Hello! This is part of an experiment I thought up: Same story, different self. Kind of like Pokemon versions. One with Hajime, and the other with his other self. I wrote this one in tandem with the other version, too. A link to the other version can be found here, and at the end. (hence the missing character tag in the other story)

Other version: s/14053000/1/Am-Bored-ment-Park

Whether you're new or came from the other story, I hope you enjoy!

(If you came from the other version, you can skip the beginning.)


At long last, the weekend has arrived. The two perfect days where students and workers alike could relax and enjoy some time for themselves. It's also a good time for family outings, especially ones that spend a lot of time away because of said work. That was the case with Chiaki Nanami and her parents who decided to take a breath of fresh air, and spend some family time at an amusement park some ways home.

It's a large one at that too, filled with many games, rides, and happy smiles all throughout.

"H-huh...?"

It's a shame that Chiaki didn't feel well at that moment. Sitting all alone on a bench surrounded by these taunting smiles, eyes wide, staring in horror at the quivering phone in her hands. How did it end up like this?

It all happened about ten minutes ago...


"Huh?" The gamer noticed a familiar object being held by some little kid. "Is that...?"

Her parents stopped. They were walking beside her. "What is it, Chiaki?" Her father asked.

"Um, wait a minute." She said back. walking to the little boy and his small family while her parents waited, she asked, "H-Hey, Where did you get this plush?"

"Oh, this?" The boy looked at the plush of a pinkish round mascot wearing a teal cap with cat ears. The boy's parents noticed the same color of Chiaki's jacket and surmised that she's probably a fan of whatever this cat thing is.

"This was from a stand somehwere back there." The boy's father unfolded a small map of the park, showing how grand the park was, and pointed at a place. "And this here, is where we are, i think."

Chiaki nodded her head "I see, I see..." She turned to her parents and saw them nodding.

"If you really set your eyes on something, there's not much we can do about it." Her father said.

"Once you're done, make sure to call us so you can meet us later, okay?" Her mother added. "And take care of yourself!"

"I will!"

Smiling at her parents' approval, she thanked the two families and made her way towards her next objective.

She followed the general direction of the destination in a straight line. Whether it's moving through crowds, walking on benches, or jumping gaps, nothing could stand in her way. She moved forward treating this entire thing as an adventure of its own. Then again, this was Chiaki, of course she'll take it as a fun little adventure. After many minutes of walking and jumping, she looked around at the assigned area until she saw something. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a plush identical to that of the one with the boy sitting on a small shelf in a counter among other toys. Target acquired, she thought.

She made a beeline straight to the stand running at max speed (actually, she just walked really fast) with every step making her more excited. It was embarrassing for someone like Chiaki, who was pretty much the mascot's biggest fan, to not have a plush - of all things - of this adorable game character. She had her favorite jacket but a plush was a big necessity.

She approached the man behind the stand and asked, "Excuse me! How much is that?"

"That would be 3,000 Yen. It's the last one in stock, that's why the price is doubl-"

"Sold!" She excitedly gave the exact amount without a second thought, even after that inflated price, and the man simply smiled and gave her the prize. Mission complete! she thought, feeling all jittery.

She bid farewell and walked away with the new toy in hand. She was very happy about the plush and glad that she made it before it was too late. She walked to a nearby bench and admired her new round friend from every angle and hugged it really close. She opened her phone and briefly put on her hoodie to look at herself at the camera holding her mascot close to her face. "See? We're matching!" She giggled at herself afterwards.

Chiaki pulled off her hoodie as it was time to make the call to her parents. She opened her contacts, selected the number, hit the call button, and then put it to her ear as it started to ring. After a while, she heard a click.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"Hey-" Wait a minute. That didn't sound like her mom or dad.

"Oh, it's you. Did you forget something or what?" This female voice wasn't her mother, but she did recognize it as another woman she made a deal with to buy an old console some time ago.

"S-sorry wrong person, bye!" And without waiting for a response she quckly closed the call. She pressed the phone to her forehead and sighed afterwards in embarrassment. I was so excited I called the wrong person! She shook her head embarrassingly with rosey cheeks and made another call, this time making sure she got the right number. She put the phone to her ear and waited...

*beeep*

...

*beeep*

...

*be- click!*

"I'm sorry, but you do not have enough credit. Please-" *click!*

...

She called again.

"I'm sorry, but you do not have-" *click!*

She called a third time, then a fourth and a fifth with the same robotic voice note playing over and over again. This was... not good. Not good at all.

Are you... kidding me? Her eyes widened and pupils shrunk, her smile forked and broke, her hands shook in disbelief, and her optimism was as good as gone. After all that work on this adventure for the plush, to obtain said plush, to her wasting the last of her credits on a misplaced call? She raised her eyes and looked around as a horrible sense of dread overtook all positive emotions as she came to the realization:

She was lost.

She was all alone in this giant, colorful amusement park, surrounded by strangers from all directions, far away from her parents or any living being she could recognize. All these happy faces, floating around a fearful little girl with a broken smile. Her mentality just can't handle it.

But wait, it's not that bad, right? She's not alone. She has her plush. She has her handheld and games. This fear of hers could do nothing against her games. As long as she could play her games, she was going to be okay. Nothing in the world matters with a game in her hand. And so, she put her Katty plush in her backpack and pulled out a-

Wait a minute. This was a family trip for just Chiaki and her parents. There are rides and games everywhere, none of them were on a screen. She did it all by herself too, after hearing about the trip her parents invited her to, she consciously did not bring any handhelds with her.

Well- Don't panic. This was also accounted for, right? This was fine as well. While she didn't bring a handheld, she did prepare a safety net in case a long time of waiting was involved: her phone. It was a regular flip phone with a single game on it - the snake game - but she still found it fun and could spend hours upon hours lost in the-

twenty-three percent. She forgot to charge it. She was so engrossed in her games that she forgot to charge her last hope. She could spend hours on the game, but her phone cannot. The problem was that she didn't know how long she would wait until something happened. What if her parents called her after she ran out of battery? What if she gets so lost she worries her parents to no end and ruins the trip for everyone? She couldn't risk anything at this point. How did it end up like this?

She was alone. She was closed off from everyone else. The colorful world lost all it's color, and the shapes walking around were just that: shapes. She tried her best to calm her shivering as much as she could. Her entire body was tense, staring at the ground trying to distract herself. She poked through her pockets, maybe she had something to fiddle her hands with, maybe she had a wireless controller in her bag or a piece of trash, or anything. but no matter how much she looked, it was to no avail. There was nothing else she could do. She had lost all sense of time and place. She tried so hard to suppress an outburst that she didn't even notice the voice calling her name over and over and the hand that was shaking her firmly, Not until...


"Eh? Hinata?"

That voice turned out to be Hajime Hinata, her best friend and gaming partner from high school - more specifically, Hope's Peak Academy, wearing something more casual.

When things get too chaotic or if she just wants some normalcy, Hajime is the one she goes to. Of course, not all the time, as he's what you'd call a "reserve course student" with his own busy schedule. His branch meant he was someone without talent.

Yet out of all her friends and classmates, she was glad he was the one who found her.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to scare you like that." He stuttered, his heart still beating fast.

"N-no, it's okay, it's my fault! I shouldn't have turned this fast." same with her but even more so. They stared at each other waiting for the other to say something.

"S-so..." He and Nanami looked away and took a deep breath to regain their composure. "What were you doing there all alone? You looked like you were having a hard time. Were you waiting for someone?"

"Ah, well... No, not really. I was just... I got lost." She gave up. "From my parents" She was embarrassed again, but for a different reason.

"You...got lost?"

"I-It wasn't on purpose! I just...strayed away to buy this plush, but I didn't know how to get back. It was the last one too." She showed him the mascot. He commented on her matching outfit which made Nanami feel better, and then she continued. "I used my phone to call my mom, but I accidently called the client I bought my new Itari from and doing that, I used up the last of my credits."

"So you couldn't call your parents so you sat on this bench and... had a breakdown?"

"That's the gist of it, yeah." She looked down at the ground and spoke in a soft voice. "I dunno if I told you this but, unless it's a gaming convention, I really don't like crowds. I just can't handle being all alone in a place like this, especially if I don't know the place and I'm surrounded by strangers and not a single familiar face around me. I didn't even bring any games for this family trip. It was really, really bad that you, well, found me like that." she shivered at that terrible feeling and frowned. "Sorry, for letting you see me like this. I really am."

"No! No, not at all, Don't worry about it!" He waved his hands frantically which got a smile from his friend. She seemed to be taking solace in his company. "I'm glad I could help."

"Well, what about you? Did you come here alone?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Technically, yeah." Hajime rubbed the back of his head. "You see, my parents had a day off this weekend, something they have once every two weeks, so they invited me to spend some time with them at the amusement park. Of course, I accepted as I haven't been to one in a long time." He explained. "But on the way, my parents got a call to work overtime today, which was really unfortunate. Since we weren't that far off from the park, they apologized and told me they'd drop me at the park while they went to work. Even when I refused and told them to postpone the trip, they still insisted, and that's how I came here. Alone."

Chiaki lowered her head and was fiddling with her fingers. "I-I see..." So both of them found themselves in the same predicament...

"Hey, actually..." Hajime opened his phone "Why don't you use my phone to call your parents? You could ask them about where they are, or where you are."

"Huh? Really?" Of course! if she couldn't gather the willpower to ask a stranger, then she could ask a friend instead! And what a closer friend than the one and only Hinata! Hope was beginning to bloom in this dire situation. "You don't mind?"

"Of course not. You've helped me a lot, so let me help you this time." She smiled at his remark and opened the contacts list on her phone and double-checked the correct number, and was about to give it to him until the most, ABSOLUTELY UNEXPECTED thing happened.

A bird suddenly swept down, grabbed the reserve student's phone, and flew back up onto its nest above a nearby lamp. The two were dumbfounded. They blinked at this stupidly comical event trying to process exactly what happened.

...

...

"What..."

"Just happened?" Hinata looked up at the bird's nest consisting of not only wooden sticks, but also toys, electronics, and whatever trash it could find. He snapped out of his trance and stood up, angrily shouting at the bird to give back his phone, only for the bird to dismissively kick some sticks into his mouth. Chiaki however felt immense dread, like the whole world weighing down on her. Prickles crawled on her back and her stomach churned. It was almost nauseating.

Sighing, Hinata gave up. He accepted the fact that the phone may very well be lost forever. He turned back and saw his friend fall back into this horrible state and patted her on the back to comfort her.

"H-Hey, it's okay. You're not alone! You don't have to be sad, alright?" He's really trying here. Then a light bulb appeared over his head. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don't we hang out here?" He asked and got Nanami's attention.

"Huh? Hang out?" her voice quivered and she tilted her head.

"You know, since we're already here and all, we could take our time and enjoy ourselves in the park. Wouldn't that make you feel better?" He added confidently, but more from a place of concern. He did gloss over the fact that 'hang out' has another meaning in a context like this, but it wasn't that important. "I don't think your parents are heartless, either. They can always call you back if they're worried, right?"

She blinked when she realized it. He had a point there. There's no way her parents wouldn't check up on her after not hearing from her for so long. Sooner or later, they will call, and she will tell them everything.

Besides, hanging with Hinata doesn't sound bad in the slightest.

She tried her best to put on a smile and stood up. She readied her bag and dusted her skirt. "Let's go, then."

"Yeah, let's." Smiling, he stood up and started walking away with Nanami by his side to go adventuring, this time together, to relieve Nanami's stress and just overall have a good time. That's why they came here in the first place.

Just when they were about to walk between the crowds, Hajime felt some tiny fingers slither between his, and intertwined until the gaps were softly closed. He looked at the holder who tried to keep a faint smile through her anxiety, and deliberately avoided eye contact. He felt his hand trembling along with the smaller one, and he understood that this was her way to cope and seek comfort. Because of that, he tightened his grip a little with a slight wave of his thumb to get her attention, and when she looked at him, he gave her a soft smile which was quite a rare sight coming from his troubled self. This caused her to let out a silent gasp and her cheeks blushing a bright pink, and she looked away flustered.


Throughout their trip, Hinata would note that Nanami was being more touchy unlike their time at school, opting to go for handholding and other physical gestures whenever she could, and would only let go when it's time to play. On one hand, it could be seen as cute. On the other, it came from a frightened girl who was looking for safety and a way to distract herself from her predicament, and he knew it, so he promised he'd keep her close.

Knowing she's got the support of her best friend was helping her deal with this problem, warmed her heart, and helped keep herself together.

They went on and played simple minigames for now to raise Nanami's morale. Hajime would play first and Chiaki would follow. He gave her space and encouraged her to not shy away from showing off her skills and she tried her best, with a few misses here and there. She would get praised by those around her for her near-perfect performance and win many prizes, but she'd turn them down wanting to give others a chance. And also one plush for the day is enough. There was one prize that wasn't turned down, however...

"Well done, pal! You've won yourself a little something!" The man behind the stand announced. For once, Hajime has actually scored well in a game and won himself a little something. As for what it is, the points were barely above the threshold so he only won a small plush. "Say, which small prize would you like?"

Hinata didn't expect a choice, so he quickly looked about trying to settle for one as quickly as possible.

"I got it!"

"T-Take that!"

Both voices rang out at the same time with the reluctant duo pointing in the same direction. "You two sure are synced up, aren't you?" The man chuckled and went to pick up the prize and hand it over to the winner: A white rabbit plush wearing a magical girl outfit. It even comes with its own stick attached!

Hinata smiled and accepted the plush - despite the fact that he pointed at the one behind it - and thanked the stand owner before walking away with his friend.

"Umm... That wasn't what I was expecting. I pointed at the one behind it." Chiaki mentioned.

"I-I chose that one too! so, I have no idea how I got this instead." He quickly said back

"It's still cute, though. Congrats." Hinata just thanked Nanami, clearly slightly disappointed in his prize.

And that's when she got a bright idea. "Hey, I have an idea." She stopped at the side of the path and her friend followed close, wondering what she wanted. "Since you're not too happy about the prize... Why don't we trade?"

"Trade?"

"Yup," she took out something from her bag "You give me your Usami, and I'll give you my Katty." She brandished her own plush of the lovable mascot.

"Usami? You gave it a name?"

"She's from an old obscure anime from a very long time ago and got an equally obscure video game that's also very rare. Her full name is Magical Miracle Girl*Usami, AKA Usami." she explained. She wanted to go on and tell him she owned that game and other fun facts but decided to keep it for later.

"I see... But, are you sure? I mean, getting that plush is what got you lost in the first place." he tried to convince her "You also told me it was the last they had. Are you really sure?" She wouldn't just give away something like this, would she?

Chiaki shook her head. "It's fine. It's not the last one in existence. I'll find another one eventually, maybe even better than this one." She smiled again, one with more joy than the last at this opportunity. "It could also be a nice souvenir, and as a proper token of our friendship, so we could cherish those memories of our time here together. That's something my teacher said once. B-but also for myself..." she murmured that last part barely loud enough for him to hear.

Hinata could see his partner hiding her flustered cheeks behind her little plush, which he admitted he found cute. Well, with how important memories were in their conversations, and one of the main reasons he started to look past talent, there was really no way he would decline an offer like that.

"Alright, I accept." He gave her a reassuring smile.

She smiled back. "Thanks." Was all she could say softly before bringing herself forward to declare the trade. "Then we shall trade just like Poketmon! We'll trade them at the same time, one hand gives and the other one takes. Deal?"

"Deal." And so, they went forward and initiated the trade. After the count of three, they each traded their plushies at the same time, and now Chiaki held the plush of Usami, and Hajime kept the plush of Katty. Though Chiaki put the two plushies in her backpack to ease up on their traveling, and to give the mascot a little friend in the bag.

With their new toys in tow, they continued their journey, and brought themselves some cotton candy to commemorate this most memorable event.


After walking for a while making small talk, Nanami felt vibrations in her jacket's pockets. She took the phone out in a panic and answered the call, as it was her mother who was worried sick after a long time with no communication.

She told her mother an abridged version of the story, obviously omitting her breakdown for getting lost. After telling her that she's "with a friend" and some back and forth, her parents agreed to let their daughter be with her friend and set up a meeting time for the evening, before wishing them good luck and a thank you for her friend before closing the line.

"Did you hear that, Hinata? I finally know how my parents are doing, and they're letting me hang out some more!" She rejoiced, feeling a huge weight off her shoulders.

"Your parents sound quite laid back." He smiled.

"Hm! Hm!" she nodded "Even if my talent sounds pretty lame, they're still kinda supportive. You know, when they're around. Which I don't mind very much."

Hinata scratched his head. "I could say the same about mine, though my father spends more time outside."

"Hmm..." wanting to finish this conversation, the gamer eagerly called "Now that that's done, I'm ready for the bigger rides now! We should now go before we get too hungry!"


She was practically dragging him at this point, but Hinata didn't mind that at all. Now with her parents' worries put to rest, they could pretty much go and do whatever they want. Holding hands once more, they proceeded to the next phase of their trip.

It was clear to Hajime how much that call mattered to Nanami, as she seemed much more at ease than... well, she was feeling better with him around, she just doesn't have anything to worry about anymore. Seeing Nanami happy gives Hinata a warm feeling in his chest. He's just glad he could help.

To prepare themselves for the big attraction, they decided to play something a little more active, more move-y, and what better way than Competitive Bumper Cars. As the name suggests, it's a game set in a big arena for ten cars to ride around, and each car has to bump into another to rack up points. The one with the most points wins…! Nothing, really. Nothing besides a few claps and cheers. And bragging rights if that's what you're going for.

"Hang on!" Was the last thing Chiaki said to Hajime before (hypothetically) revving up and blasting off. He was starting to doubt himself if it was a good idea or not to let Chiaki be the one to drive, as she expertly drove around and racking up point after point, as screams of fun and laughter filled the arena, and her spiky-haired partner was holding on to dear life. At the end of the game, everyone congratulated the duo for the new highscore (well, most of the praise went to the crazy driver) While her dizzy partner had to be helped out of the car after that very bumpy ride. They traded some comments about the gamer's excitement playing the game while she dragged him away on to the next big one.

The Great Rollercoaster was their next destination. It was a very large and very fast roller coaster which was voted as one of the more popular attractions in this park. They waited at the line for a bit, and when their time came up, they sat in one of the front seats and prepared themselves, physically and mentally.

"It's starting!" Hajime said after the coaster began slowly moving forward and rising upwards on the track, and then releasing all that speed at the drop. The ride didn't end there, as what followed were side paths, inverted paths, loops, twists, loops with twisting, inverted side paths, all happening at exhilarating speeds. They were very excited by the time they got off and needed some to calm themselves down.

After that, they were wondering where else to go until they walked by the funhouse. They looked at it, and were hit by a severe case of déjà vu giving them a waring chill down their spines, both horrified by a terrible feeling (one even more so.) Both their bellies grumbled at the same time and they realized just how hungry they were. They looked at each other and nodded, feeling a weird mutual connection to whatever it was, and then walked away to have some food as it somehow felt forever since they tasted anything.

It didn't take all that long. Chiaki insisted on treating her saviour for coming to her rescue when she needed it the most. They sat down and had a little chat about how their day had been so far, about the attractions they played, etc. They were enjoying themselves so much that bystanders would think they were a couple on a date. Too bad they were too dense to pick up on this.

Hajime did note how happy Chiaki was compared to when they started, which made him happy knowing that he's being helpful to her for once.

After finishing their food, and with the amount of time left before the ultimate gamer meets her parents again, there were two choices: either play more minigames until the time is up, or go on one last attraction, one that was long, but also calming and simple. There was really one correct choice for this, and one she was thinking about it for a while now:

The Ferris Wheel.

"C'mon, let's go in!" she exclaimed somewhat energetically when their cabin arrived and opened its doors.

She was the first to get inside and took a seat on the right, with Hinata taking the opposite. "You seem awfully excited."

She hummed back. She took off her cat bag and sat it next to her as the doors closed and the wheel turned for the next passengers. The two stretched and got themselves comfortable for the long ride. Minutes of silence passed as the cabin slowly rose higher and higher away from the ground.


Some time passed and they were unable to start a conversation, at least from Hinata's side. Perhaps being together all alone in this small space has something to do with it. Nanami is quietly staring out the window as the world grows smaller.

"Erm..." Hinata started, grabbing Nanami's attention "What a view, right?"

She nodded "Yup. It sure is."

And the conversation ended there. The two remained silent for a while, with Hajime feeling the odd awkwardness of the situation. I mean, After all these hours of spending their time together, let alone their time at school, how come it's so difficult to talk right here at this moment?

"So... Why did you want to come here?" He finally asked.

"Well..." she played with her hair, "I just wanted some time alone. Today has been quite busy with everything going on, and I wanted to have a break from all that noise." she explained. "A-and..." when choosing her next words, her cheeks started to heat up "...I wanted us to have some time together. Just... you and me." She smiled at him.

"I-I see…" Hinata stuttered for some reason. He didn't know why his body was heating up either, with his face clearly getting a shade of red. Didn't they have similar conversations like this before? Nanami noticed it too and looked away.

"Hey Hinata..."

"O-oh, Wh-what?" he winced.

"How many times have you been to amusement parks like this one?" she asked. "Or is this your first?"

The normal student blinked at this normal question, and he set himself up to be more comfortable. "A-A couple, actually. I went on school trips, family rides... you know, that kind of stuff." He scratched the back of his head. "I was the kind of kid who wouldn't waste time hanging around with friends, and would play as many games and rides as I could. no matter how big or scary they were." He said, and then followed up asking: "And what about you? I'm guessing since you're the Ultimate Gamer, you've been to a lot more than I did, right?"

"I don't think so... At least, not that much more than you, maybe even less, I'm not sure. But I still went a few times, yeah, but I don't remember a lot of details since they just came and went." She answered truthfully. Her friend really hoped she was more confident in her words.

"Is that so?"

"Mhm." She nodded. "As you could guess, I'm the type who likes to stay grounded. Playing video games, small minigames, and ones that don't go very high or really fast..." She picked her bag and put it on her lap. "From what I remember, one time, on a school trip, I would win so many minigames and get a lot of prizes that I'd give them away for the other students in hopes of befriending them, and showing them how cool I was to be good at games..." She lowered her head, but she kept a smile "That's what I thought anyway. You can guess how that turned out."

Hinata just smiled sheepishly at the end. And then he realized something important. "Wait, so you've never been on a rollercoaster or anything like that before?"

Nanami shook her head "Not back then, no."

He blinked and then sighed "Yet you were the one who took us to a rollercoaster and had quite a lot of fun riding it. You're telling me that was your first time?"

"Yup. And I'm glad it's that way." Hinata was taken aback. What did she mean by that?

Nanami looked outside, the sun was setting down, and the sky was gradually melding into a shade of red and gold. Flocks of birds were flying by, some of them towards their little homes all the park.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure if this trip would be like the others before...besides meeting up with you. I mean, I wasn't sure if I was gonna… go on these big, elaborate rides like that rollercoaster, or if I would spend the day entirely on the ground, afraid of them, or even be scared of them, where I might not have fun... But I still played, and had a lot of fun." She shyly looked away, "And it's all… thanks to you. "

"...eh?" With that last word, the room suddenly felt hotter. The cabin fittingly rocked when the ferris wheel stopped in its tracks near the top. Hinata's heart was pounding faster, and this weird feeling was starting to swell in his chest. It was a mix of pride, embarrassment, and fear. He had no response. His mind was still trying to grasp the absurdity of her words.

On the other side, Chiaki takes a deep breath, as this funny feeling persists in her chest. As the trip went on, she felt more and more comfortable relaying her words with fewer pauses in between, but after reaching this moment, she had to take a big breath.

"But I… I don't get it..." The boy asked, making the girl look up in confusion. "Wouldn't it be more fun if you were with your classmates instead? You've spent more time with them in class than you ever did with me, so why do you like hanging out with me so much?" He rolled his fists. "I mean, I'm just some normal guy with no talent who… paid his way into the academy!" He raised his voice a bit, and Chiaki looked at him in worry.

he's stressing out. He was sweating, His entire body felt hot, feeling tiny prickles on his back. He was panicking at the thought someone as insignificant as him, would have any influence on someone miles better than him.

"Why do you care about me so much? I'm just an insecure, weak, boring, talentless nobody who just… exists!" He snapped at Chiaki, who was more worried than ever. All the dark, self-deprecating thoughts making their way out of his mouth were not out of anger, but confused anger. "So, I don't get it? What could you possibly see in me that I don't? How could you care about me if I don't even-!"

She put her hand on his. "No, that's wrong." She slowly uncurled his fist with her other hand while he panted, his breath feeling heavy.

"Please, don't say that about yourself." She said in a very soft tone, closer to a whisper. The kind that would put anyone at ease. "You're not a bad person at all. You're better than you think you are. I promise" She gave him a reassuring smile, and, instead of beating faster, his heart slowed down, and so did his waving breath.

"But first, you need to calm down. Take it easy, okay?" She gently started rubbing her thumb on the back of his hand, while he continued to feel at ease. In a moment, he had calmed down, apologizing for lashing out like that and she dismissed it.

Chiaki sat up and wiggled in her seat, getting comfortable. "Now, let's get back to it." She took a deep breath. She could see that Hajime didn't want to continue, but she still did anyway.

"I know how much you hate talking about this but… it hurts. Always. Ever since we met, you've been harsh on yourself, and yourself, taking me with you every time." He opened his mouth, but then closed it. He looked away with serious eyes, a look that Chiaki recognized.

"C-Come on, don't do this to me!" She yelled "I know that face. I've seen it enough times to know that you're scolding yourself right now!" She pointed at him, startling him out of his head. Was he that noticable?

"Please…" She clasped her hands close to her chest. "I'm tired of hurting, and I'm tired of you dragging yourself down…"

She looked into his eyes. "So… let's end it, let's break this wall together, right here, right now." Her pink eyes bore deep into greens, with determination written all over her face… and then softened with a smile. "Why don't we?"

"..." Hajime looked away, but he did not protest.

Chiaki took a deep breath.

"Hinata…" she began, "There's no helping it. You are talentless, and you are normal. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Aside from the freedom of choosing what you want, I mean. In fact, that's what makes it so nice to be with you." He looked up at her.

"You're normal, yes, but, in the world I live in, that makes you so stand out. Being in a class of ultimates where everyone is very colorful, loud, eccentric... It does get pretty hectic and exhausting at times, especially being the class rep." She took a deep breath.

"But," she gave him a bashful smile, "whenever I play with you, it's always really nice and quiet. It's one of my favorite parts of my day." She gave a bashful smile, and then looked at her shoes. "Though, that's not the only reason I… like to be around you."

Hajime looked at her dumbfounded. Is that what she really feels? He thought. He never thought about it that way. He always thought that living around ultimates was a lot more interesting and eventful than his company and- Wait, there's more? Just the thought of what else she thought about him made him anxious, especially after the long pause of her sorting things in her head.

But, Hajime took a breath too, and braced himself. He thought about her words carefully, and took it all in. Not just her words, but her demeanor, and her tone of voice.

Whenever she talks about and compliments him, he always feels better about himself, as Hajime, not some random person across the street. Her words would emit this sense of serenity in the air which makes the rest of the day all the more bearable. That's why, for her next words, he should take this slow and steady, and listen carefully.

"Um," She blushed and tried to look away, but her eyes fell back on Hajime. "You may be pessimistic and insecure, but that doesn't stop you from being kind, and caring. Even though you're not good at games, you still have fun when we play together, right? You still take time out of your day to play with me, even though you don't have to, and you help me with all sorts of things. I mean, today was kind of the culmination of that, right? If you hadn't found me then, I… I don't even wanna think about that!" she shivered at the thought.

"And despite your insecurities and lack of talent, you still work hard. Harder than anyone I know." There it is. That feeling again. In contrast to the earlier mood, Chiaki's softened gaze engulfed the air with the same soft, fluttery feeling of their meetings together at the school fountain, but in an enclosed place of just the two of them free from the worries of the world.

"You always work so hard on your goals, to prove that you have a place in the world. Unlike me, you always walk with your head facing forward, towards the future ahead. Even when you comically lost your phone, that didn't stop you from caring about me, or having fun. it's all really inspiring."

"Earlier, you were going to say that you don't like yourself, right? that you don't like you , right?" She caught on. She's known him for so long she can read him like a book "Well, I like that you're you. Being ashamed of who you are won't get you very far. I-It's something I'm still learning myself, too."

She shyly shifted her eyes and fiddled with her fingers, getting just as flustered as her best friend.

"And... When you, Hinata, are here with me… with your normality… it gives me the courage to keep going, and, to do things I normally wouldn't do on my own. I-I think." A pause. "Um, I-I guess what I'm trying to say is..."

And then, in a moment of truth, she turned her gaze at him, and gave him a smile, the softest, most delicate smile he had ever seen, and with her small, pleasant voice...

"When I'm with you...I feel like I can do anything."

When she said those words with that unforgettable treasure of a smile, it felt like time had come to a screeching halt. He could feel it in his chest, a heartbeat more powerful than the last. And it's only faster from here. Was that what he thought it was, he wondered. No, there's no way she meant it like that. It was a simple gesture of appreciation and nothing more. But…


The sun was setting, and the sky was encased in a bright gold dome around the park. The golden rays snuck into the cabin, changing the whole ambience to match the atmosphere of their first fateful encounter at the school's fountain. When Chiaki shyly looked at her best friend and realized the possible implications of her words, she too widened her eyes and looked away surprised that she brought herself to say those things. She was going to explain that that wasn't exactly what she meant but, after locking her eyes with his, a strange, tingling sensation - though not a bad one - was beginning to stir in her chest, her breath shortened for a second. The way light was reflecting off their faces, filling them with a nostalgic feeling of warmth coursing through their bodies.

"Nanami..." Hajime barely got out a word as he really didn't know what to say. Nanami has always been supportive of him in his endeavors to improve and love himself, to gain more confidence. He never realized that his mere presence was what gave Chiaki her own confidence. Hearing her compliments really solidified his feelings for his friend. She'd been there when he needed her the most, and vice versa. Hearing those words spoken by her, it made him want to try a little harder. She told him how he means to her - in this moment - and so he was going to do the same.

Though of course, it wasn't going to be easy.

"U-Um..."

"Mmm..." Chiaki was desperately trying not to hide her face from embarrassment, and instead tried to avoid contact in case he says anything about d how 'cheesy' the whole delivery sounded. Or maybe in fear of rejection, or... wait, rejection of what?

"Well..."

Finally, he took a deep breath.

"...You know, Nanam-"

*Yaaaawwwnnn*

Hajime was startled when Chiaki yawned out of the blue with a hand covering her mouth. "U-Uh..."

"S-Sorry, sorry, Just felt a little drowsy." She lazily rubbed her eyes, which was an opportunity to hide her rosy cheeks, though the drowsiness was genuine. "...What did you wanna say?"

Hajime obviously knew about Chiaki's relationship with sleeping, as yawning would signify the end of their meeting for the day. Rarely, she'd get so tired that she would sleep on the spot - sometimes even sleepwalking - forcing Hajime to carry her back to her dorm (not that he minded all that much, granted he isn't spotted by someone else). "Ah nevermind, it's nothing important." He gave a sheepish smile hoping she wouldn't press further.

"Hmm..." She tilted her head and wondered what it could've been, but shrugged it off because she was too tired to think anyway. Hajime sighed in relief and mentally thanked her for not pressing on. Chiaki lazily looked outside the window to look over a broad horizon. She could see the entirety of the amusement park and various colorful locales. She wondered where her parents were, and hoped they were doing well without her.

During that, Hajime couldn't help but admire the sight that was right in front of him: Chiaki Nanami. He couldn't help it, really. Her hair shining with the color brightly with the sun, her soft, pink eyes looking out into the world below, which always had this look of assurance telling him that everything is going to be okay. Her small hands still mingling together, reminding him of when they held hands at the park. And that smile . That smile he wouldn't trade the whole world for. They were captivating in their own right, but all would be for naught if it weren't for her winning personality, and her very kind and caring nature.

Even if she is seen as "weird" for having a different mentality to others, there's no denying that she's helped him overcome many obstacles, and improve so much to become who he is today, even if there's still room for improvement. He can't be any more thankful that he had met such a wonderful person, even if it was a lucky accident. She's his first proper friend, someone he genuinely cares about and dearly enjoys the company of.

Hajime hopes to create and cherish many more memories with Chiaki by his side.

The gamer noticed he'd been staring in her direction for some time. "Um, is there something on my face?"

"No, not at all." He replied calmly, smiling back at her "Just admiring the view. That's all."

"Ah, I see." She said, the point completely going over her head (though she would later realize it a later time) She continued to stare until her sleepiness started getting back at her, and then she got an idea. She stood up, snapping her friend out of his trance, ominously going over to her bag, then walked over and sat down next to him, all the while her friend was confused about the whole ordeal...

And then she dropped her head on his shoulder.

"H-Heh?! Wh-What are you-"

"It's just a little nap." She softly murmured. "Hope you don't mind..." And in a few seconds, her body went limp as she went to sleep. Hajime's cheeks were blushing, and his heart raced faster as she slumped all her weight on him. And when his mind was too caught up to notice...

"Cheeese...!"

"Huh-?"

*click!*

He blinked and looked at his supposedly sleeping friend, to find her smiling at her phone. He took a peek only to see a picture of a confused Hajime and a cute winking Chiaki leaning on his shoulder, which embarrassed the actual boy immensely.

"I'll send it later." She quietly said and closed the phone, despite the confused ramblings of her friend. What shut him up was when she neatly slid the phone in his breast pocket, tapped it, and then embraced her action. In a few seconds, she was officially asleep. It took a minute to calm down and assess the situation he found himself in.

She may have fallen asleep around him in the past, but this is the first time she actually, consciously fell on him. How does she sleep so fast, he wondered, looking at her relaxed physique. Her chest rising and falling with each breath, giving him a sense of relaxation. He noticed a bit of drool on his shoulder, but it wasn't the first time, so he ignored it.

Without thinking, he lifted his hand up and started gently stroking her hair, noting how silky it felt in his hand. Just repeating the motion felt like it could be a good stress reliever. He couldn't help himself but get lost in the action, running his hand down to her soft and squishable cheeks, caressing her gently. He was wondering if it were appropriate to do something like this. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shuffling coming from his side. Hajime quickly pulled his hand off in embarrassment, only for Chiaki to softly hum while positioning herself closer to him to be more comfortable. He sighed with blazing cheeks, thinking he'd woken her up but instead, she seemed to be enjoying it.

He noticed her hand hanging open on his thigh. He looked at it and decided to hold it, and wave his fingers around the small hand with the button-pressing fingers, wondering how such things could be used to gain incredible high scores. Almost instinctively, her hand tightened its grip on his, making him flinch slightly. She must've thought they were game controllers. At least, that's what he thought.

It reminds him of the first time they went to the arcades together. How she held his hand and took the shy Hinata away with her to play together. All he's done was work hard to get a spot in the reserve course of his dream school, and he'd have to work just as hard to graduate, until this girl that bumped into him changed all these plans. He hasn't felt joy like this being with another person for who knows how long.

He looked at her, peacefully sleeping like a child holding a parent's hand, and wondered...

Does she feel safe enough to sleep right on him? In this enclosed space where he could do anything, does she trust him with all her life?

Of course he wouldn't do anything. She's his best friend, and he wouldn't do anything to upset her.

Though… something about 'best friend' doesn't feel right. She's more than that. She's very close, and more special to him than anyone else. She's someone he wouldn't mind spending the rest of his life being around. But does she feel the same way...?

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, save for a few happy noises from Chiaki's dreams, and Hajime looking outside the glass to actually admire the view. He would wake her up once the ride is nearing its end.


By the time they arrived at the meeting place - a small rest area with the park mascots around - there were a few minutes left before the two would separate for the day. They sat on the bench with Hajime feeling a little exhausted from the long walk while Chiaki was more energetic.

"They should be here any minute now." A tired Hinata pointed out, holding his mascot plushie between his legs "Aren't you excited?"

"Hmm... I dunno." Nanami pondered, hugging her Usami plush close.

"You don't know?"

"You know, like, I just don't want this day to end, I think." She pouted. Hinata didn't get it. "I think this is the first time we actually, properly hung out together, right?"

He still wasn't sure where she was going. "But don't we hang out almost every day?"

"I meant, just you and me. Without any video games, and without being restricted in school. You know?" She turned and smiled at him.

"When you put it like that..." Hajime was lost in thought. And then he smiled back and said "That means you enjoyed yourself, right?"

The gamer nodded. "Yup, it was fun. Like, really fun." A few seconds passed as she was building up the courage to do something and when she did, she started to blush. "Hey Um... I-I just wanted to- huh?" She was distracted by something. "Ah- They're here!"

Hajime looked ahead and spotted two people standing from afar, the man calling her name and the woman waving her hand. "So these are your parents?" He noted some similarities between them and their daughter.

"Yup. That means it's time to go..." She hesitantly packed her things into her bag and carried it away. She walked a few steps before remembering something. "Oh! A-and one more thing." The blush returned when she reached into the hoodie's pockets and pulled out a folded piece of trash she picked up and gave it to her friend. "S-see you in school, I guess!" And then hurried to her parents to continue this trip for an hour or two as intended.

He looked at the piece of paper and unfolded it like a puzzle, just to be suprised by a phone number written on the inside, heating his face up as he never expected to get the phone number of a girl, Let alone someone like Chiaki. Didn't they hang out every school day? Couldn't they have exchanged numbers then? He sighed at his stupidity of never asking for her number, something he forgot friends normally do. And then he remembered that his phone is still stuck in that bird's nest-

Oh crap , his phone is still in the nest. He completely forgot about it. He slapped his forehead out of stupidity and quickly got up and made his way towards his missing phone.

Luckily, despite thinking of ways to get his phone back, as soon as he arrived, his phone started to ring and vibrate. He watched as the device slowly inched outwards with the bird unable to stop it, until it tumbled off and he was barely able to catch it after stumbling a few times. He quickly answered the call, turning out to be from his father asking about his day, and that he and his mother were going to be here soon to pick him up back home. They apologized that they couldn't join him and that they'll make it up to him somehow, but Hajime understood and told them that he's on the way.

The ride home was somewhat empty, with a few words here and there from tired parents and an equally tired son. He told them a basic rundown of the trip from how he lost his phone to a bird, to how he found 'a friend' by coincidence and spent their time together. They congratulated him on finally getting a proper friend he enjoys his time with and asked him to tell them all about it the next day.


As compensation for missing the day out, Hajime's parents let him crash in for the night. It's been quite a while since he's been here, as he'd been living in a separate house near the academy funded by itself, as part of a yet-to-be-made deal, and he was surprised at how neat and tidy his old room was, just like he left it. Seems that they were preparing for him to come back anyways, he reasoned.

His parents didn't stay awake for long, his mother making a quick dinner and starting a small chat, before they all went their separate ways to bed. It's been three hours since they arrived home and Hajime is still lying in his bed with the covers on. Though he tried to sleep, there was something still nagging him at the back of his mind. He opened his eyes and looked at the bedside table, where his alarm clock and phone were sitting idly by. He directed his eyes at two specific items:

The mascot plush and the folded piece of paper.

He sat himself up, unfolded the paper, and dialed the number. He hovered his thumb over the call button, contemplating various questions in his head. Would she be awake? Should he be calling her this soon? Or should he wait for tomorrow? And Why'd she give him her number in the first place?

He swallowed his worries and came up with his answers. Of course she'd be awake. She always stays up late at night playing video games. It may be too early to call her, but knowing Nanami, she probably wouldn't mind. As for why... only one way to find out.

*click!*

He held the phone to his ear.

*beeep*

...

*be-* click!

"H-hello?"

He was caught off-guard by the quick response from a familiar voice. "H-hey! e-erm... That was fast..."

"A-ah, Hinata! I-I'm sorry, I should've… Umm..." The two friends were stammering liked idiots as if it's the first time they made a call.

"Were you...waiting for me?"

"Y-yes- I mean, no, I'm- uh..." She fumbled. He could picture her, face into a nearby pillow, completely red in embarrassment. "...yes. I was. Is that weird?"

He chuckled. "No, not necessarily. I don't mind." He could hear her breathing a sigh of relief. Somehow, even after all the time spent today, he found himself missing her strange antics. "I see you're still awake. What game are you playing?"

"I've been shiny hunting in Poketmon for the past hour, I think. Hey hey, did you know that the chances of catching a wild shiny are 1 in 8192?" Now that the talk is about video games, he could tell she's pumped up a lot more.

"Yeah, you've told me a few times. It's insane if you really think abou-"

"Ah, It's a shiny! ...Buuut it's not the one I wanted. Still gonna catch it, though." Faint clicks and beeps could be heard coming from the phone, from Nanami's handheld as she was focusing on obtaining the monster. A few seconds later, she celebrated the new catch, nicknaming it after one of her friends. Hajime couldn't help but get lost in her excitement. " I'm looking for the bunny poketmon in the game so I could catch it and call it Usami, like the plush we traded. I have it here with me for me good luck."

Hajime looked back at the plush he received from the trade, standing up and facing away. Did she seriously do the same thing he did? Then again, she was the kind of person to do something like that. "I've done the same actually." He smiled and pulled the plush closer, turning it so it's looking at him. "Good luck from me as well. Just don't overdo it, okay?" Chiaki hummed back.

A few seconds passed as he heard more reactions from Chiaki, before he finally got the courage to ask a question that's been on his mind for a while. "So, why did you give me your number? We meet almost everyday, so it's not that necessary."

"I thought about it for a while and also thought it was useless. But after my experience today, I asked myself, 'why restrict our meetings to only be in or after school?' I go on picnics and stuff with my classmates, so, why not do the same with you? We could call each other, and, do something casual like we did today. And we could even go on the weekends too." She replied, giving him an answer with no room for doubt. "But not tomorrow, 'cause I have to play in a tournament in another city."

"Oh, Really? I thought you didn't like to compete."

"I still don't, but my parents wanted to watch me play some games and see how I've improved. Besides..." She paused. "It doesn't hurt to show off every once in a while... at least, that's what Miss Yukizome told me." He could guess that she was happy. Of course her homeroom teacher would say that. She's a big inspiration to Nanami and she's quite attached to her. She's a role model to her, and one she strives to be like.

"I see. I'm sure you could rise to the top with no problem, being the ultimate gamer."

"I don't like to flaunt my title around, but I will try to place high. I might use a fake name, actually..." She said "But hey, at least they're playing to win, so they'll give me more of a challenge than you."

"I'm still practicing!" He raised his voice in a mocking manner.

Chiaki giggled at the other side. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding, you're way more fun to play with anyway." She said, Hajime blushing from the compliment. "But... thank you, really." Her voice was now sincere, shifting the mood, giving it an aura of serenity. "I'm very, very happy that you helped back at the park. This day would've been traumatizing otherwise. You saved me, Hinata. " Hajime's heart warmed up hearing her voice. "I hope that this isn't the last time we go out like this. Now that you've called me, I can save your number so I could call you anytime We could go somewhere, or if I need something else. If you're free of course. And, same to you too. If you need anything, or just wanna talk, don't be afraid to call any time, okay?"

It's times like these when the air shifts around, that she almost becomes someone else. Someone more caring about others, when video games are at the back of her mind in favor of another person.

He silently closed his eyes, thinking about her words. "...Yeah, okay." He looked at the clock next to him, and found that the conversation had somehow been going for about forty minutes. He'd been enjoying the conversation so much that he'd completely lost track of time, and when he realized that, exhaustion hit him once again. "Well, it's gotten pretty late, and I'm already tired to begin with." He sighed.

"Oh yeah, you're one of those who sleep pretty early." she teased, returning to her own self.

"11:05 is not early." Chiaki heard him yawn through the phone.

"Oh wow, you must be really sleepy then," she commented, "I know how that feels."

Hajime chuckled, "You sure do." And the two shared a hearty laugh, which was strange, because Hajime thought he was tired.

"Right, so, I'll see you next week, then?"

"I'm sure you will. I'm not going anywhere." He assured her. "Good luck on your tourney tomorrow. And, good night?"

"Mhm. Good night. A-and sweet dreams..." She quickly murmured those last words and then quickly hung up on him before he had the chance to reply, leaving him back alone with his thoughts. Not that he minded.

Then again, it was very late for him, and he was too tired to think. He already revisited the day on the way home, and this was just the ending of a perfect day, so he's not going to lag for it. Instead, he set his phone down, made sure the plush was still close, and then lied back down. The bed felt so heavy on him that it was only a matter of minutes for him to fall into a deep sleep. And just like his closest friend said, he did have the sweetest dream in a long time.


A/N:

This is the first time I wrote something so long, and it took equally as long to actually write it, almost year, even. I finished it months ago, but still took a very long time to properly edit and fix some mistakes, here and there, even whole paragraphs were changed! But I think at the end, it was allllll worth it.

Man, I really hope I did the characters justice with this one, especially with Izuru. How'd I do?

Link to the other version: s/14053000/1/Am-Bored-ment-Park

If you came from the other version, why don't you tell me about the overall experience? Have you noticed any subtle differences between them? I'd love to hear some feedback and any criticism you may have!