Chapter 9 - Chapter 8 - Hanging with Friends

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"Shit! I'm gonna be late."

Shin checked his Rolex wristwatch—a gift from his dad when he turned fifteen. Only a few minutes remained to reach the spot where he was supposed to meet his junior high friends. 

"Come on!"

He winced just as the train announced his destination. The doors slid open, and he hopped out, weaving through the surging crowd. 

Finally...

He arrived and scanned the area, but his friends were nowhere in sight. 

"Wher—"

"Sup, Shin."

Startled, he turned to find them poking him from behind. 

"What's up, gang?" Shin greeted them warmly—it had been a while since their final exams in junior high. 

"We should be asking you, Shin. How've you been?"

"Won't believe it—I'm doing better than y'all."

"Ho, is that so?"

"Yep. Anyway, let's get going, then we'll catch up."

"Good idea. So, pool first or food?"

"Food first!" Shin declared, flashing a thumbs-up. 

"You haven't changed a bit, Shin."

"Huh?"

The sun dipped below the horizon as birds chirped and danced atop their nests. A calm breeze drifted by while the group of six headed to a luxurious restaurant they'd found online. 

"Wow!"

The word slipped out as they stood before the grand building. The restaurant was spacious, with top-notch lighting and elegantly designed furniture. 

They made their way to their table, and soon, a waiter approached to take their orders. 

Before long, their food arrived. The waiter set the dishes down and moved on to the next table. 

"Itadakimasu!"

Shin dug into his high-quality beef steak with relish, savoring each bite between sips of his drink. 

"Toast to our hero!"

"Cheers!"

His friends raised their glasses to the future hero as they ate. The atmosphere was lively—couples, families, and friends all enjoying their meals. 

After finishing their first round, they ordered more, indulging in the delicious dishes. 

"Shin, how was the exam?" Aoi—a girl with pink hair, gray eyes, and a Quirk that allowed her to create ten-second illusions—broke the silence, her fork still in her mouth. 

"Yeah, yeah, how'd it go?" Yuta chimed in. He had black hair and a mutation Quirk that transformed his upper body into a gorilla's. 

Shin swallowed. "You won't believe it, guys. The exam was crazy."

"How crazy?" Aoi muttered. 

"We had to fight robots."

"Robots?!"

Yuta clapped both hands over his mouth as nearby couples glanced over. "Sorry."

"Yeah, actual robots. We earned points by taking them down to pass the cutoff. But get this—I found out later that you also get points for saving lives."

"That's crazy… I mean, I wanna fight robots too." Nakoto—a tall, slim boy with brown hair and a Quirk that allowed him to produce larva from his hands—leaned in with interest. 

"Not only that, after defeating a bunch of robots for points, a massive faux villain robot appeared out of nowhere. And guess what? It was way bigger and more terrifying than the others."

"So, how many points did that one give?"

"None."

"You mean zero points?"

"Yeah, zero. Present Mic even warned us that if we saw it, we should run for our lives and not try to fight it," Shin explained. 

"And… let me guess… you fought it anyway."

"Hehehe, nah.—I wanted to engage in combat with it but I figured I had to find more points in order to pass."

"That's my boy. Bet you did it to impress some girls."

"Who knows?" Shin smirked. "Look who's talking. You put on your 'manly' act back in junior high, and Aoi fell for it. Now you two are dating."

Aoi tilted her head, staring at her feet as her face flushed red. "You don't have to put it like that, Shin."

"Ho… she admits it!"

"You bastard." Yuta clenched his fist. "Okay, fine, we've been dating for a while now. So, what about you? See any girls you like?"

"Hmmmm?" Shin rolled his eyes, recalling the girl he'd helped—kneeling, kissing her hand, and calling her 'mademoiselle'. "Nah, but trust me, I'll get the hottest girl in my class."** He smirked, lewd thoughts flashing through his mind. 

"Lewd otaku."Mei muttered. The black-haired, black-eyed girl with a telekinesis Quirk sipped her wine, leaving the boys to their antics. 

"Shin, I've got an idea."

"Make it interesting."

"Go for a harem."

"H-Harem?!" The girls exclaimed, drawing glances from nearby couples for the second time. 

"You're my bro for life." Shin shook Nakoto's hand as the latter adjusted his glasses with his middle finger. 

"I bet you'd die surrounded by those women," Aoi muttered. 

"That's every man's dream, Aoi-chan." Shin resolved then and there to charm every girl in his class—even the teachers he found attractive. 

"I've got another idea, Shin." Nakoto grinned. 

"Enlighten me, sensei."

"After making them fall for you, why not set us up? Introduce them to us."

"Hmmm. Dunno, but we'll see when the time comes."

"Well, since you guys are out of ideas," Aoi interjected, "Why don't we hit the pool before shopping?"

"Sure."Yuta agreed, finishing his water and dabbing his mouth with a napkin. 

The group of six savored their time at the restaurant, turning every second into a memory they'd cherish in the years to come. 

They piled into a cab and rode for a few minutes before reaching the pool. Nakoto paid the driver as they stepped out, the sun blazing on the horizon. 

"We should get going. No time to waste."

"Yeah."

The walk to the pool was brief, though the weather showed them no mercy as the sun beat down unexpectedly. They wiped away the sweat trickling down their bodies as they paid for six tickets. 

After reading the rules and regulations posted beside the pool, they jumped in. The water felt cold at first, but as they swam, it gradually warmed. 

"Shin, just how much do you train? I mean, look at your chest… it's just too—"

"Too manly?"Shin smirked, lifting up an eyebrow while floating on his back in the 8ft area. "I train a lot. Mostly follow my dad to the gym to lift weights."

"That explains it," Nagamoto said, bobbing on the water's surface. "People would probably underestimate you at first glance since you're fat."

"Don't judge a book by its cover. It's all about actions, not words. They won't believe someone like him is that strong in a body that looks weak until they see it for themselves."

The fun continued as they swam and played, racing from one end of the pool to the other—Aoi won every time, with Nakoto coming in second. 

Shin climbed out to rinse off in the shower, then checked his phone upon seeing a text from his mom. After a quick reply, he noticed the time. "Guys, you might wanna get out. It's getting late—let's go shopping."

"Nooo, I wanna swim some more!" Mei whined like a child. 

They eventually coaxed her out—she'd been enjoying herself a little too much—and headed to their final destination for the day. 

The group split up, girls in one direction, boys in another. The boys watched as the girls giggled, pointing at every item they passed. "We should get moving too," Yuta said. 

They browsed different stores, trying on various outfits before making their purchases. Shin bought some pairs of Louis Vuitton sneakers, shirts, shades, and a straw hat. "That should cover it," he muttered, lugging his bags out of the store. 

Regrouping, the boys waited for the girls. "Oh, there they are—but what's with all those bags?" Nakoto mumbled. 

"Those girls would buy the whole mall if they could," Shin said with a wince. 

"Sorry for taking so long!" Mei chirped, grinning. 

"That look… My gut's telling me to run," Nakoto muttered, a shiver running down his spine. 

The boys ended up carrying the girls' luxurious purchases as they exited the mall, then said their goodbyes. 

"Well, that's it for today. What a long, lovely day," Aoi sighed. 

"Yeah."

"It's all thanks to you guys for making this happen. I'm really grateful," Shin said, bowing respectfully. 

"Don't say that—it's just the beginning! Let's all hang out again soon," Mei replied. 

"Shoutout to our future hero!" Nakoto cheered, pulling everyone into a warm group hug before they parted ways. 

"My ideal high school life is about to begin."

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