Chapter Text
Hiro Hamada’s life had been perfect. His aunt Cass always did everything for him and his brother, Tadashi. There was a time in his childhood when he was very popular, surrounded by friends who supported and tried to guide him with love and care. And what did he do to thank them?
Ruin their lives.
That was his only thought on repeat for the past eight years. Deep down, he wanted to believe it was a lie, but it wasn't. And after so much time trying to be better, he had no solution. He knew better than anyone how he had gotten so far; he had planned it carefully for months.
He sold his furniture and fighting robots, quit his part-time job at “Krei Tech,” emptied his bank accounts, dropped out of the college Tadashi signed him up for, and broke that useless calendar in his room. That morning, he put down the last penny he had saved over the years in an envelope and left it carefully on his aunt’s bed while she was sleeping.
—Forgive me. —He whispered into the air, giving one last glance to the room.
He went down the stairs to the coffee shop where his aunt worked without missing a day. He left his keys behind as he opened the door, leaving without a fuss, but before going out, a purr from a ball at his feet stopped him.
—Mochi, I can't take you for a walk today, kitty. I'm sorry. —He said, bending down to the height of the calico cat, which rubbed itself against his freshly bandaged arm, as if it knew what was behind it.
Hiro let out a tired laugh as he looked at the cat and stroked its ear.
—Go with Aunt Cass, please. —He let out, almost as a plea. Going out carefully so his aunt’s cat wouldn't follow him.
He began to walk towards his destination. Without paying attention to his surroundings, he didn't remember the last time he had been able to do that; he only looked at his feet as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.
After some minutes or hours, he didn't care which, the sound of fireworks distracted him. It was then that he realized that he was at San Fransokyo’s Golden Gate bridge. He looked at his surroundings; there was not a soul, and there usually wasn't at that time of day.
He got near the edge of the bridge, putting all his weight into the handrail. He looked intently at the water under him, as if waiting for something in there to give him a reason to live.
Despite that, there was no answer. He saw himself jumping into the water the same way he did when he was a kid, but this time, it wasn't with the intent to have fun.
He was trapped in that thought more than he would be proud to admit, until he heard laughter and the boom of fireworks once again. Those sounds came from children playing somewhere down the bridge.
Something in that scene made his chest hurt a bit more.
A hand went to his face, and he let out a heavy breath with the intention of turning off a memory and continuing on his way. As much as he wanted to die, it wasn't the time yet.
He still needed to apologize to him.
˗ˏˋ✦ Eight years ago ✦ˎˊ˗
—HIRO!! WAIT FOR ME! —a kid with brown, curly hair and green eyes shouted, trying to catch up with his friend.
—THEN RUN FASTER, CAMILO! —replied an 11-year-old Hiro.
Both kids ran down the streets of their neighborhood, letting out mischievous laughter, not worrying about bumping into someone along the way.
It was the last day of summer, and they agreed to meet with their group of friends so they couldn't afford to waste a second.
They stopped in front of a house, and they stared at it for a moment. It was the same as any other in the neighborhood: a light blue exterior, two stories, a small garage, and a set of stairs leading to the front door.
But the house wasn't the problem.
—You go, Chino. —Camilo said, while pushing him hurriedly toward the stairs.
—Huh?! Why? —Hiro asked, outraged.
—That's because you're the smallest. —He replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
—But I'm taller than you!
—But I'm a year older!
—But I did your homework this summer; you owe me.
—But I organized the outing, se aguanta.deal with it.
—BUT HER DAD SCARES ME!
—ME TOO!
—Ejem…! —Both kids stopped arguing when they heard a third voice join them.
They slowly turned to look at the front door, where a man with brown hair, a mustache, and a beard looked at them with a serious expression, holding a coffee cup.
—Good morning, Mr. Andersen. —Camilo greeted him with a smile.
—Good morning! —Hiro gave a small bow and a nervous laugh.
—Good morning, kids. Riley will be down in a minute. —Mr. Andersen replied, then he took a sip of his coffee without changing his demeanor.
A heavy silence filled the air for a few seconds.
—And uh… how is your day going, Sir? —Camilo asked, attempting to start a conversation with his friend’s parent.
Despite being friends since primary school, Riley’s dad was always severe with them; neither of them understood why, but Camilo had a slight suspicion that maybe their first impression wasn't the best, as they fought with his daughter over a seat.
But they couldn't really understand why, since Riley had clearly won that fight.
—I’m ready! —A blonde girl with blue eyes appeared, adjusting her backpack.
—We're heading out, Dad. We’ll go to Hiro’s house after the park. Should I call you so you can pick me up?
—Of course, Monkey. —Riley’s dad finally softened his expression as he looked at his daughter, who trotted down the stairs.
—Riley! Did you put on sunscreen? —A woman with brown hair and red glasses asked, peeking through the front door.
—Yes, Mom! —Riley replied gleefully as she opened the garage door to get her bike.
While that familiar scene played out, Hiro’s mind seemed elsewhere; he wasn't uncomfortable, just bored because he wasn't doing anything new. It was a feeling all too familiar; it happened in different ways: at school, with things he already knew by heart, or with video games when the latest version didn't come out. Not keeping his mind busy made him feel empty.
Tadashi and his aunt had told him more than once that he needed to learn to be patient, but that seemed so… boring.
That was part of why he loved two things: the first was robotics. His brother had taught him to build his first robot when he was five, and since then, inventing a new one every week became part of his routine. The second was what they called “test of courage,” a small game invented by his friends, and they were running late for it.
—Let's goooooo. —Hiro said exasperatedly, resting his head on his friend’s shoulder as if waiting for hours instead of just ten minutes.
Camilo rolled his eyes, used to Hiro’s attitude.
—Be careful, kids. —Mrs. Andersen said as the children climbed onto her daughter’s bike, which she tried to keep balanced.
—Yes, Mom, I love you! —The blonde replied, starting to pedal to gain momentum.
—Bye, Mr. and Mrs. Andersen! —Hiro and Camilo called out, one sitting on the bike’s frame in front of Riley and the other on the footrests at the back.
—AND DON’T GO TOO FAST! —Both adults shouted as the kids sped down the steep neighborhood street.
˗ˏˋ❁┈∘◦✦◦∘┈❀ˎˊ˗
Tranquility could be breathed in at the “Golden Gate” park’s air: couples walked while holding hands, the elderly played chess, and some food and snack stands were open. In one of them, two kids of similar age ate ice cream, waiting, despite their patience running low.
—Where would they be? —Asked an impatient girl with long brown hair tied in a ponytail, as she saw the tiny plastic watch on her wrist.
—I-I’m sure they're on their way, Karmi, it's only been 15 minutes. —Replied a brown-haired boy with a slight stutter beside her.
—But we agreed to meet at 10, Leo, to take advantage of the whole day.
—Well, yes, but we were also late. —The boy gave a bite to his ice cream, not worrying too much about his friends’ tardiness.
They knew that unbreakable threesome all too well; most likely, they made a quick stop for something new they could play with, or they got distracted at that comics store they liked so much.
But that’s exactly why Karmi and Leo agreed to arrive a bit later than the time set, and even so, they had time to spare.
—Ugh, it's always the same with them, mostly Hiro. —She let out angrily while she whipped her hands with a napkin, visibly frustrated. —He's so childish, he should act his age.
—Well… he is 11, and everyone else is 12; the only one who’s 13 years old in the classroom is you, because you re-
—Yes, yes, I understand, Chisquete.Squirt. —She interrupted him; that nickname worked like a charm to change the subject when it came to him.
—Don’t call me ChisqueteSquirt! It's been years since then! —Leo shouted, almost squeakily.
—Nando says otherwise. —Karmi lulled, laughing to his friend’s face.
Leo looked at her, upset, until he saw her mocking smile fade slightly; he knew Karmi didn't like talking about why she had to retake a year of primary school, even more when she had the best score of the school before Hiro’s arrival.
He was about to talk to her and apologize for mentioning it when both of them heard surprised voices along with the ring of the bike’s bell.
—MONKEY! THE BREAKS! —Camilo shouted. He was clinging to the blonde’s shoulders.
—I’M TRYING! WATCH OUT! —Riley managed to dodge the people in front of them with incredible agility despite being so scared in the moment.
—AHEAD, WATCH OUT, UP AHEAD!! —It was the only thing that Hiro was able to say. Just when they were about to crash directly into the bushes, the force made them do a flip to the front.
The rustling of leaves, along with a last “ding ding,” came right after; some adults rushed to the scene, worried about the well-being of the kids. Karmi and Leo mirrored them, running to their friends.
The threesome was found on the floor, with shocked faces, scratches, and leaves on their hair. They seemed to have seen their lives flash before their eyes.
That’s when a laugh broke the silence.
Riley slowly started to laugh, spreading it to her two friends; soon, the three of them were laughing out loud on the ground.
—R-Ri’s face when Miss Kiko got in the way! —Hiro laughed so hard he contorted on the floor.
—It’s just… I hadn't seen her! I-I only realized when Milo pulled my hoodie! —Riley held her stomach to appease her laughter.
Which only intensified as Camilo made the sound similar to a pig’s snore.
—D-Don’t laugh, parce! You make me laugh more! —Camilo covered his mouth in an attempt to stop the laughter.
People quickly scattered at the scene of the kids being safe and sound.
Karmi and Leo looked at their friends, trying to stop themselves from laughing. It was useless; soon enough, everyone was laughing out loud.
Even some passersby couldn’t help but smile at the scene.
When they were able to stop their laughing fit, and when everyone was together. They started to put a small picnic together beside the river.
As they agreed on, everyone brought something to share with the group, so they put a cloth on the ground. While Hiro helped Riley fix her bike’s wheel.
—Then, what were you saying we would do today? —Camilo asked, taking a seat and eating the gummies Hiro had brought.
—Today we’ll have the 20th “test of courage.” —Hiro explained with excitement, still fixing the bike—, but I’m warning you that today will be an almost impossible challenge.
—Really? Is it actually hard, or are you saying that just because you're scared? —Karmi asked, arranging all the other snacks.
—Aw, please, scared? Me? You've only participated in half of the tests. —Hiro, a bit mad at her doubt, stopped what he was doing to look at her.
—Just because every one of your “tests” is a kids' game. We're only a year away from secondary school; we should stop being so childish and grow up already, don't you think, genius?
—There you go again… —Riley rolled her eyes at the fight that would unfold if no one intervened.
—Ok, stop. You two fight all the time. Hiro, just tell us already, we’re here to have fun and make the most out of the day, isn't that right, Karmi? —Leo came to the rescue.
Before going back to the main topic, the brown-haired girl sighed, upset, and crossed her arms while she took a seat on the cloth along with everyone else.
—Well then, today's test will be…
˗ˏˋ❁┈∘◦✦◦∘┈❀ˎˊ˗
—You’re crazy, Hamada! —The four kids shouted, looking down from the top of the bridge at the river streaming beneath them.
—Jump from up here?! —Leo stared at his friend, waiting for all this to be a joke like his brother, Nando, used to do to him.
—From up here to down there. —Hiro, who was already taking off his shoes, laughed with excitement.
—Is it safe? —Riley asked with a mixture of fear and enthusiasm.
—Sure, from this height and with the depth of the river, it's totally fair.
—And from what height does it stop being safe? —Camilo, seated at the inside edge of the bridge, threw a rock as a way to demonstrate what would happen to them.
—It was at…
—50 feet, —Karmi interrupted—. The water becomes as hard as concrete at 50 feet; there's not a chance I’m jumping.
—What a surprise. —Hiro said in a sarcastic tone.
—¡Cállese!Shut up! —Camilo gave him a small push for not taking it seriously—. Karmi is right, you do know how tall up we are, right?
—I do! —He let out a giggle and sat down beside him—. This is a 10-foot fall maximum; besides, when have I ever made you do something dangerous?
Everyone stayed silent and stared at him.
—Do we have to answer? —Leo asked.
—No, better not.
Camilo and Leo kept looking at the river, thinking about their decision; they didn't doubt Hiro was telling the truth, but it didn't sound all that safe.
On the other hand, Riley seemed to have a conflict in her head; biting her nails, she was trying to decide between fun and logic.
Karmi had her mind set, so she was about to return to the picnic.
Hiro, on the other hand, had an idea, getting up and walking slowly.
—Hiro. —The green-eyed boy knew he was planning something just from a quick glance.
—We have to make sure it's safe. —The blonde girl finished his friend’s phrase, getting closer to try to stop him from doing anything stupid.
—That’s what I’m doing. —He replied with a smile, now running straight to the edge—. I’ll tell you if it's safe!
Camilo and Riley tried to pull him by his jacket before he could cross the handrail, but he slipped away.
—Hiro! —The four kids shouted in unison, astonished by the sight of their friend falling.
—Oh god, he’s going to kill himself. —Leo couldn't help himself as he pulled his hair back in a way to soothe himself.
—No! Don't even say it! —Camilo exclaimed.
All the while, Hiro screamed between laughs as he collided with the water; his heart was beating fast, and he felt the air hit his face. For a second, it felt like flying.
He struck the surface with a loud bang that made bubbles come to the surface around him; the cold water suddenly embraced him, shutting off any exterior sound.
In all that silence, his eyes slowly opened, trying to regain a clear sight.
Between the bubbles and the blue water, he managed to see some carp fleeing; one going under his arm. He'd never seen one so up close before. A smile quickly showed on his face; to see the rays of sunlight slip in from the surface and the small wildlife that lived there was almost magic.
But it was broken by the sight and feel of the two people falling close to him, forcing him to come back to the surface to catch some air.
—Hiro! You’re fine! —Camilo shouted gleefully, swimming towards him.
—Milo! You jumped.
Before he could even say or ask anything else, a splash of water went straight to his face, making him cough.
—Are you stupid or what?! —Another splash of water was directed towards Hiro.
—Blegh! Milo, wait! —Hiro could hardly let out between laughs.
Without knowing that right in front of him was Riley, who followed Camilo’s actions.
—How could you jump so suddenly?! —The blonde girl didn't just spray him; she tried to bring him down to the water as revenge for scaring them.
—But I did say! —He could barely take the water off his eyes; Hiro started to return the splashes.
—¡Mentira!Lair! —Camilo laughed along with them because of the water war that had started to take place—. Leo! Jump and help us!
Leo still stared from up there, laughing with relief. He got near the edge and jumped.
—Don’t let him go! —He shouted mid-air before getting in the water, splashing everyone.
Hiro was so focused on Riley, Camilo, and now Leo, that he didn't notice that someone else was about to ambush him underwater.
—I got him! —Karmi cheered, jumping and managing to draw water, making Hiro lose focus.
The four kids didn't hesitate to make the most out of the distraction and made another attack.
—We have to do it again! Last one’s a loser! —Shouted the brown-haired girl with excitement as she rushed to the riverbank so she could get out first.
—We’ll see, Karmi! —Riley replied, who quickly caught up to her.
Leo and Camilo followed, leaving Hiro behind, trying to take his hair out of his face while getting out, almost falling in the process.
—What, Hirito? No se me duerma.Don't fall behind. —Camilo returned to help him.
—Shut up, Milo. —Hiro relied on him to get up and quickly took off—. You heard them! Last one’s a loser!
—¡Tramposo!Cheat! Next time, I'll leave you in the water!
Both kids ran and laughed, punching each other, splashing water, and making jokes. When they joined the group, they received them with the same contagious energy; maybe for that summer, maturing could wait a little more.
˗ˏˋ❁┈∘◦✦◦∘┈❀ˎˊ˗
The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, followed by the sounds of cutlery and ceramic bumping into each other. The last traces of sunlight were slipping through the windows, creating a warm and cozy feeling in the coffee shop.
The customers had increased in the last few hours, so the brown-haired woman with green eyes and a kind smile, with the name “Cass” embroidered into her apron, walked between tables delivering orders with ease.
—Here is your order: 2 small chocolates, an american coffee, water, and an iced tea. Enjoy. —She happily said as she left the drinks on that family’s table.
One of the kids moved a hand towards her with a smile on their face, drawing her attention. She took her small notebook, anticipating that they might order something else. But before she could ask, the sound of the door, followed by the ding of the bell, announced someone’s arrival.
—Good afternoon! —One of the voices said while coming in.
—Excuse me. —Another one followed.
—We’re here, Aunt Cass! —It was her nephew, Hiro, who, along with his friends, was drenched, with leaves on his hair and giggling playfully.
The sight of them made Cass leave the small notebook drop to the floor, astonished.
—Oh, no. Not again… excuse me for a second, I won't take long. —Quickly, she went to meet with the group of kids to stop them from getting anything else dirty—. Hiro, I've told you not to come through here if you're dirty. Why are you all drenched? Are you ok? You're going to get sick.
—I second that, but you know how they are, Miss Cass. —Karmi said while she tried to fix her hair.
—Oh, please, you also jumped into the river.
—Jump into the river?! Why would you do that?! —A visibly upset Cass pulled his nephew’s ear, taking him into the house.
—Ow! Ouch!
All his friends followed, trying not to make too much of a mess. Everyone knew the house far too well; they even greeted Mochi, the small calico cat that was sleeping by the window; they knew they were always welcome there, and that Cass would scold them just the same.
Hiro would have it the worst; he was already sitting with the others in the dining room.
—I just don't understand why you continue being so reckless! When something bad actually happens to you, then what? —Cass said as she brought towels and a first aid kit to treat the scratches on the kids.
—But nothing happened, it was fun.
—I don't doubt that, Hiro, I’m asking if you thought about the consequences or if you only thought about fun. You or the others could have gotten hurt.
Hiro was about to argue when they heard steps come down the stairs.
—All good down here? —Asked a young man who resembled Hiro despite being older.
—Tadashi! —Hiro said excitedly to see his brother, quickly getting up to go to him and greet him.
Cass, on the other hand, rubbed her forehead in an attempt to calm down; she’ll continue their conversation later.
—I have to go back to the cafe, Dashi. Could you help me by ordering them dinner, please?
—Of course, Aunt Cass —Tadashi said while he finished greeting his little brother—. So, what are you in the mood for?
—PIZZA! —Everyone replied in unison.
Cass went down the stairs on her way to the coffee shop while fixing her clothes and hair. In front of the counter, there was already a family waiting, the same family she had attended to earlier.
—I’m sorry for the wait, you know how kids are. —She let out a nervous laugh to the women in front of her—. Would you like anything else?
—No, thank you, just the receipt, please.
A knock on the counter caught Cass’s attention when she gave them their change. It was the same kid as before, who gave back the notebook she dropped, now a “thanks for the food” was written on one of the pages.
—Oh, thank you, little man.
The family withdrew, and just before closing the door, the kid, who wore a red sweater, gave a last goodbye with his hand to Cass, which she returned with a small bow.
˗ˏˋ❁┈∘◦✦◦∘┈❀ˎˊ˗
With the night’s arrival, the time for the group of friends to give their goodbyes came as well.
—Bye, see you tomorrow! —Karmi ran to her parents’ van.
—Till tomorrow! —Leo did the same, getting onto his brother’s bike, who faked a fall, making him let out a small scream.
Each family went to their houses. Tadashi kept the other three kids company, sitting on the sidewalk outside the cafe while they waited for Camilo and Riley’s parents.
—So… last year of primary school, aren’t you excited?
—No. —The three kids said, surprising the oldest.
—Why? Something happened?
—It’s just… it feels different; the teacher kept saying that everything will change. —Riley said.
—It sounds boring. —Hiro said, hiding a bit of the true reasons why he didn't want the summer to come to an end.
And Camilo only looked down; he seemed sad.
—Hey, cheer up, it’s weird seeing you so down when you usually want to eat the world in one day. —Tadashi let out a laugh, trying to lighten the mood, but it didn’t work that well—. You’ll see that everything will be fine, maybe some things will change, but change is necessary.
The kids looked at each other; they knew that what Tadashi said was true, but deep down, they didn’t want any of that to happen.
—There has to be something exciting this new year; not all changes are bad.
—Well… they said there will be a new kid, someone like Hiro. —Camilo said.
—How? He also doesn’t shower? —The blonde girl tried to hold back laughter.
—I do shower!
Tadashi covered his mouth, trying not to laugh at the joke, but when Hiro saw him, he gave him a small hit on his shoulder.
—Ouch! Ok, ok, stop, genius.
—No, not like that, they said that he skipped grades just like him. —Camilo seemed better now—. Who knows, maybe he’s a supergenius like him.
Hiro didn’t seem to dislike the idea, a new friend, a new addition to the group, and that, if luck was on their side, was less annoying than Karmi; it sounded almost exciting.
—Ugh, no, Milo, don’t say that, we can barely stand Hiro. —Riley smiled at Hiro’s reaction, who stuck his tongue out.
The sound of a car’s honk caught everyone’s attention; it was Riley’s parents, so she took her backpack and stood up.
—Hiro, can I leave my bike here?
—Of course, Blondie, we'll pick you up tomorrow?
—Yes, see you tomorrow. —Riley hugged both of her friends and ran towards the car with his parents peaking through the window. —Bye, Milo! Bye, Hiro!
—Bye, MonaMonkey!
—Bye, Ri!
Just when Riley’s parents went on their way, Camilo’s family arrived.
—¡Camilo! ¡Vámonos!Camilo! Let's go! —Felix, Camilo’s dad, called out.
—Well, I have to go.
—Of course, see you tomorrow. —Hiro gave him a cheerful look, but Camilo seemed to want to say something, and he noticed—. What is it?
Camilo looked sad, as if there was something important he needed to say, but for some reason, he only changed his expression to his characteristic smile.
—Nothing, I forgot what I was going to say. Hasta mañana, parce.See you tomorrow, parce. —Camilo bumped fists with the pair of brothers before going with his family, leaving a confused Hiro behind.
—Let’s go to sleep, tomorrow you have to wake up early. —Tadashi stood up, stretching in the process.
—Ugh, I don’t want to. —Hiro lay on his back on the pavement.
The oldest rolled his eyes and carried his brother like a sack of potatoes, taking him inside the house. Hiro just let out grunts and complains about not wanting to sleep yet.
˗ˏˋ❁┈∘◦✦◦∘┈❀ˎˊ˗
The first day of school, exciting for some and a horror for others, the classroom was mostly excited. Some greeted each other, others shared what they did on vacation, and a smaller group only waited patiently for the teacher to arrive, who seemed to be taking longer than usual.
Our favorite group of friends was already together in the back of the classroom; they played together with a “cootie catcher” or “paper fortune teller” with their classmate Meilin Lee, a game that, according to Mei, could guess the future.
It told Riley that she would soon get a unique opportunity, Camilo that a big change was approaching, Karmi that she would succeed in her studies, Leo that an important challenge was coming, and MeiMei that she would meet someone who would change her life.
—You’re the only one left, Hiro. Choose a number. —Mei said as she extended the paper towards him.
—Uh… Six. —He replied without taking his eyes away from his drawing.
—Why do you always choose that number? —Camilo asked while drawing on the opposite side of the paper.
—I don’t know, it’s pretty.
—How can a number be pretty? —Leo asked.
Before Hiro could answer, the classroom’s door opened, making everyone run to their seats.
—Psss! Hiro, what color? —Mei whispered.
—Oh, I don’t know, red! Now, shh. —Hiro replied, arranging his chair and table.
The whole classroom fell silent at the sight of his teacher, Bob Aken, coming in.
Mr. Aken had been their teacher since mid-fifth grade in primary school, and he was known for being harsh and not tolerating any disciplinary issues, which led all the students to feel respect and admiration for him, fueled by his intelligence and a bit of fear of his attitude.
After all, who wouldn’t be afraid of the one who made a sixth grader repeat the year?
—Good morning. —He greeted them in a serious voice, leaving his books on his desk to then write the date on the board.
—Good morning, teacher Aken. —Everyone in the class replied out loud.
—I hope you made the most out of your vacation. Before starting today’s class, there’s an important announcement.
The whole class seemed to be interested in said announcement, creating gossip.
—Silence. As some of you know, my class is one of the few to accept students who excel in their intellect despite their short age; that’s why today we’ll welcome a new student, but I warn you, he’s a… special case.
Hiro’s gaze started to get lost around the classroom; he admired his teacher, but he couldn’t deny that he monologued too much. His eyes fixated on the middle of the hallway outside; there, a red fabric was barely visible; it seemed like someone was wearing a sweater.
A sting in his shoulder took him out of it.
—MeiMie sends it. —Riley whispered while giving him a note, being careful not to be discovered by the teacher.
Hiro took it, puzzled. He carefully unfolded it so it wouldn’t make any noise; in it, he read: “Be careful with your decisions, that’s what you get on the cootie catcher”. Hiro laughed a bit because of his “future”.
—Ok, now welcome your new classmate. —Bob caught everyone’s attention again.
A boy came in, almost the same age as Hiro, with a red jacket, jeans, and brown boots with an “R” on the side. He stood in front of everyone; he seemed nervous, but he still smiled.
—Well? Introduce yourself. —After a moment of silence, the classroom got confused—. Oh, right.
The teacher gave a small tap on his shoulder with the tip of his fingers, and the kid started searching for something in his backpack.
This series of actions seemed to have caught Hiro’s attention, who didn’t look at his drawing anymore, Mei’s note, or the classroom’s hallway. He noticed the way the boy took his notebook out of his backpack, in which he managed to read something; it said "communication notebook”.
—What’s he doing? —Karmi asked, she sat beside Hiro.
—Is he doing an exposition? Did we have a project? —Whispered Leo sitting in front of them.
—Maybe he prepared a surprise for the class. —Mei said, she sat beside Riley.
Camilo and Hiro met eyes from their seats, just as puzzled as everyone else. Soon, any question or gossip fell quiet as soon as the new student showed the first page to the class.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Miguel Rivera, I’m 10 years old, and I come from Santa Cecilia, Mexico.”
—Ah? —Karmi let out in surprise.
Hiro only kept watching intently; he made sure to read it twice, just in case it was a dream or maybe he was going crazy. The page turned, showing a second note.
“I hope we can get to know each other through this notebook and be friends.”
Riley looked at Mei, in an attempt to know if they read the same thing, something that was confirmed when they saw the same surprised faces of all their classmates.
The page turned again.
“Please use this notebook to talk to me.”
Gossip intensified, and for some reason, the teacher didn’t seem to be bothered by it this time. The only one that didn’t talk was Hiro; his eyes appeared to be stuck to that notebook. He was curious, so much so that he was getting impatient with the kid not turning the page.
Until he did. And everyone in the classroom fell silent.
“I can’t hear.”
Everything seemed to slow down even more than usual; the class went from gossiping to having their hands over their mouths, their eyes wide open, and letting out surprised gasps.
—What a weird kid. —Hiro said, not noticing he had said that out loud until he noticed his friend's eyes on him, making him put his hands over his mouth—. I’m sorry!
Miguel turned to look at them; his smile seemed to grow for an instant, but then he looked at his teacher.
—Sit there. Hiro, move your table backwards. —The teacher pointed to the seat in front of Hiro to show Miguel where to sit.
Miguel walked towards his new seat in the classroom. He greeted everyone with a “hi” gesture as he walked, until he was in front of Hiro, to whom he extended his hand.
—Oh… hello. —Hiro replied, giving him his hand, not knowing if he wanted to bump fists, shake hands,s or high-five.
Miguel seemed to notice this, so he bumped his fist awkwardly with him and then took his seat, his sight returned to the front. Leaving Hiro even more confused than before.
That memory was still alive in his mind, even after eight years; that was the day he met the one person who would change his life forever.
Miguel Rivera. He truly hated him.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES:
I hope from the bottom of my heart that you liked the first chapter✨ I've had this AU for 4 years and was so scared I couldn't bring myself to write it, AAAAA. But everything was worth it because you'll truly love how this story will turn out, and I'm sorry if there are any spelling or narrative mistakes anywhere; I'm still practicing to get better with every chapter.❤️
I won't specify which character has which role because I want you to see it for yourselves, as I said before, a lot of things were adapted to the context of this story. What I can tell you is that ages vary from the canon while we explore the past.
Hiro and Miguel are the youngest, at 11 and 10 years old.
Camilo, Ri, Mei, and Leo, along with the whole classroom, are 12 years old.
Karmi is 13 years old, making her the oldest in the group.
The reason why will be explained in the next chapter, muehehehe.
Tadashi and Hiro have a 7-year age gap, so... as of right now, with Hiro being 11 years old, Tadashi is 18.
And for whoever is curious, YES, the kid in the coffee shop IS MIGUELITO.
I want to thank my friends, partners, and community, pollitos de colores, for supporting me in my return to writing fics.
And brace yourselves, because the next chapter is just the beginning of THE HORROR.
FANFIC'S PLAYLIST: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBmUGtwUeHdRkNfgsZ2dfwL5CzluEmWVs&si=Tv5fg5Lbb41_Ep-u
If this option doesn't work, you can visit my YouTube channel (KoiArtOwO) and it'll be available on "playlist." <3
Thank you for reading <3
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TRANSLATOR'S NOTE:
This fic is also available on Wattpad under the same name.
If you want to see this chapter's art, and I encourage you to do so, you can visit the author's social media carrd here: KoiArt
Thank you for reading!