The soft rays of the morning sun filtered through the large windows of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology dorms, casting a warm golden glow over the quiet living room.
Aiden stirred, shifting slightly on the couch as the scent of Honey's perfume lingered in the air. His arms were still loosely wrapped around her, their bodies tangled in the remnants of last night's warmth.
He cracked open one eye, taking in the sight before him—Honey, curled up against his chest, her golden curls spilling over his shoulder.
She was breathing softly, her face relaxed in sleep, lips slightly parted.
Aiden smiled lazily.
It was rare to wake up so peacefully. No sudden explosions from Honey's latest attempt at making colourful grenades. No frantic rush to class after oversleeping. Just… calm.
But, of course, peace never lasted long around here.
His phone, resting precariously on the coffee table, suddenly vibrated, its screen lighting up with an alert. At the same time, Baymax, who had been standing in his usual inactive mode in the corner of the room, activated with a quiet hum.
"Good morning, Aiden," the robotic nurse greeted in his soft, pleasant voice.
Honey stirred at the sound, mumbling something incoherent before slowly blinking awake. She frowned in confusion at her surroundings, then looked up at Aiden, their faces mere inches apart.
"…Did we sleep here all night?" she murmured, her voice thick with sleep.
"Looks like it," Aiden said, his tone amused. He stretched his arms above his head, careful not to jostle her too much. "Not complaining, though. This couch is surprisingly comfortable."
Honey playfully swatted his chest before sitting up, rubbing her eyes. "Ugh, my back is gonna hate me later."
Baymax tilted his head slightly. "Shall I perform a scan?"
"No, no, I'm good," Honey laughed, shaking her head.
Aiden reached for his phone and unlocked it, only for the screen to immediately display a breaking news broadcast. His smile disappeared.
"Last night in Hosu City, the infamous Hero Killer Stain was finally apprehended after a violent confrontation with multiple heroes and students from U.A. High School..."
Aiden's kept quiet as the screen switched to footage of the aftermath—police officers carrying the unconscious Stain away, the faces of his classmates caught in the background, bloodied and exhausted.
Then, it cut to Stain's final moments before passing out, his terrifying presence lingering even in defeat.
"The only one worthy of being called a true hero is All Might!"
The sheer intensity of his last words sent chills down Aiden's spine. Even through the screen, the weight of Stain's convictions was suffocating.
Honey had gone quiet beside him, her brows furrowed in concern.
"That guy is seriously insane," she muttered, wrapping her arms around herself. "But… the way he talks, it's like he really believes everything he's saying. That's what makes him so scary."
Aiden exhaled sharply, closing his phone and standing up.
"I need to make a call."
—
Aiden stepped out onto the dorm's balcony, the cool morning breeze ruffling his dreadlocks as he dialed Celeste's number first. The phone rang twice before she picked up.
"Aiden?" Celeste's voice came through, her tone slightly groggy. "It's early. What's up?"
Aiden leaned against the railing. "I saw the news. You weren't caught up in all that Stain business, were you?"
Celeste let out a soft sigh. "No. I stayed out of it. My internship kept me on the other side of the city. But I heard Todoroki and Midoriya got messed up pretty bad. Iida too."
Aiden clenched his jaw. "Yeah. They looked rough in the footage."
There was a pause on the other end before Celeste spoke again, quieter this time. "I know you. You're feeling guilty you weren't there."
Aiden chuckled dryly. "I wasn't even thinking about that until you said it."
"Liar."
Aiden smirked but didn't deny it.
From inside, Honey peeked through the glass doors, clearly eavesdropping. When she caught Aiden's eyes, she gave him a thumbs-up and mouthed, "ask about Toru!"
Aiden rolled his eyes but complied, switching the topic. "What about Toru? She wasn't involved, right?"
There was a brief rustling sound, and suddenly a familiar cheerful voice came through the receiver.
"Hey, hey! I'm fine! Thanks for worrying, Aiden~"
Aiden chuckled. "I wasn't worried. I was just checking."
"Liar again!" Toru giggled. "But really, I stayed out of it too. My internship was nowhere near Hosu. But, man, that whole thing was wild! I watched the news report this morning, and I still can't believe Stain was that intense!"
"Yeah," Aiden muttered. "Even passed out, his body was still moving like it wanted to fight."
"Hellooo?" Honey chimed in from behind, pushing the door open and leaning against Aiden's shoulder so she was within earshot. "Are you two done being all serious? The science fair's today! We need to get ready!"
"Oh! Honey's there?" Toru said, her voice perking up. "Hey, Honey-Lemon~!"
"Morning, Toru~!" Honey beamed. "Tell Celeste I say hi too!"
"Will do!"
Aiden shook his head, amused. "Alright, I'll let you two go. Just wanted to check in."
"Awww," Toru cooed. "You're such a caring boyfriend."
Honey giggled. "He really is!"
Aiden groaned. "Okay, I'm hanging up now."
"Awww, don't be shy, Aiden~!"
Click~.
He shoved his phone into his pocket, shaking his head. "Women."
Honey laughed, grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's eat and get ready! We've got a fair to dominate!"
—
Breakfast went by quickly. Fred was already hyped about the event, rambling about how he was going to blow everyone's minds with his latest comic-inspired invention. Wasabi, on the other hand, was stressing over the organization of the fair, making sure everything was in place.
GoGo was sipping her coffee quietly, looking as disinterested as ever, but everyone knew she was secretly excited.
Aiden sat back, watching them all with a small smirk.
This was a nice change of pace.
Yesterday had been filled with romance, the kind of thing he wasn't used to. Today? Today was back to business—science, competition, and maybe just a little bit of showing off.
As he sipped his coffee, Honey reached across the table, poking his cheek.
"You ready to wow the crowd, Basileus?" she teased.
Aiden arched a brow. "Oh? And what exactly do you have planned, Miss Lemon?"
She winked. "A surprise~."
Aiden chuckled. "Alright, alright. Let's get to it, then."
=..=.=
=.=
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[Kayla POV]
For the past two weeks, I had found myself in an unusual predicament—I was not working.
Not properly, anyway.
When Lord Aiden informed me that I would be serving as his secretary during his internship at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, I expected my workload to be extensive. Managing his schedule, handling correspondence, ensuring his security—all the usual tasks that came with my role as his personal bodyguard.
However, things had taken an unexpected turn.
Instead of a high-paced, demanding position, my time on this island had felt more like an extended vacation.
While Aiden spent his days at SFIT, surrounded by his enthusiastic peers, I found myself with more free time than I had anticipated. Of course, I remained diligent in my duties. I made sure his daily itinerary was in order, prepared all the necessary materials for his science fair project, and ensured that nothing was amiss.
But beyond that, there was little for me to do.
For the first time in a long time, I was relaxing.
At first, I felt uneasy about it. My entire life had been structured around discipline and duty. Even as a child, I was trained in strategy, combat, and protection. The idea of idleness was foreign to me. But after spending so much time in San Fransokyo, I began to adapt.
I explored the city, indulging in its unique blend of Eastern and Western culture. I sampled its cuisine, from steaming bowls of ramen to gourmet sushi and even strange but delicious street food.
The more time I spent here, the more I realized—this place was nothing like the intense courts of back home (Paradis).
It was… refreshing.
Of course, my instincts never dulled. While Aiden and his companions enjoyed their social gatherings, I remained ever-vigilant. Though I was no longer at his side every moment of the day, my eyes were everywhere.
Even on days when I seemed to simply be enjoying the island, I was still observing, calculating, protecting.
It was during one of these uneventful days that I first noticed him.
The halls of SFIT were always bustling with energy—students scurrying about with their latest projects, professors deeply engaged in academic discussions, and Fred occasionally sprinting past in a superhero costume for no discernible reason.
Today, however, my focus was elsewhere.
Professor Robert Callaghan.
He had been acting strangely.
Callaghan was a well-respected figure in the scientific community, known for his intellect and leadership. However, over the past week, I had noticed small but unmistakable changes in his demeanor. His movements were tense, his expressions guarded.
And most importantly—he was avoiding people.
Not in a way that would arouse immediate suspicion, but subtly. Conversations were cut short, he glanced over his shoulder more often, and he moved through the halls with purpose—as if he didn't want to be seen.
I had no reason to involve myself in his affairs. My only responsibility was Aiden's safety. However, something about Callaghan's behavior felt off.
And so, I followed him.
I kept a careful distance, moving soundlessly through the halls as I tailed the professor.
Callaghan moved with certainty, his posture stiff as he navigated the corridors. He eventually reached his office, glancing around once before stepping inside.
I waited.
Exactly seventeen seconds later, I moved to the door.
It was locked. Expected.
I reached into my coat and pulled out a small, compact device—a multi-tool designed for discreet access. With practiced efficiency, I worked on the lock, careful to remain silent. Within moments, the mechanism clicked, and I slipped inside.
The office was exactly what one would expect of a scientist's workspace—bookshelves filled with engineering manuals, a cluttered desk with neatly stacked blueprints, and a computer monitor that had been hastily turned off.
However, what drew my attention was not what was in the room—but what Callaghan had done.
At the far end of the office, I saw it.
A door.
Not one that belonged to the original design of the room, but a hidden panel that had slid open in the wall. Beyond it, a dimly lit staircase led downward.
I moved swiftly, making my way toward the passage just as I heard Callaghan's footsteps disappearing down the stairs. Without hesitation, I followed.
The underground room was massive. The walls were lined with machinery, blue holographic schematics floating above tables cluttered with tools and mechanical components.
I pressed myself into the shadows, my sharp eyes scanning the contents of the room.
There were plans.
On the central wall, large blueprints displayed an elaborate machine—one that, based on its scale, was capable of something significant. The details were too intricate to decipher immediately, but I recognized one key element—portal technology.
He's building something dangerous.
My gaze shifted to another wall, where a series of images were pinned up. Photographs of a young woman with dark hair, smiling in various moments of life—a graduation ceremony, a family dinner, standing beside Callaghan himself.
His daughter.
Realization clicked instantly.
The Krei Tech disaster—the accident that occurred years ago involving experimental teleportation technology. It had been covered in news reports, archived in scientific journals. His daughter, Abigail Callaghan, had been lost in that accident.
But if these plans were what I thought they were…
He's trying to bring her back.
For several minutes, I remained motionless in the shadows, processing everything I had seen.
The question was—what did I do with this information?
Aiden was here as a student, not a hero. And despite my title as his bodyguard, my role in San Fransokyo had not included dealing with rogue scientists or underground projects.
Still…
I exhaled quietly.
I would have to keep an eye on Callaghan. For now, I had no reason to expose him. But if his actions threatened Aiden in any way, then I would act.
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