Tonight was beautiful.
Typically, Aster would remain inside her apartment. People couldn't see her there. But tonight was perfect. The moon was full and shining high in the sky. Aster had been walking for roughly an hour and only saw a handful of people.
She let out a sigh of relief. Nights like this were her escape. She didn't have to impress her family, help her siblings, or worry about her expectations. She just needed to live.
Although the night was wonderful, Aster knew better than to relax. Creeps, pervs, you name it, all wander the streets around town. Not to mention villains. She had to be extremely ready for anything.
She passed an alleyway and glanced in. Nothing. Perfect, She thought to herself. A shortcut. She looked around for people and then walked casually into the ally. Since it was winter, frost clung to metal dumpsters and pipes. Aster's breath fumed out in front of her.
As she emerged out the other end of the narrow alleyway, she almost ran into a man.
"Ah!" She gasped, stumbling backward. He looked at her with a surprised expression. As his eyes met hers, she felt a shiver slip down her back.
"Oh! Sorry! I-I didn't mean to run into you, sir. Are you alright?" She asked coming back to her senses. The man was silent for a moment.
"You," He said slowly, still looking her in the eyes with the same surprised face. "Didn't run into me. Don't apologize. Of course, I'm alright." Aster let out a sigh of relief. Normally people would yell or curse her out.
"Well," He continued. "Not fully alright you could say." He smiled a little. She could get a good look at him with him finally not looking at her.
He was wearing a black hoodie that obscured most of his features, but she noted the details she could see. He had light blue-grey hair and deep red eyes. A scar marked his right eye, similar to the one on his lip. He wore red shoes and dark black pants.
"So," he said out of the blue. "What's your name?" He looked at her expectantly with his dark red eyes, he almost looked like a demon.
"My name?" Aster echoed. She hated telling strangers her name. It always made people see her for what her parents were. She let out a sigh. "My name is Aster. Aster Hashiba." She winced while saying her last name.
"Hashiba?" The man asked. Aren't they the rich brats with unusual quirks? He thought to himself. Wait, Aster? As in...the oldest Hashiba child? He took a good look at her. Long blonde hair? Check. Cheerful smile? Check. Beautiful green eyes? Che-wait. He shook his head. Beautiful? What am I saying?
"So," He continued cooly. "You're the oldest kid in your family...right?" She nodded.
"21 to be exact!" She responded happily. He couldn't help but smile back. "And your name?"
He froze. Crap. He thought. I can't tell her my real name. Stupid motherfu-
"Hello?"
"Uh,"
"Sorry, you looked distracted." Aster apologized. She looked at him with an I'm waiting expression.
"Uh, my name is T-Takuro? Yeah, Takuro Shiguru." He tried. Aster tilted her head slightly. She could see the sweat coming off his face. Maybe he didn't like his name either. Huh, She thought. He's... cute when he's flustered. She smiled lightly.
The two continued talking as they wandered down the street. Aster found herself enjoying her conversation with Takuro, who felt a growing connection to this stranger.
Suddenly, a man came sprinting past them. His quirk must've been speed. He whirled in between them, shoving them aside.
Takuro was thrown into a metal dumpster next to him. A horrible cracking sound came from his body. Aster, however, was thrown into the road. She saw bright lights ahead of her getting closer. Then it hit her.
All Aster heard after that, was the snaps of her body breaking.