Chapter Text
Logic. Reason. Pragmatism. The pillars upon which Byakuya Togami had built his life. Sensibility. The only thing you need to be successful. Rationality. It's all the same and it always circles back. There is no nonsense in life, only the facts; there is no abstract, only concrete. A man like Togami is not susceptible to foolishness.
Foolishness does not get you to the top of your class in high school. Foolishness does not get you an Ivy League degree in economics. Foolishness does not make you the CEO of a brokerage firm while you're still in your mid-20's. Foolishness does not pay the bills. Money pays the bills. Money earned by working, thinking, knowing. No one knows this better than Togami.
Fate, destiny. They're shams, shams for the poor, for the weak, the lazy. Togami has never believed in such senseless garbage. Nothing happens for a reason. Fortune is not stumbled upon. He did not get a spacious office at the top of a New York building and a six figure salary by relying on kismet and the alignment of the stars. He had worked hard for years to become the best at what he does. And now he can revel in the fruits of his labor.
With the retirement of the former CEO, many of Togami's coworkers had assumed their greater amount of experience might lead the old man to choose them as successor; however, Togami knew none of them could hold a candle to his natural talent. Add in his laborious efforts to ensure victory and it was unfathomable that he would not be the next choice as the company's head. He was, of course. He was the most logical choice.
As Togami looks around his new office, he notes only the layer of dust settled on everything. The fine wood desk, the towering and desolate bookcase, the sleek leather chairs. All of it will need to be dusted. Of course, he won't do it himself. There are others for that. He shifts his attention to the window making up the entire far wall. Beyond the glass, the sun sets behind the stunning skyline. A perfect view. The best view. The best for the best, he thinks to himself, a thin grin stretching his mouth. He's earned this.
He suddenly hears a low gurgling sound, and it takes him a few minutes to identify it as his own aching stomach. He realizes then that between the celebration of the former CEO's retirement and his own promotion, he hasn't eaten all day. His stomach screams at him until he gives in. Dinner it is.
While he waits for the elevator to reach the bottom floor, he attempts unsuccessfully to think of somewhere he'd like to have his meal. Every decent eatery that comes to mind sounds unappetizing to his empty gut. He resolves instead to come up with a particular dish and then find somewhere nice that can fulfill his desires.
Steak? No. Seafood? No. Pasta? Certainly not. Everything is too heavy, too savory. Something sweet, perhaps. Ice cream? Ridiculous. Only a child would eat ice cream for dinner. Cake? Out of the question. What's something....
Just as he begins to despair ever finding a suitable meal choice, it hits him. Pancakes. Fluffy and sweet, covered in syrup, maybe even a little whipped cream. Now that sounded good. Nothing wrong with having pancakes for dinner. Pancakes are a perfectly acceptable food to have as a meal, ignoring the fact that the typical meal they serve as is breakfast. A meal is a meal is a meal, after all. Togami's stomach rumbles as he strolls out onto the crowded sidewalk.
There is only one issue with his pancake plan: finding a place that actually serves pancakes at this hour. It goes without saying that none of the high-end restaurants Togami frequents would serve pancakes in the evening; none of them even serve pancakes at regular breakfast time. He'll have to go to some type of diner or something to get his fix now. He shudders at the thought. A diner.... never in his life had he been to a diner, and he isn't eager to have the experience, either. The floor would probably be that ugly sort of tile, the booths that hideous plastic upholstery, and everything would be dirty. He grimaces as he starts walking in search of such a place, internally lamenting his having to be around commoners and wishing he didn't have such an intense hankering for pancakes.
As his heels tap the pavement, he scans over the heads of his fellow pedestrians for some indication of a diner that might meet his needs. He doesn't have to search for long; about two blocks down from his office building, he sees a cheesy sign plastered on the window of one of the little shops: "24/7 Menu". He starts to make his way across the street toward the dingy little diner. The name Mondo's stretches over the entrance in the form of a tacky neon sign and an obnoxious bell sound greets Togami's ears as he pushes his way in.
"Welcome!" bellows a deep and lively voice from behind the counter. Togami takes a quick look around the room and finds himself wholly unsurprised. The yellow tiles are absolutely what he had expected, the booth seats are covered with that horrible plastic, and he doesn't dare to guess how low the level of cleanliness might be. He seats himself in a booth close enough to the door to make a quick escape but not so close that he'll feel a draft every time someone enters. Not that he expects anyone to enter; the place is practically empty aside from the employees. The only other patron is a stern looking man seated at the counter in front of the kitchen, slowly picking through a basket of fries and doing a crossword puzzle.
The plastic seat squeaks as Togami shifts around to eye the menu, making sure the diner actually serves pancakes. He sighs with relief when he sees that they do. Just as he's beginning to wonder where his waiter is in a place so devoid of consumers, an energetic young man wobbles over to the table and begins speaking.
He's a small guy, so he looks young, but Togami takes a closer look at his face, and the definition of his features tells him he must be around Togami's own age. His light brown hair flops wildly around his head, and his green eyes are big and shiny, reflecting almost perfectly the fluorescent bulbs on the ceiling.
"I'm Naegi," he says in a voice smoother and more mature than Togami was expecting, "and I'll be your waiter. What can I get for you today?"
"Pancakes," Togami says firmly, looking back down at the menu. He almost blushes from embarrassment. A grown man, ordering pancakes for dinner. Why hadn't he realized how silly this would seem before? "And a coffee." He looks back up to see a smirk playing at Naegi's lips.
"Will that be all for you this evening?" he says, eyes twinkling, humor evident in his tone.
"Yes." Togami bores into Naegi's skull with his glare, emanating all the malice he can muster. Damn if he's going to be laughed at by some guy who works at a diner for a living. Who does he think he's talking to?
But Naegi doesn't seem to notice, and if he does, he's unshakable. "Got it, that'll be right out," he says with a continued grin and saunters back to the kitchen. Togami curses internally. He doesn't care what this kid thinks of him, anyway. What does it matter? He's a CEO, he's the best, he's got everything. He stares out the window grumpily, watching passers-by go about their business. What's it matter what any of them think? It doesn't. He is startled out of his reverie by the sound of porcelain clinking on the table.
"Your coffee," Naegi says, placing the spoon carefully beside the cup. "Would you like any cream or sugar to go with it?"
"No," Togami replies, almost a little too forcefully.
"Alright. Your pancakes will be a few more minutes." Naegi smiles again and skips away, much to Togami's annoyance. Who does he think he is, smiling like an idiot and running around all over the place? Togami lifts the mug to his lips and almost gags when the coffee hits his tongue. How could it possibly be so bitter? It tastes like the ashes of a bonfire slow-roasted over an unfulfilling life. He always drinks it black when he makes it, but just this once, he has to make an exception.
"Naegi," he calls, coughing around the foul taste in his mouth. Naegi's back over in an instant, beaming.
"Can I get something for you?" Why does he look so amused? It's pissing Togami off.
"Some cream and sugar... Please." Naegi is gone and back before Togami has time to take another sip of his drink.
"Here you are." He sets down a small jar of sugar and cup of cream with a light giggle. It's that giggle that sends Togami over the edge.
"Why are you laughing?" he snaps, and this time, Naegi's smile fades.
"Uh, w-well..."
"NAEGI!" He jumps at the sound of his own name being yelled from the kitchen. Togami hopes Naegi doesn't notice that he, too, is rattled. He seems too preoccupied to do so.
"I'll be right back," he says quickly, and races immediately to the kitchen. He comes back with a plate of three pancakes stacked on top of each other and a little pitcher of syrup. The pancakes are golden and fluffy, and there's even whipped cream and powdered sugar on top. It is all of Togami's self control not to drool at the sight of them.
"Here are your pancakes," Naegi says as he sets them down, and he's about to dart away again when Togami stops him.
"You didn't answer my question." He turns around to face Togami's icy gaze. Despite his hunger, Togami refuses to even touch the pancakes until he receives a response from Naegi. Naegi fidgets uneasily before replying.
"I just think it's a little funny that you're here." Not the answer Togami had been expecting. "I mean, you're wearing a pretty nice suit. You're probably some big, important guy, right? But here you are." Naegi laughs lightly again. "And I knew you would hate the coffee. You look like you're used to drinking something that's actually decent." He winks before he walks off. "Don't tell my boss I said that. He thinks his coffee is great."
Togami takes a moment to mull over the words before he touches the pancakes. So it was the opposite of what he'd assumed. It inexplicably makes him feel better, and he's almost embarrassed for his earlier thoughts, but then his stomach reminds him of its dire situation, and he immediately gets to work covering his pancakes in syrup and digging in.
Just by the aroma, he can already tell the pancakes will be far superior to the coffee, but when he tastes them, he finds out just how right he is.
Their fluffiness, their sweetness, their every quality. For a moment, Togami is too taken aback to form a coherent thought. He struggles to think of a time when he's ever had pancakes this good, but his mind draws a blank. Perhaps it's just because he's so hungry; yes, that must be it. But he's too deep in ecstasy to care whether the pancakes are really that delicious or his taste buds are just being tricked by his own hunger. No matter the cause, he's wolfed down every last crumb in under ten minutes and is feeling very satisfied. He takes a look at his ticket. $7.53. Ludicrous. How could the taste of heaven come at such a cheap price?
Naegi comes back to collect payment, and when Togami hands him a twenty and says "Keep the change," his jaw hits the floor. A smile so big it must be painful spreads across his face and his eyes start to tear up, and Togami feels his chest squeeze a little bit. Before he has time to admit to himself that he just thought Naegi was cute, he's back out in the brisk air and strolling in the direction of his apartment. He resolves as he waits in the elevator going up to his floor to go back and try those pancakes again. Just to make sure they're really as amazing as he thought.
Togami is no fool. He does not believe in destiny and he does not believe in fate. But he is glad that today he ended up wanting pancakes.