The room is cool when we return.
I head immediately towards the bed, forgoing pajamas to slide under the sheets. Midnight watches with a frown, clearly concerned but not willing to push. I'm thankful. Aizawa-sensei would have made me sit on the couch and talk.
I just want to hide.
"Rin-chan, did something else happen tonight?" she asks softly, grabbing the binder book from the foot of the bed and putting herself under the covers.
I shake my head, lips pressed tight.
No adults.
She stares, obviously thinking, and slowly nods.
"Alright. Maybe this will help you get your mind off things?"
She opens the book, propping it up against her knees, and I glance over curious in spite of the emotions still warring in my chest. I still when I realize it's a photo album. My eyes scan the first page and I deliberate for a moment before I slither a closer, resting my head on her shoulder. A teenager with long dark hair and familiar lazy eyes scowls at the camera.
"Is… Is that Aizawa-sensei?" I ask quietly.
She smiles and nods.
"Sure is!" she says. "I think this was from his first year. Hizashi took this one, they were best friends even back then, seatmates too."
I study the picture curiously, surprised by just how young he looks.
She flips the page and there are three on this one. Despite the feelings in my chest, I giggle at the blonde throwing finger guns to the camera. His hair's so short! With sunglasses perched on his nose and minus all the leather. He looks just as goofy as he always does but more carefree. There's another, a picture from what looks like the Sports Festival with Yamada and Aizawa-sense dressed in the blue athletic uniforms. And then another with Midnight posing in nothing but a trench coat with literally nothing under it but a belt.
I flush and look at her with wide eyes.
"What are you wearing?" I ask, pointing to the image. She snickers.
"My hero costume, of course!"
"You were naked!" I admonish, not sure why I'm surprised. "You're not supposed to do that in public."
"Oh I know, they had to add some laws to uniform restrictions when I flashed a group of school kids. It was awesome while it lasted though. Haven't you ever wondered why they call me the R-rated heroine? Haha!"
I shake my head, blushing.
"So weird…"
"Whatever kid, I love my body! Why wouldn't I want to show it off?"
I wrinkle my nose and flip the page for her.
Four pictures take up this page, two of them are holiday parties probably from UA, with Aizawa grimacing and Yamada and Midnight hanging off his shoulders. I catch sight of Cementoss in the background of one and Principal Nezu's face cut out of the second. One's a picture of Midnight dressed this time in what's either a very long sweater or a very short dress, singing into a mop. And at the top there's someone I don't know, but that I know I've seen.
I frown.
Midnight watches me, her eyebrow rising.
"Rin-chan?"
"I've seen him, his face," I say pointing to a boy with smoky white hair and a goofy grin. He wears a pair of goggles and what looks like martial arts robes. I just can't remember where. I stare harder, not liking the way I can't recall.
"Him?" Midnight asks. She sounds surprised, but I don't look away. It's his features, I decide, that are so familiar. But where? "I'm kind of surprised. I didn't think Shouta or Hizashi kept pictures out of him."
I frown.
It wasn't a picture, I think, but don't say.
"Why not? Who is he?"
"One of our friends. He passed away a long time ago."
"My closest friend is Hizashi," Sensei says tightly after a long moment. "Not only because I've known him the longest, but because at sixteen he was there with me when we buried our other best friend."
"What… What was his name?"
"Shirakumo," I whisper, looking up. She blinks.
"Yes," she says softly.
We buried our other best friend.
I saw him.
My stomach twists in my belly.
"I… I'm tired," I whisper softly. "I… I'm gonna go to sleep."
Midnight stares, eyebrows furrowed but doesn't ask. Then she nods and closes the book. She sets it on the nightstand and stands, turning off the lights and checking the lock. I turn on my flashlight as she returns. She snuggles up close, drawing me close.
"Rin-chan, is everything okay?"
I close my eyes and don't answer.
I don't know.
No adults.
.
.
.
The next morning bed collapses.
I wake with a scream, Midnight automatically clutching me to her chest, and in seconds we're across the room, wide-eyed and half-awake. Yamada-sensei, just as disoriented, tumbles out of his bed as well. Sheets wrapped around his ankles and hair completely disheveled, he shakes away the fabric and searches for an intruder, arms raised and fist ready.
Neither look comforted when they find nothing.
"What the hell," Yamada-sensei growls, his hand running through his messy, blonde hair. "Are you two okay?"
Midnight releases me reluctantly.
"Yeah," she says taking a deep breath. "It just went out. Shit, that was terrifying. Rin, baby girl, are you okay?"
I swallow and nod, remembering the man's words from last night.
Exactly, it's just going to get worse. The closer we are, the more I can use my quirk to cancel the trouble, but I'm not staying in this damn bush all night.
But, the longer you wait, the more dangerous it is for you and anyone around you.
I grimace.
Both notice and Sensei's eyes narrow.
"Rin, what's wrong?"
I swallow back emotions as he crosses the room, squatting beside me with narrowed green eyes. Midnight, still kneeling, watches and waits. I wring my fingers, worrying them as I sit back on my heels.
"I… I think I messed up."
"What are you talking about?" Midnight asks firsts. She glances from me to the bed and back. "Did you break it?"
"No, but… but I talked to someone last night," I admit, and Sensei groans, rubbing his face. Midnight elbows him and he sighs, hand raised against his brows. I go on quickly before I lose my nerve. "The… The man I helped from the first day on the beach? He… He said I… I activated his quirk and that's why everything bad keeps happening."
"You activated…" Sensei cuts himself off and Midnight's face darkens.
"You mean when I found you last night near the bushes?" she asks, lips thinning. I nod and her eyes narrow. "Is that why you were so upset?"
"Why didn't you say anything then?" Sensei asks, and I cringe at his disapproval.
"He… He told me not to," I whisper, looking down.
Neither Midnight nor Yamada-sensei seem particularly pleased. They share a look over my head before Midnight grabs my hand and pulls me up.
"Let's go sit on the bed and talk about this," she says her voice stern but still soft, Yamada-sensei follows behind her, not saying anything as she leads us to his bed. The covers are scattered half on and half off, but Midnight ignores them, shoving them all the way to end and pushing me onto the sheet. "Start from the beginning dear. You were with the other kids last night, they got touchy-"
"They got touchy?" Sensei asks, eyebrows knitting together. "You didn't mention that."
"I didn't need you freaking and running back. You were distracted enough as it was. I handled it, just some kids getting excited about heroes. They grabbed her arms and then she stuck them on me. It took me five, maybe ten minutes to shake 'em off." Midnight turns back to me. "I saw you head towards the back of the pool area, what happened next?"
I swallow.
They both look at me expectantly.
My fingers twist into my shirt at the seriousness in their faces. My stomach churns and I bite my lip.
"I… I didn't leave!" I tell them quickly.
Sensei sighs, leaning forward as if to gather me to him, but then stops. His hand, half-outstretched lingers for a moment before falling back to his side.
"You're not in trouble," he says, voice and expression shifting to something gentle. Without his glasses, his green eyes seem bigger. "It would have been better to say something last night, but no one's upset with you. We're worried. Take a deep breath."
I do, pulling my knees to my chest protectively.
Midnight sighs and runs a hand through her hair.
"Baby girl," she says. "What happened?"
"I- I heard… someone calling me and the guy… the guy from… from Monday was there, in a bush-"
"In a what?" Midnight asks, blinking.
"Did you say a bush?" Sensei asks at the same time, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. When he opens them, I can see the rigidness in his face.
He looks like a hero.
I nod, the taste of acid filling my mouth. The thought aches in my chest, squirming in my belly.
They share another look and I don't miss the way Midnight's fist tightens or her lips thin.
"Rin, dear, come here," she says holding out her arms. I do as I'm told, crawling forward. She pulls me close, pressing my back against her front and wrapping her arms tightly, protectively around my middle. "The man in the bushes, did he touch you? Did he put his hands on you at all?"
"N-N-No," I whisper, uncomfortable at the line of questions.
"Did he ask you to do anything?" Sensei asks next, expression severe.
"Y-Yes, he… he told me to come with him." The arms tighten almost painfully, grounding me from the uncomfortable sensations in my chest. I lean back, into Midnight, uncertain. "I… I told him no though! I didn't leave, I promise!"
"Shhh, sweetie, you did good. It's okay," Midnight whispers in my ear, one hand moving away to run through my hair. "Good adults don't make you keep secrets, okay? Especially not from people that care about you. Can you tell us what this man looked like?"
I nod, mouth dry.
"H-He had brown hair and lots of lines."
"Wrinkles?" Sensei asks.
I shake my head.
"N-No, sir. The flat ones."
"Stress lines," Midnight says at once, apparently understanding. "What about what he was wearing? How tall he was?"
"I… I don't know."
"Did he tell you what he wanted?" Sensei asks, redirecting my attention. "Why he wanted you to follow him?"
"Y-Yes. He said he had an antidote. Th-that it would stop the bad luck."
"Did he explain how his quirk worked?" he asks, folding his arms and tapping out a pattern with his fingers against his biceps. I've never seen him do that. I don't know what that means. I've never seen him look so angry. Not since the Last One…
"Y-Yes, sir." I swallow and he waits, not moving. "He said he has a good luck quirk, but that when… when he touches others, it gives them bad luck. I… It wasn't his fault. I touched him. He's… he's not in trouble, is he?"
"Rin," Midnight murmurs, twisting me sideways as easily as if I were a small child. "It's not his fault if you accidentally activated his quirk. But telling a minor to leave their family is wrong, that's called kidnapping. There's no good reason why he couldn't have let you come get me. Telling you not to tell an adult is suspicious."
"A person hiding in a bush is suspicious," Yamada-sensei says flatly, lips downturned. "I'll call Shouta, you can drive her home and I'll rent-"
"No!" I squeak, interrupting. He stops and stares and I realize after a moment he's waiting for me to go on. I grimace. "H-He said the only reason things weren't so bad was because we were in close proximity. B-B-But things would get worse if I don't do anything. H-He said it'll multiply exponentially."
Sensei scowls.
"He could be lying," he says, looking behind me to Midnight.
"But what if he isn't?" she says softly, still stroking my arms and hair. She looks worried. "There have been a lot of coincidences, the luggage on the stairs, the bike when you were jogging, jarring her wrist, that conversation last night-"
"I get it," he interrupts, looking away. He stands abruptly, fishing out the phone from his pocket. "I'll call Shouta. We'll have him meet us here."
He glances at me one more time before moving towards the balcony.
I curl in Midnight's arms and purposely try not to think about the card still burning in my pocket.
No adults.
.
.
.
Aizawa-sensei isn't pleased.
Yamada-sensei talks to him on the balcony for at least fifteen minutes, and even with half a conversation, I can tell I'm in trouble. Midnight tells me I'm not, but I don't believe her. When Yamada-sensei finishes, he runs a hand through his hair, ties it back in a quick bun, and returns to the room. He eyes the broken bed darkly.
"Shouta's on his way," he says, stuffing the phone back in his pocket. "They're doing construction on the main roadway we passed to get here though, so it could take upwards to three hours before he arrives."
Midnight sighs.
"The microwave's broken, and I'm out of protein bars," she says looking at him. "Delivery isn't open until lunch and it's only what, seven, eight?"
"Seven-thirty," Sensei says, leaning against a wall and crossing his legs. He taps his fingers again, eyes drifting towards the ocean. "We could go to the restaurant downstairs. Grab breakfast and return? I'm not that keen on finding out how bad luck is measured."
He doesn't shoot the finger guns and I shrink, still stuck in Midnight's arms.
"Probably a good idea," she says softly. "Rin, I know you're worried, but it's going to be okay. We're not going to let anything happen to you, okay? We're Pros, remember? Not just anyone gets that title."
I sniffle.
"What… What if you get hurt?" I mumble, tears rising again. "I… I don't want to hurt you."
Sensei sighs.
"Rin, come here."
I do, scrambling out of Midnight's hold and sliding off the bed. I grab onto the tall man without hesitation, pressing my face into his stomach and crying. He makes a soft sound and I look up. He looks surprised. I sniff harder.
"S-Sensei?"
He squats down, pushing the hair from my face, and gives a little smile.
"Rin-chan, this isn't your fault."
The tears in my eyes spill over and something hot and tight sticks in my throat. It makes my face ache and my eyes burn. I bury my face back in his shirt, well aware I'm covering it in snot and tears and not caring.
"It is," I sob, gripping his shirt and pulling him closer. "It is. I should have listened. I shouldn't have helped and I ruin everything and it's not fair cause I was trying to be good. I'm sorry Sensei. I'm sorry- I'm sorry- I'm sorry-"
My lungs catch on the phrase and my breaths comes faster, the panic that had been building all night suddenly back and even stronger.
"Hey, hey, I got you-"
His rough hand is on my head, tilting it forward as I choke and breathe and sob at the same time. I can't catch my breath, I can't think. I can't hear him over my loud gasps. I tremble and lean forward even more, trying to control it, but I can't- I can't- I can't-
I can't do anything right.
Why am I so bad?
How many have you hurt? I know why you left those other homes. You're not a hero, you're a fucking villain.
He came for you. You destroyed his life, just like you do to everyone. Just like you did to ours!
"Breathe Rin," Sensei commands, his voice louder than ever as it cuts through the noise. I take a gasping breath and his hand rubs against my back. "Good. Another."
It takes nearly ten minutes to calm down. It takes ten more before they even consider walking down the stairs. When we finally do leave, I slip in a puddle of water and only Midnight's quick intervention keeps me from going down.
Neither look reassured, and Sensei glances back at the door with a sigh.
"She needs to eat, Hizashi."
"I know, I know. C'mon Rin, you're gonna hold my hand."
.
.
.
Breakfast at the restaurant downstairs is a tense affair despite nothing really happening. Unlike last time, I'm stuck beside Sensei with Midnight across from us. I have no idea when or how they came up with this plan, especially since they didn't even say anything.
But I'm not complaining. Sensei doesn't lean on me like she does, and despite the fact that he's probably still upset, he doesn't yell or fuss. He just sits there, and when our food comes without incident, only then do the two heroes begin to relax.
We still eat in silence.
"S-Sensei?" I mumble, looking up when I finish.
"Hmm?" he asks, turning his head.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, dropping my hands.
He hums low in his throat and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"Rin, what are you apologizing for?"
"I ruined your vacation," I admit, curling into his side.
He sighs, and for once, sounds tired.
"You haven't ruined anything," he says softly. "I got to hang out with my favorite little listener for a solid two days, teach her how to swim, and enjoy the beach. That sounds like a win to me."
I glance up nervously.
"B-But… But I made you upset."
He frowns.
"We can talk about it back in the room, okay?"
I look up and nod, breathing heavily in his scent.
And that's when the lights flicker and cut out.
I straighten at once, beside me Sensei does the same. Midnight already rising to her feet, surveys the scene. Without the lights, the room is dark, but still dimly lit. Windows on the far wall allow some visibility with patrons pulling out their phones as well.
"Don't panic!" says a manager from the back of the room. "We'll have the generators on in just a moment-"
He doesn't speak long before he's drowned out by the sound of screams and fighting on the street beyond. A toddler starts to shriek, a woman cries openly, I can hear a man cursing as tableware crashes, and the waitress from before, the one that spilled coke all over me, looks to be having another panic attack on the floor.
Sensei slides from the seat, standing close enough to trap me in the booth. I twitch, itching to stand, to dodge, to move, but don't.
"Nemuri-"
"I know, one of us should go and the other defend-"
A loud boom rocks my chair, screams filling the air, and I suck in a breath. The familiar vibrations rattle my bones.
"Nomu?" I ask breathless, eyes wide.
"No, the frequency's too low, bombs," Sensei says sharply, hand reaching for his neck. "Shit. I don't have my gear. Nemuri-"
"Take her and go get it," she responds, and all traces of the silly touchy woman gone. She stands, straight-backed before nodding towards the chaos outside the window. "I'll start evacuating the civilians, join me when you're done."
Sensei nods and pulls me with one arm from the booth. He gives me a serious look.
"Keep up."
I nod and he takes off. I follow behind as best I can, chasing him up the stairs and around the corner. We arrive in the room and he immediately grabs his directional speaker and jacket. I wonder for a moment if he's going to change his pants and hair too, but he doesn't.
"Rin," he says instead, pulling me close. "Listen up, you don't have a provisional license. You cannot, unless your life is in actual danger, use your quirk. Do you understand?"
I nod quickly.
"Y-Yes, sir. Do… Do you want me to stay?"
"No. You're with me, we're not fighting whoever's causing this chaos, we're just evacuating the civilians. You're to stay at my side no matter what, got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good. If you see that man again, inform me immediately. Now let's go."
I trail behind Sensei again and he fiddles with the dials on his speaker even as I follow behind him. Pressing buttons, turning knobs, and letting out little test sounds. It takes a moment to realize he's calibrating it.
"Sensei! What about the people still in the hotel?" I yell as snaps, explosions, and screams grow too loud to speak over. Above us, I can hear the stampede of panicked people clambering down the stairs behind us.
"They're evacuating now," he says flatly, his voice easily cutting across the noise. "The question is where to. We need to meet up with Nemuri and-"
He cuts off as the building rattles again, shaking so hard I nearly topple over, and several high-pitched screams occur in the stairwell.
"Shit! Rin!"
I screech as Sensei is suddenly there, his arm dragging me to his chest in a bruising hold. He moves faster than I can process, putting on a quick burst of speed and slamming us against the wall so hard my breath stutters. A second later glass, wood, and plaster shatters where I stood, the ceiling caving in. The shouts from the stairs turn to muffled cries and I can only stare in horror at the chaos.
Kid, this shit will kill you!
My heart hammers against my ribs, the feeling of ice dripping through my veins.
The longer you wait, the more dangerous it is for you and anyone around you.
And anyone around you.
"Pay attention," Sensei snaps, fingers digging into my shoulder. He doesn't let go. "You need to be aware of everything, above, below, and around. Don't just look ahead, especially in a battle!"
"Th-The p-p-people-"
"There's an emergency exit on their side. And there's nothing we can do now. This is about prioritizing, Rin. We need to meet with Midnight first, locate the evacuation zone, and stay collected. Use your breathing exercises and focus on the now. Can you do that?"
"Y-Yes, sir."
He grimaces, releases me, and shuffles towards the nearest door.
"Thought I heard someone!" hisses someone on the other side. "What are you, a Present Mic cosplayer? You're looking a little underdressed, bitch!"
Sensei doesn't laugh.
He opens his mouth and shouts. In an explosion of power, whoever it is disappears.
"Dumbass," Sensei huffs, eye twitching. He turns back with a sour expression. "Stay behind me and pay attention."
"Yes, sir!"
I follow again as we step into the street. The person he blasted away, a large, barrel-chested thug, lays sprawled and unconscious on the sidewalk across the road. Large groups of frightened pedestrians race by him, some holding children, others dragging luggage. As the earth shakes again, I feel a strange urge to run with them.
Whatever's going on, it's complete pandemonium. Smoke billows from buildings, screams ring through my ears, the taste of ashes and plaster thick in the air.
Asp?
"Breathe Rin," Sensei says, eyes scanning the space. "This is too wide-spread to be a purposeful attack. It must be a distraction, which means the thugs on the street are opportunists here for the pickpocket."
He grimaces and makes a sign.
"This means, come," he says, doing the sign again. "This means, stop," he shows a rather abrupt looking hand gesture. "And this means, run. If I show you that, take off, hide, and call Shouta. Okay?"
"Y-Yes, sir," I answer, committing them all to memory.
He does the come sign again and I jog behind him. It's only a block from the front of the hotel around the side to the back, but it feels so much longer. This time I try to be more aware of the things around me. Sensei glances around continuously, and I try to do the same, which is helpful, because I avoid a falling brick, a pothole, and even manage to spot an incoming enemy.
Sensei deals with him efficiently, his voice screaming out in a thin, powerful wave much like a laser. It still spreads over the distance, but whatever setting he's put it on seems to impact like a football against his chest. The hit knocks the villains out.
"Is- Is he dead?" I ask nervously when I notice the blood.
"No, just knocked out. It's never left permanent damage."
I don't know how I feel.
I take a deep breath and still when screams break out behind us. Sensei twists, pulling me towards him, and we both watch as a car flies through the air, crashing towards us. My nails sink into my skin, already raking down my skin, ready to call forth the shadows, but Sensei's faster. He twists a dial on his neck and lets out a screech.
The car appears to halt mid-air, shake, and then fly the way it came.
Whatever stops it the second time slams it against the road. It falls apart with a loud metal crunch, the smell of burning rubber and gasoline on the wind.
Behind it, someone laughs.
"Oh hell yeah! That was fucking awesome!"
I press down the fear and shadows as the car gets tossed effortlessly to the side. Sensei pushes me behind him and glares. A tall, slender man stands in its place, his clothes dark and tight-fitting, his hair pulled atop his head in a thick braid that splits into three long strands. He grins ferally, eyes squeezed shut in obvious excitement.
"Yo, I've been looking for a fight since I got here. You a hero, blondie?"
"Rin, get to Nemuri, now. She should be around the corner."
"But-"
"Now," he snaps, eyes never leaving the man. "Who are you working for?"
"The Yakuza, actually," the man says laughing. "The boss sent us to grab a delivery. We figured it'd be fun to wreck some hero-shit while we were here. Cute kid by the way."
I flinch, my skin crawling as his eyes turn to me. Sensei moves between us though, cutting off his stare and making a sign behind his back.
Run.
"Now, now, don't get all protective, Hero."
Sensei lets out a loud screech, even not facing me it makes my ears ring. The road at the villain's feet explodes, and I take the opportunity to turn and run towards the alley. Something sizzles past my ear, burning a hot trail against my cheek, and the bricks in front of me appear to combust, blowing ash and debris towards my face. I cover a scream, drop to the ground, and barely manage to roll out of the way when the sides of the building explode outward in the same way and crumble down.
Then Sensei's there, his arm reaching out and snagging me up before dodging a blast.
"Fuck," he curses, pausing long enough to set me down. He gives me only a cursory glance before his attention returns to the villain now standing in front of the crumbled remains that should have led to Midnight.
Kid, this shit will kill you!
"It's the bad luck," I mumble, overwhelmed.
"Yeah, I see that," Sensei scowls. "It's fine, don't lose your head."
"I'm putting you in danger."
"Not now," Sensei says, adjusting his speaker.
"Heh, a little father-daughter bonding, huh?" the villain asks raising an eyebrow. "Gotta say, that's adorable. You missed a great shot to save her though. Normally I don't like my opponents handicapped, but that face? Mmhmm. So angsty-"
"Shut the hell up," Sensei snaps, hands moving in another sign. Come. "Yo, I'm about tired of your trash mouth."
"Are you?" the villain asks, laughing as if in delight. "I'm wondering how you plan to-"
Sensei races forward, rushing in a semi-circle and abruptly letting out a loud scream. Unlike before, the screech expands rapidly. I follow as closely as I dare, Sensei's voice vibrating through my bones despite being behind him. I couldn't imagine being the villain. He has no room to move, much less dodge. He takes the full blast, his whole body jerking in the power.
And then it stops.
Sensei drops to his knees.
I stare in horror as red droplets fall to the floor.
"S-Sensei?"
The villain falls as well.
"Rin," Present Mic says, his hair still half pulled into a bun, dust and debris on his face. He leans forward, one hand pressing against his stomach. There's a stain there. My hands shake when I see it. The other hand pulls handcuffs from somewhere, tossing them to me. I fumble at their weight as if my arms were asleep. As if my brain won't work. "Handcuff him."
I want to argue.
There's red on the ground. There's red on his hand.
He's bleeding. God, he's bleeding!
I don't. I move immediately to the villain, trying not to notice the way his ears and nose are bleeding, the way his eyes are rolled back. Dark hair scattered across the asphalt. I roll him onto his stomach and lock the handcuffs in quick succession. And, so close, I can't help but notice the black tattoo on his neck, a black flower with three tiers and some strange kanji written inside. It's stark against his grayed skin.
I tear my eyes away, returning to my teacher.
He's paler, hair stuck to his face, and sweating.
"S-Sir," I whisper, hands shaking as I see the blood.
It's all my fault.
I should have left. I should have left.
"Chill," he grunts. "It's just a nick. I'm fine. We need to get to Nemuri."
He's lying.
I step back, horror caught in my throat, nausea rising with the ache in my face.
Kid, this shit will kill you!
But, the longer you wait, the more dangerous it is for you and anyone around you.
Sensei's eyes narrow.
"Rin, calm down-"
"It's my fault," I cut him off, eyes stuck on the red patch. "He said you'd get hurt! He said it would happen! I should have listened!"
Sensei staggers forward, wincing.
If you weren't so weak, they could get more. They wouldn't fight.
You're a fucking nightmare. I know what you did to those kids at your old school. Can't wait for the school to see you for what you really are.
You didn't even try. You're the only one with powers, and… and Ryu's right! You don't even care!
"Hero?" Niko laughs, showing the video again. "That's no hero!"
"Rin-"
"I-I'm sorry!" I whisper, taking another step back. His eyes widen, bright and green behind broken glasses. His face twists in anger and realization.
"Rin, no-"
"I'll go," I tell him moving back further. "They'll leave you alone if I go."
"Rin, don't you dare-"
"I'm sorry!"
"Rin!"
I turn on my heel and race away. The card in my pocket burns. The phone in my pocket buzzes. The tears in my eyes give way.
I'm sorry.