Quick Learner [Saiki K VariousxReader]

Twenty Eight

Once, you had a best friend. Her name was Mei.

At first, Mei was a quiet girl. She didn't speak unless spoken to. She didn't ask for help from the adults. She kept to herself.

And being the young inquisitive child you were, seeing someone so weird got you curious.

"Hey, you're Mei, right? What are you doing?" You asked, watching her play on the swings.

"It's because no one else was here." She replied quickly, trying to mask her nervousness, and actually doing quite well. You ignored that, giving her a confused look.

"I asked what you were doing, not why. Do you feel a need to justify everything you do?" You asked, and she visibly flinched. At her silence, and seeing that the subject made her uncomfortable, you decided to continue. You shrugged, "But it is a silly question. 'What are you doing?' Why would I ask that if I can clearly see you myself, right?"

"...I guess." She smiled. And you grinned. That was the first time she smiled in school.

And slowly, you became friends. It took a lot of effort on your part. Both of you may have been considered weird by most people, but that only made you closer. Soon, she grew into a slightly aloof but responsible and caring friend, and you the slightly reckless and fun-loving person you were today.

But one day, she disappeared.

And on that day, there was fire.

She was stressed that day. Everyone knew her mother wasn't exactly friendly, and you knew she wasn't the type to act differently to those close to her. So, you both went to the forest, trying to get away from all of life's worries. And you climbed a tree, sitting in there until the sky grew dark, just chatting away. Feeling the wind pick up and push against you, flowing through your hair and sending a sense of tranquillity transverse through you.

Then, lightning.

It was sudden. There was no rain. And it was so, so loud. Before you could even turn around, you could smell the smoke.

How did it spread so quickly? You'd never understand.

At once, you jumped off the tree, quickly turning to the branch to call for Mei.

Only, she wasn't there.

"Mei...? MEI! COME ON, WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

She didn't reply. You stuck around, not able to comprehend that she'd just disappear. She couldn't, it was physically impossible. You heard no sound, saw nothing. There was no way she could have gone anywhere. One moment she was there, and one she was not. It wasn't like she could have ran away either, because you didn't see her jump down.

Unless... She jumped back toward the fire?

It was a silly thought. The Mei you knew was more responsible than that. But there was no other explanation, and you were desperate. So, you ran in.

Healing your skin as it burnt excruciatingly. Screaming for her as much as you could even when your voice went hoarse. You still had nightmares about these events. And yet, she was nowhere to be found. You further fed into the desperation, heading deeper into the fire, hoping you'd somehow not see her charred corpse and instead her standing, live and well.

But, you found nothing. She disappeared into thin air. All night you searched for her, and yet she wasn't anywhere to be found. And even when the early morning rain had put out the fire, you couldn't find her at all.