And so, two weeks had passed... Now, we return to the present—
The day of the Sports Festival.
[Today is the festival day.]
"Wow... It's really crowded," I murmured quietly, eyes scanning the lively scene in front of me.
Without warning, Midoriya approached, coming to stand beside me with his usual calm, gentle smile.
"Well, of course it is," he said warmly. "This is one of the most anticipated events of the year. And it looks like, once again, U.A. has become the center of attention across the entire country."
I gave a faint smile and turned back toward the crowd.
"I didn't expect this academy to be this famous," I admitted.
Squinting, I noticed the strict inspection happening at the front gate, with lines of people slowly moving through security.
"Ever since the incident... the checks have gotten tighter, huh?"
Midoriya turned to me and nodded softly.
"Yeah. They even assigned pro heroes to guard the premises. But because of that, this year's Sports Festival is sure to be safe."
A small chuckle escaped me. Then, I looked up at the sky—silent, thoughtful. The space between us fell into a brief stillness.
"Midoriya... there's something I've been meaning to ask since the beginning."
He glanced at me slowly. His face stiffened, a nervous tension creeping in. He said nothing—just waited.
"Your Quirk... it's the same as All Might's, isn't it?"
His eyes widened in shock, caught completely off guard. He couldn't even form a reply at first. Instead, he quickly looked away.
"W-What are you talking about? O-Of course it's different!"
I stepped a little closer, gently patting his shoulder.
"Hey… You know what my Quirk is, don't you? The moment I entered the class, I scanned through everyone—name and Quirk, one by one.
And yours… it's called One For All, isn't it?"
Midoriya instantly panicked, darting his eyes left and right. He rushed in and covered my mouth in a panic.
"A-Aizawa-kun… Please, don't tell anyone. I'm begging you—this has to stay a secret."
I smirked mischievously.
"So… it is All Might's Quirk, huh?"
Midoriya gave a reluctant nod, his expression tight with worry.
"Don't worry, I won't spill it to anyone," I said reassuringly—before adding, "but under one condition."
He blinked, confused. "And what's that?"
I chuckled softly, then grinned.
"Just call me Tsukasa."
***
Now, all of Class 1-A had gathered in our designated waiting room. I sat with a small handheld fan in my hand, waving it furiously.
"Ugh… These sports uniforms are way too hot. I'm melting over here," I groaned.
Midoriya chuckled softly at my complaint.
From the door, Iida peeked in and shouted with that typical over-the-top urgency of his.
"Everyone! Are your preparations complete?! We'll be entering the arena shortly!!"
And, well… as expected, everyone completely ignored him and kept chatting among themselves.
"Man, I really wanted to wear my hero costume today," someone grumbled.
"Yeah… but we're not allowed to use them on the field."
Back in my seat next to Midoriya, I kept fanning myself like my life depended on it. Then—footsteps approached us.
"Midoriya."
Both Midoriya and I turned our heads at the same time, only to see Todoroki standing next to us, tall and composed as ever.
"What is it, Todoroki?" Midoriya asked.
"Physically speaking, I believe I still have the upper hand," Todoroki said plainly. There was no arrogance in his voice—just cold certainty.
Midoriya and I exchanged a glance, both of us visibly confused by the sudden declaration.
"You caught All Might's attention… I shouldn't even have to bring this up," Todoroki continued. "But I will defeat you."
Midoriya fell silent. I did too, starting to tune him out a little.
"…And you as well, Aizawa. No matter how powerful your Quirk is—I will surpass you."
I turned to him with a lazy expression and gave a small, teasing smirk.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm honored to be challenged by you, Todoroki-kun."
With his piece said, Todoroki turned and walked away, leaving the two of us behind.
And maybe—just maybe... a new gate had opened.
Waiting for all of us to walk through.