Work Text:
Doggone Romance
The sudden wind causing her shoulder length hair to tickle her neck had Chiaki shivering despite the warmth of the sunset still shining down upon her. She was determinedly walking toward the academy’s fountain with only one goal in mind.
I have to ask him. I have to ask him before my resolve weakens and I grow too timid to do so. I can’t wait any longer!
Upon arriving at her destination, she found that the one she sought was nowhere to be seen.
I’m worried that my confidence will fade if he doesn’t show soon, but I can’t go searching for him in case we miss each other.
With a sharp turn on her heel, she sat down on the bench and pulled out her gamegirl advance.
Hopefully, this will distract me from my anxiety until his arrival.
She didn’t have enough time to clear even one level before he showed up.
“Ah. Hajime, you’re here,” she turned off the power to her game without saving, deciding to put her full attention into the conversation.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, but I can’t stay long. I have to go somewhere today.” he said, sitting on the bench beside her.
“That’s alright. I only wanted to ask you something, but it shouldn’t take too long… I think.” She held her game tightly, knuckles turning white.
Hajime turned to her, “Was there something you needed help with? You seem a little stressed about something.”
Her eyes darted around, looking next to Hajime, but not at him. “Y-yes. You could say that I am stressed. Umm… Could you please hear me out? I don’t know what to do, but I do know better than to struggle alone.”
“Sure, I’ll help if I can. Of course, if it’s a multiplayer game you need me for, I can’t right now. But surely, it’s not a game. You must have many other people you can ask to play multiplayer with. After all, you are the Ultimate Gamer, haha.” He rambled before pausing. Hajime looked at her, noticing her anxious glances again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make light of your stress.”
I can do this! I can do this!
Chiaki looked him in the eyes, determined, and exclaimed, “No, it’s okay, but you’re wrong! It’s just, I don’t know how to act romantically… I can’t even get past confessing!”
This is so embarrassing! I can’t believe I’m doing this!
Taken aback, Hajime stood up, facing her. “U-umm, I’m not sure how to respond… I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would be something like this…” he stuttered nervously.
“Please, this is not just a normal request. But, if you can’t…” Chiaki looked crestfallen, words trailing off.
The boy looked very uncomfortable, fidgeting, unable to stand still.
I’m not sure, but it looks like Hajime is looking behind me, maybe at the fountain? I wonder why.
Then, he spoke. “I’m… I’m sorry, but I need to be somewhere. I’ll give you a proper answer next time... I… I’m really sorry!” With that, Hajime hurried away, never looking back to see Chiaki’s sad expression.
“I… see… I suppose it was a selfish request of mine,” she said to no one in particular, dispirited, staring into the direction that he ran. She jumped slightly when an unexpected voice answered her.
“I don’t think ‘selfish request’ is the issue here,” a masculine voice said from the other side of the fountain. Walking around to face her bench, there stood Nagito.
“Hi, Nagito. You startled me,” Chiaki began, “Is there something you need?”
How long was he behind the fountain?
Ignoring her question, her classmate continued on his own, “You don’t love him. You pity him. After all, how could someone as exceptional as you fall for someone as ordinary as a reserve course student? I saw his uniform. He’s no different from all the other untalented people in the world.”
I’m not sure what he means, but...
After a pause, Chiaki spoke. “Having talent isn’t everything. It’s more important to form bonds than to have talent... I think.”
Nagito looked at her in disbelief for a second before responding. “I can understand how someone might think that way, but just thinking something doesn’t make it true. You should be proud of your talent! When it comes to gaming, no one else comes even close to matching you!”
“That... might be true. Both things you said, about the truth, and about gaming. But maybe not.”
“What do you mean?”
Chiaki took a deep breath, deciding how to word her thoughts. “It’s true that I might be wrong. It’s impossible for me to be right about everything, like how to correctly answer quiz questions on a topic I am not familiar with.”
“That’s not quite what I meant.” Nagito stared at her, looking a tad miffed.
She continued her line of thinking without giving him a chance to say more. “But, even if I’m wrong, and even though my gaming talent is unmatched so far, I still think that friendships are important. If I can learn more about a person, then I can learn more about the world. Maybe.”
“Learning is important, but even if royalty takes the time to learn about commoners, the royalty remains royalty and the commoners remain commoners. If a commoner seduces a member of royalty and a relationship develops, it only smears the name of the royalty. It only brings despair from being dragged down to the commoner’s level!”
Chiaki frowned, confused. “I don’t think that would happen. Sonia doesn’t seem worried about getting close to Gundham. She looks happy.”
“Perhaps, but Gundham is no mere commoner. He is also an ultimate at this school. Please don’t compare Gundham to that reserve course student. It’s insulting to Gundham.”
Is that true?
“Hmm… I think I’ll ask him. If he’s offended, I mean.” Chiaki said determinedly.
Nagito scoffed, “Ask? There’s no need for that. It would waste your precious time; time that could be better spent on games.”
Wait… could it be…?
Chiaki’s speech slowed, gears turning in her head as she started again, “Games…? Ah! Games! So, that’s what happened!”
Smiling triumphantly, Nagito said, “That’s right, go back to your games! Perfect your talents!”
No… why would he do that? But it’s the only thing that makes sense!
“No, not that! I mean, yes, but… It’s all your fault!” Her cheeks puffed up as Chiaki suddenly grew angry.
“Wait, huh?”
Still looking like a defensive pufferfish, the girl accused, “You were what he was looking at when he left, weren’t you? You scared him off! I just wanted to ask him for help! I’m not good at these types of games…”
Ignoring her claim, Nagito sounded confused. “Ch-Chiaki? What are you talking about? You’re the Ultimate Gamer, unrivaled in all games!”
Do I really have to say it? My weakness is rather embarrassing, but...
She crossed her arms, looking angrier by the second. “Most games, I am good at. But… not dating sims.”
Starting to understand what she was saying, but not wanting to, Nagito tilted his head slightly. “Wait… Were you… not asking him out?”
“Asking… out?” Chiaki tilted her head, too.
What is he talking about?
“S-sorry, were you not trying to confess to that reserve student I saw?” A blush began to show on Nagito’s pale face.
Were Chiaki a computer, she would have “LOADING” written all over her. Suddenly, she cried out in realization, “… Ah! N-no, I was trying to ask for his advice on a game!”
Nagito took a step back in disbelief. “This is… quite an embarrassment I’ve made of myself. M-my apologies.”
This is such a weird situation!
The two Ultimates stared at each other, Chiaki with a dusting of pink on her no-longer puffed up cheeks; Nagito with his blush spreading to the rest of his face. Unsure of what to do or say, they kept that pose for a minute.
Then, Nagito chuckled nervously, running a hand through his wavy hair, “I’m sorry you had to listen to trash like me try to lecture someone as talented as you. I was a bit too harsh, especially considering it was a misunderstanding on my part.”
“N-no, it’s alright. You’re not trash, you were simply concerned for me as a fellow classmate.” She sighed, pulling her cat-eared hood up to hide her embarrassment.
“Maybe. Although, Chiaki, it looked to me like that reserve course student misunderstood as well.”
Probably because you scared him off… but did he really get the wrong idea?
The girl turned to look up at her classmate, but her hood was in the way, so she pushed it back down to rest on her shoulders. “You think he did? But we’ve only hung out during lunch or after school occasionally. It would seem strange if I asked him out with so little time to know him, I think.”
“Your reasoning seems logical, but, I’m not one to know enough about relationships, even friendships, to tell you whether that particular thought is accurate or not. Starting from my childhood, ending just this year when you became class rep, I was usually by myself.”
I can relate.
Chiaki smiled warmly, “Don’t worry, I didn’t know how to interact with others until this year, too.”
“Really? I thought I just hadn’t noticed your amazing social abilities until I was invited to join the group. I truly am grateful to you for gathering our whole class together like you did. It is no exaggeration to say that you provided hope for everyone!”
“I couldn’t have done it without Miss Yukizome’s help. I never thought that everyone else would like my games, too.” She said, looking down for a second before turning back to look into Nagito’s eyes, “But I hope that we can continue to make good memories before graduation.”
Nagito met her gaze and smiled, “I’d like that.”