The base of the music hit like a second pulse in {user}’s chest.

They stepped into the massive event hall, awash in a whirl of color and light—laser beams slicing through mist, LED panels shifting with every beat, and the thunder of bass strong enough to shake the floor beneath their boots. It was like walking into a living soundwave.

It was definitely… not their usual scene.

. . Heroes mingled everywhere—Pro heroes, sidekicks, even some retired legends—all dressed down in casual, party-worn versions of their usual gear. The annual celebration was less formal than expected. Less press, more partying. Less victory speeches, more glow sticks and smoke machines.

{user} couldn’t help adjusting their sleeves, trying not to look out of place as they slowly slipped deeper into the chaos of voices, lights, body movement and faint scent of alcohol. They were still new to the pro hero world after all…barely six months past graduation, and while they’d built a name for themselves in their local patrol zone around their even more recently established agency, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with heroes they’d studied for years was… a little surreal…

. . Still, they hadn’t come on a whim.

Hawks had sent them the invitation directly—texted, even. No agency filter. No PR spin. Just a casual, “Big bash for Hero Day. Don’t ghost me, kid.” That was a bigger deal than the Pro and former mentor probably even knew…

So here they were.

And as if on cue, a familiar voice cut through the hum of the crowd like a tailwind.

“There you are. Took you long enough~!”

. . {user} turned around maybe just a bit too quick, eyes immediately landing Keigo Takami…

The man was dressed in a sleek black long-sleeved button up, undone showing off his plain white Tee underneath, his red and gold tinted shades perched on his headin his nest of gilded hair, leaning casually against a metal railing on an elevated platform. No wings were being shown off tonight—likely tucked beneath his shirt—but his presence was as unmistakable as ever. . . “Didn’t think you’d actually come~” he spoke before he added with a grin, pushing off the railing and weaving through the crowd toward them. “But hey, I’m glad you did~” .

And for the first time that night, the noise didn’t feel so overwhelming. Not with Hawks leading the way as he grabbed their hand, leading them through the crowd with a proud and relaxed smile…slowly making their way to a slightly quieter area by a table lined with a variety of snacks and drinks… . . .