Case file #12: Todoroki Rei

"Dear Diary, this scandal is so large that it makes the denseness of my student feel bland...

I suppose they all resemble one another. It's sweet. Just a tad annoying."

"Real-time work event?" Izuku repeated.

"Don't say like it's a video game." Chiyo corrected. "It's a work-experience. It's not like there's anything else for you to do. School is on break; the Hero Course is on their internship…. Might as well come with me."

"I guess." Izuku shrugged. "Which hospital are we going?"

"Fujitani Hospital." Chiyo revealed.

"Even if I don't have a license?" Izuku pointed out. "The licensing exam isn't until a couple of months, not even counting the residency training."

"You're my personal student. That means I recognize your skill as a nurse." Chiyo explained. "Besides, you're mostly there to observe and help with small tasks. What's the worst that could happen?"

"You're jinxing it." Izuku chuckled.

"It's real life." Chiyo gently wacked Izuku's back with her cane. "Jinx isn't real."

"Detective!" Rumi greeted loudly. "Didn't expect to find you here!"

Inko turned around and smiled at the Rabbit Heroine. "You as well, Usagiyama-chan. I'd thought you wouldn't be interested in taking these kinds of babysitting requests."

"Oh, hell no. This is my first!" Rumi cackled. "I read through the debrief and was curious of who'd be crazy enough to find her at Tartarus!"

"I guess." Inko shrugged, before she showed a victorious grin. "But if they sent someone as important as you, then my hunch is confirmed."

"Ho?" Rumi smirked. "This day keeps getting more interesting, I see. First, your brat made the dragon blushed like a high school girl-"

"Tatsuma-chan? Oh, my..." Inko showed a concern look. "I suppose it's good that Izuku was there to check on her fever before it got worse."

"-now it's you and this secret 'mission'!" Rumi ignored her and continued. "Anything you can spill for little ol' me?"

"I'd tell you anything you want, Usagiyama-chan~!" Inko teased before she walked into the room with a file. "But then I wouldn't be able to talk with you over coffee later."

Rumi only scoffed with a red face as she watched Inko disappear behind the enforced door of Tartarus.

"Give me the sterilizer."

"One second."

"Give me the bandages."

"On the way."

"Give me the operation knife."

"Coming up."

"Go to the storage room and get me the amputation kit, Midoriya."

"Coming up~."

As Izuku ran around to help Chiyo with her work, a group of doctors and nurses from the side stood in a circle and whispered to one another.

"Get me the application form." The head doctor whispered. "The moment he graduates, we're hiring him."

"Doesn't he need a license first? To work here?" A doctor asked.

"Good point." The head doctor snapped his finger in realization. "We're sponsoring that."

"What about the residency training?" A nurse raised her hand.

"He got taken in and is studying under THE Shuzenji Chiyo, a.k.a. Recovery Girl at U.A.!" The head doctor clapped his hands together to emphasize his point. "If that's not quality residency training, I don't know what is!"

"Erm, I just got here so excuse me for being ignorant..." A doctor chimed in. "But why are we talking about hiring a student-nurse?"

"This is his first day at one of the busiest hospitals in the country, he's only medically trained for slightly over a month and yet, his efficiency is... top-tier!" The head doctor explained with excitement. "I thought Shuzenji-san brought him here to show him the cruelty of this industry! I didn't expect her to bring the most potential doctor we've ever had since her!"

"Is he always like that?" A nurse whispered to her co-worker as they listened to the head doctor's rant.

"Only when he recognized real talent." The senior nurse shrugged. "By the way, it's lunch time. Who's in charge of room 159?"

"It's Suzuki, but she called sick for work." Another nurse replied. "Should I-"

"I'll do it."

Everyone turned to a smiling Izuku.

"Midoriya-kun!" The head doctor said with a smile. "How do you feel so far?!"

"Tired, but that's just how I am, doctor." Izuku chuckled. "I overheard needing some help to get lunch to a patient?"

"Yes, but... I don't think you should do it." A nurse scratched her head. "It's not like we don't trust you, it's just... not the safest option for a student on observation."

Seeing Izuku tilted his head in confusion, a nurse came in and explained. "She's a patient in the mental ward, Midoriya-kun. Are you sure you still want to do it?"

"Certain." Izuku nodded his head. "I'm here to lessen your workload. If it's to help, I'll be glad to do anything you need."'

Although reluctantly, the head nurse gave her approval. Izuku bowed slightly to thank her before leaving for the ration storage. After he left, one of the nurses mumbled thought out loud.

"God, I wish I was 10 years younger..."

"Hey, hey, Kouhai-kun!" Nejire looked over from behind Izuku. "What'cha doing there?"

"Just some-" Izuku covered his mouth to yawn. "-reports and homework. How can I help you today, Hadou-senpai?"

"I'm here to watch over you!" Nejire crossed her arm and showed an adorably serious smile. "Recovery Girl told me to make sure you don't faint on the hallway again!"

"I didn't faint." Izuku pouted. "I just fell on the floor and decided it was a good place to sleep. I don't understand why everyone made such a big deal out of it."

"U.A.'s floor is comfy!" Nejire nodded in agreement. "Once, I got back from a fight and I thought, 'Walking is too tiresome! Let's just sleep on the floor and wake up in the morning! That way, I can get to class faster!'."

"Right?" Izuku nodded with her. "It's just sleeping. Our Quirks affect our stamina. We need sleep. Why does everyone always default it as fainting?"

"Ooh, speaking of our Quirks!" Nejire showed an excited smile as she jumped up and down on the spot. "I tried that thing you mentioned! It worked!"

"It did?" Izuku's eyes shone brightly. "The direct contact blast thing worked? That just opens so many doors! You can temporarily paralyze your opponent with a precise shot at their nervous system or taking down an entire structure. Not to mention-"

"That's what I thought, too!" Nejire excitedly nodded.

"Yup, yup, yup!" Izuku pulled out a notebook and asked. "Do you have anything to do tomorrow, Hadou-senpai?"

Nejire shook her head.

"Good." Izuku grinned. "Because I'm not letting you sleep tonight."

Nejire nodded faster than she shook, hiding away the redness from her underclassman.

" Let it go, let it go~. "

Izuku sung as he walked along the hallway with a tray of food in his hands. He then stopped at a room with a sign that said, 'Room 159' and the name 'Todoroki Rei' under it. Izuku took a deep breath to prepare himself before he gently knocked on the door.

"Todoroki-san?" Izuku asked, announcing his presence. "I'm here to bring you your lunch."

A few seconds later, a soft, gentle yet cold voice replied. "Come in."

Izuku opened the door and walked in before closing it. His eyes immediately laid on a white-haired woman sitting on a chair by the window. Her cold facial expression was highlighted by the sun as she looked dreamily outside the window. At the sound of the door closing, she turned around and immediately showed a surprise expression looking at Izuku.

"... Aren't you looking a little too young to be a doctor, doctor ?" Rei asked as she carefully studied Izuku.

"I'm not actually a doctor." Izuku chuckled as he gently set the tray on a table. "I'm only here as a temporary assistance. I'm still a student. From U.A. High."

"What a coincidence." Rei's facial expression seemed more relaxed at the revelation. "My son goes there as well. Are you a first-year student….?"

"Midoriya Izuku." He introduced. "Nice to meet you, Todoroki-san."

"Call me Rei, please, Midoriya-kun. I'm more comfortable with it." She smiled as she gestured him to sit on the chair in front of her. "Are you a first-year student?"

"I am." Izuku nodded. "1-C, General Education Department. Which class is your son in, Todo- Rei-san?"

"I know he's in the Hero Course. 1-A, if my memory is correct." Rei smiled fondly as she talked yet, Izuku could see a tinge of... guilt?

"You must have been very at his performance at the Sport Festival, then." Izuku continued.

His attempt at blowing past his own suspicion turned out to confirm it. Rei's kind expression turned to one of conflict, sadness and guilt. Tears began to drop as Rei tried to wipe them away while suppressing her sobs. Izuku immediately put a handkerchief in her hand.

"I- I- I'm so sorry, Rei-san." Izuku apologized in a panic. "I shouldn't have-"

"It's not you, Midoriya-kun." Rei cut him off as she accepted the handkerchief. "It's me. I just- I- I can't- It's all my fault... Touya. Shouto. My family- Fuyumi is trying so hard and- It's all my fault...!"

"Hey, hey." Izuku gently held Rei's hand. "It's okay, Rei-san. Just take your time, okay? Do you want me to leave the room?"

"No- No, please." Rei shook her head. "I need to talk with someone. Anyone."

"Then at your own pace, okay?" Izuku assured her. "I'm right here."

She nodded in silence as she held Izuku's hand. After taking some time to calm down, Rei took a deep breath and spoke.

"Enj- Endeavor is hurting Shouto."

Rei slightly winced as the light brightened up the darkness of the room. As predicted, she heard three uncomfortable groans from the couch. With a smile, Rei leaned over the couch from behind and gently spoke.

"I know it's Friday, but sleeping like that isn't good for you." Rei sighed as she watched the family- her family, lying together in a cuddle pile on the floor, trying to squint their eyes shut to hide from the bright light.

"Mom?" Fuyumi rubbed her eyes tiredly. "What time is it?"

"Just slightly past 6." Rei looked over at the clock hanging on the wall. "Hard day at school?"

"Yeah, kids get hype on Fr- Did you say 6?!" Fuyumi shot herself up from the comfiness she was lying in. "Shoot! I haven't cooked dinner, a- and the laundry, the hou-"

"Calm down, honey." Rei smiled. "Inko invited us out for dinner. She's heading there with Himiko-chan right now. Wash your face and change if you want. That goes for you, too, Izuku."

With a pillow on his face, Izuku gave her a thumbs up.

"But you need to take a shower, Shouto." Rei giggled as her son groaned louder, refusing to sit up. "You reek of sweat."

Seeing that her youngest son wasn't responding, Rei moved over and kneeled next to him. She leaned over and whispered at a low volume so that only Shouto could hear her.

"You sure you want to smell badly next to Izuku?"

With a blink of an eye, Shouto shot up and bolted to the bathroom. At the sight, Rei giggled and looked over to Izuku.

"So, did you mind?" She asked.

"Not really." She heard Izuku's reply being muffled under the pillow. "It's just sweat. He's a hero student. That's normal."

"And the fact he ran to the bathroom because he didn't want you to think he smells bad?"

"He probably thinks it's rude. I honestly don't mind." Izuku shrugged. "By the way, Fuyumi-san looked kind of red when I gave her the sweater I bought. Do you think she likes it?"

"... I suppose I can see why Chiyo-san is having such a hard time at school." Rei sighed as she pinched Izuku's cheek in a kind manner. As he groaned, Rei only giggled fondly.

She was home.

"... I guess you heard all that?" Izuku looked at his mentor.

Instead of replying, Chiyo tilted her head, silently telling him to move to a more private location. They went back to Chiyo's office and sat down after Chiyo handed him a cup of tea.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Chiyo explained. "You took quite a while and wasn't replying to my texts, so I got worried."

"So you do care about me." Izuku grinned.

"Yeah, yeah." Chiyo rolled her eyes. "As angry as I am, no, we can't take down the current number two hero. Not now, not in this current situation."

"I figured as much." Izuku nodded, looking perplexed. "But we're not letting this slide, are we?"

"No, we're not." Chiyo shook her head. "But our priority here is Rei and Todoroki- Shouto, I mean. We need to get them out of their current living situations without raising too many suspicions."

"Please tell me you have a plan."

"For Rei, I might." Chiyo nodded, but she didn't look very happy. "But Shouto is difficult. Impossible, as of now."

"... Baby steps, I guess." Izuku sipped his tea tiredly. "What do you propose?"

"Depends. You said your mother is a detective?"

"Yeah...?"

"Can you ask her to come here tomorrow?"

A/N: Chiyo and Izuku are planning a prison break!

Surely nothing will happen 'tomorrow', no? Second day of the internship week... Surely nothing bad will happen.

Surely.

Also, since Izuku didn't participate in the Sport Festival, Shouto didn't get his character development... yet. Thus, he hasn't visited Rei.