NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Preschool, Meeting Midoriya And Bakugo
It had been a month since I awakened my quirk, and my life had become much brighter—not just because of my newfound ability but because of Nejire.
She had practically moved into my daily routine, her boundless energy and curiosity filling every moment with excitement.
In that month, we had done everything from experimenting with our quirks to inventing silly hero games where she always insisted on being the main fighter while I "fixed the aftermath."
"Your quirk is so cool, Renjiro!" she had said countless times, her eyes sparkling every time I restored something she accidentally broke during our experiments. "You're like the ultimate support hero! But maybe one day, you can be a front-liner too!"
I couldn't help but laugh at her enthusiasm, even as I wondered where she found the energy to keep talking, moving, and dreaming without pause.
Slowly but surely, her infectious optimism chipped away at the walls I didn't even realize I'd built around myself since my reincarnation. She didn't just make life fun—she made it feel normal.
…
One morning, as sunlight streamed through the windows of our living room, my mother approached me with a gentle smile.
"Renjiro, we've decided it's time for you to start preschool," she said, smoothing my hair as I worked on a kanji worksheet.
"Preschool?" I tilted my head, unsure how to feel about the idea.
In my first life, I'd never been to school—hospital rooms and textbooks had been my only companions. The thought of being around so many other children at once made me both curious and anxious.
"You'll meet other kids your age, learn new things, and make more friends," my mother continued, her voice filled with encouragement. "It'll be good for you."
Before I could respond, Nejire burst into the room, her face lighting up with excitement. "Preschool?! That's awesome, Renjiro! You're gonna love it!"
"But… what about you?" I asked, glancing at her. "Won't I see you less?"
Nejire's grin softened into a reassuring smile. "Don't worry! We'll still hang out, I promise. Plus, you'll make so many new friends! I can't wait to hear all about it."
Her confidence was contagious, and despite my initial hesitation, I found myself nodding. "Okay… I'll give it a shot."
…
The day of my first class arrived faster than I expected.
As my parents walked me to the preschool gates, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of nerves and anticipation.
The playground was bustling with children, their laughter and chatter filling the air.
My father ruffled my hair before heading off to work, and my mother gave me a gentle push forward.
"You'll do great," she said with an encouraging smile.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the playground, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar faces.
That's when I noticed two boys standing near the swing set—one with unruly green hair and a timid posture, the other with spiky blond hair and an air of confidence that bordered on arrogance.
The timid one caught my attention first. He stood apart from the other kids, clutching a notebook to his chest as if it were a lifeline.
I remembered that look all too well—it was the look of someone who didn't quite fit in.
Curious, I approached him. "Hi, I'm Renjiro. What's your name?"
He blinked, startled, before managing a shy smile. "I-I'm Izuku… Izuku Midoriya."
"Nice to meet you, Izuku," I said, offering him a friendly smile. "What's in the notebook?"
His eyes lit up at the question, and he opened the notebook to show me a page filled with detailed sketches and notes about heroes. "It's my hero analysis notebook! I-I like studying quirks and figuring out how heroes use them."
"Wow, that's pretty cool," I said, genuinely impressed. "You've got a lot of talent."
Before Izuku could respond, the blond boy strode over, his expression sharp and challenging. "Oi, what's with the notebook, Deku? Planning how to be useless?"
Izuku flinched, his gaze dropping to the ground.
"Leave him alone," I said firmly, stepping between them. "Who are you, anyway?"
The boy smirked, crossing his arms. "I'm Katsuki Bakugo, and my quirk's gonna make me the number one hero someday. What about you, huh? What's your quirk?"
I raised an eyebrow at his bravado but answered calmly. "Restoration. I can fix things that are broken."
"Fix things? Pfft, sounds boring," Bakugo said with a dismissive laugh. "What's that gonna do in a fight?"
I smiled faintly. "Why don't you find out?"
…
The opportunity came sooner than expected during a class activity.
The teacher had asked us to build a tower out of blocks, and Bakugo, naturally, decided to show off by using his Explosion quirk to knock everyone else's towers down.
"Oops," he said mockingly as the scattered blocks left most of the kids groaning in frustration.
"Why'd you do that?" I asked, frowning as I knelt to gather the pieces of my own tower.
"Because I can," Bakugo replied smugly. "What are you gonna do about it, fix-it boy?"
Without a word, I placed my hand over the broken blocks. The familiar warmth of my quirk spread through my fingers, and in moments, the pieces reassembled themselves into a perfect tower, taller and sturdier than before.
The room fell silent as the other kids stared in awe.
"Whoa, you fixed it!" one of them exclaimed.
Even Izuku looked at me with wide eyes, his admiration clear. "That's amazing, Renjiro…"
Bakugo, on the other hand, scowled. "Tch. Big deal. It's just fixing stuff."
"Maybe," I said, standing up, "but fixing stuff can be pretty useful, don't you think?"
For once, Bakugo had no snarky comeback, and I couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction.
As the other kids gathered around, asking me to fix their broken blocks and toys, I caught Izuku's gaze and gave him an encouraging nod.