Keigo enters the executive office after a couple of knocks. He sees the President talking on the phone for a moment before she hangs up.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Keigo walks over.
"Have you come to negotiate more on Akira's behalf?" the President keeps her gaze at her computer.
"Wow, how'd you guess?" Keigo is a bit sarcastic.
"Make it quick. I don't have a lot of time."
"You've approved Akira as a public pro hero. Let's take it a step further - let her join my agency."
"Akira is too valuable of an asset to let her go."
"An asset, huh… You do know that she's an adult now…She can make her own choices."
"She belongs to the Commission."
"She'll wanna leave the Commission sooner or later."
"You're an adult yet you stay with the Commission. Why haven't you left?" she retorts.
"I've got a goal in mind and I'm using the Commission to achieve it."
"Hn," the President scoffs with a slight smirk.
Keigo stares at the President as she gazes back at him sternly.
"I'll allow Akira to join your agency," she finally says. "Don't think she's a permanent member. You'll both continue to fulfill tasks under the Commission as needed."
"Fine by me," Keigo shrugs. "I guarantee she'll be better within a year."
"Let's hope for her sake," the President scowls.
Keigo wonders for a moment at her comment.
"So in the chance that she doesn't get better…" Keigo brings up. "What'll happen then?"
"She barely has control over her quirk," the President explains. "She needs to show progress. If she doesn't, she'll remain with the Commission and will undergo our training methods."
"You mean the training methods that have caused her more harm than good?"
"What are you talking about?" she's annoyed. "The only reason she has this much control of her quirk now is because of the Commission."
"But at what cost?"
The President continues to stare sternly at Keigo.
"Why are you so harsh to her?" Keigo blatantly asks.
"You came to seek approval for her to join your agency," the President says. "You got it. You're dismissed."
Keigo watches her for a moment before looking down in disappointment.
"Whatever reason you have to treat Akira so harshly," Keigo remarks. "I'm sure it doesn't justify what she's been through…She doesn't deserve such torment."
Keigo turns and exits the office, closing the door after him as he stands there for a moment in thought.
I'm sitting in my room at my desk, staring down at my new cell phone. My eyes stay glued on it as I remain silent.
"Uh, Akira…" Keigo's voice comes from the doorway. "What're you doing?"
"Waiting for a call or message," I keep my gaze at my phone.
"Why?"
"That's how people will communicate with me, right?"
"Oh…I forgot this is your first personal phone…"
I keep my gaze at my phone as I sit up straight on my chair. Keigo walks over to my phone and picks it up.
"You've only got two contacts," Keigo says. "The Commission and myself."
"Is that a lot?" I ask.
"Not really…"
"I like to see it ring."
Keigo places my phone back on the desk, and I continue to sit and wait while he walks behind me. Suddenly, my phone lights up and vibrates with a tune. My face lights up a bit as I eagerly answer.
"Hello," I say.
"Hi there," Keigo says.
"Hm?" I turn back to Keigo with a raised brow.
"It's me," Keigo lightly chuckles.
I lightly laugh with him after hanging up.
"You know you can set a photo for your contacts," Keigo says. "That way you have a picture of whoever is calling you."
Keigo holds his hand out for my phone, and I give it to him.
"Let's take a selfie," Keigo holds my phone.
"Selfie?" I raise a brow.
"You hold the phone out in front of you like this," he holds it. "And you take a photo!"
Keigo leans closer to me on my right and smiles as the camera snaps a photo of us.
"See?" Keigo shows me the picture. "Your poker face doesn't fail."
"Is it ok?" I ask.
"It's a cute expression, so it'll do for my contact!"
Keigo continues to play with my phone. I stare up at him as I wonder what he's doing.
"I found a picture for the Commission contact," Keigo finally shows me.
I peer at the phone screen and see what appears to be an image of a funny looking monster.
"Fits them well," Keigo hands me my phone.
"Heh," I let out a chuckle as I look down at the photo.
"Before we head out on patrol, lemme take you to my agency!" Keigo waves as he heads for the doorway.
I give him an eager nod and head after him.
After flying for a bit, Keigo and I approach a building.
"There it is," he points. "Hawks' Agency."
I gaze at the top of a white building. The upper floors slope on one side to form a hypotenuse, and at the top, there are several satellite dishes. Keigo heads for an open balcony and lands with me after him. After entering, I see the interior is spacious with high ceilings. The office has basic furniture and equipment needed for an agency.
"Pretty neat, huh?" Keigo puts his hands on his hips.
"Your own agency at the age of 18," I'm in awe. "You're doing well, Keigo."
"Thanks! I've got one more thing to show ya. Gimme a sec."
Keigo walks off into a private office and closes the door. I gaze around the interior, studying the large flat screen television mounted on the wall. Nearby the television is a group of blue couches facing inward of each other. I take a seat on one of them as I continue to gaze around for a bit. After a while, I hear the office door open behind me.
"Check it out," Keigo says.
I turn and see Keigo walking over. He's wearing a black shirt with a wavy golden ripple-like pattern in the middle going up the collar to the middle of his neck. He has a tan jacket over it with a high collar, the inside and cuffs of the sleeves lined with white fur. He's wearing black gloves and boots.
"What do ya think?" Keigo holds his arms out with a slow spin. "My back muscles aren't broad enough, but it still looks good," he flexes his back. "I've still got the yellow visors and headphones," he holds them in both hands.
"And you've got piercings," I reach and grab his ear lobes.
"H-Hey…" he tenses up with his wings. "You've really got no sense of personal boundaries…" his face reddens.
"They're a nice red…" I'm oblivious as I continue to feel his piercings.
"Your favorite color…" Keigo lowers his gaze with a sweat drop.
"Hm? Are you hot?" I pull away. "Maybe it's the jacket."
"Maybe…" he keeps his eyes down while using the high collar of his jacket to hide his face.
Keigo quickly puts his headphones and visors on.
"Really fits you," I nod.
"Ahem, thanks," Keigo clears his throat as he rubs his neck.
"So who else is a member of your agency?" I glance around the empty office.
"They'll officially start tomorrow. I just wanted to show you first. Right now, I've only got a handful of pro heroes starting out."
"Too bad I can't join your agency."
"Actually…about that…" Keigo is excited.
"Hm?"
"I managed to convince the President to let you join."
"Huh?" I'm surprised.
"The President said it's not permanent. You'll still be completing missions under the Commission with me, but you're officially a member of Hawks' Agency."
I blink a few times, still surprised at this news.
"Welcome to the team!" Keigo holds a thumb up.
"Uh…" I mimic his thumb with a blank face.
"That's the spirit," he chuckles.
It's night time. Keigo tosses and turns in his bed, adjusting his wings to lay in a more comfortable position. He lays on his stomach as he flutters his wings out a bit before relaxing them. After a yawn, he closes his eyes to return back to sleep. He's suddenly alerted by one of his feathers.
"It's the feather in the balcony…" he mutters.
He glances at the clock on his night stand and sees it's 3:13am. He gets up and makes his way through his dark loft apartment toward the balcony. Glancing around, he doesn't see anything unusual, and his feathers don't pick up anything either. Through the glass windows, it's pouring outside, lightning flashing with booming thunder following shortly after. Keigo assembles his feathers into a blade as he slowly slides the glass balcony door open. The sound of the pouring rain is all he hears as he gazes around. Confused, he's about to head back inside until something catches his attention. In the far corner of the balcony to the left, he sees something poking out behind a tall plant. Keigo holds his feather blade ready and he steadily approaches, the cold rain pouring on him through his black tank top and gray joggers. Once he gets a clear view of what's sitting behind the plant, his eyes widen. I'm crouched with my arms hugging my knees in, my face buried down.
"Akira," Keigo says as he sees I'm soaked in rain.
There's a brief silence as I don't respond.
"I didn't mean to do it…" I mutter. "I didn't mean to kill those people…"
Keigo disarms his feather blade. I begin to rub my hands and arms with the cold rain.
"The blood won't wash away…" I frantically rub. "The blood…it won't wash off."
"There's no blood, Akira…" Kiego gently says. "Let's get you inside."
Keigo carefully carries me in his arms while shielding me from the rain with his wings. I continue to rub my hands and arms.
"The blood's everywhere…" I mutter. "It won't come off…" I wipe my face.
Keigo carries me into his apartment as his feather slides the balcony door closed behind him. More of his feathers bring a soft pad, blanket, and towels to the middle of the living area. Keigo gently sits me down on the pad, wrapping me up in a large towel with a blanket over it. He uses a smaller towel to start drying my hair while I continue to frantically rub at my hands, arms and face.
"I didn't mean to…" I mutter. "I didn't know…"
"What's goin on?" Keigo calmly asks. "What do you see?"
"It's raining…Enemy soldiers…they're shooting at me…I detonated myself…"
Keigo watches as I'm reliving a memory, a dazed look in my eyes.
"There's a hut nearby…" I continue. "Inside… I see a small family…laying under the rubble… They're not moving…I'm holding a child…his blood's all over me… Oh no, what have I done?" I frantically wipe my face.
There's lightning flashing and thunder booming which startles me.
"Enemy soldiers!" I ball my fists up as they flash gold.
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay," Keigo quickly sits behind me and embraces me. "They're not here."
Keigo holds me close, my back against his chest as he begins to rock me back and forth, his wings enveloping us. I hear echoes of gunfire and explosions.
"They're surrounding me!" I panic.
"They're not here…" Keigo calmly says. "You're in my apartment… Remember the loft…You're safe…Listen to my voice…Breathe with me…Feel my wings…"
Keigo guides my hands to his feathers. I begin to feel the softness of them, my breathing slowing down.
"That's it…" Keigo continues softly saying into my left ear. "Breathe…You're safe with me."
I gradually come to my senses and realize where I am, surprised at seeing Keigo's wings. The blood has disappeared from my hands and arms. I recall the family I had accidentally killed, a heavy feeling coming to me as I begin to tremble.
"I didn't mean to…" I begin to sob. "I killed a family…I didn't mean to…" I shake my head as I bury my face in my hands.
"It wasn't your fault," Keigo mutters. "You didn't know."
"I didn't mean to hurt those people, Keigo… I didn't mean to…"
"It's not your fault…" Keigo's voice trails off as he buries his face into the nape of my neck. "It's not your fault, Akira…"
Keigo continues to hold me tightly as he rocks me back and forth, also quietly crying with me.