Chapter 36: Don't Stop Grinding
Author: Geraint
A/N: To support me, pls donate to my Paypal.
Link: paypal.me/Geraint124x
Discord: https://discord.gg/u4RG6Uac
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(MC's POV)
Arriving in front of the orphanage, the gate was open but no one came to welcome me. Even though, I already messaged them first before coming here and there's no person looking out from the gate.
"Huh? What are they doing? I already reminded that I'm coming today."
I went inside and see what's happening.
Looking around,
"This brings me back when I'm still staying here."
I halted on my steps seeing children I don't recognize playing around.
"They must be new orphans... Poor them..."
Walking through the hallway,
"Kyaah!"
Someone bumped to me from behind.
"Ouch! Ouch! It's hurts!"
It was a little girl with long black hair and purple eyes.
"Are you okay?"
I gave her a helping hand.
"Huh?"
She took my hand and I help her stood up.
"Thanks..."
As she brush off the dirt from her skirt then looked at me.
"Are you a new orphan here?" she asked curiously.
"Nope, I actually came from here. I just came to visit and see what's happening here." I answered with a smile.
"I see..."
"Where's the orphanage caretaker?"
Asking her that, she looked down and showed a bit of sadness from her expression.
"Our fellow orphan just collapsed just now and she was sent to the hospital. The orphanage caretaker came with her to the ambulance."
"Okay... I guess I came at a wrong time. I just visit on another time."
*Sniff* *Sniff*
The little girl suddenly started to cry.
"Uuuuuuu..."
I got worried and panicked.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you hurt or something? Please tell me!"
"They might open her heart if it goes bad! Uuuuuuu..."
"Oh, you mean... She needs a surgery? Let's pray for her that she'll survive the operation."
I decided to just pat her in the head.
"But we don't have money! I heard that they need more than 12 million yen in the hospital! No one wants to adopt me because I also have the same sickness as her. I might end up just like her and die--"
I immediately placed my index finger on her lips and stop her from saying something bad.
"Sssssssh! Don't say those words."
"Mm..."
I remembered that the children here in the orphanage are not covered by health insurance. We just all rely on the donations we get from the good people.
"Wait a minute. I'll just call someone."
"Huh?"
Taking out my phone, I called the old man.
*Ring!* *Ring!*
*Hello?*
"This is Ichika and I have a favor to ask you, Master."
*What is it?*
"Can you sell my car to someone? I really need the money."
*Are you sure?*
"Yeah, I don't need it anyway."
*But you'll still be needing a service for business?*
"Nope, I'll just make a better one in my workshop, D-I-Y and doesn't need gasoline!"
*If you say so...*
"Please send the money to the orphanage, they will need it for the heart surgery of a orphan child in the hospital."
*Okay, I'll find a buyer.*
"Thanks, old man!"
After that, I closed my phone and hid it back in my pocket.
I glanced back at the little girl and held both of her shoulder.
"It's okay now... Just like with her, I'll cover for your hospital bills so don't be afraid to get cured, understand?"
"But did you just---"
I moved close and whispered to her ears.
"It's fine... I don't use it often and it's just an material thing. I care more for you and the children in this orphanage. It's just a small amount of money compare to your lives."
*Sniff*
"So you're that Ichika-oniichan they're talking about! You're the one who bought us that souvenirs which just arrived a while ago!"
I smiled and nodded,
"Yeah, that's me."
"But I heard that whenever you're about to be adopted by someone, you wore a pink tight suit then you go around screaming and acting like a fool in order for them to consider adopting the other children. They called you, Kusogaki Ichika."
...
I became silent because I have nothing to say about it.
"Please forget about that. It's my dark history."
She went and hugged me and she cried in my arm.
"Uuuuuuuuuu~"
I hugged her back and tapped her in the back while being teary-eyed too.
(These children... After losing their parents, they don't have anyone to depend on. That's why... Like in the past, I'm earning a lot money and if something like this happened, I won't think twice to help these orphan children like me.)
"It's okay, it's okay. Everything will be fine. Just leave it to me."
---
After visiting the orphanage, I decided to go to the place where I usually hangout by myself or with my friends in the past.
Arriving in the playground park,
"Huh?"
I saw Izuku sitting on a swing while looking sad.
Approaching him, I lifted my hand and say hi.
"Yoh!"
"Huh? Ichika?!"
He looks completely shock.
Seeing his slightly beaten face with a black eye in his right eye.
"Did you get into a fight? Someone must be getting cocky when I left to Tokyo. Tell me! Who's the bastard who did this to you?!" I spoke with angry tone.
"No, Ichika! I just got a fight with my new classmates!"
"So, a bully at the first day of school. Did you fight back?"
"I-I-I-I..."
"Tell me! Did you fight back?!"
He got overwhelmed by me he finally answered,
"I don't know..."
I became confuse of his answer.
"Why don't you know? Did you get beaten too much that you forgot?"
"The three of them told me that I'm weak and quirkless then they beaten me up! I tried to fight back but my attacks aren't working!"
He became really upset.
"Okay... Wait! Didn't I taught you some of my techniques?"
"Yeah, I hit them several times in the body but it's not working. The three of them are too big for me. They beaten me up and mocked me several times for being quirkless. I didn't stand a chance against them."
"Did you skipped anything in my training menu?"
"Of course, I didn't! I really want to become hero but now..."
He's doubting the things I said and taught him until now.
"Stand up!"
"Huh?"
"I said, stand up! Did you hear me?"
"Yes..."
As he stood up, I lifted right hand with palm facing down.
"Throw a hook in my palm. Imagine that you're throwing a body shot." I instructed him.
"But..."
"Hurry up and just do it!"
"Okay, okay!"
He gripped his right fist and threw a right hook in my palm.
Catching his fist, my arm didn't budge a little bit.
Feeling power of his fist, I looked at my palm and close and opened my hand.
"See! My attack was pretty weak. No wonder it didn't have any effect to them..."
"Are you sure about that? You didn't kill them, right?"
His punching power exceeded my expectations.
"I didn't! They were fine when I used it against them in the first place."
Because of Captain Falcon's strength, I had a little hard time to measure his strength.
"Okay... As long as you fought back... then it's fine."
(I hope those kids are still fine. I taught Deku something dangerous.)
I sat on a swing beside him.
He decided to sit down too.
"Is that all of it? How's Kacchan?"
"He's in different class this time."
"I see... you're all alone. Are you feeling lonely yet?"
"Don't say that. It's still second day of school." he trying to convince me that everything is fine for him at his class.
"What about you, Ichika? How was your school in Tokyo?" he followed and asked me.
"Of course, the whole class hates me again! I spoke with proud tone.
"I guess you already did become someone troublesome..." Izuku's cheek was twitching while smiling.
"We're the idiot trio after all. You and me then Kacchan."
"Haha... That takes us back from last year but now..."
Suddenly, he looked down and became upset.
"Hm? What's wrong, Deku? Why are you upset?"
As Izuku sighed, he explained,
"After getting separated from you two, I realized just how weak I am. Getting beaten up today, I learned a big lesson that a quirkless like can't be a hero..."
"Probably..."
"It's frustrating! I totally helpless against them while they have fun beating me up! How can I become a hero and save someone if I can't even save myself! I've been always save by you and Kacchan!"
"That's right..."
He sighed again,
"Maybe... I just quit dreaming and face reality that a quirkless like me can't become a hero."
...
Only silence remains as wind blows around us.
I smiled as look up around the sky.
"Quit, don't quit... Quirk, quirkless..."
Glancing back at him.
"You are too concerned with what was and what will be. There's a saying... Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery but today is a leg day... that's why, don't stop grinding and stay focused on the training menu I gave you. You also have realize that you have legs, okay?"
I patted him in the shoulders.
"Eh?"
Izuku looks confused.
"You don't believe in me? How about this then... Just come to your school normally tomorrow."
"Huh? What if they beat me up again?!" he looks frightened.
"If they really appeared and bully you again, that just mean they never learned their lesson. Don't worry, just stand straight and keep your chin up tomorrow."
I stood up and walked forward, leaving him.
"Wait, Ichika!"
"Do not be afraid of one who was born to be a hero but rather fear the one who work hard to become one. That's all I can say. Good luck to you tomorrow or maybe you become famous and Kacchan gets angry at you again. Hahahaha!"
"Eh?!!"
He was completely shock.
(To be continued.)
(A/N: I'll fix my mistakes later.)