Blossoms of the Dark

C Shouto: Infirmary

I have to hand it to him.

He's unafraid.

After hearing my backstory, I thought he would give his condolences.

But he didn't.

Instead, he met my declaration head-on.

Midoriya, you continue to surprise me.

Though, I'm glad he didn't.

I didn't want condolences from anyone.

Least of all from him.

I didn't tell him all of that just for him to pity me.

Ha! Pity! Isn't that how I used to treat Hanada-chan in the beginning. And she loathed it. Now I get why. Had Midoriya done what I had expected, I, too, would have seethed. My, how the tables have turned!

On the topic of Hanada-chan, I go to seek her. I hadn't had much of a chance to observe her in action during the obstacle course and cavalry battle, so I wanted to listen to her as she told me her strategy for qualifying for both events. Although, we did make a declaration of war to each other, so she might not tell me until the end of the Sports Festival.

As I wonder where she might have gone, it hits me. The infirmary! Her quirk, her arthritis, her wounds! And given that we jumped from one event straight to the next, God, she must be in so much pain!

I follow the route to the school's infirmary, but I find Hanada-chan sprawled stomach-down on the ground, unconscious. I rush toward her, dropping to my knees at her side. Gently patting her cheeks, I call out her name. "Hanada-chan, wake up! Listen to my voice! We're almost there!" It's futile; her eyes remain shut. Dark splotches are blooming on her blue training uniform. That only makes me panic more, and I recall the last time she was unconscious; she had stopped breathing. Cautiously, very cautiously, I bring my finger just under her nose.

Oh, thank God, it's there! I feel the streams of air entering and exiting her nose. It's fast, too fast compared to her normally slow breathing, but it's there. If she's breathing, she must have a pulse! I grab her right arm and feel for her radial pulse. Her pulse is even faster, implying a faster heart rate. Also, atypical of her slow pulse.

At least she's alive. I have to take her to the infirmary before it's too late!

I pick her up in my arms, one arm under her knees and the other under her back. Her head lolls back, so I shift her weight so that her head is nestled against my shoulder. Then I carry her the rest of the way to the infirmary. When we get there, there is already one patient present, but Recovery Girl ushers us to the nearest empty bed. I set her down gently, on her back, but as I pull back, I notice her hand is clutching my collar. The same hand I used to check her pulse. For a moment, I think she's regained consciousness, but no. Her eyes are still shut. Very softly, I pry her fingers away. But even then, I hold her hand.

"Thank you, young man. I'll take it from here. Once I treat her, I'll call you back in," Recovery Girl tells me.

"Can I stay here with her, instead?" I ask her.

"I'm going to open her training uniform to look at those wounds. I think she might need a little privacy."

"R-right. I-I'm sorry. I'll wait outside then," I stammer, flushed.

Recovery Girl's raucous laughter as I leave does not help.

There's a row of waiting seats just outside the infirmary doors. As I sit in one of them, I try to reassure myself that Hanada-chan will be just fine. She was breathing, and her heart was beating when I found her. She's in Recovery Girl's capable hands. Even before, when her physical state was critical, she made it through. She'll be fine. Hanada-chan will be fine. But despite the reassurances, I find myself praying over and over again that she will be safe.