The next morning, Izuku Midoriya woke to a dull ache in his legs, a faint numbness that hadn't quite faded. He sat up slowly, glancing down at his thighs. They looked fine, but the stiffness lingered beneath the surface.
Careful not to wake his mother, he slipped out of the house and headed for his usual run.
Something felt off almost immediately.
His stride lacked its usual rhythm, his balance just slightly misaligned. He adjusted instinctively, testing different pacing, shifting his weight with each step.
"This isn't right… If I keep running like this, I'll just end up injured again."
His foot caught for a fraction of a second. He stumbled forward, barely recovering before he hit the ground.
He let out a breath and kept going.
"I need better control over One For All. At this rate… I'm falling behind."
He pushed himself faster, forcing his body to respond.
The city stirred awake around him, quiet streets gradually filling with movement. His thoughts drifted to his classmates, to the ease with which they used their Quirks.
"They're all incredible… No wonder they made it into U.A.—"
He wasn't watching where he was going.
He ran straight into a utility pole.
"Ow!"
The impact jolted him back. He grabbed his head, wincing.
"…Right. Look where you're going."
—
By 7:00 a.m., Izuku arrived at the classroom with a bandage across his forehead. He was the fourth to arrive.
At the front of the room, Denki Kaminari, Eijiro Kirishima, and Mina Ashido were locked in a frantic scramble to finish their homework.
"Denki, are you done with English?" Kirishima asked, flipping through his notes.
"Not even close! I'm still copying math! Did you finish Japanese?"
"Yeah, I'm on English now!"
"Can someone lend me their math notes? I didn't do anything!" Mina groaned, half-dramatic, half-serious.
Izuku slid into his seat, watching them for a moment.
"…They've got a lot of energy this early."
He opened his notebook and began reviewing the day's material. The dull ache in his head lingered, making it hard to focus for long.
At 7:30, Minoru Mineta and Tenya Iida entered the classroom.
Mineta took in the scene and smirked. "Still rushing, huh?"
Denki shot him an annoyed look. "Why are you even good at this stuff?"
"Good morning," Iida said, already composed as he took his seat.
"Morning, Iida," Izuku replied, blinking slowly. "Did you figure out that problem from last night?"
"Yes, thanks to your help," Iida said. Then he paused, studying Izuku more closely. "Midoriya, are you feeling alright? You seem unwell."
"I ran into a pole during my morning run," Izuku admitted. "Still a little dizzy."
Iida immediately reached into his bag. "Do you need any treatment? I have some medicine."
"I'm okay," Izuku said, gesturing to the bandage. "Already handled it."
—
By 8:00, the classroom was full. The last of the rushed homework was finished just as Shota Aizawa stepped inside.
"We need to elect a class representative," Aizawa said, his tone flat. "Who wants the position?"
Hands shot up across the room. Voices overlapped as students called out.
Aizawa watched with clear disinterest.
Iida raised his hand as well, then spoke over the noise.
"A class representative should possess leadership, coordination, and communication skills. To ensure fairness, I propose we decide by vote."
The class quickly agreed.
"Fine. Just don't take too long," Aizawa said, stepping aside.
—
Twenty minutes later, Iida wrote the final result on the board.
"The class president is… Midoriya Izuku."
Izuku blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—me? I can't. I'm not suited for that."
Iida frowned slightly. "Why not? You're more than capable."
"Being class president means managing everyone and making decisions for the group," Izuku said. "It comes with responsibility—and authority. I'd rather support from the side."
Iida studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. "That's a thoughtful perspective."
A few students began to clap.
From behind, Katsuki Bakugo kicked the back of Izuku's desk.
"Deku, at least you know your limits. So who should take it?"
Izuku turned and pointed toward Iida.
"Isn't it obvious? Someone organized, responsible, and already thinking about how to support everyone. That's Iida."
Agreement spread quickly through the room.
"Yeah, that fits.""He's basically doing it already."
Bakugo leaned back in his chair. "At least your brain works."
His eyes flicked to Izuku's forehead.
"What happened to you?"
"Ran into a pole."
"Tch. Figures."
Nearby, Ochaco Uraraka quietly lowered her phone, having snapped a quick photo of the earlier moment.
Aizawa spoke again.
"Then it's settled. Iida Tenya is class president. Yaoyorozu Momo is vice president. Iida, sit down. We've wasted enough time—open your books."
—
By midday, classes paused for lunch.
During the break, Izuku stopped by the infirmary, where Recovery Girl helped restore function to his right arm.
Later, he sat down to eat with Momo Yaoyorozu, Iida, and Uraraka.
"Uraraka," Yaoyorozu said, "may I ask why you voted for Midoriya?"
Uraraka tilted her head slightly. "Huh? Why?"
"Because only you and Iida voted for him."
Uraraka thought for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"I guess… when Midoriya smiles, it makes me feel at ease."
Yaoyorozu paused, considering that.
"I see."
She turned to Iida. "And you?"
Iida adjusted his glasses.
"A leader should have judgment, composure, and the ability to act when it matters. Midoriya has those qualities. He inspires confidence."
Izuku pointed at himself, uncertain. "Me?"
"I agree," Uraraka added. "He just does."
Izuku scratched the back of his head, unsure how to respond.
Then something occurred to him.
"Wait… Iida, the way you speak sometimes—it's very formal. Are you from a well-known family or something?"
Uraraka blinked, eyes widening slightly. "Wait… really? Iida, are you from a rich family?"