- .My Hero Academia: 180 degrees. -

3. Where All Might is Notified of Two New Police Cases and Izuku Starts a New Training

All Might arrived at the police chief's office with a smile.

—Hello, how have you been?— The police chief greeted him with a firm handshake, noting the elegance of the suit All Might was wearing. —Oh, right, I remember now. Starting today, you'll be beginning your training to teach at UA next year. Don't forget to send my congratulations to the new principal.—

—Of course, I will,— All Might replied as he took a seat. Gradually, his imposing figure began to shrink, revealing the thin and worn Toshinori Yagi hiding behind the facade of the Symbol of Peace. He let out a weary sigh. —Although I must admit that I'm a bit concerned about the hero candidates for next year. It seems like Aizawa won't hesitate to disqualify any candidate he deems unworthy.—

The police chief nodded, his expression mixing understanding with seriousness.

—I recall hearing him say that there's nothing more cruel than letting a dream collapse halfway.—

Toshinori reflected on those words, knowing Aizawa had a point, even though he couldn't shake a certain unease.

—But taking someone's dream away so quickly can also be very cruel,— he murmured, more to himself than to his interlocutor.

The police chief noticed the comment but decided not to delve deeper. There were more urgent matters at hand.

—Anyway, the reason I called you is that we need your help investigating a case.— The chief handed Toshinori a folder.

He waited for Toshinori to read the first page on his own before continuing. Toshinori's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information, and his expression darkened slightly.

—So Endeavor's son has disappeared,— he finally said, breaking the silence.

—In fact, we have strong reasons to believe he has fled,— the police chief clarified, indicating Toshinori to turn to the next page. —I can't give you all the details, but it seems that Endeavor's family has been in decline since the death of his first son, Toya. And it appears that Endeavor was putting too much pressure on his younger son to be his successor.—

Toshinori looked at the photo in the file, noting the burn scar that marked the young man's face.

—It's unlikely, but the last thing we know is that he was preparing for the UA entrance exams, especially since the recommendation system was also canceled by the new principal.—

—I see,— Toshinori closed the folder slowly. —I'll keep an eye on it.—

In the darkness of the night, a flash of lightning illuminated Todoroki's face as he pushed aside scrap metal to create a makeshift shelter and protect himself from the approaching storm.

Of course, he had never imagined himself in such a precarious situation, but he told himself that anything was better than continuing to live in the same house with his insane father.

Once he had a minimally adequate refuge for the night, he considered starting a fire to warm up, but he immediately abandoned the idea, refusing to use that power which he felt had never truly belonged to him. Or rather, that he had never wished to have.

Succumbing to exhaustion, he tried to get comfortable and fell asleep almost instantly.

As he slept, his dreams intertwined with childhood memories, of his mother, and the moments he had wished to be a normal child, free from the burden of a legacy he had never wanted. In his dream, he walked along a dark path, alone, with the flames of his father always in sight, always lurking in the shadows.

...

The sun was just beginning to rise on the horizon, casting a faint orange and pink glow across the sky. Still groggy, Izuku Midoriya arrived at the beach, rubbing his eyes to clear his vision as the salty air filled his lungs. The first thing he saw upon reaching the meeting point where Mr. Yagi had summoned him was the man doing pull-ups with a ball. Quite skillfully, he had to admit.

—Soccer?!— exclaimed Izuku as he caught the ball.

—That's right, young Midoriya. Today we're playing soccer. Not to brag, but I lived in Brazil for a while.—

Izuku blinked, confused. —But this doesn't resemble any of the exercises we've been doing so far.—

—Exactly. Today we'll work on reaction speed and agility.—

The memory of Monoma dodging all of Kachan's attacks came to Izuku's mind, and he thought that he would also like to learn to move with such dexterity.

—Alright,— he agreed with determination.

—That's the spirit.— Immediately, he handed Izuku a pair of strange white gloves that seemed to have sensors at the fingertips, and some shoes and knee pads combined into one piece.

—What is this?— Izuku asked, holding the gear with curiosity.

—Just something I borrowed from the UA engineering department.—

—And how did you get it?—

—That's... a secret,— Mr. Yagi replied.

Izuku was already getting used to that kind of answer and began putting on the gear, feeling a bit odd at first. Sometimes he felt like Mr. Yagi was making fun of him, but in the end, thanks to his help with the morning training sessions, he had begun to notice some changes in his physical build. And that made him feel more confident in himself.

—The first thing you'll do is try to hit that target out there using the ball,— Toshinori pointed to a buoy in the sea quite far from the shore.

—But that's impossible!— protested Izuku, surprised by the distance.

Without wasting any time, Toshinori took the ball from Izuku's hands and, with a single, powerful kick, struck the buoy effortlessly.

—It's not a matter of strength, but rather focusing the energy on a single point. As you'll notice, today we have the tide in our favor, so the balls will eventually come back.—

Izuku noticed a net bag filled with many balls.

—And what about the beach cleaning project?— he asked, placing the ball on the sand, his mind refocusing on the task. The buoy moved constantly with the flow of the water, challenging him.

—Let me worry about that,— Toshinori replied.

Izuku nodded, taking a deep breath before launching his first kick. The ball flew toward the sea, and Izuku was surprised to see that, although he missed the buoy, the ball had come close. Toshinori scratched his chin, clearly impressed.

—Do these things help focus the energy?— Izuku asked, looking more interested in the gloves and shoes.

—Something like that,— Toshinori answered without giving more details.

—I'll come back in the evening to clean the beach,— Deku proposed, setting up a second ball to kick.

—We'll see if you have the energy for that, young Midoriya. Remember, since it's the weekend, we'll train until noon, and this will be the lightest thing we do today.—

Deku's face showed slight concern at this statement. Undoubtedly, Mr. Yagi had proven to be a very strict trainer.

Deciding not to worry in advance, Izuku kicked the ball again, this time with more force and precision. The ball flew straight toward the buoy... until a shadow crossed the sky.

—Wow,— exclaimed a young man with large red wings, intercepting the ball in mid-air and starting to do pull-ups with it. —Sorry, but when I see a ball, I can't resist.—

—It's Hawks!—

As Izuku marveled, Toshinori's mind began analyzing the situation. Hawks was a hero known for his speed and agility, but also for working on dark matters related to the government and problematic heroes. Despite his youth, he had solved significant cases, almost at Endeavor's level, but something about his methods had always made Toshinori wary.

As if reading his thoughts, Toshinori suddenly saw the intentions of the winged hero.

—Long pass!— Hawks shouted, sending the ball back with incredible force aimed directly at Toshinori, who only frowned.

However, it was Midoriya who stepped in front to catch the ball with both hands, creating significant friction and sending it skyward to deflect it.

—Phew,— Midoriya sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

—Sorry, sorry,— Hawks apologized, landing on the shore in front of them. —I guess I need to improve my aim for passes.—

—Are you alright, young Midoriya?— Toshinori asked, clearly concerned.

—Yes. These gloves and shoes are really amazing, Mr. Yagi. Whoever created them is definitely a genius.—

—Actually, I think it's a girl.—

—Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to assume only men study engineering, but...—

—Yes, I understand. It's like the hero profession, which initially had few women.—

—That's what I thought too.—

Hawks cleared his throat, noticing they had ignored him.

—Sorry to interrupt such a pleasant chat, but I'd like to ask if you've seen anything or anyone unusual around here.—

Izuku stepped forward, always willing to help.

—We always come here to train in the mornings, but so far we haven't seen anyone suspicious around. If we see anything, we'll report it immediately to the police.—

Hawks nodded, but his gaze shifted to Toshinori, coming so close that Izuku felt a certain tension in the air.

—And what about you, Mr. Yagi?— Hawks asked, his voice low and laden with insinuation.

Toshinori looked at him coldly, his brow furrowed. —I haven't seen anything.—

—Really? Because you seem a bit suspicious to me.—

Worried about the growing tension, Izuku tried to intervene. —Mr. Toshinori is a good man.— But Toshinori gently stopped him, raising a hand.

—Don't worry, young Midoriya. I'm used to being judged by my appearance. I'd be suspicious of myself if I saw me on the street. So I think it's best to have a little chat with hero Hawks to dispel any doubts.—

Hawks smiled, though his eyes remained calculating. —Please don't take me as prejudiced, Midoriya,— he said, his tone softer. —It'll just be a brief chat to rule out any details this kind man might have to tell me, and you'll have Mr. Yagi back.—

Izuku nodded, though he couldn't help but feel worried. —Alright...—

Wanting to ease his pupil's worry, Toshinori gave him one last instruction before leaving with Hawks. —Keep doing this training until you've done it 100 times and then do 100 pull-ups in a row without dropping the ball.—

—100 pull-ups?!— Izuku exclaimed, shocked. —But this is my first time playing with a soccer ball!—

Toshinori approached and placed a comforting hand on Izuku's head, a warm smile on his face.

—I know you can do it.—

Izuku wasn't sure what caused it, but for a brief moment, a nearly mystical connection seemed to bond him with Mr. Yagi. Something warm and bright, as if they shared a silent understanding. And Toshinori seemed to notice as well because he gave a smile that Midoriya thought was quite pleasant and tried to return it as best as he could.

—I'm glad to see you smile again, young Midoriya,— Toshinori thought, very pleased.

—Let's go, Mr. Yagi,— Hawks interrupted, walking toward the beach exit and turning his back on them. —The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll return.—

Toshinori quickened his pace to catch up with Hawks, and Midoriya watched them walk away from the beach. Without realizing it, he touched his hair where it had been flattened and soon returned to his training.

...

Katsuki Bakugo, with his usual scowl, recoiled from his mother, Mitsuki, who held a syringe in her hand.

—I don't like this!— Katsuki growled, keeping his eyes fixed on the injection his mother was trying to administer. —I think this stuff is just doping me up, making my explosions less powerful and slowing my reactions down.—

Mitsuki, with her characteristic disdain, rolled her eyes at her son's complaint. —Well, maybe if you trained more, you could fix that.—

Without further warning, Mitsuki grabbed Katsuki's arm with surprising speed and injected the liquid in one swift motion. Katsuki barely had time to react, his disbelief reflected in his eyes.

—Do you see now?!— he exclaimed, frustrated, as he roughly pulled his arm away. —If an old lady like you could catch me so easily, I don't know what will happen during the UA entrance exam.—

Mitsuki, far from being offended by her son's insult, offered a mocking smile and reached out to ruffle his hair, something she knew irritated him deeply. Katsuki flinched, stifling a growl as his mother looked at him sternly.

—I'll tell you this one more time: TRAIN for this and stop being so arrogant already!— Her words came out with firmness, each syllable emphasized to ensure the message penetrated her son's stubborn mind.

Katsuki glared at her with fury but said nothing. His eyes burned with frustration, but deep down, he knew there was some truth to what his mother said. With a disdainful grunt, he turned and left the room, leaving a palpable tension in the air.

Mitsuki watched him leave, her expression hardened, but her eyes showing a mix of concern and determination. She stood there, motionless, for a moment before feeling a presence behind her. Her husband, Masaru, was sitting at the table, watching her with a calm but inquisitive expression.

—Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on him?— Masaru asked in a soft tone, with no trace of reproach, only genuine concern.

Mitsuki sighed, letting her shoulders slump as she walked over to the window. The afternoon sun illuminated the branches of a nearby tree, its leaves moving gently with the breeze.

—I pampered him for a long time because I liked getting praise for his quirk,— Mitsuki responded, her voice softer now, almost melancholic. —But that only turned him into a boastful fool. From now on, he'll have to work harder. He needs to realize that if he doesn't, he could become a burden to someone else.—

Masaru watched his wife, understanding the concern driving her to be so tough. He knew that Mitsuki, though strict and sometimes severe, only wanted what was best for their son. She didn't want Katsuki to fall into the trap of self-satisfaction, especially with the uncertain future ahead.

—He's strong, Mitsuki. But he needs to learn that not everything can be achieved with sheer brute strength,— Masaru said, trying to calm his wife's fears.

Mitsuki nodded slowly, her gaze still fixed on the tree outside the window. The branches continued to sway gently, reflecting the wind that was beginning to pick up. She knew Masaru was right, but she also knew that Katsuki had to learn that lesson for himself, and only then could he truly blossom as a hero.

Inside the small café, the atmosphere was charged with tension despite the seemingly calm surroundings. Toshinori, with his serious and stern demeanor, faced the young hero Hawks, whose relaxed and carefree attitude contrasted with the gravity of the matter at hand.

—Let's get to the point,— Toshinori said, maintaining his serious expression. —If this is about Endeavor's son...—

—Oh, no, no,— Hawks quickly shook his head, his mischievous smile barely visible. —We're certainly concerned about the disappearance of young Todoroki, and we think we'll be able to locate him soon and return him to his loving father, but that's not why I dared to interrupt your training with young Midoriya.—

With a smooth motion, Hawks pulled a photograph from his pocket and handed it to Toshinori. Upon seeing it, Toshinori's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, his mask of serenity cracked.

—Tomura Shigaraki. The heir of All for One.—

—Yes,— Hawks confirmed, his tone now more serious. —He was last seen during the incident with a newly opened bridge that collapsed. Upon analysis, there were no structural failures, so we believe he was the one who damaged the bridge using his quirk.—

Hawks handed over a second photo. It showed a mysterious man with a mask covering his mouth and nose.

—We believe his target was this man, the new mob boss, Kai Chisaki, who was crossing the bridge in his car at the time.—

—A clash among criminals?—

—That's what we'd like to know,— Hawks admitted. —If the motive for the attack were clearer, it would be easier to predict their next move. And that's why I'm asking you,— Hawks's demeanor had turned unusually serious. —When you fought All for One last time, was there anything that indicated he was leaving any unfinished business for his successor?—

—No,— Toshinori replied firmly. —When I defeated All for One for good, Tomura Shigaraki had already completely severed ties with him. He probably realized he was just being used and left without looking back. We destroyed all the Nomus that were being concealed and seized all of Dr. Kyudai Garaki's research, which was also put in custody. But I suppose you already know that.—

—I feared you'd say that. So we're back to square one,— Hawks admitted, relaxing his expression a bit. —And how are you faring after that fight, if it's not too much to ask?—

A deep sigh escaped Toshinori, as if the memories of that battle still weighed heavily on his chest.

—I can now only operate as a hero for 15 minutes a day, so it has become a matter of showing up and disappearing.—

—Still, you surpassed Endeavor and me once again in this year's popularity rankings. And while it's not like anyone really pays attention to those details, don't you think it's time for you to retire?—

Toshinori shifted his gaze to the nearby window, his eyes settling on an empty nest in a tree, the bare branches swaying gently with the breeze. Hawks followed his gaze, understanding the symbolism without needing words.

—Ah, yes. I see. You're still in the process of finding a worthy successor to be the new Symbol of Peace before you can retire.—

Hawks took a sip from his coffee cup, trying to hide a smile. —Could it be young Midoriya?—

Toshinori stood up, intending to leave, having caught a hint of mockery in Hawks's question.

—I believe I've answered all questions concerning the case.—

—Certainly,— Hawks acknowledged without intending to stop him. —But if you remember anything else, feel free to call me anytime. It would be a great honor.—

Hawks handed over a card with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Toshinori took it and tucked it into his pocket without looking at it, nodding briefly before turning towards the door.

A moment after Toshinori closed the private room door, Hawks allowed himself to stretch in his chair, his legs relaxing under the table. With his gaze fixed on the ceiling, he recalled the green-haired, freckled boy he had seen training with Toshinori on the beach.

—So he might be the next Symbol of Peace,— he chuckled softly to himself. —What an interesting choice.—

...

Toshinori Yagi walked along the sidewalk heading back to the beach, still irritated by his interaction with Hawks.

As his mind continued to churn with these thoughts, a voice abruptly pulled him out of his musings.

—Excuse me—

Toshinori stopped and turned toward the source of the voice. In front of him stood a young woman with pink hair and unusual eyes, watching him with a smile that was both wide and disconcerting.

—Yes?— he responded, trying to hide his surprise.

—My name is Mei Hatsume, and it's a pleasure to meet you,— the girl introduced herself with overflowing energy.

—H-hi,— Toshinori stammered, taken aback by her sudden appearance and the familiarity of that name, though he couldn't recall where he had heard it before.

The girl's smile remained fixed as her eyes scrutinized him with a mix of curiosity and excitement. While as All Might he was used to receiving this kind of attention, in his current form, people usually avoided him. Suddenly, a troubling thought crossed his mind: Was she one of those young women who lured unsuspecting men into bars only to make them spend large sums of money?

—Sorry, I need to get back to the beach now. Someone is waiting for me,— he tried to excuse himself, resuming his walk.

—Don't worry, the young man on the beach is fine. I've been keeping a very close eye on him since you left,— Hatsume replied, causing Toshinori to come to a complete stop. —As for me, I'm an aspiring engineering student at UA.—

—R-really?— Toshinori asked, now more concerned than intrigued.

—Yes. Under the new admission system, they said we had ten months to submit a project that would be judged based on its merits, but I got ahead of myself and submitted my project early. And what's wrong with being enthusiastic and wanting to catch the investors' attention from the start?—

Hatsume let out a cheerful laugh while Toshinori looked at her with a mix of amazement and worry.

—Of course, I always make sure to equip each and every one of my babies with a satellite tracker,— she said proudly, showing him a device that resembled a radar. —Just to make sure they don't end up in the wrong hands. Sometimes, I also install small microphones.—

—And cameras?— Toshinori ventured, with a growing sense of alarm.

—No. No cameras. Because I don't need them,— she pointed to her eyes. —You see, my quirk allows me to see things from a great distance, so I can monitor each of my babies myself.—

—Babies?— Toshinori asked, not entirely understanding.

—Right now, I see Midoriya still trying to complete the 100 shots I assigned him before leaving,— Hatsume smiled with a dreamy air. —I could use an assistant who is as docile as he is and who helps me test my inventions. My current assistant is always scolding me about everything, like asking if I followed all the safety standards or things like that.—

—But young Midoriya is very busy,— Toshinori tried to argue, seeking to protect him.

—What a pity,— Hatsume replied, turning quickly. —But you know what's funny? Earlier, on this very beach, I saw the number one hero, All Might, swimming. I wouldn't mind if he gave me his opinion on my babies. Do you think he's still around? Do you think Midoriya saw him? It would be worth asking, wouldn't it?—

Toshinori let out a long sigh, resigned to the clear blackmail from the girl.

—Please forgive me, young Midoriya,— Toshinori thought as he braced himself for what was clearly going to be a long conversation with the ingenious and determined Mei Hatsume.

The daylight was beginning to fade, casting the beach in a soft twilight. Izuku, absorbed in his training, barely noticed how much time had passed. Mr. Yagi had sent him a message saying he was running late due to some complications but was on his way. Nevertheless, Izuku, determined not to waste time, continued with his routine.

Izuku was focused on meeting his pull-up goal, an exercise that had challenged him more than he expected. So far, he had managed to do twenty in a row, a number that, while respectable, was far from his final goal. He knew it was all about building muscle memory, so he just had to keep a good pace and not get discouraged.

'You can do it,' he remembered Mr. Yagi's words.

Suddenly, he felt an urge to kick the ball near his feet, sending it toward a pile of scrap. Without thinking too much, he followed the ball until it disappeared between two rusted containers. But when he went to retrieve it, his heart stopped at the sight of a hand weakly sticking out from between the containers.

—AH!— Izuku shouted, instinctively stepping back before concern and bravery took control of his body.

As he moved the containers apart, he saw a boy with a huge red scar on his left eye, barely conscious and breathing heavily.

—Hey, are you okay?— Izuku tried to get him to react by shaking him by the shoulders. —Don't worry! I'll call an ambulance right away!—

As he pulled out his phone, the boy swatted his hand away to stop him.

—Don't call anyone and leave.—

—But—

—Didn't you hear me? LEAVE!—

Before Izuku could react, ice spikes began to emerge from the ground around him, forming a cold and dangerous barrier. The boy lost consciousness again, leaving Izuku alone amidst the frozen threat.

Izuku's heart raced, but his determination was even stronger. Ignoring the boy's words and the implicit warning in the ice spikes, Midoriya pushed through the ice, using his strength to break the barriers separating him from the boy. With careful movements, he managed to position him as best as he could on his back.

With determined steps, Izuku began to walk towards the exit of the beach, his thoughts focused on getting the boy to safety. Despite the weight on his back and the uncertainty surrounding him, there was one thing he knew for sure: he couldn't abandon him.

...

In a room decorated with a peculiar taste, the laptop rested on a bed covered with Cabbage Patch dolls, their vacant eyes continuously watching the scene replay on the screen. The video showed over and over again the moment Katsuki Bakugo was captured by the sludge monster. The look of suffering on the boy's face, his eyes brimming with tears, seemed to fascinate the viewer, who couldn't help but rewind the video to the beginning time and time again.

—Katsuki Bakugo, you're so cute— Himiko Toga whispered, her face flushed as she smiled innocently, though her eyes shone with a disturbing intensity. —I can't wait to learn more about you.

As her obsession deepened, a light knock on the door pulled her out of her reverie.

—Knock, knock— Twice peeked his head through the door, his usual mask partially covering his face.

In a quick movement, Toga closed the laptop and hugged the pillow she had been using as support.

—Jin! You're supposed to knock and wait for a response before coming in.

The man closed the door and knocked again.

Himiko didn't answer, and she watched the shadow under the door moving back and forth.

That made her smile a little.

Twice continued pacing back and forth when he saw Toga leave the room.

—Sorry. I heard you talking to yourself and thought you might be going a bit crazy. I just thought you might want some company.

—I'm not going crazy, Jin— Toga said, sitting on the worn-out sofa in the living room. —I was just thinking out loud, and you know I don't like you spying on me.

—Yeah, I know, so please don't be mad at me— Twice pleaded with a tear appearing in his mask.

—I'm not mad, just excited.

—Excited?— Twice repeated, tilting his head with curiosity.

—I'm going to confess to the boy I like— Toga said, her cheeks reddening even more as a mischievous smile spread across her face.

—That's great!— Twice exclaimed with enthusiasm as he began rummaging through the drawers, throwing clothes everywhere. —We need to decide what you're going to wear. It's very important —Though if I'm the lucky one, you don't have to wear anything— Twice added playfully, only to receive a light smack, which echoed like part of a comedic routine.

—You know I'm grateful for you letting me stay at your place, but that doesn't mean I'm going to take my clothes off— Toga said as she stepped over the clothes strewn on the floor towards the exit.

Twice, in his typical exaggerated style, knelt at her feet, pleading.

—No. No. Please don't go. I swear I'll change.

—I'm not leaving. I'm just going out to find what I'll wear the day I confess— Toga said with a shy smile. —You're right, it's something very important.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing Todoroki saw was the concerned face of the boy from earlier.

Startled, he sat up in bed, letting a wet cloth fall from his forehead. He held his head, still feeling quite dizzy, and couldn't help but lie back down.

—Please don't get up. You still have a bit of a fever— Midoriya said, placing the wet cloth back on Todoroki's forehead.

—Are we in the hospital?— Todoroki asked, scanning the room with his eyes.

—No, at my house.

—Then I guess you're somewhat minimalist.

Midoriya smiled a bit, embarrassed.

—A lot happened, and I got rid of most of the decorations.

—I see— Todoroki closed his eyes again. —Does anyone else know I'm here?

—No— Midoriya got up and walked toward the door. —So for now, try to rest.

Seeing no response, Izuku left the room, but before closing the door, he heard Todoroki speak again.

—Make sure no one finds out I'm here.

Izuku responded with a small sound of acknowledgment.

As he took his phone out of his pocket, Izuku noticed several new messages from Mr. Yagi.

And to his surprise, a call was coming in silently at that very moment. On impulse, he dismissed the call, regretting it instantly.

Without allowing him to relax, the sound of keys in the front door of the house was heard, and Izuku hurried to catch his mom.

—Izuku!— she greeted him with a smile, closing the door behind her. —I'm so glad you're home. Then she seemed to remember something and raised her shopping bag. —Tonight we'll have curry rice.

—That's great, Mom— Izuku attempted a smile but couldn't hide his concern.

—What's wrong?

—Nothing— he hurriedly said before making a decision. —I just invited a friend over.

—Really? A friend?— his mother asked, looking around.

—Yes, it's just that he wasn't feeling very well and is resting in my room.

—Shouldn't we call his parents?

—They're not in the city, and where they are, there's no coverage— Izuku lied quickly.

—That sounds very suspicious, Izuku.

He nervously laughed.

—But I'm glad you're bringing a friend home. This is the first time.

Again, nervous laughter.

—Just don't ask him too many questions. He's a very private guy, and we wouldn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

His mother nodded and headed to the kitchen.

—I'll do my best to make a good impression on your friend— his mother raised a fist with determination.

—Thanks, Mom.

Izuku sighed with some relief, telling himself that lying just wasn't for him.

Izuku's mother was fascinated by the young man, who was undoubtedly quite handsome, and judging by the look on her face, she wasn't even remotely thinking that it was all a ruse.

—So, tell me, Todoroki. Have you known each other for a long time?— She served a rather large portion of curry rice.

—We met recently— Todoroki replied seriously, though after the first bite, he seemed more enthusiastic about continuing to eat. —It's delicious— he smiled with a slight grin.

Izuku's mother remained on cloud nine as she served a portion to her son.

—Mom, I'd like to invite Todoroki to stay the night!— Izuku announced with a determination that contrasted with his usual shyness.

—Of course, he can stay as long as he wants.

Todoroki put down his spoon and his expression turned slightly sad.

—I wouldn't want to be a bother.

—You're not a bother at all!— both mother and son said, smiling at each other.

As they shared this conversation, Todoroki felt a moment of nostalgia. A vague memory of his mother carrying him and laughing came to mind. Was it a real memory? Or just a fantasy of how he wished things had been?

Someone knocking on the front door pulled him out of his thoughts, and he became alert.

—Young Midoriya, why don't you answer the phone when it rings!?— Toshinori exclaimed, entering the dining room.

—Ah! I completely forgot to return the call. I'm sorry, I'm sorry— Izuku apologized, feeling quite embarrassed. —A friend came to visit me at home, and I completely forgot.

Toshinori couldn't help but show an initial look of surprise upon seeing Todoroki seated at the table, and it seemed like Todoroki noticed it too.

Midoriya looked at both of them and wondered if Mr. Toshinori knew anything about Todoroki.

Author's Notes.-

Your comments are always welcome! Thank you so much for reading, following, and liking. It always makes me smile.