𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 & 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 ミ 𝙠. 𝙗𝙖𝙠𝙪𝙜𝙤𝙪

part 18: selfless

A few days had passed since Shizuku and the others were discharged from the hospital. This morning, Endeavor had messaged her, asking to talk personally. Back in their dorms, Shizuku and Elaine were now at their house, reflecting on the whirlwind of events that had unfolded in just over two weeks. Today seemed no different. Shizuku woke up to find two neatly folded papers with her name and Elaine's name on them. Curiosity got the best of her, so she opened the one addressed to her.

As she read Midoriya's letter, a tear slid down Shizuku's cheek. In it, he announced his departure from UA, explaining that he was being targeted by the enemy for possessing what All for One was after: his quirk, One for All. To protect everyone he cared about, he had to distance himself and isolate from them to prevent any harm.

Placing the paper on her table, Shizuku felt a rush of emotions. Barefoot, she hurried to the Class 2A dorm building, hoping to find answers. Opening the door, she was met with the sight of her classmates, each holding the same folded paper. Some had tears in their eyes, while others wore unreadable expressions. Spotting Uraraka, one of Midoriya's closest friends, Shizuku rushed over to comfort her, knowing she must be deeply affected by the news.

Shizuku approached Shoto, seeking answers, but even her brother had no clue about what was happening.

"It's unlike Midoriya to leave without a warning, so this must be extremely serious," Shoto remarked.

"He cares too much about everyone, he became selfless," Shizuku agreed, earning a nod of understanding from her brother.

As she turned to leave, Shoto called out her name. "Yes, Shoto?" Shizuku replied with a smile.

"When this is all over, do you want to have dinner with us?" Shoto proposed, inspired by an idea from their older sister.

Shizuku hesitated for a moment, considering the offer. "Sure, as long as it won't be awkward," she replied with a hesitant expression. She hoped their reunion wouldn't be fraught with tension or discomfort.

Walking away from her brother, Shizuku spent the next few hours with the rest of the class, sharing their thoughts on Midoriya's sudden disappearance. They collectively disagreed with his decision to shoulder the burden alone. Determined to bring their classmate back and face the enemy together, they began planning their next steps as a united group.

As Shizuku's head began to throb, feeling as if it might split in two, she excused herself from the class, feigning a sudden headache.  "Shizuku," a voice called, causing her to curse under her breath. The pain was unbearable, and she hissed as she tried to endure it. "Shit, they found me." Shizuku cursed under her breath.  "Who found you?" Bakugou's voice sounded from behind, but Shizuku didn't respond. Instead, she activated her quirk and flew off from UA, desperate to escape the agony, the girl followed the sound of the voice.  "Shizuku," the voice called again, growing closer as she soared over the city. The smell of smoke lingered in the air from recent gas leaks caused by Shigaraki's wave of decay, and the tension was evident. It only intensified her discomfort, making her feel nauseous.

As Shizuku reached her destination, the calls ceased. Unaware of Bakugou's presence trailing her from afar, she stood against a few stacks of rubble, her focus consumed by the throbbing pain in her head.

Suddenly, a familiar silhouette emerged from the shadows of the alley across from Shizuku - Shigaraki Tomura.

Bakugou tensed as he watched the villain approach Shizuku, but she remained still and unmoved by his presence.

"Leave me be, Tenko," Shizuku said firmly.

"You waste your own potential for them, little Shizuku," Shigaraki retorted, his arm around her, but she didn't react.