To Stay (Hiro X Reader--A Sequel to "A Helping Hand")

Chapter 7--A troubling ordeal

Tadashi's head was bowed as he made his way, alone, for SFIT. The sun was shining up above his head, but he wasn't really feeling happy at all. For him, this was just like before he persuaded Hiro to attend SFIT, to do something with his big brain...but this time, Hiro was with you, travelling to the other side of the world doing lord-knows-what. 

"What a knucklehead," he chuckled to himself, looking up as he entered the school, alone, walking through the halls until he reached the lab where his friends were chilling. Not much changed since he was 'dead', except for the fact that he was feeling troubled over Hiro's recent actions. Sure, he knew Hiro loved you, cared for you. But was there really any point over sacrificing his own education just to worry about you? Then again, Mr. Lacitier was gone, and you were the one to blame, when clearly you weren't even at fault.

Never mind, then.

"Tadashi?"

The sound of Honey Lemon's voice brought him back to reality as he looked up to see his best friends standing at their stations in the lab, looking at him with concern. Even Fred stopped goofing off just to see him look so downcast.

"Hiro's gone," he said simply, not meeting their eye. "With (Y/N)."

The shock that rang through the entire group rendered even the eavesdroppers so silent as they strained to hear what was going on. As for the rest of the gang, they all approached Tadashi with a concerned look on their faces.

"He told you, didn't he?" Gogo asked.

Tadashi nodded. "I don't blame Hiro for doing this, but I'm just concerned about his safety."

"If it has something to do with (Y/N), it wouldn't always be," Honey Lemon said. "I mean, we all saw the news, right? I don't believe it was her. She told me when I called her last night saying that he was missing and all that. From the sound of it, she did seem very concerned."

"Well, she did spend most of the day yesterday with us at the Café," Tadashi recalled. "And then she headed home right after. But when the kidnap took place...I don't really know. Or remember."

"It took place last night," Wasabi piped up. "I mean, that was what I heard on the TV this morning. 5 in the afternoon, it said."

"(Y/N) was at our place though," Tadashi reminded him. "She couldn't have been in two places at once."

"Unless someone disguises herself as (Y/N) to perform this deed," Fred mused.

The solemn reverie was broken when Honey Lemon's phone started ringing, and "La Da Dee" by Cody Simpson sounded all over the room, breaking everyone's concentration.

"Crud," she cursed, running over to her station and picking her phone up, placing it close to her ear. "Hello?"

"Honey Lemon, it's Melanie."

"Oh, hey Melanie...what's up?"

Fred and Wasabi exchanged glances. Melanie? Wasn't she supposed to be in school?

"It's (Y/N)...I'm really worried about her," Honey Lemon heard Melanie sob into the phone. "I mean, I texted her this morning saying I was sorry but I don't know if she forgave me, or even saw the text--I mean, what with her being a recent criminal--I--I can't even cope. I need help!"

"What's going on, Honey Lemon?" Fred asked her cautiously.

Honey Lemon turned back to the group. "Melanie's feeling depressed," she whispered.

"I mean, what a horrible friend I have been!" Melanie cried. "First blaming her when I realized she was nowhere near the site of the crime...and then when I replayed the events from yesterday I knew that she wasn't the one to commit the crime and when I tried apologizing...oh Honey Lemon, what if she completely forgot me? What if I would NEVER be forgiven?"