Mended Branch (DR3 x OC)

Chapter 9: "Smile," Said My Teacher

"I guess... I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too."

Katsumi had watched Hajime walk away, rounding another corner and disappearing from sight.

Why was he here now, after all this time?

Chiaki turned to Katsumi, seeking some sort of confirmation. "Hirata-san, that's... Hinata-kun, right?"

The more Katsumi stared, the more that seemed to be undeniably the case. Even without the same hair and even eye colour, his face shape and physique matched up perfectly. "You're right..." There was no way it couldn't be him, but there were so many questions that arose from it. She turned towards the boy, apprehensive. "Hey. Hinata-kun, that's you, right? After all this time..."

"..." Silence.

"You're Hinata-kun, right?" Chiaki persisted in trying to get an answer out of him. She attempted a smile, though weak. "What... happened to your hair?"

All he did was continue staring at them, his cold eyes the same as ever as he narrowed them. "Who are you?"

Chiaki's eyes widened slightly. "...Huh?" Her response became more of a whisper.

Katsumi blinked, staring straight at who she believed was Hajime in confusion. "She's Nanami-san and I'm Hirata, remember? During first year..." Her voice fell off after receiving no reaction whatsoever.

Something was very wrong. The fact that Hajime was in a place like this, the fact that his appearance had changed drastically, the fact that he had almost killed Nagito and... the fact that he couldn't recognize Katsumi or even Chiaki...

Was this Hajime?

But of course it's Hinata-kun. There was no way that wasn't Hajime. She had already established that.

So... how?

Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of steady clapping from the blonde girl. "Okay! Okay, okay, okay..." She walked over so she was in front of Hajime(?). "This isn't some shojo manga." She turned to face Katsumi and Chiaki with a condescending smirk. "How long will you three be staring into one another's eyes?" She grinned in a carefree manner, not seeming to take any of this seriously. "Hm... then again, having two female leads instead of one... haven't seen that one before. This could get interesting!"

"Y-You're..." Chiaki stammered before immediately getting caught off guard.

The girl instantly walked up to her and grabbed her by the chin, pulling her in until she was barely an inch away from her face. She spoke in an imposing voice as it lowered unsettlingly, glasses and a single ponytail appearing on her out of nowhere. "The mastermind of this whole affair, Enoshima Junko."

"Huh?"

"You are  Nanami Chiaki-senpai, the class representative of class 77-B, correct—?" A small whoosh of air cut her off. "Hm...?" The girl, now identified as Junko, fearlessly turned her eyes to see the source of that noise.

Katsumi was hovering her scalpel blade right beside her throat with a death glare, shadows casting over her face.

"Hirata-san...!" Chiaki yelled out in alarm. But Katsumi was hardly hearing her.

"Hey." That word was uttered with a dangerous calmness as Katsumi's eyes bore straight into Junko's. "I'm feeling nice today so how about I let you choose? Either you step away from Nanami-san this instant or get a feel for how sharp this blade will be against your neck. Your choice."