The students were gathered in formation again, lined up in colorful rows on the field, buzzing with nervous energy. The crowd leaned forward in their seats as the arena spotlight fell on a single figure striding confidently across the stadium floor.
Midnight.
Her heels clicked dramatically with every step. Her whip coiled at her hip, her outfit just within regulation limits, and her presence unmistakable — magnetic, theatrical, and commanding.
She spun gracefully and held the mic up.
"Now that the foot race is done," she purred into the microphone, "let's raise the stakes."
The crowd murmured, curious.
Midnight flashed a mischievous grin. "Welcome to the Cavalry Battle!"
Gasps and excited chatter rippled through the arena.
"This one's a bit more chaotic," she explained. "You'll form teams of two to four. One of you will ride on the others — and your goal is simple: steal headbands from the opposing teams. The more points on the band... the better your score."
She twirled once, striking a dramatic pose, the cape of her jacket fluttering behind her.
"And yes... you can steal headbands from teams that already lost theirs. There are no safe zones. Only ambition... teamwork... and a little ruthless flair."
"The team with the most points at the end wins. But remember—if your headband is taken, you're not out. You can steal them back. From anyone. No rules, no favorites."
She paused dramatically, then purred:
"Well... almost no favorites."
A giant screen lit up behind her — showing a glowing number:
10,000,000.
Students gasped. The crowd buzzed.
Midnight raised the mic with a smirk.
"And our number one target... is the student who placed first in the obstacle race."
The camera cut to Midoriya, who stiffened in shock.
"Izuku Midoriya... will start with a headband worth ten million points."
The stadium exploded in noise — half shock, half excitement.
⸻
In the crowd...
"Did she say TEN MILLION?!"
"Yo, that green-haired kid's dead meat!"
"Everyone's gonna be after him!"
⸻
And then — perfectly timed —
turned her head toward the stands.
Right at Keiko.
Her crimson lips curled.
She raised two fingers to her mouth...
...and blew him a kiss.
The crowd went absolutely wild.
"He— hey! Did she just—?!"
"No way!! That was for me, bro!"
"Are you blind? It was totally for me!"
"You?! She looked right at me!"
Meanwhile, Kairi stared at Keiko like he'd just sprouted wings.
"...Keiko."
He didn't respond.
"She blew you a kiss."
Still silent.
Kairi leaned in. "Keiko."
"She was... being theatrical," Keiko said smoothly, sipping his tea like nothing had happened.
Kairi gave him a flat stare. "I saw the kiss. You saw the kiss. The entire stadium saw the kiss. A drone operator just fainted."
Keiko didn't blink. "She's a professional."
Kairi cocked her head. "Who wants to professionally date you."
The whistle blew. Students exploded into motion — some darted toward friends, others hesitated, caught between popularity and practicality.
Keiko and Kairi remained seated, watching the chaos from above.
"Let the games begin," Kairi murmured, chewing on a melon bun.
Below, Iida was already bowing and talking at high speed to Uraraka, while Todoroki stood like a monolith as students quietly inched toward him, unsure whether to beg or run.
"Wow," Kairi said, pointing. "That bird-headed guy just rejected two people in under five seconds. Ice cold."
Keiko gave a slight nod, eyes calm and analyzing. "They're calculating. Some by logic. Others by desperation."
A moment passed.
Kairi leaned sideways, arms folded. "Speaking of desperation..."
Keiko didn't look at her. "No."
She smirked. "You don't even know what I was gonna say."
"You were going to mention the kiss."
"...Okay, yes. But that's not all!" She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "She didn't just blow you a kiss, Keiko. She delivered it. Like a missile. Target locked. No hesitation."
Keiko remained expressionless. "It was part of her performance."
"Oh, right," Kairi said, dramatically mimicking his calm tone. "'Professionalism.' I forgot that's what you call it when someone winks, purrs, and throws airborne affection across a stadium."
"She does that with everyone," Keiko replied.
Kairi raised a brow. "Really? Then why did Mt. Lady look like she was gonna snap a folding chair in half?"
Keiko exhaled slowly. "Let it go, Kairi."
"I will. Right after you admit you blushed."
"I didn't."
"You so did."
"I don't blush."
"You blinked twice and sipped your tea like it owed you money."
Keiko gave her a look.
"I'm just saying, Keiko... if you were the target, I think three pro heroines would be fighting over who gets to ride."
Keiko closed his eyes for a long, deliberate moment.
"...You're grounded."
"No, I'm not."
"...No, you're not," he sighed.
Kairi beamed.
The buzzer blared again. The field roared to life.
Dozens of students surged across the arena in wild formations — riding, dodging, grappling, and lunging like a swarm of warriors. Headbands fluttered like flags. The ten-million-point target glowed like a beacon above Midoriya's head.
"Man... this looks like a battlefield," Kairi whispered, leaning forward. "And Izuku's the prize."
Keiko's gaze moved calmly over the chaos. "It's not a battle," he murmured. "It's pressure. Who cracks. Who adapts. Who watches the whole field... and who only sees the target."
His eyes locked onto Todoroki's team.
"They're hunting smart," he added. "Minimal effort. High gain."
"Yeah, but look at Izuku's team!" Kairi said, pointing. "He's not just surviving — he's thinking ahead. That guy on top? He's adjusting in the air!"
Keiko nodded once. "Ingenious... He's managing flight, speed, and visibility."
Kairi watched silently for a moment. Then softly:
"Do you think I'll ever be that good?"
"You'll be better."
"Seriously?"
"You're not just learning technique... you're learning patience. Insight. Control."
"Most of them are still chasing headbands. You're already learning when not to."
Kairi smiled — but then squinted at the far edge of the arena.
"Wait... is that guy trying to suplex someone off his teammate?"
Keiko tilted his head slightly. "...Yes."
They both winced at the impact.
"Yikes," Kairi muttered. "He definitely didn't train with you."
⸻
Up in the Pro Hero Balcony...
Midnight, leaning on the rail with an amused smirk, cracked her whip once — just to liven up the crowd.
Mt. Lady, arms crossed, muttered to herself:
"Whip all you want, lady... It won't make him look twice."
Ryukyu, composed and still, kept her eyes on Keiko from across the stadium. She didn't speak. But her glance toward Kairi — and the quiet pride there — said everything.
⸻
Back in the stands...
Kairi nudged Keiko with her elbow. "Okay, be honest... which team do you think is going to win?"
Keiko took a long sip of his tea.
"...The one that stops thinking like students."
Kairi blinked. "You sound like a cryptic coach in a movie."
He gave her the faintest smirk.
"I've lived through worse scripts."
The final seconds ticked down.
On the field, students moved like a blur — shouting, charging, improvising.
Izuku's team was in the center, surrounded. Ten million points resting atop his head. His eyes were wild with focus, sweat dripping into them, but he didn't blink.
Kairi gripped the edge of her seat. "Come on, Midoriya—just a little more—!"
Todoroki made his move.
Ice bloomed across the field — sharp, jagged, and fast. Iida's engines roared like thunder. With a blinding burst of speed, they closed the gap.
Keiko narrowed his eyes. "Watch the flank—"
Too late.
In a flash, Todoroki's hand seized the ten-million-point headband, ripping it free just before the buzzer blared across the stadium.
Kairi gasped. "No...! He lost it!"
But then—
Another screen lit up, listing the final rankings.
Team Todoroki: 1st
Team Bakugou: 2nd
Team Shinso: 3rd
Team Midoriya... 4th.
Kairi blinked. "Wait— they made it? How?!"
Keiko pointed. "Tokoyami. He grabbed a lower-point headband right before the buzzer."
Kairi followed his gesture — spotting Tokoyami standing tall, silent, handing the headband to Midoriya like a shadowy guardian.
"Oh my god... the bird guy saved them!" Kairi clutched her head. "That's so cool!"
Keiko's expression softened. "That's what teamwork is. When instinct fails... trust carries the rest."
Kairi stared at Midoriya on the screen — slumped in exhaustion, but still standing.
"He must feel awful," she said quietly. "He lost the big one."
"But he didn't stop," Keiko replied. "And someone believed in him enough to save the team."
Kairi smiled. "Yeah... that counts for something."
Kairi slumped beside Keiko. "That was wild. I thought he was done for."
Keiko didn't reply — just sipped his tea in silence.
After a moment, Kairi leaned sideways again, grinning.
"So... was Midnight's kiss good luck or a curse?"
"A distraction."
"A hot distraction."
"...You're grounded."
"No I'm not."
"No, you're not," Keiko muttered.
They both smiled — the noise of the crowd fading around them as the next stage of the games loomed closer.