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Walking inside, she was greeted by the shop owner, a kind older man with a warm smile. "Welcome, ma'am. What are you looking for today?" he asked politely.
Erika hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'm looking for jewelry. Something... for a boy."
The man raised a brow, intrigued. "What age are we talking about?"
"He's turning 13," she replied with a soft smile, thinking of the surprise she had in mind.
"Ah, I see," the owner said, gesturing for her to follow. "Please, come this way."
As they walked through the shop, he showed her an array of items—rings, bracelets, lockets—each piece delicate and well-crafted. Erika's eyes roamed over them until something in particular caught her attention. A locket, simple yet elegant, with a vibrant red stone set in the center.
Her breath hitched slightly. This color... it's just like his eyes, she thought, an involuntary smile touching her lips.
"I'll take this one," she said softly, her gaze still fixed on the locket.
The owner smiled, clearly pleased with her choice. "A fine selection, ma'am. I'll wrap it up for you."
As he moved to pack it, Erika interrupted gently, "Excuse me, sir. Could you gift wrap it?"
"Of course," he replied, nodding. He placed the locket carefully into a small box, wrapping it neatly with delicate paper and tying it off with a ribbon. The entire process was done with care, almost as if he understood how important this gift was to her.
"Your billing is just over there," he gestured, handing her the elegantly wrapped box.
Erika nodded and made her way to the counter, paying for the gift. As she walked out of the shop, the small box tucked securely in her hands, she couldn't help but smile.
It's perfect, she thought, her heart warm with the anticipation of giving it to him. I'm so glad I found something that suits him.
She glanced down at the box again, her fingers brushing lightly over the ribbon. I hope he likes it..
Erika walked briskly down the street, her thoughts still on the gift she had bought for Itachi. The soft clinking of the locket inside the box in her hand made her smile, imagining the look on his face when he opened it. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the pavement as she neared the mansion.
But as she approached the quieter part of town, something caught her eye in the distance. Her smile faded when she saw a group of four thugs harassing an old woman.
One of the thugs, tall and menacing, sneered, "You old hag, give us everything you have!"
Another thug chimed in with a cruel grin, "Yeah, if you wanna live a little longer, you'd better hand it over."
The remaining two thugs smirked, surrounding the terrified woman like predators circling their prey. She pleaded, her voice trembling, "Please... I don't have anything. I'm poor…"
Erika's heart raced, a chill running down her spine as she watched. Her hands tightened around the small gift box. What should I do? she thought, fear slowly creeping in. She wasn't strong like Itachi, and she had no quirk to defend herself.
The third thug brandished a gun, aiming it at the old woman. "Hurry up! I'll kill you right here, right now!"
Erika's breath caught in her throat. I can't just stand here! But fear held her legs in place, as if her body refused to move. Just then, one of the thugs noticed her.
"Well, well, look what we have here," the fourth thug whistled, eyeing her with a disgusting smirk. "Hey, check her out. She's cute."
The others turned to see Erika, and their sneers widened. The second thug, eyes gleaming, pointed toward her bag. "Looks like you've got something we want. Hand it over."
Before Erika could react, the old woman was shoved aside, and the thugs approached her with sinister grins. "Come on, girl. Don't make this hard. If you don't, we've got other ways to get what we want," the second thug said, licking his lips.
Disgust and fear gripped Erika, but she forced herself to reach into her purse and hand over some money. "Here… please, just take it," she stammered, her voice barely audible.
The thug snatched the money from her hands, counting it quickly. "1,000 yen? That's it?" His tone was mocking, clearly unimpressed.
Another thug, the third one with the gun, smirked darkly, "Guess we'll have to find another way to enjoy ourselves."
Panic set in as Erika's body froze, her mind reeling. Her breathing grew shallow as memories of Itachi surfaced. She recalled a time when they were younger, back when she was quirkless and felt powerless. Itachi, only four years old at the time, had looked at her with that serious expression of his.
"Erika," he had said, his voice gentle yet strong, "I know you've faced a lot of suffering because you're quirkless. But that doesn't mean you're weak."
Young Erika had looked at him with wide eyes, unable to believe him. She had always felt so inferior.
He had smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "People who are quirkless can be strong too, if they believe in themselves."
The memory filled her with a sudden surge of determination. Itachi's right… I'm not weak.
Her eyes hardened, and in one swift motion, she shoved one of the thugs back and bolted. "Hey! Get back here!" one of them yelled, giving chase.
Fear and adrenaline pumped through her veins as she sprinted down the street, her heart pounding in her ears. "If you don't stop, I'll shoot!" the third thug shouted, but she didn't dare look back.
Just as she turned a corner, she felt a hand grab her, pinning her to a wall. The thug with the gun stood before her, his cold eyes glaring into hers as he aimed the weapon at her. Desperation took over as she fought back, pushing the gun away with both hands. The thug was physically stronger, but Erika's determination didn't waver. She kicked him hard in the gut, making him stumble back.
In the moment of opportunity, she tried to run again, but another thug—one with a shape-shifting quirk—grabbed her leg, causing her to fall. Erika yelped in pain as the others closed in, their cruel laughs echoing around her.
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If you want to read ahead by 10 chapters from her you can visit my Patre-on.
{P} {A} {T} {R} {E} {O} {N}
https://patreon.com/FanfictionTakashi