"Toshinori Yagi?"
"He's an interesting fellow. Out of his mind, really."
That man was always a headache for me.
"The way he tells it… the reason crime won't go down is because the citizens have nothing to lean on. No foundation."
"A foundation, huh…?"
The burden he carried was so heavy he could barely stand, yet he wore a wider grin than anyone else.
"He says this country doesn't have a Pillar right now. So, he's going to become that Pillar himself."
He never let a word of complaint slip—never mentioned how much it hurt or how bitter the struggle was. To make matters worse, he had the nasty habit of pushing himself until he truly hit his breaking point.
"I really think… I think I came all this way just to meet him. To meet the one who could change this era I couldn't… the one who makes me believe he can turn everyone's clouded expressions into smiles."
That was why I wanted to stay by his side. I wanted to support him, even if only a little, so he could get closer to that ideal.
"Hey, if anything happens to me… look after him for me."
But in the end, nothing remained within my grasp.
"Gran Torino."
Nothing at all.
+++
"Aaaah… well, that was certainly a nostalgic dream."
It was so peaceful I genuinely thought my time had come to move on to the next world. I'm actually grateful for this withered, old husk of a body; if I weren't so old, I might have been wetting my cheeks like a damn brat.
I forced my heavy frame up and stretched, my joints popping and cracking from head to toe. My body's so stiff I can hardly stand it. I reached for the hero suit by my pillow and began to change. Lately, my hands have started shaking, making even a simple zipper a struggle. To be honest, just getting dressed is a chore.
I've thought about retiring. More than once or twice, too. The muscle I had in my youth is long gone, and I've shrunk quite a bit. My body feels like lead, and I'm out of breath after the slightest movement. I'm lucky if I can squeeze out half the power I had in my prime. It's been that way for a long time now.
But I couldn't stop.
Part of it was that I didn't know any other way to live, but more than anything, I was worried about that idiot she left behind.
"Look after him."
That was her only wish. I wasn't ready to let go of the one thing—the only thing—I could still do for someone who was no longer here.
"Still… I'm pushing myself way too hard, aren't I?"
How old do I think I am?
Right, Shimura? Isn't it about time I called it quits?
"…Tch, this won't do. You start thinking like this constantly once you get up there in years. Too gloomy. Better eat something and get ready… Get ready for what?"
Wait, what was it? I felt like I had something to do.
What was it again?
I thought about it for a while, but I couldn't remember a damn thing. I knew there was something, but that was it. Realizing there was no point in dwelling on it, I left the bedroom and headed downstairs to the first floor to grab a bite. That's when a single memo stuck to the fridge caught my eye.
Written there were two words: Workplace Experience.
"...Ah, that's right. It was today. I'm really losing it lately. When I was younger, I used to make fun of senile old farts… but this really isn't a laughing matter, is it?"
I never thought I'd become one myself. Then again, I never planned on living this long to begin with. I always assumed I'd just die like a piece of trash somewhere along the way.
And yet, here I am, about to teach someone. I'm a total fool.
But seeing that kid… it made me want to say something to him. Seeing that brat struggling, just like I used to.
I'd turned on the TV for no particular reason, and the U.A. Sports Festival was playing. I didn't have much to do, so I'd been watching it while snacking on a fish-shaped pastry. As expected, the third-years were in a league of their own, and I figured they'd be the ones making headlines this year. But then, the broadcast suddenly switched to the first-year stage.
First-years are nothing but little chicks. I expected a bunch of immature, boring kids, but I found myself gripped by a battle that actually made my palms sweat for the first time in ages.
The most anticipated student in the first-year division was Shoto Todoroki, the son of the Number Two Hero, Endeavor. Given the sheer power of his Quirk, he was the favorite to win. However, the one who blew past him to take the top spot in the obstacle course was a young girl I'd never heard of: Futora Midoriya.
She was a crafty one. Her mastery over her Quirk was exceptional, and her combat instincts were off the charts. She interfered with her opponents as naturally as breathing; you could tell she was the type who observed and analyzed everything.
I honestly thought she was fascinating. And the moment I thought that, I remembered something and realized the truth. All Might had chosen a successor among this year's first-years. Most likely, this Futora Midoriya was the one he'd picked.
But what truly caught my eye was the brat running behind her. A kid named Bakugo, charging forward with a permanent scowl and a scream. His sheer recklessness—the way his eyes were fixed solely on Midoriya ahead of him—told me something.
Before I knew it, I was watching him until the very end.
Once the festival was over, I re-watched the footage online. Bakugo's expressions, his words, his actions. Looking at them over and over, I couldn't help but notice the special emotion he harbored toward Futora Midoriya.
It wasn't something simple that could be explained by cheap words like "puppy love" or "a crush" like people were saying on the internet. It was likely something that couldn't be put into words at all. It had been building up inside him for a long time—something incredibly subtle and difficult to understand. He probably didn't even understand it himself.
But I understood.
Because I'd carried that same weight myself, I saw it clearly.
The next day, I sent the school an email requesting him. I figured waiting around for the winner was for fools, so I gave that idiot All Might a call. I played the senile old man as a joke, pretending I couldn't hear well and making it sound like I thought Bakugo was his chosen successor. He got flustered exactly the way I expected.
I hung up right then, and he kept calling back, probably trying to correct me. Naturally, I didn't pick up. Since he hasn't bothered to contact me at all lately, I figured it would be good medicine for him, so I pulled the phone cord out of the wall.
It was a few days later when I received the mail confirming I'd been selected for the workplace experience.
"Right then. Better eat quick and get ready to welcome that rowdy boy."
Listen, Bakugo. I know exactly what you're thinking and what you want to do. Because a long time ago, I stood exactly where you are now.
So, I'm going to teach you.
The things I realized. The things I gained. And the things that remained out of my reach.
What you need to look at. What you need to think about. What you need to do.
From one to ten. From ten to a hundred.
I'm going to hammer every single bit of it into you.
So, get over here already. I'm going to make you work until you puke.
You explosive brat.
***
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