Kazuki Hayashi. Son of the CEO and founder of Starbuster Inc., which leads the quirk technology industry by a large margin.
They manufacture technology for all types of quirks, even ones that haven't been spotted yet. They prepare for the future and have revolutionised the industry with their sheer range.
He could quite possibly be the richest teenager in Japan, or even all of Asia.
That didn't say a lot about his life, though. Being rich was, poetically, the only good thing in his life. Very humbling.
His mother, Tempestra, was a pro hero. She fell into a coma after sustaining a career-ending injury during a fight that broke her spine.
His father, CEO of Starbuster Inc., was depressed. As much as he seemed to love his son, his focus was on his work. And his work alone. Late nights. Lonely days. And money was what Kazuki grew up with.
He didn't grow resentful of his father. He couldn't. When he saw his mother in that hospital that day, all colour drained from her face; he couldn't cry, he really couldn't. He couldn't talk for weeks.
When the doctor said his mother might never wake up, Kazuki counted the tiles on the ceiling. Forty-two. The nurse was crying. His father's hand trembled on his shoulder. Kazuki wondered if they'd stop for food on the way home.
He remembered being happy. Surprised. Shocked. Scared. Sad. But now... It's all just an event. His state is no better than his father's, so he couldn't really blame him.
That was when he was four.
Now, he was fifteen. Still mostly the same.
The Yaoyorozu family had been in his life for as long as he could remember. Kazuki considers them somewhat close.
His father and Mr Yaoyorozu had been business partners before they became friends. Starbuster Inc. and Yaoyorozu Industries had collaborated on dozens of projects over the years. Yaoyorozu gives the materials required, and Starbuster makes the tech.
That was when he was four.
Now, he was fifteen. Still mostly the same.
The Yaoyorozu family had been in his life for as long as he could remember. Kazuki considered them somewhat close- as close as he could consider anyone, anyway.
His father and Mr Yaoyorozu had been business partners before they became friends. Starbuster Inc. and Yaoyorozu Industries had collaborated on dozens of projects over the years. Yaoyorozu provided the materials, and Starbuster made the tech. It was a partnership that had shaped the quirk support industry for over a decade.
But somewhere along the way, the business dinners had become family dinners. The Yaoyorozus had been there that day at the hospital. Mrs Yaoyorozu had taken him home when his father couldn't leave Tempestra's side. Their daughter Momo, born the same year as him, had sat quietly beside him in the car. She hadn't said anything. Just been there.
They still had dinner together once a month. Sometimes twice, if the collaboration projects demanded it.
"Kazuki." Mrs Yaoyorozu's voice was warm as she greeted him at the entrance of their estate. "It's wonderful to see you again. You look well."
"Thank you for having us, Yaoyorozu-san." He bowed politely.
His father stood beside him, tired eyes managing a genuine smile when Mr Yaoyorozu appeared from the sitting room.
"Hayashi! Come in, come in. We have much to discuss about the new support gear line." Mr Yaoyorozu clasped his father's shoulder warmly. "But business can wait until after dinner. We're family here first."
Family. It was strange when Mr Yaoyorozu said it.
His was a family, and Kazuki's was not. A family of two people who don't eat dinner together every day, don't speak to each other every day, doesn't seem much like a family.
Kazuki followed them inside. The Yaoyorozu estate felt lived in. Warm. Different from his own home, where rooms echoed, and lights stayed off in entire wings because there was no point in turning them on.
"Kazuki!"
He looked up to find Momo at the top of the stairs.
"Yaoyorozu," he acknowledged with a small nod.
"We're really still doing last names?" She stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. "We've known each other for eleven years."
She seemed to like him over the years. He doesn't know what she saw in him, to be honest. A friend? By what he sees in the movies, he would be considered a terrible friend.
"A habit, pardon me," he said.
"A bad one." But she was still smiling. "Come on. Mother wants us to wait in the sitting room while they finish preparing dinner."
He followed her through the estate. Momo talked as they walked, something about entrance exams and U.A. and hero course preparations. Kazuki listened, offering short responses when appropriate. Momo had learned long ago not to expect more from him than he could give. This was him trying his best.
They settled into the sitting room, Momo on the sofa and Kazuki in the chair by the window.
"So." Momo leaned forward slightly. "U.A., we're both going to be in Class 1-A, I assume?"
...
"Eh, no. I'm in 1-B," he dismissed her quickly.
Momo blinked. "Oh... I didn't realise we'd been placed in different sections." She didn't seem particularly bothered by it. "Well, we'll still see each other during joint training and lunch. It's not like we're in different courses."
"Right."
"Did you request 1-B specifically, or was it random placement?"
Kazuki shrugged. "Does it matter? Both sections have the same curriculum."
"I suppose not." Momo leaned back against the sofa. "Though I heard 1-A's homeroom teacher is Eraserhead. Shouta Aizawa. The underground hero."
"And 1-B has Vlad King. Both are capable pro heroes."
"You've researched them."
"It seemed practical."
Momo smiled at that. "Of course you did. I swear, Kazuki, sometimes I think you prepare for everything."
"Preparation isn't a flaw."
"I didn't say it was. It's actually admirable." She tilted her head. "The proctors mentioned your performance in the entrance exam, you know. During the orientation materials they sent the recommended students. Your name came up specifically."
"Why?"
"Your quirk control assessment scores. They were apparently the highest recorded in recent years." She said it casually. "They used you as an example of exceptional application of a quirk during the practical exam."
"The robots weren't complicated."
"Kazuki." Momo's voice took on that tone again. "You can acknowledge being skilled without it being arrogant. It's just stating facts."
Kazuki narrowed his eyes. Just what was this girl trying to achieve?
"Okay," he replied.
...
...
"Okay?"
"I've had a lot of practice."
"Eleven years of practice," Momo agreed softly. "I remember. You were always so focused, even when we were small. Making leaves dance in perfect patterns. Creating breezes that wouldn't disturb anything else." She paused. "Your control really is something else, you know. It's okay to recognise that."
He wasn't trying to be falsely modest. He just didn't see the purpose in dwelling on what he could do. His quirk control was what it was.
Momo stared at him for a long moment, searching his face for something. Whatever she found made her shoulders relax slightly.
"Is there something wrong?"
"Actually, nothing. Never mind." She shook her head, a small smile returning. "You're just... you're very you, Kazuki. That's all."
"I don't know what that means."
"I know you don't. That's part of it." She moved toward the door, then paused. "You know, most people would at least pretend to be excited about getting into U.A. or nervous. Or something."
Kazuki considered that. "Would you prefer if I pretended?" he asked, looking at her.
...
"What kind of questions are these... god... No!"
"No, I wouldn't. I've known you long enough to know that you don't do things halfway. If you're going to feel something, you'll feel it. And if you don't..." She trailed off, something sad flickering across her expression. "I just want you to know that it's okay either way. With me, at least."
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
Momo seemed to expect this, because she just smiled again and continued to the door.
"Come on. If we're late to dinner, Mother will send a search party. And she'll ask questions about why we were alone in the sitting room for so long."
"We were just talking."
"I know that. You know that. But you know how parents can be." She paused in the doorway. "Well. How some parents can be."
"Right," he said quietly, standing from the chair.
They walked to the dining room in silence.
The dining room was already set, his father and Mr Yaoyorozu seated and deep in discussion about material composites. Mrs Yaoyorozu was placing the last dishes on the table; they had maids, but she liked to do it.
"Ah, there you two are." Mr Yaoyorozu smiled warmly. "We were just discussing the new support gear line. Kazuki, your father tells me you'll be testing some prototypes once you start at U.A.?"
Kazuki took his seat across from Momo. "If they're ready by then."
"They will be," his father said, looking up from his conversation. There was something in his eyes, a brief flicker of focus. "I've been working with the development team personally. Your quirk requires specific considerations for support equipment."
"Wind manipulation at your level of control opens interesting possibilities," Mr Yaoyorozu added. "Compressed air canisters for emergency bursts, aerodynamic enhancements, pressure sensors..." He caught himself, smiling sheepishly. "But perhaps we shouldn't discuss business at the dinner table. My apologies."
"It's quite right," Mrs Yaoyorozu said, settling into her seat. "Though I am more interested in hearing about how our young heroes are feeling about U.A. It must be exciting, no?"
Momo smiled. "I'm looking forward to it. Nervous, but in a good way. There's so much to learn."
All eyes turned to Kazuki.
...
"It'll be educational," he offered. Mrs Yaoyorozu's smile didn't falter, but something understanding passed across her face. "I'm sure you'll both do wonderfully. And Kazuki, you must promise to look after yourself. I know you're very capable, but hero training can be demanding. Don't forget to eat properly and rest."
"I'll manage."
"He always does," his father said quietly. "Kazuki is... he's always been self-sufficient."
The way he said it made it sound like a compliment.
"Still," Mrs Yaoyorozu continued, "it doesn't hurt to have people looking out for you. Momo, you'll keep an eye on him during joint training, won't you?"
"Of course, Mother. Though I have a feeling Kazuki will be keeping an eye on everyone else."
He won't.
"That's not necessary," Kazuki said.
"Maybe not necessary," Momo replied. "But you'll do it anyway. You always do."
Kazuki just smiled at her, not really genuinely, and carried on with his dinner.
Dinner continued with the adults discussing business, occasionally pulling them into the conversation. Momo engaged easily, asking intelligent questions about material science and manufacturing processes.
Kazuki answered when directly addressed, keeping his responses brief.
His father laughed twice during the meal. Both times, at something Mr Yaoyorozu said.
He didn't really know if his father had a sense of humour. That was great to know... apparently, these two people had a similar sense of humour, that's even greater to know.
"Well, the kids are going to U.A., and school starts tomorrow. Are you guys excited for that?" Mr Yaoyorozu asked, looking at both of them.
Momo responded instantly, "Yes, Father. I'm very excited. After all, it's U.A.," she said, "I'm sure Kazuki feels the same."
"Do you, Kazuki?" He asked.
...
"Of course, of course, I'm very excited. It's U.A., only the most prestigious hero school in Japan, and I could learn some really great things over there. Great faculty, I mean... professional heroes for a faculty is great to hear. I've heard even greater things about their food, frankly, that's the part I'm most interested in." He replied. Sure, he learned a thing or two about being conversational or funny... to people of his father's age.
"Ah, that's great to hear, Kazuki. I was afraid that with your dull look and everything, you aren't feeling so," he said.
...
He didn't work quite as well on his general demeanour, clearly.
"Oh, you have nothing to worry about, Mr Yaoyorozu," he assured him, nodding slightly. "Rest assured, I'm very much excited."
The dinner wrapped up an hour later. His father and Mr Yaoyorozu retreated to the study to finalise some contract details. Mrs Yaoyorozu excused herself to take a phone call, leaving Kazuki and Momo alone in the sitting room again.
"You know," Momo said, settling back onto the sofa, "you don't have to pretend with them. They know you well enough."
"I wasn't pretending."
"Kazuki." She gave him a look. "The excited speech about U.A.'s food? Really?"
He shrugged. "It worked."
"That's not the point." Momo sighed, folding her hands in her lap. "You don't have to perform for them. Or for me."
"I'm not performing. I'm being polite."
"There's a difference between polite and fake."
"Is there?" Kazuki asked, genuinely curious. "People seem to prefer the fake version."
Momo was quiet for a moment. When she spoke again, her voice was softer. "I don't."
"So?"
"You're in the minority."
"Maybe." She looked at him steadily. "But I've known you since we were four, Kazuki. I remember what you were like before. I know you're still in there somewhere."
"Eh, I'm still the same guy. I don't know what you're talking about. I think this conversation has gotten really uncomfortable for both of us. It's best to end this here, alright?" he said firmly.
There wasn't much point in arguing about it. Momo could believe whatever she wanted. It didn't change anything.
"You know what I think?" Momo continued. "I think you're scared."
"Of what?"
"Of feeling things again. Of letting yourself care about something." She leaned forward slightly. "Because if you care, it might hurt. And you've had enough of that already."
...
Kazuki's face crunched up, "And that's very corny, let's pack it for the day, alright?" he chuckled slightly.
"Are you five years old, Kazuki?"
...
"That's rude..."
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[I've changed a lot of things in the rewrite, most notably his character. I want him to be as the synopsis said: calm and polite. I feel there could be a lot of routes for him to grow after a traumatic event, and I think him just going very introverted would be cliché. The addition of the Yaoyorozu was because it could add some detail to his life, and could give some interesting plotlines. That's it. I really don't know if this is better or worse. I'll have to write up a few more chapters.]