Koichi should really be grateful. Or at least... he doesn't really have the right to be upset. He was the one who decided to stay in Naruhata and fight, after all, instead of fleeing to get All Might - and while it all kind of worked out in the end... there's still plenty of destruction that only occurred because he made that decision - and many lives in that were put in danger, too.
It's really only the latter fact that sticks in his mind, though. He's been thinking about it for quite some time... and being stuck in the hospital with nothing else to do doesn't help. Was the choice he made the right one? It's a fair question to ask, but... even though he knows how close things were to going wrong... Koichi can't bring himself to regret it.
After all, would Pop still be here if he'd left in that moment? ...Maybe he'd feel more conflicted if there'd been any casualties on that night. But- in the end, the heroes came, and everyone was okay, right? Koichi might not deserve all the credit, but he'd like to think he did a good enough job. He managed to protect Pop, the one person he couldn't afford to lose, and honestly, it had even been fun - though maybe that's not the part he should be focusing on...
( Although - there was one casualty, wasn't there? A scarred face, a broken laugh. Every time you'll look in the mirror, you'll remember...
...The guy you couldn't save, no matter how hard you tried... )
Koichi unclenches his fists. They must've closed at some point without him realizing... The point is, Tsukauchi's desire to arrest him is understandable. Obviously, Koichi isn't happy about it, but even that's all been worked out now - Koichi's going to America, and even if he can't do it here in his home, he'll get to be a Hero! A real one, this time. Not having to say goodbye to that dream... is it's own dream come true, and one he never expected to be granted. Now - if only he could swallow down his nerves seeing Tsukauchi again now - and the sheepish sense that he might end up in trouble if he says the wrong thing.
"Ah... no hard feelings, right?" As soon as the words leave his mouth, Koichi feels like a complete idiot. But he rambles on anyway, a smile on his face and eyes closed; rubbing the back of his head in a manner that's just a bit awkward. "I mean, I'm so glad that everything worked out okay!"
@truexman ( starter! )
