Perhaps because it was the weekend and the weather was pleasant, the streets were bustling with young couples strolling about.
At the same time, the impact of the recently concluded Hero Sports Festival had started to ripple through Saitama City. Kaminari and Kyoka, walking side by side, quickly became the center of attention. Whispers and pointing fingers followed them wherever they went.
"Wow, am I lucky today!"
A young man, sporting an SLR camera around his neck, trailed behind them excitedly. Every so often, he raised his camera to discreetly snap pictures of their backs.
The market was still abuzz with headlines and articles about the Hero Sports Festival, with Kaminari's name being one of the hottest topics. The man, clearly a fledgling reporter, saw this as an opportunity to strike gold. A picture of Kaminari strolling with a girl? That would sell for sure!
"That girl… that's Kyoka Jiro, right? His classmate and the bassist of the Pikachu Band. Are they dating?"
The thought alone made the young reporter giddy with excitement. Unable to contain himself, he quickened his pace, almost breaking into a jog to catch up.
"I need a proper shot of their faces!"
Soon, he positioned himself near the entrance of a small udon shop, a spot that offered a clear view of the two from the side.
What? You think I'll take a direct shot from the front? Hah, do I look like an idiot?
Adjusting his camera, he aimed at Kaminari and Kyoka, who had stopped in front of a jewelry stall. His face lit up.
"This angle is perfect!"
Unaware of the reporter's antics, Kaminari glanced at Kyoka, who was inspecting a necklace.
"Hey, you like that one?" he asked curiously, his gaze shifting to her neck. "I don't think I've ever seen you wear necklaces before."
"Yeah, I usually don't," Kyoka replied, smiling shyly as she picked up a necklace with a purple amethyst pendant on a golden chain. "But it reminds me of Grape…"
Kaminari tilted his head, slightly confused. "But isn't this just costume jewelry? Real amethysts wouldn't sell for this price, right?"
The young woman behind the stall, who appeared to be a college student, nodded matter-of-factly. "You're right. It's not a real amethyst. Genuine stones can't be sold for just 5,000 yen. But every piece here is designed and handcrafted by me."
Kyoka shook her head lightly. "That's fine. I don't really care if it's real." She reached for her wallet, only to have Kaminari stop her with a hand on hers.
"I'll cover it," Kaminari said, flashing a warm smile. "Jewelry shouldn't be something you buy for yourself. Think of it as a little gift from me."
Without giving Kyoka a chance to protest, he pulled out a 5,000-yen note and handed it to the stall owner.
Kyoka blinked in surprise but quickly nodded with a small smile, clearly pleased. However, she couldn't resist teasing him. She lightly swatted his arm and said, "You're doing it again! You're just a month older than me, you're not my 'big brother!'"
Kaminari chuckled. "Hey, I'm not just a month older, I'm a day older. Still counts. That makes me your big brother, and you my little sister!"
Kyoka rolled her eyes but didn't argue further. Kaminari took the necklace from the stall owner and held it up.
"Come on, let me put it on for you," he offered.
"Wait, what?!" Kyoka stepped back, glancing nervously at the growing crowd. "There are so many people watching…"
Only then did Kaminari notice how many onlookers had gathered. Realizing their status as public figures, he hesitated.
"If I put this on her now, it'll probably end up all over social media," he thought. "I don't care about rumors, but Kyoka might."
With an awkward laugh, he handed the necklace to her instead. "Alright, you can put it on yourself later."
Kyoka took it, her fingers brushing the pendant. She seemed momentarily disappointed, but she nodded. "Yeah… okay."
Before she could tuck the necklace into her wallet, a sudden commotion broke out nearby.
"Get away! Get away from me!"
A panicked, anxious voice echoed from a distance, growing louder with each passing second.
The reporter trailing them, still happily snapping photos, paused for a moment as the shouting reached his ears. He ignored it, focusing instead on his golden opportunity.
"Eh? What's this?" he muttered when he saw Kaminari and Kyoka glance in the direction of the noise. His first instinct was that he'd been caught taking photos.
But before he could lower his camera, a series of heavy footsteps thundered from behind him.
"What the—"
BAM!
A massive shadow loomed over the reporter. In the blink of an eye, he was sent flying like a ragdoll, crashing through the door of the nearby udon shop.
"Ahhh!"
Gasps erupted from the crowd as the cause of the chaos came into view, a towering man made entirely of jagged stone. Tears streamed down his rough, rocky face as he barreled through the street, clutching a handful of gold chains in his enormous hands.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" the stone man sobbed, his voice breaking as he apologized loudly. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone—I swear!"
Three Heroes in strange costumes followed closely behind, their shouts blending with the chaotic scene as they tried to catch him.
"Kaminari!" Kyoka called out, her voice sharp with concern. The stone man was heading straight for them.
Behind them, the stall owner frantically tried to pack up her jewelry, panic written all over her face.
"Step aside," Kaminari said calmly, moving to the side to avoid the oncoming rampage. He was used to situations like this, Quirk-related incidents were a regular occurrence.
The existence of Quirks made crime an inevitable problem, even with a Symbol of Peace like All Might keeping things in check. It was precisely why the Hero profession was still essential.
But what Kaminari hadn't expected was the stall owner's reaction.
"No! Don't come here!" she cried out, desperately trying to gather her wares into a box.
"What are you doing?!" Kyoka shouted at her, disbelief in her tone. "Forget the jewelry and get out of here!"
But the girl shook her head stubbornly, her voice trembling. "These… these are my living expenses and tuition fees! If I lose them, I'm finished!"
***
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