Second semester is about to begin.
Specifically, it will start Monday. Haru said that he would come back to school in the second semester, which is nice and all, but I rather him not force himself to do so simply because he said he would.
Trauma isn't just something you can walk off of, after all. Not to mention that it was from a sick lab project that irreversibility changed his physiology. There is no doubt that Haru's mind would have been beating himself up for it every time he so much as to look at his hands, let alone the mirror. The feeling of anger when you couldn't be what you want to be, then the feeling of shame for feeling that way in the first place and becoming uncomfortable in your own skin, and as the despair settles you'd just cry and cry and then loop back into anger. It would even get worse if he sees old pictures of himself or if the people around him started to treat him differently from before, either like glass or the walking plague.
A sentiment that I can honestly share from my previous life. Of why I decided to on my own, even if it meant living in a rundown apartment that was so easy to burn down.
If he decided to stay with his family at countryside, I wouldn't hold it against him. I'd be a bit sad, sure, but never disappointed. If he did come back...
Then it would mean that he is a lot braver than I ever was.
~~~~~~~~
We had over the weekend to prepare ourselves and we still can't help but feel a bit nervous as Monday rolled in.
I was sitting absolutely still in my seat with both my hands Infront of me as I try my best not to fidget. A complete failure since a hand would keep finding it's way back to the ribbon on my head. Uiharu is a tad but under the weather today but still came to school anyway, it wasn't anything serious as she predicts that it'll be gone by an hour or two after school ends so she's just wearing her usual face mask. Standing next to her is Saten who is unabashed in her fidgeting; arms crossed, leg shaking, finger tapping and eyes constantly snapping to the doors every few seconds. Then there was Shiina, whose fighting a losing war with herself as she tries --and fails-- to smooth out her ruffled feathers that remain stubborn. Although it is just in school, the harpy girl had managed to involve herself in our circle of friends.
The door opened again and came in our homeroom teacher. He went up to the podium and gave a small announcement. "I would like to remind you all that your classmate has gone through a terrible experience and that you shouldn't be a rude idiot for the fun of it. Understand?" Everyone nodded. "Good." He turned to the door. "Alright, Tsuyuki-Kun you can come in now."
I heard audible gasps as he entered the classroom. Us from his group of friends already know of his situation but everyone else didn't and we're kept in the dark.
Haru still has a head of black straight hair, albeit with patches of small leaves here and there. His sole dark eye is an orb sparkling with life while the other socket is hosting a vibrant and lively flower. His skin is now a healthy green colour with his roots lurking beneath the surface as he held his now pointedly sharp, long clawed hand Infront of him. Although, I guess I missed it the first time back in the hospital, or the other times during video call but there is probably some changes to his legs too, considering how he's wearing something that is clearly a few sizes too big despite it looking like it's about to burst.
Seeing done shifting around under the stares of the class, he awkwardly shuffled back to his seat right behind me.
"Good to have ya back, green." I whispered as he passed by. He stiffened a bit before a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "It's good to be back, red."
The day went on as usual for the mostly, primarily because we have been holding back the gaggle of curious students from hounding our friend and part of it is glaring harshly with the promise of pain to anyone that has any funny ideas. The [Creature Rejection Clan] might already be an old fossil in terms of ideology but the inherent distaste against people with heteromorphic quirks is still prolific due to human nature itself being hostile against anything not-so-human.
Just because I can take off my head, those guys might have gave me the rib of it last year. Too bad for them since I wasn't taking any of that laying down. I'm glad the lesson from back then still stuck, because I won't stop at just hairline fractures if they decide to step out of line again.
When classes ended, Haru wanted to visit the tea ceremony club to pop in and say hi, the usual. I offered to escort him and come along but he declined. Understandable, really. I know that he doesn't have the best relationships with most of the members anyway so I guess he wanted to ambush certain people for a quick talk. Not like I knew what happened, anyway.
I didn't have to wait long as he came back out and we went to go to the usual family restaurant where the others are already waiting. After all, him returning calls for a celebration.
We just hung out like usual, something we haven't had in a while, plus an addition to the group I suppose. We talked and shared stories of how things were for a while.
Haru told us about the time he spent at some rehabilitation facility for hikikimori's. The place had plenty of people who shut themselves out of society after different traumatic experiences or reasons. He said that it help a lot when he connected with other soft-spoken people and such, along with whatever social activity the place set up.
I also tried to make them laugh a bit by telling them about my more unusual cases back at the hospital like this one guy who ingested so much capsaicin that he was belting flames. Uiharu shared her stories about the recent events of Judgment and latest hit spots for good sweets. Shiina talked about events and happenings that went up at school along with ranting a bit about certain people in school and warning him about them. Saten spoke a bit about baseball and some of the more interesting rumors and urban legends she found online, she even took out her phone to show him. Haru leaned in a bit closer to read it better-
*Rip*
"Drat." He froze, beginning to look downcast. "Not again..."
"I have been meaning to ask, you didn't skip leg day?" I said, trying to soften the mood again.
"I wish." He snorts, the frown disappearing. "No. But really it's just my legs." He said as a smirk formed on his face. "all six of them."
"...huh?" "Eh?..." "Pip?..." "...So you're an octopus now?"
All eyes went to Saten. "What? Eight limbs make an octopus, right?" She said while making finger guns and winking. "But seriously though, what?" She asked Haru, steering the conversation back to the right path.
I turned my eyes back Haru, but not after pointing an 'are you serious?' stare at Saten. "She right, I didn't notice them back then at the hospital since they were under the covers."
"Ah well..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "So like, my roots yeah? Like actual roots of a plant. I mean, whatever those guys did was to strengthen certain aspects of the quirk factor or whatever. Honestly, the technobabble went over my head but that was pretty much it." He looked down at his clawed hands, the smaller roots squirming inside his arms. "I got stronger sure, probably could produce more fruit than a dozen trees and stuff. Cause of that, my body changed to become, what was the word?... Efficient. Yeah, that, at converting my energy. It adapted to this."
"So you've been weaving them to just two?" Asked Uiharu.
"That looks really uncomfortable." Chirped Shiina as she rubbed her feathered wings. "Doesn't look good for blood flow either."
"It really isn't..." Haru chuckled weakly.
"I mean, you could wear a skirt?" Pointed out by Saten.
"I don't know..." Mused Haru as he mulled it over. "Like, wouldn't having six roots out take too much space? And what would people think of they see that. Plus skirt are for girls."
"You could just shift between braided legs and unfurled legs depending on the space." I raised a brow at him. "Besides, clothes are clothes. No one gender has any say on what you can or can't wear."
"Oh yeah, in that case you wouldn't mind if you wore one, then?" He laughed, probably thinking it was a joke.
"Sure." He sputtered as it was my turn to be stared at by the others. "What? You guys honestly think that I never crossdressed before? I mean, I wear a ribbon daily at minimum."
They shared a look. "Well, we did, technically. But we also figured that it was a bit rude to bring up all of a sudden..."
"It's fine." I turned back to Haru with a smile. "But hey, offer's open if you want to."
"...You sure you don't mind?" He must really started hating pants this much. "I mean, you don't really have to do that if you're uncomfortable with it... It is kinda my own problem..." This gloomy side of Haru is normally buried, but I guess recent experiences made it more dominant.
"Sure. Don't think for a second that it'll be uncomfortable for me. Plenty of my treasured memories come with crossdressing. It comes with being raised surrounded mostly by women." Being a dress-up doll was fun, honestly. Fond moments beat out any embarrassment at this point. "We'll start tomorrow then. Can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces."
Shiina and Saten both snickered at the thought while Uiharu just smiled as Haru seemed to relax a bit further.
'Yeah, screw what anyone else thinks. I'm tired of being a doormat. And I won't stand to have my friends go down that road.'
~~~~~~~~~~
The misty moon peeks through the pane inviting me with a silvery grin. The soft glow of the lantern enveloping me in it's warm sight.
I took a sip of the clear liquid, a crisp fruity taste followed by floral undertones. The familiar tame sensation of burning passed as the liquid went down my throat.
I noticed the ribbon, Nee-chan's ribbon, tucked away in a small box sitting in front of me.
I suppose the talk from earlier today left me a melancholic again. But then again, I am also excited to see people's faces tomorrow.
'Definitely need to take a picture too. Kuroko would like that, wouldn't she?' I mused as an airy chuckle left my lips. 'Anyway, I had my drink for the month. I should head back to hitting the books. Heavun-sensei was kind enough to supervise my healing session this weekend so I should make sure nothing goes wrong.'