The smell of expired milk filled the room, heavy and unpleasant. Trash was scattered across the floor, untouched and forgotten.
Ester woke up from the stench, slowly opening his eyes. He stared at the cat sleeping on his stomach.
Carefully, he moved the cat off his body and sat up. His mind was still foggy, but he began searching for something important—his notebook.
That notebook held everything: details about the world, the people in it, and the things he remembered that no one else knew.
"Ah, it didn't get damaged, thankfully..." he whispered in relief, flipping through the pages quickly before hiding it back under the floorboard beneath his bed.
Smelling himself, he grimaced and decided it was time for a shower. But before that, he grabbed his phone and checked the time.
4:00 AM.
He sighed and turned off the screen. Even though the phone was new, the screen was already half-cracked—another thing ruined too soon.
He took off his dirty clothes and wrapped a towel around his body.
Opening the door, he stepped out into the hallway and walked toward the bathroom. Once inside, he locked the door behind him with a soft click.
A small sigh of relief escaped his lips as he took off the towel and turned the shower knob to cold.
While the water ran, he stood in front of the mirror, staring at his reflection.
"I'm Ester... an old man in a kid's body," he whispered. "Starting today... I'm taking that exam for the hero school. Haah."
He stepped into the shower and began washing his body and hair, letting the cold water ground him in the moment.
As the water ran, memories from the past surfaced—when he was a teenager surrounded by a big friend group, their laughter echoing like a distant dream.
That warmth felt so far away now.
Once he finished showering, he turned off the water and stepped out, wiping away the excess droplets clinging to his skin.
"I wonder if Velquor is awake yet?" he thought as he reached for a towel and began drying his wet hair.
Once he finished drying his hair, he wrapped the towel around himself again and headed back to his room—only to stop in surprise. The room was clean.
"You're back, Ester?" Velquor said casually, lounging on the windowsill in his cat form. "I couldn't stand the smell, so I burned everything... except this notebook."
Ester's eyes widened. He immediately rushed forward and yanked the notebook from Velquor's paws, clutching it tightly.
"Don't mess with my stuff," he said sharply, glaring at him.
"My, my... so protective. Is that little book more precious than me?" he teased, tilting his head with a sly grin. "What secrets are you hiding in there, hmm? Love letters? Diary entries? Plans to take over the world?"
Ester narrowed his eyes, stuffing the notebook back under the loose floorboard.
"It's none of your business."
Velquor leapt down gracefully from the windowsill, his tail flicking. "Tch. You're no fun, brat. I do a little cleaning and suddenly I'm the villain."
"You burned everything," Ester muttered, glancing at the now-spotless room. "Even my clothes."
"Exactly," Velquor said proudly. "They were a crime against fashion and hygiene."
Ester sighed, realizing he'd have to ask Shoto for clothes—while still wearing just a towel.
"...Thanks for cleaning the smell," he muttered reluctantly, not looking at Velquor.
He walked over to grab his cracked phone from the corner of the bed. With a few quick taps, he opened his messages and began typing.
[Ester]: hey... do you have an extra outfit I could borrow?
He hesitated for a second before sending it, then sighed again and sat down on the edge of the bed, towel wrapped tightly around him.
Ding
Ester looked at his notification and smiled in relief. Now he had an outfit for the U.A. Exam.
"Brat? You seem awfully quiet," Velquor said with a teasing edge, licking his paw slowly as if savoring Ester's discomfort.
Ester ignored the cat's prodding and sank back onto the worn mattress, the thin towel clinging awkwardly to his damp skin. He stared at the cracked ceiling, waiting for the knock he knew would come.
The sudden knock on the door caught his attention. Instinctively, Ester yanked Velquor under the bed with a sharp whisper, "Shh, be quiet." The cat's golden eyes gleamed mischievously as he disappeared beneath the floorboards.
Ester wiped his palms on the towel and moved to open the door.
Shoto stood there, calm and composed as always, holding out a simple outfit—a soft gray V-neck shirt and tight black pants. The fabric looked clean and smooth, a stark contrast to the grime Ester had been wearing.
Ester's lips twitched in a rare, tired smile. Haah, I guess this will do, he thought, relief warming him despite the lingering cold of the morning.
"Thank you, Shoto," he said quietly, eyes briefly meeting his friend.
Shoto gave a small nod but then added seriously, "Remember, Ester, once we get to the exam... pretend you do not know me."
Ester's brow furrowed slightly but he nodded. "Yes... I will," he whispered, closing the door gently behind him.
As the door clicked shut, his gaze dropped—and he caught sight of Velquor's tail flicking out from beneath the bed, the cat's soft laughter filling the room like a quiet challenge.
"Why are you laughing, Velquor?" Ester asked as he changed, standing butt-naked.
Velquor paused, then smirked. "I thought this family hated you, but that Shoto guy seems to actually care for you," he said with a sly smile.
Ester paused for a moment, then spoke quietly, "It is because he saw me watching my orphanage burn down. He thinks I am pitiful."
Though deep down, Ester was not entirely sure if that was the real reason.
Velquor tilted his head, his golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Orphanage? So you're not related to this family? What a twist," he said with a growing smile. "You look identical to the man in those picture frames I saw in the hallway yesterday."
He stared at Ester, unblinking, as if searching for answers hidden beneath his skin.
"Or maybe you're a hidden child~" Velquor teased with a sing-song tone.
"No, I am not blood-related to them," Ester replied flatly, slipping on his shirt. "If I was, I would have their quirk."
He walked over to the corner of the room, grabbed his backpack, slid his notebook inside, and tucked away some cash he had hidden earlier.
Velquor smirked, tail flicking. "Haha, yeah... or maybe you are. Just from your mother's side?" he said, watching closely, clearly amused and waiting for Ester's reaction.
Ester ignored the mockery, not giving Velquor the satisfaction of a reaction. He slung the bag over his shoulder and turned to leave without another word.
But just as his fingers touched the doorknob, Velquor spoke again.
"Where are you going, brat?"
The voice was no longer playful.
It was cold.
Velquor's presence shifted—like a ripple through the air—heavier, darker, almost suffocating. His golden eyes no longer glowed with amusement but burned with something ancient and unreadable. The room itself felt smaller, like the walls were closing in around Ester.
Ester stopped mid-step, his breath hitching as fear began to crawl up his spine. This presence—this weight pressing down on him—was not something to take lightly.
"V-Velquor... can you please stop using whatever aura you're suppressing me with..." he said shakily, glancing back.
Velquor paused, then smiled as if nothing had happened. "Hmph. You could have just told me where you were going," he said, his tone playful again. "I have to follow you, you know. I'm your master, after all!"
He seemed to forget—or ignore—the fact that his presence alone had left Ester rattled and pale.
Ester gulped and glanced back. "I have an exam today... and I need to practice before it starts. You can follow me, but I need to hide you under my clothes until we're out of this house," he said, checking his phone.
The screen lit up—5:00 AM.
Velquor smiled, amused by the idea, and gave a small nod. "Fine, fine. I shall allow it," he said with mock grandeur.
Ester crouched down and carefully picked him up, slipping the small feline form into the loose inner fold of his jacket. Velquor nestled in with a purr, tail flicking lightly.
Quietly, Ester opened the door and stepped into the hallway, moving cautiously as he began to sneak out of the Todoroki household.
—
Ester and Velquor sat near a quiet beach, its shoreline freshly cleaned over the past weeks by a determined green-haired boy. Ester had watched him often before meeting Velquor, silently observing the progress from a distance.
But since Velquor appeared, Ester had barely noticed the boy's work at all.
"He is gone?" Ester murmured, scanning the empty sand. "I guess he quit..."
Velquor stretched lazily beneath Ester's jacket and peeked at the notebook resting on Ester's lap. "He? Did you have a friend before you met me?" he asked with mild curiosity.
Ester stopped writing and looked toward the waves. "Not a friend... I was just a spectator," he said, voice low.
Then, without another word, he focused on the notebook again, writing quickly—recording everything he remembered from the exam. Even if some memories were fractured or incomplete, he wrote them down as clearly as possible.
Velquor, unusually quiet, watched him.
He still did not understand why Ester treated that book like something sacred.
"Brat... what makes this notebook special?" he asked at last, eyes fixed on Ester's face.
But the only answer was silence.
__
The sun began to sink behind the skyline, casting long shadows over the city as the air cooled. Car horns echoed in the distance, a chaotic lullaby for the evening rush. Ester stood from the park bench with a slow stretch, brushing off dust from his clothes.
Perched comfortably on his shoulder was Velquor, in the form of an ordinary-looking cat. His soft golden fur shimmered faintly in the sunset light, and his tail flicked lazily. His yellow eyes gleamed with mild annoyance as he leaned in close and whispered, "What's so big about this exam?"
Ester ignored him. The last thing he needed was strangers thinking he was crazy—talking to a cat in public wasn't exactly the best way to start the day.
As they reached the hilltop street, the sight of U.A. High came into full view.
The main gate was huge, almost intimidating. Silver-plated metal bars curved into a sleek design, and above them, the letters "U.A." gleamed proudly in the setting sun. Behind the gate stood the enormous main building—ultra-modern, with towering glass walls and angular steel supports that made it feel more like a fortress than a school. Sunlight bounced off its many windows, and wide steps led up to the grand front entrance, which had been freshly cleaned for the big day.
The plaza outside was alive with movement.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of examinees were gathered in clumps: some pacing anxiously, others laughing with friends or adjusting their gear. Parents hovered nearby, offering last-minute encouragement, and a few Pro Heroes stood near the gate keeping order.
Vendors lined the outer walkways, their colorful booths stacked with snacks and last-minute items. The smell of fried food filled the air—grilled yakitori, crepes oozing with cream, bento boxes, even bubble tea. A man with a microphone was shouting, "Hero button pins! Exam good luck charms! First-year limited editions!"
The energy was electric. Excitement and tension tangled in the air like static.
Ester stopped a few feet from the gate, tightening his grip on the notebook hidden inside his jacket. He didn't speak. He didn't need to.
He was here.
As Ester pushed through the crowd, weaving between clusters of nervous teens, he wasn't paying attention to where he was going—until he bumped hard into someone.
Thud!
The force knocked him straight to the ground, his palms scraping the pavement as Velquor jumped from his shoulder with a startled hiss, landing gracefully nearby.
A few heads turned.
The murmuring crowd went quiet for a second, and Ester's face flushed red with embarrassment. He pushed himself up quickly, brushing dirt from his clothes. All eyes seemed to be on him—and the person he'd bumped into.
"A-Ah! I-I'm sorry!" came a timid voice from behind him.
Ester turned and froze.
It was the same boy from the beach.
He stood awkwardly, wringing his hands in front of him. Messy green curls framed his round face, freckles scattered across his cheeks and nose. His big emerald eyes were wide with worry, darting between Ester and the surrounding crowd. His whole posture screamed nervousness, like he wanted to disappear on the spot.
"I didn't mean to! I was just trying to squeeze past—are you hurt?" the boy stammered, bowing his head slightly.
Ester blinked. That night by the waves flashed in his mind—the ocean breeze, the moonlight, and this same boy holding his notebook before vanishing like a dream.
"...I'm fine," Ester muttered, brushing off his sleeves.
Velquor sat a few feet away, tail flicking. His eyes gleamed with silent amusement, but he said nothing—for once.
The crowd began to lose interest, attention shifting elsewhere as the moment passed.
Still, Ester kept staring at the boy.
"Ah..." the green-haired boy mumbled, shifting awkwardly under Ester's gaze. His fingers fidgeted at his sides, and he avoided eye contact, clearly uncomfortable with how long Ester had been staring.
Realizing it, Ester blinked and gave a small shake of his head, as if snapping out of a trance. Without saying a word, he pushed himself up fully, refusing the boy's silent gesture to help.
Velquor, with his usual air of detachment, leapt back onto Ester's shoulder and curled around his neck like a scarf. He didn't spare a single glance at the green-haired boy, as if the whole encounter was beneath him.
The boy stepped back slightly, his shoulders still tense. "I-I'm really sorry again," he said, eyes darting up just once before dropping to the ground.
Ester gave a faint nod, brushing the last of the dust from his pants.
"Don't worry about it," he muttered, voice low.
The moment lingered awkwardly—two strangers with a strange connection from the beach now face-to-face again, surrounded by a sea of hopeful applicants and noisy vendors.
Velquor yawned dramatically on Ester's shoulder, golden tail flicking as he whispered only loud enough for Ester to hear, "Are we done with your clumsy mortal moments now? Or should I expect more faceplants?"
Ester rolled his eyes but stayed quiet, focusing instead on the looming U.A. building ahead.
__
I shall continue to write 2k words long !! How do people write 10k words long...That so long...