The Class That Cried Werewolf

46 - Start the Provisional Licensing Exam

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains themes of explicit and suggestive content, as well as self-doubt, guilt, and internal conflict related to violence, which may be distressing to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

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-Tatsuya's POV-

Fortunately, Recovery Girl managed to heal my leg with her Quirk. The familiar sting of pain hit hard as the muscle and bone realigned, her healing energy forcing my body to accelerate the recovery process. It hurt like a bitch, but that wasn't new. Pain was something I'd learned to live with, even embrace in a twisted sort of way.

Still, something gnawed at me that had nothing to do with my ankle. And that was Hagakure's shift in behavior.

Over the last few days, I'd noticed a subtle change. It wasn't something obvious that most people would pick up on, but  I could smell it. Frustration, simmering just beneath the surface, clung to her like a scent that had nowhere to go. She was mad about something, but I couldn't tell what—or, more importantly, who. My instincts told me it was directed at me, though. There had been too many sidelong glances and awkward silences when I tried to talk to her.

Hagakure wasn't the type to hold a grudge without reason. And it wasn't like she was outright storming off in a huff or giving me the cold shoulder. It was more subtle than that—she'd avoid me, make excuses to leave the room when I entered, or keep conversations as short as possible, all without saying anything. Each time, I wondered what I'd done to get on her bad side.

I couldn't put my finger on it, though. Had I said something that rubbed her the wrong way during the training exercise? Had my decisions pissed her off? I replayed every interaction we'd had over the past few days, trying to piece it together, but nothing clicked. The more I thought about it, the more the possibilities swirled in my head like some unsolvable puzzle.

I wanted to confront her about whatever had her on edge, but I hadn't gotten the chance. Every time I tried to approach her, she'd slip away before I could say more than a few words. It wasn't just her, though. Even then, my chances were minimal since I was still conflicted about how to talk to everyone, especially with the wretched voice inside my head.

I forced myself to engage with everyone during the rescue training only because I'd been designated the team leader. It wasn't their fault—the others didn't know what was happening in my mind. They couldn't see that despite Perdix's Quirk no longer having a hold on me, the illusions were still there, creeping into my vision, twisting reality in ways that left me unsteady.

So, here I was, with my leg patched up and my head full of questions. The list of reasons why Hagakure might be angry had narrowed down to something I'd done, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what that was. All I knew was that the air between us had shifted, and until I could get her to stop avoiding me, I was stuck trying to unravel the mystery on my own, all while battling my inner demons.

Before we knew it, the day of the exam had arrived, looming large in front of us like a giant obstacle waiting to be conquered. We stood outside the towering main entrance of the Tokoba National Stadium, its sleek, modern architecture shimmering under the morning sun.

A sense of anticipation buzzed in the air, mingling with the distant hum of activity from the gathered students. I could hear their murmurs, the low, constant drone of whispered conversations filling the space as they eyed us curiously. More specifically, I could feel their gazes on me—sharp, wary, and uncertain. I caught the scent of caution and a subtle hint of fear lingering in the air, all aimed at me.