The Promises We Made || Boku no Hero Academia

14.5 | Stars and Freedom

Kenji lay down on the bed in the infirmary, he stared at the ceiling wondering why he wasn't overwhelmed by any emotion; back then he would be reduced to just laying on the ground with half of his body covered in black, but now he wasn't feeling anything out of place, all the negative and positive emotions are at balance. "I messed up big time... how can I let my control slip..." Kenji muttered, sitting up and fixating his eyes on the scenery outside his window, Recovery Girl is outside talking to Nezu, Joy, and his dad, so he's left with his thoughts.

Kenji fidgets with his locket, trying to remember what he did when he slipped, but barely anything surfaced in his mind, everything was blurry to him. "Before Katsuki and Izuku could ever explain anything to me, I passed out. I barely saw the damage inside USJ, and I didn't feel any fear around me when I was escorted out of the facility. I'll take it as a good sign...." Kenji thought while he played with a ball of positive emotion, stretching it and shaping it into a small star. "I hope they're all fine..." Kenji said as he continued making more little stars that floated up to the ceiling, reminding him of his bedroom with the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling, making him smile softly.

The stars promptly disappears when the door swung open, it was Hua and Kyoujurou, "Good to see you awake buddy!" Kyoujurou greeted, walking up to his son and pulling him into a hug, "Dad! We talked about your bone-crushing hug!!" Kenji yelled trying to push away his dad, "Kyou, let go of my nephew, you're gonna kill him." Hua chuckled as she approached her brother and nephew. Kyoujurou let go of his son, letting Hua ruffle Kenji's hair, "You really are stronger than you look! Haha! You held out long enough for backup to arrive." Hua praised Kenji, whose face went from a smile to a small frown.

"What happened? Auntie."

Words as cold as ice, Kenji knew that even if they put on a smile and a cheerful disposition, their hearts revealed to him that they were afraid. "Let's not beat around the bush. What did I do." Kenji said, looking away from his aunt and dad. "Kid, it wasn't your fault alright? I just want that out of the way, it was Goro's fault you lost control." Kyoujurou said, making Kenji bite his lip, an awkward silence soon filled the room. Hua didn't like how quiet it was, so she spoke, "You lashed out," Hua said, Kyoujurou looked at her with horror, "You held out long enough so that everyone managed to evacuate safely, and then you lashed out on me." Hua finished, looking back at her nephew, who only kept staring out of his window.

"You said...a lot of things. Bakugou and Midoriya were able to calm you down." Hua said and Kenji looked at Hua, "What did I say?" Kenji asked, well demanded would be a better word, "I...don't think you should know..." Hua said but Kenji fully faced Hua while a prowler emerged behind him, "Tell me." Kenji demanded. Now, Hua and Kyoujurou are seasoned pro heroes the concept of fear is something that they've gotten used to, but Kenji exuded a different kind of pressure and fear. "Kenji. Put away your prowler, then we'll talk." Kyoujurou ordered, activating his quirk as a show of dominance, which Kenji reluctantly surrendered to. "Kyo, set aside your Anger. What he needs now is a gentle and comforting hand." Hua stepped in, ceasing the anger that boiled in Kyoujurou's blood. "I'll tell you everything that happened Kenji." Hua said, sitting beside Kenji, placing her hands on his, "But promise me you won't blame yourself." Hua pleaded and Kenji nods.

So Hua told him what had happened, his self-loathing, his hatred, his fears, everything he had said to her and to his friends. Kenji felt physically sick at what he had said, no way in this world would he just cuss out his auntie or his friends! "Oh my god... I said all that..." Kenji said, his hand on his mouth as his eyes widened in fear and disgust. "Kenji, it's okay, I don't blame you..." Hua reassured her nephew but Kenji just stared at her. "Really, I don't mind! There are things that we don't want to say to the people we love because, we're afraid we might hurt them. But sometimes these things need to be said, and not kept bottled up..." Hua said as she rubbed circled on Kenji back. "I understand if you hate me...I was so concerned on what could happen, ignoring what was already happening in front of me. I thought that maybe my plan can help you and everyone, but in reality it only helped everyone but you. I was so deep into playing the hero that I forgot I was your auntie; I was your hero. But I realized this 4 years too late Kenji..." Hua said, pushing away Kenji's bangs, wanting to see her nephew's face. "I'm sorry if I had you paint yourself as the villain in your story, I'm sorry if I forced you into a life that you didn't want..." Hua said as she looks at her brother, who stood far away from all this.