TW: Suicide attempt
You should've been better. You should've trained harder. You should've done better!
I cried as I slunk against the wall of the bathroom, hands wrapped around my ears and my head laying on my knees. It's been a day since I came back from Izuku's, and I'll say that was paradise. They were nice to me, they were kind, they were caring, they were like they were. But once I got home….
"Where the hell were you?!" Dad had angrily thrown me to the floor, harder than I've ever known him to.
"Mrs. Midoriya said that I could stay with her, so I could recover from the USJ attack!" I stammered, knowing that I have to use proper names with adults.
"Bullshit! You were doing some stupid shit, weren't you!"
"No!"
"You're lying to me, aren't you, you brat?!"
"No! no, I'm telling the truth, Dad!" Tears were falling now. That move was a mistake.
"What have I told you about crying!" He pulled me up by the hood of my hoodie and pushed me against the wall, me hitting my head in the process. "Crying makes you weak! I thought you wanted to be a hero!"
"I do! I do want to be a hero!"
"Last time I checked…. Heroes don't fucking cry!" He activated his quirk, a type of mind control. "You are useless. The reason you failed USJ is because you screwed up and you were weak! Pathetic! Useless! You should've been better. You should've trained harder. You should've done better!" He broke the quirk and I fell down, coughing as I desperately tried to breathe for air. His quirk is mind control, but he uses it as an ability to stop me from breathing from time to time. It sucks and it hurts, sucking the oxygen away to reach to my brain.
"What am I to you?" I managed to speak out weakly, my voice strained from choking.
"Excuse you?" He asked, his eyes glaring at me.
"What am I to you?" I shakily stood up, looking him in the eyes. "Am I your child… Or a punching bag?"
"How dare you?!" He smacked me. I fell to the ground. "Never talk back to me ever again!" He was screaming now. "You're such a disappointment. No wonder your mother left; she didn't want to deal with you."
An hour. He beat me mercilessly for an hour. He never beat my face if he could help it. Yes, he hit my face, like smacking me. But never punched me with such brute force that it would bruise. People got suspicious that way. No exposable bruises. Those that happen to be exposed, cover it with foundation. Don't let people know. It's bad enough Izuku knows.
He left me. Bruised. Hurt. Luckily, nothing was broken. I managed to drag myself to the bathroom. I felt my ribs, they didn't feel broken or bruised of any sorts. My face wasn't bruised, thankfully. My hand had drawn to my mouth as I fell to the ground, scooting myself to the wall.
And that's where I was now. Hurt. Emotionally and physically. I really would never be enough for him. I'm just done. He's hurt me so many times and I am done.
I picked up the house phone, dialing a very familiar number.
"Ruki! What's up?" The cheerful voice welcomed me and a started crying. "Koruki. What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Izu… I'm so sorry…" I wiped the tears from my face.
"Koruki…"
"Don't do anything about this."
"Koruki, what are you—"
"I love you, Izu." I commented, hanging up the phone before he could respond.
Izuku had tried to call me back immediately, but I ignored it. I took something from my pocket… Painkillers from the hospital. I poured them into my hand, about ten or so. I filled a cup of water from the sink and took them. I poured a little more pills and repeated the process until the bottle was empty. I began to feel lightheaded, and the world went black.
Goodbye…
*POV switch*
"No, no, no, no, no, no…" I muttered, immediately calling my best friend. He didn't answer. "Not good!" I exclaimed, running out the door without so much of a word from my mom. Tears stung through my eyes as I ran as fast as I could. "Please, please be okay!"
I knew Koruki was a suicidal risk! That's probably why he said all those things as USJ before he passed out! Now that he went to live with Keikao, he probably hurt him even more and used his quirk on him to think he was the cause of everything! Let's be honest, he doesn't have to use his quirk to even brainwash him to think he's a horrible person. Which he's not! He's the purest person that I've ever met!
I ran up to his house, the door was open. Koruki told me this only happened when Keikao pulls him in by force.
"Koruki?" I called out, looking around. I walked into the living room and kitchen. No sign. "Koruki?" I was getting a bit nervous.
I waked into his bedroom, the familiar atmosphere of musical instruments and fantasy books taken in. I looked to the side-room, which was his personal bathroom. I tried to open it, locked.
"Koruki, open the door!" I called out. He had to be in there, the door locks from the inside. No answer.
This can't be good…
I looked around his room, noticing something on his dresser. Bobby pins. I quickly grabbed one, jamming into the doorknob.
"Come on… Come on…" I whispered, satisfied when I heard it click. I practically threw open the door, and my heart stopped when I saw Koruki on the floor, emotionless.
"Koruki!" I yelled, rushing to my best friends' side, I shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up. "'Ruki, wake up! Please wake up!" Tears filled my eyes, and I looked beside him.
His painkillers from the hospital?
I picked up the bottle. Empty.
"NO!" I yelled, immediately grabbing my phone, and calling 119.
He needs help or he's gonna die.
"Hello, emergency rescue." I managed to breathe out as I took Koruki's lifeless hand. "My best friend overdosed." I gave the emergency service lady his house number and I rubbed my thumb against Koruki's hand, using my other hand to comb my fingers through his long hair. "It's okay…. Please be okay…." Tears continued to fill my eyes. I then heard the sound of the ambulance.
I ran outside to lead them to where he was, and they loaded him onto the stretcher. I watched as they had driven away, the emergency service people talking terms that I didn't understand. I pulled out my phone. I had someone to call.
I dialed Mr. Yamada's number.
"Hizashi Yamada!" The carefree voice of my teacher caused me to break.
He doesn't even know what I'm about to tell him…
"Mr. Yamada…." I choked on my own sobs, tears filling my eyes.
"Midoriya, what's wrong?" His voice turned serious.
"Koruki, he… He…" I choked, crying more tears. "He overdosed…"
"Kid… Where are you?" I gave him Koruki's address. "Aizawa and I are on our way, kiddo. Stay there."
"Okay…" I managed to choke out.
"Listener stay calm. We'll be there shortly."
"I will…" My voice was barely above a whisper. I had hung up and fallen on his porch step, wrapping my arms around my legs.
How could you? You…. How could you leave me alone? I can't do this on my own, you're the one I rely on. He's amazing. My best friend. He can't leave this world without me… Please don't leave this world without me. I'm not strong enough…
How could he do this? My best friend… Really, my only friend. The one who truly understands me and I him. But he…
Koruki could be dead…. We don't even know if he's alive… He could be dead…
A car rolled up. I recognized the car immediately. I practically flew in it.
Mr. Yamada, who was driving, stepped on the gas as fast as he could without speeding. Though he did go over it a little bit.
"Are you okay?" I both nodded slowly at Mr. Yamada's statement. Though I knew in my heart… I wasn't. "Do you know exactly what happened?"
"I have my suspicions.…" I mumbled loud enough for him to here me. "Nothing that can be proven… Yet."
I know what Keikao is capable of. He hurts him. I haven't been able to save him in the past, but I know I can save him now…. If he'll let me.
We arrived at the hospital, myself running towards the ER, Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yamada following me, quickly.
I walked past the front desk, seeing if I could find Koruki potentially.
"Can I help you?" The front desk lady asked.
"We're looking for Koruki Kakasu." I answered.
"Are you family?" She questioned, already looking up in the system.
"Yes." I answered quickly.
"He's in emergency surgery. If you just take a seat, a doctor will be with you as quickly as they can." I nodded slowly, sitting in the waiting room. I sat and breathed out, exhausted, leaning against the seat.
"Hey listener," Yamada sat across from us, his hands in his lap, nervously moving them side to side. "Aizawa and I know for a fact that you aren't going home tonight. And that we can't do anything to convince you otherwise."
"But we do need to know all the facts. Tell us what you know." Aizawa was more serious than usual. Yamada was the most serious that I've seen him.
"I was at my house, and Koruki called me… There was something in his voice and I knew… I knew something was wrong… We have talked about this kind of thing in the past, but I thought we had moved past it. But in my heart, I think I knew… That he was a suicide risk." I took a breath, looking down. "I ran as fast as I could, nothing else mattered. I ran into his house; his bathroom door was locked. I picked it with a bobby pin, and he was on the ground, unconscious. I saw the bottle of pills next to him, gone…. That bottle must've been more than halfway full… I called 119. I then called you."
"Thank you, Midoriya. This information is helpful." Aizawa was writing something down in a notebook, probably so he wouldn't forget anything.
"I kind of knew he was putting on an act…" I added. "I've known Koruki for twelve years. I practiced lines for him, I watched him grow as an actor. I know when he's faking it… I just thought he wanted a bit of space because of what happened at USJ…" I paused to wipe tears from my eyes. "I never imagined he would have attempted this…"
"Listen very carefully…" Aizawa looked me in the eyes. "This is not your fault. We don't know what drove Kakasu to do this. But it's very important that we find out."
"Is Koruki…." I looked up at them, tears filling my eyes. "Is he going to die?"
Both of the teachers stayed silent for a moment.
"We can't…. We can't answer that, Midoriya." Mr. Yamada eventually answered, and I sighed, shakily, looking down at his phone.
Please… Just stay alive, 'Ruki… Please…
Several hours had gone by. Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yamada had stayed with me. I couldn't sleep, a million thoughts rolling in my head. Every time the doctor or someone else walked past us, I looked up, fearing the worst.
"We're best friends, right?" Koruki asked me when we were little kids one day.
"Yeah! Best friends forever!" I had responded, hugging him.
"And we'll always be there for each other and tell each other everything! Right?"
"Right!"
I shook my head at that memory.
He lied…. He said we'd tell each other everything… He lied… He had wanted to die… Why?
"Midoriya…" Mr. Yamada spoke up, looking at me. Mr. Aizawa left at some point, maybe he went to go get coffee or something. "Are you sure you told us everything?"
"You can't tell anyone please!"
"But Koruki… He could kill you! I can't lose you like that!"
"If he finds out that you know, you'll lose me quicker! Please. You can't tell anyone."
"…. The moment it gets worse…. You will tell me the immediate moment it gets worse. And we go to authorities. Agreed?"
"… I can agree to that."
"Fine. You tell me immediately. Promise?"
"I promise."
I shook my head out of the memory, looking Mr. Yamada in the eyes.
"He told me not to tell anyone…" I managed to speak out.
"Midoriya. If it links to this… I need to know." I teared up again, looking down while silently sobbing. "Is there something wrong at home?"
I nodded, shaking a bit.
"He…. His Dad… He beats him… Just because of his quirk…" I said it. I told him the secret I've kept for five years. The one Koruki specifically told me not to tell. "Keikao, his Dad… He's the reason for everything. His panic attacks, depression, anxiety. He doesn't want Koruki to be gay. Koruki's been out to me for seven years, he never once liked girls, I know this. I'm his best friend. He hates that his Dad could kill him if he liked boys. His quirk is like mind-control. He says these horrible things and make Koruki believe it. And when he does, it nearly chokes the life out of him. He swore me to secrecy, and I couldn't say anything…."
I have never seen Mr. Yamada so mad. But that was nothing compared to Mr. Aizawa.
"I'm going to kill him." Mr. Yamada stood up and grabbed his arm before he could walk any further.
"Shouta!" He stood up, facing him. "We can't attack the man. Not yet. First, we see if Koruki is alright first. Then we go to child protective services."
"We will protect him, Hizashi." Mr. Aizawa's eyes were filled with anger. And a little bit of sleep deprivation.
"We will. But we can't do that if you kill the man. We want him to pay for what he's done, correct?" Mr. Aizawa sighed in defeat and sat down. Handing Mr. Yamada a coffee and handed me a cup as well.
"That's iced tea. I'm not dealing with an overactive problem child." He sipped his cup, and I sipped the tea.
Sweet…. Just how I like it.
"Koruki Kakasu." I looked up, quickly. "He's alive."
I breathed out a sigh of relief, letting a few tears of happiness fall.
"But he is not mentally stable. I recommend holding him here for 72 hours. If he seems to be worse, I recommend a mental hospital."
Mental hospital?
"Are you his parents?"
"No. we're his teachers. And we don't think it's a good idea for his father to join us. In fact, we'd like to call CPS." Mr. Aizawa spoke up, earning a short but surprised nod out of the doctor.
"Of course. If you'd just follow me, you can see him." She led us back to his room, and I held my breath for a moment seeing him. He was just here but seeing him hooked up to so many machines….
"Midoriya." Mr. Yamada put his hand on my shoulder. "It's okay. You can come closer, or you don't have to stay if you want."
I shook my head, pulling up a chair beside him.
I took the hoodie that I had carried from his house and laid it on his chest.
"Please…. Be okay…" I mumbled as I leaned on the bed.
Survive this, Koruki. We survived USJ, just please…. Don't let this be our last moment together.