ℐN MOMENTS OF PERPETUAL SILENCE, THE MIND THOROUGHLY EXPLORED THE MUSEUM OF PAST HEARTACHES, WRONGDOINGS, AND MADNESS- A MASTERPIECE OF DESTRUCTION THAT SOLD HIGHER THAN THE GOOD MEMORIES THAT WERE EXISTENT.

from that night, she could almost touch the wine-shaded blood ebbing from her nose, feeling like cold rubies against lacerated lips and aching teeth throbbing from the bruise on her jaw. she wasn't prepared for the horrific scenario she would discover with her father seizing because of alcohol poisoning in the apartment above his sewing shop. all she was thinking of before as a negligent child was about how much harder she should've beaten the group of traitors who fooled her into believing they were confidants, unable to hear her father choking on a volcanic eruption of bubbling foam.

the world wasn't wrong and was terrifyingly right; one day can become a lifetime that has the power to leave a person in ruins within seconds.

even though their relationship hadn't been the strongest, she often wonders if her father would care if she told him how her heart paused when she watched the blue and red lights take him away. if he would bat an eye when she explained how she sobbed as the specialist told her that he didn't know when he would wake from a coma.

she realized so much in just one night. tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. all anyone has is one life, is one time to live, to love, and make things right.

when her father was shipped to thailand to become an inpatient in rehab, she was sent to the states to live with her grandfather, a retired pro hero, for school and that's when their renovations began. she was afraid to speak to him. she didn't want to make it seem like she only started caring because he was in rehabilitation. despite her fears, thrice a week she would call her father and spend hours talking about regular subjects a child and parent would, school, friends, etc. it was extremely awkward at first. almost as though they were meeting each other for the first time and had to bring up unnecessary questions to fuel interest, however, things got better gradually.

and, now that their kinship started to flourish, she hated to say hello on the phone, knowing that it meant goodbye… knowing that her father was stowed somewhere thousands of miles away from where he wouldn't be able to see her until he was done with his treatment.

her grandfather probably didn't even care for his son being the devastatingly greedy shithead he was and she was stuck with him.

it was exactly moments like these-where there was no savior and where she was helpless- that she despised her mother for leaving her high-and-dry while she would wrap herself in the curtains, imagining that the warmth emitting from the silk were the arms of her missing maternal care.

with an arm across her teal orbs, she released a sigh gazing at her reflection in the marble ceiling before tracing the splotches of discoloration on her skin that derived from vitiligo. she laid in a vermilion, satin kimono with lavender and white floral patterns, careful not to ruin her charcoal locks pinned with an extravagant, but small [1]kanzashi adorned with real [2]emerald ringlets.

she sighed, i look like i'm wanting to spread legs more than making a good first impression.

she went to rub her eyes, but remembered she had the devil's tampon on (it's what she calls mascara because she accidentally and painfully poked her pupil with it one time). she finally sits up after seeing the headlights of cars shine through the master bedroom. simultaneously, a knock resounded on the door, signaling her to head to the main floor.

she felt like cinderella descending down the spiraling staircase except no one was looking at her. the pro heroes were occupied indulging in conversations about the latest fights they had gotten into, boasting about how well they protected the city and the people from harm's way. although the formal was lovely with chattering and clanking of champagne chalices, the atmosphere was also bland and uncomfortable, especially with her grandfather and a man with fiery red hair and fire for a beard and mustache kept occasionally looking at her before turning to whisper amongst themselves.

she turned briskly and stood outside on the balcony where she leaned against the railing, looking at the garden below with narrowing eyes when she felt a presence shield her side from the frigid air.

"beautiful garden, but those hydrangeas look a bit out of place," said a rather handsome man beside her. "almost as if they should be planted someplace else."

she burrowed her head into her arms and mumbled, "yeah, no kidding."

"you're not from around here, are you?"

"how could you tell?"

"you had a bit of accent there. it's cute." replied the man. " that could mean you came from anywhere, but i'm guessing from your choice of attire you're from-"

"choice?" snorted the teen. "i'm from japan."

"i should've known from the calligraphy on the mailbox." said the man. "we did about three u-turns until someone whipped out some yoogle. your father seems very traditional."

"he's not my father." said the female rather darkly, eyes clouded with resentment. "my dad's an alcoholic sobering up in rehab. if you ever find a video on the internet of a guy dancing on a table, screaming that he's bill cosby in a skirt, you should know that's him."

he didn't laugh. in fact, he looked kind of sad.

"god, you can laugh, you know?" said the teen. "there it goes again. the look of pity on your face that i see on anyone i meet."

"my bad."

"nah, it's cool."

"i apologize for mistaking him to be your father." said the man with a sheepish smile and a scratch to the head. "i guess i assumed that because you're dressed so flauntingly-"

"excuse me?"

"i didn't mean it like that. you look fantastic-"

" i'm sorry if i appear too flashy and bright." huffed the girl. "im not very fond of the feeling of looking like i'm up my own ass like this kimono is right now."

"well, people do say if you continuously look at bright things, it hurts your eyes but i guess you're an exception."

"so you have the energy to flirt with me, butn to laugh at a joke." smirked the female with a hand on her cheek. "you're pretty hopeless in keeping a girl's interest."

"because i don't have a dark sense of humor?"

"humor is humor, hun." said the girl with a crooked smile that caused his stomach to flutter. "you just have lack of taste."

"are you dating anyone?"

"food. it's always been there and has never let me down."

"come on."

"people don't find me likable and i don't like many people." shrugged the girl.

"you remind me of my brother. he used to say similar things like that, but now he's tied down. even has three kids, twins and a little girl." he smiled. "you say that now, but there's gonna be that one person that's defies everything people say." said the man leaning his back and elbows onto the cement rail. "they say you fall in love once, but every time you look at that person, you'll always fall in love all over again. and who knows, angel. that person could standing right next to you."

she could say nothing, but hum dryly in response.

there was a faint call in the silence and the man perked, "i guess i gotta head back inside."

"see ya."

"emerald looks good on you, by the way. next time i see you, i hope you're wearing something similar."

she watched him depart and a small bundle of loneliness pinched her heart. she didn't know his name, she knew she wouldn't see him again, hell, she'd probably forget his face. but she wouldn't forget his words because they would last her an eternity until she held the hands of her future love and until she took her final breath.

taking the emerald pin from her locks, she twirled it in between her caramel scented digits and paused when she caught a nearly unnoticeable engraving on the side that she hadn't seen before:

| ᴿᴱᴵ ᵀᴼᴰᴼᴿᴼᴷᴵ_ |

her phone vibrated in the hidden sack of her kimono and she immediately answered the call not even checking the caller ID.

she chirped, "hello?"

"[3] vi, baby, i'm coming home."

it was her father.

(a/n):

[1] kanzashi - is an ornamental hair stick used for traditional japanese hairstyles adorned with flowers and small jeweled ringlets.

[2] emerald - the symbolism means steadfast love. the hairpin originally belonged to rei todoroki who received it as a wedding gift. after rei was emitted to a mental hospital, endeavor gave her items to the housemaid to sell. the hairpin ended up in etsukō's possession, a gift from her grandfather who also didn't see the engraving.

so, what does this have to do with "steadfast love?" the emerald on the hair pin is a sign of a step closer to her meeting shoto todoroki which will eventually flourish an unbreakable passion between them.

aylward harding knows that his daughter always had a hard time dealing with her vitiligo growing up, so as a supportive and affectionate parent, he adopted the nickname 'vi,' not because he felt obligated to, but because he truly believes her skin discolorations are gorgeous.

[3] the word 'vi' means to be beautiful or flawless