Hello, Goodbye [BHNA Chatfic]

chapter thrity-seven

Art done by ZIR_HERE

“All I'm saying is that you could’ve at least let someone do a final draft to clean it up.” 

I whipped my head towards Shinsou, aghast that the suggestion even left his mouth. Paper wrinkled as I clutched the sheet to my chest, “And ruin the artistic integrity? I think NOT.”

“A clean drawing makes it easier on the support department.” He criticised, gesturing forward as though the whole hallway were the support department. I rolled my eyes, letting my arms fall with the dramatic movement. 

“You say that as though Hastume is actually going to follow the picture fully.Plus, Tsuyu already said no to redrawing it for me…” 

I held the drawing in front of me, tracing the jagged sketch lines with my eyes. As a non-artist who was given a day to make the hero costume I’d have for my whole life, I think I did a pretty good job. The proportions might be a bit off and I just didn’t draw hands, but it’s still an honest effort. 

It kind of looks like shit though. 

I know…

Another paper appeared over mine, pale fingers clutching onto the side like a lifeline. It was a drawing of my costume. A clean, gorgeous digital copy that looked more like a professional commission than a casual drawing. 

The Bond Breaker Hero: Alchemist was written along the top in a looping script. Even the calligraphy was gorgeous!

My hand shakily reached towards it and took it from the hand. I held it softly while staring at the crisp lines and complementary color pallet. It was as though they’d reached into my mind and pulled out exactly what I wanted for a costume.

I turned to see Shinsou staring directly ahead and pretending as though he didn’t just hand me a picture. But a slight color of red sprinkled over his cheeks, betraying the insomniac aesthetic he works so hard to uphold. 

A smile pinched my cheeks as I looked down at the picture again. In the bottom right corner, the familiar purple signed a messy ‘SH’, claiming the picture not as a drawing made by a general studie student but as a farewell gift from my friend. 

“You know,” I started, folding both pictures and storing them safely in my pocket, “Just because I decided to do this- it doesn’t mean we won’t be friends anymore. You know that, right?” I dared a glance to Shinsou, heart tightening at the lack of response on his face. 

“You say that but I’ve seen 1-A’s schedule. You’re adding extra classes everyday along with whatever field trips they take you on.” he sighed, continuing to walk even as my feet slowed to a stop. “We’ll try to hang out, and when that stops working out we’ll just text. Because that will obviously sustain a friendship fully, of course. But then you’ll forget to text, and I’ll forget to answer-” 

Shinsou realized I no longer followed him and stopped walking. His face remained relaxed as he turned to face me, eyebrows curving upwards slightly. A tingle rustled in my the bridge of my nose as though the workers of my tear ducts decided to have a pregame party between my eyes. 

He pities us. He pities that we think we can stay friends. 

Yeah, well he’s going to pity his own ass when I kick it into next week. 

I walked towards shinsou, steps growing hasher the closer I got to him. My thoughts whirled around my mind and out of my mouth without a final edit. 

“You are the most pessimistic person I have ever met and Solis though we were going to die because we got lost in an Ikea. You think I’m just going to forget about you because I’m some ‘big hero course’ kid now? Don’t be so full of yourself.” I grabbed the picture from my pocket and shoved it into his chest,