CoTE X MHA Fanfiction : Life Behind Masks

V3 Prologue : Hero or Villain?

1

Two days went by in a flash. We were all rested when school began once again.

I stood with Midoriya on the train, on our way to school. The rain pattered against the windows, it didn't seem to be going to stop anytime soon.

As we glided down the tracks, the soft hum of conversation and the occasional clickety-clack of the wheels on the tracks filled the air. Passengers besides us were scattered throughout the carriages, some engrossed in books or devices, while others gaze out the rain-spattered windows, lost in their own thoughts, creating a sense of tranquility and peace.

The moment of peace didn't last, however, and when the train stopped at a station, a man bumped into Midoriya and caused him to fall, the zip of his bag became loose and a few textbooks came free and scattered the floor. The slight altercation peeled everyone's attention from their phones, books and thoughts.

"My bad," the man said without even so much as a glance at Midoriya and walked to a different corner.

"A-Ah, it's fine..." Midoriya scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

I reached out to pull him up, said, "You okay?"

"Yeah," he replied as he began to pick up his things.

"Young man..." I heard someone murmur.

"Young man!" The voice became louder when no one reacted. "You're Midoriya from the hero course, right?"

Both me and Midoriya turned to face the man who spoke.

"Uh...?"

"Nice going at the sports festival! That was a close one, huh?" He said, giving Midoriya a thumbs up.

After that small exchange, people around us began to recognize us.

"You made it into the top eight, right? Pretty cool!"

"You're smaller than I imagined."

"It really reminded me of the good old days."

"I know what you mean! That whole do-or-die feel."

Fortunately, everyone's attention was on Midoriya, so I didn't have to deal with any of their chatter. But... That was short lived.

"Isn't that Ayanokouji? Oh my god! It's really him! He's so hot!" A group of girls squealed and giggled amongst themselves.

"Huh? He's here too?!"

"Oh damn, you're right! He's so handsome!"

"He looks even better up close!"

"Oh my god, I think I'm h—"

"I want him to f—"

"I think I'm gonna become g—"

I drew blood to plug my ears at that point, not wanting to have my dignity violated. I gazed out the rain spattered window, so I didn't have to see the crowd of people on me, and continued the journey in silence while Midoriya had to deal with the barrage of questions and opinions thrown his way.

The train finally came to a halt at our stop. We pushed past the other passengers and got out. As I stepped off the train, the air was thick with the smell of rain and the sound of droplets hitting the pavement. Looking up, I saw a cloudy gray sky stretching as far as the eye could see, promising a wet day ahead.

The trees lining the street swaying gently in the wind, their leaves glistening with raindrops like tiny jewels. Puddles had formed on the ground, reflecting the dull, muted colors of the sky above. My footsteps echoed softly as I navigated the wet sidewalk, carefully avoiding the larger puddles.