After saying hello to Mr. and Mrs. Shidou, Haru sat down to eat dinner with his family. In the middle of the meal, his mother glanced at him with a knowing smile, her tone dripping with playful suspicion as she asked.
"So, where were you to come home this late, hmm?"
It was a familiar question, one she'd asked almost every day since Haru started running around Tokyo, helping anyone he could.
So, of course, he gave one of the most classic excuses in existence.
"I was out with some friends." he lied as easily as he breathed.
His mother tilted her head slightly, a knowing look in her eyes.
"Are you sure?"
Haru nodded quickly, finishing the last bite of his food. "Yeah, I am. Um… can I be excused?"
Before his father could finish saying, "Sur-", Issei, who was sitting right next to Haru, suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, big bro! Where did you put the Wally West figure?"
Haru froze. His fork hung midair. He forced the most confused look he could muster and said,
"Who's Wally West? Never heard of him."
He started standing up, planning a quick retreat, but Issei wasn't done.
"You know!" Issei said, trying to jog his brother's memory. "The Fastest Man Alive? The Scarlet Speedster? The Monarch of Motion? The Flash! Irina's here, and I wanted to show him!" (yes him, issei still believed Irina is a boy, but she is not.)
With every nickname, Haru felt a new drop of sweat slide down the side of his face. He barely kept his cool, and forced a small smile.
"Doesn't ring any bells. If you all need me, I'll be in my room." he said quickly about to slipping out of the dining room, feeling a pang of guilt twist in his chest.
But then he remembered something he needed to ask. He turned back toward his mother.
"Hey, Mom, can I use your sewing machine?"
His mom raised an eyebrow. "What do you need it for?"
"A school project." he said calmly.
She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, then sighed. "Alright, but if you break it, I'm taking it out of your allowance."
Haru walked into the living room, grabbed his mother's sewing machine, and headed for his room. He opened the door, peered down the hall to make sure no one was nearby, then slipped inside and closed it quietly. He set the sewing machine on his desk, then went to the closet and shoved his clothes aside.
At the back of the closet he pulled out a long black box. Setting it on the table, he opened the lid. Inside lay a Wally West figure and beside it, lined up neatly, were the rest of his DC superheroes and villains.
Knowing he was actually in the DC universe now, he felt a flash of panic. His first instinct had been to destroy them, to wipe the evidence clean. But after so much time and effort spent building them, he couldn't bring himself to.
Haru then carefully moved the figures aside, revealing several superhero outfits neatly folded beneath them, each one marked with a bold red S on the chest.
They were his failed attempts. Every suit was different in design, but none ever felt right. For months, he'd been trying to create something that truly represented him, something that fit. He'd even tried the classic trunks-on-the-outside look once, but quickly decided it made him look ridiculous.
None of them had ever seen the light of day. Not until he was sure, really sure, that he was ready.
But now, he was sure he'd finally gotten it right.
'But that's what I said the last twenty-three times.' he thought with a sigh, truly hoping this would be the last attempt.
'Well… it's not like I'll be needing it any time soon anyway.' he added, trying to convince himself as he rolled up his sleeves and got to work.
Grabbing red, blue, and yellow thread from the box, Haru began with the part he always started with, the chest. It was a deep blue, with matching sleeves, and in the center rested a bright red S outlined in yellow. Next came the gloves, pure red, to contrast against the blue.
Then the pants, the same shade of blue as the chest, followed by red boots that matched the gloves. For the final touch, he added a yellow belt with a small red S at its center.
'Now here's where it gets hard… mask or no mask?' he thought, glancing back at his notebook from earlier in Tokyo. His eyes landed on a doodle of Invincible.
'Why not?' he decided.
He crafted a bright red mask inspired by the drawing, then added, almost instinctively, 'Can't be a Superman outfit without a cape.'
So he finished it off with a flowing red cape, a yellow S emblazoned on its back inside a yellow crest.
When it was done, Haru laid the suit carefully on the table and stepped back to look at it.
'Not bad.' he thought with a faint smile. 'But it's missing something.'
He opened his desk drawer and pulled out an old pair of sunglasses, carefully removing the lenses before attaching them to the mask.
Stepping back, he studied the suit once more. 'The best I've made so far… but it could be better.'
He turned to check the clock: 1:00 a.m.
As he started putting everything back into the closet, he muttered to himself,
'My body might not need sleep… but my mind sure does.'
With that, Haru climbed into bed, the faint glow of the moon slipping through his window as he finally let himself rest.
//////////////////////////////////
As Haru woke up, he sat up and yawned, still half-asleep. Without even opening his eyes, he threw the blanket off himself, got to his feet, and started walking toward the door.
After a few seconds, though, something felt… off.
He wasn't moving.
He was walking in place… in midair.
"Huh?" Haru blinked, tilting his head.
He thought about getting back on the ground, and immediately began to descend, his feet gently touching the floor.
Curious, he then imagined going up again… and his body slowly floated off the ground.
'Looks like I can fly,' he thought calmly, he then did a double take, eyes widening as the realization hit him.
'I CAN FLY!?'
He hovered there for a moment, a shaky grin tugging at his lips. "I guess it's finally time." he muttered, the words heavy with nervous excitement.
But then, the rush of discovery began to fade.
'Am I even ready to be a hero?' he wondered.
He paused, then frowned. 'No… I've been a hero for the past three years.'
His gaze drifted toward the morning light creeping through his window.
'What I should be asking… is if I'm ready to be Superman.'
//////////////////////////////////
The school day went by fast for Haru, though his mind was somewhere else the whole time.
He barely registered the lessons, the chatter, or the laughter of his classmates. It all blurred into white noise.
As the final bell rang, Haru grabbed his things and headed for the door.
Normally, this would be the part of the day when he slipped away, put on his cape, and his kamen rider mask, and run across Tokyo to patrol the city. It had become his daily routine, something he did without even thinking.
But today… he just didn't feel like it.
Leaving through the school gate, Haru kept his head down, ignoring the chatter and laughter around him. He didn't stop to look at the sky, didn't slow to listen to the city sounds like he usually did.
He just walked straight home.
Once he got there, he didn't say a word to anyone. He slipped off his shoes, dropped his bag by the door, and headed out to the porch.
The backyard was still, the air cool. Haru stood there for a moment, then sat down on the wooden porch, eyes fixed on the grass swaying gently in the breeze.
'Can I really be the hero this world deserves?' he thought, his chest tightening.
'I mean… I'm just some guy from New York who got lucky enough to be reincarnated with superpowers. I wasn't chosen. I wasn't destined. It was just-' he let out a shaky breath. '-a random stroke of luck.'
The thought lingered, bitter but honest. For years, he'd been acting like a hero, saving people, helping strangers, doing what he could. But being Superman? That was something else entirely.
It wasn't about speed or strength. It was about being a symbol, something bigger than himself.
Then, the soft sound of footsteps broke his thoughts. He turned his head and saw his mother standing at the porch doorway, a gentle smile on her face.
"You're home early," she said, her voice carrying that familiar warmth that always managed to steady him. "What's the occasion?"
Haru didn't respond right away. He just stared at the sun hanging high in the sky, its rays of light spilling over the yard. Then, for the first time in years, he let a part of himself slip through a part he'd kept buried ever since his grandfather's death in his past life.
"Since I can remember," he began quietly, "I've always wanted to help people… Even if it was something small like helping an old lady cross the street or getting a cat out of a tree, if I could make someone's day even a little brighter, I would."
His mother's smile softened, then faded as she heard the weight in his voice. This wasn't the usual calm, polite, goofy, Haru she knew. This was something she had never seen for him before.
Without a word, she stepped closer and sat down beside him, her expression gentle but serious, ready to listen.
"I always try to be better… to be like him."
An image flickered through Haru's mind, a man smiling warmly, the sun glowing behind him, a bright red S shining proudly on his chest. The memory alone was enough to make Haru's lips curl into a faint smile.
His mother watched him quietly, noticing the faraway look in his eyes and the small, almost nostalgic smile on his face. She wondered who her son was thinking about, But before she could ask, Haru spoke again.
"Mom," he began softly, still looking toward the sun. "if you had the chance to help people… a lot of people… would you take it? Even if it meant setting your whole life toward it no turning back, no second chances. Even if, in the end… you might come to regret it?"
His mother sat quietly beside him, the orange glow of the sunset reflecting in her eyes. For a long moment, she didn't speak. Contemplating the hypothetical her son trough at her ,then, in a voice soft but steady, she said
"You know, Haru… I think there's a hero in all of us. It's that part of us that pushes us to do the right thing even when it's hard, even when it means giving up something we love. It's what keeps us honest… makes us strong. Maybe that's what being a hero really is, choosing to be good, even when it hurts."
She smiled faintly, turning her gaze to the same sunset he was watching.
"And maybe… that's what lets us live, and one day die with pride."
She continued, her voice calm but full of warmth. "If anyone is destined for greatness, I know it will be you, son. You owe the world your gifts. You may fall, you may stumble," she said, taking his hand. Lifting it gently, she added, "But in time, you will get back up, because you are my son. Whatever you choose to do, your father and I will always be behind you to catch you when you fall."
Haru sat there, absorbing her words. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at her. "But… what if I'm not ready?" he whispered.
She smiled softly, a few tears glinting at the corners of her eyes. "No one ever is, Haru. That's why… it's a leap of faith."
Haru chuckled softly at the unintended reference in his mother's words, wiping his tears away. "I guess you're right. Thank you, Mom… for helping me think clearly."
Then he stood up and walked toward his room, his mind clearer than it had been all day. He finally knew what he needed to do.
His mother watched him go, a touch of worry in her eyes, but she knew her son was strong and would be fine. She also thought it was nice to see him open up, even if just this once.
Haru reached his room, paused at the door for a moment, then went straight to his closet. He opened it and carefully took out the suit, the one he had finished just yesterday. He knew it wasn't perfect, but that didn't matter. It was fine the way it was, because he was ready.
/////////////////////////////////
The afternoon sun hung high over Shibuya, casting long shadows across the city. Atop one of its tallest buildings stood a lone figure, about 5'3" tall, his red cape fluttering softly in the wind. It was Haru, dressed in his new superhero suit.
He was unusually tall for his age, but that was probably the least abnormal thing about him.
Haru took a deep breath and walked toward the edge of the rooftop. When he reached it, he stopped,his heart steady, his mind clear.
'This is it,' he thought, staring down at the streets far below. 'After this… there's no turning back.'
He climbed over the barrier, his boots scraping against the metal, and looked down once more.
'Even if I can't be the hero this world needs… or the hero it deserves.' he thought, his breath trembling slightly.
Then, he leaned forward and let go.
His body tilted, and gravity took hold. He fell headfirst through the open sky, but then he shifted mid-fall, turning his back to the street under him
Down below, pedestrians screamed and pointed, panic spreading as they saw a boy plummeting from a deadly height. Among the crowd, a young girl with bright crimson hair stood frozen, clutching the hand of a silver-haired maid. Her wide eyes locked onto the falling figure onto the flash of red and yellow, and the unmistakable S shining on his back. All she could think was, 'That's so cool!'
As the ground rushed up to meet him, Haru closed his eyes. Images of his mother, father, and little brother filled his mind, their faces warm and proud.
'Then I'll be the hero they can be proud of.' he thought, and let instinct take over.
Haru halted midair, crouching as if perched on an invisible wall. He twisted his body to face the Shibuya cityscape, muscles coiled like a spring ready to launch. With a sharp push against the air beneath him, he propelled forward, cutting through the wind as if the sky itself had become his launching pad.
Pedestrians below barely had time to gasp before a blur of red and blue streaked past them, the red his cape trailed behind him like a blazing comet.
Haru weaved effortlessly through the towering buildings, each movement precise. Then, with a sudden burst, he shot upward, parting the clouds above Shibuya in an instant. But he didn't stop there. In under four seconds, he had left Earth's atmosphere.
He faced the sun, arms spread wide as if to embrace it, feeling its warmth and light charge him like an endless battery, surging through every fiber of his being.
Haru closed his eyes, exhaling deeply, and released the hold on his hearing, extending it to the entire world.
Then He silently thanked himself for studying all those languages after awakening his hearing.
"We've lost a wing!" a panicked shout rang out below, carried by the wind to his heightened senses.
Within a microsecond of hearing the distress, Haru bolted forward. In less than two seconds, he reached the American plane struggling in midair. With a swift, precise motion, he positioned himself beneath it, pushed upward, and carried it safely all the way to land.
Once it touched down, he used his super speed to get everyone inside a safe distance away, just in case. After ensuring all were out, Haru floated above them, the sun behind him casting a radiant glow, his cape rippling like a banner. He smiled warmly and asked.
"Is everyone okay?"
The passengers stared at him in awe, eyes wide, as if a god had descended before them. No one spoke.
Haru calmly activated his X-ray vision, scanning each person for injuries. Finding none, he gave a slight nod and then launched into the sky, heading toward where he was needed next.
In Hong Kong, he stopped a kidnapping. In Great Britain, he helped an old lady cross the street. In New York, he foiled a bank robbery. In Texas, he helped a chicken safely cross the road. Back in Tokyo, he rescued a child's runaway balloon, and so much more.
All in a single night.
The world had to know
Superman was here, and he was here to stay.