"Three this morning," Shoto said, standing beside Kairi before the open door at the entrance. They waited in the entryway, staring out at the few paparazzi who hadn't given up yet. While the rest of the press and the world moved on from QuirKey, there were still those few persistent ones who lingered. Kairi nodded, pulling up the hood of her lavender sweatshirt. Mid-November, the chill was sailing through.
"Do you need my driver again?" Momo asked, standing behind them. Her phone was waiting in her hand, fingers hovering over the buttons. Kairi shook her head.
"No..." she said. "I can handle three. I utilized your driver all last week, Momo. I need to accept this how life is going to be. Being a part of UA was already an Insta-Famous recipe. My quirk draws attention so throw that in the blender. Oh, and also, I am responsible for bringing down an illegal medical facility. In a less than responsible way soo... reap what you sow I guess."
"We're walking with you," Tsu said, stepping behind them as well. Kairi took in a deep breath. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder, and stepped down from the threshold of the door.
Kairi bent her head to avoid a picture being snapped of her face. The obnoxious cries for to look their ways splintered together. She covered her ears, trying to drown out the clash of their desperate pleas. Shoto slowed his walk to match hers while Momo stayed close behind her, to prevent any shots from behind. Tsu walked on her other side, sweeping up her hand and clenching tightly. A reminder that she was there, and not alone. Kairi peered around the side of her hood, giving her a grateful smile.
Yuga ran on ahead of them, stepping in front of each camera shoved in her face.
"Am I not so very handsome?" he giggled. He posed dramatically, displaying a surprising affinity to change between poses very quickly. "Surely your social media and press coverage would much enjoy photos of this, non?" He turned to wink at Kairi. She warmed with pride, a slivered tear rolling down her cheek. Her chest inflated, filling with such affectionate warmth for how her friends were shielding her from something they knew she hated so much. Sure, this may have been normal behavior for Yuga – he valued himself highly. But there was something deeper in his call of attention this time. Embraced by all their love, it was nearly impossible for her to cower in her self-consciousness.
Izuku and Uraraka joined in, running in front of her to cut off any good shot they could have gotten. Between her friends that literally circled her, and the hoodie that hid her prominent blue streak in her hair, there was no possible way any picture they had taken would be usable. Knowing so many people were by her side to defend her, even with the noise of the begging photographers, it was hard to feel so sheepish and scared. How could she be? Things were finally coming back to normal. She was finally truly believing she had friends, lots of them, who had her back through everything. Life was good. For the first time, she felt she could say that. Life was really good. If the only issues she was to deal with now would be anything regarding her feelings for Shoto, she could handle that. Kairi squeezed Tsu's hand tightly again, halfway towards the school.
"Hey, why don't you idiots take pictures of something decent for a change instead of harassing weak heroes who aren't your time?!" Bakugo pushed aside those surrounding Kairi, pushing aside a camera that was trying really hard to weasel between Tsu and Kairi. "It's been over a week, don't you think you got your damn photos by now?" Bakugo had mostly avoided Kairi since QuirKey, but he hadn't gone out of his way to insult her and it felt... different. Like he was really trying to not be so rude. It was hard to believe that he wasn't trying to be nicer to her, in his own Bakugo way. Pushing that camera felt like it truly was a favor he was doing for her. Kairi smiled a little at him. He rolled his eyes and kept on moving forward, catching up to Kirishima ahead of them.
They reached the school and split off once safely inside. Kairi pulled down her hood and shook her hair into place before running off to put her things away. She took a last look at her phone, reading through some of the news updates for the day. Nothing about them, thankfully. But there were some stories about follow-ups from the subjects of QuirKey.
"Anything new?" Shoto asked. Kairi's pulse jumped and his cringe mirrored her surprise.
"Oh! Shoto, don't..." she gasped, playfully slapping against his arm. He smirked.
"I'm not sorry."
"Yes, I know," she scoffed, and then shook her head. "This is just a report on names of some of the recipients. The others refused to be named or were minors. But it assures their progress is being tracked about how their quirks are developing. It ends with the statement that police are going through the medical records to try and follow up with everyone QuirKey – or whatever it used to be called – 'treated' over the years. They want to see how much damage was done and what they can do to fix it." While she spoke, he leaned against the row of lockers and looked down on her with a glinting fondness. Kairi's heart leapt and she turned back down to her phone, growing warm again.
"Great things happen when you listen to your emotions sometimes, Kairi. This is evidence of that."
"Y-yeah, I mean... maybe in some ways." A blip on her phone.
Going to be a big day! Following up that major break through on the case today! -Dad
Yay! Good luck and be careful! - Kairi
Got a great team with me, as always! I'll be fine! (thumbs up) – Dad
She tucked her phone away and the two of them walked beside each other towards their classroom.
"I just want to remember that, is all. I know there's been all this talk about controlling your emotions enough to follow logic, knowing when to choose logic and when to follow your emotions," Shoto said.
"Logic would have helped me to execute the mission properly," Kairi reminded, dropping her bag at her desk and setting her phone to silent.
"While true," Shoto said. "Remember how fixated you were on QuirKey and people kept telling you to leave it alone? But something about it bothered you. You had a hunch, you felt it in her your gut, your intuition, whatever you want to call it. It was in your emotions, you just got this feeling. You couldn't let it go, and this is why. You knew something was wrong, you just felt it. It's..." The way he continued on, face alighting while he rambled. It was slightly uncharacteristic. While Shoto was a little more expressive and talkative around her versus anyone else, he couldn't seem to stop now. His grey eyes lit with marvelment. She bit her lip girlishly and folded her hands on her desk, watching as she twirled her thumbs.
"It's... not that amazing, really..." she mumbled, shyly. Her chest billowed with a strange bouncing joyful shyness. Feeling small and unworthy of such praise, but also frolicking in the way it felt, coming from Shoto's awe.
"It's far more powerful than my own quirk, in a different way. Probably more helpful than-"
Aizawa entered and the rest of the class scrambled, hurrying to take their seats. He cast a stern gaze across the class, assessing that everyone was where they were supposed to be. Class went on, and he began his usual announcements. Relief drifted onto her, as they felt back into a normal routine. No more warnings or reminders from things that had occurred recently. Just an overview of their itinerary for the day, answering questions. No one glared at her. Even Bakugo behaved. All were mostly quiet and civilized in their classroom. And while her chest thumped whenever she stole a look to Shoto, there was little disturbance in the class. Maybe they were truly becoming used to how she was feeling. Or maybe it was because of how calm she was, how content she had become. Or maybe she was actually starting to find some control.
"Mr. Iida, what sort of devices do you see the poet making in the fourth stanza?" Mr. Ishiyama asked politely as they poured over a poem.
"Sir, the author is using personification to address his quirk!" Iida proudly stated.
"His quirk? Are we certain it's his?" Jiro raised her hand. "Yes, Miss Jiro?"
"No, Sir. We cannot assume the speaker in the poem is the same as the author. While we can assume the author is drawn experiences from his own life for the poem, we should not treat the narrator as if it is the author speaking."
"Very good, Jiro!" Ishiyama smiled warmly. "Could anyone tell me what the personification of the quirk does?... I'm sorry, Miss Hagakure. Is your hand up?"
"Yes!" cheered the voice from the empty school uniform. "Mr. Ishiyama, the personification helps draw attention to the quirk as if it is a real being, causing a great burden to the autho- I mean, narrator! Sir!"
"Precisely! And notice the alternation language between love for the quirk and how the narrator also despises the quirk. We must remember the balance of relationship with have our quirks. They are useful, powerful. They, of course, are what help to make us heroes. But they can also be a detriment. They can be-" The phone on the wall trilled wildly. Several students sat up, startled by the rare cry from the phone. "Oh, I apologize. Pardon me students, I will be just a moment." Ishiyama calmly made for the phone, reaching it halfway through its third ring. He politely held it to his ear, smiling. He spoke into it before frowning and then turning towards the wall. Kairi sat tall in her seat, peering over the heads of some of her students. She looked to Momo, who pursed her lips worriedly. Tsu shrugged. Shoto asked her a question in his expression, one she didn't catch. Ishiyama abruptly slammed the phone down.
"Miss Hoshino, it is strongly recommended you step out into the hallway and call your father. Urgently, if you would please." Her chest slammed forcefully. The class spun to look her way as she shot up from her seat.
"Uh, Oh... okay," she whispered, snatching her phone from her bag and running out of the room. She didn't catch the door and it slowly fell back, remaining open a crack as she disappeared in the hallway.
Shoto's spirit cracked. He held his hands against his lap obediently as Mr. Ishiyama struggled to find his place again, while his attention kept going to the door. He was concerned. Something serious was happening. Shoto scratched at the fabric on his pants before pulling his fingers into fists. His skinned drummed out a beat as it followed the pace of his nerves, growing in intensity as each moment paced. Kairi wasn't even in the room, and the atmosphere was different. Darker, heavy. He looked to Momo, who had fallen pale and she could not keep her attention from the door. Tsu frowned. Yuga restlessly tapped his foot. Izuku kept leaning over his desk to look over at the door. And the others still shifted nervously. She wasn't there to affect their emotions, but they were still affected. By their care for her. By their worry. Even Bakugo didn't appear to be able to sit still.
And then a scream split through the hallway, followed by a chorus of sobs.
"Dad?" Kairi asked meekly, pacing infront of stretch of window. She tugged at her hair anxiously. When the phone stopped ringing, a heavy breathing came over the other end, and a strange hollowness echoed in the background.
"Riri..." gasped a voice that sounded like her father.
"Are... you... okay?"
"Kairi, I... the plan got a little... messed up."
"Messed up? What plan, what do you mean?"
"You know... the lead on the case. Well, we were right and let's just say things didn't go as planned, and uh..." A vice wrapped around her body. She froze.
"Wh... what do you... Dad, I... I need an explanation!"
"I don't want you to worry I got a great team that's working on getting me out of this right now... but I'm not going to lie, it's kind of scary right now and on the slim chance my team doesn't uh... you know. It will be fine, I'm sure. You know how good they are."
"Dad you're not making any sense!"
"I'm just saying if this goes pear-shaped well... I was given a short amount of time to talk to you so I guess I just got to say..."
"DAD!"
"I love you and I'm proud of you. I'm being told I have to hang up now."
"Dad...? Why are you...?"
"Good-bye."
"DDDAAAADDD!"
The flood of sobs burst from her as she stared at the empty screen on her phone. She frantically pressed at the buttons again, but was left with a voicemail. His phone had been turned off. Everything in her swarmed, unable to settle. Crying, clawing to get out. Confusing swept across her, unable to land. What was happening? He was simply going to question someone today? Right? Wasn't that it?!
The scream drew Mr. Ishiyama's attention and he motioned for the class to stay before he ran out. The wall of emotions struck him when he entered the hallway. He crouched before Kairi, hands pressed against the sides of her head. She had pressed herself against the wall, eyes darting around as they looked for a place to settle.
"Miss Hoshino...!" he gasped.
"No... No. No. No. He was just... questioning. No, I can't... Ishiyama what is... where is... My dad he's... I don't know what..."
"Miss Hoshino, is your father in trouble?" His voice was gentle and direct. Gleaming eyes raised to him before she slowly nodded. Her lip tremored, holding aside her emotional combustion. "Okay. I am going to send out a couple of your friends, and you and them may be dismissed for the day. I shall notify some of the Pro Heroes to help out your father, and I will follow up on whatever is happening."
"Th... thank you..." she gulped. Inside, she could feel everything grating against each other, collapsing before expanding out. A rumbling wave escalating, slamming through her as she begged to burst. She sunk into the floor, drifting, dropping away from reality. Life disconnected. The hallway surrounded her, no longer around her. Truth was slipping away and cold floated in. It couldn't be real. It felt impossible.
She was barely aware of Ishiyama quickly running back inside the classroom.
"Mr. Todoroki! Miss Yaoyorozu!" he called out urgently. The two students rose from their seats, giving their full attention. "You're dismissed for the rest of the day. Take your things, don't forget Miss Hoshino's, and take her back to her dorm. Make sure she is safe and keep your eyes on her."
"Is Kairi okay, Mr. Ishiyama?" Momo asked quietly as their teacher pulled the phone on the way back to his ear.
"I'll let Kairi explain. The rest of the class, please take a brief recess and talk amongst yourself for a few moments while I sort some things out." Soft spoken discussions began, curiosity teeming between them while Momo and Shoto collected their items as fast as possible. Shoto swept Kairi's notebook and utensils from her desk before picking up her bag. The two of them hurried out of the room before finding Kairi huddled against the wall. Her breaths were stretched and heavy, face glistening with sweat. A force pushed through Shoto, burning his feet. Momo shut the classroom door behind her while Shoto slammed against the ground, reached out for Kairi's shuddering form. The hallway was weighted with an emotion so distrustful, so sickening, he couldn't recall many moments Kairi had that where this... intense. As anxiety coursed through him, he pressed his hands to either side of his best friend's face, observing the sorrow laced in her expression. His chest ached with frantic worry.
"Kairi, what's happened?" he asked.
"Dad..." was all she could get out, before her throat clogged with cries again. Her sorrow ripped at him. A want greater than he had ever known had formed. A need, even, to solve whatever was going on. To fix it. To stop the tears, to make her happy. But he was pained with the frustration of not knowing how or even if he could.
"We need to get her out of here," Momo said. While she was calm, her voice was strained with grief, and she trembled with indecision. Shoto nodded and pressed an arm against Kairi's back.
"We're going to take you back to the dorm, all right? You need to get up."
"I n-need... my dad. Shoto I'm not sure... he wouldn't..." Her throat tightened and she swallowed to moisten it. "I don't know what's going on!"
"We're going to figure it out. Ishiyama said he's going to figure out what's going on. Can you get up?" Slowly, her head motioned, indicating yes. Shoto pulled at her arm, guiding her as she moved in slow motion. Once on her feet, she wobbled. Shoto kept a hand in the center of her back, a reminder that he was there. Too inside herself, Kairi didn't notice the action.
"We'll stop by the lockers first," Momo said, keeping in step with them.
"It's okay, I can unlock it," Shoto assured, walking close beside her. Through stumbling breaths and sputtered words, Kairi managed the gist of the phone call she had with her father. It didn't make any more sense to them than to her, but Momo was already sweeping through her phone for information.
"Do you know what assignment your father was working on before this?"
"He was, erm... he was investigating ah..." She sniffled.
"Slowly, take your time," Shoto said as they walked.
"A kidnapping, I think. Reopened it. Went unsolved three years ago. Shelved." Her body buzzed and yet also felt numb, tired. "He simply said they had a lead that could break it. He couldn't tell me more... Confidential. I don't know what was going on."
"Here!" Momo said, expanding a link. "Live coverage!" She tapped at the screen and a live stream of news played, an aerial shot of a non-descript house surrounded by several police cars and officers.
"... the current scene where an officer volunteered to try and negotiate with the captor. Upon entry, he reported to his team the presence of a homemade bomb in the vicinity, and the captor promised to blow them up if any hasty movement was made. The bomb squad has been dispatched as Officer Hoshino covertly tried to speak to his team. The last known communication we have record of is of the captor allowing Hoshino to call his daughter to tell her he loves her while she is at school. If you recall, his daughter is one Kairi Hoshino of UA High School. Since the phone call, there has been radio silence on his end, but it is believed he is still unharmed."