Two Hours before the Transfer Exam
(All pov's are starting at this point more or less)
As his phone buzzed in his pocket, Shota looked down at the caller ID as it rang. The name that floated across the screen had him frowning as he searched for the one person who would be most affected by the young man on the other end. Lexi Knight was currently talking to the hostess at one of the fancy restaurants she had decided they had to stop by for an early dinner. Kieran looked around the room with interest, but he focused more on the decor than paying him any mind. Aizawa smirked to himself, watching as Lexi curled her fingers into Kieran's shirt and pulled him over to join her in talking to the young girl at the stand. When he realized he could escape for a moment without being noticed, he slipped back out the door. The black-haired hero leaned against the wall next to the large window as he held the phone to his ear, catching the call just before it went to voicemail. "What can I do for you?" he asked, trying to lessen the edge to his voice, but as his gaze strayed back to the young woman inside, he found that he just couldn't do it.
"Ah, Sensei," came the high-pitched whine through the phone as the young man leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms over his head. "Is that really any way to speak to your second favorite student?" he questioned with a warm chuckle. As his blue eyes glanced up at the clock nestled above his office door. He paid the computer screens no mind that were in front of him. "Usually, you're in a much better mood Sensei, what's up?" he questioned, well aware he wasn't about to get a real answer out of him.
"It wouldn't by any chance have to do with a certain American, would it?" he wondered jokingly. As the silence stretched just a second too long. He sat up, his fingers curling along the phone. "Is she back?" he questioned his tone, quiet and serious. He wasn't sure how he felt about it now that he had to think about it. It was always a running joke because after so long, he'd just sort of accepted that she'd left them.
Aizawa wasn't sure why he tensed at his tone, his shoulders tight as though the young man on the other end was a threat of some kind, and he wasn't...not in the real sense of the word. He frowned, debating how to answer that question, and settled for something more in the middle. "It remains to be seen for how long, you know how she is," he said as he tapped his finger against his leg as he waited for what was to come next. "I want to see her, Sensei," the words were whispered on the other end, and Aizawa closed his eyes and for a moment covered his eyes with his free hand. Instead of telling him that wasn't a good idea, he decided to change the subject back to something less complicated.
"What did you need, Enoki?" he asked, his voice softening as he remembered the time when he'd been that shy yet driven little boy in his class years ago. He also remembered what it had been like to find him during the High Rise Attack. Emotion threatened to overwhelm him, and he pushed it back. It was only a matter of time before this call would be cut short.
"Right!" he muttered as he cleared his throat, the emotion evident even as he pressed forward. "I was curious if UA might have an opening for another Support Instructor-" he started to explain why he called. The conversation lasted only a few more minutes before Enoki dropped the name of the young man he'd been working with for about three years now. "He doesn't know about this, but I thought it might be a good experience for him to broaden his skill set, " he explained as his fingers drummed against his desk as he waited to see what he'd say.
"I can't promise anything, but I'll pass his name along. Don't get your hopes up," he warned with a heavy sigh. His gaze traveling around their location for a moment, looking for anyone out of the ordinary. No one stood out, and he relaxed against the wall a little more as Enoki chatted with him for a few more minutes.
"Thanks, Aizawa Sensei," Enoki told him as he was getting ready to hang up. "Listen…" he trailed off, hesitating. It was that tone that had his free hand curling into a fist. "Nevermind, I'll let you get back to whatever you're doing. Stay safe," he told him before he hung up before he could respond. Dark hair covered his eyes as he pressed his fingers against his eyes, not sure how he really felt about this news. It let an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach just to know she was actually back in town.
"Hey," her soft tone caused him to glance over to her as she stood just outside the door, holding it open with her foot. "Our table is ready. You good?" she questioned, her blue eyes assessing him as he stood up straighter and her frown only deepened. "Just the school, everything's fine." He said as he walked the last bit of distance between them, his phone sliding in his pocket. He'd tell her soon, just not yet. She gave him a once over before she backed away as he got in her personal space, almost tripping over her own two feet to get some distance between them. Her cheeks heated with color as she mentally kicked herself for reacting like that. Get it together! Your crush on him needed to end years ago. She missed the small smirk that slid along his lips at her reaction. "R-Right. Anyway, Kieran's exam will start soon, so we can't be late. You better know what you want." she told him as she turned away to lead the way to their table where Kieran was waiting for them, arching one eyebrow at the color on her cheeks as she came over.
"What's with-" Kieran started his question and was promptly shut up as Lexi shoved the menu at him. "I highly suggest you don't ask." she told him as she looked at the items on the menu as if her life depended on it.
As Aizawa sank into the seat across from them, she only slouched further in her own. Kieran cast him a glance from over his menu before looking away to hide his chuckle behind a cough. "What training have you had so far?" He asked, his gaze skimming over the menu out of habit. Even as he watched Lexi from the corner of his eye cast him a sharp glance at his question, clearly surprised, he was taking any interest at all. He didn't react as his gaze traveled to Kieran, waiting for his answer.
Masaki Chinen turned his attention to his cousin who was still ordering his coffee, his hands folded over his own cup, it wasn't cold outside, but the heat of the coffee warmed his hands anyway. He flexed his fingers, enjoying the warmth as watched his cousin flirt with the young girl behind the counter, asking her what her favorite drink was and little things like that despite his age, his cousin was a hit with the ladies, something he found to be far too troublesome. He rolled his eyes at the display and let his gaze travel to the window and linger on the people walking about, some with shopping bags, others with groups of friends. For a moment, he wondered what it would be like to be that comfortable with others, to not feel like one had to hide his family's dirty laundry even years later.
A few minutes later, Yuji came over carrying a large frozen coffee drink that couldn't even be called coffee, and it most definitely was not a man's drink. As he set it down in front of him, Masa wrinkled his nose at it and really got a good look at the caramel concoction. "Dude, what is that?" he questioned as he watched the caramel-covered whipped cream begin to drip down the cup. Yuji only laughed as he licked the trail of sweetness before it could be wasted on the tabletop. "It's heaven, and you don't know what you're missing." He promised with a grin as he took a sip of the sweetness.
He'd become addicted to these things after he realized how much of a lifesaver they were on his long busy days at work. The cold helped soothe his throat and helped to limit some of the taste associated with the use of his quirk. The life lessons one learns when they interview and really get into the big bad world of Adulting.
"I know I've been busy cuz, but you can't tell me you haven't been busy at Ketsubutsu. So how have you been?" he questioned as he set his drink down and casually picked up his straw and began to pull the caramel covered whipped cream up through the opening to eat it as he waited for Masa to tell him how he was handing his new school and why he'd been called out here. He figured it wasn't just to play a little catch-up; there must be more to it.
Masaki watched his cousin with a mix of disgust and awe that he would do that without caring what anyone here thought. He envied him for that and wished he could be more like that. He glanced at him with his warm chocolate brown eyes and shrugged at his question. "I'm busy too; the school work kinda sucks, though. I've got an English paper to finish by Friday." he took a sip of his black coffee that was free of any cream or sugar. The lady had given him a strange look at his order, but he was used to it and had shrugged it away as he took a seat and waited for his coffee to be ready.
"Have you made any friends?" Yuji asked as he leaned back in his chair and lifted his caramel heart attack with his long, nimble fingers as he sipped his drink like a normal person, having put the straw back now that he'd eaten the whipped cream. His gaze was severe despite his easy smile on his lips. He knew how hard it could be for Masa to make friends. It hadn't been that hard when he'd been younger but after things with his father's scandalous life crashed into their perfect little family.
"A few, " the fifteen-year-old told him as his gaze skirted to the window; it was a lie. He hadn't made any friends; he'd found them to be too much of a liability. They only wanted to get close to him for information about his old man. His hands tightened on the ceramic mug as he watched the other people mingle outside, so carefree and so happy, he was jealous of them.
Masa's transfer exam would start in about an hour. He was going to tell Yuji today; he'd meant to do it before, but he'd been so busy with his internship, and it didn't feel like something he should leave on a voicemail. He hadn't even told his mom; he didn't want to bring up his dreams of being a hero around her. She still didn't trust that profession, not after her unfaithful husband, and how he'd been getting drunk during his patrols and then the sexual harassment charges and his attempts to bribe his way out. It painted them both in a negative light, as they were a part of it! They had nothing to do with it! Nothing, and it was still something they had to deal with too. His grip on the cup only tightened as his anger rose.
Yuji knew what that word really meant, though. He brushed back his hair and tucked it behind his ear. Regarding his cousin as he knew exactly where his mind was going. "Oh!" he said as he hit his balled-up fist against his other hand as he had an epiphany about something. His voice was also loud enough to draw the attention of several others who were sitting around them. It had the desired effect of getting the black-haired boy's attention. "So I got a phone call the other day…" he told him, his hands folding on the table as he let those words hang between them.
Masaki had the grace to look sheepish as it was clear from his expression that he had some idea of what the call might have been about. "Sorry about that! I was going to tell you sooner- it's just we were both busy." He was rushing to explain himself and cover his mistake, as though he were worried he'd be angry. Yuji just waved his hand at him and motioned for him to keep going, but the wide grin let him know he wasn't mad about it.
"They needed a Guardian to be called in case of an emergency, with the transfer exam. You were the best choice." he told him as he ran his finger across the bridge of his nose. 'The only choice.' he thought to himself. "Mom is not thrilled about this career path; she wants me to do something else. And he's not an option, " he growled out the last part. His hands fisted on the table. He was still so angry with his old man, and he had every right to be, but there was no way of reconciliation.
Yuji nodded and crossed his arms. He could completely understand the reason behind it. "So explain this exam to me exactly. I was surprised to get a call from UA of all places, " he commented as he leaned back in his chair with one leg holding himself up.
"I'm not sure how they picked people, but in the letter, they mentioned we had been recommended to compete in their transfer program with other schools as they were looking to add another class in with their current Hero Course. We'd talked about this before, and you were right before when you said I can't let my sperm donor dictate my path forward. UA is the better choice to advance and be a better hero than he ever will be."
Yuji, at his words, looked like he'd swallowed a lemon. That's what he got for ranting and raving with the kid when the drama had started years ago. He had honestly forgotten he'd said that about his own Uncle. But he couldn't say he felt bad about it, but it was definitely not something his mom could ever hear. "Don't ever let your mom hear you say that, " he pleaded, sitting forward as he glanced around to see who had been paying attention to them.
"I wouldn't; you know that." Masaki promised his coffee long forgotten now and probably cold, Lukewarm at best, and he wasn't about to finish it.
"I'm so proud of you, Masa-chan." His grin widening as he teased him a little bit, he was one of the few who could get away with this, and it had the desired effect as his little cousin cracked a small smile at him.
"Shut up." The black-haired teen told him as he glanced at the clock on the wall. "The exam starts at 4:30. Do you think you could drop me off since you're off work?" He hated to ask, but he knew he couldn't afford to be late.
Yuji grabbed his drink as he stood up, his keys in his pocket. "Yeah, let's head out." He told him, flashing a wide grin to the ladies behind the counter and a wave before he made his way to the exit and left Masa to get up and scramble after him.
With a low grumble under his breath, Masa grabbed his coffee cup and placed it In their basket above their trash cans as he hurried after Yuji, who was already heading to the parking lot and laughing at his expense on the way. "Masa, you keep acting like that, and you're never going to meet anyone." There was no mistaking just what sort of young women Yuji was talking about.
Masa shot him a look, and Yuji flipped him the bird from over the hood of his car as he got inside. "Get your mind out of the gutter! That's not what I meant!" he called from the open driver's side door as he hit the door to unlock the other side allowing Masaki to get into the passenger seat. Laughter filled the car as the two settled in, and Yuji began to head in the direction of UA High.
"I never got to ask you about your job. Do you like it?" He questioned as he watched Yuji as they drove, before letting his gaze stray to the other cars they passed and the people around them. He'd learned to be vigilant. His fingers brushed against his hair, and he signed as he began to undo his long hair and put it back up in the bun he'd had it in before.
Yuji frowned and took a while to answer. "I'm doing good work there, and I'm learning a lot. I have learned a lot." he clarified with a sigh, his fingers tapping on the wheel as they came to a red light. "I just want to do the other side of things. Creating these prosthetics for those hurt in accidents or our injured heroes is really rewarding, but I want to broaden my skills. I made your support gear in my spare time, but I can do more in that area if I had more time. I'm challenged where I am with Inazuma Industries, and the pay is great, but I'm wanting to branch out and get more experience with making support gear for those on the front lines," he explained and glanced at Masa, hoping that he made enough sense in what he was wanting to do.
As he mentioned the gear he made for him, Masa glanced down at his own bag that held his hero costume inside. "Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you should stay in it if you're not happy with it or want to do something else. Mom's always going on about that sort of thing. Honestly-" he paused, trying to think of the right words to move him further in the direction he wanted to go. "It's a decision that only you can make, and you don't need to be influenced into feeling you have to stay anywhere. If you want to go in another direction, do it. Don't let anyone stand in your way or try to tell you it's a bad idea. You'll have my support like always," Masaki promised as he gave him an encouraging look as they drove down another few blocks.
"When did you get so smart?" Yuji questioned as he ran his fingers through his hair as he watched the cars around them. "I was born this way," he countered with a laugh as he quoted one of his movie lines. The drive devolved into conversations on the movies the two had watched and wanted to make sure the other saw so they could discuss them later.
Masa shifted his attention to the school as they got closer. He felt he was ready for this, but it was just a matter of showing not only himself, but whoever would be watching that he deserved to be here. "Don't be nervous," Yuji encouraged as he parked the car in front of the gated entrance. "I know it's easier said than done. You never know, maybe my next job will be at Ketsubutsu." He joked with him. Stepping from the car, the tall boy laughed as he ducked his head into the window, listening as Yuji gushed for a moment about Emi Fukukado. "Nah, dude, she's way out of your league." he teased before his gaze traveled to the clock on the center console, and he knew his time was up. He couldn't put it off any longer.
"I'll let you know how it goes," he told him as Yuji gave a nod of his head and wished him good luck before Masa forced himself to turn away and head deeper into the school. If he did well, this school might just be his new home. All he had to do was stay focused, trust his instincts and his own training, and he could do this. He was sure that he could make it. His fingers curled along the strap of his bag as he got closer and closer to the auditorium. He didn't need to be nervous, but it was to be expected; anyone would be nervous. There was a lot riding on this opportunity that was presented to them.
He hesitated at the doorway of the auditorium before he steeled himself and walked in. His gaze took in the room and those of his competition. The room was pretty full already, and no one really stood out to him. He frowned as he saw someone sleeping in the back row, surprised that someone could sleep, but then again, no one was really talking much at the moment, so maybe it wasn't a bad idea; still, he couldn't say it was something that he'd feel comfortable doing.
He saw most of the people he searched for a seat looked ready to take down everyone in the room. No one was talking, and many were keeping to themselves. A few seemed to know each other, though, and it seemed some of the schools were bunching up together. He was glad that he kept to himself, though, as he saw this. He sank into his seat closer to the front row than he wanted to be, but he wanted to be alone more than anything, so he took one of those seats. He set his bag by his feet and wiped his hands on his gray jeans, annoyed he was letting his nerves get the better of him. Focus Masa thought to himself as he drew his gaze to the front of the room, wanting to keep a low profile until the exam started. The last thing he needed was a target on his back as he drummed his fingers on the table in front of him, trying to keep himself distracted as he waited just like everyone else for things to get started.
"Mori-Kun, have you eaten enough?" Came the voice of the older woman sitting across from him as they ate their dinner together. Moritsu looked at her taking note of the amber-colored eyes that were so much like his own; her hair was lovely light red though, and came down to her shoulders and parted more to the right side of her face. As she brushed back her bangs away from her face, the flash of dark color along her eye had him sitting up straighter in his seat. His fingers tightening on his fork as he watched her hair hide it again. Fujin was nothing special. Her abilities allowed plants to grow in size. Still, it was enough to draw the attention of Koshaku when he'd seen her out at the park one day helping some of the flowers grow twenty-two years ago. Sometimes she wondered where her life would be if she had seen Koshaku for the monster that he was when he wasn't playing for the cameras.
He had made her abandon her son Saisho, all because he didn't have a quirk. She had tried to be there for him, to nurture him as she could, but Koshaku and his family had such a warped view of quirks, they were all that mattered to them. Fujin had been raised differently by her parents. They taught her that others were judged for their moral values and how they treated others, something she tried to explain to Moritsu. Still, she worried he blamed her for the direction their lives had taken. She could not stand against her husband when the beatings started, not when he laid his hand on her and not when he laid a hand on their firstborn son. Once Moritsu was born, it was a relief. A small blessing to show that she wasn't the problem that there wasn't something wrong with her. It was selfish to feel that way, but she hadn't been able to help it.
Taking a slow deep breath, he rose from his chair; his hands pressed flat against the table, his appetite soured. "Yes, I have mom," he told her as he cleared his plate from the table and began to head toward the kitchen. He didn't miss the way the smaller framed woman tensed as he passed her. It only made him angrier, not at her, but there were other powers at play here that made life more like a glass cage for her than he could ever hope to fix.
The smile she flashed him was warm and bright as she waited for him to enter the kitchen before she followed after him with her plate. She set the glass down beside his own and began to do the dishes as he looked through the fridge for a water bottle. She glanced at him from over her shoulder and searched for any sounds of his father. When she didn't hear him, she left the water running and curled her arms around Moritsu from behind. "Good luck today. I love you."
Moritsu let his hand rest over her own as he closed his eyes for a moment relishing the physical contact. It didn't often happen, not with his father at home. His mother stayed at home, unable to do anything without his father's approval. She was not a hero but a civilian. Someone to be sheltered and protected and robbed of her freedoms, at least in the eyes of his father. "I love you too, " came his soft confession. He didn't take it personally when she broke away as the shaking started. He watched her retreat to clean the dishes, just before his father's servant came into the room. "Master Moritsu, your father would like to see you in his study before you leave."
"Of course I will be right there," The dark-haired redhead said as he didn't cast his mother another look as he left. He knew what such an action could warrant her. His father's office was on the first floor and down one of the hallways after you entered the front door. He knocked before he entered, only after being awarded permission to do so.
"Moritsu, I know you won't be a disappointment." Koshaku Koibito stated as he sat behind his desk in his office as his second son, Moritsu, stood between the chairs dressed and ready for the UA Transfer Exam. Indeed his only son, if he was honest, his first son had been the ultimate defect, quirkless, and a continued problem within the household. Once, he got rid of Fumeiyo when he turned eighteen. It hadn't been the first time he'd considered his wife's fertility and own breeding pedigree. He steepled his fingers together and waited for his son's response.
"No, Sir." the fifteen-year-old told his father. Usually, Moritsu would have pushed back against his father, but today wasn't going to be that day. He wanted access to the family car and driver so that Koemi could come with him to the Transfer Exam. Only a few select students from the other hero schools were being picked from to see they would get into the Prestigious UA High. "I'll make you proud in the exam and get into UA," he told him, as his fingers curled tighter against his own that we're hidden behind his back. 'Finish up already,' he thought to himself, more than ready to get going.
"I'm sure you will." Koshaku didn't believe that his successor wouldn't make it, not after all the effort he was putting in with his training. Just in case, though, he would drive that incentive a little further. "After all, your failure may result in some ...unfortunate accidents," he told him with a chilling smile. This was the hero's side no one in the media saw, his Jekyll and Hyde facade. The threat of violence was evident and made his stomach knot and twist as dread settled deep inside his only Achilles heel. He breathed through his mouth to keep from spilling the contents of his stomach. He didn't respond; he couldn't trust himself in his reply and only curled his hands tighter together behind his back, his nails digging into his flesh. "You should go before you're late. The driver is waiting for you." his father responded after a delay, waiting to see what he would do and when nothing immediate came to light, he released him.
Moritsu bowed and left the room, knowing it was best if he kept his mouth shut. He could not yet stand against his father, one day, he would be able to do so, but he was aware of his limits. In his haste to leave the room, he wound up forgetting to grab his water on the hall table as he left the house.
The door closed softly behind the second son of Koshaku. His fingers curled into fists at his side. The threat from his dear old dad wasn't surprising. It happened often. He was used to those threats. As long as he did exactly as he wanted, things would be ok at least a little longer. It was when those threats turned to action that things got worse at home. His father never raised a hand to him, not he went after his mom. The secrets were nearly impossible to live with, and his father pushed all his expectations on him. It got results, though, pushed him in his studies and his training. He could be so oppressive. Still, it was the least of his problems.
He didn't know how to handle it sometimes, and the secrets that happened in that household made him so angry, but who would believe him? He was the son of the well known Pro Hero Groliath. His father was the reason his older brother had left. If you could even call it that, he'd been forced out by the man who was supposed to protect them, he didn't, not really, he pitted the boys against each other. It was a bitter pill to swallow for various reasons. If Koshaku had been raised differently, would he see Saisho differently? Could things have been different? It was something Moritsu often dreamed of as a young boy, a happier life. A possibility of a real family. While he didn't see himself as above anyone, the same couldn't be said for everyone else in his family. There were no hearts changed tonight.
He stopped at the passenger's side door and opened it as he slid inside, looking at the man inside. "We're going to pick up Koemi, then head to the school." The older man merely smiled and inclined his head. "As you wish, Moritsu," he said as the armored SUV pulled away from the estate and headed into the Kousaki residence, which was only a few houses down from their own.
Dark brown eyes widened as the young man darted back a step only to trip on a rock and fall flat on his back. As the sound of air left his lips, he watched the branch above him get sliced off and begin to fall toward him. A strangled sound, a cross between a shout and a curse, left his lips as he rolled out of the way as the heavy fat branch struck the earth where he'd been only moments before. He clamped a hand over his mouth and began to regulate his own breathing. 'That was close,' he thought to himself as he felt a bead of sweat roll down his cheek.
Carefully he brushed back his dark brown hair, all too aware of the way the front spikes were going to stick up even more. This last-minute training session like this wasn't exactly advised by the facility. Still, he couldn't just hang around and do nothing. Zion Sawada was one of the only students he knew of at UA High that had gone nearly fifteen years of his life without knowing that his quirk wasn't just a carbon copy of his father's, but his mom had a quirk he'd inherited as well.
It would explain a few things, but when you only had one parent teaching you something, it was clear his other side of his quirk would be a little on the wild side. He'd counted many things that had happened as a fluke, but after the entrance exam a few months ago, that he hadn't managed to pass to get into UA's Hero course. Still, his written test had helped him get into General Studies, it left him wondering about the time where he'd whistled to get another test subjects attention to the robot approaching him, and the boy hadn't realized he'd tried to call him without breaking his words he'd been saying to keep his other part of his quirk active. That little blunder had allowed him to realize there was something unique about him. The wind had struck the robot condensing enough to blast a hole through it, the point of such a hit hadn't been enough to help him out, but it had left him with a lot more questions than he'd been able to answer.
As his breathing evened back out, he heard his cell phone go off and picked it up on the second ring. "Hey Dad," he greeted as he held the phone to his ear as he wrapped his nimble fingers around his water bottle and began to head back to his dorm room, all too aware that he didn't want to stay out too much longer, the school would start their rounds soon, and he didn't want to have to explain himself. It was a touchy subject with his father, the idea that the mother of his kids had left him alone to raise them like she did. So he and his older brothers decided to never bring her up. His second quirk was unexpected, and it was why he felt the need to keep it a secret from his family, at least for a little while longer. Mostly because he was worried about how his father would react to the news, and he didn't want to hurt his feelings. While noble, it was a dangerous thing to do. He would have to mention something sooner or later.
"Hey Zi, we were just calling to see how you were doing," came the response from his father Kazuma Sawada as the older man leaned back against the couch in his living room, the phone was on the coffee table, and around him were his two oldest children Kiryu who was nineteen years old and almost the spitting image of him with matching brown hair, except he had his mother's blue eyes. The other was Naofumi, who was seventeen years old and got his blonde hair and blue eyes from his ex-wife, Zefia. Zion was the only one who was his spitting image. Kazuma had never expected to become a single father, but life was never quite fair, but it was something he wouldn't trade for the world. Thankfully his accounting job had made their lives a lot easier; it was a blessing for him to be able to move to a safer area.
Naofumi leaned forward, his fingers on his knees as his spiky blonde hair had gotten a little longer and was now reaching just below his neck. He knew he'd need to get it cut soon. "What he really wants to know is if you will be home for your next holiday," he cut in cheekily with a wide smile as he laughed, ducking out of the way of a piece of popcorn his older brother had thrown at him. "That's mine, don't waste that!" he growled, his blue eyes locking with his older brother's more serious stare.
"Well, maybe you should shut it and let little Zi answer our questions," Kiryu told him as he rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat in the leather chair. Things were alright financially for the small family, but it helped that the older boys were working to help with the bills. Kiryu was currently enrolled in the local community college, working hard to knock out his Gen Ed classes before going into a larger university for his last two years of school. His quirk didn't exactly offer access to the hero world in the way that Zion's did, so he was going to use his talents in other adventures. He was currently also working on getting his band off the ground. He could thankfully play a variety of instruments thanks to the music he listened to and his quirk allowing him to perfectly replicate any rhythm sound he heard. He brushed back his dark brown hair behind his ear, he wasn't looking to become famous per se, but if it helped support his father and his family, he would do it. Singing was not something he could do, though. He had a few interviews lined up with a few music industries as well in the next few weeks. Hopefully, someone would be interested in his talents.
Zion's laughter filtered into the room between the family unit, and for a moment, there was no denying that his physical presence was missing; he was also the more reserved of the brothers, and he didn't immediately take to people; none of them commented on the fact they were pretty sure it had to do with their mother's abrupt leaving. "I see nothing has changed," he said softly, but it was clear that was something he was saying more to himself before he was back to answering their questions a little better. "I'm all good, dad, just heading back to my dorm after a little training," he commented as he began to take the route through a few trees before hitting one of the outer pathways that would take him to his dorm room. He wouldn't say that he didn't wish to be in the hero course; his powers were advancing; there was no denying that, but he still had a ways to go. Still, it wasn't something he felt he could disclose to his family, not yet. His fingers curled a little tighter around the bottle at those thoughts.
"I plan to be home for the holiday, I haven't heard anything saying we can't go home, but you know that could change," he said casually as he frowned at a figure that was standing outside the dorm he shared with his classmates from General Studies, it wasn't that abnormal to see one of the other teachers around, but to see Nemuri Kayama aka Midnight was a surprise; clearly she was here to see someone important. It definitely wasn't him, so he continued with his conversation with his family.
"Sawada, got a minute?" she questioned as she gave him a smile, that while it made others swoon over her, it only made him nervous. "Bro, who's that? You got a girlfriend you're not telling us about?!" came the obnoxious voice of Naofumi. "Of course not, you idiot!" he exclaimed, his cheeks heating with color as his wide eyes met the mirth filled eyes of Midnight. "But, uh-I gotta go though one of my teachers has a question. I'll call you guys tomorrow," he promised before he hung up, cutting off anything his older brothers dared to say. Turning, he faced her and glanced around, wondering if she was mistaken.
Her smirk only widened as she saw him seem to fidget in front of her. "We've been monitoring your developments," she told him, cutting straight to the point as she motioned for him to follow her toward the school instead. "You've made strides and have the potential we are looking for, so we would like you to go to the auditorium and take a test," she commented casually as she crossed her arms over her chest and silently took in the young boy as he walked next to her.
"So clearly, it hasn't been an issue yet for the school," he muttered more to himself. "Seems like a weird time for a test, though, so what's with the secrecy?" he asked as he drank the rest of his water from his bottle. "Consider it top secret, and just do your best on this test, and all will be revealed when you get there," she said instead as she handed him a case that she'd been holding, but he'd not caught on to just what it happened to be. It was his hero costume. With a sigh, he accepted it and silently digested what she was telling him. "I suppose a surprise isn't that unheard of coming from you," he muttered without thinking of just who he was talking to. "What's that supposed to mean?!" She wondered as her tone darkened as she regarded him with a more aggressive look than before.
"N-Nothing, thanks, Sensei, I'll head over right now," he told her quickly as he broke off into a light jog. Whatever was going on, it was clear it wasn't something that everyone was aware of, and he certainly did not want to be late. The auditorium was filled with other students and many that he wasn't aware of himself. Some of them looked familiar, though, but he couldn't quite place the why behind it. He settled in a seat closer to the middle on the left, sliding past a girl with black hair and amber eyes. She looked as nervous as he was beginning to feel, so maybe he wasn't the only one in the dark about what was actually going on here...but somehow, he doubted that. As he caught sight of her school uniform, his anxiety only got worse. 'She's from Shiketsu; I'm so screwed.'
"Are you ready for this?" The question came from his twin, who sat on his bed as she kicked her legs back and forth, her long black hair tied in a high ponytail just as she always had it. Her clothes changed day to day, and sometimes he saw her in the torn clothes he remembered from a few years ago. The most striking thing about her was that her legs were made of wood, even her feet. Which was good in the pro hero world and left things a little awkward in terms of dating. Lucky for her, that was the last thing on Kozue Hayashi's mind.
Genki looked over from where he was exiting the bathroom in a pair of light blue jeans and bare feet. His arms were exposed as a towel hung from his neck and showed off his wooden arms as he towel-dried his shoulder-length black hair. "As ready as I can be," came his easy reply. As he walked over to his closet and began to look through his available t-shirts, he could pick from. He flipped through a few before finally settling on a green t-shirt with a gold tree on the back of it. He slipped it on. "Besides, I'm not worried we've been training for this," he told her with a wide grin in her direction.
The knock-on his bedroom door caused him to turn his green eyes toward the sound. "Genki, who were you talking to?" questioned his father as the older man poked his head in, his short black hair brushed back with gel and glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. He frowned slightly as he took a glance around his son's room to see once again no one was here, but this wasn't the first time he'd heard his son talking to someone, having a conversation with someone, and he wasn't on the phone. Call him overprotective, but after the loss of his daughter, he couldn't help his worries. The talking to himself when no one was there was something that had been happening ever since his daughter had died. He'd been told after trauma it was expected, but he was having his doubts now, but it had been less than a year since his little girl's death.
Kozue gave a low growl, her lips twisted in a sneer as she regarded the other man in the doorway. "I've told you before he can't see me; you better take care of this before it gets more complicated for us." She had moved from the bed though her outfit today consisted of a pair of dark blue jean shorts and a red t-shirt that hung off one delicate shoulder. She made a show of pressing her index finger against their dad's various places on his body and watching her finger pass right through him as though she wasn't a solid form at all. To be fair, she wasn't, but she wasn't a ghost either. She was something in between, something only her dear baby brother could see. The unique thing here was that she was well aware she was dead; she knew she'd died a few months ago, but she felt there was a reason she was still here. She had to watch out for him, even if it wasn't easy to do.
Genki held up his phone for him to see and rolled his eyes at his dad, trying to foreign a confidence that he so did not feel right now. He hated to lie to his dad, but there was no way he would understand or believe him if he told him what he could see and just who it happened to be. Revealing something like that was dangerous; people would be afraid and think he was a nutcase. That was a whole level of complexity that he didn't need. "Just on the phone with Kazushi," he told him, holding up the phone as the call ticked away. He would never admit to the burner phone that was stuffed in his bag that he'd be taking with him to the exam. He'd learned his lesson the last time something like this had happened.
Shin Hayashi hated the relief that washed through him at realizing the conversation he overheard was something so easily explained away. "Sorry," he said after a moment as his fingers around the doorknob tightened slightly at seeing the other bed in the other half of the room. He'd wanted to get rid of it, but he hadn't been able to do it. Not yet, and Genki had said he didn't mind still having his sister's belongings there. It was something he knew he would need to get rid of, but he just wasn't ready yet. But was it something anyone was ever really ready for? Who was ever prepared to bury their child? He turned away quickly, his eyes a little too bright as he took in a rough breath to try and still the emotion in him. "Dinner's ready. Come down when you're done here," he said, pushing his glasses up on his nose as he walked away, the door left open as he turned and took the stairs quickly. He needed some space, just a little time to get over the emotion threatening to overwhelm him.
The dark-haired boy stared after his father with a frown and his reply a soft whisper on his lips. He couldn't imagine what he was going through. It was different for him; the level of grief wasn't the same as he had been able to see Kozue when he'd woken up at the hospital. She'd looked fine to him, and if he wanted, he could touch her just like if she had been alive. He'd only said it once to his father, and his father had only cried harder and pulled him into his arms. It wasn't something he could explain. He didn't have a reason for why things were the way they were.
"How did you do that?" Kozue questioned as she walked over to him. Her fingers briefly brushed through his hair before her attention was on the phone that was still ticking away at the time as though he'd been on the phone for over five minutes now. "I told you before I'm not a complete idiot," he whispered to her, keeping his voice low so his father wouldn't hear him.
He stepped around her and shook his head before he brushed it down. Fighting the weird shiver that wanted to travel through his body. It was a bizarre feeling like an electric shock that traveled through his body whenever that happened. It wasn't precisely uncomfortable, but it was far from comfortable. The fifteen-year-old had never held her hand since waking up in the hospital. The sensation that had transpired from their touch was one of the reasons he didn't do it.
"Ah, Gen-kun," she cooed softly, her smile mischievous. "I know how tender-hearted you are. If you aren't careful little brother, it could get you into trouble. You need to toughen up." she advised as she yawned and stretched her arms over her head as she watched him grab his backpack from where it rested against the wall beside his bed. "I'll see you in a few, sis," he told her as he shouldered the bag and quietly shut the door. When she got like that, he knew it would be time for her to get some rest, and he wouldn't see her for at least an hour, sometimes longer. He wasn't sure why there was a difference, but he was pretty sure that keeping her corporal form tired her out.
Hitting the stairs, he took them one at a time and glanced at his father in the kitchen, who was sitting at their small four-person table that was only set for two. Genki sometimes wondered why his father never bothered to date anyone after their mother died but didn't press the issue. While curious, who was he to give dating advice to anyone? He'd never dated anyone or even been interested. He just wondered if his father was lonely given that, well, if he got into UA, he probably wouldn't be home all that much, and then it would just be Shin here all on his own.
Genki set his bag by his feet as he took his seat across from his father.
The man had his food in front of him, but he'd been waiting for him. "Dad…" he said softly as his father jerked his head up to face him, his eyes startled as though he was wondering when he'd gotten there. "Sorry, Gen...I was lost in thought," he told him softly as he laced his fingers together in front of him before he lowered one hand to the table before he remembered that it was best to pray for what they had. He didn't lace his fingers with his son's, but Genki folded his hands together and joined his father in a moment of thanks. "It's ok, so how's work been lately?" he questioned, knowing that a conversation that could get his father out of any emotional funk was his work, one of the few things his father was still passionate about. For a brief time, he'd taken some time off work, but he couldn't afford to take off much, not when his family depended on him for financial support.
"Work…" he mumbled as it took him a moment to get his brain working on that topic. "Work is ok. We've hit a bit of a snag in our development of a new prototype. Mr. Inazuma isn't very pleased with the delay, but we need to ensure the viability of the new metal before we can test it in human trials," he explained as he pulled out his portal laptop computer and powered it on. He was allowed to work from home sometimes, and anything he did off the clock, he was compensated for. His boss was great in that regard, but he was highly demanding, and excuses or failures were tolerated more than three times before someone was asked to hit the door. Thankfully he was safe, considering how much work he'd already put in the last few years on the many projects he was assigned to handle and complete.
"Look at this," he told him, pushing the computer around to face him after he'd logged into the company website and pulled up a few of the 3D models that gave him a better idea of what they were trying to create. The screen held very extensive metal models of some of the prototypes they were trying to develop. While Mr. Osuma Inazuma was missing his left arm and his right leg. They didn't focus on gear merely for him, no they made other sorts of ventures. They even made metal knee caps and other such advancements to further along the medical field and allow for even non-combat-wounded civilians to be able to get better quality products. So far, their success rate was very high and only going higher with Osuma's vision of pushing his company to the top of the market with quality products that would last and allow the body to better accept the foreign object in their body, that would hopefully eliminate the need for life long medication to keep the body from rejecting implants and even transplants. One of the objects on the screen was a metal heart that seemed to have all the inner workings of a real one, but it was clearly still a work in progress, and no model of it had been made yet to test. It was still in it's very first set of development stages.
Genki was quick to take several large bites of his food as he carefully scrolled down through several of the prototypes his father had up. To say he was impressed was an understatement. "Dad, those look amazing! I always knew you did important work, but I never realized all that you and your company were really doing," he told him seriously, his green eyes staring into his own, really wanting him to understand how proud he was of him.
His father merely waved his hand and looked away, clearly embarrassed with the attention being on him and his work. "Thanks. So…" he started and huffed out a breath. Genki couldn't help the question, he blurted out. He'd been hoping to be more tactful, to find a better way, but well, there wasn't much he could do about it now, not really. "Have you ever considered dating someone?"
Genki's cheeks heated with color, and he glanced away from the shocked look on his father's face. I probably should have asked differently. He quickly shoveled some food in his mouth and did his best to pay attention to his food only. At his father's laughter, he darted his gaze up to him, feeling the heat in his cheeks.
"I haven't really thought about it. I'm usually too busy with work." Came his father's honest answer as he sat back in his chair and took a moment to consider what it might be like to date someone, to put himself out there. "I might consider it, maybe…" he muttered to himself. He knew he wasn't getting any younger, but then again, was he too old? He didn't think so, but he kept himself so busy with work, would it be fair to try and drag someone into his life? It might be nice, though, but he was nervous about it. There just wasn't anyone he was interested in either, but then again, he'd never paid much attention to the people he worked with. Maybe he needed to start trying to have a social life a bit and join his coworkers once a week when they all went out to dinner. "It might not be a bad idea to go with the others from work, once a week...it might be good to meet some new people," he said as he took a few bites of his own meal.
Blinking his green eyes at his father, his grin widened as he listened to him talk himself into going to the social events at his work. It made him feel better about leaving, knowing that he wouldn't be completely alone all the time. If he got accepted into UA, he was pretty sure he would be busy with school work and his friends. He was pretty confident he could make at least a few new friends at this exam; whether he wins or loses, he had no doubt he'd be able to meet at least one person he could keep in touch with. His positive attitude was something that he knew others enjoyed, and being negative wouldn't get anyone anywhere anyway.
"It sounds like you would have fun if you go," he agreed as he cleaned the food on his plate before rising from the table as his gaze traveled to the clock on the kitchen wall. He knew that he had to get moving. Genki washed his plates in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher before he turned back to see what his father was doing. Still, he was already engrossed in his computer again, working on one of the prototypes he'd shown him from earlier. He shook his head and grabbed his bag, where he left it by the table. "I've gotta head out, Dad," he told him as he waited a moment for the words to register.
Shin paused in his work to glance up at him, his plate pushed to the side. He gave a sheepish smile at his son and stood up as he pulled him in for a quick hug. "I could dri-" he started to offer, but Genki stopped him as he stepped back and shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. I want to take the train and get used to what it will be like if I get accepted. I'll let you know how it goes," he promised him before he left the kitchen and left out the front door, pausing to lock the door behind him, knowing full well his dad was back on his computer as soon as he'd left the room.
With a soft sigh, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans before heading for the train station. He knew the trains would be running till about 2am like they normally did, so he had plenty of time. The walk didn't take that long as he was used to it when he'd go to Ketsubetsu Academy. Genki didn't have any problems making friends wherever he went; he was definitely one of those who never met a stranger before. He was even good at remembering their names so long as he did his own game in his head to remember them. It was a little rhyming game, but hey, it worked well, and people were always pleased to hear that he knew them by name.
The train as he boarded wasn't very crowded, and as he considered sitting with someone or not, he glanced around before deciding to sit next to the girl who was by herself. They talked about nothing really, but she did wish him good luck as he left on his stop before heading the rest of the way to UA High. He paused at the gates, elation running through him at the sight of it all. It was truly amazing. To think he'd been lucky enough to be recommended to even compete for a spot here. Do I deserve to be here? He couldn't help but wonder as he walked through the grounds before heading down one of the hallways toward the Auditorium. He frowned as a voice carried down one of the other hallways.
"How did you get this number?!" an angry voice demanded. His free hand curled into a fist. Moritsu was racking his brain for the answers to how his disgraced older brother had gotten his number. Their family had changed their numbers at the pressuring of his father. It was just another way to sever ties completely.
Keep walking, keep walking, Genki, this is totally none of your business. Don't look! Don't-
Genki wasn't able to help himself as he passed by that hallway on the way to the Auditorium and glanced down it to see the form of a young man with crimson hair talking angrily into the phone that was held to his ear, his free hand gesturing as he talked. He tried not to listen, but it was really hard, not too. He knew he shouldn't look by drawing attention to himself, but he'd been unable to help himself and peered down the hallway, only catching a few more angry words from the one-sided conversation that he could hear. He paused at the entrance of the hallway, feeling like he should try and give them some privacy, but it wasn't his lucky day as whoever was at the end of the hallway raised their head at that moment and saw him waiting in the middle of the walkway staring at him.
Oh crap! Oh crap! He's looking right at me. Time to get going! Move, c'mon move!
He thought to himself, annoyed that his body was refusing to cooperate with his demands. As he stood frozen in place, unable to tear his far too curious gaze away.
The low, raspy chuckle from the person on the other end of the phone had Moritsu tensing in the deserted hallway. He was tired of the hang-up calls at all hours of the day and night. It hadn't been just kids' prank calling. It was something else he was sure of it; he could feel it.
"Ah, little bro is that any way to speak to your Onii-kun?" Saisho challenged. "I just wanted to wish you good luck with your exam." He pressed, his words heightening in intensity as he continued to speak. "Good luck, you're gonna need it!"
Moritsu curled his hand around the phone before it was launched from his hand against the wall across from where he was standing with such force it broke into pieces. He was seething with anger and fear he couldn't explain. His older brother had found him, and it was clear it wasn't just for a friendly chat. No, he knew about his exam tonight, and it wasn't public knowledge. The question of how he knew was hovering at the forefront of his mind. This is bad, really bad. What do I do? He thought for a moment as he tried to regulate his rapid breathing. He needed to calm down, to focus.
"Are you ok?"
The question startled them both as green eyes met amber. The redhead regarded the black-haired boy and the timid expression on his lips as they were pressed together. His hands were fisted in front of him and his gaze dropped from his own quickly once the taller boy had looked at him. "Y-you looked u-upset," he added when the other boy had stayed silent even now.
Shaking his head, Moritsu forced himself to focus on the other kid. "It's not a big deal," he said, forcing a small smile to his lips that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"He's lying." The voice of Kozue had Genki jerking his gaze to his twin that stood behind the other boy, a distrustful frown on her lips. He opened his mouth to respond to her and then closed it. Knowing it was better to not give anything away. But he did incline his head to signify he'd heard her.
"Of course it's not," Genki agreed as he knew it was best to let that go. It really wasn't any of his business. "Are you here for the exam too? It's going to start soon. We need to hurry," he rushed on as shy as he may be, he could talk a lot once he got going.
Moritsu could only get out a nod before the younger boy grabbed his hand and pulled him back down the way he'd come. "That's great! I love meeting new friends. My name's Genki Hayashi. What's yours?" he questioned as he released his hand the closer they got to the doorway.
The kid's excitement was somewhat contagious as the redhead gave him a small smile. "Moritsu Koibito, " he answered politely, not sure if he would exactly consider themselves friends. They knew very little about each other, but he wasn't about to correct him. He knew that if they ran into each other in the exam, he would take him down. He couldn't risk failing here. His right hand curled into a fist at the memory of his father's threat. He wished to be stronger than he was, to protect the one person most important to him. He didn't need her to defend him anymore.
He shook his head, aware he'd spaced out again. He really needed to focus. Get it together. His attention went back to the boy who was currently watching him a little too closely, but it seems he was also talking with someone else. For a moment, he just assumed it was himself. "I have to get back to my friend, but I'll see you in there. Good luck, Hayashi," he told him as he passed by him and found his original seat next to Koemi.
"Oh-" Genki said, trying not to be disappointed as he began to leave. "Good luck to you too!" He told him quickly with a bright smile.
"You've always been too nice, Gen," Kozue cut in from his left. Her hands crossed over her chest. She had mixed feelings about what was happening. On the one hand, she could see the point of keeping their distance from the other competitors; on the other, she wanted to smash the kid's face in for being mean to her baby brother. He could have at least offered to let him sit with him and his girlfriend! She raised her nose in the air and snagged her brother's hand for a moment, just long enough to get his attention before she let go. "Genki, c'mon." She ordered as she headed for the empty seats In the back on the left. She sat on the table with her legs dangling over the other side and smiled widely as her brother joined her, sitting in the seat the right way.
Together they waited for the exam to begin. Kozue was confident she could give her brother the help he would need to do well in this exam and get into UA. If only Genki felt as confident as she did. He nervously looked around and silently sized up the others in the room. Just do your best. He thought to himself.
A/N:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter sorry about the wait everyone, I know everyone is probably chomping at the bit for the Transfer exam, but you need a little back story to understand what's up! Nursing school has kicked my butt recently but I hope you enjoy the ride as the Transfer Exam begins! As always I love to hear your thoughts and opinions! Sorry, I haven't updated the roaster yet but I will this weekend! Thanks for your patience!
-AJ Aviary
