Chapter 2 - Hero Candidate

The night of the Hero Candidate choosing is finally upon Kibou, but something doesn't quite seem right.

As a faint light glimmers through Kibou’s curtains, causing him to slowly awaken to the new day.

 

“Ahhh… isn’t it a little too bright for winter”

 

Kibou squints his eyes as he adjusts to the light. After slowly getting used to the light Kibou opens his curtains to a completely snow filled village.

 

“Wooooaaahhh!”

 

Kibou’s face speaks all kinds of wonder at the sight laid out before him, like a pure white blanket had been spread over the village.

 

“Who would’ve thought that it actually would’ve snowed?!”

 

Kibou leaps out of bed and heads downstairs to find a note left behind by his mother.

 

‘Gone to work! Can you please go grocery shopping whilst I’m away? x’

 

“Well… Looks like I’m going shopping today… and in this weather as well”

 

Creating a striking pose Kibou musters up his optimism.

 

“Nothing a hero wouldn’t be able to handle!”

 

Kibou heads back to his room and puts on any clothes that would insulate any sort of warmth and heads out. Walking to his local grocery store, leaving snowy footprints behind, Kibou embraces the cold air clashing with the heat on his face. He enters the store and is instantly met with a breath of warm air, he slowly goes through the checklist of products to collect that his mother left behind for him, and heads to the checkout, he pays for the items and prepares to head back outside where the cold air is, pulling up the collar on his coat he heads off. As he holds his gaze to the ground Kibou collides with an oncoming stranger, Kibou stumbles from being bumped back and falls to the ground, it was obvious from the impact that the person he bumped into had a solid physique.

 

“Ah, I’m so sorry, this was completely my fault, I wasn’t looking where I was going”

 

Kibou brings himself back to his feet, picking up some of the groceries that fell out of the bag and brushing himself off, he brings his eyes to the person he bumped into.

 

“N-Naos…”

 

Looking down with disdain, there stood Naos.

 

“Tch… pathetic…”

 

“Wha-?”

 

“I said pathetic. What? Didn’t you hear me or something?”

 

Grabbing Kibou by the collar Naos begins to interrogate Kibou.

 

“W-Why am I pathetic?”

 

“Well just look at you, stumbling over your own words, falling over after being bumped into lightly, you look like a damn dog that has just pissed itself”

 

Though this did anger Kibou, he didn’t let it cloud his judgement. Grabbing onto the fist that was restricting Kibou’s movement and violently shrugging it off, Kibou breaks himself free.

 

“I w-wouldn’t do that if I was you…”

 

Kibou averts his gaze to the onlookers which then cause Naos to look around, despite the way he treated Kibou, Naos was actually pretty well known and respected amongst the village, he most certainly wouldn’t want to risk his public image going down. Bringing his eyes back to Kibou, Naos’ eyes are sharp.

 

“Tch… I’ll let you off this time Kibou, but listen here, I’m going to be the chosen hero for this village, not you, so get it out of your damn head right now”

 

Naos states adamantly, he brushes passed Kibou, firmly shoulder barging him as he passes. Kibou’s breathing begins to tremble as he firmly grips his fist.

 

“I can be a hero too…”

 

Naos stops in his steps and turns around to Kibou.

 

“What did you just s-”

 

“I CAN BE A HERO TOO”

 

Firmly gripping his fist Kibou stares at the ground whilst facing Naos.

 

“...We’ll see about that on the day of the Hero Candidate choosing”

 

Naos turns around again and walks away, firmly stomping his feet as he fades into the snowy distance. Releasing the grip made by his fist Kibou continues on his journey home, wiping away a few stray tears as he does so.

 

‘I can be a hero… I can be a hero… I can be hero… I will be a hero’

 

Kibou firmly reassures himself of his chances of becoming a Hero Candidate which reignites his determination.

 

 

As the week swiftly flows by, the long awaited night was finally upon Kibou, this was going to decide his future. When he came to think of it Kibou hadn’t actually made a plan B, his mother was unsure of whether or not it attests to his determination or his stupidity. Kibou woke up that morning as pumped as ever and as he lay in bed that night the same excitement that consumed him that morning would even allow him to go to sleep. He lay on his back staring at the ceiling, he raises his hand almost as if he was reaching out for something.

 

“Tonight is the night… Whether or not I’ll become a Hero will depend on tonight…”

 

At this moment Naos popped into Kibou’s mind, scrunching his face, Kibou creates a fist with his hand,

 

“I’ve got just as much chance of becoming a Hero as him or anyone else... “

 

Though these were Kibou’s words, deep down it did fill him with dread, the thought of Naos’ words becoming a reality, the thought of not being a Hero… these thoughts would run through Kibou’s mind until he had the courage to reassure himself with words that he was worthy of becoming a Hero. After what seemed like an eternity, Kibou could feel himself becoming more and more tired, silence filled the village… nothing could be heard, and if anything could be heard it was only faint murmurs. Just as Kibou was about to drift of a loud squeaking noise could be heard, followed by a loud bang.

 

“W-What was that?!”

 

Kibou quickly comes back to his senses and notices faint flashes of light glimmering through his curtains, Kibou reluctantly peeks through a small gap and notices beautiful colour filling the sky.

 

“Oh… It’s only fireworks…”

 

Kibou places his hand on his cheek as he gazes fondly at the fireworks lighting up the night sky.

 

“The new year has rolled in… What will this year hold for me?… If I don’t become a Hero… what will become of me?...”

 

A small smile is conjured up on Kibou’s face, letting out a small helpless laugh as he slumps back into his bed, he closes his eyes to fall asleep, the sound of the distant fireworks acted as a nice distraction from his thoughts. After only a small amount of time, Kibou drifts off into a deep sleep. Throughout the night Kibou was extremely restless, tossing and turning, yet never seeming to wake up, something was clearly bothering him, Kibou lets out small murmurs as if he was trying to say something but he just simply couldn’t.

 

“Ngh… n… nghhh… sto… stop… huh!”

 

Kibou wakes up with a quick gasp, his appearance seemed almost dreary, like a mix of a lack of sleep and like he had his stamina drained. In almost an instant it had become the morning of the following day. Placing his hand on his forehead, almost as a way of confirming that he is awake as he comes to his senses, slowly releasing his hand from his forehead there is a clear symbol on his hand.

 

“Huh?”

 

Kibou uses his other hand and tries to wipe off the symbol, but it’s no use, it almost seems like the symbol is engraved into his hand.

 

“N-No way…”

 

He grips his wrist and stares at the symbol on his hand.

 

“I’m… a Hero Candidate…”

 

Kibou leaps out of his bed and runs downstairs, Akemi - Kibou’s mother - notices Kibou in the doorway and runs to him, wrapping her arms around him she begins to cry.

 

“M-mum?”

 

“I’m so sorry Kibou!…”

 

Tears stream down his mother’s face as she apologises.

 

“What’s wrong”

 

Kibou’s mother points to the television screen, Kibou’s attention shifts and he listens closely.

 

“Here they are! The ten Hero Candidates!”

 

10 pictures of different teenagers Kibou’s age pop up on the screen at the queue of the announcer. Kibou analyses the pictures and notices Naos’ face, he had almost a sinister grin, almost like he knew the chances of him being chosen were inevitable, Kibou also notices Yui in the top right of the screen, the rest of the 8 candidates were completely unknown to Kibou.

 

“No way…”

 

“I’m sorry Kibou, everything will be alright, I promise”

 

“No, it’s not that”

 

Kibou raises his hand and the symbol that was there before is still there, he points his palm at his mother and Akemi covers her mouth in disbelief.

 

“So you are a Hero Candidate!?”

 

A bright smile spreads across Akemi’s face, wiping away her tears she once again hugs Kibou, but this time is for a completely different reason. Kibou also smiles but it was a very faint hearted smile.

 

‘If there’s already 10 chosen then why have I gotten the symbol?...’

 

“I’m so proud of you dear! I knew you could do it!”

 

“Oh.... uh… thanks mum”

 

Kibou was unsure of his emotions, he had finally achieved what he had aspired to achieve his whole life, but after seeing how the 10 hero candidates were already chosen he began to doubt whether or not the symbol of a hero he gained was actually real or not.

 

“Still, I have to wonder why there are 11 Hero Candidates this time around, this has never happened in the history of the Hero Candidates choosing…”

 

Pondered Akemi.

 

“Y-You don’t mean… that you’ve become… the HUNTED?!”

 

“No way mum, jeez, don’t jump to such conclusions like that, you’ll fill me with doubt”

 

Kibou gives a sigh at his mother’s accusation.

 

“Still, this is really amazing though! I’ve finally become a hero, something I have always dreamed of!”

 

The reality of what has actually happened was finally sinking in for Kibou as he reaches out his hand and brings it back to him, this time gripping his fist tightly with determination.