A/N: I really struggled with this chapter. :( Anyways, we're almost done with this arc, which kinda makes me sad. I keep going back and rereading it for all the little happy bonding moments. Present Mic is just too cute. So, what are your thoughts on the end of the internship? Ready to see her head back to the Last One? :P
Before we head to the Radio Station, Sensei cleans and dries my new dress. He has me shower and change into it when it's done. Then, pulling out a chair, he starts to blow dry my hair.
"Sensei, why can't I just braid it back?" I ask over the whirl of the dryer.
"Because!" he says laughing, "If you're going to wear a cute dress, you ought to have cute hair!"
"Do I have to wear makeup too?"
His smile brightens into a cheesy grin.
"Nope, your face is beautiful just the way it is."
I blush and go to duck my head, but he pulls it back up, laughing as he runs the hairbrush through the black length.
"Sensei," I groan.
"What? I'm just saying, you're too young for it anyway. You're only fifteen, what do you even need it for? Trying to look older or hide something as ridiculous as pimples. And you," he huffs as he pulls at a particularly trying knot, "abuse the stuff. Using it to hide injuries is an issue."
I frown.
"I didn't want Yui-san to get in trouble," I say as he makes a face at my split ends.
"Why would Yui-san get in trouble for you getting into a fight?" Sensei asks, putting down the comb to reach out and grab some sort of product off his rather cluttered vanity.
Then we will not dispute the placement, but should anything like this happen again, you should contact us immediately.
"Principal Nezu said… he and Yui-san talked about taking me away," I admit quietly. Sensei doesn't stop working, but his face loses some of its silliness. A sign he's paying closer attention. I swallow, pulling at my fingers. "I… Yui-san's the only one that kept me."
Sensei works quietly for a moment after that. Replacing the hairdryer with a flat iron. It looks like the kind Kagura-nee-chan would have but nicer. I wonder what he uses his for.
I try to imagine him waking with frizzy hair and smile.
"The only reason Principal Nezu would have you removed from a home is if you were being abused or neglected," Sensei says finally. "Do you think your fight would have counted for either of those?"
"No," I tell him immediately.
"No, because you don't want it to, or no, because you truly believe that."
"I-I'm not abused," I tell him, biting my lip as I meet his eye. "Sensei, nobody hits me, not anymore-"
"Not anymore?" he asks voice incredulous. He rounds the stool and kneels, hands reaching out to take hold of my own. His fingers are warm and calloused, his long blonde hair hanging about his face. I stare into bright green eyes. "What do you mean not anymore?"
"Yui-san made them stop," I answer hurriedly. My chest tightens as I notice the liquid welling in the green. "I changed rooms, I got a lock, remember?"
"You said that was a prank," he says. His voice drops to an octave I hadn't heard. He sounds like a hero. I shiver, bile rising in my throat.
"I… The prank was… I mean… Sensei, can… can we talk about something else?"
He doesn't move. I know he can feel my hands shake.
"Please?" I beg.
He stands and returns to his position behind me.
"You worry me," Sensei says quietly as he returns to curling my hair. "I'm worried what I'm sending you back to when this is all over."
I pull at my fingers, chest warming even as something cold and hard settles in my belly.
Worried.
"Sensei…"
"I'm done. You look beautiful Rin."
He unplugs the blow dryer and straight iron. He has me close my eyes as he sprays my hair. True to his word, he doesn't have me wear makeup, though I see some scattered across his vanity. Instead, he pulls out his phone and gives me a bright, crooked smile.
"Smile for the camera!" he says.
I give a little smile as he snaps at least five shots. I blush progressively harder as he continues.
"Sensei!"
He snaps another one and I scowl face burning.
"Come here," he says, swiping through his apps quickly. He leans forward and shows me his phone. "What do you think?"
The photo he's chosen is clear and well lit. I blink down at the girl that smiles back. Dark hair flowing in waves, face pink, and eyes bright. The bruises are there, but yellowed and hardly noticeable. Even the scars, always so prominent, seem to fade, lost in the dazzle of the soft blue dress and the sparkle of the gems along the bottom. She's pretty.
I don't recognize her.
I don't recognize me.
I stare up, wide-eyed at Present Mic, and he gives me my favorite smile. The soft one that warms in my chest.
"Thank you," I whisper. He laughs and pulls me close, wrapping me in an impromptu hug.
"You're welcome," he answers back in English. "Now go brush your teeth and grab your book. We'll be there for about six hours and you're going to eventually get bored, and probably tired. We've got about ten more minutes until we need to leave."
.
.
.
The radio station is nothing like Sensei's home, though he strides in it with the same quiet confidence he does his apartment. While Sensei's home is cluttered with music and notes and tons of little knickknacks, the radio station is much more professional and modern. The walls are electric blue, decorated in plaques and images.
Different awards cover one wall, eight of them addressed specifically to Present Mic, each a decorated with different colored circles and a ribbon. Three are framed in gold, 'Japan's Radio Award.'
I look towards him, wondering what they mean, when I notice the two people he's with.
A young woman who couldn't be much older than him, with large mouse ears atop short-cropped, curly brown hair. Her glasses, so large they seem to magnify her bright green eyes, sit perched on the hook of her nose. She waves excitedly, thin tail twitching. Next to her, a man with a grin just as wide as Yamada-sensei's strikes a silly pose, his dark hair waving in an invisible wind.
"This is my intern… Rin-chan what are you doing? Come here!"
I hurry to his side and bow respectfully.
"Please take care of me," I say dutifully. I glance up worriedly as the mouse squeaks.
"How adorable!"
"What a sweet face!"
My face heats with embarrassment, and the man leans a little closer. I step nervously next to Sensei, not sure how to react. Sensei just laughs and captures me in a side-hug.
"Alright, give her some space," Sensei says. Both take an immediate step back and I breathe a little easier. "Rin-chan, this is Meca, Shiro," he gestures to the mouse-woman. "She's in charge of the audio components and the soundboard. She's also an amazing cook, just saying. Her curry is out of this world. And this," he turns to the dark-haired man, "is our producer, Hyde, Sable. Who is amazing, of course."
"How exciting to finally meet you!" says the man leaning in excitedly again, and this time I offer a timid smile. He looks up to the blonde excitedly. "Can we keep her?"
"What do you mean can we keep her?" Sensei asks pointing. "She's here isn't she?"
"But for how long? You've taken off most of the week," Meca-san says, her voice squeaks excitedly as she talks. "Oh, are you hungry? Present Mic is so thin I wonder sometimes if he eats. Has he been feeding you? Would you like some yakitori? It's still warm!"
"Hey!" Sensei huffs, but I can see the bright smile on his face. Then he grins down. "I have to be live in twenty, but how about a tour?"
Somewhat overwhelmed by three very exuberant personalities, I nod quietly.
"Yes!" the producer, Hyde-san, says pumping his fist in the air. "Let's start from the top!"
.
.
.
The tour is extensive and surprisingly enjoyable despite Sensei and Meca-san leaving only a few minutes in. Hyde-san, while just as ridiculous as Sensei, also has tons of stories about him. I listen with wide-eyes as he regales me with the time Sensei tried to interview the Mud-hero, Swamp Man, only for him to accidentally short out all the switches with ooze.
"We had to replace all the carpets, but you can still find some of the evidence in the utility closets!" he laughs, pointing to a rather nasty green stain on the concrete in the nearby closet he'd just opened. "So what do you think?"
"It's amazing," I answer honestly. Sensei would talk about his radio show at school, but I had never listened to it, and I certainly hadn't realized how much work went into it. "Sensei's amazing."
"That he is kid," Hyde-san says with a laugh. "So now that we've done the tour, you ready to watch him in action?"
I nod smiling.
He grins back and throws me a peace sign.
"AWESOME!"
We return to the studio room and I stare in awe at all of the switches, buttons, and technology in the space. A large glass window takes up most of the wall with a door right beside it. Over the top hangs a bright sign lit red ON-AIR. I peer through the window curiously, and Sensei gestures widely from his place by a microphone. With his long hair pulled into a relaxed bun, his dark sweater, and reading glasses perched on his nose, he looks every bit what I'd imagine a radio star to be.
Meca-san, large ears twitching on her head, squeaks a little hello as we enter, and gestures me over. I, hesitantly, cross the room, trying not to gape at just the amount of stuff in the room.
"There you are! How was your tour?" she asks excitedly.
"It was wonderful, thank you," I answer politely, bowing.
"You have such a sweet voice," the mouse-woman says laughing. "No wonder Present Mic took you on. With such an unassuming personality and soft voice, you'd make a great DJ! Are you interested in that kind of thing?"
I blush, embarrassed at the praise.
"I… uh…"
"Hah, slow down Shiro-chan," says Hyde-san with a gruff laugh. "She's a little too quiet for that kind of thing. You've got to have personality for the radio. She's as shy as a kitten. She'd probably make a good guest star, but I'm thinking someone's internship is more about building confidence."
I cringe into myself, face heating, and pull at my fingers.
"Oh, that's too cute!" the mouse squeaks watching me. "I can't believe Mic's been keeping you all to himself this whole time!"
I wish the floor would just open up and swallow me whole.
The side door opens then, and Sensei pokes his head out, his grin wide and eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Oi! Rin-chan, you look like you're about to explode. You two, stop teasing my intern."
Meca giggles and Hyde rubs his head. Sensei rolls his eyes.
"Rin-chan, go grab a book and you can set up a spot in here. Shiro-chan, I've got a new song I think we're going to air Friday in the playlist. I need you to test the quality."
"Yes sir!" the mouse squeaks and I pull out my book and settle at a small table in the back of the room. Hyde leaves quickly after that, muttering something about paperwork and bills. I settle at the table and read with only half a mind, the other half watching on in curiosity as Sensei takes different calls and changes his inflection matching the mood.
It's mesmerizing.
"Having fun?" Meca asks after the fourth time she catches me staring.
I blush.
"Yes, ma'am."
She squeaks.
"You're so polite," the mouse woman says smiling. "He's pretty fun to watch though. Even though we work late hours, Mic still somehow manages to capture everyone's attention. It's part of his charm, I think…"
"His… charm?" I ask slowly.
She grins, tail flickering behind her.
"I'm sure you've noticed. Especially with the way he's taken a liking to you. The way he can look at a person and just read their emotions? I don't know if he picked it up in his hero work or if he's just always been empathetic, but it makes him an amazing DJ."
"How… how does that make a good DJ?" I ask, setting my book down curiously. She skitters a little, one hand resting on her hip and the other waving excitedly by her face. Almost like one of Sensei's silly moves.
"Come here and I'll show you."
I stand and join her.
"See the clock here? That's the timer until the next song runs out. See that light, that means we have another caller. He's going to answer and record it while the current song is playing, and then broadcast it when he goes live."
"Why record it?" I ask.
"Because sometimes people call in being ridiculous, cussing all over the radio, screaming, or just being really inappropriate. It doesn't happen a lot, but there's always one…"
"Thanks for calling in listener!" Sensei says, picking up the phone. "What's your request?"
I can't hear the other end, but he swivels in his chair, glancing our way and tapping his chin.
"We won't be broadcasting this one," Meca-san says throwing Sensei a thumbs up. "See the way he's chilled out now? How he lost all the rambunctiousness? We call it his therapy face."
She giggles and I blush.
"Present Mic is amazing because he's able to open up with the people he talks to. Despite being alone in that room, he makes people feel like they're right there next to him. He's the kind of person that makes you want to laugh or shake your head. Sometimes he can be obnoxiously loud, but his best moments, I think, are on the radio. The callers love him because he remembers them and makes them feel special," she says adjusting some of the knobs on the platform in front of her. I stand beside her and watch for a few more minutes before eventually wandering back to my book.
The callers love him because he remembers them and makes them feel special.
I swallow.
I've never felt as special as I have this week.
You worry me… I'm worried what I'm sending you back to when this is all over.
I frown and stare at my book, the letters dull and washed out against the worn pages. When this is all over… I sigh and turn the page. When this is all over, I'll go back, and everything will return to what it should be—what it's always been. A mildewed bed, angry stares, and Yui-san's disappointed gaze. No more hugs.
.
.
.
"Hey Rin-chan, wake up."
I groan and pick my head up from the table, wiping at my mouth. My back feels stiff, my body tired, and I'm sure I have a large red impression on my cheek from where I fell asleep about two hours in. I hadn't meant to, but the steady drone of Sensei's voice, combined with the coolness of the room had left me drowsy. Especially as 2AM turned to three and four.
"Sensei?" I ask, rubbing at my eyes.
"Hey kid, you're always so cute when you wake up. We'll be done in about thirty. Come on sleepyhead, you wanna join me in the box?"
I yawn and stretch.
"The box?" I ask quietly. He grins down at me.
"The booth," he says knocking his head towards the area he's been in all evening. "There are only a few listeners left at this point, too early in the morning or too late I suppose for my regulars. C'mon, guest star with me?"
I smile at the silly face he makes.
"Okay," I answer.
He laughs and grabs me up in a hug, jostling me to my feet. Meca-san, still where I left her when I fell asleep, giggles from a large cup of coffee.
I follow Sensei into the room, and he drops into his rolling chair and pats a chair beside him.
"Ready?" he asks, grinning widely.
I nod, not really sure what I'm supposed to be ready for. He grins, presses a button, and the red light on the other side of the door shines on our side as well.
"And hello listeners! Have I got a treat for you!"
He leans forward and throws me a wink.
"As a last-minute special guest for tonight, I've managed to convince my adorable little intern from UA High to come in and answer some questions. Now, keep in mind she's a minor so you'll all need to behave yourselves!"
He looks my way and grins as I purple.
Answer questions! Nobody- He asked if I wanted to sit!
"Say hi to the audience, Intern," he teases.
"Hi." I squeak when he pokes me.
"So timid. Isn't she cute? Well, call in your questions and let's see what she has to say after this song."
He hits a switch the red light goes out, and the phone beside him flashes.
"Ready to answer questions?" he asks.
"Sensei!"
"Thanks for calling in! What burning question do you have for either myself or my cute little intern?" he hits a button and the caller's voice fills the room.
"Oh! Hi! My name's Kana, I go to Murasaki High School, I'm a 3rd year there! Intern-san, you sound so adorable! I heard Present Mic say that you were going to school at UA! Do you like it there? What grade are you? I always wanted to apply, but I didn't have the grades or the quirk really for it."
Yamada-Sensei gives a loud chuckle and I can hear the teenager on the other side giggle in embarrassment.
"Thanks for calling in Kana! I remember your voice, so thanks for being such a loyal patron! So, Intern, why don't you tell us what you think of the school?"
My face burns and I glower at Sensei who just gives me a look.
"I… I'm a first-year," I manage to splutter out, feeling idiotic. Sensei shoots me a finger gun before rolling his hands to tell me to keep talking. I shrink into the chair. "I really like UA. The students are interesting and the teachers are nice."
I nearly sigh in relief when Sensei stops twirling his finger, laughing into the recording.
"Present Mic, your intern sounds so shy!" says Kana on the other side.
"That she does! Thanks for calling Kana."
Sensei hangs up and before I can get up and run from the room, hits the speaker again.
"Welcome to Put Your Hands Up Radio! What questions have you got?"
"I have one for Intern-san!" says a male voice on the other end. He sounds older and Sensei smiles.
"Alright? Whatcha got?"
"What's the best part of your internship?" asks the man.
"Ohh! Good questions! You better make me sound great!" Sensei teases, and the man on the other line laughs. I blush, pulling at my fingers.
"All… All of it's good," I manage to say mostly without stuttering. Then I swallow and look down, gathering my courage. Present Mic is amazing because he's able to open up with the people he talks to. The callers love him because he remembers them and makes them feel special. When you share things, you open yourself to others. "I've lived in at least twelve different homes," I say suddenly. Sensei looks down in surprise. "I'm… I'm a foster kid. So I got moved around a lot. Out of all of them, Sensei is my favorite. He… He takes the time to teach me and hugs me when I'm sad, and… and he's the nicest person I've ever met."
There's a short pause as neither Sensei or the man on the phone says anything.
I cringe, wondering if I should have stopped at good.
"Sounds like he cares a lot, Intern-san. I'm glad you found someone that is so kind," the older man says kindly. "Thank you for your time."
Sensei hits the end button and ignores the phone, dragging me from my chair into a hug.
"That was the sweetest thing you've ever said," Sensei cries dramatically. I flush, even more embarrassed as I can hear Meca-san and Hyde-san in the background giggling.
"Sensei!"