3 Years Ago (4)

As the television flickered to life, a news anchor appeared on the screen, her face somber as she spoke into the camera.

"Breaking news just in, a Disaster class monster has been killed near the sea by the Superhero Esperrete," she announced, her voice carrying a weighty tone. "The monster was not discovered by the Hero Association until it was too late, leading to much debate among our panelists as to how this could have happened."

The camera cut to a panel of experts seated in a studio, their faces drawn with concern as they debated the sudden appearance of the monster.

"I find it hard to believe that the Hero Association could have missed the presence of an SS class monster so close to our city," one panelist exclaimed, his voice rising with anger. "This is a gross dereliction of duty and puts the lives of our citizens in danger."

"But how could they have detected the monster if it had never been seen before?" another panelist countered, her expression thoughtful. "It's possible that this creature was lurking just beyond our detection until now."

As the debate continued, the television screen cut to a live press conference being held by Esperrete. The superhero stood at a podium, her red hair tied up and a mask covering her face to protect her secret identity.

"I want to reassure the citizens of our city that the Hero Association is doing everything in their power to keep you safe," she said, her voice calm and reassuring. "The monster has been neutralized and the area is now secure."

As the press conference ended, the television cut back to the panel of experts, who continued to debate the implications of this event.

"This should be a wake-up call to the Hero Association," one panelist declared, his voice ringing with conviction. "We cannot afford to let our guard down for even a moment when it comes to the safety of our citizens."

Jack was comfortably seated on the couch, engrossed in the news broadcast. Suddenly, the sound of clicking interrupted his concentration, causing him to look up and see Katherine walking in.

She was dressed in a simple outfit - a plain white t-shirt and jeans - as she smiled slightly at Jack and took a seat next to him on the couch. Her gaze was drawn towards the television, where the news was playing.

A heavy sigh escaped Katherine's lips as she leaned back on the couch, her eyes fixed on the television screen in front of her. Despite the flashing news and the ongoing debate among the panelists, Katherine seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

She shook her head slightly, breaking herself from her thoughts, and turned to look towards Jack, who was also watching the television with a furrowed brow.

"Thank you," Katherine said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jack turned his head towards her and smiled slightly. "Of course," he replied, his voice warm with understanding.

There was a brief moment of silence as they both turned their attention back to the television, watching as the news continued to report on the monster's appearance and subsequent defeat.

"You know," Katherine said, turning towards Jack once more. "You could be a big help."

"Katherine, I don't want to go back to that life," Jack said, shaking his head. "I can't handle the responsibility of giving people hope again. Besides, I'm sure there are others who are willing to bear that burden. I just want to live a simple life."

...........

Jack had been dozing off for what felt like hours during his long flight. He was snapped out of his sleep by the sound of a trolley being pushed down the aisle. As he opened his eyes, he saw an air hostess standing beside him with a smile on her face.

"Sir, would you like anything to drink?" she asked politely.

Jack rubbed his eyes and smiled slightly. "Yes, please. A beer, if you have one," he replied.

The air hostess nodded and quickly fetched a chilled can of beer from the trolley. She popped the top and handed it to Jack along with a napkin.

"Enjoy your drink, sir," she said before moving on to serve the other passengers.

Jack leaned back in his seat and took a long sip of the cold beer, feeling the refreshing liquid slowly slide down his throat.

He let out another satisfied sigh as he leaned back into his seat, enjoying the cold beer in his hand. As he shifted his gaze, he came to the realization that a woman was seated beside him.

"Hello there," he said, turning to face her with a friendly smile. "I didn't even realize someone was sitting next to me."

The woman smiled back at him, revealing a set of pearly white teeth. "No worries," she replied. "I'm used to being the quiet one."

Jack nodded in understanding, taking another sip of his beer. He couldn't help but sneak a quick glance at the woman beside him. She was wearing a sleek black suit and had her black hair pulled back into a ponytail. There was something about her that caught his eye, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"I'm Jack, by the way," he said, extending his hand toward her.

The woman took his hand and shook it firmly. "Nice to meet you, Jack. I'm Emily."

As they settled back into their seats, Jack couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about Emily. He racked his brain, trying to remember if he had met her before. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't place her.

He shook his head, momentarily breaking his gaze away from her. As he turned to look out of the window, he was greeted by a breathtaking view of the clouds floating by, illuminated by the sun's rays.

He couldn't help but marvel at the sight. It was as if the clouds were dancing, their movements fluid and graceful, as they traveled across the vast expanse of the sky.

For a moment, Jack forgot about everything else as he watched the clouds. He felt a sense of peace wash over him.

Lost in thought, Jack barely registered the sound of the plane's engines slowing down as they approached their destination. It was only when he felt the sudden jolt of the landing gear hitting the ground that he snapped out of his reverie.

Glancing around, he saw that everyone else on the plane was getting up from their seats and grabbing their belongings, ready to disembark. He quickly gathered his things and joined the line of passengers making their way toward the exit.

As he stepped out of the plane, he felt the warm sun on his face, a welcome change from the cool air conditioning of the plane. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air of a new place.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the airport, he found himself standing amidst the throngs of people. Shaking his head and smiling slightly, he made his way toward the exit, eager to leave the chaos behind.

As soon as he stepped out of the airport, his gaze scanned the crowd ahead of him but was immediately drawn toward the sight of a woman with red hair standing against a pillar.