Chapter 223 - 222: Beautifully Done

Location: Shizuoka - Saki Residence

Time: Two Weeks Ago | Evening (First Day Contract with Wash)

CLICK.

Kaito pushed the front door open. He stepped into the hallway and let out a long breath. He just finished a twelve-hour shift at the Clean-Room Agency.

"Uncle Kaito!"

A small blur ran across the hardwood floor. Four-year-old Emmy crashed directly into his legs.

Kaito laughed. He dropped his briefcase, leaned down, and picked her up.

"Hey, Emmy," Kaito said, resting her on his hip. "Have you been good today?"

Emmy nodded rapidly. She pointed down the hallway.

A large, white, inflatable robot waddled out of the living room.

Baymax stopped a few feet away, blinking its black dot eyes. It raised a soft, marshmallow-like hand in a wave.

Kaito waved back. He carried Emmy into the dining room.

The dining table was packed.

Kimiko and her husband Kenji sat on one side.

They lived three blocks away and usually stopped by after leaving the Golden Bites corporate office.

Grandma Saki sat at the head of the table, pouring tea.

Kaito sat down in the empty chair. Grandma Saki immediately pushed a plate of grilled fish and rice in front of him.

"Eat," Grandma Sake said.

Kaito picked up his chopsticks. "Thanks, Grandma."

Kimiko passed him the soy sauce. "You look tired, Kaito. Are the new contracts that bad?"

"So what was the reason you invited use here Kaito?" Kenji asked.

"My contract with Laundy Hero, Wash is fine," Kaito said. He took a bite of rice. "Principal Nezu came to my office a few days ago. He asked for an invitation to my birthday party."

Kenji adjusted his glasses. "You told him yes?"

"I had to," Kaito replied. He swallowed his food. "They already knew it last year. If Principal Nezu comes, All Might will hear about it. If All Might comes, every pros will find out. If I leave them out, that doesn't really fit with me.

And if the domestic heroes show up, the international ones from America and Singapore will aslo hear about it."

Kaito rubbed his temples.

"I just really wanted a small gathering between us like last time," Kaito groaned. "Now my guest list is jumping from fifteen people to possible hundreds."

"Hehe.." Kenji and Kimiko looked at each other and laughed.

"We can fix that," Kenji said. "The Golden Bites corporate headquarters has a massive ground-floor event hall. We already scheduled the national employee Christmas party there for December twenty-fifth."

Kenji took a sip of his tea.

"We can merge the events," Kenji offered. "You bring your hero friends. The hall should be able host thousand of people easily."

Kaito looked at him. "You want to drop three hundred pro heroes in the middle of the Golden Bites Christmas party?"

"You are the founder of the franchise," Kimiko smiled. "The employees would love it. We can handle the catering and the security. You just bring your guests."

Kaito thought about it. The venue was huge. It solved the space issue entirely.

"Thanks," Kaito agreed.

"No problem.."

He leaned back in his chair.

Across the room, little Emmy ran toward the television. She tripped over the edge of the carpet.

FWOOSH.

Baymax moved surprisingly fast. The robot inflated its arms and caught her before she hit the floor.

[Are you experiencing any physical pain?] Baymax asked in a calm, soothing voice.

Emmy just giggled and hugged the robot's soft stomach.

Kaito watched them.

A thought formed in his head.

People were giving up their Christmas Day to attend his birthday. He needed to give them a return gift.

He looked at Baymax. Pro heroes worked eighteen-hour shifts.

They barely had time to do their own laundry or cook real meals.

A housekeeper unit would change their daily lives completely.

Kaito kept the idea to himself.

This time he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Grandma, I need to start calling the vendor companies," Kaito said, unlocking his screen. "I need to check the seating charts."

SMACK.

Grandma Sake reached across the table and hit his hand with a rolled-up newspaper.

"Hey!" Kaito dropped the phone.

"You are the birthday boy," Grandma Sake said sternly. "You are not working on your own party."

Kimiko nodded in agreement.

Grandma Saki pulled her own phone from her apron.

She dialed a number and placed the phone flat on the dining table. She pressed the speaker button.

RING. RING.

[Hello?] Makoto Tsukauchi answered cheerfully.

"Makoto," Grandma Sake said. "Kaito needs a massive birthday program organized at the Golden Bites headquarters. He is trying to plan it himself."

[...]

[Oh, absolutely not,] Makoto said instantly. Her voice turned fierce.

"I just need to check the caterers," Kaito argued, leaning toward the phone.

[You are banned from participating, Kaito!] Makoto shouted through the speaker. [You manage hero agencies all day. I am not letting you manage your own birthday.]

Makoto physically turned away from her phone.

[KOICHI! KAZUHO! TAMAO!] Makoto yelled at the top of her lungs. [GET OUT HERE! WE ARE THROWING KAITO A PARTY!]

Chaos erupted in the background on the other end of the line.

[A party? Oh it's almost Christmas. What gift should I give him?] Koichi asked, stumbling over his words.

[I can sing!] Kazuho cheered loudly.

[I'll help!] Tamao yelled.

Kaito sighed. He dragged a hand down his face. His quiet dinner was completely gone.

[Don't touch anything, Kaito!] Makoto ordered through the phone. [Just focus on inviting your guests. Leave the entire program to me. I will call Present Mic and Ms. Joke and book them to host just like last time.]

"Fine," Kaito surrendered.

Grandma Sake smiled. She leaned closer to the phone.

"Take care of him, Makoto," Grandma Sake said. "He works too much. And honestly, I want to see a great-grandchild while my knees still work."

[COUGH. COUGH.]

Makoto choked loudly through the speaker.

Kimiko covered her mouth to hide a laugh. Kenji suddenly found his tea very interesting.

Kaito just stared at his grandmother in total disbelief.

Grandma Sake ignored him. She reached forward and ended the call.

BEEP.

Emmy ran back to the table, cheering for Uncle Kaito's birthday.

Kaito picked up his chopsticks again and shook his head, listening to his family laugh around him.

...

Time: Following Day Next Morning

BEEP.

Kaito sat at his desk with a cup of black coffee. A long digital spreadsheet filled his main monitor.

He tapped his phone screen and put it on speaker.

RING.

[Young Arisaka!] Toshinori Yagi answered cheerfully. [Nezu sent me a text about the venue change. Golden Bites headquarters?]

"I had to upgrade the space, Toshinori," Kaito said, taking a sip of his coffee. "Bring Gran Torino with you."

[He is already complaining about the train ride,] Toshinori laughed. [But he bought a new tie for the occasion. We will see you at eight.]

Kaito ended the call and dialed again.

[Hello?] Shota Aizawa answered. He sounded exhausted.

"Shota," Kaito said. "Did Principal Nezu tell the faculty about the twenty-fifth?"

[He sent a school-wide memo,] Aizawa grumbled. [Loud music gives me a headache. I am going to sit in the corner.]

[Don't listen to him, Kaito!] Nemuri Kayama yelled in the background. [I am making him wear a real suit! We are all coming!]

"See you there, Nemuri," Kaito smiled.

CLICK.

Kaito scrolled down the spreadsheet. He tapped the contact for the number two pro hero in Japan.

[Arisaka,] Enji Todoroki answered. His voice was deep and steady.

"Enji," Kaito said. "The venue changed to the Golden Bites headquarters."

[I received the address from your AI,] Enji replied. [I will take my children with me.]

Kaito said. "Thanks for showing up."

[Understood. We will see you on Christmas,] Enji said, hanging up.

Kaito called another several contacts.

BEEP.

[Are we drinking?] Rumi Usagiyama shouted immediately.

...

BEEP.

[Please lower your voice, everyone,] Best Jeanist said calmly over the line while talking to his sidekicks. [Arisaka, what is the exact dress code for this venue?]

"Wear whatever you want, Tsunagu," Kaito answered. "It is a birthday and a Christmas party."

...

BEEP.

[I am bringing three crates of sake,] Fat Gum announced.

"The party have countless foods and drinks.."

...

BEEP.

[I will get there early to help carry the tables,]

Keigo Takami offered, chewing on something crunchy. [You are going to need the extra hands, Kaito. Half the country is going to be in that room.]

"You're presence is already enough for me Keigo."

...

BEEP

[I will bring the premium green tea,] Kamui Woods said quietly.

"I appreciate it, Shinya," Kaito said. "Doors open at eight in the morning."

...

Few hours later

Kaito walked down the sidewalk holding a paper bag from a local bakery, after his work in pro hero Wash.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and swiped to his international contacts.

RING.

[Kaito!] Kathleen Bate yelled through the speaker. [Happy early birthday!]

Kaito pulled the phone slightly away from his ear.

"Kathleen," Kaito said. "I am hosting the party on the twenty-fifth in Golden Bites Headquarters."

[Wow.... If that's the case, I am booking a military transport flight right now,] Kathleen said rapidly. [My parents should coming. My sister is coming too... I will also talk with Agpar and the entire squad of Bros.]

"Tell Commander Agpar he can park the jet at the private airfield outside the city," Kaito told her. "I will have cars waiting for you."

[You are the best! See you on the twenty-fifth!]

CLICK.

Kaito dialed Captain Celebrity and Cow Lady next.

Both of them cleared their American patrol schedules without a second thought.

They promised to meet Kathleen at the airfield and fly over together.

Kaito selected a number with an Egypt country code.

[Kaito long time no talk.]

"Hello Salaam," he said. "December twenty-fifth. My birthday, you wanted to join?"

[... Of course haha... I will tell Jackal to cancel our Cairo patrols,] Salaam replied instantly. [It is an honor to celebrate with you, my friend.]

Kaito ended the call and dialed Singapore.

[Hello, Kaito,] Big Red Dot answered, his voice rumbling warmly.

"I am throwing a birthday party for me," Kaito said.

[Glad to hear that.. I will have my bags packed,] the hero laughed. [I will see you soon.]

...

Location: Tokyo - Clean-Room Agency Garage

Time: The Next Day

Kaito leaned against a concrete pillar.

Wash and Ayumi were running their sidekicks through the new aerosol decontamination drills across the room.

Kaito looked at his phone screen.

RING.

[Hi Kaito!] Mandalay answered cheerfully.

"Hey, Shino," Kaito said. "The party is on the twenty-fifth. The Golden Bites corporate building."

[We are definitely coming,] Mandalay said. [Can we bring Kota and the Water Hose duo?]

"Of course," Kaito replied. "Kota will like the food. Tell him I saved a spot near the dessert table."

[He is going to pretend he doesn't care, but he will be very excited,] Mandalay laughed. [See you there, Kaito.]

Kaito spent the next hour running down the mid-to-high tier heroes that he knew.

He called Ryukyu. She promised to bring her entire sidekick roster.

He called Gang Orca and Selkie.

They both accepted the invitation and argued over the phone about who was bringing better seafood for the kitchen staff.

He called Crust, Death Arms, and Fat Gum.

He dialed Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady. Yu Takeyama answered and cheered loudly, demanding to know if there was a red carpet at the entrance.

He called Tensei Iida.

The Turbo Hero accepted quickly, noting that his younger brother Tenya wanted to thank Kaito in person for the quirk advice.

Every single hero picked up the phone. None of them hesitated or checked their work calendars.

They treated him like a close friend, eager to take a day off and celebrate together.

...

Location: Naruhata - Arisaka Apartment Balcony

Time: Night

The winter air was cold. Kaito stood on his balcony looking out over the streetlights of Naruhata.

He scrolled to the bottom section of his contact list.

BEEP.

[Kaito!] Rikiya Yotsubashi said loudly.

"Put me on speaker, Rikiya," Kaito said.

[You are on speaker with the whole board,] Chitose Kizuki chimed in. Koku Hanabata and Tomoyasu Chikazoku muttered greetings in the background.

"The twenty-fifth. Golden Bites," Kaito replied them. "You are all invited for my birthday"

[Excellent!] Rikiya cheered. [We will prepare a proper tribute for the occasion.]

"With you being there is enough for me guys," Kaito joked.

[No it's not enough,] Koku said.

[We should have the best gifts.]

[Should we summon the entire Illuminati?]

"Haha... Stop joking. Just you guys.. See you on Christmas," Kaito said.

He hung up the phone. He stared at the very last number on his screen.

He tapped the call button.

RING. RING.

[Hello Mr. Arisaka,] an old, raspy voice answered.

Kaito said, leaning his arms on the balcony railing. "I am hosting a birthday gathering on the twenty-fifth. I want you to attend."

The line went quiet for several seconds.

The Shie Hassaikai Boss finally said. [Are you sure you want me walking into a room full of pro heroes?]

"You are a friend," Kaito replied. "And I want to see how Eri is doing. Have those quirk containment blueprints I gave you helped her?"

[They changed her life, Arisaka,] the old boss said. His rough voice softened with genuine gratitude. [She doesn't hurt herself anymore. She can actually play outside.]

"Bring her to the party," Kaito told him. "There will be a lot of kids her age running around."

The old boss agreed. [Thank you for the invitation.]

CLICK.

Kaito lowered his phone. He looked at the long list of confirmed names on his screen.

"Heh.. I'm suffering from success." Kaito joked as he continues to call every contact and people he knew.

BEEP.

"Hell~..."

...

Location: Musutafu - Golden Bites Headquarters

Time: 9:00 AM

"YEAAAAAAH!"

Present Mic yelled into the microphone.

"Let's keep the energy up!" Ms. Joke shouted next to him, spinning a plastic microphone in her hand. "We have a lot of food to get through today!"

The ground floor of the headquarters was completely packed.

Golden Bites franchise employees filled the left side of the room. Pro heroes and their families filled the right.

Kaito walked through the crowd. He wore a dark suit. He held a glass of water.

Makoto walked two steps behind him. She wore a dark red dress and a wireless earpiece.

"The seafood delivery is coming through the back loading dock," Makoto said, tapping her earpiece. "I have the kitchen staff on it."

Kaito stopped and looked back at her. "You are running this whole thing flawlessly, Makoto. Thank you."

Makoto smiled. "Just go talk to your guests. I have the floor."

Kaito nodded. He walked over to a group of tables near the window.

Kathleen Bate sat there with a plate full of fried chicken.

Commander Agpar and the Bros sat around her, trading stories with Salaam and Big Red Dot.

"Glad you made the flight," Kaito said.

Kathleen swallowed her food. "We had to park the jet outside the city. The food here is completely insane, Kaito. We might move to Japan."

Salaam laughed and raised his cup. "I already told Jackal to look for real estate in Tokyo."

Kaito shared a quick joke with them and kept walking.

He walked past the indoor playground area.

Little Emmy chased Kota around a plastic slide. Eri ran right behind them, holding a small toy car.

Her horn was completely stable. She was laughing out loud.

Kaito watched them play.

He looked over at a corner table. The old Shie Hassaikai Boss together with his daughter and son in law sat there.

He held a cup of wine. He watched Eri play with the other kids.

The old man caught Kaito looking. He didn't say a word. He just gave Kaito a deep, respectful bow from his chair.

Kaito bowed his head in return and kept moving.

He talked with Mandalay and the others. Even Kota who secretly idolized Kaito presented him a gift.

Next, Kaito greeted Big Red Dot and Salaam and their companions.

He then went and talked with his current contract client pro hero Wash and his sidekicks.

...

Time: 2:00 PM

The party was in full swing.

Kaito grabbed a fresh glass of water from a passing tray.

He walked toward the center of the hall. Principal Nezu, All Might, and Shota Aizawa sat around a round table.

David Shield sat right next to them.

Melissa Shield and Izuku Midoriya sat on the floor near the table with Kuro on their side.

This is the first time Izuku saw the famed Golden Manager up close.

Inko Midoriya sat next to them. Was also surprised his son being able to attend a party like this.

"David," Kaito said, walking up to the table.

David Shield stood up and shook his hand.

"Happy birthday, Kaito. The programming code you sent me was brilliant. I just smoothed out the joints."

"I appreciate the help," Kaito said quietly. "Are they ready?"

"Kaito-san we also helped.." Melissa complained on the side while Izuku looked curiously to Kaito.

"Haha. Thank you Melissa-chan. This is already a gift for me. And this is?" Kaito replied while looking at Izuku, Kuro and her mother. He knew them of course.

"Hehe.. this is a prodigy and maybe the future of Japan, Kaito." David introduced them happily. "This is Izuku Midoriya and his mother Inko Midoriya and their cat Kuro."

"Nice to meet you. And thank you for attending my birthday." Kaito smiled to them.

"H-happy birthday, Arisaka-san." Izuku and Inko.

MEOW.

"The products are sitting in the loading bay right now," David confirmed with a grin.

Kaito looked at Aizawa. The underground hero had his capture scarf pulled up over his nose, trying to sleep in his chair.

Kaito left the table and walked toward the buffet line.

He stopped.

Rikiya, Koku, Chitose, and Tomoyasu stood near the food trays. They are very relaxed.

Endeavor was eating sushi on their left. Gang Orca was drinking water on their right.

The Meta Liberation Army board members were completely boxed in by the top heroes in Japan.

Kaito walked up behind Rikiya. He grabbed a clean plate and handed it to the man.

"Having fun, Rikiya," Kaito whispered.

"Of course... Talking with other pros reduces my stress level..." Rikiya joked.

"Eat some chicken," Kaito told him. "You will be fine."

Kaito patted Koku, Tomoyasu and Chitose on the shoulder and walked away. "You guys have fun.."

He found the Naruhata crew sitting near the back wall.

SLAP.

Soga slammed a card down on the table. "Read it and weep, Koichi!"

Koichi panicked. He dropped his cards. "I don't even know how to play this game!"

"You owe me a thousand yen!" Rap cheered.

Grandma Saki reached over and flicked Soga on the forehead.

"Stop stealing his money," Grandma Sake scolded him.

Kazuho laughed so hard she spilled her drink.

Kaito stood a few feet away. He watched his family argue over a card game.

He just smiled, taking a slow drink of his water.

...

Time: 6:30 PM

"HEY, LISTEN UP EVERYBODY!"

Present Mic's voice echoed through the speakers.

The entire room went quiet.

The employees and the heroes turned toward the main stage.

"IT'S TIME FOR THE MAN OF THE HOUR!" Present Mic pointed directly at the floor. "GET UP HERE, THE FAMED GOLDEN MANAGER, KAITO ARISAKA!"

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

The crowd clapped loudly.

Kaito walked through the parted crowd. He stepped up the stairs and walked onto the stage.

Present Mic handed him the microphone and stepped back.

Kaito looked at the room.

He looked to his left.

A literal mountain of gifts sat near the edge of the stage. Boxes, bags, and expensive watches.

Someone even parked a brand-new sports car inside the hall with a giant red bow on the hood.

Kaito raised the microphone.

"I only have a one-car garage back home," Kaito joked.

The crowd laughed.

The room settled down. Kaito looked out at the thousands of people.

"I usually write a script for things like this," Kaito started. His voice was calm over the speakers. "I didn't write one tonight."

He looked down at the front row.

"I lost my parents when I was very young," Kaito said. "I didn't have much growing up. But I was never actually an orphan. My grandmother made sure of that. And as I got older, I met the rest of you."

He looked at Makoto, Koichi, Kazuho, Iwao and the others. He looked at Kimiko and Kenji.

"I started as a small haken specialist just to fix a few problems and then I ventured to the hero industry for a chance," Kaito continued. "Now I look around this room, and I see people from all over the world. I see heroes. I see business partners. I see friends."

Kaito raised his glass of water.

"You all trust me with your careers and your lives," Kaito said. "You didn't have to spend your Christmas Day standing in this room. Thank you for being here tonight."

CLAP. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.

The crowd cheered loudly. All Might raised his glass. Endeavor nodded. Grandma Saki wiped her eyes with a napkin.

Kaito lowered his glass.

"Since you gave up your holiday," Kaito said, a small smile forming on his face. "I brought a return gift."

Kaito looked at David Shield and Rikiya in the crowd. David nodded while Rikiya raised his wine glass.

"I asked for a favor with David Shield's tech lab and the Detnerat manufacturing plants," Kaito announced.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small remote. He pressed the button.

BEEP.

The large double doors near the side of the stage slid open.

Several Golden Bites staff members walked out.

They pushed heavy metal carts into the room.

Hundreds of sleek, circular charging stations sat on the carts.

The staff stopped pushing.

FSSSSSH.

The tops of the charging stations opened. White, thick material spilled out. The material inflated rapidly.

Within ten seconds, hundreds of white, round robots stood up from the stations.

They looked like a mix between a heavy medical drone and a soft, cartoon marshmallow. Two black dots served as their eyes.

The crowd stared in total confusion.

"This is a multi-purpose housekeeper unit," Kaito announced through the microphone. "I coded the AI framework myself. Every single guest in this room is taking one home tonight."

A white robot stepped off the cart. It waddled over to Fat Gum in the front row.

A blue light flashed from the robot's eyes, scanning the large hero.

[Your blood sugar is currently elevated,] the robot spoke in a calm, soothing voice. [I recommend a protein-heavy meal. I can prepare grilled chicken in twelve minutes. Would you like me to begin cooking?]

Fat Gum dropped his plate of food. His jaw hit the floor.

"It cooks?" Fat Gum yelled.

"It cooks," Kaito confirmed over the speakers. "It cleans your house. It does your laundry. It monitors your medical vitals while you sleep. It connects directly to your agency database to organize your patrol schedules."

The pro heroes completely lost their minds.

They worked eighteen-hour shifts. They fought villains all day. None of them had time to do their own laundry or cook real meals.

Mirko jumped onto a chair and cheered loudly. Uwabami grabbed her chin with a smile.

Aizawa stared at a robot. A rare, genuine smile spread across his face.

He realized he never had to wash his own capture scarf ever again.

The entire event hall erupted in frenzy.

The employees walked forward to look at the charging stations.

The heroes pushed past each other to get their own robot.

Kaito handed the microphone back to Present Mic.

He walked off the stage, letting the party hit its absolute peak.

...

Time: 9:30 PM

CRASH.

Emmy knocked over a tall tower of wooden blocks. She laughed and clapped her small hands.

Soga groaned and fell backward onto the carpet. "I spent ten minutes building that."

"You have terrible structural integrity," Rapt joked, picking up the blocks. Moyuru nodded in agreement.

The event hall was quiet now. Hundreds of guests were gone. Only the inner circle stayed behind.

Koichi's, Tamao's and Kazuho's mother sat at a round table. They drank tea and talked about local grocery prices.

Tamao and Kazuho sat next to them, scrolling through a phone screen and discussing chords for a new song.

Near the buffet line, Iwao, Kimiko, and Kenji packed leftover chicken and rice into plastic containers.

Naomasa Tsukauchi stood near Grandma Saki. He wore his tan trench coat.

He took a sip of his wine and watched the room.

Soga sat up. He looked around the empty tables.

"Where did Kaito go?" Soga asked, stretching his arms. "I need to challenge him to an arm wrestling match before we leave."

SMACK.

Grandma Saki hit the back of Soga's head with a rolled-up magazine.

"Ow!" Soga rubbed his hair.

"Leave him alone," Grandma Sake ordered. She pointed the magazine at him. "He talked to hundreds of people today."

Grandma Saki turned around. She looked at Makoto. Makoto was stacking empty clipboards on a table.

"Makoto," Grandma Sake called out.

Makoto looked up. "Yes?"

"The birthday boy is missing," Grandma Saki said.

She pointed toward the ceiling. Then, she gave Makoto a very slow, very deliberate wink.

Makoto froze. Her face turned completely red.

"I... I will go check the roof," Makoto stammered.

She set the clipboards down and walked quickly toward the stairwell.

Naomasa watched his sister leave. He caught Grandma Saki's eye. The detective is also very satisfied with Kaito.

...

Location: Golden Bites Headquarters - Rooftop

The winter air was freezing.

Kaito stood near the edge of the roof. He leaned his arms against the metal railing. He looked at the city lights.

The noise from the ground floor didn't reach up here.

It was completely quiet.

CLACK.

The heavy metal door opened. Makoto walked onto the roof.

She wore her dark red dress. She carried two glass flutes of champagne.

She walked over to the railing. She handed one of the glasses to him.

"Thank you," Kaito said, taking it.

"You suddenly vanished," Makoto noted, leaning against the railing next to him.

"I needed a break," Kaito admitted. "It was a long day."

Makoto laughed softly. "You handled it perfectly. The robots were a great gift."

Kaito looked at his glass.

"You organized the entire program for me, Makoto," Kaito said. "The catering, the security, the seating charts. You took the entire burden off my shoulders. I really appreciate it."

"..."

"..."

Makoto looked at him. She didn't say anything for a moment.

She turned her head. She looked up at the night sky.

The sky was clear. A bright full moon hung over the city.

FWOOSH.

The cold wind blew her hair slightly.

Makoto tightened her grip on her glass. She kept her eyes on the moon.

"The moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?" Makoto said quietly.

Kaito stopped moving.

He looked at her. He knew exactly what that phrase meant.

He understood the deep cultural weight behind those specific words.

She gave him a subtle, poetic confession.

"..."

Kaito smiled.

CLANG.

He didn't give her a wordy answer. He set his champagne glass down on the metal railing.

Kaito raised his right hand.

He rubbed his thumb and middle finger together.

SNAP.

...

Location: Golden Bites Headquarters - Ground Floor

A distinct, heavy echo rang out from the ceiling.

It didn't sound like a normal snap. It sounded like a localized soft sound.

Soga, Rapt, and Moyuru froze on the carpet.

Naomasa stopped drinking his wine.

The parents at the table went completely still.

They all recognized that sound. They heard it on the news broadcasts millions of times.

Soga looked up at the ceiling. "Was that... Hero X?"

"What's going on?"

"Is there a villain attack?"

Moyuro and Rapt was also puzzled.

Iwao and Koichi didn't know what to say.

"Who knows!" Koichi joked, waving his hands in the air. "Maybe he also secretly attended Kaito's brithday."

"Exactly!" Iwao laughed, clapping his hands together. "We really can't determine what's going on that guy's head. He was a mystery."

"But still Hero X attending the birthday of Kaito is a huge honor haha..."

"I want to meet him and shake his hands.",

Soga, Rapt and Moyuro voiced out their thoughts while the rest of the parents also calmed down after all Hero X saved the entire Japan and the world last time.

Even if there are villains, he can solved them easily.

Naomasa stood near the Grandma Saki. His quirk activated automatically. He was a human lie detector.

He knew Iwao and Koichi were lying.

Naomasa looked up at the ceiling.

...

A bright flash of reality-warping energy surrounded Kaito.

His dark suit vanished. A sleek, pristine white suit replaced it. His hair turned completely white.

He transformed into Hero X.

Makoto turned her head. Her eyes looking at Kaito's face.

Kaito reached out and gently took her hand.

"Let's spend the rest of the night on it," Kaito replied.

"Huh? What do you me-..." Makoto didn't even have time to process his answer.

Kaito pushed off the concrete roof.

BOOM.

They launched straight up into the atmosphere. The city lights blurred into streaks of yellow and red. The clouds parted instantly as they shot through the sky.

"AGHHH!?"

Makoto grabbed his shoulder tightly. She closed her eyes.

FWOOoo----.

Then the rushing wind stopped. Complete silence surrounded them.

"You can open your eyes," Kaito said. His voice sounded perfectly clear.

"What's going on?" Makoto opened her eyes.

She looked down.

Gray, dusty craters stretched out in every direction. There were no buildings. There was no sky.

"A-are we on the moon?"

She sat on the actual surface of the moon.

"Yes, it's beautiful isn't?" Kaito replied.

HUFF-PUFF.

Makoto took a sharp breath. She realized she was breathing perfectly fine.

The freezing vacuum of space didn't affect her at all.

She looked at Kaito. He sat next to her in his white suit.

Because Kaito held her hand, he simply extended a conceptual field around them. He rewrote the rules of physics just so she could breathe.

Makoto didn't say anything else. She didn't need to.

She shifted closer and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Kaito wrapped his arm around her.

They sat together in the absolute quiet of space.

And looked up and watched the blue and green sphere of Earth spin slowly in the dark void.

...

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(9 Advanced Chapters)

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JJK: I'm a Normal Kamo Extra but I Refused to Die and Became Immortal