#faulty writes: kugo sakamata: journalism series: 24

[faulty-writes]

Alright, here it is. The story you all voted that you wanted me to publish. So without further ado, my lovely fans and or followers, I present the first chapter of my Kugo Sakamata/Gang Orca Journalism Series.

[ Finding a newsworthy story was always a challenge for a journalist. However, being the determined individual you are, you’re willing to make anything into a story. Upon hearing about the Hero League Baseball game, you did exactly that. Of course, you would have never imagined the consequences your actions would have on your life, your dreams, and your feelings about Gang Orca. ]

“Ah!” You screamed in frustration with your hands fisted into your hair. “None of these are newsworthy!” You smacked a nearby stack of papers on the table onto the floor and turned to your bulletin board with various pictures of heroes pinned against it.

The pictures had sticky notes above them, and on each sticky note was a bulleted list relating to the potential rumors circulating about the said heroes. But the most unusual thing was the various colored strings going every which way on the board.

Each string was a different color and represented a theory you had concocted connecting the rumor to the hero and if other heroes were involved or connected to the said rumor. As a journalist, it was imperative that you thought outside the box and got the latest scoop before anyone else had the chance to. 

Of course, those were crucial tips you had learned from your father, Taneo Tokuda, Editor-in-chief of Juzo News. If you hoped to follow in his footsteps, you had to bring a story so new, so heart-stopping, and questionable or scandalous that it changed the world. 

But what would be that groundbreaking story? You stepped closer to the board, looking at the various pictures. From All Might to Endeavor to Best Jeanist, hell even Fat Gum and-“Hm…” You paused when your eyes landed on the small polaroid of Kugo Sakamata also known as the Killer Whale Hero: Gang Orca. 

Your eyebrows lowered as your fingertips brushed over the surface of the photo which felt smooth, and the glossy surface reflected the small amount of light in the room creating streaks across the image. It was a challenge to get an interview, let alone a story on the top heroes in the competitive world of journalism. 

Less popular heroes, such as Fat Gum and Gang Orca, were, of course, easier to get the scoop on but typically their stories tanked unless they were scandalous in some manner. Then again, that was something you could use to your advantage.

Any good journalist knew how to spin a story to gain public favor and you hadn’t run many stories involving Gang Orca. To be more precise, you hadn’t written or even interviewed him since shortly after starting your journalism career a few years back.

Would he even recognize you if he saw you again? “Hm…” you tapped your chin before hearing the door behind you open. You looked over your shoulder, seeing your father step through with a smile. “You look happy,” you commented, and he nodded before placing a flyer on the table. 

“Huh, what’s this?” You asked, picking it up. “Just an advertisement,” he replied walking over to the bulletin board to see what you were up to. “Saying…two of the Hero League Baseball teams made the finals?” you replied, looking at him.

You knew a little about Hero League Baseball. It was an organization created by the Pro Heroes, so they had something to do in their spare time. Usually, the teams consisted of the Pro Hero’s interns, and full quirk usage was allowed.

Hero League Baseball games were exclusive, but like the Sports Festival individuals were permitted to watch if they purchased the few available tickets. All the proceeds, of course, went to the selected hero school each team’s interns belonged to. 

“How are you still in contact with Yuuei?” You asked, crossing your arms, and glaring at the back of his head. More than likely, he could feel your stare, but ignored it. He was quite talented at that and when he turned, a smirk was on his face.

“I occasionally speak to All Might,” he replied, “as well as the other teachers at Yuuei and some students, Izuku Midoriya in particular,” he explained. “Izuku Midoriya?” you repeated, partly wondering why that name sounded familiar.

“Wait…isn’t he the kid you talked to the first time you went there to interview the students?” you asked. “Yes,” he replied before turning back to the bulletin board. “Why are they hosting a baseball game with…” you looked at the flyer again. 

“The Orcas and Lionels?” Wait a minute, did that mean-“Shishido and Gang Orca have quite the rivalry,” he stated. “That will certainly make for a fascinating end to the season,” he turned to face you again, ready to say more.

However, when he noticed that you were staring blankly at the flyer with lips parted, and your eyebrows lowered as if what was on the paper was somehow mesmerizing he grew concerned. He was about to ask what was wrong when you slammed said paper on the table and fisted your opposite hand into the air.

“That’s it! The scoop that can be my groundbreaking story!” You shouted and ignored the awkward tension that lingered in the air. Taneo kept one hand on his hip and used his opposite to tap his lips several times. “And just what is your groundbreaking story?” He asked, clearly not following. 

You picked up the flyer. “This!” you exclaimed, running up to shove the piece of paper into his face. “Y/n,” he said, pushing it away. “Oh, come on! I know I can make this a groundbreaking story and…not get in trouble like last time.” You had a bad habit of infiltrating private events and such.

In your defense, nobody said getting something newsworthy was easy. “Did you manage to get a ticket!?” You asked. “Are there any tickets left!?” you added before taking out your phone, maybe you could just buy one. Yeah, that was a sound plan.

Taneo raised his eyebrow. “I believe all the tickets are sold out,” he said, making you sigh. “Are you serious? Come on,” you stomped your foot and glared at him, even though it wasn’t technically his fault. “You didn’t get one?” He shook his head.

“You know I’m not a baseball fan. What is so fascinating about Hero League Baseball?” Granted the rivalry between Gang Orca and Shishido could escalate, but from what he knew Present Mic and Eraserhead were narrating the events and more than likely would prevent overly violent situations from occurring. 

“Can you get me a ticket or not?!” You exclaimed, yet again glaring at him. He looked perplexed and sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. You reminded him so much of what he was like at your age. A young naive journalist, trying to turn anything he could get his hands on into a worthy news story. 

Of course, over the years he had matured and realized that through dedication and a bit of manipulation, you could also get a news story. But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t curious as to how you’d possibly turn something like a baseball game into ‘a groundbreaking story.’

“I can speak to All Might or Izuku Midoriya,” he offered before shrugging. “I can’t promise anything kiddo, but there’s a chance they could get you a spot to watch the game.” After all, there was nothing his flirtatious wink and smooth words couldn’t accomplish. You didn’t quite have what it took to have that level of flirtation with your work.

Regardless, he admired your ambition and determination to do whatever it took to get a story even if it got you into trouble. He had needed to clear up several incidents since agreeing to allow you to have your internship and eventual job at Juzo News.

Of course, that was before the new renovations had taken place. Still, despite everything you were his child, and he always tried his best to keep you safe. Like anything, that was a challenge. You smiled, “Great!” If this didn’t work, you could always think of something else.

Luckily, your father managed to pull some strings and, just as he said, you were granted an exclusive spot to watch the game. You and a few others, mostly Pro Heroes sat on bleachers. In front of you was a large, reinforced net, more than likely put up as a precaution. 

How sturdy or reliable was yet to be determined, but at least Yuuei thought about their patron’s safety. In addition, there was a large screen television above the announcer’s booth, and two smaller televisions at the bottom of the bleachers, in front of the net.

After an initial squabble of insults between Gang Orca and Shishido while their team members looked on and eventually walked away, Present Mic explained the rules. Again, you couldn’t help but think about how unfair it was to allow full quirk usage during the game, but you weren’t here to debate sports rules.

You were here to get a story, particularly regarding Gang Orca who was the first one up to bat, and to your surprise, he hit a home run. But this is when you noticed how the Pro Heroes treated their interns during the game. 

You expected Shishido to be unhinged given his personality, but like Best Jeanist, Gang Orca was known for his compassion toward the younger generation and often sought to help them. That’s why it came as an utter shock to see him punishing the students when they happened to strike out or make mistakes during the game. 

While that’s not exactly the type of story you were looking for, it could be used to create one. So, you tentatively wrote everything down and used your ‘secret weapon’ to take some worthwhile pictures. You’d decide which one to use for the front page later. When Gang Orca went up to bat again Fat Gum happened to be the pitcher.

You grimaced knowing that Shishido had given Fat Gum an advantage, or at least that’s what you figured by the many punches you had witnessed Fat Gum take from him earlier. From what you know, Fat Gum’s quirk allowed him to absorb the force of an attack and redirect it.

As such, his throw was powerful, and something you debated for a split second would be impossible for Gang Orca to hit. Of course, you should have known better than to doubt the abilities of a Pro Hero. Not only did he hit it, but it soared toward the reinforced net that was supposed to protect the spectators.

Instead, the ball tore through the netting and while some may chalk that up to it being defective, the likely culprit was how much force Gang Orca used to hit the ball. Gasps echoed through the crowd and yet, fell deaf to your ears. This is because your body, against your will, chose to play possum in response to said ball hurtling toward you.

Even as it grazed past the side of your head causing a backlash of wind that made your hair dance around like wildfire, you remained stiff as a board. Your eyes were still wide with surprise and horror even as you glided shaky fingers along your cheek.

The skin felt warm from the close contact of the ball speeding past it and like a fish out of water, you desperately gasped for air a few seconds later. It was understandable why you were holding your breath. Your heart was racing, and when you realized just how many people were staring at you, a dark flush colored your cheeks.

You failed to realize how tight your throat felt until you swallowed heavily but this didn’t stop you from fixing your hair and standing up afterward. You briefly looked at the now busted section of the netting with strings sticking out at unusual angles. You wondered for a split second who would fix it, but that didn’t matter now.

You made your way to the middle aisle of the bleachers, and everyone remained silent as you walked down the steps, including the Pro Heroes and students on the field. Each of them was no doubt curious about what had happened, what was going to happen, and if you were all right. 

Once you stepped onto the field, the warm air dusted over the skin of your face, and the scent of grass and dirt accompanied it. “Looks like someone has made their way onto the field folks! What’s going to happen and what do they have to say!?” Present Mic’s voice echoed through the speakers. 

“Either way, after that incident, I’m sure I’d have a thing or two to say, ya dig!?” Despite finding his announcements annoying, your eyes were glued on Gang Orca, and the coating of dirt on his white suit. You raised your eyebrow and pressed two fingers to the side of your temple.

A certain glaze came over your eyes and your pupils dilated as you zoomed in on the dirty piece of clothing before making your way over to him. While it was unusual for a Pro Hero to show any weakness, be it nervousness or worry, a sense of deja vu washed over him as you approached.

Like a long last memory, the way you walked so determinedly was somehow familiar to him and when locking eyes, his heart was enveloped with nostalgia because your eyes were so unusual. Yet, he swore he had seen them somewhere before.

They were clear as a crystal and held a sheen to them like glass. Each iris was colored a subtle gray, but he noticed several rings surrounding your pupils and how they refracted in the presence of the sun beating down on you.

He hadn’t even realized that he had leaned down to get a better look at them until you spoke and snapped him out of his daze. “Did you intend for that ball to almost hit me?” You asked, making his eyes widen. For a moment, he thought that he had misheard you. However, the look on your face told him that he had not.

“I…” He paused and scratched the side of his temple. This action was familiar to you given your journalism experience and you weren’t afraid to continue questioning him, if need be. “I apologize,” he stated, pressing his fist against his chest. 

“It was not my intention for the ball to cause injury to any of the patrons present,” he explained, feeling somewhat uneasy as you continued to stare at him. You stepped forward and grabbed his tie. Like a statue, he didn’t budge even when you pulled on said tie and noted the concerned gasps that followed.

Unknown to you, he refused to budge because he wanted the concern level to remain minimal. In addition, being the man he was, unless you were a villain or student playing baseball and failing to live up to the sport’s expectations, he was unlikely to lay a hand on you.

So, he continued looking at you with those slightly widened red-gleaming eyes. “Grabbing a whale by the tongue! Who would’ve guessed it!” Present Mic announced, confusing the audience who continued to watch the spectacle between you and Gang Orca.

Others assumed his joke related to the Pro Hero’s tie resembling a tongue. Either way, you ignored the comment. “Ensure it doesn’t happen again,” you hissed before your pupils contracted and the rings that surrounded them rotated.

This would have been odd enough, but a second later your pupils expanded and released a bright flash of light that caused Gang Orca to hiss and cover his now irritated eyes. You stumbled and collided with his chest because your grip remained on his tie.

Shishido’s abrupt laughter filled the air while several students scratched their heads. “Well folks, I’m not sure what just happened,” Present Mic said, “but Gang Orca has been blinded by a flash of light, courtesy of our mysterious patron!” Seriously, how did the other heroes put up with him?

After releasing the tie in question, you made your way back to the bleachers. You ignored the stares you received as you made your way up the aisle. Once you reclaimed your seat, you gazed down at Gang Orca who had finally finished rubbing his eyes.

Although floaters remained, after he scanned the crowd, his stare lingered on you for a long moment but you seemed otherwise, unbothered by this. Yes, perhaps you were a troublemaker but it’s not like you broke any rules. You didn’t ‘attack’ him. More like, played a prank…or something.

“Hey! Are we playing or what fish breath!?” Shishido yelled, immediately causing Gang Orca to growl and stomp over to him. “Still such a pathetic insult from a land dweller like you!” He snapped, and once they had finished insulting each other, and slamming their heads together as if that proved anything, the game continued. 

You discreetly kept taking pictures the whole while and contemplated some ideas for the headline of your news story. You even jotted down some main points you wanted to mention, mostly about the mistreatment of students and the unnecessary bickering between Gang Orca and Shishido. 

You can’t say that you were surprised by the end of the game when both Pro Heroes managed to knock themselves out. It partly made you wonder how they handled fighting villains daily. Regardless, everyone appeared disappointed and as such, began to leave.

“Hm,” you put your notebook into the small bag you had brought and slipped it over your shoulder. You waited on the side of the bleachers and once the coast was clear, you walked onto the field where you cautiously approached the two unconscious men and leaned over Gang Orca.

It was weird how peaceful someone could look when they were knocked out. You gasped and stumbled back when a loud “Yo!” broke your attention. Pressing a hand to your chest, you took a deep breath to ease your racing heart and noticed who was approaching you.

The first person was the Voice Hero: Present Mic. His real name was Hizashi Yamada, and he was a previous graduate and current English teacher at Yuuei. Next to him was the Erasure Hero: Eraser Head otherwise known as Shota Aizawa. He too was a graduate of Yuuei and just so happened to be a homeroom teacher there.

As a journalist, it was good to know trivial facts about Pro Heroes on the off-chance you ever landed an on-the-spot interview with them. Of course, those were much easier than ‘live’ interviews because as much as you knew about some of the Pro Heroes, it was easier to yell ‘Cut!’ or fix a mistake when doing on-the-spot interviews.

If you made a mistake during ‘live’ interviews, it didn’t bode well for you or the company you worked under. The last thing you needed was to make Juzo News look bad or uh, badder than you already had. You would have been out on your can long ago if it weren’t for your father.

Then again, maybe you just tried too hard, and your motivation blinded you to all rational or reasonable thoughts and behaviors. Of course, this was influenced by your dream of being able to take your father’s place in the company one day.

He was the reason you got into journalism, but even he tended to point out your flaws, and avoiding doing ‘live’ interviews was one of them. “How ya do!?” Hizashi said, moving his hands rapidly through the air while Shota remained quiet.

“Heh,” you tried to put on your best smile, or at least the best smile that your father had taught you to put on when dealing with Pro Heroes. “Hey…” You replied, glancing at Gang Orca once more before looking at Hizashi.

“Guess he’s not waking up for a while, huh?” You rubbed the back of your head with a nervous chuckle. “Would appear that way,” Shota replied, “so…just who are you?” Hizashi nodded before pointing a finger at you. “Yeah, and what’s with the flashy eyes?”

You noticed the look that Shota gave him before he stepped closer. “That flash was considered an illegal and unauthorized use of your quirk,” he said. “O-oh, was it?” You replied, another nervous chuckle escaping as you took a step back. 

Like before, Shota stepped forward while Hizashi looked at him questionably. “Uh, Aizawa?” He shouldn’t have been surprised when he was utterly ignored by the man who locked his sights on you. “Yes,” he answered, and your body grew stiff when he reached for his capture scarf.

“While you didn’t put anyone in danger, it’s a violation all the same,” he said, his eyes darkening as he continued to look at you. “It might be a surprise but I’m not a fan of vigilantes either,” he informed you, wrapping one end of his scarf around his hand.

You could easily predict what was going to happen next and hissed through your teeth. “Well, this has been nice but-” Once again you triggered your quirk, allowing your eyes to absorb as much light as possible before another flash, much stronger than the one you used on Gang Orca, blinded the two heroes. 

Shota still tried to use his scarf, despite being blinded. Luckily, he missed you by only a few centimeters and you ran for it. “Ah, what the heck man!?” Hizashi wailed out before taking off his signature shades and rubbing his watery eyes furiously with the back of his hand.

Shota, meanwhile, grumbled in response. He was clearly irritated but luckily, he always had eyedrops on hand because of his quirk. He sighed as he reached into his pocket for the small bottle, and after adding a drop to each eye, his vision slowly returned to normal.

Hizashi grumbled, his eyes were puffy and tinted red. “Jeez, why’d ya think that was a smooth idea, Aizawa?” He demanded, slipping his sunglasses back on while the man in question glared at him. “Shut up,” he responded before sighing.

“It was a better approach than suggesting we inflict harm on them,” Hizashi frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean!?” he demanded. Yeah, he might have suggested that they beat up members of the media in the past but surely Shota didn’t take his words seriously.

“If I captured them with my scarf, there would have been little resistance and lowered risk of injury,” he explained before looking in the direction he assumed you had run. Hizashi crossed his arms with a huff, impatiently tapping his foot against the ground.

“Do you know who they were?” Shota asked. “Meh, who knows man,” he responded, shrugging. “But I get the feeling they were some kind of reporter, ya dig? That quirk’s gotta be useful for the media,” he stated, and Shota nodded. “Yeah…” he responded, his voice was low and had a slight undertone of disappointment.

Hizashi looked at him with concern but didn’t get the chance to ask what was wrong considering Shota started walking away. “Hey, wait for me!” He called after him. “Keep your eyes peeled for the next issue of the local paper, I have a feeling what the headline will be,” Shota stated.

This was why he hated the media. Give them an inch and they’d take a mile. An exaggerated and blown out-of-proportion mile at that. The last thing Yuuei, much less the Pro Hero world needed was for their names to be dragged further into the mud.

But it was far too late to do anything about it now. Whatever you witnessed at the baseball game was going to be public soon. Unlike the rest of the patrons who witnessed what had happened, there was something special about social media and public influence.

Not to mention some idiots only helped add fuel to the fire because they believed everything they saw or read from the local news. Either way, Yuuei would likely respond the way it always has regarding whatever allegations you published. 

In that sense, he wasn’t worried. But given your odd interest in Gang Orca, there was the likelihood that you would try to taint his name along with Yuuei’s. “I did it!” You screamed when you barged through the front door, scaring Taneo half to death.

The metallic sound of a knife hitting the floor echoed through the kitchen and he sighed, fisting his hand into the front of his hair. He wasn’t annoyed by you per se, but rather by your intrusion. You tilted your head, trying to distinguish what the noise was before hurrying to the kitchen.

“You okay, Dad?” You asked, peering around the doorway. You spotted him crouched on the floor, picking said knife up. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine,” he replied, his gaze shifting to you before standing up and promptly throwing the dirty knife into the sink. 

Then he walked over to the counter and grabbed his plate, in the center of which was a sandwich he had just finished preparing a few seconds before you walked through the door. He took a bite of it, letting his eyes linger on you.

“What did you do?” He asked after swallowing. “I got a newsworthy story!” You declared, waving your notepad in front of him. He eyed it a moment, taking another bite of his sandwich and smiling as he chewed. Again, he saw a resemblance of his younger self in you.

He was proud that you were following in his footsteps, but at times he did worry that you were pushing yourself too hard for a story. “Let’s see how well you did,” he said, taking the notepad. He briefly glimpsed over your notes with a raised eyebrow.

If what you had written is true, it was certainly hard to picture and a small part of him felt bad for the students involved in the fiasco you described. “Well, this is certainly something kiddo,” you took the notepad back. “Yup!” You agreed.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, this story isn’t going to write itself,” you said, turning to leave. “Don’t stay up too late!” He called but you waved him off. “Yeah, yeah,” you replied, knowing you would do the exact opposite of what he instructed.

Hours ticked by as the rapid clicking of keyboard keys permeated the air, and while your fingers throbbed dully from the repetitive activity, there wasn’t a chance in hell you were stopping until your story was finished. Some may think that writing was a skill that anyone could do.

But, in your humble opinion, it took a true artist to be able to capture one’s attention through words, much less convey emotions, and keep the audience interested. That’s why you loved journalism, there was nothing like the rush of words that swirled inside of you, dying for an escape that only you could grant. 

Your eyelids were growing heavy by the time you finished, and you leaned back, cracking your knuckles. “Okay,” you said, yawning loudly. “Let’s see…” you rubbed one of your eyes as you scrolled up the length of your finished article. Having edited through it a few times, you deemed it ready enough to be published. 

Of course, there was only one thing missing. After all, there had to be something eye-catching that would draw your audience in and pique their curiosity enough to read your article. This, of course, was the picture that would act as the foundation of your story.

Another yawn passed your lips before you shook your head, trying to suppress your drowsiness as you grazed your index finger along the side of your laptop. Once you felt the USB slot, the tip of your finger morphed into a connector.

This, as one can imagine, allowed you to connect to the laptop. Unlike your father who could print the pictures he took from his chest; you could upload your pictures to your laptop or any electronic device. It was slightly more convenient than a paper copy.

Although at times you wished that you had your father’s ability to simply print pictures from your body. Then again, there was a chance that if your quirk manifested that way, you would be wishing that you could do exactly what you were doing. Uploading them digitally. 

You watched as a series of pictures began to appear on your laptop and proceeded to copy them into another file before pulling your finger out of the USB slot. After that, it was simply a matter of choosing the correct photo that would showcase what your article was about.

Another hour ticked by, and you slumped over your desk with your cheek cradled in your hand, yawning yet again. Your eyelids were drooping, making it difficult to focus on the screen that illuminated your otherwise dark room. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes briefly before shaking your head.

“Stay awake,” you hissed, opening another tab on the browser. With the article complete, and the picture chosen, the last thing to do was send it to the appropriate people, including your father, to get it approved before it was published.

“There…” you said, hovering your finger just above the touchpad of your laptop. Another click sounded when you hit ‘Send’ and leaned back in your chair. “This story…will be newsworthy,” after closing the laptop, you wobbled your way to your bed and carelessly plopped onto it.

Succumbing to sleep was easy, although dreams of Gang Orca danced in your head. Maybe it was wrong to purposely ruin his image, but if there was one thing you learned it was that social media didn’t care about the rights or wrongs.

It only cared about the views, likes, and popularity that stemmed from ludicrous stories and scandalous headlines. The truth essentially didn’t matter or maybe that’s just what you told yourself to ease the guilt. Either way, you slept easy that night.

His steps echoed against the pavement as he made his way to the gated entrance of the Okuto Island Aquarium where Shota and Hizashi stood on the other side, waiting for him. Shota looked as he usually did, tired and a frown decorated his lips.

Hizashi on the other hand, had his hands shoved into his pockets and was impatiently tapping his foot against the ground. “What is this about?” He questioned, entering a code into the keypad that was located on the left side of the wall.

The gate jiggled and screeched when it began ascending, leaving nothing separating the three heroes. Hizashi was quick to answer. “Have you seen today’s paper, yo!?” he stated, moving his hands around rapidly. 

“I have not,” Kugo responded before his eyes shifted to Shota who grabbed the newspaper tucked underneath his arm and held it out. He raised his eyebrow and took it as Shota said, “Look at the front page.” His curiosity was piqued, and he unfolded the paper with care.

“Very well,” he replied, only to freeze when he saw a headline that read ‘Hero Or A Villain in Disguise?’ A side-by-side picture was underneath the headline that showed him grabbing and forcibly throwing a student into the air, the look of horror and panic was evident on their face.

He glanced at the two heroes, noting Hizashi urged him to continue reading. ‘So-called Killer Whale Hero: Gang Orca subjects Yuuei hero students to unfair and unethical punishment during the final season of Hero Baseball.’ He looked back at the two men and a concerned expression decorated his face.

“This doesn’t work well with Yuuei’s reputation,” Shota said, sighing as he fisted his hand into his hair. “People are already beginning to question your position as a hero, the position of the Yuuei teachers, and why this mistreatment of hero students was allowed,” he explained.

“Yeah, and that’s the last thing we need jamming us up!” Hizashi exclaimed frantically much to Shota’s annoyance. “The individual that confronted you was a journalist from Juzo News,” Kugo narrowed his eyes, replaying the moment you had walked up to him in his mind.

“Juzo News...hm,” his eyes shifted to the article. He recalled the few times he had been interviewed or involved with Juzo News, is that why you were so familiar to him? It would be hard for him to forget such a determined and strong individual like yourself.

Perhaps he needed time to recall if the two of you had truly crossed paths before. “Yeah, and they have those crazy flashy eyes!” Hizashi commented, waving his hands in front of his face before Shota sighed. “Yes, I recall how they approached me” Kugo replied, folding the newspaper.

It was rather bold that you had approached him, and the way you pulled on his tie was something he wouldn’t soon forget. “I assume that was their quirk,” he stated and Shota nodded. “They are the child of Taneo Tokuda,” he explained.

“Taneo Tokuda?” Kugo repeated. “The Editor-in-chief of Juzo News, yo!” Hizashi chimed in with a grin. Shota lowered his hand. “We suspect that flash from their eyes was an adaptation of the quirk they inherited from their father,” he stated, crossing his arms to lean against the nearby wall. 

“What is his quirk?” Kugo asked. “Whole-body lens, it allows him to sprout camera lenses anywhere on his body and take pictures,” he explained. Kugo slumped his shoulders. “What do you suggest we do?” He asked, handing the newspaper back to Shota.

“I say we organize a hero meeting!” Hizashi announced, placing his hands on his hips but Shota shook his head. “It would exhaust more effort than it’s worth to organize a meeting for something like this.” However, any suggestion preventing heroes and more importantly, Yuuei from being tainted further would help. 

Hizashi frowned. “You’re always putting down my ideas! What’s the dealio?!” He asked, curling his hands into fists. Shota glared at him before looking at Kugo. “Maybe Yamada has something,” he said, making the man in question look at him surprised.

Kugo, on the other hand, didn’t quite follow. “You wish to organize a meeting?” He asked, and Shota shook his head. Hizashi raised his eyebrow. “Then whaddya suggest?!” He demanded, wiggling his finger at Shota. “Get in touch with Juzo News and request an interview,” silence filled the air.

“An interview?” Kugo asked a few seconds later. “Mmhm,” he responded before looking at Hizashi. “Anything else you want to add?” he asked. “Just make sure you clear Yuuei’s name along with yours, ya dig!?” He said, once again rapidly moving his hands around. Kugo nodded.

“Understood,” he said, although he wasn’t sure what the results of his actions would be when he called Juzo News. However, he agreed that it was in everyone’s best interest that he keep his and Yuuei’s reputation in good standing.

The dial tone sounded in his ear for a few minutes before someone finally answered. After revealing that he was the Killer Whale Hero: Gang Orca, he was transferred a few times before hearing a loud click followed by a cheery voice that said, “Editor-in-chief of Juzo News, Taneo Tokuda speaking.”

Kugo’s eyes widened, if his memory was correct, Taneo Tokuda was your father. Because he was briefly lost in thought, he failed to realize he hadn’t said anything until Taneo’s voice echoing, “Hello, hello?” sounded in his ear. “Apologies,” he replied, and when Taneo heard his deep and slightly raspy voice, he raised his eyebrow.

“Who is this?” He asked, a tingle of suspicion lingering in his tone. Kugo, of course, was able to pick up on this. However, he did not typically jump to conclusions. In addition, for personal reasons, he didn’t partake in prejudice.

Although he wasn’t entirely certain, he imagined your father might become defensive when he revealed that he wished to have a private interview with you. However, this was how every father might act when someone wished to be alone with their child, especially a Pro Hero like Kugo whose name was all over social media now.

Granted, you were an adult but that did not necessarily make a difference. Kugo reached up, loosening the pink tie wrapped securely around the collar of his blazer. “Hello,” he replied, “I am Kugo Sakamata.” Taneo knit his eyebrows and leaned back in his seat, propping his legs onto his desk.

“Is that right?” He replied, his tone casual and laidback unlike before. Kugo heard the shifting of papers before Taneo continued speaking. “And what can I do for you today, Mr. Sakamata?” Kugo took a deep breath, resting his opposite hand on his thigh while the other remained holding his phone.

“I am also…Gang Orca,” he stated, and Taneo’s eyes widened. He dropped his legs to the floor and his chair gave a loud squeak as he stood up. “Gang Orca,” he repeated before smiling, “let me guess, you’re upset about the story Juzo News published.” 

He should have suspected this would happen, and in the back of his mind, he wondered what you would think if you knew he was talking to the very man who was the star of your story. “I am not,” Kugo replied, his tone was calm but stern.

“Oh, then why are you calling?” Taneo asked, having been far too used to the world of social media and news to care that he was being blunt. “I am concerned about the story,” he explained, “and how it is affecting the hero students and Yuuei’s reputation.”

Taneo raised his eyebrow and pressed his shoulder against the bottom of his phone to ensure it stayed in place as he moved more papers around on his desk. “Heh, and you’re not worried about your reputation? That’s pretty bold for a hero,” he replied, “usually they try to keep up their appearance and keep their name clear.” 

Kugo nodded. “Yes, I understand,” he said before taking a breath. “That is why I wish to request an interview to clear both Yuuei’s name and the name of heroes associated with it,” he heard Taneo snicker and raised his eyebrow, he failed to see what was so amusing.

“I’m afraid Juzo News doesn’t take requests,” he stated, yet again being blunt. His grip tightened on his phone, and he briefly turned his head to glance outside before his eyes shifted to the papers that littered his desk. Then resting on the corner of said desk was a framed picture of him and you.

It was taken shortly after you had begun interning at Juzo News, he remembered that day well and how proud he had felt of you. At the same time, he had to pull some strings when you finished your internship and insisted on working at Juzo News.

It was shortly after this that he noticed something. While you seemed to enjoy your work as a journalist, you also tried too hard. You became obsessed with finding the perfect story which led you to some troublesome situations.

Many a time, he had to rescue you or smooth things over because you decided that doing something like trespassing on private property was beneficial for a story. While he could have punished you, like a responsible parent would, he decided that trying to encourage the talents he already saw present in you would help.

Understanding how to be safe while capturing a worthy news story was an important aspect of being a journalist. This seemed to work for the time being, but he still noticed the obsessive traits you displayed. Your bulletin board was evidence enough of that.

That’s when he made the connection that something was ‘off’ about you. He often wondered if journalism was the ideal fit for you, but he supposed that watching him through the years influenced your need to join him in the field.

But if he were being truthful, he sensed that you were chasing something you didn’t really want. Ultimately, he knew he couldn’t deprive you of doing what you thought you wanted. Sooner or later, you had to face facts just like everyone.

“Mm…” he pressed his lips together and picked the framed picture up. Examining it closer, he brushed his finger over your face before taking a deep breath. “However,” Kugo’s eyes widened, and he leaned forward in his chair, anxious to hear what Taneo had to say.

“I can pull some strings,” his tone was upbeat, and a smile decorated his lips. He placed the picture back down and walked over to the window in his office. With thoughts of you on his mind, he said, “How does this Friday sound? Say eleven o’clock sharp at the Juzo News studio?”

Kugo certainly wasn’t expecting this, but he didn’t have much of a choice. “Yes,” he replied, “I will be there.” Taneo smiled. “Wonderful, I’ll be conducting the interview,” he lied. “Oh, and better pick out a nice outfit. This interview will be live,” he warned, and before Kugo could respond the call ended.

He turned back to his desk, and that satisfied smile faded as he focused on the picture frame again. Walking over, he picked it up and once again stared at you. ‘I just have to know that hope won’t be lost when I retire, and you’re doing what you love,’ he thought.

But whatever career path you chose, be it journalism or not, he wanted you to be more successful than he was. This is why he had tirelessly provided you with guidance and mentorship since you first set foot into the work world. He wanted you to shine, and as your father, he would do anything to help you accomplish your dreams.

Although it was humorous to think you didn’t need your old man’s help as you were a natural go-getter. Very little stopped you and soon, he was going to make you face one of your weaknesses. Yes, maybe that sounded cruel but everyone in the media business had to know how to do certain things.

This included jumping into live interviews with nothing but your wits, and previous or present knowledge to work with. Despite imagining how amusing your reaction would be when he allowed you to conduct the live interview with Kugo, he knew you wouldn’t disappoint him.