"I'll call you again tonight. I promise. I have to go now—Sensei is here."
He hung up the receiver just as the automatic sliding doors of the clinic hissed open.
Shota Aizawa stepped into the lobby, his capture scarf draped around his shoulders
He scanned the room, and their eyes met.
Aizawa walked up to him, stopping a few feet away. His gaze dropped to the bandage on Yuta's shoulder, then back to his face.
"Sensei," Yuta greeted.
Aizawa's expression was unreadable. "The police report says you shattered a reinforced window and jumped from a train moving at three hundred kilometers per hour while carrying an unconscious classmate."
'Seriously ... That's what he's starting with?'
Yuta kept his voice neutral. "The cabin was filled with gas, and the exits were blocked by villains, sir. It was the only exit with a high probability of success."
Aizawa stared at him for a long time. "You chose a three-story drop onto concrete," he said flatly.
"I figured if I stayed, the civilians would be in more danger," Yuta replied, meeting his teacher's gaze steadily. "And I knew I could land it."
He didn't respond at first.
"Where's Uraraka?"
"In room four down the hall."
"Let's go." He walked past him. "When we're done, we're going to have a very long talk about your decision-making, Akutami. But for now, the police have questions about the men you saw, and so do I."
"Yes, sensei." Yuta nodded.
And Akutami..." Aizawa paused, his back to the boy. "You did good."
Yuta blinked, not expecting that. "Thank you, sensei."
Aizawa didn't wait for a further reaction. He led the way down the narrow corridor, the soles of his boots squeaking against the linoleum. When they reached Room 4, Aizawa pushed the door open.
It was quiet, save for the hum of a heart monitor.
Uraraka was sitting up, leaning against a mountain of propped-up pillows. She looked slightly dazed, her hair a mess, but she was clutching a cup of water with both hands.
"Yuta-kun? Aizawa-sensei?" she blinked upon seeing them, her voice thick with sleep. "Wait, did I miss the stop? Are we in Osaka?"
"We're in Shizuoka, Uraraka," Aizawa answered. "And you didn't miss your stop. The train was intercepted."
He walked right beside her bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Um... fine, I think?" Uraraka touched her temple gingerly. "My head feels a little fuzzy, but other than that, I'm okay. But seriously, what's going on? Did the train crash or something?"
"Not exactly," Aizawa said, pulling up a chair and gesturing for Yuta to sit as well. "The train you were on was attacked by villains approximately two hours ago."
Uraraka's eyes widened. "Villains? On the train?"
"They deployed a sleeping gas through the ventilation system," Aizawa continued. "Every passenger in your car was affected except for Akutami. He managed to extract you from the situation before the attackers could escalate."
"I—what?" Uraraka looked between Aizawa and Yuta, her expression caught somewhere between shock and confusion. "Sleeping gas? Attackers? But I don't remember any of that!"
"That's the point of sleeping gas," Yuta said quietly. "You weren't supposed to."
"But how did you...?" She trailed off, staring at him. "Wait, you were awake through all of it?"
"My quirk helps with that kind of thing," Yuta said evasively. "Accelerated metabolism. The gas didn't work as well on me."
Uraraka's gaze dropped to his shoulder again. "And you got hurt."
"It's nothing serious."
"Nothing serious?" Her voice rose slightly. "Akutami-kun, you have a bandage the size of my fist on your shoulder!"
"It's already healed," Yuta said. "The bandage is just for show. The doctors insisted."
Uraraka opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again, clearly processing everything at once. After a moment, she turned back to Aizawa. "So... what happens now? Are we going back to U.A.?"
Her gaze fell on Yuta. "Is .. is that ... there's blood on your sleeve?"
"It's fine, Uraraka. I can heal, remember? It just looks worse than it is,"
He gestured. "Don't feel bad. Nobody expects a chemical attack on a morning commute,"
"The police have finished their sweep of the train," Aizawa interrupted, pulling the focus back. "The villains escaped, but they didn't harm the other passengers. Their objective was specific. It was a targeted abduction attempt."
Uraraka gripped her sheets. "Targeted? Who?"
"Him."
"Huh?" Uraraka was stunned. "You mean… they wanted Akutami-kun?"
"Yes."
Uraraka opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again, clearly processing everything at once. After a moment, she turned back to Aizawa. "So... what happens now? Are we going back to U.A.?"
Aizawa leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "The school has been notified, and your internship agencies have been briefed about the situation. You'll both be free to go as soon as the police finish collecting statements from Akutami about the incident."
Relief washed over Uraraka's face. "Oh, thank goodness. So we can still do our internships?"
Aizawa's expression didn't change. "You can. Akutami can't."
"Huh?"
"The villains targeted this train specifically because of Akutami," Aizawa said, his tone matter-of-fact. "The other passengers, yourself included, were just collateral. Victims of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For safety reasons, the school has decided to cancel his internship with Gunhead until further notice."
"What?!" Uraraka practically jumped out of the bed. "That's not fair! He's the one who did all the work! He saved everyone! Why is he being punished?"
"It's not a punishment, Uraraka. It's a security measure," Aizawa said firmly. "The villains showed a level of boldness that makes a public agency like Gunhead's, which focuses on teaching martial arts to large groups, a liability. If they're bold enough to pull a stunt like this once, there's no guarantee they won't try again. They could attack during the return trip, or stage an ambush at the agency itself. If he proceeds to a standard agency, he puts Gunhead, the other sidekicks, and the public in that area at risk of a secondary assault. As a teacher, I cannot authorize a student to enter a work environment where they are being actively hunted by organized crime remnants." Aizawa paused. "Gunhead is a capable hero, but it's best to reduce chances of accidents happening if we can."
Yuta felt a cold sink in his gut. He had expected a lecture, maybe even a house arrest, but losing the internship felt like a genuine setback. He needed those CQC skills.
"But he'll be the only one left behind!" Uraraka stood up, her voice rising in protest. "Everyone else is out there learning from pros. If he can't go on his internship, then he'll be the only one in the entire class who doesn't get the experience. It would be unfair if he couldn't do the same and get stronger like the rest of us. He worked hard at the Sports Festival to get those offers!"
Yuta looked at her, surprised by the sheer heat in her voice. She was genuinely angry on his behalf. An emotion he wasn't quite sure how to process. He looked at Aizawa, expecting the teacher to shut her down, but Aizawa just waited for her to finish.
"You don't have to worry about that," he said. "The school has already made arrangements for that situation as well."
Both students looked at him.
Aizawa turned his gaze to Yuta. "From now on, you'll be interning with me."
Yuta blinked. "...What?"
"You heard me," Aizawa said flatly. "Your internship with Gunhead is cancelled. Instead, you'll be spending the week with me. I can provide the protection the school wants while still giving you the training you need. It's not ideal, but it's the best compromise we're going to get."
Uraraka's eyes lit up. "Really? That's amazing, Sensei!"
Yuta, meanwhile, was still processing. "You're... taking me on as an intern?"
"Don't get excited," Aizawa said dryly. "This isn't going to be a vacation. If anything, it'll probably be harder than what Gunhead would've put you through. I have high standards, and I don't go easy on students just because they're under my direct supervision."
"I wasn't expecting you to," Yuta said.
"Good." Aizawa stood, adjusting his capture scarf. "We'll get going so. For now, finish up with the police and get some rest. Uraraka, your train to Osaka leaves in three hours. Don't miss it."
"Yes, Sensei!" Uraraka said quickly.
Aizawa paused at the door, glancing back at Yuta. "And Akutami?"
"Yes?"
"Don't expect a formal office or a patrol schedule," Aizawa said, his eyes narrowing. "You're interning with an underground hero. That means you're on my time, which usually means no time. Also, next time you jump out of a train, which should possibly be never .."
He paused.
"Try to take your Hero gear with you."
".."
__
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