A/N: Wow, this is my first early morning post in a long time! It's currently 8:16AM and I am usually asleep at this time, this is amazing. Anyway, welcome one and all to the newest chapter of The End of Hope's Peak Academy. Jeez, this one took me a couple of days to finish. Writers block is not fun, let me tell ya. I originally wanted this chapter to be Daisuke and some friends playing Cards Against Humanity, but I realized quickly how fucked up it was becoming, and if you've played that game, you know how fucked up it can get. I then decided to have them all play Truth or Dare, and that also become fucked up the longer it got. I finally decided to scrap it and rewrite it again, and I finally came out with this. I want to post it before I change my mind. I hope you like it, and please ignore the title, I just changed it after editing and proof reading and felt it was the best one to give it. It gets a bit emotional I guess, and there is a lot of development between Daisuke and Sonia, so that's good I suppose. Also, if you all noticed the change in the pairing, just ignore it. I was going to have Daisuke and Sonia get into a relationship in this chapter, but I wasn't feeling it, not when I have more ideas for Daisuke and Hiyoko. After all, when they get together, that's when they start getting pranky, but I wanted to pace it well and give them time to develop into a couple...that might be happening sooner rather than later, as I am trying to finish this story.
I might use the Christmas chapter to my advantage...what better way than to confess to the one you love than my the fire place? But that also means I have to make the Nagito blowing up the gym chapter soon, and that was supposed to take place after Christmas. Ah, the work of a writer is never done it seems. I shall have to go back to work the plot.
I have also finally finished Trigger Happy Havoc. I finished it yesterday after powering through the last two chapters. The final class trial was easy in the beginning, but then by tiredness started getting the best of me and I fucked up at the end. I'll most likely be going back to do the class trials again, just because their fun, and I have to unlock the alternate ending to fully complete the game. I'm also playing School Mode and royally fucking it up. I have not gotten a single pair of panties from anyone and I am very annoyed...I will also go back to finish Super Danganronpa 2, though I'll most likely start over just to get a refresher. I have also recently picked up Persona 4 Golden Edition, a game that I haven't played yet, well I did play the original Persona 4 back during the days of the super machine known as the Ps2, so it will be great to go back to play the extra content. I shall be busy for awhile it seems and with Sun and Moon around the corner, my schedule will be full, but worry not! I shall not abandon this story...I sought out to finish it and I will. Then I can finally continue the sequel to The School Life of Mutual Killing. Sorry to those who have been patient, but I really want to finish this one before continuing it.
Also, to all of my readers in Florida, my prayers go to you. Stay safe, and keep your family and friends close, I've been through several hurricanes myself when I used to live down there, so I know how it can get. Please, stay safe..
I've talked enough, it is time...for the next chapter...
The End of Hope's Peak Academy
Zetzubou-Hen
Chapter 11
Feelings
Living with women was something that Daisuke had done his entire life. After all, Erika and his mother were family, so he was used to their antics and always had witty ways to deal with them. It wasn't really an issue if either of them wanted to come into his room, or play video games with him, surprisingly enough his mother had a knack for playing Call of Duty, and they had finished Modern Warfare 2 a few days prior to his leaving for school. He knew what to do and how to handle it, but when three of his friends, all very attractive females mind you, wanted to hang out in his room, it was something that he couldn't deal with.
It wasn't that he couldn't deal with it, it was the fact that he didn't know how to deal with it. So with Sonia being literally pressed against him, and Mikan sitting by his computer, and Hiyoko sprawled onto the floor, he didn't have many options on where to sit. All four of them were playing Super Mario World 3D, having various degrees of fun. Daisuke had a hard time holding the controller, but he had been able to successfully navigate through the levels without much issue. Hiyoko had quit due to dying to much, and Mikan was still trying to figure out the controls. Daisuke had picked Luigi, going on a mini rant about how he had been under appreciated by his older brother. Sonia had picked Princess Rosalina, insisting that she was the best princess out of the cast, though she and Hiyoko got into an argument about Princess Daisy being the best one, with Mikan making the mistake of mentioning Princess Midna from Twilight Princess. Said girl was playing as Toad, because he was small and shy, like she was. It was a bit of an odd choice, but he didn't question it. He was having a hard time focusing on the screen, especially with Sonia's hair tickling his cheek. He glanced at Hiyoko, who was reading a comic book that he recognized.
"Hey, Hiyoko is that an issue of Injustice?" he asked. She looked up from the comic, giving him a nod.
"You gonna make fun of me for reading comics? I'll break your other arm if you do." she said. He shook his head.
"No, I'm just curious. I like that series myself." he said. He jumped over a pit, virtually committing suicide. He set his controller aside and stood up, stretching a bit.
"I'm gonna take a bit of a break girls." he said.
"Okay, come on Mikan, the journey to Bowser Land awaits." Sonia cried firmly, a smile on her face.
"Um...how do you run again?" Mikan asked, somehow avoiding all of the hammers the Hammer Bros were throwing at her. Daisuke walked over to his bookshelf, grabbing one of the books from the middle shelf.
"What issue are you on?" he asked, looking at the blonde dancer.
"Issue three, why?" she asked. He handed her the book he was holding in his hand.
"That book holds volumes one and two, which are years one and two. This one holds years three and four. I read them all up until Year five which only has one issue, so you can borrow them for as long as you want." he said, handing her the second book. She looked them over, trying to stay emotionless, but she couldn't help but grin at the thought of reading all of those comics.
"Thanks Dork! This school break is going to be awesome." she said.
"You're welcome. You know, since you call me dork all the time, I think it's time I give you a nickname." he said.
"Ugh...if you must, but please don't call me Yoko, there was this girl in grade school who called me that and I knocked her teeth out. Her voice was so grating and nasally." she said, looking down at her comic.
"You were a very violent child weren't you?" Sonia asked curiously.
"Just because I punch some annoying brat doesn't make violent. The bitch threw my lunch on the ground, and stole my fan." she said firmly.
"Oh yeah, that really pretty purple fan that you always carry around. May I see it?" Sonia asked, pausing the game. Mikan sighed, setting the controller down.
"I...suppose so." she said, reaching into her sleeve. She pulled out the fan, which was in a special plastic case. Before she handed it over, she gave the princess a firm glare.
"This fan has been in my family for three hundred years. It is a precious family heirloom and it's very delicate. It's had to be repaired four times since it's creation, so be very careful with it. Because if something happens to it, I will kill you." she said. Sonia swallowed hard, her hands shaking as she took the plastic case in her hand. Carefully, she opened it, only to see it was empty.
"Huh?" she asked. Hiyoko snickered, flicking her wrist to open the fan.
"Got ya!" she said, giving her a wink.
"Jesus, do you always have to prank everyone?" Daisuke asked, crossing his arms, though it was a little difficult due to his cast.
"What? It's been days since my last one. Here, but seriously, do be careful with it." she said, closing the fan, handing it over the the princess.
She opened it carefully, gasping a bit at the picture that was printed on it. The fan was a beautiful midnight blue, with light hues near the edges of it. The arms were made of bamboo, and painted a dark blue, almost black color. There was a black tassel attached to the bottom of it, tipped with little golden beads. Butterflies were painted on it, along with several pink Sakura petals, which seemed to be funneling around the butterflies as they were in flight. The edge of the fan had been decorated with blue feathers, being a lighter shade than the darker colors used on the fan itself. It had a silky feeling to it. Sonia couldn't help but touch the paper, her eyes fully entranced by it.
"Hiyoko...this is...the most beautiful fan I've ever seen in my life." she said, her voice being above a whisper.
"My father said the same thing when Grandmother presented it to me. As the next in line to the Saionji Family, I had to learn all of the traditional dances created by our ancestors. Once I was certified by either my Grandmother or my Aunt, I was to be presented this fan. It took a lot of hard work, hours of painstaking dancing routines, days of back aches and ankle pain. It's something I don't want to remember. I still think it's stupid you know." She said, looking at the wall.
"Hiyoko, it isn't stupid! Traditional Dancing is part of your heritage. I wasn't even aware that your family had been doing this for generations." Sonia said.
"The Saionji Family is one of the more defined families in Japan. They train new Geisha and Kimono Girls yearly. I remember my father speaking about them quite a lot as when I was kid, but I wasn't aware they had a daughter, until I met Hiyoko at school at least. When everyone is just...expecting you to be something great, and when you are forced into it...I guess I understand how hard it can be." Daisuke said, a frown on his face.
"Heh, like you would know what it's like to be forced into something from the moment you can walk." Hiyoko snapped. He rolled his eyes.
"You and I have more things in common than you think Hiyoko, if you bothered to ask the right questions, you might learn a new thing about me. Just like I learned about you." he said, taking the fan from Sonia. The princess had been right, the fan was the most beautiful work of art he had seen in years.
"Um...would you like to continue the game Sonia?" Mikan asked quietly, gaining the blonde's attention.
"I am a little bored of it. I was expecting to help Maria downstairs, but Mrs. Komuro is over and she said she didn't need any help."
"Yeah, my mother is like that. She told me we spent enough time at school and we should enjoy our break. Makes it a little harder to find something to do." he said, looking at his cast. He chuckled, seeing the All seeing Eye that Kazuichi had drawn on his cast. He was convinced the Illuminati were real.
"Oh yeah, I just remembered. Did you ever find Sargent Sprinkles?" Daisuke asked, looking at the princess. She chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck.
"About that...we...never really found him. He's still somewhere in the academy. Tanaka had to find and tame another eagle and take it back to his friends at the zoo. I didn't even know Bald Eagles lived in Japan." she replied.
"You lost an eagle on campus? Are you retarded?" Hiyoko asked, taking her fan back from Daisuke. She folded it, placing it back in its protective case.
"It wasn't my fault. I wasn't paying attention and he took off. He won't hurt anyone, and surprisingly, all of the stray rats have been taken care of." she said.
"I guess that's alright. It's best to make good of a bad situation." Mikan said, a smile on her face. The doorbell rung loudly through the house, but they all chose to ignore it. Daisuke looked out the window, but didn't see who it was. He shrugged and turned back to his television.
"Well, we can play something else." he said.
"Seven minutes in heaven? You and Tsumiki can be first." Hiyoko said, glancing at the nurse.
"Eek...I would prefer another game please." she said, looking at the floor.
"Dais, come down here you have visitors!" Maria called out, making the teenager groan.
"I'll be back girls, don't start kissing without me." he said cheekily, giving them a sassy wink.
"Pfft, you're funny. Asshole!" Hiyoko cried out, throwing a yellow gummy at him, which he expertly caught, tossing it in his mouth as he left the room. Making his way down the stairs, he was surprised to see two of his friends from school talking to his mother.
The first was of course Kazuichi. The young mechanic was surprisingly enough not wearing his jumpsuit. Instead, he was wearing a black tee shirt, with a few silver screws drawn onto the hem. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and his work boots, which were covered in a bit of oil. He was wearing a black beanie on his head, his pink hair sticking out from the bottom. Around his waist was a jacket, which he had tied on. He had a backpack slung on his shoulder.
Next to him stood the Ultimate Baseball Star, Leon Kuwata. The young man had spiked his hair up more than usual. He was wearing his usual white jacket, with a white tee shirt underneath, having a red hand print on it, with a bold letter Z on it. He was wearing a pair of slim fit black jeans, stuffed into a pair of sneakers. He wore two belts around his waist, both of them being studded. Daisuke was rather surprised to see them there, as he wasn't really expecting them.
"Heya Dais, hope we aren't bothering ya." Kazuichi greeted, giving him a wave.
"You aren't bothering me, I'm glad to see you guys actually." he said happily.
"Heard you got outta the hospital, so I felt like dropping by. You don't mind if I show up for the party tomorrow do you?" Leon asked.
"Not at all, the more the merrier. Though I wouldn't tell anyone that title of yours, unless you want to get roped into talking about baseball all night. My ex-husband won't shut up about it." Maria said.
"Oh trust me, I have no intention of talking about baseball. I'm sick of playing it, I'm just really good at it, good enough to get into the academy I guess. My true passion is rock and roll, so maybe I can get into that and change my title later on." he said, a smile on his face.
"At least you are open about it. It's good to have dreams, it keeps you motivated." she replied.
"Ah right, do you mind if I spend the night Maria? I wanted to help with the party and it's best if I start early." Kazuichi said.
"I don't mind at all, you can stay if you want Leon. You two can stay in Daisuke's room while the girls stay in the guest room." she said.
"The girls? What girls?" Kazuichi asked curiously.
"Lady Sonia, Hiyoko and Mikan. All three of them are staying tonight because they wanted to help me out, due to my injury." he said, gesturing to his cast.
"That's just like Miss Sonia, always being the one to help." Kazuichi said, totally love struck. Leon chuckled, rolling his eyes.
"Well, how about we go get some snacks ready for all of us? We can catch up for a bit." Daisuke said, gesturing to the kitchen.
"Sure thing buddy. Hey, I was wondering, do you have a drum set? I came up with this sweet drum line but I can't really try it out." Leon said.
"Sadly I don't own a drum set, but one of my buddies from Ridgeway High school is coming by tomorrow, so I can get him to bring his. Ibuki already wanted to do live music, so you can take a crack at it, see if you like it."
"I wanna try too..if I learn to play guitar, I can serenade Miss Sonia every morning." Kazuichi said.
"I honestly doubt she would want that to happen." Leon added, clapping his shoulder.
Meanwhile, back in Daisuke's room, Sonia and Mikan had decided to continue playing their game until Daisuke returned. Sonia had heard the voice of Kazuichi, and has grown a bit annoyed. It's not that she didn't mind the pink haired mechanic, far from it. He was a special friend to the princess, but that's all she thought of him as, a friend. His advances were starting to get annoying, and she didn't want to outright tell him to stop. That would just hurt his feelings.
She wanted to be with someone else, someone who didn't treat her like a princess. Someone who just treated her like a normal girl and didn't mind her antics, or her singing whenever she watched a new anime and instantly loved it's opening. The image of a certain Story Teller flashed in her mind, and she wouldn't help but blush. She didn't know when exactly it had happened, but she had found herself falling in love with the young man who had become her roommate.
(Flashback)
Sonia sighed to herself as she lay on her bed. It had been a hard day at school, not because of the work or anything, but because she had been dealing with her homesickness. She desperately wanted to go back home for a quick visit, but she knew she would just be sheltered again. No one knew how hard it was being a princess, to have people hang on your every word, to have them look to you for guidance...it was stressful, and she only hoped her brother was handling it better than she was. She had taken her blazer off, tossing it onto her bed, not caring to put it away in it's drawer. She was almost always in her uniform, and only wore casual clothes whenever she wasn't in class, which was only on the weekends, but she would normally just be off exploring the campus or talking with friends.
All of them treated her with respect, something that she appreciated. But she also noticed that there was a reason she was treated with respect, and it was because she was a noble. A person who was royalty in another country. It hurt sometimes, but she had long since grown used to it. Even her own classmates treated her like a princess, when she just wanted to be a normal girl.
Even if she wanted to be treated as a normal girl, that didn't mean her friends would accept her strange hobbies. Fuyuhiko had been the only one who shared her interest in slasher films. That's where it ended however, and she didn't dare talk to him about the occult or her interest in freemasonry. If she was even caught talking about that, she would be severely reprimanded, or worse. She didn't want to imagine that. It was also sad that she had spent a year in Japan going to Hope's Peak Academy, and she had yet to try a Pork Bowl, or any other traditional Japanese food. Sure, the school serves various options, but it was better if you ate it in a traditional restaurant. Maybe she should just go home, perhaps the life of being a normal Japanese student wasn't for her. She was so deep in throught she didn't even hear the door open.
Daisuke walked in with a huff, closing the door behind him. He had just finished his third day of detention, only to receive an extra day from Mrs. Mendeleev for supposedly drawing inappropriate things on the board. He tried to argue his point, but he was silenced every single time. He grit his teeth and just took it, grabbed his slip and walked of, not wanting to get suspended from school. He balled the slip in his hand and tossed it into the trash, only to hit the corner of the can. His eye twitched. He let out a shrill scream, kicking the trash can straight through the window. The sound of shattering glass filled the room, followed by the dull thud of the trash can hitting the ground.
"Fuck! What a week I am having. Three days of detention, getting blamed for shit I didn't do and now this? Why must you fuck me?" he shouted, glaring at the ceiling.
"Um...Daisuke are you alright?" Sonia asked. He cringed, looking at the princess. He hadn't even noticed she was in the room. She had been so quiet. Normally she would greet him and ask him how his day was, but today he hadn't heard a peep from her. He sighed, placing his bag on his bed.
"To be honest with you, no I am not alright." he said, taking a seat on the edge of his bed.
"Would you mind talking about it? I don't mind listening." she said. He sighed.
"Mendeleev gave me another day of detention because someone thought it would be funny to draw a big throbbing cock on the black board and then put my name on it. She thought it was me, and because I was early to class for once. I decide to be a model student for once and I get a hammer first right up the ass, and for what? Something that I didn't do. Now I have to sit in detention again for three fucking hours tomorrow, while all of my other friends get to have their free time. I can't even go to my mother's birthday because of it." he said sadly.
"It's your mom's birthday tomorrow?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah, and she was really excited about it. I was going to take the day off and head there tonight to stay the night, but now that I have detention, I'll have to tell her I won't be able to show up. And now on top of that I have to pay for that broken window." he said, gesturing to all of the glass on the ground.
"Perhaps you shouldn't kick things when you are angry. Then again, I wouldn't be one to talk...I've been...in a slump of sorts." she said.
"A slump? But you looked pretty happy today."
"Daisuke...you must remember, I am a princess. No matter what is going on, I always wear a smile, even in the most stressful of situations. It's something instilled into me from when I was young. If I show fear, my people will become scared and will slowly start growing restless. If I show my anger, they will do drastic things in the name of my family. Life like this wasn't easy to adapt too. Mother told me, that it would be better to smile and stay calm, that way everyone around me stays calm." she said.
"Right...I tend to forget you are a princess sometimes. Even when I call you Lady Sonia, it's just become so normal that I don't question why I say it." he said with a shrug.
"You...don't have to pretend you know. People always say they forget that I am a princess, but that's just to make me feel better about myself."
"I'm being honest Lady Sonia. You act so kooky and weird and say weird things from time to time, it makes it seem like you are a normal girl. Even when you are watching those Japanese dramas. Though I will say, Spanish dramas are better." he said with a smirk.
"They are not better! There is nothing more romantic then when two characters fall in love on screen. You can't tell me Spanish dramas do that and portray it correctly. They are too actiony and serious most of the time, and their intimate scenes are too long." She replied.
"That is bullshit and you know it Sonia, don't start with me." he said, crossing his arms.
"It's true. Also, why is it that all Spanish commercials always start with sexy women on the beach with a beer in their hand?" she asked.
"That's just beer commercials, not all of them are like that."
"Really? I saw a Vicks commercial and it started with a blonde bombshell running on the beach. What does it have to do with Vapor Rub? Also, why do Spanish people use Vicks as the solution to everything? Answer these questions!" she asked, no, demanded.
"I don't know. You'll have to ask my grandmother that, she's the one that insists on using that shit on everything. Kinda like that hot sauce commercial...wait that's not the point. The point is, Spanish drama's are more romantic, end of discussion." he said firmly.
"No they aren't!"
"Yes the are!"
"No the aren't!"
"Yes they are!"
"Daisuke!"
"Sonia!"
"Shut the fuck up!"
Both teens looked toward the door, blushing a bit at how loud they had actually been. He cleared his throat, holding his hand out.
"How about we agree to disagree?"
"That is the best solution." she said, shaking his hand firmly. He turned to look at the glass, a sigh escaping his lips.
"Better get on with cleaning. Man, this is gonna be a good day." he muttered, walking toward the bathroom. Sonia sat back down, her heart still beating from the debate the two had just had. She heard him rummaging around the bathroom for their cleaning supplies. Daisuke had insisted on getting their own, as he was too lazy to actually go down to the first floor bathrooms to get the cleaning supplies. It was more convenient in away.
"Daisuke...I have a question for you!" she stated.
"Go ahead, I'm all ears." he called back, still searching for the dust pan.
"Um...do you ever...miss your home?" she asked.
"Not really, I can just walk there whenever I want. It was sort of weird the first few nights. Getting adjusted to the academy, and my very awesome roommate, the classes...I sort of grew used to it after awhile." he said, leaving the bathroom. He had a garbage bag in his hand, along with a dustpan and a brush. He walked over to the broken glass and started picking up the big pieces, carefully placing them in the bag.
"Well, that is understandable. Maybe I should rephrase it...do you miss Spain?" she asked.
"Sometimes. After everything that happened with my parents, it was odd being out of Japan. I was a fish out of water, literally. It was hard getting used to it, the hot climate, the language, the general use of everything. I was accustomed to Yen, not Euros. It was First name Last name, not Last name First name. We don't have Ramen, the only thing we have are the cheap ones in a cup. "Lo sentimos, pero aqui no hay lo que necesitas"(Sorry, we don't have what you are looking for). It was really annoying, but after awhile I just...learned to deal with it. My grandmother was kind enough to teach me how to speak Spanish, and for years after, people made fun of me for how I spoke. It was absolute hell, I missed Japan dearly. I can't say I don't miss Spain, I do. Moving there was...a big part of my life, something I can never throw away. To answer your question, I do miss Spain, but not enough for me to go back there on a dime. To visit maybe, but I just want to stay here in my homeland."
"That...is a better answer than I was hoping to receive. I suppose I understand what you are going through somewhat. You didn't have a choice, it was easier for you to leave Japan because you had nowhere to go. I however, had the choice...and I'm starting to wonder if I made the right one." she replied, looking toward the door.
"Made the right one? Sonia...are you...planning to head back home?" he asked, looking at the princess. She didn't look at him directly. He dropped the bag he was holding, walking toward her.
"Please...tell me you aren't." he said, placing his hands at her shoulders.
"I'm sorry! I just...wanna go home! I thought it would be fun here, but no one understands me. No one shares my interests...it's so stressful, not only going through school but being treated like a princess. I left Novoselic to escape my royal duties, and be a regular girl, but if I'm going to be a Princess in a foreign country then I might as well head home." she said.
"You can't do that! Think about your friends, our classmates...we all hold you dear in our hearts, and if you head back now...you'll just make us sad." he said.
"I've...already decided Daisuke...I will leave for Novoselic at my earliest convenience...I just have to talk to Headmaster Kirigiri, to sign my drop out forms." she said, her tone emotionless.
"I won't let you! Sonia Nevermind, you are no mere flower, you aren't a spoiled princess or a weirdo. You are a student of Hope's Peak Academy, the Ultimate Princess! You have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to come and study with the best of the best. What will your parents think when you go back and tell them that you quit school? What will your people think when they find out you ditched the best academy in the world, all because people don't understand you?" he asked.
"It doesn't matter what you say, you will not change my mind." she said stubbornly, standing up from her seat. She walked past him toward the door.
"Sonia...don't do this." he said. She stopped, looking back at him with a frown on her face.
"I'm sorry." she said simply, before leaving the room. He grit his teeth, looking at his bag.
"Damn it. What the hell is she thinking?" he muttered to himself. She wasn't thinking, that was for sure. She was just sad that no one understood her, and with her homesickness being thrown into the mix, it just made her more confused. His eyes widened and he dove toward his back, opening it fully. He dumped it's contents onto his bed and he started looking around. After a few seconds, he found what he had been looking for. A pair of handcuffs, which were decorated with pink fuzz and had a leopard print on it. He had confiscated them from Hiyoko earlier, not wanting to know why she had them, but now was the perfect chance to use them. He grabbed his cellphone and his room key and dashed out of his room, making sure the door was locked behind him.
"Hey Dais, why the rush?" Kazuichi asked, as the young man brushed past him and Fuyuhiko.
"No time, gotta find Sonia." he said. The two of them shrugged.
"Hey, bet ya he's trying to seal the deal with her." the gangster said.
"Wha? He wouldn't do that." the mechanic said.
"I saw some of those sexy handcuffs in his hands. Maybe he'll surprise her in the bath."
"NOOOO! I will not let that happen!" Kazuichi cried, breaking into a sprint after the story teller. The gangster just watched with rapt attention as the young man took a tumble down the stairs. Sometimes it was just too easy to mess with him.
Daisuke looked around aimlessly, trying to locate the princess before she was able to reach the fourth floor. He had already searched the main plaza on the first floor, and hadn't gotten any results. He quickly moved toward the Gym, unable to locate her there either. Nodding to himself, he ran up the stairs onto the second floor. He looked around for a few seconds, seeing the girl quickly duck down the other hall toward the third floor.
"Sonia! Wait!" he cried out, breaking into a sprint once more. He headed into the stairwell, not finding her there. He raced up the stairs, taking them two steps at a time. Finally, he found her on the third floor, heading toward the Art Room.
"Sonia." he cried out, making her turn around. He ended up tackling her to the ground, using that as a distraction to put the handcuff around her wrist.
"Ow, that the fuck Daisuke?" she cried, rubbing her head. She rubbed the side of her head, only to hear the sound of loud clicking. She looked down at her wrist, seeing the fuzzy handcuffs now attached to her wrist.
"What...what are you doing?" she asked.
"I am not letting you leave this academy Sonia. We would miss you, I would miss you. I know you're homesick, and I know no one understands you, but goddamn it don't just leave! Give them a chance, talk to your friends, don't be scared to share your interests and hobbies, who knows? You might find out you have more in common than you think." he said.
"I've already decided Daisuke, I am going home and you can't stop me." she said.
"Fine, then at least give me a chance. I don't want you to leave, you are one of my precious friends, if you leave Hope's Peak, and I'll leave too." he said.
"You can't, you already missed an entire year, you can't afford to skip anymore." she said.
"I don't care about that. I care about my friend, who is making a mistake. I get that you are homesick, but is that really what you want? To be locked up in the palace day in and day out? To not be able to do what you like? To not have anyone to talk to? Who cares if the others don't share the same interests? You can still make an effort to show them, and if not, then I'll take that role. We can talk about anything you want, the occult, conspiracies, freemasonry, whatever you want." he said.
"How...how did you find out I liked freemasonry?" she asked quietly.
"It isn't easy hiding books on the subject. I should probably get off of you, before someone sees us." he said, rolling onto the ground beside the princess. She tugged at the cuffs, unable to get them off.
"Do you mean what you said? That you would be willing to share in my interests?" she asked curiously.
"Of course. It might be odd at first, since I'm not into the occult and stuff but I will give it my all. I'm surprised you haven't talk to Tanaka about this stuff, since he's pretty much into the occult." he said.
"I...tried too, but I could never get used to his speech patterns. I suppose I won't leave, but I want to head home at some point, just to visit. Do you mind, taking this cuffs off?" she asked.
"Yeah sure...shit." he muttered. She tilted her head.
"Daisuke...I don't like the sound of that. Please tell me you have the key."
"I uh...don't. Hiyoko was the one who had these and she didn't tell me where she got them. When I took them from her, she didn't have a key on her."
"So...you mean to tell me that...we're stuck...like this?" she asked, looking at the cuffs.
"For now...all we have to do is find the Ultimate Locksmith. It'll be embarrassing but he'll get us out." he said firmly.
"Yeah, that's a great idea...except he graduated last year." she replied. He sucked his teeth.
"Well...looks like we're stuck like this together. You don't have to piss do you? Because I don't think I can be in the bathroom while you do that." he said.
"This is serious you dumbass. What were you thinking?" she cried angrily, tugging at the cuffs with all her might.
"I was trying to stop you. It's a great thing I successfully did, before you left me and everyone else distraught. Jeez, let's just go find Kazuichi, he has some bolt cutters we can use." he said, standing up. He pulled her onto her feet, tugging her along with him.
"This is so awkward." she whispered.
"Don't make it obvious, just keep your hand close so mine and don't let the chain be visible. We'll be fine." he said, giving her a grin. She had to admit, his grin was infection. She couldn't help but crack a smile.
(Flashback end)
"Hey Princess!" Hiyoko snapped, jolting her out of her musings. She looked down at the floor, where the blonde dancer had been reading her comics.
"You died, three times in a row." she said. Sonia spared a glance at the television, seeing the game over screen. Mikan was looking at her, worry written on her face.
"Are you alright Sonia?"
"I'm fine...I was just...in my own little world." she said.
"Yeah, it must have been something, that blush on your face tells the tale." Hiyoko said, chuckling a bit.
"Huh? I am not blushing!" the princess cried, setting her controller aside.
"I'm sorry Sonia, but you are blushing. Were you thinking about someone special?" she asked.
"I...yes I was. I was just...remembering what happened a few months back...with the handcuffs." she said.
"Pfft, I remember that. You and Dork spent three days stuck like that because Kazuichi's bolt cutters broke. Ha! What a riot." Hiyoko snapped, holding back her laughter.
"Anyway...I have to ask you an honest question. Please, take it seriously would you?" she asked.
"Of course, what do you need?" Mikan replied firmly, hand already on her medical bag.
"I...need advice...well..something along those lines. I would like to ask someone on a date, but I don't know if they would accept. Do you know how to go about it?" she asked.
"Really? I was expecting something..less serious than this." Hiyoko admitted, taken aback by the seriousness of the question.
"I-I've never d-dated anyone before. I wouldn't k-know how to go about it." Mikan replied, the honesty in her voice honestly made Sonia feel bad. She took a firm hold of her hand.
"Aw, sweetie it will happen someday. What about you Hiyoko?"
"Heh, I've only been on one date in my life and it was horrible. My grandmother wanted to pair me off with the son of some family I didn't even know. She wanted to make sure I would be married to a good man who would ensure the success of the Saionji name. They went as far as doing the same thing they did to my father when he married my mother, give him our name. I hated it! The boy was ill mannered, didn't know jack shit about respect or how to treat a lady, insisted I pay for our dinner and on top of all of that, he tried to forcefully kiss me. It was gross! I told him to stop, but he didn't listen, thankfully, my daddy was there and he beat the shit out of him. To this day, I haven't forgiven my grandmother for that." Hiyoko said, hands clenched tightly onto her comic book.
"I'm sorry that happened to you Hiyoko. That is truly horrifying, knowing that you are powerless to stop someone from forcing themselves onto you. It's truly disgusting." Sonia said.
"Oh, I wasn't powerless, I was just waiting for the right chance to grab his balls. It takes 25 pounds of pressure at a 45 degree angle to crush a human testicle. I just had to time it right."
"Jesus Christ!" the princess cried out, unable to shake the image that popped into her mind. She was honestly glad she wasn't a man.
"Um, let's change the topic back to what you were saying Sonia. So who were you pinning after?" Mikan asked curiously.
"I...was thinking...you know...maybe Daisuke would...accept my feelings?" she said.
"Ugh...why do you want to date that dork?" Hiyoko asked curiously.
"He isn't a dork! He's sweet and kind, and I think he would be perfect for a first relationship. I really like him, I have for awhile...I just don't know how to tell him." she admitted.
"Well...um...you could just...hold his hand. That would probably get the message across!" Mikan said hopefully.
"Pfft, yeah..what are we grade schoolers? Please, if you want to tell him you like him, just say it outright. Otherwise you'd be wasting your time...he's a dense person." Hiyoko said.
"I..suppose I can try both, though with Kazuichi here, it will make things a bit more awkward. Maybe...I should just...think about it more." the princess admitted, feeling a bit down.
"Sonia, listen...before you want to admit your feelings to someone, make sure that they are what you are looking for. You might think you are in love with him, but you might just be in love with what he did." Hiyoko said, seriousness in her voice.
"What...he did? I don't follow." Mikan said. The blonde dancer huffed, turning the page in her comic.
"What I am getting at is, maybe Sonia is in love with what he did for her. Don't you remember when she told us that she was thinking about dropping out, and he stopped her from leaving? He promised her that he would take an interest in her interests so she wouldn't feel alone. That might have jump-started some feelings, but I think she fell in love with what he did for Natsumi, when he risked his life for her. Her mind is into the idea, but her heart isn't. Did I hit the nail right Princess?" she asked, looking at Sonia.
"I...didn't think about it that way. You may be right...even if it wasn't that way, I will still tell him. I just want to get these feelings off my chest. It will make me feel better, and if he accepts then I can at least see where it goes right?" she asked.
"That's right. There's no shame in trying." Mikan said, an encouraging smile on her face.
"Hey girls, we brought snacks." Daisuke said, walking into the room, Kazuichi and Leon bringing platters of various snacks and drinks. Daisuke was holding several movies in his hands, struggling a bit due to his cast.
"Hi girls, what's up?" Leon greeted.
"Nothing much, just chilling." Hiyoko answers halfheartedly, not even looking away from her comic.
"Kazuichi thought it would be best to watch some movies. I wasn't opposed to the idea, so I chose some good ones, don't worry Sonia, I brought up Nightmare on Elm Street, Childs Play and Friday the 13th." he said, a smile on his face.
"Thank you Daisuke, you are very kind."
"Miss Sonia, I couldn't help but notice that dress. You like amazing in it." Kazuichi said, already praising the girl. She frowned for a split second, before adopting her usual smile.
"Thank you Kazuichi." she said. Leon set the snacks down on the table, plopping himself down on the computer chair.
"Sweet room dude, wish I had a room this big in my place." he said.
"Mom was adamant about me having all the space I needed. She knew just how much I loved my story talent, and she wanted me to have a place big enough to make my own recording studio. Trust me, getting all of those egg cartons wasn't easy." he said, gesturing to the corner of the room, which was covered in black colored egg cartons. The whole corner was made to look like a recording booth, complete with glass walls and everything. He even had enough space to live stream on his YouTube channel. The microphone hung from the ceiling, going into the booth from above it, and looked really expensive.
"How did you get them all?" Mikan asked curiously, taking one of the glasses Kazuichi was passing out.
"I jumped in a dumpster. Not the proudest moments of my life, but if you want to be a successful story teller, you need to take risks. Even if those risks include an angry Japanese man chasing you down the street with a metal bat." he said, making Hiyoko chuckle.
"Wow, you really are a dork!" she said. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance.
"Before we begin, could I talk to you in the hall Daisuke? It's rather important." Sonia said. He gave her a nod.
"Sure, I don't mind. Besides we have like four minutes of previews if we're gonna watch Saw." he admitted.
"I'll start it up, don't keep us waiting." Leon said, grabbing the DVD from the top of the stack. The two left the room, making Kazuichi frown.
"What's that about? Miss Sonia looked a little...distraught?"
"It's nothing really." Hiyoko replied, her focus going back to her comic.
"Did she say anything to you guys?" he asked.
"Sorry Kazuichi, what we talk about alone is for girls only. That's the rule." Mikan said.
"That's bullshit!"
"That's how girls work dude, get used to it." Leon said, placing the empty movie case back on the desk.
"So, what did you want to talk about Lady Sonia?" Daisuke asked, he knew the blonde princess wanted a bit of privacy, so he had lead her to the other end of the hall, just so no one could hear their conversation. The girl looked at the floor, her hair covering her face. She took a deep breath, looking up at her friend.
"I..wanted to confess something. For the last few weeks, I've...developed feelings for you. I've been trying to find a way to tell you, but I didn't want to ruin our friendship or risk losing you entirely, so I held off from saying anything, but I couldn't hold it in anymore. I had to tell you." she said, the firmness in her voice befitting her talent. Daisuke nodded, looking at the wall.
"So...at least I know why you've been sitting so close to me, and trying to hold my hand any chance you got." he said.
"Sorry, I was just nervous. I've never been in a relationship before." She admitted.
"It's alright I guess...I appreciate you telling me your feelings, and trust me, I would jump at the chance to go out with a girl like you. You are beautiful, kind, funny and a little weird, but you are a sweet person. Sadly, I can't return your feelings...I...like someone else." he said, holding back a blush.
"I see." she said sadly. She felt a knot in her stomach, her heart feeling a twinge of pain. She was about to say something, only to find herself pulled into a hug.
"I'm sorry...I know you probably had your feelings pinned on me, and you were expecting something else. But, one day you'll find the one for you, he might be closer than you think." he said. He spared a glance at Kazuichi, who had been watching them for a few minutes now. Sonia pulled out of the hug, giving him a bright smile.
"Thank you, for listening to me. I'll be fine, I guess as long as you are still my friend, I'll be happy." she said. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, making his blush a little more vibrant.
"Uh...we should go watch that movie yeah?" he asked.
"Definitely. I haven't seen Saw yet, but I heard the shock content is quite high."
"It's something alright, Saw 2 and Saw 3 are the ones that I find the most disturbing, you'll definitely like them, I can already tell." he said with a smile.
They reentered his room, taking their seats against his bed, looking at his television. Kazuichi handed the two a glass of juice, which they both accepted.
"So, we decided to record Mikan's reaction, she's never seen this movie before and we want to see how long she can go without screaming, crying or pissing herself." Hiyoko said, holding her phone in her hand.
"You really are a little demon aren't you?" Daisuke asked, shaking his head.
"Hey, it wasn't my idea. It's creator is Shark Bait over there." she said, pointing to the mechanic.
"It was merely a suggestion. Mikan is alright with it." he said.
"I am. Bring it on, I promise not to cry or scream." she said, a firm look on her face. Daisuke shrugged, standing up from his seat. He walked toward his recording booth and grabbed his video camera, propping it on it's tripod. He turned it on, and grabbed the HDMI cord, hooking it up to his laptop. He hummed to himself for a few seconds, as he set up the recording software. After a few seconds, he finished up and took his spot back next to Sonia.
"I plan to put this on my channel later, so I hope you are all alright with that." he said, hitting play on the movie. They all gave their approval and started watching the film. Daisuke spared a look at Sonia, who was smiling brightly. She glanced at him briefly, her smile only widening as she looked back to the television.
"Sorry Sonia, I know you might like me but I can't really afford to be in a relationship right now, not until I bury my last one. Besides, I still have to figure out my feelings toward someone else." he thought to himself. He looked toward Hiyoko, who was still reading her comic, looking at the television every few seconds. She was still eating her candy, though she had a plate of cookies next to her now. As if she felt his gaze, she turned to look at him, giving him the most hateful glare she could muster. He cringed and turned back to the movie.
"Oh god, there really must be something wrong with me!"