I'm going on vacation today! I'll be kind of MIA for about two week, sorry about that.
By the way, I wrote this whole thing from scratch except for the heroes' statements since I have no idea if it's an actual thing to attend the Billboard presentation like I described this chapter.
The reveal of the JP Hero Billboard Chart was always a large thing, but only on tv. Up until now it was never an event. Apparently, this year was the first time it was public. Well, for people with invitations or tickets.
Todoroki would have access anyway, for the simple fact that he was Endeavor's son. I was allowed inside because of my father, who was invited since he helped some of the current top 10 heroes start their agencies.
Since my father didn't really want to be seen with me he got a private driver and said that our butler Smitty would drive me and Todoroki. My father already left.
I had to go back to my old house to get ready, where my mother gave me a dress to wear. It was a long black dress with a halter neckline. It had a slit on the right side which reached all the way to my thigh. I wore high heels and my mother put my hair in a do-up.
Unfortunately, I was used to being dressed like this. Whenever my father had an event where being a 'family man' would make him look good, he brought me along.
"Mother, don't you think I'm overdressed?", I hesitantly said as I looked at myself in the mirror.
If I were pretty, I could be a model in this outfit.
"You look beautiful, dear", my mother reassured me. "Remember, for the most part, the stands will be filled with ordinary people who got a ticket to the event. You will be in the VIP section, as one of the heroes' acquaintance. Everyone there is dressed to kill."
"Are you sure?", I asked.
"Absolutely", my mother answered. "I hope your plus one knows this as well, otherwise he'll look like an idiot compared to you."
"I'm sure he knows, mother", I mumbled.
I doubt Endeavor would allow him inside the building unless he looked presentable.
Just then the doorbell sounded.
"That must be him!", my mother squealed.
She was acting like I was going to prom or something. Ever since I told her I would be going with a classmate, specifically a male classmate, she'd been excited.
I watched as my mother ran to the intercom to open the gate. Then she started leading me towards the front door, where Smitty was waiting.
"He's already by the car", Smitty said.
"Excellent", my mother answered.
Smitty opened the door for me and I walked outside. I lifted my dress a bit to walk down the few steps by the door. Then I looked up and my breath hitched.
(I was wondering what color suit would look best on Todoroki, black or white. So I googled it and I was very happy with the results. I spent several minutes squealing at my laptop.)
Todoroki and I were both speechless for a second. I slowly walked forward, staring at him up and down.
I always knew Shoto was pretty, but... This is overwhelming.
"You look beautiful, (y/n)", Todoroki softly said.
"Thank you", I answered. "You look very handsome."
A slight blush spread across Todoroki's face and I was sure my cheeks were also red. Todoroki broke eye contact to open the car door for me. I smiled and got in.
I registered Smitty approvingly chuckling to himself because Todoroki opened the door for me. The old butler enjoyed seeing youngsters that hadn't forgotten their manners. He got into the drivers seat after Todoroki got in the back seat and closed the door.
"Alright", Smitty said while starting the car. "To Kamino we go."
The car ride wasn't very long, and I kept sneaking glances at Todoroki. I could feel my face heat up more every time I looked at him.
He just looks so good!
The car slowed to a halt and Smitty hurried out to open the back door before Todoroki did.
"Not to sound rude, but are you Shoto Todoroki? Endeavor's son?", Smitty asked.
Todoroki just nodded as he offered me his hand to help me out of the car. I gladly took it and looked around.
"Fair warning for the both of you, they announce the heroes' acquaintances", Smitty said in a low tone. "Don't be surprised when they call you out as Endeavor's."
"Thanks for the warning, Smitty", I said.
The butler nodded and closed the back door of the car. Then he gestured to a double door with a security guard standing next to it.
"That is the entrance to the VIP stands. Your father gave you an invite, yeah?"
I nodded and took the paper out of my tiny handbag.
"I'll pick you up afterwards", Smitty said.
"Thank you", Todoroki answered.
The butler made a small bow before he went back into his car. Todoroki offered me his arm and I hooked mine through. We made our way to the double doors, where I gave the invitation to the security guard.
"Names?", he asked after he checked the invitation.
"Shoto Todoroki and (y/n) (l/n)", I answered.
The guard grunted something into his walkie-talkie and opened the double doors. He nodded and we walked in.
Todoroki and I were immediately greeted by flashing cameras. I held my head high and just kept walking.
"Shoto Todoroki and (y/n) (l/n) for Endeavor!", a voice sounded through the speakers.
I tightened my grip on Todoroki's arm a bit and we continued walking. We took a seat in the VIP stands while we waited for the event to start. Other VIP's were announced for various heroes, and then a voice declared that the event would start in 5 minutes.
I didn't see my father anywhere, but I was happy with that. I had no idea for which hero he was here officially. In truth, he didn't give a shit about any of them.
Kazuo (l/n) was a name that was very well known in the hero industry. He helped new heroes start up their agencies, instructing them what to do and where to appear to gain the most and best publicity. Once the heroes felt good enough to continue on their own, my father left. All he asked was a small payment in advance, and 5% of the hero's profit for the rest of their career.
5% doesn't sound like much, but with successful heroes, that was enough to live a normal life. My father had been using this same strategy for years, on dozens of heroes. It was how we became so rich. Even if half of them were to suddenly die, we'd still have enough money to live our lifestyle for two lifetimes.
I looked around the audience. There were stands for normal people who managed to get tickets, but for the most part the stands were filled with heroes.
I chuckled when I saw one hero in particular who towered over the others.
"What is it?", Todoroki asked.
"Look over there", I said and I pointed into the audience. "That's Fat Gum! I interned with him. And the person next to him is Rock Lock. He was also there during the raid."
Todoroki nodded. I couldn't help but chuckle again. Fat Gum was around 250 cm (8'2") and was well visible. I felt sorry for the poor soul who was seated behind him.
"We are going live in 5... 4... 3... 2..."
I looked up at Todoroki for a second with a bright smile. He smiled back.
Although the circumstances weren't ideal, I was finally close to some of my favorite heroes.
"The Billboard Chart, live for the first time from Kamino!", the presenter announced. "Surely everyone knows the magnitude of its importance!"
Nine heroes walked onto the stage and I excitedly looked at them.
"Up until today's event, heroes have not traditionally appeared on the stage like this!", the presenter continued. "But times have changed! Let's take a look!"
I removed my arm from Todoroki's to grab his hand. He didn't seem to mind and briefly squeezed my hand. I squeezed back and looked at the presentation.
"No. 10! One rank down from 9 last time! Dragon hero Ryukyu!!"
I recognized Ryukyu from the internship. She looked beautiful as ever. She was also one of my favorite heroes.
"No. 9! This one has gone down too! However, he still refuses to succumb to old age! The armored hero, Yoroi Musha!"
I didn't really have an opinion on him. He was an old hero, but still very vibrant. I respected him, but I was not a fan.
"No. 8! The same one from the 'squeaky clean' commercial! It's the washing hero, Wash!"
He is a washing machine. No further comment.
"No. 7! A significant leap! The up-and-coming star who won't stop climbing! Kamui Woods!"
Kamui Woods. I couldn't say anything other than the fact that I was a fan. Even more after he assisted in the rescue mission for me and Bakugo when we were kidnapped by the League.
"No. 6! The orthodox man safely keeps his place! The shield hero, Crust!"
Ehehe. The Rising of the Shield Hero. Ehehehehe.
"No. 5! The determined bunny ranks up! The rabbit hero, Mirko!"
Mirko was... Something. To be honest I wasn't sure if I was a fan of her or if I despised her.
"No. 4! The mysterious ninja's conflict resolution count and approval ratings have skyrocketed! The ninja hero, Edgeshot!"
I bit my lip and squeezed Todoroki's hand. He chuckled when he saw me starting to go into fangirl mode.
"It seems that this time, the heroes who were present at the Kamino incident's approval ratings are rising across the board! And next up is this man! Despite taking a break from active duty, he nevertheless remains at no. 3! His approval ratings at the second half of the year are at no. 1! The fiber hero, Best Jeanist! We are all awaiting his quick return!"
Jeanist still hadn't fully recovered from the Kamino incident, where he was hit by an attack from All for One. Therefore, he wasn't present.
"No. 2! He claims to be taking it easy, but he's quite ferocious! With tremendous momentum, he swoops into 2nd place! The winged hero, Hawks!"
I squealed and almost squished Todoroki's hand to mush. Hawks was just... Hawks. I'd been a fan of him since the moment I first heard about him, which was years ago.
Back when he started his hero agency, Hawks was approached by my father. I heard my father complaining plenty of times, because he was convinced Hawks would make it to the top. However, the young hero refused my father's services. And look how that turned out.
I'd looked up to him ever since I heard that he refused my father, but the more hero activities he did, the bigger of a fan I became. Although Hawks had a personality that not everyone liked, I couldn't help but adore him.
"And now!! From just the temporary no. 1 to his new place today as the genuine no. 1 hero! At last!! The flame hero, Endeavor!"
He was wearing a new costume. I never really liked Endeavor, but I did respect him.
There was a short break, and then we moved on to the interview part.
"The reason we held this sort of ceremony at this time is because we judged this to be a turning point", a woman dressed in fancy formal clothes announced. "It's been about three months since All Might's retirement and word is circulating that we still lack an icon. The heroes who will shoulder society's burdens are all in this room. Let us all strive towards a more peaceful society together."
The audience applauded and I smiled when I saw Hawks whispering something to Endeavor.
"And now, statements from each individual!"
First up was Ryukyu, since she was the no. 10.
"Thank you", the dragon hero said. "However, the truth is that I would have liked to decline this rank if that was possible. There were more lives that I could have saved. I will continue to strive to be a hero more befitting of my rank."
I was so caught up in the whole hero thing that I didn't even notice Todoroki staring at me. The half and half boy got a smile on his face when he saw me so excited.
The no. 6, Crust, said something about understanding Ryukyu, but was told to wait his turn to speak. I chuckled as they moved on to Yoroi Musha, the no. 9.
"What I must do from now on hasn't changed", was all he said before they moved on to the no. 8.
"Wash!"
I know Wash is a hero, but... He's a motherflippin' washing machine!
"I intend to work hard as a part of Edgeshot's team", Kamui Woods declared. "Without bringing shame to my senpais."
"Why was I not there on that day in Kamino?!", Crust yelled when it was his turn. "That regret still weighs heavily upon my heart!"
I involuntarily squeezed Todoroki's hand when I noticed Hawks' face. He was obviously thinking of something and I wondered what he'd say when it was his turn.
"Hey, you, all the guys scheming out there!", Mirko said when it was her turn. "Get ready to be pummeled by me!"
They moved on to the no. 4, which was Edgeshot.
"If the rankings were purely based on approval ratings, you would have been the no. 3...!", the interviewer said before holding the microphone in front of Edgeshot.
"Numbers don't concern me", the ninja hero replied. "I'm grateful for the high approval that comes from my work, but I'm not doing this for fame. I believe that fostering peace is the essence of heroism."
"Who cares about any of that anyway?", Hawks said in a bored tone.
There was a heavy silence.
"Damn, that was ballsy!", Mirko then commented.
"As usual, you enjoy throwing everyone for a loop, don't you?", Edgeshot said to Hawks.
"Hey, I'm just bad at keeping it in", the winged hero replied. "Let's see... If we're going just by approval ratings Best Jeanist-san would be 1st due to the extra boost of support during his recovery. I would be 2nd, Edgeshot would be 3rd, Endeavor would be 4th, and so on."
He paused to breathe in.
"I think approval ratings are the most important metric right now", Hawks stated. "Is this the time to be clinging to the past? Is it okay to uphold the status quo? We no longer have a symbol."
I gasped when he lazily started flapping his wings while talking, slowly lifting himself into the sky.
"Why are people who can't even earn a higher rank than me so tame and subdued on a day that's supposed to be a 'turning point'?", Hawks asked. "Please, speak more like real heroes."
I smirked.
Hawks, 22 years old, started his own hero office at the age of 18 and reached the top 10 in that same year's second semester ranking. Reaching the top 10 as a teenager was historical, and he was still the youngest and quickest of the pack. People called him the precocious man.
"That's all from me!", Hawks declared. "So, next in line, with lower approval ratings than me, the number 1."
He had a smug look on his face as he lowered himself to the ground and glanced at Endeavor. The no. 1 scowled at him.
"Apart from what that novice just tried to stir up, there's not much to say", Endeavor stated. "Just watch me."
An odd mood overtook the audience and Hawks started clapping. Nobody expected such a statement from the new no. 1.
"When did your old man get so blunt?", I whispered to Todoroki. "Maybe he's really been hanging around Hawks too much."
"I don't know", Todoroki answered. "He's still the same in my opinion. A horrible person."
I shot him a sad smile and squeezed his hand again. Not out of excitement this time, but to comfort him. He softly smiled back and the event came to an end.
Todoroki and I kept holding hands while we strolled through the building. We purposefully avoided both mine and his dad, but walked around to get a closer look at some of the other heroes.
Endeavor and Hawks had gone backstage, but most of the other heroes stayed to talk to each other. Todoroki and I walked by the stage, but I was too shy to actually walk up to the heroes that were still there.
"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you asked them for a picture or something, (y/n)", Todoroki mumbled. "They're celebrities at an event. I think they're used to it."
"I know", I mumbled. "But even celebrities want their peace sometimes. I don't want to impose."
"Hey", another voice suddenly said.
I sharply inhaled when Edgeshot used his quirk to appear in front of me.
"You're from the Kamino incident", he concluded. "Are you alright? You seemed quite out of it back then, with that head injury and all."
Oh my god Edgeshot recognized me and he is talking to me.
Get your shit together.
"Yeah, I'm fine", I shyly answered as my grip around Todoroki's hand tightened. "Thank you for asking. I didn't think you'd recognize me to be honest."
"I've got an eye for detail", Edgeshot murmured. "Your eyes are a very bright light (e/c). Quite extraordinary and hard to forget."
"T-Thank you", I stammered as my cheeks turned red.
"Hey, Edgy!", Mirko shouted. "Who're you talking to?"
"U.A. students", Edgeshot answered. "(Y/n) (l/n) and Shoto Todoroki."
He knows my name! He knows both our names!!
I was internally freaking out and squeezed Todoroki's hand to mush as Mirko walked up to us with a grin.
"(L/n)?", the rabbit hero repeated. "As in Kazuo (l/n)?"
I nodded.
"Interesting", Mirko grinned. "Wanna take a few pictures?"
"Can I?", I asked in a surprised tone.
"Sure", Mirko answered. "I'll get the others to join as well."
"That would be amazing", I mumbled and I felt Todoroki briefly squeeze my hand.
A few seconds later Todoroki and I were hauled onto the stage and took pictures with almost all of the top 10 heroes.
I thanked all of them many many times and was about to leave with Todoroki when someone called my name.
"Wraith! Hey, (y/n)!", a familiar voice shouted.
I turned around and smiled when I saw who came up to us.
"Fat Gum!", I said with a soft chuckle. "And Rock Lock! How are you guys?"
"Great! How're you?" Fat Gum replied. "And who's this? Your boyfriend?"
"Huh?!", I stammered as my face heated up again.
I glanced at Todoroki to see him looking down in with a vibrant blush on his cheeks.
"This is Shoto Todoroki", was all I managed to say.
"Sensitive subject, I see", Rock Lock chuckled. "Anyway, glad to see you're doin' okay."
"Yeah, you too", I answered after I got over my initial flusteredness. "How's your wife and kid?"
(Is flusterdness a word? my autocorrect doesn't recognize it but that happens quite often to me so... idk)
Back at the first meeting, I really couldn't stand Rock Lock. But during the raid he was really brave, and afterwards he was kinder to the interns. He came to respect us.
"They're good, they're good!", he answered.
"That's good to hear", I smiled. "But we should probably get going. Our ride is waiting."
"Of course!", Fat Gum answered. "I hope to see you again soon! Say hi to Tamaki an' Kirishima for me!"
I nodded with a smile and waved over my shoulder as Todoroki and I left.
I agreed with Smitty that he would drop us off at U.A. I didn't want to, nor did I have to go home. It was the same for Todoroki.
It was pretty late already, so I assumed that the common room would be empty.
Boy, was I wrong.
As soon as Todoroki and I entered, we were bombarded with questions.
"We saw you two on tv!", Kaminari accusingly said.
"How was it?", Midoriya asked in an excited tone.
"What did the heroes look like up close?", Ashido asked.
"Whoa whoa whoa", I said in an attempt to calm everyone down. "What do you mean you saw us? We were just in the audience."
"No!", Kaminari objected. "In the preparing program that barely anyone watches they practically tour around the building while doing interviews and such! You were there! We heard your names being called!"
"Oh, uh", I mumbled. "Yeah, I guess that's true."
"We weren't really there for Endeavor", Todoroki murmured.
"Can I just say; you look beautiful (y/n)", Yaoyorozu complimented. "And you look very handsome, Todoroki-kun."
"Thanks", Todoroki and I awkwardly said at the same time.
"And what about afterwards?", Midoriya asked. "We saw you talking to Edgeshot!"
"I... He came to us", I answered. "But what do you mean you saw that? That was after the event officially ended."
"Yes but they were doing interviews with heroes from the audience", Kaminari answered. "We saw you! Chatting to Edgeshot and taking pictures with the heroes."
"Even Mirko!", Mineta wailed.
"What about her?", Todoroki asked.
"She's hot!", Mineta and Kaminari yelled in sync.
"How did you actually get in, (y/n)?", Uraraka asked. "Were you Todoroki's plus one?"
"What?", I responded. "No, I had an invite."
"I actually went as her plus one", Todoroki mumbled.
"How did you manage to get an invite?", Asui asked.
"Yeah, only loaded people and heroes get those!", Kirishima added.
"She is loaded", Bakugo huffed from the back of the room.
"My father was invited", I answered, ignoring the comments about being loaded. "I tagged along."
"Your dad's acquainted with heroes?", Midoriya asked.
"You... You all don't know who my father is?", I mumbled.
My classmates shook their heads.
"It's Kazuo (l/n)", I said. "The hero manager."
"No way", Midoriya whispered. "That's your dad?!"
I nodded.
"But then you must be super rich!", Uraraka said.
"Well, yeah... I guess", I mumbled. "I thought you all knew who my father was."
"I did not!", Iida stated. "But my family has done business with your father in the past."
"Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me", I mumbled.
Then I looked around.
"But, yeah... I have money", I mumbled. "If any of you ever need anything you can ask me. Seriously. I'm happy to help and I can miss the money. I could buy this building with two months of my allowance, so don't be shy to ask. But only relevant things...!"
I turned around and pointed at Kaminari.
"I'm looking at you, Denki", I deadpanned. "I'm not getting you AirPods."
"I wasn't gonna ask you that!", he huffed.
"You so were", Jiro retorted.
I sighed and removed the clips from my hair to let it fall down from it's do-up.
"I'm pretty tired", I declared. "I'm gonna head to bed. See ya tomorrow."
My classmates said goodnight to me and waved. I briefly squeezed Todoroki's hand and looked up at him with a small smile before heading to the girls' bathrooms.
I brushed my teeth before going upstairs. I went straight to my room, where I took off the fancy dress and heels to change into my pj's. I let myself fall onto my bed.
I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.