I adored the Erased anime. But when it ended, I found myself a bit blindsided by the Hinazuki/Hiromi pairing. I spent probably more time than I should have thinking about this fictional couple, and finally began to see just why they go so well together! This is just a short story told in two-parts of my headcanon. I hope you enjoy!

Spring was finally beginning to settle throughout Hokkaido, and Hiromi Sugita decided to celebrate with a change of style.

His mother often worked late into the night, coming home with her shoulders hunched and her expression tired. So Hiromi had decided that the best time to request a haircut would be right in the morning after the woke. At first she had stared at Hiromi, baffled, before smiling kindly and leaving to get her shears.

When it was all over, Hiromi gazed at himself excitedly in the bathroom mirror, running his hands through his newly trimmed hair. His face was lit with a wide smile. He couldn't remember the last time it had been so short! He could only hold a few centimeters between his fingertips.

His mother stood behind him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You look so grown-up, Hiromi!" she marveled.

That day, everyone at Keikoku High said the same. Hiromi turned red as he saw a group of girls gawking at him, then twist in their chairs to whisper to each other. What were they saying? Was it bad - or good? He hoped it was good, because that could mean she might think so too…

But it was best not to think of that during class.

After school, Hiromi raced to the train station. He was worried about being approached by one of the wide-eyed girls, and he had a destination - he was going to Sapporo to get dinner with Kazu, Aya, Osamu, Misato, Kenya, and Kayo. Most of his friends he still saw regularly, but Kenya had been accepted to an elite high school and spent most of his time studying, so he didn't have time to hang out as much anymore. And Kayo had taken a part-time job at a convenience store in their town, so the most interactions Hiromi had with her these days were when he would stop by to purchase a bento.

Still, that happened more often than what his wallet would probably want.

Dinner was not extravagant. They had decided on getting burgers at a fast food chain, which was all most of the group could afford. As Hiromi entered the restaurant, he spotted Kazu, Aya, Misato, and Kenya already filling a booth in the corner. Kazu looked at Hiromi without recognition, but Kenya gave a light grin and waved him over.

"Eh!" Kazu exclaimed as Hiromi scooted into the booth beside Kenya. "Hiromi-kun, you - you're a man!"

Hiromi giggled, unsure of how else to respond.

"Sugita-kun, it looks good on you," said Aya as she picked up the soft drink in front of Kazu and took a sip of it.

"Th-thank you," he responded sheepishly. "Where are the others?"

"Probably just running late," said Kenya. "I just got here myself. Want to go order with me?"

"Sure."

As Kenya had expected, Osamu and Kayo arrived not too long after that. Osamu arrived first, while Kayo ran in about five minutes later, her face flushed and breathing heavily. She was wearing the green apron from her convenience store, and her hair - which she wore long these days - was tied up in a ponytail.

"I'm so sorry," she gasped as she pulled up a chair beside Hiromi. "I had to work a bit late today. I didn't expect it. Sorry, I ran here."

"You don't have to apologize," Hiromi said hastily.

For the first time Kayo, turned to him. "Ah!" she yelped, her light brown eyes tracing over the top of his head. "Sugita-kun, your hair!"

"Oh, um, do you like it?"

"Yeah, you look very handsome!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, a fluttering sensation rocketed into his chest, tingling all over. His heart began to slam against his ribcage. But he simply smiled and began to gulp down his French fries before anything could come out.

As he gulped down a fistful of fries, Hiromi looked up to see if Kayo was still staring at him, but she had turned her attention to Misato and was asking her about classes. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he saw Kenya suppress a grin. They traded a knowing glance.

If you asked Hiromi when he fell in love with Kayo Hinazuki, he couldn't put an exact date on it. In his head there was a list of times. It had been when she laughed at his jokes, even though they weren't as funny as Kazu's. It had been when she bought that light gold sweater that carried the warmness in her eyes. When they had stayed up late into the night together glossing through job adverts because Kayo wanted to help Sachiko Fujinuma pay her medical expenses. When she tearfully admitted how hopeless she felt about Satoru getting better and he got to hug her. No, there wasn't a single moment, but a series of moments where finally it became clear to Hiromi why he longed to be around her.

The group traded stories and laughed over dinner. Kayo, Osamu, and Kazu all went to the same high school, but the rest attended separate ones. They gossiped about classmates and discussed what universities they were thinking about. No one was surprised when Kenya said he wanted to go to law school. When asked, Hiromi said he hadn't decided yet.

It was a bold-faced lie.

Afterwards, they decided on new fundraising plans for Satoru. Aya suggested they could organize a scavenger hunt in town with a small prize that people could pay admission for. They got to work planning the scavenger hunt, then spent more time just chatting.

Finally, Misato stood and tossed her bag over her shoulder. "I've got to get home to tackle my homework. Sorry, guys! I'll see you later."

"See you!"

"Bye!"

"I guess we should get going too," Aya said, looking to Kazu.

"It was fun," Kayo said as she began to gather her things. The rest of the group threw out their trash and filed out of the restaurant. For a little while they got to walk together, as they lived in the same direction from Sapporo. They remarked on the change in weather, grateful to not be in their hefty winter coats anymore. Hiromi and Osamu made plans to go to the park together.

Finally, they began to break off in waves. Hiromi was disappointed that Kayo lived too far for it to be reasonable to go with her. As he waved goodnight to her, Kenya took his arm.

"Care to walk home with me?" he asked once Kayo had turned the corner.

"Um, sure."

Something was up.

Not long into their trek, Kenya said, "You should walk her home sometime. The whole way, I mean."

Hiromi stared defiantly at his shoes as they walked.

Kenya waited for an answer. When none came, he asked, "Hiromi-kun...what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Huh?" Hiromi sputtered. "Where is this coming from?"

"Ah, got you to talk."

Hiromi sighed. "I said earlier, I don't know."

"You haven't even thought about it?"

"I…" Hiromi ran a hand through his hair. "Don't laugh."

"Okay."

"I want to go to school in Chiba. I want to visit Satoru-kun more. I...I think I want to become a doctor - to save him."

He didn't look at Kenya, but he could still feel his stare boring into the side of his head. "Why would I ever laugh at that?"

"Because...it's been five years now. So many doctors have said it's impossible for him to get better." He smiled weakly. "Sometimes I feel foolish, like I'm just pursuing this dream that could never work out."

Hiromi paused as he thought about his friend, Satoru. The last time they spoke, they were eleven. They were sixteen now. Hiromi, Kenya, Kayo, and the others had visited Satoru in Chiba once. For being unconscious for so long, he looked good - all thanks to the care of his mother - but still… Hiromi still preferred to picture the confident fifth grader who had gone out of his way night after night to protect his friends.

As he pondered this, Hiromi continued, "I want to be the kind of hero for Satoru-kun that he was for us."

"Hey, I don't think that's foolish." Hiromi finally looked at Kenya, who was smiling kindly. "To be honest, that's why I want to become a lawyer. I want to bring justice to the creep that did this to Satoru-kun. Maybe we could help him together."

Unexpectedly, a sense of relief washed over Hiromi. In a split-second his mind was spinning with the newfound idea that Kenya could accompany him to Chiba, that they could save Satoru, that he wouldn't have to do this alone. Of course Kenya would help! It was silly to keep this from him, Hiromi realized. Kenya considered Satoru his best friend. "I would love that," Hiromi said.

"Me too." He paused. "I bet Hina would support you, too."

"Kenya-kun…"

"You should tell her how you feel."

"I - I can't."

"Why, Hiromi-kun?"

Hiromi tugged anxiously at the straps of his backpack. His stare had returned to his shoes. "She loves Satoru-kun. She always has. He's...her hero."

Kenya said nothing for a bit, clearly turning over his thoughts in his mind. Eventually he said, "Please don't take me the wrong way when I say this."

Hiromi waited.

"Satoru-kun might not wake up," Kenya said flatly. "Believe me, I want him to. So much. I think about him every day. I go crazy, kicking myself for not following him or trying to help more. I miss him. But - you're right, it has been five years. Even if you or someone else gets to bring him back, that could take another five years. Maybe fifteen, or even more."

"She'll wait for him."

"Will she?" Kenya asked. "Say it does take another fifteen years. We'll be thirty-one. In our careers. I know you cherish Hina, but you don't know her thoughts. Especially when she's thirty-one. She's one of the kindest girls I've met. You don't know what she'll say when some guy asks her out on a date." Suddenly, Kenya's harsh words slowed as he said, "If you don't do it first, maybe that guy will be me."

Hiromi stopped. Kenya continued a few more steps before realizing. He turned back with his same kind smile. "I'm just joking, of course," he said.

Hiromi sighed. "It wasn't funny," he mumbled.

Kenya took a step towards him and rested a hand on his shoulder, right where his mother had earlier that day when she complimented his new look. "You are one of my closest friends," Kenya said. "And I want you to be happy. You are so kind. But please don't spend your life waiting in the background because you're afraid of hurting her. She can tell you what she thinks."

Hiromi smiled at his best friend. He felt himself relax at these words. This was all Hiromi wanted since that list of moments bore love for Kayo. But every day he fought to suppress them, keeping the words he wanted to say away from his tongue, trying to push the love out of his mind because there was Satoru to consider.

But he trusted Kenya, and Kenya clearly trusted him. These words seemed to affirm Hiromi's thoughts. For once he didn't feel wrong for feeling this way. It was so relieving to hear…

"Ah, Hiromi-kun, you're crying…"

"Eh? Sorry, Kenya-kun." The tears began to curl down Hiromi's cheeks as his mouth widened into a large, tooth-baring smile. "I just haven't felt this happy about something in a while…"

Kenya gave him a wink and patted his back. Then the two made off into the night, chatting away eagerly just as they had in their elementary school days.

Thank you for reading! The final part will be told from Hinazuki's point of view.

Rin