Meiji's POV
The first period classroom felt impossibly bright after years of UA's more subdued, professional atmosphere. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, illuminating rows of standard school desks that seemed almost quaint compared to the high-tech training facilities he was used to. Meiji slid into the seat Nejire had saved for him, grateful to have her familiar presence beside him as twenty-three pairs of curious eyes turned in his direction.
"Class," Yamamoto-sensei said, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at his roster, "we have a new student joining us today. Hasegawa-kun, would you like to introduce yourself?"
Meiji's heart jumped, his shadows instinctively shifting beneath his desk in response to the sudden attention. Every face in the room was turned toward him now, expressions ranging from polite interest to barely concealed excitement. He could practically feel their questions brewing: Where did you come from? What's your quirk? Why are you starting in the middle of the term?
He stood slowly, his legs feeling steadier than he'd expected. "I'm Meiji Hasegawa," he said, his voice carrying clearly through the quiet classroom. "I'm excited to be here and looking forward to learning with all of you."
A hand shot up from the third row—a boy with spiky red hair and an eager expression. "What's your quirk? And where did you transfer from?"
"Tanaka-kun," the teacher said with mild reproach, "let's save the questions for break time."
But Meiji found himself answering anyway, surprising himself with his willingness to engage. "Shadow manipulation," he said simply. "And I was previously educated at UA."
A ripple of impressed murmurs went through the class. UA's academic program was legendary, even outside its hero course.
"No way!" The red-haired boy—Tanaka—practically bounced in his seat. "That's so cool! Did you meet any pro heroes? What was it like? Why did you transfer?"
"Tanaka-kun," the teacher said more firmly, but Meiji caught Nejire's encouraging nod from the corner of his eye.
"It was... educational," Meiji said, allowing a small smile. "The teachers there really challenge you to think beyond the obvious answers."
As the teacher called for attention and began the day's lesson on quirk theory applications, Meiji felt some of his tension ease. These weren't the suspicious government officials or calculating researchers he'd learned to fear. They were just kids his age, curious and friendly and seemingly excited to have him there.
The lesson itself was almost laughably easy after years of advanced instruction from heroes like Nezu and Aizawa. When Yamamoto-sensei posed a question about the relationship between emotional state and quirk manifestation, Meiji found his hand rising before he could second-guess himself.
"The emotional connection varies significantly based on quirk type and individual psychology," he said when called upon. "Emitter types often see fluctuation in power output based on emotional intensity, while transformation quirks tend to be more stable but may show changes in duration or control. Mutation quirks typically show the least emotional variation, though there are notable exceptions in cases where the mutation affects neurochemistry."
The classroom was silent for a moment, and Meiji felt a familiar flush of embarrassment. Had he said too much? Shown off? Made himself seem weird and overeducated?
But then Yamamoto-sensei smiled broadly. "Excellent analysis, Hasegawa-kun. That's exactly the kind of critical thinking I like to see."
From behind him, he heard someone whisper, "Wow, he's really smart," in a tone of admiration rather than resentment.
Yuki's POV
Yuki Matsumoto had been excited to meet Nejire's mysterious friend ever since she'd mentioned him joining their class, but she hadn't expected this. The new boy—Meiji—was clearly brilliant, answering questions with the kind of depth that usually only came from textbooks or advanced courses. But there was something else about him too, something that made her pay attention beyond just his academic prowess.
He was nervous. She could see it in the way his shoulders tensed when attention focused on him, how his hands occasionally clenched and unclenched in his lap, the careful way he chose his words like he was afraid of saying the wrong thing. It was endearing, actually—this obviously gifted student who seemed genuinely surprised when people reacted positively to his contributions.
During the break between first and second period, she found herself approaching his desk along with several other classmates.
"That was amazing what you said about quirk-emotion connections," she said genuinely. "I've been struggling with that concept all semester."
Meiji looked up at her with surprise, as if he hadn't expected anyone to want to continue the conversation. "Oh, it's really not that complicated once you break it down by category," he said, then paused. "I mean, if you'd like, I could help explain it differently?"
"Would you really?" Yuki felt her excitement bubble over. "I've been trying to figure out why my adhesion quirk works better when I'm happy but worse when I'm stressed."
"That's actually a perfect example," Meiji said, and Yuki watched his whole demeanor change as he shifted into explanation mode. His nervousness faded, replaced by genuine enthusiasm for the subject. "Adhesion quirks rely on precise molecular manipulation, which requires fine motor control at a cellular level. Stress hormones like cortisol actually interfere with that precision, while positive emotions promote the kind of focused relaxation that makes the manipulation easier."
"Ohhh," Yuki said, the concept finally clicking. "So it's not just 'think happy thoughts,' it's about the actual chemical effects on my body."
"Exactly!" Meiji's smile was radiant, transforming his entire face. "Once you understand the mechanism, you can work with it instead of against it."
Akira, the boy from Class B that Nejire had mentioned, leaned against the desk. "Dude, you should totally tutor people. I bet half the class would pay you for quirk theory help."
Meiji's expression immediately shifted back to uncertainty. "I... I don't know about that. I'm probably not the best person to—"
"Are you kidding?" Tanaka interrupted, having overheard from his own desk. "You just explained in two minutes what Yamamoto-sensei's been trying to get through my thick skull for weeks!"
Nejire's POV
Watching Meiji interact with their classmates was like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon in real time. Every positive response seemed to surprise him, as if he couldn't quite believe that people genuinely wanted to hear what he had to say. But with each successful interaction, she could see him standing a little straighter, speaking a little more confidently.
During their second period literature class, he offered thoughtful insights about character motivation that had their teacher nodding appreciatively. In third period mathematics, he helped Akira work through a problem that had been stumping him for days. By the time they reached their pre-lunch break, a small group had naturally formed around Meiji's desk, all of them drawn by his patient explanations and genuine desire to help them understand difficult concepts.
"See?" Nejire whispered to him as they packed up their books. "I told you they'd love you."
Meiji's cheeks flushed slightly, but he was smiling. "They're really nice," he admitted. "I didn't expect... I mean, I thought they might think I was weird or too serious or—"
"Meiji," Nejire interrupted gently, "you're allowed to be proud of yourself. You're smart, you're kind, and you're helping people. That's not something to apologize for."
As they headed toward the cafeteria, Nejire felt warm in her chest. Her best friend was finally getting to experience what she'd always known he deserved—acceptance, friendship, and the chance to simply be himself without constantly looking over his shoulder.
Meiji's POV
The cafeteria was a chaos of voices, clattering trays, and competing food smells that should have been overwhelming after years of quiet meals at UA. Instead, Meiji found himself oddly charmed by the energetic atmosphere as he and Nejire navigated through the lunch line.
"The curry's actually not terrible here," Yuki said, appearing beside them with her own tray. "And the melon bread is legitimately good, though it goes fast."
"Noted," Meiji said, adding a portion of curry to his tray along with rice and vegetables. The normalcy of choosing his own lunch, of standing in line like any other student, felt simultaneously ordinary and miraculous.
They found seats at a table near the windows, and soon Akira, Tanaka, and a few other classmates had joined them. The conversation flowed easily—complaints about upcoming tests, excitement about weekend plans, speculation about which pro heroes might visit for career day next month.
"So Meiji," Akira said between bites of his sandwich, "what's it really like having classes at UA? Did you meet Present Mic? Is Eraserhead as scary as he looks on TV?"
The questions were innocent enough, born of genuine curiosity rather than suspicion. But something about the directness of them, the way multiple conversations around the table quieted to hear his answer, triggered an old familiar anxiety. Suddenly he wasn't just Meiji the helpful classmate—he was Meiji the former UA student, the one with the unusual background, the one who didn't quite fit the normal mold.
His shadows began to shift restlessly beneath the table, responding to his emotional spike. "I... well, the teachers there are very dedicated," he said carefully, trying to find words that were true without revealing too much. "Present Mic is as loud as you'd expect, and Aizawa-sensei is more bark than bite, really."
"But why did you leave?" Tanaka pressed, his curiosity overriding social cues. "I mean, UA is like the ultimate school. Why transfer to a regular middle school?"
The question hit harder than it should have. Because I needed to learn how to be normal. Because I was an experimental subject who needed protection. Because I'm not like other kids and everyone there knew it.
Meiji's breathing became shallow, his quirk responding to the rising panic by sending tendrils of shadow creeping across the floor. He could feel the familiar tightness in his chest, the voice in his head starting its litany of accusations and fears.
They're going to figure it out. They're going to realize you're damaged goods. They're going to look at you differently once they know the truth.
"Hey," Nejire's voice cut through the spiral, quiet but firm. Her hand found his under the table, squeezing gently. "You don't owe anyone your whole story."
The simple statement was like a lifeline. Meiji looked at her, seeing nothing but support and understanding in her spiral-blue eyes, and felt his breathing begin to steady.
"Sometimes," he said slowly, his voice gaining strength, "you need different kinds of experiences to grow as a person. UA taught me a lot, but I wanted to understand what it was like to be a regular student too."
It was true, if not complete. And it seemed to satisfy the table's curiosity without opening doors he wasn't ready to walk through.
"That's actually really cool," Yuki said thoughtfully. "Like, you could have stayed in this super elite environment, but you chose to challenge yourself in a different way."
"Plus now we get to benefit from your awesome tutoring skills," Akira added with a grin. "Win-win!"
The conversation moved on to other topics—weekend plans, upcoming school festivals, speculation about their teachers' quirks—and Meiji felt his shadows settle back into their normal patterns. He'd handled it. Not by sharing everything, not by pretending to be someone he wasn't, but by finding a middle ground that honored both his truth and his boundaries.
Lady Nagant's POV
At UA, Lady Nagant found herself checking her phone for the third time in twenty minutes, despite knowing that Meiji would contact her if anything went wrong. Her advanced marksmanship class had noticed her distraction, though they were too polite to comment directly.
"Alright," she announced, making a decision. "Let's work on moving target scenarios today. Sometimes the best way to handle anxiety is to channel it into focused action."
As her students began setting up the training course, her phone buzzed with a text message. Her heart jumped, but when she looked at the screen, she saw it was from Nejire, not Meiji.
"He's doing amazing! Made friends already and helped three people with homework. Currently explaining quirk theory like the little professor he is. 😊"
The message was accompanied by a photo taken from across the cafeteria—Meiji sitting at a table surrounded by classmates, gesturing animatedly as he explained something, his face bright with enthusiasm and completely relaxed.
Lady Nagant felt tears prick at her eyes. This was what she'd dreamed of for him during those long, difficult early days when he'd flinched away from every touch and trusted no one. Not just safety, not just healing, but joy. The chance to share his gifts with people who appreciated them, to form connections based on who he was now rather than what had been done to him.
"Sensei?" One of her students approached cautiously. "Are you alright?"
"Perfect," she said, tucking her phone away with a smile. "I'm absolutely perfect. Now, let's see those moving targets!"
Meiji's POV
The afternoon classes passed in a blur of productive engagement. In quirk application theory, he found himself naturally falling into the role of peer tutor, helping classmates work through complex problems and explaining concepts in ways that made sense to them. In hero studies, he offered insights about professional hero behavior that impressed their teacher and sparked animated discussions about career aspirations.
By the time the final bell rang, Meiji realized he felt something he hadn't experienced in years: the satisfying tiredness that came from a full day of learning and social interaction. Not the exhaustion of constant vigilance or the drain of managing trauma responses, but the pleasant fatigue of a mind and body that had been genuinely engaged.
"So," Nejire said as they gathered their belongings, "how was your first day of being a normal middle school student?"
Meiji considered the question seriously. He'd been nervous, yes. He'd had a moment of panic, definitely. But he'd also helped people, made connections, and discovered that he could handle challenges without falling apart completely.
"Educational," he said finally, echoing his earlier response but with deeper meaning this time. "Very educational."
As they walked toward the school gates, Yuki caught up with them, slightly out of breath.
"Meiji-kun!" she called. "I wanted to ask—some of us are planning to study together this weekend for the quirk theory test next week. Would you maybe want to join us? I mean, if you're not busy or anything..."
The invitation was casual, friendly, normal—exactly the kind of thing he'd watched other students do but never imagined being included in himself. For a moment, the old reflexes kicked in: the urge to decline, to maintain distance, to avoid getting too close to people who might eventually discover his secrets and pull away.
But then he looked at Yuki's hopeful expression, thought about the easy camaraderie he'd experienced during lunch, remembered the satisfaction of helping his classmates understand difficult concepts.
"I'd like that," he said, surprising himself with how much he meant it. "That sounds really fun."
Yuki's face lit up. "Great! I'll text Nejire the details. See you tomorrow!"
As she hurried off to catch her train, Nejire bumped Meiji's shoulder with her own. "Look at you, making weekend plans like a proper teenager."
"Is that what I'm doing?" Meiji asked, but he was smiling.
"That's exactly what you're doing." Nejire's voice was warm with pride. "And you're doing it perfectly."
They walked home in comfortable silence, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows that moved gently around Meiji's feet—not in response to anxiety or fear, but simply because they were part of him, as natural as breathing.
When they reached his house, Lady Nagant was waiting in the garden, pretending to tend to her roses but obviously watching for their return. The moment she saw Meiji's relaxed posture and genuine smile, her whole body seemed to release tension he hadn't even realized she'd been carrying.
"So?" she asked, setting down her gardening shears. "How was it?"
Meiji thought about his day—the nervousness and the triumphs, the moment of panic and how he'd worked through it, the friendships that had begun to form and the study group he was genuinely excited to attend.
"It was good, Mom," he said simply. "Really good."
And as he headed inside to change out of his uniform and start his homework, Meiji realized that for the first time in his life, he was looking forward to tomorrow—not because it represented safety or healing or another step in his recovery, but because it promised new opportunities to learn, to help, and to simply be himself among people who seemed to genuinely like the person he was becoming.
The shadows that followed him into the house moved with quiet contentment, reflecting the peace he'd found in discovering that he could be both extraordinary and completely, wonderfully normal at the same time.
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AN:
Hey!!! liked the chapter? Sorry for not uploading, truth to be told I got this bad habit when reading novels that just make you crave / inspired about certain topics and they shift from time to time, so I've been procrastinating since I wasn't really inspired to write at all and honestly I didn't want to do this novel half-assed but I also didn't want to discontinue it... you'd better kill me than that, its my first novel so no.
So... kinda been defining how the next plot will unfold, this story I ended up deciding that it will be kind of a slow-burn, hoping that it can reach many chapters without yk, being repetitive, so it will kinda contain many stuff just bear with me since... yeah it'll take a while until he's a pro hero.
Also, just wanted to say I kind of did many MHA ffs in the spur of the moment since it was kind of why I started using this app (webnovel) and I got realllyyyyy inspired with it and then hopped on for other fics such as HP, Marvel, DC, AOT. So uhhh it'll take me a while to finish writing all of them to be honest...
Btw if theres any ff please help me recommend me some to entertain me, and theres actually 2 novels that I'm planning of kind of recreating, cause I kinda liked the content but the author took a turn and I didn't quite like it ngl... (one of being in HP as voldemorts diary) and another novel of AOT inspired me to write some of it too, I really liked it ngl...