"Have you ever wondered what it'd be like if the stars shattered, Tomohiro?"

Ripples danced across the river's surface as a twelve-year-old boy dismissively swayed his hand in the water. The temperature of the water was cold but not enough that it was freezing. However, it was enough that his skin was dusted over with an irritating red. Splotches of white, black, and orange trembled underneath the ripples as koi maneuvered around the cerulean canoe the two occupied. At times, a brave koi fish would try to nip his fingertips only to swim away after growing fearful.

White eyes skimmed over his reflection, watching the water quiver from movements coming from every side of the river. His lips parted open in surprise at the question. So much so that the sudden sway of his body caused the canoe to rock. The small boat sloshed side to side, attempting to dump the pair of siblings into the water. A yelp of surprise was emitted from his older sister as she tried to balance them. Her fingers gripped the paddles as the canoe slowly stopped shaking.

The twenty-year-old woman released a panicked huff. Around them, a few people in nearby canoes sent them strange looks but did not comment on their actions. She laughed awkwardly before smiling stiffly. Once they stopped focusing on the pair, the ink-haired woman turned her head to face her younger brother.

The boy in question had drawn his eyebrows together in confusion. Wrinkles decorated his forehead, and he had cocked his head to the side. "Koemi-oneesan, has all that studying made you lose your mind?"

Tomohiro withdrew his hand from the water and shook his hand so droplets would not wet his dark grey hakama. Subconsciously, his pruned fingertips skimmed the cascading ink droplets that crafted his hair. His face suddenly contorted into one of grimace at the thought of the ink spilling onto his clothes. Ink was hard to scrub out of the fabric.

In front of him, his sister playfully hardened her eyes into a glare. She would have lightly smacked him if she did not have both hands wrapped tightly around the wooden paddles. Especially with everyone wearing expensive traditional clothing to celebrate the coming new year, she was certain no one wanted to take a late-night swim. The last thing she needed was their canoe knocking into someone else's and ending up with all of them falling into the Sumida River.

If she scanned the area around them, various canoes of all colors drifted along with the slow current. They all were spread out enough that they would only bump into each other if they paddled over to someone else. Some women held beautifully designed umbrellas in their hands, while others would fix the obi wrapped around their waists. Few men would carefully fold their haoris before placing them in the seat in front of them. Like Tomohiro was doing, some children stuck their hands into the river to play with the koi or pick a few sakura petals floating down the current.

Hundreds of sakura trees littered the edges of the riverbank. Their branches curved over the river and created thick foliage above them all. Petals ranging from white to carnelian decorated the trees, and some would occasionally tumble down into the water.

"I have not lost my mind, Tomo! You and your mean words! Who taught you how to speak like that?" The woman's head dipped slightly, but she instantly fixed her posture as she pulled her arms back. The wooden paddles on either side of the canoe dragged against the current, redirecting them from bumping into the riverbank.

Various citizens strolled down the concrete pathways built on the other side of the sakura trees. Like the people in the canoes, they also adorned beautiful kimonos and yukatas. Cheerful chatter and jubilant laughter touched the air and gave an atmosphere of glee as the clock ticked closer to midnight. If Koemi were not so scared to tip over the canoe, she would have slipped her phone out of her small purse and snapped a photo of this moment.

Tomohiro's eyes narrowed. "I live with you, so you're the one who taught me to be rude."

"Why you little—! You've been hanging out with Yukinari-kun too much! I miss the cute little brother who would trail around me like I held the stars in the sky!" Despite her complaints, short giggles threatened to spill from her throat. Her lips tilted up into a jubilant smile. "Now, all you do is make fun of me for stupid reasons!"

"Well, how am I supposed to take you seriously when you ask me about shattering stars? Last time I checked, stars extinguish after burning up. I think you need to take an astrology class at your university or something." Spreading his arms out, the child motioned upward to the white-speckled curtain high above them.

The sun had already dipped into the horizon hours ago, and a veil of obsidian was draped across the city. Bright dots of white accompanied by the crescent moon graced the sky with their dim radiance. The bunches of sakura petals hid the moonlight and allowed a few beams to slip through their crevices. If it were not for the illuminance of Tokyo, the river and those who rode canoes would have been plunged into darkness.

Koemi tapped the blue plum blossom kanzashi holding her ink hair in a messy bun. Perhaps messy was not the correct word, but there was only so much you could do when you have hair made of liquid. If Koemi's Quirk did not allow her to control and solidify her hair, wearing this piece would have been a fleeting dream. "I'm a law major. I don't need to take astrology."

"I'm worried for your future clients if you don't understand how stars work. How are you going to be a good lawyer like that?"

"And here I was, hoping we could enjoy the sakura trees before making our way to Sensoji Temple for hatsumode. But you're being all snippy with me."

Tomohiro crossed his arms as if he was annoyed, but a smile tugged at the edges of his lips. A mischievousglint sparked in his white irises. "It's not like I can be snippy with anyone else but you. You're the only one here whom I can have a conversation with. "

The ink-haired woman shook her head. "I can't argue with you there. We're in a tiny boat on a river, and it's not like we can talk with the people in the other canoes. I don't think they want their dates to be interrupted anyway."

"When are you going to get a boyfriend, Koemi-oneesan?"

If it weren't for Koemi keeping them steady in the canoe with the paddles, she would have jumped up in surprise. Her nails dug into the small crevices left in the wood. Whether it was from envy or dismissal, she was not sure. Pouring her attention into another relationship did not seem plausible right now. "I don't have time for one."

"You have to do something other than study and hang out with me. I have Enmei to hang out with but what about you? Usually, on New Year's Eve, you celebrate with friends and family. I'm your only family, but you don't have friends to celebrate with." Suddenly, the child's eyes were no longer on her but on his hands, which were fiddling with the ends of his haori. As if he realized that he said something rude but still said it anyway.

Floating in the breeze, a few white sakura petals tumbled into the girl's lap. The petals stood out against the navy blue fabric of her kimono. Her lips drew in a straight line before she sighed through her nostrils. She would have been lying if she said she did have friends. She had acquaintances and classmates at her university but never made a strong enough bond with someone to call them a friend. Sure, it was lonely sometimes, but she had other stuff to worry about.

It was saddening, but Koemi did not care. All her time was consumed between classes, work, and caring for her younger brother. Those things were more important than making friends. That did not stop her gaze from trailing over to the groups of girls talking ecstatically on land.

"I'm perfectly fine with you. I don't have time to listen to other people's drama." Koemi rolled her eyes and dragged the paddles across the water. "I already get a headache from all the rumors floating about. I don't need to add other people's problems to my own."

White eyes flickered upward to connect with her cerulean ones for a millisecond but quickly switched to one of the koi nibbling at a petal. A bit of an obvious way to avoid the conversation, but she was not going to argue further. Koemi would relish in the tranquility of the night surrounded by beautiful sakura trees and curious koi. She did not need anything more than this. She was content with this life of hers, even with the hardships.

—————❖—————

The streets of Tokyo were filled to the brim with people of all ages as midnight came and went. After what seemed like an eternity, January first arrived, and everyone around them was more than excited to visit the Sensoji Temple to pray for good fortune for the coming year. Like the siblings, many made their way to the temple once midnight had struck.

Stalls of food and souvenirs were lined up in rows trickling down the street. A few stalls boasted prizes, while others had people telling stories of yōkai that would bring fortune to those who encountered them. Scarlet lanterns made of paper hung from the stalls' roofs by strings. A few curious children would tug on their parents' clothes to ask to touch the lanterns and were often told they could not.

Tomohiro watched with mild interest as a white-haired girl scooped up a goldfish in a small net at a stall. A yelp tumbled from her lips as the goldfish angrily whipped its tail and threw droplets at her face. Her eyes grew wide before she laughed in delight.

He gripped Koemi's hand tighter as the two began maneuvering through the crowd. At times, his sister would give his hand a light tug to ensure she still had a firm grip on him. The last thing either of them needed was to be separated in such a populated area. The boy tried his best not to bump into anyone. He did not want to stain anyone's traditional clothing with his hair. Suddenly, his sister stopped, and he nearly bumped into her.

"Ah, a lot of people are waiting in line," Koemi stated as she tried to look over various people's heads. The line stretched from the top of the temple down into the booths. "Well, what was I expecting? It's not like the lines get any shorter."

A tug at the sleeve of her kimono caused the woman to turn her head. Tomohiro's grip wrinkled the flower patterns adorning her sleeve, but she did not focus on that. With his other hand, he pointed at the end of the line. "Gazing at the temple isn't going to make the line miraculously shorter, Koemi-oneesan. Let's get in line before it gets longer."

She nodded. "No point in waiting, huh?"

"Not unless you don't want to catch the train at six."

"Definitely not! I don't want to get lectured by my boss just because I didn't arrive on time because we missed the train. Go, go! Get in line, Tomo!" The ink-haired woman pushed the child, hands settling on his back as she rushed him.

"Hey, don't push me! I can walk fine on my own!" Tomohiro would have dug his heels into the concrete pathway if it were not for the fact that he was wearing getas. These shoes had two stilts positioned in the center of the sole. He could have tried digging his heels, but he probably would have fallen instead.

Koemi raised a brow before a mischievous smirk slipped onto her face. "Then why were you clinging onto my hand on the way here if you can walk by yourself?"

"Because I could lose you in the crowd, and knowing you, you have your phone on silent!" He hissed in return. That did not stop Koemi from pushing him a few more feet forward until he stood behind a couple in line. The boy frowned and brushed the nonexistent dust coating his haori.

"For your information, my phone is on vibrate!" Koemi shook the small bag carrying her phone and wallet. "If I did lose you, I would be able to answer your call."

Tomohiro sent her a blank stare. "Like when you left Enmei and me in your university's library."

"Okay, one time I didn't answer." She waved her hand dismissively. Although her eyes evading his own was more than enough to display her guilt.

"That other time that you forgot me at the train station. Lucky me that a Hero patrolling around saw that I was lost."

The cerulean-eyed woman sputtered, "you know how easy it is to get sidetracked in the Tokyo train station. I returned for you once I realized you weren't next to me."

"Two hours later."

At those three words, Koemi buried her face into her hands. She did not even care about the ink tainting her fingers. She spoke, but her voice came out muffled. "I'm a terrible sister."

Although she could not see it, Tomohiro had stepped forward and rested a hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the touch but did not raise her head. The semblance of a smile could be seen on the child's face. "No, you're just disorganized."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Do you want it to?"

While regaining her composure, Koemi could not help the chuckle that rumbled through her chest. "You're terrible at cheering people up, you know."

"Great, we know what I'm not good at." Tomohiro placed his hands on his hips. "I'm guessing you want me to stay here and wait while you go look at the stalls?"

"I'm going to get us some snacks. We will be stuck in this line for a couple of hours. Remember how long it took last year to make it to the top of Sensoji Temple? I swear I would have fallen asleep on the floor if it was anything but hatsumode." The woman rubbed her hands together to get the ink off her fingers. Realizing it was not working, she glanced around to see if there were any towels or a sign leading to a bathroom.

"Here," Tomohiro slipped a hand into his hakama and pulled out a white square. "I couldn't find the moisturizing ones before we left home, so I grabbed a bunch of toilet paper and folded them."

"Thank you!" A grin slipped onto the woman's lips. She quickly grabbed it before thoroughly wiping her hands free of the liquid. A few black blotches were evident on her skin, but it was not enough that she would stain her kimono.

"Now go to wherever you want to go. I'll stay here and wait."

With a firm nod, Koemi hastily spun around and disappeared within the crowd of people walking. As she slipped through the gaps, she said, 'excuse me' a couple of times after accidentally bumping into a few people. After a minute or two of walking, she finally managed to find a suitable area where she could stand without being knocked over.

Placing a hand over her chest, the girl breathed a sigh of relief. A weary expression was sketched over her features. "You think people would try to move away from the crowdedness. What's with this place being so crowded anyway? I doubt this many people want to buy taiyaki."

Lucky for her, or maybe not, her answer came in the form of her needing to clamp her hands over her ears.

"What's up, citizens of Tokyo! Your favorite Hero, Mimicry, has decided to grace you all with her glorious presence!" A high-pitched voice fluttered out of the speakers hanging from the lampposts. Excitement was practically dripping from the Hero's voice, and it was coming directly from above Koemi.

Before Koemi could even register what was happening, the crowd erupted into a flurry of cheers. Enamored praises kissed the air, and many citizens raised their arms like they were reaching for something, more like someone given the ecstatic laughter given in return.

Pulling her hands away from her head, the woman thought about whether or not she wanted to look up. After a minute, Koemi allowed her head to fall back to witness the sight of a Pro Hero sitting atop what appeared to be the cap of a floating white jellyfish. Her braided hair nearly brushed against the jellyfish's tendrils, but her upper body lurched forward, and she narrowly avoided getting her hair tangled. Mimicry flashed the crowd below her a large grin before bringing a microphone to her lips.

"So my outstandin' citizens, howist goin'? I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not visitin' the shrine tonight 'cause you see that line? I ain't tryna wait like, what? Three hours if I'm bein' generous? I mean," Mimicry pushed her pink-tinted sunglasses to the bridge of her nose in thought. She jabbed her thumb at her chest. "I get this, like, priority as a Hero. I'm famous, so I get to cut in line. I might be the con artist, but I ain't about to use my fame to get a pass. Instead, I'm gonna entertain the likes of all of you with my dearest friend, Noxious Jel!"

Mimicry slammed her palms against the jellyfish's cap before hoisting herself to stand on it. However, it seemed like she underestimated how squishy and uneven the cap was since she had to swing her arms to regain her balance. Once she did, she formed a finger gun with her left hand and pointed to one of the booths.

Following her fingers, Koemi found her eyes flickering over to a stand selling omamoris. More specifically, on the roof of it. Sitting in a criss-cross position was a lanky guy with a blue jellyfish on the top of his head. His hands gripped two of the ribbon-like tendrils dropping from the jellyfish. His violet narrowed into a glare.

It seemed like his glower was useless since Mimicry jumped once and pumped her fist into the air. "Hey Noxious, whatcha doin' there sittin' like a rock! I dragged you out here to have lotsa fun! Stop bein' one with the jellyfish!"

If Koemi squinted enough, she could make out Noxious Jel's baby blue hair poking out from underneath the jellyfish. The man stuck his tongue out in response to Mimicry's statement. "You're doing well by yourself. I don't need to involve myself. I'll give out autographs if people want them, though."

At those words, a few kids harshly pulled at their parents' sleeves and pleaded with them for an autograph. A few relented and sheepishly walked up to the Hero, who flashed them a gentle smile. Noxious Jel waved his hand and quickly informed the children that they should not touch the jellyfish at all.

The ink-haired woman cocked her head to the side in bewilderment. How was Noxious Jel sitting on top of the stall when it was only a cloth draped over the wooden pillars? Actually, no, that was not the most confusing part. Mimicry and Noxious Jel were Heroes in Kyoto, not Tokyo. It was strange for these two to be here when it was not their patrol area. She did not have enough time to speculate because Mimicry had ripped Koemi's attention away with her childish tantrum.

"Boo! What a downer, dontcha think, folks? No matter, the marvelous Mimicry is here to serve you all a dazzling performance! My trickery is more than enough to have you all star-struck! So—" she stuck her hand in one of the pouches on her belt. Flicking her wrist, she tossed dozens of aqua-colored cards in the air.

"C'mon y'all! We ought to have lotsa fun tonight to increase our luck! Let's make our fortune last the entire year!"

—————❖—————

Author's Note:

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed the beginning of TYII. I had not updated in a long time because something was bothering me about the original. Eventually, I realized it was because I lacked meaningful bonds and needed to explore Koemi's character a bit more.

Mimicry uses a lot of informal contractions in her speech hence the smushed words. Surprisingly, she's my fourth favorite OC to write now. Maybe because she's upbeat? I don't know.

These are the outfits that Koemi and Tomohiro wear.

Character Spotlight:

Name: Koemi Ishihara

Quirk: Breathing Ink

Likes: Taking care of plants