The exam was fairly easy in my opinion. I didn't even have to use my Quirk too much, not even on the larger robots. I insisted to Hakim and the principal on taking the physical and written exams rather than being fed with a silver spoon through recommendation.
Where's the fun in that?
I looked up from the map and down the hall, wondering if I'm in the right area.
I didn't want to enlist any help from the surrounding students, I didn't want to bother them during the little time they have before their classes start. I have the same time as them to find my class.
'It should be down here...the students look about my age...let's see...'
My eyes lift to the signs hanging above the classrooms. I know the number and letter are on the doors, but I didn't want to walk down the hall like a confused idiot.
First impressions have never been more important until now.
"I've never seen you before," a voice beside me spoke.
I turned to my left, looking at a blond-haired boy with gray-colored eyes, he is about the same height as me. His expression seems...strained, yet relaxed...as if he's trying to hold back emotion.
"Are you sure you're not in the wrong hall? Do you need help?"
"No, I don't think so," I looked back down at the paper in my hand. "I'm in the hero course, I just transferred. Thank you for the helping hand."
Before I could walk off, he stopped me with his words.
"Wait...a transfer student? Into the hero course? Which class are you in? 1-B or 1-A? What's your name?" he eagerly asked me, taking a step closer to me.
His bombardment of words made me wonder if he is okay. The relaxed face has disappeared, clear obsession replacing it.
"I...I'm in Class 1-B. Um...will you tell me your name if I tell you mine?"
He beamed, giddy all of a sudden, "My name is Neito Monoma, and consider yourself in my good graces."
"Oh...uh, okay? Thanks...? My name is Kamilah Shimizu, I-"
He placed a hand in front of me, "Say no more."
I blinked once, then twice...and multiple times rapidly. I am taken aback by his behavior...to the point, I wonder if he acts like this all the time. Why
"say no more"? Is it because...?
I internally groaned.
"You're a descendant from the Shogun Tokugawa-Shimizu and a part of the psychic hero family, Shimizu, right? I didn't know there was a daughter. Your family must be really proud of you for choosing and getting into U.A. Most of them are alumnus from what I can remember. You won't regret your experience being in Class 1-B, Shimizu! I'll let you in on a piece of info, don't get involved with 1-A. They're trouble..."
"Trouble?"
Abruptly being smacked in the head with a...big fist, Monoma fell forward and was caught by the back of his collar by the same person who smacked him.
I looked up from the almost out-cold blond boy to an orange-haired side ponytail, teal-colored-eyed girl a little shorter than me and the blond. Her hand surprisingly shrunk back to its normal size.
She looked at me with a smile, "Don't listen to him. They've just been in a few pickles, nothing more. Also, I wouldn't recommend becoming friends with Monoma or taking advice from him. Come to me when you have questions or concerns. I'm the Class Representative of Class 1-B, Itsuka Kendo. It's an honor to meet you, Shimizu!" she advised, introduced herself, and bowed her head.
"Oh, you don't have to be so formal with me. I just want a normal experience here in U.A. without my background being acknowledged. It's nice to meet you, Kendo," I said, bowing my head as well.
"Humble, I see," she said with a smile.
"Mr. Kan hadn't mentioned anything about a new student transferring to our class," she curiously recalled.
"I'm sure the staff knows about me joining today, my big brother told me they were 2 weeks ago."
She blinked, "Big brother? You mean..." She didn't finish her sentence, only looked back out the window for a moment and turned back with pink tinting her cheeks. "Oh, I see."
"She means that handsome hunk of a hero that recently made his debut," another voice finally joined our conversation.
I looked down to my right to see a honey brown-haired girl, which is covering her eyes, cut into a bob, smiling up at me.
"Komori, how long have you been standing there? You couldn't scared our new classmate off," Kendo chided the shorter and giddy girl.
"No, it's fine," I told her. "I knew she was here for a while. It's like a sixth sense that my brother taught me, not a part of my Quirk at all," I summarized for them.
"Excuse me, Shimizu, but I have a weird and important question to ask you," she excused herself.
I smiled again, this time showing some teeth, "I like weird. Shoot."
"Oh, my name's Kinoko Komori by the way. Anyway...do you have any pictures of your brother in his private life?" she asked, cheeks turning a hot pink.
"...I like weird, but not that kind of weird," I rephrased my sentence as a sweatdrop slid down the back of my head.
She bowed, "Sorry, sorry!"
"No need to apologize. I understand my big brother is very popular amongst teenage girls and young women...even middle-aged women. He's worked hard to get where he is today...and I'm glad it's paying off with fans appreciating and loving him."
"..."
"..."
"...Why do you look so sad, Shimizu?" Monoma shockingly asked.
I looked down at him, blinking rapidly again, "Wha-What? Did I look sad? Oh, sorry, I'm sometimes misread. I'm fine."
Kendo stared at me with concern, "If you say so... Anyway," she began, pulling Monoma onto his feet with sheer strength. "We should all get to class. It'll be starting soon."
"Oh, by the way, Shimizu, why's your hand wrap-" Komori was cut off.
"FOX!"
All the alarms in my body rang loudly, my heartbeat sped up, the adrenaline went to my legs, and I snapped my head to Kendo with an urgent look.
"We need to go."
The crackles of small explosions reached my ears.
"Now."
Unexpectedly, Monoma reached around Kendo, grabbing me by my left hand with his right, pulling me along with him as we ran down the hall.
"You know that brute?" he asked, sounding nonchalant.
"Yes, unfortunately."
After escaping the angry Pomeranian and settling in what I was informed as "the now rearranged desks that were once 4 desks in a row of 5, but now 3 desks in a row of 7".
My new classmates were all confused not only by the extra desk being added in the back just yesterday but also confused by my presence since I wasn't introduced by any of the following teachers for the rest of the day.
They didn't get the chance to talk to me during breaks either because they were uncertain how to approach me, but Kendo, Monoma, and Komori would keep me company in between, such as how things worked in 1-B, the curriculum, what classes are next after each one, etc.
We all chalked it up to that only the principal and only Mr. Kan aka Vlad King only being the ones who know about my transfer.
Luckily enough for me, there weren't any outside activities today so blending into the crowd worked out for me.
I've been anticipating the last class of the day, quietly keeping my excitement to myself, but I kept a repressed smile after the second to last class.
I subtly kept my eyes on the door, still listening in on what Kendo, Monoma, and Komori were talking about.
"Oh, I almost forgot, but what were you about to ask Shimizu earlier, Komori?" Kendo asked the petite girl.
"Huh? Um...oh, right, right! I was going to ask what happened to your hand. It looks like you got into an accident. Did you hurt your hand on the way to U.A.?" she asked, voice filled with worry.
"Ah, this? No, no. I wrapped this hand in bandages to actually avoid being asked that question. I received this injury a long time ago by the same guy who called me a "fox" when we were kids."
"Oh, wow...that Bakugo is mean. He was absolutely brutal at the Sports Festival. I just really hoped I didn't have to go against him or work with him. He's...kind of scary," Komori gave her opinion. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"Bakugo? I know he's all bark...and bite when you make him angry from what I saw at the Festival and hear from 1-A students. I shouldn't be surprised...but I am," Kendo gave her opinion.
"It's the fact that he tried to hurt a girl from a renowned family. Wait, did you say 'when you were kids'?" Monoma asked, and I nodded. "You two have known each other since you were kids? How could you associate yourself with someone who is so negative and below your pedestal? You're...not childhood friends, are you?"
I glanced at Monoma, seeing him shiver a little, "I don't know what we are...but we aren't friends. However, I won't let you disrespect him like that. He is all bark, all bite, mean, brutal, negative, aggresive...but that's all just on the surface. Our relationship is undefined, yet I respect him and I'm glad I met him."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...I don't understand why you'd respect and pleased to-"
"I apologize for being a little late, Class. You may now please-"
The new teacher's eyes scanned the class, but landed on mine, widening like UFO saucers.
A brief lunatic grin broke on my face for a second, then went into mock confusion, like the rest of the students staring at her.
"Dr. Chinen?" one of the students, a girl with long, thorny green hair questioned.
She stood there for a moment, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish, but she closed it and strode to the podium, keeping her head down.
A sudden gloomy aura shadowed the Doctor as she faced the class, opening the planner in her hand, "Please take your seats."
Like the last few classes, everything went smoothly, with questions asked here and there. Everything she's teaching is material I've already covered in my homeschooling as well as my own self-taught study time after I left primary school. The only difference is that she's applying psychological subjects to hero life.
By the time class ended, I noticed all I had only scribbled down the hero points and added the psych terms associated with them. I know being a hero can take one hell of a toll on the mental...Jameela is a great example.
She uses her mental breakdowns and cries to get her way, to always get our family to stay in our places, put on our doll faces, and let everyone believe the Shimizu family is perfect.
Sometimes, I think she goes behind Uncle Rio's back and tells people who haven't seen me before that I'm his kid. I chuckled at the scenario, having a backup plan if someone asks me about my father's whereabouts.
I got lucky enough with Izuku, Katsuki, and Shoto. Despite making visits to my home, they didn't bother to pry into why my uncle is Hakim's father, but not mine.
I wasn't one to pry into the three's lives either, hoping they'd do the same for me and they did. My home was always open for them to visit. I never visited Shoto's home despite him wanting me to when Endeavor wasn't around, I promised long ago I'd never go back. He told me the things he felt comfortable telling, and it all ended up in him spilling every last detail; he did visit my home when he could sneak out from time to time.
As for Izuku, we're both fatherless so we took that as a silent mutual understanding, and he loved visiting my home and still does. Ever since his first visit, he's been obsessed with knowing more about my family during their time off as not heroes and I made sure to make everything look normal; of course, he'd always come to visit me.
Katsuki? He did visit my home...I think more often than Izuku and Shoto. That's when this weird fixation on me began. He never asked me anything regarding my family, only me. He would constantly make remarks to them about being the Number 1 Hero, what he'll accomplish, how he'll surpass them, and try to pick fights with Hakim.
I repressed a giggle from the memory of when Katsuki and I were in our second year at Aldera, but I'm sure I held an entertained expression...
"I'll be better than you!"
"Really now..."
"Yeah! And don't look down on me!"
"I'm not looking down on you...you're just shorter than me."
"You-...keep the height, just know you'll be short of a sister when I'm older."
"Ayo, you wanna go?!"
"Try me...brother-in-law."
"Let's go, you little shit!"
It's difficult to get a rise out of Hakim because he's naturally down-to-earth and level-headed.
'Wait...wait a damn minute.'
Thinking about the words that roused Hakim that day in the first place...I felt my cheeks swirl with heat, hoping my melanin could blend in with the red or pink in my cheeks.
'Was he not thinking that day when he said that? No...yeah, he was. He said he'll be short of a sister...so does that mean Katsuki sees him as the figure that gives their daughter away for marriage?! What the hell?! How come I didn't think much of it then...? Well...I did have to deescalate the situation because the two were heated...' I shook my head, 'Katsuki's been observing me and my family's dynamic too much. I hadn't realized it at all, I was too caught up in...in...'
I'll get you one day
...
Do I need to stay the hell away from him because wtf?
Anything he says can be open for interpretation, and with my jumbled mind, it can mean anything and I'll worry myself to death.
"Shimizu, are you okay?"
I lifted my head from my notebook and up at Kendo, "Yes, yes, I'm okay. I just...recalled something unpleasant."
"Hm...I hope it doesn't cause too much discomfort. Classes are done for the day by the way. I want to inform you on a few things on the way out though."
I gathered my things, put them in my shoulder bag, and stood up, "Sure thing," I agreed, glancing around the room to see it was nearly empty.
"Now that I think about it, Komori wanted me to tell you she likes your hair. I like it, too," she gave the message and complimented me.
"Thank you, I just wanted to try something different, uncommon."
We both made our way out of the classroom.
"Oh, one last thing...after the Sports Festival, we've gotten requests from heroes all across Japan to train under them to gain experience. 1-A and 1-B will be gone from classes for a week. Since you obviously haven't participated, we should talk to Mr. Kan tomorrow morning to see what we'll have you do or where you'll be in the mean time. By the way, we'll also have to address the nearing of Final Exams, too. I don't want you to cram and tire yourself out."
"Thank you so much for filling me in, Kendo. You're saving me a lot of work," I thanked her with a smile.
"No problem, Shimizu. I am Class Rep after all...I'm also called 1-B's "Big Sister", feel free to call me that," she joked.
"Sorry, I already have a "Big Sister" figure, thanks for the offer though," I joked back with her.
"Hey...Fox."
Kendo and I both stopped in our footsteps. She turned in the direction the voice addressed me, yet I stayed still, racking my brain on how I should respond...or should I even respond at all?
"Bakugo..." Kendo mumbled, then looked back at me. "Shimizu?"
"I'm sorry...did you hear something, Kendo?" I asked with a closed-eyed smile.
"Uh..." She was unsure of how to respond.
"Since you're done filling me in on all I need to know, I'll be heading home already. Tell Komori and Monoma I said "thanks for their help" today. See ya."
"Um..."
"Don't act like you don't hear me, Fox."
I kept walking, ignoring the guy who I somehow forgot could easily get fed up if I look down on him or don't pay attention to him.
"Listen to me!"
"Shimizu...I think you should hear him out..."
"Huh? Hear who out?" I asked as I turned back to her, but the angry Pomeranian is standing in front of me, peering down at me.
He didn't scare me in the least as he belittles me, but what took me by surprise was his grabbing my wrapped hand. He inspected it for a few seconds before gazing back at me.
"..."
"So you think you can just use your status to get to the top, huh? Whatever happened to you wanting to become a doctor? Wanted to rub this shit in my face or something?"
"..."
"Answer me, damn it. What're you here for?!"
"..."
"Tch, I swear-"
"Katsu," I sweetly chirped his name, "You shouldn't be focusing on me and why I'm here. You're only here for you, and that's all you should be concerned about. So...please leave me be and let me do me."
"Haaah?"
"Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly...? Let me put it in a way you can understand," I asked, about to shift my words.
My joyful expression was replaced with a bitter one glaring up at him through my lashes and a frown settling on my lips.
"I assure you, I did not use my shitty fam's stats to get here, I worked my ass off just like you and I even took the Entrance Exam two weeks ago to prove my worth rather than just get in my recommendation. Do you think I came here willingly? Do you know how much self-convincing it took to make me go through this bullshit? No, you don't. Now for as long as I am here, don't say shit to me; don't look at me; don't touch me, don't think about me; matter of fact, I don't exist. Are we clear..." I smirked, "Kacchan?"
Katsuki looked like he was about to explode from anger...especially when I called him by the nickname Izuku uses.
Speaking of the cinnamon roll...
I beamed at the fidgeting energy, I snatched my hand out of Katsuki's hold and looked behind him at the shocked viridian next to Kendo.
"You can interact with me, Izu-kun. I'm so happy you made it here! We're in separate classes, but that's okay, I won't bite like Monoma...at least not that hard. Talk to you later, and bye, Kendo!" I cheerfully waved them off as I sprinted towards the school's gate.
"W-Wait, Milah-chan!"
"What?" I asked, walking backward.
"At least tell me what's going on!" he complained.
A devious smile made it to my face as I turned back around, breaking off into a sprint again, "Sure!"
As soon as I made my exit through the gates, I sprint down the sidewalk and around a corner underneath a tree.
Quickly kicking the medium-sized black and pale purple vehicle from its stance, I got on it, balanced it out, took the keys from inside the pocket of my blazer, and started the engine.
I revved the engine twice, checking to see if everything is good to go; I kicked my feet off the ground and onto the footrests, pressing on the throttle enough to zoom off to a good start.
I checked both ways to see if any cars were heading up or down the street, there were none so I rounded the corner, making a stop at the entrance to see the shocked viridian waiting.
"Get on, fellow loser, we're going shopping," I quote a character from a pop 2000s American movie as I placed my foot on the ground to balance my two-seater Kawasaki Ninja 300.
I shrug my bag off my shoulder, slid back a little to open the storage compartment and place it in. I took my shades out, taking my glasses off and putting those on instead. My vision is fine overall, I just have problems reading words up close on paper and sometimes on-screen.
"Y-Your motorcycle?!" Izuku screeched. "How did you get it here without getting caught?! Isn't it against the rules to-"
I put my right index finger to my lips, "Shhh...just ride, Izuku."
His face went up in flaming red, and he seemed reluctant to, but he walked towards me and I slid back up on the seat, leaning forward as he got on behind me.
"Hang on to me," I told him.
"What?"
I sighed, leaning back up and grabbing his hands from behind to place them on my waist. I resumed my position, kicked off the stance, and pushed the throttle to zoom off.
As expected, Izuku is panicking, yelling, and clinging to me which I all ignored, but let a giggle slip at his reaction from time to time.
"I thought we were going shopping...?" the shy boy asked as I pulled up to the entrance of his apartment building.
"I was just..." I sighed, "Never mind. We aren't going shopping for real, Izuku. You want an explanation, right?"
"Right, but uh..."
"I would ask you why you're so worried, but that's just a waste of time."
"A waste of time?" he questioned, cutely blinking at me, "Do you have somewhere to be?"
I turned Saki's engine off, "Yeah, something like that," I brushed off his curiosity. "Anyway, first, I apologize that I didn't say anything about joining U.A. Second, congratulations on the new Quirk, joining U.A., and the Sports Festival; I know you didn't win, but you did your damn best and I am proud of you. Third, I know I said I didn't care about "hero stuff", but I got an image to maintain in this...godforsaken family of mine because I can't be different so I'm playing along, but I'm also doing whatever I want."
"..."
"..."
"So...?"
I took a quick breath, "Basically, I'm going to work myself into an early grave, so yay," I happily summarized, laughing afterward to throw off the already confused viridian even more.
Izuku looks like he's trying to process all of what I said, most likely already making sense of what I said and thinking all kinds of thoughts that will eventually leak from his lips in a mumbling rant.
Before I let that happen, I placed my hands on his shoulders and he looked up from the concrete to me, curious about what I'm about to do or say.
"Whatever you do, Izuku...don't tell Katsuki a thing about this, okay? I don't need him focusing on me right now. He should stay true to his words and consider me a "shitty extra". And I'll beat his ass if he presses you about it, alright?"
"Al..right...?" he confusedly agreed.
I nodded, "Alright," I concluded, starting Saki back up, and placing my hands on the handles.
"W-Wait, one more thing!"
I peeked at him from under my shades, "Yeah?"
"You...you don't mind if I...sketch some suggestions for you, do you?" he asked, eyes shining with a hopeful light.
"..." As soon as I understood what he meant, I smirked, "Fine by me, just don't make me look fat in it, 'kay? See ya later!"
"Alright, closing up shop!"
"Good night!"
"Walk home safe!"
"See you tomorrow!"
My co-workers and manager went our separate ways to get home.
I decided I'll be staying at Hakim's place for the night since Jameela is home tonight.
I don't know when he recognized my discomfort around her, but Hakim soon caught on after he walked me home from school one day that I didn't like being around that woman...much less, being alone.
As soon as Hakim graduated from U.A., he worked a part-time job to buy himself a 2 bedroom apartment across town because he felt that I needed a place to go to other than "home" to be away from her.
Since his recent debut as a pro hero, he had to quit despite not wanting to and getting along with his co-workers.
Hakim thinks because I know Jameela doesn't have the best history with my father and she rarely talks about him around me, I dislike her for not telling me about him and don't want to be around for it.
I want him to keep thinking of that petty reason until the grand finale.
As far as me keeping my job for this long without him noticing me being out late? How could he know when he's been bombarded with hero life? How would he know when I tell him I've stayed the night at the Midoriya's residence? How would Jameela know if I texted her I'm staying at his place for the night or with the Midoriyas?
I got everyone right where I want them to be, safe and secure knowing that Kamilah is fine and doing well.
I made a tiny smile, 'As soon as I get in touch with Auntie again,
everything should go as planned from there.'
I was about to gaze at the night sky for a while until I bumped into someone passing by. I took a step back, bowing.
"Excuse me, I-"
"Look here, why aren't you a cutie?"
The strong stench of alcohol wafted from this man's breath. He was sorely intoxicated, he could barely keep himself standing. I took another step back in repulse.
It wasn't my fault, but...
"I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't watching where I was going. Please, excuse me."
He whistled at me, eyes raking over my body, "You're excused, little lady."
I involuntarily shivered, "Thanks...um, sir? Do you need help-"
"Nah, nah, don't need any... Now that I think about it, you're not excused."
"I'm sorry?" I asked with a lifted brow.
"You're not excused," he hiccuped. "Come back with me to my crib...I'll show ya a good time," he flirted.
About to respond with that I'm a minor, I remembered that I just got off of work and I'm still in my work uniform so I changed my response.
"Sir, I'm not interested in men I just met, especially if they're intoxicated. Now, please leave me be."
"Aww, come on! I'll be gentle, sweetheart!"
"Sir, no. You need to go home and get some re-"
I noticed the man pulled something shiny out of his gray hoodie pocket, "I wasn't asking, princess."
"..."
He closed the space between us, making me inwardly gag at his smell. "Ya heard me? That's a good girl..." he rumbled, about to reach out to touch me with his unoccupied hand.
I grabbed it in time he was about to brush my cheek, still silently eyeing him to see his next move.
"What the...? Oh. You want this, too, Doll?"
Something in me snapped at hearing him call me that...and so did his hand.
He stumbled away from me, eventually landing on his ass while whining and complaining about his broken hand. Seeing this man in pain brought back that tiny smile to my features.
There was a streetlight nearby, but no one could see...and there were no people on the road at this time of night...so I didn't have to play it safe...
No face, no case.
"I tried to be nice to you, sir...but you refused to listen and go your merry way," I told him as I slowly approached. "Now, you gotta suffer the consequences."
"L-Look, I'm sorry! I'll leave you alone!"
"Nah, keep that same energy," I told him as I brought down my left index finger from my cheek.
The crunch of bones crushing rung like a melody in the air, and so did his screams I quickly shut up by flicking my right hand, moving the knife against his throat.
His lips trembled, and his gaze moved from me to the knife rapidly, pleading with me by shaking his head and whimpering like the scum he is.
"Y-You wouldn't, right? What would the heroes think? They'll find you and put you in prison for this, crazy bitch!"
"Shut the fuck up, you have no right to be saying "hero" when you just threatened me to sleep with you. I'm just defending myself and rendering "heroes" less work by disabling a person like you. I would say "you ought to be ashamed of yourself", but you clearly don't. *Sigh* Apologize."
He didn't say anything as he glared at me through his tears of pain; however, I encouraged him once I pressed the switchblade into his skin, cutting it open enough for the outside oxygen to say "hello" to the red blood cells.
"Alright, alright! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I threatened you! Please, just please leave me alone!"
"...How pathetic a person can be once the tables are turned. What a waste of time, I thought you'd refuse. Looks like you get to keep your arms, go on, crawl home now," I waved him off.
Turning my back on him, I continued my walk home, ignoring the cries and shrieks of pain from the disgusting man behind me.
From my blind spot, I think I saw a figure recede into the shadows of an alleyway, yet the nearby street light made me think it was a trick of the light.
Even if someone did see the whole scene, I think I scared them enough to go running with their tail between their legs and not say a word to anyone or they'd be next.
What I just did would've been greatly frowned upon by society and my family...
But I don't give a damn.
The whole misunderstanding was cleared as soon as Mr. Kan spotted me in the back of the classroom.
According to him, he didn't feel he needed to mention my joining Class 1-B because I missed homeroom yesterday morning and thought I'd be delayed a day for unknown reasons.
I was excluded from participating in the upcoming final exams, and something will be figured out for me by working under a hero.
I was approached by some more classmates today other than Kendo, Monoma, and Komori, like Shiozaki, Tetsutesu, Yanagi, and Rin.
By the time it was lunch, I got up and headed outside, eventually deciding to make a call to Hakim.
Hopefully, he's not too busy.
["What's up?"]
"Have you heard? I didn't get a chance to tell you because you came home late last night, then left really early."
["Hero Work-Study? Yeah, I got a call yesterday morning about that. What? You want to participate?"]
"Um...not really, but if it's you, sure."
["Alright, I'll pick you up after school once I'm done talking to Vlad King."]
"From what I understand, you don't have your own agency yet, right?"
["Nope, but I'm working on it. We'll sort it out later. I need to get to work on a case, it's really bad..."]
"Huh? A case already?"
["Yeah, some poor guy near an alley got burnt into a crisp, the only thing left of him is a gray hoodie. Ah, you don't need to hear all of this. See ya then, Ami,"] he told me, then hung up.
I stood there with the phone still raised to my ear, trying to keep a level head. Calmly, I opened my search bar and typed this morning's news, scrolling to find keywords.
Man Burnt Into Ashes Late Last Night
My breaths came out trembling at seeing the headline...and the familiar street I took last night.
'I...I don't recall doing that. I just broke his bones, I didn't kill him. I don't remember killing him...I'm sure I'd remember something like that...'
I looked down at my wrapped right hand, "...What more am I capable of that I haven't realized?"
"Kamilah?"
"I didn't do it, I swear!" I yelped, body tensing and eyes closing.
Despite the normal ongoing chatter and students moving about, the person who called out to me remained quiet, probably confused about my behavior.
I peeked my right eye open, catching heterochromia in my view. I gently opened my left to confirm who is standing in front of me, a blank expression forever present...of course, mixed with confusion and surprise.
"Oh...it's you," I sighed. "Sorry, I panicked. You caught me at a bad time."
Shoto continued to stare at me, not saying a word.
I smiled, "You're surprised to see me here, right? I'm surprised I'm even here myself. I apologize for not telling you, it was...kind of a last-minute thing. I'm in Class 1-B."
"..."
"Now we may be in different classes, but that doesn't change our friendship, Shoto. If anything, it should-"
"I thought you were attending the same high school as Fujisaki," he suddenly brought up.
I blinked once, then twice...and I sighed, "What is your fixation on what Joon and I got going on? For the last time, he's not my boyfriend, Sho-"
"Boyfriend?!" a familiar menace horrifically yelled. "One of 1-A's prodigies? Your boyfriend?!" Monoma screeched.
"Hm? Oh! Shimizu and Todoroki are dating?! How romantic of you to transfer schools just to see your boyfriend, Shimizu!" Komori squealed.
I whipped around, "It's not like that, I swear!"
"Oh, really, Shimizu? It's okay to admit it. There's no shame so you shouldn't be embarrassed," Kendo tried to calm me down.
"She should be!" Monoma complained.
"Shut it, Monoma!" she chastised.
That's how the rumors will spread, "prodigies Shimizu and Todoroki are an item". I decided to nip it in the bud before the misunderstanding carried on.
"Shoto is not my boy-"
I felt a rough hand grab my right shoulder from behind. I didn't have to turn around to know who it is...I could tell with my 6th sense, and by how the hand looked from the corner of my eye.
"..."
As soon as he knew I acknowledged his presence, his grip on my shoulder tightened enough to not bruise me.
"First, you transfer to U.A...then you flat out ignore me after telling me off...and now you just so happen to be Icy Hot's girlfriend?"
My gaze returned to Shoto's...I held back a laugh that sounded like a sneeze, then quickly put my hand forth, "I am so sorry. I thought I heard somebody call you something."
Shoto only blinked at me, then set his gaze on the blond behind me, "You know Kamilah, Bakugo?"
I knew Katsuki didn't like whatever he found with what Shoto asked because he paused before giving any kind of response.
"Know-...hah? You two on a first name basis?"
To clarify the situation for him and my three attentive classmates, I returned to the early turmoil of a mistake.
"As I was saying...Monoma, Komori, Kendo...Shoto is not my boyfriend. You clearly walked into our conversation at the wrong time. I was telling him that I was just friends with a childhood friend of mine, nothing more and nothing less."
They looked dumbfounded, expressing mixed confusion and apologetic expressions simultaneously.
"Besides, if I did have a boyfriend...he wouldn't be in high school, I like my men how I like my mind...mature and broken," I informed them, mindlessly looking at the text that was sent to me. "See ya."
Rika: I know you're in school right now, but how did your first day go?
Smiling at the text, I attempted to turn around and walk away from the clamorous situation, but that same hand on my shoulder didn't let me move.
"...Is someone using their Quirk? If you are, please let me go," I pleaded, hoping it would work.
Of course, the angry Pomeranian wouldn't let go.
"...I thought we established this yesterday."
"Who the hell said I agreed to your shitty terms and conditions?" he growled.
"I thought me not getting in your way would've been enough for you. I'm also in a whole different class than you...yet your damn persistence is impeccable. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours, Katsuki."
To make my point clear, I lifted my unoccupied hand, forcibly and telepathically removing Katsuki's hand from my shoulder.
Sensing a familiar aura, I spun on my feet to confirm who I thought is heading this way. It is indeed her.
Casually walking away from the situation as if nothing ever happened, I head down the hallway, looking down at my phone to reply to Rika.
"Doctor."
"Shimizu."
As quickly as we passed by and acknowledged each other, the interaction was quick to end and we went on our merry ways.
Me: Accordingly.
I let the smoke out in a long brush, sighing relaxingly after. My body slumped, then I fell back, hooking my legs around the branch I was sitting on.
Taking another slow drag as I took in my surroundings in the forest, I closed my eyes, swinging back and forth as if I were on a swing.
"Hero studies, huh... What new things could Hakim teach me? Well, I did neglect listening to things he told me when he was here...unless it was combat."
When Hakim attended U.A., he was considered popular amongst the whole school...according to the friends he brought home now and then. What made him popular...his excellent studies, hard work, determination, calm and kind behavior, physical prowess, looks, and creativity, and that was only boosted when he won the Sports Festival in his first year.
Now, he recently became a solo pro hero at just 20 years old.
Everything opposite of his little sister whose existence is known to very few people...not that I want to be known to a lot. It'll look bad for him and Uncle Rio.
I took another drag of mela, frowning, "How the hell does that woman expect me to amount to that...? I'm the failure... I can't amount to anything like Hakim has..."
Big brother, Uncle Rio, Aunt Yui, Grandma, Grandpa, Jameela...they all attended U.A. Even me. But father...
Why did he attend Ketsubutsu? Is it because he didn't want to be in the spotlight? Because he was different from everyone else in the family? To achieve his ambitions? To put distance between them and their status?
'Would Todoroki understand? This feeling...? Wait...wha-what the? Why the hell am I...' I lightly shook my head, 'He's of no concern to me. Seems like he's handling himself well.'
Just a bit more money...just some more continued good behavior...evidence, details, a lawyer...
I let out the chamo and lav in one smooth exhale, "Maybe...maybe I should've chosen Ketsubutsu...?"
"No!"
Hearing that familiar voice made me flick my finger at a bunch of loose leaves hanging from the stems of a nearby tree so I wiggled my finger to shake them over that person.
"Waah!"
Quickly putting the pen back in my blazer's pocket and grabbing a peppermint, I made the breeze pick up to blow away the chamomile and lavender surrounding me.
I swung back up to sit on the branch again, making eye contact with my stalker as soon as he removed the last leaf from frizzy green curls.
"Izuku...you stalkin' me, hon'?"
"Wha...? Oh, no! I wasn't, really. I just...came to check on you after what happened between you and Kacchan."
"...Did I cause that much of a scene? Sorry, I tried to keep it minimal," I informed him, flicking the fresh candy around my mouth.
"No, you didn't. Todoroki told me what happened."
I stopped playing with the mint, lightly biting on it. "Oh?"
"Yeah, he didn't mention what you two were talking about before Kacchan bumped in. Anyway, he said you two are friends...is that true?"
"Ye...yeah. Why?"
He blinked in surprise, "You...you became friends with Todoroki?"
"When we were kids before I met you and Katsu," I told him, crossing my left leg over my right and my arms.
"Wow...that's surprising. At the begininng of the year, Todoroki was very scary to approach. He only just recently began to stop being so..."
"Cold?" I suggested with a smirk, sucking on the mint.
Izuku let a chuckle slip, "Yeah. What a small world..."
"Yeah, I guess. I saw you two go at each other at the Sports Festival. You both were fierce, that match was crazy. Mind telling me what you said to him for him to lose his cool like that?"
Izuku looked down, "Well, I told him...his Quirk was his."
"...ah, really?" I closed my eyes. "I'm glad."
"Huh?"
"Shoto...would never use his left side. I tried to encourage him to do so, to help train it as his own...but he was afraid he'd burn me. When he wasn't paying attention, I'd play with his fire...and he immediately would run away from me." I smiled, "I'd run after him, I always loved a good chase."
"Oh..."
"What Shoto didn't know...was that I've played with hotter before. He's nothing compared to him..." I mumbled, thinking about the boy wrapped in blue flames.
"You mean Kacchan."
I peered through my lids at the viridian, "...Yeah." I shimmied to the trunk of the tree, propping my feet on the branch. "Now that you see I'm okay and checked in, go on back to where you belong."
"Back to where I... You belong there, too, Milah-chan. Speaking of...what was that talk earlier about choosing Ketsubutsu...about you being a failure?"
"Oh? You were here for that part, too? Just talking nonsense to myself."
"No...you meant what you said. Milah-chan. You're not a failure. Sure, you might not be anything like your older brother...but you can be you, better, you just have to find her."
"..."
"You're also one of the very few people who helped me get into U.A. You encouraged me to be a hero, you're the only one who said I can be a hero without a Quirk, you went out of your way to do research on the Quirkless population to see if there were any possibilities, you stayed by my side. You did all of that for me...and call yourself a failure? You're an important person in my life so don't ever think you can't amount to anything!"
"..."
"Unlike me, you have it all, Milah-chan. How could you call yourself a failure when you have so many privileges?"
"Me? Privileges? My family has those, not me...I prefer to stay humble. My existence...is known to little...I doubt I'll be important once I do what I have to do."
"Milah-chan...are you in some kind of trouble? Let me help you!"
"I'm not in any kind of trouble, Izu. You know I think differently than the average person. Come on now, you know me. If I was in trouble, you best believe I would come out on top. Don't worry about me..."
"How can I not worry about you? I've always been worried about you, Milah-chan...I just never knew how to approach you about it. You're just so..."
"...So?"
"...so closed in."
"Closed in?"
"Not in a bad way! It's...well, you're independent and unique with how you avoid subjects you don't want to talk about. You're pretty-I mean, it's pretty creative..."
I took this opportunity to do exactly what he said.
"Unique and independent...and pretty? Did I hear that right? Is that a love confession, Izuku? How sweet," I said with a gentle smile.
The poor baby's face turned scarlet, a puff of smoke steaming from his ears. He became shy, but put his hands up defensively, trying to clear up my "misunderstanding".
"Wha! What?! N-No! N-Not at all! I-I meant...I meant you're creative-creatively cunning, li-like a fox! Yow know?!"
"No, I don't know. Please, elaborate. It seems Katsuki's lack of vocabulary has begun to rub off on you," I spoke without expression, words piercing like knives, now chewing on the mint.
"No, no, it's not like that! It's not bad "cunning"...it's just you're difficult to read some-...half...most of the time. You don't let much of anyone in to see the real you..."
"Because the real me is so scary she frightens me, Izuku." I jumped down from the branch, approaching him. "I won't lie to you, I am dealing with some things...I'm the type that likes solving things before I ask for help. You know that."
He nodded frantically, "But if everything gets too overwhelming, please tell me. We'll figure something out together, okay?"
A faint smile slipped on my lips, "Okay. Let's go, lunch is almost up."
"Yeah," he said, walking next to me. "Did you eat?"
"No, but I'll be fine. I wasn't that hungry-"
"Here," he raised a...aluminum half-wrapped steamed pork bun in front of me. "I've noticed you only eat once or twice a day whenever we hang out. I was getting worried about that habit for a long time...so I brought this just in case you hadn't eaten."
I beamed at Izuku, "You really are a kind cinnamon roll! Since you went out of your way..." I leaned my head down to his scarred hand, taking a decent-sized bite from the delicious bun. "Mmmm...good," I mewled, licking my bottom lip.
"M-Milah-chan..."
"Oops, got some on your fingers," I licked the bits of pork on his fingers, savoring the taste.
"Milah-chan!" the shy boy panicked.
I peeked at the broccoli boy from under my lashes, "What?"
"Th-This is what couples do! Y-You'll cause another scene, and people might get the wrong idea about us! Eat it like a regular person!"
I blinked, "...So? Let people think whatever." I smiled, revealing my pearly whites, "It would be funny if people did think we're going out."
As the flustered viridian tried to justify how it'd be hard on me because of my status, I leaned my head up, about to grab the pork bun out of his hand.
That's when I felt it.
That's when I heard it.
That's when I sensed it.
And that's when I saw him.
For the briefest of seconds, I could see that man smile at me.
Just like that, he was gone.
I found myself snatching the pork bun out of Izuku's hand, stepping away from him as the intermixing shock of blue and green energy dissipated into thin air.
Izuku had stepped back as well, lifting his scarred hand that was shaking a little. He looked up at me, mouth open to say something...but nothing came out.
I looked down at the pork bun, seeing my wrapped hand shaking like his; we were both confused about what just transpired between us.
"...J-Just a tiny shock, I guess, haha..." Izuku tried to laugh off the situation; he looked as if he'd seen a ghost...like me.
"Or our Quirks just don't like each other," I giggled, joking about the intensity of what just happened.
"Maybe," he chuckled.
I switched the pork bun to my other hand, taking big bites as we walked back to the massive school in silence.
We never questioned what that was about...but the storms heading our way would soon raise these questions, and the answers will be difficult to search for in the eye of the storm.
Kamilah Shimizu! Quirk?! Psyka! Named after psychokinesis, she can move objects without physical touch and manifest things into reality, but if she uses them constantly or is in an extreme situation, she experiences anxiety-induced psychosis.
A/N:
"She uses her mental breakdowns and cries to get her way, to always get our family to stay in our places, put on our doll faces, and let everyone believe the Shimizu family is perfect" is a reference from Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez.
The way Kamilah's long hair is styled for now is like Ichigo Kurosaki's childhood friend, Tatsuki Arisawa, in their last year of high school.
"No face, no case" is a reference from Up by Cardi B.
I noticed I forgot to put what Kamilah's family looks like in the early chapters...so here.
Hakim Shimizu: i . pinimg ".com" / 474x / c8 / d6 / 48 / c8d64 8f91a df204 91fd9 a567f 2de0d 0f . jpg
Jameela Shimizu: artfiles. alphacoders ".com" / 912 / 91211 . jpg
Norio Shimizu: i . pinimg ".com" 236x / 61 / fc / 41 / 61fc4 16ae9 9034f 8b547 2d8f6 2b686 ee. jpg