Chapter Text
Everytime they were at the Future Foundation’s headquarter, it was the same thing. Komaru, going left and right, kissing this unknown person and hugging this other guy who was probably a friend of his brother, and waving at the whole damn world, and screaming when she saw the girl at the reception who dropped the magazine she was reading to run toward the younger girl, spilling clichés after clichés. I missed you so much, how are you ? Do you still have some trouble to get along with your boss ? I love your dress, it’s so cute ?
Toko sat on the corner of the room, looking at her dirty hands, and wishing that her friend would be done with the usual niceties so they could give their report to Kirigiri and go take a shower. She felt disgusting.
Funny how easy it was to forget that Komaru Naegi was actually a popular girl, she thought. Toko knew popular girls, the kind who were watching her from their golden stand back in middle school, the kind who always got the boys’ attention, who were forgiven by the teachers when they were late in their assignements, who were pretty and witty and oh-so-charming.
Toko hated them. For some reason, though, she didn’t hate Komaru. Except in these moments where the gap between the popular girl and the nerdy, unremarkable girl was so glaring it hurt a little.
A boy who has been working for Future Foundation since day 1 and had never spared a look in Toko’s direction hugged Komaru a little too tightly for a friendly gesture, and the writer felt her blood run cold. Oh come on, you are like thirty you pig, and you’re not even attractive. Of course Komaru, stupid Komaru, didn’t seem to find anything weird about it and she smiled brightly at the guy when he was done with his disgusting gropping.
Noticing her in her comfy ( not really ) corner, Komaru jogged toward her, very pleased with the thousands of social interraction she had just been subjected to. Okay, then.
“You’re here! I was looking for you !” the girl said, though her tone wasn’t reproachful at all.
“Right, I saw that” Toko replied, not managing to hide her annoyance.
Komaru cocked her head on the side, looking at her very seriously.
“Toko… could it be… are you jealous ?”
“Me, jealous ?” she snickered as an answer, and her first impulse was to laugh. And then, when Komara kept her thoughtful expression, Toko’s bitterness faltered a little. It wasn’t like Komaru would make fun of her for wanting her undivided ( platonic ! her body and soul still belonged to her Master, after all, and it wasn’t because Komaru was there and pretty and nice that it needed to change, right ? ) attention “Well, yes. Maybe a little.”
“Oooh, Toko” cooed Komaru, and Toko rolled her eyes. But then : “You know, everyone would like you so much more if you were nice to them ? I’m sure you can do this, do you want me to come with you talk to some people at the office ?”
What ? Komaru thought… what ?
“I have no intention to socialize with these people” Toko frowned, looking around her to be sure that no one heard her, but then thinking that it didn’t matter. “How can you think that ?”
Komaru blinked, confused.
“But… didn’t you say you were jealous ? Of me having a lot of friends here, right ?”
Toko closed her eyes and breathed slowly. Okay. It was a mistake - not her mistake, of course, Komaru’s - but she didn’t have to make a mountain out of it. She opened her eyes again.
“I said I was jealous, not envious, you uncultured… uncultured…” she tried to find a word strong enough to convey how unforgivable this mistake was. “You uncultured popular girl !” She spat, satisfied
And then she left the room and a puzzled Komaru behind her. She really needed a shower, and fast. And then she would find a dictionary for her friend. What an idea to enjoy the company of this kind of person, definitely not one of her brighter idea.