The Argument and the Rebuttal

Class of 78

In no time at all, it seemed, he was at the gates of the school, which were equally large and extravagant. After taking a couple seconds to calm his nerves he pushes the gate open...

or he tries to anyway.

The gate is locked? He is 37 minutes early. Just as he was about to sit on the street curb a flash of purple appeared at the gate and pulls the gate open, a little amused as they look at Ishimaru. But it was a pull door?!

"Ah— Kirigiri-san? Good morning!" He had remembered her after a moment of hesitation.

She delicately lifts an eyebrow up, "Good morning, Ishimaru-kun, you're here quite early."

He straightens his posture as he walks inside with the girl, suddenly more serious, "Of course! To be right on time is to be late!"

Kirigiri barely flinches at his loud tone, but he can almost see her writing notes in her head. She was the Ultimate Detective if he remembers correctly, so that title does come with a lot of mental hurdles! Keeping up with her in classes might be difficult, but nothing some studying won't help.

She nods her head and immediately turns on her heel down the long hallway. Kiyotaka sputters, "Do— Am I supposed to follow you Do I—?"

He receives no response and ultimately (hah) decides to follow her but not walk exactly with her; it seemed like she was done with their conversation.

The hallway feels longer than his walk to the school!

They soon get to a cluster of rooms and Kirigiri stops in front of a very official looking door and points to a different, more average, looking door, before saying, "That's our homeroom." and going inside the other door.

"Thank you, Kirigiri-san!" He smiles a little and looks at the door. Ultimate Class 1A. This is it. Time to meet my fellow classmates. He dusts off the front of his uniform and pushes his hair back before grabbing the door handle. A good first impression is the beginning mark of lasting friendships!

. . .

And the classroom is empty. Of course the classroom is empty, it's only 7:38 after all.

That exchange with Kirigiri only took 15 minutes, leaving him time to choose a seat and get comfortable while waiting for his fellow classmates!

As he closes the door behind him he's suddenly hugged—very tightly—by someone who was hiding behind the door. Bright pink hair was shoved in his face and he feels a female body wrap around him with a squeal, "Oooh!! Finally someone else in this pigpen of a school! Kiyotaka, right? Ishimaru?"

Her voice is way too pitchy for Kiyotaka, but at least she's friendly, "Um, yes, pleasure to meet you-?" Once she pulls back he finally sees who just embraced him, "Junko Enoshima-! I didn't notice you when I came in, my apologies!"

She waves it off with a small bounce and pops her gum before responding—and Kiyotaka barely refrains from telling her that gum-chewing is usually not allowed in school settings, "Apologies shmapologies~! It was so boring in here-uh! But you must know all about that, right? Puhuhu~" She puts a hand up to her mouth to laugh.

"What does that-?" Before he can finish, the door opens beside them and another girl walks in. She has short black hair and seems very stoic, angry even.

"Muky!!" Junko screeches out and Ishimaru can only hop backwards so she doesn't hit him in her pursuit to hug... Muky?

"Hello," she holds her hand out, still having Enoshima wrapped around her, "Ikusaba Mukuro."