Run!

Chapter Four

~ Present Time ~

"I can't believe we start our last year of UA tomorrow," Kirishima said. "It's crazy to think that we'll be pro heroes so soon." Kaminari nodded his head in agreement to his red-head friend's statement and began to reminisce over the thought.

"Yeah, well, is your dorm situated yet?" Katsuki asked with a sense of boredom in his tone. "We'll be staying in them after tomorrow." The blonde was currently sat in a bean bag on Kirishima's bedroom floor.

"I'm all set," Kirishima said proudly. "Kaminari and I finished unpacking yesterday."

The three boys continued to chat for the next few hours before a broadcast on the TV caught their attention.

"It has come to our attention that the League of Villains has come into contact with some of our pro heroes. Yesterday at noon, Pro Hero Best Jeanist was cornered off the west coast of Musutafu, Japan." The news reported stated. "This is their first appearance since the year before last. Staff at UA High are doing their best to protect their students, even installing facial recognition and a key pad at the entrance of the school."

"How come they're popping up now," Kirishima quizzed. "It's been two whole years." Kaminari seemed to be wondering the same thing, because his head nodded in agreement.

Katsuki was quiet. His hands were forming tight fists and his face showed a sign of anger. "You okay?" Kirishima asked. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"I'm going to go home." Katsuki said sternly. With this, he left. Maybe it wasn't his best idea to leave Kirishima's side. After all, he had been there for him throughout every roller coaster he experienced through the past few years. Katsuki was Katsuki though, so who was he to make the right choice?

"You're home early," Mitsuki stated. "Something wrong?" Katsuki simply grunted and continued to his room.

When he entered his room, he noticed that a drawer at his desk was open and it hadn't been when he left. "Did you go through my stuff?" He said down the hall, only receiving a short 'no' for an answer.

"Fucking hell," he breathed out. He walked towards the drawer and began to rummage through it. On first glance everything seemed to be in the drawer that had been in there previously, but looking closer Katsuki noticed that a crumbled piece of paper he had was gone. "What the hell?"

He searched frantically for the small note and couldn't find it anywhere. It had contained his dorm room number and the password to the building. Quickly, he texted Kirishima for the password. Within seconds he received an answer.

He felt a bit of relief that he was still able to get into the building, but he couldn't rest easy thinking about where he must have put the note.

Katsuki checked through the drawer one last time before giving up and sitting down, but he caught a glimpse of an old photo he had hidden away years ago. Pulling the small picture from the crevice of the desk, he remembered a face he had come so close to forgetting.

"Deku," he said softly, grazing his finger over the boy's face in the photo. It was a picture of the two sitting in a sandbox with a large castle between them. They had looked so happy at the time.

"Do you want something to eat?" Mitsuki's voice rang. Katsuki was startled from his thoughts when he realized his mother was in the room.

"Oh," Katsuki said, "No, I'm fine."

Mitsuki smiled sadly when she noticed the picture in her son's hands. "I know it's hard to believe, but he's still out there, Katsuki." She said softly.

She was right; it was hard for Katsuki to believe. He spent so long telling himself that Izuku was gone for good, and now he almost wanted to believe otherwise.

"Let's go visit Inko," Mitsuki suggested. "I believe it will ease your nerves a bit." Katsuki nodded his head, feeling his chest begin to tighten. Tears dared to escape from his eyes, but he convinced himself he was too strong to cry.

"Can we get her some flowers?" Katsuki asked softly. Mitsuki agreed hesitantly.

It had been over a year since they had last went to visit Inko together, so it was a lot for Katsuki to take in.

Mitsuki and her son silently approached the large gravestone that stood under the cherry blossom in the middle of the grave yard. It was a beautiful sight, but it was also filled with some terrible memories.

Katsuki placed the large bouquet of purple flowers on the grave sight and stepped back to admire its appearance. "She would have loved to see the man you've become, Katsuki," Mitsuki said gently. "She loved you like you were her own son."

"I miss her too, mom," Katsuki said, noticing the tears falling from his mother's face. "But you can't blame yourself for what happened. She was sick and deserved to rest." He wrapped an arm around Mitsuki's shoulders and squeezed assuringly.

After Izuku had disappeared, Inko grew sick. Her son hadn't been around to notice how ill she was, so she didn't get help when she needed to. Inko had only mentioned how bad she was feeling once to Mitsuki, so she wasn't able to help much. Inko passed shortly after.