Something felt off with Masata these past few days.
On an otherwise ordinary morning, Masata and Ochaco were still sprawled lazily in bed as usual, while Yaoyorozu Momo had already been dragged up, rushed through washing, eaten breakfast, and headed to school at lightning speed.
Just as Masata walked down the stairs, he suddenly noticed a small flyer pasted on the door.
"Shenmu Hospital — Grand Opening Today! All Patients Welcome!"
"…A hospital?" Masata frowned. "Why does that sound like a restaurant slogan? And why does it feel so familiar?"
He tore the flyer off and glanced over the text. Confused, he was just about to think more deeply when Yaoyorozu and Ochaco's voices rang out from outside, urging him to hurry.
Not wanting to be late, Masata crumpled the flyer into a ball and stuffed it into his school bag before rushing off.
As he sprinted toward school, the streets he'd walked countless times suddenly felt… different.
Outside a roadside deli, a chalkboard sign caught his eye:
"Today's Special: Smoked Meat Made from Sacred Wood!"
It was a completely ordinary line.
And yet—
Masata's gaze locked onto the words "Sacred Wood."
"…Why does that stand out so much?"
He shook his head, telling himself he was overthinking things. Maybe the stress from the recent battles had left his nerves too tight.
But before he could fully dismiss it, a news broadcast echoed beneath an overpass ahead:
"The pro hero Kamui Woods captured another dangerous fugitive this morning! Let's hear his thoughts—"
Masata looked up at the screen showing Kamui Woods' towering, tree-like figure.
For some reason, a ridiculous image flashed through his mind—himself being swarmed by woodpeckers.
"…That'd actually be pretty funny."
The rest of the morning passed in a dull haze. Masata, already unfocused, drifted through classes without retaining much of anything.
At lunch, Yaoyorozu sat beside him, scrolling through her phone.
"I heard a mysterious type of wood was discovered in Hokkaido," she said casually.
"It can regulate temperature automatically—warm in winter, cool in summer. It even emits a scent that repels mosquitoes. People are calling it the Sacred Tree."
Masata froze.
"Masata," Yaoyorozu continued innocently, "do you want to buy a sofa made from sacred wood? It looks incredibly comfortable. And it's not expensive—only five million yen."
To her, that number meant nothing.
To normal people, it was a year of income without spending a single yen.
But Masata wasn't thinking about money at all.
"…Why is it Shenmu again?" he muttered under his breath.
"I keep noticing these words. Am I just being paranoid… or is this really a coincidence?"
"Masata?" Ochaco waved her hand in front of his face.
"You spaced out."
"Huh? Oh—yeah, I'm fine." Masata snapped back and forced a smile.
"Just thought of something random. Let's eat before the food gets cold."
He shoved the unease aside and finished his meal quickly.
But the feeling didn't go away.
During the afternoon Hero Basics class, his irritation only grew stronger.
Over the next two or three days, the words "Sacred Tree" appeared again and again—like a parasite lodged in his thoughts, weaving itself into every corner of his daily life.
"…Am I cursed?" Masata muttered, slumped over his desk.
"Or am I just losing it?"
As he shifted, a small paper ball slid out of his bag.
"…This?"
He picked it up.
The flyer from that morning.
"I never threw it away…"
Unfolding it, Masata stared at the bold heading: Shenmu Hospital.
"Alright," he muttered. "Let's see what you really are."
He pulled out his phone and searched for the hospital.
Nothing useful came up.
Only similarly named clinics and medical supply ads.
"…That's weird. The address is clearly written here. Why doesn't it exist online?"
"Is it brand-new? No online promotion at all?"
His curiosity had crossed the line.
"I'll check it out after school."
If this kept going, it would start affecting his daily life. Whether it was coincidence or not, he needed answers.
That evening, back at home, Masata spoke up.
"Momo, Ochaco—I'm heading out after dinner. I'll skip training tonight."
The house had a small training room—nothing fancy, mostly for physical conditioning. Masata had insisted on it ever since childhood, determined to become a Hero.
Lately, the three of them had been using it to prepare for the Sports Festival.
Ochaco focused on combat basics, while Masata and Yaoyorozu coached her. Yaoyorozu also did physical training herself.
As for Masata—at his level, pure physical training barely mattered anymore. Only Quirk breakthroughs or battles against strong opponents would push him further.
"Oh, okay," Yaoyorozu replied absently, whispering to Ochaco and waving him off without even looking up.
Watching the two of them together, Masata couldn't help worrying about his future family status.
After finishing the meal delivered by Yaoyorozu's household chefs, Masata headed out.
"This address… it really is nearby."
Descending the stairs while checking the flyer again, he frowned.
"…I should grab some water first."
Feeling thirsty, he stepped into the convenience store downstairs.
"Huh?" Masata blinked.
"Aren't you… back?"
The clerk behind the counter was a familiar face—the long-time employee Masata knew well.
"Yeah," the man chuckled.
"I took a couple days off. Guess the manager brought in temps while I was gone."
"That explains it." Masata nodded, then hesitated.
"Hey—you know this neighborhood better than I do. Can you take a look at this address?"
He handed over the flyer after paying.
"…Shenmu Hospital?" the clerk frowned.
"New place? Never heard of it. But this address—I know it."
He thought for a moment.
"That area was poorly planned years ago. Development stalled, and it's still full of rundown buildings. Hardly anyone lives there."
"…A hospital opening in a place like that?" he scoffed.
"Doesn't sound very profitable."
"…I see." Masata nodded slowly.
"Thanks."
He waved goodbye and stepped outside.
A hospital…
A remote location…
Those lingering words echoing through his days…
"…Is it really just coincidence?"
...
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