The only thing Hiro can register is the dull sound of someone screaming, bright light, and the smell of smoke. That is, until his throat constricts and begins to burn. Hiro slowly recognizes that the agonizing screams are coming from him. His body shakes against his will as he breaks down in disbelief. Mind replaying the scene of his brother's cap falling off as he runs into the burning building over and over. Hiro's brain fails to notice their friends gathering around as he falls back onto the ground. Everything is numb as all Hiro is able to see is an orange yellow hue, and then.. nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Hiro is not sure how long it's been, or how he got there, but he's in bed. His eyes burn as if chlorine has been poured into them. Hiro wipes at his eyes to find them wet. Running his hands over his face, he realizes it's soaked with tears. The young genius' mind races trying to remember what happened. 'I had the presentation for school... we went there. I got accepted into college and Tadashi...'
"Tadashi!!" Hiro yells springing from bed. The sound of his voice is strange as it's raggedly hoarse and sounds like gravel. Frantically, Hiro looks around their shared room. Tadashi is nowhere in sight, but the bathroom door is closed. "Dashi?!" The younger brother calls banging on the door. The door doesn't open so Hiro hurriedly opens it to find it empty.
Hearing loud footsteps upon the stairs Hiro turns expectantly towards the door. Aunt Cass rushes in with a look of mournful sorrow etched onto her face. Hiro stops moving, frozen rigid as she wraps the younger Hamada into a crushing hug. "Tadashi..?" is the only fearful word Hiro can muster, heart ramming against his small ribcage as he begins to feel sick. Aunt Cass gently pushes the small frame away by the shoulders. Her lower lip trembles as tears glisten her eyes. With a breath to steady herself, she begins.
"Hiro, Tadashi... T- He couldn't make it ou-," She stuttered unable to finish as the younger could no longer take it. He couldn't hear it.
"No!" Hiro shouted, clenching his eyes closed and backing away from her. Chest feeling heavy, body aching, and misery mixed with sadness overwhelmed his senses. It's the worst pain Hiro has felt in his young life. It's most likely the worse pain he will ever feel in his life.
Aunt Cass took one step, reaching her hand out to him trying to comfort his pain; fill him with reason. "Hiro." The young teen's whole being felt like it would explode. Disbelief filled him as his mind and heart refused to believe that his brother was gone. The older brother couldn't be gone; can't be gone! Anger hit him, and it hit the young genius with a bitter twist of guilt.
"He can't be! He's not! Tadashi has to still be out there!!!!" He screams at her. Hiro knew she didn't deserve it, but the young Hamada is just so angry.
"They found his bo-," Aunt Cass tried, but her youngest nephew shook his head furious.
"It's not him! Tadashi is still alive! He wouldn't leave me. He promised!!" It's too much for him, he can't accept it. Not this. Anything but this. Hiro's voice cracked miserably as he ran from the room. He could hear his name being called, but didn't bother to look back. He furiously pushed passed Wasabi and Gogo through the front door of the café, running as fast as his legs would allow him. "Tadashi couldn't be gone, he just can't be. He made a promise to me that we would always be there for each other. Together forever. Always, no matter what happened. Tadashi was the only one who understood me. All I need is Tadashi. I can live without everyone else and be fine as long as I have him. Tadashi is the one who smiles and says everything will be okay, he makes everything okay. He's the only one who understands me.... My first and only love. This can't be happening."
Hiro ran so hard he felt his legs would break, but he kept pushing until finally reaching the now crumbled building the fire had practically blown apart. People who looked like workers for clean-up stood scattered around the building. Against their protests, the younger Hamada brother went into the almost demolished building unsure where to go or what he'd find. His mind and body began to move on its own as he took in the surroundings.
