Chapter 56 One Step Ahead

For the first time in Satoshi's life, a concrete goal was set in stone in his mind. He finally had something to work on in his life, not just aimlessly wandering around like a nomad and getting swayed by his ups and downs. For once, he aimed for something that would encourage him to go above and beyond, and spur himself to do his very best like no one ever did.

It had been a few hours since Satoshi decided to set up his very own agency but quite frankly, he doesn't have any idea how to do so. Was it like setting up a business? Can anyone do it? Does someone need a specific license to set up an agency? Those questions ran through Satoshi's mind throughout the whole day that he couldn't think straight. Most of the time, he would just be staring into empty space and Kuroe would nudge him back to reality since she sat beside him. He would almost always snap back but the perturbing thoughts lingered in his mind for quite a while.

Time flew by so fast that before Satoshi knew it, the school bell had alredy rung and students were rushing out of the academy by the droves. Usually, Satoshi would be the first one to rush to the school bus but this time, he walked rather slowly, making mental notes of all the questions he'd had to ask his parents so he could start preparing his own agency. Now that's he's got a goal in mind, he wanted to ride the wave and achieve it before he burns out and change his mind. There was just one problem though, every agency he knew were owned by an adult and he's still a teenager. If he were to open an agency, he'd have to grow up first, literally speaking.

So for now, he needs to prepare as much as he could so the moment he comes of age, he can open a brand-new agency without any hassle.

Kuroe and Shiroi, meanwhile, walked a pace away from Satoshi, wondering why he was acting quite unusual today. Ever since he revealed his new familiar and fought with Plume a second time, he became lost in his thoughts. On one hand, Kuroe knew what Satoshi was actually thinking about since she could read his mind. And the reason why she followed right behind him was because he didn't want to disturb his contemplation. On another hand, Shiroi was genuinely worried for Satoshi since he barely touched his lunch during break. She couldn't tell whether he was thinking about something serious or not and that thought made her back down and just watch Satoshi instead of asking him if there's something wrong. And so, the two of them quietly watched over him as he made his way to the school bus along with everyone else.

The trip home was normal, Midori still talked a lot and as usual, everybody ignored him. (It would be much later when the incident about his sister would happen so he's still in the mood to act and talk). And as for Satoshi, he continued to mull over his thoughts until he got home. Kuroe and Shiroi still couldn't bring themselves to talk to Satoshi so they kept quiet. And as for Hiroshi, well, he frankly just didn't care whether Satoshi was having a bad day or not. After all, that's the least of his concerns.

"Bye, Satoshi," Shiroi mildly greeted, almost as if she was whispering to the dead.

"See you tomorrow!" Kuroe greeted as usual as if nothing happened. That's one of the advantages of being able to read someone's mind, you'd always know whether someone's thinking about their problems or not.

"Yeah," Satoshi indifferently greeted back, dragging his feet as he got out of the school bus. With the remaining steps to their doorstep, he was able to come up with all the questions he'd have to ask his parents in order to prepare himself for his endeavor.

?

The moment he walked in, however, his mom and dad were both on the other side of the door, as if waiting for him.

"Here you go," Ayumu cheerfully said, handing a letter to Satoshi. Meanwhile, Tatsuki was just nodding in the background with a satisfied smile on his face.

Satoshi hasn't even removed his shoes and his mom already handed him the letter. It goes to show just how important the letter was so Satoshi opened it as soon as he got it. He wondered what the contents of the letters were since it made his parents wait by the door for him.

The envelope didn't have a mailing address, it was just a clear envelope with a few creases, implying that it was personally handed in by the sender to his parents. And if his parents handed him the envelope, then it either means that they've already read the contents of the letter and wanted him to read it, or the contents of the letter were actually meant for him and not to his parents. They were just the middle-man of some sort.

Curiosity piqued, Satoshi opened the letter and hastily skimmed through it. In summary, it was Elimine's personal letter to his parents, telling them if she could recruit Satoshi as part of her agency. She was very friendly yet serious in the letter, showing that she was sincere when she asked for it. There were also hints of awkwardness in her sentence since she's not used to asking anyone for something when she could get it. She was really going out of her way to recruit Satoshi as if she badly needed her in her life. It was a very genuine recruitment letter and for some reason, Ayumu and Tatsuki were moved by it.

Before Satoshi arrived at the house, they had already discussed to each other how it'd be best for their son to learn the ropes from someone else instead of them because that would just give him a one-sided view of the world of superheroes. And what better opportunity than send it to someone that was once an intern in their agency. And furthermore, Elimine isn't just any other intern for Ayumu and Tatsuki, she's also a dear childhood friend of their son, not to mention the daughter of two of their closest friends.

"Heimdall Agency is owned by the Eye-Goddess and Elimine, your childhood friend is a part of that agency. It seems like the Eye-Goddess has taken an interest on you, Satoshi. Say you try out her agency, learn the ropes, and then you can go ahead and create a brand-new agency for yourself." Tatsuki relaxedly said while crossing his arms in front of him.

"Yes, Satoshi, it would be better for you to learn the ropes hands-on compared to learning it on paper. And if we were to explain everything, it might take us a long time before we could tell you everything you need to learn to run your own agency." Ayumu agreed with her husband, stating the obvious that they had a serious talking-to together before they talked to Satoshi regarding the said matter.

"Also, it would be a good experience for you, Satoshi. At first, we wanted you to be a part of our agency... but you know how it is, we won't be able to properly guide you since you're our son. At least in the Heimdall Agency, there won't be any partiality when it comes to its members." Tatsuki continued.

Satoshi clearly understood what they were talking about. And well, part of the reason why he didn't want to join another person's agency was that he wanted to join his parents' agency. But after getting his superpower and finally getting the goal of setting up his own agency, he knew that he couldn't rely on his parents all the time so he didn't want to bring up ever joining another agency. Subconsciously, he trapped himself in a dilemma that he'd either join his parents' agency and not join anyone else's because that would make him feel bad towards his mom and dad.

But now, they're clearly telling him that he could join another agency with their permission just because Elimine, his childhood friend, is a part of the agency. And well, the Eye-Goddess does have one of the best reputations when it comes to agency heads.

"I know, the Eye-Goddess personally approached me and tried to recruit me a few days ago. I declined though." Satoshi answered a matter of factly. "I never expected them to want to recruit me that badly. Elimine-san talked to me this morning as well, encouraging me to join Heimdall Agency as well."

"WHAT?! The Eye-Goddess personally approached you? That's a first, throughout the history of her agency, I've never heard anyone get in because of her personal recommendation. It's either a member of the agency who recommends a superhero or a renowned superhero who recommends someone to her. This is a first— that she personally tried to recruit someone— "

Suddenly, Ayumu and Tatsuki stopped as if they glitched. They then slowly looked at each other as they realized something. "Does that mean... " Tatsuki muttered in a slightly panicked tone.

"Yeah, that must mean 'that', right?" Ayumu responded.

Satoshi couldn't help but give his parents a confusing gaze.