𝐇𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐫𝐢 『Bakugo Katsuki』

◆Chapter 31◇

Miyuki sat herself down at one of the tables in Player Waiting Room #2 with a new can of orange juice nestled in her hands. She wondered how Izuku's surgery was going.

"Coming up for the second match of our second round..."

Miyuki looked up to the television at the sound of Present Mic's announcement and saw that the second match had started already.

"...From the Hero course, it's Shiozaki Ibara!"

A tall pretty girl walked into the stadium. She had long, green vines for hair and relaxed eyes. To Miyuki, the way she had her hands clasped in front of her, her posture was similar to that of a Church's mural painting of a patron saint.

"Versus! Also from the Hero course, the Turbo Hero, Iida Tenya!"

Miyuki smiled as she watched Tenya walk into the stadium astutely. He had a sharp, determined look in his eyes.

Fight on, Iida-Kun!

She wished she could have said that while watching the match from the stands with the rest of her classmates. However, as soon as she left Recovery Girl's Temporary Nurse's office, Miyuki found herself walking the other direction toward the waiting rooms.

Why?

I realized something...

She shook her head. No, that wasn't it. She hadn't realized anything. Rather, she remembered the feelings she had been denying herself all this while. They'd been buried for so long now that it took not one, not two, but three digs into her for them to finally resurface.

Was it a good thing or a bad thing?

Miyuki looked down at her hands holding the can. She let it go and lay her palms open before her.

"I'm supposed to be getting stronger. But..." She slowly curled her fingers into a fist. "How can I when I haven't yet learned to fully accept myself?"

How can I?

Miyuki jumped when the door to the waiting room opened and her face flushed a deep scarlet as she watched Shoto walk in. The upper half of his uniform was gone.

"Oh," he said, looking at her with mild surprise. "Sorry. I didn't think anyone would be in here during the match."

"It's fine," she replied, averting her eyes to look down at the table. They darted up again. "O-Oh! congratulations on making it to the third round, Todoroki-Kun!"

"Yeah," Shoto replied flatly. "Thanks." Miyuki's eyes widened when he sat down at the same table she was seated at. "Your match is next, right?"

"Yeah," Miyuki responded as she returned to looking at her unopened can. Small droplets trickled down its sides. "I'll be going up against Tokoyami-Kun and Dark Shadow. I don't quite know how it'll go with my light and everything yet, though. They're both very strong."

"...I think you'll win," Shoto admitted bluntly. Miyuki looked at him in shock. "Because of the nature of your Quirks, you two are both natural enemies of the other."

"Your observation is correct. However..." Miyuki trailed off as she reached up to the left side of her head. "Only part of my quirk can compete against Dark Shadow." Shoto followed the movement of her hand and watched as it carefully brushed the black strands on her left. Then, he looked to the right.