The next morning, while out running, Izuku Midoriya deliberately chose a different route.
He didn't want to run into Katsuki Bakugo.
"But… Kacchan is definitely going to confront me at school anyway…"
Izuku grimaced as he ran, remembering how, back in middle school, Bakugo would beat and yell at him over the smallest things.
"…I really hope he doesn't yell at me today…"
He rubbed his forehead, already feeling a headache coming on.
"…Maybe I should just wear a mask."
After finishing his run, Izuku returned home, went straight to his room, and opened his closet.
He climbed inside—digging deep into the back—
Until his hand touched something.
"Found it!"
He pulled out a box and set it on his desk.
"…I haven't opened this in ages."
"I wonder if anything inside still fits…"
He opened it.
Inside were old keepsakes.
"This was from when I went to a festival as a kid… way too small now."
"And this one… the All Might mask I bought with Kacchan back then… no, not that one…"
Then—
He paused.
"…Ah. This one."
Izuku pulled out a half-face mask—
Along with an old photograph.
The photo had yellowed with time.
It was only half of the original image.
In it—
A younger Izuku stood beside another child.
They were laughing. Playing.
Happy.
"…We used to play together almost every day…"
Izuku stared at the photo quietly.
"For some reason… we ended up going our separate ways…"
All that remained—
Was this mask.
And half a photograph.
"…I'll wear this one today."
He brushed the dust off the mask and put it on.
It covered the lower half of his face.
"…Yeah. This works."
"At least I won't look as weird…"
"Mom! I'm heading out!"
"Okay!—Hm?"
"Why are you wearing a mask to school today, Izuku?"
"That's because… um…"
"Ohhh, I see."
"Looks like Izuku's entering his 'chuunibyou phase.'"
"Go on, go on—just make sure you get along with your classmates!"
"…Yeah, got it!"
Early Morning at U.A.
At 7:00 a.m., Izuku arrived at the classroom.
It was empty.
"…Am I the first one here?"
He sat down, glanced at Bakugo's seat in front of him—
Then quietly adjusted his mask.
"…Alright. Decision made."
"I won't talk to Kacchan today."
"And outside of class… I'll stay out of his sight."
He thought carefully.
"…The library."
"I can't use my Quirk there anyway, and it's a good place to focus."
"Yeah. That works."
Izuku took out his books and began reviewing.
After a while—
He checked the time.
"…They'll be arriving soon."
Including Bakugo.
Izuku stood up immediately, grabbed a book, and slipped out of the classroom.
"Students usually arrive between 7:10 and 7:20…"
"Class starts at 8:00…"
"So how do I kill the rest of the time…?"
He pulled something from his pocket.
Half of the old photograph.
"…I really was close to him back then…"
"We played together almost every day…"
"But after that…"
"…I can't remember clearly."
He scratched his head.
"…Forget it."
"When the time comes… I'll meet him again."
Izuku put the photo away—
Then checked his phone.
It was filled with messages from Bakugo.
All of them said the same thing.
Tomorrow, I'm going to beat you up.
"…Yeah. That's definitely Kacchan."
Izuku forced a small smile.
"…Good thing I decided to avoid him today."
He switched topics in his mind.
"I've only trained my kicks and punches up to Chapter Three…"
"Next is Chapter Four…"
Meanwhile — Inside the Classroom
At 7:10—
Bakugo arrived.
He knew.
At this time—
Izuku should already be here.
"Deku."
"Explain yourself."
He slammed the door open—
But the classroom was empty.
"…Tch."
His eyes landed on Izuku's schoolbag.
"He's here…"
"…Hiding from me?"
Bakugo kicked Izuku's desk hard.
"Coward."
"When you come back, I'm beating you senseless."
He sat down, glaring.
Class Fills Up
At 7:40—
Tenya Iida entered with the rest of the class.
They immediately noticed Bakugo's foul mood.
And—
Izuku's absence.
"…Strange. Midoriya should've been here already."
"Yeah, where is he?"
"I don't know," Kaminari said, dropping his bag.
"If that idiot shows up, I'm the first one hitting him!"
Bakugo snapped.
"I don't know what's going on between you two," Iida said firmly,
"But class is about to begin. Take your seats!"
At that moment—
The door opened.
Izuku walked in.
Behind him—
Aizawa Shouta.
Bandaged.
"Sensei! You recovered so fast!"
"Are you okay, sir?!"
"Isn't this too soon?!"
Izuku quietly slipped back to his seat, trying to be invisible—
But Bakugo's eyes locked onto him instantly.
Izuku froze.
Thankfully—
The mask hid his expression.
He sat down silently.
Announcement
"I'm fine."
Aizawa spoke flatly.
"The important thing is—this isn't over yet."
"…Over?"
"…What do you mean?"
"Are villains attacking again?!"
Then—
Aizawa raised his voice.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is coming soon."
"…WHAT?!"
"Finally! The big event!!"
Izuku's eyes sharpened.
The U.A. Sports Festival…
An annual event that replaced the Olympics…
Top agencies scout talent there…
Recognition, experience, opportunity—everything is at stake.
This is my chance.
Izuku clenched his fists.
With my current physical ability…
And One For All…
I can definitely place well.
Then—
He glanced at Bakugo.
And sighed.
First… I need to survive Kacchan.
A Strange Game of Cat and Mouse
After that class—
A strange pattern began.
Every time the bell rang—
Izuku bolted out of the classroom.
Bakugo chased after him.
Before the next class—
Bakugo would return—
Looking furious.
And Izuku would follow—
Silent.
"…What are those two even doing?"
"Something definitely happened…"
Uraraka and Mina whispered.
"I saw them both staring at their phones yesterday," Hagakure said.
"It looked serious…"
"…Should I sneak a look at Izuku's phone?"
"Absolutely not!"
Iida cut in sharply.
"That's a violation of privacy!"
"And besides," he added,
"I saw Midoriya take his phone with him earlier."
The mystery remained.
But one thing was clear—
Something had changed between them.