Photograph

3

"YOU'RE NOT GOING IN THAT."

"Come on Katsuki, LET YOUR BROTHER LIVE A LITTLE–

"SHUT IT OLD HAG!–

"WATCH YOUR TONE WITH ME YOU LITTLE BRAT!–

"NO! YOU WATCH YOUR TONE WITH ME!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE–COME HERE!"

You watched your father bounce around, trying to stop his eldest son and wife from killing each other. 

You–always the bystander in these situations–opened the front door and walked toward your car. "GO CHANGE!"

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" 

Katsuki looked you up and down and just shook his head, "forget it."

"Katsuki?" You grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, "WhAtS wRoNg?"

"LET ME GO YOU, DAMN KID!"

"Fine." You sigh, sitting back in your seat (your seatbelt fitting around your body once again), "but seriously. I'm not dressed that horribly am I?" You look down at yourself. You were wearing a simple gray long-sleeve T-shirt and gray jeans to match and wore your everyday gray and white high-top converse.

"Don't talk to anyone from my class, especially that damn Deku!" 

You shook your head, your face resting in your palm as you watched the trees pass you by. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom now. You smiled at their exquisite beauty, then pulled out your phone to capture the moment on your phone.

You unlocked your phone and realized Hikari and Aoi had messaged you. You opened Hikari's first. 

Almost there, Rin is with me. 

You replied: sounds good.

You opened Aoi's message next.

Sorry, I can't make it today. Have fun though!

That sucks, we'll miss you! 

You wondered about what had come up so abruptly, it was unlike Aoi to skip out on group hangouts. What had divided his attention so? You told yourself you would ask him tomorrow and made another mental note.

"Come on. We're here."

"Coming." You followed your family out of the car, shoving your phone in the back of your pocket, wanting to live in this moment rather than the future.

You spotted Hikari right away, behind him you saw Rin who was cowering. Katuski approached them and Rin shrunk back even farther. Sweat dripped down your forehead, and watching him interact with your friends made you wonder what your brother was like during school hours. Did he have friends? If so how many? And Deku didn't count, he was more like a punching bag, that poor boy. 

If he did not, you hoped he wasn't lonely. You frowned, watching him lecture your friends on how not to embarrass him–your mother at his side yelling just as loud for him to leave them alone. Your father was–again–trying to separate the two threats to society.

"Oh Hey Kachann!" You hadn't heard that name in a while, you stopped watching your family and friends, turning to meet the broccoli sweetheart.

"Deku?" You mumbled, tilting your head.

"WHATDOYA WANT YA DAMN NERD?!" 

"Oh, just to say hi is all." He waved his hands in what you assumed he thought was a reassuring gesture but knowing your brother as you do. It was more like waving a red flag in front of a bull's face. Taunting it. Your frown deepened when you thought about all the time they spent together, not just in class, but with other things like the sports festival.