Danganronpa Secret File Makoto Naegi's Worst Day Ever

Part 6

But the reality of it is, if you’re unlucky, you’re unlucky whether you’re a saint or a sinner, and the exact same goes for if you’re lucky. I’ve been around the block more than once, so I know what I’m talking about.”

Makoto sighed again, completely clueless as to why the old man was telling him this. But the man paid him no mind, continuing his lecture.

“In short, no one has any control over their fortune. As hard as we might try, as skilled as we might be, we can’t fight fate. Nothing good can come of either leaning too hard on luck or resisting it. Whether our luck is good or bad, all we can do is accept it for what it is. That’s the conclusion I’ve drawn after all these years,” the old man said, nodding in approval of his own words.

“Um,” Makoto said, finally finding enough courage to interject.

“What is it, son?” the old man said with an impish grin. “Don’t agree?”

“No, it’s not that I disagree...” he said, hesitating. “A-Are you, um, trying to convert me to your religion... or something?”

For a brief moment, the old man’s mouth hung open, and then he burst out laughing. “I guess a child like you wouldn’t be ready to hear that yet, would you?”

“I’m not a child anymore.”

“Nope, you’re still a child,” the old man said, shaking his head.

“Children act for themselves; adults act for others— that’s the difference between the two. Which one are you, son? A kid who acts for no one but himself, right? That’s normal, though. Start worrying about others at your age, and you won’t make it to see mine.”

Having made his judgment, the old man stood up, handed the half-empty coffee can to Makoto, and said, “Well, you got a long road ahead of you. I’m sure you’ll have your share of problems, son, but good luck.”

“Um, thanks,” Makoto said, perplexed. Then the old man trotted off, a satisfied grin on his face.

Makoto stood there, dumbfounded, watching the bearded man’s back shrink into the distance, but with each passing moment, the whole situation felt more and more peculiar to him. Why in the world had he thanked the old man? And what was he supposed to do with a half-drunk can of coffee?

What it all came down to, he thought, was that the old man had deftly managed to blow him off.

However, something the man had said had struck a chord with Makoto: “Accept it for what it is,” he had proclaimed, almost preachingly.

He had a point. There was no benefit in letting yourself get dragged around by an incomprehensible force of nature like luck, and getting angry or crying about it wouldn’t change anything. In which case, just giving up and accepting it as part of life was probably the best option.

Leave the unpleasant memories for the past. Dragging them around like a ball-and-chain was just dumb.

That notion made Makoto feel just a little bit better about himself.

“Yep,” he said, “that’s what I’ll do.”

His optimism, which allowed him to so readily switch gears emotionally, was one of Makoto Naegi’s positive traits.

That said, he didn’t really have time to wallow in his misery—he was still in the middle of an errand. His friend’s group would almost certainly be expecting him any second now, which meant he needed to head into the store, get a couple bags that wouldn’t break, and hurry back to the park.