Spark Of Oblivion

Chapter 1

For a long time he didn't care, but after today he promised to prove himself worthy in the eyes of the strong.

Aki Hoshino's urge to kill her boss had never been as strong in the 820 days she endured his attitude as it was today. Katsuki had found a way to drag her into a spying mission—again. Yet this one was the most boring so far. Two screens, one room, and no space to avoid her boss.

Bakugo made it his mission to make his assistant's life as horrible as HR allowed him to, and damn, was he good at finding loopholes. Undercover missions did not require a hero license; hence she was being yanked along with him.

For what, you might ask? It's quite simple: to make Aki quit.

Little did Katsuki know that Hoshino was bound to this job. For 275 more days, to be exact. She was keeping track, crossing each elapsing day on her planner like a prisoner with chalk on his dirty walls. Because this job was the only thing assuring that she wouldn't lose what was dear to her. And heavens, did she loathe it. Working for Katsuki, of course. It wasn't being an assistant in general; otherwise, she wouldn't have worked her butt off for a bachelor of business administration. It was more of a I am the assistant of the biggest jerk in the world situation.

Katsuki hated spying missions. He'd rather act than observe. He'd never been one to hide in the darkness of shadows; his radiance seemed to make them flee as far away from him as possible actually—quite like with humans. Yet here he was, forced to watch and stand still, by order of pro hero Best Jeanist, his boss.

Of course he'd drag Hoshino with him; if he had to "suffer," so must she. And Aki knew, she just knew that Bakugo hated her presence, even if it was only a sliver of how much she despised his. But to him, mutual suffering was prioritized over less suffering on his own.

She hated it—hated him. But she had to play along. Be strong, though, resilient, and not quiet. Never quiet. She learned that the hard way.

Do not run away.

"As hard as it must be to take your eyes off of someone as handsome as me, they should be on the screen," Katsuki said smugly.

She was staring. He noticed.

Cocky pain in the ass.

"Sorry, got lost in daydreams about the best hideouts for corpses," Aki said sweetly, offering him a vicious smile. "Also, it's not my responsibility to monitor this criminal, or should I better say... liberal arts major?"

Aki averted her gaze, watching the slim man in eccentric layers of clothing. Not in a poor way; he shone in a chaotic way. The pieces of fabric somehow worked chic in tandem. She supposed most villains wouldn't wear something so conspicuous, but apparently, that wasn't a priority of his. Fair enough, Hoshino thought. If someone had the audacity to walk like a bright annoying traffic sign, it should be him. Even if it made him look like a foolish snob. He was the most dangerous villain at the moment, after all.

"Watch your mouth," he warned, his words fiercely rough.

They'd been sitting in a small makeshift control room across the street from the bar that the current villain was enjoying himself in. Aki had considered barging in a couple of times now. She could take a shot—more than one shot, actually. She side glanced into Bakugo's direction, making sure he wouldn't notice and call her out again. Her company was hardly manageable sober.