Chapter 36: Don't Stop GrindingAuthor: Geraint
(MC's POV)
Arriving in front of the orphanage, the gate was open but no one came to welcome me. Even though I already messaged them before coming, there was no one looking out from the gate.
"Huh? What are they doing? I already reminded them that I'm coming today."
I went inside to see what was happening.
Looking around,
"This brings me back to when I was still staying here."
I halted in my steps upon seeing children I didn't recognize playing around.
"They must be new orphans... Poor them..."
Walking through the hallway,
"Kyaah!"
Someone bumped into me from behind.
"Ouch! Ouch! It hurts!"
It was a little girl with long black hair and purple eyes.
"Are you okay?"
I gave her a helping hand.
"Huh?"
She took my hand, and I helped her stand up.
"Thanks..."
As she brushed off the dirt from her skirt, she looked at me.
"Are you a new orphan here?" she asked curiously.
"Nope, I actually came from here. I just came to visit and see what's happening." I answered with a smile.
"I see..."
"Where's the orphanage caretaker?"
She looked down and showed a bit of sadness on her face.
"Our fellow orphan just collapsed and was sent to the hospital. The caretaker went with her in the ambulance."
"Okay... I guess I came at the wrong time. I'll just visit another time."
SniffSniff
The little girl suddenly started crying.
"Uuuuuuu..."
I got worried and panicked.
"Hey, what's wrong? Are you hurt or something? Please tell me!"
"They might open her heart if it gets bad! Uuuuuuu..."
"Oh, you mean... She needs surgery? Let's pray she survives the operation."
I decided to just pat her on the head.
"But we don't have money! I heard they need more than 12 million yen at the hospital! No one wants to adopt me because I have the same sickness as her. I might end up like her and die—"
I immediately placed my index finger on her lips to stop her from saying something bad.
"Sssssssh! Don't say those words."
"Mm..."
I remembered the children here in the orphanage aren't covered by health insurance. We rely entirely on donations from good people.
"Wait a minute. I'll just call someone."
"Huh?"
Taking out my phone, I called the old man.
Ring!Ring!
Hello?
"This is Ichika and I have a favor to ask you, Master."
What is it?
"Can you sell my car to someone? I really need the money."
Are you sure?
"Yeah, I don't need it anyway."
But you'll still need a vehicle for business?
"Nope, I'll just make a better one in my workshop, DIY, and it won't need gasoline!"
If you say so...
"Please send the money to the orphanage—they need it for the heart surgery of a child in the hospital."
Okay, I'll find a buyer.
"Thanks, old man!"
After that, I closed my phone and hid it back in my pocket.
I glanced back at the little girl and held both of her shoulders.
"It's okay now... Just like with her, I'll cover your hospital bills, so don't be afraid to get treated, understand?"
"But did you just—"
I moved close and whispered in her ear.
"It's fine... I don't use it often and it's just a material thing. I care more for you and the children here. It's a small amount of money compared to your lives."
Sniff
"So you're that Ichika-oniichan they're talking about! You're the one who bought us those souvenirs that just arrived!"
I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, that's me."
"But I heard whenever you're about to be adopted, you wear a pink tight suit and go around screaming and acting like a fool so they consider adopting other children. They call you Kusogaki Ichika."
...
I became silent because I had nothing to say about that.
"Please forget about that. It's my dark history."
She went and hugged me, crying in my arms.
"Uuuuuuuuuu~"
I hugged her back and tapped her on the back while getting teary-eyed too.
(These children... After losing their parents, they have no one to depend on. That's why... like in the past, I'm earning a lot of money, and if something like this happens, I won't hesitate to help kids like me.)
"It's okay, it's okay. Everything will be fine. Just leave it to me."
After visiting the orphanage, I decided to go to the place where I usually hang out by myself or with friends in the past.
Arriving at the playground park,
"Huh?"
I saw Izuku sitting on a swing, looking sad.
Approaching him, I lifted my hand and said hi.
"Yoh!"
"Huh? Ichika?!"
He looked completely shocked.
Seeing his slightly beaten face with a black eye on his right eye,
"Did you get into a fight? Someone must be getting cocky while I'm gone in Tokyo. Tell me! Who's the bastard who did this to you?!" I said angrily.
"No, Ichika! I just got into a fight with my new classmates!"
"So, a bully on the first day of school. Did you fight back?"
"I-I-I-I..."
"Tell me! Did you fight back?!"
He got overwhelmed by me but finally answered,
"I don't know..."
I was confused by his answer.
"Why don't you know? Did you get beaten so much you forgot?"
"The three of them told me I'm weak and quirkless then beat me up! I tried to fight back but my attacks didn't work!"
He became really upset.
"Okay... Wait! Didn't I teach you some of my techniques?"
"Yeah, I hit them several times in the body but it didn't work. The three of them are too big for me. They beat me up and mocked me several times for being quirkless. I didn't stand a chance."
"Did you skip anything in my training menu?"
"Of course not! I really want to become a hero but now..."
He's doubting what I taught him so far.
"Stand up!"
"Huh?"
"I said, stand up! Did you hear me?"
"Yes..."
As he stood up, I lifted my right hand with palm facing down.
"Throw a hook into my palm. Imagine you're throwing a body shot." I instructed.
"But..."
"Hurry up and just do it!"
"Okay, okay!"
He gripped his right fist and threw a right hook into my palm.
Catching his fist, my arm didn't budge an inch.
Feeling the power of his fist, I looked at my palm, then closed and opened my hand.
"See! My attack was pretty weak. No wonder it didn't affect them..."
"Are you sure about that? You didn't kill them, right?"
His punching power exceeded my expectations.
"I didn't! They were fine when I used it against them the first time."
Because of Captain Falcon's strength, I had a little hard time measuring his strength.
"Okay... As long as you fought back... then it's fine."
(I hope those kids are still fine. I taught Deku something dangerous.)
I sat on a swing beside him.
He decided to sit down too.
"Is that all? How's Kacchan?"
"He's in a different class this time."
"I see... you're all alone. Are you feeling lonely yet?"
"Don't say that. It's still the second day of school." He tried to convince me everything was fine.
"What about you, Ichika? How was your school in Tokyo?" he asked.
"Of course, the whole class hates me again!" I said proudly.
"I guess you've become someone troublesome..." Izuku's cheek twitched as he smiled.
"We're the idiot trio after all. You, me, then Kacchan."
"Haha... That takes us back to last year, but now..."
Suddenly, he looked down and became upset.
"Hm? What's wrong, Deku? Why are you upset?"
As Izuku sighed, he explained,
"After getting separated from you two, I realized just how weak I am. Getting beaten today, I learned a big lesson: a quirkless like me can't be a hero..."
"Probably..."
"It's frustrating! I'm totally helpless against them while they have fun beating me up! How can I become a hero and save someone if I can't even save myself? I've always been saved by you and Kacchan!"
"That's right..."
He sighed again.
"Maybe... I should quit dreaming and face reality—that a quirkless like me can't become a hero."
...
Only silence remained as the wind blew around us.
I smiled and looked up at the sky.
"Quit, don't quit... Quirk, quirkless..."
Glancing back at him,
"You're too concerned with what was and what will be. There's a saying... Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is leg day... That's why don't stop grinding and stay focused on the training menu I gave you. Also, realize you have legs, okay?"
I patted him on the shoulders.
"Eh?"
Izuku looked confused.
"You don't believe me? How about this then... Just come to school normally tomorrow."
"Huh? What if they beat me up again?!" He looked frightened.
"If they really bully you again, that just means they never learned their lesson. Don't worry, just stand straight and keep your chin up tomorrow."
I stood up and walked forward, leaving him.
"Wait, Ichika!"
"Do not be afraid of the one who was born to be a hero, but rather fear the one who works hard to become one. That's all I can say. Good luck tomorrow—or maybe you become famous and Kacchan gets angry at you again. Hahahaha!"
"Eh?!!"
He was completely shocked.
(To be continued.)
(A/N: I'll fix my mistakes later.)