Chapter 18 - Stay

Mikoto sat inside the cab, staring at the city scape that whizzed past the window. The walk to the taxi stand was… bearable—for the lack of a better term— but the few seconds it took for her to get inside the car was absolute hell. They made idle chatter along the way, but once they saw the line of cabs waiting for passengers to take home, the conversation suddenly died. Though they weren't speaking, there was an almost tangible feeling of unease. Like the feeling you get when you see a child who would cry and beg their mother to not leave them on the first day of school.

She didn't know why the hell that was the first analogy that came to her mind, but it just seemed to fit so perfectly with the situation.

Unable to bear the stiff awkwardness any longer, Mikoto just threw herself into the cab, as if running away. She did somehow manage to utter a goodbye and he waved back too, but it felt so wrong to just end things like that. And now here she was, wallowing in her own regrets.

Almost as if it was destiny, a particular scene outside caught her eye.

Ah. Well, would you look at that?

"Excuse me!" Mikoto urgently spoke. "Sorry, but I'd like to get off here now."

"Are you sure, miss?" The taxi driver asked her, looking around their surroundings as he stepped on the breaks. There were a few buildings in the district, but the area was mostly open, vacant lots. "There's… really not much around here and we're still kinda far from your drop-off."

"I… have some business around here, so it's fine." She smiled, paying for the ride and making a move to get out of the car. "Thanks! Have a good night!"

The driver seemed somewhat reluctant to leave, but ultimately drove off anyway after she had closed the door. Once the car had driven far enough, Mikoto made her way to her destination, her feet walking through the path almost purely by instinct. After the Sisters had died, they didn't really know what to do with their remains after the facilities had done the necessary work. Academy City only had one cemetery, located in District 10, and it really didn't feel right to have them haphazardly "buried" there. Tabigake then revealed that he had bought a vacant lot—spanning more than several hectares— somewhere between District 2 and 13 which laid on the borders of the City. It was initially for expanding the operations of their current facility but he offered to turn it into a private memorial instead.

After much discussion, they eventually compromised on dedicating a reasonably-sized area for the Sisters, while keeping majority of the land for its original intended purpose. Construction for the facility extension started about a year ago and it was going as steadily as it could, with the outer buildings almost being completely done. Going around the back of the lot, there was a small gate leading to a garden path surrounded by greenery and flowers. Further inside was a distinct circular, white pergola with wooden roofing. There were seats on the outer edges and in the middle was a white marble stone slab surrounded with daisies and lavender flowers.

Surprisingly enough, someone was already there.

I take it back. Today really isn't my day.

"Can't really say I'm surprised to see you here." A hoarse voice suddenly spoke as Mikoto walked closer. "Your life has a really interesting way of turning into one of those shitty ass dramas on TV."

"If you already know, then would it kill you to have even just the tiniest bit of human decency, Accelerator?" Mikoto sighed, seeing the mop haired demon—still wearing his work lab coat like a slob— lounging comfortably on one of the seats. He must have heard everything from Ruiko, huh?

If Mikoto had to think about one plot twist she would never have expected from this life, it would be them. Accelerator and Ruiko were… somewhat closer than normal, but not exactly close enough to constitute a labeled relationship. Who would've guessed that pairing, huh?

"Hah. As a matter of fact? It just might." He scoffed, chugging what was left of his coffee and throwing it into the bin like a basketball. This asshole….

Well… I say that but we've actually gotten along quite well over the past two years.

After Heaven Canceller became his guardian, Accelerator immediately got to work in the research lab Dr. Gekota's friend ran. They often collaborated with the facility she was in for research on neuroscience and other related fields in the health sciences. She would rather punch herself than admit it to his face, but what they had between them can somehow be classified as "friendly rivalry". Even though he calls her a stupid bitch, while she calls him an emo bastard.

Carelessly throwing her things onto a vacant seat and plopping on one herself, Mikoto heaved a huge sigh as she stared at the marble slab in the middle. It was a memorial stone which was blank where the name should have been, but the words engraved on the bottom part read "To the girls who were Sisters, friends, and family to many— you are loved. Forever and always."

It was a relatively simple epitaph, but Accelerator wasn't exactly the best with words and Mikoto didn't really know what else to say. She just really wanted them to know that they were loved and he went along with it.

"…well?" Accelerator spoke expectantly, legs crossed as he laid on the seat. Mikoto lifted her face to look at him questioningly.

"Well... what?"

"If you're gonna mope and bitch about something, then hurry up." Accelerator rolled his eyes irately. "I don't have all fucking day, you useless twat."

Mikoto stared at him, speechless.

"Did you…. are you asking me to open up to you right now?" She asked incredulously, looking around. "Is the sun gonna rise from the west now or something?"

"Unfortunately, I have the fucking pleasure of being in the same place as you when you're so obviously gonna unceremoniously unload a truckload of your bullshit drama on a cold, slab of stone." He spat sarcastically, nodding towards the Sisters' grave stone. "I've been up since 2 in the fucking morning yesterday because an imbecile messed up with an experiment specimen and I'm too fucking tired to get up and move. So, since you're not moving, and I'm not moving from here either, might as well just get it over with."

"Or you could just pretend to be non-existent, you insensitive prick."

"I wish I could, but your idiocy astounds me to the point where I can't help but react to it."

I understand that this might just be his way of looking out for me—being the bastard that he is—but god do I want to punch him in the face.

"Damn it, Accelerator." Mikoto groaned, rubbing her face tiredly. "I'm really not in the mood for this. I came here because I wanted to be in a place where I can think clearly without being interrupted. You bothering me with your unwanted sarcasm really isn't helping. I don't need someone to act as a therapist, alright? I just really need to gather my own thoughts so if Ruiko asked you to—"

"First of all—" Accelerator cut her off, sitting up with a frown. "The girl didn't ask me to talk to you. Bold of you to even assume that I would make an effort to fucking console you if someone begged me to. Secondly, as stupid as this all sounds, we just happened to be in the same place at the same time. You're not the female lead of some shitty novel, retard. Get your head out of your ass."

Ah, yes. Accelerator's unique brand of kindness is at it again.

"…you could at least refer to Ruiko by her name like a normal person, instead of saying 'the girl' like an idiot." Mikoto mumbled, too tired to even think of a witty comeback. "Anyway, she did tell you, right? That Touma came back and that I met him."

"I knew it even before she told me." He replied flatly, scratching his head. "The wannabe hero told me himself that he was coming back."

…. What?

Mikoto lifted her head and stared at Accelerator who was yawning jadedly.

"What did you just say?" She was dumbfounded. "You…. you were in contact with him? You knew he was coming back?"

"Yeah?" And the bastard had the gall to look so nonchalant about it too.

"Fucking hell, Accelerator!" Mikoto exploded. "You knew and you never thought to warn me about it? Or even just Ruiko? Anyone? You knew that he cut off contact from everyone else! But he contacted you! And you never bothered to tell us that?"

"Since when have I been obligated to tell you every little thing?" Accelerator raised an eyebrow at her. "And no, we haven't been in contact. When the fucker disappeared two years ago, I didn't hear shit from him at all. Imagine my surprise when he suddenly called me up about a week ago, asking if he could visit the Sisters."

"He asked for permission from you?!"

"Well, he sure as hell couldn't have asked you now, could he?" He remarked sarcastically before aggressively ruffling his messy hair. "Look here, nitwit. I don't want to be dragged into this stupid love story of yours. You've been dragging it on long enough. I don't even understand what the fucking problem is. You're both obviously still fucking stupid for each other? What the fuck is stopping you then? Pride?"

The audacity of this son of a bitch—!

Mikoto hadn't felt this offended in a long while. She didn't even understand why she felt offended—or if she had the right to be so— but for some reason, this just doesn't really sit well with her.

"You're right about one thing, Accelerator. You really don't understand and you probably never will." Mikoto grated a response through her anger and clenched teeth. "Hell, I'm not even asking you for advice! You're not helping! I just came here to think and you're—"

"An overthinking stupid person will think of nothing but stupid things."

"You—! Stupid—?!" Mikoto was taken aback by his response, willing her irritation to settle down. "Why are you even still talking? This doesn't concern you—"

"Enough of the bullshit, third rate." Accelerator rolled his eyes. "I don't know the entire story, but I can guess what happened. You may think I don't understand but I'm probably the one who understands you the most right now." His piercing gaze went straight through her almost comfortingly.

"…you…." Mikoto mumbled, her anger ebbing away completely. "Just how much do you know exactly?"

"Enough." He shrugged. "When he called me, I was half expecting him to bombard me with questions about you. Surprisingly, he only asked if you were okay. I'm not exactly the right person to ask that so I said he was fucking stupid for asking me, of all people, about you, and he never brought it up again. The girl told me you met by accident and it was painfully obvious to everyone else that the hero still had feelings for you. From what I could tell, he probably really didn't intend on meeting you. But something must've happened that made him change his mind. So now here we are. With you, failing spectacularly at having a moment with that forlorn, lovesick, Romeo and Juliet bullshit of yours. "

"…Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, you asshole. It's about the immature infatuation of two kids who didn't know any better which resulted in the deaths of multiple people."

"Exactly. No one has died yet, but the stupidity is pretty fucking identical." Accelerator retorted, pointing a finger at her. "Another difference is that those idiots had their youth as an excuse. You, on the other hand, are way past using puberty and hormones as an excuse."

"Do you have a point to prove or are you just trying to diss me?"

"I thought you said you weren't asking me for advice?"

"You fucking—can't you just leave?! Please." Mikoto had enough. She was an idiot for thinking that maybe Accelerator would be a sensible conversation partner. No, she was an idiot for thinking he could be a sensible human. She was just tired of it all. Of thinking about Touma, the Sisters, Accelerator's bullshit, her own problems. All of it…. Just… everything. Mikoto released a heavy breath, leaning forward, hands to her head, with her elbows on her knees.

"Just this once, Accelerator." She spoke lowly, but it was loud enough for him to hear. "I have so much shit I need to think through, so I don't have the time nor the energy to deal with your usual bullshit. I really need to be alone right now—"

"That's the problem isn't it?" He suddenly spoke, cutting her off. Before she could even get another word in, he spoke again. "That's why you're stupidly going around in circles without ever resolving anything."

"… what are you even talking about?"

"The brat and Worst were a lot like you, though that's to be expected since they were created from you." Accelerator leaned back into his seat, looking up at the dusking sky. "Annoyingly, you all have this stubborn, self-reliant thing going on. For most people, self-reliance is a good thing, but you idiots take it above and beyond. No matter what anyone else says around you, you'll always end up thinking that you have to do things by yourself—that you have to overcome shit alone. Well guess what? It's basic science that humans are social animals. We can try to deny it as much as we want to, but that fact won't ever change."

Mikoto wanted to argue and tell him that he was spouting nonsense but she couldn't. Because he was right. As annoying as it was to hear him slap truths like rubbing salt on her wounds, she couldn't deny that everything he said was right.

"Even if I say that the Sisters should have nothing to do with the life choices you make now, I highly doubt you'd listen, but at the same time, I can understand why you can't. Because It's not like you can just forget about everything that held you up in life for so long. Even if they had been alive now, they'd probably tell you bullshit like 'just follow your heart' or 'do what makes you happy'. Easy to say but what the fuck does that even mean in real life?" Accelerator scoffed, making an annoyed face. "To be happy. To follow your heart. Who the fuck thought up that ridiculous mumbo jumbo in the first place?"

It was a little surprising for Mikoto to hear how accurate his words are. To some extent, she guessed they'd share the same sentiments, but not to this degree. That realization somewhat pissed her off but she was too tired to show it or even care.

"…if you understand, then what's the right thing to do?" She said lowly, eyes narrowing at her lap. "What am I supposed to do? I've done everything I can and I tried so hard. I can't…. I can't let the past two years be for nothing…"

"… Are you seriously asking me for relationship advice?"

"God damn it, Accelerator!"

"Don't bitch at me, you fucking idiot." He exasperated. "Instead of sitting here and sulking like a fucking brat, thinking of what you should do, why don't you just give up and not think at all? You're not very good at using your brain anyway so just drop it! It's your fucking life we're talking about here, so go do whatever stupid shit you want then regret it later!"

"We're not children, Accelerator. We're adults that have responsibilities and obligations. We're not teenagers who have the convenient excuse of hormones and youth to dismiss making stupid decisions that could potentially ruin everything—"

"Then will you sit here and think about the what if's for the rest of your pathetic existence?" He spat condescendingly. Mikoto opened her mouth to utter a response—anything, really—but nothing came out. "It's like what I said earlier, overthinking stupid people will think of nothing but stupid things."

Silence overcame them as dusk slowly settled in the sky. One by one, the lights around the "grave" turned on, giving it a soft, gentle glow.

Well, easy for you to say. I don't have the luxury of arbitrarily making life decisions like that! This isn't just about me and him. This is a decision that affects my family and even my friends! This is something that can make or break everything I've tried so hard to build up over the past two years! How could I… I can't just… I…. I can't…

So many thoughts were running through her head, but she couldn't bring herself to say them out loud. Accelerator wasn't directly involved in her situation so it would be futile to try and get him to understand why this was so difficult for her. What did she even expect of him? That he'd be able to give her enlightening advice or something? Bullshit.

But still… if by some twist of fate, if someone were to understand, then wouldn't that make things easier? Could I finally end this? All this stressing and worrying and freaking out over all the unknowns. Can't I finally close this chapter of my life?

…Oh… Closure…

Mikoto hadn't realized it before but…was that the reason her heart wavered so much? Closure. Because answering Touma would mean cutting off the loose ends of their relationship. Because—as much as she advocated for the importance of closure—was she not actually ready for it? In spite of everything, was a small part of her still holding onto hope and the past?

Accelerator watched as Mikoto got lost in the spiral of her own thoughts, clicking his tongue and scratching his head.

"You… you're a lot like them." He muttered, his voice and tone softening as it lost its earlier haughtiness. "That's why I can say this with certainty. You'll never be able to forget about the Sisters and you'll have to live every single day of your life carrying the memory of them with you. I can practically hear them whining about being some kind of burden, but that's not exactly a bad thing, now is it? Humans carrying burdens in their lives is a natural occurence. And if their existence is something that you and I will have to carry for the rest of eternity, then so be it. But you don't have to be trapped by them."

"… I am not trapped." Mikoto narrowed her eyes at him defensively.

"And who are you trying to convince here, exactly?" He scoffed lightly. Not hearing a reply from her, Accelerator sighed as he stood up, tousling his already messy hair even further. "Anyway, I'm feeling a little nice tonight so I'll give you my two cents about your situation. Be fucking grateful, you ignorant bitch."

Sometimes, Mikoto wished she had Kuroko's teleportation ability so she could teleport a fucking spike straight into his head.

"If it's the fucking hero you're worried about, then just remember that you broke things off with him for a reason. If you're being so hesitant about it, then answer this: Has absolutely nothing changed since two years ago? Are the two of you both still the same idiots you were back then? Why don't you just focus on the present instead of tearing your hair out over what you should do?" There was only one way to exit from the pergola, so he was bound to walk past her on his way out. "As for deciding on how you should be living your life, wouldn't things just fall into place once you get yourself in order first? Well, either way, what happens next is entirely up to you now. Pick your poison and take a risk, or sit and twiddle your thumbs like a fucking idiot for the rest of your damn life. Make a damn choice."

Accelerator shrugged as he passed by her, slipping his hands inside his pockets. He gave an off-handed wave as he walked away, not even bothering to give her a proper goodbye. Once his blurry white figure had completely disappeared into the darkness, Mikoto let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. As if she had lost all her strength, she simply let herself fall sideways onto the bench, laying sprawled across it.

It wasn't completely dark yet, with streaks of light still hanging on the horizon, but there were already a few glimmer of stars littering in the sky here and there. It was a calm, pretty sight, which was the exact opposite of what she was feeling right now.

"Has… absolutely nothing changed… huh?" She muttered aloud, thinking back on Accelerator's words.

But… Touma has changed.

Thinking about it, Mikoto can't help but come to the realization that Touma has, in fact, changed. She had only met him and conversed with him for about a day in total, but she could tell that he was different now. The same, but also different.

He knows how to keep priorities now. He values his work and himself more too. Just as he should. Mikoto wasn't really sure if this was intentional or not, but he never outright professed his feelings for her, and she appreciated that. He said enough to reassure her that his feelings remained the same, but he never confessed because he knew it would have pressured her. He really has changed. But seeing how he rambled on and on out of nervousness makes her think that even though he has changed, he was still the same idiot. Her idiot.

There was no way she could completely tear his existence from her life. Not that she ever truly wanted to, anyway.

But can she do this? Can she choose to be with him again? Can they pull it off correctly this time?

Mikoto knew that staring at the stars above wouldn't give her answer, but she still did it anyway.

"….I don't think I can do this." She spoke to no one in particular, releasing a huge sigh. She knew better than anyone else that she had lived recklessly for majority of her teenage years. Standing up and fighting whatever went against her beliefs and the common good no matter who the opponent was, meddling into other people's business and getting involved in catastrophic wars and battles. The list was endless. They were all difficult and dangerous endeavors, but she was proud of her younger self for having the courage to do what was right. She was young and naïve, and that's why she was able to be true to her feelings. But things have changed. She changed. If the current her was a bit more like the younger Mikoto, would she have been more decisive about this? Would she be swaying back and forth like she was now?

I wonder if the younger me would be disappointed with how the current me turned out?

"If having courage means risking everything I've built after working so hard to pick myself together again, shouldn't I be forgiven for being a coward?" She whispered her question to the cold memorial slab, looking at it pleadingly, almost willing it to answer her.

Not that she would ever hear a response from it.

"… I thought I was better than this, you know?" Mikoto raised her arm, reaching out for the sky before letting it fall across her forehead. "I'm 29 this year—a woman practically in her 30's. I'd always thought I'd have my life in complete order at this point." She paused, taking a deep breath in." See, I never wanted anything too grand, just the usual things. A healthy relationship with a loving partner, a stable job I'm passionate about, financial independence, amazing friends and a great social life. Ah, but hearing about it now—that does sound a little grand, huh? I mean, what human has a life that perfect?" She mockingly laughed at herself, shaking her head. Turning her gaze towards the memorial stone once again, Mikoto couldn't help the shaking of her voice.

"But I always thought you guys would be there with me through all of it." Her words trailed off lightly. Somehow, she had unwittingly ended up in another one-sided conversation with the Sisters. "I don't mean to blame you guys or anything, because it's really not your fault. But I just… I think about it sometimes… what you would say to me if you were here right now. Knowing you all, you might just stare at me and ask me why the hell am I so stupid. Then you'd tell me that the most important thing is what I want to do. Not what's right or what's good, but simply what I want. That I'm allowed to want things. I'm not really sure how helpful that would be, but I think I'd really appreciate your efforts in trying…" She paused, trying to piece out her the words in her head.

"—I guess… At times like these, I just really want to hear your voices. Whether you dish out profanities or verbal abuses at me doesn't matter. I just really want you to be here. My friends are doing their best to be supportive and I really appreciate that too, but it's just not the same, you know? Nobody could ever replace who you girls were to me. No one…"

Feeling the familiar weight on her chest as she breathed, Mikoto tried to blink away the wetness attempting to pool in her eyes.

"Aahh~ I guess I really am a failure as a big sister, huh? Look at me, whining about something like this to you guys…" She shouted out loud to no one in particular. A chorus of replies resounded in her mind.

'Don't mind it, Onee-chan!'

'Damn right you should be sorry. Who wants to hear this bullshit anyway?'

'To translate Worst's words: 'This Misaka hopes we were at least some help to you, Onee-sama'.'

'Hah?! Who the fuck said that?'

'Oh dear, Worst is only like this because Onee-sama is such a tsundere.'

'BITCH, WHO YOU CALLIN' A TSUNDERE?!'

Mikoto couldn't help but laugh, imagining the rowdy banter and screeching voices of the would-be responses of her Sisters. It would've been so fun, if they were still here. Even the hard times would be bearable if I had them with me.

Death truly was such a curious thing.

It had been two years since their passing and Mikoto was literally right there when they died. She had already come to terms with the fact that they are no longer of the living, but she still sometimes think that they will just unexpectedly show up in front of her and berate her for her life choices. That they'd appear one day, as if nothing had happened, and continue their daily lives with her.

But they won't.

And that's a fact she can never change.

Looking up to the sky, she noticed several more stars that twinkled somewhat brightly. This place was quite distant from the city center and was surrounded by forestation areas so the stars always looked a little bit brighter here, without all the city lights hindering them.

Would they have loved this scenery too? Mikoto closed her eyes at the thought and exhaled heavily. She was tired in every sense of the word—physically, mentally, emotionally—but she knew that the matter with Touma wasn't something she could set aside and contemplate on for much longer.

Why did living have to be so hard?

The next day, 7:21 am

If it had been a normal day, Mikoto would usually still be at home around this time, probably making some breakfast. But after a rather sleepless night, here she was, in her office at 7:21 in the morning, uncharacteristically munching on a bagel and downing the largest cup of brewed coffee from the nearby coffee shop.

I don't even like bagels…

Mikoto mindlessly nibbled on her food, staring out her office window. Today was Touma's flight and even though she had thought it over the entire night, her conclusion was still the same. But something just felt completely off. She really did take pride in her ability to analyze, but she sometimes hated how she tends to overanalyze other things.

Hesitating won't get me anywhere, I know that. So why do I feel like there's something I'm missing here?

The calling card Touma left her with was in her coat pocket. It was just a slip of paper but she felt so conscious of it, with it practically burning a hole through her pockets and her very existence. Hiding it away in a drawer or something would probably be the best thing to do. If only her body actually listened to her.

Mikoto's phone suddenly chimed and vibrated, startling her.

"Good morning, Mikoto-chan!" A cheerful voice greeted her once she picked up the call. "You picked up rather quickly, huh?"

"…Mama?"

"The one and only!" Mikoto could practically see the grin on her mother's face as she spoke. "Why do you sound so dubious? Mama is hurt~!"

Misuzu often called her to randomly check up on her or to simply chat, though Mikoto couldn't help but feel suspicious of her timing. Everything seemed suspicious to her now, given how eventful the past few days have been for her. Oddly enough, said suspicious events almost always relates to a certain idiot in some way.

"Hey, I appreciate the call and everything but… this…. isn't about Touma…. is it, Mama?" Mikoto questioned carefully. Her instincts were telling her she was right, but she didn't know just how much her mother knew.

"Well, I was worried about how I was going to bring it up, but you just went right ahead and said it. Mikoto-chan really does know her Mama so well~" Misuzu chimed and teased, before switching to a more casual tone. "To be clear, I called to talk about you—though I can't deny that Touma-kun is involved, as well. Are you alright with talking about him with me?"

Mikoto sighed, setting down her bagel on the table.

"…how much do you actually know?"

"Quite a lot, I guess. I never told you this but I kept in touch with the Kamijou's." Her mother confessed. "At first, I just wanted to talk to Shiina and tell her that it would probably be in our best interest to not meet for a while, just until we were sure that both you and Touma-kun were okay. So I called her but I just couldn't…sever our connection. Your relationship is entirely up to the both of you of course, and the two of you alone get to decide what's best for you… but can I say something, Mikoto-chan? Both as your mother and as a woman who lives every day in love with your father."

"Yeah...?"

"Not every decision you make has to be the best or what's right." Misuzu's tone was as calm and as gentle as always, as if reassuring her. "Sometimes, you just do things because you want to, and that's perfectly fine. Love, like many things in this world, isn't binary. It's not just ones and zeroes, or black or white, or left or right, or right or wrong. Even when you think that you have to pick one of two choices, who's to say you can't make up a third one? Life is a bit like school tests!" As Mikoto listened to her mother's words, she couldn't help but wonder where she was going with this. "Mikoto-chan, if you were taking a test and you noticed that there was something wrong with the questions or the choices, what do you do?"

"…Write what I think the correct answer is?" Mikoto answered hesitantly. Why was she even asking thi—

Ah.

Mikoto paused and practically face palmed at her own stupidity.

Write what I think the correct answer is. Even if it wasn't in the choices. Even if the question didn't seem to make sense.

Of course. Why didn't I think of that?

Misuzu smiled from the other side of the call.

"That's right…. Or you could just tell the teacher and try to haggle and have it written off as a bonus question."

"…And who am I supposed to haggle in this situation?"

"Who's asking the question, Mikoto-chan?" Misuzu replied softly, almost teasingly. "Touma-kun is a good kid, dear. You don't have to worry about what we think of him. Your Papa is a tsundere so he probably won't say it to your face, but I know he feels the same way. More than anything, we just want you to live each day of your life feeling loved and respected. Because there's no greater happiness in this world than knowing that you'll have someone who'll be there for you no matter what. If you've found that person, then by all means, Mikoto-chan, just go for it." The line went quiet for a while, just until Mikoto spoke curtly.

"….Mama?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Can I call you back later?" Hearing those words, Misuzu tried her best to hold down her screams and did a silent cheer with her fist instead.

"That's my girl!" She said proudly, a wide grin on her face as she heard her daughter drop the call. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned around and faced her husband who was sitting grumpily on a chair, a frown knotting on his face.

"I am not a tsundere." Tabigake practically snorted out, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh yeah, Mikoto-chan definitely got it from her daddy, alright." Misuzu laughed, sauntering towards their mini-bar. "Well, it's quite early in the morning but I do believe this calls for a proper toast, don't you think?" She asked, raising a whiskey bottle over to an open tablet, where a video call had apparently been streaming her entire conversation with her daughter to a certain couple.

"If I had been there with you, Misuzu-san, I would have taken you up on that offer." Kamijou Shiina giggled, trying to hide her smile behind her hand. "I simply hope for the best for both of them. My son is so hopelessly smitten that he wants nothing more than Mikoto-san's happiness, so if their choices happen to align then that would be perfect! But are you both sure you're fine with this? We believe in our Touma-san, of course, but Mikoto-san is your precious daughter."

"With all due respect to you and Touya—" Tabigake muttered, leaning back on the chair he sat on. "—the more I think about it, the more I realize I'm not actually sure."

"Maa, maa~" Misuzu waved off, pouring herself a glass of whiskey. "Stop being so overprotective! Our daughter is all grown up now! And besides, if you really had a problem with this, then you wouldn't have let Mikoto-chan go to that party with you."

"Oh?" Shiina sounded surprised. "You knew Touma-san would be there, Tabigake-san?"

"Yes, well, Touya had mentioned in passing that your son might be going to that function." He grumbled in reply. "But it's not like I made any effort to have them meet. With an event as big as that, what were the chances of them even meeting? I don't believe in fate but if they still met each other in spite of the odds, then there must be a reason for everything."

"And yet you still played a part in it." Misuzu grinned, handing him a glass and sitting on the arm rest of the chair he sat on. "You were the one who asked Mikoto-chan to come with you that day, dear."

"Only because you couldn't come!"

"Then you could have gone by yourself? It's not the first time you would have done it. You've attended plenty of those parties by yourself." She reasoned back, raising an eyebrow at him. Tabigake seemed like he had more to say but simply just let out a sigh and resigned himself to his drink. Shiina could be heard giggling in the background. "Anyway, regardless of how we got to this point or what we think of their situation, it's all up to them. Now we just sit back and wait for the good news to come."

"You do realize that good news can come in the form of our daughter still choosing to remain single, right?"

Misuzu wordlessly glared at her husband, effectively shutting him up before turning back to Shiina on the tablet.

"Do you think they'd agree to having a beach reception? I just can't help but think how lovely that would be!" She cheered. The two women then went on to excitedly discuss ideas for the color motif and specifics of a wedding that they weren't even sure if it was gonna happen. Tabigake simply shook his head as he downed his glass of whiskey, trying to decide what he could do to make a certain spiky-haired idiot suffer, without incurring the wrath of his wife and daughter.

He made a mental note to check on Kuroko and Mikoto's other friends for plans later.

"Okay, I'm not gonna lie, this has to be the biggest plot twist so far." Touma said, staring dumbly at the sight before him. "I mean, who would have expected this? I sure as hell didn't."

"Might I interest you with a stab to the face then?" Kuroko replied, her arms crossed over her chest haughtily. Keisuke could be seen nervously smiling beside her, trying to calm her down. "Who knows? Maybe that might wake you up a little and make you face reality."

"Wow, geez, tone down the violence a notch, please." He jokingly raised both of his arms in surrender, before looking around once again, a soft smile on his face. "But seriously. I never would have expected you guys to come out and see me off like this. Even after everything that's happened."

Ruiko and Kazari gave each other a look before flashing grins of their own, while Kuroko continued to frown.

"Yeah well, you're still He Who Must Not Be Named for us, but we're not so heartless as to just let you leave without saying a word. Again." Ruiko emphasized with a wave of her hands.

"All jokes aside—" Kazari interrupted. "Mikoto-san gave us a brief explanation of what happened between the two of you during our last sleepover. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we can't really blame you for the choices you both made—"

"Who's us?" Kuroko cut her off incredulously. "Speak for yourself, Kazari. As for me, this pathetic excuse for a mongrel is the incessant root of all of Onee-sama's heartache and emotional trauma and I absolutely loath-hmmph!" Keisuke placed a hand over Kuroko's mouth, effectively silencing her as she struggled to break free from him.

"Sorry about that." He said with an awkward laugh. "Kuroko-san doesn't really mean that, Kamijou-san, please don't mind her. Anyway, she interrupted you earlier so please continue what you were saying, Kazari-san." Kuroko's eyes widened in indignation as she glared at Keisuke, only to huff in annoyance as she gave up struggling.

"Shouldn't you be on my side right now?" Kuroko grumbled with a pout as Keisuke released her. "Treating me as if I'm a nuisance…"

"I just don't want you to say something you'll regret later, Kuroko-san." He said gently, trying to appease her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think of you as a nuisance at all and I'm sorry if you ever have thoughts like that." He added, then proceeding to cup her face in his hands, his usual kind smile on his face.

"Oh wow. Go get a damn room, you damn normies." Ruiko commented snidely. "Have some respect for the singles of the world! Especially those standing right in front of you."

"Not really sure you'd fall under that category there, Ruiko." Kazari said, tilting her head. Ruiko suddenly looked like she was ready for murder.

"Oh? So there's someone you're seeing now?" Touma asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Kind of?" "NO!" Kazari and Ruiko both answered respectively. The latter gave the other a look before huffing out a breath.

"Uh, well…" She cleared her throat. "I'm not necessarily….seeing anyone…"

"But there is someone, right?"

"Uh….. kind of?" Ruiko answered hesitantly. Touma couldn't help the confusion showing on his face.

"Ruiko, is that person even any good? They1 better not be playing with you. Do I know them or something?"

"…uh… kind of?"

"? What kind of answer—"

"Ugh, of course you know him. She's talking about Accelerator!" Kuroko rolled her eyes, sighing exasperatedly. Ruiko wordlessly turned to her, flustered. "I don't understand why you're being so wishy-washy over this. It's been years in the making, we've gone way past the point of worrying over his character. Now, I'm actually questioning why you're still not official." She deadpanned, with Kazari nodding beside her in agreement.

"Kuroko-san!"

"No, wait—Accelerator?!" Touma repeated after his brain lagged for a few seconds. What in the flying fuck? "You're dating Accelerator?!"

"No! I mean—not really, but—"

"Does that guy even do relationships?! Why are you—no wait, how did that even happen?" Touma had so many questions—like, a lot of questions—in his mind, but his phone had been vibrating incessantly for the last few seconds. Without even looking at it, he picked it up and put it against his ear. "Hi sorry, I'm currently in the middle of something so I'll get back to you in a few—"

"No, wait!" The voice on the other side panted.

…huh?

That voice… he checked the screen and was met with an unregistered number.

"I'm… uh terribly sorry, but I'll only take a few seconds I swear!" It's really her, isn't it? She sounded like she was running. "You… you must be at the airport now right? Which… haahh…. Which gate?"

"..Mikoto?" He unconsciously said aloud, silencing the girls bickering in front of him. They all looked at him with surprised expressions, as if anticipating what he would say next. "This… this is Mikoto…right?"

"Huh? Yes, of course it's me you idi—oh shit, yeah I forgot." She sounded almost offended for a second before she realized it. "Sorry, yeah, skipped a lot there didn't I? But uhm, yeah. Misaka Mikoto here. Where are you right now?"

"I'm…still at the lobby?" He looked around, half-expecting to see a brunette running around. "Mikoto, are you on your way here or something? You sound like you're running."

"Uh, yeah, so how much time do you have before boarding?"

"Well I already did the online check-in but once they call for boarding—"

"Okay wrong question, that's on me." She cut him off, breathing harshly. "How much time do you think you can spare?"

Checking his watch, Touma had to do a bit of mental math to get an answer. "Around 15 minutes?"

"Shit, not a lot of time then, fuck."

"Mikoto, are you okay? Why—"

"I wish I could say this in person, but this will have to do for now, sorry."

"…What?" He turned his attention to those who stood in front of him, each of them raising an eyebrow at how their conversation could possibly be going. They were obviously a little too invested in what was happening, but he couldn't really blame them.

"To be clear…" Mikoto began with a deep breath as she continued to run. "Everything I said yesterday still stands. I meant every single word of it, Touma. Of how proud I am of you. That you've come so far from being the boy I once know, back when we were both immature teenagers. I said a lot of things, but in the midst of drowning in my own feelings, I forgot the to say the most important thing—" She couldn't help but let out a small squeal as she accidentally ran into a glass door. "A fucking door?! Really?!" She groaned, cradling her throbbing forehead.

"Mikoto, really, you shouldn't talk while you run! While I appreciate you trying to catch up, we can always talk later—"

"No!" Her voice came out a little louder than intended, as she looked around, bowing her head slightly in apology to the people around her. "No—uh, sorry if I'm being a bit forceful, but I need to say it! I don't understand why either—I kinda feel stupid for doing this whole airport scene thing as if this is some cheesy romcom, but I just feel like I need to say it now."

She paused, expecting him to persuade her to stop, but he didn't. Mikoto took another step forward.

"Touma, if I were given a chance to do my life all over again, I'd still choose a life with you. Even all the fights, the stupid arguments, the hurt—just…everything." From the far-off distance, Mikoto could vaguely make out a spiky head of hair. She slowed her steps, before coming to a full stop several feet away from him. "Even if it meant, all that, I'd still choose you. My only wish is that I could love you better because you deserve so much better, Touma. And this is just a selfish thought of mine but I wish "better" for you would still be me."

His head frantically turned around left and right, most likely searching for her, but Mikoto remained where she stood.

"I was planning on keeping these words to myself, but I love you, Kamijou Touma." She let out the words with a breath, letting them linger. A smile crept its way to her face as she watched him freeze before he looked for her even more frantically. "I never stopped loving you. Seriously. Even when I forcibly tried to cut you out of my life, I still loved you. Even when I consciously tried to forget you—the way you smiled, the way you laughed, the way your touch warmed up my heart, making me feel like I was the luckiest girl in the world to be loved by you… For two years, I tried to forget you. But all it took was one night to make me finally realize that I couldn't. So I'll say it again, Kamijou Touma. As cliché as this may sound, I love you. I always have, and I always will."

As if on cue, his gaze met hers and everything else around them was suddenly lost. It was just him and her, with a vast space between them—space they both desperately wanted to close.

"I love you." She repeated, a genuine smile on her face, despite the tears forming at her eyes. He looked so dumb standing there, phone to his ear with a frazzled expression, Mikoto couldn't help but laugh.

Even from that distance, Touma could hear the chime of her laughter like the clear sound of bells ringing. Suddenly, he was right in front of her, cautiously reaching out to her, as if testing to see if she was actually real. How did he even get there? Did he run? Walk? Hobble like a toddler? His brain was on auto-pilot and it wasn't doing a very good job of making things make sense right now, but all that mattered was that Mikoto was right in front of him, telling him that she loved him.

Surprisingly, Mikoto took the initiative, taking one step forward, walking straight into his arms. He could feel her arms grasping the back of his shirt, her face nuzzling against his chest.

"This…is okay, right?" Her voice was muffled, but he could hear it reverberate through his chest.

"Yes." He answered without thinking, releasing a breath as he embraced her. "God, yes—you have no idea." His voice cracked as he spoke, but she just held him tighter. "I'll wait for you. For as long as you need me to, Mikoto. Just knowing that you love me is enough, because I love you so damn much. Hell, I wish I could think up a speech like yours but I can't really think of anything other than holy shit, I love you."

Mikoto couldn't resist the giggle bubbling up in her chest, even as she heard Ruiko and Kazari's squeals—whoa since when were they there?—from the background. It was a relatively slow day at the airport, maybe considering that it was still early in the morning, so thankfully there wasn't a lot of people there to see them.

"This is so stupid." She laughed, releasing him a bit to look up at his face. He immediately went and held her face, caressing her cheeks. "Who knew we'd ever actually have to re-enact an airport scene huh?"

"You can re-enact as many cliché scenes as you want." Touma joked, putting their foreheads together. "Personally, I always wanted to have an argument under the rain. For the make-up kiss scene, I really don't mind getting pneumonia."

"Don't be an idiot, stupid!" She pinched his side playfully, before they shared a look and embraced each other again. "I really am sorry about everything… and thank you, Touma. Thank you."

"Hmm. I love you, BiriBiri."

"Hm. I love you too!"

"Okay, that's it! Break it up!" A shrill voice screamed as everyone shared the same thought. Aaand there she goes. Kuroko pulled Mikoto away from their embrace, glaring holes at Touma. "Don't you dare think this is over!"

Should they praise her for being able to hold out for as long as she did? But it was comforting to know that even after through all the years and changes, Kuroko was still the same Kuroko.

"Well, we do have our entire lives ahead of us, so really, it is far from over, Kuroko."

"That is not what I meant!"

"Maa, maa, please calm down, Kuroko-san." Keisuke tried to appease her, gently pulling her back. "You know that can't be good for you and the baby!"

"Geez, Kuroko, you really haven't—" Mikoto sighed, until she realized it. You could practically hear a pin drop, despite the muffled background noise of the airport. She turned her attention to the pair, with Keisuke having an arm wrapped protectively behind the pouting Kuroko. "—what… what did you just say?"

Keisuke, having realized what he just said, covered his mouth before looking at Kuroko who was just as shocked.

"The baby." Ruiko repeated flatly, her jaw hanging open. "He just…. said 'the baby' didn't he?"

"As…As in… a real… baby?" Kazari couldn't wrap the existence of the word around her head. "Like… a real actual… baby?"

"Holy shit." Touma said. "I mean, not holy shit in a bad sense, but holy shit?" He emphasized questioningly.

Kuroko couldn't have fought the blush on her face even if she tried.

"We've been dating for years and we're engaged. What do you think we do when we're alone? Play card games?" She sighed incredulously, trying to play off her embarrassment. "I mean… this wasn't really planned – nor was this the way I planned to announce it—" she added, glaring at Keisuke who grinned apologetically. "—but here we are. We decided to go through with it so, yes. I'm pregnant."

The four were left awestruck, their jaws practically hanging off their skulls.

"Holy fuck." Touma couldn't help but let out under his breath. "Kuroko is pregnant. Holy fuck."

"Shh!" Mikoto slapped his arm. "Mind your words! That's bad for the baby!"

"I….I'm sorry..?" Touma's mind still couldn't process the recent events.

"Oh my gooooooooood, Kuroko-san is pregnant!" Ruiko screamed, shaking Kazari who was tearing up beside her. "Oh my gooood! This is a little too much excitement for one morning but oh my god!"

"I think I might just faint…" Mikoto staggered, a hand on her head. "This is definitely not how I expected this morning to have gone."

Kuroko. Her crazy middle school roommate. The Kuroko who once got her a cake laced with aphrodisiacs. That Kuroko—was pregnant.

This info was way too much to process. Her situation with Touma aside, Kuroko was actually pregnant?

Who would have thought…?

Mikoto couldn't believe it. But at the same time, she was really happy for her friend too. Surprising as it was, Kuroko would make a pretty good mom. Chaotic—admittedly, yes—but she'd be a really good mom who would love her kids wholly.

"They're all good things, right?" Touma suddenly said, coming up behind her and snapping her from her thoughts. "That we managed to clear out our feelings. That we found out Kuroko and Keisuke are having a baby—I mean, freakin' hell, I still can't believe that one. But we don't really know what life has in store for us, though for now, all I can say is that I'm happy. Happier than I've ever been in a long time and that beats out any doubt I have in my mind."

Mikoto glanced at her friends, with Ruiko and Kazari crying tears of joy, while Kuroko tried to calm them down despite also kind of freaking out. Keisuke was trying his best in his own way, but the poor boy really couldn't do anything against the three girls. It was utter chaos. But in its own way, it was a comforting kind of chaos.

"Do you think this is what the Sisters meant when they wished us happiness?"

"I'm sure not even the Sisters could have predicted this mess." Touma snickered, looking over at the catastrophe. "You get to have your own definition of happiness, Mikoto. No one else can get to decide it for you. Do you think this could be yours?"

"…I think it always has been." Mikoto smiled. "I was just too caught up in other things to ever actually realize it."

Touma felt his emotions swell at her words and her smile. He wanted to tell her so many things—that he was happy for her, that he was proud of her, that he was glad everything worked out in the end—but ultimately couldn't find the right words. Instead, he reached out and gingerly held her hand, giving it a small squeeze.

The announcement for the boarding of Touma's plane resounded throughout the speakers, snapping everyone to attention.

"Guess that's my cue, huh?" Touma huffed, his shoulders shrugging. "As exciting as things are, you guys will just have to update me what happens next, alright?" He made a move to pick up his nearly forgotten luggage, lest he actually forget it. "You guys take care of yourselves. I'll probably swing by every now and then because of work, and other things—" he said, glancing over at Mikoto, who rolled her eyes at him. "—so I'll keep in touch, yeah?"

There was a chorus of take care's and goodbye's, mixed in with certain death threats, as the group amicably prepared for their parting. Once that was done, he turned around to face Mikoto, a smile on his face.

"You know our moms will freak out over this, right?" He asked. "I wouldn't be surprised if your dad is preparing for my funeral as we speak."

"I wouldn't be surprised if our moms send me sample wedding favors within the day." Mikoto replied shaking her head. "Just…give me a bit more time, okay? I just need to tie up some loose threads in my life…and maybe try looking at options for therapy?" He seemed surprised when she brought up the topic, but his expression was soon filled with relief. "As someone in the medical field, I probably should have done this a long time ago… but.. I think this might be something I actually need."

"I'll support you in whatever you choose to do, Mikoto." He smiled, hugging her tightly. "I'll message and call you whenever I can. You do the same, alright? Even if it's just for something random or pointless. In fact, I'll call you as soon as I land."

"…Okay."

"You have to eat properly, alright? And rest whenever you can. You have to take care of yourself."

"Yeah, the same goes for you too, okay?"

"Of course. " He planted a kiss on the top of her head, relishing her warmth. "I'm with you every step of the way, Mikoto. If things get hard, just remember that I'm here. Aside from me, you have friends and family ready to support you, no matter what. Never forget that."

"Yeah…"

The boarding announcement rang again, as Touma sighed, begrudgingly letting her go. He cupped her face in his hands, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"I really, really want to kiss you, but I probably shouldn't, huh?"

"Maybe not—"

"Maybe never!" Kuroko called out loudly, her arms crossed over her chest. "Don't you have a flight to catch, Kamijou-san?" The two girls immediately tried to berate her for ruining the moment.

"Being called 'Kamijou-san' is better than nothing, I guess." Touma shrugged, gearing up to leave. "I'll leave the wrath of the pregnant lady to you guys, then."

"I really do apologize." Keisuke sighed. "Despite the venom in her words, she really doesn't mean it, Kamijou-san. Truthfully, she's just really happy for the both of you."

"I am not!" Kuroko denied vehemently.

"You should go." Mikoto intervened, pushing him forward. "I guess I'll talk to you later?"

"Someone's eager to see me go. What? Sick of me already?"

"Kamijou Touma, I do not want to hear a single whine from you if your plane leaves you behind."

"Please, I'm good on time, I think…." He checked the time on his watch and was unpleasantly surprised. "Uh… barely… yeah, shit, I have to go!" He hurriedly gave Mikoto a kiss on the cheek, before grabbing his stuff and running towards the boarding area. "Thanks for seeing me off guys! See you when I see you!"

Stunned, Mikoto held the cheek he kissed as she watched him run off. A few seconds later, she could hear Kuroko going absolutely feral behind her, but her eyes simply followed the back of the clumsy man, desperately trying to catch his flight.

'Be safe out there, you idiot.'

Time passed by so quickly, and before we all knew it, four months had already gone.

"I still can't believe Kuroko-san is the first to actually get married out of all of us." Kazari spoke as they watched Kuroko and Keisuke be greeted by guests at their table. Mikoto and Ruiko couldn't help but nod in agreement, seeing their friend so bright and happy. It was the reception party of Kuroko's and Keisuke's weddings—which was held on top of the tallest and most expensive skyscrapers in Academy City—and they may or may not have had one too many bottles to drink. Mikoto could still handle her liquor pretty well, but it seemed like the other two were teetering.

Initially, Kuroko had wanted to give birth first, and maybe wait a bit until their child had grown a little more before having a wedding, but once their parents found out she was pregnant, the plans for the wedding rushed along like a bullet train.

"For someone who had been so against wearing a princess ballgown as a wedding dress, she looks really happy." She mused. "A perfect, blushing bride. I wouldn't have guessed that she was pregnant if I didn't already know."

The numerous dress fittings they attended with her were hell. Kuroko's mother turned out to be just as much as a force of nature as her, the only difference being her mother was conservative as hell. She was the one who insisted on having Kuroko wear a ballgown—or anything with a puffy skirt, really—to at least disguise her stomach. Kuroko, being unapologetically Kuroko, wanted a form-fitting, risqué piece because "preggy is the new sexy" (the shop assistant's words, not theirs) and because her baby bump wasn't something to be ashamed of. I'm growing a living, breathing human inside of this! They should be amazed! She only gave in for practicality reasons and under the condition that they have another wedding on their own terms once everything had settled down.

"I can only imagine how wild the second wedding will be." Ruiko thought aloud, leaning back on her seat. "Should we start praying for Keisuke-san's sanity as early as now?"

"Imagine if their child ends up exactly like Kuroko. He'd go bald in no time." Mikoto joked.

"Guess I know what gifts to give him then." Ruiko agreed. "Wigs, longevity tonics, and hair growth enhancers." She downed what was left of her drink before releasing a sigh. "I'm really happy for them though. I mean, the past months just whizzed by like whoop now here we are. Just us single girlies, drinking the night away~"

"Single girlies?" Kazari repeated, as if offended. "I'm the only single girlie here! You and Mikoto-san don't count!"

"Check the label, honey!" Ruiko grunted in response.

"Wait, still?" Mikoto asked. "You should really talk to him about that. Accelerator is shit with human relationships; he might not even understand the concept of labels."

"You think? He mentioned that their lab was busy with some sorta project or experiment or something, but he still does make time to message me and ask if I got home after work and stuff. Like, do you think he'd find it annoying if I pestered him about it? I get that he is trying but… it sucks just floating in between, you know?"

"I've never even been in a relationship, why are you asking me?" Kazari replied.

"But they say coaches never play, right? You've never played! So coach me!"

"That doesn't make sense!"

"You don't make sense!"

As the two continued on with their drunken banter, Mikoto stood up in search of someone, while still trying to keep an eye on the two, in case they go berserk and embarrass themselves on their friend's wedding. It didn't really take long to find a certain mop of white hair, pathetically styled to at least make him look halfway decent. He was with some of the older guests, including their parents, that were discussing business even in the midst of the celebrations.

"Excuse me." She called, garnering their attention. They gave greetings and nods which she respectfully returned. "Accelerator. A word, please."

He raised an eyebrow at her, but one glance at the table they sat on made him groan in displeasure.

"Who went and gave her so much fucking alcohol in the first place?" He excused himself from the group, with Mikoto following behind him.

"Maybe if you hadn't been so insipid, she wouldn't be drinking herself into a stupor like this."

"Hah. Bold of you to lecture me about relationships, Ms. It's-fuckin-complicated." Accelerator retorted, loosening his tie. "You, of all people, don't have the right."

"Not after tonight, I do." She huffed, her response making him turn his head to face her. "You should try going into therapy sometime. It really does help."

"…huh." He said simply, raising an eyebrow at her. "That didn't take long. It's been what? A few months?"

"At times like these, Accelerator, I am, once again, stumped by the fact that you consider me a friend enough to actually worry about me."

"I do not—!"

"I'll be okay now, I think." She interrupted him, a smile on her face. "I can handle it. So don't worry about me and focus on you and Ruiko instead. Because just as I've made steps to try and move forward in my life, you shouldn't be stuck in the past either. Don't push people away out of fear that you'll lose them, Accelerator." He suddenly stopped walking, his mouth hanging open as if to say something in response but nothing ever came out.

"…just shut the fuck up, third rate." He said in a resigned tone.

"I will not." Mikoto was firm, crossing her hands over her chest. "Ruiko is a dear friend of mine, and I can understand why you're being like this. It's like what you said before. As much as we'd hate to admit it, we probably understand each other more than anyone else ever could. I know you've been reluctant around Ruiko because you're afraid that she'll slip out of your reach, the same way the Sisters did. The same way Worst did. That you won't be able to be good to her, like how you disregarded Worst's feelings. Ruiko isn't Worst, Accelerator. Don't project your regrets and fears onto her."

At the mention of Worst's name, the tension between seemingly rose for a few seconds, before it dissipated along with a deep sigh from Accelerator.

"You sure grew a fuckin mouth, huh." He exasperated. "Is that something you got from that therapy shit of yours too?"

Mikoto stood still, as if expecting a proper response from him. He looked really displeased, waiting for a few seconds, hoping she would back off, but when she didn't, he could only groan in defeat.

"…I fucking get it, alright? I just… don't want to hurt her."

"As if what you're doing now isn't hurting her?"

"… I'm trying my damn best—"

"Then do better." Mikoto cut him off, a stern expression on her face. "Because Ruiko deserves better. Because you deserve better. You're allowed to wish for good things, Accelerator. No amount of sin or self-inflicted punishment should make you think otherwise. Take it from someone who's been there and done the exact same thing." Her tone softened towards the end of her words. His face grew pensive and almost apologetic, taking in everything she said. Who knew the day would come when I would think that he's not such a bed person, after all? Mikoto shook her head in amusement before she gave him a slap on the back, pushing him forward. "Now go and take care of that mess you made, alright?"

Accelerator glared at her, muttering profanities as he made his way to the table where Ruiko was now slumped on. Mikoto watched them interact for a few seconds, silently rooting for the two.

"Coming up here without a jacket was probably a bad idea…" Mikoto shivered, as the harsh evening air blew past her. Wanting to give them some privacy—Ruiko would probably drunkenly call her up later and tell her everything anyway—she made her way to the rooftop of the building for some fresh air. Mikoto took a deep breath, relishing the crisp chill of the night, looking up at the stars.

It was a typical Academy City nightscape. With the city lights being too bright for the stars to ever actually shine through, their glimmer barely registered in the dark sky. But even so, Mikoto couldn't help but admire the scene before her.

"You're going to catch a cold at this rate, stupid." A gentle voice said as a warm coat covered her shoulders. A smile unknowingly crept on her face, without her having to look back to see who it was.

"This is coming from the person who said they were willing to catch pneumonia a while back?" She joked as Touma sat on the bench beside her. He made a face, waving her off.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a hypocrite, I know. Guilty as charged~" Touma raised both of his arms up in surrender. He then leaned back on his arms, humming as he looked up at the sky. "Sooo, I saw you with Accelerator earlier. Is everything alright?" He was trying to play it cool but he was obviously genuinely concerned.

"Touma, Accelerator and I aren't children." Mikoto deadpanned. "He just needed a wake-up call, so I graciously did it for him. As annoying as he is, Ruiko found some happiness in him and vice versa—I was just trying to help a little." Touma immediately understood what she meant, mouthing an "Ah…" and nodding along. "Anyway, Accelerator aside, so you managed to make it after all, huh? Kei-kun2 was lowkey worried that he might not have someone to give a speech for him. Sure he had other friends, but he knew it would mean more to Kuroko if you were the one who did it."

"That's her being caring?" He asked incredulously. "Kuroko's affection for me is a little too extreme, don't you think? Do you realize how many murder attempts she's tried on me despite her being pregnant—as in with an actual baby inside her? How is murder any good for the baby's development?"

Mikoto didn't really know what it was—whether it was the fact that a heavily pregnant woman was trying to murder a grown ass man older than her or him questioning if murder was good for a baby—but she somehow couldn't stop laughing and giggling. Maybe it was the alcohol from earlier?

"God… haaaaa…." She wheezed, trying to speak in between bouts of laughter and catching her own breath. "That one time…. She teleported a bassinet over your head… to test the "durability"!" Mikoto lost it once more, grasping her sides while laughing. She still couldn't believe that was an actual thing. Around a month ago, Touma came to Academy City for work, but on one of his free days, he joined their friend group as they shopped for baby things. One moment, Kuroko was commenting on how solid the bassinet was and the next second, it was falling over Touma's head.

The memory of it made her lose her shit once more. All the while, Touma just stared at her, admiring her.

"You laugh a lot easier now, huh?" He absentmindedly commented as she settled down.

"…Is that so?"

"Hmm. It's great, honestly. Seeing you like that." He added, tucking in a stray strand of hair from her face. Mikoto couldn't help the blush creeping up on her cheeks, making him chuckle at her reaction. "So? It's been about a month since we've last seen each other, hasn't it? We didn't really get to catch up earlier with the wedding and all."

"It doesn't really feel like a month, since we've been messaging and calling so often." Mikoto huffed in embarrassment, twiddling with the ends of her hair. "You're probably more updated with my life than the girls are."

"Well, that's true. I met Misuzu-san earlier, by the way."

"…Oh my god." Mikoto buried her face in her hands. She could already tell that this was bad. A party with alcohol plus her mother always spelled trouble. "What did she do this time?"

"It's not anything too bad." Touma shrugged. "She was just a little tipsy when she called me her son and asked when her granddaughter was coming over to visit." For the love of God. "And she also said she's hoping for a boy next. You don't happen to have a secret sibling I don't know of, right?"

"God, no." Mama, please, why are you like this? Someone take away her alcohol. "I'm the only kid they've got—aside from the Sisters."

"So she's assuming her first grandkid would be a girl then?"

"I'm not even married!"

"Yeah and? Nowadays, you don't need to be married to have kids."

"That's true but still!" Mikoto said defensively, but she didn't even understand what she was being defensive about. "Oh my god, where is this conversation even going? I'm begging you for a change of topic, please. Mothers and wedding plans are off the list until further notice."

"Funny you should mention that. I was about to say that I caught our moms discussing an ocular inspection trip for events planning in Maldives—"

"—WHAT?"

"Yeah, sorry that one's a joke." Touma grinned, waving her off as she let out a disgruntled groan. "The location, at least. They were considering Hawaii, not Maldives. But speaking of beaches, I think I'd like Maldives more, to be honest. Or maybe Greece?"

Mikoto buried her face in her palms, grunting.

"Sorry, but this is still kinda embarrassing for me, so could we please lay low on all the wedding talk?" She spoke, her voice muffled by her hands. "And frankly, Kuroko's wedding prep had me drained, so I don't think I could tolerate another one anytime soon."

'And to think I was planning on confessing to him tonight…' Mikoto thought, feeling terribly pathetic. 'To think I'd lose courage over wedding talk… Get a grip, Misaka Mikoto.'

"Hmm, well there's no rush, really. So you don't have to feel troubled by it. I did promise that I'd wait for you, no matter how long." His voice was calm as she felt him move and stand in front of her. Lifting her head to look at him, he was kneeling in front of her, taking out what seemed to be a ring from his pocket.

"…Touma, what are you—"

Wordlessly, Touma grabbed her left hand and slipped something on her ring finger. It was a simple, thin, silver ring, with two bands—one studded with rhinestones, the other plain— woven together at the front. Mikoto couldn't find the words to speak.

"Hm. It's a little loose, but I think it works?" He commented casually, inspecting the ring on her finger from all angles. "If it's going to be bothersome at work, we can get a chain for it so you can wear it as a necklace instead?"

"…Touma…. What…?"

"Uh…do you not like it?" He asked pensively, scanning her expression. What kind of face am I making right now? "I don't really know much about jewelry, but I thought this looked nice—simple and elegant and all that? Would you have preferred the ones with hearts on them? Or those crown rings—I've seen a lot of them but I just wasn't sure."

He was still kneeling in front of her, holding her left hand in his.

"Touma, that's not—I didn't… It's not the design… I just…." Mikoto closed her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. He was still staring up worriedly at her, his eyes boring into hers. "Touma…. Is this what I think it is…?"

"…what?" Even he looked confused. "What you think it is? Mikoto, I don't understand what you mea—oh." As realization set into him, Touma immediately stood up, his hand still hold hers. "Oh, no, this isn't really a proposal or anything, Mikoto. God… and we were just talking about weddings too, fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for this to be a misunderstanding, jeez—"

"You knelt down in front of me and put a ring on my finger and that's not a proposal?"

"…well… I mean, unless you want it to be?"

"… what was it supposed to be then?" Mikoto asked, her voice a mix of embarrassment and confusion. Touma seemed a bit hesitant to respond, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"… I saw this ring while I was on a business trip last week." There was the slightest tinge of red in his cheeks as he spoke. "I…didn't really know why, but this just reminded me of you. I thought it would look good on you and the next thing I knew, I was actually buying it. I was worrying about how I would give it you, since its still a pretty long way from Christmas or your birthday. Rings kinda have a heavy meaning right? Especially given things between us, so Hino-san suggested I give it as a promise ring instead."

Hino-san was the secretary of Touma's current boss whom he got along with pretty well. She would come up in Touma's stories sometimes because she often treated Touma like her own son, giving him advice and food. She was a nice lady in her late 40's that Mikoto actually met once before, when their company had an event in Academy City.

"…a promise ring?"

"Yeah… Apparently, it's not a promise of marriage, like engagement rings, but just a promise in general. A promise to wait, a promise to take the relationship seriously. A promise to try my best for us and love you for as long as time permits." He added sheepishly, feeling oddly embarrassed.

Mikoto stared at the ring that glistened on her finger, feeling her heart swell with so much emotion.

"You know, I was going to confess to you tonight." She blurted out, looking up at his stunned face as he stood still in front of her. "Back then, I told you that I wanted to get myself and my life in order before I took the leap with you again. Therapy was the first step to most things, but one other thing on my list that I wanted to clear up was my relationship with Fumi-chan. You remember her, right?"

"Of course, I do…" He replied somewhat sentimentally. "She was one of your first patients. You hadn't mentioned her in your calls, so I couldn't really ask about how she was. Is she doing okay?"

"She's doing great, actually. But I could tell she was still awkward around me so I was thinking of ways to approach her. Imagine my surprise when she suddenly came up to me earlier when I dropped by the facility for a bit. She handed me flowers—a small bunch of lilies of the valley, asking me to add it to Kuroko's bouquet. And… she said that if Kuroko were to do a bouquet toss, she hoped that I would catch it. Because those flowers meant happiness."

Mikoto couldn't help but be a little teary eyed, remembering that interaction. Fumi was still shy as she spoke timidly, but for the first time in years, she smiled and held Mikoto's hands.

"It was just a small interaction, really, but it meant the world to me. If even that girl wished me happiness, then there's nothing in this world to stop me from reaching out and taking my shot at it." Mikoto was smiling as she spoke, standing up and grasping his hands between them. "Your smile brings me happiness, Touma. The sound of your voice, the warmth of your touch, and even just the way you look at me—they all make me feel incredibly loved and there is no greater happiness to me than knowing that you feel the same as I do."

"Mikoto… I…" His grip on hers tightened as he tried to speak, but his mind kept fumbling. She giggled at his attempts at forming a coherent sentence.

"I'm far from perfect, Touma." She said, gently nudging his chin to make him look at her. "I still need to work on a lot of things, and we'll probably continue to fight about the stupidest things. I get embarrassed easily and I might make things harder than they have to be sometimes because I'm a stubborn idiot. But I—"

"I love you." Without missing a beat, Touma held her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her. It was a biting sort of kiss that lasted a while, filled with so much pent-up affection. When they inevitably broke apart for air, words prattled out of his mouth like water released from a dam. "I love calling out your name and I love it even more when you call mine. I would want nothing more than to wake up every single day of my life, with your face being the first thing that I see. I love looking into your eyes and seeing myself reflected in them. Being apart from you makes me love you even more, it's fucking ridiculous. I'm sorry for cutting you off earlier, but I really wanted to be the one to say it, Mikoto." He said, pecking her all over her face as she laughed. "I love you."

"I love you too." She said in between giggles, pulling her face away from his with her hands. He pouted at her, which only made her smile even more. "So… is this still just a promise ring?" Mikoto asked, lifting her hand with the ring on it.

"Are you shitting me, right now? Mikoto, that ring can be whatever you want it to be!" He pulled her up into a hug and swung her around in circles. She squealed and hugged him tighter as their laughter echoed out into the night. "You have no idea how happy I am right now, Mikoto. God, I love you so much. Have I mentioned that I love it when you say my name?"

"Idiot."

"Yeah, that works too, actually." She jokingly hit his arm as they settled down, his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as she wrapped hers around his neck.

"You really are an idiot, Kamijou Touma."

"And you love me anyway, so I don't really care." He stared into her eyes as their faces leaned closer for another kiss.

"Mmm.. Touma…" Mikoto said, breaking away from the kiss again, making Touma grunt.

"Whaaaat? I would really like to go back to kissing and more, if you don't mind—"

"Stay." There were tears in her eyes as she spoke, but she also had on the biggest smiles he had ever seen on her. Her eyes were bright and shiny as the moonlight shone upon them. Mikoto looked absolutely stunning, with her disheveled hair and silver dress—ethereal, even. He didn't really think the word could apply to a person until now. And this woman loved him and was asking him to stay. She held his face in her hands as they trembled slightly. "Please stay. With me, beside me, together with me, in anyway that you can. I…would love it if you could stay."

"…You won't be able to get rid of me even if you try, Mikoto. Don't regret your words later."

"I guess we'll find out?" She answered as he wiped away her tears. He kissed her once more, and this time, she left herself melt into the kiss and his embrace without pulling back.

No one really knows what the future holds.

Life has challenges—ups and downs—that could make or break a person. They may have been broken once, but now that they've picked up their pieces together and are now stronger than ever, who's to say that they can't make it right and have their happily ever after?

If you think about it, we only have one shot at destiny,

So all I'm asking is, could it be possibly be you and me?

And if you'll stay, I'll hold your hand

Because I'm truly, madly, crazily in love with you

- Excerpts taken from the lyrics of "Stay" by Cueshe

- End –

Notes:

1 I used "they" because I wanted Touma to be more ambiguous about the person's gender. When I first wrote this story years ago, I really liked a fanart of Accel and Ruiko that I saw back then, which is the reason why they became a ship in this story. It also kinda works somehow? But honestly, I do think that the story could have played out with a same sex pairing. I'm just too far into the story to change it :3

2 Yeah I actually forgot that Mikoto calls Keisuke Kei-kun lololol but cute side story, Mikoto only referred to him as Kei-kun to tease Kuroko before they were even official (Kuroko was tsundere AF, refusing to admit that she liked him). Mikoto never actually called him that. One day, Keisuke overheard them talking about him (while referring to him as Kei-kun), which embarrassed Kuroko to no end. She got all defensive and somehow ended up saying "Well why don't I just date you then?!" And so they became official lol. The nickname slipped Mikoto's mouth sometimes ever since and Kuroko gets embarrassed whenever she remembers that story so Mikoto stuck with it.

AUTHOR'S NOTES THAT DEPICTS MY STRUGGLES WHILE TRYING TO FINISH THIS

December 12, 2021: Well…. I know I said it wouldn't take me long to finish this but…. I am so sorry hahahahaha work piled up on me and I couldn't really update this. Plus there was also my obsession with 86 sooo yeah *shrugs*. The main culprit for the long wait though is the fact that I forgot how I wanted this to end hahahahahahaha. I planned on winging it like usual so I kept writing, but I kept going back and forth with the ending because I'm an indecisive little shit lol.

January 7, 2022: uhh hi so hehe first of all, I'm really sorry? I blame the holiday blues and everything hehe.

January 24, 2022: I have no words. I got obsessed with buying books again and I CANT STOP ADDING TO MY PHYSICAL TBR. Who's a broke ass bitch? Me is a broke ass bitch. Why are books so expensive—anyway I'm ranting. Honestly speaking, I had a hard time writing this because its basically an entire chapter of love and life advice, two things which you should never take from me in real life.

March 23, 2022: I LIVE AND BREATHE 86. GLORY TO THE BLOODSTAINED QUEEN. GLORY TO THE SPEARHEAD!

May 14, 2022: …Hiiii? Hahahahaha. If anyone is still reading this, thank you hehe.

June 20, 2022: I'm typing this while listening to Glimpse of Us by Joji LOLOLOLOL wish us all luck. And the thing about therapy came up because I explained the Sisters Arc to my friend (who's a weeb but not into the fandom) and she said "Dude. That girl needs therapy. She doesn't need a guy. She needs therapy". And I totally agree with her.

July 23, 2022: Welp. This is it guys. Thank you to everyone who has gotten this far. It wasn't easy getting to this point. I love you all so much, you guys have no idea. Fanfic writing has helped mold me into the person that I am now, and you all were part of it. Words will never be enough to express how thankful I am for all of you. Especially those of you who have been with me since I began my fanfic journey. I miss the days when we'd excitedly message or interact one way or another through this site, but it will always be a fond memory for me.

Again. Thank you all so much. May this story bring you some semblance of comfort when you need it, and nostalgia for when you look back on the years. I hope happiness comes to all of you, no matter what shape or form you wish for it to take.

Bye bye!