What Is A Hero?

Part 2: Chapter 30

"The Hero Provisional Licensing Exams nears us, so we will use this time to rest!" All Might had exclaimed in his hearty deep voice and left in a flash of laughter.

Both Class 1A and 1B worked hard - perfecting moves and improving their skills, as some had proudly proclaimed.

Izuku and Shinso were no exception, despite only tagging along to observe the Provisional Licensing Exams. All Might made sure that they followed the training regime he created for them, but this particular sprint had been cut-short.

They shared the same doubt, but through very different looks: one with intrigued wide eyes and a wry smile, and the other, simply raising an eyebrow.

"He's definitely just using that as an excuse. I wonder--"

"No," Shinso interrupted. "And I'm not helping you either."

Izuku smiled smugly, almost a smirk, as he turned his attention to Hitoshi. "Wow, are you sure your quirk isn't mind reading? You know me so well--"

"I'm leaving, let's go."

"Party-pooper."

On their way to class, they passed the training ground the Hero Course students used. Some were diligently practicing despite school ending hours ago and others had just finished.

Izuku spotted Bakugou and Kirishima - a definite change compared to the yes-man boys who had followed Katsuki around. A small tint, and he meant miniature, of envy resided somewhere in his heart as he watched genuine people surrounding his old friend.

From teachers that helped him grow, to peers that most definitely humbled him and friends who teased him. U.A gave him all of that.

Izuku hated remembering the past. We're nothing alike, he'd think. He lacked any of those things from the very beginning. No quirk, surrounded by villains at arms length and a cold mentor obliged yet distant.

Recalling all the things he'd done, Izuku reminded himself of the reality he lived in before he started daydreaming about heroes and friends.

Yes, reality.

"Oh, Izuku? Shinso?" Her voice echoed in his head, lingering and unforgettable. What was he thinking about again?

"You're done early." They met each other midpoint, but subconsciously began walking together.

"All Might decided we should take a break until the Provisional Licence is over," Shinso answered Uraraka's wordless question. He briefly glanced at Izuku behind them; presumably checking if Izuku hadn't run off to do some 'digging'.

"Wow, a week off?"

"Yeah," Shinso simply answered.

As they held a conversation, Izuku's eyes were, yet again, stuck on her. The simplest things she did; he couldn't help but watch as if she were the moon children admired at night with sparkling eyes. He only vaguely registered there was someone walking beside him and that they most likely caught him staring.

What am I thinking!? Once he snapped out of his daze, he forced himself to look away. And that was when he finally, fully, noticed the familiar face. Both of them hadn't acquainted themselves, yet he'd known about her.

Her blank onyx - but wide - eyes stared into his soul. A finger rested on her chin and rather than tense, her posture remained relaxed.

Interesting. He remembered thinking.

Izuku once heard her speak to Bakugou. In a way, her bluntness had resembled Katsuki's, but much more calm and clearly constructive. Plus, judging by the way Bakugou grumbled that day, he took her critism to heart.

That day, Izuku thought, he did not want to be at the receiving end of her sharp words. But it also excited him. What would she have to say to me?

"We haven't spoken before. You're Tsuyu Asui, right? Can I call you Tsuyu?" Izuku mirrored her; he placed his pointer finger on his chin. Tilting his head, he stared at her curiously as she had yet to speak. The girl, as if on the same brain waves, tilted her head too.

Without much outwards reaction if not none at all, she stared at Izuku too.

"My friend's call me Tsuyu," she said.

Izuku grinned, finding her bluntness amusing, and extended his hand out to her. "Then let's be friends."

Though Tsuyu only looked at his hand.

"If I want someone to be my friend, I'm straightforward about it, kero." Asui lifted her gaze up towards him, but Izuku wondered if he imagined a change in her expression, "But I haven't judged if I want to make that connection with you. Of course, since Ochako-chan says you're a good person, I want to believe her judgement."

Izuku raised an eyebrow; he dropped his hand. "She said that?" He mumbled to himself - he felt another stir in his stomach. And this girl truly believes that? Why?

"Your fond of Uraraka too--"

Yeah, she definitely caught him staring.

"--and more than anything, I've noticed, you enjoy yourself here at U.A."

Huh? Izuku's smile slowly formed into a straight line. Enjoy myself?

He tried laughing off what was formulating in his head - just like he's always done. "Well, it is more enjoyable messing with people in U.A, so of course!" Izuku's cheerful voice slightly faltered, "They're very, different, from--"

"Criminals." Tsuyu finished for him. "That's understandable, kero. I don't know what your life was like up until now, but I'm sure, U.A. was not what you expected."

"Especially, 'the people', kero." She added before completely seizing to walk. "And something tells me, you've grown a soft spot for them. All the more reason for me to trust you."

She stared deeply into his eyes. It was that subtle change in her expression again - one that neither had the nonchalance of Aizawa Sensei and Shinso, or the irritation both Bakugou and Shouto Todoroki had.

That face revealed, purely and unwaveringly, nothing.

And not knowing what this girl in front of him was thinking behind those eyes, it gave him the shivers.

"But, Midoriya," she called; his finger twitched, wanting to reach out to his other arm.

"... yeah?" He answered hesitantly.

"What's the real reason you're here?"

"What?"

She was right - the people in U.A. were very different from what he thought. What was it that he said when he first stepped into U.A again? Oh, right, 'this would be fun'?

The irony.

➵

Author's Note
And that concludes Part 2. Next chapters coming will be Part 3.
Thank you so much for all your patience with me.

I was struggling for months with this chapter. I had a whole impostor syndrome thing happening with my writing and I thought that I was putting this Tsuyu thing too early in.
But I remembered I wrote this fanfiction for fun. And I want to continue to have fun writing this again, starting with this chapter, so I hope the new conflicts that were introduced are fun to read too and if not, eventually.

Again, thanks for all your patience and reading. ^^