Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
Chapter 30:
A Day Without Him
Somehow, it was all she ever wanted, including her dream house. With two stories and a backyard perfect for her kids!
Wait, kids? She had kids?
She had kids. She had two, a boy and a girl. It was perfect. The boy was older, at six years old. Her little girl was only four. It was just as her husband wanted it too. It was something he had shared with her when they were still only dating. He wanted a son to whom he could teach all his "badass" techniques, and a daughter to scare all her boyfriends away one day.
It was just the kind of wish she would expect from him.
She still had her ground rules of course. She wasn't going to let her son learn anything too violent so quickly, even if her husband thought otherwise. Things were different now. The last thing she wanted or needed was a six year old running around with those sharp knives and explosives.
Made her shudder just thinking about it.
'Maybe I shouldn't leave them alone this weekend….'
She was going on a business trip all the way to Europe for her upcoming portfolio. Normally her mother would take care of the kids, and she and her husband could have themselves a nice getaway. Mixing business with pleasure and all that. They had done it before, and while in the past she had preferred to travel alone everything was always better when he was around.
Sadly, her mother was too busy to babysit this time. Her husband hadn't minded. He hadn't gotten to spend too much time with the kids because of work, so he saw this as a perfect opportunity to spend more time with them. It should have been a simple solution, right?
'With him, nothing is ever simple.'
She loved him, but dear god it was like trouble was always following after him.
'Maybe I'm worrying too much. Yeah, that's it.'
She tried to reassure herself as she finished the last of the dishes. Her job offered her more time around the house, so she was the one who did the chores most of the time. Not that she minded. It was better than ending up with the messes her husband usually made when he was in the kitchen.
'How can he still be so clumsy?'
It was just another mystery she supposed.
As she made to dry her hands, she heard the front door opening.
So he had finally arrived.
"I'm home!"
She almost rolled her eyes. "You don't have to shout every time you come home, you know."
She was sure he heard her. Her complaint was only an automatic greeting by this point. She knew just how much he cherished those "I'm home!" moments. It was a constant reminder that he had someone to come home to, as opposed to how things were in the past for him.
No, no. No thinking about that. He wouldn't be happy with her if he knew she was thinking such things.
"Hm?" He emerged from the main hall with a curious look. His navy blue dress shirt had several buttons undone, and the sleeves were rolled up. He must have had a busy day then. "No one else is home?"
She had to stop herself from sighing as she turned to face him. He saw his eyes lit up when he saw her in her normal floral apron. She still had her jeans and t-shirt underneath, so it wasn't anything sexy by any means. But for some reason, he still liked it.
He was so weird.
"My mom has them today, remember? I told you. Were you even listening?"
"Ah." He had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry, I might have been preoccupied at the time…."
Alright, no more serious talks in the shower. After being married for so long, she should have figured that out a while ago. Her husband was a total pervert.
"I guess that means we have the house to ourselves for the rest of the day?"
It didn't take a genius to know what he was implying.
"Really? After you didn't listen to me, now you expect me to act all lovey-dovey? You have another thing coming."
Her temper hadn't subsided over the years, but he didn't seem to mind it. If anything, he liked that side of her. Or so he claimed. She was sure he was just trying to win more browny points. The fact that it made her feel all warm inside did not mean it was working.
"Then let me make it up to you!" He sounded so chirpy, like a kid on Halloween.
This time, she did roll her eyes. But she didn't stop him from approaching her or placing his arms around her waist.
"It has been a few months since you wore that for me."
"You get excited about the simplest things, I swear."
He grinned. "Simple is better I think. Besides, there's nothing simple about how beautiful you are."
His corny lines were still the same as ever, but she definitely wouldn't change it for the world.
Still, she was a stubborn one. She wasn't going to go down easy. Even as he planted a couple of kisses along her neck that made her back all tingly, she didn't let it show.
It was all the same to him. He was always up for a challenge.
Well, she still always lost. One of the things that made their intimate time together so….well, intimate was that he always made sure to maintain eye contact with her. Those damn eyes always drew her in, like nothing else in the world mattered. That he saw her as the most important person in the world.
Those stupid yet amazing eyes always broke her.
And so, when he pulled her closer for a kiss, she broke down right then and there and kissed him first. It wasn't a simple kiss, though. It was deep, and despite her serious persona it was definitely on the wild side, tongue and everything.
What followed after was…..
"NOOOOOOOO!"
When Mahiru awoke that morning, she nearly fell out of her bed. It was nothing like the calm mornings she was used to, where she awoke to her alarm all calm and relaxed. She was a total mess. She was sweating like she was out trekking in a desert somewhere, and her face was so red and steamy you could practically roast marshmallows on it.
"W-What…." The girl pulled her bed covers closer, as if she was trying to hide herself from the rest of the world. Like there were people in her room staring at her, knowing what she had been dreaming about. Thankfully, that wasn't the case as she was still in her dorm with no one else around.
It didn't stop her from feeling any less embarrassed.
Just what on earth had she been dreaming about!?
'T-This can't be real!'
Mahiru ducked under the covers as she basically became a potato, curling up into a ball in the middle of her bed.
'That idiot's only been gone for four days!'
It couldn't be that she missed him this badly, was it!?
'A-And we were going to do that….'
They had a family and everything! Just what the hell was her mind conjuring up without her permission!?
'I hate this.'
She knew it wasn't fair, but she really wanted to chew Naruto out right now. This was definitely all his fault somehow! It had to be. The idiot was always the one causing trouble!
'….I hope he comes back soon.'
Even in her embarrassed state, Mahiru was still able to be somewhat honest with herself. She did miss him, despite it only being four days since he had left on that mission of his. She hoped it wasn't dangerous. Or that he got injured in some way. That would just be the worst.
And so, that was how the girl known as Koizumi Mahiru began her morning that day. With a dream that promised both passion and confusion. Oh, and embarrassment. Couldn't forget about embarrassment.
She was totally blossoming, wasn't she?
'I already feel tired.'
The rest of that morning was more calm for Mahiru. She followed her usual routine to get ready, and it wasn't long before she was out of her modest pajamas and into her school uniform. Of course, she had her camera with her. Without it, she would feel like she was incomplete. Couldn't have that.
Sadly, the dream from before was still fresh in her mind. By this point, didn't people usually start to forget the dreams they had the previous night? Mahiru herself had forgotten most of her dreams, some as quick as a few minutes after waking up!
So why couldn't this be like that!?
'This is going to be annoying.'
Mahiru had to be grateful that Naruto wasn't going to be around for this. She knew she would never be able to face him after dreaming of such a thing. It would be like the aphrodisiac incident all over again, only this time she had no one to blame but herself.
Hormones were so annoying and impractical.
Mahiru did her best to act normal as she left campus that morning. There was still an hour before class started, and she needed to run a little errand before then. She had stopped by the AV room first to pick something up, and now she was heading to a place that had become sort of familiar to her in the past month.
It was Gundham's pet shop, although he would throw a fit if you called it that. It was his "fortress" or whatever. Honestly, that guy was still so weird. How he ever became an Ultimate was a mystery to her. Regardless, he had asked something of her, and Mahiru intended to deliver it.
When she stepped inside, the redhead blinked when she found Nagito there as well.
What a surprise.
"Komaeda? What are you doing here?"
"Ah." Nagito's eyes lit up when he noticed her. "Well, well. If it isn't Koizumi-san. Good morning to you. I didn't think I would be seeing you here today!"
She should be the one saying that.
"H'mph, she was expected here," Gundham said with his arms crossed. He stood behind the counter. He had gone through a little change over the last couple of days. Without warning, he had decided to change his hairstyle. He still had his undercut, but now instead of having it spiked up the top sections now framed his forehead.
How random.
Kurama and his Dark Devas were napping on the counter, with the little hamsters using Kurama's fur as their bed. It always amazed Mahiru to see the animals getting along so well. Leave it to Gundham to achieve such a feat.
She made sure to not focus on Kurama too much, though. If she did, she was sure she would be picturing Naruto, and that would lead her to thinking back to the dream again. No way she was going to make a fool out of herself in front of these two.
"Oh?" Nagito looked curious. "Are you two working on something together?"
So he wasn't going to explain what he was doing here. Gotcha.
"It's nothing like that." Mahiru placed the object she brought with her on the counter, careful to not wake up Kurama and the Dark Devas.
"Oh?" Gundham seemed excited. "So you brought it with you at last."
Hmm, it was weird, but his sudden excitement was sort of cute.
"Yes." Mahiru smiled a little. "It's the photo album you requested."
It wasn't packaged, so Gundham was able to see the cover right away. It was something Mahiru had picked out herself. It was hamster-themed. It was the main reason why it had taken her longer to finish it, but she was confident it was worth it.
Delicately, Gundham picked up the album. His hands trembled when he saw the cover.
"This abomination….! My Four Dark Devas of Destruction are far more-!"
"Yeah, yeah." Mahiru waved him off. "Look, whether you like it or not, your hamsters are totally cute. They look just like the ones in the cover!"
Gundham didn't answer. He didn't look angry or anything, so Mahiru took that as a good sign.
The Ultimate Breeder started to look through the album itself. It was all the pictures Mahiru had taken of the animals before they were adopted. He remembered each and every one. He had spent countless hours with those animals, after all. But now, he was sure he would never forget them, thanks to Mahiru's pictures.
He cackled. "Truly, to make ephemeral moments last forever….that is your gift for sure, Koizumi! Your pictures are your secret art!"
"Um…..thanks." Mahiru smiled a bit uneasily. While she still had a tough time understanding what Gundham meant sometimes, it was getting easier to read him. A part of her was mortified that she was getting better at understanding his gibberish, but the rest of her didn't mind it.
"You should still learn to thank people more normally, you know."
Gundham smirked. "Kekekeke. Be it as it may, I am forever grateful to keep a record of my demon beasts during their brief stay in this mortal plane."
Yeah, okay, he wasn't going to listen. Honestly, why were boys so stubborn?
Sighing, Mahiru folded her arms in front of her. "Well, whatever. It was still a fun experience to take photos of all the animals. It's only too bad I wasn't able to make it for the adoption itself. I'm sure I would have gotten some great shots of that."
She expected another weird response from the boy, but instead Gundham looked eerily serious now.
"Koizumi, I must ask another favor from you."
Woah, where was this coming from?
"These photos of yours. Is it possible I could use them for expanding my barrier?"
Wait, what?
"Jeeez, talk more clearly! You're not making any sense!"
Out of nowhere, Nagito decided to chime in. "He's referring to his website. He probably wants to put your pictures on it to decorate it." He looked down at the album and smiled. "I can't blame him. With your pictures, I'm sure it would blossom further! They totally get to you! Like hope taking on a more physical form!"
It wasn't everyday one got complimented in such a bizarre fashion. But just as with Gundham, Mahiru was getting a better grasp of understanding the "Komaeda language." That's what Kazuichi called it anyway.
Mahiru raised an eyebrow. "A website? I didn't know you had something like that, Tanaka."
"H'mph, it's my Exciting Breeding Journal website," Gundham boasted. "It is of great importance to me. You might say it's only a cover for something even greater. It's one of the ways I keep in touch with my disciples spread throughout the world. Truly, it's a great arsenal in spreading the Tanaka Empire!"
The idea of Gundham having "disciples" was plain scary. Thankfully, Mahiru understood it wasn't as ominous as the boy tried to make it out to be. He was just being dramatic for the sake of it.
"If that's what you meant, then you should have said so from the beginning," she grumbled. "Really, we have to get you some help one of these days."
"I require no such thing."
Riiiiiiight.
Mahiru decided not to dwell on it. "I don't mind if you use my pictures. Just make sure you send me the link, alright?"
She wanted to see how it would all come together.
"Kekekeke, and so another step has been taken." Gundham's red eye started to glow. "Soon, the Tanaka Empire will take over the world!"
Mahiru didn't like to think she was helping a madman take over the world, but seeing Nagito laugh it off made her simply roll her eyes.
Yes, it was just another normal day in their new lives.
Fuyuhiko wanted to say he was used to the chatterbox that was Soda Kazuichi, but that wouldn't be exactly correct. Sure, he didn't think about stabbing the guy every time he opened his mouth. Improvement, right? That didn't stop him from getting fed up talking about the same thing that usually clouded the mechanic's mind.
Girls. And Sonia. So much Sonia.
"I can't wait to see Miss Sonia today! Do you think she'll wear something new?"
Fuyuhiko blamed himself. He should have been more careful when he arrived on school grounds that morning. But Kazuichi had a hand in this too, practically ambushing him by the front gates. Kazuichi was totally the type of guy who would invite himself over without said invite.
Just his luck. Making the kinds of friends that he did.
"Hey, are you listening to me?"
"I would rather not."
Kazuichi grumbled. "You really need to act more friendly. I know you're a yakuza and whatever, but there's a time and place!"
"You really think there's any reason to be sympathetic over this?"
"But of course! It's Miss Sonia! She's always worth it!"
"You need to have your head checked over."
"Ah, there it is! There's that tone again! Even I know you can't win over any girl acting like that!"
Fuyuhiko didn't answer. For Kazuichi's sake.
The mechanic must have sensed it, because he sulked.
"Come on, see it from my point of view," he whined. "Miss Sonia hasn't paid any attention to me! Not even to abuse me or anything!"
"Why do I even talk to you?" Fuyuhiko was asking himself that more and more. "Besides, weren't you going on about a secret plan you had? What happened to that?"
Kazuichi scratched his cheek, looking unsure. "Y-Yeah, I don't even know what to do next to be honest. I tried to put some distance between us, but I'm sure it's going to backfire!"
There was nothing to backfire in the first place, since he had no chance. That's what Fuyuhiko wanted to say, but he kept his mouth shut.
He could be considerate from time to time.
"Anyway, what about you?" Almost instantaneously Kazuichi perked up. "How are you and Pekoyama doing? Did you kiss her yet?"
This fool.
"T'ch, fucking pathetic." Fuyuhiko's eye twitched a little. "You were acting like a bitch but now you're suddenly so pumped up. What are you, a clown?"
No, scratch that. Kazuichi was totally a clown.
"I feel like you're totally insulting me in your head right now." Sometimes, Kazuichi could be so insightful. Too bad it never popped up when it mattered. "And anyway, stop acting all tough! It's our youthful duty to make sure we don't have any regrets!"
What the hell kind of duty was that?
It was nothing different. The same old, same old. It was totally "normal." Fuyuhiko was still content with this, despite how much he might complain about it. It wasn't the kind of life a yakuza was expected to have. Maybe that's why he enjoyed it so much?
'Or maybe that blond idiot rubbed off more on me than I realized.'
Yeah, that was probably it.
Fuyuhiko had to painfully endure more of Kazuichi's crazed Sonia obsession talk before they finally reached their classroom. As they expected, most of the others were already there. What they didn't expect was Koichi to already be there too.
"What's this?" Fuyuhiko smirked. "Did the lazy bastard actually decide to try today? Is this a miracle?"
"I swear, between you and Uzumaki, it's like I'm being cursed or something," Koichi drawled out, slurring a little. Probably hung over. Again. "You blonds, really."
"You goddamn idiot, you're blond too."
Koichi paused. He then touched his hair and laughed.
"Ahahaha oh yeah! I totally forgot about that."
This guy was a total lost cause.
Sonia, who was already in her seat, clapped her hands. "I believe we should not let this opportunity pass! If we're here together, then it's all better!"
"I totally agree with Miss Sonia!" Of course you did, Kazuichi.
"You brats can't trick me." Koichi shot them a mocking glare. "You're just going to run off away again."
"Believe it or not, sensei, we do have projects to work on," Ryota said. "We only meet in the mornings because we want to."
And because they promised Naruto.
"Respect your teacher!"
Never.
This too was practically the norm. It was sort of twisted, but Koichi had definitely become accustomed to this sort of treatment.
'I'm gonna miss it.'
It only took a minute or so before the rest of the class started trickling in. Mikan was one of the last ones, with Akane and Teruteru arriving together a few seconds later.
Speaking of the cook, he looked like he was gonna pass out. And it was still so early into the day!
"I can't keep doing this." Teruteru just about fainted on his desk. "She's gonna kill me. S-Somebody, stop her. My body is…...it's gonna fall apart."
That was disturbing.
Ibuki whistled. "Teruteru-chan looks like a broken toy! What's up with that?"
No need to phrase it that way, Ibuki.
"Ugh, it's pretty clear what happened." Nekomaru looked at the glowing Akane. "You had him cook for you again, didn't you?
Akane laughed. "Ahahaha! It was only breakfast, but it was so delicious! It was like a whole banquet for myself! I can't wait for lunch!"
She ate a banquet's worth of food, and she was still hungry for more!?
Teruteru whimpered. "She scares me…."
"Hah, look at that." Hiyoko sneered. "Looks like the pervert finally found his match."
The blonde dancer had gone through a little change of her own in the past couple of days. Like Gundham, she had changed heir hair. Instead of twin tails, she now had only a single ponytail.
Mahiru sighed. "Well, we really should have seen this coming."
"U-Um." Mikan poked her fingers together. "O-Owari-san, you really should slow down. Hanamura-san looks like he's overworked himself."
She didn't want to see one of her classmates falling ill.
"Huh?" Akane looked annoyed. "It's not my fault, really. I've just been more hungry than usual. Can't help it. And Hanamura makes some really good food!"
"Are you feeling okay?" Mikan jumped into her nurse mode. "Do you think there might be something wrong with your stomach?"
Kazuichi snorted. "Yeah, it's always empty. Like her head."
Harsh.
Akane ignored him. "I don't know. I don't feel bad or anything."
How curious.
"When did you start feeling this way?" Mikan asked. If she could pinpoint the timing of Akane's symptoms, then it could lead her to the cause.
Koichi mentally snorted. 'So my class has become a nurse's office instead, uh.'
Ah, whatever. Class still didn't technically start for another two minutes or so. Besides, this might lead to something interesting. Koichi could use some entertainment to get over this terrible hungover he was in. If only he had wine or something.
Akane wasn't enjoying the attention Mikan was giving her. "What? I don't know! I don't pay attention to stuff like that."
'You rarely pay attention at all,' Fuyuhiko thought while shaking his head. If it didn't involve food or a fight, the gymnast was rarely interested. But since he was also curious about Akane's condition, he didn't say it out loud.
"D-Days…." It was Teruteru who had the answer Mikan was looking for. "S-She's been even worse for like three days now. It's a mess!"
Three days?
Gears started to turn in everyone's head. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand what this meant.
"Hm." Chiaki didn't look up from her game and said, "So she just misses Uzumaki-kun?"
Well, yes. But they weren't trying to be so blunt about it.
"Pfft." Hiyoko tried to stop from laughing as she raised her sleeve to cover her mouth. "Is that it? This Neanderthal can't even express regular emotions, so she eats instead? Wow, I'm tooootally impressed!"
Hiyoko tried to make a joke out of the situation, but it didn't really stick. The others all felt a somber mood wash over them. While not as extreme as Akane, they too felt a bit lonely without the energetic Uzumaki around. It wasn't that they were sad exactly, but they definitely didn't feel all that happy either. It felt like they had lost someone irreplaceable, which wasn't all that far off from the truth.
Koichi noticed the drop in their mood and spoke up. "Alright, you brats. You had your little off-time. Now, it's time for us to begin class."
"Yeah, that joke is like totally getting stale now!" Ibuki said with her arm raised.
"Nah, it's no joke." Wobbling to his feet, Koichi gave his students the biggest grin he could muster. "You've insulted me for too long. I'll teach you what a real teacher can do!"
His method aside, Koichi was actually trying to do something nice for his class. And that was to keep their minds off their missing classmate.
The Ultimates were hesitant, but they decided they had nothing to lose. They gave their "teacher" a chance to prove himself.
And would you know it, Koichi actually lasted thirty minutes being professional before passing out! It didn't beat his old record of lasting until lunch, but he hadn't been hung over back then. Usually he passed out right away. Total improvement, right?
It still made his class feel ashamed to know him.
"Why did I think there was still hope for him?" Mahiru sighed while shaking her head.
Hiyoko wanted to go over to him and doodle on the man's face, but thankfully the redhead was able to restrain her before she could.
"Well, it's no different from normal." Smiling softly, Chiaki got up from her desk. "I'm sure everyone has things they have to do, right? I suggest we get started. I know Uzumaki-kun wouldn't want us to feel bad just because he's gone."
Akane blushed a little as she looked away. "You guys are the ones coming up with stupid ideas."
She definitely wasn't feeling lonely! She wasn't! People were always coming in and out of her life. That's why she had grown used to not getting attached to anyone. Naruto was no different!
"Oh my, Akane-chan looks so adorable right now~" Ibuki gushed over the gymnast. "Is this another flag I'm sensing?"
Mahiru facepalmed. 'Mioda-san is pretty weird herself.'
"Ohohohoho, did you say flags?" Coming out of nowhere, Teruteru suddenly twirled out of his seat, no longer looking like he was on death's door. "Seeing a maiden struggle through her youth has totally rejuvenated me and my buddy! Do you wanna see?"
And who could forget about the number one pervert.
"Please, refrain from such asinine comments." Peko said this, but she knew it was no different from talking to a wall. Like with Mahiru, it was just her being herself at this point.
Trying to look as laid-back as usual, Fuyuhiko said, "Stop worrying about the little things and do as Nanami says already. If I know that idiot, it's what he would want."
Kazuichi whistled. "Man, between you and Nanami, it's like we're pretty covered."
Covered?
"Hm?" Chiaki tilted her head. "What does that mean?"
Laughing loudly, Nekomaru shouted, "But of course, it means you two are great leaders! I, NIDAI NEKOMARU, have declared it so!"
"Hey, I was the one who said it first!" Kazuichi objected.
Sonia gushed. "Indeed. It's just as Nidai-san says! You two have great qualities of a leader!"
"M-Miss Sonia…."
At least Kazuichi got what he wanted. Sonia was abusing him again!
It was totally embarrassing, but Fuyuhiko felt his cheeks go red. "W-What the fuck? Where the hell is this coming from?"
"Awe, just accept the compliment, you big tough yakuza~" Mahiru just had to tease him. She wasn't one to let such an opportunity go to waste.
"S-Shut the fuck up!"
Just about everyone laughed, which only embarrassed Fuyuhiko further.
Chiaki was more thoughtful, though. "Hmm. Me, a leader? Do you really think so?"
Since he sat behind her, Ryota was able to hear her and replied, "Hah, well I think you can do it if you try." He still remembered how she had ordered him around during the festival fiasco. Chiaki could be imposing when she wanted to, which was really surprising.
Nagito laughed softly. "Haha, indeed. We have so many shining hopes here. I believe you can all be wonderful leaders! Ah, but not me of course. I don't think I have what it takes to lead anyone."
"H'mph, we don't need you bringing the mood down again, big bro Komaeda." Hiyoko glared at him.
"Ah, my apologies. I did not mean to do such a thing. I guess someone like me is better off not talking at all, right?"
Nagito sounded so sincere, that Hiyoko's glare wilted almost immediately. It was always hard to tell when to take this guy seriously. And besides, it wasn't like any of them wanted to exclude him. Not anymore.
The rest of their chatter was interrupted out of the blue as someone knocked on the door to their classroom before opening it.
Now this was unexpected. Who in the world could it be? A teacher perhaps?
"Excuse me, I hope I'm not intruding."
No, it wasn't a teacher. It was another student. None of them recognized him, but he wore the Hope's Peak uniform, with a white cuff around his right arm. He had average height, brown hair, and hazel eyes. Somehow, he gave off a "clean and honest" persona.
"Huh?" It was Fuyuhiko who addressed him first. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?"
Mahiru sweatdropped. "Seriously? Is that just your default state?"
What was she saying? Of course it was!
"Um." Sonia tapped her cheek. "Hello there."
She was trying the more friendly approach. As expected of the Ultimate Princess.
"Ah." The new guy chuckled, but it was clearly forced. "Sorry for dropping unannounced like this. However, that cannot be helped. I must ask for your assistance! I beg of you!"
Confused looks were passed among the class of 77-B.
Now what in the world could this be about?
"I really am grateful for this. I know it's short notice, but I felt like acting now was better than waiting any further."
"I see." Chiaki didn't have her games out at the moment, a sign that she was really paying attention. Quite an honor really. "I don't think I understand what you're trying to say, though."
"Of course not." She wasn't alone. Fuyuhiko was with her. The trio was out in one of the hallways on the second floor of the school, right by the library. "He hasn't explained anything yet. Not even his name."
"A-Ah, yes! My mistake!" The boy stood up straight. "Sorry for the late introduction! I suppose I got caught up in the moment. My name is Murasame Sōshun. I am known as the Ultimate Student Council President. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
The Ultimate Student Council President? That's who was seeking them out? Woah. This must be serious then.
Fuyuhiko crossed his arms. "H'mph, that so? And why is the student council president visiting our classroom first thing in the morning? Are we in trouble or some shit?"
"I hope it wasn't Kuzuryu-kun's fault," Chiaki commented. "We're trying to keep him in line, you see."
The young yakuza scowled. "Hey, why are you assuming it's me? Soda and Hanamura are the likelier suspects!"
"Oh, but they're harmless for the most part." Chiaki let out a small hum. "They're more likely to back out rather than do anything too drastic."
Had she not met Teruteru!? The cook was one step away from committing a crime! Though Fuyuhiko had to begrudgingly agree with her description on Kazuichi. The poor mechanic would probably cry if he heard this, but never mind that.
"T'ch, whatever." That's all Fuyuhiko could say in his defense.
Sōshun's sudden laughter caught their attention.
"Hmm, did we say something that was funny?" Chiaki asked.
"No, no, it's nothing like that." Sōshun quickly regained his composure. "I'm sorry, it's just….weird to see you guys talking like this. Like you're best friends."
Chiaki smiled at that. "That's because we are. All of us."
Fuyuhiko wisely kept his mouth shut.
"I see." The student council president returned the smile. "That's incredible. It looks like my hope was true, after all!"
What?
Fuyuhiko scowled. "Yeah, can you start making sense?"
He was going to lose his patience otherwise.
"Yes, I must apologize again." Enough with the damn apologies! "I just got excited again." Sōshun's eyes lost some of their light as he looked down. "You see, my class is nothing like yours. I noticed that everyone was in attendance today. I'm sure that must be a lot of fun. For my class, it's lucky if we even get a third to show up."
Ah. Classes weren't mandatory, so that was only natural.
'Things wouldn't have been much different for us either if it weren't for the idiot.' Fuyuhiko kept this thought to himself.
Chiaki's face was full of understanding. "I understand how difficult that must be."
To feel like you were alone and with no friends. It was challenging to say the least. She was grateful those days were over for her.
"Yes, it's not ideal." Sōshun hid his grimace as best he could. "However, that's only a small problem connected to a larger disease in this school."
Meaning?
"It's not just classes that aren't mandatory. School events too." Sōshun sighed. "When I took over this year, I heard from my predecessor that there was no reason to even bother with stuff like that. That school functions were just a waste of time. Apparently the student council barely even gets any representatives from each class! Only their names are put down, but none bother to show up. This makes it hard to coordinate with each class, only adding to the problem."
Okay, Fuyuhiko and Chiaki were seeing the problem Sōshun was talking about. Hope's Peak Academy was practically apathetic when it came to any and all school events, starting from class attendance. Made sense and all, but still.
"Why the hell are you coming to us about this?" Fuyuhiko asked bluntly, still not understanding that point. "You're the president. shouldn't that be your problem?"
Sōshun was quick to answer. "It's because of what you managed to do! You organized a whole festival by yourselves! And it was a total success from what I've heard. Everyone in school has heard about you guys and what you did! It was totally surprising. Not a single class has done something like that before."
Is that right?
"That's when I first got my idea." Smiling, Sōshun continued. "I know it's asking a lot, but if we can somehow convince the other classes to work together as you guys have, then this school could change for the better! That's my hope as the Ultimate Student Council President. To do what none of my predecessors could and change the school from the inside out!"
Their little festival had caught this much attention!? Wow.
Chiaki gave the student council president a blank stare.
"…..that sounds like a lot of work."
Fuyuhiko cracked a smirk but didn't say anything.
"A-Ah." Sōshun blushed a little. "Yes, I know. But you two did the impossible, you know? You united your class! As the representatives of your class, I'm sure you-!"
"Hold the fucking phone." Fuyuhiko scowled as he cut in. "We're not the representatives of anything."
For one thing, wasn't there only one representative per class? Their lazy bum of a teacher hadn't even picked anyone yet, but Fuyuhiko already knew the choice was obvious for the position.
Chiaki was thinking the same thing and said, "We weren't the ones who united our class. We were helped as well."
Sōshun looked lost. "What? But you two were the ones-"
"We're just taking care of things for now," Chiaki explained. "But our class representative isn't with us at the moment. He's….on a business trip."
Business trip? That was one way to put it.
"I see." Sōshun was somewhat disappointed to hear this. "When will he be back?"
Fuyuhiko shrugged. "Hard to say. He wasn't very specific."
What a setback!
"But." Placing a hand over her chest, Chiaki smiled. "I'm sure he'll agree with what you're trying to do and will gladly help. So you can count on us."
Fuyuhiko chuckled. "Ain't that the damn truth."
The blond idiot was predictable like that.
Sōshun looked between Chiaki and Fuyuhiko, quite surprised by their response.
"How can you know?"
Because they had faith in him, that's all.
Mikan's day was slowly becoming rather interesting. Her morning had begun the same as always. Nothing spectacular, except that she couldn't see Naruto like she always did. That was a bummer, but she had promised herself to keep her spirits up through all of this! It was the least she could do, right? She didn't want to become a bother to anyone, and she was sure being all crestfallen was guaranteed to do just that.
Class had been normal. Koichi being irresponsible hadn't surprised her at all. She had tried to check up on him before they all left to do their own thing, but Sonia and Ibuki had ushered her out of the room. According them, their teacher was a lost cause. Her services would be a waste on him.
So cruel!
Mikan had been prepared to return to the nurse's office after that to keep the place up and running and wait for anyone who needed her. Not that anyone ever came save for those in her class. It was kind of weird really. Mikan didn't have proof of this, but could the other students be intentionally avoiding the nurse's office?
Nah, that couldn't be it. Everyone was probably just fine and healthy and didn't require her skills! Yes, that was probably it.
Before Mikan could return, though, Teruteru had pulled her aside and asked her to come to the cafeteria as fast as she could. Which was right then and there! A different person would have been more cautious of this. After all, Teruteru could have his more devious moments, to put it mildly.
Thankfully, there was no reason to worry. They weren't alone for one thing. When they got to the kitchen of the cafeteria, they were met by two others. One was Seiko, the Ultimate Pharmacist. The other was Nagito.
"U-Um." Mikan was understandably puzzled. "What is going on here?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Teruteru was twirling again. What was up with that? "We require your assistance, Miss Mikan!"
Her assistance? With what?
"Is this who you were talking about?" Seiko asked as she studied the fidgeting Mikan.
Nagito was nodding in approval. "Mhmm, a most excellent choice! As the Ultimate Nurse, Tsumiki-san will be most invaluable in your research."
Research?
"It's pretty simple, Miss Mikan!" Sensing her confusion, Teruteru began to explain. "I'm sure you recall my amazing aphrodisiac! The Sexy Sexy Soup!"
Mikan almost shivered at the reminder. Still wasn't a good memory for her.
"You're doing something dangerous again….?"
"Ah, i-it's not like that at all!" Sweating, Teruteru tried to calm her fears. "It's a different kind of group project! More honest, I swear!"
Seiko narrowed her eyes a little. "What happened to that soup we made?"
Nagito let out a sigh. "It was a most unfortunate accident I believe."
Seiko wasn't pleased. "You said you weren't going to use it on people!" It was a rare moment of the Ultimate Pharmacist showing her angry side. It was justified, though. She didn't want something she worked on to be used for the wrong purposes!
"And I wasn't going to!" Teruteru shrieked. "It was only meant for Uzumaki-kun and no one else! But then Miss Hiyoko had to ruin it all!"
Yeah, now Mikan was sort of glad Hiyoko had done what she had. If the alternative was leaving Naruto to Teruteru's mercy…..
No contest there.
"L-Let's just move past that, shall we?" Teruteru tried to change the subject as fast as he could. "Right now, we have a very important assignment to complete!"
Oh yeah?
"Why do you need my help?" Mikan was kind of wary of this, but Seiko's presence did calm her a little. Seiko had proven herself to be a decent person from the few times Mikan had seen her.
Still no idea why Nagito was here.
"I guess you could say we're trying to get a head start on our exam," Teruteru said while rubbing his chin. "This could take a while, you see. But just like with the Sexy Sexy Soup, we're trying to come up with new dishes that are both healthy and delicious."
Oh. Mikan could understand that. Teruteru's food was definitely out of this world in terms of flavor, but there was no denying that the more you ate the more weight you were likely to gain. Mikan had overheard Hiyoko complaining about this on multiple occasions now.
"W-Well, it's not just about the calories." Seiko could see where Mikan's head was at, so she began to explain their plan further. "People are always complaining about how terrible medicine tastes, right? That's why many different companies have tried adding flavors to their products."
Kid's medicine was the biggest example of this. That was all basic stuff, though. Like adding a grape flavor or something like that. Seiko and Teruteru were looking to expand that idea further.
Mikan tilted her head a bit. "So, basically….delicious food that is also medicine?"
"Precisely that!" Teruteru exclaimed with excitement. "I'm sure you've heard of it too, Miss Mikan! Culinary medicine is what it's called! We want to encroach on that field and make it our own! A new horizon where food and medicine can collide, with no end in sight!"
That was actually pretty admirable.
"Ahahahaha, incredible! Absolutely incredible!" And Nagito was loving it all. "Just what I would except from an Ultimate!" Nagito almost shed a couple of tears. "I feel honored to see this in person."
"Hehe, feel free to honor me more!" Teruteru's nostrils flared in excitement. "I want to help Uzumaki-kun as much as I can with his dream. I figured this was a great first step!"
Mikan smiled at this. "Yes….it's a beautiful dream."
Seiko didn't know what Naruto's dream was. She just wanted to help people with her medicine as much as she could. That's why she agreed to join Teruteru on this assignment. If her medicine could reach more people, then she was all for it.
"So what do you say, Miss Mikan?" Teruteru turned to the nurse and grabbed her hand, trying to look as charming as possible. "Since this is an important mission, we figured we could use as much insight as possible. As a nurse, I'm sure your opinion could help us greatly. To make sure we don't miss anything."
Was this a dream? Was she really needed? She was being asked to help in a project such as this? And to top it all off, a project that could further Naruto's dream down the line?
There was no need to ask!
Mikan answered right then and there.
"Yes! You can count on me!"
Mahiru was mesmerized by the performance in front of her. She had seen Peko and Nekomaru each do their own thing plenty of times before, but seeing them go head-to-head was quite a sight. A part of her suspected that they were holding back, because if they weren't then the dojo would have been wrecked by now. Still, there was no denying the two were impressive.
As they jumped back from their latest clash, Nekomaru let out his usual boisterous laugh.
"That was an impressive block, Pekoyama! From the way I see it your handling of the sword has improved from a month ago!"
Peko appreciated the compliment as she tilted her head ever so slightly. She was using her personal sword for this. Others might think she was taking this too far, using a real sword and all, but Peko knew otherwise. She was facing Nekomaru, after all. Anything else and she might be blown out.
"Thank you. Both you and Naruto have helped me honed my skills even further."
This world was filled with all types of fighters. Just because she had a blade did not mean she was destined to always come on top. Naruto and Nekomaru proved her point. The team manager was using nothing but his fists, but he still blocked her blade like it was nothing. His speed and reflexes were top notch. Not to mention his physical strength. Peko almost had the wind knocked out of her on several different occasions. Thankfully she had managed to evade his punches thus far. It paid to train extensively like this every day.
Peko loved it.
Mahiru was a little bit more intimidated by the showing she was seeing.
"You know you guys can take a break, right? It's been like thirty minutes already."
"Hah, that's barely anything!" Nekomaru didn't share her opinion. "If you want to improve, you have to push your body to its absolute limit! Like you're on the verge of death but must still press on! It's the only way you'll get anywhere."
"Yes, I agree." Peko lowered her sword. "But I must admit I am curious about the pictures Koizumi-san has taken thus far. So why not take a short break?"
"Oh!" Nekomaru's tune changed almost immediately. "That is very true! Koizumi's pictures can translate so many words into one image! It's definitely worth seeing!"
Mahiru blushed at the unexpected praise. "T-Thanks."
Man, she was really getting a lot of compliments today, huh. And from the weirdest people too.
Peko closed her eyes for a brief moment. "I do not think she will be able to get much from me I'm afraid. Unlike the rest of you, I do not think I have much to tell."
Oh really now?
"Don't say that, Pekoyama-san!" Mahiru quickly shot that idea down. "You have one of the warmest smiles I've ever seen!"
Wait, what?
Peko was taken back. "What did you say?"
Wanting to prove her point, Mahiru searched through her camera. She had many pictures saved up, including some from the camping trip which she hadn't downloaded to her computer yet. When she got to the picture she was looking for, Mahiru showed it to Peko.
Immediately Peko recognized what it was. It was during their final day on the camping trip. They were getting ready to pack up and start heading back to where they were going to get picked up. But during that time, Fuyuhiko and Naruto started arguing about something. Peko didn't know what, just that Kazuichi somehow got involved too. The three boys started butting heads with one another as the rest of them watched. Peko had remember feeling a warm sensation in her heat when seeing her young master have so much fun.
And Mahiru had captured that moment. The moment where she was smiling.
"I…..see." Peko was amazed. She knew she had started smiling more and more since she joined Hope's Peak Academy. This was still the first time she was seeing it for herself, though. "So that's how I look when I smiled."
It was foreign to her.
Mahiru nodded. "Yes. It's very difficult to capture your smile. That's why I'm always on the lookout for it!"
"Mhmm, it's just as Uzumaki says." Nekomaru started nodding to himself. "You really do look like a blossoming flower when you smile."
"W-What?" Peko was sure she was blushing really hard right now. "N-Naruto has said that?"
Why was she even surprised? The boy always enjoyed teasing her. He was always respectful, so Peko didn't say anything against it. Besides, it made her feel like a normal girl, so she couldn't complain.
Mahiru just rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. I swear, he can be quite the pervert too."
She knew she was just trying to hide her jealousy. But she would never admit it. Besides, she wasn't totally wrong. That idiot was always going around flirting with girls without realizing the ramifications of his actions!
Putting that aside, Mahiru said, "It's always fun to get pictures of when we're together, you know? I think that's when everyone is the happiest. And I always want to make sure I capture those moments."
They were her prized possessions.
Nekomaru began to tear up. "Oh, Koizumi. Your spirit is truly a noble one! I'm glad I got to know you!"
Okay, now he was just being overly dramatic. Mahiru still appreciated it greatly.
Peko chuckled at this. "Nidai is correct I believe. You have an amazing talent, Koizumi. You can express a lot with your pictures."
Mahiru couldn't take all the credit, though. "It's you guys who make them better. When you hold a sword, you look really dignified, Pekoyama-san. Like you were always meant to do this. It suits you well."
Before, Peko would have felt nothing about such a statement. Now, though, she had come to appreciate her role more.
"Well, this sword does mean a lot to me," Peko said in return. "One day, I'll be able to tell you its true significance."
Its true significance?
"Looks like everyone carries their own burden, huh." Flexing his muscles, Nekomaru grinned from ear to ear. "When the time comes, don't hesitate to come to me for help. For I, NIDAI NEKOMARU, will always be there to support you!"
Mahiru was sure she dreamt it, but in that instant Peko smiled almost teasingly at Nekomaru.
"But of course. I shall count on you always, Nidai."
"GAHAHAHAHAHA! INDEED! I AM YOUR SHIELD!"
A shield, huh.
'I guess everyone has their own way of communicating with one another,' Mahiru thought to herself while also smiling.
"And of course, the same goes for you, Koizumi." Peko turned to the redhead with a small bow. "Please continue recording these moments for us."
But of course!
Mahiru then remembered something. "Oh, by the way. Just so you know, I made a photo album for Tanaka. It has all the pictures I was able to take of the animals that were adopted during the festival."
Everyone in their class practically knew about Peko's love for animals, and her face instantly lit up at this piece of information.
"It seems I must meet up with Tanaka as soon as possible." Peko tried to remain stoic, but Mahiru saw through the ruse.
The redhead mentally giggled.
'Okay, Naruto's right. She's definitely cute.'
Hiyoko was sweating more than usual today. She always worked up quite a sweat when she practiced her dance routine, especially when it came to an official performance. She could be a perfectionist during such times. She wasn't kidding when she had said that her dance routine gave her all the exercise she needed. However, this time, she had an extra incentive to make sure her performance was beyond perfect.
Ibuki was definitely impressed. The two girls had taken over the Music Room like they did most days. It was the perfect place for them to practice their individual skills, and at the same time work together whenever they felt like it. Ever since the festival, the two had been working together more and more. It was just for kicks and laughs, but it was still something to consider for the future if they ever wanted to be more serious about it. That, and Hiyoko always loved listening to Ibuki's music whenever she could.
Pluses all around!
"You're working extra hard, Hiyoko-chan!" Ibuki went into one of her usual erratic poses. "Ibuki can barely keep up with your work ethic! You're leaving Ibuki in the dust right now!"
Hiyoko huffed as she tried to catch her breath.
"I think you mean I always leave you in the dust. Don't compare yourself to me!"
Ah, yes. Her usual tsundere tendencies. Ibuki was definitely in love!
But she could joke later.
"Ibuki is serious! Are you nervous because we're coming to watch you in your next performance?"
Hiyoko had already formally invited the whole class to her next show. It would appear that they were getting VIP tickets for the show. Definitely some fine treatment right there.
"Huh!?" Hiyoko's face turned disgusted. "Of course not! Why would that bother me?"
Oh.
Ibuki turned sly. "So you want to impress Naruto-chan. I see." Hiyoko's cheeks turning red was all the confirmation Ibuki needed. "Trying to pull a fast one on us and sweep Naruto-chan off his feet are you? So bold! Ibuki has been inspired by your boldness!"
"Stop making stuff up on your own!" Hiyoko cried out in embarrassment. "T-This is just a very important show for me! That's all! It has nothing to do with that idiot!"
"Hmm~ Oh really?" Ibuki wasn't falling for the weak lie. "Girls are so cute when they're in love."
"D-Do you want me to beat you up!? Is that what you want!?"
"Your protest only makes Ibuki want to hug you more!"
"Come near me and I'm stabbing you!"
"Don't fight the girl-on-girl love!"
"Stay away, you weirdo!"
Yes, Hiyoko and Ibuki's friendship was growing by the day.
Ryota was really uncomfortable right now. How could he not? He wasn't used to being stared at so intently like this. And by Akane no less!
Lunch was still a couple of hours away, so he was pretty much stuck with the girl until then. Or until she got bored. Which should have happened by now, so why was she still here?
Ryota had decided to get some fresh air this morning. Quite a rare treat for him really. He felt like he deserved it since he had completed the first rough draft on his new animation the previous night. It had been a ton of work but totally worth it in the end. Plus, he got to reward himself with that new anime episode that aired last night. Sure he only slept for like three hours, but who cares about the little stuff.
Right?
So anyway, here he was, trying to have a small break when Akane suddenly started following him. Now, Ryota didn't have anything against the girl, but they had never really talked one-on-one before. The gymnast was always with either Nekomaru or Naruto. Or Teruteru when she was hungry.
Why was she here then?
"Eh." Ryota didn't want to be rude, but he still felt like he should speak up. So after spotting a bench by one of the fountains and making himself comfortable he decided to do just that. "Is there something wrong, Owari-san?"
Akane, who for some reason decided to start doing a handstand on the edge of the fountain, let out a hum in contemplation. As a side note, Ryota had to made sure he averted his gaze lest he was treated to a full on panty shot from the girl. Didn't she know she was wearing a skirt? Honestly, why did she lack so much common sense when it came to these things?
"Everyone was being kind of annoying back there," she answered, somewhat pouting. "Telling me I miss Uzumaki just because I like to eat. What do they know!?"
Was that right?
Ryota knew there was more to it than that. "But you're not asking Hanamura-san for more food, are you?"
It took a couple of seconds for Akane to respond. "I saw I was bothering him too much, so I decided to give him a break."
Awe, how nice.
She then beamed. "I also figured you might have some snacks on you, so I followed you!"
Alright, scratch that. She was still only interested in food!
Ryota sweatdropped. "Sorry to tell you this, Owari-san, but I don't have any snacks on me."
"Dammit. No wonder my nose couldn't smell anything."
She was a total wild beast, wasn't she?
"But you know, you can't mask your feelings with food," Ryota told her with an understanding tone. "Believe me, I've tried before."
Food was delicious. Fast food especially. Even so, they couldn't fill the hole in one's heart. Ryota was a master when it came to this sort of thing.
"Huh?" Jumping from the fountain and onto solid ground, Akane didn't look very happy. "What? Are you trying to lecture me too?"
"It's not a lecture. More like advice from a friend." Ryota tried to choose his words carefully. He knew Akane had a very short fuse. If he said the wrong thing, he feared how she would react. "I understand you've probably never wanted to think about this, but it's alright to feel depressed when a friend is gone. It's just how people are, you know?"
It was a weird feeling for Ryota, but he could feel he and Akane were similar in that regard. That their circumstances made them hesitant to form attachments to others. Like, why would they when people were constantly coming in and out of their lives? Forming bonds would just leave them feeling empty inside.
Things were different now, though. For the both of them. They had a group of people they could count on, no matter what. It was alright for them to form those attachments that they had avoided for so long.
Akane placed a hand on her hip and huffed again. "You and Uzumaki. You're both the lecturing type, aren't you?" Her voice became softer. "He told me something similar before. About letting myself be more vulnerable."
Of course. Ryota was sure the blond would say something like that. Ah, but Akane, this totally wasn't a lecture. Remember?
Akane started to grin. "Hehehe. You're always so quiet in class, but I really like you, Mitarai! You should talk more often!"
That warmth again. Ryota was feeling it more and more often these days. The more time he spent with these people, the more happiness he experienced.
He really liked it.
"Of course." He smiled back at her. "I quite like you too, Owari-san."
It was an unexpected moment of bonding between them, born from a somewhat subconscious understanding of their pasts. Ryota would cherish such moments.
"Hmm, but this is what it feels to miss someone. Huh." Crossing her arms, Akane grunted in displeasure. "I don't like it. I wanna punch something."
Oh no.
Ryota started to look nervous. Please, don't let her say what he thought she was going to say.
"Say, Mitarai. Since old man Nidai isn't here, wanna fight?"
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
May the gods have mercy on Ryota's poor soul.
Nagito was having a good day. Well, to be frank, just about every day was a good day for him. Since he joined Hope's Peak Academy, it was like all his dreams were coming true! Getting to see firsthand the Ultimates polish their individual talents and then come together to create even more spectacular miracles was everything he had ever wanted! His class was truly remarkable.
'Ah, I really am lucky.'
To have gotten accepted at the same time as Naruto and the others was definitely the luck of a lifetime. Nagito had never been more thankful of his talent than he was now.
He wondered how things were going to proceed from here, though. Unlike the others, he had known that it was the student council president who had come knocking on their classroom this morning. He had to admit that he was curious as to what he would want with their class.
'There's no need to worry. I'm sure Nanami-san and Kuzuryu-kun can handle it.'
Those two were dependable, after all.
That's why Nagito had been able to enjoy watching Mikan, Seiko, and Teruteru work together in peace. He knew Hiyoko and Ibuki wouldn't want him to intrude in their practice, so he was going to see someone else instead.
When he arrived at his destination, he was pleasantly surprised to find that someone else was also there.
"Look, I don't need you stalking me. You hear me!? I can totally do this on my own!"
"H'mph, you foolish human. I was not offering you assistance. I was merely passing through these parts as I take my temporary demon beast on a journey through these hellish woods."
"Dangerous? Do you hear the crap that's coming out of your mouth right now? We're in the middle of a city within a school! How stupid can you be!?"
Oh my. They were getting along as usual, huh?
Of course, the ones Nagito was meeting up with were none other than Kazuichi and Gundham. They were outside in one of the larger grass fields of the school. Coincidentally, this was also where they had met up with Kazuichi for the first time when they were gathering everyone for the camping trip.
Good times.
As expected, Kazuichi had a bunch of parts scattered around. There was a huge engine in the middle of being put together. A normal person would have probably passed out from seeing the monstrosity that was said machine, but Nagito had already seen it plenty of times already. And even during his first viewing, he had taken it in stride.
This was the Ultimate Mechanic he was walking about. Something like this was just normal.
Gundham cackled, not looking troubled by Kazuichi's remark in the slightest. Down at his feet, Kurama was taking a nap on the grass. It was really comfortable.
"It seems that you are still blind to the true world around you, Soda. Such a pity. I might have to destroy you here and now!"
Always with the theatrics.
"Ahahaha." Laughing, Nagito decided to cut in. "As friendly as always I see."
"Ugh!" Kazuichi visibly flinched when he finally noticed Nagito. "Not you too! What did I do to deserve you two bugging me today!"
Nagito just smiled at him. "It's nice to see you too, Soda-kun."
"That's totally not what I meant!"
Nagito was already moving on. "I must say, it's quite a weird sight to find you two hanging out. Did something happen?"
"T'ch, hell no." Kazuichi grumbled. "This annoying bastard was just taking Kurama out on a walk or something. Then he decided to start pestering me."
Really?
"It cannot be helped." Gundham looked to the side. "You were muttering something of interest."
"You trying to steal my ideas now!?"
Ideas?
Nagito was definitely intrigued! "What ideas are you referring to, Soda-kun?"
Did it have something to do with the giant engine he was putting together?
"It was just some stuff I was throwing together in my head." Kazuichi looked awkward explaining this. "You know, Uzumaki wants to help the whole world, right? Well, I was just thinking about the kind of stuff I could do to help too. Like, you know. Trying to end pollution or something."
It was embarrassing, okay! Kazuichi thought Naruto as a friend now, but admitting something like this was still pretty mortifying. It was just his pride getting in the way.
Nagito didn't think the same way. He was overjoyed to hear it in fact. "It seems like you have been affected by Uzumaki-kun's words too, Soda-kun. I'm glad."
The luckster wasn't surprised. It was just another thing that made Naruto who he was.
Kazuichi quickly denied it. "S-Shut up! I haven't been affected or anything! I just want to help people too! Is there something wrong with that! It's not like Uzumaki can be the only one who wants to bring world peace! Right!?"
"Not at all." Nagito didn't try to tease him further. "But you know, if you want to do something like that, I would suggest talking to the Ultimate Physicist. From what I hear, he's in the process of trying to create a machine that could end air pollution throughout the world."
How Nagito knew that was anyone's guess. He was just well-informed, that's all.
"H'mph." Gundham smirked. "It appears as though you are finally embracing your true destiny. The mad builder, consumed by the machines around him. Truly, this is a dark path you must follow!"
Kazuichi deflated. "Reacting to everything you say is getting tiring."
"I am just complementing your role." Gundham's tone was more serious now. "Walking together, we must all find what we can do in order to achieve what we want. Working as a collective can be a beautiful thing. Like an ant hive, each ant knowing what it alone can do. For the betterment of society as a whole. That is truly worth praising."
"Hmm." Nagito's face was amused. "You can totally become a poet if you try, Tanaka-kun."
Perhaps that was another talent of his?
Kazuichi was more mocking. "Is that something the 'supreme' Overlord of Ice should say?"
Laughing, Gundham raised his arms. "Fuhahahahahaha! You fool! I have overgrown that title! For now, I am Tanaka the Forbidden One! The Taboo King, served by the Four Dark Devas of Destruction. Remember it well, you foolish mortals! For I shall be the one to rule this world!"
"And his delusions just got worse," Kazuichi muttered with a look of annoyance as Gundham continued to cackle like an anime supervillain. "Seriously, he's got a loose screw. He's just gotta. Maybe he was dropped as a baby?"
Once again, Nagito just laughed it off.
What a glorious friendship they had.
"My glorious princess, it's a pleasure to meet you at last! Wanna have sex?"
It cannot be understated the kind of impact such a greeting would have on a person. Sonia was definitely awestruck, so if that was the intent then good job! Coupled with the feeling of being ambushed in the hallway and it would definitely stop anyone in their tracks.
Sadly, the same could not be said about the proposal itself.
"Um, hello there." Sonia did her best to smile, trying to be friendly. "It is nice to meet you?"
The short boy before her pouted as he stuffed a pastry into his puffy cheeks from the bag he was carrying.
"Shot down, aye? The girls from 77-B are tough! But I guess I shouldn't be surprised after your friends turned me down as well."
Sonia did not understand any of that.
"But where are my manners!" The boy did a quick bow-like gesture. "My name is Kamishiro Yūto. Did your friends not speak of me?"
No?
Sonia didn't need to answer as Yūto could already guess what the answer was. "Dammit it all. Curse this forgettable face of mine. It comes in handy when I'm working, but otherwise…..it's like a curse."
Sonia wanted to be supportive, but she still did not understand what the boy was trying to say. So confusing!
"There must be something going on here," Yūto muttered to himself. "Three girls shot me down already. Is there someone else stealing the hearts of these young ladies? Someone means to oust me! Unforgivable!"
This guy was drawing a lot of conclusions by himself, wasn't he?
"In all the cameras I've planted I haven't found anyone, though. No one sneaking into their showers or even trying to steal their laundry! So what is this?"
A most dangerous individual this person was. Sonia was beginning to see that.
Despite this fact, she still felt the need to apologize.
"I am sorry. I have certain duties I must uphold, you see. And-"
"Oh, of course!" Yūto turned his focus back to her. "You are a princess. It's only natural! I almost forgot. But when I saw you in the bathroom I just couldn't resist, you see."
Wait a second. He just said what now?
"A shameless princess is totally a dream for any guy! Although I must admit I am still confused as to why you kept muttering "Naruto" all over again. Do you have a kink for ramen perhaps? I can totally work with that if need be!"
In his overly talkative state, Yūto never realized that he revealed one of his most private secrets until it was too late. That he had bugged all the girl's bathrooms in the school, which is how he was able to learn of Sonia in the first place.
But Sonia definitely caught that little mistake. Which is why Yūto was treated to a sight that few people got to see in this life.
An enraged and mortified Sonia. It wasn't easy to trigger the girl, but this had definitely done the trick. After the mortification ran its course, only the anger remained.
It was definitely terrifying. The sweet aura that the girl usually wore disappeared, replaced by a more menacing ambience that promised nothing but pain to the person it was directed to. Which in this case happened to be him, who was only a couple of feet away from her. Totally within killing distance.
Someone like Teruteru might have enjoyed the sight. Sadly, Yūto did not have any masochistic tendencies. His trained senses picked up on this shift in Sonia's personality, and he knew a retreat was in order.
"Well, would you look at the time! I really need to get going! But if you should ever change your mind-!"
He never got to finish as Sonia was already charging toward him, looking to get a piece of his neck.
Yūto was lucky that day. The only reason he was able to escape was because Sonia didn't have a weapon on her.
This meant the gods were surely on his side! His journey to find the perfect girl to do the deed with was only beginning!
When lunchtime finally arrived, the students of class 77-B gathered in the cafeteria on the first floor to have their lunch together. To change things up, they decided to have their lunch inside rather than have a picnic like most days.
Teruteru was fine with it either way. As long as he got to see them enjoying his delicious food, the location didn't matter to him!
Right away, everyone noticed the look of shame washing off Sonia. Mahiru's first instinct was to blame Kazuichi, but Nagito and Gundham both vouched for the mechanic. It wasn't his fault this time.
Sonia refused to speak about what was troubling her, so they left it at that.
They were still able to have their normal conversations about what each was up to, until the topic about the Ultimate Student Council President came up.
Fuyuhiko just shrugged it off. "We'll tell you later."
Chiaki shrugged as well, not caring either way. She already knew the others would be fine with accepting the student council president's offer.
"As long as no one's in trouble." That's all Nekomaru was concerned about.
They were all enjoying their time together until Koichi came running in. He did not look pleased.
"You damn brats! Leaving your precious teacher behind! How dare you!"
"Oh hey, look who's awake." Hiyoko snickered. "We totally thought you were still drowning in your own vomit."
Why did he have to have such malicious students!?
Mahiru sighed. "What do you want? We're having lunch. We don't want to be interrupted."
"I'm totally a part of this class too!" Koichi slapped the table. "I should be eating with you guys!"
Should he?
"Y-You were never interested before," Mikan pointed out meekly.
"That was then, this is now." Pulling a chair for himself, Koichi grinned. "Hanamura! Serve me a plate, why don't you."
Teruteru didn't mind, but he was just as confused as the others about this sudden change of attitude from the man.
Koichi either didn't care or didn't pick up on this as he addressed his class.
"Now then. Whether you like it or not we're going to have a normal school day after lunch is over. You got me?"
The Ultimates traded glances with one another. None of them were opposed to this. They just didn't want to waste their time watching their so-called teacher snore himself to sleep. But if Koichi was actually going to try…..
"H'mph." Fuyuhiko returned to his meal. "Whatever you say, Kizakura."
Hey, that was Kizakura-sensei! Get it right!
The rest continued eating as well, only now Koichi was with them. It was sort of strange, but they quickly got used to it. They didn't show it, but they still appreciated the man's presence, for what it's worth.
Their day was filled with many different ups and downs, and all of them were excited for when Naruto would finally return to them. But as they say, the show must go on. Their bonds with one another could carry them forward.
And it was like that the members of class 77-B enjoyed their days together as friends.
Someone already guessed this was coming. I guess I should feel flattered people are taking the time to guess what I have planned, but it's still annoying I tell you. It makes it nearly impossible to surprise you.
Alas, take this as my gift to you, for the lack of screen time for all these amazing characters in the last arc. And it came quickly too. So yeah.
I was able to set up what the main focus of the next arc will be, although I did leave out two specific scenes. This chapter is already long enough as it is, and I feel like they'll work better next chapter anyhow.
People really want Chisa to show up already, huh? Never realized she was so popular. But who knows. You might get your wish sooner than you might think.
Or not.
That's all from me.
Till next time.
