Free Time Events: Yukari Nagato (Side C)

Spoiler Alert: Chapter III Victim and Culprit

EVENT 1: I asked Mom about why I was invited to Talent High School, a question virtually no one else has asked.

I met up with Mom. Since we'd had all sorts of conversations as mother and daughter over the years, we both knew each other quite well by now. However, there was one thing I'd been dying to ask her ever since I got into Talent High School.

"I'd like to know something, Mom," I said. "How exactly did you convince the board to pick me as the Ultimate Tech Support?"

Mom sighed. Maybe the way I'd worded the question suggested that I didn't know what was going on, or she was uncomfortable with how I'd brazenly asked the question, but this was one thing she hadn't expected to hear out of my mouth.

"You may not believe me," Mom said, "but I've never been asked that question before. Out of all of the beneficiaries of Talent High School's preferential treatment to relatives, you're the only one I know of who's asked about why you were chosen."

"Really?" I said. "Surely others like me must have been curious."

Mom shook her head. For a moment, I thought that the others were intelligent enough to understand everything without needing an explanation, but then I remembered that Mom had once said that assuming that you understood something was evidence of a closed mind, rather than wisdom.

"Curiosity is human nature," Mom said, "but at the same time, learning new things often involves facing harsh truths, especially when it comes to oneself, which is why so many choose to shut their eyes and close their ears. To use an analogy, imagine that you found an envelope full of money laying on the ground one day. What would you do?"

"I'd turn it in to the police," I said. "After all, someone probably lost it, so it wouldn't be right to just pocket it."

"That's the right answer," Mom said, "but some people would never question their good fortune, pocket the money and be on their way. They wouldn't think too hard about where the money came from, or where it was going- maybe it was 'earned' by dealing drugs, or was meant to be donated to charity. Doing so would force them to think about what they'd done, and consider that maybe they were wrong, so they choose to stay in blissful ignorance until they're confronted with the consequences of their actions."

Mom's point was clear. Reality doesn't change just because you can't face harsh truths. I wasn't able to vote for Akira-san in the third trial, but she was the one who was considered responsible for Mihama-san's death. She wasn't a murderer, but she was executed as one anyway.

"Because of that, Chiyuri, I'd like to confirm whether you're ready to hear the full story," Mom said, "and since it's a long one, I'd rather not tell it right now. Think this over, and once you're ready, come back and ask me again."

"I will, Mom," I said.

I said goodbye to Mom for now. While Mom and I didn't have any secrets, there were still things we didn't find easy to talk about. The killing game had forced me to confront many uncomfortable truths, so maybe it was time to find out why I was at the school in the first place.

EVENT 2: In preparation for telling me about my admission Mom told me the story about the school's founding, and how it sought to find Ultimates that Hope's Peak overlooked.

I returned to Mom, having resolved to hear the truth.

"Have you made up your mind, Chiyuri?" Mom said.

"I'm ready, Mom," I said. "I'd like to hear the story behind how I became Ultimate Tech Support... even if it is a long one."

Mom smiled upon hearing my answer. After a moment, she began the story.

"All right," Mom said. "The reason why it's a long one is that it goes all the way back to when Talent High School was founded. This time, I'll start off by telling you about the school, before where you come in."

I nodded. Since the school was twice as old as I was, it was likely before my time. Mom, who was 40, was in elementary school when the school was founded, and thus likely hadn't heard much about it until she was almost an adult.

"Talent High School was founded for the sake of recognizing and nurturing talents that otherwise wouldn't be noticed by Hope's Peak," Mom said. "While Hope's Peak has a dedicated staff of talent scouts, some gifted high schoolers fall through the cracks."

"Like who?" I said.

"A few types," Mom said. "The first are those in emerging fields, often high-tech ones- for example, the first class of Talent High School had the Ultimate Roboticist. The second are those in fields in which excellence is not often recognized- tech support comes to mind. The third is people who are talented but not famous enough to succeed- like the Ultimate Fashion Designer- or who otherwise fall short of Hope's Peak's standards. Hope's Peak takes a few dozen students per year, but that still leaves many exceptionally talented ones for us."

I recalled that the Ultimate Fashion Designer, a woman a few years younger than Mom, was a relative unknown until Talent High School had found her. With the recognition her title had given her, her career really took off, and her designs were worn by models all over Japan, including Junko Enoshima, who was also Ultimate material.

"The first headmaster of the school had a cousin who had tried to become an actress, but failed," Mom said. "She had talent, but she was unable to impress the right people. As they say, it's often not a matter of what you know, but who you know."

"So that's why he decided to found the school?" I said.

"Basically, yes," Mom said. "In the first few years, the school accepted applications from talented individuals seeking recognition in their fields, and granted those who sufficiently impressed the talent scouts admission to the school. Of course, applicants who were related to the administration had a leg up on those who were not."

"But what about everyone else?" I said. "If there was that many people applying, then surely the school would have many different Ultimates in a variety of fields?"

Mom shook her head. Talent High School had always been fairly small compared to Hope's Peak, and for the longest time, I'd assumed that it simply wasn't as well-known, especially shortly after its establishment.

"Not exactly," Mom said, "and there were a few reasons for that. First, Talent High School was not well-known at this point, so there were not as many applicants as there are now... allthough there were far more than the school had room for. Second, of those applicants, many of them competed for similar positions, such as star athletes, musicians or actors and actresses. Third, as I just mentioned, many of those individuals did not have enough skill to earn a scholarship, much less be recognized as the best. Because the school received many applications from unqualified students, it had no choice but to end the application system and focus on searching for the Ultimates who gained their attention. Prospective Ultimates could reach out to the school to request entry, but such requests are generally ignored; if Talent High School is interested in a student, it will contact them."

"So much for the school's original purpose," I said.

"Yes, it was more than a little hypocritical of them," Mom said, "but there are many times when people must compromise their principles, whether to do what is right purely for the sake of expediency. In spite of that, they did leave a door open to people connected to the school's administration, enabling those who weren't recognized to receive a title."

I noticed that Mom conspicuously avoided using the word "earn" in that sentence. Despite that, she struck me as far less cynical than one would expect of someone aware of how Talent High School worked. Mom was by no means naïve, but she also didn't fully believe that the ends justified the means, and I was glad for that.

"This is where you come in, Chiyuri," Mom said. "Once again, if you'd like to continue hearing this story, we'll pick up where we left off next time. You may have some idea of what the answers would be, but if you would still like to hear them, I am willing to tell you."

I nodded.

"Well, it's not as though being ignorant will change anything," I said. "Besides, even if I can guess it, I might end up being wrong about it, so it'd be unwise to make assumptions."

"Good to hear that," Mom said. "We've talked for a while now, so I'll save the part that concerns you for next time. Take some time to digest what I've told you, and see me again when you're ready."

I left Mom once again, having learned much about the school I'd chosen to attend, but fully aware that it was only the beginning. If this was a story, then what I'd heard just now was mere exposition, meant to establish the setting, the characters and the conflict, and we had yet to face the first plot twist. If this story continued, I'd inevitably have to hear uncomfortable truths that would relate to me, but would I be ready?

EVENT 3: Dad and I were beneficiaries of Talent High School's nepotism, in various ways. Of course, even if you get an opportunity through connections, that doesn't necessarily mean you don't deserve it.

I met up with Mom again. She could probably tell that I was ready to continue where we'd left off, but I decided to make that absolutely clear to her.

"I'm ready to hear more, Mom," I said, "specifically, the part that applies to me."

"All right, Chiyuri," Mom said, "but before I get to you, I'd like to mention your father. As you know, Shou-san earned his claim to fame by tutoring classmates who were studying for entrance exams, becoming the Ultimate Tutor. While he became fairly well-known and well-respected among his peers at his middle school, he did not achieve the fame necessary to become an Ultimate at a school like Hope's Peak. That's where Talent High School came in."

I remembered what Mom had said last time, and concluded that Dad was probably a case of Category #3- obscure but talented Ultimates. His only chance of being noticed was to tutor a relative of a famous and influential person- possibly one of Talent High School's board members- and impress both that person and their well-connected relative enough to be recommended, or to be so good that word of mouth would reach the board. Both of those were dubious propositions at best, so it was fortunate for him that the chairman already knew about his talent.

"The process began when your father was formally recommended by his father, the chairman of the board," Mom said. "Technically, anyone can recommend someone as an Ultimate candidate for Talent High School, but it's generally disregarded unless the person making the recommendation is connected to Talent High School, or the recommendee is particularly famous in the field in question- for example, Azuki-san might be recommended by a director. Of course, when the chairman speaks, people listen."

"So was Dad a shoo-in for Talent High School because Grandp-er, the Chairman wanted him?" I said.

"Not quite," Mom said, "because Shou-san still had to demonstrate his talent in front of the board, and show at least a passing proficiency in it. Of course, it is possible to fake it- an idol singer can lip sync, while a horror writer can have a 'ghost' writer... no pun intended."

I chuckled at Mom's obvious lie. She obviously didn't spin many puns while around the students, but she nevertheless had a fondness for that kind of joke. Of course, the Ultimate Horror Writer, a girl a year older than me, was apparently skilled enough that she didn't need any help to earn her title.

"Your father passed his test," Mom said, "and while he did acknowledge that his connections played a part, he believed that he earned his title. Having seen him in action, I'm sure that his belief was well-founded."

I nodded. At this point, I could only take Mom's word for it, but since I trusted her, that wasn't too much to ask. Perhaps if I'd grown up with Dad helping me with my homework, I could see how he'd earned his title. Of course, if he was still alive, and I was a legitimate child, I don't think I'd have ever come to Talent High School... or would I?

"Me too," I said, "but what about me?"

"For you, it's a bit more complicated," Mom said. "As part of the deal I made with the chairman in return for not naming Shou-san as your father, they would grant you admission to Talent High School, provided that you demonstrated proficiency in a certain area. If you had not, you would have been admitted to the Reserve Course free of charge, a privilege granted to the children of all faculty and staff."

While the Reserve Course existed to earn the school money, and it was smaller, cheaper and older than Hope's Peak's Academy's counterpart, it could afford a few students tuition-free every year. That was a good thing, since it was far too expensive for Mom, who earned a decent salary for a teacher but didn't have money to burn.

"But then, you demonstrated a talent for helping your classmates with tech-related problems," Mom said. "I was proud of you, and hoped that you would be recognized for what you could do for others, rather than why you were born. So then I formally recommended you, and they agreed to bring you in for an interview. After the interview, they decided to invite you to the school."

"What about Asakura?" I said.

Mom furrowed her brow disapprovingly. She'd been strict when it came to teaching me manners while I was growing up, but now was not the time for a lecture. Besides, I'd learned her lessons well enough, and simply made an exception for the one person who had never showed me any respect- in fact, Asakura probably needed a lesson of his own.

"Apparently, Asakura-san was recommended at the same time," Mom said, "but coincidentally, he happened to be aiming for the same title as you. It was too late for either of us to find an alternative, so apparently the school chose to admit both of you after you demonstrated your talents."

So that explained why Asakura had gotten the same title I had. His personality aside, I still thought he had a greater claim to the title than I did, although Akira-san would vehemently disagree. Recalling all the times Akira-san had badmouthed Asakura and defended me brought a nostalgic smile to my face, and made me miss her even more.

"So that's the entire story," Mom said. "You were granted this opportunity because you are Shou-san's daughter, and to a lesser extent, because, I vouched for you. You earned your title because you managed to prove to the board that it was worth taking you on."

"I see," I said. "Would they have noticed me if I were an ordinary person, rather than the chairman's granddaughter?"

Mom sighed and shook her head.

"Probably not," Mom said, "but I doubt they would have found any other Ultimate Tech Supports besides you and Asakura-san this year. In the end, it was the headmistress and the board's decision- who to interview and who to invite- and I, at the very least, think they made the right decision."

I wasn't sure how to feel. On the one hand, they hadn't just chosen me because of my parentage. On the other hand, admission to the school was based entirely on the judgments- or perhaps whims- of a cabal of six people with their own interests. Maybe the question I should be asking wasn't whether my Ultimate title had any meaning, but whether anyone's did.

It was easy to dismiss Talent High School and Hope's Peak's handing out titles to outstanding young teenagers (as well as not-so-outstanding ones in the former's case) as quaint, but the truth was that it was necessary to earn others' recognition. You needed to impress admissions officers and prospective employers to get into schools or companies, which involved getting good grades, letters of recommendation, and everything else you needed for an edge on the competition. Even friendships involved impressing your friends, which meant that people who had some trait that the majority viewed as undesirable would end up ostracized; only the loneliness I felt while alone and the happiness being friends with Akira-san had given me had prevented me from giving up on friendship entirely. Likewise, the fact that I was a mediocre student with no special talents had led me to accept Talent High School's offer. I had no right to judge the others who'd taken a similar route to the school, but something was still bothering me, a question that would not let me rest until I had an answer...

EVENT 4: Mom realizes that things didn't always go as she intended, and deeply regrets that. As a result, she's second-guessing her decision to work for Talent High School.

I met up with Mom again. While I'd heard the complete history of Talent High School's admissions system, and how I'd gotten in, I didn't feel as though I'd gotten the entire story.

"Hello, Chiyuri," Mom said. "I've told you everything about how you got chosen as the Ultimate Tech Support, but if you have any other questions about that subject, I'll try to answer them."

I nodded, and sat down. After a moment, I realized what was still bothering me after everything Mom had told me.

"There's something I'd like to know about Talent High School," I said, "related to how you got hired as a teacher as part of the deal with the chairman. Did you know what sort of school you were getting into when you agreed to work for the school?"

"Sadly, not entirely," Mom said. "Shou-san believed that he hadn't been given any favors, and that while he'd been given the opportunity, he'd earned his spot in class. Naturally, since he was a student, and someone I'd come to love and trust, I believed him, too."

Mom's voice carried a twinge of regret, like someone who had gotten roped into a con by Karita-san or one of his kind.

"Do you think Dad lied about that?" I said.

"Not to me," Mom said. "I think that Shou-san didn't want to accept that he hadn't earned his opportunity. His goal was to put his title to use and become a teacher who would one day change Talent High School, making its Main Course more inclusive and giving a better education to all students, regardless of whether they were Ultimates. Of course, he never lived to see that happen..."

Mom wiped away a tear. It had been over sixteen years since Dad died- or rather, eighteen, when I considered the years I'd forgotten- but like an old wound, the pain hadn't faded yet.

"But in any case," Mom said, "I agreed to work at the school believing that my work would be for the good of all students, not just the children and relatives of those who founded it. That may be why I seem a bit idealistic compared to my colleagues, and why I saw nothing wrong with accepting their offer."

I shook my head.

"I'm not so sure, Mom," I said. "You may not have known what you were getting into, but you were a proper teacher to those students. After all, even talented students need a good teacher like you to help them in all the other areas, and you're the best one I know of."

"Thank you, Chiyuri," Mom said. "Hearing you say that means a lot to me."

I nodded, and decided to put the subject to rest for good. Now that I understood everything about how I'd come here, I could focus on getting everyone who was still left home. I didn't know what the future held for our school, but I had no desire for the final class to shrink any further.

EVENT 5: The future is uncertain, but Mom hopes to continue being a teacher. It's a noble profession, and I hope to follow in her path.

I had yet another meeting with Mom. While we had finished talking about why I was admitted, but there was still one last thing I wanted to discuss.

"So, Mom," I said. "If we get out of here, what are you going to do?"

"I'm honestly not sure," Mom said. "Ordinarily, I'd like to return to work and help you get back to school, but Talent High School may no longer exist."

I winced and nodded. While getting back to our old lives was the least of our worries, the prospect of everything we'd known being destroyed was almost as disturbing as the idea of dying here.

"That might be true," I said, "but I'd like you to forget that for a minute, and tell me what you want to do. Like you tell the students when it comes to career counseling, they should include their dream job, even if it isn't all that feasible."

"In that case, I would like to go back to teaching," Mom said. "Talent High School may not have been founded with a noble purpose, but those who pass through its gates still need an education, and it's up to teachers like me to give it to them. I don't plan on diverging from that path."

"That's good," I said. "I'd personally like to work for a school like that, but I don't know if I'm good enough."

"I'm sure you have it in you, Chiyuri," Mom said. "If you work hard and better yourself, you'll become a good math teacher someday, and may be hired at Talent High School."

I nodded. Math was my only strong subject, but maybe I could teach that to students. Even if I wasn't a real tech support professional, I was always happy to give guidance to people who needed it, and maybe being a teacher would enable me to do that.

"That might be nice," I said, "although I'd have to call you 'Nagato-sensei'."

"As would I,' Mom said, "and that would make me happy, to be able to acknowledge my daughter as a fellow teacher and an equal."

"I'll do my best, Nagato-sensei," I said.

I felt reassured knowing that Mom believed in me. Her life had become a great deal harder ever since I was born, because she had to raise me alone and endure the stigma of being an unwed mother, so I'd always wanted to ease her burden and make her proud of me. I wasn't nearly there yet, but Mom's belief that I could make it inspired me to try even harder in the hopes of one day vindicating her beliefs and repaying her for everything she did for me.

Author's Notes

This Free Time Events provides some backstory on Chiyuri, particularly how she managed to get into Talent High School, as well as a little bit about Yukari's feelings about her employer. It's fairly exposition-heavy, but it also is meant to provide some worldbuilding and reveal more about how Talent High School operates, as well as deconstruct the idea of an invitation-based school.

As you can see, the C in "Side C" is short for Chiyuri, and was partly inspired by Celeste's alternate sides. For the Side Cs, I'm only including the character's given name (Yukari, the twins), or family name (everyone else), partly to avoid redundancy, and partly because otherwise, the chapter title would be too long for .