Chapter Text
Middle school was the first time I met Tadashi and Hiro Hamada. My mom, Carlotta Avara, took me back to San Fransokyo with her where we started a new life without my father in it—a choice my mom struggled to make because she still loved him just as much as when they started dating. But it was safer for us and gave him the opportunity to sober up without worry for us. As soon as we were settled, she reunited with her best friend, Cass Hamada, and together they were going to help Cass build her dream cafe. I didn’t meet Cass until The Lucky Cafe was on its way to being reality, my mom driving us over to share in her best friend’s excitement.
“You must be Skyler,” Cass said. She looked at my mother with a grin. “She looks so much like you!”
My mother nodded. “She’s like my mini me. Skyler, this is Cass, my best friend.”
“Hi,” I said, eyes scanning the apartment. It was homey and warm. I felt my shyness melt away the longer I stood there. “Mom talks about you a lot.”
“I would hope so,” Cass laughs. “I think Hiro and Tadashi are sick of me talking about your mom, too.”
“I don’t mind it,” I said. “I’m happy Mom has a close friend. She didn’t have any friends at our old house.”
“I talked to Cass all the time, so I didn’t need any friends there,” my mother said. “But we’re here now and I cannot wait until we get this cafe up and running!”
At that moment, Cass and my mother began their discussion about the cafe and how to go about a grand opening and possibly hiring a few people to help. Cass quickly mentioned that Tadashi and Hiro are upstairs if I wanted to hang out with them before shifting the conversation to the baked goods she wanted to sell for the cafe.
Curiosity got the best of me, so I timidly wandered toward the stairs and looked up. I heard some muffled talking and then a soft thud followed by laughter. I took a few steps up, pausing as more laughter and speaking sounded. Again, I took more steps up.
Following the sound of laughter and what I realized was rough-housing, I came to a door, slightly ajar, and peered through the small crack to see two dark-haired boys wrestling around on the floor. One was clearly older, quickly over taking the smaller boy and tickling his sides to cause the boy to laugh so hard he couldn’t beg for mercy. The older boy laughed with him. Their laughter was enough to start up my own giggles.
Both boys quickly paused at my laughter, looking at the door where I shrunk away, mortified I was found out. The door opened before I could run away and the older boy stared at me before a bright smile lit up his face.
“Hello!” he said, eyes closing as his smile widened. He stood a few inches taller than me, hair short with his bangs swept upward. Brown eyes studied me with curious interest.
“Um, hi. Sorry, I can leave—”
The other boy poked his head out under the other’s arm. “‘Dashi, who’s that?” He looked similar to the other boy, face rounder and eyes wider with wonder. The biggest difference—other than age and size—was the younger boy’s shaggy hair that seemed to stick out in various places from their rough-housing.
‘Dashi blushed, looking away from me. “I don’t know, Hiro.”
“Oh, um, I’m Skyler. My mom is friends with your mom and they’re downstairs talking right now about the cafe thing.”
Hiro looked up at the older boy with a frown. ‘Dashi’s smile faltered. “You mean Aunt Cass?”
My face instantly gets hot. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was your aunt…”
“It’s okay.” The smile was back. “I’m Tadashi and this is my little brother, Hiro.” Hiro’s nickname for his brother made more sense.
I raised my hand to wave at Hiro, glancing at Tadashi and smiling softly. Hiro grinned at me, showing off the gap between his front teeth, and I returned the gesture as my heart warmed over how adorable he was. In my short life, Hiro became the cutest kid I ever met and I wanted to give him the biggest hug.
“Do you want to play with us?” Hiro asked.
“Sure!” I looked at Tadashi. “I mean… if that’s okay.”
Tadashi nodded. “Of course!”
Hiro took my hand and yanked me into the room, causing me to bump into Tadashi who moved out of the way two seconds too late. I muttered an apology before Hiro began showing me his toys and inventions made from random items around their house. I forgot my embarrassment long enough to listen to the younger Hamada brother in awe of his genius at his age. Half of what he said made little sense to me, but I listened as if I knew what he was talking about.
Tadashi watched from the door for a few seconds until Hiro urged him to come over and show me the cool things he invented, eventually dragging his brother over to us when he didn’t move. But with Hiro’s enthusiasm, Tadashi joined in and showed me some of the awesome inventions he created—far more humble than his younger brother.
“You’re both so smart,” I said, carefully studying the little robot Tadashi made for a school science fair project. “I could never do something like this.”
“Maybe you will one day,” Tadashi said. “What school are you going to? Maybe I can help you study or something.”
“San Fransokyo Middle… You’d do that?”
“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I? I like helping my friends. We will be in the same school after all.”
“Really?” I felt a prickle at the back of my eyes. “We’re friends?”
“Best friends!” Hiro cheered before latching onto my arm. “You’re so nice.”
Tadashi nodded. “If your mom and our aunt are best friends, we should be best friends, too. I bet we’ll hang out a lot at each other’s houses and when the cafe opens. We want to be friends with you.”
There was no longer the will to keep myself from tearing up from their kindness. “I’d really like that. I’ve been so scared of not making friends here. That’s really nice of you guys. I’d love to be friends with you.”
“Don’t worry, Skyler,” Tadashi smiled. “We’ll be your friends.”
And that was the day I became best friends with the Hamada brothers.