Chapter Text
The first time in a new place can be both exciting and scary. Adventuring into the unknown, meeting new people and ideas, and having new resources can help you become your very best. The first day of school is no different, but it is for Aki Wright, the Ultimate Seller.
Aki had been scouted by Hope’s Peak Academy two years ago, earning her a spot among the best of the best. She was so excited to start, expanding her dreams of owning her own business and making new connections, but everything was put on hold two weeks before attending.
The school was very generous, offering that Aki take some courses and the final exam while at home to stay enrolled and move forward with her class, but she missed out on so many connections and events.
Now, standing in front of the gates to Hope’s Peak, a wave of nervousness kicked in as she gripped the handle bars of her luggage. It’s tough being the new kid at a new school, but it’s harder when you’re starting in Year 2. Everyone in her class had already formed their own cliques and friend groups during that time. She might be on the same level as them academically, but she fell drastically behind socially.
As Aki scanned her student ID card, the gates opened up, letting her inside the privileged school. During her first week, she had one goal in mind: make one friend. Waiting outside the school was the principal, Jin Kirigiri, expecting Aki’s arrival.
“Ah, Aki Wright wasn’t it?” Kirigiri spoke up.
“Yes sir,” Aki answered.
“I’m glad you’re able to finally attend in person, but let’s get you settled into your dorm for your first day,” said Kirigiri, gesturing for her to follow him.
“Of course,” Aki acknowledged, following behind him.
As they walked through the entrance and down the halls, the principal pointed out places of interest. The library was located on the second floor by the swimming pool, the nurse’s office was by the gym on the first floor, and the dormitories were located in a separate building that was still attached to the school.
There were other students around the halls too, some coming back from summer break or new students starting their first year here. Lots of laughter was emanating from different groups, sharing stories from their time apart.
“The dormitories have everything you should need before heading off to class. The cafetaria is on this floor only, but the other floors come with a sauna, laundry room, and incinerator for anyone to use,” Kirigiri pulled out his e-Handbook, looking for something specific, “It looks like your room is located on the fourth floor along with your classmates.”
“Are any of my classmates there?”
“Most of them will be scattered throughout the academy if I had to guess, but your best bet is to try your homeroom. If you know what their Ultimate is, you can try looking in specific rooms like our art room and greenhouse. Now, let’s head over to your dorm.”
There was no elevator in the dormitory, so they made their way up the stairs. Each level looked identical to the first floor, except for the cafeteria being replaced by a storage room. Each floor housed sixteen students and felt more like a flat they could all hang out in freely.
Arriving on the fourth floor, they made their way towards the first hallway and stopped at one of the doors in the middle.
“This will be your room for the next two years,” Kirigiri said, gesturing towards the door, the name Aki Wright was placed upon it with a pixelated art of her, “It’s equipped with a closet, full bathroom, bed, and living room. And here is your key, make sure not to lose it.”
“Thank you very much,” Aki said, taking the key from him.
“The rules and map of the academy are on your e-handbook, which is inside your room set up and ready to go. We don’t have a lot of mandatory classes or events for the first week, so feel free to explore the campus and see what Hope’s Peak has to offer you.”
“I’ll be sure to take a look around after I unpack.”
“Glad to hear it,” he said enthusiastically, quickly checking his watch, “I must be heading off. I hope your time here at Hope’s Peak is an eventful one.”
“Thank you very much for your time, have a good one,” Aki bidded farewell.
The principal waved goodbye, leaving Aki to figure out what exactly she was going to do next. Playing around with the lock, Aki opened the door, revealing the red colored walls and blue carpet. It was very much an open concept, no walls separating the places. The bed laid next to the study desk, accompanied by a wooden chair with the e-Handbook laying on top. The bathroom and lounging room were nearest to the exit, a couch and a coffee table occupied the space as well.
Aki placed her bags down next to the bed along with her shoulder slinged cooler and went over to the e-Handbook. It powered on without issue and displayed ‘Welcome, Aki Wright’ on the screen. Some notifications were displayed on the home screen, welcoming Aki to Hope’s Peak and doing a walkthrough of how the tablet operated. Students could sign up for any class, check on upcoming classes, add friends to message, set alarms, and make schedules all through the e-handbook.
Tapping through the rules to brush up on everything, she got the general gist of how everything worked. She then opened the map to see where exactly her homeroom, 3-A, was. Scrolling through the layouts, she found it located on the third floor near the rec room.
A confident smile emerged as she started unpacking her clothes, sorting them in the provided dressers. After the essentials were unpacked, she unloaded her second suitcase, filled to the brim with her inventory, spreadsheets, and accountant book. Aki decided to store her merchandise in the lounge, neatly stacking each candy bar and soda can, making sure to check the dates.
“Maybe I can get a mini fridge in here,” Aki mumbled to herself. The e-Handbook did state they can decorate the rooms however they wanted as long as it wasn’t violating the school rules in place. “I can get in a few more shelves, expand my selection a lot more.”
Aki dragged her empty cooler towards the goods and filled it to the brim, soda and water rested neatly at the bottom while the candy and chips laid on top. She swung the cooler over her shoulder, ready to head out, but needed to put away her bathroom essentials first.
The bathroom was set up nicely. A walk-in shower was off to the left, already equipped with some bar soap in the package and little bottles of shampoo and conditioner. The vanity was clean, with plenty of drawers and space under the sink.
But what caught Aki’s attention was her reflection. It felt like ages ago that Aki last saw herself; her skin was less vibrant than before. Her short brown hair rested easily on her shoulders, spreading on the top of her dark green jacket. Her sunflower colored shirt was a bit wrinkled from the washing machine, but most people wouldn’t notice. She took off her hat, fixing her hair a bit before putting it back on. She wasn’t back to being normal yet, but she was getting there one step at a time.
Aki gave herself a quick pep talk before heading out the door, ready to meet her homeroom teacher. The map was a huge help, helping Aki navigate the hallways and floors with no issue. She would walk by some friend groups, guessing to herself what Ultimate each student was. Perhaps the Ultimate Doctor, or maybe Ultimate Violenist? Each student had their very own style and outfit, each one more distinct from the last. It was easy to tell which ones were into sports, while others were more complicated.
This game went on until Aki reached her homeroom, already seeing the teacher inside writing a few things down at her desk. She took a deep breath before opening the door, catching the attention of the teacher.
“Excuse me, is this 3-A?” Aki asked.
“Why yes, you must be Aki Wright,” the teacher stated, “I was told to expect you some time today.”
“Yes ma’am, I just finished getting settled in,”
“That’s wonderful to hear,” the teacher cleared her throat a bit before redirecting the conversation, “I am Ms. Yamada, your homeroom teacher and the former Ultimate Electrician."
“It’s very nice to meet you. I’m the Ultimate Seller,” Aki took a look around the classroom, only seeing one student with green hair sitting at a desk, hunched over sleeping, “Did I come in too early?”
“Oh no, Homeroom is more or less a free period, so most students go back to their rooms or hang out around the academy.”
“I see,” Aki’s enthusiasm wavered a bit, but she tried to think more positively, bringing her attention back to the sleeping girl, “Is that one of my classmates?”
“Yes, that’s Miyu Otsuka, the Ultimate Dungeon Master,” Ms. Yamada said, pointing over at the student, “She’s more of a night owl and comes here to sleep, but the different campaigns she has made have been mind blowing.”
“Hopefully I have a moment today to properly meet her.”
“I’m sure you will,” Ms. Yamada tapped her finger on her cheek deep in thought, “The other students tend to scatter throughout the campus, let me give you a list of everyone so you can introduce yourself if you run into any of them.”
Ms. Yamada went to her desk and shifted through a few papers before landing on the right one, excitedly handing it over to Aki. She didn’t recognize any of the names or faces besides Miyu’s, but she was intrigued by the talent that was in her class, ranging from a prince to a baker.
“This should be everyone,” Ms. Yamada spoke chipperly, “Your best bet would be to check the library, lots of returning students go there to brush up on some materials before their classes next week.”
“I’ll be sure to check that out, thank you very much,”
“It’s not a problem, dear. Homeroom is optional for the most part, but swing by anytime you need a break or need help with anything.”
With that, Aki bid her teacher goodbye and walked out of the classroom, looking over at Miyu once more in case she woke up. Looking through the list again, each student was printed with their name, picture, height, weight, chest, and Ultimate in the following order:
Thaddeus Miracle
5 ft 9 in
125 lbs
31 in
Ultimate Prince
Miyu Otsuka
5 ft 4 in
130 lbs
35 in
Ultimate Dungeon Master
Kawehi Kalawaia
5 ft 10 in
180 lbs
49 in
Ultimate Baker
Valerie Hawthrone
5 ft 5 in
138 lbs
37 in
Ultimate Model
Tadamura Talsam
5 ft 6 in
124 lbs
30 in
Ultimate Lawyer
Aki Wright
5 ft 5 in
119 lbs
29 in
Ultimate Seller
Kala Leimomi
6 ft
164 lbs
42 in
Ultimate Fire Dancer
Kami Nakatomi
5 ft 2 in
123 lbs
30 in
Ultimate Trainer
Noah Tremblay
6 ft 1 in
187 lbs
45 in
Ultimate Hockey Player
Cynthia
6 ft 2 in
154 lbs
40 in
Ultimate Witch
David Gomez
5 ft 10 in
157 lbs
30 in
Ultimate Priest
Scarlett Seng
5 ft 8 in
146 lbs
35 in
Ultimate Blackmailer
Hiroto Mori
5 ft 2 in
104 lbs
32 in
Ultimate Thief
Katherine Hughes
4 ft 9 in
139 lbs
37 in
Ultimate Otaku
Ivan Orlov
5 ft 2 in
103 lbs
28 in
Ultimate Hunter
Nina Andrepont
5 ft 6 in
143 lbs
37 in
Ultimate Composer
Aki studied the faces of each student, taking mental notes on what hair colors and uniforms to look out for. Even hers was on it, showing a more happier Aki with longer hair that was taken a few weeks after getting the acceptance letter. She neatly folded up the paper, slipping it into her jacket pocket and focusing on the walk down the hall.
Following Ms. Yamada’s advice, Aki headed down to the library on the second floor, not wasting any time on meeting her classmates. She did take the opportunity to snag a few sales, offering her treats to anyone she passed in the halls and grabbing a few bucks in the process.
The library was quiet, the sound of pages flipping to the other side and a pen traveling across paper were the only noises filling the space. A group of study desks were positioned at the front, rows of books behind it. In the very back were computers for any student to use freely, as long as the searches didn’t violate any rules. Two of them were logged into the library’s search system, allowing anyone to search for specific books.
A single girl was at a desk, several books stacked high as she read a romance book in one hand while writing down notes with the other. The braids looked similar to the Ultimate Witch, but the hair color was different, and this girl looked smaller.
Aki let out a defeated sigh, realizing none of her classmates were here. She was planning on leaving, but a wave of tiredness fell over her, making the need to stay here grow. The walk back to the dorms would be no trouble, but the several flights of stairs would be pushing Aki’s limit severally. Since the library offered better resources than home and a relaxed atmosphere, she figured there were worse places to be stuck for at least an hour.
Aki found a nice desk to set up shop, far enough from the other student to not intrude on their space, and began browsing the shelves, thinking long and hard on which subject to pick up first. Hope’s Peak offered high class educational books, ones that cost a fortune and held knowledge from professionals in their fields. Business, marketing, and finance were all subjects Aki needed to brush up on, her only information coming from old library books from her old high school.
The first subject she found was marketing, a whole bookshelf dedicated to the art of strategies with several books from different authors. Aki grabbed a few at random, flipping through the pages to see if those would be worth her time reading. Aki’s candy business was put on hold for far too long; she needed to jumpstart her sales as fast as possible to regain the lost revenue during her year-long break.
Aki pulled out five books that caught her interest then returned back to the desk to start studying. She pulled out a notebook and jotted down a few notes here and there, planning on using them tomorrow to boost sales. She was completely absorbed in the book, writing ten back to back pages worth of notes while only being half way through the reading material.
More students started coming into the library, each door creak made Aki perk her head up, only to not recognize the student and continue reading. This cycle went on for two hours before Aki closed the last book she grabbed, feeling satisfied with her time. She felt a lot better than before, but she was eager to keep reading more, continuing her education with the business books.
Aki quickly brought the books to the return bin and beelined it to the business section, determined to keep going. Aki had picked up a few autobiographies from famous business owners, but she needed to see about what goes into a sole proprietorship since it’ll be just her running everything. The spine on one caught her eye, a yellow book titled “Business 101: Sole Proprietorship”. It was exactly what she was looking for.
Aki reached her hand out to grab it, only to touch hands with another student grabbing the same book. The sudden presence startled Aki a bit, pulling her hand away out of fright.
“Sorry,” Aki apologized quickly, turning towards the stranger. She wasn’t expecting to see someone this short, barely coming up to her chest. His hair swooped over to one side, accompanied by a little chef hat on the other side. With a classic chef outfit on, it was easy to tell what his Ultimate was. “I didn’t mean to take that from you.”
“Nonsense,” he said, grabbing the book and handing it over, “I couldn't possibly keep a beautiful girl from her studies.”
“....Beautiful?” Aki questioned, a bit taken aback as she grabbed the book. She heard that word so many times last year, so why did this time feel different?
“There's plenty of other words I could use, but none of them would do justice to what I see in front of me,” A small bit of blood came out of his nose before he quickly wiped it away, regaining his composure, “Anyways, enjoy the reading, darling.”
He walked past Aki, purposely brushing up against her as he started heading out. Aki looked down at the book now in her hands, bringing back a familiar forgotten feeling.
“Hey wait,” Aki spoke up, causing the boy to stop and look back at her, “I have other books picked out, so you can read this one and give it back when you're done.” She offered the book out to him, a sweet smile on her face as she spoke.
“How very generous of you,” He walks back over to her, grabbing the book back with care, “And what’s the name of the magnificent goddess before me?”
“I’m Aki Wright, Ultimate Seller in case you’re interested in any of my goods later on. What’s yours?”
“What a lovely name,” his voice was laced with honey as he spoke, delivering a wink her way, “My name’s Teruteru Hanamura, but you could just call me the Ultimate Chef.”
“Well, I’ll be at one of the desks up front whenever you finish reading that,” Aki stated.
“I’ll be sure not to keep you waiting, dear.”
Teruteru took his leave, disappearing to a different part of the library to do his light reading. Aki smiled to herself, returning to her desk to get back to her own reading. She skipped around a lot in the autobiographies, not caring much about the owner's personal life and mainly focusing on how they grew and expanded their empire. One even shared a fantastic marketing strategy they had in the 70s, but the method was outdated with today's technology. Still, it was a nice look into the past on how businesses ran without the need of the internet.
Aki was deeply invested in every written word, imagining the limitless possibilities Hope's Peak had for her after this, when the yellow book from before slid into view, putting her book down to find a very pleased Teru next to her.
“Just as I promised, darling.”
“I appreciate it,” she thanked him, moving the book to the pile she needed to read, “I hope you found everything you were looking for.”
“Oh I almost have, I just need to finish looking into those emerald eyes of yours,” Teru gently lifted part of Aki’s hat up, revealing more of her face.
“Yo Teru!” A pink haired man came into the library with a shout, being met with the other students hushing him and staring daggers at him, “Sorry, sorry,” he quickly mumbled under his breath as he approached the pair, “I’ve been waiting outside for you for twenty minutes, what’s taking you so long?”
“I was a bit preoccupied with this beauty.”
“Save it dude, you’re gonna make us late to Homeroom. I need to say hi to Miss Sonia before that emo freak does.”
“Fine, fine,” Teru waved off his classmate’s concerns, turning back to Aki once more, “I hope I see you around more, my love.”
Teru was practically dragged out of the library by his classmate, the pink haired guy rambled on about Miss Sonia as they took their leave. Aki gave him a sympathetic wave as the door slammed behind them, rattling the walls a bit.
Aki put the autobiography down and picked up the business 101 book, the cover a bit warm from the previous lender. She flipped past the table on content and went right into the material, jotting down a few notes with every turned page. Autobiographies are great if you’re invested in that specific celebrity, but getting real information from them is like finding a needle in a hay stack. But this one had everything Aki needed, finally getting back into the business world.
Aki returned all the books to the bin, continuing her reading lineup with finance. She picked up many different books, ranging from the stock market to career options. She grabbed seven that piqued her interest, returning back to her seat to unravel the words.
Being out of the game for a while, it’s easy to forget what goes into running a business. Now Aki needed to retrain herself on how to properly budget and spend her money. It was easy back home, her dad helping her go through different grocery stores’ weekly papers to see who had the better deal on chips, but having to do it all herself while factoring in time and energy was going to be a big hurdle.
What’s worse is that there was no one in her class to relate to. There weren’t any business Ultimates in her class, but perhaps she could go to Tadamura for advice on a few things. It’s not specified what kind of lawyer he is, but it would hurt to ask and learn more about her classmate.
“I didn’t think you would still be in here.” The voice startled Aki a bit, taking her away from her thoughts as she turned her head to see Teruteru back in the library, leaning a bit on her desk.
“I don’t have any classes this week, so I’ve been going over some material for them.”
“I don’t recall seeing you around. Are you a first year?”
“I’m actually a second year,” Aki corrected him.
“A second year?” Teru repeated back in disbelief, receiving a nod from Aki. “I don’t know how I could have ever missed someone as pretty as you at the opening ceremony. Were you hiding in the back so the crowd wasn’t distracted by your beauty?”
“It’s a long story,” Aki shifted uncomfortably in her chair, avoiding eye contact with him.
“I wouldn’t mind hearing about it one day. Perhaps over a nice dinner, my treat of course.”
“Maybe someday, but I should get going,” Aki stood up from the desk, gathering together the books she borrowed and the notebooks scattered around, “I still haven’t eaten lunch yet, so I wanted to see what the cafeteria offered.”
“I’d hate to burst your bubble, but they closed it a few minutes ago to prepare for the dinner rush. But I wouldn’t mind whipping you up something myself,” Teru offered.
“It’s alright,” Aki reassured him, “I’ll find a random vending machine to get my lunch from.”
“Nonsense, I insist. I can’t let someone like you eat such a tasteless meal,” he visibly shuttered thinking about the old packaged sandwiches that have been sitting out for who-knows how long. “It won’t be as spectacular as the dishes I usually make, but it’ll taste just as amazing.”
“As long as it’s not interfering with anything, I wouldn’t mind something small.”
“Splendid, is there anything in that pretty little head of yours you’ve been craving lately?
“Nothing in particular, just nothing too spicy please,” Aki informed.
“I’ll keep that in mind, sugarplum.”
Aki quickly returned the books to the bin and came back, grabbing her bags and heading out of the library, holding the door open for Teru as they walked down the hall together.
“You said you were the Ultimate Seller, so what exactly are you selling?” Teru questioned.
“I’m so glad you asked,” Aki beamed with excitement as she whipped the cooler in front of her, opening it to reveal all the goodies she had packed away, “I’m everyone’s one stop shop for snacks, candy, and sodas. So many different varieties in one place for only one dollar each. I still have in stock one of my best sellers, flaming hot cheetos,” Aki’s eyes sparkled with passion as she delivered each word, “Did you want to get anything?”
“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to decline for now. Are there other services you offer?” Teru emphasized the word services as some blood trickled down.
“It’s not up and running yet, but I do have a side business for fixing up old junk and reselling them. I can try finding something specific if you want anything.”
“Interesting.”
The two continued down the hall, Aki asking different questions about Hope’s Peak, while Teru responded with answers and flirting. Some of the sexual comments were a bit off putting to Aki, but she didn’t mind the flirty remarks, finding some enjoyment in someone that did see her as beautiful.
Teru continued to test where the line was while reaching the cafeteria and preparing a special meal for Aki, spitting out a flirty comment every other sentence. Aki occasionally responded with either a weird look or a pleasant smile depending on what he said, reading through the notes she took while waiting for him to finish cooking.
The meal was simple, but incredible. Fresh tomato soup with a grilled cheese. It reminded her of the comfort meals she ate as a kid back home, and it tasted just like those old memories. It was wonderful to taste food that wasn’t bland or unseasoned for once.
When the meal was finished, Aki bid her goodbyes to Teruteru, but not before exchanging their contacts through the e-handbook. Aki couldn’t help but chuckle at the ‘Hello, beautiful’ message on her home screen as she left the cafeteria before doing a few laps around the school grounds to get familiar with the layout and earn some money.
***
Aki returned to her dorm room, collapsing on the couch and removing her bags. She steadied her breathing and removed her coat, making sure to take the money from the inner pocket out. She unpacked her cooler, putting everything in its proper place before taking out her personal notebook for inventory, counting up every piece she had left.
It wasn’t as much as she was hoping to sell, but it was the first day. Aki only introduced herself to two people, one of them being her homeroom teacher. Perhaps she could do some laps around campus to scope out the customers to see who might buy up her stock.
Aki’s thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing, her dad’s name coming up on the screen as it vibrated on the table.
“Hello?” Aki answered.
“Hi sweetheart!” her dad’s voice greeted her with enthusiasm, “How’s your first day going?”
“It’s going good. I made a friend today.”