Morning burst into Izuku's room with bright sunlight streaming through the American flag curtains. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to comprehend reality through his sleepiness, not even immediately remembering what had happened yesterday. His gaze fell on the clock—it was eight in the morning, later than he usually woke up. Last night's dinner with Chocolate and her crazy talk about "cultural enlightenment" had exhausted him to the limit. He rubbed his eyes, trying to collect his thoughts, and suddenly froze. Something was wrong. More precisely, someone.
Next to him, on his bed, Shokoladka was snoring peacefully, hugging him like a pillow, as if he were a lifeline. Her hair, tousled and slightly glowing in the morning light, touched his shoulder, and one of her hands lay casually on his chest. Izuku felt the blood rush to his face, and a siren blared in his head: "CRITICAL SITUATION! EVACUATION IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Wh-what... how..." he muttered, afraid to move so as not to wake her. Yesterday, she insisted that sleeping on the floor was "not friendly" and somehow persuaded him to share the bed. Izuku, of course, tried to stay on the very edge, but it seemed that the laws of physics had decided otherwise during the night.
He carefully turned his head to assess the extent of the disaster. Shokola looked surprisingly peaceful in her sleep—none of her usual chaotic energy, just a slight smile and quiet breathing. But this calm only increased his panic.
Izuku groaned inwardly:
"If Mom comes in and sees this, it's all over! I'll be buried alive!"
And as if on cue, quiet footsteps could be heard somewhere in the hallway.
Izuku tried to slowly move away, but at that moment, Chocolate stirred. Her eyes slowly opened, and she stared straight at him. For a second, silence hung in the room, and then her face lit up with a wide, almost devilish smile.
"Good morning, Izuku-kun!" she sang, without even thinking of moving away. "Wow, you're so warm! It's like I slept with a huge teddy bear. We had such a great chat about tentacles yesterday, remember? I thought you'd run away, but you held up well!"
Izu froze, unable to breathe in or out. His brain seemed to be stuck somewhere between panic and utter shame.
"Ch-chocolate... c-can you... please... let go?" he managed to say, trying to pull away.
"Um..." She narrowed her eyes as if thinking. "No." And, without hesitation, she made herself more comfortable, resting her chin on his chest. "It's cozier this way."
"IT'S NOT COMFORTABLE!" he hissed desperately, staring at the door as if it were about to swing open. "This is a disaster! If Mom sees this, she'll..."
Izuk didn't have time to finish his sentence — the door quietly opened.
"Good morning, Izuku, Chocolate, get up, I've made breakfast..." Inko froze in the doorway.
Her face wore the same expression: a perfect combination of "I'm your mom, I understand everything" and "I'm proud of you."
"...breakfast," she finished, raising an eyebrow. "Well, well, how cozy you've made it for yourselves.
Izuku jumped up, throwing off the blanket.
"Mom! It's not what you think! We just... she... I..."
Chocolate stretched like a cat and yawned.
"Good morning, Mommy Inko~. We're just strengthening our friendship with physical warmth."
Inko covered her mouth with her hand, barely suppressing a giggle.
"Ah, friendship through physical warmth... I see. Just don't rush things too quickly, okay?"
Izuk froze and said quietly:
"Mom..."
"It's okay," she replied innocently, "but I think we'll talk about it over breakfast.
Chocolate jumped out of bed happily:
"Oh, breakfast! Great, I have a new topic — the influence of romantic sleep on the development of emotional connection!" Chocolat finished proudly, clapping her hands. "There! That's exactly what I wanted to say!"
Izuk just groaned, covering his face with his hands.
"Someone, please, take me away from here..."
"Um..." Inko smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "Then strengthen your emotional connection... but better after eating."
"Got it!" Chocolate replied cheerfully, heading for the bathroom.
Izuku slumped into a chair, feeling the remnants of sleep and shame mix into a heavy lump under his ribs. At least not as much as yesterday, he sighed and headed for the bathroom, paying little attention to the sounds of the TV coming from the living room — his mother often put the morning news on in the background — until a familiar voice made him start.
"...and that's why I made this decision," came the deep, confident voice that was impossible to mistake for anything else. Izuku rushed into the living room and stared at the screen. There, in the bright light of the studio spotlights, sat the Almighty. His trademark smile was shining as always, but there was a new, almost unfamiliar seriousness in his eyes.
The reporter, a young woman with perfectly styled hair, leaned forward, holding the microphone a little closer. "So, you confirm that you are starting to study pedagogy? This is quite an unexpected turn for a symbol of peace. What inspired you?"
Izuk froze, his heart skipped a beat. "Pedagogy? Is this... because of my choice yesterday?!" That strange multiple-choice question echoed in his head: "[2. The Almighty will begin studying teaching lessons before officially becoming a teacher at UEY.]" He swallowed, feeling a chill run down his spine. "Is this really because of me?"
The Almighty, meanwhile, tilted his head slightly and answered the reporter's question:
"You see, I have always believed that heroism is not only about strength, but also about the ability to inspire others. The next generation of heroes needs mentors to help them unlock their potential. I have decided to devote part of my time to training in order to prepare for my new role. I will be very busy in the coming months — courses, training, preparation... But I believe this is the right step.
The reporter nodded, clearly impressed. "That sounds like a serious commitment. Does that mean we'll see less of you in action?"
The Almighty laughed his trademark loud laugh, but there was something... pensive about it. "Don't worry! The symbol of peace isn't going anywhere. But you may see me in a new role... say, within the walls of UE." He winked at the camera, and Izuku felt his stomach clench.
"UEY..." he whispered, almost without realizing he was speaking aloud. His thoughts spun. "It's definitely because of the multiple choice. But why?"
Izuku forced himself to calm down. Most likely, his choice had triggered the very "chain reaction" of changes that he had not even guessed at yet.
"...Most likely, my choice caused probability... to adjust reality?" he whispered, staring at the screen. "But if so... that means my multi-choice can directly influence people's minds.
It was... overwhelming. It seemed like no big deal, just that the Almighty, his idol, Japan's number one hero, would start teaching at UEY because of him. It was almost noble, considering that he was giving the students of the hero course the opportunity to learn from the Almighty himself, absorbing his experience. But... that was what scared him the most. Not because it was bad — on the contrary, it sounded almost noble. But the very idea that his decision, made in an interface that no one else had seen, could change the lives of people like the Almighty... seemed sacrilegious.
"This is... too much," Izuku exhaled, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm not a god. I shouldn't influence such things."
His words themselves must have been hypocritical. After all, there had been changes in reality before, such as heavy rain on a hot day, snow in the middle of spring, a villain being caught, or an office filled to the brim with porn magazines. This clearly showed the limitless possibilities of multi-choice. Izuku could redeem himself by always choosing the most harmless options. All these "minor accidents" seemed harmless. He justified them to himself: "I'm not doing anything wrong.
"I bought my way out," he whispered quietly, as if confessing. "All this time, I was just buying my way out of my conscience. I did harmless things so I wouldn't have to think that I was actually interfering in someone's life.
Now, albeit indirectly, he had influenced a person's choice, not circumstances. Someone he considered unattainable.
At that moment, the Almighty on the screen continued:
"I believe that every hero must one day pass on their power — not only physical, but spiritual. After all, the true mission of a hero is to create new ones." His voice softened, becoming almost fatherly. "Sometimes fate throws unexpected trials at us. But it is these trials that determine who we will become. The main thing is to try to make the right choice."
These words seemed to pierce Izuka through and through.
The right choice.
He automatically looked at his hands. They were shaking. And somewhere deep inside, he realized that his decisions were no longer limited to trivial matters. They could change lives. And now the question of "the right choice" weighed on his shoulders in a completely different way.
He just wanted to forget about it.
Chocolate distracted him from his dark thoughts by slapping him on the shoulder.
"The bathroom is free, Mom Inko wants you to hurry up."
When he looked at her, he tried to smile.
"Thanks."
He quickly made his way to the bathroom and immediately splashed cold water on his face. Izuku felt the cold water revive his thoughts. His heart was still beating fast, but the flow of reality brought back control. He took a few deep breaths, feeling the tension gradually ease.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror: his eyes were slightly swollen from the previous evening, his face was agitated, but his gaze was already firmer. Inside, it was as if a small bell had rung — a signal that the day was beginning and that there was no escaping reality, and that he would have to deal with it, no matter how strange or absurd it might be.
After gathering himself, tidying up, and completing his morning routine, Izuku headed to the kitchen, where the smell of fresh toast and omelet already filled the air. Shokochika sat at the table, eagerly drinking juice and periodically winking at him, as if checking his readiness for the new day.
He sighed deeply: it was going to be a long day. Multiple choices, decisions, influencing people... It was all spinning around in his head. He approached the table, carefully sat down on a chair, trying to keep his breathing steady. Chocolate spoke cheerfully, and he nodded. Izuk looked at the table and tried to focus on breakfast, but the smell of fresh toast and omelet could not drown out his thoughts about last night and the multiple choice. He took a sip of juice, feeling the cold liquid slightly soothe him.
Suddenly, Chocolate, having finished her omelet with gusto, looked with interest at the TV, then at him:
"Listen, Izu-kun, your idol is going to teach at Yuei. You're not going to rush to enroll there like those fans, are you? Just to catch a glimpse of the Almighty. And then tell yourself that you can die happy.
Izu-kun almost choked on his juice when he heard her words.
"Eh... what? No!" He shook his head hastily. "I'm not going to... enroll for that."
Chocolate narrowed her eyes, dissatisfied with his answer.
"Really? I thought you were one of those who would camp out at the entrance to YUE to be the first to take the entrance exams."
"Not exactly," he sighed, lowering his gaze. "I... I'm still going there. But not as a hero."
At that moment, Inko, who had been quietly watching them, froze for a second. She had expected the standard answer: "I want to be a hero." But hearing such words from her son was strange. She folded her hands on the table and smiled gently. There was no condemnation in her gaze, only concern. And it was this gaze that Izuku found most difficult to bear. Usually, her eyes shone with indecision when it came to his dream, but now there was something new in them... anxiety mixed with cautious hope.
"You know, Deku..." she began as gently as possible. "I was just about to talk to you about that." She sat down opposite him and looked at him with a warm but anxious smile. "YUAE is a wonderful school, but it's also a big responsibility. I... I just want you to be happy. You don't have to be a hero, you know? You can help people without that."
She had no idea what had happened to him yesterday after school. Of course, he didn't mention the slimy villain. That event had completely slipped his mind because of his meeting with Chocolate and the shocking information about the existence of the Gods. Although it was for the best, he didn't want to burden her with it.
"I'm still going to study at YUE," he said calmly. "But I no longer intend to become a hero," Izuku continued with unexpected calmness. "I'll choose general education courses. UEI is famous for its reputation and is the top university in Japan. When I graduate from there, any university or college will welcome me with open arms."
Inko blinked, momentarily speechless. She knew he was thinking about the future, but hearing such a decisive and calm "I won't be a hero" from her son was strange.
"Are you sure, Deku?" she finally managed to say, trying to hide the slight anxiety in her voice. "Is this really your choice, and not something... temporary?"
"Yes, Mom. I thought about it and realized..." He paused, catching his breath. "That I can develop and grow without becoming a hero. There are other ways, and I want to make the most of this opportunity."
A couple of days ago, he would have definitely gotten angry — he would have started making excuses, talking dreamily about the Almighty, about saving people.
But now...
Now everything seemed different.
"I just... decided that heroism isn't for me," he said calmly, surprised at how steady his voice sounded. "I'll choose the usual path. I just want to... study normally."
Chocolate, who was watching him, snorted and teased him lightly:
"Well, so now we have a future genius instead of a hero. Not a bad option either!"
Izuku smiled slightly, but inside he was quietly thinking:
"The right choice..." — the words of the Almighty still echoed in his head.
Inko looked at him with a long, searching gaze. Her eyes were shining — not from tears, but from a mixture of pride and fear for her son. She had always feared for his dream of heroism, but now that he had given it up, the fear had not gone away. It had simply changed form.
"You've grown up, Izuku," she finally said, smiling through her anxiety. "I... I will support you. Whatever path you choose. Just promise me you'll be honest with yourself. And..." She leaned forward slightly. "If that multiple choice thing of yours starts scaring you again, come to me. We'll figure it out. Together."
Izuku nodded, feeling the lump in his throat get smaller.
"I promise, Mom."
***
The morning dragged on slowly, as if time itself had decided to give him a little more respite before the inevitable. Izuku stood at the window of his room, watching the first rays of sunlight fall on the roofs of the neighboring houses. Behind the glass, life went on as usual: someone was rushing to work, schoolchildren with backpacks were crossing the road, the wind was quietly rustling the branches of the trees.
But inside him, everything was different.
He felt that yesterday's conversation had changed something important. The words of the Almighty, his gaze, the weight of the choice — all of this had left a mark. He thought about the "right decision" and what those words meant to him now. Was he doing the right thing by giving up his dream, or was he just afraid to take another step into the abyss?
He slowly buttoned up his school uniform, smoothed his collar, and looked at himself in the mirror. His face reflected fatigue — not physical, but internal. But beneath this fatigue, something else glowed: calmness. Quiet, as if hard-won.
On the table lay a notebook — the very one in which he used to write notes about heroes. He ran his fingers over the cover, then carefully turned the page. Rows of names, diagrams, analysis of abilities... once upon a time, this had been his life. Now it had become something of a hobby... A very beloved hobby. Come to think of it, he could tie his future profession to it.
"Are you going after all?" Chocolat's voice sounded quiet, without its usual spark.
He turned around. She was standing at the door, wearing her usual dress, the kind idols usually wear at concerts, with her usual ribbon.
"Yes," he replied, zipping up his backpack. "If there's anything I can do right now, it's just... to move on," he said, more to himself than to anyone else.
Chocolate nodded and followed him as if nothing had happened.
They went down the stairs, and the air seemed especially fresh. The sun rose higher, and the city bustled with its usual rhythm. Izuku walked slowly, absorbing the familiar sounds — the ringing of bicycles, the voices of passersby, the barking of a distant dog. Everything continued as usual, unaware of how much madness could be hidden behind the seemingly normal actions of an ordinary teenager.
He walked and felt a strange dichotomy — his body moved as usual, but his mind remained somewhere behind, stuck in his thoughts. Yesterday's conversations, new life goals that he still had to figure out, the very idea of "multiple choice" did not give him peace, and the fact that he would be sent tasks from a literal divine entity, with whose light hand this multiple choice may have been created. He felt like he was part of something bigger, but he didn't understand what that meant or why he had been given this burden. It seemed like she felt that her words could only upset the fragile balance in Midoria's head.
"It's strange," he said quietly, "I used to always rush, as if I was afraid of not making it in time. But now... I don't want to rush."
Chocolate looked at him sideways but said nothing. She just walked beside him, slightly behind, as if giving him space.
The road to school was long, but familiar. Every intersection, every turn reminded him of the past—of how it used to be. How he stood here, dreaming of getting into Yue. How he imagined that one day he would become a hero himself. And now... now this path was not filled with those flawless, confident steps, as if you believe in the rightness of who you want to be. Now it had become ordinary and a little lost. Each step echoed with a slight heaviness, not physical, but internal — as if with each breath he gradually accepted that everything had really changed. Yesterday's Izuku — naive, enthusiastic, ready to run until he dropped for his dream — seemed to have remained in that courtyard where he first saw the Almighty.
He looked up at the sky.
"Before..." he finally said, without turning around, "before, I thought that if I lost my dream, I would simply cease to exist. That without it, I would have no meaning.
Chocolate was silent at first. Only the wind played quietly with her hair. They turned onto a familiar street leading to the school. The wind stirred the leaves, and the sun cast long shadows from the houses. Everything looked calm, almost peaceful.
"You know," Chocolate finally spoke, breaking the silence, "I think you're doing the right thing."
Izuku looked at her in surprise:
"What exactly?"
"Well, not chasing a dream when you feel that it's no longer yours. People often confuse stubbornness with purpose, and fear with loyalty. But you just... chose to be honest."
He didn't answer right away.
"Maybe. It just seems more like cowardice to me."
Chocolate smiled.
"Ha, if you knew how many strong people live pretending that everything is under control, you would understand that cowardice is actually continuing to deceive yourself."
Izuku raised his eyebrow slightly.
"Words worthy of a philosopher."
"Or a pop idol who has survived a popularity crisis," she replied slyly, winking.
He smiled faintly. There was something comforting about her lightheartedness. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all?
When the school came into view, the familiar noise of the kids standing at the gate brought him back to reality. Some were discussing the results of mock exams, some were showing off their new sneakers, and some were filming another silly video on their phones. Everything was going as usual.
And suddenly Izuku felt dozens of eyes glued to him — or rather, to them. Chocolate walked beside him, seemingly oblivious to the whispers and surprised faces. Her light dress and bright smile contrasted sharply with the gray school uniforms around her.
"Who's that beauty?" came a muffled whisper from the crowd.
"She's so cute..." replied another voice with an envious sigh.
"Wait... why is she walking with him?" The third clearly lacked self-control and said it out loud.
Izuku blinked, emerging from his thoughts, and only now noticed what Chocolate was wearing.
A light brown dress with lace inserts, a short skirt, striped knee socks, and heeled boots — she looked like a character who had accidentally stepped off the stage of an idol concert and lost her way into the world of ordinary schoolchildren.
A ribbon with a bow around her neck, a small hat tilted to one side, her hair softly shimmering in the sun, and a very beautiful and sweet face...
He blinked frantically. She said she would "wear something simple"...
Chocolate, noticing his stunned gaze, just tilted her head:
"Is something wrong, Izuku?"
"N-no, everything's fine... it's just..." He involuntarily looked away, feeling the heat rising to his cheeks. "It's just that now I understand why everyone is staring..."
When they moved forward, the crowd at the gate gradually parted, but the stares still burned his back. Chocolat, as if sensing the attention, suddenly turned to Izuku and said calmly:
"It seems like everyone is looking at me. Maybe I forgot to wear something wrong again?"
"N-not really! It's just... well..." Midoria faltered, searching for words. "Everyone at school wears uniforms, and you... stand out a little."
"Oh, so I stand out?" she said with a satisfied look, straightening up proudly. "Then everything is going according to plan! Idols are supposed to stand out, right?"
"I-idol?" He almost choked on his breath. "Chocolate, you don't even study here!"
"Do you need a uniform for that?" she blinked innocently. "I'm just accompanying my hero."
"I'm not a hero..." he muttered quietly, but she had already turned to the crowd and waved her hand energetically.
"Good morning, residents of Izuku School!"
For a moment, there was silence.
Then there was an explosion of laughter, indignant exclamations, and surprised looks.
Midoriya hid his face in his hands and groaned softly:
"Just... just let the earth open up and swallow me..."
Shokoladka beamed, completely satisfied with herself, as if she had just saved the world with her greeting. Several boys even leaned out of the window to look at her. The crowd at the gate was in no hurry to disperse. Shokoladka clearly felt the attention and, as always, decided that staying silent at such a moment was boring.
"It's so noisy here!" she said happily, turning to Izuku. "Now I understand why you come here every day. It's so nice when there are so many people around!"
And she added a little louder than she should have:
"Especially when everyone knows I came here just for you!"
Silence.
Real, ringing silence.
But that's only possible in clichéd anime.
Midorii froze. So did the crowd. And then everything exploded with whispers, murmurs, and glances that made him want to sink through the ground. He felt a chill run down his spine and didn't immediately understand what had happened — but the looks on the faces of the students frozen at the gate explained everything better than any words could.
"Um... Chocolate..." he began cautiously, smiling tensely, "maybe I shouldn't have said that so loudly?
But it was too late.
"Just for him"?!
"Are they dating?!"
"Come on, Midoriya? The same guy who was afraid to talk to a girl?
"No way! She's just joking... right?"
Was he imagining it, or did he really hear a crack, as if the world of boys had split apart?
Izuku blushed to the tips of his ears and waved his hands:
"It's not what you think! We're just... just acquaintances!"
But it was too late — the rumor had already taken on a life of its own.
Meanwhile, Chocolate innocently tilted her head:
"Did I say something wrong?"
"You said everything wrong!" groaned Midoriya, feeling the last shred of hope for a peaceful day die inside him.
After her words about "only for you," there was already enough whispering and confusion, but Chocolate seemed to decide that comedy wasn't enough.
"Oh yes!" she suddenly exclaimed, as if remembering something important. "And thank you for letting me sleep with you yesterday! I haven't felt so safe in a long time!"
The world around them seemed to freeze. Even the birds stopped singing.
"Wh... what?!" Izuku gasped, turning pale.
"HEY!" came a shout from the crowd. "SLEEP WITH HIM?!"
"I should have been in his place..."
"He beat everyone! He didn't become a hero, but his personal life is going great!" There was a hint of respect and envy in his voice.
"He stole a dream that I haven't even achieved yet!"
Izuku waved his arms in panic, almost dropping his backpack:
"It's not what you think! We just... she fell asleep at my place! She stayed over! It wasn't what you think!!"
But the crowd wasn't listening anymore. Someone whistled, someone started clapping, and someone recorded what was happening on their phone.
Chocolate, not the least bit embarrassed, smiled:
"Well... technically, it's all true, isn't it?"
"I was wrong when I thought you weren't so bad!" Izuku groaned, covering his face with his hands.
"Hey," she added quietly, moving a little closer, "but you said you wanted me to feel at home.
"NOT IN THAT WAY!"
Midoriya suddenly realized that today was going to be a very, very long day.