CHAP 9-12

**Chapter 9**

Hiro was running late. Again.

It wasn’t that he *wanted* to be late—his alarm just had a habit of betraying him. Or maybe his bed had a gravitational pull strong enough to keep him trapped. Either way, he was now sprinting toward school, half-panicked, half-resigned to his fate.

That’s when he saw *her*.

Misaki, sitting calmly in her wheelchair, her father pushing her toward the school gate.

Hiro slowed down, debating whether to approach or pretend he didn’t see them. The last time he tried to talk to Misaki outside of school, she gave him the *look*—the one that could freeze a volcano.

But before he could decide, fate (or his own clumsiness) made the choice for him.

His foot caught on an invisible force—probably just the ground—and he went *flying*.

"WAH—!"

With all the grace of a cartoon character, Hiro crashed *spectacularly* onto the pavement, arms flailing, school bag soaring through the air like a shooting star.

Misaki’s dad stopped walking and stared down at him. "...Are you okay, son?"

Hiro gave a thumbs-up from the ground. "Yup. Totally fine. Just testing gravity. Still works."

Misaki exhaled sharply—almost a laugh, but not quite.

After dusting himself off and pretending like that hadn’t just happened, Hiro walked up beside them, *forcing* himself to act natural.

"Good morning, Misaki. Misaki’s dad," he greeted, bowing slightly.

"Call me Koji," Misaki’s dad said, smiling. "You’re Hiro, right? Misaki mentioned you."

Hiro’s brain short-circuited for a second. *She talks about me?*

Misaki, sensing his thoughts, sighed. "Dad, don’t make it sound like I gossip about him."

Koji laughed. "I never said *how* much you mentioned him."

Hiro decided he *really* liked Misaki’s dad.

As they walked toward the school gates, Hiro hesitated before speaking. "Uhm… How is Misaki at school?"

Koji glanced down at his daughter. "I should be asking you that, shouldn’t I?"

Hiro panicked. *Oh no, what do I say?! Should I be honest? Should I say she bullies me with her eyes?*

He forced a smile. "She’s great! Super smart, really cool, totally friendly—uh, kind of."

Misaki gave him a deadpan look. "Kind of?"

Hiro coughed. "I-I mean, definitely! Totally approachable!"

Koji chuckled. "That’s good to hear." His expression softened. "You know, ever since the accident, Misaki’s been… different. She used to be really outgoing. But after everything, she distanced herself, like she didn’t want to be around other kids anymore."

Hiro looked at Misaki. She wasn’t rolling her eyes or making a sarcastic remark. Instead, she just sat quietly, listening.

She was *smiling*.

Not the forced smirks she gave Kyoya when he did something ridiculous. Not the dry, amused looks when Hiro tripped over nothing.

It was a real, soft, *peaceful* smile.

Hiro suddenly felt like he was seeing a side of Misaki that wasn’t meant for school—one that wasn’t guarded or cold.

Koji ruffled his daughter’s hair, making her swat at his hand. "But seeing her make friends again… it’s a relief."

Hiro felt something warm in his chest. *Friends.*

"Don’t get used to it," Misaki muttered. "These two are just annoyances I tolerate."

Hiro grinned. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Misaki gave him a look but didn’t argue.

As they neared the school entrance, Hiro realized something. "Oh no."

Koji raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I just remembered—I left my homework at home."

Misaki sighed. "You *just* realized that?"

Hiro groaned. "I was too busy being *dramatic* about being late!"

Koji patted his back. "Good luck with that, kid."

Misaki shook her head. "Hopeless."

Hiro laughed nervously. "Eh… maybe a little."

And with that, they entered the school together, with Hiro feeling, for the first time, like he wasn’t just trying to be Misaki’s friend—he already *was* one.

END OF CHAPTER 9

**Chapter 10**

Koji had already dropped Misaki off at school and was on his way home. It was still early in the morning, but the streets were filled with students rushing to get to class. He walked at a steady pace, hands in his pockets, enjoying the morning air.

Then, out of nowhere—

*WHAM!*

A blur of a high school student came crashing into him at full speed.

Koji staggered back. The student flailed dramatically before tumbling onto the pavement, his books flying into the air, and—oddly enough—a piece of toast flew out of his mouth and landed perfectly on the sidewalk.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then, lying flat on his back, the student groaned, "*Man, this is NOT how I planned my morning.*"

Koji sighed and offered a hand. "You alright, kid?"

The boy grabbed his hand, pulling himself up. He looked slightly dazed but otherwise unharmed. "Yeah, yeah! Totally fine! Just a small… um… *unexpected gravitational event.*"

Koji raised an eyebrow. *What kind of excuse was that?*

The boy dusted himself off and suddenly gasped. "MY BOOKS!"

In a panic, he started scrambling to pick up the scattered pages, dramatically whispering, "*Stay with me, buddy… don’t die on me now…*" to his notebook, as if it had just been mortally wounded.

Koji bent down to help, picking up one of the books. As he did, he noticed the student’s ID card poking out from one of them.

*Kyoya Sakuragi.*

Koji blinked, looking at the boy again.

"Tall… loud… way too energetic for this early in the morning…" Koji muttered under his breath.

"Uh, sir?" Kyoya tilted his head. "Are you… saying something?"

Koji ignored him and cleared his throat. "Do you… by any chance know someone named Misaki?"

Kyoya immediately perked up. "Misaki?! Yeah! She’s my classmate!"

Koji smirked. "Good. Because I’m her father."

Kyoya’s eyes widened.

His mouth opened.

Then—

"WHAAAAAAAAAT?!"

His reaction was so exaggerated that even a nearby crow squawked in protest before flying away.

Kyoya pointed dramatically at Koji. "You’re *Misaki’s dad*?! No way! Wait, wait, hold on—so you’re *THE* Mr. Koji?!"

Koji gave him a blank look. "Do I… have an imposter or something?"

"No, no, no! It’s just… this is crazy! Misaki talks about you a lot!"

Koji blinked. "She does?"

Kyoya nodded vigorously.

Koji crossed his arms. "And what exactly does she say about me?"

Kyoya opened his mouth—then immediately snapped it shut. He narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second. This feels like a trap."

Koji smirked. "Smart kid."

Kyoya sighed in relief. "Whew. Almost got caught there."

As they started walking together, Kyoya, being Kyoya, started talking non-stop.

"Y’know, sir, Misaki is *really* cool. Like, she acts all cold and serious, but sometimes, when I annoy her just enough, she does this tiny little eye twitch—OH, WAIT, don’t tell her I said that—actually, never mind, she’ll probably find out anyway—"

Koji just listened, amused.

"And then there’s Hiro!" Kyoya continued. "That guy’s a *legend*. He trips at least five times a day. *Five times.* Yesterday, he fell UP the stairs. *Up.* I have no idea how he did that. I think it defies the laws of physics."

Koji chuckled. "Sounds like you all have fun."

"Oh, totally!" Kyoya beamed. "Hiro and I are basically on a mission to make Misaki laugh. It’s a *very* difficult quest, but I swear, we’re making progress!"

Koji nodded seriously. "*A worthy mission.*"

But then Kyoya suddenly gasped.

"WAIT."

Koji raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

Kyoya’s face turned pale. "*I’M LATE.*"

Koji smirked. "You seemed pretty relaxed for someone who’s running late."

Kyoya dramatically clutched his chest. "*Nooooooo! I’m always early! I like talking to everyone before class! This is a disaster!*"

Koji crossed his arms. "So… run?"

Kyoya suddenly snapped back into reality. "RIGHT. Running. Yes. Great idea."

Then, out of nowhere, he did a deep bow. "It was an honor meeting you, sir, but I GOTTA GO!"

And with that, he *sprinted* down the street at full speed.

Koji shook his head, chuckling to himself.

"*Misaki really has some funny friends…*"

And as he continued walking home, he smiled.

It made him happy to know his daughter wasn’t alone.

END OF CHAPTER 10

**Chapter 11**

Misaki sighed as she entered the daycare where her mother, Maria Rose, worked.

"Mom, you do realize I could’ve just waited outside, right?"

Maria Rose grinned. "Nonsense! The kids love you!"

Misaki huffed but didn’t argue.

As soon as she rolled inside, a small group of children spotted her and immediately screamed in excitement.

"Onee-chan!"

Before Misaki could react, she was *swarmed.* Tiny hands grabbed onto her wheelchair, tugging at her sleeves, and a few were already climbing onto her lap.

Maria Rose laughed. "Well, looks like you’re popular."

Misaki sighed dramatically. "I *guess* I have no choice."

The children cheered as Misaki joined them for their activities.

+Drawing Time

The kids sat in a circle, excitedly scribbling on paper. Misaki watched them with mild amusement, but then—

"Onee-chan, can I draw on your wheelchair?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

Another kid, eyes sparkling, gasped. "Can I too?"

Before she could even answer, all of them suddenly grabbed markers and enthusiastically *attacked* her wheelchair.

She stared at the chaotic scene, then shrugged. "Meh. Go ahead."

By the time they finished, her wheelchair was now covered in random doodles—cats, dogs, stars, and what appeared to be a *very* questionable attempt at a human face.

Maria Rose walked over, took one look, and chuckled. "That… is quite the masterpiece."

Misaki smirked. "Maybe I should start charging for custom designs."

+Story Time

The children all sat in a circle, listening as Misaki read a picture book.

As she turned the page, a little boy suddenly gasped loudly. "WAIT, WAIT, I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!"

Misaki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Then go ahead, *enlighten us.*"

The boy stood up dramatically. "So the prince fights the dragon with a SUPER COOL sword and then—BAM!—he wins because he has *friendship power!*"

Misaki smirked. "*Friendship power*, huh? That sounds suspiciously like a certain someone I know…"

Maria Rose, watching from the side, smiled knowingly. "Let me guess. Kyoya?"

Misaki sighed. "Yep."

Suddenly, another child, a shy-looking boy, mumbled, "Actually… the prince should’ve dodged left instead of right. Statistically, he had a better survival chance."

Misaki stared.

The kid pushed up his tiny glasses. "I crunched the numbers."

Maria Rose blinked. "…And *that* must be Hiro."

Misaki groaned. "WHY ARE THEY EVERYWHERE?!"

+ Nap Time

After a lot of running, laughing, and mischief, it was finally nap time.

The children all curled up in their blankets, looking adorable.

Misaki watched them, leaning back in her wheelchair. "Must be nice… being a kid."

One little girl peeked out from her blanket. "Onee-chan, do you have a best friend?"

Misaki hesitated.

Did she?

She thought about Kyoya’s endless chatter. Hiro’s clumsy but sincere efforts. The way they kept coming back, even when she ignored them.

She sighed, a small smile appearing on her lips.

"…Maybe."

The little girl giggled before snuggling back into her blanket.

+Going Home

When nap time was over, the daycare ended. One by one, parents arrived to pick up their children.

"Bye-bye, Onee-chan!"

"Come back again!"

Misaki waved, feeling a strange warmth in her chest.

As she and Maria Rose headed home, her mother smiled at her.

"You like kids, don’t you?"

Misaki nodded. "Unlike adults… kids don’t judge. They don’t leave just because something changes."

Maria Rose was silent for a moment before placing a gentle hand on Misaki’s shoulder.

"Not all adults leave, you know."

Misaki didn’t answer.

But as they continued walking, she couldn’t help but think about two particular idiots who never seemed to leave her alone.

**END OF CHAPTER 11**

**Chapter 12**

Misaki had always believed that friendships were unnecessary. They were fleeting, unreliable, and ultimately just a waste of time. She never asked for Kyoya’s endless chatter or Hiro’s awkward but persistent attempts to include her. And yet, here she was—trapped between the two of them once again.

The day started normally enough. Misaki arrived at school, fully prepared to ignore Kyoya’s usual morning nonsense, only to find both him *and* Hiro waiting at the school gate.

Kyoya grinned as soon as he saw her. "Ohhh! Finally! Our dear Misaki-sama has graced us with her presence!"

Misaki sighed. "And my day is already ruined."

Hiro, standing beside Kyoya, awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Uh, good morning, Misaki."

"Morning," she replied flatly, rolling past them.

But Kyoya, being Kyoya, immediately started walking beside her. "So! We were just talking about the most *important* topic in the world."

Misaki raised an eyebrow. "World peace?"

Kyoya waved a hand. "Pfft. No. *Food.*"

Hiro nodded. "We were debating which is better—ramen or curry."

Misaki snorted. "What a useless argument."

Kyoya gasped dramatically. "Useless?! Food is *life*, Misaki! You can’t just dismiss it like that!"

"Yeah," Hiro added, adjusting his glasses. "If you had to choose, what would you pick?"

Misaki gave them both a deadpan look. "Adobo."

Both boys paused.

Hiro blinked. "…That wasn’t one of the options."

"Exactly," Misaki smirked.

Kyoya threw his hands in the air. "Unbelievable! She just *ignored* our choices and picked her own!"

Misaki shrugged. "That’s what you get for dragging me into stupid conversations."

Hiro sighed. "She does have a point."

"Don’t take her side, Hiro!"

They continued their usual back-and-forth all the way to class, where Kyoya, as usual, annoyed Misaki with his constant chatter while Hiro occasionally contributed with his calm, awkward interjections.

But something was different.

Maybe it was the way she no longer felt exhausted by their presence.

Or maybe it was the fact that—*for once*—she actually found their stupidity a little fun.

***

At lunch, the three of them ended up sitting together, much to Misaki’s initial annoyance.

Kyoya rested his chin on his palm, staring at her.

Misaki narrowed her eyes. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He grinned. "I’m trying to figure out what kind of tsundere you are."

She scowled. "I’m *not* a tsundere."

Hiro, who was mid-bite into his sandwich, mumbled, "She *is* a little bit of a tsundere."

Misaki shot him a glare. "U too ,Hiro?"

He choked on his food. "S-Sorry!"

Kyoya patted Hiro’s back while laughing. "It’s okay, Hiro. We accept Misaki for who she is. A *grumpy* but *lovable* little hedgehog."

Misaki groaned. "Why am I friends with you two again?"

Hiro blinked. "Wait… *friends*?"

Kyoya gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "Misaki! Did you just—did you *just* admit we’re your *friends*?!"

Misaki immediately froze.

Hiro’s eyes widened. "Did we hear that right?"

Kyoya turned to the people sitting nearby. "Did *everyone* hear that right?"

"KYOOYAAAA!" Misaki lunged at him, trying to cover his mouth, but he easily dodged, laughing hysterically.

"OH NO! I MUST CHERISH THIS MOMENT FOREVER!" he declared, pretending to wipe a tear away. "My dear, grumpy friend has *finally* acknowledged us!"

Misaki grabbed a spoon and threatened him. "If you *ever* bring this up again, I *will* throw this at you."

Kyoya gasped. "Hiro, protect me!"

Hiro held up his hands. "Sorry, but you *did* kinda bring that on yourself."

Kyoya looked betrayed. " Hiro?!"

Misaki smirked. "Nice use of my line."

Kyoya sniffled dramatically. "They grow up so fast."

Misaki groaned and tossed her spoon at him anyway. It hit him square in the forehead.

"Ow!"

"You deserved that."

Hiro chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I think this confirms it."

Kyoya tilted his head. "Confirms what?"

Hiro smiled. "We’re definitely friends."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Kyoya grinned. "Well, duh."

Misaki sighed but didn’t deny it.

**END OF CHAPTER 12**

Chapter end