« Umpah, umpah, umpah, umpah. Keep the rhythm. »

Alone in her apartment, Hyori felt incredibly lonely. She headed into her bedroom and rolled herself inside her covers, wanting someone to hold her instead of the bedsheets. She had been crying until she fell asleep, only woken up by her ringing phone. Weak and unfocused, she rushed out of her bedroom to retrieve the device she had left in the dining room, thinking Megumi was the one calling her.

Her phone's screen had read 'Dad' and she remembered not having called him after her examination. The middle-aged man had called her the first time to wish her a happy birthday, on the first of July, the week of her end-of-period examination. They talked for a bit and he asked her to call him afterwards to plan an outing. She didn't call him on Friday and forgot to do so after leaving the commission's accommodations.

"Good morning." Voiced Hyori with a small voice.

"Is there anything wrong? You sound unwell." She could hear worry in his voice.

"I don't know...I don't...I'm alone." Tears were running down her face while the emotion stifled her voice.

"You are not alone, sweetheart. I'm right here." Reassured her Father. "Are you in your apartment?"

Hyori nodded before answering "Yes."

"I'm coming. Stay on the phone, okay? Stay with me. Let's breathe together." Guided the man.

Hyori heard shuffling and keys jiggling while she breathed as instructed. She heard him close a door and start an engine.

"Are you still with me?"

She answered "Yes." as she was sniffling.

"I'm on my way. I will arrive in ten minutes. You stay on the phone, alright?"

Another small "Yes." fell from the girl's lips.

After a while, she heard her Father close another door. Less than a minute later, her bell rang. She stood from the chair and rushed to the interphone to let him in. Soon enough, he was at her unlocked door. He entered the apartment and closed the door behind him. The middle-aged man opened his arms for the crying girl. Her head was resting on his shoulders, centimetres above his heartbeats. One heavy hand was petting her hair while the other held her close to ground the agitated maiden. After she calmed down, the man suggested sitting down.

They walked inside the kitchen and he served two glasses of water from the fountain. Drinking the beverage had felt good to Hyori's strained throat. They were sitting, almost facing each other, when she put her empty glass on the table.

"What happened?" Prompted her Father.

"I had a fight with my little sister." Murmured the girl. "She's not exactly my sister. I met her inside the pension and we bonded. She's now under the commission's custody. I told her about you and she got upset. She doesn't want to see me anymore."

"Is that what she said?"

"Yes." Hyori nodded. "She told me to leave. She said I was... She said that..."

Memories of the scene saddened Hyori as Megumi's words were drowning her thoughts. She was aware the younger one had aimed to hurt her with her words. She wanted to be the bigger person but she felt betrayed by what she heard.

"You don't have to live that moment again." Said the man as he took her hand in his. "I can see that it hurts you. It's okay if you don't want to go into the details."

Hyori's eyes travelled to meet her Father's earnest ones. At this moment, she believed the man truly was her Father. She had a vague appreciation of the Fatherhood concept, not having experienced it much. Yet, what she felt for the man was the closest she had felt for her Mother. It was different but similar in how she felt important and loved just because she existed.

She was happy but saddened Megumi couldn't have what she had. The younger girl hadn't seen her Grandmother for well over a year, as far as Hyori knew. None of the young girl's family members were in the picture at a point in her life when she was vulnerable. She wondered If Megumi had been hurt by her absence as much as she was now hurt by the girl's words.

"Thank you." Said Hyori after a minute of silence. "Thank you for being there and being my Dad. You know, Megumi doesn't have parents anymore. She was raised by her Grandmother until the pension took her in. We were lucky to get away but I count myself luckier. Would you welcome her if she apologised?"

Her voice had been uncertain as she wasn't sure whether or not she was asking for too much.

"You are my daughter, Hyori." Answered the man as he was drawing circles on the back of her hands with his thumb. "I would care for your loved ones. But I won't allow them to hurt you."

She understood his stance and was content that he was open to giving Megumi a chance. Since she felt better, he recommended that she rest while he would make something for her to eat. Hyori accepted his offer and walked inside her bedroom where she had fallen into a slumber. He woke her up later in the afternoon and they enjoyed his homemade hot pot with baked sweet potatoes.

She hadn't had home-made meals since last December when she cooked with Megumi. She wondered if the man often cooked since the meal was far better than the prepared dishes from Christmas. They had watched a movie together through his on-demand television subscription. At some point, she dozed off and the man helped her back under her bed covers where she peacefully slept for once in weeks.

The following morning, they prepared breakfast together. He showed her how he made omelettes that resembled a pizza without a doughy crust. The omelettes were topped with stirred cherry tomatoes, onions, pepper bells, mushrooms, tofu and seasoning herbs. He had had to order some groceries since her fridge had been empty save from eggs. Rested and satiated, she had felt much better than the previous day.

She left for Hakone later in the afternoon and sent a vocal note to let her Father know she had arrived in her academy's dormitories. He had replied with a vocal note of his own, wishing her a good evening. The girl indeed spent a good evening and swiftly fell asleep, ready to enjoy the holidays.

The sun was up above the Ultra Academy at half past nine in the morning. The early July sun rays had already warmed the air at this time of the day. Browsing on her computer Hyori was sitting inside the nearly empty college-preparatory's school's library. She wanted to keep her room cool by leaving the curtains and windows closed during the day. Most of the pupils had already left the school's grounds for the summer holidays, besides the heroic and the support courses who were expected to intern for at least four weeks.

All of Hyori's classmates had already signed their internship contracts. Hyori herself had received an offer directly from the Hero Commission. It was a support position that wouldn't strain her much as the commission intended to have her assist active agencies with specific cases, on their demand. In short, she wasn't expected to patrol. Still, she supposed the still higher-than-pre-crisis crime levels wouldn't allow her to get bored.

Hyori had decided to postpone her internship start for the third week of the summer holidays. She would use the time to meet her Father's family this weekend and enjoy the summer for a bit. She felt like she hadn't had a proper break over the last holiday and the fatigue accumulated was catching up on her. She had moved her gymnastics and pool sessions to ten in the morning and planned to lounge in the nearby resort in the afternoon.

She also wanted to spend time in the hotel beauty salon in Kamakura but dreaded crossing paths with her previous manager. She was aware the woman had little ammunition left against her since she couldn't threaten her Mother. She also reasoned that she used to wear coloured hair and was chubby and then thinner when she hosted. Therefore, it would be harder to frame her on any recordings.

Before she could talk herself out of the idea, she typed the link she used to redeem the spa vouchers she was offered. Not having a valid code, she clicked on the website icon and arrived on a page where she could purchase a voucher for the spa, the beauty salon or both. The ongoing week was already full save from a spot between one and two in the afternoon.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, she booked a beauty salon voucher since she knew she wouldn't have enough time to enjoy the spa. She would receive a pedicure, a manicure, a hair treatment and skin care for the hefty sum of seventy thousand Yen. That was a quarter of a Yoga session's earnings. Having to pay for everything by herself was becoming a pain.

After her purchase, the girl closed her laptop and put it inside her structured tote bag. She exited the library and walked back towards the dormitories to board her bicycle and leave for the nearby resort. The facility was nearly empty during the holidays since most of its well-off clientele travelled at this time. During summer, most of the visitors were Tokyoites seeking to enjoy the thermal baths and the city's floral parks.

Walking through the nearly empty facility gave Hyori the feeling she owned the place. She suspected more people would arrive during the afternoon. The feeling of being alone in the world emboldened her in her choice of apparel as she was wearing a silver blue swimsuit with a balconette cleavage and a crossed back. Only the coaches would see her and they were already used to her.

Two hours after starting her sports sessions, she changed into a coral Yukata dress with silver slippers. Ready for her beauty appointment, she hailed a taxi to make sure she arrived at the hotel on time. On the road, her forearms' skin was covered in goosebumps at the sight of the familiar road. She hadn't taken that route in half a year and was feeling almost nostalgic.

An hour later, she exited the car on the hotel's guest driveway and walked towards the lobby. She had a strange feeling of coming back home under the high ceiling decorated with crystal ceiling lights, above a marbled floor and marine-blue heavy curtains. The receptionist checked her identity before calling the beauty salon to inform them of her presence. She was invited to walk down the covered outer path that led to the independent building.

The palm trees on her way looked the same as they had been last year when she was walking down that path once a week. When she arrived at the detached building's lobby, the receptionist recognised and greeted her with a knowing smile while redeeming her voucher and indicating to her the room where she would receive the booked care.

It started with the manicure and pedicure, followed by the skincare and ended with the haircare. The esthetician who executed the skincare hadn't recognised her but still enquired if she wanted another tube of her signature scented oil. Her customer profile showed she had one and the product would be ready in a matter of minutes once she had mixed the right doses of components.

Hyori wasn't sure she wanted the lotion. The scent was linked to her activities as a host and had imprinted on the people she had entertained as such. Yet, it was her personal scent and it made her feel special to have one. She was tempted to accept the offer when Megumi's words echoed in her mind. They hadn't texted since their argument but she was still afraid to make the girl's statement truer than they were.

"We can also make a lotion that would help prolong the skincare effect, especially when used with the complementary soap."

Hyori pondered the woman's words. She had never tried the beauty salon's soap. All she had ever used inside the pension was the hotel's standard soap. She had also never been able to find products as delicate and effective as the ones in the hotel's beauty salon.

Reasoning that using these products wouldn't mean anything, she accepted the offer and the esthetician proceeded to put inside a sealed see-through pocket the waxed-off hair from her armpits. After scribing on the pocket's tag, she put the pack inside a designated slot of her toolbox. Afterwards, she massaged the skin-softening ointment on Hyori for the final touch. The violet felt brand new once the treatment was over.

Once the last beautician had taken care of her mane, Hyori exited the room and stopped by the lobby where she paid for her lotion and soap before leaving the area. Before heading back to the academy, she hailed another cab to drive her back to the sports resort where her bicycle was still parked.

When she arrived inside the dormitory at half past three in the afternoon, the common area was empty. The girl beelined for her room and put her goods inside her toiletries purse. She then changed into a pair of boyfriend jeans with an oversized sky-blue blouse on top. She didn't have the will to touch her newly groomed hair and let her loose curls fall on her back. Her hair had definitely lost its battle against gravity and lavender petals were twisting on themselves on her back.

Afterwards, she exited her room to walk into the kitchen and retrieve the lunch she hadn't been able to enjoy between her sports sessions and her beauty salon booking. Being the summer, she had ordered cool meals last Friday and kept them in the fridge. She was in the mood for a salad with pieces of chicken breast, prawns and garlic-seasoned olive oil. The cherry tomatoes' fresh juice was wonderful on her tongue as she enjoyed her meal.

Once satiated, she put the package in the trash bin and opted to read in the academy's library. The place was bathed in natural light and cool despite the hot weather, probably because she was alone inside the large and well-ventilated area. She realised she had been there for well over two hours when she read the numeric clock of her phone after finishing reading her book.

She walked back inside her class's dormitory building to shower for the night and maybe remain inside her bedroom until the following day. After all, she had postponed her internship to renew her physical and mental strength after the hectic last months. She was idly walking through the living room when she heard some noise inside the kitchen. She assumed some of her classmates were already back from their internship or their errands.

Footsteps were exiting the kitchen and Satou, the class's baker, emerged from the kitchen. The boy was tall with a sculpted body and strong facial features. His plump lips and squared jaw gave him an unusual look, being quite uncommon in the streets. His face framed by side whiskers exuded an easy-going joy and the lad looked like the poster capable-man of the early days of cinema. She had seen leading actors looking like him in the Sumo-themed and monochrome movie covers she had seen in her Father's collection.

"Hello, Shinsou." Greeted the boy with his booming voice. "I was about to make dinner since I arrived early. You can join me if you want. I might make something you would like."

Thinking she hadn't had a manicure to head straight into the kitchen, she declined his offer.

"I'm not very hungry and my cooking skills are far from great, thank you."

"You can just sit by. Cooking is more enjoyable with someone." Requested the boy again.

Her classmates had never insisted on getting her involved. Sensing she couldn't politely refuse, she left her purse on the dining table and headed inside the kitchen to sit on the low cabinet by the fridge. The room lacked a chair and the cabinet was sturdy enough. She wasn't afraid to crush the piece of furniture. The kitchen was extra large and so was the furniture.

"I'm cooking a beef hotpot with Cantonese stirred rice. I'll make dumplings as appetisers and maybe a pie." Said the young man as he laid ingredients on the counter opposite to where she was sitting.

Hyori watched him dance left and right in front of the counter, cutting and prepping ingredients before cooking them. He seemed happy to cook for his classmates, in a similar way her Father was happy to cook with her when she couldn't convince him to order. The man would sometimes insist on cooking and she had to admit the taste was different. He would proudly state that the difference was the taste of love.

"Do you have any preference for dumplings? You said you weren't very hungry but you might enjoy a piece or two?" Asked Satou, interrupting her daydreaming.

The small black beads of his eyes were fixed on her when she answered.

"I like them better without meat or tofu... And baked." Replied the girl.

"Oh~ I never baked dumplings. I'll try and hope for the best." Said the boy before facing the counter and making the dumplings.

The hotpot was set on low heat and vapour was swirling from the rice inside the extra-large wok pan. After a moment of cutting and arranging the pieces, he put the dumplings plate inside the oven and crouched in front of the see-through window to watch over the treats. After a dozen minutes, he opened the oven and retrieved the plate. He left it on the counter to cool and looked for ingredients to prepare the pie.

The dumplings smell was inviting while the lad worked on the dough for the pie. Again, he interrupted her daydream with another question.

"Do you have a preferred flavour for the pie?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't had a lot of pies. You don't have to make the common treat fit my taste, though." Answered Hyori.

The lad hummed before replying.

"I've noticed you don't store a lot of sugary treats. I guess you like things without added sugar? I'll make an invisible apple cake instead. We can keep the pie dough in the fridge for a couple of days."

Hyori was surprised he had noticed her eating habits. In retrospect, her snacks might be obvious since the class seemed already used to each other's liking. They could only be the unusual ones.

With moves showcasing dexterity, the cook made a little over twenty pieces and put them in the oven.

"They'll cook fast since they are small." Announced the boy before starting to clean.

Feeling he had done a lot already, Hyori stood from the cabinet to fill the dishwasher. She could at least do that while the boy wiped the counter. Once the cooking tools were inside the dishwasher, Satou offered to try the dumplings. He retrieved a couple of baguettes and held a piece at Shinsou's mouth. She took it in her mouth and enjoyed the crunchy piece whose juice spread down her tongue. It was as good as she could have dreamed of. Her appreciating smile was almost closing her eyes, with her cheeks pushing from the bottom and her heavy monolids pushing from the top.

"It's good!" Exclaimed the violet faster than she could think.

Satou stared at her contentment for a couple of seconds until the oven timer rang and broke the moment. He rushed to the oven and retrieved the plate to let the treats cool at room temperature. As if on cue, the main door of the dormitories opened on numerous pupils, some had probably been enticed by the smell and were walking towards the kitchen.

"It smells nice here! What did you make- Oh! Shinsou!" Exclaimed the invisible girl who was surprised to find her inside the kitchen.

She was soon joined by Mina and her lightning friend.

"Good afternoon." Greeted Shinsou.

Most of the classmates who had arrived were crowding the kitchen's entrance as if there was a show going on inside.

"Common! Let's set the table." Invited the class president.

The classmates who had just arrived hurried to do as instructed and the table was ready in a couple of minutes.

"Are you staying for dinner? I suppose you are hungry after helping Satou. We usually are at two or more to help in the kitchen." Addressed Asui.

"I didn't do much." Countered Hyori.

"You did more than enough." Assured Satou. "Come eat with us."

Not left with any exit and surrounded by her peers, Shinsou agreed to stay for dinner. She sat on a chair near the kitchen. Mina and her lightning friend rushed to both her sides before Satou could. The day's chef resigned to sit on the next available seat beside the lightning blond.

It was her first time hanging with her classmates and she already felt pressured by the furtive glances she was receiving from Kouda and Shoji who sat further, on top of Satou's overall presence. She took a discrete breath as she tried to conceal the memories of her last birthday party inside the Inner Palace. Her sweet seventeen dinner had been polluted by the preying glances she had received from the Emperor and the First Prince.

She ruled her face and reasoned the setting was different but couldn't help her triggered mind not to be uneasy. She had been elsewhere during the dinner and only kept vague memories. Some of her classmates voiced their surprise at the baked dumplings and some argued the cake wasn't sweet enough. Somewhere during the dinner, the girls had mentioned a pool activity and she supposed she had been invited due to their look on her.

"Of course." Replied Hyori. "Just not next Saturday. I have a family event."

"We can do it on Sunday. The academy's pool is available every day." Concluded Momo.

Afterwards, she helped undo the table and rushed to shower before climbing into her bed, her hands slightly trembling.

Hyori was cycling through the empty gardens of her school. Her bicycle shade sheltered her from the unforgiving sun rays of four in the afternoon on a summer day. She was wearing a large hat with a large blouse and wide pants to let the humid wind glide through and cool her skin. The gardens were a maze of green plants, probably in consideration for the pupils and staff suffering from pollen allergies.

Fountains were standing at some crossroads, acting like roundabouts. After a while and a few turns, she arrived at the spot she had been looking for. Under a wide glasshouse, flowers were blooming. It was one of the academy's facilities she had wanted to see but hadn't had much time until now. The building was ex-centred on the domain and was divided into four sections for each season. The area could be the size of a football court.

Hyori left her bicycle before entering the glasshouse. There was a small closed cabin by the entrance and benches here and there. Each section was parted by a path covered with arcs decorated with flowers. The summer path was decorated by suspended lavender plants. A line of blooming bushes lined the path on the ground and rows of flowers were stretching on each side.

Hyori sat on a bench towards the middle of the path for a better view of the scenery. She removed her hat and retrieved a neurology paper on the laws of attraction. To be precise, the document reviewed the Mimetic Desires in the Human Brain. Six studies concluded that "participants rated objects as more desirable once perceived as the goals of another agent's action".

As much as humans were coded animals, the maiden was new to peer influences on people's neurological functions. When she was in the pension, she focused on how her quirk worked on a single person in a secluded setting. Therefore, she was completely blindsided by how her use of her quirk on someone could affect others, in a negative way or a positive one.

She was already aware the idea of the control she could exert on people's actions against their will was generally worrisome and sometimes frightening. But that was regarding her brainwashing abilities. Her dazing abilities were more subtle and weaker. At least, that's what she used to think based on the fact she couldn't command dazed people. Now that she was more social than ever, living inside the dormitories, she saw the consequences of her dazing and hazing abilities in a different light.

Her classmates were clustered in inner circles. Shoji, Kouda, Tokoyami and Sato were one inner circle of close friends in the class. Shoji seemed attached to her since he rescued her. Kouda got in touch with her through Shoji. Kouda had liked her since she used her quirk to haze him during training. And now, Satou had been making special treats and tweakings for her every day he had been cooking during the week, four days already.

She couldn't cast all of their actions as romantic but their intentions didn't escape her. She could see they were contaminating each other in their dispositions towards her, often trying to get her alone.

For context, she compared their circle to the one formed by Midoriya, Lida, Asui, Uraraka and Todoroki Junior. Midoriya had been the first to approach her and he did so in an openly friendly manner, inviting her to his friends' activities. Afterwards, his circle invited her to different games and group activities. Even if she could sense the half-red head overwatching her.

The two circles' approaches were similar in how they mirrored the first member's intentions, with varying levels of involvement or intensity. For reference, she had noticed a similar contagious effect when Toya started training with Kiku. The two had displayed an ongoing competition for her attention every time she had been inside the dojo.

She would need to overview the evolution of these dynamics in the long term. She might be exaggerating or not having the whole picture. After all, people generally shared the same thinking processes and likes with their friends. It wasn't far-fetched to assume they would like the same people their friends did in a similar fashion. Touya and Kiku weren't friends and had never been, but they were probably the closest the other had.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another figure entering the glasshouse, Miss Nanase. Her former homeroom teacher retrieved a liquid spray from the cabin at the entrance and walked towards the summer section.

"Fancy finding you here, Shinsou." Greeted the woman.

"Good Afternoon, Miss Nanase." Greeted Hyori back before asking. "Are you the one tending to the glasshouse? I thought it was automatic, like the rest of the gardens."

"It is. I merely spray some magic here and there." Answered the woman.

The woman hummed a lullaby while spraying the liquid on plants. Probably due to her pixie quirk, the flowers touched by the spray looked instantly brighter. The scenery was even more beautiful.

"Do you want to try?" Asked the woman, handing the spray to Hyori.

"I can try but I don't have your magic." Replied Hyori as she left her tablet on the bench and stood up to retrieve the spray.

"It's your intentions that matter." Assured the woman.

Taking the bottle, she noticed the woman's complexion was fairly similar to hers. She wondered if they shared the same condition even if the woman's eyes didn't look affected. The flowers she sprayed didn't look as bright as the others had. She looked at the woman whose kind and small purple eyes were observing her.

"You can sing to them. Flowers like that." Suggested Miss Nanase.

Hyori wasn't sure. She hadn't sung in a long time. Doing so for flowers was flustering, especially with an audience.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Enquired the woman.

"I haven't sung in a while. I may have forgotten. And it's a bit..." Then, the girl murmured "Embarrassing."

A good-hearted laugh escaped Miss Nanase's lips.

"I can teach you my favourite song. Follow my lead." Said the woman as she adjusted Hyori's posture.

The almost hug felt reassuring. It was one of these moments when she wanted her former homeroom teacher to be her Mother. Then, her thoughts drifted to Megumi. She wondered if the teen had encountered someone like Miss Nanase. She was feeling guilty for enjoying the woman's affection while she had separated Megumi from her family. She questioned herself on whether pushing the younger teen not to contact her Grandmother had been the right decision. Maybe the elderly woman had seen her wrongdoings? At the moment, Hyori thought she wasn't better than her lawyers for assuming the girl's Grandmother would be deceiving for money.

"Is there something wrong?" Miss Nanase asked, bringing Hyori back to the present time.

"My little sister and I aren't talking anymore." Confessed Hyori.

"Couldn't your parents mediate?" Enquired the woman.

Hyori's mood soured even more and the woman turned her so that they would face each other.

"Look at me." Demanded Miss Nanase. "What aren't you telling me?"

"It's complicated." Replied the violet whose eyes had issues remaining focused on the woman's eyes.

"What do you mean? How come there is never an adult around for you? What aren't you telling me?"

The girl remained mute in her distress and the woman pressed. "I'm waiting."

"I haven't talked to my Mother since I left my childhood home. Megumi isn't really my sister. We met in the pension and bonded over our similarities. It had only been the two of us until recently when my Father found me. He didn't know I existed and now wants to get involved in my life. But Megumi doesn't have a family anymore. She said I won't love her anymore if I get to know my Father's family and told me she didn't want to see me again."

The woman had wiped the few stray tears that rolled on the girl's cheeks.

"She's only afraid to lose you. And it's normal for you to want to know your family. I'm sure she will come around once she has calmed down." Assured Miss Nanase.

Hyori's apprehensive eyes locked with Miss Nanase forbearing ones when she asked. "What if she still wants me to choose?"

"You choose yourself." The woman concluded. "You can hope for the best regarding your little sister but not sacrifice yourself. Do you understand my stance?"

The girl nodded and the woman hugged her. They both exited the glasshouse when Miss Nanase was done spraying the summer area, each towards their dormitory building.

She walked inside her bedroom to pack her changing bag for her weekend trip to Tokyo. Afterwards, she walked downstairs and heard a noise in the kitchen room. Surprised to find Satou setting the dining table, she peered through the ajar door and saw Bakugou setting tools for dinner. She had forgotten they were on a rotation with Satou being the one cooking since Monday.

"Bakugou arrived earlier today and took over the dinner." Explained Satou before offering. "We can play a card game if you want."

"Or Shinsou could lend me a hand." Countered the boy inside the kitchen.

The blond boy was noticeably shorter and less physically capable than Satou. Having witnessed the kind of movements required to cook extra large meat pieces in extra large pans, it was understandable the feat was trickier for the day's chef. Hyori eyed her still-manicured hands and thought about the upcoming meeting with her Father's family. She was reluctant to partake in cooking.

"I can help." Offered the tallest.

"You already cooked for four days this week. You can rest for today." Refused the shortest before shifting his demanding eyes to Hyori.

"Do we have gloves?" Asked Hyori.

The day's cook sported an unimpressed look.

He pointed at a drawer and she proceeded to put two gloves on. Once ready, she was tasked with cutting vegetables.

"Do we have a slicing machine?" Enquired Hyori again.

"Never cut vegetables before?" Accused the exasperated boy.

"Not with a knife. I have a domestic robot home and my Father does most of the cooking." Justified Hyori.

"You might want to bring your robot here because we only have basic cooking appliances." Concluded Bakugou while handing her a knife.

Minutes later, the boy eventually backtracked and urged her out of the kitchen as she was painfully slow at any given task. He ended up struggling and spent way more time than Satou did. In the meantime, their classmates had arrived and his circle eventually joined him inside the kitchen.

"You didn't help Bakugou in the kitchen? He barks a lot but doesn't bite. No need to be wary of him." The bonus classmate boldly voiced.

"That giant lavender plant didn't help me because of lacking any skill! Not because I'm scary or anything!" Countered the abrasive blond.

"But Satou said he helped him!" Exclaimed the shadow.

"Probably by sitting pretty or something! Anyways, dinner is served!" Concluded Bakugou.

With that, the class sat at the table and enjoyed the curry they had for dinner. Hyori never had such a spicy meal and was glad she served herself a small portion. She was told the day's chef had a strong liking for spiciness and the curry was mildly spiced compared to what he was used to. Thinking Bakugou's taste buds were grilled at this point, she retrieved a bottle of vanilla-flavoured milk to help her finish her portion.

The following morning, Hyori woke up in a good mood and was looking forward to the day's events. She left Hakone by bus at nine in the morning. Her studio was closed for the holiday and she had asked her Father to help her pay vouchers for the hotel's spa and beauty salon in Kamakura. She told him she was already used to the place and the middle-aged man gave her a debit card information for the transaction. For two hours and a half, she had received massages and skin care, had lounged, styled her hair in a bun and groomed her face for the afternoon.

After the whole session, she felt fresh and hailed a cab for her apartment in Tokyo. Her Father was meant to arrive at two in the afternoon with her late twentieth birthday party dress. She had picked a pastel pink tulle gown that reached right above her knees. The light fabric helped the layers not weigh the dress down. A pair of evenly-coloured strappy heels completed her outfit with a floral headband and pearl jewellery.

While waiting for the man, she opened the courier she had received. Among the envelopes, one contained a voucher for the Gotemba Shopping Centre and a phone number with Enji's signature. She redeemed the voucher through the place's application, reasoning it would have gone to waste since it was already purchased.

The party took place at her Father's house located near the Park Hibiya. The terrace had been decorated with suspended daisy flowers and summer tulip bouquets for the small number of guests, namely Hyori and her paternal Grandparents. A portrait photographer and musicians had been hired for the occasion, along with a private chef.

Meeting her Grandparents had been less memorable than meeting her Father. She could see the similarities between the elderly lady and herself. She supposed she got her big head from the elderly man. The couple was lovely and doting but they hadn't radiated the same sense of security she felt with Mister Hanabata. She supposed she would gradually warm and even grow fond of them provided they had enough time ahead.

The most memorable part of the party was the peaches and berries ice cream cake. The fruity creamy mix had felt heavenly on the soft spongy cake texture. The treat hadn't been sweetened, just how she liked it. After dessert, she was offered two envelopes. One regular courier-sized and one sturdier and bigger.

Her Grandparents stated they knew they might not have much time left and wanted to give her a substantial gift. The party ended at six in the afternoon when her Grandparents had to head back home. The couple was looking forward to meeting again for Christmas and the new year's celebrations.

After they left, her Father guided her inside a spare bedroom she could use for the night "and whenever she felt like visiting". The bedroom was similar to her own room inside her apartment. There was a closet and a personal bathroom. The girl took her shower and opened her gifts. The small envelope, her Father's gift, contained a new debit card. The bigger one, her Grandparents' gift, contained a gift letter written on sturdy paper. Hyori secured the document back inside its envelope and decided to ask her Father for guidance. Then, she got comfortable in bed and easily fell into a slumber.

On Sunday, Father and daughter had cooked breakfast before the middle-aged man offered to drive her back to Hakone. They had stopped by her apartment to let her change for the trip back to Hakone. Her choice of clothes had intrigued her Father who commented it was the first time he witnessed her wearing pants. They made a detour by a sports apparel shop inside the Yebisu Garden Place to purchase a specific swimsuit for her class pool activity, at her request. She had sensed her Father's surprise when she picked a full-coverage swimming dress with shorts, especially after she eyed the retro-styled pieces that were back in fashion. The man hadn't made any comment in the shopping centre but she knew he wanted to say something.

"Your choice of swimsuit surprised me. I thought you would want something more trendy." Said her Father once they were on the road.

"I do like trendy outfits. It's just that... I don't wear typical girls' clothes at school."

She felt the man's inquisitive eyes on her as she had made her taste for coquette fashion obvious.

"It started in high school. I was... Harassed by my male classmates and decided to switch uniforms after changing schools. The habit stuck and I still do it. I also use a pseudonym at school since Hyori is mostly a girl's name." Confessed the girl.

The car had been silent for a minute before her Father inquired further.

"Are you afraid to be seen as a girl?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I know my classmates won't do anything." Maybe save from the purple gremlin. "But it would be awkward if I suddenly changed style out of nowhere. I think I'm too far gone."

Again, there was another pause until her Father stated she didn't have to change the way she dressed if she didn't want to.

"I can only imagine you have been through a lot. The way you present yourself is your choice. You don't have to change it if you don't feel like doing it. And you could never be too far gone. You can change style whenever you feel like doing so."

They spent the rest of the drive in relative silence until Hyori asked her Father about his legal family. He told her his wife had moved out years ago even if they were still legally married. They didn't have children together since he made sure he couldn't, for promiscuous reasons. He hadn't been a loyal husband and she eventually had a child with her youth sweetheart.

The two of them had moved together even if their child was legally his. He didn't interfere in the boy's upbringing and hadn't cared for a family until a few months ago. His wife moving out had been the best for her and the child. Keeping the appearances was the least he could do for her after her many attempts to make their engagement work.

After a little over an hour of driving, escorted by the man's guards, they arrived before the Ultra Academy's side gates. Her Father stopped the car on the outer side of the road. The middle-aged man retrieved her changing bag from the trunk before they hugged. They parted after he left a kiss on her forehead. Like always, her Father had waited for her to enter before leaving.

Hyori arrived at her class dormitory twenty minutes before one in the afternoon. She was greeted by a post-it note on the door stating her classmates were spending the morning at the Gotemba Shopping Centre. They would go straight to the pool area of the Alpha gym grounds, the heroic course's sports facilities, at four in the afternoon. She headed into her bedroom to empty her changing bag.

Afterwards, she had a cool meal from the fridge before heading towards the academy's library. She chose a seat in the middle of the room, far enough from the sun rays piercing through the windows. This time around, she hadn't been the only one in the area. After what seemed to be an hour, she spotted a duo of blonde-haired pupils in the corner of her sight. A boy and a horned girl entered the area and their blue eyes met her lilac ones.

She recognised the boy as one of her partners in class B during last year's joint training. He looked a lot less maniac in civilian clothing. He was wearing khaki shorts with a white blouse and the two upper buttons were unmade. Even if his shoes and watch hadn't given him away, the suave and lingering scent of his perfume screamed refined when the duo sat at the table she was.

She didn't recognise the girl even if she assumed she was a 2B pupil. Her long blond hair was tied in a loose and high ponytail. She was wearing a high-rise denim skirt and a cropped denim top with the two upper buttons opened. Her doe eyes were wandering in an attempt not to stare. The taller maiden thought she was cute with her small and diamond-shaped face complemented by her petite silhouette. She looked like a human deer in all of its candid delicacy.

"My! What happened to you in the wicked's den? I almost didn't recognise you, Shinsou." Addressed the lad, Monoma, once they reached her level.

Assuming she wouldn't meet anyone inside the library during the holidays, she hadn't tied her hair and simply pulled it backwards.

"Good afternoon." Greeted Hyori.

"Hello." Replied the girl. "I'm Pony."

"Nice to meet you, Pony."

Monoma had a French comic book in his hand while the girl had a Hiragana crossword book in hers.

"I was looking forward to your performance during the sports festivals." Added the young man.

Hyori didn't answer his hidden question. She didn't like interrogations and he wasn't entitled to details about her happenings. The trio fell in silence, focused on their respective books. After a while, Monoma's voice broke the silence with his laughter. A genuine laughter. The petite maiden by his side enquired and he translated what was a wordplay. Without much surprise, the blonde maiden didn't find his explanation funny.

Not wanting to linger around, Hyori closed her book and stood from the chair. The library was enjoyable so long as she was alone there. With all the free seats in the area, the newcomers chose to sit at the same table she was. She thought they had wanted to tell her something specific, judging by their anticipation. In the end, it seemed they were simply surprised that she was there. Leaving was the less awkward move.

"Wait." Addressed Monoma. "I suppose internship hunting is tricky since no one saw you during the sports festival. I mean, the class 2A as a whole had made quite the impression but you are a newcomer."

"What do you want to know?" Enquired Hyori with a defensive tone.

Pony's eyes were shifting between the standing girl and her sitting classmate. The simple question Hyori asked had shut the blond lad's mouth. Unless it was her annoyed glare coming from her lavender irises half-covered by her heavy lids. She had been told it could feel intimidating by former classmates, as her feline eyes looked piercing from her high stature.

Since the boy didn't answer after a couple of seconds, she turned to walk out.

"I was just trying to check on you." He was looking at the side when she faced him again. "You have been nowhere to be seen since the joint training. I was starting to think you gave up after the crisis or that something happened."

Hyori sensed he was honest and was nervously waiting for a response. She had been unnecessarily defensive again.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern. I was onto something else during the last sports festival. And to answer your first question, my internship will start in two weeks."

"Did you already know what branch you are aiming for?" Asked Monoma further.

"I will intern as a support hero and won't be patrolling much." Replied Hyori.

A disappointed yet resigned look took over his eyes when he replied. "Just like me, then."

The conversation was as awkward as it could be and Hyori knew it wasn't her place to console the boy for whatever grieving he was going through.

"Good afternoon, Pony, Monoma." Saluted Hyori before leaving the area.

She walked back to her room inside her class's dormitory to change into her swimming outfit. As she looked at her reflection, she noticed the covering outfit was too close to her skin to dampen her curves. Her bumpy chest was too noticeable under the stretchy fabric. She removed the outfit and put on one of the binder and compression shorts she used under her summer hero costume. The piece was more effective than a minimiser when she couldn't layer or wear ample garments.

The final result was satisfying even if she looked like an out-of-shape boy. Her arms were bigger than the girls' arms even given her height. Yet, they weren't as defined as the boys. It was the same for her thighs. Movements could be seen when she walked and she suspected a few people wouldn't fall for her trick, especially if they saw her soft stomach with the pooch.

Still, her clothing was more of a comforter than anything. She styled her hair into a man bun, showing her forehead. Then, she completed her look with a cap. She couldn't stop thinking about the retro styled swimsuits she had seen earlier in the morning. She could have taken one, at least for her personal viewing.

She could imagine the thin straps meeting behind her neck and highlighting her lush chest cupped by the corset-like swimsuit. The fabric would stretch across her waist lines. The bottom of the single piece would hug the top of her thighs, covering her hips and bringing attention to her inner thighs. A few weeks ahead, near the end of her cycle, the mere sight of her fantasy would have her flower demanding and sensitive.

Not being there yet, Hyori easily discarded her reverie and put slippers on before walking towards the alpha gym ground with her changing bag. Arriving early and already changed would save her from the awkward moment she would have to rush towards the infirmary or the painful moment she would sneak her way into the girl's changing room. She was eager to witness the pool activities.

Her classmates weren't yet there when she arrived. She sat on the first row of bleachers and hurried to order a swimsuit similar to the one she had in mind, using one of her birthday gifts. She was tempted to download again the social media applications she had uninstalled during her recovery, at least to pass the time while she waited for her classmates to arrive. In the end, she decided not to and opened the red video browser instead. A few keywords later, she was watching videos of dancing cats.

The girls were the first of her classmates to arrive. They had changed into the school's provided swimsuits. They were carrying their changing bag and the pink-haired girl carried a pocket sound system. She had greeted them from afar while they were walking towards her.

"The rest of the class will arrive later. We left them at the skatepark." Announced Momo, the second class president, her long black hair secured in a bun.

They collectively left their bags on the bleachers and picked a dancing playlist on the ear jack maiden's phone.

"Do you want to join our stretching session?" Invited Asui.

"Of course." Replied Hyori as she stood from the bleacher and lined with the others.

After stretching, they entered the pool and Hyori sat on the edge, her feet playing with the water. Asui was obviously in her element and had easily won at Marco Polo. After a few rounds, the maidens were lounging in the water, floating on foam sticks and talking among themselves. Watching them play had been entertaining, though.

"Would you mind joining the girl's group chat?" Enquired the second class representative, as if she only remembered to ask.

Surprise overtook Hyori when she heard her classmate. Uneasy, she nodded before questioning.

"How long have you known?" Asked the taken aback girl.

Her classmates looked among themselves, dreading answering.

"Well..." Started Uraraka. "Your legs don't really lie, right now. It was pretty obvious when you stretched with us."

"Can we say you look too pampered to be a dickhead?" Mina offered.

"Your mannerism doesn't always add up." Confessed Asui.

"You never change with others." Pointed Hagakure, the invisible maiden.

Silence fell on the pool grounds, save for the music no one was listening anymore.

"I'm not mad." Said Hyori in an attempt to lift the mood. "I'm just dumbfounded."

"Now that you know that we know, you can get into an ordinary swimsuit?" Wondered out loud Ashido.

"I didn't take the school bathing suit. And I left my other swimsuits in my room." Replied Hyori.

"Maybe take the shorts and pants off?" Pressed Ashido.

"Why?" Countered Hyori.

The girls looked at each other before Momo clarified their stance.

"We don't understand why you hide yourself so much. There is too much mystery around you, starting with your lifestyle and now your appearance. It's hard to trust you when everything turns out deceiving. We only want to see your real self and I can tell it's not what you currently look like, or else you wouldn't have different kinds of swimsuits in your room."

Hyori couldn't counter Momo's arguments. She took a breath and reluctantly walked into the changing room to remove her shorts and pants. Since her classmates were in for a show, she also undid her man bun and removed her binder along with her compression shorts, leaving the dress and panties on.

"Are you satisfied?" Taunted the upset maiden back at the pool.

"It's not like that." Said Momo who picked on her stunt. "You seem to have been hiding for years. We assume you have reasons and thought we could be a safe place for you to uncover."

Hyori sensed their earnestness and felt their guilt. Sometimes, she hated being able to sense others' emotions because she felt the ability invalidated her own.

"Thank you for your concern." Said Hyori after a minute of silent consideration.

She sat back at the edge of the pool and the other girls resumed their activities. The rest of the class arrived soon after with a blond-haired boy she didn't remember. He had blue eyes and a long face contoured by a fringe on his left side.

"It's Aoyama, our former classmate. Do you remember? He was at the joint training. We are still in touch so he's still part of our outings. I was sure we mentioned he would be there." Elaborated Momo.

"I guess I forgot." Replied Hyori.

When the former heroic pupil arrived at their level with the newcomers, he might as well have seen a ghost. She sensed a disproportionate feeling of doom oozing from Aoyama. It looked like her sight had triggered a traumatic response in his mind.

The rest of the class wisely prevented from making any comments and the most eager ones jumped in the pool. Everyone had worn the school-provided swimsuit and dived beside Hyori who had remained glued on her spot. Aoyama, the former heroic hopeful who had resigned during the crisis, made efforts not to look at her even though he couldn't help himself. Each time, his eyes had been charged with incredulity.

The boys had played water polo and the closure time soon arrived at six in the afternoon. She suspected the activity had been more of an opportunity for the girls to confront her than anything else. While her classmates walked into the changing area, Aoyama had lagged behind until they were alone. Then, he turned around to question Hyori.

"Are you, maybe, Haze?"

The day was definitely full of surprises for her. She didn't answer and simply eyed him. The latter retrieved his phone from his bag and browsed it until he showed her a picture. On his phone were her updated profile picture and the candid pictures published on her hosting account.

"To think you were right under my nose for so long and I didn't recognise you." Mourned Yuga.

"How did you get those pictures?" Inquired Hyori, feeling agitated.

"Professor gave them to me. He tasked me to find you at school." Confessed the boy.

"You worked for him?!"

"I had to cooperate. Your enrolment in the academy forced him to change his plans since he couldn't launch indiscriminate attacks anymore. I had to spy on my former class and look for you to have his underlings abduct you."

He dryly laughed before adding.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you this. It's not like it could change anything and Professor isn't anymore. I guess I just wanted to approach the root of my personal drama."

Hyori sensed conflicting feelings inside the boy. He saw her as the reason he had been forced to work with the evil but also knew he would have to regardless of her involvement.

"Are you related to him?" Asked the young man.

"Not by blood. But he used to be a kind of Grandparent to me." Replied Hyori, omitting the carnal details of the relationship.

She silently walked out of the area, her thoughts louder than ever in her head.