Morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and golden, warming the quiet apartment. The air smelled faintly of soy sauce and eggs, with a touch of toasted bread. Yumi stirred beneath the sheets, one arm flopped across her face, and let out a low groan.
Her voice was raspy with sleep. "Ugh… too early…"
She yawned, stretched, and blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling of the guest room. Then a small smile crept across her face.
Right. Kael's place.
Throwing on an oversized T-shirt and dragging her fingers through her hair, she padded barefoot into the hallway. The sound of a spatula tapping against a pan greeted her before she turned the corner into the open living room and kitchen space.
Kael stood at the stove, his hair still a little messy from sleep, wearing a loose black tank top and gray joggers. He was focused, flipping an omelet with practiced ease.
"Wow," Yumi said through another yawn, rubbing her eye. "You're a morning person now?"
Kael didn't look up, but his mouth twitched with amusement. "Somebody's gotta make sure you don't live off cereal and sarcasm."
She rolled her eyes and flopped onto the couch, grabbing the remote. "I only lived off that when I first got there. Mom checked me real fast."
As she reached for the power button to turn on the TV, the doorbell rang — sharp and unexpected.
Yumi blinked and looked over. "You expecting someone?"
Kael, still focused on the stove, replied casually, "Yeah. I was."
Yumi arched a brow, curious. "And you didn't think to give me a heads up?," looking herself up and down.
"Eh, you're fine. Trust me."
"Whatever," she muttered, but shrugged and walked toward the door.
She swung it open with little fanfare — and found herself face to face with Izuku Midoriya.
The green-haired boy stood a little awkwardly in the hall, holding a manila folder under one arm and blinking in surprise.
"Uh… hi," he said, eyes darting past her shoulder briefly, then back to her. "Sorry, I think I have the wrong— Wait. Is Kael Ishiro here?"
Yumi tilted her head, arms crossed loosely over her T-shirt. "Yeah. He's making breakfast, why?"
Izuku blinked again, clearly thrown off. "Oh. Um… Who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
She raised an eyebrow, only half-smiling. "You first."
He shifted uncomfortably, then extended a hand politely. "I'm Izuku Midoriya." He bowed. "I live in the apartment right below this one."
That name sparked immediate recognition — Yumi's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Ohhh. Right. I've heard of you."
Izuku blinked again. "You have?"
Before she could respond, Kael called from the kitchen without even turning around. "You're letting all the cold air out, Yumi. Let 'em in, hurry."
Yumi shrugged and stepped aside, still studying Izuku with quiet interest as he stepped inside.
He glanced around the space, then back at her. "So… you live here too?"
"Just moved in yesterday," she said easily. "I'm Yumi. Long-time friend. Long story."
Kael finally walked over, setting down a plate of food on the table. "Izuku, breakfast? I made extra."
Izuku blinked, looking between them again, the corners of his mouth twitching with curiosity. "Sure. But… Sorry, I feel like I just walked into a sitcom."
Kael shrugged. "You'll get used to it."
Izuku gave a soft laugh, stepping further inside as the scent of food reached him. "I think I already am. You're definitely feeding me more than usual. What's the special occasion?"
Yumi perked up at that, eyebrow raised. "Wait, so you're a regular around here?"
"Pretty much," Kael replied, bringing over a second plate. "He'll come over, we'll compare a few notes, play the game, talk about heroes. We just chill, you know? Maybe even have a few sparring matches down at the park."
"Wouldn't even call those sparring matches," Izuku added with a sheepish grin. "But hey. I'm learning."
Yumi gave him a once-over. "Guess I'll believe that when I see it for myself."
"She will challenge you," Kael warned. "Don't fall for the innocent act."
Yumi flashed a peace sign. "No promises."
They all sat down at the table, the TV murmuring softly in the background. Kael passed Izuku a set of utensils just as the green-haired teen pulled a manila folder from his bag and slid it across the table.
"Updated log," Izuku said. "Refined the circuits and added more resistance intervals. Figured I'd bring it since you asked to see how I'd scaled the difficulty."
Kael opened it and flipped through, his eyes scanning the neatly organized routine. "You've been keeping this up for how long again?"
"Ten months now," Izuku replied, voice steady. "Started right after I realized I was way behind. I figured if I wanted any chance at U.A., I still needed some muscles atleast. So I built a program for myself. No shortcuts."
Kael nodded slowly, clearly impressed. "That's a hell of a commitment."
"Desperation's a good motivator," Izuku said, smiling faintly.
Yumi looked up from her coffee, brow lifted. "No mentors? No dojo? Nothing?"
Izuku shook his head. "Just me, some notes, a stopwatch, and a really loud playlist."
She smirked. "Not bad, Green Bean."
Izuku blinked. "Is that my nickname?"
"Until you earn an upgrade."
Kael chuckled, still flipping pages. "Honestly, this isn't bad. Smart progression. You're not overloading your joints, and you're actually factoring in recovery. Damn man."
Izuku grinned. "Took a few painful lessons to get that part right."
Kael closed the folder and set it aside. "You're going to be ready. If U.A. doesn't let you in, they're missing out on some real hidden talent."
Izuku's face colored slightly, clearly grateful but modest. "Thanks! That means a lot coming from you."
A pause passed as they continued eating. Then Izuku glanced toward Yumi again. "By the way… I just remembered something."
Yumi looked up. "Yeah?"
He turned to Kael. "During that school winter drill, you mentioned someone who used to ambush you with snowballs when you slept."
Kael groaned quietly.
Izuku snapped his fingers. "You called her a 'snowy menace with a killer curveball.' I didn't put it together until now."
Yumi grinned, leaning back smugly. "Guilty."
"I should've known," Izuku said, laughing. "You're kind of unforgettable."
Kael glanced between them. "You're just lucky she didn't wake you up with a water balloon filled with hot sauce instead."
"Winter edition," Yumi clarified. "I was feeling a little remorseful. Snowballs build character too you know?"
"Or pneumonia," Kael muttered.
They finished eating as Izuku stood and grabbed his bag. "I should get going. Still have to hit the trail before lunch. Agility drills."
Kael nodded. "Cool. Stop by later? I can't beat that one level without you."
"Sure!. I'll bring something to snack on!"
Yumi pointed after him. "Try not to pull something on your little exercise excursion."
Izuku saluted. "I'll try, Captain Chaos."
She smirked. "Oh, you're learning."
The door clicked shut behind him. Kael gathered the plates and brought them to the sink, glancing over his shoulder. "Captain Chaos?"
Yumi stood and stretched with a yawn. "Gotta keep my brand consistent."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Remind me to hide the uhh, the rubber gloves."
She grinned. "Too late."
…