I don't own the DanganRonpa series. Thanks to Shiranai Atsune for the request!
She could have been the Ultimate People Magnet. Or at least the Black Cat of the class, all the bad luck happening around her but people still loved to fawn over her. Makoto Naegi was just… not the Ultimate Luck. She couldn't be. Kyoko Kirigiri studied her every chance he could when school started. It was like all her luck pooled into the student lottery and only at the student lottery, as from the stories she's told from her past she has always been extraordinarily unlucky. Never hurt though. Maybe that's where the luck comes in. Either way, the whole class was drawn to her. It was more than novelty or fame, for it lasted beyond the first few months. Everyone was just … friends with her. Even if not all showed it, he was certain that everyone cared about her and enjoyed her non-offensive presence, honesty, good heart, keen listening skills and patience and great memory. She was a friend. She sought nothing from others but friendship. And it was refreshing, to say the least. Even Kirigiri was prone to dropping his guard around her. A danger, yes, but he couldn't help it. Her pure excitement and optimism slipped through his barriers and suspicion with natural ease, as if she had always been by his side. She pulled a smile out of him within the first half of their first year, and she cheered as if it was the best present. She did that with everyone, sure, but the honesty and truth in her joy made each moment valuable no matter how many times she did it. And she kept up with everyone else, academics and otherwise. She thread the basis of a friendship and kinship within the class, and everyone filled in the rest over time. She was the prime example of 'Don't judge a book by its cover'.
Maybe that's why, early in second year, Kirigiri started to realize a change. His heart skipped when he was with her, and he felt complete when he made her smile. He defaulted to her when it came to partners, and her presence restored his faith in a lot of things. He loved to fluster her, and felt pangs of protectiveness and …was that jealously? when others were at her side (not that he ever acted on them, but the fact they were there surprised him.) He took off his gloves and showed her his scars during a midterm study session, and by spring break he realized he could look into her eyes forever. Visions of the future were holding her hand and embracing her every chance he could. It was summer's beginning when he asked her on a date, and it was summer's ending when they shared their first kiss.
And when the remainder of the class's memories were restored, before tears of relief and pain from the events that had unfolded threatened a typhoon, he pushed past workers and ran into the arms of the girl who was his best friend and deepest love. And their kiss was desperate and loving. And he would follow her wherever she needed to go, and believe in whatever plan she came up with. Because she was more than amazing, she was so very human. And she believed. And that was what he needed.
He'd never let go of hope ever again, for the sake of the world, herself and the one he loves most. And all it took was a public school lottery. With every touch and every kiss and every laugh and every moment, Kirigiri believed it more and more; that perhaps Makoto Naegi was a lucky charm after all.
