Chapter Text
My name is Makoto Naegi, and I’m a pretty normal guy. There isn’t really much about me that would be considered notable, at least not compared to my peers. I have no unique skills or interesting hobbies, or anything that really sets me apart from the rest of the world. If someone wanted to steal my identity, the hardest thing they’d have to remember is what order I tie my shoes in. Average in and out, all the way through, that's me in a nutshell.
All that is about to change though, because last week I got a letter saying I was accepted into Hope’s Peak Academy as the Ultimate Lucky Student! Finally, the moment my whole life has been leading up to, the magical third act where I finally unlock my true potential and save the whole world, it's all finally coming true! The power to take hold of the future of mankind is within my grasp, and tomorrow will be my first steps toward realizing it! Tomorrow is the first day of my new life…
…Or at least, that's what it should have been anyway. The truth is, I chickened out and declined. The thought of being at that school, surrounded by people with the most spectacular talents mankind has to offer and having not a single hope of ever being on the same level as them… the thought alone made me nauseous. I couldn’t ever even dream of being on equal footing to the rest of them, I’d just be making a fool of myself. The only right thing for me to do was to pass the opportunity along to someone else, hopefully to someone that deserves it more than me.
Today is the last day of summer vacation, before school starts back up for the year. I’ve spent the majority of it holed up inside, playing video games and enjoying the AC, so I decided I’d get a little fresh air before being sent back. I’ve found myself sitting on an abandoned tire in an empty lot next to a convenience store, knocking back an ice cold Dr. Pepper and thinking about my situation. In retrospect, it was foolish of me to pass on the opportunity to attend Hope’s Peak, considering all I could have done once I had graduated, but I hold onto the idea that someone else got to go because I passed on it. I mean, as long as it goes to somebody, it’s not really a waste, right?
The sun is setting and the city around me is turning dark. I throw my bottle into an empty trash can and begin making my way home. Hands in my hoodie pockets, I idly stroll down the street and take in the ambiance of the perfect summer evening I’ve found myself in. The air is warm, the insects are buzzing, and the sky is awash in the most brilliant pinks and blues from the sunset. It really is perfect, I think to myself as I walk along. Unfortunately, I’m so enraptured by the beauty of the world around me that I fail to notice an errant glass bottle lying on the sidewalk. I slip on the bottle and sail through the air until I land, butt first directly into a puddle on the side of the road.
I sit there for a moment like some kind of bewildered sea lion basking on the shore before quickly clambering out onto the sidewalk. I stand and look at myself with indignation as I note that my clothes are now completely soaked. I pull out my phone and press the power button, and to my relief it comes on as normal. Luckily it was the only thing I brought out with me, other than the change left over from the convenience store. I shake off the excess water and begin my long, shameful walk home, chuckling to myself about my ridiculous luck.
—
After an uncomfortable return journey, I open the door of my house and walk inside. “I’m home!”, I say aloud to no one in particular. I head down the hall to my room, anxious to change into a fresh set of clothes. The silence is quickly shattered, however, as a familiar voice rings through the house in what almost sounds like a declaration of war. “MAKOTO NAEGI!!!!!!”, it thunders across the halls. A pit of ice rapidly taking form in my stomach, I whip around to find the sight I had been dreading to see for a week now: my sister, Komaru, armed with a house broom and a look of murderous intent. “H-H-Hey K-Komaru!”, I manage to stammer out, “I hadn’t realized you were back from T-Towa City already!”. She responds by charging and attempting to cut me in twain with a single swift strike, which I only barely dodge. “I see you already got the news…”. She shoots an icy look through my core. “You no-good coward! I can’t believe you’d be so selfish!”. She swings again, this time hitting me square in the chest and knocking me against the wall. I yelp in pain and make a pathetic attempt at fleeing, but my still sopping wet socks cause me to slip and fall on my rear end for the second time today.
“How could you ever think about passing up an opportunity like that! You could have set all of us up for life! You got the chance to live a life that most people only dream about, and you gave it up?”. I pivot around on my now doubly bruised hind end to face her. “N-Now Komaru, i-i-it’s not what it looks like, really! I-I was, um… I, uh…”. I desperately try to come up with something, even the lamest excuse possible to try and save face. “I-I did it because… it would make me work harder to succeed, y’know?”. The look of rage on her face is quickly replaced with one of incredulity, as my sorry excuse for a lie rattles around inside her head. I hastily continue, “T-They say that graduating Hope’s Peak is guaranteed to set anyone up for life, r-right? But if you’re just there from sheer luck, everyone will know that you’re a phony, a-and I don’t want to just coast by knowing I don’t deserve any of it!”.
I think it’s working, her expression is softening up a bit. She pauses to consider what I've said for a moment before her scowl returns and she brandishes her broom at me once more, “See it’s just as I thought, you did it just because you were worried about yourself! You never once stopped to think about what you could have done for Mom and Dad? For me? For everyone you know?!”. She swings her broom down onto the floor with all her might, crashing the head down an uncomfortably short distance away from my nether region. I shriek in terror and quickly begin pleading with her, “Komaru please, have mercy!”. I quickly scramble to my feet, holding my hands out in defense like a lost hiker trying to coerce a wild mountain cat into making someone else its lunch, “I-I know that I passed up a major opportunity, but this is my whole life we’re talking about here! Don’t I at least have the right to try and succeed my own way?”
A look of frustration creeps across her face as she processes my words before she finally speaks, “Promise me that you’ll do whatever it takes to help everyone, no matter what!”. I stare up at her, confused. “You… want me to promise?”. “Swear on your life right now that you won’t let this opportunity be a waste or so help me goodness I’ll never ever speak to you again!”, she retorts furiously. I flinch at her sudden outburst before hastily agreeing to her demands, “Yes okay, okay I swear, just please put the broom down!”. She pauses once more, seemingly reading my expression to see if I’m being genuine, before she eventually lowers her weapon and gives me a cheeky smile, “Good, then you can start by helping me unpack, right?”. She laughs and runs back to the living room, while I let loose a heavy sigh and continue to my room.
After I finally changed out of my sopping wet clothes and helped Komaru unpack, I enjoyed a delightful meal with the rest of my family while we discussed how her vacation in Towa City went and talked about our plans for the new school year. Komaru told everyone that she had made a friend who was really into track and field, and it had inspired her to try it out. Truthfully, I had been too preoccupied with my invitation and trying to enjoy my last few days of summer vacation to think about anything like that, but I still felt guilty after what I had said to her earlier. I told my family I was thinking about joining a club, which they responded to warmly. After finishing my dinner and showering for the evening, I decided to pack it in early so I could be ready for my first day of school tomorrow. After all, with the luck I’ve had lately I need to be as prepared as I can be.
—
Morning comes sooner than I realize as I manage to sleep through my alarm, being awoken instead by the sound of Komaru beating on my bedroom door and yelling that I’m gonna be late. In my dazed stupor I hastily throw on my clothes and brush my teeth, rushing out the door with little time to spare. It's only been half a day so far and I’m already doing poorly at keeping my promise to Komaru. Thankfully the school isn’t very far from my house, so I manage to make it there in time at a brisk walking pace. As I approach the campus, I recognize some people I had classes with last year hanging around outside. A guy with big poofy hair that I recognize as Yasuhiro is telling a very animated story about a hamburger to the rest of his circle, and I see Komaru’s friend Toko telling her friends about her vacation. She’s making a lot of weird hand motions… and she’s got this strange look on her face… were they making pottery on vacation? I’m suddenly reminded that I’m late when I hear the sound of the school bell, which causes everyone to start heading inside the main building.
St. Elbandia Academy is an exceptionally nice school, nowhere near as prolific as Hope’s Peak but still very good in its own right. Being that it’s a private school, most people that attend are either here because their family is loaded or because they have exceptional talents that the school can use to make itself look better. A lot of people claim that St. Elbandia is close to being a miniature Hope’s Peak, although unfortunately graduating from here doesn't really mean much more than it would anywhere else. Still, it has an atmosphere that I’ve come to enjoy over my time here, and I’m excited to begin my second year.
I mingle in with the crowd of people filtering in through the front door and walk inside. To my delight, the energy in the building is already the same as I remember. As I make my way deeper in towards the gymnasium where they’re holding first day orientation, I spot two upperclassmen I recognize from last year currently working on hanging a banner in the main commons area of the school that says “WELCOME TO ST ELBANDIA” in big brown lettering. One of them, a guy with short hair and a tie, is on a ladder trying to nail the banner into place, while the other, a man with long white hair and a green hoodie is holding the ladder in place. The flow of people slows to a crawl right as I pass by, bearing me witness to their conversation.
“Isn’t it great Hajime? This banner will surely make a wonderful first impression for all the new students! This is sure to sow seeds of hope into the hearts of our new classmates!”, the one on the bottom exclaims. The man on the ladder pays him little mind as he continues with his work, “That’s fine and all, but I doubt any of the new students will care about this banner at all. The only thing it’s done so far is make me hungry”. “Ah yes, I’ve worked up an appetite myself. Let’s finish this quickly and go get some food, yeah?”. The man on the ladder scowls, “No, I’m not buying you anything again until you pay me back for the last time!”. The man below pouts mockingly, “Oh come on Hajime, not even an oatmeal cream pie?”. The man on the ladder whips around angrily, “I said no you- whOAA-” He loses his balance and tips the ladder, falling down directly into the arms of the man waiting below, who's now smirking arrogantly at him. “Well now, this should at least be worth a couple bags of corn chips, right?”. Hajime, now red-faced and enraged, angrily struggles his way out of the other man's arms and storms off, while the other man follows behind him, toting an amused expression on his face, “Hey, Hajime?!”, he coyly exclaims before continuing after him.
The lazy river of students continues down the hall to the gym, where everyone is finding themselves spots in the bleachers for the upcoming introductory speech from the principal. I don’t really have any friends, or at least I don’t have a friend group per se, so I just look around for an open spot. I find one up towards the nosebleeds way back in the corner, a blank patch where not many people are sitting. I find myself a spot a few rows behind a girl with brown poofy hair and make myself comfortable. I can’t really see the stage from this distance, but the introductory speech probably isn’t very different from last years so I’m not too broken up about it. In front of me, I notice that the girl with poofy hair is typing away at a laptop, although from this distance I can’t really tell what she’s doing. It looks like… words maybe? Is she a writer?
My thought process is interrupted by the screech of the stage mic coming to life. My attention snaps to the front of the gym, where the principal has gotten up on stage. “Hello everyone, and good morning! Today marks the first day of your school year at St. Elbandia Academy! I hope you’re all as excited as I am!”. He pauses for dramatic effect, apparently waiting for the whole student body to erupt into a chorus of applause. Unfortunately, all he gets in return is some mild grumbling, and a bit of polite clapping from the staff. I can’t see his expression from here, but I’m guessing it’s one of disappointment and indignation. He quickly continues, “A-As the principal of this fine establishment, I want to bid you all a warm welcome to everyone here today, and a welcome back to all of our returning upperclassmen. It is my personal hope that all of you see your time here as not just your opportunity at an education, but also a chance to connect with your fellow students and create bonds that will last you a lifetime!”. Yeah, same exact speech as last year, even down to the awkward silence at the beginning. At this point I decide to tune out what he’s saying and try to take a quick power nap. As I drift off, I pick up the faint sound of the girl in front of me typing away at her computer, almost like her life depends on it. I focus on the sound as I carry myself off to realms untold.
—
The rest of the day raced by after the assembly. I went to my homeroom, met my teachers for this semester, got buried under a mountain of syllabi, ate the wrinkly dehydrated chicken patties I missed so much, and even got to bear witness to an impromptu sparring session between two of the third years. Finally, at the end of the day, I find myself standing in front of a corkboard in the common area filled with flyers serving as advertisements for the various clubs the school offers. There's a decent variety to pick from here… and yet none of them seem very appealing at first glance. Student Council seems too formal for someone like me, Robotics is too advanced, I’m certainly not built for sports, and apparently there's a club dedicated to playing the tabletop roleplaying game Legends & Lobsters, but… I’d like to at least keep some of my dignity. I stand in awe of the choices, wondering which of any of them could be a decent fit for me. I scan the board for what seems like an eternity until I spot one in the very bottom corner, a plain sheet of paper with just some text printed on it. I crouch down to read it, and once I do there’s only one question on my mind. A question, I’d soon discover, that would change my life forever:
“What’s A/V Club?”