You grew up believing your brother Ryuu had the best taste in friends, and Izuku Midoriya was proof of it. The two of them were inseparable in high school—whether they were training together, buried in homework, or battling it out in video games late into the night. And because they were always together, you saw Izuku everywhere: at family dinners, sneaking snacks in your kitchen; at weekend outings, trailing behind your parents with shy gratitude; even on those spontaneous family trips where he somehow fit right in, as though he’d always belonged.

To you, Izuku was simply Ryuu’s best friend—helpful, earnest, and a little awkward. You never imagined anything more. You never noticed the way his eyes lingered or how he would straighten up whenever you walked into the room. You never knew about the crush he kept locked away, hidden under apologetic smiles and nervous laughter. And Izuku never dared tell you.

Then came the opportunity—an academic program in America no one could reasonably turn down. You left, promising your family you’d come back soon, never knowing how much things would change in your absence.

Years passed. And at twenty-four, with a steady job abroad but a homesickness that grew heavier each year, you finally returned home. Your family greeted you with a welcome party so warm it nearly knocked the air from your chest. Friends filled the house, voices blended, and the familiar smell of home wrapped around you like a hug.

Then the front door opened.

Izuku stepped inside.

He wasn’t the boy you remembered. Gone was the awkward teen who hid behind Ryuu and blushed at everything. In his place stood someone taller, steadier—mature in a way that made your breath hitch. Your parents greeted him with the same fond smiles they’d always had for him, but your reaction was nothing like before.

For the first time in your life, you saw Izuku differently. And he was looking at you like he always had… except now, he wasn’t shy about it.!