Apologizes in advanced for any grammar mistakes and for any OOC-ing.

Contains spoilers and dark themes. You have been warned.

All characters and everything belongs to Shizen no Teki-P
aka Jin and his group in the end

"What a nice day." Ayano grinned as she hummed lightly while folding Shintaro's paper into a crane with her tongue sticking out in concentration as she exclaimed in victory moments later. Handing over the crane as she took no effort to hide her own bad test score. "Here. Isn't it just the prettiest one yet?"

Shintaro blinked as he barely gave a glance to the crane as he ate his lunch. The same lunch he always brought with the exact same foods as any other day. "It's just the same as always." Before going back to lunch as he ate systematically and tried to ignore Ayano once again. If he didn't answer, she would've continued.

"Right. It really is." She agrees as she takes the crane out of his hands and swings it around as she makes comments on how her wing folding has improved. No one paid her mind as this was a usual occurrence in the classroom as she continued to make small talk practically with herself.

She was getting good at misdirection she thought almost as good as Kano. Ayano hoped that maybe this time she wouldn't mess up. Her eyes closed as she took a bite of her food and chewed slow as she let her mind wander. A smile fixed on her face as she took in the delicious meal with exasperated gusto. Her last attempt had been a failure and she couldn't help but wonder how she would go about it this time.

"Lunch is just the best." Ayano comments as she ate the last of her omelette and opens her eyes and glances at him to see he wasn't looking her way. It wasn't surprising but sometimes she couldn't help but be conflicted between happy and afraid. She knew how he was and couldn't help but think of his future self. This boy right now was unaffected by the events of the future.

The day he began wearing red was a day she couldn't help but look forward to. Red was the color of heroes and she was just the catalyst that motivated him.

With that last thought, she put her lunch away.

Ayano shook her head as she took away the scissors from Konoha with a small smile that didn't reflect the storm brewing in her eyes turning what once was brown into a grey. Her arms brought the boy to her as she pretended not to feel the tears slowly soaking her red jersey and heard no outward sound from the boy. She couldn't help but cry with the child not much older than herself she wanted to laugh as she let her tears fall as she struggled for control. The lone portrait of Shintaro sitting upon the dresser as she found the irony in the situation.

"Konoha. It wasn't your fault." She never knew who she was really speaking to in the end. "Shintaro will definitely come back."

She could feel the childish boy stiffen under her arms and he whispered words so quiet that if she was anyone else, she would of thought that she misheard.

Her eyes closed as she tried to steady her breath, to pretend that she was a cat or one of those clique superheroes that she sprouted about being and sometimes still did.

"I know so."

Konoha's eyes widen as she places her forehead against his knowing he wouldn't misinterpret it. A hand coming out to wrap a red scarf, her treasure around the his neck as she feels her hands become sweaty. Eyes steady as she pierces his gaze in the dark room and hugs him until he calms just enough to be rational once more. Conviction and a hint of sorrow in the air.

"Promise?"

"Promise. Don't you know? Reds the color of superheroes and superheroes never go back on their word."

A slow nod and absolute trust. They were good friends.

"I'll go get Shin-chan. Make sure you give Kano my gift, okay?" She watches as he leaves with a goofy grin that hurts her cheeks the more she does it. Eyes dropping to the red scissors as she feels her smile wobble and she knows she should do it now. Her thoughts crumple into a heap and she knows, she knows. Father was too close and...

"Ah. It's nice to meet you. Who may you be?" Ayano gives a lazy tilt of her head. "That's not important. You can call me Ayano, Mister..." She trails off as she adds a practiced bounce to her step. At times like this she wanted her eye power more than anything.

"You can call me Shintaro." He added as he turned to her with a look of boredom as if he has done the same many times. "You're probably wondering where you are..."

A conversation she knew well but never from the receiving end.

"Just don't forget." Ayano states as she gifts Shintaro a red jersey and can't help but feel things are a little better as he puts it on. "It's okay."

I've become a coward. Sorry Kano. I missed your special day and...just please, don't break this time. For me?

The sound of crickets could be heard as she walked behind Shintaro just like the original. Once she had looked at this festival in happiness as she had watched Shin battle Ene and had apologized for his behavior. Not that anyone would know the difference. No matter how she tried, how she acted. Her no Ayano was not the same anymore.

Ayano was so incredibly sad and 'her', she was so ready to enjoy the festival.

"Takoyaki is the best." She wondered when Shintaro would catch on that she told him everything was the best and great. It was funny no hilarious that she knew he was supposed to be a genius but was definitely not so when it came to people. Ayano was definitely more adept at reading people after all the times she had repeated the game. The game that hurt more every time she lost.

Shintaro walked giving each stand a quick glance and she swore she could hear him mumbling the words overpriced and such under his breath. She pulled her black scarf over her face as she tugged at her red clips as she couldn't ever get herself to let go of the significance.

"Here take my takoyaki." She offered as she handed it to him and he gave her a long look that promised insults.

"You are a glutton." Shintaro states like it is a fact as he eyes the piece of food with a strange glance before taking it anyway. Knowing Shintaro it was an absolute fact.

"Shintaro-san, you shouldn't say such mean things to a girl." She reprimes lightly without any actual bite to it not letting up that she didn't expect him to actually take the food.

"I will keep that in mind." Shintaro drawls as his blank orbs catch sight of his destination. A small classroom with the distinct sound of shooting effects and entered as if he was forced to go in.

She jutted out her lip as if she was personally offended but she saw the slight twitch that gave him away. He may be little full of himself but that didn't mean he didn't care. She gave a soft smile as she made light steps forward before bumping into a tearful Kido and a grinning Kano who looked pleasantly surprised to see her.

"Nee-chan. It's nice to see you." Kano, her little trickster gave her a grin having the grace not to ask her why she was here. Knowing him, he probably put two and two together quite quickly knowing father worked here. She could never get him to treat her as casually as he did the other two though.

Kido looked up surprised and gave a quick glance upwards as she made an awkward motion that only Ayano herself and her siblings could understand.

"There. There." Ayano petted her hair as she placed a hand around Kido's shoulders and hugged her while consoling her about her lost game. "Oh!" She grinned good natured as she didn't give any indication that she noticed Kido use her eye ability lest she be embarrassed. Kido had always been so cute and easy to tease. "Kano-chan, why don't you join in?"

"Oh, sure nee-chan." He agreed easily and she let him join before Kido could protest and smiled as she put her face to his shoulder and squished the both of them. For the moment, she would pretend that she didn't see Kano's hero worship and devotion.

She loved them so much and she was so scared. This time Kano would not get hurt knowing the truth because this time she wouldn't burden him.

No matter how much she changed it always ended the same.

A thud from the inside and the sound of the a name being called was heard. She let go and easily entered into the room again to see a face down Shintaro. The calendar dropped down with the date August 15 and it wasn't right. This wasn't supposed to happen. Oh no. Not again. Please...

Stop this already.

It was quite the plea.

I finally decided to write something on this site. May be edited in the future to encompass a bigger story or I'll leave it as a one shot.