Chapter Text
For Toya, it was your average day, or at least it was. You see, he was just walking home, and he potentially took a wrong turn. He wasn't lost per se, just in an unfamiliar location.
His best course of action would probably be asking for directions, so he decided to stop by a nearby cafe.
Outside of said cafe was a boy wearing the Kamiyama uniform. He had orange hair, and, hey, wait a minute, is he vandalizing the wall!
"Hey! You!" Toya wasn't entirely how to confront him, but he was trying. "Stop that!"
"Huh?" The boy said as he turned around. Toya could now see that the vandal had green eyes, and a yellow streak in his hair.
"You know," Toya continued. "Stop vandalizing."
The other slightly smiled. "Ohhh, I get it. Should've known, I didn't recognize you."
"What?" Now it was Toya's turn to be confused.
"Uh, well," he started, "Ken-san asked me to paint this." He took a step back to allow the other to see it.
It was a bundle of sunflowers, with a blue sky behind it. The bundle itself was very stylized as you could see the paint drips of the spray can, but you could clearly define each flower.
"How'd you do it?" Asked Toya.
"With my hands?"
"Well tell me your process."
"I don't know, I just kinda put what I feel like."
"But surely as an artist you can-"
"Look." His nice demeanor dropped instantly. "I'm not an artist, now leave me alone to let me finish this, so I can get paid."
Toya almost opened his mouth, but someone else beat him to it.
"Hey Akito! Ya almost done?" A girl with long black hair with blue tips said. Toya also noted that she too wore a Kamiyama uniform.
"Give me a minute An. I just need to add a couple of things." The boy responded.
"Sigh, that's what you always say. Wait a minute." The girl looked at Toya. "OMG! Akito's made a friend!"
"Huh-"
"So when did you two meet." She asked excitedly.
"Wel-"
"He just started to watch me paint. We're not friends."
While it was true that Toya was just kinda watching him paint, he still needed directions. Also why do people just keep cutting him off!
"Oh, well that's too bad. Soo, want a drink? We got some pretty poppin ones!"
"An, please, just stop."
Once Toya finally got a chance to respond he said "Ah, well, you see, I kinda made a wrong turn, and I just need directions to get out of here."
"Ah. Right." Her demeanor shifted to a much less energetic one. "If you take two lefts, you should get to Scramble Crossing. Although, if you wanna come back, here's my number! Oooh! Also say hi to me in the hallways. You're Toya, right?"
"Uh, yeah. See you around, uhm, An-san, correct?"
"Please, just call me An."
"Uh, ok, An."
"Wait, before you leave, sorry." She turned to her friend. "Hey Akito! Please show MY friend Toya back to Scramble Crossing."
"No."
"Akito! C'mon at least take a break. It's been three hours already."
"Jesus christ, if I go will you leave me alone tomorrow."
"60 percent chance."
"Better than no chance, c'mon Todoroki."
WHAT DID HE JUST CALL HIM?!
--
Goddamnit. Akito was really close to finishing the painting, but NOOOO! You have to do what An wants to do.
"So where exactly are we?" Stupid.
"Vivid Street." Akito replied mechanically.
"Hmm, well, it's more like a block. And also for a place that's called 'Vivid' Street, seems quite dull."
"What do you know. You should've seen this place years ago." It almost makes Akito sad reminiscing on the summer where everyone just seemed to leave.
"Well, what was it like years ago?"
"It's hard to describe. You just kinda had to be there."
"Well, can you maybe draw me an image?"
"What?!" Ok, who is this guy?
"Well I figured if it's difficult to describe in words, then just draw it. You're a good artist."
"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not an artist."
"Well your painting was definitely better than some actual art I've seen in museums, and you've only told me twice about how 'you're not an artist.'"
"Well I'm not one so stop calling me one. Besides I'm not here to show you Vivid Street, I'm here to show you out. And there's the door."
"That's not a-" Akito walked away. Seriously, who did that kid think he was. He clearly knew nothing.
He's not an artist. That fact is reenforced when his father tells him his art doesn't mean anything.
His father tried to convince him into doing "traditional" art, but he never saw the appeal. His father even enrolled him into the art class at school, without his permission. Thankfully, the teacher is pretty lenient, although that could be because of his father. All Akito has to do is put in minimum effort into his work, and he gets praised.
He doesn't know why he keeps doing what he does. He probably should've gone his sister's route of shutting away.
Well, in a way he's shut his dad out, by living with the Shiraishis. It's really just An and her father, but he wouldn't like it any other way.
"Sooooooo, how'd it go?" Without realizing it, he had made it back to the Weekend Garage, and was meeting face to face with An.
"I'm going to finish my painting now."
"C'MON! Literally the first new person to come around here forever, and you just scared him off!"
"C'mon An, it's not like he was some scared animal or something."
"Akito, the only reason I came out was to stop you from literally murdering the guy."
"I don't think you know what literally means."
"And I don't think you know how to be a decent human being." Like father like son, eh?
"Just let me finish the painting."
"Fine, but if you keep acting like this, no one's gonna be able to see it, because you scared them off!" Akito just rolled his eyes. An just scoffed. "Whatever. I'm picking dinner."
And with that Akito began to work once again. He really meant it when he said it would only take a minute or two, as he was just cleaning the piece up with a paintbrush.
Soon enough he was inside and washing his hands for dinner.
"Hey, Akito," It was Ken-san, "you done with the painting?"
"Yeah, what'd An choose for dinner?"
"Just pizza from down the street, but I wanna see your thing before I get it."
The two walked to the location of the painting and Akito carefully awaited his judgement.
"Looks good as always kiddo." Ken-san said with a smile.
"You're just saying that."
"But it's true."
"Just look at. I know it's bad."
"What's bad about it?"
"I wouldn't know, because I'm not an artist."
"Ah, you're always too hard on yourself kid."
"Ken-san, I'm basically living in your house for free."
"Yeah, but I like having you around."
"What I'm saying is, I want to start paying to stay here."
Ken-san had a look of shock. "Why?"
"You say that my 'company' is enough, but c'mon, I can't help but feel like I'm taking advantage of this."
"Akito, as long as you live, you will not have to pay to stay under my roof."
"I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
"That's the point, you don't. Now go inside, it's getting cold, and you only have a light jacket."
"Ok, thank you, once again."
"Anytime kiddo."