I'm Okay

Chapter 32 - Who Are You?

—Years Ago—

"Are you seeing this?!"

"It's only been 10 minutes so far, yet he's already saved a hundred people! Wow!!" Appearing from the thick clouds of dust was a cheery figure who chuckled proudly while marching through a fiery disaster.

"He's smiling... He's smiling! Wow!!"

The boy's golden-brown eyes lit up at the sight of the man carrying multiple injured on his back all while withstanding a bright and reassuring smile.

"Fear not! Why, you ask? Cuz... I AM HERE!"

"So cool..." The young lad mutters under his breath, not realizing that he was mirroring the hero's brave and effortless smile.

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I... was only able to see heroes on tv. They were pure fantasy to me... no more than real anime.
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"With another astonishing victory, Endeavor proves his place as the No. 2 hero!"

"It's to be expected, but he should really start holding back against those poor villains. None never stand a chance—"

"Keigo... You little brat!" His favorite program was suddenly interrupted when an empty wine bottle shattered against the television screen, startling the winged boy into standing.

"You snuck out into town and thought you'd get away with it, didn't you?! You... What didja do there? Didja sell me out?! To who?!"

"I didn't do that..." The boy began, crouching down to pick up the shattered glass pieces. "My feathers were all tingly this morning... so I thought maybe something was happening in town, but it stopped midway, so I turned back... Nobody saw me..." He reassured, hoping it was enough to cool the elder down.

"Don't you dare lie to me!" His old man shouts as he carried another six-pack in between his arm. "Don't be leaving this damn house! Don't go talking to any being! Don't do a damn thing in fact! Ya got that?!"

The frowning boy gave a hesitant nod, turning his attention back to the mess in front of him.

"Dear..." A soft voice with messy hair calls for her husband. "The tv... It won't turn on."

"Huh?! Like I give a crap!"

"Hey... don't leave, okay?" She murmurs suddenly, still pressing away at the remote.

"My god, you're useless. Then find my next job for me!"

"Don't leave..."

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Years ago, my old man killed someone over pocket change. My mother harbored him when he was on the lam, and that's how I came to be.
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"You're in the way! Move it!" The elder shouts at the youngling before roughly kicking him aside.

"I'm sorry..." Was all the boy said, using the wall as support to stand up again.

"Damnit... Relying on that woman's quirk was a mistake."

Little Keigo watched as his old man crouched down to get another beer from the mini-fridge, blabbering away with added insults and not even bothering to keep to himself. "Worse than that, she's got herself knocked up... If only that punk'd never been born. Without that freakin' brat... I'd still be as free as a bird."

"Hey... don't leave, okay?"

"Shut up!" He shouts at the woman, slamming the fridge shut.

The boy flinched against his will by the sudden change in volume and brought his hero plushie closer to his chest, embracing the Endeavor doll his mother was able to afford as he listened in on everything his old man had to say.