The next morning.
After completing his usual routine, morning run, washing up, and breakfast, Kaminari grabbed his bag and stepped out of the house, his "Pikachu" following at his heels. His mother watched him leave with a gentle smile.
As for his dad? Still asleep. He had claimed he'd only worked two hours of overtime last night, but according to his mom, he hadn't come home until around two in the morning.
Since he was the boss, he technically didn't have to be at work on time. But most of the time, he still made sure to arrive punctually.
Today seemed like an ordinary day, but it carried special significance.
After all, today was the last day of the first semester at U.A. High School. In other words, summer vacation officially began tomorrow!
"The weather's really nice today," Kaminari murmured as he stepped out of the building, letting the bright sunlight warm his face. Beside him, "Pikachu" also squinted contentedly, as if basking in the glow.
"Let's go!"
As Kaminari walked along the sidewalk beside the highway, he mentally listed out his goals for the break. Training his new Quirk was a given, but he also needed to keep up with his physical workouts.
"Thinking about it, this summer should be pretty productive… Oh, and I can't forget about my date with Kyoka."
Lost in thought, Kaminari eventually arrived at the Shinkansen station, where he spotted Tetsutetsu waiting in the distance.
"As always, you're here first. One of these days, you should let me be the one to wait for you. It's getting embarrassing," Kaminari said with a grin as he approached.
"Hey, it's not my fault I live so close! No matter how jealous you are, there's nothing you can do about it!" Tetsutetsu responded with a proud smirk.
The two chatted and joked as they waited at the Shinkansen station bound for Shizuoka Prefecture. Meanwhile, Kaminari occasionally signed autographs for students who recognized him.
This kind of thing happened almost every day. Sometimes, little kids would run up, staring excitedly at "Pikachu."
Because of this, he and "Pikachu" had become a well-known attraction in Saitama City. Online, some Pokémon fans even made a habit of waiting near the station, hoping to catch a glimpse of them heading to school.
"Thank you!"
A girl in a blue-and-white sailor uniform took back the notebook and pen Kaminari had just signed. She clutched them nervously, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.
Kaminari noticed and asked gently, "What's wrong?"
"Um… I first became a fan because of your music, Kaminari-kun," the girl said shyly. "I mean, I like Pokémon too, but… um, when's your next song coming out?"
"Yeah! That's what I wanted to ask too!"
"Every one of your songs is amazing, Kaminari-kun! I've been waiting forever for a new release!"
The girl's words instantly sparked agreement from the nearby students, who all chimed in excitedly.
"New song…?"
Kaminari glanced at Tetsutetsu, who nodded in agreement. "Yeah, come to think of it, it has been a while since your last release."
"Wait, you care about that too?" Kaminari asked, surprised. He could've sworn Tetsutetsu had once claimed he wasn't into music.
"Ahem—cough, cough—well, you made me listen to it once, so… now I occasionally check it out. Just occasionally!" Tetsutetsu turned his head, clearly embarrassed.
"Hahaha!"
Seeing his usually tough and straightforward friend acting so flustered made Kaminari and the others burst into laughter.
For the record, Tetsutetsu wasn't exactly unpopular himself. As the first-year champion of the last U.A. Sports Festival, he had his fair share of recognition. Plus, since he commuted with Kaminari almost every day, more and more people had started to notice him.
At that moment, the Shinkansen approached. Kaminari tilted his head in thought before giving everyone an answer.
"Summer vacation starts tomorrow, so I'll have time to record with the band. You'll get a new song soon!"
With that, he and Tetsutetsu boarded the high-speed train, waving goodbye to the excited fans.
---
"Was it okay to promise that?" Tetsutetsu asked as they took their seats.
"Hm? What's the problem?"
"I mean, I've never composed a song before, but I imagine it's not that easy. And on top of that, you have to make sure the quality won't disappoint your fans."
"Fair point," Kaminari admitted. Then he smirked and shrugged. "But, you see… there's a certain type of person in this world called a genius. And we can't judge them by common logic!"
"Oh, here we go again." Tetsutetsu groaned and rubbed his forehead. "Narcissistic Kaminari strikes again!"
"Hey, hey, what's with that nickname?"
---
Over an hour later, Kaminari and Tetsutetsu stepped into Class 1-A, only to be met with a strange atmosphere.
Midoriya, Uraraka, and the others were all staring at Todoroki with sympathetic expressions. Then, the moment Kaminari entered, they all turned toward him in unison.
And their gazes weren't just filled with pity, there was something else mixed in. Curiosity? Envy?
What the hell?
Thick black lines formed on Kaminari's forehead as he stared back at them, speechless.
"...What's with the looks? What happened?"
His eyes landed on Kyoka, but she wasn't meeting his gaze. Her cheeks and even her earlobes were bright pink.
Seeing her like that, Kaminari had a few guesses… but why was there still that weird pitying vibe from the others?
"Kaminari-kun, don't feel too down," Midoriya said encouragingly. "We don't know the final result yet. Maybe you and Todoroki-san can stay together!"
Midoriya's words were met with a few strange glances. As if he'd just said something completely off.
Then, all of a sudden, Mineta jumped onto his chair, pointing at Kaminari in outrage.
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!!!"
"Kaminari, you already have such an amazing girlfriend! Do you have any idea how much pain I'm in right now, suffering under the flames of jealousy?!"
"Ha…" Kaminari sighed, watching Mineta's dramatic performance.
"Yeah! Exactly!"
At that moment, Ashido joined in, pointing an accusatory finger at Kaminari.
"You stole our Kyoka-chan and didn't even tell us!"
"That's too much, Kaminari Denki!"
Kaminari let out a helpless laugh. Stole Kyoka? What kind of logic was that?
Trying to change the subject, he cleared his throat and said, "Well, let's talk about the training camp first. I hope you guys have fun in the forest. As for Todoroki and me… we'll be stuck here in what everyone calls 'Hellish Extra Lessons.'"
"When school starts again, be sure to tell us about all the fun stuff you did!"
But before anyone could respond, Momo who had been quietly sitting with a textbook suddenly spoke up.
"Don't let him fool you! Kaminari-san is trying to change the subject!"
Kaminari was stunned. What the hell? When did I ever offend Momo? Why is she making me sound so sneaky?
"...Is this really the same kind and considerate Momo?"
Just then, the classroom door slid open.
Aizawa walked in, textbook in hand, and with a single sentence, he saved Kaminari from further interrogation.
"Everyone, return to your seats. It's time for homeroom."
***
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