"Don't let me go."
"Don't worry, I won't ever let you go. I promise."
Ikari's scar is the first thing that people notice. And it drives them away, since it is the symbol of her father, one of the most feared villains of all time... before he died.
...
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**warning: violence
POV— Todoroki Shoto
Sweet Dreams
Don't let me go.
Love you, Sho-yo.
I want her to say that to me again.
But for her to actually say it, not write it,
and say it write to my face
so I can say I love you back.
Don't let me go.
Every second of the day, Ikari is there.
On the way to the hospital, the flowers in the cracks of the pavement reminded me of how she thought that even the littlest things were beautiful.
When I walked past a convenience store, I caught a glimpse of a green tea advertisement— the same one that she had always given me. I could almost hear her, right behind me, cracking a new bottle open and handing it to me. When a soft ray of sunshine shone down on me, I imagined what it'd sound like— but all I could hear was her laugh.
Each time when a memory resurfaced, I was bombarded with the painful truth.
She's not here.
Don't let me go.
When I get the hospital lobby, many of my classmates have already gathered. We'd all agreed over text that we would visit Midoriya today. As I head in, hit by a fresh wave of air conditioning, I find no reason to talk to them. There isn't a point, anyways— I'd just be wasting time. Instead, I recite the exact coordinates the tracker had displayed before I gave it over to the police.
Camino Ward in Yokohama City, in the Kanegawa Prefecture. Camino Ward in Yokohama City...
I had checked with the police this afternoon again, probably for the fortieth time, about Ikari's location. They gave me the same answer again and again: they had cemented the location and plan to go there soon.
Those words didn't help.
I don't notice Kirishima calling my name until he approaches me.
"Todoroki," he says again, slightly concerned at my lack of response. I turn to him, irritated. He doesn't seem to notice my annoyance, pausing for words. A stubborn, determined expression plasters his face. He's been unnaturally headstrong these past few days, even more than normal. I suspect that it has something to do with Bakugou's kidnapping.
In normal circumstances, I wouldn't have empathized with him. The very concept of emotion still confuses me sometimes, but now I can understand it effortlessly. Kirishima must feel as guilty as I do. My face stays neutral as I nod back.
