The following week proceeded as usual with sessions being boring and Hinata still debated with whether or not he should say yes to the committee. Being at Hope's Peak Academy was what he wanted but he wasn't in the Main Course. He wasn't good at sports or academics or even luck. He was just Hajime Hinata and all he did know was that any Ultimate is considered elite to the world and they deserve that title.

"Well you look like you're wallowing in self-pity right now." Seated right next to him was Kuzuryuu. So far into her week, she has insisted that everyone in class is below her but Hinata supposed that she was at least tolerable. She was looking out for any gang members that targeted him ever since he helped her escape Nero's gangsters. "I'll bet that you have no friends. Not that I do, either."

"Well, yeah, not if that's how you say hello to people." Hinata shot back. "It's almost better than stealing a person's drink."

"How long are you going to drag that joke out? It's getting boring, like your face," she retorted.

If it's a battle of sass then Hajime Hinata has accepted, "I'll stop when you stop being egotistic and declaring you're better than everyone here."

"But it's true," she insisted, "I am the Ultimate Little Sister, after all."

That was something that caught Hinata off guard, "What the hell?"

Kuzuryuu smiled proudly as she began talking about her crime syndicate of a family. "With my clan being the best there is, my older brother is the Ultimate Yakuza and since he's so great it only makes sense that I'm the Ultimate Little Sister."

"Okay, that title seems like bullshit. Besides, you're in the Reserve Course, meaning that you were never scouted," Hinata stated but remembered something she said before. "You're looking for a way into the Main Course, aren't you?"

Determination was in her eyes as she looked passed him at the Main Course campus, "I haven't given up. You're tempted with the offer, I probably would be too. But with what we both know about a certain gang, I'm a bit suspicious." She lowered her voice, almost like she didn't want to risk saying Nero's name near their distracted classmates. Then Kuzuryuu gave Hinata a mischievous smile, "But hey, I bet if a Main Course student just up and quit, I'll be able to take their place." Hinata noticed her smile grow a bit wider when someone was approaching them. "Like a certain girl with freckles who I hate."

Immediately following that detailed comment, Sato from the front row slammed her palm against Hinata's desk. Like the rest of the class, Hinata was absorbed in the event because no one expected the lonely girl to pick a fight with the daughter of a gang. She and Kurzuryuu began bantering, referencing their old photography club and then it got intense. Sato's accusations and Kuzuryuu's insults got louder and so far no one stopped them until a Main Class student got between them and tried to consult Sato. Mahiru Koizumi, the class pieced together from their loud conversation, the Ultimate Photographer.

Hinata finally stood up to interfere when Kuzuryuu pinned false statements on Koizumi. "Kuzuryuu cut it out. You have nothing to gain from this."

Too caught up in her anger, she ignored him of course. When Sato mentioned her brother, Hinata saw a switch flipped. Her threat to kill Sato and insults on Koizumi was different from the time she was formulating theorizes on Nero. Kuzuryuu was seething with rage when Sato called her talentless and was ready to punch her.

Koizumi instantly shielded Sato and Hinata was in mid grab to stop Kuzuryuu. Everyone stared at them, the Ultimate trembling and protecting her friend and the girl from the crime world stopping herself. She continued to glare with pure hatred at Sato as Koizumi led their way out and Hinata lowered her arm.

Kuzuryuu wouldn't talk to him for the rest of the day, not that Hinata even tried much. He figured that she could handle any interrogation tactics so asking whether she was okay or not seemed pointless.

It was a relief to hang out with Nanami at the end of the day, even though Hinata was getting frustrated by his losing streak. But defeat was expected when playing against the Ultimate Gamer. A smaller voice in his head said that feeling like dirt was expected when with an elite.

Hinata was absolutely grateful to call Nanami a friend but sometimes he couldn't help but think that he doesn't deserve her time. Recently, she has been suggesting different co-op games and she was thinking about asking her classmates to join them to the local arcade. That idea was a bit overwhelming since he was never the most sociable person around.

"Hey Nanami," Hinata began, "what would you do if you didn't have a talent? Like if you lost every game you played and you see no possible way to win, do you think you'd still enjoy playing?"

"I think it would be fun in its own way. But I know what you're really thinking Hinata, well, I think," she didn't pause her game but he knew that her focus was on him. "You're sad that you don't have a talent but Hinata, there's more to life than just talent." Hinata snapped out of his depressing thoughts and looked over at her. "Miss Chisa told that to my class when we were all focused on being alone doing our talents. She was right, I'm having more fun playing mulit-player mode than solo. Your life won't be interesting just because you have a talent. By getting people involved, you'll make memories and hope, which is much more important than talent, will be born."

For the past week, Hinata felt despair at any mention of hope because then he'll start thinking about the Kamukura Project and the Nero gang. Kuzuryuu hasn't given him any new heads up with her investigation and overthinking the possibilities of a gang controlling the school made Hinata panic. There was also the promise of becoming the Ultimate Hope at the price of the operation but the way Nanami talked about hope made it sound so easy.

Gaining hope from friendship didn't occur to Hinata due to how lonely he has been. But now that he was friends with Nanami, he realized how he has enjoyed hanging out with her, even when she falls asleep in the middle of their conversations. "I see your point, Nanami."

"Hinata, do you like playing games with me?" This time, she faced him while her game played victory music. At his nod she smiled, "Then you've answered your question. Even if you win or lose, it's still fun playing with friends. Now let's play co-ops, Hinata."

Her words resonated with Hinata, that there's more to life than just talent. He just didn't think that he'll say those words to Kuzuryuu. Sato confronted Kuzuryuu again and this time Sato didn't hesitate to throw a punch but Hinata was lucky to stop her in time.

The best way to describe the relationship between Hinata and Kuzuryuu is through the words of coincidence and tolerance. Their first impression of each other was thinking that they're forced to deal with this annoyance but they give each other mutual benefits. Kuzuryuu brings the experience of dealing with the Nero gang and sass while Hinata brings information of the Kamukura Project and the ability to sass her back without feeling scared of her. The more time they spend together, the more they noticed their similarities and began to understand one another.

And so here Hinata was, comforting a gangster's daughter as she pouted at the ledge of the corridor path. "Kuzuryuu, you and I both know that your threats against Koizumi are pointless. I've seen how you act when you're dealing with the gang world but back there, you purposely provoke Sato out of spite."

"Shut the fuck up, Hinata, you don't know me at all. You're just a useless Reserve student like everyone else here."

Tired of her repetitive insults, he pointed out, "Well guess who else is here, you, Kuzuryuu. If you do something stupid to get into the Main Course, you might just get kicked out of the Reserve Course instead."

"I said shut up!" She repeated and tears began to form. "I'll definitely get into the Main Course, definitely." Echoing that last word, she rubbed away her tears, almost like she was ashamed to show vulnerability.

"This is about your brother, isn't?" Hinata remembered how hostile she acted when Sato mentioned the Ultimate Yakuza.

New tears formed as she stared at the Main Course building. "He's the Ultimate Yakuza, if I'm not the Ultimate Little Sister, I'll get left behind. At first, he wanted me to be the heir because he doubted himself. If I became heir and get accepted into the Main Course, he'll probably believe in his insecurities and we'll be separated by talent. I would never let that happen. This is the best case scenario, he's the older sibling, the heir, and the Ultimate while I'll do whatever I can to get there with him. I will never give up on us."

"I understand. It's lonely getting left behind and it feels like you're worthless," Hinata recalled a morning where he saw Nanami walking to the Main campus with her friends. She was too distracted by them to notice Hinata waving at her. Instantly dark thoughts harassed him for being talentless but he knew better thanks to Nanami's friendship. "But I think that there are things that are just as important as talent."

"Are you going to say something as stupid as the power of friendship?"

Hinata gave her a patient smile, "Close. You love your brother, right? Even if you have no talent, you can still make memories with him."

"Memories aren't good enough, Hinata!" Kuzuryuu's burst of anger subsided into sadness. "Talentless people shouldn't be around him. I want something to be proud of. I look up to him and I tell him that he's amazing when he thinks he's not but I'm not by his side. Instead I'm stuck here, recognized as a talentless girl who will get left behind."

Things clicked together in Hinata's head and he stood next to her, gazing at the Main building. "You may believe that but your brother doesn't. He thought of you as the Ultimate Yakuza and he's right, you're downright terrifying when planning strategies against Nero."

Kuzuryuu hummed, not impressed by his words. "I would love to tell you to shut up but you're complimenting me, so continue."

"Well I was going to say that the way you always help out your brother really does make you the Ultimate Little Sister," Hinata said sarcastically, "but I'm better off saying how much of a brat you can be."

She elbowed his arm with a grin, "Being a brat is a part of being a little sister."

"The point I'm trying to make is that this whole talent obsession is preventing you from having self-respect. If you idolize your brother you're consciously putting him on higher level but also end up thinking that you don't deserve him when you're actually both equal." As the words spilled out of his mouth, Hinata slowly processed the lecture he's saying. "With all this self-loathing you end up surprised when an Ultimate shows you kindness and treats you as an equal."

He felt himself clam up and his face go warm when he realized Kuzuryuu was staring at him. "Do you need a mirror to talk to?"

"Shut up," he stuttered. She continued to stare at him but then she spoke up.

"Hey, I've been saying that from the beginning but that didn't stop you," Kuzuryuu teased. "But I get what you're saying. I have to say, you surprise me Hinata. You didn't seem like the breaking and entering type of guy when I first met you and now I would have never expected you to psycho-analyze the both of us."

Hinata rubbed his sore arm, "Yeah, I guess I got carried away."

"You sure did," she agreed. "We both have problems with self-respect, don't we?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I should take my own advice, I'd probably feel better."

"Then does that mean you've decided, Hinata?" She had that business look again. "You wanted a talent but now you say that there's more to life than just talent."

Casting another glance at the Main building, Hinata said, "I suppose I have. I just hope that nothing goes wrong when I tell them no."

"Remember, it's not the committee we're worried about," Kuzuryuu glared down at the world below. "My gut is telling me that Nero has something here."

"I would have never thought that Hope's Peak has a dark side. I was probably blinded by my admiration," Hinata shared and gave her a playful smile. "But I'm sure we can do something about it with the power of friendship."

Hinata expected he'll get another bruise on his arm but instead Kuzuryuu asked quietly, "Are we friends?"

Her eyes were a bit red from the tears and she looked caught off guard by his answer. "Yeah, we're friends."

Alas, the beginning of their friendship and whatnot. Thanks for reading!