know that," said Shuichi with a chuckle. "She's the Ultimate Detective of the 78th class. Her name's Kirigiri Kyoko. Do you know her?"
Kaede tapped her chin with her finger. "Kyoko? No, she doesn't sound familiar. I can't even picture anyone." However, the name "Kirigiri" did ring a bell, but she couldn't quite remember where she'd heard it before.
Shuichi stopped his typing and looked at her. "Well, since we have the same talent, we sometimes talk with each other. You should meet her."
Kaede was a little upset that they were no longer talking about her problem, but she was glad that Shuichi finally pried his eyes off of his laptop and onto her. She decided to keep the topic going to at least maintain his focus. "What's she like?"
His face fell slightly. "Oh, uh, she's… nice. Not too talkative, though."
Kaede frowned. "You do realize I just complained about how one of my partners isn't talkative, right?"
"Yes, I was listening to you, Kaede," he said firmly.
Kaede picked up on his tone and decided to add some jest to her next words. "Then why would you think I'd want to meet her based on that quality, you doof?"
Shuichi had a dumb grin on his face. "You got me there, Kaede. My brain probably froze. Maybe I've been staring at this screen for too long." He closed his laptop, stood up from his desk, and walked across his room and sat on his bed. "Let me try that again. She can seem a bit distant, but when you've found something she wants to talk about, it becomes much easier."
Kaede chuckled. "You're not a very good salesman, Shu." She plopped down on the mattress next to him, happy that she finally had his full attention. "Okay, let me ask this. On a scale of Kaito to Maki, how approachable is she?"
Shuichi went wide-eyed. "Kyoko? Oh, she's definitely on the Maki side. I'd place her somewhere between Maki and Korekiyo."
Kaede lightly gagged. "Wow, that's… oh, boy."
"Yeah, she's not the most eager to socialize with people," said Shuichi. "She seems okay around me, but that's probably because we share the same talent, so it's easier for us to talk about things. Around others, she doesn't seem too open."
"Again, lack of salesman skills, Shu," teased Kaede. "You're not making me wanna jump out of my seat to go meet her."
"Hey, don't be so quick to judge her, Kaede," he spoke seriously. "I know I wasn't the most approachable person, either, but you still took the time to befriend me."
Kaede blushed at his statement, awkwardly weaving her hand through her hair. "W-well, that's because… um… I-I saw you by yourself a lot. I didn't want you to feel alone."
Shuichi cleared his throat. "L-like I've said before, I appreciated it." He sounded flustered. She glanced at him and saw the faintest of pink in his cheeks. "Just don't be so quick to judge others, okay?"
"Yeah, sure, Shu," she said softly, her gaze lingering on him longer than she'd intended.
She managed to pry her eyes off of him and looked around his bedroom to keep herself distracted. It was her first time at his house, and it was just as quaint as she'd expected it to be. His room was small, had light blue walls, and one window that let in the orange glow of the sunset. He had a modest twin-sized bed with dark blue sheets upon it. His desk was organized, with only his laptop, a mouse, a small reading lamp, and a holder of pens and pencils upon its surface. There were a handful of posters hung up on the walls, most of which depicted Sherlock Holmes, either as an original artwork or promotional material from the TV show. Kaede considered it the most cliche thing a detective could have.
Shuichi's bedroom was a near-perfect replica of his Hope's Peak dorm, save for the two bookshelves along one of the walls. When she inspected them earlier, she found many books and few DVD's lining their shelves; they consisted mainly of detective stories and mystery thrillers, which brought her no surprise.
Her gaze eventually fell onto the nightstand next to the bed, and what she saw upon it made her breath catch in her throat. Next to his lamp was a photo within a small pink frame. She picked it up, clutching it in her lap as she stared at it. It showed a selfie of herself and Shuichi, sitting in the balcony level of a concert hall. They were both smiling, their faces nearly touching, the empty stage in the distance behind them as the show had yet to begin. About a month after the start of their first semester at Hope's Peak, Kaede had asked Shuichi to accompany her to an orchestra that was playing in town. She was pleased that he agreed to go, and they wound up having a great time. She wasn't expecting to find the photo framed in his bedroom, and she felt warmth in her cheeks.
Kaede wanted to put the photo back down, to not acknowledge it out of fear of embarrassment, but her heart won out over her mind. "Hey, Shuichi, you framed this picture?"
He glanced at her, then looked at the frame in her lap. His eyes grew in surprise, and his pale face suddenly became stained with red. "O-oh, uh, yeah." He scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "It was a lot of fun, so… I wanted to do something with it."
Kaede smiled at him and placed the photo back on the nightstand. "That's, uh, really sweet. You know, I actually framed that Sherlock poster you got me and hung it on my wall."
"Oh, yeah?" mumbled Shuichi with an embarrassed look. "I didn't know if you actually liked it."
"Of course I liked it!" she inadvertently shouted, then covered her mouth when she heard herself. "Well, I mean, you love detectives, and I did it because…" She glanced at the wall, unable to look him in the eyes. She whispered, "... you're my best friend, Shuichi."
Shuichi covered his mouth and grinned cheekily. "I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked mockingly. "I thought I heard you say something."
"God, you're such a tease," she whined. "I-I said you're my best friend, Shuichi." Kaede covered her blushing face with her hands.
"Heh, interesting," he said, placing his hand upon her shoulder. "Well, you're my best friend, too."
Kaede's heart wanted to leap out of her chest. She quickly threw her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. "Shuuuuu, you can't just say things like that!"
"Uh, you said it first, Kaede," he said as he rubbed her back in circles.
They sat there in silence, the only sound coming from the crickets outside. Kaede couldn't find a compelling enough reason to release the detective, and he didn't seem to be in a rush to push her away, either. Thoughts ran through her head, the same ones that had come and gone many times before, and like always, Kaede tried to ignore them. Shuichi was her first friend at Hope's Peak, and she wasn't willing to risk ruining that, no matter how strong her desires were. With a reluctant sigh, she lifted her head from his shoulder and let him go, the feeling of his hand caressing her back now gone. They looked at each other and smiled awkwardly.
"What do you think I should do, Shu?" she asked, attempting to move past the silence. "We don't have much time, and I have no idea how to tackle this."
"I will admit, the lack of parameters for this project is a bit overwhelming," said Shuichi, rubbing his chin. "It's harder to come up with something without clearer directions, but I suppose that's the point."
Kaede tilted her head as she regarded him. "Hmm? What do you mean?"
"Well, we're students of the Hope's Peak Academy, right? The beacons of hope for the future. All eyes are on us, and we need to show that a small group of people can come together and create something interesting. If we can't accomplish this, then we don't stand a chance after graduation."
Kaede pouted. "Well, duh, that part's obvious! I'm not struggling so much with the tight deadline or the unclear instructions, but with who my partners are! What exactly are a pianist, a martial artist, and an animal breeder supposed to do together?! Not only do our talents not match up, but we don't seem to have anything in common!"
"I can understand where you're coming from," said Shuichi with a grin.
Kaede dug her fingernails into the bedsheets. "We should've been partnered off differently," she said in frustration. "Did you know that Maizono Sayaka is in the class above us? She's the Ultimate Pop Sensation, one of the most famous idols ever! The third-years even have a student called the Ultimate Musician! Why didn't they pair the three of us together?! We could've put on a concert or something!"
Shuichi sighed. "I hate to say this, Kaede, but I think that's exactly what the school was trying to avoid."
Kaede stared at him puzzlingly. "But why? If the point is to show the world that we're worth something, then an obvious group like that would be able to accomplish that, no problem!"
"Don't you see it, though? You just answered your own question," said Shuichi. "I'm sure the three of you together would've been great to see, but as you just said, it's obvious. It wouldn't be nearly as much of a challenge."
Kaede could hear the faintest trace of excitement in his voice. It was clear that he was enjoying explaining his thoughts to her. He was such a detective freak, and it brought a smile to her lips.
"Imagine if they put Kyoko, the other Ultimate Detective, in my group. Would you really be surprised?"
"I suppose not," said Kaede. Shuichi tilted his head knowingly at her, and she gave him a defeated smirk. "Who are your partners, by the way?"
Shuichi began glancing at random spots in the room. "Uhhhh, you want to know about them?" She nodded, and he coughed. "Oh boy, where to begin?"
"Oh come on, Shu, they can't possibly be worse than my group."
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Wanna bet?"
Kaede held out her pinky. "Loser treats the winner to lunch."
"I'll take that," said Shuichi, linking his pinky with hers. "Okay, so, my group…" He paused for a moment. "The second-year student is the Ultimate Moral Compass. He's a stickler for order and won't hesitate to say something if he sees you violating the rules of whatever establishment you happen to be at. He also seems pretty old-fashioned. In fact, I'm sure he would chastise us right now because a boy and a girl are sitting on the same bed."
Kaede suddenly became aware of how close they were sitting next to each other. Their hands were resting on the mattress and were almost touching. She met his gaze and they both blushed and quickly looked away.
"A-anyway," he stammered. "However, my other partner is the Ultimate Yakuza. He belongs to a mafia family, and, well, I'm sure you see where this is going. Order and crime don't usually get along."
Kaede nodded her head, imagining the constant arguing Shuichi probably had to endure between his partners. As dysfunctional as she thought her own group was, they were at least able to communicate without hostility. Even though Sakura was a bit of a stick in the mud, she did seem level-headed, and Gundham's "dark lord" persona was odd and annoying to deal with, but it didn't convey any true antagonism.
"So what did you wind up doing about it?" asked Kaede.
"Well, in the moment, I couldn't do anything," responded Shuichi. "Both of them were quite overwhelming. I don't think a single pleasant exchange happened between them. I started to think, 'Why would Hope's Peak purposefully pair the three of us together?' When I reached out to Kyoko for help, she told me that she was struggling with her own group, and we were able to come to a conclusion."
Kaede bore her eyes into him, listening intently to his every word. "Your detective instincts kicked in, huh?"
Shuichi chuckled. "I guess you could say that. For my group, we realized that there was a theme. The Moral Compass represents order, the Yakuza represents chaos, and I, as the truth-seeking Detective, represent neutrality. We're each one point of a scale. Don't you think it would be impressive if we came together to create something?"
"You three do sound incredibly different, so I suppose it would be a miracle," said Kaede.
"Exactly!" he said excitedly. "Hope's Peak wants people of different talents and backgrounds to work together! That's the whole point of this project! It would be too easy if they paired all three musically-inclined students together. Everyone would be expecting a concert."
Kaede saw the large grin on Shuichi's face. "God, you really are a detective at heart. Look at that smile on your face. You love explaining things to me, don't you?"
Shuichi awkwardly covered his mouth with his hand. "U-um, w-well, I was just trying…"
Kaede lightly jabbed his arm. "I'm just teasing, you doof!" She then frowned and hung her head in shame. "But wow, I didn't even think of this project that deeply. I feel dumb for even suggesting that concert idea. Of course that was too obvious! Do I even deserve to be an Ultimate with that basic level of thinking?"
She felt Shuichi's hands grab her shoulders. "Hey, Kaede, don't say that! Of course you deserve to be an Ultimate! You're a brilliant pianist!"
The blush creeped back into her cheeks as she looked at him. "You think so?"
"Yes! I love it when you play!" he proclaimed passionately, staring into her eyes.
"Sh-Shuichi?" Her breathing quickened, becoming aware that their faces were only inches apart. Their cheeks were so red that it put Maki's gaze to shame. Her heart pounded and she blinked repeatedly. Her mouth kept opening, but words never came out.
Shuichi seemed to realize how close they were, and he quickly released his grasp on her and scooted a few inches away. Kaede took the opportunity to stand up and pretend to stretch her legs. Though she was upset that their intimate moment had ceased, she was thankful that it rid her of a potentially awkward situation. He was so handsome and sweet that she didn't trust herself to resist temptation and close the gap between their faces.
"U-um, thank you, Shuichi," was all she managed to say.
"Y-yeah, of course," he mumbled. He stood up from his bed and sat back down at his desk, opening up his laptop.
Kaede walked over to his bookshelves, browsing his reading material again just so she had something to occupy her time with. She heard the clacking of his keyboard, and she pondered for something to say as she traced the book spines with her index finger.
"So Kyoko helped you, huh?" she finally asked.
"Yeah," she heard him reply. "She did most of the thinking, though. She definitely had a better grasp on this project than I did."
"But you said she was also having trouble with her own group, right? Did she tell you who her partners were?"
"Yes. Her 77th class partner is the Ultimate Gamer, and from our class it's…" His typing stopped. "Well, it's actually Maki."
Kaede's face fell. "Oh no." She thought for a moment. "And you said Kyoko herself was already towards the Maki side, huh? Oh geez, they're probably quieter than a library. I at least hope the Ultimate Gamer is lively enough for the both of them."
Shuichi laughed awkwardly and scratched his head. "Uh, y-yeah, sure…"
Kaede cocked her eyebrow at his words, but before she could pursue them, a thought clicked in her mind. "Oh, Kirigiri! I know why that name sounds familiar!" She snapped her fingers. "The headmaster's name is Kirigiri!"
"Yeah, Kyoko is the headmaster's daughter," said Shuichi.
"And you say she helped you figure this out? Couldn't she have just asked her dad for the answer?"
His firm tone came back. "I admit that the possibility is there, but I'm sure she didn't. Again, that would defeat the purpose if we don't realize it for ourselves."
Kaede didn't want to pursue the issue any further. It was clear from how he spoke that he placed a lot of faith in Kyoko, and pressing any further on that would be a bad idea. She continued skimming through his books, barely processing any of the titles that came into view.
"So what do you think I should do, Shu?"
"Well, I think maybe you should get to know your partners better. You said that you felt you had nothing in common, but it also sounds like your conversations with them were based entirely around this project. Try to learn who they are outside of their talents."
"I'll need you to wish me all the luck in the world for that to happen," said Kaede. "Are you gonna try and befriend your group?"
"I think I'll need all the luck in the universe for that," he said.
They both began to laugh, and Kaede felt like a weight was lifting from her shoulders. She was beginning to feel more optimistic about this project. The challenge was still ahead, but Shuichi's words provided her a new way of tackling it, and she was looking forward to seeing the results.
"Thank you, Shuichi, for being here for me." She felt a tear rolling down her cheek. "I'm glad I have you as a friend."
"You're welcome, Kaede," he said. "And I'll always be there for you."
She wiped her eyes and gazed at him for a moment. His focus was back on his laptop, so he probably missed her emotional reaction. She turned around and resumed looking at his book collection.
"Oh, and Kaede?" she heard him say. She looked at him and saw a cocky smile upon his face. "You owe me a lunch."
"What?!" She placed her hands on her hips. "Who decided that you won the bet, huh?"
"I think it's pretty clear," he said. "My group is definitely less friendly than yours."
"Well, of course you'd say that! You had to make them sound bad!"
"But Kaede, I did manage to convince you of my group's horrors, right?"
"Yes…" she muttered.
"And you also repeatedly called me a terrible salesman, right?"
"Um, uh-huh." She didn't like where he was going with this.
He smirked. "So if my supposedly inferior skills still managed to paint a picture for you, then that just shows how powerful my story was. Ergo, my group is worse, so I win."
Kaede pointed her finger at him. "Y-you -!" She took slow, loud, irritated breaths. Finally, she sighed and lowered her head in defeat. "Sometimes I hate the fact that you're a detective. Fine, you win."
Shuichi laughed. "I'm going to make this an expensive meal."
"Oh, shut up!"
Pinkie's Thoughts: I hope you're enjoying this so far, everypony! The reason Kaede, Sakura, and Gundham are the leads is because they're my favorite characters from each game (Kaede being my absolute favorite of the entire series), and I wanted to tell a story about what the three of them would do together if they ever met. Shuichi, Kiyotaka, and Fuyuhiko are my second favorite characters from each game, hence why they're grouped with each other. Finally, Kyoko, Chiaki, and Maki are paired together because they're the main investigative partners in each game.
Since Hope's Peak Academy is a Japanese school, it would likely follow the country's academic year. The first term begins in April and ends in July, hence why Kaede's summer break only recently started. They then resume school in September, which is when the project is due.
