Chapter Text
*ding dong, bing bong*
"Ahem... Hope's Peak Academy's School Trip Executive Committee has an announcement to make... Gooooood morning, everyone! Looks like today is gonna be another perfect, tropical day!"
Nagito sat up in bed, body aching from lack of sleep. For a popular vacation spot, he was expecting glamorous rooms and soft beds. While the views delivered, his bed left him tossing and turning all night. He took his time standing up, getting dressed, and heading out the door. He thought that maybe if he walked slow enough, no one would notice that he was missing from the daily meeting and they would finish without him.
This, of course, was not the case. When he walked into the dining room, he was greeted by the familiar faces of all of his classmates. Well, missing a few. As he walked in, he could almost feel a wave of unease had taken over the room. Everyone was accounted for, now that he had arrived, but something was wrong.
The very hungry Akane, who would normally have finished a full meal by now, was cowering in the corner in the far side of the room. Her back faced the rest of the students, and she seemed to be shaking and muttering things to herself.
"Ah... sorry to bother you all with my commentary... but is Akane alright? Perhaps some encouragement from the Ultimates may do her some good! But of course, you don't have to listen to trash like me..." Nagito said as he looked between his classmates.
"You think we didn't notice that by now, shit-for-brains?" said Hiyoko.
"You're right... if I had only come sooner I wouldn't be so useless..." Nagito replied.
"We all showed up this morning, and these three have been acting all crazy." Kazuichi began, "Mikan suggested taking them to the hospital, since their body temperature is so high and-"
"I'm so sorry scum like me is interrupting such a prestigious Ultimate, but there are three students who are acting strange? And they are sick? What are they infected with?" Nagito asked.
"I-I have never seen s-something like this before..." whispered Mikan. "I have n-never seen this k-kind of behavior and s-such a high body temperature b-before..."
"So sorry to ask, but who are the affected students other than Akane?" Nagito asked.
"S-so far, Akane, Ibuki, and Hajime all have e-extremely high body t-temperatures... in a-addition to that, they are all exhibiting strange p-personality changes..." Mikan responded.
"Yeah, Ibuki has been doing anything I asked her to all day. It's nuts." Kaz said.
"And Akane ran here all scared this morning and hasn't left that corner. What a wuss!" said Hiyoko.
"I don't mean to pry, but what about Hajime?" Nagito started. Hajime stood awkwardly in the crowd of students, but had yet to speak. "Has his personality changed?"
"I spoke with him this morning, before most of you arrived, and he seemed rather unusual." said Sonia. "He started speaking confidently, and quite rudely if I'm being honest, and has completely stopped talking since."
Hajime was very visibly embarassed by the others discussing him as if he wasn’t there, but still made no effort to join the conversation.
After a few moments of silence, Monokuma appeared before the class.
"You’re probably all wondering what has happening to your dear classmates... upupupu! Akane Owari, Ibuki Mioda, and Hajime Hinata have all caught the Despair Disease!"
"D-d-despair disease?!" Kaz shouted.
"W-what is the despair disease...?" Mikan asked.
"Obviously Monokuma made it up! It's not real, pig barf!" Hiyoko said to Mikan.
"I'm sorry... sorry I asked..." Mikan trailed off.
"Awww, don’t be like that, nurse girl! You’re gonna make this bear feel all guilty!" Monokuma said, placing a paw over his chest. "But Hiyoko’s wrong for once. The Despair Disease is very real! A once-in-a-lifetime tropical illness! And now three of your classmates are down for the count!"
"You did this, didn’t you?!" Kaz snapped.
Monokuma tilted his head. "Do I look like the type to spread a mysterious illness? Don’t answer that! The important part is that it’s already here. And there’s no vaccine, no cure, and no escape! Upupupu!"
"B-but if they’re sick… then they need treatment!" Sonia said firmly. "Surely we cannot allow this to continue!"
"That’s what I was thinking...!" Mikan added quickly. "I-I think they should stay somewhere isolated… j-just in case it spreads…"
"Like quarantine?" Fuyuhiko muttered.
"Upupupu! Call it whatever you want! A hospital stay, a quarantine, a group sleepover!" Monokuma grinned. "Luckily for you, this island already has a fully equipped hospital! I'm so considerate, right?"
Nagito let the conversation blur into the background. A disease that changed personalities… How fascinating. If despair could twist someone’s very nature, then what kind of hope could be born from that?
His gaze drifted across the room. Akane was still curled in on herself, shoulders trembling. Ibuki sat slumped in her chair, unusually quiet, her usual restless energy nowhere to be found.
And Hajime. Hajime stood stiffly near the back of the group, arms at his sides. He wasn’t shaking like Akane, or out of it like Ibuki. If anything, he looked too aware. Like someone trying very hard to look normal.
"...So then it’s decided!" Sonia said. "We will escort the three of them to the hospital at once."
"Y-yes! I-I can monitor their symptoms there!" Mikan nodded. "I’ll do everything I can!"
"Guess we don’t really have a choice," Kaz sighed.
"How annoying," Hiyoko muttered, though even she didn’t argue.
One by one, the group began to move. Ibuki allowed herself to be helped up without protest, leaning heavily against Kazuichi. Akane hesitated, but after some convincing, she stood, still avoiding everyone’s eyes.
Hajime was the last to move. For a moment, he didn’t follow. He just stood there. Then, slowly, he lifted his head. His eyes met Nagito’s.
Nagito’s breath caught. Ah, so that’s how it is. A small smile tugged at his lips before he could stop himself. How wonderful. Even illness could lead to something unexpected.
As Hajime finally turned and walked toward the others, Nagito lingered behind, watching him go. The unease from earlier hadn’t disappeared. If anything, it had only just begun to take shape. And for the first time since arriving on this island, Nagito felt certain of one thing.
Something interesting was about to happen.