Chapter Text
Kokichi looks at the door to see the guy from the beach, who embarrassably passed out in the doorway. Kokichi wonders if it’s normal for him to be looking in the doorway. Nagito with him on his left side. Nagito walks in and stands near the surfboards. The two seem to be fighting a bit then the door guy shivers. Kokichi looks over to Mikan who is staring at the two intensely. The door guy looks away but then both Nagito and him make their way over to Mikan and Kokichi. Mikan seems to panic.
“Ah, uhhhhh, um….” She plays with her fingers and tugs a bit on the bandage wrapping her hand. “Um… you know…” Her eyes begin to tear up and sniffles come out. “...I-I’m sorry.” This startles both of them, Nagito not paying attention as he’s looking through the shelves of the store. Though unlike the brown haired boy Kokichi regains his composure quickly.
Nagito, now looking on the situation, adds his own thoughts. “Bulliyng a girl… now cool, Hajime.” Kokichi liking where this is going adds his own two cents.
“Yeah Hajime-chan! Here we were being good people, minding our own bee’s wax and you come up to us and bully poor Mikan-chan!” He takes the lollipop out of his mouth, he doesn’t think he’ll be able to finish, He looks over to find a trash bin and sadly throws the treat away.
Hajime has short, somewhat spiky brown hair with an ahoge that seems very poke-able. He wears a simple white shirt, along with a green tie. He also wears dark pants and red-and-white sneakers. All in all he’s a very basic looking guy but again a very poke-able piece of hair. Anyway Kokichi got off track. Hajime, now being teamed up on, panics.
“I didn’t do anything.” His voice is deadpan and he looks a bit annoyed. But most of all he seems tense, on edge and closed off. Seems this situation has put a rock in his mood.
“Ah, so your name is Hajime… If it’s okay with you, may I please remember your name?” The question Mikan asks takes Kokichi a bit by surprise, she didn’t act this way with him did she? No… Maybe?
“O-of course… I don’t mind you remembering, but…”
“Yeah if you did then you’ll have to go through me.” Kokichi huffs, drawing a small laugh from Mikan.
“M-my name is Mikan Tsumiki. Um… from the bottom of my heart, I hope we can get along.”
“Hey hey! I wanta go!”
“Then go ahead.” Nagito adds in. Kokichi smiles and puts both his hands on his hips.
“I’m Kokichi Oma! The ultimate supreme leader! Leader of 10,000 people!”
“It’s amazing isn’t it.” Nagito asks. “I’ve never met anyone with a talent quite like your’s Oma.” Kokichi shakes his head.
“Non, Non, Kokichi. I don’t want to be called by my last name, Anything but that.” and here it was the best time to play around just a bit. “I-i mean… After all, my family never cared for me, left me in the streets to rot. Unless…” He lets his fake tears flow out the river. “You want me to die?! Wah! You're so mean!” Naigto, not seeming to have prepared for such a reaction, is startled.
“N-no that's not what… Ah I’m so Kokichi, I never meant to-”
“All is for given!” Kokichi’s tears stop as if they were never there. This makes Hajime do a retake.
“W-what?”
“What? Why are you looking at me like that huh? I was just standing here.” Kokichi huffs.
“N-no you were just crying about-”
“No I wasn't. Woah falling on the beach must have hurt that brain of yours. Mikan, what do you have to say about that?”
Mikan, not prepared for this, stumbles over her words. “Um… you know… Um… Um um um um um…” Then she begins to cry, “Uhhhh… My mind is drawing a blank… from nervousness… And I went through all the trouble of preparing 5,000 different topics to discuss after introductions!" Hajime looks surprised at that piece of information.
“It’s okay if you take your time and remember slowly. We’ll wait as long as it takes.” Nagito adds.
“Yeah, unlike Hijime-chan we wouldn’t bully a girl!”
“I didn’t do anything.” He sighs out.
“We can wait for you forever if that’s what it takes.” Nagito finishes off with Kokichi happily nodding along.
Mikan, surprised by the words, jumps back in shock. Hajime looks over to Nagito. “Well, I guess I’ll just ask you since I won’t get anywhere asking her, so…”
“Hey, Hey! You want to know Mikan-chan’s ultimate no?” Kokichi buts in. Hajime looks over to the small purple boy, and nods his head. “Well you see Mikan-chan is the ultimate nurse, she’s the best of the best, so best not get on her bad side or you’ll pay the price of dying a slow painful death.”
“W-what-?!”
“But who know’s? Nishsishi! Mikan-chan’s sweet and I'm a liar after all~!” Kokichi giggles at Hajime’s shocked face.
“I have to say Kokichi brings up some good points.” Kokichi nods happily with Nagito.
“Of course I do!”
“If you get wounded, there’s a good possibility you’ll get an infection and die.” Nagito says happily.
“Don’t say something so morbid so naturally…” Mikan’s soft laugh breaks through the air. She jumps back at the sets of eyes that are now looking at her.
“Ah! I-I’m sorry for laughing so suddenly! I-it’s just… I can’t help it.” Her eyes start to form tears. “I’m just so happy, I can’t remember the last time I made any friends.” She jumps back at her own words. “Ah! Not that you actually want to be friends with me! I’m sooooo sorry I said something so… presumptuous!” She begins to cry, her hands shakily wiping away her tears. “I’ll do anything you say… just… please don’t hate me…”
The reaction shocks Kokichi a bit, he backs away to find a handkerchief. Looking quickly through the shelves he sees one. It’s purple with a galaxy print, the other side being a boring brown color. He comes back in record time to hear the best line.
“Bullying a girl… Not cool, Hajime” Nagito says with his arms crossed.
Mikan chokes out apologizes, “I’m sorry, I’m so, so, so sorry!” Kokichi gently taps her arm. She looks over with teared eyes and see the handkerchief being offered to her.
“I say it’s best we leave her be, anywho! Hey, Nagito-chan! Can I join you and doorway-chan!” Hajime looks over to Kokichi and points to himself.
“What?”
“Well you never introduced yourself, I have no clue what your name is.”
“You-you said it just a few minutes ago!
“Did I? Hmmm!” Kokichi puts on the act of thinking hard, putting his hands to his head, as if he was really thinking hard. “I don’t remember that!”
“Ah, I guess it’s true that you haven’t really introduced yourself, Hajime.”
Hajime sighs, “Well I’m Hajime Hinata. I don’t remember my ultimate talent but it’s nice to meet you? I think.” Kokichi looks at Hajime and just doesn’t look away.
“Hm.” Hajime is the one that breaks eye contact. “Well let’s make it clear I don’t like lairs so be grateful for your failing memory.” Kokichi looks over the shop. Mikan is still wiping at her tears and trying to calm down. “Ah! Ibuki-chan is still here!” Kokichi runs over to the last place he saw her and finds her still looking through the shelves.
“Peaking, Peaking.” Ibuki looks over and finds Kokichi running next to her.
“Peaking, Peaking.” He joins in, earning a smile from the mixed haired girl. She spots the other two and waves at them.
“Oh Haiiiiiiiii! Who’re you?!” Hajime awkwardly stands there.
“U-um… I’m Hajime Hinata…” How awkward… Kokichi thinks.
Helllooooo? Your tension is super low! Are you feeling all right?“ She looks over Hajime like a worried sister. She then perks up. “Ah, that’s right! Introductions are a go-go!” She starts to sway side to side with every word that comes out of her mouth. “I,” “Buki,” “Mio,” “DA!” Put it together and what do you get? Ibuki Mioda!”
She then points to one of the candy bags, and Kokichi spots it’s the lollipops. He smiles and rushes up to grab a cherry one. “All right, Introductions are finished! More importantly, check out this bombastic supermarket!” She crosses her arms with a proud smile. “They got hamburger, ramen noodles, chili beans, bratwurst, pasta, melons-”
“And best of all! Lollipops!” Kokichi butts in as he holds up a blueberry one like some treasure. He then frowns at it and throws it back into the bag. “But panta and cherry are the best.”
“And that’s not all!” Ibuki moves her hands to her hips and stands up straight. “Americans, Chinese, Mexicans, Germans, Italians, and even people from Yubari would shop here!” She starts to sway side to side, her voice loud. “Man, I'm getting hellaaaa stoooked! I’m thirty-one flavors of stoked for all of this deliciousness. And when I’m excited, I get hungry-mungry!”
She slows her swaying and looks tense. “I-I don’t understand it myself… Why do I get hungry when I’m excited? Why do I get excited when I’m hungry?” She goes back to her happy and fast sway. “Haha! The human body sure is a mystery.”
“Oh oh!” Kokichi jumped up and down with both his hands in the air, trying to act like a child, as he was one thank you very much! “This is Ibuki-chan, the ultimate musician!”
“She used to play guitar in an all-girl band that was super popular with other high schools.” Nagito added with a friendly smile. “Apparently their hit single, “After School Poyoyon Hour”, sold over a million copies. Due to creative differences, she left the band to pursue a solo career.”
“...Creative differences?” Hinata hesitantly asked.
“Are you instressed?” Ibuki popped out of nowhere with her question.
“Wah?! You could hear me?!”
“Duh! Ibuki’s a musician, after all! Like Schubert, Bach, Edison, Van Gogh, Perez, and Senna… I, too, am an awesome musician!” Ibuki named a bunch of people Kokichi couldn’t help but notice weren’t musicians.
“Oh, so you’re saying you have good hearing…” Hijime summarized. “Wait, most of those people you mentioned weren’t musicians at all.”
“Oh did you just catch that?” Kokichi lets a very sad sigh leave his lips. “How boring I thought Hijime-chan would be smarter than that.”
“Don’t sweat the details!” Ibuki held up a piece sign as he stuck out her tongue a little bit. Kokichi was getting bored of the conversation so he waved Ibuki a small goodbye as he walked to stand next to Nagato.
“So where to next?” Kokichi asked, as Hinata rubbed his neck.
“I was planning to go next door.” Hijime explained, Kokichi gave a small thumbs up as he, Nagito and Hinata walked out the store.
They walked in silence to the next building, which was a hotel looking building, gated off with a pool in the front. Cabin like building in front, They were smaller than the hotel but still looking spacious.
“Wow…This is a pretty nice hotel…!” Hinata commented.
“Ooo~! I wonder if D.I.C.E would like to be here. I wouldn’t be able to fit us all but…”
“The hotel Mirai, huh?” Nagito read off the hotel name. “It looks likes it’s named for the Japanese word for future. When we were told to live on this island, I was worried we’d have to pitch a tent or something…” Kokichi groaned at the thought.
“Thank Atua we have a hotel like this and don’t have to work! Someone like me should have to!” Kokichi pouted as Nagito gave him an odd look.
“Atua…?” Hijime questions.
“Oh yeah! See one of my very loyal followers happened to worship a god named Auta. They apparently met the person Atua speaks through. I’m pretty sure it’s just a cult but they aren’t hurting anyone.” Kokichi shrugged with his gaze on the hotel sign.
D.I.C.E… His friends… The people willing to follow him to the end of the world…. To go to hell and back. Well not hell but he knew they would follow him, much like he would follow and care for them. They were the only people in the world he could trust. And they had shown time and time again they trusted him.
Though Hanko’s weird obsession with Atua was kinda. Though he was always a little weird, not like Kokichi could blame him, his parents were batshit insane. But he really should mentally check back in on the conversation.
Kokichi watched as Nagito went to tap his shoulder. “And I’m back!”
“Nice to have you back. You seemed to kinda mentally check out there. Hijime was going to talk to someone. Just wanted to make sure we don’t lose you.”
“Well I’m on my way. I would hate to lose my mom and dad in a big old crowd like this.” Nagito just laughed as Kokichi walked beside him. The guy was Nekomaru.
Nekomaru looked at Hajime and let out a confused hum. “That’s right… you haven’t told me your name…my name.” Kokichi watched as he took a deep breath, and Kokichi moved his hands to cover his ears. “I am the ultimate team manager, NEKOMARU NIDAI!!!” it barely muted any of the noise but at least Kokichi was prepared.
Hajime just stood there for a moment, “U-um… Hello. I’m Hajime Hinata…” And that was too quiet for Nekomaru’s liking so the most logical thing to do was to call him out through yelling.
“Hold it right there! Your voice is too soft! Let your voice rise from the bottom of your stomach!”
“U-um… I’m Hajime Hinata!”
“Noooooo! You can be louder than that! Do it again!”
“My name is Hajime Hinata! Pleased to make your acquaintance!”
“I AM NEKOMARU NIDAI! Don’t forget it, even if you go to hell!” And when did hell get involved? “I am the Ultimate Team Manager, NEKOMARU NIDAI!” Yes, yes we get it! Kokichi wasn’t going to forget this guy's name anytime soon.
“You know Nekomaru-chan, you don’t need to repeat yourself so much. We’re not going to forget you anytime soon. Unless maybe you’re trying to make sure you don’t forget your own name? Ohhh! I wonder what could have caused that?” Kokichi looked up with a hand on his chin in a fake look of confusion.
“Gah-hahahaha! I agree to your terms! But I remember my own name. In fact I have a good memory.” Kokichi shrugged.
“Well you never know.”
“Nekomaru Nidai is known as the ultimate team manager." Nagito started but Hajime’s look of confusion voiced his own thoughts.
“Team manager? So he’s not on a team, he’s just managing one?”
“He’s not just a team manager… After all, he’s an ultimate.” Nagito clarified. “He’s traveled to numerous towns and played an active role in various sports clubs managing their teams. For instance, he led some high school rugby team full of delinquents to victory in the national play-offs… He also rescued a baseball club on the verge of being shut down, and led them to national victory as well… Rumor has it he’s even training that famous japanese pitcher who plays in american leagues.”
1, Nagito was some kinda fanboy. There was no way he wasn’t. That or he was a very creepy stalker. Now Kokichi’s not dumb, there is something just a little too… off of Kokichi’s liking.
2, Takashi would love this guy. If what Nagito said was true. Sure Takashi was the ultimate hacker, but his little brother loved playing sports and being outdoors. Maybe Ayaki would like him too, She had three little siblings after all. And her youngest brother wanted to learn to swim. Kokichi was also sure Hannah, Ayaki’s little sister, also wanted to learn and play tentis.
Kokichi was brought out of his thoughts when Nekomaru let out a loud, joy filled laugh. Though thankfully that seemed to end the conversion. Kokichi looked across the pool to see Fuyuhiko on the other side. Kokichi had no clue that he wanted to talk with him. Considering he, more than likely, had blood on his hands. BUT, guilty till proven innocent as some may say. More like 8/10 of his subordinates would say but whatever.
The group of three walked over to the black suited boy. Hajime didn’t even open his mouth when Fuyuhiko said, “...Who the hell are you? Don’t talk all friendly and shit to me, dumbass.”
Hajime makes the very vital mistake of making a look. It wasn’t mean, but more so confused and a bit annoyed.
"What're you lookin’ at?!” Fuyuhiko snaps. “You got something you wanna say, bastard!?”
Nagito jumps back a bit and holds his hands up to try and calm the boy down. “R-Relax, Fuyuhiko. We’re only here to introduce ourselves.” Fuyuhiko does in fact calm down a bit. His face looks less red and his breath is much more controlled.
“...What? Introduce yourselves?”
“Yeah I don’t think you have probably met this guy here right?” Kokichi points to Hajime. “He’s the loser that passed out on the beach!” He happily announces and Hajime turns a bright embarrassed red.
Kokichi is more than surprised when he hears a soft snort, but Fuyuhiko quickly lets out a huff instead. Trying to cover up the snort. He crosses his arms and looks away with an annoyed look. “Name’s Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu… Just so we’re clear, I don’t plan to act friendly and shit with you guys.” Kokichi would love to go back into la, la, land and reminisce about D.I.C.E but that’s not a great time for it. Seeing as he’s missing Nagito’s explanation of Fuyuhiko’s lore.
“-in the nation, with a membership surpassing 30,000.” Kokichi gasps.
“That’s even more than mine?!” He’s not surprised really but Hajime’s look of shock at Kokichi’s ‘genuine’ shocked look took him off guard.
“Well… That’s a shock… But I think how you lead is different from their way of working which is why he’s the ultimate yakuza.” Nagito concludes. “By the way, mentioning his babyface around him is expressly forbidden so you better be careful. You’ll run out of fingers before he’s done with you.” He said it so happily and carelessly it kinda rubbed Kokichi the wrong way.
Hajime lets out a choked gasp to a sigh of relief. “Nagito… you’re, like, my savior or something.” And off topic but that word, my savior, brought him back to a small little scene.
Ayaki had seen this YouTube made music series. ‘ALIEN STAGE.’ Anyway it was good and had really good animation, but it was such an odd thing to remember right now. Maybe he was home sick. The thought of being stuck on an island was annoying. I mean he and D.I.C.E would just cause a bit of mischief, make friends and call it a day. But now he doesn't have them. He had them by his side for so long, that it was like he was naked. He didn’t have his friends, his home, his family. His savories.
See what he did there?
“Haha, you’re just exaggerating… uh, guess not.” Nagito held up his hands with an awkward laugh.
“Hey, bastards… if we’re all done here, how ‘bout you dumbasses make like a tree and fuck off?” Kokichi had no clue what Fuyuhiko just said but he got the jist.
Kokichi spotted Mahiru not to far away from them. She was close to the red and orange flowers by the hotel. Maybe 20 feet away? Kokichi was already done with all this walking and talking but hey. How many more people did they really need to meet, right?
Maybe if he asked nicely he could skip out and just rest inside the motel.
He knew he wasn't going to do that but it was a nice thought. Plus he could handle talking to people, he loved talking to people. Let's just get these over with.