Mystery from Another World--MHA

Part 67: Everyone works through some stuff

Shoto didn't want to talk when Shine followed him, but she wasn't taking no for an answer.

"Even if you don't talk to me...I don't want to leave you alone," she said.

"I'm fine," Shoto said.

"Stop lying to me," Shine said, "You're not fine..."

Shoto didn't talk for a very long time. Minutes ticked by awkwardly.

"I was a bad hero," he said at last, "That's all it is."

"And that this keeps happening, and that people you care about are in danger," Shine added, "Shoto...this is the same for me, you know... Well, no it's not. We take things differently...but I at least know what happened. It was because of me, after all."

Shoto looked up. "No, I think it was because of me. I was singled out."

Shine had never dreamed he'd take it that way. "What do you mean? Explain."

Shoto told her what had been said. Shine was surprised. "I didn't know that."

"Did they want to get to me...? To my dad...? I just don't get it," Shoto said, "It's so frustrating."

Shine sat down--they were both sitting on the floor now.

"Listen...what happened was to get to me, not you. They told me that."

"What? Why would they want to get to you?"

"I have powerful enemies, I guess," Shine said, "I attract them... The point is, it's not your fault. I'm sorry you got dragged into it. I wanted to avoid that one thing, and I couldn't... You're not the only one who doesn't always get what they want."

Shoto looked up at her oddly. "I don't think it's your fault."

"It's as much mine as yours," Shine said, "No, it's more..."

"Do you think you're still in danger?" Shoto said.

Shine could not in any honesty answer that in a good way.

"I guess all of us are still, since they are still at large. But that's nothing new."

"I wish we could just stop them... Couldn't you? You've met them... I mean, you said you can't, but you could let us do it."

"I wouldn't do that," Shine said quickly, "I wouldn't endanger you."

"It's more danger to not let us. To let them go!" Shoto said.

Shine took a moment to keep her composure...then, she looked right at him and, very clearly, she said, "Shoto, nothing you can do to them will undo what happened. You can't wind back time."

Shoto stared at her with a very fragile look. "That's...not what I mean."

"You want to make up for what happened," Shine said, "but you can't... Neither can I. We can't undo it. You live your whole life playing catch up, then it's soul killing. If you let yourself just be upset, on the other hand, you could think clearly."

"I am thinking clearly," Shoto said, "I'm tired of being helpless."

Shine paused, then she chuckled. "We are all helpless."

Shoto frowned. "What? What is that supposed to mean? You're giving up."

"No, but listening to you, I realize I'm just like you are. I'm trying to figure it out...and I can't." Shine laughed again. "I'm still foolish. There is nothing we can really do to prevent bad things from happening, you know... It's enough to do what we can in the moment-- and prevent what we can."