News Broadcast - Voiceover
"Today marks one week since the fall of Satoru Kojima, the quirkless hero better known as 'Mumen Rider'."
"A symbol of selflessness in a society shaped by strength, Satoru's unwavering bravery in the face of All For One has reignited the nation's belief in true heroism."
"He saved dozens that day, standing alone where others would have fled. Now, thousands gather to honor the man who gave everything."
"Our next story: the quiet woman behind the hero. Satoru's mother, still recovering in the hospital, remains unaware of just how many lives her son touched..."
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POV: Satoru's Mother – Hospital Room
The hospital room is quiet, but not silent.
Sayaka sits at the edge of the bed, holding the remote in one hand and Satoru's cracked gloves in the other.
His mother, propped up with pillows, watches the broadcast on the small mounted screen. Her eyes, sunken and tired, do not blink.
On the screen: footage of the battle. His broken armor. That final scream of defiance.
Her voice cracks. "He was alone."
Sayaka squeezes her hand gently. "He wasn't. Not really. Not anymore."
A knock at the window.
They turn.
Outside the room, hospital staff begin whispering and pointing. Sayaka rises and parts the curtains.
She gasps.
Below them, in the hospital courtyard, thousands of people stand.
Shoulder to shoulder. In silence. Holding helmets, flowers, candles. Some are crying. Some are children. Some wear makeshift goggles or tattered gloves. All of them looking up.
A large banner stretches between buildings:
"THANK YOU, KOJIMA FAMILY."
Sayaka turns to Satoru's mother. "They came for you."
Tears fill her eyes.
"I can't... stand..."
Sayaka helps her gently to her feet. The woman leans on her, trembling, but she stands.
They both step closer to the window. The people below erupt in applause, cheers, sobs.
Someone shouts, "We loved him!"
Another cries, "He saved my boy!"
Children raise signs: "Mumen Rider Forever!" "Our Hero!" "Thank You, Kojima-san!"
The news continues from the television:
"In a spontaneous act of gratitude, citizens across Japan have pooled donations to cover all of Satoru Kojima's mother's medical expenses. Support continues to pour in, and more acts of kindness are unfolding daily in his name..."
At that moment, the door opens.
Keiko enters first, breath hitching when she sees the crowd through the window.
Behind her, Miyako clutches a bouquet of wildflowers, her eyes already wet.
They don't speak at first.
Just walk over, and gently embrace Satoru's mother. Sayaka joins the hug.
None of them say "I'm sorry."
Because it isn't just grief they carry.
It's awe.
It's pride.
It's love.
Outside, the wind moves through the petals left in the hospital garden.
And above it all, the sun rises.
Not in silence.
But in thunderous remembrance.