"No ordinary reporter could've done this. Someone instigated this whole affair..."
"Did some evildoer manage to slip in?"
"Or do they intend to wage a greater war...?"
The principal of U.A. High, along with some staff, stood in front of the gate which used to boast of the school's great security system, but was now no more than a pile of rubble and sand.
...
"Ah! I lost again!" Kirishima exclaimed in frustration. "How are you so good at this, bro?!"
"That's only natural~ I've been playing with game stations for more than two decades already." I grinned proudly as I put down the gadget.
Suddenly, a sharp pain hit me from my stomach, making me pause what I was about to say next.
"More than two decades?! Aren't you just 15?" Kaminari had a look of disbelief.
"He's bragging, I tell you." Sero shook his head.
"Yamori-kun, are you alright?" Ojiro asked, feeling that something was off with his friend's expression.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I calmly smiled at him. "I just remembered that I need to do something real quick. You guys just play for a while."
"Oh! Got it!" Kirishima shouted, going back to playing.
"You better come back quickly or else we'll be beating your high score!" Kaminari waved me off as I walked towards the door.
"I'd like to see you try." I laughed calmly.
Ojiro gazed at his friend's back in concern. These days, Yamori-kun seems to have something bothering him...
Slide.
Hah...
Originally, I had thought that my character setting should've been someone who was outwardly careless but had schemes running through his mind. Though, recently, I had realized that, it was actually that of someone who doesn't know what they're doing most of the time.
This world that I used to see through the separation of a screen had slowly been dragging me into it, making me a part of it. Now, I don't know what's real and fake anymore.
To think that I actually told something ridiculous to a character. Getting easily carried away like that... Hah. Is this considered breaking the fourth wall?
What do I do now?
Somehow, while I was lost in thought, I seemed to have walked towards the nurse's office and, by the time I came to, I was already opening the door.
Ah? What was I supposed to do here again?
Suddenly, the sharp pain in my stomach hit me once again, reminding me of what I was supposed to be doing.
"Hiss..." I gritted my teeth. "Right. Pain killers."
...
"Don't you think Yamori-kun has been acting strangely these days?" Ojiro unconsciously muttered aloud.
"Acting strangely?" Kaminari looked up briefly to glance at Ojiro then, went back to playing. "Isn't that guy always like that?"
"Right! He's been acting more quiet lately!" Kirishima suddenly said, pausing his game. "I thought I was the only one who noticed!"
"Kirishima-kun..." Ojiro spoke hesitantly. "Do you think it has anything to do with the detective...?"
"Detective? Tsukauchi-san?" Kirishima thought of the detective who had begun teaching them suddenly the day after he had spoken with Yamori. "Anyway, we should just ask him what's troubling him upfront! We're already bros, aren't we? Bros should rely on each other when there's trouble!"
'Detective? Trouble? I don't understand a single word they're saying!' Kaminari and Sero thought to themselves.
"...I suppose you are right." Ojiro smiled meaningfully. "Let's go look for Yamori-kun."
...
"It's only been a week and a half since school started and you've already been here for the same reason thrice!" Recovery Girl scolded me but still handed over the pain killers.
Yes. It was currently already Wednesday of the second week since school started. Time surely does fly fast, doesn't it?
Before we realized it, it was already the day when the league of villains would launch an attack on U.A.
Specifically, us of class 1A.
"Just because it hurts when you eat, doesn't mean you should quit eating as a whole!" Recovery Girl admonished angrily. "With what you're doing, your body will fall apart from the inside before you can even become a pro hero!"
"... I eat dinner though... Also midnight snacks..." I awkwardly said but Recovery Girl's stern gaze made me shut up.
"Those are not enough! Your body needs nutrition, which you are depriving it of!" Recovery Girl hastily wrote something on a note.
Slide.
"Excuse me." A purple haired boy mumbled as he entered the nurse's office.
"Hmm, Shinso sonny. Here again for those?" Suddenly, Recovery Girl's tone became much kinder, making me feel complicated.
Oh right... Who did she just call again..?
"Yes. We're having Physical studies next so I'll be getting bandages again." A familiar voice said, causing my eyes to widen as I turned around.
"Hitocchi?" I muttered. "This is totally unexpected! Good day~"
"Yamori." Shinso gave a curt nod as a greeting.
"Oh... So you two are friends...?" Recovery Girl said, her eyes glowing with a thoughtful light.
"Yes~"
"No."
Two different answers.
"Ah?! Haven't we been faithfully meeting up on the roof for a week already?! And you still say we aren't friends?!" I cried out, feeling devastated.
"I go there to eat lunch. You just happened to be there as well." Shinso replied coldly.
"So cold!" I responded in shock. Ah, but his character setting was originally this way from the start. I shouldn't be surprised.
"Shinso sonny, since you already know Yamori here, I'll leave this to you." Recovery Girl handed over the note she had written over to Shinso along with the bandages he asked for.
"This is..?" Shinso read the note in confusion.
Emergency Lunch Pass...?
"Just hand them in to Lunch Rush, sonny. He'll know what to do." Recovery Girl smiled and went back to organizing her medicine cabinet.
"Am I really that untrustworthy?!" I exclaimed.
"If you've been following my advice, this shouldn't have happened this much already!" Recovery Girl scolded back. "In any case, you still have to eat something before taking the medicine."
"Now shoo. Let me rest." We were promptly kicked out of the office.
"Hah... How troubling." I rubbed my face feeling tired. Suddenly, I felt a discomforting feeling and turned to find where it was coming from, only to see Shinso staring at me strangely. "W-what?"
"I've been wondering why I never saw you eating during lunch." Shinso turned around and began walking. "To think you actually had stomach problems."
"The way you say it makes it sound like I committed crime." I muttered as I walked beside him. "Actually, if we're talking about strange things, what's with you asking for bandages for Physical studies?"
"We're learning first aid." He answered simply.
"Oh... So that was why." I said carelessly, causing the conversation to stagnate.
For some time, we walked in complete silence, then, I remembered something important.
"Right! Before I forget, give me your mail address, will you?" I said so suddenly that Shinso was momentarily unable to react.
"...Why?" He asked cautiously.
"I'm using it as a precautionary measure. My class will be having outdoor lessons today but, something big will happen soon. So, just in case something unexpected happens..." I grinned at him carelessly. "At least I still have you as backup, right?"
Though I'd have to take out the signal jammer first before sending him an S.O.S..
"Okay." Shinso agreed quickly, causing me to feel surprised. I had thought that he would decline then, I would persuade him with great efforts.
... Maybe he's suffering from OOC* syndrome?
(OOC- Out Of Character)
"Your phone?" He asked, looking at me strangely.
"O-oh! Right." I took out my phone and, in the middle of the hallway, we exchanged mail addresses in silence.
...
"He's not here!" Kaminari exclaimed loudly, gazing at the empty rooftop in frustration.
"You mean, we climbed all the way up here for nothing?!" Sero complained, trying to catch his breath.
"This is strange..." Kirishima muttered to himself. "Ojiro! Did Yamori tell you anything else? Like where he usually goes during lunch?"
"No... This is the only place Yamori-kun goes at this time." Ojiro shook his head.
"Damn... Just where could he have gone..?" Kirishima thought deeply.
"How about we go to the lunch hall? He's probably there looking for Midoriya." Kaminari suggested.
"Just speak honestly, dude!" Sero nudged Kaminari's shoulder. "It's obvious that you just want to mooch off Jiro's lunch."
"I got caught!"
...
"Then, I'll head this way." I said carelessly upon encountering a fork on the corridors, heading towards the right while Shinso headed to the left.
"Where are you going?" Shinso asked coldly as he harshly grabbed my arm.
"To the classroom..?" I said, confused.
"No. Recovery Girl told you to get lunch." Shinso said indifferently and began to drag me towards the other direction.
"But, I don't want to!"
"You have no choice."
"No!!!"
...
"Midoriya-kun, did you complete the homework already?" Iida asked as he set down his chopsticks but got no reply. "Midoriya-kun?"
Iida looked at Izuku who was staring at his untouched food in a daze. By this time, Uraraka had also begun to notice his anomaly.
"Deku?"
"Ah, huh?" Izuku looked up in confusion. "Did you say something?"
"No, actually, it's nothing really important." Iida changed what he was about to say and looked at Izuku seriously. "Is something the matter, Midoriya-kun? You've been in a daze lately."
"Huh..? Was it that obvious?" Izuku asked in surprise.
"You've been staring at your food without moving, Deku! Anyone would notice!" Uraraka said pointedly.
"I see..." Izuku mumbled quietly. "It's just that, lately, I feel like Kaito has been growing distant."
"I know that I shouldn't be selfish but, I've been hanging out with the both of you and, Kaito has Ojiro-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kaminari-kun and Sero-kun to keep him company. It just feels strange... I've gotten used to it just being the two of us that I can't adapt to it yet."
Izuku looked down, feeling embarrassed. "For a long time, he was the only person I could actually call my friend."
"Then shouldn't you tell him how you feel?! Deku." Uraraka exclaimed passionately.
"Sniff." Iida took off his glasses and wiped his tears.
"Iida-kun?!" Izuku exclaimed in shock.
"Midoriya-kun's friendship with Yamori-kun was actually that deep... I couldn't help but feel touched." Iida took out a handkerchief to wipe his glasses.
"Hey, great timing!" Uraraka stood up amd pulled Izuku with her. "Here's your chance, Deku! Yamori-kun is right there!"
"Kaito..?" Izuku looked up and, sure enough, he was there.
...
"You don't really have to go this far, Hitocchi..." I muttered, feeling complicated.
"I need to make sure you don't escape." Shinso declared emotionlessly, making me smile wryly.
"I'm not that untrustworthy, you know." I sighed.
"Yamori-kun!" Suddenly, my name was called out quite loudly, causing a few people to look.
"Hmm?" I turned around and, behind me, a nervous Izuku was being dragged towards me by an excited Uraraka.
"Your friends?" Shinso asked with a detached expression.
"I suppose..." I replied, feeling unsure since I and Uraraka-san hadn't really spoken much to each other. Just what could they want from me?
"Go ahead, Deku! Good luck!" Uraraka pushed Izuku in front of me and retreated.
"Izuku?" I asked in confusion, making the fidgety boy look at me. "What's going on?"
"K-Kaito! I-uh!" Izuku stuttered nervously, unable to say anything that made sense. No! I have to say it! Izuku took a deep breath. "Kaito! Let's all go home together today!"
"...Hah?" My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Is this all he wanted to say?
From the side, Shinso watched the whole affair silently, his emotions unreadable.
"Recently, Kaito has been going with Ojiro-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kaminari-kun, and Sero-kun! I've been wanting to go with you like we used to for some time now but, everytime I saw you having fun with them, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. What if you end up disliking me, I thought... That's why... Today for sure!" Izuku proclaimed in determination. "Let's go home together! All of us!"
"...Are you an idiot?" I couldn't help but blurt out, causing Izuku's determination to deflate like a balloon.
"I-I... Sorr-"
"If you think I'll dislike you because of something ridiculous, then you're greatly underestimating me." I snorted and flicked his forehead.
"OoHh!!! Midoriya! When you said everyone, that also included us, right?!" Kirishima suddenly burst through, surprising both me and Izuku.
"We're invited too, right?!" Kaminari interjected.
"Just saying, we'll still come along even if we're not invited." Sero grinned along.
"Guys... Keep it down! People are looking!" Ojiro tried to quiet them down in embarrassment.
"O-of course! Let's all go together!" Izuku smiled at them awkwardly.
"Yeah, Midoriya! Let's all go for hamburgers later!" Kaminari shouted.
Hah...
What do I do?
This screen that used to separate me from the world was merely a figment of my imagination.
This screen... was originally a two-way screen. I just didn't realize it.
I ignored the fact that... If the world is something that I can interact with, the world can also interact with me.
My eyes have been opened now.
Thank you everyone. I finally realized the truth.
This is no longer just a mere anime separated by a screen.
This is also my world now.
I've decided to stop caring anymore.
"Hamburger?! Isn't getting ramen better? It's dinner, you know?!"
"No! I say, hamburgers all the way!"
"Hahh??!!"
"Ochaco-chan, what's going on?" Tsuyu asked as she appeared beside Uraraka who was watching their classmates argue happily.
"It's a passionate confrontation between men!" Uraraka proclaimed.
"But, aren't they just arguing about food?"
"It's a passionate confrontation between men!"
"Hmm?" I looked around, finding something missing. "Hitocchi?"
Ah, he probably felt awkward and left. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Kid! Here's your Recovery Girl exclusive set meal!" Lunch Rush suddenly appeared behind me, handing me a suspiciously large tray.
"Ack! Heavy!" My arms immediately sank upon recieving the tray.
"Oouohhh!!! Yamori, you're eating everything?! What a manly appetite!" Kirishima said, giving me both thumbs up.
"As if I can finish it all! Help me with this!" I said through gritted teeth.
"You heard him, boys!" Kaminari said, his eyes glinting. "Lunch is on Yamori!"
"Yeah!!" Sero cheered.
Meanwhile, Ojiro and Izuku just looked at them wryly.
...
Shinso leaned on the wall outside the lunch hall, thinking to himself before walking away.
"I should have expected it... Of course, someone like him would normally have many people surrounding him."
"We're different."