A/N: I FINALLY GOT MY DRIVERS LICENSE THIS WEEK WOOOOOOO 💃 Took me forever. But I finally did it (*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)
Just a quick heads up, the art for this mini-arc is pretty old. Almost all of the art from the previous chapter, this one, and the next one were made in August 2020, which is why they'll look different/simpler.
I decided to keep a lot of them since I think they still hold up ok :0 also I'm lazy what else is new lol 😂
Art -
[Complete Gallery] Add /21axlkt3bolc to the DeviantArt Stash URL.
[Ch. 78] Add /22ggnqj5fpzz to the DeviantArt Stash URL.
Hitomi hastily shut the door of Heights Alliance, readjusting her bag as she ran down the path.
"Guys! Wait up!"
She ran towards Bakugou and Todoroki, who were a ways ahead of her, the two stopping as she approached.
"Kanetsukabe? The hell are you doing here?" Bakugou grunted.
Hitomi gripped the straps of her backpack, looking away. "I'm just tagging along to watch, that's all…"
"Hah?"
Hitomi shook her head, walking past them. "It doesn't matter! Let's just go, don't wanna be late, do we?"
"Right." Todoroki followed after her, making Bakugou scowl as he trudged after him.
"Hey! Don't ignore me, half-and-half! Walk behind me, dammit!" he growled.
Hitomi stared at the ground as she walked alongside Todoroki, leaving the blonde to grumble to himself behind them.
Todoroki noticed the slight furrow in her eyebrows, opening his mouth to speak. "Are you coming along because you want to…" He trailed off, seeing Hitomi was looking at him like a deer in headlights.
"Ah…" He glanced at Bakugou pointedly, as if to say, Is it because of him?
A light blush was dusting Hitomi's cheeks as she shook her head frantically. "No! Not everything is about…" She looked over her shoulder briefly to glance at Bakugou, who was still cursing to himself. "About... y'know," she whispered. Hitomi fiddled with her bag straps, looking straight ahead. "I'm going to see someone else."
Todoroki shrugged as they approached the teachers. "I see."
…
Bakugou felt his mouth settle into a frown as he walked behind Todoroki and Hitomi.
The two were whispering to each other, acting as if they were talking about something he wasn't a part of.
It irked him a little.
Stop acting like I'm not even here, dammit!
He was still scowling as they finally stopped in front of All Might and Present Mic, finding himself get annoyed.
If Hitomi and Todoroki were sharing a secret, or something…
It wasn't like he cared.
…
"Bad kids! You're late!" Present Mic exclaimed.
The three of them stopped, looking surprised.
"Kanetsukabe!" Present Mic berated Hitomi. "Couldn't you have gotten these boys to be a little faster?"
Hitomi sweatdropped, a sheepish smile on her face. "I was the one running late, actually…" she laughed. She readjusted her backpack, holding onto the straps. "There was something I needed to bring before we left."
Present Mic tutted her, shaking his head in exasperation.
"Where's Aizawa-sensei?" Todoroki asked.
"He's gonna be absent a lot in the coming days!" Present Mic explained, poking Bakugou rapidly in the face. "It's got something to do with the girl they rescued from yesterday's incident!"
Hitomi's eyebrows raised a fraction as she recalled the news she saw the day prior, about the yakuza organization Kirishima and the others had gotten tangled with. Kirishima had been brief with the details, but Hitomi recalled that it was mainly an operation to save a little girl with a special power.
"They need his quirk," Mic continued. "So!" He suddenly struck a pose, grinning. "You get All Might instead! And Eraser asked me to come along as a bodyguard!"
"It's a measure we're taking after considering the League's actions, too," All Might began. He stared at the ground, falling silent for a moment. It looked to Hitomi like he was contemplating something. "Anyways, let's go," he instructed. "Last time was just an easy classroom lecture, but I hear today's training will be tough."
Present Mic dropped his arm around Bakugou's shoulders with a hearty laugh, giving a thumbs up to the students. "Hurry up and get your provisional licenses with a hop, step, here we go!"
"We can't be late," All Might said, ushering the kids to the doors. "Come on, get on the bus."
…
Hitomi waved with All Might and Present Mic as Bakugou and Todoroki left, her teachers shouting words of encouragement.
"Oh, if it isn't the former number one hero," Hitomi heard a deep voice grumble.
She turned her head abruptly towards the stairs to see bright orange flames, the fire belonging to the No. 2- excuse her, No. 1 hero.
Endeavor?!
"Thanks… for chaperoning Shouto," he said, crossing his arms. He stared down at them menacingly, his face settling into a glare. "This is perfect. I've been wanting to sit down and have a chat with you."
He fell silent, still staring at the three of them. The air was thick with tension, and Hitomi wanted to squirm at the awkwardness.
"I'll go get some coffee!" Present Mic suddenly exclaimed, turning away. "Kanetsukabe, how about you follow Todoroki and Bakugou to the supplementary classroom? Make sure those boys get there without any trouble!"
"Uh, sure…!" Hitomi stuttered, recognizing the welcome escape he was offering and sprinting down the hall to where her two classmates had gone.
…
"You guys…!" Hitomi called, her voice echoing down the hallway. She slowed down to a walk as she neared Bakugou and Todoroki, the former raising a brow.
"Why the hell do you keep following us?" he huffed, although it didn't seem to be out of annoyance, but more out of curiosity.
Hitomi rubbed the back of her neck, looking behind her to the entrance of the hallway. "Um… let's just say I felt awkward," she mumbled, glancing at Todoroki. She still hadn't forgotten what she'd overheard about Endeavor in the corridor back during the sports festival, concern bubbling up for him. He probably might not be happy to know his dad was here. "...So Mic said I should just walk you guys to your classroom," she continued, the three of them picking back up their pace down the hall. "What kind of training do you guys do here anyway?"
Bakugou opened his mouth to answer, but Todoroki beat him to it. "It depends."
Hitomi gave him her full attention, not noticing that Bakugou had shot the other boy a glare over her head. Todoroki was oblivious to the angry expression he was receiving as well, as his gaze was glued to the ground as they walked. "It's all up to Gang Orca. Depending on his mood it can range from a normal lecture to training so hard you throw up."
Hitomi shivered, rubbing her arms at the thought. "Sounds intense."
"Oh! Hey!"
The three students' eyes snapped to the voice from across the hall, seeing a boy waving avidly at them as he approached.
"UA!"
Hitomi's eyes widened in recognition at the sight of his hat, realizing he was from Shiketsu. It was Inasa Yoarashi, the guy who'd turned down his acceptance from UA.
"Oh, what's this?" A girl with fawn-colored hair and brown eyes walked up from behind him as Inasa stopped in front of the trio. "This guy's super hot," she teased, holding onto her hat. "That's like, totally crazy! I'm totally psyched to train with a hot guy."
"Camie!" Inasa exclaimed, the girl running over and pulling her phone out.
"What, Yoarashi?" the girl Hitomi figured was Camie hummed. "Do you like, know him?" She stopped in front of Todoroki, holding her phone up. "Seriously, can I like, have your number?"
"Uh, sure." Todoroki's hand drifted to his pocket, reaching for his phone.
Hitomi's eyes widened at that. Todoroki obviously didn't get what she was insinuating. "No hesitation!" she exclaimed without thinking, grabbing the two's attention. She flinched feeling their eyes on her, slapping her hand over her mouth.
"Ooo, who are you?" Camie crooned, looking back and forth between Hitomi and Todoroki with a smile. "You his girl or something?"
Their eyes both widened, Hitomi's more so than Todoroki's, and unbeknownst to them Bakugou's did as well.
"N-No!" Hitomi stuttered, waving her hands. "I'm not…!" She rubbed the back of her neck, wearing a wobbly, sheepish smile. "Don't mind me- I just… spoke without thinking…"
Again. Why did she do that so often?!
Camie only hummed, looking between them.
"Camie, your social skills are amazing!" Inasa exclaimed, breaking the brief moment of silence as he pumped his fists. "I should learn from you!"
Bakugou scoffed, turning his gaze away from his classmates with a scowl to focus on Inasa instead. "Oi, Baldy. This woman wasn't here before, right?"
"Right!" She wasn't here!" Inasa said enthusiastically, pulling his hat off his head swiftly to show off his buzz-cut hair. "And I'm not bald! Speaking of which…" He placed his hat back on his head, pointing at Hitomi whose eyes were glued to the floor. She still seemed to be distracted by Camie's comment, now fidgeting with her hands anxiously. "She wasn't here before either, no?"
Bakugou grunted as he heard Camie try to continue making conversation with her and Todoroki. "No. She said she's tagging along to watch or something."
"Camie!" Another voice entered the conversation, silencing everyone as a boy with purple hair seemed to have appeared next to Inasa out of nowhere. "That's beneath you!" the new person said stiffly.
Hitomi finally looked up from the floor, her embarrassment fading as the Shiketsu student berated his peer.
"As a student of Shiketsu, you should throw away things like that!"
"Meat!" Bakugou growled, getting up in his face.
Meat...? Hitomi thought in a deadpan. His nicknames were usually better than that.
"You failed in the first test, didn't you?!" the ash blonde grumbled, tension rising between him and the other student.
"I received permission to observe!" the other student argued back, a scowl on his face. "I'm here to watch, just like your friend over there!"
"Go home, Meat!"
"My name is Seiji Shishikura!"
Hitomi sweatdropped at the odd interactions taking place around her, looking between them before she noticed one last person standing a few feet away, staring at the group with a blank expression. Hitomi's eyes widened at the person's auburn hair, a smile forming on her face as she left the group.
"Yoshiho…!" she exclaimed, making the other girl do a double take as she walked towards her.
"Hitomi?" Yoshiho said, surprised. Hitomi stopped in front of her, holding her fists up in excitement.
"Oh man, it's always better to meet up in person!" Hitomi laughed, pumping her fists.
Yoshiho stared at the bluenette in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
Hitomi paused, dropping her hands to her sides. "Huh…? Oh…" She rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish smile. "Surprise! I came along this time to see you!"
Yoshiho stared at her for a moment before fiddling with her hair, looking away. "You didn't have to do that…"
Hitomi smiled in response, clasping her hands together behind her back. "Well, I know from experience seeing your friend in person is always better than over the phone!" She suddenly gasped, a look of worry taking over. "Unless this makes you uncomfortable…!" She placed her hand on her forehead, beginning to mumble to herself. "We've only ever seen each other in person once, and that was when things were still kinda tense… Ugh, I'm so stupid! I should've asked you first, just 'cause you got more comfortable over texts doesn't mean the same for in person-"
She continued to mumble while her friend only stared, until Yoshiho finally made a small huff.
"…Hey."
Hitomi paused at Yoshiho's voice, staring at her anxiously and making the Shiketsu student let out a sigh.
"I'm not uncomfortable, don't worry," she reassured her. A small, almost unsure smile made its way onto her face, a rarity Hitomi still had yet to get used to. "I was just surprised."
Hitomi breathed a sigh of relief, smiling back. "Oh… great! I'm glad."
"I'm… I'm glad too," Yoshiho said slowly. Hitomi knew it was because she was still trying to get used to expressing herself with emotions other than anger. "It's reassuring to know you're here." Yoshiho eyed the group behind Hitomi, her expression shifting into one of annoyance at their loud volume. "Those people can be especially exhausting," she huffed, rolling her eyes.
Hitomi laughed, glancing back at them as well and tilting her head to the side. Camie was gushing over Todoroki's relation to Endeavor, while Shishikura yelled at her, trying to stop her flirty advances. Bakugou was spouting out insults and curses, while Inasa continued to commend Camie's social skills. Todoroki only stood there quietly.
Hitomi turned back to Yoshiho, scratching her cheek. "I can see why you'd think so," she said lightheartedly. "But hey, it can't be all bad, can it?"
Yoshiho's eyes turned to the ceiling, looking as if she was in deep thought. "...I guess. Seeing Gang Orca put Bakugou in his place is definitely a plus."
Hitomi wore a worried smile, holding her hands up. "That's not what I meant…"
"Koatsu!"
The two girls turned around, seeing Shishikura approaching, dragging Camie along as Inasa followed, Todoroki and Bakugou in tow.
"Enough of this idle chatter!" Shishikura growled, brushing past the two of them. "There's no need to waste our time with these UA buffoons when you have training to get to!"
"Such a party pooper," Camie huffed, rolling her eyes.
"You're one to talk, Meat!" Bakugou yelled, he and Todoroki following after them. "I should be saying that about you! And walk behind me, dammit!"
Yoshiho sighed, her grip tightening around her hero suit case as she turned to follow them. "Looks like we have to get going. You should head over to the bleachers."
Hitomi nodded, turning to go back the way she came. "Right. See you in a bit. And good luck!"
Yoshiho winced at the sound of a yell from Shishikura, wearing an unamused frown. "Thanks. I'll need it."
A/N: MY SHIKETSU BBY IS BACK RAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH
I told you the Provisional License Exam wouldn't be the last you'd see of Yoshiho (in person)! Hope you're all as happy as me to have her back, even if it's just for a little ;v;