Looks of cautious admiration, mingled with fear and goodwill, poured in as Kirishima strode confidently into the crowd.
With a playful grin, he approached and declared, "Wow. He’s huge."
But a small voice piped up, "But isn’t he kind of scary? Look, he’s got scars on his face."
Another added, "Check out those muscles—his body is insane."
"Kids these days," someone remarked, "don’t get it. Scars on a handsome guy are like badges of honor."
*I appreciate being called handsome, but seriously, aren’t you just a kid?*”
Brushing off the twin-tailed girl's cheeky comment, Kirishima knelt before Yui, meeting her eyes. Though his stance exuded confidence, a subtle tremor in his gaze betrayed his inner concern.
"Well done," he said softly. "If you hadn’t stood up to those older kids, I might have felt a bit disappointed."
"Big brother..." Yui murmured.
"If you want to be a hero, keep it up. Don’t worry about what others say. Just follow your own path."
Before anyone could question, the twin-tailed girl interjected with a mischievous lilt, "Who are you, mister?" as if trying to catch him off guard.
Kirishima chuckled at her ploy. "I’m not just any mister—I’m Yui’s father’s student, and her big brother."
"Then... do you learn martial arts too?" she asked.
"Of course. I’m a disciple of her dad, after all."
*Even though I only just started yesterday,* he thought wryly.
The twin-tailed girl’s cheeks flushed as she met his gaze and corrected herself from “mister” to “big brother.”
Smiling at their innocence, Kirishima rose and confronted the kids who had been giving Yui a hard time. *At least she’s not completely hopeless. If she’d been as foul-tempered as that kid next door, things could have spiraled out of control. That one was the type you had to knock sense into before you could even talk to him. Tch.*
The thought of Bakugo’s notorious temperament made persuading these children seem almost effortless. After all, words rarely registered until strength made itself known.
Grinning, Kirishima turned to them and asked, "So, do you dislike people who train in martial arts?"
"Yeah. They always come off as showing off over nothing," one child replied.
"I got hit by one back in first grade," said another.
"Hmm. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s not that martial arts themselves are bad," the twin-tailed girl offered after a moment’s thought.
It was clear the children couldn’t reach a consensus.
"Martial arts aren’t learned just to impress others," Kirishima explained. "They’re a means to protect yourself, your family, and even society." He let his words hang in the air for a moment before adding privately, *In truth, the essence of martial arts is about defeating your enemy—even if that means resorting to lethal force—but that’s not something I need to spell out now.*
Once, in another life, the very purpose of martial arts might have been distilled to that extreme. Yet in this world, where everyone is armed in one way or another, he felt it necessary to acknowledge the lethal potential without glorifying it.
There might come a time when you have no choice but to fight to the death—and I must be ready for it, Kirishima mused.
With a rueful smile, he pressed on, "Hmm. And you got hit by Yui, huh? That’s a bit complicated. Why did you hit her?"
"She said my dad looked scary and that I didn’t look like him at all—like, am I really his daughter or not? And that made me angry..."
"Oh dear," Kirishima murmured, rubbing his forehead. Though Yui was just a child, and her impulsiveness could be forgiven, he silently noted that if anyone else had spoken to him that way, he might not have been so lenient.
Flustered, Yui looked up and asked, "Huh? I did that? Really?"
"Yeah. I was really mad. But hitting you wasn’t the right way—I'm sorry."
"No, I’m the one who should apologize... I’m really sorry," she replied earnestly, bowing her head.
Kirishima watched with quiet satisfaction, his thoughts drifting back to Bakugo once more. *What a contrast—One-Chance Dive and all that. I’m relieved I met him when he was young and managed to temper his fury. I shudder to imagine what he’d be like now if I hadn’t stepped in.*
Turning to the twin-tailed girl, who now fixed him with an unwavering look, she said confidently, "After thinking about what you asked, big brother, I don’t really hate martial arts just because someone studies it. It’s more that she always goes off by herself, and once school’s over she heads straight home. I just can’t tell what she’s thinking."
"Hmm, is that so?" Kirishima mused, scratching his chin. He knew Yui all too well; with no mother around, she and Ooyama split household chores, leaving her little time for friends. This, he realized, was a problem not so easily solved.
*Even if you’re busy, to be a total loner? That’s strange,* he thought.
"So, it turns out you choose to be an outsider. I thought you might be getting bullied for no reason," he observed gently.
"No, it’s just that I go straight to the dojo after school. My Quirk is weak, so I feel I have to work extra hard... And, honestly, I’m not really sure how to make friends with the other kids," she admitted in a small voice.
Kirishima pressed his hand to his forehead. He remembered training as if he’d forsaken the comforts of ordinary life—and yet, despite that, he’d managed to make friends. Sure, Ashido, ever the high-energy dynamo, was always by his side, but it seemed that charm only worked among adults.
"I wasn’t exactly a social butterfly either," he recalled, "and I was practically obsessed with boxing. Still, I had plenty of friends. Don’t rush things—take your time when you’re young. Just make sure you’re heading in the right direction."
"Yes..." came the quiet reply.
"And remember—don’t hold a grudge. She isn’t a bad kid, after all," Kirishima added, addressing both Yui and the twin-tailed girl with a warm smile.
The twin-tailed girl met his eyes and nodded, as if understanding his advice.
"Since a handsome big brother said so, I’ll do my best. But you mentioned that martial arts are meant to protect people, right?" she asked.
"Yes, that’s right. Why do you ask?" Kirishima responded.
"But martial arts seem so weak. What can you even do with them?"
Kirishima fought to keep from making a baffled expression. What could you really do with martial arts? In this world, it seemed the discipline’s reputation was being constantly undermined—by one detractor after another, and invariably to its detriment.
"What can you do with martial arts?" he pressed. "You can do anything—but saying that sounds a bit off, doesn’t it?"
"Then how about I show you what I can do?"
Setting down his duffel bag, Kirishima bounced lightly on his feet. After quickly loosening his wrists and shoulders, he assumed a ready stance and unleashed a supersonic one-two strike into the open air—a blow that made both Ooyama and Ojiro shudder.
The children’s reaction was less than enthusiastic. Only Yui, who had arrived late and missed the first strike, seemed to guess at what had happened, her face a mixture of uncertainty and awe.
"What was that?" one asked.
"Did he even do anything?" another queried.
"Big brother, you’re handsome and you speak so well, yet you’re kind of a goof," teased another, eliciting a chorus of childish banter.
At the volley of criticisms, Kirishima smacked his forehead, realizing the kids were too young to really grasp the skill they had just witnessed. He needed something flashier, something that truly captured their attention.
"Forget what you just saw. Let me show you something even better."
Taking up his stance once again, he threw another punch—a bit slower this time. It wasn’t about tearing through the air at sonic speed; rather, it felt as if he was pushing the very air aside, deflecting it with the sheer force of his strike.
His right fist still flew fast, but now carried a heavier, more deliberate impact. At the moment his punch connected, a fierce gust erupted, sweeping forward in a powerful wave. Not far off, a tree shuddered with a resounding thud, and its leaves cascaded down like a sudden rain.
The children erupted in cheers.
"Wow! What was that?"
"Was that your Quirk? I thought that was a wind Quirk?"
"Idiot. I said I was showing you martial arts, so it had to be martial arts—even if I didn’t use my Quirk this time," he replied with a playful grin.
Finally warmed by the enthusiastic reaction, Kirishima beamed. Flashy, all-encompassing displays were perfect for impressing kids.
"My Quirk just hardens my body—it had nothing to do with what you just saw," he explained matter-of-factly. (In truth, he had been continuously using his [Hardening] to boost his physical prowess, though he made no mention of it.)
"So, do you get it now? That’s what martial arts can do?"
"That was so cool!"
"Big brother, if I train in martial arts, can I do that too?"
"Hmm. Well, if you work really hard and for a long time, maybe you can," he offered.
"Big brother, you’re not such a goof after all," the twin-tailed girl remarked with a hint of playful reproach.
Finding her mildly disappointed expression a bit odd, Kirishima shrugged it off and gathered his things to leave with Yui.
"Alright, we’d better get going now. And remember—try to be friendlier with Yui from now on, okay?"
The children swarmed around Yui at his words, hastily exchanging phone numbers and inviting her into their group chat. The earlier tension gave way to a noticeably warmer atmosphere as Kirishima walked alongside Yui toward the master’s house.
Basking in the relentless summer sun, Yui’s face was a study in conflicted emotions. She hesitated several times before finally speaking, "Big brother, why did you help me?"
"Huh? Why did I help you?" he replied, feigning casual surprise.
"Because you’re cute. And because you’re kind."
"Just kidding—I liked the way you defended your dad so confidently. I liked that you said you could still become a hero, no matter your Quirk. If not for that, maybe I wouldn’t have helped... or maybe I would have anyway," he added with a twinkle in his eye.
Yui tilted her head, regarding Kirishima with soft curiosity. He was an odd mix of seriousness and playful spontaneity—a rare combination that made him all the more endearing. Initially, she had assumed he was a new student at the dojo, but after hearing her father’s explanation, she realized there was something distinctly unique about him. Still, seeing the way her father smiled genuinely made her heart soar—something she hadn’t seen in him for a long time.
"You seem worried a lot about your Quirk," he noted gently.
"Ah... yes. My Quirk only makes my wrist stretch about thirty centimeters," she confessed.
*What is this, a straw hat? Will she eventually turn into some kind of rubber man?* Kirishima mused, momentarily recalling a protagonist from a famous manga he’d read in his previous life. Though the extent of her stretching ability was clearly on another level, he couldn’t help but make the comparison.
"Really? That’s actually a good Quirk, isn’t it?" he remarked.
"Huh? I don’t think it’s that good," she replied softly.
"That’s just because people don’t really know any better. Plus, you’re studying martial arts now—think about it: how much of an advantage does having an extendable reach give you in close combat?"
"That’s true. But it’s nothing particularly strong..."
"If that’s the standard, then my Quirk isn’t particularly strong either. Mine just hardens my body. When it first manifested, even a toy hammer could dent it. When I managed to harden properly, my physical strength improved, but it wasn’t all that useful at the time."
"Are you strong now?"
"Yeah. I trained like crazy until it grew strong. Now, I’d bet I could withstand most explosions. (Though I’ve never actually been caught in one.)"
"Oh..."
"That’s life. No matter what your Quirk is, you can make it strong with enough effort. Sure, it’s cool to have a Quirk that’s naturally powerful, but just because something starts off plain and weak doesn’t mean it has to stay that way."
Gazing at Kirishima’s words, Yui slowly extended her hand. Her wrist stretched slightly, and while the sight was odd, somehow it no longer appeared as useless as before.
"But what about your legs? Does your Quirk work on them?"
"No. For now, it only works on my hands. Who knows what might happen with more training?"
"I see... Hmm. Maybe boxing suits you better than karate then. Want me to teach you sometime?"
"I want to learn! If I learn that, can I do what you do, big brother?"
The child, who had seemed so dejected a moment before, sprang back to life with newfound enthusiasm, prompting Kirishima to chuckle softly. Even when attempts were made to appear mature, one was still unmistakably a child.
"Hard to say. I’d love to say yes, but I’m a bit irregular myself. Still, if you work really hard, it might just be possible."
"Wow! I’ll work really hard then!"
"Good. But remember—get along with the other kids too. Trust me, no matter how talented you are, if you don’t have any friends, your parents will worry. I’m sure the master feels the same," he advised.
"Yes. I’ll try," she promised.
Kirishima gently placed his hand on Yui’s head, savoring the comforting warmth of her small, trusting presence.
"You know, I was born only caring about getting stronger. I might not be the one to help others much—I do want to be a hero, but I’d never be someone like All Might."
"Huh? All Might? Who could ever be like that old man?"
*There is someone—a green, scrappy kid named Midoriya who might just become just like him,* Kirishima mused inwardly before swiftly dismissing the thought.
"Anyway, what I mean is, I’m not destined to be that dazzling, sun-like figure. I won’t be a star or a moon, but I like to think I’ve grown enough to be a dependable campfire for those who feel lost."
"I don’t really get what you mean," Yui admitted.
Kirishima scratched his chin and looked away. "In other words, if you ever feel so down that you need a little light, call me—I'll always be here for at least one kid."
"Ah. Yes!"
"Alright then! Let’s pick up the pace. At this rate, we’ll only get there after dinner!"
Though his words were firm, Kirishima’s pace remained unchanged as he continued on. Yui, meanwhile, smiled and ran her hand through his hair, feeling as if she had just gained a real big brother.
The summer sun bathed the two of them in its warm glow as it slowly set, marking the end of another day and the promise of many more training journeys to come.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register