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It was late when Nagito returned to his room, his head stuffed with thoughts. The nightly breeze carded through his unkempt hair, and he jumped up from his bed, slamming the window shut.
Kokichi was the mastermind? A remnant of despair, trying to sabotage humanity’s last hope and had now gotten bored of it? The remaining students’ parting scene with Kokichi came back to mind: he was grinning triumphantly, with the controller in his hand, and five Exisals stood loyal guard behind him. He had looked exceptionally pale then.
Nagito sighed. That was so obviously a lie. It was absolutely despairing how none of the Ultimate students’ faces showed a trace of doubt, all still reeling from the shock they received upon seeing the outside world. It was certainly a…difficult situation, but also the perfect time for these chosen hopes to shine even brighter as the last of humanity’s hope!
Ah…so that was what Kokichi had been scheming about. This must be it. Nagito smiled to himself as his thoughts ran. Kokichi was trying to produce more despair with his crappy lie, pushing everyone to their limits, so that they might become even more hopeful in the end. As expected of the Ultimate Supreme Leader. How clever!
What an outrageous, devious little conspirator. Nagito had to admit he was fooled and furious for a second, but it was just because he was still rather ignorant of who Kokichi was and what he was capable of, despite having observed him carefully since they came here. The mischievous Ultimate Supreme Leader was a loner just like himself, and enjoyed spicing things up in class trials almost as much as he did. He had the most terrible kind of smarts, but also the perfect innocence of a spoiled kid. Nagito couldn’t wait to see what battle he would end up choosing for himself.
“Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong!”
Could it be that there was going to be an emergency meeting tonight? Kokichi took Kaito away after all, though Nagito was 98% sure he didn’t have reasons or intentions to harm the Ultimate Astronaut. But who would think to call him to a meeting? He was usually elsewhere at this hour, exploring this magnificent academy of hope wherever his whims and predictions took him. He only returned to the dorms tonight because he wanted to leave Kokichi alone to his plans and let things boil quietly while he thought up the next step of his “exposing the mastermind” plan. What could be waiting on the other side upon this doorbell ring, misfortune or luck? With this final, tiring thought, he went to answer the door.
Standing out there, backed by the almost empty courtyard without the alarming silhouettes of Exisals roaming around as usual, was a person least and most expected — the ultimate liar, conspirator, and trouble-maker himself, Kokichi Ouma.
For Hope’s sake, thought Nagito, he looks terrible.
Dark bags under his eyes. His usually smooth hair sticking in all directions, wet for some reason, as if he’d been caught in the rain. Without the unsettling mask of his signature smile, Kokichi looked almost genuine. Childish. He sniffed, trying to appear as if he was faking, but Nagito could tell he was in a bad state. What happened?
Before he could question his visitor and figure out the truth, though, an interesting thought occurred to Nagito: Kokichi wanted them to believe that he was the mastermind, and although his act was a see-through, he most likely had expected everyone to play along. Well, then, Nagito shall gladly serve as his stepping stone, even if it was just the two of them at this moment. He schooled his expression into a haughty scowl — that wouldn’t be nearly enough to show his contempt for a Remnant of Despair.
“I haven’t got any business with you,” Nagito’s tone was icy, “even scum like me are not obligated to speak with a dirty, lying follower of despair.”
“Oh, come on, Nagito, cut it out!” Kokichi whined in response, clenching his fists. His voice was hoarse, as if he had been stuck in a dusty place for too long. “My lies never worked on you before. Quit messing with me!”
The time of truth. Here it came. Nagito ignored the younger boy’s request and instead fixed his gaze on him, pretending to be condescending.
“Maybe if you kneel and beg, and lick my shoes, I’d let you know what I decided to do with you.” Was that going into the act too far? Anyways, a thrill shot through his spine as he saw Kokichi flinch at his cruel words. An Ultimate — Ultimate Leader, even! — was left at his favor, if only for a small moment. He didn’t have this kind of luck every day. “For now, I—”
Nagito was completely thrown off as a pair of lithe arms wrapped around his waist. Kokichi’s forehead then came to lean awkwardly against his chest — only a feather-light touch, not like the usually abrasive character of Kokichi at all — and he felt him start mumbling, warm breath tickling Nagito through his T-shirt a little.
“I’m scared.” The evil supreme leader gave in for the first time that evening and it might have easily been since the entire game had started — and confessed, out of a sudden. “I’m so fucking scared, Nagito, but I know this is — all my calculations lead to — the only way. I wrote up a whole script, thought about all kinds of possibilities and I must be the first person to write my last words — don’t you dare grab that title from me, I’m warning you!”
As his ramble circled back to Nagito, Kokichi seemed to have just registered what he had been doing and quickly retracted his arms, a stormy, almost sinister look coming over his face. Nagito wondered how what kind of occurrences in the Ultimate Supreme Leader’s deadly criminal career could have demanded such a look. He stepped back, and did his best to stretch out a grin.
“Anyways, forget about that, I’m perfectly fine. Oops, actually I don’t know why I came here, I just stopped by because I’m — well it was a j-joke! I was hoping to crush your spirit! I probably shouldn’t leave Kaito alone in the hanger, but he’s in the bathroom, I made sure the lock was intact, he should be fine. I’ll just go check…and leave you all in despair thinking how your courageous friend must be suffering inside the mastermind’s lair. Ni-heehee! Gotta go!”
“Your hope is shining very bright at this moment, Ouma-kun,” Nagito laid a hand on his shoulder. “But why not use me as your accomplice, if you…I mean, I wouldn’t want to miss out a chance to help an Ultimate.”
Now he knew what the purple-eyed little devil was planning to do. To be honest, he would do a similar thing himself; anything to gain an upper hand over the mastermind. But what guts had Kokichi got to come up with such an act, when he didn’t even have Nagito’s luck? No wonder he was scared.
Even so, it was a wonder that he had come to specifically seek Nagito out. Maybe he was thinking of his luck. Either way, Nagito was pleasantly surprised that a person so mysteriously talented such as Kokichi did not mind wasting time divulging his plan to him.
Sensing the change in his tone, Kokichi — it could be his eyes fooling him, but Nagito would like to be fooled in this case — brightened up a little.
“So you didn’t fall for my lie! Man, I thought you got turned stupid by the mastermind somehow and really believed in that farce!” Kokichi whisper-shouted as he was led into Nagito’s room, “you played me, Nagito, I can’t believe it! Wahhh, you are such a meanie—”
He started to fake crying, but once he sat down on the edge of Nagito’s bed, his tears magically dried up and the familiar grin returned.
“Feeling much better now?”
“Don’t steal my line, you self-deprecating hope-obsessed rat.” Kokichi stuck his tongue out at the room’s owner. “It’s not good to lie to yourself all the time…hey, that’s pointless! I won’t be able to get it through your thick skull any soon. Anyways. You wanted to help me, right? Well, it would appear your help is not needed, since I have already chosen that hot-headed fool to be the culprit.
“You need to stay alive for this final trial or I suspect Shuichi & co. would manage to make it very boooooring. It’d be hell if I become a bore in death! Ah, I think I would miss screwing with you during the trials — not the trials themselves, mind you — you’ve been the most fun, you know that? That isn’t a lie, by the way.”
“What an honor to receive such high praise from an Ultimate like you. I almost feel like I don’t deserve it.” Nagito spoke truthfully, sneaking in an “almost” because he was a little smug that his proposal to help was briefly considered. He sat down next to the smaller boy, taking him in. In the bright light of his dorm room, Kokichi’s eyes shined brighter, only this time it was not with mischief, but with a delusive, sad kind of determination that darkened his pupils and made him look younger. More vulnerable. “It’s not that I don’t have confidence in your intelligence as well as your talent, Ouma-kun, but I only feel that that it would be a terrible waste if you were the one to lose your precious, hopeful life in this game, while the perfect candidate for your plan — a no-good useless waste of energy like me —”
He didn’t get to finish the sentence, because Kokichi was quick to prop himself up on his knees and raise a warning finger to Nagito’s lips.
“Awww, it makes me so sad, Komaeda-chan, that you won’t even respect possibly some of my last words to you and stop lying to yourself about how you were worthless and stuff. I lead an organization the size of 10,000, okay? I’ve seen all kinds of people — and I could bet you are the ambitious kind! You got more ambition than a common Talented student could ever fathom! You won’t stop trying to meddle with my plan because you secretly want that honor for yourself, isn’t it? To become the beacon of hope we owe our lives to that lights up our paths forever and ever?”
“Wow, Ouma-kun knows me really well, right down to the bottom of my heart.” Of all people, that Kokichi is the one confronting him was mostly unexpected. But somehow Nagito found himself unable to think of other people smart or bold enough to spell out his thought process to his face besides Kokichi — even thoughts he wouldn’t admit to be having any soon. “But isn’t that just what you are trying to do yourself? I know, I know, Ouma-kun doesn’t feel as strongly for hope as I do, but you are paying a terrible price for something, right? You assumes the role of the villain, but at the end of the day, you still want to do the right thing and save everyone…”
And what was that feeling in his chest? Nagito wanted to feel furious or at least dismayed by hearing Kokichi expose him so ruthlessly, but none of those emotions were there. He only felt mildly intrigued, and a strange kind of warmth at the external acknowledgement of the dark recesses of his thoughts, his lies by omission. That tingle of warmth urged him to retaliate, and he looked Kokichi in the eye while he tentatively unmasked him with his gaze. His voice was even more gentle than usual, dropped to little above a whisper.
Kokichi met his gaze unflinchingly, his stare becoming somewhat aggressive overtime, and then—
“I take back my words. You are suuuuch a bore, Nagito! I hate you I hate you I hate you!” He whined loudly, crossing his hands behind his head and flopping down on the bed, eyes tightly shut. “‘Hope’ this, ‘stepping stone’ that, and now it’s ‘doing the right thing’! Seriously, I expected better from you. I’m really, really evil, alright? I planned all of this for fun; for my whole life to culminate in a victorious, awe-inspiring final lie, you know! Wait, are you feeling sorry for me? I don’t need your pity, scumbag!”
“Trash like me won’t ever dare pity the evil supreme leader.” Nagito assured him, trying to put together his words. Unfortunately, Kokichi was lying facing the ceiling, which seemed to be a perfect position for someone to tickle him. That was exactly what Nagito did. He knew not why. But he did. He reached towards the evil leader’s petite form and with his luck, Kokichi didn’t immediately react in alert and he was able to scratch the soft skin peeking out from under his coat. (It was a new coat, and was shiny white, it almost made Kokichi’s skin look grey. Nagito mused on that; if his deductions were correct, Kokichi wouldn’t be needing a coat for his final plan, cooperating with Kaito of all people. He decided to stack that bit of observation aside for later.)
At the contact, Kokichi did become startled this time, and jumped like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
“Perv.” he said, but he looked disinterested, or rather distracted, lost in thought. “I’m letting you get away with that one only because I’m in a good mood…it’d be a shame to not enjoy myself when my time is running out…and because I came to say goodbye, this time, And no, before you start calling yourself trash or something, I would clarify that you absolutely deserved this visit, you jerk. I’m interested in…the Ultimate Lucky Student, you know? I never thought such a talent could exist. You promised me there would be some kind of result I just have to wait and see until the end of this killing game, but it seems like I’d never have a chance to actually see it for myself. So, um.”
Silence befell them as neither continued. There was only the buzz of electricity, powering the monitors and securities cameras, lingering mid-air.
“Let me word this better, Ouma-kun, if you would allow me to, that is.” Nagito began. Kokichi looked up and saw that his eyes seemed to be glazed over with fog. “I’m not saying all those things because I pity you…I do say a lot of crap sometimes, sorry.”
“No, you are not. No apologizing so that I won’t have to forgive you.”
“Am too. And you don’t need to forgive, anyone for that matter. You are in a killing game when you should be attending high school. That’s the equivalent of being wronged by the whole world.” Nagito smiled reassuringly. “Anyways, what I was trying to say is…I wouldn’t like to see you go, Ouma-kun. You have been so much fun, so definitely not boring. I tried to dig up information on you but I just couldn’t. You’ve been so amazing and impressive, truly living up to your title, and with every lie you tell, I know there is a good reason behind it. I—” he sucked in a breath; his chest had felt so tight. “I have Ultimate Luck on my side, okay? I’ll make sure you can see its effect with your own eyes, this time. Hey, Ouma—”
“Kokichi,” the younger boy interrupted.
“Kokichi,” Nagito corrected himself, a little light-headed, “You’d not regret it. Make me your stepping stone.”
Kokichi winced when he heard his name; he went really quiet for a moment. Good, thought Nagito, he knew I was serious about this, and was weighing the pros and cons in his head now, certainly. He waited patiently for Kokichi to arrive at a conclusion; meanwhile, he set himself to ponder on the details of the upcoming crime. He had to work quickly in his head; it was no problem. He was unmistakably good at this.
But suddenly, as was always with Kokichi’s face changes, the smaller boy let out a loud cry. He was covering his face with both hands, but Nagito could see tears streaking down his cheeks beneath his fingers. To admit it, he was a little startled. Kokichi cried and cried until fake sobs became very close to the real ones, and Nagito really hoped it didn’t have to be tonight, because if they could both make it to tomorrow morning, he could see Kokichi with swollen eyes and that mental image was mildly funny.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, Ou — Kokichi-kun.”
“Never mind,” Kokichi said, faking a few sniffles; he didn’t take care to dry the tear stains this time. “I just thought of something sad. I’m actually allergic to tragedies, okay, it’s nothing to do with you. Now, if you are so willing, then, let’s move on to a merry discussion of our plan—”
“Our plan, indeed.” Nagito felt greatly relieved, seeing how the other boy was now smiling at him, just a normal smile, perhaps sprinkled with a little deceit, nothing much. It would seem that Kokichi was exhausted by the act just now — what was that for, again? To spice things up and surprise him, Nagito supposed; Ouma-kun, so weirdly considerate of his feelings tonight — as his eyelids were drooping, and his head dropped to rest on Nagito’s shoulders, while consciously keeping a certain amount of distance between the two of them. Kokichi loved behaving in a childish manner, and he could be daring, but he knew the boundaries. Nagito wished he didn’t, at this moment. Even if someone was watching, they could huddle like they were stranded on a planet of ice if they wanted to. Death was scary. No one wanted to die.
And Nagito was so happy that Kokichi, of all people, had given up on the scary, scary death. Death was the one truth most humans could ever grasp in their lives and Kokichi was the embodiment of lie; the two simply didn’t go together. They never would.
“Ehhhh, all this talking has been such a pain. Not you. Talking, I mean, I get tired of talking, everyone does, eventually. Then they dieeeee.” Kokichi yawned and maybe snuggled a milimeter closer. Nagito found it amusing how his heart was pounding at this moment, he really couldn’t tell if it was from excitement, fear, or sorrow. Happiness. Had Kokichi’s hair always been this soft, and had all his breaths been this quiet, when he was not lies and mischief, but just Kokichi, tired, Kokichi, a teenage boy who was surely not as tough as he pretended to be?
It could be happiness he was feeling. Who knows. The warm feeling in his chest persisted even now.
“Hey,” Kokichi was murmuring, “since now I’m going to help you become the Ultimate Hope for everyone — don’t say bad things about yourself anymore, alright? No Ultimate Hope calls themselves trash, you think so too, huh?”
Nagito nodded, trying to scramble up some words, some kind of farewell message in his brain — he was not used to such crude planning, but it seemed that Kokichi wanted to end it all tonight, so be it — but just then, before he could register what was happening, something light and slightly dampened hit his lips.
Our plan. It echoed through his head before It went all dark.
Lies, lies, lies—
“You seem to have forgotten, Komaeda-chan,” Kokichi looked down at the Ultimate Lucky Student, passed out on his bed. “That I’m the best liar in this world.”
With that, Kokichi Ouma wiped his face (it was fine, no one would be seeing his tear stains, besides Kaito probably; it was Fine.) — And headed towards the Cyber Courtyard. The dome imitating the real sky didn't render the night entirely black. A faint shadow stretched long and thin behind him, trailing him, like an overly-enthusiastic ghost.