Flamebound: Embrace the Heat ||BNHA||

.Chapter 3.

Chapter 3. Hello Japan.

The last five months had passed in a blur. Spring had arrived, bringing with it the day Kaye had been both eagerly anticipating and dreading since she accepted All Might's offer. In that time, she had pushed herself harder than ever, pouring every ounce of energy into her training and studies. Her classes at Florida Rise seemed to fly by as she crammed every bit of knowledge she could before her move to Japan. Magnum had continued to push her limits in their training sessions, each one more grueling than the last but Kaye welcomed the challenge.

Outside of her training, Kaye made sure to savor every moment with the people she loved. Her family time became sacred. She even took a road trip with her dads to visit her grandfather. The days were filled with laughter and stories of his hero days, memories Kaye clung to. She wanted to hold onto every laugh, every piece of advice, every hug—knowing she wouldn't have the comfort of their presence for a while.

Kaye's friends had been by her side through it all. Between intense training sessions, they found time to just be teenagers. They spent evenings at the arcade, watched the latest movies, and even went to Universal Studios for Talia's eighteenth birthday, riding roller coasters and stuffing their faces with too much junk food. Those carefree moments were precious, little pockets of joy in the whirlwind of preparation and impending change.

It wasn't just her family and friends Kaye would miss. Her teachers had been a mix of proud and somber when they learned she wouldn't be graduating with them. The thought tugged at Kaye's heart. She had always imagined walking across the stage with Alan, Talia, and Cody, celebrating the culmination of their hard work together now, they'd be spending the rest of junior and senior year without her and graduating several months before her due to Japan's different school schedule. It was a bittersweet pill to swallow.

Packing had been another emotional ordeal. Kaye found herself torn between wanting to bring every little piece of her life in Florida and the reality of airline baggage limits. Her room slowly emptied, each item packed away with care. As she stood before her half-empty closet, she felt a pang of sadness. This was real. She was leaving. Her dads had reassured her, promising to send anything she needed and reminding her that money wouldn't be an issue. Andrew's successful career as a geologist and Eric's flourishing fashion line ensured that. Still, it wasn't about the material things, she was leaving the familiar behind for the unknown. 

~&~

Two o'clock in the afternoon, Kaye glanced down at the ticket in her hand, her heart pounding against her ribs. This was it. Her flight to Japan was in less than an hour. The airport buzzed with activity around her, but Kaye felt like she was in a bubble, her senses dulled by the cacophony of emotions swirling inside her. She did her best not to bump into anyone as she hauled two pink suitcases and a peach handbag. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes met the familiar faces of her greatest supporters trailing behind her. They walked in a tight group, flanking her with a kind of quiet solidarity.

Her dads, Eric and Andrew, were doing their best to keep their expressions neutral, but Kaye could see the worry in their eyes. Eric, always the emotional one, had been dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief (that he designed) since they left the house, his cheeks flushed and shiny from the tears he couldn't quite hold back. Andrew walked beside him, a firm but solemn expression on his face, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stared straight ahead.

They reached the security checkpoint, the last stop before she'd have to go through alone. Kaye's heart twisted as she turned to face them. This was it—the moment she'd have to say goodbye.

Eric was the first to break. "Oh, my sweet girl!" He rushed forward, throwing his arms around her in a crushing embrace. Kaye felt his body shake as he sobbed into her shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep her own tears at bay. "You've grown up so much," Eric whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm so proud of you, Kaye. I love you to the moon and back, remember that."