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Chapter Thirteen

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Shoto had always had his life planned for him. Each step – each milestone – was predestined by his father. His family had suffered the consequences of that. His siblings grew further apart (no matter how close they physically were), his mother was locked away in that God-awful hospital, and his friends…Well, he never got the chance to make any of those.

During the Sports Festival, Midoriya made him realise how similar to his father he was acting, even if it was the very thing he was trying to prevent. Being angry and shunning everyone wasn't going to get him anywhere. He was supposed to be a hero, after all.

Then there was Imai. That weird girl who was either too tired to walk or so hyper that she couldn't sit still. No in-between. He overheard her conversation with his father and wasn't afraid to admit that he was impressed. He had never heard anyone talk to Flame Hero; Endeavour with no fear. She even had the nerve to threaten him. With friendship, nonetheless.

It was an odd thing to imagine, having his first friend be someone so…strange. Their previous encounters made it clear she wasn't scared to confront whoever about what was on her mind, and that's coming from someone who has little to no skills in reading people.

The notion floated around in Shoto's mind during the taxi ride to his mother's hospital. Green trees and grey-washed buildings passed by in streaked blurs, mesmerizing him into deeper thought.

His mind replayed the moment they shared during training when he watched her realize the dual nature of his quirk. Even after he hurt her, she still seemed unafraid. Maybe that was something she learned from being raised by a villain?

He didn't feel sorry for almost killing her father back at the USJ, but he was apologetic for all the hurtful things he heard people say behind her back and even when she was in the room. People can be so mean. He should know.

When he finally made it to the hospital, he was greeted by a desk of nurses that seemed shocked by his arrival. He had never visited his mom after her admission, so he found it weird that they already knew his name when he went to sign in. It took a minute for it to click that they probably watched his fights on tv. A nice woman pointed him in the right direction and he began to walk down the hall, echoing footsteps a stark contrast to the quiet medical ambience.

As he neared his mom's room, the peppermint-haired boy lingered in front of the door. Imai Kazuya entered his thoughts again. She was a pesky little fly in his mind, buzzing around incessantly with no clear reason. A soft sigh exited his nostrils. He had to work with others at some point, right? Why not start with someone who seemed easy enough to talk to?

He shook his head clear and entered his mother's room. This was the first step toward a new chapter in his life.

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Kazuya fidgeted nervously with the hem of her sweater as she neared the end of her walk. Just around the next corner was her father, whom she had been wishing would give her an opportunity like this.

"No!" she groaned, burying her face in her hands and turning in the opposite direction, "If I talk to him does that make me an accomplice? Would it stop me from getting my hero license?"

But at the same time, how could she not? It was her father. She missed him and wanted to talk to him like before the attack and the lies.

So, with a hefty sigh, Kazuya spun back around and marched right up to the park. She hesitated a moment when she saw him sitting on the swing, nudging himself back and forth with his foot. His gaze snapped up when her shoes crunched the playground mulch.

"Hey, Spitfire," he smiled with crinkles in his eyes. Kazuya took a second to realise how tired and out of shape he looked. Even from a few feet away, she could tell he reeked of alcohol and poor choices, the bags under his eyes could carry a small dog, and his clothes looked like he hadn't washed them in a couple of days.

"Dad," her face dropped as she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his thin frame as tightly as possible. If she squeezed too tightly, would he crumble?

"I watched your fights. You were awesome! Did you learn those moves from Kagami?" Taigen asked with his head buried in his daughter's matching hair.

"Yeah, I did," her face brightened slightly, "How have you been? You look like hell in a handbasket."

"I'm still alive and that's what matters. The League's been relatively dormant as of late," Taigen took in a staggering breath when they parted. Kazuya took a seat in the swing beside him and thought about what questions to ask first.

After a moment of silence, she chuckled, "God, I…I don't even know what to talk about. There's so much that's happened."

"Hmm," her father hummed, "How about we start with the basics? How's school? Have you made any friends?

"A few. Most of my classmates are pretty nice, although Kaminari and Mineta are being shunned after the cheerleading incident," they both scrunched up their noses at the memory. "Izuku – you know that green-haired kid who packed a hell of a punch?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he and I got to be good friends after you left. He, Mina, and Tsu are the only three that have openly said they know about Kagami, so I guess you could say they're my closest friends?"

He let her ramble on about her new companions, briefly describing them so he could remember them from tv before explaining their relationships: Mina and she were pretty close, Tsu was an adorable frog girl she loves to be around, Iida was Ingenium's brother and a stickler for rules, etc.

"And then there's Todoroki. He's pretty cool (no pun intended) and I'm pretty sure I almost fought his dad," she paused when her dad's eyes snapped wide open.

"What do you mean you're pretty sure you almost fought him?!" Taigen's expression was a cross between annoyance, anger, and pure confusion.

"I may or may not have – " her dad threw her an unamused look, "Fine. I definitely threatened the country's second-best hero before my last match," she cringed at how bad it sounded now.

"Kazuya!" Taigen pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed as if he were disappointed.

"He's not a nice guy!" Kazuya tried to explain herself but he shot her a pointed look.

"That doesn't mean you can just go around insulting him!" he shouted, hands thrown up in disbelief.

"He insulted you and he's done horrible things to his family. I can't beat sense into him, so I have to get under his skin instead," she crossed her arms across her chest and pouted. At this revelation, Taigen paused. She could feel his eyes rake over her as she sat defiantly on the swing like a bitter toddler.

"I'm glad you're sticking up for others, but there are other options to try instead of going straight to violence," he sighed, running a hand through his shaggy, cobalt locks.

"I'm still going to steal his son from him," Kazuya grumbled under her breath. After a minute of awkward silence passed, her father smiled again.

"God, it's hard to think that you've grown so much in such a short time. You used to just be this little tot, running around with Shinso, and playing tag with those dumb gloves we made you wear," he snorted with laughter and let his eyes wander over the old playground. At the mention of Hitoshi, Kazuya's frown softened.

"I wonder if that Gashadokuro statue is still in the forest," she muttered while staring down at her quick-bitten thumbnails with gently creased brows. Taigen shook his head and laughed lightly.

"Uh-oh, I know that look," he said.

"What look?" she scrunched up her face in confusion.

"The look that says you can't figure something out," Taigen grabbed the chains on her swing and spun her to face him directly. "What's eating at you?"

She didn't even know where to start. Everything was just so messed up that she wanted to hit some giant reset button and go back to the beginning. If she could forget, she would, but that wasn't possible right now. Instead, she'd spare her father the details and keep the conversation light.

"It's nothing, really, just some school drama," she rolled her earthen eyes.

"Oh, please. I heard all the gossip as a teenager, especially after I met your mother. That woman can hear secrets being shared from miles away," Taigen snickered at the memory of his younger years.

"That sounds like my friend Mina!" Kazuya barked out as she roared with laughter, "I mean, she just knows everything! No one is safe. For Christ's sake, she even figured out Hitoshi's in love with me before I did!"

"Yeah, it's — wait a damn minute. Your best friend's what now?"

Kazuya winced, "I, uh…didn't mean to share that. Love's a strong word."

"Well, it was bound to happen eventually," Taigen scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"What does that mean?" the teen at his side gave him a pointed, accusatory glare.

"Elena and I used to joke about whether or not one of you would end up falling for the other. She owes me money now, I suppose," he turned his gaze to the sky and watched a murder of crows fly overhead. Kazuya let out an annoyed huff so that he would look at her again. "How do you feel about him?" Her father monitored her as if she were a fragile glass sculpture on a ledge. He was right, of course. He always is, she thought with unheard sarcasm.

"Honestly – " as soon as Kazuya opened her mouth, she knew it was over. A rush of held-back emotions welled up to the surface before she could deflect the question, "I'm terrified. I don't think of him like that, and I don't want to ruin the friendship we've spent so long building because of some stupid crush. On the other hand, if I don't say anything, then it's like I'm leading him on. What if he decides to confess to me first? How do I let him down without making it awkward or hurting his feelings?"

"There will be a time for the truth, kiddo," her father rested a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. She took a deep breath and whipped her eyes with her sleeve before her tears could fall.

"Is that the advice that landed you in this situation?" she quipped with a snort-like chuckle. Taigen's shoulders bounced from laughter.

"Hey, it's worked before," he admitted with a shrug.

"Where was that truth when I was being accused of eating Mom's leftovers?!" Kazuya snapped. Her father turned up his nose and shook his head.

"You have no proof, young one," he feigned ignorance, only to be pushed out of his swing by an invisible force. His muddy-water stare was met with an equally fierce glare. They stood in momentary silence, neither moving a muscle until they both burst from their spots and started running.

"I got grounded for that! I want compensation!" Kazuya shouted as she chased her old man around the playground. He was much taller with longer legs, so it didn't take much for him to leave her in the dust. Not willing to accept defeat, the teen ran her hand along the ground and tapped her shoes. Repel flared to life, its ruby aura leaving a trail behind her when she ran.

"Do you, now?" Taigen roared with laughter. As he lifted his hand, Kazuya felt something wiggle in her pocket.

"Hey!" she gasped when her phone slipped out and flew towards her dad. He hopped up and caught it with a victorious hoot.

"Let's see…What was the name of that kid you said you stuck up for? Todoroni? I'm sure he'd love to hear about your valiant efforts to defend his character," he couldn't even keep a straight face at this point. When Taigen looked down at her locked screen, he slowed down slightly and gave Kazuya enough time to catch up.

She let out a fearsome screech and snatched the device right out of his hands, "HA! My secrets remain within the confines of my own mind, sucka!"

"I guess so," Taigen's smile wasn't nearly as bright as it had just been. Noticing the shift in his mood, Kazuya glanced down at her phone and felt her face grow pale.

She had forgotten that she changed her lock screen to a picture of one of Kagami's scrapbook pages. In the photograph, their family sat in front of a giant Hello Kitty statue, with the much younger Kazuya saddled on her father's shoulders and Kagami leaning against their mother's arm. All of them wore Sanrio character-themed outfits: Kagami as Kurumi, Kazuya as My Melody, Taigen as Gudetama, and Elena as Hello Kitty. It was a fun day that she didn't think about often, but always had a special place in her mind palace.

"I know she's not coming back," she smiled down at the screen for a little while longer, not quite yet ready to face her dad.

"Really?" he asked in a tone that said he thought he misheard. She nodded.

"I think I always knew, it just…it just felt too real if I said it out loud. That's why when those reporters would ask, I'd always deny it and get angry," she finally pocketed her phone and sighed internally. Slowly, she lowered herself until her back lay against the grass and her face was turned towards the sky, "I don't know what happened to her or where she is now, but her disappearance and your leaving to be with the League makes me consider how fast things change."

"I didn't mean to make you all existential," a bead of sheepish sweat glided down Taigen's face, "I do, however, think that's a very grown-up way of thinking. I'm so sorry this world has made you reach that level of maturity at this young of an age."

"I'm young, not stupid. It was always going to happen. I'm not broken or anything, I'm just a little bruised," Kazuya's lips curved into a warm smile as her dad joined her on the floor. Together, they stared up at the clouds that swam by like stark-white fish against the vast, blue ocean.

"I'm sure your mother blames me for all of this. God what I wouldn't give to hold that woman right now," he sighed dreamily. Kazuya shook her head as if she had just drank a mouthful of lemon juice.

"Ew, stop!" she shoved Taigen until he started to roll. Once a few feet away, he erupted in infectious laughter and she followed suit, doubling over as she cackled in a similar manner.

The park was void of people, which, in moments like this, made it easier to forget that there was anyone other than them in the world. No missing daughters/sisters, no threat of death constantly looming above, no strained relationships. Just a father and his daughter and the ever-shifting sky.

"So, you don't need your gloves anymore?" Taigen asked as he scooched closer again.

"Nope!" Kazuya beamed proudly, "As long as I don't get too emotional, I can control my quirk better than ever."

"Still have a problem with those outbursts, huh?" he rolled his head so he could throw her a sarcastic look.

"Breaking stuff is so much easier than therapy," she snickered.

"Just don't let it fester to an unhealthy amount," Taigen scoffed, a grin tugging at his lips.

Before Kazuya could retort with some witty banter, her father's phone rang. He sat up on his elbows and answered it immediately.

"Boss…" he stopped himself and side-eyed his daughter before getting up and walking a good distance away. Kazuya couldn't hear the conversation but the disappointed look on his face told her enough.

"Duty calls?" she asked when he was done.

He sighed and helped her to her feet, "Unfortunately."

"I hate them," she pursed her lips into a fine line. Taigen chuckled and tousled her hair, making her look even more like an angry macaw.

"I know you do, kiddo, but I still have a job to do," he explained as he planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"Promise me you'll be careful? If anything happens to you, I won't be able to deal with Mom on my own." She was only partially joking. His hefty pause felt like an eternity, but eventually, he nodded in agreement.

"I promise, Spitfire," he wrapped his arms around her in another bear hug, "Besides, I have to wait to get captured until you become a hero. Can't have anyone except my little girl arresting me for federal crimes."

"Damn straight!" Kazuya giggled despite the heavily implied sarcasm as she buried her face in his shirt. It had been so long since she giggled.

"I love you, Kazuya," her dad spoke softly.

"I love you more, dingus," she smiled, albeit bittersweetly, then watched as he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. It was hard to tear her eyes away from his disappearing form, but she eventually mustered up the strength to turn around.

As she took in a lungful of the crisp morning air, she felt that familiar loneliness sink in once again. Her mother was at work and the house was far too empty to provide any comfort, so she decided to make a day of visiting nostalgic places. With the Hitoshi situation still an issue and classes cancelled for the next couple of days, she had nothing better to occupy her short attention span.

"I think that boba place moved…by the behavioural hospital maybe?" she muttered to herself as she pulled out her phone and did a quick Google search. Sure enough, there was a café a few blocks down that used to be Kagami's favourite. She smirked to herself in satisfaction and began her walk. May the Boba Gods have mercy on her soul.

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Shoto felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Visiting his mother was liberating in a sense, a reminder that some things weren't completely lost and there was a glimpse of a better life he could hold onto. He had hope that with due time, he could mend their relationship.

As he walked out of the hospital, he wondered what to do with the rest of his time off from school. Fuyumi had work for a few more hours and Natsuo had class, so it was him against the world for now. He could always go back home and sleep like usual, but for reasons unclear to him, he felt like taking a walk.

Meandering down the street, he looked through the passing windows of various shops and restaurants. He walked past couples clinging to each other, a flower shop lined with blue hydrangeas, and various boutiques filled with bright clothes, but a café wafted the smell of vanilla into the street that made him pause. The monstrous grumbling of his stomach was all it took for him to wander inside.

Shoto took his time scanning the menu as he waited in line. His gut urged him to buy everything in the display case, but he didn't want to ruin dinner. Fuyumi was making soba tonight and it was his own fault for skipping breakfast, anyway.

A few minutes in and the line still hadn't moved. Shoto questioned whether it would be worth it and even turned to leave when a sudden shout in a different language had him glancing over his shoulder.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE CUPCAKES?! HOW HARD IS IT TO PUT FROSTING ON A MUFFIN?!"

A red-faced bluenette slammed her hands on the countertop. She was two inches away from the barista's face and looked like she was about to jump over the register to get closer.

"I'm sorry, we haven't sold cupcakes in…in ten years!" The poor woman was on the brink of tears. Imai took a deep breath, shoulders shaking briefly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, too," she sighed. With a cup of bubble tea in her hands, she awkwardly shuffled out of line and into a table in the corner.

Shoto was never one to believe in fate, but he found it a major coincidence that she was right in his path after she thought of her that morning. That being said, he wasn't sure what made him approach her after placing his order.

"Cupcakes?" she jolted upright at his voice.

"Good Gods what is it with people constantly scaring me?!" her hand rested on her chest, probably feeling her rapidly beating heart.

"You were yelling at the barista because you wanted cupcakes?" Shoto continued. Imai's face went pale.

"You saw that?" she ducked her head when he nodded, "Of course you did…Just my luck." With both her hands buried in her face, she groaned in discomfort. "I'm sure Mina will love to hear about this."

"Did you intend on telling her?" Shoto asked. There was a slight pause, during which his classmate let out a light, airy laugh.

"You're right. I don't know why she has to know everything I do. It's not like you're going to say anything," she instantly shot him a wary glare and he shook his head.

"Why cupcakes?" he glanced at the menu once more.

"It's uh…Well, my sister and I used to come into this place when they were across town. They had these awesome vanilla cupcakes with white frosting and little cat ears made of fondant – I think Kagami called them Kit-Cakes." A bright smile suddenly grew on her face as she spoke, "This is my first time coming here since they moved and got new management. I guess I just got really nostalgic."

"Why don't you bake them yourself?" Shoto narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Please, my family can cook like there's no tomorrow, but baking? My mother once burnt a cake so badly that I'm pretty sure if I threw it at someone's head, they'd end up in the hospital," she scoffed, only confusing him more.

"Why would you throw a cake at someone?" his brows furrowed when she let out a bark-like laugh and threw her head back. A few people looked their way, but Shoto seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"Some people just need a cake brick to the face, you know?" Imai motioned towards the seat across from her, "Do you bake?"

Shoto hesitantly sat down and nodded, "Sometimes when I'm home alone or if my sister needs something for her class."

"Aw, that's sweet of you. My sister would eat everything (the box included) before she even left the house," he didn't let her sombre smile go unnoticed. Thinking back to right before the Sports Festival, he overheard Midoriya mention her sister and she was very dismissive about the subject. He wondered if her reaction was different because of the setting.

"What does your sister do?" he asked in hope of testing his theory.

"It's not that important. Nothing as cool as a school teacher, anyway," she deflected the question as expected, "Onto more pressing matters, how's your day off? What brings you to Shizuoka?"

"I live here," Shoto had to stop himself from bringing up his mother. She didn't need to listen to his problems right now.

"No kidding?! Me too! Funny how we never notice these things," Imai chuckled and eased into her chair, looking far more relaxed.

There were a few beats of silence that Shoto spent figuring out how to ask what he wanted. His forehead creased when he couldn't think of a delicate way to ask, and she tilted her head like an attentive puppy.

"Something wrong?" she asked, still a bit giggly.

"I have a proposal," Shoto sighed when he lost hope for formalities. She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded for him to proceed. "I know you heard me talking with Midoriya about my past – "

"That was an accident."

"Even so, we both heard conversations neither of us meant for the other to hear," he watched her fidget in her seat. It took a minute for her to piece together what he was implying.

"You heard that?!" her eyes widened and her hands came up to cover her mouth. She looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

"I want to take you up on your offer. Teach me how to make friends," Shoto spoke with the utmost sincerity. Imai stared at his unreadable face for a long while.

"That wasn't an offer! I don't know how to do that!" she threw her hands up in a hopeless gesture.

"So you…don't want to be my friend?" Shoto's lips twitched down. Imai paused her whining and dropped her head in defeat.

"Of course I do, I just…" she sighed heavily, "I can't teach you how to make friends, but I can show you what it's like to have one. Help you gain experience or whatever."

Shoto nodded, dispersing some of the tension in the air. He was excited to learn and use what Imai taught him to thank Midoriya for changing his view on the world. He seemed to make lots of friends, so Shoto saw no reason for him to be rejected.

"Thank you," he bowed slightly. Imai turned her head as if to ignore him, but the light dusting of blush on her cheeks gave away that she was still listening.

A minute later, the barista on the verge of a mental breakdown called Shoto's name, prompting the boy to jump up to get his drink. When he thanked her and turned to sit back down, he noticed the sour look on Imai's face as she glared down at her phone. She grumbled something in another language.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Imai let her stress leave her in the form of a heavy sigh. She reapplied her smile and got up with an awkwardly loud screech of her chair against the tile.

"I'd rather not embarrass myself by staying here any longer. Let's ditch this place, Shoto," she dodged his question and looped her arm in with his.

Shoto's eyes widened ever so slightly at the use of his first name. He held his tea a little too tightly and could hear the subtle pop of the lid coming off the cup.

"Shoto?" he repeated unconsciously. She paused, expression shifting between confusion, freight, and worry.

"Yeah, I figured since we're friends now…" her arm quickly left his, "It's not weird, is it? Am I taking things too fast? I – I've only ever had Hitoshi to hang out with outside of school, so stop me if — "

"It's Kazuya, right?" Shoto asked between her ramblings. Imai froze.

"Uh, yeah," she chuckled and shoved her hands into her pockets. Her hand came up to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind her ear which made Shoto realise he had never seen her with her hair down. It looked nice.

Before he could get a word out, she pushed his lid closed for him, then spun around on the balls of her feet, "We should go before the manager notices I bullied one of their employees."

"Kazuya's a boy's name isn't it?" Shoto asked once they escaped the confines of the café. She shrugged, having to take larger steps to keep up with his long legs.

"Yeah, I guess my parents weren't expecting another girl. I like it, though. It means peaceful night," the cobalt-haired girl waved her hand dramatically before raising a brow at him, "Isn't Shoto a bit on the nose? Fire Crotch couldn't think of anything better than burn and freeze?"

Shoto once again found himself admiring her audacity. He thought it both amusing and disturbing how she just spoke with no fear one second but could become a mumbling, anxious mess the next.

"If you're waiting for me to apologise, we're going to be here a while," she added when he went quiet.

"Why do you hate him? I understand he isn't the most likeable person, but you seem to take it personally," he asked as he kept his eyes on the road ahead. Kazuya's mischievous grin fell from her face. He noted the way she hid behind that veil of cobalt that was her hair like she was concealing herself from the world. "It's not because of how poorly he spoke of your father?" Shoto felt a tinge of guilt when he saw her flinch at his words. "I'm sorry. That's none of my business."

"You're not wrong," she stared into her cup, swishing its contents with her straw, "I hate how Endeavour talks about my dad, but he doesn't know him. What he says doesn't matter, but when I heard how he treated you and your mom? He's just this big detestable, hulking, pile of – ugh."

Shoto couldn't agree more.

He had stopped trying to be his father's "son" long ago but still felt jealous when happy parents and their children walked by. He imagined it might be similar for Kazuya since her dad left. The difference, however, was that she had good memories to hold on to and he didn't. That didn't mean he wasn't appreciative of her worry and care, he just deemed it unnecessary. The damage had been done, after all; what could she do?

When Shoto was caught unconsciously staring, Kazuya moved so that she was standing in front of him and looked up with those big, doe eyes of hers.

"Earth to Shoto! What's going on behind that pretty little head of yours?" She waved a hand in front of his face. When Shoto raised a brow, she jumped back, a bead of sheepish sweat rolling down her temple. "I, uh…I didn't mean that. I was just trying to get you back into reality."

Shoto nodded a silent thank you and they continued their walk. He learned a few things about Kazuya as they wandered aimlessly down the sidewalk; for instance, she loves food and frogs, but never both at the same time.

"People who eat frog legs make me seriously consider a life of villainy," was her excuse. He figured that's why she took so well to their frog classmate, Asui.

He shared his love for cold soba and she promptly described some foreign dishes her mother could make that he just had to try.

"I'll get her to make you some sopapillas. You look like the kind of guy who would appreciate a good dessert," she eyed him with playful suspicion. Shoto was going to ask her for her address, but her phone began buzzing in her pocket. She took it out and answered without hesitation.

"Mom? What's going…okay, slow down. Who was where?" There was a long pause, followed by Kazuya pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Okay, okay, okay, I'm out with someone right now, but I can come home," her eyes flickered apologetically towards Shoto, "A friend. Yes, he's a guy. What does that have to — Oh my Gods, can you stay focused on the problem at hand?!"

With a swift click, she hung up. Shoto was quick to ask if everything was okay, but she brushed off his worry while hailing a cab.

"Sorry to cut our day short. I hope we can do this again soon. See you in class!" she flashed him a bright smile before diving into the taxi.

As she drove away, Shoto realised how quiet it was without her around. He always liked the quiet, but there was something comforting about her endless rambling. He couldn't think of anyone who had ever wanted to talk to him so much besides reporters. She was different, and he needed different.