Hey guys! Yes, I didn't disappear, as you all might have thought, and no, I haven't given up on DGOP, don't worry, I'm still rewriting it. But I have had plot bunnies about this show for about a year and I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and give the OC in Boku no Hero Academia a try. I don't own Boku no Hero Academia, but I own my own ideas and characters. If you are new to my stories, you should know that Italics are the thoughts of the main character and 'Italics' are things that have been written. Thank you for reading, and please enjoy the first chapter of Reticent.
Staring at the door blankly, Himemi let out an inaudible sigh as she tilted her head to pop her neck before sliding it open and finding her desk. Yawning while setting her school bag on top and taking a seat, she gets out her notebook to review her notes, mentally cursing herself for not sticking to her routine of going to bed on time. Sitting in calm silence, she doesn't look up as other students file in, chattering excitedly, instead opting to plan out her day. After school today, I'll have to fit in two hours of cardio after homework. After that, Uncle Ryo should be off work, so maybe I should drop b-
"What are you looking at?! Deku!" Drawing her attention, a loud boy that she hadn't noticed enter the class shouted at a green haired student Himemi constantly referred to as mousy. Bakugo again? If he's as great as he's constantly exclaiming, why can't he focus on anything other than bullying the mousy Quirkless kid. Midoriya-san has done nothing but be kind to him, too.
The green haired boy flinched back and then hid his head behind his arm as he mumbled something Himemi couldn't quite make out, and it seemed to only rile the louder boy up more. "Speak up, Deku! Or better yet, do everyone a favor and stop talking in general! Take notes from the class mute over here!" Gesturing towards Himemi, the loud, ash blonde boy leaned back, sitting backwards on his desk, and Himemi rolled her eyes. I counted three commands. Bakugo Katsuki, you're the one who shouldn't be speaking. Midoriya glanced over at Himemi and Bakugo let out a scoff, catching Himemi's eye roll. "What was that, Loser Mute? Did you have something you wanted to say to me?" Hopping off his desk, Bakugo leaned forward, getting his face close to Himemi's and she waited for the inevitable 'punchline' he was obviously building up to. "Oh wait, you can't say anything!"
Laughing at the distasteful joke were two other boys that always seemed to be flanking him, one with longer brown hair that stopped just below his ear, and the other with black hair that was mildly spiky. Giving Bakugo a blank stare, Himemi stopped herself from rolling her eyes again, barring her face from revealing any reaction to his words, and he clicked his tongue before turning back and plopping down in his seat, unsatisfied with her lack of offense. How idiotic. They're all so stupid. Nevermind them, Himemi, in the end, they're inconsequential.
"That's not nice, Kaachan, you shouldn't pick on people who can't fight back. Apologize to Wakana-san!" The usually squeaky voice was louder than usual as Midoriya spoke up, and Himemi glanced to her right to really look at her Quirkless classmate. I have no reason to waste my energy with an idiot. There's no 'can't'. I choose not to fight with Bakugo. You should save your compassion for someone who needs it, Midoriya-san. The thought obviously fell on deaf ears, but Himemi didn't care. Tuning out Bakugo's fittingly explosive response to Midoriya's attempt to stand up to him, Himemi focused on setting up her desk space for note taking and soon the bell rang and the class rep, whom Himemi had easily registered didn't come to Midoriya's defense even though Himemi knew he had taken note of Bakugo's rude behavior, called for everyone to stand and bow as the teacher entered the room.
"Okay class, we are jumping right into it today, open your textbooks to…" Himemi opened her math textbook and absentmindedly began taking notes while going through her plan for the day and making sure that everything was meticulous. Keeping her mind busy with the lecture and her mental planning, she barely noticed the time pass, and soon the bell rang and the class rep called for them to stand, bow, and then it was time to go home. Collecting her books, Himemi stood and put them in her bag by size and subject. Snapping it shut, she paid no mind to Bakugo or Midoriya as she walked out of the classroom.
Taking the quicker route over the suspension bridge she always takes to school and turning left down a road on her way home, Himemi walked past a cute neighborhood until she stopped at a very nice apartment building. Rhythmic steps lightly echoed against the metal staircase as she made her way up three flights, stopping in front of a door that had the number 307. Unlocking the door, she entered, making no effort to greet the empty space with a smile. Being sure to lock the door behind her, she took off her shoes and walked into her living area to set her bag on the coffee table before going into her room to change into a pair of blue shorts and a white tank top. After plopping down on the couch, Himemi grabbed her school bag and began on her homework. Ah, this won't take that long, I should have thirty minutes of extra time to prep dinner. Stir fry veggies sound pretty easy.
Finishing her homework swiftly, Himemi gave it a quick review before putting everything away and setting the bag next to her school shoes by the door before heading to the kitchen and prepping her vegetables. I'm going to have to go shopping again soon, I'm almost out of eggs, milk and frozen veggies. Setting the cooked vegetables on a plate, she quickly washed the pan and spatula before digging in. Maybe halfway through her meal, she noticed the time on her phone and set her chopsticks down. Ah, I've gotta start my warm up now if I want to finish my run before the sun begins to set. Scraping the rest of her food into a tupperware and setting it in the fridge, Himemi grabbed her phone and headphones before pulling on her running shoes and grabbing her keys. The goal is to finish my warmup, twenty kilometers, a cooldown and be back in two hours. Uncle Ryo probably won't be up for a spar today, so I can go all out.
Locking her apartment door, Himemi lightly jogged to the local park to do her stretches, and once her warm up was finished, she began her run. About an hour and forty minutes in, her breathing became labored and she inwardly cursed. Why am I still getting tired so early on? Noticing that she was slowing down, she steeled her mind and forced herself to speed up. This is all mental. If I can't force my body to listen to me, I'll never be a match for- A flash of lavender-grey hair similar to her own and an attractive but vicious voice flashed through her mind and she flinched, her feet stumbling on nothing and she barely had time to tuck her body as she fell, rolling and immediately standing back up, stumbling as she regained her balance. Damnit! You've got to be kidding, Himemi. You're past this. Realizing she was stopped, she glanced down at her clothes in frustration and let out a breath to calm down. Dust me off. At her thought's command, Himemi's skin prickled as a cold breeze jostled her hair and skin, brushing the dust off of her body. Okay Himemi, you're almost back, finish strong. Pushing her body even further as she forced her frustrations into a sprint, Himemi centered her attention on the screaming of her muscles and the pain in her feet, pushing through the pain. There's the park. Let's go, even faster. Gaining speed, Himemi listened closely to the quick rhythm of her footsteps against the pavement, her eyes on the grassy area ahead of her as her face burned from the overexertion.
Slowing to a stop in the grass, Himemi heaved and bent over, hands on her knees as she gulped in air before straightening. Time to stretch, then a cooldown walk back home. Glancing around, she took note of the families off in the distance on the playground and let out a soft smile at the small children. Maybe I should stop by Uncle Ryo's house after all. I haven't seen Soma in a while. He's probably even taller now. As she stretched, she pondered the idea before eventually deciding against it. I'll send a text and drop by next week, that'll be less stressful for Aunt Kana, and I'll probably have more time, since there are two exams this weekend. Finishing her stretches, Himemi began jogging in place before taking off in the direction of her apartment.
Finally arriving home, she glanced at her phone for the time and sighed. Two hours and thirty minutes. That's not good enough. I only have ten and a half months until the exam, and I'm still so lacking. Unlocking her apartment, she entered quickly and locked the door behind her, kicking off her shoes and making her way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge and grabbing her food, she plopped down at her small kitchen table and polished off her stir fry. When she finished, she washed the dishes and set them in the drainer before frowning. Dry the dishes. Thinking the command triggered her Quirk once more, and Himemi's hair jostled as the cold air brushed past her skin, cooling her as it dried the dishes in the drainer, the air adhering to her command. Thanks. Putting the newly dried dishes into the cabinet, Himemi plopped down on her couch and sighed.
Opening her phone, she sent a text to her uncle, then a more eloquent one to her aunt, asking if the following week she could drop by. Knowing Uncle Ryo, he'd mean to tell Aunt Kana that I asked to come over, and then he'd forget. It's better to just send them both a text. Turning off her phone, she grabbed the remote off the coffee table and turned on the T.V., her favorite channel already playing, a pair of hosts that visit new places every day to learn how to do a new thing each episode. I'll watch one episode, then I should do some pushups and squats before bathing and going to bed. Watching the hosts learn how to garden, Himemi absently went over her training regime. To make up for my lack of endurance, I'm going to have to add weights to my regime, so I'll have to stop by the store tomorrow. I might as well get groceries while I'm at it.
Hesitating at the end of the episode when the next one hinted at learning two new ways to cook gourmet food on a budget, Himemi finally decided against watching the next episode and turned off the T.V., instead rolling out her yoga mat and beginning her final workout for the evening. Powering through already fatigued muscles, Himemi focused on breathing through the shakes in her legs as she began her fifth and final set of one hundred squats. I just need to keep breathing. I'm almost done.
Upon finishing her final squat, Himemi unceremoniously crumpled to the ground in exhaustion. Since I'm already on the ground, maybe I should add in a ten minute plank? The thought made her grimace, but then another thought hit her before she decided against it. I just have to think of it as punishment for not meeting the cardio goal I had set. And then she was sold. Holding her body up for ten minutes, the timer set on her phone, Himemi closed her eyes and breathed, thinking about the fall she'd taken from earlier. I thought I was over that fear. I'll have to do better going forward, I can't be having repeats of today's run if I'm going to accomplish my goal. Hearing the beeping of her phone's timer, Himemi, pushed herself to her feet and prepared herself for a bath. I shouldn't beat myself up about it anymore though, that won't help anything. All I can do is move forward. After drying off her body and changing into pajamas, Himemi sat at her vanity and looked at herself in the mirror, taking in the dull lavender-grey bob, lilac eyes and slightly tanned skin. There's nothing I can do about it but be better than him, mom. Shaking away the thought, she sucked in a breath and let it out. There's no reason to think about her either, Himemi. You just have to be better than them both. After finishing her skin care routine, she turned out the lights and settled into bed.
Waking up sore the next morning, Himemi began the day by stretching her body and preparing her bento for lunch. Paying acute attention to the time, she turned music on her phone as she made her breakfast, swaying to the melodies as she plated rice and grilled tilapia before sitting down to eat. Assuming that it'd be a normal, routine day, Himemi pulled on her shoes and began her walk to school, taking the suspension bridge as usual. Glancing up from her phone periodically as she walked, she spotted the familiar green hair of Aldera Junior High's resident Quirkless student walking a few steps in front of her. Paying him no mind, as usual, Himemi tries to push down the faint jealousy she gets when she sees him, sighing as she forces herself to ignore him in favor of her phone.
As Midoriya and Himemi were nearing the center of the suspension bridge, a scream pierced through the crowd as another person yelled, "WATCH OUT!" There was barely enough time to gain her footing before the suspension bridge began to sway, a large mud ball hitting the side of the suspension bridge, rocking it and jostling the large group of people on it, some falling to their knees in shock as a Golem-looking man picked up a nearby car and prepared to throw again.
The car exploded upon impact, rocking the bridge more as two cables holding the bridge up began to snap, the echo deafening, as many people began to call the police. Another impact and another snap, and Himemi shakes herself out of her daze. What am I doing, just standing here, I need to get off the bridge, and so does everyone else. The screaming got louder as another cord snapped and the bridge's swaying became more exaggerated and Himemi got her footing and began nudging people towards the sides of the bridge that were closest to them. Several people got the hint, and they all began to make their way off the bridge quickly until someone yelled, "It's the Normal Hero: Manual!"
"But isn't he usually in Hosu City? What's he doing here!?" A man added on, stumbling towards the edge to get a better look at the hero.
"Who cares!? He's come to save us!" A woman cried back, and Himemi's eyes widened as the Golem Villain got larger, the mud that surrounded him hardening and becoming stone. The Golem villain looked around for a moment, launching another mud ball at Manual before turning his attention back towards the bridge. "Look! It's Kamui Woods!" The call had Himemi looking across the length of the bridge, her attention caught not by the Pro Hero, but instead by the object the Golem had picked up and began to throw. That's a bus! Watching as the people in the way of the bus about to be launched up at them scatter one way or the other, Himemi's blood runs cold as her eyes fall on Midoriya, writing in his notebook and very obviously not running from the bus coming right toward him. Give me a boost! The command works as intended as a rush of air forces her forward as she sprints, quicker than she'd ever run without the aid, and she launches herself at the green-haired boy, grabbing his torso and turning, her grip on him slipping as she hits the ground, stopping him feet from where the bus landed as she continues rolling, her panic as an all time high as she grips the edge of the bridge, stomach flip-flopping as her legs and the bottom half of her torso dangle over the edge and she spares a look down at the three hundred meter drop, give or take. Holy shit, that's a long way down! Letting out a shuddering breath, she looks back at the people on the bridge, scrambling for anything she could grab to help pull her up.
About a foot from her face, laying binding up, was the notebook Midoriya had been writing in, and a little further away, Midoriya was pushing himself up off the pavement, his head turning in the direction of the bus before landing on his notebook, and then Himemi. Eyes widening in recognition, Midoriya glanced back at the bus, then at her before taking a step forward and nearly falling down when the bridge shook again from another impact. As she slipped further off the bridge, Himemi cursed herself as her sore arms screamed in pain from supporting her weight. I shouldn't have done that ten minute plank.
Running up to her, Midoriya surprises Himemi as he grabs her elbows and goes to pull her up, "Hold on, Wakana-san, I've got you." He begins to pull when another hit has the cables snapping and the bridge tilting, pushing his notebook off the ledge, and Midoriya stumbles forward as Himemi falls. Arm muscles straining at the sudden shift from weightlessness to supporting all of her as Midoriya clutches her right bicep in both of his hands, bracing his knee against the bridge's pavement before calling out for anyone nearby to help him. Seeing how his arms began to shake under the strain of her weight, Himemi realizes that Midoriya is using his body weight to barely, just barely, hold her up, and with the loss of his grip on her left arm, he was even worse off.
Himemi took a shuddering breath as she gauged the distance between her and the ground below. I've never tried to cushion a fall this far before, but if Midoriya-san doesn't let me go, I can't guarantee that we'll both survive the fall. Looking back up to Midoriya, she watched him shift as another impact shook the bridge, his face and muscles straining as he clutched her arm and Himemi made up her mind. I'm going to have to do it. Watching as Midoriya tried another attempt to get assistance, Himemi bit her lip in apprehension. I hope you'll forgive me after this. Opening her mouth, eyes locked on to the green haired boy, she spoke with a firm voice, a simple command. "Let me go!"
The effect was immediate. Midoriya's muscles shift as his body obeys, his hands loosen on Himemi's arm, and she braces herself to fall, prepping her Quirk to cushion her landing when the hands that were once holding tightly to her arm under her elbow were now holding even tighter to her wrist and hand.
"No." He got out through gritted teeth. Looking up in shock, Himemi sees the face of desperation and sheer willpower looking back at her. Instead of the averted gaze and frightened aura he always had in school, Midoriya exuded determination. It was the look of someone moving in spite of fear, moving against their own body's will, it was the look of a hero.
"I won't let you fall. I promise." Then, with strength Himemi didn't know he possessed, Midoriya strained and tensed his legs as he pulled Himemi back onto the bridge. Panting from the exertion, Midoriya laid on the asphalt of the bridge, exhausted. How did he- Watching as mud, stone, and water hit the bridge again, Himemi realized that every other civilian had already begun exiting the very unstable bridge. There's no time.
Looking down at the exhausted Midoriya, Himemi wouldn't let him be. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him to his feet, looked him in the eye and said, "Midoriya Izuku, Run." And then Midoriya, with an energy he hadn't felt before, was running alongside his classmate that, before that day, he had thought was mute. Not even two minutes from when they got off the bridge did the final cable snap, and the screaming of metal and rock grinding was deafening as the bridge collapsed into a pile of rubble. But Midoriya didn't stop to watch, his legs wouldn't let him stop, and Himemi was right behind him.
Once they had gotten to safety, the echo of his classmate's voice in his head repeating the single word, 'run' began to fade, and he collapsed, all his muscles protesting his overexertion. Watching him fall to the ground, Himemi felt guilt claw at the back of her throat, mocking her. Kneeling next to the lying boy, she realized he was unconscious and the reality of what just happened caught up to her. Oh god. Oh god. Ohgodohgodohgod! I used my Quirk on him! Forcing back the tears that threatened to fall as the voice in the back of her mind repeatedly taunted her, saying, You forced your will upon someone else. You broke your promise. You messed up and now he's unconscious. Who knows how badly you screwed him up. You messed up. You messed up. You messed up.
Shaking herself out of her self hatred, Himemi checked to make sure that he wasn't hurt externally before wiping her eyes and taking a calming breath. Not now, Himemi. You can fall apart later, but right now we need to get Midoriya-san out of the middle of the sidewalk. With that thought in mind, she pushed away the guilt that was beginning to claw at her. Slinging Midoriya's arms over her shoulders, Himemi adjusted herself before standing up and hooking her arms under his thighs. Ignoring the pain of her sore and stiff muscles, Himemi carried him the final ten minutes to school. Class is already in session, I'll just take him to the nurse's office.
Entering the infirmary, Himemi let out a sigh of relief. Shibasaki-sensei isn't here. I'll just leave Midoriya-san on the cot. Slowly setting him down on the bed, careful not to drop him, Himemi laid Midoriya on the infirmary bed and scanned the room for something to write on. Mouth opening into an 'o' as she spotted a notepad and pen. Writing a note to the nurse, saying that Midoriya was caught up in the bridge attack and that he should get some rest, Himemi set it on Shibasaki's desk before glancing back to Midoriya. I really hope you're okay, Midoriya-san. Looking at his peacefully unconscious face, the image of his determined expression as he stopped Himemi from falling despite the fear, pain, and use of Himemi's Quirk, came to her mind. He powered through my Quirk. Then another crossed her mind, the look of sadness as he watched his notebook fall off the bridge, deciding instead to reach for Himemi. I can't make up for the fact that I used my Quirk on him, but I can at least try to find his notebook. Nodding, Himemi walked right back out of the school building, keeping Midoriya's expression in mind.
Rooting through the bridge's rubble for several hours, Himemi sighed and crouched near the pile she'd just created. This is impossible. Looking around the rubble at the several construction workers clearing away different areas, she had half a mind to give up. I don't think I'm going to find it. Glancing up at the space where the bridge used to be, Himemi wondered if there was anyone with a Quirk that could restore it. Wait… I think that I'm a little too far north. The notebook could have fallen over there. With renewed energy, Himemi stood and walked further south, keeping her eyes peeled for the notebook. I think it was a light blue book, right? Scanning the area, she paused at a recently uncovered drain grate. On one of the grate bars, there was a thin blue spine that looked large enough to be a notebook. There it is! Dashing over to the drain, she carefully pinched the spine of the book and tried to straighten out the wrinkled pages. It's more white than blue, now that I'm looking at it closely. Ah, it's a little wet. Carefully dry it off. Shivering slightly at the cool breeze that always brushed past her skin and tousled her hair when she used her Quirk on the air, she smiled slightly at the dried pages before frowning at the way the water warped the pages. It's ripped too.
"Hey! You there, this area is off limits!" Startling a bit at the sudden noise, Himemi lifted a hand and smiled sheepishly before exiting the way that the man pointed. Once she was out of the way of the construction, Himemi looked down at the notebook in her hand. Hero Analysis for the Future. No. 12. He has twelve of these things? Flipping through the pages, she took in the immaculate notes and diagrams for each pro hero. This is… amazing. Death Arms, Snipe, Water Hose, The Fly… even some vigilantes. And they're meticulous, too! Weight, height, suspected age, and names if they're public. Weaknesses, each of their attacks, and what he wants to learn from each of them. Drawing her thumb across the water warped pages, she stopped at the back cover. There aren't many pages left, though.
It took eight minutes for her to buy the Kukuyo Campos A ruled notebook in an identical blue and white and it took her ten more minutes to arrive back in the infirmary where Midoriya was still sleeping. Getting the new notebook out of her plastic bag, she grabbed the pen she used to write nurse Shibasaki the note and scrawled a little note on the inside cover before placing it and Midoriya's now tattered notebook on his chest. Letting out a sigh, Himemi turned and walked out of the school. I'm going to have to stop by Grandpa's to explain why I missed school. Or maybe I could ask Uncle Ryo to go instead.
The walk home was a bit longer than necessary because there was no longer a bridge that allowed her to walk above the traffic, but by the time she'd arrived home, she'd crafted three excuses for why she couldn't drop by her grandparent's house so Ryo would have to inform them of her school absence in her stead. Foregoing her entire routine, Himemi took a hot bath before flopping on her bed, staring at her ceiling in thought. I used my Quirk on him, and he resisted it. No, he overpowered it, her thought around it. I don't think he even noticed that he did. I'm sure he wanted to save himself, because I could see the fear in his eyes, hell, he can't even stand up to Bakugo, and I think they've known each other since they were practically babies. But his will to save me was stronger than his own self preservation, even to the split second that he used to fulfil my Quirk, he overpowered it. It wasn't a failure of my Quirk, not even from lack of use, especially since I used it twice and both times- Himemi let out a drawn out sigh. So, Midoriya Izuku, your will to save others is that strong? I want to see it. I want to see the hero you'll become.
When Midoriya woke up, it was to the final school bell. Blinking rapidly, he could feel a faint headache begin to form inside his head. He let out a groan as he looked around, trying to gain his bearings and it finally clicked that he was in Aldera Junior High's infirmary. Closing his eyes for a minute, he tried to recall what happened that put him in the infirmary, at first assuming he got in a scuffle with Bakugo before it hit him. "Wakana-san!" Sitting up suddenly, Midoriya paused in his search for his classmate at the feeling of two objects falling onto his lap. "Wha-" Recognizing the objects to be notebooks, he frowned as his eyes fell on the characters he knew to be his own handwriting. "But I remember it falling off the bridge…" Quickly scanning it, he found that several pages were carefully taped, and the entirety of it was warped, like it had gotten wet and then dried. "What is this?" Picking up the pristine new notebook, almost identical to the worn one that had his writing on the front, he opened it to the first page and noticed neatly placed words on the inside cover. 'Quirkless or not, I believe you'll be an amazing hero. Midoriya Izuku, I'm rooting for you.' Next to the neat, pristine handwriting was a dash and the characters for 'complete harmony' and 'beautiful empress', Wakana Himemi. It took Midoriya a moment to realize that the small dark spots on the page were caused by his tears.
As for Himemi, she was still lying in bed, lost in thought. Ignoring the buzzing of her phone somewhere above her head on her pillow, Himemi squeezed her eyes shut at the queasy churning in her stomach. I hold no illusion of the fact that my intentions for becoming a hero are far from innocent, but was I so short sighted that I didn't even think about the 'after'? After I accomplish my goal, was I just going to quit? At the thought, she let out a rueful scoff. Wouldn't that just be spitting on those who want to become heroes and can't? Midoriya will have to work so much harder to stay on par with those of us who have a Quirk, and yet, he hasn't let that kill his hope. Heroes do more than put villains behind bars, they save people. Midoriya-san has that part down, even without a Quirk. Once I become a hero, I can't quit, not after seeing Midoriya's resolve. I wanted to be a hero because it'd be convenient to accomplish my goal. Rolling onto her side, Himemi sighed and opened her eyes. I'll never be like Midoriya-san, because at the end of the day, nothing will ever be more important than accomplishing my goal, but I'll make an effort. Wouldn't that be nice, to be a hero that little Soma could be proud of.
Letting out a dry laugh, Himemi sat up on her bed. "And I even had the audacity to be jealous that he was Quirkless…" As soon as she registered the sound of her voice in her ears, she paused. I broke my promise. I used my Quirk on someone- Someone other than Uncle Ryo. Spotting the flashing light on her phone, she pushed her thoughts away and reached for her phone.
'11 new messages from Aunt Kanako and Uncle Ryosen.' Pressing a button, the messages displayed. 'From: Aunt Kanako at 3:37 - Grandma Kaon and Grandpa Michio called me and said that you missed school today. : o Are you alright? Do you need me or Ryo to drop by?'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 3:39 - Mi-chan? You haven't responded, I know you don't need to answer my calls, since talking is a special case, but I'm getting worried. Please reply soon.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 3:41- Mi-chan?'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 3:49 - I really hope that you are asleep at home and safe, but I'm getting more and more unsure.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 3:57 - Okay Himemi-chan, I'm really worried now. You never sleep through so many texts and you usually reply by now. If I don't get a response from you in ten minutes, I will drop by your apartment to make sure you're okay.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:01 - Okay, that didn't work. I'm even more worried since you won't reply to Ryo either.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:05 - I'm getting ready to drop by, I really hope you're okay.'
'From: Uncle Ryosen at 3:50 - kana asked me to text you and tell her if you respond to me'
'From: Uncle Ryosen at 3:52 - This is Kanako, I wasn't sure if my phone's connection was just off, so I took Ryo's phone.'
'From: Uncle Ryosen at 3:55 - Still Kanako, you always reply faster to Ryo than me, ); so I thought this would get your attention.'
'From: Uncle Ryosen at 4:00 - sorry about kana. did something happen, himemi-chan? she seems really freaked out.'
Eyes widening at the messages, Himemi began to compose a reply when her phone buzzed once more. 'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:07 - It's been exactly ten minutes, I'm putting on my shoes now.' Hitting reply, Himemi quickly shot back a text.
'To: Aunt Kanako at 4:07 - Sorry I didn't respond, Aunt Kana. I was thinking and I turned my phone on vibrate. I'm okay.' It wasn't even ten seconds before Himemi got a text back.
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:08 - Oh thank god! What happened? Are you okay?' Himemi mentally prepared herself for Kanako's reaction as she began a brief, very watered down summary of her day.
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:10 - A villain attack, are you okay? What about your classmate, is he better now? I'll make sure to have Grandma Kaon call the school and get you excused. Do you want me and Ryo to drop by? I know that it can be unsettling to get caught up in villain attacks.' After reading that text, Himemi let out a sigh, glad she wouldn't have to visit that house.
'To: Aunt Kanako at 4:10 - No, I'm okay, but thank you. I don't want to displace you and Uncle Ryo for something so trivial, and I'll need to get used to villain attacks anyway. Thank you for being so concerned, Aunt Kana.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:11 - That's right, I forget that you're going to become a hero sometimes. And of course I worry about you, Mi-chan, you're family and I love you.' The black letters reflected on her phone screen took her aback, and she had to blink. A frown made its way onto her face and she furrowed her brows, her eyes scanning over the last part of the sentence over and over, as if trying to make sense of the meaning.
Thumbs hovering over the keyboard, Himemi failed to form any reply that didn't sound disbelieving or sarcastic before deciding on two words. 'To: Aunt Kanako at 4:15 - Thanks anyway.'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:17 - … I hope to see you soon. Will you still be coming over next week for dinner? Ryo has planned out a spar and training session for you if you're feeling up to it and Soma has been missing you like crazy! I don't want you to feel pressured, though.' At the mention of Soma, Himemi's lips curved up in a smile.
'To: Aunt Kanako at 4:18 - I'll be there. Could you tell Soma that I miss him too and I will be bringing him an ice cream if he's a good boy?'
'From: Aunt Kanako at 4:18 - Of course! :D I'm excited to see you. I hope you have a good night and sleep well Mi-chan!' Sending back a similar sentiment, Himemi crawled to the edge of her bed and plugged in her phone. Familial love, huh? Falling back on her pillow, she sighed before closing her eyes. I'm sorry, Aunt Kana. I know that I'm difficult. I really am trying. Thoughts swirling around her head, Himemi addressed some and pushed others away, mind eventually slowing as the emotional and physical fatigue caught up to her, sleep soon enveloping her in a comforting cocoon.
And there you have it folks! Chapter 1 of Reticent. I know it might have been a little confusing and had a slow start, but I promise that the story doesn't stay that way. What do you think of Himemi? Have you guessed her Quirk?
This chapter's official question is: Which is worse, having an annoying song stuck in your head, or being unable to recall a word that you know you know and is at the tip of your tongue? Please Read and Review, and I'll catch ya in the next chapter!