"What is this…" Hiro mumbled to himself as he ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. He kept looking at the string in all kinds of angles, as if it would reveal some profound truth or answer. "Just doesn't make sense." He couldn't get his genius mind to understand it was no matter how hard he racked his brain. He shoved a bundle of string in his pocket. Since he left the café he had been collecting and carefully wrapping the string up. He considered just leaving it on the floor behind him since no one but him see it but he didn't want to risk someone somehow tripping on it. As magical as it seemed, he still had doubts.

"Maybe…" He pondered before shaking his head. "Nah." This wasn't some Hollywood movie with a dramatic twist, this was real life where everything is mundane and dull.

It wasn't long before the string led him to downtown bustling San Fransokyo. Everyone was either on their phone or busy hustling across the pavement. The sound of rushing cars was mixed in with the ample amount of conversations with an occasional honk. Hiro tried his best to follow the string without any confrontations from people he bump into.

"Sorry…sorry…" He excused himself, adjusting his shoulders and upper body to just barely brush strangers. Most didn't give him a second glance while some stared at him; Hiro was mentioned on the newspapers often for being a young genius at one of the greatest universities of the world and making new discoveries or breakthroughs monthly.

Hiro's eyebrows rose in confusion; the rest of the string was underneath the door of a toy store. Leaning against the glass, Hiro peered in and saw a bunch of rambunctious kids running around with multiple dolls and plastic swords in their hands. There were colorful toys on all the shelves, some were messier than others. He pushed the door and was met with a blast of cold conditioned air.

"Hello! Welcome to Toys for Tots!" A worker greeted him as soon as he walked in. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

Hiro gave her an awkward smile. "Oh no…I'm just…looking?" He sounded unsure but the worker bought it.

"Alright. If you need any help, do not hesitate to ask! I'd be happy to help." She jumped when a young child shrieked from tipping on his own feet. She quickly rushed over to help lift the child from the tiled floor.

Hiro watched for a few moments, a smile gracing his face, but continued to follow the string littered across the floor.

"Tashi! Over here!" A baby boy, about four, yelled from the other side of an aisle before dashing away with two foam swords in his hands. His wild hair pointed in all directions as he ran off. Hiro immediately stopped walking and turned in the voice's direction.

That sounded a lot like 'Dashi'…He thought to himself before resuming his walk. How many years has it been since I called Tadashi that? Probably forever.

"Hiro!"

"What in the world…?" Hiro turned around and saw a young boy, probably eight, panting and placing his hands near his mouth and shouted. "Hiro! Where are you?" He yelled into the store. The kid had neatly combed hair and was looking in all directions before making eye contact with Hiro. He quickly ran to him and said, "Have you seen a little boy with messy hair?"

"M-Messy hair?" Hiro was caught off guard and stuttered.

"Yeah!" He pointed directly at Hiro. "Just like you!"

"Just like me?! Um…I—" Before the befuddled college student had a chance to even finish his sentence the boy cried out.

"AHA!" He immediately zoomed past Hiro and to his little brother. He snatched one of the swords out of his hand. "I won!" He shouted victoriously, waving it in the air wildly.

The baby pouted and crossed his arms. "Not fair!" He whined. "You always win, Katashi!"

Katashi stuck his tongue out and giggled. "That's because I'm older, Akihiro!" He wiggled the sword in his brother's face. "I'm supposed to always win!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

Hiro found himself watching the kids, completely awestruck. For a moment, it was like seeing a scene of Tadashi and himself when he was younger. As strange as it was, it was surprisingly comforting; he knew that he and Tadashi shared great memories when they were younger. Though they were both naïve and young, they both treasured each other. Hiro recalled he would cry when Tadashi left for school and would return hours later.

Feeling tears well up in his eyes, he blinked hastily.

There's no reason to cry Hiro, he chastised himself. You're just being emotional because today is the anniversary.

After the two kids ran off at the sound of their mother's voice, Hiro returned to the task at hand.

The string seemed to coil around most of the shelves, he felt like he was walking in a maze. He walked through nearly all of store's sections, including the dolls, bikes, toy guns, and toy kitchen aisles. A blush crept when he felt the workers watching him with confused and judging eyes. He walked a little faster whenever an employee was near him.

In the robot toy section, the string wasn't on the floor, most of it was wrapped around a box before trailing on the floor again.

"What the…" Hiro mumbled, uncoiling the string. Once the box was free from thread, he lifted it up and scrutinized it. It was a building kit with wires and plugs. Kids nine and plus could build a semi-functioning Ferris wheel with it.

"I…I remember this." He gently lifted the tab off the box and opened it and saw all of the metal objects and colorful wires wrapped in plastic bags. "Tadashi and I built this when we were young."

"Merry Christmas you two rascals!" Cass said took out a rather large present from the closet. "Santa got you an extra special present since you two were extra nice boys all year!"

Five year old Hiro and ten year old Tadashi clapped their hands in delight before extending their arms for the gift. "Merry Christmas Aunt Cass!" The two were wearing matching Christmas sweaters, green sweaters with a comical looking snowman's face in the smack middle.

She gave Tadashi the present and he nearly dropped it as he tried to gently place it on the carpet. She watched with a smile as the two ripped off the wrapping paper like savages.

"Whoa!" Tadashi said. "This is so cool!"

"Wheel!" Hiro cheered.

"You guys need help building it?" Cass placed a hand on her hips and laughed. "Though I doubt I'll be any help."

Before long all of the things in the box were scattered across the floor. Tadashi was reading from the instruction guide, his finger going across the paper. Hiro stared at the parts and tilted his head. A smile brightened his face, as if something had clicked in his young mind. He reached for the wires and connected two, he was rewarded with a bright red light flashing from the control set.

"Dashi!" Hiro tugged on his sleeve. "Look!"

"Just a minute, Hiro." Tadashi mumbled. "Let me finish this sentence…" Moments later he turned and saw the bright light. "Whoa! Did you do this Hiro?"

Hiro nodded bashfully. "The wires made a light!"

"They sure did, buddy! Alright, let me help out too!" Tadashi rolled up the sleeves of his sweater and grinned.

With the two Hamada brothers, it didn't take long for them to finish assembling the Ferris wheel. The two placed it on the windowsill and watched it rotate with the powdery snow drifting behind it.

"Hiro! Look what we made together! When I'm older, I'll take you to the fair and we can ride this together!" Tadashi gently patted Hiro's head. Hiro gave him a toothy grin as he flushed pink. He giggled and mumbled some incoherent words to himself. Tadashi smirked before closing his eyes and sniffing the air.

"It smells like…cookies. I'll be right back Hiro!" Tadashi said before running into the kitchen. He quickly returned with a plate of fresh out of the oven cookies. He placed them on the coffee table and plopped himself on the couch. "Hiro, come eat some!"

Hiro didn't answer, he was completely enthralled by the creation they made together, he probably watched it rotate over a hundred times but still had an everlasting smile on.

Hiro smiled to himself as he recalled that Christmas day, it was so nostalgic. That was when Hiro realized the merry of building things, especially when it was with Tadashi. After that fateful kit, the Hamada Brothers Robotics was formed, including hundreds of rules they promised to follow.

It was weird though, he remembered Tadashi mentioning that the sentimental product was discontinued years ago. How did this store still have one?

"Whatever." He said to himself, grabbing the box and making his way to the register. Surprisingly, the string seemed to go in that direction too.

The employee looked at the product with perplexed eyes as she scanned it. "That'll be 18.40."

Hiro reached into his cargo pants and pulled out the cash from his wallet. She took it and pressed some keys on the register before the bottom part popped out.

"Could I ask where you found this?" She mused as she handed him the heavy plastic bag. "I've worked here for years but I don't even remember stocking that."

"I just found it near the back. I think it was one your last ones?" Hiro said smoothly. Though lying was not his forte, it wasn't so hard to not mention how the strings guided him there.

The employee's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall ever stocking it but gave him a grin. "Thank you have a nice day!"

Hiro nodded and his eyes quickly met the grey floor and the bright red string contrasting against it. The string was now instructing him to leave the store and return back to the streets of San Fransokyo. Hiro could've sworn he didn't see the other side of the string leading out the door when he first walked in. He considered questioning it but shrugged his shoulders before opening the door and closing it behind him.

Omg. I have work in the morning but I really wanted to finish this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please leave a review! I love reading them ^^

Have a great day guys!