Setting: very first day in game, reader is the ultimate ???
fluff!!! alot of fluff!!!
I wake up inside a strange classroom, my memory hazy about how exactly I got into this place. Unable to process anything, I just focus on finding my way out of this place. I wander for a long time in the maze-like hallways. Somehow, I find myself back in the same classroom.
'Am I seriously lost?' I think to myself as I frantically run around in the hallways, hoping to find an exit. Somewhere. Anywhere. Someone. ANYONE.
"PLEASE GET ME OUT OF THIS PLACE!!!" I desperately scream at the top of my lungs before falling flat on my face. Why are there plants inside this school? To trip me over? Job well fucking done.
I try to help myself up. No avail. Just when I readily accept my fate of lying unconscious in the middle of an eerie hallway, I notice a pale and soft looking hand extending towards me.
"Hey, are you okay?", A voice as soothing as a classical piano piece envelopes me with warmth. I nod and look up, my gaze following the hand's kind owner. A girl with shoulder-length blonde hair with a prominent ahoge. I'm hesitant to grab her hand but I do it anyway and she helps me up.
With a cheery expression, she introduces herself.
"I am Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist."
Kaede. It means 'Beautiful'. A name befitting of her.
Without missing a beat, I introduce myself as well. However, my memories surrender themselves before I can think of what ultimate I am.
"So, what is your ultimate?"
"Huh? Is that even possible?"
"Well, I can't ...remember."
"I see." She sounds quite disappointed but she brushes it off quickly. We wander around the school, talking about how exactly we could've ended up in this place. Searching for any sort of clues we may find to escape this place, we reach a room which resembled a gym.
Kaede sneakily peeks inside and beams with excitement.
"Oh, my god! There are a bunch of people inside the gym. Geez, and here I thought I'd be stuck in this place forever with you." She teasingly pouts. "Ah.. that's.. kinda rude?" I reply, dumbfounded. She chuckles in response while I just stand there, confused on why she's teasing me.
Suddenly, she brings her face quite close to mine and exclaims, "Geez, I was just kidding! Let's escape this place together with everyone." She seems determined. The heat on my face rises and before I can bring myself to say anything, she slides the doors to the gym and enters inside.
'A killing game...?' I shudder even thinking about it.
The black and white funny looking bear with his five annoying cubs reveal the true intention behind gathering 16 of us "gifted" students together. And that is -- The Killing Game.
My eyes immediately search for Kaede.
"We'll never accept this killing game!" Kaede strongly revolts against Monokuma. But the rebellion goes futile as she's met with nothing but squealing joyous laughter from the Monokubs.
I approach Kaede and give her a slight pat on her back to acknowledge her fighting spirit against Monokuma. She looks up with a small smile.
"Don't worry, We will definitely get out of this place together. I definitely won't allow for a killing game to take place." Kaede tries to convince me. However, it sounds as if she's trying to convince herself before me.
I flash her a warm smile and nod my head acknowledging her efforts to bring everyone together. "I believe in you, Kaede. And I trust in everyone here to successfully escape this hellish school together." I reassure her.
Her cheeks burn a rosy red at my reassurance. "Geez, now. Help me prepare something for everyone to brush off their anxiety and fight against the killing game together." She instantly orders me.
'Uh-huh, she can be pretty assertive when time calls for it, huh?' I think to myself, an idiotic smile plastered on my face. I shake off my thoughts for now and suggest, "How about we hear the Ultimate Pianist work her magic?"
"That sounds like a great idea!" Both Shuichi, the Ultimate Detective and Rantaro, the Ultimate ??? affirm at once. It is quite relieving to know that I am not the only one who doesn't remember my Ultimate Talent.
Kaede seems pleased with my idea. She decides that she's going to play Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2", Rachmaninoff's "Prelude in C#" as well as Debussy's "Clair de Lune" for everyone as soon as her Ultimate Lab is ready for her use.
It's like mentioning a piano concerto turned on a switch inside her brain. The part of her brain which has been dying to excitedly ramble on about piano. Hearing her passionately talk about piano makes me quite envious. Whether it is an envy about not having something I'm gravely interested in or not being the person Kaede rambles on about... I'm quite confused.
And frankly, I don't want to think of it for now. Especially not when we're all stuck inside this place. So for the time being, we all decide to form groups and search for our ways out of this "school".
Act III - Falling for Her
Have I mentioned that I get tired easily? I'm not a very social person, so my social battery runs out fast when I'm hanging out with an extroverted person. Kaede is an optimistic social butterfly, I suppose. She does seem to make a lot of friends very easily.
As we're searching around the courtyard for any sort of hints useful for our escape, I sit on the nearest bench I can see. Kaede notices that and her face changes into that of genuine concern.
"Hey, are you tired from walking around the school?"
"Geez, had you told me earlier, we could've taken a break!" She pouts at me. "Oh, well..." I trail off. Why am I always at a loss for words in front of her? God, it's so annoying. It's like I'm actively sabotaging my own social life.
She hums a distinct melody as she sits besides me on the bench.
"Is that 'Say Good Night and Go' by Imogen Heap?" I ask curiously. In response, she surprises me with a sudden turn and a dramatic gasp. "What happened?" I get nervous. She starts giggling out of nowhere. "I'm surprised you know of this song." Kaede shakes her head.
We are interrupted by the sound of a pin dropping on the yard. I notice that one of Kaede's special musical note hairpin has fallen off her hair. It probably slid down when she did the dramatic gasp and fell when she shook her head.
I point at her hair and she notices her hairpin is no longer there. I help her search for it on the huge ground of grass. Luckily, the sun made our job easier. The silver music note hairpin shone bright. Just like her. I pick it up and return it to her.
She ponders for a few seconds before holding her hand with the hairpin out to me. "Why don't you help me put it on?" She suggests. I get taken aback, but soon regain my composure and accept the hairpin back. She roughly shakes her head around, completely messing up her pretty blonde hair.
Holding the hairpin on one hand, I gently run my hand on her hair. She relaxes her shoulders and closes her eyes, as if I'm massaging her head. Her hair is silky, fleeting my hands as soon as I get a grasp of it. Much like Kaede herself. When I think I've figured her out, she completely surprises me with a new way to catch me off guard.
Is she doing it on purpose? Has she...? Oh, well, I shouldn't let my imagination run wild and focus on her hair for now. With a click, I put the hairpin back on her hair. As I run my hand on her hair for one last time, I accidentally touch her warm neck with my cold finger tips.
Kaede yelps in response. "Oh, uhm I'm sorry." I immediately apologize. She buries her face in her hands. 'Is she mad?' I'm scared that I touched a sensitive spot which made her pissed at me.
"Kaede..." I call out. "Ah uhm ahem uhm, see ya!" She rushes out of the court yard without even facing me. I'm positive I made her angry now. Fuck. Would it be okay if I run behind her? What if she gets more annoyed?
Act IV - Finding Solace in Him
A bunch of my classmates soon approach me with a newfound excitement. They tell me about a manhole with a possible escape route on the backyard. 'Finally? We can get out of here together just as Kaede wished?' I feel happy for everyone and join them inside the manhole quickly.
With Kaede leading us, we try to maneuver past the tunnel full of traps designed specifically to make us suffer. We try to get to the exit the first time. But our efforts are futile.
Kaede encourages everyone once more and motivates our spirit to try and reach the exit together again. This time, we seem to get closer to the exit but the more we walked the further the exit went. At this point, our body was beyond tired.
Kaede, however, wasn't one to give up. She tries to motivate us again when I realize that this could be a trap set up by the jolly looking robot bear. Monokuma. I interrupt Kaede's speech to say--
"Hey, Kaede, I don't think we should try to exit from this tunnel any further. Because--"
"Because our bodies are tired and your little hope speech is not gonna bring our stamina back" The liar shortie harshly intervenes. Before I can lay down my reasoning to her, others begin to voice their agreement on Kokichi's point.
Kaede looks distraught now. I try to console her but she brushes me off. Kokichi interrupting my point made me come off as harsh as well. Soon, Monokuma makes his appearance inside the tunnel and leaves us in despair.
Kaede apologizes to everyone and rushes out of the manhole. "W-wait, Kaede!" My voice doesn't seem to reach her ears.
"Well, well, well. The flat chested annoying bitch has left. Aren't you gonna follow her since you're her boyfriend or whatever? Ahahaha!" Miu cackles. Her WHAT?! Since it's a comment made by Miu, it's disgusting by default. But.. being called her boyfriend, well.. I don't necessarily hate it, I guess.
I find my way back outside. It's quite dark outside, I should probably find Kaede and clear up the misunderstanding. I quickly make my way into our dormitories, and click on Kaede's intercom. Repeatedly.
After umpteenth attempts, she finally opens the door to her room. Her eyes look swollen. Was she... crying? My heart sinks at the thought of what she's feeling right now. I slowly get into her room. She locks the door and gestures me to take a seat on her bed.
"Uhm, so, Kaede?" I call out her name, my voice shaky with concern.
"Mhm?" She purses her lips and looks away.
"I really loved how you were leading us back then. Don't listen to Kokichi. We really do appreciate your efforts in keeping all of us together."
She meekly nods, as if she doesn't believe my words. I stand up and firmly grab her shoulders, making her face me. Her body shivers lightly, before she starts sobbing, burying her face on my chest. Her arms wrap around my body and she hugs me tightly, refusing to look up.
"K-Kaede." I genuinely don't know what to do now. So I gently pat her head, slowly making her sit down on the bed with me. "Uhm.. Kaede, please don't take what Kokichi said to your heart." I try and console her.
She nods her head frantically and looks up, directly into my eyes. "All I want is for my friends to escape this place together with me. Maybe I took a wrong approach on it...." She manages to voice these words in between her sobs.
I caress her cheeks and wipe her tears away. "You did your best, Kaede. I believe in you. We all do." I reaasured her. She slowly calmed down. Her body still shivering, she weakly said, "I'm tired." before laying her head down on my lap.
My cheeks burn a deep red. I get flustered easily when I'm around her. "You know, I never thought I would say this to someone I met just a day ago, let alone in these circumstances. But, basically--"
"I like you." She completes my sentence for me.
"Wh-what?!" I am completely taken aback by surprise.
"It's as I said. Even I didn't think I would fall for someone ...so passive. But, I grew rather fond of that side of yours." She adds in.
"Well, If it's not obvious akready, I.. like you too."
"Geez, you're just finding ways to turn me into a blushing mess now!" She fake pouts. I'm quite used to her teasing me now.
"I hope I can escape this place together with you. No. It has to be with you." I'm determined now.
"Pfft! Yes, of course. I'll work hard so we can all escape together. Until then, I'd love to play my piano for you everyday." She beams with excitement. It seems she has regained her lost energy.
Night time announcement annoyingly interrupts our conversation.
"Well then it's night time, I should go back to my room", I loudly exclaim. She seems unhappy with my decision. She refuses to move her head from my lap.
"Y-you have my permission to stay the night here", she mumbles just barely audible, hiding her flushed face with her bare hands. Her hands seem cold. I hold them, enveloping them with the heat radiating from myself.
We chat away the night, until Kaede drifts to her sleep on my lap. I carefully tuck her inside her bed, not to wake her back up. Just before Ieave her room, I lean in close to her face and kiss her forehead.
"Good night, my sweetheart." I whisper.