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For some reason, everyone thinks he and Nagito are close. It's a strange thing, really - he can't see it, but maybe it's because he's not an outside observer? Or maybe because they're delusional, there's no "closeness" for them to see.
"Hey, Hajime, where's Nagito? You two usually come here at the same time," Kazuichi noted as Hajime entered the restaurant.
"Because we usually leave our rooms at the same time," Hajime returns. "Guess he didn't wake up as early this time."
There's a few quiet murmurs as Teruteru brought out the meals. Hajime thought this was worth addressing, really - 'this' being why Kazuichi thought Nagito's presence at his side was normal. "Why is it so odd?" he asked.
"Uh, well, you guys are... Close, you know," Kazuichi said. He blinked at Hajime, like he was the dumb one here. "I figured, hey, if you'd decided to walk together by choice every day instead of by chance, it wouldn't be too weird..."
As much as Hinata hates thinking of their time... There... And he does, he really does, he has to bring it up. "Well, I don't think we're that close. I mean, I don't know if he still means it, but... He did once say he hated me, so..."
He trails off and sees everyone's absolutely stunned expressions.
"When'd he say that to you?!" Fuyuhiko asks.
Hajime hesitates before mumbling out, "The simulation."
Everyone gives him deadpan looks.
"Hajime, we were hardly... Ourselves," Sonia says slowly. "I do not think you can fault him for that."
"I did not even know that had occurred," Peko notes.
Hajime clears his throat, "Well, uh, you weren't... There, Peko."
Peko bristles, but nods her understanding. "...I see. What happened, if you do not mind my asking?"
"Hey, yeah, I wanna know too!" Kazuichi puts in. "If it's still bugging ya, you shouldn't let it fester!"
Hajime fiddles with his shirt sleeve, hesitating a good moment before starting, "Well, he was in the hospital-"
"W-Wait," Mikan cuts him off, her eyes wide. "Th-this was when h-he had the Despair D-Disease?"
Hajime nods, confused as to why she would interrupt, as she'd been there at the time. Had been treating him. "...Yes. You were in the on-call room." He doesn't elaborate as to what she was doing there, and he doesn't need to, as Ibuki flinches just from the implication.
"...Hajime, do you remember what variant of the Despair Disease Nagito had at the time?" Fuyuhiko asks, his voice tinged with barely-held-back rage. It makes Hinata hesitate.
"Um..." He thinks for a moment. "I think it was the Liar-"
"The Liar's Disease," Fuyuhiko snaps. "And he said he hated you while he had it."
"Y-yes?"
One by one, all of his companions who weren't present during the fiasco realize what Hajime must clearly be missing. They all look at him incredulously, as though he's gone quite possibly insane.
"Hajime, I do not mean to be rude, but what the hell is your problem?" Sonia asks flatly, her face confused and voice slightly irritated. As though Hajime was being a burden here!
"W-wait, what's going on?! What are you all understanding that I'm not?!"
His friends all groaned.
"Dude," Kazuichi says, very patiently, like he's a 3-year-old learning shapes, "what's the opposite of hate?"
"Wha- It's love, obviously. Why would you-"
He stops.
Realizes.
"...Oh."
And then, right as his entire world is being torn apart from the ground up, Nagito enters the restaurant. "Hey guys sorry I'm la-..." He stops short when he sees everyone staring at him. "...Ah, should I leave? Of course I should, right? Sorry for even having to-"
"I think we just outed you to Hajime," is Fuyuhiko's bland comment.
Nagito blinks.
"Huh?"
"He did not make the connection," Sonia says, "between you saying you hated him, and having the Liar's Disease in the simulation. He genuinely thought you had hated him."
Nagito blinks again. Stares at Hajime. Hajime blushes.
"...It took you this long to realize that?"