A Helping Hand (Hiro X Reader)

Chapter 6--Comfort in a Best Friend

Soon, you and Hiro had to leave for the Lucky Cat Café, and Melanie had to return home. As her mom came by and picked her up from your house, you and Hiro waved to her as she left with her, and then you walked to the Cafe together.

For the entire time, you two were completely silent. At least, for a while. You couldn't help but notice how downcast Hiro looked as you walked alongside him, his eyes narrowed as he bit his lip in thought as he contemplated your situation. You also fiddled with the strap on your backpack, feeling nothing but fury, anger, loathing flood through your own body. And it was all because of your mother, the only person left in your family, about to give herself up. You felt your hands curl up into fists in your anger.

Why did she have to be so weak?

"(Y/N)?" 

Hiro's voice snapped you out of your reverie, though the look of anger still lingered on your face. You turned to face him.

"Hiro, I don't..."

"No, (Y/N). I was just thinking about something." Hiro took a deep breath, and you braced yourself, expecting the worst to come from him.

"It's about time I told you that my parents are also dead, so witnessing death twice in my life isn't a pretty thing," Hiro blurted out, covering his mouth at the last minute.

You stood in shock, eyes widening. So Hiro's been dealing with death much longer than you have--was that it? You were so selfish thinking about how to deal with your own family that you never asked about Hiro's side. At that moment you were mentally torturing yourself, but you knew that if you waited any longer Hiro would probably start crying. 

"Hey, it's okay, you don't have to cover your mouth," you whispered to him. "We'll find somewhere private to talk about this."

Suddenly, you got an idea where to go. There was this one place you went right after your father's funeral, and you almost forgot about it now, but it was the only place you could think of where you could listen to Hiro's story without being interrupted by Aunt Cass--or anyone, really. 

Taking Hiro's hand and lacing your fingers with his loosely, you lead him through the busy streets to a beach, not too far away from the SFIT park. You took off your sneakers and socks and rested your feet near the water, and Hiro did the same, smiling just a little bit as the water lapped over both of your feet, the tension in your muscles loosening.

"So," you murmured. "Your parents...how did they leave you?"

Hiro gulped and squeezed your hand tighter. "They...well...they died in a car crash, like Melanie's little sister," he told you. "There was one night when our parents brought me and Tadashi to a party of some sort. I didn't understand what was going on so I stuck with Tadashi. Then after that we were heading back, and then a drunk driver crashed right into us, from the front. Probably his steering went off or something, I don't...I don't remember." Tears started to leak from his eyes. "All I could remember was the next day I woke up at Aunt Cass's place asking when mom and dad were coming back...and Tadashi was crying really badly. I never saw him cry like that before. Then...I think I remember we were all wearing black, and we were at our parents' funeral, and then when I realized my parents weren't coming back..." He was really starting to tear up now, and he didn't hold back either. 

You remained completely silent the entire time, listening to Hiro tell his tale. But the instance he was at a loss for words, you pulled him into your arms, and you both remained standing in the water, feeling the sun radiate through you, as you began to think. 

So Hiro lost both of his parents when he was young. That was harsh for one so young to witness and understand death. But to fully understand what it means to lose someone close and then actually lose one of those people once you were old enough... it was brutal. No, scratch that, it's agonizing. It was more or less like being stabbed in the back twice by fate, and yet your assassin never cared. Death itself sounded so inhumane. If your mom gave in, that's just one more person gone, and one more person to be forever haunted by.