𝕮𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖉 𝕺𝖋 𝕱𝖎𝖗𝖊

• 49 • Family Stays Forever

In the end, it was all just a dream.

Enji woke up from that horrifying nightmare with a gasp and breathed heavily.

'What the hell?' He thought while looking around, only to find himself on a couch. He was sweating badly as he runs a hand through his hair.

Waking up inside a dream is one of the worst feeling.

His eyes looked up and met his precious riceball, who silently sat on the edge of her hospital bed. She half-heartedly eats her breakfast with a lifeless stare. Causing Enji to heave a deep sigh before getting up to eat his packed breakfast too. The father had been growing more and more worried as each day passes.

In the past week, after the news of the Amaterasu Cave exploding into the skies at night, heroes did not wait around to investigate. There, in the midst of the underground city of dust was the unconscious body of Hero Endeavors' child.

Just 'child', because they only found one.

When he found her, the heroes made way for him to pick up his child. He fell to his knees and carried her off of the ground. Her heartbeat was faint, but she was thankfully saved on time before it disappeared.

What was even more horrific is that there were no other bodies except for her...

Then she woke up in the hospital the next day. And only spoke when there were the two of her and her father, to speak about everything that happened.

"...  I don't think I'll be able to live again..." Homusubi blurted out in a quiet and raspy tone. It was a first time in a while that she spoke. She only speaks with her father and no one else.

His body froze, a bit confused of her statement but he knew what she was saying, "... T-That's fine."

"Is it...?"

Setting down his pack of breakfast, he eyes her genuinely despite her remaining to hold her head down, "... I think it's best... if you should ask that to yourself..."

"... Well I said: It's not okay. That everything will never be."

"It's not like that--"

"IT IS!" She snapped at him, "I KILLED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE! And... I killed your son!!!" He couldn't count how many tears she has shed this week, "... Burning them to ashes and leaving nothing of their traces. And what's even worse is that I can never even take it back..." Her heart ached in agony...

Touya was a part of her. That's enough to express how much she's going through. Take a moment to think about it.

As much as Enji did not want to believe that Homusubi would do that, he knew that she won't lie either. Not only it is her who is mourning, but the rest of the entire Todoroki family too. But no matter what she says to him, he changes it when he tells others about it: She says she killed Touya, Enji says the enemy killed him instead.

It was for the best, the kid already felt guilty. He couldn't bear to imagine the burden she would carry. Or the guilt of the people that could trap her in. Even with the serious situation, Homusubi remains to be his Homusubi.

"Look at the positive side, you saved the world before the worst scenario comes.

To save many... some sacrifices are needed. And it's not a small price, Homusubi..."

Homusubi shuddered while covering herself in her blanket to protect her from the aircon. She could just heat herself, but she didn't want to use the fire that killed people. A curse. That's what the girl thinks of it.