Hitohito was still in the middle of the meeting asking himself who were this people, why did they trust him, and should he trust them?
Wayne: alright where do you want to start?
Hitohito: tell me more about this organization.
Wayne: right, many years ago the government of 5 countries decided to come up with an idea of making an elite squad full of people who like yourself who had super special abilities, in order to deal with foes with special abilities.
Hitohito: wait... so you're saying I'm not the only one?
Wayne: hahahaha funny lad... Ace show him.
Ace turned his whole body into fire.
Ace: as you can see these flames don't hurt me.
Wayne: back to what I was saying.... 50 years ago the United States reported their first individual with super abilities. Of course back then people wouldn't take kindly the existence of a person like that, so the government had to take care of it.
Hitohito: what happened after that?
Wayne: the world leaders decided that it would be better if people didn't acknowledged the existence of super-powered humans, hence why this operation is off the books, and it was for a good while.
Ace: that was until the Red Legion began to spread terror all over the world with their super agents.
Wayne: exactly.
Hitohito: super agents?
Ace: members within the ranks who volunteered for experimentation with their bodies, while more than 300 volunteer only 5% managed to get super strength and agility the rest died.
Wayne: we had it all under control, but when news about a man who could fly was seen on Japan, the higher ups began to lose their shit, so we immediately got transferred to deal with you.
Hitohito: you mean kill me?
Ace: those were our orders, but Wayne here likes defy them and had other plans with you.
Wayne: well killing a person with those talents will go to waste plus you didn't complain when I took you in Ace.
Ace: tch whatever.
Hitohito: so what is it that you really want from me?
Wayne: look all we wanna do is make the world a safer place, and if you can help us achieve it, it would make matters easier.
Hitohito: -sighs- .... can you give me some time to think about it? Just until tomorrow.
Wayne: of course mate, you know where to find us.
Hitohito had a lot to think about, out there enemies are stronger than him, if that were the case he was to be prepared for anything, he's not always going to handle simple robberies or saving people from fires. The Red Legion sounds like a real menace and he can't afford to lower his guard.
Hitohito: I'm home.
Jeanne: welcome Hito, how was school?
Hitohito: it's going well mom thanks for asking.
Jeanne: and how's the hero life?
Hitohito: where do I even begin?
Jeanne: wait is that a black eye?!
Hitohito: mom don't be ridiculous I can't have a-
He remembered his fight with Skull.
Jeanne: hold on let me get some ice.
Hitohito: mom I'm okay really.
Jeanne placed a bag of ice on Hito's eye.
Hitohito: ouch!
Jeanne: now sit tight and don't do anything else while I cook dinner... your father should be home any minute now.
Hitohito: alright mom.
Satoshi arrived home 15 minutes later
Satoshi: honey I'm home.
Hitohito: hey dad.
Satoshi: hey son- wow what's with that black eye?
Hitohito: got into a fight with some punk.
Satoshi: must've been a strong punk.
Jeanne: honey this is no laughing matter, look at our son, aren't you gonna tell him something?
Satoshi: ..... did you win?
Hitohito: yeah but he was a sore loser.
Satoshi: that's the worst kind of fighter.
Jeanne: Satoshi.
Satoshi: sorry dear..... ahem so, you fought someone stronger than you, now you know how dangerous the world is.
Hitohito: which is why I can't quit, I just need train, get stronger.
Satoshi: you are really determined with this.
Hitohito: I am, if I can't stop foes who are stronger than me, then who will?
Back at the hideout Ace sneezed.
Mike: do you have a cold Ace?
Now back at the Tadano residence.
Satoshi: I can't convince you to back down, but promise me you'll be careful.
Hitohito: I promise.
Satoshi: say it like you mean it.
Hitohito: dad I promise to be careful.
Satoshi: thank you son now let's eat dinner.
Next day.
Another day at Itan, Hitohito was looking at the window with his head phones on. Shouko was sitting next to him, things got awkward yesterday's at Yamai's home.
Flashback to yesterday's at Yamai's
Hitohito had just left making Yamai happy, but Shouko however was displeased because of how she treated him.
Shouko: [Yamai why would you say those horrible things to Tadano?]
Yamai: ahh but Komi-san, I think I'm a better fit to be your friend.
Shouko: [ I choose my own friends]
With that Shouko left the Yamai residence and headed back home. Once she left Yamai was heart broken thinking that Shouko now hated her, Najimi who stayed at Yamai's didn't know what to do in that situation.
Shouko tried to call Hitohito multiple times but it always sent her to voice mail,she wanted to clarify things to him that he wasn't a bother to her, on the contrary she's glad that Hitohito was always there to help her with her communication disorder.
Back to the present time
Shouko wanted to clarify everything, so now it was the time. She got his attention but couldn't look away from the black eye he had.
Shouko: [are you okay Tadano? What happened to your eye?]
Hitohito: oh it's nothing bad, I wasn't paying attention and hit myself against a pole on the street.
Shouko: [does it hurt?]
Hitohito: not at all, in fact I didn't noticed it until my mom pointed out haha.
Shouko: ...... [could we talk for a moment?]
Hitohito: umm... sure
Shouko took Hitohito outside the classroom.
Shouko: [ I wanted to talk about yesterday.]
Hitohito: yesterday?...... you mean at Yamai's house?
Shouko: -nods- [what Yamai said was not true, I don't consider you a bother, you are my real friend.]
Hitohito: I know, you wouldn't think that of me so that's why I paid no mind about what Yamai said.
Shouko: [but you still left.]
Hitohito: ( I can't tell her it was because I had to stop criminals at the docks.) I had plans with my dad remember -nervously laughs.-
Shouko: [ I also tried to call you but you wouldn't answer.]
Hitohito: (oh it was because my phone was killed by Wayne's EMP grenade.) My phone was dead really I wasn't trying to avoid you.....
Shouko: [so you're not angry at me?]
Hitohito: why would I? I made you a promise didn't? I'll get you 100 friends.
Shouko cover her face with the notebook and gave a little smile.
Najimi: Komi-san! Tadano! Look who I brought.
Hitohito: Yamai-san?
Najimi: remember what we talked about Yamai?
Yamai: Tadano-kun I'm sorry I said those horrible and true things about you, I just said what was on my mind.
Hitohito: (what's with that apology?)
Yamai: I also want to apologize to you Komi-san, it was naive of me to tell you who's worthy to be your friend.
Komi: ...... [ I forgive you Yamai.]
Yamai: just as I thought, she's still angry to talk to me, I'LL END MY LIFE RIGHT NOW!!
Hitohito: wait Yamai, she's not angry she's just bad at communicating.
Yamai: huh?! How dare you bad mouth Komi-san!
After she calmed down they explain the whole thing to Yamai
Yamai: ohh so Komi-san wants to make 100 friend... -glance-.
Komi: [do you want to be my friend Yamai?]
Yamai: Yes of course! This is such an honor!!
Komi earned a new friend.
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Another day at Itan, Shouko found herself a rival, or so that's what Yadano thinks, Shouko didn't realize that, but skipping that story line, let's go to the time when Najimi wanted to go to Shouko's house.
Najimi: hey Komi-san, so can we like go to your home after school?
Hitohito: that came out of nowhere.
Shouko gave it some thought but she was happy to have friends over her place. After class they have arrived at Shouko's house.
Najimi: here I go!
Hitohito: wait a minute Najimi!
Upon entering the took out their shoes. Shuuko happened to walk by and Hitohito recognized her.
Hitohito: ( I remember now that's Komi's mother that I saved from last time.)
Shuuko: oh my! Shouko brought friends over! Honey come here! Oh right he's at work tee hee.
Hitohito: (is this really Komi's mother?)
Shuuko: nice to meet you I'm Komi Shuuko an eternal 17 year old!
Shouko flapped her arms around, and draged both Najimi and Hitohito to her room.
The trio sat quietly on Shouko's room for a few minutes, Shouko didn't know what to do as a host since it was the first time having friends over.
Shouko: [ how's your eye doing Tadano-kun?]
Hitohito: it's doing well thank you.
Najimi: Tadano you have to watch where you walk.
Hitohito: haha sorry.
Shuuko walked in with some snacks for her daughter's friends.
Hitohito: oh thank you very much.
Shuuko: have as much as you like.
She exited her room and the mood got dense again.
Shouko: [Tadano I have a question for you.]
Hitohito: sure what is it?
Shouko: [what made you like the old western music so much?]
Hitohito: the old music? Is it really that weird to listen to this kind of music nowdays hahaha?
Shouko: [ I didn't mean that in a bad way, I just wondered since you're the only person I know who listens to it.]
Hitohito: hmmm how do I explain it..... back when I was a kid I used to have a lot of panic attacks, I really don't know how it started but thanks to my dad who introduced to that music it helped me ease my mind.
Shouko: ......
Hitohito: I also listen to current music but it's not as effective, there's a certain thing that calls me down whenever I listen to my walkman.
Shouko: [ I think I understand.]
She wanted to listen to Hitohito's music.
Hitohito: perhaps would you like to listen?
She nodded.
Hitohito took out his walkman and handed her the headphones. She put them on and Tadano played the tape.
Dancing with myself- Billy Idol
Shouko got her mood high up by the sound of the music, she now understood what Hitohito meant.
Hitohito: you like it?
She nodded at him.
Shouko: [ I can see why you like it, it's very good.]
That made Hitohito so happy, not a single person he met, other than his dad like that music, everyone called him weird or outdated when he liked the old music, but seeing a friend of his not criticizing him, made him drop a tear from his eye.
Shouko: [Tadano-kun are you okay?! Did I upset you?!]
Hitohito: sorry no you didn't..... it's just that is the first time someone has said something positive about my music taste.
Shouko: [ I'm starting to like it.]
Hitohito: if you want I can give you a list of the best hits.
Shouko: [ I would like that very much.]
Najimi got bored of the music talked and began to snoop aroud Shouko's room, she found a photo album and looked through it. Hitohito saw how Shouko had struggled with the communication disorder since she was a kid.
After a few hours night arrived and Najimi and Hitohito left to go back home. When Shouko got back to her room she received a message from Najimi, it was a photo that they took without them noticing.
She was happy and asked her mother for a photo frame.
Hitohito was walking back home, when he recieved a phone call from his new phone that Wayne gave him, speaking of the devil he was the one making the call.
Hitohito: hello.
Wayne: hey superstar, have you given any thoughts on my offer?
Hitohito: .... if I were to join you..... will you keep my family safe?
Wayne: mate if you were to join us, we'll keep every single family safe.
Hitohito: okay, but just to make it clear I'll be working with you... not for you.
Wayne: crystal clear mate, you set the terms.
Hitohito: if that's the case..... I'm in.
Wayne: great choice mate you won't regret it! Stand by for any updates, just keep doing what you do best and wait for our next meeting, goodbye!
After Wayne hung up he let the rest of the team know that Guardian will now be joining, this got Keith and Michael all excited, but Ace not so much, in fact he confronted Wayne about it.
Ace: are you sure we can trust him Wayne? We just met him a few days ago.
Wayne: what's the matter Ace? Afraid to share the spotlight with our new friend?
Ace: you know we can't trust their kind, what if he turns on us even I don't think I could stop him.
Wayne: worry not mate, because I have a back up plan.
Wayne took out a big chest from underneath a table.
Wayne: open it.
Ace open the chest to see the contents, much to his surprise it was a glowing red rock.
Ace: is that....
Wayne: should our friend decide to step out of line, a small exposure of this rock will turn him into the weakest man alive.
Ace: how did you get that?
Wayne: I have my contacts, our friends from the USA had a previous encounter with a super alien, now you feel safe?
Ace: .... one wrong move and I'll bury him myself.
He said it as he closed the chest.