Ugh...school, tests, and work... :(
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Kuro finished his covert operations and made his way back to the entrance of U.A. with his usual casual air. As he approached the guard who had let him pass earlier, he gave a polite smile and waved.
"Thanks for the help earlier!" he said, his voice cheerful and unassuming. The guard nodded, none the wiser, and Kuro slipped back into the crowd, blending in with the sea of students.
The atrium was massive, buzzing with energy and tension. There had to be over 2,000 students on just this side of the building alone. The air was thick with nervous chatter as students shifted restlessly, waiting for the written portion of the exam to begin.
For many of them, this would be the first of many obstacles they would face today—and for most, it would also be the last. The written exam was notorious for its ability to weed out the unprepared, cutting the number of hopeful candidates down dramatically.
But Kuro wasn't worried. The written test would be easy—just another stepping stone on his path. He scanned the room, his sharp eyes observing the faces around him. Some were nervous, others excited, but most were focused solely on themselves, oblivious to the competition around them.
Kuro, however, never underestimated his surroundings. Every piece of information could be valuable, and every student could potentially be an ally—or an obstacle.
Meanwhile, across the bustling atrium, Izuku Midoriya was not having such an easy time. After parting ways with Kuro, Izuku had found himself wandering through the halls, desperately searching for his exam room. His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the exam pressing down on him with every step.
"Where is it? Where is it?" Izuku muttered to himself, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to make sense of the map he held. He had been so focused on preparing for the practical portion of the exam that he hadn't paid enough attention to the logistics. Now, with time ticking away, panic was starting to set in.
Just as Izuku began to spiral into full-blown anxiety, a familiar—and decidedly aggressive—voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oi, Deku!"
Izuku barely had time to register the shout before he felt a strong hand grip his shoulder and yank him backward. He stumbled slightly, catching himself just in time to turn around and come face-to-face with none other than Bakugo Katsuki. The blond's red eyes were narrowed in frustration, his grip tight as he dragged Izuku down the hall.
"W-what? Kacchan?" Izuku stammered, his surprise quickly turning into confusion. "What are you—?"
"You're in my damn exam room, idiot," Bakugo growled, pulling Izuku along with him. "Stop wandering around like a lost puppy. How the hell are you even here?"
Izuku blinked in disbelief as Bakugo led him to the exam room. Despite the harsh words, Izuku couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief wash over him. In a twisted way, Bakugo yelling at him like this felt... normal.
After months of cold distance, this was familiar. The fact that Bakugo was yelling at him again, acting as though nothing had changed, made Izuku feel grounded—like things were, in some small way, back to how they used to be.
"Thank you, Kacchan," Izuku said quietly, though his words were drowned out by Bakugo's constant grumbling.
Bakugo, meanwhile, was anything but happy. The fact that Izuku—Deku, of all people—was taking the U.A. entrance exam was bad enough, but to think that they'd end up in the same room was beyond irritating.
He hadn't expected Izuku to even show up here, let alone be part of the exam. It wasn't that Bakugo thought Izuku would give up—he knew Deku was stubborn—but seeing him make it to this stage was... unsettling.
"I don't know how you managed to weasel your way into this, Deku," Bakugo muttered under his breath, still dragging Izuku along, "but don't think for a second you're gonna last. You'll just get yourself killed out there."
Izuku swallowed, the weight of Bakugo's words sinking in. He had heard them a thousand times before, and each time they cut deep. But today, something was different. Today, he wasn't the same quirkless kid who had no chance of becoming a hero. He had a quirk now. He had One For
Even though Bakugo's words still stung, Izuku couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope inside him. He was here. He had a quirk. And for once, he had a shot.
Still, Bakugo's frustration was palpable. As they entered the exam room, Bakugo dropped Izuku's shoulder and crossed his arms, glaring at him. "Don't slow me down, Deku."
Izuku nodded quickly, feeling the weight of Bakugo's gaze on him. "I-I won't."
The room was filled with rows of students, each sitting at their assigned desks. The tension in the air was thick, as everyone waited for the written exam to begin. Izuku found his seat, his heart racing, but he managed to shoot Bakugo a small, grateful smile.
Bakugo ignored him, sitting down at his desk with a scowl. He couldn't explain why it bothered him so much that Deku was here—maybe it was because, deep down, Bakugo had expected Izuku to quit. But now, seeing him sitting there, determined and hopeful, it only made Bakugo's frustration worse.
As the students settled into their seats, Kuro entered the exam room, he shifted from his usual, happy self to boredom.
...
Kuro stretched lazily as he walked out of the exam room, his usual pure and cheerful demeanor fully restored. The written portion of the U.A. entrance exam had been straightforward, almost disappointingly so. He had finished well before the allotted time was up, and now, with nothing pressing to do, Kuro found himself wandering the halls, exploring the limited area available to him.
He passed a few other contestants who had also completed the test, but none of them caught his attention. They all seemed preoccupied, either nervously reviewing their answers in their heads or quietly preparing for the practical exam to come. Kuro, on the other hand, was looking for something—or someone—interesting to pass the time with.
And then he saw him.
A tall, clean-cut boy with short dark blue hair and glasses was striding confidently toward him. His posture was impeccable, and his entire appearance radiated a sense of order and discipline. Kuro raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the boy's approach. It wasn't often that someone came to him first.
"Greetings," the boy said, stopping in front of Kuro with a formal bow. "My name is Tenya Iida of the Iida Family."
Kuro blinked, then quickly put on his most enthusiastic smile, despite not knowing—or caring—about the Iida family. "Oh, the Iida Family! Of course!" he said, his voice brimming with feigned recognition. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tenya!"
Iida straightened up, clearly pleased by Kuro's reaction. "You seem to be one of the few who were well-prepared for this exam," he said, adjusting his glasses with a confident nod. "Congratulations on completing it early."
Kuro shrugged modestly, waving off the compliment with a smile. "Ah, it was just luck. I'm sure a lot of people did well."
Iida looked at Kuro thoughtfully, clearly assessing him. "Luck or not, it's commendable. I came to U.A. to become a hero, and to uphold the values and legacy of my family. Especially my older brother, Ingenium, who is a great hero."
Kuro's eyes lit up with genuine excitement at this. "Ingenium? That's amazing! So, are you planning on becoming even better than your brother?"
Iida paused, a slight frown of concentration crossing his face. "Well, that's the goal, eventually. But for now, I'm still trying to reach his level. He's set a high standard, and I intend to honor that."
Kuro nodded eagerly, clearly enjoying the conversation. "You've got a clear goal, then. That's awesome!" But then he tilted his head slightly, a curious look crossing his face. "You know, you're the second person today to apologize for being so upfront. The first was a green-haired kid named Izuku Midoriya. You polite types must have a habit of that."
Iida stiffened slightly, as if unsure how to respond to the comparison, but Kuro quickly waved it off. "No worries! It's just interesting, that's all."
Iida relaxed and nodded, a small smile forming on his face. "Thank you for understanding. Sometimes I can be a bit... intense."
Kuro grinned, but there was a hint of something more behind his eyes as he leaned in slightly, lowering his voice to a more thoughtful tone. "So, Tenya, what do you think of heroes?"
Iida's expression grew serious as he considered the question. "Heroes, in my view, are those who emerged in response to the rise of villains. They are the protectors of society, the ones who stand against those who would harm."
Kuro nodded, his eyes widening with what seemed like innocent curiosity, though there was a subtle sharpness behind them. "That makes sense. But what do you think All Might is, then?"
Iida's brows furrowed slightly as he processed the question. He could sense that there was more to Kuro's inquiry than met the eye. After a moment, he replied, "All Might is... different. He's not just a hero—he's a symbol. Before he appeared, there was a kind of stalemate between heroes and villains, a cycle where neither side could gain the upper hand. Civilians were the ones who suffered the most. Then All Might changed that. He broke the cycle. He brought hope."
Kuro's smile broadened, his eyes twinkling with an unreadable emotion. "So, he's the one who ended the back-and-forth, huh? The one who made it so that heroes could make a difference."
"Exactly," Iida said, feeling more confident in his explanation. "All Might is what every hero aspires to be—someone who brings true peace and safety to the world."
Kuro nodded slowly as if mulling over Iida's words. His demeanor remained bright and cheerful, but there was an intensity in his gaze that hadn't been there before. "And where do you see yourself in all of this, Tenya? Do you think you can reach that level?"
Iida hesitated, then answered with conviction. "I hope to, one day. But for now, I'm focused on becoming the best hero I can be. I want to live up to my family's legacy and protect those who can't protect themselves."
Kuro's expression softened slightly, his smile returning to its usual carefree warmth. "That's a noble goal, Tenya. I'm sure you'll make a great hero."
Iida was about to thank Kuro when he paused, a question suddenly coming to mind. "Kuro, may I ask—where are you going with all of this? Why are you asking these questions?"
Kuro's eyes gleamed with a mixture of mischief and something deeper, something harder to define. He shrugged casually as if the conversation had been nothing more than idle chatter. "Just curious, that's all. I like hearing what other people think. It helps me understand them better."
But there was something in Kuro's tone that made Iida think there was more to it than that. He studied Kuro for a moment, trying to get a read on him, but Kuro's bright smile and innocent demeanor gave nothing away.
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[Auther: Yo. Liking the story more now? I feel I'm writing far more naturally.]