The second day proved little different from the first. Lessons followed one another, teachers speaking, students scribbling, and the rhythm of any normal school. Junsei remained exactly the same as he had been the day before, silent, antisocial, seated at the back of the classroom beside the student with the so-called villainous quirk. Neither of them spoke unless spoken to, and even then, only when absolutely necessary. They existed on the fringes of the class, unnoticed and, for the most part, unbothered.
When lunchtime arrived, Junsei did not follow the stream of students toward the cafeteria. Instead, he wandered through the corridors until he reached the door leading to the school roof. He tried the handle. Locked. He paused only a moment before turning back, descending one floor, and opening a window instead. With a light motion that drew no attention, he stepped onto the ledge and leapt upward, landing soundlessly on the roof above.
The rooftop was wide and empty, washed in sunlight and blessedly quiet. Junsei crossed to a corner and sat down, letting the stillness settle around him. For a few precious minutes, there was nothing but wind and sky.
Then the roof door creaked open.
Junsei lifted his gaze as an extremely thin, blond man stepped out, dressed in baggy, brightly colored clothes. He carried a lunch box in one hand and a folding chair in the other. Completely unaware of Junsei's presence, the man placed the chair down across the roof, sat, and began eating with casual ease.
Junsei watched in silence.
When the man finished, he stood and in the blink of an eye, his frail frame expanded, muscles swelling, posture straightening, becoming a completely different person. In an instant, the thin man was gone, replaced by a towering figure with a broad chest and a radiant smile.
The greatest hero of them all.
All Might picked up the chair and turned around, only to freeze when he spotted Junsei sitting in the corner, staring at him.
Recovering quickly, All Might strode toward him. "Fine day, young man!!"
Junsei looked back at him, expression unchanged.
For a moment, neither spoke. All Might blinked, unaccustomed to such a reaction or rather, the complete lack of one.
"It is I," he added brightly. "All Might."
"Junsei," came the calm reply.
Silence fell again, heavier this time. All Might shifted, clearly unsettled. He had faced all kinds of crowds, all screaming and excited, but never a child who reacted to him as if he were no more remarkable than the wind.
"Ahem," All Might said at last. "Students are not allowed here!!"
"I see," Junsei answered.
All Might paused. "Young man… about what you just saw…"
Junsei stood, walked past him, and headed straight for the open roof door, ignoring him completely.
"Wait, young man!" All Might called, suddenly serious. "About what you saw, I trust you won't tell anyone. It's very important!!"
Junsei did not reply. He disappeared back into the school without a backward glance.
All Might stared after him, jaw slack.
"What the hell…?" he muttered. "What was that? And what is the principal doing, letting students up here? Damn it, I need to tell him."
Junsei, meanwhile, moved through the corridors with a rare sense of disturbance. Seeing All Might had shaken him. The man radiated life like nothing Junsei had ever sensed before. Such life could only come from countless kills. All Might was the worst and most dangerous human he had ever seen.
And beneath it all was a foul decaying stench, as though death itself were eating the man from the inside.
It was disgusting.
Junsei did not understand how a human so horrifying could exist, let alone what could cause him to be in such a state.
Lost in thought, he slowed as he passed by the door of Class 1-A. Momo's class. He glanced through the small window and halted.
Inside, a man lay on the floor, bundled in what looked like an enormous bag.
Junsei stopped entirely, studying him.
The man's eyes opened, meeting Junsei's gaze. They stared at one another for a moment before Junsei opened the door and stepped inside.
"What is this thing you are in?" Junsei asked calmly.
The man scowled. "I don't like joking."
"What is it called?" Junsei pressed.
"Are you telling me you don't know what a sleeping bag is?" the man snapped.
"It is for sleeping?" Junsei asked. "You can sleep in school?"
The man narrowed his eyes. "Are you messing with me?"
Junsei shook his head. "Does the school give sleeping bags?"
"No," came the irritated reply.
Junsei turned around and left the classroom without another word.
The man watched him go, clicking his tongue. "Troublesome children."
——————
Nezu, principal of U.A. High School and one of the sharpest minds on the planet, sat atop his desk with his paws folded in front of him, shaking his head in clear disappointment.
"Toshinori," he said calmly, "we are two days into the school year. You really cannot afford to be careless and have your secret exposed to students left and right."
All Might stood stiffly across from him, shoulders drawn back in a posture of guilt.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't expect a student to be on the roof alone and silent in some corner like that."
Nezu nodded. "Please be more careful. Children are talented, perceptive, and far smarter than most adults give them credit for. You cannot lower your guard inside this school." His eyes narrowed slightly. "You did at least get the name of the student who spotted you, yes?"
All Might nodded. "Junsei."
Nezu hummed thoughtfully. "Class 1-C. Mori Junsei."
All Might blinked. "You know him?"
"I memorize all of my students, Toshinori," Nezu replied lightly. "And this one is… more unique than most."
"So he has special circumstances?" All Might asked.
Nezu chuckled softly. "That is an understatement."
He continued, "As you know, U.A. conducts extensive background checks on every student, not merely to evaluate their quirks, but to understand their potential and help them achieve it to the best of our abilities. Mori Junsei was recommended to us by Yaoyorozu Manami, alongside his daughter, Momo."
"Ah, young Yaoyorozu," All Might said. "I met her earlier today. She has an impressive quirk, and the intelligence to support it. She'll go far." He paused, brow furrowing. "But if Junsei had such a recommendation, why is he in Class 1-C?"
Nezu's expression shifted. "Do you remember the Nagi Noshiro Orphanage?"
All Might's face darkened. "How could I forget? It was a tragedy."
"The boy," Nezu said quietly, "is a survivor of that night. According to the information we obtained, he escaped the kidnapping and fled into the forest, where he lived alone for six years before being discovered."
All Might's eyes widened. "What? Hold on! that incident was years ago. Nearly a decade."
"Eleven years, to be precise," Nezu corrected.
All Might stared. "You're telling me a little boy survived six years alone in the forest without anyone knowing?"
Nezu nodded. "According to the Hero Commission's sealed report, he claimed the forest as his territory and prevented anyone from approaching it for years. It wasn't until a combined squad of professional rangers, police, and pro heroes entered the area that he was finally discovered."
"How could this be?" All Might demanded. "Why didn't anyone say anything?"
"Because the story was covered up," Nezu replied evenly. "The boy was taken in by the Yaoyorozu family shortly after."
"Covered up?" All Might repeated in confusion. "Why?"
"Because," Nezu said, "it would have painted the police and heroes in an extremely poor light. The orphanage incident was never resolved. The only surviving child managed to occupy an entire forest unnoticed for six years. To make matters worse, when a professional group finally confronted him, they were overwhelmed. Momo was kidnapped in the chaos, and the heroes present were defeated. It was only thanks to Mr Yaoyorozu quick thinking that we didn't hear the news of a tragic slaughter by a child."
All Might stared at him. "Are you serious?"
Nezu shook his head. "Among the heroes defeated was the Rabbit Hero, Mirko. She was a rising star at the time, and according to the report, she was knocked out instantly."
Silence stretched between them.
"If all of this is true," All Might said at last, "then why is he in Class 1-C? That isn't his place."
"Unfortunately," Nezu replied, "he does not wish to become a hero, despite his gifts. Our analysis suggests deep trauma from his experiences. We contacted his previous school, they confirmed he is extremely antisocial and does not mix with other students. The only meaningful relationship he maintains is with Momo."
Nezu tapped the desk lightly. "This aligns with Cementoss's first-day report. The boy does not speak to anyone in his class. He is already isolated."
All Might exhaled slowly. "So he was on the roof because he didn't want to mingle with others?"
"Most likely," Nezu said.
"This can't continue like this," All Might said firmly. "We need to help him."
Nezu shook his head gently. "That will take time. For now, our priority is your secret. I will instruct Cementoss to speak with him tomorrow. Everything else must come later."
All Might said, "Is it really safe to wait until tomorrow?"
"Under normal circumstances, I would say no," Nezu replied. "But given what I've read in his profile and what we've observed so far, I believe he won't go out of his way to tell anyone."
All Might nodded, but his thoughts lingered on the silent boy with expressionless eyes, and the weight of a childhood no one should have endured, the lack of reaction on the roof finally made sense. He left Nezu's office already wondering how he might help Mori Junsei face the past that still held him so tightly.
——————
In Yaoyorozu's Manor, Junsei stood in front of a confused Momo.
She asked "Why do you want me to make a sleeping bag?"
Junsei said "To sleep in it"
Momo wondered what came over him now.