Another Meeting with a Friend

Fortunately for Makoto's psyche, classes were largely the same at Hope's Peak. While not being required to go, Makoto found both an obligation and a calming exercise in attending (at least when his girlfriends weren't flirting with him). He wasn't even flustered the first day when he saw they were an all female class, seeming to grasp that particular 'fact' of reality. However, things get complicated one day after class when Byakuko strolls up to him with...her usual confidence. "Naegi-san, I have proposition for you."

"Not so fast, Byakuko. Mako-kun won't talk to you unless I'm there, I won't let him be tricked into anything."

"I hadn't planned on it, but sure. Follow me." They go her room, which is richly decorated, but no one cares about that as the heiress locks the door. "I'll get to the point. I'm aware of your title, how would you like to be my executive assistant?"

"Woah, what brought this on?" Byakuya had offered him a job in the past, but he'd always figured it was a joke judging by how much he seemed to hate him at the time.

"Was I not obvious? You're the Ultimate Lucky Student. Your mere presence brings good luck. Business is by and large a game of skill, but some make or break moments come down to luck. I need it with me while I work."

"So, you want to use Makoto for your personal gain?" Kyoko was not happy with the prospect of anyone taking her boyfriend away for non-romantic reasons. Byakuko only sighed.

"I hate that word: 'use'. It implies that anyone that works for me is simply a tool I couldn't care less about, that I wouldn't hesitate to replace. The Togami Group is not some black company only existing for the sake of profit. I may not know all my employees names, but only because the sheer number would astound you. Some of the inventions we are currently pursuing have massive life saving potential, but development costs capital and there's no guarantee it will work the first time. On top of all of that, all employees, especially the ones that work directly for me, are paid handsomely. So no, I am not 'using' your boyfriend, I am offering him an opportunity to put his talent to use."

"As your secretary?"

"No, as the luck that possibly lead to a miraculous breakthrough to benefit mankind."

"So you say."

"Have I given any reason to doubt my motives?" Maybe not in this timeline.

"Have you given any proof that you actually hold the lofty ideals you've espoused?" Makoto watched them go back and forth, but snapped as the argument devolved into screaming.

"STOP!" They did. "Kyoko-chan, I think we should talk." He nodded toward the door, and once it was unlocked they couple stepped outside. "Kyoko, what are you doing?"

"Stopping you from being used. Don't you remember how Byakuya treated you?! And that was just the things he said to your face." Kyoko was quietly angry at anything resembling the heir of their past, including his female self.

"But this isn't him, it's Byakuko." Makoto's optimism shone through with his words; he truly believed she was different.

"Just because someone changes genders and names doesn't make them a better person..."

"But it's more than that. This is the 'ideal' version of Byakuya, who knows what she's like now?"

"I'm still not convinced."

"You don't have to be, I'll just say yes." He produced the Rulebook. "We could always go back and say no."

"Or I could make her go bald."

"No, you couldn't." He was of course, firmly against such measures. It's not often that he explicitly told Kyoko she couldn't do something, but she wasn't angry at all. In fact, she kissed him passionately. When the kiss broke, Makoto was in his flustered state. "What was that for?"

"You're just so hot when you're assertive. I wish we were old enough to have sex right now."

"One step at a time."