The Quiet of Us (Denki Kaminari x OC)

The Meeting

The rest of the morning passed in a blur for Aiko. She tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting back to the newspaper and the invasive article that had shattered her fragile sense of security. She hadn't heard from Kaminari yet—he was still away on his mission—but the anxiety of what he might say once he found out gnawed at her relentlessly.

As she sat at her desk, trying to compose herself, her phone buzzed. It was an email from her boss, asking her to meet in his office.

Aiko's heart sank.

Her mind raced with possibilities, but deep down, she knew what this was about. The article. The calls. Her entire world was unraveling, and now, it was affecting her work—the one place where she had felt she could make a difference. The one thing that grounded her through all the chaos.

Her hands trembled as she gathered her things and walked toward her boss's office, each step feeling heavier than the last. When she reached the door, she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the pounding of her heart drowned out everything else.

Her boss, Mr. Fujimoto, was sitting behind his desk, his expression unusually serious. He gestured for Aiko to sit down, and as she did, the tension in the room became almost unbearable.

"Aiko," he began, his voice calm but weighted with something she couldn't quite place. "I want you to know how much we value the work you've done here. You've been an incredible counselor to the children, and your dedication hasn't gone unnoticed."

Aiko nodded, her throat tight as she waited for the inevitable "but." She could see it in his eyes—the hesitation, the reluctance to say what he knew he had to.

"However," Mr. Fujimoto continued, his voice softer now, "this morning has been... difficult. Ever since the article came out, we've been receiving calls from concerned parents. They're worried about the recent media attention, and many of them... well, they don't want their children seeing someone who they believe has unresolved issues."

Aiko's heart dropped, the weight of his words crashing down on her like a tidal wave. She opened her mouth to speak, to defend herself, but no words came. Her mind was spinning, the panic clawing at her chest.

"I know this isn't fair," Mr. Fujimoto said quickly, as if trying to soften the blow. "You've been nothing but professional, and I believe in your abilities. But the parents... they've lost confidence. And with the number of calls we've received this morning, I'm afraid I don't have a choice."

Aiko stared at him, her mind unable to process what was happening. Was this really it? Was she... being let go?

"I'm so sorry, Aiko," her boss continued, his voice filled with genuine regret. "I don't want to do this, but I have to think about the children and the parents' concerns. I hope you understand."

Understand? How could she understand? Her entire life had been upended by one invasive article, and now she was being told that her career—her passion—was slipping away because of it. Because of something she had no control over.

Aiko felt the room closing in around her, the walls pressing tighter as her breath caught in her throat. She wanted to scream, to cry, to beg him to reconsider. But she knew it wouldn't matter. The damage was done.

"I... I see," Aiko managed to choke out, her voice barely audible. She could feel the sting of tears threatening to spill, but she forced herself to hold them back. Not here. Not in front of him.

"Again, I'm so sorry," Mr. Fujimoto said, his voice filled with sympathy. "I truly hope that in the future, when things settle down, we can find a way to bring you back. You've been an asset to this center, and we don't want to lose you for good."

Aiko nodded numbly, but his words felt hollow. All she could think about was that she was now unemployed, and it wasn't because of her work or her abilities—it was because of her past. Because of the mistakes she had made, the struggles she had fought so hard to overcome.

As she stood up to leave, her legs felt like they might give out beneath her. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, frustration, guilt. She couldn't believe this was happening. After everything she had been through, after all the progress she had made, it felt like the world was punishing her all over again.

As Aiko walked out of Mr. Fujimoto's office, the weight of what had just happened pressed down on her chest. Her heart ached, and her thoughts spiraled into dark places she had tried so hard to avoid. The article had destroyed her career, shattered her sense of stability, and now she couldn't shake the feeling that she was at fault for everything—especially Kaminari's struggles.

Kaminari had been distant lately, taking on more dangerous missions, being away for longer stretches of time. Aiko had noticed it, and she had tried to tell herself it was just part of the job. But now, with her own life falling apart, she couldn't help but think that maybe... maybe she was the reason for his growing absence.

"I'm holding him back," she thought bitterly as she made her way out of the building. "He could be so much more if it weren't for me. He doesn't need the baggage of my past weighing him down."

Aiko's heart broke at the thought. She loved Kaminari deeply, but now she wasn't sure if her love was enough. What if she was the reason he didn't feel like he measured up to his friends? What if her struggles were the reason he felt like he had to prove himself by taking on more dangerous missions?

She tried to push thethoughts away, but they stuck to her like a shadow, following her with everystep. And as she made her way home, the guilt and self-blame consumed her,leaving her feeling more lost and broken than ever before.