Dr. Mizue Hanayama was waiting patiently. She was sure that Suzuki would be on time. The last 2 sessions, he was perfectly on time.
'Did he perhaps have another episode?'
She wouldn't be surprised.
After all, she is dealing with PTSD at its worst. She can tell from the scar on his face and the ones she has seen on his arms, and after the battle with Bakugo in the sports festival, she got a glimpse of his body scars when Bakugo blew up his shirt.
'Those scars. There were definitely bullet wounds and stab wounds. That back was horrendous. Burnt and cut up. And another scar across his chest, similar to the one on his face.'
She knew she had to be even more careful. It would be difficult if it was an adult with those injuries, but Sam's still young. He may legally be an adult, but he seems to have never had a proper childhood.
Suddenly, she is whisked away from her thoughts as the door opens.
"Suzuki-san, I was getting worried. Are you-"
She gasped.
Sam sat down on a chair in the meeting room, right across from the Doctor.
"Sorry I'm late."
He was covered in wounds. He had a black eye. And she could see him limping and holding his side. And he had a cast on his arm.
"What happened?"
She asked concerned.
"It's nothing. Just a psycho rabbit."
She was expecting many things, but not that.
"What?"
"Just forget about it. So. What's on the agenda?"
She cleared her throat, respecting Sam's privacy on the matter.
"I was wondering. What do you wish to do after high school?"
Sam sighed.
"To be honest, I never wanted to enter this school. I honestly preferred to just stay in prison. Society just isn't suitable for me."
Sam looked down with a tired look.
"I see. But can I ask you, why you agreed? Surely you weren't forced to enter this high school. You are 18 and legally an adult so nobody could decide your future for you."
"You're right. In fact, I did decline it. The only reason I accepted after a while was because the man who saved me pleaded for me to take the rat's offer."
She nods.
"So you just plan on toughing it out? Not planning to make friends? Surely some of the kids in your class have tried to befriend you, right?"
Sam nodded.
"A few of them. I won't lie. I don't hate them. They seem to be strong minded. But still, they are just kids. Unaware of what the world outside of this bubble is. They all look at All Might like he is a god. It's common in kids to see All Might like a god, but that is nothing but kids being brainwashed by a corrupt government, using All Might as propaganda."
'He really does hate All Might.'
"You seem to resent All Might."
"I wouldn't say resent. I think he is a huge idiot who doomed the country. It's unreasonable to hate someone just for their stupidity. Stupid people aren't worth the animosity."
"I see. So you just don't like what he stands for. You said that in your fight against him."
"Yeah. Peace is a lie, Doctor. Don't ever believe it. Humans have a monster in them. All of them. Even the so-called saints hide darkness. They are capable of heinous things. I'm sure everyone has the capability to become a dreadful beast. It just takes one trigger. One event can make someone into a beast."
"Is that from personal experience?"
"That's going a bit, Doctor. I'm refusing that question."
"Alright. I apologize."
"Don't apologize. Just take care."
She nods.
She writes down her observations into her notepad.
"But you said you don't hate the kids, right? So would that mean you're open to befriending them?"
Sam thought for a bit.
"Honestly, I don't know. I'm very different from them. They are full of hope and dreams. Filled with enthusiasm and genuine care for others. I am not the same. I've already seen enough. I've lived through enough… I lost enough."
Sam teared up.
"Suzuki-san-"
"I think you should go. You understand right?"
He stands up and leaves the room. She just stares at the door.
She sighs.
'Depression. Not suicidal, but depressed.'
She writes it down.
"Suzuki-san, you are going to be difficult. But that's fine."
She steeled her resolve to help this broken child.