Kurmara gave a small groan as she opened her eyes, staring at her nightstand before she rolled over onto her back and stared at her ceiling. She breathed in before letting it out shakily as her mind was still running with last night's events. She grabbed her phone to look at the time and saw that it was eight fifteen which made her sigh and set her phone back down before she rolled over to face her wall, grabbing one of her pillows and held it close before bringing her blanket up to her chin as she stared blankly at the wall. Tears fell down the side of her face onto her pillow as she held the other close, letting out little whimpers as her body shook slightly as she cried silently. He might've been an ass to her, but she was worried about Bakugou. She had fallen asleep after her brother tried to make her feel slightly better, which worked but she was still hurting. Her head and eyes hurt from the constant crying, so she tried to go back to sleep even if it was just for thirty minutes. She closed her eyes, trying to get rid of the memories from last night before giving an irritated huff and sitting up, staring at her desk before shuffling out of bed. The house was quiet meaning her brother and Aunt were out of the house which left her alone.
The last thing I want right now... She thought as she sighed and changed out of her pajamas before walking to the front of the house, looking back before slipping shoes on and leaving. She didn't know where she was going, but it was better than being by herself. She slowly walked down the street, the sounds of the busy street filling her ears along with people walking past her. It sucked, feeling the way she did without a way to help her get rid of it. "This is so dumb.." she thought as she turned down a corner that lead her to an abandoned street, not paying attention to where she was going until she finally looked up to find herself lost. "Haa.. great..." she huffed before continuing to walk, hoping to get back home through the streets. She wandered for about thirty minutes before groaning with frustration and turning down a road that lead into a wide alley, looking at her phone to try and figure out where she was and how far from her house. "Well would you look at this, we seem to have a lost sheep," a gruff voice sounded and she gave a little gasp as she turned around to see three men behind her standing against the walls. Just what I needed... she thought as she backed up a little.
"What're you doin' wanderin' on your own, little sheep?" One asked with a nasty smirk which made Kurmara suppress her grimace as she continued to slowly back up. "I.. I just got lost.." She responded, jumping when a fourth was next to her. "And where you heading?" The second queried, his hand deep in his pocket. "Just... just home." "And where do you live? We could help you get back." The third man chuckled low but Kurmara shook her head. "N-no, that's okay. I can.. I can find my way." She then turned before stopping to look up at the fourth man who towered over her. "It's rude to ignore someone trying to help you," he voiced, a shudder going through her body at his cold voice. "I'm-I'm not trying to be rude... could you at least.. give me directions back to the-the city?" She was getting scared now but tried to keep her composure as she looked at the men. The four of them looked at each other before the second one walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder, standing next to her very closely which made her extremely uncomfortable. "Just head that way and turn right," the man said as he lifted his other hand and pointed down the street. "That takes you to the city." He voiced before standing up, not removing his hand.
Kurmara nodded and slid his hand off her shoulder. "T-thank you..." She then walked past the other two, an uneasy feeling residing in the pit of her stomach. Back at the house, Eun and his Aunt walked through the door with a few bags in their arms. "Kurmara, we're home!" Her brother shouted as the two walked further into the house towards the kitchen. "Kurmara!" He shouted again but there wasn't an answer. "Do you think she's still asleep? I mean, considering what happened..." Da-Eun voiced and he shrugged. "I'll go check on her." He said as he walked towards the back of the house toward his sister's room where he knocked on the door. "Kurmara? You still asleep?" He asked through the door and waited a few minutes before opening it to see that she wasn't in her room. "Kurmae?" Eun called out before walking out of her room and back into the kitchen where his Aunt was. "She asleep?" She questioned and he shook his head. "No. She's not even in there." He responded as he began to call her. "What?" She queried and walked towards the back of the house. "It's Kurmara! Leave a message after the tone." Eun let out a sigh as he tried to call her again only for it to go to voicemail a third time.
"Ugh, come on." He sighed with frustration. "I checked the bathroom and the other rooms but she wasn't there either." Da-Eun voiced. "What about the backyard?" He asked but she shook her head. "Then where the hell-" Eun was interrupted by his phone chiming. He opened it to see a message from his sister. "What'd she say?" She asked but he shook his head. "Nothing, she just sent me a location." He responded and his Aunt tilted her head. "A location? That's weird." "I know. I'm going to go find her with this. I wonder why she left the house." He then walked towards the front door and put his shoes on and left the house to look for his sister with the location she sent.
* * *
Kurmara rushed into the building, her heart pounding in her chest. She swiftly ascended the stairs, her footsteps barely making a sound. Panic surged through her as she heard the echoing voices and footsteps of her pursuers downstairs. They're closing in on me... I need to find a safe place, and fast, she thought, her mind racing. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Kurmara discreetly reached for her phone, her trembling fingers fumbling with the screen. She needed help, someone who could come to her rescue. Just as she was about to make the call, a chilling voice cut through the air, sending a shiver down her spine. "Where're you hiding, little sheep?" She hastily silenced her phone and peered around the corner, her heart pounding in her ears. Two men prowled the hallway, their eyes scanning the rooms in search of her. Kurmara retreated back into the hiding spot, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. With determination fueling her every move, Kurmara tiptoed toward the nearest window, her senses on high alert. She carefully maneuvered her body over the windowsill, pressing her back against the wall as she inched along. Balancing precariously, she made her way to the fourth floor, where she hoped safety awaited.
As she descended to the third floor through another broken window, shards of glass glinted on the ground below. Her heart sank as she saw her phone slip from her pocket, crashing onto the concrete. Cursing her luck, she hesitated for a moment, torn between retrieving her device and the risk of being caught. Footsteps approached the room she was in, and Kurmara swiftly retreated to the shadows, her heart pounding in her chest. She held her breath, straining her ears to listen for any indication of the thugs' whereabouts, praying that they would pass by without discovering her hiding place. "She's not here." One of the men voiced with a huff. "I coulda sworn-" "Look at this, I think it's her phone." Noo! Kurmara thought as she watched one of them pick it up to show the other. "She must've been in here then. We can't be too far from her now." "C'mon, let's keep searching. She couldn't have gotten far." Before they left, one of the men who held her phone dropped it onto the ground before stepping on it. Once they both left, Kurmara waited a moment longer before stepping out of her hiding spot and over to her phone, sighing slightly when she saw that it was broken.
"Won't even turn on.." she put it back in her pocket before walking into the hallways and quickly heading towards the stairs when she heard something behind her. "Kurmara!" She turned to see her brother walking towards her. "I've been looking for you! The directions you gave me didn't really-" "Eun, look out!" She shouted towards him but he was late in reacting as one of the thugs got behind him and stabbed him in the side before letting him fall to the ground, holding it in pain. "Eun!" Kurmara ran towards her brother only for another thug to grab her, causing her broken phone to fall out of her hands as they dragged her and her brother into a room. Kurmara struggled to get out of their grip but the thug held something close to her neck. "Stop struggling," he voiced close to her ear and she stopped, looking down at her brother who let out a groan as he tried to get up. "Hey, get a look at him." One of them laughed before kicking Eun in the stomach, making Kurmara move forward only for the thug to hold her still. "What're you going to do, pretty boy?" The first one laughed again, getting ready to kick the twenty-year-old again only for him to use his Quirk to blow him away. "Nuh-uh, pretty boy," a second came and hit him with a metal pipe.
"Stop!" Kurmara shouted and the pipe-wielding thug looked back at her before walking towards her and she looked up at him, fear coursing through her veins. He then lifted his hand and made contact with her face, a loud smack echoing in the air. She let out a hiss as her cheek had a stinging sensation before she looked up at him, tears at the corner of her eyes. "Keep quiet." He said to her in a menacing voice before he walked back over to Eun, hitting the pipe down onto him. She watched helplessly and angrily as they continued to hit him and she struggled against the thug, who now had a tight grip on her arms. "Let go of me!" Kurmara shouted at him as she continued to try and break free from his grip. "God quit moving around. You'll end up getting your turn next." He told her. She looked as they landed another hit on his back with the pipe. "Stop it! Leave him alone, dammit!" She shouted but they ignored her and instead just laughed as they began to kick him, which caused her to get angrier and more than scared now as they continued to beat on her brother. "I said stop!" Kurmara pulled away from the thug that was holding her and just before he tried to grab for her again, she landed a punch as hard as she could in his chest, sending him flying across the room to smash against the wall and everyone looked at her.
She faced all of them and used her wind to push them above her brother before they landed down, knocking the air out of them so she could have a small window to get to her brother. "Someone get that little bitch!" One of the thugs voiced when he ran into the room and she used her water to create a curtain in front of her and her brother before she picked him up. "I'm sorry, but this is the best I can do so you don't get hurt any worse..." she apologized and he just let out a groan.
"It's.. fine.. just go..." Eun managed to say and she nodded before rushing out of the room towards the front of the building. "Stop them! Don't let those two get away!" She heard shouting behind them and continued, trying to be as careful as she could. I can't run without hurting Eun more.. and I don't want to use my strength unless they have more big guys or in case we're in a tight spot. Kurmara thought as she turned a corner into a room, hearing footsteps all around. "Shit," she carefully set her brother down before getting close to a broken window. They were still on the third floor of the rundown building and they had smashed her phone earlier so she had no way of contacting the police. "Dammit.." She walked back over to her brother and lifted his shirt to see that he had many bruises and was bleeding on his side from when they had stabbed him. "Fuck." "Stop.. swearing so.. much.." Eun breathed out and she looked at him. "Sorry..." She apologized. "What's.. wrong?" "Well, we're on the third floor and there seems to be a lot of them still. They smashed my phone earlier so I can't call for any help whatsoever." She told him, letting out a little irritated sigh.
"I'll figure something out, don't worry," Kurmara reassured and Eun closed his eyes. "My left.. pocket.." "What?" "My phone... I think.. it's still there.." He voiced as he tried to shift a little to grab it, but she stopped him. "Don't move, I'll get it." She said and reached into his left pocket, pulling out his phone. The screen was cracked from when they had beat on him, but it still worked when she turned it on. "Yes! I'll contact the police," She began to dial the number but the screen blinked and she looked at the top right to see that it was at four percent for the battery. "Oh no.. it's only at four percent!" "Hurry then..." Kurmara didn't have time to think so she quickly went to his messaging app and punched in a number, quickly typing the details of the situation she was in and where their location was before she hit send. Once the message was delivered, the phone powered off, indicating that it was dead. "Okay, I sent the message, but for now I have to try and get you out of here otherwise we're screwed." She told her brother who gave a slight nod. She looked at the bleeding area and put her hand over it and used her water Quirk on the wounded area before picking him up again. "What.. how-"
"I learned how to do that back at the training camp." She interrupted before leaving the room they were in, listening for any of the thugs. She walked through the desolate halls and rounded corners before finally spotting the stairs. Kurmara carefully yet quickly walked her and her brother to the stairs. Just as she had taken a step, something whizzed past her head and she looked back to see one of the thugs behind them holding something in his hands. She hurried down the stairs just as he threw something else at them. She managed to get a glimpse to see that it looked like a saw blade which made her pick her brother up on her back and run steadily. "I'm sorry if it hurts, but I want to get out of here as quickly as possible Eun." She spoke to her brother but he just let out a small groan and she continues to duck in and out of rooms to avoid getting hit by anything the men threw at them. She managed to get to the first floor before she ducked into another room to catch her breath. "I… I think I lost them," she managed to utter between labored breaths, her voice filled with relief. Kurmara gently set Eun down, careful not to jostle him further. She could see the fatigue and pain etched on his face, and it only fueled her determination to ensure his safety.
"Stay here, Eun. I'll be back. I promise," she whispered, her voice filled with both concern and determination. Leaving Eun in the relative safety of the room, Kurmara silently closed the door behind her, her senses on high alert. She cautiously surveyed her surroundings, scanning for any signs of lurking thugs. Every creaking floorboard and every distant sound amplified her awareness. With each careful step, Kurmara made her way through the dimly lit corridors, her eyes searching for any potential threats. The daylight streaming through the windows offered a glimmer of hope, a reminder that help was within reach. As she neared the exit, Kurmara pushed open the door and stepped outside, her eyes squinting in the bright daylight. The sounds of bustling city life filled her ears, and she took a moment to appreciate the familiarity and safety of the outside world. In the distance, the blaring sirens grew louder, indicating that the police and possibly an ambulance were near. Relief washed over Kurmara as she realized that help was on its way. She took a deep breath, allowing herself a brief moment of respite before the next phase of their journey.
Just as she was about to turn around to check on Eun, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her. "Kurmara!" Da-Eun's voice carried through the air, filled with worry and concern. Just as she took a step, one of the thugs stabbed her with the sharp end of a pipe. "Fuck!" She shouted before hitting him away from her, causing him to skid across the concrete, hitting a pole. Kurmara fell to her knees and held the area she had been stabbed. Why am I getting Déjà vu? She thought as she heard sirens in the distance and her Aunt calling her name. Oh right, back at the camp.. She was breathing slower as she collapsed onto the ground, laying on her side, not removing her hand from the area. This time feels different though... Da-Eun picked her up in her arms, holding the teen close. "-ey, hey, Look at me. Kurmara, look into my eyes." Her Aunt voiced as she held the teen close before shouting for an ambulance. "Da-Eun..." she gasped before wincing. "It's going to be alright. You're going to be just fine, hun." "It.. hurts..." She told her aunt as the pain didn't stop. "I know baby, I know. But I need you to stay focused on me, alright? The paramedics will be here for you both soon." She reassured as she pressed on the wound when Kurmara's hand slid off.
"I.. I think it's happening again, Auntie..." The teen said breathlessly, her breathing becoming more and more shallow, tears blurring her vision but her aunt shook her head. "No, no it's not. You're going to be fine." Fear spread through her body because she was aware of the fact she was dying. "I.. I'm scared... I'm sorry Auntie." Kurmara cried and Da-Eun held the girl close. "It's okay, you don't need to apologize. I'll be right here for you." Da-Eun's words carried a mixture of strength and tenderness, a silent vow to stay with Kurmara until the very end. She understood the weight of those moments, knowing that she had to be a pillar of support for her niece. She cradled Kurmara's trembling body, offering solace and a sense of security amidst the chaos. Kurmara clung to her aunt, finding solace in her presence, even in the face of uncertainty. As the familiar darkness swallowed Kurmara, her body went limp in Da-Eun's arms. "Kurmara! Kurmara!" Da-Eun called out to her lifeless niece, her voice filled with panic. She shouted for paramedics again, desperation evident in her voice, as she clung to Kurmara's motionless form. Finally, the paramedics arrived, rushing to Da-Eun's side.
Two of them immediately attended to Kurmara while the other two rushed over to Eun, who lay unconscious inside the building. With careful hands, the medics gently lifted Kurmara's body onto the stretcher and hurriedly made their way toward the waiting ambulance. Da-Eun stood there, rubbing her face, feeling a mix of relief and fear coursing through her. She let out a shaky sigh, whispering a swear under her breath before turning her attention to the building where her nephew was being brought out on a stretcher. Eun weakly called out to his aunt, his voice barely audible. Da-Eun hushed him gently, urging him not to speak. The medics allowed an officer and Da-Eun to climb into the back of the ambulance, where Eun lay, still unconscious. Da-Eun took hold of Eun's hand, her grip tight, providing him with a sense of comfort. In a feeble voice, Eun finally mustered the strength to ask about Kurmara. His words hung in the air, heavy with worry. Da-Eun hesitated, her heart aching as she held his hand even tighter. With a heavy sigh, she whispered, "She... unfortunately died again." Eun muttered a curse under his breath, his eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and grief, before succumbing to unconsciousness once more.
The remainder of the ambulance ride to the hospital was filled with silence, only interrupted by the sound of sirens and the weight of an uncertain future.