To Love, To Lose, To Leave

Chapter Sixteen

"I want to visit Paris," Bakugo says, the harshness of his voice translating over into his English with ease.

Shoto blinks twice, staring at the words Bakugo wrote on the board.

Visiting Paris sounds like it would be kind of fun—traveling outside of the country for leisure, and not just for hero business.

"Paris is a very neat place to visit! I've been there for a couple missions, but I've also attended a really fancy conference there with Shota, so we got to sightsee," Mic says. "Thank you, Bakugo. Jirou, you were gonna raise your hand, do you want to go next?"

Jirou seems to not have immediately noticed that Mic was talking to her, because she jolts in her seat. "Ah—oh! Uh, yeah. I'll go next." Bakugo makes his way by her and slides into his seat as Jirou gets up from her own seat and heads to the front of the class, turning to grab the chalk.

"I want to release a song," she says, writing out Release a song under Bakugo's point before quickly placing the chalk back down and swerving around to her seat. For some reason, her eyes keep flicking from her desk to Midoriya's, clearly tensed up with what seems to be concern.

As she starts to turn to sit in her seat, she makes eye contact with Shoto.

He stiffens slightly, eyes widening slightly.

Does Jirou know? But how would she? Midoriya said he didn't tell anyone, unless she overheard with her Qu—

The loud, sudden screeching of a chair startles Shoto, snapping him out of his thoughts. The sound seems to have startled everyone else too, because they were all staring at Midoriya, who was standing at his desk, head face pointedly looking downwards.

"Sorry, Sensei, but can I be excused to use the restroom?" Midoriya asks. Shoto's stomach twists uncomfortably.

He sounds upset.

Though he seems hesitant, Sensei nods. "Of course, Midoriya go—"

Midoriya dashes out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him before Sensei could finish his sentence.

"—ahead."

The class seems to stare silently at the door for a moment, before Sensei clears his throat. "Alright then, next person?"

"I'll go!" Mina jumps out of her seat, making her way to the front of the class.

Something's wrong with Midoriya. He hasn't been using his Quirk, so it can't be that One For All is acting up again, right—?

Something seems to jump into Shoto's space from his peripheral vision, causing him to startle slightly at the movement. He looks up to find a small, folded paper sitting on his desk. When he glances up, he sees that Jirou is staring back at him, eyes hardened.

Open it, she mouths, gesturing with her hands as well.

Shoto blinks, then nods.

Seems like she knows something, too.

With that, Shoto opens the note.

something's wrong with midoriya-kun. go check on him.

Yeah. That's probably a good idea.

As Mina makes her way back to her seat—apparently having written Get my ears pierced—Shoto raises his hand.

"May I use the restroom, Sensei?"

Sensei seems to pause, hesitating.

Please don't say no.