"It doesn't look like he'll get this beach cleaned up anytime soon," I say sitting on top of an old refrigerator at the beach. I was again watching Izuku move back and forth picking up trash and organizing what trash goes where.

"So I heard a friend of yours just moved out," said Izuku's coach.

"Yeah. Sorry for interrupting his training for that. I feel kind of bad."

"Oh don't worry. He was over-exerting himself anyway. A couple of extra days of rest shouldn't affect the schedule too much. Now, about you not letting him be a hero…"

"Nope, the challenge is still on. If he can't clean this place I won't allow it."

"Now I feel bad for the boy. He has such a strict sister. What will you do if he doesn't finish cleaning the beach on time?"

"That's out of the question. Because I know he will." I stand up, "But anyway, continuing our conversation a few months back. What makes you believe in him? He's just a quirkless loser of a brother, or at least that's what Katsuki says about him."

"Well, that's hard to explain. I guess it would have to be his heroism. I was there when the sludge villain attacked you. I saw him rush in without a second thought. It kindled something from deep within me that I thought I had long lost. But after finding out he was quirkless like me it made me want to help him even more."

"Wait… You're Quirkless!?"

"Oh, right. I guess I never told you that."

"Is everything okay over there," Izuku shouts over to us.

"Don't worry Midoriya-shonen! Everything is fine," Izuku's coach shouted back. "Yep from one quirkless to another. I want him to be able to become the hero he wants to be. Just like me– Might…" He coughs while covering his mouth. "Like All Might. I meant a hero like All Might."

"Yeah, get him to talk about All Might and he makes an hour-long speech about him." I cross my arms, "I swear Heroes are the only thing he can talk to someone about without stuttering. I mean come on. All Might and the other heroes are great and all but they couldn't even catch one sludge villain before it attacked me. I'll say All Might is getting old." I mocked All Might and then noticed Izuku's coach on the ground kneeling with his head down. "Ummm… Are you ok?"

He then super apologetically said, "I would like to apologize on All Might's behalf." He stood back up then smiled, "But Going back a bit. Ahem, All Might isn't the only person he can talk to without stuttering. You should hear it when he talks about you."

"Oh… So he's been talking about me. What did he say?" I narrow my eyes and put on my best grin.

"Why so menacing," He chuckles. "He's not saying anything bad about you. He puts you even higher than All Might."

I rubbed my shoulder, "That's only because I met him in person earlier than All Might. If he met All Might first I think he'll put you higher on his list."

"Wait. What do you mean he'll put me higher on his list I'm just—"

Izuku, who was now next to us and sweating from moving trash. "I'm done moving today's trash. So we should be going on to cardio or muscle training."

"Does Izuku just have a teleportation quirk now? He's been popping in and out of existence." I say, a bit startled by his sudden appearance. "Welp I should be going now. Hope your training goes well."

"Wait… Do you know who I am?" Izuku's coach asks.

"I think we know the answer to that question." I wink at him and begin walking away, "Good luck. See you back at home, Izuku!" I have no idea what that man was going on about, but I got to act like I do since I've built a reputation of knowing more than I should. Although that man does look a whole lot like All Might. If I was a betting man I would think he was All Might. Last time I thought someone was someone else I was proven wrong. It's a shame I couldn't get to see the Crawler.

Instead of going back home, I decided to walk to the restricted forest area or… Well, I guess it's Akari's forest area now. It's not restricted to us anymore at least.

I go to the forest using the front gate. It was nice that we didn't have to keep going through the fence anymore but it just doesn't feel the same. Youta has been so busy with other stuff lately it's hard to find time to test things with him so I go here not to train but just to reminisce about when Akari was here. There wasn't much to the area, just a forest. There is a nice atmosphere here when you're alone though, the birds chirping, the sound of running water, the light that the tree branches block forming shadows with a slow breeze moving the leaves ever so slightly, and the smell of wood in the air. I guess this is why Akari likes to go here to decompress. I never took the time to notice these things until she left. I sat down below a tree and relaxed, clearing my mind, closing my eyes, and meditating.

When I reopened my eyes it was already sunset, "How long did I stay here? This place works to pass time." I got up patting down my pants, "Welp, I guess it's time to go home."

Exiting the forest through the front gate I notice Katsuki and he notices me but then walks away. "Hey! How you doing Katsuki!" I shout at him. He was clearly ignoring me but I hastily made my way toward him. "We haven't seen each other for a while. Are you actually actively avoiding me and Izuku…? Wait, what were you doing waiting outside here? Come on, say something."

"What do you want?" He said coldly.

"Why so cold? I liked it better when you were angry. This new you is disturbing."

"Shut up and leave before I make you," he said angrily.

"That's what I'm talking about. Come on. Just a little more." I poke him in the face.

Katsuki turns around and swings with his right arm. I swerve back dodging Katsuki's first punch then he swings his left arm. I caught it thinking to absorb his sweat again but there wasn't any sweat. "Did you forget? Quirk usage isn't allowed in public," he scoffs.

"Hey! Get Away From Her Katsuki!" I hear Youta shout.

Katsuki looks over my shoulder, grunts then turns and walk away putting his hand in his pocket. I pump my fist and whisper to myself, "Yes. It's my win." I hear footsteps quickly approaching me and I turned around, "Hey Youta—"

I get lightly chopped on the head as Youta was now in front of me, "How many times do I have to tell you not to get into fights with Katsuki! Just because Akari isn't here to watch over you anymore does not give you the right to go and pick a fight with him!"

"Sorry. I just wanted some action. There hasn't been anything going on since last month. The better question is why are you here. Weren't you busy with something?"

"If nothing is happening it's a good sign. Graduation is just right around the corner and then it's off to bigger and better things for you two."

"I know it's just… I don't know what to do. I've always been with Akari. Now I don't know what to do without her. Now it's just you three boys I can hang out with."

"Why don't you make a new friend or something. I know it is breaking your rule of three but Akari wouldn't mind having more friends to come back to."

"Remember the Maeko situation… I'll think about it when we finish with Jr High."

Youta sighs, "I'll walk you home. Just, don't bring up the Maeko situation. That memory gives me a headache."

"Oh, you don't have to. But if you want to, I guess you can. But on one condition."

"What is it this time?" Youta looked exhausted as he let out another sigh.

"I need you to help me train my physical body."

"Sure but what do you want to work on?"

"Strength."

"Strength? Can you be a little more specific?"

"I want to be able to throw you."

"Huh." Youta deadpans, "Can't you already do that."

"Yeah but I'm a bit reliant on my quirk as of now. I have been neglecting my body. Look at me. I have gained about twenty extra pounds over this whole year." I pull on my cheeks.

"Then I have some conditions of my own for you if you want my help."

"What is it?"

"No more using your quirk. No more getting into fights with Bakugo. No more going off on your own to go train alone. And lastly, no more lazing around in class."

"That's so many restrictions," I complained. "How is that fair? I mean how would you know if I got in a fight with Katsuki or not? What if I did go and train alone? What are you going to do about it?"

Youta crossed his arms, "Oh, I have my ways. So, take it or leave it. There's no room for bargaining."

"Fine! I'm the one asking for help so these restrictions shouldn't be too bad. But who's going to watch over me if I can't train alone? You're too busy and Izuku is doing his own training."

"Right… I forgot about that… Well, I'll figure something out. Just don't go training alone." Youta then walked me home. Before he went home he told me he'll work on a schedule for my workout routine.

In the following week, Youta would never tell me what we would be doing on the days when we train. He even gave me a diet. I followed his instructions to the letter. It was hard to adjust but it was nothing I wasn't used to in my original life. I wonder why I even chose to be a hero. This feels so much more like me.

After the first couple of days of what Youta called training, it became routine. Slowly but surely I was making progress on being able to throw Youta with pure strength alone. I'm also starting to feel a sort of way towards Youta but I can't explain it. It's almost like I'm not allowed to understand it. Whatever it is, it confuses me. If I told this to anyone they would say it was love but I'm an adult that would be illegal to act on those feelings.

Also, this wasn't love, it was different. An obsession? No, it's less than obsession and more than being friends. "Admiration, Aspiration, Acclamation, Allocation, Affirmation, Assertion, Ascension, something that begins with A… Akari?"

"What are you talking about," shouted Youta sitting on top of a roof. "I don't have much time left for today. Come on, try your best."

"Alright, okay! I get it," I shout as I hang on a line by my hand high above the ground. One hand at a time I make my way across to Youta. Arriving on the rooftop I drop down panting out of breath, "That was different. Why do you have me tight roping across buildings?"

"Oh, would you look at the time? I have to go now. Different time and place tomorrow?" He says completely ignoring my question.

"Are you sure, this training… Wait a minute… Aren't these just recreational activities!"

"What are you talking about? Clearly, you haven't been training enough. Tomorrow will be extra difficult."

"That's what you said yesterday and the days before that but all we did was throw a ball, lift some weights, and stand in place for an hour," I complained. "I understand lifting weights but how is throwing a ball and standing in place training?"

Youta grins, "Trust me. Tomorrow, you'll be begging to go back to throwing a ball." He then walks towards the staircase going down, "But I seriously have to go, so, see you later."

"Alright. See you later," I said, a bit disappointed he couldn't stay longer, as he disappeared. "Now that he's gone back to what I was thinking about. Akari. Why Akari… Do I feel jealous of Akari? No that's stupid. But it has something to do with the letter A. Is it Adultery no it's Amour… Urgh! Whatever!" I stressed out, ruffling my head, "I should head home now."

The next day I meet Youta in an undisclosed area. If I didn't know any better I would think this was leading to something dangerous but, "Hey… So Youta… What are we doing here?" I follow Youta into a dark room. Looking around the room it was dark and I couldn't see anything.

"Oh, right you can't see anything. Lights Please!" Youta said then a flash went into the room and it was now lit up.

My eyes adjusted to the light in the room to see square patterns throughout the floor, wall, and ceiling but besides that, "There's nothing here."

"Now it's time to train your reaction speed. We'll just adjust the speed so that it isn't too difficult. Also the power output. Don't want you getting hurt."

"What are you—" Something then hits me on the shoulder. Quickly turning back I saw what had tapped me was a small ball with one of the square tiles in the room opened and a machine was now going back inside the square as it closed back up.

"This is my personal training area. Specially designed for my style of combat. Of course, this isn't strength training but since you wanted so badly to do some real training. This will strengthen your durability."

I see him walking away, "Wait where are you—" A red ball hits my hand away as I try to reach out to Youta. I retracted my hand and rubbed it, "Ouch! That hurts."

"Oh… That's not good. Hey, Ryoto can you lower it by two phases!" Two beeps ring through the room then Youta said, "Thanks." He then walks to one of the corners of the room, "Welp, good luck."

"What do you—" A ball hits my head. It didn't hurt but it did knock me back a little. "Aah! Would you stop that!"

"I only have thirty minutes to stay then I have to go. Ryoto is here to watch over you so stay as long as you like." Another machine appears and shoots a white ball at me and I narrowly managed to roll out of the way only to get hit by another ball.

"Isn't this just dodgeball but to the extreme! Another recreational activity!" I shout at Youta as I get hit with another ball at my ankle almost tripping me.

"Well if you put it that way… Ryoto, amp it up by one level!"

"Wait!" A larger ball hits me in the abdomen knocking the air out of me and another one hits me from behind making me fall over. "Why are you putting me through this, Youta."

"Like I said. You're the one who wanted some real training."

"Yeah, but not like this!"

"Do you want to stop?"

If Youta had just told me that this would be my training in the first place I would have been fine. I want to say yes but, "No… Let's do this." I stand back up.

"That's what I'm talking about. Get that energy pumping since you've been so starved of action."