Red and White, Black and Blue

Chapter 16: Internships

The next week of classes passes by in a blur of homework and training. But at last, the day of the internships finally arrives. The whole class is slowly gathering up in the train station near UA, with Aizawa supervising.

Shoto walks up next to Ryumi, toward the rear of the forming group, and sneaks a look at her train ticket. "Hosu? I thought you had somewhere else in mind last time we talked about it."

"Mm..." Ryumi looks at him, then rather pointedly shifts her gaze to Iida, standing at the front of the class. She keeps her voice low as she answers. "I had a... call it a bad feeling." She doesn't want to admit - at least not here with everyone around - that she saw Iida's paper, and his only pick was an agency based in Hosu. "Anyway, I'm sure the Normal Agency will still have some useful stuff for me to see and learn."

He follows her eyeline to the class president, who still has that strangely distant feeling about him. Even over the previous week, he's continued to be abnormally quiet - sometimes even seeming to forget to scold those breaking school rules, which he used to be so quick to do. If not for the incident with his brother, it might easily have been blown off as the typically uptight Iida finally starting to loosen up a little.

Shoto looks back at Ryumi, seeing the worry written on her face. He nods his agreement. Someone needs to keep an eye on their classmate.

As the last of the group trickles in, Aizawa clears his throat and addresses them. "Everyone has their costumes, right? Remember, you don't have permission to wear them out in public yet, but don't drop them or lose them."

Many of the costume suitcases are being carried recklessly regardless of the warning - but they are all present and accounted for.

"Gotcha!" Mina cheers, lifting hers overhead with a wild grin.

"Speak properly. It's 'yes, sensei', Ashido." Aizawa grumbles back.

A deflated Mina lowers her costume case to the ground and responds as requested. "Yes, sensei..."

"All of you, make sure you mind your manners and be on your best behavior!" Aizawa commands as he surveys the lot of them. "Now go, get to it." He waves for the students to head out their respective directions to catch their trains, and the crowd rapidly splinters into smaller friend groups wishing each other luck before separating out entirely.

Toru skips merrily toward her own train, waving to Ojiro as she passes. "This is gonna be fun!"

"You headed to Kyushu?" Kirishima asks, tapping Tokoyami on the shoulder. "It's the other way." He points out the line on a map and gestures down the hall.

"Of course... thank you." The bird boy corrects his route and departs.

Meanwhile, Iida starts off alone, without saying much to anyone. Despite that having become the norm these past weeks, it still draws worried looks from those watching. Shoto included.

But he's drawn out of those thoughts again as Ryumi pops up behind him, hitting his shoulder with her wing. "Hey - see you in a week." She grins, and then lowers her voice, taking a more serious tone. "...Don't be afraid to call or text if things get... you know. Promise I'll answer as long as I'm not busy."

He's a bit startled by her sudden reappearance beside him, but he nods. "Thanks. I won't." He stops, seeming to look for something, but he quickly gives up. "See you later." He waves to her and wanders off into the crowd, on his way to his father's agency.

Ryumi can't help but worry for him too, even if Iida has to be her immediate concern for the next few days. It's been obvious to her that Shoto's been dreading this week, whatever excuses he might give about needing to learn from the man, and however logical those reasons might be. But... she can't be in both places. And she didn't get an offer from Endeavor - nobody did, from what she's heard, other than Shoto. She doubts even Ryukyu's influence could have gotten her a place there. So, she has to simply hope that checking in once in a while will be enough, and trust that he'll be alright.