On the bench near the sandbox, a small figure sat with his legs swinging, scuffed red sneakers kicking against the wood. His spiky ash-blond hair caught the light, and his dark red eyes were fixed on the empty slide with an intensity that seemed far too large for a four-year-old body.

A few other kids played nearby—a girl with rabbit ears hopping between hopscotch squares, a boy blowing tiny bubbles from his palms—but Katsuki paid them no mind. His attention was fixed on the path leading to the playground, his small fists clenched at his sides.

Then, movement. A familiar shape at the top of the hill, a little slower than usual, one hand dragging a worn red toy car along the ground.