Kai's POV
Monday arrived with a surprise.
Aizawa announced a free training period after lunch. No structured exercises, no teams. Just open access to the training grounds for individual practice.
"Use the time wisely," he said, already climbing back into his sleeping bag. "Or don't. I'll be napping either way."
The class dispersed to various areas. Bakugo claimed the largest space for explosion practice. Todoroki found a corner to work on ice constructs. Midoriya muttered to himself while doing stretches.
I was heading toward the combat dummies when someone caught my arm.
"Kai!"
Ochako stood there, gym clothes slightly rumpled, cheeks already pink from warmth or exertion.
"Want to train together?"
"Sure. What did you have in mind?"
"Hand-to-hand practice?" She bounced on her heels. "I've been working on close combat, but I don't have a good sparring partner. Mina just tries to melt everything, and Tsu keeps using her tongue."
"And you think I'll go easy on you?"
"No." She grinned. "That's why I asked you."
We found an open mat in the corner of the training area.
Ochako stretched while I warmed up with basic forms. She watched me move through the patterns, her expression curious.
"You're really graceful," she said. "Like a dancer or something."
"It's just practice."
"Lots of practice, apparently." She finished stretching and stood. "Okay. I'm ready. Don't hold back."
"You sure?"
"Positive. I need to learn how to handle stronger opponents."
I settled into a fighting stance. She mirrored me, though her form was less refined.
"Come at me," I said.
She lunged.
Ochako was better than I expected.
Her attacks were straightforward but committed. She didn't hesitate or second-guess. When she threw a punch, she meant it.
I blocked her first strike, redirected the second, and swept her legs on the third. She hit the mat with a thud.
"Ow."
"You left your right side open."
"I know. I always do that." She hopped back up, undeterred. "Again."
We went again.
This time she lasted longer. She anticipated my sweep and jumped over it, nearly catching me with a kick on the way down. I twisted aside at the last second.
"Better," I admitted.
"But not good enough." She reset her stance. "Again."
We sparred for almost an hour.
By the end, Ochako was drenched in sweat, breathing hard, but grinning.
"That was amazing," she panted. "I learned so much."
"You improved quickly."
"Really?" Her face lit up. "You think so?"
"Your reaction time got faster. You started covering your right side. And that last combo almost caught me."
"Almost doesn't count."
"Almost is progress."
She beamed at me, still catching her breath.
"Thanks for doing this, Kai. Most people don't want to spar with me. They think my quirk makes me useless in close combat."
"Your quirk is powerful. You just need to learn how to apply it differently."
"What do you mean?"
I gestured for her to come closer. She did, curious.
"Your quirk removes gravity from things you touch with all five fingers, right?"
"Right."
"So in close combat, that's actually an advantage. If you can get a solid grip on someone, you can make them weightless. Float them into the air where they can't maneuver."
Her eyes widened. "I never thought of it that way."
"Most people think defense when they hear 'gravity manipulation.' But offense works too. Grab someone's arm, make it weightless, and suddenly their whole balance is thrown off."
"That's... that's genius!" She grabbed my arm excitedly. "Can we practice that?"
"Sure. Try it on me."
She pressed all five fingers against my forearm. The familiar sensation of weightlessness spread through my arm. It floated upward on its own.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Now imagine we were fighting. My dominant arm is useless. What would you do?"
She thought for a second, then swept my legs while I was off-balance. I let myself fall, rolling with the impact.
"Like that?"
"Exactly like that."
She released her quirk, and my arm returned to normal weight. She was practically glowing with excitement.
"This changes everything! I've been thinking about my quirk all wrong!"
"You've been thinking defensively. Start thinking offensively."
"I will. I definitely will." She paused, then smiled shyly. "You're a really good teacher, Kai."
"I just see potential."
"In me?"
"In everyone. But especially in you."
Her blush deepened.
We took a break by the water fountains.
Ochako gulped down water while I sipped mine slowly. The training area buzzed with activity around us.
"Hey, Kai?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something personal?"
"Go ahead."
She fidgeted with her water bottle. "Why are you so nice to me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean... you're strong. Like, really strong. You could train with Todoroki or Bakugo or anyone. But you spend time with me instead." She looked down. "I'm not complaining. I just don't understand why."
"Because I like you."
Her head snapped up. "You... what?"
"I like you. As a person. You're genuine and hardworking and you don't pretend to be something you're not."
"Oh." Her face was crimson now. "I thought... never mind."
"Thought what?"
"Nothing. Forget it."
I studied her. The nervous energy, the blush, the way she couldn't meet my eyes.
"Ochako."
"Yeah?"
"Have you eaten lunch yet?"
"No. I was going to grab something from the cafeteria after training."
"Let me buy you lunch instead."
Her eyes went wide. "Like... like a date?"
"Like two friends getting food together." I paused. "Unless you want it to be a date."
She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again.
"I... maybe? I don't know?" She covered her face with her hands. "This is embarrassing."
"It doesn't have to be."
"Easy for you to say. You're all cool and confident and I'm over here turning into a tomato."
I laughed. "Come on. Let's get food. We can figure out what to call it later."
We ended up at a small restaurant near campus.
Nothing fancy, just a family-owned place with good portions and reasonable prices. Ochako insisted on checking the menu prices before ordering.
"You don't have to do that," I said.
"Habit." She smiled sheepishly. "My family doesn't have much money. I've always been careful about spending."
"Tell me about them. Your family."
She brightened at the question.
"My parents run a construction company. Small scale, mostly residential stuff." She stirred her drink absently. "Business has been rough the last few years. Competition from bigger companies, rising costs, all that."
"Is that why you want to be a hero?"
"Partly." She looked down. "Hero work pays well. Especially if you get popular. I want to make enough money to give my parents an easy life."
"That's a good goal."
"Some people think it's selfish. Wanting to be a hero for money."
"It's not selfish. It's practical." I leaned forward. "You want to help your family. That's admirable."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Most people our age are thinking about themselves. You're thinking about others."
She smiled, soft and grateful.
"Thanks, Kai. That means a lot."
Our food arrived. We ate in comfortable silence for a while.
"Can I tell you something?" Ochako asked between bites.
"Anything."
"When I first met you at the entrance exam, I thought you were kind of scary."
"Scary?"
"You were so focused. So intense. You took down those robots like it was nothing." She laughed. "I remember thinking, 'That guy is definitely going to be a top hero someday.'"
"And now?"
"Now I think you're still going to be a top hero. But you're also..." She searched for the word. "Kind. Underneath the intensity."
"I'm not that kind."
"You are. You just don't show it to everyone." She met my eyes. "But you show it to me. And Momo. And Mina. The people you let in."
"You notice a lot."
"I pay attention to you." Her blush returned. "Is that weird?"
"No. It's flattering."
"Really?"
"Really."
She smiled, ducking her head.
"You're easy to pay attention to."
After lunch, we walked back toward campus.
The streets were quiet, most people at work or school. Ochako walked close beside me, our shoulders occasionally brushing.
"Kai?"
"Yeah?"
"I lied earlier. When you asked if I wanted this to be a date."
"What do you mean?"
"I said I didn't know. But I did know." She stopped walking and turned to face me. "I wanted it to be a date. I've wanted to go on a date with you since the entrance exam."
"Ochako..."
"Let me finish." She took a breath. "I know I'm not as smart as Momo or as confident as Mina. I'm just a regular girl from a poor family with a quirk that makes things float. But I like you. A lot. And I wanted you to know that."
She stood there, face red, fists clenched at her sides. Terrified but determined.
"You're brave," I said.
"What?"
"It takes courage to say that. Most people wouldn't."
"I'm not brave. I'm terrified right now."
"That's what makes it brave." I stepped closer. "Ochako. You're not 'just' anything. You're hardworking, genuine, and kind. You think about others before yourself. That's rare."
"But compared to the other girls..."
"You're not competing with anyone. You're you. That's enough."
Her eyes glistened.
"You really mean that?"
"I don't say things I don't mean."
"Then..." She swallowed hard. "Would you want to go on an actual date sometime? A real one?"
I thought about Nemuri. About Yu. About Momo.
About my quirk and what it required.
"Yes," I said. "I would."
Her face lit up like sunrise.
"Really?!"
"Really."
"Oh my god." She covered her mouth. "Oh my god, okay, um, when? Where? I don't know any good places. Do you know good places? I've never actually been on a date before so I don't know what we're supposed to—"
"Ochako."
"Yeah?"
"Breathe."
She took a breath. Then laughed, giddy and nervous.
"Sorry. I'm freaking out a little."
"A little?"
"Okay, a lot." She grinned. "But in a good way."
"We'll figure out the details later. For now, let's just get back to class."
"Right. Class. Normal stuff." She fell into step beside me, still beaming. "I can't believe that just happened."
"Believe it."
"I'm going to be distracted all day now."
"Try to focus. Aizawa will notice."
"I know, I know." She bumped her shoulder against mine. "This is your fault, you know."
"I accept full responsibility."
The afternoon passed in a blur.
I tried to pay attention in class, but my mind kept drifting. Momo. Ochako. Two girls now, plus Nemuri and Yu.
The harem was growing.
After school, Momo caught me in the hallway.
"Kai. A moment?"
We stepped aside, letting other students pass.
"I wanted to apologize for Saturday," she said quietly. "The way it ended was abrupt."
"It's fine. Your parents came home."
"Still. I should have handled it better." She hesitated. "I've been thinking about what happened. The kiss."
"And?"
"And I don't regret it." She met my eyes. "I want to see you again. Outside of school."
"I'd like that too."
"Really?" Relief flickered across her face. "I wasn't sure if you felt the same."
"I felt it, Momo. Trust me."
She smiled, small but genuine.
"This weekend, then? My parents will be away again."
"Saturday?"
"Saturday works."
"Then it's a date."
Her smile widened.
"A date. I like the sound of that."
I was halfway home when my phone buzzed.
Ochako: I still can't believe that happened.
Believe it.
I've been smiling like an idiot all afternoon. Tsu asked if I was feeling okay.
What did you tell her?
That I ate something good for lunch. Which is technically true.
I smiled.
When do you want to have our date?
Whenever works for you! I'm flexible!
Sunday?
Sunday is perfect!
I'll plan something.
You don't have to do anything fancy. I'm happy just spending time with you.
I know. But you deserve fancy.
There was a pause.
Kai?
Yeah?
Thank you. For giving me a chance.
Thank you for being brave enough to ask.
I'm still scared.
That's okay. We'll figure it out together.
Together. I like that.
Me too.
At home, I collapsed onto my bed.
Saturday with Momo. Sunday with Ochako. Plus keeping up with Nemuri and Yu.
My schedule was getting complicated.
My phone buzzed.
Nemuri: Heard you had an eventful day.
How did you hear that?
I have eyes everywhere. A pause. Also Momo was practically floating after your conversation.
We're seeing each other Saturday.
I know. She told three people, who told three more people. The teacher's lounge is basically a gossip hub.
Great.
Don't worry. No one suspects the real situation. Another pause. What about Uraraka? I saw you two at lunch.
We're going on a date Sunday.
Busy weekend.
Very.
And you're okay juggling all of this?
I don't really have a choice. My quirk needs it.
There's a difference between need and want, Kai.
I know. I stared at the ceiling. I want this too. All of them.
Then embrace it. Just be honest with everyone involved.
I'm trying.
I know you are. A heart emoji. Get some rest. You'll need your energy.
For what?
For everything.
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.
Momo. Ochako. Nemuri. Yu.
Four women now. Four relationships to maintain, four sets of feelings to consider.
It should have felt overwhelming. Instead, it felt right.
My quirk had changed me. Made me more than human in some ways, less in others. The need for essence, for connection, for physical intimacy. It drove me in ways I couldn't fully control.
But it also opened doors. Let me form bonds I never would have otherwise.
Was it manipulation? Using my quirk to attract women?
Or was it just being myself, enhanced?
I didn't have answers. Maybe I never would.
For now, I had dates to plan and relationships to nurture.
Everything else could wait.