EDIT 08/01/2023: Some polishing in grammar, typos, and structure.

A Holy Intermission: At Her and Only Her.

As soon as I got inside my room, I locked the door, then I took off my gauntlets and jacket, putting both items on the table. I also removed my shoes, and finally…I laid down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Doing nothing more than that for who knows how long. At first thinking of nothing, but then I began to try and gather my thoughts. Summarizing in my head everything I went through today.

I must've been busy doing that for quite some time because one last thing happened that interrupted the lack of sound inside the room.

Ding dong bing bong.

"Ahem, Ahem, this is a school announcement. It is now 10 p.m. As such, it is officially nighttime. Soon the doors to the dining hall will be locked, entry at that point is strictly prohibited. Okay then…sweet dreams, everyone! Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite…"

And with that, the silence returned.

…

…

"…So, the dining hall is the forbidden area, huh? Good to know…" I mused to myself.

…

…

…

…Kill someone to leave this place…

…Kill someone…

…Kill…

…Kill.

…

I have so much experience with that word, that it had long since lost its impact on me. It was not like I was discrete about it either. When everyone started panicking and almost crying when that part was announced. When it was declared that the price of our freedom was to spill the blood of someone among the group…I was just exasperated at Monokuma teasing what my talent was about, with the segment about being trapped here forever being the only aspect that actually caught me off guard.

So, the question was…was I capable of ending the life of one of my classmates to leave this place?

Absolutely.

Without a hint of hesitation, I reached to that conclusion as soon as the question came to me. It wasn't like I hated any of them 'I don't think I have ever killed someone out of spite…', some even were amusing to watch in some way.

But that was as far as it goes.

I have only spent a day here, I don't know them at all, so I don't have any kind of connection with them, and as I have pointed it out before, if they were to die, by their or my own hands…I will not lose any sleep over it.

The only thing truly stopping me from preparing to commit an Assassination was the rule six.

I don't know how was he going to do it, but I was sure that whoever breaks first and becomes a blackened, will be set as an example by Monokuma. Because all this whole situation was just a form of entertainment for whoever controls the bear, and they will not allow someone to beat their game this fast…Their eccentricity and arrogance were proof of that.

It was that lack of information that prevents me from even considering making a move, that, and the fact that for the next days, everyone will keep an eye on me. I was aware that when the first murder occurs, all fingers 'Well…maybe not hers…' will be pointed at me.

So…do I wait until after the first murder occurs? If I were to follow that path…yeah, that was set in stone, as I was sure Monokuma would only make that sixth rule clearer until that moment to mess with the first murderer. Maybe I should wait for more than that? The more I bid my time, the more the distrust within the group will get on even grounds to the point that being the Ultimate Assassin will stop being a real concern in the grand scheme of things for the group. It would also help that I've been highly cooperative so far…

Or should I just wait for someone to rescue us? I didn't had this possibility in mind out of optimism, but rather because of logical thinking. At the end of the day, Hope's Peak was a worldwide famous institution. Kidnapping an entire class of Ultimates with people as influential as Togami included in said class should make the entire world make an effort to find us and get us out of this place. It could be a matter of days or weeks…maybe months, but the chances were definitely there.

Besides, If I was honest…time wasn't of the essence for me, so I would be lying if I said that I was in a hurry to get out. That, and killing someone outside of a mission was…a foreign concept. Every single one of my 'targets' had been part of an objective, they were done with purpose 'Even if I didn't cared…or hated it in some way…', so killing someone out of selfishness…will be weird. Even so when slash if the time comes, I was sure I won't hesitate. It may sound arrogant, but it was just a fact of being the Ultimate Assassin in the same way that it was being good with computers as the Ultimate Programmer.

Still…

So many choices…

Of course, all that planning and scheming gets thrown out of the window thanks to what truly had been in my head almost the whole day.

Junko Enoshima.

Even if I've been repeating to myself that I will take the 'bedtime' to reflect upon it, I was still way too conflicted when it comes to her.

All that talk about me not even beginning to start getting along with anyone here was absolute crap. I wasn't blind, or that dense for that matter. Putting aside how this development with her was unnerving me, I was aware that her company was far from unwelcomed and that I got bothered every time someone badmouthed her. For crying out loud, I smiled like three times in one single day while also making an attempt at a funny comment instead of just keeping it in my mind like I usually do, on the freaking first day of meeting her.

I don't do that; it just doesn't happen.

The only other person with whom I've done that with…was Her.

…

…And then, there's the fashionista herself. She was…I will admit, attractive. That wig she had kind of looked weird on her if I was honest, but everything else…the few times she didn't do that grin and peace sign gesture, but an actual smile…it felt nice, I could even dare to say warm. The freckles gave her that cute charm thing I talked about during our introductions which did nothing but reinforced her features. She was well built too, as I could notice the muscles of someone who works out a lot 'Specially on the legs…'. Most important of all though…

Her eyes.

Yes, those light violet orbs were also a trait that complemented her person, but more than that…those rare moments where they sharpened, I could see something more, it was something that would make most people cry in fear and desire get to away as far as possible, but in my case…it was like meeting with a familiar sight, some type of kindred spirit, but above all of that…they showed something wonderful that made my heart rate accelerate…

…Sigh.

I was well aware that I had some kind of…peculiar interest in members of the opposite gender when they had traits like those. Strong, dangerous, intimidating, lethal, unafraid of anything, whose close company would put my life at risk…it was kind of counterproductive to my lifestyle, I would know, She always made sure of pointing it out every time the topic came.

You're being a real creep with that weird kink of yours, drop it…or I will make you…

She truly worried a lot about me, didn't she?

…

…Some could argue that Enoshima was none of those, her talent and most of her personality points to that…but that was the thing, most of it didn't mean everything.

While more often than not, she had this stereotypical 'Valley Girl' way of talking that could be…weird and confusing in some moments, that wasn't all that there was to her. In addition to her eyes, there were some 'slip-ups' in which she revealed that there was more about her than what she lets on. The fact that not even once she was frightened in my company supports this. I was also aware that judging a book by its cover could be a fatal mistake to make. Ogami for example, some people would believe by her appearance that she was an Owada 2.0, but that couldn't be further from the truth, on the contrary, she was one of the most level-headed members of our class.

The chances of the Fashionista being a similar case, and the Enoshima with those sharp eyes being nothing but the tip of the iceberg for her true self, was a real…and fascinating possibility in my own counterproductive, confusing and paradoxical way.

…

…

…

…Look at me, trapped inside a fake school with other fifteen people and a weaponized, robotic, and murderous bear that had ordered us to kill each other if we wanted to have a chance to escape…and my more pressing matters are related to puberty, being torn between dreading and desiring the chance that one of my classmates actually results being more problems than what they seem at first glance because I would find that alluring.

Those guys truly made a piece of work on me, didn't they?

…

…

…

…Am I truly compromised to that level?

I would like to think that finding a girl attractive wouldn't be enough for me to make all this drama…Ogami qualifies in some of the aspects I said about my…well, interests. But beyond 'liking the sight'? That was all there was about it with the Martial Artist. Enoshima, though? There…There was this other thing, I don't know what was it, just that it's something different to physical attraction…

…

…At least I managed to lay out all of that. If I get lucky, sleeping will be enough to compose myself and sort my thoughts on the matter, allowing me to think about it in a more rational way.

If not…

…

…Well, I don't think I will have a tight agenda for the foreseeable future, do I?

As soon as Junko Enoshima got inside her room, she immediately locked the door and proceeded to give a scrutinous look at her surroundings. Small chance as it was, she had to make sure there weren't any hazards waiting for her. Once done with her assessment, she gave a sharp nod in approval, and then…

She took off the strawberry blonde wig she had been wearing all day, revealing her short raven hair in a bob haircut, and placed it on the wig stand that was on her desk. Following that, she got rid of her boots and settled down to bed, sighing in relief before focusing her gaze on the ceiling.

…

…She didn't do anything else other than keep her gaze there, with a completely blank expression for what felt like an eternity. Even the nighttime announcement didn't disturb her from what she was…or wasn't doing.

Then as minutes passed by, a reaction finally occurred...in the form of a smile. Neither acted or forced, but an authentic and beaming smile.

She smiled until she couldn't contain the giddy feeling in her stomach and began giggling.

To the few people who really knew her, they would be dumbfounded, some even perturbed at the state of the woman in front of them, not used to seeing her smiling, and much less laughing in any kind of form.

But she didn't care, she couldn't care less about that right now.

After all, she was happy.

How could she not? After all…she spent the whole day with Him.

At first, it would be a lie to say she wasn't worried about how things could turn out. There were hundreds of theories about how things could've proceeded in her head, and almost all of them ended with Him giving nothing more than a glance at her, doing the basic introduction thing, and then focusing on more urgent matters 'Maybe with some kind of sarcastic mental comment. He tends to do that…one of the few liberties his lifestyle allowed him…', only to never spoke to her ever again.

Those fears intensified when he got inside the main hall and saw the mounted machine guns and the introductions began, she could see that while he followed along with some of the…eccentric behavior of her classmates, Him only did it with the intent of having an understanding of whom he was surrounded with. Either cataloging each of them as different levels of threat or how they could be useful in the dire situation they were in.

Because Him knew it was dire, not 10 seconds passed where he didn't give a cautious glance at the weapons or the vault door.

She also could admit that maybe…doing what she did when Sakura touched Him was a mistake. The logical side of her told her it was just the Martial Artist gauging Him, that Sakura already had someone whose heart belonged to, and that being the honorable person she was, she would never dare to betray said bond…but the side that won for just a moment…well, let's just say that she didn't herself any favors.

It is true that being caught doing something like that would've gathered his interest, but taking the context into consideration…She doubted it would be the kind of interest she wanted.

And then, the moment of truth…at first it seemed that it was going to be as she feared and Him would be seeing her as just another classmate. But then, as if in some kind of miracle, something changed just as fast, the usually neutral expression Him carries changed to a conflicted one for a second, and from there, she could notice and one hundred and eighty change in his attitude. Small details as how did he greet her differently from the rest of their classmates, the tone of his voice, which contained the barest hint of warmness in it, with his facial expressions showing that he wasn't feeling like spending time with her was a chore or part of an objective.

In retrospect, she might have been paying him a bit more attention than she intended.

And if that wasn't enough, then, in the middle of their introduction, Him did something she truly, truly didn't expect…

What about your freckles?

When that question arose, and even though she didn't mean to do it to him of all people, she recurred to her common way of dealing with things out of her comfort zone…snapping in the usual way that isolated her from her classmates and other people throughout her life.

But not Him, she could actually see the gleam in his eyes when she had that reaction, and once again, Him did something she had even lower expectations of actually happening.

He complimented them, calling her freckles cute…

She knew Him was sincere, and while in most people she could believe that it was either sarcasm or a form of deception, she knew that he wouldn't have wasted time making a compliment like that one for a person that he barely knew. Not in normal circumstances, and even less when in a risky one, like the middle of a kidnapping with mounted weapons pointed at him.

Unless it was her.

Plus, those conflicted faces and stiffness that showed his actual nervousness on the matter, told her all she needed to know Him was being honest about it.

…That, and the fact that it wasn't the first time he complimented the dots on her face…

Plus, the cherry on top of the cake was that. After things with the lowest chances of ever happening again occurred, Him gave her the biggest of all surprises with something she believed would have been impossible to ever happen again.

He smiled at her.

At her and only her.

It was good he left as soon as he did, that way he didn't noticed the absolutely shocked look on her face.

Him was not the kind of person that goes around doing that.

Even when he got used to her classmates 'And they to him…', and eventually began to joke around, he did it in his usual stoic expression, betraying any form of amusement the tone of his voice could show.

But it happened, even when his memories of those times no longer exist, even when he was in the middle of this killing game…and even when he doesn't remember her anymore, he still did it…not once, not twice, but three times in a single day…a smile.

At her and only her.

Just like before all of this…

It is true that he's not the only one who has done that…Makoto Naegi was another person capable of smiling at her, a smile full of happiness and hope, and it actually caused her no small amount of happiness that someone like him could do that in her presence…

But that smile wasn't exclusive to her. He smiles that way at every single person that he meets.

Of course, she didn't blame, resented, or held any kind of grudge at the Luckster. She knows that's just the way Naegi was, a happy and hopeful person that always believes in the best of everybody around him and tries his best to use his optimism to improve everyone's life day by day.

Although, that's even more of a reason why it was a whole different feeling when Him smiled at her. It was something he only did when in the company of her and with nobody else.

…Well, there is Her, but that's a completely acceptable and valid exception. After all, Her is his only family. She of all people can understand how important that is…'

A smile that didn't falter when they just began to meet and she…admittedly gave him a challenge in his effort to befriend her. It couldn't be helped at the time. Even if she appreciated the smile, his talent and her…cautious nature was bound to collide with each other. But even that didn't stop him and, in the end, it would be the understatement of the century to say that he managed to connect with her on a level she couldn't believe was possible for her to achieve with someone.

It was also true that it helped that since the beginning, unlike the rest of her classmates, Him never tried to separate what she really was, from a more optimistic…but false version of her. He understood her, the kind of things she did, and didn't paint them in a warped brighter version of what they were that only worked as some kind of pity, but at the same time, he wasn't repulsed by her existence or actions.

Because he too had experience doing similar things, he could sympathize with her and vice versa without feeling forced or faked. Not encourage each other actions just…sympathize.

When she was with him, she didn't experienced the dreading feeling of guilt at unintentionally tricking him into seeing her as something she wasn't.

Even if now, not a moment passes without her feeling terrible at what she helped happen to him…

Overall, that's what she adores the most about his smiles, she could always be her true self, no matter how 'disturbing' her topics for conversation could get or how 'scary' she acted. She didn't even had to worry about any of that making him uncomfortable, because he always listened intently to her while the corners of his lips stretched upwards until they formed a smile.

At her and only her.

How could she not love that smile, when it's the very first thing that is exclusive to her? The first thing that allowed her to know that she could actually be selfish about something?

She lost the sense of desire long before she knew she had one. Her dream becoming duller day by day, only focusing on following orders of her superiors…and then following orders of That person to make them happy…but then that smile came, and even to this moment, not a day passes when she would do almost anything just to keep Him from doing that smile at somebody else. So he would keep smiling only at her.

At her and only her.

And how could she not be happy and giggling right now? If even after all that had happened, Him was still capable of smiling in her company.

At her and only her.

So yes, today had been a day that surpassed her wildest expectations. There were some worrying moments, that's true, like when she told Him about how he apparently had a sense of humor and the atmosphere had a complete shift in the mood between the two.

She wanted to slam her face against a wall at that moment, she should've known he was already way too much out of his comfort zone, but she became greedy and pushed for more…she truly feared that his cautious side would catalog her as something to avoid at all costs from that moment on.

Imagine her surprise when even after that tense moment happened, Him still made one attempt at an amusing comment in an effort of lifting her spirits, smiled at her, took a seat next to her during the reunion at the dining hall, and even stood up for her when Fukawa began to have…one of her moments.

She kind of began to worry for a moment that maybe the memory erasure procedure didn't work on him, but she dismissed the thought just as fast as the thought came. If he had his memories, he wouldn't have acted the way he did most of the time and would've called her out in those moments when they were alone about her disguise.

Instead…she wants to believe that their bond was that strong, capable of going beyond memories…

Yes, that is a good way of thinking about it.

"…I wonder if tomorrow will be just as good…" She couldn't help the dreamy tone as those words left her mouth.

"Just as good as what?"

! ! !

She got on her own feet and readied for combat with a speed that nobody would believe belonged to a Fashionista, with a combat knife already in her right hand, she was about to attack the intruder, locking her sight on it and―

"Ju―!?" Stopped herself immediately.

"No! Nay! I'm Monokuma and I am your headmaster!" The monochrome bear declared.

She was grateful that she was trained to react and stop an attack just as fast as she launches it…of course, that didn't stop her from staring at the bear with trepidation and dread growing in her stomach.

"Of course…Monokuma…um, what are you doing here…?" She warily asked.

"Hmm, what I am doing here? Isn't that what we all ask ourselves at some point in our lives? What are we doing here? Such a philosophical question, but I have a better one…what do you think you're doing!?" The monochrome bear exclaimed.

Though she could easily defeat the machine in front of her and the person who controls it, she still flinched "Eh? Ah…um, I don't know what―"

"Oh, don't play dumb, miss! You may be the physical incarnation of stupidity, but even you know what I am talking about…You truly couldn't stop yourself from going after what's between his legs, could you?"

She flinched again. While…that wasn't what she was truly doing, she understood what That person truly meant "I-I-I'm sorry…I just thought―"

"You thought NOTHING!" For the third time, she winced as she heard Monokuma snap at her "Do you have any idea of how many times you almost blew your cover in just the first flipping day!? Like seriously, what was that bullcrap you pulled on the gym? I mean, even that dumb failure of a musician could tell something was fishy with your whole act of a Fashionista being all defensive and friendly on a guy who is labeled as the Ultimate Freaking Assassin!"

She lowered her head in shame. Monokuma was right, what she did was not supposed to happen. The reveal of Shigaraki's talent was meant to reinforce the chances of her classmates giving up on the temptation of killing someone to escape, all thanks to the fear of being trapped with someone known as the most talented assassin in the world.

And while it was true that they still are far from not fearing him 'She could notice that almost everyone flinched and tensed up every time he did as much as looking in their direction', it was greatly subsided thanks to her actions…thanks to her opening her mouth before she even knew what she was doing, and all because…because the way everyone reacted at such reveal…it was not that different to when his talent became known on their true first day…

Hope's Peak Academy, Class 1-A, unknown time ago…

"Alright then, it's good to have enthusiasm Yamada, but save it for later…much later…seriously…now, uh, where was I? Ah, right…You…the one with the jacket and the gloves…ah, not you Kirigiri, the other person with a jacket and gloves…the one seated at the desk by the bottom corner…come here and present yourself or whatever…geez, last night didn't do me any favors…hip!" A man with ragged blond hair and a fedora weakly stated as he drank from a whisky bottle.

She fought the urge of rolling her eyes at the current state of the man. Any respect she could imagine having for him had been thrown out of the window within less than 10 minutes of meeting him. Of course, she was talking about the 10 minutes of actually meeting him, because he had the gall to come on the first day of class three hours later.

Anyone who dared do something like that back 'Home', would've faced a punishment with a real risk of death…or an actual death on a bad day, for such indiscipline.

But, well…she was far from there. All the friendly talking, laughing, joking, and enthusiastic shouting her classmates were part of, was a testament to that.

If she was honest with herself…she felt uncomfortable being here. She didn't feel like she belonged with all these teenagers that surrounded her…and she knew the feeling will be mutual, as they will make that clear when she presents herself with her talent and they get to know her. It's always like that, and only her desire to stay close and protect that person, was keeping her from dropping from this school.

Although…

She said that all of them make her feel out of place, but…there was some kind of exception.

The person on her right, a boy, slightly taller than her, with pale skin, messy black hair, and well-built if the muscles noticeable even with his attire covering them were any indication. It wasn't that he was a mass of muscles like that Martial Artist girl, but it was more like a body built for speed and dexterity. Besides all of that, his most defining physical trait that she could notice… was his eyes, they were golden and they didn't look like they were contacts, so they were natural most probably, which was an unusual sight…

Overall, he was pleasant to look at.

Not like she cared about that in the slightest though, a pretty face wasn't what caught her attention. Rather, it was two aspects of him that were of interest. First, it was his expression, or more specifically, his lack of one. There wasn't joy, disdain, dread, sadness, nervousness, or anything…it kind of reminded of her. The only change you could notice where when his dull eyes moved every few moments. He wasn't the only one with a neutral expression, true, that silver-haired girl their terrible excuse of a professor mentioned just a few moments ago was not that different in that regard. Even so…it only took her a few moments to understand that it wasn't the same and she also became aware of what he was truly doing with his eyes…

He was analyzing all of their classmates.

It was less how That person does it and more…like she does, cataloging people as threats, how much danger they represent, searching for ways she could neutralize them, how fast, which was the most effective method, and so on…

It was kind of bizarre, to be honest. It was like looking at the mirror and seeing a reflection that you recognize as yourself but with a different face, it didn't help that when his eyes landed on her and she instinctively sharpened her eyes with ferocity in face of the unknown threat, instead of the usual frightened face or slight yelp she was used to, she could see how his eyes slightly widened and his dull eyes became renewed with some kind of gleam on them…

That rang a few warning bells in her head.

The second point was that while his face didn't show anything, his body language kind of did. Again, she recognized it. For the average eye, it could look as if he was just bored out of his mind, and that he was completely relaxed.

That was not the case.

She could see it, it wasn't close to reaching paranoid levels where someone would jump at their own shadow, but he was absolutely ready to react at any kind of attack coming his way, with his legs in a position in which they wouldn't be a problem if he were to jump out of the chair, his hands were ready to use the desk as a shield or a projectile, depending on the scenario, and all his posture in general, told her that he had his guard up…more red flags.

Her assessment of this possibly dangerous individual eventually came to an end, as it was this same person whom their Homeroom Teacher called out.

As soon as he moved out of his seat, any more glares she could give him were interrupted by That person.

"Holy shit, not even one day here and you already are eating someone with your eyes, seriously, what kind of horny slut are you?"

"E-Eh? N-No, it's not that…" She tried to explain herself "It's just―!"

"I don't care, now shut up and let me listen" Not like That person allowed her to "I am kind of curious…"

Rather than the order itself, that last part was what made her clap her mouth.

That person, interested in something? It definitely had happened before, even if they get bored of it almost as fast as everything else, but it's still extremely rare. In that case…she should also pay attention if he's that intriguing of a person.

When he got called out, it also attracted the attention of all her classmates, which didn't waste any time doing their own speculation.

"Oh man, that dude has the vibe I've looking for! I wonder if his talent is related to music, maybe? I could use some bandmates, and the sooner I do, the faster I can begin my musical career!" Some red-haired guy commented.

"Oi, are you dumb!? Look at those gauntlets, that high-quality shit is not different from what I and the best of my guys use when on the road, it's gotta be something to do with motorcycles! I bet this bastard knows his stuff!" Someone with a pompadour haircut exclaimed.

"Hmm…I think I have seen that cross in his shirt from somewhere before, some kind of religion perhaps? Could it be related to his talent?" A gothic lolita girl mused.

It seemed that the red-eyed girl hit bullseye somewhere, as she could notice that he gave a quick glance at said girl, unlike the previous guesses that he simply ignored.

So, he was part of a religion of sorts? His talent was related to something like praying? He didn't give her that feeling.

"I don't have any idea. I investigated who was going to attend Hope's Peak, to know who were going to be my classmates, but I couldn't find anything about him…" A boy with an ahoge said.

While that also caught her interest, any more guessing between the group was stopped as the mysterious boy finally was in front of the entire class.

At first, he didn't said anything, he just stood there, looking at each one of the people inside the room, it was no longer a calculating look, like the one he was having when he was in his seat. There was something else instead, nervousness? Panic? Dread? Trepidation? Shyness?

No.

She knew what it was…it was the same feeling she was going to have when the moment to present herself comes…

Resignation.

It wasn't the kind that had some kind of depression or any other negative emotion to it. It was simple resignation, he already accepted that whatever he was going to say next would cause a negative reaction and there wasn't anything he could do nor he was going to make a true effort to change that.

Just like her.

After ending his stare contest with the entire class, he finally spoke.

"Shizuka Shigaraki, greetings…I am the Ultimate Assassin" He simply said, but there was some firmness in his tone, in the same way any other serious but normal student would present themselves, an absolutely normal introduction.

Of course, what was inside said greeting was anything but normal.

Even if her body acted on instinct and she had already her favorite weapon ready yet hidden from everyone's sight, her mind was still trying to process that single sentence.

She wasn't the only one, everyone except That person saw him as if he spoke an entirely different language, even their drunk of a teacher looked completely sobered now, giving an intense stare at the teenager in front of him.

Eventually, someone found their voice once again.

"…Um, Excuse for my rudeness at such action, but I think I might have misheard you…What is your talent again?" Someone with big brows and red eyes asked.

"Ultimate Assassin" He repeated, with such disinterest in his voice that it was as if he was getting asked about the weather.

"…You are joking…right?" The red-haired boy asked.

"No"

There was an awkward silence, where not even she knew how to react, until…

"Hahahaha, oh man! You wanted to look cool for all of us on the first day, didn't ya?" Some hobo-looking man said with amusement in his voice "But seriously tho, what is your―"

"That is my talent"

"…Eh?"

Rather than replying to that dumbfounded question, Him turned to their teacher "…Professor Kizakura, correct me if I am wrong, but you and the headmaster were informed of this beforehand, did you not?"

For the first time since she had seen him, her teacher took a completely serious stance and spoke clearly, finally looking like a proper educator.

"…You a member of the H& S#%#$#$#N S$#%#&Y, aren't you?" It sounded like asking for confirmation, but she could understand that it was meant as a statement.

"Yes, I am" The tone of his voice was as neutral as ever while lacking any hesitation in answering that 'question'. He clearly expected it and had confidence in answering it.

"…"

"…"

Eventually, the silence became too much, and letting out a tired sigh, her professor spoke up "…What were those guys thinking, pulling a move like this? This must be some kind of a bad joke…"

Huh? What was he talking about? Why does it sound as if this wasn't a choice of the HEADMASTER of Hope's Peak itself or a scout like it normally happens when getting recruited into this school? As if the decision of bringing him into this place was made by someone else? Like…

Like…

Just…like…her…

The warning bells inside her head hadn't ringed this much in years, scratch that, she doesn't know if they ever did it this high.

"Um…P-Professor…d-does that mean th-that he truly is…?" The red-eyed boy from before trailed off as if for the first time in his life, he didn't desire an answer to the question he made.

Judging by the lack of an immediate answer, it looked as if the teacher was weighing his options between telling them or not. After a few moments though, he made a decision "…Yes, he is not lying…he truly is the Ultimate Assassin…"

Not even the sound of breathing could ever be heard now with how silent the classroom was, it was like that for only a few seconds, though, and then the sound returned in a truly weird way.

"Ah, the Ultimate Assassin, I see, nice to meet you…" Some obese boy with glasses said casually 'Huh? Is that really the reaction such an announcement is going to―' "Ultimate Assassin!? EEEEEEEEK" Ah.

And from there, chaos erupted.

"W-WAIT, IS IT REAL!? AAAAAAAAH! Batman! Jesus! Buda! Odin! save me! ! ! !"

"U-U-Ultimate A-Assassin!? What is this…!?"

"What the fuck!?"

"I-Is he going to k-kill us!?"

"Are we going to die!?"

"Aaah…this is bad…we are going to die…so sad…"

"N-No way…!"

The panic continued for a few more minutes, and amidst all that, she dared to look at the one who caused it all.

He remained the same…no, there was a change.

She may not be the best people person, she was at least aware of that, but she could recognize the face he was making, even if he still looked as blank as ever. Ther was a slight change in his expression…she knows because he had done that face too before, after all. It says…

Geez, I knew something like that would happen, sigh…

But that was it, beyond that, he didn't seem to hold any other opinion about this situation.

And before the screams and panic disappeared someone nudged her on her left. It was That person. Although it had a panicked and scared expression, she knew it was only faking it, probably to not make itself suspicious, with the tone of its whisper betraying said expression.

"Neeee~, aren't you happy? Your crush is the same kind of pathetic weirdo as you! A loser who doesn't know what to do with his life other than taking others' lives! Upupupupu, what were the chances of that? Someone out there truly threw you a bone, huh?"

She couldn't avoid the heating up of her cheeks at the implications, even if they were completely false. No, there wasn't anything romantic in what she felt about the person on the other end of the room, if anything, she felt wariness. How could she not? Someone labeled as the Ultimate Assassin was bound to be a legitimate problem to even someone with her talent.

He was not someone to have a crush on.

He wasn't even someone to make friends with.

He was a threat.

It took some time, but eventually, with the help of their teacher and some of the most strong-minded individuals like the Togami heir calling everyone a 'pathetic excuse of an Ultimate for allowing such announcement to scare them', things calmed as much as they could with someone like Him inside the room.

"…Shigaraki…you can return to your seat," Her teacher said in an exhausted tone.

She could see how some of her classmates flinched at the mention of the name and some even yelped when they saw him getting closer to them as he moved to his desk.

When he took his seat, she didn't flinched. Instead, she almost lashed her weapon at him out of instinct…which, unfortunately, she could see that he did took notice of that. She would be lying if she said this didn't surprise her, after all, to do what she almost did, she exposed her blade out of its hidden spot just for a moment, no more than a single second…and it seems that was all he needed.

She retrieved it just as fast as when she pulled it out in her attempt at an attack, the combat knife was out of its hidden spot for so little to the point she was confident nobody else could have noticed the weapon.

Nobody but him apparently. The way his face immediately turned to her just a moment before she pulled that move was evidence that he was capable of either feeling her killing intent, having inhuman reflexes, or in the worst-case scenario, a combination of the two.

She could notice in his body language that he was as ready to counter that attack as she was ready to launch it, and even now some parts of his body twitched in anticipation of her next move, especially that one hand he had close to the insides of his jacket.

Upon their faces, there was a staring contest. While her eyes were sharp and menacing, with a scowl on her face, his expression was still the same stoic one he had since the beginning, though it didn't contain any mocking, arrogance, or similar senses of superiority. He was taking her with the most serious resolve he could muster. Even when he understood the caliber of the opponent in front of him and the possible deathly consequences of a defeat, because she knew that he knew, he didn't back down from her gaze. In her own way, she was glad that she was being respected in such a way, but…there was something else, something…strange. That gleam in his eyes returned once again, and though it was hard to see, it almost looked like the corners of his lips were about to twitch, as if they wanted to move in a certain way but at the same time restrained themselves…it was weird if she was honest.

But leaving that aside, she had to wonder…who would make the first move. It would be her? Him? There was also the fact to take into consideration how―

"If you are going to kiss him, I will throw up"

"Eh? / Eek!"

"And finally, you, the girl next to…Shigaraki, please come and make your introduction" Her teacher announced.

Kind of relieved to leave that…incident behind, she left with a bit more hurry than she intended. Fortunately, nobody paid any mind to that.

Once she was in front of everyone, she had already fully recovered her composure along her stoic face, and not wanting to waste any time she proceeded as instructed.

"Greetings, my name is $=#O $#=#$#A and my talent is the Ultimate S#%#$#R" She stated with a tone of professionalism and a salute befitting of her talent.

In the beginning, she could see that her classmate's reactions were going to be similar to what they were during his introduction.

"Ultimate S#%#$#R, I see…Ultimate S#%#$#R!? Eeeeeek!"

"Is she serious!?"

"N-No way…!"

"Awwww man! What the hell is wrong with this school, bringing these kinds of people!?"

"Aaah…we are truly going to die…this time for real…so sad…"

To her surprise though, there was a divergence from what she expected.

"…B-But h-hey at least it's not like…y'know…is not the same right?"

"Y-Yeah, I think I get it, an S#%#$#R…it doesn't truly sound…um, evil?"

"I mean, when you think about it, doesn't Ultimate S#%#$#R sound like some kind of protector of the people, that's their job, right?"

"Oh! I see! Two similar powers, but of completely different affiliations! One a force of darkness ready to strike from the shadows at those who least expect it! While the other is a blinding light of justice, bringing just punishment to such evil! Aaah! My ideas are flowing, I definitely must use this!"

"I-Is th-that so…?"

"If you put it that way…"

"Then she must truly…"

…

…Huh?

It's not like her objective was to be intimidating on purpose, but that was just how she was and she had long since accepted it. All the things she had done thoroughly her life were a testament to that, being intimidated by her was completely reasonable and in most cases, should be encouraged. All the blood in her hands, good and bad, points to that conclusion.

But the things they were saying… kind of bothered her.

They didn't know anything about the two of them, not that she knew him either, but…that image they were making of the two of them, they were filling their own story of who they were, without actually knowing anything in the first place or even having any kind of clue on the matter.

She knows it was a temporary thing from the heat of the moment, and they will be back to fearing her in the next few days, she could see how nervous they still were and the cautious glances most of them were giving her already. Still…the fact that they were idolizing an image of her that they created themselves for their self-satisfaction…felt wrong.

Then she dared to look at the other side of the coin, at Him, and she saw…

! ! !

Wh-What!?

It…It can't be real…

She was curious about what his reaction would be to all of this. Granted, she doubted that with his blank expression, she could see anything, but even so…she expected a lot of things, all of them negative. She expected some irritation or annoyance on his face or even something like envy, envy that even with a talent so similar, she got some kind of acceptance, acceptance at the cost of even more isolation for him without truly making an effort. She expected him to buy that distorted image the rest of her class was giving her, not even bothering to truly acknowledge her. She definitely expected that now that he knew her talent, he would flow with hostility against her.

But not even in her wildest moments of imagination she could have foreseen what he did instead.

It truly turned her entire world upside down.

Because what he did…was that he…he…

…He smiled at her.

It was not some kind of super friendly or big smile. On the contrary, it was so small that if she hadn't seen how stoic he was the entire day, she probably couldn't have noticed the difference in his features.

It didn't have any ill intentions and neither was full of deception like that smile the Gambler seems to do all the time. The only thing she could notice about it was that it had some kind of expectancy, with the gleam of his eyes returning at full force as if he was glad of being in the presence of someone like her.

Such smile…directed at her…

As much as she tried to believe that it was an illusion, no matter how much she blinked, or tried to feel the presence of someone behind her, believing that he was directing it at someone else, his eyes were absolutely locked on her.

It was there for her…a small but completely sincere smile.

At her and only her.

Someone smiled at her…at her…

Someone only and exclusively gave a smile at her.

The first smile that was directed at her in her entire life.

Even after that brief exchange, where he saw a part of the kind of person she truly is and the danger she represents…

…Someone did something like that even with that factor into consideration.

She didn't know why he did it.

What possible reason he could have inside his head to commit something like that?

She was aware having these thoughts of someone with the talent of Ultimate Assassin wouldn't be the wisest of ideas.

But.

But.

But…

…

…Maybe…

…Just Maybe…

…She wouldn't mind if he did it again.

Remembering that day, kind of made her feel bad for having that negative reaction to him at the beginning…but at the same time, maybe that was the kind of first step both needed to truly begin their path to understanding each other, in their own special way.

That was also why she did what she did in the gym, it just felt like she needed to pay him back for that day, she just couldn't allow for it to repeat itself, even less during that moment. She felt like she owed him that.

"…"

"…"

"…You were having some kind of flashback, didn't you?" Monokuma deadpanned.

"Ah! Monokuma…erm, um, y-you see―" She stammered at being caught so easily.

"But nothing! Geez…you are lucky most of them are a bunch of idiots who will think of it as some weird quirk of yours, and those who don't and are less gullible, they are so stuck up on their asses to do anything about that stunt of yours"

"I-I see…"

"I don't think you do…" Monokuma sighed in exasperation "…But, where was I? Ah yes…how much you failed me and almost ruined it multiple times in your pursuit of his sausage…but I guess it can't be helped, after all, you're an ugly, fat, bitch whose only quality is to kill people, and he is a leashed loser, a creep, and a cult freak whose only quality is to kill people. For real! It's on plain sight for anyone with eyes how the two of you are pathetically made for each other!"

W-What?

"…You…"

"Hm?"

Did Monokuma really mean all of that…?

"You…"

"Oh? Did I break you? At long last, noticing the consequences of your actions? How disappointing you are?"

She had to know…

"You…you really think so!?" She asked with a smile and wide eyes.

"…Eh?"

Putting aside the annoyance she felt at That person when Monokuma insulted Him, she focused on what mattered to her about what the monochrome bear said.

"You…you seriously think that we…that we would look good together?" She asked now with her cheeks heated up and fidgeting with her fingers.

Could they be together…like that? They both formed a truly special relationship in the time they spent together. Becoming the best of friends, and even if the two of them weren't the most social of people, that didn't stop them from always finding something to have a good time with. If they didn't have a topic to talk about, they enjoyed high-intensity sparring sessions of all kinds where they didn't have to hold anything back and could last until they couldn't move any muscle, and if they didn't feel like it either, they just simply relaxed in each other silent yet comfortable company.

But even with all of the previously listed activities they did together and even other special moments they had throughout the time they had known each other; they never took a step further than that. For all she claims about understanding him and vice versa, she never knew if he felt that way about her, and she feared taking the initiative and ruining what they had created between them. But…

If the possibility was there and…and if he were to ask that question, she…she wouldn't mind.

"…"

"…"

"…Of course, your dumb ears take it that way, but I admit I am almost impressed you actually ignored the 'failure you are' part. In the past, that made you act even more disappointing than what you usually are, though I should've known that would happen if I involved him in the conversation…"

"Eh…?" She blinked owlishly for a few moments until realization hit her like a truck "Ah! N-No! I-It's not like that! I-It's just th-that when you said―!"

"Don't caaaare, it doesn't matter right now, what I want at this moment is to get into the heart of the matter!"

Hearing that, she corrected herself and stopped from both fantasizing about him and dreading her recent failure, to listen to what Monokuma had to say next "…Heart of the matter?"

"Yep! The next course of action, if you will! You see, at first, I thought of ordering you to get away from him and to never interact with each other ever again…like I should've done since the beginning, so you couldn't compromise things even more…"

Her blood ran cold at that.

G-Get away from him and…n-never interact with him again? If she does that…

What if that makes him lose the last bits of interest he still had in her? What if their bond breaks forever because of that? What if he finds someone else to rebuild one?

She can't allow that.

"W-Wait! N-No! You don't need to do that! I promise you I can―!"

"Are you deaf? I said AT FIRST…geez, I almost pity that guy. Now, as I was saying, I had a change of mind. You could say…that when I saw you two…how the barrier of his lost memories didn't seem to stop your bond from beginning to form again…I had an epiphany! As if the juices of the universe bathed my body! Something in me clicked that made me think: Sure, go for it, girl!"

"…Huh?" That person couldn't truly mean…

"…Right, stupidity incarnated…" Monokuma deadpanned "What I mean is…I will not put any restrictions on your pursuit of love!"

She couldn't believe it, the more this conversation went the more the churning feeling in her stomach 'And heart…' grew exponentially, until this declaration.

Before she could allow herself to get rid of said dread, she had to confirm it "Really? Can I spend time with him and you would allow it?"

"As you heard it! Let never be said that this bear isn't a fan of romantic couples, even the terrible ones! And it would also help me, y'know? With you around, I can have an extra pair of eyes close to him to keep tabs on his movements…you can do that, right?"

Before the monochrome bear ended that sentence, she was already nodding furiously "Yes! I can do it!"

A way to please that person and spend time with him? It was a dream come true!

"Upupupu…make sure of that, and also to expand your bond with him all you can, don't forget to do that! And…well…one more thing…"

"Of course! What is it?"

"You remember the other plan we have, right?"

Her excitement from before subsided at that. That plan…yes, she remembers. It was one of the things That person had grind into her head, as it will be a key factor that she will have to play.

"Ah…yes, about that thing I will have to do in a few days, correct?"

Monokuma nodded at that "At least your head hasn't lost all of its brain cells…yes, that. You will do it, right?"

…If she goes with it…It hurts her to be separated from him…but she couldn't allow herself to fail That person again, a part of her already feels terrible for how much she ruined it today.

The other is still in absolute joy with how this day turned out.

She knows she had to do this.

Even if it feels wrong in more ways than one.

But…

At least it wouldn't be forever like Monokuma suggested previously.

So, without further hesitation… "Absolutely…you allowed me to still talk to him, even with the risks that represent…following that with no protest is the least I can do for you!" She exclaimed with a determined look.

It is a shame that she won't be able to see him after that for quite some time…But! Out of all her classmates, she has absolute faith that he will be okay! He's in his natural environment after all! And when he proves how worthy he was, she was sure that she can convince That person to allow Him to join them, and she is even more sure she can convince him to accept such an invitation.

Even if it sounds cruel, she was aware that he had no attachment to any of their classmates anymore, so their deaths wouldn't affect him in any way.

She wished she could say the same about her…

But when it comes to her…all the signs are there! He still had her subconsciously in his mind! Even if it's weakened, their bond hasn't broken! And she had a chance to strengthen it enough so that when the time comes…she will be together with Him again while making That person happy at the same time, it is perfect!

The corner of her mind that doesn't believe the same was completely dismissed.

"Fantastic! That's what I wanted to hear! And just so you know, this will be the most important task I will have you do, so make sure you don't ruin it!"

"Understood! I will not fail you again!"

"Is that so? We will see about that…" That sounded…ominous? "You must know that the success of this plan is one of the most important objectives I have. After all, 'The Bigger They Are, the Harder They Fall'…and if it goes as expected, well, out of all of them…I can't wait to see his fall, Upupupupu…"

"Eh? What are you talking about?" She asked genuinely confused.

What did all that mean?

"Oh, don't worry your stupid head about it, I am the brains and you are the muscles, remember?" Rather than an answer, Monokuma waved off her concerns "Just make sure you follow the plan to the letter and everything will be fine. Anyways, that is all I had to say, see ya!"

Once that sentence ended the monochrome bear disappeared from her room. With nothing else that needed her attention, she returned to her bed and prepared to get to sleep.

Sleep…and dream. Dream of the future that awaited her…with him at her side…

…

…She also ignored that weird sense of dread inside her. Said dread that told her that something about what Monokuma said was just wrong, but she dismissed the feeling.

That person didn't say anything wrong, she only said that she was allowed to talk to him and to follow that plan, and that was exactly what she was going to do.

After all, she absolutely trusts That person and didn't had anything wrong to think about the person controlling Monokuma.

Is that really the case…?

That bothering feeling in her stomach must be just the fact that she didn't had any meal today.

…

…

…

…Right?