Author's Note: Ano... This is a Kamikoto one-shot. This came to me by a life event that recently happened to me, even though it has nothing to do with romance. But anyway, I thought it would be nice to turn it into a short, romance, Kamikoto one-shot. So here we go. Oh yeah: Please review this story. *Warning: You might be a little angry at me, or rather my OC, so... Again, MIGHT.

Disclaimer: It do not own the ToAru series.

Free!

They say... That if you really love something, set her free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it was never meant to be... Scratch that. Not it, he. Replace all the "it's" with "he's." Mainly, Kamijou Touma.

He was a big part of her life. A huge part. But now here she was, standing in the SFO airport, in California. Not anywhere close to Japan, or even Kamijou Touma. Not even an inch. The girl furrowed her eyebrows. She looked around and picked up her luggage. She came here for one reason, and one reason only. To get away from this so called, "he." Misaka Mikoto. After chasing this one guy for many years, she got tired. She at least she did last more than 5 years getting hurt, scratched, and scraped in her heart for Kamijou Touma. She was able to entirely admit, although only to herself, that she loved this man named Kamijou Touma. She ran to America after having a little fight with him.

Back in Japan, with not so flowery language, Touma told her to go away. Just go away. I've had enough of your biri-biri shocks, and how you're constantly trying to hurt me. What is wrong with you? What a... Monster. Just leave.

Touma was still as dense as ever. Mikoto had accidentally used her power on Touma, which made him lose an important battle. A very important one. One that had to do with, saving Index. And when she found out about this, "Index," she was shocked. She then spent the entire night thinking about how lucky this "Index" was to have such a "person" protect her like that. This person, Kamijou Touma, was amazing, and she knew that. But she was willing to argue that he was a dense idiot. A dense idiot on the level of those idiot harem kings in animes.

Misaka Mikoto decided to stay with one of her childhood friends that was living in America. Takahiro Kise. He was studying abroad in America after leaving Academy City. His power was unknown to Misaka Mikoto, but that was fine for her. Because for some reason, she always felt happy around him. Yeah, she loved him, but it was a different kind of love than what she felt with Kamijou Touma. It was a friendly type of love.

Takahiro Kise was a tall man with broad shoulders, the type that you could cry on, and tell all your feelings to. His brown hair, and amazingly mesmerizing green eyes, were an attraction to many girls. And once to Misaka Mikoto, but not anymore.

She looked around once again in hopes of finding her long-time-no-see-Kise-kun. She spotted him amongst the crowds and waved him over.

"Hiro-kun!" Misaka shouted.

Takahiro, still unaware where this mysterious voice came from, looked around and then spotted his childhood friend. "~Ahh! Miko-chan!"

Misaka walked towards him and gave a hug. "I missed you..."

Kise nodded and then hugged her back. "Yeah, me too..."

They walked and talked about the things that were happening in their lives, and what they missed. And then finally, Kise came upon the question:

"So what made you come to this place?"

Misaka stuttered at first before saying, "W-what are you talking about? I missed you so..."

Kise examined her, and then for a second, his eye flashed and then went back to normal. "That's not true, Miko-chan..."

Misaka blinked back in surprise and then tried to cover it up. "Mou~… Stop calling me Miko-chan will you?"

Takahiro furrowed his eyebrows. "Is this about this Kamijou guy?"

"Wh-What are you talking about? I came here by my own will, not because of th-that idiot.."

"I never said you came here because of that 'idiot'"

Mikoto sighed. "I never can hide anything from you can I?"

Takahiro sighed and smiled. "Nope, no you can't." he said, popping the 'p.'

"Let's go." Takahiro lead Mikoto to his apartment while she explained.

"He WHAT?!" Kise exploded. They were at his apartment now, so it didn't particularly

"L-like I said, I gave up on him so..."

Kise shook his head. "Yeah... I'm here for you." He said as he embraced her in a hug. She didn't react, but then again, she didn't reject it. She began to cry, and let it all out. All the emotions she kept held up in her weak little heart. She didn't stop, because she felt that a burden had been lifted off her shoulders. She felt free. And she kept on going, until she realized somebody stepped into the apartment.

Kamijou Touma.

She lifted her head and then stared at the person who was miraculously staring back at her.

"Misaka..."

"T-Touma..." She felt his name roll off her tongue, and she liked the sound of it.

Kise stepped up, and confronted Kamijou. "Why'd you do that to Mikoto?"

'Mikoto...' Kamijou thought. 'This guy calls her by her first name...' He didn't know why, but a sharp pain was struck in his chest. 'Are they really, that close to each other?'

Kamijou ignored Kise, but couldn't ignore the pain, or the crying girl in front of him.

"M-Misaka... Are you... Okay?"

"Does it look like she's ok?" Kise countered for Misaka.

Kamijou once again, ignored him.

"Misaka..." He reached his arm out for her. "I'm sorry." His arm neared her face, but was taken back from the force Misaka slapped back on it.

"I know..." Misaka turned away with her bangs covering her eyes. "That's why... I'm giving up on you..."

These words struck Kamijou Touma as he realized how she felt for him. It was love...

These words struck yet another man, Takahiro Kise-kun. He recognized these words. The words coming from a girl that liked him when they were children. Misaka Mikoto. She had said this once to him, but he never really understood it. After thinking about it after many years, he realized that it was his fault that she ended up like this. And he deeply regretted not taking the chance to accept her into his life, because now, she loved another person.

And now in the present, Takahiro, who still loves her as much as she loves Kamijou Touma, decided it would be best, if she wasn't hurt like that again. He glared back at Touma and started, "Wait outside. I need to talk to her. In private."

Kamijou flew outside from the intensity of Kise's eyes. He shut the door and helped the crying girl up. "Miko-chan... Get up..." He said in a soft tone.

Mikoto grew mesmerized with the voice that used to hold her heart captive. "Yeah..." she mumbled.

"Miko... Did you really give up on him?"

"Y-yeah..." Her tone was serious, but her words and stutters said otherwise.

"You're lying Miko-chan... I can tell." He reached out his hand to hers, but she slapped it away.

"I'm not lying." She shouted desperately, trying to fight off the fact that she may not have given up.

Takahiro sighed and hugged her. She gasped in surprise. "Miko~chan... Do you want to know what my power is?"

She nodded against his hair.

"It's the power... To see through people's hearts." He gave her a moment to process it in her brain. "I didn't have that power when we were children, Miko... So I couldn't tell how you felt about me." He pressed harder on Mikoto's head in frustration. "But after thinking for a few years, I realized what you meant when you said, 'I'm giving up.'" He shook his head and hugged even harder, anger and frustration piling up.

"O-ow..." Mikoto stuttered, but Takahiro didn't hear it.

"I'm sorry for not noticing, and I would have taken the chance for you to be mine if I realized it sooner, but I couldn't. I was like this 'Touma' guy, dense..." He pressed harder.

"Ow..."

"After I understood what you meant, I gained the power to see through their hearts, Mikoto..." He hugged harder, again.

"Ta-Takahiro-kun..." Mikoto whined, and this time he heard.

"Mikoto?"

"A~ano... It hurts..."

Takahiro released her to see that she had small tears on the verge of escaping the brink of her eyes. He hugged her too hard.

"S-sorry... For hugging you so tight..."

"I-it's ok. That's not the problem..."

"Huh?"

"My chest hurts... Right here." Her hands felt up to where her heart should be and lowered her head... "I don't want to talk about this anymore..."

(Bold is Takahiro's thoughts. Italics are Mikoto's thoughts.)

Takahiro considered that for a moment, and then decided, "I won't stop."

Because I wanted you to be happy.

"You're not being right about your feelings."

For Touma.

"Because I understand."

That you love Touma as much as I love you.

"You didn't give up on Touma."

I understand what you meant now...

"You wanted him to see how much he would do for you."

To see if he loves you.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

I think I do...

"Stop denying it, Mikoto."

But as long as I deny it, I don't need people to worry for me.

"I'm not."

"That's selfish, Mikoto."

Chuckle... But isn't it more selfish to make someone come all the way to America, just to figure out what he would do for you?

"It's more selfish to do this, than deny."

"It's selfish to make people like Kamijou Touma, worry, Mikoto."

Mikoto widened her eyes in realization. "… Souka..."

Takahiro got up from his sitting position and patted Mikoto on the head. "Let's go..."

"Yeah..." Mikoto got up and let Takahiro lead him to the door Kamijou Touma was so intently listening on.

"A-arigatou... Kise-kun..."

M-my first name...

Kise nodded and smiled lightly. The type of smile you could only give to someone you've known for a long time.

Misaka opened the door, and found no Kamijou Touma.

She looked around furiously and then turned to look at Kise. He nodded.

She then began to run and look for Kamijou Touma.

"Miko... I think I love you..."

*huff huff huff* Kamijou Touma ran across the unfamiliar streets of California. He then stopped to look around.

"Wh-where am I?"

'Mikoto...' he thought.

~flashback~

"Arigatou Kise-kun"

Touma's eyes widened.

'She called him by his first name...'

And before he knew it, he was running across the streets with no end.

~flashback end~

'Somehow, it hurts right here...' Kamijou thought, referring to his chest.

"Touma!" A familiar voice that he recognized as Mikoto.

He turned around and examined his surroundings. It was winter, and there was ice everywhere, even for California. He was at a river bank, and was surrounded with dirty work tools that had possibly belonged to a construction site.

Mikoto seemed to notice this and touched Touma's shoulder. "Let's talk this over, over there, okay?" She pointed towards the possibly REALLY cold river.

"Cold!" Touma yelped as his bare feet touched the water, while wondering how Mikoto could possibly handle dangling her feet in there.

'Yup... Super cold.'

"Touma? Why did you run away?"

"Umm..." Touma thought about it for a while... "Because... I think my chest was hurting, a lot when you called him by his first name." He directed his hand towards his heart. "And then before I knew it, I was running."

Mikoto widened her eyes, for she may have known what this meant, even though Kamijou Touma had no understanding of the feeling.

Mikoto struggled to keep her sparks in, but failed to hide her blushing as well.

"T-Touma..." Mikoto slowly, and clumsily raised her hand to Touma's chest. "I l-l-loveyouso..." She paused, all while her stumbled words were sinking into Touma's blank heart. "I-I'll come crashing onto you with all the power and l-love I have from now on. I know you feel the same, but you don't know it." Mikoto's words suddenly had more power and confidence in them. "So, I'll take my time in helping you realize it!"

Touma stuttered, while Mikoto scooted closer to him and... :) Kissed him on the lips.

"I love you... Kamijou Touma."

Touma wasn't able to speak, but then returned the kiss, and was interrupted by the shuffling of footsteps.

"~Ara ara. It seems like I was too late."

"K-Kise-kun..."

Kise nodded. "Yup that's me." He paused. "That was quite the speech you gave there, Miko-chan." Mikoto blushed furiously, while completely failing to keep her sparks in. "But... I'm afraid I was the one who thought of that speech first. So consider it a celebration gift."

"Wha-what do you mean?"

Kise smiled. "I was meaning to give that speech, to you Miko-chan!" His pointer finger popped onto Mikoto's red, (blushing,) nose. "And also as for the gift..." he paused. "It's a gift for when I go back to Academy City!"

"You-you're coming back?"

"Yeah." Kise responded. And then he turned to the growling Kamijou Touma. "And I'm going to take all my will to steal my Miko-chan from you, Kamijou Touma." He smiled at that last part.

Kamijou Touma slightly growled, but then formed his mouth up into a smirk, a smile, tilting onto his right side. "I won't lose, Takahiro Kise."

Kise too, smirked. "Right back at you."

Mikoto, completely clueless as to what was going on. "Ha-hah? Eh? What's going on here?"

Kise smirked even wider and then closed in on Mikoto, pushing her into the cold water.

"Humph. We're fighting over you, Miko-chan. So you better be ready for it."

"H-hah?" 'Miko-chan' was confused. "Wha-WHAT?!"

Kise closed in on the soaking wet Mikoto and kissed her on the forehead. He turned back and smirked at the growling Touma. "I won't let you have the first point yet, Kamijou Touma."

Kise left, waving his arm as in goodbye and said, "See you in Academy City, Miko-chan. And of course..." He paused for the effect and added, "My rival."

Kamijou Touma, feeling more furious than ever, "Yeah, rival." He pulled Mikoto out of the stream, (river,) took off his jacket and put it around the dripping wet Mikoto.

"Let's go, Mikoto."

Mi-Mikoto! He called me by my first name!

"Y-yeah..."

"I don't think you want to be seen like that though..."

He indicated towards her now transparent shirt.

"You, you... PERVERT!" Mikoto shouted as electrical sparks scratched Touma's Imagine Breaker.

Yup. Just another day with our new couple. And maybe... Rival?

Author's Note: I'm sorry if I angered you, and please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I plan to make a lot more stories, so... Anyway, thank you for giving this story a chance. So, yeah... Tell me what I need to improve on, and what you liked or didn't like about this story. And if you want me to do anything to add onto this story, I'll be glad to. This is m first fanfiction on this account. My other account was malfunctioning, -_-… So... Well I'm not going to tell you my other account for certain reasons anyway... I made this one story, and it wasn't very good, and I know that it wasn't good, but people kept telling me it was good... And I do not get it at all. But anyway, my writing improved a little teensy bit. So, enjoy. And again, sorry for wasting all your reading time on this terrible author's note. :3