A/N: Thanks everyone for being patient! This was supposed to be the second and final half of the second chapter, but it seems I'm really bad at estimating how long a chapter will be. Last time I already split the second chapter in two parts, and now I'm splitting it once again… Actually, I originally intended for this entire story to be an oneshot around 10k words. So I guess that makes me really, really bad at estimating a story's length. This chapter is a bit shorter than the previous ones, but I hope you'll enjoy it either way!

"Oi, Kamukura! Open your door!"

Izuru recognized the voice of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu just outside of his door. Usually, it was Chisa Yukizome who came to get him for class at this hour. It was the first time his day started differently. As usual, Izuru ignored the knocking at his door.

"I know you're in there! Open up!" Fuyuhiko said, impatiently. "Is he fucking ignoring me?"

"Let me handle this," Peko Pekoyama's softer voice said. "Izuru. We're here on behalf of Miss Yukizome to get you to class. We have permission to open your door."

There really was no incentive for him to open the door for his classmates if they were coming in regardless. Shortly after her words, he heard noises by his door. Peko's method of breaking into his dorm was both quicker and more efficient than Yukizome's. His lock stayed attached to his door.

"Fuck, that is one shitty lock," Fuyuhiko commented. He glanced around Izuru's room, visibly unimpressed with what he saw. His frown only deepened when he spotted Izuru on his bed, not making a move to get up. For some reason, Peko was studying his room intently, almost as if she was looking for something.

"Don't tell me you actually do sleep in that thing," Fuyuhiko said, eying Izuru's student uniform.

Peko briefly shot her classmate a disapproving look but he pretended not to notice. There was a brief silence before Fuyuhiko realized that Izuru wasn't going to respond to his comment. He looked away.

"I know Yukizome usually does this shit, but she had another idiot to pick up this morning. Some moron told Soda he's going to die within the next three days, so now that dumbass has locked himself inside his dorm and refuses to come out. At least he doesn't have a lock as shitty as yours. It actually does its job and keeps unwanted visitors out."

Fuyuhiko gave him a pointed look. Izuru was aware that the Ultimate Yakuza wasn't just talking about himself and Peko—or even Yukizome for that matter.

"Why are you here?"

"We know that Enoshima has been visiting you," Fuyuhiko said, spilling the beans, "and I've known Komaeda long enough to know he's not simply going to leave you alone. You should know that they hate each other's guts—and they are both completely fucking insane. After the shit they pulled last year, I don't know why they were even allowed back here."

"Nagito wasn't responsible for last year's incident," Peko said.

"Like hell he wasn't."

"He tried to help."

"And somehow a rocket ship just happened to crash into the school grounds, accidentally thwarting Enoshima's diabolical plan in progress?"

"It was a malfunction."

"Soda himself said it should've been impossible for that rocket ship to do what it did! Shit like that always happens when Komaeda's around!"

"He was nowhere near the rocket ship."

"Why the fuck are you defending Komaeda?"

Izuru drowned out the sound of the other students bantering in his room. Junko Enoshima's plan had not just been thwarted by her sister changing allegiance but also by Nagito's luck. Every time he learned something new, the truth became even more boring.

When given enough facts, anything could be predicted. The truth would never be anything but disappointing.

Fuyuhiko and Peko grew quiet.

"What did you just say?" Fuyuhiko asked, incredulously.

Izuru tried to shake the feeling of bitter disappointment that just seemed soak deeper and deeper into his skin with each passing day. He got up from his bed and passed both of classmates without bothering to repeat his words.

Chiaki had spent the last fifteen minutes only partly listening to Ibuki's theory that Fuyuhiko and Peko had only volunteered to go get Izuru so that they could have a moment alone to progress their secret love affair. She nodded at the right intervals and made agreeing sounds at the right times, while her eyes were focussed on the screen in front of her. Ibuki didn't seem to care much about her lack of attention, either way. The only one who looked genuinely interested in what she had to say was Teruteru.

Chiaki and Nagito had both volunteered to get Izuru, but then Miss Yukizome had revealed that Izuru was unlikely to open his door for anyone and that she needed a volunteer who could open the door for him—from the outside. She still insisted he would come along willingly, though no one really believed her after that. Still, Fuyuhiko and Peko had offered to go. They'd been gone from the classroom long enough for Ibuki's story to get strangely specific.

All in all, it was a pretty quiet and peaceful morning.

Hiyoko and Mahiru were trying to get more information from Nagito about his whereabouts for the past two months but he kept insisting that it was a long and boring story and that it wasn't worth their time. Akane and Nekomaru were arm wrestling each other to pass the time, but aside from the grunting and occasional shout, they were fairly calm. Sonia watched the match carefully, acting as a referee and keeping her wild classmates in check. Mikan watched nervously from her seat, undoubtedly hoping it wouldn't escalate unexpectedly. Gundham was preoccupied with his twelve Zodiac Generals.

A few heads turned when the door to the classroom opened. Izuru entered the room and walked over to his seat without sparing any of his classmates a second glance. He was followed shortly by Fuyuhiko and Peko.

"That took a while!" Ibuki said, flashing a meaningful smile towards her two classmates. "Did you two have fun?"

Fuyuhiko looked like he wanted to say something, but then he snapped his mouth shut. He sat down in his seat with a frown, resting his feet on his desk. Peko also didn't respond in her usual manner to Ibuki's teasing. She took place in the seat behind Fuyuhiko, looking worried.

Ibuki frowned.

"How could they have had any fun?" Hiyoko said. "They had to get—ow! Mahiru!"

"Just stop it," Mahiru hissed.

Chiaki debated whether or not to pause her game. She'd been meaning to thank Izuru for his help—or maybe it hadn't been much more than a little push, but he had been the one to finally get her to act. She had tried to talk to Izuru outside of class, but once class was over he always seemed to vanish into thin air. No matter how hard she looked, she could never find him anywhere.

"Hey, Izuru."

He only slowly moved his attention from the window to her. Even though both Fuyuhiko and Peko seemed troubled upon returning, Izuru still looked the same.

"I never thanked you for last time. So… thank you."

Ibuki turned around in her seat, curiosity written all over her face. That was exactly one of the reasons she had tried to avoid thanking Izuru in class.

"What for?" he asked.

"For… giving me that advice, last time. It helped."

For a moment he just looked at her without saying anything. His expression didn't change.

"Did you find answers?"

"He left Hope's Peak, but he's fine, probably. Without your advice I would've spent a much longer time worrying about him. So, thank you."

Izuru was quiet for a few moments.

"He left?" he repeated. "What do you mean?"

"A classmate of his told me that he left because of personal problems. He didn't know much more than that, but at least it's something. It's better than…"

She trailed off.

"What did you expect?"

Izuru knew what she'd been about to say. She looked at his face and couldn't help but be a little intimidated by his stare.

"I… don't know what I expected. I'm just really glad that he's okay. I was a little disappointed that he's no longer a student here, but that's just… It matters more that he's alright."

He stared at her a little longer. For a moment, she thought he was going to ask her another question, but then he turned his head away and looked back at the window. It was an abrupt ending to their conversation.

Before she could think more on the matter, she was distracted by noise from the hallway. Her other classmates also slowly turned their attention towards the door. Miss Yukizome entered the room with a smile, dragging Kazuichi behind her by his arm. He was already teary-eyed, but when he saw Nagito he nearly panicked. He pointed towards the other boy with his free hand.

"Please, I beg of you! Please send him away, just for three days! I'm too young to die! I've so much to live for! I still haven't been on a date with Miss Sonia!"

"That moron of a Hagakure has never gotten a prediction right in his miserable life," Hiyoko snapped, "You're not going to die within the next three days. And quit whining about Sonia, you pathetic virgin!"

"But it's a one-in-three chance—and bad things always happen to me when he's near!" Kazuichi pointed an accusing finger at Nagito. "I'm as good as dead with him around!"

"If you keep whining like this, I'll wring your neck myself!"

"I'll let you wring my neck all you want," Teruteru said.

"Pervert!" Ibuki kicked the Ultimate Cook in the back, toppling him over.

"Everyone, quiet down and return to your seats!" Miss Yukizome shouted before things got truly out of hand. As everyone returned to their seats, Miss Yukizome scanned the classroom and smiled. "Now that our class is finally complete, it is time for an announcement from Ryouta!"

Ryouta made his way to the front of the class. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Um, I have an announcement to make. We will have a class meeting at the end of this week—but I… I thought it would be a nice idea to use it to celebrate Nagito's safe return, too. So… it's not just a meeting, but a party."

"I can't make it," Fuyuhiko said, a bit too quickly.

"The party will be held in our classroom," Ryouta said. He looked at Fuyuhiko. If Chiaki didn't know any better, she'd say that Ryouta was scolding Fuyuhiko. "It's mandatory to attend."

"A mandatory party? Who the hell came up with such a demented idea?"

"Be quiet," Miss Yukizome said. "I think it's a wonderful idea."

"Will there be food?" Akane asked.

"Teruteru will cater the party."

"I'm in!"

Ryouta had been right. As soon as another class meeting was mentioned, the atmosphere in the classroom already seemed to lift for a bit. No one really paid any attention to Nagito's protests that it really wasn't necessary to throw a party for him.

"I will play some of my songs!" Ibuki volunteered.

Kazuichi made a strangled sound. Even Nekomaru looked nervous.

"Now I definitely can't make the party," Fuyuhiko said.

"Some gates should not be opened," Gundham said solemnly.

"I already have something else in mind for entertainment," Ryouta said, to nearly everyone's visible relief. "Thank you, Ibuki, but maybe next time."

"What do you have in mind?" Hiyoko asked.

"It's a surprise."

"Are we finally going to see one of Ryouta's amazing animations?" Ibuki asked excitedly.

"It's a surprise," Ryouta repeated, not giving anything away.

"None of this even matters!" Kazuichi yelled, no longer able to contain himself, "I'll be dead by the end of this week! You're throwing a party for the one who will get me killed!"

"It is mandatory to attend the party for everyone. Consider it motivation to stay alive until then."

"Is it me or has his personality changed?" Nagito asked.

"Some people respond badly to power," Sonia said, shaking her head.

The remainder of the class was filled with excitement over the upcoming party. Hiyoko and Ibuki were primarily concerned about the surprise Ryouta didn't want to talk about. Their guesses as to what it could be were already slightly bizarre, but Miss Yukizome intervened when Teruteru joined them and their guessing went into another direction completely.

Miss Yukizome and Ryouta each emphasized that the party was mandatory before class was over. In Ryouta's case, it was mostly aimed at a scowling Fuyuhiko. Miss Yukizome's eyes were fixed on the other side of the classroom as she said it, but Izuru hadn't spoken a word since Miss Yukizome and Kazuichi had entered the classroom. Chiaki wasn't even sure if he had listened to a word of what had been said.

Just after the bell rang, she turned to her left to ask him if he wanted to have lunch together, but he was already gone.

"Someone should probably talk to her," Chiaki said.

"Not me!" Ibuki said, shaking her head. "I already tried talking to her, but she got really mad. Ibuki can't risk losing her favourite guitar!"

It was clear as day that something was bothering Hiyoko. Last week, it had been the chemically enhanced stink bomb and just now she'd poured a bucket full of dirty mop water out of the classroom window, drenching a passing student to the bone. Chiaki was certain that it wasn't a coincidence that Mukuro Ikusaba had been the one on the receiving end of Hiyoko's prank.

As part of their detention, Miss Yukizome had told them to clean a couple of classrooms. No one had noticed Hiyoko's plan until it was already too late to stop her. Her detention would probably be prolonged with a couple of days. It had been her last day, too…

"Even Mahiru can't get through to her," Peko said.

"She's been lashing out ever since the return of… you know…"

Hiyoko refused to talk with anyone about what had happened last year. She kept insisting that she didn't remember, just like Mikan—but her hatred for Junko Enoshima had to stem from somewhere, and it probably wasn't a lack of memories. Now that Junko had returned to Hope's Peak, that was becoming clearer than ever.

"I'll try and talk to her," Peko said.

Ibuki thanked Peko profusely, thankful that she wouldn't have to risk her favourite guitar.

After Peko had left, Chiaki and Ibuki remained behind in the room. Chiaki slowly returned to mopping the classroom floor, but Ibuki didn't resume cleaning the windows immediately.

"It kind of bothers me that we never found out what happened with Hiyoko and Mikan, you know?" Ibuki said, rubbing the back of her head with a frown. "Isn't it usually trauma that makes you forget things? Ibuki thinks it must've been bad…"

It bothered Chiaki too that they'd never found out what had happened to Hiyoko and Mikan during last year's incident. Hiyoko had been found with severe physical injuries and had spent a couple of days hospitalized. Mikan had been bruised and battered, but nowhere near as bad as Hiyoko. It was her mind that had taken the worst of it. Mikan had been hospitalized for several weeks without being allowed any visitors—for their own safety. After three weeks, she'd made a miraculous recovery. Everyone had been relieved.

Neither Hiyoko nor Mikan had been able to answer any questions about how they'd ended up in such a state. At first Hiyoko had insisted that Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba were responsible for their injuries, but an investigation had proved that it was impossible. It would've been physically impossible for the two sisters to be in two places at the same time. After that, Hiyoko said she didn't remember anything, just like Mikan.

"Maybe Peko will get through to her," Ibuki said, interrupting Chiaki's course of thoughts. She didn't sound as if she believed her own words. "Now, for something else… what was that about with Izuru this morning?"

Chiaki needed a moment to adjust. "What do you mean?"

"You totally know what I mean! You just thanked him out of the blue and he even talked back to you! Ibuki hasn't heard him say a word in days, not even when she pulled his hair!"

"Maybe you should stop doing that…"

"I will, once he tells me to," Ibuki said. "It's all part of my masterplan to get Izuru to become my bandmate! So, Ibuki was kind of surprised this morning to hear him talk. What did you ask his help for? Did you ask him for help with Hajime, too?"

Chiaki was surprised that Ibuki had figured it out so quickly. Her surprise must've shown on her face, because Ibuki went on.

"So Izuru was the one who said you should break into the administration office? Peko and I figured that you didn't come up with that plan yourself."

Ibuki's face suddenly brightened.

"Well, that settles it! Izuru's going to be our bandmate whether he wants to or not! We'll warm him up with a private concert first!"

"What do you mean, our bandmate?"

"You didn't think Ibuki would forget your great work with the triangle? Sure, we don't use a triangle in every song, but that doesn't make you any less a band member!"

Chiaki didn't protest to Ibuki's plans. She hadn't done a very good job at welcoming their newest classmate into their class. At least Ibuki had been trying to make him feel welcome and befriend him. Chiaki wasn't the best at making conversation. She could definitely use Ibuki's help.

Listening to Ibuki's increasingly outrageous plans, she realized that Ibuki also needed hers.

Izuru was lying down on his bed, staring at his door.

He could hear the same voices in the hallway passing by his dorm. They were always accompanied by the same friends. They always seemed to talk about the same things, too: other friends, classmates, teachers, homework, doctor's appointments, being sick, being in love, getting rejected, the passing of family members… the same old boring, insignificant things.

People felt comfortable living their lives surrounded by familiar things, familiar faces, familiar surroundings… All everyone ever did was try to find a comfortable routine. They never even realized how dull their lives were, how insignificant they themselves were.

This academy was filled with things that served no purpose in the grander scheme of things, if there even was such a thing. Even here at Hope's Peak, where the most talented were gathered to create a better future, people resisted change. These were the same kind of people who would resist change that was meant to make their lives better. They would resist change because of a temporary period of unease, because of temporary inconvenience. They would resist a better future because they couldn't look outside the comfort of their own, pointless lives.

Izuru was tired of listening to the voices of the ones who passed his dorm. He tried to drown them out. It would've been easier if his dorm had been soundproof.

Time passed, as it always did. Things were quieter at night.

That day, his mind had occasionally wondered to the conversation Chiaki Nanami had initiated with him that morning. He had expected her to fail to get her hands on Hajime Hinata's file—and that was exactly what had happened. Her chances of being suspended or getting detention had been evenly divided. If she had been suspended, he would've had one student less to deal with. If not, she likely would've been too distracted to bother him any longer.

However, that morning she had not been as distracted as the week before. On the contrary, she'd seemed more focussed.

She had found false information, but not the information he'd expected her to find.

There were great distinctions between getting expelled, dropping out or deciding to leave. For some, those distinctions meant nothing. There was a possibility Chiaki Nanami had decided to twist the truth a little to spare his past-self from anyone's judgement. But that was not the kind of person she was.

He was certain she had been genuine.

Long after midnight, he realized that this was the second evening in a row that Junko hadn't come to visit him. He wasn't sure if that was why had even more trouble sleeping than usual. There was a great chance she would visit him in the dead of night in an attempt to be unpredictable.

But she never showed up.

Chisa vastly preferred the dangerous and cluttered mess that was Kazuichi's dorm to Izuru's impersonal, empty dorm. Maybe Kazuichi's dorm smelled of oil and grease, maybe it looked like the inside of a bike shop and maybe she'd lectured him on his lack of hygiene more times than she'd care to admit, but… Izuru's room lacked a personal impression. It lacked life.

The class rulebook she'd given him two weeks ago still remained lying on the floor. Her fingers were itching to do pick it up and put it away, but she restrained herself. Just like she'd refused to make things easier on herself by getting a copy of his dorm room key.

One of these days, he would put that book away himself and she wouldn't need a key to his dorm, nor would she need her screwdriver to open his lock.

It just wasn't that day yet.

She could ignore the book on the ground or that Izuru never seemed to sleep underneath his covers, but she could not ignore the mouldy leftovers of a cake on his desk.

"This cake is not going to walk over to the trashcan by itself," she said. "Didn't your parents teach you how to clean up after yourself?"

Izuru didn't respond. She looked at him. He was still lying on his bed, not making any indication that he was going to follow her to the classroom. She felt that he'd grown even more quiet in the past week, but it was really hard to tell. She didn't have much material to compare with.

Izuru looked tired. The last time he'd looked this tired, she'd allowed him to stay in his dorm to catch up on sleep with a little help of Mikan. Now she knew a little more about him. His trouble with sleeping was only a symptom. Allowing him to stay in his dorm all day was perhaps not the best way to help him, even if he did look like he could use some sleep.

"Come on, get up. Class started ten minutes ago."

Some part of her always expected Izuru to refuse to follow her to the classroom, but every time he just got out of bed and came with her without voicing any complaints, not even a typical adolescent reaction, such as rolling his eyes or letting out an annoyed sigh. He reacted differently to her forced visits to his dorm than other boys his age. Kazuichi had nearly fainted when she came to get him the other day. When Fuyuhiko failed to show one day, Chisa had been genuinely worried for him because he was the only student she could count on to be punctual. Even the Ultimate Yakuza had become bright red after she accidentally walked in on him changing.

Izuru followed her towards the classroom quietly. Once inside, he took place at the seat by the window. He kept to himself while her other students talked with each other.

Izuru wasn't the only student on her mind. Hiyoko's anger wasn't subsiding any. If anything, it seemed to be getting even worse. The day before, Chisa had prolonged Hiyoko's detention with a few days after the girl had poured a bucket with mop water over Mukuro Ikusaba. There was also the matter of Nagito and how he felt about Junko's return to Hope's Peak. It was hard to tell how he really felt underneath the smile and his attempts to distract her.

And Juzo had always been curt on the phone, but that morning had been nothing short of ridiculous. He had not even given her the time to respond before he hung up. His invitation to have brunch together had been more an order than anything else, really. Sure, he could be brisk but there had been an urgency there, too. Also, he had never used the word brunch before. He'd always made a point out of refusing to use that word.

Whatever was bothering Juzo, it was important.

"Izuru, we're going to watch a movie tonight. Would you like to join us?"

"That was all wrong, Chiaki! That's not how you ask someone to hang out!" Ibuki said, shaking her head. "Izuru, we're going to do something absolutely amazing tonight and you are coming with us! It wasn't a question, so you can't say no!"

Izuru just wanted the two students to leave him alone.

"What is wrong with this world?" Kazuichi said incredulously. He had turned his head towards their corner of the class. "Nagito gets thrown a party, Ryouta goes off with Mikan and Izuru becomes a ladies' man—and what do I get? I get to die in the next two days?! This just isn't fair! Isn't there anyone who cares? Miss Sonia?"

"She already went off with Gundham, moron," Fuyuhiko said.

Neither Ibuki nor Chiaki paid any attention to Kazuichi's cries from the other side of the room, nor did they notice Nagito Komaeda approaching.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Izuru can't join you tonight because he already agreed to meet with me. Isn't that right, Izuru?"

Nagito Komaeda gave him a meaningful look. Izuru ignored it. With all three of his classmates facing him, Nagito just pretended that Izuru had just agreed with him behind their backs.

"For real?" Ibuki said. She slumped down in her seat. "Ibuki even got a smoke machine!"

Ibuki finally released her grip on a lock of Izuru's hair. Class had ended two minutes ago, but she'd refused to let go of his hair until he agreed to her proposal. Nagito's interference had sped things up, but he didn't know yet what the other boy wanted from him. He had tried to talk with Izuru the day before too, but he'd slinked off rather quickly once he'd noticed that Izuru wasn't really interested.

Izuru got up from his seat and left the classroom. For some reason Nagito Komaeda followed him.

"I hope you aren't mad about what I said to Ibuki and Chiaki back there. I just wanted to help you out. You didn't look very interested in their proposal," Nagito said, walking alongside Izuru, "and, well, I was hoping that maybe we could talk. I understand if you have more important things to do than answer some of my questions—you are the Ultimate Hope, after all—but perhaps we could meet this evening?"

Izuru wasn't going to go out of his way to meet with a classmate, but there was only one way to keep Nagito from wanting to ask him questions in the future.

"If you have questions, you can ask them now."

"Oh really?" Nagito asked, looking at him wide-eyed, "I thought you'd be busy this afternoon. Or, perhaps, do you already have something planned tonight? Ah, I'm sorry. It's really none of my business who you meet with, is it?"

This was the type of person Nagito Komaeda was. How boring.

Still, when Nagito asked him to follow him to the library, he did. Izuru ignored most of what Nagito said during their walk, but it seemed like the other boy didn't mind at all. The library was nearly empty part when they arrived. Izuru did hear some rustling and some whispering coming from the other side of the library, but it was not anywhere near them.

"I know your family is very private, so I didn't want to talk with you somewhere just anyone could overhear," Nagito explained, crossing his arms and looking downwards. "Yesterday I could tell that you didn't really want to spend time with someone like me, so I went to the library to find books on your great-grandfather… but they're all out on loan. I guess I'm not the only one who's curious… Hope's Peak's history has always fascinated me… so, would you mind answering some questions?"

There wasn't much choice in the matter. If he didn't, then Nagito's curiosity would remain unsated and he'd be more likely to start an investigation of his own. There was nothing Nagito could ask that he wouldn't know the answer to.

"I still can't really believe we have a real, living descendant of the founder in our midst," Nagito started, "and you share the same Ultimate title, too! So, is your hope the same as your great-grandfather's?"

"It is."

"So, you both have a lot of talent?" Nagito asked, his eyes lighting up. "That's amazing! As expected of someone related to our founder himself!" He paused. "But, it does make me wonder, is that truly your hope?"

Izuru repeated what he'd been taught. "Talent is hope."

"Is it always?" Nagito asked. "What if the talent in question is bad?"

"Only the talented are capable of bringing about change in a stagnant society. For some that change will be for the better, for others that change will be for the worse. There is no such thing as a change that benefits all."

Nagito was quiet for a moment. He frowned.

"Someone once told me that there's no such thing as hope that hurts others."

Izuru didn't respond to that. He had already said more than was strictly necessary. If Nagito Komaeda wasn't capable of realizing how naïve those words were by himself, then he had just proven to be even more uninteresting than Izuru initially thought.

"Did I offend you? Ah, I didn't mean to be rude… Please forgive me for asking such intrusive questions… and thank you for answering them, Izuru. I feel like a learned a lot today thanks to you… To be honest, I feel like a need a little time to think about it. You don't need to force yourself to stay here any longer, lucky you!"

One of the first things that Izuru had noticed about Nagito Komaeda was that he was very quick to smile—but his smiles were just a tool to hide his real thoughts and intentions from others. Although Nagito did a good job at hiding it, Izuru could tell he was displeased with the answers Izuru had given him.

He knew this would not be the last time that Nagito sought him out.

The café's owner pointed Chisa towards the table where Juzo was already waiting for her. His shoulders were tense. She hesitantly took place in the seat across from him and noted the bags under his eyes. He seemed to be even worse off than the last time they'd met.

"What did you find?"

"Remember that favour you asked me for last week?" Juzo asked her.

"The file?"

He reached down to next to the table and pulled out a folder without much further ado. He slid it towards her side of the table. She hesitantly took it and opened it.

Juzo had done as she asked, and he'd gotten her Hajime Hinata's student file. The first thing she noticed was a picture of the student. Even though it was usual for students not to smile in their photos, she could tell that Hajime was a serious person just by looking at his picture. She quickly scanned the file, trying to look for something that Juzo would find suspicious, but she didn't find anything—until she got to the bottom of the first page.

"Expelled for not complying with the school rules?"

"That's what caught my attention too," Juzo said, taking in her reaction.

"That's… a very non-specific reason."

"You look like you didn't expect this."

"I didn't. I was told he left because of personal problems."

"Why did you want this file in the first place?"

"One of my students wants to get in touch with this boy—she hasn't heard from him over two years. That's why I asked you for his file. But what's the reason you're so interested?"

Juzo frowned. For a moment she thought he was going to connect the break-in at the administration office with her own request—she was pretty sure he did, too—but he refrained himself from saying anything about it.

"He wasn't expelled," Juzo said, without a trace of doubt. "All students who are expelled pass by my office one way or another. I'm responsible for escorting suspended and expelled students off the school grounds. If he had been expelled, I would've known."

"Do you know him?"

"I… had an encounter with him once. I recognize his picture."

"Don't you have encounters with a lot of students?"

"The date isn't right," Juzo said, evading her question. "I remember that time clearly. No students were expelled around the time of those murders on those Reserve Course students."

Chisa narrowed her eyes. "Care to tell me more about that encounter?"

Juzo scowled. He looked away from her. "He was trying to enter the Main Course building. He was critical of the on-going murder investigation and he wanted to talk to some of the Main Course students… At the time, I wasn't sure if the murders were connected to the Reserve Course's finances. I stopped him from entering the Main Course building to keep him out of trouble, but… his file isn't right. He was not expelled. I'm sure of that."

"Is there more?"

"I tried the phone numbers in his student's file. Both are no longer in use. I tried to contact his teacher to ask her for a more specific reason of his expulsion, but she no longer works here."

Chisa couldn't hide her surprise. Making phone calls and subtly trying to get information from unsuspecting people were the kind of tasks he usually passed on to her. Juzo lacked both the patience and temper needed for that kind of work. The amount of work he'd already put into this—and that he'd put this before his resignation—was more suspicious than anything else.

Something was tingling in the back of her mind, something that Chiaki had told her.

"My student told me that the last time she saw Hajime he was bleeding. Someone had beaten him up."

The quick flash of guilt in his eyes was the only thing she needed to confirm her suspicions.

"You tried to stop a student from entering the Main Course building by beating him up?" she said, incredulously, "That's why you remember him so clearly?"

"I didn't say a thing about your questionable teaching methods a few minutes ago!"

"Because you knew that this would be coming up!"

"Look, we can argue about this or we can focus on the real problem," Juzo said, quickly trying to change the subject. He gestured towards Hajime Hinata's file. "I stopped him because I could tell he was looking for trouble. He wasn't going to stop until he found something—and that could've ended badly for him—so I decided to step in before he got into real trouble."

"What made you try to contact him?"

"There was a reason he tried to investigate those murders. I deal with a lot of students. He had the look of someone who needed to prove something. He wasn't going to stop unless someone made him—which is why I tried to stop him. But I could tell that I didn't get through to him. I fully expected to run into him again after that day, but I didn't see him again."

"Do you really think something happened to him?"

"Someone must have stopped him, some way or another."

To be honest, there wasn't much to go on here. Everything could just be a coincidence. His expulsion might be an administrative mistake, although it would be a very bad one. Juzo could plainly be wrong. His memory wasn't infallible. Perhaps he had simply moved and changed phone numbers. There were no clues that indicated this could be related to Hope's Peak Academy's questionable financial practices.

Still, they'd investigated matters with even less to go on.

Besides, she and Juzo both had their own reasons for wanting to investigate the matter.

"So, what does this mean?" she asked. "You're staying? You've realized you can't do without me?"

"Someone needs to protect this academy and its students from you."

"Beating students to protect them. Very noble."

"You're one to talk. You asked me to steal a file for one of your brats!" Juzo let out a sigh, and looked away. "Let's just call it even for now, okay? We need to contact Kyousuke. Neither of us has the time to check out these addresses in person."

She looked down at the picture in front of her, studying the serious-looking boy's face. He looked vaguely familiar to her, for some reason. According to his file, he'd been expelled months before she even started teaching.

For Chiaki's sake, she hoped nothing had happened to her friend—yet, at the same time, she couldn't help but hope that this was the break she and Juzo needed.

"Again?!" Ibuki yelled, earning the looks of some of their classmates. "This is unfair! Ibuki still has detention! You can't hog Izuru's evenings! It's the only free time Ibuki has!"

"I'm really sorry," Nagito said, smiling apologetically. "I asked Izuru to help me with something today… but I suppose if he'd rather hang out with you and Chiaki than me, that can't be helped. After all, it's much more exciting to listen to a live performance by the Ultimate Musician herself… It certainly left an impression on Kazuichi, didn't it?"

"Y-You…" Kazuichi said, turning in his seat, instantly a few shades paler than usual. "You promised me you would never remind anyone about that ever again!"

"Your screams were such a wonderful sound to my ears," Hiyoko said, mischievously, "Ibuki's still looking for a backing vocalist. With a bit of practice—"

"Never! J-Just leave me alone!"

"My bad…" Nagito said, scratching his cheek and turning his attention away from his two classmates. "Your hair does look a little messy. If you'd rather go with Ibuki and have her take care of it, I completely understand."

"Everyone needs a bit of colour in their lives, Izuru!" Ibuki said, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "and I've got just the right colours for you!"

His classmates were truly predictable. From Ibuki Mioda's persistence to Nagito Komaeda's manipulative behaviour to Hiyoko Saionji seizing the opportunity to taunt her classmate and Kazuichi Soda's tendency to take everything at face value.

A scream from Kazuichi distracted his classmates momentarily. Nagito used the same tactic he'd used the day before and pretended that Izuru had just agreed to his invitation.

Ibuki's shoulders slumped. "I even borrowed a fire machine this time…"

"I think it's good that you two are spending time together," Chiaki said.

"Ibuki!" Hiyoko said, "Help me out here! Kazuichi can't get his notes right!"

Izuru ignored the classmate next to his desk and returned his attention to the window.

It was hard to block out the noises that came from elsewhere in the classroom, because at one point many of his classmates were screaming. Ibuki Mioda tried to teach Kazuichi Soda the right technique to scream and then Nekomaru Nidai joined in and tried to teach him how to increase his volume. Mahiru Koizumi yelled at the boy to stand up for himself. Gundham Tanaka boasted no one would be able to produce a more feral sound than him, and Sonia Nevermind ceased her attempts to calm her classmates down and asked him to demonstrate. Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu attempted to intimidate his classmates into quieting down, but no one took his threats to cement their feet and throw them into the nearest river seriously—anyone except Kazuichi Soda, but his classmates mistook his terrified screams as cooperation. When Chisa Yukizome returned to the classroom she ended the chaos swiftly and spent the remainder of the class lecturing everyone.

His classmates followed the same routine every week and only their methods had some variation to them. He could easily predict his classmates' behaviour. Nagito Komaeda had even used the same trick as the day before to talk to him again. He also unsubtly commented that if Izuru didn't feel like helping him out, he could let Ibuki Mioda know that Izuru was available that night after all.

In some ways, Nagito Komaeda reminded him of Junko Enoshima.

After class, he walked along with Nagito to the library like the day before.

"I've thought about what you said yesterday," Nagito said. He'd once again found the most isolated spot in the library. "Izuru Kamukura, your great-grandfather, he died before you were born, right? I don't think he would agree with your version of hope."

Izuru was aware that Hope's Peak had corrupted the founder's ideals. The real Izuru Kamukura would not have agreed to create artificial hope. There was a reason the Hope Cultivation Plan had never come to fruition during his lifetime.

"It really is a shame that all books on him are out on loan, or you would be able to read for yourself… but I guess it can't be helped. I'd let you borrow my own copy of my favourite work of his, but I lost it at sea… I'm truly unlucky… It was a gift from Miss Yukizome, too…"

Nagito let out a forlorn sigh. It looked like he'd expected nothing less, but Izuru could tell that the regret on his face was genuine. Nagito slowly shook his head.

"I've read quite a bit of your great-grandfather's works… He believed that talent was something that needed to be nurtured and developed in an encouraging environment. Too often the talented give up hope because their environment discourages them, whether it is because of jealousy, bitterness, finances or just a lack of understanding… Your great-grandfather didn't wait for others to change the world but he changed it himself—and he changed it for the better. He wanted to give hope to the world. Honestly… I try not to think about it too much. It makes me feel unworthy of being here."

Nagito assumed he cared about the original reasons for founding Hope's Peak Academy. It struck Izuru as odd that Nagito didn't just assume that Izuru owned and had read all the works by his own faux great-grandfather.

"I didn't mean to lecture you on your own great-grandfather's ideals—but there really are changes that benefit no one at all. If only a very small group—or, let's say, if only one person benefitted from a change that left the entire world in ruins and millions of dead… that can't possibly be a good change. That isn't hope."

Nagito still didn't understand the true subjectivity of change, even after spending an entire day thinking about it. It was as Izuru had predicted. He really didn't like repeating himself.

"Every society collapses eventually and then a new society will be built atop of it. When one group loses power, another group takes is place. Change is neither good nor bad."

"I… can't agree with that," Nagito said. "You shouldn't just accept change for the sake of change. Not caring about the outcome at all… that sounds more like despair than hope to me."

Nagito refused to understand Izuru's simple truth. Change was neither hope nor despair. Izuru wasn't going to repeat himself over and over.

Nagito crossed his arms and stared down at the table with a frown. He was quiet for a few seconds, then he let out a sigh. "Thank you for coming with me again. You've given me a lot to think about again…"

After that, Izuru returned to his dorm.

He understood why Fuyuhiko had warned him about both Junko Enoshima and Nagito Komaeda. They both had a fixation with his Ultimate title and the symbolic role it gave him. They were very similar in nature. Where Junko embraced her inner darkness, Nagito resisted it.

Izuru wondered if Junko's absence for the past four days had to do with Nagito's presence.

He didn't care enough to investigate.

"For some reason, this feels less like a party and more like a kidnapping…" Kazuichi commented quietly.

"His personality definitely changed," Nagito said.

Both Kazuichi Soda and Nagito Komaeda were staring at the person next to the classroom entrance. Ryouta Mitarai was standing next to the classroom door, pretending to check off things from a list. In reality, he was guarding the door to make sure that no one left the classroom without his permission.

"N-No," Mikan Tsumiki protested weakly. "Ryouta has always been like this, r-right? At least, this is how I remember him… but m-maybe I'm wrong, and he's r-really different, and I don't know! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

"Nagito, stop bullying Mikan!" Mahiru Koizumi said.

"Don't make me come over there!" Hiyoko Saionji added.

Nagito looked like he wanted to say something, but then he changed his mind. He let out a forlorn sigh.

"Look at you. Ten minutes into your own party and you're already angering the ladies," Kazuichi said, taking pleasure in the situation. "You're so hopeless!"

"That was uncalled for," Sonia Nevermind said, shaking her head in disapproval. "Nagito's our guest of honour, too…"

"M-Miss Sonia!"

Izuru wondered how long it would take before Chisa Yukizome and Ryouta Mitarai allowed the first students to leave the party. After ten minutes into the party he was already tired of listening to his classmates talking. It would take him very little effort to leave the classroom unseen. He refrained from doing so because he knew that Yukizome would not accept that kind of behaviour. It would be far more trouble than it was worth.

He just had to endure this party for a few hours.

With help of their teacher and some classmates, Ryouta had prepared the classroom for the party. There were some decorations, and all of the desks had been set aside to make place for a big television monitor.

After Teruteru Hanamaru and some other students returned to the classroom with the food the Ultimate Cook had prepared, Ryouta moved from the doorway.

Just the smell of Teruteru's food seemed to ignite life into all of the other students. They excitedly gathered around the food trolleys and began eating, some more enthusiastically than others. Soon the classroom was filled with the sound of the other students complimenting Teruteru on his work. He happily accepted their words.

Izuru remained where he was, leaning against the windowsill in the back of the classroom, where his seat normally was. Now it was stacked underneath another table not so far away from him.

He pretended not to hear Mahiru calling him over and she quickly gave up. The Ultimate Cook wasn't so easily deterred. He ignored Izuru's protest that he wasn't hungry and came over with a couple dishes of his own choosing. Izuru knew that Teruteru wasn't going to go away until he had at least tasted one thing.

"Just try some, Izuru. I'm sure you'll love these!" Teruteru said, smiling. "They were made with the utmost love and care—and if you refuse to eat, you'll leave me no choice but to spoon-feed you!"

Fuyuhiko quickly moved to their side of the classroom. "I am not watching Teruteru spoon-feed someone ever fucking again. I'll shove that food down your throat myself if I have to!"

"Oh, I wouldn't mind seeing that…"

Fuyuhiko scowled at the other boy. For some reason, Gundham joined them at the back of the class. Usually Gundham steered clear of Izuru. Perhaps it had to do with the reason why Teruteru insisted on him eating some of the food.

Izuru decided to eat the dish Teruteru had brought to him before any of the other students decided to come over, too.

Teruteru anxiously awaited his response.

"So? What do you think? Do you want more?"

"No. I'm not hungry."

Teruteru looked stricken.

"This is most unnatural," Gundham stared at him with wide eyes. "Even a powerful being such as myself had a momentary lapse of weakness when confronted with such a piece of craftsmanship!"

Teruteru wouldn't take no for an answer. He returned to his buffet and a minute later, he was back, carrying several dishes with him. He grew increasingly more frantic each time that Izuru rejected his dishes. Izuru predicted that the boy wouldn't stop until someone forcibly made him—but it ended up being unnecessary.

"If Izuru's not hungry, he's not going to enjoy your dishes, no matter how good they are," Chiaki said. "Maybe you should listen to what he's saying."

"But—I guess you're right…" Teruteru agreed reluctantly.

Izuru's classmates finally let him be when it became clear that Ryouta was clumsily trying to get everyone's attention. It wasn't the first time that Izuru noticed that there were inconsistences in Ryouta's behaviour. One moment, he was guarding the door diligently, snapping at anyone who came too close and the next he was in front of the class, barely getting his point across because he was too nervous to speak in front of a group. Yet, when Fuyuhiko interrupted him to make a comment, he wasn't thrown off at all.

"Ibuki was right?" It was Mahiru who couldn't hide her surprise.

Ibuki gasped. "Ryouta is finally going to show us his work? Ibuki has been waiting for ages!"

Ryouta's cheeks coloured from his classmates' positive response. "It's an unfinished project. I've… had a creative block for a while now… Miss Yukizome thought this would be a good idea."

"It's a great idea!" Yukizome added cheerily.

She grabbed hold of Ryouta's shoulders and steered him towards the television, perhaps worried that he might change his mind.

"You mean that Ryouta actually does something when he locks himself in his room all day?" Hiyoko asked. "At this point, I just thought he was… you know."

"Doing what?" Sonia asked.

"Miss Sonia, don't pay any attention anything that she-devil says!"

"Of course Kazuichi knows what I'm talking about. I bet you do it all the time."

Kazuichi blanched and sputtered unintelligibly in protest.

"Take a seat, everyone!" Yukizome cut in.

Kazuichi quickly took place in front of the television, grateful for the distraction. Most of the other students followed, some more enthusiastically than others. Izuru could tell that this wasn't the first time that the other students did something like this. They gathered around the big monitor as if they were used to it. Some students sat down on the ground in front of the monitor, while others pulled up chairs and sat down behind the sitting students.

"Izuru," Chiaki said. She motioned to the chair next to hers. "Here's a seat for you."

Izuru walked over and sat down reluctantly. He knew that if he stayed back in his corner Yukizome would become involved. Aside from retrieving him from his dorm room, she hadn't bothered him all day. He didn't want to give her a reason to.

As soon as everyone had settled down, Ryouta explained the basic premise of the story. As soon as he said that it was about a boy who put his work and dreams ahead from anything else in his life, Izuru could guess that it was semi-autobiographical for the Ultimate Animator. Izuru glanced at the clock instead, wondering how long he had to endure the party. Just after the animation started playing, the classroom went quiet very quickly.

Izuru understood why as soon as he glanced at the screen.

The Ultimate Animator used sensory tricks to directly manipulate the brain of whoever watched his work. It didn't work on those who were in some way familiar with those techniques, as Izuru was. He easily noticed the subtle subliminal messages and tricks that were used. They were mostly harmless. They meant to slightly increase the brain's dopamine levels, but it also worked on a more subconscious level. There was a light hypnotic layer to the movie, intended to keep everyone watching to the very end.

The other students were completely mesmerised by the screen, not taking their eyes off of it for even a moment. They didn't even notice when Ryouta took a small digital camera out of one of his pockets, positioned it on a table and then proceeded to film everyone's reactions. Ryouta himself was more interested in the animation than the reactions of his classmates.

Izuru noticed, but decided not to comment. It wasn't worth the effort.

He looked back at the screen. The sensory tricks were flawlessly incorporated in some parts, but not that well in other parts. Izuru recognized that the Ultimate Animator was skilled enough to be capable of much more intrusive manipulations. He deliberately chose not to. Izuru found his mind wandering as the animation went on.

Just before the animation ended, Ryouta retrieved his digital camera from the table and pocketed it again. All of the other students were emotional after watching the animation. Some were better at hiding their tears than others. No one was more vocal about his emotions than Nekomaru, who loudly praised Ryouta's work.

There was something off about Ryouta Mitarai.

The animation had been the work of someone very passionate about their work, someone with a clear goal in mind, someone who desperately needed to convey a message. To a certain degree, someone's work could be used to construct a psychological profile on its creator. The animation didn't reflect the Ryouta Mitarai who happily, but calmly, accepted his classmates' praises. There was a detachment between him and his own work that there shouldn't be.

It was another display of the Ultimate Animator's inconsistent behaviour.

"Did you like it?" Chiaki asked, still next to him.

"It was predictable."

"Was it, really?" Chiaki sounded surprised. Her eyes and cheeks were still a little red. "I think it could've gone multiple ways in the end, but I liked how it ended. It was a well-written story."

Izuru disagreed, but he didn't feel like arguing. Chiaki continued, regardless of his disinterest.

"The animation was amazing. The character's faces were so expressive... I'm glad that Ryouta finally felt confident enough to share his work with us. Just imagine what Ryouta could do with games, if he wanted to…" Chiaki seemed to be lost in her thoughts for a moment. "Ryouta just wants to help people. This animation suits him perfectly."

Izuru glanced around the classroom. His eyes were once again drawn towards the clock.

After Ryouta's surprise, the party carried on for much longer than Izuru would've liked. It seemed to be customary for Chiaki to bring some of her games over so that her classmates could compete against each other. Ibuki temporarily caused a commotion when she returned from a bathroom break with her electric guitar and announced she was going to play her newest song for everyone. Mahiru went around the classroom, secretly taking photos of everyone. She also kept close to Izuru for a while, but her patience wasn't infinite. No one except Fuyuhiko questioned it when Gundham returned to the classroom with a live wolf.

"Where do you keep these animals?" Fuyuhiko asked, his eyes narrowed.

"This is a descendant from the great Amarok," Gundham explained, smiling proudly at himself. "This mythical creature only comes to this realm to join the living when summoned by an heir of the Tanaka Empire."

"Is he ever going to stop that crap?" Kazuichi looked very annoyed.

"Though it is now also bound to the royal bloodline of the Kingdom of Novoselic," Sonia added, getting down to the wolf's level and scratching its head lovingly.

Kazuichi made a wallowing sound. It wasn't just because Nagito accidentally killed him in their co-op game at that exact same moment.

At one point, some of the other students tried to get Izuru to join playing videogames. Izuru had almost been about to give in, if only because Yukizome's frown deepened each time she glanced at him in the corner of the classroom. Ibuki had already dragged him towards the monitor, when Chiaki suddenly spoke up and asked her classmates to leave him alone.

"He doesn't like gaming. Let's not force him."

"He should at least try!" Ibuki said. "Maybe he'll really like this game!"

"Some people enjoy watching games more than playing them."

"He's been looking at the window the entire time!" Kazuichi snapped.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Sonia said.

"I agree," Hiyoko said. She didn't seem pleased with Ibuki's attempt to get him to join in. "Let's just leave him be."

After that, the other students did leave him alone. He had expected Yukizome to intervene at some point. He had expected to be forced to participate in all of the party's activities, if not by his teacher than by his classmates, but it didn't happen. Yukizome glanced at him regularly, but she didn't come over and her frown wasn't as deep as before.

Gundham left the party first, saying that he needed to return the wolf to its rightful realm. It was the moment Izuru had been waiting for. He could finally leave the party without being accused of not even trying. He left the classroom quietly, while everyone was distracted. He hadn't exited the hallway yet, when he heard the door to the classroom open and he heard someone's footsteps coming his way.

"Making a quiet exit?" Nagito asked with a smile, after catching up to him. Izuru just kept walking. "I'm surprised you didn't go earlier. You looked very bored. I guess you don't like parties?"

"What do you want?"

"We finally saw one of Ryouta's works after nearly three years," Nagito said. "I can't believe how good it was. What did you think of it?"

"It was predictable," Izuru said, repeating the same words he'd told Chiaki.

"Predictable? Didn't you notice the change that overcame our class? Ryouta's animation was created with a such a beautiful and pure hope that I don't think anyone was unmoved by it. As soon as it started, I just couldn't look away anymore. It seemed like the entire class was overcome. Everyone was brimming with hope. He has a truly amazing talent, being able to move everyone, being able to make everyone feel hope. Today, he outshone everyone."

Nagito was quiet for a few seconds.

"You didn't feel anything? Anything at all?"

"Nagito Komaeda, you are as boring as Junko Enoshima."

Izuru didn't change his pace, but Nagito stopped dead in his tracks. He left his classmate behind in the hallway and continued the way to his dorm without any more interferences.

His dorm was quiet when he entered. He walked over to his bed and lay down on it. His window had been open for the entire day and his room was a bit chilly. He looked at the shadows on his ceiling, cast by the setting sun. From outside, he could students talking and laughing. He heard birds singing outside.

Even the birds always sang the same tune.

The evening passed quietly, and eventually Izuru's thoughts strayed to Junko against his will. He hadn't seen her in days. He refused to belief that she was up to anything of interest although he had no doubt she was trying. Whatever scheme she was working on, it would almost certainly fail.

He really detested the part of him that hoped he was wrong.