Todoroki's POV-

There was a girl when I was younger who wanted to be a hero more than anything. When I asked her why she would always shrug and tell me, "What's better than making sure everyone gets to come home to their families?"

I couldn't understand her. The only person I would want to come home to would be my mother. I didn't think she would understand me, but she had a way of seeing right through me.

We often went on playdates, but I know now those meetings were more than just mere playdates. I was to marry that girl when we were older because her quirk was unlike any other.

Only, I was always on playdates with the wrong girl.

Haru's POV-

"Why…Why…," I asked in my seat as tears began to fill my eyes.

Why does he keep hurting himself like this?!

I stood up.

I have to do something!

"What are you going to do?"

"Huh?"

"You're planning on going out there, aren't you?"

She was right. There was nothing I could do. I can't interfere with their match physically, but maybe I could try to get through to him with my words.

I couldn't just stand there in the infirmary waiting for him to be carried in on a stretcher.

"Yes…," I replied, surprising her by not backing down or making excuses. "I'm going there."

Todoroki's POV-

I had nothing left for me at home after my mother was sent away. I wanted to run, but I had nowhere else to go.

A few weeks after the incident with my mother, my father received a call that would change what little I had left to keep me sane. I lost my first love and my future wife.

Did you think they were the same person? No, they were identical twins.

The playdates were supposed to be between me and my bride-to-be, but the family always seemed to mix up the twins. The girl I grew to love wasn't who I was arranged to marry and she was content with that because she was selfless, empathic, and so much more than words could justify.

I remember thinking for weeks that she couldn't be dead. She had so much she wanted to do. She was going to be a hero and now she can never be.

That kind of fate isn't fair.

Her name was Fujiwara Tsuki-Yuki.

Haru's POV-

That green idiot…he must think Recovery Girl will just heal him…

I slipped through the entranceway for the bleachers, my classmates all looking over at me in surprise.

"Sunny? Why are you here and out of breath?" Tokage asked. I pushed past her to lean against the railing and take in what I missed while I was on my way here. Midoriya was using his broken fingers to fight and his left arm was broken and covered in ice.

I noticed while watching in the infirmary that Midoriya was getting his injuries from his own quirk and not Todoroki. This meant one of two things: either he can't control his quirk or his quirk can only be used if he pays a price.

It was surprising to me that he could still stand to fight with injuries like that, but it was obvious he was in fight-or-flight mode. From my trained eye, I could tell that he wasn't going to recover after one session with Recovery Girl. The fingers on his right hand were getting progressively worse the longer this match went and the more he used them to fight.

Why is he doing this…? Does he want to win that badly…? Even if he wins…he won't be able to fight in the next match…

I tightened my grip on the railings, trying to hold myself back from jumping down there and putting an end to this fight. I couldn't understand why Cementoss and Midnight weren't stopping the match. This was just too cruel to watch.

Midoriya used his cheek and right thumb to send off another attack.

"Midoriya-kun! Stop it already!" I shouted, taking my classmates by surprise and even my class' rivals next door. This was a good example of what I hated in heroes. They keep fighting even when they're injured. They keep fighting even if they might die or are already on the brink of death. "MIDORIYA-KUN!"

That's when Todoroki surprised me. I had thought his quirk was ice, but the left side of his body was on fire. I had to cover my face to block off the wind and heat.

H-He has two quirks? Why hasn't he used it before? It looks more like he's winning so why is he going all out now?

"Please…no more…," I cried softly. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me comfortingly. From the scent, I could tell it was Tokage.

"Don't look…," she told me, turning my shoulders so I could bury my face in her chest. "…it'll only upset you more…Haru."

There was so much I didn't understand, but I wanted to understand. I wanted to so badly, but there was something holding me back. There was something that separated me from everyone else. I wasn't at the starting line. I was still just getting there while everyone already started.

I pushed out of her embrace in time to see Midoriya and Todoroki charging at each other while Cementoss threw up walls in an attempt to halt the two, but they were too strong for Cementoss' walls.

A powerful gust erupted from the collision and debris flew. Tokage grabbed me to make sure I didn't fly away while I tried my best to shield my face enough so I could see the arena. The tears I was shedding were being wiped away by the gust.

I waited in anticipation as the dust began to settle. In a minute, it was clear to see who the winner was and who the loser was.

"Haru wait!" Tokage shouted as I pushed myself away from her. I could tell she was being serious with me since she wasn't using her nickname, but I didn't have time to wait.

Midoriya was hit against the wall and his body was sliding down to the ground. The responsible thing to do would be to head straight to the infirmary, but I was beyond any rational way of thinking. I climbed over the railing and jumped. Shiozaki managed to react in time to use some of her vines to cushion my landing.

"Thank you, Shiozaki-san!" I shouted, hopping off her vines as I ran over to the collapsed Midoriya.

"Midoriya-kun, can you hear me?" I asked, falling onto my knees beside him as the stretcher robots came. "Just grunt if you can hear me!"

He was silent so I checked his pulse, relieved it was still keeping a steady beat. I stepped back for the robots to get him onto the stretcher. I ran alongside them all the way to the infirmary where Recovery Girl was ready to give him an x-ray before we stabilized him.

She dealt with his arms while I dealt with putting a splint on his left leg. He woke up after we fed him one of Recovery Girl's candies though he was in too much pain to speak coherently.

Once All Might arrived, Recovery Girl explained the treatment to Midoriya while I stood beside her with my clipboard held close to my chest. "The bones in your right arm were shattered… It'll never be the same as it was before… We'll need to remove the pieces of bone to make sure they don't stay in your joints. I'll heal you after that."

I was too speechless to say anything. In fact, I haven't said a word since Midoriya woke up. I didn't know how I was feeling or how I should talk to Midoriya in this situation. I was mad, relieved, and upset all in one.

Recovery Girl looked at me before sighing, "To push and light a fire under a child who would destroy his body this much for what he yearns for…I don't like it. You're going too far. You, and this boy. You can't praise him for this."

Before All Might could respond, the door slammed opened to reveal a few students from class 1-A eager to know of Midoriya's condition.

"You're all so noisy," Recovery Girl complained.

"Everyone…," Midoriya managed to say through the pain. "…what about the next match?"

"Since there was a lot of damage to the stage, they're taking a break to repair it," the boy with glasses explained.

"That match earlier was scary, Midoriya…," a short boy said. "What pro is going to want that?"

"I don't like your style of rubbing slat into his wound," a girl who reminded me of a frog said, sticking her tongue to the boy.

"But it's true!" the boy retaliated.

"Be quiet, now!" Recovery Girl said, trying to shoo everyone out in my place since I was giving the silent treatment. "I know you're worried, but I've got to do surgery now."

"Surgery?!" they shouted.

"Go on now, get out of here," Recovery Girl repeated.

"I'm sorry…," Midoriya said to All Might. "I couldn't do what you asked… If only I hadn't said anything… It's because I said that to Todoroki-kun…that I…"

I had this incessant urge to punch Midoriya in the face, but I reframed from doing so because he was in bad condition. Instead, I dulled my urge by helping to get the back room set up for surgery.

"You were trying to get him to realize something…"

There was another strange feeling coursing through my veins that wasn't as easily identifiable as anger, relief, and despair.

"It's true… Todoroki-kun looked so sad…that I meddled when I didn't need to… But that's not it. More importantly, back then…I was just…frustrated. I couldn't see in front or around me… I'm sorry."

"It's true that it was a regrettable result. Saying what you did was foolish won't change that. But you know, meddling when you don't need to…is the essence of being a hero."

Meddling…is the essence of being a hero…?

"Asano-chan, it's time," Recovery Girl said to me as I tied my hair into a ponytail. I nodded and pulled on a surgical gown, cap, gloves, and mask.

Once Midoriya was brought to the surgical room and Recovery Girl suited up, I began to unwrap his arms. He was still awake and not saying a word to me. He was avoiding my gaze, but I caught him looking at me a few times only for him to turn away in what appeared to be fear.

I laid his right arm on a secure table and sectioned it off with a curtain so he wouldn't be able to see. I switched sides with Recovery Girl so she could finish prepping his right arm while I looked for a vein in his left arm to put the IV line in. Once that was secure I clamped something on his finger that monitored his heartrate on a machine.

Now…the grand finale…

I pulled out a gas mask while Recovery Girl glared at me for not talking him through what I was doing. I wasn't going to budge with my vow of silence

In my place, she explained how I was going to put him under now.

"Just relax. It'll all be over when you wake up," she told him as I secured the mask to his face.

He stared at me as I did this and I couldn't handle looking at him in this state. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the anesthesia kicked in and rendered him unconscious.

"Everything is good on my side," I reported.

"Asano-chan…you'll be performing this procedure."

"What?!" I shouted. "I-I've only practiced on animals and simulations! I only saw a few videos on extractions, but they were nothing like this. I don't think shadowing even counts as concrete experience!"

"You can do it."

"…what?"

"You seem to care about him a lot, so you won't mess up, right?"

Recovery Girl's POV-

I've watched over her more than she realizes.

I knew she never meant any harm when she healed Midoriya's arm that day, but I couldn't risk her using her quirk on others. She told me of the incessant fear she has of using her quirk on humans, but she long forgot why she was afraid. She figured it was the feeling of losing control of her quirk, but she didn't seem convinced herself.

Nezu told me she was afraid of killing people, but to neither of our knowledge she hasn't killed anyone. It was in Asano's best interests that we didn't remind her why her hands always shook and her lips trembled when faced with her quirk.

Asano was special. I could tell from the moment I met her when she was still in elementary school. She can see things others can't, but she doesn't seem to see anymore. Most of the adults pushed it off as her overactive imagination, but I know it wasn't.

She didn't use any of Midoriya's stamina that day. I don't understand what she did, but her quirk is something beyond my own capabilities. I just need to figure out a way to cultivate and shape that power into something that could compete with even the Fujiwara clan.

This begged the question: how was she able to use her quirk on Midoriya despite her fear?

"Scalpel," she ordered and I handed her it. "Beginning the incision now."

Good…a nice and clean cut…

Asano was going to grow up fine, despite Nezu's worries.

Haru's POV-

Recovery Girl tried to calm me down after I finished stitching together the initial incision. I did the best I could with what I had and knew along with Recovery Girl's guidance. She told me that she would have done just the same as I had and even reasoned that his hand was beyond restoring, but why did things have to end like that?

There is nothing more we can do to restore Midoriya's hand to its former glory just like how there was nothing left that could be done to save All Might. If Midoriya was the successor of One For All, then I don't want him to end up like All Might. I don't want Modoriya to be broken.

"Kiss!" Recovery Girl said, puckering up as she kissed Midoriya's cheek once the anesthesia wore off. "I've healed you enough to allow you to walk for now." We already relocated him back to the infirmary bed before he woke up and All Might was brought back in to see how Midoriya was doing.

He was breathing heavily, more so after the kiss than before it. He must have felt burdened to have an old lady kissing him. He averted his gaze from Recovery Girl only to be surprised by the state of his hand. "Oh…?"

"That's what you get for overusing it so much in a short period of time," Recovery Girl explained while I fixed my hair back down and cleaned my hands in the nearby sink just to keep myself occupied and turned away from Midoriya. I didn't want him to see the guilty look on my face. "You should think of that crooked right hand as a warning. In addition, I will not heal injuries like this anymore. You must find a way for him to use his power in a way that isn't so self-destructive!"

I wanted to turn and shout in dismay at how reckless that statement was for her to say, but there was some truth to her words. He will become too reliant on healers and too reckless in battles if things continued like this.

"…" Before All Might could reply Recovery Girl spoke again.

"Now give these two some privacy already," Recovery Girl scolded, pushing All Might out of the room. She closed the door behind her, leaving Midoriya and me dumbfounded at what just happened. We stared at each other from two opposite sides of the room.

Correction, Midoriya looked at me and immediately turned away. I didn't have an angry nerve left in me anymore. I was just relieved he was alright now and guilty that I messed up his hand.

I walked over to him and pulled up a chair by his bed. Neither of us said a word. I stared down at my lap while he stared off to the side.

"S-Sorry!" he stammered after what felt like hours. I shot my head up to look at him in what I thought was confusion, but apparently wasn't. "I-I want to talk to you face to face…b-but the look on your face…is too…s-scary…" His sweat glands seemed to be on overdrive. Now that I think about it, he seems to sweat a lot.

…what face have I been showing him this whole time?

I rubbed my face, trying to loosen it up. He laughed painfully before grabbing my wrist with his right hand. "It's alright…why do you look so sad now?"

"…sorry…," I mumbled loud enough for him to hear as I averted my gaze down to his hand which was still holding my wrist comfortably at his side.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"…I…was the one who performed the surgery…your crooked hand…is my fault…"

"Y-You're already performing surgeries?!" His outburst didn't make me feel any better. "S-Sorry!" He shifted awkwardly, releasing my wrist in the process. "…it's not your fault… You heard Recovery Girl, I did this to myself…sorry I didn't keep our prom-"

I punched him in the face.

"Sorry Midoriya-kun! I-I didn't mean to do that!" I guess there were still a few angry nerves left in me.

"I-It's fine," he said through tears as his cheek swelled. "Y-You're a lot stronger than you l-look."

I treated his cheek, continuously apologizing for hitting him. "I'm really sorry! I-I don't know…what came over me…"

"I figured something like this would happen after I saw how ticked off your face looked…though I thought it would be along the lines of scolding…," he mumbled that last part to himself. "I'm just glad…"

"Huh?"

"You're talking to me. I thought you weren't going to talk to me ever again," he said, relieved.

I crossed my arms, looking away from him shyly. "…the day is still young…"

"Eh?!"

"Besides…why did you do that? I've been trying to wrap my head around it…but I can't… Why would you put yourself at risk like that?"

"I wasn't planning to at first…"

"At first?"

"Mm, Todoroki-kun just looked really…sad. He's been living by resenting his father for years now. I just wanted him to see that…he has the right to make his own choices. He didn't want to be a hero like his father, but he isn't his father. This whole time he wanted to be a hero, but he acted as if he was only here to fulfill his father's wishes and spite him in the process. If I didn't help him to realize what he truly wanted…I could have won."

"…"

I'm only here to fulfill my uncle's wishes…but I've never resented him…I think.

"Haru-chan?"

"Sorry, I zoned out for a second… I was scared though. I wasn't the one fighting and yet…it hurt to see you like that…" I watched as Midoriya's face turned red. "I knew I couldn't do anything to help and yet I ran out to the stadium. I thought…I foolishly thought I could talk some sense into you…but you didn't seem to register anything but Todoroki-kun."

"Sorry…for making you worry."

"You say sorry too much," I mumbled, wiping my eyes once I felt something wet fall down my cheeks. "I don't know why, but…I feel so weird whenever I'm around you…"

"…I don't know how I'm supposed to take that…"

"Me neither," I replied, managing to calm myself down. I took his crooked hand in the both of mine, mindlessly tracing the scars as I looked at him dead in the eyes with my slightly puffy ones. "I just know…everything feels right when I'm with you."

Midoriya's POV-

A c-c-confession?!

My heart was racing faster than ever at this point. I could feel steam coming out of my ears as my beet red face began to drip with sweat.

"H-Haru-chan," I started, trying to figure out how to respond to her. I've only just started to get to know her. I have no clue if I even have feelings for her. Before I could tell her to give me time to respond to her feelings, she flinched and reached into her pocket to pull out her outdated pink phone.

"Sorry, I need to take this…," she told me before she left the infirmary.

Haru's POV-

I felt a vibration in my pocket and pulled out my phone to see my uncle calling me. I excused myself from the room and stepped out into the hall to answer. I didn't get a chance to accept the call though because I was too shocked to see All Might and Recovery Girl holding cups to their ears as I opened the door.

I quickly closed it behind me. "W-What are you two doing?"

The two were blushing as All Might averted his gaze from me.

"I-I'll go check on him," he said, entering the infirmary.

"W-Were you two listening in?" I accused, embarrassed as she nodded.

Honestly…

"Hello?" I said into the receiver of my phone after hitting accept.

"Sorry for the late notice, but I'm coming home late tonight! Don't wait up for me after the festival!"

"Okay…but what about-"

"Get home safe, Haruka!"

He hung up on me before I could really say anything. I flipped my phone shut, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Midoriya and All Might left together to watch the rest of the matches. I didn't know why, but Midoriya couldn't maintain eye contact with me again only this time his face was also turning red. Recovery Girl assured me that my face wasn't irked in the slightest.

Kirishima and the rude boy I learned to be named Bakugo began their match by the time I focused my attention back to the TV screen.

"T-That guy…is really something," I remarked, getting ready to welcome Kirishima back to the infirmary.

"I'm going to step out. You can handle things here, right?" Recovery Girl asked me.

I nodded, puzzled as to why she needed to leave, but I waved it off as her visiting the other stadiums or going to the restroom.

"Just get some rest and watch the match from here," I told an injured Kirishima who wanted to watch the rest of the festival from the stands.

"You already patched me up and gave me some gummies!" he complained, trying to overpower me with his strength. Maybe if he wasn't injured and his stamina wasn't depleted throughout the festival he might have, but that wasn't the case.

I pushed him back against the bed and put my hands on my hips. "Don't make me restrain you! This is a doctor's order!"

Even though I'm not a doctor yet...

"Restrain me?"

"I'll let you go back after the next match alright? Just give your body some time to relax," I sighed, falling into a seat beside his bed. Thankfully he respected my wishes and stayed in the infirmary.

The next match was Tenya Iida versus Todoroki Shoto.

Todoroki-kun…isn't going to hurt that Tenya guy like he did Midoriya-kun…right?

I watched as Tenya managed to land a kick on Todoroki's back.

No…Midoriya-kun's injuries weren't from Todoroki-kun…at least not until the end of the match when they collided, but he was already banged up pretty badly before that.

Tenya grabbed ahold of Todoroki and dashed for the boundary lines in an attempt to throw him over it. Key word here, attempt.

Todoroki froze Tenya's engine and in a matter of seconds the rest of his body until he was completely immobilized.

He didn't use his flames? Maybe it's a special move…or it has bad repercussions? He hasn't come to the infirmary for treatment though…

"I can go now, right?" Kirishima asked, breaking me away from my thoughts.

Remembering our deal, I nodded and soon enough I was left alone in the infirmary to watch the next match: Bakugo versus Tokoyami. It was an interesting match-up to say the least. Tokoyami seemed to fight with the aid of a dark being while Bakugo seemed to just break through any obstacle in his path.

And that's just want Bakugo did this round.

"Todoroki-kun is against him…I can't really predict who will win. Todoroki can manipulate ice and fire so there is no type disadvantage against the explosions this guy has. It could be a deciding match based on strategy or endurance."

I stood up and ran to the door.

"I need to see this!"

I stopped myself when I grabbed the handle. A part of me wanted to go and watch this final match in person, but I couldn't leave the infirmary unattended.

"Ah…that's right…the infirmary…"

I let go of the doorknob and made my way back to my seat in front of the monitor. This is the first time I've spent an entire sports festival cooped up in a room instead of out where the action was. This was the first festival I've spent without my uncle.

Like most families, there are certain traditions or things that should be done every year because that's just what you do. For me, watching the festival with my uncle, having yakisoba under the cherry blossoms during the break, and finishing off the festival with the best caramel apples I've ever had was our tradition.

This is just another reminder that nothing lasts forever.

I frowned, remembering that tonight I would be dinning alone.

Maybe I should buy something after the festival is over for dinner…

The fight began with Todoroki using brute force to push out a large quantity of ice while Bakugo knocked every single fragment away until he was eventually surrounded by ice, unable to be seen.

"Todoroki-kun is trying to finish this fast…that or this is his way of being defensive… If Bakugo-san gets too close to him it'll be a problem… Maybe he is just trying to finish this. He could always counter with fire if Bakugo-san does get close…"

I didn't doubt Bakugo for a second as he broke his way through his ice prison. Bakugo throws Todoroki towards the boundary line, but he is able to save himself and ride around on his ice wall. Todoroki looked about ready to use his left side, but something stopped him and he settled with just tossing Bakugo.

Compared to Midoriya and Shinso's match, I was paying more attention to every detail I could.

Todoroki-kun's ice…is starting to get on his face… I wonder if his body is able to handle cold temperatures…or perhaps just his right side can?

The ice on his right side began to melt away as his left side lit up in flames. Bakugo was ready to face off against him until Todoroki extinguished his flames and took the blast from Bakugo at the last possible second.

The winner was determined to be Bakugo Katsuki.

"Todoroki-kun…" I said, shocked at the outcome of this match. It was obvious to anyone that Todoroki was not giving it his all and Bakugo was visably upset about that. Todoroki appeared to be unconscious as Bakugo grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and shook him to get some answers. Midnight used her quirk to put Bakugo to sleep as the robots came to pick up the injured boys.

"Todoroki-kun is out of bounds, which means, Bakugo wins!" Midnight announced.

I could understand why Bakugo would be upset. For all he knew, Todoroki deemed him unworthy of using his left side on. It was like Bakugo didn't truly earn his spot at the top.

Recovery Girl came back in time to help me with the two boys.

"Done," I said more to myself than anyone in particular once I wrapped up Todoroki's left arm.

"Asano-chan, I'm going to get Cementoss," Recovery Girl told me. "…before he wakes up."

I nodded, knowing she was referring to Bakugo who would most likely throw a fit once he regains consciousness.

I leaned back in my seat, pulling out Todoroki's chart to fill out awhile I supervised the two boys.

Todoroki-kun…he said he was born to fulfill his father's wishes… Quirk marriages…I've heard of them before from school…but…it's never bothered me as much as it did coming from Todoroki-kun.

I looked over at him.

Todoroki-kun…we've…

I absentmindedly reached over to push aside a few strands of his hair.

…never met before…right?

His eyes shot open and my wrist was seized and tugged past him as he sat up. I almost fell onto his lap, but I managed to catch myself by releasing my clipboard to free my other hand and grip the side of the bed.

"T-Todoroki-kun," I stuttered, embarrassed that I was caught touching his facial region again.

"…do you have a thing for faces?" he muttered, his grip relaxing around my wrist as I pulled myself away from him.

"No…you seem to be feeling okay." I took one of his arms and felt his pulse before checking his temperature with his consent. "Strange…"

"What?"

"N-Nothing!"

His temperature is normal…I thought it would be cold on one side and hot on the other.

"You're lucky you didn't get badly injured," I told him, remembering Bakugo's final attack.

"I used my ice to soften the blow and the landing," he responded.

I wonder if he could have prevented himself from flying out of bounds…or if just chose to cushion his landing after he pasted the line.

I examined Todoroki's face as he stared down at his palms. The Todoroki now and the one before the festival were completely different. Before he was cold and hard to approach, but now he seemed lost.

I wanted to say something to him to quell the unease in his eyes, but what could I say to make him feel better? I barely knew him.

I tried to change the subject to something that's been bothering me since he first introduced himself. "Todoroki-kun…"

"Hm?" He looked over at me in acknowledgement with his neutral face that oddly looked more sad than devoid of emotions. I guess he couldn't hide his confusion completely from his features.

I picked up the clipboard I dropped and awkwardly held it close with my arms. "Hav-"

I was cut off by the door slamming open just as Bakugo regained consciousness and started shouting. Cementoss managed to restrain Bakugo in a way that seemed cruel and yet necessary.

How can a guy like that aspire to be a hero?

I'll never understand a guy like him.

"Good work today!" class 1-B's homeroom teacher said.

"As if," Monoma muttered.

"Class 1-A completely dominated," Tokage added.

"Ah, Asano-chan, you seem to be really close with that plain-looking guy from that class too," Monoma calmly said to me despite the vein that was pulsating on his temple. "Jumping over the ledge like that."

"It's a part of her job to worry about people," Kendo defended.

"No, I found her eating lunch with him earlier," Tokage retorted.

"Is it wrong for us to be friends?" I asked.

"Right! Kirishima and me are close!" Tetsutetsu shouted.

"You two just share a similar quirk…," Rin reasoned.

"Quiet down everyone...," the Blood Hero said, catching our attention. "There will be no school for the next two days. The teachers and I will be working hard to consolidate all the recruitment forms from pro heroes."

"You bought food for dinner?" Tokage asked after we were dismissed.

I nodded. "Yeah, before the stands closed I bought a box of okonomiyaki and a taiyaki."

"Your family isn't cooking dinner?"

I frowned as I pushed in my chair and grabbed my brown schoolbag and dinner. "No…"

"Wait! Let's walk out together!" she called out as I turned to leave the room. "Sunny!"

I ignored her calls and continued on my own.

Todoroki's POV-

Ever since the day my mother threw boiling hot water on my eye, I thought my presence would only put more pressure on her. Thus, I never went to see her at the hospital.

I'm sure she continues to be bound by me and by Dad.

That's why, in order to aim to become a hero again with this body, with everything I have…

I reached for the door, but couldn't bring myself to open it.

"It's okay for you to become who you want to be," my mother once said to me.

Recalling that memory gave me the strength to push through my fears of rejection and open the door.

In order to become my ideal hero, I need to see her and talk to her. There is so much we need to talk about.

"Mom…," I called out to my mother as she turned around, taking in my appearance.

Even if she doesn't want it, I will rescue her from here.

That is my starting line.

That is how I feel.

Midoriya's POV-

"I'll support you, but that doesn't mean that I don't worry…," my mother said to me during breakfast.

I just keep going after what I yearned for, but that made those watching me worry… In order to become a cool hero who can smile and live up to everyone's expectations, I need to be able to do things in a way that won't make others worry.

That's the starting line where I can finally say that I'm here!

"Izuku! Do you want to watch the recording? It's in HD! HD!"

"I-I'll watch it later by myself…"

Haru's POV-

Why the hell are you grinning like that?! It pisses me off!

"Because I'm happy," I said.

Now you're talking to yourself. That's just sad…

"No, I'm talking to you. Where did you go off to anyways?"

I got tired of talking to an idiot so I needed a break.

"Mm, well whatever the reason…I'm happy."

S-Stop saying weird stuff like that!

"…I was lonely…," I admitted, rocking myself on my bed in the fetal position.

My uncle didn't come home till late last night and probably won't be awake till noon.

Don't you have friends? Wait, don't answer that. Of course, you don't.

"…when you put it like that… I guess you're right…" I pouted, leaning my head back on the headboard of my bed.

I was just joking! You have plenty of friends at school!

"…they're not really my friends though… Friends are people you feel comfortable with and can talk to about anything. You eat lunch together, walk home, go shopping together, go to each other's houses… I've never had someone like that."

…

"Did you leave again?"

No…I was just thinking…

"So can you see and hear what I do?"

Yeah. I can even feel all the same feelings as you. It's quite disgusting.

I laughed. "It's like having a best friend or a sister who knows me better than I know myself."

Tch… Who would want to be related to you?

"You're right~" I happily said in agreement with her.

No one would want me…

Dumbass I can still hear you and don't take everything I say so seriously! This is why people think they can walk all over you!

"Alright, but since you refuse to tell me your name I need to call you by something… Can I call you Onee-chan?"

Die.

I still have a long way to go before I can get to the starting line, but I think as long as this voice remains by my side; I'll be able to reach it. Maybe when I reach the starting line, I'll be able to understand why everyone is trying so hard.

"You will never become a hero. You'll never become one if you're heart isn't in it!" I recalled Shinso's words in response to my confession.