I felt like Shouto and I had come to a better understanding. Shouto wanted to focus completely on improving his hero abilities and quirk while at school. With that in mind I'd give him the space he wanted without being hostile to him.
It wasn't without some level of dissonance though. I somehow still felt kind of disappointed. I know I shouldn't care as much as I do but it really bothers me that he was so adamant about isolating himself. If there's anyone who understands his situation, his goals and his feelings it is definitely me. After all, my father practically idolised Endeavour. He designed Yuta's training regime directly from Endeavour's advice. I'm sure mine and Shouto's experiences growing up weren't dissimilar. Perhaps he didn't see it that way. Maybe it had been so long since we'd seen each other that he felt like I would no longer relate.
After our first week of school had concluded, the realisation of why Shouto's decision had been bothering me so much hit me at night in the early hours of Saturday morning. Shouto didn't want someone to validate his experiences. He didn't need someone to relate to. He was independent and strong. However I on the other hand, did want this. I was the one who wanted to be understood, to be connected with. He had a confidence about him that defied such a need.
Once I came to terms with this realisation I did feel somewhat better. I compartmentalised my disappointment and made mental commitment to spend my energy elsewhere. I had become acquainted with a small group in our class: Ashido, Kirishima, Sero and Kaminari. Rather than looking for a connection with Shouto I'd work on building my friendship with them.
Anyway, for the immediate moment it wasn't Shouto's reluctance to be friends that was causing my the most distress. My immediate discomfort the moment was merely the process of getting into school! Upon learning that All Might had become a teacher, the media had begun to flood the school gates every morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Pushing through the crowd and dodging attempts at interviews was exhausting. I had even taken to getting an earlier train just so I could get through the horde in time for class.
Upon the Monday of our second week in, after a particularly difficult time getting into the school grounds, I slid the door of our classroom open roughly. The few classmates of mine who had already arrived looked up at me curiously. I entered the classroom, clearly frazzled from the experience of being hassled by journalists and photographers.
"Kazama-chan, are you okay?" Ashido asked from a few desks down, eyeing me as I made my way over to my desk to hang my bag. I slumped into my seat. I glanced to my left to where Shouto was already sitting before directing my attention to my pink skinned friend.
"Yeah, I just hate getting push around by the media. I wish they'd just leave already," I complained.
The rest of our class trickled in, finally followed by Aizawa. He wearily approached the front of the room before clapping his hands as he'd often done in the week before to silence us.
"Morning. Um... this is kind of sudden but I need you to choose a class president," he drawled. Much to his dismay, the class immediately erupted into please to be chosen for the role. My eyes widened at the response.
I hadn't thought that many people would be keen for the role. After all, to be the leader of such an amazing group of people would be a lot of pressure, right? Everyone else seemed to have such confidence in their abilities. It was chaos until Iida stood up abruptly from his seat.
"In this role you must carry and pull everyone else's weight. Just because you'd like to do it, doesn't mean you can! Simply shouting the loudest is not a reason to be the class president. The only way to be fairly selected is through a vote!" he asserted. I sat back in my seat, watching him so passionately state his case. His gestures are stiff and robotic.
"I don't really care how you do it. Just choose by the end of today," Aizawa said, slipping into his sleeping bag.
We went along with Iida's idea. He sourced a voting box while the rest of the class tore paper from their workbooks to write our votes. The class murmured lowly as we wrote down our choice for president. From over hearing the class it seems most people were voting for themselves. Would this method really be effective? I had no intention of voting for myself so at this rate, the results will be so flat that whoever I vote for will probably become the president. I twirled my pen as I thought about who to choose. To my left, Shouto spoke quietly to get my attention.
"Yume-chan, you don't want to be class president?" Shouto asked softly. He'd noticed my hesitancy to write a name. I looked over to him, surprised that he'd made a point of addressing me.
"No way. I wouldn't do the role justice. What about you?" I ask him. He considers my question.
"This kind of thing feels meaningless to me," he replied. I rest my chin in my hand. It made sense. Shouto was definitely not a team player. President wouldn't be suited to him and he knows it.
"No surprises there," I say giving him a small smile. I guess perhaps the results wouldn't be so flat after all. He said nothing is response, only studying my expression.
I turn back to look at my blank piece of paper. It was hard to make a decision. I didn't really know my classmates all that well so it was difficult to know who to choose as the president. I really had only just started becoming acquainted with Kaminari, Kirishima, Ashido and Sero but couldn't really choose who out of the four I would vote for. I briefly considered Iida but his stiff nature was off putting to me. Instead I found myself gazing around the classroom for inspiration.
My eyes land on Bakugo momentarily. If there's anyone with the confidence and commanding presence to be the class president it would surely be him. It's a shame he's got such an incredibly uncooperative personality. Like Shouto he's not exactly a team player. My gaze drifts to the person sitting behind him, Midoriya.
I considered him briefly. He certainly wouldn't normally be a choice for class president. At first encounter he came across as meek and timid. However in remembering his determined expression from the quirk assessments, perhaps that wasn't a fair assessment of him. He had after all also shown incredible grit during the combat training the week earlier.
I smirked as I considered that Midoriya was unexpectedly reckless and tenacious. From his fight with Bakugo he was also clearly a strategic thinker. Maybe he would continue to surprise us as a class president as well. The thought brought a grin to my face. He was as good a candidate as any, I guess.
With that my decision was made. I scribbled Midoriya's name down and stood up to place my vote in the box at the front. Shouto wasn't far behind me. We were among the last students to cast our votes. I stayed at the front to assist Iida with counting the votes. Writing the names and scores up on the blackboard at the front as he called them out.
"... So with that our president is Midoriya-kun with four votes and vice-president Yaoyorozu-kun with two," Iida announced, clenching his jaw. He seemed in pain that he wasn't chosen. I was admittedly surprised. I wondered who else had voted for our green haired classmate. Midoriya made his way to the front, his face void of colour. He was seemingly in disbelief he'd been chosen.
Bakugo in the meantime was fuming in his seat. His palms were faced down onto his desk. I subtly began removing the oxygen in the air around his hands thinking he might explode at any moment. Instead he spun in his seat to face the class.
"Which of you fuckers voted for him?!" he shouted. I stared him down unimpressed with his reaction but he didn't seem to notice. No surprises there I guess.
The rest of the morning classes went by without much event (outside of listening to Bakugo grumble on some occasions). Lunch arrive and I followed Ashido and the three boys out to the cafeteria.
"Ah man, I'm kind of disappointed I didn't get to be president but what can I do? I guess it might be interesting having Midoriya-kun as our president though," Kirishima said as we sat down to eat. I nodded in agreement.
"It'll be interesting to see how he turns out. With a quirk like his it's amazing he's come this far to be honest. His persistence must be impressive," I offer. I begin eating my noodles.
"You've got that right. Imagine what kind of monster he'll become if he gets that recoil under control," Kaminari said.
I continue to chat with the group while we ate. They were an entertaining bunch. Our breaks spent together was filled with a lot of laughter, particularly at Kaminari and Ashido's antics and stories.
As we neared the end of our lunch break I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I told them I'd meet them back at class. I walked through the hallways alone, weaving through the other students who wandered the campus until I found women's restrooms.
I was washing my hands when all of a sudden a loud siren began to ring.
'Security Level 3 has breached. All Students please evacuate' the announcement echoed through the bathrooms. A few upperclassmen nearby began to panic.
"Um... What does that mean?" I asked them. One of the girls looked to me.
"That means someone's infiltrated the school!" she replied. She frantically looked to her friends.
"We should get out of here," another said. They exited the bathroom quickly with me following not far behind.
It was a mistake to do so though. Immediately I was swept up by the horde of students that had begun pushing down the hallway. It was like a stampede. At only 155cm tall I was promptly knocked about by the taller students around me. I got shoved into the wall as everyone pushed their way through. I began to feel panic set in.
An elbow was sent into my stomach. I tried to free my arms to clutch my middle but I couldn't get my arms free. I felt like I was being crushed from all sides. I tried looking out for Ashido or anyone I know I could grab onto for help but there was no one in sight except for the horde of unknown students. More and more I was being shoved. I had thought the masses of media outside was bad but this was so much worse. A feeling of helplessness started to rise within me.
Suddenly, I felt a hand grab the collar of my blazer and I was pulled backwards amidst the bodies of the student cohort. I stumbled as I was pulled into the chest of my savior. I looked up to who had saved me from being crushed against the wall. My eyes meet those of Shouto's. I took a few moments to process what had happened.
"Thank you so much, Shouto-kun. I thought I was going to get crushed!" I cried. Amongst the chaos I hadn't even noticed he was nearby. A large older student pushed by us. I grabbed onto Shouto's forearm to stay put.
"Ah... no problem. You looked like you needed help," he said blankly. I held onto his arm tightly as we were pushed around. He wrapped his other arm around my shoulder. I felt myself flush as he pulled me in closer.
"Do you know what's happening?!" I asked him, pushing my embarrassment out of mind. Even without being against the wall it was a tight fit in this hallway.
"I overheard that the gates were breached..." Shouto replied.
Suddenly above us we see a figure spinning towards the hallway exit. My eyes widen as they focus on the body of our classmate, Iida Tenya. He slammed into the space above the doorway.
"There's not need to panic. It's just the media. Please act becoming of UA Students!" he shouted. Of course it would be the media. That made sense given how desperately they'd been asking to speak to All Might. Murmurs of relief were heard amongst the crowd in the hallway. The pushing and shoving subsided.
I took a deep breath, releasing my grip on Shouto's arm. I look up to him, shooting him an appreciative smile.
"Thanks again... I uh... guess even if we're not friends it's good to know you're still reliable," I say to him. I watched him avert his gaze.
Was he uncomfortable? Was that not the right thing to say? I had been trying to show that I was respecting his wishes by making it clear I didn't intend to force a friendship upon him.
We made our way back to class. I slid open the door and entered with Shouto not far behind me. I took note of Aizawa's figure in the sleeping bag at the front of the room. I caught up with Ashido and the boys who'd managed to arrive before me.
"Kazama-chan, are you okay!? We looked out for you but couldn't find you in the crowd," Ashido exclaimed.
"Yeah I'm okay. I took an elbow to the stomach but no real injuries," I said, waving my hand dismissively. Shouto walked past me to his seat at the back of the room.
"What about you guys?" I asked, Ashido and I sat on Sero's and Kirishima's desks as we chatted before class started. The four of them confirmed they'd been uninjured. Our attention was drawn to the front of the class when Midoriya nervously called for out attention.
"Um... e-excuse me everyone," he stuttered. We looked up to our cowering classmate. Once he had our attention he continued.
"I-I think after what happened just now, Iida-kun might be a better option for class president after all," he said. I guess he's got a point. I reconsidered my initial judgement of Iida. He had single handedly calmed the hundreds of students who had been condensed in that hallway just now. If was a true show of leadership. I raised my hand.
"I agree. I think he'd be a good fit," I say. Midoriya sent me a nervous smile while Iida looked between us lost for words.
"I think so too! It was impressive crowd control you did back there Iida-kun," Kirishima said.
A wave of agreement could be heard amongst the members of our class. Aizawa began to emerge from the sleeping bag.
"Look, I don't really care. Just choose someone," he said, clearly exasperated. With that request, we settled with Iida as our class president.
I made my way back to my seat for class to start, ultimately happy with the outcome. While it would have been interesting to have Midoriya as our class president, I guess I could see how Iida would be fitting.
I glanced over at Shouto who was staring off to the front of the room, seemingly bored. I smirked to myself. He really didn't care about this did he? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.