After Aizawa dismissed us, we all headed back to Class 1-A's room to grab our syllabus from the stack he'd dumped on the front desk and walked out without a word. The man really didn't believe in formalities. One minute we were under threat of expulsion, the next we were being told to pick up a packet and leave.
Well, it works for me anyways.
Now the four of us—Ashido, Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, and myself—were making our way out of the building, syllabuses in hand.
I skimmed through mine as we walked. The syllabus was vague, more of an outline than a plan—broad categories like Quirk application, combat drills, and rescue operations were listed, but without specifics. A note near the bottom clarified that Aizawa, as our primary instructor, would determine the details and direction of our training.
There was also a brief mention of a secondary faculty member assigned to "Foundational Heroics," someone we'd be seeing on occasion throughout the term. No name was listed. Just a placeholder title.
I had a feeling I knew exactly who it was.
But there was one specific section that caught my eye.
Hero Law. Instructor: Midnight.
Out of all the non-combat classes, that was probably the most important. You can't be a hero if you don't know where the line is—because the second you cross it, the media won't care how many lives you saved. They'll crucify you just for some extra clicks and headlines.
Ashido leaned over my shoulder as we walked. "What class are you eyeballing so hard?"
"Hero Law," I said, not bothering to hide the interest in my tone.
"Ooh, Midnight's class," she replied with a sly grin. "She's the one with the—"
"I was just comparing it to the other gen ed classes," I cut in smoothly before she could get too descriptive. "Math with Ectoplasm, English with Present Mic? I guess English is useful if you're planning on international work, but Hero Law looks like the most relevant thing we've got."
Inwardly, I shrugged.
Well… the view wouldn't be the worst part either.
Momo let out a quiet breath beside me, clearly trying to ignore the direction the conversation almost took.
Kirishima jumped in a second later. "Speaking of training stuff, I asked Aizawa-sensei about using the gym after hours. He said it's fine, as long as we don't go breaking stuff."
Ashido perked up. "Nice! That place looked super modern when we passed it earlier."
"I'm thinking of checking it out soon," Kirishima added. "Honestly, after today's tests, I feel like I need to start pushing harder to get better results."
"Speaking of results, check this out." I said casually, and lifted the hem of my shirt.
Kirishima's jaw dropped. "Dude—what?!"
The muscles were clean, hard, and defined—like someone had sculpted them in with a chisel. My abs were sharper than they'd ever been, and the last traces of fat were long gone.
"Holy crap, dude. That's gotta be eight percent body fat," Kirishima said, sounding utterly awed. "It might even be less."
Beside me, Momo turned toward me tilting her head slightly. "Wait, but… my Quirk doesn't burn through fat that quickly. And I didn't even see you use it that much.
I gave a small shrug, still not dropping the shirt. "Ah, right—I never mentioned the downside. When I copy a Quirk, I don't get the full version. It's maybe ten percent of the original, and it doesn't last forever."
She blinked, then nodded slowly as it clicked. "I see… so the output is lower, but the cost stays the same. Meaning you're using up significantly more fat for much less creation."
"Exactly."
Momo looked away again, pink creeping into her cheeks—and while I noticed, I didn't point it out. Guess the view was a bit distracting
Ashido let out a low, drawn-out hum, almost a purr. Her eyes roamed down my torso and back up again. She didn't even pretend to be subtle. Her tongue ran slowly across her bottom lip.
No attempt at subtlety. Not even pretending. She might as well have whistled.
Kirishima clapped a hand on my shoulder like we'd just sealed a blood pact. "That's awesome, man! So manly. Actually, screw waiting—I'm heading to the gym right now!"
He turned, already bouncing on his heels. "You guys in?"
Momo offered a small, polite smile. "I'm afraid I have some responsibilities at home. I won't be able to stay. But thank you for the invitation."
"Using Yaoyorozu's Quirk drained me more than I expected," I said. "I'm heading out to get something to eat. You know how it is, I need to refuel now."
Ashido opened her mouth, paused, then gave a small shrug. "Ah, I'd love to... but I've got plans." Her tone was light, almost offhand. "Besides, I'm sore all over. Guess I'll take the excuse to be lazy today."
She glanced my way with just a flicker of something behind her grin—casual, but maybe a little too casual.
Kirishima didn't take it personally and gave a one-shoulder shrug. "Fair enough. Still, someone's gotta break in the gym. I'll get a feel for the place."
"Let me know how it is," I said. "I'll join you next time."
"Hell yeah, bro!" he exclaimed, already heading off with his usual enthusiasm.
And then it was just the three of us.
Ashido stretched her arms behind her head, then glanced sideways at me. "So, how're you getting home?"
"Driving, I got a new car." I replied simply.
She raised a brow. "Ooh, fancy. Meanwhile, I get to enjoy the wonderful experience of public transportation."
I was just about to offer her a ride when—
"I could ask my driver to take you," Yaoyorozu offered suddenly, her voice a little brighter than usual. "It wouldn't be any trouble at all. I mean, if it's on the way…"
Ashido blinked. "Driver?"
"Yes," Momo replied with a light nod, trying to keep her tone even, though there was a slight tightness in her posture. "He's already on his way. I could just call him and let him know to make a quick stop for you."
Ashido smiled, clearly touched—but shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass. That's super nice of you, though."
Momo nodded a bit stiffly, but offered us both a polite smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
She turned and walked off, posture upright and pace composed.
Ashido watched her go with an amused tilt of her head. "Driver?" she repeated under her breath.
"Her family must be pretty wealthy," I said.
"Right?" Ashido replied. "She does give off that whole high-class upbringing vibe. You think she was trying to flex on me?"
I shook my head. "Nah. She doesn't seem like the type. I think she just got a little excited about helping out."
"Hmm, makes sense." Ashido gave a small shrug, brushing it off without much concern.
We made our way toward the parking lot. She fell into step beside me without asking.
My car was parked near the far end, the afternoon light glinting off its polished surface.
Ashido whistled under her breath. "Damn. That thing's a beast."
"Glad you approve."
As I walked toward the driver's side, I could feel her eyes—still on the car, but not just the car.
Just as I clicked the unlock button twice, I glanced back over my shoulder.
"By the way," I said, letting a slight smirk pull at the corner of my mouth, "I thought you mentioned you commute. What're you doing following me all the way out here?"
Ashido arched a brow, crossing her arms with a playful glint in her eyes as she leaned her weight onto one hip.
"Wow. You catch me walking with you and suddenly I'm following you?" Her lips curled into a smirk "Can't a girl just enjoy the view while it lasts?"
I tilted my head, casually resting a hand on the roof of the car. "Didn't know you were such an enthusiast."
"I'm not," she said, stepping a little closer. "But I have good taste."
Her eyes moved over me—not the car—with deliberate interest. "Very good taste."
I held her gaze for a beat, then moved to open the driver's side door.
"So what I'm hearing is... you're inviting yourself in?"
She cocked her head. "Are you telling me you don't want me in your car?"
"I didn't say that."
"Good," she said, slipping into the passenger seat like she'd always meant to be there. "Because I'm already comfortable."