2 Weeks Later

The days of summer vacation flew by, before Hajime even realized it. It was like some kind of dream. Every day was as rewarding and memorable as the last. He even found himself enjoying his morning training sessions with Peko. For once, in such a long time, Hajime completely forgot about all of his problems. All of his insecurities and desperation seemed to evaporate. He was simply enjoying life and enjoying it to the fullest, possibly for the first time ever. He even got a bit of a tan while he was there. It pained him to have to leave such a blissful, gorgeous place and return to Hope's Peak.

It was the final afternoon of their trip. Satsuo helped them with their luggage and they were on their way. The flight home was much more pleasant than the first, since Peko was given heavy doses of motion sickness medicine, which also put her into a deep sleep. Natsumi also fell asleep almost immediately. This time she was seated next to Peko and the two of them leaned on each other as they slept. Fuyuhiko and Hajime sat next to each other in silence. Fuyuhiko had his arms crossed, and he seemed to be contemplating something. Hajime was the first to break the silence.

"You know, that was a pretty good week," he said, watching the girls sleep across the aisle from them. Fuyuhiko scoffed a bit, in his usual manner.

"Wow. You've got a real talent for stating the fucking obvious, you know that?" He responded.

Hajime was growing more accustomed to the "Kuzuryu attitude" at this point, whether or not that was a good or bad thing. He grinned and nudged Fuyuhiko with his elbow.

"Come on, admit it. You're glad I tagged along, right?" He said, snarkily. Fuyuhiko blushed a bit, angrily.

"Hey, don't put words in my mouth, you bastard!" he grunted, but then he looked to his side, leaning his chin on his hand. He watched the girls across from them, peacefully sleeping together. "Those two over there are the only ones I need by my side. But… I guess it was cool you came along. I have to admit Natsumi was really happy to have you around. I haven't seen her laugh this much since we were kids."

Hajime placed his hand on Fuyuhiko's shoulder and grinned smugly.

"Aww, nice of you to say that. Maybe I could end up being the "bro you never had," Hajime said, smugly. Fuyuhiko knocked his hand away angrily.

"Hey! I thought we agreed to never mention that night ever again!" he growled as he clenched his fist. The hot headed young gangster eventually calmed down and let out a sigh. "Listen, Hajime. If you want to really be a part of my family then you still have a ways to go… That being said, you've got potential. I can see that now. So, I want you to… ya know… Keep looking after Natsumi for me, ok? If you can swear by that, then you can get a few respect points from me."

Hajime skeptically wondered to himself where he could possibly cash in these precious "Fuyuhiko respect points," but he didn't press the issue.

"I can do that," He said, reaching out his hand.

Fuyuhiko hesitantly looked at his hand and then clasped it in a manly handshake, almost as if they were arm wrestling. He gripped Hajime's hand a little painfully, to show he meant business. "I'll hold you to that, Hajime. I'll be counting on you. So you better not fuck it up," Hajime could feel a subtle bond growing between him and the young yakuza.

Hajime unlocked the door to his dorm. It felt like he had been gone for years. He creaked it open and stepped inside. The dorm room felt considerably smaller than before. He carried his bags into the bedroom and tossed them onto his bed. He put a cast iron teapot on the burner in the kitchen and then lounged on his couch, waiting for it to boil. He pulled out his phone and realized he already had a few texts from Natsumi.

"Ugghhh. Soo much to unpack… ." - 6:46PM

"Maybe you could come over here and do it for me :}" - 6:50PM

Hajime rolled his eyes at the crassness of this girl. "Not gonna happen. Besides, what would your brother think?"

"Think of what?" - 7:12PM

"You inviting me to your room? I don't think Fuyuhiko would like it."

There was a pause. She didn't text back for a few minutes

"Get your head out of the gutter, idiot. It was a joke" - 7:15PM

Hajime smirked and began checking other things on his phone, while he was waiting for his tea. He checked out the weather for the week, app updates, news. Then he got another text from Natsumi.

"So what do you think about me?" - 7:17PM

Hajime was taken a little off guard by the sudden question. What was that supposed to mean? Leave it to a teenage girl to send cryptic text messages. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he typed up something quick.

"I think you're texting me to avoid having to unpack your things" He quipped. And waited for a response from Natsumi.

"Stop being an asshole. I'm serious" - 7:20PM

Hajime paused and stared at the text for a few moments. What had gotten into her? Hajime thought for a few moments and gave his best reply.

"I don't know. You're probably the craziest girl I have ever met. But for some reason I think I've gotten used to you. Does that answer your question?"

He sent the message and waited for a response, which took a few long moments.

"Yes" - 7:23PM

"That's it?" He muttered to himself.

"So what about me?" He asked, waiting to hear back from her. It was only fair for her to give him an honest response as well. Plus he was a little curious.

"I need to unpack. Ill talk to you tomorrow" - 7:24PM

Typical Natsumi. He should have expected no less from her. "Fine. By the way, I had a great time this week. It was a blast,"

Natsumi smiled at her phone.

"Yeah. I did too. You better come with us next year" - 7:25PM

That was Natsumi's last message of the night. Hajime set his phone down just as he heard a hissing noise.

( Shit! ). He jumped up and quickly ran to the kitchen, as the water had already been boiling over for a while now. He took it off the stove hastily. He brewed his tea and returned to the living room. After sitting back down he looked down at his phone, sitting on the small coffee table. Natsumi's words resonated in his head.

"Come with us next year."

He also thought back to his promise to Fuyuhiko, to stay by Natsumi's side, as well as Peko's words to him.

" Other people are going to be counting on you, especially Natsumi."

He picked up his phone and dialed a number from his contacts. He hoped that the person would still be awake and available to talk. He really needed to settle this issue right now. Finally, he got through. An old man's voice could be heard on the other end.

"Is that you, Mr. Hinata? I wasn't expecting a call at this hour," he said with a chuckle. Hajime sighed with relief.

"I'm glad that I was able to catch you before you went to sleep. I need to tell you something and I didn't want to wait until morning."

"Is that a jab at my age?" Tengan asked, teasingly. "I may be old, but trust me. My vitality is still in tip top shape. But I'm sure you weren't calling to check up on my health. I'm guessing it's about the project. Do you finally have an answer for the school board?" He asked, casually.

"I do have an answer, and I'm sorry to say it's "no"… Actually I'm not sorry. I'm standing by my answer and it's final. I don't need what the Izuru project offers. I'm going to figure things out for myself. The school board is going to have to find a different subject."

"I see… Well, if that is your decision, I will tell the committee," Tengan replied, not even questioning Hajime's decision or trying to sway him. "So, I assume you will be heading home?"

"Um… about that..." Hajime muttered uncomfortably. "I actually want to continue going to school here."
"Really? That's interesting. I can understand why," Tengen responded.

"I know that the committee covered my tuition fees and they're probably not going to continue doing that when they find out about my decision. But please give me some time to find a way to get the money together. I-"

"There's no need to worry about that, Mr. Hinata. Your tuition costs have already been covered by a third party benefactor," Tengen interrupted.

"Wait… really? You mean..." Hajime stammered.

"And he wasn't the only one who was grateful for your heroic deeds. You helped avert a particularly nasty PR incident. The committee members would remiss if they kicked you out now. So, don't worry about any of that, Mr. Hinata. You're free to finish your time here at Hope's Peak.

Hajime could barely comprehend what had just happened. He wasn't accustomed to receiving such good news. "Th-thank you sir!"

"The committee will be less than pleased with your decision. It'll probably set the project back, but I promise they won't hound you about it any further. Farewell Mr. Hinata. I wish you luck," he said respectively, dismissing himself from the conversation and hanging up.

Hajime had no regrets about his decision. The Izuru project held no appeal for him anymore. He didn't want what it offered. He had new goals and desires. They weren't lofty or world shaping, but they were his . He had connections to new people. They weren't angels or saints, but they were his friends. Above all else, abandoning Natsumi now seemed unthinkable.

The next morning, Hajime was able to sleep in a little later than usual. Peko had told him that he could have a day off, to unwind and let his body recover and rebuild muscle. She also gave him a list of groceries to purchase. They were foods high in protein and healthy carbs. She also gave him a daily diet regiment. Peko insisted that proper nutrition and protein intake were just as important as the exercise itself.

He whipped out his phone and opened up the app for his bank account, just to be sure he could afford all this stuff. Then, he saw something that floored him. Just yesterday, his checking account had received a deposit of 150,000 Yen. This had to be some kind of mistake. That was far more than his monthly stipend or the occasional support from his parents back home.

( Wait a minute. Could it be… )

Hajime thought back to the letter he had received from the Oyabun, weeks ago. It stated that he would be paid a salary for "looking after" Natsumi during her time at Hope's Peak. Perhaps this is what he was referring to. It appeared that he was being paid, simply to stay by Natsumi's side and also undergo the personal training that went along with it. It wasn't a bad deal. Hajime felt more than a little uneasy about accepting that kind of money from a criminal organization, but he had to admit that it would help him substantially. He decided to place those concerns at the back of his mind, for now. He grabbed his bags and headed out the door.

Once again, Hajime sat with Natsumi in their own little corner of the cafeteria. Hajime was chewing away at his food, while Natsumi fiddled with her udon noodles, resting her cheek on her fist. She looked immersed in thought, distracted from the task at hand. Eventually she spoke up.

"Hajime… What are we doing right now?" She asked, blankly.

"Uhh, eating lunch in the cafeteria… are you on something?" Hajime asked, snidely, while he continued eating.

"Tch! I mean in general, smartass. Didn't we both say we wanted to get into the Main Course? We haven't talked about it at all, in, like, forever. So what's the deal?" She asked, stirring her udon around in frustration. Hajime paused for a moment and looked away. He honestly hadn't even thought about the Main Course in what felt like ages, not since the Sato incident. There was just so much more on his mind. Hajime came to a realization in that moment. He turned to Natsumi and said two words.

"Fuck it"

Natsumi was shocked, both at hearing Hajime curse out loud and also him giving her such a blunt response. It was so confident and fearless. What had gotten into him?

"W-what?... Wha… what did you say?" She stammered in response.

"You heard me. Who cares about the Main Course? You don't need it. I don't need it. Haven't you figured that out by now?" He responded bluntly, staring into her eyes with unwavering determination.

"D-don't tell me what I need or don't need! How can you even say that? It's the whole reason we both entered this bullshit Reserve Course to begin with! It's why we're here!" She yelled, standing up angrily, pointing her finger down at him.

Hajime crossed his arms and didn't back down. He just stared up at her, calm and collected.

"We were wrong, Natsumi. That's all there is to it. It's time for us to grow up and face reality," he said, as Natsumi clenched her fists and seethed with anger. She stared down at him with malice and contempt, but then Hajime noticed something. She had tears welling up in her eyes. She stood there, growing more and more upset.

"What are you talking about?! "Reality" my ass!… You're just a washout! A quitter!" She cried out, as her eyes began to grow watery. Her cheeks were flushed with furious indignation. "Whatever! I don't need your help! I'll get into the Main Course without you! Idiot!"

Hajime expected more swear words, but they never came. Natsumi just grabbed her bag and stomped off, leaving Hajime sitting alone. Half the cafeteria was staring at him and mumbling to each other. Hajime naturally knew the rumor on the street would be that he had broken Natsumi's heart or something like that. The ametuer tabloid merchants could talk all they wanted. This was a conversation they needed to have. Natsumi needed to hear this.

The irate yakuza girl didn't talk to him in between classes, as she usually did. She had a sour, pouty look on her face the entire rest of the afternoon. He watched Natsumi sulk during the lecture. She looked over at him once or twice, making eye contact for a brief moment before she turned away, angrily. She was clearly still upset with him. Hajime thought it would be best to avoid her for a bit and let her blow off some steam. On his way out, he didn't see her. She must have hastily gathered her things and rushed out. Hajime shrugged inwardly and headed downstairs.

Once he arrived outside, he saw Natsumi standing by the gate. She had her bag over her shoulder, and she loitered with her arms crossed. He approached her cautiously and she looked up at him, with tired eyes. Hajime stopped in front of her and they locked eyes for a moment. Neither of them said anything for a few long seconds.

"Do you have something to say?" Hajime asked, bluntly.

Natsumi made a "tch" noise, with an annoyed sneer on her face, but it quickly faded away and she looked more dejected than anything else. "Yeah..." she mumbled discreetly as the sound of laughing, chattering students echoed grew more sparse. Natsumi stood there clutching her arm. "I've been thinking about what you said… About Hope's Peak and everything,"

"Oh. So you agree with me?" Hajime responded.

"I'm getting that. Don't fucking interrupt me!" she grumbled. "…Maybe you were right, ok? Maybe it's impossible for us to get into the Main Course and we're just wasting our time. But if that's true, then what are we supposed to do?" She said, as her voice began to waver. She covered her eyes with her sleeve again, angrily gritting her teeth and holding back tears.

" If we're giving up, There is no reason for either of us to stay here and… there's no reason for us to talk to each other anymore,"

Hajime stood there and clenched his fists. He felt fiery emotions welling and bubbling inside him. He walked up to Natsumi and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"That's not true! That wouldn't change anything. I'm not going anywhere! Got it?"

Natsumi looked up at him, startled. Her cheeks once again began to burn with embarrassment. She hated how he made her feel vulnerable and exposed like this. Why was it always him? She sniffled slightly, wiping her nose with her sleeve while backing away from Hajime, who released her shoulders.

"Do you actually mean that?"

"Of course I do. Being with you has really… changed me. It's changed the way I look at things. I feel like… I'm stronger because I met you," Natsumi blushed in response to this, awkwardly toying with her bangs, unsure of what to say.

"You say some of the most embarrassing things, you know that?..." she mumbled, looking away from him. She leaned backwards against the concrete wall that encircled the school. She slid down so that she was sitting on the ground, clasping her arms around her legs. "So, what now? You tell me, cuz I've got no clue."

Hajime gave her a warm, comforting smile.

"Whatever we want. We aren't prodigies, and we never will be. But there's nothing wrong with that. That just means we can do whatever we want. We can make our own goals and go wherever life takes us. And we can work together," Natsumi looked at him, baffled speechless. She felt this heavy pain in her chest and a strange dizziness when she looked at him. What was this? It had been creeping up on her for a long time now. It always flared up when he was around. Why did he do this to her? His words had a way of cutting through her.

"Set our own goals, huh?… I'm not even sure where to begin with that… Hajime, be honest. if you could change anything about me, what would it be?" She asked, looking up at him. Hajime thought about it for a moment. There was quite a long list. Many things came to mind. Manners, etiquette, language, patience, empathy. There was one thing that stood above the others.

"I would like it if you smiled more."

"W-what? What the fuck kind of answer is that?" She asked, blushing furiously.

"I don't mean those smug grins you always do, or those fake smiles you hide behind when people piss you off. I'm talking about when you are genuinely happy. I would like to see that more often," Natsumi looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a grimace of apprehension. Hajime could see she was immensely embarrassed by this response. She looked away from him, pouting.

"Whatever… I guess I can do that. Even though it sounds retarded..."

"Also, your people skills are going to need work. But we can work on that together," he said, reaching down to take her hand Natsumi couldn't take her eyes off him. She could still feel that ever present pain in her chest. It felt like something was constricting her. She reached out her hand and Hajime yanked her to her feet. Natsumi held onto his hand tightly as he pulled her up. The blonde girl still had clear traces of awkward embarrassment still on her cheeks. She looked up into his eyes and took a step closer to him. She kept her gaze locked with his.

"Hajime. Close your eyes, ok?" She told him, calmly, almost whispering it. Hajime complied, slowly shutting his eyes. He then felt something very warm press against his chest. Natsumi wrapped her arms around him and ensnared him in a tight hug, resting her face against his chest. She could barely make out the sound of his gentle heartbeat. Hajime instinctively hugged her back, holding her in his arms. It was so strange. Natsumi never came off as the hugging type. She was the least huggable person that he knew. But here she was, clinging to him, as if she was afraid he would float away. Finally, she let go and stepped away.

"You can open your eyes now," she muttered. When he opened his eyes she was turned away from him, so he couldn't see her face. She was blushing crimson.

"I'll see you later," She blurted out before she walked off at a brisk pace.