Chapter Text
Today was Makoto Naegi’s first day at Hopes Peak Academy, the most prestigious school in the country. He was chosen from a lucky draw, though he's still nervous. The idea of being around all these super duper high school kids scares him, he hopes that it'll be fine.
He got out of his parents car after giving Komaru one final hug, or at least she was acting like it. He reassured her that he'll come home on his next break and that she needn't worry about him.
His family drove off, leaving him standing in front of the large school, staring up at it. He's been researching the school ever since he got his acceptance letter so he knows how it looks, but it's so much bigger in person.
He sucked in a deep breath, walking up to the door. Inside he found what he assumed to be his new classmates. No, he didn't assume, he knew. After all he had been researching as well, who would be enrolling this year. Though some faces he didn't recognize, the ones he couldn't find any information on.
A cheerful girl with blue hair waltzed over to him, erasing all of his anxiety in seconds. He knew her, Sayaka Maizono. They had gone to the same middle school.
She waved happily.
“Naegi-kun! Long time no see! Honestly I'm glad there's at least one person here that I know.”
He's surprised she even remembered his name, let alone him.
“Yeah, you too! Though I bet you could make friends here pretty quick, you always were popular…”
He reassured her, making her smile.
“You always knew just what to say. I'm sorry we never really spoke back then, you know, ever since I saw you help that crane I've been waiting for a chance to speak with you but I never acted on it.”
She said, looking away shyly before meeting his gaze again
“Wow, really? That's a long time, Maizono-san! But we can be friends now, if that's what you want?”
He said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, he was never good at speaking to girls. His thoughts were interrupted by a quick embrace.
“Of course!”
Maizono said, smiling.
“Oh! Don't let me keep you, you should meet our other classmates! Go on!”
She said, ushering him towards them.
He decided to talk to them one by one, it might've been easier to just introduce himself to everyone at once but he decided against it, if he wanted friends he had to make them himself.
Around ten minutes later he had met everyone. Byakuya Togami, the super duper high school scion. Leon Kuwata, the super duper high school all-star. And Celestia Ludenberg, though she insisted on being called Celes, the super duper high school high roller. Just to name some. He made a mental note to try and remember all of their names along with their talents.
He found it embarrassing whenever they asked what his talent was, he'd go quiet and mumble that he just got picked in the lucky draw, nothing special.
The headmaster, Kirigiri Jin came along not long after to show them around. The school's pretty big so he knows he'll probably still get lost, but a tour is always nice. They all got shown to their rooms which had pictures of their faces on them so he definitely wouldn't forget what room he's staying in.
Thankfully for him, adjacent to his dorm was Maizono’s. He reminded himself that he should let her know that sometimes he gets up late and to knock on his door and if he's not up at a certain time. As he can't rely on his sister for that anymore. Though, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the super duper high school prefect would probably do so anyway.
Snapping out of his thoughts he realized the tour was already over and he was sitting on his bed in his new room. Huh, time really does pass quickly when you're not paying attention.
The first day of class starts tomorrow, and he's already introduced himself to everyone…. With nothing left to do he decides to take a nap. Sleep comes to him relatively quickly, it's been a long day.
When he wakes up the clock on his bedside table tells him it's morning, he jumps out of bed and gets ready, not wanting to be late. When he swings his door open Maizono is there, getting hit with the door in the process.
“AH! Sorry! I didn't know you'd be there!”
He says, apologizing profusely. She just giggles, rubbing her head.
“Don't sweat it, Naegi-kun. Help a girl up, will you?”
He nods, extending his hand for her to take. She doesn't let go until they get to class, and he finds himself not minding it.
They don't sit together, or even close to each other for that matter. She sits next to Hifumi Yamada, the super duper high school Otaku. While he sits next to Kyouko Kirigiri, the super duper high school… actually he wasn't sure what she was.
He finds her interesting, like a mystery waiting to be solved. No! He can't think like this, if he knows one thing he knows that it's not to be a player. He already has one girl in his court and he doesn't plan on adding another, but they could be friends?
By the end of class he couldn't get through her tough exterior, so much for being friends. Oh well, he’d just have to try again tomorrow! One thing about himself that he took pride in was his optimism, it's never let him down.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed himself bumping right into Touko Fukawa, the super duper high school bookworm.
Just as he was about to apologize she opened her mouth.
“Gah! I bet you bumped into me on purpose, you pervert! You wanted to get all up close and personal, huh?”
She said, looking disgusted and then somewhat aroused.
“Well too bad! You're not my type. I prefer handsome men.”
Ouch… if that wasn't enough now his entire class was staring at him for seemingly being a pervert.
As he was about to apologize and explain himself, Fukawa walked off, leaving him standing there looking stupid.
Maizono approached him.
“Gee, you're really a clutz, huh?”
She said, offering him some leverage.
“Yeah! I guess I gotta watch where I'm going more often…”
With that his classmates stopped giving him death stares and went back to their conversations. He let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank you…”
He said to her with a smile.
“No worries! I know you're not that kind of guy, you're too naive!”
He wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a compliment but he said thank you again anyway.
“Oh, and that uniform!”
She giggled.
“It's way too big on you! You should ask Enoshima-san for help with that, she is the super duper high school supermodel you know!”
He had noticed that, but it was too late to ask for a new one. He agreed with her and made a note to ask Enoshima for help later. Though her sister was always around her, her being a soldier didn't calm his nerves, but she looks nice.
“Naegi-kun?”
He heard Maizono say, snapping out of his thoughts.
“Huh?”
He asked nervously.
“I asked if you wanted to have lunch with me and some of the girls!”
“Oh, sure.”
He said, and then they began their march to the cafeteria. Maizono dragged him to a table with some girls he already met from his class along with one he hadn't. She wasn't from his class, Maizono didn't tell him their upperclassmen would be sitting with them! If he wasn't nervous he definitely was now.
It seems she noticed this because she quickly introduced them to him.
“Ah! This is Nanami-san! Nanami-san, this is Naegi-kun! He's nice, promise!”
Makoto sat down, waving to the girl.
“Hi! You're from the class above ours, right? What's your talent?”
She sleepily gestured to the gaming console she had in her hands. It took him a second but he figured out it was gaming.
“Fun! What's your favorite game? I've always tried to get into gaming, sometimes I played with my sister but she always beat me. We really played whatever was popular at the time, and I never really understood the stories… but I'm sure they were fun! Ah… sorry, I'm rambling aren't I?”
He says, looking down at the table. Feeling a comforting hand on his shoulder he looks back up.
“Hehe, you get really excited sometimes, huh?”
Says Maizono, smiling fondly. He looks away, face reddening.
“Don't tell me our little Naegi-kun has a crush!”
Says Enoshima from across the table with a teasing smirk on her face. He scowls, looking down again.
“Don't tease him! It's not nice.”
Says Fujisaki, puffing her cheeks out.
The table then proceeds to argue over whether it's okay to make fun of him or not, he wishes he could disappear.
He feels a hand clasp his under the table, he looks over at Maizono who offers him a friendly smile.
“Wanna get out of here?”
She says, he nods and then gets up, sneaking off. He lets her lead him into the hallway.
“Phew, that was close, huh?”
“Yeah, definitely…. Thanks for that.”
He says, returning her smile from earlier.
“You're welcome! I noticed you looked pretty overwhelmed and honestly so did I, friends gotta help each other out, right?”
Friends…
“Yeah, definitely!”
He says, his smile growing. He noticed she was still holding his hand, and so did she.
“You don't mind, right?”
She asked, teasing him a bit.
“N-no! Definitely not, not at all!”
She giggled.
“You should see your face right now. You're so cute, Naegi-kun!”
He blushed again, today has been really embarrassing for him. From bumping into people to being teased, he begins to wonder if he's truly the school's luckster, it doesn't feel like it.
“What Enoshima-san said, about you liking me. Don't worry about it! I know we're just friends. Plus, you don't seem the type!”
The type?
“The type to what?”
“To like girls!”
How had she gotten that idea? Ever since stepping into this school he's done nothing but hang out with girls, or maybe that's the problem….
“What?! No! I definitely like girls, I love girls! I swear!”
She looked a bit shocked, but her giggling slowly ensued once more.
“So… you wouldn't mind if I….”
Before he could say “if you what?” He felt himself being pulled into a tight embrace.
He let himself melt into it, feeling all of his tension being lifted, he needed this.
“Yeah…. I don't mind.”
He said, leaning his head on her shoulder, the height difference making that easier, even while being only a few inches.
—
Mukuro Ikusaba watched them from the doorway of the cafeteria where she stood with her arms crossed.
She walked back into the cafeteria, sitting down at the table she was just sitting at.
“Yep. It worked.”
She said, causing her sister to smile mischievously.
“I knew it would! Boys like Naegi-kun are just too pure for this world, a world ridden with despair….”
She shuddered with arousal before composing herself.
“Anyway, my plan worked, great! Yay! I'm bored….”
She said, looking down at her nails.
“Plan?”
Asked an intrigued Fujisaki.
“Yep! I knew Maizono-san had a crush on Naegi-kun, and who wouldn't? Truthfully I don't think it'll work out though. It may look innocent on the surface but she's got that boy on a leash, I swear!”
Enoshima said, exaggerating the last part. Of course Fujisaki didn't agree, Maizono-san and Naegi-kun are just really good friends! And Naegi-kun is just a bit of a push over….
He she made a mental note to try and become friends with Naegi, she'd always been shy but he seems nice, to her at least.
—
They finally let go of their embrace, laughing with one another shyly.
Makoto didn't know why she thought he was gay, or whatever she thought! It just didn't make sense to him….
They both walked around the school for a bit longer before rounding back to the cafeteria. He had been so wrapped up in his conversation with Maizono that he didn't notice he was walking directly into somebody.
Their lunch spilled all over them and Makoto, he feels so bad. The other person sighs.
“Watch out!”
The boy said. Makoto figured it was a boy at least, he had been too scared to open his eyes.
He opened his mouth, speaking shakily.
“I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going, I really should've been…. Uhm, can I get you a new lunch or something? And oh…. Now it's all over you, I'm so sorry!”
He slowly opens his eyes, seeing the boy stare at him a bit dumbstruck looking.
“Hey, you okay?”
He feels a slim hand wipe his eyes…. Oh, he hadn't even noticed. He takes a deep breath, smiling.
“Of course! I really am sorry, seriously! Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”
He says, feeling a lot calmer now that he knows the boy isn't mad at him, or at least he can't tell if he is.
“No, not that I can think of. And it's okay, really! Worse has happened.”
The boy laughs, it sounds painful. But Makoto joins in nonetheless. He feels himself being pulled up off the ground, he looks over his shoulder to see Maizono pulling him up.
“Ah, thank you!”
She smiles before looking back to the boy on the ground, grimacing a bit.
“Let's go get you changed!”
She says, beginning to pull him away.
“You make it sound like I'm a baby! I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself!”
“I never said I was going to do it, I'm just taking you back to your room!”
His face reddens.
“Ah, right…. Wait! I never got your name!”
He said, looking back to the boy who's still on the ground.
“I'm Makoto Naegi, what's your name?”
The boy looks up with a small smile.
“Nagito Komaeda.”
Makoto is about to speak again but he feels himself being pulled back with more force by Maizono, so instead he just waves shyly.
Once he and Maizono get back to his dorm she begins rifling through his drawers.
“You really don't have much here, do you?”
She said, tilting her head.
“Hah… guess not, I didn't plan on ruining this on the first day.”
She smiles.
“I bet! Now… you couldn't really borrow anything from anyone else because of your height, hm…. Maybe Fujisaki-san but I can't imagine you'd want to wear a skirt. That'd be cute though, right? Maybe not practical though.”
She continues to list ideas and what contradicts them. So far, nothing seems like it'll work.
“You should take those dirty clothes off though! I'm pretty sure I saw a laundry room! I'll wash them for you. For now you can just put on your pajamas, the day is pretty much over anyway, I'll just tell the teacher you weren't feeling well.”
She says, tossing him his pajamas. He looks down at them dumbly.
“Well! What are you waiting for? Oh! I won't peek, promise!”
She says, giggling and turning around while also covering her eyes.
He quickly gets changed into them, setting his dirty clothes on the table, Maizono turns back around, picking them up.
“Well, I'm off! See you later Naegi-kun!”
He nods.
“You too Maizono-san!”
He says as she leaves the room, shutting the door behind her.
He can't help but think about the boy, Komaeda. He still feels bad about soiling his clothes and also ruining his lunch.
He really wishes he could go apologize but he'd be really embarrassed if he went out during the day in his pajamas. Plus, Komaeda wasn't in his class which means he's probably in the one above him. Meaning it's also a floor above. And the idea of wandering aimlessly around the school in his pajamas doesn't sound very fun to him.
He leans back against his pillow, sighing. Maybe it'd just be best to take a nap for now. He hasn't even had a full day of school yet and he's exhausted. He quickly succumbs to his own exhaustion, falling asleep.
—
Sakaya wishes Naegi wasn't so clumsy. He always seems to be getting into situations where he needs to be saved, and thankfully she's there to be his hero.
Hero…. She likes that, she's his hero!
She smiles to herself as she walks towards the laundry room. When she opens the door she sees the boy from earlier, what was his name? Anyway, he seems to be washing his uniform.
She walks to the laundry machine as far away from him as possible and drops Naegi’s uniform in, getting everything ready and then starting it.
“Idol…. Right?”
She jumps at the sounds of his voice.
“Yep! That's me! Why, you a fan?”
She asks, trying to make small talk while also not wanting to speak to him at all.
“No. What's Naegi-kun’s talent?”
That was blunt…
“Why do you want to know?”
She asks, getting a bit irritated without knowing why.
“Ah! Forgive me, it's just I'm not all that into music is all. I'm sure I'd love your music if I heard it! You shouldn't take any criticism from a piece of trash like me.”
She doesn't know what to say to that.
“Okay…. You didn't answer about Naegi-kun.”
“Oh! Right. Just curious is all.”
Says Komaeda, leaning against the washing machine.
“Right. Well, it's a bit hard to explain! No it isn't, sorry! He just got chosen in a draw, lucky right?”
She explains, not getting a good feeling from talking to this guy.
“Lucky…. Yeah, I'd say so.”
He seems to be deep in thought.
“Thank you for humoring someone as worthless as I! I'll stop bothering you now.”
She nods looking back to the washing machine and noting which his clothes are in and then walking out of the room.
—
Another luckster? Maybe this is Nagito’s good luck kicking in after getting his lunch ruined, is that enough of a thing? Maybe that was his good luck, getting to meet Naegi.
He shudders, hugging himself. He leans back onto the washing machine, letting the vibrations rock him.
He wonders how Naegi's luck works, is it the same as his or different? He considers going to ask him but it'd simply be too much for him! Plus, the last he saw of Naegi he seemed a bit off, maybe it'd be best for him to be alone for a bit.
Nagito's never felt this way before. Sure, he's looked up to his classmates, them far exceeding anything he'll ever do. But no, this was different…. Was it…? It was… it was hope.
He has to hold onto this hope and never let it go, ever. The laundry machine beeps, bringing him back to reality.
He gets his laundry out and pops it into the dryer. He begins to think again. This hope it's pure, almost too pure. He needs to protect it, keep everyone else away from it, they're too impure.
He laughs to himself, leaving the laundry room and walking down the hall to his underclassmen’s dorms. He sees the door with Naegi's face on it, he can only imagine what he's doing in there. Probably something innocent, he doesn't seem the type to do anything weird, or maybe he does. Nagito doesn't know which idea he likes better.
He holds onto this hope as the bell rings signalling the end of lunch. He makes his way back up to class.
—
Kyoko watches as a white haired boy stands in front of her classmates dorm room, mumbling something about hope and laughing.
When he walks off she walks up to Naegi's room, what could be so special about him that he apparently already has some sort of follower? Well, he's certainly optimistic and…. Oh, hopeful yeah.
She, too, makes her way back to class. Though when he gets there she notices Naegi isn't there. Behind her cold facade she can't help but be a bit worried. Maybe she'll slide and anonymous note under his door later warning him about his “stalker”
She sits down, feeling a note taped to the underside of her desk. She opens it slyly, reading it.
“Meet me at the running track after-school.”
She puts the note into her bag, who gave her this note? She mentally shrugs, getting into the mood for class.
Once all classes are over she exits the room, making her way to the running track.
There, she sees Maizono who looks worried.
“Ah, good! You're here.”
She nods.
“What did you need?”
Kyouko asks her calmly.
“I'm worried about Naegi-kun!”
She says.
“He has a stalker.”
Says Kyouko calmly, as if it doesn't mean anything.
“What?! How'd you find that out, did you see him?”
“Him insinuates you too, already knew.”
She points out.
“I had a hunch. I am an esper after all! I didn't like the looks he was giving Naegi-kun….”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Asks Kyouko, causing Maizono to go quiet for a second.
“I don't know…. I figured you could use your detective skills and help me out here.”
Kyouko considers it for a moment.
“I'll do what I can.”
“Eek! Thank you so much, I won't forget this!”
Says Maizono, running off happily.
—
Makoto ended up sleeping until he heard the doorbell ring, he rubbed his eyes, getting up and opening the door.
There he saw Kirigiri who was holding a finger to her lips, as if to quiet him even though he hadn't yet spoken.
She walks forward into his room and he lets her. She walks over to his notepad and quickly writes something on it before leaving just as quick as she came.
That was weird…. He walked over to the notepad to see what was written on it.
“Watch out for Nagito Komaeda.”
Such simple words, yet they seem to hold so much weight. He racks his brain, Nagito Komaeda…. Right! He was the boy whose lunch he had ruined earlier, he still felt the need to apologize more. But what reasons does he have to watch out for him? He seems like a pretty chill guy, letting him off the hook and all.
He feels his exhaustion quickly creeping up on him again as he stumbles back over to his bed, crawling under the covers and succumbing to sleep once more.