A young man with a neat brown ponytail and sharp bangs sits behind a polished desk in the hero bureau. His suit is immaculate, pressed to perfection, the tie aligned just so. Even the faint crease under his eyes seems deliberate, a reminder of the long hours spent reviewing quirks that rarely make sense. He always prefers wearing a suit—it keeps him grounded, composed, prepared for whatever odd ability walks through the door.
The folder in front of him is open, and he scans the list of applicants for the day. Crime investigation department. Another batch of hopefuls, each convinced that their power will save lives—or at least impress him.
The door opens. He instinctively glances up and takes in the first candidate. A young boy steps in. He is thin, neatly combed hair, wearing a plain button-up shirt and dark trousers, sleeves rolled up just enough to show his forearms. His posture is calm, almost rigid, hands folded neatly in his lap as he approaches the chair. Calm. Collected. His gaze flicks to the folder in front of the interviewer.
"Good morning," the interviewer says. "You applied for crime investigation, correct?"
"That's correct," the boy replies.
He studies the boy carefully while asking. Neat clothes, attentive posture, clean shoes—not flashy, but respectable. Likely someone who values precision.
"Describe your ability."
"I can detect the last thing someone touched."
The interviewer blinks, pen hovering over the form. "…The last thing someone touched? How would that be useful?"
"It helps identify what a person interacted with," the boy says. "For example, if someone touched a weapon or a specific object at a crime scene, I can point that out."
He leans back slightly, frowning, scribbles a note. "I see. And how accurate is it? Can you always tell, or only sometimes?"
"Pretty accurate, actually. Though it only works for objects that a person directly handled," the boy answers.
The interviewer taps the pen thoughtfully. "…Alright. Noted. We'll record that in your file. Thank you for your explanation."
The boy stands and leaves. The door clicks shut behind him.
The second candidate enters. He glances up, scanning her as she walks in. She is small, shoulders slightly hunched, with a pale pink blouse and a neatly pressed skirt. Her hair is tied in a simple braid, no jewelry, nothing distracting. Eyes sharp and alert. She moves carefully, but there's an underlying confidence.
"Good morning. You applied for crime investigation?"
"Yes," she says.
"Describe your ability."
"I can hear the sound of a lock turning from three meters away," she says.
The interviewer freezes, pen halfway to the form. "…Three meters? That's oddly specific. How is that helpful?"
"It allows me to know when doors are being opened," she says. "For example, if someone tries to sneak into a restricted area, I can detect it immediately."
He leans back, frowning. "So, it only works for doors and locks… not much else?"
"Yes," she admits. "It's situational, but in the right moment, it could prevent a serious breach."
He taps the pen against the desk. "I'm sorry. This quirk isn't practical enough for the position. We can't move forward with your application."
The girl nods, expression polite but disappointed, and leaves.
The third candidate enters. Tall, confident, shoulders broad. He wears a crisp shirt and dark slacks, shoes polished. His hair is slicked back, and he carries himself like he owns the room. He crosses one leg over the other and sits, hands clasped casually.
"You applied for crime investigation?"
"That's right," he says.
"Describe your ability."
"I can tell if a piece of paper has been handled recently," he explains.
The interviewer blinks. "…A piece of paper?"
"Yes," the boy nods. "It shows me who has interacted with documents. If someone tried to tamper with something, I can notice it."
He leans back, thinking. Paper is important, but this ability is limited. "I'm sorry. This quirk isn't sufficient for the position. Your application is rejected."
The boy shrugs and leaves.
The fourth applicant steps in. She is slightly taller than the others, with calm, calculating eyes. She wears a fitted blazer over a dark blouse and pants. Her hair is tied in a low ponytail, and her shoes are practical, polished, but nothing flashy. She sits with perfect posture, hands folded neatly in her lap.
"Good morning. You applied for crime investigation?"
"Yes," she says.
"Describe your ability."
"I can summon insects," she says.
The interviewer feels a spike of disbelief. Insects? He leans back slightly, pen poised. "How… would that be useful?"
Her lips curl into a faint smile. "I can see through their eyes. They can act as spies, gather information in places humans can't access. I can even coordinate a swarm to watch multiple areas at once."
He blinks, nodding slowly. "I see… And controlling them—does it require constant focus?"
"Yes, but I've trained to manage multiple at a time," she explains.
"Interesting. Very situational, but it could work. Noted. Recorded in your file. We'll move forward with your application."
She nods, stands, and leaves.
The fifth candidate steps in. He is quiet, calm, with a faint smile. He is dressed simply—a dark jacket over a plain shirt, clean jeans, and sneakers. Nothing flashy, just practical. He sits, folds his hands on the desk, and looks at the interviewer with steady eyes.
"Good morning. You applied for crime investigation?"
"Yes," he says.
"Describe your ability."
"I can touch someone, and a paper instantly appears showing their name, gender, quirk, last place they visited, and hobby," he says.
The interviewer leans slightly forward, intrigued. "That's… actually quite useful. And how would you typically use it in investigations?"
He smiles slightly, a subtle pride in his expression. "Not many people have powers that let them instantly get detailed information by touch. I can quickly identify suspects, witnesses, or anyone involved. It saves time and reduces mistakes."
"Does it work on anyone, or only humans?" the interviewer asks.
"Only humans. But it gives me enough info to start tracking, questioning, or cross-referencing," he says.
The interviewer scribbles quickly in the folder, impressed. "Alright. Noted. Recorded in your file. We'll move forward with your application."
The boy's smile widens slightly. Being able to contribute in a real way makes him feel useful. He stands, nods politely, and leaves.
The sixth candidate enters. She is confident, with sharp eyes and a steady presence. She wears a fitted jacket over a white blouse, tailored pants, and clean shoes. Her hair is tied back neatly. She sits and looks directly at the interviewer.
"Good morning. You applied for crime investigation?"
"Yes," she says.
"Describe your ability."
"I can detect how many people around me are lying," she says.
The interviewer blinks, pen hovering. …Finally, a practical quirk. "And how would that help?"
"It allows me to quickly identify deception in interrogations or investigations," she explains. "If someone lies, I know immediately. I can also sense how many liars are nearby, which helps in crowded or tense situations. It's situational, but extremely valuable when it matters."
He scribbles in his folder. "Noted. Recorded in your file. We'll move forward with your application."
She nods and stands. The door clicks shut.
Six applicants. Two rejected, Four accepted. He sits back in his chair, running a hand over his face. The day is only beginning, and already the bureau feels like a circus. Tracking the last thing someone touched, summoning insects, instant personal info papers, detecting liars… each quirk counts differently, but a few might actually make a difference.
He straightens his suit, smooths the tie, and opens the folder again. Somewhere in these piles of applications, he hopes to find more quirks with real potential.
For the first time today, he allows himself a small, cautious smile. Maybe this batch isn't entirely hopeless.