Chapter 18 : Overcoming Shame

Kukeiko was behind the minibus that got them to the arena. Trembling and cold as ice with fear crawling underneath her skin, she could feel the pieces of her persona fall, crashing onto the ground. Mei was there, worringly on the inside, yet reassuring on the outside, holding her shoulders.

"Breath in... and breath out... There you go... and in... and out..."

"In... and out...", started Kukeiko with short breaths.

"And one more time.

Breathe in... and breath out"

"It's oke. I'm oke. I'm calm.", said Kukeiko, even though her shaking voice and body said otherwise.

Kukeiko was looking downwards, her eyes releasing a waterfall of undescribable fear.

"Hey", said Mei, grabbing the girl's head and making eye contact.

"You're going to be alright. You are safe here. I promise.", then hugging her.

Kukeiko was silent for a little and then chuckled. Her chuckles became a laughter.

"If you say so, then I believe you."

"How about we go home? I think we've seen enough and you definitely need some sleep."

"Yeah... sounds good."

The exam continued...

"Awww, we're going now?! Man! What a bummer!"

"We've seen enough anyways. Besides, Kukeiko is feeling nauseous.", said Mei.

"But I don't wanna~"

"Fine. Then stay here and have fun."

"..."

"..."

"HEY HEY HEY HEY

WAIT FOR ME!"

And so it went. The students were waiting inside the minibus for their homeroom teacher to arrive, but instead arrived Vlad. Kukeiko held Mei's arm.

"Something intervened and I'll be getting you back at the dorms.", said the man with a thick voice.

Kukeiko's face slightly changed for a second.

A couple of hours passed and the exam concluded. The minority were able to pass the exam and were rewarded with their Hero License. But for the licenses to be given, the heroes had to wait for two days. All students of 1-A, excluding Shoto Todoroki and Katsuki Bakugo, passed the exam and were waiting for their licenses to arrive.

"Hey Deku! Where are you going?", said the bubbly Ochako

"I'm going to check up on Kukeiko."

"Can I come too?"

"Sure. I guess she won't mind."

"Kukeiko you say? Ribbit. May I come to?"

Back in the girl's room...

"It's oke to feel this way-"

"Oke?! It's not. I did nothing! I didn't resist! I was just a plain coward."

"Others would have done nothing different."

"No! They wouldn't! They would've run or tried to fight! I did nothing. You hear me? N o t h i n g. I'm so ashamed. The teachers'll be so mad and disappointed."

"I think they'll be mad if you don't tell them. It can help them figure out what happened to sensei. Being attacked by a villain-"

"Villains."

"See? That gives you more reasons to feel the way you feel! So come on, let's go tell them."

The door opens.

"See? They can help too! They have encountered villains too!", said Mei, enthusiastically pointing at Izuku, Tsuyu, and Ochako.

"What?", said Izuku.

"Don't you guys know how to fucking knock?", mumbled Kukeiko.

"You have encountered a villain?...",asked Ochako.

Kukeiko curled under her sheets into a ball.

"Kukeiko. We have to say something. I understand you're scared."

"You don't understand shit."

"Kukeiko...", said Izuku as he sat on her bed, patting her head.

"We might not understand what you're going through, but if you don't say anything, we might not be able to help at all."

Her head came from beneath her sheets. She was crying waterfalls. But she sat up, looked at Ochako, Tsuyu,Izuku, and Mei, sighed and said:

"Let's go."

"That's the spirit!", said Mei with a bright smile.

Holding Izuku's arm tight, the group went to the Faculty Room. Kukeiko was crying all the way.

"It's going to be alright."

"I know... it's just I don't want to remember it. I was petrified. I couldn't move. I felt hopeless and powerless."

'Powerless.. and I wasn't there.'

"Maybe a little bit of tickling will help.", said Ochako giggling.

"DON'T!", yelled Kukeiko at the top of her lungs, getting everyone's attention.

"I have bandages underneath."

"Maybe tell them what happened?", suggested Mei.

"I...", started Kukeiko.

Silence.

"You'll find out afterwards.", finished the girl.

Izuku stopped, stepped in front of Kukeiko, bent forward with his arms backwards.

"Hop on."

"Eh?"

"Hop on. We'll get there faster. Plus, we'll have a little fun."

Kukeiko's puffed and red face finally lit up and a smile appeared. It wasn't hard for Izuku to carry her around. Not only has he been training to withstand large weights, but she was also one to be underweight, barely reaching the kg she needed to be considered to have a healthy weight.

Kukeiko hopped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and Izuku, holding his sister's legs, charged his body at Full Cowling 5%, and went with high speed till the school entrance. They jumped up and down, left and right. In a blink of an eye, they were already at the entrance. Izuku's body was now relaxed as he stood straight, allowing the now dizzy Kukeiko to get down.

"Don't wait for us, we'll arrive shortly!", texted Mei.

"How was that?"

"So cool! That was actually really cool!", said the girl smilling.

'I knew it would make her smile.'

"Well

Here's the moment of truth."

The group was in front of the teacher's lounge.

"Ready?"

Kukeiko breathed in and out.

"Let's do it."