- . My Hero Academia 180 degrees. -
14. Where Izuku starts feeling more pressure about the UA entrance exam, and Bakugo joins a band.
Izuku settled into his seat, holding his chopsticks in one hand as he began to eat his breakfast. Despite trying to hide it, a light smile formed on his lips, the result of a pleasant dream he could barely recall. While the details eluded him, the feeling of contentment lingered, as if he had woken up with renewed energy.
—You look very happy this morning, and with quite an appetite, Izuku —his mother commented, placing a bowl of rice in front of him, watching her son with affection. She had always been perceptive when it came to him.
—Really? —he responded with a soft laugh, trying to downplay it—. You must be imagining things, Mom. There's nothing special going on.
Despite his words, his good mood was undeniable. He took a bite of rice, savoring the warmth of the family moment. However, that lighthearted feeling was suddenly interrupted when an announcement on the TV caught his attention. The news anchor's voice was grave.
—Breaking news. This morning, at UA's Hero Academy facilities…
His mother, noticing the shift in tone on the television, grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. Both of them stopped eating for a moment to listen.
—Heroine Recovery Girl was found lifeless in her office. The cause has been attributed to natural reasons. Today, a national day of mourning has been declared for non-essential activities, including all schools across the country.
The bowl of rice was momentarily forgotten as Izuku and his mother exchanged a look filled with sorrow. Recovery Girl had been a key figure at UA, not only for her unique healing abilities but for the care and dedication she had shown to all UA students and civilians alike.
—Oh, how sad… —his mother murmured with a sigh, turning her eyes back to the screen—. But I suppose she was quite old already...
The news continued, showing images of the UA campus, and then, a face appeared on the screen. Izuku immediately recognized it as Shota Aizawa, the new principal of the school. He had heard about him but had never seen him publicly until now.
—Next, we have a statement from UA's current principal —the reporter announced.
The man who appeared was wearing a formal suit, his hair tied back into a ponytail. His expression was stern, with a firm gaze that radiated authority and discipline. Izuku was struck by how severe he looked, almost as if every word he was about to say carried a heavy weight.
—The loss of Recovery Girl is a harsh blow to heroes and society as a whole —the principal began, his tone grave and direct—. Her life was an example of complete dedication and sacrifice. Being a hero means more than just saving lives; it is a total commitment. Anyone aspiring to be a hero from now on will have to think twice. We can no longer rely on someone always being there to heal us when we fall. This changes many things, including the upcoming UA entrance exam. There will be stricter filters in place, and only the most capable applicants will be allowed to enter. This is for your own safety.
As the principal spoke, Izuku felt a chill run down his spine. It was as if those words were aimed directly at him.
He looked down at his bowl of rice, the appetite he had felt moments earlier now replaced by a mix of anxiety and determination. He knew the path to becoming a hero had always been tough, but the absence of Recovery Girl would make that journey even more dangerous.
The rain was pouring down hard, but Izuku didn't seem to mind. Running through the downpour, wrapped in his yellow raincoat, he felt the steady rhythm of his steps echoing on the park's track. Water splashed around him as his controlled breathing mixed with the sound of raindrops hitting the pavement. He had been running for over five hours, barely noticing how much time had passed. The emptiness of the track and the constant rhythm of the rain kept him in an almost meditative state, far removed from his daily worries.
He decided to stop for a moment, his legs asking for a break. Slowly walking over to a puddle, he stared at his distorted reflection in the water. His yellow raincoat made him look like a hero with a cape, and for a moment, he let his imagination run wild. He saw himself as the hero he had always wanted to be, protecting others with unstoppable strength. Striking a heroic pose, he immediately felt a sense of embarrassment wash over him, making him blush. He quickly straightened up, scratching the back of his neck.
—This is so silly... —he muttered to himself, smiling awkwardly.
That's when a female voice interrupted his thoughts.
—Excuse me, may I give you a flyer?
Izuku turned his head, noticing a woman a few meters away. She was holding a stack of papers under her arm, while a small umbrella barely shielded her large figure. She was imposing, yet her tone was soft, almost timid.
A man who was also in the park rudely rejected her offer.
—Can't you see it's still raining? Who hands out flyers in this weather? Weird... —the man muttered, walking away in annoyance.
The abrupt rejection seemed to affect her. The flyers she was holding slipped from her hands and fell onto the wet ground. As she tried to bend down to pick them up, a gust of wind snatched the umbrella from her grip.
Izuku reacted without thinking. With a quick leap, he caught the umbrella mid-air before it could fly away and rushed over to her. Under the rain, which soaked everything around them, he hurried to help her gather the scattered flyers from the ground.
—Are you okay? —he asked with a smile, holding the umbrella over her and handing her the flyers he had managed to collect.
The woman looked at him with surprise at first but then smiled gratefully. Up close, Izuku realized how tall she was, his green eyes lifting to meet her face, which had soft features yet unmistakably resembled a fox.
—Thank you so much, little crying hero —she said with a soft laugh as she pulled up the hood of his raincoat, which had fallen due to the wind.
—Ah, no. It's not tears. It's just the rain —Izuku quickly clarified, rubbing his face with his forearm. Then, a shy smile appeared on his lips—. If it's alright, I'd like to take one of your flyers.
—You're very kind —she responded, handing him one of the papers she still had in her hand—. But, unfortunately, I think you're still too young to vote.
Izuku took the flyer and glanced at it. It was a pamphlet for the political campaign of UA's former principal, who was now running for mayor.
—Not to agree with that guy, but... wouldn't it be better to hand them out after the rain stops? —Izuku asked, trying to be polite but curious about why she was out in such hostile weather.
The woman let out a soft laugh, but her expression turned a bit sad.
—Now that I think about it, it must seem a bit suspicious —she said with a sigh—. It's just that, for us, it would be such a great achievement if the new mayor was one of our own.
Izuku noticed how her gaze drifted off into the distance as the rain continued to fall. There was a weight to her voice that he could understand, a feeling of accumulated struggle and frustration.
—Even though several heteromorphs have reached important positions in society, there are still times when we're treated like second-class citizens. I'd like to see that change... —she continued softly, as if it were a long-held wish in her heart.
Izuku didn't say anything for a moment. His gaze also drifted off toward the horizon, toward the endless raindrops falling around them. He knew exactly what she meant.
'All men are not created equal. That was the truth about society that I learned at the age of four,' he recalled.
—I understand —he finally said, breaking the silence.
The woman looked at him in surprise and then smiled, a genuine and warm smile that seemed to light up the gray scene under the rain.
After a few more moments of sharing the rain in silence, she bid him farewell with a kind gesture, and he raised a hand to wave as she walked away.
Watching her disappear into the streets of the park, Izuku stood under the rain for a moment longer, holding the flyer in his hand. The rain continued to pour down, relentless, but in his heart, he felt that, maybe, one day, the change they both wished for would come.
—I'm back —Izuku announced loudly as he closed the door behind him.
The lights in the house were off, but that didn't seem strange to him. His mom had probably gone out to pick up a few things for dinner. Everything felt strangely calm, with only the soft patter of the rain outside breaking the silence.
Izuku removed his wet raincoat, hanging it on the balcony to dry. Then, he stripped off his soaked clothes and tossed them into the washing machine before heading to the shower. The hot water cascading over his skin helped relax the tense muscles from his long run in the rain. He felt the day's tension slowly melt away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Once clean and dressed in dry clothes, he went to the kitchen and grabbed a cold bottle of water from the fridge. He took a sip, his gaze wandering around the empty room until he remembered what he wanted to do. He set the bottle on the table and pulled out his phone, searching for the official UA website. The entrance exam was getting closer, and even though he had read the guidelines several times, part of him kept hoping they had posted something new, something that could help him prepare better.
It didn't take long to find what he was looking for. He sat down on the living room couch and began reading carefully.
'Applicants will undergo a brief interview about their motivations for becoming professional heroes, their quirk development, and skills developed beyond their quirks. They will also participate in a round of physical tests where quirks can be used to achieve the highest score. At least one person from each segment finishing in last place will be disqualified and not allowed to proceed to the actual entrance exam. However, if deemed necessary by the judges, entire blocks may also be disqualified if they do not meet the expectations set by the director.'
Izuku slowly lowered his phone, letting the words sink in. The pressure of the exam was clear. The idea that one mistake could cost him his chance to get into UA made his stomach knot. He wanted to be a hero, more than anything in the world, but the path was becoming harder with each step.
The sound of keys turning in the lock snapped him out of his thoughts.
—Izuku, I'm glad you're home, but… why are you sitting in the dark? —his mom asked as she entered the apartment and turned on the living room light.
Izuku blinked, surprised at how comfortable he had felt in the dimness.
—I must've forgotten —he said, smiling awkwardly—. I was reading about the new process for the UA entrance exam.
His mom set the grocery bags on the table and approached, curious.
—Is that it? —she asked, gesturing to his phone.
Izuku nodded, handing it over to her. He watched as his mom began reading the same information he had just gone over. As she absorbed the details, Izuku lowered his gaze. He knew she had always been worried about him, especially now that he had reignited his dream of becoming a hero. But every new complication in the entrance process only made the doubts about his ability to achieve that dream grow larger.
—Is that all? —his mom asked suddenly, her voice soft but filled with a determination that caught Izuku off guard.
When he looked up, he saw her on the verge of tears, yet her expression was firm, full of unwavering resolve. Her hands trembled slightly, but the strength in her voice was unmistakable.
—You can do it, Izuku. —She looked him straight in the eye, as if trying to pour all her confidence into him.
Izuku felt a lump form in his throat. Emotions quickly overwhelmed him, and he too had to fight back the tears threatening to spill. But in the end, he couldn't help but smile, deeply moved by his mom's words.
—Yes! —he exclaimed, energy rushing through his body—. No matter what happens, I'll give it my all!
They both nodded, sharing a look of mutual understanding. In that moment, some of Izuku's doubts faded, replaced by a sense of certainty. He knew the road ahead would be tough, but he wasn't alone anymore.
—You know I'll be scared and worried about you all the time —she said, taking a deep breath before continuing—, but from now on, I'll support you in everything you decide to do.
Izuku looked at her with admiration. He knew she had always wanted to protect him, but he also understood that it was time for him to fight his own battles.
Then, his mom started rummaging through one of the bags she had brought in.
—I know it's a bit sudden, and I was planning to wrap it, but I don't see a better time to give it to you —she said, pulling out a dark green tracksuit with a few yellow stripes—. It's for you to wear on the day of the exam.
Izuku looked at the outfit for a moment, surprised. It was exactly his size, and the colors, though simple, held special meaning.
A warm feeling filled his chest as he took the tracksuit in his hands.
—It's perfect, Mom —he said sincerely, looking at her with gratitude—. Thank you.
His mom's smile was all he needed to feel that, no matter the obstacles ahead, he would keep moving forward.
...
Bakugo walked down the street, each step splashing through the small puddles that covered the sidewalk. His scowl and clenched fists made his foul mood clear. In one hand, he held a crumpled flyer, gripping it so tightly it looked like it could tear at any moment. The last conversation he'd overheard was playing in his mind, the one his mother had on speaker with the doctor.
—We're going to increase Katsuki's testosterone-suppressing dosage again —the doctor had said with a professional tone—, but this time, I also recommend that he practice an activity at least three times a week that doesn't involve fighting. Something that will help him relax. Maybe playing a musical instrument.
"Nonsense!" had been his only thought then, and it was still the same now as he shoved the door of a music store open with unnecessary force.
The door slammed shut behind him, catching the attention of the girl at the counter, who, upon seeing him enter, removed her headphones.
—Welco... —she started to say, but Bakugo didn't let her finish.
Without a word, he tossed the crumpled flyer onto the counter, crushing it in front of her with an energy that radiated determination. Jiro Kyoka looked at him, visibly surprised by the blonde's attitude.
—It says here you're looking for a drummer for your band —Bakugo said, his eyes blazing with challenge—. Well, here I am!
The girl blinked several times, surprised by his aggression. However, instead of backing down, she remained calm and let her surprise fade away.
—Care to give it a try? —she asked, nodding towards the drum set conveniently placed in the corner of the shop.
Bakugo begrudgingly nodded, as if the entire process was a waste of time. He strode over to the drums with determined steps, and without further ado, sat down and grabbed the drumsticks with force, ready to show what he could do.
With a couple of quick breaths, he began to play, and the sound of the drums echoed throughout the store. His movements were fluid and precise, as if he had been born to play. The rhythms he created were not only intense but carried a controlled energy, as though he was channeling all his frustration into each strike. It was clear he wasn't a beginner; Bakugo played like the music was an extension of his own explosive personality.
After a few minutes, which felt longer than they actually were, Bakugo stopped, his muscles tense and his breathing slightly heavy. He stood up and handed the drumsticks to Jiro, who was visibly amazed.
—You're... amazing! —she exclaimed, almost unable to believe what she had just heard.
—Like I needed someone to tell me that —Bakugo responded arrogantly, dropping the drumsticks onto the counter.
Jiro smiled, still surprised but also amused by his attitude. Quickly, she grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down an address.
—Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from three to five —she said, handing him the note.
Bakugo took it roughly, not even bothering to thank her.
—Good! —he growled, turning to leave. However, before stepping out, he paused at the door and glanced back at her with a smug, sideways smile.
—Oh, and by the way, try not to fall in love with me. The moment I sense a confession coming, I'm out.
Jiro looked at him, utterly bewildered by the comment, and frowned, slightly annoyed.
—Of course not. This band is about music, not dating —she replied firmly, crossing her arms.
—Good! —Bakugo shot back, satisfied with her response. Without another word, he stormed out of the shop with the same determination he had entered with, the crumpled paper still in his hand.
Jiro watched him disappear down the street before putting her headphones back on and returning to her magazine, a slight smile on her face at the strange yet intense interaction.
Author's Notes.-
Your comments are always welcome! Thank you so much for reading, following, and liking. It always makes me smile.