Never Let Go (Hajime Hinata x Chiaki Nanami)

~Chapter 1: Dream~

...Was this really true?

I...Couldn't believe it...

It...Couldn't be...Although I knew it was in fact Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer, who killed Nagito Komaeda.

I knew it was true, but...I didn't want it to be...

I watched in horror, the pink haired girl being pulled off for her execution.

The moments leading up to her death seemed like a blur. I felt sick to my stomach....Just as the last block was about to crush Chiaki-

"Hajime...? Hajime!" a soft voice called my name.

I stirred, blinking the sleep out of my eyes, the salmon coloured eyes of Chiaki looking down at me.

"Hajime? Are you alright...? You were sweating a lot in your sleep..." she said with concern in her voice.

It took me a few seconds before I realized what had happened. Not that dream again...

"Ah...Yeah I'm fine." I reassured her and gave her a small smile before sitting up.

Oh yeah...Chiaki and I talked for a bit outside of the tents after everyone had already gone to sleep and....

My face turned a shade of red as I turned to her "...Were you watching me sleep...?"

The soft girl just gave me a blank look for a few seconds before shaking her head, "After you fell asleep I decided it would be a good time to finish my current game..." she said as she showed me her screen,"See? I'm on the last chapter..."

Oh...I let out a relieved sigh-

"...You were mumbling in your sleep though...And shaking...Were you having a nightmare, Hajime...?" 

"Huh?" I hadn't realised that I talked in my sleep, but I guess I know now... "Yeah, I did. But it's not something you should worry about Chiaki..." I ruffled her hair. I said it was nothing but my heart and mind thought it otherwise...Even though Chiaki's death was only in a simulation, her death just seemed so real...losing Chiaki was more terrifying to me than confronting Junko, the Ultimate Despair, herself.

"Hajime...?"

I snapped back to reality, "Sorry Chiaki..."

"Are you sure you're okay? You've been spacing out a lot recently..." she said quietly "...Is something wrong...?"

I stared at the pink haired girl as my breath suddenly got shallow. I looked away from her. It was too painful to look at her without thinking of her death. "I'm okay."

"...You're really not fine, right...?"

".....You don't have to worry about it..." I said and stood up, "I'm going to get some rest."

"Oh...Okay..." Chiaki murmured quietly.

Did she look...Sad?

I shook it off. She couldn't have felt sad about someone like me...

...

...right?

I turned to her again, "Chiaki-"

But the quiet Nanami was already gone.