Takeru POV
Nejire clung to Kendo as they slept soundly in Takeru's bed, their breathing steady and quiet in the early morning light. The sight made him pause before he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on each of their heads. Then he slipped out of the sheets and moved to the kitchen.
He needed very little rest, and by the time the coffee machine finished brewing, he had already finished half the mission report the HSPC had sent for next week. Another quiet elimination—nothing unusual, but still requiring planning.
Today, however, his focus was on the U.A. entrance exam. Hawks had tried to convince him to take the recommendation route, but Takeru refused; his pride wouldn't allow it. He preferred proving himself without shortcuts.
He cooked breakfast—eggs, miso soup, rice, bacon. He set a strong black coffee aside for Kendo and prepared a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows for Nejire.
The smell reached Kendo first. She stirred, rubbed her eyes, and sat up with a sleepy smile as he handed her the cup.
"Thanks," she mumbled, taking a long sip.
Nejire woke a few seconds later. Without hesitation, she crawled into his lap, still half-asleep, pressing her face into his chest. When he held out her hot chocolate, she reached for it with both hands, sniffed once, and made a pleased, low sound before drinking.
Takeru rested a hand on her head, brushing her hair back in slow, steady motions. She relaxed completely, as she always did when he did that. She would be leaving soon for another stretch at the Ryukyu Agency, and he had a mission coming up as well. Their schedules rarely aligned for long.
Kendo lowered her cup and looked at him over the rim. "Are you ready for the test?" she asked, though a hint of nervousness lingered in her voice.
Takeru grinned confidently. "I couldn't fail if I tried."
Kendo rolled her eyes, though amusement softened her expression. Nejire giggled quietly against him, now fully awake.
"I have a gift for you," Takeru said, handing Kendo a sleek black box about the size of a notebook.
"Open it! I want to see!" Nejire chirped, instantly energized.
"Takeru… why? I can't accept this," Kendo said, hesitating.
"Yes you can. Now open it," Nejire commanded in a tone that brooked no argument.
Inside were silver bracelets set with teal-blue stones.
"They're so beautiful! They'll look perfect with your eyes, Kendo-chan!" Nejire squealed.
Kendo stared at the bracelets in awe. "Takeru… this is beautiful."
"Put one on," Takeru said, trying to hide his excitement. "Then tap the blue stone in the middle—twice."
Kendo did as instructed. The bracelets shifted, unfolding and reshaping until they became sleek metallic gloves.
"They're made of nanites," Takeru explained. "They'll expand with Big Fist, and they can store kinetic energy from your attacks. When fully charged, they can release a focused blast."
Kendo's jaw dropped. "Takeru… this is extremely expensive."
Nejire reached over and placed a finger on Kendo's lips. "Accept it. Takeru bought it because he loves you." She leaned in and kissed Kendo's cheek. "Now go do well on the exam."
Kendo looked between them—gratitude, resolve, and affection in her eyes."I will," she said.
The three of them settled into breakfast together, quietly preparing for the long day ahead.
Kendo POV
Kendo adjusted the silver bracelets on her wrists as she walked beside Takeru toward the auditorium. They looked simple polished silver with smooth blue stones set into the center but she had been touching them constantly all morning receiving it still made her heart flutter. Takeru had given them to her this morning . When She pressed the stones and the bracelets unfolded like mechanical petals, extending and reconfiguring into sleek metallic gloves perfectly fitted to her fingers. They were lightweight but durable, designed to withstand her Big Fist quirk without tearing apart. Even better, they absorbed kinetic energy from her punches and could release it in short-range blasts.
She still couldn't believe he had commissioned them for her the thought of how much it must have cost made a stomach flip.
And now, as they approached the vast U.A. auditorium for the practical instructions, she pressed the stones once. The bracelets shimmered and expanded silently, forming their glove state. The blue lines along the palms pulsed faintly.
Takeru glanced at her with that familiar crooked grin. "Trying them out?"
Kendo lifted her hands. "They feel perfect. Thank you… again."
He hugged her from the side and kissed the top of her head making her turn as red as her hair , the other contestants shot them looks . "You deserve the best "
When they stepped into the auditorium, a wave of noise washed over them. Hundreds of examinees filled the seats, buzzing with nervous excitement. Takeru drew every eye instantly. It was hard not to stare at someone who looked like a fully grown hero—broad, sculpted muscle, towering height, and wearing a costume designed to emphasize his power.
His uniform was white and red with sharp armored lines hugging his torso and shoulders. A deep crimson insignia cut across his chest, and silver plating lined his wrists and boots. The fabric looked thick enough to stop bullets but flexible enough to move like skin. He looked like he walked out of a support item catalog.
Kendo could practically hear the whispers around them.
"Is he really sixteen?""He looks like a monster…""Maybe he's a teacher?"
Takeru heard all of it and only smiled, settling into his seat next to her as Present Mic burst onto the stage, shouting with the enthusiasm of a rockstar hyping a stadium crowd.
"WELCOME ALL FUTURE HEROES! Today, you're taking the U.A. Practical Entrance Exam!"
Kendo tried to focus as he explained the robot point values and mock city structure, but a sudden loud voice snapped her attention sideways.
A tall boy with glasses had jumped to his feet and was scolding a nervous green-haired examinee.
"YOU THERE! STOP MUMBLING AND PAY ATTENTION! YOU ARE DISTURBING THOSE AROUND YOU!"
The poor boy nearly folded himself in half apologizing. Kendo cringed sympathetically.
A light tapping sounded next to her—pink fingernails on a chair.
She looked over to see a girl with bright pink skin and small horns leaning forward, grinning at Takeru like she had struck gold.
"Hey big guy," the girl said, openly flirty. "You look strong. Like… really strong. You going for the top score?"
Kendo felt her jaw tighten slightly, but Takeru only smirked politely.
"I plan to do well," he replied smoothly.
The girl giggled and tucked a strand of curly pink hair behind her horn. "If you ever wanna train together, I don't mind being thrown around~"
Kendo nearly choked. Takeru's smirked . "Tempting offer."
Pink girl beamed. Kendo exhaled slowly . She wasn't jealous, Definitely not. Probably.
Present Mic finished his rundown, and the examinees were funneled toward the mock cities. As Kendo and Takeru walked toward City B, the pink girl continued bouncing around them like an excitable spark of energy.
Kendo stole another glance at Takeru. His confidence hadn't dimmed. If anything, he looked even more alive now that the test was close.
Right as the crowd funneled tighter toward the gate entrance, an explosive crackle sounded behind them.
A boy with an ash-blond explosion of hair shoved through the line, palms popping angrily with small bursts of sweat-ignited sparks. He stalked past Kendo without a second glance—but when he brushed Takeru's arm, he stopped and glared up at him.
"Oi. Watch it, extra."
Takeru looked down at him, amused. The height difference was almost comical.
"You bumped into me," Takeru said calmly.
The blond boy's lip curled. "Say that again, meat-head, and I'll blow your face off."
Kendo stiffened, but Takeru chuckled—a deep, unbothered sound that made the blond's eye twitch.
"Sure thing, Hanabi-chan."
Sparks flared violently.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Kendo stepped between them instinctively. "Hey—save it for the robots!"
The blond snarled but stormed ahead, shoving more examinees out of his way.
Takeru leaned down to her with a muttered, "Fiery temper on that one."
The metal shutters of City B began to rise.
Present Mic's voice roared through the speakers:
"REMEMBER—NO COUNTDOWN IN REAL BATTLES! THE MOMENT THOSE GATES OPEN, THE TEST BEGINS!"
Kendo felt her breath catch. Her fists expanded instinctively, power flowing through her muscles. The gloves lit with blue filaments, ready to absorb impact.
Takeru stepped closer, lowering his voice so only she could hear. " You're ready. Trust yourself." She nodded tightly. He kissed the top of her head.
"Good luck, Kendo." She blushed and then her hear filled with resolve she will prove herself.
The gates snapped fully open.
Takeru launched into the air in the same instant rocketing upward with a crack of wind that sent several examinees stumbling backward.
Gasps echoed across the field.
"He can fly?!""What kind of quirk is that?!""Holy crap—he's fast!"
"show off " Kendo thought smiling .
Kendo took another deep breath steadied herself, heat burning in her chest the drive to prove herself .
"Let's go," she whispered.
And then she sprinted into the mock city, fists growing massive, gloves humming with stored power, ready to punch her way into UA .