A/N: So this is fanfic about the romance of ToumaxSaten. Originally, I'm a ToumaxMikoto's fan, but just like what I have in mind, Saten is unbearable.
This fic will also be my last fic in this holiday. I'll keep posting "The Angel of Thunder', but I will take more time to write that. So, please be patient.
This fic is for you all readers, a present on my last day for holiday, so please enjoy!
The Hero of the World
The weekend always had a certain potential to be a great day. The sun was bathing everyone in its radiance whilst the azure blue sky was spotless, being very ready to cover everyone with bliss as no single cloud was present around the peripheral area. The temperature around every side of Academy City was mildly warm while the occasional breeze could be sensed, blowing around the strolling civilians. The calm breeze was currently enjoyable, as the said wind was carrying the aroma of perennial grass and bushes that created a comfortable aura as the civilians kept doing their respective activities
Above bird were seen gliding across the city. Their formations caught the attention of several passing people. They chirped loudly around the bright sky, emanating a peaceful aura to their surrounding. For several brief, the creatures would obscure a portion of the sun before they accelerated their speed and once again the sun continued to shine.
Laughter from the children who was running across the street never ceased. They held one another by the hand as they pursued one of their numbers. They were clearly as agile as they nimbly made their way passed the slower moving adult, though the once short tempered man and women seemed to let it slide. Some adults could be seen sitting on the couch around the fast moving children, taking care of their children as they were guarding them endlessly, and enjoying the warm of the bright sky once more. What a peaceful and serene day it was.
Surrounded by a thousand shadows of townspeople, a figure of a girl who was wearing Sakugawa Middle School Girl whilst her hair flower clip was hanging on her hair gracefully could be seen. The one that adorned her face was a bored expression, as her eyes appeared to be less enthusiastic, even though the bright face that she had was very contrast with her facial. Her footsteps were sunk by the footsteps of others, as she was walking on the pavement which directed her to her respective destination.
With a little glance to a portion of her black spheres of eyes, everybody could know that she was in a state of doing nothing, as her feet directed her to the place that even she didn't know. Indeed, that was right, with the lack of the presence of Uiharu Kazari which provided a good reason of her bored state. The said Judgement member couldn't accompany her again, as usual. Really, devoting herself to Judgement's work, Uiharu couldn't even sleep with her smile if her task was not finished. It always happened, always.
It was not like she was imagining the unexpected, but she just wanted something unordinary this day, really.
Surprisingly, Kamijou Touma started the day in ease, really.
Indeed, yesterday was another calamity for him. He was chased by a certain scientific Railgun until he was cornered to his limit. It was fortunate... or maybe strange for him for not receiving any critical wound from the endless and continuous electric attack that Misaka Mikoto had given to him. Maybe it was because of the lack of dexterity, or maybe it was because of his Imagine Breaker that repelled any kind of power. The main point was that there were no any opened injuries and everything on his skin, so he would not mumble for his misfortune at all. Yesterday was yesterday, and today was today.
For normal people, the day in which Touma was living couldn't be considered as nice and smooth. He received a bad news, informing the bad mark that he got from the test a week ago, and he still fell to the familiar ground beneath, thanks to a certain excessive soda can which appeared to be there only for him. Nevertheless, they were the only things that had happened on that day, so the spiky haired guy considered it as a smooth day. His ordinary day was ten times worse than that.
Enjoying the delicacy of meat loaf was something that the said spiky haired guy is doing, as more and more chewing sound could be heard from his jaw, pulverizing the meat into nothing. He was sitting at one corner of the space that the cafe provided, resting his tired back on the lifeless sofa that emanated the warmth inside. The Seventh Mist cafe provided sweet draft as the cool aura was present, inviting more and more guests to enjoy the comfort that the cafe had. The creation of wind that was created by strolling students didn't enough to take his sight away from the food he was eating, as he shifted his gaze only to every fragment of the meat that lied on the lifeless silver plate.
His cheeks protruded a little each time he took a bite, as though the meat really wanted to cry out loud for its existence in his mouth. So much like being recorded for the advertisement, he closed his eyes deliberately as the gratitude for the proportional blend of herbs and ingredients that the meat had, ignoring the analytical gaze of some passerby that rose their eyebrow for the figure of the spiky haired guy. The warmth from the massive sphere of light in the sky penetrated the translucent glasses that stayed silent on the space just beside the said guy, illuminating the circle he was in. It was perfect.
"Watch out!"
It was not perfect at all...
A light pain reached his head, together with the company of the sound of falling plate to his head, as every thought of the food had been forgotten, replaced only with the aforementioned effort of food and drinks to drench him into another deluge, together with company of a plate which was hung loosely on his head. A little portion of noodle and meat were taking their lifeless existence on his head, as their other comrades wanted to accompany his pants, which turned dirtier because of the spoilt beverages. The crowds that had been watching the whole commotion started giving various reactions, as their expression changed into amused smile, frowned eyes, or maybe widened eyes.
The dilation of the pupils of Kamijou Touma was the proof of his shocked state, as every fragment of his brain tried to process every glimpse of sense that each parts of his body had sent. He could feel the hot food on his head as another attention of his was bound to his poor uniform which had showed some colors that Touma really didn't want to see. Of the things that he would not want to say, every fraction of his brain directed him to the words that had been his habit for the misfortune that he had got, as he threw some amount of words to the lifeless air in front of his tongue.
"Such misfortune."
"I'm really sorry!"
A fragile figure of a girl suddenly appeared in front of him, bowing her head in sync, demanding the attention of him as she stays immobile, waiting for the 'it's okay' words that Kamijou Touma would finally say. Kamijou's gaze was shifted into the hollow crevice where the girl's eyes were looking, trying to find some words that were suitable to be said to the girl. Finding nothing, he turned up to see the black hair of the girl that she was showing, and speaking the words that were so easy to be accepted.
"It's okay."
"So you're Ruiko Saten right?" Touma said, as he began wiping his pants and uniform. Even though his effort wouldn't be joined by the return of the origin color of his uniform, he did it anyway, resulting the fading color of spoilt noddles and beverages. "From Sakugawa Middle School right?" he continued.
"Yeah!" the Sakugawa Middle School student replied, sitting in front of the figure of the spiky haired boy as she fixed the position of her hair clip that has been forgotten for a fraction of time. "I'm very sorry for dropping my food to you!" she said as she bowed her head again for the second time.
"I said it's okay," Touma replied as he returned his gaze to the forgotten meal that was still eternal on the table. "At least I can still eat," he continued.
Saten gave a tiny laugh as she saw the eating figure of the spiky haired guy who began munching the meat loaf slowly, as though the previous incident was nothing for him. It was very lucky for her that the spiky haired guy wasn't angry at all, for she had thought that at least she must pay for the meal he was eating, or maybe she must pay for the laundry bill for cleaning his uniform. Nevertheless, the spiky haired guy hadn't said anything about that. He just ate the meal in front of him again, ignoring the stare of apology that the orb of eyes of Ruiko Saten continuously gave.
"Usually, I will receive more calamities rather than the one you have caused," Touma said again. "Ah, well, I can't expect myself to have at least one good day, it seems," he continued, with a bored expression which somehow said that he really had experienced the burden of misfortune for years, and Saten must admit, that he appeared to be right.
"Hey, don't say that!" Saten said as she escaped another tiny laugh that could have a power to melt the situation of a parliament's meeting, closing her eyes as her mind was surrounded by the careful analysis of misfortune that the person in front of him could experience. "Every person has their own good and bad day," she continued as her laugh joined sound and voice that the guests had created, with their gazes kept stabbing to their own friends and respondents.
The conversation stopped as Touma escaped some sing-song voices that proved his awareness of the words that Saten had thrown. For the world he was living until now, he could never write down the word of fortune or good day to his dictionary, as every thought of it was destroyed by the daily reality that would be so contrast. The gorgeous of spheres of Ruiko Saten kept eying him as he shifted slightly as the fork and knife moved toward his mouth. She noticed that his eyes had not lifted, had not even blinked for the the past minute for that meal. As the silence kept realizing its existence through the loss of words, Saten's mind clicked open as a way to continue the hush-hush conversation was found. Practically, she just said it anyway.
"Anyway, what's your na..."
"Everyone don't move!"
That shout began crawling around the area fast, as all the attention of the guests joined the others, finding it hard not to stare at the person who had created the noise, or specially, to the silvery metal weapon that the person at the door was grabbing. What they found would only make their body going into quasi-limp as the sofa supported them, fear covering the entire bit of courage that their adrenaline could produce. It was a figure of a tall man, wearing a black beanie even though the sun would only burn his body for that. A leather black jacket and black pants could be seen, making everybody to think about his tendency of choosing that could announce his addictive manner to drugs. He shot forward his gun, showing it to anyone as the metal blinded the eyes as it reflected the flash of light.
"Give me all your money, and you will not die!"
Two sentences were way too enough for the crossing mind of Kamijou Touma, fearing the misfortune that only saved some part of days to give him the eternal punishment of sorrow. The image of food was long forgotten, changed again for the second time to the figure of the man who kept giving his gun a show to anyone. Every fragment of his brain began reacting for the sense that it received, with low whisper for the interpretation of everything.
"Robbery?"
"To make sure that you guys all obey me," the black man said, head turning to and fro as he caught the sight the peripheral area, surveying the existence of fragile thing that he needed. Then, he found it, as his gaze was shifted to the sight of the girl that had become an afraid-expression-wielder that was sitting in front of the said Kamijou Touma. He dashed swiftly to her, as her hand moved toward the collar part of her uniform, pulling it with a force that could even make the girl, or maybe Ruiko Saten, suffocated in despair. She yelped some shriek as the unexpected had turned into the expected.
"If anyone doesn't obey me," the man said as he began slowly plastering the mouth of the silvery metal weapon to Ruiko Saten's head, as every inch of proximity began widening her twin of eyes in fear, sweat drenching the body for the disaster that had happened. He forcefully wrapped his other hand on Saten's neck, as another shriek could be heard from the Sakugawa Middle School girl. Saten could feel that the suspense had given her a slight heart mortification for every slight of seconds that appeared to be hours, fearing the impact of the tiny bullet that could penetrated her body easily. "This girl will die!" the man continued.
Various gasp and 'oooh' voice could be heard, staining the draft as various reactions were showed by the variety of guests in Seventh Mist. The robber walked with Saten forcefully, as the pressure from his hand made her so. He passed Touma's table as the boy's mind began thinking about what he should do now.
In the covering of the uncomfortable aura that the incident had created, countless options began forming in his brain, as the sound of the walking's man steps could be heard faintly, clenching his fist as he did so. Really, his misfortune was cruel this time. For every lack of fortune that he had experienced that could even beat the thickness of bible, this was the worst, as his neck was in the line of death and life now. Nevertheless, Kamijou Touma was still Kamijou Touma, and his short thinking led him to the conclusion that he must save everyone in the space now, especially the Sakugawa Middle School girl that had been held captive at that moment. Without letting his brain to race and form another sensible choice, he let his reflex and his muscle took everything, action to be the proof of his idiocy.
He dashed forward to the direction of the robber who began collecting money and precious, valuable goods from the customers. Clenching his fist for the serious expression that created an equivalence with a paladin, he encouraged himself for every step towards the robber. For a fraction of tense seconds, the robber didn't realize Touma's action, only until when he accidentally produced excessive sound that could be heard distantly by the robber, he turned his head, revealing the sight of dashing Kamijou to him, eyes widening slightly for the unexpected occurrence that happened.
"So you want to be the first, huh?" the robber said as he tracked Touma's head with his gun, far too easy to kill someone he didn't know without having any trouble to sleep later. Sound of the trigger could be heard, for every fraction of the sound sounded like the execution for the said Kamijou Touma, being clearly able to pierce his body in ease. "I'll kill yo... argh!"
The tremendous pain was the one that caused the growling sound of the robber that sounded like a chimp. Saten Ruiko bit his hand that was wrapped on her neck, clearly delaying the chance of the robber to shoot the one who perhaps would finally save her. The robber forgot the existence of Kamijou Touma for a fraction of seconds, as every thought of him changed with an intention to massage his poor hand that had some nice marks from the fangs of the Sakugawa Middle School girl.
Not intending to miss any opportunity in a slight gap of fortune that still existed, Touma increased his pace as eventually, he threw the best punch that he could give to the robber's cheek. The impact created a flying figure of the robber, not being able to maintain his standing position as Touma's hit was so great that he would wonder why didn't he die in the first place. He landed under the table just behind the Sakugawa Middle School girl with another hitting sound that could make everyone winced for that sight. The hitting sound was combined with a certain other awkward sound, for some of his teeth must be broken inside.
"Are you okay, Saten?" Touma said, fully ignoring his enemy that he had hit before, forming a proximity to the said girl for all the attention of his had been drained only for the fragile girl next to him. For the reaction of his care, Saten Ruiko nodded, being grateful for having a hero who saved her today. "Thank you!" she said, lips curved upwards, forming the sweetest smile that she could give.
"Good. Now let's call the Judgement or Anti Skill... Watch out!"
His speech left him again as he saw the said blank-clothed man, being powerful enough to arise from his laying dead. Growling shout was the one that accompanied him as he charged to everything in front of him, unsheathing a knife which happened to be in his hand for only God knew why. Just like the gazelles who were chased by the entire lion tribe, his paces weren't appeared to stop just until he died or everyone was dead, knife flashing in his hand for the contrast from his clothes.
Kamijou Touma pulled Saten Ruiko until she was standing on a safe ground; a little space behind him, accompanied by her shriek of surprise for the sudden motion that had been done previously. For the valiant paladin that died in the holy war, his action was equivalent to that, bracing himself to the stab of knife that would happen soon. Just before the knife made any contact to any crucial part of his body, Touma used his left hand for a shield, grabbing the sharp part of the knife.
This chivalrous action from Touma widened the eyes of everyone who watched the scene, especially the one who was involved just around the peripheral area. The robber widened his eyes in fear, being completely afraid for another visit in the prison for maybe around three years. He just realized that in front of the spiky haired guy, he couldn't do nothing but just accepting his fate that had been decided since the first time a thought of robbery was imagined by his mind.
Saten Ruiko didn't only widen her eyes, but also, she really wanted to cry out loud for her dignity and obscurity were not essential again for her. The sight of dripping blood from the hand of the spiky haired guy was oh so scary that she really wanted to close her eyes and get out of there fast. In front of her, another person, even a person that she just met, without any name for her to call must be the one the protected her. She felt very useless, mind crossing only about the uneffectiveness and her fragile being that could only make others to be wounded. If only she had some strength, some power that she could be proud of, the person in front of her didn't need to experience something like that. Every thought of hers began forming an image of her friends who had power, and how she wanted that power to protect, to be guardian angel for everyone.
For anything that anyone could think about, the spiky haired guy wasn't effected by that at all, throwing another punch to the robber for the second time, disregarding the pain in his left hand. The robber landed again under the table, being currently immobile and unconscious for the impact of the hit that had been landed on his face for the second time. Reaction of all the bystanders could be heard finally after a fragment of seconds, cheering the spiky haired guy for everything he had done today.
Yes, everything had ended.
The Anti Skill arrived some moments later, hurling various questions to the bystanders as some of them took the accomplice who had been awaken from his loss of consciousness. It was indeed right that the name of Seventh Mist cafe had been broken for a little by the robbery, but, by a little glance of the walking pedestrians who were still entering the messy cafe, everyone was sure, that the said cafe would be okay again in no time. There was no any harm or just anything crucial to the cafe, as the only one who was wounded was an individual called Kamijou Touma.
The said spiky haired guy was surprised for a slight of seconds. Usually, his misfortune would only block him from doing anything heroic, or maybe even hid his name for the heroic action that he had done (he didn't mind, after all). Nevertheless, everything was okay right now, so he didn't need to think about that so much.
After the Anti-Skill members gave him some question and easy-easy warning about his lack of thinking in taking an action, the said spiky haired guy sat on the lifeless sofa that had been waiting for him, with the figure of a girl who was sitting in front of him. The Sakugawa Middle School girl was seen bandaging the wounded hand of Kamijou Touma, as she tried to emerge the greatest gentleness that she could produce, hands smoothly running through the bandage as she wrapped it carefully on his skin. As she was wrapping the rough, yet strong palm of Kamijou Touma, words began surrounding the area which had been used to the silence.
"I'm sorry," Saten started with a guilty feeling that made her eyes softened for a little, even though everyone could tell the difference from the tune that she used a while ago. "I was not careful back then. You are hurt because of me," she said.
The majority part of Touma's sight was given to the girl in front of him, as a fraction of it was given to the crimson twilight that the window had showed, sun began setting at the western side of the city. His mind began traveling to find any words that were suitable to be given to the girl whose frankness was seen by the way she looked at him. As another fragment of his brain found the words, he threw it to the girl in front of him, simple words which were enough for anyone to be accepted.
"It's okay," he said casually. "I don't mind at all."
The girl found it majestic to stay silent for a while. Her flawless hands ran through the other bandaged as she began wrapping them again on the palm of the spiky haired boy. Another part of hers was given to another distant thought that even she didn't know why she thought about it. The image of the setting sun was the one who had given her such comfort for its crimson light illuminated the circle they were in, being enough for the nice condition of everyone in the end ot day.
"If only I have a power," Saten started again. "I'm just a level 0 now. If I had a power, I could just use my power to protect everyone here. I could just beat that guy, or just do everything... useful," she said in agony, lowering her tune only to the last word that she didn't really want to admit, ordered by her underhanded nature.
"I don't know what are you talking about," Touma said, as he could feel the flawless hand of Ruiko Saten touched his, gaiety began forming in a little part of his brain and adrenaline. With those words that Saten heard halfheartedly, she finished bandaging her savior's hand, thought overwhelmed by the thought of being judged. "Being a level 0 doesn't mean that someone is useless," he said.
"But look at me! I'm useless!"
"Ah, nice bandage Saten," Touma said, observing the bandage that had been wrapped nicely on his hand with the equivalence of watching the art from the artistic hand from Leonardo Da Vinci himself. "Thank you so much. You are my hero today," Touma Kamijou said, with such frankness that Touma never noticed how easily he could talk to the girl in front of him as if they had bared their souls to each other. The word 'hero' from the spiky haired guy left a little mark in Saten's brain, as everything in it passed, with only that word that was left in it. She reacted with a questioning look and a simple reply.
"Hero? but I..."
"... didn't do anything?" Touma said swiftly, finding the right words that Saten would say, being surprisingly great for the Delta Force's member to be able to produce such analytical mind like that. "You had bitten that culprit's hand, and you are the one who bandaged my hand with such carefulness and creation that could even defeat a nurse. Do I need say more?"
"Yes, but..."
"You don't need to have any power to be a hero, Saten," Touma started speaking knowingly, as he gave an enjoyable smile that somehow made Ruiko Saten's heart accelerated for a fraction of second, being fully fascinated by the warmth that she had got. "Don't belittle yourself for having no power at all. I believe that there's a hero inside everyone, and that's the one that who makes you stay in the path you are walking on. You had done the best to heal my wound and to help me beating that culprit. You are the hero today, Ruiko Saten," he said, with the last words of Saten's name that was given just like a special gift to the fragile individual in front of him, accepted by her tender hands as she faced the crimson twilight.
Saten blushed a little as her cheeks began forming red hue that appeared to be oh so similar with the setting sun, not only because of her shyness, but also, because of the warmth that Kamijou Touma had emanated distantly that was oh so enough to warm her heart in ease. Saten gazed the crimson twilight for a fraction of second, and with that, as a thought crossed her mind, and she did it anyway.
She kissed Touma's cheek.
Kamijou Touma's eyes widened a little for the contact from the delicate lip of Ruiko Saten that was sensed by his skin. He could feel that his heart was beating a little bit fast, finding it surprising that the rapid pace hadn't awoken the dead with its noise. Saten's kiss was oh so gentle that he could feel and could understand the experience that the individual had done vaguely, as he enjoyed the blessing from Ruiko Saten for a fraction of second. The Sakugawa Middle School girl found it hard to think of any other thing aside the spiky haired guy in front of her as she kissed his cheek. She could feel the enjoyable aura from the proximity that she had created, and with that, she enjoyed every bit of tingling feeling that she felt. Saten thought dubiously: this could be affection at its finest.
The kiss stopped as Saten finally removed her previous kiss, much to her displeasure. That kiss originally was not only a gratitude, but also, an aforementioned effort to make her savior blush wildly. But it appeared that she was the one who was blushing that time.
"Ah~ It has been late! I must go! Bye!"
With the last words from Saten Ruiko, she left, together with the sound of closing door of the Seventh Mist, thought thinking only about the proximity and contact of lips that she had done for the first time, leaving the spiky haired guy whose name she forgot to ask alone, sitting on the same site just like he used to be. And the crimson twilight watched in happiness, as its magical secret was enough to make the two people become one.
The sun had gone. Every light, every warmth, every reflection in front of the crimson twilight had gone.
What was left was just serenity.
"I heard that you were involved in a robbery, Saten-san. Are you okay?"
The worried tune of Uiharu Kazari was the one that was heard by Saten's ears via her cellphone. Really, Saten must praise Uiharu for her ability to get the information fast, even though she should know, that no matter how a person could underestimate Uiharu, she was a reliable Judgement member. As the twilight had gone and the door to her dormitory was opened, Saten received a call from Uiharu, regarding the safety of hers.
"I'm okay Uiharu, really."
"And why do you sound so happy, Saten-san? It feels different from your usual cheerfulness."
The corner of Ruiko Saten's mouth turned upwards to that devil-may-care smirk that half population of male students in Academy City found utterly heart stopping. Every thought of the incident had forgotten and replaced only with the deliberate purpose to make Uiharu Kazari couldn't sleep in curiosity. She ran her fingers along her silky hair, feeling the smoothness of it that could even defeat a model. With that trigger, an image of a spiky haired guy was the only thing that she knew. And the words that was long-waited by Uiharu was heard via the cell phone as a medium.
"Secret."
