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Chapter 008 - Second Day of UA

"Father John, you know you didn't have to give me a ride to school. I would've taken the train."

"I know Ibara, but I wanted to."

Turning her gaze from the road in front of her to the elderly man driving, she noticed something. She reached over and fixed his collar. "There. Now you're presentable for those who come to Morning Prayer," she told him with a smile.

"Thank you," said Father John as he gave her a quick look and smile before returning his attention back to the road.

"Of course. You've always been there for me. I can never repay you for all you've done for me."

Chuckling, Father John shook his head. "There is no debt my child so there is no repayment necessary. How could I call myself a servant of God Almighty if I were to ignore an abandoned child on my church's footsteps?" he asked her rhetorically.

Smile widening, Ibara clasped her hands and rested them on her lap. "Even if you weren't a priest, I'm sure you would've still done the same."

A warm smile spread on his face. "Thank you. Well, enough about me child. How was yesterday? The first day of UA?" asked Father John. "I hope it was worth all the studying and training you've done to be able to pass the entrance exam."

Ibara didn't immediately respond. Instead, she thought for a moment before she did so. "I cannot say Father. Today will barely be my second day of attending. But I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end," replied Ibara before looking down at her hands as images of a few of her classmates appeared in her mind. "Even if I have to deal with some miscreants."

Cocking an eyebrow over her last words, Father John glanced at Ibara from the corner of his eyes before returning his sight to the road. "I see. May I know what or who it is that's troubling you my child?" he asked her.

Ibara was quiet for a few seconds before replying back. "Except for one, they're not exactly troubling me directly per say Father. It's just...their behavior is inappropriate because they don't care how they make others feel due to their actions and words."

"I see. And what kind of inappropriate behavior are they displaying? And what did that one person do?"

Shifting slightly in her seat, Ibara felt embarrassed in bringing it up but still answered. "Please don't view less of me Father for saying what they did and said," she said and he assured her that he wouldn't. "One of them, a girl who I had a direct confrontation with...flaunts her body while saying provocative things. She also teases others and doesn't care how she makes them feel. She even insulted my beliefs. Another, a boy, seems to have severe issues within since he constantly wants to prove that our class is better than our sister class. And there are a few others, both boys and girls, who I've heard them say very...um, adult yet immature things during our quirk assessment tests..." Shaking her head, Ibara tightened her clasped hands to the point her finger tips turned white from the pressure. "I don't know why they're behaving this way when they're training to be heroes..."

Father John nodded a few times before replying back. "I understand what you're saying Ibara. But even pro heroes are just human at the end of the day. Everyone has opinions, wants, needs, desires...some even have hidden demons that they're fighting every day to keep at bay or overcome. You know that I've made mistakes in my life as well. And there are things that I've done that you don't know about and I never want you to learn about them. I'm not proud of any of it but those are my secrets. My issues. My hurdles. My mistakes and my trials to overcome. That is part of life."

He noticed his surrogate daughter look at him from his peripheral vision and he too turned to look at her after coming to a stop at a red light. "Your classmates are barely of adult age for the most part yes?" Ibara nodded. "Then, like you...they're still learning about themselves, about others, about the world and have room to grow and mature. Just give them time, my child. Hopefully, since you're all at UA, they will help in that regard and most will grow into better people and proper heroes when they finally enter the real world. And so will you as well my child. The day will come when you'll leave the flock and share your light with world."