Yesterday was crazy, sure. We had a full indoor battle trial.
Today, however, wasn't starting off much tamer.
"Hey, you! Can you tell us what it's like working so close with All Might?"
Midoriya flinched like a deer in headlights as microphones and flashing cameras swarmed him. Tons of reporters pressed closer, voices overlapping into a wall of noise.
"Uh, uhm—sorry! I have to go to the, uh… nurse's office, yeah!"
And just like that, he bolted, weaving through the reporters like his life depended on it.
By the time I reached the front gates, the crowd had doubled. Every journalist seemed desperate to get a soundbite or a headline. Ochako Uraraka wasn't so lucky. She'd become their next target.
"Are you one of All Might's students?!"
"What's The Symbol of Peace like in person?!"
She stammered, trying to squeeze through, but the cameras just kept flashing.
'What a pain. Shouldn't UA do something about this? No one can even reach the building if they're clogging the gate like this.'
I exhaled quietly and started weaving through the sea of microphones and elbows, keeping my eyes low.
Then one of them spotted me.
"Hey! Over here! Look this way!"
Dozens of heads turned at once. The sudden attention made the air feel thicker, heavier.
"You there! What do you think about All Might being a teacher at UA? And do those scars relate to a school injury?!" one of the louder reporters shouted, nearly jabbing a recorder in my face.
I paused just long enough to speak clearly, my voice even.
"He's a great teacher. My scars are a private matter. No more questions, thanks."
Before they could push in again, I slipped through the gap between two reporters and kept walking, ignoring the shouts that followed.
A few flashes went off behind me, but I didn't look back.
The chaos outside faded the moment I stepped through the doors of UA. The quiet hum of conversation inside Class 1-A was a relief. No flashing lights, no reporters, just the usual tension of a room full of aspiring heroes.
"Decent work on yesterday's combat training, you guys."
Aizawa stood at the front of the classroom, arms wrapped in his capture weapon, his tired eyes scanning each of us like he could see straight through. "I went over the video feeds and reviewed each of your team results."
The chatter immediately died down.
Aizawa's gaze landed on a familiar blonde head first.
"Bakugo," he said flatly. "You're talented, but don't sulk like a child about your loss, okay?"
Bakugo grunted, jaw tight, eyes half-lidded in irritation. "Yeah, whatever…"
The rest of the class exchanged uneasy glances. I could tell most were holding back smirks. No one wanted to be the one Bakugo targeted next.
Aizawa sighed quietly, like he'd already expected that answer, then turned his focus to the rest of us and went over our performances too.
"Everyone, take this as a learning opportunity. Understand your strengths, your weaknesses, and how your quirks function under pressure. That's what the exercise was for."
A few students nodded quickly, mostly the ones still nursing bruised egos.
Aizawa tugged his scarf tighter around his shoulders, his half-lidded eyes giving away nothing. "Now that that's out of the way…" he muttered, reaching into his sleeping bag and pulling out a neat stack of papers. With a dull thud, he dropped them onto the desk.
"Our first task…" he began, pausing just long enough for tension to rise, "…will decide your future."
That got everyone's attention. The room collectively stiffened, backs straightening as if bracing for another round of brutal training.
"You'll be deciding on a class representative," Aizawa continued calmly. "A class needs a leader. Someone who can handle responsibility, authority, and pressure."
For a moment, silence held. Then chaos.
"I wanna do it!"
"No way, I'd be better!"
"Kaminari, you'd forget the attendance sheet halfway through the day!"
Aizawa's expression didn't change, though the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth hinted at regret for ever speaking.
"Silence! Everyone, please!" Iida's voice cut through the noise like a whistle. He stood tall, posture rigid, glasses gleaming dramatically. "The class representative's duty is to lead others. That's not something just anyone can do!"
Murmurs rippled across the room as he went on, adjusting his glasses again. "You must have the trust of every student in this classroom. Therefore, the most logical method to fill this position is democratically! We will hold an election to choose our leader!"
Kaminari blinked. "Is this really the best idea?"
"We've only known each other for a few days," Asui added thoughtfully. "How do we know who we can trust?"
"Besides," Kirishima chimed in with a grin, "everyone's just gonna vote for themselves."
Iida nodded, unshaken. "Most people will. Thus, whoever does receive multiple votes must truly be the most suitable leader."
After a bit more back-and-forth, everyone, including me, took a paper from Aizawa's desk. Pens scratched softly against the surface as the class cast their votes.
I sat still for a moment, watching the others scribble names with varying levels of confidence and ego.
'Class rep, huh…' I thought, glancing around. 'Responsibility doesn't sound too bad, but I doubt they'd want someone like me in charge.'
Tapping my pencil once against the desk, I finally wrote down a name.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
… I got the most votes.
Four people, apparently.
I didn't even give myself one.
"Seriously?" I muttered, staring down at the results written on the board. My name sat at the top, underlined twice in chalk. Beside me, Yaoyorozu stood with her usual composed expression — second place, only one vote behind.
Now, here I was, standing awkwardly in front of the class as everyone stared.
"Why me?" I finally asked, glancing around. "There were better options."
"This might not be so bad," Asui said, tapping a finger against her cheek thoughtfully.
"I can get behind Rei as class rep!" Kirishima added with his trademark grin, looking like this was the most natural outcome in the world. "You kept your cool during the combat training. That's a clear sign of leadership right there!"
Jiro leaned back in her seat. "Guess people just trust you, huh?"
I wasn't sure what to say to that.
'Trust me? Already?' I thought, rubbing the back of my neck. 'We've only known each other for a few days…'
Beside me, Yaoyorozu offered a small, polite smile. "Well, I'll serve as your deputy. Try not to overthink it too much."
"Alright, Kageyama is the representative and Yaoyorozu's the deputy," Aizawa said, voice muffled through his capture scarf as he half-emerged from his sleeping bag. "Class dismissed. Go eat."
Just like that, he went limp again. Typical.
So, it was time for lunch.
'I heard the food here's top notch. Let's test that theory,' I thought as I made my way to the cafeteria. The place was packed, noise echoing off the walls, trays clattering and students laughing between bites. I scanned the room for an empty spot. There weren't any, so I settled for the quietest corner I could find.
My tray was simple: rice, curry, and a few sides. Nothing flashy.
'Either people are exaggerating, or-'
The second the food touched my tongue, my thoughts stopped.
The flavor was rich but balanced, every spice landing just right. The texture was perfect — tender meat, soft rice, smooth sauce. Even the temperature was spot-on, not scalding, not lukewarm.
'…Damn.'
For the first time today, I actually smiled a little.
"Kageyama, hey! Can I sit here?" Ashido's cheerful voice jolted me out of my quiet appreciation of the food.
"...Yeah, sure." I gave a small nod, though she was already sliding into the seat across from me before I even finished the sentence. "I was just… admiring the food."
"I know, right? It's so good! Lunch Rush is, like, the best cook alive!" Mina said, practically sparkling as she dug into her tray.
I nodded, taking another bite. The food really was something else — it almost made the morning chaos worth it.
"So…" I glanced up at her between bites. "Did you vote for me?"
She froze mid-chew, eyes darting to the side before she smiled with a teasing glint. "Ehehe… maybe."
"Maybe?" I deadpanned
"Okay, fine, yes!" she said with a grin. "You were calm, reliable, and honestly? You looked like you knew what you were doing during the trial. Felt like you'd make a good rep."
I blinked, processing that. "…Alright."
Before I could say more, a loud slap landed on my shoulder.
"I voted for you too, man!" Kirishima declared proudly, grinning from ear to ear. "You were so manly during that battle trial!"
Kaminari leaned in from behind him, pointing his chopsticks at me. "If I hadn't voted for myself, I totally would've gone for you too."
I stared at the three of them. Mina smiling, Kirishima giving a thumbs-up, and Kaminari nodding like it was a huge honor — and finally sighed, quietly amused.
'Guess I don't have much of a choice now.'
Suddenly, the cafeteria lights flickered red as a shrill alarm tore through the air.
[WARNING! LEVEL THREE SECURITY BREACH!]
The robotic voice echoed through the cafeteria, sending a wave of confusion across the room. Students froze mid-bite, trays clattering as dozens of voices rose in panic.
'A Level Three breach?' I blinked, scanning the room as the noise grew louder. 'That means… someone actually got inside UA?'
Chairs scraped violently against the floor as students began to stand, shouting over one another.
"Woah, what does that mean?!" Kaminari spun toward us, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and fear.
"It means someone got past the school gates," I said, already rising to my feet. "That hasn't happened in years." I motioned for Kirishima, Ashido, and Kaminari to follow.
Ashido's eyes widened. "Wait—seriously? But UA's supposed to have, like, the best security in Japan!"
Kirishima was already looking toward the packed exits, where students were starting to shove against one another in panic. "I dunno, man, but whatever's going on—we shouldn't just stand here."
The alarms kept blaring, red lights flashing across the crowded room as chaos started to build.
We pushed through the flood of bodies spilling into the hallway, the noise hitting like a physical wave. Shouts, questions, and hurried footsteps blurred together into a mess of panic. Students stumbled over one another, all trying to move at once.
I caught glimpses of familiar faces through the chaos—Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida among the crowd—but before I could reach them, Ashido's voice called out.
"Kageyama!"
I twisted around just in time to see her, Kirishima, and Kaminari being carried away by the sea of students.
'Damn it.' The crowd closed between us like a wall.
Bodies pressed from all sides, the air thick with confusion. 'How did someone even get past UA's gates? The security here's insane—you'd have to blast through reinforced walls just to make it this far.'
Then, through the clamor, I heard a familiar voice shouting above the noise.
"They're just reporters! There is no need to panic!"
Iida's voice—calm but desperate—cut through the din. But nobody was listening. The panic had already taken hold.
'Reporters? Really?' I exhaled sharply through my nose. 'Then we just need to get everyone to stop running long enough to hear him.'
My eyes landed on Uraraka a few meters away, struggling to stay upright. 'Perfect.'
Two ghostly hands materialized beside me, translucent and glowing faintly. They pressed outward, gently parting the crowd as I moved toward her.
"Uraraka!" I called out, sending one hand to pull her closer. "Touch Iida's hand. Make him float!"
Her wide eyes flicked to mine. "Huh? Why?"
I pointed past her toward the end of the hall, where the glowing exit sign stood high above the mob. "So he can rise above everyone and tell them to calm down. It's just reporters!"
A moment later, Iida pushed through the last of the crowd, panting. "Uraraka! Kageyama! Did you hear me? There are-"
"Yes, I know," I cut in. "Touch Uraraka's hand, quick. Once you're floating, I'll send you up with my ghost hands."
Both of them nodded without hesitation. I flexed my fingers, the spectral hands tightening their grip in preparation.
Uraraka pressed her fingers to Iida's sleeve, her quirk activating with a soft shimmer of pink light. "Good luck, Iida!" she said, voice almost lost under the noise.
My ghost hands reached out, wrapping around Iida's arms and torso. They lifted him smoothly off the ground, his legs dangling for only a second before he adjusted his posture midair. The fabric of his pants fluttered as he pulled them up to reveal the engines on his calves.
"Alright, it's your time to shine, Iida," I called, keeping the ghost hands steady.
He nodded down at me, a look of gratitude flashing across his face. "Thank you, Kageyama!"
A moment later, the engines roared to life—blue flames flaring as he launched forward. With my ghost hands guiding his balance, Iida zipped through the air like a human rocket, stopping precisely at the end of the hall above the glowing exit sign.
The thunder of engines silenced the hallway. Dozens of heads turned, voices trailing off one by one as Iida stood tall, commanding the room's attention.
"Listen up, everyone!" his voice carried over the crowd, clear and firm. "Everything is fine! It's just the media outside. There's absolutely nothing to worry about!"
The tension melted almost instantly. Students stared up at him, some blinking in surprise, others sighing with relief. A few even laughed awkwardly as they peeked out the windows, realizing police were already surrounding the gates.
I let out a quiet breath I hadn't realized I was holding, watching as the crowd finally began to calm.
'Well done, Iida,' I thought, crossing my arms as Uraraka joined me again. 'You've got the kind of presence people listen to. Maybe you really should've been the class rep.'
"Kageyama, that was some quick thinking!" Uraraka beamed beside me, her usual brightness returning now that the chaos had died down. "I can't believe you came up with that plan on the fly!"
"Thanks," I said, rubbing the back of my head. "But you should really thank Iida. He's the one who actually calmed everyone down."
It was true. I might've set things in motion, but only Iida could've commanded a panicking crowd like that. His voice carried authority — the kind that people instinctively trusted.
"Must you say that, Kageyama?!" Iida suddenly appeared, his arms chopping through the air with his usual intensity. "We only have you to thank for this! Your strategy allowed me to act at all!"
"Yeah, Iida's right!" Uraraka chimed in, hands on her hips as she smiled between us. "You two made a great team! You should've seen how everyone just stopped panicking after he shouted from above. It was like—poof!—instant calm!"
I allowed myself a small exhale, glancing between the two of them. "Guess we both did our parts, then."
Iida's expression softened into a proud grin. "Indeed. That was a display of true coordination. You'd make an excellent leader, Kageyama!"
I blinked, caught a little off guard by that. "...Maybe. But for now, let's just make sure the reporters don't try anything else."
Uraraka giggled. "Yeah, let's hope they learned their lesson after today."