Thanks for reading! This story is the third of four one-shot spin-offs/sequels to my (very) long fic called "The Forgotten," but I think it works as a standalone as well (and you don't have to have read the previous two one-shots, "Typhoon" and "Haunted," or the following one). (If it's confusing at all, please don't hesitate to tell me!) It takes place in an alternate universe; specifically, a boarding school called Re Academy (heh) for troubled children.
Also, although in canon Shio Ihei and Yusa Arima are more distantly related to Hairu and Arima respectively, for the sake of simplicity, in this universe they are siblings.
Re Academy's still in one piece? Any runaways? Any steel beams crushing anyone? Chlorine gas?
Kimi laughs as she looks at the texts from Nishiki flooding her phone. The worst thing she's seen today is Shirazu's case of the flu, which means, Kimi presumes, that everyone in Dorm Block 20 will soon be infected even though they're keeping Shirazu away from everyone else by confining him to the nurse's station's sick ward.
Kimi wants to be a doctor, and in addition to her university courses, Dr. Shiba is allowing her to shadow Banjou at the nurse's station at the boarding school she graduated from last year, Re Academy, for a few weekends. Banjou's always happy to see her, and she likes checking in on their friends who are still here.
"What if I miss my midterms?" Shirazu asks.
"Would that be a bad thing?" Kimi quips, doling out paracetamol.
"It's good practice for university exams," Shirazu retorts.
"The teachers will let you make them up, Ginshi," Banjou assures him, shoving a bottle of water at Shirazu. "Drink. You need to keep yourself hydrated."
"Don't worry," Kimi says. "You're smart, Shirazu. You'll get in to a good school. How's Haru?"
Shirazu's sweaty face breaks into a smile. "Doing better. She might start school here next year, if her treatment keeps working."
Kimi grins, adjusting the mask over her mouth.
"How is college?" Shirazu rasps as Banjou gets to his feet, throwing out the thermometer strip.
"Fun," Kimi answers. She and Nishiki are talking about moving in together next year.
"But you keep coming back here."
"Because Re Academy gives me the opportunity," Kimi says. "And we like checking in on you guys."
Shirazu rolls his eyes.
It's also fascinating to see what Re's becoming under Marude and Arima's leadership. Growing up, Kimi always knew of it as the school where delinquents and orphans were sent because society didn't want to deal with them. Being sent there after her family died was like a second blow. But since the Washuus were removed from leadership, Principal Marude and Dean Arima actually seem to be interested in protecting the kids in their care, ensuring futures for them, finding opportunities for the kids to recover, to thrive. They've formed partnerships with several local restaurants and coffee shops for juniors and seniors who've earned the privilege to work there once or twice a week, and they've started a tutoring program for adults in the community who want to take their equivalency exams, and a peer tutoring program for older kids to mentor and help tutor younger students.
Having Re Academy on your resume will follow you for the rest of your days, Kimi was once told.
I don't mind anymore, she thinks.
"You're free to go, Kimi," Banjou tells her.
"Gonna have a wild Sunday night?" grumbles Shirazu, loping towards the sick ward.
Kimi rolls her eyes as she washes her hands in the sink. "I'm going to study."
"Sexy," Shirazu says sarcastically.
Kimi smirks. It might be, because she and Nishiki will be studying together. She exits the nurse's station and heads towards the gates. On my way, she texts Nishiki.
Hooray, he responds. The soccer match we're watching sucks. We're losing terribly. Amon will never let us live this down because his university's team's winning.
Kimi snorts. Even though they've graduated and are attending different universities, they've stayed in close touch with Amon, Akira, Takizawa, Tsukiyama, Karren, Kaneki, and Touka.
A cold breeze rubs her face raw. She pulls up her scarf.
"Hey, Kimi!"
She turns to see Miza Kusakari hurrying over to her. The sky looms gloomy and gray above. The forecast called for snow flurries later. "Miza! How are you?" Miza's an alumni too, albeit years older than Kimi.
"Good," Miza says. "Naki's been participating in that tutoring thing they've set up. He wants to get his equivalency certificate, thanks to Kaneki's encouragement."
Kimi grins. Naki was once a student at Re as well, though he never graduated.
"The guy with the bowl cut chaperones every week," Miza adds, flipping her braids over her shoulder. "He always look at Naki like he expects him to pull out cocaine and snort it in front of the kids. But Naki's not into drugs."
Ui. Kimi raises her eyebrows. It surprises her that he volunteers to chaperone the tutoring. Or maybe he was forced into it, much like he was forced to be a dorm parent last year when Shinohara was suspended.
"Naki and I moved in together," Miza says. "I told him once he passes the exam, we'll celebrate by eloping. Because he will pass it. He's smart. He just learns differently."
Kimi laughs. "But then you'd have to throw a party. We'd all want to celebrate with you."
Miza's eyes widen. "Oh."
That surprises you? After all you went through to help us last year?
"Miza!" sings Naki's voice as he skips out of the cafeteria, where Kimi presumes he's been studying. "Damn, that Urie is a hard tutor."
Kimi believes it.
"Nishino!" Naki grabs her in a hug. Too tight.
Kimi laughs. "Akira's here too, visiting her dad—I'm sure she'd love to see you—"
"Fuck it! There's no point!"
The shout breaks through the skeletal trees. A small boy Kimi doesn't recognize rushes past them.
"Hajime!" cries a voice Kimi definitely recognizes. Tooru Mutsuki.
"Studying's useless—I'll come up with something else!" the kid yells over his shoulder. He skids on a patch of ice covering the paved path and slides, arms flailing. Naki grabs his arm and hauls him back to his feet.
Wow.
The kid gapes up at Naki. Mutsuki charges over with another, lankier kid with dark hair on his heels.
"You okay, kid?" Naki asks, gazing down at the boy, who wears a dark woolen cap pulled over his ears.
"No!" The boy wrenches his arm away.
"Can we help?" asks Miza.
"I don't need help from idiots like you!" Hajime runs past them, towards south campus. Kimi sighs. Naki looks hurt.
"Sorry," pants Mutsuki, catching up to them. "I'm—"
"Little difficult, isn't he?" Kimi says, trying to joke. The other kid with Mutsuki hangs back, kicking a pebble and watching it skitter across the path.
"He's one of the ones rescued in the raid last year."
The raid. At the Sunlit Garden. Kimi's heart aches for those kids.
"He's really smart, supposedly with a genius IQ, but he's having trouble with chemistry," Mutsuki says, wringing his hands. "He's got midterms and I'm trying to help him study, but he won't even try."
"He's a gloomy piece of work," calls the other kid, apparently listening. "Don't bother with him."
Mutsuki scowls. "Mayuzumi—"
"He's a genius; he'll come up with some elaborate way to cheat," predicts Mayuzumi. Mutsuki blanches.
"He better not," says Kimi. She remembers Nishiki telling her that his sister got suspended for cheating once.
"Don't worry," says Mutsuki. "No teacher will be fooled easily."
Kimi nods. "Good luck, Mutsuki."
"Thanks." The green-haired boy rubs his eyes.
"What was that all about?" calls Akira as she jogs over to them, purple scarf wrapped around her neck. She's been growing her hair out the past year. Kimi and Naki relay the story. Mutsuki waves and hurries Mayuzumi away.
"Poor kid," says Akira with a frown. "Despite all the strides the school's making, it's still a place for troubled kids, and there were one hundred and three of them saved from that auction."
"Yeah," Kimi says, staring off between the trees where Hajime disappeared. "I feel so badly for them, though."
"Me too," Akira admits. "At least they have a chance now."
What if they don't take that chance? Kimi wonders, the words tight in her throat. She looks to Naki, throwing his arm around Miza, and breathes in the icy air.
They have more chances even after they graduate. It's never too late.
"Why hello," Kurona says into her phone.
"Aren't you out late?" Seidou asks.
"Hinami gave us all extensions if we were at the library studying," Kurona replies. Bless Hinami, the best RA. "Which I was. I'm just taking a very long, leisurely stroll back."
Seidou laughs. "Which tests do you have tomorrow?"
"History and biology." Kurona groans. "History will be fine. Bio's a bit more of a problem."
"Kuro, I remember you getting all A's in the sciences."
"Yeah, because I wanted to impress Kanou," Kurona says, her teeth chattering from the cold. "You can be good at something without actually liking it."
Seidou sighs. "I know."
"I think I want to be a chef again," she says. Only a few more months until graduation.
"I think I'd benefit greatly from that," Seidou teases.
Her throat feels scratchy. Kurona coughs. The cold air coats her nostrils and her throat. Blech.
"You aren't getting Shirazu's flu, are you?" Seidou demands.
"I better not be." She pauses, squinting up at the science block where she has to be first thing in the morning. "Huh."
"What?" Seidou questions.
"There's a light on in the chemistry lab."
"Did Urie decide to make chlorine gas again?"
Kurona snorts, but she slows. "Hang on." She shines her phone's flashlight up at it. Three lights stab at her eyes. "Someone's up there!"
"No shit. Go tell Shinohara."
Kurona doesn't answer. She heads towards the stairs. Snow starts to fall, white and wispy.
"Kurona, I have my own midterms at university next week and I don't have time to visit you in the hospital if you get steel beams dropped on you!"
"I'd be knocked out with pain meds," Kurona retorts as she pounds up the stairs. "You'd have plenty of time to study."
Seidou swears.
"You're cute when you're worried, though," Kurona adds.
Seidou lets out a moan.
"Oh!" Kurona gasps, peering in the chemistry window. Three desperate faces peer out at her.
"Do I need to call the police? Or Mado?" shrieks Seidou.
"No! It's all right," Kurona says as she fumbles with the door handle. "It's the three kids who saved Shirazu last year—Hairu's brother, Arima's brother, and Rikai."
"We have names too," grumbles Yusa as the door swings open.
"Talk to you later, Seidou."
"Love you," Seidou says, and then he hangs up.
Kurona scowls at them. "What the hell were you doing in here?"
"We saw the lights on and thought someone was in here, but then the lights went off on our way up, but we still wanted to check it out, and then when we went in the door shut behind us so someone must've locked us in," says Shio. Rikai shivers as they step into the cold night.
Kurona raises her eyebrows. Sure.
"Probably someone studying last minute," says Yusa. "Maybe they needed to double-check their lab work."
Kurona shrugs. "Well, you had better get back to your apartments." Shio lives with Hairu, Yusa with Arima, and Rikai with Hirako, even though Rikai and Hirako aren't related. The dorms are completely overcrowded this year.
"Right," says Shio. "Let's go." He takes off, thumping down the stairs with his friends at his heels.
"Careful of the ice!" Kurona hollers. She trudges back to Dorm Block 20, where her roommate, Saiko, colors a get-well card for Shirazu while chatting with her girlfriend, Hsiao, one of Dorm Block 11's RAs, on Facetime. "Did you study at all?"
"Nah," says Saiko. "I've got other things to worry about. My favorite character might be about to die in the manga I love, and—"
Kurona rolls her eyes as she changes into her pajamas. Hsiao giggles. Kurona details the events to Saiko and Hsiao, who are amused, and sends Seidou a text telling him what happened.
That is the fishiest story I've heard since Juuzou told me my math textbook spontaneously combusted.
They live with staff. It's not like they can be hiding a secret meth lab, Kurona replies as she crawls into bed. "Saiko, can we turn off the lights? I want to get a good night's sleep." Her mind runs through all the historical facts she's memorized.
"Sure thing." Saiko says good night to Hsiao and scrambles up to turn off the lights.
True, Seidou admits. Sleep well, and good luck.
Love you, she texts.
Kurona wakes to her alarm and gets ready, waking Saiko too. "Your pencils and everything are all in your bag." Her head aches. Kurona gulps some water.
"Thanks," whimpers Saiko, rubbing sleep from her eyes.
First up is biology, and as Kurona slips into her seat in Yomo's classroom, Tatara bursts through the door, ever-present red mask covering his mouth.
"Tatara?" questions Yomo, a stack of papers in his hand.
Tatara approaches the biology teacher, eyes dark. He murmurs something Kurona can't make out.
"Are you sure?" demands Yomo.
"Someone went into my desk last night," Tatara declares, balling his fists and surveying their class as if someone might faint from the weight of their guilt. Urie's brow narrows. Ayato looks amused, and Hinami bites her lip in concern. "They went into the drawer where I kept the midterms."
"For real?" Urie hisses to Mutsuki, who shrugs.
A sinking feeling surges inside Kurona. Her head throbs and she presses her temples.
"How do you know?" Yomo asks.
"The papers are out of order. I printed the exact amount of copies I needed and ordered them appropriately. A tenth grade paper got mixed up with an eleventh grade exam."
Shit.
"Urie?" asks Tatara.
"I'm not in tenth or eleventh grade!" Urie snaps.
"No, but you have a habit of getting into places in the chemistry lab that you shouldn't—"
"What would my motivation be?" Urie cries, throwing his arms out. Mutsuki glares at Tatara as if he'd like to push him out the window.
"It wasn't him!" Kurona shouts. Her voice cracks, and the words feel like they're burning. She puts her hand to her throat. Ouch. "I saw—last night—there were three tenth-graders in here—they said someone locked them in so I let them out. When I was on my way back from the library."
"Get up here, Yasuhisa," Tatara orders. "Yomo—"
"She can make up her exam later," Yomo allows.
Seriously? Kurona can't believe her luck. Then again, what if I forget everything?
"Which kids?" Tatara demands as he marches Kurona out the door.
"Where are we going?"
"Dean's office." Tatara glowers as Houji passes them, carrying a stack of presumably un-disturbed exams. Mado jogs up. "She saw three tenth-graders," Tatara says, jerking his thumb towards Kurona. "Last night."
You called security? Kurona blinks.
"Who?" Mado asks.
Kurona gulps. Her stomach churns. "Shio Ihei, Yusa Arima, and Rikai Souzu—but they said they weren't—" And from what she knows, they're all decent students. They'd have no reason to cheat. Unless they were nervous because they've never sat through midterms before?
Mado's gaze darkens. "I'll get them. Call Hairu."
Tatara nods, escorting Kurona towards central campus.
They wouldn't have done this.
Would they?
"What's going on?" cries Hairu as she bursts into Arima's office's suite.
Ui, her fiancé, leaps up from behind his desk that sits by the window. "Hairu!" Hirako looks up from his computer, brow furrowed.
"I heard one of the students from my dorm is in trouble," Hairu reports. The door to Arima's office is closed.
Ui frowns. "Well, Tatara just took Kurona Yasuhisa into Arima's office, but Arima's in a meeting with Marude. Tatara said something about cheating on an exam."
"But she's Shinohara's student," says Hairu.
"Apparently she just witnessed it," says Hirako, getting to his feet.
So one of my kids—Hairu gulps, running through the list of her students. Hanbee Abara would never… Nakarai wouldn't either—Aura, please, you've been doing so well lately and your aunt would strangle you—
The door opens, and Arima stops short at the sight of all of them. "Party in my office?"
"Impending disaster," Ui observes, leaning back against the wall. His fingers brush Hairu's hand. The sunlight vanishes outside, covered by more thick clouds. Supposedly they're supposed to get more snow tonight. Even with the earlier sunlight, it was too cold for last night's dusting to melt.
Tatara strides out of Arima's office, Kurona Yasuhisa behind him. Kurona looks flushed and sweaty, upset. Hairu frowns. "Arima, Yasuhisa here caught three students breaking into my lab last night, and my exams have been tampered with."
"How?" asks Hirako, scratching his head.
"I don't know how," barks Tatara. "I want—"
"They said they were locked in by someone else—maybe they were?" offers Kurona, wringing her hands.
"Which students?" asks Arima, frowning as he sets his briefcase down on Ui's cherry wood desk. He beckons for her to follow him into his office.
The door opens again, and Hairu turns to see Kureo Mado leading Rikai, Yusa, and her brother, Shio.
No.
Ui's jaw falls open. Hirako's face pales in horror.
Not our kids!
"What's going on?" asks Shio, nose wrinkling. "Are you okay, Hairu?"
"Are we in some kind of trouble?" whispers Yusa. Rikai's head hangs low, shoulders slumped.
Arima clutches the doorknob, his jaw working as he stares at his little brother. Yusa's brow furrows. Tatara clears his throat.
"Oh, shit," says Shio, understanding dawning on his face.
Ui covers his face.
You wouldn't have! Hairu's jaw hangs open.
"Why don't you all come into my office and tell me what happened," Arima says, voice composed. "Ui, lock the suite's door."
Ui scrambles to obey, casting Hairu a worried look. She files in after Shio. The three kids sit on a red-cushioned bench. Kurona and Tatara take chairs. Hairu wedges herself between Hirako and Ui on another bench across from the kids.
"What happened last night?" Arima asks the three kids.
Shio rolls his eyes. "We saw some lights on in the chemistry lab, so we went up to see what was going on and while we were on the stairs, the lights went off, but we went in anyways, and then someone locked us in."
Locked you in? "What?" Hairu exclaims.
"That's—the same story they told me," Kurona chokes out, coughing.
"Do you need to go to the nurse?" asks Arima.
She shakes her head, but coughs some more.
"Mado, take her to the nurse, unless she has anything else to add," Arima says.
She shakes her head. Mado escorts her out. Tatara folds his arms.
"Why didn't you tell me that someone locked you in?" Arima demands, looking at his brother.
Yusa's brow creases. "It wasn't a big deal. Kurona let us out."
Not a big deal? Hairu grits her teeth.
"What did you do when you were locked in the room?" Arima continues.
"Used the flashlights on our phones to get Kurona's attention," Shio answers. "Though we didn't know it was her. Just—someone. Sleeping in the chem lab would have been creepy." He looks at Tatara, a grin on his face. "Sorry, but it's true. It looks like Frankenstein's going to break out of one of the cabinets at any second."
"You didn't call your sister or me?" asks Arima.
"We didn't want to bother you, plus we know weren't supposed to be up there," Shio says, scuffing his shoes on the floor.
"Did you go into Tatara's desk?"
Shio pales. "N-no." He exchanges a look with Rikai.
"Because someone did," Arima says. "Someone looked at the grade ten or eleven midterms, and you are all in grade ten."
"Whoever was up there must have done it!" Shio insists. "And figured they'd blame us."
Hirako's face grows red. He curls a fist. Ui frowns, listening. Hairu's heart beats in her ears.
"Yusa?" Arima asks, getting to his feet and walking out from behind his desk. Pale curtains cover the windows, and framed degrees line the walls. He stands directly in front of his brother. "Tell me the truth."
Yusa's eyes widen. He gulps.
"Yusa, what happened?" Arima tries again.
A tear dribbles down Yusa's cheek. "We—we did."
Arima sighs. "What made you feel like you needed to—"
"No, we did tell you the truth!" Yusa shouts. He doubles over, wiping angrily at his eyes. "You really don't believe me? You think I'm lying?"
Rikai's shoulders shake. Shio's eyes find Hairu's, and he looks at her desperately. "We're telling the truth—someone was up there. I didn't see those exams, I swear. None of us went into that desk." His voice trembles.
Hairu leaps to her feet and scrambles over, wrapping her arms around her brother. "I believe you."
"So do I," says Hirako, heading over to put his hand on Rikai's shoulder.
Tatara's eyebrows fly up. Hairu ignores him.
Shio cranes his neck, looking over Hairu's shoulder at Ui, his hero. Ui swallows and heads over, rubbing Shio's back. Her brother looks down as if embarrassed to be crying. Ui fumbles to grab a tissue from Arima's desk and hands it to Shio.
"I didn't," Yusa insists again.
"Arima," Ui tries. "Can we check security cameras?"
"We still don't have them by the science block," Arima admits. He grips his brother's shoulders. Yusa refuses to look at him, keeping his gaze on his shoes. "Yusa—"
The boy shakes his head, and Arima reaches out and grabs his chin, lifting it. "It's not that I don't believe you, okay? You have to admit your story sounds kind of far-fetched."
"I'm not a—"
"I know you don't make a habit of lying, and I know you're a good student," Arima insists. He sighs. "Come here." He pulls his brother closer, and Yusa hides his face in Arima's side.
We were all liars once, Hairu thinks. Where we grew up. We had to be, in order to survive.
"So there's no way to find out who set them up?" Hirako demands, fury in his tone.
Someone knocks at the office door. Frantically. They keep pounding.
"I'll see who that is," says Ui, heading out. He returns with Tooru Mutsuki, who looks greener than his hair.
"Mutsuki?" Arima asks.
"Saiko told us what Kurona said happened," Mutsuki blurts out. "And I think they're telling the truth. I think I know who broke into Tatara's desk—I don't have proof, though."
"Who?" Hirako demands.
"I've been tutoring Hajime Hazuki, and he's been struggling with chemistry, and yesterday Mayuzumi told me Hajime would come up with some elaborate plan to cheat, but I thought he was joking." Mutsuki twists his sweater in his hands.
"Hajime doesn't like us very much," mutters Shio.
"What do you mean?" Hairu demands.
A scowl deepens in Hirako's face. "Has he been bullying you?"
"No—he just—he lost his parents and ran away before he could get sent here and wound up with us, and he's always been angry at something—and I think now he's angry at us because we get to live outside of the dorms and we have families—I have my sister and Yusa has his brother and well, Rikai has you, and you're pretty much that," says Shio, looking at Hirako.
Arima sighs. "Mutsuki, go back to class. Thank you."
Mutsuki nods, and then hesitates. "Will Hajime be okay?"
"Of course," says Hairu.
As Mutsuki leaves, a trill echoes. Hairu scowls. Why are you here? Mutsuki, why didn't you lock the door?
"How are you on campus?" snaps Ui as Eto Yoshimura prances around the corner, hair cut into a new bob.
"I wanted to see my father, and I'm not banned, Koori," Eto says, twisting mint green strands around her fingers. "Just fired. I hear you've got a bit of a cheating scandal going on, Tatara. I cheated a few times in school, too, but of course you already knew that, friend."
"You're not helping," Arima informs her.
"Wait, really?" asks Shio.
Hairu covers his ears. Her brother squirms. "Hey! Hairu! No fair!"
Arima rolls his eyes. "Tatara, I want you to escort these three back to their class as well. They have exams to complete. I'll call Mado and ask him to bring Hajime here. Who's his dorm parent again?"
"Okahira," Ui says.
"Call him too."
"Good luck," Hairu whispers in Shio's ear as he leaves. Yusa's head stays low.
"He hates me," Arima says the minute the door closes.
"Why didn't you believe him?" snaps Hairu. Ui's eyebrows fly up. Eto drums her fingers against the desk.
"It's a far-fetched story, Hairu," Ui says. "I wasn't sure what to believe either. But I don't think any of those kids are liars."
Hairu gulps. Arima scowls. "If they survived that long in that trafficking ring, I'm pretty sure they're accustomed to lying when necessary."
Everything was a lie.
It hurts even now, knowing that Hairu wasn't rescued like she thought she was. Someone identified her traits as intelligent, gifted in sports and arts and schoolwork, and the Washuus decided to arrange her "rescue" so she could attend Re Academy. She remembers Arima, a senior, when she started here, and how the old counselor told her that Arima was also rescued from human traffickers. "See, there's hope for you."
I wanted to be like you.
Shio was so young when she left, and Hairu was determined to find him. But she didn't know where to begin, and she was still so afraid of the police that she decided to work at Re Academy, like Arima, her hero, hoping that someday Shio would be freed and wind up here.
"That's different," Ui says. "Surviving—"
"It's less different than you think," Eto says. "They probably don't know what surviving or necessary mean in the context of Re."
"Did you really cheat while you were in school?" Arima demands, changing the subject. Hairu scowls.
"'Course." Eto lifts her shoulders. "My first book came out when I was in high school, you know. I told Tatara I would help him lure Houji to a deserted path where Tatara could beat Houji up for insulting his brother if he helped me cheat on an exam I didn't have time to study for because I was too busy working on my novel. Noro wasn't very happy when he found out, but he couldn't prove anything."
"Oh God," groans Arima. "Do I need to take your diploma away?"
Eto plops onto Arima's desk, jarring the phone and keyboard and swinging her legs. "What would that involve?"
"Please God no," says Hirako. "This conversation ends here."
The phone rings. Eto lifts it up and offers it to Arima, who yanks it away from her. "Hello? What?"
"What now?" wheezes Hirako.
"Hajime kicked Mado in the—crotch—and escaped campus."
"He ran away?" Hairu screeches.
"Fuck!" says Hirako, curling a fist.
"Not again," moans Ui. "I can't handle more runaways."
"On the bright side, your siblings are definitely innocent," offers Eto.
"He'll be lucky if he doesn't end up back in the same situation!" Hairu cries out. "We have to find him!"
"I'll contact people," Eto says.
"That's right, you're a criminal," Ui says to her.
She flips him off.
Arima drops back into his leather chair, head in his hands.
"Arima?" Hairu ventures. It burns to see her hero looking so defeated, so ashamed.
"Chin up," says Eto.
"Why?" Arima demands. "I'm trying to—I'm—"
"Slightly overwhelmed?" offers Hirako.
Arima's eyes narrow behind his glasses.
"You are a psychologist, aren't you?" Hairu croons. "That means you should know you're supposed to talk about things."
"Seriously, Arima," says Hirako. "You're taking care of a kid now—basically parenting him, even if he's your brother. We have over a hundred new kids at the school this year, and even with Mirumo Tsukiyama's generous donations, we're understaffed. It's overwhelming."
Arima swallows.
"People like you and Ihei and Ching-Li Hsiao," says Eto, naming one of the RAs in Hairu's dorm. "You guys can inspire those kids."
"We're people too," Arima says harshly. "There's no point in looking up to—"
Ui pales next to Hairu. "But—we all do."
"Too bad, Kishou," says Eto. "Because people do look up to you regardless of what you think should happen or what you want. Here's a piece of advice, O-Renowned-Psychologist: maybe it would help Yusa and Shio and Rikai if you were a little more open with them about your own experiences, both growing up as part of the trafficking ring and here at Re. The same goes for you, too, Ihei."
Hirako scowls.
"Fine," snaps Hairu. Why not? "Arima, you always gave me hope. I still look up to you."
Because you smiled at me. She was so young then, and everyone in the various brothels she bounced around to either treated the kids like pests or groomed them for a miserable future. But Arima saw her, and he smiled at her that day, and when she wound up at Re and met him there, she couldn't believe her luck. She craved his approval like water.
"I can only imagine how much your brother looks up to you," says Hairu. "Thinking you think the worst of him is probably devastating. Ui's Shio's hero and Hirako's Rikai's, and at least they believed them."
"Is this supposed to cheer him up?" questions Hirako.
"I'm proud of Yusa," Arima says. "I'm proud of all of them—Kaneki, all the kids who graduated last year, Mutsuki, even Hajime because it's not easy here, and we all know it."
"Maybe try saying it a little more often," Eto suggests. Her feet rap against the side of the desk as she swings them. Thud. Thump.
Arima raises his eyebrows. He exhales. "Hirako, I'm really proud of how much you've stepped up this year—taking care of Rikai, and I know you've been going around and making breakfast for the kids at a different dorm each weekend. Ui, you care so much about the kids here, and your colleagues, that I'm proud of you too. You've been stepping outside of your comfort zone with running that tutoring program. And Hairu, I'm proud of how much the kids in your dorm respect you because you love them all. And I couldn't be happier that you two are engaged."
Ui's jaw hangs open. Hirako rubs his forehead. Hairu's eyes sting.
They're just words. They're not earth shattering, even though she always wanted to hear them. But they're comforting nonetheless.
The clock ticks in the corner.
Hairu flings her arms around Ui, nuzzling his neck. "We're pretty happy, too."
"The no PDA rule applies to staff too, doesn't it, Arima?" comments Hirako. "You're both—apartment-grounded."
Ui's ticklish on his neck. His chest heaves as he tries not to laugh and fails. Hairu chortles, clasping her hands together in a vice-grip around Ui's shoulders. She's not letting him go no matter how hard he squirms.
"I retract my statement," says Arima.
"Too late!" Hairu cheers. Ui doubles over and still she clings on.
"If you can't beat 'em, join 'em," declares Eto, and then she stands up on Arima's desk and tries to tickle his neck. Arima's too fast, though: he spins around and grabs her, pinning her arms to her side as he lifts her off the desk. She chortles as he presses his chin on the top of her head.
Hairu runs her hands down Ui's sides. Ui wheezes.
"I thought your motto would have been, 'if you can't beat 'em, try harder,'" Hirako observes.
"He knows you well," Arima comments. Eto smirks.
Hairu squeals as Ui almost escapes.
"Hairu!" he pleads.
"But you're so fun to tease," Hairu protests. "And I love you."
"I'm not ticklish though, my dear," Arima says, and then Eto gasps, flailing as Arima tickles her neck. The phone almost falls off the desk.
"If you break school property I'm telling Marude!" yells Hirako.
"Telling me what?" calls the principal as he rounds the corner. "I heard we have a situation—maybe we should call in volunteers—" Marude freezes, Yoshimura behind him.
Hairu releases Ui, who's now kneeling on the floor. Ui cringes. Arima restrains a flailing Eto. She beams at her father, who looks equally shocked and pleased.
"Hi," says Hirako. "As you can see, we're working hard."
Marude gapes.
"You can get me back later," Hairu whispers to Ui as she helps him to his feet. He arches his eyebrows at her, face red from embarrassment.
"Eto's going to contact some people," Arima says, back straight and hair mussed. "And we'll call the volunteers."
"Sounds like a plan." Marude backs out of the room slowly. Yoshimura follows, smiling.
The moment they're gone, Ui plants a kiss on Hairu's scalp, and they all rush off to grab their phones.
"This is not how I wanted to spend tonight," complains Tsukiyama, his hand entwined with Karren's.
"Do you want that kid winding up in another place like the Sunlit Garden?" snaps Hide, pulling his coat tighter around him. Damn, the wind's brutal.
"No," Tsukiyama admits. "Not at all."
"I can't believe he ran away after cheating on an exam," says Karren as they wind through the streets. People still mill about, but less than usual because of the snow steadily falling now. "Kind of an extreme reaction, don't you think?"
"You're one to talk," Hide jokes. "Miss I-Jumped-Off-an-Overpass." Of course, Arima called last year's runaway seniors to help track down a runaway student. You probably have the best idea of where he might be hiding. And after hearing about the staffing shortage when they helped run a Halloween haunted house for the kids, they all signed up to be volunteers in case of an urgent need. This is the first time they've been called, though.
Karren rolls her eyes. "Takizawa's night's not going to be any better. I heard Kurona's been diagnosed with the flu, so he went to keep her company."
Hide's phone buzzes. "Kaneki says a shopkeeper told him he saw a kid who fits Hajime's description shoplifting food from a convenience store about an hour ago, but the kid ran away."
"Goddammit," says Karren, lavender bob blowing around her face in the wind. "Where on earth would he be hiding?"
"I doubt he has a credit card or any kind of money," Tsukiyama muses. "But he's going to want to find someplace to stay. It's too cold out to sleep on the street." His breath forms frosted puffs in the air.
Snow stings Hide's face. He wracks his brain. Where are you, Hajime Hazuki? "We should check out the bars."
"Um, judging by his picture, no one's going to be fooled even if he does have a fake ID," Tsukiyama says.
"He is tall, though," Karren says.
"These places might not care," Hide reminds him. We're in a shady part of town.
The snow's starting to stick to the ground. His teeth chatter. If Hajime had to steal food, hopefully he doesn't have enough money for a bus ticket or a taxi, which means he has to be nearby.
Damn, Hide just wants to go back to his cozy dorm room and read manga. But no.
When he joined Re Academy to help Kaneki, his parents warned him. Most people who go to that school don't leave. Which Hide quickly realized was true, as most of his teachers were alumni. But in light of all the positive press coverage after they unmasked Furuta and the Washuus, Hide's more than okay with finding himself tethered to Re Academy. It's a good place. As much as his friends might complain, Hide knows they're all more than okay with volunteering to help the school in any way.
"Hey! Nagachika!"
He spins around to see Miza Kusakari waving to him. "You looking for a runaway?"
"Do you know where he is?" demands Hide.
"He walked into Helter-Skelter about a half hour ago, claiming his name's Kou. Naki offered him some soup and is pretending he doesn't recognize him."
Hide sends a text to Kaneki, Touka, Akira, and Amon. "Let's go."
Miza leads them to the bar. At least it isn't Aogiri Tree. Hide knows Kaneki still has nightmares about that place. Helter-Skelter's a bit classier, with clean windows and shiny black décor. The barman pours Bailey's into a cup of coffee. Only a few patrons linger inside. Miza leads them towards a backroom, where Hide hears Naki's voice chattering nonsense.
Miza pushes the door open. Hajime sits hunched at a small table, a woolen cap pulled down over his scalp.
He leaps to his feet when he sees them filing in. "You tricked me!"
"You belong back at that school," Naki says. "I know it's hard, kid, but—"
Hajime throws his soup into Tsukiyama's face and bolts. Tsukiyama yelps and ducks. Karren grabs her boyfriend.
Hide springs at the kid, wrapping his arms around Hajime and lifting him up. He's tall for his age, but scrawny enough so that it's no problem. Hajime screams and kicks.
Ow! Hajime's heel lands in Hide's knee. He wriggles free.
"No!" Hide shouts.
The door flings open again, and Amon pounces, grabbing the flailing child. Akira, Kaneki, and Touka shut the door behind them, blocking it.
Hajime gives up. The boy's shoulders slump, and he drops to the cement floor, crying.
"Hazuki," says Akira, crouching down. "Calm down."
He shakes his head wildly. "I can't go back there! I can't!"
"What makes you say that?" asks Kaneki.
"They hate me! Everyone hates me—I'm going to be in so much—"
"Trouble?" finishes Amon, pushing his hair back with a sigh. "Yeah, I can't really deny that. But you'll be okay. No one will hate you for it."
"Maybe Tatara," allows Tsukiyama, rubbing his face.
"No one else," says Karren.
"Probably not even Shio, Yusa, and Rikai," says Hide, kneeling on the ground behind the boy. "They seem pretty understanding."
"Punishment at Re isn't what you think," Touka says quietly, and it hits Hide like a knife in his chest.
What kind of punishments are you used to, Hajime?
"You'll probably just fail the test and be dorm-grounded for a bit," she continues, reaching for him.
He jerks away, messy sobs spilling from his lips. "I can't—fail—I don't want to be at Re; I want to go to college; I want to go home!"
"Home where?" Hide asks. Back to the Sunlit Garden?
"My parents," sobs Hajime. "They're—they're—I want them back, I want them back, I want them back! I want to go back home!"
They're dead, aren't they? Hide sucks in his breath. Tsukiyama lowers his head, and Karren wipes at her eyes. Akira presses her lips together.
Touka leans over and take Hajime in her arms, and this time he doesn't push her away. He cries into her shoulder. "I want to go back home."
"You can't," says Amon.
Hide glares at him, but Amon's face is anything but cold.
"I know how you feel," chokes out Kaneki. "All I ever wanted was to go back—home with my mom, and—" He gulps, meeting Hide's eyes.
"It's awful," says Touka, rocking the boy back and forth.
"It sucks," agrees Hide. "And it really fucking hurts."
"Re Academy," says Amon. "Can become like a home for you, if you want it to be."
Hajime shakes his head.
"The teachers there aren't going to give up on you," Amon says. "Most of them, anyways—they really do care."
"Why are they dead?"
"My entire family was killed by an intruder," Karren says. "I've asked the same question. And I don't know why. But you're not dead."
"I don't want to fail. I want to go to college—I want to be able to stop people from hurting—like my parents—"
"You won't fail—one test isn't enough to—" Hide starts.
"I can't do it!" shouts Hajime, jerking away from Touka. He looks up at Hide, tears and snot running down his face, reddened in patches. Strands of dyed hair stick to his cheeks. "You don't understand! I keep trying—and Mutsuki tries to help me—but he can't—Mayuzumi laughs at me—I can't understand chemistry; I can't!"
"Maybe you just learn differently," says Kaneki. "Like Naki here."
Hajime looks offended, but Naki smiles.
"I promise you, Hajime," says Kaneki. "I know Mucchan. He's not going to give up until he finds some way to help you."
"And talking to Tatara might help too," says Hide. "Or your counselor. They might be able to work out accommodations."
Hajime's nose wrinkles. He curls his fists and wipes at his nose.
"You seem very intelligent to me," Amon says. "Part of that involves knowing when you need help."
"No one can do everything on their own," Hide agrees.
Kaneki nods.
Hajime's eyes suddenly widen as he takes them in. "Ken Kaneki!"
"Um, yes?" Kaneki ventures.
"You're the one who broke into the Sunlit Garden! And led the raid!" Hajime's eyes shine. He leans forwards and grabs Kaneki's arms.
Kaneki shifts uncomfortably. "Well, sort of."
"I've heard so much about how you ran away and proved your innocence and Arima's and how brave you were and how everyone ran away to help you help us!" It's clear he looks up to Kaneki, which is definitely a new position for Hide's best friend. Touka bites back a smile.
Hide elbows Kaneki. His friend smiles at Hajime. "I don't think you're stupid, Hajime. I think you can do it."
Hajime hesitates. "Really?"
"Yeah," Kaneki says. "And—running away did work out in our case, but sometimes it's better to stay and work through your problems. The people in charge of Re now—Arima and all—they'll help you, Hajime. They're on your side."
"Why are you looking for me?"
"Because we're volunteers," says Kaneki. "Re Academy helped us, despite everything, and we want to give back."
"And we think you kids are worth protecting," says Hide.
Hajime swallows. Touka pulls a stewed carrot off his sweater.
"Will you let us take you back?" Hide asks. "Please?"
Hajime nods. Kaneki gets to his feet and holds his hand out, pulling Hajime up.
"Thank God!" Ui exclaims when Hide tells him they found Hajime. He breaks into a jog, thrusting open the door to Arima's office.
Hajime curls up on one of the benches, refusing to look at anyone. His face is buried in his knees.
Hirako scowls at the kid. Ui gives him a pointed look, and Hirako sighs. "I know."
"Hajime," Arima says. "Cheating is one thing. Trying to frame others for it is far more serious."
Hajime nods into his knees.
"Okahira has agreed that you're dorm-grounded for the next two weeks. You also have to write letters of apology to Shio Ihei, Yusa Arima, and Rikai Souzu. Tatara says that he will fail you for that test, but he will not fail you for the semester, providing you pass the rest of your assignments. Tooru Mutsuki and Kuki Urie have volunteered to meet with you every day when you're dorm-grounded to help you study."
Hajime mumbles something muffled.
"Come again?" asks Ui.
Hajime turns his head out from between his knees. God, he looks like he's been crying for hours, eyes and nose swollen. "So everybody knows?"
"No," Arima says. "Just Mutsuki, Urie, and Kurona Yasuhisa, and they've been warned to keep it quiet. Urie's the top chemistry student and Mutsuki's boyfriend, so that's why he offered to help." He's quiet. "I will also see you for counseling appointments, if you're willing."
Hajime swallows. Ui hesitates, and then heads over to him, sitting down next to the boy on the bench. "You don't have to be afraid of him, Hajime."
Hajime nods.
"If you want," Ui says. "We can meet too. Not for counseling. I can visit you at your dorm a couple nights a week."
"Why would you do that?" asks Hajime, peering at him.
Because you seem like you could use a mentor. "Because I want to."
Hajime shrugs. "If you want to, sure."
Hirako smiles at Ui.
Okahira arrives to escort Hajime back to the dorm. The kid peeks over his shoulder at Ui. Ui waves at him.
"A staff-student mentorship program might be good," says Arima. "It's still years away from us being able to fully staff that, though."
"I can help develop it," Ui offers.
Arima nods, clapping Ui on the shoulder. "You'd be good at it."
Ui swallows. I want to be.
"And now, let's head to Hairu's." Arima's asked to meet with Rikai, Yusa, and Shio there.
"Do you want me there for this conversation?" asks Hirako.
"You're basically Rikai's dad at this point," Arima says. "Yes."
Hairu bought everyone melon buns, her favorite. She sits on her beige couch, tucking her feet under her legs. Ui sits next to her, and Arima next to him. Hirako takes chair he dragged out from the kitchen, and Shio and Rikai take the loveseat across from the couch. Yusa rests on the floor, leaning against the loveseat.
"What's this about?" Shio asks, fiddling with the watch Ui gave him for his birthday. "If it's about Hajime, you don't have to warn us. None of us would do anything to him."
"It's not," says Arima.
The kids exchange a nervous glance. Ui swallows.
"It's about us," Hairu says, tossing her hair. She works her jaw. "Arima and I wanted to talk to you about—well."
"Our childhoods," says Arima. "You know the basics, but we haven't really been open with you."
Hairu digs her fingers into the cushions. Ui bites his lip. Should I take her hand? Or does she want to do this on her own?
"Oh." Shio glances at the other two. Yusa cocks his head, and Rikai leans forward.
"I was ten when Tsuneyoshi Washuu decided I was gifted," says Arima. "So he took me away and sent me to Re Academy. I believe I was the first child he chose to let be freed rather than raise to sell. Then there was Hairu and Nimura Furuta, and Ching-Li Hsiao." He takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose. "I don't know why he thought that. I thought he was just a benevolent rescuer, not the man who was enslaving everyone I knew."
"You're smart," Hirako says.
Arima offers a small smile. "I still don't know why he thought that. I graduated, went to college—when I graduated high school, he let my mom call me. It's the last time I heard from her." He looks at Yusa. "She told me she was pregnant."
Yusa sits up straighter, peering at his brother. "She died when I was four."
"I know," says Arima. "I found that out when I graduated college—and I decided to look for you. But Yoshitoki—he said he would help me, help me find a private investigator. Obviously, it went nowhere, and so I threw myself into my work. I wrote several published papers on psychology—and when Yoshitoki died in that car wreck, Matsuri offered me the dean's job, and I figured it was—the best way for me to atone. For not finding you. If I couldn't help you, I could help other kids." His voice shakes. Arima gulps air.
Ui's never seen Arima like this.
"I didn't realize the answers were right under my nose the whole time," Arima concludes. "Not until Eto—when Furuta set me up, and I—met with her—and she dropped enough hints that I was able to find out what was going on."
You helped her escape prison, didn't you? Ui does not want to know.
"I didn't—when I saw you—" Arima inhales. "I'm so glad we found you."
Yusa blinks, a look of shock on his face.
"Shio," Hairu says. "I remember you—I was thirteen when I left—was 'rescued'—" Bitterness singes her tone. "You were four."
"I remember you," Shio says. "Mom gave me pictures, too."
"I wanted to find you—but I didn't know where to look. I was scared, and so I—did nothing for so long." She won't look at Ui. "But I never forgot you, and—I—" She covers her mouth, tears filling her eyes. "I'm sorry."
"I don't blame you," Shio says, eyes wide.
"But I—" Hairu clenches her fists, knotted over her knees. Ui's heart aches—he wants to break the tension, break away all of the things she's endured. "From how we were raised—we all thought we had no worth beyond what we could do. I know Hsiao has said as much, and Arima doesn't have to but I know he feels the same. You probably do, too—but it's not true." Tears run down her face. "I love you, Shio. You're my brother, and I'm so happy to have you back."
Shio flings himself at Hairu, burying his face in her shoulder. Yusa rises and leans against Arima.
"I thought we'd never escape," Rikai says quietly.
Rikai's talking?
"We heard about you being rescued—they called it 'stolen,'" says Rikai. "Like you were property—like we all were."
"When the fire alarm went off, one of the girls heard us banging on the door and let us out of our room," says Yusa.
"But I didn't want to leave until we found Furuta and made him pay," says Shio. "Because he was hanging around and the first time he came we thought he was coming to rescue us, but then he didn't even try. He was working with them."
And that's when you found Shirazu bleeding out, Ui knows. You knew what was happening was wrong. He reaches out and puts his hand on Shio's shoulder. The boy's lips twist as if he's upset thinking about it.
Hirako heads over to embrace Rikai, who cries.
"You kids aren't a burden," Arima says.
"We thought that," Hairu says. "But it wasn't true. We love you."
Ui wraps his other arm around Hairu. We're a family, the three of us.
After Yusa and Arima and Rikai and Hirako leave, Hairu orders Shio to get ready for bed. Ui lingers by the doorway.
"I can't wait until you get to move in," Hairu says, twisting her engagement ring. "So then you don't have to leave."
Ui folds his arms around her. She shudders. "Anytime you want to talk, I'll listen."
Hairu cranes her neck back, looking into his eyes. A smile falters on her lips.
"I love you," Ui tells her, cupping her face between his hands. And you never had to earn it.
From the moment she called him Koori in the middle of her job interview and her hands flew to cover her mouth, horrified with her own mistake, and her cheeks flushed the same color as her hair and his heart fluttered and he told her it was okay, she could call him that, and she threw back her head and giggled. I wanted to love you.
And now he gets to.
"It doesn't bother you that I haven't always been as brave as you might think?"
"I don't think I've always been a good person either," Ui admits, remembering what Furuta tried to get him to do last year.
Hairu smiles. "I heard some of the adults who goes to the tutoring sessions you chaperone helped find Hajime."
"Naki and Miza," Ui says. "They're—not bad."
Hairu raises her eyebrows.
"What if we invited them to our wedding?" Ui asks. "All of them—and the kids in your dorm, and Shinohara's—Hajime too."
"What will your parents think?" Her chest is warm against his.
Ui shrugs. He doesn't want to think about that right now.
Hairu stands on her tiptoes. "I think it's a great idea." Her breath, sweet, brushes his cheeks.
Ui closes his eyes as he lowers his lips to hers.