The walk to the office was fairly quiet. Luckily Aizawa had an umbrella for them due to the rain. Only a "Thanks" was uttered from Minoru. Aizawa merely nodded silently.
Upon entering the school and reaching the office he was met with Principle. Nezu, Present Mic, and Midnight.
"Ah Mineta, happy you're here." Nezu smiled.
"Hey, hey, hey!~ There he is! The purple champ!~" Mic exclaimed.
"Hello there sweetheart. Thank you for coming." Midnight smiled.
"Sigh...Hey." Minoru rubbed his shoulder.
Aizawa sighed and ushered Minoru to sit down. Minoru silently complied and Aizawa did as well sitting next to him.
"So let me guess what this is about...my well being? Or maybe the others told you about how I snapped at them all? Or maybe it's the fake video and rumors about me going around?" Minoru tapped his hand on his lap.
The teachers all looked at each other, they're smiles had dropped a bit. Midnight sighed and spoke up.
"Well yes, it is about all of those." She said with a comforting face.
"Do not worry about the last one Mineta. A student that claims to know you came to us beforehand and let us know the video and rumors were fake. They thoroughly debunked them all, we had no reason to distrust their word." Nezu said.
"( Ace…thank you.)" Minoru looked down and smiled faintly but warmly.
"Yeah brotato don't worry bout that!~ Ya good!" Mic smiled.
"However as for the second thing." Aizawa spoke up.
"I'm not saying sorry and I regret NOTHING I said to them." Minoru spoke quickly.
The teachers were surprised by his sudden sharp tone.
"Mineta, I know you have been through quite a lot but you shouldn't take it out on those who wish to help." Nezu said.
"Yes he's right. You're classmates, we're just concerned for you." Midnight spoke.
"With all do respect. They weren't trying to do either." Minoru's voice turned very sour.
"They were just feeding their morality. Do you all even know the relationship between me and them? Please. Allow me to explain."
"You see. They never liked me. Except for Denki and maybe even Midoriya too. But I can say without doubt none of the others did and you know what? They have their reasons. I can't blame them and I'm not. What pissed me off is that they pretended like I existed out of pity." Minoru sneered.
"Any other day they'd ignore me and exclude me from anything. Hanging out, group activities, study sessions you name it. They wanted me nowhere in sight and they'd totally blow me off when I invited them to hang out." He continued.
"Another thing that makes me mad is that they fucking make up their own rules whenever or however they want and change them however and whenever they want. They preach all the time "Being kind is the best way to be." "Helping people with their problems is good will and will be rewarded." or "Patience is key." Yada, yada, all that high horse crap." Minoru spat.
"BUT, when it actually comes down to it they'll only follow those rules with people they like and deem worthy of it instead of doing it with everyone. When it comes to some other person they dislike then NOPE. Those rules don't apply to them. Don't gotta be nice or make an effort for them. Exactly what happened with me. They dislike me so they have no intention of helping me." Minoru gripped his lap tightly.
"Hypocrites...the whole lot of them." Minoru said.
The adults could only listen as Minoru spoke his feelings...this was a side of Minoru they had yet to see.
"What hurts the most is that they….they try SO HARD...for each other. They accept one another for their flaws, insecurities, doubts and more. They go out of their way to help and comfort one another but...not for me. Nope. Not even the smallest attempt. Sigh…" Minoru looked off silently.
The teachers were just stunned. There was so much hurt in his voice. They could feel every emotion as he ranted on.
"Kid...we had no idea." Mic tilted his shades down.
"Of course. How could you?" Minoru have Mic a blank stare.
"Mineta, if you were this unhappy. You could have just told us. We could have helped you." Midnight spoke trying to show she was earnest.
"Well sorry. I have a tendency to shy away from asking teachers for help." Minoru looked off.
"And why is that Mineta? Please, so we can better understand." Nezu asked.
"Sigh, cause it's the same thing every time. Nothing ever changes. They either ignore me or they give me the same tiring routine with the same tiring dialogue." The boy scuffed.
"Let me try and guess some of the things you all are planning to say to me."
"Ahem. You are loved? Your life is precious? Your life has meaning? People care about you? You're a bright and promising young man? You have potential so don't waste it? You can't give up? You'll never know unless you try? We're here for you? We won't let you down? We'll get you through this? Your physical and mental health are our top priority? Life can be unfair and it can hurt, but you have to keep moving forward? Just open up to others and they'll understand? Time heals all wounds? Did I just about get them all? I'm pretty sure I did." Minoru rolled his shoulders with a rather bored look.
The adults shared concerned glances to one another. This was worse than they had thought.
"I've heard every sappy comforting teacher phrase/speech known to man and I promise you….yours won't move me." Minoru leaned back in his chair.
Aizawa finally broke his silence. "Mineta." He stood up from his chair and knelt down in front of the boy.
"I've failed you." Aizawa spoke.
Minoru stared into his eyes. Both of them were giving very stoic looks but their eyes as equal intensity.
"Really now?" Minoru asked.
"I believe much like the others, I have neglected you as well. When it came to grooming the students to look past their troubles, trauma and other faults. I failed to give you the same time of day. Looking back on it now...I don't think I've ever sat down with you to have a real honest discussion about you and your well being and your progress. I've really only given you simple lectures, warnings or scoldings about your perverted antics." Aizawa confessed his failures.
"And punishments. I mean who can forget those? If I so much as say something perverted, then whether it be from you or the others, I get either hit or tied up. Sigh…..Aizawa. I'm tired. I really am." Minoru looked into his teacher's eyes.
"I've lost an arm...I've been insulted in the worst possible way, that being pitted by people who didn't even like me just because I did something above their already low expectations of me and I was even belittled even more by this. I have some group trying to put the screws to me because they don't like me and…..sigh...I'm just tired Aizawa...I wanna rest..and I mean really rest." Minoru's voice cracked a bit but he quickly thought of Ace to give him strength.
The last thing he wanted was to break down in front of them.
"I hear you Mineta. And I'm sorry. Sorry I wasn't there for you as much as I should have. I'm going to make sure I give you the time and help you need." Aizawa placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Sigh...Thanks I guess." Minoru regained himself.
"Bruh...heavy." Mic rubbed the back of his neck.
"It would seem we've all greatly misjudged you." Midnight spoke with a disheartened voice.
"The fact that you put your life on the line to save Momo, knowing she didn't respect you or like you. That was a very selfless Mineta. Not many people would do that, it shows there's more to you then you let on." Nezu said.
"Yeah yo, for shizzle. Ya took on for the team regardless of the social status between you and them! That's rad! Real team player!" Mic smiled.
"Well...even though in their eyes I wasn't a good friend or rather even a classmate...I wanted to least let them know I was a team player. I wanted to at least have that going for me." Minoru rubbed his shoulder.
"And that is very mature. I'm happy to know that." Midnight smiled warmly.
"Mineta. It's clear that things between you and your classmates. There is much bad blood and...very unpleasant impressions and memories between you. And seeing how much it has affected you as a whole and seeing a new deeper side to you, as well you putting up with our negligence...I want to make you an offer." Nezu spoke.
Minoru raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in his chair. "What kind of offer?"
"Mineta, I offer you to switch to class 1-B for the remainder of your hero course here at UA." Nezu said.
Minoru's eyes went as wide as an open field. "What?" The boy asked.
"I'm giving you a choice to move to 1-B. As far as I know, you haven't had little to no interactions with them. Thus you could start over fresh with them. Though they may have heard things about you but personally I don't find them to be the judgmental type. So you can truly have a fresh start with new people and with no pre-judgements." Nezu smiled and clapped his paws together.
Minoru looked down to his feet. His hand gripped his pants leg. Leave…..1-A? Leave the others and just join another class? Could he really do that? After all they've been through…?
"Is that okay?..." Minoru said in a low voice not looking up.
"Of course Mineta. If this would help your mental health and overall development from here on then yes. It's perfectly fine. I'm sure Mr. Vlad wouldn't mind having you on board. Especially after hearing your whole story." Nezu answered reassuringly.
Minoru stayed silent. He was still contemplating the choice before him…
Aizawa sighed. "Mineta. I respect whatever you choose. But I really want you to think this through. Because once you choose this. That's it. You can't come back. Also...I know things are rough between you and them but, I think you should tell them about this choice as well." Aizawa said.
"Do I really have too? I mean...it's my choice." Minoru asked looking up.
"Yes it is your choice but...at least let them know and hear what they have to say. Please. This is all I ask of you." Aizawa spoke with greater emotion than usual.
Minoru could feel Aizawa's emotions and nodded in agreement. He didn't like but it was the least he could do.
"I'll need more time to think about this...is that okay?" Minoru asked Nezu.
"Oh course Mineta, however...I'll only give you until tomorrow." Nezu said.
"( Just till tomorrow?...)" Minoru frowned a bit but quickly shrugged it off. "Thank you sir. Ahem..sorry but may I leave now? I really want to hurry and get to work on thinking about this. Listen, thank you for checking on me and everything. I'll be okay soon. I'm still coping with all this, but I'm almost there." Minoru said with an honest face.
"That's all we wanted to know buddy." Mic said, smiling.
"I'm sure a lot of adults have let you down in the past but...we won't. We promise. If you need guidance, please don't hesitate to come to us." Midnight added.
"Yes Mineta. Find it in your heart to give adult figures another chance." Nezu said.
"You never know Mineta. You just be surprised." Aizawa spoke standing up and looking down to Minoru.
"I'll….keep that in mind. I'm gonna go now." Minoru got up from his chair and quickly made his way to the door.
"Mineta. Take care." Nezu spoke out to the boy.
Minoru only nodded and left the room.
"Jesus. That was one HELL of a revolution." Mic said resting his arms on the table.
"I'm sure it was shocking to all of us, but we should have expected nothing less. Everyone, even Mineta, has a breaking point." Midnight said.
"Indeed Midnight. I just wished things could have been more different then they are now." Nezu added.
"It's my fault and I take full responsibility. He's my student and I should have guided him better." Aizawa clenched his fists.
"And depending on what he chooses...I may not even have a chance to make it up to him." Aizawa cursed under his breath.
"Aizawa, please don't be so hard on yourself. I'm sure that yo-" Nezu began to speak but Aizawa quickly cut him off.
"No Nezu. There's no excuse for it. I didn't do my job and this was the outcome. I let the kid down. Plain and simple." Aizawa turned away and made his way toward the door and walked out.
"Sigh...I'll talk to em later." Mic said.
"Thank you Present Mic." Nezu tried his best to smile.
"No prob boss man." Mic flashed the rock on hand gesture.
"This is very saddening yes but at the moment we need to deal with this group of students targeting Mineta." Midnight said with a sharp tone.
"Yeah man that junk is mega uncool." Mic agreed.
"Absolutely unacceptable. I have no patience for bullies." Nezu spoke sternly.
Mic and Midnight both agreed and the three began to formulate a plan.
*With Minoru.*
As Minoru made his way out the school, his mind was scattered like marbles dropped on the floor. A murmur within his heart poked at his psyche.
Would leaving them make him a deserter? Or some sort of coward? They've been through so much that...would it be right to leave them? Even despite the rocky relationship with them still...he felt almost obligated to stay.
Minoru didn't even notice that he had already made it out of the school...but when he did. He realized the rain had stopped.
"Oh, I totally forgot it was even raining." Minoru looked up at the grey clouds filling the sky but...some clouds in the center of vision seemed parted.
Minoru looked closely at the clouds and then slowly the clouds began to part and a ray of light shined through. Minoru covered his eyes as the light was rather bright but he quickly removed his hand to gaze at the light shining through the grey cloudy sky. It was…beautiful.
Minoru felt his heart warm staring at it and oddly enough...this scene before him made him think of Ace. Why? He thought to himself. However upon reflecting on everything he then realized.
Ace was the light. Ace was the light that shined through this grey stormy sky that had been his life. She showed him that even in this dark moment for him, there was still a light that shined true. He just had to find it and follow it and it would lead him through the valley of darkness.
"Ace...is my light. My guiding star. I finally see it now. This warmness I feel whenever I think of her...or how she can just lift my mood with her presence alone. She is radiance given form…" Minoru smiled feeling his heart warm up.
"I think...I think…." Minoru blushed and held his heart.
"I think I'm in love with her…"
"I...I have to go see her. Right now. If anything can help me with this choice it's her!" Minoru smiled feeling the weight of all his grief and despair wash away.
Though traces and echoes of it remained...Minoru's new found strength of heart ultimately out weighed them.
Without a second thought he raced to the 1-C dorm building. He needed to see Ace to not only ask her for advice but...to also thank her for everything she's done. To thank her…
For being his sunshine in his darkness moment.
To Be Continued.
