Hey, quick note here. I usually post two chapters at a time. I notice some people may accidentally miss a chapter and read the most recent one.

Just saying, you might miss something important if you're not careful. That's all I have to say. Enjoy!


Fears and Confrontations

The next day of school came around. Unfortunately for Makoto, arriving at the middle of the semester, meant he had some notes to catch up on. And it was definitely not fun.

Classes were pretty mundane. They weren't teaching anything too interesting. And today wasn't either. At least that was until lunch period arrived.


The same nice group of students called him to join their table. Makoto was just about to do so, before a voice interrupted him,

"Umm. Excuse me."

He turned around to see a plain-looking boy, much like himself, but with green hair and freckles.

"Yes?" Makoto asked, wondering what may be asked of him.

"I was wondering If I could ask you about your quirk... I know that sounds a little weird but I like to study quirks around me and..."

"What do you mean?" He asked the timid boy.

"I think your quirk is really interesting! And I'd like to talk to you about it, maybe even give some tips on using it. I mean- I'm not a profesional or anything, but I like to think I'm pretty good at quirk analysis. You don't have too though..."

Ask about his quirk? This isn't good. This is exactly what he hoped wouldn't happen. How's he going to lie his way out of this one? After all, he doesn't have a quirk-

"Ugh. It's that quirkless brat." The guy behind Makoto said loudly. He turned to him, confused on what was said.

In the corner of his eye, he saw the green haired boy's head lower in shame.

"What did you say?" Makoto asked his friend.

"Makoto, trust me. You're better off not hanging out with this guy. Heck, you shouldn't even be seen with him."

"Yeah! It's a bad idea." A second person from the table agreed.

"Why?" He asked. The green haired boy doesn't seem all that bad. Was the timid boy some delinquent or infamous troublemaker?

"Isn't it obvious? The guy's quirkless, that's why." He stated. As if that alone was evidence enough to keep distance.

The table proceeded to laugh, like the word itself was some joke. If only they could hear what Makoto was thinking right now.

How could they say something like that? How dare they say something like that. They were deliberately insulting the poor boy right in his face.

He looked back to see the quirkless green haired boy shrink, his face seemed close to tears. Speechless, he watched as the green haired boy walk away dejectedly.

"Yeah go on, scram!" The jerk chuckled.

"Man, what a waste of space am I right?" Said a girl from the table

"Yeah, why do quirkless people even exist? All they do is drag us down."

Their hateful comments continued, an unknown feeling rising in Makoto's chest.

"Hey Makoto, come on and sit with us already. You don't have to worry about that useless freak bothering you again, that's for sure."

But Makoto stayed silent. With his back facing them, they couldn't see his face twist in anger.

A memory was starting to resurface.

..."Useless"...

The word echoes in his mind...


Makoto was sat across a table of four girls during lunchtime, laughing to themselves. They couldn't recognize him with his back facing them.

Unfortunately, this was a conversation he wish he had never overheard.

"Ahaha! Did you just say you have a crush on that Makoto guy?" Said one girl with brown hair.

"Him? Ew. We definitely need to work on your taste, girl." Another joked.

As he heard this, he immediately froze. Everything around him seemed to stop.

"Yeah, there's soooo many cute guys out there. Why'd you have to like the incredibly boring one?"

"I know right? I mean does that guy even have hobbies? Does he like anything at all? Heck, does he even have personality? He's just so...painfully plain."

The laughter echoed.

"There's no way he has a chance with any girl. She'd fall asleep in the first date!"

The group of girls laughed even harder.

Each second that it lasted stung like a painful needle burying deep in his skin.

He felt sick. He wanted to just get up and run away. But he couldn't show his face. He didn't want them to know that he had overheard.

He looks down at his plate. He watched as his favorite dish that was prepared with love and care by his mother, slowly getting salted from his tears.

He came home with his lunch left untouched.

...

There's nothing special about him, he knows that.

He's plain.

He's boring.

He can't do anything exceptional.

He was useless.

And there was nothing in this world he could offer to anyone.

Nothing.


How could these people be like this? Is there no one around to help?

He felt someone grab his arm and pull him to his seat.

"Cheer up dude, why do seem so down? You okay there buddy?"

He stayed silent, looking at the table surface. This feeling, whatever it was...was rising... and rising.

"Whoa dude. He looks pissed."

"Did you make him mad or something?"

"HEY, CAN YOU HEAR US-"

SLAM

All his 'friends' that sat on that table flinched under the sound of Makoto slamming his palms hard on the table. The cutlery clanged, and everyone on that table, as well as others who heard, were dead silent.

Unknown to Makoto, the green haired boy watched the scene unfold in shock.

"..."

"Is this funny to you?" He said, looking to no one in particular.

"W-what?"

Makoto turned to face the poor soul that responded.

"I said, is this funny to you?" There was an unexplainable fire in his eyes, and the flames only grew after each word.

"Hey, you don't have to be so pissed off. What'd we even do?" a boy from the table placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down, but Makoto smacked the hand off of him in the blink of an eye.

"What did you do? What did you do?"

He felt strange, there was no reason to act this way. But at the same time, maybe there is.

"How dare you say such terrible things. How dare you insult that boy right in his face! You are all cowards! ALL OF YOU!"

What is he saying? Why is he so angry? He barely knew this kid, why is he trying so hard to defend him?

The table remained silent.

"I bet you never even wanted to be truly friends with me, huh?" He laughed, yet it was a frightening, bone chilling laugh. "How could I be so dumb!" He said as he brushed his fingers through his hair.

"You only hung out with me, because of my quirk, isn't that right?! I bet you wouldn't even care to talk to me had you not known I even had one!"

All their faces were full of shock and they were frozen in place. He could hear the other students around them whispering and murmuring to each other.

"And then you go around insulting kids who are quirkless! You think he wanted that? Do you think he asked for that?! Huh?! DO YOU?!"

Why can't he stop?!

Stop!

Just stop!

Stop making a scene!

"You all are the true freaks! Stomping down on anyone you deem insignificant."

He kicked the table, not enough to knock it over, but enough to clatter its contents and stun them into complete, utter silence.

"Talk to me when you finally find your fucking humanity.

And with that, he left his table and multiple other tables of students quiet, as they watched him exit the cafeteria.

The boy with green hair could only watch as Makoto, the first person to ever stand up for him, walk away.

He could swear he saw the faintest hint of a tear on his face.


Written: 8/28/2021

Edited: 9/01/2021

Published: 9/01/2021

As of right now, I seem to be posting two chapters every three days. Aren't I a generous one?

But jokes aside, there's no guarantee that updates will be this abundant in the future. So don't freak out if that happens, alright?

But for now just sit back and relax. Let's see how far we can take this story.