You Can Be a Hero Too

Chapter 44: The Blank Period II

[Previously]

Upon reaching her apartment, she prepared and ate her dinner in silence. The weight of her inaction continued to gnaw at her conscience as she settled into bed. Ochako's gaze drifted upward to the dimly lit ceiling adorned with glow-in-the-dark star stickers, forming her own personal constellation. She shifted, seeking comfort, yet the bedding felt unyielding and chilly against her touch.

Finally, her heavy eyelids succumbed to drowsiness. She yawned, and the image of the person she had encountered at the park resurfaced in her thoughts.

[Project 42 Arc] The Blank Period II

"The more obstinately you try to learn how to shoot the arrow for the sake of hitting the goal, the less you will succeed in the one and the further the other will recede." - Eugen Herrigel

-You Can Be A Hero Too-

Keiko awoke the next day in excruciating pain, a predictable outcome after enduring the brutal beating she had received the day before. Fortunately, she managed to pass it off as a simple stumble at the park when explaining it to her mother. She had painstakingly concealed most of the evidence of being struck by one of Katsuki's powerful blasts, methodically plucking at the charred remnants of her clothing.

Keiko was a petite girl with a cherubic face framed by dark green hair, which she always styled in unique cat ear-shaped pigtails. Her eyes were strikingly large and perfectly round, adorned with irises that mirrored the vibrant shade of green seen in her hair. They had a watery appearance at times, seemingly brimming with innocence and boundless energy. Four symmetrical diamond-shaped freckles adorned her cheeks, adding a touch of whimsy to her overall appearance.

While Keiko's childhood memories were hazy at best, she could vaguely recall a faceless man who had been a constant presence until she began interacting with other people. After that, she never laid eyes on the mysterious figure again.

Makino Miki, on the other hand, stood at an average height, boasting a slender figure and hazel eyes. Her natural hair color was black, but she had taken to dyeing it yellow. However, it had been some time since her last color session, so the roots of her natural hue were now visible. On her right earlobe, there remained a scar from an earring that had been violently ripped out. Makino often sported a red turtleneck paired with a black apron and beige khakis, which appeared to be her work attire. During more casual outings, she could be spotted wearing a long-sleeved garment in a yellowish-green shade.

Makino Miki was Keiko's adoptive mother, and Keiko remained blissfully unaware of her biological family and the siblings who were fervently searching for her. Within their modest apartment, Keiko cherished Makino with all her heart, unaware that they were not bound by blood. Consequently, Keiko's true name was Keiko Miki, not Keiko Midoriya.

Letting out a weary sigh, Keiko swiftly changed into her school uniform and devoured her breakfast. After bidding her mother a brief farewell hug, she made her way to school, her thoughts drifting absently as she observed the students around her. 

"I wonder if that girl from yesterday is still here," she pondered, though she had erased any recollection of their encounter. While she recognized most of the students in her age group, this particular girl was unfamiliar to her.

Upon arriving at her school, Keiko joined her classmates as they proceeded to the opening ceremony, though her attention waned considerably. In the midst of the crowd, she caught sight of Katsuki and promptly devised a plan to slip away unnoticed once the ceremony concluded, determined to evade the explosive teen's notice.

Keiko possessed the physical might to battle and even defeat Katsuki, but she lacked the mental fortitude to do so. Her quirk was Psychokinesis, granting her the extraordinary talent of telekinesis, which allowed her to manipulate physical objects with her mind to an incredible extent.