Super Duper High School-Level Valentine

by Eon Crow

Naegi Makoto has never had any luck on the 14th of February, at least that was the case when he was in Junior High, and so is just a little apprehensive that things wouldn't change even there in Hope's Peak Academy. Despite much encouragement from his friends, he wasn't wholly convinced. Luckily for him, the girls of Hope's Peak were more than eager to change his mind.

2. Chapter 1 - To Survive (Valentine's)

Chapter 1:

Chapter names are plays on the games' chapters.

Hmm… I'm glad I got such a good reception from the prologue. Thank you, and a Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, I hope none of you are sitting at home on this day spending their time reading this ( ͡o ͜ʖ ͡o). I will be using the school campus seen in D3, and the tall building is where the Main Course students have classes. Wish they made a map of Hope's Peak, jeez…

---

February 14, Friday Morning

---

Naegi Makoto woke up the next day with an unconscious grin on his face, it seemed as if those messages that his friends had sent were finally starting to get to him, and try as he might to deny it, the brunette couldn't be any more excited. Sure, there was the possibility that his friends were wrong, or maybe they were playing a practical joke on him, perhaps led by his… friend, the Ultimate Fashionista. A character that he should be more wary of than usual on such an occasion, though the enthusiasm for what could happen later won out over his worries, only making him put it down to a note in his head.

Even if it were the case that his friends were being strung along by the tricky model's words, he wouldn't be so overly upset with them since, after all, this wouldn't be the first time that a certain someone tried to make him experience 'despair' by roping in his unsuspecting friends into a mischievous stunt.

But he simply couldn't help being like any other high schooler on Valentine's,

Nervous, enthusiastic, and completely over their head in terms of expectations.

Taking a short bath so that he could look as decent as possible, even knowing that his luck would most likely find a way to get any and all types of beverages spilled onto his hair or clothes. Naegi would question just how far he was driving himself off a cliff when it took nearly twice as long as he ordinary did to finish brushing his teeth, realizing that he was making too much of a big deal of the special occasion.

Then, he remembered the craziness that he had been involved with when his friends and classmates dragged him around, both individually invited by several Ultimates and invited by them in groups, to celebrate in festivities during the New Year's break. In particular, there was the morning on the day before the first of January, where he and his family found a member of the Yakuza standing in front of their home, courtesy of his upperclassman, the Super High School-Level Yakuza, Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko. The thug-looking man had come there to take him to the Kuzuryu clan's headquarters so that Naegi would then be made to become a sworn brother of Fuyuhiko, both by performing a sakazuki with the gangster and also by making preparations so that the seventy-eighth class' Lucky Student would one day wed his little sister, who was a lot less reluctant about it than the brunette would have wanted her to be.

An hour after that mess had been sorted, which meant that Naegi had finally been brought back to his house in a suspicious black limousine by the same thug-looking man, he was beset by another invitation from a different stranger claiming to be under the Saionji clan, whom another senpai of his, the Super High School-Level Classical Dancer, Saionji Hiyoko, belonged to.

And almost one after another he was visited by complete strangers affiliated with a particular Ultimate, from an aide working for Maizono Sayaka's manager, to a ridiculously excessive little robot carrying a message of all things from the Super High School-Level Inventor, Iruma Miu. Naegi had even been visited by a rather humiliated person with a formal letter addressed to him tied to a collar that the man was forced to wear, whom was described in it to have lost a wager to his classmate, the Super High School-Level Gambler, Celestia Ludenburg, as she liked to be called.

Of course, they weren't the only ones that made use of other people to summon him, but many of the other friends he'd made went with either the easier route of calling or sending a message online or by text. There were even Ultimates that personally showed up, like the Super High School-Level Coach, Nidai Nekomaru, and the Super High School-Level Maid, Tojo Kirumi. And by the end of it all, he'd needed to apologize to his parents, who were distressed by the eccentricities of his fellow Ultimates.

All in all, the entire thirty-first of December and the first of January were absolutely the craziest two days of his life, somehow just as event filled as the worst day he ever had, with the exception that he mostly enjoyed those two days because they had been at least spent in the company of his friends.

But that was a story for another time, and it only served to point out to the Lucky Student that his fellow Ultimates could be so completely unpredictable if the day was ever special.

"So, just how chaotic could Hope's Peak get on a Valentine's Day?"

Finished in the bathroom, Naegi put on his winter school uniform, a long-sleeved shirt with a white collar, a brown blazer that indicated his position as part of the Main Course, brown pants, and his favorite red sneakers with white toes. And there was also the red tie he'd learned to put on by himself once he began living in the academy's dorms.

Technically, Hope's Peak wasn't so strict with their Main Course students' uniform policies, if the Ultimate Gambler's refusal to wear anything but her gothic Lolita outfits were any proof of it, but Naegi wasn't exactly quite fashionable in any sense, and so the uniform helped him not worry about appearances all too often.

Grabbing his bag, and making sure that everything he needed for the day was in there, not wanting his luck to suddenly have him without any presentable homework, he left his room with a barely hidden smile of excitement and started walking down towards the Academy's East side, where the Main Course classrooms could be found.

Situated in the South side, which housed the dormitories and other facilities for their living necessities, the dorms were separated into two, for male and female, and they would connect to one pathway on the ground floor that led to the exit. From there, the students would have to walk all the way to the New School Building.

So, from the connector to the building itself, that was where the Main Course students would mostly see each other before heading outside and onto the path leading to the tower-like structure, going to their respective classrooms in different floors.

Along the way, Naegi was able to greet and wave at the other Ultimates that elected to stay in the male dorms, such as Hanamura Teruteru, the Super High School-Level Cook… or Chef… depending on if the plump young man was within earshot. The Ultimate Cook was one of the most adamant of believers that Naegi was, in the words of the cook,

"He keeps stealing all of the ladies, ain't this unfair!?"

And as expected, the Ultimate took one glance at the Lucky Student's face and almost comedically ran away with tears, leaving Naegi to sort of feel sorry in a way, but the cook simply wouldn't listen whenever Naegi explained that he was in no way 'stealing the ladies.'

The brunette scratched the back of his head and sighed, making note to think of way to apologize somehow to the Ultimate Cook despite having no idea what he'd even done wrong.

Continuing, he greeted the others that he passed by, from the student council members, to his other upperclassmen, and to the few he spotted that belonged to the seventy-eighth class- classes, Naegi corrected himself, not forgetting the new classmates he had gotten to know despite their late enrollment into Hope's Peak Academy.

"Ah, Yamada-kun."

"Naegi Makoto-dono!"

The Super High School-Level Dōjin Author, Yamada Hifumi, another one of his classmates, and the biggest fan of the 'two-dimensional' that Naegi could think of, holding a true passion for anything that ranged from anime, manga, and even games. The Lucky Student was on the brunt of many long-winded, but also practically one-sided, conversation with the fanatic, but Naegi treated him no less than every other one of his friends.

"Good morning… err, is everything alright?"

Now that Naegi was at the large young man's side, he noticed that the Ultimate was looking quite distressed over some matter, strangely keeping quiet instead of immediately starting a conversation about an anime or a figurine, making him worry a little.

"Y-you see, Naegi Makoto-dono…"

"What is it?"

"T-there were too many Dōjin circle meetings to prepare for today! A-and I missed… the sale to buy the exclusive Valentine's Day preorder of a Demon Angel Pretty Pudgy Princess collectible!"

"O-oh… that's…"

"I-I know… it's quite a tragedy…"

"D-don't worry, Yamada-kun, maybe you can find another way to get it, right?"

"No, no, no, Naegi Makoto-dono… I'm afraid I have to… wait for next year!"

Seeing his classmate almost ready to burst into tears, Naegi felt his sweat drop and patted the Ultimate on his back, trying to give some meager support for something that he honestly couldn't think of a way to help with. While it took a few minutes for him to calm down, all the while attracting stairs from upperclassmen that were walking along with them, Hifumi would eventually settle to explaining to Naegi about the very long details concerning the collectible.

Somewhat put into a position where he was forced to be given another lesson into the world of the 'two-dimensional' yet could not complain since Naegi's reward was the troubled look on the Ultimate's face slowly disappearing, the Lucky Student could do nothing more than simply listen.

But of course, as time passed by, the closer they reached the connector between the two dorms, the closer Naegi Makoto got to a certain Ultimate whom might have been the first heart he'd unknowingly captured.

Maizono Sayaka, the Super High School-Level Idol, if there were a threat level assigned to her in terms of how dangerous she was in the battle for the seventy-eighth class' Lucky Student, it was a definite grade A. She possessed the greatest weapons: an attractive talent, beautiful looks, and the one most defining advantage that set her apart from even her female classmates, a prior history between her and Naegi Makoto.

"Ne, Naegi Makoto-dono, since it's Valentine's Day, I'm most curious if you have made any progress in getting that magical girl harem I'd mentioned before!?"

"E-eh!? Yamada-kun, don't say that stuff so loudly! A-and I'm not so sure about getting… that anyway."

"Then… it truly was that you wish to plan on attaining a 'three-dimensional' girl harem instead?"

"N-no, I don't think so."

"Hmmm, I was quite certain that was what you were trying to do all year…"

"I'm not sure why you figure that…"

It was at this point in the conversation that they reached the connector, which was currently populated with several Main Course students from each of the three year levels, and Naegi instantly felt like he was bombarded with several piercing stares. Looking away from his friend so that he could see where that was coming from, he caught sight of those students watching him much more intently than he was comfortable.

"W-what's up with the staring?"

Weakly raising his hand up to give them all a wave hello, the tension in the air suddenly dissipated and the Ultimates returned back to what they had been previously doing, but clearly some were still observing him from their peripheries. Doubting a little that they would tell him what that had been about, Naegi could do no more than simply return back to his conversation with Hifumi, who had not seemed to notice anything.

And then, the brunette felt another intense gaze on him, making him shiver a little, this time it was coming from behind him. Turning around, he was surprised to see that it wasn't coming from someone that looked highly threatening, quite the opposite in fact.

"Ah! It's Maizono-san!"

The grin on his face grew and he cheerfully gave her an energetic wave, except instead of the Ultimate Idol returning his greeting with one of her everyday beautiful smiles, she instead looked startled, like she hadn't prepared enough and was caught in surprise by someone. Naegi felt his heart pound in his chest when he saw her blush suddenly and look away from him, only making the blue-haired girl appear just more adorable in his eyes.

"W-wait, is this-?"

Time seemed to slow down as she took more and more steps, closing the distance between them as Naegi stood completely still, Hifumi too concentrated on what he was talking about to notice that his conversation partner was no longer walking with him. The Lucky Student could not even notice how the stares from just a minute ago from the Ultimates in the hallway had returned their sights on him with an even greater intensity.

She was the first friend he'd made when he began studying in Hope's Peak, remembering how in their first meeting there in the academy, Maizono had been the one earliest to approach him for introductions before any of his other classmates. Naegi had been so surprised to see that while researching about who the next students would be in Hope's Peak's newest class, found out that the Maizono Sayaka who used to go to the same junior high school as him and went on to lead Japan's currently most sensational idol group, would be in that newest batch of students.

He'd been even more shocked when they first met that she actually remembered that he was also a student Nekuro Roku Junior High despite them not even having one conversation in the past. Apparently, the Ultimate Idol remembered how he'd led a crane back into the wild after it had wandered inside their school, but why she had such a fond memory of that, Naegi couldn't understand.

Regardless, their introductions had gone as well as it could have, and that was to say, it went much better compared to his introductions with his other more… eccentric classmates. That day also ended with him being knocked unconscious, and it led to his first of many visits to the nurse's office.

Since then, Naegi and Maizono were one of the closest friends in their class, seconded only by the friendships between the Super High School-Level Swimmer, Asahina Aoi, and the Super High School-Level Fighter, Ogami Sakura. Or… perhaps the Super High School-Level Public Morals Committee Member, Ishimaru Kiyotaka, and the Ultimate Gang Leader were much closer than them. But still, compared to at least those two pairs, the bond between the Ultimate Lucky Student and the Ultimate Idol was considerably strong.

On one hand, Naegi thought they were just really close friends, on another hand, some of their schoolmates thought that they were a secret item with how 'flirty' one of the two would get with the other. However, even if Maizono Sayaka wanted to be so, so much more than just friends with him, there were obvious set-backs to having a relationship when one was a famous idol like her, and she herself knew that more than anyone else did, thus she hadn't done anything more than teasing the Ultimate Lucky Student.

But,

After graduating from Hope's Peak Academy, she would be guaranteed success in whatever she did, and that was the big conditional she needed to achieve before confessing her feelings to Naegi Makoto. No salacious rumors, no anger from her manager, no damage to her career from revealing that she had a boyfriend, no number of fanatics obsessed with her turning their backs on the Ultimate Idol because of it, absolutely nothing, none of it could ruin everything that she'd built up if she was guaranteed success.

Thus, she'd hold herself back, settling for the sweet moments they would have with each other as students, classmates, and friends, at least until they finally graduated. And in their first year, their first Valentine's together, she would make it as special as she could, especially after all the wonderful things he'd done for her as only a friend.

Maizono didn't know at what point she'd started liking the Lucky Student, maybe it even went all the way back to when she'd seen him take care of that lost crane, maybe it was the fault of her incredible intuition coming to a conclusion that he was the right one for her, maybe even too good for him knowing full well how unreasonably nice he was, and knowing as well what she had yet to reveal to him. It could've been anything really, but it didn't really matter to her when she saw him like that, but the why.

From troubles with her life as an idol, to her troubles as just a girl that went to Hope's Peak Academy, it didn't matter to him what she was, only that she needed consolation and hope, especially when she had to make difficult decisions to further her goals as an idol, he would go further than anybody to try and help even as just someone who had an unreliable luck. And through it all, even after getting know parts of her that she feared would drive him away, Naegi had stayed true to the promise he made her, that he wouldn't look or treat her differently despite the actions she'd taken to grasp success, only making him push himself harder to help her so that a day would come where she didn't need to do the things she hated to be a top idol.

In his resolve, the Lucky Student had made her rethink choices that she never would have wanted to do to achieve her dream, and the alleviation it gave to her heart was unforgettable, the feeling of anxiety that she'd be cast aside by everyone if she didn't do everything in her power to keep the image of an idol had been more and more lifted out of her shoulders.

Because he would always be there for her.

"And that's why… with these chocolates… I'll…"

She took one step, and another, the distance between them not further than two meters, a hand inside her purse reaching for the handmade chocolate she'd made alongside many other girls in the dormitory kitchen. They'd called a truce at that time, but that was no longer the case now, because none of them could stop her from giving these sweets to Naegi first, and she'd do it regardless of what could come, because in her eyes, she needed him more than they did, coming from a selfishness inside the shadow of her heart.

It was at this point, when the two of them were a mere meter apart, where the girls among those in the connector had finally broken out of their stillness and begun to move, and the guys prepared to run away from the chaos that would ensue, that the unexpected came.

Baseball players had to be fast, that wasn't exactly uncommon knowledge, after all, it wasn't just about using a stick and swinging it at a ball, they needed to run quickly to reach safety points. This was particularly useful information when the loud sounds of someone running incredibly fast, which hadn't even been noticed at first due to all of the tension in the hallway, closed in on where Naegi Makoto was standing.

All of a sudden, the boy was missing from that spot, and nobody knew whether or not to feel relieved or disappointed that the opportunity to give him chocolates had disappeared. Save for a certain Ultimate Idol, who was left dumbstruck on her own spot.

"Eh...? What just happened?"

---

Meanwhile, already outside of the dormitory and on the path that was leading to the New School Building of Hope's Peak Academy, the Ultimate Baseball Player, Kuwata Leon, had picked up the rather light lucky student and was carrying him away from where he'd been. His clothes disheveled and hair a mess, like he'd just gotten up from bed, put on something that was barely the uniform, and started immediately running.

"K-Kuwata-kun!? What are you-!?"

"I forgot the assignment, Naegi!"

"B-but didn't I tell you not to forget it!?"

"I dozed off, alright!? You gotta help me out!"

"O-okay, but can you let me go!?"

"Not enough time! I had to distract Kiyotaka, won't last long, he'll give us hell if he catches you sharing your homework with me!"

"F-fine! But this is so embarrassing!"

It wasn't the first time Naegi Makoto would be seen being carried around like a bag of potatoes, but that didn't mean he'd grown accustomed to it while being stared at by several Ultimates walking calmly on the pavement. Unfortunately, the suddenness of this situation made him forget about the Ultimate Idol and whatever thoughts he'd been having about her.

Instead of suffering in shame, Naegi put on a strained smile and waved as much as he could to the people that they passed by, almost looking like he was apologizing for the Ultimate Baseball Player's stead for causing a commotion so early in the morning.

"Ahhh… why do Saihara-san and Amami-san have to look at me with such pitying eyes…"

But then again, every other Hope's Peak class caused just about as much, or even greater troubles at any point of the day; destruction of facilities, mad science inventions, accidentally drugging the cafeteria food, causing riots, creating mass-scale problems for the school and even the country that called for international media to report it. A baseball player running in the halls with a lucky student in one arm was anything but highly abnormal for Hope's Peak Academy.

It was a good explanation why they pretty much left the students to their own devices until their practical exams, and that may have also been the reason why nearly a third of the first seventy-seventh class were almost always out of the country.

From the corner of his eye, Naegi spotted amongst the blurred outlines of Ultimate students that a certain klutzy nurse was walking along the way. Why the brunette had locked onto the Super High School-Level Health Committee Member as soon as he saw her, that was also a particularly long story, involving many moments where her clumsiness and his bad luck coincided to make them crash into each more times than he would have liked.

That wasn't to say that he found Tsumiki Mikan a nuisance, because he'd completely deny that, or unattractive, or that he wasn't affected at all whenever he caught multiple glances of the girl's… personal features after she found herself on the ground. In fact, he really liked the girl, nothing like infatuation but in a typical friendly way. Certainly, how could he not when she was responsible for treating him after random incidents left him with a sprain, a bad cut, a nasty cold, or whatever his luck could throw at him.

Plus, the Lucky Student genuinely worried for the girl, often trying to start conversations with the Ultimate Nurse so that he could do anything to help with her irrational insecurities, and it certainly didn't help that a classmate of hers kept fueling those self-esteem issues. Those many chats that they had, around as many times as he got sent to Tsumiki's office, let him know a lot about what she had gone through and it hurt Naegi's heart to hear.

Maybe in some way, his luck managing to get him hurt was a means to let him be near the girl and offer the support she wanted, but Naegi couldn't believe his luck would do anything so convenient, regardless of how much it made sense.

And he wasn't so sure he was making much of a difference, even if he was as hopeful as ever to continue helping, all it seemed to do was make her more dependent on him, at least that was how he thought of their relationship. His intuition was correct on that matter though, as Tsumiki Mikan was a little responsible for a few occasions that caused him to be sent to her office. She couldn't help it, and even if Naegi knew, he would never get mad, still he'd prefer if the girl just approach him like an ordinary schoolmate instead.

Thinking about those times he'd needed to stay in the nurse's office hours past the end of classes and waking up some time in the hours of evening, the Ultimate Nurse would often climb on top of his bed and cradle him in her arms, both choking and flustering the boy when he woke up. And in a way, a part of him wanted to return the behavior by embracing her back,

"Just to comfort her! T-that's all…"

But there was absolutely no way someone like him could do such a thing, he was, as the Ultimate Fashionista so lovingly called him, a 'herbivore man.' And so Naegi would rather settle for helping the girl out whenever he saw her in more platonic ways, be it by conversation, or, like in the case very soon, by action.

"K-Kuwata-kun, slow down a bit for just a second when I call for Tsumiki-senpai, alright?"

"Eh? What're you planning? Is this for Valentine's Day or something?"

"J-just something to prevent an accident…"

"Well, alright, whatever," he said, rather resigned, knowing what the boy was referring to.

"By the way, one question... are you strong enough to carry two people?"

"What!? Like hell I am!"

"B-but Owada-kun and Nidai-senpai took us to a lot of those 'manly' exercise sessions of theirs, so it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"Tsk, ya really know how to break a guy's back, Naegi!"

"Please!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! This better be worth it!"

With only a few more seconds until a possible scenario where Tsumiki Mikan's clumsiness and Kuwata Leon reckless charge across the path would result in another embarrassing incident for the Ultimate Nurse, another painful accident for the Ultimate Lucky Student, and the Ultimate Baseball Player being kept away from doing his homework in the classroom, Naegi saw the way out of it.

"Alright! Tsumiki-senpai!"

Two things happened at that moment; a startled girl turned around, and as if by an unconscious wanting to gain sympathy and attention from the person who'd called out to her, started to trip on the air and began to fall down. The second was the red-haired teen dashing as fast as he could on the pavement suddenly hitting the breaks on his speed, almost stopping short in front of the girl and the momentum throwing him, and the boy he was carrying, forward.

"Oh no, I'm falling."

An emotionless toned voice in the Ultimate Nurse's head rang, in some sense knowing what was going to happen next, all she needed to do was get hurt and expose herself, and then she'd get the brunette boy's attention on her like he'd always give,

But suddenly,

"Gotcha!"

Despite being carried in one arm, Kuwata had at least done so wherein Naegi could see where they were going, meaning that he was facing the front, and so his arms that had been freely swinging since he'd been taken away could reach out and take the falling girl into his embrace.

"Kuwata-kun!"

"Are you-!? You've gotta be kidding me…"

Stomping down one foot in front of him, Kuwata Leon maneuvered so that he was carrying Naegi with both of his arms and then charged forward with great speed. Leaving behind a gust of wind and some very confused Ultimate students completely at a loss over what happened.

"Careful, Tsumiki-senpai! Don't lower your head! And hang tight to me!"

"N-Naegi-san, is this one of those late-night television shows!?"

"Ah, s-sorry, I was just trying to stop you from falling… but maybe I'm getting too used to this," the Lucky Student said so while carrying the nurse, making the trio look like a very strange carnival act of one person carrying another who was also simultaneously carrying one more person.

"T-this is way too heavy! How're you even managing, Naegi!? You still on those sessions or what!?"

"I-is it my weight!? I-I'm so sorry!"

"Just a bit more, Kuwata-kun! You can do it!"

"Oi, shut up!"

"Wah, I-I'm really sorry for being so fat!"

"Both of you just shut up!"

Now, why exactly did Naegi Makoto choose this as the other option instead of something that would've made it easier on all three of them, or perhaps something that would've at least made much more sense? That, he couldn't answer, Naegi just knew that he wanted to keep proving Tsumiki wrong about what methods she used to be noticed by those around her.

"Okay, let's drop Tsumiki-senpai off at the entrance!"

"I would've done that anyway…"

They stopped for ten seconds at the entrance; two of it was spent setting the girl down properly on her two legs, another two seconds for Naegi to stop Tsumiki from bawling out an apology, giving her a smile that the Ultimate Nurse could never get enough of every time she'd see it.

"Oi! Naegi, let's go already! And no more carrying, my damn arms hurt."

"I get it, I get it," the Lucky Student said before turning to look at the shy girl still in near tears, "Good morning, senpai! Have a great Valentine's Day!"

At the end of those few seconds that he was still there, the last sight she had of him was him raising a hand up in a small wave goodbye and the flash of a grin on his face, and then he entered the building, running after the Ultimate Baseball Player that was steadily leaving him in the dust.

The girl still standing there was stuck in deep thought, not able get her mind off of the expressions her underclassman, Naegi Makoto, would always show her. Tsumiki Mikan was an impressive reader of what people were thinking, though it was nothing like telepathy, instead it was simply discerning a person's facial expressions and connecting it with her warped perspective of what they meant. She frequently found it easy to tell when people were upset with her, or when they didn't want to see her, or if she was in the way, or if she messed up, or if they wanted something from her, anything along those lines.

But the way he smiled at her, from all the back to their first meeting, and even up till now,

"Uwahh… Makoto-kun~ I wish you would be my patient forever~"

Nothing but gentleness.

Tsumiki felt drool spill out of her mouth, feeling so hot and bothered with the image of him lying down on her nurse's room, just waiting to be cared for, especially his private needs.

"Ahh~ we can't do that in the nurse's room, Makoto-kun~"

"Ah, wait! Naegi-san-!"

Shaking her head off that line of thought, she remembered the words that he had left her with, the timid nurse only now realized that she'd forgotten about the valentines she had inside her bag, tiny bite-sized chocolates that looked suspiciously like medicinal tablets. Of course, she had not started any plans of getting the boy overdosed on medicine so he'd be sent to her, those were for a later date, instead, her gifts were sweet, chocolatey placebos, made last night alongside the other female Ultimates.

And speaking of those students, two were currently approaching from behind the nurse, who were lucky enough to be one of the confused witnesses of their classmate being carried off into the New School Building. They, or at least one of them, would have worried about the very vulnerable Ultimate Nurse, but since it was Naegi Makoto, there was almost no need to worry.

Suffice to say, that said plenty about how the seventy-eighth class' Lucky Student was perceived by his fellow schoolmates, inside or outside of his class, while in contrast, it could not be said similarly if the person carrying the girl was someone like the Ultimate Cook.

"Ne, ne, Mahiru-nee! Looks like the fat pig is trying to get ahead of everyone!"

"Hiyoko-chan, don't be so mean, it's still early in the morning and classes haven't even started yet."

"B-but she was gonna give chocolates to Makoto-kun, you can see it in her dopey eyes!"

"M-Makoto-kun!?"

"What? He's not around to hear me say that," a blonde said, cheekily laughing at the red-haired girl's outburst.

"T-that's not right… you can't say a boy's name like that unless… you know…"

"Unless you tell them that you take pictures of him every day?"

"Hiyoko-chan!"

"He doesn't notice you, but that doesn't mean we don't."

"I-I didn't know that Mahiru-san could be so creepy, ehehe…"

"Nobody asked you, piggy! Anyway, we promised that she would give Makoto-kun her chocolates first, remember?"

"Y-yes! I-I do remember!"

The distressed Super High School-Level Photographer kept her mouth shut, too embarrassed to start berating the two after having that hobby of hers being said out loud, but at least the reminder of her blonde 'little sister' helped her focus on something that wasn't related to capturing candid photos of the cute underclassman.

"B-but… what about if his c-classmates give him chocolates first?"

"Hmph, nothing to worry about, don't you know that that guy is in his class?"

---

Bursting into their classroom, Kuwata Leon surveyed the area like a wolf, looking specifically for one person that he was extremely wary of. He'd carefully managed to distract that person just some time ago, but as always when it came to the Ultimate Moral Compass, if one wanted to do something that violated school policies, you never knew when to expect him suddenly breathing down your neck.

Fortunately for the Ultimate Baseball Player, their acting-prefect must've been still handling the mess that Kuwata made, as he could only see those that appeared regularly early on time for class, the role model students if one would. There was the Super High School-Level Programmer, Fujisaki Chihiro, and the duo formed by the Ultimate Swimmer and the Ultimate Martial Artist. However, most surprising to find there were two other students who'd usually come much later to the classroom, the Ultimate Clairvoyant, and the Super High School-Level Gal, Enoshima Junko.

The Ultimate Fashionista slightly turned her way to the door that had been slammed open, gave her red-haired classmate one glance, and then looked away, uninterested and bored.

Once Kuwata went inside and made way for his brunette friend, Naegi peeked into the room to take a look for himself. From the edge of Enoshima's vision, she was able to catch sight of the boy's trademark cowlick, an 'ahoge,' it was really the only thing that made such an average-looking boy stand out from the rest of his classmates, at least in terms of looks.

Even then, messy brown hair, washed-out hazel eyes, no unique accessory or distinctions on his uniform, nothing about him could make him prominent among the Main Course students. Yet they all seemed to recognize him faster than they would for most other students, and she simply couldn't understand it, the Ultimate thought, staring at the boy happily greeting those already present in the room,

And it was then that their eyes connected, one pair filled with hope, another that only wanted to see despair, the great duality of the seventy-eighth class. She smirked, and he put on a strained smile in return. The Ultimate Fashionista stood up, making the boy freeze, but she only moved to chat with Hagakure, who was equally surprised that she was talking to him.

"I… don't think I'll get any chocolates from Enoshima-san..."

It was complicated, Naegi thought, not wanting to really dwell on his memories of what happened between them, and it seemed like Kuwata was getting tired of waiting for him to come and share his homework, so it helped to take his mind away from thinking about her.

Now, completing it was completely optional, their teachers couldn't force them to do anything unless the students wanted to, or in the case of the seventy-seventh class, earned the students' respect. The only real purpose they had was to make sure the students were as prepared as possible for the practical exam. But it wasn't the teachers of the seventy-eighth class that was forcing them to dutifully submit school requirements, it was their classmate, Kiyotaka Ishimaru.

"Naegi, come on! Before he shows up!"

"Alright, alright, here…"

Taking out his homework from his bag, Naegi was about to hand them to his friend before it was almost immediately swiped away from him by the Ultimate Baseball Player, who was furiously copying them onto another paper. The Lucky Student rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway.

"Super High School-Level, huh?"

"Oh, Kuwata-kun, that's not right…"

"Eh? Where?"

"Here…"

Wishing that his penmanship was as clear and flawless as Hagakure's, the brunette, seeing as the Ultimate Baseball Player was making a few mistakes with copying the kanji that he'd written last night, decided to pull a chair close to his friend so that he could help correct the small but noticeable errors. Plus, it'd be better if their homework didn't look exactly like each other's, so Naegi needed to make sure that area was covered as well.

While the two hurried to get the work done and over with before that classmate of theirs showed up, Asahina Aoi sat some seats away, absentmindedly smiling at the two while her best friend in the academy sat with her, eyes closed in a meditative state. As always, they'd both gotten up earlier than most of the other students in Hope's Peak so that they could have some healthy exercise finished before coming to class, but today, she had to take an extra detour outside the academy to buy a box of donuts for her and another friend of hers.

Technically, the swimmer could have gone without buying a dozen for herself and only bought the present she would be giving since she was supposed to be keeping a diet, but the delicious smells and sights of the baked goods forced her to give in. Plus, it would have been hard to resist taking out doughnuts from the gift with her if she didn't have some for her own snacks with her. And she didn't want to give anything but a full set to the boy she was looking at.

In a class with boys that weren't exactly quite easy to talk to, or had topics of conversation that she wasn't rather interested in, Naegi Makoto was almost like a heaven-sent package for her.

Considering she went to a school that collected highly talented high schoolers, it should have been expected that every one of the boys and girls here were just a little or completely eccentric in nature, and Asahina could admit that she was probably just as strange and hard to talk to for some in the boy's side.

And, as peppy and spirited as she was, it was hard for someone to think that she didn't have any insecurities, a world-class athlete with a lovely face and a stunning body, and someone might even get mad if they knew that she didn't think of herself as a very feminine girl and had troubles with the opposite sex. Something brought about in her way of thinking because athleticism wasn't generally something that was attractive to find in a regular girl, or at least that was what lots of people that she knew had told her.

Maybe they hadn't meant it in such a way to hurt her or put down her self-confidence with buys, but the swimmer had taken it that way regardless of how they meant it. Even though Asahina didn't let it bother her too much, not giving it attention unless she got into one of her moods after binging on a high calorie meal, that didn't mean it wasn't frustrating and discomforting whenever it occasionally crossed her mind.

The reason why she'd gotten much better off than before she'd arrived to Hope's Peak was because of the friends she'd made here, like Ogami Sakura and Naegi Makoto, both of them in particular she was going to be giving presents to for Valentine's. While the former was her best friend and she didn't need to really contemplate too hard on what to give, since the martial artist would be incredibly satisfied with receiving the excellent protein coffee that the academy sold for its students, the latter of the two made the Ultimate Swimmer's heart jump around like crazy.

It was really the brunette boy that was the cause of these more often appearing thoughts that were about her femininity, because the more that she spent time with him, the more conscious she became of how he thought of her, and at the same time, the more that he said words that sent her heart aflutter.

How he wasn't embarrassed to say things like, 'She was perfectly fine the way she was,' 'He was happy with who she was and that trying to change herself for a guy would've made him disappointed,' and even putting up with one time that she'd asked him to be her fake boyfriend.

Naegi Makoto took her insecurities and lapses of lacking in hope and became a shining light, and it always felt like if he was there, the Ultimate Lucky Student would give her the confidence she needed to do anything, to go for the 'gold.'

"Asahina."

"Hmm? What is it, Sakura-chan?"

"It would be wise if you were to give your gift to Naegi as soon as possible."

"I-I know… I'm just… getting ready to fire up for it, that's all!"

"…Do your best, Asahina."

She was about to approach him; all it would take was a quick tap on the shoulder to get his attention and then after that she would hand him the small box of chocolate donuts. Not only would she get rid of the temptingly delicious treats out of her hands, but she'd also succeed in giving valentines to her adorable friend.

"Or classmate… or crush… or whatever!"

Imagining the grateful smile on his face, Asahina felt the energy in her body telling her to go out and burn it all away with a few kilometer-long sprints or maybe even a dozen laps in the academy's pool. Truly, she could even do both by running all the way to Hope's Peak's Old School Building and then doing laps in that building's pool, anything to get rid of all the nervous fire in her heart.

"Okay… Let's do this!"

Putting in more and more strength into her footsteps like a runner procedurally making themselves fast, the Ultimate Swimmer was almost afraid that she would end up actually breaking into a dash and tackling down the brunette boy still helping Kuwata Leon with his homework. With a strengthened and fully motivated spirit inside of her, a confident and brimming smile grew on her face as she began to open her mouth to yell out,

"Naegi-!"

"Naegi-kun! Kuwata-kun!"

As if swept away by a much stronger force, what she'd said had been drowned out completely and Asahina completely froze up from both surprise and having the rug of confidence she'd been standing on, pulled away all of a sudden. Turning around to look at what or who had been able to drown out what she said, the girl's shoulders slumped down to see that their overbearing classmate had just arrived, and she knew that there'd be no more chance to get in-between that person and whoever they were yelling out for a conversation.

"I guess… I'll just have to wait until Kiyotaka's done talking to Naegi…"

Definitely not an excuse so that she could use as much time as she needed to keep firing herself up, the swimmer thought to herself, sitting back down under the company of Ogami, who wryly smiled at her best friend's Valentine's troubles, considering to perhaps write a letter to Kenshiro, or maybe even a visit if she resolved herself.

Marching down the classroom with the rigid movements of a supervisor stalking the halls, Kiyotaka Ishimaru approached Naegi Makoto and Kuwata Leon with arms crossed and a heavy frown on his face, to which the boys responded with nervousness and trepidation.

"A-ah, Kiyotaka, good morning! How's it been, ahaha…?"

"G-good morning, Kiyotaka-kun!"

"You two, what do you think you are doing?"

"W-well… just… checking to see if we had any different answers! That's all!"

"And why does it look like yours is half-finished, Kuwata-kun?"

"I-it's a funny story, I swear-!"

"Naegi-kun!"

"H-hai, Kiyotaka-kun!?"

"Refrain from allowing this behavior in the future! There are limits as to how nice one must be!"

"A-alright, I promise I won't do this again…"

"Eh!? Naegi, c'mon man!"

"Kuwata-kun…"

"I'll be having a word with you, Kuwata-kun! After classes end!"

"B-but I've got a date tonight, can't we have it tomorrow!? It's Valentine's!"

"No!"

The red-haired teen groaned in agony, "Ugh… can't you just give me the lecture now…?"

"Certainly! And Naegi-kun, you'll be listening as well! But first, let me apologize to the entire class for not arriving as the earliest! I am afraid that there was a large mess in the dormitory and I could not afford to have left it as such before coming here!"

After rather quickly agreeing to the half-heartedly said option of giving the two some needed reprimanding as soon as he could, the young man gave a deep bow, yelling out his unnecessary apology, while the Ultimate Baseball Player looked away to whistle innocently, very much not wanting to be called into question, though it looked as if the Ultimate Moral Compass' eyes had sharpened their gaze on him.

Naegi chuckled tiredly, there wasn't any getting out of this, as he and Kuwata proceeded to be given once again an entire speech regarding the rules of Hope's Peak Academy. All the while this had been happening, a few more of their classmates had begun coming inside, and Naegi knew the gothic Lolita dress he spotted could only be the Super High School-Level Gambler, Celestia Ludenburg. Coming after her was the classmate he'd come across just before Kuwata Leon had carried him out of the dormitory, the Ultimate Dōjin Author, Yamada Hifumi, who looked to be carrying two school bags, most likely one of them being the Ultimate Gambler's. Before he returned his attention back to Kiyotaka, Naegi did get a glance at the third person who'd walked inside, the Ultimate Gang Leader, Owada Mondo.

Celestia, or Celeste for her classmates' convenience, noble daughter of a refined couple from France and Germany, was in reality, a Japanese young lady with a propensity for lying and notoriously known in the underground world by her foreign guise for her adept skill in gambling, one whose name was truly Yasuhiro Taeko, but such vital bits of information were privy to only the most select individuals on the country – nay, the world.

Of those people, there were only her parents and her beloved cat, and prior to her enrollment in Hope's Peak Academy, it was only those three, and she did plenty of practically criminal deeds to make sure that it had stayed that way. Though the prideful girl did not particularly care if the man who sought her ought, the talent scouter, Kizakura Koichi, or if the school itself knew about her illicit underground dealings, especially when a member of the Yakuza was to be upperclassman, because in the end, the two parties only wanted to achieve their goals.

She would graduate and cement success in her future plans of living in a medieval castle, waited upon by handsome men dressed in gothic, vampiric attires. While the school would perpetuate its status quo as a fosterer of great and successful men and women, gaining more funds for their research and building a legacy of alumni that shaped the future of mankind.

But disregarding those, and returning once more to the topic of the girl herself.

The Ultimate Gambler had never disclosed to anyone of any truths that laid behind her almost infallible façade, not her background, not her parents, not the whereabouts of her abode, most definitely not her name, and not who Yasuhiro Taeko truly was. This had been the case before she was enrolled in Hope's Peak and that was how she planned for it to remain for three years until she graduated and returned once more with a fervor into the realm of the underground.

And then, a few months into her first year, someone had defied her expectations and driven himself into her heart in ways she'd never before encountered. It wasn't any of her female classmates, though a specific person there was a point of interest for a different reason, but surprisingly it was a boy. And it wasn't the temporary servant she'd made on a whim to prepare her tea and do as she commanded, it was someone she'd ranked a tier higher than every single other student or school staff, simply because his talent stood out the most in her eyes.

Naegi Makoto, the Super High School-Level Lucky Student of the seventy-eighth classes.

There was an individual in the seventy-seventh who held the same title, but she had honestly found his personality to be rather distasteful. Intriguing, perhaps, but most likely she would grow tired of his presence after she would finally have a match against him, the headmaster, and Naegi Makoto, in a battle of luck. Monologues of hope and despair were simply not her cup of tea, of which she wanted as royal milk, precisely prepared to her liking or else.

Her classmate on the other hand, she had initially ranked in D, similar to the rest of them, as not even that young man of the Togami family would be ranked higher, nor did she rank any of them, like Hagakure Yasuhiro, a rank lower than D. But upon further observance of the brunette boy, trying to determine if his luck could triumph over her own, it was almost as if it retroactively tried to bring misfortune, and then reward him at some point in time in unexpected ways. Those were merely her brief observations however, since she didn't have all the time in the world during the first months of her stay in the academy to be staring at a boy in her class like she was a common woman.

And it wasn't only his luck that stood out, but his uneccentric character, like a shade of white drawn across a canvas of colors. Yet it was almost deceiving in a way, due to how everything around him acted like he was a magnet of sorts, and she had been drawn to him before she'd even recognized it. Nothing had been romantic, no, of course not, because the boy wasn't the slightest bit close to what she wanted from a man, not tall and foreign, no characteristics that would allow him to resemble a charismatic vampire, and not suave or extremely handsome.

Even still, within her belongings at that moment, was a valentine meant to be given to him.

Unlike around half of the female student body, Celeste hadn't participated alongside them the night before to handmake her chocolate. Her delicate hands wouldn't allow themselves to be dirtied like that, as such things were work that needed to be designated to her servants, nor did she want to be bothered by the others even if she did decide to do the same. However, at the same time, the gothic Lolita could not simply order just anybody to make the sweets for her, because the thought of having Yamada Hifumi's grubby fingers all over the valentines she was to give was enough to send shivers down her back. And asking the Super High School-Level Maid for it would be an admittance of her own loss.

No, she went above and beyond for it. Taking the time out of her leisurely tea drinking session while reading a decent novel yesterday night, the Ultimate Gambler had set up a casual match of stakes against someone in the underground world, a particular person that had connections with a renowned industry that sold chocolates of the best class. After easily winning it and nonchalantly driving their will down into a susceptible pawn, she convinced the man to let her use those connections to her personal benefit. And so, with her was an exceptional and one-of-a-kind confection that was perfectly made in the shape of a knight-piece in chess.

Both delicious and symbolical, Celeste would take in mind to give her regards to the man she'd robbed- no, the man who'd consensually and graciously agreed to wager a few million yen alongside the matter of the chocolates. If she remembered to, at the very least.

But the question remained, why had she gone out of her way to do this all?

Of her own volition, she had come to the academy and withdrawn herself from interacting with the student body, though short conversations were not out of the question and some manner of socializing was a requisite for a refined lady such as herself. Most importantly, the gambler made sure that she could challenge herself by asking students that stood out to various games.

And who else would be the greatest challenge among them all other than the two lucky Super High School-Level Lucky Students? Of course, the answer was none, and she'd invited the two to some occasional matches in the school's recreational room during after classes. While the results were… to mildly put it, interesting, those were unimportant at the moment.

Naegi Makoto had done more than show the capabilities of his luck, increasingly the more time that she spent with him, Celeste began to see his character shine more so in comparison to his talent. She couldn't exactly put it into words, and when she'd been drawn to him, the gambler hadn't even noticed and couldn't explain what was so special about him other than his luck. Whenever he'd approached her, it always seemed as if he knew what to say, things that elicited her heart to beat faster, and perhaps it had something to do with his commitment and confidence in whatever he resolved for.

Again, he was no dignified man that could give the impression of a gothic vampire, and she couldn't picture him quite easily in the attire of an illustrious butler. Instead, it was almost like he surpassed them, not on the level of a servant below her, but a knight that stood there by her side. Still someone that devoted his life to her, yet a man that she could lean on at the same time, depending on him not as an attendant, rather something more spousal in nature.

Only when the thought crossed her mind had Celeste even considered the idea of a count to her countess, a duke to her duchess, a baron to her baroness, a lord to her lady.

A king to her queen. What could be most akin to a person that she could rank as A.

In the short time that she had gotten to know the Ultimate Lucky Student, it was not clear yet to the self-styled noble maiden if he could ever live up to being that prince to her princess, but she would be damned to a life of mediocrity before she'd ever willingly hand away the closest possibility there was to what could be an A class individual. Naegi Makoto was something- no, someone that she needed to possess by every means possible.

And if she wanted to have it so, Celeste thought to herself that she must show him what happiness he would have to be the knight of the Queen of Liars. Celebrating the holiday that was Valentine's Day, that was something she'd never even contemplated of doing once in her life as Yasuhiro Taeko or Celestia Ludenburg. However, she had to, because just as Naegi had learned about what kind of person she was, Celeste had learned about as much, or even more considering he was an honest boy, about what kind of person the brunette was. It was not a difficult assumption to make that he was looking forward to receiving a valentine.

"Easily enough," thought the Ultimate Gambler.

From then on, she would show him even greater things to behold, until the culmination of it all in their graduation from Hope's Peak Academy, where she would take him with her as they amassed wealth beyond measure, combining their luck together and becoming a force that was unstoppable in the underground world of gambling. Well, even if she was by herself, nobody would have stood a chance either way, but even Lady Luck would not guarantee her flawless victory. After it all, they would live in that European castle she was destined to have, surrounded and served by butlers dressed as vampires.

To make it even more appealing to the boy, Celeste would not be reluctant in allowing him to possess his own concubines, especially since he strangely attracted quite valuable Ultimate students. Oh, how wonderous it would be in particular for the gambler to attain both Naegi Makoto and the Super High School-Level Maid, who would serve her alongside him, her master and lover. If she were so bold to imagine having connections with the foreign kingdom of Novoselic because her knight had wooed its princess and future queen, it was almost enough to make her faint.

The prospects of using the Ultimate Lucky Student's way of forming bonds with even the most difficult of people was limitless in potential.

And the best and greatest prize of it all, the quintessential cherry on top, would take place in the private chambers of their castle, whereupon during her and Naegi's first night together there...

Celeste put a hand to her chest, calming herself, a faint dusting of pink on her pale face fading away as fast as it had appeared there. Conjured images of the grown man that the brunette would become, his eyes shadowed over by his brown hair, a sly smile on his face very much different from the warm ones he gives to her, being pinned down underneath him, wet and warm tongue travelling down her body, being dominated and ravaged by her gentle knight…

"N-no, that isn't correct. I-It is I that should be the one on top. And one step at a time, Taeko- Celestia," she almost instantly corrected herself inside her head.

Shifting her focus back to the present, she looked for the lucky student and found him being given some rather stern talk about how he shouldn't be so eager to help someone's studies to a level that Kiyotaka Ishimaru stated as 'rule breaking.' By the awkward smile he had on his face, it at least looked like he was considering it but having conflicting thoughts. Nevertheless, Celeste expected the brunette to go out of his way to help the same way if it happened again.

Moving her eyes away from him, the young lady observed the rest of the class. Fujisaki Chihiro was tinkering with something on her laptop, Yamada Hifumi she'd ordered beforehand to prepare her tea after taking her bag to the classroom, Owada Mondo was dozing away on the desk of his table since his 'kyoudai' was busy with Naegi Makoto and Kuwata Leon, Hagakure Yasuhiro and Enoshima Junko out of all their classmates were engaged in conversation, and finally, Asahina Aoi and Ogami Sakura were with each other as usual.

The more dangerous opponents weren't here yet, she thought, but the Ultimate Swimmer was there and she could pose a problem for her. Gazing at the tanned girl from where she was, unnoticed by her classmates, well, apart from the Ultimate Martial Artist who'd sensed the gambler staring at her friend, Celeste could easily discern from the swimmer's expression that she was waiting for Kiyotaka to finish speaking with Naegi before the passionate girl would go up to him. Perhaps using it as an excuse to get heart in order or something of that sort.

It was no matter to the proud Ultimate Gambler, because she would not be hampered by that, especially when Maizono Sayaka and Kirigiri Kyoko were still not there. However, there was much to be desired from the current scenario, as she would rather have given him chocolates somewhere more scenic, such as the Old School Building's courtyard, or its recreational room, where she and Naegi had first conversated in a more befitting setting for someone like her.

Even so, a contact of hers had shared word about a rather worrying event some time ago between the Ultimate Lucky Student and the Ultimate Idol, who had been eager to attain the right of being the first one to give valentines to the cute brunette, and that raised the chances of whomever had that privilege to win his affection. Which would mean that his female classmates held that advantage, but only one of them would have the opportunity to be first.

She sighed, there was no helping it, the girl thought, hoping that perhaps later the two of them could meet once more somewhere better after class, and giving her chocolates right now could at least be used to have him come to her summons later, then she would conquer his heart.

Unafraid of the consequences that she knew would arise by going after the boy this early, Celeste moved away from where she sat and conspicuously walked forward to where their class' lucky student was, causing a few eyes in the room to look at her, and in particular, one of them spoke up to call for her, watching her voice so that Naegi wouldn't overhear anything.

"H-hey, Celeste-chan, w-where do you think you're going?"

Instead of answering the question, the Ultimate Gambler cut straight to the heart of the matter.

"Oh, Asahina-san, you wouldn't happen to be waiting for a moment to approach Naegi-kun, would you?"

"W-what!?"

"You know, I caught word that our classmate Maizono-san was trying to get ahead of everyone this morning, but alas, Kuwata-kun caused a scene."

"A-and…?"

"Perhaps there are some people who want to take advantage of that and do it in the poor idol's stead, do you not think so?"

"I h-have no idea what you're talking about, ahaha…"

"Is that so? Well then, please excuse me, I have more important plans that I wish to chat with Naegi-kun as soon as possible, please do try again later."

"E-eh!? H-hold on a second! He's busy! And what about the truce?"

"I'm afraid to say it, but were those not effectively nonexistent as soon as the day began?"

"Then Maizono-san…?"

"Ara? So, you did hear of it?"

"U-umm…! Never you mind that, Celeste-chan! T-the point is…"

"Come now, Asahina-san, at this rate, if none of us were to make the first move because we are too worried of each other or of causing a large pandemonium, then the day will pass by with nobody having a good Valentine's, understand?"

"But, why do you have to go first!?"

"Because I am Celestia Ludenburg," the gothic Lolita plainly stated, with a small smile on her face partially hidden by her hand raised up to her mouth.

"I-I'll- I mean, everyone's going to get really mad or something about it!"

"As the Super High School-Level Gambler," she emphasized with a cute tilt of her head to the side and her fingers interlaced between each other below her chin, "I shall take my chances."

"I-I won't let you. Celeste-chan!"

However, somewhere else in the classroom, an important conversation was being made throughout their argument, and had gotten unnoticed simply because the two people talking were not exactly known for the insightfulness of the topics they liked to have. And that was also why they had been ignored in favor of watching Kiyotaka lecture Naegi and Kuwata.

"Hey, hey, you wanna see a new way to look into the future, Hagakure-kun?"

"Hah? You think you can teach the Ultimate Clairvoyant a new method of fortune telling?"

"Mhm! It's because I found it recently on the Internet!"

"Those don't even get a ten percent chance of getting it right! I can predict the future with-!"

"Yeah, thirty – no, zero percent, right? Whatever, let Enoshima Junko-sama show you a way to get an absolutely perfect prediction!"

"W-wha!?"

"Behold! Va-Va-Valuse!"

Totally dumbfounded by what Enoshima had said, the last thing that Hagakure had expected was for the busty girl to somehow break open a window pane of their classroom, without even having gone anywhere near it. Allowing a strong gust of wind to blow into the room, spreading sharp glass over the room, the loud sound of shattering glass instantly grabbed attention.

And yet the only thing that managed to get swept up by the wind was one unlucky student's homework, the weight of Kuwata Leon's hand lifted up in surprise and leaving it unattended.

The clairvoyant and everyone in the entire room, sans the regularly composed gambler, expectedly reacted like any rational person who'd witnessed something totally and absolutely unexpectedwould,

"Kyaaa! What was that!?"

"Be careful not to get cut by the shards, Asahina!"

"What happened to the window!?"

"Oi! The hell did you do that for!?"

"Dude! The wind! It's freezing!"

"Enoshima-kun! What did you just do!?"

"H-how the hell did you do that!?"

The Ultimate Fashionista looked visibly unaffected by her classmates' outbursts.

"I spoke the magic words, obviously!"

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

"How do you even – wait, no, how did you saying a bunch of gibberish even do that!?"

All the while this had been happening, the rather unlucky Ultimate student who'd gotten their papers swept away by the wind and all the way out of the room though the open doors, scrambled out of his chair and attempted to grab at them but only managing to slip and fall down the ground. Right now though, he was more concerned about his homework than the slight pain and dealing with another one of Enoshima's regular haphazard mischiefs.

"Ah! Wait, my- it's getting blown out of the room!"

Seeing that his classmates were on Enoshima's case and they couldn't hear him over the loud sound of wind continuously blowing into the room from the smashed open window, Naegi got up in a hurry to catch up to his rapidly flying away homework before it could find a way outside of the building.

Exiting the room, he looked to his right and then to his left, then quickly ran to where he'd managed to catch sight of a white flutter in the air.

So focused was he on the trying to grab hold of the papers, Naegi hadn't noticed that he'd turned into the corner that led to the stairs for going up and down the floor his classroom was on, and right as his fingertips were a mere hair breadth from touching his escaped homework, the foot he'd placed in front of him didn't find any ground to step on.

The Lucky Student felt fear and panic rush through him before the feeling of weightlessness overtook him as he was sent tumbling down the stairs, miraculously not sustaining even one bone breaking injury but, nonetheless, feeling terribly hurt as he slammed down onto the hard floor.

"O-ouch…"

Dazed and seeing the world spin around him, Naegi closed his eyes from both the pain and to avoid the nausea of looking at the ceiling above him dancing around in a circular motion. While unbeknownst to the boy lying flat on the ground, the silent footsteps of an experienced soldier were steadily approaching his prone figure, with a couple of papers on hand that she'd caught floating in her direction.

Sensing a strange warmth near him, the brunette opened his eyes and was met with the expressionless face of one of his female classmates, though she was much too close for comfort than he would've wanted, as she was kneeling down beside him with her head slowly getting closer and closer to his own.

"I-Ikusaba-san!?"

Short dark hair, freckles, and the aura of someone who'd fought in numerous battlefields, this was none other than the Super High School-Level Soldier, Ikusaba Mukuro, a person of note who happened to be the twin sister of Enoshima Junko.

"Oh, you're not unconscious. Good morning, Naegi-kun."

"G-good morning too…"

"These are yours, correct?"

Bringing the windswept papers she had on hand up so that he could see, Naegi's eyes widened in surprise, before quickly confirming that they were his.

"Y-yeah! You caught them?"

The Ultimate Soldier nodded, letting the boy take the sheets of paper out of her hands, before standing up from her position and offering a hand down to help Naegi get up from the ground.

"Thank you, Ikusaba-san!"

She immediately blushed in response to that smile he gave her, almost like if it were her sister giving her any form of attention, whether it was by insulting her, greeting her, or being given the none too uncommon speeches of her sister's love of despair and its ecstatic unpredictability. But there was something about her classmate that made it feel so much warmer, the genuineness of his smile, the honest appreciation is his words, the way his eyes looked at her as if she was a normal girl, and not an inhuman killing machine.

It was incomprehensible, the soldier couldn't understand it, nor could she understand him, due to the fact that nobody had ever looked at her the way he did. Not those who she had fought alongside with in the mercenary organization, Fenrir, not her parents or her sister, and not even her own classmates, it was Naegi alone that would give her that sweet smile. Fears and doubts would hopelessly shackle her away from ever getting too close to him but perhaps one day he would give her the strength to break free of that despair, of the person who she couldn't admit to herself was the true cause of it.

Because she loved that person, no matter how cruel they were to her, for that was the only way the Ultimate Soldier had ever gotten the attention she wanted from that person, and she couldn't risk losing that person once again. And to this cold and clueless girl, scared and ignorant of situations and thoughts that fell outside of what she knew in the battlefield, the Ultimate Lucky Student was showing her perceptions she'd never encountered before.

Ikusaba Mukuro didn't know why, but what she did know was that she wanted to feel and experience it more, she wanted – or maybe even needed Naegi Makoto. 'In more ways than one,' her sister would have teased, though only if Enoshima Junko were the type to not be vexed by her more or less useful tool for an onslaught of unrepentant violence having a disgustingly hopeful infatuation with the perfectly average Ultimate of the seventy-eighth class.

"Ummm… Ikusaba-san, you can let go of my hand now."

"Hmm?"

"I-I'm already up, thank you for the help," he shyly let out, a little flustered that she was still holding on to his hand even after she'd already easily lifted him up from the floor, and there wasn't a trace of anything he could glean from the Ultimate Soldier's impassive expression, other than she might have been lost in thought with how far away her eyes were seemingly so unfocused on.

For the slightest second, Naegi could have sworn that he'd seen just the slightest bit of pink taint the pale girl's cheeks, but it was gone just as quick as he thought it had appeared, and the girl who'd just realized where her hand was began reluctantly drawing it back to her side, all with the same cold look she always appeared to have.

"I was under the assumption you still needed support. My apologies, Naegi-kun."

"N-no, it's alright, Ikusaba-san! This isn't my first time falling down these stairs, you know," giving a pitiful laugh over his frequent bouts of misfortune, the brunette was quick to assure his odd classmate didn't get any wrong impression.

"Hmm, I remember once needing to carry you to the nurse's office just last month."

"Oh… right… that was… definitely not one of my favorite accidents…"

Recalling the particular event that his friend had brought up, which had not only been exclusively contained between them and their classmates, involved the second seventy-seventh class and the unsurprising antics of Ikusaba's sister, the Ultimate Fashionista.

A scheme that managed to get an entire room in the New School Building to be rebuilt, Nidai Nekomaru and Owada Mondo to be given punishment, their two classes to face an angry Yukizome Chisa and be rightfully forced to help fix the damage, and of course, a certain Naegi Makoto to miss an entire day of school the next day because he broke a few bones.

"I remember getting a little closer to Mioda-senpai after that though… but remembering it still hurts… ahaha…"

Not exactly wanting to remember the details of that story, Naegi sought a change of topic.

"Ah, Ikusaba-san, your sister came to class really early for once, it's odd that you two didn't come in together," asked a curious Naegi, both wondering why Enoshima seemed more enthusiastic than normal, enough to start somehow breaking school property before classes had even begun, but also interested in what the mysterious soldier was doing by herself.

"…My sister gave me a strange task," was the girl's vague answer.

"Err, okay?"

Mukuro had enough sense not to tell her classmate that she was asked to break a window pane of their classroom from the floor below them, which hadn't been the most difficult or the oddest request from her sister, but she'd still needed to do so from outside of the school building, all the while being dozens of floors high above the ground.

"Umm… Enoshima-san looked like she was in a good mood, I guess she has plans for Valentine's Day?"

"Hm, none that I know of, I think."

"Well, what about you, Ikusaba-san? Did you want to… give chocolates to anyone?"

Tentatively dipping a toe into that puddle, or possibly dangerous landmine, Naegi couldn't help but give in to the words of his male friends, notably Kuwata and Owada, and indirectly try and see if a certain Ultimate Lucky Student would be getting any chocolates from his reclusive friend.

"Don't get your hopes up, don't get your hopes up…"

Repeating the mantra in his head, the brunette noticed the girl walking beside him turn her head to face him and tilt it questioningly, before she asked,

"Why would I have that sort of plan?"

To which granted the soldier a sight of her classmate suddenly feeling a jolt of what looked like a mix between flinch of surprise and a sting of pain, at least that was how she interpreted his strained smile and abrupt slight second of frozen movement.

"Is there something wrong, Naegi-kun?"

"Ah! N-no! I just... F-forget it actually, Ikusaba-san."

"If you are still in pain, I'm sure Kiyotaka-kun will understand if you need to see Tsumiki-senpai."

"I-it's not that, I just had a little… misunderstanding about something…"

Scratching the back of his head, it looked as if the boy hadn't quite listened to what he'd been repeating inside his head, but he could hardly help it after half-considering the so-called 'hints' of interest that apparently a few rumored girls held for him, at least, that was what his friends had been saying the night before. Despite being skeptical, it still wasn't exactly the best feeling in the world to be indirectly shot down by a cute girl who'd been said to like him in the first place.

Though that wouldn't mean Naegi had any intentions of getting mad at his male classmates for having misled him like this, it could've been nothing more than a misunderstanding on everyone's parts, and the Lucky Student didn't have the heart to put any blame on his friends. He'd make sure to tell them at the very least, hoping to clear the mistake and let them know that Ikusaba definitely didn't like him that way.

Going one step further, maybe this wasn't such an isolated case with just one girl, the boy pondered, and considered the possibility that they were mistaken about the other girls as well.

Whether they would believe him, that, Naegi didn't put much thought into.

"In the first place… how would they even know that Ikusaba-san likes me? She's not the most open person in the world, so…? Is it because I'm the only one that she gets close with asides from her sister? Still, I haven't really spoken much with Ikusaba-san, but comparatively…"

"Naegi-kun?"

Breaking him out of that train of thought, the dark-haired girl beside him suddenly called for his attention.

"Ah, yes?"

"Why… would you think I had any plans to give chocolates?"

"Well, it's Valentine's today, and umm… it's an opportunity for girls to give boys they like chocolates – ah, n-not that it's exclusively for boys that they like! There's also valentines meant in obligation or for friends."

"I… I see. I'm afraid I don't have much familiarity about this sort of…"

Not knowing much about the Ultimate Soldier, asides from what she had to have been brutally honest about, which pertained to where and how she was able to attain such an intimidating talent, all that Naegi knew of the girl was just that, a member of a mercenary group that operated overseas. Recalling this, perhaps it was no wonder to the boy that she wasn't aware of the particularly Japanese custom, but rather unfortunately, this bit of information hadn't made him rethink the question of whether or not her affections for him existed.

"Being able to be here in Hope's Peak, that should mean Ikusaba-san had to have been in high school somewhere… right? I wonder when she stopped going to school to be in Fenrir?"

"You were out of Japan before you were invited to the academy, is that right, Ikusaba-san?"

"Yes, and as such, I've not a clear memory on many things," the girl answered, who had only faint reminiscences of her time studying at the junior high school she attended.

Hearing that, almost certainly Naegi Makoto would want to help his quite distant friend and classmate with any problems she was having. And it also helped plenty with getting closer to the girl, friendship-wise, something that the brunette was always earnest for with his fellow Hope's Peak students.

"I'd be happy to talk with you more about anything you have questions about!"

"V-very well, I will approach you if ever needed… thank you, Naegi-kun…"

"I'm always happy to lend a hand, Ikusaba-san!"

With their classroom just a few short minutes of walking away, the girl would only have a short amount of time left before needing to draw away from the Lucky Student, returning back to how she normally acted while amongst the company of her classmates. And so,

"About Valentine's, Naegi-kun?"

"Yes, what about it? Did you want to know more?"

"…Just a little."

"Umm, there's not much I can really explain. I never really had much of an experience while in my middle school and I couldn't have one for high school before I was accepted as the Super High School-Level Lucky Student," scratching the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile on his face, Naegi said as much about his personal history with the special occasion.

"Then about the giving of chocolates?"

"Ah, well, just like what I said before, usually it's the girl that gives chocolates to the boy she likes, umm… it's also the perfect chance to confess her feelings too. Oh! And on White Day, the boy also has to give a gift to the girl that gave him a valentine."

"T-the girl must c-confess…?"

Taking a glance at Ikusaba, the sight of her flustered and blushing made his heart skip a beat, the normally unflappable Ultimate Solider looking like a normal high schooler thinking about her crush in school made for a rather endearing display that Naegi couldn't label as anything other than,

"Ikusaba-san is definitely cute."

"Eh?"

"W-what?"

"Did you…?"

"Ikusaba-san?"

"N-no, it must've been nothing…"

"I'm sure I didn't say that out loud… yeah, there's no way I'd make that kind of mistake…"

Seeing how much more flustered the dark-haired girl became did not help whatsoever.

"A-anyway, about Valentine's, there's no need to confess if the girl is just giving chocolates to a friend, or if it's out of obligation."

"Obligation?" The now calmer Ikusaba asked.

"Like giving sweets to everyone in a group of friends, sort of like that."

"I see…"

"But what everyone really thinks about most in Valentine's is the confession type. It's really popular in anime and manga too, those times where the heroine gives handmade chocolates to her senpai on the roof with a sunset."

She looked at Naegi strangely.

"My sister gets me to read any shoujo manga that she really likes," he says, laughing a little.

"There was that one manga she showed me about a younger sister and an older brother... but... I'm guessing she didn't pay attention to that detail?"

"Handmade?"

"Oh, you weren't with the girls in the dormitory's kitchen last night? I think they were busy making chocolates to give. It's a lot more special, the sentiment, if they didn't get it from somewhere like a convenience store."

"H-how burdensome…"

"Yeah, but I think it's really sweet of a girl to do that much effort," directing a warm smile at her, "but it's definitely not necessary. I think any guy would be happy to get chocolates from a pretty girl, even if it was just bought."

"And you, Naegi-kun, would you be happy to get sweets today?"

Excitedly nodding in response, "Mhm! I've never gotten one before while in my middle school, well, except from my sister that is. But I'd sure be super happy even if it was just obligatory."

"And to be confessed to... well, I wouldn't even know what to do! That's too hard to imagine from any of the girls in Hope's Peak!"

"It seems like I have acquired very useful information, yes. Thank you, Naegi-kun."

"I-it's not a big deal, Ikusaba-san."

"But perhaps I need to ask my sister… or… no… still… I must…"

Worriedly turning his head to look at girl murmuring an argument with herself, the soldier looked quite troubled with what was on her mind, and just as he was about to ask if everything was alright,

"Ah, Naegi-kun!"

Suddenly yelled out from behind the two walking to their classroom, the boy who'd been called turned around, though he didn't need to think quite hard to determine who it was, as the melodic voice was more than enough recognizable to anyone that has even at least once listened to her performances, whether it was on stage or online.

"Maizono-san, good morning!"

"Good morning!"

Cutely tilting her head to the side with eyes daintily closed, the strange atmosphere around her from when Naegi had first seen her earlier was nowhere to be found, and he frankly welcomed it with how nervous the Super High School-Level Idol, Maizono Sayaka, had made him before a red-haired baseball player dragged the Lucky Student away from her. Of course, the brunette wasn't worried of any hysterical assaults from the idol, perhaps with a deadly knife. It was a different kind of heart racing encounter, filled with the skittish butterflies of expecting a crush to confess or reveal a secret that they could only tell to one special person.

Seeing her walk up to them, Naegi stopped so that the idol could walk with him and Ikusaba, who in the corner of his eyes, was gazing at Maizono with dead fish-like eyes, something that would have normally concerned him if the person in question wasn't the Ultimate Soldier, a girl that frequently looked at even her classmates in that same manner. However, the Lucky Student was just a little unsure to note down in his head that it somehow felt a little angrier than normal.

"…Ikusaba-san, good morning too," the blue-haired girl greeted, sounding less cheerful as when she'd addressed him but still with that beautiful smile, and the only boy there could have sworn that it felt a whole lot more manufactured than when he'd seen her speak to 'important' people that her manager arranged her to meet.

"…Maizono-san," was all that the soldier replied with, and alongside it, a curt nod to show the barest minimum of respect, though the dead-eyed stare she gave to the idol did its job in ruining any bit of that.

"…Haha, well… let's get to class…"

An unnerved Lucky Student said, awkwardly laughing to relieve himself, feeling almost suffocated by the atmosphere surrounding him, courtesy of the intense gazes the two girls were giving each other. And luckily, the Ultimate Idol stood down first from the, thankfully, nonphysical confrontation, offering the brunette a winning beam of charm, making him blush and look away.

Ikusaba could not help but feel that she'd lost despite her enemy surrendering earlier than her, once again finding another situation where her mind trained for combat on the battlefield had a difficulty in understanding. Though she would have to give the other girl the victory now, annoying the soldier after seeing the cheeky smile on her classmate's face clearly being directed to her, the war was from over.

Especially after having gathered extremely valuable information right before Maizono came.

And so, the odd trio made their way to class, making idle chatter. Or rather, the brunette boy and the blue-haired girl were doing so, while the quiet one in their party chose to observe what was being said in the conversation, seeing if she could make use of anything in particular to her advantage.

"Ah, Maizono-san, about a while ago?"

"Yes?" She asked, confusing him slightly.

"Err, at the dorm? We saw each other, and it looked like…" he left it unfinished, not quite knowing what to say without coming off as a creep that believed she was about to confess or something of that sort.

"Oh, right! At that time, I… was thinking about the Valentine's Day themed shoot I had with my idol group a week ago! There's an interview I need to be in later tonight…"

"I-I see…! It looked like you were going to approach me about something though… but, an interview even on a special day, as expected of a number one idol, I guess…"

Hiding his disappointment, Naegi feigned disregard to what he'd remembered feeling earlier, the anticipation and nervousness of seeing his cute classmate on Valentine's Day, who'd been rumored by his friends to perhaps like him, and expecting to be given chocolates. Instead, focusing his attention onto what the idol had said, framing it in his mind that when he'd seen her earlier, it wasn't him that was the cause of her fluster, it was the thoughts about her upcoming interview session.

Recalling how the blue-haired girl had blushed and looked away from him when they locked eyes just some time ago, the Ultimate thought to himself,

"If she was deeply thinking about it then, maybe Maizono-san wanted to get my opinion about something when she saw me…? Is she worried about having to do or answer embarrassing questions later? I did help her out that one time with something similar so… that must be it!"

Having made up a good idea of the entire scenario, the kind-hearted boy punched down his selfish assumptions of wanting to get valentines from his troubled friend, and got to prioritizing how he could help her as just an average person who happened to be her classmate.

On the other hand, for the girl who'd been a little nervous to admit that her crush had been initially correct about the idol wanting to talk to him back then and give him the Valentine's she'd made alongside the other girls last night, she'd unexpectedly made her objective much harder to complete.

"W-well… Naegi-kun…"

"Don't worry, Maizono-san, I'm always here for you if ever you need any help," he said, giving her a sincerely caring smile, setting her heart aflutter.

"T-then… about a while ago…"

This was it, she thought to herself, the brunette boy had essentially given her the helping hand she needed to take, the boost of confidence she needed to have, so that the idol could finally bring out and reveal to him why she'd made the move to approach him earlier. Telling her that he was there and offering support to her trembling heart, damning the hidden fright inside her of the piercing glare that Ikusaba Mukuro was giving and doubts she had about herself.

"Right! Please, tell me about anything that you're worried about for your interview!"

"E-eh?"

The Ultimate Soldier, who'd been listening very carefully after the change in atmosphere between the two had become much closer than she was comfortable with, sighed in relief once the start of a possibly intimate sensation she was feeling from the two had abruptly stopped.

"T-the interview?"

Nodding with the same smile on his face, "Yeah, you looked really nervous when you were thinking about it earlier, right? I'm hoping I can help you with it, Maizono-san, just like last time!"

"W-what?"

Tilting his head to the side slightly in confusion, Naegi asked, "Is there something wrong, Maizono-san? That was what you were going to talk to me about before Kuwata-kun carried me out, or…?"

"R-right, yeah, looks like you read my mind this time around!"

"Maybe it's because we've spent so much time together in this school, Maizono-san," he said, a small blush on his face that showed he was a little embarrassed to say it, making the blue-haired girl want to squeeze him right there, but at the same, it made her think about it.

"…You know, Naegi-kun, I don't think I'll need to worry about the interview anymore."

"O-oh? Why is that?"

"Because I already know what you'll say to help me do my best in it!"

He chuckles, "Is it because…?"

"That's right! I'm an Esper!"

They share a laugh at the inside joke between them, and to the side, Ikusaba once again felt how massive of a threat Maizono Sayaka was, and how correct it was to put her as one of the top rivals, along with her sister, someone who couldn't possibly fail if the beautiful mastermind that she was really wanted to have the boy.

When a comfortable silence passed as they neared their classroom, Naegi spoke up to ask, "I'm curious, Maizono-san, since it's Valentine's Day and all…"

"Y-yes?"

"Do you have… like, any plans with anyone?"

"I-is this an invitation from you, Naegi-kun?"

"N-no, I didn't mean anything like that!"

Giggling, though with a clearly red cheeks, she replies, "I know, I know, just teasing!"

Relieved and laughing a little at his own reaction, Naegi jokingly complains but asks once more.

"But really, Maizono-san, do you…?"

"You know I can't have any relationships with anyone, Naegi-kun! My fans wouldn't like that one bit, and my manager would get really mad."

"So then, I guess it'll just be busy Valentine's Day for you?"

"…Mm, who knows? Maybe~"

"Well, I hope everything turns out good for you today, Maizono-san," the brunette says, burying the idea in his mind that she would ever give any chocolates to him today down to the back of his head, instead wanting that the persevering idol herself to be happy on the occasion.

"How long are you two, and the mercenary girl, going to be babbling in front of the entrance?"

Surprising two members of their little party by his sudden appearance, though their silent black-haired friend had already taken notice of the bespectacled blond classmate of theirs approaching where they currently stood since he'd exited the elevator doors yet neglected to notify them of his arrival, there stood a regal looking young man with arms crossed over his chest nearby the trio. It was none other than Togami Byakuya, the Super High School-Level Heir, scion to a massive financial conglomerate of which is owned by his father, and affixed upon the imposing Ultimate Affluent Progeny's face was an arrogant sneer, as he looked down at the three that stood in his path.

Further away from them, Mukuro could also spot a certain famous author, as well as infamous serial killer stalking the hallway and staring eye-piercingly at one particular person in the small group that formed there. And from behind the lurking girl wearing glasses, the Ultimate Soldier's eyes connected with the calculating gaze of another classmate of theirs, the final one in their class it would seem to finally appear right before their homeroom teacher would be sent to their classroom.

The two stared at each other for only a mere second longer before the soldier refocused her attention on the vexed blond talking to the two people that she was with, and she supposed he was also counting her alongside them as being in his way. As for the purple-eyed girl stoically observing the situation from afar, her gaze shifted back towards the nervous brunette happily greeting the blond a good morning, who'd deigned himself to spare the lucky student one glance and even a nod that showed some manner of recognition towards a commoner.

Moving out of the way for Togami to walk through, Naegi bashfully grinned in amusement at Maizono, who stuck out her tongue mockingly towards the prideful heir that passed them by and giggled playfully after seeing the lucky student holding back a chuckle, making the blond roll his eyes, whom had expected a gibe of some sort in return from the idol.

Feeling a strange sensation of being watched, he turned his head to survey the hallway, where he found a rather agitated library girl shaking nervously behind a cover that barely did anything to hide her figure. Raising up a hand to wave in greeting and adopting a kind smile to put her at ease, it almost did the opposite of what he wanted, the ironic result being that the Ultimate student trying to hide herself cowered even further away from him.

Relenting his attention away from her, knowing that the girl's shyness couldn't be helped right now and that it would probably help more if he stopped looking at her, Naegi detected another faint gaze all the way behind the glass-wearing girl, the color of lavender locks swaying slightly in contrast to the surroundings letting him know who it was. Though in all honesty, the lucky student truly didn't need any hints in order to identify the person that was intently watching them, as he was more than used to being a witness to her analytical prowess.

Considerably, both the Ultimate Soldier and the observer were always surprised of his ability to be cognizant of things that any ordinary person shouldn't have been conscious of, though he was quick to wave it away as just being a quick learner at familiarizing himself with others.

"Let's talk more later during the break, is that fine, Maizono-san?"

Seeing that they were already there next to the classroom, the brunette boy assumed that Kiyotaka hadn't let him off the hook after Enoshima caused a scene, and thought that maybe it was best to part with the two girls before seeing if their disciplinarian classmate had any words left to say to him, not wanting to be abruptly interrupted mid-conversation especially when class was about to start any time soon.

"Mhm, and I've got a little surprise for you later too, Naegi-kun," she whispered, suddenly leaning in to the side of his face, causing him to blush.

Even though Maizono had finally resolved herself to clearing up the Ultimate Lucky Student's misunderstanding, now that they were nearby their classroom, the number of enemies in the area had drastically increased. She was more than aware of the smug smirk on the Ultimate Gambler's face clearly being directed at her, as well as the fiery eyes of the Ultimate Swimmer, who was now unafraid to turn this Valentine's Day morning into a chaotic predicament once anyone started the dreaded valentines giving.

The truce which had been made a day prior in the dorm's kitchen, an agreement between the girls who had been there and those that had been contacted if they were absent, was, after all, practically voided on the actual day, and after the idol's clear attempt at handing chocolates this morning, the game was truly on. And the great prize of it all, was being the first one to give the seventy-eighth class' Naegi Makoto a Valentine's Day present, a special privilege that many of young ladies could not overlook.

Sure, any one of them could just storm in and do it. However, there were important things to note. One, it was in no way romantic to rush the boy down and shove onto him their precious gift. No, because for the eccentric students of Hope's Peak Academy, it either needed to be a grand performance, or the setting had to be perfect accordingly to their ultimate talent. Secondly, they needed to take into account Naegi's admittedly horrible luck, meaning that if they all started a big incident, there were big chances that the boy himself would end up hospitalized, and then their highly anticipated Valentine's Day would similarly end there.

Of course, there were more than just those reasons to keep in mind, as the second seventy-seventh class had their own circumstances to uphold. But essentially, the girls all knew that they needed to be tactful, even if they more reckless or blatant in personality than others.

At that moment, the best option was to set up a private meeting with boy, one that the Ultimate Idol need to deliver by messaging Naegi on his phone, not allowing any of them, most especially the mysteriously smiling Enoshima Junko, chances to overhear of the when and where she'll be giving her valentines to him.

"O-oh! I can't wait to know what it is," he skittishly mumbled, hopes in heart seemingly relit.

"You'll have to find out after class! Don't forget!"

A loud declaration. One made on purpose, as the eyes on the idol sharpened greatly in response, but the blue-haired girl was undeterred as she used her greatest advantage over the girls of Hope's Peak, being the closest friend of the Ultimate Lucky Student, and the most likely person he had a crush on. Though it wasn't much of an asset as one would really think.

And that was because the brunette wouldn't object to any one of his schoolmates asking him to meet them somewhere for no particular reason, or at least not without plenty of reluctance depending on. They were all his friends, more or less at least with a few of them, but he trusted them all, again, more or less, and it would be difficult of him to think one individual more important than another.

That did not mean, however, that all the girls were on equal footing.

Because after a library girl came slinking inside the classroom, ignored by many of her classmates for the sake of not distressing her in some way and getting a homicidal maniac to reappear, one such particular person entered the classroom. Considered to be right up there with the Ultimate Idol as a high-profile danger to their romantic high school life spent with Naegi, along with the likes of Tsumiki Mikan and a certain pianist in the other seventy-eight class, a lavender-haired beauty that happened to be the headmaster's daughter.

The Super High School-Level Detective, Kirigiri Kyoko.

With her, came an unpalpable tension in the room that was only noticeable by the girls there. Each of their eyes shifting towards one another, classmates and friends, as well as rivals in love, turned into temporary enemies. The faintly bemused and nonchalant Celestia Ludenburg, the stoic and impassive Kirigiri Kyoko, the determined and passionate Asahina Aoi, the sweet and charming Maizono Sayaka, and the cold and callous Ikusaba Mukuro. While on the side, a fidgeting and timid Super High School-Level Literary Girl, Fukawa Toko, watched with a weak heart, biting down on the nail of her thumb in anxiety.

Most worryingly of all, a barely suppressed wicked grin on Enoshima Junko's features.

What she was so excited about, that was another concern that the girls needed to pay mind.

Eventually, the stare down ended when the voice of their homeroom teacher greeting them from the entrance and stepping inside the classroom had been heard, and it would seem that a regular morning was about to begin.

That was, until Kiyotaka Ishimaru suddenly stopped the teacher from proceeding, an incredibly rare action that was almost unthinkable coming from the Ultimate Moral Compass, and it greatly surprised most of his classmates.

"Excuse me, sensei! But before we begin, I would like to announce something to everyone!"

The teacher wryly smiled but gave the overly dedicated boy a nod and permitting a go ahead.

"It has come to my attention that today is Valentine's Day!"

Half of the class raised an eyebrow in question, wondering where their annoying but somewhat endearing disciplinarian was going with this after stating something quite obvious.

"I heard from someone about some very alarming and that is why…"

Kirigiri noticed in the corner of her vision the way Enoshima's grin grew, almost as if she had been expecting this from Kiyotaka.

"I will be forbidding any forms of public displays of affection while in school premises!"

The class was silent, and before anyone could open their mouth to comment, he continued.

"And that includes… the handing out of any valentines, sweets, and chocolates!"

---

A few floors below, the second seventy-seventh class could hear faint sounds of yelled out protests from what sounded like their underclassmen, and a few floors above, the second seventy-eighth class heard similar sounds as well, though they themselves had problems of their own to be minding for Valentine's Day. But within the classroom of upperclassmen,

"See, I told you there's nothing to worry about while that guy is there."

"I'm pretty sure he'll be keeping an eye on us too, Hiyoko-chan."

"Like we gotta care about that tight-ass! I'll take him down and out while you all get Nanami ready, 'kay!?"

"Please refrain from doing so, Owari. I would rather Kuzuryu and the rest of our classmates not be dragged into another class competition because of it."

"You say that, Peko-chan, but you'd swing that sword 'a yours at him if he got in your way, aren't I right~? Let Ibuki show you how it's done with this guitar~!"

"Oh, oh! I cannot wait to give my handmade chocolates to Naegi-san, as well! This feels just like a Japanese drama! And I would like to remind everyone that the kingdom of Novoselic has quite the most delicious chocolates being imported to Japan for you all as well, so please stop crying, Soda-san!"

"N-Nanami-san… please wake up. W-we can't give Naegi-san any valentines before you, remember? A-and at this rate… he might end up getting really hurt somehow… but… I wouldn't really mind as long as I take care of him, hehe…"

To the nurse's concern, a gentle yawn, before a reply came after, "…I'll come by his class later… I think…"

---

Chapter 1 finishes with only 5 out of… a lot of girls getting the spotlight and it took more than 15k words to do it. This could be a pain. I suppose that means at most there will be eight or nine chapters (including the prologue and a… slightly risqué epilogue).

Naegi makes lots of allusions to events that happened during his school year, those are just in case I want to write anything after I manage to finish this someday. No promises though.

I found a webpage that details how each character addresses people (w/ Japanese honorifics). I'd link it but I'm not sure if that's allowed on this site. It sadly doesn't cover V3.

Some thoughts as I was writing this:

I was very tempted to turn Chihiro into a girl, and I still am. But… I'll put up a poll, I guess.

If you were curious about when I alternate between "Super High School-Level _" and "Ultimate _," the first is just for introducing a character (plus using their original Japanese title), the second is for when I need an alternative way to refer to them other than "that boy/girl over there" (for this, it's either their localized title or the original).

On that note, the American localization of these games is such a… sigh… I would have preferred a fan-translation or something like it, anything that would have preserved the Japanese-ness of it. Things like one character saying someone's first-name vs last-name, the honorifics they use, and etcetera. It's all ruined even if you choose to use the Japanese audio because there are times that there's a stark difference from what the English subtitles have.

I never watched the anime (D1 and D3) dubbed, nor did I play the games with the English audio, so yes, I'm that rigid in wanting/writing things via the way they were originally. And so, the American-ness of the translations are… not what I ideally want.

Yes, I'm a weirdo.

Anyways, Mukuro's speech patterns are something I'm not familiar with. Apologies if I made her sound a bit overly like the smart-type, I wanted to go for something soldier-like and formal.

Asahina was surprisingly the hardest to write. She's just so… basic? Anyway, I'm not satisfied with her part yet (it's just so much shorter than the others!) and I might make a few changes/additions on another day. Same with Tsumiki too, needs more fluff to it (both in word count and in romance).

Also, what is a 'Luckster' and why do people use it instead of just Lucky Student? Is it just annoying to type out the full thing or…? I won't be using it, that's all, just curious really.

Leave a review of your thoughts please, and check out that important kinda poll in my profile.

A second chapter… I'm not too sure when that'll come but maybe on another special holiday haha. Nevermind about April, college has been straight annihilating me and I've had no time to write whatsoever. Forgive this poor college student for having a terrible schedule!