The heavy downpour of nightfall adds to the gloomy mood of the lone humble café; alongside it's somber lights and calming music, one wouldn't hesitate to just lay back and watch the time pass by through awash glossy window panes.
At least, that's what the Midoriya couple would love to do at the moment, if it weren't for the necessary clean up after an unexpected busy day.
As the last customer waves goodbye, Midoriya Inko locks the entrance and grabs the last of the used plates and silverware.
"Here's the last plate, dear," says Inko, as she steps into the kitchen, finding her husband wearing a matching green apron, washing the dishes.
"The last customer left?" He glanced at her, flicking a lock of dark brown hair from getting into his glasses.
"Yep, and I also finished mopping the floor and cleaning the tables. Another hard days work." She exclaims for the both of them.
He chuckles at her cheery attitude, scrubbing the last bits of scrap left on the platter. "Yeah, the start of classes definitely brought us new customers."
"Students and teachers of UA nonetheless." She smiles to herself, gazing back to the front of the restaurant. It was definitely a great idea to set up shop close to the UA campus. Not only did they manage to get more customers, but they were also able to please a few heroes who were clearly looking for a place to relax and take a break. It always felt worth it to them, whenever they witness the joyous laughter and happy smiles of their patrons. It's as if the work was a reward all on its own.
The sound of the dishwasher closing broke Inko out of her own thoughts, glancing back at her husband who was removing his apron, placing it back on the rack.
Inko could remember the first time she met Hisashi, he was always so exuberant and determined, he even had a dream of becoming a hero himself; but that dream didn't last long, after the two of them started dating. She wonders if he would have been one of the few heroes to visit the café if the two of them never got together.
She wonders if seeing the heroes everyday reminds him of that dream.
"What's on your mind." Hisashi asks, startling her, as he is now standing right beside her.
"Oh, nothing...just relaxing." She leans back on the kitchen counter, hoping her faux mannerism masked her emotions.
"You have that look on you whenever you overthink." He prods, lifting an eyebrow.
"It's just…the heroes. Don't they remind you...of your dream?"
"...well, sometimes"
"..."
"But you know, dreams change, and I've got a life that I'm happy with." He moves in front of her, slowly intertwining her hand with his own, golden rings touching. "And a loving wife that I love so dearly."
She blushes as she watches him kiss the back of her palm. Her previous worries melting away, replaced by a heartwarming feeling.
A passing vehicle swiftly illuminates the room. Vivid lights, entering and leaving.
"You know, every time I see those heroes. They remind me how different my life would have been if I stayed true to my dreams; and at the same time, how difficult it would all have been. I only had that dream because of how much heroes were glorified, how they were everywhere. Even going to school, everyone had the idea of heroes in their heads. Looking back at it now. I don't think I truly wanted to be a hero..." He looks away for a moment, hesitating, until looking back at her, smiling.
She smiles back.
The two of them stayed close, enjoying the moment, and the pleasant music from the empty café.
But it was all broken by a brisk knock coming from the front door.
"Did you flip the sign?" Hisashi asks..
"I'm pretty sure I did."
The two of them stepped out into the front, and notice that they couldn't see anyone from the door's windows. Albeit hesitant, Hisashi reaches out and opens the door, revealing a young injured green-haired boy, soaked from head to toe, carrying what seems to be an overly blanketed little baby girl.
"Oh, dear," says Inko, worriedly.
The couple allowed their guest to take shelter from the rain. While Hisashi went back to the kitchen to get the child something to eat, Inko wrapped a towel around boy and tended to his wounds.
"Where did you get all this?" Inko asked, cautiously, as she finished bandaging him.
The boy didn't bother answering and only look down, exhausted.
"Could you at least tell me your name?"
"..."
"What about her, is she your little sister?"
The boy looks at the neatly blanketed baby, one that is now definitely sleeping peacefully, thanks to the warm temperature, then he looks back at Inko, nodding to her question.
"Alright, where are your parents?"
The boy remains silent.
Before she could ask another question, her husband comes back, a plate of egg sandwiches and a bottle of hot cocoa, in hand.
"You've patched them up?" Hisashi asks, putting the food in front of the boy.
"Yeah," Inko answers, standing close to him. "But I can't seem to get anything out of him. I don't think they even have any parents to go back to." She whispered, sadly.
Hisashi sighs, scratching his head, wondering what to do. "Maybe we can call the heroes, surely they'll be able to help."
Hearing this, the green-haired boy quickly stood up from his seat, grabbing the baby, ready to bolt out of the building.
"Wait!" Hisashi shouts, quickly blocking the doorway. "Alright, we're not going to call the heroes." He glances out into the still pouring rain. It would be wrong to just leave such a young child out in the middle of the night, with a baby nonetheless. "What if we just call it a day. You and the baby-"
"Sister." The boy mumbled.
Hisashi glances at Inko, who nodded in his direction. "You and your sister," he corrected, "can just come home with us and we'll see what we can do in the morning, yeah?"
The boy glances between the couple and the baby in hand, then outside, eventually nodding in agreement.
"C'mon, our home is not too far from here." Inko gestured, while her husband opens an umbrella for them.
Together, they head for home.
~~0~~
"Get back here you damn brat!" the beak mask wearing grunt shouts, stomping on the wet concrete floor of the darkened tunnel.
The stomps sent shockwaves, causing the passageway to start crumbling; but before it all caves-in, an explosion triggers. The far end of the tunnel, left destroyed—disassembled—as the small distant green-haired figure escape through the pouring rain.
Only one person had the ability to cause such destruction, except that person was nowhere near the vicinity.
"Damn it! The boss is going to have my head." Before the grunt could rush out, the sound of vibrating rubble echoes. The tunnel starts to reassemble itself—atom by atom—until everything is back in its place, as if nothing had happened.