The news of what happened finally appeared on the news of the tragedy finally broke on a normal Wednesday morning.
Ryuu was staring at his ceiling. That was his new default activity, when his phone buzzed with an alert. He almost ignored it. Had been ignoring most notifications for sometime now.
But something made him look.
BREAKING: Major Villain Facility Destroyed in Tokyo. Multiple Casualties Confirmed.
His stomach dropped.
The article had photos. Aerial shots of the collapsed structure. Emergency vehicles scattered around the perimeter. Search teams combing through rubble.
> *Authorities report at least seventeen casualties recovered from the site of what appears to have been a villain organization's research facility. The building collapsed during what sources describe as an "internal conflict" early Sunday morning.*
>
> *Among the confirmed dead is Kenji Yamamoto, 46, a former government researcher who disappeared eight years ago. Sources close to the investigation suggest Yamamoto may have been working undercover to dismantle the organization from within.*
>
> *Also believed killed in the collapse is the villain known as "The Collector," though his remains have not been recovered. Authorities believe extreme heat from explosions and subsequent fires incinerated his body beyond recognition.*
>
> *The sole known survivor is a UA High School student who was being held captive at the facility. The student's identity is being withheld for safety reasons.*
Ryuu's hands shook. 'i knew they would publish what happened eventually...but they even made my kidnapping a headline'
The article continued with speculation about the organization's activities. Illegal quirk experimentation. Black market dealings. Connections to other villain groups.
His father was being called a hero. Someone who'd sacrificed everything to destroy a threat from the inside.
They weren't wrong. But seeing it written out like that, reduced to a few paragraphs in a news article, felt obscene.
A knock on his door. Mina's voice: "Ryuu? You awake?"
"Yeah."
She entered, already in her uniform despite it being early. Momo followed, carrying breakfast on a tray.
"You saw the news already," Mina could read his expression.
Yeah...but I didn't expect the place to still look that wrecked even with the heroes being there and all..and not to talk of them telling the public something that not supposed to be exposed."
"They were going to find out eventually." Momo set the tray on his desk. "At least the article doesn't name you directly."
But the UA students are gonna talk about it for sure since there were some on them on the field that day apart from class 3A.
'I can already feel them talk about my Kidnapping. The man's death in the collapse building...and to make it worse, there will be a sh*t head who will figure it out that the man is my father since there's not many options for who that could be.' Ryuu had so many thoughts in his head after he saw the news...and that's just one of it.
"You should eat," Momo continued, gesturing at the food. "Then get dressed. Sensei Aizawa wants to see you."
"Why?"
"He didn't say. Just that it was important."
Ryuu forced himself out of bed. His body still ached. It been three days since the escape and he still felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Recovery Girl said that was normal for someone who'd been through extreme stress. The physical symptoms would fade with time.
The other symptoms wouldn't unless properly managed.
So all he could do is eat, sleep and think with the occasional talks here and there when Mina and Momo tries to fish out words from his mouth.
And just like usual it's time to eat again, and this time it's rice, fish, miso soup. So he did as he was told which is to eat, but everything felt bland to him...but he ate it nonetheless while Mina and Momo got ready for classes they'd be attending without him. He was still on medical leave for the rest of the week.
"We can skip the class," Mina offered. "And stay with you."
"No. You've already missed enough because of me."
"We don't care about—"
"Go to class." His tone came out harsher than intended. "Please. I'll be fine for a few hours."
They exchanged one of their silent communication looks. Finally, Momo nodded.
"Okay. But text us if you need anything. We'll have our phones on."
They left reluctantly.
Ryuu finished eating, showered, pulled on his uniform out of habit even though he wasn't attending classes. It felt strange. Like wearing a costume for a role he no longer fit.
He headed to Aizawa's office, which was actually just a repurposed classroom in the faculty building.
His homeroom teacher was bent over paperwork when Ryuu knocked.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Come in." Came a grunt from the other side of the door.
Ryuu entered. The room was sparse. Desk, chairs, filing cabinets. A sleeping bag rolled up in the corner. Apparently Aizawa really was staying on campus now.
"Sit."
Ryuu took the offered chair. Aizawa set down his pen and regarded him with those perpetually tired eyes.
"I have updates. About the investigation and about Saturday's memorial."
Ryuu's shoulders tensed. "Okay."
"First, the investigation. The Hero Commission and police have been coordinating the search and rescue operation. As of this morning, they've recovered seventeen bodies from the facility. Your father's was among them."
Each word landed like a physical blow.
"They're still searching for The Collector's remains, but given the extreme heat signatures from the explosion's center..." Aizawa paused. "They believe he was incinerated. Even his organic matter can't survive those temperatures. But They're still on the look out for fragments. His dental, bone, anything that could confirm his death."
"But they haven't found anything."