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All her life it was an escape, even if she didn't notice at times. At younger ages it was only fun, a pastime that gave her the happiness her parents did not. The older she got, the more hooked she became, until it was an addiction no one could rid of. While the girl loved many different types and genres of video games, she always found herself going back to the one that would change her life the most, Gala Omega.
Chiaki Nanami's enjoyment never went away per se, it just started to damage her as she grew…
"Video games won't do anything for you!"
"She's so quiet and just sits on that game all day, no wonder she doesn't have any friends."
"This is our spot you freak, get lost!"
The list went on and on. She would go plenty of days in school without interacting to anyone but the AIs in video games, come home to an occasional parent when they weren't attending to their businesses, which she thought they cared more about than her, and finally lose tons of sleep playing her heart out at the local arcade before the sun rose again.
When Chiaki got the letter in the mail a few months before High School, she was spinning. Hope's Peak Academy, the most prodigious school in the entire world, wanted her?
Her parents, who all her life persuaded her to find a new hobby, suddenly stated they always knew she would get invited for gaming. All the people at school, now saw the quiet girl no one bothered with as the talented one that everyone envied.
But why? Why was a talent supposed to make her better than the most outspoken, hard working girls on the sport teams?
Why did a talent mean more than…the girl behind it?
The question would make its way back into her mind nearly every day leading up to Hope's Peak, where it almost worsened.
There was no doubt she had grown to love her class of other Ultimates overtime with the help of her new teacher, but secretly there was something else she had grown to love, even more than her class.
Naturally, it was talent that was keeping the love from being returned.
The fountain's clear water glistened in response to the dimming orange sun, an indicator on how much longer the two teenagers on the bench would usually stay together for the day. Today, would be the first day the indicator would be ignored.
"Well I lost…again.". Hajime Hinata's drowsy eyes moved to his left, watching as the Ultimate Gamer continued on with ease. She was focused, but not too focused to forget he was there. Usually, Hajime used the time in between his losses and waiting for his friend to finish, to just think.
Think about the same concept that haunted him every day.
"How do you enjoy playing games with someone like me, all the time?" Hinata asked, immediately noticing a 'Game Over' text appear on Chiaki's device, receiving a much lower score than normal.
"It's more fun to play them with someone else." Chiaki simply responded, looking over at her close friend. "You're getting better too.".
"But I will never be able to beat you, even at my very best." He explained, hinting at the bane of his thoughts on their friendship. "I'm just not as talen-".
"You don't need to have a special talent.".
Chiaki stopped him from finishing in a very serious tone, not knowing what else to add. She slowly started to notice a change in Hajime over the last few weeks, and it was beginning to scare her.
One day he hinted at his lack of talent, which would lead up to a talent comment popping up every few days, each time adding a new level of concern to the Gamer's head. There were also days where he had to leave early to finish some 'important paperwork', to which he never mentioned any details.
Then, there was another elephant on the bench that personally made Chiaki angry, the multitude of emotions that ran through her as Hajime recently told her a story about a security guard calling him worthless. She instantly assured him he was special to her in his own way but wondered if that truly convinced him now.
Looking at the expressionless eyes of Hajime, Chiaki almost felt guilty having a talent. She did hope that telling him over and over a talent was more of a nuisance than a joy would help, but it was failing on her.
The past week she desperately tried to be around him as much as she could, offering to even skip her classes, despite being the representative, or to stay the night together in her dorm. Refusal was the only thing to came out of his mouth.
Oddly, Chiaki also started to have dreams about her old school and the people in it, which quickly dissolved into nightmares. She didn't want any of that to happen to him. Yet here she was, acting like time and games would fix the problem. Why was she so terrible at showing how she truly fel—
"I need to go.".
Chiaki's vision became clouded as Hajime got off the bench, her adrenaline was rushing through her. Something was off, she was sure of it. Yet she still wanted to say, 'Okay, see you tomorrow?', like always. Anxiety filled her body, what if tomorrow never came? What if something happens to him? This is how she would last be remembered? What if she was just being paranoid? What if…
"Wait!" Chiaki yelled at the top of her lungs, catching Hajime's attention. Even though he barely made it past the fountain, she ran towards him, and Hajime braced for impact. "Please don't go...".
Hajime stood in place, with the warm fragile arms of the Ultimate around him, and her head right below his.
Did she know?
"But-" Hajime began, but was interrupted by a hesitant voice.
"I like you for you! I don't want you to be a talented freak like me…".
"Fr-freak?". Reality hit Hajime hard as he stared back at the wide eyes looking up at him, finding her wording awkward.
"I was lonely and pushed aside before my talent announcement…" Nanami paused, sinking her head deeper into his chest, "Now, everyone but my class just sees me as a talent. A-and I don't want you…oh Hajim-". Water ran down his shirt, and a massive feeling of guilt came to him. The Ultimate Gamer, whom Hajime strongly admired for just being a lovable friend, had lost all the composure she had in her.
"You're the last person in the world I would call a freak.". Hajime wrapped his arms tightly around the girl, attempting to comfort her. She cried harder, but that didn't stop him from pulling her as close as he could. She was soft and pure, two features that went against all her words that were now taking impact on him.
Did he really need a talent…when she already was fine with him? Putting his anger aside for not listening to her at all, he focused on Chiaki with care.
The two stayed inseparable under the fountain lamps scattered around the water, now their only light source. Hajime walked her back over to the bench, refusing to let go of her until she seemed alright. No more words were spoken on the bench, and the troubles of the two teenagers were soon replaced by comfort.
The comfort both desired from each other the moment they first played Gala Omega.
. . .
Chiaki's eyelids were having trouble opening to a bright sun, much brighter than her dorm usually was. She also noticed her pillow was a lot comfier than usual, almost as if it had heat of its own…
"H-hajime?".
"Huh?".
The two found themselves on the bench, with Chiaki awkwardly noticing she was lying on top of her friend.
"We fell asleep?" Hajime asked, trying to recall the recent events. The night came back to them both instantly, and their moods of concern returned.
"Um. Are you?" Hajime started, remembering the stuttering to all the sentences that came out her mouth, along with her lonely backstory. "Are you alright?".
"Of course, thanks to you." Nanami said with a smile, but that didn't fully cheer Hajime up. He only heard a small glimpse of her past, and he didn't like it at all.
He couldn't leave her now, why would he dare think about leaving? Was a talent worth…more than their friendship?
"Chiaki, we should meet up later…" Hajime told her, helping her up.
"Yeah, we've been out all night." She responded, grabbing her Game Girl Advance. She lost tons of sleep in the past, but she never fell asleep outside of her own bed. Refusing to look at her own hair after seeing Hajime's, a shower was the only thing on her mind.
"See you later?" she asked, wondering if he was fully awake with a deep look on his face.
"Yeah…see you later.".
After a long day of classes, Chiaki Nanami rushed to the fountain. Hinata was the only thing on her mind since they both woke up the same morning, wondering if he was ok. She only hoped the paperwork he had to do yesterday wasn't due today or anything…or that her past scared him away.
While it has only been a few months, Chiaki never told anyone about what she was like before Hope's Peak. Yes, it did lift a huge weight off of her chest getting it all out, but she hated how she broke down crying in the process. At least he was there to help her.
She arrived at the fountain a little earlier than usual, not minding the wait. When Hajime's usual arrival time came, he still didn't show.
"Must be traffic." Nanami told herself, booting up her device to buy some time. By the time she got her first game over in Pac Man, ten minutes passed. The bench still only consisted of just her as fifteen minutes passed, and she took a break at twenty. "I guess he's busy…".
The clouds were towering over the sun, and Chiaki's confidence slowly faded. She sat expressionless, wondering if something came up.
"I guess there is always tomorrow.". On her feet, she looked back at the sacred spot the two stood yesterday, and finally turned around to head out.
But her eye caught something, somebody. It was a boy in a suit, with short brown spiky hair, making his away to the fountain.
Tomorrow came.
"Hajime!" Chiaki let out, running at him again. She stopped as she approached him, and to her surprise she hugged him without a thought. "I thought you weren't coming.".
"I would never miss a video game session with you." He said, making her heart beat faster against him.
"I'm glad you still enjoy them." She responded, feeling his hands go around her back.
"Of course I do, all because of you.".
"Oh…thanks I guess.".
"No, thank you.".
She giggled, and the two walked back to the bench together. Their past troubles and papers were set aside permanently that night, as a new door opened for both of them.
Their future together at Hope's Peak Academy and beyond.