My Hero Academia: Aspirations

Chapter 27

Aspirations
Chapter 27

"I heard that you went on a date with a certain famous pro-hero."

You hadn't had time to cover the incredulous expression on your face when Monoma leaned on a wall nearby. Class 1B was doing a directed workout routine that had been customized for them. Which meant that you were there to keep the students going all day; cleaning out lactic acid, making sure oxygen and blood flow was healthy, and soothing over major muscle groups. Monoma had come over for a short break when you hadn't been paying attention. Apparently he had wanted to point out some dazzling information he found out and just now found the time to do so. For your part you had no idea what he was talking about. So you turned to look at him, face balancing somewhere between surprise and confusion.

"So you don't deny it," the blond student said with almost a mocking laugh as he used a clean towel to wipe the sweat from his face.

"I have no idea what you're even talking about," you told the manic copycat.

"You were seen at a park eating lunch with the number 2 hero, Hawks."

"...okay so someone got their facts wrong. I was eating lunch by myself, he just stopped by to say hi on his way to U.A," you corrected Monoma.

"That's not what's all over the news."

You stared at him blandly to avoid glaring at the kid. If he was right, you couldn't be mad at him. At least not unless he was the one to write the news story. Assuming, of course, that it was even on the news. For all you know, he could have been talking about it as though it had been published when in fact it was just something a couple kids had been talking about. It was Monoma after all. He wasn't the most reliable or unbiased source of information.

"Where?"

"What?" He asked in return as he sat the soiled towel down before taking a drink from his container.

"Which news source is spreading the lies this time?" You asked in a more direct tone.

"The Nikkan Gendai."

Shit. You frowned heavily even as you tried to project a more neutral stance. You knew from experience with your own family how quickly acts of denial can inflame the inaccurate news until it was accepted as truth. At the same time letting students or people you were with regularly circulate and repeat false information would also be seen as confirmation.

"So a tabloid," you replied in an even tone, rolling your eyes.

"One of the biggest and most respected newspaper branches in all of Japan," Monoma returned with a smug tone.

Your deadpan expression slipped into a glare. Monoma took a slight step back as his smile only increased. He pushed his bangs back as he let out that somehow patronizing chuckle of his.

"Maybe you should stop hanging out with so many pro heroes if you don't want the reporters to write gossip about you."

"I don't hang out with pro- heroes," you said, shifting your jaw as you tried to keep the aggression out of your tone.

It really wasn't his fault. You knew that. You were just annoyed that the news was so hungry for something to publish that you got caught up in it. Again.

"Endeavor, Recovery Girl, Vlad King, Eraserhead, and even All Might," Monoma listed off on his fingers. Then he added up another one. "And now Hawks."

"Work, family, work, work, and being a good human being plus work," you listed off in the same matter. "And like I said, Hawks just dropped by on his way to talk with someone at U.A."