"If you're looking for forgiveness, I forgive you." Izuru's voice echoed through the jail cell.

He continued to stare coldly forward, while I looked at him in surprise. He… forgave me?

"B-but why… I betrayed you… I deceived you..."

"Kyoko, I understand. I understand everything."

"I didn't want to do this… you know I didn't… But I did this for us..."

I felt a small tear flow down from my left eye.

"It was too much for you… You couldn't live the way I wanted you to… Because our perspectives are inherently different... And with this plan of mine... I should have seen it coming."

"I was so worried... I only wanted you to be safe..."

Izuru turned to face me, his face displaying significantly more strain than before, and continued.

"I know... But your actions are misguided... This plan will happen, regardless of whether it's ready or not... It's only worse now that I couldn't finish my preparations..."

I stared at him, unable to comprehend what he was saying.

"What..."

"You wouldn't understand..."

I pleaded with him, leaning in closer.

"You didn't tell me, how was I supposed to understand?"

Izuru gave me another light sigh.

"You were supposed to trust that I wouldn't risk my life over something futile. To trust that I knew what I was doing. Somewhere, deep down inside you, you believed that capturing me was for the best. I don't question your judgment, Kyoko, but I'm not sure I trust what you're doing, either. How can we remain together if we don't trust each other... if we have different goals..."

Izuru looked at the door again, and continued to speak, "Hmpf. It seems Hope and Despair can't mix after all…"

I was stunned, almost unable to respond. I should have trusted him. I should have known he wouldn't just throw his life away... And now... after all this… Izuru was just giving up?

No, that couldn't happen! I grabbed his left hand in mine, as I spoke much louder this time.

"Izuru, this is the only way we could be together."

Izuru sharply turned towards me, and scowled. His red eyes lit up the room for a second.

"And how is that? I'm different from all the other Remnants, I'm the Foundation's biggest target. They can do whatever they want with me now. They might even kill me."

I was taken aback by his sudden response, so I wasn't ready to answer him. But someone else was.

"No, that's wrong, Izuru! The Future Foundation doesn't kill people! We're gonna convert you to the side of Hope, once and for all!"

Makoto shouted into the cell, pointing his finger at Izuru.

I mean… It's nice that he helped me, and all… but isn't this our conversation? I gave Makoto a sharp stare to indicate that he was interrupting us.

Fortunately, Izuru did the same exact thing, and after a second, Makoto's arm wavered. He chuckled a bit, and then sheepishly turned back around to give us our privacy.

That at least gave me time to think of a response. I pulled on Izuru's hand, so that he could face me.

"Yes, we won't kill you. You'll be with us. And once we're both on the same side, there will be no more conflict. No more missions, no more any of it. Just me and you."

I could sense Izuru's longing for me in his expression, and my heart melted a little bit more. After staring into each other's eyes, Izuru turned away again.

"Do you think I want to be converted? Do you think I want Hope? I know it'll allow us to be together, but I've barely experienced Hope my entire life... My entire, boring life... How do I know it's right?"

Well, to me, Hope was obviously right. But to someone like him, the answer was more obscure.

"And you think Despair is right?"

"I..."

I could tell Izuru was straining himself, clearly wanting to say something. Yet he was holding back for some reason...

"I followed Junko that day because I believed what she told me... That Despair was right for me..."

"But a lot has changed since then."

Izuru took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, clearly not wanting to talk about this anymore.

"We will see what the Foundation can do. I anticipated that they would try this. Maybe they will convert me... Or maybe my Despair will prevail..."

But… I was sure Makoto would find a way…

Wouldn't he?

Izuru continued to stare into the darkness as he slipped his hand away from mine. I was angered, confused, scared, and sad at seeing Izuru this way. It was the exact opposite of him when I first met him… And I didn't like it. I wanted an Izuru that didn't have to deal with any of this.

I looked up at his smooth, black hair, and I felt the longing too. My heart ached for Izuru Kamukura, and knowing that he was essentially abandoning me made me hurt even more…

"One can always Hope, right?"

Izuru's voice shifted, growing less emotional and more monotone.

"No. You can always Hope, but not me. Hope does not exist to me... "

Izuru took a deep sigh, and continued. I stared at him more intently as he did so.

"And so, because we remain on opposite sides, I'm afraid this is the end."

The sadness inside me suddenly swelled up. If what he said was true… If Makoto couldn't find a way to convert him… then…

Even though I still believed that Makoto would succeed and that we'd be together again, there were always unforeseen circumstances and chances for failure. Listening to Izuru be so pessimistic about the future... it was too heartbreaking to bear. He couldn't give up now… I felt more tears streaming down my face.

"No… It can't be…"

Izuru noticed my words but did not move an inch. His eyes remained fixated on the cell wall, his slow breathing the only sign of life.

My emotions took control of me, and after a couple seconds of unresponsiveness, I took Izuru's arm in mine and leaned on his shoulder.

I was compulsively crying now, yet I somehow managed to choke out a couple words.

"Izuru… Please… Please don't give up… Everything will turn out fine…"

He turned towards me yet again, and looked at my head on his shoulder. My eyes met his in response.

"I'm sorry, Kyoko. You can Hope all you want, but there is no world in which we can both be together like this. If there was, you know we'd be there. You know I'd do that for you. But there's no reason to continue to foster this relationship if there's no possible way it can exist."

I shouldn't let his demeanor get to me… There was no turning back now, and no reason to second guess myself…

I wasn't sure of the future, and Izuru was making me even less sure… But Hope is believing in the future. Believing that somehow, someway, I'll end up in a better place than where I was now.

No matter what.

Just gotta keep on moving forward. Right Makoto?

My eyes grew less watery as I responded to Izuru.

"Well, there is… And I'm following the path to it right now… Because I love you."

Izuru waited for the comment to sink in, and then spoke back, "I love you too."

I didn't wait a second after that. My face rushed up to his, and I kissed him. I felt the ecstasy flow through me once more as I touched his lips. It was a long, passionate kiss, and in my opinion, the best one we've had. Experiencing this one moment of pleasure amid all the tension and skepticism was complete solace. It was perfect. Neither of us wanted it to end, because then we'd be thrust back to the real world.

But eventually, Izuru slowly pulled his lips away from mine, and he looked at me, his red eyes much warmer than before. Seeing his face like this made me want to kiss him again, but he instantly turned his head away from mine and back into the darkness.

"Why… Why are you making this harder than it has to be… Leave me to my Despair and go away…"

"Izuru…"

"Kyoko… There is no Despair as great as losing you."

My heart melted at the comment. It was a mixture of love, longing, and sorrow. My eyes grew wide slowly as I looked at him.

"But… But you don't have to…"

He didn't respond, or move. It was almost as if he turned to stone, his soul frozen inside of him.

I shook his arm a bit, but his face never wavered and he continued to ignore me.

Tears started trickling from my eyes again. I managed to hold most of them back, but there still was the occasional sniffle. I turned my head to face the ground, as Makoto was staring directly at me, noticing that this conversation was basically over.

I then took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. Everything would be fine… There was no reason to cry…

Wiping the tears from my face with my sleeve, I looked at Makoto and nodded.

I slowly got up and started walking out. He opened the door just enough so that I could get out, and once I did, he closed it back up again and locked it.

We walked back to the elevator in silence. Makoto let me enter first, and once he was in as well, he pressed the button to take us back to the main floor.

I was still sniffling a bit from my talk with Izuru, so I didn't try to make conversation with Makoto, even though he was giving me a concerned look.

Makoto then smiled and started speaking

"You know, Izuru was wrong back there."

I slowly turned my head to face his, eyes still reddened from crying.

"H-he was?"

"Yeah. Of course we can convert him. The Hope Restoration Program will work on all the Remnants."

"But Izuru said... that his Despair might win..."

"That's true. But we're not fighting Izuru."

I stood there, with a dumbfounded look in my face. I demanded an answer quickly. I needed to know as soon as possible how this 'Hope Restoration Program' worked...

"Please explain."

Makoto gave me a sly look, and then continued.

"Do you remember the origins of Izuru Kamukura?"

"Yes… He was genetically engineered from an average high school student."

"An average high school student who had no idea what Despair was."

"Yes, but he eventually learned about it from Junko. What's your point?"

"What if he didn't?"

I gave Makoto an incredulous look.

"Makoto, now isn't the time for hypotheticals."

"But Kyoko… What if there was a world in which all of the Remnants were never exposed to Despair?"

"There isn't such a world."

I was starting to grow irritated at Makoto's questioning. I just wanted to know already…

"Well, there could be now. That's what the Hope Restoration Program will actually simulate. A world without Despair."

A world without Despair… That sounded exactly like the world that Izuru was describing… the supposedly nonexistent world… My heart jumped a bit in hearing that.

But was it real?

"And how do you propose you do that?"

"We'll use Junko's own tactics against her Remnants. Brainwashing."

It all instantly made sense. Makoto's smile grew larger as my eyes widened in realization, and he continued speaking.

"We're not going to have to convince Izuru Kamukura to give up Despair. We're going to convince his old self, before he even underwent those experiments, to live without it."

"I see…"

I nodded my head in agreement. This plan of his… this actually could work… Having the Remnants forget about Despair so they could be brought up in the ways of Hope…

Yeah, there's no way Izuru could continue to follow Despair after he was forced to forget all of that.

Wait… The color drained from my face as the harsh truth came crashing down on me.

"But… But to convert him to our side… He'll have to forget our time together… And our relationship..."

"Yes. I'm sorry, Kyoko, but it's the only way."

Makoto put his hand on my shoulder to console me, but it didn't help much, honestly.

I stood there in disbelief. Sadness and defeat engulfed me, similar to the way Izuru felt after I caught him. My eyes stood still, staring at the wall.

The elevator opened up on the main floor, and the two of us walked out. Makoto looked at me again and started speaking.

"So all we have to do is wait for all the…"

He trailed off after a second, realizing what he was saying.

"All the Remnants. We've captured all the Remnants. We can finally start the Hope Restoration Program! Let me get it ready!"

Makoto started running down the hall in a hurry. I tried to catch up to him, but I was so sluggish from my mental state that I soon lost him. I decided that he didn't need me for anything at this point, as he was the only one who knew how this Program worked.

I stood there in the middle of the hallway thinking about what Makoto told me in the elevator.

I've come all this way… And Izuru will just forget everything…This wasn't what I wanted…

To be honest, I didn't even know what I wanted anymore… This has been way too complicated for even me to bear.

I'd remember everything… and he'd know nothing. And we'd have a relationship like that? I don't think that's possible.

Love grows over time. If he didn't know about the time we spent together… I'd be loving him without him knowing why. That's not what I wanted...

Argh! Was there any way that this could work out?

Hmm… Now that I thought of it… there still could be a way…

I stood on my toes, extended my face, closed my eyes, and kissed Izuru. Honestly, he seemed to be expecting it, based on the way he reacted. It felt even better than the first time, and I indulged myself in his lips.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me towards him. And, I did the same. A sudden warmth took over my body. We embraced each other for a good minute, and then Izuru started to-

"Kyoko!"

Kyoko Kirigiri heard Makoto's voice from down the hall, along with quick, hard footsteps. Sighing, she put down her pen and walked over to the door.

"Kyoko… It's the Remnants… There's something wrong."

"What is it?"

"Somehow, Monokuma found his way into the Hope Restoration Program. And the Remnants are killing each other! Just like… just like we did…"

Makoto cringed a bit at that last part. His face showed signs of nervousness.

Kyoko displayed a pensive look, and her eyes lit up after a couple seconds, "The USB… So that was his plan... Which 'friend' was it for, though... "

"What?"

Kyoko didn't wait a second, "There's no time to lose. We have to go fix things ourselves."

"Y-yeah, let's go."

She started walking quickly ahead of Makoto, muttering to herself.

"Izuru…"

"You know, we're doing this for all the Remnants…"

Kyoko gave Makoto a slight glare, which made him tremble a bit. After a second, she winked and continued swiftly down the hall.

"Kyoko! You know where you're going, right?"

"Yes. To the port, to catch a ferry to Jabberwock Island, so we can enter the Hope Restoration Program ourselves and stop this from the inside."

"E-enter?"

"I have to save him..."

Kyoko's eyes glistened a bit once she turned around to look at Makoto. He grinned and put his hand on her shoulder.

"We have to save all of them."

Kyoko nodded quickly, and then they both headed to the library, where they saw Byakuya Togami reading a book from a large stack on the table next to him.

"Byakuya." Kyoko said loudly.

"What is it?" Byakuya growled and slammed his book on the table.

"The Hope Restoration Program isn't going as planned. We need you to help us fix it."

"Why do you need my help?"

"Byakuya, please."

Byauyka sighed lightly, scowling a bit.

"Forcing me to give up reading a perfectly good book for someone else's mistake..."

He then reluctantly got out of his seat to join her and Makoto. Not long after, the three of them made their way to the port and used their Future Foundation status to immediately get on a private ferry to Jabberwock Island.

Love grows over time. If he didn't know about the time we spent together… I'd be loving him without him knowing why. That's not what I wanted…

Argh! Was there any way that this could work out?

Hmm… Now that I thought of it… there still could be a way…

Kyoko silently put down her pen and took a deep breath. She was sitting inside the ferry, on the lower deck. Next to her was a window, from which she could see the glistening blue sea and the seagulls flying overhead.

In front of her was a desk, which held a notebook with many, many pages filled, top to bottom. The pen she used to write all this was almost out of ink.

Yet, she picked the pen back up again and turned the book to the first page, intentionally left blank. A pensive look appeared on her face, and she hit her face with the back of the pen several times before finally touching the ink to the paper.

Before you ask any questions, I want you to understand why. Why I'm doing this. Why you're standing here reading this book.

It's because I love you. It's because I need to be with you. Because there is no one else in the world that makes me feel the way you do.

Now, this may all seem confusing to you. You've never had a relationship with anyone for long enough to make them feel this way about you, right?

Well, that isn't the truth. The Hope Restoration Program just washed away a good amount of your life from your memory. Which includes this past week, in which you and I have been spending a lot of time together.

And, as I'm sure you've learned, you were a Remnant of Despair. Your views contradicted with mine, and in an effort to save us, I captured you for the Future Foundation so the Program could convert you to the side of Hope.

But I realized too late the unfortunate side effect of this Program. Everything I did to save our relationship was almost erased. How could you understand my feelings if you forgot what you did that caused them?

Yet, I didn't give up hope. I discovered that if you wouldn't remember on your own, I would remember for you. Written in this book is an entire account of our time spent together, from that fateful day when we met to the day when I captured you. Yes, it was a toil. But it was all for you.

I would give anything to have you remember this past week. I would give anything just to be in your arms again, without having to worry about Hope or Despair or anyone else.

But, sometimes life just isn't what we anticipate it to be. Love hits when you least expect it, and it leaves you breathless, not knowing what to do next.

But what life does do is give everyone second chances, if you try hard enough. I got my second chance at capturing you, and I didn't fail. Now, life is giving me a second chance at love.

You're getting a second chance at love as well. But you're also getting a second chance at life. A life without Despair. A life that you can build up yourself.

Because of this, I won't hound you to read this book. I wrote it because it would be too overwhelming to find all this out at once if I told you this in person. You need to come to terms with who you really were before we can begin again together.

Once you understand your old self, I'll be with the Future Foundation. My job there isn't done just yet.

But I'll have you know as soon as you're ready, we can go away together and leave everything else behind. It doesn't matter where we go; as long as I'm with you, I know we'll be fine.

This past week has been very emotional for me. But thinking of you and our bright future fills me with hope and longing. I wish very much to start that future now, but I understand that these things take time.

So I'll be waiting...

-Kyoko Kirigiri

Just as she removed the pen from the paper, the ferry pulled into the port on Jabberwock Island. Grabbing her notebook under her arm, she swiftly walked back onto the deck and off the ferry.

A cool breeze blew Kyoko's hair around as her, Makoto, and Byakuya walked to where the Hope Restoration Program was located.

The Program was a large blue machine, with containment pods that held the Remnants in an induced sleep. After Makoto began fiddling with the controls, Kyoko wandered over to the pod that contained Izuru. His face looked unnaturally calm.

Makoto pressed one last button and then quickly opened three empty pods.

"Well, you guys ready? Get in."

Kyoko nodded, seeing a determined look on Makoto's face. "Yes."

"Hmpf. Hopefully they give us more of a challenge this time…"

Byakuya turned away from them and entered one of the pods. After a second, Makoto did the same.

Kyoko took a deep breath, and with one last glance at Izuru, she laid in the last empty pod and closed the cover over her.

Kyoko heard a hissing sound as the pod opened up. She blinked her eyes a couple times, and then stretched a bit.

She turned to Makoto, who was doing the same. He smiled as her, as they managed to save five of the Remnants.

One of which was Izuru Kamukura.

But that wasn't his name anymore.

Kyoko nodded at Makoto quietly, and then got out of the pod. She took out the notebook that she still had with her, and wrote something on the cover in large letters.

Hajime

Before the three of them left the area, she dropped the notebook on the floor next to the exit. She turned back to the machine and gave a sly grin.

She stood on the beach for a couple minutes afterwards, watching the sun set in the distance, the salt spraying in her face from the wind. The sky was reddish orange, with purple highlights.

"Kyoko! We gotta go!"

Kyoko jumped slightly, tearing her eyes off the sunset and towards Makoto's voice. He was already on the ferry, waving at her to get on.

She nodded yet again, and walked through the sparkling sand and onto the docks to board the ferry.

As we left, she stared at the location where they left the Remnants, ready to begin a new life. She managed to catch a glimpse of someone climb onto a rock and stand there. He was watching them as well. It was him.

There is no hope is as great as saving you. I love you, Hajime Hinata.

Author's Note:

Phew, finally done… It took me long enough, haha. My original goal for this fanfiction was 10,000 words, and my super stretch goal was 20,000. Who knew that I'd hit 35,000? But I'm sure you're not complaining, because you got to read all this (to the end, too).

And I thank you for that. I've really had a great time working on this fanfiction, and it makes me happy that people appreciate it.

I've really grown as an author in writing this piece, and it's allowed me to search inside myself while writing. This has become my favorite OTP and honestly, I don't think I would ever see it any other way.

The sequel to this piece is out! It's called 'Beyond Hope And Despair', and it focuses on Izuru. It's better than this one, and longer, too. Check it out!

Thanks for reading, and I really Hope you liked it.