Closer

It didn't take long.

After that hallway encounter, Midoriya Izuku found himself orbiting closer and closer to Shin Karasuma and his trio of unpredictable, yet oddly balanced, friends.

It started at lunch the next day.

Shin waved Midoriya over to their usual table by the window, and though the green-haired boy hesitated at first—torn between anxiety and excitement—he eventually shuffled over with his tray in both hands.

Yuki Takamine was the first to break the silence.

"So, you're the notebook guy!" she said, grinning around a mouthful of bread. "You seriously write down every quirk you see?"

"Uh—y-yeah," Midoriya said, nervously fiddling with the edge of his tray. "I—I just think quirks are fascinating, and it helps me understand hero tactics better and—"

"He's like a battle analyst," Shin added with a calm nod. "Smart stuff."

Midoriya turned bright pink. "I—I wouldn't go that far."

"Seems useful," Shiro said simply, sipping his tea. "Most people just scream and run when something goes wrong."

Midoriya gave him a shy smile. "Thanks…"

Toma, half-asleep beside Shin, peeked out from behind his bangs. "You're quirkless, right?"

The air tightened slightly. Midoriya's shoulders tensed. "Y-Yeah."

Toma yawned. "Still got more guts than most of the class. No quirk, still wants to be a hero? That's awesome."

Midoriya's eyes widened at the unexpected compliment.

Yuki slammed her hands on the table, nearly knocking over her juice. "Deku, you're officially adopted!"

Midoriya blinked. "W-What?"

"You're in the crew now!" she declared. "Welcome to Team Shin! Or… Shin's Shinobi? Ooh—wait—Shin's Shock Squad!"

Shin sighed, rubbing his temple. "Please don't name the group after me."

"She does this," Shiro said flatly.

"She'll forget the name tomorrow," Toma mumbled into his arms.

But Midoriya laughed—a quiet, genuine laugh that made Shin smile a little to himself.

They were all so different, but there was something easy about the way they clicked. Something real.

---

Over the Next Few Weeks…

Midoriya started joining them during lunch and free periods. Shin would help him with strength conditioning in gym class—nothing too intense, just light advice on how to make the most of his stamina and reflexes.

Yuki, ever the hype machine, began dragging Midoriya into impromptu "training drills" after school—which usually just meant obstacle course races and shouting encouragement at the top of her lungs.

Shiro, quiet as always, simply watched and offered sharp pointers that somehow always hit home. He even lent Midoriya a few hero analysis books—old, dusty, and packed with surprisingly good insight.

Toma… well, Toma mostly napped. But when he was awake, his offhand comments were weirdly brilliant. It became clear he was watching everything, even if his eyelids were barely open.

---

One Afternoon, On the Rooftop

The five of them were lounging in the sun—Yuki humming loudly, Shiro flipping through a book, Toma sleeping against a tree stump, and Shin watching Midoriya sketch in his notebook.

"What're you working on now?" Shin asked.

Midoriya looked up, smiling. "I'm analyzing heroes who don't rely on flashy quirks. People like Eraser Head or Gunhead. I want to figure out how they compensate with strategy."

Shin leaned over to peek. "Smart move. You'll go far with that mindset."

Midoriya hesitated. "Do you… really think someone like me can be a hero?"

Shin looked him in the eye.

"I don't think," he said simply. "I know."

Midoriya froze.

Yuki grinned. "Shin doesn't say stuff unless he means it, y'know. That's like, his thing."

"Also," Toma mumbled, half-asleep, "you already act more heroic than half the jerks in our class."

Shiro added, "You have purpose. That's rare."

Midoriya blinked rapidly, eyes stinging a bit. "…Thanks, guys."

Shin just smiled faintly and looked out over the schoolyard.

He knew what was coming in a few years. Knew the storm was building. But in moments like this, surrounded by people he could trust, he felt something strange.

Hope.

Maybe… just maybe, the future wasn't set in stone.

******

It started with Yuki, as most chaotic ideas did.

"Guys! We should totally have a mini training challenge after school today!"

Shin looked up from his lunch, halfway through a rice ball. "A challenge?"

Yuki leaned over the table dramatically, amber eyes glittering. "Yeah! Like… an obstacle course! Or a capture-the-flag thing! We've got quirks—we should use them more."

Midoriya, who had been quietly sketching a new hero analysis page, blinked. "Wait—you mean, like a mock hero exercise?"

"Exactly!" she grinned. "Except cooler, and with more yelling."

Toma raised a hand from where he was dozing. "I'm in if I can nap afterward."

Shiro, flipping a page in his book, murmured, "If there's strategy involved… I'll play."

Shin considered it. A low-stakes challenge. Good practice for coordination—and a way to gauge their quirks' synergy in a mock scenario.

"…Alright," he said. "Let's do it."

---

After School – Empty Park Field

The group gathered in a quiet park behind the school, where the trees provided some cover and the grass was wide and open. The area was perfect for what Yuki called: "Operation: Hero Blitz."

Shin stood at the center, arms folded.

"Okay, teams are simple: Me and Midoriya versus you three," he said, nodding toward Yuki, Toma, and Shiro.

Midoriya's eyes widened. "W-Wait, me?!"

"You'll be fine," Shin said with a small smirk. "They won't go easy, but I'll cover you."

Shiro raised an eyebrow. "What's the win condition?"

Shin pointed to a red bandana tied to a small wooden post behind him. "Capture the flag. You have ten minutes. If Midoriya and I keep it, we win."

Yuki cracked her knuckles. "Oh, it's on."

Toma yawned. "Don't blink. I move faster than I look."

Shiro vanished.

Literally.

Midoriya jumped. "He—He just disappeared?!"

"Glasswalk," Shin murmured. "His quirk. Keep your senses sharp."

And just like that, the match began.

*******

Midoriya crouched behind the flag post, eyes scanning the open park. Shin stood in front of him like a wall of calm lightning, arms glowing faintly with power.

The first attack came fast.

A sonic boom rippled through the field as Yuki came charging in, her shout shaking the leaves above them.

"WRAAAH! HERO CHARGE!!"

Shin slid forward, feet sparking across the grass. He met Yuki's charge with a light tap to her shoulder—just enough force, amplified by his strength-enhancing quirk, to knock her back into a roll.

"Oww! Rude!" she called, laughing.

"I held back."

"Yeah right! That was awesome!"

Meanwhile, Midoriya's eyes scanned left and right. "Toma's still missing, and Shiro's invisible. I have no idea where—"

A shadow loomed. "Yo."

Toma had appeared right behind him, hand lazily reaching for the flag.

"Ah!" Midoriya jumped, twisting away just in time.

Shin was already there, arm blocking Toma's swipe. The two exchanged a quick series of light blows—Toma fast despite his lazy posture, Shin precise and grounded.

Shiro's voice drifted from nowhere. "Distraction successful."

Midoriya gasped—"The other side!"

He turned just in time to see the faint shimmer of Shiro's silhouette—too close to the flag.

But Midoriya didn't hesitate. He dove forward, tackled the air—and hit something solid.

"Oof."

They tumbled in the grass, Shiro blinking in surprise as his invisibility flickered out.

"I—did it?" Midoriya wheezed, face in the dirt.

"You did," Shiro admitted, straightening his shirt.

"Time's up," Shin said, letting out a light breath.

Yuki flopped into the grass, panting. "Best. Practice. Ever."

Toma laid down where he stood, already half-asleep. "Wake me up in ten years."

Shiro nodded to Midoriya. "Good reaction time."

Midoriya sat up, panting but grinning. "That was… amazing."

Shin walked over and helped him up. "You kept your cool. That's what matters."

Yuki rolled over and gave Midoriya a thumbs up. "You're officially one of us now. No take-backs!"

---

Later That Evening

As the sun dipped below the horizon, they all lay in the grass, sweaty and satisfied. For a while, no one spoke. They didn't need to.

Then Toma mumbled, "We should do this every week."

Yuki sat up, eyes glowing. "YES. Hero Club Training Nights!"

"Not a club," Shiro muttered.

"It is now!" she shouted.

Shin just chuckled quietly, arms behind his head as he watched the sky shift to stars.

In a world of rising heroes, looming danger, and uncertain futures… these small moments, this bond—they were the foundations of something greater.

And deep down, Shin knew it.

This was only the beginning.