"Suzu… Come with me. I need you by my side if I want to become #1 hero. I…fucking hate to admit it, but I'm still lacking something compared to that damn nerd Deku. And it doesn't help that I'm still trying to find my own definition of what a hero is. But I have what he doesn't have, and that's you. Let's become #1… together."

But as soon as their hero agency started to take off, Katsuki started to feel impatient with his growth. His strongest rivals and partners were off getting stronger themselves, yet he was never satisfied with his own results no matter how involved he got in his missions. And there wasn't anything I could do for him, or offer him.

10:05pm

There are some nights that make you teeter on the brink of emotional turmoil.

Tonight was one of those nights. Slowly opening your eyes, you curse your dream.

Such horrible timing.

As Suzu stared at her phone for the thousandth time today, the contents on her screen remained unchanged. Nothing.

Numb would be the only thing that could describe her feelings at this point. Ever since the pair celebrated their seventh year together as a couple, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. First, the fear. Then, the pushing away of hands. Lastly, confrontation and separation.

Bakugou Katsuki had stormed out a month ago from their shared apartment, carrying only a duffel bag with him. Suzu's roommate, Jirou, could only gape at the scene that had unfolded. His last words before leaving the apartment was "I could care less."

And boy, did that pummel her right in the gut.

A short vibration from her phone snapped Suzu back to reality. Hastily sitting up from her bed, the bright light of the screen illuminating her worn face. Dark circles and chapped lips, her face was completely robbed of any kind of life-like glow.

She inhaled sharply to see that it came from him. The man that Suzu was still so in love with, despite him being the very reason she…

"I don't care."

Welp. As if she thought your heart couldn't sink any further, she was in for a surprise. First text in weeks, with two simple words. After weeks of trying to get in contact with him, to no prevail, she had sent him one final message today. One last attempt to salvage something that was broken, without having to turn to her last resort.

A few minutes later, Suzu's phone vibrated again. Grabbing it, thinking it was a follow up text to his last, she peered at the sender.

From: All-Mighty Deku 💪💚📝

To: Hero Athena 🙏👼🌙

How are you holding up, Suzu-chan? I'm bringing you your favourite oranges from Florida! Vitamin C is the best for recovery :)

Sorry it's taken me so long to get sorted out over here in America… I would have been there two months ago when you first asked me to come back, but our undercover mission kept getting extended and just wrapped up. I'll be back to the Might Agency next week! Can't wait to catch up with everyone. I didn't think a year would be so long, but it sure was.

Shoto-kun should be back from Korea around the same time, I heard! He was so well-received there, as expected of him.

Let's go get soba, all four of us, like old times.

How are you and Kacchan? I haven't heard from him since summer… but I'm sure he's fine! He's got you after all.

Let me know what souvenirs you want from America and I'll bring them! See you soon 💪

Suzu silently smiled.

Sorry, Deku. He's not fine at all. And neither am I.

Despite the painful reminder that Deku and Shoto had no idea that things were not the same as last year, his text still gave her a huge wave of relief. His greatest rivals and partners that started the Might Agency together with him, were finally reuniting with him after a year of their international outreach. They're coming back. He won't be alone, anymore. Like always, he'll have his friends to butt heads with, share anxieties with, struggle for growth with. Things Suzu failed to offer him.

Thank God.

It was as if all signs were pointing to Suzu. It was her turn to make things right again.

Determined more than ever, Suzu walked to her closet and changed into a thick sweater and tights. It had already been weeks since her recovery, but gingerly changing her clothes had become a habit. She just couldn't erase the pain she had felt that day- the shock from the gaping hole in her abdomen and bloodied back had almost killed her.

The past couple months had mentally chipped her away, almost like a ticking time bomb on when Katsuki was going to leave her. And now that it's happened, Suzu really had nothing to lose. Or maybe she had everything to lose. It depends on how you saw it.

The only source of light guiding Suzu out her room door was the moonlight peeking through her curtains. Turning back, she gave one last glance at the room that used to hold evidence of their 7 year relationship. A photo wall that had hung years worth of photos, an empty nightstand that once showcased a photo of both of Katsuki and Suzu receiving their diplomas from U.A., and her bed, the bed they shared together on the good days and the bad days. There used to be a Ground Zero plushy linking hands with her own Athena plushy, resting on both their pillows. Now they're gone. Anything that can possibly trace back to him, was gone.

She left her room in numb silence. Although she was hoping to leave undetected, her roommate was already waiting for her in the hallway. A dark shadow concealing her face, Jirou stood in her way.

"Are you seriously going to go through with it?" Jirou asked, almost pleading with her eyes to not take such drastic measures. But she was confused herself, a part of her actually thought this may be best for Suzu too. If Suzu could finally forget everything, and go back to being herself, wouldn't that benefit her? And benefit society in general? The world needed their Mercy Hero back.

Suzu smiled softly, turning towards her best friend. She enveloped her in a hug, causing Jirou to tear up.

"Jirou… I'll be fine. Now I will be… You know more than anyone else that this is… this is all going to take me too long to recover from. I need this. I know I'm weak to resort to this but… I really don't know any other way." Suzu felt like crying, but nothing flowed out. She felt like screaming from frustration, but not a single cry could escape her throat.

"You're not weak. Don't you ever say that. You just… don't have the luxury to take your time like anyone else. Honestly, I wish you were normal. Then you wouldn't have to be rash like this, you could have just taken your time! Run away, move to another country, something!" Suzu could hear Jirou's voice crack out of desperation.

"Why do you have to carry so much." Jirou's words echoed, causing silence to consume the air around them.

Suzu cracked a sad smile. "Oh come on, Earphone Jack. We're heroes. We all do."