A New Ultimate (Nagito X Shy Female Reader Book 1)

Chapter 23

You happily run to greet Nagito after leaving your house for school the next morning. He is waiting in his usual spot with a happy smile on his face. 

"Ah, (y/n), I hope you slept well last night!" Nagito says as soon as you reach him. 

You nod, thanking him for his consideration and affirming that you did indeed have a good sleep. You had him and Chiaki to thank for having such a peaceful night and easy time falling asleep. They'd left you feeling free and as though you could take on another day. They gave you hope.

"Good, I'm glad." Nagito begins to walk away, heading for your school down the usual path. You walk on at his side, keeping pace with his graceful footsteps. "Chiaki and I talked about some ways we think you can become an ultimate. We both agree that you should get the role of 'Ultimate Friend.' Well, Chiaki actually mentioned something about getting you in the reserve course...but, obviously, that wouldn't make any sense! Not only would you not be an ultimate like you deserve, you also wouldn't be able to be in our class. So we both decided that making you an ultimate for your wonderful heart would be the best thing."

"Wonderful heart?" You echo the words before you can even process them in your mind. 

His smile seems to grow. "Of course! You have an ultimate-level heart. You did befriend absolute trash like me, after all. I should have known that your heart deserves a title of its own from the beginning. Nobody has ever warmed up to me...not like that before. Even Chiaki's still trying to understand me, yet I feel you already do."

You don't know what to say to that. Chiaki has always been understanding of him and you've never seen her utter a mean word to him like some of his classmates have. Still, you do feel rather relieved to know that he thinks you understand him better than anyone else. Your cheeks feel warm and you wonder if you're blushing. Before you can process his words to say something, he continues on.

"Chiaki's going to be telling the rest of our classmates today. We're going to think of a way to do this for you." Adoration fills your best friend's voice as he speaks. "I have no doubt that everyone in my class wants you to join us. When I come to meet you after school, I'll let you know what everyone comes up with. We're going to be asking our teacher as well. She likes you a lot and I've heard her say more than once that she wishes you can be with us so that she can get to know you."

Your cheeks feel even warmer now. So does your heart. Your mind is spinning because it's insane to you that people actually want you around them so badly. Never before has anyone shown this much interest in you, this much kindness towards you. 

Before you can stop yourself, you wrap your arms around Nagito and pull him into a hug. The emotions that have been welling up inside your chest are making you feel a strong surge of unusual affection. For once you don't feel nervous as you hug the boy you've been crushing on. He stops and you feel him tense in surprise. You murmur to him how grateful you are for him. You tell him he's a good friend and that his classmates are as well. But your focus at that moment is indeed mainly on him. 

After a few turns of listening to his heartbeat, he returns the hug. You feel his arm wrap around you just under your shoulders, holding you firmly against his body. You feel his heartbeat quicken and you can tell he was surprised by your sudden affection. 

"This..." He mumbles, sounding absolutely taken aback and filled with emotion. "This is the first time anyone has...well, you're the first person to have treated me like this..."

His words make your heart feel a bit sad. It's hard to believe that someone like him had gone so long without even having basic affection and friends. You want to tell him it's okay but you're too awkward to find the words to do so. Instead, you nuzzle him for a brief moment, burying your face in his chest. If you could, you'd stay there forever. 

You're surprised when you feel his other hand rest on the top of your head. Your scalp feels tingly beneath his gentle touch. He ruffles your hair slightly before chuckling. "Well, I guess we should keep walking. I would hate to cause you to be late for school."

Sighing, you allow yourself to pull away from him. You mutter a reluctant agreement, though your stomach feels as though it's filled with butterflies. You're suddenly nervous around him. As the two of you walk to school, you feel all tingly and fuzzy the rest of the way. The physical affection you had shared with Nagito is something you never knew you needed. It's something you now know you want more of. Sure, you two had indeed hugged a few times in the past, yet this one felt...different. You feel a strange connection that you've never felt before. During your hug, it felt as though time itself had stopped to allow the two of you to share that moment. You feel like that hug was a moment that will steer the course of your destiny forever...or maybe you're imagining it. You don't know. You do know that the love you feel for Nagito is making things even more intense for you. 

When you say goodbye to him after reaching school, you stand beneath the tree where you usually meet and watch him until he's out of sight. You sigh, wishing desperately that he can be yours.  Yet you know you won't be able to confess to him...not yet, at least.

Still, you feel stronger than ever before as you step into the school building, fueled by the hug as well as the fact your best friend and Chiaki are working to make it so that you can attend their school. Perhaps you will no longer have to attend the shithole school you've been stuck in and, at last, be in a place where you have the support of friends.