PAPER FLOWERS ( k. bakugou )

chapter 25

‘ to set things straight ’

━━━━━

Kaede woke up screaming.

Her morning's been awful. Breakfast didn't sit well with her and she had to vomit everything up. The leek quiche and the imperfect cup of coffee the room service gave her.

Paying for the hotels she's been transferring to as she visited Honoka everyday wasn't difficult. All For One was a highly influential and wealthy figure. It wouldn't take a genius to guess that he had provided his protégés with backup accounts in case they needed money. Heck, it was never an issue for them.

Under his tutelage, she could have whatever fruit her heart desired and whatever weapon she needed. Tomura had decayed so many of his gaming consoles, but at the end of the day, he'd have a new one at his hands. There were tantrums thrown about just about any material needs and sensei provided just as easily.

Kaede's thoughts turn to the fish Tomura were probably keeping now- Aquamarine and Chartreuse, or whatever, memorizing trivial names was never something she was good at nor was it something she could excel at. Kaede was trained to be prideful and if you traced her lineage, especially at her mother's side, oh especially at the Moriyama's who discarded everything not up to their standards, prideful was a great understatement. Just look at her mother who was raised to be something she could never ever be.

Back to the fish, they were probably also bought with sensei's money. Everything was bought with his money. Even the cream paper Tomoe used for his letter and just that thought taints the seraphic brilliance she's always held for the letters.

Standing in front of the mirror, Kaede decided to douse her face with a handful of tap water and brushed her teeth with the toothbrush and toothpaste she bought at some random convenience store. She had to admit, security was shitty. After visiting numerous shops just for the sake of it, or in Honoka's words— me time, she's never had someone report her to the police. Or some surveillance cameras being alerted by her presence. After that incident with the Pine Hero— whatever his name was, Kaede's certain some footage has been leaked and she's already a wanted personage.

It's disappointing that she doesn't have a wanted poster yet. Deep down, she's always wanted to have a wanted poster.

Spitting the remnants of toothpaste and whatever germs nestled in her mouth, Kaede uses her sleeve to dry her lips, heads to the shower and takes a bath.

She counts thirteen minutes, six seconds and counting before she manages to wear the long black stockings underneath the red handkerchief skirt she chose to wore for today and she finishes her morning rituals.

Every day, the walk to Honoka's house, or Kaede's former house has a different time. It's not that her pace is different each day, it's the fact that she changes hotels everyday to be safe. Sometimes, she takes inns, even apartments. Counting the one where she stayed two days ago, seven hours, forty two minutes, eleven seconds ago, Kaede's already paid three months advance for four apartments.

Today, it takes her half an hour to reach Honoka's house where the girl waits for her at the doorstep, a Mathematics book in her lap. There's something churning in her stomach that Kaede can't erase and it feels awful, almost ominous.

The weather is not helping either. She's left the League of Villains, twelve days ago, and for that period of time it's been nothing but sunny. So, of course, the grey nimbus clouds up above sends an unwanted shiver across her bones.

"You're late," Honoka says, but she's not angry. It's just an observation. "For the third time, this week, but whatever Kai, you probably have a night life or something. Will you take me once I'm older?"