Tooru asked, "So what do you think training is gonna be today? What with Aizawa-sensei asking us not to suit up and all."
"Maybe it's just a normal lesson about team tactics and strategy," Momo answered from the invisible girl's left.
From Hagakure's right, Midoriya said, "Or maybe a more detailed review of our last two lessons. They were briefer than to my liking."
Yaoyorozu then asked, "Are you saying that cause of Aizawa-sensei's hasty exit each time?"
Izuku nodded at this but didn't have anything to add and said nothing.
"Oh, I bet we just annoyed him with our banter. Especially during our first meeting," Tooru stated. Her arm then rose, and she patted Momo's back as she said, "He didn't much care about the whole outing of you and Ojiro-kun as dating."
The vice class president responded with, "He might just be tired like All Might-sensei said."
Hagakure shrugged before saying, "Maybe, but enough about that. Tell me about your little afternoon date with Ojiro-kun yesterday!"
As Momo explained, Izuku instead turned his thought process towards the oncoming TAC meeting. The class had just finished their daily training for their performance. After they all showered, they left. The others had left early while Momo had stayed behind with Kyoka to put the instruments and sound equipment away and then joined Izuku and Tooru. The trio was currently outside and making its way to the main campus.
The point of interest to Midoriya was being told they weren't doing physical exercise today. After classes, Ida had been informed by Aizawa to just come straight to their classroom for the night. The class president was quick to text everyone the news. All Might had said last week that their training this week would be different, though this still came as a shock to Izuku. What could they be doing today?
At this point, the trio was inside the school and not far from their homeroom. Before they arrived, the door opened to their classroom, and Ida stepped out to say, "I thought you three were going to be late. What took you so long?"
Tooru was quick to say, "Ah sorry Ida-kun that was me slowing us down with gossip."
Tenya squinted his eyes before closing them and sighing. "It's whatever, let's just start."
Izuku entered the room to see All Might behind the podium, Eraserhead in his usual corner in his usual sleeping bag, and Ojiro in his usual seat with Uraraka behind him.
Aizawa then stood up and unzipped his sleeping bag as he stated, "Finally we can begin."
Hagakure and Midoriya took their usual seats on the last row, and Tenya and Momo sat in the front of the 3rd row.
"Sorry for the change in scenery tonight but we felt that there was more need for lecture over practice today," All Might stated.
"Everyone did fine enough the last two weeks to satisfy us both to continue doing this, so for now let's move on to something else," Aizawa said as he started to write on the whiteboard. He wrote the word weaknesses and then turned to the students to say, "A team needs to know where it is lacking. If a group cannot identify them then your efficiency and growth as a functional unit are compromised and set up to fail."
The former pro hero nodded before saying, "And to do that we're going to have each of you point out a flaw in each other." He then turned his head and said, "Starting with you Hagakure-san."
Startled, Tooru asked, "Do I get to choose anybody?"
"Since you are starting, yes. But from then on once someone has been told of their weakness, then they are off-limits," All Might answered.
Hagakure crossed her arms and then said with confidence, "Easy then. Ojiro-kun doesn't have much range and is at a disadvantage against those with sharp weapons."
Ojiro sighed before saying, "While I will agree with my lack of reach, did you forget about my new gloves?"
Tooru asked, "What about them? I thought they were for updating your look."
"Nah. I got these made to counter blades and other sharp objects. I mean they won't stop an attack head-on of course, but I can safely deflect them away unlike before," Mashirao replied.
Izuku had figured that was their purpose. The tailed teen started using them once the new term started. Ojiro must have asked for them after the run-in with Monoma, and they were produced over the summer break, Midoriya thought.
"While they were a good addition to your hero suit, Hagakure-san's point still stands about you were having to deal with such threats head-on as well as your lack of ranged options," Eraserhead said as he leaned against the whiteboard beside All Might. He then said, "Midoriya-san you're next."
"Oh um, I guess Uraraka-chan's issue is closing the gap with her opponent," Izuku quickly thought up. He was so caught up with thinking about Mashirao, and he hadn't realized what he would need to say about the others. It was just the first to pop into his head.
Ochako looked intrigued but also confused upon hearing this.
Aizawa twirled one of his hands as he said, "Go on."
"Once she can apply her quirk to her opponent it greatly hinders them. The problem is if she is dealing with someone that is naturally faster or has methods to keep a distance, it makes it extremely difficult to apply zero gravity," Midoriya explained. He said this because of Uraraka failing to get ahold of him during their last training. Izuku knew that not every scenario would require an outright brawl with a villain, but since the previous two exercises were strictly battle focused, so it felt relevant.
"Agreed," Eraserhead said bluntly. He pointed at Ida and said, "You're up."
Tenya thought for a moment before saying, "I believe Yaoyorozu-chan's folly is the time needed to create objects. Correct me if this is not possible of course, but I think investing time with your quirk in a way to create many tools at once would be worthwhile. Focusing on creating commonly needed items before a battle might be beneficial. At least in a one-on-one scenario, this gives fewer openings for your opponent."
"Hmmm, I can make multiple things at once, but I never considered making them in advance," Momo responded.
"This could also assist your teammates as well," All Might stated while nodding.
Aizawa gave a nod before saying, "Fair enough. Now-"
But before the homeroom teacher could say anything more, Momo interrupted with, "While I think Midoriya-kun's range issue isn't as problematic as it is with Ojiro-kun due to being faster, I still think he needs to figure out a way to attack enemies from afar."
The former pro hero said, "To be fair, beside Ida-san and perhaps Yaoyorozu-san, everyone in this group has problems with range. But we will go over possible solutions to that another day."
Midoriya was about to say something about his potential fix to the problem, but a glance by All Might got him to reconsider and say, "You're right. I noticed this problem first hand back during my internship."
The room went quiet for a few seconds before Eraserhead cleared his throat and said, "Ojiro-san, if you would please."
"I believe Hagakure-chan's quirk is counterproductive in some ways when it comes to stealth. Teammates can't tell where she is all the time and if she says where she is it gives away her position," Mashirao explained with a smirk.
Tooru gave a soft grunt at this, but she realized her karma from choosing him first and said no more.
"There's more, but we'll get into that later. So Uraraka-san, please inform us of Ida-san's weakness," Aizawa stated.
Ochako scratched the back of her head as she said, "Well once he reaches his max speed, Ida-kun only has a short period where he can maintain his quirk before petering out, even considering the second wind that Recipro Extend provides. But he's working on fixing that right now, so I don't know what else to say about his weaknesses."
"We'll just have to wait and see the fruits of your training Ida-san," Eraserhead said while giving a particular glare at the class president.
Tenya gulped and then said, "I don't plan to disappoint, sensei."
Aizawa closed his eyes and smirked with a grunt.
All Might cleared his throat before stating, "Well it seems you all have the basic grasp of the flaws of your teammates and that will be our focus going forward."
"Yes, once we resume this after the cultural festival is over," the homeroom teacher said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
The former pro hero sighed, but before he could speak, Tooru spoke up and asked, "Wait we're already taking a break?"
All Might nodded before answering with, "We will resume this on the second Monday of November."
Momo then asked, "But why? Did something happen?"
"Do not worry Yaoyorozu-san, this was all planned from the start," the skeleton of a man explained as he held up his hands defensively. He then put them down and exhaled before continuing with, "These first two weeks were merely a test to see if this was a worthwhile endeavor. Now that we have determined that it was, we want everyone to focus on the cultural festival."
"But sensei, this isn't conflicting with our practice for the festival. It's been scheduled after it," Izuku stated with haste.
"I understand that but I would rather you use these next few Monday nights to rest. You all already have enough on your plate as is. Besides we still have homework for you all during this break so this period won't be entirely wasted," All Might explained.
Tenya and Momo's attention was grabbed from their teacher's last statement. Izuku heard a soft groan from Tooru.
"On top of the costume changes I recommended you to look into for the coming cold weather in class this morning, you should also consider enhancements that might help resolve or lessen any weakness we covered today," Aizawa stated.
Midoriya recalled during homeroom that morning his teacher suggested to the students to start thinking about a winter variant of their costumes. Izuku felt he didn't need anything to keep himself warm for winter, but it did have him wonder what his classmates would think up.
The former pro hero then said, "We also want you to discuss with your teammates here ways to cover your weaknesses. Expect us to ask about them in length in our next meeting. From there we will spend a good amount of lessons working on everyone's flaws. Be it through individual training or a group effort."
"We don't expect any upgrades to your costumes to be ready by the time we next meet of course, but we would still like to hear what you submitted if you did," Aizawa said as he walked over and picked up his sleeping bag. He then turned around and stated, "That's all. You are dismissed."
Eraserhead quickly exited which prompted All Might to sigh but then say, "Good luck with the homework kids. I'm sure you'll come up with some unique solutions."
Everyone then said their goodbyes to the teacher and prepared to leave.
Before Tooru could leave, however, Izuku grabbed her right shoulder from behind and said, "Wait up Tooru." After his girlfriend turned around, he asked, "Do you mind staying behind for a minute so we can talk?"
All Might had already stepped out by this point, but the rest of Midoriya's friends were still there.
Ida was quick to state, "Just be back before curfew you two."
"Midoriya-kun said it would only take a minute, leave them be," Uraraka said as she pulled her boyfriend out of the classroom by pulling one of his arms.
"Yeah just keep it rated PG," Ojiro said with a chuckle.
"Oh, please," Yaoyorozu sighed as she pulled the tailed teen by the ear out the door.
Mashirao protested and responded with, "C'mon Momo, you know I was only joking." The rest of the conversation was drained out as the two moved out of hearing range.
Tooru had been laughing at the scene, and once she finished she asked, "So what is it? Nothing bad I'm hoping."
Izuku shook his head and said, "Nothing like that. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to go on a date this Sunday."
"Already? We just went to my house two weeks ago," Hagakure replied with curiosity.
"Well, I figured the weekend before the festival we might be a bit too exhausted to want to do anything," Midoriya argued.
Tooru took a few steps forward and put an arm around her boyfriend's neck as she said, "Okay then, this weekend it is, but there will be a catch."
Izuku gulped as he asked, "What do you have in mind?"
"We do whatever I want. Though in exchange I'll be the one to pay for what I have planned," Hagakure stated proudly.
"Tooru you don't have to-," Izuku tried to say but stopped when Tooru turned in front of him and wrapped her other arm around his neck.
"Do we have a deal?"
Midoriya stalled for a moment. This sorta solved his dilemma of being short on cash. Izuku wanted to confirm a date this weekend and figure out with Tooru what to do before asking his mom for money. So at least until next month, this problem wasn't an issue. But what about the stipulation of Hagakure being allowed to do anything she wanted? This is what Midoriya was afraid of. He didn't think his girlfriend was trying to be sneaky or anything, just straight forward wanting to do something that he might not be comfortable with.
Tooru then asked, "Do you need a day or so to think about it?"
Midoriya looked to the side, away from Hagakure, as he tried to make up his mind. He knew his girlfriend was currently in a very compromising position at the moment with her neck hole from her clothes right in front of him and he didn't want to take advantage of it. But then something came to him. All of Tooru's planned surprises were usually innocent, sure they might lead to unintended situations, but nothing Izuku hasn't been able to walk away from or just refuse to do in the case of being asked to see her parents so long ago.
"Okay I give, the date is totally on you," Midoriya stated after exhaling loudly. He then felt a small peck of Hagakure's lips on his cheek.
"You won't regret it," Tooru stated as she let go of her boyfriend. She then said, "Now let's get back before anyone starts getting ideas."
"Measuring tape!"
"Here."
A few seconds went by.
"Screwdriver!"
"Yup."
A minute passed.
"This is too rigid. Need some oil here!"
"Okay."
Mei's head popped out almost immediately after she received a can of oil. Before it was just her hand that would come out of the robot. She then said, "No not the synthetic oil I need the general stuff. I'm just trying to loosen this bolt a bit."
"Uhhhhh," was all Izuku could muster as he looked at the plethora of tools and cans at his side.
Hatsume groaned as she stated, "The silver can. Silver is regular and green is synthetic. Remember that!"
"Yes, ma'am," Midoriya answered with a sigh.
It was Tuesday, and Izuku was once again assisting Mei. Today he was helping with her project for the cultural festival. Currently, she was inside a giant robot, who she called her "202nd child". The chest panel of the machine had been removed, and Hatsume was deep within it trying to repair something that went over Midoriya's head when she tried to explain it. But judging that since the last time he saw the robot it exploded, it probably had a lot of issues that would be hard to explain simply anyways.
There hadn't been much talk between the two as Mei worked and after about ten minutes it was getting a bit too unsettling for Izuku. After about a minute from the last response, he asked, "So did you get my new item request?" Ever since All Might had suggested focusing on air bullets as a ranged option, Midoriya had been thinking of ways to better utilize his finger flicks with more concentrated power and also a way to reduce the strain on his hand.
"Yeah I saw it, and your baby should be ready around the end of the month," Hatsume stated as if it was no big deal.
This confused and shocked Izuku. Such an item shouldn't be able to be made so quickly. Half of October was already over! Midoriya replied, "You sure you can make it that fast?"
Hatsume answered, "Of course. I could make it quicker if I weren't so focused on number 202 here."
"And don't forget our current string of orders from other students," Power Loader stated as he carried some boxes to his workbench.
"Yeah yeah," Mei replied with an irritated tone. She then sighed and continued with, "Anyways Midoriya-kun, your request is similar to one of my past babies. I just need to modify it to fit your specifications. So I'm not gonna be getting bent out of shape to make it."
"I see. Thanks, Hatsume-chan," Izuku responded.
"No problem. Now take these back, it's getting crowded in here," Hatsume stated as she popped out again to hand Midoriya back her tools.
As Izuku placed them back where he found them, he heard the door to the workshop slide open and see none other than his girlfriend.
Hagakure walked in and asked, "You busy Izuku?"
Midoriya dashed over and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Turning in that homework, we were assigned last night," Tooru whispered. She then walked over to Power Loader and presented some paperwork. Izuku decided to close the door before following her.
Maijima took it but put it to his side as he said, "Another order, huh. Is it urgent? Or major?"
"No rush sir, but there are some difficult requests," Hagakure replied.
"I'm sure it's nothing me and my assistant can't handle but don't expect it anytime soon. We're pretty busy as is," Power Loader said as he started going back to work on his current project.
Tooru thanked the mechanic and then turned around and whispered to her boyfriend, "Hey so where is Hatsume-san?"
"Ah shit. Uh, Midoriya-kun, I'm going to need some towels here. We got a leak," came Mei's muffled voice came from inside her robot.
Izuku pointed with his thumb at #202 as he said, "There." He then proceeded to grab some shop towels and hand them to the pink-haired mechanic.
As Hatsume dealt with the spill Hagakure said, "Ah hello Hatsume-san. I'm Tooru Hagakure."
"Give me a minute please," Mei stated hastily.
After Izuku gave a few more towels, a hand came out and gave a wave. "Hey," was all she muttered before going back to work.
"Introduce yourself properly," Power Loader said, not turning around from his work.
"Alright, alright," Hatsume groaned. She then climbed out of the robot's chest, a good portion of her shirt soaked in some liquid. It looked like the oil had leaked from her right shoulder and now covered most of that side now.
"Mei Hatsume at your service," the pinked haired mechanic said with a wide grin as she extended an arm.
Tooru took it, but before shaking it, Mei pulled her in and immediately placed both her hands on her cheeks. She then said, "My, you are an interesting one. Does this turn off?"
"Uh, no," Hagakure replied in slow confusion.
"Fascinating," Mei stated with intrigue. She then let go of the invisible girl and sped on over to beside her teacher. Hatsume then grabbed the papers next to him and spent no time scanning it over.
Tooru spoke softly, "Uraraka-chan wasn't kidding when she said Hatsume-san's hands like to roam."
"Yeah she doesn't know boundaries very well," Izuku whispered back.
Hagakure then asked, "She hasn't been handsy with you has she?"
Midoriya was quick to reply, "What? No of course not." Besides his first visit, Hatsume had mostly kept her hands to herself. But Izuku didn't have the nerve to tell his girlfriend what happened that day even if Mei meant well.
Hatsume then proclaimed, "Maijima-sensei! Can I move this order up on our list? This kind of material we would work with is unlike anything I've ever seen!"
"You may not. We don't favor anyone when it comes to students on the list. Besides, the girl has stated it's not urgent, so we have no reason to work on it before the others," Power Loader explained as he stood up. He then asked, "Are we clear?"
The pink-haired mechanic gave a pathetic nod as her face looked of defeat.
Maijima sighed and said, "Look once the cultural festival is over, if we are not as busy I'll think about moving it up the list. But don't be hopeful; it's not a guarantee."
"Ah, thanks so much, you old fart," Hatsume stated as she hugged the pro hero.
Power Loader was shaking with rage but couldn't mutter a word and just groaned.
Hagakure giggled at the scene, and Midoriya just scratched the back of his head.
Once the student and teacher separated Mei was quick to approach Tooru and say, "I can't wait to work on your helmet. Especially the special specifications of the visor."
Midoriya then turned to his girlfriend and asked, "Helmet? Visor?"
"Not now Izuku," Hagakure said with a sigh.
"Oh, you two on a first-name basis? You two must be good friends then," Hatsume stated as she started to wipe off her shirt.
Tooru crossed her arms as she said, "Oh Izuku must not have mentioned me before."
Izuku sighed as he said, "I have."
Mei then scratched her head as she stated, "Tooru. Tooru Hagakure. Nope, doesn't ring a bell."
"And as always my student doesn't care to learn people's name unless they interest her," Power Loader said with a smirk. Once everyone's attention was on him, "Unlike her, I listen. Hagakure-san is the boy's girlfriend. Best you learn her name Hatsume-san if you wish to be friends with Midoriya-kun."
"Oh yes. I vaguely remember him telling me now. Well, regardless we might need your suit or one of your contacts Hagakure-san before we begin work on this helmet. Best for us to familiarize ourselves with the material before we make some of our own," Hatsume said with glee.
Midoriya blinked a few times before asking, "Contacts? You wear contacts?"
"This girl has no filter does she," Hagakure stated with a huff.
Power Loader threw up his hands in the air as he said, "What part of the customer confidentiality agreement do you not understand!?
Confused, Mei responded with, "What? I figured Midoriya-kun would know if they are dating? I mean couples tell each other their secrets right?"
"Also lacking in common sense about relationships," Tooru stated with a sigh. She then approached the pink mechanic and said, "I'm glad you're excited about working on my request. However, I believe Izuku will need to leave early today. Goodbye." Hagakure then pulled Midoriya by the arm out of the room.
Before they left entirely, Izuku was able to say, "See you two next Tuesday."
Midoriya then heard Maijima say, "Well that couldn't have gone worse."
"Says you. I think that went well," Hatsume stated.
The rest Izuku wasn't able to hear as there was too much distance between them at that point.
"I'm surprised you're able to put up with that girl," Tooru said after a heavy exhale.
"I mean she has her quirks, but she's brilliant and is a good person when she puts her mind to it," Midoriya tried to argue.
Hagakure didn't respond to that but did let go of her boyfriend. After walking for a minute, they arrived at one of the main hallways, and she stopped to lean against the wall.
"If you don't want to talk about it I can understand if you just want to drop it," Izuku said as he put a hand on her shoulder.
"No. I should tell you. I kept it a secret for stupid reasons anyways," Tooru stated with a soft voice.
Midoriya then also leaned against the wall and said, "I promise I won't laugh."
"I wouldn't put it against you if you did," Hagakure said with a huff. She then remained silent before putting down her backpack and stated, "Transparency refracts light on all of my body which includes everything in my eye. So when I first developed my quirk, I was completely blind."
Izuku then asked, "So right now you're wearing contacts of some sort?"
"Yeah. My dad immediately knew something was wrong when he saw me with my quirk. He was the one that found out as he was the one to wake me up that morning. When my dad makes his head invisible, he can't see anything, so he already knew I would be without sight before even waking me up," Tooru explained. She then reached over and grabbed her boyfriend's hand before saying, "It was mind-numbingly scary for those first few weeks. Not being able to see my parents, not being able to see me. But in the end, I never got to see the real me again."
Midoriya pulled her into the previous hallway and then hugged her.
The two remained silent for a while. He couldn't imagine what that would have felt for such a small child and knew that this being brought up was probably bringing back old painful memories. Izuku figured it would be best to embrace his girlfriend, not in such a busy place as before.
Eventually, Hagakure asked, "Um do you mind if I go get my backpack?"
"Oh sorry. I was just caught up in the moment and forgot about it," Midoriya answered.
"It's fine. Just give me a second," Tooru stated then left.
Izuku took a few breaths and rubbed his temple as he tried to think of what to say or ask next. But before he could come up with anything, she was already by his side again.
As Hagakure put down her backpack, she explained more by saying, "Eventually using my hair, some engineers were able to make a lens that could reflect light in a way that I could see. The first ones they could make weren't that good; everything was blurry. Over the next couple of years, they made better and better lenses. By the time I was eleven they were able to make them as contacts."
Midoriya then asked, "Are your contacts see through too?"
"Only when I put them on just like my suit," Tooru answered. She then crossed her arms and said, "I didn't use it much at first cause it was irritating for my eyes, but soon I wore them any chance I got while in public. I mean I still have glasses I use when I'm in my room on my own sometimes, but I avoid using them as much as possible."
Izuku put his hand to his chin as he thought about this revelation for a minute. He then asked, "Do you not like how you look with them on?"
"They're fine, it's just what they represented that I loathed," Hagakure replied while she did a soft kick against the ground. She then groaned before explaining further, "The quiet and nervous fat girl that lost the interest of her so-called friends because the novelty of her quirk had worn off. So after getting angry about it didn't work I decided to do something about it. Be more social. Be fit. Be happy. And the glasses were the one thing that stayed no matter how I changed, and it reminded me of before. So wearing them in public is always a trip down memory lane that I don't wanna relive."
Midoriya took a moment to think of a response before saying, "That doesn't sound like a stupid reason to not tell me Tooru. If wearing them is such a hurtful thing while in front of others then don't do it." He then put a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder as he said, "And you being blind is whatever to me. It's just another interesting detail to your long list of quirks Tooru."
Tooru raised her arm and then placed a hand on Izuku's. She then responded with, "I knew you would be okay with it. You already don't mind my appearance. It's just I feel childish having such negative feelings over wearing some stupid glasses. Like right now it feels so dumb that I feel this way but every time I try and put them on outside in front of others things just come flooding back." Hagakure then sighed and reached down to grab her backpack and then stated, "We should go. It's probably time to start heading to dinner."
The invisible girl started to walk back towards the main hallway, and Midoriya followed right behind her. They remained quiet as they walked along a sea of students that were also going to dinner.
Izuku knew she was going through a lot right now talking about this, but it felt wrong to end it on just this. He caught up to Tooru and came up to her left to say, "It doesn't have to be any time soon, but I'd like to see you wearing glasses one day."
Midoriya then felt Hagakure grab his right hand and then heard her say, "We'll just have to wait and see."
Izuku took hold of the doorknob and resisted an urge to knock the door. He wished to give five knocks, hear two on the other side of the door, and then jiggle the doorknob before being let in. If it were as so, that would mean All Might was still trying to be secretive about his state. It would mean his idol would still be a pro hero.
But instead it was just a dull opening of the door, but at least the smiling face of Yagi made Midoriya's sad thoughts disappear.
"Afternoon kid, thanks for coming on such short notice," All Might stated while handing his student a mug. He then asked, "Tea?"
Izuku excitedly responded, "Yes please!"
Toshinori liked to serve lemon honey tea to his pupil. At first, it made the boy confused as it was such a sweet drink. It didn't fit the image for such a large and muscular hero, but Midoriya quickly learned it fit his mentor quite well.
Both teacher and student took a few sips before All Might coughed a bit. After wiping his mouth, he said, "Anyways I thought I should tell you that because of the TAC meetings we will be meeting less for private lessons once the cultural festival is over."
Midoriya didn't expect this at all. He took another sip of his tea before asking, "Are you hoping the team training will replace it entirely?"
Yagi shook his head and said, "No. There will be things we need to do privately, but I think it would be best that we delegate most of it to our Monday meetings. They will be more often than we were able to meet, we'll have the guidance of your homeroom teacher too, and you won't have to go at it alone cause you'll have the help and support of your friends."
"I understand sir. And thanks," Izuku replied with a grin. At first, the idea scared the boy, but after hearing his idol's explanation, he couldn't argue against the idea.
Toshinori gulped some tea down before stating, "I saw that you submitted an item request to the support department. That's an interesting device you have planned."
The two then discussed the specifics of it for the next couple of minutes. Midoriya was hesitant to tell All Might about everything he had learned about Hagakure that day. Perhaps another day, he thought. The talk was very revealing however to Izuku, as his mentor had mentioned that he tried to use support equipment before. However, even at 20-30% power, the gear he wore would break down too quickly. Midoriya had no idea All Might had ever worn such equipment. He was urged to pull out his phone right there to look it up, but he held himself back.
"Well, hopefully, it will be ready before our next TAC meeting. Seeing it in action will be a treat I'm sure," the former pro hero stated after finishing his tea.
As Izuku took his last sip, he thought back to his homeroom teacher's behavior the last few Mondays. He then cleared his throat and asked, "Sir, is everything alright between you and Aizawa-sensei?"
Toshinori crossed his arms and sighed as he said, "We have our respective views which do tend to clash often but don't be too hasty in judging his behavior too harshly. He's been under a lot of stress lately, well more than usual. Regardless, I can attest he is dedicated to helping you and your friends with this special training."
Midoriya then asked, "You're sure he wants to be part of TAC?"
Yagi responded with, "Still unsure huh. I got a story that happened back during the summer. Maybe that will help here." He then leaned forward and clasped his hands together before explaining further by saying, "Back when we were making house visits we started by visiting each household together. After visiting the Jiro family first, Aizawa-san suggested buying me a drink. I, of course, declined because of my condition at the time and well I rarely drink in the first place but after we visited everyone he convinced me to go to a bar."
Izuku was quick to ask, "Wait you didn't actually drink did you?"
"Just some soda I swear," Toshinori replied while waving one his hands. He then exhaled loudly before explaining further with, "Things were awkward at first. I tried giving drinks to Aizawa-san to loosen him up a bit. We were going to be working together a lot more since I was retiring so I wanted to get to know him better. But he remained like his usual self even after downing two glasses."
All Might scratched the back of his head as said, "But soon things got out of control. First, it started with Present Mic, Midnight, and Thirteen showing up. And then I swear most of U.A.'s pro hero faculty was there. They all wanted a chance to share a drink with me since I never do such things, but it was pure chaos. Midnight was mixing drinks and shoving them down Mic's throat. Thirteen was puking. Aizawa-san had mistaken me as a Daruma statue and was arguing with Vlad King about who's students were better."
"I'm confused about how this proves Aizawa-sensei means well," Midoriya stated as he shrugged. The story was quite bizarre in itself though. Hearing about the people he looked up to as idols acting like partying college kids.
"The point is at what state Aizawa-san was in, he began to be more open with me. He's a hard nut to crack," Yagi responded as he sighed. He then said, "At one point I tried to leave as everything was getting a bit too crazy for me, but Aizawa-san asked me to stay so he could thank me for saving his students. Though at this part he started to confuse me with the Daruma statue. And sometime later someone knocked it down in their drunkness, and Aizawa-san was concerned that I had fallen and was injured. So he cares. Just isn't the best at showing it."
As convoluted as the story was for Izuku, All Might was right about Eraserhead. But there was still the matter of what was stressing him out so much as of late.
"This story is also a valuable lesson. Avoid alcohol young Midoriya. It turns adults into idiots," Toshinori stated as he shook his head.
"Of course," Midoriya replied with a light chuckle. He had no interest in the stuff, but it was funny to hear his idol give such obvious advice to a kid after such a tale. Once Izuku calmed down he asked, "What exactly has got Aizawa-sensei so bothered?"
The former pro hero's face turned to confusion. After a few moments, he then said, "First, the details of the drinking night stay in this room and what comes next."
"Right," Midoriya was quick to say.
"It seems people at the federal level have been hounding him with questions and statements. It's related to a villain that he encountered in his early years as a pro hero. Aizawa-san has tried to be as helpful as he can, but that doesn't seem to be enough to those asking the questions," Yagi explained.
Izuku tilted his head as he asked, "That bad?"
"Yes. It's one thing when the local government is putting pressure on you. A whole other deal when the highest forms of government in our country are breathing down your neck," All Might answered as he stroked the back of his neck. He then sighed and stated, "I'm sure if you give him a few weeks they'll back off once they realize that they have everything they can get out of him. That's how they usually operate."
The teacher then stood up and said, "I think that's enough for tonight."
The two said their goodbyes and separated from there.
As Midoriya made his way back to the dorms, he thought of what he had just been told. Was Eraserhead really in that deep with the government? Who was this villain? And why was he being questioned now? Nothing came to mind to answer any of these questions.
Instead, as Izuku's dorm came into view, another train of thought entered his mind. His date tomorrow.
Tomorrow would be Sunday, another date with Tooru. One where she got to do whatever she wanted, but she would be paying for everything. Both excitement and anxiety filled Midoriya. He thought the out-of-nowhere meeting with All Might after dinner would calm his nerves, but it had no such effect.
And just as Izuku stepped onto the stairs leading to the 1A dorm his phone rang.
Izuku rounded a corner onto a busy street. He stopped walking and looked across the street and still had mixed feelings about what he was seeing.
There in front of a burger joint was Mirio Togata. He was currently leaning against the building and was occupied by his phone.
Today was supposed to be Midoriya's time alone with his girlfriend, but a snag in that plan came up from a call from Togata last night. The former student insisted they have lunch together today. When Izuku tried to say he couldn't because of his date with Tooru, Mirio became ecstatic at the news and insisted on being introduced to her over a meal.
Midoriya just didn't have the heart to say no. Was it pity? Was it cause of respect? He still wasn't sure.
Telling Tooru over the phone just hours ago about the change in plans scared Izuku shitless. Surprisingly though, minus a long sigh, the girl put up no quarrel over the addition. As long as it was just lunch, Hagakure seemed okay with the plan. But Midoriya had doubts. Either way, he would find out soon.
"There you are Midoriya-kun!"
Mirio had finally noticed Izuku standing across the street.
Midoriya gave a soft wave and then approached Togata.
As Izuku arrived, Mirio put a hand to his chin as he said, "No girl by your side. Did she not agree to come? Or were you lying to me?"
Before Midoriya could even respond, however, Togata gave a soft punch to the teen's shoulder and stated, "I'm just joking. The look on your face that split second was priceless though."
He was always an odd one, Izuku thought to himself. He then said, "She needed to buy some stuff, so she left U.A. right after breakfast."
Tooru had mentioned she was buying "unmentionables" over the phone, so her boyfriend naturally declined to come with her. Her original plan for the date was to have lunch together and then go from there, so she was okay with it. Midoriya could tell she was teasing him but was curious what Hagakure would have done if he had said yes.
Izuku then felt a slap on his back as Mirio asked, "So how have you been? Not too busy I hope."
"Very busy I'm afraid, but it's been a nice change of pace with all the preparations for the cultural festival," Midoriya responded.
"Well in that sense work as hard as you can. We don't want to disappoint Eri-chan," Togata said with a grin across his face.
Izuku nodded as he replied, "Of course. We need to cheer her up and show her there's more to the world than what she's experienced growing up."
"That's the spirit. Now lets get us some seats while we wait for the others," Mirio said.
Midoriya was quick to ask, "Others? Who else is coming besides my girlfriend?"
Togata just gave a smug smirk and didn't answer.
The two acquired a booth and waited a few minutes until Hagakure arrived.
"Afternoon boys," Tooru stated as she approached. She then reached out an arm towards Izuku and said, "Our greeting."
Hagakure was wearing a purple shirt with thin red stripes running horizontally and khaki pants. Today her wristbands were different colors, green on the right wrist and red on the left. She also had a new purse, dark purple with a small green bear figurine hanging off to the side.
Midoriya had almost forgotten about their agreement when meeting outside of school to prove they were truly one another. He then reached out and grabbed Hagakure's fist and gave it a shake. "Thanks for remembering Tooru," Izuku said as she brought her into a quick hug.
"Well, this is many things," Mirio stated.
Hagakure coughed and gave a slight bow as she said, "Hello Togata-san. Izuku has spoken a lot about you."
Togata shrugged as he replied, "Hopefully good things."
"Izuku did say you were a peculiar fellow. Though I already got that impression when you visited our class back at the start of the second term," Tooru stated as she and her boyfriend took a seat next to one another.
"What's more particular is you Hagakure-san," Mirio said as he pointed at the invisible girl. He then continued by saying, "To be fair I thought you didn't exist at first as Midoriya-kun never mentioned you until I called him last night. Though here you are. I guess I was sort of right considering your quirk."
"So you're a jokester. You remind me of a friend of mine. He's annoying at times but usually means well," Hagakure responded.
Togata was quick to reply with, "Ah, but is he as handsome as me?"
"You're both pretty average in looks. Nothing special but then that's not too important," Tooru answered with a bit of sass in her voice.
Mirio looked to Izuku and said, "I like her Midoriya-kun. She's a keeper."
"Uh, thanks Togata-senpai," Midoriya stated in a confused tone. This exchange between his girlfriend and friend felt like some weird sizing each other up.
"Come on now, no need for calling me senpai. I'm not a student anymore," Togata stated while crossing his arms.
"There was no need to make the conversation turn morbid Mirio-kun. You'll get your quirk back one of these days," came a voice from Izuku's right.
It was Tamaki Amajiki, another of the big three, well big two now. Midoriya didn't know much about him since he worked with a different pro hero. All he knew were small tidbits from Kirishima praising him back during the internships.
"You're late Tamaki-kun," Togata stated.
"The streets were more c-crowded than usual, so it made coming here h-harder," Amajiki replied as he hung his head slightly. He then looked around and asked, "Is Hado-chan late too or is she not coming?"
"Nah, she wanted to focus on working with her dress with Haya-san," Mirio responded.
Tooru then spoke up and asked, "Oh is Hado-san entering the beauty pageant?"
As Tamaki took a seat by his friend, he answered with, "For the third year in a row. She's hellbent on winning this time." He then grabbed a menu and placed it in front of his face to hide it from the couple.
"Good idea my man, we should get to ordering our food," Togata stated.
For the next few minutes, the four considered their options and eventually ordered. Izuku ordered a sanuki udon burger (deep-fried udon with a soft boiled egg on a chicken patty). A chicken katsu rice burger (rice buns with chicken, curry, and lettuce) for Tooru. Saikyo-yaki no saikyo burger (grilled fish marinated in white miso with onions, tomatoes, and pickles) for Mirio. And a french cruller burger (donut buns with chorizo sausage, onions, a tomato, and lettuce) for Tamaki.
Once everything was ordered, Hagakure asked, "So Togata-san, why did you invite us here despite our already planned date?"
"Well, when I thought about it, Midoriya-kun and I haven't done anything to get to know each other better outside of hero work. I mean sure we did spend some together with Eri-chan a few weeks ago but that wasn't enough for me. Plus once I heard about the date, it seemed like an obvious time to hang out, even if it was just over lunch," Togata explained.
Amajiki cleared his throat as he asked, "I mean I don't mind being here Mirio-kun, but why invite me?" He was hiding behind his menu still as he asked to keep it even after they all had ordered.
The former U.A. student then made a face as if he was deep in thought. However, within seconds, he shrugged and said, "Spur of the moment."
"Of course," Tamaki as he laid his forehead on the table and then groaned.
Mirio then asked the story behind how the couple met. The explanation the two gave also included an abridged version of Tooru's birthday. By the time they were finished the food had arrived.
As they all ate, Togata explained how he and Amajiki became best friends. From bonding over their passion for heroes in third grade, to struggling to control their quirks in middle school and eventually rising to the top three in U.A. with Hado.
Once Hagakure finished her burger she asked, "So what's your plan if you don't get your quirk back Togata-san?"
Izuku and Tamaki stopped chewing their food and then looked at Mirio who had his mouth currently full of burger. He held up his index finger on his right hand as he chewed and swallowed his food. After taking a gulp of his soda, he responded with, "Try and be a firefighter."
With shock in his tone, Amajiki stated, "T-This is the f-first time I'm h-hearing this!" By this point, Togata swiped his friend's menu from him so he would be more social.
"I mean, it's been my back up plan for a long while if I never got to be a pro hero. My dad wanted to be sure I had another goal just in case I wasn't good enough for the field. I mean that was during a time that my control and technique with Permeation was piss-poor so it wasn't wrong to be thinking about things realistically," Mirio explained.
"I guess you can still save a lot of people with such a job," Izuku stated.
"Exactly. My grades are not good enough for me to be a doctor. The police lack the power to do much without heroes. Being a politician is just not me. So I figured my quirk would work well being a firefighter if not a hero. Even though I'm still quirkless now, such a position does interest me," Togata said before finishing the rest of his drink. However, he then stood up and stated, "Bathroom!"
After the exit, Hagakure sighed and asked, "Is he always like this?"
Amajiki replied with his head faced down on the table, "Sporadic and hard to follow? Yeah." He then groaned and explained further, "Ever since we became friends with Hado-chan, Mirio-kun started inviting us to hang out. They were always last minute, so sometimes one of us couldn't come. On occasion, even Mirio-kun wouldn't show up and left me alone with Hado-chan."
"You remind me of Izuku when I first met him, Amajiki-san," Tooru said as she put aside her plate and an empty glass.
Tamaki turned his head up, allowing his right eye to be visible as he looked at the invisible girl but remained quiet.
"You're shy around people and lack confidence in your quirk. That was Izuku to a T at the start of our school year. He's still struggling at times with both, but he's come a long way in the seven months I've known him."
The third-year student raised his head off the table as he asked, "Your point?"
Hagakure answered, "You're now a top student at U.A. despite these qualities. I'm sure those flaws used to be an even bigger issue before you met Togata-san. Am I right?"
Tamaki nodded and was now in a proper sitting position.
"It just reminded me of how things progressed with Izuku when he met me. And considering everything you've accomplished with Togata-san, he seems like the perfect friend for you Amajiki-san." Tooru said with confidence.
Amajiki exhaled before saying, "Mirio-kun has given nothing but praise for Midoriya-san. It was hard for me to understand why he was showing so much interest for an underclassman. Just like I always questioned why he wanted to be friends with such a loser like me." He then gave a soft smile as he continued, "I wonder if he saw a bit of me in you, Midoriya-san. A confused and shy child with a great passion for the society of heroes. A child that would do anything to be a part of that society."
Before Izuku could respond, however, Tooru said, "You have a way with words too." She then draped an arm over her boyfriend as she said, "That just means my Izuku here has to follow the trend and become a top student for U.A. once we are in our third year."
"You're too kind. Both of you," Midoriya said as his face reddened slightly. Again, so much praise from those around him and he couldn't think up a response because of the sweetness of the moment.
Suddenly a voice from his right proclaimed, "I have returned from the bathroom!"
Mirio moved back into his seat and said, "Tamaki-kun your face isn't plastered to the table. Did you already open up to these two?"
"I'll admit, they're an interesting bunch," Tamaki replied.
The former student then fist-pumped as he said, "I knew inviting you would be a good idea." He cleared his throat and pulled out his wallet before saying, "Thank you both for coming today. I'll take care of the bill."
"You don't have to Togata-kun." Izuku protested as he stood up.
Mirio shook his head as he responded with, "No can do pal, I insist. Besides I've kept you long enough today. You two go enjoy the rest of your date." He then extended an arm and said, "You surprised me today Hagakure-san. You exist, your appearance, and your personality. Midoriya-kun is in good hands. Oh and sorry about knocking you out at the start of this term."
Tooru shook his hand as she said, "Well to be fair you beat up everyone in my class including my boyfriend."
Togata let out a hearty laugh that echoed throughout the restaurant. "That I did."
The couple said their goodbyes and then left quickly on Hagakure's insistence.
Midoriya asked, "What's the rush?"
As Tooru pulled her boyfriend along, she responded with, "Well if we want to stick to my plan then we need to book it to the next location so get moving!"
Izuku walked outside the building and groaned. It just had to be another horror movie. But Midoriya couldn't blame Hagakure for wanting to go. All the Halloween movies were starting to release with the holiday just around the corner. This time the movie centered around a group of teenagers being terrorized by villains with monstrous mutant quirks. It was bloody, over the top in logic, and cringy for Izuku but Tooru enjoyed every second so he couldn't complain.
"Your reactions alone were worth it!" Hagakure stated as she clung to her boyfriend's left arm.
"Well as long as you have fun Tooru, I can take it," Midoriya replied.
Hagakure then took an immediate left and stated, "Cmon this way for the next destination!"
Izuku asked, "Where to?"
"Izuku, you should know how I operate by now," Tooru answered with a huff.
"Right, a surprise," Midoriya said while scratching the back of his head with his free hand.
The two walked and talked about the movie for a few minutes before Izuku switched the conversation by saying, "I thought you were gonna be against Togata-kun wanting to have lunch with us today."
"If anything, the short notice of it all was the only part that bothered me," Tooru responded with a groan. She then exhaled and continued by saying, "You look up to him Izuku. I mean you almost willingly gave Togata-san your quirk and gave up your dream. Of course, I would want to see such a person that my boyfriend would put so much faith into." Hagakure then laughed before stating, "Though to be fair I ended up liking his friend more. It's hard to take Togata seriously when he's such a goofball."
"I was having a hard time telling if you liked him or didn't. It's tough to read you sometimes, Tooru." Midoriya said with a sigh.
Tooru jokingly replied, "Oh other than just my face?"
"That just compounds the issue," Izuku responded with a groan.
"I like that part of me. Always keep people guessing. It's no fun if people can easily read me," Hagakure stated with confidence. She then stopped and said, "We're here."
Izuku looked up to see a sign saying Heroic Treats. Is this some sort dessert place?
"You're gonna love this," Tooru stated with glee. She then brought him to a table by the side, and they took their seats.
Midoriya grabbed a menu and was astounded at what he was seeing. All the items here were pro hero themed. The heroes were usually paired with a certain dessert based on their color. The one that immediately caught Izuku's attention was a Kamui Woods themed mint chocolate chip parfait.
Izuku then asked, "How did you learn of this place?"
"My dad mentioned it to me over the phone a few weeks ago. It had just opened then, and he was interested in going with me sometime. I said I would scout it out with you to see if it was worth it, but I knew you would be ecstatic to come here." Tooru explained.
"I am. This is wonderful," Midoriya stated. He then paused and asked, "But won't this get in the way of dinner later?"
"Dinner is gonna be a bit later than usual. I wanted us to do some window shopping after this and then head back to U.A. for a home-cooked meal," Hagakure answered.
"Let me guess. Uraraka-chan and Ida-kun are preparing it?" Izuku asked as he laid his menu down.
Tooru picked up her menu as she answered, "Of course! Though I have no idea what they are cooking up. That will be a surprise for both of us."
The two then ordered their treats. Midoriya decided to go with his initial choice and Hagakure chose the All Might themed pumpkin toffee caramel parfait. The waiter did say there would be a wait as the place was packed, but the couple had no quarrels about waiting.
Once the waiter left, Tooru said, "You know I never did mention to you what I learned from Todoroki-kun."
It took a moment, but Izuku then remembered and asked, "About the re-test?"
"Yeah. I wanted to hear what Bakugo-san went through to pass it, so I helped Kirishima-kun in asking," Hagakure answered. She then giggled and said, "I understand why he wanted no one to know because babysitting some young kids probably wasn't his ideal way to be tested."
Midoriya scratched his head as he said, "Kacchan babysitting? That does sound demeaning to him."
"Todoroki-kun explained their instructor stated they were physically capable of passing any test he could throw at them. Besides, their skills in battle wasn't why they failed, hence this different take on a test," Tooru said as she brought up her purse. As she opened it she said, "The kids were unruly apparently, and while the others used their quirks to entertain the kids, Bakugo-san was able to subdue their ringleader with some choice words that were not focused on intimidation and apparently it worked."
"That's great to hear," Izuku stated with a grin.
Hagakure sighed as she said, "It's why I was nice to him that night. Hopefully, stuff like that continues."
"Thanks for telling me Tooru," Midoriya said with a grin.
Tooru then took out a small but long case from her purse.
Izuku asked, "What is it that?"
"These," Hagakure stated as she opened the case and placed some glasses on the table.
Midoriya gulped before saying, "I didn't expect this so quickly."
"I'm not ready to wear them in such a place, but I thought showing you it wouldn't be too difficult," Tooru said slowly.
Izuku then asked, "Can I?"
"Sure," Hagakure stated.
Midoriya took the glasses and started to look at it in detail. It had a full vue frame that was gold in color but the most interesting part was the lens. From the front, they looked normal. But from the other side, they had an odd blur effect like a window with a privacy film over it.
"You can wear them if you like," Tooru said.
Unlike her, Izuku knew he was easy to read and just accepted it. Once he put on the glasses though he was confused. All he saw was grey blobs in front of him. Objects being darker or lighter shades of said color.
Midoriya then heard a click and took off the glasses to see Tooru holding her phone up. She then said, "You know you don't look half bad with them on."
Hagakure then offered her phone to show her boyfriend. He expected to see an odd image, but it was just him with glasses on. Nothing out of the ordinary. Though he guessed that was their purpose. Otherwise, it would draw even more attention to her if the glasses looked weird to those looking at them from the front. Also, the image of only her eyeballs showing would be quite horrific.
"There are lots of years of hard work put into these," Izuku said as he handed back the glasses to his girlfriend.
"They still send me new ones from time to time," Tooru explained as she put them away. "I was given these just before I started this term. Apparently, these are better with sun glare, but I never wear them outside. I guess it's the thought that counts that somebody out there still bothers to improve these for me without even requesting it."
A thought then came to Izuku, and he asked, "So if you wear contacts, why do you wear a sleeping mask at night? I thought contacts can't be worn all the time. Isn't the best time to not wear them at night?"
"It was like that at first. But putting them on has always been difficult, and over time they made more advanced contacts for me to wear. Now I can wear the same pair for about a month all day long as I please. The eternal struggle of waking up blind each morning to put on contacts is a thing of the past," Hagakure explained.
Trying his luck, Midoriya then asked, "Alright, then why are you having a helmet made with a visor like your glasses if you already wear contacts?"
"Contacts can be knocked out during a battle. Glasses are even worse. I can't understand how Ida stands wearing glasses during combat. He needs his peripheral vision," Hagakure explained. She then put down her purse and said, "I'm surprised you didn't ask for what purpose it had."
"Well I figured you wanted to surprise our friends and me whenever it gets done," Izuku said.
"While true I thought your curiosity would get the best of you since you know it exists."
Midoriya shrugged and stated, "It's tempting, but I can wait."
Hagakure smirked mischievously, "Well, it will knock your socks off when it's done. Though I'm more interested in seeing Ojiro-kun's reaction."
The parfaits then arrived and Izuku marveled at what he was seeing. His choice of dessert had two mint cookies on top, one designed like Kamui Wood's mask and another that looked like a tree branch. Tooru's had two orange slices shaped like All Might's signature hair bangs placed on top.
Before Midoriya could dig in, however, an idea popped into his head. He cleared his throat and then asked, "Tooru, would mind if we gave each other a taste of our dessert?"
Hagakure curiously asked, "Like feed one another?"
"Just one bite at the same time, yes," Izuku answered.
"Well this is sudden," Tooru stated as she put down her spoon.
"It just popped into my head," Midoriya replied with a slight blush.
Hagakure giggled and then said, "Well I love the idea. Now open wide!"
So with the first scene, I wanted to do something different with the TAC meeting. Plus it allowed me to foreshadow some manga content in the Joint Training arc. Writing fight scene after fight scene every chapter just isn't in me right now, but it has made me more comfortable writing them, so that's a plus. A change here from the manga is that while Ojiro did obtain fingerless gloves in the manga (which we don't know what for yet) I've made them full on gloves with a purpose.
So a major change from the manga in the second scene is we removed All Might and Izuku training in the forest and Mei stumbling upon them. Because of the TAC meetings, and the difference in Mei's relationship with Izuku, I wanted to do something different. Plus this scene was a different way to have another perk of Tooru's quirk to come to light compared to previous ones.
The All Might scene was meant to cover various topics: cap off the loose ends from the change from the manga covered in the last scene, set us straight on the status All Might's private lessons with Izuku, and somewhat explain Eraserhead's behavior during the TAC meetings. The part about all the teachers getting drunk is taken from the light novel as well (volume three, chapter one). I'll be using volume three one last time with the next chapter so look forward to that!
Part one of the dating scene was so I could finally get some use of Mirio. And why not throw in Tamaki for good measure you know? I felt the former will still be relevant at some point going forward so might as well use him in this story. Regardless this scene went through more rewrites than any other scene than I've ever written. First, it was only Mirio, then all of the big three, but eventually it settled on just those two. I wrote the entire scene about ten times and scrapped about 80% of it each time, it was a nightmare. I hope it was worth it...
The ice cream part of the dating scene between our couple was inspired by the art commission I did with BlamedOrange a while back. It felt too good to not use! I also wanted to revisit the whole "blind" thing once more before shelving it for later.
I have another IzuTooru story to promote that started while I was writing this chapter. Exclusive on Ao3, Now You See Me is a fic from Tooru's point of view and I offer you all to check it out. It was made by AzureFireHawk, another acquaintance I have made from the MinaDeku discord.
28 and 29 were originally going to cover the last two weeks before the cultural festival but after a lot of debating and some writing, I decided 28 will cover it all. I was worried if I wouldn't have enough material for the two chapters and even cut a scene from this chapter (which is fully written) to give enough content. So a decent amount of 28 is actually written as I wanted to be sure it would be enough. Hopefully, this also means we can return to a regular schedule soon. The next chapter will focus mostly on side characters, don't expect much Tooru.