Air Hero

Another Explosion!

Max doesn't really have the best memory, but something about the man he stumbled upon earlier kept bugging him.

"I have a feeling that I've seen that man before, but where?"

Max tried hard to think and knows that he rarely interacted with people ever since the day of the accident. There's only a handful of people that he talked to, and the man from earlier doesn't seem to be one of them. Finally, as if he got sudden enlightenment, Max remembers where he saw that man.

"Ah, something similar happened a long time ago, on the day of the accident when I was running away from the building. I happened to stumble into him; I was too small at that point, so the man looks taller and younger too, but I believe he is the same man. Maybe he also lost someone on the day of the accident. Well, there's no point in thinking about it right now."

Max already walked quite a bit from where the memorial is located when suddenly a loud explosion sound can be heard again. Max turned his head and saw a familiar scene from years ago. The monument of the memorial is quite tall, so Max can still see it from a distance. From bottom to the top, a chain explosion occurred.

As if it awakes a trauma from deep inside his soul, Max screamed out loud.

"Nooooo!"

Max clutches his chest as there's a pain coming deep inside as he feels it tightens and gets harder to breathe. Not long after he struggles, some security guards arrive, and while the rest of the security guards approaches the monument to check the situation, one comes to Max and checks up on him.

"Boy, are you okay?"

"*huff*..*huff*.. I'm alright. It's just that I see some people heading to the memorial just now. you need to check up on them and make sure they are okay."

Hearing Max's explanation, the security guard immediately contacted his friends using the walkie-talkie and conveyed what Max just told him.

"Are you alright now? can you go back by yourself?"

"Yes, sir. I'm fine."

"However, since you saw someone earlier, can you give me your contacts? Just in case we need more explanation from you."

"My name is Max, and I live at the hope orphanage at the outskirts."

"Oh, I know the place. Alright, make sure to go home straight away and don't get into an accident."

Max nodded and left the place as the security guard goes off to meet up with his colleague. Max didn't overthink about it and on his way back to the orphanage. The distance is quite far, around 20 minutes using the bus. However, as Max doesn't have any allowance, he walked back to the orphanage, and it took him almost two hours to do so.

Even after Max goes back to the orphanage, there isn't really anyone paying attention to him. He takes a shower, changes his clothes, and lays down on top of his bed. Life at the orphanage isn't so bad. However, as he stretched out his left hand to the air, there're some wounds on his wrist; the witness of how many times Max couldn't hang in there anymore, but somehow, he never succeeds in his attempted journey to the afterlife.

"Mom, Dad."

Only when he is alone on top of his bed, Max revealed his true feelings. He cried silently on top of his bed, thinking again to the day where he was still living happily, and the next day everything changes due to his wish of becoming a hero.

"Heroes… such stupid thing. Why did I so dead set on becoming a hero? What's the use of this superpower if you guys aren't there, mom, dad?"

If Max's parents are still alive, they will be surprised yet happy at the same time hearing what Max is saying; not to mention the ability appraiser from the United Heroes headquarters. For Max, who is labeled as untalented or superpower-less, Max is speaking as if he has a superpower.

"Just because the appraiser said that I don't have any superpower, I lashed out at mom and dad. Which then leads to the event where I lost them. Why did I believe in what the appraiser said at that time? Why did I say all of those horrible things to mom and dad? If only I didn't do that, I might be able to live happily with them and have my superpower developed later. I will also be able to become a hero. Right now, it's already too late for me. I doubt that I will even be able to get a hero license. I need to take care of so many complicated things if I want to acquire a license, not including the fee and other documents. I guess becoming a hero is out of the question."

Max is saying all of that, but it was all only an excuse. He knows himself, and the real reason that he didn't even apply to enter a hero school to get a license is because he loathes the United heroes now. He is blaming the United Heroes' incompetence for his loss.

"If only when I was getting appraised, the appraiser didn't judge me as not having any superpower, all of this thing won't happen. Right now, what's the use of my superpower? When I was young, it was only on impulse that I decided to be a hero but looking back at it, the happy look on my mom and dad's face is the main reason. I just want to make them proud, and being a hero seemed to be the best way to make them feel that way. However, now, I don't even want to become a hero or get associated with that word."

Max covered his face with his hand and wanted to take a rest. Today, he is more tired than usual, it might only be his imagination, but he believed that it is because his heart is heavier today. Just when he closes his eye and wanted to sleep, someone knocked on the door of his room.