The Class That Cried Werewolf

Special I: Happy Birthday, Toru!

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains descriptions of sensory overload and physical discomfort. Reader discretion is advised.

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-Tatsuya's POV-

Despite how strange All Might had seemed after our last conversation, everything seemed to be normal. At least as normal as it could be in a superhuman society. Our internships were behind us, and the semester was quickly drawing to a close. It felt like a calm had settled over U.A., almost too calm.

The irony wasn't lost on me, given that Bakugo's explosive personality usually filled any silence with his loud and often obnoxious outbursts. But lately, even he seemed to be less fiery. It could be just the afterglow of completing our internships or the collective anticipation of the upcoming break. Either way, the quiet was unsettling.

I was chatting with Ojiro and Sato, passing the time before our next class began. The conversation was light, touching everything from the latest hero rankings to the best snacks in the cafeteria. They laughed about a particularly fierce debate over whether the chocolate-filled pastries were superior to the new spicy ramen cups. Suddenly, amidst the buzz milling around, I caught a snippet of a conversation that piqued my interest.

"I can't believe your birthday is in two days!" Ashido's excited voice floated over from the group nearby.

My ears perked up at the mention of a birthday. To me, birthdays were not that big of a deal, even if they were a rare chance for people to celebrate and unwind. Still, people like to do things they usually wouldn't do on any other day, and considering this was about someone in my class, I was sure that this person would want the rest of the class, or at least whoever's in the same group as them, to get a gift or something.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I subtly leaned closer, trying to pick up more details without drawing attention to myself. The chatter around me faded into the background as I focused on Ashido's excited tone, hoping to see whose birthday was coming up and what plans might be afoot.

"I can't believe you remembered, Mina!" Hagakure replied, her voice carried a smile.

"Of course, I remembered! Birthdays are the best! Do you have any plans yet?" Ashido continued, her eyes sparkling with ideas.

"Ribbit, we should do something fun. It's been a while since we all hung out outside training." Tsu added, sitting nearby with her usual calm demeanor. Her large eyes blinked slowly, serenely contrasting Ashido's vibrant energy.

Jiro, leaning casually against her desk, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, maybe we could go out for a bit. How about a shopping trip to the mall and then a movie night at your place, Toru? It'd be nice to unwind." She twirled one of her earphone jacks absently, her expression thoughtful.

Hagakure's voice took on a conspiratorial tone. "That sounds perfect! We can spend the afternoon shopping, then head back to my place for movies. I've got a great setup in the common room." Her invisible hands clapped together, the sound a soft, enthusiastic pop.

Ashido's eyes lit up even more. "Awesome! We could get some snacks at the mall and maybe even pick up some decorations. I can handle the snacks!"

Tsu nodded again, her mouth curling into a small smile. "Ribbit, I can help with the decorations. Maybe we could pick a theme for the movie night? Like fantasy or Disney?"

Jiro smirked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sounds like a plan. I can handle the music for the breaks in between movies. What do you think, Toru? Any specific movies you want to watch?"