[3rd Person POV]
After days had passed since the trial of Sayaka Maizono and Leon Kuwata had ended, the rest of the students tried their best to move past that event and live their lives as best as they could with the circumstances they are presented with.
Of course, a few outliers will always be outliers, for example: Togami Byakuya, who did not want to do anything with his peers other than triumph over them in this Game of Death.
But despite this, the Class would always try to look after the others as much as they can.
On this particular day, however... Naegi Makoto, our main protagonist on the other side of the coin, would fall victim... to being forced as a judge for a competition of who's the manliest.
Mondo Owada and Kiyotaka Ishimaru had yet to settle the score between them to see who has the "biggest balls" and Naegi Makoto was unfortunate enough to be caught within the crossfire of these two.
And as they forcefully carried the luckster with them, the cafeteria was left with only a handful of students.
"Aaaa... With how loud those two are going, I feel so bad for Naegi."
said Asahina before taking a bite of one of her donuts.
Sakura Ogami only grunted a reply.
"Well, it's still nice to see everyone so lively, after all the bad things that happened."
The swimmer followed up.
Celestia Ludenburg sat alone on a table quite a distance from the students, and Kirigiri Kyoko had long since left the cafeteria to continue her investigations on the second floor.
"Wait! There's still one person we haven't seen today!"
This caught the gambler's attention, knowing full well who the swimmer was talking about.
"Who is it, Asahina?"
Ogami asked with slight concern.
"L/N! Ishimaru kun was already mad that he was late earlier, but he said he also couldn't get him to answer his door, so he gave up."
Explained Asahina, but the more she explained, the more she became worried.
"What if something bad happened to him?! Do you think he's...."
The swimmer was about to freak out but was stopped and interrupted by Celeste.
"No, he isn't."
"C-Celeste san...?"
"I find it highly improbable for someone like him to get killed so easily."
The gambler took a sip from her tea, her words full of confidence.
"Judging from what we've seen from him, he knows how to fight, at the very least, hold his own. I also agree with Celeste san."
Ogami nodded, causing Asahina's worries to lessen a bit.
"So, there's nothing to be worried about after all, huh?"
Sighed the swimmer
"Fufu, I find it surprising that you're still able to hold the capacity to worry about him after the argument you two had."
Celeste giggled as she set her cup down.
"Huh? Oh... Well, an argument isn't really enough to justify wanting someone dead, so..."
"In any case, it's only 9:44, he'll be here soon."
"You sure do know a lot about him... Come to think of it, you two seem like you know each other. Were you friends?"
The gambler closed her eyes before giving an answer.
"I wouldn't say friends. More like business partners."
"Eeeehhhh, but you look like you trust him alot! Business partners don't do that, I think...?"
"I only said the closest thing to mind. L/N kun and I aren't friends."
"Suspicious, very suspicious..."
Asahina cupped her chin as she eyed Celeste, but was stopped by a pat on the head.
"Asahina, don't go forcing people to talk about their relationships."
Ogami calmly scolded the girl.
"Ah, I see! I was rude, wasn't I? I just thought that Celeste san probably likes L/N, so I was curious."
"Pffft-"
The Martial Artist and the Swimmer turned their attention to the source of the noise, that being the Gambler that they were talking to earlier, who was now calmly wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.
"Celeste san? Was that you?"
"Oh, dear me, no. I was simply done with my tea."
"Huh..."
"Anyway, don't go spreading rumors now. That would be quite troublesome. Especially, if it got to that boy."
After this remark, a catlike smile formed on Asahina's face.
"I see now~ Alrighty! A secret it is!"
Despite being relatively harmless, Celeste felt a chill down her spine after the swimmer's statement, and Ogami sweat dropped a little.
"I hope you do not misunderstand. As I said, it would be very troublesome."
"Oh no, no! I completely understand!"
The gambler doesn't like that look on her face, but she can't afford to press her on, any further, else it would just end up backfiring on her.
"Ne, Ne! You two are close, right?"
"I already said we aren't-"
"You must know a thing or two about him! Can you tell me some?"
Asahina's face showed excitement as she made her way towards Celeste who was slightly taken aback by the girl's energy.
"Why would you ever have a use for that...?
The red-eyed gambler cautiously asked.
"When we argued, I couldn't say anything! But if I know a few things about him, then I could get back at him!"
The hopeful swimmer pumped her fist at a possible comeback.
Celeste only raised an eyebrow before neatly setting the handkerchief she held, aside.
"I would highly advise against this."
"Eeeehhh?"
"L/N kun is an Information Broker, he may already know things about you that you may not want others to know. He's sly like that. So fighting him with information--the thing he's best at, may not be one of the best decisions to make."
Celeste warned the swimmer, she was really genuinely trying to save her here.
"That is true, Asahina. Just do not attempt at any altercation with him at all."
Ogami agreed with Celeste once again.
Asahina puffed her cheeks while crossing her arms.
"Tchhhh~ such a bummer."
"It is simply what it is."
Once the clock hit the 10:00am mark, someone slowly made their way inside the cafeteria.
Completely expected by a certain someone.
"Ara, it seems like someone overslept."
Turning her head towards the entrance, Celeste saw Y/N slowly enter the cafeteria.
His hair was a mess, his sleeves unfolded, fingerless gloves worn wrongly, and his tie simply over his neck and not tied properly at all.
His eyes were half-closed too, so he was just trying to make sense of shapes he's seeing in order to find his way around.
The gambler sighed before standing up and approaching the Information Broker, who looked opposite as to what he's actually like.
"Did you pull an all-nighter again, dear?"
said Celeste as she softly ruffled Y/N's hair before going on to adjust his necktie.
"You really need to pay attention to how you look. Especially if you're wearing such an outfit."
After brushing off his shoulders, Celeste returned to her seat, and Y/N simply just followed her, taking the extra seat that was near her table and slumping down after he had sat.
"Tia... I want milk..."
Y/N weakly spoke, calling Celeste an entirely different nickname from her very common one, it was quite fresh for the ears.
"It's at the kitchen, go get it yourself. Also, didn't I tell you to stop calling me that?"
The Information Broker just hummed before slowly getting up and heading to the kitchen.
Celeste could only sigh at the sight again, it was one of those days, huh?
When she turned away from Y/N, she was met with a wide grin from Asahina.
"What...?"
"You two are definitely friends."
"How many times do I have to say it, I wonder? We are not."
"Sure you're not, Tia~"
"Don't go calling me that too."
Y/N emerged from the kitchen with a single milk carton on hand before he exited the cafeteria altogether. He was probably intending on finishing the entire thing himself inside his room.
"He's going to get a stomachache, that boy..."
Celeste was exasperated as she said this, intending on following him, but was stopped after considering the situation in front of her.
"But, that is not my problem, so it is his fault if it happens."
Being the one titled Queen of Liars, Celeste prides in her ability to lie, able to fool even the most logical and cautious of people. But when faced with the incarnation of being obnoxious that is, Asahina Aoi, her words were being ignored in place of what the swimmer thought was true.
Delusional, she is.
Her only response to the swimmer at this point, was a facepalm.
Quite fitting.
[~Nighttime~]
"Uhm... Are you guys alright? It's been 40 minutes now."
Said Naegi as he was forced to watched Mondo Owada and Ishimaru Kiyotaka's brawl in the sauna.
"Your face is beet red. What are you, a Japanese macaque?!"
Owada faced his competitor, ignoring Naegi's concerns.
"My face is naturally red!"
Responded the Hall Monitor, not intending to back down.
"Don't push yourself!"
"Ah-hahaha! This is nothing! I'm even feeling for some udon hot pot right now!"
"Don't you think it's time you two got out?"
Naegi tried to voice his concern again, receiving an answer this time.
"Not yet!"
They both said in unison.
"We have already entered Night Hours, though. Let's just call this a draw."
"There's no such thing as a draw in any battle!"
"Well said! I ain't giving up, even if it means going to hell!"
The Biker agreed with the Hall Monitor, signs of their friendship slowly blooming
"Naegi! Go back to your room!"
Commanded Owada, well, it was out of concern for the luckster.
"I-I'll do just that."
Naegi, during his walk, embraced the silence of it. After spending an entire day watching Owada and Ishimaru have countless duels, he was quite tired.
On his way towards his dorm, he happen to meet someone standing idly.
"L/N kun?"
"Hm? Oh! Naegi chan!"
The luckster approached the broker to make conversation with him.
"Did something happen to you? We haven't seen you the entire day!"
"Just catching up on some sleep. Being on a new environment makes it quite difficult, y'know?"
"I can see that."
"Well, I only woke up during the afternoon, so I guess I really did overdo it."
"Afternoon? Asahina san said you woke up earlier...?"
"I'm pretty sure I'd know if I woke up."
Naegi found it strange, but decided to not question against it, he wasn't really in the mood to be asking things after such a tiring day.
"By the way, what are you doing standing here?"
"Realizing."
"Wha...?"
"That you were just like me trying to make history."
Naegi's confused face met with Y/N's blank ones, then the broker smiled before he patted the luckster's shoulder.
"I'm kidding. I'm just waiting."
"For what?"
"Stuff."
Noticing the nameplate behind him, Naegi noticied Kirigiri Kyoko's nameplate.
"Are you waiting for Kirigiri san?"
"Huh?! How'd you know?!"
"A-Aha... The nameplates..."
Naegi pointed behind Y/N, to which the broker turned to look as he gave an astonished "whoa!"
Clearly, he was messing around, even that shock was fake.
"Since you caught me, I guess I'll tell you..."
Then Y/N leaned towards Naegi.
"I'm trying to scare her, you see...",
"Eh...? Why?"
"Don't you think it's about time we see an expression on her face besides this?"
Y/N did a "😐" expression which caused Naegi to nearly burst out laughing.
"P-Pfft... I-I don't see how that's a good idea."
"Well, if anyone's filled with bad ideas, it's me!"
"Ah... I don't want Kirigiri san to get mad at me, so I'll just go."
"Aww, and here I thought I could use you as a bait. But oh well! See you tomorrow Naegi chan!"
Naegi just laughed and waved goodbye to his classmate.
Everyone really is quite unique.
After Naegi had closed and locked the door to his room, Y/N continued to idly wait outside until he heard footsteps.
Everyone is almost already inside their dorms, so he knew who this was.
"Finally, you're here..."
Entering the scene, a pair of lavender eyes as well as long lavender hair, her stoic expression being her defining feature as well as the mysterious aura she radiates.
"...Kirigiri chan."
He was met with a blank stare from the girl.
"...."
"......."
"...how long have you been standing there...?"
"....."
"......"
[~at the Laundry room~]
"So! Any new finds?"
"Nothing new. But I did see the entrance towards the 3rd Floor, but as with the 2nd floor before, I cannot see what's beyond those stairs unless we... "level up" as you say."
"Hmmm... I guess it's that time again, huh? Where we wait around for something to happen."
"Can we really afford to, I wonder...?"
"Nothing we can do about it except follow through what Monokuma says. It's clearly scripted to unlock after another trial, so we won't find anything unless he wants us too."
Kirigiri cupped her own chin, coming to terms that there really isn't anything they can do for now, and any clues that may help them, ran out.
"If you're really looking for something to do, then there's that pool room-"
Y/N stopped himself from continuing his joke any further when he saw Kirigiri slowly lift up her finger, already in a flicking stance.
The Information Broker knows a forehead flick from Kirigiri hurts... Alot.
"I-I'm kidding, seriously..."
Then she sighed, before putting her hands on his collar.
"Your collar's messed up."
She straightened out the fabric and dusted it off before going back to how she's seated before.
"Thanks, but we'll also be going to bed soon, so I don't think it was necessary."
Y/N laughed as Kirigiri just kept quiet with her eyes closed.
Time slowly ticked by, and the moment was shared in silence. A peace of mind within such a predicament as theirs... It's quite sacred.
After a certain amount of time had passed, Kirigiri stood up and dusted herself.
"We should go. It's quite late now."
"After you."
Finally returning to the door that would lead to the inside of their individual rooms, Y/N and Kirigiri shared another glance at each other.
Y/N took this opportunity and smiled.
"Goodnight, Kirigiri chan~!"
Kirigiri simply delayed her glance a second longer before entering her room and closing the door shut, locks being put into place soon after.
The broker just gave a laugh at this.
"I can never tell if she's just tough or if she genuinely hates me. But I guess that's why I... really like watching Kirigiri chan!"
Y/N muttered before entering his own room.
Today was quite a luxury as nothing bad had happened, but as luck would have it, the Class would once again be reminded that, just as long as they're in the school, despair will always loom over them.
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Some fluff for today!
Our boy needs a break every now and then, after all!
This is something I've thought about when I was out at my college. I wanted to write fluff for this book but didn't know how, which gave me the idea for this Y/N's Gap Moe.
-Mod Ibuki