𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℂ𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕪 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕞 𝕋𝕣𝕖𝕖 | Katsuki Bakugo x OC

Chapter 28 - The Cherry Blossom Tree

The funeral was grand. Perfectly fitting for the greatest hero of all time.

Despite the crowd, they managed to find a large hall to fit all who came. While the hall was filled with chairs, people were still standing all around the sides and in the back. The decorations were somber shades of creams and greens and yellows, and a bed of white chrysanthemums was laid on the stage. At the center, framed in gilded metal, was a portrait of Izuku smiling in his hero suit, the yellows of his cape peeking from the bottom of the picture.

Even though it was Izuku who'd passed, the world mourned Deku more.

And many people gave speeches for both the Hero Deku and the man Izuku Midoriya.

Aizawa's speech was a surprise for all, but when he described how one of his trouble children always made his life so much harder but even more livelier and changed the way he taught his students, no one could doubt why the reserved Eraserhead spoke for his beloved student.

Mirio's speech was one that made people smile, and Iida-kun's was one that made many even more emotional with the beautiful journey he experienced.

And even after her lengthy, heart-wrenching speeches there were a few others who shared their memories.

But the two people who'd, arguably, known Izuku the most, had no speeches prepared. Hizumi and Katsuki had no words they could give to the world watching, to the world saying good bye.

They would've spoken too. They would've. They would've revealed some of child Izuku's most embarrassing moments, would've shared some of his most adorable tales. But both were too distraught, too guilt-ridden with his death. Even if they both promised to each other that they wouldn't blame themselves, wouldn't spiral in self-deprecating thoughts filled with should-haves and could-haves, they still shared a piece of the blame.

They listened to the speeches in mourning silence. She held his hand in the middle of Ochako's speech, squeezing it as rivers of tears left her involuntarily. He squeezed her hand back, refusing to cry with an audience and somehow still let one tear escape his lashes.

Isako was sitting in his lap, sniffling. Because even though she didn't understand what death truly entailed, she knew that she'd never see her Daddy again. And when she saw her Uncle Kacchan let loose a tear, she wiped it for him. She hugged him as she silently shed her own tears in the crook of his neck, too self-conscious to let the crowd of strangers see her cry.

Hizumi nearly broke seeing the toddler console him. He nearly broke as well. Nearly. Instead, he wrapped an arm around the child, tightening the embrace with as much comfort he could seep. He pecked her temple, whispering a promise of how everything will be okay. Promising that he'll always be there for her. That he won't let her feel the loneliness of not having a father.

Of course, she didn't understand all this. Nonetheless, she tightened her grasp around his neck and he squeezed her closer, his entire being buzzing to protect the little girl who was so much like her father. 

Okizumi snoozing in Ochako's lap until it was her turn to speak. With a heavy heart, and a reluctancy to let go of he son who smiled at his father's freckles, she handed him to Hizumi. When he whined from the loss of her beating heart she felt more of her chip away. 

Ochako's speech was the last one. And it was the one that brought the most tears and the most silent chuckles of the late Midoriya's antics. She spoke of how she first met with a smile, and smiled when she realized how much she fell for him, how much she was inspired by him.

She cried when she recounted the war and saw how he struggled and fought for his beloved hero society and how it made her bond stronger for him. But then she started talking more about Izuku Midoriya and less about the Hero Deku.