Dead Eyes: a Hitoshi Shinsou Fanfic

Chapter 63 [Useful]

Yoshiko was ushered back into the room by her mother. "Lunch is at 12:30. See you ladies then. Yoshiko, help Haruyo make herself at home."

The door closed, leaving me alone with Yoshiko. 

"So," I started. "You tell me where to put my stuff."

She silently picked up my bags and put them on the bottom bed. 

She unzipped them and started taking out my clothes, putting them in her dresser. I didn't have many possessions, but she made a big show of "making me at home." I tried to help her, but I could only hold one thing at a time. I accidentally brushed up against her, drawing out an annoyed groan.

"Watch it," she hissed.

"Sorry."

Once we put everything away, she climbed back up to the bunk bed and crawled under the covers. I stood there in the center of the room, looking up at her.

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"I guess." I heard music to a game start on her phone, making me doubt that she was listening.

"Are you okay with me being here? Like do you have any rules for me?"

"Rules? Oh, so I get to be in charge here. I have a few, but I was doubting that you would actually ask." She sat up, looking down on me. "First and foremost: I'm not your friend. Don't try to make small talk. Also, just be silent. I get you're, like, injured, but please don't be loud. I really can't sleep with any noise at all. No hooking up with Hitoshi on the bottom bunk, either. Normally that's my bed, but you get it for now."

I pursed my lips, trying not to take it personally. "Cool cool cool. Well, he's going to be at school anyway so that's not gonna happen. You're going to be at school during the day, too, right?"

"Yes. You get 8 hours of leave from me. During that time, stay the hell out of my stuff."

"Okay. Well, I'm going to go talk to everybody else. See you around, Yoshiko."

She flopped back down and burrowed into the covers. I hobbled out, closing the door softly behind me. I need to treat her like an adult. Not too nice, not too mean. She's human too.

Teenagers are frustrating. I knew that well. Hell, I was a teenager. I knew that the whole time I stayed there, she would have a front. She wasn't going to be vulnerable with me. I can't claim to know how to break through a teenager, especially one like that. But I did want to make some progress.

Back out in the living room, I was met with a sweet sight. Hitoshi was sitting on the couch, surrounded by kids. One was on his lap. They were all looking at his phone as he went through his camera roll, full of pictures from UA. Anything he said, they treated like it was the most absolute interesting thing ever said. I watched from the doorway. He talked to them sweetly yet maturely, occasionally laughing at their jokes. 

He didn't notice me at first, but when he did, he grinned widely. He called me over. All of the kids looked at me too, and jumped up to swarm me. They pulled me towards the couch.

"Hey, hey, guys! Be careful with her please!" He called out. They apologized, pulling with a bit less force now. I fell onto the couch, right next to Hitoshi. He smiled at me, but was immediately distracted buy a kid jumping up on him.

A little girl poked my leg, looking up at me. "Hey, can I sit on your lap?" I looked at my wrapped leg.

"Uhh..."

"Emio, you can sit between us," Hitoshi interrupted. She whined, but he distracted her by pulling her up, plopping her between us.

The kids asked me what seemed like a millions questions--all personal, all without filter.

I tried to answer them honestly, but it was hard. When they asked me how I lost my leg, it felt hard to tell them in an appropriate way. 

"I got hurt, like really badly," I started. They all looked at me so earnestly. They looked so eager and innocent. "I was trying to get somebody out of a fire. You see, Hitoshi and I are training to be heroes, so it's dangerous for us sometimes."

It didn't seem like that was the answer they wanted. Kids always want detail or a cool story. I couldn't give that to them. 

Eventually, the kids got bored of sitting with us on the couch, so they found something to do outside. 

There was an awkward silence between us. I didn't really know what to say. 

"Hitoshi, come here!" I heard somebody yell. He excused himself to go to the voice.

I didn't know where he went, but he didn't come back. After a while, it was already time for lunch. The day was going by fast, and all I felt like was a burden. 

Yoshiko basically hated me, Hitoshi was busy with his family, I had no idea how to interact with the kids, and I couldn't do anything to help with food.

They tried their best to make me feel welcome, however it was futile. 

I wanted to be useful.