Chapter 14: The Interlude of Order
The news of Aegis-X's arrest hit the morning headlines like a physical blow to the Hero industry. While the public was told it was a "coordinated sting operation" by the Shizuoka Police, the internal whispers at U.A. were far more specific.
In the cafeteria of Class 1-A, the atmosphere was buzzing. Denki Kaminari slammed a newspaper onto the table. "Did you guys see this? Aegis-X, the 'Shield of Shizuoka,' was hauled off in quirk-suppressing cuffs last night! The police found a mountain of evidence on a flash drive left right on his desk. They're calling it the 'Gavel's Shadow' case."
Izuku Midoriya stared at the headline, his eyes darting toward the table where Hiromi and Momo sat in their usual, composed silence. He remembered the conversation in the library—the talk of "audits" and "accountability." His heart hammered against his ribs. It wasn't just a theory anymore; Hiromi was already acting.
Hiromi, however, didn't look at the paper. He was focused on the simple task of drinking his tea. Beside him, Momo was adjusting a digital tablet, her movements elegant and precise.
"The tactical data from the infiltration is processed," she whispered to him, leaning in close enough that her hair brushed his shoulder. "The molecular cutters were 4% slower than projected due to the humidity. I've already begun synthesizing a more stable composite for the next run."
"Efficiency is the silent partner of justice, Momo," Hiromi replied, his voice a low, private murmur. "But even a machine needs a cooling period. We have four hours of unscheduled time this afternoon. I believe it is time for a 'Consultation' outside the campus walls."
Momo's breath hitched. She knew what he meant. "A... a date, Hiromi-san?"
"A calibration of our partnership," he corrected, though a rare, microscopic softening of his eyes told a different story. "Meet me at the gates at 14:00. Wear something... civilian."
The Walk through Kiyashi Ward
Kiyashi Ward was a sprawling metropolis of neon lights and high-end boutiques. For Hiromi, it was a city of distractions; for Momo, it was a place where she had always been "Yaoyorozu the Heiress."
When they met at the gate, the contrast was striking. Hiromi wore a black turtleneck and dark trousers—simple, clean, and imposing. Momo had chosen a sophisticated red dress with a cream-colored coat, her hair styled in a way that balanced her natural maturity with her age.
As they walked through the shopping district, they didn't hold hands—not yet. Instead, they moved in a perfect, synchronized stride.
"It's strange," Momo said, looking at the massive holographic billboards of heroes. "Before I met you, I thought this was what 'peace' looked like. A colorful, loud world where everyone is smiling."
"Peace is not the absence of noise, Momo," Hiromi said, stopping in front of a fountain. "It is the presence of order. Most of these people are smiling because they choose not to see the cracks in the foundation. They believe the 'Symbol of Peace' is a permanent structure. They don't realize it's a lighthouse with a finite amount of oil."
He turned to her, his gaze intense. "That is why we are building the Agency. So that when the light goes out, the Law remains to guide them."
Momo felt a familiar warmth spreading through her chest. She didn't want the colorful, loud world. She wanted the world he was describing—a world of cold, beautiful clarity where she was the only one standing by his side.
The Calibration: A Moment of Vulnerability
They ended up at a quiet, high-end tea house tucked away from the main thoroughfare. It was an old-fashioned establishment, one that prioritized silence and tradition.
As the steam rose from their cups, the "Lawyer" and the "Creator" finally let the tension of U.A. slip away.
"Why me, Hiromi?" Momo asked suddenly, her fingers tracing the rim of her porcelain cup. "You could have chosen anyone as a partner. There are students with more destructive power."
Hiromi set his cup down with a deliberate click. "Destructive power is a commodity, Momo. It is easily bought and easily broken. But the ability to create... to understand the molecular truth of the world... that is rare. More importantly, you are the only one who didn't look at my 'Domain' and see a monster. You looked at it and saw a tool. You saw the necessity."
He reached across the table, his hand covering hers. His skin was warm, his grip firm and grounding. "In my first life, I stood alone in the courtroom. I fought the system until it drowned me. In this life, I realized that a Judge is nothing without an Architect to build the court. You aren't just my partner, Momo. You are the only person I trust with the verdict of my own life."
Momo's eyes shimmered. The weight of his words was more than any praise she had ever received. She turned her hand over, interlacing her fingers with his.
"I've realized something as well, Hiromi," she whispered, her voice steadying. "I've spent my whole life trying to be the perfect daughter, the perfect student, the perfect hero. But with you, I don't have to be perfect. I just have to be just. I don't just admire your vision, Hiromi... I love the man behind the gavel."
Hiromi remained silent for a long moment, the air in the tea house seeming to hum with the weight of the confession. He didn't pull his hand away. Instead, he tightened his grip.
"In a world of chaos, you are the only constant I have ever found," Hiromi said, his voice dropping to a low, intimate register. "If you are willing to stand by a man whose heart is filled with laws and ink, then I am yours. Not just as a partner in an agency, but as a partner in life."
Momo's breath hitched, a single tear of relief and resolve tracing a path down her cheek. "I will be your Architect, Hiromi. Always."
The Shadow in the Garden
The moment was interrupted by a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Hiromi's "Cursed Energy" flared—a cold, prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He didn't move his head, but his eyes sharpened.
Through the paper screens of the tea house, he saw a silhouette in the Zen garden. A man in a trench coat, leaning against a stone lantern. The man was watching them.
"HPSC," Hiromi thought. "They're not even trying to be subtle anymore."
He didn't pull his hand away from Momo's. Instead, he squeezed it gently, a silent signal.
"It seems our 'date' has attracted an audience," Hiromi said, his voice dropping into that terrifyingly calm register.
Momo didn't flinch. She simply adjusted her grip. "Shall I manufacture a 'distraction', Hiromi-san?"
"No," Hiromi said, a dark, amused smirk touching his lips. "Let them watch. Let them report back to their superiors that the Judge is not alone. Let them know that every move they make is being recorded in a ledger they cannot see."
The Walk Home
Since the dorm system was not yet in place, Hiromi walked Momo to the private car waiting for her at the edge of the ward. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of bruised purple and deep gold.
At the car door, Momo stopped and turned to him. The formal distance between them had vanished. She stepped into his space, her hands resting lightly on his chest.
"Today was... perfect," she said softly.
Hiromi looked down at her, the usual hardness in his gaze replaced by a quiet, protective calm. He leaned down, pressing a firm, deliberate kiss to her forehead. "The audit of our lives has only just begun, Momo. Get some rest. We have the USJ training tomorrow."
"Goodnight, Hiromi," she whispered, stepping into the car.
As the vehicle pulled away, Hiromi stood on the sidewalk, his shadow stretching long across the pavement. He looked up at the stars, his mind already calculating the variables of the upcoming rescue training. He knew something was coming. The "black ink" of his energy felt restless.
"Tomorrow," he thought, his hand tightening into a fist. "The court will be in session. And this time, the defendants won't be students."
Author's Note:
This chapter marks the official shift in Hiromi and Momo's relationship. It isn't just a crush; it's a mutual recognition of their roles in the new world they are building. The confession brings them together just before the chaos of the USJ, where their bond will be tested for the first time in a real-life-or-death scenario.