"Na na na, doringu ahraitu. Denu I bekamu a purinsesu oberu naytu! Na na na na~"
I glanced over at my daughter with her Sofia the First dress bouncing as she skips her way to daycare. She has her hands on both Shouta and I's palms, squeezing ours gently when she wants to be up.
"Na na na na~" she continues her melody even if she has no idea about the lyrics. To think that she's able to somewhat mumble English words is insane. She fell in love with Sofia and has requested us to buy her Sofia things from now on. Of course, being soft for his daughter, Shouta immediately bought everything he can see online.
"A meeting early in the morning, huh? That's quite strange," he wondered aloud in his usual monotone.
"In the HPSC nonetheless," I replied.
Earlier in the morning, we have been informed to attend a meeting in HPSC or Hero Public Safety Commission. It has been months since I went back there. I wonder why they aren't calling me back yet since Eri's case has been resolved already. Well, it's not new as they used to lay me off for months but my intuition tells me that something is about to come. And my intuition never fails me.
"Mika-chan!"
Eri lets go of our hands and ran to a black-haired girl with a red scarf around her neck. The other girl nodded her head to Eri as a sign of greeting. This must be the newly transferred girl but due to my busy schedules, I didn't have the opportunity to see her. According to her file, she's the same age as Eri. Her quirk has not yet developed. It is said that her quirk must be activated first- something to do with her bloodline.
I entwined my hands with Shouta and approached the two girls who are now rumbling about the latest episode of Sofia the First- more like Eri.
Sensing us, Eri immediately stopped talking and leaned on our legs, "Mika-chan, this is my mama and papa," our daughter says while reaching for her bag in Shouta's hand. The latter helped his child put it on and even patted her head. I crouched down to Mika-chan's level so I can see her properly.
"Hello, Mika-chan! Thank you for being Eri's friend," I beamed at the girl. She nodded to me in response. She's a quiet one, huh. I smiled once more and turned to Eri.
"We'll be going now, love. Be good to your teachers, okay?" I reminded her even if she's a good student already.
"Yes, mama! Have fun with papa!" she replied as she kisses my cheek. She turned to Shouta and tugged his pants. The male, who has seemingly understood, crouched down and Eri took that opportunity to kiss him on the cheek too. Shouta's lip turned up warmly- the smile he only has for our daughter and kissed her forehead before straightening up.
My gaze softens as he keeps his smile until Eri is out of our sight. His attention is now directed at me. I watched as his eyes lighted up and a smirk is instantly placed upon his devilish lips. He tries to catch my lips on his but my fast reflexes rendered him unable to give me a smooch.
"Damn woman! Let me just have a taste of you real quick," he demanded with his usual monotone but I detected the playfulness in his grin.
"You've had your fill last night," I teased while running away when he tries to grab my waist.
"That was then and this is now. Wait 'til I capture you."
"Oh? And what will you do darling?" my voice is laced with even more sensuality than when I screamed his name last night.
"Why don't you find it out yourself? Darling." His eyes turned deadly like an animal about to pounce on its prey.
Uh oh.
•••
A blowjob and one quickie later, we found ourselves comfortably seated in one of the largest function halls in the HPSC. Looking around, I spotted the top ten heroes sitting near the front of the big screen. Several other big names are also present and I noted that most hero-educators are here as well. I tried to crane my head to see if Hawks is here but to no avail.
The air is tense to the point that it makes my insides go crazy. Also, the fact that I had this bad feeling since earlier- no matter how much Shouta tried to distract me is leaving a sinking feeling in my gut. I felt someone squeeze my hand gently and turned my head to Shouta who is now rubbing smooth circles on the back of my palm.
"If you need another distraction, just tell me. I saw an empty office on the way here," his statement earned a few snickers from our co-teachers who are sitting beside us. The loudest one was of course Hizashi's and Nemuri's. Geez, him and his filthy mouth!
I felt my face flush and I could only smack his shoulder in response as the public safety commission president entered accompanied by her usual cronies. Her ash-colored hair is slicked back like usual and is wearing her perpetual serious look. Her mere presence is enough to give me goosebumps as her strict ways of raising us flashed quickly in my mind.
The background chatter ceases once she claims her place behind the microphone. She drew in a quick breath before starting.
"Good morning, everyone. I am grateful to see you all present here today even with such short notice. This will be short so please listen well," her words may be thankful but her tone is still ice cold.
"The commission has called upon our heroes because we have received alarming news. As we all know, the League of Villains has been under the radar for quite some time now. However, according to our source, they have gone into war with the Meta Liberation Army and won. In return, the two groups merged and now called Paranormal Liberation Front."
I caught a few chuckles around me. It seems that the President heard it too. Her eyes turned to slits and everything is quiet once again.
"I hope you realize the gravity of the situation. This means that Shigaraki Tomura has now the money, power, and connections to easily do what he wants. He can start a war while you heroes are here laughing. " her voice cuts through like a knife that even I can't help but flinch.
No chuckles are heard since then. There is no doubt about the validity of the information. What's bugging me is why I am not assigned for this mission? Gathering information and infiltrating enemy camps are my forte. So why was I not called?
"The most important information you must know is that four months from now, the Paranormal Liberation Front will be waging a war against us."
The room was packed with whispers. Some have a puzzled expression on their faces, while others seem unconcerned. The feeling I've had since this morning has predicted this news to come.
"We will not wait for them to come. We will attack them after two months. We need all the heroes we can gather. I also would like to propose to everybody, especially to hero schools, to utilize their students."
"What?! Are you saying that we will send the kids to war?!" a lanky hero exclaimed. Other heroes are also expressing their disagreement. I looked at my co-teachers and see them calmly listening to everything. They are still assessing the situation and want more information before reacting.
Another hero stood up, "may I remind everyone what had happened to the students of UA? They have been constantly harassed by villains and it's luck that no one has died yet. But this is a war we're talking about. We can't just send them there!"
"You're right," the president agrees with a sigh, "but we still need them. They will be mostly in charge of evacuating the civilians. This is the reason why we have been insisting schools let their students participate in work immersion studies. This will help them train for the real deal. We need all the hands we could get. We must defeat the enemy once and for all."
I noticed Shouta and Hizashi sharing a look. Shouta mentioned that they are wondering why the HPSC sent notice for work immersion studies. Even if I don't want the students involved, I know for a fact that HPSC's words are final and irrevocable. It is now up for the hero-educators to train the students. I must also offer my help when needed.
"We will be discussing the strategy and other things in a separate meeting. For now, I want everybody to be informed and prepared. We will answer your questions in the next meeting. Godspeed, heroes." With that, the president went down the platform and exited. The top ten heroes are hot on her trail. This must mean that they will be talking about what to do. I noticed that I haven't seen any signs of red wings.
A hand on my shoulder brought me out of my thoughts, "Hey, let's get going."
"Oh, umm. Can you go first? I have something else to do. I'd get a taxi so you won't have to wait for me." Shouta only stared at me, gouging what it is that I must do but I tried to remain neutral.
When he knows I'm not saying anything, he sighed. "I understand. I will see you at home, yeah? I'll also pick Eri up so you don't have to come."
I nodded and stood up to hug him as thanks. It's not like I don't want him to know where I'm going. I'd probably tell him later. But right now, I have to organize my thoughts.
He squeezed me gently and patted my back. I retracted myself from him and smirked when I saw a glimpse of his bright red ears. My husband is not one for public display of affection but he can't say anything if I attack him like this. Plus, I know that he secretly loves it because it'll remind everybody that I'm his. He's a tsundere sometimes.
I watched as he went out with our friends before finding myself walking to a path I know all too well. The stairs leading to the rooftop are the same as before. The chip in the cement on the 16th step is still there. The faded crayon drawings of All Might and Endeavor decorate the wall of the door.
My lips automatically formed a smile as I get a whiplash of memories. When Keigo and I are still but mere children, we would often go here to play. We used to sneak out of our rooms at night and hang out on the rooftop. The stars and the moon were so shiny that they caught our fancy. We understood then how big the world is and how little we are.
I grabbed the doorknob, willing the door to open. Just standing behind the door gives me a feeling of nostalgia. This is the place where our dreams are born. Keigo wanted to soar the skies and I liked to be as invincible as the dark. It has become our habit to go here when something big happens to cool our minds off. It's been so long since I stepped foot in here.
Opening the door, the harsh bite of the wind greeted me. I tucked the few stray pieces of hair behind my ears. My feet took me to a familiar location where I know I'd find him.
And there, standing behind the railing, his hair is swept by the wind. His red wings are enclosing him. He had his hand under his chin and a serene look is present on his face. My heart clenched at the familiarity of it all. It's when I realized that I miss my best friend, my Keigo.
"I know you sensed me the moment I reached the 16th step."
He looked back at me with a grin and motioned me to come beside him. I took hurried steps toward him and he opened one of his wings for me to shield me from the rays of the midday sun.
"It's been a while, Y/N."
"It has."
Silence loomed over us. It was not that uncomfortable but my thoughts are still a mess. I have a lot of things to ask him but I don't know where to start. I heard him sigh to which made me gaze up at him. He is facing me with his gentle eyes and laid-back grin.
"Just spill it, Y/N. You know that you can ask and tell me anything. Just say what's on your mind." And again, he knows me too well. So much so that he initiated this talk because he knows I'll just go over my head. With a sigh on my own, I decided to just let it flow.
"It is you. Am I right?"
"Hmm? What is?"
"You're the one who got the information about the war."
"Yes."
"This is also the reason why you can't attend my wedding."
"Yes."
He didn't deny it nor tried to stall the answer. But why? Why is he the one assigned? He's the top two hero and the HPSC would never pick him as the first choice unless he'd use his negotiation skills to the president. It would make sense if they send me first- wait.
"Keigo."
"Yes?"
My heart raced against the inside of my chest. My toes and fingers were starting to get cold. My stomach started to feel queasy. I am becoming more anxious.
"That mission- it's supposed to be mine, correct? It doesn't make sense why they would send you. This mission is right my alley and the president would surely make this mine." I know this for certain so why? Why did he take it? What made him do this? When was the last time I saw him?
"Oh right, at the beach, you-"
"Right." He interrupted. He was about to put my hand in his but decided not to. Instead, he clasped his hands together and looked way beyond the skyscrapers.
"The president asked me to find you and inform you about the mission. I instantly agreed because it will give me an excuse to see you. I was kind of missing you then since we've both been busy with our lives. So I decided to go."
I remained quiet as he confides. My head hangs low from the guilt of not even trying to communicate with him. I was busy being wrapped in the bubble with Shouta and Eri that I forgot to even ask him about his day. Some best friend that I am.
"When I asked around, they say you went on vacation. That's when I saw you at the beach."
"You said you were just passing by. Why did you lie?"
A heavier silence than the one earlier covered us. It took him a while before answering my question.
"You looked so happy, Y/N," he sighed as he covered his face with his hands, "how can I ever take you away from that?"
"What?" I clenched my hand into a fist. This guilt that I'm harboring is increasing each passing second.
"After so many years, it was my first time to see the light in your eyes," he narrated, "I knew this mission is more dangerous than anything you've had. It will also force you to sacrifice a lot of things." his eyes dulled for a moment as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
My hand automatically squeezed his arm in comfort. I don't like seeing him with more burdens. It breaks my heart to see him so.
"I could take it all, Keigo."
"I know you could. You would have gotten more information than I did. However, I will take all the risks just to preserve that sparkle in your eyes. I don't want to see you unhappy again. Ever."
The sting in the side of my eyes burned as fresh tears started to gather. This alarmed him and instantly cupped my face. His thumb wipes away the tears that fall.
"I'm so sorry," I sobbed into his arms. I feel so bad for having him take this dangerous mission. I know him and I know how bad this kind of mission can get based on experience. You will have to abandon your humanity at some point. Sometimes, you'll do things that aren't aligned with your principles. You have to steel your heart and resolve so you can concentrate on your goals.
"I don't deserve this," I mumbled.
He shook his head, "Of course you do. You saved me a lot of times."
"And you save me a lot too!"
"Not as much as you did," he said as he flashed his pearly whites.
He pulled himself away from me and patted my head like he always does. The guilt is still there but above all, I am thankful to have him by my side. Indeed, if I'd take this mission, I have to stay away from Eri to make sure she will not be involved. I wouldn't be Shouta's wife and Eri's mother if I had taken this mission.
"Keigo," I called his attention again. His back is now on the railing and I stepped toward him so I can face him clearly.
"Thank you so much," I expressed with my whole heart. His gaze on me softens and he sent me a gentle smile. He was about to say something when my phone rang.
I opened my phone after mumbling a quick sorry. It was Shouta. He says that Eri's horn tingles once again.
"Go," my gaze shifted to Keigo. I guess my worried expression is way too apparent.
"I'm so sorry, Kei. My daughter needs me," I said apologetically. I would want to spend time with Keigo as much as possible but Eri is looking for me.
"It's alright. Let's hang out with your girl after this. She has to meet her amazing uncle," I chuckled at his words and nodded my head.
"Sure, let's do that. She will be excited to meet you," I stated before bidding him goodbye. I turned around and started walking toward the door.
"Y/N!" He exclaimed to which made me turn back and look at him. There was a hint of desperation on his face as he marched his way in front of me. I noticed how he breathes rapidly- a sign which indicates he's nervous.
"Keigo?"
He took my hands in his and closed his eyes. After a while, he exhaled.
"Y/N, I love you." my heart clenched painfully. I am aware of the meaning behind his words. I'm not blind not to see the things he does for me. It just pains me that I can't be the person he wants. My heart belongs to one man only. But I know that Keigo will find his happiness someday. He will meet the right person that would make his heart leap with joy just like mine does with Shouta.
I smiled at him sadly, "I know and I love you, Keigo."
I didn't reply back at his words but stated a new one. I can't respond with an "I love you too" because I can't answer the kind of love he has for me. Instead, I reacted with what I know.
He squeezed my hand tenderly. His smile didn't reach his eyes. I don't want to see him hurt like this. I wish he'll get his happiness soon. But we both know that this has to be said and done. He needs closure for his feelings so we can move forward.
He smiled at me sadly, "I know."
•••
Hello! I'm so sorry for uploading this so late. I've been real busy with classes and assignments that I don't have the time to write. The fifth season of BNHA anime is now starting. The manga has taken such an interesting plot.
Our husband, Shouta is alive and well. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief but I cried with one unlucky news. I don't want to spoil anime-only fans hahaha but yeah, I was depressed about something that happened after their first war. I will definitely not follow it in this fanfiction.
I hope you all are doing fine! Stay safe! Keep hydrated!
ALSO PLEASE STREAM "WHAT?" BY SB19 ON YOUTUBE!!
SEE YOU NEXT TIME. :)