The day of the sport's festival, 7:00 am:
"Are you ready?" Shoto asked me, as I fixed my hair under the hoodie covering my uniform.
"Yup. Let's go." I answered, turning to face nii-san and smiled warmly.
Since the U.S.J attack, my relationship with Shoto has become closer. We both have decided to stand against Endeavour's ways, together the day I returned home.
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A week ago, in the garden of Todoroki mansion, at night time:
"Listen... I have thought about it so long when you were unconscious." nii-san said quietly, his head lowered, a thin shadow cast on his eyes by his red and white bangs. "I... I cannot stand having you away from me... I felt so empty when you were not beside me... so, I have decided to accept your will to protect me, as long as you accept mine." He said, his eyes distant but determined.
I was stunned from his words. Tears built in my eyes involuntarily, all the pressure I had been building up for so long exploding out in form of sobs and hicks and rivers of salty tears that shone under the partially hidden moon.
I could not speak. No, I did notknow what to say. The overwhelming emotions were crushing me from the inside.
"I... I-I... I..." I stuttered but the words were dying between my burning sobs. I held my head in my hands, breaking down.
Shoto, worried of my reaction, placed a hand on my left shoulder. The slight affection moved my senses, and I jumped at him, embracing him in a deep hug. The sakura tree above oir heads, like if it was moved by this scene, danced with the soft night breeze, causing pink flower petals to descend at us gently.
Shoto returned the hug, his body trembling slightly.
"But... but Endeavour threatened you... if we become close, he-he will resort to..." I could not continue the sentence, it's harsh words stabbing through my heart.
He parted from the hug, looking puzzled at me.
"What do you mean...?" He questioned.
I pressed on my teeth and swallowed hard.
"I heard him speaking to you, before we started U.A..." I trailed off, the memory shivering through my body.
His eyes widened in realization. His hands clutched in a white ball from the pressure, he told me this: "The bastard... always causing pain to you carelessly... damn..." He spat angrily. "Do not worry, he won't do anything to me. Actually, he can't; he wants me to succeed him so badly that he cannot bear the risks." He explained, trying to reassure me.
"But...!" I tried to protest but he silenced me.
"Don't worry, I promise. Have I ever broken a promise tp you before?" He said, looking at me straight in the eye.
I shook my head no.
He was hiding something, I was sure, but I accepted his will nonetheless. Inside of me, my intuition trusted that this way was the best, for Shoto's words.
"Fine..." I said, sniffing and wiping away my tears. "But if anything happens, I will jump in." I implied firmly, despite the waver in my voice. He looked down, hiding his face from my observant eyes. He then raised his head to my level again and nodded.
"Deal."
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"...Imoto?" Shoto's voice woke me up from my memory. I looked around and found myself standing beside nii-san in front of the train entrance doors.
'Eh...? We are here already...?'
"Sorry, I was just thinking..." I said apologetically.
"Come on before the train leaves." He urged me, dragging my hand gently.
"Come on! Line up in orderly fashion! We have to get to the stadium on time to get ready!" Iida's ordering sounded in the front of the class.
They all stood in a neat line depending on their numbers. I wanted to stand with them to accompany them until the time they need to leave to the stadium plaza.
"Todoroki, you will come with me." Said Aizawa sensei.
Dumbfounded, I looked at my other half one last time.
"Good luck, nii-san. Win this for me...!" I whispered.
"I will."
He smiled before following the other students.
"Now, Todoroki, I will lead you to the students seats in the stadium. Be thankful because the principal gave you the permission to go there, even though you're not participating." He explained bluntly while walking us out of the classroom. I nodded without adding so much as a word.
I did not get the time before because of the lessons and all the studying that was late on my schedule, but now that I am alone with sensei, I had the chance to apologize.
"Sensei... I... I-I am sorry..." I said with a small voice.
He looked at me, eyes questioning my sudden words.
"What are you apologizing for, Todoroki?" He asked for an explanation.
I avoided all eye contact, my stare moving on and away from his broken right arm repetitively. I felt guilt eating me from the inside from the moment he was injured, and because of me. I could not keep carrying this burden anymore, it was torturing.
He seemed to understand what my words' goal was now, because he stopped in his place.
"Listen. This injury is not your doing-it's not your fault. These things happen a lot during hero work, no matter how much we are trained or good; everyone gets injured at some point." He said, looking at me seriously, straight in the eyes.
I pursed my lips until they formed a thin line. I still felt the pain lingering deep down in my heart.
"Do not blame yourself, it won't do anything other than destroying you, slowly but surely." He added, this time, much more deep and genuine.
I nodded again, my eyes staring at the ground.
He sighed then told me to follow him before it's too late.
"I would like to be there before Hizashi, to prepare my eardrums for the next few more hours." He pushed out a tired sigh, rubbing the back of his head.
At the sports festival stadium:'Whoa... this place is huge!!
And too crowded for my own liking. Glad I got the students (now empty-precious alone time if you know what I mean) seats.'
I looked around the place with my eyes. Heroes and different people from all around Japan were gathering at this small spot of the map. Quiet amazing, and unnerving as well.
As I studied the place, my eyes fell on a certain hero that despite my irrational wish for him to be absent, was there. Endeavour.
'He won't refrain from accusing nii-san, I am sure...!! I have to keep an eye on him...'
The hero looked up at my direction, and his gaze met mine. Frowning in response of lingering feeling of admonition, I turned away my attention from him, the Endeavour that swallowed away our father Enji with his prideful and over ambitious fire, and focused on my classmates emerging with the loud commenting of Present Mic sensei's voice.
'I now understand why Aizawa sensei wanted to be alone for a while before this...'
And after a few introductions of classes (that our class ruled the most of it's light thanks to the villains) and Midnight sensei, it was time for Bakugou to say the vow, since I was absent for "special" circumstances.
'Uh-oh... this won't be good...'
He got slowly on stage, and the whole stadium fell silent, probably waiting for words of wisdom and/or passion. Bold of them to assume that he would do such a thing.
"I vow... to win the first place." He said, quietly.
'Quietly...? No cursing or shouting...? So he's taking this more seriously than I thought... he is growing to accept that there other strong people in this world. Good progress.'
All the other students booed him, calling our class as self centric freaks, and calling Bakugou as an over confident brat.
'Ah... the drawbacks... they are going for our throats now. Not that we can't pull it off. We are strong, all of us. We can work pur way through this I am certain.'
Am9ng the students, I spotted the same purple haired boy I saw the last week. He was looking around him for something, or someone.
'I wonder what kind of person he is... he seems so strong in the inside of his heart, like if he had survived through a painful set of life. But about his skills on the outside, are they as strong...?'
I switched my gaze to somebody else, my twin.He was standing confidently,
his shoulder and back straight in cold determinition. He was looking up at the seats of the heroes, and I could imagine the cold glare he had on his face while he was staring at his nemesis, Endeavour.
"...And the first round of destiny is... this!!!" yelled Midnight, while pointing to the screen showing the words: obstacle race.
'Here we go... good luck... my other half.'
Hello everyone!
The beginning of the sports festival, the Shoto arc! Kinda exciting!!
Thanks everyone for your support, especially Christine Ryan!
Please if you have any complaints or worries, tell me in the reviews!
Enjoy!
Regards.
Author-chan.
