章節 23: Scars do, in fact, heal.

A day has passed since the U.A sports festival was held, though for the boy who won it both feels and looks like a distant memory now. His major wounds are halfway healed, the disconfort is high, but bareable, no crutches are needed. Looking at the mirror, a pair of new scars are added to his collection, courtesy of Todoroki and Shiozaki. The arms are still covered with bandages, the burns will slowly fade away, though the numbing is still a nuisance.

Kaminari sat on the edge of his bed, the soft hum of rain pattering against the window, the sound barely registering as he stared at the array of gifts scattered across his desk. His body still ached from the battle against Bakugou, but his mind was more restless than ever.

All television channels talked about the freshmen collision at U.A, all day the same story retold countless times, how a gaijin was able to make the world stop and notice his prowess. He turns it off, not interested anymore.

His eyes traced over the letters, small tokens of encouragement from his classmates, fans, and even some teachers who had been impressed by his performance at the U.A. Sports Festival. Raio reached for one of the letters, its paper crisp and slightly perfumed. It was from Mina Ashido, her handwriting as lively as her personality.

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"Hey Kaminari! That was soooooo awesome! The way you zapped Bakugou in the final round? LEGENDARY! Can't wait to see what other cool stuff you'll pull off in class! Rest up, we've got tons of work to do, future pro-hero!

Love, Mina <3"

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Raio couldn't help but chuckle. Mina's infectious energy even came through in writing. She was always there to lift everyone's spirits.

He set her letter aside, grabbing another. This one was more manly, a writing that could only belong to Kirishima.

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"Kaminari!

Bro, you were totally UNBREAKABLE out there! That last match with Bakugou had me on the edge of my seat, and you didn't back down one bit. That's some serious manly spirit! You're a real powerhouse, dude, and I'm pumped to train with you once you're back in action.

Rest up and recover, 'cause we're all gonna push each other even harder from now on. Let's become the strongest heroes together!

Stay strong, brother!

Kirishima Eijiro"

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Raio smiled at the contrast, grateful for Kirishima's support. Despite the intense competition, his classmates had rallied around him.

Raio paused when his eyes landed on an unfamiliar name among the rest. The handwriting was neat, almost elegant, and it bore no sign of who had sent it. Curiosity piqued, he carefully opened it, unfolding the letter within.

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"Hey, Kaminari.

You probably didn't expect a letter from someone in Class 1-B, huh? But I couldn't help writing after watching your battles in the Sports Festival. You were incredible out there—determined, strong, and even when things got tough, you never gave up. It was inspiring to watch you fight with everything you had.

I also wanted to thank you for your match with Ibara. You handled it with such respect, especially the way you treated her afterward.

Oh, and sorry about Monoma. He… doesn't always know when to stop, but I promise the rest of us aren't all like that.

Rest up, Kaminari. You've earned it. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next.

—Itsuka Kendo"

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Raio blinked in surprise. Kendo… from Class B? He remembers her from the festival, but he hadn't expected this, but reading her words again, he felt a small smile tug at his lips. There was something different about this letter, something that stirred a bit of warmth inside him. He made a mental note to thank her the next time their paths crossed.

But as he sifted through the gifts, his eyes fell on one particular box, plain and unadorned save for a simple label on the top: Jirou Kyoka.

His heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected anything from Jirou, though they had grown closer in recent months. He carefully picked up the package, noting the weight of it, and unfolded the attached note.

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"Hey, Kaminari.

I found this after your match with Bakugou. Figured it was important. We've been through a lot lately, so I thought you should have it back. But… you don't need it anymore, do you?

— Jirou"

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Raio's hand froze as he finished reading. His heart thudded in his chest, and he glanced at the box, a strange mix of anticipation and dread swelling inside him. Slowly, he opened it.

There, nestled in soft wrapping, was his restraining collar—the very one that had broken off during his final match. The collar had always been a symbol of his lack of control, the one thing that kept his Quirk from spiraling out of control and hurting people.

His fingers brushed over the cold metal, the once-familiar weight of it now feeling foreign. Jirou's words echoed in his mind.

"You don't need it anymore, do you?"

He sat back, the collar in his lap, memories flashing through his mind: the battles, the moments where he felt the collar tighten, the times it stopped him from unleashing his full power. But then, he thought about the U.A. Sports Festival—how he had fought without it, how he had won without relying on the restraint.

Raio clenched the collar tightly in his hand, the metal creaking slightly under his grip. No, he thought. Jirou was right. He didn't need it anymore.

"I'm done with this," he whispered to himself, standing up and walking to his desk. He set the collar down with finality, staring at it for a moment. The boy who had needed that collar was gone. He had fought through his limits, and he had won—without it. He wouldn't rely on it again.

I'll control my power on my own. No more restraints.

Just as he made that vow to himself, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Raio?" It was his mother's voice. "Your father and I are coming in."

Raio turned, the collar forgotten as his parents entered the room. The path forward was still uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of clarity—one that no restraint could hold back.

...

Raio turned to see his parents, Maxwell and Edith Kaminari, standing in the doorway. They both looked tired, worn by years of unresolved tension and grief, but there was something else in their eyes tonight—something softer.

Maxwell was the first to speak, his deep voice uncharacteristically quiet. "We need to talk, Raio."

Edith stepped forward, wringing her hands nervously. "It's been a long time since we've really spoken, hasn't it?" Her eyes flicked to the gifts on Raio's desk before settling on her son.

Raio stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. The tension between them was thick, filled with years of pain and misunderstanding. But something in the air was different now. He could feel it. The silence stretched until finally, he nodded and gestured for them to sit.

Edith hesitated, sitting on the edge of the bed while Maxwell remained standing, as if still unsure how to approach his eldest son.

Maxwell took a deep breath. "Raio, we saw you fight. You pushed through, showed a strength and will we didn't expect."

Raio met his father's gaze, his jaw tight. "I had to. For Ana."

The room seemed to freeze at the mention of Ana's name. It was like the air itself was holding its breath.

Edith flinched but nodded slowly. "Ana… she always believed in you. Even when we couldn't see it ourselves."

Raio's eyes flickered with pain. "She was the only one who believed in me. After what happened…"

Maxwell's voice cut in, rough with emotion. "We failed you, Raio." His fists clenched at his sides. "After Ana's death, after Nikolas left… we couldn't see past our own grief. We blamed ourselves. But instead of coming together, we… pushed you away." His voice cracked slightly, the normally stoic man struggling to keep his composure.

Edith's eyes brimmed with unshed tears. "We thought… we thought we were protecting you by keeping our distance. By not talking about it. But all we did was leave you alone to carry the burden. You were just a boy, and we put everything on you…"

Raio swallowed hard, his fingers digging into his knees. The weight of their words, the acknowledgement of the years of silence, hit him like a storm.

"You think I didn't blame myself too?" Raio's voice was raw, his emotions finally spilling out. "Ana was gone because of me. Nikolas disappeared because of me. And you—both of you—just left me to deal with it alone."

His words hung in the air, heavy and bitter.

Edith let out a soft sob, her hand covering her mouth. "We didn't know how to help you, Raio. We were grieving… we were broken. But that's not an excuse. It's not enough."

Maxwell stepped closer, his eyes filled with the kind of regret that could break a person. "I should have been stronger. I should have been there for you, for all of us. But instead… I let the family fall apart."

Raio looked between them, his heart pounding. He had spent years hardening himself against the pain, convincing himself that he didn't need their support. But now, hearing their regret, their sorrow—it was breaking something inside him.

Maxwell's voice softened, and he knelt down in front of Raio, placing a hand on his shoulder. "When we saw you fight, we realized something. You're fighting for Ana. To honor her dream… and her belief in you."

Edith's voice wavered as she added, "We've been so blind, Raio. You've been carrying her dream, her hope, all this time, and we… we didn't even see it. We failed as parents. But seeing you now, seeing how far you've come… we're proud of you, Raio. We should have told you that sooner."

Raio's throat tightened. He had spent so long feeling the weight of their disappointment, their distance, that hearing these words now felt almost surreal. He clenched his fists, his mind spinning.

"You never… you never said any of this before." His voice was barely a whisper.

Maxwell's grip on Raio's shoulder tightened. "We are saying it now. Forgive me, Raio. For everything."

Edith leaned in, her voice soft but resolute. "We love you. And we're sorry for letting you believe anything else."

For a moment, the only sound was the rain tapping softly against the window. Raio's eyes stung, but he refused to let the tears fall. He looked down at his hands, at the faint scars from his battles, from the years of trying to control a power that had once felt like a curse. But now, he realized… he wasn't fighting alone anymore.

Slowly, Raio lifted his gaze to meet his parents'. He could see the truth in their eyes, the raw sincerity of their words. His walls began to crumble, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to feel the pain, the grief… and the love.

Without a word, Raio allowed his mask to fall alongside tears.

Maxwell and Edith moved towards him, and in an instant, they were embracing—tight, fierce, and full of the emotions they had kept buried for years.

Raio's breath hitched as he let himself fall into the embrace, his parents holding him close, their warmth seeping into the cracks of his heart. The weight of their shared grief, their regrets, and their love wrapped around him, and for the first time, Raio felt the kind of peace that had eluded him for so long.

They stood there, holding each other as the rain fell softly outside, washing away the years of silence.

...

Season 2 ends.