01| Shoto Todoroki

Shoto never asked to get married. And certainly not to a model.
He had nothing against her, but her upbringing, her past, her worldview… made him wary of anything that glittered too brightly. He knew that sometimes the brilliance concealed cracks.

The marriage proposal wasn't romantic. It was a negotiation between two monsters: Enji Todoroki and your mother were alike: demanding, cold, ambitious. She molded you to be perfect. Tall, beautiful, disciplined, charming… by force.

When Enji proposed, your mother readily accepted. Being the Todoroki family's in-laws was a victory. In return, she asked for media attention for you, shared events, and exclusive coverage. Enji agreed. All for image.

Shoto didn't say no. He simply... said nothing.

The house Enji gave them for their "new marriage" was ridiculously luxurious. Modern, spacious, located in an exclusive area of ​​Tokyo. To the press, it was a fairy tale. To Shoto, an elegant cage.

Shoto thought you lived a life of luxury. That you probably didn't cook or clean. Yet when you returned from a mission, you'd find food ready to heat: homemade soups, rice with egg and scallions, sweet rolls. "He must pay someone to do it," he thought.

Doubts about expenses had begun to grow. So, taking advantage of one of his few days off, he decided not to stay in bed as he usually did. You knew he slept soundly after his missions, so, thinking he wouldn't get up for hours, you grabbed the truck keys intending to do the grocery shopping. But when you got to the garage, you found him there.

She was standing next to the vehicle, dressed casually—jeans, a black t-shirt, a light jacket—with a serene expression. She was watching you intently, as if she had been waiting for you.

"I'll go with you," he said bluntly. "At the end of the day, you'll pay for it with my money." He didn't sound rude. Just cold. Measured. As if it were simply a matter of logic, not a gesture of closeness.