Momo had pulled Shouto aside the minute the bell rang that Friday afternoon, signaling the end of the school day. They'd gone to an empty corridor where no one could see them, each of them leaning against the lockers on opposite walls. Although he maintained his composure as per usual, he had no idea what was going on in her head. She looked at him intently, as if in a show of determination.
"What is it, Yaoyorozu?" Shouto asked.
"Starting today, I'll be tutoring you," She replied, curtly.
Shouto clenched his fist, realizing she must've seen his recent report card. That bastard old man, he cursed to himself. He glanced around, trying to map out the quickest route to get away from her as soon as this conversation ended. However, his delay in response only prompted her to close the distance between them.
"So, when are you free?" She asked intently.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine," He answered as he pivoted ninety degrees.
Momo jumped in front of him.
"Studies have shown that learning and correcting your mistakes right after the exam instead of cramming right before the final is a the most effective way of studying. As your vice president, it's my responsibility to make sure you pass this class. Plus, as one of U.A.'s recommended freshmen, it'd reflect poorly on you if you were to start falling behind. You could even lose your scholarship." She responded.
Shouto felt his eyebrow twitch as he couldn't come up with a good rebuttal. Although he respected Yaoyorozu in many ways, he wasn't exactly the type of person eager to hang out every other day after school, let alone in the form of mandatory assistance. He mostly spent his free time alone at the gym, conditioning and training. Besides that, he would call and visit his mother. Well, he did, in the past tense.
"Also, you should know that U.A. has a special policy for recommended students: if our grades dip below passing for the first mid-term, then the choice is either 'temporary suspension' or 'demonstration of targeted tutoring.'" Momo informed him, handing him a yellow slip with Principal Nezdu's signature, or rather ink paw-print.
Feeling cornered, Shouto cursed silently to himself. If it hadn't been for all the grief his father had been giving him lately, he wouldn't be in this mess, academically and socially. Because of his old man, now Momo had an extra burden on her shoulders as vice president. Knowing there was no way out of this, he reconsidered his options. It wasn't a bad alternative to having to go back to his old house, which was stained with the memory of his old man and their recent fight. After all, the school gym was only open until 5 p.m. He gave Momo his characteristic icy, deadpan stare and sighed, "Alright, let's meet at the library in two hours."
