Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.
Chapter 35:
Girls Don't Play Fair
A few hours earlier…..
"Welcome, welcome! I'm the one and only Kamishiro Yūto. I hope I'm not forgotten this time. Not that I'll cry or anything. I assure you, my tears are all dried up! Today in our lecture we shall learn all about how to seduce the man of your dreams! I never thought I would be doing something like this, but if it's for my goal, for my special dream, I'm ready to do anything! And that includes sharing my knowledge."
Mikan wanted to cry. What had she been dragged into? And why was Yūto acting like he was teaching a whole class? They were the only ones in the classroom!
"With your latent talent, it shouldn't be all that difficult to ensnare the man you want."
E-Ensnare!? Again with that word! And what "latent" talent was he talking about?
"You already have a sexy body. All you need now is the mindset and you're set! No man will be able to resist you! Of course, if you decide to change your mind and take me up on my offer….."
"P-Please stop joking around!" Mikan stuttered with growing embarrassment. "T-There isn't anyone I want to e-e-ensnare! I'm only going to a party tonight. That's it!"
And she didn't have a sexy body!
"My eyes do not lie!" Yūto happily stuffed another pastry into his mouth from the bag he was carrying. "I told you. I saw that look when you were running by before. You're just like me. You have that potential!"
What was this guy talking about!? Mikan couldn't understand!
"Of course, this is also for my benefit. For my dream."
Yes, he already mentioned that. To have sex and whatnot. Mikan couldn't believe there was actually someone like this at Hope's Peak Academy. Teruteru was one thing, but this guy….in some ways, Mikan was starting to think he was worse than the Ultimate Cook.
Which was scary to think about.
"If I had the time, I would totally crash that party with you." Yūto sighed and shook his head. "Alas, work calls. I can only give you my guidance. But when I get back, I hope to hear all about it!"
Mikan squirmed in her seat. "N-Nothing is going to happen….."
Sure, she may have dreamed some stuff up, but….
'No! I can't think about that right now!'
Letting this guy get to her wouldn't lead to anything good. She was sure of it. Because there was no way Naruto could ever enjoy her ugly body. She was lucky he was kind enough to forgive her for the Sexy Sexy Soup incident. She couldn't risk something like that again!
"Doubting yourself." Yūto shook his head again. "That is a shame. You need to broaden your horizons, big sis."
This guy….for as perverted as he was, he could also be very insightful. It was a very dangerous combination.
"I already know." Mikan looked down. "H-He doesn't like me that way. And…."
Right away, Sonia came to her mind. The Ultimate Princess had already been clear. She had an interest in Naruto. The moment she decided to act on that interest….it was all over. Mikan knew she didn't stand a chance. Not against someone like that.
"Hmm." Yūto stopped munching on his pastries as he focused on the nurse. There was definitely something more going on here.
How very enticing! His information gathering still wasn't complete sadly. He needed more info. To catch the one standing against him, he was going to need allies. And the girl before him was perfect for that role!
The fact that he had only bugged the female bathrooms and showers while ignoring anything male-related didn't seem to enter his mind. Because there was no reason to spy on any of the guys.
Right? Right!
Let's just ignore that obvious contradiction and move on.
As a side note, he still needed to get into the female dorms. And then the rooms for the female staff, which included those in the Reserve Course. Oh yes, when he got back, Yūto knew he had a lot of work ahead of him!
But enough about that. He still had a mission to accomplish here.
"If you really want this guy, then what's the problem?"
What's the problem? If only he knew.
Mikan couldn't really say it, though. She was still far too ashamed to even admit that she wanted something…..more from her blond friend.
Yūto started to munch on his pastries again. They were really good.
"If you want something, you should go after it. That's one of my mottos…..or something."
"Why do you care?" Mikan's face transformed to something akin to a glare. It wasn't quite there yet, though. It was still more frustration than anger. Why did this guy have to meddle? She was having a hard enough time as it was. She didn't need someone trying to confuse her any more than she already was.
But once again, Yūto should feel honored. It wasn't every day that Mikan reacted in such a fashion. First it was Sonia, and now the Ultimate Nurse. He certainly had a way with the opposite gender…..just probably not in the way he wanted, but whatever!
"That, right there." Yūto pointed at her. "When you make that troubled expression, there's no way I can leave it alone. It's a shame, ya know? You have a beautiful face. You need to smile more!"
This guy….
Once again, Mikan was having a hard time pinning him down.
"Just listen to what I have to say, alright?" Yūto started to pace up and down. "You're definitely a lot like me, big sis. We both have desires that we need to make true! But unlike me, you seem to be ashamed of it. I can't understand something like that. We're already cursed enough as it is. Why limit yourself even further?"
Wait, what?
Mikan looked vaguely interested now. "C-Cursed?"
What was he saying?
"You know what I'm talking about. You're an Ultimate as well. You should know how terrible it feels sometimes, to have the skills that we do. Almost like we're trapped, unable to separate ourselves from our talent." Despite his words, Yūto didn't seem depressed or frustrated. It was the opposite really. He was nonchalant about the whole thing, just as he always was about his plain looks. "It's like we're living our lives in a set scenario. Like we have a script, that we just can't escape. No matter how much we struggle, the outcome is already fixed. How pitiful, right?"
Mikan didn't answer him. Mostly because she didn't agree with him. Truth be told, she loved what she did. She loved her talent. She never saw it as a curse or something that was pushed on her. It was almost the opposite. She had chosen to develop her skills as the Ultimate Nurse. True, in a way, it could be considered a necessity, because there had been no one to take care of her. She had to do it, or she would have perished long ago. However, over time, she grew to love what she did. That love only grew when she realized that she loved taking care of people who were sick….because they were weaker than her. When it came to taking care of them, to giving them advice on how to get better, her words were absolute. They had to rely on her. It made her feel like she mattered.
That's why she was resolved to be Naruto's nurse, no matter what. Because, even if it was only during small moments, he had to rely on her. She could be useful to him, which meant that he could never turn her away. He would never turn his back on her.
And that thought brought immense happiness to Mikan, because while she was definitely growing more and more confident and secure in her new bonds, there still persisted that small voice in the back of her head. Like a nagging tick that just wouldn't disappear.
Because…she still was afraid. What if it was all gone one day? Everything she had managed to build since coming to Hope's Peak Academy?
What if…..Naruto suddenly turned his back on her?
Mikan probably couldn't handle it. She still hated thinking this way. She knew it was wrong. She wanted to move past it. It was easier said than done sadly. Even though it was only a small part of her, that feeling was still there.
But that was the difference between her and Yūto. Mikan didn't understand why the boy thought his talent was a curse or a negative, or why he wasn't happy to be walking down a certain path.
Because Mikan loved her talent, and as things were right now she loved the path she was on. She might have suffered, but through that suffering she was able to develop her talent. And if that led her to the others, if it led her to Naruto…..then she was happy to have suffered. It would make everything worth it. It would be the only thing of value about her.
Mikan was content with that outcome.
"That's why I don't think there's anything wrong with being truthful about your desires." He spun toward her, causing Mikan to squeak in surprise as she came out of her thoughts. "I think we of all people are allowed that freedom! Don't you think so?"
Honest about their desires? But her desire…..
"You should learn to let go of that fear, big sis. With my guidance, you can totally do it. And ensnare this guy that you want."
So it all came back to that. Of course.
It was admittedly an enticing proposition. Who else could teach her how to get physically closer to Naruto but another guy?
But no! She couldn't be weak. She knew Yūto only had perverted thoughts in that head of his. Whatever he wanted to tell her, it definitely wouldn't work on a guy like Naruto. Especially since she wasn't appealing.
Yūto wasn't going to give up so easily, however, especially since he was sure he was right about her.
"Just take my advice for tonight. See how it goes. If it works out, then you'll just owe me one."
Mikan really didn't want to listen, but if it meant getting out of here quicker, then she wouldn't mind acting like she cared.
And if she took some notes, so what? It wasn't like she was going to try it.
Right?
"Oh man. They're changing into their sleeping wear. It's really happening! Hey, hey. What do you guys think they're gonna wear? Knowing Miss Sonia, it's gotta be something classy!"
Naruto almost smacked Kazuichi upside the head.
"Stop trying to peek and get changed already."
It had definitely been a long night so far, but it was now time for them to enjoy the original reason they had come together.
For the sleepover.
After Naruto had finished having his talk with everybody, Sonia had suggested that they switched over to their pajamas before they started the sleepover. There was no way of knowing when they could fall asleep, after all. From there, the sixteen students had divided into two groups, boys and girls. The boys were out in the main room of the suite as they changed while the girls had gone to Sonia's bedroom to change.
And already Kazuichi couldn't wait.
"Shut up! Some of us have been waiting hours for this! And my blood can't wait any longer!"
"You." Fuyuhiko wanted to smack him too. "Did you and Hanamura switch places?"
Honestly, the mechanic hadn't been this bad at first….right?
"Oho, I take offense to that." Of course, Teruteru had to speak up. "There is only one of me. I can never be replaced!"
"Yeah. How lucky of us."
"Mhmm. You have such a firm hand, Kuzuryu-kun. You're definitely my type!"
And Fuyuhiko hated that fact very much.
"Ahahaha, I don't think trying anything is very wise," Nagito said as he laughed. He was feeling a lot happier than usual, for obvious reasons. "You haven't forgotten what happened at the lake, right? Pekoyama-san won't appreciate any peeping."
Nagito's reminder was enough to dissuade Kazuichi from approaching the door to Sonia's room. He wanted to live long enough to see Sonia in her sleeping wear, thank you very much.
Naruto patted Nagito in the back. "Thanks for that. You're a lifesaver."
He also didn't want to die tonight.
"You exaggerate, Uzumaki-kun."
He really didn't.
It only took the eight boys a few more minutes to get ready. Naruto had feared that there might have been some awkwardness left, but he was glad to see that that wasn't the case. Everything was just normal, like nothing had changed.
And he couldn't be happier.
Putting that aside, he was having a small problem.
"Dammit arm. Get in there!"
He couldn't put on his comfy yet also very stylish orange t-shirt. The stupid cast was getting in the way. Now that he thought about it, since he had gotten the damn thing, it was only thanks to Kirumi that he had managed to get changed without any hassle.
But the maid wasn't here anymore. He had to struggle alone.
Kazuichi looked smug. "Having some trouble there?"
Naruto threw him a glare as he wrestled with his shirt.
"If I could use my other hand, you wouldn't be grinning right now."
"Excuses."
Damn him.
"Ha." Rubbing his chin, Nekomaru walked over to the blond with a small grin. "Let me help you there."
"Oh no." With his nose bleeding, Teruteru appeared next to him. "Let me take care of it. I'll finally be able to touch those muscles of yours!"
"Eh…." Naruto wanted to run away, but how he was gonna get away from this?
"Sounds like a plan to me," Kazuichi said as he snickered. "You don't have Tsumiki here to help you, sooooooo."
Alright, Naruto really wanted to smack him. Thankfully, Nekomaru was the one who helped him in the end as Nagito and Fuyuhiko kept Teruteru back.
Saved! Naruto had no intention of getting molested tonight.
Fuyuhiko already felt exhausted. "We can't even change in peace?"
"H'mph." Someone came and stood next to him. "It's the usual spectacle. What do you expect?"
The voice was different from the ones Fuyuhiko was used to. No, from what any of them were used to.
It was the Ultimate Imposter, only now he wasn't posing as Ryota. No. He was now someone else, someone he was the most comfortable impersonating. Okay, maybe "comfortable" wasn't the right word. "Admired" was probably better in this context.
His large figure hadn't changed, but now he wore white-framed glasses and had platinum blond hair with blue eyes. Where he got the new disguise from, no one knew. He just suddenly had a new appearance, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.
He was now Togami Byakuya. That's the name he had given them at least. Of course, Fuyuhiko already knew who that was. So did Nagito, for that matter. The others? They didn't have a clue.
Naruto thought the name was familiar, though. Togami. He definitely heard it somewhere before, but where?
'It's in the tip of my tongue, I swear.'
No matter how long he thought about it, he couldn't quite remember. Eh, whatever. If it was important enough to remember, then he wouldn't have forgotten.
Right?
"Fuhahahaha!" Gundham cackled. "Let us not dabble on this farce for too long. We have plans to erect!"
Plans?
Kazuichi rolled his eyes. "It's a sleepover. Don't over-complicate it."
"But still." Now that Naruto was fully clothed, Teruteru was able to turn his attention to the main event of this night. "Tanaka-kun does have a point. We are going to be sharing a room with a handful of beautiful young maidens. Do you think we'll be able to resist such a temptation? There will be plenty of erections to go around!"
This guy. He really had no shame, did he? After all this time, they were still getting surprised by his boldness and idiocy.
Still, Naruto wasn't worried. "Try anything, and you'll be dead."
Peko and Mahiru would see to that.
Teruteru laughed. "Oh my, what a threat! But I suppose you're right about that. It doesn't mean our dreams can't be fulfilled, though."
What dreams?
"We can use a more indirect method if need be." He patted his chest. "You know what I mean? There are plenty of games we can take advantage of, for example!"
Games?
Kazuichi perked up. "You don't mean….?"
"Ohohoho, you understand what I'm saying, don't you Soda-kun? We're of the same mind, you and I!"
Fuyuhiko wasn't surprised, but he still had to say it. "Don't fall for it that easily, dumbass. Or you'll just end up like last time."
"I-I can't help it!" Kazuichi said, defensive. "We might never got another chance like this! All of our fantasies could come true! If you don't reach for it, can you still call yourself a man?"
Naruto didn't want to know what kind of fantasies Kazuichi was thinking of. They were sure to be stupid and perverted anyway.
"Unbelievable." Byakuya crossed his arms. "Speaking of this in front of me. You should know better. I won't allow such crass behavior to go on."
"D-Don't start!" Kazuichi glared at him. "Just because you're dressed like someone else doesn't mean you can start talking down to me!"
Byakuya smirked. "Don't misunderstand, Soda. I only speak the truth. For the Togami family is never wrong. Your words hold little meaning to mine. It's just the way things are."
Holy shit. His behavior was totally different now. It was hard to picture him as ever being Ryota.
Nagito was amused and elated. "Hmm. It's definitely impressive. So this is the talent of the Ultimate Imposter. Amazing! I feel honor to witness such a performance."
Kazuichi wasn't so positive. "Urgh, man. I totally liked you better before."
Fuyuhiko snorted. "Why? Because he didn't call you out on your bullshit?"
"That right there! That's what I mean!" Kazuichi felt betrayed. Again. "It's like everyone is ganging up on me. I thought you guys were on my side!"
They were?
Teruteru gave the mechanic a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Soda-kun. You'll always have me on your side!"
That didn't make Kazuichi feel any better.
Naruto wasn't having any of it. "If you want to try something stupid, go ahead. Just leave me out of it."
He already had an injured arm. He didn't want to injure anything else.
Besides, with his kiss with Sonia fresh on his mind, he had enough to think about.
'Oh crap.' That reminded him. If Kazuichi ever found out about that…..Naruto was sure he would never hear the end of it. He could already picture what the guy would say. "How dare you betray me!" or something like that.
It was clear. Naruto couldn't bring up such a topic while Kazuichi was around. Sonia would probably agree with him.
'So no talking about it tonight.'
How troublesome. Naruto still felt confused about the whole thing. His feelings were all over the place when it came down to it. He wanted to talk to the princess right away, to sort them out, but the current circumstances weren't favorable. There was also a part of him that did admittedly feel guilty. After all, Kazuichi was crazy about the girl. Was it okay for him to have enjoyed their kiss?
So many questions!
"Something stupid?" Nekomaru's voice brought Naruto out of his thoughts. The Ultimate Team Manager looked confused. "What are they plotting?"
"Honestly, Nekomaru, you're better off not knowing."
Naruto didn't wanna see the team manager get corrupted by Kazuichi's and Teruteru's perversion.
"It's just foolish talk," Gundham agreed. "Best not spoken of."
"Ugh, you guys make me so frustrated." Kazuichi scowled. "We gotta enjoy this moment. Have you not listened to a single word I've said this past month!? It's our duty as men to take advantage of situations like this! If we don't team up, we won't have a chance! Don't you have any desires in those bones of yours!?"
"Did you not hear me before?" Byakuya cut in with his head raised high. His whole posture demanded respect and submission. "I will not allow such activities to go on. I'll be keeping an eye on you. Is that clear?"
Kazuichi visibly recoiled from Byakuya's words. He opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but nothing came to mind. He was just too shocked for words.
What the hell!? How could this guy be so different from before!? Kazuichi couldn't understand it.
Naruto on the other hand couldn't be more happy about this. "Looks like we might be able to keep these two in check now."
Fuyuhiko smirked. "About damn time."
Byakuya was more than happy to hear their approval.
Kazuichi just about fell to his knees in anguish. "My beautiful fantasy…."
That's all he could say. How could things end this way!? He had dreamed up so many scenarios in the past couple of hours! Was it all for nothing!?
Teruteru was feeling more positive about this whole situation. After all, this "Togami Byakuya" fellow was so assertive. It made his loins tingle with excitement!
'Mhmm, it looks like we have another fine specimen~'
Naruto, Nagito, Fuyuhiko, and now Byakuya. So many options!
This was going to be exciting.
It took a few more minutes before the girls emerged from the bedroom and joined them in the living room. And oh boy, was it an experience.
Kazuichi practically died where he stood, his soul leaving his body in eternal bliss from what he was seeing.
It took Naruto and Fuyuhiko's combined slap to bring him back to life.
For once, though, Naruto and Fuyuhiko had similar reactions to the perverted mechanic. It wasn't that the girls were wearing anything inherently "sexy." It was the opposite. They wore mostly baggy t-shirts and shorts, with Hiyoko and Sonia being the two exceptions. The former was wearing a pink floral kimono, or maybe it was a yukata? Naruto wasn't exactly sure. I definitely screamed "Japanese," though. Even when she was sleeping, Hiyoko's love for Japan shined through.
As for Sonia, she wore a simple yet also very formal white sleeping down. Honestly speaking, it took Naruto a few seconds for him to realize that he was staring at the princess. He didn't know why. It was just…..different from her usual appearance. Like more "holy"? Maybe?
Regardless, all the girls still had a…..glamorous air to them. Probably because this was the first time they were seeing them like this.
But wait! That was the wrong thing to be focusing on right now.
'Get ahold of yourself, Uzumaki! You can't act like an idiot right now!'
Thankfully, Teruteru had everyone's attention at the moment.
"Ohohoho, what a magnificent sight this is! Do I dare approach this Nirvana?"
His nose was already bleeding again.
Mahiru rolled her eyes. "Zip it, before I kick you out."
She was already showing enough faith by sleeping in the same room as the cook. Any more, and she would lose it.
"Oh, but of course." The way he winked at her…..he didn't understand a thing, did he?
"Ehehehe." Ibuki started to pose. "You can admire this beautiful girl all you want, Naruto-chan."
Uh. Thanks?
"Forget all that." Akane was ready to take charge. "We haven't eaten anything yet, you know!"
She hadn't had dinner, and her stomach was rumbling!
Hiyoko huffed. "Is food the only thing you can think about?"
Probably.
"Um." Sonia raised her hand. "I understand your concern, Owari-san, but I do have something to say first."
She did?
"Oh, right." Chiaki looked up. "What you were saying earlier…."
Hm? Had Sonia and Chiaki talked about something? How curious.
"Oh?" Nekomaru voiced their curiosity. "Did you two plan something?"
Beaming as all eyes turned to her, Sonia said, "You can say that. Although it is more of a present. From me to all of you. Nanami-san was kind enough to help me with it, so I hope you all like it!"
A present?
They watched as Sonia dashed back into her bedroom before they could ask her anything more, with Chiaki following after her.
So the two had talked about something.
For some reason, Fuyuhiko felt concerned. "What the hell are those two up to?"
They had crazy ideas on their own, but together….what kind of weird shit were they going to come out with?
"Hey, don't disrespect Miss Sonia like that!" Kazuichi had to jump in Sonia's defense. "She said it was a gift, didn't she? Be grateful!"
Grateful? As if. To Fuyuhiko, the two girls were more like giant pains in the ass.
"We should just be patient and see what they have planned," Peko advised.
Naruto agreed, so they waited for the two girls to come out. They didn't have to wait too long thankfully. But when they did emerge from the bedroom, Naruto had more questions than answers.
For starters.
"Why are you two carrying books?"
That's right. Each girl was carrying a stack of books with them. The covers were all different colors, and each girl was carrying eight books. So there was a total of sixteen books.
Setting her stack on the floor, Chiaki smiled. "These aren't just normal books, Uzumaki-kun. It's something Sonia-san has been working on for the past week. It's very special."
That didn't explain much, so Sonia was happy to fill them in.
"They're diaries!" After placing her stack next to Chiaki's, Sonia happily held one in her hands. It had a pure white cover, almost platinum-colored. Was it custom made? Naruto wouldn't put it past her honestly. "I have read in many stories how friends keep journals with each other, to better keep track of their time together. And I thought it was a marvelous idea!"
So that's what this was about, huh.
"A diary?" Akane didn't look too thrilled about the concept. "So you gotta write and stuff? That sounds like homework to me."
Mahiru sighed. "We are high school students, so you should be used to homework."
"Should" being the keyword. But….honestly, ever since joining Hope's Peak Academy, there hadn't been any homework assigned to them. Technically, there should be, but with a teacher like Koichi running things….
Naruto was suddenly very happy to have that drunk as their teacher. He didn't want to suffer through the pains of written homework like in the ninja academy for a second time.
"I don't think that's the sentiment Sonia is going for, though," Nekomaru pointed out. "Or am I wrong?"
"No. I want it to be something fun for us to do," Sonia explained. "Not as some mandatory action….."
Mikan liked the idea, but she was still sort of confused. "W-What are we supposed to write in them…..?"
"Um, it's supposed to be anything really." Chiaki tilted her head in thought. "Whatever comes to mind. It's your personal diary, after all. Sort of like a game guide, but only made for you."
That kind of analogy was perfect for her.
"I do think it's great." Nagito was already on board. "Leave it to the Ultimate Princess to be this considerate. Understanding the feelings of the common folk is very important."
That probably wasn't what Sonia was going for, but alright.
"H'mph, I already posses several tomes and grimoires in my vast library. They tell of the secrets of this world and the one beyond." Gundham cackled. "But I suppose the time calls for me to expand on my collection. A more personal record, perhaps. Heh."
Right, right.
Naruto shrugged. "I don't have anything against it."
"Damn straight you shouldn't!" Kazuichi exclaimed. "If you tried to deny this, I would have to hit you. No one rejects a gift from Miss Sonia!"
Pretty sure the mechanic couldn't land one punch no matter how hard he tried, but Naruto didn't mind letting him think otherwise. Just because he was feeling nice.
Sonia's nostrils flared in excitement. "Daaaaaaamn straight!"
Alright, when she said it, it was just adorable.
The blank diaries were quickly distributed among them. It wasn't hard to see that each one was custom made. It showed the time and thought the princess had put into them. Naruto's, for example, had an orange cover with a very familiar leaf insignia displayed right in the middle.
It was easy to figure out what it was of course.
'It's the Leaf symbol. But when did she….'
Oh, that's right. He had Ibuki sew his headband into the sleeve of his coat. He had worn it several times around the others, so that's where Sonia must have picked up on it.
But still. That she was able to pick up on that, on how much the symbol meant to him without him having specifically told her…..it was heartwarming, to put it mildly.
"Sonia. Thank you."
As he said this, their eyes met for the first time since their kiss on the balcony. It was almost like they were sharing an unspoken conversation with one another. Like they were in their own little world, with no one to interrupt them.
The others picked up on this, and honestly they didn't know what to make of it.
Well, Kazuichi did.
"I don't know why, but….I'm not liking this."
Mahiru felt ashamed that her thoughts mirrored the mechanic's. How terrible!
Kazuichi's observation was enough to break the trance Naruto and Sonia were in. The two blushed and looked away.
"Y-Yes. Do not mention it." Sonia tried to play it off, but it was too late. The others were already looking curious about what just happened.
Or like Mahiru and Hiyoko, looking somewhat annoyed.
"Oh my." Nagito blinked. "Did something happen between you two?"
Goddammit, Nagito. Why did you have to be so blunt and observant!? Especially when there were other people around!?
"N-Nothing really." Naruto silently cursed his stutter. He wasn't usually like this. "You know, just the normal stuff. Yeah. Right, Sonia?"
"Indeed. Nothing unusual here! Just the peeps and the happenings."
Okay. Not the best time to try and use slang, Sonia. But that probably couldn't be helped. She was probably just as embarrassed as Naruto was.
"Hmm." Humming, Nagito crossed his arms. Just like with Fuyuhiko earlier, Naruto saw that the luckster wasn't buying their excuse. "If you say so."
At least he wasn't pushing it. Perhaps he could tell it was personal?
"What are we even waiting for? Come on!" Thankfully, Akane was too oblivious about what had happened to take note of it for too long. She just knew she was hungry, and she needed food. Now! "Let's start eating!"
"I suppose it can't be helped." Teruteru started to make his way over to the kitchen, because yes the suite had a kitchen.
That's how big this place was.
"I'll prepare another specialty of mine. Your wet panties will be dropping soon!"
"Gross." Hiyoko held her head in disgust. "Why do you always have to say stuff like that?"
Because it was fun!
Smirking, Byakuya said, "I shall bring out my specialty as well. All the fast food you can eat!"
Fast food? And he said it with so much confidence too.
"Fast food?" Chiaki looked up in thought. "That sounds delicious actually."
As a serious gamer, fast food had saved her on many occasions. It's probably where she and Byakuya could bond the most.
"Hey!" Teruteru turned to her with a fierce aura. "You shouldn't spoil your appetite like that, Miss Chiaki! That joke of a food is only empty calories! Nothing more!"
"Empty calories?" Byakuya almost snarled in anger. "You ignorant buffoon. You know nothing!"
He and Teruteru had clashed on this topic many times before, but this was the first time he was reacting this harshly. It came down to his change in persona, but to Naruto it looked like this was closer to his true self than when he was being "Ryota."
Kazuichi couldn't help but chime in. "I thought you were all high and noble now. But still talking about fast food? What kind of joke is that?"
Byakuya's eyes shifted to the mechanic, who just about froze where he stood. Those eyes carried much self-righteous anger in them, after all.
"H'mph, how foolish. The both of you. The ignorance here is astounding. Almost to the point where I don't know what to say. Your shallow beliefs are typical of ignorant commoners."
His words managed to snap Kazuichi back to reality.
"Alright, you know what-!"
And just like that, Kazuichi, Teruteru, and Byakuya descended into a heated argument about the "merits" of junk food. Whatever that meant.
Mahiru quickly clapped her hands to get everyone else's attention.
"Alright. Why don't you say we leave the peanut gallery behind and have our party?"
"I'm down." Chiaki smiled softly. "We can finally start our gaming tournament. I brought some new games with me."
Sonia flexed her arm with a large smile of her own. "I have brought all of the 'Friday the 13th' movies with me. We can choose to watch any one of them!"
Wait, "Friday the 13th"? What's that? Naruto hadn't heard of the movie before. And there was more than one kind?
"Oh, oh, oh!" Ibuki waved her arm excitedly. "We can totally play some party games too! Ibuki has lots of ideas!"
There were many other suggestions thrown into the mix. It was pretty clear that everyone had their own ideas about what they were going to do. So there was only one solution.
They had to do them all.
Several hours passed like that. It was already past midnight, but no one seemed to be ready to kick the bucket just yet. There was enough excitement in the air to go around!
It was during one of his breaks from playing video games that Naruto found himself in the kitchen with Fuyuhiko and Byakuya as he fed Kurama some snacks he had brought with him. He was just finishing telling the two boys more about the mission he had been on.
"Shit, that sounds crazy." Fuyuhiko's remark was pretty spot on. "I never thought that's what you were up to."
"Still, solving a murder." Byakuya chuckled. "It definitely sounds like something you would do. Especially the part about the assassins."
Really?
"Trouble just follows you everywhere, doesn't it?"
Naruto looked offended. "I don't look for it, alright. Things just got out of hand."
That was an understatement.
Naruto's mood then turned somber. "But I didn't really succeed. In the end, I wasn't able to stop her from trying to take revenge."
That failure weighed down on him more than his injured arm.
Fuyuhiko almost snorted. "Of course. Only an idiot like you would be worrying about something like that."
Naruto only glared at the yakuza.
Byakuya chuckled. "Indeed." He looked directly at Naruto. "You were able to save many lives. Why focus on your failure?"
Naruto didn't hesitate to answer. "Because if one person is left behind, it's almost the same as if no one got saved."
"I'm surprised. I didn't think you had such a boorish way of looking at things."
Byakuya's blunt response made Naruto glare at him next, but the self-proclaimed Togami wasn't deterred.
"You can't make everyone think the same as you. That's only common sense. There are going to be those who continue down their dark path, no matter the consequences. Trying to save them in meaningless."
Byakuya was speaking from personal experience. He had seen many things in his life. Met many different people.
The world could be a dark place.
Naruto looked away. "But if you don't try to save them….."
"But you did try, and she refused," Byakuya retorted. "What more can you do after that point?"
Naruto wasn't satisfied. "Everyone can be saved. I believe that fully."
"Perhaps." Byakuya could concede that point. "However, there are those who don't want to be saved. Even if you keep holding out your hand, they won't take it. What are you planning on doing then? You say you want peace. Such a road cannot be build on niceties alone."
Fuyuhiko didn't know why the conversation had taken such a serious turn, but he couldn't help but agree with Byakuya.
"It's the same way with my clan too. My old man has done a lot of crap to make sure we are where we are today. So have the leaders before him. I know he doesn't take pleasure from it, but it's a necessity."
A necessary evil, if you will. Fuyuhiko was the same way. Sure, he wanted to guide his clan down a brighter path, and if possible never kill anyone again. But that didn't mean he wasn't prepared to be tough if need be. It's just the way things were.
But to Naruto, that kind of mentality was just admitting defeat before you even tried.
"I've been told similar things like that before." Itachi, Jiraiya, and Nagito came to Naruto's mind right away. "I know it's stupid, but I can't compromise my beliefs. If you do, you've already lost."
"You still haven't answered my question," Byakuya said. "Do you really think nice words alone are enough?"
Naruto shook his head. "I don't. I also know there are some people who will never change. But that doesn't mean I can't try."
He still wasn't budging on that.
"Ideals like that." Byakuya closed his eyes in thought. "I must say, you're definitely strange. The way you described your world…..it would be more understandable to have a more bitter outlook on life."
"There was a time when I hated my world too," Naruto replied. He had come to terms with that long ago. "But I...I don't really have a choice. My master left me with this mission, you see. I can't just abandon it."
That would be the last thing Naruto would do. He would never betray Jiraiya's will.
"Your master, huh." Fuyuhiko could understand that sentiment. Naruto had described him as a great ninja, but there were still some details about him that rubbed the yakuza the wrong way. "He still sounds too much like Hanamura for my liking."
Naruto sweatdropped as he hung his head in shame. "I can't really deny that."
If those two had met…..they would have formed a very dangerous duo. Good thing this world was spared from that catastrophe.
"Well, the world is often times moved by powerful ideals," Byakuya said, catching their attention. "However, you won't always find things going your way. You will be forced to make choices you might not like."
"You're not wrong about that." Naruto glanced down at his cast. He then grinned as he focused back on Byakuya. "But it's just my ninja way, ya know. I can't go back on my word. No matter what, I will always make the choice I believe in."
That kind of line. Byakuya could admit. He was moved.
Smirking, Fuyuhiko said, "Well, he's an idealistic fool. So I guess we just gotta keep him in line."
Byakuya liked the sound of that.
Naruto didn't. "Calling me a fool. I might only have one good arm, but I can still kick your ass."
"Resorting to violence only proves that you've already lost."
Stop using logic, Byakuya!
"Heeeeeyyyy, what's going on over here!"
Naruto almost fell over as Ibuki practically pounced on him.
The girl started poking Naruto's cheek. "The energy over here is way too tense! This is supposed to be a party, ya know!"
"We're just talking about stuff."
Yes, just a normal discussion about the possibilities of peace and the nature of people. Typical stuff.
"Booooooring!" Ibuki wasn't having any of it. "Discussions are for old people! We just gotta partay!"
"Crazy bitch." Nice summation, Fuyuhiko. "But she's right. We should be enjoying ourselves. We can talk more about this later."
"I suppose it cannot be helped." Byakuya pointed at Teruteru who was trying to stop Akane from getting the rest of his food. "Hanamura! Prepare me another plate."
"H-Huh!?" The poor cook looked ready to pass out. "I-I don't mind your assertive tone, but….!"
He already had one behemoth to deal with. He couldn't handle another!
"Hey, wait a sec!" Naruto had to jump in this too. "I haven't gotten to eat my ramen yet!"
He had been too busy playing games and talking to the others to eat anything properly so far. And now that he thought about it, he was still hungry!
"You're definitely gonna explode from eating too much of that crap," Fuyuhiko remarked offhandedly.
Naruto would have scolded him for calling something as great as ramen "crap," but the blond was too busy trying to push Akane and Byakuya away while also accidentally giving Ibuki a piggy-back ride. He didn't even know the girl was still on his back. That's how motivated he was to get his food.
"Hehehe, atta boy!" Ibuki was still loving it. "March toward freedom, my Naruto-chan horsey!"
So in the end, it was the Ultimate Musician who won.
Of course.
Mikan was amused. It wasn't every day you saw Teruteru sprawled on the floor, looking like he was ready to move on to the next world.
"They're a bunch of animals….."
The nurse almost felt sorry for him, especially when Hiyoko began poking him with her foot as she happily sneered at him.
"This position suits you best, big bro Hanamura. If you could oink, that would make it picture perfect."
Mahiru would definitely disagree with that sentiment.
"Ah, those cold eyes of yours…..they give me strength."
Hiyoko had to shudder. "You're way too gross!"
"Mhmm, yes. Insult me more!"
The blonde dancer had to run away at that point.
Well, Teruteru's condition was expected to be honest. He had to deal with the appetites of Akane, Byakuya, and Naruto combined. One was bad enough, but the trio together? It was like staring down at an army all by yourself.
But while Akane and Byakuya were finally looking satisfied, Naruto was not.
"Dammit all!" The blond cursed again as he dropped his chopsticks. But it wasn't his fault. "I can't eat with my left hand like this."
He was right-handed dammit. But his right hand was currently stuck in the stupid cast.
He glared at it. "I'm really starting to hate you."
And of course, Kazuichi had to tease him about it. "Sucks to be you, huh."
"Aha, I don't think you have to put it that way, Soda-kun." Thankfully, Nagito was more kind about it. "He needs our help."
"So what?" Kazuichi started to back away. "I ain't feeding him."
Seriously?
Naruto almost rolled his eyes. "I wasn't gonna ask."
That would just be far too awkward.
Nagito hummed in thought. "Really? I was going to offer my assistance."
Nagito feeding Naruto ramen? Some people would probably pay money to see that.
"I can do it on my own!" Naruto focused back on his ramen, his eyes full of determination. "Just you watch me-OW, GODDAMMIT! THAT'S HOT!"
A couple of his fingers grazed the broth of the ramen as he fumbled with the chopsticks. Teruteru had made it searing hot, which was just the way Naruto liked it. It was sort of backfiring on him right now, though.
Kazuichi looked on with glee. Most of the girls were in the middle of another gaming tournament before they watched one of Sonia's movies together, so no one could save the blond bastard this time.
"Hehe, serves you right. Having all those harem moments. Trying to get a head start on that prophecy."
If Naruto wasn't so hungry, he might have stabbed Kazuichi for that comment.
"Stop bringing that up already!"
It had been a while since it had come up, so Naruto was more ticked off than usual about it.
Nagito was just curious. "Prophecy? What prophecy?"
"Nothing. It's stupid. Right, Kazuichi?"
The mechanic started to sweat as Naruto's glare settled over him.
"Y-Yeah, you're damn right it's nothing."
Cuz he wasn't going to let it happen! Not in a million years!
"Hmm, I don't think I understand," Nagito admitted after giving it some intense thought.
It was probably better that way.
"U-Um." In her usual demeanor, Mikan fiddled with her fingers as she slowly approached the trio. She had been watching their back-and-forth and was finally confident enough to make her presence known. "D-Do you need help, Naruto-san?"
Because she was more than happy to give it!
Naruto's eyes lit up instantly. "Aw, yeah! That would be the best! Thanks, Mikan."
Mikan's eyes lit up too, and with more confidence she sat next to the blond.
A cloud of despair settled over Kazuichi as he watched this.
"Fucking hax, man. I'm calling it."
Why couldn't that be him!? He wanted a hot nurse to help him too!
Nagito chuckled a little. "It doesn't seem like things went your way, Soda-kun."
Yeah, and there was no reason to say it out loud dammit! And the worst part was that Kazuichi was almost certain that Nagito wasn't doing it on purpose, which just made him all the more angry about it.
Naruto didn't care. He was already too busy enjoying his ramen as Mikan happily fed him. It was great, and the blond was enjoying the attention, if he was being honest. He had probably become too coddled thanks to all that time he spent with Kirumi.
She had been really attentive.
Eh, whatever. Tonight was all about being laid back and enjoying himself. Nothing wrong with that, right?
Nope, everything was just peachy…..until it wasn't.
Naruto would never admit that he was a lot more dense than the average person when it came to sexual advances. Unless it wasn't something as straightforward as his kiss with Sonia, he was bound to miss it.
But even he couldn't miss Mikan pressing her body more and more against him as she continued to feed him. Was it intentional? He had no idea. His whole lower right arm was covered by the pesky cast, but the upper half was not. And it was that half that was currently feeling the whole weight of Mikan's breasts. Worse still, she was only wearing a purple t-shirt, so he was able to feel her chest more strongly than normal. It was just like that time in P.E. all over again.
Oh, did he forget to mention they were soft? They were really soft.
"M-Mikan."
His voice cracked, but he wasn't able to lament it this time. He was far more concerned with trying not to react too strongly to Mikan's body.
Mikan for her part was even more embarrassed than he was, but she was going to do it! This was part of what Yūto had told her. Since she was so "busty," she needed to take full advantage of the assets in her arsenal. The closer she got, the better. She needed to overwhelm Naruto with her body to the point where he could only focus on her and nothing else…..well, those had been Yūto's words.
He had failed to mention how embarrassing it was to go through with it.
But Mikan was resolved to do it. Even though her chances were slim, she still felt emboldened enough to try it. Why? It was hard to say. She just knew that she was more…...sensitive than usual tonight. Which couldn't be helped. A combination of experiencing Naruto's chakra head on and the earlier hug had left Mikan more prone to listen to her more unsavory side. She was always able to keep such thoughts at bay during the day, especially when she was around Naruto and the others.
Her resolve was starting to show cracks, especially when her breathing became more heavy.
Naruto was once again reminded of that time in the infirmary, where he had seen a different side to Mikan that he didn't think was possible. Right now, her face was showing all kinds of emotions that he didn't think the girl had. He still had to ask.
What was happening right now!? Because this wasn't fair at all! What kind of reaction was he supposed to have here exactly!?
"Eh, what's going on?"
Mikan almost fell from her chair as Akane suddenly popped up next to them, her face curious.
Naruto almost sighed in relief at the interruption. He felt like something dangerous might have happened otherwise.
"Mikan is just feeding me."
He gestured to his cast.
"Oh yeah." Akane grinned. "I guess that would suck, huh."
It would indeed.
Mikan was still trying to come to grips with her racing heart while Akane pulled up a chair on Naruto's left side with a pair of chopsticks of her own.
"Here, let me help."
Naruto felt his cheeks burn again as he now felt Akane pressing her fully body on him. And unlike with his right arm, his left arm could enjoy the sensation fully. It was only more embarrassing because he was sure the girl wasn't doing it on purpose.
"W-Wait, what?"
Why was Akane doing something like this? Didn't she hate this kind of thing?
"W-Well, you know." She started to blush a little. "I just thought it wouldn't be so bad….to start acting more girly." She glared at him. "You got a problem with that!?"
He gulped. "No way! No problem here!"
It was like with Mahiru earlier. He felt like he was getting mugged for no reason!
"W-Wait, Owari-san." Mikan was able to come to her senses just in time to see what Akane was doing. "I'm Naruto-san's nurse, so I should be the one to do this."
She couldn't let someone else steal the spotlight.
"But I wanna help too."
"It's not necessary."
"But I wanna."
"Not necessary."
It was downright cruel for the blond as he found himself trapped right in the middle of the two girls, who also happened to have the biggest chests in their whole class. Everything around him felt incredibly soft, but he still had to look down longingly at his ramen.
'I just wanna eat my ramen….'
It was lucky most of the others were too busy with Chiaki's games to notice what was going on in the kitchen, but Naruto wasn't lucky enough.
Because Kazuichi and Nagito were still there to witness the whole thing.
"Is it possible to learn this power?" Kazuichi had to ask as he watched with raging envy. He wanted to have two busty girls around his arms too dammit!
Nagito cupped his chin in thought. He was seriously considering the question, which only drove Kazuichi insane.
After a while, the luckster arrived to one simple conclusion.
"I don't think it's possible, Soda-kun."
"It was a rhetorical question, you idiot!"
And so, their night continued.
What fun times indeed.
A more relaxed chapter. How fun. I didn't expect to focus like 4 chapters on this sleepover, but it couldn't be helped. It's just fun writing these scenarios, and I'm cutting enough of them as it is.
Mikan finally made a conscious move. You go, girl.
You can probably already tell, but I'm trying to balance Naruto's idealism with some of the other character's more grounded ideals. There's no Sasuke to fill that slot, but I can make do.
Where does Nagito fit in that? Good question.
I just wanna thank everyone for all the support again. This story has nearly reached 800 favorites and has more than a 1,000 reviews. Definitely crazy in my mind, especially since this whole thing just started out as a way for me to write about two of my favorite series.
Honestly, though, the fun is just starting.
Till next time.
