Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Danganronpa.


Chapter 37:
Little by little

"W-Why would you hurt yourself so badly?"

"I couldn't help it, Mikan. It was for the mission."

"But seeing your arm like this…..what if you can never use it again!?"

"I'm sure you can patch me right up!"

"I-I'm not a miracle worker, Naruto-san! Look at how badly it's burned. You should really take these things more seriously!"

"But I am! That's why I got hurt in the first place."

"T-That doesn't make any sense."

"It did in my head. And besides, it totally looks better than it did a week ago. It's healing just fine!"

"T-That's not the point! You have to take better care of your body! Don't you know that?"

"Of course I know that. I've lived for this long, haven't I? But I guess you're really mad, aren't you?"

"O-Of course I am! If your arm doesn't recover, then-!"

"I guess I'll just have to test it out then. See how it's coming along."

"T-Test it out!?" She squeaked, her face indignant at the idea. But also still very worried. It was an interesting mix. "T-That's not good! Just because I removed the cast doesn't mean you should move it around like that!"

It was too late to be saying that as he was already moving it.

"Don't worry. It'll just be some stretching exercises. And see if I can still feel stuff with my hand."

What?

"W-What does that mean…..?"

"And there's a nice pair of targets right in front of me!"

Another squeak left her lips, only louder this time. It was followed by a lot of blushing and some low moaning as the hand went and reached for her chest, freely exploring it.

"W-Wait, Naruto-san! You can't touch me there!"

"Why not? You're my nurse, aren't you?"

His hand didn't stop.

"Y-Yes…."

The way the hand fondled her breasts became almost forceful, but she didn't fight it.

"This is part of your duty."

"M-My duty…."

That sounded perfect.

Which is why she allowed herself to be pushed back on the bed as the hand continued to freely explore her chest. It was still over her uniform, but that didn't make it any less exciting or stimulating.

Especially since it was only the beginning.

The hand was already moving under her uniform, quickly unbuttoning her blouse. It was done so roughly that the buttons were almost ripped apart.

But she still didn't fight it. That forceful nature just made her all the more enthusiastic.

But wait, she couldn't enjoy this! This was just part of her duty. Her job. She had to be serious….!

"You're looking really red. Are you sure you're doing well?"

That was the sort of question that she should be asking, not him!

"I-I-I'm fine."

She was breathing harder now, but that only seemed to spur him on even more.

It made her feel extra excited too, if that was possible. Just seeing the devious look in his eyes was enough to make her imagine the worst, which in this case was also the best.

"Seems like I'm feeling fine with this hand." The hand was already unclasping her bra. "But I think we should test it out a bit more, don't you think?"

"Y-Yes!"

The hand started to go lower on her body. It reached her skirt in seconds. Her heart started beating faster and faster in anticipation. Just like with her shirt, it didn't stop there. And she didn't want it to stop there either. It started to creep under her skirt, trying to find its target.

It was almost there-!


"-Mikan! Hey, are you listening to me?"

The nurse felt someone shaking her.

"W-W-W-What…..?"

Her mind was hazy. It was almost like she was coming out of a dream or something.

"Mikan!" When she heard her name being called out again, she was able to finally snap out of it. When she did, she was faced with Naruto's worried eyes. "Hey, are you okay? Can you hear me? You've been frozen for like five minutes."

He hoped his arm hadn't scared her or anything.

His words caused Mikan to remember where she was and what had happened.

She was in the nurse's office. She had been waiting patiently here all morning after helping Byakuya out with his request. She had been hoping that Naruto would also be there already, but her blond friend had been late. Something about meeting the student council. Mikan couldn't remember exactly.

She had been a little worried about his tardiness, but she had put that aside now that the blond had arrived. Finally, she was going to be able to properly take a look at his arm!

It was then that it happened. Her embarrassment grew as she remembered her little fantasy.

It wasn't her fault, though! Honest! It was all thanks to Yūto and his stupid suggestions!


"T-That's really it?" Mikan had to once again question Yūto's motives as the short boy finished his explanation.

"Huh? What do you mean, big sis? Do you want to do more? Is that it? Oh gosh! I knew you were like me! I guess I should have known better."

"T-T-That's not it!" Mikan blushed hard as she fiddled in her seat. It was just that, given the boy's obvious perversion, she had imagined that he was going to suggest she wear something dirty or try to flash Naruto or something!

Right? She wasn't weird for thinking that, right!?

"Hmm." Yūto hummed. "Well, I'm only giving you the first step. I doubt you would want to wear my bunny outfit that I saved up."

He's got a what!?

"Besides, if my hunch is right, the guy you're interested in is probably a herbivore."

A herbivore?

"You know what I'm saying? The type that won't jump on his desires until he's pushed to the limit." Yūto nodded a couple of times. "Why else wouldn't he take the opportunity to jump and explore your body? Ah, he's probably also dense too. Really, that's the worst combination right there."

Even though he was crude about it, Mikan couldn't deny his description about Naruto. She still tried, though.

"H-He's just a decent person!"

"Hm? Sure, sure." Yūto didn't seem to care either way. "Look, my point is that you have to get him to start thinking all about you. And the best way to do that is for him to always have your body stuck in his head! That's why you have to be close to him at all times tonight."

This….this was a bad idea, wasn't it?

"Once you do that, it won't be long before he starts showing interest." Yūto smirked. "I'm sure you like to be dominated, huh, big sis?"

This guy….why was he so shameless!?

"Just trust me and take my advice. It might take a while, but it'll work out. If you need other forms of stimulation, just come to me. I might have some nice ideas after I return."

Mikan was never going to do that!


Yes, that had been Yūto's explanation for the whole thing. And Mikan had sworn she was going to be strong and not act on her desires! But as yesterday proved, she had been weak.

And now, she was weaker still.

How embarrassing!

Wait, no. She needed to get ahold of herself. She was in the middle of something very important here.

"Is that it?"

A third voice broke Mikan out of her thoughts. It made her remember that she and Naruto weren't alone in the nurse's office.

The Ultimate Pharmacist was also in the room. She had been with Naruto when he arrived, saying she had tagged along because she was curious about his arm. It wasn't really a surprise to Mikan. The girl was bound to be interested in this sort of stuff too, if her title was anything to go by.

Now that Naruto's cast had been removed, his burnt arm was clear for anyone to see, including the blond himself.

Naruto blinked a couple of times. It had only been a couple of days since he had last removed the cast, but the arm already looked almost completely healed.

'Woah.'

He wasn't sure how that happened. He was positive it was going to take a few days longer for his arm to look this healed. Sure, there were still some dark patches here and there. But other than that, it looked just fine.

Come to think of it, ever since this morning, his arm had felt better than usual. And by "usual," he meant ever since he had gotten hurt.

Weird.

Mikan and Seiko looked as surprised as he did.

"Incredible." It was Seiko who voiced their amazement. "I've never seen burnt skin heal so perfectly before. It's like something out of a fantasy novel."

Mikan had to agree. Of course, where Seiko was clueless, she had more insight.

'Is this because of his chakra?'

That's what the Ultimate Nurse had to wonder. But then, as Naruto had explained it, he no longer had that…..tailed beast was it, inside of him anymore. Or any of the other eight that he supposedly carried by the end of the war. That's what Mikan was able to discern anyway.

Still, there was no denying what she was seeing right now. Never before had she seen someone recover this perfectly from a burning before. It just wasn't feasible. Scars were going to be left behind, and that was if one was lucky. Some people lost all feeling in that area altogether if the burning was severe enough. Or even worse still.

They lost that part of the body for good.

"You said you had your injury a little over a week ago?" Seiko was in her scientist mode, where her voice lacked any of its usual meekness or hesitation.

"Something like that, yeah." Naruto felt a bit awkward as the Ultimate Pharmacist started to inspect his arm. He could tell she was curious, but he was never fond of people looking at him so closely like this. It just made him feel weird. All the more so since was almost right on top of him as she studied his arm.

"And you haven't applied anything to it? A cream perhaps?"

"Um." Naruto had to think about it. "I think the doctor I saw game me some stuff. I don't know."

He hadn't really paid much attention. He had been more interested in getting out of the hospital as soon as possible.

Seiko's hair started to wiggle as her eyes reflected nothing but excitement. Or well, the one that could be seen.

"I'm really interested in your body now."

Mikan almost blushed at her senior's words, but she was able to fight off her embarrassment since she knew the context in which it was being said.

Naruto had the opposite reaction, where he just sweatdropped. It just sounded like something Orochimaru might say, and he was not okay with that.

"Y-Yeah? I have a normal body I would say."

"But this kind of recovery…..where did you say you were from?"

"Erm…a village. It's far from here. Really out in the mountains. Hard to find."

Seiko wasn't really listening. Her head was already filled with many possibilities.

"If I could study your DNA…..no, I don't have the expertise for that. But I know some people who might. The medicine we might be able to create from your biological makeup-!"

Oh yeah, Naruto really wasn't comfortable with this.

It was something Mikan was able to take notice of, so she quickly stepped in.

"K-Kimura-san! I don't think that's necessary right now…..don't you?"

Seiko seemed to realize what she had been saying, and how close she had gotten to the Uzumaki. Startled, she quickly backed away with her head bowed.

"M-My apologies. I let my curiosity get the better of me."

She had almost forgotten her place, and how creepy people usually found her when they knew what she was into. It's why she always made sure to always suppress her passion about her field when around others, and that included Ruruka.

Naruto didn't blame her, especially since she sounded so remorseful.

"It's alright." He didn't want her to feel bad about this. "I just don't like talking about stuff like that."

Especially now that he knew what the school might be after.

Mikan gave something of a half-smile.

"And you also don't like needles."

Was she trying to tease him?

Naruto grumbled while Mikan giggled.

Everyone was always a critic.

Seiko looked between them, unsure of what to say or do. Should she just leave? She was probably bothering them, wasn't she?

"Well, things are looking better, huh?" Naruto was just all smiles as he flexed his arm a little. "I think I'll be fine in a couple more days."

"W-W-W-Wait!" Mikan almost had a panic attack when she saw this. "Don't move your arm around like that! It m-might look better, but I still have to check for any internal damage!"

Internal damage?

Naruto didn't know what she was talking about. "But I feel fine."

"That's not the point, Naruto-san! A-As your nurse, I order you to stay here until I complete my analysis!"

Oh, she was ordering him now.

Naruto sighed. There was no way he could say no, not when she looked this worried.

"Fine." There was a small pause. "Just no injections."

It was his way of trying to lighten the mood, and it seemed to work as Mikan's face brightened. She even giggled a little.

"No promises."

Hey, she was getting better at this. It made Naruto smile too.

"What do you say, Kimura-san?" Seiko felt confused as Mikan turned to her. "Do you want to say and help? You might be able to learn more about Naruto-san too."

Was there a double meaning there that Naruto wasn't understanding? Also, maybe this was just his imagination, but were the two girls closer than before? Ah, but maybe that was presumptuous of him. It's not like he was all that close to Seiko. If she and Mikan were friends, then there was no way he would know about it. Still, it did make him jovial. To see Mikan interacting more and more with others was a nice treat. It was the perfect solution to her fear in his mind, about being "alone."

Well, he already vowed to fix that. Still, it couldn't just be all him. Having others she could trust would go a long way to helping her move away from that negative mindset.

But maybe he was just being presumptuous again. After all, he still didn't know how close the two of them were.

Seiko still felt confused. "B-But…..won't I be a bother?"

Her eyes went to the blond when she said this, which he noticed. She was worried he thought she was only creepy.

It reminded Naruto of when he first met Mikan. How the girl had feared that she was troubling him by just being near him. She still had those moments here and there, but not as severe as before. Progress!

"You can stay if you want," Naruto reassured her with a laid back grin. "Just no more talks about cutting me apart and we're good."

"E-Eh!" Seiko's face turned whiter than normal, and given her already sickly complexion that wasn't a good thing. Seriously, Naruto was worried the girl was going to pass out or something. Her skin looked as sickly as Nagito's!

"I-I'm not trying to hurt you or anything! I swear! I only got caught up in the moment before! I would never do something like that! You have to believe me! And-! And-!"

Watching her fumble as she tried to explain herself was pretty cute actually. It was probably a little mean to make her think that he was wary of her, but Naruto still couldn't help but laugh.

One would assume that he was trying to mock her as he laughed, but it actually had the opposite effect on Seiko. She relaxed. There was something calming about the boy's laughter. She couldn't explain it. But at that moment, all her fears vanished. She understood that he wasn't creeped out by her.

"Ahahaha, it was only a joke." Naruto cracked another grin. "I'm not scared of you or anything. I'm pretty sure you're amazing at what you do."

Even though he probably couldn't understand a single thing about her talent. He still had no idea what a "pharmacist" was exactly. Maybe some kind of doctor? Mikan seemed to think Seiko had medical experience, after all.

"O-Oh." It was almost like an entire light show beamed into existence around Seiko, with her hair wiggling in excitement again. She just couldn't help it. Someone was actually complementing her talent. It was one of the best compliments Seiko had ever received, especially since it didn't have any strings attached. Naruto wasn't trying to recruit her or anything, or asking for some kind of favor from her. It was just a straightforward compliment.

And she appreciated it more than he realized.

Naruto didn't even find her hair wiggling weird this time. Just…..normal. Maybe he was already getting used to it?

As for Mikan, she was feeling both elated by this but also a bit jealous. She sort of wanted to be praised right now too…..that wasn't a bad thing, right?

In the end, Naruto found himself being looked after by two of the most capable people in the school, possibly the whole world.

Really, working together, there was probably little the Ultimate Nurse and Ultimate Pharmacist couldn't do.

The Uzumaki was lucky indeed.


After such a hectic morning, Naruto had sort of been looking forward to just joining the others for class. He hadn't been in the classroom in over a week, after all. It would probably be fun to get under Koichi's skin too.

Of course, there was still the Sonia matter that he had to deal with. How was he going to face her? He still didn't have all his answers, and he wanted to get his thoughts in order before he talked to the princess again.

But once again, there was another change of plans as Fuyuhiko suddenly appeared in the nurse's office just as Mikan and Seiko had finished looking over his arm. As he had suspected, there wasn't going to be any permanent damage. And at the rate he was healing, Mikan and Seiko were certain that there weren't going to be any scars left behind either.

To the two girls, it was something of a miracle.

They still had some questions about it, in particular Mikan as she had something on her mind regarding the speedy recovery. However, it seemed like that was going to have to wait as Fuyuhiko requested Naruto to follow him. Something about needing to talk to him alone.

Seeing the distress in his friend's face, there was no way Naruto could refuse.

So after getting a new cast, which he happily grumbled about, Naruto found himself on the rooftop of the science building with Fuyuhiko. The Uzumaki could see the main school building a distance away. Heck, he could see the whole campus from this vantage point.

It was a pretty good sight, and Kurama seemed to agree as he eagerly jumped out of the school bag to roam the rooftop. The soft wind was probably helping the fox relax too.

"You're not going to tell me someone died or something, right?" Naruto joked as he watched Kurama take in the breeze. He then looked at Fuyuhiko, who was leaning by the door of the rooftop with his arms crossed. "Cause you look terrible."

"Heh, well I certainly feel like shit." Fuyuhiko didn't dispute that. "But no, it's not that dramatic. It still sucks, though."

Yeah?

"Then what is it?"

Because last night the boy had been all sunshines and rainbows.

Fuyuhiko hesitated before letting out a sigh that was full of frustration and maybe even a little anger.

"It's Natsumi."

Really now. Naruto hadn't been expecting that.

"She finally convinced the old man to let her join Hope's Peak Academy."

Hmm. Now that didn't surprise Naruto all that much. He still remembered how desperate she had been about this issue. Still, he was curious.

"The school accepted her as the ultimate litter sister?"

"No." Fuyuhiko looked even more aggravated now. "The school still refuses to recognize it as a true talent, and at this point I don't think they're going to change their mind."

Probably not.

"Then how is she joining?"

Fuyuhiko's gaze fell to one of the other buildings in the distance. Naruto's gaze followed, and realization struck him like lightning hitting the ground.

"The Reserve Course?"

Of course. That was the only other answer.

Fuyuhiko almost growled. "Fucking hell. She's been more annoying about the whole thing recently. She's been really ticked off ever since you two talked. The old man finally relented just to get her to shut up."

How blunt.

Walking closer to the railing, Naruto gazed out the school again. It really was beautiful. Sadly, he couldn't say the same about what lied underneath.

"She's still focused on talent, huh."

More importantly, she was still focused on Fuyuhiko.

The yakuza heir glared at the ground. His eyes reflected just how done he was with the whole thing.

"We argued again today. I told her she was just being stupid, but like usual she won't listen. To anyone. She's a lost cause."

Naruto knew Fuyuhiko didn't mean that. It was just his pent-up frustration that was lashing out.

But still…..could this actually be a blessing in disguise?

Naruto wouldn't say he had an actual plan yet, but…..the pieces were all here. He just had to put them together.

"I say just let her do it."

"What?" Fuyuhiko's glare focused on him. "What the hell are you even saying? How is that going to help solve anything?"

See? Naruto knew he still cared.

The Uzumaki grinned. "You know I want to bring peace to this world, right?"

Fuyuhiko was caught off-guard by this. What did that have to do with anything?

"Well, I've decided on my first official step toward that goal." Naruto raised his one good arm toward the main school building, his grin only widening. "I'm going to change this school."

He was going to make Hope's Peak Academy a better place.

Fuyuhiko furrowed his brow. "Change this school?"

"You've seen it too. This place needs some major fixing. It's not the place that it could be. And I want to change that."

This so-called "special" project was at the center of this, but it was more than just that. Sōshun had given him the perfect route of how to go about it.

"I told you I was going to make your sister realize her mistake. Well, now I know how I'm going to do that."

His declaration was almost baseless in a way, but Fuyuhiko didn't doubt it for a second.

He still had to shake his head. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?"

This had nothing to do with him. Most people would just shrug and move on with their life. But this guy…..he was a strange bastard alright.

Fuyuhiko appreciated it nonetheless. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His sister's attitude was still a problem, but he was confident that things would get better.

"Idiots are the ones who make the world go round!" Naruto proclaimed. "So I don't mind being labeled as an idiot."

"I know you think you said something really inspirational just now, but that was fucking embarrassing."

Naruto twitched. "You're a bastard."

Fuyuhiko smirked. "Takes one to know one."

They then glared at the other before they started to chuckle. Their chuckle then turned into full-out laughter. They didn't say it, but they were both thankful for the other's presence at that moment.

"Come on." After getting his laughter under control, Fuyuhiko pointed at the door. "We should get going. Koizumi is probably going to chew us out for being late."

Probably.

"Wait."

Naruto still had something he needed to talk about, though. Something that he had to get off his chest before he could enter their classroom.

"I need some advice."

And Fuyuhiko was the one person he could turn to at this moment.


Ryota was not pleased. Not at all. He didn't try to hide it either. His face wore the biggest frown it could muster.

And Byakuya did not care one bit.

"Eat up." He stood by the animator with his arms crossed. "I'm not going to leave this room until you finish your meal."

Yes, yes. Ryota had already heard that like a million times. His stomach was certainly grateful for the meal, but Ryota was not. He had already wasted enough time taking a bath and getting dressed. It was time that could be better spent on his anime! This was just the worst.

His only solace was that Mikan was no longer here. The last thing he wanted was for such a beautiful girl to see him in this embarrassing state.

'Not that she didn't already.'

Ugh, he didn't even want to think about that anymore. All he could do was angrily munch on his meal, which worked just fine for Byakuya.

"Eating too much at once could have an adverse affect," he said, not giving much thought to Ryota's mood. "But I think this should be sufficient."

Mikan had said something similar, which is why Ryota had taken a shower first before finishing his meal. He thought it was a waste of time. It was all the same regardless.

"I don't get you."

He finally broke his stubborn silence in order to voice his confusion.

"Hm?" Byakuya didn't look perturbed by the comment. "Perhaps we just don't know each other well enough yet."

Ryota wasn't sure if Byakuya was joking or not, but he chose not to dwell on it.

"Don't say that. You're different from before. I know you are."

Ryota didn't think he could understand other people well, but even he was able to see that Byakuya was not acting like his usual self. Everything that happened this morning was more than enough proof of the change.

Byakuya was amused, and it showed.

"Well. You're not wrong I suppose. Like I said, I've decided to stop averting my eyes from the truth."

"What truth?"

"That you need help, and that I want to help you." Byakuya's face was smug. "Don't worry. Under my guidance, you'll be able to turn your pathetic life around. It won't be an issue."

This guy…..he was really committed to this bit, wasn't he? Even though Ryota already knew his true identity.

Ryota paid more attention to Byakuya's words. "It's not pathetic." His voice became firm, a first for him. "I'm trying to change the world. To help people. What's so pathetic about that?"

"Because those are all just excuses," Byakuya retorted. "It sounds more self-serving than noble to me."

"What!?" Ryota couldn't help but stand up as he met Byakuya's prideful eyes with his angry ones. "How can you say something like that!? You have no idea-!"

"Perhaps I don't," Byakuya freely admitted, his voice still calm. "However, I will not stand by and allow you to destroy yourself any longer. Even for your dream. It's not something I can agree with."

Ryota didn't know what to say to that. His anger was still present, though. "I never asked you for help! We aren't even friends! We only switched places because we had something the other needed! Isn't that what you said? It was only a partnership! Nothing more."

If Byakuya was hurt by Ryota's words, he didn't show it. Rather, he smirked. "H'mph, would you look at that. It seems there is a fire in you, after all. I'm glad. There is hope for you yet."

This guy wasn't listening at all, was he? It just made Ryota all the more angry.

"Did you not hear what I just said!?"

Byakuya's smirk disappeared. "I heard you. I'm just choosing to ignore it."

What!?

"I may be acting selfishly too." Byakuya could acknowledge that as well. "But I don't care. Human beings are born selfish. I see nothing wrong with it. As the being who stands above all others, my selfish desires are just that much bigger."

How did that make any sense!?

"It's something you should learn too. Without our selfishness, humans are simply not humans. Put bluntly, what's the point of achieving your dream when you won't be around to enjoy it?"

Now that did struck a nerve with Ryota. In one swoop, all the anger he had felt vanished.

Truth be told, that was not something he had given much thought to. Why? Because it wasn't really relevant. No, perhaps it was more about that "self-serving" comment Byakuya had made. All Ryota had been focused on was the adoration that would come from accomplishing his goal. But that was a given, right? His anime was going to save the world, after all!

There was a momentary pause from Ryota as he looked down.

'…..those words.'

They no longer felt convincing to him.

Byakuya noticed this and smirked again. "Seems you're finally starting to understand. Good. I can't do things the same as him, but I still want to help you. As your friend, I will help you remove yourself from this unhealthy obsession."

Obsession, huh. Ryota couldn't really argue against that either. It's probably what all of this was. An obsession.

Had he just been wasting his time? Was it really all for nothing?

Was he just a useless human being after all?

"Then we can start talking about implementing your dream in a more positive manner."

Ryota's head snapped back up when he heard this. He stared at the Ultimate Imposter with a gaping mouth.

"W-What? Didn't you just say-?"

Byakuya chuckled. "Don't misunderstand me. I do think what you're trying to do is noble. I just think the way you're going about is wrong. But do not fear. You have Togami Byakuya to guide you. Under my tutelage, you'll be able to spread hope to the world in a fitting manner."

Ryota really was speechless this time. He never would have figured that Byakuya actually cared about spreading hope to others.

"…..you really have changed."

That's all he could say.

Byakuya looked pleased. "Of course I have. I have a new dream of my own. That's why I'm here. I'm going to show you the errors of your way. In the name of my family, I swear I'm going to reform you."

It sounded annoying, but somewhere in the back of Ryota's mind he couldn't help but feel grateful. It was weird, but it was almost as if he wasn't alone anymore.

What was the future going to bring now that there was a new beginning for him and Byakuya? Ryota couldn't really answer that, and despite himself he was excited to find out the answer for himself.

"Afterwards, we can start talking about you coming to class. The others are eager to meet you."

WAIT, WHAT!?


There was something rather freeing about talking to someone about your troubles. Maybe it was just knowing that there was someone you could depend on that made it so liberating.

Naruto wasn't all that sure, but he knew he felt really relieved as he finished recounting last night events with Fuyuhiko. Specifically, what had happened between him and Sonia.

The Ultimate Yakuza looked as if he had just walked in on his parents making out. Naruto would have laughed at the boy's face if it didn't also make him feel embarrassed.

"You kissed that broad? Seriously?"

Naruto felt his cheeks burn red. When it was said so bluntly, it made his heart race faster.

"Don't say it like that alright!"

Fuyuhiko almost rolled his eyes at him. "What other way am I supposed to say it?"

"I-I don't know!"

It was just embarrassing.

Fuyuhiko couldn't believe it. "You actually kissed her."

Not whom he would have guessed honestly.

"W-Well, it's more like she kissed me," Naruto mumbled. "But yeah, I sort of kissed her back….."

"What are you, a high school girl? Stop beating around the bush. You kissed her!"

"Alright, alright!" Naruto sighed, aggravated and embarrassed. "I kissed her. Happy? But I don't know why. And it's killing me. I don't even know what I'm going to say to her after this."

Fuyuhiko felt like slapping him. "You don't know why? Seriously?"

"What?" Naruto turned to him. "Am I supposed to?"

Fuyuhiko really wanted to slap him. Like several times.

"Why do you think you would kiss someone, huh? Hell, why do you think she kissed you?"

Why?

Naruto recalled her words. "She…..she wants me to stay here. And wants to give me a reason to stay….."

That's what she had said.

"And what do you think that reason is?"

Fuyuhiko's question stumped the Uzumaki for a bit. An answer was slowly forming inside his head, and it should have been the most obvious thing in the world.

But for Naruto, it was one of the hardest things to accept.

"She….likes me?"

"And you like her," Fuyuhiko said, grinning somewhat. "That broad has you on her sights. She's always been weird, but to go after you, well. Now we know she's crazy."

The yakuza heir only meant it as a joke, but to Naruto it hit close to home. Because…..why would Sonia like him? No, no. That couldn't be it. He hadn't done a single thing to make her like him that way.

'No wait. What Fuyuhiko said…..'

Did…..did he like her back?

'Is that why I also kissed her?'

Did he have romantic feelings for her?

The humor started to leave Fuyuhiko's face when he noticed the troubled look appearing on Naruto's face. He could tell his friend was deep in thought.

"Thinking doesn't really suit you."

Naruto would have glared at him, but he was too busy trying to understand this turn of events for that.

"That's gotta be wrong. I mean…..how could that be?"

"What?" Fuyuhiko didn't understand. "Someone has feelings for you, and you have feelings for her. Is that so weird?"

"It just doesn't make sense!" Naruto almost yelled at him. He really wanted to, but he settled for just gritting his teeth as he almost slammed his hand down on the railing. "It just can't be…."

Fuyuhiko studied Naruto's back for a moment. He was almost shaking.

Was he scared? But scared of what?

"I can't have feelings for her." Fuyuhiko frowned, but he didn't say anything. So Naruto continued. "It just…..it wouldn't be fair. For anyone. Not when I still feel like I have to return to my other world. And…..to everyone else. It's like I'm slowly abandoning them. It's just not fair."

So that was it. Fuyuhiko felt like he should have understood sooner, but this was no time to be kicking himself over.

"You know, you're kind of a hypocrite, Uzumaki."

Naruto didn't answer him.

Not that Fuyuhiko cared. He wanted to say something too.

"You've said plenty of times that it's okay to be selfish. But here you are, thinking about everyone but yourself. That's just fucking stupid."

"It's not the same…." That's what Naruto wanted to argue, but Fuyuhiko didn't let him.

"It's the fucking same. Sonia understands that too, but she's willing to be selfish for what she wants. She wants to become the reason for you wanting to stay here. Call it insensitive, but she doesn't care. Not just that, but even after everything you've said, you're still stuck in the past. You say you're not looking for a way back, but you're still letting it control you. You're not living at all. Or is everything you've said a lie?"

That stung deep. And Naruto had no way of defending himself. Fuyuhiko was right, after all. He said he was content with how things were, but in actuality he wasn't. He was still letting his inability to find a way back hang over him.

More than that, he was hurting everyone else too. He was acting in the worst way possible.

He was being torn in two opposite directions, and despite his wish to escape this predicament it was almost like he was still stuck in place.

In that way, Sonia was being stronger than him. She had come with her answer, while he still couldn't stick to one.

So disappointing. He was sure that's what Kurama would think if he saw him behaving this way.

Still…..trying to suppress those emotions wasn't exactly easy. Nor did Naruto want to. But at the same time, he couldn't let them rule over him either.

He had promised Chiaki that, hadn't he? That he would do his best to keep looking forward instead of looking back. But he had failed to uphold it.

Naruto really wanted to punch himself.

"Just do whatever you want." Fuyuhiko walked up to him. "If your heart is telling you that you want something with Sonia, then go for it. If not, then don't. But don't base it on the past. No one is going to be happy then."

To be selfish. For once, he had to put everything else aside and look at what he wanted.

A grateful smile formed on Naruto's face as he looked at Fuyuhiko.

"Thanks. I really needed that."

"H'mph, this isn't enough for a thank you." Fuyuhiko looked away. "Just don't make the same mistake again, or I'll cut you."

Besides, compared to everything Naruto had done for him, this was nothing. That's what Fuyuhiko thought anyway.

That didn't stop them from bumping fists with one another.

That's what their bond was all about, after all.


Naruto and Fuyuhiko stayed on the rooftop for a couple more minutes after that. They both had thoughts they needed to get in order, Fuyuhiko with his sister and Naruto with Sonia. But by the end, they each felt confident about what needed to be done.

There was no point worrying if they were going to be late to class that morning. Because they definitely were.

Like an hour late.

It really had been a busy morning.

They totally expected to get an earful from Mahiru as they reached their classroom, but it was actually Koichi who was waiting for them by the door. He had his usual flask in hand.

"Tsk, tsk." He shook his head when he saw them approaching. "Man, you kids are really insensitive. I try my best to show up in time, but all of you get here so late."

All of them?

Naruto looked sheepish. "We had a busy morning."

And night.

His eyes did soften a little. "It's good to see you again."

"Awww." Koichi placed a hand over his heart. "That hit me right here. To know you actually care about me. Not care enough to show up on time, but hey."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Don't push it."

And besides, how was he to know that the man was going to be punctual today?

"Bastard has been weird all week," Fuyuhiko said, somewhat disgruntled. "Some of us think he's dying, but….."

"Hey! Don't go killing off your teacher!"

How rude was that!?

"Ugh, whatever. Koichi stepped into the classroom. "Just get in here. We have a lot to do today, and Uzumaki has to play catch up."

"Hold up, what?" Naruto turned to Fuyuhiko for answers. "He's actually teaching?"

"Like I said. Weird."

Woah.

"I can still hear you!"

Neither Naruto nor Fuyuhiko apologized as they followed after him. Everyone else was already inside waiting for them.

"Finally!" Hiyoko was slumped over her desk. "We thought you two ditched or something. We had to sit here for like an hour doing nothing. Just cause this lame teacher wanted everyone here before we did anything."

"I'm not repeating myself twice," Koichi said as he stood by the podium. "Besides, you chose to stay, Hiyoko-chan."

"Don't remind me."

Naruto so owed her for this. Maybe she would make him go shopping with her. Mhmm, that sounded pretty sweet.

"Really, you're always so late." Mahiru's face was exasperated as she looked at Naruto. "What were you two even doing?"

"Oh, you know. The usual." Naruto left it as that before taking a moment's glance toward Sonia. He didn't know if she noticed or not, but it didn't matter.

He was going to set things straight between them.

"Alright, you brats." Koichi seemed excited as Naruto and Fuyuhiko took their seats. "It's been a week, but it seems our group is complete again."

"Huh?" Akane looked bored. "So what?"

"Oh, no reason." Really? Even though he seemed really excited? "Just sit your butts down and let me give you the best lecture you've ever heard."

Oh my. He was serious then.

Naruto still couldn't believe it. Up until now, Koichi had been nothing more than a somewhat amusing drunk to him. He wasn't going to complain, though. Sitting here, with everyone else. It was like he was where he belonged.

And he would treasure that.


Romance.

What a complex phenomenon. Although in many ways it was also very simple.

Naruto couldn't say he understood it very well. As he waited for Sonia to arrive, he had a moment to reflect about the topic. It was also funny to watch Kurama meekly approach the water fountain. It was like he was scared the water would jump out and attack him at any moment.

Cute.

Where was he?

Oh yeah, romance.

He was able to acknowledge that he didn't really understand it. Even now he still had to question what Fuyuhiko had told him.

Did he like Sonia in that way? Truly? A type of love that was different from a friend? Naruto wasn't sure. But as he had noted from the start, he had in fact kissed her back. So should he even be questioning his feelings?

Once again, he didn't have an answer. That was the only conclusion Naruto could arrive at again. However, unlike before, he did understand the direction he needed to go in order to figure things out.

Which is why, when he spotted Sonia, he didn't feel hesitant or scared. Like before, he was just going to be honest with her. At the end of the day, that's all he could do.

Looking at Sonia as she stopped a few feet away in front of him, there seemed to be a similar resolve in the girl.

"The others are probably going to be confused as to why we are not with them," she joked, her voice soft.

True, they sort of just made random excuses and slipped away from the group as they had been heading toward the cafeteria for lunch.

This was just not something that could wait. In his typical fashion, Naruto wanted to clear the air between them as soon as possible. And to get the answer he was looking for.

Sonia was of a similar mindset. She wasn't the type to hesitate during situations like this. Maybe it had to due with her upbringing.

They were here, alone and ready to face this new development between them.

"I understand what you were trying to say last night," Naruto began, his voice also soft. "It took me longer to realize than I would have liked, but I get it. I know what you're trying to do. And your feelings."

Sonia subconsciously clenched her hand. "My feelings…."

What she wanted. What she was feeling.

Naruto looked at her. "Do you love me?"

It was blunt, and honestly not a simple question. But then again, it was just like him to ask this kind of question. He just wanted to make sure he understood.

Sonia didn't seem to take offense.

"That is not something I can answer yet."

Naruto could only stare at her.

Hesitating for a moment, she looked down. "I…..I do not know what it feels like to love someone. I told you this before, but I have never been around other people my age before. No one in my kingdom who was my age matched my social standing. These emotions in my heart…..I still cannot decipher them. But that kiss between us….it was still genuine!" Of that, she was certain. Which is why she was able to raise her head and meet Naruto's eyes with her own. "I want you to stay by my side. To always be there for me, and I for you. I know it is wrong of me to expect that from you, but I cannot help it. That is why I am willing to become the reason you need to stay here. Even if you might hate me for it, I am ready to risk that. Those are my feelings."

It was just like last night. She was able to be honest and upfront with him.

Really, it just made her all the more beautiful in Naruto's eyes.

"You can speak your mind real easily," Naruto said, giving her a smile. "I wasn't able to do that last night, because I was so confused. I still am. But I want you to understand that confusion with me."

Sonia was prepared for that.

"I can't say whether I have feelings for you or not either. I've never really had to worry about something like this before. There's also a part of me that feels like romance shouldn't be something I deserve, since it feels like I'm only abandoning everyone else. Do I really deserve to be happy while they suffer? That's been on my mind a lot."

Sonia listened to him intently, without interrupting.

"But then someone helped me realize that it's okay to take that leap. It might be selfish, but it's not something I should be scared of. That I shouldn't be living in the past. I can't say I'm totally convinced yet, but I'm also not someone who can deny his feelings."

Sonia knew that all too well.

"That's why I want you to help me." He walked closer to her and took her hand with his own. "I want to see if these feelings can lead somewhere. I'm sure it's the same for you."

In other words, they would be imposing each other's uncertainties on the other. It was nothing but pure selfishness on their part.

But really, wasn't that what romance was all about?

Sonia almost felt like crying right then and there. Despite what he had said the previous night, a part of her was certain the boy would come to hate her for wanting him to stay here. But his words put her at ease that that wasn't the case. She didn't have to fear him hating her.

"But starting a relationship with me….do you know what would mean?"

Naruto did but also didn't.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Naruto said. "I don't really care if you're a princess or whatever. You're still just Sonia to me. Whatever happens it'll be between the two of us."

Those were the greatest words Sonia could ever hope to hear.

They did not kiss again. Neither was ready for that. But they did hug, both basking in the other's presence.

They were not dating. Not yet. For neither understood for sure what it was that they felt for the other.

This was still the beginning of something. What that was they would have to wait and see.


"Look, look! The stage is so beautiful! No, it might even be adorbs!"

Kotoko's words were met with a round of laughter, with Kazuichi shaking his head.

"What's so 'adorbs' about a stage? I don't get it."

Kotoko stuck her tongue out at the mechanic. "That's because you're totally not adorbs. Get it?"

"Why you-!"

Kazuichi tried to grab the girl but she quickly hid behind the laughing Naruto.

"Eek! Save me! He wants to take me away!"

Lying brat. Kazuichi really wanted to pull on those ponytails of her.

Fuyuhiko couldn't help but make fun of him for it.

"Going after young girls now. That's a low, even for you, Soda."

"What did you say!?"

Naruto had to shake his head in amusement as Kazuichi's face turned red. But whether it was from anger or embarrassment was anyone's guess.

It was another new day. It had been a couple of days since his talk with Sonia, and now it was finally time for Hiyoko's show. It's why he was here with everyone. He had also invited the Li'l Ultimates to tag along with the rest of the class. It was his way of making it up to them for being gone for a week. Thankfully, Hiyoko had given him some extra tickets. In exchange, he just needed to go shopping with her one of these days apparently.

Kotoko had instantly jumped at the invitation, and while the others had been a bit slower to accept Naruto was certain that they were having a good time.

Or he hoped so at least.

As a side note, having to explain the cast to them had been a bit tedious, as he hadn't gone into full detail. They were just kids, so he didn't want to destroy their innocence just yet.

The only downside in all of this having to wear a stupid suit again.

Ibuki just had to tease him about it.

"Oh la la la~ You look presentable in that suit, Naruto-chan!"

"Don't make me pull your cheeks."

Cause he'll do it.

"Hyah! Trying to assault a maiden! The beast!"

Naruto was so close to going through with it. If only she didn't run away at the last second, laughing like the madwoman that she was.

Mahiru had to step in. "Stop it you guys. We're here to support Saionji-san, remember?"

"Indeed." Nekomaru almost flexed, but then he realized that if he did he would rip apart the dark suit that he was wearing. So he refrained. "We have to shower her with all of our sweat and tears tonight!"

Even Ibuki didn't like the sound of that.

"Gross."

Peko had a similar reaction. Despite her respect for the team manager, sometimes she had to wonder what went on inside that head of his.

"Mhmm." Teruteru on the other hand liked the sound of that. "Sweat, you say? I cannot help but look forward to that."

Gundham backed away from the cook. "Foul creature. Cease your oppressive aura at once!"

Or in layman's terms, stop being a pervert.

Which was never going to happen.

"Hey, wait a second!" Akane looked around the room. "Where's the snack area you promised?"

Mahiru looked nervous. "W-Well, about that….."

There wasn't one. Yes, Mahiru had lied. But she had to! It was the only she was able to convince the gymnast to wear the beautiful black dress that she had on.

And she didn't regret it for a second.

"Alright, alright." It was Teruteru who came to her rescue. "Tell you what. I'll cook you something up after the show is over. What do you say?"

"HELL YES!"

Whew. Thankfully that was enough to placate the girl.

The show was soon going to start, so the Ultimates started to look for their seats. And as luck would have it, they had some of the best seats in the whole room.

"Saionji-san went all out I see," Nagito noted with another smile. "I'm flattered that she would go so far for me."

He had half-expected to end up with a different seat separate from everyone else.

Chiaki puffed out her cheeks. "Stop acting like that, Komaeda-kun. Just sit down, okay?"

Now how could Nagito refuse?

Naruto would have joined them, but then his phone started to vibrate in his pocket. When he checked, he saw that it was a text from Hiyoko.

'She wants me to come backstage?'

What for?

Maybe she was dealing with some unexpected troubles? Well, either way, he couldn't exactly say no.

Mikan and Sonia both noticed this.

"Is something wrong?" Sonia asked him.

Naruto shook his head. "I don't know. Hiyoko just texted me. I gotta see what's up."

Right.

Sonia had a resigned smile. "Of course."

Mikan almost matched that smile. "We'll be waiting for you."

Naruto thanked them before heading back stage.

Time to see what this was about.


It took all of Naruto's willpower to not just push his way through security. They were making this more annoying than it had to be.

"Look, I'm telling you. Hiyoko said that I could come back here!"

"No one is allowed back here. Now scram."

What a load of-!

Naruto was about to just say screw it and go through them, but thankfully he didn't have to as Hiyoko arrived on the scene.

"What's going on here?"

"Oh, Miss Saionji." Miss Saionji? "There's nothing to worry about. We were just kicking this trespasser out."

"Trespasser?" Hiyoko's face was annoyed. "What are you idiots even saying? He's the most important guest here!" He was!? "Now let him through, before I decide to never perform here again!"

Knowing full well what would happen if Hiyoko followed through with her threat, the security guards all paled. They quickly went on their way, as they had no interest in being fired over something like this. Or worse, scorned by their boss.

Yes, Hiyoko was that important in this industry.

Naruto was impressed. "Wow. I didn't know you had that in you."

"Don't underestimate me." Hiyoko's voice no longer had its previous bite. "Just come on. You took long enough. My grandmother is getting impatient. That hag is so easily annoyed."

Wait, wait, wait. What?

Naruto had no idea what was happening, so much so that he didn't even put a struggle as Hiyoko grabbed his hand and started to lead him backstage. There were several waiting rooms in this area, and even some private rooms for the performers.

Hiyoko's was by far the fanciest.

It was only when they were by the door to the private room that Naruto was able to snap out of it.

"Wait, Hiyoko! What are you talking about? Your grandmother? What is all this about?"

Cause he hadn't heard a single thing about this!

"O-Oh." Hiyoko fidgeted in place, her cheeks red. "Didn't I tell you? My grandmother wants to meet you."

She did!?

"But why?"

"I might have sort of mentioned you a couple of times to her…..maybe. And now she wants to know what your intentions are."

Intentions?

Sensing his confusion, Hiyoko explained.

"Didn't I tell you before? My family has always been targeted before. Many useless people who are jealous of our status and power have come after me. S-So the old hag wants to know if you're a good guy or not."

Oh. That sort of made sense.

Naruto calmed down. "You should have told me sooner. Jeez, if that's what this is about, then fine. I don't mind."

He couldn't say that he was going to enjoy the experience, not fully at least. But that just came down to how overbearing Hiyoko had described the old woman to be. Especially how she had prevented Hiyoko from seeing her father, just because he wasn't a part of the family. Still, at the end of the day, she had been the one to raise Hiyoko. So if she loved her, then Naruto would do his best to get along with her.

With that in mind, the two blonds walked into the room together.


Hiyoko's grandmother looked exactly how Naruto imagined her to be. He could tell right away that she was dignified, and had a pompous air to her. It was similar to Fuyuhiko's parents, but at the same time it wasn't.

She too was wearing a kimono, similar to Hiyoko's. Only hers was of a darker shade. Sort of fitting he supposed.

"Finally." She did not stand up. "You have kept me waiting long enough, Hiyoko. I was beginning to think you didn't want me to meet him."

"N-No, of course not!" Hiyoko quickly said. "There were just some issues with security, that's all."

Huh. Well, that also explained that. If Hiyoko really was targeted as much as she said, it would make sense that her grandmother would forbid anyone from coming back here.

"Well?" She raised her eyebrow ever so slightly, but Naruto still noticed. "Introduce us."

"Y-Yes!"

Hmmm. Hiyoko was acting similar to Mikan right now. Strange.

"Grandmother, this is Uzumaki Naruto. He is my….classmate and friend. B-Bi….N-Naruto-san, this is my grandmother and the head of my family."

Naruto-san?

The Uzumaki decided to ignore that for now. "Yo, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

Naruto saw a small twitch on the old woman's face. He could tell right away that she had been looking at his cast. Probably curious as to how he got it.

"Yes, likewise. Hiyoko has spoken highly of you. However, if you know anything about her, then you must know why I'm wary. Anyone who's ever tried to get close to her in the past has only done so because of her position and wished to take advantage of her in some way. I hope you're not the same as them, Uzumaki-san."

"What, you kidding?" Laughing, Naruto patted Hiyoko on the head, much to her embarrassment. "There's no way I could ever harm Hiyoko. She's precious to me. Everyone in our class likes her too. So you got nothing to worry about, granny!"

Hiyoko's face turned full on red, for a multiple of reasons. For starters, to hear Naruto say that she was "precious" to him made her want to hide in the closet and never come out again. Secondly…..did he just call her grandmother "granny"!?

He was going to die, wasn't he?

Naruto didn't see anything wrong, though, and to her credit the old woman didn't visibly react to it. Her face didn't even twitch this time.

"Hmm. Precious, you say?" Her eyes studied Hiyoko's red face for a moment. She then looked at Naruto again. "So you don't care about our family or our status?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not really, no."

Whether they were rich or not was irrelevant to him. Or whatever other form of "power" that they had. It just didn't factor in to his relationship with Hiyoko.

Like, why should it?

Hiyoko didn't know where this conversation was going, nor did she enjoy the silence that followed. Naruto and her grandmother were just staring at one another, almost as if they were trying find a single mistake from the other. Like two master chess players, just silently studying their opponent.

It was bizarre.

At last, after what seemed like an eternity, the woman stood up, her eyes closed. "Yes, well. I can understand it now. You are a fool, just like Hiyoko's father."

Hiyoko flinched, while Naruto didn't react.

The woman didn't say any more. She just walked past them and made to leave. But she stopped midway to say one final thing.

"I suppose that's better than the previous fools."

At those words, Hiyoko released a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

Naruto just watched the old woman leave with a befuddled expression.

"I have no idea if she likes me or not."

Hiyoko almost laughed at this. "She likes you, trust me."

If she hadn't, there's no way she would have let Naruto stay.

"You think so?" Naruto scratched his head before shrugging. "I don't think I get her."

Again, he didn't exactly like the woman, but at the same time he didn't dislike her either.

It was weird.

"No one does." Hiyoko's face softened. "She's a real pain, but I owe her a lot."

Naruto just hummed. This was going to be a conversation for a later time.

"Well, as long as she knows you're safe. But anyway, I think we should get going. The show is about to start."

"Right." She glared up at him. "You better not fall asleep, or you'll regret it."

Right, right. Typical Hiyoko.

Naruto saluted her. "You can count on me."

He was going to leave it at that, but then Hiyoko stopped him.

"Wait."

Curious, Naruto turned to her. "Is there something more?"

She was blushing again. "J-Just bend down a little."

What?

Once again not knowing what was happening, Naruto did as asked.

His confusion soon faded when he felt Hiyoko's lips on his cheek.

She was kissing him.

It didn't last long, and he was sure he saw steam coming out of her ears.

"T-Thank you."

That's all she said before she literally ran out of the room.

Naruto was left just standing there with his hand on his cheek before he smiled.

'She got me.'

As they say, little by little this story continued to unfold.


Yo, welcome back again.

We have finally done it. After 30-something chapters, we have finally reached the start of the anime. Yes, after this, we have our second time skip.

The first two months have been completed. Hell yeah. Give everyone a round of applause.

The next update is probably going to take a while too since I need to give my other stories some much needed attention, and with the limited free time I have right now it's only going to take longer still.

But worry not. I will leave you all with this extra scene that I couldn't fit in anywhere but was just too good to not include.

Enjoy.


~Peko's Fantasy?~

Mikan was stumped. She was sitting in the classroom staring at the blank journal in front of her.

"W-What do we even write?"

Ibuki tried to balance her pencil on her nose.

"Didn't Sonia-chan say it was a personal journal? So we can write whatever we want!"

Peko looked down at hers. "Regardless, trying to find the right words is not easy."

She had never kept a record of anything before. Her thoughts were her own, and she had never felt the need to write them down. But now, she felt differently. She wanted to honor Sonia's request and the gift she had given them.

But again, it was not easy.

Mikan understood where she was coming from. "T-There is just so much….."

She had many things she wanted to write, but she didn't know where to begin. Some were probably not even appropriate to write about with Peko and Ibuki also present.

"Ehehe, it's no big deal." Ibuki gave them a peace sign. "It's just like writing lyrics. It's not hard at all!"

That kind of comparison would only work for her.

"Ah, jeez." Ibuki could see her words weren't having any effect on them. "Fine, fine. Let Ibuki think of some ideas then."

"U-Um, that's not necessary." Mikan didn't want her to go that far. It was just her being indecisive again, after all. "We can just think of whatever comes to mind first…..right?"

Peko considered that for a moment. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea at all."

"Oh yeah?" Ibuki grinned widely. "Then how about crushes!"

Crushes!?

"T-That's completely inappropriate!" Mikan exclaimed. The last thing she wanted was for more people to figure out her feelings!

Peko's response was more reserved. "Indeed. That is not appropriate."

"Awww, come on, Peko-chan. We all know you want to get all kissy-kissy with Fuyuhiko-chan. There's no shame in that!"

"What…..?" It was Peko's turn to blush. This was always her one weak point. "T-That has nothing to do with this."

"Oh my~" Ibuki's eyes twinkled. "You didn't deny it. Ibuki knew she was right!"

Oh no, Peko made a mistake. But she only realized it too late.

"It's always the ones with the highest sense of duty who are the more perverted." Ibuki nodded to herself like she had just revealed the truth of the universe to them. "You can't deny it. Ibuki knows girls inside and out!"

That sounded perverted too.

Mikan poked her fingers together. "I think it's pretty beautiful that Pekoyama-san has such feelings….."

And it made her kind of envious too. Mikan still remembered the festival, how easily Peko had been able to get close to Fuyuhiko. She wished she had that same confidence.

"I-I haven't admitted to anything!" That's all Peko could say, but she was sticking with it.

"Hmm? What's this?" Ibuki started to rub her hands together. To Mikan, she looked like a corrupt witch that was about to cast a terrible spell over Peko. "Maybe you have even something crazier in mind?"

Peko was afraid to know where Ibuki was going with this.

"Hmm, let's see. What Ibuki's mind is telling her…..is that you want both Naruto-chan and Fuyuhiko-chan at the same time! That is your crazy fantasy, the crazy fantasy of Peko-chan!"

It was worse than Peko could have imagined. The poor girl had no choice but to bury her face in her arms as she felt her whole face burn up.

"T-T-That isn't t-t-t-true at all!"

Mikan was left wide-eyed as she didn't know if she should look at Ibuki or Peko.

There was no way this was happening, right!?

"Ehehehe." Ibuki looked extremely pleased with herself. "You admire Naruto-chan the most, so Ibuki suspected it was something like that. Nothing can escape my third eye!"

That sounded really cool, but it was also problematic in so many ways!

So what did Peko do at this point? No, what could she do?

She ran away of course! All red-faced and possibly even squeaking as she disappeared down the hall. Mikan wasn't sure, but it sounded like a squeak anyway.

"Oh my." Ibuki just whistled in appreciation. "I had no idea Peko-chan was such an innocent maiden. She's so cute!"

On that day, Mikan became scared of what Ibuki was capable of.

The Ultimate Nurse only hoped she wasn't the next victim.


Reviews are always appreciated.

Till next time.