Kenji looked at Kai, stunned by the words that had just left his mouth. Kai? Believing him? Of all the people, Kenji never expected Kai to be the one to listen, let alone agree. The two had always butted heads, their rivalry etched in every interaction. But here Kai was, offering not just understanding, but something that felt dangerously close to support.
"You... really believe me?" Kenji asked, his voice quieter now, uncertainty cutting through his usual sharpness.
"What's the catch?" He added sharply.
Kai leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, his expression as calm and confident as ever. “Theres isn't ,I mean, why wouldn’t I? You’ve been through hell recently. Sometimes your mind holds onto things it shouldn’t, or blocks out things you should remember. And this stalker, whoever they are, clearly knows more about you than anyone else does.”
Kenji felt a wave of emotions wash over him. The pain in his body from the injury, the betrayal from his friends, and now—this unexpected lifeline. Kai’s words stung in a different way, one that hit deeper than he expected.
"I thought you'd be the last person to back me up on this," Kenji muttered, half to himself.
Kai shrugged. “I’m not exactly here to hold your hand through this. But I’ve seen enough weird things in this world to know that just because something sounds crazy doesn’t mean it actually is. If you’ve been having dreams, seeing visions of your parents or whatever, there’s probably a reason for it.”
Kenji let out a shaky breath, lying back against the pillows. His body was still weak from the infection and the fight it had endured, but for the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe he wasn’t losing his mind. Maybe there was something real here, something that connected his past to this stalker.
“First of...fuck you, second...So what now?” Kenji asked, staring up at the ceiling, his voice filled with exhaustion. “I’ve lost Ren, Shiro’s on the fence, and Felix... I don’t even know where he stands anymore. What am I supposed to do?”
Kai pushed off the doorframe and moved closer to the bed, looking down at Kenji with an intensity that made him uncomfortable. “You need to stop worrying about what everyone else thinks. They’re not the ones in the middle of this—you are. Whether they come around or not, you need to figure out what’s going on before this stalker strikes again.”
Kenji met Kai’s gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. He hadn’t expected this version of Kai, the one who wasn’t taunting him or dismissing him outright. He hated to admit it, but Kai had a point. The truth was out now, at least part of it, and Kenji was done hiding. And he'd gotten too dependent on the idea of friends he'd gotten weak.
“Guess I don’t have much of a choice,” Kenji muttered, running a hand through his hair, his body still aching from the ordeal. “But where do I even start?”
Kai smirked. “That’s the easy part. You’re gonna start by getting better. Then, you and I are going to figure out who the hell is stalking you, and what they want. And this time, we’ll be ready.”
Kenji blinked, taken aback by Kai’s sudden involvement. “We?”
“You heard me,” Kai said, leaning in slightly, his voice lowering. “You’re not doing this alone anymore. We’re in this together now, whether you like it or not.”
Kenji didn’t know how to respond. He’d spent so much time pushing people away, trying to protect them from whatever danger was lurking in the shadows. And yet, here Kai was, willing to dive headfirst into the chaos with him. The same Kai who had once been the bane of his existence, now offering to stand by his side.
"Why?" Kenji asked suspiciously.
"Call it.. curiosity"
It felt strange. Unnatural, even. But it also felt like a relief.
"Curiosity killed the cat"
"Good thing I'm a fox then"
For the first time in weeks, Kenji allowed himself to let go of the fear, the uncertainty, and the weight of the secrets he’d been carrying. He wasn’t sure how this new partnership with Kai would work out, but he had to admit—it felt good to have someone watching his back. Even if that someone was Kai.
“Fine,” Kenji finally said, his voice softer now. “But if we’re doing this, we’re doing it my way.”
Kai grinned. “Deal.”
As the tension in the room eased, Kenji felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. The future was uncertain, the threat of the stalker still loomed, and he still had a lot of bridges to rebuild with his friends. But for now, he wasn’t alone.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.
YOU ARE READING
MY HERO ACADEMIA:NEXT GENERATION
ActionTHIS story is about MHA next gen as the title says.. The protagonist is Kenji todoroki's journey to reach his dream of becoming a hero. Along with the strangles and THEN unfolding mysteries of his life. (What else do you want? It's MHA next gen read...
