In the Name of Hope {KomaHina}

Chapter 3

   *Ring* *Ring* *Ring*

      “Salutations~ This is Nagito Komaeda. Please leave a message after the tone, my apologies for not being at the phone at the moment, of course trash like me would miss such a thing. I will get back to you as soon as possible. May hope shine down on you.” My phone beeped, indicating that I can now speak.

       “Hey Nagito. Just wanted to ask you where you are right now, I’m starting to get really worried. Please call me back whenever you get the chance, love you, bye.” I hung up the phone. This is the third time calling him, is work really making him stay back that long? Or, did he run into some trouble coming home? He has always rambled on about having some sort of good luck, bad luck cycle. No Hajime, that ridiculous, there is no such thing of something like that happening to a person. I thought to myself as I started to pace around the living room.

      I grabbed my phone once more, scrolling through my contact list, pressing Nagito's name again. I impatiently tap my foot as I wait for the call to connect. The phone finally starts to ring.

      *…* *...* *...*

      “Salutations~ This is Nagito Komaeda. Please leave a message after the to-”

      “AARGGH! Goddammit Nagito, answer your damn phone already!” I yelled in frustration. As I paced around the room some more, I stopped dead in my tracks, realization hitting me. “W-what if...he ran into that serial killer..” I nervously said to myself. My body started to shake, anxiety started to over flow my head with thoughts so terrible, making me nauseous, I started to panic. I ran to the kitchen grabbing my keys, I ran to the front room shoving my feet into my sneakers. As I was about to go for the door knob, the lock unlocked, someone started opening the door.

      As the door opened further, behind it revealed a messy white hair, slightly taller lanky male. 

     "Nagito.." I said slowly.

      As I said his name, he jumped slightly, not expecting me to be right in front of the door. He quickly went back into that innocent looking smirk he would always have.

     "Ah, good evening Hinata-kun~ Didn't expect you to be right at the door when I came in. Perhaps you were excited to see me? Tehehe." He chuckled.

      A part of me was relieved he was safe, but a big chunk of me was furious.

       "But that can't be, there is no way someone as amazing as you, could be excited to see trash bags like m-"

     I cut him off, shoving him. Hard enough for him to stumble backwards. That was the last thing I wanted to do, especially knowing how skinny he is, it probably hurt.

      "You idiot! Why weren't you answering your phone! You had me so worried!" I yelled. No matter how much I tried to contain my anger I couldn't, how could I? "I kept calling and calling! I even left you a voice message, and still nothing!!!" 

     My face started to turn a light shade of pink, my voice starting to crack, due to all the yelling. My head started to hurt, tears pricked the corner of my eyes. 

       I looked at Nagito again once more, I couldn't seem to read his expression. I lowered my head, the tears I was fighting back, won the battle, beginning to stream down my face.

       "A-At least call me, or message me, if you plan on staying late again. P-please, don't ever pull a stunt l-like that again…"I struggled to say, beginning to slightly hiccup during my sentences. "Not with that s-serial killer still running around, doing God knows what." I tried wiping the stray tears from my face, which unfortunately failed. More and more kept falling, till I felt arms making their way around me.

      My eyes widened from the sudden contact.

      "My deepest apologies Hinata-kun, it was never my intention to have hurt you like this.." He said, with a tone of sorrow.

      "W-well, you did.." I said. I wasn't necessarily mad at him anymore, but the hug was nice. He never does any sort of contact, unless he asks me first. But, I am glad that he seems like he is slowly coming out of that habit of his.

      "I-I know it's not my place to touch you like this... but this was the only thing I could think of, for you to know how truly sorry I am." He said, hugging me tighter.

       'There is just one thing we still gotta work on, which are those self-deprecating remarks.' I thought to myself. I sighed.

      "Alright, alright, enough with the sappy crap." I pulled out of the embrace, which disappointed me really. It felt warm, but I would never admit to something like that in a million years.

       "R-Right, Aha. Who would want to be near a disgusting worm like me" He said, still having that cheerful smile. But it slowly faltered.

     "N-no! That's not it at all Nagito!" I panic, hoping he wouldn't get the wrong idea.

       "No need to explain yourself Hinata-Kun. I am already so honored to be in the same room with someone like you. You are way too kind Hinata-kun, to pretend to love someone like me, to make me feel like I am worth somethi-"

      Before he could finish his sentence, I lunged at him. We both fell over on the ground, I was the one who hugged him this time.

      "N-Nagito...is that really what you think..?" My voice cracked, the tears that I tried so hard to hold back earlier, began flooding back to my eyes once more.

      Nagito didn't say a word when I asked him that question. But his slight shaky breathing gave me an answer. I closed my eyes and continued. 

       "Nagito. You mean the world to me, please don't think that you don't. I appreciate everything you do for me, no matter how small. The way you smile, even in the most detrimental situations, you always seem to smile right through it. I envy that to be honest…" I said. Lightly rubbing his back, for more comfort. 

      "You know, you inspired me a lot. if I never had met you..I wouldn't know where I would be. You taught me to take risks, something that I couldn't do if I was on my own. And…" I squeezed him tighter, and began to blush, chuckling at myself.

      "A-And, hehe..that hug from earlier, or all those hugs you've given me, I-I..loved every moment of it. I know it may seem like I don't, but..I get so disappointed when you aren't near me." I said blushing harder from the embarrassment.

      I felt Nagito's body start to tremble.

      "And I won't lie, there are times where you can get exhausting..only because you degrade yourself, put others' needs first before yourself. Nagito you are so much better than you say you are...No more talking bad about yourself okay..?" I said, lifting my head slightly off his shoulders, taking a good glimpse up at his face.

       There were tears that were glistening from the moon light through the front door window. After giving him a moment to answer me, he spoke.

       "I-I..will try my absolute best Hinata-kun." He answered, with a trembled voice.

     "For the one millionth time..please, call me Hajime. I love you Nagito, and I always will, no matter what." I said resting my head back on his shoulder.

      "I love you too….Hajime-kun."