Chapter 3

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Izuku called Mitsuki to let her know what had happened. He gave her the location so she could retrieve his mother's body.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us?" Mitsuki asked, her voice heavy with worry.

"...Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for the offer, though."

"Okay, but just know our door is always open to you, Izuku."

"…Thank you."

On his way home, Izuku decided to stop by a convenience store to grab a drink, hoping it would help clear his mind. After stepping out, he wandered aimlessly before finding himself at the park near his house. He didn't want to go home—not to that empty, lifeless space.

Sitting down on a park bench, Izuku's bottled emotions finally erupted.

"Why? Why didn't he go back? WHY DIDN'T HE SAVE HER… Why?"

He broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. His eyes turned red from crying, and mucus ran down his nose. He tried to wipe his tears away, but they wouldn't stop. For more than an hour, he cried until he was physically unable to shed another tear. Finally, he sat there, emotionally drained, collecting his thoughts and calming himself.

After a few more minutes, Izuku prepared to head home. But before he could stand, a man in a black suit with a face shrouded in shadow appeared before him.

Izuku froze, wanting to ask the man to step aside, but before he could speak, the shadow-faced man handed him a black card with white numbers printed on it.

"It seems you're upset. Call the number on this card when you feel you have nothing left," the man said calmly.

Before Izuku could ask what he meant, the man disappeared. Izuku looked around, but the street was empty. Deciding to pay no mind to the strange encounter, he stuffed the card into his pocket and continued his walk home.

When he reached his front door, his hands trembled as he slowly turned the handle. The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted by the hum of the air conditioner and an eerie silence that sent a chill down his spine.

Without removing his shoes, he walked down the hall, stopping in front of his mother's room. He stood there, staring at the closed door, a deep sadness washing over him. No more tears came, but the weight of his grief was unbearable. After a moment, he continued down the hall and entered his room.

The sight of his All Might merchandise filled him with rage—rage at the hero who couldn't save his mother and rage at himself for being so helpless.

He erupted, tearing down posters, knocking items off his desk and shelves, and ripping apart anything that reminded him of heroes. Finally, he collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. Unable to cry, he pounded his fists against the floor with every ounce of frustration and pain he could muster.

"...Damn it… damn it… DAMN IT! What's wrong with me? Why am I so… so AUGH!" he screamed.

Kacchan was right, he thought bitterly. He was a useless weakling.

"Maybe I should've listened to him. Maybe I shouldn't have applied to UA. Maybe… maybe I should've just jumped off that roof like he said. Maybe then she'd still be…"

---

A few weeks passed, and the day of his mother's funeral arrived. Izuku didn't want to go, but Mitsuki convinced him to at least pay his respects.

His mother didn't know many people, so the funeral was small. Everyone in attendance knew Izuku or had seen him at least once.

He walked in, said his goodbyes, and left. Everyone noticed something unusual about him—his expression. It was cold and lifeless, as if he were a walking corpse.

Katsuki Bakugo noticed it too, and for some reason, it pissed him off. He was about to confront "Deku" when Mitsuki grabbed his shoulder.

"Give him some space, Katsuki."

"Tch, whatever, hag," he muttered, holding back.

---

The next day, Bakugo showed up at Izuku's house, banging on the door.

"Oi, Deku! Open up!"

"…"

"You better not be ignoring me, you damn nerd!" Bang. Bang. Bang. "HEY!"

The door swung open abruptly, revealing Izuku. His hair was messier than usual, he was still in his pajamas, and his eyes were red with dark circles underneath. His expression was the same dead look from the funeral.

"Why are you here, Kacchan?" Izuku asked, his voice flat.

Bakugo stared at him, caught off guard by his appearance. For the first time, he didn't have a snarky comment ready.

"If you don't need anything, then leave," Izuku said coldly, beginning to close the door.

Bakugo stuck his foot in the doorway, blocking it.

"Oi, I'm not done with you!"

"But I'm done with you. So leave."

"Tch. Whatever. You were always useless, Deku. So useless you couldn't even—"

"COULDN'T WHAT, KACCHAN?" Izuku's voice rose, cutting Bakugo off. "SAVE HER? YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT? SHE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, AND I COULDN'T DO A DAMN THING! SO HAHA, JOKE'S ON ME! YOU WERE RIGHT—I'M A USELESS, WORTHLESS, QUIRKLESS NOBODY!"

Tears streamed down his face as he screamed.

"Now, if you're just going to be a dick and tell me something I already know, then just leave."

"...Deku, I…"

"LEAVE, BAKUGO. BEFORE YOU MAKE IT WORSE."

Bakugo clenched his fists, glaring at Izuku before pulling his foot away. He gave him one last glance before the door slammed shut in his face.

Standing there in silence, Bakugo stared at the door for a moment before walking away, his anger simmering.