Thump. Thump. Thump.
Bakugo's heavy footsteps coming down the stairs echoed through the tense silence of the living room. Ren and Mitsuki exchanged panicked looks as they moved with frantic speed.
Mitsuki grabbed her bra from the floor and put it on in record time, her hands trembling slightly as she struggled with the clasps. Ren found his wrinkled pants next to the sofa and pulled them on, nearly falling over in the process. His shirt was on the other side of the room, so he had to make an Olympic-level dive to reach it.
"The blouse!" Ren whispered urgently, pointing to Mitsuki's green garment that was still bunched up around her waist.
"I know!" she hissed as she pulled it up quickly and began buttoning it with clumsy fingers.
The footsteps were getting closer.
Mitsuki dropped onto the sofa in a pose intended to be casual, but it probably looked more like she had just survived a minor accident. Ren sat at a respectable distance from her just as Bakugo's bare feet appeared on the last step.
The explosive teenager entered the kitchen with his hair even messier than usual and the expression of someone who had just woken up against his will. He opened the refrigerator with more force than necessary, pulled out the water pitcher, poured himself a giant glass, and drank it in loud, heavy gulps.
Glug, glug, glug.
Mitsuki and Ren remained completely motionless, barely breathing. Ren noticed that Mitsuki's hair was a disaster, so he subtly extended his telekinesis to comb it a bit without her noticing the invisible movement.
Bakugo finished his water and set the glass on the counter with a sharp thud. Then he turned around. His red eyes focused on the scene in the living room: his mother sitting rigidly at one end of the sofa and the bald egghead at the other. Both were staring fixedly at a television that wasn't even turned on.
"What the hell...?" Bakugo narrowed his eyes with suspicion.
Mitsuki reacted with impressive speed. She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV just as Bakugo finished his question. The screen came to life, showing some late-night cooking show.
"We're watching a movie," Mitsuki declared in a voice that sounded surprisingly firm, considering what she had been doing five minutes prior.
"A movie?" Bakugo looked at the screen where a chef was enthusiastically explaining how to prepare tempura. "That's not a movie, old lady. It's a cooking show."
"It's a documentary about cooking movies," Ren improvised without thinking.
Mitsuki looked at him as if he had just said the stupidest thing in the universe. Bakugo was looking at him too, but with hostile confusion.
"A documentary about cooking movies?" Bakugo repeated slowly, as if he were testing the words in his mouth to see if they made any sense.
"It's very educational," Ren insisted.
"You're a damn idiot, egghead."
"Probably."
Bakugo grunted and started walking toward the stairs. But then he stopped halfway, his nose wrinkling visibly.
"Hey, old lady."
"What do you want now, brat?"
"Why does it smell so weird in here?"
Ren felt his heart stop. Shit. Sex has a smell. Of course it has a smell. Why didn't I think of that? Mitsuki, in an impressive display of maternal acting, rolled her eyes with perfect exasperation.
"It's probably your imagination. Or maybe it's the fact that you haven't showered in two days and your stench is contaminating the whole house."
"I DON'T STINK!"
"Sure you don't, brat. You smell like roses and French perfume."
Bakugo grunted something incomprehensible that sounded like several obscenities combined into a single word. Then he pointed accusingly at Ren.
"And why the hell is this extra still here? Doesn't he have a house to go back to?"
"It's none of your business," Mitsuki replied. "We're watching a movie. Well, a documentary. Whatever. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop interrupting."
"This is weird," Bakugo declared, looking at them both with evident suspicion. "You two are acting super weird."
"The only weird thing here is that you came down for water instead of just dying of thirst in your room like you normally do," Mitsuki counterattacked.
"Fuck off, old lady!"
"Language, you demon brat!"
Bakugo grunted one more time and finally went up the stairs, his footsteps echoing with frustration as he muttered things about "weird eggheads," "annoying old ladies," and "stupid documentaries." His door closed with a slam that made the walls shake.
Ren and Mitsuki remained completely motionless for another thirty seconds, listening intently. There were no more sounds from upstairs; Bakugo had apparently returned to his adolescent sleep coma.
"Holy shit," Ren finally exhaled, leaning back against the sofa.
"He almost caught us," Mitsuki whispered, though technically there was no longer a need to whisper.
"Your acting was flawless."
"I've had years of practice lying to my son about where his things are when I throw them in the trash."
Ren laughed softly despite the tension. Then he looked at the clock on the wall: 11:47 PM.
"I should go," he said, though his body protested the idea of moving.
"Yes," Mitsuki agreed, but she didn't move immediately either.
There was a moment of awkward silence where neither knew exactly what to say. How are you supposed to end a night after having sex with your classmate's mother while her son sleeps upstairs? Social etiquette guides definitely don't cover this specific situation.
Ren finally stood up, adjusting his clothes which were still slightly wrinkled. Mitsuki also stood, smoothing her blouse with hands that no longer shook. They walked toward the front door in silence. When Ren reached the handle, Mitsuki's hand stopped him by lightly touching his arm. He turned around.
Mitsuki's face was completely flushed; her gaze was fixed on some point on the wall to his left, avoiding direct eye contact.
"Don't... don't say anything about this," she murmured.
"I didn't plan to."
"Never. To anyone."
"My lips are sealed."
"Good." There was another pause. "Wait here a second."
Mitsuki walked quickly toward the kitchen. Ren heard her open the refrigerator and the sound of containers being moved. She returned moments later holding a clear plastic container.
"I made dessert this afternoon," she said, still not looking at him directly. "Strawberry tart. I thought... well... I thought you could take some with you."
Ren took the container, feeling something warm expand in his chest that had nothing to do with the encounter they just had.
"Thank you, Mitsuki-san. This is very kind of you."
"It's nothing."
"I'll come back another day."
Mitsuki's eyes finally met his.
"Yes. I suppose you will."
Ren opened the door and stepped out into the cool night. He had barely taken three steps when he heard the door close behind him. Click.
He walked down the residential street holding his tart container, processing the events of the night. He had crossed a line he probably shouldn't have crossed. He had had sex with his classmate's mother. A married woman. I should feel guilty, he thought. But all he felt was satisfaction and anticipation for the next time.
Inside the Bakugo house, Mitsuki remained leaning against the closed door. She let her head drop gently against the wood. Thunk.
"Damn it," she whispered to the empty air of her living room. "I need a shower."
She pushed herself away from the door and went up the stairs toward her room. She passed Katsuki's closed door without making a sound. Inside her private bathroom, she turned on the shower faucet and waited for the water to warm up. While she waited, she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess. Her makeup was smeared. She had a reddish mark on her neck that would definitely turn into a hickey tomorrow.
"What have you done, Mitsuki," she said to herself, though the woman in the mirror only smiled slightly in response.
Hayashi Ren walked toward UA with an energy that could be described as radiant.
The sun was shining. The birds were singing. The air smelled like infinite possibilities and personal victories. Even his bald head seemed to shine with pride under the morning light. Finally, he thought with deep satisfaction. Finally, I'm not a virgin anymore.
Not only had he lost his virginity; he had lost it to an incredibly attractive MILF who knew exactly what to do with her mouth, her hands, and everything else. Mitsuki Bakugo. The mother of the explosive Bakugo. A woman who could make grown men trip over their own feet just by watching her walk. And I fucked her on her sofa while her son slept upstairs.
The adrenaline of that dangerous memory only added to his good mood.
"Good morning," he greeted cheerfully to an old lady walking her dog.
The old lady looked at him as if he were a happy madman, but Ren didn't care. Today, nothing could ruin his mood. When UA came into view, however, his pace stopped abruptly.
There was a problem. A considerable problem that completely blocked the main entrance of the school. Reporters. Dozens of them. With cameras, microphones, and that frantic energy of sharks that smelled blood in the water. They crowded around the main gate like a hungry mass of news scoops.
And in the center of that mass, trapped like rabbits surrounded by wolves, were Inko Midoriya and Ochako Uraraka.
"How does it feel to have All Might as a teacher?"
"Is he as inspiring in person as he is on TV?"
"What are your plans for becoming professional heroes?"
"Does All Might give autographs after class?"
The two girls were clearly overwhelmed, completely surrounded and with no obvious escape. Ochako tried to keep her polite smile, but her eyes screamed help. Inko had that stoic expression she used when she was internally panicking but trying to keep her composure.
Shit, Ren thought. How am I going to get through?
He began walking toward the mass of reporters, trying to find a path through them to reach the entrance. But the journalists were like a solid wall of bodies and equipment.
"Excuse me," he said politely. "Coming through."
No one paid attention to him. They were too focused on their current prey. Ren tried to push gently through them. That was when he felt something grabbing his uniform from behind. He turned around and found that Ochako had managed to extend a desperate hand toward him. Inko was right behind her, also grabbing Ren's sleeve with silent urgency.
Ah, Ren understood. They plan to use my momentum to escape.
"Excuse me!" Ren raised his voice with more firmness. "I'm a student! I need to get through!"
Some reporters turned toward him. And then everything changed.
"A bald kid!"
"Are you a UA student?"
"Are there new admission policies for... aesthetic challenges?"
Ren felt a vein pulsing in his forehead.
"Aesthetic challenges?" he repeated with a dangerously calm voice.
"He's the janitorial staff!"
"No, wait, maybe he's a new teacher!"
"Could he be an exchange student from some special program?"
"His baldness is quite distinctive. We'll definitely remember his face in our reports."
Ochako and Inko took advantage of the distraction. They pulled on Ren with surprising strength, using him as a human shield as they broke through the mass of reporters who were now more interested in analyzing Ren's lack of hair than in interviewing the students.
"Does your Quirk have to do with baldness?"
"Is it a medical condition?"
"Did you consider wearing a wig during the admission process?"
Ren rolled his eyes.
"My Quirk is not baldness," he declared with forced patience. "My baldness is genetic and completely irrelevant to my heroic abilities. Now if you'll excuse me, I have class."
He pushed through the last of the reporters with Ochako and Inko still clinging to him. They finally crossed the threshold of UA, the main doors closing behind them and blocking the journalists outside. The three of them collapsed against the lobby wall, breathing heavily.
"That was..." Ochako began.
"Horrible," Inko completed. "Absolutely horrible."
"Thanks for getting us out of there, Hayashi-kun," Ochako said with genuine gratitude.
"Though technically I didn't do anything," Ren admitted. "You guys used me as a shield and a distraction."
"Your baldness was an excellent distraction," Inko added with absolute seriousness.
Ren looked at her. "I'm not sure if that was a compliment or an insult."
"It was an objective observation," Inko responded with that brutal honesty she sometimes showed.
Ochako laughed softly. "The reporters got completely obsessed with your head. It was pretty effective."
"My bald head at the service of the student community," Ren said sarcastically. "What an honor."
They walked together toward the classroom, the hallway gradually filling with more students who had managed to overcome the reporter blockade.
"Why are there so many reporters outside?" Ochako asked with genuine curiosity.
"All Might," Ren responded simply. "He's the number one hero teaching at UA. Of course the press wants to cover every detail."
"I guess that makes sense," Inko admitted. "But it's annoying not being able to enter our own school without being interrogated."
They reached the Class 1-A room. Aizawa was already inside, wrapped in his characteristic yellow sleeping bag in the corner like a depressed giant caterpillar. Ren took his usual seat. The rest of the class arrived gradually. Bakugo entered with his usual explosive mood, growling threats to no one in particular. If he had any memory of last night, he didn't show it. He simply dropped into his chair and put his feet on his desk in clear defiance of any school etiquette rules.
Thank heaven that teenagers are completely oblivious, Ren thought with relief.
When the last student finally entered, Aizawa emerged from his sleeping bag like an extremely tired and disinterested butterfly.
"Good morning," he said in his characteristic monotone. "Or whatever."
"Good morning, Aizawa-sensei!" Iida responded with robotic enthusiasm from his seat.
Aizawa ignored him completely and continued.
"First, I want to congratulate you on your performance in the Basic Hero Training class yesterday. All Might informed me that most of you showed initiative, teamwork, and adaptability under pressure. That's more than I expected, honestly."
Several students straightened up with evident pride at the unexpected compliment.
"Don't let it go to your heads," Aizawa added immediately. "You're still incompetent in most areas. But you're improving. Marginally. Now, to the next matter. You need to choose a class representative and a deputy."
"I'LL BE THE REPRESENTATIVE!" Bakugo shouted immediately, standing up so violently that his chair fell backward with a crash.
"I am also running," Iida declared with a rigidly raised hand.
"Sounds fun! Me too!" Mina added enthusiastically.
Soon half the class was shouting nominations and self-appointments. Aizawa watched the chaos with the expression of someone who had seen this too many times and had lost the capacity to be surprised or to care.
"Silence," he said without raising his voice. No one heard him. "SILENCE."
The room went quiet instantly.
"Democratic voting," Aizawa declared. "Everyone writes a name on paper. Whoever has the most votes wins. Cast your votes now."
Paper was distributed. Ren wrote Iida's name without much thought. The kid with the glasses would clearly take the role seriously, probably too seriously. But when the votes were counted and written on the blackboard, Ren found himself staring at his own name with five votes.
Class Representative: Hayashi Ren - 5 votesDeputy: Yaoyorozu Momo - 3 votes
"What?" Ren blinked. "Who voted for me?"
"I did, kero!" Tsuyu raised her hand.
"Me too!" Hagakure's voice came from her empty seat.
"And I," Momo added with a small smile.
"And me!" Mina raised both hands enthusiastically. "I thought you'd do a great job!"
Ren looked for the fifth vote. Inko raised her hand timidly.
"You were kind helping us with the reporters," she said simply.
"That was literally ten minutes ago," Ren pointed out.
"And you were kind," Inko repeated as if that explained everything.
"THIS IS BULLSHIT!" Bakugo exploded. "THAT BALDY DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE REPRESENTATIVE!"
"The votes don't lie, Bakugo," Aizawa said. "Hayashi is now your class representative. Yaoyorozu is the deputy. Accept your fates and move on."
Ren sank into his seat, processing this unexpected information. Class representative. Him. The guy who arrived in this world a little over a month and a half ago. Great. Just what I needed. More responsibility.
Momo seemed to be going through similar emotions in her own seat, though hers were more of visible frustration at not having won the top spot. When the period ended and lunch was declared, Ren walked over to where Momo was sitting. She was meticulously organizing her notes with the expression of someone processing a personal defeat.
"Hey, Yaoyorozu-san," Ren said as he approached.
She looked up. "Hayashi-kun. Congratulations on your victory."
"You don't sound very happy about being deputy."
"It's just..." Momo sighed. "I was hoping to be the representative. I thought it would be a good opportunity to demonstrate leadership and organizational skills."
Ren extended his arm and casually draped it around her shoulders in a friendly gesture. Momo tensed slightly at the unexpected contact, her face turning pink.
"We'll do a great job together," Ren declared confidently, giving a thumbs up with his free hand. "You have the strategic brain. I have the... well, I have the memorable baldness. We're the perfect team."
Despite herself, Momo laughed.
"That's not exactly a conventional combination of leadership skills."
"The best combinations never are."
"I suppose you're right," Momo admitted, relaxing slightly under his arm. "Fine. We will work together effectively."
"That's the spirit."
RING RING RING
The lunch bell rang, signaling the break before the next period.
"Want to go to the cafeteria?" Ren asked Momo as he released her shoulder. "We should celebrate our new leadership positions with food."
Momo considered the invitation for a moment, then nodded.
"That sounds pleasant. Let's go."
But before they could take three steps toward the door, a pink ball of energy appeared in front of them.
"GIRLS! LET'S GO TO THE CAFETERIA TO CELEBRATE THAT REN-KUN IS OUR NEW REPRESENTATIVE!"
Mina had grabbed Hagakure with one hand and Tsuyu with the other. Ochako and Inko were already being pushed toward the door by the force of Mina's personality.
"Wait, Ashido-san," Momo tried to protest. "Hayashi-kun and I were going to..."
"EXACTLY! YOU WERE GOING TO THE CAFETERIA! SO LET'S ALL GO TOGETHER! IT'LL BE SUPER FUN!"
And so, what had started as a quiet invitation between two people turned into a group expedition. Ren and Momo exchanged resigned looks as they were dragged along by the tsunami of energy that was Mina.
UA's cafeteria was impressive even during lunch. Spacious, modern, with multiple food stations serving everything from traditional Japanese cuisine to international options. The aroma of freshly prepared food filled the air. The group found a large table near the windows. Ren sat at one end with Momo to his right. Tsuyu was to his left. Across from them were Ochako, Inko, Mina, and the empty space where Hagakure was theoretically sitting.
"So, Ren-kun," Mina began as she opened her juice. "What's your first official act as class representative?"
"Hmm," Ren seriously considered the question. "Probably making sure Bakugo doesn't blow anyone up for the next twenty-four hours."
"That's going to be hard, kero," Tsuyu commented as she bit into her lunch. "Bakugo-kun explodes every time someone breathes near him."
"Valid point," Ren admitted. "Then my goal is to make sure he only partially explodes people."
The girls laughed.
"I think you'll be an excellent representative," Ochako said with sincerity. "You were very kind helping us with the reporters this morning."
"Again, you guys used me as a bald distraction," Ren pointed out.
"A very effective distraction," Inko added.
"My head at the service of justice," Ren sighed dramatically.
"You should be proud," Momo said. "Not everyone can say their baldness saved classmates from uncomfortable situations."
"I'll put that on my hero resume. Hayashi Ren: Bald Savior."
Mina almost spit out her drink laughing. The conversation flowed naturally as they ate. They talked about All Might's class from the day before, speculated about what training would come next, and debated which pro hero was the most impressive.
"I admire Thirteen," Hagakure said, her voice coming from the empty air. "Her Quirk is super powerful but she uses it mainly for rescues. That's real heroism."
"Midnight has incredible style," Mina added. "And her Quirk is perfect for controlling crowds without permanently hurting them."
"Eraserhead is tactical and efficient," Momo contributed. "He neutralizes threats without unnecessary direct confrontation."
"You're all wrong," Ren declared with feigned seriousness. "The best hero is obviously Lunch Rush."
Everyone looked at him.
"The cafeteria cook?" Ochako asked with confusion.
"Exactly. He feeds us every day. Without food, there's no energy. Without energy, there's no heroism. He's the real MVP."
There was a second of silence. Then Tsuyu nodded slowly.
"That is surprisingly sound logic, kero."
"Totally agree," Inko added. "Food is fundamental."
"A toast to Lunch Rush!" Mina raised her drink. "The unsung hero!"
Everyone clinked their drinks in a ridiculous but genuine toast. It was in moments like this that Ren felt most comfortable in this world. Simply sitting with people who were becoming friends, laughing about nonsense, and enjoying each other's company.
This is nice, he thought. Really nice.
Momo was discussing leadership strategies with Inko. Tsuyu and Hagakure debated hero costumes. Ochako and Mina planned a future shopping trip. And then the universe decided they had had enough peace.
BWAAAAAAAH! BWAAAAAAAH! BWAAAAAAAH!
A deafening alarm exploded through the cafeteria. Red lights began flashing on the walls. The sound was so loud that several students instinctively covered their ears.
"LEVEL THREE SECURITY ALERT!" an automated voice announced. "INTRUSION DETECTED AT MAIN PERIMETER! ALL STUDENTS EVACUATE TO SECURE AREAS IMMEDIATELY!"
The cafeteria exploded into instant chaos. Students jumped from their seats. Food trays overturned. Chairs fell as everyone began running in different directions simultaneously. Ren remained seated, watching the panic with deep resignation.
Here we go, he thought. Exactly as I remembered.
He knew what had caused the alarm. It was just those reporters who had managed to trigger the security sensor at the main entrance. But the damage was already done. Panic had broken out. And Ren remembered perfectly what came next in the timeline. The reporters were just the beginning. The real problem was who had let those reporters in, and more importantly, what information had been stolen during the chaos.
Shigaraki Tomura, he thought as he watched his classmates run frantically. The USJ attack.
Everything was about to go to hell in ways these students couldn't even imagine yet. Momo looked at him with evident confusion.
"Hayashi-kun? Why aren't you moving?"
"Because running in a panic isn't going to help," Ren responded honestly. "And because I know this is probably just a false alarm."
"How can you know that?"
"Intuition."
Ren stood up slowly, watching the chaos continue around him. Students tripping over each other. And somewhere in the middle of all this, critical information about UA was being stolen by someone with access they shouldn't have.
Welcome to UA, he thought with a sigh. Where everything started simple and now everything is going directly to hell.
*****
Remember:
Power Stone challenge.
If we hit 1,000 Power Stones this week, I will release 3 chapters in a row this Sunday to kick off the new week. Thank you all so much for your incredible support, and I hope you have a great day!
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