Kyoko entered the Headmaster's office with two cups of coffee in her glove-covered hands. Makoto didn't even notice her while he was focused on typing on his computer, not until she sat down in front of him and placed the cup between him and his keyboard.
"Ah, thanks Kiri" He said and moved his monitor away to reveal his bright smile.
"And I thought that I was a workaholic" She smirked.
"It's just the academy has freshly opened and-"
"Yeah I know I know, just don't let it stay like this alright?" Kyoko interrupted.
"No worries, I don't plan on spending the rest of my life sitting on this chair anyway. I want to be a living part of this school. Y'know, look at happy kids playing football in the yard, help lone students to integrate with the class, it would be great therapy for me after the killing game. Seeing young people rise and fulfill their dreams, just like we were supposed to.." Makoto said while losing some of the happiness on his face.
"You can't deny that our experiences did teach us a lesson either, they made us stronger... They changed us. Forever." She took a sip of her coffee to release the tension.
"..And I'll use this strength to protect people from the remaining senseless despair." He said trying to sound confident.
"You mean, protect our students?" Kyoko replied with a little bit of anxiety in her voice.
"Um, well, I- I got a call from Byakuya just a moment ago and he invited me for a conference." Naegi rubbed the back of his head.
"We are retired from the Future Foundation, permanently." She stated firmly.
"I know but he said that it's very important and I have to be there. Maybe he just wants to flex the foundation's statistics and take all the credit like usually right?"
"I don't like this. I'm coming with you, when are we leaving?" Kyoko asked without asking her friend for his agreement.
"In, fifteen minutes I suppose." He replied with hesitation.
"We're going now, I'll have a little talk with the "Togami lord." She quickly stood up.
"Alright, but we need to wear our federation sui- Ah!" Makoto got pulled by Kyoko who strongly grabbed his hand.
"Screw the suits." Kyoko said with a little bit of anger that she tried to hide.
Future Foundation Headquarters - Byakuya Togami's office
"You're early, the conference has not begun yet." Byakuya said while checking something on his tablet.
"Yeah? You don't say." Kyoko said and pushed his tablet down on his desk.
"Kirigiri, I don't remember inviting you here. I assume that you forced Makoto to take you with him is that correct?" He crossed his arms.
"Doesn't matter, Kiri why don't we calm down in the conference room and talk to Byakuya afterward? We don't wanna be a problem and stress him before his presentation am I right?" Naegi said cheerfully to relax the atmosphere
"Fine." She replied.
Conference room
Both the Ultimate Hope and Detective sat in an already crowded conference room.
"Why are you so mad Kiri? The presentation didn't even start yet." Makoto tried to loosen her up.
"You didn't tell me about something important. Knowing Byakuya is nothing good. Besides, your face is an open book when it comes to stuff like this." She pointed out.
"Is it that bad? Heh.." He sighed. "Right so, he already told me what's going on but without any details. I didn't tell you because I knew you would get mad.." He looked away.
"What is it?" She asked with mad curiosity.
"It's, well, y-you'll see.. but, whatever it is, you'll join me, right?" Naegi answered counting on confirmation.
Kyoko gave no response and didn't hide her suspiciousness on purpose. Subsequently, she waited a few more minutes until Byakuya appeared under a giant screen.
"Good afternoon, I would like to welcome every one of you at the most important Future Foundation meeting to date. Today, I am proud to present the invention that'll help rebuild the humanity that we used to know. This revolutionary tool is called Project Phoenix."
He stated with an amazingly convincing voice.
A seat with a helmet, goggles, and other electronics attached to it elevated from under the floor while many schematics and descriptions began to fade in on the screen.
"Hajime Hinata's genius speeded up our research significantly so that we can show the world the first working prototype of a device that can reverse the effects of brainwashing today. We have already notified the governments of other countries about this technological miracle and got very positive responses that show huge interest in cooperation with our foundation. I am also very happy to invite the Ultimate Hope, Makoto Naegi on the stage, who'll go meet heads of the countries in person to discuss further collaboration." Byakuya stepped aside to free space for his high school friend.
Everyone stood up and started clapping as Makoto was walking toward the stage.
"Hello everyone! Yes that's right, we couldn't be happier to show project Phoenix to you guys [...]"
Kyoko stood up and exited the conference room silently, then went up the stairs that led her to the rainy roof. After she got out and breathed in some fresh air, she lay against the wall next to a smoking Future Foundation employee.
"Wait are you- Kyoko- I- I mean Mrs. Kirigiri? I-I'm sorry I- I am new here and, I'm a fan." He chuckled nervously.
"He's pretty young for a Foundation member." She thought.
"Pleased to meet you too, can I have one?" Kyoko queried.
"Oh, y-yes sure." He gave her a cigarette and lighted it up after she placed it between her lips.
Kirigiri completely laid her head against the wall and released a puff of dense gray smoke from her nostrils.
"I have to go but, it was an honor to meet you in person." He threw the cig on the ground and put it out with his shoe. Then he exited the roof and shut the door.
After his part of the presentation, Makoto left the room ignoring all the excited foundation members, their questions, and their doubts. "Excuse me, did you see Kir- I mean Mrs. Kirigiri?" Naegi asked the guard. "She went upstairs, Sir." He replied. "Alright thanks"
Naegi opened the door widely. "Kir- ah there you are.." He stood next to her without hearing a response from his friend "Can I, try it?" Kyoko passed the cigarette to him with her usual stone-cold face. The moment Makoto received the smoke he threw it in the near puddle.
"I won't let you damage your health like this, why are you so upset anyway?" He questioned madly.
"It's nothing, maybe I just want us to live a normal life, for more than two weeks? I think that we do deserve living without a daily risk of losing our lives from now on." Kyoko answered with firm peace.
"I know Kiri but, Byakuya said that I'm the Ultimate Hope, the survivor of two killing games I'm like, like a face of the Foundation y'know? I have to visit at least the biggest countries, give them speeches, and spread hope among the terrified people who lost their relatives and friends. If not lost then they might have got brainwashed anyway!" Makoto yelled.
"Your speeches don't work on me I'm sorry." She lied.
"Well they do work but I have to prove my point." Kyoko thought.
"Just join me this last time, plea-" He got interrupted by his friend who moved away from the wall.
"Do you think that I would let you go alone? What would I do? Wait for news that your plane got shot down? Or that you got slaughtered by angry despair zombies? Obviously, I'll come with you! But Byakuya doesn't care about lives or hope or anything like this he just wants their gold reserves and to become a fucking emperor or whatever!" She shouted.
"Kiri you gotta calm down-"
"No Makoto, he's manipulating you. We've risked our lives too many times. You have to quit." She said in an earnest tone.
"Don't worry I'm not letting you die again. I wouldn't agree for you to join me anyway but, your ability to handle stress is so incredible and, I have a feeling like it's working on me as well when I'm- w-when I'm with you." He giggled happily.
Kyoko smirked for a very short moment and pushed him to the wall with her hands on his shoulders. "5 countries, not one more." She pierced his eyes with her serious look.
"Ah- o-okay fine-" Naegi quickly looked away as he got overwhelmed by her stare.
"Let's talk over the details." Kyoko took her hands off his shoulders and opened the door.
Byakuya Togami's office
The Togami hair came back to his office where Makoto and Kyoko were already waiting.
"Excuse me Kirigiri, why are you still here?" Byakuya asked with an annoyed sigh.
"I'm taking Kiri with me" Naegi immediately replied.
"It is your choice to pick her as a partner but I wouldn't choose her if I were you. She's more of a distraction at least in your case." Byakuya stated while looking away.
"W-what do you mean?" Naegi questioned.
"We don't care what you think, let's discuss the details. 5 countries." She said.
"And then the other five after a break?" Togami questioned.
"No, after that we're done for good. The Foundation is yours, enjoy it but without us." Kyoko answered.
"That's not very wise of you. Makoto, is she deciding for you?" He asked suspiciously.
"No, we are both convinced that we don't want to work here anymore." Naegi answered with confidence.
"Oh really? Why is that so?"
"We want to live a normal life at school." He replied.
Byakuya sighed. "What a waste of your talent. The Ultimate Detective is not useful anymore in the world where people murder each other every few seconds but, you Makoto? The world needs you more than ever. Kirigiri just wants to bring you down with her, because she's jealous." Togami chuckled.
"How can you disrespect her like she didn't save your life?!" Naegi shouted.
Byakuya laughed. "Well I would argue over this but it's just pointless."
Makoto stepped forward but Kyoko stopped him with her hand. "Cut it off, your lust for power explains everything, we're not stopping your downfall." Kirigiri stated.
"There'll be no downfall, project Phoenix is-"
"Just tell us the countries." She cut in Togami's sentence.
"Alright then. Most importantly, the United States, then Russia, Italy, Algeria, and Brazil." He enumerated.
"These countries have lots of gold don't they?" She pointed out.
"Not necessarily, the last two are not that rich"
Togami told.
"You chose them because you want to influence their continents, didn't you?" Kyoko assumed.
Byakuya smirked. "You catch things up fast Kirigiri, I'll give you that. Anyways, let's move on to the most important topic. For the deals with project Phoenix, you'll have to negotiate the best prices and long-term arrangements. This is your main objective is that clear?"
"Pretty much..." He replied reluctantly.
Their pretty intense talks and argues lasted for two more hours. After that Makoto and Kyoko sat down in the backseats of their butler's car.
"We'll do this for the people Kiri" Naegi grabbed her hand.
"I admire you for your openhearted approach but you are naive, bad people will use your kindness." Kirigiri said and grabbed his hand back.
"..Not when you're by my side." Naegi looked at her with a warm smile.
Kyoko looked back at her friend with a small grin to show that she appreciates his words. After a brief moment, they slowly pulled their hands back and pointed their eyes at their closest car windows covered with raindrops. Both of them gained a slight blush.
