Brave Heart ((TENYA IIDA X OC))

Chapter 17

"I'm sorry," she apologized again. "Everything will be clear in time. You just have to be patient and hopeful that you're strong enough to endure it until then."

As expected, I didn't know what she meant by that at all, but I knew trying to argue with her wouldn't get me anywhere, so I stayed quiet. I just let her hold me, even as this facade began to fade.

I opened my eyes to the fluorescent light of Recovery Girl's standby office. My mind felt dull, though the static was still there in the back of my head. I slowly arose from the mattress I was laying on, and immediately frowned at the sight of Yamamoto Chiyo sitting in the chair beside the bed.

"Good to see that you're okay," he greeted, disregarding my displeased look. "How're you feeling?"

"I'd be better if you weren't here." I grumbled, though he only smiled.

"None of your classmates know you passed out after your match with Hattori," he told me. "You slept through a few others, too."

"Then how did you know that I was in here?" I questioned, kicking my legs over the side of the bed.

"I told you that I could pick you out of the crowd," Yamamoto said. "So I just followed your noisy head."

"Are you obsessed with me or something?" I inquired incredulously, prompting the boy to laugh.

"No, no, nothing like that," he waved his hand. "Just... intrigued, is all."

I made an 'ah' sound of acknowledgement before standing up and walking into the hall, and to my dismay, how followed right behind me.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," Yamamoto told me as we walked. "Will you listen?"

"It doesn't seem like I have much of a choice, does it?" I shot back.

"Good," Yamamoto grabbed me by the arm and proceeded in leading me down a stray hallway.

"Where're you taking me?"

"Somewhere we won't get eavesdropped on." He replied simply, dragging me into the 1-B changing room.

He sat me down quickly, and before giving me another glance, grabbed a chair and set it in front of me.

"I heard your argument with that Iida fellow." He began and my face immediately scrunched uncomfortably at the memory. I had almost forgotten about that entirely.

"What of it?" I questioned bluntly, slumping in my seat.

"I don't know what's going on with your head or your quirks since Nightmare's death," he continued, giving me a warm smile. "But he's only trying to help you."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"I do," he nodded. "But something won't let you close to him, right? I noticed tension between you and that color girl, she really admires you, you know."

"What point are you trying to make?" I spat, squinting at him.

"You need to talk to someone," Yamamoto urged me, snatching up one of my hands before I could rip it away. "Whatever's going on is eating at you from the inside. You're being hurtful and mean and I know that that isn't the real you. I saw you around school before USJ, I saw the way you smiled. I don't know what happened, but I want to because I think I can help you."

"You don't know anything about me." I looked away from him irritably.

"I know what you're thinking," he justified. "I know how you feel and I know that you love Iida and Karafuru and that the last thing you want to do is hurt them. That's why you're pushing them away. I think that's knowing enough."