12. A Teary Farewell

CHAPTER TWELVE

Rio sat awkwardly on the booster chair the officers had provided. His mother sighed for what had to be the umpteenth time, rubbing her face in frustration. Takeru stood by the door, whistling an unfamiliar tune, eyes fixed on the ceiling—clearly, he didn't want to be here either.

They were in an interrogation room at the 99th Precinct in Hokkaido. Rio cast a resigned smile at his brother, but Takeru pretended not to notice.

The door opened, and an officer walked in, scanning the case file in his hands. Rio didn't recognize him, but judging by the surprise on his mother's and Takeru's faces, he was clearly an acquaintance.

Detective Higuchi took a seat while his assistant—maybe a secretary?—prepared notes.

"It's unfortunate we had to reunite under these circumstances, but let's get this over with. It's already late," Higuchi said.

Izumi interjected immediately, her voice tense despite her usual deadpan stare. "Is there a problem, sir? I understand using a quirk that way was illegal, but he's just a child. Will he be in any trouble?"

"We'll need forensics to confirm the details, but honestly, ma'am, it's not looking good for your son." Higuchi exhaled deeply before continuing. "It wouldn't have been much of an issue originally, but too many people died. This incident made national news. The commissioner himself is interested in the case."

The weight of the situation sank in. Rio understood that unless something miraculous happened, escaping punishment would be impossible.

"Before we proceed, you have the right to legal counsel. Also, be advised that anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law."

Hearing his rights read to him drove the reality of his situation home. He could really be in serious trouble. He cursed the Creature Rejection Clan for putting him in this mess. Still, he held onto hope. Miracles happened all the time—especially for a hero named after time.

The door burst open.

O'clock strode in, carrying a chair in one hand and a bag of chips in the other. He set the chair down, plopped into it, and started snacking, entirely unfazed by the secretary's disgruntled glare.

Higuchi barely reacted, clearly used to his antics.

Popping another handful of chips into his mouth, O'clock motioned for the detective to continue. "Did I interrupt something? Please, go on." He leaned back, settling in like he was about to enjoy a good show.

"I wonder why you're here, O'clock. You're obstructing an ongoing investigation," Detective Higuchi said, raising an eyebrow.

O'clock shrugged. "I'm a witness, aren't I? I need to give a statement too, so… here I am. Giving a statement." He casually propped his legs onto the desk.

Higuchi let out a resigned sigh but pressed on. "Rio-kun, can you tell us where you were at five P.M. today? We'd like to know if—"

"He was with me at the warehouse," O'clock interrupted without a care.

Higuchi's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying you brought a child to a crime scene and gave him permission to use his quirk with lethal intent?"

"Why are you making me sound like the villain here? Say it like that, and I sound irresponsible."

The detective leaned forward. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing, O'clock. You're a respected hero with a good reputation—are you really willing to throw that away for a kid you barely know? Perjury is a felony. If you're worried about him, as long as forensics proves he didn't cause any lethal damage, at worst, he'll spend a few months in juvenile detention."

O'clock waved him off. "That's not just some kid—that's my disciple! Err… what was your name again?"

Takeru and Rio groaned, burying their faces in their hands.

"All you need to know is that I authorized him to use his quirk. That's it."

They stared each other down, neither backing down. Seconds dragged into minutes, but finally, Higuchi sighed and relented.

"You're a real pain in the ass, O'clock," he muttered, standing up.

O'clock grinned. "A lot of people say that about me, Detective." He got to his feet and shook Higuchi's hand.

"I'm still forwarding your case to the HPSC, though."

O'clock visibly deflated. "Can you not do that? Feels like those guys have it out for me."

"Sorry, but it's procedure. The HPSC has jurisdiction over all hero-related matters."

O'clock groaned but ultimately grunted in reluctant agreement.

As the secretary led Rio's mother out to fill out some forms, Higuchi and O'clock stepped toward the exit.

Rio and Takeru locked eyes before releasing a simultaneous sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't have to go on trial. That alone was enough to make Rio grateful.

After nearly an hour of signing off forms, Rio and his family were finally free to go. As soon as the cool night air hit him, he let out a satisfied moan, his exhaustion cut nearly in half.

Glancing toward the parking lot, he spotted a fleet of news vans. Taking that as a signal to leave immediately, he turned to alert his mother—only to freeze when he saw the people at the center of the chaos.

A towering, seven-foot behemoth with metallic purple skin and curled horns stood protectively in front of a sobbing mother and child. The police struggled to keep the scene under control, but the reporters were relentless, hungry for their next big scoop.

Rio hesitated because he recognized them. Hana and her mother, Kasumi. Which meant the giant had to be her father.

After an intense struggle, the police finally managed to push the reporters back. The moment the man spotted Rio and his family, he turned to his wife. She wiped her tears away, and after exchanging whispers, the two seemed to reach a decision. Then, with Hana in tow, they made their way toward him.

Rio wasn't sure how to face Hana after what she'd said earlier. He didn't know if she still resented him or if she even wanted to see him. Staying in his lane seemed like the safest option. But now, as the trio closed the distance, that option was no longer available.

"Are you Rio-kun?" the giant asked, his deep voice booming like thunder.

Rio just nodded, ears still ringing from the impact.

"Thank you. We owe you our lives."

Then, without hesitation, both Kasumi and her husband knelt down, pressing their heads to the ground in a deep dogeza.

Rio stood there, stunned. His mind stalled, his body frozen, until, with a sudden burst of movement, he rushed forward and helped them back to their feet.

"No, no, please get up. I didn't do anything. If you should thank anyone, it's the hero, O'clock. I got in trouble and ended up being a liability—you have nothing to be grateful for." Rio waved his hands in a panic, desperate to shake off their gratitude.

The giant only smiled as he rose from his bow, resting one knee on the ground to meet Rio at eye level.

"I know you may not see it that way, but the fact that you went out of your way, tracked down the bad guys, and held out until help arrived—that takes guts." He placed a firm hand on Rio's chest. "That takes love. There is no greater love than that. Thank you for being friends with my daughter."

At those heartfelt words, Rio didn't know why, but he nearly teared up. Swallowing the feeling, he stiffened and gave the man a sharp military salute.

The giant threw his head back and roared with laughter, his booming voice echoing off the walls like a loudspeaker. "HA HA HA! I LIKE YOU, KID! YOU AND MY LITTLE HANAE—I APPROVE!"

He flashed a wide, toothy grin and shot Rio a thumbs-up. Kasumi-san, indulging in her husband's antics, did the same.

Hana, meanwhile, stared blankly, completely dazed by the direction the conversation had taken.

Rio, on the other hand, burned with mortification. In both his lives combined, he was certain he had never experienced a moment as embarrassing as this.

Hana tapped her father's arm, snapping him out of his laughter. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear. At once, he nodded and stepped aside, dragging Kasumi-san away—though she looked more than eager to stay and gossip.

Rio's mother followed suit, pulling Takeru along with her. His brother, as usual, pretended not to notice when things got emotional.

Now alone, Rio and Hana stood in silence.

This was the first time they had spoken since earlier, and neither of them knew what to say.

Sensing her discomfort, Rio decided to break the ice.

"Hey, just so you know—about what your dad said—it might break your heart, but I don't see you that way," Rio said seriously. It was best to clear up any illusions now; he wasn't one for puppy love.

Hana burst into laughter, completely reducing his heartfelt declaration to a joke.

"No, silly! I don't like you that way," she said between giggles. "At best, you're like my annoying older brother—even if you are younger than me. Don't get carried away."

Rio let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "T'is a pity. I thought my extraordinary charm had you swept off your feet."

That sent them both into another fit of laughter.

Once they had calmed down, Hana's expression grew a little awkward. Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, her voice quieter this time.

"Rio, I was really mean to you earlier—for no reason at all. I was scared and angry… Will you forgive me?"

Rio just smiled and ruffled her shaggy hair. "It's okay, Hana. I don't hate you or anything. We're cool."

"Are you sure? You seemed really angry back there."

In response, Rio simply held out his pinky. "Pinky swear."

Hana's face brightened. "Pinky swear."

They linked fingers, sealing the promise.

For a moment, they stood in comfortable silence, taking in the stillness of the night. The moon cast long silver shadows on the horizon, painting everything in soft light.

"So, when are you coming back to school?" Rio asked, kicking a small rock and watching it skitter into the distance.

"I'm not."

Rio turned to her, surprised.

"Papa got a job in America a while back," Hana explained. "We're moving there next week."

"Ah… I see."

Rio didn't know what else to say. He'd miss her, obviously, but maybe a change of scenery would help her deal with the trauma from everything that had happened.

"Will I ever see you again, Rio?" Hana's voice broke as she spoke, tears spilling down her face.

Without a word, Rio pulled her into a hug, holding her close as she cried.

"Don't worry. We have social media and the internet," he reassured her. "It'll be like you never even left."

Hana only sobbed harder.

"Besides," Rio added with a grin, "America isn't even that far. I'm bound to be the fastest being in existence one day—I'll cover that distance in no time."

At that, Hana let out a small, teary smile.

She may not have believed it, but Rio did.

One day, he'd be able to circle the entire Earth in a matter of seconds.

And when that day came, he would be complete.