MangaMaid's Notes: WARNING! This is a 'what if' fic set after episode 10 of the Despair Arc of Dangan Ronpa 3. If you haven't watched episode 10, I don't suggest reading this because SPOILERS. If you have, then please continue on. ALSO, please note, Chiaki is calling Izuru 'Hinata' because that's how it is in the Despair Arc.

Pain. That was the first thing Chiaki was aware of and it confused her. Hadn't she died after talking to Hinata? She had been bleeding out from being impaled and felt herself growing cold as she talked to him. But, if this was where souls went after they died, why did it hurt? Wasn't she supposed to be free of pain now that she was dead? Slowly, as if surfacing out of the inky blackness that was unconsciousness, she opened her eyes.

To her surprise, she was in a room of sorts. If she could call it a room. In actuality, it reminded her more of waking up in a prison cell, like she had at the start of multiple games. Glancing around, she saw that the room was completely empty of furniture save for the one bed she was on. It was dark, with no lights except one coming from what she guessed was the door, but she could also make out an IV stand on her left that was in her arm. Empty blood transfusion bags were scattered on the floor next to the IV.

"You're awake."

Chiaki looked up to see Hinata in the doorway, watching her with the familiar and yet unfamiliar eyes he now had. After a moment, he walked forward until he was next to her bedside.

It took a moment for Chiaki to get her voice to work and when she did it sounded raspy. "Hinata… where… where am I?"

"This is my room." He answered, his voice in the same bored tone that he used now.

"Your room?" She blinked her confusion. "What… Why am I here?"

"It was the one place I could work in relative peace without Enoshima's interference." He paused, as if he had heard something and moved back to shut the door, plunging the room in total darkness. There was a long minute of silence and Chiaki's eyes adjusted a bit to the dark before she heard his footsteps coming back to her. "She thinks I have taken your body to dispose of it."

"You saved me?" Chiaki asked. Hinata didn't answer, so she decided to ask another question. "What about Instructor Chisa? The others? Are they okay?"

"They have succumbed to despair."

"What?" Chiaki felt fear flood her. "Then we have to save them!" She started to move only for firm hands to keep her in place.

"You cannot do that."

"But-!"

Hinata cut her off. "You are still injured from what happened to you. Your body must have the proper time to heal. If I were to let you go at this moment, Enoshima would destroy you."

"But I can't let them suffer… I have to save them!"

"You cannot do anything for them at this moment," Hinata replied, his voice firm. "You are too weak to face Enoshima."

Sadness welled up inside her as she understood his words and tears trickled down her face. It was like trying to take on the final boss while she was still at too low of a level to even survive. The words stung, but she knew it was true. However, there had to be a way for her to help.

"I don't understand you or your motivation to save others so much. However…" Hinata paused. "If they are that important to you, I will watch over them for you until you are ready to face Enoshima."

Wiping away her tears, she looked up at the dark shape that was Hinata. "Hinata… Why are you doing this for me?"

"This world is boring to me. I can predict people and their actions just by looking at them. But you… you are different. You gave me feelings other than boredom. When you fell unconscious, I felt regret and sadness and a desire to save you. I do not understand it myself." His head swiveled towards the door and he said, "Someone's coming to look for me. I will have to go see what Enoshima wants with me. Stay quiet and stay put. Try to sleep."

Chiaki nodded her agreement. Before Hinata left, he took her left hand in his. "One day, Nanami, you and I will play games again. Look forward to that future." His fingers pressed something into her hand before he let go and left the room.

Touching the item in her hand, Chiaki smiled a little as she felt her eyes begin to droop. "Look to the future? Okay... I will, Hinata. But... you better show me your very best run... when we do play again."

Hours later, when Izuru Kamukura would finally return to his room, he'd find Chiaki Nanami asleep on his bed, the Gala Omega hairpin he'd returned to her still tightly held in her left hand.

Ending Comments: Yup. There's that. Anyways, enjoy and tell me what you think! Also, what happened to Chiaki was not okay. It really was not.

*UPDATE* 9/16/2016: I have gotten enough asks that I am seriously considering changing this from a one-shot to a full fledged chapter story. HOWEVER! If that happens, it will not be until both Future Arc and Despair Arc have finished, so I can see whether or not a continuation is necessary. Once that's done, if I decide it needs continuing, I will change the story to incomplete and post the next chapter. So, we'll see how the arcs play out.