As soon as roll call ended, he quickly excused himself to the restroom, only to slip past the confines of his cage.

  As for Alice, she was on a mission during lunch, searching high and low for Akuma, only to discover through some classmates in his homeroom that he was once again skipping class.

  “What’s their problem anyways? Not once have I ever hit someone unless it was self-defense. And yet they act as if I’m some wild animal that just kills anything I look at. I mean shit. They treat me worse than the actual delinquents who smoke, drink and bully other students out of their lunch money! Even the people I’ve saved from bullies treat me like shit!”

  With so much frustration on his chest, he needed some food. Surely that was the only way to relieve all this stress. It was either that or slipping into an alley and beating up the first punk he could find.

  He decided to head to a local spot called “Burger Queen,” a small, unassuming diner that had become his refuge.

  Stepped through the door, the familiar scent of sizzling patties and fried potatoes wafted into his nose, instantly calming his frayed nerves.

  He approached the counter and ordered his favorite, the “Nerd Burger,” a meal that never failed to hit the spot. But more than that it was comfort food that reminded him of the simpler times, when he was a kid beating up on wooden dummies all day.

  The first bite of the burger was pure bliss. The flavors exploded in his mouth, and for a moment, he forgot about the judgmental stares and the whispers that haunted him like a shadow.

  He hadn’t even realized the apparition drank all his soda. Which in a way, saddened the child.

  “I knew that would hit the spot! I want another but I better not. Never know when someone might suddenly punch me in the stomach… It’s strange though. That definitely hit the spot, and calmed my mood… So then why do I have this uneasy feeling? It’s as if my body can sense that I’m in grave danger… Nah, I must be overthinking it.”

  With that, he was off, letting his feet take him wherever the wind felt like guiding him.

  Meanwhile, Alice had actually decided to skip school in her quest to find him. The thought of him wandering off alone gnawed at her, especially since she knew exactly why.

  Just as she rounded the corner of the restaurant, she saw him striding away, oblivious to her presence. His back was turned as he moved with a carefree confidence that made her smile.

  But the moment she called out his name, her voice was cleaved through with the knife of disaster.

  Kabooom!!!

  The restaurant next to her erupted into a cloud of debris, the explosion reverberating through the street like thunder. Windows shattered, and the ground trembled beneath her feet. Dust and smoke billowed into the sky and everyone in a 5 km radius panicked as they scattered through the streets.

  Akuma was no different, his footsteps blending in with the panicked crowd. But as he ran, a thought gnawed at the back of his mind. There was something off about that explosion. It felt too precise and controlled. It’s not like he was that far from the restaurant when it exploded, so why wasn’t he blown away or anything?

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  With his curiosity picked, he turned to get another look at the aftermath, hoping he could piece together the mystery of the explosion.

  It was then that he saw her through the haze of hot dust. That pink hair was indistinguishable.

  “Alice?! W-What the hell is she doing here? Shouldn’t she be in class right now?”

  Panic surged through him as he noticed her leg trapped beneath some debris. It’s not as if she was the only one trapped underneath the rubble, but she was the only one his eyes seemed drawn to.

  He moved to save her, but before he could take another step, a deep chill licked against his skin.

  Something at the corner of his eye drew his attention. His lanky body easily towered over his, a shadowy combination of crimson markings and obsidian skin. A grotesque figure looming atop the wreckage, sending another chill down his spine.

  (What… the hell is that…? T-That’s not an animal.)

  In the next moment, a crimson beam of light was spued from the creature’s jaw and obliterated a nearby building. Akuma knew right away that this creature was the source of the earlier explosion.

  Without a moment’s hesitation he turned around and ran. After all, it was human nature to follow the crowd.

  (I’m sorry Alice, I wanted to save you, I really did. But there’s no way in hell I can beat that thing… Forgive me. W-What am I saying? What’s there to forgive? I-It’s not my fault. Why would anyone blame me for running? I’m just minding my business, yeah. Her dying isn’t my fault. In the first place, it’s not like I’ll be rewarded for doing good deeds! In this world, good deeds get you nothing. That’s an underlining fact! Sometimes you’re better off doing the wrong thing to do. That’s why people follow the crowd. Right now, the wrong thing to do is what’s best for me. So why?! Why am I remembering her?!)

  After another step, a small piece of shrapnel shot into the back of his head.

  Perhaps it was propelled by the panicked crowd around him. His guess was that their foot must’ve pressed against the small object, sending it flying off at random. He just happened to be that random.

  As blood gushed out the wound and down his face, a memory flashed through his mind.

  It was from when he was a child, about seven or so, maybe even younger. Specifically, it was the memory of an adult woman. He couldn’t remember her face, or who she was, but what he could remember was how important that person was to him. As well as what she said to him.

  “It isn’t right to hate humans, Akuma. If someone doesn’t help you, it’s only because they’re looking out for themselves. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But… If you hate people for being neutral that much, then prove to me that you’re any different. Prove to me that you can do a good deed even if it doesn’t reward you.”

  In that moment of despair, his right foot froze.

  He wanted to run. His body was tense and ready to flee. But something held him back… And invisible weight pressing against his chest, planting down on his right heel. His instincts screamed “RUN!” But his feet refused the order.

  But why? Why was he hesitating?

  He wasn’t a hero.

  He wasn’t a savior.

  Those didn’t exist, that’s what he told himself!

  …So why was he doing this?

  Why was he turning his back to the crowd? Why was he sprinting towards the girl he loved?

  The ominous creature prepared another devastating breath attack, this time aimed directly at Alice. Her heart pounded in her chest as the deadly energy collected, her legs refusing to move despite her frantic efforts to remove the rubble.

  She squeezed her eyes shut, almost reflexively. Then she gave a single prayer.

  “God… I don’t care if you want to take me. Just please… save these people.”

  Kaboom!

  Another explosion, this time directed precisely at her. And yet, she felt no pain. She could feel the powerful shockwave from its impact, even feeling the force of the explosion racing through her bones… But she felt no pain.

  “No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to run away from these things. Honestly… why am I like this?”

  When Alice opened her eyes, she beheld the back of a boy she had always believed to be genuinely kind. The kindest and most caring person she’s ever met. Sure, he acted like he didn’t care at times, but she knew him long enough to know that was all just an act.

  Within this cruel and unforgiving world, he was the only person she knew who would run towards danger if it meant saving someone else. He was more than just a friend, more than just someone she liked talking to. He was…

  A true hero.