Midoriya sat at his desk, staring at the blank sheet of paper in front of him.
It wasn't that he had nothing to write. If anything, he had too much on his mind. He couldn't write about One For All. His personal issues were off-limits. As for relationship problems… he paused on that thought, then dismissed it.
That left training.
Then I'll just focus on that.
He began writing down questions he had struggled with for a long time, mostly about improving his punches and kicks.
"Tch. Like I've got that many questions." Bakugo leaned over and snatched the paper from Midoriya's desk. "Oi, Deku. Let me see what you wrote."
"Kacchan, those are my notes. They won't help you."
Midoriya reached out to take it back, but Bakugo pulled it away easily.
Guess I'll just start over…
It wasn't the first time. Ever since they were kids, if Bakugo wanted something of Midoriya's, he'd take it. Toys, homework, anything. He'd only give it back once he was done with it, or after he'd ruined it.
Bakugo stared at the page, frowning.
What is this? I can't make sense of any of it…
There were diagrams, small figures, arrows, and notes crammed into every corner.
His irritation spiked.
With a small explosion, the paper vanished completely.
Across the room, Todoroki's gaze sharpened.
If you didn't want it, you could've given it to me.
Like hell I would, Bakugo shot back without a word.
The tension in the room rose instantly. Even All Might, who wasn't always the most perceptive, could feel it.
Aside from Bakugo and Todoroki glaring at each other, most of the class had given up pretending to focus. Some checked their phones. Others watched quietly, waiting to see what would happen next.
Meanwhile, Midoriya calmly took out another sheet of paper and continued writing, as if nothing had happened.
Ironically, he was the center of it all.
"I'll give you five more minutes," All Might said, clapping his hands together. "After that, bring your questions up."
"Got it!"
Five minutes later, Midoriya rolled his paper into a small ball and handed it in.
I hope mine gets picked. I've been thinking about this for a long time.
He returned to his seat and waited.
"All right!" All Might tossed the paper balls into the air, then reached up and caught one. The rest fell freely, a few bouncing off his head.
"First question…" He unfolded it and read aloud. "Why can't I improve my running speed, and when will I be ready to inherit my brother's title… That's a tough one."
He paused, then looked toward Midoriya.
"For the speed issue, I think Midoriya might have some insight. Midoriya, would you like to answer?"
"Me?"
Midoriya stood up quickly. At All Might's nod, he pulled out his notebook.
"Speed can generally be divided into two types: maximum speed and sustained speed…"
He launched into a detailed explanation, covering everything from muscle output to movement efficiency. His notes were thorough, and he spoke with focus, barely pausing as he connected one idea to the next.
Time slipped by.
By the time he finished, nearly half the class period was gone.
"That's everything I've come up with," Midoriya said, sitting back down. He pressed a hand lightly against his stomach, exhaling.
"All right. Thank you, Midoriya," All Might said.
Iida was the first to applaud.
"Excellent explanation!"
A few others followed with polite claps, though their expressions said something else entirely.
Next time, don't let Midoriya answer.
He'll use up the whole class again.
By the end of the lesson, only a few questions had been addressed.
Midoriya looked around, puzzled.
Did I talk too long…?
After school, Midoriya left the campus with his bag slung over his shoulder.
Instead of heading home, he walked in the opposite direction—toward the city center.
A group trailed behind him at a distance.
None of them made any effort to hide it.
Midoriya walked while checking his phone.
"I didn't expect Koko to send it this quickly… Maybe her work's getting more attention overseas?"
He shook his head.
"It's still hers. Even if she offered, I couldn't accept it."
Muttering to himself, he continued deeper into the city.
Behind him, Kaminari scratched his head.
"Where is Midoriya even going? He's already in the city center and still not stopping…"