𝚆𝚎 𝙲𝚊𝚗 𝙱𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚎𝚜 | 𝙼𝚢 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚘 𝙰𝚌𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚊 - 𝙾𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚜

- 𝙻𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝙾𝚗 𝙼𝚎 -

(SEASON 5 EP19)

Mere minutes after the interrogation with Kurogiri ended, Shota Aizawa was falling apart. Not wanting to put his burdens on Yamada, Aizawa takes a walk in the city and bumps into a familiar someone he would least expect.
*****

To say that Shota Aizawa was exhausted was beyond belief. Finding out that one of his oldest friends who he had believed was dead had been turned into a monster drained him emotionally and physically.

Once the interrogation was over, Aizawa could feel a tear sliding down his cheek. He honestly didn't expect the tears to come so fast, but with the inclusion of dry eyes and those bittersweet memories of high school, Aizawa broke like a dam.

Shota sighed as he peered into the passenger seat window, watching the sunset over the city. Yamada hadn't said anything since he began the drive back to U.A., but what was there really to say? Them having to live with the fact that their oldest friend was now considered their enemy.

Aizawa didn't even want to think about that. The thought of it all just made him sick.

'Damn that bastard All For One...' Aizawa swore in his mind.

If the villain hadn't already been put under extreme surveillance, Aizawa would've been tempted to kill him for the pain he's caused-Which wouldn't necessarily be very hero-like.

All Might had been right to be wary of the scourge of Kamino. All his influence seemed to do was bring one disaster after another.

Aizawa tiredly rubbed his temple as he felt a headache coming on.

It was too much in so little time and Aizawa wanted nothing more than to get away from it all.

When Yamada stopped at a traffic light, Aizawa noticed that they were now essentially in the middle of the city.

From the window, Aizawa could see civilians doing their daily activities.

A young woman was walking around with two plastic bags, which were likely groceries. A child was holding both his parent's hands while walking across the street and a couple seemed to be enjoying the peaceful evening the sky had provided.

It was normal. A kind of normalcy that pro heroes like himself had sworn to protect.

Shota's thoughts then wandered to what Shirakumo would've thought of him now after all these years. Would he have been proud of him? Would he think Shota had turned out to be a great hero?

"I mean-There's three of us after all. So even if we slip up, there's no doubt that the other two will always have his back!"

Aizawa shook his head rapidly. That voice will never leave his mind, forever burned into his memory. Like a ghost whose presence would never truly fade away.

Because the truth of the matter is that Oboro Shirakumo is dead and all that remains is a phantom of the friend he once knew.

When Yamada accelerated the car forward again, a realization dawned on Aizawa. He needed to get out of this car.