'Hana! You're gonna be late for school!'

She wakes up at the call of her mother.

One thing just seems to add to another. She didn't hear the alarm goes off despite setting at least ten of them. She didn't step out of bed on the right side even though she intentionally placed her slippers there right before she went to sleep. Most importantly, she didn't hand her uniform up to dry against mom's warning about this exact predicament in which she finds herself.

Hana Morioka flops down on the wooden floor, head leaning against her mattress.

It's her last day at school but she doesn't even have a set of clean uniform to wear.

The girl contemplates on the aspect of being reprimanded by the principal at the closing ceremony She has already gotten into enough trouble at the school that this just doesn't seem like that big of a deal anymore.

She paces around the room, fingers scratching her eyebrow. She knows he will be there, and if there is any chance that he might see her, she wants to make a good impression.

'Hana! If you don't leave soon you're gonna be in trouble!'

'I hear you!' she yells, rocking back and forth hands pulling at her neck.

What to do, what to do?

'Hana!'

Mom's voice sends a jolt through her body. 'Whatever!' she fumes, hurriedly slips into her gym clothes. At least she'd be wearing something from the school and not her casual clothes. They'll have one less reason to chastise her choice of attire.

She'll probably get an earful about it after, but that talk would come after the assembly so in her math, she's winning by two hours.

Grabbing her messenger bag, Hana rushes down the stairs. She sped up as she passes the living room and before mom could make a complaint about her outfit, she was out of the door, running towards Orudera Junior High. If she can't help being yelled at for wearing gym clothes to closing ceremony, she could at most avoid getting caught for being late.

'Now that all of your journey has ended with us, the teachers and I wish you a smooth-sailing start wherever you might be. Though our time has been short…'

Her mind goes to the chirping bird outside the auditorium as she wonders if they have been listening in as well. She looks around the room, marveling at how painfully bored everyone seems to be. Their entire beings beg to be release from the bland prison of speech.

Her focus flickers to Izuku Midoriya. He seems different somehow. Stronger. He doesn't have that lost look in his eyes anymore. His gaze is firmer - straight and almost unwavering. She wanted to say something to him but at one point in time, it's just too late to introduce yourself. Then again, it's also the last day at school, and who can say that she'll have another chance to break the ice, considering that they are going to the same high school.

He doesn't know me though, she wimps in her head, what if he thinks I'm weird? I'm just another girl, and he doesn't seem like he has any experience with this kind of thing before. What if I just scare him?

'Should I just stop?'

'Yes, that would be preferable, Ms. Morioka' the principal startles her. Hana peeks up to find him and all the teachers with very unhappy looks on their faces. She scans around the room, noticing that everyone's eyes are on her.

'Your flowers are quite distracting,' his voice echoes all the way up to the dome.

Her eyes pore over Midoriya before settling on examining her own shoe laces.

Hana purses her lips, recalling his troubled wide-eyes.

Is he upset? Maybe he just doesn't like flower? Would he prefer it if they were leaves?

No, that's a stupid idea. Nobody likes leaves!

Laughter shoot through silence and Hana pulls her hands into two fists, pressing them down on her thighs. She has grown accustomed to the laughter, expected that even.

These people are not her friends and their words had never hurt her. She promised herself that when she goes to high school, she'll make her own friends – people who care about her and won't ridicule her for her Quirk. She intends on keeping that promise.

'Well, minus Morioka-san's little magic trick, that concludes our speech,' the principal clears his throat, 'Please return to your classroom and pick up your degree. Morioka-san, a word?'

'Yes, sir' Hana squeaks.

As the students start to leave, she searches the familiar unruly hair. Her breath stops the moment her eyes accidentally meet his. She averts her gaze instantly, inhales and exhales so the squealing inside her head doesn't make it out from her mouth. Midoriya looks adorable as always – jacket's first button open revealing his white uniform shirt, red combat boots so worn that makes her wonder how far he has travel on his feet. He is absolutely charming and kind, exactly like the first day she sets eyes on him.

Hana bites down on her lower lips, hardly able to keep her emotions contained.

He saw me, she joyfully thought, he actually saw me!

'Morioka!'

The principal calls, and she shoots up from her seat.

'Yes, sir!' she answers, ready to go and welcome the earful lecture that she ever so feared.

'Dressing inappropriately at the ceremony, distracting your fellow students, Morioka, are you sure you're going to be alright out there?'

Hana squirms in her seat. The leather creeks at her every movement.

'I'm sorry, sir' she sighs, 'I forgot to hang the clothes up to dry so I just thought that it's better to wear my gym clothes than to wear my casual outfits'

'You do know that when you go to U.A, you'll have to live alone, right? It's a lot of responsibility. Are you sure you'll be okay?'

'Yes, sir'

The principal gives a long sigh.

Embarrassment is almost a family tradition by now. She knows what the neighbors have been saying about her mom. How she was a single mother and how she has no social life. Hana thought that it might be a good idea if she goes to U.A., mom would have something to be proud of. She can brag to all the old ladies who has been secretly laughing behind her back that her child was smart enough to go to a good school despite starting from a nothing-special local background. Not many people from Orudera get to go to U.A., so Hana is pretty darn proud of herself.

'Try not to cause trouble okay, Morioka?' Principal waves his hand, signaling her to leave his office.

'Yes, sir'

Hana bows, one last time before she heads to the door.

It's over and surprisingly wasn't as bad as she thought. The teachers here weren't really her friends. They paid a lot of attention to the one with flashy Quirks and ignore people like her. It really isn't fair the way they put her on on their radar and compare her with the others but it's the last day. Hana doesn't have to think about it anymore.

You did good, she praises herself, heading for the school yard. Her class planted a bin of flowers there as their year-end project for Biology and she wants to at least say goodbye to them. Those little ones have been her wonderful companions throughout the years in Orudera, it would only be polite for her to visit them for the last time.

'Hey, flower girl!'

A sudden and angry voice draws her attention.

Almost immediately, she does a 180 and walks. Who cares about flowers right? If it's life and death then her actions are justified. Sometimes the best tactic is just to retreat and regroup. She can always come back another day. Maybe when she's 30 and has a family and a good insurance policy.

'Where the fuck do you think you're going?!'

Hana covers her ears. If you can't hear him, then he can't blame you.

'Yo, shrub! I'm talking to you!'

Footsteps start to thump behind her and Hana picks up her pace. Before she knows it, walking has evolved into faster walking … then running.

She can't outrun him though.

Nobody outruns Bakugo.

Before she knows it, they were behind the school yard, his left arm rest against the wall, just a little below her ears and next to her neck. His right two inches away from her face. Bakugo's eyes were bloodshot and if she has to be truthful, crazed.

'Move and I'll blow you pretty flower head off' he warns, 'Now, tell me, how would a useless weed like you think it would be a good idea to apply for U.A.? Do you think they'll just take anybody? Especially somebody like you?'

'…no' she whimpers, 'they take people like you too I guess'

If one day in the future when Hana has the chance to think back about it, about this situation, she would probably laugh. She would think about how angry this bully was and how he was threatening her while flowers were flying out of her hair like she doesn't give a crap.

However, currently, that is not the case. She does give a crap. She gives multiple craps when it comes to Bakugo (because everybody knows that he is dangerous, and nobody messes with dangerous stuff), but somewhere in her stupid and insensitive head, a part of her brain finds this situation extremely amusing. Not because she's not afraid. Not because she's not in any real danger. It's just who she is and who she is inappropriately, finds situation like this funny.

'What is that supposed to mean, huh?!'

'Stop!'

Both of them turns towards the unexpected voice.

'Scram, shit nerd,' Bakugo grins, 'Today, my business is with her'

'S-Stop it, Kacchan' her savior demands, very softly she must add, 'Stop or I'm going to report you to the teachers!'

'Oh? Someone is feeling a little bit brave I see'

Bakugo hands leave the wall, and Hana takes that as her cue.

She dashes, scrambling away like it's the end of the world.

Took a while but she finally made it back to her class. She was out of breath, and her mind was running like crazy but she is safe. Everybody left already, and the classroom is just a bulk of deafening silence now.

'I won't miss you,' she huffs, looking at the graffiti on her desk.

Her years at the school hasn't been the easiest that she knows, but she got through. Hana likes to think that she was strong enough to withstand all of the jokes and the teasing, and that she did it all so that mom wouldn't have to worry about her. She wanted to be kind and brave like Midoriya. Despite all the bullying from Bakugo and all the terrible things his classmates said, he got himself into the hero course at U.A. It was his dream. She can tell. He looks at his notes like she would look at the flowers in the bin. He was her hero – the right kind.

Hurling her messenger bag over her head, Hana rushes downstairs.

The school is almost closed now, so chances are Bakugo already went home. If she is fast enough, she might make it. It feels terrible ignoring the flowers now that the threat is no longer on premise, so maybe a quick goodbye would do.

Hana turns at the corner, startled to see Midoriya lying on his back. His arm rests over his fore head as he stares up at the summer sky.

'Oh my god!' she gasps, rushing towards him.

He seems like he's okay, except for the big red bruise on his cheeks. Hana clutches her bag. To think she just leave him for Bakugo to beat him up like that.

'Are you okay?' she scurries down next to him, 'Hey!'

'Oh' he groans and sits up, 'It's you from earlier. Are you alright?'

'Ya, I'm fine. Thank you for saving me. Your face though, that looks painful!'

'Oh, don't worry about it' he laughs, 'Happens all the time. I'm alright'

Happens all the time? He has to deal with this every day? Hana cringes, terrified at the thought, has he been getting beaten up all the time? Did his family know about this? Did the teachers? Did anyone?

She obviously had no idea. If so, then how has he been with all these?

'Here,' she stops him from trying to stand up and opens up her bag.

Getting out her crumpled-up replacement-of-bookmard band-aid. Hana tears the cover and puts it over Midoriya's wound. The little thing looks pathetic on his bruise, as if it's trying too hard to heal something much bigger than it can provide care for. Kind of remind her of herself.

'Thank you' Midoriya beams, much to her pounding sadness.

'No,' Hana wraps her arms around her legs, looking down 'I'm sorry I ran away. I should have stayed and help you'

'No no! You shouldn't do that! It's not something a girl should do!'

'It is something I should do though. You got hurt instead of me'

Midoriya chuckles, his eyes shine under the setting sun.

'Kacchan was just being mean. He didn't like it that I'm going to U.A so we got into a fight'

'But it's not like he can do anything about it,' Hana pouts, 'It's awfully immature of him to hit you for this'

'..Yeah… what happened between you and him? I-if you don't mind me asking'

'Oh,' she smiles, pulling her hair back, 'He's probably mad at me too for going to U.A.'

'You're going to U.A.?!'

Midoriya shoots up, practically shining. Hana gives a sheepish giggle, averting her eyes away from the excited puppy in front of her.

'Yeah,' she says, 'General Department. I'm trying to become a policema-or woman'

'Cool! You must be really smart then. I'm Midoriya by the way. Izuku Midoriya. I'm in Heroic Department'

'Morioka,' Hana replies, 'Morioka Hanako. Nice to meet you'

'Nice to meet you!' Midoriya smiles, 'Wow. I didn't think anyone else would apply except for Kacchan. I didn't see you during the orientation. Guess we'll see each other in U.A. then?'

'Ya,' she nervously grins, 'See you in school. U.A. Definitely'

Hana doesn't know what might lies ahead of her, but she is certain that as long as Midoriya is there, she can stand tall against any bully. Just as his efforts has inspired her to apply for U.A., she will do her best to stand on equal ground with him so that when the time comes, she could be the one to give hope to others.