Today's morning class was English with Present Mic. Normally, his booming voice would've made it impossible not to focus, but my attention wasn't really there.
I kept my eyes on the board when needed, jotted down a note or two, but my mind was miles away. Present Mic glanced my way at the start but didn't really say anything. I guess my displays of English proficiency over the past couple of classes earned me a bit of leniency. As long as I wasn't being disruptive, he let it slide.
My thoughts kept circling back to the speech I gave yesterday.
It hit harder than I expected. Lit a fire under everyone.
When I went to the gym after school, nearly the entire class was there. Almost all of 1-A, training like their lives depended on it. It was kind of surreal, seeing them all together like that. I've been training regularly since the start, only missing a few days, but the rest? I've only ever seen a handful at a time.
Logically, I know everyone trains on their own. No one makes it to U.A. without serious effort. But it was still incredible to see how much impact a single speech from me could have.
However, I forgot something important yesterday.
I never asked Momo to help me write the Sports Festival speech.
Which, in hindsight, is kind of ridiculous. I've known for a while now that I'd be giving it. As the top scorer in the entrance exam, I'd be the one to represent the first-year class.
And that means standing in front of thousands of people, maybe millions watching the broadcast, delivering the student pledge. That opening moment's a big deal. Like Aizawa said, it's a chance to make both myself and the school look good. I couldn't care less about boosting U.A.'s reputation, but I do care about the other part. That'll be my first impression to a national audience.
Sure, I'm confident in my ability to win the Sports Festival. But a victory won't tell people who I am. It just makes me look like the next big powerhouse. The speech? That tells them something about me.
Public image is what matters most.
It's the reason Endeavor is always behind All Might. Not that All Might is weaker than Endeavor or anything. But he's drastically slowed down in the past few years, after his injury from the battle against All For One. Meanwhile, Endeavor is efficient, relentless, and statistically more active in arrests. But he's still #2.
Why?
Because he doesn't inspire people the way All Might does. He's not the person every kid dreams of becoming. That's the edge All Might has.
All Might became a symbol. The big, bright hero who lights up every room he walks into. The guy who laughs in the face of danger and never backs down. People love that. They trust it.
If I want to be the best, I need both. Power and presentation.
A sharp nudge to my side jolted me back to the present.
I blinked, looking up to see Mina grinning at me, her yellow eyes bright with amusement. "Hey, Kyūta. You alive in there? Class is over. It's lunchtime."
The classroom was almost completely empty; I didn't even notice everyone packing up.
"Oh. Yeah. My bad. I was just thinking about something else."
Momo stood beside her, arms folded. She wasn't frowning, but there was a little crease in her eyebrow. "You shouldn't zone out in class. Even if it's for a subject you're proficient in, you're still our class representative."
I don't think she said it to scold me. It came out more like a gentle reminder than a lecture.
I gave her an easygoing smile. "You're right, Yaoyorozu. I'll try to keep my head in the game next time."
Mina nudged Momo with her elbow. "Careful, Yaomomo, you're starting to sound like one of the teachers."
"Hey, Mina," I said, turning slightly. "Would you mind giving us a minute? I need to talk to Yaoyorozu about some school related stuff."
"Ooooh, secret class rep business? Got it, I'll go grab a spot for us in the cafeteria."
With a playful wink, she turned and headed off.
Momo shifted her weight slightly, arms still folded but with a more curious expression. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
I glanced back at the hallway to make sure Mina had turned the corner before speaking. "Do you remember how after Aizawa-sensei announced the Sports Festival, he pulled me aside?"
She gave a small nod. "Yes, I figured it had something to do with the Sports Festival. Or perhaps it was something related to your duties as class representative?"
"It did. He told me that I'm the first-year representative. Which means I'll be giving the opening speech at the start of the Sports Festival."
Her eyes widened just a little. "That's quite the honor. Though I can't say I'm surprised. From what I've seen, you're quite good at public speaking. That speech you gave yesterday stirred up everyone."
I smiled faintly.
I did give a good speech there.
Except, I practiced for it beforehand. Knowing the basis of what Shinso was going to say helped come up with something inspiring to tell everyone. All I had to do was say the right words with confidence.
"Thanks, but that was more of a heat of the moment type of thing." I scratched my head. "This one's different. Aizawa-sensei made it clear how important this speech is. The Sports Festival isn't just a competition, it's a statement that U.A. stands firm after the USJ attack. And I'm the first person from our class, the class that was directly attacked, who's going to speak."
Her expression softened with understanding. "You're representing everyone, and you want to do it well."
"Exactly. I don't want to mess it up. I want it to be something that reflects well on U.A., and especially for our classmates." I looked over at her. "So, will you help me?"
She reached out, placing her hand on my arm. "Of course I will. I'll do my best to help you, Henshin. Should we start during lunch?"
I paused. "I'm actually not sure how public this is supposed to be. If Aizawa-sensei wanted everyone to know, he could've just announced it to the whole class. But at the same time, he didn't say anything about keeping it a secret either."
She considered that for a moment. "That's true, perhaps it would be best to avoid drawing attention to it. In that case, why don't you come to my residence after class tomorrow? We can work on it in peace there."
"Sure." I nodded. "That works for me."
With that settled, the two of us turned toward the stairs, heading off to catch up with Mina and the rest of the class in the cafeteria.