Moving up in the world
The classroom buzzed with the usual chatter and restless energy of students, their voices creating a cacophony that filled the air. Everyone was talking about their summer experiences as the morning sun filtered through the windows, casting soft rays of light across the room.
Some students sat huddled together, engrossed in whispered discussions and shared laughter. Others preferred solitude, taking it easy on their first day of class after summer vacation.
Neatly arranged rows of desks stood in military precision, each one adorned with a well-worn wooden surface, bearing the marks of countless lessons and scribbled notes. Posters adorned the walls, some displaying colorful diagrams and motivational quotes, some from famous heroes and Shiketsu alumni, encouraging the students to strive for greatness.
Souyuuro Imai sat quietly at his desk, his gaze often drifting away fromone part of the classroom to another, eventually settling on Ashleigh Katsuragi. Imai's mind started to focus on the little details about her. Her fingers traced gentle patterns on the edge of her textbook, her eyes occasionally lifting to peek at her surroundings before quickly retreating back to her studies as she tried to get back into the rhythm of the school.
But his appreciation of Ashleigh's charms was interrupted when he saw a tall figure approaching the girl's desk. This was weird. Sandatsu and Ashleigh had never interacted much. After a brief chat the boy left her alone, walking to the back of the class to hang out with his friends. By the looks of Ashleigh's face, Imai could see that she was confused by the interaction.
Ashleigh and Imai found refuge in a quiet corner of the school courtyard. The sun hung high in the sky, casting its warm embrace over the scene.
Imai's mind was a whirlwind of concern. He couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something was awry. His gaze softened as he turned his attention to Ashleigh, who was sitting near him, under the shade of a tree.
They had briefly discussed the situation. Sandatsu apologized to Ashleigh for intruding the other night, when he dropped off a sleeping Mio. Ashleigh had no memories of these events, and of course the main suspect was Mio herself.
While Imai was thinking about what to do, Ashleigh looked for something in her phone, and when she found it her eyes widened in surprise. It was a text, from Sandatsu, from that night.
ReapRIPI have your sister. Open the door
"Talk about a lack of tact" said Imai after being shown the text.
Imai's brows furrowed as he considered the situation.
"The question is, why did she erase your memories of Sandatsu's visit but not his?" said the boy.
"Maybe she hasn't gotten around to doing it yet?"
"No. I don't think that's it. This feels different than last time, when she was trying to tear us apart".
The words 'Tear us apart' made both of them blush a little.
"M-maybe we can just ask Sandatsu about it?" said Ashleigh, trying to get back on topic "You know, get his perspective on the situation, since it looks like he has his memories intact."
"There's no way to tell if she altered his memories instead of erasing them though..."
"Right..." said the girl. Planning how to deal with Mio was stressing.
"But in that case he'd be a victim too" continued Imai "and I don't think I can just leave him like that."
Ashleigh looked at Imai, who was quite concentrated, thinking about how to proceed.
"Still" Imai spoke up "I don't really know how to approach him."
"Hm? Didn't you hang out with him at some point?"
"Yeah but there were others, and he seems like a completely different person now. Plus, there's a chance that Mio messed with his memories in a way that makes him reluctant to side with us."
Imai considered asking Chris for help again. Getting him to copy Mio's quirk and check the memories of those involved. But he decided not to. There was something off about this situation compared to last time he went against Mio, and his main worry was having that manipulative senpai back on her bullshit again.
"For now lets just look for him."
Their endeavor to look for their classmate quickly shifted into more of a stalking mission. When they spotted him from a distance, neither Imai nor Ashleigh took the initiative to go talk to him, and they ended up following Sandatsu around. There was a certain thrill to this whole situation. Ashleigh gave some tips to Imai about sneaking around, and little by little both of them started to have a bit of fun playing detectives.
As they discreetly observed from a distance, they witnessed a scene that piqued their intrigue. Sandatsu had met with two unexpected fellow students: Yui and Nene.
It looked like they had already met like this before, judging by how used to it the three of them seemed. Sandatsu was doing his best to copy his senpai. Nene's movements were fluid, akin to a dance with the breeze, as she led Sandatsu through a series of motions that seemed reminiscent of breakdancing. Yui used her threads to correct Sandatsu's posture, shaping his movements into a more refined form and helping bridge the difference in agility between him and Nene.
"It's like a bastardized version of gap moe..." said Ashleigh.
"Yeah..." responded Imai.
They looked at each other, letting out a soft yet contagious chuckle. When they stopped laughing they realized that their target was nowhere to be seen.
"Looks like he's managed to give us the slip for a moment." said Imai.
Their search eventually led them to a surprising location – the school gym. Within its confines, Sandatsu was far from alone. He was with his friends: Hifumi, Bobby and Inigo.
Sandatsu was spotting for Bobby, who was bench pressing an inhuman amount of weight, to the point that one would expect Kaylee to do something like that for her own training. The Boys were energetically cheering for Bobby to finish his set. Their shared adrenaline could be felt from a distance by Imai and Ashleigh.
Their eyes widened as they watched Bobby's triumphant shout, celebrating a new bench press record. The room was flooded with cheers, and even Sandatsu's stoic façade cracked slightly as he joined in the raucous applause. The hype died down after a bit. Then, after talking normally for a bit, out of nowhere, they got all excited again, celebrating Bobby's record one more time. Their camaraderie, the way they spoke with a carefree simplicity, even their stereotypical "dude bro" tone, had Ashleigh and Imai exchanging amused glances.
"Oddly endearing" said Imai.
"I feel like I will grow a beard just by being near them right now" said Ashleigh laughing.
The feeling of a firm grip on their shoulders made their bodies tense as Sandatsu stope from behind them.
"Isn't that right?"
The shock of Sandatsu's sudden appearance sent a shiver down their spines, their bodies instinctively turning to face the one they'd been tracking.
"How did you...?" strangely enough, ashleigh was the first one to speak.
"I notice you guys were following me for a while. Just didn't care to do anything about it. Stalking your classmate is a weird choice for a date, but I won't judge."
The day gradually waned, and the school's bustling corridors eventually gave way to the more relaxed atmosphere of a family restaurant. Sandatsu, Ashleigh, and Imai found themselves seated around a table. Sandatsu said that they'd talk later, and he picked the place himself.
But before Ashleigh and Imai could initiate the conversation, Sandatsu's voice interjected, his tone firm.
"Before we begin, there are two conditions."
Ashley and Imai looked at each other, not knowing what to expect from him.
"First, no psychic bullshit. No mind reading, no memory manipulation, none of that."
Imai's response was momentarily caught in his throat, his heart clenching as he processed the implications of Sandatsu's words. For Imai, those words were a subtle unraveling of the trust he had painstakingly built, his abilities always in service of others, his actions always sincere.
The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Just as the weight of Sandatsu's words seemed to settle upon them, Ashleigh's voice broke the silence, her intention to defuse the situation palpable.
"What's the second condition?" asked the girl.
A subtle shift seemed to ripple through Sandatsu's demeanor, his usually enigmatic expression transforming into a faint smile. His voice softened too, and his posture relaxed.
"Ah, the second condition is a simple one. Let me treat you both."
Imai's thoughts were all over the place. Seeing through someone like Sandatsu without his quirk was incredibly hard.
"You see, I realized that the last time I spent time with Imai, he ended up footing the bill for everything."
Imai's surprise was evident in his expression, his eyes widening after hearing the words of his classmate.
"So, you're making up for it now?" Ashleigh's laughter was light, her gaze dancing between Sandatsu and Imai.
"Exactly. I want to make sure we're all on equal footing here. Just some friends hanging out after school. Forgetting about quirks and hero stuff. Doesn't a break form all that sound nice?"
Imai relaxed a bit. So that's what Sandatsu meant with his first condition? Being on equal footing for the sake of their conversation? If that was the case then that guy really had a talent for saying things in the worst way possible.
"Well, I appreciate the gesture." said the three-eyed boy.
The three of them ordered their food. With the impact that Sandatsu's first condition had caused now out of the way, Ashleigh and Imai found themselves talking a bit more easily with Sandatsu.
Right after their food got there, Imai decided to bring out their main topic.
"There's something we need to talk about – Mio."
"Oh fuck, I almost forgot" Just as the weight of their shared concern settled in, Sandatsu's demeanor shifted unexpectedly. His hand retrieved his phone from his pocket, fingers deftly tapping the screen. Sandatsu's action was so swift that it felt like a reflex, his attention momentarily drawn away from the conversation.
Yet, as if in response to his message, Sandatsu's phone began to vibrate incessantly, the stream of notifications punctuating the restaurant's calm like a persistent reminder.
Without missing a beat, Sandatsu's fingers moved again, disabling his phone's notifications with a casual ease that seemed to underscore his disinterest in the messages flooding his device.
Amidst the backdrop of her personal space, Mio's phone screen lit up, casting a gentle glow upon her surroundings. A text notification blinked insistently, a message from none other than Sandatsu.
ReapRIPHey, hanging out with Ashleigh. Thought you should know.
MeowKay
The fuck are you doing with my sister?
Mio's lips tightened, a surge of irritation sparking within her. She messaged him back, with questions and insults. Yet, as the seconds stretched into a silence that seemed deafening, Mio's agitation intensified. Sandatsu's lack of a prompt response fueled the flames of her anger, and it wasn't long before she abandoned the realm of texts for the more direct avenue of a phone call.
The dial tone rang in her ears, each subsequent ring ncreasing her impatience. And then, just as the anticipation reached its crescendo, a familiar voice greeted her.
"Hey."
Mio's heart quickened, her mind ready to launch into a tirade, her words poised to demand an explanation, after she had her fill of insults of course. But before she could utter a single syllable, Sandatsu continued talking.
"Bitch you thought, this is my voicemail."
The words hung in the air like a cruel echo, only broken by the beep of the voicemail, indicating that she could leave her message now. Mio's grip on her phone tightened, the surge of rage coursing through her veins threatening to consume her rationality. The temptation to hurl her phone against the wall was hard to resist. She inhaled a shaky breath, her knuckles white as she clenched her phone tighter.
In the confines of her room, Mio's seething frustration seemed to take on a life of its own. The residue of the voicemail's cruel sting lingered in the air, each passing second serving as a reminder of her irritation. But it wasn't just that singular incident that fueled her anger – it was the culmination of various events that left her feeling like that.
The memory of the festival resurfaced like a phantom, the recollection of being carried by Sandatsu an unwelcome presence in her thoughts. The humiliation of that moment seemed to amplify her irritation, a sensation she begrudgingly acknowledged as a mixture of anger and embarrassment.
Her mind traced back to the conversation they had shared that night, a conversation that seemed to cross boundaries she had meticulously maintained. It was as if the words had flowed more freely in her drowsy state, her guard slipping just enough for a semblance of honesty to surface. The memory left her both angry at herself and at Sandatsu for somehow managing to crack through her defenses.
It had been an awful day for her. As the dawn had broken and her consciousness returned, Mio's fatigue had clung to her like a shroud. She had struggled to wake up, the tendrils of sleep's hold leaving her almost late for class. The experience had only amplified her vexation, leaving her irritable as the day had progressed.
Her room had been her sanctuary, a place she meticulously kept under her control. And yet, even that illusion of security had been shattered. Sandatsu's uninvited presence had been there, the knowledge that he had entered her private space unsettling her in ways she found hard to articulate.
Every corner, every nook had been inspected, her search yielding no missing items. But her frustration reached its zenith as her eyes settled upon a conspicuous piece within her hidden stash of trading cards – a handmade card bearing an incredibly well-drawn image of none other than Sandatsu himself. The sentiment of being exposed, yet again, gnawing at her.
Mio's thoughts turned to the plushie she had awakened hugging, the same plushie Sandatsu had won for her during the festival. The words Nyandatsu Meowari crossed her mind when looking at that cat, and after noticing that her anger increased once more. Why the fuck did she think that? Why did she even keep that thing?
The culmination of these incidents, the voicemail, the festival, the conversation, the card, and the plushie, all seemed to converge into a singular vortex of emotion. The anger, the humiliation, and the sense of her carefully cultivated control slipping away brewed within her, a storm that showed no signs of abating.
In the restaurant, the trio's conversation continued. The tension that had once gripped them seemed to wane, replaced by a more open exchange of words. Asheligh and Imai tried to keep the conversation going as best as they could, while Sandatsu mainly focused on wolfing down all of the food he had ordered and only gave short answers. The young telepath saw the perfect chance to bring out the main topic before Sandatsu ordered another round of meals.
Imai leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Sandatsu "So, about that night you dropped Mio off at her house..."
"Yeah, that happened. Not much else to it." Sandatsu's response was calm "Oh yeah and I know about her quirk. Doesn't work on me though, so no need to worry about my memories."
Sandatsu continued talking before Imai could speak again "And yeah I know how she really is."
"Uhm" Ashleigh spoke up "Do you have any ideas as to why she erased my memories though?"
"Maybe she was ashamed that you saw her being carried like that? I don't know really."
Imai and Ashleigh had a hard time imagining that. She imagined her sister being carried princess-style. He pictured her being carried like a bag of potatoes. Given that it Mio and Sandatsu were the ones in that situation, no matter how they imagined it it'd feel awkward and wrong.
In the midst of their tense conversation, the atmosphere seemed to shift once more as Mio arrived. She was breathing heavily, probably because she made her way there as fast as she could after finding the quirk reaper's location.
Sandatsu's eyes took in her appearance, his attention momentarily captured by the casual attire she adorned. He couldn't quite pinpoint the reason, but he took a moment to burn that image into his memory, the sight of her somehow significant, though the meaning eluded him.
A smirk curled at the corners of Sandatsu's lips, his demeanor transforming with a sudden smugness and confidence. He extended an inviting hand towards Mio, gesturing to the empty seat at their table.
"We were just having a little chat. I will even treat you if you join us."
Mio's response was laden with an air of reluctance. She took a second to analyze the situation. Everyone there could guess that she was looking through their memories as well.
The hell happened to the no psychic stuff rule?' thought Imai, slightly irritated.
"Look what you've gotten me into, you fucking retarded baboon."
Mio's way of communicating through crudely implanted memories, and the insutls she used it to deliver, didn't affect Sandatsu at all. His smugness specially bothered Mio, and as tired as she was she didn't have the energy to fix that whole mess right then and there. She could always correct their memories later, with more time to fabricate new ones.
"Let's just get this over with."
With a sigh that held a mix of annoyance and acquiescence, Mio took the seat that Sandatsu offered.
Her words hung in the air. Sandatsu's gaze settled on Mio, his surprise unspoken as her admission reverberated through the space. Her words had caught him off guard, even though he knew that their supposed relationship was nothing more than a facade.
Mio's announcement seemed to ripple through the room, leaving both Imai and Ashleigh momentarily stunned.
Imai's voice held a tinge of concern, his curiosity barely veiled "So, you two are really dating?"
Ashleigh's gaze remained fixed on Mio, her voice carrying a hint of surprise.
"I had no idea." said the younger of the Katsuragi sisters.
Mio's irritation was palpable, her glare seemingly capable of setting fire to the very air.
"I didn't see that coming." said Imai. He didn't even consider Mio capable of getting along with others.
"Neither did I, really." said Sandatsu.
Mio's glare intensified.
"Hey I just didn't think you'd say it yourself." continued the boy, finishing piling up the plates that he practically had licked clean.
"Believe me, I'm not thrilled about it." Her tone laced with a touch of acid as she responded.
The group remained silent for a few seconds. Tensions were high.
"Anyway..." Imai was the first one to talk "I don't really care about your love life. Just don't go around erasing your sister's memori-"
"You know, I'm really disappointed that kid's meals aren't made out of or by kids." Sandatsu's comment came out of nowhere, completely killing the vibe of the conversation that was probably going to turn into a full blown argument.
'Dude you can't just say things like that while we're dealing with stuff like this' thought Imai.
Ashleigh was speechless. The situation, which had been building up to another confrontation between Imai and Mio, had been completely messed up by that guy.
"Is it too much to ask for you to act like a functional human being for once?" Mio's words carried an undercurrent of disdain.
Sandatsu's smirk remained intact "All you psychic types do is either complain about other psychics or stare silently while pulling off some mental shenanigans." Sandatsu picked a toothpick and pointed it towards Ashleigh "Your sister tried to make you forget about that because she was embarassed. Deal with it, she's going through puberty too, believe it or not, so she's bound to do stuff like that."
"What the hell are you even saying, you idiot?" complained Mio. The irritation in her tone was palpable.
"And you" Sandatsu pointed the toothpick towards Mio. His serious expression changed to an exaggerated smile that oozed smugness "getting embarassed by something like being carried home? Really?"
"I hate you"
"Lol."
"You have no idea what I'd give for you to die the most painful and agonizing death possible."
"Lmao even."
Imai and Ashleigh already had trouble when it came to dealing with Mio, but Sandatsu was a whole different kind of beast.
"Anyway, just don't worry about the memory thing." said the blue haired boy, looking back at his two classmates.
"How do you expect us to not worry? You know how she is." answered Imai.
"I'm right here, you know?" said Mio, annoyed. However Imai ignored her, copying Sandatsu's way of dealing with her by just doing whatever he wanted.
"I don't expect anything. I don't really care about this whole thing. I just wanted to pay you back for last time."
Sandatsu's dismissal of their situation was incredibly cold. Specifically for Ashleigh, who had been dealing with Mio her entire life. That was years and years of complex trauma due to relentless manipulation from an emotionally abusive older sister.
"Is there anything I can even do?" continued Sandatsu.
"How can you even talk about me like that when I'm right in front of you?" complained Mio again.
"I don't know. I figured she'd listen to you since you're dating."
"Nah"
"Are you seriously going to ignore me"
"I think it's time to wrap this up. We had already made plans for today after all." added Sandatsu.
"I really mean it when I say this: Kill yourself. You'd do the world a huge favour."
Mio and Sandatsu ventured into the bustling streets of downtown Kyoto. Their verbal jousts continued the whole time.
"You deserve to be put down like a dog after making me go through that." said the girl.
"I figured you wouldn't talk to me after the festival, but using your sister as bait worked like a charm."
"Stay away from her."
"She's in my class though, so that's kind of hard. Anyway, since you probably saw my memories then you know what I had planned right?"
Mio stayed silent.
"That's right!" continued Sandatsu "We have designated as a VIP team! We have negotiable budget for our operations!"
"Right, and the first thing you do is use it to buy food." Mio finally spoke.
"Absolutely" responded Sandatsu "Anyway, make a list for stuff that you think you'll need and we will go buy it now."
"I don't need to buy anything. I just want to go home and sleep."
"Need me to carry you home again?"
"Shut up, you mutt." her blood boiling was probably what kept Mio awake right now.
"I have a surprise prepared after this, so it's better if we buy everything now. Or are you really willing to walk around with me another day as well?"
The thought of having to see him again was enough to prevent her from leaving.
As they made their way through the busy market, Mio's short stature posed a challenge, causing her to jostle through the crowd with difficulty.
"Ugh, why are there so many tall people here?" muttered the girl.
Sandatsu smirked, his tall figure towering above the crowd "Perhaps you should invest some of the money I gave you in a pair of stilts. It might help you see eye-to-eye with the rest of us humans."
Mio shot him a scathing glare.
"And perhaps you should invest in a personality that isn't complete shit. Also, hearing you refer to yourself as human is repulsive."
A familiar face appeared in the distance, interrupting their discussion. Sandatsu only caught a glimpse, but he was sure it was Imai. his eyes widened in as he grabbed Mio's arm and quickly pulled her into a nearby alleyway, out of sight. His senpai instantly saw Imai through his memories as well, and didn't complain about the sudden change of route, even though she would've wanted to.
"Hey, which one of you has better range when it comes to quirks, you or him?" asked Sandatsu.
"I do."
Mio thought about complaining and telling Sandatsu not to touch her so casually, but he let go of her before she had the chance.
"I see. Then do you want to change his memories now?" him being considerate like this creeped her out.
After thinking for a bit Mio spoke, this time with her actual voice and not her quirk "No. I'm tired, and you didn't see Ashleigh with him. It'd be easier to wait until they are together some other time."
"Got it. Alley tour it is then." announced Sandatsu.
"Ugh."
Mio and Sandatsu trudged wearily through the dimly lit streets and alleys. The girl's steps heavy with exhaustion. The lack of sleep from days of intense work was taking its toll on her, and a single night of sleep was not enough to fix it. She had trouble even telling Sandatsu which items to buy, but in the end they managed to get everything she needed. Enough stuff to make the set up she had in her room. Had she not been that tired Mio would've been delighted to put everything together herself.
Sandatsu, primitive-minded as he was didn't really understand the differences between the electronics that Mio told him to buy. He had to carry several bags and large boxes, but his Psychokinesis made it quite easy.
"Honestly, how do you not know what a USB drive is? It's like you're from a different century."
Sandatsu's response was a simple shrug, his expression seemingly unburdened by his lack of technical knowledge.
"This is ridiculous. I'm too tired..." complained the girl.
"I'm the one carrying everything though."
"Shut up."
He could see Mio was slowing down even more. And having to match her pace was a pain. since they were using the backstreets there wasn't anyone that could see them. Plus, he had seen Inigo do it, and he had experienced it himself when he had used Gigan as a suit: flying. It would be easy to do it with Psychokinesis.
In her exhausted state, it took Mio a second to realize that she was being slowly lifted by one of Sandatsu's stolen quirks.
"Are you out of your mind? Put me down you idiot!" she barked at him.
Sandatsu ignored her complaints "There's no way we're getting there walking. This is better." He lifted himself up as well, and they started to gain altitude and speed.
"At the very least grab me yourself you absolute retard!" shouted Mio.
The crunch of leaves beneath their feet was the only thing breaking the silence. The safehouse stood before them, nestled in the tranquil outskirts of Kyoto. Its two-story structure, adorned with wooden panels and a rustic charm, blended harmoniously with the natural surroundings. But Mio wasn't really focused on that. Being carried around through the air by that psycho had been one of the most stressing and terrifying experiences of her life. Sandatsu had enjoyed it though.
"Welcome to my humble safehouse." said the boy.
"I don't care"
"It may not be the most glamorous place, but it's well-hidden and secure."
"Shut your mouth."
"I actually lived here for a few years. So I can say with full confidence that it's an amazing place. I slept outside though, but still."
"Shut the fuck up." why did he have to be so talkative now? It was driving Mio insane.
"And now this place is yours." said Sandatsu.
She remained silent. He was the first one to go inside, with her following him a few steps behind. Sandatsu used psychokinesis once again, but this time it was to open the door, which was remarkably thick, and reinforced from the inside. The creaking floorboards echoed beneath their weight as they entered the cabin.
"The living room here used to be a central hub for planning and strategizing." said Sandatsu, while he left the stuff they bought on the floor.
He stopped his nostalgia trip and focused on Mio again.
"Anyway, I figured that this could help you"
"How the hell can this help me? I'm so fed up with you..." Mio was incredibly done with everything, and her tone made it evident.
"Well, you look like shit" before Mio had time to speak up Sandatsu continued talking "You are way too tired. Our job is hard, and since I'm the one who roped you into it I guess I feel responsible."
What was this mountain dwelling wendigo wannabe going on about?
"Also all that pretending you do seems exhausting too. So I figured that setting your stuff here could help with that. Want a break from acting like a decent person?" Mio felt offended, but she was too tired to talk back "Then you come here, do some work while taking a break from the normies. Also works the other way around, keep everything work-related here, so you don't have it gnawing at your daily life."
"Right, so you make me go through all of this just to give me a cabin and some tips on how to manage my work and personal life?"
Sandatsu wanted to talk about how cool the safehouse was and how it wasn't a simple cabin, but he held back on that topic.
"Yeah. I came up with it after seeing how tired you were."
"Are you for real?"
"Absolutely."
In the end Mio had to power through her exhaustion and walk through the woods at night with that guy until they reached a road where a taxi could pick her up. But it was better than flying again.
Finally back in the sanctuary of her own home, Mio's steps seemed to echo the exhaustion that had taken hold of her. The world outside had been a whirlwind of irritation and annoyance, with every moment seemingly linked to Sandatsu in some inexplicable way. It was infuriating, to say the least.
With a mixture of weariness and frustration, she made her way straight to her bedroom, the siren call of her bed an irresistible temptation. The mattress welcomed her with open arms, and she sank into its embrace, feeling the weight of the day settling on her shoulders.
The cacophony of the city outside seemed to fade as Mio's thoughts took center stage. How had her day become such a convoluted mess, all because of that infuriating enigma named Sandatsu? The endless arguments, the exasperating shopping trip – it was all so damn tiring.
Everything about him filled her with seething anger and animosity. Pretending they are dating? She scoffed at the idea even as it danced at the edge of her consciousness. How could she feel anything remotely positive towards someone who had become the thorn in her side? Once she was all rested, she'd take her time to make everyone forget about her interactions with that guy. A thorough purge of any sign of Sandatsu in her daily life. That seemed like a blessing to her tired mind.
Her eyes landed on the plushie that Sandatsu had given her – the absurdly adorable cat that now occupied a corner of her room. She eyed it skeptically.
A yawn escaped her lips.
As sleep began to claim her, her gaze remained locked on the plushie.
After so many years of keeping her public face and true self separate, interacting with that guy always left her agitated. Yes, that's it. She simply wasn't used to showing her true colors like that and not being antagonized for it. In fact, it looked as if Sandatsu had more fun talking with her when she wasn't keeping appearances.
She nestled deeper into her bed. It was almost comical, the way that cat seemed to stare back at her. The soft glow of the moon filtered through her window, casting a gentle illumination over her surroundings. As her eyelids grew heavier, her fingers toyed absentmindedly with the edges of the plushie.
It was absurd, really, how he managed to occupy so much of her mental space – how he disrupted her carefully constructed world.
As sleep finally enveloped her, her fingers relaxed their hold on the plushie. The cat's image flickered in and out of focus in her mind.
However the cat plushie didn't remain perched on the nightstand for long before a sleeping Mio grabbed it and hugged it again.