Linked Paths

Arc I - Closer to You [Chapter 1: If I were You, or am I?]

Even if it’s okay for everyone involved if Laha and I remain quite physical, I’m sadly all too aware that our usual friend-cuddling and -pampering can never be fully the same while I’m trapped in Kacchan’s body.

As I’m preoccupied with myself, I don’t even notice the rest of sensei’s words. It’s only when he says goodbye to us that I’m back in the here and now. The economy module with Tendo-sensei then takes its usual course. Normally, I would now activate my secondary quirk and soak up all the information like a sponge, but well, that’s just not possible now. The headaches, omnipresent since the swap, have just reached a disgusting level. Furthermore, I keep drifting off into a whirlwind of thoughts about my stupid condition. Thus, I’m wondering whether Kacchan can concentrate. I peek at him as inconspicuously as possible.

It’s likely Kacchan knows about my secondary. My HTB profile contains this information and is accessible to any student through the U.A. system. While I guarantee he doesn’t have such nerdy and extensive records on everyone like I have, he’s certainly done his research. Not to mention that you automatically learn a bunch of things about your classmates in your day-to-day training. Even people like us, who don’t usually look at each other’s asses, get enough input that way. However, I mainly wonder whether the quirk is still accessible at all now. It falls like scales from my eyes and chills run down my spine. If so, it might be fatal!

I highly doubt Kacchan could control it even though his mind is strong. It has taken me years to actively put it on “stand-by” since the manifestation was noticed. I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it without professional help. If I couldn’t specifically turn it off, it would be active all the time and would sooner or later harm my body. My organism is genetically adapted to this to some extent and is therefore very robust in this respect. What overall doesn’t calm me that much. The exact consequences and mechanisms of action of the body swap are completely unclear.

Only very few people know about the associated complications of my secondary. Not even Laha knows. Without a good reason, I don’t unnecessarily tie it on people’s noses. Since Kacchan’s in my skin now, even if hopefully just temporarily, it can’t be helped. I have to tell him. Okabe-san needs to be initiated to it, too.

I prepare my HeCom for typing a message to Kacchan, half under the table so that Tendo-sensei doesn’t notice immediately. As if she would care.

》We need to talk after the lesson, urgently! There’s something you need to know about me.《

I hope he isn’t too mad at me for sharing it delayed. 

[Some corner in the hallway, out of earshot of others] 

“I’m really sorry for not sharing this important fact immediately. I didn’t do this consciously.”, I end my reveal.

Now he knows. But the relief I feel about it crackles almost immediately in view of all the worries I still must shoulder.

I intensively exhale and wait for Kacchan’s reaction.

Kacchan: “Well, it is extremely relevant for me…”, *sighs*, “Guess I didn’t have enough to worry about, huh?”

I’m still quiet, analyzing his facial expression. Kacchan looks lost. I now recognize the dark circles under his eyes.

Kacchan: *shrugs after a short pause*, “I know now. It’s not like an eternity has passed. Also, I’m not about to drop dead instantly, right?”

I nod timidly. Negative memories want to make their way to the surface of my consciousness, but I quickly move on to my next question. “Say, is your concentration higher than usual? Do you remember every detail of, for example, Tendo-sensei’s words?”