Lost Boy

My Hero Academia Fanfic

Written by Obey

This story is written for fanfiction purposes only. Characters and universe from My Hero Academia are not my own. The characters Jin, Don, and Austo are original characters.

Chapter 1: Cold Case

It was the beginning of September. The weather forecast called for rain that day. Even so, it didn't stop Ochaco and Izuku from getting up early in the morning. They both left the dorm before the sun had risen, catching an early bus to their destination in Hamamatsu. It had been Ochaco's idea originally for the two of them to watch the sunrise together at the Flower Park. Since then, it had become a tradition they both shared over the months they spent together. Once they arrived, Ochaco ambushed Izuku with a gift, a wrist band she stitched together herself with the U.A. logo on it. Surprisingly, Izuku had gotten her something as well, a small pin with a sun on it. He told her it was a symbol of the light she brought into people's lives. That was where Ochaco first expressed her feelings for Izuku. Miraculously, her risk paid off because he had feelings for her as well. The sunrise was especially beautiful that morning.

With the approach of Spring, the winter break from school would soon come to an end. That was at the surface of Ochaco Uraraka's mind. Her vision wavered as the sun rose. In the past, she had sat here at the Hamamatsu Flower Park with Izuku Midoriya, and the two of them got to enjoy watching the sunrise. At the time, it had been a feeling a happiness and relief for her. She never realized how much she could miss that feeling she once shared with him. After all, she hadn't considered the possibility of losing it.

Six months. It felt like a lifetime had passed.

Despite the serenity in the park, Ochaco couldn't stay in Hamamatsu for long. For her next destination, she had to take the train all the way to Tokyo. If she began her trip early in the day, it would give her time to arrive comfortably. There was no telling how much time she would need for her business.

Once she boarded the train, she quietly walked down the line, the passengers appearing to watch her in a shared silence. It wasn't so much that she felt intimidated, but rather unsettled, so much so that it followed her everywhere. Ochaco had forgotten what it felt like to be comfortable with her life. Six months had passed.

Even with her gray sweater on, Ochaco felt chills. The winter still stung with frost, and the train wasn't warm enough to grant her sanctuary from it, at least not yet. Her brown hair was covered by the hood, and she barely moved during the entire train ride. Hours passed, yet she hardly looked around. Nothing drew her attention.

Upon arriving in Tokyo, Ochaco had one bus to take, and then she found her destination. There was a large suite with multiple offices, but there was one particular office on the second floor, isolated in its own little corner. The numbers weren't posted anywhere, but a brief glance around made Ochaco realize it was the right place. Upon reaching the front door she paused, taking a moment to reminisce about Deku, and then she turned the handle.

There was soft jazz music playing from somewhere in the office. The lighting was dim, but stylish. Across the front lobby there was a small kitchen, equipped with a fridge and stove. Ochaco wondered why an office had amenities like these, especially with how small it had appeared to be from the outside. She didn't see a shoe rack, but since it felt like a house, she was influenced to remove her red shoes and set them down by the door.

Several moments went by, and Ochaco still hadn't been greeted. Rather than walk in any farther, she decided to announce her presence. "Hello? Is anybody in?"

The response came moments later. Footsteps from the other room, and the face of a young man appeared peering from around the corner of the next room. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to come in?"

Ochaco winced, both in confusion and irritation. Not the welcome she was expecting. "I am in."

"You're still at the front door. My office is over here." His hand appeared from the other side of the wall as well, waving her on. "Keep your shoes on. This is a place of business."

Considering her shoes were clean anyway, Ochaco didn't mind putting them back on. It was simply the way that this guy was speaking to her. His tone was blunt, with no trace of manners. This was not the kind of behavior she was accustomed to.

With her shoes back on, Ochaco walked around the corner to the next room, discovering there really was an office situated there. The music was from a record player sitting at the end of the table in the corner of the room, but now the owner was lifting the needle up so he could remove the vinyl record. With that, the ambience music was gone, but at least now they could speak to each other more clearly.

Despite the rude welcome, Ochaco still remembered her manners. Years of training at the U.A. included lessons in respectful behavior, and she was still a representative of that institution. In addition, she represented the agencies she previously interned for. Even a sketchy place like this was still the workplace of an important figure, who had to be this young man, although he didn't resemble the other people Ochaco had met with in the past. It felt like he was disconnected from that part of the world, at least at first glance. But Ochaco resisted being judgmental.

"Have a seat," he told her. The young man removed his suit jacket, set it on top of his chair, then took a seat at the desk. His undershirt was dark gray, and even the red tie couldn't light up his mood. The hair on his head was dark brown and short, and he looked surprisingly young.

Eager to get back on track with her mission, Ochaco took the seat. Even when she was sitting, she was postured forward, with her eyes on him. After coming all this way, she wanted her intentions to be known. "I'm here to see the Wolf, Jin Okami."

He let out a single chuckle. "Just call me Jin."

"So, you're Jin Okami?"

"You're in my office, so I would think it obvious."

Things were off to a good start. Ochaco shrugged uncomfortably, hoping this wasn't the bad sign it appeared to be. "Fine, I get it," she said anyway. "I would like to hire you for a job."

Despite being confirmed as the office owner, Jin didn't appear excited. "How old are you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"I'm seventeen!" she said, losing her patience for a moment.

Right away, Jin Okami seemed to look down on her, even though he was young himself. "You're still in school."

She didn't understand why Jin appeared hung up on her age. He looked like he was only in his twenties. "Yes, I am in school."

Quite unlike Ochaco, Jin was calm the entire time. Sure, he possessed a degree of rudeness, but he was still composed. "What's your name?"

"Ochaco Uraraka."

With a nod, he inspected her. "You go by Uravity?" It was her Hero Name. Apparently, Jin recognized her already.

"You may just refer to me as Uraraka-San. And what would you prefer when I address you?"

"Jin is fine," he said nonchalantly. "You're too young to hire me for a job."

"I can't help that I'm young, but I can pay you all the same."

"Pay me? You don't even know my rate."

That forced Ochaco to a halt. "Whatever it is, I'll pay it."

"That's no good," he responded.

"What do you mean?"

It was like Jin wanted only to antagonize her, rather than talk business. "If you're unaware of my rate, you couldn't possibly agree to pay it. It would be more logical for me to tell you my rate first."

By now, Ochaco realized the only way she was going to get through this was to be very patient. After all, she came here for a reason. This was something that she needed to do. Pro heroes didn't make excuses, and neither could she. "Very well. What is your rate?"

For the first time, Jin let out a subtle grin. "It depends."

"Depends on what?" she asked with a small growl.

"There are those factors wherein the job at hand can be more demanding to accomplish." The private detective reached down for a drawer in his desk. From it, he fetched a notepad, which he placed on the desk in front of him. Next, he acquired a fountain pen that was stored in a small box under the lamp. "Let's start with a name."

It was no small name, but Ochaco already knew that. She took a deep breath then spoke it. "Izuku Midoriya."

Jin's reaction was telling. He didn't even write anything on the pad, choosing instead to simply stare at her, in the closest thing to disbelief he'd shown thus far. "Cold case."

"Cold case?" Ochaco held her ground before, but to have her request dismissed so swiftly was too much. "I can't accept that."

"Why not?" Sensing this would take some time, Jin set the pen down and crossed his arms.

Just like that, Ochaco was fired up. "Why should I? He's still out there. No one ever found him."

No matter how passionately she spoke, Jin acted unfazed. "You can't find him because he's gone."

Something wasn't adding up. Even so, now Ochaco was irritated, so she lashed out. "You're supposed to be a super talented private detective? Are you afraid of failing a case? That's why you won't take my offer?" Hopefully, that would get him to realize he was being cold-hearted. She was already fed up with his uninspiring responses.

Instead, Jin barely budged. "I'm not afraid of failing to find him."

"Then what? Why won't you even try?"

His eyes were a light shade of blue. A strangely soothing gaze, considering his personality was anything but. "I don't want to find him."

The ominous response managed to get Ochaco to come to a halt. "I don't understand…" Now she was too bewildered to make sense of it.

Jin leaned back in his seat, glancing away for a moment. He was giving the conversation some time to simmer down, considering how worked up Ochaco had gotten. "Why do you think the police never found him? Or the pro heroes? You ever really ask yourself that question?"

"Of course, I think about that," Ochaco said. "All the time. But that doesn't matter. Just because they've all given up doesn't mean I have."

Leaning forward again, Jin looked interested in that little detail. "Is that what they told you? That they gave up?"

"They didn't say it… but I know that's the reason." Ochaco crossed her arms in front of her, as if she were cold. "I can't give up, though. No matter what. Not until I find him." As discomforting as it was to think of how the pro heroes failed to find Deku, she still homed in on the one fact that mattered most: She would not give up.

That resulted in a slight nod from Jin, as he seemed to commend her efforts for the first time. "Your passion is notable," he admitted. "Still, though. You are missing the point. You've been unable to identify it from the moment you walked into my office." Several moments passed as he granted her time to think it over, but ultimately, she remained quiet, and he let out a sigh. "I'd be finding a dead body. That's what you'd be paying me to do."

Her heart froze upon hearing those words.

"You're still young," Jin continued. "You think I'm interested in accepting money from a teenager to track down a corpse? That's not what I do. Maybe the other people involved in this case told you reassuring words and tried to encourage you. I'm not like those people. I call it a 'cold case' because I already know how these things go. It wouldn't be the first time I tracked down a skeleton. That's why I do private work. So that I can say 'no' when the result is just going to be something… unpleasant."

Sensing that she was about to lose her chance, Ochaco clenched her teeth and fought for it. "I know that's what you believe, and I know that there's… that possibility. But I can't move on until I've confirmed it myself. Besides, I have my beliefs. I believe he's still alive. Deku is out there… and he needs help. I have to find him." She reached into her bag, producing some papers which she placed on the desk in front of her. "This is proof of my finances. I've saved up from my work-studies, my paid internships, and my jobs during school breaks. It should be enough to pay you. Just please… help me find him." Despite how skeptical this guy was, Ochaco was determined. She was going to prove she was committed to find Deku. She wasn't just paying someone to search. She was going to be searching as well.

As was the continuing theme, Jin didn't express interest in Ochaco's documents. Instead, he remained like an icy wall, cold and unfeeling. "You've known Izuku Midoriya for a long time, right?"

"Yes. For three years."

"Has he gotten you any gifts?"

A random question, but a possibly productive inquiry, nonetheless. "He has," she replied, wondering where Jin was going with it.

"Do you have any of his gifts with you right now?"

Although she reached for her bag, Ochaco didn't know what to produce. Suddenly, a thought came to her: The pin with the sun on it. It had fallen off her uniform at some point and landed in her bag, and then she kept on forgetting to take it out. Fortunately, that meant she had it with her right now. With a relieved smile, she brought the pin out and held it forward.

"On the table," Jin instructed.

Considering how special it was to her, Ochaco was hesitant to let it out of her reach.

Jin gave an irritable grunt. "Just for a few moments. I need to narrow my search."

Ochaco was lost, but she did set the pin down compliantly.

Once he got a good look at it, Jin leaned forward, keeping his hands in his pockets. He was concentrating on the item, completely zoning out from his surroundings.

As Ochaco watched him, she grew uncomfortable. She could only imagine what was running through his mind. Maybe this guy really was crazy. That would explain why he wasn't involved with the World Heroes Association, or the police. From the moment she met him, there was something off about him. And this was still just the beginning if she hired him to find Deku.

A few minutes passed, and then Jin leaned back in his seat. "He gave you this pin at the Hamamatsu Flower Park?"

The wave of shock hit her swiftly. "How… how did you know that?"

"I didn't," he admitted. "It was just a guess. But I know now. Assuming you are confirming to me that's where the place was? It looked familiar, but I wasn't sure."

"Wait, so… you saw it?"

"How long ago was that?" Apparently, Jin wanted to ask the questions.

Although her mind was racing, she concentrated on her answers. "Last September, six months ago."

"Then I'm fortunate to have witnessed it. Was that the last time you saw him?"

"Yes." Her response brought on a couple of tears as well, though she tried to wipe them aside quickly.

For a few moments, the Wolf granted her some silence. After that, however, he picked right back up. "I assumed you would have done some research on me before coming all this way." He reached forward and slid the papers closer, suddenly interested in reviewing her finances. "My Quirk allows me to see things. I can visualize past events."

Ochaco was stunned. Granted, her research beforehand on the Wolf hadn't been incredibly thorough, but she certainly hadn't known about his power. "This whole time, you've had a Quirk? That's how you became a private investigator?"

"It doesn't hurt to have one," he said, flipping quickly through the pages. "Visualization. If I gaze upon something, I can visualize an interaction it had in the past. Naturally, it would be nearly impossible to pick just the right moment, so the more specific the object the better. In other words, the pin was a good choice for this example."

Just like that, Ochaco understood Jin Okami a lot more. It made sense that someone with a Quirk like this made an effective private detective. What remained mysterious was the secrecy surrounding his reputation. Ochaco had never heard of him before, in all her two years at the U.A. It was in her exhausting search for leads on Deku's disappearance that she had discovered Jin Okami.

"If you have a Quirk like that, then you definitely need to help me find Deku!" Ochaco was so desperate for some progress in her search. Just meeting someone with a power that could help with this case got her emotional. It felt like she now had a special tool for the job.

"Far be it for me to devalue myself," Jin explained, "But I can see that you're overrating my prowess. This power is useful, but the only way I'll be able to make any use of it is to find very specific clues. I must narrow my search so that a trail emerges, one with the kind of clues I require. Izuku Midoriya was one of the brightest students in the history of the U.A. The Association and the police agencies spent several months searching with all their resources, yet they found nothing. Do you realize how much work that entails? A hell of a lot."

Jin returned to his notepad. As he wrote on the page, it felt as though he was amped up, even though he hid it well. Perhaps he was warming up to the idea of the case after all.

Even so, Ochaco felt the need to fight for it. "I'm not going to stop searching for Deku until I find him. Maybe I won't like what I find, but I know for a fact I won't be able to live with myself if I just give up and let it all go. I have to try, with all my resources. That's what Deku would have done for me if I ever went missing."

"You sound smitten," Jin said, taking a pause in writing notes. "Not good for what lies ahead."

Upon hearing that, Ochaco's eyes widened. "So… you'll do it?"

As if he was already regretting it, Jin sighed noticeably loud. "I suppose I will."