Undestined Love (Mijukuna ai/未熟な愛) Byakuya Togami x reader

Chapter 10: Dreams

"I know I said I wanted to talk to you, but now that we're here...I don't really know what to talk about. And I was the one who invited you to come with me, too. Sorry..." Sayaka said.

"It's okay. I mean, if there's nothing to talk about, then we can just not talk, right?" I said.

"Huh?" Sayaka asked.

"You don't have to force yourself to talk. We can just, I dunno...stare off into space or whatever." I explained.

"Stare off into space...?" Sayaka asked.

"Oh, but you're probably super bored! Just standing around doing nothing..." I said.

"No, it's not that it's boring. It's just...I've never really done it before. I don't have a lot of time to just...do nothing." Sayaka explained.

"I-I guess that makes sense. You're not the normal high school student like me. You've got tons of stuff to do every day." I said.

"Hey, um...this is kinda out of nowhere, but...Y/N, do you have a dream?" Sayaka asked.

"Well...what about you, Sayaka? What's your dream? I'd love to hear..." I asked.

"I...my dream is...I've always wanted to be a star, as long as I can remember. I grew up without a mother, you know...And my dad worked really late every night. I was always home alone...I was just a kid, ya know? So, I was really lonely. But that all changed when I saw a pop star on TV for the first time. She was so pretty, like a princess. And she could sing, and dance...But more than anything else, there was her smile. Looking at her smile, I could feel my loneliness melting away. I decided that's what I wanted to be someday. I wanted to give that kind of encouragement to others. Eventually, that became my dream." Sayaka explained.

"That's so amazing, though. You were able to actually fulfill your lifelong dream. Honestly, it's really incredible." I said.

"I did whatever it took to reach that dream. I mean it. Even some things that...weren't so pleasant." Sayaka said.

"Huh...?" I asked.

"I honestly believed that as long as you kept chasing your dreams, someday they had to come true. But to do that, you can't take your eyes off of your dream, not even for a second. Even if sometimes it's a bad dream...Whether you're awake, whether you're asleep...To make your dream a reality, you have to keep your gaze fixed on it no matter what. In that world, if you lose focus for even a split second, you get left behind. You have to keep on swimming against the current, without even taking time to breathe...that's the kind of world my dream lives in." Sayaka explained.

"I-Is it really that tough? Is it not fun at all?" I asked.

"Oh no, don't get the wrong idea. It's super fun! But...thats exactly what scares me." Sayaka said.

"Huh...?" I asked.

"I enjoy every single day I wake up and get to do what I do. Everyone in our group is amazing. We're rivals in a way, but they all mean so much to me. We've been performing together since we were young, so they're all like family to me. Without them, I would have given up on my dream a long time ago. To work together, and fulfill our dreams together, has brought me so much happiness...but that's the thing that scares me the most. If the world gets tired of us, then what happens? What happens to us? Then the dream dies, those wonderful days come to an end, and everyone goes their separate ways..." Sayaka said. S-Sayaka...she's trembling...she must be terrified. She worked so hard, sacrificed so much, to get where she is. She must be terrified of losing it. "So that's the reason I decided to come to Hope's Peak." Sayaka said.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well...they say if you graduate from here, success is basically guaranteed. Which means I could keep on performing with my best friends, for ever and ever. At least, that's what I thought. I really did believe that, but...now we're trapped here, with no way out. They're probably waiting for me...while I'm in here, the world out there is forgetting about me. Minute by minute, we're all disappearing. But still..." Sayaka said.

"Sayaka...?" I asked.

"I can't afford to be stuck here!" Sayaka yelled. That was the first time I heard her cry out from deep within herself. She sounds...desperate. But I can understand why she'd feel that way. Trapped here this way, the dream she put so much effort into is on the verge of disappearing forever. And that isn't something that can be fixed with a few kind words. The weight she's carrying...I can't even imagine it. "Ah—- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to complain...I kinda killed the mood, huh?" Sayaka said.

"No, not at all." I said.

"I'm really sorry..." Sayaka apologized.

"Um, Sayaka...actually, are you hungry? Before we head back, why don't we go to the dining hall and get some food?" I asked Sayaka.

"So...you want me to make us something to eat? I might not look like it, but I'm actually a pretty good cook!" Sayaka said.

"Wow, really? What's your specialty?" I asked.

"Chili oil."

"You mean the condiment!?" I asked.

"Hahaha. Just kidding!" Sayaka said. She burst out laughing. Her earlier mood disappeared, replaced by the bright smile I'd quickly grown used to. But How'd it happen so fast? It was almost like a mask, like some kind of neutral expression. Anyway, we headed to the dining hall to get something to eat...before returning to our rooms. The only thing in my room is...a fake sword covered in gold. All it does is make me feel that much more uncomfortable. Anyway, there's still plenty of time left in the day. I really don't feel like just sitting here. Maybe I'll take a look around...