A Chance Encounter

*First-Person POV – Sasaki Kenjiro*

[Orphanage Morning]

The orphanage was alive with the usual weekend chaos. Kids screamed, laughter bounced off the walls, and the smell of burnt toast lingered in the air—someone had let Aiko near the toaster again.

I leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching as Mrs. Tanaka tried (and failed) to pry a half-eaten crayon from one of the younger kids' mouths.

"You're losing your touch, old lady," I remarked, smirking.

She shot me a glare that could melt steel. "Oh, shut it, you little brat. If you've got time to stand there grinning, you've got time to help."

I snatched the crayon from the kid's grip before he could protest, flicking it onto the counter. "There. Crisis averted."

Aiko, now twelve and twice as troublesome, plopped down beside me, her mouth full of toast. "Kenjiro, when're you gonna bring All Might here? You promised."

I rolled my eyes. "I never promised that."

"You implied it!"

"That's not how implications work."

Mrs. Tanaka sighed, rubbing her temples. "Just eat your breakfast before I lose the will to live."

I grabbed a piece of toast—only slightly charred—and ruffled Aiko's hair as I passed, ignoring her indignant squawk.

"Peaceful mornings like this… almost make me forget about the impending villain apocalypse."

Almost.

---

The air outside was crisp, the kind of morning that made you want to just breathe for a while. I wandered aimlessly, hands in my pockets, letting the city's rhythm wash over me.

Then—

"P-please! Let me go!"

A woman's voice, trembling.

My head snapped toward the sound. Down a narrow alley, a man in a hoodie had a woman pinned against the wall, one hand gripping her wrist, the other holding a knife.

"Seriously? Broad daylight?"

I sighed, stretching my fingers.

A glob of mochi pooled in my palm, hardening into a tennis ball-sized projectile. I didn't even break stride as I flicked it forward—Mochi Snipe.

THWACK.

The ball hit the mugger square in the temple. His eyes rolled back, and he crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut.

The woman gasped, staring at the unconscious man, then at me.

I shrugged. "You're welcome."

Before she could stammer out a thanks, I was already walking away.

"Not in the mood for gratitude."

[Coffee Shop]

The coffee shop was a quiet little place tucked between a bookstore and a laundromat. I pushed the door open, the bell jingling softly—

THUD.

Something warm and wet splashed across my chest.

I looked down. My shirt was now half-soaked in what smelled like caramel macchiato.

"Fantastic."

"O-oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!"

The voice was bright, bubbly, and loud.

I looked up—

And froze.

Blue. That was the first thing I noticed. Her hair. Long, wavy, and the color of the ocean under sunlight, cascading down her back in loose spirals. Her eyes—wide and bright and vibrant—stared up at me with a mix of horror and apology.

She was taller than I expected, her frame lean but athletic under her casual sweater and jeans. A UA sports bag hung off her shoulder, the school's emblem barely visible under a layer of pins and patches.

"Nejire Hado."

My brain short-circuited for a second. Of all the people to run into—

"I totally wasn't looking where I was going!" she continued, waving her hands frantically. "I was thinking about this super cute dog I saw earlier, and then I was wondering if dogs like coffee, and then—oh no, your shirt!"

I blinked. "She talks like she's powered by a nuclear reactor."

"It's fine," I said, shaking the coffee off my hand. "Just a shirt."

Nejire gasped. "No way! I ruined it! Look, it's all sticky now!" She poked my chest, her fingers lingering for a second too long. "Oh wow, you're super muscular under here, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow.

She didn't even blush. Just grinned. "I'll buy you a new one!"

"I don't—"

"Nope! No arguing!" She grabbed my wrist—her grip was stronger than I expected—and dragged me out of the shop. "There's a clothing store like, right around the corner! C'mon!"

I could've resisted. Could've pulled away.

…But where's the fun in that?

---

Nejire Hado shopped like a tornado with a credit card.

"Ooooh, this one's nice!" She held up a black button-up. "Very mysterious vibe!"

"I don't do 'mysterious,'" I deadpanned.

"Okay, okay, how about this?" A dark red hoodie. "It matches your eyes!"

"She noticed my eye color?"

I sighed, plucking a plain gray T-shirt off the rack. "This'll do."

Nejire pouted. "Boooo, that's boring!"

"It's practical."

"Practical is overrated!"

Ten minutes and one very confused cashier later, I walked out with a new shirt—black, because Nejire had vetoed the gray one—and a headache.

Nejire skipped beside me, humming to herself. "So! You never told me your name!"

"Sasaki Kenjiro."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh! You're the *first-year* everyone's talking about! The one who wrecked Todoroki!"

I glanced at her. "You've heard of me?"

"Duh! UA's not that big!" She leaned in, close enough that I could smell her shampoo—something fruity. "You're way stronger than I expected, though. Like, wow."

I smirked. "Flattered."

She laughed, the sound bright and unguarded. "You're fun! Most first-years get all flustered when I talk to them."

*"I'm not most first-years."*

The sun was higher now, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. Nejire twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her expression suddenly thoughtful.

"Hey, Sasaki," she said, softer now. "You ever just… meet someone and feel like you've known them forever?"

I blinked. "Where did that come from?"

"Not really," I admitted.

She smiled, but it was different this time—less chaotic, more real. "Huh. Weird."

A beat of silence. Then—

"Oh! We should totally exchange LINE!" She whipped out her phone, already pulling up her contact. "Here, gimme yours!"

I hesitated. "This is a bad idea."

…

I handed her my phone.

Nejire beamed, typing at lightning speed before handing it back. "There! Now you have to text me, okay? No ignoring!"

I pocketed the phone. "No promises."

She stuck her tongue out. "Mean."

We stood there for a moment, the city humming around us. Then Nejire stretched, her arms arching over her head.

"Welp! I gotta run! Third-years don't get nearly enough free time, y'know?" She winked. "See you around, Sasaki!"

And just like that, she was gone—disappearing into the crowd with the same energy as a firework.

I stared after her, the ghost of a smile tugging at my lips.

"Well. That happened."

My phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: [Heyyyy it's Nejire!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧]

I sighed.

"This is gonna be a problem."

******

*First-Person POV – Sasaki Kenjiro*

---

My phone hasn't stopped buzzing for the past twenty minutes.

Nejire: [Heyyyy Sasaki!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ What're you doing??]

Nejire: [Wait wait wait, let me guess! You're brooding dramatically on a rooftop somewhere, right??]

Nejire: [Or maybe you're training?? Ooooh, are you *bench-pressing a car* right now??]

I stare at the screen, debating whether to respond.

…

Me: [I was eating.]

Nejire: [OMG HE LIVES!! 🎉 What'd you eat?? Was it mochi?? PLEASE tell me it was mochi!!]

Me: [It was toast.]

Nejire: […That's so boring. You're boring.]

Me: [And you're exhausting.]

Nejire: [Exhaustingly adorable, you mean!! (＾▽＾)]

I snort. "This girl is a force of nature."

The phone buzzes again.

Nejire: [Hey hey, serious question!! If you could turn into any food besides mochi, what would it be??]

I don't even hesitate.

Me: [Poison.]

Nejire: [...]

Nejire: [That's dark. I love it. (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ]

I roll my eyes, but my thumb hovers over the screen.

Me: [Why are you texting me instead of studying? Aren't third-years supposed to be busy?]

Nejire: [Pffft, studying is for people who aren't geniuses!! (Which is me!! I'm a genius!!)]

Me: [That's not how that works.]

Nejire: [It is absolutely how that works!! Ask Mirio!!]

I pause. "Mirio? As in… Lemillion?"

Before I can respond, another message pops up.

Nejire: [Gotta run!! Tamaki's dragging me to lunch!! Text me later, okay?? Or I'll spam you with cat videos!! 🐱💥]

I pocket my phone, shaking my head. "What the hell am I getting into?"

---

The orphanage is quieter now, the younger kids napping while the older ones huddle around the TV, watching some hero news segment.

Aiko spots me first. "Kenjiro! You're back!"

Mrs. Tanaka eyes my new shirt. "Where'd you get that? Last I checked, you didn't have money for clothes."

"A girl spilled coffee on me. Bought me a new one."

The room erupts.

"A GIRL?!" Aiko shrieks.

"Since when do you talk to girls?!" one of the twins yells.

Mrs. Tanaka's grin is downright sinister. "Oh? Do tell."

I flick Aiko's forehead. "It's not like that. She was just apologizing."

"Uh-huh," Mrs. Tanaka drawls. "And I'm All Might."

I ignore the ensuing chaos and head to my room.

---

My room is sparse—bed, desk, a single shelf of books. No posters, no decorations. Just functionality.

I flop onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Eleven years."

Eleven years since I woke up in this world. Eleven years of training, of honing my body and Quirk to their absolute limits.

And now?

Now I've got a UA sports festival to dominate, a League of Villains to crush, and a hyperactive third-year blowing up my phone.

"Life's weird."

My thoughts drift to the USJ.

I know how it plays out—the Nomu, the warp gates, the near-disaster. But knowing and experiencing are two different things.

The Nomu's my biggest concern. Shock absorption and regeneration make it a pain in the ass to put down, but not impossible.

I flex my hand, watching as the skin shifts to mochi and back.

"I'm stronger than it is."

Stronger than any of them.

But strength alone won't save everyone. Not if Kurogiri warps me away. Not if Shigaraki decides to dust a kid faster than I can react.

"I need a plan."

My phone buzzes.

Nejire: [Forgot to ask!! What's your favorite color??]

I stare at the message.

"Why does that matter?"

…

Me: [Red.]

Nejire: [OOOOOH, like blood?? (⊙ᗜ⊙)]

Me: [Like your obnoxious texting.]

Nejire: [HAH!! I KNEW IT!! You do have a sense of humor under all that brooding!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧]

I huff a laugh despite myself.

"This is gonna be trouble."

---

The room darkens as evening fades to night. My phone's finally silent—Nejire's presumably been dragged off by her friends.

I close my eyes, letting the weight of the day settle over me.

Tomorrow's another day of classes.

Next week, the USJ.

And after that?

"Who knows."

For the first time in years, the future feels… uncertain.

Not frightening.

Just new.

I drift off to the memory of blue hair and a brighter laugh than I've ever deserved.