Ten years ago... A Saturday Morning
"Kazuki! Kazuki, wake up! We're going to the aquarium today!"
Six-year-old Kazuki Hayashi opened his eyes to see his mother's face hovering above him, her smile bright and infectious. Her long hair tickled his cheeks as she leaned down.
"Mama, it's too early..." he mumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"It's eight AM! That's not early at all." Sayaka laughed and pulled the covers off him. "Come on, sleepyhead. I made your favorite breakfast. Pancakes with chocolate chips."
"The smiley face ones?"
"Is there any other kind?"
Kazuki shot out of bed, suddenly wide awake. "I'll get dressed right now!"
"That's my boy." She ruffled his hair. "Five minutes. Then breakfast. Then the aquarium."
He scrambled to his closet, pulling out his favorite shirt, the one with the cartoon shark on it. Today was going to be perfect. His mom had promised to take the whole day off. Just him, her, and Dad at the aquarium.
Downstairs, the kitchen smelled like vanilla and chocolate. Akira was already at the table, reading the news on his tablet, a cup of coffee steaming beside him.
"Morning, Dad!"
Akira looked up and smiled. "Morning, Kazuki. Excited?"
"Yeah! Mama says they have a new shark exhibit!"
"I heard. The great white tank, right?"
"Uh-huh! And dolphins! And-"
Sayaka placed a plate in front of him. Three pancakes, chocolate chips arranged into a smiling face, whipped cream for hair.
"Eat up, baby. We've got a big day ahead."
Kazuki dug in immediately, syrup getting everywhere. He was talking between bites, listing every single thing he wanted to see at the aquarium. His parents exchanged amused glances.
This was normal. This was happy.
This was the last morning things would ever be normal.
They were halfway through breakfast when Sayaka's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen. Her expression shifted, just slightly. "It's the agency."
"Don't answer it," Akira said immediately.
"I should at least see what-"
"Sayaka. You promised Kazuki. You took the day off."
"I know, but-" She answered. "Hello? ...Yes, this is Lumina. What's the situation?"
Kazuki watched his mother's face change as she listened. Her smile faded.
"How many hostages? ...And no other heroes are available? ...I see. What's the timeline?"
"Sayaka-" Akira's voice had risen.
She held up a finger. "I understand. Give me twenty minutes. I'll be there." She hung up.
Silence.
Kazuki looked between his parents.
"I have to go," Sayaka said quietly.
"You promised him." Akira gestured at Kazuki. "He's been talking about this for two weeks."
"I know. And I'm sorry. But there's a hostage situation in Yokohama. A villain with a building full of civilians. I'm the closest hero available. If I don't go-"
"Someone else can handle it."
"Akira, there are children in that building." Her voice was firm. "I have to go."
Kazuki just stared at his mother, his eyes tearing up a bit. "But... the aquarium..."
Sayaka knelt down beside his chair, taking his sticky, syrup-covered hands in hers. "I know, baby. I know I promised. And I hate breaking promises. But right now, there are kids who need help. Kids your age. I have to go save them."
"Can't another hero do it?"
"There's no one else close enough. Every minute I wait, those kids are in more danger." She brushed his hair back gently. "I'll make it up to you, okay? Next Saturday. No matter what. Just you, me, and Dad. The whole day. I promise."
"You promised today, too."
The words came out small, hurt.
Sayaka's face crumpled. "You're right. I did. And I'm so, so sorry. Being a hero means sometimes disappointing the people you love to help people who need you. It's the hardest part of the job."
She pulled him into a tight hug. Kazuki hugged her back, burying his face in her shoulder.
"I love you so much," she whispered. "I'll be back before dinner. Then we can watch that shark documentary you wanted to see. Deal?"
"...Deal."
She kissed the top of his head, then stood. "Akira-"
"Just go." His father's voice was cold. "Do what you have to do."
"I'll be careful. I'll be fast. I'll be home soon." She grabbed her jacket. "Love you both."
She was out the door before either of them could respond.
The kitchen felt too quiet suddenly.
Kazuki stared at his half-eaten pancakes.
"Come on," Akira said, his voice softer. "Let's clean up. Then maybe we can work on that model airplane you wanted to build."
"Okay."
They spent the morning in Akira's workshop. Under any other circumstances, Kazuki would have been thrilled; his dad rarely had time for stuff like this. But today it just felt like a consolation prize.
Lunch came and went. Sayaka didn't call.
That was fine. Hero work often took longer than expected.
"She's probably just doing paperwork," Akira said, though he checked his phone for the fifth time in an hour. "You know how she is about filing reports properly."
"Yeah."
Afternoon stretched into evening. They had dinner, takeout, because neither of them felt like cooking. The TV was on, playing some hero news channel.
"-situation in Yokohama has been resolved. Multiple hostages were rescued thanks to the efforts of pro hero Lumina-"
"See?" Akira said, relief in his voice. "She's fine. Probably just debriefing with the police."
"Can we watch the shark documentary while we wait?"
"Sure."
They settled on the couch. Kazuki tried to focus on the great whites hunting seals, but he kept glancing at the door.
Seven PM.
Eight PM.
Nine PM.
"It's getting late," Akira said, but he made no move to send Kazuki to bed. They were both waiting.
Nine-thirty.
Akira's phone rang.
He answered so fast he almost dropped it. "Sayaka? ...No, this is Akira Hayashi. Who is- ...What?"
...
...
...
"What hospital?" Akira's voice cracked.
He hung up. His hands were shaking.
"Dad?"
"Get your shoes. We need to go."
"Is Mama okay?"
"I don't know. Get your shoes. Now."
The car ride was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. His father drove too fast, hands white-knuckled on the wheel. He kept making sounds like he was trying not to cry.
Kazuki sat in the backseat, too scared to ask questions.
The hospital was too bright. Fluorescent lights that hurt his eyes. Everything was white and sterile and smelled like antiseptic.
A doctor met them at the entrance. She looked tired. Sad.
"Hayashi-san?"
"Where is she? Where's my wife?"
"Please, come with me. We should talk first-"
"I want to see her."
"Sir, I need to explain the situation before-"
"Now. I want to see her now."
The doctor's expression shifted to something like pity. "Of course. Follow me."
They walked through hallways that all looked identical. Kazuki's small hand gripped his father's tightly. They passed rooms with other patients, other families. Everyone looked sad.
"What happened?" Akira demanded as they walked.
"There was a structural collapse during the rescue operation. Your wife was hit by falling debris- a support beam struck her in the head and upper spine." The doctor's voice was clinical, professional. "She lost consciousness immediately. We've stabilized her, but the injuries are severe."
"Severe how?"
"Traumatic brain injury. Spinal cord damage at the C3-C4 level. We performed emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain and stabilize her spine, but..."
They stopped outside a room. Through the window, Kazuki could see a hospital bed surrounded by machines. Someone was lying in it, but he couldn't see their face.
"But what?" Akira's voice was barely a whisper.
"She's in a coma. The damage to her brain was extensive. We've done everything we can, but right now, there's no way to predict if or when she'll wake up."
"If or when-"
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Hayashi. The next seventy-two hours are critical. If she shows signs of brain activity improvement, that's a positive indicator. But if not..."
The doctor kept talking, but Kazuki stopped listening.
He was staring through the window at the person in the bed.
That wasn't his mother.
His mother was bright and energetic and smiled all the time. His mother made pancakes with chocolate chip smiley faces and created light butterflies for him to chase with his wind.
This person was small and still and connected to so many machines. Tubes in her nose and mouth. Wires attached to her chest. Bandages wrapped around her head.
"Can we go in?" Akira asked.
"Of course. But please be prepared. She's unresponsive. She won't react to your presence."
They went in.
The machines beeped.
Akira walked to the bedside and took Sayaka's hand. It looked so small in his. "Sayaka... Sweetheart, I'm here. Kazuki's here. We're both here."
No response.
"The doctors say you're going to be okay. You just need to rest. Take your time. We'll be here when you wake up."
No response.
"Please wake up."
No response.
Kazuki stood at the foot of the bed, staring. His mother's face was pale. So pale. There was a bandage covering half her head. Bruises on her arms. A tube breathing for her.
This was his mother. The woman who made him breakfast. Who trained with him in the backyard. Who promised to take him to the aquarium.
This was her.
But it wasn't.
"Kazuki," his father said softly. "Come here. Hold her hand. Let her know you're here."
He walked forward on autopilot. Took his mother's other hand.
It was warm. That surprised him. He'd expected it to be cold.
"Mama?" His voice came out small, scared. "Mama, it's me. It's Kazuki."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"We were supposed to go to the aquarium today. Remember? You promised."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Can you wake up? Please wake up. I don't care about the aquarium anymore. Just wake up."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Nothing.
His mother didn't move. Didn't squeeze his hand. Didn't open her eyes.
She just lay there, breathing through a machine, completely unreachable.
Something in Kazuki's chest cracked.
Not broke. Not yet. Just... cracked.
"Mama..."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Mama, please. Just wake up..."
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"Mama... Please wake up, mama. Please..."
She didn't wake up.
They stayed until visiting hours ended. Akira sat beside the bed, holding Sayaka's hand, occasionally talking to her in a low voice. Telling her about his day. About Kazuki's day. About nothing and everything.
Kazuki sat in a chair by the window, staring at his mother's still face.
He didn't cry. Couldn't cry. The tears wouldn't come.
He just felt... empty.
When they finally left, it was past midnight. Kazuki fell asleep in the car. When he woke up, he was in his own bed, still in his clothes from yesterday.
The shark shirt. The one he'd worn for the aquarium.
He took it off and stuffed it in the back of his closet.
Year after year.
"He's not socializing."
"He seems withdrawn."
"Has he considered counseling?"
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BOOM.
The train car exploded.
Glass shattered. Metal twisted. The world became noise and fire and chaos.
Kazuki was thrown backward, his body slamming through the window. He was airborne, thirty feet above the street, falling fast.
His quirk activated on pure instinct. Compressed air formed beneath him.
He landed hard. Rolled. His shoulder screamed in pain. His ears were ringing.
Smoke. Screaming. The train was a burning wreck on the elevated tracks above.
Kazuki pushed himself up, dazed. Blood ran down his face from a cut on his forehead. His school uniform was torn.
What just happened?
"EVERYONE DOWN!"
A villain stood on top of the wrecked train car. Tall, muscular, covered in what looked like metallic armor. His hands were glowing with some kind of energy.
"This is a message!" the villain shouted. "BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! NO! F*** THE SOCIETY, Y'ALL NEED TO BE BURNED TO THE GROUND!" he laughed maniacally. His tone wasn't serious at all; he sounded like he was getting a kick out of this.
More explosions. People screaming. Running.
Kazuki's mind was all over the place; he was seeing duplicates of things, a piercing sound in his ears, and blood all over his clothes.
Just what was happening?
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