Uraraka and Bakugo walk home together from their private conversation with Rose. "Now I get why she couldn't talk to us in front of her boyfriend. If it were me, I'd definitely be upset." Her expression goes soft with a faint blush. "…But I guess it makes sense if it's Deku-kun." She catches herself. "Uh! N-Not that I like Deku-kun or anything! Well, I mean anyone would like him! Well, obviously not you, Bakugo-kun, but—!" She realizes Bakugo isn't listening. He's deep in thought.
If Living Dead is in love with Deku and not her boyfriend, what are the chances that her boyfriend knows? If he did know, what kind of reaction would he have? Is that why he didn't object all that much when Bakugo started accusing her? Did that have anything to do with her having a quirk, with the crime she committed? And in the first place, if she was in love with Deku, she wouldn't have done something like that to him. It'd make more sense if the boyfriend attacked him. But if so, did she know about it? If she had used her hidden quirk to erase Deku's memory, then she had to know… But it still doesn't make sense. Once again, things don't add up. Even Bakugo is at a loss. The only thing they can do now is take her to Deku and observe the results for themselves.
When they inform the rest of their class of their decision, without revealing Rose's feelings for the sake of her privacy, the class is reasonably shocked. Uraraka was one thing, but Bakugo deciding it was okay meant that they must have a good reason, that maybe it's all part of a plan. The class agrees that if Rose Omoda goes to see Midoriya, Bakugo and Uraraka should go with her.
"You what?" Aizawa balks at them.
"The girl's probably not the culprit," Bakugo tells him.
"We know she's not!" Uraraka insists. "Please! She knows the police suspect her, so if something happens and she's not allowed to talk to Deku-kun, she wants to do it now before it's too late!"
Aizawa only grows more suspicious. If the girl has figured out that much, is she hiding something? Is there a legitimate reason why she won't be allowed around Midoriya? Or is she really just worried for nothing? And what does she have to say to Midoriya anyway if she isn't the culprit?
"…What does she want to say to him?"
Bakugo and Uraraka go silent. "You'll just have to trust us!" she blurts. Bakugo won't spill anything either with the concern that if they tell anyone, Living Dead will change her mind.
Aizawa stares at them, sizing them up. They both seem serious, and again, Bakugo giving a stamp of approval is so unexpected, he can't possibly brush it off.
He sighs. "Alright. Obviously, the police and I have to go with you all. We'll be recording everything for the investigation. If she still wants to go, tell her to meet us at the gate immediately after school. We'll take you all there."
Uraraka brightens. "Yes, sir!" Bakugo looks somewhat relieved.
They relay the information to Rose… in front of Nobita.
And the look of shock on his face practically gives him away. "What?"
Bakugo adds that reaction to his calculations. Normally, if he didn't suspect his girlfriend was the culprit, his reaction would've been calmer, thinking that maybe if she talks to Deku and explains the situation, she can clear her name. And if he knew his girlfriend is the culprit, he'd be shocked that the police would allow her near the victim. If he knows, does that mean he was trying to hide it because he doesn't want her to get convicted? But if she's the culprit, why would she do something like that to Deku in the first place?
The only possible conclusion is that she really isn't the culprit. Could she… Could she have erased Deku's memories without being the one who hurt him? Maybe it was two different people? If so, then the culprit is…
The answer finally clicks. Bakugo finally understands. It explains everything, his strange behavior, the way his girlfriend had been lying to him, the reason he wanted to make them look like a lovey dovey couple. The two of them attacked Deku as a team, then did their best to remove as much evidence as possible and draw suspicion away from themselves. Even more, since Living Dead is in love with Deku, it's more likely they didn't plan the attack together.
The answer makes his blood boil. Taka Nobita had attacked Deku of his own accord and then made his girlfriend clean up after him at the risk of her taking the fall.
"…You," the blonde growls. Then he feels a gentle hand on his shoulder.
Rose Omoda was looking at him, gauging his reaction, and she understood that he had figured it out. "…It's okay… Thank you, Bakugo-kun."
Her voice is nearly a whisper, sincere and serious. It confirms his deduction, and for a moment, he's tempted to argue with her, to ask her why she doesn't fight back, why she didn't tell anyone, why she doesn't just expose him. All of the sudden, none of it makes any sense to him.
But before he can say anything, she turns to Nobita. "It's okay, Taka. I just wanted to say goodbye."
Nobody, not even Bakugo, catches the hidden message.
Another reaction from Nobita, just quick enough that Bakugo doesn't quite catch it. But he does see Nobita calm down. He looks relieved somehow as he speaks. "I… I guess so. Rose, we need to talk later. I… know how you feel about Midoriya-kun… Even if you're saying goodbye to him, we need to talk."
All Bakugo can tell is that Nobita is still trying to play up the "loving boyfriend" image, like he even gives a fuck whether or not Living Dead has any feelings for Deku. Bakugo knows that White Hair Jerk is trying to throw his "girlfriend" under the bus and that for some reason she's willfully playing along. Does she have some kind of plan? If she does, it'll only be revealed when she talks to Deku. And in that case, Bakugo can't afford to ruin it by blabbing the truth in front of everyone. He'll give the girl just one chance to make her plan work, and if it doesn't, Bakugo will take things into his own hands.
Satisfied, Rose turns and walks away. "Let's go."
"Don't give me orders!" Bakugo snaps at her, "And don't walk in front of me!"
The three meet up with Aizawa and the police, apologizing a bit for being a bit late. All Might is there as well, determined to see through every step of the process in finding the culprit. At the hospital, Inko Midoriya still sits by her daughter's bedside, even though Midoriya feels better by the day. She'll occasionally leave her alone for an hour or two, then come back to watch her. Part of it is to make sure her child is okay, but part of it is to make sure she doesn't try to run off. Inko had come to hate that part of her child, the part that disregards safety and runs headfirst into danger.
Well, this time will be different. This time the danger will come to them. The somewhat large group made up of students, teachers, and legal authority startles the two as they come in all at once.
Midoriya blinks. "Kacchan! Uraraka-san!"
"Deku-kun!" Uraraka is a little too relieved to see her and runs up to her. "H-How are you? You kinda' look like a mummy!" she blurts.
"Idiot!" Bakugo snaps. "He broke almost every bone in his body! Of course he looks like that!"
"Watch it, Bakugo. This is a hospital." Aizawa points out his volume. Bakugo clicks his teeth.
"What are you all doing here? I thought I wasn't allowed to have any visitors."
Inko Midoriya stares with worry in her eyes at All Might, who gives her a firm, reassuring nod. They'd called her in advance, but she still isn't sure how to take it.
"Special exception! Be grateful!" Bakugo yells.
"Volume." Aizawa nags him.
Midoriya, truly happy to see her friends again after almost a week, and surprised that Kacchan of all people decided to visit, can't help but stare at the one unfamiliar face. She only knew Rose Omoda from the pictures the police had shown her. She's even more beautiful in person… and even more ghostly.
"Um… I'm sorry, I don't think we've met before."
For the first time in a very long time, Rose's words catch in her throat. Even if there's absolutely no chance Midoriya-kun will ever feel the same way, her heart still races at the thought of finally admitting her feelings to him.
Uraraka introduces her. "This is Rose Omoda-senpai! She has something really important to tell you, so please hear her out!" Uraraka is nervous too. She realizes she should've thought about this earlier, but Omoda-senpai is… very pretty. Would Deku-kun say yes if she asks to date him? Is that even possible in this situation? But… it doesn't matter in the first place because the brunette already decided to lock those feelings away! …Easier said than done.
"Midoriya-kun," Rose's voice shakes just a little. "I…" she stared into her green eyes. Midoriya looked serious, and Rose realizes that maybe she's expecting the upperclassman to confess to the crime.
It makes Rose remember what she came for, and she decides to put her personal feelings aside. She's already made it this far. Maybe this is the closest she'll ever get to the boy who changed her life… the closest she was destined to get from the beginning.
"It's okay," Midoriya says after a long pause. She's not angry. She can't be. Not at this quirkless girl who looks lost and afraid, not when Midoriya can see traces of her own past in those pale gold eyes. Instead, Midoriya smiles gently. "You can tell me. I'll listen."
A dozen thoughts flash through Rose's mind, all because of that smile. He really is a hero, gentle and kind, looking at her like he might really forgive her if she tells him the truth. She loves him. She wants to hold him, to cry into his shoulder, to beg for his forgiveness, to beg him to save her. She wants to get lost in his eyes, to never be separated from him again, to give her life to him and dream that someday she could be of use to him. The words of love that Taka would halfheartedly spout for his own self-satisfaction, she wants to hear Midoriya-kun say them only to her. Because she knows if he said them, he'd actually mean it. And she might just die of happiness if he did.
With all her heart, she loves Izuku Midoriya.
So much that she stares at him a bit too long, then averts her eyes, letting them dart around until they meet the open window next to his bed. It's a bright, beautiful day. The sun shines through the window, casting a bright light over Midoriya's body. For a moment, the air seems to fill with peace, as if the light is calling to her.
She understands. She knows what she has to do. She'd always known, but false hope had distracted her for a moment. She turns back to Midoriya.
"I… I came to give you back your memories."
They all blink a moment. Bakugo and Uraraka snap their heads at her.
Aizawa is the first to recover. "You…" He's on guard.
Midoriya looks shocked, but again, not angry. "…I understand." She nods. "Okay."
"Midoriya," Aizawa starts.
"It's okay," she insists. "If she came all this way… it definitely wasn't to finish me off or anything. The culprit would never take this big a risk. I believe her. She's not the culprit."
Aizawa turns to Inko Midoriya and asks her permission. Inko had been sizing up the girl too, and her intuition is just as good as her daughter's. A scared child is standing in front of her, and if her daughter doesn't think she's suspicious, they have to at least give her a chance.
"Thank you. It'll be quick," Rose assures.
Midoriya closes her eyes. Rose reaches out her hand. The touch on Midoriya's forehead is gentle, even as the police are poised to shoot her if necessary. Her hand glows a light pink again.
And the memories come flooding back.
Midoriya screams.
Half the hospital hears it. She bursts into tears, and what stops her scream is the sudden lurching of her stomach, which almost brings its contents out if not for her covering her mouth.
"Izuku!" her mother screams.
The police draw out their guns, Aizawa activates his quirk, and Bakugo and Uraraka watch helplessly as their classmate vomits into a nearby trashcan her mother brings her.
But amid the panic, Rose knows what she has to do. She jumps up onto the bed, hopping carefully over Midoriya's legs, and into the light. The police would've shot her, but it didn't look like she was targeting the victim. Instead she jumps to the ledge of the window, landing dexterously on it, like a cat, like a fairy, like an angel.
"Omoda-senpai!" Uraraka screams as she runs over the bed after her.
And without another word, Rose jumps.
Uraraka's hand reaches out after her, into the light.
And misses.