I walked to the train station with confident strides, already plotting the fastest route to U.A. The morning commuters parted around me like water around a rock. A group of office ladies whispered and pointed as I passed. I pretended not to notice.
The station was packed, but I managed to snag a spot near the map display. Something felt off about the route I'd planned. I double-checked the stops, then triple-checked.
"Shit."
I pulled out my phone and punched in the actual exam location. The new route appeared, mocking me with its completely different direction. Classic.
"Um, excuse me?" A soft voice drew my attention. A girl about my age with what looked like permanent blush marks stood nearby, fidgeting with her bag strap. "Are you... going to the U.A. entrance exam too?"
"Yeah, once I figure out where it actually is," I muttered, still glaring at my phone.
She brightened. "Oh! I know the way. We could—"
"Found it." I pocketed my phone and gave her an apologetic smile. "Thanks though."
The right train was already crowded when I boarded. I grabbed a handhold and tried to become invisible, which was harder than it should have been given my quirk. The whispers followed me like persistent mosquitoes.
"Is that natural white hair?"
"Look at his eyes!"
"Must be his quirk..."
"So pretty..."
I focused on the passing scenery instead. The city blurred by, modern buildings giving way to older neighborhoods. A kid pressed against the window across from me pointed excitedly at something. Following his gaze, I caught my first glimpse of U.A.'s main tower rising above the skyline.
My hand drifted to the lotus pendant. The metal was warm against my skin, almost like it was responding to the sight of the school. Probably just body heat, but still.
The train lurched to a stop at my station. I let the crowd carry me out onto the platform, then checked my phone again. Twenty minutes until check-in started. Plenty of time to walk the rest of the way.
The gates of U.A. finally came into view. Other examinees streamed toward the entrance, some looking confident, others clearly nervous. I checked my phone one last time. Still ten minutes early.
"Fashionably early," I said under my breath. "Just like Mom wanted."
A girl walking past shot me a strange look. Right, talking to myself probably wasn't helping the whole "mysterious pretty boy" situation. I squared my shoulders and headed for the gates.
"Young man," a security guard called out as I approached. "Please present your exam ticket and ID."
I fished them out of my bag, along with the folder I'd taken from Mom earlier. Might as well see what she'd dug up while I waited.
The guard examined my documents carefully, then handed them back with a nod. "Good luck, Mr. Nakamura."
"Thanks." I stepped through the gate and found a quiet spot under a tree to peek at Mom's intel.
The first page had a photo of a girl with two-toned hair. "Todoroki Hitomi," I read. "Daughter of Endeavor, powerful ice/fire quirk, antisocial tendencies..." I snorted. Mom's notes were thorough as always.
A shadow fell across the page. I looked up to find a tall guy with glasses staring down at me disapprovingly.
"It is inappropriate to bring outside materials to the exam," he declared, chopping his hand through the air for emphasis. "As fellow examinees, we should all start on equal footing!"
I closed the folder. "You're absolutely right. Sorry about that."
He blinked, clearly thrown by my immediate agreement. "Ah. Well. Good then."
"Want to help me dispose of it properly?"
"Of course! As a potential U.A. student, I would be happy to assist in maintaining exam integrity!"
I handed him the folder. "Perfect. Could you burn this for me? I'd do it myself, but my quirk isn't really suited for destruction."
"Certainly! I shall... wait." His eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Are you attempting to manipulate me?"
"Would I do that?" I widened my eyes slightly.
He sputtered. I took advantage of his confusion to reclaim the folder and slip it back into my bag.
"Tell you what," I said. "I promise not to look at it again until after the exam. Deal?"
He adjusted his glasses, still frowning. "I suppose that is... acceptable. But I'll be watching you!"
"I'm sure you will." I gave him another smile, this one genuine. "I'm Nakamura Yoichi."
"Iida Tenya," he replied stiffly. "From Somei Private Academy."
"Nice to meet you, Iida. Looking forward to seeing what you can do in there."
A bell chimed somewhere in the distance. Other examinees started moving toward the main building.
"Ah! We must not be late!" Iida's hands chopped through the air again. "Good luck, Nakamura!"
I watched him speed-walk away, engine-like protrusions visible under his pants legs. Mom's folder suddenly felt heavy in my bag. I should probably destroy it myself instead of reading more. That would be the honorable thing to do.
I patted the folder through my bag. "Sorry Mom, but I'm doing this the hard way."
I followed the crowd into U.A.'s main building, where staff members directed us based on our family names. The "N" group ended up in classroom 1-C, a spacious room with large windows overlooking the campus grounds.
"Please find the seat with your designated number," announced a tired-looking proctor. "No talking once the exam begins."
I located my spot near the middle of the room and settled in. A few familiar faces from the entrance scattered around - including that girl with the permanent blush from the station. She gave me a small wave before hurrying to her own seat.
The proctor passed out thick exam booklets and answer sheets. "You have three hours to complete all sections. Begin when I say start."
I flipped through the packet while we waited. Math, literature, science, history, and... was that calculus? Mom's practice tests had been way harder than this.
"Start."
The room filled with the sound of rustling papers and scratching pencils. I breezed through the first section - basic algebra and geometry. The literature questions were mostly comprehension and analysis, nothing too complex. Even the calculus problems felt like review material.
"This is so... so... so damn easy," I muttered under my breath.
Two hours in, I was double-checking my answers while others still struggled with the first sections. The girl from the station kept erasing and rewriting her responses, her face scrunched in concentration.
Another hour crawled by before the proctor called time. "Pencils down. Stay seated while I collect your materials."
Once all the papers were gathered, he cleared his throat. "Those applying for General Studies may leave. Support Course applicants, report to Development Studio Alpha. Business Course to Conference Room B. Hero Course candidates, proceed to the main auditorium."
I stretched and grabbed my bag, heading for the door with the other hero course hopefuls. A guy near me was practically hyperventilating.
"That was brutal," he wheezed. "I totally blanked on the physics section."
"The velocity problems?" asked another student. "Yeah, those were rough."
I kept quiet. No need to make enemies by pointing out how straightforward it had been. Besides, the written exam was just the warm-up. The real test was coming.
The hallways filled with students heading different directions. I spotted glasses distinctive walk up ahead, making his way toward the auditorium. At least I wouldn't get lost following him.
I followed the crowd into the auditorium, fishing in my pocket for my seat assignment card. Empty pockets. I checked my bag. Nothing. Great.
The massive room stretched out before me, filled with rows upon rows of seats. Other examinees filed in, checking their cards and finding their spots with purpose. I stood there like an idiot, trying to remember if I'd even received a card in the first place.
"Screw it," I muttered, picking a random empty seat near the middle. If someone claimed it, I'd just move.
A guy sat down next to me - tall, built like a tank, with his black hair pulled into a neat top knot. A thin scar traced over his left eye, but his grin was friendly enough.
"Yo," I said, figuring I might as well be social while I squatted in probably-the-wrong-seat.
He turned to face me fully, dark blue eyes intense. "Before we exchange names, I need to know something crucial." His voice was dead serious.
"What's your type of woman?"