The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across U.A. High School's bustling campus. Izuku Midoriya, known to his friends as Deku, was on his usual afternoon run, a ritual that helped him clear his mind and hone his quirk. His heart raced with excitement as he navigated the familiar paths, each step echoing with the promise of heroism.
As he rounded a corner near the training grounds, he caught sight of a figure ahead—a third-year student named Asahi Ito. Tall and composed, Asahi exuded an aura of confidence that seemed to draw attention from those around him. His dark hair fluttered slightly in the breeze, and his eyes were focused straight ahead, unyielding.
Deku felt a rush of admiration mixed with apprehension. He had heard whispers about Asahi's incredible quirk—one that could manipulate matter itself—and how it had earned him accolades in both combat and rescue scenarios. Yet today, there was an unsettling stillness in the air as they approached one another.
As they drew closer, Deku's heart pounded louder; he felt an inexplicable tension between them despite their silence. The world around them faded into a blur—the laughter of classmates and the distant sounds of training became mere background noise.
In that fleeting moment of proximity, Deku noticed something unusual in Asahi's expression—a flicker of something deeper than confidence: perhaps caution or even wariness? It was gone as quickly as it appeared when they passed each other without a word.
Deku continued on his run but couldn't shake off the feeling that this encounter marked the beginning of something significant—an unspoken warning about the complexities lurking beneath U.A.'s surface.