~ Delinquent Disciplinarian ~

There came a day when Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Hope's Peak Academy's Super High School Level Hall Monitor, got tired of being a hall monitor.

That day, Ishimaru went out of his room wearing simple jeans, a comfy T-shirt, and carrying a book. There was a pair of reading glasses perched upon his nose, and he was humming to himself as he walked down the school's hallways.

That was where he passed by Chihiro Fujisaki. She was just standing there wearing a withdrawn expression on her face and her hands clasped in front of her, as usual. Instead of reminding her about his many school rules, today he simply said, "Good morning, Fujisaki-kun," without stopping, slowly leaving her behind to stand in the hallway doing whatever it was she was doing.

Then he heard the thud of uncertain footsteps and suddenly he was staring at Chihiro's wide hazel eyes again.

"Ishimaru-kun! You look different," she said.

"Yep," Ishimaru said. "I'm having a day off being the SHSL Hall Monitor today."

"...Is that why you didn't tell me off for stopping in the hallway? You did say this was a no-stopping zone..."

"Yep," Ishimaru replied. "Have fun with no rules to obey today, Fujisaki-kun." He studied her face, "Or is something the matter? You look displeased."

"Ohh, no," she quickly said. "I'm sorry. I must have sounded very ungrateful, haven't I? I'm not displeased, Ishimaru-kun, not in the least bit. Of course I'm glad that we can stop in the hallways now..."

Ishimaru groaned inwardly. There he goes, upsetting the sweet and sensitive Super High School Level Programmer. "No, no, no! It's not your fault, Fujisaki-kun! You didn't do anything wrong, I was just asking. You didn't have to apologize."

"Oh..." Chihiro's smile slowly returned. "Well... Because I think you're a good hall monitor, Ishimaru-kun! I think your rules here make living in this school more effective and efficient."

"Is that so?" Ishimaru was surprised. It wasn't often that someone told him that his rules were actually making a difference. He did know that his "brother", Mondo Oowada, only thought they were a nuisance. "Thank you, Fujisaki-kun! I am pleased that you have taken an interest towards authority and discipline!"

That was when he got that idea. He didn't know whether it was a good one or not, but at least someone had to enforce the rules in the academy. After all, this was a school where anything could happen. Having a few rules to keep their high school life from getting too chaotic (if that was even possible) was probably essential.

"How about if you become the SHSL Hall Monitor for today?" he asked.

"Me?" Her eyes widened, surprised. "Are you sure, Ishimaru-kun? I'd be happy to relieve you and be the hall monitor today, but I doubt if I'm strong enough to take over your duties... What if the others don't listen to me? Unlike you, I'm not authoritative, I'm powerless..."

"I'm sure you'll be a good hall monitor," Ishimaru said. "And you're not weak and powerless, Fujisaki-kun! I'm sure everyone will do what is right and listen to you."

"Really?" She was silent for a few seconds, her eyes darting down as she thought it over. When she looked up, she was smiling in her trademark uncertain way. "Okay then! I'll do it!"

Ishimaru smiled. "I knew you would say that. But if you are going to be a good hall monitor, Fujisaki-kun, the first thing you need to do is look the part..."

A little while later, Chihiro Fujisaki frowned as she folded up her shirt sleeve yet again. Look the part? Really, Ishimaru-kun? The only part I probably look right now is that of a weak little girl who wasn't even a real girl with the dream of being authoritative so she wore starchy white uniforms which were five sizes too big for her.

She sighed as she rolled up her sleeve for what seemed to be the hundredth time already. Ishimaru-kun is bigger than he looks! she thought regretfully.

However, nothing could be done about that now. The only thing she did was continue standing in the hallway as Ishimaru had instructed her to ("Remember, Fujisaki-kun! Tell anyone who violates the rules that this is a NO-STOPPING ZONE!").

...

Junko Enoshima stormed into the cafeteria to see Ishimaru calmly sitting there with a mug of coffee in front of him. He was reading.

"Ishimaru, what the hell is going on?" she demanded. "I saw Fujisaki outside, she was looking really ridiculous in your uniform and she told me that the hallways were a no-stopping zone. What the heck did you put her up to?"

"I did not put her up to anything, Enoshima-kun," Ishimaru said dismissively. "She merely agreed to become the SHSL Hall Monitor today because I am having a day off."

"Day off! Oh, lucky you!" Junko fumed. "Like I can have a day off being the Super High School Level Fashion Girl! No one here would be fashionable enough to replace me!"

...

Meanwhile, outside, Chihiro had met yet another school rule violator. Unlike Junko, this person was one of her closest friends although they were as different from each other as night and day. She was weak, he was strong; she was short, he was tall, but he was always there to protect and support her through thick and thin. Having him in Hope's Peak Academy was a huge relief indeed.

"Oowada Mondo-kun!" she said to the Super High School Level Gang Leader who stopped by her. "Good morning! May I remind you that this hallway is a no-stopping zone! Thank you, have a nice day!"

Mondo didn't obey her but instead gave her an up and down look, taking in her too-big clothes. ...He couldn't explain why she somehow looked cuter in Ishimaru's uniform. She looked smaller, cuter... And more powerful, yet more fragile. His heart softened, but as an outlaw biker he was determined to suppress it. Instead, he smirked and casually joked, "What's up, kid? Why are you in Kyoudai's uniform?"

Chihiro smiled at him. "I'm the hall monitor for today. Ishimaru-kun assigned me to stand watch in the hallways, so it's my duty to tell people that they're not allowed to stop in the hallway, so it's best that you be on your way, Oowada-kun...!"

Chihiro Fujisaki, Super High School Level Hall Monitor? Reminding people about no-stopping zones? That freakin' sucks! Ishimaru might enjoy it, but he IS a Super High School Level Hall Monitor to begin with. Chihiro is a Super High School Level Programmer, not a hall monitor. Poor kid. She needs a little fun.

"I don't know, kid..." Mondo said lightly, "I think it's important for me to live up to my reputation as a delinquent, so..."

Chihiro was surprised when he stopped talking and simply took off on a run down the corridor, laughing all the way.

"O-Oowada-kun!" she shouted after him. "Cease your running at once! Running in the hallways is an inappropriate school behavior! You will be reprimanded for this!"

"Well, you have to catch me first to stop me!" Mondo shouted back.

"You leave me no choice, Oowada-kun! I'm coming after you!"

And then from far ahead, Mondo heard the sound of small footsteps echoing behind him.

"O-owada-kun! Wh-why are you so fast?!"

Mondo grinned over his shoulder. "Looks like that stiff uniform slows ya down!"

"It does not!" Chihiro protested, and the thudding of footsteps accelerated.

Tiny footsteps. Fragile footsteps...

Unconsciously, Mondo slowed his pace, and before he knew it, Chihiro had caught up to him, nearly catching him.

"I've... got... you... now, Oowada-kun!" she shouted as she lunged for him, narrowly missing his arm. Only then was Mondo jolted back into reality and he started running faster. "Oh no you haven't! You'll never catch me alive...!"

Chihiro lunged again, this time grabbing his arm from behind although she was panting and wheezing. "No stopping in the halls... No... running... in the halls... either...!"

Suddenly Mondo turned around to face her, smiling with a face that said, I've got you now!

"If it's a piggyback ride you want, kid, you could have just asked!"

And with that, he pulled her up onto his back and continued to run down the hall, this time with her on his back!

"Wa-aaaaaaaahh!" she shrieked as she clung to his back. "Oowada-kun...! This is inappropriate school behavior...!"

"SO WHAT?" Mondo called gleefully. "Breakin' the rules is fun!" He continued to run down the corridor in a full sprint.

"AAAA-AAAAARGH!" Chihiro shrieked, but Mondo was positive he caught a few breathless giggles. "...As fun as this might be, I cannot let you run down the halls like this!"

"TOO BAD," hooted Mondo, victorious. "JUST ENJOY THE DAMN RIDE."

"I-I hope Ishimaru-kun d-doesn't get upset..." the brown-haired girl fretted as she clung onto him. "I'm supposed to k-keep watch on the hallways, after all..."

"OH, SPEAKING OF HIM!" Mondo had other ideas. "Maybe we should run by him, yeah?"

Chihiro gave a start. "You wouldn't!"

Mondo laughed and instead raised his voice. "OI, KYOUDAI! LOOK AT WHAT YOUR TRAINEE IS DOING!"

...Heck, kiddo! You should see your face. You look cute when you're flustered...

Panicked, Chihiro raised her voice also, struggling to be heard over Mondo's shouts. "HELP! TH-THIS ISN'T M-MY IDEA! I'VE BEEN T-TAKEN AGAINST MY WILL! H-HELP! I'VE BEEN DISCIPLINARIAN-KIDNAPPED BY A DELINQUENT!"

But Ishimaru didn't appear, for he was nowhere to be seen.

...Secretly, Chihiro hoped he wouldn't, because she was enjoying the damn ride, indeed.

...

Ishimaru was leaving the cafeteria after finishing a few chapters of his book when something - or rather, someone - practically zoomed past him.

Of course, brother Oowada the delinquent, he thought with a sigh. If I had been the hall monitor today, I would have reprimanded him for sure.

Then he froze.

Mondo wasn't alone, was he? Ishimaru was more than positive that he saw his white uniform streak past...

He started off on a run after Mondo. Only when he got closer did he see Chihiro clinging onto Mondo's back, still yelling about how she was being kidnapped by a delinquent.

"KYOUDAI!" Ishimaru shouted. "PLEASE RELINQUISH THE JUNIOR HALL MONITOR AT ONCE!"

"Eh?" Mondo said. "That's no freakin' fun!"

"I DO NOT CARE IF IT IS FUN OR NOT. PLEASE RELEASE HER AT ONCE!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Chihiro said. "This wasn't my idea!"

...However, she tried to hide a smile as Mondo went on running and Ishimaru kept on chasing. If Mondo let her down now, that would hardly be fun, would it? Besides, there was something she liked about holding onto Mondo's back...

Even if he was running down the halls as if his pants were on fire.

Junko Enoshima was sitting next to Celestia Ludenberg in the cafeteria. The talkative fair-haired girl was the one doing all the talking, because the Goth Loli gambler was too busy sipping royal milk tea from a dainty cup to say a word.

"...As I was saying, Celes," Junko said, "I saw something out of the ordinary today! Fujisaki was wearing Ishimaru's clothes! Yeah, the hideous hall monitor uniform! Yeah, I meant the white one. Everyone knows white is out of season... But going back to the topic, she claimed that she was the hall monitor for today, because Ishimaru was having a day off! Can you imagine? A day off, I say! She told me that the hallways were a no-stopping zone, which is of course Ishimaru's original idea. But then Oowada came along and Fujisaki ended up in a piggyback ride while Oowada ran like a maniac down the hall. What do you think, Celes? He definitely has a thing for her, right? Although I can't really imagine why... Oowada and Fujisaki are so different like ebony and ivory!"

"Mm-hmm," was all Celes said as she raised the cup to her lips, all the while staring straight ahead.

"You can imagine what happened next," Junko went on. "Of course, Ishimaru realized what was going on and chased after them, although he was still no match for Oowada. I have a feeling he's going to take his job as hall monitor seriously from now on..." She switched the topic abruptly, "So what do you think, Celes? D'you think Oowada and Fujisaki are gonna get out and kick it up a notch? I bet they are!"

"Bet...?" Celes said softly. She stood up, holding her empty cup. "...You know, Enoshima-san, I don't think I'll bet on anything today. Ishimaru-kun's idea was a good one - I'm taking a day off being a Super High School Level Gambler."

She smiled and raised her pale hands to her chin. "Why don't you go and bet on it with someone else?"

Then she left.

Junko sat alone with her mouth partially open, staring at the Goth's disappearing back. Then she turned back to the table and pouted, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands.

"Day off? Gosh, everyone's been such a crap...!"

~ END ~