The Thorns of Despair: False Love's Hope - Nagito Komaeda x Reader

Chapter 4: Mourning, Love and Exams

~Your POV~

After we had all recovered from the incident with the Aphrodisiacs, well, I had helped the others recover, things went relatively back to normal. All of us had agreed that Chiaki would make an amazing Class Rep and so she was appointed to that position. We all spent time together as a class and did all different kinds of things. We had a trip to the school's park. It was peaceful place for us all to eat lunch and enjoy the nature. But soon after these cheerful moments took place, another tragedy hit us. Natsumi Kuzuryuu was murdered. Most of us didn't know her, but the thought of someone sneaking into the school and killing a girl was horrid. Some say it was a pervert who snuck into the school. Some rumours went around that it was suicide because she was so desperate for a talent before realising how useless it was to try to become an Ultimate. Both options made my heart sink. A few days after this, another girl was found dead. She was apparently killed in the exact same brutal way. Everyone was put into a gloomy mood because of it. The one who was suffering the most was Fuyuhiko. He had been silent since the incident and I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him. That's the last thing he would want though. Peko kept sending him concerned glances and her mind seemed quite occupied as well. Mahiru also sat and grieved in her seat. Fuyuhiko's little sister was murdered. Mahiru's best friend was murdered a week later. And to top it all off, we had the practical exams the next day. None of us felt like it. We all felt miserable. Well, almost all of us. Nagito seemed unaffected by it. I thought that it was because he was a strong person and that he was being optimistic for everyone else's sake. I admired that. It was one of the things I found myself quietly admiring about him, despite the sorrow I was feeling. When I sat alone in the classroom at break, he came to comfort me. He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and talked to me in a soothing voice.
"Everything will be alright (f/n). Nothing will happen to you, so focus on letting your hope shine in the practical exam tomorrow." he told me.
"I wish I could. But two undeserving girls died, how can I not feel sad about that? I'm not strong enough to just cast all of that aside...." I replied, burying my face in my arms as I sat at my desk.
"Is that what everyone else is feeling?" Nagito asked and his tone made me wonder if he genuinely didn't know how they felt.
"To varying degrees, yeah. I don't think I can do the exam now...." I said, lowering my saddened gaze to my desk.
"Then why not do it later?" he suggested. I stared at him, becoming even more dumbstruck than I already was when I looked into his eyes. He was smiling like normal but his eyes showed me that he was serious about this.
"I-I would if I could. But there isn't any way that we could postpone the exam." I said, surprise evident in my voice.
"But I could cancel it...." he mumbled and I barely heard it.
"W-What?" I stuttered.
His head shot up and he looked at me with a bright, closed eyed smile. "It's nothing!" he said before hugging me and resting his chin on the top of my head. My heart raced like it always did. Every touch he gave me was like an electric shock.
"I hope you feel better soon, (f/n). I'll be here to help you whenever you need me." he said. I could only nod in response before watching him walk out of the classroom. I put a hand to my chest to feel my quickening heartbeat as a faint smile made its way to my lips.

Why did he do this to me? Make me feel these wonderful feelings? Why did he do this to me? Make me feel these wonderful feelings, only to fill my heart with such crippling despair? Why.... why couldn't I have just let him go when I had the chance?

~Nagito's POV~

(f/n) seemed really troubled.... but talking to her opened my eyes to the situation. I can't just sit here, doing nothing. For (f/n)'s sake.... for everyone's sake, I have to put a stop to these exams. That's what brought me to the teacher's office to talk to Miss Yukizome.
"You want me to cancel the exam?" she asked.
"Yes." I replied with a smile.
"After what happened, everyone is certainly feeling gloomy..." she trailed off.
"Unlike me, the others are so full of talent, they can easily ace any exam." I started, holding a hand to my heart. (f/n) and everyone have beautiful hopes.... I want them to shine only when they're able to shine as brightly as they can. "But.... I want everyone to take the exams when they're at their best. What I want to see is the moment when all their talents shine most brightly." I want to see her hope... a hope that shines so brightly it's blinding.
With a nervous tone and smile, Miss Yukizome replied. "I'd also like to make that possible, but.... Sorry. Supposedly, there'll be media coverage.... cancelling them might be a bit difficult." she said apologetically.
For a second, my smile faded before I regained composure. "Is that so? I understand." I said.
"Huh? You're giving up already?" she asked. Far from it, I thought.
"Yes." I replied and bowed. "Thank you, Miss Yukizome." and with that I left the room.
Closing the door, I let out a chuckle. "Yeah, I guess it is too much to ask. In that case.... I'll do something about it myself, Miss Yukizome." I said to myself with a smirk before walking off to begin my plan.