I'm back with a new chapter! Real sorry I took so long to update, everyone. I seriously worked my ass off just to finish this one because I absolutely cannot let this year end without uploading a new chapter, so voila~! I made it just in the nick of time. Guilt aside, I am so grateful to see that this fic already has a hundred followers! *cue confettis and fireworks* It makes my heart burst knowing a lot of people are super interested in this. Thank you so much!
(Spoiler Alert!) By the way, who here already reached chapters 122 and above in the Manga? I just wanna say that I was pleasantly surprised when Hadou Nejire was introduced because she looks exactly like what I imagined Alumi would look like if she was going to be drawn in Horikoshi-sensei's style! Minus the hairstyle and color schemes of course.
And lemme just tell you that I'm finally done with Alumi's OC Data~! You should totally check that out so you may get to know her better. Kindly fly over to my DA account named Rinrikapyon, the link is in my profile!
Anyhow~ let's head to the chapter! Honestly, I'm not too confident with how this turned out. Believe me, I lost count of how many times I alternated between re-writing and procrastinating, but I just had to get it out since it's undoubtedly one step taken to forward this story.
Also, it just crossed my mind that this fanfiction already passed its 1st anniversary lol. To those who followed and read this until now, I cannot thank you enough. Please enjoy this chapter!
Special thanks to: oikawatooruu, AkitaWF, SatiricalAbyss, tsubaki apple, blob80 and to the three Guests, for the encouraging feedbacks~!
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〖 Chapter Eight 〗
A Reunion with the Past
When Hiromu dropped Alumi off to school the next day, a horde of reporters, cameramen and basically people working for the media were gathered outside of U.A's front gate. Alumi shared a look of surprise with her father until it dawned on them of what exactly the commotion was all about, which could also be summarized into six words: All Might's recent employment in U.A.
"Would you look at that...All Might will be in for a big surprise, I'm sure," Hiromu said after parking their vehicle a good distance away from the crowd. His gaze shifted into concern as he looked at his daughter. "Will you be all right?"
"I'll manage," Alumi replied cheerfully as she stepped out of the car, closed the door, then turned to face her father who had the windows down so they could see each other. "Please don't worry about me and do your best at work today as well, Dad."
But despite Alumi's assurance, Hiromu couldn't shake off the discomfort he felt. Looking back at the mass media horde, just the thought of his daughter walking right into their midst like a mouse plunging straight into a cat's maw left him troubled beyond words (and it didn't help that he was married to a former celebrity).
"All right," he said reluctantly after seeing her expectant little smile. "Take care, Alu."
"I will. I'll see you soon." Alumi smiled warmly and waved. Hiromu returned the gesture with an encouraging smile before revving up the engine and finally disappearing down the road.
Alumi turned on her heel but stayed rooted on the spot as she watched how the group of reporters resembled a pack of bloodthirsty predators by the way they crowded and preyed on the students.
'Chi-chan was right…The media isn't lagging behind with these things.'
The sight was frightening. Luckily, they hadn't spotted her yet. Alumi contemplated using her Quirk to get to the other side of the wall, but that was basically asking to have her perfect school record stained if somebody happened to witness her burglar-like entrance and couldn't keep their mouth shut about it.
With a sigh, Alumi decided to brave through the crowd. She remembered the simple technique her mother used to survive the paparazzi back in the day – Smile. Avoid eye-contact. Ignore. Putting that strategy into play, Alumi kept silent and didn't even spare the media men a glance when they practically pounced on her the second they saw her walk towards them, much like how dogs would at the sight of fresh meat.
"Just a few words or even a brief commentary of what All Might is like as a teacher will do just fine!" yelled this certain female reporter who was twice more persistent and aggressive than the rest.
Alumi hastened her pace and continued to smile nonchalantly as if she didn't hear anything. She actually heard the woman growl in frustration.
"Come on, we just want to know and let the world know what he's like as an educator! If you could just share your experience…" Her voice suddenly trailed off that Alumi was almost tempted to take a peek of what made her quiet all of a sudden. But then the woman caught up to her and was giving Alumi a pointed quizzical look. "Hey, you look kind of familiar!"
The smile on Alumi's face wavered, her eyes widening slightly in alarm.
"Aren't you that blue-haired kid the Flame Hero Endeavour rescued six years ago?!" the female reporter exclaimed, her accusation causing a chain reaction among the others.
Alumi internally shook her head and continued looking ahead, gritting her teeth nervously behind her sealed lips. 'Impossible. How could they still remember that?'
As if reading her thoughts, the pesky journalist replied, "It happened a long time ago, but that story managed to make its way in our company's Hall of Revered Headlines, mostly because Endeavour was involved. She'd be about your age, too! Ne, you're that kid aren't you miss?"
"That's not all," another blurted out. "Don't you think she closely resembles Reika Azayaka?"
"The Reika Azayaka?"
"Ooh, it's definitely her! Just look at those eyes, and that nose! It was also Reika-san's kid Endeavour rescued that time, don't you guys remember? Her only son even died in that incident!"
At this point the media men loomed over Alumi and blocked her path, causing the girl to stop abruptly. A random camera man suddenly raised his camera at her. Alarmed, Alumi immediately turned away and covered her face with her forearm just as multiple flashes went off.
"It was after that when Reika-san stopped showing up on the screen right?"
"Excuse me miss—Oi! Wait!"
In a fit of despair Alumi squirmed and burst through the mob, taking off into a full sprint before they could say anything more about her past. She was already near the school's entrance so they weren't able to pursue her once she was past the gates.
Alumi slowed down once she was inside the campus, not even bothering to look back as she caught her breath and reinforced her composure. She kept her head down the entire time she walked towards her shoe cubby, afraid of letting anyone see the expression she currently had.
Terrible. It was terrible how the people working in the media industry would disregard a person's feelings for their own benefit. How could they spew such insensitive comments like it was the most natural thing to do?
'And the nerve to blatantly talk about Haru's death like that…!' Alumi scrunched her nose in disgust and irritation, replacing her shoes with barely contained anger and shutting the door to her shoe locker with more force than necessary.
The sudden clang of metal startled the few people around her, which was enough to bring Alumi out of her fuming daze. She smiled apologetically to those who saw and heaved a sigh, the anger she felt simmering down into a buzz until all that's left was a pounding stab of loss.
Alumi shut her eyes and took a deep breath. 'I better go to the classroom,' she decided, bracing her backpack on her shoulders and giving it a light bounce, the load easing up along with the heaviness she felt.
Unconsciously, Alumi looked at the entrance over her shoulder and saw Ochako entering the lobby looking quite traumatized. But when the brunette spotted her, she immediately broke into a huge relieved grin, making Alumi smile in return.
"Good morning, Alumi-chan!"
"Good morning to you too, Urara-chan." She gave the girl a sympathetic smile. "Quite the morning we have today, huh? I can see you weren't spared back there."
"Yeah, it was scary," Ochako replied with a shudder as they started walking towards their classroom. "They kept on asking about All Might, and even said something about a celebrity's daughter studying here in U.A."
Alumi gave her an alarmed glance. "They asked you that?"
"Un. I don't know which celebrity they were talking about, but that's so exciting! I wonder who it is…" Ochako tapped a finger to her chin in thought. "Do you think it's someone we know?"
She smiled uneasily. 'Should I tell Urara-chan?' Alumi was quick to disregard the thought. No, she shouldn't. Because telling Ochako would eventually lead to revealing details of her past, and she wasn't ready to disclose that information yet.
"By the way, Alumi-chan. Something's different about you today."
"You think so?" Alumi grinned slightly, wondering if Ochako finally noticed her latest accessory.
"It's the earrings isn't it? They're really pretty!" Ochako gushed as she leaned closer.
"My grandmother gave them to me." Alumi tilted her head a little and tucked a strand of hair behind her right ear so the brunette could see the earring more clearly.
"I like it!" Ochako exclaimed. "It really suits your Quirk."
Alumi thought exactly. It was a well-thought-of gift that not only complemented her appearance, but also gave her crystallization emphasis. She couldn't even begin how to thank her grandmother for it, other than perhaps holding on to it as she rises to become a hero. Not that Alumi would ever take it off, it was practically her mark now.
Homeroom that morning was a lively one (for a normal class activity of choosing a class representative, that is). In a normal school, not a lot of students would voluntarily commit themselves to being the Class Representative because of how much work it entailed. But in the Hero Course, being the Class Representative was a revered status among Hero Aspirants, an ideal accomplishment that would go well in any Pro Hero's résumé. And so, declarations hurtled left and right, each getting louder than the last.
While Alumi wasn't any different, she knew it was pointless to try and vie for the position with as much enthusiasm as the others. She knew that even if she raised her hand, it wouldn't even be visible amidst the ruckus. And it wasn't like Aizawa-sensei was actively involved in the process.
In fact, he looked like he couldn't care any less who the Class Rep was going to be and was currently rummaging something from under the desk. Alumi had a clear image of what exactly he was looking for, something yellow-colored and squishy looking…
She sighed, torn between dismay and amusement as Aizawa-sensei sealed himself inside his comical sleeping bag with a decisive 'zip!' and turned away from the class in a slow roll. She looked back towards her classmates with a conflicted smile. 'Oh dear. We have quite the dilemma here.'
In the end, it was Iida who quelled the commotion and suggested the good ole election route to settle the dilemma. 'He's like the Class Rep already.' Alumi thought, astonished.
Election Results:
Midoriya – 4
Yaoyorozu – 2
Despite her surprise, a small 'Yaaay!' flag went up inside Alumi's head. She didn't really expect for her candidate to win by a landslide. She looked around and saw how the whole class – including the brand new Inchou himself – was practically thinking the same thing: who would've thought the demure and jittery fanboy Midoriya would end up bagging the position?
Although Iida was one of Alumi's primary candidates, she figured this kind of exposure would cure Izuku's skittish behaviour. And it wasn't like she voted for him out of pure favouritism (nope, not at all!) but because she saw Izuku had the makings of a leader. Yesterday proved he had what it takes, his courage and tactical prowess evident. To put it simply, he was a diamond in a rough, and Alumi already decided to support him in any way she could.
While everybody else went along with the results, Bakugou, on the other hand, flipped his lid.
"WHY IN THE HELL!? Who voted for Deku!?"
Knowing he had it out for the curly haired boy, Alumi wasn't even surprised. She glanced inconspicuously at the infuriated Bakugou, suppressing a grin. If only he would actually use his eyes instead of his mouth when looking for answers. It wasn't even that hard. It didn't even take her long to find out who the other two voters were, seeing as Iida and Uraraka, and even Todoroki's names weren't up in the board, much like herself.
'I wonder who Todoroki-kun voted for…' Alumi pondered. 'It couldn't be Mi-kun, so it must've been Momo-chan.'
Bakugou was still going off on his tirade, now with a teasing Sero and a jeering Kaminari in the mix when Alumi glanced briefly at the half-and-half boy, the feeling she felt yesterday resurfacing.
'Todoroki-kun…Shouto is his name…Shouto-san…I wonder why you remind me so much of—'
Alumi felt a stab of shock when Todoroki suddenly glanced her way, his gaze catching hers, their eyes meeting for the first time. Usually, when people accidentally make eye-contact with her, they were quick to avert their eyes in a coy manner. But Todoroki was different. He stared right back, and stared, then blinked.
Alumi inwardly flinched, an area of her head tingled, and she knew her Ahoge betrayed her. She blinked twice. Then she flashed him a self-conscious smile that stung the corners of her mouth because she wasn't used to it. Todoroki didn't return the smile. Instead he looked at the roster on the board, then back to her, ever so subtly raised a brow, then stopped looking at her altogether.
As stupefying the gesture was, Alumi understood what it was about. He knew she voted for Izuku and was probably wondering why. Alumi narrowed an eye and pouted. She continued to stare at him, hoping to catch his eyes again. Four seconds and a blink from a pair of heterochromatic eyes later, she succeeded. His expression was as blank as ever when he looked at her again, but she could make out the silent question in his eyes. Alumi blinked, then threw a quick look at the board, then to Yaoyorozu, then back to him with her own raised brow and a knowing smile.
They both blinked at the same time. Todoroki nodded his head, his gaze morphing into an acknowledging and tacit manner, almost as if he was saying this discovery was to be kept between the two of them. The look he gave with the nod was so subtle that if one wasn't looking at him at that moment, they would never notice. But Alumi had, and that alone brought a rush of a foreign emotion in her chest.
She nodded in return, smiling slightly and immediately turned away, but not without making sure she wasn't being hasty in doing so. Alumi wasn't sure whether it was amusement or something else, but her little smile grew wide. It was the weirdest interaction she ever had, the experience making her feel ticklish and warm.
Her cheeks ached.
The school bell rang, morning classes were finally over, and the students of U.A were ready for lunch. But for Alumi, now was a good time to go Haafu hunting.
She was eager for this moment, eager to see Kyouhei after Chihari divulged he was already in U.A., and she knew now was the only chance within the day to go looking for him.
"I'm afraid I can't eat with you today," Alumi said, stopping by the door while Ochako, Iida and Izuku paused in their tracks. They had become lunch buddies as of late, so this was definitely a surprise for the three. "There's someone I have to meet up with," she explained, smiling apologetically.
"Oh, t-that's okay, Alumi-san," Izuku replied with an easy smile on his face.
"Yeah, we'll see you after lunch!" Ochako beamed while Iida nodded with a hand adjusting his glasses.
Alumi nodded back and saw the trio off with a wave. She lingered outside the hall for a while, watching them disappear around the stairs. She was about to head for the neighbouring class when she felt a prickling awareness raising the hairs on the back of her neck, her shoulders tensing in reflex.
Someone was watching her.
She kept still and listened, trying to pinpoint where exactly. There. She could sense it, amidst the chatter and intermingling group of students within the hall, a distinct pair of footsteps coming towards her. Six meters…four…closer and closer…then it stopped. Whoever it was, they were now directly behind her.
"There you are," came a deep male voice, and Alumi jolts with recognition.
"Look for the girl with a Dango-themed hairpin, she said," he chuckled, accompanied with two distinct hisses. "She forgot to mention the earrings, but what prima didn't know is that I'll never forget what you look like even after all these years, Alumi."
Alumi turned immediately, her eager eyes latching onto the figure of Kyouhei. The honey-skinned Haafu smiled warmly the instant their gazes connected and lowered his torso into a graceful bow, the twin snakes around his neck doing the same. As his head lifted, Alumi saw the glitter of a diamond stud in one ear—an exotic touch that suited him. That wasn't there the last time she saw him, and that's when she realized how these past four years and a half had greatly affected him.
"Kyou-kun..." Alumi greeted distractedly, her mind still reeling from the fact that this teenager standing before her was the very same boy she met as a child back then. She used to be taller than him, but now Alumi couldn't help but be impressed at his tall, lean build. And then there was his appearance, his sharp Portuguese features enhanced by time making him undeniably handsome.
"I see you missed me. Can't say I don't feel the same way," Kyouhei said with a dramatic sigh and a wink. "Leaving my prettiest jewel's side for so long made me so lonely…but I'm so glad to see you're as beautiful as ever, Alumi."
"I see you still have that flowery tongue of yours," she chided with a chuckle before giving him a warm smile, to which he returned. "Welcome back, Kyou-kun."
"Don't forget about ussss," said a raspy muscular voice. It was the right snake on Kyouhei's shoulder who spoke, his silver eyes alight with glee as he hovered closer towards her.
"Kyou-tan's not the only one who missssed'cha, Lumi-tan!" the one on the left piped up in a high-pitched feminine voice as it slithered up to Alumi's neck and nuzzled her face.
Alumi giggled when the affectionate reptile's scales brushed against her skin. "Mahi, Kem-chan, it's great to see you two again!" She patted them both, enjoying the privilege that only a handful of people had.
The twin Albino snakes, Mahi and Kemuri, looked scary and dangerous as snakes could be. They were larger than average anacondas that even with Kyouhei looking friendly and approachable, people tended to avoid him. It seemed that even with the evolution of Quirks, the appearance of a snake was still capable of frightening people. And it didn't help that the two could talk, either.
Kemuri liked to make jokes at the expense of others while Mahi tended to be very sarcastic. But as troublesome as they were, their loyalty and devotion to Kyouhei was something to behold. At the same time, they had an affectionate and caring side which they show exclusively to the very few people they respected and trusted. Even to this day, Alumi didn't know how exactly they came to like her (though she certainly liked the attention).
She cooed at them like how a mother would. "Look at you both, you've grown so big now."
"You as well, sss," Mahi commented.
"Yeah! Yeah! Lumi-tan's so mature an' grown-up too! And! And! We've grown stronger, too! Wait 'til ya see, wait 'til ya see!"
"All right you two, that's enough," Kyouhei said and the two reptiles slowly reeled back, with Kemuri letting out a sad "Awwww" making Alumi grin at their antics.
"Yer just jelly Kyou-tan!"
"Jelly?" Alumi reiterated amusedly. "I see your slang is improving." 'And is that Kansai-ben…?'
"We've studied lots after all," Kemuri replied proudly, though Alumi already figured as much. The trio's Japanese improved greatly, especially Kyouhei who used to have a hard time speaking the language. Now his Japanese was impeccable and spoken with grace, despite some syllables coming out thick with an accent.
"But that's not all, Lumi-tan! I know lots of Japanese swear words now too! They ain't nothin' like the palavrões back home, but I really like the word ku—"
"Don't get scandalous now, we're still in the hall," Kyouhei admonished, smiling sheepishly at Alumi's slightly surprised expression at how the youngest snake now knew how to cuss. "Kemuri's been very keen on using her newly acquired set of vocabulary. She's been very enthusiastic the moment we set foot in Japan."
That caused Alumi to giggle. "No more different than you, Kyou-kun," she teased, making Mahi and Kemuri laugh.
"Guilty as charged," Kyouhei replied good-naturedly. Then he conjured a fancy-looking two-set Japanese bento box wrapped in a red sash seemingly out of nowhere. "Chi made this for us. She really insisted we eat it together to celebrate our reunion. Have lunch with me?"
"I'd love to. I miss Chi-chan's cooking," Alumi said eagerly, walking with him. "And besides, we have lots of catching up to do."
And catching up they did. Alumi couldn't remember the last time she enjoyed reminiscing the past (and that's saying a lot). She worried if the years in between had altered their relationship, but that tiny sliver of unease dissolved when she saw nothing changed much since the last time they saw each other. Kyouhei was still the flirty, gentle and easy-going boy she remembered despite his obvious changes in growth, still the warm supporting friend who understood her despite their distance.
It was like they were in a world of their own within U.A's recreational fields, enjoying the environment amongst other students who also decided to eat outside with their bento buddies. The day was just perfect for a picnic, and she basked in the tides of nostalgia that engulfed them.
Their topics ecstatically bounced from their days at Matsu-sensei's dojo, to what they've been up to during the years they were apart, and eventually, their admissions to U.A.
"Chi and Jii-san told me you ranked fourth during the entrance exams," Kyouhei said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Not bad at all. Nothing less from you."
"It came as a surprise to me, actually," Alumi replied with a chopstick pressed against her lip. "I was fine with enough points to pass, and I certainly made sure of that. But then I saw my overall score was not a fifty, but a seventy. Later I learned it was because of Rescue points. It surprised me because I didn't really expect for Rescue points to be included in the margin…" she trailed off when she realized that somehow she knew Rescue was going to play a part in the exam. It was an integral part of being a hero, after all.
Suddenly an underlying concern dawned on her. Something that unconsciously bothered her but didn't think too much about it because of how satisfying the result was that the process didn't matter anymore. But come to think of it…
"But ain't that a good thing?" Kemuri said, and Alumi nodded distractedly as she bit off a piece of steamed beef, remembering Izuku all of a sudden.
How did the curly haired boy pass? She couldn't think of any other logical reason other than his heroic stunt of saving Ochako from becoming a human stamp by smashing that gigantic faux-villain to bits. Surely the spectacle deserved a mountain pile of Rescue points, and she smiled contentedly at the realization.
"Heeeh~? The entrance exam sounds fun. How I wish to be a part of it," Kyouhei commented dejectedly.
Alumi perked up with a questioning look. "That reminds me, but how did you get into U.A, Kyou-kun? I was really surprised to hear from Chi-chan yesterday that you're already in Japan. You didn't tell me at all."
She pouted disapprovingly at him and Kyouhei grinned sheepishly. "Forgive me, pretty jewel. I wanted it to be a surprise, so I told them not to tell you."
"But ya should've seen his social media accounts, Lumi-tan," Kemuri cut in. "Hints were everywhere! Kyou-tan was very very excited!"
"Oh, is that so? I'm sorry, I haven't been active for a long time now," Alumi said.
"That'ssss too bad! No wonder why we haven't been able to reach yew lately, Lumi-tan. Why aren't'cha active?"
At the bluenette's silence, Mahi commented, "She has social media phobia, Kem, sss."
"Oooh right," Kemuri hissed lowly, her silver reptilian eyes shining with pity.
"I do not have social media phobia," Alumi rebutted with a mock-indignant pout. "I just deactivated my accounts, that's all."
"Why's that, Lumi-tan?"
"I haven't had the time for it," was her flat reply.
The twin snakes exchanged a glance, watching as Alumi resumed eating, her eyes soft with gloomy remembrance. It was then they remembered what Chihari told them.
"Listen here. You're not gonna bother Micchan about why she hasn't been active on her social media accounts, is that clear?"
"Why? We just might slip, you know," Mahi inquired.
"Because some teen magazine company's been sniffing her out lately and it had something to do with her mom. Micchan's been very upset about it…"
"And to avoid them, Alumi deactivated her accounts?" Kyouhei clarified.
"Yup, so you better keep your mouths shut! Got it?"
"Okay~! But I'm only doing it 'cause it's for Lumi-tan's sake, not because yew told me to, Porky-tan."
"Don't care. Just don't ask her about it. And how many times do I have to tell you to quit calling me that?! I'm not a porcupine, damn it!"
"We completely forgot, sss," Mahi whispered uneasily to his twin behind Kyouhei's head.
"Yeah, my bad," Kemuri whispered back.
"About my admission," Kyouhei began as he lifted a piece of sushi from the bento, gaining Alumi's undivided attention and clearing the tiny cloud of tension in the air. "Father sent a recommendation for me."
"I see. So you're one of the four who got in through recommendations," Alumi said, amazed, watching as he deposited the sushi inside Mahi's jaws before turning to feed their sister.
"Regrettably, we aren't back for good," Mahi said.
Swallowing, Kemuri piped up, "We're only sssstaying until Kyou-tan's graduation!"
"Then that means you're only staying for three years. And while you're studying here in U.A, you're staying over at Matsu-sensei and Chi-chan's house," Alumi concluded.
"Yep~!" Kemuri chirped.
'Ah, poor Chi-chan.' Alumi could just imagine Chihari's distress now that they were back. The tomboy absolutely couldn't stand the two reptiles.
There was a thoughtful silence after Kemuri's reply. Alumi quietly chewed on her stuffed shrimp, eyes fixed on the dark skinned teen as he finished his portion of pork fried rice. From what she could remember, Kyouhei's father was a renowned hero based in Portugal. He graduated from U.A and met Kyouhei's mother during his stay in Japan. Kyouhei had inherited his Quirk from him, and now he was going to re-live his father's legacy, following in his footsteps to become a hero of equal – if not more – renown in their home country.
Alumi lowered her bento and smiled at him. "That's wonderful, Kyou-kun. I think it's great that you're officially walking in the same path as your father."
Kyouhei shifted and regarded her with the remarkable silver reptilian eyes that often left people unnerved. "Do you remember what I said before I left?"
"How could I forget…" Alumi said softly, her eyes shining of past memories. "We promised, didn't we? Us five…"
He nodded with a nostalgic smile of his own. "I'll return, and we'll achieve our dreams together. We were only children back then, but now we're here in the starting line…I've always wanted to be a hero. U.A is my dream school. Father graduated from U.A, and now it is my turn. It's our turn now, Alumi. It's a dream come true."
Kyouhei looked up and sighed dreamily. Alumi could practically see the stars in his eyes. He looked so happy, so love struck.
Alumi smiled solemnly to herself as she couldn't help feeling out of place. 'This is my dream too, isn't it?' And yet she couldn't feel the same giddy fulfillment Kyouhei felt, couldn't remember all the passion she felt when she made the vow back then.
The farce from this morning was still bothering her. She thought she was over it, but it was slowly nipping away at her once iron resolve. Now all Alumi felt was uncertainty. She chuckled to herself but it came out as a huff. She wondered wryly, baffled as to how she even began to feel so anxious now when everything she did was to reach this point. She tried to repress her worries, but that was getting kind of hard when flashes of painful reminders kept on showing up.
Suddenly she felt Kyouhei's eyes on her. Alumi immediately cleared her mind and expression of any emotional clutter. She smiled a little, her face a silent question of 'Yes?', knowing he had something to say.
Kyouhei opened his mouth and asked, "Is something the matter, Alumi?" His eyes were intent and probing.
Keeping the stiff smile on her face, Alumi was about to reply when an alarm rang overhead, sounding throughout the school and rousing everyone in the area.
"Security Level 3 has been breached. All students, promptly evacuate outdoors in an organized manner."
They broke eye-contact as the announcement repeated and watched as the students around them began to break into a commotion, hastily packing their lunches and taking off in a frenzy.
Alumi repressed the urge to sigh in relief. Kyouhei was giving her this particular look. A look she knew could detect whether she was lying or hiding something. It really felt like she was, quite literally, saved by the bell.
"Security level 3?" Kyouhei repeated curiously while Mahi and Kemuri hovered bewilderedly.
"Something must've caused it. I wonder what it stands for," Alumi replied as the tension she felt previously eased into her default composure. She was thankful Kyouhei decided not to pursue the matter. Though she knew him well that he'll confront her one day for it.
While she felt kind of guilty worrying him by not telling him anything, she didn't want him to know about her bouts of lapsing emotions and how she still had remnants of her trauma. Before he left, Kyouhei was convinced she had overcome her nightmares, and Alumi intended to keep it that way.
"Oi, you two!" They both turned to see an older looking student with leaves for hair running towards them with his face painted in panic. "What're you doing still sitting around here!? Didn't you hear that announcement just now? You should hurry up and evacuate too!"
"Hn? But we're already outside," Alumi said and leaf-haired senpai actually flinched in realization.
Smiling at their senior politely, Kyouhei inquired, "What is the Security Level 3, if I may ask."
It was more of a demand than a question and leaf-haired senpai gaped with disbelief, nettled at how relaxed they were. "You don't know? You must be a freshie! Security Level 3 means someone dangerous is trespassing in U.A! It's crazy! This never happened before, you know!?"
"How should we know?" Kemuri retorted.
Leaf-haired senpai turned to her with plate-sized eyes, trembling and backing away. "IT TALKS! AHHHH! TALKING SNAKE!"
"How rude! Yer hair is way more freakier FYI!" Kemuri yelled, hissing angrily as they watched him ran away in fright.
Alumi tried to suppress a giggle. "Oh dear, poor senpai."
They turned toward the doors where a parade of students flooded through, some pushing other people out of their way. The sight was even more frightening than this morning. Alumi was relieved for their decision to eat outside. She could just imagine the stampeding students inside the halls, squished and lumped together like sardines in a can.
She turned to Kyouhei. "What do you think we should do, Kyou-kun?"
The raven-haired teen hummed thoughtfully as he leaned back, his fingers gliding through the grass as he used his arms for support. "Hmmm...I don't see the need to be scared. This is an institution filled with Pro Heroes and we, the heroes-in-training. We might not know what kind of people trespassed, but I'm assuming it's nothing U.A can't handle."
Alumi smiled. Kyouhei had always been level-headed and not given to panic. Though she supposed it was also because he grew up in a crime-ridden country like Portugal and was groomed and raised under the supervision of professional heroes.
"I suppose you're right." Alumi lifted a hand and cradled her chin in deep thought. "What kind of people, huh?" She narrowed her eyes. "I think I might have a good idea of who they are…"
"Could it be the media this morning?" Kyouhei presumed with a knowing glint in his eye.
With her mouth set in a grim line, Alumi replied, "It is likely. But the question is…how did they get in?"
A progression of sirens blared in the air, heralding the arrival of the police. They both exchanged smiles of relief while the remaining students ceased in their haste under the impression that everything was now under control.
"Ooohhh! The Japanese police sure are quick!" Kemuri hissed excitedly.
"Chi-chan would've liked to see them in action," Alumi chuckled as she began to tidy up their finished meal, with Kyouhei securing the empty bento boxes with the red sash.
"Do you want to go back inside?" he asked after a while.
Alumi glanced at the plethora of students entering the building, scrunched her nose a little, then looked back at the dark-skinned teen with a telling glance.
"Let's stay here for a while," she said, and Kyouhei wholeheartedly agreed.
They settled into a comfortable silence as they leisurely sat on the grass while Alumi solemnly noted what a day this was turning out to be. It was such a beautiful day, but now it had a sort of ominous feel to it thanks to the bizarre events that occurred.
She wondered if something even crazier would happen after this, something insane like a horde of villains showing up out of nowhere, just like the media this morning or something like that.
Alumi stared at the sky littered with white fluffy clouds and chuckled at her silly thoughts.
Villains in a Top Hero academy? Yeah right. U.A had one of the most impregnable security measures in the world. There was just no way that was going to happen.
Alumi and Kyouhei entered the school building just in time when the school bell rang. When they reached Class 1-A's classroom, the pair stopped by the door, knowing their reunion was over but at the same time, it wasn't.
"It really is too bad we aren't in the same class," Kyouhei said with a small smile, though his disappointment was evident.
"Too bad," Kemuri echoed with the same sad look.
Alumi couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable matching pout they wore. "Come now, we'll still see each other every day."
"You're right. I'll see you after class, then?" Kyouhei asked with begging eyes.
"Of course. Let's head to the station together." Alumi flashed him a warm smile before turning to slide Class 1-A's door open.
Kyouhei grinned. "Can't wait. I'll see you later, my pretty jewel."
Alumi chuckled and shook her head softly at him as she stepped inside the room.
Kyouhei started to walk away when he suddenly hopped back on one foot, making Alumi turn her head to him again. "I almost forgot! Chi said she already told you, but you remember her request, yes?"
Alumi laughed at the reminder. "All Might-san's autograph. Don't worry, I'll be sure to get it."
Kyouhei nodded and waved before finally heading off to Class 1-B's classroom. Alumi smiled at his retreating back, waving quickly to Mahi and Kemuri who both looked back to bid her farewell before she entered her own room.
With the bluenette out of the vicinity, Kyouhei's cheerful expression slid into a somber and much pensive one. He thought of their earlier conversations, of how he saw her reverting to her old self for a moment and how she tried to cover it up. Alumi might've overcome most of her trauma, but he saw – and understood – that some demons were hard to kill. That even if one thought they already buried them, they'd come clawing back out. That was the reason why he didn't pursue the issue earlier, and he was grateful that his siblings and even Chihari understood this as well. They tacitly agreed not to unnecessarily pester Alumi about it after that major confrontation years ago. He knew Alumi trusted him and the twins in general, but he could sense there was a barrier between them, like she was keeping them at arm's length.
"Porky-tan was right. Lumi-tan changed a lot since then, huh?" Kemuri said in a hushed and rushed way that indicated she'd been itching to say those words the entire time.
Prior to their arrival in Japan, Chihari did say that Alumi was 'not how she used to be', though they really haven't thought much of it until now when they finally got to be with her again.
Mahi was quick to agree. "For one thing, she doesn't stutter anymore, sss."
"Yer right, I didn't even notice! And her hair's longer too."
Kyouhei smiled. The three of them really were connected to an instinctual and psychosomatic degree.
"What do you think, Kyou-tan?" Kemuri asked in their native tongue.
There was a short pause. Kyouhei didn't answer until they were right in front of Class 1-B's door. "Certainly Alumi has grown since then," Kyouhei said, also using their native language. "I'm glad."
Mahi and Kemuri shared a glance. They could feel it, Kyouhei's simmering unease. But they both knew it was best to remain silent for now.
It turned out the rest of the day went without anything unexpectedly crazy happening like what Alumi thought. Although the position as Class Rep unexpectedly springing from Izuku to Iida was unexpected, she was happy for the bespectacled boy, knowing he also deserved the title. After all, how he spearheaded the election earlier coupled with his latest stunt proved he had the bearings of how to handle a pack.
"And he has glasses!" Ochako had said with a half-giddy, half-serious expression that made Alumi laugh. She also couldn't have been prouder of Izuku at that moment as he resigned his position.
She later relayed the incident to Kyouhei as they walked outside of U.A. and he looked very amused.
"It's not every day to see someone willingly resign their position like that," Kyouhei said, impressed. Then his voice became soft as he added, "You sound like you really like this person, Alumi. Have I been defeated?"
At the sight of his sad puppy eyes, Alumi blinked and shook her head, chuckling helplessly. "It's not like that, silly. Midoriya-kun…Mi-kun is…he reminds me of Haru, so that must be why I'm fond of him. He's really kind and interesting, and he can be cute sometimes, too. He makes me want to protect him. You could say he's the type of person you want to be around, that's all."
At the mention of Haruki's name, whom Alumi seldom speak of, Kyouhei and the twins perked up in shock, a dawning realization crossing their faces. Kyouhei immediately schooled his expression when Alumi turned to look at him.
He smiled. "Is that so? I'd like to meet him, then."
"One of these days maybe," Alumi said, smiling.
The spring breeze that passed between them was gentle, and it stirred not only the trees around them but the anxiety inside of Alumi as well. She already bid the trio she couldn't go to the station with them today, but she still couldn't help but worry about the curly haired boy. She wondered where he was, what he was doing, if his arm was healing all right, if he was comfortable...
"I bet Chi would like to meet him too," Kyouhei said, dispersing her thoughts. "Speaking of prima, did you manage to get All Might's autograph?"
"I'm afraid not. All Might took a day off today, so we didn't get to see him during our Hero Basic Training class earlier. Tomorrow, however, I'll definitely get it. So if Chi-chan starts being grumpy, call me right away and I'll handle her."
Kyouhei and the twins released relieved sighs.
"We'll definitely call you," Kyouhei said gravely with a nervous smile.
Kemuri nodded vigorously. "Yeah yeah! I don' wanna deal with a grumpy Porky-tan, nuh-uh!"
"Let's just hope she'll last until tomorrow," said Mahi.
Alumi lets out a light laugh – amused at their collective look of anxiety in having to tell Chihari the bad news – before looking up at the sky. Streaks of orange and purple started to become visible in the horizon, the day preparing for the night and the night preparing for tomorrow.
'Tomorrow, huh...I hope tomorrow will be fun as well.'
A/N:
And that's a wrap! Guuurlll, you better be careful for what you wish for! USJ Arc, here we come~!
On a side note, I'm gonna say it again but I'm not very proud of this chapter. Still though it had substance that I'm glad I was finally able to touch on, especially on the introduction of Kyouhei and his pair of snake twins. What do you think of them though? I definitely want to know your opinions. That would be much appreciated!
Here're your tidbits:
※ On the account of Social Media mentioned by Kemuri in this chapter, as we've seen in the series, Social Media is a big part in the lives of the people in the BNHA world, much like us millennial folks, so I'm definitely incorporating it here. I'm not gonna mention some big-name sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc., though because it seems like it doesn't even exist in their world. Oh, and that bit about 'Social Media Phobia'? I ain't trippin' ya'll. That thang's legit. Me, my sister, my bro, and two of my friends used to have that back when Instagram and Twitter weren't even famous, but we're recovering and working to incorporate ourselves into the millennial society in case you're wondering (except my sister cuz she's a real hermit -.-).
※ Translations:
1) Inchou – Japanese term for Class Representative.
2) Prima – Cousin. It's supposed to be Primo, but I took the liberty of using Prima instead since Chihari is a girl.
3) Palavrões – means "bad words" in Portuguese.
I still have my qualms if I used the correct Portuguese words, so if any of you dear readers out there speak Portuguese or Spanish, feel free to correct me on this and of any errors that you might find in translations.
※ Kansai-ben – the dialect used by the people who live in the Kansai region in Japan. Ochako also occasionally uses this dialect.
In response to the Guest Reviews~:
Guest 1 (June 12): Aww I'm glad you like it! Thank yo so much for taking your time to review. Stay tuned~!
Guest 2 (Aug 3): And I love YOU for reviewing! Thanks!
Guest 3 (Dec 14): For real? Thank you so much! Katsuki is seriously a complex character, so I really wasn't sure what I was doing, but I do know what I want lol. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it =D
Thank you so so much for dropping by! But seriously, ya'll need names lol.
Notice: I'd like all of you to know that I've re-edited chapters 5-7, A.K.A the Battle Trial Arc. This is due because after I let my older sister read the aforementioned chapters, she suggested to add action scenes during Alumi's mock battle because it seemed too plain. She's infinitely a better writer than me, and even I honestly found it lacking, so I took her suggestion and ended up re-editing the whole arc which covers a span of three chapters. Due to it being edited, it's all slightly longer now. So to those who haven't read the updated chapters yet, I suggest you do some serious backreadin'. I'm truly sorry for the inconvenience and my incompetence that causes me to edit chapters all over again. That's seriously one of my resolutions for the new year lol.
Now before you go, let me greet everyone a Happy New Year along with this year-end upload~!
[Date Updated]: December 31, 2017
[Edited]: Re-phrased some dialogues and scenes, added further explanations, fixed grammatical errors and gave Kemuri a Kansai dialect cuz folks from the Kansai region are awesome *-*
