Secrets [Todoroki]

*Chapter Thirty-Two*

"Are you sure you can't stay for longer?" Randy asked Miri as she was slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"Nope, I've got to get back to school." She smiled at him. "Plus, I've got people back home who miss me."

"Be sure to visit us." Brandon blew his nose in a tissue. "I'll miss eating the food you didn't want."

"You Americans have weird tastes." She laughed. "You should come by Japan sometime. Our food is so much better!"

The swirling blue portal was waiting for her, taking her right back to the school.

She walked to her grandfather. "Well..." She smiled up at him. "In the end, I'm glad you sent me that letter."

He grinned down at her. "I'm glad you accepted it." His face grew serious. "Are you sure you're happy in Japan?"

Miri looked at him, surprised. "I mean...yeah. Why?"

He sighed. "I understand how things can be with your mom, and I don't want you to feel you're trapped there." He slipped her a folded piece of paper.

Miri unfolded it, confused. "Adoption papers?" She asked, incredulous.

"I'm not saying I'll do it right now, but it's always an option if things at home become too much. My doors are always welcome to you." He pulled Miri in for a hug.

Miri was too shocked over the papers in her hand to hug him back properly.

'My...my grandfather wants to adopt me?' Her mind was in a faraway place. 'How am I supposed to react to this?'

"Remember what I told you about your father." He whispered in her ear. "He's still out there, please be careful with him."

Miri opened and closed her mouth. "Uh...yes. Yeah, thank you for everything."

"Don't stress over the papers too much." He gave her a soft smile. "Think of it as an emergency contact aside from my phone number."

She sighed. "It's just...surprising."

"I've had to miss out on knowing you for almost fifteen years now. I don't want it to be like that for any longer." He put a hand on her shoulder.

Miri fell silent, then smiled. "I'll be back again. You don't have to worry about it." She looked at the troops who were standing in a group smiling at her. "After all, I have a family here too, now."

Her grandfather took a step back from her and saluted. "It was an honor serving alongside you."

She watched the troops match his salute.

She saluted back, a large grin on her face. "The honor is all mine."

Miri turned to face the man at the portal but caught her grandfather's few words. "Genia would have been so proud of you."

She turned back. "That's my middle name."

"That was your grandmother's name..." He smiled softly and wiped at his eyes.

Miri smiled, her heart warm. She turned back around, ready to go home.

She walked up to the man at the portal. "Will I ever get used to this?"

"The secret is to hold your breath and close your eyes." He smiled down at her.

"You couldn't have told me that before?" She laughed.

"I have to get some entertainment out of being everyone's taxi." He shrugged.

Sucking in a deep breath and closing her eyes, Miri stepped through the portal. Her body still felt twisted and pulled in multiple directions, but the nausea was hardly noticeable.