The sting of tears clung to my eyelids as I navigated the quiet hallways toward the kitchen. The faint aroma of chamomile tea tickled my nose—Hana was awake, as always. My stomach twisted, a familiar pang of guilt and protectiveness clenching at my insides. I knew her story, the broken pieces of her past that she carried with quiet grace.
She sat at the table, bathed in the soft, pre-dawn light, a book open in front of her. Her soft smile, when she noticed me, was a gentle balm. "Anos? Why are you up so early? It's barely 5:30." Her voice, like her smile, was warm and calming.
"Early training," I lied, my voice hoarse. The truth was, my mind had been a hurricane all night, refusing to grant me even a moment of sleep.
"Alright," she said, her smile widening as she reached for the kettle. "I'll make you some of my special energetic tea then." She poured a steaming brew into a mug for me, and we sat in comfortable silence, the only sound the gentle clinking of her ceramic cup against the table. "Would you like some breakfast?" she asked gently.
"I usually eat after training," I replied, offering a soft smile. She nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. Pushing away from the table, I walked down to the training room.
I traced the familiar contours of the doorway, the space where I spent so many hours since I was three. A swell of memories washed over me, each one sharp and vivid. I closed my eyes, remembering six-year-old me, small but determined, Kenji and Dad on either side, their faces alight with encouragement.
Flashback (Anos pov)
Kenji, with his signature yellow lightning bolt streak, was demonstrating a basic punch, his voice booming with enthusiasm. "Power comes from the core, Anos! Feel it, build it!" Dad stood behind me, a proud glint in his eyes, his flames flickering at his fingertips as he showed me how to channel the energy. "You have the strength, Anos. You just need to learn how to control it." There were days it was rigorous, others were fun, laughter booming in the halls as me and kenji sparred while my dad refereed. Every memory was perfect.
I sighed, a weight settling on my shoulders and walked along to the recovery room. Nurse Amber was by my dad's side, adjusting the monitors and jotting notes on her clipboard. "He's recovering slowly, but he's getting better," she said, her tone gentle, offering me a small smile as she glanced at his still form in the bed.
I offered a soft nod, feeling the pressure of anxiety ease slightly. She gave a nod and left leaving us alone. I pulled the chair beside him and sat there, the silence heavy but comforting. Even though he couldn't hear me, I needed to talk, to unburden myself of the secrets that clawed at my mind.
"I was looking through Kenji's memory book," I began, my voice barely a whisper. "And I've read the diaries too, the ones from Rei, Hana, Mom and Diana. All those years, all the hardships, the fear… what Enji did, the pain he caused, it's… it's unbearable," tears stung my eyes as i tried to calm myself. I began recounting the stories I'd read, the crushing weight of their experiences pressing down on me. "The burden, Dad, it's so heavy...keeping this secret, knowing everything, and having to pretend. It's eating me alive." My voice cracked, tears streaming down my face as I confessed the turmoil churning within me.
Just as I was about to leave I felt a hand grip mine it was my dad's, his eyes were closed but his fingers were twitching, moving. My heart lurched, hope and disbelief battling within me. I barely had time to process anything when I was screaming for nurse amber to get in here.
A flurry of activity followed a moment later. Amber rushed in, her professional calm taking over as she examined dad. "He's healthy, alert now, but needs rest," she said, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she smiled at a teary eyed me. As she left I rushed to hug him tight sobbing into his chest. "it's ok, I'm here" he said softly as he rubbed my back comforting me, I felt the tension leave my body when he held me like that. It was the first time I ever felt relax in weeks.
"Did… did you hear everything?" I asked, my voice still trembling as I pulled away from him, avoiding his gaze.
He gave a soft chuckle and signaled for me to sit down. "I knew about the ladies' past," he said, his voice calm. "Your mom told me… and Enji," he paused, his gaze hardening. "He mentioned you the other night. Do you remember."
I nodded, the memory of Enji mentioning my name sending a shiver down my spine. He sighed and began the story.
Flashback (Hizashi pov)
The smell of burnt wood and ozone still clings to the back of my throat, a phantom reminder of a time when my fire wasn't for warmth, but for fury. I can still see him, Enji, a flickering silhouette against the blinding sun, his fiery ambition a mirror to my own, at least it used to be.
We were boys then, all sharp elbows and boundless energy, running through the training grounds at U.A, our quirks sparking like fireflies in the twilight. Me, Hizashi, with my white hair tipped in black, igniting flames with a snap of my fingers. Enji, his inferno almost a malevolent presence, always pushing, always demanding. We were friends, I suppose, a brotherhood forged in the crucible of sweat and shared dreams. That is until U.A internships started.
The first crack in our bond appeared after the internship offers. Enji's face was a mask of rage when it was announced that I had been chosen by the agency he had his eye on. A little smile snuck onto my face that I couldn't hide looking back at that moment I see now, that small smile was the first flame that caused the inferno to ignite in enji. His hatred for me grew and consumed him, like a monster. After that, everything shifted. He wasn't Enji anymore. He was just a shell of the man I knew.
He started seeing everyone as a game, something to be won. He started with her, Inko. The way she looked at me, with that gentle fondness, I thought she was the one. He took her. He started with Inko, then Diana, Kenji's bright spark of a love. Followed by Anx's sweetheart and Hijun's. I watched, my fists clenching as they became his puppets, their smiles strained, their eyes hollow. I tried to talk to them but they wouldn't meet my gaze, they would just give a forced smile and run to him.
The final straw broke when I heard the whispers, the hushed stories of the girls showing up with bruises and always looking scared around Enji. Enji was hurting them, twisting their affections into something dark and cruel. I saw red, the world narrowing into the image of his smug face. I went to Kenji, my best friend since childhood, the same anger burning like hot coals in his eyes. He knew. He'd seen it too.
We didn't talk. We just understood. We found Enji in a training hall and just snapped. Not a word was spoken but the air cracked with the sound of our rage and our quirks colliding with his. I don't recall much of the fight except a blur of fire and electricity and blood. It took thirteen police officer to try and pry me and Kenji off him. And it still took two pro heroes to stop us from causing anymore damage. I saw the pure hatred and disgust in their eyes. They looked at us like we were wild animals. Maybe we were.
Looking back, it's hard to believe we were that angry. Our friendship destroyed by a petty grudge and obsession. My fire doesn't burn with rage anymore... mostly. It burns with the quiet promise to protect my family, to not let anyone, especially Enji's legacy, touch them.
To be continued....