Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
Chapter 46:
Butler Royale Part II
If someone were to walk into the Hope's Peak Academy school cafeteria right now, they would be questioning reality. Heck, a certain whiskered blond was already doing that, and he was right in the middle of it all.
Could you blame him?
They were like pieces of meat you'd see put on display for anyone to ogle, ready to be served and devoured. And there appeared to be plenty of wild and hungry customers ready to partake on this meaty flesh.
At least, that's how Naruto felt as he stood in line in the middle of the cafeteria with his male friends and the unfortunate Li'l Ultimates who got caught in the crossfire. Apart from Akane, Chiaki, and Peko, the girls all looked ecstatic as Chisa placed the hat that had the boys' names on one of the tables. What made the blond all the more nervous were the sadistic looks that appeared on both of Kotoko's and Monaca's faces. They rivaled Hiyoko's, and that was just concerning.
They were supposed to be innocent little angels! Had Hiyoko already corrupted them with her savage arts?
'Mental note, keep Hiyoko away from them.'
The last thing Naruto needed was having Hiyoko's more sadistic tendencies spreading to the next generation.
Anyway, there really was no escaping this. Naruto blamed himself really. He should have known better. He never should have let Kazuichi in on his plans, but instead of looking guilty the Ultimate Mechanic had a wide grin plastered on that stupid face of his. It almost made it impossible not to smack him.
Only an idiot like him could be enjoying this situation. It really made Naruto want to take a swing at him, but he held himself back, if barely.
He wasn't going to jail for murder…..for today at least.
Naruto already knew why Kazuichi was grinning like that too. Just because there was a small chance that he might get paired up with Sonia.
The blond briefly wondered if he had acted like that with Sakura when he was younger…..or had he been worse?
Better not dwell on that.
But thinking of Sonia made Naruto glance at her for a moment. This was the first time he could gather his thoughts about her, if only for a moment.
He and Sonia weren't dating, but that didn't stop him from feeling like he needed to talk to her about Mikan. How could he do that when he didn't understand it himself, though? Dammit, that whole "shadowy Hope's Peak committee" thing had really sidetracked him.
Let it be known that things were rarely boring in Hope's Peak Academy. Budding romances, shadowy groups with possible nefarious purposes. It was like something out of a novel. Truly, that was this school's best selling point. Not the "your future is secured after graduation" shtick. Definitely not.
"Enough with the suspense!" Kazuichi's voice took Naruto out of his thoughts. The boy was pointing at Chisa with a mild glare. His fear of being threatened with more swords was overridden by his desire to spend all day with Sonia today. "Just let the girls choose who they want as their butler already!"
Why was he only bold during stupid moments like this?
Stupid Kazuichi.
"Well, they're not exactly choosing, Soda-kun. It's more like letting luck decide." Regardless, Chisa was more than happy to step aside and let the drawing begin. She gestured to the Ultimate Swordswoman. "Since Pekoyama-san was the victim, I think she should be allowed to go first."
Peko looked surprised but didn't complain as she walked up to the hat. None of the girls had a problem with this either. Or like with Akane, they just didn't care.
Kazuichi let out a low whistle as he whispered, "We all know who she would pick if she had a choice. Right, Kuzuryu?"
A low growl escaped the yakuza heir.
"Don't make me stab you. I'm already considering where to hide your body after today."
Alright, so he still wasn't in the mood for jokes. Message received. But hey, he didn't deny Kazuichi's point either.
Kazuichi wasn't able to see it since she was facing the other way, but Peko did blush a little at his words. Damn her good hearing.
The other girls didn't miss it of course, and Mahiru was more than happy to snap a picture of the blushing Peko. She was just too cute. Mahiru couldn't resist! Not that she knew why Peko suddenly blushed, but details! Ibuki on the other hand had heard Kazuichi as well, and she almost jumped in place at the implications.
'Ibuki smells gossip~'
When it was about Peko and Fuyuhiko, there was no way she could resist feeling excited. They should kiss already! That's what Ibuki was voting for anyway. Wait, they got votes, you ask? Of course they did!
In Ibuki's imagination.
Back to what actually mattered, everyone watched with baited anticipation as Peko's hand started to rummage through the pieces of paper inside the hat. She didn't do it on purpose, but the few seconds it took for her to finally settle on one of the papers made everyone's heart beat fast with anxiety. Even Akane felt it, even though she didn't understand why.
Maybe all of this was going to be more interesting than she guessed.
Peko's eyes gained a sudden glint to them as she read the name on the paper that she had chosen at random. At that moment, she looked scarier than Hiyoko.
Naruto silently gulped. Was it him? Was he going to die by her hands?
That fear left him when the girl then read the name out loud.
"Soda Kazuichi."
You could almost hear a pin drop after that.
"NO WAY!" The first to voice his thoughts on the situation was, unsurprisingly, the mechanic himself. "This thing is rigged! I know it is! There's no way that could have happened otherwise!"
"Hmm, I don't know about that." Their lovely teacher didn't seem sympathetic to his plight as she shrugged. "I only put the names in there. Nothing more."
Was she lying? Naruto honestly couldn't tell.
"Bah, who cares!" Hiyoko certainly didn't as she huffed. "The four-eyed troll gets the loser mechanic. End of story. Next."
She was only interested in one thing here. Everything else was a waste of time.
"Hm, yes." Peko didn't react to Hiyoko's nickname for her as she clenched the paper in her hands. She turned to Kazuichi who was now shaking. "I had my doubts about this at first, but perhaps this will be more fruitful than I imagined. Wouldn't you agree, Soda?"
"H-Hey, what does that-?"
"Now, come." Peko beckoned the boy to follow her. "You have to follow my commands for the rest of the day, correct? Then we don't have any time to waste. We need to get a move on."
"W-Where are we going?" He was almost too scared to ask.
"That does not matter. Just follow me."
Probably trying to cut his losses, Kazuichi decided to make a run for it right then and there. But unfortunately for him, Peko saw this coming a mile away.
Within seconds, she was on top of the boy, quickly incapacitating him with a blow to the gut before dragging him off across the floor without a care. She was a young woman on a mission, and nothing was going to distract her.
"Have fun~" Chisa merely waved them off with a gentle smile.
Fuyuhiko looked a bit pale. "If I didn't think he deserved it, I would actually be sending him my prayers."
Byakuya scoffed. "I'm sure he'll be fine. If nothing else, he's durable."
Naruto wasn't so sure. Peko had been really pissed off about those videos. She might just break the Ultimate Mechanic for good this time. At the same time, the idiot really had this coming.
"Hmm, at this point I can't say which is stronger," Nagito said with a hum. "Pekoyama-san's luck or Soda-kun's bad luck. Luck is a very fickle thing."
Well, one person's trash was another man's gold…..or something like that.
"All these girls are scary. You think Monaca and Kotoko are going to be like that when they get older?"
Oh, poor Masaru.
Of course they were.
"Alright, who's next?"
Chisa seemed to be having a little too much fun with this situation as she happily asked for the next volunteer.
"Oh! Oh! It's gotta be Ibuki!"
Of course the Ultimate Musician could no longer contain her excitement as she volunteered herself without missing a beat.
Once again, no one really had a problem with this as Ibuki gleefully skipped her way to the hat.
"Who shall be the one serving the great Ibuki today~"
No one answered her as she stuck her hand in the hat. Unlike Peko, Ibuki instantly pulled out one of the names. She was too excited to try and mess with the others right now.
"Let's see, let's see. It says…..ah, it's Nekomaru-chan!"
The Ultimate Team Manager let out a resounding laugh at this.
"Gahahaha! So it was I! I don't really get it, but I, NIDAI NEKOMARU, will guarantee to fulfill your dreams today!"
"Kyahahaha! That sounds totally awesome, you know!"
Naruto snorted, looking amused by this combination. In many ways, Ibuki and Nekomaru were like two peas in a pond. They were going to get along just fine.
"There is no time to waste here!" Much like Peko, Ibuki didn't hesitate to spring into action as she quickly ran up to Nekomaru and jumped on his back. "Onwards, to the music room! We have magic to perform, Nekomaru-chan!"
"LEAVE IT TO MMMMMEEEEEEEE!"
With vigor that wasn't really warranted, Nekomaru took off running out of the cafeteria and towards the stairs leading to the upper floors of the school.
The others just watched them go, unsure of what to think.
They weren't going to blow up the school…..were they?
"Such foulness," Gundham muttered to himself with his eyes closed.
As always, he just knew what to say.
The next rounds of picks went by pretty uneventfully. Chiaki, Akane, and Mahiru all took their turns. Chiaki ended up with Fuyuhiko, Akane with Gundham, and finally Mahiru with Nagito.
The Ultimate Photographer had looked a bit disappointed by her pick but quickly masked it before taking her place back with the other girls. Unlike Peko and Ibuki, they didn't really have anywhere specific they wanted to go. Not yet at least. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Akane had quickly monopolized one of the tables and had ordered Gundham to start bringing her food.
The look on Gundham's face probably burned hotter than any eternal flames from the Amaterasu. It made Naruto chuckle.
"I think that the herd's been thinned out enough," Hiyoko said as she stepped forward. It was her turn now.
Sonia tilted her head. "What does that mean?"
Thinning the herd? What could the little blonde possibly be talking about?
Hiyoko ignored her in favor of focusing all her attention on the hat before her. This was the moment of truth. She didn't think Kazuichi's stupidity would have offered her a great opportunity like this, but she was not going to complain. Now, she just needed to bring it all together.
For once, she hoped that some of Nagito's good luck had rubbed off on her.
With that in mind, she lowered her hand into the hat. She toyed with several of the papers for a couple of seconds. It was just to ease her mind really. She was trying to find the one that felt just right. When she thought she had it, she pulled her hand out, one the papers coming along for the ride.
She was sure she had chosen correctly. Her face showed just how smug she was feeling.
Unfortunately, that didn't last as her eyes violently twitched when she read the name on the piece of paper.
"Oh boy." Fuyuhiko could already tell there was a storm coming.
"What the hell is this!?" Stomping her feet, Hiyoko almost nearly tore up the paper as she scowled. "This can't be right! How did I end up with that twerp of all people!?"
Twerp?
"Ah." Jataro raised his hand. "Are you talking about me? I can understand your disappointment then, big sis. I'm sure no one would want me as a slave. I mean, I always knew it was coming, but I was sure my master wouldn't want me either. It's just how things are. I apologize for not being reliable enough. I should just-"
"Shut up, you discount serial killer. I wasn't talking about you." Hiyoko was in no mood to hear the creepy kid go off on another one of his rants.
"Huh?" Jataro blinked a couple of times. "You're not talking about me? Then who-?"
"The other twerp. The stupid looking one next to you."
"HEY!" Masaru didn't need to hear anymore to know who the blonde was talking about. "I'm not going to stand here and let you disrespect me like that!"
It seemed like he had forgotten his earlier fear of the girl.
Nagisa sighed. "Speaking up like that just makes it seem like you agree with her description, Masaru."
Of course, the redheaded boy was too busy glaring at Hiyoko to pay attention to what Nagisa was telling him.
"This can't be fair." Hiyoko huffed as she looked at Chisa. "I can't be stuck with this brat. I should get another chance."
"Nope!"
And of course, Chisa didn't hesitate to strike her down.
If looks could kill, Masaru would be dead right now.
Sensing this, the boy finally had enough sense to cower behind Naruto.
Unlike with Kazuichi, Naruto prayed that Masaru got through the day in one piece.
Naruto didn't know when it happened. But in the moment between when Mikan took her turn and Hiyoko walked away in a huff with a sulking Masaru in tow, Kurama had disappeared.
That little fox was getting sneakier and sneakier by the day. If it weren't for the fact that they were in Hope's Peak Academy, Naruto would have been worried about his fox friend's whereabouts.
He also wondered where Hiyoko had disappeared to. Hopefully Masaru wasn't already dead. That would be depressing.
For the moment, he decided to let it be, especially since after Mikan took her turn it was Kotoko who drew next.
And as luck would have it, she drew his name.
"Yay, Uzumaki-kun's first master for the day has been decided." Chisa clapped as Kotoko gushed over her 'accomplishment.' "Now we just have to wait and see who else gets to draw him."
Naruto grumbled at this. Why was he being singled out like this? What was he, some kind of prize on display?
At least it was Kotoko who drew his name. Her demands couldn't possibly be all that bad, right?
Mikan was left sulking in the corner as she stared at her piece of paper with Byakuya's name written on it.
The round boy would have felt insulted if he didn't already know about the Ultimate Nurse's feelings…..okay, maybe he was still a little bit insulted.
He decided to not think about it too much.
"Kazuichi would be crying if he was still here."
That's all Naruto had to say as Sonia drew her pick for her butler after Kotoko. As it turned out, the one that would be "serving" her was none other than Nagisa.
The Li'l Ultimate in question didn't seem to care either way, although the way he glanced over to Monaca for a second did make Naruto raise an eyebrow.
Had he been secretly hoping to get Monaca?
As for Sonia, the Ultimate Princess seemed to let out a small disappointed sigh before cheering back up again.
"I look forward to working with you today, Nagisa-san."
The way the princess smiled had the poor boy blushing and stuttering. Naruto couldn't fault him. Sonia had that effect on people. Her aura was nothing to scoff at.
But with Sonia's pick out of the way, that only left Monaca and Chisa without a butler for the day.
Only Naruto and Jataro remained on the boys' side.
"I knew it would come to this," Jataro said with a shake of his head. "I'm always picked last, you know. It's the natural order of the world. If I had been picked first, I'm sure a tsunami would have struck Japan soon after. You can't go against nature."
Naruto sweatdropped. Just how much did Jataro enjoy dissing himself?
"Stop with the bullshit already." Fuyuhiko crossed his arms and scowled. "It was just a matter of luck, nothing more."
Nagito seemed amused. "I'm not sure how lucky I was this round then."
Naruto looked at him. "What, you don't like being with Mahiru?"
The luckster shook his head. "That's not what I meant, Uzumaki-kun. If anything, I'm too troubled. How could I serve someone with so much talent? It's impossible. Although I am good at cleaning."
Yes, he's mentioned that before.
"Well, there's nothing to fret about." Chisa clapped again to get everyone's attention. "I don't mind going last, so Monaca-chan, you can take your pick if you want."
Monaca giggled into her hand. "I suppose I don't mind."
Jataro's eyes widened behind his mask as Monaca's wheelchair started to move towards the hat which contained the final two pieces of paper.
"Oh no, what if she picks my name? How could I ever live to her expectations?"
Byakuya didn't get it. "She's your classmate, isn't she?"
She wasn't anything special.
"She's not just our classmate," Nagisa cut in here, huffing a little. "Monaca is like our princess, you know. Even if she got stuck with us because of outside circumstances, everyone in our grade still loves her. Why do you think she's the Li'l Ultimate Homeroom?"
To Byakuya, that title meant absolutely nothing.
Naruto grinned and said, "You get a lot more talkative when it comes to Monaca, huh?"
The way Nagisa's face exploded after that comment almost had Naruto rolling on the floor laughing.
"Oh, it's totally obvious, Naruto-san." Jataro shook his head in dismay. "Nagisa has a biiiiiiiiiig crush on Monaca. So big that you could see it from outer space without a telescope. Everyone back in our class knows it. But for some reason he doesn't tell her. I think he just doesn't want to get rejected, but isn't that how love is supposed to go? Rejection means that they care enough to put some thought into it. It's a lot better than being ignored I say. Don't you think so too, Naruto-san?"
"I think you have a couple of things backwards there, Jataro," was Naruto's reply. He ignored Nagisa's indignant cries about having his feelings exposed out in the open, but before he could say anything else to the masked boy Monaca pulled out one of the last two papers from the hat.
It was the one with his name on it.
"Well, there you have it." Striking a confident pose, Chisa addressed everyone that remained in the cafeteria. "Uzumaki-kun will have Kotoko-chan and Monaca-chan as his two masters for today. That means Jataro-kun is with me. Everyone else has their partner. Go do whatever you want until we meet back in the classroom in the afternoon to compare notes. And remember, this is meant to be a punishment game. Don't be afraid to get creative with your demands."
Why did it feel like she was specifically talking to Monaca and Kotoko when she said that? And why did the two girls actually look at one another in excitement?
It was then that Naruto realized that maybe he should be worrying about his own safety first rather than anyone else's.
Chisa watched carefully as the pairs started to disperse, or in a certain case a trio. She was kind of disappointed that Naruto had gotten stuck with Monaca and Kotoko for today, but there was nothing that she could do. Rules were rules.
At least Kazuichi would be receiving a proper punishment for his actions.
'I leave that to you, Pekoyama-san!'
That aside, there was another group that had caught her eye.
Mikan, Sonia, and Mahiru. Now that the pairs had been picked and Naruto was no longer in the cafeteria, they didn't seem to have any problems with showing their disappointment with the outcome.
'Oh dear.'
Chisa didn't know exactly what was going on, but she did know that she couldn't just stand by and let her adorable students remain like this. She had to do something!
But what could she do exactly? How could she approach this subject when she didn't know all the details?
"They're sulking I see."
"Seems like it."
Pausing mid-thought, Chisa looked surprised when she realized that Chiaki and Fuyuhiko were standing next to her. Jataro was too, but the boy seemed too preoccupied with watching Akane inhale ungodly amounts of food from the other side of the cafeteria.
"You two, what are you still doing here?"
The Ultimate Yakuza pointed at the gamer. "I can't go anywhere without her, right?"
"I'm here to offer some advice," Chiaki explained.
Chisa noticed that the girl wasn't playing a game. This must be serious then.
"I don't mind if you do. Actually, that makes me really happy. The fact that you guys are all friends like this brings a tear to my eye."
Fuyuhiko looked put off by this. "Don't be stupid. This is just normal. You don't have to make a scene over it."
Chisa ignored him. "But Nanami-san, if you want to help, does that mean you know what's going on?"
Did Fuyuhiko as well?
"I think I figured it out."
Fuyuhiko snorted. "Did you? I'm surprised. I thought your head was only full of those video games of yours."
Chiaki puffed out her cheeks. "That's not very nice, Kuzuryu-kun. Sometimes you and Uzumaki-kun are so mean to me."
The yakuza heir took that as a compliment.
"Wait, Kuzuryu-kun, you know what's going on here?" Chisa had to make sure.
"Well, yeah. I've known for a while now." Fuyuhiko sighed. "It's what that idiot gets for being so nice."
Oh boy, this sounded really juicy.
It was then that Chisa came to a decision. With her eyes sparkling, she had one announcement to make. She said it loud enough for everyone to hear her.
"It's time for a tea party!"
When Naruto got out of bed this morning, he never would have guessed that his day would turn out like this. But then again, he was sure no one ever expected to be walking down the street with a little girl on his back while also pushing the wheelchair of another.
His days in this new world were rarely boring, huh.
"Hehe, that's the way!" Kotoko looked to be having the time of her life as she rode on top of his shoulders. "Onwards, my Naruto-kun steed!"
Did she get this idea when she saw Ibuki do it to Nekomaru? Or was she always this nefarious?
Who knew.
"I think you're being too loud, Kotoko," Monaca said. Because he was pushing her wheelchair along, Naruto couldn't see what expression she was making right now. Her voice sounded peaceful enough.
"Look, we're not at the school anymore. We've already reached the city."
True enough, they were basically walking through the heart of the city now. It wasn't as busy as when Naruto and Ibuki had had their little date over the weekend, but it was busy enough.
If Naruto were any other person, he might feel self-conscious from all the pointing people were doing. Not that he could fault them for their reaction. The three of them did make for an interesting sight, especially since he was dressed in a butler uniform of all things.
"Don't start, Monaca. I'm just basking in the moment. Besides, I'm sure you'll want Naruto-kun to carry you too."
Was that true?
"I don't think I'm bold enough for that."
"Pfft, how boring. Besides, you agreed with me that coming to the city was the best option!"
"That's because I didn't want to risk any of the teachers finding us out while we were at school."
Monaca's explanation sounded a little flimsy to the blond, but he mentally shrugged it off.
"Well, unlike you, I can be honest." Was Kotoko bragging right now? "We should go clothes shopping! Naruto-kun can give us his opinion and buy us all the adorbs outfits we want!"
Hey now.
"I'm not made out of money, you know."
Well…..he sort of was. Compared to someone like Hayama, it was still nothing. But he was really well off at the moment.
"Don't complain now." Kotoko slapped his shoulder. "Remember the rules. This is a punishment for what you and that pervert tried to do."
"I didn't really do anything, though…."
No one was ever going to believe him, were they?
Monaca giggled. "Honestly, your best option should have been to approach your class directly about the beauty pageant instead of trying to sneak around in the shadows."
"I wasn't exactly sneaking," Naruto defended himself. "I-It's just. Well, you know. I didn't think the girls would be interested, so I tried to see if I could convince them individually."
In the end, he only really approached Peko directly. So maybe he did drop the ball on that one.
"And that was your mistake. Misunderstandings are easy to come about when you do stuff like that. I thought you would understand that, Naruto."
He was getting lectured by a little girl now? The worst part was that he knew she was right. He didn't have anything to say against her logic.
Kotoko giggled. "Looks like Monaca schooled you, Naruto-kun."
Yeah, yeah. Rub it in, why don't you.
Sighing, Naruto decided to return to their original topic.
"If you guys want me to get you something, I don't mind. Just don't go overboard."
"Yay!" Kotoko cheered. "Looks like we win for today, Monaca!"
Monaca only giggled in return.
Nagisa looked at the twitching form that was Teruteru sprawled on the floor behind the counter of the cafeteria. Even though he got bad vibes from the short cook, he still felt worried.
"Shouldn't we do something about that?"
"Hm?" Having heard him, Nagito saw what Nagisa was referring to and smiled. "You don't have to worry about that. Hanamura-kun will recover soon. He's built up quite the endurance these past couple of months."
"You say that, but….." Nagisa trailed off as he looked over to where Akane was seated. The table she had monopolized was covered with dirty plates. She had eaten a small banquet's worth of food, and she didn't look fully satisfied yet.
"Tell Hanamura to get the next round started, will ya?"
That's what Nagisa thought she said, but he couldn't be sure since she was still consuming more food. Her words were an incoherent mess.
On the table next to her was Gundham who looked ready to burst if the twitching of his eyes was anything to go by.
"Ordering a supreme being such as myself like this…..it should be impossible. How could I be reduced to such a state? Where did I go wrong? I will obliterate Soda the next time I see him. None shall escape the wrath of my third eye."
So he was already getting ready to kill the idiotic mechanic, huh. Nagisa didn't fault him. He was pretty annoyed too, especially since this stupid game had separated him from Monaca. At least she was in good hands. He didn't have to worry if Naruto was there.
In total contrast to Akane's messy and wild eating, the other table being used was calmer and more organized.
It was, after all, a tea party.
Byakuya and Fuyuhiko were sullen but methodical as they laid out all the treats that Teruteru had prepared for this impromptu tea party. Nagisa was surprised to see Jataro pitching in too as he poured tea in each of their masters' cups with an elegance he didn't think the masked boy had.
Chisa was smiling widely as she looked at the group seated with her.
Mikan, Sonia, Mahiru, and Chiaki. How lovely.
"U-Um, sensei." It was Mahiru who broke the silence as Jataro poured some tea into her cup. "What exactly are we doing?"
"Didn't I say? It's a tea party!"
"B-But why us?" Mikan squeaked out as she poked her fingers together. "D-Did we do something wrong?"
Chisa waved off her concern. "Oh no, it's nothing like that. You were looking troubled, so I decided to step in and offer my advice!"
"Troubled?" Sonia was confused. "Why would they be troubled?"
"I was also talking about you, Sonia-san."
The princess let out a gasp. "You noticed? I feel embarrassed! I should apologize. I did not want anyone else to find out about this!"
Fuyuhiko snorted, but one soft kick to the leg from Chiaki had him shutting up.
Mahiru felt concerned as she started to realize where this might be heading, especially if Chiaki was here.
"Nanami-san, you didn't tell sensei, did you?"
"Hm? No, I didn't." Chiaki's answer eased Mahiru's fears, but her next sentence brought them back up again. "She noticed something was wrong on her own, so I decided to lend her a hand." She paused here for a moment before adding, "That's not exactly right. I decided to help all of you."
"H-Help us?" Mikan did not understand.
"Well, I'm here to listen to what you have to say first," Chisa explained her motive. "After that, we can talk about solutions."
The three girls looked among each other while Chiaki took a sip from her tea.
It was pretty good. Not what she usually drank, but she wasn't going to complain.
It went without saying that, out of the three, Mahiru had a better understanding of what Chisa was getting at. And she didn't like it.
How could she be asked to be honest out of nowhere like this? It was far too embarrassing!
"To start, you can explain to sensei why you were feeling so depressed." Unfortunately for Mahiru, Chisa was already taking the initiative. "We can take it from there."
Mikan and Sonia already knew why they were feeling like that, but to explain their feelings in front of other people….could they do that?
Sonia might, but Mikan?
Not in a thousand years!
"You should speak up~" Chisa decided to add some pressure. "Otherwise, I'll go and tell Uzumaki-kun some embarrassing stuff I know about you three."
Was that a bluff? Well, Chisa might have said earlier that she didn't really understand what was going on, but that wasn't entirely true. She had a vague idea. She just didn't have any concrete evidence. Not yet. So she knew what buttons to push.
Either way, Sonia couldn't risk it. "T-That is not necessary, Yukizome-sensei. Tsumiki-san and I were just a bit disappointed by who we got as partners for today. That is all."
Nagisa raised an eyebrow at this. Should he feel insulted by that? Actually, should he and the others even be hearing this at all? Didn't it feel like this conversation was going to be about something really private? It didn't involve them at all.
With those questions in mind, he glanced to the other "butlers" to see what their reactions were to all of this but he just found them relaxed as usual. Except for Jataro, who was once again fascinated by Akane's eating habits.
Was Nagisa worried over nothing then?
"That's it then." Chisa took a sip from her tea before looking at Mahiru. "What about you, Koizumi-san? Did you feel disappointed as well?"
The Ultimate Photographer squirmed in her seat for a few moments before bowing her head.
"….yes."
With Chiaki here, there was no way she could lie her way out of this.
Mikan and Sonia looked at her with surprise.
Mahiru had been disappointed as well? What?
"So the three of you are facing the same problem." Lowering her cup, Chisa smiled. "Am I to guess that a certain whiskered blond is at the center of this?"
Cue three sets of eyes widening.
Chiaki almost shook her head at this. Their sensei didn't beat around the bush, huh. She reminded her a lot of Naruto in that regard.
As Mikan almost fainted at the accusation, Sonia pointed at their orange haired teacher, her eyes still wide. She had been caught completely off guard, and it showed. Chisa felt proud to get such a reaction from her.
"How did you-?"
"How do I know?" Chisa's smile widened. "Just a hunch. It's true that I haven't been your teacher for very long, but I like to think I'm observant enough to understand this much."
Actually, most people would. Naruto was just too dense to see it himself.
While Sonia could understand that, her mind was already processing the implications of what Chisa had just said. Even Mikan, who was still freaking out, was slowly realizing what all of this meant.
Simultaneously, the two girls turned to face their redhead friend who still had her head bowed. Neither missed the reddening of her cheeks.
There was no way…..
"Ah." Chiaki took a moment to look up as she tilted her head ever so slightly. "It looks like the three of you have a crush on Uzumaki-kun. Right?"
Chiaki might not understand romance much, but that conclusion was easy to reach after this morning's events.
Mahiru would have called Chiaki a traitor if not for the fact that Mikan and Sonia were still staring at her with wide eyes.
"Now that we're all on the same page here, how about we get to the true purpose of this small tea party." Chisa bit into one of the crackers that Teruteru had prepared for them. It wasn't bad, but it didn't compare to the cook's usual food. "I think you three need to air your feelings out before you start resenting one another."
Chisa didn't want things to end up like that, so she was going to meddle as much as she could.
"I…..I do not know what to say," Sonia admitted, her eyes still focused on Mahiru. "I did not realize that Koizumi-san felt that way."
"But you knew about Tsumiki-san." Chiaki shrugged. "Does it matter that Koizumi-san shares in your crush?"
Sonia didn't think so. "I am just surprised." She never would have guessed. Not in a billion years.
But….what was this feeling in her chest? Anxiousness?
Based on the looks on Mikan's and Mahiru's faces, they were sharing that same sensation with her.
"Now, now. There is no need to feel down. That's not the reason I made you all come forward with this," Chisa said, trying to ease the tension.
"B-But how did Nanami-san figure t-this out?" Mikan asked softly, still trying to understand that part.
Chiaki looked at Mahiru who had now resigned herself to this development.
"It was because of me…I sort of overheard you two talking earlier this morning," Mahiru explained, averting her eyes. "I didn't mean to. I saw you two walking into the nurse's office, and before I knew it I heard you two talking. And I already sort of suspected that Tsumiki-san felt something for him, but I didn't think that Sonia-san did as well."
How ironic. Sonia admitted to feeling surprised, but Mahiru had been just as surprised. Truly, romance was not to be taken lightly.
Chiaki munched on a cookie. "I think this is for the best, like Yukizome-sensei said. Now you can be honest with your actions from here on out."
Honest? Well, Mikan and Sonia had already been doing that. They didn't have a problem including Mahiru into that dynamic…..maybe.
Okay, so maybe Mikan minded. A lot. But she wasn't going to say that out loud. Not after the kindness Sonia had shown her.
"And besides, you three snarling at each other isn't going to accomplish anything," Chisa said with a small nod. "I'm not sure what kind of progress you three have made, but until the end it's not clear what might happen. It could be possible that Uzumaki-kun might end up rejecting all three of you."
Her blunt words caused the three girls to pale as they realized the truth of what she was saying. Nothing was set in stone yet.
"T-That is true," Sonia whispered as she rubbed her arm. This feeling of uncertainty in her heart…..it had never happened to her before coming to this school. Sure, she had felt fear, but at the end of the day her duty as princess had helped her remain steady and focused.
That foundation was not going to help her with this.
Mikan on the other hand was very familiar with uncertainty. It had shaped most of her life, and now she was feeling it all over again. Only now it had to do with something really important. Perhaps the most important thing in her life.
She was not going to allow it to overtake her this time.
Finally, there was Mahiru, who was the most uncertain of them all. This was all unfamiliar territory for her. That was true for Sonia and Mikan as well, but that went doubly true for her. Someone who had done her best to try and stay away from any sort of male attachment…..this scared her.
But she had already accepted the truth, and she was not going to run away from it.
Chisa could see the different thoughts racing through the girls' heads. It made her happy. Ah, to be young and in love~
Sure, she was only a few years older than them, but the details did not matter here.
"Good. Now tell sensei just what is it about Uzumaki-kun that all of you like so much~"
Cue three rounds of blushing, plush Chiaki's tea sipping.
Off to the side, Nagisa sweatdropped as the "tea party" descended to hush whispers and giggling. So much giggling.
"Is this…..is this normal?"
Fuyuhiko shrugged. "Better than how it is most days around here."
Byakuya had to agree. "Indeed. It's a lot more…..peaceful."
"It's hopeful," was all that Nagito had to add.
"Nagisa, look! That girl is still eating more! How crazy is that? Do you think her stomach is connected to an inter-dimensional black hole?" And then there was Jataro, still fascinated by Akane and her "meal."
Yeah….there was only one conclusion for Nagisa to take from all of this.
The people around him were weird.
For what felt like the hundredth time, Naruto gave the beaming Kotoko a thumbs up.
"Yep, you look really cute in that. Ten out of ten."
His words caused the girl to smile widely as she disappeared back into the changing room.
"You sure know how to indulge her, Naruto."
Next to him, Monaca was watching this back-and-forth with a placid smile. It was the first comment she had made since they entered the store.
"I'm just being honest."
He was. Kotoko looked pretty cute in every dress she had worn so far. He didn't have to lie. Of course, he had enjoyed watching Mikan try different outfits more, but he wasn't going to say that, now was he.
He wasn't a total dick.
"You're not going to change into anything? Like I said, I don't mind paying for one outfit for you."
Monaca's eyes twinkled in amusement. "The thought is appreciated, but money is not a problem for me. I could buy this whole store if I wanted."
Woah, seriously?
"I didn't know you were that rich."
He seemed to be surrounded by wealthy people these days.
Monaca shrugged a little. "Well…..I'm not. My….family is. Due to certain circumstances, I have been afforded a great deal of money to use by them. I rarely use it of course, but it is nice to have. For a rainy day."
Certain circumstances, huh. Naruto wondered what those were but decided not to push her. She didn't seem to want to talk about it.
Instead, Naruto focused on something else.
"You know, Monaca, you always seem like you're holding yourself back when you're around me. That's no fun, you know."
The green haired girl seemed to freeze for a moment, but it passed soon enough. Someone else might have missed it, but Naruto did not.
"That is a very interesting observation, Naruto. I didn't think that you were watching me that closely. Don't Kotoko and the others keep you too busy to focus on me?"
Something about the way she said that really rubbed Naruto the wrong way, and so he flicked her on the forehead.
Monaca yelped in pain. "What was that for!?" she sulked as she rubbed her forehead.
"For being stupid." Naruto rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm going to pay attention to you. You guys are all my friends. I might not be able to hang out with you guys all the time, but I like to think we're close enough."
Monaca eyed him as she continued to rub her forehead. Naruto's flick had really hurt.
"You seem to throw that word around a lot. You know something loses its meaning the more you use it, don't you?"
Did it now?
"I've never really thought about it that way," Naruto admitted, some amusement bleeding into his voice. "Maybe you're right about some things, but when it comes to friends my motto is that you can never have enough. After all, it's better to be friends with someone than strangers."
"Is that why you let us bother you so much?"
"What?"
"You don't have to hide it from me, Naruto." Smiling, Monaca brought her hands to her lap as she stared at the changing room. She could just picture a humming Kotoko on the other side, all content and happy. She was probably going to remember this day for a while.
It sort of made Monaca annoyed, but she pushed that feeling down as much as possible. After all, what she was really after was more important.
"We're probably just nuisances to you, right? I'm not sure why you're trying to fool us, but there's really no need to do that with me. I can accept something like that. We sort of just pushed ourselves on you, so there's no reason for you to hold back against us. I like to think I'm more mature than the others, you see."
Naruto almost flicked her again.
"For someone who seems smart, you're pretty slow on the uptake. Ah, but I guess I'm used to that. Gaara, Neji, and Sasuke were like that too."
Monaca had no idea who any of those people were, but that didn't stop her from frowning. She realized she probably shouldn't put too much on this, but she was still too curious to let it go.
"I don't understand. Isn't that how it always is? We don't really offer anything to you. If you're not useful, then you're only a bother. That's how the world operates."
Her family had taught her that much.
They were just kids. Despite what Masaru had asserted earlier, there was no reason to think that they could be of any use to the blond. Unless he knew of her family, but Monaca doubted that. So then, why was he so nice to them? It didn't make any sense.
"Some people might operate like that, but I don't really try to look at my relationships like that. It doesn't make me happy." Kneeling in front of her, Naruto met Monaca's gaze with his own. "That's why I said you're slow on the uptake. Or what, are you guys only hanging around me because you think I'm useful for something?"
"Maybe."
Naruto laughed. "Man, that's harsh. I actually thought I was starting to understand you. I guess that's my fault. It's not like we've spoken a lot like this before."
Monaca hated the way he laughed.
"Why is that funny? And understand me? Why would you want something like that?"
"How else do you get to know a person? You're mature enough to understand that, right?"
"But I'm not really all that important. My own family….."
She stopped herself. She almost said too much. It was something else that she hated about the blond. He was always so easy to talk to that sometimes she felt compelled to tell him everything on her mind. She felt really safe.
It repulsed her.
Naruto just looked at her with a curious gaze. He could see something in her now.
Fear.
How curious. And very much troubling.
"I don't know why you would think that. Is it because you're in a wheelchair? I don't think something like that would stop you."
Monaca looked away. "Why would you think that?"
"Call it a hunch. The others seem to follow your lead. I think that says enough."
"Maybe they're just idiots."
Naruto laughed again. "Maybe so, but I like to trust my instincts. They've rarely let me down."
Monaca started to feel frustrated. She was getting nowhere like this.
"I can't force you to open up either." It was Naruto that continued the conversation. The blond stood back up as he shrugged in a carefree manner. "I just hope that in time you understand what I'm trying to say."
If that ever happened…..Monaca feared for what would happen to her. If she accepted it…..wouldn't she only be betrayed again?
At that moment, Monaca could not even put on her usual fake smile. She didn't have the strength to. For the first time, she had tried to confront Naruto directly to try and get something out of him. She had failed.
And now, she felt the fear in her grow stronger.
As well as her hope.
Kotoko didn't know what had happened. As she emerged from the dressing room with yet another dress on, this one a simple pink one, she posed for Naruto and Monaca, basking in the spotlight. Even as happy as she was with today's events, she could still notice that something had happened to Monaca.
For one, the disabled girl didn't have her usual smile. She wasn't even looking in Kotoko's direction. It was like she was elsewhere, lost in her own little world.
Very strange. This was the first time Kotoko was seeing Monaca like this.
Naruto was still the same as he gave her another thumbs up.
"Looks like we have another winner here."
Monaca's weird state aside, Kotoko cleared her throat and gave Naruto an expectant look.
With a sweatdrop, Naruto looked down with a sigh.
"You look adorbs…madame."
Kotoko puffed out her chest in pride.
"That's more like it. You need to learn how to address your mistress more properly, Naruto-kun. It's for your future."
His future?
"I'm not aiming to become a butler."
"But it's perfect." Kotoko whined. "When I become a superstar, I could hire you as my own personal assistant. Don't you think that would be super adorbs?"
"Yeah…..no, I'm good. I appreciate the offer, though!"
No, he didn't .
Kotoko pouted. It was such a good dream too. And it wasn't that hard to achieve!
She opened her mouth to speak but froze when she noticed someone walking towards them.
No. It couldn't be. Of all the possible times-!
"Kotoko? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?"
Naruto, who had noticed Kotoko's abrupt reaction, turned to the new voice to find an older woman quickly walking their way. She wore a blue skirt suit that was probably more expensive than what many people earned in their lifetime. She had short pink hair and vibrant pink eyes that matched Kotoko's.
There really was no guess work involved here. Right away Naruto could tell who this woman was.
The woman was not alone. There was an older gentleman at her side. The man was pretty tall, but it was obvious he was not in his prime anymore. His hair was gray, and his face was full of wrinkles. That didn't mean he wasn't dressed sharp, though. The suit he sported was probably more expensive than the woman's, and that was saying something.
"Kotoko? So she's the one?" The man spoke with a thick accent. It made Naruto wonder if he wasn't from Japan.
The woman nodded. "Yes, she's my daughter. She was supposed to be in school, but-"
"M-Mother." Somehow, Kotoko found her voice to speak. "What are y-you doing here? I didn't think that you would….."
Kotoko? Stuttering? Naruto never would have guessed that was possible. Monaca was probably thinking the same thing as she looked on with curiosity, her earlier thoughts put aside for now.
"That's what I'm asking you. Why aren't you in school? Are you causing problems? After everything I've done to make sure you got in. Don't you understand that that school is crucial to your future? Don't you ever appreciate anything I do for you?"
The woman's tone was harsh, and Naruto was not a fan of how it made Kotoko shake.
But before Kotoko could apologize, Naruto stepped in front of her.
"This isn't what it seems. The school already knows she's with me."
"What?" The woman was taken aback by Naruto's presence, almost like she hadn't seen him. And judging by the way she glanced over to Monaca, that was probably the case. "Who are you? Why are you with my daughter?"
"I'm a friend of hers." Naruto didn't hesitate to answer her. "I'm from Hope's Peak Academy. Kotoko was helping me out with something, and we sorta took this trip to the city to get some fresh air."
A nice way to explain everything.
"Hope's Peak Academy you say?" It seems as if saying that much was enough to put the woman at ease, even if he was dressed like a damn butler. "Judging from your age, you must be a part of the main school."
"Yeah."
As if that should matter.
Regardless, the woman was pleased by this, and it showed.
"I see. It seems like my daughter is finally learning. She needs to pick who she hangs out with more carefully. I'm sure you have a bright future ahead of you. In a few more years, I wouldn't mind getting to know you more closely."
For some reason, that made Naruto's skin crawl. But why?
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Kotoko flinch at her mother's words. Again, why?
"But that doesn't matter right now. Kotoko, this is good timing. I was out on a stroll with this gentleman here. He's from America you see. He has many connections overseas. I was thinking it was time for us to start heading in that direction. Some people might say it's too early, but like I'm always telling you you're only young once."
Kotoko didn't say anything, but her body spoke in volumes. She was shaking uncontrollably. She was probably only able to remain standing because sometime during her mother's explanation she had begun to cling to the back of Naruto's jacket with a vice grip.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about me." The man tried to put Kotoko at ease by smiling, but the young girl wouldn't even look at him. "She seems to be busy with her friends. We can make our appointment like we were discussing. I'll be in town for a little while longer."
Kotoko's mother didn't seem all that happy about it.
"Very well, I suppose it can't be helped. Especially since she's still in school." She made to leave with the man in tow. "We will continue this discussion later, Kotoko. It was nice meeting the both of you."
The two adults walked away, with Kotoko's mother hanging off the man's arm like a lovesick puppy.
Naruto just watched them go with a frown while Monaca still looked on with open curiosity. Kotoko was still shaking, and it sort of broke Naruto's heart.
"Kotoko, what-?"
"Can we go? Please?"
Her demand came out as a whisper, and Naruto had no choice but to relent.
They ended up not buying anything.
It was already past noon when Naruto, Kotoko, and Monaca started to head back to Hope's Peak Academy. The trip back was a lot more quiet than the one before.
Naruto felt like he had just witnessed something he shouldn't have, but Kotoko hadn't said a word to him. Normally, he would be forceful with situations like this, but after seeing the young girl almost break down he didn't want to push. Besides, Monaca was also acting sort of strange. He didn't want to end up hurting them rather than comfort them.
In all honesty, he felt like he was out of his element here. Maybe it was because they were just kids. They were more delicate than anyone else. They hadn't grown up in the ninja world, so they needed to be handled with more care. But something told him that that probably didn't matter. That they might be tougher than they looked.
There was no way for him to know for sure.
"You're not going to ask me anything?"
Kotoko's question proved the blond wrong.
Snapping to attention, Naruto stopped as he looked down at the girl. She had been holding his hand ever since they had left the store. He was more than capable of pushing Monaca's wheelchair with his other hand.
"I was waiting for you to say something first," Naruto answered honestly.
Monaca didn't say anything, just staring straight ahead.
Kotoko's hold on his hand became more firm, more desperate.
"I'm scared that you'll hate me if I say anything."
What?
"What on earth gave you that idea?"
She didn't answer.
Sighing softly, Naruto knelt before her, much like how he had done so with Monaca earlier.
"Kotoko, whatever made you react like that, it's not going to make me hate you. I promise you that. And I don't go back on my promises."
Monaca's hands twitched a little at those words, but she still didn't say anything. Naruto had all his attention on Kotoko to notice.
When Kotoko didn't give him a reply, he added, "Do you hate your mother?"
"NO!" There was no way Kotoko was not going to answer that question. "I don't hate her! I can't! She's my mother. She loves me, and I love her back."
Naruto slowly nodded. Okay, there went one possibility.
"Then what made you react like that?"
Kotoko stared straight into his eyes. There was a mental battle going on inside her head, Naruto could tell that much. But in the end, all she could do was remain silent.
How troublesome.
Naruto would have to be okay with that. For now.
So placing a hand on her head, he smiled.
"When you feel like talking, don't hesitate to come knocking on my door, alright? I promise to be there for you."
Tears started to form around Kotoko's eyes, but they did not fall. Not yet.
"Do you really promise?"
"Of course! When I make a promise, I keep it."
That's all Kotoko needed to hear for her to hug him as the first tears started to fall. In that moment, all Naruto could do was console her as he hugged her back.
It made Monaca positively jealous. How could Kotoko could be open like that? How could she be comforted but not Monaca?
She wanted to be reassured as well, to be told that she wasn't alone.
And once again Monaca hated herself for it.
The Steering Committee.
Yasuke hated them. Just the sight of the four geezers was enough to put him in a bad mood. Unfortunately for him, he had no choice but to appear before them today.
It was already in the afternoon, but the day wasn't over yet. And he had a feeling that it wasn't going to end without something problematic happening. There was no other reason for him to be here otherwise.
"Matsuda Yasuke. We are pleased to have you here today."
Oh boy, they were pleased? It wasn't everyday they said something like that. Yasuke should probably feel honored, but he wasn't going to. Instead, he yawned as he leaned back in his chair.
The four men seated on the other side of the table didn't seem to care about his lack of etiquette. He had talent. That was more than enough.
"I take it you have something for me to do?" Yasuke wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush. Not like he ever was, but that was beside the point.
"In a sense. This isn't like your normal work, but I have a feeling you'll find it very interesting."
One of the men, the fat one, answered him.
Yasuke didn't look interested. "What could you possibly need from a student like me? Don't you own the whole school?"
There was no answer this time. Instead, one of the others, the shortest out of the four with long gray hair, dropped a folder in front of him. With how dim the room was, it was going to be hard to read anything. That didn't stop Yasuke from reaching for the file and quickly opening it.
His brow instantly furrowed the moment his eyes landed on the first page.
Uzumaki Naruto?
That couldn't be right.
"Why would any of you be interested in someone like that?"
"Read."
They weren't going to explain anything, huh.
T'ch, so troublesome.
Nevertheless, Yasuke did as instructed. The first page had the basic information. The boy's title, his appearance and weight, and so on. But it was after the first page that things started to become more interesting for Yasuke.
"You can't be serious."
That's all he could say as he finished reading through Naruto's file.
"This is not a joke. Everything on there is the absolute truth."
"But still only a fraction of what he can offer. We were only able to study a little bit of his blood. It is not nearly enough."
Only a small sample of his blood?
Yasuke couldn't believe it. Was this blond fool a superhuman? All the potential that could be harvested from his genetic sample…all the diseases that could be cured if his DNA was synthesized correctly. It could advance the medical field for decades to come.
'Could that extend to…..illnesses in the brain?'
No, Yasuke could not make that assertion. For that, he would need more samples to study. Samples that he did not yet have.
All that said, why did these old farts want the blond's DNA for? Surely it wasn't for the same reasons as Yasuke. No, they weren't that kind.
Closing the file, Yasuke threw it back on the table without a care.
"What do you need me for?" he asked them again. They had yet to explain that to him.
"The boy is very…independent. We have our lead researcher working on trying to convince him to voluntarily cooperate with us, but we fear he will not accept soon enough."
Soon enough? For what?
"He has a rather interesting outlook on life. Even now he's trying to organize some school festival. The very idea is the notion of stupidity. Wasting away on something so frivolous."
And yet, they didn't try to put a stop to it. Probably to make sure they didn't antagonize Naruto too much. After all, the last thing they needed was the blond deciding to quit the school. Was that it?
Yasuke was starting to get the picture.
"Let me guess, you want me to try and convince him instead?"
"You're the Ultimate Neurologist. You've built countless profiles for us before."
"We need to know what makes him tick. To make him understand that he could be a part of something greater."
Yasuke mentally snorted at that. They just wanted to use the idiot. For what, though, he did not know yet.
No matter. As they said, he was now interested in this too, especially if it got him what he had wanted for a long time now.
"I don't mind lending you a hand. Of course, in order to do this, I'm going to need my own lab. You understand why, of course."
Okay, so maybe earlier today Yasuke had told two big lies to the esteemed high school president. Maybe he didn't own his own lab yet. Maybe he just monopolized one of the many labs in the science building, even taking the key with him. And maybe there was something that he did want.
Sue him. He wanted no part in the school festival. He had no qualms about lying in order to achieve that.
"Very well, we accept those terms."
They didn't even bat an eye, huh. Probably because of all the money the Reserve Course was bringing in. These old farts had certainly found themselves very profitable sheep, no denying that.
"We want this done as soon as possible. There isn't much time to lose."
"We have our own schedule to keep."
"We will contact you when we have your lab ready."
"You're dismissed."
Without another word, Yasuke got up and left the dimly lit room. As he closed the door, he was sure the old farts would continue conversing about all this. It was a very fascinating prospect, so he couldn't fault them for it.
Yasuke was already thinking of the future, of what all of this could mean for his research. He might even be able to achieve his ultimate dream. Wouldn't that be fantastic?
But as he thought of the future, he also realized something else. Something more annoying.
"Independent" didn't even begin to describe Uzumaki Naruto. He had read the notes the lead researcher had included in Naruto's file, of the talks they had had over the past two months. Combined with his interactions with the blond idiot, and Yasuke already had a pretty idea of the kind of person Naruto was.
Yasuke thought of the school festival, the Steering Committee and their agenda, and Naruto himself.
The writing was clear on the wall for him to see. There was a war coming, and Hope's Peak Academy was going to be its epicenter.
And somehow, a certain blond buffoon was in the middle of it all.
When they needed him most, he returned.
That's all.
Till next time.