"Hey, Tadashi. You there?"
"…Hiro, I was in class. Did you need something?"
"Oh, sorry. Um, when can I call you back?"
"In an hour, I guess. Are you lonely? Hug Mochi for me, alright, kiddo?"
"Right. I will."
Click.
"Hiro! You didn't call me back."
"Oh, sorry. What time is… oh, wow. I lost track of time."
"Lost track of time? Doing what?"
"Oh, you know. Building robots and stuff."
"Cool. My little brother's still building awesome inventions?"
"They're not that cool compared to yours."
"Haha, Hiro that's - shoot, Honey needs me. Call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay.
Click.
"Hi, Hiro! How are you?"
"Good. You?"
"Good. Hey, you're not staying out late, are you?"
"Huh? No. Why?"
"There's been reports of bot-fights and… well, normal fights, I guess. The police have been catching them all over the city."
"Wow. That sucks."
"It does. Be safe, bro."
"I will."
Click.
"Hey, Hiro! How's school going?"
"Good, I guess…?"
"Good as in… good grades? Making friends?"
"Um, I graduated. Last year. You know?"
"What?! But you just went to high school last year!"
"Yeah. Senior level."
"Oh man, why didn't Aunt Cass tell me anything? Usually she brings the whole neighborhood to stuff like that!"
"Uh…"
"Hiro…"
"I may or may not be pretending to still be in school."
"Really?"
"What? Come on, she literally brings the whole neighborhood. I didn't want that at my graduation."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you knew."
"I'm so sorry, Hiro-"
"No, it's fine. Gotta go."
"Wait-"
Click.
"Hiro! Guess what? I'm moving back home next semester!"
"Uh-huh… What?"
"Isn't that awesome? I've missed you so much!"
"Right. That's cool."
"Hiro? Is anything wrong?"
"Nope. Uh… How far away is next semester?"
"In a week."
"Oh. Wow. Hey, bro, I've got to help Aunt Cass out in the store, and clean out the room, and… Yeah. Talk to you later!"
"Alright, see you soon!"
"Haha, yeah…"
Click.
"Hiro…"
"Uh, wrong number."
"Hold on hold on hold on, I did not get the wrong number. Hiro, where are you at three o'clock in the morning?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I got to come home earlier than I thought, and you're not here. Wait, is that cheering in the background?"
"Look, I gotta go. I'll explain later."
"Hiro Hamada, don't you dare hang up-"
Click.
"Hiro."
"Yeah?"
"Open up."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I know you're in the closet."
"I'm what?"
"You can't hide. You're bot-fighting, aren't you? I found the wad of money beneath your bed."
"And?"
"And what?"
"And what else did you find? I could've earned that from a side job I didn't tell you guys about."
"Look, Hiro, you don't have a job. I know this for a fact so if you don't open up right now you're grounded."
"So if I open up now I'm good?"
"No."
"Right. Bro, I'm not in the closet. I'm in the attic."
"…I knew that. Don't move."
"I'm moving."
"Don't go anywhere."
"Oh wow. The lights of the city are beautiful at night."
"Are you on the roof?!"
"Well, no, technically I'm crawling down the pipe right now…"
"Hiro!"
"Don't worry, Mochi's right below me."
"Like that makes it all better."
"It does. I bet he's fat enough to cushion my fall."
"That would kill the poor cat. I'm in the attic. Oh my god, how did you get that far already?"
"Practice, bro. Practice. See ya!"
"Agh! Hiro!"
Click.