Mended Branch (DR3 x OC)

Chapter 12: That Withering Branch

(A/N: Whoops :P sry if you checked my message board announcement that said that this chapter would probably come out during that week bc that was a lie ;-; I failed spectacularly at finishing this before spring break ended, so that's why it's been a week later. Anyways, I hope you'll like the penultimate chapter of this series. Last chapter won't nearly be as long, so fingers crossed that I can get it out within this month.

Also, the lyrics I'll be using for a certain song is a slightly altered version of a translation I found by tumblr user @foresshikaki, so credits to them for it :> The translation isn't always 100% one-to-one, but it's close enough and it sounds way more poetic than the wiki translation, so there's that. I'll comment the link of the post here.)

There were three heavy knocks on the door. A few seconds passed before it was opened.

"Hm? At this time? Who...?"

"I'm sorry about this."

"Wh-What the-?"

*Shing* *Splat* A streak of red painted the ground and walls. There was a thump from the body hitting the floor.

In their hand was a now-bloodied scalpel blade.

/—/

A boy was on his way to school, a content smile on his face as several people passed by.

"Good morning!" a girl in one of the groups greeted cheerfully.

"Ah, good morning," he greeted back.

My name is Komaeda Nagito. I'm just a run-of-the-mill guy who goes to a run-of-the-mill school. There's only one thing really exceptional about me...

As he was about to cross the road, he started hearing approaching fast footsteps accompanied by the panicked and muffled voice of a girl. "I'm gonna be late! I'm gonna be late!"

Nagito turned in the direction of the voice and was immediately greeted by said person, a blue-haired girl with toast in her mouth, with a head-on collision.

"Agh-!"

While the girl merely fell bottom-first on the concrete, Nagito stumbled back into the direction of the road and was subsequently hit by a truck, catapulting him into the sky. He then landed straight down into the bushes and his back slammed against a tree. Several prickly chestnut burrs were freed and plopped straight down from the impact, right onto his head.

All of a sudden, Nagito felt something warm and soft fall from the tree into his arms, only to realize it was a stray cat. The instant it realized it was in his arms, it panicked and violently scratched at his face in retaliation before wriggling out of his unintentional grasp and leaping out.

He sat there and sighed a little, the scratches from the impact of falling and the cat stinging just a bit. He plucked off a chestnut burr from his blazer, smiling to himself. "Ah... I just have the worst luck."

Well, he still stood by what he said. He was still an ordinary high schooler, however, he did have a bit of an unlucky streak from time to time.

But, other than that, he was normal.

Completely, and utterly normal.

—

Nagito continued on his usual way to school, passing by the blue-haired girl whose eyes were sparkling in awe while getting smooth-talked to by another boy.

There are people in this world with talent great enough to shape the foundation of society. I'm not one of them. I'm just another face in the crowd... which isn't to say I envy them, though. No, it's much easier being a nobody. The star of the show is such a restrictive, demanding role.