Beta

Disclaimer: I do not own Danganronpa or the characters associated with it.

Synopsis: Makoto Naegi has a sudden realization about his relationship with Kyoko Kirigiri.

Makoto Naegi had always been a little different, compared to most people. Not that he ever saw it as a bad thing, though. So what if his younger sister used to tease him a lot? So what if he didn't feel the need to work out and be 'manly'? And so what if he though valuing a girl based on her personality was more important her physical beauty? He always thought that made him special…until now.

At first, Makoto didn't find anything about his relationship with Kyoko Kirigiri to be odd. In fact, the only odd thing about it was that such an amazing girl like her agreed to go out with him in the first place! He still remembered that day…

It had been at the end of classes on Saturday. Makoto had been incredibly nervous, his palms refusing to quit sweating. He'd gotten close to Kyoko during their first trimester, initially intrigued by her stoic nature and the rare smile she sometimes flashed him. He'd never asked a girl out before, mostly due to being shy, but this time he found the courage to ask her if she wanted to see a movie with him on Sunday…to which she politely declined.

Crushed by her rejection, Makoto prepared to slink off to his room, to drown his sorrows in soda and action movies, when Kyoko suddenly told him:

"I'm afraid I'm busy tomorrow…but if you'd like, I am free this evening. Would that be alright with you?"

Makoto's jaw practically hit the floor and he almost screamed with joy. Fortunately, he managed not to embarrass himself while they were at the movies and they even spent time at a café afterwards, just chatting about their interests and hobbies. And thus, their relationship began…

And while Makoto wouldn't say that they were boyfriend and girlfriend, at the very least they could be classified as dating! Over the next few months, Makoto and Kyoko spent more and more time together. And while it was slow going, the lucky student gradually began to learn more and more about what made Kyoko so amazing.

Kyoko Kirigiri was strong, independent, highly intelligent, and could be pretty funny when she wanted. It often involved a hint of sarcasm or word manipulation, but Makoto didn't mind. Each time she pulled a trick on him, like pretending to be offended only to see him flustered, she would give him that radiant smile that so few people were allowed to see, which made it all worth it. Despite that, he often questioned why she even bothered hanging out with a loser like him…but quickly learned never to say that in front of her.

"Just because you aren't like everyone else, doesn't make you a loser," she'd told him sternly, seeming truly angry for the first time in their relationship. "In fact…it's because of your pure and honest nature…that I wanted to get to know you better."

Hearing her describe him like that made Makoto feel truly blessed to have such an amazing girl in his life. He felt honored that someone like her actually approved of and liked him for who he was. Honestly, this relationship was practically a dream come true!

That is…until about a month ago…when a particular date with Kyoko had just felt…off. Nothing seemed different than usual…but for some reason, Makoto couldn't help but feel that something was…wrong. He couldn't quite place it…until a friend of his decided to spell it out for him…

"…You're a beta, dude."

Leon Kuwata said calmly as he played a video game in front of a now confused Makoto. The lucky student had decided to confide in the baseball star, since he and the lucky student had become good friends ever since Leon had begun dating Makoto's old friend, the famous pop idol Sayaka Maizono.

"Wait…I'm a what now?" the lucky student asked, never having heard that term used that way.

"A beta," Leon repeated, still concentrating on his game. "You know, the meek one in the relationship. Think of it as you being the girl and Kyoko being the guy in your relationship—".

"W-WHAT?!" Makoto shouted, startling the baseball star enough for him to pause his game and stare at his friend. "I-I-I can't be a…a…a—"

"A beta?" Leon offered.

"That! Yeah!" the lucky student continued to scream, refusing to accept that label. "It's not possible! I can't be a beta! I'm…I'm not…the meek…one…"

Even as he shouted that, his mind slowly began to process everything about his relationship with Kyoko. From how they spoke to each other, to how they spent time together…it all seemed normal to him! How could he be a beta?! Sure, Kyoko liked to take charge sometimes…most of the time…but he figured he was just being polite and not wanting to upset her, he usually just went along with whatever she—

"Oh God, I think I am a beta!" the lucky student begrudgingly admitted, feeling even more distressed then before.

"Well, hold on a second…" Leon tried to intervene, sensing he may have accidentally opened a can of worms. "I mean, yeah, you do kinda act like a beta but I could be totally wrong! Let's just start over, okay? So, tell me about that thing that bothered you the last time you went on a date with Kyoko."

As his friend tried to reassure him, Makoto felt himself calm down a bit. Just enough for him to organize his thoughts and tell the story about discovering his…possible beta-ness.

"Okay, so Kyoko and I went to this new restaurant that opened up across town," Makoto began, with Leon nodding along. "Everything was going really well. The food was great and we both seemed to be having a good time, then the waiter brings the bill…"

"Please tell me you offered to pay…" Leon half-groaned, already suspecting where this was going.

"I did!" the lucky student insisted, feeling a bit offended that his friend even made such a suggestion. "I told Kyoko that I wanted to pay and she said that was fine…until all my cards got declined and—"

"Hold up a sec," the baseball star interrupted. "All of your cards got declined? Like even your credit card?"

"Yeah! I guess it was because the place was new and since it was an expensive meal, the card company thought it was fraud!" Makoto suspected but realized he was getting off track. "Anyway, so after that, Kyoko offered to pay with cash! It was like she was prepared for something like that to happen!"

Leon raised an eyebrow at him. "Dude, do you know who your girlfriend is? Kyoko's like the definition of over-prepared—".

"T-That's not true! Sure, she's always calm and cool and everything but she forgets stuff just like everyone else!" Quickly realizing that he was kind of insulting her as much as defending her, Makoto continued, "And…she's not really my girlfriend…at least I don't think so. I mean, we're just dating! I don't think I can call her that right—".

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Leon waved off his concern, frustrating the lucky student slightly. Not even noticing, the baseball star asked, "So that's it? She paid for dinner with cash and now you feel like you're not really a man or something?"

Hanging his head, Makoto answered, "…If it was just that, it wouldn't be so bad."

"Wait, there's more?" Leon questioned, starting to get invested in the story. Smirking, the baseball star laughed as he teased, "Did she put her coat over you because it was cold or something?"

Flushing at the very idea, Makoto instantly refuted, "N-No! We didn't even have coats; it was really warm that night!" Again realizing he was getting off topic, he cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, so we left the restaurant and decided to head back to the dorms. And that part was actually really great! We chatted about classes and stuff, talked about where we wanted to go next time…but then I kinda bumped into motorcycle…"

"Oh crap, I think I know where this is going…" Leon flinched, already predicting the madness.

"Yeah…it fell over…onto another bike, which caused a domino effect and ended up making a row of five bikes fall over…" Makoto confided, embarrassed just remembering it.

Leon visibly flinched at hearing that, feeling second-hand embarrassment. "Oh jeez, hey wait! How do you know exactly how many bikes fell over?"

"Because five pissed off biker guys ran up to us afterward…" the lucky student answered, averting his gaze. "They all started shouting about how I needed to pay them back and stuff…and I kinda panicked…"

"Dude, why didn't you just tell them Mondo was a good friend of yours?" Leon asked in retrospect, making a valid point. "Even if they thought you were lying, it probably would have helped!"

"I-I tried! Well, I mean, I was going to…but then one of them looked at Kyoko…and started saying really disrespectful things—".

His eyes widening in surprise, Leon pieced it all together and asked, "Oh God, you didn't—?"

"…I told him to back off or he'd have to deal with me…and then he punched me in the face," Makoto regretfully admitted, a hand rubbing the cheek that had been decked. "I didn't even see it coming…I did see the ground before my face hit though…"

"Ooof, that's gotta suck," Leon sympathized, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. "And ya know what stings even more than getting punched? Getting clocked in front of your girlfriend like—".

"K-Kyoko's not…my girlfriend…I mean; I want her to be but I don't think…" he paused, feeling very uncomfortable for many reasons. Pushing past it, he somehow found the courage to continue, "Anyway, I'm not exactly sure what happened next but I know I saw the guy who punched me put his hand on Kyoko's shoulder…then I heard a loud snapping noise and next think I knew, the guy was on the ground with his arm twisted pretty badly…"

"Whoa, seriously?!" a flabbergasted Leon uttered quietly, picturing the event in his head. "I always knew Kyoko was a badass but I never figured she'd—".

"And that's not the end of it," Makoto cut him off, startling the baseball star even more. "I was in a lot of pain so I didn't see a lot of it, but…I watched as Kyoko flipped one of them over her shoulder and round-house kicked another in the face—".

"Holy shit…" was all Leon could utter as Makoto continued to describe the carnage.

"—One of the guys pulled out a knife…but she kicked it out of his hand and backhanded him across the face. I didn't see what happened to the last guy, because I was trying to get up, but when I heard him scream…I looked up in time to see him holding his groin before he fell over…"

"…Dude, I don't think Mondo could top what Kyoko did to them!" Leon suddenly shouted, apparently pleased with the fact that the Ultimate Detective knew her way around a fight. An instant later though, he fully understood Makoto's plight. "Oh…oh! That's why you're upset! You tried to defend her but she ended up defending you!"

Feeling completely embarrassed, Makoto hung his head and said, "…And what's worse, she actually had to help me get back to the dorms because I twisted my ankle when I fell."

"Oh, well that's not so bad!" Leon tried to comfort him. "I mean, so you leaned on her shoulder, that's not—".

"Actually, she carried me…"

"Oh, well…damn."

At the sound of Leon's semi-disappointment, Makoto hung his head sharply and whimpered, feeling more and more depressed. Sliding down onto the floor and pulling his knees into his chest, the lucky student slowly began to accept his lot in life. And it didn't help that Leon was trying to be the one to console him.

"Hey, hey, everything's gonna be alright, dude! So you're a beta, it's not all that bad! I mean, Kyoko's a pretty awesome chick and you're lucky to have someone like her always taking care of you!" the baseball star tried to reassure him, but only made him feel worse. Noticing this, an idea formed in Leon's head. "Okay, I know how to help curve the pain! We're gonna have a guy's night!"

Slowly lifting his head, Makoto dared to ask, "A…guy's night?"

"Yeah! It's gonna be you and me! Up all night watching action movies and downing liters of whatever kind of soda you want!" Leon assured him, putting an arm around his shoulder and shaking him slightly. "We can also play some action games and totally take your mind off of—!"

In the middle of his tirade, a familiar song rang out. Both of them instantly recognized it as Sayaka's debut single, and it was coming from Leon's phone. Makoto half-smiled, realizing that the big, tough, baseball player adored the pop idol and her songs so much, he had them set them as ringtones.

Reaching over and grabbing it, the baseball star smiled and said, "It's Sayaka! Gimme a sec, man!" He stood up and tapped his phone, taking the call. "Hey babe! What's up? … Oh…a concert? T-Tonight?! … Sure, I can totally make it! … No, no, I didn't have anything planned tonight anyway! Text me the name of the place and I'll be there! … Right! … You got it! See you there!"

As Leon tapped his phone again, he turned to see Makoto giving him a stern look.

"What?" the baseball player genuinely asked before realizing what he'd done. "Oh, crap! Right! Guy's night…sorry but I'll have to take a raincheck. My bad, man!"

Unexpectedly, Makoto smirked at him, something that the lucky student did not do often, and said, "So…are you sure you're not a beta too?"

"Wh-What?! Hell, no!" Leon protested, obviously offended. "Why would you even say that?!"

"You gave into Sayaka pretty easily," the lucky student commented, still smirking at him. "I mean, if you had just told her we were gonna hang out, she probably wouldn't have been upset. And if she finds out you lied to her—".

"Hey man, let's get one thing straight," the baseball star interjected, not liking where this was going. "I am not a beta! I am pussy-whipped, and I am okay with that!"

Completely startled and confused by his sudden admission, Makoto stammered, "Wait, what?! How does that not make you beta?! You were being the meek one right then!"

A loud sigh escaped Leon, as if he was preparing to educate the lucky student. "Listen man, there's nothing meek about pampering your girlfriend. Trust me, I'm no beta. Whenever Sayaka and I meet up, I'm the one who always pays for dinner, buys her flowers, and brings the condoms! I'm a great boyfriend!"

Unfortunately for Leon, Makoto's mind got caught on a particular word he'd said and completely missed the rest.

"Wait, wait, wait! 'Condoms'?!" he practically shouted, his face flushing. "So, you've, like…seen Sayaka…naked?"

A mischievous smirk crossed Leon's lips as he answered, "Oh, it goes way beyond just seeing her naked—!"

"WH-WHAT?!" Makoto exclaimed, unable to get that mental image out of his mind. Turning an even deeper shade of red, the lucky student fumbled with his words. "B-But that's…you mean…you guys already…have that in your…relationship?!"

Still grinning, the baseball star blew hot air onto his knuckles before casually whipping them on his shirt. "Oh, yeah, we've had that plenty of times," he admitted, almost a bit too proud. "But seriously dude, it's not that weird. I mean, Sayaka and I have been dating for like five months so—".

"B-But…but…I've been dating Kyoko for that long too and I've…I mean, we've…never…" Makoto tried to convey his feelings but couldn't, embarrassment keeping him from admitting how pathetic he felt he was.

Finally sensing that his own 'accomplishments' were hurting his friend's ego, Leon toned down his pride and scratched his head while he tried to think of something reassuring.

"Hey, man…everyone goes at their own pace, right? I mean, yeah, Sayaka and I hit it off pretty well early on and—wait, hold up a second," the baseball star stopped himself, as if realizing something. "Makoto…have youseen Kyoko naked yet?"

As that question entered his ears, so many alarms started blaring in Makoto's mind. He felt a bit disgusted that his friend would ask that, but after hearing of the baseball star's 'exploits', he began to wonder if his own ideas about how dating worked might be flawed. At the same time, a little voice in the back of his head told him to be embarrassed, and in the end, the little voice won out.

"W-What?! No, I haven't seen her naked yet!" he shouted, his entire face burning at this point. "I…I haven't…I haven't even…kissed her yet…"

For some reason, admitting that fact brought him even greater shame. It was probably because Sayaka and Leon were so far ahead in their relationship, but more than anything…Makoto felt that it was his own shyness that kept him from even attempting to kiss Kyoko. Would she even let him? She wasn't a huge fan of physical contact. They hadn't really even held hands that much.

Then again, Makoto didn't want to invade her privacy, considering the gloves and all, but was that just an excuse he was using? Should he try and be more direct with her? He always figured that she liked him for who he was, she'd said as much herself! It was the reason he felt like his relationship with her was such a dream. But now, thinking about how much he wanted to get even closer to her…even just holding her hand…and how he'd failed to make a move until now…it filled him with such regret.

In the midst of his depressing thoughts, a hand slapped onto his shoulder, bringing him back to reality. Looking up, he found the overly confident smile of Leon bearing down on him.

"Dude, I think I just discovered the root of your problem! And I know how to fix it!" the ballplayer told him, sparking his interest.

"What's that?" Makoto asked almost nervously, a bit skeptical that Leon truly had the answer.

Chuckling confidently, Leon said to him, "It's simple! All you need to do is…see her naked!"

Only a part of Makoto was shocked by Leon's 'solution' but it was enough for him to visibly flinch at the suggestion. And the more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he became.

"WHAT?! No! That's just…wrong!" he insisted, startling Leon this time.

"What's wrong with wanting to see your girlfriend naked?" the baseball star genuinely asked, confused at how his idea was a bust.

"She's not my…and anyway, no matter how you think about, it's wrong!" Makoto refuted, his features hardening as he expanded on his point. Getting a bit hysterical, he shouted, "I'm…I am not going to go peeping on Kyoko!"

"…Wait, peeping? No, that's not—", a perplexed Leon questioned, groaning as he understood their miscommunication. "Listen, you're on the right track but that's not what I meant! I meant that you need to take it a step beyond that—".

"There's a step beyond peeping?!" Makoto screamed, almost mortified.

"—Yeah, and it usually involves taking pictures but that's not what I meant either!" the baseball star refuted, trying to get him to calm down. "I'm talking about seducing her! Not like anything weird or kinky, just simply seducing her into taking off her clothes!"

A brief moment of silence followed that suggestion before Makoto shouted, "…How is that not kinky?!"

Face palming hard enough it echoed around the room, Leon let out an exasperated groan and said, "Seriously, dude?! I mean, I'm no love expert or anything, but even I know that seducing a woman isn't about being kinky or anything! It's a normal thing that couples do! I did it for Sayaka and look how far I've gotten!"

"Didn't you just say you were pussy-whipped?" Makoto contradicted, still confused.

"Yeah, but that came after the seducing!" Leon fired back, taking a moment to calm down and stop shouting. Once he'd taken a deep breath, he said, "Listen dude, if you're not happy with how your relationship is going right now, there's not a lot I can do. But, I wanna help if I can…so at least let me give you this."

Straightening up, the baseball star went over to his desk and pulled open the bottom drawer. Digging around for a moment, he suddenly called out, "Here it is!", before marching back over to Makoto and handing him a book. It only took one glance at the title for the lucky student to become disillusioned.

Seduction For Dummies: An Idiot's Guide To Seducing The Opposite Sex

"Everything I know about seduction came from that book!" Leon proudly told his friend, which answer so many questions but left many more unanswered. "You can even try the same seduction technique that won over Sayaka's heart! Although you may want something different…Kyoko and Sayaka are two completely different types of girls so you may want to read about the more advanced—".

"N-No way!" Makoto cut him off, unsure of what to do with the book he'd been handed. "I'm…I'm not going to consult some book on how to seduce Kyoko! It just feels…wrong! I should…you know…figure it out for myself and stuff…"

"Ehhh…" Leon sighed, internally debating with himself. Finally, he chose to just say what he thought needed to be said. "I don't know, man. Isn't that kind of thinking what got you into this situation in the first place?"

A noiseless gasp escaped Makoto, those words hanging heavy over him. For a few moments, utter silence filled the room, neither of the boys having the right words to say.

Finally, after what felt like an hour, Leon groaned a bit and said, "Listen, man…you can take the book or not. It's your call. I won't judge you. But I'm sorry, I need to get ready. I don't want to be late for Sayaka's concert…"

"…Right…right. It's cool. I guess that's my cue to go?" Makoto said to him, finally getting up off the floor.

"Sorry, man," Leon apologetically told him, holding up a hand as if asking forgiveness. "If you want, we can talk about this tomorrow or something! Just let me know what you want to do!"

"Sure…that sounds cool," Makoto automatically replied, heading for Leon's door.

As he grasped the knob and opened the door, the lucky student realized that he was still carrying the book Leon had given to him. Staring at it, rereading the title over and over and over again, he felt ashamed even holding such a thing. At the same time…he couldn't stop himself from taking it with him as he left.

As he made his way back to his room, he couldn't help but think about all the things Leon had said to him. But most of all, he couldn't deny how happy Leon and Sayaka were together. Sayaka had even confided in Makoto that she planned to stay with Leon long after their time at Hope's Peak ended, even if it jeopardized her career as an idol. And although he'd never admit it, Makoto was sure that's what Leon wanted too.

Thinking about how much they cared for each other made Makoto realize that he also felt the same…about Kyoko. He wanted to be someone she could be proud of…someone who she could rely on…someone that would be worthy of her. Most of all though…he wanted to be someone she would be happy spending her life with…

And that's why, as he finally made his way back to his dorm room…Makoto came to a decision.

{Kyoko, I need to talk to you ASAP. Come to my room when you have time}

Kyoko Kirigiri stared at the text Makoto had sent her only an hour ago. Although her visage was stoic as always, deep within her lavender eyes was a concern that she rarely showed. After all, Makoto had never made such a request of her, especially not out of the blue like this. As a matter of fact, his behavior recently worried her. He'd been rather distant lately, and she wasn't entirely sure why. At the same time, she didn't need to be a detective to see that something had been troubling him since their date about a month ago. And although she could ponder why, she didn't feel right making assumptions about Makoto's character.

In truth, a part of her worried that he was unsatisfied with their relationship. She had tried to be as supportive as she could be, considering she'd never been in a relationship before, and always tried to put him first…even if she was busy with her investigation more often than not. But lately, it seemed like he was avoiding her…which had only increased her concerns.

However, more than anything else, she knew the kind of person Makoto truly was…a sweet and earnest young man that just wanted everyone to be happy. And that selfless nature of his was what drew her to him…and made her care deeply for him. If nothing else, she knew she could always trust Makoto to be the optimistic person she'd always known him to be.

That's why, as she stood outside his room, ready for whatever he needed to tell her, she felt completely at peace.

"It's Makoto…" she reminded herself with a light smile. "If he wasn't satisfied with our relationship, he would have said something."

Instead of worrying, she put her trust in him, the only person she'd ever really opened up to, and had finished up her last case as quickly as possible in order to come meet him. Knocking three times, she waited for him to open the door.

However, after a few moments of silence, she instead heard him call from within, "It's open! Come on in!"

Immediately, she noted that his tone seemed different…more laid back than when he usually spoke. It was off-putting, but she chocked it up to it being late in the day and him being tired. Even so, as she turned the door handle, her instincts as a detective kicked in and she slowly opened it just a crack, peering inside.

To her surprise, she could barely see anything. His main lights were not on and it was difficult but she could see a faint glow from further within.

Instantly, her guard was up, almost positive she was walking into some kind of trap. Perhaps someone was using Makoto as bait to lure her in? All of a sudden that text message came back to her, and she recalled out strange it was. Makoto never usually asked to speak to her so immediately…she should have realized that. It was possible someone else had used Makoto's phone to entrap her…but who? There were a number of criminals she'd put away due to her investigations, far too many to recount them all. Any one of them could be behind this…

In either case, Kyoko knew she had no choice but to enter. Makoto's life could be at stake, and she wasn't willing to jeopardize his safety. And so, as slowly and carefully as she could, she opened the door enough to slip inside, quietly closing the door behind her.

The first thing she noticed was that there was an assortment of rose pedals on the grounds, leading further into the room and around a corner. The faint glow that barely illuminated the room also originated just around that corner. Even in the faint light, Kyoko could see that some furniture had been moved, more specifically it seemed that Makoto's bed had been repositioned around that same corner.

Unfortunately, Kyoko couldn't make out much else in the dim light, but she knew that most likely the culprit was hiding in the bathroom, considering it was the only place that wasn't within view. Slowly approaching the corner leading to the bathroom, she pulled out her compact and opened it, revealing the small mirror inside. She hardly used it for make-up, but found it quite handy for looking around corners while investigating. Sticking her hand out cautiously, she used the mirror to glance around the corner to where the bathroom was. To her shock, she found the door was open and from what she could tell, no one was inside.

That meant that the culprit wasn't in the bathroom…and instead was holding Makoto hostage around the other corner!

Steeling herself for whatever she saw, she switched to the other side and held out her compact again. Her eyes widened as she saw, in the dim light of the room, Makoto lying atop his own bed…something pressed into his mouth, a gag most likely. With the limited lighting and her tiny mirror, it was impossible to tell if he was alright or not. Not to mention that she couldn't see anyone else present. It was possible they were hiding underneath the bed…waiting to ambush her as she came to Makoto's aid.

Her chest ached as fear for Makoto's safety became her top concern. And if forced Kyoko to realize that, like it or not, she needed to reveal herself. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, the Ultimate Detective hardened her features and stepped out from behind the corner. When she did, a wave of surprise rushed over her.

Makoto Naegi, dressed only in a white bathrobe, was lying atop his bed, rose pedals scattered all around him…with an actual rose clutched between his teeth. The dim light was created by a small desk lamp that had a paper bag over it…giving off a faint glow. The sheets of his bed had been changed too, which were now bright red with hearts shaped pillows completely the set.

The instant Makoto saw her, he winked and said, "Greetings…lover. Would you care too…join me?"

His words were hard to understand…but that was due to the rose in his teeth. Even so, Kyoko immediately understood that she had overreacted to the situation. With clear evidence in front of her, she had no reason to be suspicious any longer.

And even though she was full of questions, she figured it was best to resolve the current situation first before preceding…

The dim lighting Makoto had created with the paper bag was doing him wonders! Not only could the furious blush on his face not be detected in the shallow lighting, but since it made him harder to see, he felt a bit more confident saying the lines he practiced from the book!

Even so, after going through so much preparation and somehow finding the courage to send that text to Kyoko…now that she stood in front of him, stoically staring down at him…somewhere deep down inside, Makoto knew that his worst fears were about to come true.

It had been a full ten seconds since he'd said the line he'd practiced for over an hour, his face still flushed from embarrassment during his practice runs, and yet nothing had happened!

Kyoko merely stood there, continuing to stare at him in the dim light, not speaking a word, judging him for everything she was now seeing. He wished he could see her more clearly, so that he could get a better read on what she was feelings. Somehow, whenever he found the courage to meet her gaze, he was able to somehow know what she was feeling…at least sometimes.

Suddenly, without any warning, Kyoko abruptly turned on a heel and disappeared around the corner…leaving Makoto completely alone in the 'romantic atmosphere' he'd created. Instinctively, he held his hand out, the rose in his teeth falling from his lips as he tried and failed to call out to her…silently begging her not to leave.

Pain unlike any other stung his chest and tears formed in the corners of his eyes. He felt like such an idiot! He'd driven her away! In his vain attempt to be more assertive in their relationship, he'd unintentionally torn them apart! The only girl he'd ever felt a real connection with had just walked away from him, possibly forever! And it was all his fault—

Just then, bright light stung Makoto's eyes and he yelped in surprise as the main lights of his room clicked on. Fighting the stinging sensation in his eyes, the lucky student's vision gradually began to readjust. Rubbing his eyes to clear up his vision, he blinked rapidly as something slowly appeared before him.

To his shock, and possibly horror, Kyoko was already standing at the foot of his bed, her lavender eyes bearing into his hazel irises. A noiseless gasp escaped Makoto as he saw her, feeling all the more embarrassed for his actions. Almost on instinct, the lucky student curled up into a ball, his hands covering his face as he looked back at her between his fingers.

Just as he felt he was going to die from embarrassment, he saw Kyoko move around the side of the bed and take a seat at the edge. Then, much to his shock, she patted the space next to her, silently insisting for him to come and sit next to her. Her face was still completely stoic and he couldn't read her eyes at all, despite being able to see her clearly.

Confusion wrapped itself around Makoto as he struggled with what he should do. He wasn't an idiot…he knew he'd screwed up royally this time! And now…Kyoko was undoubtedly about to calmly and quietly…break up with him. He could already feel his heart crumbling into a thousand pieces…and it was all because of his own incompetence!

He should have expected this…he never should have tried what that stupid book suggested!

A part of him wanted to blame Leon but he just couldn't. The baseball star had only tried to help him…it wasn't his fault that Makoto had picked one of the stupidest seduction techniques the book had to offer! Then again, most of the suggestions were incredibly bold and Makoto hadn't felt confident he could pull most of them off! Maybe he should have gone with the one about inviting your lover to shower with you! That one might have worked at least a little better! But that didn't really matter anymore…

In the end, Makoto knew that it was pointless to deny his fate any longer. And so, despite how painful he knew it was going to be, the lucky student crawled across his bed and sat at the edge next to Kyoko…mentally preparing for the moment she shattered his entire world. He was so terrified that he couldn't even look at her, averting his gaze down to the floor as he waited for her to destroy him.

"Makoto…" she began slowly, making him flinch in preparation. However, he was completely unprepared when she continued, "I want you to tell me what's wrong."

His eyes suddenly widened and he shot his gaze up to her, perplexion warping his features.

"W-What?" was all he could utter, his brain trying to catch up with what she'd said.

Turning toward him, Kyoko knitted her brows as she insisted, "I know that something's been bothering you lately. Would you mind telling me what it is?"

As she interrogated him, he felt a mixture of relieve and anguish. Sure, she hadn't broken up with him yet, but once he told her the whole truth, that's undoubtedly what would happen. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't imagine any other scenario taking place once he explained himself.

Overwhelmed by a flood of emotion, he couldn't stop the tears that feel from his eyes as he averted his gaze and said, "I…I…I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to upset you or anything! I just…I just…"

"I'm not upset."

Her voice cut through his mumblings, her words stunning him into silence. Shooting his gaze up to her, he was shocked to see a genuinely concerned expression marring her beautiful face. It was the first time Makoto had seen such a reaction from her, and it was just as unsettling as it was relieving.

"Y-Y-You're…not?" he whispered, his voice cracking.

"Of course not," she insisted again, her eyes locking with his own. "I am…concerned though. You're not the type of person to plan…something like this. And you've been acting really weird for the past month. Did I do something to upset you?"

"W-What?! No! You haven't done anything wrong!" he insisted, waving his arms frantically.

"I see," Kyoko replied, placing a hand on her chin in thought. For a brief moment, a look of pain flashed in her eyes before she asked, "Makoto…please be honest with me, are you unsatisfied with…our relationship?"

No matter how much he didn't want to, Makoto couldn't stop his eyes from widening and gasping loudly. Kyoko quietly gauged his reaction, obviously noting every little detail. Before he could say anything to defend himself, a deep sigh passed through Kyoko's lips.

"I see…I wish you would have said so sooner," she said stoically, even if the hurt was evident in her lavender eyes. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "If that's the case, perhaps it's best if we don't continue—".

"No, that's wrong!" Makoto abruptly shouted over her, startling the usually stoic detective. Even with the tears stinging his eyes, he firmly met her gaze, a fierce determination taking hold of him. "I'm not unsatisfied being in a relationship with you! These last five months have been like a dream come true and I don't want to lose that…I don't want to lose you! Not now! Not ever!"

The ferocity of his proclamation stunned Kyoko, and for the first time in her life, she struggled to find the right words to say. No one had ever made such a declaration to her…and she couldn't stop her heart from fluttering.

"Makoto…" she whispered, unable to form the proper words to communicate her feelings.

Not finished yet, Makoto took in a deep breath, finally making a choice that he felt should have been obvious in the first place.

"As long as I can continue to be with you, Kyoko…then nothing else matters! I don't care about being the beta in our relationship! If that's what it takes to—!"

"Hold on a second," Kyoko abruptly cut him off, a hint of shock in her voice. Immediately afterward, her visage hardened and she asked, "What this about being a beta?"

At being asked that, Makoto felt all of the confidence he'd just built up suddenly dissipate. He hung his head, feeling more than embarrassed to have said all those things to her…but in the end, he knew he couldn't deny the truth any longer. Lifting his head up, he decided to face her truthfully.

"I'm…I'm the beta in our relationship," he told her, sparking a questioning look from Kyoko. Feeling the need to elaborate, he continued, "I'm the meek one while you're the strong one. You always end up taking care of me instead of me taking care of you."

Now it was Kyoko's eyes that widened, truly shocked by the words coming out of his mouth. However, as he continued, her features slowly began to harden.

"I just…don't think that's fair to you! And I know it can't be easy for you either!" he insisted, taking her steely gaze in stride as he persisted. "I feel bad always putting you in that position! I should be able to do more for you! Honestly…I'm not even sure why you wanted to go out with a loser like me in the first—"

*SLAP*

Makoto's head jerked to the side as Kyoko's gloved hand smacked his face, effectively silencing him. The stinging sensation in his cheek didn't hurt as much as the pain he felt in his chest, having never been slapped by Kyoko before. He knew he'd really messed up now. He knew that she hated whenever he talked about himself like that. And with all of the other issues that had just come up…he was sure it was the final nail in their relationship's proverbial coffin.

Slowly looking back over to her, he saw an absolutely infuriated Kyoko glaring him straight in the eye.

"Makoto…stop talking nonsense."

The same hand that had slapped him suddenly grasped his own, lacing their fingers together before the lucky student even knew what was happening. Makoto was so overwhelmed by the sensation of her gloved hand clutching his own that he lost the will to speak, panting heavily as he tried to comprehend what was happening to him. In the midst of his confusion, Kyoko took the opportunity to continue.

"You are not a beta. A beta isn't someone who is meek in a relationship. It refers to a kind of person who is second-in-command in a relationship of three people. And while the beta is often considered to be the most normal of the three, that in no way describes the kind of person that you are."

As her words rattled around in his ears, Makoto felt simultaneously confused and overjoyed. He was happy that he apparently wasn't a beta, but at the same time, he was confused as to what he would actually be called in their relationship. Not to mention he was still overwhelmed by the fact that Kyoko was still holding his hand!

Seeing the confliction in his eyes, Kyoko gently squeezed his hand, getting him to refocus on her. As their eyes met, she offered him a warm smile, melting his heart instantly.

"Tell me, Makoto, how would it feel if I suddenly told you I thought I was inferior to you?" she posed, earning a startled gasp from him.

"B-But that's crazy!" he protested, leaning closer to her as he shouted, "You're absolutely amazing, Kyoko! You can solve complex crimes that no one else can! You're always looking out for everyone! You're strong and smart and—!"

"And so are you…" she gently cut him off, effortlessly silencing him. Just as he was about to refute her, she continued, "Makoto, you are honest and have a pure heart. Your optimism is inspiring and your hopefully nature is enlightening. I don't know anyone as amazing as you are."

A furious blush erupted on Makoto's cheeks as she praised him, and even though he wanted to refute her, he knew it just wasn't possible. Just hearing that Kyoko had such a high opinion of him made his heart soar and he felt all the more stupid for pulling such a ridiculous stunt. At the same time, his reservations about their relationship hadn't cleared up entirely…

"But…even if I'm not a beta, I'm still the meek one in our relationship…" he confessed, knowing it was better to be honest with her at this point. "It's like I'm the girl and you're the guy in our—".

"Is that what Leon said to you?" Kyoko interjected, a stern look on her face.

"H-How did you know that?!" Makoto stammered, stunned by her conclusion.

"You told me you were going to hang out with him earlier today, remember?" she reminded him, making him feel even more embarrassed. "Anyway…Leon is an idiot."

"Hey, that's not true!" the lucky student tried to defend his friend. "Sure, Leon doesn't have the best grades or anything, but he's not—!"

"That's not what I was talking about," she corrected, letting out a bit of a sigh. Then, with a light smile, she placed her other hand atop their conjoined ones and said, "Just because you're sweet, noble, and kind, it doesn't mean that your meek. Every single person is different and you shouldn't try to be like other people. You're unique, Makoto. You put others ahead of yourself, you fight for what you believe in, and you have the courage to do what needs to be done. If anything, most men are meek compared to you."

Completely stunned by her observation, Makoto slowly shook his head and said, "N-No, that's not it! I'm just a normal guy! I'm not anything special—!"

He was silenced when Kyoko squeezed his hand again, giving her the time she needed to finish, "But you are…even if you can't see it. And that's something that I admire so much about you. You don't have to be anything less than yourself…nothing less than the Makoto that I…care so deeply for…"

Makoto's eyes widened as, for the first time since knowing her, a faint blush stained Kyoko's cheeks. Even though her visage was as stoic as usual, that hint of pink betrayed her, allowing her true feelings to be seen. And for Makoto, it made her look even more beautiful than she ever had before. But more than that, just knowing that she felt so strongly about him…filled him with more joy than he ever thought possible.

At the same time, it also made him realize something very important.

"So then…are you satisfied with our…relationship?" Makoto nervously asked, almost feeling a bit too cliché. "I mean…we've been dating for a long time now and…this is the first time I've ever really held your hand. And I know that you don't really like physical contact—".

"While it's true that I'm not as…physically intimate as other people, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy spending time with you like this," Kyoko admitted, giving his hand another little squeeze. "I just don't feel the need to be in constant physical contact. But…I wouldn't mind occasionally holding hands or walking arm in arm with you…if that's what you mean."

Feeling that he was being a bit pushy, Makoto instantly replied, "I-I don't want to make you do anything you'd feel uncomfortable with though! And if you prefer not to, we don't—".

"Why don't we…just take it slow?" she offered, a light smile adorning her lips. "After all, not all couples show their…affection in the same way. We don't need to rush into getting physically intimate right away. In fact, I prefer to let it happen naturally…"

"Y-Yeah…I think that's for the best," the lucky student agreed, feeling more and more relieved.

"Alright then…" Kyoko said letting her hands linger for a moment before pulling them away.

As she did, even though the warmth of her hands were gone, Makoto couldn't forget the amazing feeling of having her hand intertwined with his own. And even though he missed it, he knew that from this moment on, each time she chose to hold his hand…it would be much more meaningful.

As that happy thought consumed him, he suddenly felt a wave of regret wash over him.

"Ahrg, I feel so stupid now…" Makoto quietly admitted, feeling both embarrassed but relieved at the same time. Kyoko raised an eyebrow at him as he continued, "I can't believe I let this whole thing get to me just because I couldn't pay for dinner or beat up a few bikers—errrh!"

His face twisted in horror as he realized he said that aloud, to which Kyoko furrowed her brows.

"So that's it…" she concluded, closing her eyes in thought. "I had thought that date might have had something to do with it." Snapping her eyes open and unintentionally startling him, she questioned, "Why didn't you tell me about it back then?"

Gulping and averting his gaze, Makoto shyly replied, "I…I was…I was scared! I didn't know what to think after you beat the crap out of those bikers…and then you had to carry me back to the dorms! So…I started to think that…maybe…I was doing something wrong in our relationship—".

"Makoto, let me ask you this," Kyoko posed, interrupting him before he could embarrass himself further. Turning back to her, he stayed silent as she asked, "If the situation had been reversed, and I was the one who had been knocked to the ground…wouldn't you have done everything you could to help me?"

"Of course I would have!" he shouted with no hesitation, clenching his hands into fists. "If anyone tried to hurt you, I'd—!"

"Then why is it so strange that I did so for you?" she interjected again, her voice firm and determined. Not only that, her words also sparked a realization in Makoto. Not quite finished, she continued, "You defended my honor when those bikers tried to hit on me, and when they attacked you, it was only natural that I would come to your aid. Because I knew you would do the same for me. And, as your girlfriend, carrying you back when you were injured was the least I could do—".

"W-Wait! Did…did you just say…girlfriend?" Makoto quietly asked, unsure if he'd heard her right.

With a confused glance, Kyoko answered, "Did you think that after dating for five months I wouldn't be considered your girlfriend?"

"But…but that means…I'm your boyfriend!" the lucky student stammered, furiously pointing at himself.

"Obviously…" she answered, only now piecing together what he meant. "Did you not think that was the case?"

Flushing furiously, Makoto nervously replied, "W-Well, this is my first time in a relationship! I don't know all the rules and stuff! Besides, I haven't even kissed you yet—errrh!"

The lucky student grimaced as he admitted that aloud, his cheeks burning as his face resembled a tomato. Even so, he found that he couldn't tear his eyes away from Kyoko, who chuckled sweetly at his embarrassment. Feeling that she may just be pulling a prank or something, he was about to pass it off as a joke when she suddenly scooted closer to him.

Startled by her newfound closeness, he was completely unprepared as she sweetly whispered, "I wouldn't be opposed to it…if you wanted."

Makoto was utterly shocked by not only her forwardness, but that fact that she was placing the decision in his hands. At the same time, he recalled their conversation just a moment ago.

"D-Didn't you just say w-we should…take it slow?" he said carefully, not wanting to refuse but also wanting to be sure he wasn't overstepping his boundaries.

A light chuckle escaped her and she smiled warmly as she answered, "It's been five months. I think we've waited long enough for this at least…"

Makoto gulped, feeling even more pressure than before. Knowing her, Kyoko would easily have the courage to kiss him…but she wanted him to be the one to kiss her. Whether it was to make up for unintentionally emasculating him on their date or just because she wanted to prove that she viewed him as an equal, he couldn't say. But in either case, he didn't care. He wasn't going to waste this chance!

Very slowly, Makoto place his hands on both her shoulders, easing her toward him. Kyoko's smiled widened and leaned in ever so slightly, giving him the opportunity to make the final move. Swallowing a nervous lump in his throat, Makoto closed his eyes and leaned in, pressing his lips against her own.

A surge of joy erupted from within Makoto as he felt her ease into the kiss, her soft lips lightly pressing against his own. After what felt like ages but was really only a moment, they pulled apart. Opening his eyes, Makoto saw Kyoko was still smiling up at him, making his heart leap with joy.

"So…was it everything you imagined?" she teased, placing her hands on his own shoulders, keeping him from getting too far away.

Rather than be embarrassed, Makoto let out the lightest of chuckles and said, "Better."

He leaned into her again, capturing her lips in another passionate kiss. This time, however, they both wrapped their arms around each other and enjoyed the moment, feeling the warmth of each other's presence surrounding them. Pulling back and gasping for air, Makoto flinched as Kyoko rested her forehead against his own, but quickly smiled.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until the detective girl asked, "Makoto…would it be alright if I stayed with you tonight?"

Although a bit startled by her sudden request, Makoto couldn't deny he was excited about the idea. "S-Sure! I mean…if you want to. I don't want to do anything you're uncomfortable with."

This time, it was Kyoko that leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips before saying, "You did go through all the trouble of setting up this romantic atmosphere. I'd hate to let it go to waste."

Realizing she was slightly messing with him, the lucky student chuckled and said, "…I guess I did, didn't I?"

Reluctantly letting her pull away from him, Makoto watched as she slowly got up and headed around the corner. At the same time, Makoto stood up, took off his bathrobe to reveal that he was wearing boxers underneath the entire time, and quickly picked up a shirt to better cover himself.

A moment later, the main lights of the room clicked off, leaving only the dim light from his lamp to guide them. Makoto heard a bit of shuffling as he lay back down on his bed, and was shocked when Kyoko reappeared from around the corner. She had discarded her leather jacket and tie, and her heeled boots were nowhere to be found. She made her way over to the bed and effortlessly lay herself down next to him.

Without a word, they reached out and embraced each other, pressing their foreheads together as they snuggled close. Slowly opening his eyes, Makoto saw Kyoko giving him a serious expression.

"Makoto…I realize that I can seem rather cold at times, and I apologize for that," she said carefully before letting a light smile decorate her lips. "But…I want you to know that…I truly appreciate having you in my life."

As her words reverberate in his ears, Makoto felt all of his worries concerning his relationship with Kyoko completely vanish. It no longer mattered if he was the 'meek' one, and it didn't matter that she was the 'strong' one. Their relationship was complicated…and yet so simple. As long as they enjoyed the pleasure of each other's company, then nothing else mattered.

For the first time in a while, Makoto let a hopeful smile decorate his lips as he answered, "No need to apologize…"

Hearing that, Kyoko's smile widened and she finally let her eyes rest. "Thank you…Makoto."

As she slowly allowed herself to fall asleep, Makoto had a sudden realization. Kyoko always kept her guard up, never letting anyone see through her stoic visage. But now, lying in bed with her, he realized that she was allowing him to see the tiniest bit of vulnerability…and that she was entrusting herself to his care, even if only for one night.

Knowing that she held him in such high regard was enough to make him forget all of his other worries, and he allowed himself to drift off to sleep next to her…proud to be her boyfriend.

The next morning, in the cafeteria, Leon sat next to Sayaka as they both enjoyed their breakfast. Well, actually, Leon had just put the finishing touches on an amazing sandwich and hadn't even taken a single bite when, out of the corner of his eye, the baseball star spotted Makoto and Kyoko entering the cafeteria together.

Reaching a hand up, he shouted, "Yo, Makoto! Kyoko! Over here!"

Taking note of his shouting, Makoto and Kyoko made their way over to them. However, they elected not to sit down, a fact that puzzled the baseball star.

"Good morning, Makoto! You too, Kyoko!" Sayaka beamed as they approached, her smile as dazzling as always.

"Morning, Sayaka!" Makoto greeted, a bright smile on his lips.

"Good morning," Kyoko stoically greeted, her voice just a bit more chipper than usual. Before proper conversation could get underway, the Ultimate Detective glanced at the pop idol and said, "Excuse me, Sayaka. But can I have a moment of your time?"

A perplexed look overtook Sayaka's face for a moment before she shrugged and stood up, smiling. "Sure. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Actually, there is…" Kyoko began leading her away from the boys, giving them time to chat.

Once the girls were at safe distance away, Leon slung his arm around Makoto's shoulder and said, "Dude, you're all smiles today! I guess that means thing went well?"

A light chuckle escaped Makoto as he answered, "Something like that…yeah."

"Well, don't spare me any details, man!" Leon insisted, a bit too eager. "Tell me what happened!"

"Sorry…but I can't. It's between me and Kyoko." Even as he said that, a mischievous smirk crossed the lucky student's face. "But I can tell you one thing…"

Trying not to feel intimidated by his usually docile friend, Leon confidently asked, "Oh yeah? What's that?"

Staring him straight in the eyes, Makoto proudly answered, "I am Kyoko's boyfriend. And she is my girlfriend. That's all there is to it!"

Before Leon had any time to respond, Sayaka and Kyoko returned, both of them sharing the same eerie smile. At the same time, Makoto held out his arm and Kyoko pleasantly hooked onto him. Smiling to each other, they headed for the cafeteria exit without even getting a bite to eat.

Although thoroughly confused by that interaction, Leon merely shrugged as he and Sayaka sat back down to eat. Just as the baseball star reached out for his sandwich, the pop idol latched onto his arm and scooted his sandwich away from his grasp.

"Whoa, whoa, Sayaka, babe! A man's gotta eat, ya know?" he protested until he glanced over and saw her staring at him. His eyes widened as, even though she was smiling at him, there was an unmistakable fury burning behind her eyes.

"So, Leon…" Sayaka said almost too pleasantly, her grip on his arm tightening preventing him from escaping. "What's this I hear about you lending Makoto a certain book about…seduction?"

A loud gasp escaped Leon as he realized that his fate was sealed…

The End

Greetings, my beautiful readers! This story started out as just a fun little thing to write but I really enjoyed it! It's always fun to write a nice Naegiri story and I hope to have a few more sometime in the future!

Also, a special note for anyone who has finished the DR 3 anime: Hope has shone through!

Anyway, we all know that Makoto is kind of meek in his own right, but I wanted to show that there was nothing wrong with that. Just as Kyoko said, there is nothing wrong with being a sensitive man. In fact, if that's the way you truly are, it's worse to try and disguise it. So, I snuck in a life lesson and no one even realized it…not even me!

Please leave a review/comment to tell me what you think of the story. I had a lot of fun writing it, so I would like to hear everyone's opinion of it! Until next time, keep on smiling, my beautiful readers!