Too Late

Chapter 35: A Glimpse of Recognition

In the sterile hospital room where Midoriya had been confined, the air hung heavy with the weight of uncertainty. Recovery Girl, diligent in her routine checkups, moved around the room, her experienced eyes focused on the young man lying in the bed. Months of unresponsiveness had cast a shadow over the once-vibrant hero-in-training.

As she went about her routine, she noticed a subtle change in Midoriya. His gaze seemed to linger on something—something that wasn't the usual blank stare into the abyss. Intrigued, she called out to him, her voice a gentle murmur, "Midoriya."

To her astonishment, there was a flicker of response. His distant eyes, for a moment, focused on her. It was a small, almost imperceptible change, but it sent a surge of hope through Recovery Girl.

"Midoriya," she repeated, a little louder this time, her heart pounding with anticipation.

This time, there was a more noticeable reaction. His lips moved ever so slightly, forming a soundless echo of his own name. The distance in his eyes began to waver, as if he was struggling to connect with the world around him.

Recovery Girl, with a mixture of disbelief and elation, pressed on. "Can you hear me, Midoriya?"

For a moment, it seemed like he might retreat back into his silent realm. But then, as if fighting against the thick fog that enveloped his mind, he uttered a soft, "Midoriya..."

The room seemed to brighten, not in physical illumination, but in the hope that maybe, just maybe, a fragment of the real Midoriya was still buried within. Recovery Girl, her wrinkled face softening with a rare smile, continued to speak to him, encouraging him to grasp onto the tenuous connection he seemed to be forming.

With a newfound sense of hope kindling in her heart, Recovery Girl resolved to delve deeper into the enigma that was Midoriya's condition. Despite the signs of responsiveness she had observed, she knew that confirming his presence would require more than mere glimpses.

Gathering her medical equipment, she approached Midoriya's bedside with a determined yet cautious demeanor. Her experienced hands moved with precision as she conducted a series of tests, each one aimed at probing the depths of his consciousness.

The results were mixed, to say the least. Some tests yielded inconclusive data, while others showed signs of minimal neural activity. Recovery Girl noted these findings with a furrowed brow, her mind racing with possibilities.

As the tests progressed, it became increasingly apparent that Midoriya was indeed present in some capacity. Though his responses were faint and intermittent, they were enough to confirm that he had not been entirely lost to the darkness that had enveloped him.

However, the road ahead was far from clear. The extent of his cognitive function remained shrouded in uncertainty, leaving Recovery Girl grappling with more questions than answers. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, there was a glimmer of hope—a beacon of light cutting through the darkness that had clouded Midoriya's mind for so long.

Recovery Girl's mind buzzed with a flurry of thoughts as she contemplated her findings regarding Midoriya's condition. With a sense of urgency driving her actions, she reached for the phone and dialed Aizawa's number. Each ring felt like an eternity as she waited for him to pick up.

"Hello?" Aizawa's voice sounded on the other end, a hint of weariness evident in his tone.

"Aizawa, it's Recovery Girl," she began, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. "I need to speak with you. It's about Midoriya."

There was a brief pause on the line before Aizawa responded, his voice growing more alert. "What's happened? Is Midoriya okay?"

Recovery Girl took a deep breath, steadying herself before relaying the details of her recent tests and observations. She spoke with clarity and precision, detailing the mixed results she had obtained and the faint signs of responsiveness she had observed in Midoriya.