Thank you Neo for proofreading this chapter so fast asdfghjkl. I don't have time to recheck it again, but I trust this sweet human being. Also sorry if the pacing is too fast. ;_;

Happy reading!


Chapter 6: Concealed

If someone asked Kazuna to describe the state of Yuuei's infirmary right now, she'd say that it was similar to an overpopulated hospital ward after an intense combat during a civil war. It surely was an exaggeration since there wasn't blood splattering all over the place or people losing their limbs in the sickest way, but the sound of meek cries, painful moans, pleas for help, and kids running in different directions should tick most of the criteria.

Kazuna wasn't the only person who thought of seeing Yuuei's famous nurse and professional hero who went by the name "Recovery Girl". She was known for her healing power that could restore a broken body to its previous state within seconds. She was there during the entrance exam, running here and there between buildings to find and help exam takers who accidentally injured themselves. This time, she wasn't around. The only one left was a middle-aged nurse who was wrapping a bandage around the arm of a boy who sat on one of the beds.

Kazuna had no other option but to walk to the nurse. Before she finished her first sentence requesting assistance, she was harshly told to find what she needed in the shelves because her problem wasn't too critical compared to the others. At first, she was startled, but she didn't try to talk back because the nurse was right. In silence she went to the packed corner of the room, trying to get rubbing alcohol, cotton wools, and some plasters. Thankfully, people around her weren't too selfish that they didn't mind helping her find all the items.

"Sorry, can you help me?"

As soon as Kazuna was done mending herself, a girl who sat on the floor beside the nurse's desk called out for her. At first glance, the girl looked like she just got out of a cat fight. Her tie wasn't straight. Her white shirt was slightly crumpled. Her legs were straightened out like some twisted veins prevented her to move. The obvious sign would be her tangled hair that resembled someone who hadn't showered for weeks. She pressed an ice pack against the back of her head, which meant that she had an injury there. With all these, it was impossible for Kazuna to reject her.

"Sure, what's wrong?" Kazuna asked as she threw the wrapping of her plasters onto the garbage bin nearby and made sure that the alcohol she put on top of the nurse's desk wouldn't fall if someone bumped against it. It had a lid so that it wouldn't splash everywhere if it did fall, but she didn't want to risk it.

The girl grabbed her phone from the blazer she kept next to her left thigh and handed it to Kazuna. "Could you take a picture of the bruise on my scalp? It really hurts, so I want to see how bad it is."

"Of course." Kazuna walked and kneeled in the space between the girl's back and the white wall of the infirmary, enough for her to check the problem. From this angle, she couldn't find anything off as the girl's hair was very curly, thick, and long. More than two hands might be needed to wash it throughout.

"My hair is like a jungle, isn't it? You can move it slightly if you need to," the girl suggested, as if she could read through Kazuna's mind by only looking at her.

"Ah… alright. Excuse me…" Kazuna politely obliged as she used her left hand to shove some strands of the black hair sideways to reveal a bald pale red spot. It didn't bleed, nor did it look life-threatening, but it was obvious that someone yanked her hair too hard until some of it got ripped from her scalp. She steadily took a picture without any flash because the lighting from the infirmary's ceiling lamps was good enough. She checked the picture one last time before giving it to the girl.

"I thought it would be worse than this because it hurts so much… Thank you for your help. The nurse will help me soon," the girl said before putting her phone on her lap and pressing the ice pack back onto her scalp.

"What happened to you, if it's okay for me to know…?" Kazuna asked while moving to the girl's side so they could speak properly with their eyes meeting.

"Weren't you around here when the alarm went off? Just like everybody else, I tried to leave the cafeteria and the hall was chaotic. People got hit, kicked, punched. My hair got pulled by someone. At least no one fell and died from being trampled on," the girl explained the horror she had to briefly experience before Kazuna's right arm caught her attention, specifically at the series of brown plasters lining to cover her skin. "Scratches?"

"Uh, yeah…" Kazuna glanced at her treated wound. She wasn't the one that people should worry about. What she had could heal by itself. It was nothing compared to a torn scalp or the casualties surrounding her.

"What happened?" the girl asked the same thing Kazuna did.

"Oh, nothing bad… I was at the library when the alarm went off. Some guys pushed me when they tried to reach for the exit and something sharp pierced me. I didn't know what exactly got me, but my friend assumed it was the corner of the teacher's cubicle…" Kazuna recounted what Hitoshi told her.

"And you're Ito."

It surprised Kazuna since she didn't think that she'd be known by someone outside her class, but she didn't want to come off as rude, so she chose to nod her head. "Yes… and you?"

"I'm Horita Fusako from 1-G, of the support department. Don't be scared, I know your name because you're always going to the cafeteria with this one pretty girl and two tall boys, and the girl always shouts your name. I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows your name because of this."

"Ah, right… They're my classmates." Kazuna understood Fusako's explanation because Yuzuru's loudness could often be heard from a floor below. "Nice to meet you, Horita. Get well soon. Do you, uh… mind if I stay here until you're called by the nurse?"

The girl grinned, most likely projecting her happiness of finding a new friend at the most random place and time. "I don't mind at all."

"I wonder where Recovery Girl is…" It was quick for Kazuna to begin a new topic, looking around like she'd randomly find the person behind a closet or something. "If she were here, things would be done faster…"

"Of course," Fusako agreed. "By the way, why are you wearing gloves?"

Kazuna raised her eyebrows before staring at her right hand, clenching it hard and releasing slowly. She knew she'd be asked this question. Everyone who saw her always turned curious because she was the only person they knew who wore gloves on a daily basis. This was as strange as it could get, but she didn't want to be honest. She couldn't—not after she touched Fusako's head. She didn't want to frighten Fusako. She never wanted to frighten anyone.

"I'm… a bit terrified of germs. I have this condition called mysophobia…" she told Fusako what Yuzuru thought of her the first time they met.

"Oh, really?"

Kazuna smiled broader, attempting her best not to force it. "Really."


Kazuna didn't expect to see Hitoshi outside the infirmary. His back was against the wall as he quietly read something on his phone, as known as one of the most popular ways to pass time. Even without a pair of horns or bat wings, for her, he always stood out among the crowd. For the most part, it was because of the color and shape of his hair, but also because he always had this languid look in his eyes that people couldn't miss. When he noticed that she was leaving and walking towards him, he immediately put his phone back inside his pocket.

"I didn't know that you'd be waiting for me…" Kazuna expressed her regret. She knew that she didn't have to sound this fearful because Hitoshi wouldn't be pissed over something small like this, but she couldn't help but wish that she'd been out sooner.

Hitoshi shook his head, implying that Kazuna's apologize was unnecessary. "I just got here. Don't feel bad because you didn't do anything wrong. Let me see your arm."

Kazuna stretched out her right arm so Hitoshi could see better. He held her wrist gently, staring at every inch of her skin, even the parts that weren't covered with brown plasters. Once he was done with the thorough inspection, he rotated her hand to check the other side. She was touched by his attentiveness, but she was also questioning his intention. What would he find by examining her like this? One look was enough to determine her perfectly healthy and alive condition. The only way she could feel pain was if she pressed on her wound, which was something that she wouldn't do on purpose.

"Why didn't you ask Recovery Girl to heal you?" Hitoshi asked after almost a full minute, releasing his grip on her.

"She isn't around. There's only this other nurse."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. She was very busy with other kids, so I had to treat myself," she answered very carefully. She had a feeling that if she told him the truth about the nurse rudely shushing her because other people were far more important, Hitoshi would rush inside the infirmary and let out his rage. There were times when he could be this typical calm and collected guy that wouldn't even bother to kill an ant, but seeing what happened before the break, he would only do so towards a problem that didn't matter at all. Her not getting treated properly was one of them.

"Seriously?" Hitoshi sounded and looked less tense, letting out a very long sigh, like all of his burdens finally decided to leave his life for good. "You were inside for a long time. Not that long, but you get my point. I thought something worse happened."

"No, sorry, I was helping this girl!" Kazuna chose to be honest, squeaking slightly. "This girl… Her name's Fusako and she's from 1-G. When the alarm went off, she left the cafeteria and was stuck in the hall with everyone else. A guy pulled her hair quite hard and she asked me to take a picture of the wound. It was… uh, bad."

Hitoshi squinted. "Well, at least no one broke their legs… but are you sure you're okay?"

Kazuna lifted her thumb, grinning without attempting to fake it as there was nothing to hide from Hitoshi. "I'm perfectly okay."

"Then let's go back." Hitoshi turned towards the direction of the stairs to the second floor. "I didn't get the chance to go back to the class and tell Yuzuru about you. You should tell her yourself."

Kazuna could simply nod or say "alright", but she smiled. She knew Hitoshi actually had the chance and it was impossible for him to not realize it himself. He had to bring books to 1-B and 1-C was located next to it. It'd take him no time to stop by their class and explain everything to Yuzuru, maybe even resting for a moment in his desk. Instead of doing that, he chose to immediately go to the infirmary. He could give her a thousand reasons, but she knew the true one was that he worried about her. This alone was enough to make her feel better after everything that had happened today.


By the time afternoon came, everyone had heard the news about Yuuei's front gate crumbling to pieces due to it being breached. The staff said that it was a false rumor as the gate was demolished on purpose to replace it with a stronger one, but those who were smarter believed that they were hiding the truth so as not to cause disturbance. What was lingering when everyone left their class was the source of power that could tear down such sturdy layers of metals. If a car tried to crash against it, the car would break instead. An airplane would probably be powerful enough, but it sounded like a scenario from a movie.

As always, Hitoshi went to the parking lot to take his bicycle with Kazuna. It was unusual for her to be stuck on her phone when they walked together like this. Sometimes they would just be quiet until they reached their destination, but most of the time she would start a conversation on anything possible. She wasn't a gossiper who loved to discuss about other people's private business, so she often chose something that started with "what do you think of this?" or "have you heard about what this hero did?". Right now, she was being a little odd.

"What are you reading?" Once they reached the parking lot, Hitoshi couldn't contain his curiosity anymore.

"Oh, sorry, it's about Yamakami Park." Her eyes met Hitoshi's for only a second before going back onto the bright screen she held with one hand. "I've been looking for some good churros and someone sells the stuffed version there. I've been reading the reviews."

"That park by the river?"

"Mhm." She locked her phone, now looking at Hitoshi for real. "I haven't been there. It looks amazing during afternoon like this, so can we maybe… go?"

"Sure, I don't mind." Hitoshi didn't take long to decide. "We don't have to shop for dinner and I've never tried churros before."

Kazuna grinned. "Thank you, Shinsou."

In a matter of seconds, they hopped onto the bicycle and rode outside the school. Some construction workers and teachers were standing at the gate, measuring stuff and loudly discussing about numbers, days, and important things that the students could only be curious about. They looked upset over what was happening, which was understandable since rebuilding a huge gate like this would cost them a lot of time and money. Yuuei had some emergency entrances and it wouldn't be surprising if they would be opened starting from tomorrow until the main one was fixed.

"Back in my town, the school would be cancelled if something like this happened. They loved giving us holidays," Hitoshi said as he cycled through the long road in front of Yuuei. Just like many other cities in Japan, Musutafu didn't have a single lane for bicycles. People stayed on the left side of the road or took the sidewalk if it wasn't too busy, but most chose the first option for one reason; it was guaranteed to be faster. They didn't have to waste time stopping every time they almost hit someone. They didn't have to worry about getting yelled at if they cycled too fast and almost hit someone. They only had to be more cautious about the bigger vehicles.

Yamakami Park was approximately fifteen minutes away by bicycle from Yuuei. It looked like an ordinary park with bright-colored flowers, bushes, and trees growing in it. Black metal benches were put all over the place with people sitting on them while eating food, reading books, and talking to each other or alone in their phone. A blue fence was separating the land from the clean river. Two bridges were built to connect the park to the parking lot that was almost as big as the one from OK Supermarket. Hitoshi parked his bicycle there and continued the trip by foot with Kazuna walking closely beside him.

On the other side of the park, some stands selling different kinds of snacks were open. The middle one painted in yellow was the one specializing in churros. There was a long line of customers from different genders and ages. Two were girls wearing Yuuei's uniform, three were boys from another school in the neighborhood, and the rest were adults. This made it even more intriguing. The taste must've been out of this world for people to be this excited. Hitoshi was sure that some of them had decided to travel from a place quite far from here.

"What do you want to get, Shinsou?" Kazuna provided the first topic to discuss about as they waited for their turn to come.

Hitoshi skimmed through the menu listed on a board hanging on top of the stand. "The portion is huge. We should order only one mixed churros."

"Okay. Is there a flavor that you don't like?"

"I can't stand too much chocolate. It's easy to get sick of it." Hitoshi folded his hands in front of his chest. "You know… What about we bring Yuzuru next time? It's fun to have her around."

All Kazuna did was frown, but it was enough for Hitoshi to notice her misunderstanding. It was fully his fault. He should've phrased his words better.

"That's not what I meant. I should've mentioned Yuuta as well," Hitoshi corrected himself. "I just think that we should spend more time with them outside the school. They seem to be nice people that don't judge us based on the quirk we have. It's always good to try finding friends we can trust."

"I see… but what a coincidence…" Kazuna pointed to the right, specifically to one of the benches alongside the river. "I've been wanting to tell you that I saw the girl that I helped at the infirmary there…"

Hitoshi turned his head towards the direction Kazuna's thumb had guided him. There sat alone a girl with long curly hair, a phone in one hand and a cup of drink in the other. This was truly a coincidence, but a small part of him knew that there was more to it. He couldn't bring himself to put the thought into words, but there was something not quite right—or rather purposive—about this whole situation.


"You don't need to run like that," Hitoshi warned Kazuna who was a bit too enthusiastic as she jogged towards Fusako with a box of vanilla and chocolate stuffed churros in her hands. He followed her like a responsible adult guarding a little kid at a playground who wanted to try as many rides as possible before the sky turned dark. In this case, the little kid was planning to reconnect with her new acquaintance, hoping that they'd be friends by the end of the day.

"Horita!"

Fusako was startled by Kazuna's voice that was never louder than this, shoulders funnily jumping while lifting her head and widening her eyes. "Ito? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to try the churros here, then I saw you while I was standing in line," Kazuna happily explained before looking at Hitoshi. "This is my classmate, Shinsou Hitoshi."

"Hi," Hitoshi didn't know what to say beside this one syllable. It was apparent that Fusako wasn't used to holding a conversation with someone of a different gender as her only reply was a sheepish nod and a stifled smile. Her expression towards Kazuna and Hitoshi was like fire and ice.

"Please sit here." Fusako scoot sideways, giving a spot for Kazuna and Hitoshi. The bench was made for two people and their heavy belongings, but it kind of fit the three of them. Hitoshi was understanding enough to place his bag on his laps so the two girls who had their hands occupied could keep theirs on the bench.

Kazuna and Fusako began talking to each other while Hitoshi listened. There wasn't a rule saying that he couldn't join in on their conversation, but he always preferred to listen when someone wasn't specifically speaking to him. The same thing happened between Kazuna and Yuzuru back at school, where he and Yuuta would only reply once or twice when needed. Maybe it had something to do with how girls were usually more talkative than boys because it wasn't like they only ever talked about makeup, dresses, or hot boys from another school.

They learned a few things about Fusako since she wasn't a paranoid person who hid basic information about her life from the people she just met. She was born in this town. Her house was thirty minutes away from here by bus, but it was her dream to get into Yuuei. She chose the department of support because she had an interest in robotics since she was little. She went to Yamakami Park almost every day because this was the only place where she could focus on studying or the novel she just bought. Before meeting her, Hitoshi thought people who read a book in a park only existed in a movie.

"Aren't you going to eat your churros? They are going to go cold," Fusako reminded Kazuna of her neglected snack that hadn't been touched ever since she bought it.

"Oh, right… but hang on, I need to go to the toilet." Kazuna handed the churros to Hitoshi. "Go eat it first if you want to, Shinsou. I'll be back real soon."

"Do you know where the toilet is?" Hitoshi asked. Neither he or Kazuna had been here before and as far as his eyes could see, he didn't spot any buildings that could be a restroom. Since the size of this park was massive, it must've been located quite far from where they were at.

"I know. Don't worry," Kazuna said before heading towards the apartment block that was built on the northeast of the park. Hitoshi could understand her decision of thinking that the restroom would be there. Though he still had to critique the place for not having one in the center of everything because it would be easily accessible.

"She's a very nice girl. Very friendly. Is she always like this in your class?" Fusako started praising Kazuna and since Kazuna wasn't present, her words seemed more genuine in Hitoshi's ears.

"Not at all. She's being more cheerful than usual and it confuses me quite a bit," Hitoshi replied frankly. "I'll take it that she likes you. Didn't you two talk at the infirmary when she was waiting for you to get treated by the nurse?"

Fusako giggled, making her face look younger for some reason. "That's pretty cute if she really thinks that way. I also find it adorable that she's wearing gloves because she's terrified of germs."

"What?" Hitoshi spontaneously reacted, startling Fusako for the second time this afternoon. In a short amount of time given before Fusako became suspicious with the way he acted, thoughts entered his mind like a stream of water.

Why would Kazuna lie about this to Fusako? On the first day of school, she was very nonchalant when she introduced her full name and quirk in front of nineteen other kids. He wasn't wrong when he felt that she wasn't being her usual self; the whole searching about Yamakami Park, asking to buy churros, meeting Fusako in the process, seemingly knowing where the restroom was located—although she could've searched about it when she was reading about the churros, but it'd be very peculiar to do so. She almost seemed to be obsessed with Fusako. The next why question was something that he couldn't logically comprehend.

"What's wrong?" Fusako asked, softer as if she was in fear of hurting someone's feeling.

"No, sorry. I misheard your words." Hitoshi took his eyes off Fusako's, staring at the grass growing on the ground. "But um, did you mention anything about this park to Ito?"

"Huh? No? Why?"

Hitoshi shrugged, putting the churros he held on the gap where Kazuna was supposed to sit. "Nothing, just wondering."

"Are you sure…? I don't know why I'm weirded out now? Is Ito actually not how I think she is?"

"What are you talking about? There's nothing. She's normal," Hitoshi repeated himself. "Is your head okay? Ito told me that a guy pulled your hair and wounded your scalp."

Unlike before, Fusako went into total silence. The sweetness she had on her was gone, leaving only a petrified face and trembling parted lips. She looked the same as people from the past; people who changed from someone who could potentially become his friends into those who didn't want to be nearby. All because the dangerous nature of his quirk.

Hitoshi knew. His heart raced—not with excitement, but with anger and anxiety. He wished he could turn back time and spoke less or shut his mouth entirely. He wished he didn't have to be here to hear the next thing Fusako would say.

"But I never…" Fusako struggled to let the words out of her throat. "…told her that it was a guy."


I've begun writing the next chapter. Sorry that you need to wait for so long, but I hope you enjoyed it~ 3