DEAD STARS

XIX. THOSE BORN WITH EVERYTHING

I sighed. "Todoroki, do you really think you could win with half your power?"

The way he is rejecting his father was something beyond my comprehension. "Don't make me laugh. Besides, what you said wasn't even half funny."

My deadpanned expression was match by his glare. I was about to walk away, my stomach is protesting and I really wanted to eat that katsudon. But Todoroki speak again.

"I'm gonna beat you. You and Midoriya. I'll show you the difference between the two of us. I can reject him, rebel against him, because I'm not afraid. What about you? You can't even go against your parents' words, always doing what they tell you to."

His words struck so deep that for a second, I thought my heart would clench down to pieces. There are truths that one cannot accept. The truth that I'm like a puppet being controlled by my parents.

I turned around, facing him. I don't know if he managed to get a glimpse of my emotion, but I masked it quickly. "Todoroki, frankly I'm not interested in someone who doesn't give it their all. Use one hundred percent of your quirk and I might fight seriously. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to win."

I did not say win against me. Before we get to fight, he'll have to face Midoriya, assuming he'll win against Shinso. I know for sure, Todoroki wouldn't be able to beat Midoriya with only half his quirk. That's the kind of person Midoriya is.

"By the way, after the Sports Festival, Endeavor asked me to intern in his Agency. I accepted the offer."

I turned around before I could see his expression akin to surprise. "You said you will reject him, right? To reject something, you must first accept it. See you on the match, Todoroki."

I hope what I said pull some cords in his otherwise darkening thoughts. Humans can change quickly, after all.

_____

I was walking back from the cafeteria, when I saw that the bowl of katsudon was already gone, my hunger disappeared and now, I was walking aimlessly down the corridor towards the bench where Class 1-A was. However, as I turn a corner I stumbled upon Midoriya who instantly jumped in surprise as he mumble incoherent sentences.

He is nervous. That much I could tell.

I put my hand on his shoulder and I heard him squeak. "Calm down."

He took a deep breath and calmed down a bit. He is, as of now, the first person to ever calm down by being told to calm down.

"Your first match was with Shinso, right?" Midoriya nodded.

"Good luck. You can win, right?"

Midoriya gulped visibly. "O-of course, Hoshiko!"

"Just be careful, you might not want to speak once the match begins." I walked past him. If Midoriya were to lose in the first match, I wouldn't be able to see something interesting. His fight against Todoroki.

Once I got to where my classmates were, the match was about to begin. Cementoss was just about done with the stage.

"Okay, are you ready?!" Present Mic's voice boomed around the whole arena as the spectators cheered.

"The first match! From the Hero Course, Izuku Midoriya! Versus! From the General Studies, Hitoshi Shinso! The rules are simple! Fore your opponent out of bounds or immobilize them! You could also win by making your opponent say, 'I give up.'!"