Always There (Yuma Isogai X Reader)

End-of-Term Time, 2nd Period

"All right, it's time to show what we've done for the past year." Korosensei says the next day in class. "Next up is the classwork battle. Are you prepared to take the top spot, Karma?"

"Gee, I dunno. Idiots like me don't understand hard stuff." He says flippantly.

"For your first-term midterms, I gave everyone the goal of making the top fifty. I apologize for that." Korosensei continues, ignoring the redhead as the number '50' shows up on his yellow forehead. "I was too impatient for results, and I didn't count on your opponents being so strong. But things are different now. You've matured in mind and spirit. You should be able to meet your goals in the face of any plot or setback. With heads held high, you will all make the top fifty, you will receive your tickets back to the main campus, and you will graduate as the E Class." Most of my classmates listen, confidence and determination growing. But there's still a few who look unsure.

"If only it were that easy." Sugino sighs.

"Huh?" Nagisa hums, looking over his shoulder at his baseball-loving friend.

"The A Class has a new teacher... and you won't believe who it is." Sugino says dejectedly. There's only one person that could be.

"So that's what it's come to." Korosensei ponders, holding a tentacle to his chin.

"Honestly, I want no part of his brainwashing curriculum." Mimura says, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "His weird charisma, controlling people with a word or glance..."

"His teaching skills put him on a par with our Mach-20 Korosensei." Sugino says while said teacher squeals in fear.

"If he's their teacher... then they've probably already lost the will to defy him." Isogai speculates.

After school that day, we all walk through the main campus on our way home. Isogai walks next to me, and I can't help but want to hold his hand again. However, I don't have the courage to in front of everyone.

"You know, they're kind of similar—the principal and Korosensei." Fuwa speculates.

"How so?" Maehara asks, his head tilting slightly.

"They both have extraordinary powers, but they're just regular teachers. With the principal's quick wits, he could have been prime minister or a business bigshot. But he's devoted himself to education at just one academy. No wonder he's so unrelenting." Fuwa explains.

"True. They both have their own way to bring out the best in their students academically. I definitely prefer Korosensei's methods, though." I say, earning a few nods of agreement. A moment later, Kayano lets out a small gasp.

"Huh? It's Asano." She says, surprised. Sure enough, the principal's son is leaning up against a pillar justs up ahead. We stop in our tracks. It's almost as if he's waiting for us. But why would he want to talk? If he wanted info on us, he'd probably just send the rest of his little group like last time.

"What do you want?" Maehara asks, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"You're not the kind of guy who'd run recon on us." Sugino adds. Asano pushes off the wall to face us head on, looking strained.

"It pains me to say this... but I have a request." He says. Karma hums curiously while my eyebrows furrow in confusion. "I'll cut to the chase. That monster... I want you to kill him." Huh? He can't know about our assassin training, right?! "Not physically, of course. Kill his educational policies." Asano adds. Relief washes over me. Thank goodness...

"His educational policies? Like... how?" Yada questions.

"Easy. I want you, the E Class, to dominate the top spots in the next end-of-term exams." Asano says, waving a hand as if mock us for not having figured it out. Then he places his hand on his chest. "I'll be in first place, of course, but excellent grades mean nothing coming from an excellent student. For detritus like you to surpass the A Class, though—that would ruin his stance on education."