Child Kiyotaka? Yes.

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Hopes Peak orphanage was an odd place, they took care of only the most hectic kids, the ones deemed 'a lost cause'.

Like Toko Fukawa and Syo Fukawa, given away by their mothers at ages ten because they happen to share a body together. Especially with Syo's odd way of thinking.

Another example is poor Kiyotaka Ishimaru. Born into a rich and loving family, but then his grandfather ruined it when Kiyotaka was four. His mother died a year later, being unable to afford the medical bills she needed. The same year his grandfather committed suicide, not wanting to deal with his mess. All the dept was left to his father. His father couldn't care for Kiyotaka anymore, and sent him to Hopes Peak at age six, promising one day he will come back.

Then there's Mondo Oowada, at age eight his brother (his only living relative) died in a accident,  and was sent here. Mondo somehow blames himself still for not stopping him.

Even the kindest kids, like Aoi Asahina, she was found on the streets at age seven, nobody knows why she was there, she didn't remember much. Even Makoto Naegi, with a sister and two loving parents was given up at age twelve, because he was 'rebellious' to the way they raised him.

The people who raise them are very odd, but loving in their own ways, like Kuma, who aggressively shows his love, and sometimes helps the kids in their pranks. And there's Mi, who is like the loving mother they never had, and always put Kuma in his place. 

Now all the kids live together, not exactly in harmony, but nobodies killed each other yet.

"Give m-me my b-book back!" Toko whined as the thirteen year old Byakuya (who was given up by his parents for 'being a disgrace') held the book above her head, just so she couldn't reach it. "Why should I? Its not like you can read a book this complex. Leave the big books for the bigger kids." Byakuya snickers.

"W-well, I will t-tell Miss Mi-Mi! And I can r-read the book j-just fine!" Toko retorts. "Ah yes, go cry to mother over being unable to read Harry Potter because you happen to be short." Byakuya sneers, clearly unconvinced about the threat to telling Mi. "F-Fine! If you d-don't give me my book back I-I'll tell K-Kuma!" Toko threatens.

"T-Tch.. Take the stupid book..." Byakuya grumbles and reluctantly gives the book. A lesser known fact about less-than-little Byakuya, is that he has a fear of Kuma, mainly because of Kumas scary aura and how he speaks to the kids.

"I heard my name! Wassup Tokooo?" Kuma tilts his head so far to the right any child would think its falling off. "N-Nothing Kuma! I-Its all o-okay now!" Toko responds, freaked out by how far Kumas head is tilting.

"If ya say so! Anywaysss, KIYOTAKA! Can you clear the table for dinner pretty pleaseee?" Kuma yells, suddenly facing the quiet Kiyotaka, who is sitting on a bean bag char by a bookshelf with his head stuck in a book, upon closer inspection it is the 'What If Its Us'. Though Kiyotaka perks his head up at the sound of his name.

"Okay Ku! I do best!" Kiyotaka responds, missing some words in his sentence. It is a well known fact that Kiyotaka struggles with forming proper sentences, especially seeing how he hardily spoke when he first came here, only able to say basic things. So he is doing much better when it comes to speaking. 

Kiyotaka scurries over to the kitchen, grabs a stool and climbs on it. Then he proceeds to climb up to the cupboards and grab some plastic, colorful plates. (Mi and Kuma decided the children cannot be trusted with glass plates after Mondo, Leon, Yasuhiro, and Toko kept breaking them on accident)

Mi is also in the kitchen, cooking multiple meals of  mac and cheese (one of the only foods the kids all agree on). "Hey Ishi, is Kuma making you ready the table again?" She asks, not taking her eye of the food in front of her.

"Yeah! I dont mind though, readying table is fun!" Kiyotaka answers, balancing the sixteen plates in his small hands.

"Ya know Kiyo, you could always ask for help if you want it. Kuma ALWAYS makes you ready the table and I don't mind helping!" The eldest, a fifteen year old Yasuhiro calls out (he has been here since he was a baby, nobody knows the reason he is here.).

"It fine!" Kiyotaka speaks again. "No no, I insist!" Yasuhiro pushes, putting on a horrible british accent while bowing dramatically. "Ah, okay then, Hiro help with plates!" Kiyotaka says, passing six plates to Yasuhiro.

Setting the table is much easier with two people, Kiyotaka decides. After setting the table Mi proceeds to equally fill every plate with the mac and cheese, the mere smell attracting all the children.

"Are we having mac and cheese again? I love mac and cheese!!" Aoi yells cheerfully, jumping in the air repeatedly. Though is careful not to hit anyone.

"As do I Hina." A calm, eleven year old Sakura agrees.

"Honestly, who doesn't like mac and cheese here?" Hifumi asks a rhetorical question as he sits in his usual seat by Leon.

"Everybody likes mac and cheese and that's why we have it so often!!" Leon yells out while tapping a little tune with his hands on the table.

"Okay everyone, who do we thank for this AMAZINGG mac and cheese special?" Kuma says while waving his hands towards Mi, who has a light blush on her face from embarrassment.

"It was nothing..." Mi humbly answers.

"Thank you Mi!!" 

"T-Thanks, Mi-Mi."

"Thank!!"

"Thanks."

Everyone calls out in their own ways, and proceeds to eat their food while conversing with one another.

"Okay, bu' like, do ya prefer dogs or cats? I like dogs!" Mondo calls out.

"I like dogs too! Especially those little fluffy ones!" Makoto answers after finishing his mouthful.

"I prefer cats. They are more calm and dont require as much." Celeste spoke, while dabbing her mouth with a napkin.

"Shuddup! Dogs are the best!" Mondo yells.

"How so? They make larger messes to clean up, they require more then cats, they cost more, and overall are a big hassle." Byakuya chimes in.

"Dogs a-are worth the money, in m-my opinion. B-But I like c-cats too..." Toko mumbles, playing with a braid.

"Yeah! What Toko said! Dogs are worth the money!" Mondo exclaimed.

"Kids, calm down and eat." Mi said, noticing that everyone was focused on talking, rather than eating.

"But these stupids don't like dogs!! Who doesn't like dogs!?" Mondo grumbles before stuffing some mac and cheese in his mouth.

"I like those dragon pets!" Taka exclaims happily,  forgetting that "bearded dragon" was the correct words.

"Dragons are not real Ishi though!!" Aoi questions after finishing her mouthful.

"Like those lizard dragon pets! The ones that sit still for long time!" Taka tries to get everyone to understand what he is talking about. 

"You mean a bearded dragon, Kiyotaka." Byakuya answers.

"Yeah! Those!" Taka yells happily before returning to his plate.

"It is almost a game at this point, trying to figure out what word Kiyoaka is attempting to remember, no?" Celeste chuckles.

"You'd think with how often he frickin' studies the dictionary he wouldn't have this problem." Mondo thinks out loud 

"True!!! Taka, if you had to choose between cute doggies or adorable kitties, which one would you choose?" Sayaka asks after finally finishing her mouthful.

"Hmmm.... Probably Dogs! I am allergic to cats, I think..." Taka answers after a minute of quiet humming in thought.

"Yes Taka, your father warned us before.. handing us over to you that you were allergic to cats!" Mi wonders out loud.

"I think it was cat fur not the actual cat though!" Sayaka corrects.

"Ah yes! Kuma we should really write this stuff down!" Mi slightly scolds, turning to Kuma and giving him a playful slap on the back of the head.

"HEYYYYY! MIIII!! I'll have you crushed!!" Kuma yells, but not enough to set of anyones sensory problems.

"Whys Kuma so mean all the time?" Chihiro mumbles, only a select few could hear them.

"I dunno. Probably his personality or something." Leon grumbles as he plays with a final bit of macaroni.

"Maybe he doesn't know how to express himself.. so he shows it through anger!" Hifumi bellows after listening in on the conversation.

"O-Or.. hes j-just mean." Toko calls out, fiddling with her twin braids. "Says the person whos practically best friends with a mean person..." Hiro whispers under his breath, apparently Toko heard though.

"H-Hey! Byakuyas n-not mean!" She snaps back, pointing a accusing finger at Hiro

Hiro puts his hands up, as if surrendering and responds "I never said Byakuya.. and didn't Byakuya tease you with that book you were reading a hour ago?"

"I wasn't 'teasing' simply pointing out the book was far to complex for her mind." Byakuya pipes up, wiping his mouth with a napkin he had specially found prior.

"Now now Byakuya, you know people can have high reading levels at a young age! Look at Chihiro! They are only eight yet have the reading age of thirteen!" Mi praises while Chihiro hides their embarrassed smile in their hands.

"I mean, in the end of the day we can all enjoy a bit of reading." Sayaka chimes.

"I don'. Can't concentrate, I just get distracted by somethin'." Mondo grumbles, as if he was embarrassed that he struggled with concentrating.

"You ain't alone, dude. I can't read nothing without getting ideas for a song to write or something!" Leon reassures Mondo.

"Uh-huh! I sometime do the opposite, I get soooo concentrated I not focus on anything else!" Kiyotaka adds to the conversation.

"Me too.." Chihiro calls out, seeming relieved.

The conversation slowly died out after that, and they all finished their food in comfortable silence.

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ayo im not dead