Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.


Chapter 15:
Ultimate Hope

When Naruto woke up the next morning, he still felt a little tired. Maybe it was because a lot of stuff had happened the previous day. No, it wasn't just yesterday. The last several days had been really packed for him. From the festival preparations, to bonding more closely with his new friends. It felt like his life was a lot more busy now than ever before.

Or maybe it was just his imagination.

Despite his mental fatigue, Naruto still got up early for his morning exercise like usual. Kurama joined him of course. Unlike him, the little fox seemed to be well rested.

Tengan wasn't at the house today, but that didn't surprise the blond. The man hadn't been kidding when he said that he was always dealing with other stuff. Naruto had to wonder what being an advisor to Hope's Peak Academy entailed. The school was really prominent all throughout the country, so it wasn't hard to imagine that it was involved in many affairs.

Naruto knew there was more about the school that he didn't know, though. Heck, the Reserve Department was a big example of this. He was still wondering why Tengan hadn't mentioned it to him before. Or even the headmaster. It was a big part of the school. He was sure that there were more students in that department than there were Ultimates. So why?

'Maybe it's not important?'

No, he didn't buy that. Moreover, he was still confused about the decision to have such a department in the first place. It wasn't that he had anything against the so-called "normal" students. He just found it weird that a school all about talent would ever consider admitting students without one. Didn't that go against their original purpose?

Or maybe he was just overthinking the whole thing. He knew the others didn't really care about the Reserve Course. Mikan had pretty much admitted to this already. But still, Naruto was curious to know more.

A closer look around later probably wouldn't hurt, as opposed to just the quick glance he took earlier with Mikan. Mahiru said she had a friend there, didn't she? Maybe that was his ticket in.

Wait, why did he even need an excuse like that? There was no rule prohibiting him from going to the Reserve Course. It was only the Reserve Course students that couldn't go into the Main Building.

'Gotta ask about that too.'

Still, there was no reason to rush. Naruto was sure that he had plenty of time to sate his curiosity. Maybe Mahiru would invite her friend to their festival? That would be really convenient.

But anyway, he could worry about that later. Right now, he needed to get to school. He was sure Ibuki wouldn't like it if he skipped practice today. He was already leaving school early since he had that dinner to go to tonight.

'I wonder why they invited me…..'

Fuyuhiko's parents were still confusing to him in some ways. But he had only talked to them once, so that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Ah, he could figure that out later.

After getting back from his morning run and other exercises, Naruto took a quick shower and dressed himself in his uniform. He brought some kunai with him as usual, just to be safe. There was no telling what kind of situation might pop up. Trouble was always following him for some reason.

The blond was in the kitchen when his phone went off of all a sudden. After seeing that it was a call from Fuyuhiko, Naruto answered it.

"Morning, Fuyuhiko. What's with the call?"

"Don't give me that. Have you checked your texts from last night at all?"

"Uh."

No.

Fuyuhiko groaned from the other end. "Mother.…..you're really annoying sometimes, you know that?"

Maybe so, but he didn't have to point it out!

"Did I miss something?"

Naruto had practically collapsed on his bed after coming home. The only thing he had managed to do before then was giving Kurama his dinner. That quick bout with Akane had zapped him from any remaining energy he might have had last night. Making sure she got back to her dorm room was just icing on the exhausted cake...okay, he could have used a better example there.

The hug had been really nice, though. Despite her active and hectic routine, Akane had a really soft body.

...okay, moving on.

"Yes, you did, shithead. We're supposed to be meeting right now."

Wait, what? It was still only eight o'clock!

"Let me guess," Fuyuhiko said, "you didn't check Koizumi's flyers, did you?"

"Uh."

Well, there was his answer.

"Don't bother. We're supposed to wear kimonos for tomorrow."

They were?

"We were?"

"Yes. It was Sonia's idea. Since it's a Japanese festival, she said that it was only appropriate that we wear kimonos to go along with it. Fucking stupid if you ask me. She probably just wants to try them out."

That would make sense. Sonia was basically up for trying anything Japanese related. Well, more like she was up for anything new. And for her, "new" was pretty much anything that was common to the rest of them. Such was the life of a sheltered princess.

"The girls already left. We were waiting for you, but since you were taking your sweet time, I decided to check up on you. Good thing I did too. Who knows when your punk ass would have shown up otherwise."

"I was almost ready," Naruto defended himself, his eyebrow twitching. "And anyway, you guys need to be more clear about these things!"

How was he supposed to know!?

"We were." The exasperation was clear in Fuyuhiko's voice. "Do you ever check your phone?"

"…...sometimes."

He still wasn't used to having one, okay! Combine that with his exhaustion, and it was only natural that he wouldn't have checked it all night.

"T'ch, whatever. Just get your ass over here. Our ride can't wait forever."

Yeah, yeah.

The call ended after that, leaving Naruto to look at Kurama who was on lying on the counter and staring back at him.

"Well, looks like we got another busy day ahead of us, Kurama."

And yet, Naruto didn't mind that at all.


Naruto made sure to keep Kurama well-hidden in his school bag as he and the other guys all arrived at a luxurious looking store somewhere in the city. It was the kind of place Naruto knew he would never step foot in otherwise.

"Damn." Kazuichi looked shocked by the store's aura. He knew only rich people would ever come to this kind of place. "I've never been to a store like this before."

Fuyuhiko crossed his arms. "H'mph, what did you expect? The yakuza only deal with the best."

He sounded very proud of this fact.

"So does your family own this place or what?" Naruto asked.

"My old man dabbles in businesses, yes."

That…..didn't really answer the question, though.

Kazuichi gulped. "Going to a yakuza owned store…...never thought I would be saying that."

How times changed.

Nagito chuckled. "I think it's exciting! We are seeing the fruits of Kuzuryu-kun's talent with our own eyes."

"You're not helping," Kazuichi grumbled. But this was nothing new. He and Nagito were always at odds…..well, Kazuichi was always at odds with Nagito. Nagito? He didn't notice.

Or he didn't care. With the luckster, it was always hard to tell.

Naruto glanced to Nagito. Their last conversation had been left on a rather sour note yesterday. There were some things he wanted to clear up with Nagito, but it didn't seem like now was the right time. Nagito also didn't look interested to pick things up, since he hadn't mentioned anything when they met up.

'Hm.'

Waiting it is then.

"I don't have anything against kimonos, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get anything to fit me," Nekomaru said, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts.

Oh, right. They were here for kimonos.

"Don't underestimate me. We'll accommodate anyone of any size," Fuyuhiko proclaimed.

A bold claim. Nekomaru was huge. Like, really huge. Naruto was sure that all the clothes he owned had to be specifically tailored towards him.

"Never mind that." Teruteru rubbed his chin in thought. "The girls are also here, right? And they're picking out their own kimonos?"

Naruto didn't like where the cook was going with this.

Gundham crossed his arms. "H'mph, what's your point?"

Blood started to drip from the cook's nose. "I think it's obvious what we need to do. To see them in such a wholesome attire…..a kimono is one of the most heavenly outfits in all of Japan! And to have such clothing around their pure bodies…..ooooohhhh, I'm getting excited just thinking about the whole thing!"

Yep, that totally went in the direction Naruto was expecting it to. It would have been nice if he was wrong, though.

"Um, did you already forget that Saionji-san wears a kimono all the time?" Ryota pointed out.

Naruto wanted to facepalm. "Ryota, I think you're focusing on the wrong thing here."

Teruteru wanted to peep. And that was a big no-no. It was one thing in a public place like the lake where it wasn't really "peeping," but this? No way in hell.

"B-But he does have a point," Kazuichi spoke up in a reserved tone, the complete opposite of his usual demeanor. It was clear why this was. He was totally siding with Teruteru on this.

Naruto wasn't having any of it. "Don't start with that crap! Or did you forget how your brilliant plan ended last time!?"

Kazuichi paled at the reminder. He had figured Peko would be the most terrifying of the girls, and while she was scary Mahiru took the cake. If she caught on to this, then there was no telling what she would do to them.

The fact that she was one of the weakest in their group didn't matter. You didn't cross Mahiru. That's what Kazuichi learned during their camping trip.

Nagito hummed, looking thoughtful. "I do believe Uzumaki-kun has a point. I don't think stirring up trouble here with the girls would be a good idea."

"Why would you even go along with it?" Ryota asked, confused. To him, Nagito was one of the smarter ones in this bunch. Not that it was saying much when Teruteru and Kazuichi were around.

"I do believe it's great to cut loose sometimes," Nagito responded, smiling as he almost always did. "But I don't think we should be crossing any lines either."

How responsible.

"Lines are meant to be crossed!" Teruteru exploded, looking ready to rush inside the store and fulfill all his fantasies, no matter how twisted they may be. "If we don't take this opportunity, who knows when another will present itself!?"

Naruto sighed. If they didn't do anything, Teruteru was going to get them all in trouble.

There was only one option here.

"Nekomaru. Hold him."

"GOT IT!" The team manager didn't hesitate to grab a hold of the overly excited cook and keep him in place. Teruteru wasn't going anywhere. Not with Nekomaru as his jailer.

Unfortunately, that only had the opposite effect as Teruteru squealed in glee.

"Oooooohhhh…..to be held so firmly by such a muscular man…..it's great! Totally great! I don't think I can hold back any longer! I-I'm going to explooooodeeeee!"

"W-What's with this feeling of intense bloodlust!?" Nekomaru cried out, unsure of what was happening right now.

Goddammit Teruteru.

Fuyuhiko scowled. "T'ch, keep it down, shitheads. We're drawing too much attention."

Sure enough, a bunch of bystanders were glancing their way, looking confused by their group. It wasn't everyday they saw people with their outlandish looks.

Ryota looked down. "This is already going badly, isn't it?"

"The winds of fate can be very unforgiving," Gundham said in return, glancing to the side.

So was that a yes or a no?

Probably a yes. Nothing was ever simple with this group. And it'll probably never be.

"Oooooohhhhhh...tighter, tighter!"

Dammit Teruteru.


"Oh my. All of these kimonos are…..."

Mahiru was positively mesmerized by the collection of kimonos that were before her. She didn't exactly have a "rich" background. Her family was very much down the middle really. Which is to say, normally, she would never be able to see kimonos as fine as the ones in front of her. Even less so to be able to take one with her.

Hiyoko was even more excited. Kimonos were her bread and butter, after all. It was just the perfect outfit to wear anywhere and anytime! Even in the jungle!

"It looks like even that lame ass yakuza can do something right once in a while!"

Mikan poked her fingers together. "S-Speaking like that about a classmate is too harsh, especially when they aren't around."

Hiyoko ignored her. She was too busy admiring all the kimonos to be able to respond properly right now.

"Ohohoho, Ibuki is impressed!" Ibuki was already rummaging through a set, feeling the soft texture on her fingers. "This is the first time Ibuki will be performing while wearing a kimono. It'll be quite an experience."

Hopefully it wasn't hard to move in one. But most of all, she was going to have to do some serious customization. Otherwise, Ibuki wouldn't feel comfortable. And being comfortable was key to playing good.

"Hmm." Chiaki was staring blankly ahead. "Are kimonos really that great?"

"I don't get it either," Akane said, picking her ear with disinterest. "Why do we even have to wear these things anyway?"

"Because a Japanese festival calls for kimonos!" Sonia half-said, half-shouted. Her face was bright as she continued, "From what I've read, it's custom for kimonos to be worn during such activities. Since this is my first festival, I feel I should do it right and follow the customs."

"Well, it's more optional nowadays," Mahiru said with a weak smile. Sonia's enthusiasm when it came to Japanese culture could be very overbearing sometimes.

"I-I've never worn a kimono before," Mikan admitted rather timidly. "Are they hard to put on?"

"Ha." Hiyoko shot Mikan a smug look. "The kimono is a sign of high status. It's no wonder pig trash like you has never worn one."

Mikan's eyes widened. "P-Pig trash…..!?"

Friendly reminder that Hiyoko wasn't above picking on anyone if the opportunity rose. Mikan had sort of forgotten about that aspect of Hiyoko's personality. Probably because the dancer liked to behave when Naruto was around. That said, Mikan didn't feel as hurt by it as before. Maybe because she knew Hiyoko didn't really mean it?

Hard to say.

"It is not necessarily hard," Peko said with her eyes closed. "It's rather easy after a while."

Hiyoko huffed and looked away. Easy, she said. If it was easy, then...!

'Then...'

Urgh. In all of her excitement, Hiyoko had forgotten one crucial detail. Something she didn't like to admit. But it was the undeniable truth.

She couldn't tie her kimono. Yes, even though she loved to wear them, she still couldn't tie the sash properly. Or the obi, as it was officially called. That was a job one of her servants performed for her every day. While Hiyoko's family wasn't as grand as Fuyuhiko's or Sonia's, they were still wealthy enough for that kind of thing. Having hired servants, that is.

Thankfully, that wasn't as big of a problem as it was a couple of weeks ago.

Hiyoko's cheeks began to redden.

Mahiru was about to check out a kimono that caught her eye when she felt a tug on her sleeve. She glanced down to see a blushing Hiyoko staring at her expectantly.

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"I-I need your help, Big Sis."

Hiyoko didn't need to say more. Mahiru understood right away.

The redhead smiled. "Sure. I'll be happy to help."

Hiyoko's face glowed, grateful to have Mahiru around.

As the two spoke to themselves, Sonia appeared thoughtful.

"This will be rather difficult."

"Hm?" Peko regarded her with one of her eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"Well, this will be the first time I will be going out in public without any undergarments. It will be quite the experience, I'm sure."

Peko almost fell to the floor in dismay. "W-Why would you be doing something like that?"

"Huh?" Confusion settled over the princess. "You are not suppose to wear any underwear with a kimono, correct?"

Seriously?

"Really?" Chiaki tilted her head. Like the others, she was trying to decide on what kimono to pick out. That meant no games for her right now. "I didn't know that."

It didn't sound very fun. She was no exhibitionist.

"Sonia." Peko slowly shook her head. "That's just a rumor."

The swordswoman took a small pause here. Technically, you could go without any underwear. Some women did it, for whatever reason. But that sort of thing was just too embarrassing for her. She could never do it, nor would she.

"There are special undergarments for this sort of thing," Peko added after brushing off that last thought. That was something only someone like Teruteru would enjoy.

"Oh, I see." Sonia smiled. "That does put my mind at ease. I was worried I would be too embarrassed to go through with it. Thank you, Pekoyama-san."

Peko acknowledged Sonia's gratitude, but she was left with a sense of embarrassment as well.

Mikan just felt relief. The last thing she wanted was to go around without any panties. In the past, she might have considered it, if only to attract more attention. But now? There was no way.

"That would be a lot of fun, though~" Ibuki had a whole different opinion on the matter. As usual, she was playful as she stuck her tongue out. "Hehehe, the boys would never see it coming! Naruto-chan would probably go red in the face too~"

Mikan had to blush at the thought. Would Naruto really enjoy that?

'No, h-he's not like that at all!'

She was sure of it.

Peko frowned. "I do not believe it would be appropriate, Mioda-san."

To someone as dignified as Peko, something like that was out of the question.

"Huh? What does it matter?" Akane still looked bored being in the store. "I've gone without panties before. It's no big deal. I actually got paid more when that happened."

"E-Eh?" Mikan blinked. Did she hear that right? "Owari-san, y-you worked without wearing panties?"

"Something like that. Many people would pay for them. Not sure why." Akane grinned. ""Course, after I started working as a waitress, I got to keep my panties! The tips helped too. So it was a win-win."

She was also able to steal some food to bring back home. It was a sweet gig as far as she was concerned.

Peko honestly had no idea what to say to all of that. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to be reacting either, especially since Akane was so cheerful about the whole thing.

Mikan was more understanding. Of course, her ability to grasp what Akane was saying came from a different place than the gymnast. A not so innocent place, not that there was much innocence to go around when it came to this. Mikan knew that getting people's attention required that sort of thing. She never got paid for it, though.

As for Ibuki, it was one of the few times that she looked somewhat startled. That spoke volumes about Akane's comments.

"Ahaha…..you say some of the darndest things sometimes, Akane-chan."

Akane merely grunted in response, not really caring about their reactions. She was still bummed out about being here. There was no point in wearing a kimono in her mind. But Sonia had insisted.

Peko decided to push Akane's weird past to the side and focused on the task at hand.

"This will take some time, but we must all have a kimono chosen before we leave."

Mahiru and Hiyoko had already disappeared into one of the changing rooms, so Peko didn't think she would have to worry about them. Sonia was helping Chiaki with the selection, and Ibuki and Mikan were looking through several as well. Really, the only troublesome person here was Akane.

Peko sighed. "Owari-san, if you require assistance, I do mind lending a hand. As I've stated, I am quite familiar with wearing a kimono."

Akane shrugged. "Sure, I guess. I don't really care what you pick out. I just wanna get out of here."

That simplified things.

There was a commotion by the entrance soon after, like someone was tackled to the floor, and it didn't take them long to figure out what it was.

"It looks like the others have arrived," Sonia said as she clapped in excitement.

The men's section was on the other end of the store, so the boys wouldn't be coming this way. Which was a good thing. Most of them didn't want the boys to accidentally see them undressed. That would be far too embarrassing.

But then, there were some familiar shouts that echoed throughout the store.

"LET ME GOOOOOOO! I MUST SEE THIS HEAVEN WITH MY OWN EYES, Y'ALL HEAR ME! I MUST, OR I'LL DIE!"

"Stop yelling, goddammit! Nekomaru, hold him down!"

"I-I'm trying! But he's got more power than I expected! He's pushing me back!"

"Seriously!? You're that desperate, Teruteru!?"

"IT'S A MAN'S PASSION, UZUMAKI-KUN! NO, A NUT'S PASSION!"

"THAT MAKES NO SENSE!"

"You fuckers better cut this out, or I'll cut all of you! I mean it this time!"

"Hey, don't lump me with them! It's Hanamura! He's the horny bastard!"

"You're not one to talk, Soda!"

"What did you say!?"

"Hahaha, this is quite interesting. You're all shining brightly right now."

"You butt out, Komaeda! This isn't the time for your shitty jokes!"

"This fool keeps emitting his aura in dangerous levels! It must be tamed at once! Otherwise, it could corrupt the whole world!"

"The whole world!?"

"Stupid, don't believe him!"

"Why do I have to be here? This is just too embarrassing..."

Peko, Sonia, Chiaki, Mikan, and even Akane all sweatdropped as they heard this while Ibuki chuckled.

"Oh my, it looks like they're having fun~"

That…..was one way to put it, sure.


It had taken a bit of force to put Teruteru down, but in the end Nekomaru and Naruto had been able to do it somehow. Fuyuhiko hadn't been happy about the whole thing, though. He was real close to keeping his promise about cutting them with a sword. It was only Teruteru swearing to be on his best behavior that managed to calm the yakuza down.

"Right this way, sir."

"Hm? Oh, right."

Naruto watched how Nekomaru was led to a different section of the store by one of the employees. It was just as the team manager said. Since he was so big, he was going to need a kimono tailored just for him.

"Holy shit, the prices!" Kazuichi nearly had a heart attack when he saw how much each kimono was charged for. His parents would never be able to afford something like this. Not with how little they earned from their bike store.

"Heh, what did you expect?" Fuyuhiko smirked. "This is the Kuzuryu clan. Like I said, we only deal with the best."

And yet, he was giving them away for free. Naruto always knew Fuyuhiko was a big softie on the inside.

"Hahaha, I feel honored to be given such a gift," Nagito said. It wasn't a lie. It was the first time someone was actually giving him a gift of any kind. Unlike Kazuichi, though, he would totally be able to afford one of these kimonod. No one would guess it from just looking at him, but Nagito had a substantial amount of money to his name. It was mostly thanks to his parents, but winning the lottery hadn't hurt either.

Such was the power of his Ultimate Luck. And the curse that came with it. Still, even though his luck came with terrible repercussions, Nagito had to admit that nothing bad had happened as of late. Even though he was experiencing amazing luck lately, the bad luck that usually followed was absent.

Nagito didn't understand it. But that wasn't surprising these days. His list of things that confused him had been growing and growing since coming to Hope's Peak Academy.

And one person in particular was at the center of it all.

Naruto hummed as he looked over the assorted kimonos while secretly giving Kurama a snack.

First things first.

"Is there one in orange?"

"Do you have to wear orange all the time?" Fuyuhiko asked with a twitching eyebrow.

Ryota nodded. "Yes, too much of something can be a bad thing."

"I don't want to hear that from a guy who eats junk food like it's nothing," Naruto retorted.

"T-That is different!" Ryota said, defensive. "That's for survival!"

"I call bullshit."

"Well, no one asked you!"

Man, Ryota really was a different person when junk food was involved. It was sort of funny.

"Such nonsense." And of course, Teruteru wasn't happy about it. "To be so obsessed with that type of garbage. It won't do you any good, I tell you. Instead, you should be salivating over my delicious cuisine, Mitarai-kun! No worries, I don't mind if you beg. Or wrap me tightly around your arms as you ask for more. I can take it."

Nagito looked amused. "I think you're being too overt with your desires, Hanamura-kun."

Kazuichi snorted. "When is he not?"

Good point.

"C-Can we just focus on getting our kimonos?" Ryota said, looking totally done with everyone's shenanigans. It was still early in the day, but he was already feeling tired.

"H'mph, it is of no concern." Gundham's red eye glowed. "Such distasteful clothing isn't worthy to be worn by a powerful being such as I, but I will allow it for this occasion. If only to appease the Dark Queen."

It was Naruto's turn to sigh. "Look, if you're happy to wear it, just say so. Don't make excuses and drag Sonia into this."

"Say what!?" There's no way Kazuichi was going to ignore this, not when Sonia was involved. "You're trying to score points with Miss Sonia, aren't you!? I won't let you! I have a plan of my own!"

"I doubt Tanaka is in the same league as you," Fuyuhiko said in a dry tone. Sure, he found Gundham to be crazy. But he preferred that over Kazuichi's fanatical obsession with Sonia.

"He's just got you fooled!" Kazuichi replied. "But I already know. You can't trick me!"

Gundham didn't bother to look at the mechanic. "H'mph, don't put us on the same level. Defeating you would be an easy task."

Oh crap. They were going to fight again.

"Ohohohoho, how magnificent." Only someone like Teruteru could say something like that right now. "I never get tired of their passion."

"T'ch, Sonia needs to deal with these two idiots," Fuyuhiko grumbled. "I can't put up with their arguments anymore."

Every time they were in the same room, it was just the same shit.

"It is getting repetitive," Naruto agreed. He just hoped that Kazuichi would take his advice. But ultimately, it wasn't his problem to deal with.

"Ah, there's nothing to fear." Teruteru smiled. "I'll make sure to take good care of whoever gets rejected."

"Yeah, I think you're misunderstanding something here."

Again.

"I make no such mistakes, Uzumaki-kun."

Sure. And the sky was green.

"But a confession would solve all this nonsense," Fuyuhiko spoke up, agreeing with Teruteru for once. "If anything, it'll shut them up for a while."

Naruto scratched his cheek. "You're already assuming she'll shoot them down?"

"I don't know what to think with that broad."

True, Sonia was…..weird, for a lack of a better word. What her romantic tastes were was something Naruto couldn't even begin to fathom.

"Are we seriously discussing this?" Ryota asked them, not understanding the change in topic.

Fuyuhiko turned back to his kimono hunt. "It's just something to think about. I doubt either of them has the balls to confess."

Naruto gave him a lopsided grin. "Says the guy with the secret crush on Peko."

Fuyuhiko nearly choked on his own spit.

"Oh." Nagito blinked. It made him look like a kid who had just seen two people kiss for the first time. "You have feelings for Pekoyama-san? I never would have guessed….."

"W-What!? No, I-I don't!"

Naruto chuckled. "When you start stuttering, no one can believe you."

Fuyuhiko looked ready to strangle the blond. "Y-You shut up! Or I'll fucking kill you!"

That threat no longer worked, Fuyuhiko. Not with them anyway.

"Oh my. Seeing you so flustered like this….." More blood started to drip from Teruteru's nose. "Kuzuryu-kun, you're totally my type, after all!"

"Wait, what? What did you just say, you bastard?"

Oh boy, they accidentally awakened the beast again. And his target was closer this time.

Needless to say, it wasn't long before they were trying to keep Teruteru from quite literally jumping on Fuyuhiko.

As Ryota would put it, they were all idiots. Good thing Nekomaru was spared this time.


"How does this look?"

"S-Sonia-san, that is beautiful!"

"Mhmm, totally stylish."

"Oh dear, has Ibuki been awakened to the world of girl love? Oh wait, I was already there! Hahahaha!"

That last comment was somewhat unnecessary, but regardless Sonia blushed at the praises. She was the first one to officially try out one of the kimonos in the store. The one she had chosen was a bright pink one with white petals as decorations.

"Thank you for the kind words."

Since it was her first time wearing one, Sonia had found it a bit difficult to put it on. There was more to wearing a kimono than she had originally imagined. Thankfully, Peko was there to help her out.

"It really goes well with your body," Chiaki said. "You look like a doll."

Was that really a compliment?

"Hmm, indeed." Peko smiled softly. "It's almost like you were born to wear one."

Sonia's cheeks reddened further. It was really embarrassing to be complimented like this, but it also felt nice.

"Hehehe, the boys won't be able to stop themselves from staring~" Ibuki said playfully while winking.

Would they really? Sonia wasn't sure. To her, the others were more beautiful than she could ever hope to be.

"But is that the one you're going with?" Peko asked, wondering if the princess was going to try any others. "There are a lot more if you're not happy with this one."

Sonia stepped in front of one of the mirrors and gave herself a look-over. It was a really beautiful kimono, and the others had praised her so much.

"No, I think I'll keep this one."

Her very first kimono, for her very first festival with her precious friends. She was going to make sure to treasure it.

Peko looked at the others. "Who wants to go next?"

She didn't know how, but she had ended up taking the role as leader for this. Maybe because none of the others had experience with this kind of thing? Peko didn't really know. Not that it mattered anyway.

"Let's just get this over with," Akane muttered with a sour look as she went into one of the changing rooms with the kimono Peko had helped her pick out.

"Might as well." Chiaki followed. While she wasn't as against this as Akane was, she wasn't overly excited like Sonia either. She was more like down the middle. It was just another experience for her.

Hmm...okay, maybe she was a little excited.

"Don't leave Ibuki behind! She needs to blow everyone away too!"

Peko watched the three girls disappear into their respective changing rooms before looking at Mikan.

"What about you, Tsumiki-san? Are you not-?"

The nurse was squirming, her cheeks red. "I-I'm not sure I'll look good in this or not."

Especially not after seeing how amazing Sonia looked. It made Mikan more self-conscious than she already was.

Peko crossed her arms. "I never would have pegged you as one to doubt your physical appearance."

But maybe she should have. Mikan did seem to have a low self-esteem, especially with how she let Hiyoko badmouth her. Or maybe that had more to do with her being too nice to speak up? Peko couldn't say for certain.

"You shouldn't have to worry about such things, Tsumiki-san!" Despite being in a kimono, Sonia moved fast toward Mikan and held her hands. "You are very beautiful! I'm sure a kimono would look even better on you than it does on me!"

And Sonia wasn't lying when she said this. It made Mikan go a little teary-eyed.

"D-Do you really think so?"

"I know so!"

Sonia didn't know it, but Mikan was very appreciative of this moment. It was the first time someone was complementing her on her looks. Not some snarky remark about her being a pig or being too fat.

Mikan did what most people would in this situation. She broke down in tears.

"S-Sonia-san…..!"

Sonia instantly looked apologetic. "U-Um, did I say something wrong?"

Peko smiled and shook her head. "Quite the opposite in fact. I think you've made her happy."

The swordswoman could tell that Mikan's tears were from joy, not sadness. But the nurse was too emotional to be able to tell Sonia that right now.

"I-I see."

Sonia didn't really get it, but she was glad that she hadn't unintentionally hurt Mikan's feelings. It's the last thing she wanted to do.

"I can totally help if you have any problems!" Changing gears, Sonia flexed her arm with a determined smile. "Pekoyama-san made sure to teach me the basics, and I can do the same for you!"

Mikan's face brightened further, even with some tears still rolling down her cheeks. "Y-Yes! I would like that very much!"

Peko watched Sonia and Mikan step into one of the other changing rooms, leaving her behind.

'Hmm, I suppose I should get mine ready as well.'

She had plenty of her own kimonos back at the Kuzuryu compound, but she knew her young master wanted everyone to be a part of this activity.

Besides, despite her reservations, a specific kimono had caught her eye already. A black kimono to be exact. And she liked the color black more than anything.

Yes, Peko could act like a normal girl once in a while too.

So cute.


"Hey, I think this one is pretty good."

When Naruto stepped out of his changing room, he was expecting the others to be waiting for him outside. But instead, he was met with silence with only Kurama sticking his head out from Naruto's schoolbag, his tail wagging happily behind him.

The blond had been able to find an orange kimono just as he wanted. It was bright, and the sun patterns only made it brighter. But it was totally perfect. The material was very soft too. Naruto had no idea what fabric it was made out of, but it was definitely comfortable.

Naruto grinned down at Kurama. "Well, at least someone here likes it."

Better than nothing, right?

"Hm? Uzumaki-kun?"

It turns out Naruto wasn't so alone after all as Nagito emerged from a different changing room. He too was sporting a kimono of his own, only his was purple in color. Or a shade of purple. Naruto wasn't sure. It didn't have any patterns like Naruto's either. It was just a plain one. Oddly enough, he found that this suited Nagito perfectly.

"Ah, I didn't think you would be the only one out here," Nagito said while looking around. "It looks like the others have abandoned us."

None of the others had picked out a kimono for themselves, so they were probably still looking. Heck, Gundham had a very specific one in mind apparently, to the point that he was getting a custom one made just like Nekomaru.

But really, when did Gundham ever half-ass things? Naruto wouldn't be surprised if Ibuki did something similar. The two of them were eccentric like that.

"I'm guessing that's the one you're going with?" Naruto asked, looking over Nagito's kimono one more time. The boy's sickly looking skin matched well with the color, somehow. Or maybe Naruto was wrong about that.

He knew next to nothing about fashion, after all. Only that orange went well with everything.

"I think it's rather beautiful. Especially since it's a gift from Kuzuryu-kun." Nagito started to smile, only this time it was more bitter than normal. "If I'm being honest, I have mixed feelings about this. I don't think someone as amazing as Kuzuryu-kun should be giving anything to someone as lowly as me. But not accepting would also be a terrible insult. I don't know what I should do about this."

"There you go, talking about that crap again." Naruto sighed as he scratched his head. "Sometimes, it feel like I'm getting to know you better, but then you say stuff like that. It makes me question your whole character."

Their previous conversation came to mind right away. Naruto never would have thought that Nagito cared so much about talent. And this stuff about him being "lower" than the rest of the class…...was he serious about that too?

"Hmm, I think that's only natural." Nagito didn't seem bothered by Naruto's words at all. "I don't think someone as amazing as you could ever comprehend the thoughts of scum like me."

"Ugh, not you too. I already had to deal with Kazuichi saying that. Why are you always making such a big deal about the little things?"

"No, I believe I'm totally right in my assessment of you." Nagito's face became dead serious, so much so that it made Naruto pause. "I have my own questions about you as well, but that's also natural. Just as you can't understand me, I can't understand you. People like me only exist to benefit the winners of this world, the Ultimates. But you, Uzumaki-kun. I think you're something more special than that."

But even with this revelation, Nagito was still confused. Naruto didn't believe in talent, which made no sense to him. After all, that was the only path to true hope. Only the chosen, the Ultimates, could hope to achieve it. That's why Hope's Peak was so special, because it was where all these symbols of hope were gathered. Their talents, shining brightly like the sun. This was the foundation to hope.

It's why Nagito had been subconsciously keeping his distance from Naruto since their last talk, because he still couldn't understand the meaning of Naruto's words to Teruteru.

Or maybe he was aware of it and was doing it on purpose? Nagito didn't know anymore. He wasn't sure of his actions, which was a first for him.

His troubles didn't end there either. Because…..despite his beliefs, Nagito wanted to be close to Naruto. To be friends with the blond. But that could never be. It just couldn't. Someone as amazing as Naruto should never be associated with the likes of Nagito. That's what he believed. But Naruto had no such reservations. The blond had no problems approaching him, which is where Nagito's dilemma started.

"Eh, I really don't know where you're going with this." Naruto's position on this whole matter was less complicated. He was beginning to understand that there was more to Nagito's speeches than he first assumed. Dismissing them like he had was a mistake on his part. "All I know is that if you want to be friends with the others, then you should. That includes me."

"That friendly nature of yours is very problematic for me," Nagito replied with another bitter look. "It makes me happy that you're ready to accept a worthless person like myself, but I doubt you can understand that."

"Every person matters," Naruto stated, his voice becoming firm. "I'm not sure why you're putting so much emphasis on talent, but I can tell you that it isn't everything. After spending the past two weeks with us, I'm sure you can understand it even if only a little. How everyone is more than their talents."

Nagito chuckled. It was upbeat, but it didn't match his next words at all.

"It's the total opposite for me. I believe I already told you this, but I've been living my life without a goal. With no purpose. That's because I don't need one. My luck can take care of everything! But that's why I'm also empty and rotten. My luck is all I have. It's the only reason why I was even able to meet you. How else can you explain me being here? That's why your words can't apply to me, Uzumaki-kun."

One thing was clear. Nagito believed in his luck wholeheartedly. There was no denying that. It's the one thing that's stuck by him all this time it seemed. That's probably the reason why he had so much faith in it.

There was a moment of silence. Honestly, Nagito had been expecting many reactions from Naruto, but he hadn't counted on the blond suddenly raising his fist towards him.

Nagito looked confused. "What is this?"

Naruto grinned. "Let's fist bump."

"Fist bump?'

"Yeah."

"But why?"

"Does there need to be a reason for it?"

Nagito tilted his head. "I…...don't know?" He didn't know what to say right now to be honest. He was utterly perplexed. He was usually the one who left others speechless, so this was a new experience for him.

"Well, if you need a reason, it's a sign of our friendship."

Now that caught Nagito's attention. "Did you not listen to what I said, Uzumaki-kun? Someone like me-"

"I don't care for crap like that," Naruto cut him off. "I can't say I fully understand you yet. I already made the wrong assumption about you before, but I promise not to do that this time. I can also promise to break that worldview of yours."

He had already promised that to Ryota. One more person wasn't a problem.

"I don't think that's necessary," Nagito said, dismissive. "Troubling yourself over me is just…."

It wouldn't be right.

"I already told you that I don't care about crap like that." Naruto's eyes narrowed. "I don't care about your title, or your luck. Unfortunately for you, you got stuck with our class. We won't let you separate yourself anymore."

It was different, but in some ways, Nagito reminded Naruto of Sasuke. It was probably their attitude to isolate themselves from others. Of course, their reasons couldn't be more different. Still, Naruto wasn't about to let someone else do that to themselves, not if he could help it. And regardless of what Nagito said, a bond had already started to form between them. Naruto wasn't going to let the luckster discard that.

Nagito was troubled more than ever now. He still didn't think this was acceptable, but another side of him was rejecting that idea. It came from a selfish desire to want to be a part of Naruto's life. It was a desire that Nagito had been suppressing this whole time. After all, someone like him wasn't owed anything as grand as that. He was only meant to be a stepping stone to hope. Disposable trash. Nothing more.

And yet….

Naruto grinned when Nagito raised his fist and bumped it with his.

"That's the spirit."

"I don't think you left me much choice in the matter," Nagito said in return, smiling back. Even so, he wasn't going to deny the happiness that was swelling in his heart at this moment. Nagito daresay it was probably the happiest moment in his life, even better than when he was accepted into Hope's Peak Academy. Because now, he was absolutely sure of it. He was sure that Naruto was the one who he had been searching for all this time.

The Ultimate Hope.

Naruto and Nagito might not fully understand one another at this moment, but they were still willing to learn and grow. They had the next three years for that.

And more importantly, Nagito didn't need to be alone.


Does Nagito have feelings for Naruto? Someone asked me that, and the answer is…..well, it's complicated. Everything relating to Nagito is always complicated. I say this because I personally believe that classifying Nagito as gay or straight is too simple. I know there's a joke in the fandom that Nagito is hopesexual, but honestly I think that's the best way to describe him. He doesn't care if the person is male or female, but only sees the hope in them. Or what he classifies as hope anyway. That's why he felt so attached to Hajime in Danganronpa 2. He saw Hajime as a kindred spirit since they were both "stepping stones," but also the potential of Hajime to rise above that. Not that he would ever admit to that probably, not after finding out that Hajime was just a Reserve Course student. There's way more I can say about this, but I'll leave it at that.

So is Nagito attracted to Naruto or the hope he sees in him? Or both? I'll leave that to your imagination.

Also, my dream of women going commando while wearing a kimono has been shattered. You really let me down this time, Japan! And you too, kimono! You had so much potential!

Oh well. I still have other fantasies left.

Anyway, that's all for me this time. Thank you for all of your kind words. My girl Peko is next before we finally head into the festival and enjoy ourselves further.

Till next time.