First year of high school. The boy sat in class, dazed. With his years of acting like am average dumb kid in middle school, staying undercover wasn't particularly hard.
"Keiran, how long will you continue to remain in a daze? Thinking about some girl?" The boy's desk sharing buddy asked him.
Keiran suddenly remembered how he was embarrassingly called a kid and rejected a few months ago and his expression crumpled.
"Bastard, do not taunt me again!" he said in a grumbling voice.
"Haha, looks like a woman has left you with a scar. Who was it? Someone from our class?" the friend asked.
"No, it is a senior. Better not talk about it to me, I have suffered grevious wounds from that experience." Keiran shook his head as he turned to look out of the window.
Before long the next teacher had come in and began class. Keiran returned to acting like a fool again.
The day passed by uneventfully. As Keiran was walking home he came across a bizarre scene. A girl was clapping dust of her hands as she stood over a mountain of gangsters. The gangsters were ones from Keiran's street and both parties knew each other.
"Shop kid, help us! This woman is challenging our street gang!"
"Help a fart!" screamed Keiran inside his head. The girl was none other than the girl he had a crush on.
"How can I help? I am just a weak student." Keiran acted like he didn't know them and simply tried to walk on his way.
"Wait!" The girl spoke strongly and with authority. "You are in cahoots with these gangsters?"
She had recognized that this was the guy who stuck to her like a leech when she once saved him from a highschool gang beating him up.
"Ha? I am just a student, beautiful miss. I don't know these scary fellows." Keiran said while appearing fearful.
"Liar!" The gangsters moaned. This bastard acted like their grandfather while out making a mess in our street and now acting like a school kid!
"Spar with me!" The girl didn't buy Keiran's acting and went after him.
"I'm just an ordinary kid, no combat ability !" Keiran screamed, but before he could say anymore, he was met with a flying kick from the crush of his.
Keiran wanted to continue playing dumb, but there was no chance, his reflex took over and his hands swiftly moved to block the leg, counterbalance the force and divert its direction away from him. Unfortunately, as he did that his hand rubbed the girls calf muscles and he felt an electric shock!
"Pervert!" The girl screamed.
Few minutes later Keiran was also lying next to the heap of gangsters looking like a dead fish who got beaten black and blue.
"Perverts! A bunch of perverts! I already told you in clear terms! You aren't my type!" The girl stomped the ground leaving a big crack on the concrete as she made her exit.
Keiran was angry! He got beaten up for no reason, called a pervert and rejected again!
"You bastards are no longer welcome to gramps shop. Treasonous bastards!" Keiran screamed at the gangsters. He somehow got up. Despite how they looked, the bruises he received were pretty superficial.
He walked back to the shop with gloomy eyes. When the old shopkeeper saw his state, he started laughing uproariously. Apparently the people watching by the sidelines had already advertised the details of the event to the masses in the street.
The shopkeeper laughed for a good bit as he saw Keiran's face turn bluish purple with rage. The shopkeeper's laughter subsided and suddenly made a serious face.
"It's good that you have learned how to keep control of your emotions. Remember, staying low key is the only path to avoid suspicion." The old man said as he slowly cleaned a small deck.
When Keiran heard that he also cooled down.
"Take this." The old man threw a black card towards Keiran in an arc which he grabbed quickly. "You are ready to do the missions. Remember to never lose control of emotions. Don't choose things beyond your capabilities."
Keiran nodded.
Back in school the next day. Keiran's desk.
"Holy crap! Who beat you up?" The desk mate, Ryan, asked.
"I fell off the stairs and got hurt." Keiran mumbled as he tried to act dumb in class. Ryan looked at him weirdly.
Does he think I am an idiot? I can clearly make out slaps, punches and kick marks all over him.
"Did you get rejected again?" Ryan casually asked not expecting an answer, but when he saw Keiran's face changing color rapidly he realized it was true!
Meanwhile other kids started mumbling in class as they fiddled on their smartphones.
"Look, another hero has been assassinated! It's a D grade hero, but it is still a huge event! He was sniped.
"A hero got assassinated? How could this have happened?" Ryan grumbled, while Keiran had no reaction.
Soon a teacher entered the class.
"Today has been declared a school holiday for you all. Those of you who have awakened abilities are asked to gather in the hall. The recent assassinations of heroes is a growing concern and we have to advise all ability users strongly."
When Keiran heard that, he was curious about ability user meetings, however, he decided to head home, because he did not awaken any ability.
"Yesterday's mission sure wasn't easy on him. He was in pain because of the girl's actions but he still had to complete the job in stealth and make sure no one realised what he was doing.