From the Start, Once Again

The green-haired lady could see the smile on her friend's face from a mile away. Mitsuki didn't bring a lot of stuff so it didn't take much time at all to pack. The blondie adjusted the strap of the bag on her shoulder, sighing loudly as she headed to the door. She turned around to say goodbye to her friend.

"Well, that was… fun. Thank you for letting me stay, Inko. And for everything else." They got into that mess together, and they supported each other when the world seemed to crumble around them. Mitsuki didn't dare think where she would be if Inko didn't help her deal with this situation. She also felt happy to return the favor and be there for Inko.

That said, there was still a small hint of guilt hanging around Mitsuki's head. Inko said that it was all good and that she should go back to her house without second thoughts, but it felt a little unfair to the blondie. Her husband accepted her back into his life, at least to some extent. Inko didn't hear from Hisashi yet, and with Izuku at U.A., she was basically on her own. Again.

"Not to overstay the welcome, but I could hang around a while longer. I can talk with Masaru and–"

"No, no, you have to stay with him, Mitsuki. I'm so glad you can go back, this is an opportunity to fix things, right?" Inko said, encouraging her friend.

"Yeah, but what about you? Are you not going to feel–"

"Alone?" She let out a tired sigh. "Yes, a little. I'll admit I don't like this, but it is for the better. You have a golden opportunity, make the best of it, okay Mitsuki? … For the both of us."

"Hey," The blondie quickly hugged the brooding lady. "Things will work out fine to you too, you gotta believe it, Inko."

"But… what if I never… ~sob~ see him again?"

That was a question Mitsuki could not answer. At least not in a way that would make Inko feel better.

"I… I will be there for you, okay? I will try and visit as much as I can, and if you need anything, just call me. You are not completely alone, Inko." Mitsuki tightened her hug, then slowly let go of the short woman.

"Thank you, Mitsuki. See you soon~" Inko said, rubbing her eyes as she waved at her friend. She has been getting better at holding back tears.

"Yeah, see you soon too~" Mitsuki gave her friend a warm smile before turning around and going down the stairs of the apartment. As much as she wanted to help Inko through this rough phase, she had her own hurdles to overcome.

She sat on the couch in front of the smartphone, staring at it as if it would unfold and walk away. How many hours had passed? How many more cups of tea? Inko slowly reached for it, unlocked the screen, tapped on the same contact from the previous times. And then put it back on the table, huffing in frustration. She was considering pouring another cup of tea. Perhaps the 15th one would finally put her more at ease…

"Ah, you son of a–" She hastily picked it up and was about to type a message, but then it ringed, spooking the green-haired lady, who dropped the phone.

On the screen, a very well-known identification appeared. She hesitantly picked it up.

"... Hi."

She closed her eyes in expectation. What exactly she was waiting for, Inko didn't know for sure.

"... Hi." Well, that was his voice, for sure. "Can we talk? … In person?"

Okay. She didn't know what to expect but that was beyond a surprise. Or perhaps she was being too hopeful. He could bring up divorce…

"Sure. Where should we meet?"

"You know that cafe we used to go to after school?"

"Oh, is that place still open? Okay, can you give me one hour? No, wait. Two hours?"

"Uh, sure, but–"

"Great! I mean, uh… I'll see you there!" And so she hung up. What was this feeling of rush coursing through her? It was as if she returned to her days at high school, a young Inko, socially awkward and nervous because Mitsuki wouldn't stop egging her to speak with her secret crush.

She ran a hand through her head. This was stupid of her, thinking things would magically go back to how they were. Hisashi would just forgive her and they would live like a happy couple again. But still, just hearing his voice after so long made her feel so happy, she couldn't help but wonder.

"Be realistic, Inko…" She told herself. Even if he was the one to make the call, Hisashi was still very hurt. It could very well be a talk about divorce that awaited for her, so why keep her hopes high?

However, Shino's words came to her mind. Inko chose to love him, and now it was the time to fight for that.

Inko took those two hours and made the best of them to look as stunning as she could possibly be. On the streets, she felt eyes following her step as she passed by, and she got cat-called one or two times. The fruits of hard work, sweat, and hours at the gym. Arriving at the cafe, she took a minute to admire how it didn't change much from the time she was in high school. It felt nostalgic. Then, her eyes turned to the glass window, and there he was, sitting on a table, looking at her. She prepared for the worst but hoped for the best.

Inko braced herself and went inside, gracefully making her way to the table and sitting in front of her husband. Silence fell between them until the waitress came to take their orders. Inko tried to guess what was going through his head, but Hisashi refused to look directly at her face. After a good amount of awkward muteness, she decided to break the huge iceberg and do the talking.

"You know, I'm really surprised. This place looks exactly the same, didn't change a single bit."

No response from him.

"I always liked this old style. Feels like we went back in time…"

Nothing. Not a single reaction.

Inko looked at his hand, resting on the table. It was within her reach, but it felt too distant.

"Hisashi, before you say anything, I just wanted to tell you… I still love you–"

"Let's get our food, then we can talk." It was less of a suggestion and more like an order. Inko anxiously fiddled with her hair, which she decided to let loose today. Meanwhile, Hisashi kept looking outside across the window.

Their orders arrived. Black coffee to him, and green tea for her, along with strawberry shortcake, one of her favorites. The interesting part was, Hisashi ordered it, not Inko. Saying she got surprised was an understatement.

While she stared at the piece of pastry as if it was a bomb ticking to explode, Hisashi finally started a conversation.

"It still is one of your favorites, right?"

She almost didn't register that.

"Eh…? Ah, yes."

"Your clothes… are they new?"

"Well, yes. I lost some numbers since I started to hit the gym… half of the wardrobe is too loose now ah hahaha…"

"Oh… they suit you. You look… amazing."

"Really? Thank you…"

They quietly ate, or at least Inko ate. Hisashi asked if she wanted anything else, which she politely refused. Sighing, he finally looked at her face.

"You look pretty with your hair down."

"O-oh, you think?"

"Yeah, you should keep it like that more…"

"... Thank you." She couldn't hide the smile forming on her lips, so Inko looked elsewhere to try and conceal it. It wasn't as if she was a teenage girl again, but the feeling was close to it.

However, there were things they had to discuss, serious matters.

"Hisashi, I… I want to tell you that… I-I still love you. I chose you when we were younger, and I know I messed up now, but I still love you. I still want to stay with you and no one else."

Inko reached to hold his hand, but he retracted it.

"This is… something very funny when you say it."

"I know it sounds like bullshit, coming from me, but it is the truth."

"You're right. It does sound like bullshit." Hisashi said coldly, then looked at her, and she could clearly see the pain he felt. "If you loved me so much, then why did you do this to me, Inko?"

"I… I told you already. I was feeling lonely, abandoned… I couldn't bring myself to sleep with another man, but then Izuku and I were attacked, and he was there, and… at the time I didn't understand but now I think it was because he reminded me so much of you–"

"Oh, you think that's the reason."

"I– It's complicated, okay? Why is it so hard to understand?"

"I can't understand how you could even consider having–!" Hisashi spoke louder than he intended and managed to stop himself before that particular info was unnecessarily shared with the staff of the cafe. "How could you even consider having sex with my son!" He shouted under his breath.

"He's my son too, you know!" She whispered back.

"Exactly! What the fuck were you thinking?!"

"I was lonely! You rarely came home, and he was at the school dorms. I literally had no one I cared about near me."

"So you cheated on me just because you were lonely?"

"No! I mean– a little… Okay, I was lonely and needy, and horny. But I wasn't about to risk my family because of that!"

"So you went for my son?!"

"Our son!"

The whispers were starting to get back into the audible range, so they paused to cool down a bit.

"... Bitch…" It was under his breath, but with the silence between them, Inko caught that.

"What was that?"

"..."

"If you have something to tell me, do it while facing me." Inko didn't like the way things were turning out, but as soon as he asked her again why she did what she did, it felt as if he was searching for a reason to not only ditch her but also put her down. Inko knew she was in the wrong, but she also was done with the self-loathing.

"Well then. You are a huge bitch."

She opened her mouth and squinted her eyes. He actually had the nerve to say it to her face.

"Take that back, Hisashi."

"Why? It's the truth."

"Take that back, you don't– you don't know what happened between us."

"You mean between you and my son? I'll tell you what, it was a crime."

"No, it– ugh, listen, it was real, okay. For a good while, it felt real to me…"

"What are you talking about?"

"The… feelings. It was real to me, and I felt loved, and important, and even sexy. I didn't feel like that for so long, I couldn't help it… So don't call me that, because it was not only lust that was going on between us."

"... Fine," Hisashi said, then harshly got up, walking to the counter and paying for their food. Inko, realizing she might have said it the wrong way, grabbed her purse and went after him out of the cafe.

"Hisashi, wait!"

"No, you already made it pretty clear, you don't need me around. Anyone who looks like me would suffice."

"I have never said that!"

"Oh, but you showed it." He stopped and turned around, which allowed her to catch up. "You said it yourself. You felt lonely, and you had someone that reminded you of me. It was all it took."

"You're… oversimplifying things…"

"Then why don't you explain in detail, huh?"

"... I can't. I was confused… I still am, a bit… but I know for sure I love you, Hisashi."

"... How can you say you're confused and be sure you love me?"

"Because," She grabbed onto his shirt, both to prevent him from walking away and out of desperation. "It hurts. It hurts so much, Hisashi. Not having you close to me… knowing you probably hate me, and with all the reason… it hurts me so deeply… you have no idea how many nights I cried since you left…"

"... And I should be moved by that? Should I just accept your tears and be done with it?" She could feel him shaking a little, a sign he was trying to not break into tears too. "I felt hurt too, you know? Leaving like that..."

"Oh… Hisashi…"

"I don't even know why I called or why I came here… I thought about being straightforward and asking for a divorce, but when I saw you outside I... I really don't know what to do."

"D-divorce… Look, I know it must be hard for you, but do you really want to take such a… d-drastic measure–"

"Don't give me that crap that you understand! I have been– I have been nothing but faithful to you. Back at my job… I could have slept with other women! I was asked out some times… and they were younger than you, amd more than willing… but I said no. One time I got a little drunk, and I almost made a mistake, but I still said no! So why couldn't you do the same?"

"I did! I stayed here, taking care of our son, remember?! I had to clear his runny nose when he cried all night because of mean kids at school. I had to watch him grow all alone because his Quirk didn't show yet. I had to deal with the feeling of failing him, all by myself!"

"Oh yeah? Then tell me what did I miss because I clearly remember asking you many times if you wanted me to come back!"

"All I wanted was to support your career! I could not stand the idea of you not receiving the recognition you deserved! And you want to paint ME as the bad wife?"

"What do you think is more important to me: my career, or you?!" The question had an obvious answer, but it still made Inko freeze for a moment. "What do you think I would pick? A high-paying job or the chance to be with my family, see my boy grow… I only did that because we agreed on this, Inko…"

His voice started to crack.

"You said it was alright, and I thought it was alright. I could see that you were not completely happy with me being away, but I decided it was a necessity. I… I should have known better. I should have come back more… or even given up on that job. I could find something here, even if it wasn't what I wanted–"

"N-no, Hisashi, you didn't need to–"

"But I obviously should. I know you're someone who hates to be alone, and I ignored that… I'm sorry, Inko."

"... ~sob~ No, Hisashi, you don't have to be sorry. You're right. I should have been sincere with you… but I didn't want you to worry more than you already did, and you looked so happy when you got that job. I… I didn't want to be a burden in your life. I never meant to hurt you, dear..."

She felt her strength fade away, and Inko let go of his shirt, hands falling limp to her sides. Her head hung low, and she felt like her last chance was gone forever. However, a warm feeling came to her face, a familiar sensation of someone cupping her cheeks, making her look upwards.

"Inko… you were never a burden to me, I… I chose to spend my life with you. That means I will be there with you on the good and bad days. Or at least, it was meant to be like that…"

And just like he held her face, so gently and full of care, he let go of her, and together with his touch went the happiness that filled her heart. He once again turned to leave, and once again she could see that look devoid of emotions in his eyes. But this time, she would not let him go. This time, she would fight to the very end.

The short lady hugged him from behind, arms firmly locked around his waist.

"Inko, please, let me–"

"No."

"... Inko, I'm asking you."

"And I'm saying no."

"Inko–"

"No means no!" She then spun around him, not letting go of her grasp. "I let you go once when you got that job. I let you go twice when I confessed and you left our home. I WON'T let that happen a third time."

Inko was fairly shorter than Hisashi, it has always been like that, and to top it, she never stood out as someone to stomp her foot and be so assertive. Perhaps it was the determined look in her eyes, or the time spent at the gym because Hisashi couldn't find the strength to get away from her, in more than one way.

"Inko… I hope you understand you can't force yourself back into my life."

"I know that."

"You do realize this was a major problem, and I can't trust you the same way as before, right?"

"Yes. We can go to therapy."

He rubbed his face.

"How can I know for sure you won't betray me again?"

"Well…" She looked away for a moment, and as she looked up at his face again, her determined look gave place to a sweet smile. "You could keep an eye on me at all times."

Right now wasn't the best time to flirt or try being cute or whatever, but Inko was using everything she had.

"I love you so much, Hisashi… and I know you loved me too. Even with all my flaws… crying all the time, and being super needy and clingy at times, you still loved me. It will never be the same, I know that, but I can't see myself with anyone else."

Inko slowly released her hold around his waist, only to take a step back and gently hold his hands.

"So, I want to ask… can we try this from the start once again? Can you give me one more chance?"

Inko held her smile and bright eyes, expecting his answer. She actually felt positive about it, as if the "yes" was just around the corner.

But reality can be very disappointing at times. The man slowly let go of her, taking a few steps back and walking away to who knows where. Inko held the smile, but couldn't contain the tears.

And here she was, back at the apartment that used to be her home, her sweet home. Closing the door behind her, she leaned her back on it and slid down, sitting on the floor. It was the end of the evening, and Inko felt like not even a villain kidnapping her again would make her day any worse. At least she could have some peace of spirit, knowing she tried to get Hisashi back. Hmm, should she call Mitsuki? No, she had to sort things out with Masaru, better not bother her. Was Shino still working?

The green-haired lady felt frustrated and sad, and a little glad that she saw him one more time. She probably would see him a few more times, whenever he proceeded with the divorce papers… What would she do then–

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The sudden and loud banging at the door made Inko jump out of her skin. When she thought with herself that a kidnapping wouldn't make her day any worse, she didn't mean it literally. Whoever it was outside must be in a hurry because there was a second loud knocking, which made her yelp in surprise. Inko slowly approached the door, unlocking it and carefully opening it.

Lo and behold, it was Hisashi, pacing back and forth.

"Hi… Hisashi?" She was surprised, but more than that, confused. Didn't he just reject her less than half an hour ago? Her voice got his attention and he turned to face her.

"... Yes."

Before Inko could even question what he meant by "yes", she found herself within his arms, her lips connected to his in a very passionate, very intense kiss. She was so shocked, Inko had to push him away.

"What's gotten into you? I thought you wanted to–"

"You know what? This whole time I felt awful because of what you did and I thought I had to leave you. But I just realized I would have to live on without you, and that felt much, much worse."

"So… can we…?"

"Yes… I want to try again. From the start, and this time, no secrets."

She would cry if she wasn't so damn happy to hear those words.

"Hisashi, dear… can you forgive me?"

"I will try. We are together in this, right?"

"Yes… yes, we are."

She hugged him tightly as if the man would vanish if she didn't, but this wasn't an issue anymore. Oh, how she missed that feeling, that warmth, that sense of security. They had a lot to discuss, many things to sort out. After all, this moment didn't change the past. And to top things off, they still had to talk with Izuku, which would be… complicated. But for now, Inko felt like nothing could make her day any better.

The remaining months of the year went on like a swift breeze. The first-year students of U.A. finally completed their first cycle, full of hurdles and hardships. No one expected that many problems to arrive for the young heroes in training, but regardless of that, they proved their value and showed a glimpse of what the next generation of heroes is made of.

And among these students, Midoriya Izuku, the third place in the ranking of his class and all around the Hero Course. Aizawa-sensei couldn't stress enough how this was just a ranking for reference sake, and that they should not let that go up to their heads. Of course, Bakugo wouldn't let that pass without shouting to the four winds how he was the best, and everyone "below" him should just drop dead.

Todoroki simply accepted his second place, emotionless as always. And Midoriya was kinda stoked for his third place. Not only that, everyone else was acting as if the green teen was the one in the first place, which made Bakugo pissed, as usual. Midoriya tried his best to not feel overwhelmed by the attention of his classmates and the girls from the fan club. Needless to say, the joking flirts got him all flustered.

At last, Midoriya heard a known voice call him from behind, as the crowd around him dispersed.

"Izuku!~"

"Ah, Mom!~"

Izuku turned around right in time to get a tackle hug around his waist. The short lady nuzzled against him affectionately, then took a step back to look at him from up close.

"Aw, you look so adorable, dear~"

"It's just my normal school uniform, Mom…"

"But still, you look so good in that. I remember your pre-school opening ceremony, you were so eager for it…"

"Mooom…" He looked around as his mother spilled potentially embarrassing facts about his childhood. With some extra luck, she wouldn't meet with any of the other parents here and show them her collection of pics she had in her purse.

"You've grown up a lot, huh? Are you trying to pass your old man?"

That voice was one less familiar to Izuku, but still unmistakable. It was only now that he noticed the black-haired man behind his mother, sporting freckles that reminded him of his own and using glasses.

"Dad…"

The hero-in-training didn't know exactly how to react. Aside from the time at the hospital, right after they caught Khrona, he didn't see nor hear from his father, which was for the best. Or so his mother told him. He asked later on if everything was alright and Inko said she was working on making amends with his father, so Izuku didn't have to worry about it. That put the green teen more at ease, and she sounded much happier than recently, but still, this isn't something you can simply brush aside.

Even if there wasn't this whole convo between him and his Mom, Izuku hadn't seen Hisashi in a very long time. The feeling wasn't quite that of a stranger walking up to you, but it felt… odd.

"Hey…" Hisashi waved at him with an awkward smile. Like father, like son. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Your mom always keeps me updated but… I would like to hear from you, how have you been– oof!"

He had the air knocked out of him as the emerald child did the same as his mother. With a little more strength.

"I'm glad you're back ~sob~" Izuku was already used to it, seeing his dad for a day or two and then walking up to see he was no longer around. That, and his mother brooding a little. So seeing him here did hit differently this time.

"~sigh~ It's good to be back…" The man said, returning the hug. Inko covered her mouth as she watched the scene unfold. It was like a dream coming true, except it was real.

After a few minutes to catch up on things, Hisashi pulled Izuku aside to talk in private. Inko instinctively followed them, but he made a point about this being something they had to discuss alone, father and son stuff. She didn't like that much and even felt a tinge of worry in her chest, but let them have some space. Once out of her hearing range and sight, Hisashi's expression changed to a serious one. Izuku swallowed dry, as he had a pretty good idea of what awaited him.

"I'm going to be straightforward, you know what this is about, right?"

Izuku hesitated a little, but answered, also looking serious.

"Yes. About me and… Mom."

The black-haired man silently nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Look, Izuku. Your mother and I, we… We discussed that a lot. We're getting some professional help, and I believe we're making a lot of progress. It's not the same thing, but I feel happy. We feel happy."

"Oh… that's good to hear."

"Right? But still, what you and your mom did is… I can't ignore that. With time, I can forgive but–"

"But not forget…"

"Yes… before anything else, I'm proud of you, for taking care of your mother when I wasn't around, supporting her after that traumatic experience with that villain, and for the hero you are turning into. I didn't have the chance to say how happy I am for your achievements so far." He said, resting a hand on the teen's shoulder. Izuku held a confident smile.

"It was kind of my fault, letting your mother take care of you all by herself. And also leaving her alone for so long. That said, there are some things I can't just let slide, and someone sleeping with my wife is one of them…"

Izuku's smile wavered a bit.

"Uh, Dad…?"

A second hand rested on his other shoulder and Hisashi stared at his son with a determined gaze.

"I hope you can forgive me, Izuku. Take this as, ah… a symbolic action, okay?"

"S-sure, but what exactly would that be?"

A raised fist was more than enough of an answer.

"Clench your teeth, son."

Izuku closed his eyes and braced himself. It was fair enough, he concluded.

Inko was pacing back and forth, repeating to herself that everything was alright. Then, she looked at the corner her husband and son turned around. This time she spotted them walking back, Izuku with a reddish bruise on his cheek and Hisashi shaking his hand. Both had a mildly pained expression. As the dots connected in her head, Inko held a surprised and indignant face, her mouth agape in an O shape.

"Hisashi!" She said, rushing to see the damage on her precious child. "You said it was all okay! How could you–"

"Mom, relax, I'm okay. This didn't hurt at all. I've been through worse, trust me." Izuku said, gently pushing her arms away and reassuring her.

"But… but…" She looked between her husband and her son, switching between angry and worried. "But you're my baby, you can't get hurt like this."

"Unfortunately, he's not a baby anymore, dear. And if it is worth anything, it hurt me more than it did him. Quite literally." Hisashi said. Inko glared at him with a pout, and she would hug Izuku like a teddy bear if the teen allowed her, but the angry face quickly melted away. She sighed tiredly.

"Fine, as long as you two get along well…"

"I'm still trying to deal with it, but someday, right, Izuku?"

"Yeah… I would rather not talk much about it for a while… Is this okay?" The teen asked, scratching his head. The last thing he wanted was to talk to his dad about what he did inside four walls with his mom.

The mood was awkward and silent, but thankfully someone came to the rescue. A certain cat hero made her entrance.

"If it isn't my favorite hero in training~"

"Ah, Shino-san!" Both Izuku and Inko said, turning to greet the pro hero, currently in civilian clothes. Hisashi fixed his glasses to make sure he was seeing it right. He definitely didn't expect to see a pro hero apparently so close to his family. Was she a teacher at U.A. too?

"What brings you here, Shino?" Inko asked, noticing her more informal attire.

"Oh, nothing much, just stopped to ask a few questions. Kota decided he wants to study at U.A. and to encourage him a bit more, I tried to get a few tests from previous years so he can study. It may be a little too advanced, but he looks so motivated~ Ah, don't say I told you that." The red-haired said, directing the last bit to Izuku.

"So Kota-kun will apply to U.A… that's good to hear." Just the thought of the young kid working to be a hero the same way he was doing now was enough to put a big smile across his face.

Then, Shino focused on the still baffled man next to the green-haired lady and teen.

"You must be Midoriya Hisashi, right? Sosaki Shino, although most people know me by Mandalay, from the Wild Wild Pussy Cats. It's a pleasure to meet you~" She said, reaching out her hand.

"The… the pleasure is mine." The man answered, slowly shaking her hand. Perhaps it was because he had been away for quite a long time, but he wasn't used to being so close to well-known heroes. Despite not being in the Top 10 of Japan, the Pussy Cats still had their fame and recognition. So he had to ask.

"Umm, are you also teaching at U.A, Sosaki-san? Out of curiosity."

"Oh, no no, I don't teach here. But I often drop by to check on Izuku. I was also helping with the searches during the Khrona situation."

"I see. Thank you for your assistance. But still… checking on Izuku...?"

"Why yes, I gotta keep an eye on him. Don't want any girls sneaking in and stealing my future husband, right?~"

She spoke before Izuku or Inko had time to react and stop her. The boy immediately got a red hue on his face when he registered what she just said, and the mother pulled Shino to the side by her arm, covering her mouth. Meanwhile, Hisashi stood still with wide eyes.

"S-Shino, I didn't tell him that yet!" Inko whispered in shock. Slowly removing the hand from her mouth, the pro hero looked a little confused.

"I thought you two had discussed everything already."

"Well, not absolutely everything. We're taking things slow."

"Oh… okay." And so Shino turned to Hisashi again. "Just joking~ The truth is that Izuku here saved my nephew, Kota, and I have a debt with him, so I like to see how he's doing here at U.A. He's a hard-working student, you know?"

Hisashi looked back and forth between Inko, Izuku, and the red-haired woman in front of him with suspicious eyes.

"Well, you seemed very acquainted with my wife too…"

"After the first attack of Khrona, some heroes were requested to guard the family members, and I was one of them. Miss Midoriya and I ended getting along very well~"

He glanced again at the short green-haired lady, who held an innocent smile.

"Huh… that's good to hear. It seems your debt has been paid. Again, thank you for keeping my family safe." Hisashi concluded, bowing politely.

"There's no need to thank me, it is my duty to protect people. Besides," She gave a sly glance at Izuku, who was still red as a tomato. "I really enjoyed spending time with them~"

Later on, they would tell him about Shino and her relationship with Izuku, but for now, this was good enough.

Progress was made into repairing a broken relationship, that was all that mattered. And after a long, long time, way too much if you asked Inko, her family was whole again. She was back to her sweet home, with the persons she loved the most. There was a long path to walk still, but this time Inko wasn't alone. She had her husband, her friends, and her son, which she loved very much. Her reason to be, the light of her life.

Her Treasure.

End of Chapter

Well well well, would you look at that. That's the first long-running fic I've ever done. There's still one closing chapter, but wow... what a ride. It started more as a joke, then turned on me trying something different from Sweet Cute Green Obsession, and now this. I think I learned a few things from that experience...

Anyway, as usual, thanks for taking your time to read. Leave a review if you feel like, any thoughts and critics are appreciated. This is ya boy, #23, signing out.