(Song: Secret Garden)

"I'm giving you fifty yen to go shopping for a swimsuit," My father sighs. "Use it wisely." He hands me the currency and smiles. I finish the last of my Mochi and set the box beside me, looking at the money curiously. 

"Thanks, Dad!" I grin, looking up at him. "I'll get dressed and look around for a clothing store." I stand up, jogging into the back room and digging into my backpack. A F/C tank top catches my attention, so I tug it and a pair of jean shorts out of the bag and begin to dress myself. Once finished, I drag my fingers through my hair as a substitute hairbrush and jog back out to the living room. My father stands idle on the phone, nodding and agreeing to the other person on the line. Most likely the moving company... I note, slipping on my shoes. Blowing a kiss to my father, I stuff the yen into my pocket and open the door, waving a goodbye. My father waves goodbye in return, and I close the door behind me. 

The streets are full of people in cars, on bikes, and on feet, all of them seeming to have a purpose to their actions. They all look important in their own way. Smiling, I make my way down the stairs and down to the busy sidewalk below. I spot a store ahead, a big sign reading 'Clothing' above the door. Grinning, I break into a run and make my way over to the crosswalk. Many people are standing around, waiting for the light to turn and their time to cross. Many of them wear school uniforms. Most of the students look tired. I bounce up and down on my heels as I wait for the light to turn, the time seeming to pass slower and slower with every car that goes by. My scaly tail sways back and forth. After long last, the light across the street turns blue, allowing us to go. 

Just as everyone starts to move, though, I spot a glimpse of spiky blonde hair. I reach out to the blonde student, a yell escaping my throat. "Hey, w-wait!" I gasp, my hand brushing against the kid's sleeve. He turns to me with a deep, angry glare, his cranberry-coloured eyes locking onto mine. Another student pushes past, shoving my arm away from the blonde. He becomes lost to the crowd as we move across the street. I try to jump up, searching for any sign of the boy, but by the time I reach the other side of the street...

...He's gone. 

Giving up my search, I sigh and stand in one spot, my shoulders sagging in disdain. It was him... I sigh. It was the boy in my dream... I kick a pebble out of my way and drag my feet the whole way to the clothing store, my hands stuffed in my pockets. 

~~~

(Third Person P.O.V.)

"So... As third-year students, you might want to start thinking about your futures and what you want to do with your lives," The teacher drones on, picking up a stack of papers. "I could pass out some career aptitude tests, but, why bother?"  The teacher throws the papers he previously picked up behind him, a grin plastered to his face. "I know you all want to go to the hero track!" Students all around the room cheer happily as papers fly through the air, showing off their quirks for all to see... except for two. A blonde hot-head named Katsuki Bakugou, and a young boy with freckles named Izuku Midoriya. Midoriya pretends to read a book, his heart sinking at the terrific show of quirks (which he doesn't possess for himself). Bakugou, however, simply doesn't care, and he makes it known. His feet are carelessly propped up on his desk as he taps away on his cellphone.  

"Yes, Yes, you've got some very impressive quirks," The teacher laughs. "But no power usage in school! Get a hold of yourselves." He slams his hands on his desk. Katsuki sighs, placing his phone in his pocket, and tilts his head back, eyes locking onto the ceiling. 

"Hey, Teach," He barks loudly. "Don't lump me in with this bunch'a losers. I'm the real deal, but these guys'll be lucky to end up as sidekicks to some busted D-Lister! Hah!"  He laughs coyly, looking at the teacher with a smile. 

The class around the boy wastes no time in shouting insults and protests to the blonde's remark. "You think you're better than us, Katsuki?!" They ask angrily.

"Let's go, I'll take you all on!" Bakugou sneers. He crosses his legs over the table and grins smugly. 

"Huh, You've got impressive test results," The teacher murmurs, examining Bakugou's papers. "Maybe you will get into U.A. High." In the back of the room, Midoriya places his head on his desk, mumbling in disdain. 

"He's gonna try for the national school?!" A girl asks in surprise. 

"That school has a .2% acceptance rate!" Another gasps. "It's impossible to get into!" 

 "That's why it's the only place worthy of me!" Bakugou laughs, jumping up and onto his desk with a grunt, standing tall. "I aced all the mock tests. I'm the only one at this school who stands a chance at getting in! I'll end up more popular than All Might himself, and be the richest hero of all time! People all across the world will know who I am. And it all starts with U.A. High!!" He throws his fist into the air with pride, grinning happily. 

"Oh, yeah, Midoriya, don't you wanna go to U.A., too?" The teacher asks with a yawn. Izuku freezes in place with a quiet whimper, fearing the now-frozen Bakugou and what's to come. He slowly looks up at the class, body trembling. 

The entire class bursts into howls of laughter, sneering and mocking the poor, green-haired boy. He cries out in embarrassment.  "Midoriya? You're kidding, right?" A boy laughs. "There's no way you're getting into the hero course without a quirk!!"

"W-Well, actually, th-they got rid of that rule!" Izuku defends himself, trying to calm the class. "I could be the first one!!" He stands up and looks around the class, a lump in his throat as he tries not to cry. 

Bakugou suddenly flies towards Izuku, his hand erupting in a show of sparks and explosions. He hits Midoriya's desk with a crash, breaking it in two and tossing the poor boy to the very back of the classroom. "Listen up, Deku!!" He growls, holding up his sparking hand. "You're even worse than the rest of these damn rejects, you Quirkless wannabe! You really think they'd let someone like you in when they could have me?!"

"Huh? N-No, wait! You've got it all wrong! Really! I'm not trying to compete against you!! You've gotta believe me!" Izuku scrambles backwards and away from his classmate, shaking in fear. "It's just that, I've wanted to be a hero since I was little. I may not have a Quirk, b-but I can still try my hardest, can't I?" 

"You'd never be able to hang with the best of the best. You'd die in the exams!!" Katsuki laughs evilly, both hands smoking as he laughs. "Defenseless Izuku! This school's already crappy, You really wanna embarrass it more by failing so hard?!"

Everyone else laughs.

~~~

Publishing date:

March 29th, 2019