6

Ochaco Uraraka was home for New Year’s Eve, and she and her parents were busy enjoying each other’s company and swapping endless stories late into the night. The most thrilling bit, for Ochaco, was that her father’s construction business had been doing better lately. The smiles on her parents’ faces as they relayed the good news brought her more joy than anything. Well, anything except for the upcoming mochi-pounding event—a local tradition on New Year’s Day that she’d be joining this year.

“Hrahhh!” roared Ochaco.

“There ya go, Ochaco! Put yer back into it! We’re whipping up the stickiest, tastiest mochi you ever laid eyes on!”

It was New Year’s Day, and a gloved Ochaco was teamed up with an elderly neighbor. It was her job to flatten the mochi with a mallet—over and over—while her partner kneaded the dough between blows.

“You got it! Hrahh!”

When it came to her favorite food, Ochaco took no prisoners.

“Whoa, Ochaco’s so intense!” said one of the neighborhood kids who’d come to watch with friends.

Steam rose from the finished product, which was handed off to another group of neighbors to be sliced, rounded, and paired with kinako powder, anko paste, sweet soy sauce, or shredded radish. There was nothing but good vibes in the air as the community started feasting on the mochi they’d created together.

“Mmm!”

Ochaco beamed with content as she scarfed down her portion of extra-stretchy mochi topped with kinako. The children were enjoying their mochi too, but then one of them gasped, suddenly remembering something.

“Hey, hey, Ochaco!” the child said, looking worried. “Is that Bakugo guy bullying you at school?”

“Huh?” said Ochaco. “Not a chance! Why d’you ask?”

“Cuz, I mean, we saw how nasty he was to you at the sports festival thing!”

Ochaco hadn’t been sure where they’d gotten the idea that she was being bullied, but suddenly it clicked. They’d seen her painful defeat by Bakugo during the televised sports festival, so they were having a hard time imagining her living peacefully in the same dorm building with the boy who’d given her that merciless beatdown.

“Naw, that wasn’t bullying,” she explained. “He just gave me a proper fight, is all.”

“You sure?”

“Mm-hm. It was real frustrating to lose that battle, but I’d rather eat an honest loss than have a guy go easy on me! In fact, that fight inspired me to work even harder, and Bakugo’s really not all bad, even if he does need that dirty mouth washed out with soap!”

“That’s good that he’s not bullying you! But he should stop saying bad words, huh.”

“On the other hand,” mused Ochaco, “if he cleaned up his act, I dunno if Bakugo would really be Bakugo anymore, y’know?”

After conquering one helping of each mochi variety, Ochaco challenged herself to round two. As she returned with her refilled plate, her parents beckoned her to sit by them.

“There’s just something different about digging into mochi you pounded, Ochaco!” said her father.

“You can thank these guns for that,” boasted Ochaco, flexing her biceps.

“Oh, we can tell,” said her mother, who gave one of her daughter’s arms a squeeze.

“Heh heh,” chuckled Ochaco, clearly tickled pink by the praise.

“But how’s that winter homework coming along?” asked her father. “Not gonna leave it ’til the last second like always, right?”

“I-I’m on top of it! Getting it done, y’know. Erm, but I forgot all about the kakizome assignment,” said Ochaco.

“Kakizome? What is this, kindergarten?”

“Aizawa Sensei doesn’t want us losing too much focus over the break, I guess. We’re s’posed to represent an aspiration for the coming year. Any ideas?”

“I’d go with 商売繁盛 (shobai hanjou), hoping for success in business,” said Ochaco’s father.

“I just want a safe, happy home so that sentiment 家内安全 (kanai anzen) gets my vote,” said her mother.

“焼肉定食 (yakiniku teishoku) could be a good option. Everyone loves a grilled-meat combo platter,” added her father.

“I’m not writing a menu, Dad!” said Ochaco with a laugh. Suddenly she found herself wondering what Izuku Midoriya would write.

What about using 努力 (douryoku) for “effort”? Or maybe something with a Plus Ultra or All Might theme?

A goofy grin spread across her face, which made her mother ask, “What’s up?”

“Naw, s’nothing,” insisted Uraraka, but her mother was too shrewd for that.

“We know your grades are fine,” she said under her breath, “but how about the social side of things? Any crushes?”

“Huhh?” yelped Uraraka, whose face turned red in a flash.

“Ohh, I see,” said her mother, grinning. Her father, on the other hand, went pale.

“O-Ochaco, say it ain’t so … You don’t got a special someone already, do you?”

“N-no way!” said Ochaco. “Who? Me? Naw! Nuh-uh!”

But every utterance of denial seemed to send her father deeper into shock.

“Boyfriend … Engagement … Marriage!” he said, as visions of his daughter’s future flashed before his eyes, which were quickly filling with tears.

“It’s too soon … for my little girl to be a blushing bride!”

“You’re the one who needs to slow down, Dad!” said Ochaco.

“What’s that? Sweet li’l Ochaco’s getting married?” said a neighbor, who’d overheard the conversation.

“Who’s the lucky feller?” said one old man. “Lemme read ’im the riot act to make sure he’s worthy!”

“There’s no ‘lucky feller’!” said a beet red Ochaco to the gathering crowd.

“You gotta stop running your mouth, dear!” said her mother, punching her husband’s arm.

“My Ochaco …” blubbered Ochaco’s father, fully in the throes of his extended delusion.

Once the hubbub had subsided, Ochaco took a deep breath and got back to her beloved mochi.

“Stupid Dad …” she grumbled, but at the same time, she knew it all came from a place of love.

Marriage could very well be in her future, but she couldn’t spend time thinking about that now. There was too much else to focus on if she was ever to grow into a hero who could bring smiles to the masses.

As Ochaco bit into her anko mochi, stretching it out into a long strand, it came to her.

I’ll do 餅 (mochi) for my kakizome! Since mochi is tough and tenacious, just like how I wanna be!

She popped the piece of mochi into her mouth—stretchy strand and all—and the chewy, anko-covered treat filled her with satisfaction like nothing else.

It was the first day of the New Year, and Ochaco was feeling energized and inspired.