Once we were all back in the dorms, the routine unfolded almost automatically. Showers first, steam drifting under doors, the sound of water hitting tile, everyone shaking off the exhaustion of the day. Then we regrouped at the small table in the common area, where the boys immediately began producing snacks from hidden stashes like smug magicians.
Normally, this was the best part of the day. We'd vote on dinner, tease each other about our cooking skills, and turn the tiny shared kitchen into controlled chaos. It was our nightly tradition, a way to remember we were people, not just trainees.
But tonight was different.
We sat scattered around the table, snacks untouched, the silence thick enough to chew. Everyone avoided each other's eyes, like speaking aloud might break something we couldn't fix.
Liam finally exhaled and said what we'd all been thinking.
"How long do y'all think it'll take for Naoki to calm down after UA shut him down?"
The question hit hard enough that no one answered right away.
My mind went straight to the revised plans we weren't allowed to see, to the whispered mention of "hostage scenarios," to Principal Nezu's wary eyes. For all Naoki's… questionable ideas, he'd never been shy about using us if it meant publicity. I had no doubt he'd try to drag us into the Sports Festival somehow.
I didn't trust my voice, so I didn't speak. Instead, I just leaned into Chas, who was sitting beside me, letting his steady presence anchor me.
"Eh, we'll find out in due time," Chas said finally, flicking his hand in a lazy gesture as if brushing away the tension. His arm shifted around my shoulders, not possessive, just steady, warm, grounding.
But amidst the silly chatter and the thick cloud of uncertainty, a whisper slid into my ear, soft, dramatic, and absolutely dripping with mischief. Chas leaned in so close his hair tickled my cheek.
"Michi," he murmured, low and conspiratorial. "Did you hear the rumor?"
I turned, eyebrow arched. "What rumor?"
He glanced around as if we were surrounded by paparazzi instead of a bunch of tired trainees. Then he whispered, "That the boys at UA are hot."
I let out a loud, exaggerated gasp, hand to my chest like I'd been scandalized beyond repair. "You don't say," I replied, barely keeping a straight face.
Asuka snorted into her drink.
But Oli, bless his inability to mind his own business, jumped in from across the table. "He's not wrong. Some of them are pretty handsome."
He didn't even get to finish the sentence before Dexter smacked his arm with a tiny glare that said watch it. The two bickered lightly under their breath, something that would look like flirting to anyone with eyes, and the entire room warmed with quiet laughter.
Ah, Oli and Dex… the agency's favorite rebels. Somehow managing to publicly dote on each other, dodge Naoki's rules, and keep their careers intact through equal parts charm and guts. A miracle pairing.
Chas, on the other hand, was the cautionary tale, someone who'd pushed too hard against Naoki's restrictions and had scars deeper than any contract clause. Yet he still joked, still smiled, still leaned on us like we were the family he chose.
That, more than anything, softened the air around us.
Our banter continued until the tension finally cracked. Someone suggested dinner, someone else shouted "fried chicken," and it was decided unanimously before anyone could propose anything healthier.
We all got up at once, chairs scraping, voices overlapping, feet thudding toward the small kitchen. The heaviness from earlier didn't disappear completely, but it loosened, melting into laughter and warm light.
Once our stomachs were full and the laughter had finally faded, we all drifted off to our rooms, the weight of the day settling over us like a thick, warm blanket. I went through my nightly routine in a sleepy haze, ready to collapse into bed when a gentle knock sounded against my door, cutting through the quiet.
Once we were all back in the dorms, the routine unfolded almost automatically. Showers first, steam drifting under doors, the sound of water hitting tile, everyone shaking off the exhaustion of the day. Then we regrouped at the small table in the common area, where the boys immediately began producing snacks from hidden stashes like smug magicians.
Normally, this was the best part of the day. We'd vote on dinner, tease each other about our cooking skills, and turn the tiny shared kitchen into controlled chaos. It was our nightly tradition, a way to remember we were people, not just trainees.
But tonight was different.
We sat scattered around the table, snacks untouched, the silence thick enough to chew. Everyone avoided each other's eyes, like speaking aloud might break something we couldn't fix.
Liam finally exhaled and said what we'd all been thinking.
"How long do y'all think it'll take for Naoki to calm down after UA shut him down?"
The question hit hard enough that no one answered right away.
My mind went straight to the revised plans we weren't allowed to see, to the whispered mention of "hostage scenarios," to Principal Nezu's wary eyes. For all Naoki's… questionable ideas, he'd never been shy about using us if it meant publicity. I had no doubt he'd try to drag us into the Sports Festival somehow.
I didn't trust my voice, so I didn't speak. Instead, I just leaned into Chas, who was sitting beside me, letting his steady presence anchor me.
"Eh, we'll find out in due time," Chas said finally, flicking his hand in a lazy gesture as if brushing away the tension. His arm shifted around my shoulders, not possessive, just steady, warm, grounding.
But amidst the silly chatter and the thick cloud of uncertainty, a whisper slid into my ear, soft, dramatic, and absolutely dripping with mischief. Chas leaned in so close his hair tickled my cheek.
"Michi," he murmured, low and conspiratorial. "Did you hear the rumor?"
I turned, eyebrows arched. "What rumor?"
He glanced around as if we were surrounded by paparazzi instead of a bunch of tired trainees. Then he whispered, "That the boys at UA are hot."
I let out a loud, exaggerated gasp, hand to my chest like I'd been scandalized beyond repair. "You don't say," I replied, barely keeping a straight face.
Asuka snorted into her drink.
But Oli, bless his inability to mind his own business, jumped in from across the table. "He's not wrong. Some of them are pretty handsome."
He didn't even get to finish the sentence before Dexter smacked his arm with a tiny glare that said watch it. The two bickered lightly under their breath, something that would look like flirting to anyone with eyes, and the entire room warmed with quiet laughter.
Ah, Oli and Dex… the agency's favorite rebels. Somehow managing to publicly dote on each other, dodge Naoki's rules, and keep their careers intact through equal parts charm and guts. A miracle pairing.
Chas, on the other hand, was the cautionary tale, someone who'd pushed too hard against Naoki's restrictions and had scars deeper than any contract clause. Yet he still joked, still smiled, still leaned on us like we were the family he chose.
That, more than anything, softened the air around us.
Our banter continued until the tension finally cracked. Someone suggested dinner, someone else shouted "fried chicken," and it was decided unanimously before anyone could propose anything healthier.
We all got up at once, chairs scraping, voices overlapping, feet thudding toward the small kitchen. The heaviness from earlier didn't disappear completely, but it loosened, melting into laughter and warm light.
Once our stomachs were full and the laughter had finally faded, we all drifted off to our rooms, the weight of the day settling over us like a thick, warm blanket. I went through my nightly routine in a sleepy haze, ready to collapse into bed when a gentle knock sounded against my door, cutting through the quiet.
"Come in," I called, turning as the door eased open to reveal Chas's familiar silhouette.
"So," he began, concern already etched in his voice, "are you finally going to tell me what's going on with you?"
Chas wasn't just a friend, he was a confidant, someone who watched over me with a quiet, steadfast protectiveness. Asuka felt like family, but with Chas, the connection ran deeper, forged through years of navigating the labyrinthine industry together.
I tried to brush him off with a shrug, but he wasn't buying it. His gaze pinned me in place, steady and unyielding.
"I saw how you were acting today," he said. "Something's bothering you."
The weight pressing on my chest tightened. "Nothing's wrong," I insisted, though the tremor in my voice betrayed me instantly.
"You can trust me," Chas said gently, his tone a kind of anchor in the storm.
"I know," I murmured, my composure cracking under his quiet persistence. "I just… I don't know if I can handle saying it out loud."
"What do you mean?" he asked, brow furrowing.
I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. "There's a chance the negotiations between U.A. and the company might fall apart," I said, the confession spilling out in a rush.
"And?" Chas prompted softly.
"And… I think it's going to destroy everything we, talents have worked for," I whispered.
His expression tightened with worry. "And you… what?"
"I can't," I breathed, voice fraying at the edges. "I've put everything into this. If the deal collapses… I don't know what will happen to us."
In that moment, the weight of everything I'd been hiding pressed down on me, threatening to crush me beneath its relentless pressure. *Aizawa, Yamada… just wait a little longer. I can't risk losing this opportunity for any of us. I'm sorry.*
Chas tightened his hold around me, his voice steady, an anchor in a sea of uncertainty. "Michi, hey… it's going to be okay. You always find a way to make things work. Look, your contract expires in two months. When that day comes, I'll do everything in my power to help you meet with U.A. directly, without the company breathing down your neck."
"You promise?" I whispered, clinging to that sliver of hope.
"Of course," Chas said, the words weighted with sincerity. "Now come on. Let's try to get some sleep, yeah?"
He pressed a comforting kiss to the top of my head before slipping out, leaving me alone with the lingering echoes of his reassurance.
As sleep pulled me under, my thoughts drifted to the two representatives I'd glimpsed earlier, the sharp, eyed undergrounder with the tired ponytail, and the bright, energetic blond with a voice that carried confidence. Aizawa and Yamada. The ones who could change everything for us if the negotiations succeeded.
This opportunity was too important to risk. And yet, the longer I kept the truth buried, the harder it became, not just to protect the deal, but to protect myself.