"Hope!" Normal Speech

'Despair!' People's thoughts

"Truth!" Flashbacks

Disclaimer: I have as much ownership of the Danganronpa series as you do dear reader.

AN: Thanks to both RWBYJNPR and Zephyrius29 for beta-reading this chapter.

AN2: Other tags for this story (since the site only gives you 2): Mystery/Friendship/Drama

There seemed to be some issues with the site which forced me to bring the chapter down after uploading it. Sorry for the inconvinience everyone!

Chapter 6

A Different Path To The Future

The first time they met, the only thought that went through his mind was how unremarkable the boy was.

It might sound rude, but it was just the honest truth. Besides how small he was and the strand of hair sticking up from his head like a spike, there wasn't anything particularly special about him that he could see at first glance.

And deep down inside he knew that if they had met in any other place he would have probably forgotten about him in less than a day.

Such a thing never happened however, and he was more than sure that even if he tried right now he would never be able to just forget about him.

And it wasn't just because he saw him almost daily, but rather because the boy was simply someone hard to forget about once he got to know him.

He doubted he would ever be able to forget that year.

It was his first year in Hope's Peak Academy.

It was the year in which he met the girl that loved video games.

The year in which he finally found his own worth.

And of course it just so happened to be the year that he met Naegi Makoto.


"Are you….lost or something?" The doubt in his voice was more than obvious, something that matched perfectly with the frown that had formed on his face as a result of what his eyes were seeing.

It wasn't an amazing sight by any stretch of the word, and if he had to honestly describe it he would say that it was just a mildly weird one.

Why? Well considering how early it was he simply didn't expect to find anyone inside the classroom, especially considering he was always the first one to arrive.

The fact that said person had been looking at one of the windows of the classroom as if it was some sort of weird treasure just made it weirder. It didn't help that he didn't recognize the boy either.

That was the best word he could use to describe him though, after all he was more than sure that the brown-haired teen standing on the opposite side of the room was younger than him, at least by a couple of years if he had to guess based on his height. That or he was just on the lower side when it came to height.

"Ah…? That's, well…"

Now he could also add 'shy' to the description of the brown-haired teen, or at least that's the conclusion he got from the nervous and surprised mumbling he got as a response.

Said whispers however, stopped immediately once the kid turned around properly, allowing his own gaze to match the brown eyes of the unknown teen.

That gaze confused him though, and in fact it even made him feel a bit nervous somehow. He saw as his eyes widened for just a second, almost as if he had realized something, and even his mouth opened in what he could only guess was surprise.

Surprise for what, he could only guess. He was more than sure that there was nothing wrong with his own appearance, although he ended up just moving a hand through his own brown hair just to make sure nothing was out of place.

But as fun as it was to have a staring contest with some unknown kid, he would still prefer it a lot if he stopped looking at him with such an expression. It was almost as of the shorter boy was trying to look right at his soul or something.

It was hard to explain it, but he just knew he didn't like it.

He ended up coughing into his fist just to try and get him to stop whatever he was doing. It somehow seemed to work in his favor, since the kid's next action was to suddenly shake his head, with the glazed stare he had before now turning into a friendly smile.

There was still something in his eyes though, a small glint of familiarity that honestly had him on edge more than he would like to admit. He wasn't the best when it came to reading people or anything like that, but it was almost as if the kid in front of him was wearing his heart on his sleeve with the way his eyes shined with emotion.

Why was he looking at him as if they were reuniting after years was simply beyond him since he certainly didn't remember ever knowing anyone like this.

"I'm sorry; I was just checking the classrooms and ended up getting lost in my head."

"I see…"

Something told him that wasn't what one would call the truth, but he wasn't just going to start playing interrogation with a complete stranger that looked as inoffensive as a bunny.

"You're a new student, then?"

But even so, he still went and asked such a thing, even though the answer was obvious enough. The kid was certainly not a teacher after all, and as far as he knew someone shouldn't have been allowed here by themselves if they weren't a student.

"W-well, I'm thinking of joining next year actually, but they told me I could come and check the place before making a decision."

Such a response only got him to raise an eyebrow in doubt. Sure, it sounded plausible enough, but why was he alone then? Shouldn't there be someone giving him a tour or anything if that was the case?

"The teacher that was supposed to guide me got called away all of a sudden, so they told me I could be by myself for a while."

Almost as if the shorter teen had heard his mind he answered without missing a beat, to which he ended up just nodding in acceptance. It was hard to argue something considering the kind of place they were currently in, so it wasn't like he could label the kid as an intruder or anything.

"You should probably leave the classroom then since classes are about to start."

He warned in the evenest tone he could muster right before moving to his seat to leave his schoolbag. In the end he wasn't responsible for whatever the younger teen did, so it wasn't like he really needed to care much about his reasons for being here or not.

"Thanks…"

He heard the muttering from the boy, something that he honestly thought would be the last thing he would hear from him. He even heard the sound of his shoes hitting the floor, something that he assumed was just the result of the younger boy finally leaving.

It wasn't the case however, for he suddenly was more than aware of the presence of the brown-haired kid right beside his seat. His moved his gaze towards him, honestly wondering what else could he want from him.

"I-I was just wondering if you could show me around the place… I mean, I don't want to get lost and you're the only one I know here."

He wasn't able to control the incredulous expression that he was sure appeared on his face. Wasn't that a bit of a stretch considering they only just met barely five minutes ago? Surely he could just wait for someone from the faculty to give him the tour he wanted so much.

"I don't mean right now though! But maybe after class…"

The hopeful smile he received with those words left him more than a bit surprised, and something in the back of his head told him that it would only be a pain if he actually went along with it.

But he knew how scary this place could be, especially for a newcomer. He was sure that there were better people out there to do such a duty, but it wasn't like he didn't have the time between classes to do it either.

Not like he had any friends here to keep him busy during those times, anyway.

But even so he gave the still smiling kid a narrowed gaze before sighing a bit. Something told him that he would regret it as soon as he said yes, but what was he supposed to do when he was being looked like that? It was almost like a puppy begging to be taken out for a walk or something.

"Sure…"

He ended up answering slowly and with less confidence that he would have liked to show, but even so his response seemed to be enough if the way the kid's brown eyes suddenly lit up in obvious delight.

He almost got blinded by it to the point that he honestly had to look the other way. Wasn't it too early to be that happy?

"I'll wait for you outside then! Thank you for your help, Hi-"

His eyes moved back to the boy in question as soon as he noticed the small slip that escaped his lips. His brow furrowed in response, but before he got the time to ask what that had been about, the younger boy ended up just thrusting his right hand in front of him while an awkward smile formed on his face.

"S-sorry, I think I forgot to introduce myself."

He'd honestly forgotten to do that too, although in his defense he didn't expect to be dragged into giving a tour to someone he only met a few minutes ago.

"I'm Naegi Makoto, I'll be in your care!"

Naegi Makoto, huh? Certainly a name he didn't recognize, but just like with the kid having said name it sounded inoffensive enough.

"Hinata Hajime, first year."

He ended up grasping Makoto's hand in a handshake, one that gave the younger brown-haired teen a smile, which he did his best to return, albeit in a smaller fashion.

Even so, his gaze still trailed on the shorter kid until he left the classroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts until the rest of his classmates or the teacher came.

"And welcome to the Reserve Course..."

He ended up muttering under his breath, glad that no one was able to hear the bitterness that had leaked in his tone.

This was going to be a long year, wasn't it?


Sleep was a student's source of strength.

That was a universal fact, pretty much a law of society that everyone recognized.

And for those that dared to interrupt a student from the primordial act of resting should be exiled to the darkest corner of the world.

But if that was the case then…

"Hinata-kun…Hinata-kun!"

Why in the name of everything that was holy was he being woken up so suddenly?

He could only groan in annoyance as not only the sound of someone calling out his name, but also the feeling of that someone touching his shoulder, became enough to get his conscious back into the land of the living.

He raises his head slowly from its resting spot between his arms and on his desk and slowly, but surely, he turned his head to the side to watch the boy responsible for waking him up with a half-lidded stare.

"What…?" He asked groggily, his gaze pretty much making a hole in the head of the smiling boy to his side.

And he honestly didn't know what annoyed him the most right there, the fact that someone woke him up or that the person responsible for doing so was sporting such a carefree smile as if he had done nothing wrong.

But then again, it is something that he had grown used to seeing on Naegi Makoto's face. Hard not to after a month of having the younger ahoge-haired boy around him.

You would think that after their initial meeting he wouldn't be seeing Makoto until the next school year, but the brown-haired teen seemed to like to prove him wrong if him coming to the Reserve Course was evidence of anything.

It was weird at first if he had to be honest…No, scratch that, it was still quite weird even after a month. How much free time could Makoto have to the point that he could come to a place like Hope's Peak Academy's Reserve Course almost every day?

And even ignoring that question, the fact that alone that Makoto was allowed inside the walls of Hope' Peak just like that even though he wasn't a student yet was even weirder if you asked him.

"Isn't it alright? I just wanted to thank Hajime-kun for his help before." and "They told me it was fine though." Were the type of answers he got whenever he brought the subject up with Makoto.

Something told him that there was more to it than that, but it was hard to just go around suspecting someone so…harmless if he had to put it in words, like Makoto.

That didn't mean he liked being woken up from his nap however.

"Hinata-kun…" The concern in Makoto's voice was easily noticeable by him "You look like you haven't been sleeping in days…"

"I don't want to hear that from the guy that somehow has even bigger bags under his eyes than everyone else I know." He answered with a sigh as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

It wasn't like he was trying to be rude or anything, after all by now he knew that Makoto was just being his concerned self, but how was he supposed to move on from the Reserve Course if he didn't try his best every day?

What were a few sleepless nights compared to that?

And he wasn't kidding either when it came to Makoto. He had no idea what the younger ahoge-haired boy did when he wasn't here, but he honestly looked like he hadn't slept for weeks.

"I've just been a bit busy." And just like every time he brought up that subject, Makoto was quick to give him the same answer with the best smile he could muster. It was one filled with tiredness however.

"Why did you wake me up anyway?" He asked while rubbing his head, deciding to get back to the topic at hand. He certainly hoped Makoto would give him a valid enough reason, cause if not then half of him was already feeling like going back to rest his head on his desk.

"Nanami-san is looking for you but she seemed a bit lost, so I told her I could come and get you."

It took him almost a full minute to understand the words that had escaped Makoto's lips, with his eyes looking at the shorter kid as if he had suddenly grown a second head or something.

He blinked owlishly at the younger ahoge-haired boy for what felt like an eternity, even if it was just a few seconds that passed between them. In the end though, his lips finally moved, with the word that slipped through them being the most eloquent one his mind could muster at the moment.

"What?"

Truly, a quote for the ages.

The answer he got, however, was not a verbal one, but rather an action, with said action being Makoto pretty much dragging him away from the by now empty classroom with the apparent intention of bringing him to this Nanami fellow.

Of course, he knew someone by that last name, but in his mind there was just no way that it would be her the one that was calling him. Was this some sort of prank then? Makoto never struck him as the kind of guy to do such a thing, but one never knew, especially since he had never told the younger boy about his meeting with that girl.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he barely even felt the many pairs of eyes that were following him just as he was being dragged through the hallways by Makoto. Such a thing wouldn't surprise him by now anyway, after all it wasn't that much of a secret that a lot of the Reserve Course students were more than a little amused by his relationship with Naegi Makoto.

Did he found it annoying that people seemed to think they were glued to the hip or something? More than a bit, yeah, but besides just grumbling about it there wasn't much he could do. His attempts at pushing Makoto away had died on pretty much day one anyway.

Who the hell could blame him anyway, it almost felt like kicking a damn puppy or something!

"Ah! Hinata-kun, Naegi-kun…"

However, whatever thoughts he might have had about this being some sort of weird misunderstanding were swept away the moment his brown orbs were met by a pair of light pink eyes.

With their new location being a small park surrounded by flowers with stone seats at each side and a statue of the founder of the school, his attention focused on the girl standing to the side of the bronze statue.

There was definitely no mistake there, even though a part of him felt like rubbing his eyes just to make sure. Nanami Chiaki stood in front of him while sporting a small smile, with her arms resting at her sides while one of her hands was still holding one of her prized consoles.

And considering that he knew who she was, or rather the title that she had, he couldn't say that he was surprised by that fact.

"Nanami…" He started slowly and with a frown, not even noticing that Makoto simply moved to the side with how much attention he was paying to the light pink-haired girl. "What are you doing here?"

It sounded like an odd question, especially when the answer seemed obvious enough, but in his mind there just wasn't a valid reason for someone like her to come to the Reserve Course.

"I told you I would come to visit you and play for a bit." The girl spoke with a tone that made it sound as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, until she tilted her head slightly to the side that is "Or at least I think I did… Didn't I do it?"

No no, he could certainly remember her saying something like that a few days back after they met outside of the school, but he just thought that she wouldn't actually bother with it.

Surely someone like Nanami Chiaki, the Ultimate Gamer, had better things to do than to go out of her way to just come visit someone from the Reserve Course of all things.

But considering that the girl was still standing in front of him, that apparently wasn't true.

"I…" He spoke once more with a frown still present on his face while doing his best to come up with the right words. "Don't think you should be here…"

"Why?" His blunt statement simply got an equally blunt question from the Ultimate Gamer, who instead of looking offended simply looked up at him with nothing but curiosity in her gaze.

He opened his mouth to answer her, but just as he did that he closes it once more. What was he supposed to say anyway? That someone like her from the Main Course shouldn't waste her time by coming to the Reserve Course, let alone interacting with someone like him? He had already tried that and it obviously fell on deaf ears.

Still struggling with himself, he was saved from having to answer immediately by movement from the corner of his eyes. Turning his focus a bit to the side, something that Chiaki actually ended up copying, his gaze ended up landing on the third member of the trio who had been silent so far.

But by the way he seemed to want to say something it was obvious that he wouldn't remind silent for much longer, something that actually brought him a wave of relief. Surely someone like Makoto shared his opinion on this matter, and if Makoto helped him here then maybe they would be able to convince the Ultimate properly…

"I don't think there's anything wrong with Nanami-san being here though."

Or maybe not.

And obviously the frown of confusion on his face must have told a lot about his feelings if the way Makoto moved quickly to explain was any indication.

"I mean, Nanami-san obviously wants to be here because she considers you her friend, right?" Even though he was looking straight at Makoto he was still able to see the Ultimate in question bobbing her head in approval from the corner of his eyes. "I don't see what the problem is then."

'I'll tell you what the problem is.' He thought bitterly before opening his mouth to speak once more, but he was beaten to the punch by Makoto.

"I don't think something like talent should get in the way of making friends."

He closed his mouth instantly at those words, now honestly wondering if Naegi Makoto was able to read minds or something. The way he spoke so easily about talent though, was something that also confused him to no end.

It was the first time he heard anyone related to the Reserve Course talking like that about it. Talent was almost a taboo subject among those walls, for everyone there understood their place in Hope's Peak Academy.

And yet with the way Makoto spoke it was almost as if he thought that having a talent worthy of the title of Ultimate meant little.

He was sure that if someone asked if it mattered or not to anyone from the Reserve Course, the answer would be more than obvious.

"Hinata-kun is Hinata-kun. Talent or not, it doesn't really matter." It was then that Chiaki followed suit with her own words. "That's what I think, at least…"

And then the two of them smiled at him to the point that he honestly had to wonder if this had been their plan all along. He could only move his gaze from one pair of eyes to the other in an almost robotically fashion.

"You two…" He whispered under his breath, honestly not knowing how to handle the smiling Ultimate and the equally happy outsider. In the end though he simply sat on the stone seat that was behind him, a sigh leaving his lips just as he made contact with the rocky surface.

"Let's play, Hinata-kun." He was forced to look up though, once Chiaki offered him the console on her hand to him with a smile still on her lips.

His eyes went from her smile to the console in her hands. By now he knew how much she loved her Nantendo Game Girl Advance, and on the screen of said console he could see the title of a game he recognized quite easily too: Gala Omega. The same game she had been playing the first time they met.

His right hand twitched in his lap just as he suddenly found himself biting his lip without noticing it. He would be lying if he said that a part of him didn't want to accept the offer, but such thoughts were quickly vanished by feelings of inadequacy that plagued his heart.

Maybe at one point in the future, once he could stand at the same level as her, once he obtained something as valuable as a talent he would be able to accept such an offer without doubt, but right now…

"I'm sorry."

He whispered just as he suddenly stood up with his eyes still glued to the ground, almost as if fearing what would happen if he were to lock gazes with anyone.

And then without saying anything else he simply moved back in the direction of his classroom. To this place that was almost the halfway point between the Main and the Reserve Course, he walked back to the place in which he felt that he belonged, even if such a thought was enough to make him greet his teeth.

He ignored the calls of both Chiaki and Makoto and simply walked without stopping even once, only one thought appearing repeatedly in his mind.

'Maybe one day…'

But that day wasn't today.


"So you still haven't decided…"

The next time he found himself in that same place was a month after that day.

The difference this time, however, was that he wasn't being accompanied by the Ultimate Gamer, Nanami Chiaki, or by the younger ahoge-haired boy that he had come to think of as a friend, Naegi Makoto.

But instead, the one sitting right beside him was a man that looked old enough to be his grandfather.

"I'm sorry." He spoke with honest regret, his gaze lowered. "I just need a bit more of time, Tengan-san."

Tengan Kazuo, the former Headmaster of Hope' Peak Academy, simply looked to his side and gave the conflicted young man a grandfatherly smile.

"While I would like to give you as much time as needed, I do have to remind you that the deadline is coming up soon." He spoke in a soft tone, getting a nod of understanding from him. "One month is the best I can give you… if you don't have your answer by then, then we will be forced to seek other options."

He gulped, knowing what such a thing meant. Even though he tried his damn best every day at the Reserve Course, with the way things were going this would be his first and last year attending Hope's Peak Academy.

His family simply couldn't afford the high fees that the school demanded, but with someone like him that didn't have any talent to feel proud of, using money was the only way he could have entered the place he admired so much.

However, if he accepted the proposal then…!

"Do you want my honest opinion, young man?" Kazuo's words were enough to earn his attention, with him giving the old man a look of confusion followed by a doubtful nod, honestly concerned about what the man would say about his situation.

"As an adviser to the school, I shouldn't say this, but I am not particularly in favor of that project. Because hope comes from people acting like people. If you don't want it, you can always decline the proposal, Hinata Hajime-kun."

"How can you say that?!" He stood up abruptly, a glare formed in his eyes just as he looked down at the still sitting former Headmaster. "This might be my only way of becoming someone! If I don't accept it then, I would never be able to…"

"And yet here you are, still with an unclear mind." Kazuo spoke softly once more just before standing up. His hand ended up resting on his shoulder, with the ahoge-haired boy simply glaring down with his fist clenched tightly at his side.

"Do not fear normalcy, my boy. There is no shame in living such a life. It is something that even some of the Main Course students would gladly do if they could."

And with those parting words, the former Headmaster left the Reserve Course student alone with his thoughts.

He ended up sitting once more after his legs simply gave out on him as a result of his tiredness. That was a good way of describing how he felt right now after all: Tired.

He was just sick of it. Of his doubts about the program, of his own ineptitude, of his lack of talent and on the burden he had put on his family just for his selfish desires.

To put it in short words: He was tired of himself.

"Hinata-kun!"

Luckily for him though, he was saved from being caught with his own thoughts for much longer thanks to the sudden call of a voice he recognized very well.

He raised his head slightly, his eyes meeting the brown orbs of the only friend he actually had in the Reserve Course.

Which was saying a lot considering that the younger ahoge-haired boy didn't even study here yet.

"Makoto…" He said softly with a nod just as the brown-haired teen walked closer to him. He had told him that there was something that he needed to do by himself, something that Makoto had seemingly accepted, but he was honestly glad that he had appeared just like that.

It beat being alone with his thoughts, that was for sure.

"Did something happen…?" He could feel the worry in Makoto's voice, but he didn't feel like explaining it to him right now. Not that he could anyway, with how secret the whole thing was supposed to be "And who was that guy…?"

"Just a teacher asking for some stuff." He lied quickly, not wanting to involve Makoto with his issues. The younger teen seemed to accept his answer however, considering that he just sat beside him in silence as a response.

A tense silence fell between the two, one that he couldn't remember appearing every since their first meeting. Not even after his fallout with Chiaki had this happened, after all Makoto had been considered enough to simply act as if nothing had happened, even if he still looked bothered by it.

A sudden question appeared in his mind at that moment. Would Makoto accept the proposal if it was offered to him? In his mind there was just no reason to not accept by now, but even so a part of him still found itself doubting the whole thing, almost as if feeling that something would go wrong if he just went along with it.

But with just one month he needed to get rid of that, for the sake of joining the Main Course.

"Hinata-kun." Even after he started calling him by his first name, Makoto was still as polite as ever, something that by now he had grown used to. The serious tone Makoto was sporting though, was enough to easily gain his attention away from his conflicted thoughts.

"I… understand wanting to keep things for yourself." The younger ahoge-haired boy spoke slowly, his gaze never leaving his own. "But seeing you like this, to the Hinata-kun that has been dealing with me even though you didn't have to, I just want to be able to help you even if it is for just a bit."

Makoto's honest words were enough to get him to widen his eyes in surprise. He certainly didn't expect such a thing right now, that was for sure.

"Even if it is just lending an ear, I'm always here to help you, Hinata-kun." Then Makoto's serious expression was replaced by an earnest smile "So please…"

He gave Makoto one long look before simply sighing, his gaze once again moving down just as unconsciously moved his hand through his hair.

And it took what almost felt like an eternity of silence between the two, in which Makoto simply waited patiently, for his lips to finally start moving before he even realized it.

"I'm just tired, Makoto…" He said with bitterness dripping from his voice. Bitterness that was solely aimed at himself. "I'm tired of being useless, I'm tired of being a nobody…! Why couldn't I have been born with a talent? To have something like that, that's the only thing I want, Makoto!"

"If I had a talent then…" His rising voice then slowly turned into nothing but a murmur. "Then maybe I could become more than just a lowly Reserve Course student."

"But you're already much more than that, Hinata-kun!"

As soon as he finished his rant however, it was Makoto the one that spoke out of nowhere, followed by him suddenly standing up.

"Talent or not, the Hinata-kun that I know, the one that has become my friend is already much more important that someone with a talent!"

Makoto's words struck him deep in his heart to the point that his eyes widened in nothing but sheer shock and even his mouth was left hanging open as a result.

Not that Makoto was done, mind you.

"Nanami-san and myself, we don't care if you don't have a talent. As long as Hinata-kun keeps being himself then, that's enough for us! Please stop treating yourself as if you didn't matter at all, Hinata-kun, because even without a talent the Hinata-kun I know is someone that can reach a future beyond anyone's expectation!"

It was now Makoto the one left without breath after his speech, but every word that Makoto had said felt like a hammer hitting him right in his chest.

He released a shaky breath just as he lowered his gaze once more, not wanting for Makoto to see his eyes at that moment while his words kept replaying themselves in his mind.

Could he actually believe them? It wasn't like he thought of Makoto as a liar, but those words almost went against everything he believed. If he didn't have a talent then what was the point? What good was he, a lowly Reserve Course student?

But here was this kid even younger than him, telling that it just didn't matter at all as long as he kept being himself? He should feel angry, a part of him truly felt as if he should feel angered by such a mentality.

And yet, right now, he could only feel hopeful. The part of him that still doubted accepting to go along with the project was begging him to accept Makoto's words. To accept Chiaki's friendship, to accept Makoto's belief in himself, could he actually do it just like that?

No, the answer was just a no. There was no way that he could throw away every bit of self-doubt he had right now.

"No, Makoto."

However…

"Do you think you could apologize to Nanami for me...? For what happened last time, I mean."

That didn't mean he couldn't start walking that path, one that in which he had worth.

"I think Nanami-san would prefer to hear that from you instead of me, although I don't think she can actually get angry at anyone though."

And to the smiling form of Makoto he could only smile slightly in return. Sure, it was a small smile, but it was one that showed something that had not been on him for a long time.

Such was hope, he supposed.


"That's enough, Kuzuryu!"

He wasn't one to get angry easily, or at least he didn't see himself like that. Annoyed? Yes. Bothered? Sure, but outright angry? Not unless the other party did something that truly deserved it.

And in his opinion, threatening his best friend was certainly more than enough.

"Tch." The blonde in question, one Natsumi Kuzuryu, simply clicked her tongue in response, with the heated glare she had been aiming at the one in his hand now being aimed at him "Mind your own business, Hinata."

"The moment you start messing with Makoto it becomes my business, Kuzuryu." He answered swiftly however, not the least intimidated by her glare. "So are you going to back off or should I call sensei?"

They glared at one another for what felt like an eternity, with neither of them wanting to be the first one to back down from their stare match. In the end, however, it was Natsumi the one that simply snorted before releasing her hold on certain ahoge-haired boy's hoodie, her legs then dragging her away from the two ahoge-sporting teens, although he didn't dare to move his gaze away from her until she was well out of his sight.

Said sight then moved to the one that looked as if he had been about to receive quite the beatdown from the blonde if he hadn't arrived earlier.

"You alright there, Makoto?" He spoke with more than a bit of worry in his tone just as he moved closer to the shorter teen. It looked like he had arrived just in time, so he could only be glad that he had overheard other students about Natsumi dragging Makoto to such a secluded place.

"Y-yeah." Was Makoto's response, although it was more than obvious that he was a bit shaken still. "Thank you, Hinata-kun… I actually think she was about to start using me as a punching bag."

He could only snort in response, his hand moving to pat the younger teen on his back in the most calming way he could muster.

"I would have been more surprised if she hadn't. She looked as angry as she can get." He said in an almost amazed tone. "Just what the hell did you do to get her so worked up like that?"

Sure, Natsumi Kuzuryu was not one that he would describe as nice, but even as her classmate he had never seen her like that in the three weeks she had spent so far in the Reserve Course.

"W-well…" At least Makoto had calmed down by now, or so it seemed. "I just wanted to talk to her about the things she kept saying between classes…"

It only took him a couple of seconds to realize what Makoto was talking about, and once he did he released a sigh in response. Considering the type of stuff Natsumi liked to say he couldn't say that he was surprised that the blonde and Makoto didn't see eye to eye, but confronting her to the point that she looked as if she was about to kill him?

Maybe Makoto had more guts than he thought him capable of.

"And I'm going to take a guess and say that she didn't take that very well." In response to his words, Makoto simply shook his head, something that had him sighing once more.

It was a couple of minutes with nothing but silence that followed the two, with him only stopping patting Makoto's back one he looked better. Even so he would have to be blind to not notice that something was still bothering the younger teen, and that something obviously had to do with the blonde girl that had left angrily a few minutes ago.

"What do you think about what she said, Hinata-kun?"

Before he even got the time to ask him however, it was Makoto the one that interrogated him first in a curious tone. Of course he knew what Makoto meant by that, but why asking his opinion on the matter so suddenly?

The answer came easily enough to him, however.

"I think I admire her, at least a bit." Once he received another curiosity-filled look from Makoto he continued in order to explain it properly. "I mean, she said that she would do anything to become part of the Main Course…it sounds extreme but, that conviction… I guess I just find it admirable."

He was simply saying the truth, after all he was someone that even with just a week left he still found himself without an answer for the project. Natsumi would probably accept such a thing in a heartbeat, he had concluded a long time ago, something that he couldn't help but feel jealous of.

"I think I understand," Makoto said in return. "That drive of hers is definitely something else, but… To go as far as to say that there's nothing she wouldn't sacrifice to join the Main Course… I think that's wrong."

"There are some things that you should never give up." Makoto continued while smiling slightly towards him. "Even if the reward is earning a talent, I just don't think it's worth it."

"Like what?" While he understood from where Makoto was coming from, he still found himself asking him such a question. To the him that right now was still confused about the project, was he trying to find some sort of answer in his friend?

He wasn't sure.

"Well…" Makoto spoke once more while scratching his cheek, an action that by now he knew meant that he was a bit nervous. "If someone made me choose between having a talent and my friendship with Hinata-kun then… I don't think I would be able to choose the talent at all"

Makoto's words were almost enough to make him choke on nothing but air, his eyes now looking at the brown-haired teen as if he had lost his mind. Why between all the possible examples, he had chosen something like that?!

"Oi, stop saying weird things like that!" Damn it, he could even feel the heat coming to his cheeks out of sheer embarrassment. "You're going to give everyone the wrong idea, Makoto!"

"Oh…" Makoto for his part truly seemed as if he didn't get the issue. Not like his next words helped with his own embarrassment anyway.

"I think I get why Nanami-san keeps calling you a tsundere now…"

"I am not!"

And in response to him snapping Makoto could only release an amused chuckle.

If only the next days could have been as simple as this ones.


"Hinata-kun!"

He could barely understand that it was his name the one being yelled out.

But even if he had recognized it as such at that moment he doubted he would have done anything anyway.

"Guh…!"

After all, It was hard to offer a response when you had a fist firmly lodged in your stomach and close to no air in your lungs.

His already wobbly legs finally gave up on him, bringing his body down to the floor face first. He didn't even have enough strength to stop the fall with his arms.

Considering that he was feeling as if someone had slammed a hammer straight into his gut, he would like to think that his reaction was pretty much inside the realm of what was considered normal.

It didn't mean that he had to like being almost knocked out with just one punch however.

He did his best to look up from his place on the floor, with his eyes instantly glaring at the man responsible of leaving him in such a state, but said man offered nothing but a look of annoyance, almost as if he was looking down at nothing but a bug.

"Hinata-kun!"

He heard his name being called out once more, only that this time it was closer to the point that he was able to the recognize the voice, or rather the voices that were calling him.

The next thing he felt was two pair of arms doing their best to help him get up, and just in case their voices had not been enough he would be hard-pressed to know realize who it was that had come to his help.

Nanami Chiaki and Naegi Makoto.

In retrospective maybe coming to the Main Course to demand answers had not been the best decision he could have made, but it simply felt like something he had to do.

He needed answers, after all, answers as to why one of his classmates, Natsumi Kuzuryu, had suddenly left the Reserve Course. Yes, he couldn't say that they were close, but even so he truly admired the side of her willing to go so far to become an Ultimate, there was no denial in that.

So for someone like her to suddenly leave? There had to be something else, he just knew it.

Sadly he wasn't able to obtain answers in the Reserve Course, at least not from the teachers, but he knew there was something else going off. Natsumi wasn't the only one that suddenly left after all, but Sato, another classmate of his, had done the same.

And even if that wasn't weird enough, the fact that Makoto of all people seemed to know something about it only made the situation even more bizarre.

Makoto had refused to give him concrete answers however, and the only reason he was even sure that Makoto knew something was because, to put it bluntly, Makoto was a terrible liar.

But the fact that the younger teen had decided to hide something like that from him honestly hurt more than he would like to admit.

And that was one of the reasons he had decided to come to the Main Course section of the school. Sato had a friend here after all, and as far as he knew even Natsumi's brother studied here. One of them had to have the answers he needed, right?

It seemed he would never know however, considering that he was already knocked down on the floor by just one punch by the guy in charge of security.

And if that day had ended right there and there, he would have been happy. No, happy would not be the correct term, but it would at least be a better alternative to the one he got as soon as the one that had punched him decided to speak once more.

And he honestly felt his world crumbling a bit with each word that escaped his lips.

"Someone from the Reserve Course coming like this…You should know your place in this world better, kid. If you try something like this again then, to the likes of the Reserve Course students that can be easily replaced, I can't guarantee your safety…"

He felt whatever bit of pride and self-confidence he had crumble with those words alone. Replaceable? His place in the world? Was he really supposed to just accept that kind of things to his face?

But it seemed the man wasn't done however, only that this time the target of his words wasn't him, but rather the ones helping him.

"Nanami Chiaki and Naegi Makoto. You two that have the title of Ultimates, I have no idea why you waste your time with someone from the Reserve Course… I better not see your little friend around anymore, or else not even you two will be able to protect him."

Those last words felt as if someone had dropped nothing but cold water on him to the point that his body honestly shook in response. At that moment he didn't know if it was his frustration with himself, or the doubt that appeared in his heart towards the one he had proudly called a friend, but the first thing that he did as soon as he was able to stand up was to separate himself from both Chiaki and Makoto, with his gaze aimed down and his breathing as ragged as it could get.

"What…did he mean by that, Makoto?" He asked in a rasped tone, his gaze moving up to look straight at the brown-haired teen, who looked like a deer caught in the spotlight.

"Hinata-kun, that's just-"

"Is it true?" He interrupted him quickly, and he knew that the gaze that was in his eyes was almost a pleading one.

"Hinata-kun, please…"

"Answer me!" He didn't want to yell, he honestly didn't mean too, but he just needed someone to give him a straight answer today. No, that wasn't quite right. He needed an answer from him, he wanted to hear him from his lips that it was just a lie, a mistake, and that the past months had not been based on nothing but falsehood.

The answer he got, however, was not the one he wanted.

"…Yes." Even though Makoto had whispered his response, he was still able to hear it loud and clear "I'm an Ultimate, just like Nanami-san here…"

And suddenly, just like that, everything started to make sense in his head.

Of course Makoto could talk so easily about talent not mattering at all.

Of course he could just sprout stuff about there being more important things than having a talent.

Of course he acted as if being part of the Main Course wasn't that big of a deal.

Naegi Makoto was an Ultimate. Naegi Makoto had a talent. He was one that grew up with an ability that put him above the rest.

With someone like him, all the words that Makoto had said, weren't they all lies from someone that didn't know how to appreciate what he had? From someone that didn't understand what it was to just be a nobody?

Honeyed words from someone of the Main Course just to keep those in the Reserve Course dancing to his tune. Like a stick with a carrot hanging from the end of it.

Was this how the Main Course got their fun from the Reserve Course? He had to know, even if it made him feel sick.

"Did you know…?"

His question was aimed at the girl to Makoto's side. Had she been a part of this whole thing? Was that all that their friendship was in the end? Nothing but a joke, a prank from a pair of bored Main Course students?

And the moment she simply nodded quietly, he knew he had received his answer.

He turned around, feeling completely numb. It was his own fault, not theirs. It was his fault for believing in what they said. That guy was right, as long as he didn't have a talent he was just replaceable. A useless guy that could be used and discarded.

Only that this time, the truth came out before they could stop using him.

"Hinata-kun, wait! Let me explain!"

He heard Makoto's voice, but he was just tired of it. He didn't want to hear any more lies, not from himself, nor anyone and certainly not from them, so it was when he felt a hand suddenly grabbing his shoulder that he reacted with all the bitterness that felt as his fuel.

And with a yank of his arm, it was now Makoto the one on the ground while he himself sported a glare aimed down at him.

"Stop looking down on me…" He pretty much hissed before storming off once more, not bothering to look back even when he heard both Chiaki and Makoto calling his name.

He didn't care, he just didn't. He didn't care about the shocked, regretful look that Makoto had given him from the floor, he truly didn't.

He only cared about one thing at that moment.

And that was to gain his talent.


"Glad to see you made the correct choice, Hinata Hajime-kun."

He could only nod silently at those words, not believing there was much that he could say in this kind of situation.

What was there to say in the first place anyway? That he was grateful for the opportunity? That he just wanted to start already? Right now he only wanted for things to follow his course. As long as the end path was him obtaining a talent then, nothing else mattered.

Yes, nothing else mattered, only gaining a talent and becoming someone that he could be proud of.

Someone that could look at his parents and see nothing but pride reflected back on their faces.

Someone that could show those from the Reserve Course that even a worthless guy like him could gain a talent worthy of joining the Main Course.

And of course…. Someone that could stand side by side with those two, as equals.

He raised his head slightly to look properly at the man that had lead him to this building inside Hope's Peak. The bald, suit-wearing man that looked to be in his forties was simply looking at him with a cold glance, showing little to no emotion.

Not even when he spoke did he sound happy about anything. It was as if the man wasn't really surprised by this outcome. Maybe he had really been a weird one for doubting so much on a sure way of obtaining a talent.

In the end he simply gave another nod to the man, one that he returned swiftly. No more words needed to be said between one another, for right now there was nothing that could stop him from doing this.

"Hinata-kun, wait!"

That didn't mean people wouldn't try, however.

He was stopped dead in his tracks by his name being called once more in a yell, one that by now he had become surprisingly used to hearing.

He saw the bald man in front of him also freezing with that yell, but his own attention was quick to move to the responsible ones of the act. He turned around, his brown eyes easily recognizing the tired form of the Ultimate that had apparently run here, even if the shine of the moon was his only source of light.

"Makoto…?" A whisper left him just as he frowned at the sight of him, his mind trying to process just how he managed to get here. Even if you ignored just how utterly late it already was, how would he even know that he would be in this particular part of the school, and at this specific time?

Now he was really starting to believe that Makoto had some sort of mind-reading ability. Either that or maybe it was an Ultimate thing?

He wasn't going to bother with asking him something like that however, so when his lips parted it was to tell him to leave, to tell him that the next time they saw one another, things would be different, better. That he would be better.

But in a typical fashion that by now he had also grown used from Makoto, it was the brown-haired teen the one that beat him to the punch.

Honestly, if he got paid every time Makoto did something like that he could probably afford at least another year in the Reserve Course.

"Please don't do this, Hinata-kun!"

The desperation in his voice was even palpable to the point that he honestly felt shocked about it. He had never heard such a tone coming from Makoto. That, combined with the terrified look he had own his eyes certainly made for quite the sight.

"I know what you're about to do, I know what they offered you." Makoto continued talking, and each word only left him even more confused. "But it's not worth it, Hinata-kun!"

Those lasts words coming from Makoto though, were enough to make him glare at the younger teen.

"How can you say that…?" He spoke between gritted teeth, frustration sipping in his tone "To say that it isn't worth it… Don't you see it? With this, I can obtain a talent, Makoto! I can stop being just a mere Reserve Course student, how can you say that it isn't worth it!"

"Because as long as you're with us, it doesn't matter if you aren't an Ultimate!" Makoto spoke with conviction once more, with his gaze then slowly turning softer just as ragged breaths escaped his lips.

"I know the things that you could do if you went along with it." He continued in a voice that to him sounded as if he was reminiscing about things from the past, even though such a thing should be impossible. "And I admit, they are amazing things, but…If that means losing the Hinata-kun I know then, it simply doesn't matter to me!"

"Changing for the sake of talent…Isn't that a natural thing to do?" He hated the suddenly waver in his voice, but even so he refused to back down. He knew about the dangers, he had been informed by now, but they also told him that the risk would be kept to a minimum.

But even if that wasn't the case, wasn't it still just fine? To do anything for the sake of talent, wasn't that a mentality that he wanted to be able to follow without doubting?

"But not like this!" Makoto's tone changed once more to one that he had never heard before. He didn't know Makoto had it on him to sound so sure of himself, and definitely not to speak in such a commanding voice. "I know that what Hinata-kun wants the most is a talent that he can feel proud of, and to that I will do my best to help you! Even if it doesn't really matter to us, as long as that's Hinata-kun's wish then, I'll do my best to support you! But if it's done like this, with this project, you'll only end up regretting it!"

His gaze wavered once more, to the heart that he believed by now had steeled itself to do what was necessary, why was he suddenly feeling compelled to just listen to the teen that was even younger than him? Between the offer of Hope's Peak itself and Makoto, who had been lying to him ever since day one, why did he found himself wanting to believe Makoto's words so much?

"Why do you care so much…?"

Without even realizing it his lips moved on his own, and the question that left him only made Makoto smile at him, a smile that almost made him give a step back in surprise. It was one that looked as if it was aimed at an old friend after years without seeing each other, one that had him more confused than anything else.

How could Makoto look at him like that after only a few months of knowing each other?

"Because to the Hinata-kun that has already helped me to change my future for the better…How could I call myself your friend if I didn't try my best to do the same?"

Did Makoto really value him that much? But why? He just didn't understand, he truly didn't. What could Makoto be seeing in him? Was this another lie? A trick maybe? But a part of him, the same that had kept him from accepting to go along with the project until today, wanted to believe that it wasn't a lie.

"Empty words said by someone that is already sitting comfortably at the peak of the world just by having a talent. Believing such a thing from someone like him would be nothing short of foolish, Hinata Hajime-kun."

Ah, he almost forgot that they weren't alone. The bald man spoke in a cold tone, completely dismissing everything that Makoto had said so far with the greatest of ease.

"To you that don't have a talent, this is simply the only way for you to become someone worthy of changing the future."

"That's wrong!" But to the man's words Makoto was quick to offer his own rebuttal. "Because the Hinata-kun I know is someone that even without being an Ultimate is more than capable of doing things that no one else can! For you to say that he isn't worthy already… Aren't you just looking down on him without even knowing him at all?!"

'Stop looking down on me!'

Weren't those the words that he had said to Makoto?

And yet, why did it felt that right now, Makoto himself was the only one that wasn't doing that?

He turned his head slowly once more in order to look at the member of Hope's Peak Steering Committee properly in the eyes. This time though, it was with doubt shinning in his brown orbs.

The man's response was almost immediate.

"I want you to think carefully about your next course of actions, Hinata Hajime-kun, because to throw away an offer like mine can only be said to be idiotic."

"The one that should be thinking carefully in this situation is you, Shidou-kun, and no one else."

It was a completely different voice the one that regarded the bald man to his side, one that him turning to the side from where two new individuals were walking calmly towards the building. Even ignoring the voice that he recognized, with just looking at them he was more than capable of identifying just who they were.

"Tengan-san and…Headmaster Kirigiri?"

It was the bald man, whose name was apparently Shidou, the one that confirmed their identities for him, although for what reasons both the former and current Headmaster would come here was simply beyond him.

"Whatever could you mean by that, Tengan-san?" Even though Shidou's voice was still as cold as ever, he was still able to detect a hint of anger at his current predicament, showing that the appearance of the two was something that he hadn't predicted.

"Let me put it in words that you can understand, Shidou." The one that spoke this time was Jin Kirigiri, someone that he honestly never had the pleasure of actually talking to. Maybe that was for the best though, considering the edge he had in his voice "This little pet project of yours? Consider it done as of right now."

He could feel the tension growing with each passing second, to the point that the only thing that stopped him from moving away from Shidou's side was the fact that he would become the focus of those sharp gazes if he did.

"You don't have the authority to do something like that, none of you do." Shidou responded as if the Headmaster's orders were of little value to him. "And you, Tengan-san, I thought you had already realized that this is a necessary path for the hope of the future."

"The hope of the future you say, shouldn't that be left to the young ones to decide instead of us?" Kazuo spoke in a soft tone just as he saw his eyes moving towards Makoto for just a second. "And I might not have much authority nowadays, but you shouldn't underestimate an old man like me, you know?"

"Human trafficking and illegal experimentations, you were never honest with me about what the project entailed, were you?" Kazuo continued, his words making his eyes go wide. Illegal? "I have to wonder how such things would be taken by the eyes of society if your involvement would end up getting leaked."

"You wouldn't dare." It was the first time he saw the man known as Shidou openly showing an emotion: anger, and if looks could kill he was sure everyone around would be dead already. "No one would believe you."

"I have my sources, Shidou, and I assure you I am more than willing to spill everything if I have to."

"You would ruin your own reputation too, Tengan-san! And even beyond that, the school-"

"Hope's Peak would survive!" Kazuo's voice suddenly gained an air of finality, almost as if his words were the law at that moment "I trust my successor to never let the school crumble, but as for the Steering Committee and myself… What is a bit of reputation to an old man such as myself? As long as I get to see the hope that the new students keep bringing to the world I wouldn't mind gaining a bit of bad press, but can you say the same, Shidou-kun?"

Shidou was even trembling in rage by now, but to him that was standing to the man's side even though he was seeing everything happening with his own eyes it still felt more than a little surreal. He understood it by now though, that going with this man would have probably ended in something he would have regretted.

"Go home, Shidou. We'll deal with this properly later." The current Headmaster cut the tension with his words of finality, but the only thing said words got was for Shidou to aim his glare at someone else.

Namely, the youngest one present.

"You were just stalling for time, weren't you?" Shidou hissed towards Makoto, apparently coming to the conclusion that this was all Makoto's fault somehow, and with the smile that suddenly appeared on Makoto's lips he found it hard for blaming Shidou for getting to that conclusion.

Not that Makoto's words helped either.

"I think I was just lucky in that regard."

And before he knew it Shidou had simply left towards the inside of the building, while he was now being surrounded by an obviously relieved Makoto and two of Hope's Peak Headmasters.

"I'll go make sure they don't destroy everything."

And with those words, it was Kazuo the one that made to follow Shidou to the building. However, just like with his older counterpart, Kirigiri Jin also had a few words to say.

"I want you in my office first thing in the morning. I believe there are some things we need to discuss."

Those words were aimed solely at Makoto, who could only nod in acceptance at the ultimatum. He had to wonder though, just who was Naegi Makoto? Was he really someone that could just get the help of Hope's Peak Headmaster like that? How did Makoto know what would happen today?

How someone that looked so inoffensive could be giving him such a massive headache.

It wasn't long before the current Headmaster left too however, leaving only him and Makoto by themselves.

The look Makoto gave him though, was one that told him that he understood what was going through his mind, so when he offered to explain a bit the only thing that he could do was to agree.

And withthat he followed the brown-haired Ultimate away from the building, not even once looking back at the place in which, if circumstances had been different, he would have been given a new life.


"I'm so sorry for lying to you, Hinata-kun!"

"P-please stop doing that… If you start bowing like that then I fear I won't be able to stop the rumors from spreading even further!"

Sure, it was practically the middle of the night so there was no chance of anyone finding them here, between the same flowerbed that served as a middle point between the Reserve and the Main Course, but it was still more than a little embarrassing.

"I just…didn't want something like talent to get in the way… I didn't want for Hinata-kun to look at me differently because of something like that."

Makoto's honest words of regret were still coming out however, to which he could only sigh in response. While he hated being lied to like that, he had to admit that Makoto had a point there. If he had known Makoto was an Ultimate the first time they met, he really doubted he would have kept being around him.

"But I never thought of Hinata-kun as someone below me! In fact, Hinata-kun is some that I admire!"

"Fine fine, I get it alright? Just calm down a bit." He did his best to stop the younger teen from saying even more weird things like that, but Makoto still didn't seem to be finished.

"And please don't get angry at Nanami-san! She only kept the secret because I begged her to, but ever since that she has only been worried about you."

He nodded once more at those words, simply deciding to accept them. He knew he would have to face Chiaki properly soon enough, but it beat just staying angry at her.

"I meant what I said though."

Makoto spoke once again, this time with the same conviction that he had shown him just before, something that instantly made him interested in what he was about to say.

"For the sake of Hinata-kun that wants to find his own worth. No, for the sake of everyone at the Reserve Course that doesn't want to be labeled just as such, I want to help all of you as much as I can!"

He felt like asking him once more why he cared so much about the Reserve Course like that, especially considering that he was from the Main Course, but before he was given the time to do that, it was Makoto the one that extended his hand towards him while a smile that could only be described as hopeful formed in his face.

"But that's something I can't do by myself, so that's why, even though I would understand if you didn't trust me anymore, Hinata-kun, please…!"

And the words that finished that declaration would be the ones that opened a new path towards his future.

"Help me shorten the distance between the two Courses!"


"You… I still wonder how you get enough time to come here almost every day…"

"W-well, I just want to make sure that Hinata-kun isn't working himself too much like before…"

"Again, I won't accept something like that coming from someone that looks like a zombie most of the time." Hajime spoke while offering a wry smile towards the Luckster to his side, who could only chuckle in response at such words.

"I still think you have it harder though." He said with honesty, but to that Hajime simply snorted.

"Sure, Kuzuryu is a handful most of the times, and not everyone is being particularly cooperative." The older teen spoke with a tired smile "But from what I've heard, I think that beats almost being sent to space for example."

"That was just an accident and it was only once!" The time-traveler did his best to downplay what happened that day, even though at one point he honestly felt like he would die.

In the end though, the two brown-haired teenagers simply shared a look before releasing a pair of amused chuckles. Hope's Peak Academy could certainly be quite the insane place, and for these two that have known each other for more than two years already coming to this same flowerbed with the small statue of Hope's Peak Founder in the middle just to talk about their daily experiences became almost a tradition.

They eventually lost track of how much had passed since the Luckster had arrived at the Reserve Course, but it wasn't like the pair really minded. Relaxing like this from time to time was one of the things that stopped them from just collapsing.

But even so, they were so caught up in their conversation that they didn't notice the pair that was coming closer to them until their voices announced their presence.

"These two, they are awfully close to one another, aren't they?"

"They are…maybe even too close, I think…"

Both Makoto's and Hajime's attention were quick to move to the owner of said voices, their eye widening in surprise at the sight, for seeing those two together wasn't something that happened every day.

"Kirigiri-san?"

"Nanami?"

Both the Ultimate Gamer, Nanami Chiaki, and the Ultimate Detective, Kirigiri Kyoko, stood in front of the pair of brown-haired teens, with one of them sporting an almost lazy smile while the other showed no expression in her pale face.

"I was coming here to play a bit, and I ran into Kigirigi-san in the way." It was Chiaki the one that spoke first, deciding to ignore the part in which she had actually collided with the younger Ultimate since she had been too busy focusing on her game.

Her words made Kyoko the focus of the three; although the girl's purple eyes were solely aimed at the Luckster of her class.

"Headmaster told me to come and get you since you weren't answering your phone." The Detective explained with a small shrug. "I just assumed you would be here."

"My phone…?" Almost as if realizing something, Makoto was quick to take the mentioned device from his pocket, his eyes instantly widening once he realized the phone in his hand was not, in fact, turned on.

Had he been so distracted that he had forgotten to turn on his phone of all things?! That certainly explained why the object in his hand had not been releasing any sound for the whole day.

He ended up shallowing just at the thought of what would happen if he actually turned it on right now, and while a part of him would rather not do so, he knew that it would just be rude if he did.

So it only took a few seconds for him to turn on his cellphone.

And suffice to say, the number of sounds and vibrations the device released as a result of the number of messages and lost calls that he was only now getting, which he realized in every-increasing horror that it reached the 3 digit numbers, was enough to make everyone around the Luckster wonder if the device wouldn't suddenly explode or something.

"I…" He was almost lost for words, even though in retrospective he honestly should not have been that surprised. Kyoko's words appeared in his mind rather quickly however, which decided his next course of action "Think we should be going."

He nodded towards his classmate before standing up from his seat, an action that Hajime was quick to follow.

"Sorry for having to leave like this even though you just got here, Nanami-senpai." He spoke with honest regret, but in response the older Ultimate simply smiles kindly towards her fellow Ultimate.

"We can always play tomorrow, Naegi-kun. We know you can't just ignore Headmaster-san." With her words Hajime was quick to nod in agreement from right behind her, to which Makoto could only smile gratefully before leaving alongside his lavender-haired classmate, leaving the duo of Reserve Course and Main Course students by themselves.

While for his part Hajime could only release a small sigh before honestly smiling fondly at the retreating back of his younger friend. The fact that even after joining Hope's Peak and being surrounded by fellow Ultimates Makoto still bothered coming here just to see him, alongside Chiaki, by now honestly meant more than what he would like to admit.

His smiling visage, however, was interrupted by the feeling of someone pulling on the sleeve of his shirt. He was quick to look down at the one responsible for that, and the sight that he got was one of the Ultimate Gamer doing what he could only describe as an angry pout.

"W-what?" He asked confused, honestly having no idea as to from here such a reaction even came from.

"You promised me." The girl was quick to speak, even though she also kept pouting at him "That you would tell me whenever Naegi-kun came so that we could all play together like before."

"Ah…" He did do that, didn't he? She was right, he was supposed to send her a message or something, she had made him promise such a thing after all.

"I guess I forgot…" He said under his breath. Was he so caught up with talking with Makoto that he had forgotten about something like that? Apparently so. "Sorry for that."

The girl's pout lasted for a few seconds more before it suddenly vanished, leaving a Chiaki that was just looking up at him with nothing but curiosity right before she made a strange sound of understanding, one that had Hajime raising an eyebrow in wonder at her reaction.

"Don't worry," The girl declared with a nod. "I understand now…I think."

"You do?" He asked skeptically, feeling that there was something off in whatever she had understood. Wouldn't be the first time anyway.

"Yes." Chiaki responded swiftly, and for some reason the look that she was giving him right there almost made him break out in cold sweat. "You just wanted to hog Naegi-kun for yourself. I understand this now."

"Wait, what?!" His sudden cry seemed to not affect the Ultimate at all, with the way she even brought one of her hands up to her chin.

"I thought that Sonia-san and Kirigiri-san would be my biggest rivals, but…" Suddenly there was a fire in Chiaki's eyes that he was only used to seeing whenever it came to her beloved video games. "I shouldn't have underestimated you. No, it is more that the final boss was a member of my party all along!"

"You aren't getting it at all, Nanami!" Even to this day he still had no idea how the mind of the Ultimate Gamer worked, and he doubted he would ever fully get something like that.

"I won't lose though." Chiaki continued as if everything that Hajime said was muted to hear, only earning a groan from the teen in question. "Even if dating games are my weak point."

"You're misunderstanding everything!" He almost felt like grabbing his head in frustration, but at least it seemed Chiaki had finally calmed down from whatever delusions she had been having for the last minute.

Not that the comforting silence lasted for long though, since Chiaki's voice was quick to sound once more in his ears.

"Naegi-kun isn't here, Hinata-kun. There is no need to show your tsun-tsun side right now."

"Could you not?!"

Slowly, but surely, the two Courses were coming together in more ways than one.


"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure that I answered everything properly."

"It's fine."

"There was even a message from Kirigiri-san though… A couple of them actually."

"…I was just curious about your whereabouts, that's all."

He couldn't find a fault in that logic, especially since the Headmaster himself had sent his daughter to search for him.

Even so, he had spent most of the walk towards the Headmaster's office busy with answering all the pending messages he had. Properly apologizing for not answering sooner and saying sorry that he wouldn't be able to meet with any of his friends.

At least, they all seemed to understand the moment he brought up the Headmaster's name.

They were close to said office however, so he was only glad that he had been able to answer all of the messages before coming here. It would be rude to do such a thing in the presence of the older Kirigiri after all.

"I'm sorry that you had to go and find me." He said to his classmate once they reached the double-door that lead to Kirigiri Jin's office, one that by now he had grown quite familiar.

"Like I said, its fine." Kyoko spoke in the detached tone she always liked to use. "Do try to keep your phone on next time though. It loses its meaning if no one can contact you."

He could only scratch the back of his head while smiling awkwardly at being reprimanded by his classmate. He knew she was right though.

He moved his gaze towards the wooden door, with his hand then moving towards it with the obvious intention of knocking, but just as he was about to do that his wrist ended up being caught by a gloved hand, one that of course belonged to the Ultimate Detective to his right.

"Kirigiri-san?" He whispered her name, more than a bit confused by her action. His brown eyes were quickly drawn to her purple eyes, while his raised arm ended up being lowered, although such a thing didn't mean Kyoko was releasing her hold on him.

"I know by now asking you will not get me much." She said, and he could have sworn he detected a bit of frustration slipping into her tone. "But to whatever Headmaster, no, father is asking you to do… don't feel ashamed of asking for my help if you need it, Naegi-kun."

That was certainly a surprise for the Luckster, however his surprised expression only lasted for a few seconds before it melted into a grin, one that was purely aimed at the girl that had helped him not only against Monokuma's sick games twice, but even against direct orders of Future Foundation.

Not that the one in front of him knew such a thing of course, but that didn't mean he felt any less grateful towards her.

"That just makes me feel glad." He spoke happily, catching the Detective by surprise. "Since that just means that you care enough to offer your help, Kirigiri-san."

"…Of course I do." Kyoko answered quietly, to the point that he knew he would have missed it if he hadn't been paying attention. "You told me that we were friends a long time ago, remember? Or are you already regretting your words?"

"Of course not!" He suddenly declared, and to be honest he would be surprised if his voice had not been heard from the other side of the door. "I would never regret such a thing, Kirigiri-san!"

The girl stood in silence after that while staring straight into his eyes, almost as if she was trying to find something in his brown orbs. She seemed to find whatever she was looking for however, if the nod she released was an indication of anything at least.

"Kyoko…"

"Eh?" Her sudden call of her own name caught him by surprise. That, alongside her movement to put s strand of her air behind her ear.

"You call Maizono by her first name when the two of you are alone, don't you?" The Detective offered him a sharp look that had him almost becoming a spluttering mess. How she knew that, he could only imagine it. "Playing favorites is no good, Naegi-kun."

"That's, well, I mean…" He could even feel the flush of embarrassment that was creeping on his face, and the only thing that stopped him from his mumbling act was being on the receiving end of one of Kyoko's rare smiles.

Sure, it was a small one, but just the fact alone that she seemed happy was more than enough to him.

"I'm only teasing you, Naegi-kun. No need to act as if you did anything wrong." The Ultimate Detective was then quick to finally release her hold on his wrist.

Teasing? He could only imagine the reaction that any of his classmates would have if they saw the Kirigiri Kyoko actually teasing someone.

She then moved silently away from her classmate, with Makoto's eyes focused on her retreating back. She expected for that to end on just that note, but Makoto's voice was once again quick to get rid of such thoughts.

"Thank you for your help, Kyoko-san!"

And with his words, the time-traveler saw the Ultimate Detective suddenly stopping her walk before nodding without turning back right before continuing her walk, and while he wasn't able to see the expression on her face he would like to believe that he had said the right thing at that moment.

If he had been able to look at her properly though, he would have seen Kirigiri Kyoko's pale complexion suddenly tinted pink on the area of her cheeks.

But while the Ultimate Detective would always be one that had a special place in his heart, right now he knew his focus should be on the older one of the two Kirigiri that had connections to Hope's Peak Academy.

After all, Kirigiri Jin was the only one that knew about his secret.


First of all, proper thanks to both RWBYJNPR and Zephyrius29 for helping me with this chapter! It would be a mess without them.

Another long chapter and so far the longest one for this story. A lot of people wanted to see a bit more about the past, and that's what this chapter focuses about.

I'll admit I found writing Hajime hard for some reason, but I hope I did him well enough. I know some of the events don't align perfectly with how they played in the anime, but you can chalk that up to butterfly effect (If not then just go with my excuse of not wanting to just re-write the anime but with Makoto shoehorned in).

I know some might not like that Hajime didn't turn into Izuru, and if that's the case I apologize. I also know that everyone probably expected more time with Chiaki and Kyoko, but there is a reason their time was so short here and you will see why soon enough.

I don't remember if the member of the Steering Committee had proper names, and while I do know they actually do have designs I ended up deciding to change that a bit. Why? Well I might or might not have been playing Persona 5 while writing this…

Next chapter marks the end of this little introductory arc so to speak, and after that is where things finally get going. You'll see what I mean, although I can't promise next update will be a quick one.

Of course, thank you all for having read this far. This story just passed the 200 followers mark and for that I can't thank you all enough. Not only for the follows, but thank you all for reading, favorite and of course reviewing this story. See you next chapter.

Next Chapter: Naegi Household.