~ Forgotten ~【Komahina】

Chapter 24 - The Warriors of Hope

Komaru Pov

'Toko!'

I'd looked everywhere in the apartment, and I hadn't seen her anywhere. Where's she gone?

As a last resort, I run back to our bedroom and push open the door to the balcony.

'To...ko..?'

She's standing on the balcony, staring at the 60ft drop below.

Toko knows I'm there. I can tell. I could see the tears forming in her eyes when I said her name.

'W-What are you doing?' I stutter.

'I... I don't...' she mumbles, before stopping herself, 'I can't...'

I stand next to her. 'Is this because of Byakuya?' I ask gently.

'No!' she says, 'I couldn't... care less...'

'Toko...'

She sighs angrily. 'J-Just... Leave m-me alone...'

'No,' I say, 'I won't leave you here like this...'

'I'll be fine... A-Anyway, I'm happy for Makoto... I... I really am...'

'Really?' I ask, not buying it.

'Y-Yeah... Byakuya's lucky...'

'Huh?'

Toko looks away. 'He got to date a Naegi...'

'Wait, you like Makoto?'

'N-No!' Toko says indignantly, 'You're so dense...' she mutters, walking away.

*****

Hajime Pov

I stare at Nagito. After arriving at Towa City, the Future Foundation workers had transported him and the others into individual apartments where they could live when they wake up. I requested I stay in the same apartment as Nagito, and they agreed.

I brush a strand of hair out of his face. I wonder if he can hear me...

'Nagito...' I say softly, 'I don't know if you can hear me or not, but... if you can... I miss you...'

Nagito's eyes flickered open for a split second, before closing again. 'Nagito?' I ask, 'Are you there..? Can you hear me..?'

I suddenly hear a knock on my door. I answer, and Hiro walks in. 'Hey, Hajimeme, what're you doing?'

'...Hajimeme? It doesn't matter, come here!' I grab his wrist and pull him towards where Nagito lay, 'I was talking to him, and his eyes opened for a second!'

'Really?' Hiro asks, 'Then that's a sign he's waking up, right?'

'Probably... It might just be the fact that I was talking...'

'Oh.'

I suddenly get startled by a scream. 'KYAHAHAHAHAHHA COME BACK HERE KID!'

I poke my head through the door to see... Toko..? chasing after a small girl with pink pigtails.

The girl notices me and runs into my apartment, hiding behind me. 'Help! This ugly demon is trying to kill me! I'm way too adorable to die now!'

'Come here little Kotori or whatever the hell your name was!' what I now realise is Genocide Syo pulls open the door and stares me in the eyes. She's even scarier face to face...

'Haiji, move aside.'

I stare at her back, trying to stay calm. 'My name is Hajime. And whatever you're doing to this kid, stop.'

'Yeah!' the girl says, 'My name isn't Kotori! It's Kotoko Utsugi!'

Hiro suddenly lunges for Syo and grabs the end of one of her braids, before tickling her nose with it.

'Achoo!' Syo sneezes, 'Huh... Where... am I?'

So her personality changes when she sneezes...

Komaru runs towards us. 'Toko! Are you okay? Did you catch Kotoko?'

Kotoko suddenly jumps out from behind me and hugs Komaru. 'Big sis Komaru! You look adorbs as always!'

Komaru looks startled and slightly disturbed at the gesture, before Kotoko speaks again. 'Big sis, do you know where Nagisa is? He's a huuuugggee pain, so if he's dead, I wouldn't mind!'

'Oh, uhm...' Komaru says nervously, 'The other Warriors of Hope are in my apartment...'

'Okay!' Kotoko skips over to Toko and Komaru's apartment. We follow.

'Hah! Come back Jataro!'

'Noooo I don't want to play tag!'

'Masaru stop!'

I open the door to utter chaos. A kid with red hair is chasing one with blonde hair around, while one is standing to the side, trying to get them to stop.

'Masaru!' Komaru runs over to the kid with red hair and drags him away from the others. She sighs. 'You kids are gonna be a handful...'

While Komaru's wrestling with Masaru, the child with blonde hair walks over to me nervously. 'Hello...'

I smile and bend down to his height. 'Hi! I'm Hajime, nice to meet you!'

'I'm Jataro...' he mumbles, 'Masaru keeps chasing me... I don't like it...'

'Don't worry, Komaru will deal with him,' I say.

Kotoko suddenly pops up next to me. 'Hi Hajime! I just wanted to say that you don't look cute at all! Long hair doesn't suit you.'

And with that she leaves.

Huh, Kotoko's right... I still have Izuru's hair... I'll have to ask someone to cut it for me.

My eyes widen as I hear Hiro shout from a few apartments away.

'Hey! Someone's waking up!'