"No I haven't heard anything," Asuna admitted sitting across from Nezu. The desk that separated them acting as a table holding their tea cups.
"I suppose that is to be expected. However, Miss Ito if you are to hear anything or notice anything out of place, please tell us," Nezu told her, laying his paws over one another.
Asuna nodded, her gaze falling to the desk. What struck her curiosity was the file that laid on it. It wasn't tan like the others. Instead it was a bright red. She couldn't make out the writing on the tab when she finally brought her attention back to the principal.
"Thank you. For the precautionary measures and making sure I am safe," Asuna spoke directly, mostly to mask her own curiosity. Was he keeping notes on her? On Dai? Was he searching for answers because they truly lost track of where this man went?
Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she shoved her hands in her coat's pockets, rising to her feet. She watched as Nezu nodded.
"Of course, Miss Ito! You have been with us for awhile now. We can't let one of our own stumble into harm's way if we can prevent it," his cheerful tone said one thing. However, the worry was clear in his eyes when Asuna looked down to him.
It was the term he used. 'One of our own.'
She felt her heart sink some, the heavy feeling of being more a burden now than an asset. How was she supposed to protect her friends here when she could hardly even protect herself now.
"Oh! Hey, Asuna," a different male voice echoed from the doorway.
Cringing slightly at the tone and frequency the man chose to use, Asuna looked over her shoulder while still standing in Nezu's office.
"Hi, 'Zashi," Asuna smiled softly, giving a slight wave. "Give me a moment. I'll be right out."
Just like that she felt like a kid that had gotten in trouble, standing in the principal's office only to have her friend see her and humiliate her by accident.
After saying goodbye to Nezu, Asuna left the confines of the office to see Hizashi propped up against the wall, his hands keeping his head cradled while he waited for Asuna.
"You couldn't, I don't know, just wait til we were done," Asuna asked crossing her arms.
Immediately he dropped the friendly front he had. "We need to talk."
She felt her heart stop a minute, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. Her anxiety quickened, but she refused to back down. She knew that Hizashi and Aizawa were close, the best of friends. They always looked out for one another.
"Come on," he ushered her down the hall, a hand grabbing her upper arm as he escorted her. One they reached the end of the hall, he lead her into an empty classroom. After closing the door, he turned to her.
"Look, I know Dai did a lot of damage. But what the hell is after now," Hizashi asked quietly, shoving his hands in his pockets, mirroring Asuna's stance.
Asuna simply shrugged. She wasn't sure why he was so desperate to find her, to get her.
"He was possessive when we were together. If I looked at anyone too long, or if anyone looked at me too long, there would be a fight," she told him, avoiding locking eyes with him. "I mean, he wasn't thrilled to receive divorce papers either. All they told me when he was released was his location they had last seen him. But that was it. No other information."
Hizashi watched her expression as she explained. He saw how she froze up as she continued to speak. He only nodded, processing what she was telling him. However, he was afraid that this was going to only get a lot worse and soon if they didn't figure out his next move.
"I know you are worried about, Shota," she started before taking a deep breath and looking Hizashi in the eyes, "but I want you to know I don't want him in danger. I don't want him to have to try to protect me. I should be able to do it on my own. I don't want Dai to find me but I sure as hell won't let Dai get ahold of him."
Unconsciously, Asuna had removed her hands from her pockets just to have them balled up, her nails digging into her palms. Her jet was clenched, anger flooded her eyes.
"Dai already took so much from me. I'm already having to rebuild myself and the relationships around me. He won't take anything else," she promised with a passion the was unwavering.
Hizashi watched as this timid and frail support hero lashed out with a confidence that could shake the toughest of their own. The look in her eyes showed she wasn't messing around and that she would hold true to her word. Sure, she didn't have a quirk anymore, but that wouldn't stop the redhead. She trained when she could. But it was the fierce passion for her friends and colleges that drove her.
Nodding about the situation, Hizashi stayed silent a moment longer before he decided to speak.
"Don't hesitate to call me, NaNa. If I'm not ok campus, I can be quickly," he smiled widely.
Asuna finally felt at ease seeing his smile come back to his face. She was so worried that she had done something wrong to Shota. She wasn't sure what it would have been but she would have done just about anything to fix it.
"Will do, 'Zashi," She reciprocated the smile, her hands snaking back into her pockets. She glanced at the clock on the wall behind him. "Well we better get ready for the day. The kids will be here shortly," Asuna reminded him.
After parting ways, Asuna headed back to the office.
"Morning, Kimmy," Asuna said, blinding wishing her best friend a good morning. However, when met with the silence, Asuna looked around to see her friend missing.
She hummed to herself a moment before going about her day and seeing the stacks of papers to copy, file away and shred. After about an hour, Asuna called Kim's phone.
"Voicemail again," Asuna asked under her breath, looking at the clock as she hung up the call.
Something wasn't settling right, something felt off. Asuna looked around, expecting Kim to just show up. She had never not shown up for work. If she was going to be out she always called or at the very least sent a message but Asuna received nothing. She could feel her heart speeding up, her hands trembled as her thoughts began to run rampant on the worst case scenario.
"Asuna," a stern voice finally pulled her from the never ending spiral she threw herself into.
Looking frantic, she looked at the owner whose voice called out to her.
"What is going on," Aizawa asked her, worry collecting on his features.
"Kimmy's not here," Asuna said as calmly as she could. "She never does this. She always lets me know."
Asuna could see the defeat in Aizawa's face, her heart accelerating even more. She couldn't take it. What was going on?
"What's going on," she asked, demanding answer as she rose to her feet, her hands firmly on the desk in front of her.
Shaking his head, Aizawa sighed, looking away a moment before shifting on his feet.
"Kim decided to change jobs. She's no longer employed here," Aizawa admitted to her.
Shocked, her eyes widened. But… Kim would tell her. Right?
"Kimmy wouldn't just leave without telling me," Asuna scoffed.
Unfortunately, she was doubting herself now. Especially seeing how Aizawa looked at her like a pity case.
"Aizawa…" Asuna could barely get his name pass her lips. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.
He shook his head, watching her realize that Kim had cut all ties at this point. He watched as she battled to keep her tears at bay. He watched as she straightened how she was standing, cleared her throat politely and finally look at him.
"Okay. Well if you have files you'll need copied or shredded it may have to wait," she told him as she started to work on the stacks of files on her desk.
Confusion was written across his face as he watched her just check out of her emotions. He watched as she busied herself with the work at hand and not process what had happened.
"Asuna," he called to her. Quickly she looked over shoulder from the filing cabinet.
"What," she snapped at him, knowing he was trying to get her to listen to herself.
He just looked at her. Guilt written on his face, he knew he should have warned her, given her some sort of heads up soften this blow.
"It's fine. Fuck her," Asuna mumbled, continuing to put away the files.
She stiffened when she felt arms wrap around her, tears threatening to fall as she swallowed hard to keep them at bay. Aizawa just held her. Gentle, steady breathing. She turned to face him a moment before hanging her head. It was then that he held her to his chest, combing through her hair as she cried , letting her tears stain his shirt.
He softly tried to shush her cries as she clung to him. Someone who swore to never leave her side, someone who swore she was practically a sister disappeared. She walked out of her life like it was nothing. Like ripping a bandaid off an old wound. He looked pass Asuna seeing Hizashi lingering in the door way, his expression saddened when he saw how heartbroken she was. That was the point of his conversation earlier. To see how she was that morning.
Needless to say, she was having a hard time accepting that people could continue to walk out of her life.