Kyoko Kirigiri - Epilogue Part 1/2: Hope
When a person experienced immense nostalgia, they typically could feel their body shiver. A heavy feeling in their heart. To see something after being gone so long, and see that despite all the changes that time might have imposed upon it, it was still, at its core, the same place.
It was pleasantly bittersweet, emphasis on the "sweet" part for once.
Kyoko Kirigiri was no exception, despite her normally stoic behavior.
In most instances, when a person returned to a place they had not been to for so long, they would eventually realize that it was not the place that changed, but themselves. However, it was not so in Kyoko's case. She was exactly the same as she once was, perhaps for the better. Byakuya was certainly the same as ever, and Kyoko could only assume that the same could be said for the other members of the Future Foundation.
Except for one ahoge boy.
But then, she'd have to judge for herself on that matter.
Returning to the Coalition HQ like this... The familiar Observatory, the Gateway Rooms, the Meeting Rooms... and of course, the Commander's Office. The private little room that the leader of the Coalition had to themselves. They were all, at their core, the same, but of course, it looked like the Coalition managed to truly make a name for itself in her absence. The place was much better built, filled with all sorts of new members she didn't recognize, and they didn't recognize her in return.
They had moved on without her.
But she hardly felt betrayed or anything like that. No, no, if anything...
... She was proud of that boy who took up the mantle.
Today was a special day indeed. As she had expected, the members were generally in a cheerful mood, most of the members casually conversing with each other with food and drink, despite being outside the cafeteria or lounge area. There was definitely something big happening today.
Kyoko had asked Ms. Frizzle to not announce her return, as she wanted to save that for later, and she was confident that Byakuya wouldn't have said anything, even if he'd have been told so.
After all, she didn't want to ruin the surprise she had in mind for the birthday boy.
...
A year. A whole year. Where had the time gone?
Months now after the fall of the Arch Demon, Makoto Naegi could scarcely believe how long it had been. His last birthday had been celebrated at the Coalition headquarters as well, though that occasion had been marred by the looming threat hanging over the organization's heads. Not only that, but considering the loss the organization had sustained to its leadership so recently, it could have been barely called a celebration at all.
This time, however, was different.
New threats emerged every day and the Coalition still bore the scars of loss, yet everything was different now. Changed. With the group growing every day, there was a certain energy that flowed through the group. Some would find it hard to describe, though Makoto knew exactly what to call it.
Hope.
This year's birthday party was a surprise, for Makoto had believed key Coalition members too busy recently to even keep track of the day. As it turned out, Jennifer had planned the majority of it, having led Makoto around for the day with busywork until the great big reveal in the lounge where way more people showed up than Makoto felt was needed for someone like himself. Even those who didn't really know him seemed inclined to celebrate, if for nothing else other than to hang out with one of their leaders.
Kieran had been there, but only for a few moments. He said he was busy, which Makoto honestly believed, though he didn't seem to be quite himself. More subdued and less boisterous. Makoto knew the incident in the holding cells had shaken the Captain-Commander badly, putting him on edge for a while now. Makoto wished he could take back their actions afterward, but it was too late to worry about that now.
No, worrying was to be put on hold for the day, as Makoto had a party to see through. He would hang out, laugh, smile, and relax with the men and women he'd come to love. He would forget about the outside conflicts for just a moment. He would forget about all that troubled him.
... Except for one nagging issue.
The issue that just would never go away.
No matter what birthday was being celebrated, there would always be something missing.
- - -
Makoto stumbled out of the lounge, a grin plastered on his face. Everyone else was shuffling out after him, many saying that they would talk to him again. Some wouldn't, Makoto knew. Makoto sometime spent days in that office, only to emerge to find the faces outside to be entirely different. At times, it occurred to the boy that perhaps the Coalition was too willing to take on new members in the wake of the Arch Demon's demise. They had fallen prey to leaks and backstabs in the past, so such a policy only invited history to repeat itself.
Perhaps an initiation test? Some kind of exam? Makoto would have to talk to Kieran about it, if only he didn't seem so busy...
"Huh?"
Makoto stopped in the middle of the hallway, taken out of his thoughts by the sight of someone standing before him. He was alone now for the most part, the party guests having mostly wandered off. Jennifer had lingered in the hall for a moment, but had mysteriously disappeared... once Makoto recognized who he was looking at, he figured
she was why Jennifer decided to slip away.
"K-Kyoko? Is that... you?" The boy took a shuddering breath, feeling as if his legs would give out and he would collapse right in front of this ghost. For that's who she was, wasn't she? A ghost who had disappeared from Makoto's life over a year ago now.
"Or is it... another you?" The implication in his words were clear: Was
this Kyoko before him
the Kyoko?
"...!"
Kyoko didn't expect to be the one caught off-guard. Not so much because Makoto Naegi had appeared so suddenly before her, but more because... he was there. He was right there. The reliably same as ever Makoto Naegi, though not without a few small changes. Though he still had that babyface-ish look to him, it was clear that he had physically matured, as well as possibly mentally, and now he looked just a bit more like a man than a boy. He was different, yet fundamentally, he was the same. A thousand things had changed, but he stayed the same at his core.
Sometimes, despite what someone like Junko Enoshima believed, something that was predictable, something that could be called boring, didn't always have to be all bad.
Kyoko could practically feel her heart ready to burst out of her chest, considering how fast she felt it suddenly begin to beat. This was unlike her, and yet... It felt right. These feelings that she usually hid from others, she knew she couldn't keep locked away. If anyone held the key to Kyoko Kirigiri, then it was most certainly...
With a gentle smile creeping onto her features, Kyoko only nodded in response to Makoto Naegi's question, before opening her mouth to talk.
"Well, you've certainly kept the place up and running just fine without me, what with defeating the Arch Demon. Togami seems the same as ever, but I can imagine that this job hasn't been easy at all," she spoke, taking a step toward him,
"You've been leader for a longer time than even me. I really am impressed."
Though she hid it just a bit better, her legs were shaking a tad and they felt weak. Like Makoto, it felt like they'd give way at any given moment if she wasn't careful. Even her voice was a tad shaky. She was just as nervous as Makoto was, or however he'd describe what he was feeling at the moment, in all honesty. But she couldn't pause now.
"Apologies that I forgot to get you a birthday present. I was in something of a rush," she said half-jokingly, unlike how she usually was, except for when with people who were special to her.
"..."
Makoto took a shaky step forward, toward the purple-haired detective with those striking purple eyes. It always seemed like Kyoko Kirigiri was staring intensely into your soul, yet Makoto had never really mind. He kind of liked whenever Kyoko looked his way.
"It's not like... it's been a piece of cake," he said with some amusement, a sad smile on his face. One more step, and Makoto felt something heavy in his chest. He knew what it was. A storm of emotion clutched at his chest, making him feel faint and exhilarated all at once. Words weren't forming correctly and Makoto could feel tears begin to drop down his face. He stopped in place in an effort to steady himself, unable to come to terms with the reality that she was
real and
alive.
Makoto reached up with one hand, brushing at his tears.
"Just being here is the only present I need." He closed his eyes afterward, letting that statement hang in there air between them. This wasn't how the situation went in Makoto's head, but it seemed nothing beat reality.
"You're just..."
"... Who else knows? Future Foundation? They may want to... give your position back, Kyoko." And Makoto would have given it back in a heartbeat, after all.
Kyoko felt the same thing in her chest as Makoto did. The storm of emotion that could not be quelled down. For everything that she had bottled up, everything that she had kept hidden and locked away, it was all emotions that would inevitably come rushing out like a waterfall. After all, contrary to popular belief, she
was human, just as much as anyone.
Sensing that Makoto was feeling the same thing as she was, Kyoko forced herself to keep moving forward. Silly as it sounded, even walking seemed like a difficult task in this very moment. Her body almost felt frozen, and even as she moved, it felt like she had to take just a bit extra care to make sure her step was firm, else she'd accidentally fall over and ruin the moment.
Stopping just a few inches in front of Makoto, Kyoko spoke as she walked.
"Only Togami and our reliable bus driver," she answered, before continuing to talk,
"I suppose we should make a big announcement sooner or later, but for now, let's... hold off for a bit," Kyoko suggested softly, making a somewhat daring move as she'd reach forward and gently hold Makoto's hand,
"Maybe I will ask to be reinstated, but I wouldn't want to kick you out after all you've done without my help."
After that, she would give a pause, seemingly at a small loss for what to say now. She admittedly hadn't given any thought into what she was going to say to Makoto. A careless move for someone normally as calculated as the Ultimate Detective, but everyone had their missteps every now and then. She spent so much time thinking with her brain, however, that it was then that she realized she had never acted upon her heart. What did she
want to say? What did she
want to do?
...
Wordlessly, silently, yet with movements that spoke a thousand words, Kyoko would wrap her arms around Makoto, pulling him into a deep, tight hug.
He felt good. Gentle like a pillow, but warm like a person. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, as Kyoko uttered one simple phrase.
"I'm home."
Togami. Of course he knew. He'd been missing for almost a week now, but it was nothing that had seemed too alarming, for Byakuya was prone to radio silence for even longer than that. Whatever the reasons for his absence, if it meant that it brought Kyoko Kirigiri back to them, Makoto would never be able to express the enormity of his gratitude.
Makoto nodded slowly at Kyoko's suggestion, not wanting his own personal reunion to end. Perhaps that made him selfish, but Makoto felt maybe he deserved a little bit of selfishness. It
was his birthday, anyway.
"That's right..."
He felt her wrap herself around him, feeling a warmth from her that was somehow both familiar and new. It almost felt childish to him that this felt
just right and his face grew red as he reciprocated the hug, snaking his arms around her body. Even her smell felt like home.
"... you're home."
They were both home.
Special thanks to
@Atomyk with this nice little collab!