It started with a book.

Hiro, a fifteen year old prodigy, was late for his SFIT classes. He was in a hurry. He was going to fail. He needed to leave two hours ago. He had promised Tadashi he would get there on time so he could help with Honey Lemon's new project. And he was late. Really, really late. And that book was begging him to take it with.

He tried to ignore it as he rushed around, brushing his teeth and throwing his clothes on, letting his mind wander to his brothers surprise birthday party and the gift he got for him. He had just grabbed his jacket and was halfway to the stairs when his eyes betrayed him.

That book.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood By Howard Pyle.

Without realizing what he was doing, he picked it up and stuffed it in his bag. Hiro raced out the door and towards the college (now he was SUPER late), leaping over fallen trash cans and dodging cars as he crossed the streets ("Ever hear of a crosswalk!?" he heard the driver of a 1994 Dodge Colt bellow).

When he ultimately arrived upon the threshold of the college, Hiro slowed to a stop, deciding to catch his breath before venturing into whichever classroom he was supposed to be in. What time was it? Hiro looked at his phone and saw the bright screen tell him it was 10:38. Perfect. He could hear the tail end of Professor Callaghan's lecture (the one he was actually looking forward to).

Hiro was making his way through the halls to his classroom when he heard a feminine voice from around a corner say, "What do you mean, 'it's gone'?"

"I can't find it! I swear, I put it in my bag this morning!" Another female voice responded.

"Well, then,it should still be there!"

"I know!" There was an exasperated sigh. "Maybe it fell out on the tram?"

"What are you looking for?" Hiro asked as he moved toward the voices.

"Drugs." The first voice, a girl with curly (REALLY curly) black hair and olive skin, stated rather bluntly. To Hiro it felt as if her green eyes could see straight into his soul,which made him a little nervous.

The other girl, a blond with big brown doe eyes, sighed and said, "We're looking for a book. We're going to visit our grandmother at the hospital and I thought it would be nice to read to her from her favorite book."

"What is her favorite book?" Hiro felt the need to ask.

The blond sighed again. "The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood By Howard Pyle. I thought I put it in my bag, but it's not here."

Hiro stood for a minute, shocked. How could it be that the book the he couldn't seem to ignore earlier that morning was the same book these two girls would need? It wasn't possible. It was impossible!

And yet...

"I have it." Hiro's voice was barely above a whisper.

"What?" Drug Girl asked.

"I have that book." He repeated, a little louder. "It's right here." He proceeded to pull out the copy of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood By Howard Pyle and handed it to the blond, who looked at it in amazement. She held it gently as if she was afraid it would disappear.

"Thank you." Hiro couldn't hear her but he didn't need to. He already knew what she was going to say.

***888***

The next few years went on in much the same way. Hiro would get a feeling that he should grab, make, or do something, and it would turn out that he, or others, would need it later.

Hiro once made some tea (not actually wanting any) and Aunt Cass had come up from a long day in the cafe wanting to relax with a nice warm cup of (you guessed it) tea. Cass didn't understand why Hiro would make something if he didn't want it, but she wasn't about to complain.

Another time, Tadashi forgot his lunch and didn't have money to buy something and it just so happened that Hiro felt the need to pack an extra sandwich.

Eventually, everyone just expected Hiro to have whatever they needed, and often times he did (though there were a few occasions where he didn't), but Hiro was starting to feel... empty. It was as if he was looking for something or someone that he needed, but couldn't actually find.

By the time Hiro turned nineteen, graduated college, and had an apartment of his own, however, he forgot about that feeling. Sometimes it would creep into his dreams, making him wake up in a cold sweat, but he always dismissed it as whatever he had had for dinner disagreeing with him.

This time, however, it was unmistakable.

And Hiro needed to go for a walk.