BNHA: Singularity

Without giving Jiro any time to recover, Mina asked yet another question that placed Izuku in the line of fire, specifically, "So, Izuku-kun, have you put any thought into which of us you'd like to date? I was honestly a little surprised when you didn't ask any of us to accompany you during Golden Week. At the very least, no one here tattled if you did."
Though he furrowed his brows slightly, Izuku, knowing pretty much all the girls wanted to hear his answer, replied, "I would be lying if I said I hadn't given it a fair amount of thought. However, I've since come to realize it might be too early to pursue a serious relationship. I mean, we're still in our first year of High School and working hard to become Heroes. Adding romance on top of that might be a little...overwhelming..."
Blinking in surprise, Mina remarked, "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you prefer honesty. So long as it doesn't touch your bottom line, I bet you'll answer just about anything, huh?"
Shaking his head, Izuku answered, "Everyone has their secrets. But if it's just asking for my opinion, I'll usually speak my thoughts."
"Oh? So if I were to ask who you thought was the cutest girl in Class, how would you respond?" asked Mina.
Without hesitation, Izuku responded, "Toru-san, without a doubt. Though that's primarily based on 'appeal.' In terms of physical appearance, I think we can all agree Yaoyorozu-san is the most conventionally attractive..."
Surprised by Izuku's words, Yaoyorozu pointed to herself, asking, "You think I'm attractive...?" as if she was completely unaware her appearance could humble Idols and Supermodels in equal measure.
Sparing Izuku the need to respond, nearly every girl at the table nodded their heads, Mina representing them as she said, "You're really beautiful, Yaoyorozu-san. I'm honestly a little jealous..."
Seeing every girl nod their head a second time, Yaoyorozu tensed in her seat, a gratified but embarrassed smile on her face as she sat straight as an arrow. She had received similar compliments countless times, but most originated from her family. Hearing it from her classmates made her feel a distinct, vaguely familiar feeling of 'fluffiness.'
Shifting the focus back to Izuku, Mina asked, "Then what about the rest of us? Now that you've mentioned metrics like 'physical appearance' and 'appeal,' I'm curious to know where I rank on your list."
Shaking his head, Izuku pointed out, "Answering that question will make me look bad, hurt someone's feelings, or both. Even if I pointed out that everyone here would probably rank within the top ten among hundreds of other girls, it wouldn't stop you from comparing yourselves."
"Hmmm...you have a point..." acquiesced Mina. However, as she couldn't help being curious, she turned her attention to the other girls at the table, asking, "What do you girls think? I probably don't speak for everyone, but I'm sure most of you are curious, right?"
As she had already been declared the 'most attractive' according to Izuku's standards, Yaoyorozu didn't hesitate to reply, "I'll admit, I am a little curious. But I also empathize with what Midoriya-kun was saying before. If hearing his response would cause unnecessary tension within the Class, it might be best to drop the matter entirely."
"So that's one person in favor of hearing Izuku-kun's response and one who could go either way," said Mina. "How about the rest of you girls? If you're for the idea, please raise your hand."
Seizing the initiative, Mina raised her right hand, prompting Toru, Jiro, and, somewhat surprisingly, Tsuyu to do the same. Then, undoubtedly as a result of peer pressure, Ochaco reluctantly raised her hand, whispering, "Sorry, Izuku-kun..." with an apologetic smile.
Shaking his head, Izuku assured, "It's fine. If everyone is this interested in hearing my opinion, I may as well give it..."
Directing his gaze to Mina, Izuku added, "Since you're the cause of all of this, I'll answer your question from before...you rank third in appeal, third in physical appearance, and sixth in general affinity. With a combined total of seven points, that places you sixth in my personal ranking..."
Though she was initially happy since she had placed third in both appeal and appearance, Mina's expression froze when she heard Izuku place her at the bottom of his list. She considered them fairly close, so it was quite a surprise to learn she scored so poorly in 'affinity.'
Exhaling a faintly exasperated sigh through his nose, Izuku pointed out, "I did warn you. The problem with this kind of ranking is that the sample size skews things in a negative light. You're a beautiful girl, Mina, and I usually enjoy our time together. The only reason you placed sixth in affinity is due to situations like this. Not many people enjoy being put on the spot all the time..."
Losing her usual pep, Mina offered an awkward smile, rubbing the back of her head as she replied, "I see..." in resignation. She was tempted to point out she was just trying to help make things clear, for everyone's sake, but it wasn't the kind of thing she could say aloud. At least not at the moment.
Suppressing a second sigh, Izuku passed his gaze over the other girls at the table, asserting, "I feel like I'm repeating myself, but each and every one of you are incredible in your own right. Even if you rank sixth in one of my categories, it doesn't mean you're unattractive, lacking in charm, or we have no affinity together. She might be having second thoughts right now, but I regard Mina as the girl I'm closest friends with. I just don't think the two of us would make the best couple, not when there's someone else in our Class who is so clearly infatuated with her..."
"Eh...?"
Regaining her senses, Mina looked at Izuku as if a banana was growing from his head, asking, "Did you seriously pick up on that? I don't even think the person himself has realized it..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Izuku replied, "I'm pretty observant. I mean, that should be fairly obvious, considering the topic of our discussion. I have a habit of observing and trying to 'quantify' the people around me, not just cute girls."
Shifting his attention to the other girls present, Izuku added, "Speaking of which, should I continue, or should we just pretend this never happened? Honestly, I'm starting to regret my decision to go along with this..."
Since Izuku's gaze happened to settle on her, Jiro swallowed hard before replying, "We've already come this far, so I'd like to know where I place..."
Nodding his head, Izuku revealed, "For you, it's sixth in terms of appeal, fifth in terms of appearance, and first in terms of affinity. With a combined total of nine points, that places you in third place with two others."
Though she winced when Izuku said she was ranked sixth in appeal and fifth in appearance, Jiro perked up when he mentioned he considered her the girl he had the highest 'affinity.' Her overall position was also higher than Mina's, so she couldn't help smiling as she asked, "Does that mean you think I'd make a good girlfriend?"
Returning a smile of his own, Izuku admitted, "Yeah. You seem like the most down-to-earth girl in our Class. I'm also a bit of a music junkie, so I figured the two of us could hang out and vibe together, either as friends or something more..."
Blinking in surprise, Jiro asked, "Seriously? If that was the case, you should have said something sooner. Avoiding me for an entire month..."
Unable to finish her sentence, Jiro shook her head, stating, "Forget it. We can talk about music and who are favorite musicians are later. For now, we should get this whole ranking thing out of the way. There isn't much time left until the Finals."
Nodding in approval, Izuku shifted his gaze to the person seated next to Jiro, stating, "For you, Yaoyorozu-san, you already know you rank first in terms of appearance. As for appeal and affinity, you are ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. Overall, that places you second."
Ignoring that she had placed second, Yaoyorozu appeared slightly hurt as she asked, "Do you not believe we would make a good couple...?"
Shaking his head, Izuku asserted, "That isn't the case. In fact, the two of us complement each other exceptionally well. I just think that if we were to date, it would be a very structured, borderline rigid relationship. There's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're looking long-term, but it limits our options and forces us to restrain ourselves out of obligation."
As there was a considerable amount of truth to Izuku's words, Yaoyorozu gave a curt nod before cupping her chin as she remarked, "I see. So when you refer to affinity, it's essentially a metric for short-term prospects. You aren't ready for a committed relationship, so you're looking for someone you can; what was the phrase? Vibe with...?"
Though it was a lot more complicated than that, Izuku replied, "That's a fairly accurate way to assess things." After all, it wasn't like he could say he was looking for someone he could bang...
Satisfied with Izuku's response, a smile blossomed across Yaoyorozu's face as she said, "Thank you for your honesty, Izuku-kun. All of this has been very insightful."
"Don't mention it," replied Izuku. "In fact, once this is all over, I would be happy if this subject never came up again. For now, however, I'll continue until the end..."
Focusing his gaze on the invisible face of Toru, Izuku hesitated for a moment before revealing, "You rank first in terms of appeal, second in appearance, and second in affinity. That gives you a combined total of sixteen points, placing you at the very top of my list..."
Though she had hoped she would be ranked number one, Toru's mind blanked when Izuku revealed it. If anyone could see her, they would be able to see a potent blush rising from her neck, spreading through her face, and finally tinging her ears a bright red. She was also unresponsive for several seconds, prompting Yaoyorozu to give her a light shake as she asked, "Are you okay, Hagakure-san?" in a concerned tone.
"I...I'm fine..." replied Toru, her voice somewhat robotic. Then, noticing that everyone at the table was staring at her, she shrunk in her seat and added, "I was just a little surprised, that's all..." while pressing the tips of her fingers together.
"Hey, wait a minute!" said Mina rather abruptly. "How is Toru-san ranked second when you can't even see her!? I call foul!"
Shrugging his shoulders, Izuku elected to play things casually, stating, "Call it intuition, but I've been saying Toru-san is one of the cutest girls in the Class from day one. If she weren't Invisible, I'd wager my left arm she could give Yaoyorozu-san a run for her money."
Clicking her tongue, Mina crossed her arms in mock frustration, muttering, "This isn't fair. These rankings are clearly biased..."
Raising his right brow, Izuku replied, "Well, yeah...they're based on the preferences of a single individual. You can't get more biased than that..."
Reinforcing the fact she was messing around, Mina stuck out her tongue and blew raspberries at Izuku. Then, looking between Ochaco and Tsuyu, she said, "Well, since Izuku-kun already revealed there were three girls who shared third place, that means the two of you tied with Jiro-san. The only question is, where did Izuku-kun place you in each of the rankings? It might be better for your friendship if you didn't find out."
Answering without hesitation, Tsuyu asserted, "No. Everyone else got to learn where they placed in each category. I want to know as well, ribbit."
With Tsuyu promptly shifting her gaze to him, staring up at him with her large eyes, Izuku adopted a wry smile and revealed, "You ranked second in terms of appeal, sixth in appearance, and fourth in affinity. And, once again, being ranked sixth doesn't mean you're ugly...in fact, I personally find you adorable. That's why you ranked second in terms of appeal..."
Nodding her head, Tsuyu said, "It's okay, Izuku-chan. You don't have to convince me. I know I'm not the most conventionally attractive girl in the Class, so I can settle with being the most adorable, ribbit."
Adopting an affection-tinged smile, Izuku nearly asked if he could pat Tsuyu's head when Ochaco, who had been keeping track of every single person's rankings, said, "I guess that makes me fifth in appeal, fourth in appearance, and third in affinity?"
Directing his smile to Ochaco, Izuku replied, "To be honest, you're one of the girls I think would make the best girlfriend, Ochaco-san. I just worry that you'd feel 'indebted' to me if I treated you too kindly or attempted to help out your family."
Understanding exactly what Izuku was referring to, an awkward smile developed across Ochaco's face as she rubbed the back of her head and said, "When you put it that way, I can't easily deny it..." Then, blushing quite a bit, she brought her hands to the front of her body, pressing the pads of her fingers together as she added, "But if you think we'd make a good couple...I wouldn't be opposed to the idea.."
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Though he was tempted to agree to Ochaco's suggestion, especially knowing she was one of the more dutiful girls present, Izuku's expression softened as he replied, "I want to agree, Ochaco-san, I really do. But as I pointed out a few minutes ago, now probably isn't the best time to start a relationship. Not when we have internships, the Hero Licensing Exam, and Work Studies right around the corner..."
Turning his attention to the other girls present, Izuku added, "Besides, at this point, I'm not sure I have the right to date any of you. I thought I was being smart by casting a 'wide net.' I've since come to realize my actions were exceedingly shortsighted..."
With Izuku's final words directed her way, Toru understood she was the reason he decided not to date anyone. The realization caused her to feel pained, but deep down, she was relieved he had rejected Ochaco's offer. Even more so since she knew she was Izuku's 'number one' among all the girls in the Class...
Pouring cold water over the illusory steam rising from Toru's head, Mina pointed out, "You mentioned before that you weren't looking for a 'serious' relationship. The two of you could try dating as 'just friends' and see how things develop from there. You know, kind of like when the two of us went out. A practice date."
Making things much worse, Mina added, "Better yet, since you've clearly put a lot of thought into this, you could try going on mock dates with each of us. Not everything can be learned from simply observing people. If you want to find out if you're truly compatible with someone, you need to go on at least one date together."
Extending Toru a ray of hope, Izuku shook his head, stating, "While I can't refute your words on their merits, I'm fairly confident in my assertion it's a bad idea. One guy shouldn't date multiple girls from the same Class, even if it's just practice."
Blinking in surprise, Mina remarked, "That's a little surprising, coming from you. With how thorough you've been, I genuinely believed you were trying to form a harem. Isn't that like every guy's dream? To have a girl for every day of the week?"
"Maybe if they're children..." replied Izuku, his expression morphing into a deadpan as he asserted, "Real men are loyal to a fault. It's fine to test the waters if you're an adult trying your luck in the dating scene, but once you enter a relationship, you have an obligation&ndash;no, a duty to see it through to the end. People who sneak around or cheat on those they purport to care for deserve every punishment Hell has to give..."
Realizing that everyone was looking at him with expressions of shock and concern, the fury in Izuku's eyes abated, an apologetic smile developing across his face as he said, "Sorry about that...the truth is, my father has a second family in America. He basically abandoned my Kaa-chan and me, so I don't have a particularly good impression of people who fool around in a relationship..."
Hearing about Izuku's family circumstances, each of the girls, especially Mina, had apologetic looks on their faces. If she had known about Izuku's situation in advance, she would never have made such a tasteless joke...
Attempting an apology, Mina hung her head and muttered, "Sorry, Izuku-kun, I..." but stopped when Izuku shook his head, saying, "No. I know you were just joking, Mina-san. If anyone should apologize, it's me. I shouldn't have let my anger get the better of me like that..."
Recalling his encounter with the baldie from the One-for-All space, Izuku couldn't help thinking his recent 'instabilities' were the result of inheriting an Emission-type Quirk. He knew better than anyone he had some shit to work through, but he usually kept his emotions hidden. At the very least, he wasn't the type to lash out at unrelated people. If that were the case, he'd be no better than Todoroki...
Regaining his calm, Izuku attempted to ease tensions by regaining his smile and stating, "To be honest, your suggestion isn't a bad one. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to try dating everyone here. I just can't view it as 'practice.' If I'm going to date someone, I intend to give it my all from start to finish. That being said..."
Turning his attention to Ochaco, causing her to sit a little straighter, Izuku added, "I really would like to date you, Ochaco-san. You're inarguably one of the kindest and most considerate girls I know. I'm just not in the best mental or emotional state right now. I don't want to hurt you...I don't want to hurt anyone..."
As his words were intended to create a bit of distance between him and the girls, at least until he could get his shit sorted, Izuku was left at a loss for words when Ochaco pumped her fists and exclaimed, "That's no good, Izuku-kun! When we're in pain or uncertain about the future, turning away from friends is never the answer! When friends work together, there's no hardship they can't overcome...!"
"..."
While Izuku was momentarily at a loss for words, Mina softly but excitedly remarked, "You go, Ochaco-san! Now finish him off~!" with sparkling eyes.
Though she wasn't paying attention to Mina's words, Ochaco looked up at Izuku, staring at him with upturned eyes as she appealed, "Please, let me help you, Izuku. Whatever you're going through, I promise it'll be easier if we face it together...!"
("How the hell am I supposed to say no to this?") thought Izuku, his gaze briefly shifting to Toru. As he pointed out previously, he was the type that took relationships seriously. If he and Ochaco started dating, there was a good chance they would continue dating throughout High School...if not much, much longer...
Seeing Izuku look her way, even if only for a brief moment, Toru's body and heart tensed. If she had known that feigning ignorance would hurt this much, she never would have broken things off between them. She had thought she was being considerate of the other girls, but now she wasn't too sure...if anything, it felt like she had sacrificed her happiness for Ochaco's benefit...
Causing Toru's heart to twist painfully in her chest, Izuku, his gaze fixed on Ochaco, said, "You're right, Ochaco-san. If we work together, there's nothing we can't overcome..."
Smiling broadly, Ochaco was about to ask if that meant they could start dating but stopped herself when Izuku shook his head, adding, "But we don't need to be dating to support one another. It's barely been a month since we began attending UA. For now, it's probably for the best that we remain friends. Maybe even best friends."
Exhaling a long, adorably exasperated sigh, Ochaco deflated in her seat as she said, "I thought you might say that..." with a dispirited but smiling look. She had given it her all, but it was very clear Izuku wasn't ready to start dating. It was disappointing, but, knowing they could remain friends, Ochaco wasn't particularly upset. At least this way, things wouldn't be too awkward between her, Tsuyu, and the girls in her Class...
Adopting a somewhat self-deprecating smile, Ochaco perked back up as she said, "Well if you ever change your mind or just want to hang out, you have my phone number. Jiro-san isn't the only one who enjoys listening to music, you know?"
Suppressing the notion he was a massive prick, Izuku returned a smile of his own as he replied, "I'd like that, Ochaco-san. Just remember, that's a two-way street. If you ever want to hang out and I'm not busy, just shoot me a text. No, even if I 'am' busy, I can always make time for the people I care about."
Hearing Izuku unabashedly insinuate she was someone he cared about, Ochaco's smile became a lot broader. At the same time, she couldn't help thinking that if they exchanged texts and frequently spent time together, it wasn't much different from being a couple...
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Following the mid-festival intermission, the students participating in the Finals were gathered in the arena to hear Midnight's explanation of the rules and to draw lots. In Izuku's case, he, unfortunately, ended up being paired against Yaoyorozu in the inaugural match, surprising each of them quite a bit...
Standing across from each other on a square-shaped stage prepared by Cementoss, Yaoyorozu had a wry smile on her face as she remarked, "It looks like my journey in this year's Sports Festival ends here..." Then, with a markedly more confident look, she balled her hands into fists, striking a 'guts pose' as she added, "But make no mistake, Midoriya-kun! I have no intention of giving up...!"
Punching his right hand into the palm of his left fist, Midoriya returned a smile as he replied, "I expect nothing less from our Class Representative! Now, come at me, Yaoyorozu-san...!"
As the match had already started, Yaoyorozu kicked things off in a rather 'interesting' way, unzipping her top to reveal her toned body and a stylish black sports bra. The objects she produced with her Creation Quirk would destroy her clothes if she attempted to materialize them while clothed, so Yaoyorozu had little choice but to expose quite a bit of skin if she wanted to produce something large.
Accompanying a rainbow-hued flash, Yaoyorozu materialized a medium-sized canon from her body, shouting, "Please try not to get injured...!" as she unleashed its explosive package in Izuku's direction.
Contrasting the expectations of Yaoyorozu and many within the crowd, Izuku didn't attempt to dodge the explosive projectile. Instead, he stood his ground, waiting until the very last moment to raise his foot, kicking the cannonball directly. This, unsurprisingly, resulted in him being enveloped by the subsequent fireball, but it barely had time to form before dozens of bluish-black tendrils dispersed it, revealing him to be unharmed.
Seeing Izuku take on her most powerful attack without flinching, a look of disbelief briefly marred Yaoyorozu's face. However, true to her word, she didn't give up. Instead, she produced several flashbangs and a canister of tear gas, shouting, "Let's see how you handle this...!" before lobbing them in Izuku's direction.
Realizing what Yaoyorozu was up to, Izuku thought, ("I see she took my comment about having enhanced senses to heart. Not a bad plan, if not for the fact we're outside...")
Before the canisters could reach him, Izuku dashed forward at a blinding speed, bypassing them mid-flight and appearing before Yaoyorozu in an instant. What surprised Izuku was that despite being caught off guard by his maneuver, Yaoyorozu managed to counterattack immediately, dozens of tungsten rods erupting from her chest and abdomen to push him away and propel herself backward. At the same time, she generated canisters of pepper spray from her palms, unleashing their torrents at Izuku's face.
("I'm starting to see why she's ranked first in the Class...") thought Izuku. Yaoyorozu's ability to adapt on the fly was extraordinary, so much so that if she were given time to strategize, Izuku felt she could defeat just about anyone. Bar a few outliers...
While dodging backward faster than the tungsten rods could extrude from Yaoyorozu's body, ten tendrils of Blackwhip emanated from the tips of his fingers, surging forward like teal-tinged bolts of black lighting. Yaoyorozu did her best to dodge, but the tendrils of Blackwhip were way too fast for someone with a fairly ordinary physique to dodge. As a result, Yaoyorozu could only grit her teeth in vexation as her wrists and ankles were bound, followed by her being flung rather unceremoniously from the arena. Izuku would have preferred a gentler approach, but the raven-haired Ojou-sama was simply too capable for him to hold back without it looking like he was toying or overtly flirting with her...
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As Izuku was preparing to grab a bite to eat with Tsuyu and a now fully clothed Toru, their path was, unsurprisingly, blocked by a certain icy-hot with an admittedly good reason for his daddy issues.
"Can I borrow some of your time?" asked Todoroki.
"Sure," replied Izuku, "But only a little. It isn't very gentlemanly for a boy to keep girls waiting, after all."
Shifting his gaze to Tsuyu and Toru, Izuku added, "You girls go on ahead. I'll catch up shortly."
While Toru was quick to respond with a spirited "Okay~!" Tsuyu took a moment to look between Izuku and Todoroki before stating, "Wanting to compete against one another is fine, but classmates shouldn't fight..."
"It's fine," assured Izuku. "Todoroki-kun and I aren't on legitimately bad terms. If we are to fight, it will occur in the arena. Isn't that right?"
Nodding his head in affirmation, Todoroki added, "There's no meaning in defeating you where people can't see..."
Though he knew Todoroki wasn't trying to threaten him, Izuku raised his brows and remarked, "Wow, that's ominous..." before shifting his gaze to Tsuyu and reiterating, "Go on ahead, I'll be fine."
"Kero..."
Casting one last look at Todoroki, Tsuyu exhibited extreme reluctance as she and Toru departed. She knew Izuku was capable and becoming even stronger as time passed, but if he and Todoroki were to fight one another, Tsuyu didn't think he would win. If that were to happen, Tsuyu feared that Izuku's spirit would be broken. Others may not notice it, but she could tell he wasn't nearly as confident as he pretended to be. The moment he felt even a little pressured, the smile that rarely left his face would disappear, replaced by a serious, almost grim resolution...
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In the wake of Tsuyu's and Toru's departure, Izuku and Todoroki moved to a more 'private' location. There, Todoroki stared intently at Izuku, his eyes narrowing as he stated, "You keep getting stronger every time I see you..."
Crossing his arms and narrowing his own eyes, Izuku replied, "Of course. I may fool around, but I also work hard to improve. You should give both a try, just like that left side of yours."
Touching the scarred left side of his face, Todoroki's expression became especially severe as he said, "I can't&ndash;no, it would be more accurate to say I 'refuse' to use this side. I won't give that man the satisfaction of seeing me use his power..."
Feigning confusion, Izuku tilted his head to the side and asked, "What do you mean? Someone 'gave' you your Quirk? And here I was, believing you had won the genetic lottery."
"..."
Misconstruing Izuku's confusion as genuine, Todoroki attempted to clarify things, asking, "You're aware that my father is Endeavor, right? This is the Quirk I inherited from his side of the gene pool..."
"Oh, so it 'was' something you were born with?" asked Izuku, adding, "Actually, that makes me even more confused. You claim you're denying your father the satisfaction of seeing you use 'his' power, but all I see is you restraining yourself out of...what, spite?"
Shaking his head, Izuku's expression became serious as he said, "Let me tell you something, Todoroki-kun. A wise man once said that hatred is like a poison you consume expecting someone else to die. I'm sure you have a good reason to hate your father, but the only way you win in this situation is by becoming happy. Holding back a power you were born with to teach him a lesson? He probably just sees it as you throwing a tantrum or going through a rebellious phase."
"..."
Unable to refute Izuku's words, Todoroki fell silent and remained that way for quite some time. It was only once Izuku turned to leave, remarking, "I have places to be," that he called out, "Hold on, Midoriya-kun. I didn't ask you here to talk about my past or personal circumstances. I wanted to tell you that I acknowledge your power and that among the other students in our-"
Finishing Todoroki's speech, Izuku joked, "I need your acknowledgment about as much as I need a third coat in Winter. It's not useless, but I can live without it."
Without waiting for Todoroki to respond, Izuku turned around and began walking away, raising his right hand as he added, "I would wish you luck in the Finals, but people who expect to succeed while living half-assedly aren't worthy of such consideration. Not when so many others are trying their best just to survive..."
Punctuating his statement, Izuku surprised Todoroki by raising his middle finger. After all, while he sympathized with Todoroki's situation, the types of people he hated the most were those who wielded their tragedy as an excuse to act entitled. Todoroki had clearly experienced some shit, but if he seriously believed he could become the No. 1 Hero while holding back more than half his power, he was a self-righteous cunt spitting in the face of everyone else's efforts...
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Finding a familiar figure waiting for him in the corridor connecting to the contestant dining area, Izuku adopted a smile and remarked, "I'm pretty popular today..."
Exhaling a lighthearted chuckle, Toshinori, presently in his All Might form, replied, "You've certainly made quite the impression. Keep it up, and every Hero Agency in the country will be vying to have you intern with them. I'm really proud of you, Midoriya-kun."
Not expecting such a heartfelt response, the gears in Izuku's mind briefly stalled. He recovered fairly quickly, but the smile on his face became a lot more sincere as he asked, "I'm guessing you're here to ask me about what happened during the previous round?"
Shaking his head, Toshinori corrected, "That can wait till later. After all, if it were something to be concerned about, you would have come to me or the Principal posthaste. No, what I'm really here for is to congratulate you on your performance in the previous rounds. You've performed far beyond my expectations, and I know you'll do just as well in the Finals."
Feeling a potent 'sourness' building in his nose, Izuku furrowed his brows and clenched his teeth. He didn't know if it was due to the original Izuku's memories or something else, but it felt...painful to be on the receiving end of such considerate words. Not when he hadn't done anything to deserve them...
Seeing Izuku getting choked up, Toshinori's expression visibly softened. He knew about the situation concerning Izuku's father, so he interpreted the latter's response as him being unaccustomed to praise from someone he viewed as a paternal figure. After all, with Izuku being 'Quirkless' for the first thirteen years of his life, he likely didn't receive much praise from his frequently absent father...
Closing the distance between them, Toshinori surprised Izuku by placing a hand on his shoulder. Then, without a word, he suddenly pulled him into a hug, whispering, "You're doing great, kid..." in a gentle tone.
("This son of a bitch...") thought Izuku. Yet, in spite of his internal cursing, he didn't attempt to break free from Toshinori's grasp. Instead, he closed his eyes and internally groaned ("Now I feel like even more of a piece of shit...")
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After refusing Toshinori's invitation to chat and eat lunch together, Izuku finally arrived at the contestant's dining facility, his eyes briefly scanning the room before he closed them and exhaled a faint sigh. Most of the girls from Class 1-A were seated together, so if he attempted to make good on his promise to eat with Tsuyu and Toru, he would be invading their space. Unfortunately, he didn't have much of a choice when Toru bounced to her feet, waving her invisible hand as she shouted, "Over here, Izuku-kun...!"
Ignoring the many gazes that shifted to him, Izuku made his way over to the girls' table, smiling as he noted, "It looks to me like you already have a full table. I'll just go sit with the guys."
"What kind of nonsense are you speaking?" asked Mina. "We saved you a spot between Ochaco-san and Tsuyu-chan. Don't tell me you're shy after showing off like that in the first and second rounds."
As there was, in fact, a space available between Ochaco and Tsuyu, albeit with very little clearance, Izuku just shook his head in mock exasperation before taking a seat. Doing so resulted in him being sandwiched between the two girls, their thighs touching his, but he pretended not to mind it as he asked, "Happy?" with a deadpan expression and tone.
Undaunted by Izuku's standoffishness, Mina smiled to her limits as she pointed out, "I know at least two people who are very happy. Just look, you have Ochaco-san blushing up to her ears!"
"Mina-san...!"
Glaring at Mina with an expression about as intimidating as a chubby-cheeked Quokka, Ochaco suddenly wished she had Toru's Quirk instead of her own. At the same time, the thought that she may have put on a bit of weight crossed her mind. After all, the space between her and Tsuyu wasn't 'that' small...
Refusing to give Mina the reaction she was looking for, Izuku appeared calm and unflustered as he remarked, "I can leave if you're going to use my presence as an excuse to tease others."
Raising her hands and shrugging in an expression of mock helplessness, Mina replied, "Then I don't really have a choice, do I? After all, If I were to cause you to leave, I think everyone here except Jiro would be upset with me."
Furrowing her brows, Jiro said, "Don't go dragging me into this..." in her characteristically neutral tone.
Seemingly having failed to hear Jiro, Mina leaned forward, staring intently at Izuku as she added, "Speaking of which, I'm curious to know why you haven't tried flirting with Jiro like you have the rest of us. I definitely saw you sneaking a peek at her on the first day of school."
Inserting herself into the conversation, Yaoyorozu stated, "I don't believe now is the appropriate time to ask such a question, Ashido-san. It places an undue burden on Midoriya-kun, and I don't think Jiro-san appreciates it in the slightest."
Contrasting Yaoyorozu's assertion, Jiro surprised everyone but Mina by stating, "No. I'm actually curious to hear the reason. It's been bothering me quite a bit, so now is as good a time as any to clear things up."
Smiling awkwardly, Yaoyorozu replied, "I see...that's a very pragmatic way of looking at this situation. You're very mature, Jiro-san..."
Ignoring Yaoyorozu's 'praise,' Jiro directed her somewhat lazy-looking eyes at Izuku, absentmindedly fiddling with the cord-like lobe of her right ear as she asked, "Well, let's hear it. It's because you think I'm ugly, isn't it? Not everyone can have a figure like a supermodel, you know..."
With everyone looking to him for his answer, Izuku adopted a half-lidded expression of his own as he pointed at his face and questioned, "Is that supposed to be a joke? I mean, look at me. No matter how much I train or exercise, what awaits me when I look in the mirror is a rounded face with oversized eyes and freckles. I even had to prepare an extra Hero costume because my last one made me look like a wannabe military geek."
Shaking his head before any of the girls could attempt to 'console' him, Izuku's expression hardened as he revealed, "The only reason I haven't tried flirting with you is because I didn't want to bother you. You present yourself as very aloof, so I thought you would be annoyed if I approached you out of nowhere. In truth, I've wanted to ask you what kinds of music you're into since the start of the term. I just never found a good time. It's that simple."
"Oh..."
Slumping in her seat, Jiro suddenly felt the same way Ochaco had a few minutes prior. It didn't help that Mina pointed out, "See? I told you there was nothing to worry about, Jiro-san. You might not have a bodacious body, but you're definitely cute. The way you press the tips of her earphone jacks against each other when you're embarrassed is especially adorable!"
Hearing Mina's remark, Jiro looked down to find that she was currently doing precisely what the bubbly pinkette accused her of. She had never really noticed it in the past, so now that someone had pointed it out, her face became nearly as ruddy as the shirt she wore in her Hero costume...
...
..
.

Chapter 33: Chapter 33