Danganronpa/D4DJ One-Shots

The Reserve Course

Resting a cheek on her knuckles, Esora's emerald eyes drifted lazily to her left. Beside her sat another boy with the same deadpan look.

Hajime Hinata. Esora managed a smile that wasn't entirely disingenuous. Out of everyone and everything in the classroom, he was the only thing she could say she even slightly liked. Everything else? She shivered in disgust. I hate it here! I want to go home...

It took everything she had not to let her emerald eyes drift back to the window. Beyond the bleak, small, understaffed Reserve Course classroom in which she sat, the gleaming, ivory towers of Hope's Peak proper seemed to taunt her in the lovely, sunshiny weather.

Wonder what Peaky's up to? The ex-heiress and Corporate Manager thought gloomily. She could imagine Yuka overachieving in every class, especially P.E. Whether she was going against Ibuki Niijiima, Akane Owari, Nekomaru Nidai, or all of the above, she always went for broke.

"I'm not done yet!" Esora could hear Yuka in her head, yelling at the other jocks. "MY MUSCLES WILL NEVER BETRAY ME!"

All the energy Yuka had was magnified in the opposite direction by Shinobu, who was doubtlessly skipping class to play video games. Kyoko would fall somewhere in the middle, not skipping like Shinobu, but only needing to put forth a fraction of the effort Yuka did to receive good grades. In any case, all of them were surely having far more fun than Esora!

The Reserve Course is a sham! she thought bitterly, and sadly, she was not wrong. One could not teach Talent. One could only teach about it. Reserve Course classes were little more than history and theory dressed up under the false promise that if one worked hard enough, maybe one day, all that knowledge would manifest in an actual Talent. It was just another lie used to lure more students into the painfully high tuition fees. That was why, of everyone in the Reserve Course, Esora found Hajime the most tolerable.

He's not very friendly or socially savvy, but at least he gets it. Esora smirked to herself as she thought back to their very first encounter.

"An... oct-o-gon... That's... the shape... with eight sides, right?" he muttered to himself, Esora walking past the classroom at the same time. It was the most insulting thing she ever heard, and at first, she couldn't believe that they were forcing to be in the same class as—and right beside, no less—a boy who didn't even seem to remember basic geometry.

As the days went by, however, Esora realized that Hajime could be delightfully witty and sarcastic, and he quickly became her closest confidante in the Reserve Course. She was sure they weren't the only ones to smell the BS of HP, but because they sat together, he became the one Esora liked and talked to the most. He was also, in her growing opinion, just as easy on the eyes as he was on the mind. Her eyes drifted to him once more, dry smile softening. But the remembrance that she shouldn't have been in the Reserve Course at all turned her smile back into a scowl.

It was all that awful, horrid Togami's fault! If he hadn't made so many sleazy, shady threats against Rei—and if Rei wasn't such a peace-seeking pushover—Esora wouldn't have had to intervene. The choice not to expel her wasn't an act of mercy, though. It was just another cash-grab by the Academy. Awfully convenient that the only student offered the option of transferring was one of the wealthiest...

As soon as the bell rang to end class, a change washed over Esora. "Hey, Hajime..." Butterflies gently flapped their wings in her stomach.

"Hi, Esora," he smiled back at her and Esora's heart thumped once in triumph. The end of the day sometimes brought a softer side out of him too, but it was still a rare day to actually see him smile.

"Did you want to go out with Rei, Yuka, Sato, Mahiru, Mikan, Hiyoko, Ibuki, and I?" She didn't need to specify that she meant Ibuki Mioda. Niijima wasn't around the Reserve Course as often because she was always so busy in the main building. She also didn't skip class like Mioda.

Esora and Hajime might've felt isolated as Reserve Course students, especially as some of the more disillusioned ones, but somehow, they managed to cobble together quite the ragtag team of oddball-friends anyway, and somehow, they made it work.

ooo

"—and her photos were so... super cool!" Yuka gushed, trying to speak in both Japanese and English to fully convey how impressive Mahiru's latest set of photos was. They were more impressive than Yuka's broken English. Mahiru, meanwhile, was almost as red as her hair.

"Awww, shucks, it's nothing!" She chuckled and scratched her freckled cheek.

"You took all of these today? My, my!" Rei clapped politely, eyes wide. "I must confess, I feel a little intimidated now. I don't know if my Talent can measure up to the rest of yours!"

"Now, now, Rei, you mustn't compare yourself to your upperclassmen," Esora advised with a small smile. Only a year separated Rei from the rest of them, but it added up. A year was a long time to hone one's Talent, and Rei was the only first-year of the group.

"Yep, yep, no worries about that!" Ibuki Mioda nodded sagely, grinning as she crossed her arms with a smug expression. Don't worry, Rei, I promise we're a chill squad. We'll getcha all warmed up to us in no time! "BTW, can you play keytar?" she asked.

"Oh, don't be such a dumbass, Ibuki!" Hiyoko interrupted with a sneer. "As if someone like Rei would even be caught dead playing for someone like you!" She pulled a fan from the baggy gold sleeve of her kimono and flicked it open haughtily. Beside her, Yuka chuckled nervously.

Yuka was close to Hiyoko through Mahiru, but even though they were similar enough that it was a running joke for them to call Yuka Mahiru's long lost sister (even down to affectionately knowing her as Moeka Koizumi at times), Hiyoko treated Yuka no differently than anyone else, which was to say that she treated Yuka with contempt and disgust.

Sitting on Mahiru's other side was Sato, a Reserve Course. Even though she engaged in polite and friendly conversation, especially with Mahiru, she shot a death-glare at Hiyoko. The only reason she tolerated Yuka was because at least Yuka was kind, though it was clear to anyone that knew Sato well, she would've preferred if neither Hiyoko nor Yuka existed.

"I would not mind playing for everyone!" Rei promised sweetly. "I am sure my repertoire has something in it for everyone!"

Oh, Rei, you're just too innocent and kind! A tiny smile tugged at Esora's lips, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hajime smiling as well. By contrast, Hiyoko harumphed. She wasn't going to be satisfied unless her musician associate was just as selective about who she performed for as Hiyoko was. But Hiyoko seemed alone in that sentiment.

"Th-that's... v-v-very kind of you!" Mikan offered helpfully, chuckling weakly as she touched the tips of her fingers together and smiled.

"Oh, shut up, you overly idealistic dumbass!" Hiyoko snapped, fanning herself furiously as if she was worried that the stupidity of the others was an airborne pathogen. "She's only saying that to make herself look good!"

"Huh?" Rei reared back in alarm while Esora barely bit back a smirk. Mikan, of course, apologized desperately.

"EEEE!" Her arms rose around her face as if to shield her from an oncoming punch. "I'm sorrryyy! Sorrysorrysorry!"

Esora caught Rei's eye, still smiling darkly. Welcome to Hope's Peak. Hope you haven't peaked already.

Rei shook her head, shooting the others a nervous but determined smile. Esora shared a private look with Hajime whose smile was dry and unreadable. No, the Reserve Course was nobody's first choice, but at least the friend groups were interesting!

AN: Lowkey I ship Esora/Hajime now... Might write another one-shot for them in the future if anyone's interested!