"There he is!"

The words sent a wave of panic through my spine as I gasped, cold December air filled my exhausted lungs that would have irritated me to no end but my pursuers were close. Behind me, I can hear their footsteps approaching which only fuelled my legs to run faster.

"Watanabe-kun! Stop at this instance!"

"Join our club!"

Damn Arisa and her weirdo underlings! The monster of a club president was very much persistent in her attempt to recruit me. She had been cornering me after school for the past three days, using any mode of persuasion her mind could think of only for me to turn her down. Today proved to be the same when Arisa impatiently waited by the shoe lockers. Broad shoulders leaning against the door frame, foot tapping repeatedly as seconds passed into minutes. I almost mistook her as a man – a rather imposing man searching for a victim: me. Thankfully there are lockers hiding me from view, I could make my escape from the back gate, pretend everything was alright but when I was about turn around her eyes met mine.

It was horrible that I'd envision myself as a prey.

Swallowing the lump of unease, I greeted her in most flat tone I could manage, "Hello. Can I help you with something Arisa-san?" It was a mistake egging her with that kind of question because from the looks of it Arisa seemed to be trying her hand in seduction. There were eyeliners drawn on her face and lipstick which colored her lips in an ugly shade of bright red. Why she did this kind of thing was beyond me but the way Arisa sent me a wink had bile climb onto my throat.

I gagged.

"Watanabe-kun! I met your big brother yesterday at the mall and he gave me a great advice!" Her hands were resting on her hips in a tense manner as if the pose forced her slouching figure to straighten up. For a moment, it made me wonder how many joints were popped to imitate this simple pose. "That men are weak against a lady's charms!"

"I see…" I actually don't. Her laugh was anything but charming. It reminds me of a chickens and birds and I no longer want to interact with crazy girls like her. "Excuse me Arisa-san, I heard someone call my name." No one called, despite that I acted as if someone was in an emergency crisis. Turning around, I let my legs carry to the other side of the school. This situation was terrible enough for me so I ran.

However, my unfortunate self caught the eyes of the discipline committee. They too, joined the chase.

I rounded the corner, muscles burning from the unexpected exercise and eyes tearing up from the lack of oxygen my body demands. It was no surprise to everyone when I slowed down to a stop, wheezing and gasping for a breath like a fish out of water since my reputation around the school was quite popular – known as the only student who can avoid the hell called gym class, aka torture chamber.

"Breathe! Watanabe-kun! You have to live! You have to join Magic Club!" Arisa's grating voice reached my ears first before a pair of hands grabbed me from collapsing.

"Do you have your inhaler with you?"

Everything in me was beyond tired, I was seconds away from passing out though my brain seemed functional enough to reply, "N-no."

The student carrying me started a series of consequences regarding my asthma and how inhalers were created to aid my lungs yada yada, but if I were to be honest I never had inhalers in the first place. Because why would a completely healthy young boy, like me, need one anyways?

I lied about my condition.

I lied about my age as well. I am a 60-or so old man.

And my name? It wasn't always Watanabe Hinata. Yet, when a cheerful young lady introduced me to a mirror for the first time, I saw a baby with pale blue eyes and violet hair cut in the most atrocious style I've ever laid my eyes on: a bowl cut. I was 2 years old when Haruhi pointed at the fat-faced, chubby-cheeked midget and then to herself. "Ne, ne Hinata-chan! Now we look alike!" I cried that day. From the shock of seeing my face to the disgust that my body was reliant on this woman's – my mother, kaa-san, apparently – milk! For years I thought kidney failure brought another set of complications. Some kind of paralysis and muscle twitching must have been why my limbs refused to listen and cooperate. But boy, oh boy. I was wrong. Somehow this retired garbage collector, alone in the slums of Manila managed to get a one-way ticket to another life, in another dimension way advanced in technology and science.

My eyes felt heavy and it was a struggle to open them. Had I passed out from exhaustion? If I did, I must've been showing signs of lung problem. That or, I was just athletically challenged.

"Oh good! You're awake." A familiar voice sighed in relief; belatedly my mind pointed out it was Arisa who was supporting my weight on her back. "Sorry about chasing you around Watanabe-kun, I shouldn't have done that hehe."

A grunt was my only response, still unable to see the world like it used to be. Everything was blurred and there was a faint throbbing sensation at the sides of my forehead. The last thing I remembered was a student saying "Breath in. Breath out." over the reprimanding tone of the disciplinary guy.

"Where are we?" I asked, words running into one another as I rubbed my eyes from traces of sleep.

"As an apology for my behavior, I decided to escort you home."

More like lug me home like a sack of potatoes, I thought with a grimace. Arisa, despite her huge figure, doesn't have a quirk to lessen the burden, and I'm not exactly the lightest guy in school. For her to drag my unconscious lump all the way to my house must have killed her back. I don't have to see her face to know she's tired.

"Put me down Arisa-san, I can walk from here." She halted in her steps and I immediately climbed down, and bowed my head in thanks.

There was a grin on her face, her make up smeared on one side which made me wonder why she didn't just wipe them all away, before she shouted at the top of her lungs, "No need for that Watanabe-kun! If you want to properly thank me join the Magic Club!"

My sweat dropped in exasperation. She was the reason I passed out.

"Arisa-san…" For thirteen years, this second life I have was spent fulfilling the wishes I failed to achieve back when I was Phillip Gomez. Phillip was a poor man, abandoned at a young age of eight to fend for himself. He had been collecting and sorting trash since then and until the day he died. It was a depressing life, Phillip knew nothing but scavenging for rotten scraps he loved to call blessings just to live another day. So when one Monday afternoon, Arisa Yui told me that my presence will be a welcome addition in Magic Club, I refused knowing that the club did nothing but practice parlor tricks.

"I'm sorry Arisa-san. I have better things to do at home than stay in a club." I glanced at her, finding her quiet and motionless, although her eyes told a different story. It shone with unshed tears and I suddenly felt guilty for the hyperactive girl. "Please don't cry! I'm sure there are others willing to join…"

It took Arisa a minute to sigh, "I already asked everyone and you're the last student without a club Watanabe-kun. That's why I'm so desperate."

"Oh."

Looking at her expecting countenance, I couldn't help but feel sympathy. Her club wasn't an official one, I was told it consisted of only four graduating students, including Arisa, and the student council president had been pestering them to get one more or he will replace them. I've noticed Arisa scouting, but like me they wanted a more productive group.

Her situation somewhat reminded me of the days the police forced illegal settlers to leave – it was a nasty sight, having your measly house ripped apart – with no place to call home but the streets.

My previous life was gone, thought that did not mean the memories I had with it was gone as well.

Haruhi once told me a story how I came into this world, my little lungs was so powerful I screamed and cried until I fall asleep. Months passed and nothing much happened, I was still the tiny, shrieking devil. It didn't help that I thought I was disabled when my body would not support me. Kaa-san had no idea why, but those soft sheets and warm food were too foreign that they only brought me panic. It wasn't long before my mind entertained the notion of being stuck in a hospital where the sick either lies in debt or waits for death.

Perhaps… the reason I wasn't born from clean state was so I could help someone. Arisa had her clubmates as friends. They were her pride and joy, taking them away would surely devastate the girl.

I scratched the back of my neck in discomfort, it was hard agreeing to something you clearly don't want to, "Fine. I'll join your club." But I suppose the way Arisa's shoulder relaxed as if an invisible burden was lifted, made it up.

Although the wide smile she had somewhat jolt me back in a nervous state.

'Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?'

.

.

I chewed the end of my pencil, glaring at the sheet of paper in front of me that had caused me more headache than Arisa's strong resolve. The class was handed out career forms and Ikku-sensei wanted them submitted by the end of the week. With such short amount of time to decide, my class left school with troubled faces. Some played it cool by directing the conversation while others, same as I, contemplated.

The future always seemed so dynamic here that it made my mind reeling. Children can become anything they want so long as they work hard. There were even superheroes! Real life heroes that Phillips only gets to see in the billboards.

"Kaa-san." I called Haruhi's attention, she was at the kitchen preparing dinner. "What kind of career should I take?"

There was a pause, only the bubbling stew reached my ears. I know my cooking skills weren't on par with a 5-star chef or even an amateur one, but it was decent. Maybe I could practice and become one?

Haruhi peeked a look at me, wandering what brought career up.

"Sensei gave out this form," I lifted the paper up, wrinkling my nose in distaste, "I don't know what I wanted to be."

Kaa-san smiled, her lips slightly upturned but there was no real joy in her eyes, it was one of those that says I understand dear and it was enough for me to realize she had the same struggle as I did. "Is there a hobby you see yourself doing as a work?"

My mouth opened, ready to reply 'painting' though the image my mind supplied stopped me from saying it out loud. Painting was a nice way to pass time, I stared at the drawings of All Might and Best Jeanist on the fridge and held back a frown. Not the best art out there I tell you, in fact the figure appeared to be animated but atleast it wasn't stickman. I don't think I can handle the embarrassment of seeing my painting in a gallery for people to criticize.

Painting… was just that. A hobby. And aside from that I have nothing else.

Stealing a glance at Haruhi, I try to think myself in her position. There, standing before a collapsed building wearing blue scrubs and searching for injured civilians. Rain started to pour in heavy droplets that soon turned into the worse storms Japan ever encountered. Heroes, all in their glory, exchanging blows with the villains as I, a paramedic, try to survive and help.

Not my cup of tea.

I don't do well under pressure and I'm pretty sure I'd be the one they'll be taking care of in the end.

How about Nii-san then? Watanabe Atsuo worked as a cashier boy in the nearby grocery store. It wasn't the best career out there but better than collecting salvageable trash in my opinion. Plus, Atsuo appeared to be enjoying his time there, the manager loved him so sometimes he goes home with a bag of bread. The idea of free food appealed to be me, but was that a career I see myself doing in the future? Was standing all day long and checking out items a career I wanted?

Maybe I should ask Atsuo more about it before I disappoint myself?

"Hinata-chan, dinner is almost ready."

I stood up, momentarily leaving the empty paper on the coffee table. That exact phrase was like a signal for me to move and help Haruhi around the kitchen, I learned early on that there was a complete version of it. Nii-san said, Kaa-san just wanted to think her sons have the initiative to set the table.

What a strange woman.

But I still help her whenever I can unlike Atsuo, who complains and throws tantrums as if he was the child in this family. After all these simple chores were made easy with Kaa-san letting me use my quirk.

Truly, quirks were blessings in disguise.

12/23/2018

Disclaimer: I don't own My Hero Academia

Hello! And happy holidays! I present to you a new story hahaha, idk when I'll update Yamori. Soon maybe? Since I just graduated and I suddenly found myself at lost on what to do. Here's me having a lot of free time…

Okay! So this chapter isn't the most exciting one I've written, I didn't even get reveal Hinata's quirk but I think this is an alright one to start with.

Let me know what you think!