When they left the hotel grounds, Komaeda sighed and put his hands in the weird indents in his jacket.

"I apologize for what Hanamura-san was doing to you." Komaeda told Citrine. "Hanamura-san is a nice person he's just..." He shook his head. "...Got some really nasty quirks."

Citrine gave a Komaeda a strange look. "Okay, I figured that already." Citrine mumbled. "By the way, you still haven't answered my question."

Komaeda gave an awkward smile. "I'd rather not explain what a thong is in public, Hinata-san."

Citrine frowned. Depriving me of knowledge isn't cool, Komaeda...

The two began walking near the 'ranch', Citrine realized how uncomfortable his interactions with Komaeda had gotten.

Was it because of Hanamura's actions?

💎

"This looks like..." Citrine pauses, entering the small grotto. "A small park." Citrine said, using some earthling slang.

Komaeda smiled. "A park surrounded by the ocean..." He sighed, closing his eyes. "Not a bad place, is it?"

Komaeda was as easygoing as ever. Well, if the situation was different, Citrine thought he could also enjoy lazing around in a place like this. With Komaeda at his side.

Had only the situation were different, and Citrine was just a pathetic earthling.

Citrine shook his head, ignoring his feelings and glanced around, noticing a statue- a statue depicting several earthling beasts. Quite large, too.

Komaeda opened his eyes. "Wow!" He said in surprise. "That's one magnificent statue, ain't it?"

Citrine gave a good look. It's... exotic and weird. But... something about it attracts Citrine to it. "It is..." Citrine agreed. "But it's also a little creepy, don't you think?" He admitted.

"Is it? I think it's pretty rad." Komaeda told the gem, giving a faint smile. "Packs quite a punch, doesn't it? I'm sure it's a symbol of this island, or something."

It certainly does pack a punch... Citrine thought. But... "A symbol..." Like... "Of this island, huh?" Citrine has to be vain. Just like this statue, he too was a symbol.

Citrine now noticed the third student in the park.

A tall and obtuse male, with short blond hair and in a white dress suit.

Citrine glanced at the male with innocent thoughts.

"What do you want?" The blond ask in an annoying tone.

Whoa. Everything about this earthling screams "go away". It's quite overwhelming.

Komaeda gave the two an awkward look. "Ah, Togami-kun..." He mumbled politely. "Do you mind if you introduced yourself?"

"An introduction?" Togami repeated.

Komaeda places a hand on Citrine's shoulder, but it was obvious he was possibly going to have his hand on a lower region. "Go on, Hinata-kun." He encouraged.

"Um, hi." Citrine greeted, but paused to remember his alias. "My name is Hinata Hajime."

"My name is Togami Byakuya."

Jeh, Jeh! Jeh, Jeh!
Togami Byakuya, Ultimate Heir
Oh yeah shake your body!

Togami scoffs. "...I'm done. You don't need anything else, do you? Go away."

H...He... evidently thinks he's above all of us. Citrine most likely should keep a list of these earthlings, maybe even photograph the geography as well.

"Yep, that's just what you'd expect from Togami-kun." Komaeda explained.

"'What you'd expect'..." Citrine repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

Komaeda crosses his arms and sighed. "You see, even among all the Super High-school Level students in our class, he's special." He looked at Citrine dead in the eye. "He's heir to a financial giant - the Togami conglomerate. He's been taught the secrets of leadership ever since he was very young. Despite his age, he's already held a variety of management positions, and acquired a considerable fortune of his very own."

Citrine nodded, not understanding a single word Komaeda said.

"The title 'Super High-school Level Heir' fits him to a tee, doesn't it? He's really an exceptional high-school student." Komaeda explained, most likely believing Citrine understood him.

"Oy." Togami snapped at Citrine. "Did you say your name was Hinata...?"

"Eh?" Citrine squeaked.

Togami glared at the gem, distrust in his eyes. "I have a question for you. Why were you chosen to attend Hope's Peak Academy? Tell me, right now. What's your Super High-school Level specialty?"

"Um..." Citrine froze. "That's a little......" By the Diamonds. "A..." He hummed. "Actually, I don't remember."

"You..." Togami was baffled. "Don't remember?"

"It seems his mind's all in a mess due to the shock..." Komaeda explained, who must likely is falling for every single one of Citrine's lies. "His memory's not quite back yet."

Togami laughed. "Feh. Truly a simpleton."

"Hey now—" Citrine squeaked.

"...This conversation is over. Do you intend to stand there much longer?
Move your body...! That is what you thin people do, isn't it?" Togami snapped at both Citrine and Komaeda.

Komaeda sighed, placing a hand on Citrine's shoulder. "...Let's go, Hinata-kun."

Citrine breathed. "Yeah..."

That... aura of inapproachability and overwhelming bod... Is that what earthling "leadership" is all about?

Citrine groaned, utterly baffled on how earthlings can be so full of themselves.

Citrine then was caught off guard, due to a bell chime going off.

Komaeda leaned into Citrine. "Did you hear that...? It sounded just like a school chime..." He pointed his free hand over to a monitor. "...Hinata-kun. Look at that monitor over there."

Usami appeared on the monitor. "Congwatulations, everyone!! It looks like everyone managed to gather their vewy first set of Hope Shards!" Usami congratulated.

Citrine realized he had recently collected Togami's Hope Shard.

"Oh oh oh oh... this makes me so vewy happy..." Usami said in a happy voice. "And so, I have prepared special pwesents so that you can be happy too!"

A present for meeting people...?

"I am sorry for the twouble, but please gather up back at the beach. Tee-hee! Let's make our hope shine together!" Usami ended her message, smiling.

Komaeda nodded. "She said we should go back to the beach."

"Are you sure it's alright...?" Citrine questioned. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Komaeda smiles at Citrine. "It doesn't make much sense to just stand here and worry." He walked towards the exist of the parked, following suit of Togami - who, as well, was leaving. "Let's just go back to the beach and keep the worrying for later."

"Komaeda...! Shouldn't we at least...!" Citrine ran after the daft earthling. "Shouldn't we take more precautions?

This worries me, but it's not like I can just abandon Komaeda like that...

>Obtained hope shards B. TOGAMI

Next time on Aloha Despair: GEM BOY

Wait, so your telling me that earthlings can get naked without damaging their bodies...?

Upupupupupup...