Log inWalking out of a train station was a fairly normal thing for a person to do in Japan. Everyone did it at least once in their life, more often many times. One would say the young man walking out into the open air was going nowhere special. Takehiko would very much disagree with that, walking with his mom to a car that was waiting for them. Kazehime looked at it in surprise, having not expected this to happen.
Sure, going to Lydian Private Music Academy was cool. But it was also explicitly a girl’s school and had no provisions or plans to go co-ed in the future, which had been stated quite heavily by the faculty and sponsors a few times in public news conferences. So how they expected to handle Takehiko entering it next year, with all his Takehikoness (Itsuka’s word, which she thought was quite spot on but he didn’t quite understand.) was going to be the questions answered today. Not just by Genjuro Kazanari, but by Tsukasa Kadoya, according to the call last night. It was going to be an interesting meeting, that was for sure.
Even on a Sunday, the two Tamashiros saw that there were still girls moving around. The staff were also female, for the most part. Takehiko wondered if looking good was also a thing that needed to be on your resume, because even the two janitors he passed by were a bit above average in the looks department. It was kinda silly if he was being honest. As it was, he and his mom walked over to the principal’s office and found their two benefactors standing outside the door. Tsukasa gave a lazy wave, while Genjuro nodded in greeting to the pair. Was it just Takehiko, or did the tanned man get a bit bigger?! The muscles seemed a tad more built on now. It had only been a couple weeks, this man must be real dedicated to his gains. “Welcome, Takehiko-kun, Tamashiro-san. Thank you for coming on a day off.”
“We’re here to talk after you’re done with the principal. She’s going to handle the normal things. You’ll understand once we get started.” Tsukasa nodded to the door opposite where he was leaning on a wall.
Takehiko and Kazehime walked into the office, where the principal talked about the unprecedented situation along with how it was only the good word of Genjuro Kazanari that got him into the school. “If you can increase your grades before coming to our school, you’d have a better case, Tamashiro-kun. Do you have a female friend planning to come here?”
He nodded. “Several. Only one has not really understood that ‘Music Academy’ means that she needs to have some kind of instrumentality or singing ability. If it helps, my father was an accomplished violinist and he, through his notes and mom’s help, taught me enough through elementary school that I can play covers of some Zwei Wing songs, IKEMENS, and some actual violin songs.” The principal did look pleased to hear that, and nodded back. “If you want, I can demonstrate that all?”
She shook her head now. “No, that isn’t necessary. You’ll be tested on that in the early days, along with everyone else. Which reminds me… we don’t have a male uniform. However, Kazanari-sh–san, has said that he’d handle that aspect with you in a separate meeting.” Kazanari-sh-what? That was an interesting break there. “There are a few things I need to talk with you about regarding how Lydian takes its tuition and such, Tamashiro-san. Would Tamashiro-kun be willing to follow along with that, or…?”
Kazehime thought on that for a moment before smiling at her son. “Why don’t you go talk with those two, Takehiko-kun? I can handle all this on my own. You won’t have to worry about it for a few years yet.”
Get out of talking tax numbers or whatever? That sounded fine by him! “Sure thing, mom! I’ll see you later. Thank you for this opportunity, Principal. I’ll see you again later.” With a short bow, he turned to walk out at what he thought was a perfectly acceptable speed, even if his mom did giggle a bit behind his back. Looking at the two men who were waiting outside as the door slid closed behind him, Takehiko cocked an eyebrow as he took a step away from it. “So… what’s this super-secret thing you don’t want my mom to hear?”
Tsukasa grinned at him, while Genjuro just gave a short chuckle before waving a hand for Takehiko to follow as they turned to start walking. It was a short walk, silent though as they passed by a couple teachers talking to each other about what the next semester would bring. The two women glanced at Takehiko before lowering their voices, likely talking about him right there as he turned a corner with the two men who were just as out of place as him.
“Kadoya-kun was only recently read into the situation, but this does fall within his purview as leader of the Rider Base. More specifically, his abilities as Kamen Rider Decade and how they interact with his Quirk.” Genjuro walked up to a blank stretch of wall, bringing out a card which he touched on a spot… which was a scanner of some sort, going by the visible blue tinge that just came into view behind his giant extremity. “We usually don’t include men in this beyond an administrative capacity like myself, since there are a lot of ways we just aren’t compatible with the mission parameters. Some Kamen Riders have shown themselves to be very effective, though.”
“Effective at what?” Takehiko stepped into the elevator that opened up, glancing at the sides. He took hold of one of the bars that pushed out from the wall, wondering what this would mean.
“At fighting back the Noise.” Tsukasa nodded grimly, the only downturn in expression he’d taken so far. And then he grinned again as the elevator went down… very quickly… nearly making Takehiko’s feet leave the floor! The designs on the walls the elevator passed were eye-catching, but unless he stopped time and dealt with the momentum, the young man figured he wouldn’t be watching them in anything resembling real time soon at all. As they reached an arbitrary point, Tsukasa resumed talking. “The Aurora Curtains are made by my Quirk, Dimension Hopper. It took a long time for me to be able to get them able to appear for other people, but focusing my Quirk’s energy into my limbs and armor while fighting the Noise? That came far more easily.”
Genjuro nodded as he stood perfectly fine. “I meanwhile, am Quirkless. Even if I were to try and join the front lines, I am near useless against the Noise.” …near useless? “However, I became part of a group that oversees research in anti-Noise capabilities and we believe your Quirk, Tamashiro-kun, is going to be quite effective against the Noise. Likely on the level of Kadoya-kun’s, though closer to back-up for our front line force.” As the elevator slowed down, Takehiko looked at Genjuro with wide amber eyes. The older man's yellow irises were serious. "You'll learn what that is later. For now, the main reason you're here is so we can start a plan for getting you into proper shape for fighting the Noise."
The door opened up on an expansive hallway. "And the best way to do that, is with the help of a GENIUS!"
Takehiko spun to the open door and felt his eyes go wider. "Kiryu Sento?!"
"Indeed. There are some things you'll have to keep secret as we go along, Tamashiro-kun. Your mother is being told the truth, but there are things she has to sign up top. Lydian is a front for Special Disaster Response Team Section 2, but that just means we have to make sure every stroke is correct more than the average organization." Genjuro nodded in greeting to Sento as he and Tsukasa exited the elevator, Takehiko behind them. Huh. The scientist Rider was the shortest in the group, but it wasn’t the biggest discrepancy between him and the youngest member. “Is the new Driver ready?”
Attara–noooo. They wouldn’t… he wasn’t gonna be…! Takehiko brought a hand up to fan himself as that thought circulated through his brain. “It is, though I haven’t been able to get the right shape for his item yet. I have a few possibilities, but they’ll need to be approved by our newbie here.”
Tsukasa looked over his shoulder, and grinned. “Welcome to the fold, New Kamen Rider. We can come up with a proper name for you later.”
…HE WAS GONNA BE A KAMEN RIDER!! Takehiko pumped his fists, not caring that he had two of his senpai and likely his new boss there in front of him. By the three laughs that came up, they likely didn’t take his enthusiasm that badly. As they walked, it became apparent to him that this was likely where the male staff from Lydian were all funneled, so to speak. Or the two areas had different entrances with the connecting elevators. At the moment, though, he focused more on following the men to where he’d get his own Driver. “What’s it called?”
Sento looked at him with a smile. “Your Driver? So far, I’ve run through a few different names. Tell me which of these you like.” He started to rattle off a few different words, some in English, a few in French, some were mangled Japanese which made some sense after a short explanation but there were others that just didn’t have the best reason for why they were changed. After one in particular, Takehiko asked that he repeat that name. “Hm? Ziku? Why’s that one catch your ear?”
He tried to give a reason for it, but the only thing that really entered his mind? “It just feels right. I have Time Manipulation for my Quirk and that word means Spacetime, doesn’t it?” Takehiko smiled. “It just seems like the best fit to me.”
Thinking that over, Sento just shrugged. “Very well. I can alter its programming a bit to have it announce that easily enough.” Tsukasa groaned at that and the scientist just laughed. “Yes, it announces what it is, Tsukasa! I like that sort of thing, and you can’t stop me!”
“I’m the one who signs your paychecks, so I very well should. But that would just be too much hassle.” The brunet let out a sigh as he rubbed his head. “Well, at least it’ll only shout out what kind of belt it is, eh?”
Sento gave an evil chuckle, rubbing his hands together before he turned down a hallway. “Come! The lab where I’m housing the new, the Ziku Driver, is down here!”
“Sento, that isn’t very encouraging sounding!”
Genjuro laughed a bit as Tsukasa ran in after his comrade. “Come, Tamashiro-kun, let us go on in. I look forward to your thoughts on this.”
Takehiko walked in after, finding that the lab was quite the hazardous place to be. It wasn’t a place to be when alone, he thought. Oh sure, the floors were clear, but he was pretty sure this was more because there were dedicated custodial staff rather than Sento’s own cleanliness habits. Especially as the man had to move around a few items that would probably be very dangerous to someone so new to all this like him. Takehiko looked at one of the few items left behind by Sento’s sweeping, and wondered about it. The design made him think of a pocket watch, or maybe something a coach would click. But it was way too bulky for that, and it lacked any real identifying features. “Is this what you came up with, to let me transform?”
Turning from where he was starting to give a lecture on the properties on the Driver, Sento blinked. “Ah, one of the prototypes. Mm, I tried tapping into tachyonic fields with all of them but nothing quite fit. We’ll probably need to start from scratch.”
Takehiko… felt otherwise. He focused his gaze and his Quirk on the item in his hand. It glitched out for a moment, the three adult men looking at what was going on with varying levels of curiosity. After what felt like a terribly long time, Takehiko watched as the fizzling stopped… and it wasn’t blank anymore. Moving the new face around to make what looked like a helmet, and obscuring the date and symbol that had been shown, he hit the button up top. “ZI-O!”
…
Leaving the underground world and the two mad scientists that kept the labs crazy, Takehiko stretched out his limbs as he felt like things were going to get real weird from here on. And he hadn’t even met this frontline in the fight against the Noise! He stepped around the person coming out of the elevator, feeling some blue hair brush over his shoulder. Pausing with one foot in the door, he turned back to see if he’d seen that right.
Sure enough, sharp blue eyes were turned on him. “And who’re you?”
“...Takehiko Tamashiro. Commander Kazanari and Kadoya-san finished giving me a tour of the lab a bit ago. I’m on my way up to head home with my mom.” He took his foot out of the elevator, and bowed to the idol. “I never got the chance before… Thank you for saving us during that concert, Kazanari-san.”
Tsubasa jolted at that. “Wha--what concert?”
“...Zwei Wing’s last.” Coming up from his waist-deep bow, Takehiko gave her a sad smile. “Even with the events that happened, I was glad to see Amou-san’s life burning bright.”
This was apparently not what Tsubasa Kazanari expected to hear or see from one of the survivors of her last major concert. “...you were, there?”
“Mm. That sword of yours was magnificent to see in action.”
Tsubasa clasped a fist tightly. “You shouldn’t… praise such a weak showing. I wasn’t…”
Takehiko shook his head. “If not for you, I wouldn’t be here today. Or my friend. Hibiki has become quite the fan of yours, especially since you helped save her. …though uh, she is a bit silly.” He chuckled a bit. “Thankfully, our other friend is a great minder. So if you meet a girl with orange eyes and she’s with a girl that has a bow in her hair? Just, give her a chance.”
Frowning a bit in thought, Tsubasa nodded before turning away. “Have a good day, Tamashiro-san.”
“Have a good day, Kazanari-senpai!” That pulled her up short, though by the time Tsubasa looked back, the elevator doors were closing. Takehiko held onto the bar for dear life, wondering just what sort of G’s he was going through right not as the ride wasn’t that long, just a minute or so. “...man, that was rough… oh, hey mom.”
Kazehime blinked as she turned to see her son come out of a random corner of the building she could’ve sworn had no doors before. “There you are! Come on, I’m done with the paperwork. We need to get you fitted for the uniform now.”
Groaning a bit at that, Takehiko went along. Most of the Lydian students needed some manner of tailoring if their Quirks changed their bodies up… but as the only one who’d be wearing pants as his only option? He was probably going to see a lot more of the tailor here than he would normally.
Back down in the labs, Tsubasa was running down a hallway. She perked up a little at seeing a familiar broad back and the red mane that hung over it. “Ah, Commander! There you are.” Genjuro turned to look at her, and with some fond exasperation as usual, held out an arm so that they could hug. Not that she would take him up on that offer, she hadn’t ever since… “Mm, hello, sir. Who’re you?”
Tsukasa grinned at her. “Just a passing through Kamen Rider. Well, that’s how I usually introduce myself… but I think we have a few more meetings coming up, Kazanari-chan. Your uncle brought me down here since we’ve got a new Rider to train up. He’s going to join in fighting the Noise, and the easiest way to keep him close at hand to Sakurai-san is to put him in Lydian.”
“...but, Lydian is a girl’s school.”
That brought a nod. “Indeed. And that isn’t changing. Kadoya-kun and I already have a plan for getting Tamashiro-kun in without causing too big a commotion. However, we also believe he is not yet mature or ready enough to face the public as a new Kamen Rider. If he were, things would be quite different and immensely easier on us.” Genjuro gave his niece a little grin. “As things stand, I haven’t asked this of Tamashiro-kun yet. What would you think of having an assistant, Tsubasa?
She blinked rapidly, while Tsukasa held back a laugh. “...eh?”
…
Walking down a street, Takehiko hummed to himself. There wasn’t a lot he could do today, he’d used up his allowance going to a couple stores over the weekend, and Hibiki and Miku were at the former track runner’s house today. He didn’t know what Izuki did on the weekends but from what he knew she was probably on the internet. Meanwhile, his time out in the city would be spent just finding something to do. Well, while his weekends weren’t filled with the ways Genjuro and Tsukasa and Sento planned to put him through his paces…
His arm was wrapped up by someone, and the familiar sensation of boob squished into him. “There you are! I thought you were stuck at home today?”
Takehiko let out a chuckle, smiling down at the girl who was giving him a slightly wild face. “Had to get out for a bit. You wanna come by since ya found me? I was thinkin’ of hitting up that one spot with the great okonomiyaki.”
“Oi, you!” Well that was rude. He looked up to the pair of musclebound morons roughly making their way through the crowd that filled the area. “Get yer mitts off her. She’s comin’ with me.”
“Sounds like a rough time, so I say back off.” Takehiko gave them a dull look, which wasn’t too intimidating from his scrawny ass even if the amber eyes had a slightly glinty look in this light. “Or… I say bye!” He grinned as he brought his other hand up, taking a surer hold of the new greenette’s shoulder as he activated his Quirk. “I stopped time, so let’s make some space. Name’s Takehiko Tamashiro, the pleasure’s mine.”
She was looking around in a bit of awe as they went, having not expected anything like this. “Uh… Setsuna Tokage. My Quirk is nowhere near this kinda power! And, thanks.” She leaned a bit more heavily into his arm, breathing out in relief as the limb slipped into the middle of her chest. “They were being real pushy. Don’t even know who they were, but it was only my Quirk that let me really get free.” She glanced over her shoulder for a moment before Setsuna grumbled. “How long will it take for that to fall out or grow back in, anyway?”
“Fall out?”
“Mm. Some of my hair, but the bits under what he grabbed didn’t disconnect from the rest of me. Or they’re all tangled up, which isn’t that impossible.” Setsuna gave a little giggle at that thought before looking up at Takehiko. She squeezed his arm a bit. “You didn’t really react the way I thought a guy would.”
“Cute girl comes up, obviously in distress? Why wouldn’t I help her?” Takehiko looked down to her. “Though, I’m going to guess I wasn’t your first choice.”
“Second. The first guy I marked to try was holding hands with a girl so I had to find someone else. Thankfully, you worked out!” She gave his arm a rub. “And apparently work out?”
“Nah, that’s just the jacket. Haven’t started on my routine just yet. That’s next week. Where’re you going for high school?”
“I’m hitting up Shiketsu. Woulda been U.A., but they switched to being a college.” She huffed a bit, glaring up at the chuckling young man. “What? Don’t think I can make it?”
He shook his head. “No, I think you can be a great hero with your Quirk and personality. But you’re also the third person I know whose plans have been derailed by U.A. changing how they operate. Can’t help but find that funny, y’know?”
Setsuna let out a little ‘hmph!’ at him before turning her head away. Though she hadn’t let go yet, which was still a bit interesting to him. Just what was her reason to stay on him when the pursuers had left already? “Well, you can just enjoy your own normal high school while I go to a fine Pro Hero learning institute.” He questioned what she meant by that. “Well, if you’re only just next week starting up some kind of training regiment, you must not plan to be in combat a lot, otherwise you’d probably already have started. Like me!”
That brought a nod from Takehiko. “That’s fair. Though I am waiting on my trainers to get the plan and some tools ready. It’s only recently that I stumbled into this all. Hm, you planned to go to U.A. as a high school, but now you’re going to Shiketsu… your place must be near equidistant to them, huh?”
She gave a hum. “You could say that. I don’t like talking about my family though. They’re kinda not fun, y’know?” Takehiko didn’t, but there was no harm in nodding again. “So where do you go to school?”
“I’m attending Korosanto Middle right now. There’s nothing too special… You’ve heard about it, huh.” He recognized that spark of pity. Setsuna rubbed her head, glancing away. “Well, what do you think you know?”
She looked up at him curiously before answering. “There’s a girl who was apparently bullied so badly that people decided burning down her home was a good idea. Which is one of the worst things I’ve ever heard, because it just… it makes no sense!” Setsuna scowled, showing off her sharp teeth. “That girl was a survivor of a Noise attack. Just because she’s young and lucky enough to not get trampled or carbonized, people think she’s somehow the cause of it? Or just some kinda scapegoat? Bullshit, I tell you.”
Takehiko was glad to meet someone else who thought like this, especially after that piece of shit Akira left not too long ago. If he ever saw that guy’s smug mug again… “It is bullshit. We didn’t ask for anything like that after the Zwei Wing concert, but just because of it…”
The death announcement of Hibiki Tachibana was not something he’d really given much show of caring for while around the girl herself, or their other friends. But during one of those tests Sento had Takehiko run through, he’d worked out some frustration because it had nearly brought you to tears to see that someone believed such measures were warranted just to protect the elder Tachibanas. Which it apparently was and it pissed him off something fierce.
With time resumed after he spent a couple minutes just yelling out into the void in frustration, Takehiko looked to see what Setsuna had to say in response to his little bomb. The greenette was thinking for a moment before her eyes widened. "Wait, you were there too?! Wow. What, uh, was it like? Watching them sing?"
That was a question he wasn't averse to answering. "It was pretty damn cool. They were amazing singers, and I'm glad to see Tsubasa has continued to sing but her lack of statement regarding concerts is a bit concerning." Takehiko scratched his cheek in thought. "And then there was Kanade… she was a bright burning star, I think that can speak for itself."
Even if it had been the only time he'd see her on stage live, it was more the way Kanade had protected them with her life that resonated with him. What was that song? She'd been going all out with the lyrics he could hear distantly, he knew that, but Takehiko also wanted to know… In that language he didn't know, what did she say?
Setsuna's voice broke him from his thoughts. "Mm. I wish I'd been able to see her in concert. But at least the CDs are still around." He chuckled a bit at that. "What? You enjoy taking those digital downloads more?"
Shaking his head, Takehiko smiled. "My friend has started collecting Zwei Wing and Tsubasa merchandise. Mostly the CDs, though she's looking forward to when she's got the chance to buy a special edition. Who knows when she'll have the time to do it, considering it usually starts during school hours." …Wait. Hibiki was legally dead, apparently. So maybe… nah, he didn't know when another album was scheduled to drop yet. And given he'd seen Tsubasa herself heading into Section 2, would there be another? She hadn't made any announcements about her retirement being soon or anything… "Gonna have to wait and see, I guess."
That brought a groan from the girl with sharp teeth. "Don't I know it. The next release isn't gonna be announced for another month, and that's all I know!" She continued walking for a couple seconds before turning to look at Takehiko. "You coming or what?"
"...how do you know when the announcement date is?"
Thinking over what she'd just said, Setsuna slowly paled. "Uh. Yo-you can't tell anyone I said that! It isn’t supposed to be something people know I know…”
Takehiko gave a little laugh at her panic before waving a hand. “You’re alright. I can keep that on the downlow.” She gave a relieved sigh at that. “So, what are you going to be up to this week?”
As the pair of students made their way down the street under the setting sun, it was fun for them to talk about the different plans they had. Politics were in their futures but in different ways. Setsuna believed she could avoid it by becoming a Pro Hero and just being too embroiled in saving people to actually go and take part in all that nonsense. Takehiko wanted to take office as Prime Minister one day an–“Wow, you don’t hold back, do you?”
He grinned. “No way. I’m going to become Prime Minister… and then King.” Takehiko held a finger up. “Not Emperor, I know that slot is already filled. Not Shogun, because we don’t need those anymore and the world is not at all dangerous enough for it. Just Prime Minister and rename it King because that would suit my taste a bit more. It’d revert to Prime Minister when I’m leaving office, since I have no want to be followed by any other false royalty.”
Setsuna just gave an amused head shake, her hair waving about in the light breeze. “You’re silly. Well, good luck to you for it. I doubt I’d be able to manage that, or a life adjacent to it.” His confused sound had her hold up a hand, and tap her ring finger. “Y’know, marriage. I don’t want to go through that nonsense, y’know?”
“Nope, cause I’d be right in the middle of that nonsense.” Takehiko grinned a bit at her before pulling Setsuna into his side and stepping to his left, getting her out of the way of someone rushing by from behind them. “Well that was a bit rude. Why just keep going so quick when the sidewalk is so filled up?” He looked down to Setsuna. Now why was she embarrassed? This was about the same as when she hugged his arm earlier. Ah, maybe that was the difference. She’d chosen to do that, and this was just sprung on her. “You getting hungry? I could probably eat.”
Grumbling a bit before pushing herself free from his hold, Setsuna shook her head. “I don’t want to have too much in one day. I already had lunch before I saw you and my parents like it when we have dinner together. Thanks, though!”
The pair separated after sharing contact information, though Takehiko did keep an eye on Setsuna’s butt as she left. Man, there were so many good looking women going into heroics… maybe he should aim for U.A.U. after Lydian? That would probably work out well. Though he did have a few other ideas, curious how well Todai would go once he was done being a Kamen Rider. Though hopefully his life wouldn’t be too filled with danger as he went through school with Section 2 helping him along the way.
He wondered what that Tsukuyomi was doing right now? The future that was seen was about eight years in the future now, wasn’t it? That would be a tough situation to deal with.
…
Genjuro hummed as he put down his pencil. “Well, this is quite the plan, young man. Tell me, why would this be the way you think it should be done?”
Waving a hand at himself, the man sitting opposite the tanned man gave a little smile. “Because it brought me about. There are a few things going further that I kept to myself, since I’d rather you not know everything and despite how things played out, the end results were fairly pleasant.” He pat the belt that sat on the desk. “If nothing else, this particular item I think you should keep in reserve. This is the second Ziku Driver I ever wore, and having it constructed took far too long. When the shit hits the fan, you will want the power of Kamen Rider Zi-O, not just what he’ll be able to do with the Ridewatches on his own. My own.” Takehiko laughed a little to himself, stroking his slight goatee. “Time travel is weird. And I’ll be going back to my own timeline in a bit.” He stood up from the chair, now able to look Genjuro in the eye as the Commander of Section 2 rose as well. “I doubt anything will have changed in it, but I may occasionally take a look back here now that I know what this one feels like. Have a good day, Genjuro.
“…oh, also. Stay away from the spicy sausages. Heartburn is a hell of a way to go.”
The tanned man glanced at the mini fridge in his office as his guest disappeared with a louder tick of the clock than the one just above said coldbox. "Hm. That's a shame."
Reaching under his desk, he hit a button which caused a little box to open up on top. Genjuro read through the papers which outlined a training program for Takehiko, based on how he'd started at college and given a slight readjustment because 'I can carry a person just fine, but just under specific circumstances.' What those were, the man hadn't felt like sharing with words. Just curled his arms slightly as he spoke, as if to princess carry someone.
As he finished reading a page and deemed it was unnecessary, Genjuro placed the paper in the box and the smell of burned contents filled his office for a bit. He probably used this little addition a bit too freely, but it wasn't his fault he and his predecessor and his brother all believed some things shouldn't be reconstructed after being seen by any measure. Burning the material it was on tended to be the most assured method available.
…Genjuro did tear one page in a specific manner, keeping the slight bit of info that had been let slip as he tossed the rest of it into the laser's detection zone. "How does he know Chris-kun? I haven't seen her since she disappeared en route back to Japan."
Rubbing his chin, the red-maned man thought over the mystery presented to him by his newest project's future self. "And what is Ichaival?"
…
Takehiko walked up to the house, reading through a letter while the rest of the mail was kept under his arm. This was a good thing to learn about, he learns as he moves to open the door. Or would have, as if he didn’t run into the door head first. Shaking his head some, the young man rubbed his temple before unlocking the door. On the other side was a concerned looking Hibiki. “Are you okay, Takehiko?”
He nodded as he took off his shoes. “Yeah. I’m good.” He set down most of the mail on the table, since it was junk or for his mom. “Mom! Your sister wants to come over for summer. It was a letter this time.” That got the orange-eyed girl to look at him curiously. “Well, my aunt has some odd ways to tell us her plans, usually. Last time it was this weird singing card, didn’t even have a hologram. Just, a little singing speaker set to play the same thing when it was opened.” Ah, that was a good time. How was Ne-chan these days? “We haven't seen them in a while. If I remember right… my cousin is set to enter her third year at U.A.U. She'll probably be telling us all about her time working at Ryukyu's agency.”
Junichiro gave a short chuckle at that. “Now that's a bit silly. Nejire-chan isn't old enough to be in college yet, Takehiko-kun!”
He nodded. “Sure, if she applied now. But she was there when it started the transition into a college, Uncle. She and the other students there at the time have gotten some different education than most, since they're staying for a bit longer than four years like your average college.” Takehiko tilted his head in thought. “I wonder what the standard for a Pro Hero college is gonna be? U.A. hasn't disclosed that, I don't think.”
Hibiki shrugged. “Dunno. Heck, I don't even know what I'm doing after Lydian yet… D-do you think they'll still want me?”
Before the girl could work herself up into a frenzy, Takehiko booped her nose. Making a silly noise in surprise, she brought her hands up to guard the touched skin. He gave her a light grin. “I'm sure they do. It won't be hard at all to tell them what's happened, if you want.”
Grumbling a bit at his logic bringing her back to normal, Hibiki let out a little sigh. After a moment, Junichiro asked how her visit to the Kohinatas went. Takehiko got to see a glimpse of the pure sunshine streaming out from her at the mere mention of Miku.
If these two weren’t in love somehow, he’d eat his shoes.
