Ephemeral You | Shoto Todoroki X Male OC

SIXTEEN

'Bookstore', it read on the sign of the store settled two buildings away from the shop Wolf was at. He could easily recognise the Japanese letters as well as the small English ones at the bottom of the giant letters. Perhaps he could spend some time there, just looking around. He also needed to be cautious to not make any mistakes, Aizawa did give him money just now, he just hoped that if anything, the money would be enough if he were to buy something from the store. For a short moment, he also hoped to be able to read the currency correctly to not shame himself.

"It's not wrong to look around, I guess," Wolf breathed. Aizawa couldn't just expect a mentally adult guy like him to sit around and wait like a child, did he? Wolf indeed was capable of protecting himself, he just needed to lay low and maybe not use any of his abilities without the teacher.

And so, the vermillion-haired knight took a step then another one to make his way towards the two-storey building. Countless books entered his sight even clearer now, he was amazed at the interior of the store. It was luminous, just like the clothing store earlier, and the sight of shelves filled with various books brought a sense of nostalgia to himself. Wolf was reminded of his own private library, settled at the corner of the manor, full of solitude and memories of his mother telling him numerous stories of the myths of the continent.

'Mother...' Wolf thought for a second before he shook his head to gather his thoughts.

Despite respecting his father so much, he held his mother closer to his heart. The woman was the one who taught him the beauty of life although his father was the one that pushed him to go on. In the back of his mind, the image of his mother persistently tending the scratches on his palms when he denied her help was still there. It replayed regularly when he thought back to possibly the only woman he would ever love.

On the other hand, Wolf's father was different. A strong and willful guy. He guided Wolf through his days of training, strict yet full of lessons to be taught in life. He looked up to his father very much and didn't expect anything in return. The man was enough and all that he could ask for. Being affectionate wasn't the man's strong point and Wolf understood that.

Even Wolf's mother told him that she was the one who proposed to his father.

Wolf huffed slightly through his nose at the memory before he decided to step further into the store. From section to section, his feet brought him, not exactly paying attention to which area he was standing at. He just found small tranquillity in peering at simple and beautiful covers with expressive titles across them, appreciating how most thick books⸺most likely novels⸺were selling well in this modern time.

'Perhaps, the moderns enjoy fictional literature more,' Wolf hummed in his mind, taking mental notes of this newly discovered fact. Back in his days, he enjoyed reading the history of other nations, particularly battles involving the names of the Vaughans for leading one of the major troupes in the wars.

As Wolf crossed his arm over his torso, finger to his chin whilst he was glaring slightly down at nothing in particular, he sensed whispers surrounding him.

"Is that guy a cosplayer?" There was a gasp and strides on the floor.

"I don't know. He looks so good, though!" Another unfamiliar voice could be heard with a whiff of hesitation.

There was an abrupt squeal, "Ahh, he looks just like⸺"

"May I help you?" Wolf, in confusion, turned on his heel to stare at, not one but three girls who were seeming to be holding onto each others' arms with devices and books in their hands.

The first maiden was red to the tips of her ears, eyes darting everywhere as incoherent words sputtered from her lips. Her blue eyes behind the rim of her glasses seemed to spin for a minute in panic. Wolf tensed in worry of what he had done to someone's daughter for her to look as if he had done something to her.