Kaede, Maki and Himiko were walking down the halls late in the night after finishing up their respective daytime tasks. A continually tense silence was enveloping the three, all currently focused on finding out what had happened to the blue-haired detective.
"The hell are you three doing out here?!"
The trio turned to see one Miu Iruma raising her right eyebrow and having a mysterious candy box badly hiding behind her back.
"Iruma-san?" Kaede's eyes narrowed slightly. "You were trying to sneak out to visit Idabashi-kun, weren't you?"
The SHSL Pianist's deduction was right on the mark. "Sh-shut up! Besides, you guys are out past curfew too! We'll all get busted! And maybe p-punished."
None of the other girls liked that lustful look on the SHSL Inventor's face.
"I don't care about what you do behind closed doors." Maki growled. "But keep it to yourself."
"Fuck off! Don't hate on me because you can't get any."
"Do you want to die?"
"Try it, bitch!"
"Quiet, you two! We're going to get caught."
"N-Nyeh... at least you all have boyfriends. How come I'm the only one single?!" Himiko lamented.
Even the SHSL Assassin gave off a sympathetic look to the SHSL Magician.
"Anyway, have you seen Saihara-kun anywhere?"
"That dumb virgin? No fucking clue. Haven't run into him at all."
"I was kinda expecting that answer." Kaede sighed. "Have you seen anyone else from our class? Er, aside from Ibadashi-kun."
"Nah. They're all doing their own thing last I checked. No idea why anyone wouldn't want to hang out with the beautiful girl genius, Miu Iruma! Ahahahahaha!"
"Let's go." Maki immediately walked past the blonde to continue on their way. Kaede and Himiko looked at each other for a moment and followed.
"W-Wait! C'mon, don't be like that!"
"Iruma-san?" Kaede replied. Maki didn't even bother to turn back toward her.
"U-Ugh... look. You three might have small tits, b-but...I always kinda thought you guys were cool. Can we hang out sometime?"
"Huh?" The blonde pianist's eyes widened. "Are you...actually asking that?"
"What the fuck?! Don't make fun of me. It's just..."
"You never had any girl friends before, have you?" Himiko asked.
"Hey! I...ugh...no."
"This kinda reminds me of a trashy manga I read once." The redhead tilted her mage's hat forward. "It didn't have a happy ending."
Himiko gave a good, long look at Miu, who was increasingly getting more and more uncomfortable.
"I wonder if you used to wear glasses and have black hair?"
"A-Anyway." Kaede interrupted. "I wouldn't mind hanging out. It should be fun. All of us."
Maki's face was hard as stone. "I'll pass."
"Oh come on, Harukawa-san. Maybe we can understand each other if we give it a try."
"I understand you. I just find you really annoying." Maki pouted. "But...I guess I'll try."
"And then we can all help Yumeno-san find someone out there."
"N-Nyeh!? Hey!" The short bartender blushed madly. Her vocal volume went very quiet. "I'd really like that, though."
"We should get going and try to find Saihara-kun, though. I'll see you around Iruma-san."
"Y-Yeah. I'll see you around, small tits."
Kaede had a short look of annoyance and then exhaled for a bit. She left with Maki and Himiko to continue to try to find any trace of Shuichi Saihara.
Makoto and Kyoko were looking over a map as Mukuro entered the office. She clicked her heels together and then walked over.
"Everything seems quiet out there now."
The former headmaster gave a smile. "Thank you, Ikusaba-san. You and your team really been hard at work."
"It's nothing." Mukuro took a seat with them. "With Kirigiri-san handling logistics, I'm able to get things done."
"We're all a team here." Kyoko drew a final line on the map. "There. All the dimensional occurrences, including the ones caused by Nanami-san, have been mapped out. There doesn't seem to be any correlation to any of them. It just seems natural. As nautral as the space-time continuum being warped is."
"That's good. That means no one is causing the ones we've run into lately. I was worried." Makoto leaned back in his chair. "Have you guys figured out anything about the person following us?"
"To be frank." Kyoko replied. "I don't think this individual is someone we know."
"Really?"
"I've interviewed everyone, from our own class to our associates in Hope's Peak Academy. All of them have solid alibis. There's no doubt that we haven't met this individual." Kyoko took a small breath. "There's also the fact that whoever has been following us has just been watching."
"Yeah. I haven't seen any rumors or tabloid articles about us at all. What're they up to?"
"They don't seem dangerous." Mukuro added. "I didn't notice any killing intent from that individual."
"So they're just...watching? That's still really weird." Makoto sighed.
"I haven't noticed any new anomalies pop up. Alter Ego hasn't alarmed recently, either." Kyoko stood from the table and looked out the window. The snow was starting to melt, revealing the lush greenery wanting to come out from the cold. "Perhaps they've finally stopped."
"I hope so. Well, I guess that should be enough for the day." Makoto stood up himself. "I wouldn't want to keep you two from whatever plans you have today."
The two women were silent.
"It's Valentine's Day. I'm sure you two have things to do today."
The two women just looked at each other and then back at the tone deaf luckster.
"I don't believe I have any plans for today." Kyoko said, her face completely devoid of emotion. Makoto had an idea that she wasn't as calm as she seemed.
"Me neither."
The two women continued to give a harsh stare to the former SHSL Hope.
"O-Oh. Sorry. I thought you two would..."
"I suppose that's flattering." Kyoko gave off a small smirk. "But unfortunately, I haven't had much time for myself lately."
"I haven't met anyone." Mukuro stated flat out.
Makoto couldn't help but feel pity.
Kyoko looked straight at him. "I assume you have your own plans, Makoto-kun?"
"A-Ah yeah."
"...Junko-chan gave you some chocolates?" The former despair sister asked.
"Oh, no. She didn't. But if chocolate's involved, it'll be flashy I'm sure."
Kyoko's face darkened from disgust. Mukuro looked unamused.
"E-Er..." Makoto rubbed the back of his neck. "Did I say something weird?"
"Her terrible influence on you is definitely understated. Alas." The lavender-haired woman sighed and went over to her desk. Makoto and Mukuro watched her as she pulled out a neatly wrapped box of chocolates from it. She went over and gave it directly to the luckster.
"Uh... Kyoko-chan, I..."
"I suppose this is another reason for my own reluctance. Hopefully you'd see reason on your own."
"Well, that's..."
"Either way, they're still for you."
"Thanks. I'll remember this for White Day."
Mukuro shifted over uncomfortably as the brown-haired man accepted the gift. He noticed.
"You alright, Ikusaba-san?"
"I also got you a box of chocolates."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. I made them. J-Just think of it as a token of friendship." She took out a small, plain circular plain-looking box and pushed them over to him.
"Thank you. I really appreciate it. I don't know how to make chocolates myself, though..."
"I didn't either."
There was a voice in Makoto's head that told him to not eat the chocolates he was just given.
Kyoko turned around. "I suppose there's no reason to keep you here. I'll see you tomorrow, Makoto-kun."
"Bye guys. I'll see you guys later." Makoto shifted quickly out of the office and started to walk briskly back to his office. Wanting to get home as soon as possible (he had a nagging feeling), he entered the office and saw more boxes of chocolates on his desk. He sighed and took a look at who had left him the gifts. There were many from other girls in the building, not limited but including Ruruka Ando (hers was a classic red heart with a pink bow adorned on it, probably full of her hypnotic chocolates) and Seiko Kimura (whose box was not simply chocolates, but chocolate-flavored medicines).
"Still popular, huh Naegi-chi?" The former SHSL Shaman was leaning in his doorway.
"Hiro-kun? Hey. What brings you around here?"
"I got more for you. They came from Hope's Peak Academy."
"Seriously?" Makoto was almost floored. "I don't think I can eat all of these myself..."
The man with messy dreadlocks walked over and put more boxes on Makoto's desk. "One from Maizono-chi, one from the Nanami twins and one from Yukizome-chi?"
There were notes on the ones from Class 77-B. The Nanami's chocolates looked store-bought with a small thank you note on them, while Chisa's looked like it was handmade and had a note inviting him to her and Kyosuke's wedding. And to be the future godfather of their future child. The elder Naegi laughed nervously to himself.
"Come on, dude. Did you think they weren't going to give you chocolates for being you?"
"Not like this." Makoto rubbed the side of his face. "Hey, speaking of which... are you doing something today?"
"Me? Uhh..." Hiro sighed. "Nah. No dates today. But I know you'll be busy. Good luck with that."
"Oh, thanks. I think."
"I really mean it. Your woman's a piece of work. No offense."
A slightly annoyed groan came from the former SHSL Lucky Student's mouth.
Kaede was sitting alone on a bench in the headquarters plaza proper. Over the past few days, their efforts were for naught. Shuichi was basically missing. She asked Kyoko Kirigiri directly about his whereabouts, and she had told her that he supposedly took a small vacation for his mental health. She took a look at a small pink box shaped like a book down in her lap. It had a dark blue ribbon tied around it. While she was moving her legs back and forth on the bench, her eyes wandered and saw a familiar shade of blue out of the corner of her eye.
"Saihara-kun?"
She almost shot up from her seat and started to follow the suspicious male. They both were sifting through the crowd of Alliance members trying to go through their normal routines. Shuichi wasn't looking back at her or even acknowledging her existence.
"Saihara-kun! Hey!"
He started to move even quicker, running through the crowd.
"Why...why are you running? What have you been doing? Saihara-kun!"
She lost sight of her boyfriend, stopping in the middle of the crowd with the box of chocolates still in her hand. She looked down and myriad thoughts started to run through her head, until she was interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Hey! Akamatsu!"
The SHSL Pianist's voice was a little hoarse. "Momota-kun?"
"What's with you? You look pretty out of it."
"Ah, well, I just saw Saihara-kun and I couldn't reach him..."
"Really?" Kaito looked over through the crowd. "He's long gone, though. The hell's up with him? I haven't been able to hang out with him ever since I got back!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah. It's like he's avoiding everyone close to him. The hell happened? Next time I see him I might just give him a good wallop just to make sure he's alright!"
"Don't do that." Kaede crossed her arms. "So wait...you, Harukawa-san, and Yumeno-san haven't talked to him in person at all?"
Kaito placed a hand on his hip. "It's really weird, man. It's not like he's a mess right now. Things were going good for him and he didn't seem like he was having, uh, one of his episodes."
"No, it's suspicious. He'd definitely talk to you since we haven't seen you for months."
"What do you think's up?"
"Maybe there's something off about him that people close to him would notice?"
"Eh? You think he's having another episode?"
"No, I don't think so. He's out and about."
Maki walked up nervously to Kaito and Kaede. The blonde pianist was a little surprised by her sudden appearance, but chalked it up to being part of her talent. She just shoved a box of chocolates into his chest while he groaned a bit from the recoil.
"Harumaki, is this for me...?"
"Yes. Do you not like it?"
"No! It's great, thanks. I like chocolates, too."
The black-haired girl looked down and blushed. "...cool."
"God, that's so cute. You're cute, Harukawa-san."
Her cheeks puffed up into a pout. "I'm not cute. Besides, you two were talking about Saihara, right?"
"Uh, yeah." Kaede nervously cleared her throat. "Did you notice anything weird about him? You saw him pass by, right?"
Maki looked down at the ground for a bit.
"C-Come on, I need you to focus. No need to be more shy!"
"Shut up. I'm checking something. I'm using my innate skills here."
"Oh, sorry."
"Hmmm... has his shoe size always been that?"
"Eh? That's kind of weird."
"Just keep it in mind, Akamatsu."
"Will do. Wait, does that mean you know where he went?"
"Yeah. Follow me." Maki started to move quickly through the crowd, with Kaede and Kaito following her.
Keebo was busy cleaning Hajime's flat while the aforementioned man himself was sifting through a few documents sent over to him by Kyoko Kirigiri. He looked out the window while Monaca was laying on the ground, playing a new game on her Nantendo Shift. A knock on the door came and Hajime moved to it, looking out the eye hole and then opening it. The two Nanamis were there, holding a box together.
"Hey hey." Ai greeted. "How are you, Hinata-kun?"
"Pretty good. Happy Valentine's Day, guys."
"Thanks, Hajime-kun." Chiaki smiled sweetly. "Can we come in?"
"Yeah. Of course." He stepped aside and allowed them passage. Unfortunately for the former artificial hope, there were more people coming in from behind him. Namely some other female students from Class 77-B. Needless to say, the people who lived in Hajime Hinata's flat were not pleased.
A snicker came from Hiyoko Saionji. "Wow, big bro. Didn't think you'd live in a tiny dump like this with other people. Maybe if you beg, we can have some festivities at the family manor instead?"
"Hiyoko-chan, c'mon. We're guests here. He's letting us all be here...even though it's kinda crowded." Mahiru reminded.
Akane slammed her fist into her open palm. "How the hell are you supposed to exercise in here, Hinata? Man, I oughta just make some more space for us."
"Don't break the walls, Owari." Hajime warned. "I don't need to lose the deposit for this place."
"U-Um... shouldn't someone with all those talents and good looks of yours not really have to worry about money?" Mikan asked. "P-Please don't hate me for my question!"
A tired sigh came from the man with heterochromia. "I can't exactly go flaunting what I can do. Especially since I was never an Ultimate in this timeline."
"Hajime-chan is fucking awesome! Look at all the cool looking stuff he has in here. Like this! And that! Ooh!" Ibuki was moving around the room while Keebo and Monaca were trying to keep an eye on her.
"I guess the others had their own plans?" Hajime asked Chiaki.
"Yeah. I know Kuzuryu-kun and Pekoyama-san didn't even show up to school today. And Tanaka-kun wanted to spend time with his devas. Nevermind-san wanted to join him while Soda-kun said he wasn't feeling too well. Mitarai-kun and the SHSL Impostor went on their own, as well. Most likely to hang out in the dorms."
"It's still really crowded in here. Are you all sure you want hang out in this place?"
The girls unanimously wanted to stay much to Hajime's chagrin. He sat down at the table while the twin Nanamis went over and placed the box they were carrying in front of him. It didn't require the use of his Analytic Prowess to figure out what was in the box. He opened it and there was a chocolate cake with a cute Gala Omega clip decoration in the middle of it.
"We made it from scratch." The artificial Nanami explained. "It's not in our skillsets, but we thought we'd give it a try. Chiaki-nee insisted."
"Really? It looks great. Smells good too. Thanks."
Chiaki was pleased toward his praise. The other girls were looking intensely as he tried the cake and swallowed it. "Wow! Huh...I'm actually kinda surprised. It's really good."
"Thank Ai-chan for that." Chiaki pointed out. "She found the recipe."
"Guess you two do work together well."
The twin Chiakis were very pleased.
"Tch...I could make something better. I am refined, after all." Hiyoko said through her teeth.
Mahiru sighed as if she was accepting defeat. "I can't really compete with that, now can I?"
"They're so cute! Kyahaha!" Ibuki raised her hands up. "Just imagine, two girls making you a beautiful cake? And a hot guy eating it? Badump, thump! Thump, badump!"
Mikan looked away and didn't say anything.
Akane leaned onto the side. "Cake's great and all, but where's the meat?"
"We were about to have some lunch. I...suppose I can increase the servings." Keebo replied.
"Hah! I'm looking forward to it. Better put enough in there."
"I can imagine you can eat a lot."
"Yeah! Gotta keep my strength up, after all. Especially for Old Man Nidai."
The mention of their former friend made the atmosphere heavy.
"Guess we'll have this feast in his honor, then." Hajime announced. "I guess make yourselves comfortable."
Multiple conversations were going on while Keebo was preparing the food for the surprise party that Hajime didn't even know he was invited to. Monaca continued to be annoyed by Akane's prodding as her unofficial big sis, trying to look to the people she liked for any help. Eventually Ai went along with her to the patio.
"Ugh. Thanks a lot, Nanami-nee."
"I assume it was getting stuffy in there."
"You have no idea. Though all those girls looked at big bro every once in a while. Good thing I gave up!" A sickly sweet smile formed on the green teen's face.
The SHSL Hope Android looked very thoughtful. "Why do you sound so happy about that?"
"I learned a while ago that sometimes it's good to give up things. Like trying to be with big sis Junko or ruling the world just to make adults' lives miserable."
"I think that's sarcasm."
"Yeah, yeah." Monaca leaned forward on the railing. "Honestly though... it's because I found that paradise that Nagisa Shingetsu would always blab on about."
"Oh? Where was it?"
"A ten tatami flat with two hopeless guys."
Like a pedigreed bloodhound, Maki Harukawa was able to track down where Shuichi Saihara was hiding. It looked to be an apartment a ways away from Headquarters, in Tokyo proper. The three looked at each other and Kaito knocked on the door. After a few moments of waiting, there was still no answer. Maki looked over at the SHSL Astronaut and nodded to him, with both of them using their bodies to bust open the door.
A flustered Shuichi looked back at them while he was sitting down having a cup of piping hot tea.
"W-Whoa?!"
"Saihara-kun!" Kaede stepped in front of both Kaito and Maki before they could start chewing him out for his strange behavior. "Is...is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?"
Shuichi looked panicked. "N...No! You didn't. It was me."
"Making a girl cry, Saihara? You're supposed to be a man now. More than a sidekick. This ain't good behavior, you know?" Kaito lectured. "I can't have a rival who falls apart. So what's wrong, man?"
"I've just been really caught up in stuff. I'm okay, though. Don't worry about me."
"You can't say don't worry when you've literally been ghosting your friends. What's going on, Saihara?" Maki narrowed her eyes. "Don't avoid the answer. Or I'll drag it out of you."
"It's...complicated, okay?"
Kaede kept silent and looked straight at the SHSL Detective.
"I just got in something, uh, serious is all. I didn't want anyone else to get involved."
"Weren't you the one who believed in the power of friendship and all that?" Maki crossed her arms. "I know you. If there was trouble, you'd tell us."
"Are you trying to be like Oma right now?" Kaito groaned. "Don't lie to us. We're your friends, man. The training trio, remember? Or do we gotta throw down a few rounds just to get it through your head?"
Kaede had a strange feeling as she was listening to the conversation.
"Look guys, I'm fine. Can we do this later? I'm really tired."
"...what have you done with Saihara-kun?" Kaede blurted out. The other three just looked at her like she had said something crazy.
"What do you mean?" Maki asked.
"I...I don't know. But I have a weird feeling. He sounds really...off?"
"Off? Is he sick or something?" Kaito looked back at Shuichi who was avoiding eye contact.
"I have to stick with my gut feelings here." Kaede pointed straight at the blue-haired detective. "You're...are you Shuichi Saihara?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Kaede-chan. It's me, obviously."
"Wait! That's wrong!" Kaede crossed her arms. "He would...he would never call me Kaede-chan. He's not some kind of smooth operator. In fact he's still nervous to hold my hand in public!"
Kaito started to sweat a little. "That's...kinda sad."
"W-We're supposed to be together right?" Shuichi took a step back. "So I just started to call you by your first name. Just to make it official, r-right?"
"No!" Kaede yelled. "I know Saihara-kun. You're not him."
Maki looked back at the cowering detective. "There was something weird about you earlier..."
"That's right. You mentioned something about his shoe size?"
"Yes. They seemed a little...small for who he was. Saihara's a pretty tall guy."
"Don't be ridiculous." Shuichi retorted. "That's not really much to go on, is it?"
"My tracking eyes don't lie. I keep a mental note on everyone... just so I know if there's something wrong with them." She glared at Kaito who laughed nervously.
"I'm fine, Harumaki. But more importantly... now I think I'm starting to see what you two are talking about. But...uh...I don't really get it all means."
"It means he could be an impostor." Maki walked toward Shuichi who started to walk back a bit. "Who are you? And where is Saihara? Your answer determines whether you die or not."
"Guys. It's seriously me. What do I have to do to prove it to you?"
"You're a smart guy, if you're really him. You'd figure it out by now."
"...when did we first kiss?"
"H-Huh?!"
Kaede crossed her arms with a pouting face. "You heard my question. Now answer it, Saihara-kun."
"W-Well, um...er...it was..."
"You really aren't him." Kaede turned indignant. "What did you do with him?!"
"Wait! Hold on, please!" He was looking around for an escape, but the three blocked him at every opportunity.
"You're not going anywhere. Confess." Maki glared.
Kaito cracked his knuckles. "You're gonna pay if you hurt my rival."
"F-Fine...fine...if it's the truth you want..."
Shuichi spun around and his clothes changed in an almost overworldly fashion, almost like it was on cue.
"The blue-haired mastermind appears!" Tsumugi looked haughty as she turned into her normal self in front of them. "Tsumugi Shirogane! It's been a while, contestants."
"You...!" Kaede grit her teeth and her eyes darkened.
Makoto was watching a sunset at a nearby bridge when someone came up to him. He looked over and saw Hajime smiling at him from where he stood.
"Hinata-san!"
"Hey, Naegi-san." He walked up to the former SHSL Hope. "This is probably the only time we could even talk. You're about to go away for a while, aren't you?"
"Heh...yeah." Makoto smiled. "I figured I owe her a trip, you know?"
"It's certainly far more than she deserves. You spoil her too much."
"I kinda do, don't I? But..."
Hajime sighed. "You have some pity for her, don't you?"
"In some ways, I do. Junko's a victim of fate, don't you think?"
"Most likely. After all, we as humans were running rampant with our blatant disregard for the natural order. Making artificial supermen and unhealthily idolizing talent. In some ways, you could say that Enoshima was punishment for us. How else could one high school girl bring an entire world to its knees?" He looked over the railing. "Still a crazy bitch, though."
Makoto laughed nervously.
"But enough about that. I basically came to see you off. And...I wanted to thank you."
"Really? I didn't do that much."
"You're too nosy and too hopeful. And stubborn. But a guy like you was what the world needed. I used to envy you, you know?"
"Envy? Me?"
"Enoshima was humanity's punishment. Maybe you're humanity's redemption."
"That's kinda blowing things out of proportion. It's already too much to be the SHSL Hope."
"I can sympathize. I was supposed to have humanity's hope on my own shoulders. And I willingly signed up for it. But I didn't realize it at the time." He stretched as he faced the sunset. "I ended up being a whole lot of nothing in the end, even with all this talent. At least I got to save the day in the end."
"Hinata-san..."
"Sorry. I was supposed to just thank you and get back to Chiaki, but I ended up venting instead."
"No, it's alright. I'm glad you're comfortable around me to do that."
The former Izuru Kamukura chuckled. "Can't say the same for myself. You don't really air out your frustrations much."
"I...don't usually need to. Even though it can be heavy at times."
"You're making me envy you again. Don't make that face. I'm just half-joking."
"...I'm just glad everyone is safe and sound, though."
"Me too." Hajime put his hands in his pockets. "I guess I'll see you when you get back from your little trip. Make sure the double check the oxygen tanks."
"Right...I will. Thanks." Makoto smiled and Hajime smiled back as they parted ways.
ANote
"Naegi-sensei! Komaru-san! Thank you guys for showing up on short notice!" Sayaka clasped her hands together.
"Well, my favorite idol was asking me for a favor. Why would I say no?" Komaru had a big smile plastered on her face. "And to do something like this...I'm so excited!"
Makoto rubbed the side of his face. "I'm a little nervous myself..."
"You two look great! I'll be cheering for you two!" Sayaka skipped off the stage, leaving the two siblings on the stage with a curtain separating them from the audience.
"Oh man...I hope Toko-chan's alright... she hates crowds."
"No kidding. But I guess this is Maizono-san's way of saying thanks."
"You think? I thought we were just doing her a favor and she couldn't find anyone else."
"I'm pretty sure she's heard your singing voice once or twice, Komaru."
"R-Really?" The heroine of Towa City started blushing. "Oh no, she heard me sing before!"
"That means she thought you were good enough to do it." Makoto smiled. "Maybe you could've been an idol."
"Oooh! That would've been so cool! Singing idol by day, magical heroine by night!"
"Uh... maybe not like that."
"Hehe. Maybe we could've been a pair of idols."
"Me? I don't think I'd fit in the idol life myself."
"Nonsense, Makoto. Girls really like small and cute looking guys!" Komaru could feel Toko making a snide comment about a brother complex without even actually hearing her.
The guitarist and drummer started to play as the curtain rises.
"Well, it's now or never! Let's do it!"
Makoto nodded and looked forward. "Okay."
I won't cut anyone off. I won't throw anything way.
I'll go while embracing even the pain.
Always, I'm thinking about you.
We'll make sure, no matter how many times, amidst the flames that burn bright.
Let's hold up the light of hope...
...in order to dye the despair.