𝔸 𝔾𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕎𝕒𝕤 𝕆𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝕍.𝟚 💥𝔹𝕜𝔻𝕜💥

Chapter 12

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Absent Minded

KATSUKI

The day Izuku woke up

Katsuki perched on the edge of the abandoned building, his fiery ruby eyes scanning the sprawling city below. For months, he and his team had been on a relentless hunt, tracing potential hideouts for the revamped League. Those damn villains had not only regrouped but evolved, causing more trouble than ever before. Their cause had been revitalized under a new leader. They were like stubborn fucking cockroaches that just wouldn't die, and Katsuki was dead set on exterminating them for good.

A year after the war, society had tried to revert to normal, but pockets of deep-seated resentment towards heroes lingered. Many of them had joined the league, seeking to reshape society according to their warped beliefs. The League had swelled in size, morphing into a syndicate for organized crime throughout Japan.

Katsuki's last year at UA felt like a damn blur. Other than his usual squad and a few extras from Class 1-A, he never bothered making friends. Izuku's coma left a crater-sized void that Katsuki couldn't ignore, couldn't fill. So, he did what he knew best—work towards becoming the number one hero. He had grown colder, more distant, shutting out the world that couldn't grasp his burning desire for greatness. The only people he bothered to acknowledge were his trusted comrades from Class 1-A; the rest weren't merely worth his time nor effort.

After graduating from UA, Katsuki rocketed up the hero ranks at Best Jeanist's agency. His explosive power and relentless determination had quickly garnered attention, propelling him to the top five in the hero popularity poll. A year back, with all the success he took the plunge and opened his own agency.

Now, he stood at number three in the hero popularity poll, inching closer to the top spot he declared his. On the outside, everything seemed to be on track, everyone cheering him on as he clawed his way to the damn summit, the number one spot just like he promised.

Yet, underneath it all, deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness. It was as if a vital piece of him was still missing, leaving behind an aching void.

Katsuki sat on the edge of the building; his lunchbox tightly clenched in his hand. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he scanned the rooftops, as if half expecting answers to materialize. The glint of a silver ring on his finger caught the sunlight, the single emerald embedded within it sparkling defiantly. A bittersweet reminder of a promise he made and a connection that refused to fade.

With his new agency, Katsuki had started funneling money to the university, helping All Might in covering costs. Ironically, it was Aizawa who'd taken guardianship of Izuku after his transfer to the hospital, shielding him from the prying eyes of the public. Katsuki had made it a point to visit Izuku at least once a week, always swapping out yellow Japanese Camellia flowers for the ones in the vase on his favorite Kotatsu.

As the years dragged on like a slow burn, each one carving a deeper wound, as many who once visited frequently faded away, leaving only a handful of real friends who remembered Izuku's existence. It pissed him off how they moved on, like they already knew Izuku wasn't waking up.

Sure, they dropped gifts and pictures when Izuku's stint at the university began, but as time dragged on, Katsuki noticed the visitor's log dwindling to a mere handful.

How long has it been now—three and a half years?

The incessant buzzing of his phone ripped through the silence, tearing him from thoughts and food alike. Irritation carved its way across Katsuki's face as he flipped off the call, refusing to let anything mess with his precious break. Katsuki resumed eating, but the damn thing kept ringing. He gritted his teeth, yanking the phone out again, glaring at the screen.