Illium Price didn't sleep.
Not because he couldn't.
Because every time he closed his eyes, he felt it.
The current.
It was everywhere.
It crawled through the walls of the hospital like veins. It pulsed beneath the floor, threaded through every room, every light, every machine keeping people alive.
It wasn't noise.
It was presence.
Like the building itself was breathing.
Illium lay on his back, staring at the ceiling light above his bed.
It flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then steadied.
He didn't know if it was him doing it subconsciously… or if the bulb was simply dying.
Either way, he couldn't stop watching it.
He lifted his hand slightly.
The skin beneath his bandages itched.
A tiny spark jumped from his fingertip.
Illium blinked.
His eyes widened a fraction.
"…Okay."
He whispered the word like he was talking to an animal he didn't want to scare away.
He moved his fingers again, slowly, cautiously.
The spark returned.
Small.
Harmless.
But real.
Illium exhaled.
Then he did something he hadn't done in a long time.
He smiled.
It was barely noticeable. More like his face had forgotten how.
But it was there.
And for a moment, Illium Price wasn't thinking about bullies or news headlines or the fact that the world was already painting him as a villain.
He was thinking about one thing.
I have a quirk.
It felt absurd.
Like the universe was playing a joke.
A cruel one, sure, but still… a joke.
He spent thirteen years being told he was nothing special.
And now electricity literally ran through his veins.
Illium sat up slowly, wincing as pain stabbed his ribs. He gritted his teeth and forced himself upright.
The IV line tugged.
The heart monitor beeped slightly faster.
Illium stared at it.
He could feel the electricity inside the machine. The pulse of power. The little surges moving in rhythm.
His fingers twitched.
The monitor screen glitched for half a second.
Illium froze.
Then he slowly pulled his hand back.
The screen stabilized.
He stared at his hand like it was guilty.
"…Right."
He muttered.
"Don't break anything. Got it."
He looked around the room.
The door was shut. The hallway outside was quiet.
No one was guarding him.
No heroes.
No police.
Just him.
Illium swung his legs over the side of the bed.
The moment his bare feet touched the cold hospital floor, his body protested. Pain shot through his knees and calves, but he ignored it.
He stood anyway.
The room tilted slightly, dizziness making his stomach twist.
Illium steadied himself with a hand on the bedrail.
"Yeah…" he whispered. "Still alive. Unfortunately."
He took a slow step forward.
Then another.
His hospital gown shifted awkwardly.
Illium looked down at it with disgust.
"…I look like a rejected ghost."
He shuffled toward the door and cracked it open slightly.
The hallway lights buzzed.
He felt them.
The hum was comforting now.
Illium stepped out into the hall.
The hospital corridor smelled like antiseptic and stale coffee.
It was dim. Late night.
A nurse sat at a desk down the hall, typing lazily. She didn't look up.
Illium walked slowly, careful not to limp too obviously.
He didn't know why he cared.
Maybe because looking weak felt like inviting the world to step on him again.
He passed by other rooms.
Some had curtains drawn.
Some had sleeping patients.
He heard a child coughing.
He heard an old man snoring.
He heard the faint hum of life-support machines.
Illium's eyes narrowed.
He could feel their electricity too.
He didn't like that.
It felt… invasive.
Like he was hearing things he wasn't supposed to.
He reached the corner of the hall and saw it.
A vending machine.
Illium stopped walking.
He stared at it.
The vending machine stared back.
Bright neon buttons.
Rows of snacks behind glass.
A glowing panel that read:
INSERT COIN
Illium's stomach growled.
He hadn't eaten since the field trip.
His mouth felt dry. His throat burned slightly.
Illium stepped closer.
The vending machine's power hummed loud and clear. A steady current.
He reached out.
His fingertips hovered just above the metal.
And he felt it.
A thread of electricity connecting him to the machine.
Illium blinked.
"…No."
He whispered.
There was no way.
He moved his hand slightly.
The lights on the vending machine flickered.
The "INSERT COIN" sign blinked once, then returned.
Illium's lips parted.
A slow grin spread across his face.
Not a villain grin.
Not yet.
More like the grin of someone who had just discovered a cheat code.
He glanced around the hall.
The nurse at the desk was still looking at her computer.
Illium turned back to the vending machine.
"Okay," he whispered. "Let's see what you can do."
He gently tapped the side of the machine.
A faint spark snapped between his finger and the metal.
The vending machine beeped.
Then the display changed.
THANK YOU
Illium stared.
Then the machine made a sound.
CLUNK.
A bag of chips dropped.
Illium blinked.
He looked down at the chips.
Then back at the machine.
Then down again.
"…No way."
He whispered, voice full of disbelief.
He tapped the machine again.
Another spark.
Another beep.
CLUNK.
A chocolate bar fell.
Illium's eyes widened.
He tapped again.
CLUNK.
A bottle of water.
Illium stared at the growing pile of snacks like it was a miracle.
Then, quietly—
He laughed.
A real laugh.
Small, restrained, like he didn't want the hospital to hear him enjoying anything.
But it was there.
Illium crouched down and grabbed the chips.
He held them up like a trophy.
"…I can steal snacks with electricity."
He paused.
Then added, deadpan:
"This is the greatest power in human history."
He grabbed the chocolate bar and water too, stuffing them into his gown like he had pockets.
He didn't.
It still worked.
He turned away from the vending machine, chewing the chips quietly as he walked back down the hall.
He stopped midway and glanced back.
The vending machine display flickered.
For a second, the words glitched.
Then it displayed:
ERROR
Illium froze.
He stared at it.
The machine buzzed angrily.
Illium narrowed his eyes.
"…Don't be dramatic."
The vending machine buzzed louder.
Illium stared at it longer.
Then he turned away and kept walking.
He didn't run.
Running would look suspicious.
He continued eating his chips, calm and quiet.
A criminal with good manners.
Back in his room, Illium sat on the bed and ate like nothing was wrong.
The chocolate bar tasted like cheap sugar and artificial happiness.
It was perfect.
He took a sip of water.
Then leaned back against the pillow, chewing slowly.
He stared at the ceiling again.
For a moment, the world felt almost normal.
Almost.
Then the door opened.
Illium immediately sat upright.
A man entered.
A doctor.
Tall, middle-aged, with tired eyes and a clipboard in his hand.
Behind him was a nurse carrying a small tray.
The doctor gave Illium a polite smile.
"Ah. You're awake."
Illium stared at him, chewing.
The doctor paused, eyes flicking to the half-open chips bag.
"…Where did you get that?"
Illium swallowed.
"Vending machine."
The doctor stared at him.
Illium stared back.
The nurse coughed awkwardly.
The doctor sighed, choosing not to ask questions he didn't want answers to.
He stepped closer.
"My name is Dr. Sakamoto. I'll be overseeing your recovery."
Illium didn't respond.
The doctor looked down at the clipboard.
"You're very fortunate to be alive, Illium."
Illium tilted his head.
"Am I?"
Dr. Sakamoto blinked.
"…Yes. That level of electrical discharge should have killed you."
Illium stared at his own hands.
He didn't look fortunate.
He looked like a patient.
A problem.
A headline.
The doctor continued, voice professional.
"We've done multiple scans. Your heart rhythm is stable, but you've sustained nerve damage and burns on your arms. It'll take time to recover."
Illium nodded slowly.
"Okay."
The doctor hesitated, then cleared his throat.
"Now… about your quirk."
Illium's eyes lifted slightly.
The doctor's tone shifted.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
More like caution.
"We believe your quirk is an emitter type. Electricity manipulation. It may have been dormant until the trauma triggered it."
Illium stared at him.
"…So it was hiding."
"Yes," the doctor said. "A latent quirk manifestation. Very rare. Extremely dangerous."
Illium's jaw tightened.
The doctor continued.
"There are cases where emotional stress or physical trauma can awaken abilities. It's possible your body simply couldn't handle the sudden surge and—"
Illium interrupted.
"Is that why they're calling me an anomaly?"
The doctor froze.
He glanced toward the TV.
It was still on.
Muted now, but the headline remained.
DANGEROUS QUIRK ANOMALY
The doctor's lips pressed together.
"The media is… irresponsible."
Illium's eyes narrowed.
"So I'm dangerous."
The doctor exhaled.
"Well, Illium… you did knock out power to several city blocks."
Illium's voice was calm.
"I fell into a tank."
The doctor's eyes flickered.
"Yes, but—"
Illium leaned forward slightly.
"Would you call it dangerous if a fire quirk kid fell into gasoline?"
The doctor hesitated.
Illium's gaze sharpened.
"Or would you call it an accident?"
Silence.
The nurse shifted uncomfortably.
Dr. Sakamoto cleared his throat again.
"We're not here to argue semantics."
Illium leaned back against the bed.
"…Right."
The doctor's expression softened.
"Illium. Listen. This isn't your fault. But your quirk needs monitoring. Training. Regulation."
Illium blinked.
Regulation.
That word sounded like a cage.
The doctor continued, carefully choosing his words.
"Once you recover, you may be referred to a quirk counseling program. Possibly even a specialized facility—"
Illium stared at him.
"A facility."
The doctor hesitated.
"It's just for safety."
Illium's fingers twitched.
The overhead light flickered.
The doctor noticed.
His eyes widened slightly.
Illium saw it.
The fear.
It wasn't dramatic.
It wasn't screaming.
It was subtle.
But it was there.
And Illium understood.
The doctor wasn't afraid of him as a person.
He was afraid of him as a weapon.
Illium smiled faintly.
Not kindly.
Not cruelly either.
Just… knowing.
The doctor swallowed.
"We'll also need to speak with the police once you're stable."
Illium's smile faded.
"…Police."
The doctor nodded.
"They're investigating the incident."
Illium stared at the floor.
His voice was quiet.
"They won't investigate what matters."
The doctor didn't respond.
He simply scribbled something on the clipboard, pretending he didn't hear.
Then he gestured to the nurse.
"Please bring him his medication."
The nurse stepped forward and placed a small cup of pills on the tray.
Illium stared at them.
Then looked at the nurse.
She avoided his eyes.
Illium reached for the cup.
His fingers brushed the nurse's hand.
She flinched like she'd been burned.
Illium paused.
He stared at her.
She stared at the floor.
Illium slowly pulled his hand back and took the cup without touching her again.
"…Relax," he muttered. "I'm not a taser."
The nurse blinked.
The doctor coughed awkwardly.
Illium took the pills.
The doctor cleared his throat again.
"I'll return later. Please rest."
He turned and left quickly, the nurse following behind like she couldn't wait to escape.
Illium watched them go.
When the door closed, he exhaled.
Then he laughed quietly to himself.
"…A facility."
He shook his head.
"Sure."
Less than an hour later, the door opened again.
This time, Illium didn't sit up.
He didn't tense.
Because he felt it before he saw them.
A familiar electricity.
Not in the walls.
Not in the machines.
In people.
Two heartbeats.
Two nervous systems.
Two lives connected to him in a way no power line could ever replicate.
His mother stepped into the room first.
Her eyes were red.
Her hands trembled as she covered her mouth.
Behind her was his sister.
Aoi.
She stood stiffly in the doorway, trying not to cry.
But her eyes were glassy.
The moment their eyes met, Illium's throat tightened.
His mother rushed forward and grabbed his hands carefully.
"Oh my god… Illium…"
Her voice broke.
"You scared us to death."
Illium blinked.
For a moment he didn't know what to say.
He had imagined this moment so many times—being hurt, being noticed, being cared for.
But now that it was real, it felt strange.
Like he didn't deserve it.
He swallowed.
"…I'm fine."
His mother laughed through tears.
"No you're not. Look at you…"
She gently brushed his hair back, like she was afraid he'd disappear.
Illium flinched slightly at the touch.
Not because it hurt.
Because it was unfamiliar.
Aoi stepped closer.
She didn't speak at first.
She just stared at him.
Then she punched his shoulder lightly.
Illium winced.
"Ow."
Aoi's eyes narrowed.
"You idiot."
Illium blinked.
Aoi's voice cracked.
"You absolute idiot."
Illium stared at her.
Then his lips twitched.
"…Happy birthday to me."
Aoi let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob.
His mother gasped.
"Oh my god—today is your birthday…"
She looked horrified, like the universe had personally insulted her.
Illium shrugged weakly.
"Yeah. It's fine."
His mother squeezed his hand harder.
"No, it's not fine."
Aoi crossed her arms.
"This is the worst birthday gift ever."
Illium stared at the ceiling.
"Depends. I got free vending machine snacks."
Aoi blinked.
"…What?"
Illium gestured weakly toward the empty wrappers near the bed.
"I robbed a vending machine."
His mother froze.
Aoi stared at him.
Then Aoi burst out laughing.
Actually laughing.
Illium looked at her like she was insane.
"What?"
Aoi wiped her eyes.
"You're in the hospital because you got electrocuted by eels…"
She laughed harder.
"And you're stealing snacks."
Illium nodded solemnly.
"I have priorities."
His mother covered her face, half crying, half laughing.
"Oh my god…"
For a moment, the room felt warm.
Human.
Illium felt something in his chest loosen slightly.
Like the world wasn't completely dark.
Aoi sat in the chair beside the bed.
She stared at his bandages.
"…Does it hurt?"
Illium hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Yeah."
Aoi's jaw tightened.
His mother's hands trembled again.
Aoi's voice dropped.
"…Did they really push you?"
Illium froze.
The warmth evaporated instantly.
His mother looked up sharply.
"What?"
Aoi didn't take her eyes off him.
"I heard some kids on the news talking."
Illium stared at the floor.
He didn't answer.
His silence was enough.
His mother's face twisted in horror.
"They pushed you…?"
Illium's fingers twitched.
A faint spark crackled under the blanket.
His mother's voice became shaky.
"Who? Who did it?"
Illium looked at her.
His eyes were tired.
"It doesn't matter."
His mother grabbed his hand tighter.
"It matters to me!"
Illium stared at her.
Then he looked at Aoi.
Aoi's expression was different now.
Not amused.
Not emotional.
Angry.
Protective.
Dangerous.
Illium exhaled.
"…Hoshino. And his friends."
His mother whispered the name like it was poison.
Aoi leaned forward.
"I'm gonna kill him."
Illium blinked.
He looked at her.
Then, deadpan:
"Please don't. I just got here."
Aoi stared at him for a second.
Then she laughed again, but it was bitter.
His mother didn't laugh.
She looked like she might collapse.
Illium leaned back against the pillow.
He stared at the ceiling.
"…They're saying I'm dangerous."
His mother's eyes widened.
"What? Who said that?"
Illium glanced at the TV.
His mother turned.
The headline was still there.
DANGEROUS QUIRK ANOMALY
His mother's face went pale.
Aoi's expression hardened.
"That's disgusting."
Illium shrugged slightly.
"Apparently I'm a threat now."
Aoi clenched her fists.
"You almost died."
Illium stared at her.
"I know."
Aoi's voice trembled.
"They should be calling those kids criminals."
Illium's lips twitched.
"…They won't."
His mother sat down slowly, like her legs had given out.
She looked at Illium, eyes full of guilt.
"I'm sorry."
Illium blinked.
His mother's voice broke.
"I'm sorry I didn't know. I'm sorry I didn't protect you."
Illium stared at her.
For a moment, his face softened.
"…It's not your fault."
His mother shook her head.
"No. It is."
Illium's throat tightened again.
He didn't want to talk about this.
He didn't want to feel.
Feeling made him weak.
Feeling was what made people break.
But he couldn't stop it.
His mother reached out and hugged him carefully.
Illium stiffened at first.
Then, slowly, his arms moved.
He hugged her back.
His fingers trembled.
Not from electricity.
From something worse.
Something human.
Aoi looked away, wiping her eyes.
The room was quiet.
Just the beeping.
Just breathing.
Just the hum of the building.
Then—
The door opened.
Illium's mother immediately pulled back.
Aoi straightened.
Two police officers stepped inside.
Behind them was a man in a suit with a clipboard.
The lead officer spoke politely.
"Mrs. Price?"
Illium's mother stood instantly.
"Yes?"
"We're here to ask your son some questions regarding the incident."
Illium stared at them.
The man in the suit smiled in a way that wasn't friendly.
It was professional.
Cold.
"We won't take long."
Illium's mother stepped between them and the bed.
"He's injured."
The officer nodded.
"We understand. But this is an active investigation."
Aoi's eyes narrowed.
Illium stared at the man in the suit.
He could feel the electricity in the man's phone in his pocket.
He could feel the battery.
He could feel the recording device.
Illium's eyes narrowed.
"…You're recording."
The man blinked.
Then smiled wider.
"Just procedure."
Illium's mother looked confused.
"What do you mean?"
Illium didn't answer her.
He stared at the officer.
"What do you want to know?"
The officer glanced at the clipboard.
"Tell us exactly what happened at the eel exhibit."
Illium's fingers twitched.
His mother spoke quickly.
"He was pushed."
The officer's eyes flicked to her.
"We've heard conflicting reports."
Illium stared at them.
Conflicting.
Meaning: we believe the bully's version more than yours.
Illium felt something cold settle into his chest.
The officer continued.
"Did you intentionally activate your quirk?"
Illium's eyes widened slightly.
He almost laughed.
He actually almost laughed.
Instead, he answered calmly.
"I didn't even know I had one."
The officer nodded, but his eyes didn't change.
The man in the suit scribbled something down.
Illium's gaze sharpened.
He could feel the electricity in the room shifting.
The lights above them buzzed louder.
His heartbeat remained calm.
But his body felt like it was building pressure.
The officer asked another question.
"When you fell into the tank, did you attempt to harm anyone?"
Illium stared at him.
"…No."
The man in the suit spoke.
"Several students were hospitalized due to electrical burns."
Illium's mother snapped.
"Because they pushed him!"
The man in the suit didn't react.
He just smiled again.
Illium watched him.
And in that moment, Illium understood.
It wasn't about truth.
It wasn't about justice.
It wasn't even about the bullying.
It was about one thing.
Control.
They didn't care that he was a victim.
They cared that he was now dangerous.
Illium's eyes drifted to the ceiling lights.
They flickered once.
The officer noticed.
His posture stiffened.
Aoi noticed too.
She leaned closer to Illium, voice low.
"Illi… calm down."
Illium exhaled slowly.
Then he looked at the officer.
His voice was quiet.
"Are you going to arrest them?"
The officer hesitated.
"We're still investigating."
Illium stared.
"…No."
The officer's expression tightened.
"We haven't reached any conclusions."
Illium's voice remained calm.
"But you already did."
The man in the suit stopped writing.
The room grew colder.
Illium's mother stepped forward.
"Excuse me, my son is traumatized and injured. He doesn't need this interrogation right now."
The officer's jaw clenched.
"This is procedure."
Illium looked at the man in the suit.
"What's your name?"
The man blinked.
"…Excuse me?"
Illium's eyes glowed faintly gold.
"What's your name?"
The man hesitated.
Then said, "Hayashi."
Illium nodded slowly.
"Okay, Hayashi."
His voice was soft.
"But you should leave."
Hayashi stared at him.
The officer stepped forward.
"Are you threatening—"
The lights in the room flickered violently.
The heart monitor beeped faster.
The officer froze.
Aoi's eyes widened.
Illium's mother grabbed his hand.
"Illium."
Illium stared at the officer.
His voice was almost polite.
"Do you know what electricity is?"
The officer didn't answer.
Illium continued.
"It's invisible."
A spark snapped between Illium's fingers.
"It's everywhere."
The officer's radio crackled.
The hospital TV glitched.
"And when it moves…"
The fluorescent light above them buzzed so loudly it sounded like a scream.
"…you can't stop it."
Silence.
Illium's mother whispered his name again.
"Illium… please."
Illium blinked.
His eyes flickered back to normal.
The lights steadied.
The machines calmed.
The room returned to normal.
Illium stared at the police officer like nothing had happened.
Then he said, quietly:
"I didn't hurt anyone on purpose."
The officer swallowed.
Hayashi's smile was gone now.
The officer nodded stiffly.
"We'll… continue the investigation."
They backed toward the door.
Illium watched them leave.
When the door shut, his mother exhaled shakily.
Aoi stared at him.
"…That was terrifying."
Illium blinked.
Then, without missing a beat:
"Yeah. I know."
Aoi slapped his arm.
Illium winced.
"Stop doing that."
Aoi leaned forward, eyes burning.
"Don't scare mom like that."
Illium stared at his hands.
Electricity danced faintly beneath the skin.
"…I didn't mean to."
His mother sat down again, trembling.
She whispered:
"They looked at you like you were a criminal."
Illium stared at the TV headline.
Then spoke softly.
"They're going to treat me like one anyway."
Aoi clenched her fists.
His mother looked like she might cry again.
Illium leaned back against the pillow.
He stared at the ceiling.
And in his mind, the city lights outside looked different now.
Not comforting.
Not beautiful.
Fragile.
Breakable.
He thought about his dream of becoming an electrical engineer.
Designing power grids.
Building light.
And he realized something bitter.
The world didn't deserve the light.
Not if it used that light to blind itself.
Illium's lips curled slightly.
His voice was barely audible.
"Today is going to be amazing."
Aoi blinked.
"What?"
Illium glanced at her.
His expression was calm.
"Nothing."
His mother reached out and squeezed his hand again.
"Illium… we're going to fix this."
Illium didn't respond.
He didn't say yes.
He didn't say no.
He simply stared out the window.
Because deep down…
he already knew.
The world didn't fix things like this.
It created them.
Outside, the city lights continued to glow.
Unaware.
Unprepared.
And somewhere in a hospital room, a boy who had been invisible his entire life stared at those lights with a quiet, growing certainty.
Someday soon…
they would go out.
And the world would finally see him.