"So, what are you waiting for?" Eichi's voice broke the heavy silence.
The two of them stood in a makeshift operating room deep within the sewage system of Musutafu.
The Surgeon, a man with a bounty on his head for heinous experiments and countless deaths, lay immobilized on a bloodstained operating table. The stench of blood filled the air, overpowering the usual odors of sewage.
Shino stood frozen, her eyes darting between the man on the table and the tanto in her hand.
She had seen death before, watched lives being taken, but she had never been the one to end a life.
Eichi sighed, sensing her hesitation. He had been in her place once, standing on the edge of a decision that would change him forever.
Unlike her, his first kill had been messy. Full of pleading, desperate justifications, and photographs of families meant to invoke mercy.
But Shino wouldn't face the same experience.
Before they'd arrived, Eichi had prepared. His clone had subdued the Surgeon, restraining him with a Fuinjutsu seal.
The man wasn't asleep—his body was producing adrenaline and alcohol at alarming rates from sheer terror—but he was utterly helpless.
Eichi stepped forward, and took her trembling hands in his. He guided her towards the man, holding her hands steady as he placed the tanto in her grip.
"This is the last step," Eichi whispered. "You can stop now and walk away, go back to the life you had. Or..." He guided her hand closer to the man's throat, the blade hovering just above his skin. "...you can plunge into the rabbit hole I've been in for years."
Then, he released her hands, stepping back to observe.
Shino's hands trembled violently, the weight of the decision crushing her.
The Surgeon's wide eyes locked onto hers, pleading silently for mercy even as the Fuinjutsu seal ensured he couldn't speak.
Eichi said nothing more, his face expressionless, though his eyes had a flicker of understanding. This was her choice to make, and he wouldn't interfere.
"I..." Shino started, her voice trembling. She looked at Eichi, her eyes searching for something—reassurance, guidance, maybe even a reason not to do it.
"It's your choice," he said simply. "No one's forcing you. But understand this: people like him won't stop hurting others unless someone stops them."
Taking a deep breath, Shino pressed the blade closer. Her heart raced, and her stomach churned, but she didn't stop. With a flick, she drove the blade into his throat.
The room was silent, except for the faint, wet sound of the blade finding its mark. The Surgeon's body went still.
Shino dropped the tanto, her hands shaking again as she stared at what she'd done. Her mind was blank, yet it buzzed with a million thoughts all at once.
Eichi stepped forward, picking up the tanto and wiping it clean. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't get easier," he said quietly. "But you'll learn to live with it."
Shino nodded faintly, her eyes fixed on the lifeless body in front of her. She didn't say anything as Eichi began gathering their gear.
"Let's go," Eichi said. "We're done here."
Shino followed him out of the room.
---
The days after the incident passed in a haze for Shino. Eichi was busy with his own affairs, while she locked herself away in her room, trying to make sense of what she had done.
Shino had always been seen as cold and distant by most people, but her friends knew her differently. At her old school, she had been kind in her own quiet way—helping classmates, excelling in her studies without bragging, and always keeping her private life to herself.
Her two best friends never knew about her abilities or the world she came from. She had made sure of that, shielding them from her family's legacy and the responsibilities it carried.
But now, everything felt broken. Taking a life, even the life of someone as vile as the Surgeon, had shaken her to her core. It wasn't just guilt, it was the weight of crossing an invisible line she hadn't even fully understood until it was too late.
It felt like her body and mind were rebelling against her, punishing her for something she couldn't put into words. The man had been immobilized, completely unable to defend himself. That was what haunted her most. It wasn't a fight, it was an execution.
Shino couldn't stop thinking about how fragile life was. The way a single motion, a single decision, could snuff out a soul. It terrified her how simple it had been to end a life, yet how impossibly hard it was to live with the act afterward.
She looked sideways as a knock echoed from the door. The sound was soft, almost hesitant, but it still made her tense.
For a moment, dread washed over her—not because of who might be behind the door, but because of what she might do to them.
What if she hurt them? Worse, what if she accidentally killed them? The thought spiraled in her mind, tightening her chest.
Her hand twitched, hovering over the floor as if she could stop herself from existing altogether. She felt dangerous, like something unpredictable and broken.
Another knock, a little firmer this time. "Shino, it's me," came Eichi's voice from the other side. It was calm but carried a weight that made her stomach twist.
She hesitated, staring at the door as if it might swallow her whole.
"Are you going to make me stand out here forever?" Eichi added, his tone shifting to mild irritation.
Her throat felt dry, but she managed to croak out, "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Eichi stepped inside, his expression unreadable.
He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, arms crossed.
"You've been in here for days," he said, his eyes scanning the room. "Are you going to talk about it, or are you planning to waste away like this?"
Shino didn't respond, her gaze dropping back to her hands.
Eichi sighed and stepped closer, crouching down to meet her eye level, and gave her a glass of coffe. "Take this, you're gonna need it."
It seemed like he pulled it from thin air, but she had stopped questioning anything strange when it came to Eichi.
Nodding, she muttered, "Thanks."
As she took the glass, her hands trembled slightly. Her voice was barely a whisper as she said, "I didn't even fight him. He couldn't... he couldn't do anything. It felt..."
"Wrong," Eichi finished for her. "It always does the first time. Hell, it should. If it didn't, I'd be worried about you."
She looked up at him, confusion and fear mixing in her eyes. "Then how do you keep doing it?"
Eichi's eyes softened. "My brother's first mission outside the village wasn't a success. He came back alone—his teammates didn't make it. After that, he started smoking and got so grumpy that even my teasing didn't work the same."
Shino tilted her head slightly, curious despite herself. "What did you do?"
"I tried to help him," Eichi said, his voice quieter now. "I told him, 'If they were here, they wouldn't want to see you like this.' And do you know what he did?"
Shino shook her head slowly.
"Nothing," Eichi said with a bitter chuckle. "Absolutely nothing. He just looked at me and said I'd understand someday. He got better eventually, but something in him changed after that mission."
Eichi paused, taking a sip of his own coffee before continuing. "I didn't understand what he meant until I had my first real mission with a team. It started off like some grand adventure, but it ended... differently."
Shino listened intently as Eichi's tone grew heavier.
"When we tracked down the criminals we were after, we found the village they'd attacked first. It wasn't just a raid. It was a massacre. The men and the elderly were slaughtered. The children were taken as captives, and the women..." He trailed off, his eyes hardening.
Shino felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't need him to finish the sentence to understand the horrors he'd seen.
"We found them holed up nearby," Eichi went on. "My team wanted to wait for reinforcements, but I couldn't, after all, I was a green that graduated early. I couldn't stand there, knowing what they'd done and doing nothing. So, I went in. I thought I could handle it. I thought it was the right thing to do."
His expression darkened. "The first one I confronted... he begged. He cried, took out a photo of his family, pleading for his life. I froze. I was so full of anger, but when I saw him like that, it just... disappeared."
"But then, he lunged at me. He had a weapon hidden and was going to kill me."
Eichi paused, his gaze distant as though reliving the moment. "It was instinct," he continued, his voice quieter now. "When he lunged at me, everything I'd learned in training kicked in. I defended myself. Before I even realized what I was doing, it was over. He was... gone."
Shino sat frozen, the weight of his words sinking in. She couldn't look away, her breath shallow as she tried to process the image he painted.
Eichi took a deep breath, his expression tightening. "That was the first time I killed someone. I told myself it was justified, that he would've killed me if I hadn't acted. But that didn't stop the nightmares. It didn't stop me from hearing his voice, seeing his face, every time I closed my eyes."
"But you kept going... How? How do you move past something like that?"
"You don't," Eichi said. "You learn to live with it. You learn to carry it. At first, it's painful. But over time, it becomes a part of you. And you decide whether that scar makes you weaker... or stronger."
He looked directly at her. "You've taken a life now. That's not something you can undo. But what you do next, that's what matters. You can let it break you, or you can let it shape you into someone stronger. Someone who can make sure it never happens to anyone else if you can help it."
Shino's eyes burned, though she didn't let the tears fall. She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to be broken."
"Good," Eichi said. "Then start by forgiving yourself. What you did wasn't easy, and it wasn't something you wanted. But it was necessary. And if you're going to keep walking this path, you need to accept that."
The two sat in silence for a moment. Shino stared at her hands again, but this time, they didn't feel quite as foreign.
Eichi stood and stretched, the subtle crack of his joints breaking the silence. The tension in his shoulders seemed to loosen just a little. "Finish your coffee," he said. "Kaina and her group are back. They wanted us to go out before school resumes."
Shino blinked, surprised at the sudden change in tone. "Haru and Aiko?" she asked.
"Still not back," Eichi replied. "But they should be tomorrow. We've got a trip coming up, after all."
"Alright, I'll be with you in a few—" she started, but didn't get the chance to finish.
Eichi cut her off. "I'll be waiting in front of your door. Change quickly," he said, then shut the door behind him before she could protest.
Shino let out a small sigh. He didn't even give her a moment to decide.
That's Eichi for y'a.
She got up from her bed and quickly changed out of her pajamas, slipping into her usual casual clothes. Nothing fancy, just something comfortable and ready to move in. As she pulled her hoodie over her head, her mind started to drift.
She thought back to everything Eichi had told her. Bits and pieces of his past. The way he talked about graduation. The way he mentioned it so casually, like it was normal.
But the way he described it—it didn't sound like a school. It sounded more like a military camp. A place where kids didn't just learn—they were trained. Trained to fight.
Child soldiers. That's what it really was.
And if there were places like that, then there had to be others like Eichi. He had a family once. He mentioned others like him, too. People with skills, talent, purpose.
It didn't make sense for so many gifted people to exist without the world knowing about them. Not unless they weren't from this world at all.
The thought sent a small chill down her spine.
Maybe Eichi wasn't just using metaphor when he talked about the world he came from. Maybe he meant it literally. A different world. One shaped by endless war and struggle. One where kids were raised in the shadow of death, and the strong survived.
It was nothing like her own background—quiet, still, almost boring by comparison. Her life had been full of small, ordinary experiences. A simple path. His was chaos. Conflict. Blood and loss.
She wasn't dumb.
But even with that creeping realization, she knew better than to bring it up. She wouldn't tell Eichi what she was starting to believe. He had his own burdens. And so was she.
Some thoughts were better kept to yourself.
She finished tying her shoes and opened the door. Eichi was already outside, leaning against the wall beside her dorm. Waiting, like he said.
"You know," she said, smirking, "one would talk when they see a boy hanging around the girl's dorm hallway."
Her tone was teasing. While it wasn't exactly forbidden to visit another side of the dorms, it also wasn't encouraged. People talked. Teenagers were the same no matter the world—curious, nosy, and fast to gossip.
But Eichi only raised his brow right back at her, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Oh yeah?" he said, matching her tone. "Who walked right into my room that morning without batting an eye just to get recruited?"
Touché.
Her smirk widened just a little. He had a point.
She scoffed lightly. "That's different. You dragged me in."
Eichi pushed himself off the wall and began walking. "You didn't exactly resist."
She followed beside him, hands in her pockets. "I didn't think I had a choice."
"You did," he replied flatly.
Shino glanced sideways at him. Despite everything, walking next to Eichi like this had become... normal. Maybe too normal.
"I've been thinking," she said.
"Dangerous habit," Eichi muttered.
She rolled her eyes but didn't bite back. "If Aiko saw us together like this, what would she think?"
"You're assuming that she has a thing for me, much less if we're a thing at all."
Shino narrowed her eyes a little, lips curling into a mischievous grin as she walked a bit closer to him.
"So, you're saying there's a chance," she said.
Eichi glanced at her sideways, clearly not amused. "No, I'm saying you're imagining things."
She leaned in, hands behind her head like she was enjoying the breeze in the hallway. "Hn. Denial. Classic response. You're blushing on the inside, aren't you?"
"I'm not," he replied flatly.
"That's exactly what someone who's blushing on the inside would say."
He let out a slow breath, clearly regretting letting her talk at all. "Do you ever get tired of hearing your own voice?"
"Not really," she said brightly. "Especially when it's being used to expose your secret love life."
Eichi turned his head just slightly toward her. "There is no secret love life."
"Aha!" she pointed, grinning wide. "So you admit it's not public!"
"I said there's nothing."
"You mean, nothing yet."
"Shino."
"Yes, Eichi?"
"Since when have you grown a tongue with me?"
Shino grinned even wider, clearly enjoying herself.
"Since I realized you don't bite as hard as you pretend to."
Eichi stopped walking for a beat, giving her a sidelong glance sharp enough to cut through steel. "You want to test that theory?"
She tilted her head. "Is that a threat or a promise?"
He groaned under his breath and kept walking. "You're insufferable."
"And you're deflecting," she said, keeping pace beside him. "I mean, seriously, you spend all this time brooding and being cool, but one little comment about Aiko and suddenly you're twitching."
"Maybe that was a bad idea to train you after all."
"Oh, my mistake. Must be a nervous reflex then." She put her hands behind her back and leaned in mock-thoughtfully. "I wonder what kind of flowers Aiko likes. Should we go shopping later? I'll help you write the card."
"You're walking on thin ice, pal."
As they walked into the main hall, they spotted Kaina, Kenta and their groupe, all wearing their casual attire.
"Eichi! been a while, how was your vacation?" Waved Kaina as she walked toward them.
Eichi gave a small nod, his posture relaxing just a bit now that the teasing had an audience to disappear into.
"Productive," he replied simply.
Kaina stopped in front of them, hands on her hips, giving both Eichi and Shino a once-over.
"You look taller," she said to Shino with a smirk. "Did you actually train during break?"
Shino raised a brow, smiling. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Play nice," Eichi said, though his tone was half-hearted.
Kenta approached too, arms crossed, flanked by a couple of familiar classmates. "I heard rumors," he said. "Something about the new girl being with Eichi?"
Shino blinked. "Wait, me?"
"Yeah. You," Kenta repeated, amused. "Word travels fast."
She turned sharply toward Eichi. "Eichi?" she hissed under her breath.
"Not my fault," he said plainly. "We did spend the whole month training together. Alone."
"You said no one would know!"
"I said try not to draw attention. You didn't exactly make that easy."
Kenta raised an eyebrow. "So it's true?"
"Define 'true,'" Shino shot back, crossing her arms in mock annoyance. "If by that you mean nearly dying of exhaustion and getting yelled at every ten minutes, then yeah—real romantic."
Kaina chuckled, clearly entertained by the exchange. "Sounds like Eichi's version of bonding."
Shino smiled sweetly. "Oh, he bonded alright. Right to his 'no talking during training' rule. It was thrilling."
Eichi rubbed his temples. "Why do you talk so much?"
"Balance," she said brightly. "You mope, I chat."
While she joked and played, she also studied the others in the group, gauging reactions. It wasn't just about being funny. She was testing the waters, figuring out how much they knew, how far she could push, and who might become a problem later.
She looked back to Kenta with a grin. "So, rumor patrol, anything else I should know about myself?"
He shrugged. "Just that anyone who trains with Eichi either are scary or are about to be."
"Good," she said, her tone light. "Then I'm right on schedule."
"Alright, alright," Eichi cut in, walking past them without slowing down. "Let's get this walk thing over with, shall we?"
Shino raised an eyebrow. "You sound like you're being dragged to your own execution."
"I'm being dragged to a coffee shop with you," he muttered.
"Same difference," Kaina added with a smirk from behind, clearly enjoying herself.
The group began to move, Eichi and Shino at the front, the others trailing a little behind. The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pavement as they left the school grounds and made their way down the gentle slope toward the city streets.
The city around U.A. was busy but calm, a safe and polished part of town where clean sidewalks and storefronts gave off the illusion of peace. Shino glanced around as they walked, taking in the buzz of conversation, the soft hum of traffic, and the warm smell of baked goods wafting from nearby bakeries.
It was weirdly normal. Too normal for her lately.
"So, coffee shop, huh?" she asked, hands in her jacket pockets. "That mean you're actually going to sit down and relax for once?"
"I'm here because someone had the bright idea of dragging me to 'socialize,'" Eichi replied, clearly not amused.
She tilted her head. "You're not even going to try and pretend you want to be here?"
"I don't want to be here."
Shino grinned. "Then we're off to a great start."
They turned a corner and entered a quieter street, lined with shops and small restaurants. Just ahead was a cozy little coffee place tucked between a flower shop and a bookstore. Its windows were fogged slightly from the heat inside, and the sign above the door read "Komorebi Beans" in soft hand-painted lettering.
Eichi paused in front of the door and gave her a side glance. "You're paying."
"I didn't bring money."
He sighed. "Of course not."
She smiled sweetly. "It's the price of dragging me along."
"You looked like shit."
"Doesn't change the facts."
Kaina caught up behind them, chuckling as she pushed the door open. "You two sound like a married couple. Just get in."
Shino opened her mouth to object, but Eichi was already walking in without another word.
With a huff, she followed, brushing past Kaina. But then, something made her pause.
Just ahead, Eichi stood at the counter. Without a word, he handed a folded wad of cash to the waitress, clean bills. He leaned in, said something to her, and gave a polite nod. The waitress smiled, almost nervously, and gestured toward the back where the group usually sat.
Shino's eyes narrowed.
She caught up to him just before he rejoined the others. "Never knew you had that side to you," she said, tilting her head, a teasing glint in her eye. "Generous. Almost charming."
Eichi shot her a sideways glance. "You're reading too much into a tip."
"Oh, come on. That wasn't just a tip. That was hush money."
"Then don't talk."
Shino smirked, stepping past him to the table. "No promises."
He gave her a flat look. "It's just coffee."
"Uh-huh. And the quiet whispering to the waitress was just you reciting the menu?"
"She asked if I wanted it in the usual place."
Shino blinked. "You have a usual place?"
Eichi didn't reply. Instead, he just gave a slight tilt of his head and began walking toward a small, corner booth already being cleared and cleaned, slightly tucked away from the rest of the shop.
She followed, half-teasing, half-curious now. "You've done this more than once, haven't you? Like... a lot more."
He slid into the booth with ease. "I don't sleep much. Quiet places help."
Shino sat across from him, watching his face. For a moment, the teasing faded from her eyes, replaced by something more thoughtful. "You know, for someone who acts like the world's always watching, you do leave breadcrumbs."
"Then stop following them," he replied, resting his chin on one hand, eyes drifting toward the group.
"Nah," she said with her telepathy, leaning forward with a grin. "You are training me to notice everything, remember? You can't take that back now."
Eichi's eyes flicked to hers, and then away. "That's going to get annoying fast."
Shino leaned back against the booth, stretching just a little. "Too late. Already annoying and loving it."
There was a moment, before her thoughts pulled back to days before.
She remembered the way he talked to Shie and the kid. Sarcastic, yeah, but... relaxed. Almost like he knew how to speak a language most people didn't bother to learn. A tone of half-jokes and light cynicism, paired with the kind of patience that didn't quite match his age.
But when he spoke to teachers? Polite. Detached. Checkbox behavior.
With them?
She wasn't sure yet. She watched him, how his shoulders never fully dropped, how he joked but never too hard. None of it added up cleanly.
Shino wondered if they were seeing the real him, or just another version built for convenience.
Not that she blamed him. She was doing the same thing.
"You ever think about cutting back on the sass?" he asked, finally meeting her gaze again.
"You ever think about not deflecting every serious question with sarcasm or silence?" she shot back.
That actually earned the smallest twitch of his mouth. A phantom of a smile that disappeared as quickly as it came.
She tilted her head. "There it is. I knew you had a genuine smile buried somewhere under all that brooding and sarcastic smirking."
"I don't brood," he said flatly.
"You absolutely brood. You've got a routine for brooding."
"It's true," came a voice beside them.
Both of them turned—Kaina, arms crossed, an amused smirk on her face. "You've got the whole thing down to a science. Brooding Booth. Brooding Brew. Brooding Playlist—I'm sure it's just an hour of rain and existential dread."
Now the rest of the group was watching, the casual energy around them shifting as more attention zeroed in.
Kenta leaned in over a nearby chair, eyebrows raised. "Wait, wait, hold on—Eichi has a playlist?"
Shino's eyes lit up with mock horror. "No way. You're telling me he voluntarily listens to music? What is it, classical violin while he stares out a window?"
"I could see that," Kenta grinned. "Like... tragic war orphan reflects on pain and purpose, Vol. II."
Eichi groaned quietly, dragging a hand down his face. "This is exactly why I don't talk with yall."
"But you do brood," Shino pressed with a victorious smirk, leaning forward like she'd won something important. "And now it's public knowledge. You're officially emotionally compromised."
"I'll add it to my list of regrets," he muttered, tone dry as ever.
Kaina slid into the booth beside Shino, elbow nudging her playfully. "You know, I like this version of you two. Less murder, more mocking."
"Temporary truce," Eichi said.
"Temporary?" Shino asked, faux-wounded. "And here I thought we were bonding."
Eichi gave her a sidelong glance, unreadable as always. "You mistake tolerance for affection."
But Shino just grinned, undeterred. "You mistake Tea for a personality."
The group broke into laughter at that, loud enough to draw a curious glance from the table across the café. Even Haru nearly choked on his drink, wheezing as he clutched his chest.
"Oh damn, she got you," he managed between coughs. "You gonna take that lying down, Eichi?"
Eichi raised his cup with maddening calm. "Considering it's tea, yes—"
Eichi's spine straightened subtly, the shift in his posture almost imperceptible to anyone but Shino, who immediately noticed the change in his focus.
His words died mid-sentence, and his gaze fixed toward the entrance of the café.
Shino followed his line of sight and spotted him.
Aizawa.
Standing just inside the door, dressed in civilian clothes. Scarf draped loosely around his shoulders, and eyes locked directly on Eichi with the kind of narrowed scrutiny that could've peeled layers off stone.
It wasn't hostility. But instead someone that tried to recognize another.
Kenta noticed the tension a beat later. "What's up? You look like you saw—"
Eichi slowly set his tea down and said, "I'll be back in a min."
Then, to everyone's surprise, he stood and walked toward the entrence.
As he approached, Aizawa didn't move—didn't even blink. Just stared.
Eichi came to a stop a few feet away, hands at his sides. The two of them stood like mirrored statues: tired, wary, worn by things no one else in the room could quite understand.
And then Aizawa spoke, voice rough as gravel and quiet as a whisper.
"...You dyed your hair black."
"And you look the same as last time, half dead."
Aizawa's eye twitched—barely. The kind of minute reaction only someone who'd known him long enough would catch.
"Still a smartass," he muttered. "Good to know some things don't change."
Eichi gave a half shrug, his voice casual, but his stance tense. "Figured blending in works better when you're not waving red flags."
"And it seems you're finally having a normal childhood someone your age should've had."
Eichi scoffed. "Is that what this is? Normal?" He glanced back toward the table where the others sat, laughing.
"Pretending's better than running," Aizawa said simply. "Or dying."
"I didn't choose this, you know," Eichi said.
"I know," Aizawa replied. "Doesn't mean you're not still responsible for what you do from now on."
Eichi looked at him again, and for the first time, there wasn't defiance in his eyes. Just exhaustion.
"...Yeah," he said. "I know."
Aizawa gave a faint grunt, like that was the closest thing to closure either of them was going to get.
Then, with a final glance toward the group, he muttered, "Keep your head down. And try not to blow anything up."
"No promises," Eichi murmured.
Aizawa didn't laugh. He just walked past him and out the door.
As the door swung shut behind Aizawa, Eichi lingered for a second, eyes still on the spot where the man had stood.
The moment he slid into his seat, every conversation stopped. Shino leaned in with one eyebrow raised. Kaina was mid-sip but clearly not drinking anymore. Kenta had his arms crossed, and even the others had their phone lowered in their lap, eyes fixed on him.
"Well?" Kenta asked, half-whispering. "Was that him? Like, him him? Scarf guy from the news?"
"Yeah," Eichi said, casually grabbing his tea again. "Aizawa."
"You knew him?" Kaina asked, brows slightly raised.
"Briefly," Eichi replied. "We talked a few times. Nothing deep."
Kenta leaned back. "Weird vibe."
"He always looks like that," Eichi said. "Like someone just woke him up from a nap he didn't want to take."
Kaina grinned. "So what'd he say?"
Eichi shrugged. "Nothing important."
Shino didn't press, just leaned back in her chair, still watching him out of the corner of her eye.
Whatever passed between him and Aizawa clearly wasn't a big moment for him, or at least not one he wanted to explain.
"Anyway," Eichi said, shifting the topic. "tea still wins, by the way."
Shino smirked. "It's not a contest, but okay."
"Yeah, because you'd lose."
"Alright, alright, save the banter for after food," Kenta cut in, flagging the waitress. "I'm starving."
The conversation moved on, the group falling back into its usual rhythm—just another afternoon.
---
At dawn, the entrance of U.A. High School was already busy. Students gathered near the gates, bundled up with backpacks, waiting for the buses to arrive.
The trip to Osaka was going to be long, so the school had scheduled an early departure. Despite the hour, the air was filled with excitement, and sleepy faces still managed to smile.
Aiko and Haru had arrived ahead of most. They even had time to run back to the dorms for a few extra clothes before settling in to wait.
Nearby, Shino stood with her Class B group. Like many of them, she was still getting used to the idea of going on a joint trip. The decision to include Class B had only been made the day before, throwing her entire class into a last-minute scramble to get ready and return to school.
Now, both Class B and Class C were gathered, ready to head out together.
As for Eichi, he had just finished checking his things. His backpack was tightly packed, each item neatly in place. He left his room quietly, but not before sending a final message to Shie.
Production was to stop.
He told Shie that making explosive tagsn, and all other seal-based tools, was on hold until further notice. Shie didn't argue. Annoyed, maybe. But not surprised.
It had only been a few days since Neko had seen the security footage of the Bloody Mist. And Shie, sharp as ever, could sense the connection.
"You, of all people, late?" came a dry voice from the sidewalk, Moriyama-sensei.
Eichi approached the buses. He didn't know much about this teacher. No clear Quirk. No record of combat achievements. Strange, especially for a school like U.A.
But maybe it was because Moriyama was new. Maybe even the students hadn't seen him in action yet.
"I had to make sure I was prepared," Eichi replied flatly. "Didn't want to ruin the trip over something small."
"Fair enough," Moriyama said with a shrug. "Let's just hope traffic's kind. We're already cutting it close."
He motioned for Eichi to board the bus reserved for Class C.
Inside, the students were already animated. Some were laughing and joking, others were stretched out in their seats with snacks in hand.
A few students leaned against the bus windows, quietly soaking in the early morning sun as it spilled over the skyline. The hum of the engine blended with the low chatter of classmates, some too tired to speak, others too excited to sit still.
This wasn't just a school trip, it was the first time many of them were leaving the city. And the thrill of that showed in everything. Wide eyes, restless legs, and backpacks stuffed with way too many snacks.
"Man, I can't wait to try out a real sauna," one of the students groaned. "Not some fake steaming box back in the gym."
Another laughed. "You've never even been in one, how would you know the difference?"
"I've done my research, okay?"
Just a few rows behind them, Haru twisted around in his seat and raised an eyebrow. "You guys are acting like we're going to another planet."
"In some ways, we are," Aiko replied, sitting beside him with her forehead resting against the glass. "It's our first time out of the city. That counts for something."
Haru grinned. "Guess we're really stepping into the big world, huh?"
"Yep. Just don't get too emotional on me," Aiko said, nudging him with her elbow. "I don't have tissues."
"I don't cry," he shot back. "I sweat from the eyes."
"Uh-huh. We'll see how long that holds up when we're stuck in the mountains with no cell signal."
"Oh no," Haru mock-gasped. "You mean we'll actually have to talk to people?"
Aiko smirked. "Terrifying." Then she turned to Shino, who was sitting across the aisle next to Eichi, leaning on the window, quietly looking outside.
"Yo, I heard you were from Osaka, right?" Aiko called out.
Shino raised an eyebrow at her. "Yeah, what about it?"
Their dynamic wasn't super warm, but it worked. After all, once you've trained together, it sort of smooths out the edges.
"Well," Aiko continued, "I just wanted to ask what the hot spots are. Or better, anything fun in the mountain area we're going to?"
Shino gave a small shrug. "It's more nature than neon signs up there. Think trees, mist, quiet trails. Not much for nightlife unless you count frogs."
"No hidden cafés or secret ramen joints in the woods?" Haru added.
Shino smiled a bit. "You might find one, but if you do, it's probably just an old guy with a rice ball stand and a radio. Still hits the spot, though."
"Ooh, mysterious mountain snacks," Aiko said, nudging Haru with her elbow. "That's going on the checklist."
"I already made a list," Haru said proudly, pulling out his phone. "Places to visit, things to try, and weird stuff to take pictures of."
"Please tell me you put 'rice ball from a grandpa in the forest' on there," Shino added, amused.
"Hold on—adding it now." Haru tapped away dramatically.
Across the aisle, another classmate leaned over the seat. "Are you guys seriously making a checklist for snacks?"
"Absolutely," Aiko said without missing a beat. "It's the foundation of every good trip."
Shino gave a nod of mock-serious approval. "Agreed. Memories fade. Taste buds don't."
Eichi finally glanced away from the window, raising an eyebrow. "You're all acting like this is a vacation."
"It kind of is," Haru said, shrugging. "No homework, no drills, just buses, nature, and maybe some hot springs if we're lucky."
"It's still a school trip," Eichi reminded them.
"And you're still outvoted," Aiko said with a grin.
There was a light laugh from a few seats down as more students chimed in with their own snack goals and silly sightseeing plans. A few even pulled out notebooks to start sketching or doodling plans for the days ahead.
Outside the window, the city was slowly giving way to open fields and distant hills, the sky brightening with the early morning light.
Shino leaned back in her seat and stretched. "You know, if this whole hero thing doesn't work out, I could totally see myself running a tiny mountain café."
"I'd visit," Aiko said.
"You'd eat all the profits," Shino shot back.
"Exactly."
The group laughed, that easy kind of laughter that only came from being stuck together on a long ride with nothing but time and the road ahead.
Hours rolled by, and one by one, the bus grew quieter. Most students had nodded off, slouched against windows or each other.
Aiko and Haru were dozing together, her head resting on his shoulder, and his on top of her head.
Kenta was sprawled out a few rows back, snoring like it was a competitive sport.
Shino, however, was still awake.
She sat near the back, across from Eichi, who had taken the window seat. He looked like he was asleep, but every now and then, his eyes would flick open for a second before closing again. She'd noticed it a few times now.
She knew the signs. Nightmares are'nt a pretty things.
After a few quiet minutes, she leaned slightly toward him. "Excited for the field trip?"
Eichi turned his head slightly, cracking one eye open at her. "Yeah," he said with a shrug. "Might be fun, not gonna lie."
Shino gave a small smile at that. "Wow, is that optimism I hear? Should I be worried?"
Eichi cracked one eye open at her, the corner of his mouth tugging upward. "Don't get used to it."
She chuckled softly, resting her chin on her hand as she looked out the window. The mountains were starting to show in the distance, framed by the bright midday sky. The air felt lighter the farther they got from the city.
"Honestly though," she said, keeping her voice low so as not to wake the others, "this is kinda nice. Just getting away for a bit."
Eichi nodded slowly. "You think the teachers are gonna keep things light?"
"Hopefully," she replied. "I packed like... one training outfit. The rest is all snack storage and pajamas."
He gave her a sideways look. "You brought snacks?"
"Obviously. I've got a rep to maintain."
Eichi exhaled a faint laugh, looking out the window again. "Smart fella."
There was a comfortable silence after that, broken only by the occasional bump of the road or someone shifting in their seat. Shino leaned her head back, not quite sleepy but relaxed.
"Hey," she said after a moment, glancing at him again. "If you're that tired, why not cast a Genjutsu on yourself?"
Eichi's answer didn't come immediately. His eyes flicked toward her with a quiet, thoughtful look.
"...Doesn't really work like that," he murmured. "But... not a bad idea."
Shino tilted her head. "Shame. That'd be a cool hack."
"Right?" he said, smirking faintly. "Would've been dead asleep by then."
She nodded slowly. "So... How does your... power works? I may help you out a bit."
"You mean why I can't cast a Genjutsu on my self while sleeping?"
"Hm—hmh."
Eichi stretched his arm out, tracing a lazy circle on the window fog. "Genjutsu is all about focus," he began. "I channel my chakra—my quirk energy—through my Tenketsu's or through a Fuin'. But it takes conscious control. Like writing code in your head. If I'm asleep, I can't run the program."
Shino nodded, mulling it over. "Yeah... Kinda Makes sense. You need awareness to shape the illusion."
"Yup." Eichi lifted his free hand and formed a tiny, invisible imprint in the air. "Even when I trap someone else, I have to keep my mind on it. If I tried while half-snoozing, the jutsu would collapse the second I lost focus."
"So there's no auto-repeat or loop you can trigger beforehand?"
He shook his head. "Couldn't risk it. The Fuin' might run on their own, but genjutsu drains the Fuin' fast. If it runs unsupervised, it backfires or just fails."
Shino tapped her fingers against her knee. "What about a delayed trigger? Like set it now, let it launch later?"
Eichi considered that. "In theory, maybe. But I've never mastered time-based seals for genjutsu. Too many variables—sleep phases, chakra flow, dream interference. I'd rather just stay awake."
She smiled. "Well, if you ever figure out how to sleep looking awake, let me know. I'll be your test dummy."
He gave her a half-grin. "Deal. But until then, you still have to listen to Sensei in class."
"Fine by me," she said, settling back into her seat. "Also, someone's gotta keep the bus from crashing into a mountain."
He chuckled quietly, closing his eyes again. "Just... wake me if we hit a bump."
She leaned back too, letting the low hum of the road carry them toward whatever came next.