Stars and Stuff
Harukawa had suspected Momota was lying. Someone with Momota's temperament being a child caregiver seemed almost obviously false. His bombastically bright personality could have been a hit with children, but his stubborn, mercurial nature would have made children cry. He was almost too enthusiastic like an actor who had been typecast as the cheerful, blustering best friend in romantic comedies. Momota's energetic nature, one fit for a gym teacher, was the perfect bravado to enforce his supposed talent.
She remembered his vows about protecting everyone and how there would be no more murders as long as he was in charge. Momota tried to be everyone's friend at the same time. He encouraged everyone with good-natured criticism and empowering statements about living for the sake of those who died and uncovering the mastermind together.
He even reached out to her when her thoughts were entrenched in planets far beyond her grasp. Harukawa immersed herself in gaping black holes and isolated nebulas, shielding herself from the others. He took her hand and tugged her back through the earth's atmosphere when she was drifting on by her lonesome. Even if she swatted his offending fingers away, he stayed with her.
Although, she was not expecting his real talent to be an assassin. It seemed like a complete reversal of his entire being, one she hoped that he had not fabricated. The young man who preached about protecting others while killing people in the past lived like a true hypocrite, and all had been revealed by the known liar.
Initially, the hot pain of deception scorched her when Ouma revealed the truth, but she kept her feelings hidden. She was too focused on glaring a hole through Ouma's head until Momota smashed his white-knuckled fist into Ouma's teeth. She wondered if the cracking sound she heard was either Ouma's jostling teeth or Momota's cracking knuckles.
Momota had wandered off afterwards. She took it upon herself to follow, noting the horror blooming in his eyes when he glanced at everyone gasping at him. Harukawa wanted to hear more from him. If Ouma had his personal right to out Momota in front of everyone, she had every right to track him down and talk to him.
She stalked through the courtyard. The long, faded grass tickled her shins. She wrapped her worn jacket tighter around her, peering down at the interior of it. The black hole designs were hidden by her body and the shadows caused by the oversized jacket folding in on her.
She pulled at one of the deep pockets of her jacket and retrieved her trusted telescope. Raising it to her eye, she closed the other and peered through it. She spied at the dilapidated exterior buildings, catching ursine shadows popping in and out to mock her. Chewing on the inside of her mouth, she swiveled on her heels and resumed searching for Momota.
A swathe of purple obscured her gaze. For a brief moment, she thought she uncovered a strange shooting star only to gasp. She hugged her telescope to her chest, finding none other than Momota standing in front of her.
His immediate grin spread into his cheeks as he said, "Hey, Harumaki! I thought you would have went back to the dorms. It's pretty late."
She pursed her lips and glanced away, muttering, "How presumptuous. I came out here looking for you. We need to talk."
Momota's smile fell. He scratched the back of his wild violet hair, saying, "Not much to discuss. Ouma pretty much got everything out in the open whether I wanted him to or not."
Harukawa crossed her arms. "It's inexcusable what he did."
He sighed, haplessly shrugging. "It's no big deal. Maybe I overreacted. Punching that asshole in the face wasn't my best move."
She shook her head. "Not at all. The twerp needs to be put in his place for what he did. You were right to punch his lights out."
Momota's eyes widened. Gripping her shoulders, he blurted, "Whoa, hey, Harumaki! That's not a good line of thinking! That's just gonna give Monokuma and his brat pack everything they want. I shouldn't have punched the bastard, and it's as plain and simple as that."
She tensed, feeling his powerful fingers clutch her shoulders. She glanced down at his hands, watching Ouma's crusted blood shift and break off in the chilling wind. Momota released her, raising his hands and glancing at his dress shoes.
Harukawa inspected his attire, finding his crinkled deep purple school uniform almost comical. Considering his talent, she wondered if he wore his school uniform when out killing people. A splash of blood splattered on his clothes, but she shook her head, and the blood vanished.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Harukawa hissed. She played with one of her long ponytails and stroked through the soft tresses. The sensation only briefly soothed her as she inspected Momota's tense expression for answers.
Momota swallowed. He gripped his elbows and offered a solemn grin.
Harukawa released her hair and scrutinized his reaction. Asking why he withheld his secret was almost foolish. Anyone would be understandably wary around an assassin, but she never expected him to be one. She almost could not imagine him holding a knife and hovering over a corpse, but in the deep crevices of her mind, she did.
"It's, well, ya know...sorry," he mumbled, scratching his head. "I didn't wanna make it seem like I was lying. I mean-"
Harukawa waved her hand. "It's a difficult subject for you, isn't it?"
He lifted his head and nodded once. A crease formed in his brow, and Harukawa noted his gaze seemed distant as if he began traversing through a memory.
She raised her telescope to her chest, saying, "Then tell me when you can. It's not my place to demand answers from you when Ouma revealed your secret and acted like he had every right to do it. I shouldn't have that line of thinking either."
"Harumaki…" Momota trailed off, breaking into his familiar smile, one she hoped to see each day. He clapped her shoulder, laughing as she clenched her teeth to suppress a squeak. "Thanks! Don't worry about me being an assassin though! I have no plans on killing anyone, and that's been my man's word since day one! After all, I don't want anyone else to suffer!"
Pressed to his chest, Harukawa's lips split open in a silent yelp. Her cheeks were painted scarlet. Her fingers fidgeted in temptation to push him, but his firm grip kept her close. The strange sensation of closeness dawned on her as she heard his heartbeat pound and rattle against her ear. She almost felt like a swain in Momota's arms, but she banished the thought.
In her consternation, Harukawa had dropped her telescope. Humming in sudden surprise when the telescope rolled over his shoes, Momota bent over and grabbed it. He brushed off bits of dirt as Harukawa extended her hand, asking for it back. He traced his calloused fingers along the smooth metallic cylinder base. It was nautical in style with brass rims and wooden imprints of waning moons on the top. Reflexively, Harukawa's hand lunged for her telescope, but Momota was faster. He quickly set the telescope to his left eye and tilted his head towards the velvet night sky.
"Whoa-ho-ho! Harumaki! You can see miles into the night with this thing!" he shouted, and Harukawa set her hand to her elbow. He whirled around on his heels, his attention shooting off in every direction like meteors streaking across the sky. "There's so many stars and stuff! I think I can even see Jupiter!"
"Jupiter isn't supposed to be out tonight. You're probably seeing Mars," Harukawa said, rolling her eyes. "There's much more to space than just 'stars and stuff,' Momota."
Childish glee consumed him. He bounced on his heels as he shifted the telescope to his other eye. He stood on his tiptoes as if it would help him reach space. Momota pointed at the twinkling stars, proclaiming he would one day journey through the galaxy with Harukawa as his guide.
"D-don't make stupid proclamations!" Harukawa demanded, and Momota continued laughing.
Harukawa listened to him exclaim that he found Mars, and a slow smile spread across her face. She edged closer to him, observing the sheer joviality capturing every inch of his being. Harukawa reached for the long sleeve of his school uniform that dangled down by his elbow as he raised the telescope higher. She lightly tugged on it, asking for her telescope.
"If you give it to me, I'll show you something nice," she said, and Momota beamed, relinquishing the telescope.
"There's many kinds of scopes on mine. That way, you can see even farther into space," Harukawa said, adjusting a few screws on the bottom of the telescope. Handing the telescope back to Momota, she leaned next to him and pointed up. Her finger drifted for a moment before pinpointing on a blackened section of the night sky.
Momota squinted at the spot, finding nothing particularly interesting about it, but she continued pointing. Lifting the telescope back to his left eye, Momota gasped, and his mouth flopped open. He hunched forward, a loud howl of unabashed shock spewing from the back of his throat.
Harukawa smirked. "Interesting, isn't it?"
"Wh-wh-wh-whaaat? Th-th-th-th-th-there's no w-way! Not a ch-chance! That can't be real! Just like how ghosts ain't real, that's not real!" Momota blurted, shoving the telescope back into her waiting hands.
Harukawa set the telescope to her right eye as Momota cowered behind her. In the center of the pitch black darkness was an oddly rounded gray ship drifting through the stars. Bulbous blue lights blinked from the base of the craft. Hearing Momota whimper, Harukawa silently snickered.
"As an astronaut, it's my duty to research alien lifeforms as well," she said, smirking. "Still want to explore the galaxy with me?"
"O-o-of course I do! I mean, i-if anything happens, Momota Kaito isn't afraid of any aliens! Bring it on, alien scum!" Momota boomed, shaking his fist at the sky only to flinch. "D-do you think they heard me?"
"Not at all. We're millions of miles away from them. They should only be passing by anyway," Harukawa said, "because Cygnans are a peaceful, intellectual people."
"H-huh! So, just like you, Harumaki?" Momota offered, chuckling.
She rolled her eyes, setting her telescope back into her coat. "Nice joke, Momota."
"I'm serious!" He paused and scratched his neck. "Okay, well, maybe not peaceful, but you're way smarter than anyone else here. Besides, gutsy girls are the best!"
"Save your compliments," Harukawa said, ignoring the creeping red shading her cheeks.
"When we get outta here, let's go explore the galaxy together! You and me! Maybe we can even meet those Cygnans!" Momota exclaimed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
She would have shoved off his offending arm, but she enjoyed their closeness. They walked in tandem towards the dormitories, and she briefly imagined the two of them battling aliens like in a scientific thriller.
Peering at Momota, Harukawa wondered how she could have even pictured him as any kind of killer. He certainly was an assassin; she did not doubt that at all, but he was still the same Momota. He only had a different talent, one that she imagined came with incredible sadness.
Yet, Momota persevered with his earnesty and honesty to a fault. He wanted to escape with as many people as he could shelter, and she found herself wishing to be in the stars with him to battle the Cygnans. She felt a lingering foolishness drumming in her heart for beginning to fall for Momota, but she ignored it.
Instead, Harukawa expanded her dream to travel through space to include him, and her universe neared perfection.