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What a cold, tasteless day.
Nagito thought to himself as he buttoned up his coat further. Yet Chisa thought it was best they enjoy the outdoors, even though it was as freezing as it could be. His even more sickly complexion than usual was telling, every nerve in his body wanting to retreat back inside. Yet… it was worth it, witnessing everyone else's hope.
Ibuki had made herself as a snowman… but not without a noticeable sized chest. Sonia took matters into her own hands to stop Kazuichi from creeping on her from a snow fort, relentlessly throwing snow balls at him. Gundham and his hamsters aided her. Peko and Fuyuhiko idly stood next to one another, each clutching a hot chocolate. Mikan was attempting to ice skate with Akane… but Akane was more focused on more of ice fighting with Nekomaru. The team manager ducked to avoid the sharp blade of her ice skates. Poor Mikan made a series of falls, that no one except Hiyoko paid any attention to. While the traditional dancer laughed, Mahiru frowned over her camera, opting to take a photo of Fuyuhiko and Peko instead. Only Peko smiled. Teruteru was making more hot chocolates for everyone once they got back inside, but they could always get them early.
Nagito chuckled at the others antics. But scanning everyone’s faces… he noticed that there was someone missing.
…Where was Chiaki?
Well, he shouldn’t jump to conclusions… maybe being the class rep granted her a privilege they didn’t have. She could be inside the school building, gaming listlessly on her favorite console. But he’d have to ask to make sure.
He approached Yukizome. She beamed. “If it isn’t our happy go lucky-luckster! Could this be another question? If it is, then no! We are not heading back inside until you guys finish your recess!”
He smiled. “I appreciate the spirit, Ms. Yukizome, though I’m not asking that question in particular.”
Chisa took off her white earmuffs, beaming as always. “Oh, what is it then? I’m all ears!”
“I’m just wondering about our class representative. Do you know where she is?”
Chisa’s expression turned worried. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for you rotten oranges, but I haven’t seen Chiaki in a while. What if she fell asleep in a snow drift...!? Maybe she did…”
“Let's not jump to conclusions so suddenly. Perhaps I could check inside-” He began not so subtly.
“Nagito!” Chisa cut him off abruptly, determined. “Here's your assignment for the day. Find Chiaki! And that's here, out in the open!”
Nagito’s shoulders shrank in disappointment. “I see.” Why had he considered the selfish possibility in the first place? This was an apt punishment!
The others yells rang in his ears. Sonia and Gundham had taken down Kazuichi’s fort. But despite his plight, Chiaki’s potential predicament was of more concern to him…
Chisa looked at him expectantly. “Well? What are you waiting for? Go find your treasure!”
“...Treasure?”
Chisa must’ve noticed a red overlap his pinkish face from the cold, and laughed. “Just a figure of speech, you know? Now get out there!”
~~~
Nagito got down to his search. As the others pestered him with questions, he only shrugged them off as he inspected almost everywhere he could. He wasn’t going to lose the meager hope that motivated him to find her, not a chance.
So he kept searching. Searching.
Until dawn approached…. the blues and oranges of the sky threatening to get deeper.
Nagito finally granted himself the privilege of sitting down on a cold metallic bench. He took in a deep breath. As the cold air hit his lungs, he stared into at the shadows of trees and snow, feeling aimless and dejected. How utterly hopeless of him. Chisa had put her faith in trash like him to find their class representative, and he had failed her. Failed them both… Ah. Just where could she be? Maybe this was all bad luck. Yes! Maybe that was it… Maybe the others might’ve found her already, and it didn’t matter if his searches were fruitless. Not if she was safe and sound in the warm embrace of Class 77-B. There was a silver lining!
…But Nagito still found it in himself to doubt. A thought gnawed at the back of his brain, not realized enough for him to pull out and examine. Chiaki… a wonderful hope. The glue that kept the class together, a sound peacekeeper even when the others were insistent in their disarray. Her quiet tone endearing, even when chiding him on the habits that he simply couldn’t halt. She was kind to trash like him, even when nobody bat an eye. The light of her smile… was all it took, to brighten up his meaningless day. The curls of her mauve hair, her pixelated Galaga hairpin. Her soft pink eyes, how would they focus so intensely and insistently on the console she almost always had in her pale, warm hands…
Nagito should’ve understood better than anyone else… that Chiaki was simply a hope he could never reach. Unobtainable.
But why, but why, did this feeling run deeper for her than it did for the others..?
The thought surfaced.
He loved her.
The very reason she couldn't be in any more danger now.
Frowning, he spotted a familiar hairpin. It could've been a trick of the light. It didn't matter, the wind picking up exponentially and carrying it away.