4 Chapter 4: Game On

'Life as a reincarnator wasn't half bad when you were reborn into a family of wealth. In my past life, I wasn't even a fraction of this rich,' Toya mused, a wistful smile tugging at his lips.

"Toya, let's get the game started!" Kei called, his hand raised high in a beckoning gesture. Across the lush, green field, a group of about ten boys, including Toya and Kei, were gathering, ready for their usual game of football.

"Just a sec!" Toya shouted back, jogging over to join them. "How are we splitting the teams this time?"

"Same as always," Hiroshi chimed in, "the pros pick the teams."

Hiroshi Nakamura, a boy the same age as Toya and Kei, was a decent football player, neither the best nor the worst. His Quirk, Momentum Shift, allowed him to manipulate his momentum while in motion, enabling him to change direction, speed up, or slow down without physical exertion. The Quirk had its limitations, though. It only worked when Hiroshi was in motion, and overuse could lead to dizziness and imbalance, as his body struggled to keep up with the sudden shifts in momentum.

"So, Takeshi and Yuto are picking, then?" Toya asked, looking between the two older boys.

"Yeah, like always," Hiroshi confirmed with a nod.

Takeshi Yamada sighed, rolling his eyes at the familiar routine. "Why am I always picking?"

Yuto Suzuki patted Takeshi's shoulder, a grin playing on his lips. "It is what it is, my friend."

Takeshi, a four-year-old with the Quirk Elastic Limbs, could stretch and elongate his limbs to extraordinary lengths. However, the longer he stretched, the weaker his limbs became, leaving him vulnerable if he overused his Quirk.

Yuto, on the other hand, was a year older and possessed the Quirk Wind Rider. He could generate and ride gusts of wind, giving him incredible speed and agility. His Quirk was dependent on the air around him, and overuse could lead to exhaustion and shortness of breath.

"Alright, I'll take Toya," Takeshi decided, pointing at Toya.

Yuto nodded, scanning the remaining players. "I'll take..."

They played for two hours, their clothes soaked with sweat from their intense game. The stakes were high, for the losing team's rich member would pay for everyone's food.

"Time to pay up, rich kid," Kei teased, elbowing Toya.

The final score was 35 to 39, with Yuto's team claiming victory.

"Fine, good thing I brought some money," Toya conceded, pulling out his wallet.

Takeshi scratched the back of his head, looking guilty. "Sorry, Toya."

Toya just waved him off with a smile. "It's fine, I've got money."

With their snacks in hand, the others left, leaving only Toya, Kei, Hiroshi, Takeshi, and Yuto behind. They settled atop a gentle hill, overlooking a serene river, the tranquil spot offering a silent observation of the changing seasons.

"Did your dad start your Quirk training yet, Toya?" Yuto asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

Toya shrugged. "He tried to, but I turned him down."

Hiroshi's eyes widened in surprise. "He didn't get mad at you?!"

Toya shook his head. "Nope. How about you, Yuto? Your family has a reputation to uphold too, right?"

Yuto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, my dad's finally started being strict with me. His training is brutal. Once, he put me in a confined space and made me use my Quirk to get out."

"That harsh" Kei said.

Takeshi frowned, looking at Toya with a puzzled expression. "I don't get it. How did you manage to reject his training? He's the number two hero in Japan."

Toya smirked. "I wouldn't recommend doing what I did. I just told him he was bad at training and that I was more talented with my Quirk compare to him. So, he decided not to train me."

Yuto groaned, flopping back onto the grass. "Man, I wish I could do that. But there's no way I'm training, I hate it. And I can't really prove that I'm talented."

As the sun began to set, Hiroshi stood up, stretching. "We should head back. We don't want our parents to worry."

Kei chuckled, standing up as well. "Yeah, we don't want to get beaten up for coming home late."

Toya waved them off, a grin on his face. "See you guys tomorrow."

The others waved back, each heading off in a different direction towards their respective homes.

Walking home, Toya took in the calming scenery, the setting sun casting long shadows and bathing everything in a warm, golden glow. "At least I have male friends, unlike some fanfic protagonists," he muttered to himself, a smirk on his face. "Cough cough unrealistic. You're not gonna get far if you don't have male friends when you're a male."

A jogger passing by overheard his monologue and stopped, concern etched on his face. "You alright, kid?"

Toya waved him off nonchalantly. "I'm fine, just a little cough."

The jogger nodded, still looking a bit worried. "Alright then, be careful on your way home," he said before continuing his jog.

After a few more minutes, Toya finally reached his house. He kicked off his shoes at the entrance, neatly placing them on the shoe rack, and called out, "I'm home."

Upon hearing his voice, his younger sister, Fuyumi, came running. "Onii-chan, you're back!"

Toya sidestepped, avoiding her enthusiastic hug. "I'm dirty, Yumi-chan. You'll get sick."

But Fuyumi was stubborn. "I don't care, let me hug you!" she demanded, stomping her foot.

From the kitchen, their mother, Rei, called out, "Fuyumi, stop trying to hug your brother. Let him take a shower first."

Fuyumi pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "Fine."

Toya chuckled, patting her head gently. "After I clean up, you can have as many hugs as you want, okay?"

Her eyes lit up at that, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Really?"

"Of course, my cute little snowdrop," Toya assured her, ruffling her hair affectionately before heading towards the bathroom.

Once inside, he let out a sigh of relief as he sank into the tub, the warm water enveloping him. "Ahh, this is heaven," he murmured, closing his eyes.

But his moment of peace was short-lived. "Don't fall asleep in the bath, Toya!" Rei shouted from outside the bathroom.

Toya rolled his eyes, calling back, "I won't, Mom."

'Can't even relax without getting scolded,' he thought, a smirk on his face. But then his expression turned serious. "Let's see how well I can control my fire in here," he mused, focusing on his Quirk.

Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep the fire burning. It flickered and died, leaving Toya sighing in frustration. 'I still have a long way to go,' he thought, determination burning in his eyes.