The late morning sun filtered through the treetops, casting dappled patterns across the hospital garden path. A breeze rustled the leaves gently, carrying the scent of cut grass and blooming lilacs.
Kael sat alone on a wooden bench near the far edge of the garden, a cane resting across his lap. His posture was rigid, back slightly hunched—not from tension, but from pain still coiled inside his broken frame. His black hair, streaked with white at the tips, shifted slightly with the wind. He stared ahead, lost in thought, hands loosely folded over the cane's worn handle.
It was quiet here. Peaceful.
So why did it feel so heavy?
He didn't notice the approaching footsteps until two hands slipped gently over his eyes.
His body flinched instinctively, muscles tightening.
"Relax," a familiar voice said, laced with amusement. "If I were an assassin, I'd have used something sharper than fingers."
Kael exhaled softly. "You still hide your snacks in your sleeves, don't you?"
A giggle. "You remember."
The hands slid away. Kael turned, and behind him stood Hana, her smile wide and eyes bright. Her long hair was braided back, and she looked the same as always—mischievous, sharp, warm.
"You got me," she said with a wink.
Kael's lips curved faintly, the closest thing to a smile he'd given in days. "Could've used a gentler wake-up."
From behind Hana stepped out Yumi, her gaze locked on him. For a moment, she said nothing—just stared at him like she needed to be sure he was real. The wind pulled at the hem of her uniform jacket, fluttering strands of her hair across her cheek.
"Kael…" she breathed.
She walked forward quickly, kneeling beside the bench without hesitation. Her hands brushed over his arm, careful not to hurt him.
"I thought I'd never see you awake again," she whispered.
Kael's breath caught. "Yumi…"
She leaned her head against his shoulder, her touch gentle but firm—as if afraid he'd vanish again. Her presence was grounding. Her warmth made the pain fade just a little.
Behind them, more footsteps approached.
Aunt Nari stepped into view, her expression softer than usual, a hand pressed to her heart. Izuku was there too, along with Yaoyorozu, Iida, and even Kaminari and Jirou trailing behind. They all looked different than they did at the USJ—older, somehow, like they'd aged in days rather than years.
"We saw you through the window on our way in," Izuku said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Figured you might want some company."
Kael looked at them—really looked—and something in his chest loosened. His classmates. His friends.
"I didn't think… you'd all come like this," he said quietly, voice hoarse from disuse.
Yumi pulled back just enough to look up at him. "Don't be stupid. You think we'd leave you out here alone after what you did?"
"You scared the hell out of us," Kaminari added, folding his arms.
Yaoyorozu stepped forward, trying to smile. "You saved lives, Kael. And then we couldn't even thank you."
Kael lowered his head slightly, eyes half-lidded. "I didn't save anyone. I passed out before I could."
There was a silence, and then Aunt Nari stepped forward, voice firm but kind. "You don't have to carry it all. It's okay to just… rest. You gave everything you had."
Yumi touched his hand, intertwining her fingers with his. "You were there when we needed you. That's more than enough."
Kael closed his eyes, her words anchoring him like gravity. The guilt didn't vanish, but for the first time in days, it didn't crush him.
He looked at each of them. "Thanks… for coming."
"No thanks needed," Iida replied, placing a hand over his chest. "We're all alive. Because of you."
Kael leaned back slowly against the bench, letting the quiet settle around them again. The warmth of the sun. The buzz of insects in the distance. The murmur of his classmates finding places nearby to sit or stand, filling the space with soft laughter and relief.
Yumi never let go of his hand.
And for a while, Kael just sat there, surrounded by them all—scarred, tired, uncertain—but not alone.
…
The quiet moment lasted longer than any of them expected. It felt sacred, like they'd somehow stolen back time from everything they'd been through.
Kael leaned his head back slightly, letting the sunlight warm his face. It was the first real warmth he'd felt in days.
"So…" Kaminari broke the silence, arms crossed behind his head as he flopped onto the grass. "This might sound dumb, but when did you dye your hair?"
Yaoyorozu tilted her head slightly. "It's… white and black now, but it was white before. And your eyes… they were green."
"Colored contacts," Kael said simply, still staring out at the trees. "And dye."
Most of the group blinked. A few exchanged confused glances.
"You're saying this—" Iida motioned toward Kael's current appearance, "—is your natural look?"
Kael nodded.
Jirou raised a brow. "So you've been hiding your real appearance the whole time?"
"Why?" Yaoyorozu asked, brows drawn together in concern rather than suspicion.
Kael shifted a little, adjusting his grip on the cane. His voice was low, but steady.
"Because… there are things I haven't told any of you. Things I will tell—soon. I promise."
Izuku studied him, lips parted like he wanted to press the question—but then closed his mouth and gave a small nod instead.
"I figured," he said quietly.
"You did?" Kaminari blinked.
"I mean… not exactly. But I always felt like there was more going on with Kael. I just didn't want to push."
Yumi squeezed Kael's hand gently. "He'll tell us when he's ready."
Hana glanced around the group. "And when he does, you better all listen."
"No one's judging," Yaoyorozu said quickly, stepping forward with a softness to her tone. "We're just… surprised, that's all."
Kael finally looked up at all of them. "I didn't lie to hurt anyone. I just wasn't ready… Not completely."
There was silence for a moment, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
It was accepting.
"You're still you, Kael," Izuku said with a small smile. "Secrets or not."
Kaminari let out a breath and grinned. "Man, if I'd known you were pulling a whole double identity thing, I would've bugged you for details way earlier."
"Not the time, Denki," Jirou muttered, giving him a light nudge with her elbow.
Laughter passed between them. It wasn't loud or wild, but it was real—and Kael felt it in his chest like a pulse of something clean.
Something good.
Aunt Nari sat on the edge of the bench opposite them, watching Kael closely, but not saying anything. Just… proud. Quietly so.
As the breeze moved through the trees again, Kael exhaled slowly.
"Soon," he said again, voice firmer this time. "I'll tell you everything."
Yumi turned her head slightly, leaning it once more against his shoulder.
"We'll be here," she said.
And everyone around him, every face, nodded in silent agreement.
…
The others had left one by one, giving Kael space to breathe and rest. Yumi remained.
They sat quietly together on the bench, sunlight filtering through the trees above. The wind had settled. The hospital garden was quiet now, save for the soft rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.
Kael had leaned his cane against the side of the bench, his hands resting in his lap, fingers loosely intertwined with Yumi's.
"I really thought I lost you, Kael," she whispered.
Kael turned his head, slowly. Yumi was staring at the flowerbed in front of them, but her voice trembled.
"When I saw you… after the fight. When they found you face-down in the dirt like that…" Her lips tightened, voice hitching. "I've never been more scared in my life. I felt like giving up."
Kael didn't respond at first. He couldn't. But her hand tightened on his.
Yumi blinked back something in her eyes, then smiled—small, bittersweet.
"I guess I like you more than I realized."
His head snapped toward her slightly. "W-What?"
She gave a short, nervous laugh. "Don't act so surprised. We've literally…" She whispered something into his ear.
Kael's face instantly flushed. The tips of his ears burned. "We..we did do that. But, I-I mean, I just— I didn't think…"
"I know," she said, nudging his arm gently with her shoulder. "You're not exactly Mr. Obvious when it comes to feelings."
He looked away, smiling just faintly. "Well… I like you too, Yumi."
That made her pause. Slowly, she turned toward him again, cheeks rosy now.
The two sat there in silence, eyes forward, faces flushed like two awkward newlyweds on their first night—close but careful, hearts loud but words quiet.
Then Kael broke the silence.
"But Yumi, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. I… I can't stay at U.A."
Yumi turned to him, smile fading. "What?"
Kael's gaze dropped to the ground.
"They were after me," he said softly. "The Nomu. The villains. They didn't just show up to make chaos—they were targeting me."
Yumi's breath caught. Her fingers tightened around his.
She hesitated. "Kael… the villain I fought said the same thing. That you were the reason they came. They needed you for something, dead or alive they said. I-I didn't believe it, but.."
Kael's body seemed to sink into itself. His hands curled into trembling fists, and his shoulders hunched.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," he murmured. "Back then… as a kid. I thought if I just kept fighting in the shadows, if I used my power for good, it would help people. But maybe I just… painted a target on everyone around me."
Tears slid down his cheeks without permission. He didn't sob. He didn't wail. But they came—quiet, persistent. Grief laced with guilt.
"If I hadn't been Equinox… if I had just stayed hidden—none of this would've happened. The villains wouldn't have attacked. Aizawa wouldn't be hurt. You wouldn't have—"
"Stop," Yumi said, gently but firmly.
She moved closer, placing a hand on his cheek and brushing one of the tears away with her thumb.
"You were twelve, Kael. Twelve. And while other kids were playing or sleeping peacefully, you were out there stopping real monsters. People twice your size. People no one else dared to face."
Her voice cracked, but she didn't stop.
"You did what you had to do. Not for glory. Not for fame. For people. And I don't care what anyone else says… that makes you a hero."
Kael's eyes squeezed shut, jaw trembling as more tears slipped down his face. Yumi gently leaned her forehead against his, her hand still on his cheek.
"You're my hero," she whispered.
He inhaled sharply, and for a moment, neither of them moved. The garden was still. The sky above was warm and gold. And in that quiet space, Kael let the pain escape, piece by piece, as Yumi held him close, grounding him with her warmth.
…