Hero? What's that? Is That Food?

Chapter 3

Ah, Middle school...

How I waited for this moment... How I dreaded it and looked forward to at the same time...

People say that high school life and college life is the highlights of youth and they would be correct. But before those two checkpoints in life, you would have to go through middle school first, and that time of life is what usually molds your future. That is where you first encounter people that could become your friends for life, or sometimes enemies that will color your perspective of life in the future. This is the time in an individual's life where they can be really labeled as a loner or a normie. It doesn't matter if you have friends in elementary, those are more of a friendly acquaintance as kids during that time were they are still getting used the presence of other kids outside of their family. I-

"Hachi-kun, stop slouching and smile at the camera!" Hado's voice interrupted my silent casting as she and I stood next to the school gates where the name of the school is carved in a metallic plate.

Aldera Middle School. A public middle school located in Musutafu, a place that I know didn't exist in my previous life, but then again this new life of mine are two centuries in the future so...

"Uwwaaaaa! Hachi-chan's in middle school now! Time goes by so fast!" My mother shamelessly bawled at the side as Mrs. Hado took our picture, trying her best to maintain her calm and not join my mother.

Fight on, Mrs. Hado!

Let those tears free and join my mother in embarrassing their kid.

"Onii-chan, smile!" Standing next to my bawling mother is my beloved imouto, Hikigaya Komachi who just turned six this year.

Seeing my imouto cheerfully asked me to smile and look cool in the camera, I straightened my back and gave the camera a cool smile.

I felt dying inside when I did that. It's cringe worthy that I felt this picture is going to be used as a decent fire starter for my family's camping trip somewhere in the future.

Unfortunately, before Mrs. Hado could snap a photo of Hado and I, the girl next to me decided to make the formal photo into something else...

Letting out a smile so pure I thought that made think she was an angel for a second, she then scooted right behind me and tilted her head to the side. Given my young age, puberty is still in its packaging process so my current height is just sitting below Hado's chin.

Oi... why are you resting your chin on top of my head!? You're just making my short height a lot more noticable!

*Click!*

Wait noooo-!

>>>>>

Two months later...

A boy and a girl stood in front of each other in a secluded part of school.

"Please go out me!"

"Ah, I'm sorry..."

I watched the failed confession in pity as the guy tried to convince Hado to change her mind.

But sadly...

"I'm really sorry, but I'm interested in someone else." Hado's words basically translates to: 'Hey, I just stabbed you and now I'm going to twist the knife, isn't great!?'

Listen for you guys out there. If a girl says this, you only have to listen on the first part, the second part is just a made up excuse to turn you down without sounding like a bitch.

"I-is he in our year level?" Hey man, can you stop this? This is getting really painful to watch.

"Yes." Hado replied, completely obvious to the guy that is about to cry- nope, nevermind. There he goes.

Wow, if only that guy put in the same effort in running when in PE class then he would've gotten a girlfriend by now.

Trust me, kids around this age still find it attractive if you're good at running. But next year they would be more inclined towards looks, so yeah... Ganbatte shōnen, the grind is real.

Hopefully this will make him realize that just because she's pretty and just because she's nice to you, it doesn't mean she likes you. Source? Me.

"That's ten this week and it's only Tuesday." I said as I stepped out of the bush I was hiding on, this made Hado's

"Hachi-kun!? How long have you been there?" Hado looked at me with widened eyes.

"Since lunch started." I replied, while biting into a protein bar that came from my copy of Hammer-space quirk.

"I've been looking for you since the lunch bell rang!" She said while walking towards me, her nervous look becoming more prominent on her usual bubbly expression.

"If you you've been here this entire time, why didn't you say anything?" She asked.

"Hm? You looked busy for a moment so I just kept quiet." I calmly replied as I began walking towards the direction of the nearest bench that I could find.

"I-it's not what it looks like, okay!? I turned down Takano-san!" She suddenly yelled as she jogged to catch up to me.

"Yeah, I saw the entire thing go down. Poor guy." I said with complete honesty in my voice. That guy is probably going to be made fun of in the coming days and will probably hunt him in his entire middle school life.

"But I had to let him know that I'm interested in someone else and not get his hopes up!" She defended, refusing to meet my eyes.

"Hey, it's not your fault for turning him down like that. At least you sounded honest with your excuse." I said to her.

"But I actually like someone!" Hado argued.

"Hm, good for you and the lucky guy you confess to." I replied while crumpling the plasting wrap in my hands and tossing it to a nearby garbage bin.

"Baka..." Oi, my copy of Super Hearing quirk can hear your muttering.

I stomped down the warm feeling spreading across my chest as I already have an idea who Hado is referring to.

Sadly, I also know of the reality of her growing out of her crush once we mature.

I couldn't let her regret wasting her time on someone rotten on the inside.

She will find someone better. More deserving of h-

"Hachi-kun, I really like you! Please go out with me!" Hado said with a determined look on her face

LET ME FINISH MY GODDAMN MONOLOGUE, HADO!

And also...

--Bwuh!?

____________________

CHAPTER 3 END