Another future [Dangan Ronpa]

Phone Service [Naegi Makoto]

  AU –Future Foundation is a line service that contains future information about self to access to either through phone or online. Naturally, one is restricted from accessing other people's information. This AU takes place in a futuristic world.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Naegi-kun. It's her...again."

"O-oh. Really? A-alright. I'll pick up it. Thank you Kirigiri-san." His first instinct was to smile at his colleges, like he always would. The stoic purple lady said no word as she made her way out of his office, most probably back to her own working station. Usually there wouldn't be a need for her to travel all the way to his office to tell him that he had a call, she could have just dialed his number and put the client on the line. There was really no need to walk that distance.

But he knew why she did it, due to this call being particularly worrisome and important. Such a crucial task should be transferred through person to person, it's only normal why she would choose to confront Naegi directly about it. Naegi knew, that's why he was nervous. He knew that the moment he pick up the orlov black phone, he'll be facing something that he's unsure about. The saliva rushed back down his throat as he gulped, hand reaching out towards the item resting on his desk. When he lifted it up, he could hear the click, signaling that he was on call. Not wanting to drag any longer, he brought the receiver to his ears, and the line was eerily silent.

"Hello, I'm Naegi Makoto. How may I help you?"

There wasn't a need to introduce himself, the person on the other line should have known well enough who he was. But it was the policy of the company, -and a personal trait of Naegi- always be polite. The voice came out almost like a whisper, and it never fails to make Naegi shiver. Out of fear? Or worry?

"...H-hello. I'm sorry t-to bother. My name is ... (L/N) (F/N)," The pause could clearly convey guilt, "Can I p-please...have a report on my future...?"

Naegi expected it.

Same name, same request. Fifth time this month.

And the fact that it had already been going on for three months didn't help him at all.

Sure, some people call back because they forgot something or they wanted to see if there was any changes. But nobody ever did it so frequently.

After all, the fees for these things were crazy expensive, even Naegi felt the need to admit that.

"O-of course." He felt idiotic for stuttering like that, "Please give me a moment."

He said that, but he already knew the information like the back of his hand. He still flipped through the files to find her name, he wanted to make sure he wasn't wrong. No matter how well he knows it, he can't afford to take any risk by spreading the false information. The electronic file booted up and Naegi let the hologram scan his finger, just to make sure that the file was only accessed by employees. With a familiar notification tone, he was in already. He skimmed through the file,

No changes just like before.

"(L/N) (F/N), right?" He checked it again, and a soft 'mhm' came from the other side. Taking in a deep breath, he let the words fall out. Starting from her future location, where she may move to, to hobbies and likes, whether she would change her interest, just the very general stuff to get the ball rolling. Obviously, things escalated a little more to more private and confidential things, which can only be shared between the employee and the client. Meaning that the client choosing their employee is a choice that cannot be questioned. This only led to more questions in Naegi's mind, why did this person choose him? Why are they constantly calling at such a frequent rate? Why does she sound so...?

"E-excuse me..."

It interrupted his train of thoughts and he stopped his speech abruptly. Did he went off without realising? Oh he really hope not.

"Yes?"

"Can I just...have the information regarding my...my relationship...? S-specifically love. Sorry..."

She asked this before, he recalled. But it wasn't a regular basis thing.

"No problem. It says here that..."

He really prayed that she won't take any offence.

"That you're most likely to remain unattached."

Some days, he doesn't enjoy his job a lot.

"..." The silence lingered in such an uncomfortable way that it made Naegi even more anxious than he already was, he know there was no way this was his fault, but somehow, he still wants to blame it on him. This will turn out just like it always did, an ending that secretly hurts Naegi.

"T-thank you." Just before the phone clicked, he heard her last words with such an extreme amount of sorrow that it cracked. He wasn't going to lie but, that completely made Naegi's heart stop. It was not his business to interfere, since the client deserved their own privacy, but something was definitely wrong. Sure, singularity can be sad sometimes if you're looking for a love one, but to actually call in to check on such an excessive amount of times...everything has got to have a limit. He stood up abruptly, loud enough that it resounded in the confined office and back into his ears. He wasn't allowed to call back, the office telephone doesn't allow out-going calls that's outside the company. He didn't have her number tracked under his files either, which meant that he had to ask someone. And he needed a convincing reason.

And that was when the fees popped up in his brain.

Without any more hesitation, he stood up and left the office, heading towards the other side of the office.

--

'(L/N) (F/N)'

'Would you like to save this number under your contact?'

Naegi have never pressed the 'yes' button so fast in his life. He managed to obtain the number from Alter Ego, the overall AI in charge of holding all company's confidential stuff and monitoring all client's information to make sure it is constantly updated to the most accurate result. Alter Ego didn't persist for a reason either, all he said was that 'I trust Naegi-kun'. Which is a little odd coming from a computer program, but Naegi still treasured the thought of being trusted deeply by his friends. He went back to work after receiving the contact, believing that he should keep this case under him a while longer. Despite his hardest efforts, he realised that the problem kept poking at 5his mind throughout the day, and he can't wait to finish work to finally decipher this whole mystery.

"See you tomorrow, Naegicchi!" Hagakure waved at the smaller stature boy as they both stood outside the restaurant. Naegi immediately waved goodbye at him and watched as the male turned his back away from him. Hagakure had invited him out for dinner, and he willingly accepted despite the neediness of wanting to call the particular number. Nevertheless, he waited till the male was gone before reaching into his pocket and whipping out the electronic. Naegi eagerly tapped his contact and found the name. Suddenly, a wave of anxiousness washed over him as he found himself hesitating to call.

The bright and neon lights of the city was illuminating beautifully under the dark skies that was glossed over with stars. Naegi watched as the giant LED screen on those ridiculously tall buildings displayed advertisements of new facial products. Those security drones that's been flying around aimlessly in the sky makes Naegi wonder if they were actually doing their job. Well, if Alter Ego is doing his job, these things will definitely be doing the same. Naegi took all that scenery in, admiring the beauty of the dazzling futuristic city as he reconsidered his actions of calling this client. But a sudden thought popped in his head. At this moment amongst these gorgeous luminous setting of the world, there's someone who isn't feeling happy.

Naegi wants to change that.

Feeling the hope overcoming him in seconds, he doesn't waste another second before pressing the 'dial' button. His heart was going a little faster than he wanted, but he concealed it. The dialing tone was the only thing he could hear, despite being surrounded by people who were rushing to go home after the late hour. Every second of the wait felt like an hour, and Naegi worried if he was calling at an unusual time, it'd be bad if she's asleep and he woke her up. In spite of those anxiety crawling at him, he stood strong and didn't chickened out.

'Click.'

Oh he definitely flinched.

"...Hello?" The voice was incredibly soft, but not in a timid soft, but more like a tired soft. Did that make sense? That dead tone of hers sent shiver down his spine once more, it was a very eerie pitch. Still, the soft and tired voice confirmed that he had gotten the right recipient.

"H-hey. S-sorry about the sudden call. This is... (L/N) (F/N), right? My name is Naegi Makoto, you may know me from Future Foundation?" His heart is thumping louder.

"...Yes that's me. Is this your number, Naegi-san?"

"Y-yeah. I'm just calling you regarding the payment for this morning's service?" He wanted to apologise out of instinct, but he know he wasn't supposed to. If not, he's going to get scolded by Togami again.

"R-right." She panicked, he heard it. "I-I'm really sorry about hanging up before you...er..."

"It's alright. You're familiar with the payment procedures, no?" His heart finally toned down.

"I-I am. But I...

I have a bit of trouble paying through bank. I-Is there another way... I can pay? I'm really really sorry about all t-these troubles."

She sounded so distressed that it made him even more stressed. Which was odd, because regular customers should know they should be paying by bank transfer. Why would she call if she knew she was having trouble? Naegi could barely resist the questions and doubts clouding in his mind. But respect!

"I see..." He answered as he pondered. Togami and Kirigiri would surely not agree to this idea that's been running through his head, but this is Naegi's own matter. "H-how about we meet up?"

Please don't let that sound too weird.

"...Huh?" The sudden tone changing gave Naegi a mini heart attack, which caused the irregular heartbeat to return again. "Won't that... be too much trouble? I-I can make a visit to the office myself. T-then you don't have to go through the trouble of... meeting me."

Usually he would have enjoyed the option of saving his more burden, but the way she made the meeting seemed so despair-inducing, he simply couldn't let it go.

"No. I insist. It's no trouble at all." He was firm, a little firmer than he imagined.

"P-please, there's no need to. I-I can come by the office...m-myself."

"It's perfectly fine, (L/N)-san. I really do insist, it's part of the company's policy to help our clients." Smart Naegi.

"..." Her nervous breathing could be heard through the receiver, and Naegi suddenly felt conscious whether she could hear his too. "Are you... sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay..." Thank goodness she's not very persistent. "I'm free any time you are..."

"Is...now alright?"

"N-now...?" She was taken aback, but he doesn't want to back down. "...Can you give me a-about half an hour...?"

"Of course." He didn't realised the breath that he's been holding in for such a long time till it finally left his mouth. "I'll be at the park. You know which one, right?"

"Y-yes. I'll...see you in a bit."

He might be hallucinating, but he could feel her smile somehow.

--

'10.00 PM'

The digital digits were flashing on the hover clock that was settled right in the center of the park. He kept telling himself time will pass eventually, but somehow, Naegi just couldn't take his eyes off the numbers. What was he nervous about? Was it the idea of meeting someone new? Still, no one would answer these questions in his place as he continued to fumble with his own fingers. The skin at the tip were getting rougher, maybe it was because he's been typing and writing for so long. Before he was given a chance to let out a sigh, tapping of footsteps ceased his actions. He couldn't help but feel his heart wanting to escape through his throat, and he quickly swallowed it back down. Raising his head higher, he finally came face to face with the mysterious identity hidden behind a phone the whole time. When his gaze landed on her, he couldn't help but feel a wave of uncertain traveling through him.

Her (H/C) hair was long and horrifying messy, there were strands of hair sticking out from all over. Her uneven fringe was abnormally extensive and covered most of her left eyes, leaving the right only a little more exposed. She was wearing thick layers of jacket, and under it was a lengthy dress that reached her calves. To accompany it, she wore a plain white sneakers on her feet and an ordinary petite sling bag. Naegi registered her for a second, he wasn't one to jump to conclusion a lot, but he had a feeling that she was his client. The moment she glanced at him with that dark irises that contains eye bags under, he froze up like an ice sculpture.

"A-Are you Naegi-san...?" She instantly identified his suit. Naegi blinked a few times to process as he struggled to answer back, "Y-yes!"

The girl heaved a sigh of relief as she very agonizingly reached down for her small sling bag to find her money. He could note the crumpled papers and photos brimming from the bag. Naegi studied her slow but steady actions, and he wanted to let so many words slip past his lips. And that was exactly what happened when something rolled off his tongue.

"(L/N)-san...Do you live alone?"

She stopped on the cue, which made him even more curious than before. Her eyes shifted to the side, as if avoiding him. Without saying much, she mumbled a sound of agreement before continuing to dig. He immediately wanted to push on, he was determined to get to the bottom of this despite the amount of guilt that lingered after each syllables.

"I'm sorry if I sound intrusive, but may I ask...if something happened before?" He kept it vague, so that she has the freedom to choose how she wants to tackle the question. Unbeknownst on the surface, she was actually having an intense panic rush. Nobody had asked her this kind of question ever since a particular personal event happened to her, especially the people she once considered friends and families were precisely the people who abandoned her. So it never dawned upon her that a stranger would ever ask her those questions of concern. And she was at a completely lost and fear of answering.

"Why do you ask that...?" She hasn't spoken with so much conviction for such a long period. "Is it...really that obvious?"

His hands rushed up instantly as they waved in refute. "N-no! I don't mean it in a bad way, I-I promise! I- Well...- Maybe-"

And those words of unease was good enough to prove that he was not what she thought he was. She seemed to forget her original goal as she gazed at him, and Naegi hurriedly looked away, a visible red hue tainted those cheeks of his. Even if it's a bit, she was able to forget all her negative emotion that's been clouding her brain and heart, just for a few minutes. Naegi scratched his cheeks, a nervous smile planted on his mouth. The girl was still a little doubtful, so she did the only thing to confirm it.

"Is there a reason why you want to know?"

Naegi paused as he heard those words running through his brain. She didn't stutter or hold a long pause.

"I don't think there needs to be reasons to lend a helping hand to someone who need it. I do it because I want to. I mean, if I can do something about, why won't I want to help?"

At that instance, she felt a strong gust hit her as she looked into the boy's eyes. She could greatly sense it, that persistence and willpower which she has never seen before. All swirling in that brunette's olive green irises. He was facing her not with pity, but with assurance. There was no pity, there was kindness. And when she suddenly felt an uncontrollable grin breaking on her face, she was taken aback. What is this sweet feeling that she hasn't felt in centuries? She pondered, just what kind of power does this man possessed? His optimism and gentleness was on a super high level.

"If you're willing...to let me bore you with my terrible life."

"Huh? O-Oh!" Naegi was once again surprised that he managed to convince her. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant surprise. "If it's alright with you, then please do...! Sorry if I seemed too aggressive, don't force yourself!"

"It's alright..." She gave a weak unconvincing smile, after all, she forgot how to do one properly. Making their way over to the park fountain, the two individual settled down in the night light casted by the road lamp. Taking a seat, the girl sighed anxiously. She hasn't mentioned it to anyone before, and now she's about to share her biggest secret with a man she only spoke to for 3 months.

"I'm sure you know that I...call a lot...to Future Foundation. And especially I inquired about my...relationship?"

"Yeah..." He breathed out the reply.

"I..." She trembled a little, "My...ex-partner. Yeah.

We broke up...four months ago. At the time, I really couldn't put my mind on anything else other than the fact we broke up, which led me to quite a downfall. I was barely functioning. The people around me...they were agitated at me because I constantly lost control. There's...there's more of other factors but-"

Without realising, her voice cracked again as the same heart wrenching pain that constantly haunted her like her own shadow returned. There was a tight feeling resonating in her chest, and that sourness never left her mouth as she found her tears threatening to spill like buckets. She squeezed her hand as tightly as she can, anything to help her constrict those unnecessary tears. Her gritted teeth shook even though she was trying all her might to resist it. However, all efforts were to no avail as the tears rolled down her cheeks without her consent. Memories of her and her previous partner started to flood in like water, forcing her to recall every single good and bad times they shared. Almost immediately, she remembered why she didn't want to talk about it, but she could no longer hold that feeling that's been bottling inside her for so long.

"I felt that everything I gave to him just all...crashed down like that. We were together for years already, and to...to have everything end off at such an abrupt note, I couldn't help this frustration inside me. It was like I had been betrayed, and the person I love the most, has now disappeared from my life for eternity. I can't hold...his hand, o-or hug him, or even kiss him. All those interactions, they were no longer an option for me. I can't be with him...like I use to be able to... That's why I kept checking back. I kept checking my future report. I- I was desperate to see whether we'll still end up together someday....I-I just....I-I'm sorry."

The last apology went off in a soft pitch and evaporated into the air as both her hands shot up to cover her mouth, muffling all the weak and fragile noise desperately escaping through the hole of her mouth. Her heart was being squeezed tightly, and it was as if she's about to have a heart attack. It was an extremely despairing situation that she feared she wouldn't be able to overcome. What if she continue feeling this pain for the rest of her life? What if she can never move on? Just what if...?

Yet when she felt a pair of gentle arm wrapping themselves around her, she couldn't help but burst out into a harder fit. She gripped onto that kind hands, and let every single bit of her last remorse pour out like no tomorrow. She was wheezing and sobbing, nearly forgetting to breathe a couple of times and have to fight for oxygen. Her sad cries surrounded the vacant park, and it was the only thing she could hear. Throughout the whole time, the brunette kept a strong firm grip on her, as if conveying the message that,

'I'll make sure you don't fall apart'.

As time passed, her sorrowful weeps eventually calmed down and vanished together with the atmosphere, her heartbeat slowly recovering to its original pace, and her breathing was gradually returning to her. She wiped her tears away with the sleeves of her long jacket before she was left with just sniffling. The silence filled the empty spaces that her cries left, and tranquility started to set in. Before she could fully comprehend, she felt that her heart was now lighter than it was before.

"Are you feeling better now?"

His caring voice replaced her thoughts and she nodded. He took the signal and let go of the embrace, wearing a lovely smile on his face as a relief of seeing her finally feeling happier. He rubbed her back gently, before getting ready to speak.

"It looks like you've been keeping it to yourself long enough."

"Yeah...Sorry about that. That you have to see such a disgraceful side of a stranger like me. I know my problem isn't a big deal-"

"What are you saying?" He suddenly frowned and pouted, "If it's enough to make you break down and cry like that, it's just as important as anything! Please don't ever degrade yourself, (L/N)-san. Nothing is ever too small of a deal, or not important enough. You're an actual person, you have feelings, you have emotions, and that just make you as important as everyone else! I know this is a tough time, to lose a love one like that. You'll surely have doubt that you cannot make it.

But, I have the confidence that you can keep going."

For a moment, her heart fluttered in an unexpected way.

"I believe in you, (L/N)-san. I have hope that you can overcome this. In the end, you're not alone in this."

"...I wish it was like what you said, Naegi-san. Who am I even left with-"

"I'm here for you."

She was stunned immediately. She glanced at him through the parting of her fringes, to only see a bright and hopeful grin shinning her way. She wasn't aware, but her face was painted with crimson blush. Her heart was once again beating unnaturally, but luckily for the right reasons. She could visualise the colours flowing back into her world, she could sense that soon enough, those seeds of hope that he gave her will blossom into a magnificent flower. She knew it was going to be a tough journey. But in the end, she'll overcome it.

She'll overcome it with Naegi.

--

"Naegi-kun. It's her."

"Okay! Thank you as always, Kirigiri-san." He shot a smile at the purple-haired girl as she pushed open his office door. She returned the gesture before walking way, leaving the door wide open. With one last look at the file on his table, his lips only stretched wider than before. It was a paper written with the word 'recruitment', following by lines and lines of particulars. He scanned it once more as a warm sensation occupied a space in his heart. Right after that, a knock was delivered through his door as Naegi raised his head up, greeting the person that just arrived through the door.

"Welcome (L/N)-san! Ready to start your first day of work at Future Foundation?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was based off of this random RP and I did lmao because I thought it was such a good idea I just couldn't let it go.

Thanks Al <3