"I-I don't want to go home..."

I'd see that same orange-haired girl play with all of my siblings outside with the same red ball, and I still would be forgotten, standing on the same balcony when I see them smiling and laughing. 

Her orange hair moved with the breeze of the wind, and her cool skin glowed under the warm sun's light. And her hazel eyes, matching the smoothing grass, shimmering under the same sun's light. 

Until those eyes roamed over to me.

I watched her eyes make way towards me, a small gentle smile appearing on her face to greet me, and I still couldn't understand that warm feeling in my chest. I knew it wasn't nice to stare at people, I've been told it was disrespectful, but when I was about to wave back at her, he took my arm and took me away from that balcony.

"Don't distract yourself with these people, especially some weak outsider." His voice was low with anger and disappointment.

***

"Was that Shouto?" She asked Touya who was standing by her, holding the red ball.

He hummed while nodding, his expression almost cold from the name. "We can't really talk to him. Only when dad isn't training him."

***

Sometimes I'd see her with Fuyumi, mostly braiding each other's hair in the living room, knowing how much Fuyumi loved her attention and her touch, and Fuyumi didn't know how to braid her own. They'd always giggle about stuff until Touya and Natsuo came crashing in, tackling them in a fun way to tease them.

She'd be in the kitchen, helping mom or the maid cook and bake things. I heard from Fuyumi and Natsuo that her cooking and baking were amazing; I've always wanted to try it, but I could never because I wasn't allowed to be or see her, and the kitchen; but she'd also help mom whenever she had a new bruise. 

I've caught father looking at them once when he was passing by. Almost something new in his eyes. The same eyes I have. But he would always shake it off, and he would continue walking down the hallway as I hid from him so I wouldn't have to continue training with him for the day.

***

"You don't have to do such a thing. I could possibly do it myself..." Rei smiled, softly, reassuring. 

"But he can't treat you like this." She lowered her hand with the cotton ball that was between her fingertips, covered in alcohol for the open skin on her cheek.

"He's a good man... if you get to know him. He just... can't control his anger sometimes..." Rei said, putting her hand over hers, making up different excuses like she always did about her husband. As if she was embarrassed.

Rei and Enji weren't married out of love. It was an arranged marriage. Love isn't real. It's fake.

"Doesn't seem like sometimes," She mumbled quietly, but Rei was able to hear her, as she was about to reply, the door slid open.

***

"What're you doing?"

Shouto turned his head around quickly, seeing Touya hovering over him with almost disgust on his face, his eyes were narrowed, and Shouto felt fear. 

"I-I'm--"

Touya rolled his eyes and slid open the door, heading into the room where Rei smiled softly at her son whose hair was becoming fully white. Shouto peeked over at them again. She noticed the white and red hair boy that was peeking over. She waved at him but he ran off quickly, nervous and afraid.

Not wanting him to hurt them.

✧✧✧

One day, she and Fuyumi were in the kitchen. Fuyumi had asked her if she could teach her how to bake her recipe for sezu senbei (bell crackers), which she agreed to, making them have a mess in the kitchen where the maid had to help clean up. Including all the dirty dishes in the sink.

When they finished, they both took some of the cookies and set them on a plate to share with her siblings, and some in a container to store for later, hoping Natsuo and Touya wouldn't finish them already.

Shouto couldn't help but smell the cookies from down the hall. He looked at the kitchen door, knowing that he shouldn't. But his curiosity got the better of him as his legs were already making way towards the door. When he entered, he saw a plate of cookies with a sticky note attached to it. Yet he knew he shouldn't go and see what people's business was but as the curious boy, he was. He looked over and there was his name.

"Hi, Shouto.
Your brother told me about you, me and Fuyumi baked some sezu senbei. I didn't forget to give you some so I saved some just for you to enjoy after your training. I hope you like them! :)

- Kiara."

Shouto couldn't help but smile happily, taking one of the cookies in his small hands, taking a bite that he enjoyed in satisfaction, loving the sweetness that was left on his tongue. But he quickly had to eat them since he knew his father would be mad if he was messing around in the kitchen, even when Kiara was there before.

He let the flavors melt on his tongue, savoring the flavors, and grabbed a couple of more cookies to put in his mouth. Later, he ran off down the hall and to his room where he'd finish them.

***

Shouto was walking home from school by himself like always. He missed the bus like usual, but it wasn't an accident because the kids would whisper and look at him. He usually took a long way and knew it'd be dangerous due to villains roaming around soon since the sun was close to setting down. Though; he didn't care. It was a curse at that house.

"Shouto?"

He heard that same familiar voice that was calling out his name. Turning around he noticed the same girl with light-orange hair standing in front of him.

Kiara.

He didn't say anything, except he just looked up at her when she had to crouch down a little to match his level. His eyes were wide from surprised.

"Why are you walking alone in this area?" Kiara asked, concerned.

But still, he didn't say anything. He wasn't allowed to talk to her. Not even his siblings.

"Are you... lost?" She questioned.

He shook his head quickly, "N-No... I like to walk, so I took more... a longer route." He said a white lie that was making him feel guilt rising in his body, his heart beating against his chest.

"Oh, okay." She smiled gently. "Touya wasn't at school so I had to walk by myself this time, but I'll see you on Friday Sho', I always will," Kiara said, but before she stood up she felt something tugging at the end of her black skirt. She turned to look down and saw it was Shouto, holding onto the end of her skirt, blushing almost.

"C-Can I walk with you...?" He asked, a small frown forming on his lips, nervous from asking such a question.

Kiara smiled, slowly bending over. She looked at him with a smile, "Of course."

They made their way around the neighborhood. It was silent during their way. It felt kind of awkward when they were walking by each other since they'd never really talked or met in person when Kiara visited the Todoroki's. But Kiara was the first to break the silence.

"How was school today?" Kiara asked, looking down at him.

"G-Good... we're learning addition," Shouto said, fiddling with his fingers.

"You must be a smart kid, Shouto. Your mother tells me your doing well. Is it hard for you?" Kiara questioned, smiling.

He shook his head, "No..." blushing from what Kiara had told him about his mother.

"I was shy like you once when I was about your age," Kiara stated, looking up ahead of the sidewalk. "I was scared to talk to people, but I met Touya, he was nice to me. He's also timid."

Shouto was a little surprised when he found out something about his older brother. Since they never really communicated with each other. Like Touya hated him. But he never acted modest or shy at home behind closed doors. 

Suddenly, he stopped walking. "I-I don't want to go home..." Shouto said, he felt his eyes become filled with his tears, now looking up at her where she could see his clear pained expression.

She kneeled down to his level, looking at him with a concern and a serious expression on her face. "I know... but remember Shouto, don't let that man control you because it's your power, not his," Kiara stated, she ruffled his hair, continuing to walk and Shouto couldn't help but want to hold her hand the rest of the way they walked.

Later they arrived at his house. Touya was the one to open the door, a bit surprised when he saw Kiara standing in front of him with his little brother, Shouto.

"K-Kiara?" Touya questioned. He was happy to see her since he never really liked saying goodbye to her.

"Hey Touya, I'm dropping off Sho', since I saw him on the way back from school, I thought I would join him the rest of the way," Kiara informed him, looking at Shouto. "since the sun was setting and I just got worried incase some villains hurt Sho'."

"Shouto, why don't you go inside," Touya suggested, leaving a little opening for him. He did so and saw Kiara waving off to him, he smiled at her, returning a small wave back at her.

"Fuyumi was sick so I wasn't at school," Touya stated, leaning against the doorway. "I had to help my mom treat her."

"Ah, hope she gets better," Kiara said, re-adjusting her school bag that was over her shoulder.

"He seems to really like you," Touya stated, looking back into the house.

"Aw... is Mr. Todoroki jealous?" Kiara teased him, pinching his cheek. "But he is cuter--"

"Okay, okay." Touya laughed out, and Kiara giggled at him.

But again, Kiara had to leave.

Shouto was looking at the scene in front of him, curious with the affection that he never really saw from his age. When Touya turned around, he noticed Shouto who quickly hid his head from the wall that he was watching. Hoping that Touya wouldn't walk over to him, his hopes didn't work. Touya was standing next to him, his arms crossed over his chest with an annoyed look on his face, almost towering over him.

"You shouldn't watch people or eavesdrop on them, Shouto, it's disrespectful," Touya said, before walking down into the hallway to his room.

Shouto whispered: "I'm sorry." But Touya couldn't hear him. He never cared.

After all... Touya never liked Shouto since the beginning.

***

"Sho', Shouto."

The voice was inaudible, echoing through his ears as the blurry figure stood in front of him, his eyes half-lidded.

"Shouto."

Clearness was filled and it was Kiara who stood in front of him, a concerned look on her face as she looked at his panting and sweaty form, tired eyes, his hair messy as they stuck on his forehead. His father over-trained him.

Kiara catches him when he fell back, and into her arms, her fingers moved his hair out of his eyes as she examined him.

"Shouto? Shouto?!" Rei called out louder as she saw him passed out in Kiara's arms as his breath was steady. She rushed over quickly, taking him into her arms as she looked up at her. "What happened?"

"I-I saw him standing there, panting and sweating like crazy, I don't--"

"-He was over-trained again by his dad like always." Rei panicked, and an uneasy feeling crept inside of her. "Kiara, go to Touya, I'll take care of it."

"Why was she being so nice?" Shouto was thinking to himself, staring up at the ceiling of his room of the bed he laid in. A cool wet towel on his forehead. There was a knock at his door, watching it slide open. It was his mother, holding a glass of water.

"Oh, you're awake," Rei smiled, "how do you feel?" She asked.

"I'm okay..." he replied, sitting up straight as he felt the side of the bed's weight dip down when Rei sat on the edge, handing him the glass of water to drink.

After a few gulps of the cold water, Rei took the towel, holding it in her hands as he looked at her, then the water. He had wondered where she went.

"Do you know where Kiara is?" He asked her, drinking a few more sips.

Rei smiled, caressing the side of his head, moving the strands of his white hair from his eye. "She went to Touya's room, but she had to go back home. She went to check on you before she left." She added the last sentence.

Shouto didn't reply, instead, he kept on drinking his water, still feeling Rei's hand on his head. It was silent, the only sound was the wind pushing through the plants outside that could be seen through Shouto's window of the spring breeze.

After he finished, he handed the cool glass to her. But before she got up, he spoke to her: "Will she come back?" He asked.

"Don't worry, she'll visit again over the weekends again," Rei replied with a sweet smile on her face, getting up as she left his room.

Shouto couldn't help but smile.

____________________

A/N

hope you guys enjoyed the first part of the story!

- tränen