Hajime awkwardly walked into Nagito's home, carrying some bright flowers. You give flowers to friends, right? He had to work an extra shift to make sure he could afford some really nice ones from the florist near his home, but... that's what any friend would do, hopefully Nagito wouldn't see anything weird with Hajime giving him flowers.

Hajime's face flushed slightly, pulling the flowers from behind his back, and handing them to Nagito. "Umm..." His face got redder, and he struggled to get his words out, as he thrusted the bouquet into Nagito's hand. "T - These are... for you!"

"For me...?" Nagito muttered, glancing down at the red and white carnations in his hands. "Red and white... carnations...?" He swore they meant something... oh well, he'd look it up later. Especially the red... it was a dark shade - which he felt was deliberate somehow... Ah, he should put these in a vase.

Nagito quickly turned around and headed to the kitchen, dumping the flowers he bought yesterday into the trash, since he only had one vase, and put the carnations into the newly vacant glass container. He added some clean water to the flowers and placed it briefly on the counter. He moved to dry his hands, but a piece of hair got stuck in his eye, and he used his hands to brush the hair out of his face.

Hajime turned into the kitchen as Nagito placed the vase back onto the windowsill, sparking in the sunlight.

"Ahh! So pretty!" Hajime said, his eyes shining. However, his eyes weren't directed at the flowers, but instead...

Nagito turned around, the sunlight making his soaked hair shine. "Yes, the flowers are nice, aren't they?"

"The... the flowers?" Hajime then came to his senses. "Ah, yes! T - The flowers! You're - they're - pretty!" Ahh crap, what am I saying...? Hajime thought to himself. "The flowers are... very pretty..." He lightly scratched at his blushing cheeks, feeling a bit awkward. I hope Nagito didn't catch what I said...

"Are you alright, Hajime?" Nagito asked, slightly concerned. "You're stammering and muttering more than normal... I could barely hear anything you said..."

"Phew." Hajime muttered. "I - I mean, I'm fine, let's get to work!" He brought out a small bag from his backpack and lifted it up so Nagito could see. He opened it and pulled out one of the many bagels the bag contained. "I brought some snacks!"

---TimeSkip---

Hajime sat next to Nagito, going over their work. The bagels had been polished a while ago, and Geography has never been his favourite subject - neither was it Nagito's - so they were both struggling. And that struggling... kept tensions high.

"Urgh, I don't know this at all!" Hajime sighed, leaning back slightly.

Nagito's eye twitched in anger. Of course Hajime didn't know anything, he was a simple Reserve Course student! How would he know anything useful about Geography? Not that Nagito knew much anyway, but with his luck he'd at least have a higher chance of writing down or finding something useful. Honestly, he might have had an easier time doing the entire project himself.

"Of course you wouldn't." Nagito muttered. His eyes widened after he spoke, not meaning to say his thoughts out loud. He was just annoyed - he didn't mean what he said! But somehow, he found he couldn't speak anymore, stuck in his shock and horror at what he had said.

"Nagito..." Hajime muttered in return, bending his head back down, so his fringe covered his eyes, shadowing his face, "... what did you mean by that?" Nagito realised he had messed up, but his mouth was opening up again against his will. He had to say something - anything to explain his actions and make it up to Hajime. He-

"What do you think I meant, Hajime? Someone with an Ultimate in Geography would be a lot more useful to me right now than you." Nagito replied, inwardly freaking out at what he was saying. You IDIOT! Why did you say that to Hajime? Hajime's different! Just apologise! He's not like those people from before-

Nagito shook his head, trying to clear his mind. "Hajime, I-"

"Stop." Hajime interrupted, wiping at the tears falling down his cheeks. "I'm done. I trusted you. I thought you were different, kinder, than how you were before. I thought you had gotten over me being a Reserve Course student!" He was screaming now, not bothering to stop the tears escaping from his face, landing softly on the floor below. "I know you would treat me differently if I was an Ultimate - hell I'D TREAT MYSELF DIFFERENTLY! JUST PLEASE... please..." Hajime pulled his hands up to his face, unable to stop shaking. "I just wish you had stayed honest and hadn't lied to me for so long, I..."

He stood suddenly, and Nagito quickly followed. "H - Hajime, please, I-"

"You what?" Hajime turned back to him. "You 'didn't mean it'? Please. You did. I bet you never changed your mind one bit since you found out I'm a Reserve Course student on the first day of school." He laughed to himself slightly. "I doubt you were ever my friend."

"H - Hajime, wait, I-"

"You probably only hung out with me in an attempt to make Chiaki and Kazuichi leave me alone. I should've told myself that sooner, instead of allowing myself to... to..." He threw a quick glance to the kitchen, where the declarative flowers stood, taunting him, and Hajime cried harder. In a flash, he ran out of the room to the front door, grabbing his sleepover bag on the way.

The bag, which was open, allowed a couple items to drop on the floor, making loud thudding sounds as they landed. Hajime glanced at them, deciding whether or not he should run back to grab them or leave now.

"Hajime!"

Leave now.

Hajime spun back around, and abandoned the items, zipping his bag up, slamming his feet into his shoes, and pulling on his jacket. The sooner he left the better. All he wanted was to sit in his room and cry in peace.

"Hajime, it's pouring outside!"

"So?" Hajime didn't care if there was a hurricane - he just wanted to LEAVE.

"At least take this umbrella!" Nagito passed Hajime a thin black umbrella, which Hajime slowly reached out to take. As he grabbed it, his hand slightly touched Nagito's and with the usual flood of happiness that occurred with interactions like that one was also a torrent of pain and hurt. He gasped lightly, and gripped tighter to the umbrella, sharply pulling it away from Nagito.

"Hajime? Are you okay?" Nagito had an expression of guilt on his face. Hajime had always been so forgiving, but now... Nagito doubted he'd ever be able to see Hajime again - of course excluding lessons and class assignments. But it'd never be the same as before.

Hajime lifted his eyes to meet Nagito's, and Nagito struggled to not flinch at the massive amount of pain held within them. "What do you think?"

"Stay." Nagito reached out and clasped Hajime's sleeve, desperation filling his voice. "Please. I'm sor-"

"No, you're not." Hajime replied, trying to ignore Nagito's tears. "You're just feeling guilty." He ripped his arm away from Nagito and opened the umbrella as he exited the house. It was hard for Nagito to hear Hajime's final words, the rain between them deafening his ears, but be strained hard enough to barely catch them. "Don't worry about me anymore, I'll be a good little Reserve Course student and leave all you Ultimates alone."

Nagito's eyes widened at his words. This couldn't be... please don't tell him...

... was this the end...?

No, please, no! Nagito's mind swam with thoughts, memories of the times he and Hajime had spent together. He didn't want it all to be over. Hajime had made him feel...

... wait.

No, this feeling couldn't be... but it was.

As Hajime turned back around and began his long walk back to his own home, Nagito cried harder, as he watched his first crush leave his life, for what could be forever. He figured out what made Hajime so amazing, so unique, so different to anyone else he'd ever met...

... but he was too late.

Hi everyone! Don't worry, the story is still going, it's not over, I'll do my best to get us to a happy ending for these boys XD

I hope you guys have been enjoying the story so far, and I'm sorry it's so sad so far. I do think we're actually at least halfway, which is strange haha - I thought the book would last longer than that. Well there's still a bunch more chapters to go! We won't be done for a while yet!

Can't wait to see you all again soon!

But for now...

Peachy out! 😊