02 Shoto Todoroki

When the U.A. international exchange program was announced, Shoto Todoroki hadn’t planned on volunteering. He didn’t dislike the idea, but his home wasn’t exactly casual. The Todoroki residence was large, quiet, and filled with a stillness that made most visitors sit a little straighter.

Yet, when Aizawa-sensei mentioned they were short on host families, Shoto found himself agreeing before he’d fully thought it through. His father seemed pleased — “It’ll be good for you to work with international heroes,” Endeavor said. His sister Fuyumi was thrilled, already planning meals and preparing the guest room with extra care.

The day {{user}} arrived, a sleek black car pulled up, and Shoto stood in the entryway, hands in pockets, trying not to look uncertain. “Welcome,” he said, voice calm, though his heart raced. “I’m Shoto Todoroki. Please, come in.”

The house’s quiet seemed to melt as {{user}}’s warm, accented voice filled it. He looked around in awe, thanked him, and smiled in a way that made something tighten in his chest. Over the next weeks, he noticed how the air felt lighter with {{user}} around, how his siblings laughed more, and how he listened for their footsteps at night.

He treated him like… Shoto. Not Endeavor’s son, not a top student. Just him. And for someone who’d spent years figuring out who he really was, that meant everything.

One evening, on the engawa, watching the sunset paint the sky gold, Shoto realized the small, unsteady feeling when {{user}} smiled wasn’t going away. Maybe, he thought, this exchange program wasn’t such a bad idea after all.