Heads up! Some things introduced in Dangan Ronpa 1 are not present due to obvious reasons. I hope you enjoy!

Today's the long-awaited day! I finally get to attend Hope's Peak Academy. I wonder just who I get to meet? Hopefully, they'll treat me kindly. I'll be sure to do the same; after all, Mother and Father wouldn't want me to misbehave. I can't forget about my sister, Komaru! She'll definitely not be happy about that.

As I readjusted my crimson tie, smoothed out the wrinkles in my auburn slacks, and buttoned up my uniform's blazer, I glanced at the time. 7:00 AM. Wait... did I read that right? 7:00 AM?! I was late on my first day at Hope's Peak! This can't be happening! Surely, this would've been a mistake. Maybe someone forgot to rewind the clock? Either way, I'm in a bit of a rush! Usually, I'd be so nervous that I'd arrive somewhere early just in case there was a detour or traffic or...

I shook my head. There's no time for me to worry about being late! I'm sure there are others who might be fashionably late, like that Junko Enoshima gal I heard about on the school chat board. She's a model; just as talented as everyone else who got accepted in Hope's Peak. Except, Hope's Peak is an extremely prestigious school. I was lucky enough to get chosen in the school's lottery. Argh! Earth to Makoto Naegi! Right now, my top priority is getting to the academy and somehow withstanding any possible scoldings. I picked up the pace and soon found myself sprinting to my destination.

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Pant, pant... Whew. Here I am at Hope's Peak Academy! These tall, intimidating gates are warning me that I can't back out of this opportunity anytime soon. I took a deep breath and began passing through them as well as the welcoming doors. Such a large facility must offer a lot for me. When I entered this fine building, the first thing that greeted me were the sight cherry blossom petals, the scent of newly waxed floors, and the sound of dozens of enchanting woodwind instruments playing. Aha, I'm exaggerating. A little.

There were nicely waxed floors, but other than that, the inside of the building looked pretty... splendid. Not too extravagant, but way more than decent. I had assumed it would be more elegant with chandeliers, tons of frilly decorations and regal furniture. It is certainly unique, I'll admit! And... dazzling. Before I knew it, I was in a daze admiring how wonderful Hope's Peak was. It was then that I realized someone was watching me. In an act of embarrassment, I jumped at the sight of my stalker behind me. Rather than stalker, I'll refer to this person as curious. This girl giggled upon my reaction. I thought she'd be creeped out rather than entertained.

"You're wondering if I'm entertained by seeing your reaction?" the figure tilted her head.

"What?" I gasped. "How did you know?"

"How did I know?" she smiled brightly. "That's because I'm an esper!" I was amazed. I hadn't heard of an esper here. Well, the board did mention a clairvoyant guy, but...

"I'm only kidding," she added. "I just had a feeling. Don't think about it too much." I sighed in relief. I suppose that confirms my suspicions. The cerulean haired maiden must have noticed me still pondering, but decided to leave it be. Instead, she started introducing herself. "I'm Sayaka Maizono!" she exclaimed. "I hope we can be friends. I'm in class 78; maybe we'll see each other around?"

"I bet we will," I responded with a smile. "I'm Makoto Naegi; that's my class as well!"

"That's great," Maizono admitted. "See you around, Naegi!" With that, Maizono headed off to class. If I hadn't been so lost in thought, I would've spared her the conversation until later. That is, if she talked to me later. Speaking of, I'm still late! In my efforts to get to class sooner, I bumped into a slim, middle-aged man with dark hair. Wait a minute, I recognize him! He's the principal...!

"I-I'm sorry, sir!" I bowed in apology, my bag slumping off my shoulder.

For some reason, he didn't respond right away. I felt as if I made a mistake... His expression was unreadable initially, until it changed into slight bewilderment. The man then regained his composure, straightening his tie. "That's quite alright," the principal finally replied. "It's only expected that a student rushes when they assume they are late; however, today there's an opening ceremony as few, including yourself, have forgotten." Strike one.

"Ah, uh," I struggled to search for the right words to say. Desperate to not seem illiterate, I quickly tried explaining myself. "P-Principal Kirigiri," as I said his name, he grew slightly interested in what I had to say, "I'm terribly sorry! I didn't mean to forget about the ceremony! You see, I was quite amazed by this atmosphere... It's truly magnificent!" Running out of things to say, I grew weary of attempting to apologize with genuine intelligence and vocabulary. For someone as average as I am, this is quite a hassle.

I was silent for only a few seconds until the serious Principal Kirigiri reassured me with a light chuckle. "You're Makoto Naegi, correct?" I nodded moderately. "I see. There's no need to be nervous here, or at least pretend to be someone you're not. Just be yourself. You'll be fine." He patted my shoulder and casually strolled down the hall. If I could live by these words, I know I can get somewhere in life. On my way to the opening ceremony, I noticed the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Maizono!

...I have a feeling that she was one of those students Principal Kirigiri mentioned forgot about the ceremony.