TW/CW: bullying

(Chihiro's PoV)

I woke up the next morning, feeling refreshed. Today was the day I was going to hang out with Naegi.

I was excited and yet nervous at the same time.

I got up and changed into the school uniform, then I left my dorm to go to class.

Kuwata came up to me as soon as I entered the room.

"Hey what's up with Mondo? He looks like he's reflecting on something very hard," he asked.

"Oh?" I looked to see Mondo, sitting in his desk and had his hands on his head. He looked like he was concentrating on something.

I turned back to face Kuwata.

"Something happened yesterday and I guess he's completing on that something. Or someone," I muttered that last part under my breath.

"Hmmm. Well if he needs any help, I'll be happy to lend a hand," Kuwata said.

"Yeah I'll tell him that," I nodded.

He smiled before looking behind me and blushed.

"Maizono-chan," he said in an exciting voice.

Maizono was chatting with Ikubasa and a girl with black hair  with blue and hot pink hair dyed tips.

"Alright and I'll see you at lunch Ibuki," she said and waved goodbye to the girl.

I moved forward to leave space for Maizono and Ikubasa to get in the classroom.

"Oh thanks Fujisaki. Good morning Kuwata," Maizono smiled and walked to her desk.

Ikubasa gave a small wave to us and left to her desk.

"She smiled at me!" Kuwata basically fanboyed.

I playfully punched him. It was common knowledge that Kuwata had a crush on Maizono. Apparently he has a feeling that they are soulmates.

I frown when the word 'soulmates' crossed my mind.

I never had the time to think about it but now that my potential soulmate is in the same school as me, it's all my mind could think about.

"I'm heading off to my desk now," Kuwata said and waved goodbye to me.

I waved bye and headed to my desk as well.

I heard some chattered from in front of me and looked up.

Hina was chatting with Naegi and Ogami about something. Probably something about soulmates because Naegi kept glancing at his pinkie.

I couldn't help but stare at him. I was worried about how close we may end up getting.

What if he figures out my secret before I get comfortable telling him? What if he doesn't even like boys? Will he end up hating me? I thought, worriedly.

"Hey Fujisaki, are you ok?" A voice in front of me asked.

It was Naegi himself.

"O-oh, I'm alright," I assured him.

"Really? I couldn't help but notice you were staring in my direction but you had a very worried and scared expression on you. If you're nervous about today, I can assure you that I don't bite," he said.

I shook my head.

"It's nothing really but thanks for that reassurance," I awkwardly chuckled.

Naegi smiled and patted my arm then he left.

I felt my face heating up at this. Feelings are complicated.

(Makoto's PoV)

I walked back to Aoi and Ogami who were both smiling at me.

"What?" I asked, tilting my head.

"Nothing. Just love in the air...maybe. So have any plans on where to hang out with Fujisaki?" Aoi asked.

"I'm not sure actually. Never thought I'd get this far. Any ideas?" I asked.

"Maybe you should go to the cafe nearby. I hear it's a good place," Ogami suggested.

"Yeah and since it's going to be a nice day today, maybe you two should sit on a table outside. You know, to get that fresh air," Aoi suggested.

"This is suspiciously sounds like a date," I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, a date would be a lot more complicated than that. As you kept saying to us, you two are just hanging out with each other. But once you're done, tell me how it went," Aoi said, shrugging.

"Alright," I said.

Mr. Monokuma came in with a stack of papers and set them on his desk.

"Alright brats, sit down. We got work to do," he said and everyone scrambled to their desks.

Mr. Monokuma had that air of strict drill sergeant. And I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one who feels that way.

(Time skip to lunch)

"So have you figured out what you're going to do today?" Kyoko asked as I set my bento box down.

"I may take Aoi's and Ogami's advice and take Fujisaki to the nearby cafe. You know, as friends," I said and looked up to stare sternly at Kyoko in case she said anything.

To my surprise, she nodded in agreement.

"Seems like a nice place, call me if there's a problem ok?" She said.

"Yeah I'll do that. Thanks Kyoko," I said.

She faintly smiled.

"No problem my friend," Kyoko said.

(Time skip to the end of the day)

"O-ok so we're all g-going to do a c-computer program for our p-project right?" Fukawa clarified with me.

"Yeah, it will have our group's talents. We'll just need to write down an essay that explains what it does while Fujisaki and Hagakure work on the program together," I said, looking over the notes we took.

She nodded while fiddling with her fingers.

I checked the time on my phone.

Almost three. I got a few minutes until I meet up with Fujisaki, I thought. I already told her where we will be hanging out today.

"Wh-why do you keep ch-checking your phone? Y-you got a date or s-something?" Fukawa asked.

"What? No, I'm just hanging out with Fujisaki today. Not a date," I explained quickly.

"Hmmmph. That's what th-they always say," Fukawa muttered.

I chose to ignore this.

"So w-we should start w-with the name of the p-program and what i-it does. Sounds r-reasonable enough for y-you?" Fukawa suggested.

"Yeah, seems reasonable," I said, glad that the subject was changed.

The two of us worked on the beginning paragraph for a while.

"Sorry got to go now. We'll work on it tomorrow more," I said, getting up.

"Sure g-go on your date and l-leave ugly little Toko h-here," she said.

"It's not a date and I don't think of you as ugly," I said, placing my notes in my binder and placed it in my backpack.

Fukawa stayed silent at this. It looked like she was thinking about something.

"Well goodbye then," I slid my backpack over my shoulder and was just about to leave when Fukawa spoke up.

"Your sister said the same thing as you did just now. Is it common for the Naegis to be polite to others even if that person doesn't seem to want that?" She asked, losing her stutter there for a bit.

"Common? It's common sense to be polite to those who look like they need compliments every once in a while," I explained.

"Hmmph. W-well you and your sister s-seem to say similar th-things. Only she s-said it first," Fukawa said.

"Becoming friendly with Komaru are you?" I asked.

She only blushed at this and told me to hurry up and leave.

I dropped off my backpack at my dorm and rushed off to the cafe where I'll be meeting Fujisaki.

I already told her where we'll be hanging out.

I looked around for her above the many heads that were at the cafe. Who knew that the cafe would be crowded.

At long last I spotted Fujisaki, sitting at a table and reading something.

I walked up to her.

"Hey," I said and she looked up from what she was reading.

She smiled at me sweetly.

I felt my face heating up at this.

"Hi Naegi," Fujisaki said.

I sat down in front of her. I felt nervous.

We sat there in silence for a bit before I decided to speak up.

"So what type of books do you like to read?" I asked.

Her face lit up at this.

"I like reading adventure books but I haven't been able to find any good books yet," Fujisaki explained.

"Well my sister recommended me this book yesterday. Well in the middle of night really, her sleeping schedule is a little messed up," I awkwardly chuckled.

"What's the book about?" Fujisaki asked.

I proceeded to explain to her the book that Komaru recommended to me.

(Time skip)

"This was fun," I said, leaning back on the chair that I was sitting in.

"Sure was," Fujisaki agreed.

She fiddled with her fingers for a bit before clearing her throat.

"There's something that I been meaning to ask you. Not to rush but I just want to make sure," she explained.

"What's it about? I'm all ears," I said.

Fujisaki took a while but before she could open her mouth, an obnoxious voice came from behind me.

"If it isn't girly Fujisaki. Long time no see," it was a rather muscular guy.

Fujisaki squeaked and began to fiddle with her fingers again.

"Well well, looks like Fujisaki hasn't changed from when we were kids. What a baby," a skinny boy appeared behind the muscular boy.

Fujisaki looked uncomfortable and she seemed like she wanted to cry.

I stood up and turned to face them.

"Hey that's not very nice. You can't just go calling people a baby," I said.

"And who the hell are you?" The muscular guy asked.

"I'm Fujisaki's friend and I'm politely asking you to leave us alone please. Please mind your own business," I explained.

Hopefully they get bored of us and leave, I thought, hoping that this would be the case.

Unfortunately, hope does not seem to be by my side.

"Nah! I think that Bruno and I need to catch up with our little buddy here," the muscular guy said, cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah yeah that's right," Bruno grinned.

A wave of protectiveness washed over me.

No one will hurt my friend! Not on my watch! I thought.

"No I think we're leaving here now," I said.

"Yeah..." Fujisaki whispered. She sounded real scared.

She got up and timidly walked to my side.

We tried walking away.

"Not so fast," the muscular guy grabbed Fujisaki's arm firmly.

"Hey let her go. She doesn't want to go with you," I explained.

"Her? Ha! Fujisaki must not really trust you with her secret. Or rather...his secret," the muscular guy laughed.

"Yeah yeah! Go tell them Akio!" Bruno cheered him on.

"What are you talking about? What secret?" I asked.

Akio let go of Fujisaki who was trembling now.

"Man he really has no idea. Well buddy, I'll be the first to tell you. Fujisaki here, despite on his outfit, is actually a guy. And a girly like guy as well," Akio explained before bursting out laughing.

"Is this true?" I asked, turning to Fujisaki.

She...They (I'll ask for Fujisaki's pronouns later) gulped.

They turned to look at me and said, "I'm sorry." And ran off.

"H-hey wait!" I tried calling out to them but Fujisaki didn't turn around.

"Haha! What a baby! What a weak coward," Bruno laughed.

"Why are you tormented them like that? What did Fujisaki ever did to you?" I yelled.

"What? Not surprised that he basically lied to you?" Akio asked.

"I don't care about that! Fujisaki is my friend and I won't let you bully them. I can't let them think that I hate them for this which I don't. I would have let Fujisaki tell me about their secret when they are comfortable. They clearly weren't now but they should have once Fujisaki felt more comfortable around me and I would accepted them no matter. Unlike you air heads who think that picking on people just because they don't fit society's eyes of how a boy should look like," I explained before running off to where Fujisaki was going.

I left them speechless.

Hopefully they don't come after me once the shock lifts.

"Hey hey, Owada. Where's Fujisaki?" I asked the bike gang leader.

"Chihiro ran to her dorm. She looked like she's crying. What happened?" He asked.

"I don't have time to explain now. I got to make sure they're ok," I said and ran to where Fujisaki's dorm in.

I felt pain and sadness in my heart but it wasn't mine.

Am I feeling my soulmate's emotions? No now is not the time to be thinking about this, I have to make sure if Fujisaki is ok, I thought, mentally shaking my head.

I rapidly knocked on their dorm door.

"Fujisaki, it's me Naegi. Can you open your door please? I just want to talk," I said.

...

...

I knocked again.

"I'm not mad if that's what you're thinking. I just want to make sure you're ok. Because that's what friends are for," I explained.

A wave of sadness washed over me and I shivered.

Is it just me or did it get cold all of a sudden? I wondered.

...

"Guess I'll leave. I'll check up on you later," I said and was about to walk away when someone grabbed my arm.

It was Fujisaki.

They had opened their door and was staring at the floor while grabbing my arm.

They pulled me inside their dorm.

We just stood there in silence.

Then Fujisaki bursted into tears.

A/N: cliffhanger because a. I'm evil and b. I didn't want to delay the chapter more than it already was being

So yeah some angst here and a little bit of it next chapter.

I'm not planning on having this book to be extremely long but just enough.

Anyway hope you enjoyed this

Cya in the next one -Flare