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appreciate-kaimaki · 5 years

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can we get a scenario with kaito asking maki to a high school dance, and maybe a little description of what they’d do at said dance?

This one has literally been in our askbox for months... I'm terribly sorry this took so long to complete, anon! My perfectionism really got to me on this one because it really struck a chord in me, and I was trying a bit too hard to make it flawless. I've got it under control now... I think. Anyhow, please enjoy the fic under the cut! I had an absolute blast writing this, and I hope you enjoy some shameless Kaimaki fluff.

~Mod Shuichi~

Momota Kaito was a man with much bravado, able to bear the rigorous regimen of the astronaut training program and face the myriad dangers of outer space without batting an eye. Yet, as he prowled the corridors of Hope's Peak High School with his best friend-slash-roommate Shuichi in tow, the spaceman couldn't help but fear the task he was now about to face. The Homecoming Dance was looming a mere week ahead, and Kaito had decided to take the opportunity to try and take his longtime crush, Harukawa Maki, as his date.

That, however, was something much easier said than done. The obsidian-haired girl had the nickname of 'ice queen', which had not come without reason - she was known to ward off anyone foolish enough to dare approach her with a silent glare which, according to Kibo, was capable of cutting holes in metal.

Shuichi sighed. "Please tell me what you see in her, again?"

"I don't know! There's... this something about her that makes me want to know her better."

"If you insist. Just come back in one piece." With that, the detective left Kaito and his girl troubles to hang with his other friends. Kaito wasn't entirely sure that he could return without injury, however, as he slowly appraoched Maki's seat. Hoping his voice wasn't quivering too much, he extended a trembling finger and tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, Harukawa?"

Any semblance of control Kaito had left evaporated like a snowflake on the Sun as Maki finally turned to face him and fixed him in her crimson stare. When she spoke, he could instantly understand what Kibo meant.

"What do you want?"

So this was what it felt like to have his blood freeze in his veins, Kaito thought. Despite his best efforts to control his own speech, his paralyzed tongue could only stutter out,

"Uh, doyouwanttogotothedancewithme?"

The following five seconds were simultaneously the longest, most awkward, and most terrifying moments in Kaito's life. 'That's it,' he concluded. 'I'm gonna show up on tomorrow's news as a dismembered corpse.' Frozen in fear, he missed the look of surprise flashing across the obsidian-haired girl's face - but not her reply.

"Yes. I'll go with you."

"Uhwhat?"

Maki's face immediately morphed into a scowl as she turned away, but it was impossible to miss the shade of vibrant red now gracing her features. For a moment, Kaito thought it matched her eyes very well.

"Do I have to repeat myself? I said I'll go with you, loser!"

Internally ecstatic at her words but also not wanting to incur Maki's wrath by overstaying his welcome, Kaito left her a muttered 'thanks' as he hurriedly shuffled over to Shuichi.

"She say yes?", the detective asked.

Kaito could only let out a deep, relieved sigh. "In a sense."

The remaining week vanished in a flurry of hurried preparations, and soon the big day was upon them. The dormitory hallways were bustling and abuzz with activity as a myriad of Ultimates clad in their finest suits and dresses searched for their dates. Kaito and Shuichi also joined the crowd as they too made their way to the girls' dorms.

"Ugh, I'm never gonna get used to having my arm inside my sleeve," the spaceman muttered. He had dressed in a deep purple tuxedo with a smattering of glittering 'stars' on the lower hem for the occasion, but the formality of the event meant that he couldn't just throw it over his shoulder like he usually did with his jacket.

"Can't relate," his friend replied. He was also wearing a tux, but a more low-profile charcoal gray one with barely visible graphite pinstripes. "Most normal people wear their jackets properly, Kaito."

Kaito waved him off. "Pssh, who cares. Normal is overrated anyway."

Their discussion about sleeves and arms were abruptly interrupted when Akamatsu Kaede all but teleported in front of them, her pink strapless recital dress fluttering behind her and a lilac purple ribbon decorating her bosom.

"Found you, Shuichi! And hi to you too, Kaito. Mind if I steal him away for the night?"

An astounded Kaito turned to his sidekick. "Man, someone got lucky! How the hell did you end up going with her? Never thought you'd be her type..."

"To be honest, I have no idea," the detective replied with a shrug. "She asked me, actually."

Pouting, Kaede put her hands on her hips. "Hey hey, Kaito! No badmouthing my date here! Oh, by the way, who are you going with?"

"Harukawa Maki. I was just going over to pick her up."

"Oh, that's good to hear! She always seemed so lonely. Hope things work out great between you two!", the pianist chirped as she took Shuichi's hand and led him away. Left alone once again, Kaito resumed his search for Maki's room.

Finally facing the door, Kaito steeled his nerves one last time. Taking a girl to a dance wasn't supposed to be hard, even if she was his longtime crush who could, in fact, literally crush him to powder should anything go wrong.

"C'mon, Kaito. You're the Luminary of the Stars... you can do anything you put your mind to... the impossible is possible, you just gotta make it so!"

Reciting his mantra to himself, Kaito finally knocked on her door. He honestly had no idea what he expected to see, but the sight he faced when the door finally opened utterly blew him away. Maki had chosen a scarlet gothic lolita-style dress with generous amounts of black lace frills and a slim halter top that was only held up by a pair of impossibly thin spaghetti straps that crossed over her back before disappearing into her corset. It matched her onyx hair and crimson eyes perfectly, and she looked stunning beyond compare. Even her usual hair scrunchies seemed different... shinier, somehow. Kaito guessed they were some sort of satin.

"Stop staring, idiot!"

"O, oh! Of course, I'm sorry." Snapping out of his Maki-induced stupor, he offered her his arm.

"Shall we go?"

Maki wordlessly nodded and took his arm, and the duo made their way towards the gym where the dance was being held.

Homecoming was a very extravagant affair. Most of the artistically inclined Ultimates had been conscripted to decorate the gym into a party hall, and they had delivered splendidly. The ceiling was nearly invisible from all the banners and streamers that had been hung up, and the floor had been transformed into a polished dance floor with rich velvet carpets around the edges where the tables were. A veritable buffet of snacks, drinks, and refreshments were set out on one side, and a state-of-the-art sound system and a grand piano had been installed on the stage to complete the lavish atmosphere.

Many students had already taken to the dance floor, swaying to the music with their dates as light jazz played over the gym. As Kaito glanced at his date, unsure to ask if she wanted to dance or not, Maki suddenly whirled on him with a fiercely determined look on her face and all but dragged him off to the center of the venue.

"Wha- wh- Maki?!"

"Shut up and dance with me."

Kaito did not object. He allowed Maki to lead him in a foxtrot, the girl surprisingly well-versed in dancing to the point that Kaito had to put in a bit of effort to keep up at first. He caught on soon, however, and found himself gazing into his date’s crimson eyes as they settled into a steady rhythm. They were quite mesmerizing, Kaito thought, like swirling nebulae glowing with starlight…

He was jolted back to his senses by a finger that poked dangerously close to his left eye. "WAH!"

"Earth to space idiot," Maki chided. "You almost stepped on my foot there."

Kaito, as always, was not without a comeback. "It's not my fault you're so breathtakingly beautiful."

"Do you want to die?"

"Sorry, sorry!"

Maki's lips thinned into a line and her brow grew a slight crease as she stared into his tie, her feet slowing for a moment as she sunk into thought. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?", she mumbled.

"Of course! Even more than the brightest star!"

She blushed a beautiful shade of apple red and not-so-subtly brought her heel down on his toes.

"Ow!"

"That's for making me lose my composure."

"You really do look hot when you blush- ow!"

The pair continued to dance to the music, Maki's face now significantly redder than before. Kaito couldn't help but smile - he had his perfect date, the dance was going splendidly, and everything was just so perfectly well!

The tone of the event would soon undergo a complete shift, however. Ibuki-senpai soon took over the stage with her trademark 'music' of unintelligible screaming and yelling, and the once-calm party was now more closely resembling a rave than a dance. Kaito couldn't bring himself to understand how anyone could actually appreciate the cacophony issuing from the stage, but judging by the crowd's reaction it seemed he was the exception, not the norm.

"Wanna get outta here?", he asked his date, who thankfully seemed to share his opinion on the Ultimate Musician's 'music'. Although Maki was standing right next to him, he had to shout at the top of his lungs to be heard over the senseless din echoing in the gym.

"Please!", she yelled back.

Covering their ears, the pair headed out to the school's garden where the full moon was casting its light. Glad to be away from the chaos, they found a bench and sat in a comfortable silence for a while. When he was sure the ringing in his ears had finally subsided, Kaito asked Maki the one question he had been itching to know for the entirety of the past week.

"Why did you say yes when I asked? To the dance, I mean."

Maki averted her eyes from the astronaut, but her blush was impossible to miss. "I... I might've had a bit of a crush on you."

"Wow, I never knew that. I knew I had a crush on you, but this is... why?"

"You showed Yumeno your notes when she got sick and missed school last week. You became Saihara's friend when he was alone. You actually listen to what Tojo has to say. And you're kind and friendly to anyone and everyone you meet."

"I'm afraid I still don't see the connection."

Maki let out a small sigh. "I'm not very good with people. I want to get closer to them and make friends, but I just lash out and scare them away. But you always showed so much kindness to everyone. So I thought maybe, you were the one I could try and get close to."

"I'm honored - wait, how did you know all that?"

"I'm observant."

"Anyway, that's no big problem, Maki Roll. I wasn't really good at being social from the get-go, too." In an incredibly bold move even to himself, Kaito put an arm around Maki's shoulder. Even more surprisingly, she actually leaned into it. "I know you're a good person. I'll make sure help you every step of the way, and you'll be making lots of friends soon. I swear by the name of the Luminary of the Stars!"

"Did you just call me Maki Roll?"

Panicking, Kaito instantly froze. The nickname was something he came up with in the spur of the moment, but had he chosen the wrong thing to say? "Uh, sorry 'bout that, it was kinda stupid, I'll stop if you don't like it."

Then Maki burst into silent giggles.

"No, I love it. Nobody's ever given me such a cute nickname before. Sorry I scared you, it's the eyes, isn't it? I have to work on my expressions..." Her smile was clear on her face as she looked up towards him once more.

Kaito grinned. "Actually, I think you're cute even with the murder eyes. It's unique... it's something only you can pull off."

"Oh, shut up."

Chuckling at her remark, Kaito took her hand in his and stood up. He led her over to a small circular clearing in the middle of the garden where the moonlight shone brightest, fiddled with his phone, and set it down on the floor. The suave voice of Frank Sinatra soon filled the air.

Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars...

"What are we doing?", a surprised Maki asked.

"Dancing! The night is still young, after all, and I don't want to waste my beautiful date because the music isn't to our taste." He took a step back and bowed, extending a hand to her like he did earlier. "Shall we dance, milady?"

Maki took the offered hand. "Gladly."

Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars...

Moonlight illuminated the two of them like a dream as Maki allowed herself to be led by Kaito in a gentle waltz. Her crimson dress flared out like a blooming rose with each spin, and his star-studded coattails flew in the wind with each move they shared.

In other words, hold my hand… in other words, darling, kiss me!

The pair danced all around the garden with hands clasped tight, softly mouthing the words to the song that was serenading them. The experience was similar yet completely unlike the dances they danced in the gym only hours ago - this time it was infinitely more private and intimate, a show for the two of them only. Lost in each other's company, it seemed to them as if they had been transported to a realm of nothing but moonlight and soft music and rosebushes and each other.

In other words, please be true... in other words, I love you!

The song came to a close as Kaito swept Maki into a dip, their faces hovering a mere inch apart. Purple eyes met red, neither able to look away. Lips were parted to let out warm breaths that quickened as both realized how close they were to each other. The pair were in perfect balance, each holding the other in place with their very body. And just as it seemed the fragile yet beautiful moment could last forever...

Maki took hold of Kaito's collar, drew him closer, and kissed him full on the lips.

It was as if time itself had stopped. The rustling of the leaves in the wind, the dull thumping of the music from the gym, and even the glow of the moonlight shining above melted away from her senses. There was nothing left behind but his slightly rough but warm lips on her own, the firm fabric of his jacket under her hands and his toned back beneath it, his gentle and sweet scent in her lungs and the pleasant tingling in her heart. In short, it was nothing but perfect. She could have spent an eternity in that single shining moment and never get tired of it.

Unfortunately for Maki, a slew of doubts started bubbling up to the surface like fizz in a glass of soda the moment her brain caught up to her body. Here she was, with her lips on some boy she'd literally known for barely a few hours. What if she was overreacting to someone who'd only shown her basic kindness? What if she was overstepping her boundaries when Kaito only thought of her as a friend - and a closed-off and distant one at that? What if he thought of her as clingy and obsessed over him in all the wrong ways?

"I'm sorry," she breathed, "that was uncalled for. I shouldn't have done that." She hurriedly pulled away, disentangling from his warm comfortable embrace. She was all ready to flee from the garden, flee from her traitorous emotions and this stupid feeling in her chest when a gentle hand grabbed her wrist.

"Maki Roll," Kaito whispered, "if you wanted a kiss you could've just asked."

He pulled her back into his arms in one swift movement, into that intoxicating black hole of warmth she would never be able to escape, and kissed her again with all the passion in his heart.

And of course, like all things, the second time was even better than the first.

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oumakokichi · 7 years

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I think that's very much the intent of the V3 cast really. For every heroic, self-sacrificing and good-hearted individual like Akamatsu, Momota and Chabashira, we still have people like Angie, Shinguuji and Iruma who are varying degrees of unsympathetic, delusional and selfish. I find that moral diversity interesting, and is leagues better than the "perfect cinnamon buns" DR3 turned the SDR2 kids into.

I think you raise a very good point, anon! I’ve said itbefore, but variety in a cast of characters is extremely important, and havinga cast of characters who are all undeniably the best people they can be all thetime, even in a situation as stressful as a killing game would be…well, boring.Characters who are maybe not the best people, or even horrible people, are necessary in a group in order to balancethings out and to add conflict.

Ndrv3 features a pretty good balance and array of charactersalong both of these lines, and I think that’s one reason why there were fewersurvivors than previous DR games this time around. With characters who areintentionally supposed to illuminate either side of the spectrum, their deathsand the brutality of ndrv3’s killing game only highlight the ongoing theme onceagain that extremes are bad. A middle ground has to be found, between lies andtruth, black or white, good and bad.

I don’t want to hate entirely on dr3’s ending because I dokind of get what they were going forwith the ending in Hope Arc, and I understand the time limitations andanimation constraints that probably prevented them from portraying Junko’sbrainwashing in any way other than “look at the magical TV, now you go killpeople because you’re hypnotized and evil like me,” but I definitely agree thatit was a step backwards on fleshing out their characters. If Kodaka couldn’tfind a way to more fully illuminate the brainwashing and make it into thisinsidious, creeping thing that stillallowed for a level of free choice to some degree…well, I think maybe dr3should have been kept to a light novel instead, rather than an anime.

I know the ending was supposed to illuminate the idea thatthe sdr2 kids had finally found a “middle ground” of their own wherein theyrepresented the despair that would prevent others from falling down the samepath like themselves, but also in doing so they were a new kind of “hope” forthose like Mitarai who had only ever blamed himself for their downfall andnever thought anyone could understand what he had gone through and thereforewouldn’t listen to people like Naegi who, for all that he was well-intentioned,really was just speaking “platitudes.”

But the execution was sloppily done, and by the end of dr3overall, it just felt as if the sdr2 kids had been a group of the most perfect, hopeful kids who neverhad bad intentions or flaws a single day in their life, and that they were justso hopeful that that itself was theirdownfall when they were all worried and going to seek Chisa.

The brainwashing itself was so all over the place in dr3that it just left characterization and the question of free will or morals ahuge mess. One moment, it’s this magical hypnosis video of the student councilkilling each other that leaves you no choice of whether or not you even want tokill yourself, another moment it’s a video of Monokuma as a stimulus for traumathat induces suicide, another moment none of these things work at all and itrequires a literal lobotomy that definitely removes any factor of free will orchoice…god, it really was such a mess.

It felt like a huge attempt to backtrack away from the issuethat the sdr2 kids had undeniably killed people, plenty of people, all over the world, including even their own lovedones. Sdr2 was supposed to be about a chance at atonement for these kids whohad done horrible, awful things, and while Junko was definitely the catalystthat led them all into despair, there was always this implication, in theoriginal game at least, that the question was always “How much of a secondchance do these kids deserve after going along with this shit at least somewhatout of their own intentions?”

Ndrv3 and its brainwashing to provide talent, memories, andbackstories was such a better decision from a writing standpoint. You can makeit so that characters might be more inclined to do this or that, but you stillleave an element of free will where it’s undeniably their own choice to carryout any horrible or selfless acts. You can provide people with bullets, but it’sstill their own actions that have to load them into the gun and pull thetrigger.

In the end, even the most selfless, kind, and compassionatecharacters in ndrv3 still had elements of moral ambiguity surrounding them andwere treated as complex characters by the narrative. Kaede, Momota, even Gonta—allthree of these characters had autonomy and in some way or other decided to makea conscious decision to either attempt to take a human life or actually takeone.

Tenko, who never killed anybody and probably would not havetried to, still had flaws by being too overprotective and too dismissive ofHimiko’s ability to do things by herself, and these were address. Kirumi didcare like a mother for the whole group and wanted to take care of them, but wasalso perfectly willing to make the hard, cold decision to sell them all out ifit was “for the greater good.” Angie displayed horrible leadership and letpower go to her head, and her instinct was to save her own skin, but in the endshe really, truly believed what she preached, and that’s precisely what madeher such a dangerous element in the group.

Ndrv3 had such a wonderful, complex cast full of moralambiguity and characters with huge flaws and all of them were given free reignto choose how to act. However closely they followed or strayed away from the “tropes”or “paths” that had been set for them as caricatures on a reality show was upto them, and I really, really likethat.

Thank you for raising this topic, anon! It was really fun totalk about, and while I do sort of get what dr3 was going for with its ending,I feel like its execution was so flawed that it really did do nothing more thanserve as character regression, rather than development.

#ndrv3 #drv3 #dr3 #new danganronpa v3 #dangan ronpa #ndrv3 spoilers //#my meta #okay to reblog #they kept saying the word 'brainwashing' early on in ndrv3 and i had the fear of god put in me #but then it turned out it was nothing like dr3's brainwashing and i was so relieved #anonymous

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