The week went by in the blink of an eye. During it, Sora was trying to drown her worries with her Karate lessons with her grandmother.
Yuu embarked on studying almost immediately while skimming through other possible hero courses.
News of Yumei however were as much as none. She didn't just avoid Yuu after the exam but also Sora. Even in school, she would reach the classroom a few moments before their teacher, leave it right away after the bell, and vanish into thin air during recess and lunch break. So any contact with her was almost impossible.
They weighed the few left days until their letters come home trying to avoid thinking about that very subject, albeit failing. All they could think about was how they would be refused due to their fail in the practical exam. Even the nearing of their graduation ceremony wasn't enough to take their minds from that.
That very day, Sora had just finished a training session with her grandmother and headed straight to the kitchen for a gulp of water. " You're getting better. I have nothing to teach you anymore." The older woman complemented her from the door way, wiping away her sweat.
" You're exaggerating." She opened her water bottle. " I still can't catch up with your moves."
" Well, that's experience. But I'm serious, I can no longer teach you anything new, Sora." She elaborated as she walked down the hallway and to the front door.
" Experience, huh? I need to get more experience myself, to become a hero..." Her eyes narrowed at that thought. Would she be able to become one though?
" Sora!" Her grandmother called from the front door. " Sora hurry up!"
Sora rushed down the hall, hitting her toe on the table leg but she didn't even bother about that. All she wanted was to reach her grandma as soon as possible.
Her heart was throbbing rapidly in her chest. She had a feeling... No, she was sure what it was. When she reached her, her grandmother whirled around, slightly stunned as she held a white envelope with UA's symbol embroidered on its red seal. " It's here."
She knew it. With a shaky hand, she received the envelope from the older woman. It was heavy and puffed. Standing there in the hallway and staring down at the symbole, two feelings where fighting over her, curiosity for what it was inside, and dread of the inevitable failing news she was getting.
A gentle hand was deposited on her shoulder, pulling her out of her trance. Her grandmother smiled at her gently. " You can read it in your room if you want."
Sora however shook her head. " You've helped me a lot grandma, you deserve to know what's inside as much as me."
They shifted to the living room. Sitting down to the table, Sora took in a shaky breath and unsealed the envelope with a shaking hand. What first came to sight was a circular device.
She flipped the letter on her hand, retrieving a paper and the small device. " That..." Her grandmother too didn't have the slightest idea what the device might be.
As soon as Sora set it on the table, it issued a dim light, one that revealed a rectangular projection. " So it's a projector."
" This is annoying, I don't get why we should film these videos every year. They should know I hate these kind of things." The man on the record didn't seem to realize it even started. He had messy long black hair that hung over his half closed tired eyes. The bottom of his face was hardly visible because of some kind of scarf he was wearing.
A hand appeared on the corner of the projection, miming something to the black haired man. " It already started? Well, there is no use hitting around the bush then. Let's cut to the chase. Shirogane Sora, although you barely passed the written exam, you scored 17 points on the practical one. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to pass."
The white head gulped and her fists tightened in frustrating. Her grandmother stroked her back for comfort.
" Or so you would think." She snapped up and stared and the video, bewilderment apparent on her face. The man scratched his cheek. " Well, I have to explain first. Your exam was not graded on villain points only."
" Eh?"
" It's not rational for a hero course to turn a blind eye on those who choose to do the right thing, saving others at any costs. That's exactly the foundation of this job. How can we ignora those with potential." Her eyes widened in expectancy. " Rescue points, points given by a panel of judges who were watching everything that was happening. Shirogane Sora, with 17 villain points and 45 rescue points, you're 7th in rank. Meaning you secured your place in UA. You passed."
Tears welled up in Sora's eyes. Her hand clapped around her mouth to hold back a gasp. Her grandmother hugged her tightly, all proud and happy that tears fled her eyes as well.
The man smiled widely, it was the first she had seen the bottom half of his face. " From now on, this is your hero academia."
And the record stopped. Sora sat there, gasping and wiping her tears. " I've done it... Grandma... I've done it..."
" Well done, Sora." She petted her head. " Now, you're on the start of becoming a hero. You should hold yourself together."
Sora looked back, eyes and nose red, but the smile wider than ever it was. " Yeah."
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Yuu was looking through the mail. A facture, a post card from his brother, another facture... His eyes landed on a certain puffed envelope. They widened and he promptly tossed the rest of the mail on the counter before tearing up the stairs and back to his room. He slammed the door shut behind him and leaned back on it, gaping his mouth at the letter.
" What's with the noise! I was trying to nap!" Whisper's head phased through the ceiling, his eyes half closed and all irritated at being awakened by the rushed footsteps and the door's slam.
" It's here... Whisper... The UA letter..."
At that, all traces of sleep flew off Whisper's eyes. " Really, open it up!" He flew next to the boy.
" Should I..." He gulped, as though he was holding a bomb set to explode any moment soon. " ... I mean... I know I've failed the practical exam..."
" Stop being all gloomy and open it up! I wanna see what's in there!" He pulled and squashed the boy's jaws, making him wince in pain.
" Alright... Alright..." He tore the envelope from one side and retrieved the contents. " A video projector?" His brow rose upward at the small machine. He sat by the desk and deposited it, to which it activated, projecting a video of Present Mic.
" Yo! Welcome, male listener! It's time we reveal your test results!"
" Present Mic?!"
" Ah, that loudly lunatic." Whisper was rather annoyed at the sight of the blond man.
" Seijin Yuu, I'm glad to inform you that you were one of the few who aced the written exam!"
" Eh! Me?!"
" You've always been the smart boy." Whisper shrugged.
" However, your performance in the practical exam wasn't that good! With 12 villain points, you could not make it to the bigger stage!" He wagged a finger at the camera.
" As I thought..." His eyes were casted down. What was I waiting for? I knew I was behind the rest.
" Yet, you did!"
" What!" Whisper's jaw literally dropped to the ground at that. If Yuu could do the same, he would have.
" UA is full of surprises, listener, even from this moment! Rescue points!" He said spreading his arms dramatically. " You've been given points on your heroic and selfless actions! Seijin Yuu, in addition to your 12 villain points, you've earned 52 rescue points, making you 6th in rank! You've passed!"
" You hear that! You hear that Yuu! You passed! You did it!" Whisper was beside himself, shaking the boy vigorously.
Giant droplets of tears fell upon Yuu's hands. He couldn't believe it. He made it, to his dream school. Memories of all the hard work he had done, of all the insults and disdain he received from his peers and family rushed before him, yet, he felt a strange satisfaction when he recalled all of it. To think his efforts would pay off, he was overflown with all kind of emotions. " I... I did my best..." He said wiping his eyes on his sleeve.
Whisper smiled proudly at him. " You did. And now all that hard work of yours is giving its fruit." He looked back at the projection.
" Now, this is the beginning of your own show! Welcome, to your hero academia!"
The boy sniffed, still moping his tears. " Thank you..."...
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" Yuu!" That afternoon, Sora passed by his house. " did you get it? Did you get it? How did you do?"
" Sora..." His eyes became moist and bursted in tears he had almost drowned her. " I did it... I got in..."
" I knew you would do it! Glad for you!"
" Shut those tabs!" Whisper wringed his neck, forcing him to stop crying before turning to the white head. " And then... What about Yumei..."
Sora fiddled around with her fingers.
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" You didn't get in!? But I thought you said you did well!"
She clenched her hand around the paper she had received earlier.
" I didn't see that coming... The rescue points... And the villain points I got weren't near enough..."
" It can't be... Yumei..."
" It's fine. I had prepared for the worst case scenario. I had the feeling that 34 villain points weren't enough after all." Her eyes glanced down at the application paper for Shiketsu. " I will forge a new path for myself. You don't have to worry about me."
" But..."
A gentle smile manifested on her lips. " You're such a gentle and kind person, Sora. You deserve to shine on the highest stage. Do your best."
And she ended the call...
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Yuu's swing stopped as he glanced over at Sora. " So... That's what she said..."
Sora looked up as she continued to rock on hers. " She aced the written exam. Well, it's expected from the top of our class. But... Her Quirk wasn't any help for the practical test. She scored 34 points while depending on her own skills and the weapon she had brought with her. It was admirable yet, she didn't concern herself with anyone else, so her rescue points were 0. She couldn't pass."
Yuu looked down. Although he wasn't on the best of terms with her, but she did deserve to get in. She had worked hard too, he had seen it. She managed that hard mock battle only depending on her physical strength and judgment.
" For some reason... I feel I don't deserve it now..." He so much as fainted as soon as he saved the boy with the rubber Quirk.
" Don't say that!" Sora jumped off her swing. " It's frustrating that... Despite all what she had done, she didn't get in. But you too worked hard."
" And you chose to sacrifice all of that to save someone in need! You've earned that fair and square!"
" Whisper is right! Plus, I don't think Yumei would want to hear that!"
Yuu bit on his bottom lip. He had the feeling that he should work even harder than before, so he could really earn it.
" Yuu." He looked up at the white head standing in front of him. She extended a hand at him and smiled broadly. " Let's be heroes together, Yuu."
He took a moment before a smile was drawn on his face and nodded, taking her hand. Just like that day years ago.
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They both walked out the gem along with their class, clad in their uniforms, a flower clipped onto the right side of their chests and their diplomas in hand.
Sora's grandmother was among the rest of the parents, clapping and wiping a tear from her face. Seeing her, Sora waved happily. With her height among the rest of the students, she really seemed like a child.
Yuu on the other hand was craning his neck around, trying to glimpse even the shadow of his parents from in between the sea of students. However, they weren't there. They didn't bring themselves to come to his graduation ceremony.
Yumei watched over him from the back of the row. And when they disassembled, each talking with their families or their juniors, she approached him when he was all alone. " Congratulations on making it to UA."
That seemed to take him by surprise. He stuttered a 'thank you' and rubbed the back of his head, not knowing what else to do. Yumei solely sighed. " You should fix that confidence issue of yours. You've got into UA. You want to be of help to Sora. So you better start doing so."
Yuu's eyes wondered around as he tried to ask. " Ano... Hakuja-san..."
" She was my hero." Yumei stated, having figured out what he wanted to say. " Back in elementary, and because of my family situation, I was picked on, just because dad left us. Rumors spread among kids, that we had drove him to his limit and that forced him to leave. I was left all alone. At some point, I started believing those words as well. Until the day Sora approached me. She was the one who pulled me up. Despite being in different classes, she was spending her breaks with me. Even when I said I wanted to become a hero to support my mother, she never judged me, on the contrary, she encouraged me."
She looked up at Yuu. " I want her to be as she is. The hero who can help everyone. So, you better not hold her back."
Yuu's hands clenched around his diploma. " I won't."
She inspected him carefully. " So you know, I hate selfish people the most."
" I had enough. I want to live my own life freely."
Her dad's last words rang as clear as the school's bell in her ears. " You better support her." She bowed and left to find her mother.
Yuu looked after her as she walked away. " We're alike... Huh..."...
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" Yuu! Hurry up! We're gonna be late!" She called from the front gate of his house.
" Right there!" He looked back at the hall. " I'm off." Still, no response.
He walked out and met with the girl outside, both now wearing their UA uniforms. Yuu had Whisper wrapped around his shoulders in addition. " It really suits you!"
" You... You think so..." He scratched the back of his head.
She nodded with her eyes sparkling before she performed a twirl in front of him. " What do you think of mine?"
" You look gorgeous."
The smile on her face broadened. " Soldiers! You'll be late! Run!" They were cut by Whisper shouting at them, his head triple it's normal size.
" Crap! Let's hurry!" She grasped Yuu's wrist, tagging him as she ran to the station.
" Hold on! Sora!"
" Yuu!" She looked back at him and grinned from ear to ear. " This is our first step to becoming heroes!"
Yuu's eyes widened slightly before he finally smiling back and nodding. " Yeah."