4.1

To be Hiro Hanazawa

Malcolm’s injury was more severe than she had been letting on. Still, Momo-chan could smell it out and the youth was not allowed to move from his spot at all. They stayed there waiting for help which didn’t take long at all.

Victor arrived like the wind, literally. Black smoke streamed into the area coalescing into the old doctor.

“Oh dear, what a mess we have here”

“Sorry about that doc”

Malcolm replied, trying not to choke on her own blood. Victor came and take a closer look at the injured. Momo-chan asked worryingly.

“Will he be alright?”

“Of course, I can have him back up in a few”

“That’s good to hear”

“Thanks for looking out for him, you can leave now. I believe Owain is looking for you, he said it is urgent”

The voice looked at Malcolm reluctantly. He still left though, the youth was already in good hand. Before leaving completely, the voice turned around and asked one final thing.

“Um, did you see Willow on your way here?”

“Of course, she was the one telling me about this”

“… How was she… I mean how did she seem to be holding up?”

“Why don’t you take a look for yourself?”

The doctor wasn’t willing to divulge any more and so Momo-chan started to make his way back. To his surprise, Conrad also followed him back. This wasn’t anything outlandish, it was just that Momo-chan was used to seeing the vagabond with Malcolm. He wondered if the man knew of the youth secret, probably not.

This made the trip back even more awkward, however, as Conrad was completely silent. The man just followed him around along with Suiren who was also mute. Wait, why was he also walking three steps behind.

Fortunately, the journey didn’t take much time at all and Momo-chan found himself back at the Pryce’s place. As he approached the front door, however, it busted open violently. Owain practically jumped out at him.

“Oh, so it’s you, Hiro!”

“Are you expecting someone else?”

“No no, I was waiting for you. I heard the footsteps and wondered who that was so I jumped out and turned out it is you!”

“Well, I’m here, so what do you want”

“Here, let me show you!”

The young man grabbed Momo-chan’s hand and dragged him away into the garage. Owain rushed to the desk and practically ripped the drawer out. All the papers inside spilled out and scattered all over the room.

Owain frantically looked around the flying paper but couldn’t find what he wanted. Too excited to look some more he just grabbed some blank flying about.

“Um, what is going on?” Asked Momo-chan.

The question was ignored for now as Owain drew something on the paper with intense speed. The voice took a peek, it was a blueprint of sort, probably of the jet pack from the look of it.

The process took about a minute and Momo-chan couldn’t help but be amazed by the artistry displayed here. Despite drawing at a frantic pace, all the details had just the right length and snapped together perfectly. All the lines were also drawn without ruler or any kind and yet still completely straight.

“Tada, I finally manage to devise this. It took the whole of last night!”

The voice wasn’t even sure if this was actually for the jet pack or not, much less made out the detail. Luckily, Owain seemed to want to explain this himself.

“This is the new blueprint for the jet pack!”

“I kind of guess, so what improvements have you made?”

“Well, with the new power source, I was able to cut down on the size significantly!”

“That’s good to hear. So you have finished with the jetpack?”

“The design, yes. I only need to calibrate the amount of power needed, or else it will explode during take-off!”

“Now that would be nasty”

“That one I am still working on, it will take a while. But I can already imagine it! Anyway, let’s go and have breakfast before Caron makes a fuss!”

The two went back inside the building through the connecting door. Inside the kitchen were Caron and Willow, setting up the dishes. The girl turned back to face them.

“Welcome back, Hiro”

Momo-chan was stunted by her appearance. All the bruised and blood gone, only one trace of the fight remained, and it was most gruesome. A ghastly scar across her left cheek, a horrible blemished on that delicate skin. It almost looked like a twisted half smile.

“Why don’t you two take a seat, the food will get cold soon”

She still acted perfectly normal, as if nothing was wrong. The same could be said for Caron but not Owain, it was clear the young man noticed it but he opted to remain silent.

Hiro: {Don’t stare, it’s rude}

Momo-chan: [Ah]

Hearing the reminder, the voice looked down at the empty dish. His mind still filled with thoughts.

Hiro: {Just wait until later, when no one is around}

Momo-chan: [I know…]

For now, Momo-chan needed to act as normal as he could. That wasn’t too hard, asides from the occasional stare. He tried to think about something else, like the jetpack. Now that was something exciting.

That was until Willow also brought up something for him to think about.

“I thought Conrad returns with you, Hiro?”

“Yes he…”

Momo-chan looked around to find the man non-existent. Owain, meanwhile, was thinking whether he saw the vagabond or not.

“I thought so as well… Wait a bit”

‘Don’t tell me’, Momo-chan and Owain went back and voila, outside the front door was Conrad. He was still standing exactly in the same place when the two, three counting Suiren, ran to the garage.

“Come on in, breakfast is ready”

Conrad suddenly moved and stepped inside the house. His eyes still so weary and unchanging.

“Um, why were you standing out there for?”

After the usual bout of silence the man replie “I wasn’t sure if I can go in”

“Of course, you could” Owain answered “You are always welcome here!”

“Thanks”

Conrad walked past them, towering over the him.

Momo-chan: [I always forget he is taller than us. Perhaps because he is always hunching, like you!]

Hiro: {Hm…}

That sure made Hiro think. The voice wondered how long would he be staying in this body. While it was great to move around when he wanted to move around this didn’t feel too right. That was the host call and now wasn’t that time yet.

The voice made his way back and had his first actual meal. While he could feel everything from the taste to the texture, having control of when to bite to put more food in made more difference than what he had ever expected.

There was something he noticed though, there were teeth he didn’t remember having. Momo-chan ran his tongue over them, trying to determine whether they had always been here.

Hiro: {Those are my wisdom teeth}

Momo-chan: [Oh, I see]

Hiro: {Pulling them out will be a pain}

Momo-chan: [I certainly don’t look forward to that]

Hiro: {At least you still have a few years left. Or maybe soon if I they are extracted here}

Momo-chan: [Wait, then does that mean we have to have them remove twice…]

Hiro: {… I sure don’t look forward to that}

___

When Malcolm returned he was completely normal, even his clothes are clean. The youth only took one glance at Willow, however, and he would never comment on it.

The girl also didn’t want to discuss it with Momo-chan, or more like Hiro, yet.

And so, the voice spent most the day just walking about, feeling the wind on his face. No one else, just him and Suiren trekking through the open field. Having agency and control sure did a lot to enhance one’s perception. This long trip felt so much different than when he was still inside Hiro.

Momo-chan wondered if the young man was feeling the same way he did. Or maybe Hiro’s perception was also different because he still spent more time in this body.

Why was he even thinking about all of this even...?

Momo-chan: [Hiro, are you there]

Hiro: {Where else could I be. What’s up?}

Momo-chan: [I’m wondering about something…]

Hiro: {What is it?}

Momo-chan: [I can’t even remember what it feels like anymore, being in my old body… Well, it’s not like there’s too many differences, we are still the same after all]

Hiro: {True}

Momo-chan: [Well, asides from the fact I was fitter]

Hiro: {Ugh, I will give you that one…}

Momo-chan looked into the clouds, the sky was still so blue. Maybe after Owain finished with the jetpack, he could take it out for a ride.

“I wonder what does it feel like to fly among the clouds. Do you?”

The voice muttered out loud. He waited for a reply but none ever arrived, of course she wouldn’t. Just thinking about that made him felt rather down and he didn’t want that. His mind would wander to places he didn’t want to.

But maybe this was the time to confront them, to get some answer…

Momo-chan: [Hiro, can I ask you something?]

Hiro: {Shoot}

Momo-chan: [What happened to our parents?]

Hiro: {…}

Of course Momo-chan remembered. It was still so vivid in his mind, Hiro kneeling over Suiren, begging her to stay. That had been on his mind ever since.

Seeing there was no way around it. Hiro answered.

Hiro: {Father lost his job before we graduate high school. Mom overworked herself and died two years later. One day after her death, he would run away as well}

It was blunt and straight to the point. Even though Momo-chan harboured no love for his parents, the news was still shocking. Although what was more surprising was how Hiro was so painful when he confessed it to Suiren.

This all would happen to him in four years, what kind of bonds could be made…

The voice continued to wander until he reached someplace familiar.

It was that tree, where they first arrived in this world. It felt like ages had passed since then. Next to it was a tent, probably set up by Victor, the doctor was looking to fix something here. Something that prevented the summoned from going back to their world.

It seems like he wasn’t around though.

Momo-chan parked his back on the ground under the shade, it felt rather cold here actually, but he liked it. Maybe he would take a nap. As he was drifting away, the voice could hear someone called to him, it’s Hiro.

Hiro: {Hey, there is something I want to tell you}

Momo-chan: [Huh, what is it?] Momo-chan yawned, he was getting sleepy.

Hiro: {Let’s shelves that name, Momo-chan}

Momo-chan: [What?]

Hiro: {I am just saying I will call you Hiro from now on, I will also inform Victor about that}

Momo-chan: [Why’s the change?]

Hiro: {Well, you are Hiro, aren’t you}

Momo-chan: [True…]

Hiro slowly drifted away into a deep sleep. When he works up, the voice found his head cushioned by Suiren thighs. Embarrassed, he jumped up and quickly made his way back.

Still, the voice was glad. He didn’t give any command on that, and yet!

And so, the voice made his way back with a song in his heart, oblivious of the order coming from somewhere else. The rest of the day went on without much happening. Owain was busy with his jetpack, Willow was avoiding him, Malcolm and Conrad had gone off to the wood.

Hiro spent all of the afternoon sitting with Caron. She managed to egg him into reading that Far West series. Despite the over dramatic writing there was something sincere about it which was quite enjoyable.

Caron also reread with him and when everyone returned, dinner hadn’t been prepared at all.

The cooking didn’t take too long and the voice sure enjoyed the meal, he didn’t have any for lunch after all.

Afterward, it was quite late so the voice decided it was time to rest. He slipped into something more comfortable and lied down. Next to him was Suiren who had sat down on her usual spot.

Hiro looked at her, not knowing what to do. In the end, he held her hand again, the voice was plentily happy with this arrangement already. While something more would be nice, he was content.

And the voice would hold onto her hand throughout the night.

___

Morning came, Hiro woke up early having rested plentily the day before. He got out of bed and prepared to change. After some consideration he reached out for his original attire once again, just like yesterday.

Hiro tied his tie like he has done for the past two year then went down for breakfast.