The night air was as cold as I remembered; I'm glad I decided to wear a hoodie. Kurogiri had told me to wear something that would cover my face, even though there are no wanted posters of me or the League of Villains for that matter. I don't think they've really done anything huge yet; the plan for U.A might be their first real mission. The others were probably for gathering information.

    I can't believe it's all happening so fast... only nine months. It's a lot sooner than I expected. And it'll be at U.A too, the high school I'd been vying for since I was little. Kacchan and I... we both wanted to go there. The number one school in the country that offers the best hero courses; its popularity will only go up once the press finds out All Might will be teaching there. Maybe that's why he was here in Japan and not in the States...

    I shove my hands into my pockets as the wind picks up, throwing leaves across the sidewalk I was walking on. Mr. Compress had advised me to go to a pretty crowded area if I wished to go out, that way no one will see my face if something happens. Honestly, I kinda regret listening to his advice; I'm not all that fond of crowds.

    I'd walked to a pretty popular square in Kamino Ward, which was congested with people as one might expect on a Friday evening. To the left was a karaoke place and a coffee shop, there were even a movie theater and a bowling place. The road was filled with people eating outside with lights glowing above them and cars slowly driving their way home.

I only wanted to head to the convenience store for a new notebook and some ramen; I kinda feel bad having Kurogiri cook for me all the time. I lightly pushed my way through, murmuring "sorry" and "excuse me" any time someone looked back at me.

Finally reaching the glass doors, I grab the handle and walk inside. A bell rang and a cashier greeted me; I only nodded my head in reply. I smell the processed air and make my way down one of the aisles. There aren't as many people as there were outside but the place is still crowded, especially with teens around my age. They're mostly in the back of the store, messing around and picking out some ramen from the shelves.

I quietly thank whatever god there may be that the notebooks are right out in the front. I'll have to come back some other time for the ramen though. 

I sift through the notebooks in the cardboard stand, looking for one similar to the notebook I had before.

Ah, here's one.

I picked out a thick book with a light blue spine and examined through the pages. Nice line spacing, a good amount of pages, pretty durable... I lightly smile. Yeah, this one's good.

"Akito, stop it! We're gonna get in trouble!" someone jokes.

"We'll be fine!" the other laughed.

I look up to see the guys in the back, smiling and teasing each other. They're wearing their black gakurans... they must've just gotten out of school. Akito was holding a huge lump underneath his uniform, trying to shield it from view as his four friends reached for it. After stumbling around one another, one of them managed to get a hold of it and pull it out.

The boy dusted off the ramen cup and placed it back on the shelf. "If you want ramen that bad, we can just treat you to some tsukune!"

"Yeah, there should be a place around here somewhere..."

Akito placed his hands behind his head, stretching smugly. "Well, if you insist..."

"Hey, I'm not spending my money on him!" one of them protested.

"Too bad!" they laughed, pushing the boy around.

They all look so carefree with their smiles, laughing at each other, and having fun. Why couldn't my life be like this... ? Why was I always the one left out of everything? All I wanted was some real friends: people who would care for me, would spend time with me, would do all the things friends do... with me.

I watched them longingly as they walked out of the store together.

I go to the counter to cash out and place my notebook on it. The cashier smiles gently as she scans the book, placing it in a bag. "That's seven hundred yen, sir." Her name tag read 'Hana.'

Giving her the cash from my jeans pocket, I tiredly look down at the floor.

Just then, the glass door opened and the bell rang, announcing the arrival of another customer.

"Good afternoon, sir!" Hana greeted cheerfully.

The customer only 'tch'ed in reply, making my eyes widen in how familiar the voice was. I've heard it plenty of times: degrading me, mocking me, bullying me relentlessly. It's the only voice I hear in my nightmares now, the only thing that echoes in my ears in the stark darkness of the backroom. And every single time, every single night without fail, I hear it say that one killing sentence:

'Just take a swan dive off there, you worthless bastard!!'

I turned to face him, and before I even saw his face I knew without a doubt who it'd be. Still, I froze, paralyzed once I was met with the sharp, red eyes of Kacchan. My heart stopped beating, and everything around me drifted away. Kacchan is here, right in front of me, looking as if nothing has happened. As if his pure and unexplainable hatred didn't make me try to jump off a building that night.

As if he hadn't made me feel like I was worth nothing, meant nothing, to anyone. As if he hadn't fueled a hatred I now have for the world, a determined urge to erase all things evil and fake.

And he... Kacchan was the one I wanted to take out first.

I quickly looked away before he had a chance to recognize me. I can't possibly take him on-- not with the way I am now. I can't even bear to look at his face and see how unaffected he is from all that's happened.

I know he doesn't know what he started for me-- and how could he possibly know? The last time we met face-to-face was when he'd cornered me against the school. He hasn't seen me since that day.

    I fumbled with my fingers as I looked down, praying that Kacchan wouldn't recognize me, that he'd walk right past me, completely forgetting about the person he'd locked eyes with for not even a second.

    And to my surprise, he did just that.

    He didn't spare me a second glance as he walked to the refrigerated section of the convenience store. I let out a much-needed sigh of relief-- but what's Kacchan even doing here?? Doesn't he live in Shizuoka Prefecture? That's pretty far from Kamino Ward, so then how could he possibly be here if it's just to buy some ice cream?

    "Sir?"

    I turned to Hana, wide-eyed.

    "Your bag?"

    I awkwardly grab the plastic bag from her. "Oh, right, thanks."

    I push my way through the heavy double doors and immediately rest against the wall of the store, breathing heavily. I never expected to see him so soon and here, nonetheless. But what I couldn't understand is why he didn't recognize me. How could he not? How couldn't he when he tortured me without end, tormented me, made my life hell? After all the shit he's put me through, he can't even spare enough space in that brain of his to at least remember my face?

    Just the thought fueled my hatred for him even more, leaving me hyperventilating and on the verge of hot tears.

Kacchan walked through the glass doors with his ice cream and looked to either side of him warily. I pulled my hood down even more to shield my face, biting back my tears.

He narrowed his eyes at me slightly, like he was suspicious of me. But luckily, he must've dismissed the thought as he went in the opposite direction. Before turning a corner and walking out of sight, Kacchan froze in place at the sight of a wooden pole in front of one of the clothing boutiques. He stood there, staring at the poster on it for two minutes too long.

The hand holding the plastic bag tightened and he continued on his way, noticeably stiff and disturbed from what he'd seen.

I'd made sure he was long gone before my curiosity got the best of me, and I ran up to the wooden pole. Kacchan is not one to get so unsettled that easily... What could he have possibly seen to make him act that way...?

On the wooden pole were tens of stapled advertisements and posters: there was a flyer for a free piano, some old magazine for one of those seen-on-TV products, a job application...

I don't get it...

But there it was, right there in the middle...

In the center of the wooden pole, was a missing poster for a young boy with green hair and green eyes, freckles that graced his cheeks, and a wide smile on his face.

The boy was about thirteen in this picture and he radiated nothing but happiness. It gave all his information; the boy had no quirk, was 166 cm, and was male. His birthday was July 15 and he was last seen December 2 in Musutafu.

The poster read:

                        MISSING PERSON

                         IZUKU MIDORIYA

       Please help me bring my Izuku home.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*