Mineta Minoru kept yelling in the corridor, instantly drawing the attention of Class A, who gathered around, looking confused.
"Student Mineta Minoru, what nonsense are you talking about?" Ida Tenya said as he approached in surprise, with the others following, equally unclear.
Mineta Minoru ran over, tears in his eyes, and said vaguely, "Akira… Classmate Akira is a pervert… Ah!"
"What are you talking about?" Everyone was shocked. Mineta Minoru was calling Akira a pervert—what was going on?
"He was laughing and talking to himself in the men's room, and he mentioned Yaoyorozu Momo in a weird way! It was super awkward!" Mineta Minoru said loudly. He was determined to label Akira as creepy in front of everyone so that he could gain the spotlight in the future.
"Impossible!" Ida Tenya waved a hand, saying, "Though Akira can be strange at times, I'm certain he's not some perverted guy!"
"Yes, Akira is so strong that even if he liked a girl, it wouldn't be surprising. I don't believe he'd say something like that." Ashido Mina defended Akira.
"That's right, I also think Mineta Minoru is exaggerating. Are you trying to scam us?" Kirishima Eijiro playfully knocked on Mineta's head, only to find it stuck.
"Why… why won't anyone believe me?" Mineta said, nearly in tears. None of the classmates believed him. Was Akira's reputation really that high in their eyes?
At that moment, Akira strolled over, noticing everyone discussing him. A little nervous, he still kept his composure and said, "What's going on here?"
"Ah, Akira, you're here," Ida Tenya said, stepping forward. "Mineta Minoru just said you… uh… that you're a pervert. We're here to defend you."
Akira touched his forehead, then looked at Mineta and said, "I was watching a series on my phone earlier and might've spoken out loud. Sorry if I disturbed you."
Akira knew Mineta all too well. Though he looked small and cute, Mineta had his own motives and was accusing Akira to try and gain favor with the girls in the class.
"You're lying!" Mineta said in disbelief. "You definitely wanted to 'touch' Yaoyorozu Momo."
At that moment, Yaoyorozu Momo walked up and tossed Mineta aside, visibly upset. He rolled on the ground several times, wailing before stopping.
"I knew Akira wouldn't do something like that. Alright, let's all get back to class," Ida Tenya said, guiding everyone back since it was still class time.
Akira breathed a sigh of relief. That little grape could really make a fuss. It seemed like next time he'd have to be careful in the restroom and avoid talking to himself.
…
After training, Class A's students were feeling more motivated than ever. Akira and Midoriya had taken the lead in their training, and the class felt an energetic passion, as if they'd all soon become heroes who would uphold justice.
Although it wasn't their role yet to fight villains, they understood that as future heroes, they were responsible for protecting others. It was their duty.
After school, as Akira walked to the entrance of U.A. High School, he saw a group of reporters surrounding Midoriya. Akira quickly pulled a hat from his backpack, put it on, and tried to slip away unnoticed. He didn't want to be on TV, especially with the Villain Alliance likely watching and planning their next move.
"Akira?" Midoriya spotted him despite the cap. Akira's outfit was unmistakable.
"You've got the wrong person," Akira said, brushing past the crowd. Suddenly, a female reporter approached him with a microphone. "Student, what do you think about U.A. Academy? What's the experience been like, and why is it not open to the public?"
"No comment," Akira said, ignoring her and walking off.
"This… is this the standard behavior of U.A. High students?" the female reporter said in frustration, and a few bystanders murmured, annoyed by his attitude. They seemed to think he was acting like a celebrity.
Midoriya watched Akira leave, feeling baffled. Admit the wrong person? This was clearly Akira. Why was he hiding? Could there be something more to this?
Seeing the media closing in on him, Midoriya made an excuse about going to the health room and slipped away.
The reporters shifted their focus. "Can you describe what it's like to have All Might as an instructor?" the female reporter asked, moving the microphone toward Uraraka Ochaco.
"Well… he's, uh, really muscular," Uraraka said, a little embarrassed.
"What are your thoughts on All Might?" the reporter then asked Ida Tenya.
Ida, serious as always, replied, "This has made me appreciate even more the privilege of studying at such an esteemed institution. All Might's authority and charisma, as well as his humor, are inspiring. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn directly from the top heroes."
Ida's response seemed to go on a bit longer than the reporters wanted, as they tried to steer the conversation back to All Might's public impact.
Interrupting the flow, a female reporter tried to question Bakugo Katsuki about his incident with the sludge villain. Bakugo snapped, "Shut up!" grinding his teeth.
Eventually, Aizawa Shouta appeared, though he kept his responses brief. Unfazed by the reporters' attempts to probe for information, he directed them off school property.
In the end, U.A. raised its barriers, blocking off the reporters and crowd.
Akira, who had been watching from behind a tree, caught sight of Shigaraki Tomura standing in the distance, blending with the shadows of the crowd in dark attire.
"He… actually showed up," Akira muttered, clenching his fists. Time was running out. He had to increase his strength quickly. Soon, he might need to stand shoulder to shoulder with All Might, ready for any confrontation.
With the whole country aware of All Might's role at U.A., it was clear he'd become a prime target for the villains.