Second year had barely begun, and already the halls of Corusan Middle School were buzzing with rumors, and new faces. The floors were pristine and the walls and personal lockers were immaculate. This was a school for the elite and showed it every way the moment you entered. Students loitered near lockers, catching up after break, comparing schedules, and talking about the trips or important people they met over break. Occasionally glaces would be thrown towards a certain white haired individual who was casually walking towards his locker. He was already undoing his tie as it were instinctual.
Haise Todoroki.
He wasn't just the strongest second-year. He was the strongest student in the school. And beside him walked his brother Shoto while not nearly as popular, was just as respected.
As the two approached the classroom, the chatter softened. A few girls were staring intently at the duo as they made their way to class. Some of the students . But they couldn't do anything, Haise was a legend after a single fight in his first year.
"Ready for second year?" Shoto asked, glancing sideways. Gray shrugged.
"Yeah, I can't wait to get over this year."
"I think your fans have increased." Shoto said, staring at some of the onlookers in the hallway.
"Such a hassle. If I knew this would happen, I wouldn't have fought that weirdo."
"Really?" Shoto was skeptical. Although Haise didn't show it, he loved a good fight. He seemed normal, but Shoto noticed he was bummed out. He knew it probably had something to do with Yakuto being out of the house a lot more. The moment the weekend came, he would be out with his friends. Shoto hadn't sparred with his siblings in years. His training was already too much and between that and his extracurricular, his time was limited. He just wanted to relax when he was at home.
They stepped into Class 2-A. The classroom looked the same as last year with its polished desks, bright windows, and motivational posters with cheesy educational slogans. Sitting at the desk hunched over was a familiar face.
"Ms Miyoshi?" Gray and Shoto questioned.
Ayaka looked exhausted. Her once neatly combed hair had frizzed at the ends, and dark circles clung beneath her eyes. She offered them a tired smile. "Good morning, everyone... welcome to your second year. Glad to see you again, Todoroki siblings."
Shoto leaned toward Gray. "She looks... rough."
Gray nodded slowly. "I don't think I've seen someone look that tired since dad that one time flamebrain got us in trouble at the amusement park."
"And that other time with Burnin." Shoto said.
Class began as usual, though even the lecture had less spark. As the final bell rang and students filed out, Gray and Shoto lingered. That's when Shoto paused.
"What's this?" He bent near the teacher's desk and picked up a glossy, slightly crumpled maid service card.
"I wonder if one of the teachers lost this," he murmured, slipping it into his pocket. He would see about returning it later.
–
A few months passed. Shoto and Gray were relaxing at home. Gray was fully reclined. The whole family was out. Weirdly, even Natsu was busy. The boys were left for themselves. Their mother had given them money for food, but Gray convinced himself that he could cook for them.
"So what do we do now that Fuyumi moved out last week."
Gray blinked. "Yeah. New job, new place. She's got a real adult life now. " Gray rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll miss her."
"I'll miss her cooking too." Shoto replied.
"Hey! I am telling you, this dish today will blow your mind." Gray said proudly. "It's cooking right now. Should be done soon."
Shoto's smile faded. A sudden burning smell hit his nose. "Wha the–
Smoke billowed from the kitchen of the Todoroki household. The boys immediately rushed to the kitchen.
"Shit!" Gray shouted, jabbing at whatever food was on the pan which was now an unrecognizable pile of coal.
"What were you even making?" Shoto questioned.
They both turned to see the microwave vibrating ominously.
"…Did you put metal in there?" Shoto whispered.
"No, of course not! I- Oh shit! The FORK!"
Gray was cut off as the inside of the microwave exploded. The microwave door flung open, smoke poured out, and burnt food scraps painted the ceiling.
They stood in silence, the kitchen utterly devastated.
"I miss having maids," Gray muttered.
"We have maids. They only come once a week now," Shoto said, wiping soot from his face.
"We should've just ordered out…" Shoto continued.
A beep. Shoto looked at his phone and froze. "Mom says she's coming home from her family reunion tomorrow."
Gray smiled. "Okay… we have time to clean up."
"But Dad's returning in a few hours." Shoto said.
Gray paled. "Ahh shit."
They both looked around. The walls were streaked with burnt sauce, the ceiling was nearly black, the microwave destroyed, and the floor was so slick with oil it was practically a skating rink.
Gray slowly sank to his knees. "There's no cleaning this up. We need help.. Is there any maid services open?"
Shoto 's eyes brightened, almost on cue, he ran to his room. A few moments later he returned with a peculiar card.
The maid service card.
Gray raised an eyebrow. "What the heck is that?"
"Found it on the floor in class a while back." Shoto said, holding it up. "Just remembered I put this in my drawer. I was going to return it, but I forgot.."
Gray stared. "Wow, that's lucky. I can't believe you kept it. "
Shoto shrugged.
Gray took the card, studying the logo. "Cherry Blossom Maid Service. Elegant. Efficient. Discreet…"
"Why would they be discreet?"
He looked back at the mess. "Whatever."
"I'm in."
—
Gray held the phone in his hands on speaker as Shoto listened.
[Thank you for calling Cherry Blossom Maid Service, where our maids are elegant, efficient, and discreet.]
Gray cleared his throat before speaking, making it sound as low as possible
"I'd like to order your cleaning service for a particularly dirty mess."
[Oh? A "Dirty" mess you say? Then I take it you're interested in "that" service correct?"]
Gray looked at Shoto with a deadpan expression and Shoto shrugged his shoulders.
'No shit I'm interested in service! That's why I'm calling!' Gray shook his head, thinking the person on the phone was being stupid.
"Yes…that is correct…" Gray calmed himself down.
[Is there anyone in particular you would like to request?]
"No preference."
[Very well. Let's see here…we have a maid available in twenty minutes. May I ask your address?]
Gray responded and the operator was silent for a moment, the only noise that could be heard was furious typing in the background of the call.
[Thank you for calling Cherry Blossom Maid Service! Your maid will be at your home shortly! Have a good time!]
The phone hung up and Gray and Shoto looked at each other.
"That was easy. Now we wait." Gray commented.
—
Half an hour later, the doorbell rang.
The sharp chime echoed throughout the Todoroki household. Gray and Shoto stood in the entryway, the weight of their kitchen catastrophe heavy on their shoulders.
A bright, chipper voice came through the door.
"Good evening! I'm from the maid service~!"
Shoto grabbed the handle.
"Coming!" he called, opening the door.
Standing on the front step was a young woman in a classic maid uniform, complete with frills and ribbons. She bowed low, voice trained in practiced sweetness.
"Welcome home, Master~ I'm here to fill your tired hearts with—"
She looked up mid-sentence.
All three of them froze.
"M-M-Ms. Miyoshi?!" Gray and Shoto blurted out in unison.
Ayaka Miyoshi, their homeroom teacher, stood frozen at the door, her fake persona crumbling into awkwardness. Her wide eyes flicked between the two boys in horror, her face starting to turn red.
"You…how-why are you two here?! Did you… request me specifically?!"
Shoto quickly pulled the crumpled maid service card from his pocket.
"I found this on the floor next to your desk."
Ayaka's expression shifted from shock to suspicion.
"And you decided to call it? Do you even know what kind of service this is?!"
"It said maid service," Shoto replied matter-of-factly.
Gray, however, had just connected the dots. The overly friendly phone operator, the syrupy voice on the line, the emphasis of certain words, the use of Master. His eyes widened in horror.
"Oh… OHHHH."
"Hmm, what?" Shoto asked.
"No! No-no-no!" Ayaka flailed her hands, her voice high with panic. "Not like… that. The worst of it is stuff like… back massages, or letting a customer rest their head in your lap."
Shoto tilted his head. "Wait… so you don't do any actual cleaning?"
"I do cleaning!" she snapped, her face as red as a fire hydrant. "There's just… extra stuff added depending on what the customer pays for…"
"Like what?"
Gray smacked him in the head and whispered something in his ear.
Shoto's face turned red.
"Oh.. OH!!!"
She let out a long sigh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Not that any of it matters. I'm definitely not doing any of that with my own students. This company seriously needs to fix their age filter…why is your number even registered with this service in the first place…"
Gray raised a hand before she could spiral further. "Look, we're not here for any of the weird stuff. We just need the kitchen cleaned."
Ayaka narrowed her eyes. "You realize this is wildly inappropriate, right?"
"We can pay," Gray added. "Our dad's Endeavor. Trust me, our allowance is ample enough.,."
Ayaka pinched the bridge of her nose, debating whether the extra paycheck was worth the emotional damage.
"…Fine. Just cleaning. Nothing else."
The boys stepped aside, letting her into the house. As she followed them toward the kitchen, her posture relaxed-until she saw the wreckage waiting for her.
She stopped in the doorway, blinking slowly.
"What the hell happened here?" she whispered in disbelief.
"Our sister used to cook," Shoto explained, deadpan. "She moved out. We tried to take over."
Ayaka turned to them, wide-eyed.
"Did you set off a bomb in here?"
Gray scratched the back of his neck. "So… Can you fix it?"
Ayaka stared at the mess, her teacher instincts screaming, her maid instincts crying.
"…I'm charging you extra," she muttered. "I need to grab my supplies from the car."
—
The hands on the wall clock dragged their way past midnight, ticking through the quiet aftermath of chaos. The kitchen no longer looked like a warzone.
Ayaka knelt near the far wall, sleeves rolled up, hair tied back in a loose, tired bun. A sheen of sweat clung to her brow as she scrubbed at a particularly defiant smudge of an unknown sauce.
Behind her, a broom leaned against the counter. Half-used bottles of cleaner and towels lay scattered.
By the entry to the kitchen, Gray stood leaning against the door frame. She didn't hear him until he shifted.
"You're still up?" she asked without turning, voice low but edged with surprise. "You have school tomorrow, you know."
Gray leaned against the doorframe, arms folded across his chest, watching her with narrowed eyes. His usually white spiky hair was tousled more than usual, and he looked caught between guilt and curiosity.
"Same goes for you," he shot back. "I'm guessing this is why you've been looking like a zombie lately. Is there any reason you're working two full-time jobs?"
Ayaka's hands stilled, the sponge pausing mid-wipe. For a moment, she debated brushing him off, giving a rehearsed excuse, she was fine, just overcommitted, nothing serious. But something about Gray's tone, his presence, stopped her.
Maybe it was the weight behind his casual words. Maybe it was the way he stood, maybe it was just exhaustion from weeks of no sleep.
She sighed and sat back on her heels, gazing at the floor like it had answers. "I made some bad choices, now I'm dealing with it.."
Gray didn't speak. He let the silence fill the space, inviting more if she wanted to say it.
Ayaka kept going, quieter now. "I borrowed money from the wrong people. A really bad loan shark. I thought I could pay it back quickly, but… interest piled on. Fees. Lies. Now it's like I've already paid double, and I'm still nowhere near done."
She let out a hollow laugh. "That's why I took the maid work. Nights, weekends. It covers just enough to keep them off my back. This job pays a lot more than other part times.""
Gray's brow furrowed. "Wait... really bad loan shark?"
"Yakuza," she whispered, barely audible.
That single word changed the air in the room.
Gray stood up straighter, eyes narrowing. The yakuza were mostly a thing of the past.All Might had taken care of most of the major branches. The only ones remaining were a few survivors of powerful organizations. But they would still be dangerous for normal civilians.
"Did you try to go to the police?" Gray asked softly.
The teacher sighed. "I did, but they didn't find anything. Not only that, the Yakuza has proper paperwork."
"You know," he said slowly, "I'm pretty sure my dad cleaned out a bunch of those scumbags last year. If you want, just slip me the address. I can get the number two hero, Endeavor, to take care of this guy."
Ayaka blinked. "Seriously?" Her voice cracked with a mix of shock and hope. "You'd do that?"
"Yeah. And don't worry, I'll use his agency's anonymous line. Just call it a tip from the public."
Something shifted in her face, some of the heaviness lifted. She turned back to the wall and began scrubbing again, this time faster, with renewed energy.
"I had my doubts about you your first year, you know," she said between strokes. "Fighting in your first week? I thought, 'Great. Another problem child with a chip on his shoulder.' But you've got a real sense of justice. The other teachers see it too. And the students as well."
Gray scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Heh. Guess I'm growing on people."
Ayaka chuckled. "And I had more doubts when I found out you were the one who called the maid service. Thought you were just being mischievous. But you proved me wrong, again-"
Her sentence was cut off.
"Wait. Why are you taking off your clothes?!"
Gray looked down.
Sure enough, his shirt was half off, hanging from one arm, and he was mid-unbuckling his belt. His eyes widened.
"Damn it! Not this again!" he yelped, scrambling to pull his shirt back on. "Why now of all times?!"
Ayaka slapped a hand to her face and sighed.
"I know… I know that's something you've been working on with the counselors," she said through gritted teeth. "But please, Haise, don't make me change my mind about you right now."
Gray finally got his shirt over his head.. "I wasn't even thinking about it! It just… happens sometimes!"
Ayaka shook her head, rising to her feet and wiping her hands on a towel. "Next time, just grab a mop instead of dropping your pants."
He nodded sheepishly. "Fair."
And yet, despite the awkwardness, the kitchen felt a little warmer. Not from the mess. Not from the lingering steam coming from the broken microwave. But from something else.
Gray glanced over at her. "So… about that address?"
Ayaka handed him a folded note from her apron pocket, hesitating only briefly. "Are you sure this won't put you in any danger?"
"Oh I won't be there at all. It will be Endeavor doing the work." Gray smirked.
Ayaka finished her work and left. The kitchen was cleaned up enough. Gray would be able to take the blame for the minor stuff.
5 minutes later, Endeavor entered the kitchen as Gray put the supplies away.
"You're still up?" Endeavor asked as he entered the kitchen.
"I made a mess so I just finished cleaning up." 'It was half true.'
Endeavor noticed the scorch mark but it was faint. "Be more careful next time. Are your brothers asleep?"
"Shoto's asleep and I think the idiot is having a sleepover at his owl friend's house."
"Anything else?"
"No, nothing else." Gray smiled. The note tucked in his pocket. As his father left the kitchen, he pulled the piece of paper out one more time. He felt something inside him building up. Something that he hasn't felt since his time in Fairy Tail. A memory stirred. It was like taking a job from the guild hall. And fighting the Yakuza would be a great test for the training he's been doing with his quirk.
'Sorry to lie to you Ms. Miyoshi. But Endeavor won't be the one taking on that mission. It will be me.'