The sun was just starting to peek through the window blinds when Claire gently nudged Shin awake. "Rise and shine, Shin." she said with a warm smile, knowing that her son was no stranger to early mornings, even if he was only five.

Shin groaned a little, squinting as he opened his eyes.

"Already?" he muttered, feeling a little annoyed, but he sat up, rubbing his eyes. As usual, he didn’t want to admit that he actually liked this quiet time with his mom in the mornings.

As annoying it could be for someone to wake you up, the feeling of someone caring enough about him to do such a thing overpowered any anger.

Claire chuckled softly. “Yes, already. You’ve got a big day today,” she reminded him, helping him out of bed. "I know you’re gonna want to be at your best."

After a quick stretch, Shin made his way to the bathroom, where his toothbrush was already waiting, a dollop of minty toothpaste on its bristles. He brushed his teeth while staring into the mirror, his silvery eyes—the same ones as his grandpa, his mom often reminded him—looking back at him with a mix of curiosity and focus.

Ryo popped his head into the bathroom. “Breakfast will be ready in five, Champ! We’ve got eggs, toast, and your favorite…a big stack of pancakes.” His dad gave him a wink and disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Shin to finish brushing his teeth and splash water on his face to wake up fully.

Once he was dressed, Shin made his way to the kitchen, where a delicious smell filled the air. His breakfast plate was already set, complete with a small mountain of pancakes topped with Chocolate and a bit of whipped cream. He smiled to himself as he sat down. It was nice to eat with someone that cared for him.

After eating, he grabbed his backpack and headed for the door, where his parents were waiting, as they always did. Today, though, he noticed something different—both Ryo and Claire looked extra excited, exchanging knowing smiles.

"Today is going to be a bit of a special day at kindergarten." Ryo said as they walked out the door. “Your teacher has planned a little something so everyone can show off their quirks! Exciting, huh?”

Shin raised an eyebrow, trying to hide his interest with a calm expression. After all, no matter how much he knew that quirks did exist, seeing them with his own eyes, would never get boring.

But the thought of a “quirk demonstration day” was intriguing. He had always trained his quirk at home, but now he’d get to see what the other kids could do too. He tried to keep his enthusiasm in check as they made their way to school.

As Shin entered the classroom, he noticed a new buzz of energy. Kids were already talking excitedly, and Ms. Sato was setting up an area near the front of the room with colored markers on the floor to make a small stage.

“Good morning, Shin!” she called cheerfully, clapping her hands to gather everyone’s attention. “Today, we have a special activity planned. Each of you will have a chance to show your quirks to the class! Don’t worry, I’ll be here to make sure everything goes safely. And remember, this is just for fun!” She gave a reassuring smile to a few nervous faces in the room.

Shin took a seat beside Haruto, who looked ready to burst with excitement. “I can’t wait to show everyone my sticky fingers!” Haruto whispered, wiggling his fingers in anticipation. “What about you, Shin? You’re super fast, right?”

Shin nodded, his usual calm expression now married with a small smile.

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

Ms. Sato began calling on students one by one. The first kid went up, a shy girl named Emi who had a flower-growing quirk. Her cheeks turned pink as tiny buds sprouted from her palms, transforming into small daisies that made the class “ooh” and “ahh.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Next was a boy named Takumi, who turned his skin a shiny, bright green when he focused. He explained proudly that it was “to blend in like a frog,” even though he didn’t quite look like one yet.

Finally, Ms. Sato called Shin’s name. He walked to the front of the room, feeling the weight of everyone’s eyes on him. He took a breath and looked at Ms. Sato, who gave him an encouraging nod.

“Whenever you’re ready, Shin.” she said. “Just go ahead and show us what you’ve got!”

Shin took a deep breath, then dashed across the small stage in a blur of speed, circling the room and returning to the same spot in an instant.

The kids gasped, cheering and clapping. Haruto’s eyes were wide with admiration.

“Whoa! You’re like lightning!” Haruto said, clapping enthusiastically.

Ms. Sato smiled brightly. “Very impressive, Shin! I think you may be the fastest kid I’ve ever seen!” she said, clearly impressed. Shin felt a small burst of pride but squashed it down. What kind of adult gets that happy with some stupid praise?

Perhaps one attention starved enough.

As he sat in his seat, Haruto leaned in with a grin. “That was amazing, Shin! You’re like a real hero already!”

After Shin’s quirk demonstration, the class continued to marvel at the uniqueness of each quirk, with kids showing off everything from small transformations to playful elemental tricks. A boy named Kenji created little puffs of cloud in his hands that quickly dissipated, and a girl named Hana, to everyone’s amazement, could make small objects float with a flick of her finger.

Seeing that, and other quirks, made shin think about the future. His future. He knew such a quirk and other much more powerful would support and hinder him. it made him rethink everything. Would it be enough? would he be able to protect his parents? his new friends? his future bonds?

No. He wouldn't let that happen. No matter what, he would do what it takes to protect those he cared for.

As the morning moved on, Ms. Sato led them through a craft activity. She handed out bright-colored construction paper, scissors, and glue, inviting the kids to make "hero badges" for their favorite heroes or for themselves if they wanted to pretend to be heroes too. Shin’s fingers moved as he reached for a red piece of paper and began to carefully shape it into a star.

“Are you making that for All Might?” Haruto asked, glancing over and grinning.

Shin shook his head.

“No, I’m making it for me.” he replied,

He didn’t want to admit it, but a small part of him had come to enjoy the idea of Becoming a hero. The fact that heroes were always on tv had nothing to do about it. Definitely.

Afterward, it was time for recess. Shin and Haruto dashed out to the playground, quickly finding their friend Miyu. They spent most of the time racing around the playground’s grassy track, though Shin kept himself to a moderate pace so Miyu could keep up, something she didn’t exactly appreciate.

“You don’t have to go easy on me!” she insisted, pouting as she chased him.

“Keep up then, Slowpoke.”

he replied grinning, taking off in a blur that left her yelling after him.

Riling up kids like that had become one of his favorite things to do. It reminded him of simpler times. Ones where he was truly a kid.

Times when he didn't have to worry about bills and responsibilities.

As they walked in the classroom, Shin's thoughts came to his two new friends. They might not have been super close yet, but he liked spending time with them. They reminded him of what it meant to just be a kid. Yet as much as he wanted to just laze around, there was always that voice in the back of his head. It would whisper to him. You won't do it. You'll fail. It was a constant reminder to push himself to his limits.

The rest of the day went by quickly,

filled with group activities, snack time, and the sight of kids playing and arguing like. Well. Kids.

When Ms. Sato read them a story about a hero who saved a city from a giant robot, Shin noticed how his classmates sat in awe, and he found himself enjoying the tale as well, even if he’d heard more than his share of hero stories. Not like it was his fault that his child body affected him more like he'd like to admit.

Finally, as the day came to an end, Ms. Sato gathered the class into a circle. “Alright everyone. let’s all thank each other for sharing their amazing quirks today!” she said with a warm smile.

The kids clapped, and Shin joined them. As the kindergarten emptied out, he saw a familiar pair of faces waiting near the kindergarten gates. His mom and dad stood there, waving with matching smiles, and he felt a little rush of happiness as he ran over to them.

“Hey there champ.” Ryo asked, crouching down ruffle Shin’s hair.

"Hi dad. Hi mom." Shin spoke, and they all had a group hug.

“Did you get to show off your quirk?” Clare spoke, starting the conversation about his day again, just like any other day in this life.