[ENG]Shoto Todoroki : Modern-day Terrorist

Chapter 17

I blinked.

What ?

"It would be an informal visit. Just family", Rei explained.

"You will never be alone with him"

I could feel the ghost of his cold fingers on my neck.

"We'll visit him, we'll talk to him, and then we'll leave"

"You're not force to do anything. If you don't want to, you won't go"

"Yes, it's just like your father says. But you should know that the doctors said that he has made a lot of progress. They think it would be good if he could see you"

Enji frowned.

"Rei..."

She raised her hands in defense.

"I just said that it would be good for him to see you, that's all"

Enji turned his attention back to me.

"No one forces you to do anything, Shoto. It's your choice"
"I-"

My voice was hoarse.

Rei hastily served me some water. She spilled some on the picnic table.

"Here, drink a little"

I drank the glass in one gulp.

"So what do you think ?"

There was hope in Rei's eyes.

"Leave him alone"

She twitched but added nothing. Enji put his hand on my back.

"Think about this seriously, Shoto. And remember that there is no right or wrong decision"

The last time I saw him was months ago, in this forest.

"If I say yes... when shall we go ?"

"Immediately after that, for about an hour"

Rei could not hide the excitement in her voice.

Enji gave her a sideways glance.

A lot had happened since the incident.

I had trained tirelessly, morning, noon and night.

I had learned to wield knives with the intent to hurt.

I knew how to defend myself against a grown man and break his wrists.

I had learned to use my chakra to cut through trees with my fists alone.

Yes, things were different.

I was different.

"Okay. Let's go"

Rei leaped happily. Enji looked worried.

But there would be no more incidents with Touya.

Because if he attacked me again, I would kill him.

*

The hospital was no hospital.

There were gardens with pruned trees, bushes with flowers and fruit, birdhouses hanging from the trunks.

The hallways were not like hospital hallways.

The floor was covered with fleece carpets, paintings hung on the walls, hand-painted vases adorned mahogany tables.

It was not a hospital.

It didn't smell of antiseptic, the phone at the reception didn't ring off the hook, no one was screaming to get ahead, the nurses weren't running around, none of the patients were bleeding, my neck wasn't burning, I wasn't having a panic attack, the neon lights weren't yellow, I wasn't drowning in the open air, everyone was happy and smiling when I almost died, the fucking walls-