SUMMER TRAINING

TWELVE MONTHS AGO

Inside the resthouse is a large dining hall big enough for the three class sections. Every one was in the middle of enjoying the plentiful buffet made by the teachers. The lunch served at three in the afternoon felt like heaven after hell for the freshmen. The wounds and bruises from their fight with their seniors were still present, but they couldn't even feel of because of the happiness brought by food.

Speaking of the seniors, Yaoyorozu turned to her lover right beside her.

"They are a strong batch compared to us, don't you think?"

"Why do you say so?" Shouto asked.

"Back then, we weren't able to eat until evening. But this batch managed to reach the resthouse in the afternoon."

After listening to his lover's opinion, Shouto recalled the moments during the fight. The Classes A and B were indeed strong, especially the two ace students.

He turned his eyes on to the girl sitting at the dining table far from where he was. Her golden eyes were calm as she was eating her meal elegantly.

"Aoi was really strong today."

"Yes. However," Yaoyorozu looked at the direction where Shouto was looking. She noticed the guy beside Aoi, who bumped his shoulder at his bestfriend to get her attention. They started talking. "It was the strong leadership and command of someone that made them really strong."

"Kuroiwa." Shouto muttered under his breath.

Shin took a chunk of beef teriyaki with his chopstick and moved it towards the mouth of Aoi. His bestfriend opened her mouth naturally and Shin fed her the beef teriyaki. She nodded her head while chewing the food with her mouth closed, showing that it was delicious. Shin took another piece of the beef teriyaki from his plate.

"Todoroki-san..?"

He turned his head to Yaoyorozu. Her eyes were filled with worry, making him confused.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

Yaoyorozu's gentle hands held Shouto's right hand that was clenched into a fist. It was only then when he realized that the metal chopsticks he was holding had been bent badly with his grip.

"Are you okay?" Yaoyorozu asked.

Shouto nodded his head to show he's alright, and to distract himself from Aoi and Shin.

"Yes, I'm alright."

Yaoyorozu paused. She knew something was wrong but she didn't dare to ask. Instead, she smiled gently.

"I'll get you a new pair." She stood up and walked towards the buffet table.

She kept her composure despite the anxious feeling in her chest. What she saw on Shouto's eyes was definitely jealousy.

Yaoyorozu took a pair of chopsticks and started walking back to the table.

With her hand, gripping the chopsticks, on her chest. She tried her best to calm herself down.

Shouto did not like Aoi. He might not hate her as he did before because of the Aoi's incident during her internship, but he surely had no feelings for her. Yaoyorozu was sure of it. Because if he did have feelings for, why would he push her away?

Why did he choose Yaoyorozu instead?

Yaoyorozu arrived at their table and she handed him the chopsticks with a smile.

~*~

After two knocks, Aoi opened the door. The boys of Class A looked at her in surprise as she entered their group dorm room.

"Sorry for intruding." She stated as she closed the door.

Shin narrowed his eyes as soon as he saw her.

"I'm here to heal you guys up."

"Woah."
"Thank you, Kiseki!"
"Man, you're Quirk's convenient."
"It's good to have you on our class."

Aoi moved towards one of her male classmates. She asked what his injuries were and where it was. Then she started healing them. As soon as she finished healing him up, she moved to her next classmate.

There were a lot of male students in Class A so it took quite a while before she could reach Shin who was waiting for her on his bed at the furthest corner.

"Show me your injuries."

"No need to heal me."

Aoi immediately understood what he meant. She sat down on the side of his bed.

"I'm doing this to train myself. There weren't any grave injuries."

"But your head is still pounding nonetheless." Shin muttered. He could feel his head pounding as he stared at Aoi. "You went here as you finished healing our female classmates. And you're even planning to heal the Class B and Class 3-A after this."

This was one of the moments where Aoi wished that Shin can't read minds.

"Please let me do this. I want to train harder for this" Aoi pleaded.

"Why?"

"If I improve this Quirk more, I can help a lot especially in emergency situations."

"That's not the real reason."

Aoi lost her words. Her mind started searching for other reasons, but she could see that Shin was looking for something else. Something other than logical, and objective reasons that her head is making up.

Something that her heart was saying instead of her mind. She opened her mouth.

"I don't know why but, every time I healed someone... I feel something warm inside me. I feel so--"

"Happy." Shin stated.

Aoi paused for a moment, then she nodded.

"Perhaps this power of mine can make me a better hero..." She trailed off.

She didn't want other people to hear that this power of hers could perhaps make her a different hero than what she had plan. She would not become a hero that would stay by Shouto's side and protect him. Rather, she would become a hero that could remove physical pain. She would be a healer.

Seeing her thoughts, Shin sighed helplessly. He removed his shirt, revealing the bruises all over his body along with some burns and cuts. There were only few scars left on his body.

Aoi reached out her palms inches near his body. Her hands started glowing.

In the middle of the healing session, Aizawa-sensei entered the dorm.

"Kuroiwa." He called out the Class A's representative. Shin turned his head to him, reading his teacher's mind.

Then Shin smiled.

"I understand Sensei."

Aizawa-sensei nodded.

"Remember students, lights out is at 10 pm." He announced before leaving.

"Another task?" Aoi asked Shin.

Her best friend nodded.