(Song: Hey Look Ma, I Made It - Panic! At The Disco)

One week later...

(Y/N's P.O.V.)

It's agonizing. 

The letter still hasn't arrived in our mailbox, and it's been nearly a week since the exams. I start to wonder if they're ever going to get back to me, or if this was their way of telling me that I just wasn't good enough for U.A., and that my dreams were never going to become a reality. The smell of my father's cooking wafts into my room from the kitchen down the hall, but it barely reaches me as it normally would. My mind is blank with fear and boredom, I can't think of anything else but the letter. I'm lucky I even got into the exams in the first place... What do I do if all of Shinji's hard work goes to waste? Will he be mad? Will the news disappoint my father...? 

I blow a raspberry and swing myself upright before walking out of the room and into the kitchen, where my father mixes his famous stir-fried rice. The smell always seems to lift my heart, but not today. I flop down on the couch and switch on the T.V., mindlessly listening to the latest news. Soon, my father puts a bowl of rice in front of me, smiling. "Hey, honey," He cooes, sitting beside me on the couch. "I know the wait is painful, but don't worry, it'll be here soon."

"I guess." I mumble, staring weakly at my bowl of fried rice. 

"I just want you to know that I am so proud of you, whether you get into U.A. or not. You're still my pretty fish-daughter." He grins, poking my side with his chopstick. 

I smile weakly at the gesture. "Thanks, Daddy," I say, beginning to dig into my rice (even though my stomach is in knots. My mind is everywhere at once, but it somehow manages to wander over to the subject of Bakugou. I feel my stress decrease slightly at the thought of our names, carved into the wood of the gazebo. Ever since that day, we began hanging out at the small wooden structure instead of at his house. I like to let him rant and rave, to vent his problems where no one else can hear him but me. He talks about his mom, his dad, and everything else that might trouble him. He's even gotten around to calling me Y/N instead of 'loser' or 'dork'. 

But... if I bombed the exams and I don't get into U.A., what will he think of me?

"Y/N!" My father snaps his fingers in front of my face. 

"Wha--Huh?" I ask quietly, looking around. 

"I asked if you wanted me to check the mail after dinner," He says again with a chuckle. I nod slowly as I finish off my fried rice, my mind wandering once more. Standing up, I thank my father for the dinner and rinse out my bowl, walking into my room and closing my door. Flopping down on the bed once more, I again focus my vision on the turning blades of the ceiling fan. The front door opens and closes gently, and then, all is still. I close my eyes and whimper quietly, hoping that this time, the letter will have come.

The front door opens and closes again, followed by shouting and thumping. My eyes widen as I shoot upright. My father bursts through the door, stumbling over to me. "Y/N, you god a letter, holy shit, you got the results!" 

"What?!" I ask. My father stands up on wobbly legs and hands me an envelope closed up with a red wax seal, U.A. High School's logo imprinted on the material. I gasp loudly and shakily take the envelope from his hands, noticing the peculiar round shape inside. I swallow the knot in my throat. "I'm... gonna need some alone-time." I whisper nervously, to which my father nods and closes my door again.

Walking over to my bed, I take a deep breath and place it in front of me. My lips quiver slightly as I continue staring at the package. Finally, I give in and grab the envelope, tearing it in half. A small disc clatters to the floor beside my bed. I stare at it for a moment as it begins to glow blue, projecting a video of All Might onto my bedroom wall.

"BOOYAH! I am here!" He laughs. I yelp in surprise and stumble off of my bed, staring at the projection. "Young L/N, As the symbol of peace, I am honored to say that you and I will be seeing a lot more of eachother during the coming years. For I, All Might, am going to be taking the role of a U.A. High School staff member!"

"All Might... Teacher...?" I murmur, staring intently at the image. It seems like my heart has stopped beating. He nods, like he can hear me. Wait... Can he??

"You did well on the written test. The mind is a very important factor to being a hero, and yours is strong and healthy! That is why you scored 54/55 questions correctly!" All Might laughs. What about the practical? The interview?! C'mon, All Might, tell me!

"Young lady, I have great respect for you," He grins, placing his hands on his hips. "Determination, raw power, those are stereotypical traits shown in heroes. But determination is nothing without passion, and power is nothing without motive. All four combined give a person what it takes to care about another, to dedicate themselves to saving others no matter the cost. That is what my alma mater is all about. Training those who would risk themselves for the greater good!" He throws his hands to the sides in triumph.

"The practical exam held many challenges for some, but you persevered, using strategy to make it through. You raced past the finish line a hair away from second place, and astonished the judges with your power and agility."

Footage begins to play of the race, but I can barely speak as the scores roll in. My name is listed third, highlighted green along with the first and second place winners. "The names in orange mark the lowest rating examinees. The yellow is a step up, but the green marks the ones who passed," All Might booms, turning to face me. "And you made the mark. Welcome, Y/N. You have made it. You are now part of the hero academia!"

The video stops playing, an image of All Might's face frozen upon my wall. I can't manage anything for a second. My throat is glued shut. My eyes are filled with tears of joy. My jaw is slack and my heart is beating out of my chest.

"Did... You hear that, mom?" I ask quietly, my lips slowly pulling into a smile. "I've done it..."

"I'VE DONE IT!!" A scream of joy tears from my throat, provoking the tears that collected in my eyes to come flooding down my face like miniature waterfalls that leave salty trails in their wake. I manage to stand and stumble to my door before flinging it open and jumping into my father's arms. "I did it, Daddy! I did it, I'm gonna make you proud!" I laugh into his shirt as he wraps his arms around my body, twirling me around with an explosion of congratulatory words and cheerful compliments.

"I knew you could do it, baby! I just knew it! My little fishy is gonna be a hero!" My father shouts, lifting me into the air like he did when I was a child. "We have to celebrate. We have to tell everyone!" He grins, setting me down and running to the phone in the kitchen.

I turn and walk back into my room, picking up the folded paper tucked inside of the ripped envelope. Grabbing a pen, I get to work filling out my acceptance letter. When I'm finished, I grab a fresh envelope and bring the paper to my father to finalize the enrollment process.

This is it, mom...

...I'm gonna be a hero...

~~~

Publishing date:

April 19th, 2019