Shino's life slowly crumbling away urged Hinata to find a way... or more likely find someone who could save him.

***

*Achoo!*

Chisaki Kai sneeze. Chills came over him. "Someone thinking about me?" He thought. A woman framed in mind but he later shook it off of his thoughts. Chisaki guessed it'd be one of his enemies. There was no one else he could suspect besides them; no one would be capable of thinking about him without contempt or malice. Chisaki chuckled that thought away. A down expression was on his face.

He wore his lab coat and adjusted his white hand gloves, which would soon be tainted with crimson blood... Eri's blood... and Hanabi's.

Chisaki stood alone in his operation room with a single bright light over his head to illuminate his surroundings. Beyond the light's radius were dark shadows.  Noises of rats were faintly heard and so were tears that pattered on the floor. They were Eri's.

Chisaki sighed. He puts a mask on and turns to Eri. Eri's head was down, her snowy hair hung low, and along so, were her dead hopeless eyes. 

"Does it hurt, Eri?... knowing Hanabi left you here alone..." Chisaki spoke.

Eri silently cried while her nimble limbs were fastened on the chair she sat upon. The bandages on her arms were stripped off as new wounds appeared so.

Remembering Hanabi made his forehead furrow. Irritated, he turns around and his eyes come across a glass cylinder tube on the table, which contained Hanabi's blood. "Why didn't it work on her...."  He crumpled his fingers into a fist. "It worked on countless others but not on her...!" 

Chisaki's palm held his head, stressed. He was sure he had perfected the Quirk-Destroying Drug."Hanabi's quirk should've been erased the moment she'd been shot, but nothing happened! There was a flaw in my creation! A mistake!"  He took a blade from a shelf nearby and rushed back to Eri.

Eri screamed in pain. Chisaki cut her open once more.

"I need to figure out what I'm missing... why it didn't work..." Chisaki thought, initiating more operations and experiments on Eri along with Hanabi's blood. "I need this drug flawless."

Chisaki didn't know that the drug was already, indeed, perfect. That is, perfect for people of this world. He didn't know the fact that Hanabi doesn't have a quirk, to begin with. He wasn't aware that Hanabi was from a different world.

Not long after, Chisaki ran out of stock of Hanabi's blood. Thus prevented him from studying any further.

Chisaki called his underling and ordered him to take Eri away and lead her back to her room.

Frustrated to be of no progress, Chisaki went out of the operation room and took a shower. He washed thoroughly, feeling filthy. Moments passed, and he later calmed down and stood still under the shower. He was in a trance, sunken deep in his thoughts, thinking about experiments and such. He yearned for more of Hanabi's blood for him to examine, but she was nowhere to be found.

Chisaki turned off the shower. He stepped out and covered himself in a robe then took a towel, drying his hair. Soon, he came out fully and neatly dressed in his usual black suit and walked to his office. 

Inside his office, he lay down on the sofa. The TV beside was on, it held a news report regarding UA's Sports Fest. While half-listening to it, Chisaki remembered his recent visit to UA's event. He recalled Hanabi with Shinsou, and also remembered bumping into Hinata. He had drawn blood from Hinata then...

 *Knock knock*

Chisaki sat up properly and turned off the TV. "Come in," he said. His underling appeared and entered. "Be it good news," Chisaki said with his fingers on one side of his temple.

"We couldn't find Hanabi. Even in Hitoshi Shinso's place... she wasn't there." 

Chisaki's face wrinkled.

"But the results of the DNA test have arrived," the underling said, making Chisaki look up into his eyes. "You were right," he affirmed the implication of Chisaki's gaze strong gaze. "Hanabi and Hinata are sisters indeed."

Satisfied, Chisaki averted his eyes and had a calmer expression, "Where is this Hinata right now?" He asked.

"As we've observed, Hinata seems to be living in UA. She spends most of her time inside UA borders," Chisaki was answered as such. "It'll be quite difficult to go as planned, Overhaul... We can't approach her and use her carelessly to drive out Hanabi from her hiding." the underling said.

"Most of her time inside UA...?" Chisaki repeated. "That means there're times she's outside. Kidnap her by then."

The underling seemed to be of opposition. Hesitant, he spoke, "That's near to impossible for us... she's a skilled fighter." he based his claim on Hinata's performance in the Sports Fest that was broadcasted on the internet. "And if we use the drug on her... there's a chance... it won't work, given that she shares the same blood as Hanabi's. And it would risk exposing our drugs to the heroes in UA."

Reminded of the drug's failure, Chisaki's mood worsened. He loosened his necktie. He understands the point his underling is stating so he held himself. "Fine." Chisaki stood on his feet. "Just continue the search for Hanabi. I'll take care of Hinata myself."

***Night Time @ UA***

"Thank you for your generosity... and thank you for lending a hand for Shino's sake," Shikamaru bowed, and so did the others. 

Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten, Lee, and Sakura stood against Aizawa, Nezu, Midnight, and Hinata. They were all outside the UA gate.

"Worry not," Principal Nezu said, cuddled inside Aizawa's scarf. "I have to apologize that we can't accommodate you to stay here like Hinata, it would be troublesome if other students would suddenly find you here." 

"It's understandable. We don't intend to burden you more as it is." Shikamaru replied.

"Still! For Hinata's sake, we shall provide a place for you guys to stay!" Midnight enthusiastically offered. "Right, Principal Nezu?" she smiled at Nezu. Nezu seemed to be unaware of Midnight's claim which made him sheepishly chuckle.

 "Don't go offering something to others that aren't even at your expense, Kayama." Aizawa lightly dropped his fist on Midnight's head. "You do know the school is quite on edge right now because of... unforeseen circumstances." Aizawa phrased it vaguely since it was a confidential matter. "And we can't give them a place to stay this instant at this late hour," he added.

"W-Well..." Midnight pouted, downhearted. "Sorry guys, I promised foolishly." she instantly bowed to the ground toward Shikamaru and the others. 

"A-Ah I-It's fine, really! You don't have to apologize! Taking care of Shino is far enough!" Tenten wagged her hands, flustered at Midnight's sincerity to help them. 

"You guys do have a place to spend the night right?" Hinata wanted to assure, worried.

"Yes of course!" Tenten immediately answered, but the crooked faces of the three boys behind her, Neji, Shikamaru, and Lee, seemed to imply otherwise.

"Pretend to be a bit more lively guys!" Tenten yelled, embarrassed being caught lying. "S-Sakura, where did you live all this time!? Could we, perhaps, butt in?" she approached Sakura, desperate not to worry Hinata. 

Sakura's whole face suddenly turned red. "I-I've been living in the woods! S-So Uhm... Sorry!" she bowed intensely, hiding her flustered face, "I can't tell them I'm living with a  man all this time!"  She said in her head.

Their situation made it hard for Hinata's face to ease. "You could all stay in my room and leave right away in the morning to avoid students from seeing you." Hinata offered.

"Hinata, I've been in your room... you know it's not spacious enough to fit all of us." Neji said. "Don't worry too much, we can manage ourselves and settle in forests around. We're used to it in our world anyway," he assured.

"B-But you guys aren't in good shape, especially you Neji... you've already lost your sight." Hinata couldn't accept Neji's words. "I-I'll make room for all of us to fit!"

"That's enough, Hinata. I can't allow myself to trouble you." Neji said sternly.

Hinata was insistent, "But-"

"I-It's fine!" Sakura suddenly spoke. "I-I know a place where we can stay... so it's fine, Hinata," she said, trying her best to straighten her smile and act alright."I don't think he'll be home today... maybe just for tonight... they can stay there."  Sakura hopes but was nervous about the idea.

"A-Awesome!" Tenten said awkwardly. She felt uneasy the moment Neji started raising his voice.

"O-Okay, Sakura..." Hinata's tone calmed. "That's great!" she softly smiled.

Hinata seemed convinced and agreed, but Aizawa sensed something was still bothering Hinata.

"But this is only for tonight, so..." Sakura said to them.

"That's fine by me!" Lee said. "As long as you're there, Sakura." he winked, making Sakura feel creeped out.

"Then...!" Hinata became worried again, "What about the days ahead?"

"Maybe tomorrow... Kayama and I will look for a place," Aizawa initiated. Midnight nodded. "So... don't worry that much..." Aizawa patted Hinata's head. It made Hinata's mood better when she heard that. 

Everything settled. They all said their farewells and they parted ways.

...

Midnight yawns, "I'm sleepy~ Good night guys," she walks away.

"Good night, Kayama sensei." Hinata slightly bowed.

Principal Nezu drops down from Aizawa's scarf. "Well, I have paperwork to attend to. Have a good night's sleep, you two," he said before leaving them.

It grew quiet when it was just them, Aizawa and Hinata. It took a while before one spoke up.

"Good night, Aizawa sensei," Hinata spoke first. Silence once more filled the air.

"...I'll walk you to your room," Aizawa offered.

"It's fine..." Hinata smiled, "You shouldn't anyway..." a hint of sorrow was in her eyes as she said that.

Those words struck Aizawa hard. It made him sad but he knew he was in the wrong. It was inconsiderate of him to say so. Hinata's trying her best to cut ties, yet he's selfishly mending them again. "I'm... sorry," he said, distancing himself. "Good night, Hinata."

Hinata turned her back on him and walked away without a word.

Staring at her back as she was stepping farther away from him, Aizawa couldn't help but let tears swell up in his eyes. Still, he holds them back from falling. The distance between them was growing wider. Aizawa looked away. His black hair covered his face. The thought of Hinata completely leaving this world stuck in his mind.

It was insufferable.

The night's cold breeze swayed his hair, uncovering the tears that streamed down to his chin. His lips trembled.

***

"Woahhh this place is huge, Sakura!" Lee awed, looking around. They were inside a modern-style house. The interior was classy and spacious. No one was there except themselves.

"Shh, Lee!" Sakura whispered while laying a punch on Lee's head.

"You seem tense, Sakura, are you sure we're allowed to be here?" Shikamaru asked.

"Just for tonight, you guys can stay, but be sure to leave this house immediately early in the morning," Sakura replied. Still whispering.

"The fact that you're whispering makes me feel guilty being here," Tenten whispered along.

"Don't worry, I know the owner of this house," Sakura said. "Come, there's room here on the 2nd floor." She led them there. Sakura set up the bed where she and Tented would be sleeping and added some mattresses on the floor with pillows and blankets for the boys to lie on. 

Not long after, they all went to sleep. Except for Sakura.

Sakura gently got up and left the room. She couldn't sleep, anxious if it so happens the owner of the house decides to return home tonight. "I'll be dead for sure!" She thought.

The whole house was dark as all the lights were turned off. Quietly, Sakura went downstairs in tip-toe and made her way to the living room. 

*thud!*

"Ouch!!" Sakura accidentally hit her toe hard on something stern. She held her hurt toe, bearing the pain while keeping her mouth shut to prevent the others from waking up. Awkwardly jumping on one foot, she leaned on the sofa next to her and later sat down. 

"huh?" she paused, stiffened, feeling strange on her butt. It didn't feel like she sat on the sofa's soft cushion.

Suddenly a big hand held her wrist and pulled her down.

Shocked, Sakura swung her free hand to punch but her knuckles missed, hitting only the cushion. The person dodged it and further pulled her down. She fell on her knees on the floor beside the sofa. Her other hand was still grasped tightly.

Sakura struggled, "Who are-" she stopped. The grip on her hand loosened.

"Were you trying to kill me with that punch?" The voice was familiar to Sakura.

"H-He's home!" Sakura grew nervous.

Clouds from the sky shied away from the moon, having its faint light seeping through the thin space of the curtains hanging.

The man turned his torso and lay sideways, facing Sakura's emerald eyes.

His amber eyes gently glowed against the moonlight's soft rays. He wore a gentle smile as he let her hand rest on his cheek. He reached to her face. Embarrassed, Sakura sunk her face onto the edge of the sofa. "S-Sorry... for the punch. I thought one of your enemies barged in..." her voice muffled.

Sakura gradually pulled her hand back from his cheek but was instantly snatched by his fingers. "Thank you for guarding the house well, Sakura..." he hovered closer to her and whispered into her ear.

Sakura's face flushed beneath the cushion. S-Stop toying with me, Chisaki..."

(A/n): Belated Merry Christmas!!!