Wow, it has been a while. I hope you guys are all staying safe during this whole virus thing. My whole family has barely left our house, and so I've had a ton of time to catch up on the manga and write. This is the last chapter at his middle school - next chapter's the entrance exam and then he'll go to UA. Anyway, I do not own My Hero Academia.

...

When Shinso greeted his family for breakfast, the first thing he saw on the table was the newspaper with the headline "SLUDGE INCIDENT" printed on the top.

"Good morning." He heard his mother say.

"Good morning, mom." He slowly turned to the other towering figure at the head of the table. "Father." He mumbled. His mother pursed her lips.

"Was that disrespect I heard?" His father asked. His purple brows drew together, and he set down his chopsticks before glaring at his son.

"No." Shinso whispered, absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck. His father searched his face for a few more seconds before slowly moving to pick up his utensils again. Shinso slowly moved a chair out from the table and sat down. He looked at his mother. She was pale, but otherwise unaffected as she dished up his food.

Ignoring his father, Shinso picked up the newspaper and looked at a picture of a blond boy with red eyes. He was completely engulfed in an enormous mass of what looked to be slime. Flames were igniting from the few fingers that were free from the monster's hold. The boy looked strangely familiar to him, but he decided to not preoccupy himself with that. Instead he shoved the story away from himself, and resumed eating breakfast.

Tch. Another perfect quirk. How many heroic deeds would I be able to do with flames? How many people would laugh at me then?

"Hitoshi." His father suddenly said. Shinso jerked, his back going ramrod straight. He swallowed, and looked at his father. Whatisitwhatisitwhatisitwhatisit. He glanced at his mother accusingly, but she was just as surprised as he was. She said she wouldn't tell.

"Yes?"

The man shifted his wide shoulders and steepled his fingers while his elbows rested on the table. "Your high school. Did you decide?"

Shinso deflated in relief, and let out a breath. "I, uh…" he paused. "I don't know yet. I still haven't really thought about it."

His father's frown deepened. "I don't want you bringing shame to this family. Think for once in your life, and decide." The sharp sting to his words cut into Shinso, so much so that his appetite disappeared.

"...I understand, father."

"Come up with an answer. One week."

Shinso looked at his mom, whose eyebrows were furrowed. "Don't you think we should give him a bit more time? I think–" Her jaw suddenly clamped shut, teeth clacking loudly together.

No matter how many times it happened, Shinso was still struck with terror. His mother let out a muffled yelp, her eyes panicked and flitting around.

"I don't think I asked for your opinion, Harumi." When his father looked at her, his eyes held a spark that made Shinso shiver.

Harumi's hands flew to her mouth, her fingers quivering over it as though she were going to pry it open.

She knew better not to.

"Will you be good now?" His father asked her. She nodded, eyes wide. He looked away. She slumped in her chair as soon as he released his hold on her, exhausted.

Shinso picked at his food, only bringing a few grains of rice to his lips when his father eyed him. Harumi discreetly wiped a trail of blood that dripped from her lip. She had bitten her tongue when her teeth clamped shut. The rest of the meal passed in silence, Shinso only answering "Yes, sir." when ordered to look for a school.

As soon as he could excuse himself from the table, he bolted to his room, and dragged his chair to lean against his door after he had locked it. His father may be able to force his door open by itself, but he'd have more trouble with the extra support.

He laid on his bed, shivering. After all this time, his father still made his muscles lock up in terror. He knew that the man couldn't manipulate large objects, let alone the entire human body. But one small thought could render someone powerless with just one frozen limb.

But…. the thing that always struck him the most was that look in his father's eyes every time he controlled his mother and him. Almost… enjoyment. From their suffering.

Shinso wondered if that look would ever appear in his eyes. The apple never falls far from the tree, after all.

...

"Oi." Someone jabbed Shinso's back with the tip of a pencil. Amano.

"Yeah?" Shinso asked, as he threw an easy smile over his face.

"What'd you put for this?" He lifted the survey sheet, swinging it back and forth in front of his friend's face. On the sheet was one statement:

LIST YOUR TOP THREE HIGH SCHOOLS BELOW.

They had been given ten minutes to fill it out, and Shinso spent eight of them trying to flip his pen over his fingers while he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

"I dunno, I haven't thought about it." He shrugged. "You?"

The sheet stilled and Shinso looked at the first school his friend had scrawled: UA.

UA? Everyone knew that school. The top hero academy in the nation. Even Amano was going to apply?

Shinso turned in a blank sheet. He wouldn't get into UA. None of them would. His quirk wasn't meant for a hero. He was grim when he thought that. Why couldn't he have been born different? Better? He couldn't even say no to Yamada's orders. Why did he think he'd overcome the temptation to just be… a villain? He thought of his father, of the dark, amused look that would pass over his face when Shinso would utter how he wanted to go to UA.

"You think you're good enough for that school?" Then a scoff.

He wouldn't get into that school. Why not save the humiliation of even trying in the first place? No, it was impossible. He wouldn't try.

But a small, nagging question plagued his thoughts the rest of the day. Something he couldn't shake even in his dreams.

What if I did?

...

Yamada cackled when Amano finished his story. "I don't know why you don't make the bitch get off you're fuckin' back. Why would you even bother havin' a girlfriend when you could just use her once and be done with it?"

Amano shrugged. "She's cute. I'll keep her around longer."

Shinso didn't listen to the rest of their conversation. His lips curled in disgust, and he had to fight to keep all emotion off his face.

"...Shinso." He heard his name, and started.

"Huh?"

Yamada grinned. "Go and tell the clerk to give us some chips."

Dread settled in Shinso's gut like a stone. No. His mind screamed. "I dunno, man. Remember what happened last time?" Don't give in this time.

"What? You're not serious. We didn't even get caught. And we even got her shit. This isn't even that big of a deal."

"I'm not really feelin' it today. I'm not sure my quirk'll be that effective." He lifted his hand to his neck.

"Just do it." Yamada's tone went cold and he stared at Shinso, daring him to say something against him.

Just say no. Do it. He sighed. "...Fine." He curled and uncurled his fingers while he walked in the gas station. You're a pathetic piece of shit.

He snatched two bags of chips off of the shelf, and walked to the clerk. His palms started sweating. What if it doesn't work this time? What if I don't find the switch? "Hi." He said.

Don't answer me. Don't make me do this.

"Hey." The clerk said. She glanced at the chips. "Is this a–"

"Don't move." He gritted his teeth. Don't do it, Hitoshi. He found the switch too fast. His hands clenched into fists, and he looked at the ground. "...Let me take these without paying. Don't say anything until you can't see me."

She stared blankly ahead, and he scooped up the bags, moving quickly to the door.

Yamada and Amano looked at him expectantly, though Amano had a small frown with guilt clouding his eyes. They cleared when Shinso tossed the bags at them. "Here. Let's go. She won't be stuck there forever."

Yamada pulled open the bag and popped a few chips into his mouth. "Thanks, bud." He threw an arm over his shoulders. "You're the best."

Shinso shrugged him off. "I gotta go."

"Oh?" Yamada chuckled. "Where's this comin' from?"

"My mom wants me back." A lame excuse, but the only thing he could think of off the top of his head.

Yamada didn't believe it either, and just stared at him for a solid thirty seconds. "...Alright, run home to your mama then." He ate another chip.

Shinso turned and walked away without saying anything. It wasn't your fault. They made you steal those. Those sentences flowed through his thoughts, followed by God, why can't you just tell them to fuck off? He had to pass the school on his way home, and was striding past the front gates with his head down when he nearly toppled over someone.

"Oh, sorry–" He cut off when he saw Yui Kobe. He stepped back. "Are you alright?"

She saw who it was that ran into her, and her cheeks went red. "Ah! Shinso-kun! Yes, I'm fine. How are you? Are you hurt?"

"No." He looked at the school behind her. "You're here late."

She smiled. "I had a student council meeting."

He nodded, scratched the back of his neck, and willed the awkward moment to pass. "I have to head back now. Good to see you."

"Yes…" She wrung her hands together, and took a deep breath before looking straight into his eyes.

Oh no.

"I wanted to say something to you. Well, I've wanted to for a while now. I think you're very smart and cool, and I've always watched you in class. You–" She cut herself off, her blush growing deeper. "Well, I… like you."

The entire time she was talking, Shinso could feel the blood draining from his face, his stomach flipping at the thought of confronting the problem he had to face.

He stared at her blankly. Was she really that bad looking? She was considered one of the cutest girls in their class. But something felt… off. Yeah, she was pretty. But the idea of them together was… unappealing. Something churned in his stomach. To have to do all that Yamada said he did with girls, to touch her in that way… He wouldn't be able to. Why? Why not just go out with her?

He broke his gaze. "Ah. I'm sorry." He bit his tongue when he watched her deflate. But, he had to press onwards. "I can't return your feelings, but I would like to remain friends."

"Why?"

"Huh?" He ran out of things to say.

"Why don't you like me? You always smile at me when I look in class at you and you go out of your way to say hi to me."

Do I? He thought, and shook his head. Anything done was done out of politeness. Why was she pushing this? "I–"

"Are you a f*g or something?"

To hear her so casually throw that word at him felt like a slap to the face. "What?"

She narrowed her eyes, and he had to take a step back. Such an invasive question flung at him, how was he supposed to answer? She had no right to demand this from him. "Are you?"

He looked down, and saw that his hands were shaking. "No. I don't know. I just don't like you." He felt like his throat was being squeezed, and he struggled to choke down a few breaths.

He avoided her sharp stare until she sighed. He looked back at her. "Whatever. Don't tell anyone this happened." She walked off.

He furrowed his brows, and breathed in a few times before trusting himself to walk without falling over. His entire body felt shaky and weak, and he didn't let himself think about what just happened. He just had to get home.

...

At school the next day, his teacher called him into his office. "You asked to meet with me, Watanabe-sensei?"

His teacher looked up. "Ah, yes. Sit down." He gestured to a chair next to him, and Shinso sat. "Shinso-kun, I noticed that you didn't write anything on the survey sheet I passed out in class. Haven't you thought about where you want to go?"

Shinso sat in silence while he thought about it. "I don't know. I really…" But he knew where he wanted to go. Where no one from his school would get into. Where he could start over, and finally become a hero. His doubt still gnawed at him as he took the paper and poised his pen above it.

Can I really do this?

Another pause.

I need a way out. I need to do this. He started writing.

Shinso walked out of the office, almost grinning. He had only written one answer down.

LIST YOUR TOP THREE HIGH SCHOOLS BELOW.

UA