As Kenji Tsuragamae adjusted his black-and-white spotted tie, he began to realize just how dumb and sick of a joke it really was. Not just the tie, but everything. Then an odd thought crossed his mind:

If you're mad at the world, the whole world, are you also mad at yourself?

He licked the side of his cheek and ruffled around his old jowls. And just as he lowered his head and closed his eyes, the doors of the elevator opened.

Toshinori Yagi's office looks bigger than he remembers. Right, this is a new office. He'd just moved in at the start of the summer. It was much nicer than the last one, a lot nicer than Kenji's own office…

To his left he was surprised to find the warmth of the rising sun out the spotless room-wide window overlooking the U.A. campus. Kenji still had no idea what "U.A." stood for. At this point, he felt it better to keep it a mystery… mystery…

"Hrmph," Kenji groaned with every step forward.

There he sat, in his oversized armchair, bright as that rising sun despite his frailty; the old Symbol of Peace, All-Might, Toshinori Yagi, friend.

"Kenji, I… please," he politely waved to the chair facing him as he rose and walked to the right end of the office to check on his tea. And stared at it.

Kenji sat in the chair, a very comfortable chair, and stared out the window at campus. Across the way, past a line of trees, he could see the roofs of the dormitories.

Toshinori was still staring at the teapot.

"Is everything alright, Toshinori?"

"I suppose I'm not quite in the mood for tea."

His booming voice was so calming as he brought it down.

"I talked with Shouta and Hizashi," he said as he walked back to his seat.

As warm as he was right now, under a suit and fur and the summer sun…

Kenji tried to find something to say, like scrabbling around a bucket of phrases written on strips of paper. But they were all blank.

…

"Shouta told me he'll be at Central Hospital every day if he has to."

It was Friday. Nearly three days since the incident that lead to the discovery of Oboro Shirakumo's evident survival and whatever he'd suffered at the hands of a mad doctor, who'd now been identified as Kyudai Garaki.

Kenji Hikiishi was in custody and wouldn't be let out until the police had decided if she was innocent or not. She'd answered everyone's questions. She was firmly not an accomplice but the fact that she'd taken years to finally put a stop to Garaki's crimes was suspect, and something that the police would hold in front of everyone's faces as proof of her being a villain.

Kenji Tsuragamae spent as much time as he needed with Shouta and Hizashi at the hospital…

Toshinori shifted his gaze to Kenji, his eyes still out the window, and followed him. It was a pleasant day…

"Garaki," he said, poison on his lips, "he was a close associate of All For One. It pains me that we didn't investigate this sooner."

"They told me his body had disappeared from the mortuary. I assume All For One had agents within. But none of that matters now."

Even though All For One had been defeated, although he could no longer hurt anyone, his shadow still loomed over all their heads. The pain he and his followers caused never quite went away. And proof of that was right here, disturbed from its tomb on a sickly Tuesday night.

Toshinori lowered his head, hiding his eyes.

"You… wanted to speak with me about something, Kenji?"

Kenji could plainly hear his voice shaking. He gripped his knees, the veins on his hands made just as plain.

"Midoriya and the others."

Toshinori lifted at that and loosened the grip on his knees—

"How are they?"

"Managing. I've made sure they've arrived safely in Fukuoka. I trust Midoriya will manage without my supervision."

"He's… certainly taken a liking to you. I won't lie, I do feel a bit envious he didn't ask me to tag along."

"Don't push yourself, Toshinori. It's a big event. I trust you'd do better to keep your privacy. And theirs."

Toshinori sat up straight and fiddled with his hands, taking notice at the veins popping. He took in a heavy sigh and turned once again to the sun. Then he smirked.

"Yet you agreed," he said.

"I still think the boy needs help. And I don't particularly trust any of the others to act the adult… except Iida."

"Will you be making it to Fukuoka tomorrow?"

Kenji silently nodded.

"I do wish I could attend," Toshinori rubbed his chin, "but… you're right. I also wouldn't want to draw attention away from the Pussycats."

…

"The Safety Commission is talking about upping security at the concert," Kenji said.

"I know, Hawks told me."

"So the rumors are true? That'll be exciting. And Endeavor?"

"Endeavor promised me he'd take care of the situation with Garaki."

Toshinori smiled plainly at that. It was rare to see him smile when talking about Endeavor. Kenji would never admit it to anyone, but he found it heartwarming.

"And about Garaki," Toshinori said, dropping the smile, "I can't help but feel he's responsible for the Nomu. The Shigaraki connection, through All For One. Who knows how many more of those things are out there?"

"Is that why you had Endeavor on this case?"

"Him and Mirko," Toshinori nodded, "no students, of course. I have my reservations but… if you weren't with them, they'd be in a lot more trouble—"

"I'd say go easy on the kids," Kenji bowed his head, "if it weren't for their help, none of this would've come out."

Toshinori's hand went back to his chin.

"It's strange, really. I'll have to have a talk with Midoriya when he arrives back…?"

"Monday. Tuesday at the latest. The Commission agreed to give them a deadline. I just… didn't want them to miss out."

Toshinori smiled again, looked out the window again. For someone so much larger than life, he was such a simple and predictable man with such a boring, routine life. Kenji began thinking about the double life Pro Heroes always seemed to live. Being split in half, sometimes in three-fourths or even more unevenly. How little time Hawks had to be Keigo Takami.

Kenji tapped his finger against the arm of the chair, the force of every tap being absorbed by the pillowy padding. So quiet that Toshinori might not be able to hear it.

He cleared his throat. That he heard.

"And one other thing," Toshinori said, "this Hikiishi fellow? You trust him?"

"Her. And yes, I do. I owe her our lives."

"I see… I believe we all owe her an apology. I understand if she was too afraid to say anything before, and even after All For One was defeated. I'll do everything I can to convince the police and the Commission. You have my word."

Kenji felt his expression lie blank and numb, then moved to shut his eyes and bow his head.

Even though they had always been contemporaries, there were times Kenji looked up to All-Might just as the kids did. In his mind, All-Might was the true embodiment of a hero. Someone he was proud to call his friend. Someone he was proud to call by his name.

"Thank you, Toshinori."