(A/N: Just to clear up. The MC is not gay. I don't want any misunderstandings.)
----------
The final bell rang signaling the end of classes, its shrill echo was drowned out by the scrape of chairs and the collective exhale of 20 teenagers surviving their first day at U.A.
Sunlight slanted through the classroom windows, turning flying dust motes into floating gold.
I lingered at my desk, idly flipping a coin as the room erupted into chatter.
'Today's Observation's.'
Class 1A's social ecosystem was forming in real time.
The groupings weren't exact, but it was a start in analyzing the class if they were different from their anime counterparts.
Mina Ashido vaulted onto a desk, her pink curls bouncing. "Okay, okay! We need a class group chat! For memes! Emergency homework hacks! And Hero fanart!"
Kaminari high-fived her, sparks of energy crackling at his fingertips. "Yes! I'll send my top 10 villain fail compilations!"
Kirishima flexed while grinning. "And gym guides! Gotta be mindful of our gains!"
Sero slung an arm around him. "Dude, your 'gains' are 40% protein shakes and 60% denial."
Elsewhere, Tsuyu croaked softly to Uraraka and Hagakure near the window. "Ribbit. I like stargazing as a hobby. The constellations are clearer out in the countryside and they're beautiful."
Uraraka's eyes lit up. "Oh! My family runs a construction biz. Sometimes I help float supplies just to have an excuse to watch the stars from there!"
Hagakure's gloves clapped midair, "Me too! They're so pretty! And speaking of hobbies, I'm into fashion—well, invisible fashion. You know what my dream is? Designing a clothing line for stealth heroes!"
Across the room, Iida chopped the air beside Yaoyorozu, who sipped tea from a thermos she'd seemingly conjured mid-lecture. "A study schedule is essential to preparing for U.A.'s rigorous coursework. I propose nightly review sessions if you're willing."
Yaoyorozu nodded. "I've already drafted a syllabus cross-referencing the term's curriculum. If we want to be thorough, we could finish by 10 p.m.—"
Jirou quickly stood up. "Nope. I'm out. My brain taps out at 8 PM."
Tokoyami walked by the door and past Mina, Dark Shadow coiling around his shoulders. "This 'chat' reeks of false levity. I shall not partake in it."
Shoji nodded, arms folded. "I'll join but don't expect a lot of chatting. Some mysteries are best left… unsaid."
Mineta hollered, "Hey, Kaminari! You're into instruments right? Think I could, uh, borrow a guitar? I heard girls love music."
Bakugo slammed his desk causing it to creak, "SCREW THE GROUP CHAT! I'D RATHER SWALLOW A GRENADE!"
Todoroki stared out the window, his eyes icy and flame-lit. "...Pass."
Mina deflated. "Ugh, c'mon you guys! It's not cool to ignore your classmates attempts to socialize!"
I stood up, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. "Don't worry too much Mina. They'll come around eventually. You can't expect all the eccentrics in the class to fall in line on day one."
Mina blinked. "Huh? You think they'll join?"
I smiled, nodding at Bakugo's snarling and Todoroki's glacial silence. "Bakugo's pride won't let him miss out on proving he's '#1' in everything—even memes. And Todoroki?"
I tapped my temple. "He'll cave once he realizes it's the fastest way to avoid small talk with us."
Mina grinned. "You're weirdly confident, Hakuro. What if you're wrong?"
"I've never been wrong in my deductions."
"But what if you are?" she asked with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"If I turn out to be wrong…" I smiled, slipping past her and out the classroom door. "I'll find a way to make it right. Like always."
As the class trickled out, I watched phone numbers flood into Mina's hastily named chat—
[Aizawa-Sensei's Problem Children.]
***
The city blurred in a blink as I walked home, the streets a mosaic of flickering lights and heavy shadows.
My footsteps echoed like metronome ticks, each one punctuating the puzzle gnawing at my mind: How to bring up OFA to Midoriya and All Might without my brain melting into static.
The obvious method was to find enough clues so that the entity with a taser to my brain deemed I would have been able to figure it out.
Which should be easy given how Midoriya's quirk mirrors All Might's to a T.
The same kinetic glow, the same move names—"Texas Smash." "Detroit Smash.", and the same absurd levels of destruction and power.
A child could connect the dots.
I didn't know how the entire world overlooked it in the anime.
'Plot armor if I had to assume.'
I dodged a salaryman staggering out of a bar, his tie loosened like a noose.
'Huh.'
I stared at his back while he walked away in fumbling strides.
'If society could ignore a drunkards's despair, it could ignore Midoriya's exposed quirk I guess.'
But this world wasn't a story with plot armor, and I couldn't risk Midoriya being found out so easily.
So I've got to help him as soon as possible.
A car swerved, and I flinched on reflex— My hand flinched to the vial of Adhesion's Quirk-infused glue in my pocket in case I needed to stop the car.
However a nearby Hero intervened on time, sprouting flowers around the rim of the wheels, forcing it to stop.
I nodded a 'thanks' to the Hero and continued on my way.
The sun hung like a spotlight as I turned onto my street.
'Tomorrow, Midoriya. Tomorrow, you'll give me the proof I need of your quirk during the Battle Trials while All Might watches.'
'Then the three of us will have a fun talk.'
***
Eventually, I made my way back into my house, the door creaking shut behind me.
Upstairs, the lab awaited—a cluttered sanctuary of beakers, burners, and half-finished formulas.
The equipment was subpar compared to what I had in the U.S., but I made do with the simple instruments I bought from online.
The stench of ammonium chloride clung to my clothes as I shuffled into the room.
I'd rigged the ventilation system myself, but the air still tasted like bleach.
My eyes glinted as I my gaze traveled across my lab.
Today's project was for Knockout gas; odorless, fast-acting, and ideal for incapacitating groups of villains.
Or anyone who got on my nerves.
But it was harder to develop than anticipated.
I pulled on my gas mask, the world muffling into sterile silence, and measured out chloroform with surgical precision.
Time blurred into minutes? Hours? I wasn't sure—until the doorbell shattered my focus.
Ding-dong
I paused and peeled off the lab mask.
I descended the stairs, the chemical tang giving way to the fresh air from the AC on the ground floor.
Through the peephole, I saw Mitsuki Bakugo, her arms crossed while her foot was tapping in impatience.
I opened the door, "Evening, Mrs. Bakugo. Lovely weather for a siege."
She glared at me with her scarlet eyes sharper than any scalpel. "I hope you didn't forget."
"...Forget what?"
And she sent me a glare that sent shivers down my spine.
"Joking, joking. I didn't forget." I smiled nervously, "I just… hoped you forgot. This really isn't necessary, though I appreciate your hospitality—"
BONK
Her fist collided with my skull—a move faster than I've ever experienced.
'How does she do that?! Does her quirk boost her speed???'
I rubbed my throbbing head. "Point taken."
[Flashback - A week after Hakuro Introduced himself to the Bakugo Family]
[Mitsuki's POV]
The Amago house loomed like a tombstone across the street, curtains drawn across all the windows.
No cars in the driveway. No lights.
No laughter, no clatter of dishes, no sign of life.
Just that clever, brooding kid—Hakuro—unlocking the door alone, again.
He entered that eerie stillness of his house, day after day.
Katsuki's bedroom window blared punk rock music three houses down to the point the neighbors complained, but over there at Hakuro's? Utter silence.
'This isn't right.'I told myself.
Hakuro trudged down the sidewalk like any usual day, a bag slung over one shoulder, keys jingling in his too-steady and oddly calloused hand.
Same routine: unlock, disappear, lock.
No, "I'm home!" to greet his family.
No parents waving from the porch.
I had tried to meet his family for the past week, but he always made some sort of excuse to brush me off each time.
"I don't like this one bit…" I muttered.
Masaru, my husband, shifted uneasily beside me. "Maybe they're private people? Some families don't—"
"Private?" I snapped. "That kid's excuses have gotten worse each time for the past week. I've watched him, Masaru. He's alone."
Before he could protest, I stormed across the street, grassy soil and concrete crunching under my shoes.
The doorbell echoed hollowly.
One minute passed. Then two.
'Is he hiding?'
Just as I raised my fist to knock on it, the door cracked open.
Hakuro peered out, his eyes sharp as always—but too old for his face.
"Mrs. Bakugo." He smiled to show affection, his tone was flat and polite, but ultimately empty. Like someone who put on a mask everyday. "Can I help you?"
I raised an eyebrow, "Where're your folks today?"
A beat too long before he answered. "...Work trip. So they'll be absent for a while."
"Liar." I wedged my foot in the door to prevent him from closing it. "Since you've been here I've seen no cars. No suitcases. No other signs of people besides you." I jabbed a finger at his chest. "You're a terrible liar, kid. If they just moved in, there would be some sign of them."
His mask slipped—just a flicker of something else, but I didn't know what.
"I don't see how that's your business." he said firmly.
Masaru hovered behind me, his voice gentle as always. "We're worried about you son. So we're only checking up on you. Let us help you if you need it."
Hakuro glanced between us, considering something in that mind of his—the boy always looked like he was planning a bank heist.
Then—
"Sigh~" He opened the door completely to step out, "They're dead." He said flat, and a bit too bluntly for my liking. "My entire family died a year ago."
No tremor.
No tears.
Just cold, clinical detachment.
"It was the average villain attack. Wrong place at the wrong time. Satisfied?"
Masaru sucked in a breath while he paled. I didn't blink while my fists clenched.
"So you're… living here alone?" Masaru asked softly.
"I manage." He shrugged while he straightened and slightly raised his chin. "Life insurance. Savings. My parents didn't leave me with nothing. And I'm more responsible than the average adult. So I'm living just fine—"
But I shoved past him before he finished, despite his futile attempt to obstruct my path.
I looked around, and the house stank of loneliness.
It gave me depression just looking at it.
Sterile floors. Bare walls. A single desk buried under papers, hard drives, coffee mugs, and an odd ozone-chemical smell drifting through the air.
The fridge hummed suspiciously, and I opened it.
Its contents were sad enough that I could have teared up: meal-replacement shakes, vitamin packets, and the only form of color and genuine food, some apples.
'No family photos pinned to the fridge. No birthday cards. No home.'
My chest ached in pain.
Katsuki's room was a warzone of All Might posters and burnt training gear.
This?
This place was a lab.
A cage.
There was no love in his food.
No warmth.
'This isn't how a child should be eating.'
'And it definitely isn't how they should be living.'
"Kid—" I tried to say but my voice cracked from my overwhelming emotions.
'Dang it.'
But I quickly calmed myself.
I faced him, "When's the last time you ate any real food?"
He smiled as if my question was a joke.
He crossed his arms, "Don't worry Mrs. Bakugo, I meet all nutritional benchmarks. I won't let myself starve like some simpleton. Anything I miss, can be solved with some vitamin pills. They're a handy option really."
"Pills…?" Masaru whispered in a horrified voice.
I whirled on Hakuro. "You're coming to our place for dinner. Tonight. And every Tuesday from now on. No arguments."
He paused in confusion before he smiled like a sly merchant, "Thank you, but I don't need charity. I'm doing just fine—"
Bonk
My fist met his head—softer than Katsuki's usual smacks, but firm nonetheless.
It was for good measure, it always worked on Katsuki to listen to me, so it should work on Hakuro too—a good, stern form of discipline.
"This ain't charity. It's survival. You think you're the first stubborn brat I've fed?"
Hakuro rubbed his head, genuine shock flashing across his face.
'Finally—a real reaction.'
Masaru stepped in, ever the peacemaker. "We'd… love to have you, Hakuro. Katsuki could use someone to talk to about school."
Hakuro snorted. "He'd rather swallow a brick."
"Tough luck." I herded him toward the door. "Six o'clock. Wear something that isn't… this." I flicked his lab coat collar.
He hesitated as his gaze darted around the empty house.
For a heartbeat, he looked his age—15, young, tired, and happy for some company.
Then the mask slid back on, "Fine. But I'm analyzing your cooking for nutritional value. My family always tell me— or told me that I can be a harsh critic."
My heart ached at his slip up, but I forced a smile. "Knock yourself out kid."
As we left out the front door and it closed behind us, Masaru squeezed my hand. "You did good. I guess a woman's intuition really can count as a second quirk."
"Thanks." I muttered. "But the country's doomed if a child is forced to play adult."
"He's still impressive though," Masaru noted, and I could only nod my head.
'That kid's gonna fight me every step. But hell would freeze over before I let him rot in that lab all alone.'
Katsuki's shouts echoed down the street from our house.
'Two problem children. Yay me.'
[Flashback End - Present Day]
Bakugo's mom jabbed a finger at my stained lab coat. "Ten minutes. Shower. Change. And for god's sake, burn whatever chemical hellscape you're brewing upstairs."
I sighed. "Celebratory meal for surviving Day One at U.A.? It seems a bit excessive, don't you think?"
"Excessive is Katsuki's ego. You? You're just stubborn and reclusive."
She leaned in while her voice softened. "And don't think I didn't notice the delivery man shipping noise-proof padding for your rooms. Paranoia's a bad look, kid. What are you planning in here?"
"Not paranoia. Preparation." I corrected.
Then I nodded, "I'll be at your place soon," shutting the door as she left.
I went to my bedroom to change out of my lab clothes while taking some mental notes.
'The Bakugo Family Matriarch: Persistent. Meddlesome. And dangerously perceptive.'
I grabbed a less-flammable shirt and put it on, smothering a smile.
'…But a warm family in the end.'
Something I could respect.'
***
The Bakugo kitchen was a cacophony of clattering dishes and simmering broth, and the air was thick with the smell of miso soup and tension from Bakugo's glare.
I sat at the end, next to his mom, who wielded a rice paddle like a weapon, slinging a mountain of grains onto my plate with alarming precision.
"So," Mitsuki barked, jabbing her chopsticks first at me, then at Katsuki, who was stabbing his fish like it owed him money.
"First day. How'd you handle it Mr. Genius? And don't think I won't ask you next Katsuki."
Bakugo's spoon clattered against his bowl before waiting. "I aced every prep test! That's all you need to know!"
I answered while stirring my tea. "It was… informative. Aizawa-sensei is skilled. Extremely so. Erasure Quirk, tactical mind. He could neutralize the average villain squad in seconds. We're lucky to have him teach us."
I paused, glancing at Katsuki's twitching eye. "Oh, and your son tried to beat up a kid in the hallway."
SLAM
Katsuki's fist hit the table, rattling the dishes.
"HE WAS IN MY WAY! AND YOU STOP TALKING BEFORE I BLOW YOU TO PIECES!"
Masaru adjusted his glasses, sighing. "Katsuki, we talked about the threats—"
"He started it!" Katsuki snarled, jerking a thumb at me.
Mitsuki snorted, dumping another ladle of soup into my bowl.
'I might actually die from food if she didn't stop trying to stuff me.'
"He's our guest. Try acting human for five minutes." She turned to me with a sharp grin. "Ignore him. You're the first person who's actually told us anything about his school life. This lump—" She flicked Katsuki's ear, "—grunts like a feral raccoon 24/7."
I hid a smirk behind my teacup. "Don't worry. I'll be here weekly to… explain everything he does at school."
Thwack
Bakugo's boot collided with the shin of my leg under the table. Hard.
I shot him a look. 'Mature. Real Mature, man.'
I did the responsible thing and—
Thwack
—kicked back, aiming for his ankle.
"By the way," I said, ignoring Katsuki's murderous twitch, "did Bakugo mention Izuku Midoriya got into U.A. too?"
Thwack. Thwack. Thwack.
A rapid-fire assault of kicks were released by him. I retaliated with my shoe connecting to his kneecap.
His mom paused, her chopsticks hovering mid-air. "Midoriya? That sweet kid from years ago? With the freckles?"
Masaru's eyes lit up. "Really? Katsuki never said a word! It's nice to hear something about his old friends."
Katsuki's leg reared back for another strike. "BECAUSE IT'S IRRELEVANT—"
I intercepted his foot with mine, pinning it under the table. "Midoriya's there alright. His quirk is powerful. Seems it just… manifested late."
Katsuki's nostrils flared, his free leg twisting wildly. "LIKE HELL IT DID!"
Thwack. Thwack. THWACK.
The table rattled as our legs became a blur of silent violence.
Masaru's soup sloshed and Mitsuki's eyes twitched.
"Manifested?" His dad said cautiously, wiping the spilled broth. "But I thought he was…?"
"Quirkless?" I tilted my head. "So did everyone. Turns out it was dormant. A rare mutation in his genes. Fascinating, case really."
CRACK.
Katsuki's knee eventually hit the table leg. "YOU'RE FULL OF—"
BONK. BONK.
Mitsuki's fists came down like gavels, smacking both our skulls. "ENOUGH! You two done playing footsie?! Eat your food in peace before I shove it down your throats!"
We froze.
Katsuki seethed while we both massaged our aching heads.
The room fell silent except for the clink of chopsticks.
Katsuki muttered curses into his rice.
Then Masaru cleared his throat. "Well! It's nice Midoriya's doing okay! Katsuki, you should… invite him over sometime!"
Katsuki's chopsticks snapped. "He's not coming over here."
Mitsuki rolled her eyes. "Relax Katsuki. No one's stealing your spotlight." She turned to me, smiling. "Do you want more?"
I stared at the feast—grilled fish, pickled vegetables, rice piled like a golden fortress. It smelled… good.
"If I'm not over capacity after this, then sure."
Eventually, we finished dinner in peace. Mitsuki refused my offer to help clean the dishes, shoving Bakugo toward the door while ordering him to—
"Walk Hakuro out. And no murdering nonsense talk!"
We stood outside and the second the front door closed, Bakugo rounded on me. "The hell was that? His quirk 'manifested late'? You think I'm stupid?!"
I leaned against the gate, arms crossed. "I think you're predictable. You've spent years calling him Quirkless. And now that he's got power, it angers you because you can't admit he's your equal."
"Equal?!" Sparks popped in his palm. "He's a roadside pebble! Who thinks he's funny because he lied to me for all these years! Mocking me!"
"Pebbles can crack foundations eventually," I said evenly.
"Besides," I stepped closer. "I don't understand why you're so hung up on this. You're smart enough to see the bigger picture. Midoriya's not your enemy. The villains out there? They are. Why make enemies out of potential teammates."
He scoffed. "Since when does a loner like you care about teamwork?"
"Since I realized arrogance gets people killed." And I held his glare.
"You want to be the best Bakugo? Then prove it. Stop fixating on him, and stop looking down on others. Start leading people to follow you if you think you're all that. If you actually think you can surpass All Might and be the number 1 hero. If you keep acting like this, you'll find yourself alone in the world. And there's nothing more pathetic than that. Limiting yourself due to arrogance."
For a heartbeat, he looked almost… thoughtful.
Then he snarled, shoving past me. "Whatever. Keep your theories to yourself, freak."
I watched him walk inside, the porch light flickering briefly.
'Progress on fixing his attitude. Partially complete.'
SLAM
The door slammed shut.
'It was a start at least…'
As I walked home, I replayed the conversation in my head, wondering if there was something better I could have said.
'Bakugo, I know you're powerful, and could be a great hero, but you better be worth the headache.'
'I don't enjoy playing therapist.'
***
The warmth of miso soup filling my stomach was a stark contrast to the hollow chill of my own house as I walked through the front door.
I flicked on the lights, their sterile glow revealing the same empty rooms, the same too-clean counters.
BuzzBuzz
Kesagiri Man's message lit up my phone:
[Meeting. Three days. 10 a.m. Full raid debrief. Be there and Behave.]
I sighed.
'10 a.m. on a school day. Charming timing.'
But after a quick glance at my schedule, I decided to go.
Present Mic's English class was useless to me given that I grew up in America. So I wouldn't regret skipping . And what's 1 absence to my record?
I trudged upstairs, the faint smell of chemicals pricking at my nostrils.
'Odd. I thought I sealed the lab before leaving…'
The door creaked open as I pushed.
"!"
A Bunsen burner was hissing wildly, its blue flame dancing under an overfilled flask of translucent liquid.
The air shimmered with a sweet, cloying vapor— my Beta version of knockout gas.
"Idiot," I muttered, lunging for the gas mask on the desk and in a rush held it over my mouth without fastening it around my head properly.
The flask began bubbling violently.
'Cheap online glass. Cheap online valves. Stupid, stupid. I should have been more careful—'
Hissss~ POP!
The valve snapped open.
Gas erupted everywhere, mixing with residual chloroform from an open vial.
My mind reacted as the world began to slow.
'Chloroform + Knockout Gas Catalyst = Unplanned Sedative Bomb.'
The world seemed to slow down as I immediately leaped forward.
'Reduce the heat. Shut the valve before its too late. Fix the PVC rubber hose around the burette.'
My mask slipped as I fumbled for the burner knob.
BOOM!
I was blown back slightly from the force as I steadied myself.
Cough! Cough! Cough!
The gas seeped in through the small gap between my gas mask and my face.
Chemicals flooded my lungs as my knees buckled.
I tried to reach for the door before I was completely intoxicated.
'Oh no—'
The floor rushed up as I felt my body go limp and darkness swallowed the room.
Thud
***
Harsh sunlight stabbed my eyes, peeking in through the window and harassing me to wake up.
'Ugh~'
I groaned and grasped my head. It was pounding like a war drum.
The lab reeked of burnt sugar and regret.
The first thing I did was check my vitals. Who knew what unknown chemicals entered my system.
But everything was fine.
Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation. It was all normal.
Well…
It was normal for a patient who was sedated, but nothing that required me to seek medical attention.
I flexed my body, stretching every muscle to see if I injured myself in the fall.
But they were also in perfect condition.
'So the gas cocktail wasn't just a sedative because those induce temporary metabolic paralysis, slowed heart rate, suppressed adrenaline and other basic neurotoxin side effects.'
'I'll be sure to note that down.'
I pulled out my phone—
"!"
[12:07 PM]
Phone Notifications:
[U.A. Attendance Bot: ABSENCE MARKED FOR 1st Period. REASON: UNEXCUSED.]
[U.A. Attendance Bot: ABSENCE MARKED FOR 2nd Period. REASON: UNEXCUSED.]
[U.A. Attendance Bot: ABSENCE MARKED FOR 3rd Period. REASON: UNEXCUSED.]
[Kesagiri Man: Confirm if you are attending the meeting ASAP.]
Aizawa-Sensei's Problem Children Group Chat:
[Mina Ashido]:
Yo, where's Hakuro??? Did he get tired of our sparkling personalities already?
[Eijiro Kirishima]:
Maybe he's sick? Dude looked kinda pale yesterday.
[Ochaco Uraraka]:
Maybe he's just running late guys! I hope he's here soon.
[Tenya Iida]:
Absent on the SECOND DAY is unacceptable!
[Eijiro Kirishima]:
Iida, chill! He's probably just stuck in traffic or something.
[Denki Kaminari]:
Or he's secretly a spy from another school. Think about it—mysterious, always analyzing, never talks about his past…
[Hanta Sero]:
Bro…It's only the first day. Why would he spill his life story to you.
[Kyoka Jiro]:
Or he's just a nerd who overslept. Plus Sero's right. We only met yesterday. Let's not jump to conclusions.
[Mineta Minoru]:
I'm an open book if anyone wants to ask me anything…
"...Oh no." Was all I could muster as I continued scrolling through all of the messages.
I facepalmed myself.
'Today is the day for Battle Trials too. I was supposed to get a better look at OFA as a quirk.'
I staggered to the sink, splashing water on my face to wash off the drowsiness.
I looked up from the faucet.
The mirror reflected a ghost—pale skin, dark circles, a faint red mark where the mask had dug into my cheek when I fell.
I texted Kesagiri Man [I'll be there.], then walked out before I glared at the lab.
'I need better equipment. And some safety sensors.'
So I also texted Kesagiri Man that I decided on money as my commission for helping in his work. As much as he was willing to give.
I threw on my U.A. uniform, hopped down the stairs, grabbed some nutrient pills and an apple from my fridge, then bolted out the front door.
'Really?' I scolded myself as I took a bite of the apple.
'I'm already having problems? It's a bit excessive to be having issues during the—
Chapter 13 - 'First Day's Aftermath'
-------------------
Hey!
How was the chapter?
Criticisms and compliments can go a long way to help me! I don't mind having either!
Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed!