Chapter 1: Preferential Treatment
"Please, let us see the students who were attacked!"
"All Might, why were the villains only driven back? Why weren't they all captured?"
"According to an anonymous source, a Pro Hero was seriously injured during the attack and is being treated at the private Hero specialist hospital! Is this information true?"
U.A. High had been closed yesterday, so the reporters could only piece together the general events from official police statements and the numerous squad cars they'd seen speeding away from the campus. However, after receiving tips from a few "insiders," some journalists realized that the information provided by the police and U.A. wasn't the full story, though they couldn't confirm the truth of it.
When a few of them showed up today armed with long-lens cameras and microphones to dig for the truth, they were spotted by their peers roaming the streets. One told ten, and ten told a hundred. The result was a ridiculous scene where a massive crowd of people now surrounded the U.A. gate, reduced to shouting at a solid wall.
"These people really don't give up..." Yoshikage Kira watched the reporters, who had blocked the main gate so thoroughly that not even a drop of water could pass. With a sigh, he prepared to walk a little further to enter the school through the upperclassmen's gate.
U.A. High School had three main gates, corresponding to the first, second, and third-year students. The designated grade for each gate would typically shift every year. The only direction without an entrance was the side that housed the school's various training grounds—a sprawling complex so vast its full scope was impossible to gauge from the outside.
However, it seemed Yoshikage Kira had been spotted by a reporter...
"Excuse me, student, wait a moment!" A female reporter instantly broke away from the crowd and ran up to Yoshikage Kira, her face slightly flushed and her breathing a little ragged with excitement. "I remember you! You're a student from Class 1-A, right?"
"You're... the reporter with the beautiful hands." Kira remembered her. This reporter, with the brash fearlessness of a newborn calf, had tried to charge straight into U.A. property yesterday. Luckily, he had been quick enough to pull her back, otherwise it could have ended in tragedy.
"You remember me... Oh, right! This is my business card." The reporter took a card from her shoulder bag and, holding it with both hands, bowed slightly as she presented it to Kira.
"Satomi Ishihara..." Kira was a little surprised. He never expected this reporter to share a name with an actress from his past life. Perhaps it was just a beautiful coincidence...
"Ah, yes, that's me." Satomi Ishihara glanced back at the reporters still jamming the main gate and made a gesture to her colleagues with the camera and boom mic, signaling them to hurry over. "Would it be alright if we did an interview with you? I'm sure that as someone who personally experienced the USJ incident, you must have a lot you'd like to say to the media."
Even though she hadn't run into All Might, interviewing a Class 1-A student was a massive stroke of luck! Satomi thought excitedly, trying to stall Kira while willing her colleagues to get over there faster.
While Kira wouldn't have minded chatting with her for a bit, Detective Tsukauchi had specifically instructed him not to reveal the true course of events to the media. Otherwise, U.A. High would surely be dragged through the mud by these people who loved to blow things out of proportion.
Kira felt the same way and had no intention of giving an interview. Before her colleagues could cross the road, he turned to walk in the other direction, giving her a small wave. "It was nice to see you, Ms. Ishihara, but I have to get to class now. I don't have time for an interview."
Although Satomi was frustrated to see a big story slip through her fingers, she understood his desire not to be late. She called out after him, unwilling to give up completely. "If there's a next time...!"
Yoshikage Kira didn't give a direct answer, only saying, "If we happen to meet again..."
At that moment, her two colleagues rushed over, asking anxiously, "Ms. Ishihara, you couldn't stop that student?"
Satomi gave them a helpless look, clapped one of them firmly on the shoulder, and strode towards their news van.
"Let's go, there's no point in staying here!" she said to them, annoyed. "If the U.A. students are attending school as normal, it means there mustn't be any major problems! It's a shame... I couldn't talk with him more..."
Her two colleagues shared a weary smile and followed after the decisive reporter. It was true. Given U.A.'s typical attitude, it was highly unlikely they would suddenly hold a press conference. Sticking around here wouldn't yield any new information. They were better off trying to interview other Pro Heroes.
Right, they thought, doesn't Kamui Woods love the spotlight? Let's go ask him how he feels about Mt. Lady constantly stealing his victories.
By the time Yoshikage Kira reached his classroom door, he could already hear Tenya Iida's voice. "Everyone, get back to your seats! Morning homeroom is about to begin!"
Before homeroom, there was a ten-minute reading period meant to have students settle down and focus on their studies instead of chatting. However, it seemed no one really paid it any mind; the time was mostly used for taking attendance. Even Iida was probably only enforcing discipline now because the daily morning meeting was about to start.
It's worth mentioning that Yoshikage Kira, in a bid to slack off, had appointed Tenya Iida as the Vice Class President and Disciplinary Committee member. Now, even he had to abide by the rules under Iida's supervision.
I'm already late... Kira felt a little awkward. In his original plan, he should have made it in time for morning reading, but the long detour had led to this situation. Although he disliked being the center of attention, he had no choice but to go in...
Meeting everyone's gaze, Yoshikage Kira pushed the door open and steeled himself. "Good morning, everyone..."
"Class Rep!"
In an instant, more than half the students, who had been sitting properly at their desks, shot to their feet, shouting excitedly.
"Class Rep, you're okay!" Iida, due to his strict self-discipline, rarely used his phone during the day and had managed to忍 back his worry instead of messaging Kira. Though he had heard from other students this morning that Kira was fine, seeing him in person still made him rush over. He stood ramrod straight and declared loudly, "Hero Course Class 1-A's Tenya Iida has fulfilled his mission and successfully brought back help!"
Seeing that no one had noticed he was late, Kira breathed a secret sigh of relief. He put on a smile and said, "I know this is late, but... excellent work, everyone!"
Midoriya's eyes instantly grew misty. Iida looked too moved for words, and smiles appeared on most of his classmates' faces. Even Bakugo, who was leaning on his hand, had the corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.
Just as the harmonious atmosphere settled, the bell rang with jarring suddenness.
"Everyone, sit down! Homeroom is starting!" Tenya Iida was instantly flustered. He smiled at Kira and said, "Class Rep, you should get back to your seat too!"
Though no one said it out loud, Kira could understand the message from the cold, sharp glares everyone was shooting at Tenya Iida:
"Talk about preferential treatment, you tyrant!"