Family Bonds

Getting home, Kimika could hardly wait for her dad to come back so she could tell him about her quirk. She was sure she would definitely become a true heroine now! She thought her dad would return any minute — probably in five minutes. But time dragged on unbearably slowly: five minutes passed, then another five, and then more...

Kimika rarely wondered where her dad went every morning. He always came back, and since her mom was always around, the girl never asked about it. But this time, when the clock seemed frozen and she wanted to share this moment with him, Kimika's patience snapped. She ran over to her mom, who was busy doing something in the kitchen.

"Mom, when will Dad be back?" she asked, her face filled with disappointment, unable to understand how her dad could be away when her quirk had awakened.

"I think in about three or four hours," her mom replied with a smile, not taking her eyes off her work. "What happened?"

"What?! Why so long?!" Kimika nearly stomped her foot in frustration. She paused for a moment and then, furrowing her brow, added, "Where does he go every day?"

Her mom turned to her with mild surprise at the question, then calmly explained, "Your dad is a detective. He helps catch criminals and save people. He's a hero, but not the kind you see on TV."

Kimika's eyes widened with excitement.

"Wooow, Dad is a hero!" She thought for a moment, and after a pause, added with childlike innocence, "But if he saves people, why do you say he's not a hero?"

Her mom smiled, seeing how Kimika began to process the new information.

"He goes to work not just to catch criminals, but also to earn money so you can buy your favorite ice cream."

Kimika paused for a moment, then smiled as if she understood the whole world.

"So that's why I can buy chocolate and strawberry ice cream at the same time?!"

Mom just sighed and nodded, looking at her daughter with a warm smile. She understood that Kimika was still very young, and it would be difficult for her to grasp the complexities of the adult world: work, money, responsibilities, and especially taxes. For her, all of this felt very distant and incomprehensible. 'And there's no need to think about it right now,' she thought.

'Right now, it's more important for Kimika to feel happy and carefree while she can still live in a world where there's a simple division between heroes and villains, where everything seems so clear and understandable. In a world where heroes are always good and villains are always bad,' Yukiko continued to think, watching her daughter and her naïve worldview with a warm smile. She knew that this perspective wasn't just characteristic of children — many adults in this society thought the same way. Society elevated heroes to the heavens, turning them into symbols of absolute good.

Yukiko understood that sooner or later she would have to explain this. She didn't want Kimika to grow up with the same naïve belief as many others who thought heroes were unquestionable symbols of good. 'But for now... let her enjoy her childhood,' Yukiko thought, pushing that thought aside for later.

But her reflections were interrupted by Kimika, who, after a long contemplation, finally decided to clarify another detail that was important to her.

"Mom, why does only Dad go to work, and you don't? If you worked too, I could have more than just two scoops of ice cream — I could have two more! And probably mango and pineapple too!" The girl looked seriously at her mother, as if she had found the perfect solution to all problems.

Yukiko couldn't help but laugh; her heart warmed at her daughter's innocence. 'If only all the world's problems could be solved so simply,' she thought, but she seriously tried to explain.

"I watch over you," Yukiko explained, smiling. "If I went to work, there would be no one to look after you. But I do work, as a designer! I create costumes for heroes and many other things. It's quite a unique profession!" she added proudly. "You could say I'm also a kind of hero! A support hero who makes beautiful costumes. And don't forget that there are days when Dad stays with you while I go to work. Although I work from home, so it doesn't happen very often."

At these words, Kimika's eyes widened even more, nearly popping out of their sockets. She exclaimed with excitement:

"WOW! We're a real family of heroes! Mom, you're a hero too! And Dad is a hero! That's so cool!"

While Kimika was pondering how they would look when she grew up and became a real hero, Yukiko realized it was the perfect moment to talk about the drawbacks of her quirk. It was better to do it now, while her daughter was in such a joyful mood, rather than later when emotions might get the better of them.

"Oh, Kimi, I completely forgot to tell you about a few aspects of your quirk," her mom gently said, trying to convey the information softly so as not to upset the girl. "These are just important things to know."

Kimika felt a bit uneasy, but considering everything related to heroism and her family, she didn't take it too seriously. Her face remained cheerful, although her attention was starting to drift.

"Drawbacks? What are they?" Kimika asked, listening to her mom, though thoughts of how to become a real hero were still swirling in her head.

"You know that Dad's horns help him detect lies, right?" her mom asked, calmly observing her daughter's reaction.

"Yes, he always finds out!" Kimika replied proudly, genuinely believing her heroic qualities were invincible. "But his power can't stand against me! I never lie, so his power can't work against me, the heroine!"

"You are my heroine… But now, when you lie, your horns will darken," her mom gently explained, trying to emphasize the importance of honesty.

Kimika paused for a moment, but then smiled cheerfully, not taking the information too seriously.

"So what? I don't lie anyway!" she declared stubbornly, though deep down she knew that if she ever did, it was very rare. Usually, it only happened when Dad wasn't around because he always found out everything!

"Oh, you my little treasure," her mom kissed her on the forehead, feeling warmth in that moment. "I wanted you to know this in advance."

Kimika simply shrugged, confident in her honesty. For her, it wasn't a serious problem; after all, she was a heroine! 'I will always stay good, and my horns will never darken!' she thought, and at that moment, it seemed to her that all her dreams of heroic feats were absolutely real.

But seeing that her mom was still a bit serious, Kimika couldn't help but ask:

"Is that all, or are there more drawbacks?"

"There's one more," her mom sighed, trying to find the right words. "When you use your cool quirk, for example, slowing down objects, your left horn darkens, and when you speed them up, your right one does. If your horn darkens completely, promise me you won't use your quirk. You don't want Mom to worry about you and your little, beautiful eyes, do you?"

Kimika listened, sensing that her mom was trying to be serious. Her mom continued, trying to lighten the mood a bit with a joke:

"And if you don't keep your promise, a monster will come! It will steal your little eyes! And Mom will cry!"

She pretended to cry, trying to cheer Kimika up, but there was genuine concern in her voice. Yukiko didn't want her child to suffer; so even though she frightened her a little, it was only to help her daughter understand the importance of being careful with her quirk.

"I promise! I won't use my powers if my horns darken!" Kimika assured her, saluting like a true hero, trying to look very serious.

Seeing that her mom was revealing secrets about her quirk even more than a good doctor would, Kimika couldn't help but ask about her third eye. She had examined it closely in the mirror, touched it, but had never been able to open it, no matter how much she wanted to, as it was very painful. So she decided to find out why her third eye hadn't opened yet.

"What about my third eye?" she asked, her face clearly showing curiosity.

Mom smiled, trying to encourage her daughter. She remembered how the doctor said that the third eye would open someday, but not anytime soon, or maybe it wouldn't open at all. So she decided to explain it in a child-friendly way to ease her daughter's worries:

"You know, Kimika, your third eye is like a little surprise waiting for you! When you become a real heroine and find yourself in an adventure, it will open exactly when you need it the most!"

Kimika couldn't help but feel joyful about that, as it further confirmed her dream of becoming a heroine! Yukiko noticed this joy but didn't say that it was worth thinking more carefully about the decision to become a hero. She knew that Kimika was still young and, like all children, dreamed of heroism. Even she had dreamed of it once.

So she continued, smiling as she said:

"Now let's make a sacred pinky promise that you will never use your quirk after your horns have completely darkened! This will be our little heroic oath!"

Kimika, with a joyful glow on her face, eagerly grabbed her mother's pinky, fully ready to keep her promise.

After making the pinky promise, the happy Kimika ran to her room to entertain herself by watching shows with heroes, especially the All Might. She played with her toys and sometimes involved her mom in the process. Not noticing how several hours passed, the girl heard the door opening. It was her dad, and she immediately ran to meet him.

As soon as he stepped through the threshold, he was met by little, chubby Kimika, whom he couldn't help but love. Even after a long day at work, he couldn't help but smile at her and ask:

"What happened?"

"I've discovered my quirk! I'm going to be a hero!" Kimika exclaimed, gesturing enthusiastically. She tried to put all her emotions into those words but couldn't explain how important it was to her. Her heart raced, and she was already planning to continue her story, but her father, noticing her excitement, interrupted her.

"That's wonderful," said Dad, genuinely happy. He didn't want to interrupt her but understood that if Kimika kept talking so quickly, she might get confused in her thoughts and lose the main point. "But let's sit at the table first. You can tell Mom and me everything when you calm down a bit."

Kimika nodded, not feeling the slightest bit offended that she had been interrupted. She immediately ran to the kitchen table to share all her news. Sitting down, she invited her mom, who, although already aware of everything, couldn't ignore her child's request. For Yukiko, it was a chance to see her daughter's face light up once more, and she couldn't help but feel pride in having such an amazing child.

She had always loved her husband for his straightforwardness and decisiveness. He might not say much, but each of his words was filled with genuine love, and despite his sternness, he always supported Kimika, caring for her like no one else.

They provided their daughter with everything she needed: unconditional love, financial support, freedom of choice, and confidence in her abilities. When she looked at their little family, her heart filled with warmth, and she didn't regret a single moment spent together. It was the kind of true love that allowed their daughter to grow, dream, and believe in her potential.

"Of course! You will become a hero, and I'm very happy for you! Do you want to tell me about your quirk?" Dad watched her with joy, even though he knew he had already heard everything from Mom.

And so, when all the family members sat at the table, Kimika, with a proud expression on her face, began to talk about her quirk. She shared her emotions, describing how she felt her quirk awaken, how she would become a real hero, and why they hadn't said that they were both heroes, and much more.

"And I came up with a hero name for myself! Toki no Tenshi!" she exclaimed, pointing at herself with indescribable pride.

"That's wonderful," her father said with a serious face. "But what exactly can you do?"

"I can control time! For now, I can only change the speed of objects, like Mom, but the doctor said that later, whoo, I will be invincible!" Kimika replied, gesturing as if she were demonstrating her powers.

Dad, listening attentively, suddenly asked:

"Does your eye still hurt?"

"No, everything's fine!" Kimika hurried to reassure him, even though she actually felt a slight discomfort and still didn't see clearly with her eye. At that moment, both Dad's and the girl's horns darkened, indicating that she had lied.

Dad noticed this and didn't give her time to start justifying herself, gently squeezing her cheeks with love. He didn't like lies, as they had a negative effect from his quirk that made him react poorly to all the lies he heard. But his love for his daughter was stronger than that.

"Good job for holding on," he said, gently squeezing her cheeks. "Remember, even the strongest hero, like All Might, needs help, especially a little hero like you! Don't be afraid to talk about your feelings and pain because life can be tough. Openness and honesty are important, as the more you share your experiences, the easier it will be to cope with challenges."

Kimika and Yukiko exchanged glances for a moment, surprised that Dad, who was usually short-spoken and straightforward, had expressed himself for so long. Kimika, with wide eyes, couldn't believe that her usually reserved father had opened up so sincerely. But seeing his serious expression, she understood that Dad's words were important, and she was ready to listen to him, open up, and share her feelings.

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Feel free to share your ideas in the comments! Although I've already written many chapters in advance, there's still a chance to make some minor adjustments to the text based on your suggestions!

Wishing everyone goodness, positivity, and cats!

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