After the smoothies, we all headed home to change, the usual chatter and teasing filling the air. The U.A. uniforms were a stark contrast to our casual clothes, immediately signaling a shift into school mode. Diamond, Marcus, and I practically skipped to English, the first period of the day, which was usually a snoozefest. However, Marcus managed to make it somewhat entertaining with his quick wit and sarcasm. The rest of the day followed suit, a blur of classes and lectures. Lunchtime was when we all truly came alive.
We settled around our usual table in the cafeteria, the clatter of cutlery and excited chatter a familiar soundtrack to our daily routine. It wasn't until I'd taken my first bite of my rice bowl that a cold dread washed over me. It was a feeling I'd grown accustomed to – a sort of primal instinct that often preceded something going wrong. It was never clear, just this gut-wrenching unease.
I zoned out, my appetite vanishing. Diamond was the first to notice, her voice cutting through the noise, "Anos! Earth to Anos! What's wrong?"
Her concern was a tangible thing, a warm blanket around my shoulders despite the icy feeling in my stomach. "Bad feeling," I mumbled, taking a sip of my iced tea to distract myself. "Don't know what, it's like a gut feeling."
Her eyes narrowed, worry creasing her brow. "About what?"
I shook my head, the explanation always failing me. "I don't know. It's…instinct. It comes and goes."
Before she could press further, a cacophony of yelling erupted from the hallway. That feeling intensified, a sharp, insistent pulse at the base of my skull. Diamond and I were on our feet instantly, the others following close behind. The hallway was pandemonium. Monoma from Class 1-B and Katsuki, face contorted in rage, were locked in a brawl. A crowd of first years had gathered, some cheering, some recording, their faces alight with morbid curiosity.
"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. This was definitely not how I wanted to spend my afternoon.
"Katsume!" I yelled, my voice surprisingly loud. He appeared instantly, his face a mask of concern as he took in the scene. While Katsume and Eliza pulled a struggling Katsuki away, Diamond and I grabbed Monoma, dragging him off to an empty classroom.
I was about to unleash a lecture worthy of a disappointed father when Diamond stepped in, throwing me a knowing glance. Her voice was low and controlled, but the words she chose were biting, sharp enough to make Monoma squirm. Honestly, she did a better job than I would have. I was about ready to just unleash the disappointment I was feeling. As she went on Monoma was about to say some smart remark but the door barged open and his older sister, Nami, stood at the door, her face a dangerous storm cloud.
Nami. Nami was our classmate since elementary school. She was known for her gentle smile, her kind eyes, and her quiet demeanor. Seeing her this angry was… unnerving. She unleashed a torrent of scathing words on Monoma, even worse than Diamond had previously, her voice surprisingly loud. I'd never seen her raise her voice before. Diamond and I took that as our cue to exit, walking quickly to the room where Eliza and Katsume had taken Katsuki.
Katsume was pacing, his frustration rolling off him in waves, "You just can't control yourself, can you?" he said, his voice heavy with disappointment as he lectured Katsuki. It was painful to watch, the usually lighthearted Katsume struggling to contain his anger and disappointment. Katsuki just looked drained and annoyed as he sat there listening. It was clear his lack of control frustrated and worried his older brother.
Today was already proving to be a disaster. We were only a few months into U.A. and Katsuki already had his first fight. Someone would have to report it and deal with the fallout and I knew, I dreaded that part. The system was never fun to deal with. But I knew Diamond would not let me deal with it as she was already on it.
"Go to class, get some fresh air," Katsume sighed, dismissing his younger brother. Diamond said she'd handle the reporting and that she would do it now to get it off her plate for the day.
I pulled a chair up to Katsume, "You okay?"
He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "He… he just doesn't get it. It's like he's trying to sabotage himself. It's hard to watch, he can't keep doing this. I've seen this from him constantly it needs to stop."
Eliza placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her touch seemingly grounding him. We talked for a while, letting him vent his frustrations.
The rest of the day passed in a haze. By the time classes were done, I desperately needed to escape. We piled into the luxury apartment Katsume's parents provided for us – a sanctuary from the chaos of U.A. Izuku was training with All Might, so I had few hours of peace with my friends.
We collapsed onto the plush couches, a comfortable silence settling over us as we worked on homework. Eventually, Katsume sighed, breaking the quiet, "I'm really worried… about Katsuki. He has no self control…."
I looked up from my history textbook, my brows furrowed. I understood. It was hard watching the people we cared about stumble, especially when that stumble was a self-inflicted wound. I knew how that felt. And it was a feeling I felt often.