44. Progress

The cultural festival came and went.

Halfway through it, Kurahashi came by to beg for a headpat, because some creepy motherhecker was being a creepy motherhecker. Thankfully, creep-annihilator on duty, Hayami, sniped him with a countermeasure.

("How long did it take for you guys to make... whatever that is... smell and look exactly like bird poop?")

(Okuda smiled, holding up a flask of something, "not very long!")

Then a little after that, Nagisa came to seek solace, and Nakamura was around, begging for his forgiveness.

("Well, we can't use the 'eye for an eye' tactic here," Nao surmised, trying to decide on the punishment. "How about Nakamura, put on full makeup and wear a dress?")

(Nakamura recoiled, "anything but that! Please!")

(Irina Jelavic, overhearing the scene, immediately took action. When someone called out a tone of concern, she hollered back. "Don't worry, I won't put her in anything provocative. Tomboys like her look best in modest dresses!")

They got very unexpected visits as well. Red Eye the sniper brought a pheasant, an honest to god pheasant, and Lovro came by to greet everyone and assure them he's still alive.

("I must say. You are a rather unsuspecting man, Kunomasu," Lovro turned to Nao. "I did not expect such an interesting secret from you.")

("It's not a secret, I'm not related to whatever it is you're talking about, and I have nothing to do with anything! I don't know what you're talking about!" Nao yelled, covering his ears in denial.)

(Karasuma simply hummed, providing an ample observation. "You can tell he's flustered when he doesn't notice himself contradicting his own words multiple times in the same sentence.")

(Lovro nodded. "I figured that was the case.")

(Karasuma then turned to Lovro. "But what is it you were saying about him?")

(Lovro chuckled. "Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that, Mister Karasuma. My apologies, do understand.")

(And then Karasuma will silently watch him leave, baffled. "...did he just pull the Omerta on me? For Kunomasu?")

And then Nagisa's mother came by. So after she talked with her son, Nao went over to greet her, if only to apologize for not being able to make it on their previous meeting.

("It's fine," she said, looking forlornly toward her own son, as he hurried back toward the classroom, being handed a broom while Sugino ruffled his head endearingly. "I learned a lot, and there's only so much more I have to learn from here.")

(She had too little time, and too much to make up for.)

("Do your best," Nao told her. "You can call me if you ever need help.")

-

Nao made his way down the mountain following the road of leaving customers and the guide of the autumn leaves. He greets people occasionally, coughs when he thinks there aren't people looking, and finds his way back up a climb, into Kunugigaoka Junior High.

"Dear lord, I thought I was going to die."

"For real. But that's every time, right?"

"I'm surprised we didn't. He looked like he was about to kill us when we were leaving."

The Five Virtuosos, Nao recognized immediately, surprised to find them so near the entrance. Gakushuu stood between them, quiet.

The moment Ren and Seo noticed Nao in the distance, they called out to him. What happened next was a jumbled explanation of sorts, where they described the dramatic happening of Asano Gakushuu talking back to his father Phase Three and how they all came within an inch of their life.

"I didn't think the Board Chairman would try violence with us so it was fine," Gakushuu insisted. His arms were folded before him and Nao knew that was his tell for self-doubt, so yeah-- that was a dangerous risk he took.

"He did ask us to stay after," Ren shivered at the thought, and Nao perked up with interest. "Like, he wanted to talk to us without Asano-kun around for a few minutes. Do you think we'd have died if we stayed?"

Wait, what?

Asano told them to stay to talk and they didn't?

(Damn, was he about to do his creepy brainwashing pep talk again?)

"I was the most surprised when he said nevermind and just dismissed us all instead," Gakushuu groaned. "What's wrong with that man?"

"Dude, you tell us," Natsuhiko cringed.

(Oh, so the Board Chairman himself decided against using his own superhuman skill? So he knows how to hold back. This didn't happen in the story though? So Nao's talks with him are actually doing something?)

(He's actually working on himself. Thank the fucking lords.)

"So I don't think it's safe for you to go talk to him now, Kuma-sensei," someone finally turned the conversation back to Nao, it's Araki. "We're running away as soon as possible and I'm praying to my altar so he won't change his mind tomorrow either."

Nao cracked out a short laugh at that.

"Don't worry, don't worry," he moved to pat them all on the head, "I'll make sure he doesn't. Trust me, okay? I'll protect you kids, even if you're not my class anymore."

"No, we just said don't?!" Ren yelped, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"You're going to die, Kuma-sensei!"

Nao chuckled. "Go on home, you kids," he assured them. "Students shouldn't be obliged to keep track of an adult's moods. After a certain age, you're supposed to be able to handle them yourselves."

They still looked uneasy.

"Then what happens if an adult can't?" Ren asked.

Nao looked upward-- to where he found the principal's office, and Principal Asano was looking in his direction, quietly.

"Then it's time for other adults to step in and try to help, of course."

-

-

-

"So, sit with me?" Nao asked.

"You must ask that every time?" Asano sets down the cup of coffee. "I already know you won't leave even if I say no. Drink your coffee."

The first time was a peace offering. Then the second came, and the third, and eventually they were just friendly chats disguised as discussions of Class E and their current endeavours.

They used to do this E-class talks over a formal meeting, on opposite ends of Asano's work table. It was always stiff and nerve-wracking, and Nao always came out of it hating everything about his personal choices.

Now, though, they did it side by side on the couch, an occasional spin of laughter between their words– and Nao tended to go home feeling warm.

They worked on themselves.

And Asano reluctantly admitted to working on himself, every once in a while. Otherwise, he refused, but Nao never forced the issue.

Counselling was a gradual event.

Asano is already keeping a notebook around, and there were about three less 'I acted like humanity was absolute garbage and I was proud of it, so what?' strokes on the page than there were a month ago, so Nao considered this a small victory.

The kids in Class A aree finding their own stances against the Board Chairman's ideologies. The people in the main campus have begun to grow an admiration for Class E. Even Nagisa's mother is trying to find the courage to take a different path.

People are changing, bit by bit.

It's almost Asano's turn, and Nao wants to see it soon.

"What are you going to do next?" Nao asks. "It's almost time for finals– it's your last chance." to win. To regain your stability as the one and only ruler of your regime. "Before you lose their confidence completely." If you hadn't already.

"I'll go all out," Asano said, without missing a beat.

That didn't sound assuring at all.

"And if you crash and burn?" Nao asked.

Asano hummed. He wasn't sure, either. He would definitely have some reservations about it– would he ever admit defeat? Never.

"Then you figure it out," Asano said instead.

Nao couldn't help but laugh. "My fees are high, sir."

Asano scoffed. "I can bill the government. It's health insurance, technically, and Karasuma has made promises for the government to foot all of that."

"Wow, you're such a terrible human being."

"So what?" Asano opened his notebook, and casually added a stroke to the page.

Nao stared at it in resignation.

It was time for the final battle between Asano and Korosensei. Nao already knew what was going to happen, so he wasn't worried– but he actually was a little.

"I'll be personally teaching Class A's entire curriculum," Asano revealed. "But Gakushuu and his group have been problematic. I'll let them study independently, since they're capable enough without me."

Nao frowned. "That's counterproductive, they're your best soldiers."

"I don't see your point. They're against me– they do not follow my regime. Winning by capitalizing on their strengths is not beneficial to me."

Nao hummed noncommittally. That made sense... 

But Nao groaned, resting his chin on his hand. This sounded so annoying already. Why did he choose this job again? And why is he involved with the principal? Who decided this?

"You better be paying all the fees later when I get group therapy set up."

"Whatever for?"

"Get some self-awareness before I come next time," Nao sighed, exhausted.

"If it's on sale," Asano returned, similarly sarcastic.

-

-

-

"You're pushing yourself," Dr Matsukawa said with a sigh. "You're just here for a checkup and an IV, so don't look at me like that."

Nao pouted. "I came to visit and that's all you can say? All you ever do is whine about me to me."

"It's my job, you brat, and if you would ever listen to me, I wouldn't have to repeat myself," Matsukawa knocked him on the head with the clipboard, standing up to get to the other end of his office. "You don't even have to come. We both agreed we're dropping your case until we find anything, and we haven't."

"This is why you have no friends."

"That's not your business!"

Nao hummed. 

There was really no cure, even though he trusted Matsukawa to be putting in all the effort he could. Well, it's not like he came here looking for one, so he doesn't really care.

"Your brother's doing all he can too," he said, and nao tensed. "For you, and... and well, for the other kid too."

Nao spun around in alarm. "The other kid?"

Matsukawa blinked at that. "He didn't tell you?" he said. "You've got a nephew. We're seeing the starting signs of whatever you've got in him as well."

Nao stood up, the chair skidding back violently.

"What?!"

His nephew– Kazane's kid? And the same thing– is it genetic? Hopefully not. Hopefully it's just a stupid coincidence. Please.

Matsukawa sighed. "What did he even come by for, then, if he didn't tell you?"

"Kazane left a kid. Feisty one– he's just like you."

Bitch, Kazumasa, you could be any more vague and you'd be making blackout poetry in the most cryptid, arsehole way.

"I'm watching him now. Tell me if you ever want to meet him. I can make arrangements."

"He's– he's going to–" be just like Nao. "But that's– you're telling me there's nothing we can do?"

Suddenly, it was so much harder to accept when it wasn't about himself.

"We're trying our best. Your brother's running around doing fuck all everywhere because of it," Matsukawa said. "It's for you, too. Don't forget that."

"Who cares about me, save the kid, he's got more time!"

"I said it once and I'll say it again Naomasa, one more word about how much you don't care about your own life and I'm sending you to a fucking asylum mysefl!"

"...You said therapy, Matsukawa, not the asylum."

"Well I changed my mind because apparently your whole damn family needs it."

Nao let out a dying groan.

Now it's not just his own life at risk. Wasn't his illness just an effect of whatever is up with his past life? Nao had come to terms with it. But if it's genetic and it's his fault– or someone earlier on in their family tree?-- that this kid is getting it too...

...no, it's not genetic. It's definitely not genetic. It makes no scientific sense, after all. So it could only be reincarnation rules and all of its mythicality.

His nephew is a reincarnator too. That's the only explanation for this. 

Another victim of this stupid system that's only bringing him more time to ponder on his grief– some stupid god's entertainment trope that can go to hell.

"Matsukawa, I need a favour from you," he said, fists clenching tight. "Please listen to me without threatening to send me to the asylum again."

Matsukawa grimaced. "Pick your words carefully, Naomasa," he warned.

Nao nodded.

(He can't let the other guy die, too.)

(It might be too late for Nao– but at the very least, if he can bring them a step further to solving this mystery– this tragedy– this monstrosity– Nao would be relieved.)

"I want to give that kid a better chance than I've had," he said.

(People can change if you believe in it. Even an immovable wall will give way if you slowly find the cracks and dig through.)

(You just need the bravery to start somewhere.)

(And after that-- you just need to believe in the power of humanity.)

"So when I die," he said, "please donate my body to science."