The arena was quiet — too quiet.
Midoriya stood at the center, motionless.
His arms hung loosely. His face, blank. His eyes, glazed.
The announcer's voice echoed faintly in the background, barely registering in the tension hanging over the stadium.
From the stands, Kairi leaned forward.
"...Is he walking away?" she asked, confused.
Keiko's eyes narrowed. "No. He's being controlled."
"Wait — seriously?"
Keiko nodded. "That boy... Shinso. His quirk is brainwashing."
Kairi blinked. "Whoa. That's kinda cool."
"It's also dangerous," Keiko murmured. "And effective. Midoriya's about to lose."
Then—
Midoriya's hand twitched.
Two fingers curled.
CRACK.
A gust of wind exploded beneath his feet, flaring through the arena.
The spell shattered.
"WHOA!" Kairi gasped. "He broke it! Is that his quirk?!"
Keiko nodded, calmly. "It is. And look at his fingers."
Kairi winced. "He broke them? That's nuts."
"He can't control it yet. Too much power, no balance."
On the field, Midoriya's stance steadied. Shinso's eyes widened, a flicker of disbelief showing on his face.
The fight continued.
Then—Midoriya dashed forward, grabbing Shinso's arm in one fluid motion and tossing him over his shoulder with surprising precision.
The crowd erupted.
"Did you see that?!" Kairi shouted. "He flipped him — that was so clean!"
Keiko's gaze softened. "Not bad at all."
⸻
Later — Post-Fight
Midoriya stood near the exit tunnel, holding his bandaged hand gingerly. Sweat still clung to his face, and his expression was somewhere between relief and exhaustion.
Just as he exhaled, a young voice piped up behind him.
"Midoriya!"
He turned—and blinked as Kairi jogged over, her red sneakers tapping lightly on the concrete. She looked no older than eleven, eyes bright and full of energy, clutching something in one hand: a melon bun from earlier.
"That fight was awesome!" she said, nearly bouncing. "You broke out of that brainwashing — and then flipped that guy like a ninja!"
Izuku flushed instantly. "O-Oh—um—thank you! I-I mean, I was just lucky I snapped out of it in time..."
"You broke your fingers on purpose just to wake up?" Kairi said, wide-eyed. "That's not luck. That's... kinda crazy. But cool crazy."
"I wouldn't recommend it as a strategy," Iida said, walking over with Uraraka just behind him. "But it was undeniably effective."
Uraraka gave a friendly wave. "Seriously, Deku — you had all of us holding our breath!"
Then she looked at Kairi, tilting her head.
"Hold on — I saw you earlier. Weren't you sitting right up front... where Midnight blew that kiss?"
Kairi blinked innocently. "Yup."
Uraraka squinted playfully. "Okay, so... any clue who that kiss was meant for?"
Kairi smiled. Slow. Teasing. Her eyes sparkled.
Kairi smiled — slow, teasing, eyes sparkling.
"Oh, I definitely know who it was for."
All three students leaned in, curious.
Kairi turned to leave — then looked back over her shoulder, grinning.
"Let's just say... he's got the strong, silent thing down."
And with that, she skipped off, humming to herself and munching on her melon bun.
Midoriya stared, puzzled. "...Who was she talking about?"
Uraraka blinked. "Wait... she didn't actually say?"
"Not even close," Iida said, deadpan.
The three of them stood in silence for a moment — minds whirring — before Uraraka finally muttered:
"...Okay, that girl is way too mysterious for such young age."
⸻
Elsewhere — Behind the Arena
Shinso sat quietly on a bench, staring at the ground. Students passed him with barely a glance.
Then a voice — low, calm.
"You did well."
Shinso looked up. Keiko stood before him, hands in his coat pockets, gaze steady.
"...I lost."
"You were outmatched — but you controlled the match. You made him adapt. You pushed him to grow."
Shinso blinked, unsure how to respond.
Keiko sat beside him.
"You're not in the hero course. But that doesn't mean you're not a hero."
The words hit Shinso like a lightning bolt.
No one had ever said that to him before.
"...You think I can be one?"
Keiko nodded once. "Your quirk is powerful. But power is only one part."
He tapped his temple. "Train your mind. Meditation helps."
Then he pointed to his own body. "And your body. Learn to fight without it. You'll need that."
Shinso swallowed. "...Why are you telling me this?"
Keiko rose, voice steady. "Because I see the fire in you. You've got talent — but talent without training means nothing."
As Keiko turned to leave, Shinso hesitated — then spoke, quieter now.
"...Are you not afraid to talk to me?"
Keiko paused. "Because of your Quirk?"
Shinso gave a slow nod.
Keiko looked over his shoulder, his expression steady — almost amused.
"Kid... I've meditated under waterfalls. Trained for weeks alone in the mountains to strengthen my mind."
He met Shinso's eyes directly.
"Let me assure you — I don't scare that easy."
And with that, he walked away, coat fluttering gently behind him.
Shinso stared after him, something in his chest shifting. Not hope. Not yet.
But something like it.
⸻
Unseen... but Not Unheard
Behind a pillar, three women watched in silence.
Midnight leaned casually against the stone, arms folded, a slow smirk tugging at her lips.
"Did he seriously just drop the hottest mentor line of the year like it was nothing?"
Ryukyu stood beside her, calm and thoughtful. She nodded slowly.
"He sees potential in people... even when they don't."
Mt. Lady, crouched nearby with a half-finished coffee in hand, murmured under her breath,
"Did anyone else hear him say meditation like it was the key to the universe?"
Midnight chuckled softly. "He's not just attractive. He's... centered."
Ryukyu said nothing — but her eyes never left Keiko as he walked away, coat fluttering behind him like a closing chapter.
Mt. Lady exhaled and muttered, unusually subdued,
"Shinso just got more guidance than I did my entire first year..."
⸻
Back to Keiko & Kairi
Kairi met her father near the stands, still buzzing from everything.
"You talked to the mind-control guy?"
Keiko nodded. "He'll figure it out."
Kairi looked up at him, a little in awe. "You're like... a dad, a fighter, and a sensei rolled into one."
He shrugged. "I'm just passing it forward."
She smirked. "You know three pro heroines saw you do that, right?"
He stayed silent.
"You're a menace."
"I'm calm."
"Yeah — calm menace."