Mukuro Ikusaba only half listened to the teacher closing lecture about the subject of chemical bonding. She starred out the window, not looking for anything in particular just attempting to distract herself. Every so often she would check in front of her partially to keep track of the lesson, but mostly to watch Makoto Naegi.
Although she had never really talked to the boy, Mukuro found him oddly interesting. He gave off a friendly energy which is why most people in the class were his friends, even Byakuya although the Ultimate would never admit it. He had pretty much the worst luck of anyone she had ever met. He would sit at a desk only for it to collapse or find a coin on the ground only to get attacked by a bird, and yet no matter how decent or bad his luck was he would always smile. He would smile and laugh the situation off. His smile was always infectious, anytime Mukuro saw it she felt like smiling.
Mukuro could imagine herself friends with the boy. Although, she didn't have much of an imagination, so she pictured herself as Maizono, sitting beside him at lunch, laughing at his jokes, returning his smiles with her own. If she were Maizono or any other girl, things would be different. She could have the looks and the personality to be able to talk to him. They would be friends and then …
"Uhh, Ikusaba, excuse me, Ikusaba." Snapping out of her fantasy, Mukuro put back on her mask and turned to face whoever was distracting her. It was Makoto. Her eyes locked with his and he smiled at her. She immediately lowered her gaze and tried to suppress a blush. "Oh, hello Naegi. Did you need something."
"Yeah, I just … well, I just I wanted to know if you were busy this afternoon."
Mukuro felt her heart nearly stop. The other's in the class paused as well. All of them waiting. Mukuro recovered slower than she would have liked. "Oh, did you need help studying." Mukuro guessed.
"No, well I do but I have Toko and Kirigiri helping there. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out." Mukuro froze completely. She tried thinking but her mind went to mush. Hang out with me. Why? Is this a joke? Mukuro looked up at Makoto his face was a mix of emotions Mukuro couldn't hope to read. She wanted to speak, to say yes absolutely or even just to ask a question, but she couldn't. Her mouth wouldn't work and even if she could respond, Mukuro didn't trust her voice to work.
After a minute, Makoto face fell, and his entire body and expression sagged a bit and turned to go. He tried to hide it under a false smile, but Mukuro could recognize his fake smile. "It's okay, I know you're a bit busy. Maybe some other time." As those words hit her, Mukuro was seized with an unexaminable fear and knew she had to do something. Summoning her courage and strength, she spoke in almost a whisper. "I… I want to hang out." Her voice came out shaky which surprised her she repeated it louder for herself and so Makoto could really hear her. "I want to hang out with you." Makoto turned and smiled, smile that could compete with the sun for warmth. "Thank you, is after school today alright with you." Mukuro nodded. Makoto gave her another smile then left the room.
Mukuro felt a confusing storm of emotion well up inside her. It was an odd feeling one that she rarely felt in all of her lifetime. She could even feel a smile creeping up on her face. As she was trying to piecing all of this together, Mukuro felt eyes on her. She looked and noticed most of her classmates were staring at her Togami discreetly Asahina and Maizono less so. Attempting to act calm and natural, Mukuro got up from her desk and doing her best to avoid eye contact she left the classroom. Not knowing what to do, Mukuro slowly headed for the mess hall. Her mind was still focused on what Naegi had asked, "Do you want to hang out?" Her heart still felt odd remembering that lovely smile he had given her. Still, she wrestled with the question of why? Why had Naegi asked her? He wasn't the type to pull a prank.
She walked down the hallway still thinking about that question. Her mind focused on finding any possible answer, but she was drawing a blank every time. She entered the stairwell still thinking hard about that question and was so lost in her thoughts that the sound of Junko's voice completely startled her. "Aw, my big sis is finally growing up. Just remember to be safe and use protection." Junko sat on the steps leading to the upper floors, she was smiling a false smile that if Mukuro didn't know any better wound call cheery. The smile wasn't like Makoto's that radiated warmth, her sister's radiated malice.
Then suddenly Junko changed completely, and she was crying and sobbing horribly. "I'm… just… so…so pro..ud o..f of you." Junko blew her nose into a tissue. "So, happy for ya sis."
"It's not a date," Mukuro explained. He… he just wants to hang out."
Junko blew her nose again and through her crying said: "He never said that it wasn't a date."
Mukuro shook her head. It obviously wasn't a date, right? Then another question struck her. "J..Junko how did you hear about that?" Mukuro asked. She knew her sister was good, but she wasn't even in the room at the time.
Junko snapped back to her true self. Any sign of her tears or her smile were gone. "Well duh I got two good ears and most of these classrooms bugged. I know your stupid but you ain't that dumb."
"Oh," Mukuro replied looking down. "I forgot."
"Gooood your so pathetic. Makes one really think about what that dweeb sees in you. " Junko just shook her head. "Wait, Makoto isn't-" Mukuro began but Junko kept on without even bothering to listen.
"It can't be for your brains, clearly, it definitely ain't your personality, and we both know your chest won't be attracting anyone." Mukuro felt like just sinking into the floor, but her sister wasn't done pointing out her flaws. "And then your lamer than all the girls in the class. I mean do you really think Makoto would choose to be with some lame flat chest who murders people for fun when he could be with literally anyone else."
"And we don't even know if Makoto wants to date you. He could just want to see your math homework or maybe he just sees you as an easy girl who will spread em easily." Junko laughed at that while Mukuro felt an odd sense of anger well up inside her. She channeled her anger and glared at her sister. She met her sister's eyes and nearly shouted: "Makoto isn't that type of guy!" Mukuro said with force enough to startle not only Junko but herself as well.
She confidently kept her sister's gaze for a minute before doubt kicked in. This was Junko her sister. Her own sister. The only person she could trust and the only person who understood her. Mukuro lowered her head, the fight leaving her. "Sorry, Junko," Mukuro apologized sheepishly.
Junko's glare was ice. "You better be trash. Don't forget who's the only person who can understand you."
Mukuro nodded her head meekly. "You're right, Junko."
"Of course, I'm right. Your trash only good to be used by someone."
"N .. N... NO! That isn't right." Both Junko and Mukuro jump at the voice's interruption. Chihiro Fujisaki came up from the bottom steps and although he trembled and couldn't look any one of them in the eye, the young boy had clear anger in him. "Y…you shouldn't s..a...say t..ha..t ab..ou..t your sis..sister." Chihiro timidly reprimanded.
Mukuro took a moment to study the young man. Mukuro and Junko were among the only four people at the school to know Fujisaki's secret. That he was secretly a boy with a massive inferiority complex. Junko had yet to think of a way to use that information to hurt the boy while Mukuro herself didn't care. Junko flashed Mukuro a smile and turned to face Chihiro. Then her personality was changed yet again. She put on her mask of the she used every day.
"Aha, Fujisaki, didn't see you there skulking like a coward," Junko stated. Fujisaki flinched back and shook his head. "I wasn't sulking. I was coming up the stairs when I heard you and Ikusaba talking." Fujisaki explained as he tried to look Junko in the eye and not slouch. "So, you were eavesdropping on our private conversation, pathetic," Junko replied, she had whispered the last word, but judging how Fujisaki had trembled he heard it.
"I..I..di.d didn't m…mea..n to." He insisted. "I just heard what you were saying to your sister
and I couldn't j..ju..st stand there."
"That's sweet of you, but it was meaningless," Junko replied. "For you see, this is all training." Fujisaki looked skeptically at Junko then to Mukuro. "Training? What kind of training"
"The training that's best for Mukuro. See the training for Mukuro is different than what you and Mondo do. Its like reverse psychology, I insult Mukuro and she will go and prove me wrong. Like if I said she had no chance at making friends…."
"You're trying to motivate her into making friends." Fujisaki guessed. Junko nodded.
"See just a bit of motivation mixed with some slight sibling teasing. Isn't that right Mukuro."
With their attention back on her, Mukuro lowered her head and nodded. "Yes, that's right." Fujisaki relaxed a bit. "Oh, that makes sense." He said although his voice sounded unsure.
"Well this was nice and all but I gotta go," Junko said with cheer in her voice. "Sorry, you had to see that, Fujisaki, and remember if you ever want my lame sister to improve just insult her." Then she was gone walking down the stairs before anyone could say anything. Mukuro could tell that Junko hadn't fully left yet. She was probably waiting to see how this conversation went. However, Chihiro obviously didn't realize this because as soon as he felt Junko was gone, he rushed up to Mukuro. "Is all that really true, Ikusaba?"
Mukuro nodded, "Junko knows what's best for me," She answered. "She's my sister after all." Chihiro tried and failed to smile. "Okay, just-just…" the boy looked at the floor tiles. "If you need anyone to talk to just let me know." He smiled a shaky and turned to leave. As he was leaving an odd thought struck Mukuro. If he were to tell anyone Junko would get in major trouble. "Fujisaki wait," Mukuro snapped. Then quieter she said. "Please," Fujisaki turned waiting. Mukuro took a deep breath. I have to be very careful if I just threaten him that would make things worse. So, choosing her words very carefully, she said. "Could you not tell anyone about this? Please, it's a bit embarrassing." She tried to soften her mask and look embarrassed, but she couldn't tell if it was working.
Eventually, Fujisaki nodded. "If you don't want me to tell then I won't." Then the boy left. Mukuro then honestly hoped that Fujisaki didn't tell anyone. It would be a shame to have to kill such a nice person.
The rest of the day went by as normal as any other day. Mukuro ate lunch in a distant corner watching as Makoto ate lunch with his friends. Yashiro would say something stupid. Toko and Kirigiri would correct him. And Maizono would sit close to Makoto and blink her eyes and act sweet around him. It was infuriating and depressing all at the same time. Then lunch was over and classes began again. All the classes felt the same to Mukuro. Most classes just gave out useless information that even if she weren't the ultimate soldier, she would find useless.
However, as time slowly began to creep towards the end of the day, Mukuro could feel herself growing nervous. Like the morning before a battle, Mukuro felt an odd mix of worry and doubt creep into her mind. Too many what ifs popped into her mind and she was beginning to feel even worse about the afternoon approaching than she had already.
She wanted to flee or at least shoot something, but she did neither she simply sat there and waited. The situation was made even worse by the fact that Makoto sat right in front of her and even the smallest of glances would set off her anxiety.
Eventually, time passed, and the final bell rang and school was out for the day. Mukuro sat rigid in her seat, heart pounding thoughts going a million different ways. Ignorant of her plight, Makoto casually just packed up his things. Finally, when he finished, he turned to her. "Hey, Ikusaba are you still free?" Mukuro managed a small nod and Makoto smiled, "Well, I need to grab something from my room. Thanks to my luck, I left my wallet there."
Mukuro gave a nod. "I can wait for you at the entrance."
"Sure, just give me a few minutes."
Makoto then quickly rushed out of the room, nearly tripping as he did so. Mukuro sighed and pinched herself. Still not dreaming. Summoning her courage, Mukuro left the classroom heading for the front of the school. She reached it relatively quickly and decided to stand and wait for Makoto. As every second passed her nerve began to weaken. She saw a million different ways this could go wrong. Each one her fault and resulted in Makoto hating her. Mukuro reached for the comforting feel of her pistol, only when she failed to find it did she remembered that her guns had been confiscated by the school.
Instead, she turned her thoughts to the various ways her guns were disassembled and reassembled. Then on the proper way to fire each with effective accuracy. Mukuro was just thinking about the most effective way of taking down a tank when Makoto showed up out of breath and panting. "Sorry, I'm late. Ra… ran into your sis sister and she wanted to talk."
"What did she want?"
Makoto pulled out two pieces of paper out of his pocket. "Movie tickets," Mukuro studied the tickets half expecting them to explode. They were however regular tickets. Nothing special just plain movie tickets, both for the same movie both for the same time. "Yeah, I was a bit surprised too," Makoto said seeing the confusion on Mukuro's face. "She just walked up to me and said here for your date." At the mention of word, date, Makoto tried to hide the deep blush which only caused Mukuro to blush as well. The two stood there blushing and attempting to avoid eye contact with each other. Eventually, Makoto coughed and then spoke up. "So, uhh are you ready?" Mukuro once again only managed a nod. "Well let's get going then. We can catch a bus then walk to the movies. I think."
The twosome walked to the bus stop just making it in time before the bus pulled off. As the two go to sit down, Makoto pulled the tickets from his pocket. "Here," he said offering the tickets to Mukuro. You should hold onto these just in case my luck happens." Mukuro took the tickets reluctantly and examined them. Still just regular tickets. Nothing truly special about them. Mukuro stowed the tickets away and they rode the rest of the way in relative silence. Occasionally, Makoto would ask a question and break the silence, but for the most part, they rode in relative quiet.
Mukuro wished she had the social skills and understanding to talk but could only think about guns and the ways to win a battle. Nothing which an average kid like Makoto would understand or like to hear about. Eventually, they reached their stop and they got off the bus and continued towards the theater on foot.
As they continued to walk Mukuro attempted to figure out what her sister could be planning. She had to have some type of scheme in place. Why else give Makoto tickets? She reached for the tickets in her pockets to further examine them. They hadn't changed since the last time she saw them. Still plain and normal but something was off. Junko had never really done something like this before.
A thought came to her suddenly. Could Junko really want me to be happy? Junko did love her in her own Junko way but that wouldn't stop her from unleashing despair on her. Despair the very thought of the word and its deeper meaning made Mukuro tremble with joy and fear.
Despair. Was what her sister thrived on. She then realized what Junko could be trying to do. Junko wanted Mukuro or even Makoto to feel some despair. Were the tickets just a trap then. A way to get them where Junko wanted them so she could cause Despair? But why? Junko had no reason for doing this. Did she really care that much? "Are you okay, Ikusaba?"
Mukuro looked up. She hadn't realized she had stopped walking. Makoto looked at her with concern obvious on his face. "Is everything alright?" Mukuro looked down at her tickets.
"Yes, I suppose so," Mukuro replied her mind clouded with thoughts. "I was just thinking about something."
"Mind if I ask what about?"
Mukuro paused. She couldn't just tell him what she suspected. That could land Junko in trouble. So, without thinking she blurted. "Why did you want to hang out with me?" She immediately regretted that and cursed herself. Makoto answered before Mukuro could issue a retraction. "I wanted to get to know you better. I mean… we're in the same class so I figured we should be friends and learn more about one another."
"Oh," was all Mukuro could say. Mukuro looked at him. He looked like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. Mukuro looked back at the tickets. Her instincts told her it was a trap, Junko had something planned. A part of Mukuro wanted to go to the theater if Junko wanted to cause her despair shouldn't she be willing to go to make her sister happy. Mukuro knew that's what she should do, but a small part of her didn't want to go. That small part wanted to stay with Makoto to just be in his presence to talk to him.
She felt herself being mentally torn apart. She looked down at the tickets and again wished she were on the battlefield or shooting a gun or just not herself. "Well," Makoto said turning. "We should get going." Then he faced Mukuro again. "Unless you don't want to go."
"A movie is fine," Mukuro answered not meeting Makoto's eyes. She then followed Makoto still wrestling with her decision.
They were getting closer to the theater and Mukuro still had not make up her mind. She looked down at the tickets and realized she never put them in a pocket. She was just holding them in a clenched fist. She looked down at her clenched fist and the tickets. Junko… what are you planning? Would it be wrong to want her own happiness over her sister's? Mukuro stood unmoving and replaying the question again and again.
Closed her eyes and forced her hand open. The tickets fell to the pavement below. For a brief moment, they just lay there and Mukuro was seized with the urge to pick the tickets back up, but before she could a gust of wind swept them up by the. "Sorry, Junko," she whispered. She could already feel the disappointment from Junko. Like weights crushing. "I'm sorry." The tickets were flying higher and higher now. Quickly Mukuro lost sight of them and her last chance to follow her sister's will.
"The Tickets!" Makoto shouted as he rushed toward the already too far off tickets.
"I'm sorry, Makoto," Mukuro apologizes. "I accidentally let them go. And.." She trailed off not knowing what to say. Makoto looked in the direction the tickets disappeared, he shook his head. "No, it's my fault. My luck must have caused this. I'm sorry." He looked generally sad which only made Mukuro feel worse. "No, it's my fault. I just … let them go."
"Well let's split the difference and say we're both to blame," He suggested after a moment of silence. Mukuro just gave a nod. No real point in arguing. "So uuh should we try and do the movies or … something else." Mukuro nearly lost her nerve and said movies but instead, she just replied. "Maybe something else,"
Makoto nodded looking around. "Any ideas on what to do?"
Mukuro paused with no real answer, thinking on the question. Maybe there's a shooting range? Mukuro immediately dismissed the thought, as ridiculous. Makoto would never enjoy that activity. She let out a sigh and was about to just suggest a movie when Makoto spoke up.
"Well, I think there's an arcade nearby. " Makoto stated looking around. "Do you like arcades?"
Mukuro shrugged. "I've never been to one."
"Well trust me, they're fun. I'm not that good at video games myself but I enjoy them." He smiled and Mukuro attempted to replicate that smile. "Yes, I would like to."
A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I will hopefully, be able to post the final chapter in 2 weeks until then have a good life.