MHA: Villains Need A Hero Too

Yuno opened his eyes, peeling them open slowly, immediately met with a blinding white. It gave him a headache, and he blinked a few times to adjust. Quite delayed, Yuno turned his head to take in the surroundings. White walls and a door to his right. He was laying on something soft, it was comfortable and uncomfortable all at the same time. There was a wire attached to him, a needle placed deep in the skin of his forearm as I.V. seemed to slowly flow into his system.

Yuno shot up, jerking with a wince; he quickly regretted doing so. His body ached with exhaustion and so did his head. He could still see the black dots in his vision, they hadn't gone away even after sleeping. How long had he been out for?

"Ah, you're awake." A woman in white entered the room, sliding the door closed while a clipboard was hugged against her chest. "That's good. How are you feeling?"

"Where am I?" Yuno answered with a question, much to the nurse's displeasure but she had good patience.

"You are in the Jaku Hospital." The nurse replied, writing down on the clipboard. "You were brought in unconscious and highly malnourished, not to mention, dehydrated. Have you eaten anything within the past twelve hours?"

Yuno had to think for a few moments, completely oblivious to who he was talking to, what their motives were, and where he was. "I had omelet rice this morning. I ate about half, maybe less."

There was the scratching of a pencil for a few seconds before the nurse looked up at him, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. Yuno could feel her eyes studying him, although, he didn't have the energy to point it out.

"Do you remember your name?" The nurse asked, to which she received a confused expression at first.

"Yuno Tsumuyuki." Yuno mumbled, clenching his weak fingers before unclenching them. He kept doing that, trying to gain more of a firm grip.

"And how old are you?"

"17."

"No head trauma, and no injuries." The nurse whispered to herself, finishing the report on her clipboard. She then reached up and approached Yuno, pressing a palm against his forehead. The brunette had to take a few moments to process the touch, furrowing his brows as the nurse checked his tempature.

She'll hurt you.

Yuno smacked the nurse's hand away on instinct, his eyes widened in fear. The nurse flinched at the act of being slapped away, but she examined the way Yuno suddenly became tense and looked around desperately. His eyes moved from the window to the flower pots on the sill, from the curtains to his hands. It all looked the same in his mind, everything white and bland and plain, like that room.

Yuno's breath caught in his throat as his eyes shifted back to the I.V. needle in his arm. He gripped the needle and practically ripped it out of his flesh, barely grimacing at the pain. Small droplets of blood dripped down his wrist, the reckless action left a cut.

He kicked his legs off the bed, throwing the blankets away from him and tried stepping on the ground. Startled, the nurse pressed her hands on his shoulders and held him down to stay seated.

"Calm down." She said, her voice soft and experienced. "Remember, we're in Jaku Hospital. There's no need to panic. Stay seated, you'll fall over if you don't."

Yuno drew in a deep breath, his chest rising in the process. His shoulder pulled up before falling back down as he inhaled slowly, he winced at the sting the cut in his arm left. The world wasn't tilting as much anymore thanks to the nurse keeping him in the bed.

"There we go." The nurse removed her hands from his shoulders, a smile on her lips. "Now, be honest, how are you feeling right now?"

Yuno closed his eyes, tired, and he must've been leaning one way because the nurse held him by placing a hand on his bicep. "Where am I?"

The nurse frowned, he knows she did. "Jaku Hospital, you are in the third floor of Jaku Hospital and it's it's three thirty in the afternoon. Are you feeling any pain?"

His eyes fluttered open again, trying to focus on something. He shook his head, regretting doing so with the way it made his vision swim. "No."

"Do you feel dizzy?"

Yuno nodded. He felt nauseous too, for whatever reason. It may have been from lack of food. Either way, Yuno's stomach twisted uncomfortably, hurting just a bit. Maybe that counted as pain.

"Hungry." Yuno mumbled, the nurse straining her ears just to catch what he said.

"Would you like something to eat?" The nurse asked. She reached into a wooden bowl on a side table nearby and pulled out an orange clementine. It fit in her palm nicely, her hands must be pretty small. He wondered what the orange would taste like, sweet or sour.

Yuno took the offer and began digging his nails into the peel, struggling to find a start. His eyebrows furrowed in frustration, his fingers wouldn't listen to him and they weren't nearly strong enough to peel the fruit of it's protection.

"Would you like me to peel it for you?" The nurse extended her hand back out, ready to provide assistance if needed.

Yuno placed the orange back in the nurse's hand, allowing her to help him. As expected, she could peel it easily and it made Yuno somewhat upset by his sudden weakness. He really hadn't felt as exhausted earlier compared to how he felt now. He didn't think that skipping lunch would do this to him, land him somewhere in the hospital. He honestly thought that breakfast would hold him off, even if he did only eat half, perhaps less even.

"Here we go." The nurse split the orange in half and placed it in Yuno's hands. She flashed him a kind smile, her perfectly white teeth shining under the lights. Truly, she seemed like a nice person, Yuno thinks a lot of people in the medical department are nice; a lot more kind than most people he knows anyway.

"Thank you." Yuno began eating away at the orange, popping slice after slice into his mouth and chewing the grainy skin that offered a juice right after, a reward for breaking through the tough hide. The fruit was a bit sour, but he was fine with it, it kept him grounded and aware.

"You have visitors." The nurse informed after a few rounds of silence. That got Yuno to lift his head, cheeks puffed with the food in his mouth; she almost laughed at the way he looked like a chipmunk.

"Who are they?" Yuno questioned. He's never had visitors other than Kisu. But, Kisu doesn't ever want to see him again, and he frowns at the thought of it; it makes him sad.

"They said their names are Togata and Amajiki. They're the ones that brought you in, but they don't have any relationship with you. Would you like me to let them in?"

Togata and Amajiki sounded like familiar names, Yuno knows he's heard them before. He had to think much too hard, recalling memories of anyone he's ever met with those titles. It took all of a minute for Yuno to finally remember, which he took as a sign of how tired he was. Mirio Togata and Tamaki Amajiki, those were their full names if he recalled correctly. They are two out of the "Big Three." They're two of the most powerful and best students in UA, and they're third years.

Is that seriously who Yuno had ran into? That explained the purple hair he saw when he crashed into someone, that someone was most certainly Amajiki now that he realized. Shame filled Yuno's cheeks, he's completely ruined his image, because yes, he too does admire the Big Three in his own ways.

But should he let them in? Well, it's the least he could do since they're the ones who brought him in. He has to thank them for not leaving him out on the streets.

"Sure." Yuno nodded, finishing the last of his orange. "Can you just ask them to be quiet? My ears hurt."

"Noted," the nurse smoothed her skirt and made her way to the door. Upon hearing the request, she opened the door quietly and slid it shut just as softly. He was grateful for that.

Distantly, Yuno could hear voices conversing outside the door. But that didn't matter right now. Yuno's mind traveled back to the mall, when he had begun talking with Kaminari. He had made such a huge mistake in telling Kaminari something he hadn't told Kisu, and that made Kisu so angry.

"I hate you."

It rang in Yuno's head, sending a shudder down his spine as he gripped his hands together. Kisu never wants to see him again, she hates him; he probably shouldn't even refer to her as Kisu anymore, she'd probably get mad. If Yuno ever sees her again, he'd have to call her Kisuma or Aoni and not the nickname she loves. Only people she likes can call her that nickname, and now, Yuno has been crossed off that list.

Yuno hated the way his eyes teared up at the thought losing his life long friend, he hated the fact that he was the cause of her anger. He hates that he's about to cry when it's his fault that she hates him now. He buried his face in his palms, forcing the tears to stay in and if they fell, he quickly wiped them with the fabric of his sleeves.

Your fault, he reminded himself over and over again. It's all your fault. You're the reason she's gone now. And she'll never come back.

Yuno doubts Kisuma would even look at him now.

The door slid open again, a shuffle of polished wood gliding against the metal frame. In a flash, Yuno wiped his watery eyes and returned to his neutral expression. He couldn't, he will not, cry in front of anyone.

"Good to see you awake." Togats's blue eyes were big and wide with relief; they were always big and wide, just never at Yuno. Togata smiled at him though, giving his signature thumbs that he gave everyone. "You gave us quite a scare. Never did I imagine that Amajiki would get ran into like that, ever."

Said person, Amajiki, hid behind his hair and shoved his hands in his pockets, a quiet grumble escaping his lips; no heard what he was saying.

"Anyway, glad you're doing okay." Togata tapped Amajiki's shoulder, which got the other to flinch and stand straight as a stick. "I recognized you from UA as soon as I got a clear glimpse of your face. You're pretty popular; it's Tsumuyuki, right?"

Yuno only nodded, placing his hands in his lap and keeping eye contact with Togata. The blond laughed, rubbing his head with a strong and calloused hand. Yuno could only dream of hands like that, his were small, more feminine, not to mention their littered with unsightly scars, he got picked on a lot for it.

"Not much of a talker, huh?" Togata chuckled. "You and Amajiki would get along real well. That's alright, we'll get out of hair. We just wanted to make sure you were doing okay."

Yuno nodded again, refusing to speak. If he did, his mask would be torn right off and he'd most likely start crying in front of strangers.

"You good there, bud?" Togata blinked, his smile faltering when Yuno still didn't answer. His eyes soon fell to Yuno's hands and concern was painted across his face in one stroke.

Yuno looked down to his hands. His breath hitched when he saw pale white and not black. He paled when he saw ghostly and slender fingers and not black fabric engulfing his digits. Where on earth did his gloves go? And then Yuno realized they were shaking again, trembling like they were freezing cold; maybe they were.

Yuno completely stopped breathing when red liquid dripped off his fingers, he heard the sound of heavy droplets hitting the floor and echoing in his ears. He could smell iron and the stench of blood, it filled his senses way too fast. With no way to wash them, Yuno began rubbing at the blood, trying to scrape it off his skin with his nails. It hurt, and he didn't care; just getting the blood off was what he wanted, even if he had to tear at his own flesh.

"Sir, please don't do that." The nurse sounded like she was under water, but the feeling of her hands on his shoulders made Yuno aware that she was next to him, her hands on his arms.

He jerked away at the touch, digging his nails into his palms and trying to get the blood off. It was going to dry and then it would be there forever, he needed to get it off his skin now.

The nurse took the blanket on the bed and draped it over Yuno's hands, covering whatever he was seeing. They still trembled under the warm cloth, but at least now, he couldn't see who's blood was on his hands.

"I need you tell me what you're seeing." The nurse said, placing a hand in Yuno's cheek and moving his head to look at her. "Don't look anywhere else but my eyes. Tell me what you see."

Yuno choked on his breath, inhaling too much too fast and began coughing. He focused on the warm palm against his skin, remembering what Kisu said. S̶h̶e̶'̶s̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶y̶m̶o̶r̶e̶.

"My- My gloves." Yuno sputtered, his voice strained. "I need them. Where are they? Please, I need them. I need them."

The nurse nodded, slowly moving to the side table with the bowl of oranges. She opened the drawer, making sure Yuno could see her every move. And he did. She reached into the drawer and gripped something in a loose fist. She pulled out black cloth and removed the blanket from Yuno's hands. He immediately closed his eyes, he doesn't want to see the blood. He feels warm, silky fabric engulfing his hand and his body relaxes when gloves are fitted snugly. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and mumbled a thank you.

"Can you please ask them to leave?" Yuno whispered the request, and the nurse nodded. She explained to Togata and Amajiki to not worry and that Yuno is in good hands. They didn't have much of a choice but to leave, seeing that whatever was going on really wasn't their business. They had left without so much as a sound, no complaints of suddenly being kicked out. That was nice of them.

"Do you have a guardian of any sort?" The nurse was suddenly back in front of Yuno.

The younger thought for a few seconds. He couldn't call his parents, absolutely not, nor could he call one of Kisuma's guardian's. Well, there was always Maijima, so he went with that.

"Higari Maijima." Yuno's mouth felt dry as he spoke. "I want to go home."

The nurse placed a hand on his head, stroking his hair gently. "You can go home. I'll let the staff know to call Mr Maijima to come pick you up. Rest here for now."

He didn't need to be told twice. He was gently pushed back to lay down again, warm blankets covering his body once more. His eyelids were so heavy, half lidded as he watched the nurse smile at him, then make her way to close the curtains. He willed the darkness of sleep to take him under and forced himself to not cry. His hands gripped the pillow under his head, he grit his teeth. He heard the nurse leave after turning the light off, and he heard the door close one more time before his eyes fell shut. He was out like a light, small tears dropping onto the pillow.

—————

When Yuno woke up this time, he was in a car, leaned back in his seat with a jacket draped over his torso. The car was indeed running, lights passing by as the car carried him through the city. It was dark, most likely past dinner time. The driver didn't seem to notice him awake; he turned his head to see Maijima at the wheel, casual clothes and hair covering his eyes. His lips were drawn in a frown, he must've been frustrated, frustrated with Yuno.

Yuno lifted a hand to rub at his eyes, the flashing blinding him and beginning to cause a headache. He pinched the bridge of his nose in obvious pain and closed his eyes, a grimace escaping his lips.

"You're awake?" Maijima's voice rang loud in Yuno's ears, startling him. He physically jumped in his seat at the sudden question.

Yuno had to suck in a breath before speaking, keeping himself composed even with the headache. "Where are we?"

Instead of answering the question, he spat back with his own. Yuno would've assumed he sounded irritated by the way he asked the question, but was deathly calm while asking. "What were you doing in the hospital? What happened?"

Yuno pressed his lips together. Yeah, Maijima didn't sound happy at all. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath in, squeezing his hands together almost painfully. His heart thumped against his rib cage as if it were trying to jump out of his chest.

Finally, with a soft voice, he answered. "I collapsed. I was malnourished and I didn't pay attention to my health." Each word was spoken with complete honesty.

"And why wasn't Kisu with you?" Yuno knew the expression under Maijima's hair wasn't a joyful one.

"She…I don't think she wants to see me."

The car suddenly came to a screeching halt, throwing Yuno forward with a force causing him to shout in surprise. His head hit the back of the seat with a thud and it sent white dotting his vision. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing at the sting that definitely shouldn't have hurt as much as it did.

"What does that mean?" Maijima turned his head to face Yuno, an apologetic frown. "The kid is always following you around. What exactly do you mean by that?"

Yuno buried his face in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. His voice was failing him, his thoughts were scattered and he was just tired. He sighed, clenching a fist against his head and tugging at the roots of his hair. That always seemed to help him even if it hurt.

"She's fed up with me." Yuno finally said, blurting it out. "Maijima, she said she hates me. I made such a big mistake, she won't come back. She hates me."

Maijima's expression softened under his hair; the sight of Yuno's sadness broke his heart and he found himself unconsciously pulling the boy into a hug. Wrapping his arms around Yuno's shoulder, he pulled the boy into his chest. He whispered sweet nothings and pointless reassurances into Yuno's ear as the boy tried so hard to keep his tears from falling.

"Whatever she said, I'm sure she didn't mean it." Maijima rest his head on Yuno's, cupping the boys small, frail hands in his strong experienced ones. "She'll come around, you'll see. Just give it time. Whatever you did, she'll forgive you, she always does."

Yuno failed to keep in a sob, a whimper erupting from his throat. His fingers wrinkled Maijima's shirt, weak and barely able to hold onto the fabric. Tears rolled down his cheeks freely, failing to stop. He had let out more sobs in just a few minutes than he had in an entire year.

Soon enough, Yuno fell limp against Maijima, too exhausted to cry anymore. He was wrapped up in Maijima's arms, warmth filling his body. He hadn't realized the older opened the car door and carried him in his arms until cold air bit at his skin. He shivered, burying his face into Maijima's shirt. Covering Yuno with his jacket, Maijima carried the boy up a flight of stairs, tossing the boy up a bit so he could better hook his arms under the brunette's knees and back.

"Maijima," Yuno mumbled, calling out his name as the other unlocked the door in front of him; he struggled, considering that carrying someone bridal style and pulling keys out was pretty difficult. "Where are we?"

Maijima shushed the boy, like it was a small child he was caring for. "My place. Don't worry about it, Yume is taken care of. She's already here."

Maijima had managed to unlock the door and open it, kicking it closed by the time Yuno had another question. "Why?"

Maijima huffed out a small laugh as he placed Yuno on his old couch. He walked over to pull the curtains closed, then made his way over to a bag on the coffee table. He dug through it after unzipping the main pocket; he set multiple things down, like a brush and soap, before placing a pair of clothes in front of Yuno.

"As soon as the hospital called, I went straight to your home to pack a bag. There was no way I was going to let you go home to be by yourself after what the hospital told me. And if they didn't call Kisu, then it had to be pretty bad. So, you're sleeping here tonight."

Even when he was barely awake, Yuno was always cautious and guarded, even as he swayed side to side on the couch. "I can't do that…"

With a steady hand on his shoulder, Maijima placed the clothes on Yuno's lap. "Yes, you can. You should go shower, you'll feel better. I'll have some food for you when you're done. You need to eat something."

"But, I'm-"

"No more excuses." Maijima pressed a finger against Yuno's lips. "I'm not taking no for an answer. Go wash up, and I'll make you dinner. Take this time to relax, you're safe here."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

The question caught Maijima off guard, stunned in place. He held Yuno's hands in his, only for the boy to pull away with a scowl on his face. He watched how Yuno pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes, suppressing his whimpers and sniffles.

"Saying what?" Maijima sat down next to Yuno; he noticed how small Yuno's thigh was in his hand as he tapped his fingers on it.

"That I'm safe. You and Kisu, even Aizawa and other teachers keep telling me that I'm safe when I'm-" Yuno leaned down to hide himself, again tugging at his hair and rubbing his knuckles into his head. "How am I safe when everywhere I go, there's someone there? Isn't that the opposite of safe?"

Maijima was at loss for words. He really didn't know what to say about that, because he couldn't control how Yuno felt or what happened to him. All he could do was reinforce rules and try his best to protect Yuno. Even now, he was failing to do so. So, he went with the next best option and trapped Yuno in an embrace of warmth.

"Go wash up," he suggested again. "If it makes you feel better, you can even take a bath. You're looking way too pale again, so take your time."

Yuno nodded, seeing how Maijima wouldn't answer his previous question. Instead, he took the clothes on his lap and held them close to his chest before standing up and off the couch. He'd been in Maijima's apartment multiple times, so he made his way to the bathroom, doing everything he could to not use the wall for support.

Maijima's eyes followed Yuno's back, keeping track of him until he disappeared into the dark of the hallway. He let out a sigh as soon as Yuno was gone, slumping back into the couch cushions. He should probably make something for Yuno, the poor boy hasn't eaten anything but a tiny breakfast and a orange from what he's been told today. He has some left over Alfredo from last night, maybe he'd heat that up. Would Yuno like it?

Maijima pushed himself off the couch lazily and slow. Muscle memory, he walked into the kitchen with steady strides, much different compared to Yuno. Like it was ingrained in his mind, Maijima opened the refrigerator door with a small yank, then searched for the extra serving of pasta.

Upon finding it, he reached into the back of the fridge and pulled it out. The container clattered against the counter as he reached into a cabinet above his head and grabbed two bowls, one for himself and one for Yuno. The bowl clinked against the counter as well. There was already a fork sitting around, so he took one and divided the pasta between the two bowls. After splitting it equally, he placed one in a microwave and pressed the number one to start heating it up.

After around half an hour, Yuno had come out of the bathroom. Maijima was relieved to see the boy walking on his own, but he cringed at the way Yuno scowled at the ground. It was like he thought it would fall out from under him if he placed his foot there.

He did look more comfortable though; Maijima mentally patted himself on the back. He had been in a rush, so he didn't have much time to think about what Yuno would wear while packing him a bag of clothes. The boy was wearing a pair of gray shorts that covered his thighs, a white shirt that seemed to be a little large for his thin body, and he wore a thin black jacket. Those gloves Yuno was wearing at the hospital had found their way back onto his hands as well.

"Feel better?" Maijima asked, setting the bowls of pasta on the counter.

With the way Yuno's hood was pulled up, it pressed down on his hair and hid parts of his face, leaving him unreadable. The boy planted himself in a chair in front of his bowl, then stared at it. Maijima placed a fork in the bowl, slightly confused but he left Yuno to his silence either way. Yuno didn't touch the fork once even as Maijima sat down across from him and began taking bites out of his own food.

"What's on your mind?" Maijima's voice rang with sincerity.

Finally picking up his fork, Yuno twirled the noodles. They made a squelching sound and Maijima winced at the way it filled the air. A ball of wrapped noodles sat on Yuno's fork as he lifted it. The fork went into Yuno's mouth and his lips closed around the spikes before he pulled out again, chewing on the noodles and swallowing thickly.

"Am I nuisance to you?" He suddenly asked after swallowing his bite.

Maijima almost dropped his fork, but he clenched his fingers just in time before it could slip. He raised his head to look at Yuno, whom was still hiding behind his hair.

"Why do you ask?" Maijima set his fork down in the bowl, just in case he almost drops it again.

"Just," the brunette's breath hitched for a second before he sighed. "Just answer the question."

Maijima raised a brow. "Well, then, no. I don't think you're a nuisance. Why are you asking me this?"

Maijima could've sworn he saw something wet and shiny trail down Yuno's cheeks. He heard Yuno sniffle, sinuses clogged with gunk, and Maijima was all too concerned why Yuno was suddenly crying. His eyes had widened a bit as he placed his hands on the table, ready to shoot out of his chair.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Maijima reached across the table to take Yuno's fork and set it down. "Why are you crying? Did something happen?"

Yuno lowered his head, his arms wrapped around his middle and gripped the fabric of his sleeves. He uttered incoherent words, fat tears falling onto the floor as he shook his head. Worried, Maijima made his way around the table and kneeled down next to Yuno, a hand against his back as he tried comforting the boy.

"Yuno, what's wrong?" Maijima asked again.

Yuno sobbed quietly, he was one hundred percent sure he was ugly crying. "I can't tell if you're lying or not. What if- what happens if you leave me too? I won't have anyone left, and I'll be alone again. I can't lose anyone else."

Oh, so that's what this was about. It was Yuno fighting with himself again. Maijima is well aware of what people have told Yuno over the years, he's well aware of the people who turned into voices in the boy's head. He knows that Yuno is followed by things people tell him, knows that deep down, Yuno is afraid that all those things are true. Maijima would protect this boy with all his heart, he had promised himself, and he thinks he's failing at doing so. After all, he can't protect Yuno from himself.

Maijima wiped some of the tears away with his thumbs, pressing gently into sunken cheeks. "You need to stop telling yourself that everyone's going to leave you. You're tearing yourself apart like that. Look at me, Yuno."

Yuno did as he was told, obeying, he was good at that. Maijima pushed away the bangs covering Yuno's face; red puffy eyes stared back at him. Was Yuno crying in the shower too? Maijima can't recall the last time Yuno had broken down like this, everything he built crumbling in a matter of seconds.

"I want you to repeat after me." Maijima had a hand in Yuno's cheek, making sure he was being looked at. "I am not alone."

Yuno pressed his knuckles against his eyes, refusing to say it. He sure as hell knows that he is not surrounded by people who are loving and caring. He's surrounded by people who will jump at him any chance they get. Unfortunately for him, Maijima is an insistent person.

"Say it, Yuno." Maijima took one of Yuno's hands, uncovering his face so he could look at him. "I am not alone."

Be it out of desperation to get away, or because of how much he wanted it to be true, Yuno gulped down his last bit of pride and repeated, "I am not alone."

Maijima smiled. "I am not a nuisance."

"I- I'm not a nuisance."

"And I have people who love me."

"And I- I have people who—"

Yuno tried to pulled away, tried to turn and run and hide from Maijima. Luckily, Maijima had a strong grip and a lot of patience. He held Yuno's hand, not in a way that would trap him, but just so he couldn't run away from him.

"Come on," Maijima encouraged. "Try again. I am not alone."

Yuno nodded. "I am not alone."

"I am not a nuisance."

"I am n- not a nuisance."

"And I have people who love me."

"And I," his voice shook and first. "I have people who love me."

Maijima gave a rewarding grin, rubbing Yuno's arm in a comforting way he knew would soothe the boy. He took a napkin and wiped away the remaining tear stains on Yuno's cheeks, making sure to be gentle.

"There you go," It was like looking at a childlike version of Yuno all over again. "Can you smile for me?"

Yuno wiped his tears away, a questioning look on his face. "Why?"

Maijima shrugged. "It would make me feel a lot better if I saw you smile. Y'know, just to confirm that I know you understand."

Yuno sighed heavily, his shoulder drooped and his cheeks turned red with a slight tint. He raised a hand and put up a single finger, indicating a number. "Once."

"Once is all I need."

And so, the corner of his lips upturned into a small and subtle smile. Genuine and sincere, salty droplets stained his cheeks again and he felt no need to wipe them away this time. There was no shame in crying, not in front of Maijima.