Okay, so here is the next chapter, this one had a little bit of thinking put into it because I had absolutely no idea how I was going to make it work. And I thank my sister for allowing me to use her PC. Otherwise this wouldn't have happened at all.

Note: Playing Accelerator is a lot harder than it looks... Sorry if he is a bit out of character in this chapter.


After Accelerator had left her so abruptly, Mikoto was left at the table to consider things. What could she say? That conversation had been so... odd. That look in his crimson eyes. Where had she seen it before? It wasn't the same mad gaze he had looked upon her with when she fought him. It was like that hint of sorrow had changed him into someone else. Or perhaps, was this boy the same one, who had lost sight of who he had once been? Mikoto didn't understand, but she simply couldn't see how such a monster could be so kind. Or was it the other way around?

Was it because she couldn't see how such a kind and lonely boy could ever be such a monster?

Where had she even realized his kindness? It certainly hadn't come from his mouth, all that came from there was an endless stream of insults, and occasionally a kind word or two. Maybe a reassurance like what he had told her but a moment ago? It didn't make any sense why she felt so sure that she was right about him. He was just lonely... Lonely! Why would that thought even cross her mind?! But it did make sense, after all, he was alone. Well, had been alone. He was so afraid of hurting people that he did everything he could to distance himself from people. Everything he could to distance himself from the world around him? Even... even... maybe godhood?

Mikoto suddenly sat up straight, slamming her hands against the table and jostling her cup as she came to a realization. However, she did earn the stares of near about everyone in the near vicinity of her table. She felt a slight sweat run down her cheek as she noticed them all staring. So she spoke a quick apology before grabbing her to-go cup and dashing out. She had to find him! She had to know for sure! But as she sprinted out of the building, miraculously not running into anyone on the way, Mikoto's mind was putting some of the pieces together about the white haired mystery. She was only met with disappointment when she exited. Accelerator had already gone with Last Order.

But this was far from the end... Mikoto had to know, she just had to! Was she right? Could this have all been because of the kind heart behind his hard shell? She would never know until she asked him. So she headed for the apartment she had spent the last night at. He had to be there! So she began to run in that direction. Even if he wasn't there right away, at least she knew where he lived now, and that Aiho was his guardian. Therefore, she could visit him later if she needed to. But her train of thought was lost as a certain esper's voice sent chills down her spine.

"BIIIIIIIIIIIIIG SISTEEEEEEEEEEEEER!"

Kuroko. That voice could only belong to her roommate. Mikoto didn't bother to look around, only speeding up her footsteps, but to no avail. For the level 4 esper had simply teleported in front of her with arms spread wide for a hug. Mikoto instantly stopped, slamming her feet against the ground and almost falling forward, but stopping in time before she would have crashed into the smaller girl. But it made no difference, for in the next moment the teleporter had thrown herself into Mikoto's arms.

"Big Sister! I've been looking all over for you! Ever since yesterday! You've been gone, and didn't tell me anything! I was SOOOO worried!" As she spoke, the girl had been doing her best to rub her face against the older girl's chest. She would get as much time close to her precious Big Sister's bosom as possible!

Mikoto had been preparing to shove the smaller female away from herself to defend from the awkward hug that Kuroko had to offer when she realized Kuroko did have a little right to be worried. Mikoto had practically vanished without so much as a word.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Kuroko. I'll remember to tell you when I'll be at someone else's place next time." She said with a gentle pat to the red head before her, trying her very best to ignore Kuroko's usual advances.

Shirai's awkward hug abruptly paused, she slowly looked up at Mikoto with wide and fearful eyes.

"W-was... it... a boy's place?" Came the slow, suspicious and worried query.

Mikoto felt her heart skip a beat. Oh crap. Kuroko was onto her! Quickly she looked around for any possible way out of this situation. ANY POSSIBLE WAY! Kuroko was going to jump to conclusions again if she didn't think of something fast!

"U-uh... Well... not exactly... a girl lives there too... three of them..." Maybe she should have phrased that a little better...

Kuroko's eyes widened as her jaw dropped in shock. She released Mikoto and stepped back unsteadily, looking like she was about to faint from some horrible revelation that Mikoto's words had given her.

"B-B-Big S-S-Sister... you spent the night... in a... a... practical harem!" She seemed to be about to lose her balance, staring at Railgun in absolute disbelief. This had to be some kind of nightmare. Her precious Big Sister's chastity had been lost in such a manner? It was... not just scandalous, it was horrifying!

Mikoto felt the blood in her body rush up to her face as she realized what Kuroko's insinuation had been. She waved her hands furiously to defend herself at the younger girl jumping to conclusions yet again.

"No! No! Nothing like that! He was the only one home when I went to sleep! I mean, nothing weird happened! We just both fell asleep on the couch after I showered and he lent me some clothes!" She stammered, trying to make the younger esper understand that she hadn't done anything even remotely close to something risqué.

"You... spent it with an ape? YOU EVEN WORE HIS CLOTHING?!" Kuroko gasped in horror, this was a little better than any other female touching her beloved's maiden body beyond herself. But wearing this ape's clothing? That was just too far! Now she would have the lingering scent of him on her! She suddenly grabbed Mikoto's wrist with an furiously intense glint in her eyes. "We must cleanse you of this scum's touch and smell! Else he'll find you by scent like the animal he is!"

Though the situation might have been laughable to an outsider, the young electromeister was so completely confused from how fast her roommate switched gears. First horror, now she wanted her to take another shower? Embarrassment was forgotten as she felt herself being teleported without warning.

Several teleports and minutes later, Mikoto found herself in her dorm bathroom with Kuroko.

"Oh Big Sister, shall I help you remove any of that horrible male's residue from your body?" Kuroko asked with a smile on her face as she held up her bottle of soap and her scrubby. "First I'll start by helping undress you-"

She never got the chance to finish.

Mikoto had electrocuted her and shoved her out the door along with the soap and the scrubby. "NO! YOU MAY NOT, YOU PERV!" She shouted as she locked the door. She sighed lightly, standing in front of the door, resting her hand on the knob quietly. "I'll see you later, Kuroko. Don't you have Judgment stuff to do?" Kuroko was sitting just outside of the bathroom door and reluctantly nodded even though Mikoto could not see it.

"Yes... But Big Sister-!"

"I'll be fine, I'm not hurt, nothing weird happened so relax." Mikoto cut off her protest as she stood there, just wishing for some time to think to herself.

Kuroko, despite all her perversions and advances, was most of all, Mikoto's best friend. Thus she recognized that tone in Mikoto's voice. She was troubled by something again. But it didn't seem to be quite as much of a burden as it had been last time, so... she could let Mikoto alone as she requested.

"Very well then, Big Sister. Take care of yourself. I'll see you later." She relented and teleported out, leaving behind the scrub and the soap bottle since Mikoto would obviously desire some privacy. Which she gave her despite her desire to peek or something like that.

Now left to herself, Mikoto didn't feel the need to bathe, she had after all showered the night before. She dropped on her bed with a sigh, her hazel eyes staring at the ceiling. Maybe she should put her pajamas on and sleep the rest of the day? She didn't know what to do... Why did she feel like she understood Accelerator so well? She could have Uiharu research him and maybe see about if he had some family or something too... She groaned softly as she let her head rest on her pillow.

"I just don't get it... How come he is like that?"

She asked the Kill Bear stuffie on her bed with a groan of frustration. Boys were so confusing. At least Touma was simple: He was an idiot. But Accelerator... there was something... something she couldn't seem to place her finger on about him. Finally the girl had enough of her time in her dorm room. She felt like going on a walk, to where the battle had happened with Accelerator. It was that same location where 9982 had been killed. She remembered that fight well. How could she forget it?

After a short brisk walk across the city to that bridge that she had fought Touma on, Mikoto paused to reminisce. There was no sign of the electricity she had unleashed on Touma then. In fact, it was back to the same old bridge, down below was the same old rail yard. No sign of the blood that had once been spilled. No sign of the fight that had decided the fate of Academy City. It was almost depressingly normal.

The esper found herself walking down the stairs toward the scene where she had first felt something other than fear or hatred for Accelerator. Stopping right at the place his body had been sprawled across the ground. Why was she so bothered by something about him? She didn't get it. It was like... she knew him or something else.

Letting out a short sigh, Mikoto turned her steps away from here. She was going to be in trouble for missing school today, but she didn't care. Something about all of this just seemed to be drawing her somewhere. It was late afternoon now. She had forgotten to eat lunch thanks to her deep thoughts in her dorm. How many hours had she spent today just thinking? Just walking to try and understand a living conundrum... it's a good thing she didn't think this deep into everything, she'd never get anything done.

Mikoto's steps had wandered underneath her, paying no attention to wherever they led her. She was staring at the ground, with a glance here and there at the sky. It was a pretty day, sparsely clouded and sunny as usual. Where was she even going? Oh yeah, this was the area her mom used to work. Back when her mom worked in Academy City, before Mikoto really started school. What a place to wander to.

There was even the building her mom had worked in for so long. Mikoto felt a fond smile form across her face as she walked over to the playground that laid in the shadow of the building. Well, this was an old playground. She had spent many lonely hours in this place when she was young. Mikoto sat down on the swing to let herself think some more. Why she seemed to be in such a daze she didn't know. But everything here was as it used to be, despite being about eight years older.

After several minutes of simply thinking, the young esper decided to look around. If she recalled correctly, this was also the area she had been hit with a car when she was little. Ah, there was the road. She had dropped her lunchbox and tried to pick up the contents just before the car came and she was taken to the hospital. But beyond that moment before it hit, She didn't really remember much of the last couple of days before it. She had been excited about... about... something. But what had it been? It was hard to even recall the emotions that had been running through her head nine years ago and right before receiving brain trauma.

Tired of thinking about it, Mikoto decided to go sit in the shade and enjoy the peaceful air of the empty playground. Walking over to the old oak tree she could remember sitting under a couple of times, her gaze noticed a certain something on the old oak like a brand burning an after image in her mind. Where the bark had been knocked off, there was a certain mark. The initials "M" and "A". They looked carved in with something sharper and more clean cut than any knife. Except for the 'M'. It was burnt in, scarred on the wood in a way that... Mikoto didn't understand, that looked like something she would have written from the shape of the 'M' and the texture of the burn. But the rest of it... was carved like something she didn't recognize.

As she ran her index finger over the circle surrounding the initials she seemed to recall herself saying words in awe, the voice echoing in her head.

"It's so pretty!"

What was that about? She had no recollection of this mark on this tree in any of her memories that she knew of. She had sat under this tree more than once in her childhood, she had seen this spot many time. And judging from the way the bark had grown over the edges of the smooth part... this had been here many years. But she didn't remember ever seeing it...

"I thought you'd forgotten."

Mikoto nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a familiar voice right behind her. She slowly started to turn around, jerking her hand away from the tree as she stared into the angry crimson eyes of a certain albino. The venom in his voice had startled her.

Accelerator was furious to see her here. Just as he had finally let go of the past, of the fact she must have forgotten and had stopped by after he got rid of Last Order... here she was. Same as him. Staring at the mark on the tree. She must remember if she came back to this exact location! This coincidence had pissed him off more than he would care to admit. Had she remembered and not told him this whole time?! If she remembered, that meant that she had missed meeting him on purpose! This revelation brought back all those feelings of bitterness he thought he had laid to rest when he decided to forget about the whole ordeal.

"Forgot...? What do you mean?" Mikoto asked him in confusion, not sure what to make of the intensity behind his gaze. It was like she could see that hint of hurt with all of that fury, enough that she cringed back slightly.

"Don't play dumb, bitch." Accelerator growled as he slammed his hand not on the crutch against the tree, glaring at her despite their close proximity. His face was literally inches away from hers, but this was no time to be embarrassed. He looked like he was about to slam her head against the tree.

Mikoto felt herself shrink back against the tree. She felt more than intimidated right now. She didn't know why, but he wasn't making any sense right now.

"I'm not playing dumb! I don't know what you're talking about!" She cried, looking at him with wide and shocked hazel eyes. What did he mean! What was he talking about?!

Well this was just rich. He sure had misjudged her. Well, it wasn't like he hadn't fallen for it that time nine years ago. He growled, tempted to beat her until she apologized for fooling him. He had even been willing to let go of it because he believed she wasn't to blame. But he was apparently wrong. Why would a level 5 esper show up in a depilated old playground on the edge of Academy City unless driven by guilt over something that happened here? Maybe he was being a little overreactive, he didn't care.

"Really now? You're a talented liar, Mikoto. I believed you then, but I'm not going to fall for it this time. Go to hell with all your crap and promises not to forget." He growled in a dangerous tone, daring her to just say something again. As tempted as he was to hit her for mocking him with this, that look in her eyes stayed that desire.

"I won't forget! Not ever!"

What a load of crap. He couldn't believe this. To be so fooled. Had she been anyone else, he would have killed her for this.

"I'm not lying! What are you talking about?!" Mikoto cried to him, her eyes starting to fill with tears. She didn't know why he was so very angry, but that hurt in his eyes, made her feel like she had done something, which upset her.

Accelerator stared at her, the tears he could see gathering calmed his anger a bit, so he asked in a calmer, less harsh tone of voice. "Then explain why you're here? After nine years, why would you come back here?" He demanded in a soft voice, his red eyes waiting for her answer.

Mikoto stared at him blankly. Wait a second. This didn't make sense. Why would she be here? "Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" She asked him in confusion, wiping her eyes and looking into his own.

"That's a good point... I guess I was just remembering the past a bit..." He muttered as he looked away from her, unable to bear that gaze of innocence she hit him with. He was finding his anger slip away the longer he looked at her, so he turned his gaze away.

"The past? What do you mean? Do... we... know each other?" Mikoto asked in pure befuddlement. This wasn't making any sense to her.

Accelerator turned his head toward her again. So... she had really forgotten after all. He couldn't hold a grudge for something she couldn't remember. Though he was disappointed that she had indeed forgotten.

"It was a long time ago." He said simply, just about to turn and leave her here. There was no point in staying when she didn't even remember that they had once known each other. But as he pulled his hand off of the tree and started to turn away, Mikoto caught his hand so he couldn't leave.

"You're telling me, that these signatures are ours?" She demanded and pointed to the marks on the tree. Accelerator tiredly turned his gaze to the marks from way back then.

"Yeah, but they don't mean a thing." He replied curtly, having no desire to delve further into his folly.

"My mom told me that I said... 'I didn't forget' when I was going to the hospital, you mean... I promised you something... didn't I?" Mikoto mused aloud, beginning to put the pieces together despite her normal dense mind. But actually, she was starting to remember... starting to recall something.

Accelerator looked up in surprise. Hospital? "Why would you have been in a hospital? When I saw you, you looked fine." He asked slowly, starting to have a slight bad feeling about what might have happened.

"When I was like five, I was hit over there by a car, I don't really remember too much of it. But... I promised to meet you here... didn't I?" Mikoto could distantly remember talking to a boy, but it was like looking at the memory through misty water without any words being audible. Like she could slightly see those shadows in her head, but couldn't really remember it anywhere near clearly.

"Yeah... but it doesn't matter now. A promise that a bunch of brats made ain't worth anything anyway." He huffed lightly, slightly irritated that he would get so worked up over something that had happened nine years ago. Maybe... it was because she had been the first one to give him a feeling of hope. He was always more sensitive when it came to anyone who had touched beyond his shell. He let out a sigh. If she didn't remember anything, it didn't make any difference being here.

He was startled by the girl suddenly throwing her arms around him from behind him before he could walk away. "Hey brat, what are you-"

"I'm sorry I wasn't here. It must have hurt... to be lonely for all those years. But... even if I'm a little late... I'm here now." She didn't even let him finish, just hugging his thin frame. She couldn't believe that she was actually doing this, but like always, she went on impulse.

Accelerator had been shocked by her sudden hug. His red eyes looking at her as he turned his head back to study this strange girl. Though she was more than a little late, he just couldn't be mad about it. He just sighed, letting his shoulders slump with a simple sigh.

"Yeah..." He couldn't think of a single thing to say, just turning his head forward and letting the moment continue.

"How long are you gonna hug me?" The albino asked her suddenly, only after a long moment of allowing it.

The result was comedic to say the least. Mikoto released her arms from around his middle after he spoke, taking a step back to protest. "No- I d-didn't mean to- I, uh... Ah!" She had been stepping back while trying to wave her hands and tell him she hadn't meant anything weird. Her face looked like it was going to explode from the amount of blood rushing into her blush. The biggest problem was that she stepped on one of the tree roots and stumbled backwards, thumping the back of her head against the hard surface of the oak. Sliding down to her rear end, Mikoto clutched her head in pain.

Accelerator let out a dry chuckle and squatted in front of her with a slight smirk on his face. "You've got to be the most clumsy level 5 I have ever seen." He stated bluntly, enjoying this embarrassment on her face. But before she could shove him over as revenge, he placed his hand on her head. Watching her hazel eyes go from upset to... surprise.

"Stay the way you are. I wouldn't want you to be any other way." With her stubborn, immature, and innocent qualities, she had done the impossible. Even without remembering the promise, she had become a level 5, and like she said, here they were. It may have taken nine years, but only one promise still remained. Good thing she didn't remember that one, and that they both had a few more years before marriage even became a reality.

After he patted her head, he rose up to his feet and offered his hand to help her to her feet. Taking it, she got up and looked at him curiously. He seemed to be almost... happy. She beamed at the thought before pressing her index fingers together.

"Hey... Accelerator." She started, her cheeks burning a little pink as she tried to build up courage.

"What?" He asked her in his usual bluntness.

"Um... do you... uh... want to maybe... go get some coffee maybe?" She let out a massive sigh of relief that she didn't realize she had been holding as she finished her question.

Accelerator raised an eyebrow. She hadn't been that nervous when he took her to breakfast- Was she asking him on a date? It would be just the two of them after all... "Sure. You're paying though."

Mikoto's eyes widened at his reply. She hadn't actually been expecting him to say yes. And she didn't even like coffee... but she had guessed his favorite drink correctly.

And so the two of them set out to head for their first official "unofficial" date without Accelerator telling Mikoto everything about their encounter nine years before. She might have a shock when she DOES find out...