Chapter Text
As the clock hit seven Momo had to leave their apartment on an urgent family matter. She apologized for her early leave asking if she could enjoy the hospitality of the so called men-cave once again after the practice on Thursday. The boys were more than happy to provide for the dancer prodigy as they met such a sweet actor for a first time.
Denki had his sweet share of whiny spoiled brats of actors who thought of them selves as gods. Being the grandson of the owner of the theater and the leading costumer from the age of 17 brought him a lot more than the knowledge of his field. He understood the way of the actors, and so he always played his cards as best as he could. So when Eijirou send them a message that Yaoyozoru Momo is coming to use their bath and eat dinner, witch thank god Mina would be making, he was hesitant if not to leave the apartment for a “torn costume” and return after the air was clean.
She was a big name in the industry, not just as a dancer or actor, but her family was one of the largest fabric producers in the country filling even the storages of his grandmas very own theater. So with the reputation that followed her, he expected somebody much more, as the English say, POSH in the place of this extremely enjoyable ball of sunshine. He was actually sad when she was leaving, but the the promise that he will certainly see her again in his very own home, made the good bye a lot easier.
On the other hand Hanta already met her couple of times actually. She was the leading actress of the very first musical he has worked around, sadly not on. Yes, he usually just brought her coffee or some snacks before or during practice as a thank you from the director for her hard work, but she was always very polite and well mannered, offering him half of the stuff she got blaming her pre-show stomach and offering her silence in return of him getting rid of the less healthier options for her without telling the director, so he won’t get offended.
He was once again glad to be bathed in her calming presence and exciting stories about the life of an professional actor. But the dinner was over just too soon an he had to give her his awkward good bye wave and close the door behind her.
When he returned to the small kitchen area, he found Eijirou dozing off in one of the cheap fold-able chairs they brought to the apartment. His hair was wet, so it was clear he used the shower while they packed their visitor some leftovers and saw her off. He was listening to the chatter of Denki and Mina as they were cleaning up the dishes after the feast which she prepared.
He didn’t knew Mina can cook at all, she always borough some sweets or baked some when she came for her late night costume repair dates with Denki, but she never actually made any real food for them as they mostly ordered pizza, which Mina to be hones never really ate, but did not complain either. He was too slow and she caught him as he stared her down. Her cheeks matched her hair now, and with a soft pout she turned around to scrub the dishes some more.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” He started his apology but she lifted a hand covered in dish soap bubbles to shut him up. She just nodded and her postured relaxed once again.
This happened every time they were in the same room, doesn’t matter if alone or with other people, his eyes always wandered to her, catching himself far too late and she getting angry at him for it. She must have though he was some eager virgin trying to get in her panties as all the lesser actors did way too often.
It was, and in the same time wasn’t so far from the truth. He was genuinely interested in the best girl-friend of one of his best bros.
They met Eijirou at the Musical camp they went to during the summer of their second year, Denki was there because his grandma insisted that he had to go and join the costume course there. Big names made a little camp to teach some kids how to make a proper show, so it was no question Eijirou was there recommended from his school to join the dance and acting courses. And Hanta, Hanta had no plans for summer and his best buddy was going on a stupid camp somewhere rural in Japan, to play dress up, so they convinced Denkis grandma to get him in, promising he will join one of the courses, not just laze around all day till Denki finishes classes and they meet in their shared room to play games.
It was the first time Hanta seen anything like it himself, and he really liked how everything begun and end at the director, so he joined the course with just two other people, and at the end he was left alone as they changed courses. So he worked directly with all the other courses and thats where he met Eijirou. His hair was jet black, and had the most stupid looking dancing shoes Hanta has seen in his life, but he was awesome and they quickly became friends inviting him over to their room to hang out.
They exchanged numbers and stayed in touch. Chiba was not so far from Tokyo after all, but they were students so visiting each other wasn’t as easy as one might have wished. But when they did meet, back to the origins, Eijirou just did not shut up about Mina. And the first time the Imaginary Mina Ashido became real and tagged along to a bar with them, she wore too much makeup, was too tanned, and the little raccoon stole his wallet, keys and shoelaces in the vague fifteen minutes of their first meeting.
But Eijirou was right, she really did have that aura of a good responsible friend once a person got to know her. They never got close mostly because she, just as him, had too much information about Hanta to be able to look at him as a blank slate, and pretend they didn’t knew all their previous fuck-ups from all the years Eijirou couldn’t keep their secrets from each of his friends. So they naturally avoided each other most of the time rather not spoil any not even growing threads of friendship.
“Hey buddy, don’t you wanna go to bed? You look plenty tired.” Giggled Hanta averting his attention rather to Ejirou and startle him with a light pat on his shoulder. The red-hair jumping in his seat turning around to reveal Hanta his even more tired face.
“I might just wake up after some stretching, I would like to talk to Mina for a bit more.” He said rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his palms.
“Eiji-baby go to sleep, you really need the recovery before Aizawa or you will be in big trouble this time. We can talk some more after practice at Thursday, yeah? But you need your sleep schedule fixed by than. If you would like to I can sleep over than, but now ata, go to bed.” She said gesturing with her hands the way out of the semi open kitchen.
“But I wanted to thank you for all this and…” His voice was cracking from all the effort he was putting into forming every word.
“Be grateful when you impress Aizawa, but you won’t impress anybody with your lack of sleep, especially not the champion of sleep deprivation. So no buts, see you at practice.” Her voice was almost motherly as she sprayed cold water in his face to catch his attention.
His answer was a groan but he obeyed and with a simple “’night” and left the kitchen. Hanta watched him as he disappeared into his room, not even bothered to turn on the lights. So Hanta followed him just to make sure he got to bed safe, without tripping and dieing on the way.
When he returned to the kitchen there was just a steaming teapot with a clean mug next to it. He leaned down, he was pretty sure they didn’t had a teapot before Eijirou moved in, or that was another of Minas secret gifts for her upcoming visits. As the muffin tray, butter knife, sweet display, potato peeler, a few giant mugs and a coffee drip.
The smell was fresh, yet sweet and calming. He took the mug and poured a full cup of light yellow liquid in the cup warming his cold hands. The second he placed the pot back on the tray, all the lights behind him went black. He turned around startled to meet two shadows sitting apparently on the little balcony they had on the loft like platform from the ceiling of the two artificialy made rooms which he and Denki claimed.
For a second he was unsure if to join them, but he felt brave today, so he took the stairs, crossed the cheap tv with the gaming console and slide the newest door in the self made apartment open. They didn’t even turned around, just sat there covered in two blankets, staring down at the slow evening street as people walked from their work. The area was covered in tall business buildings, so at the evening all the streets were full.
Mina outstretched her thin hand holding two blankets, for him, not looking away from the streets. Hanta accepted the offer wrapping himself in the cloth lowering himself on the pillows they stole from the couch downstairs. For a moment, all three of them sat there back pressed to the cold glass of the sliding door, watching the life happening under them on the streets. A lot of people stared at their phones, probably texting loved ones about their day, what to buy for dinner, or just some calming chatter after a stressful day.
Mina leaned further a bit sipping her tea not letting a single thing slip her eyes. She had long dark eyelashes covered in too much product as was her usual habit. Her casual dark makeup was fixed by now, opposed to when she showed up with heavy eyeliner dripping down her still rosy cheeks from dance practice.
Her pink colored brows furrowed a bit as she turned directly to him.
“How was todays ass licking?” She asked with a smirk on her lips, but he could see it was just to cover something else. Hanta gave her a snicker.
“Tough as always, being a personal assistant and co director who still does assistant job, is kinda harsh miss superstar.” He said pain suddenly flooding his neck. He needed a massage, badly, but there was no time for such luxuries if he wanted to get a play of his own.
“Ha, you saying it like I just sat around all day” she said loudly but there was no kick in it.
“Well, you have to admit if you did we wouldn’t have to fix your costume all the time” Said Denki pointing at her
“I just move too much, I know” She gave him a soft smile and looked back at the street. Long peaceful quiet followed for the next half an hours when Denki stood up as he said that frozen balls are no fun and split his blankets between the two, going to watch some documentaries from the fashion industry and rant about them to his colleagues on their group chat.
They were left alone on the balcony, with no more tea to warm them up, counting only on three layers of cheap blankets and their own body heat. Even that the balcony was cold, they felt comfortable, like having a conversation with a good friend, just without words.
“I stole your keys this morning when we bumped into each other, I’m sorry” she broke the silence lifting her shoulders a bit closer to her face like she was expecting a harsh reaction.
“The dumb-ass didn’t gave you a key still and left his phone to die on the kitchen counter, I can understand that, but Miss Ashido, I would have gladly let you in to our mansion if you would have only asked, maybe even accompanied you till the door of my best friends bedroom.” He said grinning.
As soon as he stepped in the apartment, air filled with fresh sweet pastry, he knew Eijirou lied to him. And after he showed his face full of muffins, he wasn’t even angry anymore.
She gave him a light punch in the arm before quickly covering herself once again. Her smile was honest this time. It bugged him, what had happen to such chill person as she was, that she sat there on the balcony of a warehouse full of theater studios, with him specifically, and didn’t asked Denki to stay instead.
“Hey, I know we are not friends, but… is something bothering you? Is it what happened in the kitchen? If yes I am really sorry you just really catch an eye with the animal pattern and the bright pink hair of yours.” He said apologizing once again.
“I get that a lot, the animal pattern thing.” She gave out a dry uncomfortable laugh. They sat there for another few minutes of the noise of the street below.
“Were you ever in a bad relationship virgin-boy?” she asked.
“Hey! I am not…!” But he bit his tongue when he saw tears forming in her eyes.
“I currently staying at the hotel across the street from the national theater. Expensive shit I must say, didn’t payed it myself of course. I hate luxury suites, they are too big, the loneliness eats you quicker in big empty spaces.” She said clearly fidgeting with her hands.
“Do you want me to call you a cab? Is your financial situation somehow bad?” He asked thinking about his own poor finances as a lesser co director in a small theater in Tokyo.
She shook her head covering her face with one of the blankets sobbing into them. Hanta was awkwardly fidgeting with his pockets trying to find his stash of napkins he showed in there in the morning when he was buying complimentary coffee to his boss. They always gave him too much god damn tissues. As he found them he caught her looking at him eyeliner running down her pretty cheeks.
“Here… em… have a napkin…” he said giving her the crumbled pile of green Starbucks tissues.
“A napkin you say” she smiled and tried to dry her tears so she won’t smudge her makeup more.
“Um… yeah… they always give me too much” Said Hanta looking away.
“So were you?” she asked after another long pause.
Hanta looked at her confused having to think for a second what was the original question as he got a little uncomfortable around a crying people.
“I was… used before, yes” he nodded as he though about all the shallow excuses for a relationship he had to that very day.
“Um…” she said choking back another sob.
“Why didn’t you told Eijirou or Denki?” he asked thinking about the reason why did she choose him as her pillar for the night.
She turned to him and leaned a bit closer glancing around if anybody was listening.
“You know, Denki is always dating somebody and had so many relationships by now that I’m kinda afraid if he didn’t got a present of an STD on the way. And I would never ask Eijirou such thing as he has eyes only for his soulmate.” She said leaning even closer to him.
Hanta leaned back a bit only to hit his head to the glass, turning around in confusion and realization there was no more space for him to back up into.
“Mina I’m afraid I don’t really get what you want now. If you are lonely I can let you sleep in my bed and sleep on the couch or I have an extra futon and can sleep even up here, it’s pretty hot here even now as all the heat creeps up here…” Mina suddenly leaned on him pushing her lips on his, trying to kiss him, but he would not give in.
No matter how pretty she was, no matter how excited it made him that she was touching him in such matter, he was alarmed. Very alarmed. He pushed the blankets down grabbing her by the shoulders yanking her away careful not to accidentally ram her head in the door.
She was red in her cheeks, but looked very uncomfortable. When he opened his mouth she squeezed her eyes shut and pulled her head lower, as awaiting…
“Mina, were you abused?” He asked quietly.
She didn’t move, but teras started falling down her cheeks once again, more than before.
Hanta gently took her around the waist carefully unfolding the blankets, and pulling her closer so he could hug her. He didn’t know what happened, or that why did she tried to kiss him, but that was the only thing that came to his mind to do.
As Minas head hit his shoulder she violently grabbed into him starting to cry in an ugly loud way. She was repeating “I don’t feel it” over at over again, while smudging her makeup in his white shirt, but fuck his shirt really, she needed him. And even tho they were never friends, or even at least on good terms, he liked her, no matter what ungodly image did the teen Eijirou paint in his head.
—————————————
Eijirou nearly stepped on Hantas head as he was headed to the bathroom first thing in the morning. He was kinda confused what was he doing on the floor so far from his own bed.
He didn’t wanted to wake him up as dark purple circles lined his tired eyes, but he was blocking the door and gradually taking the risk of getting an uncomfortable shower.
Eijirou bend down and gently patted his shoulder to waking him up.
Hanta opened his eyes looking up at Eijirou trying to get to the bathroom which he was blocking.
“Oh hi dude, how late is it?” He asked in a raspy voice.
“Not even seven, what in the ever loving god are you doing here?” Asked Eijirou watching Hanta sit up and rubbing at his eyes.
“Mina took my bed and passed out sooner than I had the chance to ask her to help me pull a futon up there. And I knew if I woke up Denki he would keep me up about the shit he was watching, and you would ask too many questions, so the warmest was here, near the bathroom door.“ He explained shifting to the side so Eijirou could enter the bathroom.
“I’ll leave to the kitchen while you in there and you can help me pull the futton up there, but please don’t ask me anything as I am too tired to elaborate” He said packing his stuff.
When Eijirou left the bathroom Hanta was already up on the loft stretching his arms for Eijirou to just toss him the roll of futon.
“Won’t her boyfriend be, you know, angry she stayed here?” Asked Eijirou throwing the last of the pillows up.
“I don’t know man, I have a musical to co-direct at ten leave me sleeping at least to seven.” Whined Hanta already falling back in his sheets.
Eijirou knew Mina was supposed to have plans for today, a dinner of some kind so it was definitely not okay that she slept in the flat with three single, well he didn’t know the current status of Denki as it was changing all the times, so tree single men.
He was rude enough to open the door without knocking, but waking the whole flat up with a loud scream was even more rude.
“The fuck Eijirou go to fuck to sleep! You are free today! We are not!” Yelled Hanta, but Mina was already up, trying to cover her naked torso, what was too late by that point anyway.
“Yeah, sorry” said Eijirou slipping inside an closing the door behind him.
It was not the first time Eijirou had seen Mina naked, but what he cringed about, was not her swollen breasts, that was nearly not enough to make him scream, but that her sides, back and places a basic once piece swimsuit would cover, were full of bruises and wounds.
“Ei… I…I…” she was trying to say something but her voice broke.
“Mina what is this?” He asked walking up to her tearing the blanket from her hand, looking closer at her wounds.
“I…” she started sobbing. Even tho her makeup was gone, black marks still stayed on her cheeks and in the corners of her eyes, showing off even more how puffed up her face was, and the lack of makeup revealed a few already yellow spots from healing bruises on her face.
“WHO?!” Eijirou was furious, Mina was beaten, many times, she was an actor a dancer for fucks sake and she came to work, not missing a single practice, helped him study, arranged an extremely hard training with Momo, and endured this the whole time.
“Y-you don’t know him. I-its pointless now anyway.” She sobbed.
“I gonna either snap his neck or at least go to the police!” Said Eijirou taking a step back. Mina outstretched her hands pulling him back.
“No, please don’t it will cause problems. At the end…”
“At the end he get to jail!” said Eijirou fuming
“… At the end I loose my job in an upcoming movie he got me in…” Said Mina hanging her head letting go of Eijirou.
“Mina no…” he said sitting down on the floor.
“A… movie director, he is American, he will be leaving this month, along with his wife and children. They were working on a movie here, for a year, the one where I got the small par of the sister I told you about.” She said quiet as mouse.
“But… why? For stupid movie role?”
“I… I thought we might be soulmates…” Mina laughed covering her face.
“But… how?” Eijirou asked.
Mina pulled up her leg showing him her right inner ankle. There was a small ring there, It did look like a mark if he ever seen one.
“I…I’m stupid okay? I got wasted, on a party Momos crew was making. I came there to make some friends, to push my career a bit, I was not planning on sleeping with anybody. But when I woke up, my ankle hurt as hell, and he was there. He had a same one, an so… I though…” she broke into tears.
“You thought you got marked…” Eijirou finished for her. She nodded while she was crying.
“Mina” he said pulling her down on him to hug her, than realizing she wore only panties, and releasing her just for her to push herself down and hugging him tight.
“I don’t wanna be alone Ei, I also… wanna have a pair.” She cried out.
Eijirou remembered what really begun their friendship. Mina was obsessed with soulmates, soulbonding and marks. She knew literally everything there was to be known about this ancient anomaly that occurred on the wast majority of their population. Even kids in kindergarten had lessons about soulmates, but as they got older the subjects got more into detail about what it meant, how it felt and some general information about the processes.
But Mina and her knowledge was long past anything they learned in schools, she was prepared to get any kind of sign or being a soulbound and all the possible events to receive her mark. So of course she was his best opportunity to find information he needed as he could not talk about it with his mother or his other friends as him soulmate was a boy.
Mina was his mentor for a long time, they started dancing together and latter on happened to be best friends. And as he seen her grown, achieve heights he could not even dream of, she still did not give up on the possibility that her sign might appear any moment. She analyzed all her dreams with him, all the different strange feelings and random thoughts she had. But non seemed to be a proof of her being and actual soulbond. Which made her more and more terrified as she was getting older.
People typically did not get any symptoms leading to being a soulbound after twenty five, she had two more years, but she was afraid she would never find the one she was destined to be with, and will wander the world unmarked, by her own words cursed to dating randoms till she happens to click with one, which was not her idea of finding her true one.
A year ago she suddenly stopped talking about it and Eijirou thought she might have grown out of it, or just accepted the fate she was destined with, and with the knowledge that she found a new boyfriend who was always too busy to meet them, he though she might just have what she always wanted.
In truth she really did get what she wanted, accept it was a lie and her mark was a tattoo.
“Did… did you thought about getting it removed?” Asked Eijirou gently. Mina shook her head.
“I was not sure that I got scammed, till yesterday … Is even something like that possible? I mean the tattoo removing” she mumbled into his shirt.
“Yes. Hantas cousin is a tattoo artist, he knows a bit about such stuff. It shouldn’t leave a big scar as its a small one and you can get scar treatment after.” He tried to calm her even tho he wasn’t sure himself. Denki might have bigger expertise on such things as he made him watch the documentary about the tattoo removing.
“You sure?” she asked.
“You can at least try” he said.
A knock on the door startled both of them, Mina jumping on the bed covering herself.
“Um… can I come in? I need to get ready to work… kinda…” Hanta said in an unsure voice.
“Yeah” Said Mina in her tired voice.
As Hanta entered the room, Minas color suddenly changed to bright red and she turned away to face his desk instead of Hanta himself.
“I’m sorry.” She mumbled. Hanta looked at her than quickly turned his head remembering the event of yesterday.
“No, don’t. I… um… the walls are thin… I heard everything, please stay a few nights. I finish at eight tonight, but I’ll call Shin, and we figure something out. And… you are free to wear my clothes if you need to, Eijirous might be just to big till you get your stuff here yeah?” Said Hanta pulling his white Mina stained t-shirt over his head to change it.
“I…” she stared her sentence but stop as she spotted his naked tattoo covered torso.
“Nah, shut up, just put your stuff in here, I don’t own much. I’ll sleep on the upper space till we find you an apartment.” He declared buttoning up his shirt pulling his bag over his head and nearly leaving before he turned to her and ruffled her hair. Just as he did at the morning when he was assuring her she can have the room for herself.
“Yeah, and take a shower, you reek of vine” he said with a grin leaving the apartment.
Eijirou was watching them the whole time. Quiet. Suspecting, but not daring to assume.
“So what happened…?”
“No. Get out, bring me a towel, I gonna shower and than I need to be at makeup at ten, charge your phone as I will call you to help me get my stuff after I finish shooting today. No more questions.” She said standing up, patting her cheeks and walking in her panties to the bathroom, not caring for Denki shooting milk from his nose at the kitchen table as she passed by.
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When Katsuki was just starting out as a part time waiter at the restaurant near his house, to make some money for stuff he wanted to buy without anybodies permission or knowledge at all, he never thought he would end up bar-tending at a bar near Roppongi hills.
He was sixteen and hearth broken, determined to find his soulmate no matter what, and for that he needed all the money he could get his hands on, as he was prepared to travel.
His soulmate was visiting a beach often so he was sure it was somewhere near the ocean. It would had been a lot easier if Japan wasn’t a fucking island, but he was prepared to fight for the boy he was destined to be with.
Even he was trying to do the complete opposite for the longest time as the stubborn ass he was.
When Usagiyama sat him down at her office just two months into his part time job at her restaurant, he thought that he is gonna be fired. He was rude, even that he tried to be less of an asshole when talking to customers, but in general he did not let anybody disrespect him just because he was the one serving food to them.
“Do you like alcohol boy?” She asked not even looking at him, just staring out on the parking lot watching a family getting out of their small car.
“I don’t drink, I’m still under age Usagiyama-san ” Said Katsuki with confidence in his voice. If that was it, trying to make him look like a rebellious child coming to work drunk, he could fight that fight.
“I didn’t asked if you drink it, I’m not your mom after all. I’m asking, if you like it.” She asked again turning to him. She didn’t looked angry, or disappointed, she looked… exited.
“No.” He said looking at her in suspecting way.
“You have a pretty face Bakugo-kun, what would you say I teach you a few tricks and you pretend for me you are not a high school student. It would pay you a lot more than you would make here.” She grinned. Her smile was wicked and big.
“I’m sorry, I’m not interested in selling my body, I’m a soulbound” he said crossing his hands on his chest.
She erupted in a loud laught.
“As much as I would love to have you in one of my host clubs, I’m offering you a simpler, less… dangerous job. With your age sketchy, yes, but you don’t have to be concerned about your soulmate at all. I’m asking you simply to be my bartender at one of my clubs. Not gonna throw you right in the water with piranhas either, but there are a few people closer to the center you can learn a thing or two from. And with a body and face of yours, later on maybe move you to work at the Rabbit hole.” She said putting her feet up on the table while rustling with some papers.
Rabbit hole was a known bar in Roppongi. A lot of wealthy salary man came there to relax, drink and watch women dance. The prices were too high and the bar itself was pretentious, but everybody wanted to visit it at least once. Even Katsuki, with his low interest in alcohol and such establishments did hear about it, especially from his friends. Jirou wanted to perform there at least once, but was too young to enter, and Ochaco, lets not talk about Ochaco now.
“You want a sixteen years old Bartender in your bar, with no previous experience and with law threatening you. It does sound sketchy really” He said trying to figure out what she wanted.
She was a strange woman, sick in the head if you asked him about her, so figuring out a logical answer would be absolute nonsense in any conversation, not only when she tried to rope him in on illegal child labor, if he might have named it himself as he was not supposed to be around alcohol yet.
“Women and Men ask for your number and shifts quiet often, we of course don’t give out such sensitive information as it would be troublesome if somebody harassed you, but you are very popular Bakugo-kun. We could use your popularity to make people buy more drinks, me and my employees would of course guard your every step. I would drive you to work and back every shift you take on. And you will learn a valuable skill, earn the money you want to use to travel to find ya boy, and I ask you only for keeping your name and age for yourself, and of course don’t tell your friends.” She said handing him a small stack of papers.
“What about my parents?” he asked bluntly.
“Just keep it from your dad, you mom is on our side. She might be a lawyer, but she agreed you need a bit of nudge to start living your life as you have no real ambitions apart of being a painter, and that job my dear, is not paying well.” She said handing him a pen with rabbit ears on top.
Katsukis cheeks flushed red. He was the best fucking painter the world had seen for fucks sake, he was gonna be the best selling painter and making a name for himself so if he fails to find his redhead himself, his name will.
But he needed the money never the less, he took painting seriously just recently and selling painting to his moms clients were no business at all, rarely payed enough for him to keep any of the money. If he wanted to travel, and paint, he needed the money, and he needed a lot of it.
“I need to think about it.” He said at the end.
“Of course you do. Leave the signed papers here at your next shift and fill it out with your mom as I promised she will see the contract first.”
“I said…”
“I know what you said, I know how you will decide. Now shoo, you have a shift to finish and there is quiet lot of kids out there, enjoy.” She said smiling and sending him away with a hand wave.
And not even a month later he was working at the Rabbit hole with a stupid rabbit mask which was long gone by now, but the tail stayed and was sewed to all of his work uniforms. He hated it.
Tonight was special tho, Kyoka Jirou, his friend was performing for a private group of her fan-club and the pay was tripled thanks to that. He waited for that evening all week, and no matter what was he giving anybody else the chance to see her perform from the bar which was nearly at eye level with the small stage where usually performances happened.
Katsuki was drying some wine glasses when he saw her sitting down on the corner near the pillar, her hood pulled into her face.
“Hey, you shouldn’t drink before performances” He laughed.
“Oh shut up dickhead, I’ll die without a Mochito here.” Said Kyoka just slightly lifting her head not wanting to reveal her trademark bold glittery makeup so nobody finds her here.
Katsuki snuck her cd in Mirkos stack of auditions back in the day, knowing she will want her there. They were seventeen and nobody bet an eye. He called … Todoroki back than to take her home as she got shit faced after her first performance.
After graduation she left to study abroad and returned with a BANG! Debuting immediately with her Japanese and English songs catching the hearts of millions in Japan, but also abroad.
“Might give you a virgin one if you continue being rude.” He said already whipping it together.
“It always brings back memories and old stage freigh. I don’t get nervous on stages anymore, had really big tours, but this little space, always makes me feel like seventeen again.” She said taking a sip from her sugary drink.
Katsuki gave her a glass of still water so she washes it down before the show. She nodded and just watched him as he completed orders with grace and elegance. He was skilled, this was also a show, but a totally different one from hers.
“I heard you got your own place.” She said after a long pause.
“Yeah, my very own.” He didn’t really wanted to speak details, he knew how good ears some of the clients had.
“But currently its occupied. Round-face brought her imaginary friend over there.” He chuckled. Catching a female customer melt in the corner of his eye, turning away from her so she doesn’t get the wrong idea.
“Oh, I see. I met her tho.” Smiled Kyoka.
Katsuki turned to her loosing her footing. It made sense, she was a rock-star and they most probably met at parties.
“She made ma an amazing cocktail, I have no idea what it was, but it was pretty and I got drunk real fast so I had no time to talk to her.” She laughed.
“I heard she makes spicy shit, yeah. I’ll be having two of those at home as I arrive, hope they still taste good than.” He said looking up on the clock. He wanted to warn her about the time but she was already gone leaving behind two empty glasses.
He had time to enjoy her performance as people were so mesmerized by her voice rarely anybody came to ask for anything.
She was amazing, no matter what she said, no matter how nervous she was, professionalism just screamed right into his face. She was in her own world, chatting with the audience, making up small snippets of songs as they laughed together. She had no band, she worked alone, just as he did.
She used to have a band but then met up with an artist and learned about experimenting with noises and tones as much as she was nearly composing new songs every concert she held.
People loved her, the media loved her, no dramas, no unnecessary romances, just she, her tech and her brilliant mind.
He once knew her, more than others did, but that was a long time ago, and he was sure they needed a long talk. Did she even have time even to speak with him. She will be long gone and sleeping in her Tokyo residence by the time he will close the bar.
He had no contact, and asking her manager which was sitting at the bar at the moment would have been pointless as she might think of him just some random fan. But as he was taking her glasses she left there earlier to clean them, he noticed a business card with a hand written number.
“So the feeling was mutual” he smirked
————
Katsuki woke up in cold sweat hearing his phone ringing. He was disoriented and angry. He grabbed the phone.
“What is it!?” He screamed
“Yeah um… delivery?” the guy on the other end said. Katsuki nearly send him away when he remembered what Kyoka ordered the delivery after their morning call.
“I’m coming” he said sighing and pulling up his jeans which he left at his couch.
The delivery guy didn’t looked terrified at all, just very unimpressed and tired. Katsuki took the delivery and he didn’t even had time to check the content as Kyoka stormed passed him taking the bag from him and entering his flat without any hesitation.
He closed the door on the delivery guy and when he arrived to the kitchen Kyoka was already pulling boxes from the bag opening them. It was all kinda dishes from Italian pasta to Japanese gyoza.
“Are we having a party I was not invited to?” asked Katsuki asked pointing at the hallway waiting when a crowd totally destroys his apartment.
“No, well on paper yes, but no.” She said pulling out some chopsticks and plates to sit at the table and eat.
“What?” he asked but did not wait for the mentioned invitation to sit down and start eating. Free food was nice food, especially one order from a budget of singer superstar.
“I’m always so fucking hungry. My manager is always around and don’t let me eat stuff I like. I lost like 10 kilos from the time I have her, She is terrible, I need to eat dude!” She said stuffing her face full of Swedish meatballs.
“Fire her than!” shrugged Katsuki.
“It’s dads friend and she is in the industry for quite a while and got me places, but dude she is so terrible. At first I thought that maybe, just maybe she will be a nice friend and told her about my soulbond dreams but than she started to look out for me to not over eat from depression or for god sake end my life because of it. She is always babbling about some past stars, she pampers me like if she was my mom, but my mom is actually cool! Agh!” she was washing everything down by a very expensive looking vine she pulled out of her guitar case.
Katsuki stopped mid chew as he leaned over and see the guitar case packed with booze so expensive they rarely sold it even in the bar. He quirked one eyebrow looking at her handing him a full vine glass.
As he was taking it realization hit him and he stopped midway staring at the vine in his glass, seeing his reflection replaying everything she just unpacked at him. Than he slowly put the glass on the table without drinking from it standing up and drinking a bit of tap water instead.
“Soulbond…” He said carefully, as slowly as possible.
Kyoka snapped her head to him quirking an eyebrow and than swallowing thick.
“Shoto did not tell you anything?” she asked. Katsukis eye twitched at the name, they really did fall out of contact, didn’t they.
“We don’t really… talk anymore.” He said taking another sip of the cold tap water.
“What? What happened?! Katsuki, did you do something?!” Of course he was suspected as the villain, always, even amongst his friends.
“I didn’t do anything! Look, if he did not tell I won’t! It’s between him and me and we are NOT talking about it when we meet after five years, yeah?” He asked pissed.
“Jeeezus fine!” she said squinting at him.
“Anyway… so yeah I started to having dreams. And I’m prepared to die alone.” She said blatantly taking a piece of a meat pie placing it on her plate.
Katsuki took all her alcohol and silently placed them in the fridge knowing she will leave it there as there was no possible way for two Japanese to drink that much.
Than they ate in silent sipping vine for some time. When Kyoka broke the silance.
“He is a slut” She said looking at her empty plate.
“Who?” Katsuki asked confused, still a bit in his thoughts.
“My soulmate, he’s a slut. Sleeping arround having hot blowjobs given or giving in dressing rooms or parties, yeah.” She sighed.
“Bet he doesn’t even know he is my soulmate. Dick” She said pulling Whiskey out of the fridge pouring some in Katsukis glass than drinking straight from the bottle.
As much as Katsuki hated when somebody order him around, he could understand her manager. She really was absolutely broken.He too, did see something he didn’t wanted that day.
“And he is so sweet to everybody all the time, it’s so unfair! And when we meet, in our dream, he does not fucking believe me. He always says that dream soulmates are rare and its just a stupid dream because his best friend does have dreams like that and as much as he would like to be soulbonded its not possible to be soulbonded to me as I’m his favorite singer. If I get his fucking name out of him or spot it! I gonna fucking write a whole fucking song about that asshole using his fucking name all over the fucking song!” She screamed.
“You remember what you talk about in the dreams?” He asked surprised.
“Yeah, you don’t?” she ask confused.
“Ah no, I don’t even know how his voice sounds really” Laughed Katsuki fidgeting with the glass in his hands, pain twisting his face.
“That sucks man, but he’s at least a decent man, you know?” she said sitting down next to the balcony looking up on his soulmates faces
“Well, as we put it.” He sighed sitting down to face her, back turned to the portraits.
“Did something happen? Did you meet?” she asked looking out the balcony door not daring to open it as she was too afraid somebody might recognize her from the flats across.
“Well… I saw him cuddling with a naked woman this morning, or day or call it what ever” He said taking a sip alcohol burning his throat.
“ First time huh, hurts the most. Maybe he gave up on you, you are twenty three, you see him from your what, tenth birthday you said, took you pretty long to try to find him to be honest on my side.” Her words stung. It did hurt, but she was right. He had big plans searching for him, making money and than… never going, just trying to make himself a name as a painter so he will be somebody when they meet. Never really doing anything for his soulmate, just for himself and himself alone.
“We did meet, at my concert you know.” She said. Looking down on her phone.
“We even took a picture together, after that I started having the dreams.” She said laying down on the floor watching the ceiling.
“Kyoka Jirou! The pure hearted rock-star prodigy who don’t need anybody to warm her bed, she have her guitar she says, Cheer to Kyoka and her beautiful voice for many many years of happy relationship with her instruments!” She was reciting probably and article which came out god know when.
“Why did you stop calling” she asked suddenly turning to him tears in the corners of her eyes.
“I… I threw my phone in a river.” He said, ashamed.
“That’s a pretty fucked up excuse if I ever heard one.” She laughed
“It’s the truth, Kyoka.” He said. He almost never called her by her name.
“I see.” She nodded turning back to the window.
“Hey, there are some sketches I did, wanna see?” he asked voice trembling a bit, trying to deflect the ocean of questions he knew she had.
“Actually, I came here today to make business with you my dear friend, a commission as one would say.” She said smirk on her lips.
“What kind of business are we talking?” asked Katsuki on his way back from his bedroom with a pile of sketchbooks.
“I want you to make a cover art fro my next album” She said handing him a cd.
“Can we listen to it?” asked turning it between his fingers.
“Fuck no!” she snatched it back.
“Somebody might hear, listen to it on headphones if you can, and don’t take it out of the flat and not show it to anybody, understood?” she was full protective mama bear mode.
“Yeah” he laughed taking the cd and putting it on his drawing table.
“Now gimme tasty art!” she smiled and took the sketchbook from the top of the pile.
————
“Hey Katsuki.” Whispered the drunk Kyoka from the futon on the floor.
“What.” He wasn’t the soberest either
“So what happened between you and Shoto?” She asked
“Pushing your luck Earlobes, can kick your shinny popstar ass out any minute” He threatened her.
“I’m not doing pop you ass, and yeah, you won’t” She sung.
“I’m not that drunk to tell you.” He said turning on the bed.
“Well, I have some vodka.” She said pulling out a small flask from under her covers.
“Are you serious?! Put that away! If you puke I let you eat it back up!” he said turning back to her.
“Not for me, for you! Drink and tell me.” She said nudging him with the flask.
Katsuki took it and placed it on the window.
“No alcohol no stories, enough trauma for today. We sleep now.” He said pulling the covers over his head.
“Katsuki I’m not asking you because I want a juicy story, I want to know what happened that killed your friendship. We were inseparable. Was it…me? Was I the cause? Because I left?” She asked her voice trembling.
“I can assure your fancy ass that it had nothing to do with you our your leave at all. I was kinda glad you left, not having to witness it, and all.” He said with a cold murderous tone.
“Did he hurt you?” she asked. Katsuki sat up popping himself up on his elbows maybe a little bit too quick and his head spin. But he was determined to stop her blabbering right and there, before she figures the whole thing out by herself as he indeed was too drunk to not give out valuable hints.
“I do not want to talk about it. I won’t talk even if you kill me, so please do me a favor and…” the spinning was not stopping, and his stomach was not happy about it.
“MOVE I GOTTA GO!” he yelled jumping up and running to the bathroom.
As he was filling the toilet with the premium undigested food, all the memories of that night came back. It made him even more sick.
Kyoka walked up behind him stroking his back singing something, non of her song she ever heard of, just s lazy tune, She brought him water with lemon and stayed there till his stomach got better. They stayed in the bathroom for a bit longer. Katsuki than took a shower and brushed his teeth trying to lift his spirits with the image if his soulmate. But the only thing he could see in his minds eye, was his soulmate hugging a very beautiful woman covered in injuries. Yes. She was injured, why didn’t he noticed when he was watching then? Was he too jealous to see what was actually happening? Maybe hoping that he was getting it back as a slap from karma itself for his little romance even tho he was already meeting his soulmate? He certainly did not need that, he got punished enough for it.
Did his soulmate see that? Did he knew that Katsuki was hitting hard on Ochaco? Was it this painful? He was sure there was no redeeming quality to his situation. As he sat there, he felt once again as an asshole, feeling that he deserved what he got. That he deserved to be fooled, that he deserved to be…
He didn’t wanted to think about it. Not anymore, the water was slowly getting cold and he had to pain the next day, he needed sleep. His weekend was hectic enough by itself, he did not need to think about the past or the possible future, He had to sleep, and if he was lucky, they could meet there.