CHAPTER 3 - deal.

"You seriously need to calm down, Trix!" Rina called out, struggling to keep up with her best friend. Her arms were full with the food she had just bought, but that didn't stop her from chasing after Astrid, who stormed ahead like a force of nature.

Rina skidded to a halt, panting as she clutched her side. "It-It shouldn't affect you like this..." she gasped, but Astrid didn't slow down.

"One word from that man pisses me off..." Astrid muttered, coming to an abrupt stop, her fists clenched at her sides.

"Astrid, it's just Hiro!" Rina huffed, finally reaching her friend's side. She barely took a second to catch her breath before shoving food into her mouth, determined not to let it slow her down again.

Astrid exhaled sharply, frustration rolling off her in waves. "You didn't know he lives there?" she asked, her voice heavy with something unreadable.

Rina blinked, mid-bite.

"No? This was my first time at that café!" she scoffed, swallowing hard.

"Seriously..." Astrid panted, pressing a hand to her forehead as if trying to steady herself.

"Astrid, calm down. How short can your temper even be?" Rina asked, giving her a look of pure exasperation.

"Very short," Astrid groaned, her frustration practically radiating off her.

...

At The Hotel

Astrid collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh, tossing her phone aside before burying her face into the pillow. "Out of all places..." she groaned, her voice muffled.

Rina chuckled as she set the food down. "You know what," she said, brushing her hands off, "it won't be that bad once you actually talk to him."

Astrid scoffed, lifting her head just enough to glare at her. "What?"

Rina shrugged, unfazed. "He didn't seem too bothered by you earlier. Just match his energy," she said with a smirk. "Give him a taste of his own medicine."

Astrid pushed herself up, running a hand through her hair as she looked at Rina with a small, reluctant smile. "Maybe that would work..."

Rina grinned. "See? Just mirror his energy!"

"That could work, but... what if I mess it up?" Astrid murmured, gazing out at the balcony.

Rina clicked her tongue and rubbed Astrid's back. "You won't-unless, of course, you'd rather just give in and talk to him properly?" She giggled.

"Again, no way!" Astrid scoffed, her eyes flicking to the city lights twinkling below.

"Riiight..." Rina chuckled, nudging Astrid's shoulder.

"Stop it!" Astrid shot her a playful glare.

Morning

Under the dim hotel lights, the two teens were still wide awake, their faces covered in moisturizing masks, dressed in matching pajamas. Laughter bubbled between them as they scrolled through social media, reacting to posts and tweets.

"We've been up all night, you psycho!" Rina furrowed her brows.

"It's not that bad... we've only been awake for, like, five hours," Astrid scoffed.

"Oh, it is bad. You literally said you only got two hours of sleep on the plane!" Rina grabbed Astrid's laptop and shut it down.

"Three hours, actually," Astrid corrected, rolling her eyes.

"Still doesn't make a difference," Rina said, shooting Astrid a glare as she set the laptop aside.

"Aww, come on! Just one more show!" Astrid whined, reaching for it.

"One more show of what? You were literally watching TikToks!" Rina scoffed, yanking the laptop further away.

"Ugh, dang it." Astrid pouted, flopping onto the pillow and burying her face in defeat.

"Exactly!" Rina teased, nudging Astrid's shoulder with a playful shove.

Astrid's voice came out muffled against the pillow, barely more than a sigh. "I lowkey wanna go to the campus..."

Rina blinked, peeling off her moisturizing mask. "For what?" she asked, her tone laced with curiosity. "To admire the labs?"

"Kind of..." Astrid turned onto her back, her gaze drifting to the ceiling, eyes tracing patterns only she could see.

Silence settled between them, the kind that felt less like an end and more like the start of a thought left unfinished.

"Are you even allowed there?" Rina asked, grabbing a donut. "Or are you just planning to break in for fun?"

"I think so..." Astrid sighed. "But hey, I'm pretty sure they let enrolled students waltz in like they own the place."

"You think," Rina said, rolling her eyes. "So basically, you have no idea." She took a big bite of her donut, chewing dramatically. "Love that for you."

"Wow. Thanks," Astrid deadpanned. "Still doesn't help, though-I don't know anyone who goes there."

"Oh, but I do," Rina said with a mischievous grin, and Astrid instantly caught on.

"Oh no. No, no, no." Astrid shot her a warning glare.

"Oh yes, yes, yes!" Rina laughed, already pulling out her phone.

"Rina! Stop that!" Astrid yelped, lunging to snatch the phone from her hands.

"I won't," Rina teased, effortlessly dodging her. "I mean, you are an enrolled student, right? But somehow, you have no clue if you're even allowed on campus. Fascinating. Truly." She

smirked, scrolling through her contacts like she had all the time in the world before tapping on Hiro Hamada's name.

"Rina!" Astrid huffed, still swiping at the phone, frustration bubbling up.

"Oh, relax," Rina said, grinning as she typed. "Hey Hiro, any chance this officially enrolled but incredibly clueless student can check out the campus without getting tackled by security? Asking for a hopeless nerd."

"Give me that!!" Astrid shrieked, making one last desperate grab.

Just as Astrid was about to snatch the phone, Rina swung her finger and hit the send button.

"Oops." Rina blinked at the screen.

"Well... no turning back now."

"RINA!!!" Astrid shrieked, throwing herself face-first into the pillow with a groan of pure frustration.

Rina nervously bit her lip before flashing a sheepish grin. "Hey, better now than never, right?"

"Oh, sure. That makes me feel so much better." Astrid's voice was muffled against the pillow. "Fantastic, really."

Rina sighed, pressing her lips together. "Look, I know it doesn't fix anything, but at least now you'll know if they're actually letting you explore the campus."

"Oh, great. Clarity. Just what I needed." Astrid lifted her head, shooting Rina a glare. "But did you really have to tell Hiro?!"

Rina threw up her hands. "Who else was I supposed to call? The dean? A psychic? Hiro's literally the only person I know there."

"Unbelievable," Astrid groaned, flopping back onto the pillow. "You just had to drag him into this."

"Oh, come on," Rina said, smirking. "Look on the bright side-"

"Don't. Even." Astrid's voice was dangerously low.

Rina grinned. "I was just gonna say, at least now you have something new to be mad about."

"Just stop talking," Astrid groaned, rubbing her temples.

"Ouch." Rina clutched her chest in a fake offense. "Truly, that cut deep. But seriously, you need to talk to him."

"No."

Rina huffed, gently tugging Astrid's arm. "Come on, Hiro could actually help you make new friends. He's basically a friendship magnet."

Astrid yanked her arm free. "Please. I can make friends just fine without that cranky man. He probably has, what, two? Three, if you count his reflection?"

Rina snorted. "Harsh."

"I'm just saying, he's the literal definition of a loner." Astrid crossed her arms. "If you look up 'socially unavailable' in the dictionary, it's just a picture of him, scowling."

"He was literally friends with every student in four different sections back in junior high," Rina scoffed.

"Yeah, and look where that got him," Astrid smirked. "Bet he's in college now, eating lunch alone and pretending it's by choice."

Rina rolled her eyes and gave Astrid a light shove. "You are absolutely heartless."

"Oh, please, I have a heart," Astrid snorted. "I just prefer not to waste it on lost causes."

"Well..." Rina drawled, grabbing another donut from the desk as she lazily scrolled on her phone.

"Looks like you're on your own now. Tough break."

Astrid lifted her head from the pillow, frowning. "What do you mean?"

Rina smirked. "Oh, nothing. Just that Hiro replied ages ago."

"Seriously?!" Astrid practically launched herself upright, eyes wide.

"Seriously." Rina chuckled, waving the phone just out of reach.

Astrid didn't hesitate-she ripped it from Rina's hands and scanned the message.

"Yeah, we're just inside the campus right now talking to our professor. Why?"

Rina snorted. "See? The world didn't end. No explosions, no catastrophic consequences." She shot Astrid a smug look. "You were so ready to die over this. Drama queen much?"

"Oh." Astrid blinked, her expression turning awkward as she held up Rina's phone. "Well... I guess that wasn't so bad."

"EXACTLY!" Rina threw up her hands. "Wow, look at that! The universe didn't implode. No catastrophic consequences. Truly shocking."

"Shut up," Astrid muttered, rolling her eyes as she got up from the bed and rummaged through her suitcase.

She pulled out a plain black T-shirt, denim shorts, and a pair of black Converse. Before she could even process her choice, Rina gasped so loudly it could've shattered glass.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Rina clutched her chest like she was about to faint. "How dare you commit such a fashion crime in my presence?"

Astrid frowned. "What? I'm just going to the campus-"

"NO!" Rina shrieked, already digging through Astrid's suitcase like an investigator at a crime scene.

"Do you own tights?" she demanded, her voice dripping with judgment.

Astrid shook her head.

Rina groaned like this was the greatest betrayal she had ever faced. "Of course you don't." With an eye roll so dramatic it could win awards, she dived into her own bag, pulling out tights and a handful of silver necklaces.

"Rina, it's just clothes," Astrid said, watching her friend with a mix of amusement and exhaustion.

"Just clothes?" Rina scoffed, visibly offended. "JUST CLOTHES?! Astrid, you look like someone who gave up on life before even trying." She tossed the tights onto the bed along with the jewelry.

"Okay, listen up, disaster child," Rina said, stepping into full-on stylist mode. "Tights before shorts. Layer these necklaces-biggest to smallest. And for the love of fashion, please wear a fitted black T-shirt, not that sad, oversized disgrace you're holding."

"You are so dramatic," Astrid deadpanned, rolling her eyes as she swapped her loose black shirt for a fitted one.

"Yeah, that's it," Rina smirked. "Blame me for trying to save you from looking like a background character."

"I'm only doing this so you'll stop yapping about fashion," Astrid huffed, grabbing the clothes and jewelry she'd been bullied into wearing before heading to the bathroom.

"Aww, so you do care!" Rina cooed, clasping her hands together like a proud mother.

...

After a few minutes, Astrid stepped out of the bathroom, the fitted shirt hugging her torso just right, and the layered jewelry adding the perfect amount of edge to her dark aesthetic.

Rina's eyes lit up like she had just witnessed a miracle. "Ohhh, now look at you!" she clapped her hands together dramatically. "Literally an upgraded version of that tragic basic mess from earlier."

Astrid groaned, already regretting letting Rina meddle in her outfit. "Can I go now, or is there another round of Rina's Makeover Madness?"

"Funny you ask!" Rina chirped, digging through her bag before triumphantly pulling out a pair of white leg warmers. "Now, put these on before your shoes. Trust me, it'll complete the look."

Astrid let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "Is this really necessary?"

Rina shot her a look. "Oh, absolutely. You think you look good now, but trust me-this will take it from cool girl to main character energy."

Astrid muttered something under her breath but grabbed the leg warmers anyway.

"Perfect!" Rina giggled. "Oh wait-minor detail-I forgot to ask Hiro if students who don't go there are even allowed in." She whipped out her phone, typing away.

Astrid threw her hands in the air. "Are you serious?! You did all this before even checking that?"

"Priorities, babe," Rina smirked. "Fashion first, logistics later."

"You little-" Astrid groaned as she wrestled with the leg warmers. "How do you even put this thing on?" She stared at the fabric, which was currently just sadly scrunched straight up her leg like a deflated sock.

Rina sighed so dramatically you'd think Astrid had just offended her ancestors. "Of course you don't know," she muttered, kneeling down like some kind of fashion guru preparing to enlighten the clueless.

With the precision of a stylist on a mission, Rina folded the leg warmer into neat, stacked layers, creating a perfectly messy, effortless look. She then gestured toward Astrid's other leg. "There. Now, just copy that on the left. Try not to embarrass yourself."

Astrid glared at her. "You act like this is rocket science."

"And you act like getting dressed is a struggle," Rina shot back with a smirk.

"Ohh! Hiro said yes! Sooo, looks like I'm definitely tagging along." Rina clapped her hands together, looking way too pleased with herself.

Astrid, who had just finished tying her shoes, shot her a flat look. "Fantastic. Just what I needed-a chaperone."

Rina ignored her sarcasm completely.

"See? You look straight out of a romance movie!" she giggled, practically bouncing in excitement.

Meanwhile, Astrid's expression couldn't have been more opposite-her face was twisted into the deepest frown known to mankind.

"Oh, I look gorgeous, alright," she deadpanned, grabbing her phone from the mattress before jerking her head toward the door. "Now, move before I kick your ass."

Rina beamed. "Aww, you're so romantic when you're mad."

"Try me."

With that, the two headed out, Rina grinning ear to ear while Astrid mentally prepared for whatever disaster was about to unfold.

The two stepped onto campus with a mix of excitement and mischief-Astrid taking in the towering halls with quiet curiosity, while Rina twirled dramatically through the library like she owned the place.

"Ah, the smell of academia," Rina sighed, inhaling deeply. "The scent of knowledge, stress, and questionable life choices."

Astrid, meanwhile, was too busy admiring the architecture to entertain Rina's antics. "You do realize we're not here to audition for a musical, right?"

Rina struck a pose between the bookshelves. "Speak for yourself. I plan to leave an impression."

Astrid rolled her eyes, muttering, "Oh, you always do..." before turning her focus back to the endless halls waiting to be explored.

"Ohh, look at this! It's an up-close portrait of Mercury!" Astrid giggled, her eyes gleaming as she admired the stunning details of the cratered planet.

"Wow, fascinating," Rina drawled, not even glancing up. "Now, look at this beauty!" She practically glowed as she pointed at a sketch-an original design of a floor-length gown with ethereal, intricate details.

Astrid peeked over, unimpressed. "Oh, give me a break," she groaned, turning back to her beloved planets.

Rina scoffed. "Excuse me for having taste beyond floating space rocks."

"Excuse me for appreciating the literal universe over overpriced fabric."

The two locked eyes before dramatically flipping back to their respective obsessions, both equally unbothered by the other's judgment.

"You guys are beefing? With what, exactly?" A familiar, smug voice cut through their bickering.

Astrid turned, already done before even seeing who it was. "Sir, can you not-" She stopped mid-sentence when she spotted a figure casually leaning against the glass wall. "Oh, for goodness' sake."

"Ah, perfect timing, Hiro!" Rina grinned like she'd just won the lottery. "You can deal with this uptight, no-brain-at-all woman. She's interfering with my sense of style." She shot Astrid a smirk before twirling away, disappearing into another room like the chaos gremlin she was.

"That little-" Astrid groaned, rubbing her temples before pointedly turning back to the planetary portraits, fully ignoring the presence behind her.

Hiro chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Two years, and you still have a problem with me?" His voice was laced with amusement as his gaze wandered over the displays.

Astrid finally turned to face him, crossing her arms. "Do you care?" Her eyes met his, daring him to answer.

The air between them crackled-whether from old rivalry or something else, neither of them was sure.

"Well... if you say it like that-" Hiro chuckled, tilting his head slightly.

"Exactly." Astrid cut him off with a huff, turning away as if the conversation was already beneath her. She resumed wandering through the room, her focus fixed on the celestial portraits like he wasn't even there.

Hiro smirked, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Same old Astrid. Always acting like she had better things to do than deal with him.

Too bad for her-he wasn't going anywhere.

Hiro exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Look, Astrid. That was two years ago. Two. You seriously think I'd pull the same crap again? I changed. Why can't you just, oh, I don't know-accept it?"

Astrid finally turned to face him, arms crossed, expression unimpressed. "Because, Hiro, some people actually have standards for forgiveness. Crazy concept, I know."

Hiro groaned. "Unbelievable."

"Glad we agree." She spun back around, casually admiring another portrait like she hadn't just verbally drop-kicked him.

Hiro took a deep breath, exhaling sharply. "Fine."

Astrid barely registered his response as she waved a dismissive hand. "I don't have time to listen to your opinions- wait, what?" She snapped her head back toward him, eyes narrowing.

"I said fine." Hiro crossed his arms, his voice laced with frustration. "If you want to keep picking fights with me, then fine-I'm in."

Astrid scoffed. "Picking fights? Oh, please. That's a very different-"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Hiro cut her off with a smirk, wagging a finger. "I agreed, didn't I? No backing out now."

Astrid glared, folding her arms. "You are insufferable."

"And yet, here we are." Hiro grinned. "So... round one?"

Astrid shrugged as she moved closer to him, Hiro towering her in a few inches, "fair enough." She reached her hand out.

Hiro eyed her hand suspiciously, then smirked. "Oh? Extending an olive branch already? That's gotta be a new record."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Don't get ahead of yourself." She wiggled her fingers impatiently. "Are you gonna shake my hand or just stand there acting smug?"

Hiro chuckled, finally clasping her hand. "Fair warning-if we're doing this, I don't lose."

Astrid smirked. "Neither do I." She squeezed his hand just a little tighter before letting go.

"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Hiro muttered, shaking his head.