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A week passed, and May found herself more prepared for the upcoming school year than she expected. She was working tirelessly to get everything in order, leaving late most days. Luckily, Recovery Girl had left behind detailed notes for her replacement. She wondered about the woman that the staff held in such high regard.
May's time never felt long enough. It was hours of studying the types of injuries she would see and mentally ordering her treatment plans for how she would solve problems when they presented themselves. With such a diverse range of quirks, it was impossible to know what the future held.
Tinkering with the medical bots was another issue that May wrestled. Even with a minor in bioengineering, May found herself struggling to figure them out. They were much more advanced than any of the rudimentary artificial intelligence she worked with previously.
All the while, May began to get to know the rest of the staff in between her intense work.
Cementoss, or as he insisted, Ken, was an excellent sounding board for her ideas. He was one of the first pro-heroes to approach her outside of the staff meeting actively. It was nice to have someone already on her side.
She was used to asking advice about where her research would head to other colleagues and just talking aloud. He didn't know much, but he enjoyed learning about medicine and made a fantastic cup of tea.
"Where did you graduate from, Dr. Kataoka?" He asked one day, watching her bang a screwdriver against the metal of a medical bot. Strewn at her side, vague instructions with special notes from Power Loader laid. It was not graceful.
"University of Tokyo," May chirped, dusting off her hands. "I also completed an abroad program within eastern Europe. Nothing with robots, however."
Their conversations mostly consisted of a back and forth, getting to know each other. Some days, Ken would leave the Recovery Room with May and continue their discussions well out of the school. He was a pleasant man, much different than May expected from his stern appearance.
Everyone else May only saw in passing. She assumed All Might was busy with his new pupil. May tried to catch him. It was essential to initiate his treatment plan, but he outran her every time.
Nezu would pop in like Cementoss, sitting on the hospital beds and chattering about whatever he had read. Aizawa was another elusive character. He seemed to be avoiding her on purpose. Anytime she would catch a flutter of black, it would be out of sight in a matter of minutes.
May asked Ken about him, and he told her that he was always wary of newer people. Especially someone who wasn't well known within the hero circuit.
While May reordered some medications, she decided to mention to Ken about the inflexibility comment. It tickled him, causing the cement man to chuckle to himself.
"I'm not inflexible! Well, maybe a little bit. I don't cope well with change and—"
"That's inflexibility, Dr. Kataoka. Do not take what he says too seriously. He's testing you, like his students."
"Testing me? I've been through every test imaginable. It doesn't feel quite like that."
After her workday ended on Friday, May forgot about her night ahead. Earlier in the week, her friends had planned to make an appearance and spend the weekend with her. It was a significant detail that slipped her crowded mind.
When May approached her apartment complex, she saw a group of three girls. Everything instantly hit her, and before she could fully process further, a screeching voice sounded across the other commuters.
"Is that Doctor Sexy?" A redheaded girl screeched and lowered her sunglasses.
Eiko waved her hot pink nails, the reflection of a smartphone catching the light. She went on to become a CEO for a huge fashion company after undergraduate. There, she fell in love with her assistant, and they got married several years ago.
Her luxury clothing was enough to spot her from a mile away. She had a set of five suitcases next to her. Two other women were close behind, which happened to be May's two other friends: Niko and Sara.
Niko had a blunt black bob and dramatic green makeup. A golden ring caught May's eye, reminding her of Niko's recent elopement. Niko's demanding comments and fiery words already spewed at Eiko, insisting she set down her 'blasted phone.'
Niko had this fantastic ability where she knew how to use anything just by touching it. May always wished for her quirk whenever she had to read directions for anything, especially with those wretched medical bots.
"I'm so happy to be here! Your apartment building is gorgeous!" Sara ran forward, her arms outstretched. May was engulfed in a tight embrace, breaking into a bright smile.
"Be careful! I may have some fluids on my coat."
"Fluids? Have you met my children?" Sara didn't let her go.
Sara was strawberry cake personified. She had gorgeous light pink hair that curled around the edges of her face and round blue eyes. Before she was a stay-at-home Mom, she was an employee at a pharmaceutical company as a biochemist. May's whole body warmed, beaming at the presence of her friends.
When they first met in a physics course, May thought they would hate her due to her quiet and awkward demeanor. Eiko accidentally signed up for physics thinking it meant 'physical,' for the rest of the group, it was mandatory.
Without Niko, May admitted she never would've passed. They became fast friends and roommates, bonding over late nights of homework. The rest was history.
"You ready for a night you won't forget?" Niko said, a mischievous grin growing across her face.
"We know you're tired, and you constantly overwork yourself, so we already made a game plan," Eiko said, her phone in hand. She had a Bluetooth device in one ear, her berry lip gloss distracting from her green eyes.
"I've arranged everything, so you don't have to worry."
"Wow, you guys!" May said, adjusting her eyeglasses from the hug onslaught. "I would've just been happy with a night in."
Eiko huffed. "Now, we can't allow that! You just moved to a new city — so many new people to meet. And you need friends that aren't old and crusty."
Her tone was more demanding than encouraging.
"You are not crusty and old," May protested.
"You see these forehead lines? I've already made appointments for Botox."
The elevator shot up to the top floor, May's friends oo-ing and aa-ing. It was strange seeing her friends so intrigued with her current life. Not that they weren't before, but medical school wasn't exactly awe-inspiring.
She opened the door to her apartment, happy that she had finished unpacking the day before. Everything perfectly organized, just as she liked it.
"Holy shit, May," Niko said, walking around the apartment and right toward the windows. "This is incredible."
"I didn't know they paid new doctors this much." Eiko touched the smooth, light blue couch that pressed against the opposite wall.
"I would kill for this kitchen!" Sara said, spinning around in a circle in the middle of the kitchen.
"I have so much to tell you all," May said, interrupting their exploration of her new apartment.
"First! Before conversations." Eiko pointed toward the bedroom. "We must find the outfit that'll snag attention."
Attention? That's not what I want.
Sara and Niko clapped their hands together, chirping in agreements. May felt like she was twenty-one again.
They're going to try to set me up, I know it!
She was the only friend left that was without a single romantic prospect, which meant she was the subject.
They dragged May by the arms into the bedroom, Eiko vigorously rummaging through her closet. Sara sat on the bed next to May, putting her hand on top of May's. Niko had begun inspecting the bathroom for makeup.
While May spoke with Sara about kids and parenting, a loud gasp erupted from the red-haired woman in the closet. It sounded like violent murder.
May got to her feet fast, putting a hand on Eiko's shoulder. "Eiko? Are you okay?"
"What?! None of this is— is this all business wear?! You promised me! You promised you would have at least one sparkly dress."
Why is she always this dramatic? May tugged at her shirt collar. "I never went out during medical school. Remember? Nerd city?"
"Really? I couldn't tell." Eiko sarcastically swung her hips, gesturing toward the closet. Then, she perked up. "Lucky for you, I brought some of my new designs."
"Oh! Yay! You must give us a fashion show, May. Just like on your twenty-second!" Sara clapped her hands together. May appreciated Sara's excitement, even if it was in a desperate attempt to feel young again.
"I had to bring my own. I haven't exactly lost the baby weight."
"Sara! You look like a goddess!" Niko called from the bathroom, her voice sounding exasperated.
"Niko's right, Sara," May said as she followed Eiko to her massive suitcase.
Without warning, a slew of dresses fell into May's hands. Her glasses went askew on her face. She received a mouthful of fabric, barely able to look over the top of the heap.
"They're all in your size! I stole your dress from Niko's wedding, whoops." Eiko was very pleased with herself.
"Alright, alright."
The next couple of minutes centered around May, the attention from her friends suffocating her. May was okay with being put on the spot through her work. It was when she was most confident. Clubbing? Not so much.
May tried on every color dress until she slid on the scariest dress Eiko had brought. This has her scheming all over it.
May felt a little bit silly. She was twenty-seven years old, not twenty-two. It was black, short, and low cut. Everything May didn't want in a dress. The sparkle wasn't missing either, lending itself to catch eyes when the light would hit.
She walked out in the thigh-high boot heels Eiko chose. May wobbled, the overall tightness of the dress restricting her movement.
"I don't know about this one, guys," May said, but they all screamed in unison excitement.
"You look so hot, May!" Niko said. "If my wife came out looking like that, we wouldn't leave the house."
"Niko!"
"Sorry, it's true."
May adjusted her chest, trying to get used to the look in the mirror. She did care about her appearance. Every day was a new opportunity to put her best foot forward. She tried to keep herself healthy and presentable due to the nature of her job. The dress implied she was less conservative than her true self.
"I mean, I guess. I haven't shown off this much skin in such a long time. My cellulite—"
Sara, in a hot pink jumpsuit straight from ten years ago, stood next to May in the mirror. "Sh, no one's going to look at that. You look like the best bowl of ramen in town, you understand me?"
When did she become so inspirational? Then it dawned on her. Motherhood.
Eiko and Niko had changed too.
Niko was in an emerald two-piece, and Eiko barely had any clothes on at all. The dress was skimpy to put it lightly. May could barely figure out what was covered and what wasn't.
While they did their makeup, Niko brought out the alcohol. They drank and sang along to songs that brought them back to their college days.
"Do you remember when May went out with the president of that one club? Future Programmers of Tokyo?" Eiko slurred, giggling. "That was the biggest shit show I've ever seen."
"He was nice! And kind of cute." May defended herself, listening to the other girls giggle. "Even if he didn't say a single word to me the whole time. I can't blame him; he was nervous!"
She ended up forgetting to tell them about her new job at U.A. High School. They were having such a great time reminiscing and talking about events in everyone else's lives. May lost the desire to speak about heroes.
Her friends were hitting so many life milestones that were so much more meaningful. It filled her soul, warming her to the core. Just like the alcohol she drank. By the time they left the house, the world was spinning around May.
They got to the club before she even realized it. Sara was right. She was throwing it back as she promised. Eiko had connections, guiding the group of girls into the VIP section. Purple ropes and all.
There were several pro-heroes around, which was growing to not phase May. She was starting to drift so far into her alcoholic haze that faces blurred together. The purple and blue strobe lights set her body ablaze.
May never drank that often, only keeping it to the minimum. But when she did, it felt great. The bass of the club distracted her from her worries.
She didn't even think about the men that she danced around. Or the people that she accidentally whipped with her black hair while in the moment. May was glad she put in her contacts; otherwise, her glasses would've been toast. The spinning of the room intensified.
In the corner of her eye, she could see the outlines of a familiar face. May was really drunk, so she wasn't sure. She stopped dancing, standing in the middle of the floor trying to figure it out. That's not him! He's weird and goofy looking. Then, Niko yanked May's shoulder, leaning into her ear and whispering loudly.
"Oh, my God! Present Mic is looking at you!"
"Hmm— I look good, don't I? Thank you, Eiko," May slurred in her drunken haze, every thought passing through her lips.
"Stop! No way, he's coming over here."
May could see the blur of the blonde man approaching. He looked slick, but she honestly didn't remember what he was wearing. All that was recognizable were the gigantic black blocks over his eyes.
Yamada was talking to everyone and wearing sunglasses inside. May remembered thinking, what kind of jackass wears sunglasses indoors? In hindsight, it was indeed a disaster.
"Dr. Kataoka? Didn't take you as a party girl," his voice reigned over her friends. "I dig it!"
"She's not!" Niko yelled over May, who was swaying to the beat. "Wait— how do you know him?"
"We work together. Your friends are hot too! Keepin' too many secrets," he said, then pointed to the bar with finger guns. "You ladies want a drink? It's on me!"
All of her friends screamed in excitement, asking May fifty things, but she was out of it. The responses didn't align with the questions, but her friends didn't seem the care. They were getting drinks from Present Mic!
May stumbled over toward the edge of the dance floor, her large earrings tinkling in her eardrum outside of the loud music. She leaned over the side of the railing, providing ample support. May exhaled, putting her hands to her face. Couldn't feel it. Oops! Her lips squeezed together, and she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, Doc, how're you feeling?" Yamada asked.
May whirled around, feeling herself lean too far to the left. His hand steadied her. "Better than-n... ever, you? Wait— oh no, you're going to tell everyone."
She spoke without control, her words running all together without much sense. "You be loud, but keep this a safe, quiet secret."
His whole body launched into his laugh. Yamada looked a little bit more casual with his hair down, and out of that ridiculous hairdo he usually did. His personality didn't leave, though, loud and obnoxious.
But May wasn't sure about anything else regarding his appearance or even the emotions on his face; she saw three of him at one time. She took a sip of another drink.
"Secrets ain't my style, Doc!"
May pouted, the music causing her to zone out. She thought she saw a camera flash, but she wasn't sure. May continued to sway to the beat, not noticing the eyes that rested upon them.
People knew who he was, wondering who she was, but May didn't care for once! Her thoughts blurred together in a concoction of honest reflections only a drunk person could have.
"Question," May started, pointing her finger at him. "Why does Eraser hate me? I didn't... didn't even do anything!"
"Yo, what! Hate you?"
"Yeah! He looked like—" May put on her best screwed up angry face, leaning too far forward. She waved a finger. "— and then said 'you stupid inflexible lady!' But smarter. I can't stop thinking about it. Is it hot in here?"
Yamada erupted into more laughter, steadying her once again. Looking back at it, he was incredibly tolerant. May concluded that she was super annoying at that point. Without initiation, he plucked the drink from her hand and placed it on a tray.
"Anyone ever tell you that you worry too much? Come with me, Doc!" His voice was smooth against the pulsating bass, loud and excited. May giggled, falling back into the trap of smoke and lights. Yamada extended his hand, guiding her back to the dance floor.
After that, May didn't remember a single thing. Somehow, they had gotten home in one piece. May opened her eyes to the harsh light of late morning, her friends laying every which way on the bed. May's stomach growled, and her throat felt like sandpaper.
Then, after she had adjusted those initial feelings, her stomach dropped. Images of the club and expensive sunglasses clawed at her brain. Her first impressions were really missing the marks here.
May rummaged around for her phone, carefully trying to make sure she didn't wake up anyone. She swung her feet off of the bed and made a mad dash for the bathroom. Leaning against the corner, she unlocked the screen on her phone. It was lit up notifications.
>> (3) NEW MESSAGES <<
hizawgehw
➞ Had so much fun with you last night. I was right, you should've joined me as a promoter ;)
➞ attached: 2 images
✓ read
>> <<
Oh God! May looked at the images he sent. They were two selfies of them together in the club. He was grinning with his arm around May, and she looked like she was on another planet.
It was the most embarrassing thing she had seen of herself in a long time. Vomiting in front of her boss was a close second. It felt as though the minute she left the confines of schooling, she was mucking everything up.
She scrolled further through her phone. Her heart stopped.
>> (2) NEW MESSAGES <<
Me
this aiwasf??
✓ read
mean-3y
➞ Hello? Who is this, how did you get my number?
➞ Seriously? Hello? Hizashi, if this is you, this isn't funny.
✓ read
>> <<