I was eleven at the time. November 21st happened to be on a Saturday that year. It happened at around ten or eleven o'clock at night, not sure. But I was fully awake at night when it happened. Dad was driving to the hospital while I sat in the backseat wondering how things were going to play out while I fidgeted in my seat.
My uncle was at the hospital before us because my dad called him and told him what was up. And it actually didn't take too long for Mizuha to be born.
"Do you want to hold her?" Mom asked me with a smile.
I did a double take and pointed at myself, "M-Me? Uhhh..."
Without even waiting for my answer, mom just asked dad to come over and take the little human from her that was currently wrapped up in a blanket in her arms. I could actually feel sweat accumulating on my face when dad came closer with her.
Suddenly, hands grabbed my shoulders from behind and kept me in place.
"Come on, Shinsui. You're her big brother now. Say hi." My dad chuckled.
"W... Wait! Hold on!" I couldn't back up since my uncle was holding me from behind and laughing at my squirming.
"Just hold her!"
"Uncle Eijin— What if I drop her?! I don't know if I can... DAD!" I squealed when Eijin brought up my arms and my dad put Mizuha in them. I was suddenly so desperate to keep her from falling and dying. I didn't want to kill my sister straight out of the womb. That would label me the worst brother in the world.
I made sure she was secured in them and I stood still. I didn't want to make any sudden movements that would cause her to cry. My eyes attentively observed her, watching every detail.
"Shinsui, you might want to fix your face. You're staring at her with your wide eyes open like from a horror movie." Eijin laughed.
"EH?! Really?!" I exclaimed horrified, but still kept my eyes on her.
Then she slowly opened her eyes, revealing onyx hues that matched my own.
She started cooing a little. It was cute.
I smiled softly, "Hey-"
She sneezed.
"Oh."
That was freaking adorable. I felt like was just purged from any filth in my being.
Then she was staring at me, looking at me curiously and wondering who the heck I was.
Before I knew it, I was wearing a big smile on my face.
Mizuha had to be stolen away from us for a certain time since she had a slight fever. Mom had one when she gave birth so Mizuha caught it too. Nothing too dangerous though, she just needed to be kept under surveillance.
I puckered my lips and placed my hand on the glass separating me and my sister. Curious about his nephew's whimper-like sighs, he turned to me and nudged my head.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Why the hell is my sister so cute?"
Eijin's shoulders shook as he let out a hearty laugh escape his lips.
She was so small when she was in my arms, so fragile to the world but so safe in my arms. I guess this is what they call loving someone unconditionally because I felt like I was practically enamored with her. Strange, I know.
When I first saw her smile. It made me beam a huge smile with excitement and love.
Affectionately, I held her closer and softly nuzzled my nose against her forehead, "Hi there." I whispered happily while she mumbled some stuff that was all Greek to me.
She grabbed my nose when I pulled away. I let her and made a funny face to make her laugh.
When she fully became a year old, that's when I realized that I wanted my sister to always be happy. The world can be cruel sometimes, full of pain and trash, things I wanted nowhere near her even though I knew it would be inevitable.
If possible, I want to be a shield for my sister to keep her happy during colourful days. That was a promise made in my heart. How cheesy.
...
...
...
Shinsui blinked as he stared blankly outside the window of his hospital room. His first memories of Mizuha finally stopped playing like a film. He had been reminiscing on the past ever since he finished listening to her voice messages. Her messages came from their house phone and from a number that was registered under her name. She got a phone while he was asleep.
Shinsui sighed heavily, clutching his phone tightly in his hand.
"... Guess I'll try walking a bit, gotta get these useless legs back and working."
What should I say to her now?
She didn't remember when she fell asleep, but she did know that it happened past midnight.
Last night, after her parents left, she locked the door and played video games for a little while. Then she turned it off and went to go brush her teeth. Then, in the dark, she spent her time on her laptop, then on her phone before knocking out around that time.
Mizuha found her headphones on her side. She fell asleep with them on her head and probably turned in her sleep, causing it to fold and rest near her side. Slowly, she tried reaching for her phone that was lost in her bed. Her phone was beside her head pillow next to her body pillow that was acting as a wall between her and the wall.
She turned it on and saw that it was only 8:25 AM.
Mizuha groaned and dropped her phone on the desk chair next to her bed before reaching for her bed cover and pulling it higher. It was always like this, her body was too used to waking up early and her internal clock never discriminated the days. She functioned on five hours of sleep (maybe a whole seven if she was lucky) due to her studying and just not wanting to sleep.
Her mother wasn't going to make breakfast until it was nine or ten because she wanted to sleep in.
Her father wasn't even home, he was passing his time outside since he didn't want to wake the girls. Like Mizuha, he was too used to waking up early except his case was that he woke up even earlier. He always went to work at around five or six, meaning his body woke up around that time.
I could just go back to sleep... or I can stay awake?
What a dilemma.
She dozed off.
Only to wake up an hour later when her mom opened her door and called her for breakfast.
Mizuha furiously pressed the buttons on her PS4 controller. She was currently in an intense boss battle. She kept warping her character everywhere and was trying to survive with what little health he had left.
"Come ooooon, let me use a—"
The daemon ran right past her character.
"—AAAAA DANG PHOENIX FEATHER!" Mizuha yelled and tilted to the side as if she was the one who was avoiding the monster.
Mizuki yelled at her from the kitchen for being too loud.
She ignored her mother.
"COME BACK TO LIFE CHOCOBROS!"
As soon as she defeated the boss, she cried out happily and sprawled herself on the long couch in a pile of giggles.
"You wanna come with me and see Shinsui?"
"I already went this morning."
"... so?"
"So what?"
"You can go again."
"Oh my god, just go by yourself Mizuha!"
"Ehhhhh Byakureeen..."
"That's your brother! Go see him."
"Pleaaaase."
"Hell no."
"UGH FINE!"
"Love you, hunny."
"Hate you."
Dejectedly, Mizuha hung up. She was sitting on her couch dressed up and ready for her visit to the hospital. She was hoping that Byakuren could accompany her just in case things got awkward between her and brother.
Her mother already left for work an hour ago and she was the one who reminded her that she could visit Shinsui since she didn't have school.
Mizuha slouched in her seat, staring at her phone. It was currently 1 PM and it was finally time for her to head to the hospital. It seemed like a perfect hour for her to move around. She waited for another few seconds before standing up from her seat and reaching down to grab her backpack. She locked her door on the way out with the spare key she had and she threw on her hood on her head. Mizuha knew that a lot of people watched the U.A Sports Festival on TV, therefore wanted to avoid being recognized on the streets by viewers.
In the bus, she sat on an available seat that was fortunately closer to the exit. The commute to the hospital was going to take too long and the distance between the bus stop and the building wasn't too bad either. With a sigh, she crossed her legs and watched a family cross the road as her bus stopped at a red light.
"Maaan! That Todoroki kid was super OP!"
"Yeah but that Bakugo beat him in that last match."
"Oh! Let's not forget Midoriya! Kid has some crazy superhuman strength. I was freakin' blown away by their fight!"
"You were there?!"
"Hell yeah! I wasn't going to watch the event on TV."
"Then you saw how that girl Hyoumei was amazing too, right?!"
Mizuha blinked and turned her head to slightly look at the guy who just spoke in a way where her face remained hidden from the side with her bangs. Hearing people talk about what they thought about her actually got her curious because she wasn't sure what kind of impression she left after loosing her cool against Mokuen.
"You mean the girl who disrespected her opponent? Sure, that girl is strong but she doesn't look like she respects people... ice cold, that one."
Mizuha rolled her eyes. Alright, alright I get it! But you don't know what happened!
With a defeated sigh, she returned her attention back on the sight outside her window. That was certain a mistake she was going to have to fix later on when she gets the chance. No one would want to respect a Hero who didn't give any.
Mizuha literally hopped off the bus with a light step. Her feet dragged her towards the hospital's direction, the path was engraved in her mind just like the path to her classroom.
When she made it to the entrance, she pulled out her phone to check the time...
... only to be rudely bumped into.
Mizuha gasped in surprise as her body was shoved to the side from the collision. Her eyes instantly fixed on the person who did it, glaring at them with all her might. Irritated, she shoved her phone back in her pocket with a scowl. Her irritation grew as she noticed that they didn't even bother looking back to yell at her or to apologize. She figured he was probably lost in his own world.
At least look where you're going!
When she turned her head back in front of her, her eyes widened when she came face to face with someone familiar. It was Todoroki. He was apparently going to walk around her after she stopped, but she turned around just before he could.
Mizuha lowered her head, "Sorry, Todoroki." she said softly and then looked at him.
The boy shook his head, "Don't worry about it."
They both stood awkwardly facing each other just in case the other had something to say. Both of them were wondering why the other was at the same hospital. It was clear that they had some sort of connection to the hospital. Todoroki looked like he was on his way out while Mizuha was on her way in, but they weren't going to ask the other about it. It wasn't any of their business.
Mizuha looked away and hastily walked past Todoroki, not wanting to stay rooted in that awkward standing still any longer.
Wow, my social skills are trash...
Like her last recent visit, Mizuha didn't have to ask the desk where her brother's room was. She just hoped that they didn't move him because Kyougyoku remained the only one sleeping in that room. When she thought of her brother, she couldn't help but try to think about what could happen during their conversation... and she was kind of mentally preparing herself for that conversation.
She couldn't help it, this was her first conversation with him in four years.
For Shinsui, it was probably a conversation with a total different person.
Either way, things were different and she didn't know how it was going to affect their relationship.
Once she made it in front of his door, she slowly pulled the door open in a way in which she wouldn't make too much noise if he was asleep. Immediately, she was greeted with the sight of Shinsui's back stretching in front of the large window in his room. He let out a sound of satisfaction and allowed his body to fall limp.
Mizuha quietly entered the room, closing the door behind her softly.
Shinsui jolted at the sound of the door and glanced over his shoulder curiously.
Mizuha found it intriguing how she could see a face change expression so quickly. At first, Shinsui had a curious expression, and the moment he laid his eyes on her, his face made all the necessary movements to turn into a happy one. The older Hyoumei turned around and greeted his sister happily while struggling to approach her. He was using a crutch to walk.
Normally, someone would at least offer a smile, but Mizuha didn't. Her philosophy about smiles were different. Why should you smile if you weren't happy? Why must you offer a smile if you don't really mean it? Sure, giving a smile could be seen as a sign of respect but... wouldn't you still be lying?
Mizuha watched her brother approach her with curious eyes, "Hi." she greeted.
With a bright smile, Shinsui grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her towards his bed. Mizuha allowed her brother to do as he pleased. Shinsui stopped next to the bed and sat sideways on his bed, and then patted the spot in front of him to tell Mizuha to take a seat on that spot.
The platinum haired girl seated herself in front of him and sat in a way where her body did not face Shinsui, but she kept her head turned towards him. Her bag was neatly tucked between her feet on the floor.
"You're standing on your own... with uh, that crutch."
"Hm? Oh! Yeah, I'm getting in some exercise for my legs by walking around this floor. Standing isn't proving to be much of a challenge anymore." he stated proudly, still smiling.
"Oh."
"Now, walking... that's a bit more challenging."
"I see."
Shinsui's smile faltered a bit.
"... Ne, Mizuha. You don't to feel awkward around me."
Mizuha visibly cringed, that was exactly what she wanted to avoid doing. Honestly, the more she thought about making things less awkward the more she felt like she was kind of talking with a stranger. She was making herself think so by overthinking. She knew that he didn't change because she was the one who changed.
"... Sorry. I just don't really know how to act right now. I mean, I'm happy that you're awake but..." she trailed off and then stopped talking altogether.
Shinsui observed her for a moment, waiting to see if she was going to continue talking. But she didn't, it was now silent in the room.
The older boy sighed, "Okay, then I'll start talking since I just want to address this. I heard those voice messages."
Confused, Mizuha tilted her head, "Voice... messages?" she repeated.
She didn't realized what he was talking about until he picked up his phone from his nightstand and held it in front of her. When she realized what he was talking about, she lowered her eyes down at the bed and didn't say anything. Seeing her do so, Shinsui dropped his phone next to him and scooted closer to his sister.
It slipped her mind that he might listen to them. He didn't have to listen to them, it was simply a recorded message of her many ramblings. If she remembered correctly, she was planning on erasing those messages once he woke up. It must have slipped her mind.
"Mizuha, I feel so bad that you went through the past four years feeling like that. I feel bad knowing you constantly blamed yourself for the incident. You're not the one caused that attack to happen that day. You do understand that, don't you?"
Mizuha frowned, "But every time I try telling myself that it wasn't my fault and that the situation was inevitable... I keep saying it's my fault because I didn't listen to you. I... I just wanted to help."
"I doubt that you would have made it to that Hero Agency during that huge panic." then he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess that's my fault for adding that responsibility. Besides, I'm sure that they became alert about the situation once they saw a mob of people running outside."
"But my friends got hurt because I acted stupid that day. I should of just ran with them after creating that first opening, instead I just continued fighting as if I was a real hero. Plus, you and Kyougyoku had to come looking for me and the others... you two got hurt trying to protect us from the villains."
Shinsui hummed and rubbed her back, "That's my job."
"Your job doesn't include you falling into a coma!" Mizuha protested with her fists clenched in her pockets.
Shinsui petted her hair, "Actually, that is what I signed up for. I became a Hero knowing I would be putting my life in danger to protect others."
Hearing her brother say that was like getting a reminder of Aizawa's state after the USJ attack. Seeing him in such a state was very hard for Mizuha since it made her think about how heroes could get hurt like that in the line of duty.
"But... maybe you were at fault or maybe you weren't. We'll never know because we only went through one possible outcome of the incident, and I think this outcome was actually the best one... no one died. That's the most important thing, we're all still alive. So, I believe, whatever action and decision that was made that day, it had meaning. You may think that your actions were wrong, but you might not realize that your actions were probably necessary to save and stall time for help to reach you. You did what you thought what was right. Look, I ended up in a coma, and I don't blame you. Plus, I think Kyougyoku would say the same thing if she woke up."
Her brother didn't know that she already accepted that she mistake. She understood that it was now an experience she had to learn from and make sure she wouldn't screw up. However, now it seemed like his words made her understand even more. Some times, getting hurt is the toll you have to pay if you decide protect something. Heroes accept this risk because they want to protect others.
"You chose to be brave and face a threat that could have... well killed you. You were willing to face danger for the sake of others. That moment, you clearly showed that you were someone who was capable of self-sacrifice. That's important part of being a hero."
Mizuha's eyes widened.
...
...
...
"You chose to be brave and face an overwhelming threat that could have no doubt destroyed you. You have the mark of someone who is willing to face danger for the sake of others. The mark of someone who will go against the worst odds for the sake of others. The mark of someone who is capable of self-sacrifice. That, my dear, is an important part of being a hero."
Self-sacrifice. Really? I don't really see myself like that...
...
...
...
Maybe... she never really lost courage. It was just suppressed.
The girl scratched her cheek with her finger.
"... The Principal said something like that to me when I received my acceptance letter... he said I had the mark of someone who is capable of self-sacrifice."
"Oh? What did you do?" he wondered curiously.
"Um, it wasn't anything special. During my entrance exam, I went up against... no I didn't really go up against it, but anyway there was this huge dangerous robot and I kept it at bay to help these two girls."
Shinsui puffed out a laugh, "Of course that's special, especially if the Principal recognized it as so."
Mizuha rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a little lack of confidence in herself. Shinsui decided to sit in the same way Mizuha was, and then leaned his head on top of hers with an arm wrapped around her. He wanted her to feel better except he had no idea if it was working. She was kind of hard to read now that she was a little more grown up. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of deceiving methods she developed during her 'fake' moments. Was she using any right now?
Mizuha let out one of her many sighs and then reached for Shinsui's phone, much to his confusion. She held up a finger as a way to tell him to wait and simply watch what she was going to do. The older brother watched as she dialed his phone number and proceeded to let his ringtone play in the room without showing any sign of answering it.
When it reached the answering machine, Mizuha moved away from her brother sat facing away from him much to his confusion.
"Hey, I know I called you yesterday but I felt like I needed to tell you something. You probably wondered why I hanged up so abruptly with that last message, well I just got caught talking to you by my classmate who was concerned about me. I kinda broke down like a baby and spilled the all the beans to him, but somehow, talking to him made me feel better. I kinda feel bad for lying in front of his face this whole time because he was actually such a nice guy. Anyway, we talked and he actually took part in helping me find my resolve and to move forward."
"The other person who helped me was Byakuren. That idiot picked a fight with me to really help me move on. He's such a good actor... I kind of feel bad that he acting this way for my sake... proves how much of a hopeless case I was. Don't worry, Byakuren and I are still friends... I mean you saw us when you came to my school. We were fine. As for that first person, I'm glad he still considered me a friend despite being dishonest this whole time... Big brother, you don't need to worry... because I'm fine now. You helped me understand that consequences like these are things that are perhaps better than others if it means keeping people alive."
"I'm scared of screwing up and getting people hurt, but I think my definition of screwing up... is standing still and doing nothing as people get hurt. That's the kind of screw up I'm afraid of. Soo, yeah... that's it. I'm fine and I'll be doing better now... Bye."
Mizuha hung up and stared at the floor beneath her feet.
"So there you have it."
Shinsui stayed silent for a moment before releasing his own heavy sigh, "Ah geez, you should of told me! I was feeling this big ass pressure thinking that your mentality was all up to me now. You should have said something sooner! I'm not fit to give wise words like a philosopher!"
Mizuha's shoulders jumped for a moment as she laughed silently, "Pfft, sorry."
Unable to help himself any longer after hearing her laugh, Shinsui grinned and reached for her from behind to embrace her tightly. It spooked her at first but she slowly allowed herself to lean into him and simply enjoy this moment they had.
"... Well, is there anything else you wanna let out or are you good?"
"Um... yeah, I'm sorry you weren't able to... marry Kyougyoku sooner."
...
...
...
"What do you mean?"
Mizuha blinked. She turned her head and he pulled away when she started looking at him. She retracted her arm and pointed at him.
"... Didn't you propose to her?"
"... Noooo..."
...
...
...
Mizuha immediately grabbed his left hand and pointed at his ring finger which had a silver band. After showing it to him, she ran over to Kyougyoku's body and picked up her left hand and pointed at the older woman's left ring finger that supported a matching ring. Shinsui tilted his head to the side with an amused smile.
"... These are promise rings." he clarified.
Mizuha dropped Kyougyoku's hand.
"What?"
"Promise rings." he repeated.
No way.
"Th-That night! The night of the incident! You said you had to ask her something important so you told Byakuren and I to scurry off!"
"... Yeah, 'cause I was gonna give her a promise ring." Shinsui said slowly. "I didn't want you kids teasing me." he pouted.
"You didn't want to marry her?!" Mizuha asked in disbelief.
"It's not like I don't want to marry her. I was twenty-three years old back then, I wasn't in a rush to get married and neither was she. If there was one thing we were sure of it's that we did want to be with each other... but not exactly married. We wanted to take our time. So, I proposed that we at least wear promise rings."
Shinsui then had a look of horror on his face when a certain truth hit him in the face. "Holy crap... I'm twenty-seven." he held his head in his hands, "I'm getting old real fast!"
Mizuha froze in her spot and stared at her brother in disbelief. And here this whole time Byakuren and I thought these two were engaged... we both made our families believe that truth. Holy shit, we're so stupid. We just assumed something and now we've made an ass out of ourselves.
"... sooo Byakuren and I aren't going to be in laws any time soon?"
"Hmm, I guess not until we're ready. Why?"
Embarrassed, Mizuha walked back to Shinsui's bed and sat back in her spot. "... Well, I was actually liking the idea of having Byakuren as a brother... er brother-in-law." she admitted with a small pout.
Shinsui gasped and placed a hand on his chest.
"Don't tell me Ren took my place as your brother?" he teased.
Mizuha puffed out a small laugh. Hearing another laugh, Shinsui reached for the top of her head and ruffled her hair.
"Brother-in-law or not, Ren is like practically your brother by now. So, it doesn't really matter. Kyougyoku and I aren't the ones who created your bond. In fact, you two are the reason Kyougyoku and I met in the first place."
Mizuha and Byakuren's siblings were bound to meet at some point with all the time they spent with each other.
Mizuha's mouth tugged to the left and she nodded slowly, "Well, anyway, what do you plan on doing while she sleeps?" she asked curiously.
Shinsui shrugged and then fell backwards onto his hospital bed, "I guess I'll be getting back into shape so I can resume my hero duties..."
"So soon?"
"Yes. Mom and dad told me about what happened to you when you and your class went to USJ. That alone is getting me uneasy." he said, his tone turning more serious. "I want to take my time recovering but I'm getting impatient."
"... but it was just one time."
Shinsui looked at his sister with a scowl before sitting up in his bed again, "One time where they finally had the guts to break in and attack students. They dubbed themselves the League of Villains? There is a league now? No, I can't stay idle and risk the safety of others. I bet my left eye that it's a sign."
"I was hoping you'd take it easy or something... but I can see that you won't."
"I wonder if Endeavor's Agency still has me employed."
"I don't know— WAIT WHAT?!"
"Hm?"
Right. Her brother became a sidekick of Endeavor when he was twenty. How the hell did she forget about that?!
Shinsui arched a brow and leaned closer to stare at her face that just froze with a shocked expression. "Is that a problem?"
"... Um, no..."
Suddenly, Mizuha felt two hands around her face. She quirked up an eyebrow and stared at her brother curiously, "What is it?"
"Hmm... soft cheeks are still here." he said happily playing with them, humming a little tune. "Stretchy!"
Mizuha gave him a deadpanned look. She raised her right hand and reached for his left cheek, pulling on it lightly.
"Owwiiee!"
The awkwardness in the air dissipated with their little playful exchange. It was going to take some time but Shinsui was going to enjoy getting to know his sister. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to get to know her like a stranger. As for Mizuha, she was probably still going to act a little more reserved towards him... but she knew that would no longer be necessary once she would start becoming more honest and open towards others.
A real step forward was going to be needed for everything to become normal, and she wanted to take that step.
The next day, Mizuha actually decided to go to the hospital once again. She wanted to spend her days off with her brother to talk with him. Her time with him turned out to be quite enjoyable than she expected.
Mizuha was honest with him. She told him how she felt and how she avoided so many things. She told about what she wanted to do now and how she admitted that she thought it was probably to going to a little difficult. Her achievements in school made him super proud of her, stating that he had a genius as a little sister. Telling him about her Quirk turned out to be easier since he was already aware of her problem. Apparently, Eijin told him about it and explained the reason behind it. Shinsui kind of got depressed when he found out his sister wasn't able to give it her all because her mind was unconsciously telling her to hold back. It got him depressed because he felt like he was partly at fault too.
It took a good two minutes to try and change the subject.
She was currently jogging through the hospital's hallways, not caring if she was caught running in such a building. While she jogged, she twisted her bag and zipped it open to double check she brought the snacks he wanted.
Shinsui told her that the hospital's food was... well boring, and that he wanted to eat something sugary. To ease his sugar craving, she asked her mother for cash while admitting that she was buying donuts for Shinsui.
When she nearing the area where Shinsui's room was, she stopped jogging and zipped her bag closed before setting it back to way it was.
The moment she stopped jogging, she looked at her surroundings and noticed how she stopped by someone familiar.
Mizuha flinched, Deja vu much?
Low and behold, Todoroki was the one she stopped next to, and just like yesterday he was surprised to see her there. Not wanting to be rude and just walk off, Mizuha made the effort to greet him. She was desperately hoping that he didn't think she was stalking him or anything.
Her greeting was reciprocated.
...
...
...
For some reason, she found herself walking at the same pace as him. They were both walking in the same direction.
"... You here to visit a friend?"
"No, a family member."
Oh geez, please don't tell me his mom is the one who ended up here.
"Ah, me too."
"I see."
Minus 500 points on my social skills.
When they made it at the intersection that divided the psychiatric ward and the intensive card ward, they wordlessly parted ways and went to off towards their own destination.
When arrived inside of his room, she found it surprisingly empty bar Kyougyoku presence. Confused, she poked her head outside in hallway and looked both sides to check if he was around. She didn't find him. Mizuha pulled her head back inside the room and walked further inside after she closed the door. She figured that he was probably walking around the floor and would return if she waited for him in his room.
Mizuha gently placed her bag on the floor, keeping the box of donuts in mind, and then sat down at the end of his bed.
She was going to make herself at home while waiting going as far as letting her body fall back against the sheets.
Not even a minute passed before she heard the door open. Hearing the sound of the door sliding open, she sat up and opened her mouth to speak...
... she stopped herself before she could day anything.
"Todoroki?"
"Hyoumei, can you come with me?"
"Why?"
"... You see—"
...
...
...
"What are you doing?!" Mizuha hissed at her brother.
Shinsui waved at his sister cheerfully, "Oh! Mizuha! Good morning!"
She found her brother in another hospital, and not just any other hospital room, it was the room that belonged to Todoroki's mother! For goodness' sake! He was literally just sitting on a chair that was available in the room while she sat on a stool. They looked like they were in the middle of a conversation. Not like it mattered, WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING THERE?!
"I found him here the moment I got here. When I asked who he was, I recognized his last name and asked him if he was related to you. From there, I went to look for the room with your name on it." Todoroki explained, making Mizuha feel embarrassed.
Why was this happening to her?
Knowing now how Todoroki was visiting his mother made her feel embarrassed because she it made her feel like SHE was the one interrupting their time together through her brother who just smiled away.
"What the heck are you doing here?!" she asked again.
AND HOW LONG WERE YOU HERE FOR?! WHAT IF SHE THOUGHT YOU WERE SOME WEIRDO?!
"Ehhh... well, I was taking a walk around the floor, and then I came in here thinking it was my room. Obviously, it wasn't. Then when I saw Miss Todoroki, I realized I was in the wrong room. I swear I was about to leave until I noticed she kinda looked like you with the hair and all. Then, yeah... we just started talking, and here we are."
Mizuha dropped her head with a sigh.
Then he turns to Todoroki's mom with a smile, "This is her! This is my little sister Mizuha!"
Oh geez.
Defeated, Mizuha sheepishly bowed down, "Hello."
Todoroki's mother smiled kindly, "It's nice to meet you. Your brother has been telling me a lot about you."
"Has he?" Mizuha shot her brother a nasty look. Shinsui noticed this but paid no attention to it, keeping a smile on his face instead.
Shinsui looked at Shouto, "I'm guessing that this is your son?"
"Yes."
Shinsui grinned, then he asked Mizuha to stand next to Todoroki's mom. At first, Mizuha was about to blow up with protests but then she realized that the faster they get over with whatever he wanted, then they would be able to leave her classmate with his mother alone for some mother and son time. And so, the girl reluctantly walked over to the mother, who was sitting on a stool next to the window, and stood stiffly next to her.
Shinsui nodded with a close eyed smile and gave her a thumbs up.
"Ne, Todoroki-kun, tell me... am I the only one who thinks my sister kinda looks like your mom?"
Embarrased, Mizuha groaned and hid her face in her hands, "Shinsui, stop—"
"Shhhh!" Shinsui laughed.
Rei covered her mouth to cover her laughs. Shinsui was certainly an interesting character.
"I think she does."
Surprised, Mizuha whipped her head towards Shouto. He was staring at her, making her shift her eyes towards the corner of the room.
Shouto pointed at his hair, "With the hair I mean."
"Todoroki... you don't need to feed my brother's amusement..."
"No, I didn't realize it at first but he's right."
Mizuha was wondering if her face was red due to all the unwanted attention.
Shinsui observed his sister behavior carefully, noticing how she was refusing to make eye contact with anyone at the moment. Then he remembered what she told him about how she didn't have many friends because she was scared of getting them hurt. Shinsui wanted to somehow help her with that. He definitely wanted his sister to have friends again.
He just hoped that what he was going to do now was going to have some sort of butterfly effect.
Shinsui looked at Shouto and then at his sister, "From what I hear, you guys are in the same class, right? Class 1-A?"
Both students looked at Shinsui when the question was asked.
"Uh, yeah."
"Yes."
"You guys friends?"
Mizuha looked away, "... um... not really."
Shouto remained silent.
Shinsui chuckled, "Oof, must be hella awkward now."
Mizuha glared at Shinsui. She didn't know what her brother was hoping to achieve by asking those questions. Perhaps he was doing what older brothers always do: embarrassing their sister.
"Hmm... well, I hope you two can be friends. I think that would be wonderful it you guys were." Shinsui said, voicing out his opinion. Then he looked at the older woman, "What do you think, Todoroki-san?"
"Yes, I think it would be nice for Shouto to make some friends." Mrs. Todoroki agreed, smiling gently at both her son and his classmate.
"Mom..."
"Well," Shinsui clapped his hands together before reaching for his crutch and standing up, "I'd hate to get in the way of your son's visit so I'll just go back to my room with my sister." he announced while motioning with his hand for his sister to come along with him as he hobbled to the door.
Relieved, Mizuha quietly obeyed him and walked over to his side, grabbing his wrist and trapping it in an iron grip. She started walking towards the door and Shouto moved away from it so they can pass.
Shinsui gave the lady a smile just before reaching the door, "It was nice talking with you Todoroki-san!" he waved.
Todoroki's mom waved back and smiled at the sight of Mizuha trying to push him out the door in a hurried manner. Once the Hyoumei siblings left their sights completely, Shouto occupied the seat that was previously used by Shinsui. He placed his bag next to a wall.
"He's a funny boy that one." Rei remarked, "He talked a lot about himself even though we just met. He's very friendly."
Shouto blinked but then nodded in reply since he wasn't quite sure what to say. It's wasn't easy to suddenly talk openly with his mother after being apart for so long.
Rei noticed how her son struggled with finding a topic to talk about so she decided to ease his burden.
"That girl, Mizuha, she seems like a nice girl." Shouto looked at his mother curiously when she decided to talk about his classmate. "I think it would be nice if you two became friends."
"Why?"
Rei looked outside the window to look at the distant clouds. "According to her brother, she's been dealing with her own set of troubles. She's a bit like you in that sense. She's learning, trying to change her ways by coming to terms with her own troubles." she looked pulled away her gaze from the window to look at her son. "I think it would be nice if you two could close that distance you placed around yourselves by starting with someone who is similar to yourself. It's just a suggestion."
Shouto silently thought about his mother's words. If it were to make his mom happier, then he could try and do it. But the more the thought about it, the more he realized that she was was right, he was also aiming to stop being distant now that his mind was clearer. He was so focused and unemotional, he kept to himself and he didn't bother socializing with others.
As he started recalling the memories that had his classmate in them, he realized how little he paid attention to them. But when he did his best to remember about Hyoumei, he noticed how absent she was. She was always gone and keeping her distance. He recalled the time he accidentally touched her hand when she held out the door for him. She made a beeline for the bus and didn't bother waiting for the others so they can enter the bus as a group. When he offered his help to her when Kishokei-sensei asked him to, she didn't hesitate to turn him down and left without even looking at him or anyone else. She wanted to be alone.
"... I'll think about it."
...
...
...
Shinsui hugged his sister tightly, "I'll see you next time then."
Mizuha nodded against him before they both pulled away from each other.
It was finally time for Mizuha to head home. She had regular classes starting again the next day so she didn't want to stay out too late. She definitely wasn't fond of the idea of walking outside during the night, the thought alone made her uncomfortable.
Shinsui sat back down on his bed and smiled as she waved while leaving his room. They were both hoping that they didn't have to meet in a hospital but rather back at home. The older brother was so eager to head home already that it was starting to irritate him by staying cooped up in a room. He wanted to 'fly free'.
Mizuha shut the door behind her and slung her bag on her back, pulling her hair and hood in front of her so that it wouldn't get stuck between them. When she shoved her arm through the other shoulder strap, she then placed her hood back where it belonged and started walking down the hall.
And as fate would have it, Todoroki was also leaving the room he was previously in. Mizuha made the effort to not turn around and run back inside Shinsui's room when she saw him. What the heck was up with these coincidences?!
She carefully watched him as she walked and when she noticed he was turning towards her, she quickly pulled out her phone and pretended to look absorbed in it when she walked. She was certain that he saw her by now but she was trying to not do the same.
She'll just pretend she never saw him at all. Yeah.
She was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she didn't realize that she was staring at a black screen. She scolded herself before quickly turning it on. Mizuha wasn't sure why she decided to look up but she did, and boy did she regret it. It was brief, but she made eye contact with Todoroki.
He was standing in the intersection of both wards.
She darted her eyes back towards her screen, staring blankly at it.
"Hyoumei."
Fuck, busted.
Her eyes looked up and slowly her head tilted upwards to acknowledge the fact that he called her name.
"Oh, hi Todoroki."
Maybe if I come up with an excuse, I could just dash off like an idiot.
They both walked together on the path that would lead them to the exit. It was certainly awkward and silent that could you probably hear a pin drop. She didn't know why but now she was starting to get stressed by simply being near the boy. She was feeling anxious for such a stupid reason. Her shyness was causing her to feel like this.
"U-Um... I'm sorry about my brother... I'm sure you were really surprised to see some random stranger there."
"It's fine. I'm actually glad your brother came and talked with her. She said she liked the conversation they had."
Oh?
"O-Oh... that's good to hear."
I guess.
...
...
...
Todoroki turned his head and looked at her carefully before asking, "Would you be against the idea of us being friends?"
Mizuha's eyes widened, shocked, her mouth hung open for a while. Sensing his stare, she glanced at him with the same expression on her face. Then she remembered why he would be asking such a thing from her. Mizuha's eyes looked away from him, she closed her mouth and shook her head.
"You don't have to do what my brother said." she muttered but it was loud enough for him to hear it in the silent hallway. "He's playing around."
Todoroki frowned, "Don't misunderstand, I'm not asking this because of your brother."
Oh yeah? Then why would be asking me this in the first place? We never had any real form of interaction other than that time when we were put in teams. I'm sorry Todoroki, but I don't believe you.
"We've both had our own obstacles that made us push away things. And now that we've come to terms with our issues, we're both trying to change."
Mizuha narrowed her eyes at the corner. Her brother had a big mouth.
"I want to change because I want to take a different path. I don't want to remain distant from others because I have no reason to. So, if I can start changing by reaching to someone alike, then I will reach out to you." he explained before turning his attention to the sight in front of him.
His words sank within her, making completely sense, relating to what she thought as well. The girl never bothered to think deeply about how her other classmates might have had some similar situation to hers. Aside from that time where she was curious about Bakugo, she really never did think about others. And now that Todoroki actually had something in common with her, she found herself curiously drawn to the idea of taking that first step with someone just as distant.
They were both aloof in their own way.
Mizuha observed his facial features from the side. She was specifically looking at his childhood scar that was visible from her perspective. His suggestion made her feel a little bad, he was saying this with probably having no idea of anything personal that happened to her while she did know something personal about him. She still felt bad for eavesdropping.
Still, she liked his suggestion.
While resisting the urge to smile for some reason, she looked back in front of her, "Why would ask me if I was against it?"
"I didn't want to force a friendship you didn't want."
Mizuha cringed, "Oh."
...
...
"Get away from me. Stop acting like we're friends because we're not. We never were. You're the one that's been forcing a friendship to exist. I never wanted that from you."
...
...
Mizuha hoped that others wouldn't ask her the same thing because of that incident.
"Er, forget about that. I wasn't really being honest with myself at the time. I was angry, obviously. I didn't really mean it... soo yeah. But no, I actually wouldn't be against the idea of being friends. I think."
"I see. That's good."
It was small but she saw it. Todoroki did a small smile, making her do the same.
"I have to warn you though, I can be... difficult?" She admitted, referring to her shyness that might create a social problem.
"How so?" he asked curiously.
"I can... be shy?"
Wow, it seemed so easy to talk now. It was like the distance between them got a bit smaller. It's just as she thought, talking made it seem easier.
"Really? You don't seem like the type."
Yeah, that's because I hide it by acting hella distant and cold. Ask Byakuren. He knows this first hand.
"Don't judge a book by its cover."
...
...
...
When they finally made it outside, Mizuha suddenly found something she actually wanted to talk about. It was something she was quite curious about.
"Hey, Todoroki?"
He turned his head toward her.
"How are you able to walk and run on your ice so easily? During the Sports Festival you didn't look like you had any trouble moving on your ice. Why is that?" asked Mizuha, hoping to get some sort of advice from him.
Maybe he had a specific body balance while moving on it? Maybe he didn't exactly plant his full foot on the ice? Maybe—
"My boots have these soles that make it easier to move around the ice without slipping."
Mizuha stopped walking.
He stopped walking.
"Are you kidding me? You had special soles?!"
Todoroki nodded, "It's quite difficult to move around on it without them." he admitted, "Don't you have the same soles too?"
Mizuha shook her head furiously, "I don't! I rely solely on my bodily balance!"
Impressed, Todoroki's eyes widened a bit, "Isn't it difficult?"
Mizuha sighed and then started walking again, followed by Todoroki who walked next to her, "Yes, that's why I specifically learned how to walk and run on the ice." she said, bitter from the painful training memories.
Yes. When she first starting using her solid form, she and her uncle would got to an ice rink and she would train herself to move around the ice without slipping and landing on the ice painfully. Those times were the worst. Thankfully, it proved to be worth it since she actually achieved what she wanted. She just had to run and walk normally while making some ice under her shoes to freeze against the ice she was walking on so she wouldn't slip and fall.
Only to find out now that she could of just gotten those soles to prevent sliding?!
Mizuha hid her face in her hands and tilted her head upwards, letting out sounds of frustration.
"At least you can walk on ice no matter what kind of footwear." he pointed out.
"... Still, that path could have been so much easier. I could have avoided a year of constantly falling on the ice. I had a lot of bruises..."
When they stepped past the the hospital's exterior entrance, they stopped walking at the same time. It seemed like they were both going to have to part ways from that point.
Mizuha pointed her thumb behind her, "I have to go this way."
Todoroki pointed behind him, "I'm going that way."
For once, there wasn't any awkward pause to determine how their parting would play out. It was different. This time, they both parted ways with a short wave. It wasn't much but it was enough for the two who were just starting to get to know each other. As she turned away and walked, she twisted her bag in front of her and pulled out her headphones. Mizuha placed them on her head while trapping a long piece of her hair on her right side between her ear and headphones.
She couldn't help but feel happy from having that interaction with her classmate. Hell, she was even proud of herself for being able to do it! Her lips pressed tightly against each other to resist the urge to smile like an idiot in public.
I think I'm going to be okay now. It might or might not take a while before I can act like myself honestly, but that time will surely come because there's nothing holding me back from doing what I want anymore.
Mizuha looked up at the sky, staring at the group of clouds floating in a large group above the earth. She lightly moved her head to the left to push away the bangs covering her eye.
There was a distant cloud that was slowly catching up to the larger group. She noticed that it was pretty slow but for some reason she was certain that it would be able to join the other clouds floating in the atmosphere.
Starting tomorrow, this aloof cloud will be doing her best.
Being an aloof hero wasn't so bad, but it wasn't really what she was aiming to be.
And that's the end of Aloof Hero. Book I is done.
The meeting scenes between Mizuha and Todoroki were vaguely hinted when I mentioned the psychiatric ward and the intensive card ward back in chapter 7. I just hope I didn't write Todoroki as too OOC.
Yes, Rei is the canon name of Todoroki's mom.
Book II will be up right after I post this chapter, so go check it out!