Ultimate Amiss II

I'm so glad you guys are already enjoying the story! And I hope this chapter doesn't throw you for a loop too hard.

He stood in line to renew his school ID for the upcoming year, wishing with every passing second that the process was faster, but he was finally half-way there. Now if only he had some plugs for his ears so he didn't have to listen to those around him for the remaining duration of time that he would need to stand here.

Granted, it would probably get longer as students made the excuse that they needed to go first since they were above him. Not that he was being singled out. No, this was just part of the economic chain here at Hope's Peak. The Ultimates always got their way - it was just a fact every Reserve Course student had to accept. Though, he had gotten here an hour earlier to avoid this sort of thing, but his strategy clearly hadn't worked.

A student a few paces ahead of him in the line suddenly burst from the throng, running off to disappear outside. He didn't particularly feel relieved that there was one less person ahead of him now, though.

Instead Hajime quickly moved his gaze to a clear patch of wall to his right as a group of Ultimates turned to face him after sending off their latest quarry, but that one had been new. He wasn't. Hajime had been attending Hope's Peak since last year and even if they did come after him next he wasn't going to run off and lose his place in line so he showed up at his class late just because a bunch of Ultimate Bullies of all things.

Okay, he could have thought harder on that pun; it had to be the same thought of every Reserve Course student here. Completely unoriginal.

"Hey." He cursed silently in his head when the voice was clearly directed at him; he really hadn't wanted to deal with today of all days, when he absolutely had to stand here and couldn't just leave on a whim. "You're another of those Reserve Course students, right?"

It felt like a whole minute ticked by until another of them spoke up, "Hey, we're talking to you." There was a sharp prod of a finger against his shoulder. "Are you deaf or just impolite? Answer the question, shrimp."

"Why bother asking?" A third voice grated on his ears. "If he were an Ultimate it would be obvious. Not even a new comer to this school could mistake a Reserve Course student for an Ultimate. He's plain, not even wearing clothes from a popular brand, much less anything that's trending. In fact, it looks like the usual school outfit, which isn't even mandatory." The voice stopped, but it was only for a second as that same person walked around him so they were right in his face, no longer allowing him to look away. "He's clearly just showing off that he goes to this school. After all, every Ultimate here is scouted for not only having a talent, but being the best at what they do. So this shrimp's parents just paid for him to get in as a Reserve Course student so they could say their son was attending the famous Hope's Peak Academy. It's always the same story with them." The Ultimate sneered down at him, so sure that his own story could be bunched up with the rest of them.

He wanted to wipe the sneer of his face and the other two as well with some witty comeback but there was just no point. Not when it was all true. His parents had paid a lot of money to get him into the Academy, just like the other two thousand plus Reserve Course students currently attending. Wearing the school outfit did fill him with a sense of pride for being able to attend the prestigious school and he knew his parents would gloat about him being at the academy at dinner parties, any gathering really if the opportunity presented itself.

It wasn't anything surprising. He was plain and ordinary compared to the Ultimates that attended, but at the very least he didn't go picking on other students for not being 'superior.' Yeah, he needed to get different insults to hurl mentally at people like this. Besides, not every Ultimate bullied the Reserve Course students; it was more like they just didn't associate with them at all, period.

"Still nothing to say? Trying to be all strong and silent are you? Well, we'll see how long that lasts. It certainly didn't last very long for that newb."

He could feel his jaw begin to tighten and forced his muscles to relax. The last thing he needed was to get into a fight because he couldn't keep his emotions from showing on his face.

Hajime kept his face blank as the Ultimate continued to stare at him, looking for the usual signs of weakness so they could, 'go in for the kill.' He blinked when they lowered them-self down to his height, probably trying to intimidate him further, but Hajime merely stepped forward, closing the distance between them by a few inches when the people ahead of him - the more civil ones, that is - moved a bit when the next person in line was done.

The Ultimate was narrowing his own eyes, about to speak - probably to irritate Hajime further and into actual action - when he heard a girl's voice in the direction from the front door that had just burst open.

"Oh my, I thought I was going to be early, but look at the line! So long." A tapping of heels sounded as most - if not all - students in the proximity turned to see the Ultimate Gyaru, arriving fashionably late for the first day of school and making a bee line for the front of the line. "You wouldn't mind if I cut in, would you?" she was asking, lips upturned into a smile a normal person just didn't have the capability to say no to.

While the Ultimates attention was away from him for the moment Hajime attempted to step aside: toward the wall, so maybe he could get away from this particular group through a narrow passage, but the idea got squashed when he saw people still leaning against the wall. So he would need to take a more direct route, since he didn't have much time before this opportunity slipped away.

He dashed out of the line, an abrupt, "Hey! Where the hell you goin' squirt!" sounding behind him, but he ignored it not caring that he was technically running away as he sprinted for the front of the line.

"Thank you so much-"

"Junko," he blurted out as she was about to step to the front, skidding to a stop just before he ran into her.

Her strawberry blonde curls give an extra bounce as she takes a step back, blue eyes glancing over him and he just can't believe she actually stopped and that he had actually made it as her eyes widen after a second.

He's sure he sees the surprise in her gaze and only hopes she won't say anything about not expecting him to be here, or anything else embarrassing for that matter after having to deal with the group he would now refer to as thugs that had to be burning a hole through his back right about now. Probably trying to figure out what he was up to; if he really knew Junko or was looking for a quick pass to the front to get the hell away from them.

From the flash of those blue eyes she must have already figured out the situation and he nearly breathes a sigh of relief when she offers a smile to him. "Hajime." She spread her arms wide and for a split-second he regrets every life decision he's ever made up until now, because now her arms are around him and he still doesn't have full control over his momentum after rushing towards her and falls face first into her chest; and she's laughing above him.

God damn it, this is going to come up in one of those ice breaker games later in class, isn't it? Which m-and-m did the teachers use for embarrassing situations again?

He puffs his cheeks out defiantly against her cleavage, not even bothering to make an attempt to move until she more-or-less rights him up herself and then turns with a cheeky grin to skip to the front of the line, gripping his wrist.

Hajime is quick to tell the receptionist that's he's renewing his student ID and hands it over before they even asked for it. So they can scan and renew it for the year, typing up some new data on the computer. He's trying to ignore the stares he feels on every inch of his body, judging him and totally thinking he did that intentionally.

By the time he's done though Junko is retrieving a new student ID from the other worker, having jumped straight for the photo taking area and striking a pose earlier. She was more than just cooperative for the process, breezing through the actions and having everything ready even though this was her first time here.

So he doesn't even try to walk a fraction faster when he hears her boots coming up from behind him, feeling an arm lock around his an instant later. "You should come with me to my fashion class, Hajime. I'll need a model to try on the designs I've made," she doesn't bother to lower her voice, letting anyone hear that might be listening.

Read: everyone.

He wants to point out that this is her first day, that even if by chance that's the sort of thing her teacher has planned for today she doesn't have any designs for it, but she probably has something in her purse she can call a design if he doesn't go with her. So he pushes down the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, completely ignore whatever taunts he'll be hearing later and just continues to walk calmly beside her.

Honestly, he just hopes she's actually designing men's clothing and not woman's for today.