A few days later, the day of the joint dinner between the Kimika family and the Izuku family arrived, and the chosen meeting place was the former's apartment. The apartment was significantly larger than Izuku's, thanks to Yukiko's fairly wealthy yet stingy parents. They had only allowed themselves to splurge once, buying their daughter a spacious apartment for her wedding.

This meeting had been postponed several times due to the constant delays of the head of the family, Takeshi, who worked as a detective. His dedication to justice and his desire to solve crimes made him exceptional and unique, which was why he always had numerous cases to handle. Takeshi possessed a rare ability to detect lies, a skill utilized only by him and his colleague, Detective Tsukauchi. Because of this, he earned a reputation as a person capable of solving even the most complex cases, and his name became known not just in the city, but throughout the country.

People considered him a hero, although Takeshi always insisted that it was his duty as a detective. However, deep down, he was pleased to be called that, as his daughter often praised him for his achievements, saying he was the best hero. He dreamed of gaining even more fame for her sake, though he never openly admitted it. Work had become his second home, almost replacing his family, and, unfortunately, he often sacrificed family time to fulfill his duties.

However, after numerous refusals and delays, his wife Yukiko decided to take action. She arranged a small "conversation" with Takeshi that resembled a one-sided lecture, as he had no arguments to defend himself and was fully aware of his guilt. Her words became a significant point: "This dinner is important for our daughter. And without you, it won't happen." For Takeshi, this was a decisive moment. Although he incredibly loved Kimika, his feelings often remained largely unexpressed. His parents taught him that emotions were a weakness, and in his family, it was never customary to show love. Therefore, he often forgot the necessity of expressing his feelings, even when it concerned his little beloved daughter.

Moved by Yukiko's words, Takeshi realized he could no longer ignore this important event. He remembered Kimika, her happy eyes, and the boundless love she offered him unconditionally. If she had ever said that it was important to her or that she wanted to spend time with him, he would have left work without hesitation and rushed to her; perhaps even quit if she had asked.

So, at last, Takeshi agreed. His heart swelled with pride and love for his daughter, but he still didn't know how to express it. This was not easy for a man who had been taught from childhood to view emotions as something to hide, even if his wife tried to teach him to demonstrate them rather than keep them inside. However, he yearned to be a better father, and this dinner presented an opportunity for him to openly express his feelings, albeit in a very cautious manner.

Finally, as Yukiko prepared a multitude of dishes, including Kimika's favorite meals, the Izuku family and his mother arrived. Surprisingly, it was Izuku's mother who appeared concerned, while he himself showed no particular signs of anxiety. He wasn't worried, as he visited Kimika almost every day to play or invite her for a walk. However, the second day of their acquaintance had been quite challenging for him: Kimika had almost dragged him home to show off her room and her collection of figurines and hero posters, especially of All Might, seeing nothing wrong with it, which quickly made him accustomed to the atmosphere in her apartment.

When Izuku and his mother entered, they greeted each other, and Yukiko, smiling, invited them to sit at the table. She hoped this would be a simple dinner where they could talk about ordinary things, exchange news, and perhaps even share stories about their children.

However, she knew that her husband, Takeshi, would likely be unable to resist discussing school-related issues and the potential bullying that Izuku faced. Yukiko felt anxious because Takeshi's character was quite reserved and straightforward, and he could steer the conversation in a direction she did not want to raise. She hoped the children would soon run off to play, leaving the adults alone to ease the atmosphere.

Yukiko was the first to speak, wanting to start the conversation on a light note:

"I hope you enjoy the dishes I prepared. They are mostly Kimika's favorite foods, but I also made a few of my best recipes!"

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Inko smiled. "I'm looking forward to trying your dishes! And I'm sure it will be simply delicious!"

Eventually, the conversation flowed easily, touching on simple topics: news, heroes, and interesting stories to encourage the children to participate. However, throughout the entire discussion, one person remained almost silent — Takeshi, who only occasionally added a few words to the conversation. Inko noticed that others, including Kimika and Yukiko, took his silence in stride, as if they weren't paying attention to his reticence.

The atmosphere around Takeshi felt cold and stern, even though he said nothing offensive. Inko felt a bit nervous when he chimed in, but to her surprise, she noticed a slight smile on his face whenever his family spoke. Eventually, she realized that Takeshi was just that kind of person, and his silence did not mean a lack of emotions or aggression.

And so their conversation smoothly transitioned into a rather amusing vein when Yukiko decided to share photos of their daughter. She opened her phone and began showing snapshots, recounting various moments from Kimika's life.

"Here's her birth! And here are her first steps!" Yukiko proudly displayed, while Kimika smiled, a bit flushed. "And there's even a video of her taking her first steps and falling onto a pillow! And she didn't even start crying; she just laughed!" she added.

Yukiko, with enthusiasm, continued showing the photos.

"And here she is trying on different costumes!" she said, opening an album and showcasing all the pictures of Kimika posing in various outfits: a princess, a hero, a little dragon, a bunny, and many others. Each photo elicited enthusiastic comments from everyone except Kimika, who, though happy, felt a bit embarrassed by the attention on her childhood looks.

"And this is a recent photo, her first day at school!" said Yukiko, displaying a picture of Kimika, lively and energetically running to school with her new backpack. Everyone watched with delight as she exited the school, with Izuku walking beside her.

"Oh, and that's me!" Izuku exclaimed joyfully when he saw himself in the photo taken when they were walking home from school together. He laughed, feeling he had become a part of this sweet atmosphere.

Eventually, the adults' conversation shifted to various topics again, and after eating the main dishes, the children headed to Kimika's room to play. They felt a bit bored with the adult discussions, which had started to touch on more serious matters that did not interest them.

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"Come on, let's play video games!" Kimika eagerly invited Izuku, leading him away from the table.

Once the parents were alone, for the first time, it was Takeshi who spoke up, not Yukiko or Inko.

"While the children are away, let's discuss more important matters," he said seriously, and the atmosphere at the table immediately became colder and calmer, not as warm as it had been during the lively conversations with the kids. Inko and Yukiko looked at Takeshi attentively, waiting for him to continue.

"Miss Inko," he addressed her, "I would like to tell you something that Kimika mentioned to me. To get straight to the point, your son is facing bullying at school from his classmates."

Inko's face instantly changed, taking on a worried expression. She listened intently to Takeshi, trying to grasp what she was hearing. Her son Izuku had always said that everything was fine at school, so she couldn't believe what she had just heard. However, looking at Takeshi, she felt that his words could not be lies.

An inner voice whispered to her that perhaps Bakugo, Izuku's childhood friend, would at least protect him, as they had been inseparable since they were toddlers. But the more she listened, the more her heart filled with anxiety. "How could this happen? Why didn't he tell me?" Inko began to feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders to uncover the truth and protect Izuku from any troubles that could threaten him.

"So..." Takeshi continued, trying to find the right words to convey the information without causing unnecessary alarm. "Your son is being verbally bullied to some extent by his classmates, as he is quite different, which is not new in our times. The main culprit in this, as Kimika told me, is Katsuki Bakugo. I don't know all the details, but that's all I can say." Takeshi thought to himself, 'I have to tell the hard truth, even if it's painful for her to hear my words. Only then can they address this issue.' However, to avoid further dampening the atmosphere, he decided to share some positive aspects as well.

"Despite this, it seems that their homeroom teacher, Sae Fujiwara, is protecting your son," he added, trying to convey at least a glimmer of optimism in this difficult situation.

Inko listened, biting her lips to keep her emotions in check. Her heart raced, and anxiety enveloped her like an invisible shadow. She had always suspected that Izuku might be struggling at school due to his lack of quirks, and even if that were the case, she wished he would have confided in her about his experiences. 'I would have gone to the school and talked to his homeroom teacher to discuss the situation with the kids... Or maybe I would have transferred him to another school. That might be the best option...' But now, as she heard Takeshi's words, she felt lost because Izuku hadn't shared this with her himself. She was unsure of what to do since it wasn't something he had directly told her.

Her thoughts spun around potential ways to support her son and protect him from this awful experience. 'I have to do something; I can't just sit and watch him suffer.' Inko felt her determination rising, and she knew she was ready to act, despite her fears and uncertainties.

Wiping away the tears that had welled up in her eyes, she refocused on Takeshi, partly hoping he would provide her with options on how to resolve this situation. Seeing Inko trying to gather herself, Takeshi couldn't help but smile. He had expected her to break down, but instead, she found the strength to listen to him further.

"As you can understand, you need to talk not only with your son but also with his homeroom teacher about this, as well as with Bakugo's parents," he said seriously. "Because, as far as I know, you're quite familiar with his parents."

Inko nodded, realizing the importance of these words. Thoughts swirled in her mind about how to initiate this conversation. She knew Bakugo's parents to be good people, but hearing about issues involving their son made her question their parenting. 'Children are a reflection of their parents. Can I trust them?' she pondered, all while wishing to avoid any conflicts.

Takeshi continued, sensing her anxiety:

"I'm also not sure that changing schools would be advisable. It could be the same there, and it might be better to leave him here, where at least the teacher is protecting him."

He paused for a moment. His professional instincts as a detective urged him to take action, but he understood that the situation was more complicated; these were not criminals, just children. Even if they were bullying Izuku, he couldn't just come in and arrest them or something similar. Perhaps the only thing left for him to do was discuss it with the teacher, who was likely already doing everything in her power.

"And you have to understand that, despite being a detective, I can't just come in and solve this problem," he continued. "These are just children's squabbles, and police intervention will probably not change anything. Even my conversation with the parents might not make sense because these are children, and there are many nuances in their relationships that they need to resolve on their own. If I intervene, it might only escalate the situation."

He knew he wasn't a specialist in child matters, so although he wanted to help, he couldn't offer any useful advice. 'If I say something wrong, it could make everything worse,' he thought, realizing how important it was to approach this issue carefully.

Eventually, they concluded their conversation on that note, returning to a quiet atmosphere where only occasional cautious phrases could be heard. The joy that had previously filled the table noticeably dimmed; the weight of the important topic just discussed hung over them like an invisible burden. Each of the three was acutely aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Yukiko sighed softly, feeling that Takeshi's words should have come at the end of the conversation rather than in the midst of it. She regretted that now, while the children were having fun, they had to remain in such a tense atmosphere. However, as a mother, she understood how crucial this discussion was for Inko. 'I wouldn't know how to react in a situation like this either,' Yukiko thought, feeling empathy for her friend.

At the same time, the children, who had been playing on the console in Kimika's room, were enjoying the games. Izuku turned out to be quite a strong fan of such entertainment, while the girl was just beginning to get the hang of it. She had received the console recently after seeing Izuku play and had really wanted one for herself. During their playtime, they discussed various topics, mostly focusing on their favorite heroes.

However, when they returned to the room, they stumbled upon a rather frosty and tense atmosphere. Inko, noticing that Izuku had come back, decided it was time to talk to him about important matters. Yukiko and Takeshi understood her decision and quietly bid her farewell, supporting her wish to discuss the situation. Kimika, although a bit disappointed because she wanted to continue playing, sensed that something had happened during their absence.

As Izuku and Inko said their goodbyes and went home, Yukiko briefly recounted their conversation. She mentioned that they had talked about the bullying Izuku faced at school and why his mother had decided to speak with him. Hearing this, Kimika felt relieved, hoping that everything would work out.

Eventually, as Kimika prepared for bed and settled down, her mother came in to stroke her hair and kiss her forehead, as always, for good luck. Kimika adored these tender moments; it had become a ritual she couldn't sleep without. Feeling her mother's care, she closed her eyes, thinking that soon, maybe not tomorrow, but everything would be better, and quietly drifted off to sleep.

~~~ Meanwhile, at the Midoriya's house ~~~

Meanwhile, upon returning home, Inko initiated an important conversation with Izuku. With a slight tremor in her voice, she told her son about the bullying she had learned about from Takeshi. Her words conveyed anxiety, as she couldn't understand why Izuku hadn't told her about it earlier.

Hearing this, Izuku couldn't hold back his tears. Inko, seeing this, hugged him, sensing his fear. He wondered why his mom was so worried… after all, everything was fine. To him, it was just a small obstacle on the path of a hero. Inko didn't demand an answer, knowing he was just a little boy who was scared.

"Everything will be alright, don't worry," she said, barely holding back her own tears. In that moment, they both cried in each other's embrace, finding comfort in one another.