Chapter Eight: More Misunderstandings
Tome hears a knock at the door. Aizawa left not too long ago. Did he forget something? He should have his key.
She eats another potato chip when the knocking becomes more rapid and louder with no signs of letting up.
Tome rolls off the couch and waddles her way to the door if only to give her ears some peace.
She unlocks the door and opens it just a smidgen when the person on the other side bursts in.
"I told you that you couldn't avoid me, Shouta." A women with long dark hair tied up stares at her in silence.
"You just missed him." Tome is incredulous. Aizawa apparently socializes. He could have fooled her. Though considering he isn't here and avoiding her maybe he is anti-social.
"It's actually true." She looks around Aizawa's plain apartment before fixating on the couch she's made into her personal bed and her small pile of possessions. A few things she had on her plus a few things purchased by Aizawa. She's pretty sure the police department wired him the money.
"Who do you think you are? Better yet stop staring creepily at my stuff."
"That asshole! He couldn't even bother to get you a bed?" Tome coughs in her hand, enjoying that someone is calling Aizawa an asshole. She wouldn't go that far, but he certainly drains the energy out of a room. "Hizashi didn't believe me when I told him what I heard. I'm so telling him I told you so."
Ah. He must have told some people that she's from another world. She would do the same in his shoes. How many times does that happen in someone's life?
"I know he isn't always forthcoming, and is overly serious about his work, but this is crossing a line." She forms an x with her arms. "Kayama Nemuri at your service." She winks. "But is this really all you have?" Nemuri looks at the two pairs of alternate clothes and the handful of personal items. A teenage girl should have more.
Tome stares blankly. Does this Kayama person think she came here on vacation with a full set of luggage or something? "The circumstances didn't give me a choice in the matter."
"Have you been eating okay? He usually eats some pretty boring food. And what was he thinking forcing you on the couch? How's a girl supposed to get proper rest on that thing. He should have offered his room until better arrangement could be made." Kayama narrows her eyes. "How old are you anyway? Actually, no, don't answer that. I know he's an idiot but not that much of an idiot." Her head looks ready to combust.
"He rather I not be here. He wasn't happy signing the papers, but what can you do?" Though it's certainly been longer than she expected.
Kayama went on another tirade that Tome has trouble keeping up with. Seems she's known Aizawa for a long time. It gets her thinking whether the people she knows in her life will still be in her life in ten, twenty years.
"C'mon. We'll go shopping." Tome would rather go back to reading her comics. "I'll bill Shouta later." Tome pauses tempted. Who is she to turn down someone wants to spoil her?
"To the mall we go!" She points in an upward angle.
"You have potential in you," says Kayama fixated on the pose. If only she could get her students to do the same.
Makoto presses the number keys to unlock her brother's apartment door, planning to drop off some food Mom insisted she drop off. It's such a shame. Naomasa is competent and clever but he's still stuck at a mediocre paying position all because he considers it his passion work. What good is having the fancy title if the pay doesn't match. Deputy Director of Quirk Crimes Division still lives in this tiny space.
No wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend. Anyone he brings over probably assumes he's barely getting by. A shame, but if someone is only after money they don't deserve her brother.
Makoto hears the vacuum. It's mid-day, but does Naomasa have the day off.
"Guess who?!" She cheerly saunters into the room to see an unknown man vacuuming intensely in a full-on suit. "Are you the cleaner?"
He shuts the vacuum off and jumps startled with his hands up. "Nothing like that! I'm Serizawa Katsuya. I thought that since I'm staying here I should help keep the place clean." He seems nervous to be caught, but if he's not hired help then…
Makoto's eyes narrow.
Honestly, he's the prime target for her quirk if needed. Polygraph can be useful, but it doesn't work if the person is fully relaxed. This Serizawa person is very much on edge. More awkward than suspicious. She's observant though, so she doesn't need her quirk to assess her brother's relations. After all, she can safely rule out villain. What kind of villain would be waiting by cleaning? Then there's the claim he's staying here.
"Tsukauchi Makoto. I'm Naomasa's sister."
"Oh yes! He's mentioned you a few times. He's out working right now, but I'm sure he'll be happy if you wait around."
"Unfortunately, I have some other obligations later so I can't stay for long." Makoto can't fathom why Serizawa almost looks sad by those words.
"Should I tell him you stopped by then?"
Makoto waves her phone. "Don't worry about it."
"Do you want something to drink before you go? There's water, or tea, or coffee."
"Water please." Serizawa pours a glass of water. "So what do you think of my brother."
His anxiety melts and he practically glows. "He's amazing. He's clever and forward and is really good at navigating things. I'm really lucky to have met him. He's always working hard and has been helping me stay motivated and keep my spirits high."
What is with this glow? Serizawa speaks as if her brother is life changing. Someone to be admired.
"When did you say you moved in?" It's a one-bedroom apartment. Makoto wouldn't let just anyone in. She takes a sip of water.
"A few weeks."
"And one of you sleeps on the couch?"
"We share the bed." Makoto had been trying to explain the situation of helping a friend out even though everything is set up a little too conveniently, now this just points at the truth all too well. Is this why he never brings over introduces his partners to the family? Is it not because he's a workaholic? Does Naomasa think they'll reject him? Her mind spirals as it always does, but for once not in her favour.
Serizawa panics. Should he have turned down Tsukauchi offer? But it's just sleeping. He even promises that he doesn't kick or hog the blanket.
He's learnt that sometimes people have to make do with what they have. A bed is preferable to the floor or couch and Tsukauchi didn't want his already small apartment to become more unlivable with the living room occupied for an indefinite amount of time.
Why does operating life have to be so challenging?