A/N: Hello one and all to the latest installment of The End of Hope's Peak Academy. Today's chapter is brought to you by Blubber Nuggets. Their Chewy...
Anyway, This chapter is a bit shorter than my normal chapters, not by much though, but we get some character development, as well as some backstory from a few people, which I'm surprised I haven't done much of. There are still lots of characters that Daisuke hasn't fully bonded with, but we'll get to them sooner or later. In the following chapters, Daisuke will finally share what happened to him after his father dumped him and his mother out into the streets when they were younger. There is going to be a chapter where Daisuke and Sonia go back to Novoselic and he meets the King and Queen and I was honestly debating on whether or not he would share his story then, but I wanted him to share it with his entire class, Chisa included. It will serve as the final thing they do together before Chisa gets canned to the Reserve Course. It'll be the Christmas chapter I think, and this will be the last time they see Nagito, at least for awhile. The Event that will Trigger him into blowing up the Gym will be happening soon enough, right around their time off for Christmas actually.
It's been a bit hard to place this story, as I of course am not from Japan and have a hard time trying to stay within the boundaries of their school time. The school system is different, like they only get a months vacation while we get two and a half, on average, and the placing of the months are off, but I have decided to just use the American system, where most schools start around late August to early September, it makes it easier on me, so if some things are off, that's why.
Stepping away from the story for a bit, I promised myself I wouldn't see any Pokemon Sun and Moon related news, but I just saw the new trailer showing off the Starter Evolutions and well, they were a bit lacking. Don't get me wrong, Rowlet and Popplio's evolutions look great, and I'll have to judge them from their stats and how the perform, I was just expecting something else, and Litten's just looks like a Bobcat to me, which is really cool.
As a final note, I have posted the first chapter of the School Life of Mutual Killing sequel, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Sisters on the site. I don't know when I'll update it again, but it will be soon. Go check it out, I'm sure you'll love it. Shout out to Hong Cong for writing the Dialogue of one of the Warriors of Hope, you really lessened the workload for me. Shout outs also go to BloodyDemon666, Chance Green G King, Gundum 09, Code-Emperor07 and CyberIona for always reviewing and giving me such kind words and advice. You guys always keep me motivated, shout outs also go to those who left a review on previous stories, sorry if I don't mention you by name, there are tons of you and I don't remember you all by name. Also, be sure to check out FlashFire705 and their story Danganronpa Return to Despair. I'll be happy to share that I submitted a character in, a young woman named Kagura Miyamoto. It's already on its first class trial, and I assure you its a good read, and the talents this time around are very good, so show them some love and keep them motivated!
Without further adoo, here's the next chapter of The End of Hope's Peak Academy. Have a good one guys!
The End of Hope's Peak Academy
Zetzubou-Hen
Chapter 10
Injury
Due to his injuries, Daisuke had to miss out on two weeks of school. Two weeks in a hospital bed was not what he had in mind, but he didn't complain, especially when his friends came to visit. He was almost strangled when his mother came by to visit him, and was scolded to no end, but when she saw Natsumi beside him, she couldn't help but smile. She also kept embarrassing her every chance she got. Erika certainly seemed to be enjoying it. He spent most of time looking at all of the wacky signatures he had gotten on his cast, thanks to his friends. But now, he was finally free of the hospital, though Natsumi still had a couple of days in there, due to her broken ribs. The doctors wanted to make sure they were healing perfectly before discharging her. All of the medical bills had been picked up by the Kuzuryu's, something that surprised him quite a bit.
Now, he found himself heading back to class, having arrived a few minutes after the first bell rung. There were only three days left before the four day break. Thanksgiving was literally around the corner, and a lot of people didn't know how they were going to spend it. Daisuke however, had been helping his mother plan their own party for weeks now, and were on the last few finishing preparations, though with his injuries, he wouldn't be able to help much. He slowly made his way up the stairs, remembering what had happened a couple weeks back. He shook that feeling off as he got to the top, taking a deep breath.
"Two weeks in that hospital really made me miss this place. Never thought I would see the day where I actually liked coming to school." he muttered to himself. He brushed past a few students, who greeted him and welcomed him back to school. It had been happening quite a lot all over campus, people randomly walking up to him, hailing him as a hero for saving someone's life, and he of course had an excuse to tell his version of the events, they were tweaked of course, but the crowd ate it up anyway.
He stopped in front of his classroom, swallowing the lump in his throat. For some reason, it felt as if it was his first day again. Walking through the halls of Hope's Peak Academy, seeing barely any students, standing outside those doors, it just all felt the same, except he had a cast now. Luckily he didn't need to keep it in a sling or anything, and he hadn't gotten used to its weight yet. Steeling his nerves, he slid the door open, only to be greeted with darkness.
"What the hell?" he muttered, reaching for the light switch. In that moment, his ears were filled with multiple pops as well as multicolored paper.
"Welcome back Daisuke!"
Looking around the room, he saw all of his classmates, holding several party favors. The entire room had been decorated with streamers and balloons, all of them welcoming him back to school. All of the desks had been placed neatly in the back, allowing everyone to stand in the center of the room. He even spotted several food items in the back on several food carts, including a large cake, with chibi versions of him and Natsumi on it. He blushed a bit, looking at the wall to his right.
"Um...thanks everyone." he said quietly.
"Ye who was hailed a hero for saving a young maiden's life, I declare you an honorary knight. Our lives are forever in your guidance." Sonia cried loudly, blowing into a large horn, filling the room with a very detestable screech.
"God, we agreed no fanfare." Hiyoko snapped, glaring at the princess.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." the princess said, a smile on her face.
"Daisuke, I am so proud of what you did. Risking your life to save another is truly a magnificent thing, but don't you ever worry me like that again, you hear Mister?" Chisa said, glaring at him with a motherly look on her face.
"Y-yes ma'am." he said, giving her a salute.
"Good, come in and settle down. Classes have been canceled until Thanksgiving break, so we decided to spend them all as a class." she said, pulling him into the room.
"You know, your the talk of the academy. They dedicated an entire issue of the Hope's Peak Gazette just to you." Kazuichi said, holding the paper out to Daisuke. He blushed a bit, especially because the picture on the front page was of him making a weird face. He looked at Mahiru, who gave him a smile.
"It was the only picture of you I had. And it was taken that very same day...I don't know what drove Sato to do the things she did but..." she looked at the ground, still hurt that her friend would do something like that.
"It's alright Mahiru. None of what happened is your fault...I don't know what made her do that either, but let's just agree that it was a good thing I stayed in the music room, or else it could have been much worse." he said.
"Come on everyone. We didn't plan this party so we could more around, let's all have fun. The new Street Fighter just came out and I think we should all play it as a class." Chiaki said, taking the game case out of her bag.
"I call first, all of you are gonna get creamed." Akane said, cracking her knuckles.
"I'd like to see that little girl!" Nekumaru said, his boisterous laugh filling the room. Daisuke frowned. He had been looking forward to that game, but due to his cast he couldn't play it. He shook the feeling off, a smile on his face.
"I'd love to see it, I hear the graphics on it got an overhaul from the last game."
"They did, it looks absolutely amazing. I've played through the story mode seven times already." Chiaki said.
"Didn't that game come out like...two days ago?" Kazuichi asked.
"Yes, I didn't sleep at all. I went to the midnight release and got to meet one of the voice actors." the Ultimate Gamer said, popping the game disc into the console, turning the television on.
"Daisuke, could you give this to your mother when you have the chance? She wanted to make some Spanish dishes for the party and I felt the need to list all of the ones I am capable of making." Teruteru said, handing him a rolled up piece of paper. Daisuke took it, and unrolled it, seeing the paper almost hit the floor.
"Jesus, okay...I didn't know this many dishes existed." he said, looking closely at the list.
"Hmm, yes. There are various traditional ones on there, as well as some interpretations created by yours truly. It certainly is going to be a delectable party. She told me your Abuela is flying in from Spain." he said.
"Yeah, she's almost never in Japan anymore, but she makes an effort around the holidays. Last year, we flew over to Spain, so it made sense for her to come to Japan this year. I'll give her this list after school, I won't be coming back for the next two days due to the preparations." he said.
"Aw, but Daisuzu just came back, he can't leave again." Ibuki said, clearly looking disappointed. He cringed at the nickname.
"Sorry Ibuki, but I have to help with the preparations. Besides you all can visit whenever you want, and it'll only be for a couple of days." he said with a grin.
"That is true. Ibuki will go visit then, and she can help with the music!" she added, strumming her air guitar.
"Yes, can you sing a couple of your songs?" Hiyoko asked.
"Sure, I wrote a couple of new ones I've been dying to sing."
Daisuke shrugged, finding it odd that Hiyoko liked Ibuki's music. He had to admit, when it came to musical instruments, her skill was second to none. But he had heard one of her songs not that long ago, and he couldn't decide whether he liked it or not. He just didn't understand it at all. He had told this to her, and she just said that he wasn't seeing the underlying message, whatever that meant.
"Um...is your arm alright Daisuke? Does it hurt at all?" Mikan asked shyly. He looked at the cast, shaking his head.
"It doesn't hurt. I'm taking my medicine so I'll be alright." he said.
"Please, if it starts to hurt let me know. I'll do my best." she said, giving him a bow. He smiled, patting her head lightly.
"Daisuke, do you think I could talk to you real quick? In the hall." Fuyuhiko said, getting his attention. Daisuke nodded, and followed him and Peko into the hall, closing the door behind themselves.
"Something wrong? I haven't done anything bad right?" he asked, a little worried.
"No man. I just wanted to personally thank you for saving my sister. She can be a hard ass, and it means a lot that you risked your life for her." he said.
"Fuyuhiko, you've thanked me enough already. Trust me, if she was being hurt again, I would do it all over, and I'm sure you or Peko would do the same if my little sister was in danger. It's nothing." he said.
"You are something else you know. Letting some random bitch break you just to save someone you don't even know...you got a big heart, man." he said with a smirk. Peko's expression didn't change much, but he could see she was trying to smile a bit.
"I just did what I had to do. I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I hadn't been there. I guess Nagito's luck has been rubbing off on me."
"I'd certainly say so. I remember when we met a few weeks ago, you wanted nothing to do with us. But now you are making an effort to get to know all of us on a personal level. Sparring with Akane, helping Nekumaru coach the sports teams during the afternoons, even helping Tanaka take care of the animals in the garden. It's amazing how much a person's attitude can change when they apply themselves." Peko said.
"Well, I sort of promised myself that I would give this academy a fair chance, if I didn't get along with my classmates, then I wasn't trying hard enough. You all...have been the first people in my life, aside from my mom and sister, who have accepted me for who I am, and have expressed your interest in my talent. Not only that, none of you have criticized it, told me to change aspects of it, or even rewrite it. None of you have called my talent useless either...it just...makes me happy you know?" he said, glancing to the far wall, a blush on his cheeks.
"Anyway, onto the real reason why I called you out here. It seems my father would like to speak with you...personally." he said. Daisuke looked back at the Ultimate Gangster, feeling his world stop.
"Huh? Your...dad wants to see me?" he asked, fear running through his spine.
"Dude, relax. It's not like he's going to kill you or anything. He just wanted to give his personal thanks. I've already spoken to Chisa about it, so we can head out now if you want. The more we wait, the more paranoid you'll become." Fuyuhiko said. Daisuke nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat.
"S-sure. L-let's go." he said. Fuyuhiko gave Peko a nod, and the three of them started walking toward the stairs.
In his mind, Daisuke knew that the Head of the Kuzuryu Clan just wanted to thank him, but he was also worried. The man was a Yakuza, a gangster by all definitions of the word. He had read about all of the things they had done, all of the people they had blown away. Getting to know Fuyuhiko had been a struggle for him, since he didn't want to piss him off in anyway that would result in the loss of a finger. When Peko had told him that the short blond teenager hated violence, it was something that he couldn't believe, especially because he was the next in line to succeed his father.
Outside of the academy, an unmarked black car had been waiting for them. Two men in black suits had been waiting outside, opening the door as the three students approached them. Fuyuhiko had wordlessly gotten into the front seat, while Daisuke and Peko got into the back. With a nod, the driver took off.
"Dude, just keep calm. Nothing is going to happen, this isn't a gangster film and you aren't going to get blown away." Fuyuhiko said, though the smirk on his face betrayed his words.
"I know...but I saw the Godfather, I can't forget that damn horse head." he said, shaking a bit. This made Fuyuhiko burst into laughter.
"The Godfather is about the Mob, not the Yakuza, but still the horse head does get me every time. It got Peko too." he said. The silver haired woman blushed, looking at the window.
"I hate to admit it, but I screamed when I saw it. It didn't help that I was just ten years old." she said.
"I saw that movie when I was fourteen and it still makes me scream. The writing is fantastic, but my all time favorite movie is definitely Titanic. I cry every time." he said.
"What? How can you like that cheesy romance flick?" Fuyuhiko asked, crossing his arms.
"I don't know...I guess I'm a sap for that kind of stuff. I've seen the movie 479 times, practically know it by heart and can recite every line of every scene from memory." he said.
"That's...not humanly possible." Peko said, glancing at him with a look of disbelief on her face.
"Fifteen Hundred went into the sea, when Titanic sank from under us. There were twenty boats floating nearby, and only one of them came back. One. Six were saved from the water, myself included. Six, out of Fifteen Hundred. Afterwards, the 700 people in the boats, had nothing to do but wait. Wait to die, wait to live...wait for an absolution, that would never come. And scene."
"Damn, okay I believe you." Fuyuhiko said. Daisuke gave a small bow, a smile on his face.
"Have you ever considered writing a play for school? I'm sure people would love to see it. When I think about it, plays do tell stories." Peko said.
"I have, but I don't really have an inkling of what to write. I've been so focused on my novel that I haven't come up with anything original." he said.
"You're...writing a novel?" Fuyuhiko asked, earning a nod from the Story Teller. He dug in his messenger bag, pulling out two five subject notebooks.
"I haven't given it a name yet, but this is the manuscript. It's not done yet, but these are the first nine chapters, with all of the editing and stuff. There are pencil marks everywhere and I've just started the inking process."
"I'm impressed. You wouldn't mind if I took a quick peek at it would you?" Peko asked, looking at the notebooks.
"Sorry Peko, I don't want anyone to read it until it's done. It's sort of my policy, I want it to be as best as it can be before anyone reads it. I do have a short story that you can red though. I didn't bother publishing it, but lot's of people have liked it, though they always tell me to change the ending of it because it's too sad." he said, handing her a single subject notebook. The front of it was green, and there was bold silver lettering on it.
"My Heart Belongs to You?" she asked curiously.
"Yup. I'm sure you'll like it, but don't hit me if it makes you cry." he said. She nodded and turned to the first page, reading the first few lines written on the notebook paper.
A few minutes later, the car pulled to a stop out side of a small house. The door opened, and Daisuke got out, looking at the building. It was a rather plain looking house. To him it looked like any other normal house. It was a three story building with a thatched angled roof, and a red brick chimney. There was a stone path that lead right to the front door, there were a couple of green bushes on either side of the entrance. The house was a pale green in color, with bright red window shudders. Fuyuhiko walked toward the gates, one of the men opening it for him to enter. Daisuke swallowed hard as he followed his classmates to the front entrance of the house, making sure Peko didn't trip due to her focus being on his story.
"Before we go inside, I'd like to remind you to be polite. It's alright if you swear, but no racial or religious slurs. My parents are a bit western, so don't even worry about taking your shoes off. Also, my mother will most likely hug the shit outta you, so be prepared for that." He said, earning a nod from the spiky haired teen.
Fuyuhiko unlocked the door, allowing Daisuke and Peko to step inside first. At first glance, Daisuke was expecting the most lavish interior money could buy, but it was just a simple humble home. Wooden floors made up the hall, and there was a stairwell leading up to the second floor. A few steps away was a large opening which lead toward the living room, and down the hall was another entrance, which lead to the kitchen. The walls had several pictures on them, and he spotted one of Fuyuhiko and Natsumi when they were little. Peko urged him forward and they entered the living room.
Leather couches had been placed in a semi-circle around the entertainment center, a large screen television displaying the local news. On either side of it were shelves, filled with different movies. Next to the window was another shelf, containing several glass figurines. To the right was a rather large potted plant, which Daisuke recognized instantly as a Dracaena Mass Cane, a plant that his mother and grandmother seemed to be very fond of.
Sitting in a leather recliner, was the Kuzuryu Clan leader, Tatsumi Kuzuryu. His face was being blocked by the news paper he had been reading, but Daisuke could tell what he was wearing, a black pin stripe suit. He was also wearing matching slacks and black shoes Fuyuhiko cleared his throat.
"Father, I've brought my friend Daisuke like you asked." he said. The man closed the newspaper, setting it down on the glass table. He stood up, standing taller than all three of them. He was a man in his late thirties, or early forties, with buzz cut black hair. He had a few freckles on his face, around his nose. His eyes were a bright green in color, and they reminded him a bit of Natsumi's eyes. He had a firm look on his face, full of seriousness. Daisuke's nerves were on fire.
"It's not wonder he's feared among the other gangs. This dude is tall as hell, and that face, it's enough to scare even the most hardened of people."
"Daisuke Fuji, I presume?" the man asked, his voice firm. He could feel the power it carried. He gave a small bow.
"Yes, it is an honor to meet you sir." he said. The man chuckled.
"Please son, there is no need for formalities. Just call me Tatsumi, and I promise I wont cut any fingers off." he said, a laugh escaping his lips. Daisuke chuckled dryly, looking at Fuyuhiko who still wore his smirk.
"My son has told me quite a lot about you, including your heroic rescue of my daughter. As soon as I got word that you had been discharged, I requested a meeting with you. I don't know what it was that my daughter did to cause that girl to attack, but thanks to you she gets to live another day. I am forever in your debt." he said, giving Daisuke a bow.
"Huh...no no...I just happened to be at the right place at the right time. I can't even imagine what would have happened if I hadn't been there. Please, I just did what I could." he said.
"Fuyuhiko also said you were a very humble young man. I can see he wasn't lying. You have no idea how much our daughter means to us. She's a little rough around the edges, but ever since she and Fuyuhiko were born, they've been the light of our lives. Did you know they are actually fraternal twins?" the man asked.
"Seriously?" Daisuke asked, turning to Fuyuhiko.
"I was born ten minutes before her. Mother didn't know she had been pregnant with twins, so it was quite the surprise when they told her there was another baby." He said.
"Trust me son, we were all surprised that day. Natsumi absolutely adores her brother, though she likes to piss him off more than anything. She also seems to be quite popular with hotels, especially with their hand towel companies." he said.
"Hand towels?" Daisuke asked curiously.
"The young miss designed some characters for the hand towels that would be placed in the guest rooms with families in some of the best known hotels in Japan. It seemed as if they had been a hit, and soon, companies from all over the world requested she designed towels for them, however she's too stubborn to accept." Peko replied, still looking at the notebook in her hand.
"That's really interesting. I take it you already know about her being accepted into the main course right?" he asked.
"Yes, Headmaster Kirigiri gave us a call the day you two were attacked. We knew she was going to be very excited when she got home but, as you know she never made it home." Tatsumi said sadly.
"Father, I haven't seen Mother anywhere, will she be joining us soon?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"Actually son, she went to see your sister at the hospital. The doctors were talking about an early discharge and she had to be there to supervise. Now Daisuke, I wanted to personally thank you, but I didn't really have any idea how to go about it. If you have anything at all, anything that you would like as a reward, you only need to name it, and I shall acquire it for you." Tatsumi said.
"Oh...sir I can't. Really, I don't want a reward, seeing Natsumi alive and well is enough of a reward for me." he said.
"Nonsense son, you need to be rewarded. What would you like? Money? A mansion? Is there anyone you want taken care of? I won't take no for an answer." he asked.
"No..honest sir, I can't accept anything. Perhaps I can...take a rain check?" he replied. Tatsumi chuckled, shaking his head.
"Alright then, a rain check it is. Remember, nothing is out of the realm of possibility. Now then, I believe I've kept you long enough. Head back to school, and Daisuke...thank you, for saving my little girl's life."
"You're welcome. It was a pleasure meeting you sir, you have a lovely home." he said, giving the man a polite bow. Fuyuhiko gestured for him and Peko to go ahead without him, and the two exited the house. Daisuke let out the breath he had been holding, all of his nerves washing away.
"You did well, see. He isn't a big scary man." Peko mused, giving him a smirk.
"You were right. I was scared for nothing!" he said, a grin decorating his face.
xxx
It had been a little awkward for Daisuke to get back home, especially with his injury. Since he was going to be staying at home for a few days, he decided to pack some of his clothes in his suitcase. Driving back had been hell, especially with his cast. Thankfully, Kazuichi had fixed his phone, so he had been able to call his mom and let her know that he would be picking Erika up from school. When he pulled up to the front of the school and called her name, she had been taken aback, especially at seeing his Ferrari. Even her friends couldn't help but stare at the cherry red hot rod. Since it had been raining, he had put the top up to keep the interior from getting wet. She waved to her friends and climbed into his car, looking around.
"Where did you get the money to buy this?" she asked.
"I didn't buy it. Let's just say, I got this as a gift from a friend." he said, giving her a wink. She closed the door, buckling her seat belt. He shifted into Drive and looked around, before taking off up the street.
"Must have been a special friend. How's the arm?" she asked, looking at his cast.
"It's fine. It hurts a little bit, but that's nothing my meds can't handle. You ready to start preparations for that party?" he asked.
"No. I have to skip school for two days, and my friend Hana was going to bring cake into class tomorrow." she said, crossing her arms.
"Sis, it's just cake." he said.
"It is not just cake. It is the best cake known to man kind! Hana is one of the best cake makers around, and she's garnered a lot of attention, even from the academy." she said.
"Huh, guess I'll have to try her cake out some time." he said.
Pulling up outside of his house, he pulled into an empty space, shutting the engine off. He opened the trunk, telling his sister to grab his suitcase out from the back as he got out. Once locked up, they headed toward their house. As soon as the door opened, Daisuke heard a couple of loud barks, echoing from the living room.
"Uh...what's that?" he asked, looking at his sister who gave him a grin.
"That big brother is Snowflake, my new puppy." she replied. A small bundle of fur came bounding at her from the living room. It couldn't have been more than a few weeks old. It was a Siberian Husky, with a big black spot on it's back, and black tipped ears. His snout was half black, half white and it had the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. She picked him up, hugging him tightly.
"Snowflake, I missed you so much." she said, as the dog licked her face. Daisuke closed the door behind himself, taking his boots off.
"Did you miss me so much you convinced mom to get you a puppy?" he asked curiously.
"No, my friend Nao was giving them away, since her dog had given birth to a litter of puppies a few weeks ago. They were so cute I couldn't help but take one. She's got all her tags and everything."
"So, you two are finally home. Good to see you out of the hospital son." Maria said, giving him a kiss on his cheek.
"Thanks mom, it's good to be outta there too. Teruteru sent this list of dishes for you, he wanted to let you know all of the things he can prepare." he said, handing her the rolled up paper. Her eyes widened she unrolled it.
"Well, that boy is more than qualified then. This is going to be interesting, mother will feel like she didn't even leave Spain." she said excitedly. Daisuke grabbed his suitcase, turning to the stairs.
"I'll be unpacking my stuff. FYI, some of my friends may drop by, they wanted to help with the party, but if it's Hiyoko tell her I died." he said jokingly, walking up the stairs.
"Don't act that way toward her dear, I heard from Ibuki that she was crying when she saw you almost die."
"She was, but she denied it and was a total bitch to me today. After I took care of her when she was sick, I don't know what to do with her." he said, disappearing into his room. Erika chuckled, holding Snowflake close to her.
"Big brother Dais is in loooove."
"I heard that!" came the muffled cry of her older brother. Erika giggle, setting her puppy down.
"I'll be down soon to help you mom." she said, earning a nod from the woman.
Daisuke sighed contently to himself, sitting down on his own bed for the first time in a few weeks. He had really missed his room, especially his recording equipment. Perhaps he could record that song and put it on his channel now, since the last time he was going to do it, ended differently. It took him a few minutes to place all of his clothing back in his dresser, due to his broken arm. He frowned a bit.
"How exactly am I suppose to help mom with this heavy cast?" he muttered to himself, looking toward his window. He decided not to think about it, and headed back downstairs, walking into the kitchen.
Several ingredients along with various dishes were placed all around the kitchen. The counter top was covered with all sorts of things. His mother had two portable burners next to the stove, since all four of those had been taken by some pot or pan. He could smell cookies and cake baking in the oven, and noticed a tray of brownies cooling off on the dinner table. He slid his way over to them, grabbing one from the plate.
"Hey, no eating. This is all for the party you know." his mother said, shaking her wooden spoon at him. He rolled his eyes.
"I skipped out on lunch you know. How many people are coming over?" he asked, taking a bite from his brownie.
"Several, fifteen if you count all of your friends. Then theres the neighbors, their kids...Ryusuke is also dropping by, as much as I hate it." she said.
"Jeez, are we going to be hosting this in the garage or something? That's a lot of people." he said firmly.
"We might as well, Erika volunteered to clean everything up in there. I just had the wood stove installed in there, so we won't have to worry about the heating, and it's supposed to be relatively warm on that night." she said, turning back to the food she was cooking.
"Alright then, tell me how I can help and I'll get to work." he said firmly.
"Oh...sweetheart, I know you want to help but, I think you should just sit this out. With that broken arm you won't be able to do much." she said.
"Aw come on. I can at least help with plating and covering the stuff up." he said.
"Sorry son, Mrs. Komuro is coming over in a few minutes to help me out. Why don't you just take a break? School must have gotten stressful these past few weeks. Enjoy your time off." she said. Daisuke frowned, walking out of the kitchen.
"If I can't play video games, and I can't help with preparations, what the hell can I do? My left arm is broken and I can't write, let alone type anything." he muttered to himself, as he walked back upstairs. He entered his room, sitting at his computer desk, resting his arm on top of it.
"I feel useless." he muttered, resting his head on the desk.
It wasn't that he felt totally useless, far from it. He just wanted to help his mother with the preparations for the party they had been planning for weeks. His arm hurt a bit, but he didn't mind the pain. He wondered how Natsumi was doing, but forgot he didn't even have her phone number, so he couldn't even contact her if he wanted too. He glanced at his microphone, which had been laying prone since the day he had met his classmates. He smiled a bit.
"Maybe I'll make a cover song, that'll cheer me up." he said, standing up from his desk. Even if he couldn't help, he wasn't going to let himself get down. He would buckle down and smile through the pain, it was...what he was good at, after all.
xxx
Hiyoko was leaning back against the wall in her bed, with the blanket wrapped around her tiny frame. In her hands she was holding the latest issue of her favorite comic book, Injustice God Among Us. She hated to admit it, but sometimes she found herself imagining what it would be like to live the life of a super hero. It helped that the story was well written too. Next to her was a bag of Oily Potato chips, along with a half eaten bag of gummies, courtesy of her friend, the Ultimate Confectioner Ruruka Andou of class 76A.
The kind she made was free of anything sour, and she had to admit they were pretty addicting. She flipped a page in her comic, focusing on the words. Since it was an American comic, everything had been written in English, so she had a bit of trouble understanding some of the words, but she was getting better at reading and speaking English now, so she had little to no trouble reading it. A thump, followed by a pained wail filled her ears, and she looked over her comic, seeing her roommate sprawled on the floor, her ass in the air, her dark purple panties high for the world to see. Hiyoko was at least glad the door was closed. On second thought, she would be sure to leave it open more often. Groaning to herself, she lowered her focus to her comic.
"What the hell is wrong with you Pig Face? How do you trip on air?" she asked.
"I'm sorry. There was a roll of bandages and I tripped on it." Mikan said, standing up a second later. She grabbed a clean skirt from her dresser drawer and put it on. It was a light purple in color, and fell down to just below mid thigh. She also noticed she was wearing a light pink tee shirt, with the word Love written on it in bold pink letters. She spared a glance at her leg, cringing a bit.
"Jeez, what the hell is that on your leg?" Hiyoko asked.
"Eek!" the girl cried, grabbing her bedsheets to cover herself. Hiyoko stood up, setting her comic book aside. She walked over to where the Nurse stood and pulled the sheets out of her grasp. Her jaw dropped when she saw her leg. It was burned, horribly. There were marks on it, as if the skin had blistered and then bubbled over. The skin was horribly scarred, and a light shade of purple in color. The entirety of her leg had this scar, from her upper thigh down to her ankle. She looked up at her, concern written on her face, for the first time in a long time.
"Who did that to you?" she asked firmly.
"N-No one...i-it was an accident." she stuttered.
"Bullshit! That looks like an acid burn, I've seen this kind of stuff on television. Who the hell did that to you?" she asked angrily.
"Why do you care? You'll just make fun of me for it."
"Please, I make fun of you because of your meek personality. You are too easy to mess with and too easy to tease, but that's where I draw the line. I would never do something so horrible to someone, no matter what they did to me." she said, a firmness in her voice that Mikan had never heard in her life.
"Some guys from my old school...they missed making fun of me, and beating me. One of the cheerleaders convinced them into throwing acid at me as revenge for ditching their school for Hope's Peak Academy. This happened last year, remember that period of time where I was gone for three months?" she asked.
"So that's what happened...did they get your arm too?" she asked, gesturing to the bandages on her arm. Mikan gave a meek nod.
"I..tried to block it with my arm, thinking it was water. I'm just glad they didn't get my face. Kiriko was the one who helped me when I got to the hospital. It hurt...it hurt unlike any other thing on this planet...and no one came to my aid, save for a nice old man who was watering his plants. He managed to get most of the acid off of me before it did anymore damage." she said, sitting on the bed. She grabbed a roll of bandages and started wrapping her leg up, making sure not even a single spot on her leg was visible.
"Why would someone do something so cruel like that? Granted, I say and do a lot of fucked up things, but I would never stoop that far. We should find their cars and key scratch them." she said, a grin appearing on their face.
"No, please...if they find out someone from the academy did that, they'll come after me. They know where I live, they might do something to me there." she said.
"I'm just messing with you Pig Face, no need to be worried." she said, walking back to her bed, her blonde hair trailing after her. She had left it out of it's ponytail, due to it being easier to manage, and she wasn't going to impress anyone. Mikan finished wrapping her leg up, and stuffed the extra bandages in her medical bag. She grabbed her hair brush and started brushing her hair, which had finally started growing in evenly.
"Did they also cut your hair?" Hiyoko asked, looking up from the floor. Mikan gave her a nod.
"My grandmother would always cut my hair for me. She always left it even, and would make me wash it several times with all of these different hair products, until it literally shined in the sun. She said my hair was the prettiest thing about me. But whenever I showed up to school with my new hair cut, the girls in my class always found a way to ruin it. It's taken a long time, but it's starting to even out again." she replied.
"Will your grandmother be able to fix it?" Hiyoko asked curiously. She didn't even know why she kept the conversation going. She was just curious at this point.
"My grandmother passed away a few months ago. She was the only person in my life who cared about me. My mother hates me, my father left us when I was young, and my mother's boyfriend is a bad person. He...likes using me as an ash tray...and he touches me sometimes. My mom beats him whenever he does it but, he still gets away with it. I'm really happy to be here, because at least I'm surrounded by people that like me." she said, setting her brush down. Hiyoko frowned, looking at the far wall.
"She's had it rougher than I thought...I can't believe she's been put through all of this hell, and she still has the courage to get up in the morning."
"Hey...Tsumiki, sit down would ya?"
"Hmm? Why?" she asked, stunned that the girl had actually used her name.
"Just sit down!" she cried out. Mikan sat down wordlessly. Hiyoko grabbed the hair brush, along with one of her spare hair ties, and got on the bed behind her. Mikan closed her eyes, expecting her to get her hair cut, but instead she just picked all of her hair up, tying it up with the hair tie. She grabbed a lavender diadem and placed it on her head, allowing a few strands of hair to frame her face.
"There...you look...cute." she said, struggling to say the world. Mikan looked at herself in the mirror, a small smile on her face.
"Thank you Hiyoko." she whispered.
"Whatever. I see that your packing your clothes, does that mean you'll be going back to that hellhole of a home you live at?"
"No...I'll be staying with Daisuke for the holiday. His arm is broken and he felt so down when he couldn't help with the clean up earlier, I just want to help him." she said.
"Looks to me like you are getting ready for a date, dressing up like this." Hiyoko said, crossing her arms.
"Huh? A date? It's not what it looks like. I'm just trying to look formal." she said, shaking her arms.
"Whatever, who you date isn't my issue. Just be good to him would ya?" she asked, her voice filled with venom.
"Alright. Why don't you come with me Hiyoko? He did take care of you when you were sick, wouldn't it be good to return the favor?" she asked.
"Hell no! I didn't ask him to take care of me!" she replied, glaring at the nurse.
"I understand, but it's the nice thing to do. He cares about you, when he woke up at the hospital, the first person he asked about was you, because he saw you crying. I heard him say he wasn't going to let you cry anymore."
"What?" she asked, a blush appearing on her face.
"He was pretty adamant about it too. "I promise not to let you shed another tear again"...it was actually really sweet." she said, pausing briefly to finish packing her bag. Once done, she grabbed it off her bed, holding it in her hand, along with her Medical bag.
"You are so full of shit Tsumiki, you know that?" the blonde said, sitting back down in her bed, grabbing her comic. Mikan rolled her eyes, grabbing her room key and her phone.
"Think about it alright? I'm sure it would make him happy if you decided to help him." she said, walking out of the room. Hiyoko scoffed, leaning back against the wall.
"As if he would want my help!" she said, closing her eyes. She thought about it for a few seconds, Mikan's words ringing in her mind. She grit her teeth, getting off her bed. She knelt down to the floor, pulling her suitcase out from under her bed.
"He better appreciate this." she muttered under her breath.
xxx
"That's how it happened. Thanks for listening to me guys, I'll be working on some new stuff this week while I'm off from school. I'll be sure to share some more stories from my time at Hope's Peak Academy, maybe do a live stream with some friends, I'm sure you'll love them. See ya soon!"
Daisuke ended the stream, closing the chat down. He answered a few final questions before closing out of his YouTube account, sighing to himself. He had already recorded and arranged all of the Midi data for his next song, and was getting ready to record it. He frowned at the thought. He had always used live instruments, his Cherry Fender Stratocaster and Rickenbacker bass sitting on the other side of the room. He of course had to get the Drum part from his friend who usually didn't mind doing them.
He heard the doorbell ring, but he didn't pay much attention to it. He pushed his way back to where his desk top was and started typing a few things into it, before emailing the finished track to his laptop. He pulled out his notebook, flipping to the page that held his lyrics.
"Hey big brother, theres a pretty girl looking for you. Says she's a friend of yours." Erika said, knocking on his door frame. He looked at her confused.
"I wasn't expecting anyone to come over that quickly, probably Ibuki." he said, standing from his chair.
"No, it isn't Ibuki, it's the nurse girl..Tsumiki I think her name was."
"Really?" he asked curiously. He decided to check it out himself, carefully making his way down the stairs. He spotted the familiar violet locks belonging to the Ultimate Nurse. She was busy talking to his mother, who had handed her a cookie. Maria looked up at her son, a smile on her face.
"It was so nice of you to invite your friend over sweetie. She said she wanted to help you with your injury." She said, making Mikan blush a bit. Daisuke had to admit, she looked really cute, especially with her hair picked up.
"It's the least I can do. I am the Ultimate Nurse, I have to make sure my friends are in good health." she said, a smile on her face.
"Erika, would you mind preparing the guest room? She's going to stay with us a few days." Maria said.
"Sure mom, I don't mind. It's best if she gets her own room, that way she and Daisuke don't fuck like bunnies." she said.
"Erika! I didn't teach you to speak like that." Maria snapped, making the younger girl race up the stairs. The expression on Mikan's face was priceless. It was one of stunned silence, her face a vibrant shade of red.
"Why don't I take those for you dear? You can hang out with Daisuke for now."
Allowing the older woman take her things, Mikan and Daisuke were left standing alone in the hallway. Daisuke looked at the door, clearing his throat.
"Um...thanks for coming over. I appreciate it." he said.
"I-It's no trouble. Anything for a friend!" she said.
"Would you like to come to my room? I was getting ready to lay a song down." he said.
"Okay." she whispered. As they were heading upstairs, the doorbell rung again. He and Mikan shared a look, before he headed back down.
"Go ahead up, first door to your right." he said. She nodded, and continued heading up, gripping the banister tightly as to not to fall. He walked over to the door and opened it, seeing the smiling face of Sonia on the other side of the door.
"Good afternoon Daisuke. I hope I'm not bothering you." she said.
"You..aren't...what's up Lady Sonia?" he asked, giving her a once over.
It had been the first time he had seen the princess outside of her uniform, and in more casual clothes. She was wearing a bright green sleeveless dress, which was a bit low cut, revealing some of her cleavage. She wore a white belt around her waist, allowing the skirt to billow a bit in the breeze. The dress was slightly below mid thigh, and had a ruffled hem. She was wearing a pair of long black stockings and red heeled slippers. He also noticed the suitcase at her side. Her long blonde hair had been picked up a bit, he could see a thick braid, wrapping around her head, being held by the glittering black bow on the side of her head. Her blue eyes were shining with happiness. He had to admit, she looked gorgeous, and it was obvious why Kazuichi had taken a liking to her.
"Well, I wasn't really going to do anything for the break and since you were injured, I figured I would stay and help you." she said. He shivered a bit.
"Jeez, aren't you cold?" he asked, rubbing his arms.
"No, I am used to this kind of weather. Novoselic can have very cold winters at times, but this is summer weather for us. May I come in?" she asked.
"Yes, come on in." he said, standing aside. He locked the door after her. He looked to the top of the stairs, hearing his mother and his sister talking.
"So, what do you say about me staying?" She asked again, a hopeful look on her face.
"Well..I...it's not really up to me." he said.
"Oh, I understand. I shall ask your mother instead, I doubt she would turn me down."
"What about your parents? Aren't they expecting you back in Novoselic?" he asked curiously.
"My parents are holding an annual ball in a few days. My brother Ashton will be filling my place. I was going to return for the holiday but...I don't want to be imprisoned in the castle again. If I go back, I won't leave until I'm due back here. That's not how I want to spend my break." she admitted, looking at the wall.
"Lady Sonia."
"It's hard you know, being a princess. The big crowds, the people all looking to you for guidance...it's harder than anyone thinks. Being here, no one minds how kooky I can be, or my strange addiction to horror and slasher films. It's not weird for me to read manga and sing my favorite anime openings without a care in the world. The hobbies I have here aren't formal princess behavior...here in Japan, I'm free to be myself, I can be Sonia, the girl who's attending Hope's Peak Academy, not the next heir to the throne." she said.
Daisuke hadn't realized just how hard being Royalty was. He had never asked her about her life back in Novoselic, mostly because he didn't want to upset her or anything. There were times where he had spotted her looking out the window, with that faraway look in her eyes, as if she missed her home, but she would always smile at him and tell him he was fine. He could tell she missed her parents and brother dearly, but she didn't want to be trapped at home the entire time. He put his hand on her shoulder, making her look at him. He gave her a grin, brushing some of her hair behind her ear.
"Sonia, it's alright to be home sick. I was in that position too, when I left Japan for Spain, I had to leave my life behind, to start a new one. I can't begin to describe how hard it was, to adjust to something new. After awhile, I got used to it, and it just became normal. So when I came back here, I ended up missing Spain, kind of ironic really. Your parents mean well, but perhaps you should talk to them, and they might let you leave the palace more often. If not then...how about I go to Novoselic with you? Keep you company?" he asked.
"You would be willing to come home with me? Just too keep me company?" she asked, eyes widening a bit.
"Definitely, I wouldn't mind at all. It's a whole new adventure." he said, giving her a wink.
"Sonia, how wonderful to see you here." Maria said, pulling the blonde princess into a hug.
"It's nice to see you too Maria. I was wondering, could I possibly stay here with you guys for a few nights? I would like to help Daisuke, since he's injured." she said.
"Well, isn't this a surprise? Here I thought one girl was enough, I wasn't expecting you would go for a three way, big brother. You naughty dog." Erika said, giving him a sassy smirk.
"Go take out the trash young lady." Maria scolded, making the young brunette walk toward the back door.
"Whatever. Snowflake, time to go outside!" she cried, the small puppy bounded toward the door, as her owner opened it. Daisuke looked at Sonia, who was blushing a bit.
"What did she mean by that?" she asked.
"Mikan is over here as well, she got here just a few minutes ago. That's why I wasn't so sure if you could stay or not, but I want you to stay now, you two can share the guest room, I don't think she'd mind." Daisuke said.
"Thank you. However, your sister should mind what she says. I'm not going to engage in sexual relations with my friend, unless he takes me on a date first." she said, giving him a wink.
"I'll take you to the guest room so you can settle in." Maria said, picking up the suitcase from the ground, ignoring the statement that had just come out of the Princess' mouth. Sonia followed her, but stopped halfway up the stairs.
"I wasn't kidding about that date either Daisuke. If you accompany me to Novoselic, I'll make sure to take you to all of the locales." she said, before finishing the climb up the stairs. Daisuke blushed a bit, shaking his head.
"I didn't think Sonia would be so forward. Then again, she's never had an intimate relationship before. I..guess I wouldn't mind going on a date with her...no...Kazuichi wouldn't forgive me. He's been into her all year, and it would break his heart if I stole his girl like that." he thought to himself. He turned around, about to head upstairs before the doorbell rung again. He sighed, gritting his teeth.
"Please be Mrs. Komuro." he said, unlocking the door. He threw it open, only to be greeted with Hiyoko's frowning face. He noticed the suitcase in her hands.
"I'm staying here, no questions asked." she said, walking through the doors. He let out a whimper, looking at the darkening sky.
"God, why do you like fucking with me?" he asked quietly.
"So, where's Tsumiki? She's here right?" Hiyoko asked, looking back at the Story Teller.
Daisuke noticed she was wearing a new kimono he hadn't seen yet, this one was a light blue in color, with bright green flowers printed on it. She was wearing a lime green obi, tied behind her back, with a golden lace. The sleeves were quite long, reaching down to just above her ankles. Her hair had been washed recently, as he could still see some water droplets on it. She had it tied up with a light blue ribbon, which formed a perfect bow.
"She's uh...up in my room. Lady Sonia is here as well." he said.
"What? The hell is the princess doing here?" she asked.
"She wanted to help me with my broken arm. I take it that's why you are here?" he asked.
"No...I'm here because everyone else is off with their families, and I didn't want to be alone." she said.
"Why aren't you with your family? Surely they miss you right?"
"Pfft, as if. My mom is too busy planning several dances for the season, and clearly having trouble with everything. She's such a waste of oxygen, I swear she can't do jack shit right. I honestly didn't feel like getting yelled at by my grandmother either. She would most likely force me into the performance, just to teach the new Kimono Girls how to do it right. I'm not up for any of that." she said, looking at the wall.
"What about your father? Is he okay with this?" he asked curiously.
"Daddy...he's not in the country at the moment. He's currently in America, in a cultural exchange program. For the next six weeks, he'll go all around the country, teaching students from all over the country our traditional dances. He won't even be back for Christmas." she said sadly. He frowned, looking at the ground.
"Sorry Hiyoko, I shouldn't have asked you that. I didn't know your father was out of the country."
"It's alright Dork! I don't need your sympathy." she spat, grabbing her suitcase. Wordlessly, she headed up the stairs, brushing past his mother.
"Uh...three girls staying here?" she asked.
"Don't ask, it's best that you don't." he said simply.
"If you say so. You best treat them all kindly, and make sure it's wrapped. Even if it's a quickie, wrap that sticky." she said.
"Madre de Dios!(Mother of God) This is where Erika gets it from!" he shouted, making his mother laugh.
Three of his friends were going to stay over his house during the break, and they were all girls...what could possibly go wrong?