The day after combat training ended.
Though it was only one day, after experiencing serious training and sparring that felt like real combat... I feel our class has changed quite a bit. In a good way, of course.
Not only did everyone become aware of issues in their own fighting styles, but also strengths and weaknesses regarding their Quirks they hadn't noticed before, their thoughts about Heroes and Villains, and so on.
And above all, many people became closer friends with their classmates after the training.
I'm one of them too.
I'd already mostly gotten along with the girls after our talk on the first day, or rather, since we'd started with some crazy conversations from the beginning, we didn't need to hold back, but I feel like the barriers with the boys have also come down and I can talk with them easily now.
It might be rude to say I'm not very feminine, but... from the boys' perspective, it seems I've become someone they can talk to normally about typically masculine topics despite being a girl. I enjoy pretty unfiltered conversations with Sero and Kirishima.
On the other hand, there are boys who can handle feminine topics too.
Like Sato, who's apparently good at cooking, especially making sweets, or Koda who loves animals.
Thinking like this makes me realize I've almost been forgetting I was originally male.
...Well, I've been born into this world for 16 years now. Maybe it's about time to let that go.
Besides the passage of time and my surroundings and reactions... there's another factor that's been pushing me in that direction, something that recently appeared close to me...
I was thinking about this while glancing at the plain-looking boy with messy green hair in the corner of my vision during our conversation.
Anyway, enough of that somewhat meaningful monologue.
Today is the day after Combat Training.
It was a completely ordinary day... no wait, sorry, it was actually pretty eventful. Correction.
First. Our Class 1-A decided on a class president today by Aizawa-sensei's instruction.
At first, Midoriya became president through voting, but after various things happened, Iida ended up taking the role.
Yaoyorozu was disappointed, saying "What a shame..."
Did she want to do it?... Sorry, I voted for Iida. Well, she became vice president, so do your best.
And another thing... today, while we were eating lunch in the classroom, an alarm went off.
When I took out my lunchbox (a family-style five-tiered one), everyone else eating in the classroom was stunned, but we quickly warmed up to each other and started exchanging side dishes. Sato's homemade sweets were really delicious.
And of all times, right when we were relaxing like that... apparently there was an intruder on campus, something about "Security Level 3 has been breached."
We were told to evacuate outside quickly, but the exits were so crowded it seemed impossible to get out, so I was thinking about waiting a bit before moving when the commotion itself had already settled down.
During that time, Iida excelled at evacuation guidance, which apparently led to Midoriya pushing the president role... I mean, transferring the president position to him.
By the way, the intruders were apparently just media. Must be that reporting frenzy thing... annoying, really annoying.
Then, after school that day.
"...You want me to teach you how to fight?"
"Yeah, um... sorry for the sudden request. But you're about the only person I can ask this of..."
He'd called me out with "Do you have some time after today?" and what he told me in the nap room was that.
By the way, the location being the nap room was apparently because he wanted to talk somewhere with few people, and this was the result of Midoriya thinking about where would be good. He said an acquaintance often uses it... I wonder who that is?
"Um... first, why are you telling me this?"
"Well... your Quirk somehow feels closest to my Quirk... so I thought you might be able to teach me about handling power, things like that. As you probably saw in combat training, I can't control my Quirk at all... every time I fire it, I become unable to fight."
"Ah... now that you mention it, that's right. So you really can't control it yet."
"Yeah..."
Midoriya drooped.
But immediately, while making apologetic eyes, he lifted his gaze and asked me directly.
"So that's why... I thought your advice would be most helpful since you have the same enhancement-type Quirk. There are others with similar Quirks like Sato-kun, but his trigger is sugar intake, so in terms of 'control,' there aren't many similarities... but I heard from Uraraka that you 'control' how much you enhance your body, right?"
"Well... yeah. No matter how much energy I've stored, if I enhance my body too much beyond its tolerance limit, the burden becomes greater and I could literally break my body... ah, now that you mention it, they might be similar, my Quirk and Midoriya's."
"Guh... I knew it!"
Hearing that, Midoriya made an expression like he'd truly found hope.
Immediately after, he tightened it into a serious one.
"Fumiko-san, I know this is a bother... but please! Teach me how to control my power!"
"Sure."
"So fast!?"
I gave permission at the same moment he bowed at a 90-degree angle to ask.
"R-really?... That easily..."
"Well, if it's okay for when I have time. I have various things to do too, so it'll be within the range of not interfering with that. Ah, but I don't plan to join any clubs, so I think I have relatively more free time."
"That's plenty! Ah, thank you Fumiko-san! I'll definitely repay you someday!"
"It's fine, it's fine. Probably, this benefits me too."
"Eh? You too?"
"Mmm... ah. You know how they say it? That teaching someone is just as educational as being taught. I thought that through guiding you with your similar Quirk, I might gain something too."
"I-I see, that makes sense..."
"So then... when should we do it? We could even start today if you want. I don't have anything today."
"Eh!? Then, um... I'd be happiest with that. Ah, but I have to submit an application to use the training space!"
"Right, that's a thing... hope something's available."
U.A. High School has numerous training rooms for Quirk training.
There are large ones used for entire class lessons, and smaller ones about basketball court-sized for individual or small group use.
You need to apply in advance to use them. Well, you can apply same-day if they're available, but in this school with many students of ambitious character, popular training rooms get booked up.
Depending on the season, apparently there are times when reservations are already made and nowhere is available, or everything's booked for weeks ahead. Especially before regular exams, they say.
This time, Midoriya and I will use the latter type (small, for individual use). Fortunately one was available, so we could use it even with a last-minute application.
"They say the rooms with no equipment, just sturdy ones, are relatively easy to get. Good thing one was open."
"Is that so... probably only people with purposes like ours who don't need specific training equipment use them. Since they're truly just sturdy empty rooms, you have to bring anything you need yourself."
What we're doing is just basic power control, so we don't need special equipment.
So even this room with concrete walls on all sides, front, back, left, right, up, down, is plenty sufficient.
...Speaking of which, this room being entirely concrete means it's probably the kind of room Cementoss-sensei, who teaches Japanese, could create instantly and repair quickly if broken. His Quirk should be manipulating concrete he touches at will... might actually be the case.
So, here we are, just Midoriya and me in this room.
"Well, sorry to keep you waiting Midoriya, shall we begin?"
"Yeah, please take care of me!"
"Hahaha, so formal. I'm not a teacher, you know."
That's right, I'm not a teacher.
I'm not in such an important position.
Certainly, I will guide you from now on, Midoriya.
But that's for your sake too... but more than that, it's for my sake.
Because I want to do it... because my 'instinct' tells me this is what I should do.
Because I want to do it, because I want to make you strong... because I want you to become strong.
Doing this is precisely my role.
Wanting to do this is my desire. My genuine, unfeigned true feelings.
The destiny of those who possess this Quirk... 'Infinite Energy.'
...Lately, I've been clearly paying attention to Midoriya.
Since the entrance exam, I've occasionally felt that mysterious heart pounding when calling him 'Deku-kun,' and though I didn't quite understand why, I was drawn to him.
It didn't feel like romantic feelings (even without considering my former male psyche's resistance), nor did I feel protective instincts or maternal feelings toward his clumsiness.
Yet, I find myself concerned about him for various reasons.
Before I know it, I'm thinking about wanting to take care of him, wanting to be useful to him.
Even giving him that 'cafe au lait' the other day was because I thought it would make him happy, would help him... well, I really did buy it by mistake, but the little 'manipulation' I did afterward... well.
...I've recently started to understand the true nature of these mysterious feelings.
Watching Midoriya innocently smile while saying "I'll do my best!"... reminds me of long ago, when I still lived with my mother.
That day, I asked my mother the first and last question about my father whom I'd never met.
'Hey, why did you and dad separate?'
'That's because... your father fell in love with someone other than me'
'Are you okay with that? You supported dad with everything... and you were fine with giving him to some unknown woman?'
'It's fine. Because I wanted to... no, because I found myself wanting to. I wanted to fulfill his wishes with my everything. I wanted to raise him, make him greater... so my wish was already fulfilled. Just seeing your father smile and succeed was enough for me. If I had to say... I only feel sorry for making you a fatherless child.'
'Mmm, it's totally fine! Just being with you makes me happy, mom! But that's right... dad was a Hero, wasn't he? Was he strong?'
'I wonder... yes, I think he was strong, but not famous enough for TV or anything, so not many people know him. ...Especially since he's already passed away.'
'I see...'
'…If my power, my Quirk had been stronger... He might have become stronger, greater... I think that sometimes. But that was impossible... for him and for me, that was our limit...'
'? Mom?'
'...Fumiko, you will surely be able to use a much stronger Quirk than I could... I can tell. Those who possess this Quirk are sensitive to similarly strong 'power,' and above all... to 'power that can become stronger.' So... someday, you too will surely meet someone. Someone you'll want to raise, support, lift up... even if it means dedicating your everything. That is the destiny of those who possess this power. Don't worry, your Quirk will...will teach you everything.'
…Fufufu.