The school bell rang, signaling the end of the school day as students began packing their bags and leaving the classrooms.
Minoru Mineta walked out through the school gates alongside Toru Hagakure, both of them chatting casually after their first day.
"So, where do you live?" Toru asked as they walked side by side.
"I live near the Nara district," Mineta replied.
"Oh, I live near the Madoka district," Toru said. "Looks like we'll have to part ways at the Sakurai district."
Mineta nodded. "Yeah."
They continued chatting as they walked toward the Sakurai district, the streets slowly getting less crowded as students split off in different directions, and when they finally reached the cross-section, Toru stopped and waved at him.
"See you tomorrow!" she said cheerfully.
"Yeah, see you," Mineta replied with a small nod as Toru walked away in her direction.
Mineta then turned the corner and started walking toward the Nara district, his mind still processing the events of the day, but suddenly—A hand grabbed him.
Before he could react, his mouth was covered, and he was pushed against a wall inside a nearby alleyway.
"What?!" Mineta said as soon as the hand left his mouth, his eyes snapping toward the person in front of him.
It was Himiko Toga.
Her eyes were wide… unstable.
"Is what you said true?!" she asked rapidly. "Can I really drink your blood?! You don't hate my quirk or me for it being disgusting?!"
Her voice grew more erratic with each word, her eyes slowly turning crazed.
Mineta looked at her.
And instead of panic—'She's broken,' he thought.
Without hesitation, he moved his arms and wrapped them around her, pulling her into a hug, cutting off her frantic rambling.
Toga froze.
Her eyes widened as the crazed look in them dimmed slightly.
"It's okay," Mineta said quietly. "You're not a monster. A quirk doesn't decide if someone is good or bad… and I don't find your need for blood disgusting."
He loosened his collar slightly and looked at her.
"If you want my blood… take it."
Mineta himself didn't fully understand what he was doing, but seeing her like this… his body just moved on its own.
Toga's lips trembled. Tears began forming in her eyes.
Slowly, she leaned in—And bit into his shoulder.
Mineta almost hissed from the sudden pain, but he held it in, tightening his arms around her as he let her drink, his hand gently patting her back in a soothing motion.
A faint blush appeared on his face as he took a sharp breath in and slowly exhaled while she sucked and licked at the mark she made on his shoulder.
He used one hand to hold her close, while his other hand covered his mouth, stopping any sounds from escaping—whether from the pain…or the strange, unexpected sensation that came with it.
Both of them breathed slightly heavier as Toga finally stopped, her lips pulling away from his shoulder.
For a few seconds, neither of them moved.
Then—She broke.
Tears streamed down her face as she clung tightly to Mineta, crying openly, her body trembling as everything she had held in for so long finally spilled out.
Mineta, though feeling a little pale from the sudden blood loss, didn't let go.
He gently patted her head and back, letting her cry against him as he quietly murmured into her ear. "It's okay… you're not a monster… it's okay…"
And as he held her there, his mind couldn't help but think—'This world is really cruel… judging people just because of their quirks… or even for not having one…'