A/N: Happy April Fools... here's a legit chapter lol. Part 2 and 3 coming soon, keep your eyes peeled 0-0
And, uh, stay inside of course.
They called him the 'Golden Child'. He walked down the hallway with an aura of confidence, and had a smile that could stop a heart. His slicked-back hair was golden, his skin was tanned, and his eyes were a brilliant blue. He was decked out in an expensive tux, covering his school uniform. He was glamorous, even more glamorous than a gold necklace. He was so glamorous the other children called him Goldy over his real name, Galreon.
But Zenko didn't care about that. The best part about him was that he was Sweet Mask's young cousin!
Zenko was surprised that he wanted to hang out with her of all people. Usually, aside from Poppy and Tareo, most people avoided her out of fear of her brother. But not Goldy. He walked right in front of her, with that heart-stopping smile.
"I heard you're a fan of my big cousin," he said, a glint in his golden eyes.
Zenko nodded, eagerly. "Y-Yeah, he's my favourite hero!"
"Well…" Goldy leaned in close. "I can get you a signed album. And an exclusive signed poster! But in return…" He blushed. "I'd, um… like to be friends with you."
Zenko raised her brow. "Be friends with me?"
Goldy nodded, still blushing.
"Okay!" Zenko grinned, almost instantly. "Let's be friends!"
During lunchtime, Goldy shared his expensive meat-filled dish with his new friend. Despite his flashy appearance, he was a surprisingly gentle and shy person. Generous, too.
"This is amazing," Zenko said, mouth full of food. "It must've cost a lot!"
"Hey, anything for my new friend," Goldy said, putting a hand behind his head. "I really like being friends with you. I know we barely know each other, but…"
Zenko nodded. "Yeah, I like being friends with you too! It must be amazing being Sweet Mask's cousin."
Goldy looked away. "I guess… honestly, I don't get to see him a lot. He's really busy." He put on his classic smile. "But when I do… he's really cool! He's almost like an older brother. Well, except when he's fighting monsters… then he's terrifying."
His face darkened over for a moment.
"Anyway, I'll get you the poster and album tomorrow," Goldy told her. "I did say I'd give them to you."
"You don't have to do that," Zenko waved it off. "I've already got a signed album and poster!"
"Then why'd you say you wanted another one?" Goldy asked.
"You can never have too much Sweet Mask merch," Zenko replied, intelligently.
Goldy laughed at that.
"Hey," Poppy said, walking over. She stared at Goldy. "What's he doing here?"
"He's my new friend," Zenko replied.
"Is he?" Poppy asked, sceptical.
"What's with that look?" Zenko made a face. "He's really nice!" She grinned, patting the ground beside her. "Come and join us!"
Poppy wrinkled her nose. "I don't know. He seems too… plastic. Like my sister when she wears her brassiere."
Goldy laughed, again. "Yeah, a lot of people think that. I guess I can see where it comes from..."
"Are you really even Sweet Mask's cousin?" Poppy asked, raising her brow. "Do you have any proof?"
Goldy nodded. "Of course I do! Look at these photos!"
He held out his phone, showing a slideshow of images of Goldy with his supposed older cousin.
"Hmm," Poppy was still sceptical. Sweet Mask and the boy did appear to be very close, judging by how Sweet Mask seemed casual in the photos.
"Maybe you're just jealous, Poppy," Zenko said, narrowing her eyes.
Poppy crossed her arms. "Jealous? Bleh, take a hike! I'm not jealous."
"Thaaaaaaaat's what a jealous person would say," Zenko retorted.
Poppy glowered. "Yeah, well… well…" She looked away, fists clenching.
"Come sit down," Goldy said, bringing back his heart-stopping smile. "I've got meat left to spare!"
Poppy tch-ed. She stormed off, her back hunched.
Zenko frowned. "What was with her? She's usually not that mean…"
Goldy shrugged. "Hey, maybe she was jealous."
Zenko looked at her friend's retreating figure, and felt a pang of guilt.
Goldy gently touched her shoulder. "Don't worry about her. I'm sure she'll be fine. And besides, you've got me now, don'tcha?"
The smile returned, and he put his head on his shoulder. He looked like a golden kitty cat.
Zenko blushed, turning away from his golden eyes. "Yeah, yeah! You're right."
"Ya made a new friend?"
Zenko nodded up at her brother. He gave her a proud brotherly grin, as the siblings walked to their apartment in City A. Zenko still went to her old school, as she did not want to relocate to another one. She did not want to be away from her friends and classmates.
"Tell me 'bout 'em," Badd said.
"His name is Goldy," Zenko replied. "Well, his actual name is Galreon, but everyone calls him Goldy. And he's Sweet Mask's cousin!"
Badd raised his brow. "He is?"
Zenko nodded, eagerly. "Yeah! And he's really nice! He said he's going to give me a signed Sweet Mask poster and album!"
"Don'tcha already have a signed poster and album?" Badd asked.
"You can never have too much Sweet Mask merch," Zenko retorted.
Badd begged to differ, but he loved his sister too much to change her mind.
"So, this Goldy guy," he offered instead. "Didja just meet him today?"
"Yep!" Zenko chirped.
"And is he a monster?" Badd asked.
Zenko stared at her brother with a blank slate.
"C'mon, sis, don'tcha remember that whole Poppy thing?" Badd asked, squeezing her hand. "I'm not lettin' that happen again."
"He's not a monster, bro," Zenko said, squeezing his hand back. "I promise."
Badd still looked sceptical. Just like Poppy had.
"Alright," he finally said. "I wanna meet yer new friend, though."
Zenko groaned. "Bro, you're being overprotective again!"
The next day, Goldy pulled up to school in a limousine. He was surrounded by a crowd as he walked down the hallway. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of him. He spotted Zenko waiting, and gave her the Goldy smile.
"Zenko!" he greeted, walking over to her.
"Hi, Goldy!" she said, waving at him.
"For you, my princess," he said, handing her a bouquet of golden roses.
Zenko blushed, accepting them. "Wow… thanks, Goldy!"
Goldy's cheeks went pink. "So, you like them?"
Zenko nodded. "Yeah, I do!"
"Oh, good," Goldy chuckled, staring at his shoes. "Wikipedia saved me this time round. They're supposed to be nice gifts, ha!"
"Why'd you give me these?" Zenko asked, observing the flowers.
Goldy dug his hands into his expensive suit pockets. "Well… I wanted to give you a thank you present. For, uh, letting me be your friend."
Zenko grinned. "It's my pleasure, Goldy! You don't have to keep giving me stuff. The poster and album were fine."
Goldy blushed, playing with his hair. "Y'know, Zenko, you look really pretty today…"
Zenko flushed pink. "Pretty…?"
Goldy nodded. He flashed his grin. "Yeah. I think you're the prettiest girl in the whole school." He then went bright red. "I-I can't believe I said that out-loud…"
Zenko was as red as he was. "You really think so…?"
Goldy nodded, taking her hand in his. They stared at each other, completely red.
"Well, um," he coughed. "Let's go outside!"
"You play piano?" Goldy asked, eyes lighting up. "That's so cool!"
Zenko nodded. "Yeah! Do you play any instruments?"
"I sing," Goldy replied.
"You can?" Zenko asked, eyes lighting up. "Sing for me!"
Goldy cleared his throat, and began to sing.
"Zenko," he sung. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Oooooooh. I want to hold your hand. Oooooh."
Zenko went bright red. Goldy's voice was amazing! Smooth and powerful, just like his cousin. But cute and innocent as well. Her heart fluttered, as she stared into Goldy's eyes.
"Galreon…" she breathed, holding his hands.
Goldy blushed. "Oh, no, I got too cheesy again, didn't I…"
"Do you wanna come over to my house?" Zenko asked.
An apprehensive Poppy watched the scene and shook her head.
"Tch, just because he can sing…" she grunted. "Who's to say he's not a monster, just like me?"
Badd did not like Zenko's new friend.
The way the gold-clad boy was staring at her… he was not buying it. The golden locks didn't mean crap to him.
Badd glared down at Goldy as they stood outside the apartment. "So, yer my sister's friend, are ya? Don't get any ideas, or I'll kill ya."
Zenko sighed, stepping in front of Goldy.
"Bro, he's not going to 'get any ideas'," she told her brother. "He's just here to hang out."
"Hang out, huh?" Badd asked, glaring at Goldy once again.
"I promise, I'd never hurt your sister," Goldy told him. "Stick a needle in my eye."
Badd continued to glare at him.
"She's too young fer a boyfriend," he growled.
"We're just friends, bro," Zenko retorted. "Why are you assuming we're a thing just because he's a boy? I could be doing stuff with Poppy and you'd never know."
Badd went pale. "Are ya… are ya 'doing stuff' with Poppy?!"
"No, bro," Zenko rolled her eyes. "I was just saying…"
"Yeah, I get it," Badd sighed. "But still." He continued to glare at Goldy. "Ya make one wrong move, and yer gonna wish you were dead."
Goldy smiled, sweetly.
"Come on," Zenko said, grabbing Goldy's hand. She led him inside the apartment. Goldy looked around, eyes going wide.
"Wow, nice place," he marvelled.
"You're just saying that," Zenko blushed, grabbing his hand. "I'm sure you live in a penthouse!"
Goldy ran his hands through his golden hair. "Aw shucks, a 'penthouse' is an exaggeration…"
Badd continued to glare at the duo, arms folded across his chest.
"Um, your brother is staring at us…" Goldy said, flinching uncomfortably.
"Ignore him," Zenko replied, rolling her eyes. "He's just being overprotective."
She led Goldy up to her room. He gasped, staring at all her Sweet Mask merchandise.
"Wow, you really are a big fan of my cousin," he said. He laughed. "He'd be really proud of you."
"Would he?" Zenko asked.
"Well, he'd be glad to have such a dedicated fan," he said. He blushed again. "But in all seriousness… thanks for inviting me over to your house. It really makes me feel… special."
"It's fine," Zenko grinned.
Goldy took one of her hands in his. He gazed down at her. He was half a head taller than her, so she stared back up into his blue eyes.
"I wish I had more friends like you," he sighed. "You're my first real friend."
"I've had trouble making friends as well," Zenko admitted. "Poppy was my first friend, and, um, she turned into a monster and tried to kill me."
Goldy raised his brow. "Are you serious?!"
Zenko nodded. "But she's fine now! Anyway, I like being friends with you too, Goldy."
Goldy's face lit up. He pulled her into a hug. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"Thank you," he breathed, almost squeezing the life out of her.
Zenko returned the hug. She'd never had a boy hug her before, mainly because her brother would step in.
Speaking of her brother...
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOIN'?!" Badd demanded, shoving the door down.
"BADD!" Zenko shouted. "KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING!"
Badd stormed over to the two. His hands were wringing, like he was about to throttle Goldy.
"Bro, don't!" Zenko stepped in front of her new friend. "We were just hugging!"
"Huggin', huh?" Badd asked. "What if he's got somethin' up his sleeve?"
"Actually, I do have something up my sleeve," Goldy said. He got down on one knee.
Badd saw red. "DON'T YOU DARE-"
"Zenko… do you want…" Goldy breathed in. "... to go on a date with me?"
Child Emperor frowned, looking at the latest reports from the Hero Association's database.
"This is so weird…" he mused.
Deputy appeared, looking over his young friend's shoulder. "What's happening?"
"A lot of heroes have gone missing recently," Child Emperor explained. "Even some of the A Class heroes."
Deputy furrowed his brow. "Huh, that is weird… why do you think that's happened?"
"No clue," the young hero grunted. "Two of Atomic Samurai's disciples have gone missing too… it's obvious we're dealing with something really serious. Atomic Samurai is having a hissy-fit about it. We've gotta get to the bottom of this."
Goldy and Zenko walked side by side, sitting underneath a large cherry blossom tree. Zenko was holding some fairy floss. She gave Goldy a smile.
"I can't believe we're on a date…" Zenko said, taking a bite of the floss.
"I know," Goldy replied, his voice dreamy. "This is my dream come true."
"It is?" Zenko asked. "But we barely know each other."
"That's fine," Goldy waved it off. "I know you're the one. Trust me."
Zenko went red, grabbing his arm. "Goldy… I wish this could last forever…"
"Oh, it will," Goldy told her, giving her the grin. "I promise."
