Kamiji

[HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY REIKI KAMIJI.]

Those were the words that could be read on the huge banner hanging in the living room where Ren and Liria had prepared the party for Rei.

The couple looked at each other, and after sharing a smile, Ren removed his hands that were covering Rei's eyes, letting him see the enormous decoration spread throughout the room along with the huge amount of food laid out on the dining table.

Rei was totally impressed after seeing the great effort his parents had made, and instantly turned with a big smile, extending his arms wide open

"I love you."

Without giving them time to respond, he launched himself toward them, giving them a hug so tight that it seemed like he would never let go, and the response from both parents was to hug him back even tighter, especially Liria.

Rei lifted his gaze and showed a slight confusion while releasing one of his hands and exchanging his gaze between the banner behind and his parents.

"Our last name is Kamiji?"

Ren responded, looking at him with confusion, and then turned to Liria with an even more confused look.

"You didn't tell him?"

Liria read his lips and raised an eyebrow as she pointed accusingly.

"You said you would."

"No, in the middle of the conversation, you started pouting saying you'd tell him."

"What?! No way - Oh... True, hehe, oh."

Both of them turned, slowly lowering their gaze toward Rei, and found him staring at them with a totally neutral expression, as if waiting for an answer.

Ren looked at his wife with an amused look, receiving a brief frown in response for blaming her, and instantly she turned to Rei, showing a smile as she pulled a birthday gift box from behind a nearby couch.

"Surprise!"

Rei jumped excitedly in place and rushed to hug Liria, while Ren looked at her incredulously. Just a few minutes ago, they had agreed to save the gifts for later, and suddenly Liria had pulled one out to change the subject.

"Heh."

Liria gave him a cheeky smile while shaking the gift box in her hand and hugging Rei tightly, causing a grimace on Ren's face, who quickly went behind the curtains leading to the patio and pulled out another gift box while approaching Rei.

"Reiki, look!"

Rei pulled away from Liria's hug as he felt someone pulling his arm, and his eyes widened when he saw another gift in his hands, while pointing to himself and the gift.

"For me?"

"For who else?"

Both parents received another hug from Rei, bringing them closer together, and after looking at each other for a few seconds, they sighed simultaneously, covering Rei's view with the gifts and gradually getting closer.

The evening was simple, pleasant, and warm. They ate a combination of English and Japanese dishes, reheated because they had cooled down while they left the house, but this didn't make them any less delicious for Rei, who ate most of what was on the table.

After a few minutes, Ren and Liria placed a huge chocolate cake on the table with a birthday candle shaped like a four, and told Rei to make a silent wish. But he smiled and approached the cake, shouting.

"I wish you'll always be with me!"

The candles went out, and Rei found himself embraced by a powerful sandwich of hugs, which he enjoyed with a smile. After a few hours, he was finally in his room.

For his third birthday, his parents decided to give him a room when he asked for it, and they agreed, giving him a room they had prepared in advance on the roof of the house.

This room was completely different from the rustic touch of the house. At the top, it had a skylight that let him see the huge Musutafu neighborhood, along with a race car-themed bed with a wardrobe next to it and a desk where he did the tasks his mother assigned him for homeschooling.

Although there was a difference now, instead of the usual notebooks piled on the table, there was a beautiful silver laptop along with a console of the same brand and color.

These were Rei's birthday gifts. The console was unexpected but very well received, and he couldn't wait to search for information about all the heroes and, most importantly, the music of this world.

He couldn't hear the songs, but if he knew the chords of each one along with the lyrics, it wouldn't be impossible for him to try to replicate them to play them with his instruments.

'User, Rei. Password... My Hero Academia's Musician.'

Rei felt embarrassed by the password and quickly checked the paper next to him to enter the network data for the house and thus be able to connect to the internet.

'Not much different from my old laptop... although it's more accessible.'

The first thing he did when he saw he had internet was to customize the computer interface a bit, things like setting the dark theme, changing the wallpaper, and the font. With that done, he entered the default browser and typed "Hero" in the search bar.

"Decrease in crime rate due to the appearance of a group of vigilantes, rise in the number of professional heroes, battles over the top 1, 2, and 3 spots..."

After browsing through some Japanese news, he decided to switch the search range to English news and found the gem of all news.

♦EXCLUSIVE: Interview with America's most beloved hero, ALL MIGHT!♦

'Jackpot.'

Reading a little more of the report, he delved a bit more into professional heroes from other countries, and the information he found was much more extensive than that provided in the manga.

'Professional hero number 1 in Egypt has the Quirk 'Emperor of the Storm,' what a striking name... It's like Gaara, isn't it? And the number 1 hero in Portugal can manipulate ocean currents? A video... wow, he created a tsunami...'

After half an hour, Rei decided to leave so much information for later and focus on what he was looking for, music.

'Shiloh Dysnasty...'

"Eh?"

When he searched the name, the browser showed an error in the search, saying that there were no results.

 So, Rei tried YouTube, but instead of the iconic red icon, he saw a strange figure with the name HeroTube.

Without much thought, he entered the page and found hundreds of videos about rescues, fights, explanations, news, etc. Everything that appeared was related to heroes, and all the trends were occupied by All Might videos.

But that wasn't what mattered to Rei.

'And the music?'

After scrolling for a few seconds on the page, he managed to find the music section, but he found that these videos had almost no views compared to hero videos, and those in trends were idol songs and old songs in the style of Frank Sinatra but far from his voice.

'It can't be.'

His fingers moved quickly, searching for Shiloh Dynasty, XXXTentacion, Laufey, Joji, dv4d, Rex Orange County, Bruno Mars, Neon Trees, Ricky Montgomery...

None of the searches found any videos.

'Oh god, how can these people live without Artic Monkeys and Mac DeMarco?'

An idea popped into his head when he exited HeroTube and moved to the search engine again to look for Twitch or a similar streaming platform.

"Herostream..."

Giving it a chance, he entered and found hundreds of live streams of chases, live IRL streams of heroes patrolling, and there were also some art and gaming streams, but again, compared to those related to heroes, they fell far behind in terms of impact.

'If I...'

A feeling began to well up within Rei; the connections inside him resonated with the thoughts he had, and unconsciously he began to summon instruments around him.

'What if I bring the songs from my memories to this world?'

A loud noise produced by the instruments reverberated throughout the room, alarming Ren and Liria, but Rei quickly headed to the door upon feeling the tremor to alert his father.

"Everything is fine, sorry!"

Closing the door again, he turned to the instruments and showed a big smile.

'Let's do it, but first I need to download a sound editing program and find out about copyright laws, and also...'

Rei headed back to the desk, dismissing the instruments one by one, and went over everything he needed to start in the world of streaming.

"Well... It was easier than I thought."

After a few minutes of research, Rei found out that the place where music copyrights were registered was actually HeroTube, since the state of record labels was basically nonexistent, and artists turned to this platform to register their songs as it was the most influential social media network.

As for the sound editing program, he had no trouble since the laptop came with one integrated, which was perfect as Rei needed it to mute instantly in case someone came in.

He had thought about starting on Herostream because it was a smaller platform where he could go unnoticed, but ultimately decided to take the first step on HeroTube because of the copyright issue.

The plan was as follows: record a few songs and have his father listen to them, then after getting the green light, upload them to HeroTube and start streaming where he sang the songs to attract an audience to the uploaded videos.

But there were three 'headaches' in this plan.

The first was how he would explain to his father that he suddenly became a musician capable of producing several songs, so he would have to start slowly, with just one song stemming from the hope of a deaf child dreaming of becoming a musician.

The other two headaches went hand in hand. If he were to stream, he would be focusing on his hands while playing the instrument, so in the long run, his age would be revealed, attracting more attention than necessary.

On the other hand, there was the fact that his voice was that of a 4-year-old child, and he couldn't hear the sound track of the song in the editing program, so he would have to rely on his parents' opinion when playing live for both of them, and so his mother could hear as well.

'Anyways, I could start with this song.'

Grabbing a nearby case and a sheet of paper, he began writing the first song he would bring to this world.

︿︿︿︿︿︿︿

"Dad!"

Ren had been cleaning the dishes and had finally finished, ready to sit on his couch and recline it to watch his favorite TV series when Rei's voice sounded behind him. Before he knew it, he was being dragged by his son along with Liria up the stairs leading to Rei's room.

"What's up, Reiki?"

"I want to ask you something."

The couple exchanged a quick glance as Rei made them sit on the bed and he sat on a chair in front of them.

"I want to be a musician."

Ren furrowed his brow for a moment and looked at Liria, who had the same expression as him. But when their gazes met, they realized the expressions they were wearing and quickly turned worriedly towards Rei for fear of having hurt his feelings.

Surprisingly to both, Rei showed no sadness and looked at them with a raised eyebrow as if their reactions were strange to him.

"What's wrong?"

The couple looked at each other again, and it was Liria who decided to take the first step, also speaking for Ren.

"Reiki, I've seen what your Quirk is capable of, and since you were little, we've always supported you with immense joy for the early intelligence you showed even though you were deaf. But there are things... people focus their attention on you and take you to a point from which it's difficult to return."

Ren joined in to support Liria and looked at his son with a hint of sadness.

"Reiki, being a musician in these times... is complicated. People judge a lot, they don't like the music that comes out, and to be honest, the music industry is very cruel. Believe me when I say that they won't hesitate to criticize a child even more when they've already caused children's singing shows to be canceled several times. As your parents, we support you, but we need to make you aware of what you could receive in response if you choose such a path."

'Oh.'

Rei's eyes showed some surprise at the seriousness and concern of his parents, and he crossed his arms, staring at them intently.

"In summary, given that I've spent my four years practically at home and have barely interacted with children my age, you're afraid that my music will have a significant impact and that some of the attention I receive may be aimed at morally harming me, potentially being harmful enough to make me feel bad and reach the point where I hate music?"

Liria and Ren's eyes widened, and they nodded unconsciously, seeing the accuracy with which their son had summarized all their words.

"I understand your concern, but I can assure you that the destructive criticism of others will never affect me. Instead, I would track down the person who likes to destroy the morale of a 4-year-old who just wants to sing and expose them to the world so that..."

Rei started to ramble, and seeing the look his parents were giving him, he coughed for a moment, raised his index finger while two instruments began to materialize over his head, and his hair began to change color.

"Let's do this, I'll sing you the song I've written, and after listening to it, both of you will decide among yourselves whether you allow me to do it or not. Deal?"

Rei reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded paper on which he had written the lyrics of the song he was going to sing, handing it to Liria.

The white guitar began to descend slowly into his hands along with the drum set, but Rei's attention was on his father, who had waved his hand in front of him.

"Why do you suddenly want to be a musician, Reiki?"

Ren's gaze was serious, and he had even leaned slightly forward while crossing his hands in front of him, showing the genuine interest behind the question he had asked, causing Rei's gaze to tremble for a second, but then he put on a warm smile.

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"Music is beautiful, I think it would be selfish of me not to share it with others."

Ren fell silent and rested his forehead on his hands, wanting to hide the prideful smile he felt.

Rei looked at his father with a smile and alternated his gaze towards Liria with an even bigger smile upon seeing her wide-eyed staring at the paper he had given her.

*STRUM*

"I'm going to start."

Liria snapped out of her amazement upon hearing her son's voice and alternated her gaze between the paper in her hand and him.

"Did you write this? Are you in love, Rei? Who is it? That girl you used to play with in the park? Is it her?! And why is this so sad?? Are you depressed?!?!?!?!"

"...I haven't been to the park in two years, and no, I'm not depressed, I'm 4 years old. *sigh* Just... I'm just going to sing."

Ren lifted his head upon hearing Rei's response and turned his head towards the note that Liria was waving.

*STRUM* *DRUM*

(-Coyote Theory / This Side of Paradise-)

*STRUM* *STRUM* ... *STRUM* *STRUM* *STRUM*

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪

*DRUM* *DRUM* *STRUM* *DRUM* *DRUM*

♫ Ask me why my heart's inside my throat

I've never been in love, I've been aloooooone

Feel like I've been living life asleep

Love so strong, it makes me feel so weak♫

♫Are you lonelyyyyyyyyy? Are you lonely?

Our fingers dancing when they meet

You seem so lonelyyyyyyyyy? Are you lonely?

I'll be the only dream you seek~♫

♫ So if you're lonely, no need to show mee

If you're lonely, come be lonely with me ♫

Lonelyyyyyyyyyyy~ Are you lonely?

♫ Passion is crashing as we speak

You seem so lonelyyyyyyy, are you lonely?

You're the ground my feet won't reach ♫

♫ So if you're lonely, darling, you're glowing~

If you're lonely, come be lonely with me ♫

*DRUM* *DRUM* ... *DRUM* *DRUM* *DRUM*

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪

♫ Underneath the pale moonlight ♫

*STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* *STRUM*

♫ Dreaming of a circus life ♫

*STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* *STRUM*

♫ Carousels and ferris heights ♫

*STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* *STRUM*

I'll be yours if you'll be mine

*STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* ♫ *STRUM* *STRUM*

♫'Cause I'm lonely, I'm so lonely

If you hold me, I'll be your only-Are you lonely?♫

Our fingers dancing when they meet~

You seem so lonely, are you lonely?

♫ I'll be the only dream you seek

So if you're lonely, no need to show me~

If you're lonely, come be lonely with me ♫

*STRUM* *STRUM* ... *DRUM* *STRUM* *STRUM*

♪♪♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪♪♪♪

*STRUM* *STRUM* *STRUM* *STRUM*

♫ Are you lonely?

Passion is crashing as we speak

You seem so lonelyyyyyy ♫

*STRUM* ♫ *STRUM*

♫ You're the ground my feet won't reach~

So if you're lonely, darling, you're glowing

If you're lonely, come be lonely with me ♫

*STRUUUUUUUUM*

"Phew~ That was sick. Oh, sorry, I mean it was cool... Ahem, what do you-"

Rei turned to his parents, only to find them looking back at him again, their eyes wide open, but this time with the addition that they were completely slack-jawed and fully surprised.

︿︿︿︿︿︿︿

'You've got to be kidding me.'

This was the only thought in Ren's head as he looked incredulously at his son.

'I just wanted to make him aware of what he would face, but to make a song by himself and especially one so... good... Is this a genius ignoring his limits?'

Ren turned to his wife, and she had all her attention on Rei while showing a smile full of excitement, clutching the paper in her hand. 

"Well... Did you like it?"

His son's voice snapped him out of his thoughts, redirecting his attention to what he now considered his little musical prodigy.

Liria didn't give him time to answer as she stepped forward and stopped in front of Rei.

"I loved it, Reiki. Now, you'll tell me who the girl is?"

A small smirk formed on Rei's face as he looked incredulously at his father, who simply sighed and shook his head.

"There's no girl, Mom."

"I'm glad. Because I'll never give you to a home-wrecker cat."

"...Age for having a girlfriend?"

"There's no age, nor girlfriend. You'll be mom's eternal little baby."

"Uh."

Ren released a amused smile at the seriousness with which Liria spoke and got up from the bed, approaching Rei with his arms extended.

"Whoa!"

Rei was surprised when he expected a hug and was suddenly lifted in the air, so he looked at his father with confusion, but Ren seemed to unconsciously ignore his gaze while sporting a big smile.

"I'm proud of you."

"We are."

Liria intervened from the side and playfully squeezed Rei's cheek, making him smile sheepishly.

"Hehe, thank you both."

Ren swung Rei from side to side, but after a few seconds, he stopped and looked up.

"By the way, how did you make the drums play by themselves?"

Confusion reappeared on Rei's face, and he raised an eyebrow while alternating between his father and the drum set floating above, finally pointing to himself.

"They didn't play by themselves, I made them sound."

"Huh?"

"How can I put it..."

Rei closed his eyes for a moment, and upon reopening them, hundreds of instruments began to pile up in the small space of the room, astonishing Ren and Liria with the sheer number of instruments around them.

"As long as I concentrate, I can summon any instrument I can think of and in any quantity I want. And if I have a clear understanding of an instrument, I can mentally control it to play while I'm already playing another. Although I can also make them sound without touching any, but it doesn't feel right."

As a former professional heroine, Liria widened her eyes at the potential of this ability and quickly approached her son, so amazed that she immediately started talking again.

"Dear, how many can you summon?"

"Hmm... I'd say around two thousand, but it would be very difficult to maintain them. Why?"

"W-What... Reiki, would you let me hit them with all my strength?"

Rei tilted his head to the side with confusion and looked at the instruments above him with some doubt, but the connections in his mind reassured him that he didn't need to worry about anything, and among all the voices, one resonated more strongly. "

"Okay, Mom, but one of the instruments said it wants to do it."

Rei's hands lifted slightly, and all the instruments began to fade into white particles, leaving only a large drum of white and red floating above their heads.

Ren noticed something and quickly brought Rei down, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Reiki, did you just say that one of the instruments 'told' you?"

Rei realized he had slipped up and quickly played dumb, shaking his head with all the innocence in the world.

"No? You probably made a mistake, hehe."

Ren's face showed some doubt, but he felt somewhat relieved, taking it as a child's slip, and turned to Liria, who was already poised and staring fixedly at the drum in front of her.

"Ready, Mom?"

Liria nodded, seeing Rei's thumbs up, and took a striking position, slightly turning to the side as one of her arms transformed into the huge head of a hammer.

"WAIT-"

*BOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM*