𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇
𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝟏𝐬𝐭
𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘
𝐓𝐖𝐎 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐄
A closeup of [Name]'s photo, can be seen on a homemade poster held by a little girl, who hops out of a car with her parents. The child drags it through the busy parking lot, where news vans arrive and park in front of the building.
Volunteers transform the spacious and empty room of the Hidari police station, into the find [Name] headquarters. Phone banks are plugged in, and there's a bigger headshot picture of [Name] hung in the far back of the room.
On the left side of the room, there are morning snacks like donuts, bagels, and cups of hot coffee for those who are willing to offer their help. A few photographers take shots, and the atmosphere of the room begins to feel suffocating by how desperate reporters are, by trying to get any type of answers.
Eraserhead enters, and some pro heroes such as strangers rush to welcome him with their condolences. As the center of attention, his body becomes tense from the repetitive hugs, and small pats he feels on his back.
The lump in his throat gets worse, from the same pitiful expression everybody gives him. Walking past the people around him, Aizawa ignores their whispers by smiling politely as he tries to ease down his nervousness.
Being pulled aside by the media, he answers a few questions they ask him and avoids topics he doesn't feel like sharing. After they take a few photos of him, Aizawa extricates himself from the press and spots Detective Kimiko and Officer Shimada staring at him.
Striding towards her, he walks by a man with glasses. The dark-haired man is seen to be holding a handful of fliers with [Name]'s photo close to his chest as if they're something valuable to him. The two exchange a side glance as they pass each other in silence.
"You know that guy?" Aizawa says, eyeing the man and Kimiko shakes her head.
"No, but don't worry. We videotape everyone
who comes in, or out of these things. We usually tend to get a lot of.."
"Do-gooders?"
"Freaks, but besides the point. I meant to ask you.. Do you know Misaki Kano?"
"Who?" He shugs, clearly having no recollection of the name Kimiko just mentioned.
"She lives on your street? [Name]'s best friend?"
"I have never heard that name before"
"She and her husband have twins" She tries again, and Aizawa can recall the certain neighbors Kimiko is talking about.
"Oh right, I mean we wave at them on the street, but best friend? No, I doubt that my wife even knows her" His attention is still on the same man from a few seconds ago.
Eraserhead excuses himself and walks away to get a better grasp on the guy. He tries his best to not be obvious, as he reaches the end of the table, which is filled to the brim with [Name]'s missing fliers. Handing them around to those wanting one, he's only a few steps away from the man. Until the stranger sees him get closer and strides away to the exit that's on the far back of the room.
"He acted like Mrs. Misaki was a stranger" Kimiko exchanges a word with her colleague.
"Of course he did" Shimada and Kimiko watch as Aizawa hands a woman with a couple of fliers to go.
"Oh– look, he's being a "good guy" so we can all see him be a "good guy" The sarcasm in Shimada's voice doesn't go unnoticed by Kimiko.
"You really don't like him do you?"
"What's to like? Besides, don't you find it strange by the way he acts?" The police officer says, and Kimiko only hums as she doesn't want her feelings towards Eraserhead to get involved with the case.
Volunteers are dispersing to their destined search sites. Each volunteer is holding a colored piece of paper with the name and location of the place. For starters, they are covering Forest Hidaka and the Nadiki Riverwalk.
Aizawa is quickly trying to finish handing out the remaining fliers left, so he can catch up to the male. He keeps his hard gaze on him until the man walks out of his sight.
Once the last flier leaves his hand, he weaves through the crowd and walks out through the same exit the stranger took.
Hoping to find him, there's no one to be seen in the vacant hallway that is illuminated with semi-large windows.
Irritated, he lets out a groan when his phone begins to buzz inside his pocket, and as soon he realizes who it is, his face lightens up a bit.
Ducking down the hall to answer the call, he doesn't expect Ms. Joke to peer around the corner. Which leaves him no other choice, but to quickly shove the disposable phone back into his pocket.
"Eraser! Ah– I didn't think that I would be able to catch up to you! It's been a while that we've seen each other!" She rants before giving him one of her signature smiles.
Aizawa only nods at her and prepares himself to not get annoyed by the woman with seafoam green hair.
"Anyways, uh– I'm so sorry for your.. troubles"
"Thank you, I appreciate it but I need to go" He gives her an after–you gesture but she doesn't budge.
"Are you remembering to eat? You look a lot thinner?" She pesters him with an insignificant question, obviously trying to build a conversation that he's not interested in.
"You expect me to have a good appetite when my wife is missing?"
"Well.. No, but– I'm going to fix you up to my world-famous dish!"
"That's very kind of you, but also very, very unnecessary" He tries again to get past her by giving her a small pat on her arm as a goodbye, but she puts her hand on top of his.
"You have to keep up your strength, okay.. Look! I know something that will make you feel better!" Ms. Joke grabs her phone from her back pocket and jams her face against his.
"Now.. smile!"
Aizawa being him and wanting to leave, reflexively grins when there's a loud click.
Ms. Joke brightly smiles and happily shows him the picture.
The two of them, are cheek to cheek and Ms. Joke's lips are pouty. Without context and even with context.. The photo is wildly inappropriate, and a little sleazy.
"You know what? That's– Can you delete the photo?"
"But it's a nice photo, and you're smiling! Besides you never smile!"
"It's just not appropriate. Do me the favor, would you?" He watches her silently debate, and lets out a tired sigh.
"Look, I'm asking you nicely.. Please, just delete the photo" Aizawa tries to lean past her and hit the delete button, but she holds her phone away from him.
"Ah– hey!" They both struggle to get what they want.
"Eraser! Come on! Don't be a party pooper! I promise that I won't share it, okay!!" She tries to persuade him but he forcefully grabs her arm. It's the first time she's seen him so angry.
"You can't share that with anyone, understand?" He threatens her and tightens his grip on her arm.
"I won't! I promise I won't!" She sputters out in pain.
Letting go of her arm she takes a couple of steps back before scrambling past him. Aizawa rests his head against the wall and takes in a deep breath.
"Just pull it together," He tells himself, as he pinches the bridge of his nose. Getting a hold of himself he enters the room once again.
𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝟐𝟒𝟕
𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐘 𝟏𝟖, 𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐗
"Everyone told us and told us.. that marriage is hard work, and compromise, and more work"
On an errand day, [Name] opens the door to find her husband in the living room. She's happy to see him home this early, but that happiness stops short when she sees a couple of empty beer bottles next to him. He's flipping through the channels with an uninterested look on his face.
Setting aside the bags of groceries in the kitchen. She grabs a trash bag and begins to pick up the beer bottles from the floor, as well as the empty takeout on the coffee table.
Aizawa stares at his wife, as she finishes cleaning around him. Throwing the bag inside the trash container in the kitchen. She finds a shopping bag beside the fridge and starts pulling out the contents inside the bag, there's nothing but alcohol bottles with some packs of cigarettes.
Frowning, she goes back to the living room to ask him about the bag she found just now. "More alcohol and cigarettes?"
"I just felt like I needed a break," He says, keeping his eyes fixed on the television screen.
"A break from what?"
"From life," His tone comes out short and uncaring, which makes her fold her arms.
Contemplating, [Name] lets out a "let's talk" type of sigh.
"Right– I forgot, since you don't work anymore, you can't seem to remember just how stressful work can get"
"It's not about work. It's about you slowly damaging your health. Look– I'm just worried for you, that's all"
"[Name], I know that you don't like the choices I make. But at times– It's as if you don't try to understand my judgment or my actions. For fuck sake, it's like you don't trust me for anything at all" He argues back with a scoff.
"What are you talking about?" [Name] tries her best to not show how hurt she is by controlling the quivering tone in her voice.
"You know what I'm talking about. It's like the basic tenet of a prenup, right?"
"Why are you throwing that into my face again?" She stands up to him and he stays quiet.
The only true reason why Aizawa even brought that unnamed topic is because it's easy to throw. Lashing out is a really good way to release pent-up stress, right?
"Sho, I don't get it. It's like you're daring me to be someone I don't want to be. The nagging wife. The controlling bitch. I'm not that person. I'm your wife, and if you think that I'm just going to stand here, and take it. Then you're completely wrong"
With that, the guilt finally starts to settle deep inside Aizawa. He despises taking out his frustration, and anger on others rather than himself, and especially on his wife, so he takes in a long breath before he could say anything else.
"I'm sorry, I just– I've had a rough day. Both of my jobs are mixing up, and I don't know what to do. The media and the press are getting so unbearable, with each day that goes by– I just need a break.."
"You'll eventually get a break, but for right now we just–" [Name] gets cut off by the ringing of Aizawa's phone.
Grabbing his phone, Aizawa answers the call.
"Hello? Aunt Harue?.. What?" The indistinct talking over the phone made it hard to understand.
"Hold on, please calm down and tell me what's wrong–"
The look in Aizawa's eyes says it all, and suddenly [Name] knew that everything was only about to get worse..
𝐢. 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄:
no authors note. just scummy men..
1.9k words
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