Chapter 5: Token
The setting sun delivered a blanket of darkness. The evening that Jin Okami learned a valuable lesson: It is best to accept the inevitable facets of life, rather than defy them. That defiance can only make the process more painful. And yet, the result would always be the same.
The surest thing in life was that death would come to all of those who lived.
Three more months passed. Not a single day contributed anything to the case.
Summer break from U.A. High had just commenced, but Ochaco wasn't feeling festive. There was little reason to celebrate anything for her. Although now she wasn't arousing suspicion from her classmates for being absent constantly to work with Jin Okami, she was still lacking in enthusiasm. It became a daily struggle for her to put on her best game face, to conceal her true feelings deep down. After all, they were still training to become professional heroes. No matter what was going on with their personal lives, they needed to showcase images of strength.
On the plus side, she had excelled in her classes, as well as her work-study programs. The improvements in her Quirk usage were obvious, and she was more confident in combat situations. That was going to be useful for her going forward, since she was graduating in just two more terms.
Despite her progress, Ochaco didn't take up any summer internships. She only pretended that she did, to make her classmates think that she was preoccupied. In truth, she'd been waiting for her chance to have more free time to help with the search for Deku. Whether or not there had been any results, she still wanted to be more available. Her previous attitude had been to keep her classmates uninvolved in this search since it was so taxing on her. Even now, she maintained that stance. It was possible this could drag Ochaco down so deep into the pit that she would never be able to climb back out. No one else deserved to go down with her.
The past few months had been quiet. The Wolf resumed his research, which was tedious and time-consuming. He was always quick to respond to his messages, no matter the time of day, much to Ochaco's relief. Even while he took on additional cases, Jin was still putting in the appropriate time for Deku's search. It seemed impossible, but Jin Okami made things work.
The time had just reached twelve in the afternoon. With the sun at the peak of its rise, Ochaco wiped a few drops of sweat from her forehead. She was walking down the street in Shibuya, surrounded by a large crowd of pedestrians. This place was always packed. Her destination was close, but first she had to swim through the sea of people. With the temperature in the high nineties, it was no easy feat.
Eventually, Ochaco made it through, then found the cybercafé she was looking for. To her surprise, Jin Okami was standing by the front door, dressed in a light red track suit and wearing a white baseball cap. As usual, he looked inconspicuous, a talent he put to good use.
"It's been a while," Ochaco said in a low voice once she got in range.
"Everything takes time," he replied, opening the door, and then holding it for her. "It would be ideal if we commenced right away."
They both went inside, quickly getting situated at a table in the back. As usual, Jin had his trusty tablet with him. In addition, he had a briefcase with papers, probably with information on other cases besides Deku's.
Once she took a seat, Ochaco set her sunglasses down on the table. "Please tell me you found out something new." She unzipped her backpack and brought out some books. "I've been studying up on the history of U.A. If there are any connections related to it, I might be able to tie them together."
Jin tilted his head to the side. "Interesting. Well, I suppose it's ideal that you freshened up on your research to save me some time. Unfortunately, I have little to offer you right now."
"Seriously?" She brought her hands down hard on the tabletop. "How could you have found nothing after all this time?"
Despite the reaction, Jin remained composed. "I did not say 'nothing.' I told you I have 'little' to offer you."
"What then?" Ochaco lifted her hands up again and ran them through her brown hair. A few seconds to simmer down were enough, and she quieted down after that.
Jin squinted with intrigue but made no comments on her moodiness. "I told you months ago that Neito Monoma was seeing a doctor off campus. Do you recall that?"
"Yes."
"Well then… I believe this is a significant detail in his schedule."
"Okay, that's something." Ochaco leaned forward, acting slightly paranoid. "So, what does it mean then? What do you think?"
"My thoughts mean very little. Unfortunately, I am subjectively hoping that his doctor visits will constitute the revelation of a new lead. However, objectively, it could mean nothing significant."
Even so, Ochaco grew excited. "I know you like to stick to the facts. But if there's something mysterious going on with Neito Monoma, we should investigate."
"Ideally, yes." Jin brought his canister to his lips and took a long sip of his beverage. "The issue is that each interaction we risk with Monoma could potentially lose us our trail."
"How so?" She struggled to keep up with Jin's apparent comprehension of the big picture, but she was determined to figure out how to improve on that.
"Theoretically, whoever is responsible for Midoriya's disappearance will wish to remain unknown. As it stands now, our potential culprit likely feels that he or she has pulled off their crime. But if we reveal that we are seeking Midoriya, then the person responsible could disappear for good. I would like to ensure that any move we make is done quite firmly."
It was no easy feat configuring all of that, and Ochaco was overwhelmed just from the brief summary of the theory. "Right, well… we still need to make attempts to find out more."
"We do," he acknowledged. "I merely needed to explore all our possible routes first, in case any better alternates existed. Now I have reached the conclusion that these mysterious doctor visits constitute the best route." With that said, Jin motioned for Ochaco to move in closer to view the screen on his tablet. There were pictures of a cabin, surrounded by trees and shrubs in a grassy meadow. "I believe our location is here," he said.
"Where is this, though?" Ochaco scrolled down, as if a map would be on file. But the cabin didn't even have a name or address posted anywhere.
"It is a secret location," he replied.
"Then how did you find it?"
Another rare case where the Wolf produced a grin. "I have already traveled there."
"So, it's real? Why didn't you tell me that you already went?" She was getting tired of being left in the dark on his progress. Considering how much the whole thing was taking a toll on her over the months, every element contributed to her stress levels.
"I am only reporting progress to you if it is worth reporting." Jin put the tablet in sleep mode and looked into her eyes. "All I've done so far is pay it a quick visit, just to locate the place. Next, I intend to go there and find out more information. That trip is going to be pivotal."
Ochaco sensed what was coming next. "I'm going, too," she quickly announced.
"That was my intention," he confessed, although he sounded reluctant, nonetheless. "There is someone operating things there. Whoever it is will have answers, whether he or she is aware or not. However, we must first confirm that Monoma has been there. So far, I haven't found a vision with him involved."
That wasn't going to stop Ochaco from seizing the opening. "We can find visions there. I'll be there to help. This time, I'll buy you much more time."
Suddenly, Jin placed his hand on Ochaco's shoulder, still looking into her eyes. There was an ominous vibe from his mannerisms. "There is a chance that this place is dangerous. I'm warning you now, and you must not forget that."
His words were forbidding, but Ochaco nodded anyway. "I'll be careful."
With that, Jin gathered the papers and began putting them back inside the briefcase. "We should go there right now. It's in Karuizawa, so quite a way from here."
They both took off from the café, making their way to the train station. The trip was a quiet one, and Ochaco often found herself restless. Her emotions remained on the fritz, and it was hard to refrain from trying to have conversations with Jin Okami. He seemed content on zoning out, although he was often on his tablet, reviewing details on other cases.
She couldn't help but wonder about Jin Okami. He'd been dedicated to her case since the day she walked into his office, but there were essentially no results. It was hard to believe how little they learned, even after digging up so much. Still, it was telling that the Wolf had put himself through so much difficulty to run his Quirk countless times for clues. The strain it put on his body was growing more prevalent. She started to theorize that he kept his hands in his pockets because they were constantly shaking, as if he had trouble sitting still. Despite how composed Jin always was, he seemed to carry his stress on the inside. Not to mention, he was always downing pills, drinking coffee, and eating light snacks. It was accurate to say all his actions were designed to support his career.
What did Ochaco's actions say about her own life? She was supposed to be on the path to becoming a professional superhero, one that would make the world a better place. Her parents had supported her dream, and she had long intended on returning the favor by making their lives easier once she accomplished big things.
Instead of doing any of that, Ochaco was on this detour, trying to find Izuku Midoriya. Even so, it wasn't simply a detour to her. Ochaco knew she had to do this, and it wasn't wrong in her eyes at all. That made her rethink her passion and going through this indecision was painful. She couldn't even ask any other heroes about it without revealing the truth, making it even worse.
Her judgment was all she had. She had to believe in what she was doing, even when she doubted it. Above all else, she had to keep her faith.
At some point, Jin broke the silence between the two of them. "Have you ever heard the expression wearing your heart on your sleeve?"
It wasn't a phrase she was familiar with, so she shook her head.
"Medieval knights wore tokens from their loved ones on their sleeves. Therefore, to wear your heart on your sleeve is said to be making your emotions visible, rather than hiding them."
The entire concept was intriguing. Ochaco tried to picture what it would have been like, but it felt like another world completely from this one.
"My theory is that you have always worn your heart on your sleeve," Jin explained. "You are not accustomed to hiding your feelings. That would explain why you are suffering."
"What makes you think that I'm suffering?" she asked.
"Your heart is invested in this person. You are that which is subjective in your search. That is why I am reluctant to share every detail I discover. A person as young as you shouldn't suffer so immensely."
"It doesn't matter if I'm suffering. I need to know everything you learn. That's the job."
Jin sighed loudly, then leaned back against the seat. "As you wish."
"What's the plan when we get there? We should discuss it ahead of time." Ochaco wanted to concentrate on what needed to be done. It would distract her from the burden.
"This is my strategy: You will enter the property and request to meet the owner. You will explain that Neito Monoma recommended the doctor to you, and that is why you're there. You are suffering from the strain of your hero studies and Quirk over-usage. Even if our doctor explains that he's not involved in that kind of work, I'm sure he'll provide some valuable information."
"Okay, I can do that. What about you?"
The train ride grew bumpy as it slowed down for the next stop, but Jin paid it no mind. "I will get to work with my visualizations. For the time being, it will be best if my presence goes unnoticed."
"Maybe you can use binoculars or something," Ochaco suggested. "Scope the place out from a distance."
"Unfortunately, I cannot use my Quirk without seeing directly through my own eyes," he explained. "No telescopes, cameras, or binoculars. My eyes only, or it won't work."
That was something of a drawback, but all Quirks had them, and Ochaco wasn't going to let is discourage them. "All right. I'll go meet with the person in charge while you get visions."
"Make sure you are cautious at all times," he warned her ominously. "If this place is part of criminal activity, there's no telling what kind of threats will be inside. I'm no superhero, I cannot provide any aid to you in that field."
"Right," she acknowledged. "I'll keep that in mind."
Once most of the passengers disembarked, Jin rose and motioned to the doors. "This is our stop. Time to disembark."
Before leaving, Ochaco thought back to the story of the knights with their tokens. She reached into her bag and located the pin of the sun that Deku had given her, and she put it on her shirt above her heart. It was enough to bring a tiny smile to her face, for a few moments at least, before she followed Jin off the train.
