Beta-Reader: Zephyrius29 (Ideas)

Chapter 10: Natsumi's Nitpicking, Mikan's Mischief

Hope's Peak Academy

Reserve Course Building

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Noon

"Hey, let's head up to the roof for lunch." Natsumi lightly punched Hajime in the back of the head to get his attention. "I don't really wanna stay here."

The boy looked at the girl for a moment with a light glare. She was definitely more aggressive than most girls that he had ever seen. He could attribute it to her yakuza upbringing, but something told him that there was more to it than that. At times, he was convinced that maybe being more upfront and blunt was merely something that was part of the girl. Regardless, she was company, so he wasn't too bent out of shape about her behavior. If he could handle her brother, then he could handle her.

"I'll be there in a minute." Hajime wasn't sure what brought this on, but he went along with it. "I'm just finishing up my homework."

"Tsk, boring." Natsumi insulted him, then turned to leave, leaving a few parting words. "You'd better not bring that up when you meet me."

"Uh-huh, whatever." Hajime sounded back in annoyance.

He was finishing up his English homework for the day. It was one of the most spoken languages in the world behind Chinese Mandarin and Spanish. Opportunities were abound to people who knew two or more languages; even Hajime, who didn't feel an extreme motivation to learn English, knew that this was important. It wasn't the importance that concerned. Rather, it was whether or not he would retain this knowledge five to ten years into the future. If he was being fully honest, he wasn't positive what all of this knowledge would do for him in the future.

What the hell am I doing? Hajime shook his head a bit. I'm too young to be thinking about depressing stuff.

He quickly finished up his work, then packed his bag and headed for his locker. He had managed to snag a quick bento box from one of the convenience stores close by the academy. It was rather plain, but it was a change of pace from the normal food he had in the cafeteria. Some might call him stupid for passing up food straight from Hope's Peak Academy in favor of a dime-a-dozen convenience store bento, but screw logic. He just wanted to do it and to hell with anyone who nosed into his business.

Hajime made his way to the roof, opening the door, and much to his expectation, there was only Natsumi sitting on the roof. If anyone else had come here, they probably had fled the moment they saw her. The yakuza girl already had quite the infamy among the Reserve Course. Even the teachers were wary of her despite them being her senior. One wrong move, and heads could be rolling. The thought hadn't really crossed his mind that much; whatever reservations he had about her, they were ebbing away.

"Took you long enough." Natsumi turned her eyes to him and scolded him. "Don't you know it's bad manners to keep me waiting?"

"Nice to see you here too, Natsumi." Hajime annoyingly responded to her.

"...hey..." She sighed and turned her eyes away. "...Hajime…"

"Hey." His response was more friendly.

Although there were no seats or benches on top, Natsumi made do by leaning against the fence, chewing away at some sweets. Hajime didn't comment on how strange it was to watch a yakuza eating sweets like any normal person. It didn't fit right with the image that they presented, at least not his image. Yakuza were tough, so they had to eat tough stuff, right?

"What's that look for?" Natsumi viewed him from the corner of her eyes. "You never seen anyone eat sweets before?"

"That's nothing new." Hajime realized he was staring and turned away. "I just…"

"Or maybe it's because it's me who's eating them." Natsumi took another bite from the treat in her hand. "The tough girl who probably eats nails for breakfast, right?"

"Um…" Hajime didn't know what to say.

"Calm the fuck down." She flicked his ear. "Just don't tell a soul and everything's good."

"Don't flick me again." He growled, shoving her hand away.

"You gonna stop me, little man?" Natsumi snickered. "You couldn't stop a fly."

"...okay." Hajime stared at her.

"...what?" Natsumi stared back.

Hajime didn't answer her, merely returning his attention back to his food. His eyes gazed at the Main Course building, trying to find a good way to insert the subject of the Ultimates into the conversation. When he couldn't do that, he reconsidered.

What the hell was he really thinking? Their relationship wasn't built on constant talking and chatter. Sometimes, they were next to each other in silence. It was kind of awkward, but neither of them stopped it either.

Where can we go from here? Hajime mulled to himself, realizing something as well. I don't really know much about Natsumi. I know that her brother is the Ultimate Yakuza. I know that she's had a rough family life.

The only thing he could think to do was pick a topic familiar to the girl and hope for the best.

"I really have no idea what to talk about other than small talk." Hajime decided to go for it. "I mean, I like talking to you, but I feel like there's more we could be talking about."

"Me and my brother weren't really much for small talk." Natsumi finished up eating and crossed her arms, leaning into the fence more. "The way I see it, it's better to save your words for something really meaningful. It's kind of like that back at home; my parents would battle to the death when a fight broke out. My mom always said that killing the man you love to get your point across was acceptable."

"That's… not the same thing as talking." Hajime pointed out. "That's not even close to being the same thing."

"It might as well have been." Natsumi shrugged her shoulders. "My parents were always like that. For the Yakuza, actions speak louder than words, and fighting was another way to put words into action."

That sounded completely incredible. The thought that violence and fights were simply another form of communication was extreme. Virtually everyone else talked out their disagreements, yelled at each other, and maybe occasionally got into fights in the event of an intense discussion.

Hajime had seen his parents fight on more than one occasion, and more often than not, it was the important topics that were the source of those fights, but never had it escalated into a physical confrontation. Seeing those fights made him worry, but ultimately, he knew that his parents didn't just love each other; they also were the best of friends, two people who trusted each other with their lives.

Natsumi's family life seemed dysfunctional by comparison, but knowing little about the yakuza, he really wasn't in any position to judge.

"It's been that way for so long that I guess it's always been nature to be confrontational and whatever." Natsumi noted. "Fighting for me is as natural as breathing."

"I see." Hajime really couldn't answer her.

"You know, you don't have to find a solution to all my problems." She made eye contact with him. "You're not my therapist."

"I guess, but I feel like… like there's something I could do." He felt a little down.

"Why do you care about my problems?" The blonde stared him down. "It's not like we're related in any deep way. Hell, I wouldn't dig too deep if I were you."

"I-I can't explain." The brunette looked at the floor. "It's something my gut tells me to do."

"...you're one weird bastard, you know that?"

"Why am I weird?"

"Caring about what happens to a yakuza? That's weird for a normal person."

"I… I don't think of it that way. I think of it as a person caring for another person's issues, trying to help them out, you know? It's the right thing to do."

"And that's what makes you weird. Knowing the right thing and doing it are two different things."

"But you're not stopping me, are you?"

"...no."

Maybe it wasn't his place to care about what happened to Natsumi, but Hajime couldn't help but feel bad for the girl. If violence and conflict were what she had grown up with, peace for her must have been a rare luxury. He didn't know all the details, but he couldn't imagine her wanting to live a violent life for rest of her life. Right now, she was just a girl going to school and doing her best to become someone important so that she could be next to her brother. He related to that.

Maybe that's why I want to help her. Hajime came to this conclusion. Her struggle is my struggle in a way. We work off each other like that.

"...thanks for talking to me." Natsumi seemed reluctant to give gratitude. "I guess sharing this stuff is easier than I thought."

"I'm always here to talk if you need me." Hajime offered.

"...we'll see." Natsumi said.

Hope - - - Despair

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Afternoon

Chisa stood patiently in front of the entrance to the Reserve Course building waiting for Hajime to come out. As far as she knew, he didn't participate in any after school activities, at least not on this side of the school, and she wasn't aware of any plans he had with any of her students after school today.

"Hajime, good afternoon!" Chisa spotted her favorite Reserve Course student and called to him.

"Miss Yukizome, hi." Hajime smiled and nodded. "Did you need something?"

"Nothing serious, but I was hoping to talk to you." Chisa replied with her own smile. "Do you have time?"

"Sure, I can spare some time." Hajime adjusted his own bag in his hands. "Lead the way."

The former Ultimate Housekeeper took note of the boy's pleasant attitude. Whenever she caught a glimpse of him, she paid attention to his face. Even though it had scarcely been a month since she had met him, he was different. His more pessimistic and demure moments were becoming less and less frequent. With his time being occupied more and more by her students, he was slowly showing a side of himself that he probably didn't even realize he was exhibiting himself. Things could only get better from here.

The two of them more or less walked alongside the roads, leading into the heart of downtown. It was an odd site, a homeroom teacher dressed partially like a maid and a Hope's Peak Reserve Course student dressed impeccably. They received more than a few stares from bypassers. The woman simply kept her smile on her face, looking to the boy who appeared self-conscious.

"There's no need to be so stiff, Hajime." Chisa patted him on the shoulder. "Relax."

"I know." Hajime flexed his body. "I'm not used to being stared at."

Chisa didn't doubt him in that regard. As much as Hajime wished to be a part of something greater than himself, he didn't appear to be the type of person who wanted attention, at least not in the way that celebrities might want it. Shy would be the right word to describe, but it was a manageable case of shyness. He noticed the stares, but he was still composed enough to continue with their conversation.

"Well, just like anything you do, it takes time and practice." Chisa put her hands behind her back. "But I'm sure you know that already."

"Well, Ibuki's been telling me that more or less in her own colorful way." Hajime nodded his head. "So... not to break up the small talk, but you said you needed to talk to me, miss-"

"Ah ah ah!" Chisa stood right up in front of him, her face very close to his own, a finger in the air. "We're not at school, Hajime. What do you call me?"

"U-um, sorry… Chisa." Hajime looked at her with a cringe on his face.

"Much better." She backed off, satisfied. "And to answer your question, I wanted to talk to you about what's been going on these past few weeks."

"You mean… with everyone in your homeroom?" He realized.

There had been a shift in behavior in homeroom whenever they were in session. Sure, they all participated in class activities and outings, but there was also a sense of anticipation and anxiety, something that hadn't been present in the past. Granted, it would take a very careful eye to spot said changes, but having spent a decent amount of time with her students, she could say with confidence that things were different.

"You've been a busy bee bonding with my students," Chisa said, "But I haven't actually talked to you about them much. How's that been going for you?"

"Well… I knew that Ultimates could be different, but knowing and experiencing are two different things." Hajime's words flowed effortlessly. "I've never seen such unique characters in my life. It's actually amazing to me, seeing people who can be so unusual yet successful."

"Well, it tends to be the case that those who are different from the norm tend to have more success in life." Chisa added her own piece. "Be it in their careers, their relationships, or anything that they do for that matter. It's those same people who can shape the world, make it better than before."

"I'm starting to see that now, and it just… inspires me to be greater than I am now." Hajime turned to face his senior. "That's why I try to imitate them, do what they say. Maybe it's not original, but it's better than sitting around and doing nothing."

"Well, I'm glad that you're inspired by my kids." Chisa caught his eyes. "You're starting to get what life is all about."

"What life is all about?" Hajime questioned.

"Nice try, but I'm not going to tell you that easily." Chisa denied him his answer. "You've got to find it yourself."

"Hey!" Hajime groaned. "You can't dangle a carrot and then take it away like that."

"Life can do that to you sometimes. Better that you hear it from me than from people who are more harsh." Chisa put a hand on his shoulder. "But if you really want to know, then go find out yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Hajime just waved her off.

"A bit of an unrelated topic, but how's everything really going?" Chisa leaned in closer to listen. "I know that you're having fun and all, but how's classes been?"

"The same, I guess." Hajime shrugged his shoulders. "Lectures, homework, tests, the usual stuff, nothing too out of the ordinary. I'm not really the best at any subject, but I do good work."

"I'm getting the feeling that there's more to it."

"Well, it's just that no matter what grade I get, good or bad, as long as I'm here, my parents are going to have to pay the steep tuition costs. I've always wanted to be a son they can be proud of, but I don't want them to lose so much just to pay for me to come here."

Silence on both ends.

This response came as something unexpected for Chisa. It wasn't that she took Hajime for a selfish person, but him being here at Hope's Peak Academy was something of a selfish motive, and while there was nothing wrong with that, that same selfish motive is what made his more destructive behaviors come out. Now, with just a few genuine words from a boy who was facing adversity in his own way, the homeroom teacher could now see a different side of Hajime, a side of compassion, selflessness, and caring. The fact that he was thinking hard about this meant that he had been seriously considering other options to success. One of those options could involve leaving the academy altogether.

That thought made Chisa feel unhappy.

"That's why you're pushing so hard to get into the Main Course." Chisa said with a tint of sadness. "It's for yourself, but it's also for your family."

The brown-haired boy stared ahead of him as they both walked along the street. The previously bright and cheerful mood had vaporized, replaced by a somber and serious one. This was not what the former Ultimate Housekeeper had wanted to happen; now she felt guilty for bringing up another problem in Hajime's life. His own personal problems aside, he did have a perfectly understandable if not legitimate reason to be focused on the Main Course.

"I've had a pretty normal family life." Hajime appeared bittersweet. "A mother and father who love each other, who love me as their son, who laugh with me, go places with me, have fun with me, argue with me, cry with me, everything that any normal kid has gone through. I just couldn't bear the thought of taking that kindness for granted, so I set my sights on Hope's Peak Academy, but no matter how much I dreamed about Hope's Peak and aspired to be there, nobody supported me. Everyone called me stupid or idiotic for even thinking that I could make the cut… except my parents. They might not necessarily agree with my choice, but they told me to go for it and do my best, so I promised that I would. If only I had a talent, then I could be someone important and I could make parents proud."

This was probably the really deep stuff that Hajime had never talked to about. Now he was bearing some of his most personal issues to her in the middle of a busy street of all places, and doing it in front of a teacher that he didn't really know all that well. It was impressive that he was managing to keep any sort of composure, but he had said all of that clearly and without pause. The only indication of his own emotional turmoil was a frown and eyes that reflected a defeated attitude.

Chisa couldn't find the proper words to ease his anguish, so she did the only thing that felt right in the moment. With both her hands, she gently cupped his face. The move surprised him, and he tried to back away, but she didn't release him, giving him an expression that showed what she couldn't say in words: I'm here if you need me. He had trusted her with a weakness, and she would do her best to help him overcome it.

Hajime managed a weak smile.

Chisa mirrored him.

Despair - - - Hope

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Afternoon

Mikan, for the first time this semester, had chosen to break routine and instead of returning to her dorm room upon completion of her classes for the day, she opted to go to infirmary of the academy. This was one of the few places that was a true safe haven to her. Whenever people did come into the office, more often than not, it was to receive treatment or just talk to her about health. The Ultimate Nurse was only more than happy to help. This was her domain, and her word was law. Her talent and her title did more than a few things for her, and she wasn't about to complain about that.

Hope's Peak Academy was a sort of heaven, giving her a place where she could be accepted, friends that cared about her well-being, and resources to continue honing her talent. She wasn't a picky person to begin with seeing as she hadn't been in a position to be picky for most of her life, and sometimes, all of these nice things in her life right now could be a bit much for her. Even something as simple as gazing intently at all of the tools, supplies and other necessary items generated a happy feeling.

Mikan began to hum to herself for no reason. It was just a really good day today. Her homeroom was always fun. Miss Yukizome was such a nice teacher, Chiaki was so supportive and inclusive, and all of her classmates took joy in whatever group activities that they did, even the more abrasive and resistant ones like Fuyuhiko and Gundham. She had little to be sad about, which led to her beginning to ignore her surroundings and rejoice. Life was so good that she might cry.

"Mikan, you're here." A male voice said.

"AAHH!" Mikan jumped back in surprise, recognizing that voice. "H-Hajime!"

Before she knew it, she felt her body losing control, and then she collapsed onto the ground. Once her mind was done registering the pain, it then dawned on her that her position was extremely compromising. Of all the things she didn't want to happen to her in front of Hajime, this was probably the worst one to happen. Her relationship with the Reserve Course boy had been going so well up until this point. He must be disgusted with her, so she did the only thing that came naturally to her.

"I-I'm sorry!" Mikan burst into tears and blubbered. "D-don't hate m-me!"

"Mikan!" Hajime's voice was distressed-sounding. "A-are you okay?"

She felt a pair of hands gently untangle her from her position on the floor. She was then able to regain her bodily control and sat up. She didn't dare look him in the eye. Even if he had helped her up, he couldn't be thinking good thoughts about her.

"I'm s-s-s-orry!" Mikan prostrated herself in front of him. "P-please hit me! Draw on me! Stomp on me!"

"What?! NO!" Hajime sounded even more unsettled. "Why would I do that!?"

"I-I-I showed you something so u-unsightly!" Mikan explained while still bowing as far as she could go. "T-there's no excuse for my behavior!"

"You don't have to do that." His tone softened. "Seriously, just take a few deep breaths."

Following his advice, she took a few breaths in and out, inhaling through her nose, then exhaling through her mouth. She could feel her own heartbeat slow down to normal levels. In hindsight, it was probably not the right thing to just lose control like that, but it wasn't easy for her to contain herself. She was naturally a bit light on her feet as well as jumpy, a habit developed from… well, a lot of things.

"Are you calm now?" Hajime asked.

"...I think so." Mikan felt more calm at least.

From his currently kneeled position, he stood up and offered her a hand. The girl was hesitant to take it at first, staring at the outstretched appendage. Then she looked up to see that smile. It was a smile with no ill intent or any ulterior motive. What she was seeing was what she was getting, or so her instincts told her. Pushing her doubt aside and wanting to embrace kindness, she took his hand. He gently lifted her up from the floor, keeping a firm but comfortable grip on her hand.

Hehe, I'm holding a boy's hand. Mikan felt a chorus of giggles somewhere in her head. It feels so different than I imagined.

"Anyway, sorry for barging in like this." Hajime released her once she was steady. "I felt like wandering the Main Course grounds for some reason and I ended up here."

"Oh." Mikan wasn't expecting this response. "S-so you weren't looking for anyone in particular?"

"Not really, but I'm talking to you now," he said, "so I don't have to wander anymore."

"O-oh, good!" She blushed and blurted out. "I-I mean good for you!"

What was she saying? She didn't know how things like this worked. Being alone with someone was already nerve-wracking enough, but this was a special case. Hajime wasn't really what she considered to be normal. He was a pleasant person, a genuinely nice person. Never once had he held a grudge against or tried to hurt her in any way. Granted, everyone in Class 77-B was family more or less, but this was different somehow.

"So what were you doing here?" The brown-haired boy adopted a curious look. "Are you expecting someone? Or do you just like this place?"

"I just like being here sometimes." The purple-haired girl said with more enthusiasm. "The school doesn't have that many critically injured people, so the most I've ever seen here are moderate injuries, nothing serious. More often than not, I offer medical or health advice to people with varying degrees of success."

"You… have an amazing talent that helps other people. You should be proud of that. I would be if I were you."

Hajime really was a good person. He thought of her talent as the Super High School Level Nurse in a positive light, a selfless light. He assumed that she used her talent primarily to help people recover from injuries, improve their physical health, and make their lives better. There was that aspect of her talent that she could agree with, but she wouldn't be telling the full truth if she said that her only motivation was to help others. She did have selfish motivations, that of pride and power.

Should I tell him? She began to struggle with this question. What if he hates me for being selfish?

No, it was better that she not talk about that stuff. He didn't need to know about that right now, or… ever really.

"Hehehehe, it's so nice to hear that." Mikan settled for a simple show of gratitude.

"I'm not just saying that. I mean it." Hajime intoned. "You're kind of amazing.

Receiving compliments like this in succession was still a new sensation. She heard it many times from Ibuki, Mahiru, Sato, and even Hiyoko every once in a while, but no matter how much she heard it, it wouldn't go away, the feeling of getting words of kind intentions. It filled her with a sense of fear, but also of hope, and wasn't that the point of this academy to begin with?

"You… you really mean that?" Mikan dared to hope. "Really?"

"Mikan, I'm not a disingenuous person." Hajime met her eyes. "If I compliment you, there's nothing else to it but admiration for what you've done."

The Ultimate Nurse frowned and held her head down in shame. What had she done to deserve such attention? She had been questioning this since her time at Hope's Peak Academy. It was only when facing the truth spoken directly to her that she now thought about it this much, bringing it to the forefront of her thoughts. She didn't at first because she desired those ecstatic feelings like a person suffering from dehydration in a desert. She would gorge on this and doubtlessly never stop, yet it didn't push away her guilt that ate at her.

"Mikan?" Hajime stepped closer. "You okay?"

"I-I-I'm sorry!" Mikan shouted with moisture in her eyes. "I-I took too much! Too much kindness. I-I-I'm selfish! I don't deserve friendship!"

Tears began to flow from her eyes. This wasn't right; none of this was right. People always hurt her, drew on her, insulted her. That was who she was and that was what she was deserving of. This would always be.

It was only when a pair of hands resolutely gripped her shoulders did she break from her declining state to witness she thought had to be the most fiery look she had ever seen.

"Mikan, I promise you that I'll be your friend through thick and thin. You're not selfish for wanting a friend. Every wants someone to call their friend. I do too. I want to be your friend and I hope that you'll be mine too."

A promise…

"... no one has ever made me a promise."

"Then let me be the first to make one to you."

"...o-o-okay."

Hope - - - Despair

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Late Afternoon

"Sir, I must ask why you are so dead set on retooling the experiment. This is already a delicate operation as you know. Introducing additional factors and variables could add a new level of complication that is unnecessary."

"Our most viable subject has recently shown signs of interesting behavior that lead me to believe that he is not simply a talentless student." The Headmaster said to the voice on the other end of the call. "That's why I asked that the details be looked over again."

"Sir, with all due respect, if the subject has shown signs of change from his original profile, then it's time to consider another candidate."

"I appreciate the thought, but that's simply not possible." Jin shook his head while voicing his disagreement. "Out of all the students in the Reserve Course, only Hajime Hinata shows the necessary qualities for the Hope Cultivation Project, and we cannot afford to wait another year for new students. We simply don't have time."

For the past week or so, Jin had requested that everyone involved in the project review all the details of the operation to see if they could accomodate a few new additions. Hajime Hinata was still their best and ideal candidate. The primary disagreement revolved around the possibility that the boy might not be as normal as he seemed. To the scientists and those involved directly with the project, it meant that there was a possibility of skewed or flawed results should the subject go through. To the headmaster, there was an opportunity, a risky one to be sure, but still an opportunity.

"Sir, while I understand your desire to see this project through, we must think about the consequences should we come upon any problems, minor or major. We should delay the operation so that our subject, whoever they may be, won't cause any sort of results that go against what we intend."

When thinking about it in hindsight, there was no reason for Mister Kirigiri to be pushing this issue the way he was. Like it or not, he did agree with the Hope Cultivation Project. The prospect of being the headmaster to oversee the culmination of hundreds of years of research finally come to fruition was exciting. His entire tenure as headmaster had seen him taking a vested interest in talent and he wanted to see this through. He knew full well what would result when all was said and done. It would be a cruel fate for the boy, but sacrificing one life for the future of Mankind was worth it.

Then Jin got the call from Chisa Yukizome to allow Hajime to interact more intimately with Class 77-B. At first, he gave it no regard, but then he witnessed one such interaction from the window in his office.

Ibuki Mioda was one of the most wild girls in recent years, with endless amounts of energy. Often times, she could be seen running laps around the school, which was strange seeing as it didn't correlate to her talent. On her tail was Hajime, trying his best to keep up. It only took one look for the man in his office to realize one thing: the both of them were having fun even there appeared to be no reason for what they were doing. The sight brought him back to a time when he wasn't so focused and so determined, when he had things that mattered more than being the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy.

Kyoko. His daughter came to mind. When was the last time I talked to her?

"Sir?" The voice on the other end asked.

"...how soon can you have the new data ready?" Jin bypassed the argument and got to the point.

"...the new results will be ready by next week at this time."

"Understood. Make haste."

The call ended.

There was a sigh.

For some reason, you guys have really taking a shining to Mikan and Natsumi, so I did another chapter of them. Personally, I have a more vested interest in Natsumi due to the lost potential in Danganronpa 3. While a lot of my details may end up being deduced from what the second game and the show tells me, I'm eager to write about. It's like solving a mystery.

That's not to say that I dislike Mikan, but if I were asked who was the best girl in the second game, I wouldn't think of her immediately. That being said, I think even small acts of kindness towards Mikan are the right thing to do. Without the negative environment of the second game, her darker side is less likely to rear its head.

We're so close to introducing all the characters of Class 77-B. If I remember correctly, we have Hiyoko, Teruteru, the Ultimate Imposter, and Ryota (yes, I'm including him). We also have to go back and have some more FTE's with everyone else we've introduced.

So what do you guys think? Feedback is always appreciated and if you've got a preference for who you want to see next chapter, then leave that in a review as well. Remember, all chapters feature at least two different characters with Hajime.

I hope you all enjoyed reading.

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."

Mahatma Gandhi