Angel: Alright, I'm pissed. They're STILL dragging out the one character I wanna see for the last season, and I cannot stand it. Don't get me wrong, season 7 was solid, but they need to stop increasing my blood pressure for the moment I'm waiting on. At least I can attempt to catch up on what I haven't written yet while we wait for the last season. And coincidentally I have both the final season of Dr. Stone AND MHA to look forward to next year, hopefully I can tackle them both in 2025.
What Katzuka kiss was cuter? I mean, feels like a tie just based on the past comments. I like both, but I like the forehead kiss just a little more. But that's definitely going to be topped later, I wonder when and how~? As for the Heroes Rising movie, I'm not answering that one because spoilers, and I'd rather keep people guessing on what happens. There's still a lot to go through before we even get to the second movie all the way in season 5. Anyway, time to see what Izuka's new dorm room is like!
"Will you allow me to devote myself to your children? Together, we will go beyond. I will lift them up. And I will protect your children, even if it costs me my life."
Inko's eyes widened and then she fell to the ground. "Mom!" Izuka exclaimed, bending down to her fist.
"Are you okay?" Izuku asked as he approached from behind.
She lifted up her head, surprised by the man's dedication, but...she didn't want that at all. If he were to die, the twins would be devastated. And she didn't know if they could recover from that knowing he did it to protect them. "...I can't. I mean..." She then moved to sit on her knees. "You're Izuku's reason for living. And you're the reason my daughter has grown from being shy and nervous to...to a confident, strong, and brave young woman. All Might, don't give up your life. They need you. To protect them. Raise them. If you can promise me you'll do that, then they can return to UA and I won't separate them."
Both of them teared up in happiness. Izuka covered her mouth in shock. "Oh, Mom..."
"Thank you, Mom..." Izuka sniffled with a weak smile.
"I...promise," Toshinori bowed his head again.
"Izuku. Izuka," Inko spoke up sternly to them. "If you're both going to go back to this school, you have to be SO careful."
The two wiped away their tears. "Of course! We won't make you worry," The boy promised her.
"We promise, and we're so sorry for what we did," Izuka squeezed her eyes shut, shaking.
Inko clenched a tight fist, staring at Toshinori. Those looks on your faces. You're both so grown. While I wasn't looking...the hero you admire so much actually began to admire you. I'm proud of you both too, Izuku, Izuka. My babies. I hope that knowing how whole-heartedly he respects you makes you happy, my children.
Toshinori looked back towards the apartment, reflecting on what Inko told him. He had called a cab to get him to the next house. She entrusted you both to my care, Young Midoriyas. She wants me to be a mentor. To act like a natural-born hero instead of the Symbol of Peace. He then turned towards the twins.
"You have a really good mother," He told the two of them.
Izuku hummed with a small smile. Izuka smiled happily back at him. "We do."
"I'm so glad that she'll be coming around to seeing UA in a different light," Izuka sighed a bit in relief.
"You know...she reminds me of my predecessor," Toshinori pointed out, alarming the both of them.
"She does? Wait, how so?" Izuku asked him curiously.
Izuka clamped her mouth shut, since she knew of Nana from All for One. However, she felt like it was her mentor's story to tell. Not like she knew much other than what she heard anyway. Maybe it's just too hard for him to talk about her in full detail.
Toshinori pointed to his head. "It's the hairstyle."
"O-oh, sure," Izuku rubbed the back of his head, earning a giggle from Izuka.
Toshinori then made his hand into a fist. "And she's got the mighty heart of a hero!"
"Ew," Two people were watching them. "Look at that walking skeleton!"
Toshinori gasped and covered his face with his arm as they realized that it was his permanent form from being All Might. "Crap! Now everyone recognizes me in this form, too. I forgot!" He muttered; that was going to take some getting used to...
"And look, he's with that girl who fought with him!"
"Eh heh heh..." Izuka gave an anxious smile at being recognized too. And while he had her here, he recalled what Katsuki said to him after he spoke with the boy. He couldn't help but wonder why Katsuki even mentioned her.
"By the way, Young Mido. What is your relationship to Young Bakugo?" He knew he was getting ahead of himself here. It encroached onto the private lives of his pupils. But he felt like after today, his curiosity was piquing him too much.
"Uh?" Izuka blinked in alarm from the question. "Katsuki? Wait, did you see him today? How is he?"
Both of them were shocked to hear her say his name like it was no big deal. "...He seems to be doing fine. But the reason why I asked is because he mentioned you, and you seem concerned about him." She blinked slowly at his deduction. Granted, she hadn't really talked to him lately because she was busy recovering. And something told her he needed time to process it, so she wouldn't reach out to him just yet. "When I know that you two and him tend to be more volatile towards each other. Is there something deeper between you and Young Bakugo?" He theorized that it had something to do with them both being kidnapped.
She blinked at him for the third time, Izuku glancing at her curiously. She then cleared her throat. "Uh...well...I-I don't think so?" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Whatever he said to you...I'm still trying to understand it myself. I don't know if I really will anymore...I haven't forgotten about what he's done both growing up with him and being in UA. But other times...I can't tell why he does what he does, even though I've known him for a long time."
"He probably mentioned you because deep down, he was worried about you. He was shouting your hero name the whole time too," Izuku pointed out, much to her shock. She knew that people were shouting her name, but Katsuki was arguably the most surprising to hear about.
"Mm..." She looked to the ground in thought. Most of my classmates left cards with their gifts. But...that basket was something no one had gotten me unless they knew about what kind of paints I like. And I've only ever told a few people about it. Considering the careful choices and consideration...was it Katsuki who gave it to me?
Her brother just gave her a small smile. I think deep down, Kacchan's getting used to Izuka, and doesn't want to admit it.
"Well, see you at school," Toshinori was about to get into the cab when he looked towards Izuka. "Oh, Young Mido, before I forget..." He then held her shoulders and shook her body, to her bewilderment. "I told your brother this, but you have some bad influences!"
"Aaah?!" She yelped as she looked like she was gonna be sick. "Wait, what did I do?!" She cried out in confusion.
"You defied my orders and fought against All for One anyway! You could've died, and he knew that," He then let go of the girl as her eyes swirled around. Izuku looked between the two of them awkwardly. He had almost forgotten that Izuka was gonna get a lecture too. "But...you managed to hold your own despite the odds being against you, even though you got hurt," He then pulled her into a one-arm hug, to her shock. "I'm so glad that you've gotten strong enough to withstand someone like him by my side. Thank you, Mido. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have given it my all. Like I told him, I'll dedicate myself to training you with him. So we're all gonna do our best together, okay?"
She blinked and then sniffled, hugging him back with a small smile in silence. Her response was more than enough. Izuku smiled towards the two as Toshinori closed his eyes, a tear hitting Izuka's hair. It rolled down her head.
Even though it was still a risky situation...in the end, I ended up not regretting what I did. Because it made All Might proud of me. That was all I needed to know that what I did was right.
He then sniffed as he pulled away, wiping at his face. "A-anyway, I'll see you guys soon," He coughed to recollect himself and they smiled at him.
"Right. Cool!"
"Goodbye, Mr. All Might!" Izuka waved to him as the cab drove away. The boy turned to her and gave her a big hug. "Eh?" She patted his back gently, but was confused on why the sudden hug. And she was about to ask when he sniffled a little.
"I'm just...so glad you're back home..."
She smiled and hugged him back properly. "Me too, little brother."
After our mother gave us permission...we left home and started a new life.
UA was becoming a school with dorms. And we weren't going to see our mother for a while.
Inko shed happy tears as she sniffed, watching her children leave.
Eijiro took the subway to get to school. Momo, Mashirao, Denki, and Hanta all walked to school. Toru and Mezo came across each other while heading to campus. Ochaco was lost in thought while on her way. Minoru...was staring at a girl, which Tsuyu saw not too far away. Shoto walked in silence while thinking of the recent events. Koji took a few minutes to feed birds. Kyoka listened to music using her earphone jack. Rikido and Fumikage ran to school together. Yuga was excited as sparkles were around his face. Tenya was sitting in the classroom all alone, already there. Mina skipped to school, and Katsuki also listened to music on the way.
Izuku arrived on campus, Izuka being a bit far behind. On the edge of UA's campus, about a five-minute walk from the main school, they built a student dorm. Heights Alliance, constructed in just 3 days. This was my—no—our new home.
Each class in UA had one dedicated to them, making 11 dorm buildings total. Today would be both a bit scary and exciting day for us all.
Principal Nezu looked out to the dorm buildings he could see from the window. The new dorm system we put into place isn't just to ensure the safety of our students. It's also how we're addressing one of the threats we've yet to take care of. The leak. A feeling of unease has settled upon our school. To help alleviate that, we'll be holding a private, behind-the-scenes investigation. It pains me to suspect not just the teachers, but the students as well. Unfortunately, right now, I have no other choice. We've lost the Symbol of Peace. And I have no doubt that this will have big ramifications on us as time passes. What UA needs right now is positive energy and revitalization. We must remind the children that there's a bright future ahead of them, despite what they've endured.
"They had her DNA?"
Principal Nezu was speaking with Toshinori and Mr. Aizawa, who had just been informed of what Toshinori knew.
"I'm afraid it's true. According to one of the reports, they had one of her pens that they used to extract it. One of the Nomu even had the same hair color as her during the Hosu Incident. But it seemed like it went under the radar to everyone else," He murmured a bit gravely. "Luckily, they don't have a way to get more right now...but what's more concerning was how it was obtained. I'm not sure who is behind this or why...but it's clear that someone from here gave it to them."
"Meaning it could've been anyone who had access to my classroom..." Mr. Aizawa closed his eyes with a sigh. "I can't say this surprises me. But at least they can't use it to their advantage. Because if they could...Mido would have to worry about much more than what she's been through lately."
Principal Nezu frowned a little. He didn't want to believe a student would do something like that at all...but it was clear that their target was Izuka. He just hoped that the same student wouldn't give them more DNA...he had already allowed the police to look into the rumors before and that development turned up, so he dreaded what could happen next to the girl.
Izuka stepped onto the sidewalk, looking up at the building. "Wow, this looks so cool!" She gave a small smile, everyone except Izuku gasping as they whipped around to her. She flinched in alarm at the looks being given to her. Her injuries had mostly healed, but she still had a gauze over her shoulder. Ochaco and Momo both dropped their things in shock to see her. "Umm, okay, I think I might have to give you guys a min—"
"Mido!" Everyone shouted except Izuku and one other person, Momo and Ochaco reaching her first. Once they did, the two gave her a big hug. Izuka blinked rapidly and then realized something. Right...this is the first time I've seen the rest of the class ever since what happened with All for One. They came to visit me, but I wasn't ever awake to see them.
"I'm so sorry I didn't support you when they went to go save you and Bakugo!" Ochaco exclaimed while crying. "I wanted to, but I couldn't and I've been such a bad friend! All I wanted to do was take everything back."
"I was too. I should've been there to protect you! You must've been so scared without us!" Momo squeezed her eyes shut, crying as well. It was then the girl realized how much she put them through even though it wasn't her fault. And that...Momo and Ochaco were the best friends she had ever gotten in her life.
Izuka teared up a few seconds later. I'm so lucky to have them in my life. "I'm sorry too! I shouldn't have worried you so much," She cried out to the two, wailing out happily.
"No, it's okay! We're just glad you're safe!"
Izuku smiled at the three. He was glad that she could rely on Momo and Ochaco.
"What Uraraka said," Eijiro smiled a little at the girls. "That was so manly standing up to that guy like that! You're a tough fighter!" He held up a fist.
"I was so scared you might die before I got to see your body!" Minoru shouted and Izuku gave him a weirded out look.
"We're all glad that your recovery is going well!" Tenya pushed up his glasses. "But you shouldn't have fought the villain!"
"You've gotta tell us what it was like," Rikido spoke up in a bit of excitement.
"Yeah, I can't believe you teamed up with All Might!" Mina cheered a little and they all asked her a lot of questions in excitement. Except for Katsuki, he was standing off to the side while staring at the girl. She looked a bit flustered trying to get to them one at a time.
Mr. Aizawa stepped out of the dorm building, staring at them. He then flashed his red eyes and they all separated from Izuka, staring towards him silently. She reached out to wipe at her eyes. "Given everything that has happened, I'm glad we were able to bring Class A back together," He spoke up to his students. "And that Mido is well enough to be here today."
"So we all got the go ahead to move on-campus," Hanta smiled at his classmates.
Toru gave a long sigh. "It took a lot of convincing for my parents..."
"I was pretty concerned about mine," Kyoka scratched her cheek.
"It makes sense," Mashirao spoke up, turning to them. "You got the worst of the gas attack."
"We're glad to see the teachers got to come back, too," Tsuyu stated, looking towards Mr. Aizawa in a bit of concern. "I was afraid you wouldn't be allowed. The people at the press conference seemed pretty upset with you guys. Especially since Mido was the one who fought the villain."
She bit her lip nervously as she had almost forgotten that Mr. Aizawa would absolutely punish her for that. And she didn't even want to imagine what it was, she was already notified of the suspension. So she couldn't leave the dorm building outside of classes for 2 weeks.
"Yeah," Ochaco nodded in agreement.
"I was surprised as well," Mr. Aizawa stated, gripping at his scarf a little. "But circumstances have changed. I suspect it was easier for administration to let the teachers return instead of revamping the entire faculty," He scratched the top of his head. "Now then. I'll explain how your dorm assignments will work shortly. First, however...we haven't forgotten about the provisional hero licenses you were supposed to get during the training camp."
"Oh, yeah! That's what we were there for," Rikido replied in realization.
"So much has happened, it totally slipped my mind," Mina commented, and since the camp was called off after the attack, that meant they had to change plans.
"This is important. Listen well," He then looked up at five specific students. "Kirishima. Yaoyorozu. Todoroki. Midoriya. Ida," He narrowed his eyes a little knowingly. "You five are the ones who broke the rules and went to rescue Bakugo and Mido that night."
"Ribbit," Tsuyu gave a nervous look. Ochaco was concerned and Mina was anxious. Izuka gasped a little while glancing towards the five, biting her lip again. What he would say next could change their position as students at school...
Mr. Aizawa gave a small sigh, closing his eyes. "Based on your reactions, I assume the rest of you were at least aware of their plan." The wind blew, and some leaves fell as they waited for his next words. "I'm going to set aside a number of issues and just say this. If it weren't for All Might's retirement from the hero scene...I would expel everyone here except Bakugo, Jiro, and Hagakure." Izuku flinched as he gave a nervous gulp.
"The five of you who went, of course. But also the remaining 12 who didn't stop them. You betrayed our trust. Even if it was to keep your friends from getting into trouble. In order to regain our confidence...you'll need to obey every rule to the letter, and live as model students. Oh, and Izuka Midoriya." Izuka flinched, her hair shaking a little. He used her full name, that was how she knew that she was gonna get screwed. "Don't think I haven't forgotten about your unauthorized fight with All for One. You may have been spared from UA, but not from me. Your punishment will come soon enough. Out of all the people here, you're the one who has the most to answer for to me."
"Yes sir..." She mumbled sadly, clutching at her skirt.
"That's all," He then turned around to the dorm building. "Now, look alive. Enjoy your new home."
He left them all speechless, though. "Uh...we're supposed to be excited after that speech?" Denki and Hanta asked in unison.
Katsuki glanced up towards Eijiro in silence. Denki was frowning in front of him. The red-haired boy looked the most upset, however. The blond felt like he had to do something to lighten the mood. After all, if he or Izuka hadn't gotten kidnapped, they wouldn't be getting a lecture. He scoffed to himself and then grabbed Denki by the shirt.
"Come here," Was all he said as he dragged his classmate to the bushes.
"Uh...huh? Wait. For what?" He asked in confusion before the two disappeared. Kyoka, Hanta, Toru, and Rikido all stared up ahead in silence. Then they all yelped, shaking as Denki let out a scream, electricity coming from the bushes. Denki came out of the bushes with his limit pushed, his dumb face showing. "Yay, yay, yay, yay, yay."
Kyoka burst out laughing as she turned away, spit flying from her mouth.
"Dude," Hanta tried so hard not to laugh. "What'd Bakugo do to you?"
Katsuki then approached a baffled Eijiro. "Kirishima!" He showed some dollar bills like nothing happened.
"WHOA! DID YOU SHAKE HIM DOWN FOR CASH?!" Eijiro screamed loudly at this.
"NO!" Katsuki protested immediately, looking annoyed. "This is my money, you idiot. To replace what you spent."
"Uh," Eijiro blinked in shock as Katsuki was referring to those night vision goggles he paid for on his own. Which he didn't even tell his friend about. "How'd you know I bought night vision goggles?"
Katsuki just shoved the money into his chest so the red-haired boy could catch it. "Don't say I never gave you anything. Now I'm not in your debt," He grumbled as he walked off; it was Izuka who told him after hearing all of the details from Izuku while she was in the hospital. She knew that he had to know about it since she was aware of how much their safety meant to Eijiro. "Kaminari, show 'em your dumb side."
"Oh, man," Kyoka giggled at the boy. "What a moron. You're so hopeless!" She looked away, spitting again as Denki jumped around. Everyone laughed towards him and Eijiro smiled towards Katsuki knowingly. He knew that the boy just wanted to lighten the mood for everyone.
"Thanks, man."
Mr. Aizawa watched the laughing students. "Sometimes blowing off steam is the best thing to do, I guess..."
"Sorry, everyone! I know this won't make up for it, but let's all go eat yakiniku tonight on me!" Eijiro offered, earning cheers from his classmates.
"What about Izuka, she can't leave the dorm right now..." Izuku gave a sheepish look.
"Oh, no worries, we can just have it delivered if Mr. Aizawa's okay with it," Eijiro gave him a small smile. "Since she can't leave, we won't go out without her."
Izuka gave a small smile as she turned to Katsuki and realized that she never thanked him for his present. "Oh, Kat-" She stopped herself and shook her head rapidly as he came to a stop. "Uh, I mean, Bakug-"
"Oi, you," He glanced over his shoulder. "Follow me."
"Uh. Okay...?" She stared at him as he continued walking and she followed him. They stopped at the entrance to the dorms while the others were still focused on Denki.
"...You figured it out, huh? What I...ended up leaving behind?" He glanced away briefly, hands in his pockets. Back there, I thought she wouldn't be able to do shit. But...she ended up pulling through in the end.
"Yeah..." She nodded at him in confirmation. At the back of her mind, the words that Katsuki was trying to tell her during the fake-out death appeared. There was no way he'd answer that question, though, and maybe she wasn't ever supposed to know.
She doesn't seem to know what I did for her at the hospital before I left. Good.
"Those were your favorites, right? Horadam? But you mentioned once that they're hard to find and expensive. So I managed to find a store nearby that had them in stock for a limited time. The old hag took me. Fought like hell to get those, they were the last on the shelves," He grunted while looking away.
She blinked and then smiled at how much he went through just to get her something. And Horadam was her favorite, it was the same paints she wanted to get when she ran into those fourth graders as a kid. I can't believe he even remembers that, that was a long time ago. And it was the only time he would've heard me say it too. "You didn't need to, but thank you. I'll pay you back!" She pumped her fists in determination.
"No way. I didn't do it for gratitude or to owe you anything," He turned away from her.
"You spent money on me, I can't just ignore that," She pointed out and he scoffed in response. "It's not owing me, I'm just offering a thank you gift. And…an apology too for snapping at you at camp," She rubbed the back of her neck. That got his attention as he looked back at her, wondering why she felt the need to apologize. She stood up for herself and he respected that deep down. "Looking back, I—"
"Drop it already!" He grunted in annoyance, his eyes closed. "Clearly I don't need your money if I just gave some to Kirishima. Or your damn apology."
"If you don't let me do this, then I'll...I'll give the gift you gave me back!" Izuka held her head up high, earning a wide-eyed look. "And I know you won't like it if I did."
He growled at her stubbornness. "You damn..." He was about to say mouse, but in his eyes, she more than earned to stop being called that. "Fine! You really wanna pay me back? Then..." He glanced away in thought and then turned back to her. "Continue calling me Katsuki." She blinked and then opened her mouth in surprise while letting out a breath. "That's what I want. After what happened in Kamino, it...doesn't feel right to call me Bakugo. And I'll call you Izuka."
To her, she felt happy for some reason...maybe because it was a sign of respect between them, which was what she wanted since the final exams.
"Really...?" She faltered and then gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you then...Katsuki!"
He flinched at hearing her say his name with that expression. He then turned his back towards her, a light blush on his face. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it...Izuka."
I can't believe I let myself show weaknesses in front of those d-list villains just because of her...what the hell is wrong with me? I hate that kind of stuff, but I would've said that I...admire her on some levels. That she's not as hopeless as she was back when we were kids. But I won't be caught dead saying that.
The doors opened to reveal the common room of the building. "Each student dormitory holds one class. Girls are on the right and boys are on the left. The entire first floor is a common area. That's where you'll find your kitchen, baths, and laundry rooms."
Toru gushed as they admired the place.
"There's even a courtyard!" Hanta looked outside with a small smile.
"So spacious and new!" Mina laughed while gushing, waving her arms in excitement.
"I'm living in a mansion," Ochaco fainted onto the ground. Her place was very small compared to the building.
"Uraraka!" Tenya looked down at her in concern.
"Are you okay?" Izuka bent down to the girl.
Minoru's eyes widened as he was focusing on the word baths. "Doth mine ears deceive me? Our baths...are located in the common space?" He then gulped, remembering that at camp, he was denied peeking in on the girls. "Is this heaven?"
"They're separated by gender," Mr. Aizawa was not having it this time around. "And you'll behave yourself."
"Yes, sir..." Minoru murmured while looking a bit pale.
"Living quarters start on the next floor. Four boys and four girls on each level. Everyone gets their own room. You should be comfortable. You've got your own AC, toilets, fridges, and closets."
"We have balconies?!" Izuku looked out the balcony, and Denki was still being affected by his Quirk. "Wow!"
"This room is about the same size as my closet at home," Momo looked around one of the rooms with Tenya. "But I'll manage."
"It's the size of my house!" Ochaco fainted yet again.
"Uraraka!" Tenya yelped in alarm, wondering if she was gonna be okay.
"Maybe you should sit down..." Izuka murmured down at the brunette.
Mr. Aizawa showed them the layout of the building. Because there were only 7 girls, only the 2nd floor didn't have a girl on that floor. "These are your dorm assignments. The belongings you sent ahead have already been placed in your new rooms, so spend the day unpacking and getting settled. I'll tell you more about your next few lessons tomorrow. For now, get to work."
"Yes, Mr. Aizawa!" They all said in unison.
They didn't finish until nighttime, Eijiro sitting on the couch in exhaustion. "Ah, I'm so beat."
"You and me both," Hanya spoke up as he, Rikido, Tenya, Minoru, Izuku, Denki, and Fumikage were sitting as well. "You done unpacking?"
"I think so," Eijirō gave a relieved smile.
"Feels good, right?" Izuku smiled towards his classmate.
"I know we could've died, but it's kind of exciting to be living here," Denki spoke up next to Izuku.
"Mmhm!" Izuku nodded in agreement, smiling. "And I'm glad that Izuka's almost recovered. Although...the doctor did say that she'll have a permanent scar on her shoulder."
"Really?" Tenya frowned a little at him while the others gasped. "I'm...truly sorry we couldn't get back to her, Midoriya."
"No, it's okay," He shook his head rapidly. "Really."
"A unified class. It's the perfect way to increase our cooperation and discipline!" Tenya waved his arms around. "How smart!"
"So you never relax, do you?" Eijiro couldn't help but ask.
"Hiya, boys," Mina sung a little as she arrived. "All done with your rooms?" She approached with all of the girls except for Tsuyu.
"Yup, we're just unwinding now," Denki smiled with a small wave.
"Well, the girls and I have been talking and..."
"We have a great idea!" Toru finished for Mina in excitement.
"Let's go round and see who has the coolest room!"
Minoru, Fumikage, and Izuku all froze at this. The latter especially screamed in a panic as they were doing his room first. "No, wait, you can't go in there!" He waved his arms rapidly. "Please, it's not fit for-"
Everyone except Izuka squealed as All Might merchandise was everywhere. "It's All Might everywhere! You're such a fanboy!" Ochaco smiled at the poster of him.
"It's not really anything new to me, I used to be right next to his room..." Izuka gave a sheepish smile.
"Well, I admire him..." Izuku mumbled and then his whole face turned red. "This is embarrassing..."
"Does this mean...they're judging our rooms too?" Denki gave a nervous look.
"Probably, could end up a good time," Hanta rubbed his chin in thought.
Next up was Fumikage, and he stood in front of it with a huff. "No way."
Mina and Toru stared at him before trying to push him away. He held his ground and eventually they got him to move. They stepped inside...and most of it was black, though there were UV blacklights at least. Fumikage shook in embarrassment.
"So dark and scary!" Toru and Mina exclaimed at the same time.
"You fiends," Fumikage muttered at them, and Eijiro held up a cross keychain.
"Oh, man, I had a keychain like this when I was in middle school."
"So this is how boys like to decorate," Mina pointed out while Izuku looked impressed.
"Please leave," Fumikage begged them out of shame.
Izuku gasped as there was an actual sword in the room. "A sword?! So cool!"
"Don't give him any ideas, please..." Izuka stared at her brother; their mother would lose it if Izuku ended up getting a sword for his room.
"Get out!" Fumikage screamed at them angrily.
Then it was Yuga's turn, and his room...was full of sparkles. He even had a disco ball inside somehow. "Aren't you dazzled?"
"Shiny..."
"Non, non," He waved a finger at them. "It's not shiny, it's... .fique!" He emphasized as Denki, Mina, Momo, Toru, and Izuka left. Izuka even had sunglasses over her eyes because it was so bright in there.
"Exactly what I pictured," Toru commented to the group.
"Honestly, I expected more," Mina stated, feeling a little disappointed.
"It's a bit much either way," Izuka glanced over her shoulder at the room again.
"This is turning out to be really fun!" Ochaco smiled as she jumped around. "The last person on this floor is..." They turned around as Minoru was the last person. And his room was one they definitely didn't want to visit.
He panted in a creepy way while peeking from his room. "Hey. Come on in, girls. I've got so much to show you..."
"So, the third floor?" Ochaco asked as they left him behind.
"Where are you going? Come back!" He pleaded with them, even though the girls going into his room was never going to happen.
Mashirao's room on the third floor was first.
"Ooh..." Ochaco beamed a little as the boy didn't have much. "It's so bare in here!"
"Did you move anything in at all?" Toru couldn't help but wonder.
"Please tell me you just haven't unpacked yet," Mina replied as she wasn't wowed by this room either.
"Um," Mashirao turned around in embarrassment. "If we're done here, then let's go..."
Then it was Tenya's turn, and he had a LOT of books inside. "Whoa, it looks like a library in here!" Ochaco commented as the whole wall was filled with books.
"That's the class rep for you," Mina added in and he gestured to the rest of the room.
"You'll find nothing odd in here."
Ochaco spit as there was a whole shelf full of his glasses. "You have so many glasses!"
"Of course I do! I expect them all to be destroyed during training!" He protested while holding his own glasses.
"How often would that even happen...?" Izuka gave him a small awkward laugh.
Denki's room was...odd, to say the least. Not only were the curtains weird, so was his choice of decor. "Really?" Mina, Toru, Ochaco, Kyoka, and Izuka asked him in disbelief.
"This is the store in the mall that I'd avoid," Kyoka remarked, to Denki's horror.
"What? It's perfect! Mido, you're the artist, don't you agree?" He gestured to the short girl.
"Ahhh," She gave a sheepish smile. "It's not my style, but I suppose this works for...people."
Last on the third floor was Koji's room, and he actually had a rabbit inside. Plus he had some plushies and pet care items. "He has a rabbit! It's so cute!" Ochaco and Mina gushed towards the animal. They both bent down to pet it. Izuka smiled while starting to sketch it.
"Hey, no fair, we don't get pets," Denki complained towards his classmate. "You're trying to buy the judges' love!" Although he had seemed to have forgotten that part of Koji's Quirk was to talk to animals, which was probably the only reason it was approved.
Everyone's really getting into the competition Izuku looked away in thought, but he was glad that it was a good distraction from everything else.
"Man, this sucks," Denki whined as some of the boys felt that this was unfair. "I feel so judged right now."
"Hey, what a coincidence," Mashirao deadpanned towards him. "I don't feel great. At all."
"Same here," Fumikage grumbled a little.
"Et moi," Yuga stated in agreement and Minoru approached them.
"That's because the boys are the only ones who are getting picked on. They said it was a contest to see who has the coolest dorm room," His eyes then widened as he pointed towards the six girls. "Well, what about them?! We have to see the girls' rooms to tell which one's best! Their interior designs skills should be held to the same standard as ours. Maybe even higher. Show us those dorms!"
Lightning stuck from outside as it hit them that technically, only the boys getting this treatment was unfair. And this was coming from Minoru of all people...
This surprisingly convincing argument from Mineta hit home, and stoked our competitive spirit.
Although part of me couldn't help but think that this was coming from Mineta-San for completely different reasons.
Mina clapped her hands with a smile. "I'm into it!"
Kyoka looked at her in alarm. "Huh?"
Even the most completely uninterested got involved. And that is how the very first Class 1-A Best Room contest got its start!
All except for a few of them who weren't here that night. But the competition was underway!
Katsuki himself was sleeping in his room. Not that he'd care for the contest if he was awake. Izuku gulped as he looked at the girls. The girls' dorms? I suppose. If we must!
"Okay, so, like, what're the rules?" Mina wondered to the class. "Are we figuring out who has the best taste in the class, or just the overall coolest?"
"We're doing this?!" Kyoka gave her a wide-eyed look.
"Uh, this doesn't have to be a contest," Mashirao pointed out to them.
Minoru gave an evil grin as he had a plan in mind. If I was the only one asking to see the other rooms, then everyone would yell at me. But since all these guys with bruised egos are on board, I get to join in all inconspicuous like. The whole class is doing it, so why shouldn't I, right? He then cackled to himself at this working out for him. He drooled a little and he quickly wiped his mouth to hide it. I'm gonna be rummaging through the girls' rooms. Who knows what scintillating secrets I'll find? A whole faucet of drool came out of his mouth, and he was lucky that no one was paying attention to him.
Shoto looked at two of his fingers as he wasn't too excited. I'm over it.
They reached the fourth floor and walked down the hall. "Let's see, who else is on the fourth floor?" Ochaco rubbed her chin in thought. "It's Bakugo, Kirishima, and Shoji, isn't it?"
"Where is Bakugo?" Tenya wondered as he looked up ahead.
"Uh," Eijiro rubbed the back of his head. "He thought this was lame, so he went back to his room to sleep. I could use some Zs, too."
"I'm sure it won't take too much longer," Izuka gave him an encouraging smile.
"Then we'll do your room next!" Toru shouted in excitement as she and Mina ran down the hall.
"You can sleep all you want after!"
Eijiro then stood in front of his door. "Not that I care," He then opened the door, looking over his shoulder. "But you might not get what I'm goin' for." He revealed his room to be like a training gym of sorts. "A den of manliness!"
Mina nodded a little, as she would expect something like this from him.
"If I found out my boyfriend had a room that looked like this, I'd dump him," Toru commented to the pink-skinned girl.
"So bold!" Ochaco smiled eagerly, clenching her fists. "Makes me wanna work out!"
"You get it," Eijiro smiled with a thumbs up. This did not sit well with Mashirao, Denki, or Fumikage.
"Next up, Shoji."
"You're not gonna find anything interesting here," One of Mezo's limbs informed, and his room...only had a mattress and a desk. Nothing else at all.
"Uhh, more like nothing at all, dude," Mina remarked and Shoto glanced to him.
"So you're a minimalist, huh?" The white/red haired boy guessed correctly.
"I've just never understood why someone would wanna fill their room with junk," He answered and Izuka gave a small smile.
"Well, everyone's got a different style, I suppose..."
Minoru went snooping around the mattress. "Guys like this always have a super pervy side."
Mina then pressed the button for the elevator. "All done! Let's head up to the fifth floor!" Toru cheered with excitement in her voice.
"We'll start with Sero," Mina pumped her fists.
"Are we seriously doing everyone?" He glanced over to her in a bit of hesitation. After seeing what they thought of some particular rooms, he didn't want to know what they'd say about his. He then grinned as he showed his room...which was a surprise to see as he had an East-Asian style bedroom.
"Wow!" The girls murmured in awe.
"Exotic!" Mina clapped her hands together with a smile.
"It's lovely!" Ochaco chimed in and Izuka smiled as well.
"Ooh, I like it. I wanna paint it someday."
Kyoka looked over to him with a teasing expression. "Sero, I didn't peg you for someone who'd like this stuff."
"Heh, heh, heh. Yup, that's me, always the wild card," He winked down at her.
"Let's keep moving!" Toru stated once they all stepped out.
"Next is Todoroki's room, right?" Momo questioned and then clamped her mouth shut. Out of all of the students, his room had the most expectations arguably. The most capable student in our class.
The most handsome boy in school Mina looked up in thought.
A chance to glance into his quiet private life Toru gushed to herself. How exciting!
He gripped the doorknob to his bedroom. "Let's get this over with. It's late," He opened the door, and everyone was utterly shocked. His bedroom was basically his own house!
"So Japanese!" Mina and Hanta exclaimed in disbelief.
"It was even built differently!" Denki yelped, since his room was nothing like how the basic room looked before they moved in.
"We've got these kinds of floor mats at my home," Shoto explained to Denki and Minoru. "They're much more comfortable than hardwood."
"This isn't your house!" Denki shouted towards the boy.
"How did you remodel this entire room in just one day?!" Minoru screeched up at him.
"...With hard work," Shoto answered them simply.
"You are a beast!" Denki meant it in a good way, though...mostly.
Maybe I should ask him for painting ideas sometime Izuka rubbed her chin while looking around.
"He'll make such a good pro," Toru said as she, Mina, and Rikido left first.
"Pretty boys have tricks up their sleeves," Rikido muttered, hands in his pockets.
"Okay, next! The last of the guys is..."
Rikido gave a knowing grunt. "Me..." He finished for Mina, looking a bit awkward. And in his room, it was basically a simple room, but it had a microwave. "Anyway, it's a pretty boring room."
"All of them are after Todoroki's," Eijiro replied, since he didn't think anyone could compete with his room that was basically like his house.
"Something smells good, though," Mashirao pointed out to them. "What is it?"
"Oh crap, I forgot about that!" Rikido panicked, looking towards the microwave. "I finished unpacking really early. So I started to bake a chiffon cake. I thought we could all eat it together, I made it to celebrate Mido's recovery."
"Uh!" Izuka blinked in shock and then gave a happy smile. "Aw, that's so nice, Sato-San...I kinda feel embarrassed about the trouble you guys wanna go through for me..." She rubbed her neck bashfully.
"Oh, no trouble at all! It hasn't been iced yet, but..." He took it out of the microwave. "Want some?"
"Yeah!" Mina, Toru, and Ochaco rushed right over.
"The strong guy's an expert baker?!" Denki and Minoru exclaimed in disbelief; if they knew that a long time ago, he could've helped them out with some cake.
"It's delicious!" Ochaco gushed as all the girls had some. "So fluffy."
"I could eat it every day," Toru swayed around happily.
"Forget Sero, this is unexpected," Mina smiled, touching her cheek.
"I think it's great that you have such a fun hobby, Sato," Momo smiled up towards him. "Would you like to bake something to go with my tea one day?"
"Mm, not only does it taste like from a real bakery, but it was so thoughtful you made it to celebrate me," Izuka smiled happily at Rikido. "Thank you so much!"
"Uh," His whole face turned red from the praise. "I seriously did not expect this reaction..." He then rubbed the back of his head. "Mostly I bake as part of the training for my sugar Quirk. Store-bought sweets can get pricey. But you're welcome, Mido."
"That's it for the boys," Toru announced to the class. "Now it's our turn, ladies."
"Aw, man, that's so many rooms," Kyoka pointed out, though she REALLY didn't want them to see her room. "Shouldn't we turn in?"
"Come on, Jiro, live a little!" Mina whined and they decided to start with Kyoka since she was on the 3rd floor. Plus, she wanted this done and over with.
"It's kind of embarrassing," She stated and Izuka hummed behind her.
"We'll try to make it quick, then. Right?" She looked to the girls, who all nodded in unison.
The girl opened her door, and she had a music-filled room. It was a punk-rock type styled room, to the shock of her classmates. "Whoa, you've got so many instruments!" Denki shouted in surprise, and the girl tapped her earphone jacks in embarrassment.
"It's because Jiro's totally punk rock," Toru stated as they admired her room.
"Can you play all these?" Ochaco turned around with a big smile.
"Yeah. At least a little," She confessed to the group.
"Your room's girlier than this," Denki remarked to Yuga, who wasn't offended at all.
"Because I've got style," He struck a pose.
Kyoka turned around with an intense look and stuck her earphone jacks in their ears. "We're done here," She grumbled as they stood outside in the hall. Izuka gave a nervous laugh towards the two as the others were a bit terrified.
"Next is me!" Toru jumped up happily. "Welcome in, guys! What do you think?" Her room was the definition of girly as there was pink everywhere. And she also had a few plushies.
"A-Ah..." Mashirao gave a nervous sound.
"Now this is girly. So pink..." Denki said as Minoru approached her drawers. His hand twitched as he was begging to open it.
"Plus Ultra..."
"Get away from there, Mineta, you perv!" Toru warned him angrily, waving an arm.
"We can do mine next!" Mina cheered, and her room was more of a hot pink, but chic. "Ta-da! Isn't it super cute?"
"Whoa..." They murmured from her choice of style.
Ochaco was next, but her room was on the basic side like Mezo or Mashirao. "Yeah, it's not very interesting, I know..." She rubbed her neck sheepishly.
"Wow..." They mumbled, but it was understandable since she didn't grow up with much money.
"It's got a charm to it," Izuka gestured to the room. "If you want, I can give you some of my paintings to help make it more to your liking."
"Oh, I'd love that!" Ochaco ran up to grab her hands with a happy smile. "That sounds like fun!"
"Paint for us too!" Denki and Minoru yelled in unison, earning sheepish looks from the two girls.
"Is this okay?" Mashirao glanced over to Fumikage. "It feels dirty seeing so many girls' rooms up close. This is their private space."
"Forbidden gardens..." Fumikage mumbled to himself and then Izuku realized that they hadn't seen a particular girl's room yet either. And she hadn't indicated which floor she was on. He glanced over to his sister, who yelped in realization.
"Ah! I-I guess my room would be next, huh?" Izuka gave a nervous smile and led the way.
"You're on the fourth floor with me and Ashido!" Ochaco exclaimed happily and she nodded.
"It's next to Ashido-Chan's," She revealed as she reached her door and Izuku blinked as he recalled the layout of the dorm. That meant her room was across Katsuki's since he was on the 4th floor too. "It's not very neat, though..." She opened it up and they were all surprised by the sight in front of them. Her walls were white as she had some of her paintings on display right above her bed that also acted as a couch in the right upper corner, with her pillows up against the wall. Her plushies that she got from her classmates were also surrounding them. Some paintings were also surrounding the window. Across her bed/couch was her light brown desk, which had drawers surrounding it for her art supplies. Against the wall on the desk was a computer that also acted as a TV. Next to the desk in front of the window was her easel, with a seat in front of it for her to sit on. Her curtains were a cyan color, and had little pink cherry blossoms painted all over it. To the left of her desk was a table for sewing, and a sewing machine was there. Between her closet and the bed was a hanging chair. Also the walls in places where she didn't have paintings were some aspects of the environment done with purely black ink and big brush strokes. There were four in total: a cherry blossom tree, a moon over a snowy mountain, a few leaf vines, and of the beach with the sun setting.
"Are you kidding? This is so cute!" Mina exclaimed happily while aweing over the paintings. Everyone else looked around as well.
"Yup, this is definitely a room for an artist," Eijiro commented with a small smirk.
"Whoa, you got a sewing machine?!" Denki shouted in shock, as it wasn't very big, but functional enough.
"I sometimes spend too much money on supplies and not enough for covering up my outfits while I paint. So I tend to use fabrics I find for making smocks for me to use when I'm painting," She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.
"Remind me to scold you for when you start needing more money," Izuku gave her a small playful smile. "But this is more than what you had at home..." Maybe she focused on decorating more than what happened in Kamino. In fact, other than the walls...I can't remember the last thing she painted ever since that day.
"Did you paint these?" Mashirao smiled a little while pointing at her wall designs.
"Mmhm," Izuka smiled back with a small nod.
"Wow, you're really good," Hanta blinked as he examined the brush strokes that must've taken ages to get right.
"Thank you," She laughed a little and then stepped out. Everyone else left her room except for Minoru. He reached out towards her panty drawer as she watched everyone walking away. "Don't make me call Katsuki, Mineta-San! He gets really pissed when he doesn't get his rest," Izuka called out from outside the door.
"Uh, coming!" He dashed outside and slammed the door, laughing nervously. He did not want Katsuki to hurt him again...
"Next is Asui," Izuku recalled once they were on the fifth floor, and Tsuyu was also not with them.
"Wait, where is Tsu?" Hanta looked around for her. He was dragged a tied up Minoru so he wouldn't get any more ideas. "Haven't seen her."
"Oh, she wasn't feeling too good," Ochaco approached the boys. "So she's in her room."
"Well, we shouldn't bother her," Denki frowned a little. "Uh, she can show us later when she's feeling better."
As they walked off, Ochaco glanced over her shoulder. "Mm?" Izuka looked towards her. "Everything okay, Ochaco?" She wondered, noting her distant look.
"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Ochaco turned towards her with a small frown. She then ran up to her friend in excitement. "But I think you're a shoo-in for the contest, your room is so cool!"
"It's not that cool, come on..." Izuka laughed it off bashfully.
Tsuyu then opened her door, peeking at them as they left...
"Then the last one up is Yaoyorozu," Hanta said as they stood in front of her door. She looked sheepish as her door was slightly open.
"The thing is...I...maybe miscalculated a few things. My room's a little bit more cramped than I intended." Her room was elegant, but there was also a HUGE bed in the middle of it. It was a wonder she could even fit all of her stuff. "And maybe not as creative as some of yours."
"That bed is huge!" Denki looked at it wide-eyed. "You can't even walk in here!"
"It's my furniture from home, so I thought it'd fit," Momo looked a little embarrassed. "I had no idea how small these dorm rooms would end up being."
"I forget how rich she is," Izuku and Ochaco murmured in unison.
"Maybe dial it back if you plan on redecorating," Izuka rubbed the back of her neck.
Soon, everyone went back to the common room to tally up the scores. "Alright, everybody!" Mina held a ballot box as they were gathered around. "Has everyone got their votes in? Remember, you can't pick yourself, guys." She then had all of the papers laid on the table. "And now, without further ado, here are the results of the first Best Room competition, minus Bakugo and Tsu. Drumroll, please!" They all waited in anticipation. "With a total of six votes, the overwhelming winner of this totally awesome contest is...Rikido Sato! Although Mido cut it close with five!"
"Uh?!" Rikido pointed to himself in alarm. He thought Shoto was a shoo-in for the winner personally.
"By the way, all the girls voted for you," Mina revealed to the boy. "Because...that cake was delicious." They all drooled at the thought of it. "I want some more..."
"That's why?!" Rikido yelped, although this made Denki and Minoru upset.
"You villain! Aspiring heroes shouldn't resort to bribery!"
"It wasn't on purpose!" He protested as he tried to get them to stop hitting him. "But what the heck?!"
"Is it over?" Shoto looked to Tenya and Izuku. "Can I sleep now?"
"Yes, and since you had cake, don't forget to brush your teeth!" Tenya advised, waving an arm in front of his mouth. Shoto turned away towards the elevator.
"Thanks for sticking it out," Izuku gave him a grateful smile.
Ochaco flinched as she turned around, remembering something. "Todoroki, wait a minute."
"Hm?" He glanced back in confusion.
"Deku and Ida, you too. Yaoyorozu, Kirishima, Mido, you have a sec? It's really important," Ochaco explained to the six, confusing them even more. She led them outside of the dorm building.
"So, uh. Where are we going?" Eijiro questioned and then stopped in surprise. Underneath one of the lamp posts...was Tsuyu. And she wasn't looking at them, she had her head facing the grass.
"Right here," Ochaco stood by Tsuyu's side and she looked up. "Tsu said she had something she wanted to tell everyone."
She took a few seconds before looking up. "...You guys know I'm pretty straightforward, and always speak what's on my mind. But sometimes...I don't know. I'm at a loss. Remember what I said back at the hospital? When you were talking about the rescue..."
"Going after Bakugo and Mido would break the rules. That means you'd be acting like villains, not heroes."
"Uh…you said that to them?" Izuka's eyes softened sadly, looking towards the group. Izuku looked at the ground.
"Yeah," He gave a small nod. "Every word."
"My heart was hurting. And the things I said must've upset you," She hid her bangs with her eyes. Both Ochaco and Izuka ran up to her. They placed their hands on her shoulders.
"It's okay, Tsu..."
"Yeah...I know you had good intentions, all of you," Izuka glanced up at the five.
"Despite my warning, you still went and saved Bakugo and Mido. I didn't know that until this morning. I thought I'd stopped you. But it turns out I was worthless. A complete failure. And suddenly I had no idea what to say. I didn't think I deserved to joke around and have fun with everyone like usual," She confessed, all of them looking upset. "But..." She straightened up with tears in her eyes. "It made me...so sad to be without you."
Izuku tensed up and Izuka gasped, realizing that this was what Ochaco was holding back earlier.
"That's why I wanted to talk to you. Even if I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to be feeling. I wanted you to know so we can hang out and talk and have a good time again." She sobbed a little, a hand in front of her face. "Ribbit...Mido…you haven't been able to paint much either." Izuka's eyes widened slowly at her noticing it, wondering how she even knew that. "Your art's always been a part of who you are. How you feel…people can tell by what you paint. So please…for all of us, take your time when you pick up your brush. It might be…just what you need so we can see your paintings again."
"It's not just you who thinks that," Ochaco gave her a sympathetic look. "I mean...I didn't know how to feel either back then. I didn't know if I should've gone to rescue my best friend...And everyone...felt pretty bad and...wanted things back the way they used to be before. That's why we did the room contest. To bring us closer together and make us feel like a class again. It's all we could come up with, so please don't think we were trying to trick you or anything. Look, what I'm saying is..." She approached the five, pumping a fist. "Let's all work hard at our training and be good friends again, okay?"
"Tsu!" Eijiro approached the girl first. "I'm sorry!" He shouted, tears in his eyes. "Thanks for telling us how you feel!"
"It's okay," Momo chimed in, also crying.
"I apologize," Tenya stepped up next.
"You shouldn't feel bad," Shoto spoke up as they surrounded her.
"Asu-Tsu," Izuku corrected himself as the girl continued to cry.
"Listen. I won't make you sad again!" Eijiro promised as Tsuyu cried streams of tears.
"Me either," Momo closed her eyes.
"We promise!" Tenya bowed to her a little.
Izuka smiled and stepped forward, taking Tsuyu's hands. "Thank you, Tsu-Chan. You're a really good friend. The next time I paint, I'll think of this moment over and over again. I'll even dedicate it to you," She gave the girl a hug and Izuku watched with a teary-eyed smile.
"Mido…while I have you here, there's been a concern that's come up. When the villain showed…" Tenya stared at Izuka seriously. "He said that they had your DNA. Is this true?"
"Ribbit?" Tsuyu looked at her in shock as Ochaco bit her lip. The others looked upset as Izuka closed her eyes.
"…Yes. It is. I still don't know how it happened. And I know it's a shock to hear for some. I didn't mean to keep it a secret. I just…didn't want anyone to worry."
"If villains are after you, then it is a concern," Momo frowned at the girl. "This must be why they're after you."
"Mido…" Eijiro's eyes saddened a little.
"It must've been terrifying going through that," Shoto stared at her and she took a deep breath.
"The rest of it was destroyed, so…I don't think they can use it anymore," Izuku murmured, clenching a fist. "The police were investigating it."
"You should always come to us. We're your classmates," Tenya gave a small frown of disapproval. "Especially with a big thing as this!"
"Guys…" Ochaco spoke up with a small smile. "It'll be okay. She can keep working hard to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Mido's strong, we've seen that. So we should trust her. I'm sure things will be the same again."
"Ochaco…" Izuka smiled at her having faith.
"…Alright then. We won't say anything since you had the police on your side. But don't do that again, you two!" Tenya warned the both of them. "It's my duty to protect the class, I can't do that if I don't know anything."
"We're sorry…" The twins told him in unison.
"I won't tell anyone, promise," Eijiro nodded in agreement.
"I wish you told us, but…we can get past it together," Tsuyu gave a small nod. "So I won't say a word."
"Me either," Shoto told them as he nodded as well. "I'll help any way I can."
"I'm here for you too," Momo gestured to herself and Ochaco smiled.
"And me!"
The two stared at their classmates, giving small smiles that they wouldn't say anything. And that they'd help whenever they could.
That's right. Everyone wants things to go back to normal. We need our lives to feel stable. Even though so much has changed and will keep changing. He wiped his eyes and looked up to the sky. It's our duty to make each other better, stronger, so we can become heroes together. A shooting star then flew by.
Honestly...painting was the last thing on my mind after what happened. After hearing my friend out, though...I want to start again. So much keeps happening and we don't expect that to change. Izuka pulled back with a small smile. It's not just a duty, it's part of our shared goal as a class...