I ran out of the place as fast as I could. Of course, I didn't get far because of bumping into someone in the hall. What were they doing out here anyways? Shouldn't they be inside? Whatever, I didn't bother to look up until I heard their voice.

"Zella?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. I came face to face with a certain tall, purple haired young man. Trying my best to contain my tears from falling, I couldn't when I saw the tears on his face.

"Hitoshi..."

We both just stood there, never breaking eye contact. I almost thought he used his quirk on me and he was probably thinking I did the same thing. He was wearing formal clothes, but his jacket was hanging over his shoulder while his hands were in his pockets. His hair, as messy as ever.

The last time I saw him, Anna shot him with an arrow and I ran away. Why did I do that again?

Eventually he stepped closer to me, only inches away from my face. Our eyes were still full of water and my vision was getting blurry.

"Don't run away again... please..." he said, almost whispering while he put a hand on my cheek, stroking it with his thumb.

I rested my head on his hand and closed my eyes. He was my oldest friend, of course he knew exactly what to do to calm me down.

"I kinda just announced to the whole country that I'm alive and ran out of there..."

"A classic Mikio. Running the first chance she gets." he chuckled and sniffed.

"Yeah well, awkward situations-" I started while playfully slapping away his hand, he interrupted me mid sentence cause he knew what I would say.

He didn't move when I slapped his hand, just returned a relieved smile and looked deep into my eyes.

"...Awkward situations make me awkward." he said and we let out small, quiet laughs.

I felt enchanted by his purple eyes, so mysterious yet magical.

If there was someone who could convince me to stay, it was him. Cause my plan was to go back to the hospital, find Anna and go. But when I saw Hitoshi again... it made me feel like Zella. I thought she was gone but maybe she isn't.

But is it possible to be two people at once? Will they still love me if I'm Katana and Zella?

"The ceremony's about to end, and I don't want to be here for it..."

"Then let's go somewhere... I'm not taking my eyes off of you."

"Where?"

He grabbed my hand and ran out of the building. Didn't even warn me, just gave me a look that said "trust me".

We got into a car and just drove away. And honestly, it made me feel more alive than I've felt in a very long time.

- - -

"Where are we?"

"You don't remember?"

"I don't th-" I stopped speaking when I realised what we were standing in front of.

I knelt down by my fathers grave and dusted off the stone. I smiled and looked up to the sky, looking for a bright star. When I found it, I smiled and thought of everything he's done for me and the world.

I can't believe I almost forgot about him... A huge reason why I wanted to be a hero before.

What would he think of me now? Forgive me, dad. I'm not the aspiring hero-in-training I used to be. The happy girl who'd always be up for anything. But now? I'm someone else. Something else.

I felt Hitoshi put a hand on my back and gave me a reassuring smile. I leaned my head on his shoulder and we just sat there, right next to the grave. Though I was sure we weren't thinking the same thing.

"Hey, Micky? I'm not gonna... pressure, you into telling me anything." he slowly moved away and put his hand on mine.

"But you should know that I'm here for you, alright? Just like I've always been- used to be."

I didn't answer and just hugged him tight. A few tears escaped and fell on his back, and I felt his on mine. Never have I felt so much guilt yet so much love at the same time.

"Can... can you drive me somewhere?" I asked.

- - -

"Well, I don't know what the fuck just happened but I need a drink now more than ever." Kirishima said and chugged down a glass of alcohol.

"No, cause I knew I wasn't crazy last year when I saw her. So she's alive, but why the fuck did she return a year later?" Sero said and plunged down on the seat next to him.

"I just bought us all the next round. Drink up, friends." Momo said with dried tears on her face as she took a shot.

"C-come with me? Or else I might pull a Mikio again..."

"Of course." he grabbed my hand and walked into the bar with me.

"Hey, Shinso! Care to join our sad drinking hours." Kaminari said, clearly drunk.

But all that alcohol disappeared from his body when he saw who was standing behind the purple haired pro.

"H-hey, everyone..." I said quietly and held onto Hitoshis arm.

"Mikio..." Kaminari was the first to pull me into a hug. Sobbing into my hair he hugged me so tight to the point where it was hard to breathe.

But I didn't care. I was just happy to see him again. Not much later, I felt two more people joining in on our hug. I recognised their voices immediately.

"It's... manly... to... cry..." he said in between sobs.

"I... agree..."

I let go to see my favourite trio. How Kirishima have grown even bigger muscle wise, Seros hair still looks good.

And Kaminari, with that charm of his.

How could I turn away from all of this?

Right behind them were a couple of young men I last saw as boys. The ones I wasn't particularly close with but still loved dearly.

They weren't the affectionate type but still jumped in to give me a giant hug. Shoji grabbed us all up and held us like his children. Ojiro and I used to spar a lot together, I would pop by Satos room to get some sweets and Koda. Koda was just the sweetest of them all.

"It's good to see you again, Mikio." Tokoyami said in a low voice, trying to hide the fact that he was crying a bit.

"WE CRIED EVERY NIGHT AFTER YOUR DEATH Y-" Dark Shadow suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started yelling, but Tokoyami was quick to pull him back in. I couldn't help but smile a little at the sudden outburst.

"MA CHÉRIE, IS IT REALLY YOU?"

I already knew who this was and held him close to me. Aoyama cried the most out of everyone by far. But he and I had our own thing, I just loved everything about him. And I'm glad to see that he hasn't changed.

Though this reunion thing is getting a little too much for me. Hitoshi had been staying close and he put a hand on my lower back and whispered in my ear.

"We can leave anytime you want. I know this is hard for you."

I kissed him on the cheek, reassuring him that I needed this.