𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌

𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 | 𝟔𝟎

The track had fallen silent except for the faint wind rustling through the trees. Most of the students were scattered across the field in small groups, catching their breath after a brutal round of laps courtesy of All Might.

"Alright," All Might said, clapping his hands once and smiling a bit more gently than usual. "I think that's enough for today. Use the rest of the time however you like—study, relax, whatever helps you prepare for finals."

He gave them a nod and stepped aside, leaving the class to themselves.

Class 1-A  quickly took to lounging around—some were halfheartedly flipping through textbooks, others sprawled on the benches with bottled water or energy drinks, catching their breath after the surprise laps All Might had put them through.

"Okay, I know we're all pretending like nothing's weird," Kaminari said, finally breaking the silence. He was sitting backward in a chair, arms slung over the back. "But what is going on?"

Mina glanced around cautiously, speaking lowly. "You mean... with her?"

Jirou frowned from where she sat, earbuds half in. "You mean Rio."

"Shh!" Hagakure hissed, even though she couln't be seen. "We're not supposed to talk about that, right?"

"Why not?" Bakugo snapped from the far corner. He wasn't even pretending to study. "Everyone's thinking it. Might as well say it."

Iida shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "It isn't appropriate to gossip—especially when we don't know the full situation."

Denki looked around. "Okay, but like—she's just... gone? One day she's here and the next Recovery Girl's slamming doors and Nezu and Aizawa come in and say she tried to—" he trailed off. "You know."

'The whole thing seems pretty complicated," Kirishima says. "I can't help but feel like there's more to the story than people are letting on."

"She was a spy, right?" Mina asked quietly, hugging her knees to her chest. "Or—at least suspected?"

"I thought so," Sero muttered. "That's what everyone's been saying since the sports fest. That's what Aizawa coached us about before she showed up."

"Then why would she—?" Mina didn't finish the question.

"Maybe because of that," Jirou said, brows drawn together. "If everyone treated her like one, even the teachers..."

"She could still be a spy," Todoroki said bluntly from where he leaned against a tree, arms crossed. "Just 'cause she hurt herself doesn't mean she's innocent."

That hung in the air, heavy and jagged.

"Todoroki," Midoriya said gently, eyes narrowed, "there's a time and place."

"No, he's right to say it," Momo cut in softly, trying to keep the peace but clearly affected. "We don't know anything. That's the problem."

"It doesn't feel like she was evil," Uraraka said. "Sure the teachers told us to watch out, but she    just seemed like any other high-schooler."

"I don't think she's actually a spy. She's too brain dead to execute anything like that. To hell with what the faculty thinks." Bakugo says, his tone sharp.

Ashido looked down. "I didn't even know her. Like, I literally can't remember ever having a one-on-one conversation with her."

Iida stood abruptly. "We should not speculate. We don't have all the facts."

"Doesn't take facts to feel bad," Kaminari said.

"Or to be suspicious," Momo added gently. "I just wonder what else there is to the story."