Shounen
"Thanks for coming so promptly."
The 14-year-old knew he shouldn't be here. Hell, he shouldn't have left the apartment! And yet, here he was; in some dimly lit bar, speaking to a man in shades wearing a feather boa as he finished up a cigarette.
"The text didn't really give me much of a choice." The boy said before sipping on his coke.
"Well, like we promised in said text, this shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Then we'll take you right back home, no one will even know you ever left."
"I take it I'll be blindfolded again?" The boy asked, helping himself to a few peanuts at the table.
"Of course. Safety first. What we're doing isn't exactly legal and the less you know about where we did business, the better." The man said, putting on his smoke and going for another, but he didn't light it.
"You are quite an interesting kid, Izuku Midoriya." He smirked, pulling out a newspaper that read:
'BOY MISSING FOR 10 YEARS FOUND!
"You were kidnapped from Pre-School days after your 4th birthday." The man regaled. "People looked high and low for a week, your parents for five years. But eventually, you became a cold case. Your dad literally worked himself to death searching for you, pleading with, and even trying to bribe any hero who'd listen…"
Dad. AKA Hisashi Midoriya.
Izuku had a name to remember him by, but no face. He'd only had his mother for the longest time…and yet, to hear all this: Know his father went to such extremes trying to find him? They may never have met, but Izuku loved his father dearly.
He downed his coke, wanting to forget all that.
"What this news story DOESN'T mention? Is that when you woke up on that roof of your preschool, you had a cellphone on you. And on that phone there's a bank account only you can access…and it has more money than you could ever spend in ten lifetimes."
The boy tensed, how did this man…?!
"And! That for those ten years? You were locked in a room with no view. You had books, a TV and a small bathroom. All your food came from delivery. Oh! And on the matter of books!"
The man reached under the table and produced a pre-open box. Izuku peered open and his eyes widened:
Inside were notebooks titled 'Analysis for the Future'. All covered in doodles and notes about heroes, news reports…
Izuku fought back tears as memories flooded in. These notebooks were his one escape; his joy! And everytime he filled one up, it would be taken away and replaced whole he slept.
"A gift for you to take, regardless of what happens." The broker said, a sad smile on his face. He then lit his smoke and took a drag. "Now, onto the main reason we're here."
Izuku cleared his eyes of tears, although he wasn't sure if it was from emotion or the smoke. A new coke was dropped in front of him as the man began to speak.
"I represent someone who…knows what and why you went through what you did. However, as you can guess, they are not exactly a law-abiding citizen. But they are a hater of society and were moved by your story. Matter of fact, they're the ones who gave you that phone and fortune. And….they'd like to play a game with you."
A phrase that usually would sound innocent, but now dripped with evil. Izuku took a big sip of his coke as the man reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope, which he placed on the table.
"There's a list of names in here. And every one of those names belongs to someone who had a role to play in what happened to you. Some more than others, some unknowingly. Some for good reasons, some with bad. But! I'll tell you this much…"
He waited until he knew he had the boy's attention.
"The mastermind behind what happened to you died two years into your disappearance. Someone else picked up the bill and kept you there. And for full disclosure, my employer's name is also on there."
A rare bout of anger filled Izuku, but he managed to keep calm.
"The game is like so: Find out what happened to you by any means necessary. There is NO time limit for you to do so. After all, my boss thinks 'timed games' are no fun. And besides, you're still figuring out how the world works! If you were stressed worrying about time? You'd be a poor player. Heh. And my boss will not have any of that. They're darn shamed he didn't get you out sooner, with your skills, you'd be a great use to any agency or gang."
The man then took a drag on his smoke.
"BUT! If you go to the cops or any Pro hero about this meeting or the game? Mommy dearest, uncle and auntie never come home and you'll be all alone again."
Fear filled Izuku's form.
"You'll have dispensation if cops and or Pros involve themselves in your affairs." The man then added. "But everything else has to come from you."
Izuku finished his drink.
"And…if I refuse?"
The man smirked.
"You won't."
SHOUNEN
Now back at home, waiting for his mother to return from work, Izuku stared at the envelope.
Ten years of life stolen. Ten years he'd never get back., Years that cost him his education, his change at making friends, his father's life…!
But he still had his mother. Aunt Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru…
But why? What had he done? He was only four years old when they snatched him!
Who had the resources to keep him hidden?
Wait.
Was Izuku the only one?
What if he wasn't?
…
There could be someone who had the power to just make disappear….and ghe was being offered the chance to find this person.
He'd sleep better knowing…and this would ensure his family would be safe.
Finally, the temptation grew too much, and the boy rupped open the envelope. The names instantly began falling out.
Chisaki
Kizuki
Shimura
Yagi
Aoyama
Uraraka
Kishi
Aizawa
Shigaraki
Yotsubashi
Kayama
Wagnei
Nakai
Hanabata
Tsutsumi
Just then the door clicked open. Izuku hurriedly stuffed the names back into the envelope top envelop his mother into a hug and then help her take the groceries and cook dinner.
He'd start his search in the morning.
To be continued..
This is a plot bunny which has been on my mind for the past two years and considering how the last few have become successful, I decided to try it out.
The basic premise is basically 'Oldboy' in the world of My Hero Academia. I'm sure many are more familiar with the Korean epic than the manga where I'll be drawing most inspiration from (we don't talk about the Spike Lee remake) so I hope that gets you attention.
This story is also my first attempt at a mystery, as well. I hope that the names Izuku got make you readers curious as to what I have in mind….