A/N: Finally. summer vacation is starting for me. I wish that I could write faster but this is what I could do for now. :D
Guys, heads up that Ainiru's Korean name is Mira Yoon.
Also, please put a review! I tried really hard this chapter to imitate how the canon characters talked and acted, so I really want some feedback. XD
Disclaimer: My Hero Academia belongs to Kohei Horikoshi.
Kokyu = Japanese traditional stringed instrument
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Faltering, I looked away as smoothly as possible, turning my eyes to stare at a nearby potted bonsai. I could still feel his icy stare lingering on me and continued to look somewhere else as I forced my surprise down as far as I could. Activated immediately, my face melded again to Ainiru's default expression: calm and collected.
Fudgemallow Sticks! Why is his eyes glaring so scarily at me?!
A few minutes went by as my heartbeat returned to normal. I took in an unnoticeable huge breath of air as I steadied my soaring anxiety. Otousan and Endeavor were exchanging quiet pleasantries, not even noticing my frazzled state.
Shōto Todoroki is so freaking intimidating!
..Wasn't he supposed to be somewhat amicable?!
Ah. I forgot that he only stopped being so cold after ….his enlightening fight with Deku! What was I expecting?! A somewhat awkward but content boy? He only became like that later!
...He looks hella annoyed! Does he hate meeting my family so much?
"Ainiru?" I gave a start. Blinking, I turned to see Otousan looking toward me expectantly. Otousan tilted his neck slightly toward Endeavor with a pointed look in his eyes.
Onsatoi, Misen, and Tokisora were all looking at me vehemently, making me feel very self conscious. Keitomo and Tsuiniko gave me looks that expressed "Hurry!".
Fudgemallow Sticks!
"Ah, Endeavor-sama….!" Startled out of my thinking process, I frantically bowed. "Good evening.." Unsmiling, Endeavor gave me a small, inclining nod and Otousan proceeded to lead the way to our dining room. Embarrassment flooded inside me, but I pushed it away.
Wow… I also forgot that Endeavor was also very cold and cutthroat before. Dejavu strikes again, with a stronger uppercut!
But it's expected. This is in the past after all!
Numbly following the others, my feet echoed on the floor more thunderously, considering the extra company. My turbulent thoughts swirled in my head as I tried to make sense of what was happening to me.
Why does my cheeks and neck feel so hot? ..Why does the atmosphere feel hot? With a sharp pin prick in my head, another memory rose up in my head.
Why?! Why does this memory come up now?! It would have been a HUGE heads up from the first place!
Otousan is exceptionally good friends with Endeavor! Even before I was born! Why did I assume that some stranger was going to come! Especially when I wasn't ready for them!
...How the heck did Otousan become friends with Endeavor! That is an impossible thing to do!
I need to compose myself! Ready myself for whatever shocking thing that is going to come my way. I bet that Lady Imagination is having the time of her life right now!
Speeding up to Keitomo's side, I tugged on his arm and helooked down at me. I spoke softly, "Oniisan, I will come into the dining room in a few minutes. I have to go to the bathroom."
He gave an approving smile, and I made my way to the nearest lavatory, as fast as Ainiru's legs could go.
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Like a whirlwind, I entered a bathroom on the first floor and closed the door hurriedly. Turning on the faucet, I splashed my face with cool water and slammed down both of my hands on the counter, not even caring if the water trickled down to the floor. Blowing a big puff of air, I gave a sigh.
..Why am I so worked up right now! It's just Endeavor and Shōto Todoroki! The surprise should have worn off right now! Wiping my face with a paper towel, I stared at myself in the mirror. My see-through bangs were damp, my cheeks flushed pink, as my heartbeat resounded strongly.
What's this feeling? ….I know this feeling! As if realizing the stirring sensation in my heart, my cheeks flushed more redder.
….Why am I having … butterflies in my stomach right now?
...The hot atmosphere, plus the blushing, plus the butterflies….!
Something is ringing a bell before my eyes but I don't know what it is!
A memory hit me with full force, causing me to reel back a few steps back. I stood there for a silent second as pictures and voices flashed across my mind. Looking up at the ceiling, I then groaned while raising my hands in mock defeat.
Ainiru! Why!
Why did you have to like Shōto Todoroki! For the last 4 freaking years!
Why!
….
I'm done with all of this!
As I covered my face with both of my hands in embarrassment, my legs folded into a squatting position. The tiles on the floor came into closer view as I tried to get my thoughts in order.
Now that I do think about it… Obviously, when a handsome boy keeps on visiting your house and you keep on seeing him, it is inevitable that you will like him! I mean, especially when you have been seeing each other since you were both young!
I nervously laughed as I sunk my hands deep into the roots of my hair. Releasing my tightened fists from my hair, I then stood up.
I should go back now. It doesn't matter that the boy I like—Hell no, the boy that Ainiru likes is here. To me, he's just a character named Shōto Todoroki! That's only it, he's nothing more than a person drawn on paper!
Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I smoothened down some stray strands of my hair and tried to release all of my nerves into one huge huff of air.
Relaxing the muscles in my face, I gave a smartening nod at my reflection. I'm not Yukimisaka, Ainiru. I'm Aera Kim! And I, as myself, originally did not have feelings for a fictional character!
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Holding the door open, I immediately scurried to my seat as our maids brought out platters of hot, steaming dishes. Sitting down tentatively, my eyes darted around, hoping that my entrance didn't garner unwanted attention. Thankfully, the adults barely spared me a glance and continued talking.
Like the chatterbox he was, Tsuiniko was prattling on and on to Shoto and Keitomo, who were sitting at his side. Surprisingly, Shoto gave a small nod at all the appropriate times during their one-sided conversation.
After glancing at the adults taking their first bite, I chowed down the food on my sparkling plate as fast as I could while minding Ainiru's slow pace. While chewing, I sneaked peeks at Shōto, my curiosity daring me to.
...Just like Momo, he looks younger! But that burn on his face is still the same.
And the resemblance is real….! I've been seeing these characters on paper, and in real life, they look similar!
Except that they are in flesh and blood, instead of ink and colo—-
Blue and gray eyes slammed into my vision, and I found myself speechless as Shōto fixated his piercing stare on me. Shootie Pie, I got caught!
Alarmed, I tried to turn my gaze somewhere but as I always did, made a mistake of holding his gaze one second longer than I should have. Shoot, what the hell do I do?!
Deciding within milliseconds, I carelessly did something that Ainiru would have never done. Smiling innocently, I held his gaze steadily for the next few seconds, then looked away nonchalantly to sort through the bellflower roots on my plate with my chopsticks.
My facade managed to mask how I actually felt, which was total panic.
...Ainiru never wasn't able to make eye contact with Shōto! She was too shy!
Ugh! Whatever! I don't care! I don't care if I don't act like Ainiru! I can't control how I act anymore!
As I concentrated on the dishes around me, a sudden thought formed in my wandering brain.
As awkward as this visit is, I wonder how freaking awkward was the first time Shōto and Ainiru met…
As the thought resounded in my head, I gave a sharp intake of breath and let go of my chopsticks. With a tink, they hit my plate underneath.
My hand immediately went to my temples, massaging away the sudden needle-like pain that had exploded as a memory floated to the surface.
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~Four years old
"Tsuiniko is our hope to be finally accepted into UA, Endeavor! I know he will get accepted! His quirk will be an extremely compatible mixture of Asagao and I's quir—" Otousan exclaimed while moving his arms around animatedly, which was unlike his usual calm self. His attitude showed how excited he was over my little brother.
Staring dejectedly down at my plate, I pushed around my food with a spoon. In the atmosphere, I could feel my siblings' uncomfortableness and extreme annoyance heightening with every mention of Tsuiniko's name, including…. my soaring envy.
Everyday and everynight. Tsuiniko this, Tsuiniko that….!
With childish anger, I ground down on pickled radishes with my teeth, its sweet acidic taste failing to register in my fuming mind.
Everyone is about Tsuiniko! How come Ojiisan and Obaasan weren't mean to Tsuiniko! Even Eldest and Youngest Uncle laughed when they played with him!
….They never played with me! ….Why don't...Why don't they treat me like that..?
Sniffling as quietly as I could, I angrily wiped away at the moisture that came out of my eyes. Tugging on Aumma's arm, I sought comfort by trying to get her attention. "Aumma… I-"
She placed a finger on my lips. "Shush, Mira. Your little brother is trying to sleep." Aumma adjusted Tsuiniko in her arms, his eyes fluttering with sleepiness.
Otousan's eyes flickered over to her when she had said my Korean name, and upon noticing, she exhaustedly switched to my other name when she spoke wearily to me again.
"Ainiru, we can talk later.."
Again! That's what she said to me earlier! It's all because of Tsuiniko…!
I barely resisted glowering resentfully at Tsuiniko before turning away.
"..If Tsuiniko has a detrimental quirk like Tōya, it would be practical if you train Ainiru instead." The towering, very scary man with a mustache of flames, who was Otousan's friend, spoke after a long interval of silence. The very quiet, white-haired pretty lady beside him gave a small start upon hearing the name that the man had mentioned.
Hearing my name, I perked up in my seat. With all of the hope in my heart, I wished that Otousan would say something about me after talking about Tsuiniko for so long. In the corner of my eye, I saw the older, white-haired boy that was sitting in front of me, raise his head also.
….Is his name is Tōya?
My curious eyes flickered to the much older boy who was gritting his teeth, but turned to look at Otousan expectantly.
Otousan cleared his throat, as if he couldn't even think of the idea. "Even if I use all the resources that I have, Ainiru will not be proficient in training. She is a girl, after all. Even at his lowest, Tsuiniko would always prevail over her at her best." He shook his head.
A burning feeling swirled around my stomach as I set down my spoon, fueling my level of resentful bitterness to go crashing through the roof.
Even though I couldn't exactly understand what Otousan was saying, I knew with a sinking heart that he was saying that Tsuiniko would always be better than me. Just because he was a boy.
With all the venomous spite I could muster, I gave a tearful, fury-filled glare at my brother, who was sleeping peacefully in Aumma's arms. Feeling someone's gaze on me, I immediately turned to them, hoping panickedly that they hadn't seen my expression toward my brother.
It was Tōya. With his turquoise-blue eyes, he studied me closely for a few minutes. I froze.
….He then gave me an unexpected small smile.
Unknown happiness suddenly bloomed in my heart as I responded to him with a beaming toothy smile. It seemed like with that small smile, it was like he had understood me... and what I was going through.
I finally felt like I could be at peace.
For now.
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The funeral wreath burned, the edges curling into black ashes. The fire glowed stronger, growing more redder as it hungrily gnawed away at the remains of the wreath. All the fire did was trigger the memory of the last thing that Tōya had shown me, a huge advancement of his quirk.
Blue. His flames were blue.
Numb, I sat there on the mats in abject anguish, with tears slipping out of my eyes endlessly. With the funeral rites done, I had already placed my white chrysanthemum on his funeral dais. But I couldn't have the heart to leave.
Tōya was like an older brother. An Oppa. An older brother that understood me so much that I even dared to call him with a Korean honorific even though Otousan sternly chastised me not to use it.
Whispers were heard around me.
"-They say that he burned to deat-"
"-fire was 2,000 degrees Celsius, there's no way that he surv-"
"-nly thing left was his jawbone, look at his poor mothe-"
I was shaken lightly on the shoulder by Aumma. "Mira, we.. should go... now. Your father.. he has already given Endeavor-san his koden… We have been here for the past 5 hours."
I ignored her, choosing instead to look toward the other side of the funeral room.
With her sobs besieging her weak body, Rei Todoroki was weeping along with an older girl with white, red-tipped hair. A white-haired boy cried while sitting beside them, wiping his face with his sleeves every few seconds.
Fuyumi and Natsuo. Tōya-Oppa… told me about them…
At the thought of Tōya, my cries burst again and I was reduced to a sorrowing fit. "Au-mma.." I managed to break out between gasps for air. "He ca-can't have died, ri-right? He c-can't be gone. He was s-supposed to be at our h-house today..!"
"...I'm sorry, Ainiru." Aumma whispered out, also tearing up. While trying to stifle my loud cries, I leaned into her embrace, with my face burrowing into her warmth.
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I ran out of the funeral hall as my breaths heavily stuttered out of my chest. I couldn't breathe, my chest almost exploding with dread.
Ican'tbre- Ican'tbreathe- Ican'tbreathe…!
Shaking, I reached out to the nearby freezing-cold bannister while loudly struggling for breath, feeling as if someone was choking the life out of me. I bent down, coughing. As a last-minute effort, I dizzily took in the peaceful scenery around me as I tried desperately to calm my hyperventilating self down.
The tall pine trees around me were laden with soft, powdery snow, with the faint sun shining down papery-thin, wintery light. Even though the view was breathtaking, it did little to calm me down.
Tears bubbled out of my eyes, those of sharp pain instead of grief. Even though harsh winds cut at my cheeks, I couldn't still climb out of the black hole of strong, drowning emotions.
"..Are you okay?"
Faintly hearing someone's voice, I turned to see a blurred vision of a boy, standing a few feet away from me. Weirdly, he had half-white and half-red hair, with one blue and one gray eye.
"...N-No." I hiccupped out very loudly. Strangely, my panic died a little when the boy intervened.
"...Can you breathe?"
"..N-No."
"..It's okay. Everything's... fine."
Upon hearing those words, I felt my dread spiraling down little by little. Seized with hope, I began to listen to the boy's positive affirmations. Soon my loud strains for air started to die down as I began to be aware of the fact that I was talking with a stranger.
"W-who...Who are y-you...?" I asked timorously.
He must be a relative of Tōya.
"I'm… Todoroki Shōto. Neesan told me... that you were close with Tōya-nii." The boy said softly. Distracted by the need to answer, I felt my breathing become easier as I blinked. My swollen eyes prickled uncomfortably.
"...I was. Ar-Are you… his c-cousin?" As I forced myself to keep talking, I felt my mind wade away gradually from the deep dark depths of my malaise.
"No… I'm his… little brother."
At this I frowned slightly. "Tōya-Oppa had o-only Fuyumi-san and Natsuo-san for si-siblings…" I stifled another lump coming up my throat. "..He ne-never told me that he had a-another brother..."
The boy lowered his head. "Oh." There was an awkward pause, only perpetuated by my smothered sniffling.
My breathing became steadier, gliding into glassy calm. I tried to fill the awkward silence. "You miss… your Oniisan, don't you?"
"...Yeah. I…. do."
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"Ainiru. Ainiru!"
With a twinge, I jarred out of the illusion of memories with a shake of my head. My hand slammed down on the dining table as I opened and shut my eyes in tiredness. I found that everyone seated at the dining table, along with the standing maids, were looking fixedly at me.
"Ainiru, are you okay?" Keitomo asked me concernedly. Tsuiniko gave me an extremely worried look, probably remembering the villain attack that almost ended my life earlier today. I looked at all of them bug-eyed, before I launched into damage-control.
"Yes. I'm fine." I reassured him, recovering immediately to pick up my chopsticks as if nothing was wrong. How many times have I heard that in the last few days..! I'm not even Ainiru!
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As dinner came to a close, Otousan and Endeavor had relocated themselves to Otousan's study to finish their discussion. With a face of content, I stood up from my seat, unconsciously rubbing my stomach while swallowing back a small burp of satisfaction.
Tsuiniko and Shōto were walking before me, with Tsuiniko skipping all the way to our parlor. I had tried to sneak away to my room but Otousan stopped me with a look, from which I had assumed that my role was supposed to keep Shōto company, along with Tsuiniko.
Maybe because we are the same age? That would explain why my older siblings had slunk away to their own rooms after dinner!
I shook my head slightly to clear my thoughts, my nervousness heightening as we stepped inside the parlor again. Surveying and accessing the large room immediately, I chose a seat that was a sizable distance away from Shōto but close to Tsuiniko.
Ugh, I don't want to wait quietly again! ...I want to do something exciting! Or at least somewhat entertaining..!
On the spur of the moment, I spoke as soon as Tsuiniko and Shōto sat in their seats.
"So… Todoroki-kun, are you training for UA?" Of course I know definitely that he's training..! But I want to try talking with Shōto Todoroki at least once! Oh, people will kill to be me right now!
Shōto looked up at me while Tsuiniko tilted his head quizzically. I looked at both them, confused. Did I ask something wrong?
Then I suddenly remembered something. A tiny note of a memory. A name that I forgot to use.
Fudgemallow Sticks, I called him Todoroki-kun! When Ainiru needed to address Shōto, she called him Shōto-kun! Not Todoroki-kun!
..I just snatched up whatever familiar name that Ainiru might have for Shōto as fast as I could! …..Dang it, now I could remember that Ainiru became close with Shōto before his face.. got scalded!
Spreading my lips in a slight smile, I looked at both Shōto and Tsuiniko innocently, hoping that Shōto could just answer quickly and ignore my unusual mistake.
"Yes." Shōto answered shortly. He then became silent. I pressed my lips, trying to hold back my tiny streams of laughter, caused by my nervousness and my expectations being met. I tried again persistently.
"Like how, exactly? I am curious, that is why."
"...By using my quirk." Hearing this, I almost made a face at him.
Well, anyone could guess that..!
...I feel like an interviewer! This is so awkward but so entertaining! I want to burst out laughing!
"And.. if you will get accepted into UA, what do you think your time there would be like?" ...I just want to see how ironic his answer would be, hehe!
"...I will get accepted. And I will graduate."
Dang it! ...But typical of Shōto!
I opened my mouth to ask more, but Tsuiniko intervened, probably because he was tired of the awkward and tense air that surrounded us.
"Todoroki-san, I forgot to mention that I managed to rewrite my programming on a living frog!" Shōto's attention was redirected to Tsuiniko again. Sighing from disappointment, I managed to stop from sending Tsuiniko a peeved look.
And with that, my short conversation with Shōto was adruptively cut and I was left to my thoughts. Again.
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3 weeks later
A bright peachy glow illuminated everything as the morning sun peeked through the sides of buildings. Trees were planted on the sidewalks, and I had almost collided into one while walking to school.
...Wow, this is the expensive private school that Ainiru goes to! It's so big! And clean!
I stood in front of a tall steel fence, with two big gate doors beckoning me forward. Painted in clean white, blue and red, the school had many shiny windows and had a spacious grassy yard. A huge boulder showed the etched-in golden name of Ainiru's classy private school, which read Musutafu Metropolitan Mikatsushina Academy.
"Ainiru!" Momo called, bounding up to my side. I turned, grinning at the sight of her. "Momo!"
"Let's go inside..! I can't wait to start off the new term!" With that, Momo went inside the gates and after a small pause, I followed her in.
As I walked beside her, my hands pulled on my stuffy tie and vest. I straightened out my pleated and flaring skirt as I climbed the stairs. I never wore a uniform like this before in my world!
When I entered the hallway where Ainiru's classroom was, I stared wide-eyed at everything in the hallways when I walked. Compared to my high school in my world, this school had more floors and looked more modern and swanky.
Sunlight poured in from the windows that were on one side of the hallway. Through the classroom's windows that were on the opposite side of the hallway, I saw students who were chatting and laughing boisterously in their own classrooms.
"Ainiru?" Momo had already stopped at a familiar door and was waiting for dawdling little me to catch up. Turning to her, I replied, "I'm coming…!"
I sped up, arriving at the door of Ainiru's classroom with a strong gust of air. Momo slid the classroom door open, and with a deep breath, I went inside my classroom with her.
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My first day at Ainiru's middle school went pleasantly. As the day went by, I was surprised at the unusual school schedule that Japan had, and at how familiar and efficient Ainiru's routines were. I had dutifully followed Ainiru's memories, but I felt extremely uncomfortable adhering to them.
It feels like I can't do whatever the heck I want to do! I have to do this, I have to do that, and I totally wish that I could be myself in my own body right now!
The mid-day August sun was still out even though it should have been dusk already. Closing the car door with a clap of air, I called out a thank you to Ainiru's driver.
Ainiru's big duffel bag swung at my side as I bent down to lower my leggings down to my ankles. I then stood up, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and nervousness.
As I stood there, I began to do the spinning exercises that Ainiru had always done before her practicing sessions. With each jump and spin in the air, my thoughts multiplied numerously, but I shoved them all away. I finished after an hour of the exercises, hoping that I would be able to survive today without falling and cracking my head open.
Cold, frigid air greeted me as I walked inside the ice stadium that held most of Ainiru's memories of excitement and happiness.
Ainiru is really lucky! In my original life, my mom had produced blood, sweat, and tears just to provide enough money for my Taekwondo and Hapkido lessons!
...Hmm, it makes sense why rich kids are so talented!
Even while learning the kokyū, Ainiru had wanted to learn figure-skating, and with a lot of pleading and reasoning from Aumma, Otousan had relented.
" 'Misaka!" Koori-Sensei, Ainiru's private instructor, waved at me while warming herself on the ice. I waved back, and after lacing up my skates with a little bit of puzzlement, I approached the clear boundaries of the ice.
After taking off my skate guards, I stared down at the ice while feeling very uneasy about skating.
Even though ice-skating with my friends was fun, I fell down so many times that I remember that I got bruises on my bum! I couldn't even do a kick without wincing from pain!
Without a warning, my traitorous leg reached out and I found myself on the ice, successfully not falling. What?! I usually slip and land crashing at the entrance! It's a tradition!
Huh. Is it because Ainiru's muscles remember how to balance while skating!?
Growing more braver by the second, I inched forward a few feet and surprised myself by gracefully gliding to a stop.
" 'Misaka, are you ready to warm up for our session today?" Koori-Sensei skidded to a stop before me with a twist of her skates.
I stared at her feet in awe because her legs were melded into her skates. It's as if she transformed her feet into figure-skates! ...Is that her quirk?
Ah, right! I need to answer her!
"Yes, I am." Even though I sounded confident, I wanted to wail out my inner thoughts comically. No..! No, I'm not..! I'm not ready at all!
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Classical music drifted into my ears as I concentrated on balancing myself on one foot while cutting through the smooth surface of the ice.
"Bend at the waist, Ainiru, then tilt your body to the right and—There you go! Almost perfect!" Koori-Sensei clapped in approval as I swung myself around into a twirling spin while stretching my leg over my head with a steady hand.
...This is so fun! I should have tried harder in learning how to skate!
It seems like Ainiru's talent and experience is handed over to me because I'm in her body…! I can never think of doing this in my own world!
Gliding backwards, I came to a slow stop. Pushing forward my weight on my blades, I propelled myself through the air again as I arched my body, with a leg thrown back behind me and my arms bending fluidly.
Ainiru has the same flexibility that I had in my world! ...That's a total relief!
With a sharp spray of ice particles, I whisked to a stop. My blades abrasively scraped against the ice. Cringing inwardly, I sighed. I guess I would have to hone my blades again! Gosh, my inexperience is peeping through!
Feeling a flurry of air behind me, I spun on my heel to watch Koori-Sensei stop in front of me while checking her watch.
" 'Misaka, I think it's time to finish. You did well in today's session..! Next time, we might start working on a Biellmann spin! Tell me when you are leaving so that I can lock up this rink." She started to skate toward the exit. No, wait!
"Koori-Sensei!" She stopped as I glided over to her, my hands already wringing in anxiety from what I was about to say to her.
I gazed at the rink around me, feeling somewhat guilty over what I was about to do. Figure skating was one of the only joys that Ainiru had because of how she released enormous amounts of stress while loosening herself in it…! And I'm about to ruin it right now.
But I have to! I have to train!
Ditching the thought of beating around the bush, I made steady eye-contact with my instructor. "Koori-Sensei, I have to talk to you."
She nodded, motioning for me to go ahead. Inhaling in the cold air, I launched into saying what I had improvised on before arriving here.
"I'm sorry to say to you, Koori-Sensei, but.. I'm afraid I would have to cut down two hours of our sessions."
Arching her eyebrows quizzically, she responded. "Why, Ainiru..? Is something wrong?"
"No…" I mumbled while looking down to pat ice crystals off my gloves.
Raising my head to look her in the eye, I answered her. "It's because even though I love figure-skating… I think I should devote more of my time to other things."
As she listened to my reply, Koori-Sensei stayed silent. When I finished, she smiled at me comfortingly. "Okay. I will speak to your otousan tomorrow, then!"
"No, Sensei!" I grabbed onto her arm beseechingly. Surprised, she looked down at my hands clasping onto her arm but I pushed on anyway. "Can you promise me that you wouldn't tell my otousan? He cannot know that I'm doing this..!"
"...Why, Ainiru?"
"It's because…" Muttering curses in my head, I stammered out, "It's because I'm trying to… train to become a pro-hero..!"
At my outburst, she stared at me confusedly. "I'm sure your otousan would understand.. I'm not sure why I would have to not tell your otousan.."
I exhaled deeply, feeling quite insecure that I had to explain my situation.
"My otousan… doesn't approve of me becoming a pro-hero even though I asked him so many times… So please, Koori-Sensei, please don't tell my otousan and just continue to receive the usual checks for my sessions!" I begged as I clasped my hands pleadingly.
She knit her lips in thought, mulling it over. I waited with bated breaths, hoping that she would go along with my suggestions even though she would be under fire by Otousan if he found out. While tying her pale blue hair back, Koori-Sensei breathed out, "I shouldn't be doing this…"
I looked at her keenly, with hope blossoming in my chest.
"...All right.. Ainiru. But I can't just receive extra money from you... How about I sign you a check for the remaining amount? ...You could just give it to your Otousan later."
YES! I mentally beat the air with imaginary fists in triumph.
"Thank you, Koori-Sensei! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise to make it up to you!" Without thinking, I hugged her tightly, my gratefulness exploding. She stiffened in total bemusement, then relaxed and patted my shoulder.
"It's the least I could do for you since I taught you for the last 6 years, Ainiru."
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The sun set gradually, its dusky glow casting everything around in shadows and filtered light. Beads of sweat trickled down my flushing face as I jogged for what felt like eternity. All I could hear was the stampeding of my feet on the asphalt.
At least one more, Aera! One more lap!
Coughing into my sleeve, I wearily sent more energy to my trembling legs. Trees slowly whizzed by me as I jogged falteringly on the pathway that winded its way through the park I was in. I tasted something like blood in my mouth but I ignored it.
..The time that Ainiru spends at the ice rink varies between 3-4 hours! Since I cut the sessions down, I can train for at least 3 hours a day! And if I push it, maybe 4 hours?
And for my quirk, I could… practice in my room! And maybe when I need to test myself, I could maybe… use the family gym room late in the night even though it's hella risky!
When I had arrived at the ice rink earlier, I noticed a nearby park in the vicinity. In the car, I had quickly improvised a shifty plan for my training on the spot.
From now on, I'm only going to spend an hour on figure-skating sessions, and sneak away to the park to train! That way, Ainiru's driver wouldn't notice me training and tell Otousan!
Wheezing, I arrived at a wooden marker that showed me that I had run about 8 kilometers. Shoot, what was the unit measurement for kilometers to miles again?
...In my world, I could run for at least 2 ¾ hours with breaks! But Ainiru… She could run for like, what, a 1 ½ hours?
I mean, I know that that is still very high stamina-wise, but it's hella annoying when I used to be better!
Anyway, training with my quirk is the most important thing! Stamina might not be a problem… which means I can just skip my usual TaeKwonDo exercises and just move on to using my quirk!
Crushing down an empty water bottle with both of my hands, I stopped to swing water from another one. Water trickled down my chin as I suddenly had a thought of a rare insight that my subconscious shoved at me. I wiped my chin, feeling as if a lightning had struck me.
Wait… if I do make it into UA, it would be better if I have all my fighting abilities practiced and ready!
...I'm so dumb! Why didn't I think of the villain attacks that Class 1-A have to go through!
Man, that means I will have to go through torture! Again!
I sighed while planting my feet apart on the emerald grass. Remembering the exercise processes that I had literally ingrained in my brain after so many hours in my Taekwondo gym, I reluctantly started with arm exercises, and planned to go through exercises of core, legs, and flexibility later.
As I went down on my arms and did a push-up, my arms trembled with the strain as I felt the blood rush to my face in exertion. Screaming inwardly from the pain, I collapsed on the soft grass, panting as my aching limbs gave out underneath me.
Ohmygoshthisissohard..! My sweaty palms slipped against the grass as I tried to shakily brace myself up again into a pushup stance. Ainiru has no arm strength at all!
Just do at least 10! No need to burn myself out in one day!
I moved on to exercising my legs, which was a little easier because Ainiru had some leg muscles from skating. Trying out squats first, I began to get lost in my thoughts.
...What am I going to do with the extra money? Should I just give it back to Otousan?
Nah, he doesn't need more money! There are tons of other people that need more help than he does! Plus, how am I going to play off the excuse of why I have extra money?!
..Or should I donate it to someone? Maybe an orphanage?
...Oh, wait! Shoot, I forgot about the tuition expenses of UA! I totally forgot!
..I should start saving up money for my tuition! I can't have UA present the tuition fee to Otousan!
Bothered by the fiery pain in my legs that grew more as I pushed on with my squats, I was soon unceremoniously yanked out of my reverie.
"Fudgemallow sticks! This is the limit?!" I rasped out, my knees burning like fire as I managed to squat down for the thirtieth time. Holding out on the pain, I put my hands on my knees, croaking for air.
I had literally 10 years of training under my belt in my world, but I'm starting out again! This is such a pain!
"Wow…I'm going -to- have a -hell- lot of -fun- trying to -catch- up…! At least, my kness are perfectly fine in this world."
Thank goodness that I have 2 ½ years left!
.
.
Three Days Later
As the bell rang, almost all my classmates deserted the classroom as they jostled and ran off to the student store to get their respective sweets.
I stared after them mournfully, being left alone as Momo went to a student council meeting since she was our usual class representative. Taking out my books instead from my locker inside the classroom, I slid over to my desk again.
Okay.. how to make sense of this…! Flipping open my thick Modern History book, I peered through it as I pushed aside all my other textbooks for other subjects. It was break time, and the need to stay afloat in my classes almost choked me nonstop, a remnant of the PTSD of my studying burn-out in my world.
Since I had come from a world with no quirks, it was natural that all this hero business was confusing to me. Whereas I had learned World and US history in my classes, my classmates had studied Japanese history, which also included heroes and their impacts on society.
Other than history and Japanese, I was whizzing through my classes. Which was a much-needed godsend because I needed to put all of my focus on training!
Technically, I'm not cheating. I mean, I did learn this by myself! It's just like a review! Studying and doing homework for now is a breez-
"You bitch!" A girl screamed out, her voice ringing right outside my classroom. I cringed while flipping over a page, extremely annoyed. A cat fight occurs! Right outside in my classroom! How great.
While trying to ignore the screaming, I expected another girl to fume against that person. But instead I heard a very hard whack, followed by a stream of gasping curse-words.
I stopped reading, scrunching up my eyebrows in confusion. Eh? That sounded as if someone was hitting something hard?! Like solidified plastic!
Standing up, I craned my head through the window. Through the classroom's windows that oversaw the hallway, I saw four girls.
One black-haired girl, who had bright gold crest feathers for eyebrows like a furious-looking penguin, was spitting out expletives while cradling her bruised hand.
As my eyes flickered downward to where the girls were glowering down at, the sight of the person kneeling on the floor and surrounded by the girls, made a lightning bolt of cold surprise bolt through me.
The person had a computer for a head, and a computer screen for a face.
..!
Props. Ignore. Admit later!
Everything else about the person was humanoid, and I realized the person was a girl, judging by her uniform and the emoticon that was on her face's screen. A girl with brown hair showed on the screen, with a pixelated teardrop sliding down on her face.
I narrowed my eyes, starting to be quite outraged for the computer girl. So what if she doesn't look human! They shouldn't be bullying anyone, hitting them, too!
...I have never seen a situation like this before! In my school in my world, the teachers were extremely strict on bullying!
Observing the hallway, I saw that no authority figure was there. Fudgemallow Sticks, what do I do?! I want to interfere but I don't want to confront anyone! I have no experience in these kind of things!
Blinking, I suddenly had a memory pop into view in my mind. Mind hardening with resolve, I made a split-second decision.
Sauntering through the doorway, I plastered on my face Ainiru's most bored facial expression. The girls turned to me, the main bully's face twisting unpleasantly as she saw me approaching.
...I should say something to make them think I'm not interrupting because of the girl!
I stopped in front of them, my lips curling with disapproval. "All of you are extremely loud. If you four need to bully someone, go do it somewhere else. Don't do it in front of my classroom."
Throwing her head back, the main bully burst into howling, mocking laughter. For a moment the other girls paused in indecision, but joined in.
"Yukimisaka, fuck off and mind your own business! Just because your uncle is the head of the school board, doesn't mean that you can fuck around!" The girl bit out in between her laughter, her feathers twitching with acerbity.
As if to show her point, she kicked at the computer girl, a metal clang resounding as her small heeled shoe collided with the girl's head.
Blasély, I stared at the main instigator of this situation. "Who are you? Do you know me? How do you even know that my uncle is the head of the school board? If you know that, then you should be grateful that I'm not reporting your disruptive behavior right now."
Eyes flashing with ferocity, the black-haired girl swelled up with rage. "Bitch, I told you to fuck off!" Drawing back her unscathed hand, her palm cut through the air toward my cheek.
She is so slow.
Within seconds, I caught her hand without even blinking an eye, and the girl yelped loudly as I wrenched her wrist back mercilessly.
"Yukimisaka! Kanake! Stop! What is going on!" I turned to my purple-haired English teacher while still clenching on to the girl's hand unforgivingly.
Murasaki-Sensei's eyes glanced down toward where the computer girl sat on the floor, but he didn't bat an eye. He instead moved on to chastise me.
Ignoring the teacher's rebuking, I almost scoffed out loud at the teacher's ignoring of the computer girl.
....Wow! How can a teacher not say anything to a student who looks like they got bullied!
"Murasaki-Sensei, they tried to hit me. All I did was just tell them to be quiet." I said innocently, stretching my face in a startled expression. I brazenly played the victim card as convincingly as I could.
"...What?! Kanake and you three, follow me! Now!"
"Murasaki-sensei?! You didn't even listen to my side of the story!" Kanake spat out. She glared at me while gnashing her teeth in temper. I merely raised my eyebrows at her, amused.
Of course, Murasaki-Sensei isn't going to listen to you! Even though my uncle isn't really close with me, he's still the head of the school board.
Unless Murasaki-Sensei doesn't want to be fired, then he will obviously be on my side….!
As Murasaki-Sensei marched off, I allowed a small smirk to come up on my face. I gave a two-fingered wave as Kanake glared daggers at me while reluctantly following Murasaki-Sensei with her posse.
Finally the hallway was mainly quiet with the noises of the incoming students from the student store. I pressed a hand to my chest, quietly sighing a breath of relief. Fudgemallow sticks, I thought my heart was about to burst!
Checking the time on Ainiru's luxuriant watch, I saw that it was almost time for the bell to ring and sighed.
Great! All my reviewing time is gone! ….But at least the bullying stopped..!
..How come Ainiru didn't interfere in any of the bullying at this school! She carries so much power in the hierarchy at this school!
If this happened to me in my school, I… admit that I wouldn't be brave enough to stand up for anyone. Unless I have power. Like Ainiru. But unlike her, I could stand my own in school fights!
I turned to the computer girl, who was still on the floor. I said softly, "You should get up now."
Her head bowing with its weight, the girl slowly got up from the floor. Letters were being typed out on her screen, and while watching her, I assumed that typing on her screen was the way she talked.
"...Thank you.."
I smiled slightly, feeling compassion making itself known. "No problem. You should go back before third period starts."
.
.
7 months later
With a sweep of my hair, I brushed away the cherry blossom petals that had fallen on my head. I was finally released from school. The sun was radiantly strong, the sky was blue with some hazy clouds.
As I walked out of the entrance with a few other students trailing behind me, I blinked at the sudden sunlight that hit me with much-needed warmth. Wow.. it's really warm today even though it's March!
It's almost the end of Ainiru's seventh year. Next year, I will be in eighth grade. Again.
The blossom-laden boughs of the cherry blossom trees planted next to my school swayed with a strong spring breeze, bringing another whirlwind of petals down on me.
Accidentally inhaling deeply right at that moment, I sputtered, my mouth suddenly full of flowers and pollen. Hacking out the buds loudly while drawing stares from everyone, I shook my head to dust off the petals again. Escape the petals!
Walking at an energetic pace, I set out for the most nearby subway station to go home. Ainiru's driver waited at the nearest station and all I needed to do was take the subway and ride the rest of the way home. In California, I had always used the city buses, so it was really unusual using the subway stations to get to my school.
Musutafu Metropolitan Mikatsushina Academy, which I had taken to calling it MMMA in my head, was right next to the public middle schools in the city of Musutafu, even though the academy was an expensive, rich-kids-only school.
As I lost myself in my blissful musings of my secretly-bought longboard, I was knocked out of my daydreams by a voice snarling out, "What was that, you fucking nerd!"
A crackle of something was heard, with another voice whimpering out a plea. Peals of contemptuous laughter erupted as a smoking backpack was flung out from the opening of the alleyway that was in front of me. It flopped onto the pavement with a wisp of ash.
Ah, my bully radar around my school just rings right on time! I've been expecting this!
Sprinting forward I grabbed the backpack as I skidded to a stop in front of the alleyway. Holding the backpack out, I yelled out, "Hey, you guys! Who are you—"
I stopped, speechless.
In front of me, deep inside the alley, a group of uniformed middle-schoolers were standing around a fallen student, who had very familiar green, messy hair.
The scuffed-up, very familiar boy turned to me while being in a collapsed state on the floor, his big innocent, green eyes widening at the sight of me.
His tormentor, also very familiar, whirled around to meet me, growling at my words. Red eyes flaring with lividity, with his pale blonde hair spiking up with visible acidity, he denotated small explosions to crackle around his hands.
….DEKU?!
….BAKUGOU?!
….WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY HERE?!
This is the rich-kids' school territory! Why are they here!?
I gawked at them in complete shock, almost unhinging my jaw to clatter to the floor at the sight of them.
...I thought they were kids from my school! Deku and Bakugo are from Aldera Junior High!
Their school is sort of close to my school, but all the other students in the area know not to cross into the rich-kids territory!
I knew that I was going to meet them someday, but not so SOON!
Sneering at me threateningly, Bakugo barked out, "Fuck off, you nosy elitist!" His two lackeys peeked behind him to look at me. Ah, he noticed my uniform!
….What should I do?! I already confronted them… it's unthinkable to back down now! Especially when I might meet them later!
As I tried to decide what to do, a scorching of indignation and anger sparked up suddenly in my chest. But it wasn't new to me. Because I had felt it when I watched and read the first chapter of My Hero Academia.
You know what? Change of plans. I want to try knocking Bakugo down a peg.
Standing to my full height and raising my head high, I slinged Deku's backpack over my shoulder with an arm. I ambled over to them, with a sly grin growing on my face.
Smoke arising from his palms, Bakugo emitted a red aura of rage as I ignored him. Mustering all the bravado and bullshitting skills I ever had, I stopped right in front of them.
Channel your inner spoiled rich-kid, Aera! You got this!
Jutting a thumb toward myself proudly, I announced in a clear voice, "This is my school's territory. And in my school, I rule over everyone. I don't need you to have a screaming fit out here just because some kid irritated you….So take your little victim and get the fuck out!" I then made a shooing motion with a hand.
Mentally, I was sweating from nervousness. I tried to reassure myself. Oh gosh, we sound like two rival gangs! ...If we fight physically, I guess I will be fine. I almost catched up to the blue belt level.
As I saw them up close, I noticed that Deku's face was rounder, with his freckles more prominent. Bakugo looked skinnier than he had been. It's as if I jumped on a time machine!
….Focus Aera, don't zero in on random details just because you are nervous!
I saw Bakugo's underlings shoot each other with a nervous look at my words. His mouth agape, Deku stared up at me in both astonishment and wariness.
Yep, they are probably scared that Bakugo's going to blow up at me. 5… 4… 3… 2–
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU FUCKER!" Bakugo roared explosively, his quirk reacting the same. Blanching internally as a small explosion gutted through my eardrums, I decided on a second's whim to evade this situation.
Fudgemallow Sticks, he's like a walking grenade! I can't handle this any more!
Heck with the law! Let's just use my quirk!
My quirk activated as an avalanche of something zingy and twangy rushed my senses and nipped through the bloodstreams of my limbs.
With a small goading smirk, I whipped out my hand and summoned a scintillating cerulean butterfly, which emerged out of my arm.
As I flicked my fingers slightly, the butterfly swooped through the air and absorbed itself into Bakugo's shoulder bag. Glowing circuit-board patterns glinted through the bag in seconds.
As expected, all the stitches on the bag were extricated with a pop, his pack falling apart. I allowed some of the thread to remain where they were, mercifully.
As everyone's attention was drawn to Bakugo, I immediately lunged forward and grabbed Deku's thin arm. Using another feature of my quirk, I "glitched" in time, making myself accelerate faster as I ran to the alley's opening. Panting, I dragged Deku to the side of the wall right next to the alleyway's opening.
As I scudded to a stop with Midoriya right beside me, I then peeped my head by the alleyway's opening. I saluted with two fingers to Bakugou and his gang, who were still inside. "I'll be removing your victim for you, so you could get the fuck out of here…!"
"COME BACK HERE, YOU INSECT BITCH!"
I let go of Deku's arm, looking frantically if the sidewalk police were around. With a sigh of relief, I saw that they were not there.
Which was unusual.
I turned to a blood-draining pale/blushing Deku, who was frozen and was going through an internal crisis by my side. He looked as if his soul had been exorcised from his body. Unslinging his backpack from my shoulder, I gave it to him, and he took it back hesitantly.
"And you. Try to stick up for yourself, okay? ..You better go before your "friend" comes again...!" Making quotation marks with my fingers, I grinned at him.
"-FUCKING DEKU! IF I SEE YOU TOMORROW, YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD-!"
"It's nice meetin' you and all, but I have things to do, things to see, so bye! Have a nice day!" Before he could answer, I spun on my heel to run ahead.
"W-wait! T-thank you...?" Midoriya stuttered out, stepping forward. Hearing him, I paused while in motion. Cupping my hands around my mouth, I turned around while walking backwards. "It's 'Misaka, Ainiru!"
As I ran ahead to the subway station, cursing in my head of how I had handled the situation while cringing at the bad image that I had projected, another message alert dinged in my view.
Damn it, I knew that Lady Imagination was the one orchestrating this! You could have at least given me heads up!
I scrunched up my eyes in total embarrassment.
….I'm the one making a fool out of myself in front of the main characters!
A/N: I think this chapter was kind of… boring in my opinion. I don't know about you guys but oh well.
Also, I think it would surprise you guys by the fact that Bakugo is my most favorite character in MHA, followed by Midoriya & Jirou, then Shoto. Long time ago, it used to be Deku in the first place, haha. :D When I was thinking about Ainiru's relationships with the canon characters, I thought about the rich kids in Class 1-A. Shoto and Momo got the pick.
Commentary:
I know that Tōya wasn't the type to make friends when he was young, so I racked my brain to find the reason how and why he and Ainiru became very close. If you scroll up and read what Otousan had said about Ainiru and switch the names with Tōya and Shōto, then I think it would be reasonable. I think Tōya saw himself in Ainiru. If you think about it, Ainiru and Tōya are kind of similar; they both were overshadowed by their younger siblings and they were really bitter over it. However, Ainiru got over it and went on with her life, which was by the strong help of her mom, unlike how Rei handled the situation with Tōya.
This is my scenario of how Endeavor and Otousan became friends in the first place: (I don't know how this makes sense but oh well)
When Endeavor was just starting out as a pro-hero, he needed people to support and invest in his agency. Endeavor needed connections to the old, snooty rich people, but they looked down on him because he was young. But Otousan, while being almost the same age as him, had strong connections with the rich because they knew him when he was little.
Otousan wanted to befriend Endeavor because 1) He was a pro-hero and had an agency 2) He had gone to UA, the ultimate hero-school that Otousan really had wanted himself and his sons to attend. Otousan was basically trying to make friends with Endeavor to create hero connections for his future sons.
Technically, they became friends with ulterior motives, but they soon realized that they were quite similar. They were both willing to go through the extreme to get to their goals. For example, Otousan and Endeavor both wanted a kid with a strong quirk but for different reasons, so they had gone through quirk marriages; Endeavor with Rei, Otousan with Daseul, Ainiru's mom.
Point out to me any weird factors in this explanation, please! I really like explaining stuff (Which is a problem in my writing, my sister tells me. She says that I often fall back to my default writing, which was "explaining".)
Special Thanks to GreyTwilight, Lilia-Mar, LimaLimon444 for favoriting this story...! And to the people followed: S123456 and kotono3..!
To Zachary Boyd:
Thank you for reviewing! Yep, I'm about to go into junior year..that's why I'm hoping that I would be able to juggle both writing and studying but it's going to be hard, haha. I really, really like your suggestions for Aera's pairing!
Any Thoughts:?
-I really, really want to know if I did all the canon characters justice in this fanfiction…! Rate from 1 to 10 for each character of how well I had nailed their personalities and actions please! (I have literally no confidence in writing out the canon characters before writing this chapter)
-Also, I want to know what you think of Aera's personality. I'm worrying about it.
Please review! At least a few words, please! I'm devoting hours to this fanfiction and it really lightens my heart to see my work appreciated!