[Hajime doesn't respond immediately. In some ways, he really can't -- doesn't know what to say, how to react. There's a cold rush of fear at what Nagito's malice could do in a base like this.]
[ Outside Hinata's room sits a box. The box is wrapped in ornate purple wrapping paper and a big dumb pink bow-- it looks like it was wrapped by Lisa Frank. It has holes poked in the sides, however, hinting that whatever is inside might just be alive! Attached to the package is a note in Roxy's trademark color: ]
congrats u been visited by the meowcat fairy! her name is countess cocoapuffs n her favorite color is pink plz take care of this meowcat shes as cute n sweet as u <3 - rolal xoxoxo
[Hajime doesn't immediately open the box, in spite of how cute and welcoming it is. The air holes on the side kind of make him nervous?? What if a meowcat is not just a normal cat...
So in short order, he's going to try calling her communicator with no small amount of exasperation in his voice.]
[His device is getting texted during his investigation at Amity Island.]
Hello Hajime, I Do Hope Your Investigation Has Gone Smoothly So Far If It Is Not To Much Trouble Me And Nagito Require Your Assistance With A Console We Found It Has What Appears To Be A Map Of The Whole Planet On It So We Are Attempting To Find A Way To Download It I Have Sent A Request To Dirk As Well If Either Of you Could Come And Assist Us It Would Be Highly Appreciated
[It appears that Komaeda has aquired a friend??? Maybe?]
[That was easy enough! Though Hajime really doesn't know how he's supposed to help, especially if Dirk's likely going to be going, too? The most Hajime himself can do is poke at buttons and hope they look somewhat similar to what he's used to.
And... he's a little glad Nagito's found someone to investigate with, too. And feels a little bad for Kanaya, on top of it, because having Nagito as an investigation partner is certainly... an experience.]
i left a present for you outside your door. i figure since you're living with a girl you should have the first crack at what makoto and i are working on.
[outside his door Hinata will find: some homemade deodorant and soap. the packaging could be a lot better, but they both smell much nicer than the seaweed versions found on the ship]
[Wow this is. Wow. At first, Hajime's actually incredibly appreciative, because this does smell nice? Seaweed might be good for eating, but he can't say he's the biggest fan of smelling like it.
It's not until he's taking out his communicator to respond back to the message that the second implication hits him, and his expression shifts from impressed to deadpan.]
NUMBER ONE!! sorry i'm late (っ˘̩╭╮˘̩)っ i just got back though! the base looks really nice, everyone has been working so hard to make it better! i'm very glad!!!
[It's a few seconds before Hinata responds. Though Makoto can't see him on the other side of the screen, it's with genuine confusion that he texts back,]
what are you talking about tachibana?
[This... is Makoto's communicator, right? No one stole it from him and is pranking him or something? Since precious Makoto would never do such a thing.]
so i remembered somethin today you sayin theres someone you like well i just wanted you to know how grateful i am for a friend like you im sorry i got my feels all over you that night and acted gross you were so patient with me and so INTENSE swoon swoon swoooooooooOOOOON ahem i hope the girl u like likes u back and that u get a happy end youre a great guy hinata no one deserves it more than u <3
you don't have anything to thank me for or apologize for if you insist on being grateful for something like that, you have to know that i'm just as grateful to have a friend like you, too
[ hajime is currently outside at the island they build around the base, sitting at the beach. it's a nice day out, after all. and she wanted to introduce the newest member of her notebook collection to the sunshine! completely unironically. ]
[Of course it's the other Hajime, literally no one else calls him Number One. He has his hands occupied taking apart a drone, but it's easy enough to talk on the communicator at the same time.]
[Hinata doesn't usually turn his communicator off. He tends to keep it at a low volume so it doesn't disturb any of his roommates, but it's on all the same. The light more than anything wakes him up, the notification sound dimly ringing in his ears as he cracks one eye open to try to read it.]
Roxy...?
[it's a sleepy mumble more to himself as he makes a grab for his communicator, misses, and then gets it on the second try. he stifles a yawn as he texts back a simple,]
[Komaeda does at least have the decency to hand this over in person, however awkward that might be. It's given at or around midnight baring interrupting any other activities that might be going on. What he hands over is a simple item warped in a cloth neatly. Sadly where Komaeda had the decency to hand it over in person, he does not have the decency to actually say Happy Birthday.
Whenever Hinata opens it he will find it is a book.
The book is heavily annotated with commentary and probing questions. Lines are underlined and theories voiced. Several of the comments are purposefully misleading, aimed to reach a different conclusion. It would be easy to assume he was just trying to make the story harder to solve, especially when it was obvious he was trying to get the story solved before the end pages. However, in those comments that mislead are the keys to the code he has embedded in the book. The code is a combination of underlined passages and his own commentary, generally what is needed is an unwritten answer.
Once uncovered, the encrypted message is a simple “Happy Birthday Hinata Hajime”
But it does not stop there. The encrypted message serves as a key to find another message. “I hope you enjoy this gift. Originally there was something I had wanted to tell you, but that doesn't matter anymore. I Hope that this New Year will bring a bright and fortunate future, and that you also have a bright and fortunate year.
“I'm not sure how old you will be, do you think we missed our coming of age ceremonies?”
But! That isn't all! Using the new message, and the book along with the previous message a new message is revealed!
“I worked really hard to make this interesting, so I hope you appreciate it. Though, if you find it annoying you can give it back. Just don't throw it away, that's a crime to do to a book. I suppose at this point I could reveal some sort of dark hidden secret, but, I don't have anymore. I am however sorry to have caused trouble. Please enjoy this story, I found it rather gripping myself.”
There are no further messages, however there are a lot of red herrings.]
[Hinata will accept the gift without opening it, because opening it immediately seems like it would be greedy and rude? He genuinely does seem surprised to receive a gift, though; hopefully the wide, honest smile is enough to sate Komaeda's worries to start?
He finishes the book in a matter of hours, solving the clues, circling the red herrings and drawing a little face next to them as if to say "really, you thought that would fool me?" But not just that, he responds to every comment as well, giving his own thought process as he works his way through the book and the other assorted codes.
Eventually, once finished, he comes to find Komaeda again with a smile.]
I've finished. This was really interesting, Komaeda... thanks.
[That's the highest praise he can offer, and he holds the book out for the other boy to take.]
I made some notes myself. I thought you might want to take a look.
[No hidden codes, though. Just his own commentary squeezed into the margins along with Komaeda's.]
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