𝚄𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚎 [MHA Fanfiction] I

CHAPTER 013

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✎ℂℍ𝔸ℙ 𝟘𝟙𝟛: 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐎 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐄𝐒

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𝐊𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲, her footsteps echoing softly against the polished floors with eyes still half-closed from the lack of sleep. She was running on autopilot, her mind barely registering the chatter of other students and the occasional burst of laughter that filled the hallway.

The last night had been a blur of textbooks, notes, and caffeine, and now the effects were catching up with her. Now, you may be wondering: why on earth has she stayed awake studying while classes haven't even started? Well, you don't rank in the top three in academics without studying, right? And Kimiko was determined to stay in the top three even in high school.

Students passed by in clusters, their voices a mix of excitement and nervous chatter about the day ahead. Kimiko barely registered their conversations, her mind focused on the day's looming challenges and how she'd need to keep her energy up. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder, trying to shake off the grogginess with every step.

Hugh... And after sleeping so late I had to wake up earlier than yesterday to leave before Nee-chan saw me, again.

As she rounded a corner, she didn't notice the person directly in her path until it was too late. She collided with them with a dull thud, the impact forcing her to stagger back a step. Her shoulder stung slightly from the bump, and she instinctively rubbed it while blinking rapidly to clear the fog from her vision.

"Shit, I'm sorry!" Kimiko said quickly, rubbing her shoulder where the impact had occurred. Now for sure the tiredness she was feeling disappeared in thin air when she noticed that the person she collided with had fallen on the ground. "Here, grab my hand."

The girl, still sitting on the ground, looked up at Kimiko with a surprised expression. She took Kimiko's hand, letting herself be helped up. "It's okay," she said, brushing off her clothes. "I should have been paying more attention too."

Eyeing the orange-haired girl up and down, she searched for any bruise or injury especially after she brushed the corner of the wall before falling. "Well," she started when she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "You don't seem broken so I take it you're fine."

The girl chuckled, amused by the way the statement was made. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for checking though. I appreciate it." Then, she brushed off her clothes and offered a smile. "I am class 1-B Itsuka Kendo. Nice to meet you."

The redhead raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Class 1-B, huh? I'm Kimiko Todoroki from Class 1-A."

Itsuka nodded. "Nice to meet you, Todoroki. I've heard a lot about Class 1-A. You all did pretty well in the entrance exam. Seven of the top ten in the practical exam are in your class, you included."

Silence settled between Kimiko and Itsuka until turquoise eyes suddenly widened as a realization. She'd heard the name Itsuka Kendo before, but it took a moment for her to place it.

"Oh, wait a minute," Kimiko said, her expression shifting to one of recognition. "You're the one who ranked sixth, right? Impressive, by the way."

"Well, you ranked third so that adjective doesn't exactly apply to me," The orange-haired girl shyly scratched the back of her hair, offering a small chuckle.

Just as Kimiko was about to respond, the shrill sound of the school bell rang through the hallway, echoing off the walls. Both girls instinctively turned toward the noise, realizing they were out of time for their impromptu chat.