There's a thin line between love and hate. Fuyuhiko knows that. But why does that saying have to apply to him, and why does Teruteru Hanamura have to be involved?
Anger, Denial, and Chocolate Cake
is a Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair fanfiction written by SilkyinaBottle on Archive of Our Own. The plot follows Fuyuhiko Kuzuryuu, who frequently distances himself from his fellow classmates and gags in the face of romance. His polar opposite seems to be Teruteru Hanamura, best known for his cheesy pick-up lines and his tendency to never leave others alone. When Hanamura oversteps his boundaries, Fuyuhiko doesn't hesitate to tell him off... but he's a little taken aback when Hanamura runs off crying.
The story, in its most simple description, is a What If? scenario as to how Kuzuryuu and Hanamura could become friends, and eventually more. It focuses heavily on how Kuzuryuu is out-of-touch with his own emotions, and several of Hanamura's traits that tend to get overlooked.
This fanfiction provides examples of:
- Aborted Declaration of Love: Heavily implied to be what Hanamura really wanted to tell Kuzuryuu in chapter 9.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: Subverted. The love confessions in chapter 13 and 16 are realistically subdued and nowhere near as dramatic as expected.
- Beta Couple: Peko and Chihiro.
- First-Name Basis: Kuzuryuu and Hanamura, from chapter 7 onwards.
- Five Stages of Grief: The title suggests this will eventually come into play. This seems to be the theme of the second act.
- He Is Not My Boyfriend: Quite often with Kuzuryuu and Hanamura, usually in response to Peko or Natsumi.Hanamura: We're not dating; never will be. [He proceeds to feed Kuzuryuu with his chopsticks.]Peko: You were saying?
- Locked Out of the Loop: Peko expresses disdain in chapter 14 for being treated this way.Peko: Why can't you tell me anything anymore? Do you not trust me? Is this not enough for you? Do I need to try harder?
- Love Epiphany: Kuzuryuu has a mild one in chapter 10. It's not that he doesn't realize he's in love, it's that the realization isn't as sudden and shocking as expected.
- Noodle Incident: Apparently Hanamura went into the girls' bathroom once, which ended with Koizumi chasing him down the hall with a hairbrush. Hanamura claims that Leon tricked him into it.
- Not So Stoic: Peko in chapter 14. Damn.
- Platonic Life-Partners: Kuzuryuu and Peko. At the beginning of the story, Hanamura is completely convinced the two of them are secretly dating, something that makes Kuzuryuu very upset.[Peko's] like a sister to him, so just the thought of them being romantically involved makes him feel nauseous (okay, the thought of being romantically involved with anyone makes him feel nauseous, but it’s important to note that Peko is not an exception).
- Practice Kiss: Kuzuryuu and Hanamura try this in chapter 10, ending with a Love Epiphany on Kuzuryuu's side.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Peko, of all people, gives one of these to Kuzuryuu in chapter 11.Peko: Then why did you do it (kiss Hanamura)? Your whole life, you've done nothing but push other people away. You've always found distaste at the very idea of romance, and now you expect me to think that you kissing someone isn't a big deal.
- Relationship Upgrade: Peko and Chihiro sometime before chapter 11, and Kuzuryuu and Hanamura in chapter 16.
- Shipper on Deck: Both Peko and Natsumi seem to be this towards Kuzuryuu and Hanamura.
- Chihiro too, as of chapter 12.
- Shout-Out:
- It's outright stated in chapter 3's author's note that the students are reading Lord of the Flies.
- The beginning of chapter 7 mentions Sonia drawing a "faceless tentacle guy" in the back of her notebook.
- Kuzuryuu and Chihiro play Super Smash Bros. in chapter 12.
- Transparent Closet: Kuzuryuu is this by chapter 6, at least to the reader.
- Wham Episode: Chapter 15. Natsumi ends up in the hospital after being attacked by Satou, Teruteru gives Fuyuhiko a chocolate cake (referencing the title), and the chapter ends with Fuyuhiko finally deciding what he's going to do about the whole mess.
