The student race had just ended, and Kairi was practically bouncing with excitement.
"That Izuku kid won without even using his Quirk! That was insane!"
Keiko nodded, calm as ever. "Adaptability. More dangerous than raw power... when trained."
They sat alone on a bench beneath a row of tall banners, shaded from the sun. Keiko opened their lunch container and passed Kairi a wrapped onigiri. She unwrapped it excitedly.
Then Keiko's sharp hearing caught soft footsteps — he turned slightly.
Kairi followed his gaze — and there she was.
Midnight, in a stylish jacket thrown over her hero suit, hips swaying as she walked up.
"Well, well," she purred. "Seats like these... front row, tucked in the shade? Almost like you wanted me to find you."
Keiko said nothing.
Nemuri suddenly bolted toward Kairi with a grin and reached into her pocket.
"I saw this and thought of you," she said, offering a red flame-styled cat keychain. "Fierce, cute... and definitely one of a kind."
Kairi's eyes lit up. "Ohh, it's so cute! Thank you, Miss Midnight!"
Midnight winked. "Call me Nemuri, sweetheart."
Then she turned back to Keiko, voice dipping low. "Now... where were we?"
Before Keiko could respond, a calm but clear voice rang out.
"Keiko! Kairi!"
They all turned.
Ryukyu walked toward them, graceful and calm in her civilian jacket, a bag of neatly wrapped snacks and drinks in one hand.
"It's good to see you," she said, her smile genuine. "Kairi, I brought some things in case you were hungry."
Kairi's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Miss Ryukyu!"
She peeked inside the bag — and beamed. "You even got the melon buns I love!"
Then her eyes turned toward Midnight, mischief flaring.
"Midnight, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with the other teachers?"
Midnight smiled coolly. "I could ask the same. Shouldn't you be with the other professional heroes?"
Ryukyu gave a small sigh. "I saw Keiko and Kairi in the crowd. I came to greet them."
"Oh, how noble," Midnight purred.
Before tension could sharpen, a voice cut through—
"Hey!"
They turned to see a tall figure approaching — blonde hair, purple glasses, and an unmistakable swagger.
Mt. Lady.
"I've been looking for you," she said, pointing directly at Keiko.You're Keiko, right? Saw your name on that ticket — front row, dead center. Not exactly low profile, huh?"
She crouched slightly, grinning at Kairi. "Hey, kiddo. The name's Mt. Lady — sensational, heroic, and incredibly humble," she added with a wink.
Kairi blinked, halfway through chewing. "Uhm... hi?"
Now the three heroines looked at each other.
Tension rose again — posture tightening, smiles fading— but before anything else could unfold, Keiko's voice cut through, low and composed:
"Sit. Eat. You're pro heroes — not a drama troupe."
Midnight smirked but obeyed, sitting with an elegant flip of her coat.
Ryukyu exhaled softly and settled beside Kairi, calm and graceful.
Mt. Lady grumbled something under her breath but plopped down, crossing her legs loudly.
Keiko leaned back against the bench, eyes half-closed.
Nemuri charms, Ryukyu anchors, Mt. Lady stirs the wind...
Three storms circling one still flame.
All different storms... circling the same quiet center.
He sipped his tea, unbothered. Let them swirl. I'm not moving.
Before the awkward silence could stretch, a loud buzz echoed through the stadium — the next event was about to begin.
Keiko stood, Kairi following suit.
"Thank you," he said simply. "It was good to see you all."
Kairi smiled brightly. "Thank you for the snacks! And the keychain! And, uh... the energy," she added, glancing at Mt. Lady.
The heroines nodded or smiled — some more naturally than others.
As they walked away, Kairi tugged Keiko's sleeve and whispered:
"Hey Keiko... are all heroines this pretty and this weird?"
Keiko didn't answer — but his ear twitched slightly, and Kairi grinned.
As they walked back toward the stadium entrance, the crowd buzzing around them again, Kairi was still smiling to herself.
"That was kinda fun," she said. "Weird. But fun."
Keiko gave a faint nod. "You handled it well."
"You think they're all into you?" she teased, bumping his side lightly with her elbow.
"...I know they are," he replied, deadpan.
Kairi blinked, then burst into laughter.
"You're impossible."
He allowed himself a very small smile.
"I've been called worse."
"Also, I'm naming the cat 'Flamey,'" Kairi added proudly.
"Of course you are," Keiko muttered.
As Keiko and Kairi disappeared into the crowd once more, the three heroines remained on the bench — quiet for a moment.
Midnight smirked, eyes still trailing after Keiko.
"That man is dangerously unshakable... I want to see what makes him crack."
Ryukyu folded her hands in her lap, her voice soft.
"He's strong... but the way he looks at her — Kairi — that's what matters most."
Mt. Lady scoffed, arms crossed, lips twitching in frustrated amusement.
"Tch... I gave him four smiles. Not even a blink. Who is this guy?"
A breeze passed through the quiet moment, rustling the snack wrappers and shifting the light.
They didn't speak again.
But all three were still watching the same direction.
Midnight leaned back, lips curving into a slow smirk.
"A real man. A dangerous one."
Ryukyu smiled softly.
"A father first."
Mt. Lady scoffed, then laughed under her breath.
"Whatever he is... I kind of want to crack that code."
The three sat in thoughtful silence, watching the crowd ahead — but their thoughts had drifted toward the same quiet storm.
And though none of them said it aloud...
None of them planned on backing down.
The roar of the crowd swelled again as Keiko and Kairi made their way back to their front-row seats. The sun had shifted just slightly in the sky, casting golden light across the stadium's massive ring.
Kairi plopped into her seat with a satisfied sigh, holding her keychain like a trophy.
"I can't believe you just made three pro heroines sit down like they were in detention," she muttered, half in awe, half amused.
Keiko settled beside her, arms folded, eyes scanning the arena.
"I didn't make them. I invited calm."
Kairi snorted. "Yeah, well, you invited calm and got three women blushing, snacking, and glaring daggers at each other."
He said nothing.
Kairi nudged him with her elbow. "Don't play dumb. I saw Nemuri batting her lashes like it was a combat move. Ryukyu had that whole quiet admiration thing going. And Mt. Lady? She looked like she was five seconds away from dragging you into an interview just to steal your number."
Keiko sipped his tea, unbothered.
"I don't flirt during lunch."
Kairi choked on a laugh. "What does that even mean?! You sound like a monk!"
He gave the faintest smirk. "I've been called worse."
Kairi shook her head, grinning wide. "Seriously, though... are you sure you weren't a heartbreaker before I came along?"
"I was many things," Keiko said simply, "but distracted wasn't one of them."
Kairi glanced down at her keychain and smiled.
"Well... they were kind. Weird. Intense. But kind. You could do worse."
"I haven't done anything."
"Yet," Kairi muttered under her breath, barely hiding her grin.
Keiko turned his head slowly.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!" she chirped, swinging her legs. "Just saying... I'm totally rooting for you, Keiko."
He raised a brow at her.
She winked. "Every great warrior deserves a harem of beautiful chaos."
Keiko sighed through his nose. "That's not how peace is kept."
"It is in anime," she quipped, grinning.
And for the first time in a while, Keiko actually chuckled — low and quiet, like distant thunder.
The crowd roared again as the next event began — but for a moment, father and daughter sat in a rare, perfect stillness.
The chaos behind them. The stadium before them. And between them — peace.