Chapter 162: Homecoming Tales (1)

Chapter 162: Homecoming Tales (1)

~Third POV~

[New Year's Eve, Intimate Venue, Japan]

It was New Year's Eve, and the students had been permitted to visit home for that night and the following day if they had a pro hero escorting them. It was such a day that Ren couldn't decide what to do and instead asked his classmates if he was allowed to join them on New Year's Eve.

Thus, Ren visits some of his friends' New Year's Eve events with his clones to share the experience as the original decides to spend his time with Melissa for New Year's Eve in All Might's home. The Mighty Tower in Tokyo.

As this happens, one of the clones spent their New Year's with, surprisingly, the Jiro Family with a Pro Hero. It was a wall-to-wall packed house in the tiny, intimate venue.

From offstage, Ren Yuki and Kyoka Jiro watched her father beat the drums, and her mother played guitar while belting out vocals. Kyotoku and Mika worked in the music industry, but this New Year's Eve performance was more of a personal side gig for them.

Since the students of 1-A had just been granted permission to go home for the holiday, Kyoka was able to be in attendance. Ren, listening to their music, couldn't help but comment in a chill tone, "I have to say your parents rock."

Jiro merely smiled as the deep, pounding drums rattled her guts and the guitar wailed like a diva. Kyoka's body instinctively internalized the rhythm; it came as naturally as breathing since she'd been raised in such a musical family.

The spirited crowd had also given itself over to the music and was having a blast. Suddenly, Kyoka remembered she hadn't come alone, and she spun around, asking, "Not too loud for you, I hope, Ectoplasm Sensei?"

For these home visits, a pro hero had been assigned to each student as a bodyguard. The one who went with Jiro was Ectoplasm; he said calmly, "Not at all. As a first-timer, I find it refreshing and intriguing."

Listening, Ren then asked Ectoplasm with a grin plastered on his face as he said in an excited tone, "Want to join us over here, then Ectoplasm-Sensei? Your view can't be great from back there."

Hearing this, Ectoplasm looked at Jiro, who nodded, agreeing as he said calmly, "May I really? If you insist…"

Ectoplasm moved closer to Kyoka and tried to find the rhythm again, though he was perpetually off the beat. His bumbling awkwardness brought a smile to Kyoka's face as Ectoplasm said, observing the cramped crowd, "The patrons appear to be enjoying the show. But perhaps this warranted a larger venue?"

Hearing his comment, Jiro explains with a knowing smile, surprising Ren with her words, genuinely curious, "Well, this little club has some sentimental value since it's where my parents met. So, they play here every New Year's."

Ren couldn't help but comment amazed, "That's cool of them."

Ectoplasm nodded his head, agreeing as he apologized in a soft tone, "I see. How inconsiderate of me to make such a suggestion, in that case."

Kyoka smiled and shook her head as if to say, "Don't sweat it," before turning back and letting the music take her over again. The rhythm and melody formed the pulse of her life.

Not only did music come as naturally as breathing to her—it felt just as vital. Even more so when she relinquished control and allowed herself to meld with the sounds. A moment later, Kyotoku was amping up the crowd and prepping them to start the big countdown to midnight as Jiro thought, 'Crud. What'm I gonna do for my kakizome homework?'

Kyoka's mind abruptly turned to the winter break homework from Aizawa Sensei, which was the traditional calligraphy drawn with an ink brush to usher in the New Year—ranging from a single kanji character to a phrase to an entire poem. More specifically, the assignment was to express an aspiration for the coming year.

Naturally, Kyoka intended to tackle the year with the usual Plus Ultra spirit, but putting that sentiment into calligraphy was a little tricky. However, her thoughts were interrupted as her father spoke out loud, shouting happily, "Happy New Year, everyone! Let's rock this year!"

Kyoka winced with a grin at her father's unabashed shouting, and her parents—still onstage—turned to her and winked. Ren couldn't help but chuckle knowingly at what their goal was as he said excitedly, "Oh, I know that look. It would be great to hear your voice again, Jiro-chan."

Kyoka didn't know what to make of this, but her father soon made it very clear as he shouted out loud, "And now, you lucky folks get to hear from a first-time guest performer… Our daughter, Kyoka!"

Jiro paused as she muttered, "Huh?"

Kyoka was frozen in place, watching her parents' beckoning hands. They hadn't mentioned that she was slated to be part of the show, so her immediate response to the surprise invitation was to shake her head in fervent refusal as Kyotoku said happily, "Our daughter can be a little shy. Hang on, folks!"

He and Mika walked offstage and were greeted by Kyoka's whispered protests as she hissed, "How about a little warning!"

However, her mother replied with a knowing smile, pinching Jiro's cheek, "Please, Kyoka? You sang at the School Festival, didn't you?"

Jiro's face turned red from her blush as she hissed in an embarrassed tone, "Uh, yeah! And I sent you the recording!"

Her father nodded, agreeing as he smiled widely as he proudly said to her, "Which was great! But of course, we wanna hear you live too!"

Kyoka couldn't bring herself to let them down, given how earnest they were about it. A part of her had wished they could've seen her big moment at the festival in person.

Placing a hand over her shoulder, Ren smiled kindly as he gave her a small push in a proud tone, "Come on, Jiro-chan? Everyone would love to hear you sing. I know I would."

Jiro's expression turned a bit red as her parents eyed her friend with sly grins. Finding the resolve deep in her gut, Jiro declared, determined, shyly looking away from Ren, "Fine. Same song, though…"

Her parents gave her a big hug, and the three members of the Jiro family strode out onto the stage together, where Kyoka introduced herself to the audience as quickly and awkwardly as possible. Then, with her parents providing accompaniment, she started to sing the song that she had performed at the School Festival.

Kyoka was proud of her parents, who'd always given her support and encouraged her to do what she wanted, how she wanted, so she imbued this familial performance with all her resolve and gratitude. The crowd roared as Ren murmured next to Ectoplasm with a delighted expression, "Such a lovely voice… she should have more confidence in herself bringing smiles with her voice."

Ectoplasm, who was still in the wings next to Ren, nodded his head, agreeing, adding in a lighthearted tone, "I agree. Perhaps Present Mic could use her in his podcast show to spread the joys of music."

The karaoke-loving teacher had heard tales of Kyoka's fabulous performance at the festival and had quietly been hoping for a chance to hear her live. It hadn't taken long into the New Year for his wish to come true.

The final lyric left Kyoka's lips, and the crowd went wild with cheers and applause. She was still feeling bashful about the whole thing but managed to turn to smile at her parents, who beamed right back at her.

That was when Kyoka realized what kanji character she wanted to write for the Kakizome assignment. Her aspiration for the coming year would be represented by Hibiki/kyo, meaning "sound," "reverberate," or "resonate." It was also the first character in her first name—the kyo in 'Kyoka.'

Listening to the crowds of people cheering her on, expressing their smiles, Jiro grinned proudly. Her thoughts recall how Ren pressed her to venture, showing her passion for music as she thought happily, 'Cuz my heart's gonna rock out so hard that those good vibrations bust down every obstacle this year throws at me. Even if Kaminari and Bakugo will poke fun for using part of my name.'

Just as Kyoka had decided that anyone who dared to tease her would get a firsthand taste of her heart's mighty reverberations, the audience started shouting for an encore. Ren from the crowd clapped as he yelled, getting her attention, "Come on, Jiro! Earphone Jack! Encore! Encore!"

Stunned, she glanced around and realized that Ectoplasm and her parents were egging her on, too. Noticing this, she shyly said, getting ready to sing once more, "Really? O-okay, one more song, I guess."

It was now the New Year, and in that small music venue, the lovely diva's voice rang out, resonating with one and all. Everyone enjoyed the encore that Jiro was providing as they were pleased listening to her voice.

Even Ren couldn't help but listen contently to the voice as he commented in a happy tone, placing his hands in his pocket, "Good to see Jiro-chan enjoying herself. I hope the others are doing well."

Opening his phone and checking the photos, he smiled, seeing his friend's enjoyment in Naruhata. Another thing he took notice of, smiling contently from his phone as he thought happily, 'The news of High-Speed Hero: O'Clock return? Naruhata's new resident, Pro Hero? Seems like the old man is taking his duties and returning his hero work.'

It wasn't all that Ren read as the quirks that Nine stole were eventually returned to their respective owners. Albeit copies, they were returned refined versions of them, helping them become a bit better for their hero work.

Pondering on the course of actions, his attention shifts to the crowds of people cheering, listening to Jiro's voice and song. Ren couldn't help but sigh tiredly at them.

Shifting his gaze to the other people, he pondered to himself as he thought seriously of the upcoming future ahead, 'Sigh… how the world hasn't ended in chaos yet is beyond me. They overly rely on heroes to the point of blind trust, as the people who once praised them would criticize them for saving them. Hypocrites.'

Mentally sneering at the crowd of mindless sheep, Ren focuses on Jiro's show as he thinks in a calm tone of the future, 'When society breaks, would these people recall that the heroes that fight for them are merely children thrust into this role? It makes me sneer in disgust, recalling Dark Deku, exhausted, returned only for the mindless sheep to tell him to fuck off when he needed help. It just reminds me of the reason why I allowed the League of Villains to grow and teach society a lesson they would never forget…'

Returning his attention to the show as he gazed at the sky, Ren muttered without anyone listening through the noise, "I hope everyone has a good New Year for the time to come. I hope everyone has a good life…"

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A/N: Hey, folks, I'm back! I'm feeling a bit better now, given the week to recover and stockpile chapters. After stockpiling the chapters, I've managed to finally get the last novel of the MHA into chapters down.

Now I have time to finally go into the Paranormal Mount War Arc. I hope you guys love the slice and life chapters before plunging your favorite characters straight into war. Otherwise, have a good day, everyone! :)