A/N: oh boy I have been awaiting this moment. It's finally here guys.

AlphAOmegA151: Hehe, close! It actually ends next chapter, that's the epilogue. I updated the AO3 chapter count to reflect that.

Chiaki closed her eyes, inhaling the salty tang of the ocean air. Beneath her, the Second Wind bobbed up and down, carrying her closer and closer to her destination. Above her, the sky was still valiantly clinging to blue, only a slight purple-red tinge hinting to the pollution. She chose to interpret that as a good omen. Maybe the Tragedy was finally over, once and for all.

It had taken a day or two to get everything ready for her departure. First, Chiaki had to finish crafting a cover story with Class 78. They'd decided to announce that the trauma from discovering Gekkogahara-san's body and fighting for her life had left her confused and psychologically scarred, and she was moving out of Tokyo to live with friends; a clever mix of vague truths and lies.

Then Chiaki had joined one of the helicopters bringing the wounded back to mainland, riding with Branch 14 instead of her own division. Once she'd returned to Tokyo, she'd spoken to her landlord about breaking her lease on the spot. Fortunately, her rental agreement was month-to-month, and the landlord was pretty understanding about her 'fragile' situation; he'd allowed her to move out on such short notice so long as she paid for the next few months' rent while he searched for a new tenant. She'd readily agreed, figuring she wouldn't need money where she was going anyway.

The final thing to do was go about making her goodbyes and moving her things out of the seventh division building. That was a short affair; she'd been a licensed therapist for all of one day and hadn't had time to take any clients. And while her division had swarmed her with thanks and praise, very few of them had known her on an individual level, sparing her the need for many personal goodbyes. She'd only really visited a recovering Hayami-sensei and Ueno-sensei, wearing that hateful disguise for the final time. The latter had been a short, stilted conversation.

Ueno-sensei leaned against his desk, looking her resignation papers. "So you're leaving?"

"Yeah. Sorry…I just…" She waved a hand uselessly. "I'm just kind of having a personal crisis."

"Well, it was rough down there from what I hear. You're not the only one from that place who needs counseling now, or even the only therapist. No one expected things to turn out that way. Still, are you sure you don't want help from us?"

"I'm sure," she empathized. "I just…want to be with my friends."

He nodded, clapped her on the shoulder, and wished her the best. And that was the last she saw of him.

This morning a few of Togami-kun's personal men, who he assured could be trusted, had helped her move her things onto the boat and seen her off. Naegi-kun had also contacted Kamukura-kun to let him know to expect a ship with 'a pleasant surprise' on this date. He'd offered her the chance to speak with him, but, well…she'd refused.

She'd just…needed the past few days to come to terms with what Kamukura-kun had done. She hadn't been ready to talk to him at the time. And she'd been nervous and scared of talking to her classmates. Chiaki couldn't help wondering whether they would really want to see her. It had been years, after all, and she'd led them to their doom. Maybe they were angry at her. Maybe they couldn't forgive her. Maybe she was just a clingy fool, holding onto the past.

And—it was superstitious, stupid, but she couldn't help being afraid that if she did call and say she'd be there soon, she'd tempt fate into interfering.

As the autopilot's smooth, mechanized voice informed her she had arrived at Jabberwock Island, she nervously smoothed out her cream and brown dress—it was the nicest thing she owned, but it still didn't feel special enough for this occasion. There was a familiar, lone figure on the pier, wearing a white dress shirt and a green tie. Her heart sped up. As the ship drew closer, she saw his body jolt, and knew his superior vision had likely picked her out already. And yet he stayed on the pier, still as a statue, as if she was an illusion and moving would dispel her.

The ship docked with a gentle bump. Too impatient to lower the gangway, Chiaki jumped onto the pier instead. Kamukura-kun was standing there, a quietly stunned look on his face. They locked gazes instantly, the world around her fading out.

She stepped closer, until she could hear him breathing. This close, she could freely drink in the details of his face —the fullness of his lower lip, the slant of his jaw, his long lashes. And his irises—they'd changed. One red, one green. Those irises were searching her face now, drinking in every detail. "…Naegi said there was something unexpected on the boat," he said slowly, "yet you…this should be impossible…"

His voice trailed off, stare intensifying. He looked as if he were on the verge of an epiphany, yet too scared to reach out and grasp it in case it was false. She licked her lips. "Up up down down left right left right b a," she said, enunciating clearly.

His eyes widened minutely. Then he went completely still, gaze fixed on some unseen point over her head. Chiaki waited, quivering, dread building up as the silence spread on and on. What if it hadn't worked? Or worse, what if it hurt him somehow? What if—

Kamukura-kun lunged and embraced her, wrapping her up in a hug so tight she almost couldn't breathe. Her injured arm throbbed from the pressure. It felt inconsequential right now. His words were quiet, heavy with too much emotion to name. "Nanami…I didn't…I didn't let you die…"

Her heart squeezed at the pain in that one sentence. She worked her arms up and around his back, clutching him tight. "No. No, you didn't."

He shuddered, squeezing her closer. They stayed there on the pier, gently rocking in embrace, for…she didn't know how long. Time had ceased to matter the moment she was back with him.

But gradually, Chiaki became aware of other emotions vying for control. She thought she'd worked through her righteous anger, hurt and sadness in the last few days. She'd thought wrong; now that the cause of their creation was here, they were rising from the depths of her heart, yearning for release. The pressure built up and up in her chest, like an old rubber band that was stretched too far, tense and ready to snap at any moment.

"Nanami…there's so much I need to tell you."

And that was it. That was the catalyst.

She pushed away from him, glaring and trembling. Words flew from her lips in an uncontrollable outburst. "I think I can guess what, you idiot! What were you thinking? You—you could have been killed! You could have been made a vegetable!"

He blinked. He almost looked surprised. But he didn't answer, just watched her with remorseful eyes. "And not just you! Any of you! You put my friends at risk, too! I could have lost everyone, and Enoshima could have come back, and you knew it, and…a-and…and you did it anyway!"

A quiet little part of her whispered, This wasn't how this reunion was supposed to go. She rubbed her eyes furiously. "And…I just want to know why. Why did you…why did you do this? What answer could possibly be so important you would risk everything?"

He bowed his head. "…I thought it would help me find an interesting life. That by watching hope and despair battle, free from outside influence, I could see which was more unpredictable, and that would help me find a purpose. Then the path to escape from my boredom would be paved."

Of course. Of course, that made perfect sense. Hadn't he told her Enoshima lured him in the first place by promising despair was unpredictable? Hadn't she seen for herself how empty he'd been? Hadn't she wanted him to be able to escape that dull joylessness permeating his entire being?

Not with such a dangerous method, though...

"But I was wrong," he continued, surprising her. "Hope, despair, talent…those things aren't what matter. Everything you'd been trying to tell me was right. Making memories, forming bonds with people, that's what makes life enjoyable. I was just…too overconfident in my analytical abilities to believe you. I'd come to a conclusion, so it must be infallible.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to risk your life, and because I knew it would upset you. At that time, I honestly did not care about anything or anyone else. If something did not endanger you and could get me what I wanted, I saw no reason not to do it, no matter how unscrupulous. I know none of these are excuses, and I'm not going to use them as such. I'm just going to say…"

He took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. His were a little moist.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry I abandoned you as Hajime. I'm sorry I lied to you as Izuru. I'm sorry I put all the people you loved in danger. I'm sorry it took me so long to get my head on straight. I was convinced I was right, and I hurt you because of it. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry, Nanami."

It was the apology that got her. The sincerity, sadness and regret in his voice pierced through all her negative emotions like a beam of light. Before she knew it, the last dregs of anger went spiraling down a drain. And in their place, there was just her feelings for him. That's right…it's easy to forget in the heat of the moment, but I already…

"Come here," she sniveled, holding her arms out.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he went into them. He was so tall, and she was so short, he had to stoop to make it. She stood on her tiptoes and buried her face in his shoulder, inhaling his scent. "I forgive you."

She heard his breath catch. But he listened as she continued, "I mean…I won't lie. I was so mad when Naegi-kun told me what you did with the Neo World Program. And sad, and hurt. But I had time to think it over, and I got some advice, and I realized…at the end of the day, I still loved you. I was still willing to believe in you and give you a chance. So, I forgive you."

She paused, then added in a shaking voice, "But don't you ever do something like that again. Okay? If you ever feel that empty and lost again, just come to me. I'll make you a map."

His voice was choked when he answered. "I understand." Small, wet drops were landing on her shoulder. She politely didn't mention them. "I swear to you, Nanami…I'll work hard to make up for this. I'll spend the rest of our lives making you happy."

His demeanor…it was both different and familiar. He was so much more affectionate. So much more open. Was this really the power of the Neo World Program? She patted his back comfortingly, putting that question to the back of her mind for now.

When he'd stopped trembling in her arms, she finally asked. "Hey…can I ask you something else?"

His response was instant. "Of course. Anything."

She pulled away a little, studying his eyes. The dual colors were certainly interesting. It made it hard to focus directly on them; she kept darting between one or the other. "Naegi-kun called you Hinata-kun, and I feel like I can see him in you. But I can see Kamukura-kun too. And you apologized for both their actions. So…which are you?"

"What did Naegi tell you about the events and outcome of the killing trip?"

"Nothing specific…just a basic overview of what you did. He said this, especially, was something you should tell me yourself."

He hummed. "When you enter the Neo World Program, a specific date is entered, and it 'resets' your memories to before that time. For your classmates and I, the date was our first day at Hope's Peak, before any of the Tragedy happened. And who did this body belong to at that time?"

"…Hinata-kun."

"Yes. The Neo World Program dug up Hajime's memories, which had been repressed to the deepest parts of Izuru's psyche…but because the program was shut down before it could be finished, Izuru was never overwritten. So, I woke up with two sets of memories. Those of Kamukura Izuru's, and those of Hinata Hajime's. I suppose it would be most accurate to say those two personas fused."

Chiaki felt frozen, not in fear, but in trembling anticipation. Tentatively, she said, "So…you remember…you remember…"

He smiled tenderly. "Our time together at Hope's Peak, yes. Meeting you, our afternoons by the fountain, all of it."

It felt like her chest was going to burst from all the emotion gathering in it. Huge, happy sobs left her throat as her eyes grew wet. "Hinata-kun…!" she blubbered. "Y-You're back…! You're really back!"

"I am."

"A-And Kamukura-kun, too…I didn't lose you either…"

"You didn't."

She sniffled again, loudly, and threw herself back into his arms. They tightened around her, and she burrowed her face into his chest. And then, in the safest place on Earth, with the reassuring thump of his heartbeat echoing against her ear, Chiaki let the tears flow.

It was nice to cry out of happiness, for once.

He was still holding her when the tears ran out—she didn't think he'd be letting go any time soon. Chiaki knew she certainly wouldn't. It was dumb, but…she was afraid if she let go, he'd disappear.

Not wanting to leave her spot, she craned her neck up. "So…if you're both Hinata-kun and Kamukura-kun…which name do you prefer to go by?"

One of his hands was rubbing small, soothing circles on her back. She shivered at the touch. "I said I'd live on as Hinata Hajime, and that's what everyone here calls me. But I'll understand if you want to call me Kamukura, too. You may use whichever you wish."

She thought it over. "Well, since everyone else is using Hinata-kun, I will too. But when we're alone, I'll switch between Hinata-kun and Kamukura-kun. I fell in love with you both, after all, and you're both, so it doesn't feel right using just one name."

He smiled. "That's very 'you', Nanami."

"You can call me Chiaki." It was offered without thinking, just a natural extension of all the things she'd been feeling. He stilled, eyes widening a fraction, and she wondered if she was being too forward. They'd only been reunited for a day—less than a day—less than an hour—and she was already pushing for this stage. Maybe he still needed time to adjust to her reappearance in his life. Maybe she was pressuring him, or being presumptuous, or—

But any worries she had were quelled when she saw that lovely smile return. "Alright. But only if you return the favor, Chiaki."

…Oh.

So that was what it felt like, being addressed so intimately. Without her permission, her face dusted with a blush. Tingles of warm delight coursed through her entire body. It's super effective! Critical hit! Staggered!

She wanted to hear him say her name more and more.

"Definitely, Hajime…Izuru…" The lack of honorifics was almost intimidating, but it was oh-so-satisfying to see the subtle color that came to his cheeks and the way his smile grew a little. Chiaki felt a burst of pride that she could have that effect on him.

She wasn't sure which of them moved first, but in the next instance they were kissing; his hands cradled her face and hers moved to his chest as their mouths plied together. Once, twice, again and again. It was almost unfair how toe-curling his kisses were; as far as she knew she'd been his first and only. Maybe he had some Ultimate Kisser skill in there. Or maybe his kissing only seemed so amazing because it was her weak point?

She hoped she was making him feel this level of swooning pleasure, too. She'd have to EXP grind a lot, just in case.

When they pulled away, Kamukura-kun—no, wait, Hajime, that would definitely take some getting used to—murmured, "I have something to return to you."

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a familiar multi-colored hairpin and tried to place it in her hand. Chiaki shook her head, folding his fingers around the little spaceship. "You keep it."

"Are you sure? I thought you wanted it back when we reunited."

"I'm extending the goals of that questline. I said I'd take it back at the ending, but this isn't an ending for us, is it? It's just the beginning. So you have to hold onto that until the very end."

He stared at her for a moment, then, with a soft chuckle—whoa! He actually laughed!—shook his head. "That is…so cheesy."

She puffed her cheeks. "Hey!"

But she was mollified by him taking the hairpin back and clipping it onto his tie. Stepping away, he held his hand to her, that beautiful smile still on his face. "Now…isn't it about time you reunited with your classmates?"

They walked hand-in-hand along the island, Hajime pointing out landmarks for her: the ranch with cows and chickens, the supermarket, the airport. Though they didn't go, he told her there were other islands, with a plethora of other buildings. Military equipment, medicine, electronics, transport, all of it was available. There was even enough land for her friends to build or convert into areas they needed. They could truly be self-sufficient.

And none of this took the cache Kamukura-kun had left her into account. True, it was meant for one person, not seventeen, but the supplies there would still be enough to last them a long time.

When they arrived at the hotel resort, they detoured only to move Yumigami into Hajime's cabin, where he had invited them to live from now on. "There are only sixteen cabins, all occupied, so moving in makes sense—" Hajime had begun to explain, before she cut him off with a smile and hug and said that sounded wonderful.

His cabin was still sparse, but not coldly—there were a few personal touches here and there, a sight that gladdened Chiaki. She set Yumigami's carrier down in the bathroom, figuring that would be wide enough for her to stretch her legs without chewing on any of Hajime's belongings. Hajime's mouth quirked, and he extended a finger to stroke the rabbit's head when she poked it out. "Remember me?" he asked quietly, and then seemed to study Yumigami very intently as she twitched her nose at him.

"Can you really understand her?" Chiaki couldn't help asking as they left.

"Yes. Animals don't speak in words as we humans do, but through a study of their body language and noises, one can glean an interpretation of their feelings."

"That's amazing," she smiled.

But as they approached the hotel itself, where Hajime had said her friends were eating a communal dinner, Chiaki's steps involuntarily dragged. All those tumultuous feelings from the boat resurged, churning and spinning until she felt like throwing up. Hajime paused and squeezed her hand. "They'll be overjoyed to see you again," he murmured, sensing exactly what was on her mind.

She licked her lips. "Yeah. Yeah, okay."

Hajime, showing yet more intuition, ascended the stairs first, giving her time to mentally prep. She heard Pekoyama-san's voice, calm and inquiring. The storm in her stomach picked up speed. "Hinata, you're back. You were gone for quite some time; we were about to send someone to search for you. What did Naegi send us?"

"Someone amazing."

Taking that as her cue, Chiaki emerged. Her breath caught; they really were all there, sitting at tables, mostly-empty plates before them. Their bodies were turned halfway towards the door, faces all sporting flabbergasted expressions. Her eyes drank them in greedily.

They were here.

They were here.

Older, battered from what they'd endured—her heart broke at Komaeda-kun's metal arm and Kuzuryu-kun's eyepatch—but here.

It was Kuzuryu-kun who spoke first, eloquently as ever. "What the fuck?"

He swung around to glare at Hajime, fists clenched and face flushed. "What the fuck, asshole? What—who the fuck do you think you are? I don't know what this is, but these kinds of—of sick jokes are not okay! I swear to God I'm going to skin you alive—"

"It's not a joke," she said, and he froze. "I…I'm back, everyone."

Silence. Sweat built on the palms of her hands. She wiped them against her dress.

"That is impossible," Tanaka-kun finally rasped. "The dead cannot be raised, no matter how black the magic one uses! Even my own powers can merely pull my underworldly servants from the brink!"

"That's exactly what I did," Hajime said calmly, and then retold the story she'd shared with Naegi-kun and Kirigiri-san.

When he was done, her classmates looked sucker-punched. "Naw…" Hanamura-kun croaked, his accent slipping out in his shock. "Y-Ya…could save her? Even from that?"

"Hey, pig barf!" Saionji-san barked, voice cracking. "Is this guy telling the truth? Could…could someone s-survive…that?"

"Um…I suppose, hypothetically, if the spears didn't hit any vitals…" Tsumiki-san mumbled, fidgeting with her fingers, "and if y-you had the equipment to treat hypovolemic shock, and could move fast enough, and had a bit of luck…yes, it could happen."

"S-So, you're really alive, Nanami?" Owari-san gripped the back of her chair with white knuckles. "You'd better be! I'm gonna beat you up if you're just some ghost!"

She hesitantly smiled. "I'm really alive."

They still seemed too stunned to move. Well, that was okay, there was something she still needed to do.

Chiaki swallowed, then knelt and performed the best dogeza she could. From over her head came a collective group of shocked exclamations. "Nanami-san?!" "Nanami?!" "Hey, what—"

"I'm sorry!" Chiaki pressed her forehead so hard into the floor she thought it might leave an imprint. "I'm sorry… I wronged all of you. I was your class rep, your leader; I should have tried to protect you from Enoshima, not led you right to her. But I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment. I made a terrible decision that day and you all suffered for it. I am so deeply sorry."

She stopped, biting her lip lest she choke on a string of further apologies. Silence was all that greeted her, and she cringed. Then, fourteen voices rang out in unison. "We forgive you."

Chiaki lifted her head, lower lip quivering. She was met with faces and faces of smiles. Tears filled her eyes again at the acceptance there. How was it possible to cry this much? Wasn't there some limit to the amount of tears a human being could shed in a few hours?

"Though I don't understand why you're apologizing at all!" Komaeda-kun laughed. "After all, that despair birthed this hope, so everything worked out in the end!"

"But that doesn't make it okay! None of us knew this would happen. I put you in danger without being able to foresee the consequences… I thought…I thought you'd all be angry…"

Koizumi-san shook her head "We regretted what happened, but we never blamed you for our misfortune."

"True, you made a poor call, but it's not as if you wanted us to be brainwashed." It took Chiaki a moment to place the round, generic face before her as belonging to the Ultimate Imposter. She'd seen it only once before, after all. "Everyone makes mistakes, and we thought you had paid for yours with your life. That's far more precious to us than some grudge."

"I do wish we'd all acted wiser that day, but the past cannot be changed," Sonia-san said, stepping closer. "As far as I'm concerned, it is good enough to have you…t-to have you…"

The Ultimate Princess sniffed. Then she sank to the floor, pulled Chiaki up, and threw her arms around her. "It's truly wonderful to have you back with us, Nanami-san!"

Physical proof that she was there and could be hugged seemed to be a trigger of some kind, as before Chiaki knew it she was swarmed by bodies, hands tugging at her and warmth pressing into her from every side. She yelped, faintly hearing Hajime chuckle as he stepped away to allow the others their turn. "Careful with her arm," he called.

Chiaki had no idea whether they heard him or not. Excited voices were climbing over each other, too fast for her to respond to them all. "You're not a ghost!" Owari-san yelled, patting her down in amazement. "Y-You're real! I can touch you! You're not dead!"

"GROUP HUG!" Mioda-san screeched, glomping Chiaki. "Group hug, group hug! Ahhhh, I'm totally gonna write a song about this! I'll call it, 'My Friend Died But She Got Better!'"

"For a mortal, you are truly the most blessed among us!" Tanaka-kun laughed. "You had best be careful with this gift of resurrection that has been bestowed upon you, for I fear the gods of the underworld shall not permit you to escape twice!"

"I'm sorry!" Tsumiki-san wept. The poor nurse had tripped in the stampede, but managed to scramble halfway upright before throwing herself at Chiaki. Now she clung around her midriff. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I-I didn't w-w-want to d-do it, b-but I couldn't fight ba-ack!"

"It's fine," she reassured, reaching down to pat her shoulder. "Really, Tsumiki-san, I know it wasn't your—"

Chiaki squeaked as she was wrapped in a giant bear hug from behind, pulling her solidly out of Tsumiki-san's grip. Owwww, my arm. "Nanami!" Nidai-kun bellowed, and wow he was actually lifting her off her feet. "Good to have you back!"

"Hey dumbass, you're probably crushing her!" Kuzuryu-kun snapped. "She'd better not get suffocated after everything!" His voice broke a little at the end, and he suspiciously angled his good eye away.

"It's okay," she gasped out. "I'm glad to see you too." Still, she couldn't hold back a sigh of relief when Nidai-kun placed her back down. Chiaki beamed as more of her precious friends moved to the front.

"It's good to have you back," Pekoyama-san said simply, giving her a slight smile.

"Truly," Hanamura-kun said, trying to sound silky but failing because of the waver in his voice, "it is a treat to be in your presence again."

"You stupid, dopey gameeeeeer!" Saionji-san wailed, clinging to her good arm fiercely. "Waaaaah! D-Don't you ever die on us again, al-alright?! I won't f-forgive you if you do!"

Before Chiaki could make that promise, one of her hands was suddenly grasped by a larger pair, the left cold and too smooth to the touch. "What a wonderful turn of events this is!" Komaeda-kun exclaimed, smiling so broadly his face was almost split in two. "Our class rep's brilliant hope inspired the Ultimate Hope himself! Her life was saved, and our despair over her death has been made a mere stepping stone for this momentous day! For trash such as me to bear witness…I really am lucky!"

"You aren't trash, Komaeda-kun! You're—are you crying?" Indeed, his eyes looked very watery.

"This hope is brighter than anything I've ever seen! How can I not cry when faced with something that shines so splendidly?!"

"W-Weirdo," Soda-kun sniffled from Chiaki's other side.

"Ah, but Soda-kun, you're crying too?"

"I am not! I-I just got pepper in my eye, that's all!"

There was a bright flash of light. Koizumi-san lowered her camera, eyes wet and smile quivering. "S-Sorry…I just…couldn't resist commemorating this moment…" She rubbed her eyes. "I'm s-so happy you're back, Chiaki-chan!"

"The class wasn't the same without you," the Imposter nodded, laying a slightly shaking hand on her shoulder.

"I wasn't the same without you," she said, locking gazes with everyone. "All of you. I love you all."

Her friends all smiled back. "We love you too."

The Imposter turned. "Hey, don't be shy. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you as well."

Chiaki craned her neck to see who he was calling to. A figure hovered away from the group, not participating. Small and skinny, with a pale complexion and ashen blonde hair. "H-Hello, Nanami-san," he whispered, looking as if he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. Her classmates quieted down, watching the pair of them anxiously.

"Mitarai-kun," she greeted, disentangling herself from the knot of bodies and approaching him.

The Ultimate Animator swallowed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, not meeting her gaze. "I'm so sorry, Nanami-san. It's because of me Enoshima was able to brainwash everyone…I h-helped her make that video because I w-was too cowardly to stand up to her…and w-when you were all in danger, I didn't try to help you…I just ran…"

Chiaki stared at him contemplatively. She was unsure how to feel. She really didn't hold that against him. What she did were the events on that island, the brainwashed soldiers, the shooting and the screams and the injured.

But…she could understand him, too. They'd been in similar positions. Inadvertently dooming their friends and the world, stuck watching events from the outside, too scared to take more active roles as they were driven closer and closer to despair. Perhaps, if her talent had been as powerful as his, she might have gone as extreme as Mitarai-kun to save her friends.

That, ultimately, was what softened her. "Mitarai-kun…I don't blame you for any of that. You were her prisoner, and her victim too."

"B-But if I'd stayed—I could have warned all of you that she'd brainwashed Tsumiki-san—"

"Mitarai-kun," she said clearly, "I don't blame you at all for being scared of Enoshima. ...I was too. I just didn't listen to that fear, and, well, we all know how that turned out."

She looked down at her hands. "I'm more upset about what you tried to do with that Hope Video, honestly. I was there on that island. I had to fight a lot of my own allies. Maybe even kill some. Trying to take away everyone's freedom…was such a wrong thing to do, Mitarai-kun."

He flinched as if struck. His fingers clenched around an invisible phone. "I…"

"Do you want to start over?" she interrupted. "I…I told Hajime this already, but I've had a couple of days to think. And if I can forgive him, I can forgive you too."

Slowly, a small smile formed on his face, trembling as if it didn't believe it deserved to be there. "I…thank you. I'm glad you're alive."

She returned it, holding her hand out. "Me too. I look forward to spending time together."

They shook, and—

"WHOA, WHOA, WAIT!" Mioda-san squawked. She'd been bouncing on her heels impatiently in the background, and as soon as Chiaki released Mitarai-kun's hand, zipped forward as if taken off a leash. "Were Ibuki's ears working correctly just now? Are you and Hajime-chan on first-name basis?"

She laughed. Leave it to Mioda-san to note that particular detail. "Yep."

The musician squealed. "OH. EM. GEE! How did it happen?! Was it love at first sight? Did you have a nauuuuughty affair while he nursed you back to health?"

"It was nothing like that," Hajime said, finally stepping back up and taking Chiaki's hand. Her classmates' eyes all snapped to their linked fingers.

Sonia-san was the first to react, pressing her hands together in delight. "Oh, congratulations! You must 'give me the deets', as they say, Nanami-san!"

"Wait, you actually got that right?" Kuzuryu-kun's eyebrow rose. "Anyway, you could do worse than Hinata, Nanami. He's a pretty reliable guy when it comes down to it. Congrats."

"Dude, what gives?" Soda-kun whined, grabbing Hajime's shoulders. "You're my soul friend! That means we ride and die together! If one flies solo, so does the other!"

"I never agreed to that."

Chiaki ducked her head, face flaming, at a particularly exultant comment from Komaeda-kun. "How marvelous! What could be more wonderful than the joining of such strong hopes? The hope born of such a union would—"

"Hey, don't go talking about stuff like that!" Koizumi-san scolded. Schooling her face back into a smile, she turned to Chiaki. "Congratulations! I didn't think he was much at first, but he surprised me. You can definitely count on him."

"Nanami's return and new relationship call for a celebration!" Nidai-kun bellowed. "HANAMURA! You up for cooking a second dinner?"

"Oh, but of course! I'll whip up an extra-large serving just for you, Nanami-san!"

"HELL YEAH! MORE FOOD!"

"OOOOOO!" Mioda-san clapped her hands excitedly. "SLEEPOVER! Let's make it a sleepover!"

"Aren't we all too old for sleepovers?" Hajime snarked.

"Never! You're never too old to hang and have fun with your friends!"

"B-Besides," Tsumiki-san added, "Nanami-san doesn't have a place to sleep for the night, r-right?"

"I was just gonna move in with Hajime," Chiaki said without thinking. Predictably, that set off another round of raucous chaos.

"My, my," Hanamura-kun purred, rubbing his chin, "She's back for only a few hours and you already have her moving in? You have technique, Hinata-kun. Care to…demonstrate?"

Mitarai-kun's eyes widened. "Wow… That's pretty daring of you, Nanami-san. But, um, I don't think he's a bad guy, so…you'll probably be alright."

"Oi, Hinata-onii! You better not have coerced Nanami-onee into anything weird, you perv!" Saionji-san snarled, cracking her knuckles.

"Really? You really think I'm the type of person who'd do that?"

"No, but this is our beloved class rep we're talking about," the Imposter said. "And we just found out she's alive. You'll have to excuse some overprotectiveness for the time being."

"Indeed." Pekoyama-san patted her bamboo sword. "We must be extra vigilant to ensure no harm falls upon her again. That said, I'm sure we can entrust her care to you."

"Take heart in the knowledge, mortal, that the Supreme Overlord of Ice already holds you in decent esteem! Else the spell of protection I cast on this mortal would have thrown you into hell the moment you tried to pursue her!"

"Yeah, yeah…"

Chiaki almost melted from pride and joy at Hajime's easy banter with her friends, the slight roll of his eyes and twitch of his lips as they laughed and slapped him on the back. He's found a place here too.

"Let's celebrate!" she declared.

The sleepover was a smash. Furniture was shoved aside. People ran out to their cabins, carrying in blankets and pillows and changing into their pajamas—Chiaki had to bite back a giggle at the sight of Komaeda-kun's adorable floppy dog slippers. Hanamura-kun was on fire, laying out takoyaki, spring rolls, gyudon, chicken skewers, more dishes than she could count, faster than she could blink. Board games, video games, card games, and party games were all brought out and engaged in. Her friends bounced back and forth between the various activities and her, scarcely seeming to believe she was really alive. It was a whirlwind of chatter and liveliness, and she couldn't seem to get a moment alone with any of them. She loved it.

It was long past midnight, and her cheeks were actually aching from all the smiling they'd done, when the party grew old. The restaurant was littered with forms, most solitary and sleeping, but a few clustered together and talking in low voices. Chiaki and Hajime were curled up together under a blanket, facing each other. Though it was dark, a few lamps had been brought in (mostly so no one would trip over each other during bathroom runs), and the soft light was just enough for her to make out his face.

The decision to sleep together, even not that way, was one neither had consciously made. They'd just gravitated together. This was something they just needed, and they trusted each other and themselves.

Still, seeing him in sweat pants and a sleep shirt was weird. Seeing him in anything but a suit was weird. But good weird. It felt remarkably more intimate. So did this. Cuddling with him, neither speaking, just looking at each other and occasionally twining fingers, simply gave her a sense of quiet comfort, peace and privilege.

"You grew your hair out," he murmured after a while, reaching out to toy with some of the pink strands. "Any reason?"

"No…just because."

"I like it," he smiled softly.

She returned it, running her fingers through his much shorter hair. It was still soft as silk, despite how spiky it looked. "You cut yours." Tilting her head, she asked in a teasing lilt, "Any reason?"

He closed his eyes. "…I wanted to start over."

Chiaki's face softened, and she moved the hand in his hair to his cheek. He nuzzled her palm. "I remember you liked playing with it," he murmured, as if to himself.

She loved those words. I remember. She was never going to take them for granted again. "Yeah. You have really nice hair."

"Do you want me to grow it back out?"

"No!" she gasped, and he raised an eyebrow. Chiaki swallowed. "…Or…not because of me. If you grow it out, it should be for you. Not to make me happy."

Besides, with his hair shorter, she could suddenly appreciate how broad his shoulders were. They'd been hidden in the long waterfall before. She ran a hand over one admiringly.

"We've got a lot to do tomorrow," she mumbled. "I want to talk to everyone about setting up therapy appointments, introduce them to Yumigami…"

"Unpack your numerous boxes of video games."

"They're all very important video games! And we're having a rematch on every single one."

"I look forward to it."

They fell into a comfortable silence again. Outside, crickets chirped softly. Owari-san mumbled something in her sleep before rolling over and snoring loudly. The sound of her sleeping classmates' even breathing filled her ears, soothing and homey. If Chiaki had one initial qualm about this sleepover, it was that they might wake each other up from nightmares. But for some reason, she had the feeling everyone would sleep soundly tonight.

"Hey, Izuru…" It still felt kind of tingly to use one of his given names. "Are you…are you still bored?"

When he smiled this time, it was subdued. "Yes. That's never going to go away. It just comes with Ultimate Analyst. But…it's not crushing like it was before."

"So…you were having fun earlier?"

"Yes. I suppose it's akin to when we would play video games during your recovery. The outcomes were always predictable, but because you were with me, it was less boring. Now…it's not just you, but everyone. If I focus on the bonds we have, the emotions that invokes in me, the boredom becomes secondary."

He scowled. "Enoshima had all that too…but she threw it away. And I almost made the same mistake."

"But you didn't," Chiaki said, cupping his face again. "You did something she never did—you held onto hope. You hoped that despair wasn't your only path, and I'm so proud of you for that. I'm so glad you've found a place to belong, and I'm so glad it's with us. If you were an outsider here, if you were unhappy…I wouldn't be able to bear it."

His face softened, and he pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you. I never told you that explicitly, did I? I love you so much, Chiaki. More than anything or anyone else in the world."

Brilliantly, she beamed back. "I love you too. Every part of you, with all my being."

He reached up and squeezed the hand on his cheek. Chiaki wanted to talk more, but her eyelids kept drooping. But…I guess it's okay. We have all the time in the world now. She scooted around until she was nestled into his chest.

"You know you have a pillow?"

"This is cozier."

A slight huff of laughter was his only response, and he tugged her closer, dropping a lazy kiss on her forehead. She hummed in contentment and closed her eyes.

She'd finally made it home.

A/N: My goal this chapter was to make it the most heartwarming moment possible. To induce so much sugar, cheese and fluff y'all throw up. Have I succeeded?

The Ultimate Imposter is in his 'real' form because I like to think he's grown comfortable enough to no longer hide behind masks, and only wore Byakuya's in the ending of Side:Hope to troll the real Byakuya.

The epilogue is going to be up October 5~ I know that's technically a day over the two-week update period but c'mon, it's the one-year anniversary of this fic. I can't just ignore that