Kiyotaka Ishimaru was going to Hope's Peak Academy, and he was thrilled. This was his chance to prove to everyone that, with effort, anything was possible; He could prove that people can achieve anything at all! Even better was the fact that he would not be going on his educational crusade alone! Joining him would be you, the Ultimate Geologist and Kiyotaka's best (read: only) friend since as long as he could remember.

He remembered the day that you both got your letters. You had been apart at the time. When he opened his letter, all the breath in his lungs had been stolen, leaving him unable to speak as he read and reread every word over and over. Then, a phone call awoke him from his stupor.

"You need... You need to get on a video call with me right now!!" you squealed on the other end.

"A video call is unacceptable! I'll do you one better!" he decided, clutching tightly to his acceptance letter. So, after a brief celebration with his family, Kiyotaka ran all the way to your house. He briskly knocked thrice, and you let him in.

"What the actual fuck, dude?! I just needed a call!" you grinned, grabbing him some water. You took a washcloth and wiped the sweat off his brow. He beamed at you.

"So, my friend! What did you need to tell me?" he asked, clapping his hands together once. You pulled a letter out of your pocket, and his heart began to race. No way. No way! He frantically took his letter out of his pocket, somehow still in pristine condition, unlike yours, which had been haphazardly torn open. You both read each other's letter, over and over again, even though the words were practically the exact same.

"Holy shit. Holy shit! Taka, we're going to fucking Hope's Peak Academy!" You threw your arms around him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I still can't believe we're going to motherfuckin' Hopes Peak, man!" you enthused, fiddling with the various rocks spread out on your desk.

"[Y/N]... I've been meaning to give you some advice."

"Yeah?"

"I believe there will be many professionals in our new school environment. Perhaps it would be beneficial to stop cursing? It would be entirely unacceptable if you were to slip up in front of our superiors, as you occasionally did in middle school!" he urged, setting a hand on your shoulder.

You giggled guiltily. "Maybe you're right. I've been wondering if maybe I should try and kick that habit. I'll do my best, Taka! Thanks for the advice!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Taka? I mean, you can chill around the house if you want. I'm sure my parents won't mind. But I gotta go. It's time for some good ol' fashioned spelunking! I've been needing some new samples to examine!"

"Stay safe and be productive!" he wished for you, sitting down on your bed,

"You know I will!" you beamed back at him. You ruffled his hair a little, and he shrieked in anxiety. You laughed, tossing him your comb. He went to your mirror and fixed his hair so that it was perfectly in line once again. In the mirror's reflection, he noticed just how disorganized your room was. He clicked his tongue with distaste. He decided to forego some extra study time to help you fix that. When you returned home, you found your rocks separated and your laundry sorted into multiple loads (each with a different laundry basket). Your closet was color coordinated, and your books were alphabetized. You found yourself wondering how he managed to do that in such a short amount of time. For the next few months, you maintained the orderliness of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat on your bed and studied some biology worksheets as you examined some gems under a microscope. "Huh! There's some dolomite in this quartz!" you exclaimed, looking at it intently. "You know, you can come with me if you want. My friends have been asking about you for like months now," you informed him.

"No, I couldn't. There is still so much studying to be done! There is no time for me to go fail at making friends again," Taka sighed, pushing his head further into a geometry textbook.

"You know, I bet you could make friends easily if you just met people who value integrity as much as you do. Now shoo! I need to change," you demand, a smile on your face. He complied, furious that he couldn't help but think of your changing. He hadn't thought about it before. When you let him back in, you were wearing a purple crop top and jean shorts.

"[Y/N]! Perhaps you should ch-change! I don't want any strangers you may encounter to think of you as some... hoodlum! I want them to treat you with the respect and kindness you deserve!"

You sighed. "Taka, it's summer. But fine. Thanks for caring. First impressions are important, I guess. And the only boy I want looking at me is you," you affirmed. He found his heart beating quicker, and he scolded himself. "Bye, Taka!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kiyotaka Ishimaru found that life was getting more difficult. Classes at Hope's Peak Academy would be starting in a few days. This was not the time to be fretting and certainly not the time to be hurting. But you hadn't called him in a week. He was missing you. And even up until that point, you hadn't really been yourself. You had been quiet and gloomy. The laughter he loved was occurring less and less often.

"D-Did I do something wrong?" he asked into the empty air. Then it hit him, and his heart shattered. He was turning you into someone you weren't. He was turning you into him.

And so, for the billionth time, Kiyotaka Ishimaru decided to run to your house. Halfway there, however, he ran into you. The two of you panted as you tried to recuperate.

"Taka, I'm sorry!"

"You're sorry?! What do you have to be sorry for?!" He practically screamed it.

"I just can't do this anymore! I can't be who you want me to be! I just fucking wanted you to be happy, but I can't keep doing this!"

"No! I was wrong! I was wrong to try and make you into some sort of carbon copy of me! I don't want that! You are perfect just the way you are! I love everything about you!"

"Y-You do?" you whispered, trying to make sure you were both understanding the situation properly.

"Y-Yes," he confirmed as it sunk in. "I love you. Please come back to me."

"Okay." You held his hands, stood up on your tiptoes, and kissed him. He wept, holding you close to him.

"I'll never let you go again."