#1 - Life's Not Fair(Was It Ever?)

9 - Settling

Staring down at his mum's picture, everything just recently solidifying in his mind, her death just didn't seem real to Miyo at the time.

Her grave is pretty; there's a bouquet of flowers on it, from Calatheas, Gladioluses, and Snowdrops to Alyssums, Verbascums, and Hydrangeas; all of them were her favourites.

"Hey, Mum, it's me, Miyo, your 'little hero'. How have you been? I'm not so good, honestly; I feel like I'm intruding in Ari, Manami, and Hitoshi's home. I miss you. I want you back... I miss you so much that it physically hurts.

I, uh, sent my U.A. application for the entrance exam last month. I can't believe it's already been eleven months since you were taken from me... The hero that killed you "retired" two weeks after the accident, but apparently no one is able to locate him in any way...

I've still been doing my morning runs to the beach, and I've noticed that someone's been clearing it. The selfish side of me wants to scare them off so I can keep going there and hide from the world, but the other part of me thinks that it's about time someone cleaned that old place...

I've kept up silks and gymnastics; I needed something familiar to ground me, but I hate the pity-filled looks I get from the trainers and the other children... I just... want it all to... stop? Pause? I don't know anymore. I hate that the world keeps moving even though you're not here."

Miyo looks at his phone screen; it's 7am.

"I should go soon, or I might miss breakfast and the train to U.A. Wish me luck? I hope I make you proud... I love you."

Miyo turns and begins jogging back to Hitoshi's house. He gets there within twenty minutes and heads straight to the bathroom to shower. He gets dressed in black sweatpants, a green tank top, and his midnight blue Present Mic hoodie.

Ao hops onto Miyo's shoulder, and he heads down to the kitchen. Hitoshi is sitting at the table with a considerably large mug of coffee; his eye bags are so dark that you could probably see them from a mile away.

Ari is at the cooker making breakfast, and Manami is just entering the kitchen behind Miyo. He grabs an apple and bites into it before sitting down beside Hitoshi.

They bump shoulders as a hello, and the tired teen glances at Miyo from the corner of his eye before resuming gulping down the dangerously large mug of coffee.

Since Miyo moved in with Hitoshi and his mums, he and the other had become more brother-like to each other; it's pleasant. But Miyo still has moments when he feels out of place when all of them are together.

Manami ruffles the boys hair as she passes them before sitting down across from Hitoshi. Ari joins all of them at the table not even five minutes later with a large plate filled with pancakes, sausages, rashers, and puddings, both white and black.

They each grab what they want from the plate and start eating quietly. Miyo tried to steal a few pancakes from Hitoshi's plate; Miyo managed to grab one, but Hitoshi caught him and stuck his tongue out when Miyo tried again. Ari and Manami laughed softly at the two boys playfulness.

They all finished within ten minutes, and Hitoshi and Miyo wash and dry the dishes. Hitoshi kept splashing him every so often, and Miyo would retaliate by smashing the wet towel in his face or the back of his neck, which Hitoshi would shriek over.

At 8am, Hitoshi and Miyo shout their goodbyes to Ari and Manami, to which they respond with 'good luck' and 'be careful'. They get on the train to head to U.A. and sit down beside each other, waiting nervously to get there. Once they get to their stop, Miyo and Hitoshi step off and make their way to UA through crowded streets and busy people. Once the school's huge gate comes into view, Miyo is gobsmacked...