Case file #15: Kodai Yui

"Dear Diary, it is hard to understand Kodai due to her being a person few- or any- words. But holy hell, the look she gave that dense being!

I didn't believe the phrase 'seeing one's emotion through their eyes', but I also don't understand what is going on inside his head that makes him not realizing what is going on."

Joy. Happiness. Ecstatic. Excited. Relief. Enjoyment.

Were the direct opposites of what Yui was feeling as she held onto her side while limping towards the nurse's office.

She silently cursed at Kamakiri for the sharp edges he put on one of the pipes that ran through her. It didn't help that her perpetually neutral expression threw a lot of people off from talking to her, aside from Shoda and Kendou. But even they have their own friend groups. Groups that she couldn't or rarely join because the canteen was too noisy for her sensitive ears. It also wasn't easy to make friends, being socially awkward and selectively mute.

Yui winced as she felt another sharp pain. The nurse's office was at the end of this hallway, but every step she took just made the room feel further and further away. It only took a few more steps until Yui realized she couldn't stand straight anymore as her feet entangled with each other, causing her to lose balance.

Yui let out a strain yelp as her face came closer to the floor.

"What in tarnation-!?"

Chiyo let out a scream as she walked into her office and laid her eyes on the horrid sight in front of her. At her scream, her assistant(?) turned around.

"Chiyo-sensei. Good afternoon." He smiled. "How's the meeting?"

"Not as scary as whatever is going on here!" She yelled. "Why are you covered in mushrooms!?"

"I fell asleep on a bench." Izuku shrugged.

"That... explains so much yet so little." Chiyo finally relaxed a little as she cautiously made her way to her table. "I assume that's why Kinoko is on the bed?"

"Just exhaustion from overused." Izuku explained as he plucked off a mushroom from his thumb. "I would've used my Quirk on her, but I think it's best that she rests naturally instead."

"I see." Chiyo nodded. "How long until the whole... you know, goes away?"

"She said it only lasts for a couple of hours. I should be fine before school closes." Izuku stood up and headed towards the door. "Might as well get some uses out of the time remaining."

"... You're going to prank the people at the staff room, aren't you?" Chiyo squinted her eyes suspiciously.

Izuku put a finger on his grinning lips before closing the door.

The fall Yui was expecting never came as she felt an arm holding her by her waist before slowly positioning her into a seating position against the wall. Yui finally laid eyes on a set of green hair as he carefully studied her injuries.

"Can you hear me talking?" He asked.

Yui nodded.

"That's good." He smiled warmly. "Can you feel any pain at your wound?"

Yui nodded, wincing a little as the pain kicked in again.

"My name is Midoriya Izuku. I can use my Quirk and ease the pain. It requires direct contact, so I do need to hold your hand. I can go and get Shuzenji-sensei if you're uncomfortable with the idea."

"Mm?" Yui raised her eyebrows.

"I breached that rule so much Recovery Girl already gave me permission to use my Quirk on school ground." Izuku explained. "So no problem on my part."

Although uncomfortable with direct contact from another person, Yui decided to trust the nurse in front of her. With a confirmation nod from her, Izuku gently grabbed Yui's hand and focused his Quirk on fixing up her wound. Slowly, the uncomfortableness Yui felt dissipated as the pain was replaced with the feeling of energization. Suddenly, the nurse released her hand and threw his back onto the wall next to her.

"Mm?" Yui asked in concern at the sight of the nurse panting.

"I'm fine." Izuku chuckled tiredly. "It's just a drawback. Speaking of, can I ask about your Quirk?"

"Mm." Yui nodded as she showed her palm.

"Hey, touch-based Quirk gang." Izuku grinned as he mimicked the action. "Are yours contact activated like mine?"

"Mm." Yui shook her head as she wiggled her fingers.

"Ah, five fingers." Izuku nodded in understanding. "What does it do?"

Yui took out her phone and expanded it to the size of a laptop. Yui felt a sense of smug as she put her fingers on both hands together and shrunk the phone back to its original size as Izuku watched in amazement with admiration in his eyes.

With his eyes still closing, Izuku let out a long stretch while yawning. Tiredly rubbing his eyes, Izuku sat up from the hospital bed.

"Mm."

At the familiar voice, Izuku turned his eyes to his left and found Yui sitting there with her ever expressive face and a pack of tomatoes.

"Kodai-san." Izuku smiled. "Is the canteen loud today?"

To his surprise, Yui shook her head and instead, she just pointed at Izuku before pointing back at the bed behind her.

"Stay guard?" Izuku tilted his head. "On what?"

At that question, the drape was pulled open, revealing an ashen-haired girl with a tiredness that could match Izuku.

"Yui is here on a mission to prevent myself from being closer to you, my beloved." Reiko explained. "Despite my insistence on just wanting to sleep on the same bed with you, Yui came with me to make sure I did not perform any... unsafe for work actions."

"'Unsafe for work'?" Izuku repeated. "What do you mean?"

"It means-"

A tomato was shoved into Reiko's mouth before she could say anything further. Reiko only shrugged in response before excusing herself to go to the bathroom.

"Mm?" Yui asked.

"Just some late-night talk with a friend from overseas." Izuku explained before letting out another yawn.

"Mm."

"I was sleeping. I woke up because-" Izuku defended himself before realizing. "I actually woke up because I heard your voice. Did you say something when I was asleep?"

"Mm."

"... Yeah, that was a dumb question." Izuku scratched his head. "Want to have lunch together?"

"MM!"

"Here's the doctor's note." Izuku handed Yui a piece of paper. "Please come here immediately if you feel anything weird."

Yui nodded as she accepted the piece of paper. She then slightly bowed before leaving the office, heading back to the practice site.

On the way back, Yui blushed at the memory of her hand being held gently by Izuku. It did not help that the nurse's plain yet kind face was exactly her type. Even better since he was a respectful and gentle person. He didn't write off her silent demeanor as cold or rude. Instead, he communicated with her normally-

Wait.

He communicated with her normally. She didn't say a word and he talked with her just as normally as anyone else.

The realization hit Yui hard as she tried to hasten her steps, hoping no one would see her face being as red as a tomato.

Ensuring that Reiko was now asleep, Yui closed the drape to her bed and returned to just watching Izuku sleep. She slowly leaned down, next to his ears.

"I love you."

She whispered at the smallest, softest tone.

She quickly sat straight back up as she noticed Izuku slightly twitched.

She quietly swore to herself that the next time she says those three words, he would be awake and listen.

Preferably without Emily listening in on them.

"As much as I want to say no..." Chiyo sighed tiredly. "At the end of the day, it's his decision."

"I understand." Toshinori nodded. "Then I shall do it."

Chiyo gripped her cane tightly.

"I will tell young Midoriya about [One for All].

A/N: Protective Yui and Shameless Reiko are now my favorites.