Chapter 4: News

Toji was walking to his elementary school. He was ten years old and, in many ways, led a life that could be described as "normal." Or at least, that's how it might seem for any other child. But he knew his situation was complicated: his mother worked hard and often faced financial struggles. Sometimes, a man would come to the house and argue with her in a low voice. Although he could never hear what they said, he was clear that it was her boss and that the pressure never stopped. So there he was, standing in front of the school building, watching as some of the kids moved out of his way.

Toji had earned a certain reputation among his classmates. His strong character and willingness to fight other kids, especially when they mocked him for not having a quirk, had given him a reputation as a "troublemaker." But he didn't care. With a mature and cold mindset for his age, he thought that if he was going to go through all of life's struggles again, he wouldn't let anyone walk over him. Besides, he didn't care about not having a quirk; what was the point of needing one when his hands, with just a little effort, could bend metal? He had discovered that, just like in his past life, he gained strength easily. In secret from his mother and grandmother, he exercised in the park or any discreet corner he could find, enjoying the steady increase in his strength.

When he arrived at his classroom, he sat at his desk and, without much thought, fell asleep. The bell rang, and the other kids rushed out excitedly for recess, but he stayed there, resting his head on his arm. One of the teachers, one of the few people who genuinely smiled at him, approached and softly said:

"Fushiguro-kun, come on, you know you can't stay here. Go out and enjoy yourself a little."

Reluctantly, Toji obeyed. He didn't like school or forced interactions with other kids, but he respected the teacher, so he decided to listen.

At the end of the day, he went back home. As he entered, he dropped his backpack on the floor and took off his shoes while saying in a low tone:

"I'm home."

From the kitchen, his grandmother replied without looking at him. "Dinner will be ready soon. Go take a bath and bring that backpack to your room."

Toji sighed and picked up the backpack from the floor, but as he turned, the front door swung open, and he found himself face-to-face with his mother. It was strange to see her at this hour since she usually arrived at dawn.

"Toji, come here and give your mommy a hug." She extended her arms toward him.

Toji scowled and tried to step back, but his mother was faster. She caught him and wrapped him in a hug that, no matter how much he tried to break free from, he couldn't escape.

"Let go of me, witch," Toji protested, but his mother only tightened her grip.

"Who are you calling a witch, brat?" she retorted, a vein popping on her forehead.

The noise caught his grandmother's attention, who came out of the kitchen and frowned at the scene.

"Yaeko-chan, what are you doing here so early?" she asked, confused.

Toji's mother smiled without letting him go. "I quit that job." She beamed widely. "My boss saw how hard I work and asked me to be her personal assistant."

Toji blinked, surprised. Was it really that easy to get something like that? Suspicious, he asked a question. "Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"Yes, I thought so too," his mother admitted. "But she had me sign some papers, and when I reviewed them, everything seemed to be in order. I start tomorrow."

Finally, she let him go and turned to him with a serious expression. "Oh, and start getting that brain of yours ready. Once you finish elementary school, you're going to the best middle school in Japan."

Toji gave her a half-smirk, mocking. "And what if I never finish elementary school?"

Without missing a beat, his mother pinched his cheek. "If I find out you're repeating a year on purpose, I swear you'll regret the day you were born."

Annoyed, Toji tried to pull away again. "Leave me alone," he grumbled, and tried to push her. A mistake he immediately realized.

"Are you daring to raise your hand at me, brat?" His mother lifted him by one arm and gave him a series of spankings. "You're going to learn some manners!"

As the scoldings and spankings poured down on him, Toji lamented having to go through something so humiliating again in his life.

Several days after the news, one night, Toji heard loud knocks at the door. "Him again?" he thought in frustration, hearing his mother go to answer. He was about to fall back asleep when the murmurs turned into shouts, and he heard a loud thud. He quickly got up and went to the entrance. There was his mother, on the floor, holding her face, while a short, stocky man looked at her with a furious expression. "I don't want to hear anything. You're my best merchandise; the rich only go to the bar for your ass, so go change, you damn slut," he shouted.

Toji didn't need to hear more. Without thinking, he lunged at the man, pushing off to drive his foot into his stomach. The impact pushed the man back several steps. "Toji!" he heard his mother shout, but he paid no attention and kept attacking. He ran at him and hit him repeatedly. The adrenaline coursed through him, and he didn't know how many punches he had thrown when the man, in desperation, pulled out a knife and tried to stab him. Toji saw it coming and grabbed the blade, deflecting its trajectory. The man, seeing himself caught, tried to punch him with his other hand, but Toji caught it too, holding him in place as he stared directly into his eyes and whispered, disturbingly calm for someone his age: "Touch my mother again, and I swear you'll wish you were dead." Then, with a quick movement, he headbutted him, knocking him unconscious.

Toji let go of the man's hands and turned to his mother, who was too close and looking at him with a pale face. She quickly checked him, seeing how he had grabbed the knife and avoided the attack, though she noticed something strange. "Toji, your hand…" she murmured, noticing the blood dripping from his palm. "Oh, don't worry, it'll heal. The important thing now is to throw this sack of fat in the river or something," he replied indifferently.

She stared at him in disbelief before pulling him into her arms and dragging him inside, ignoring Toji's protests. She took him to the bathroom and pulled out the first-aid kit as his grandmother, awakened by the commotion, peeked from the hallway. "Mom, call the police," Yaeko asked her.

The grandmother, seeing all the blood and the man's body outside the door, looked at Yaeko with concern. She didn't ask anything; the severe glint in her eyes said enough. She quickly went to get the phone, muttering under her breath. "This has gone too far…"

With the door closed, Yaeko sat Toji on the stool, pulling out bandages and purified water from the kit. "This is going to sting a bit," she said, cleaning the wound on his hand. Toji gritted his teeth at the burning sensation but didn't look away. He realized Yaeko was watching him intently, as if trying to figure him out. He looked away, feeling the words building up in his throat.

"Toji…" she finally whispered. Toji took a deep breath, searching for an explanation to calm her, but the words felt clumsy. "Look, I can explain…" he began, though he didn't really know how to justify it. It wasn't necessary to say anything more; before he could even finish the sentence, Yaeko pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry for dragging you into this," she murmured against his hair, her voice trembling slightly. "I just want the best for you… that's why I…" Toji felt the weight of her apology in her words, a burden he didn't expect, and for a moment, he could only stand still, confused. Slowly, he lifted his arms and hugged her back. He noticed she was on the verge of tears, that her strength was faltering.

Toji was surprised to feel something akin to calm. His mother usually hid her laments from him, trying to appear strong, and seeing now that she didn't try to hide that fragility confused him, made him feel protective. Both remained silent, holding onto each other as the echo of their breathing filled the room.

Finally, the silence was broken by the distant sound of a siren, drawing closer. Yaeko's arms tightened around him at the sound, and she let go, quickly wiping her tears before they arrived. She looked at him again, and he understood that, despite everything that had happened, she didn't judge him; she saw him as nothing more than her son.