Hope’s Peak Academy had come to the brilliant conclusion that throwing sixteen teenagers into a moving metal box for several days was somehow the fastest way to build friendship. According to the staff, it was a “team-building road trip.” According to everyone actually on the bus, it was an insurance claim waiting to happen, Still, no one was allowed to back out. So now the class was packed into what could generously be called a tour bus, hauling luggage, snacks, enough board games to start a small business, and more unresolved personalities than any therapist should have to witness. Driving duties were split between almost everyone, Almost. Byakuya Togami refused to drive, claiming it was “beneath someone of my status.” While that sounded convincing, everyone knew the real reason. It’s hard to drive when you’ve spent your entire life being chauffeured everywhere, The rich boy simply never learned. Celestia Ludenberg also refused, though for a much more understandable reason. Have you seen those heels? Those things were weapons.

Five hours into the trip, after another gas station stop and several questionable snack purchases, it became your turn behind the wheel. The moment you climbed into the driver’s seat, You froze. Not for a second, Not for two, Long enough for the entire bus to notice, Then came the sigh, The kind of sigh that sounded like your ancestors had collectively given up. Your eyes slowly turned toward Makoto Naegi, who had been driving before you, You calmly informed him that you were fairly certain you had already asked him not to push the driver’s seat forward. Makoto blinked, immediately insisting he hadn’t touched the seat at all, Which only made you sigh harder.

You explained that he had to have, Because there was simply no other explanation for why taking a deep breath caused your chest to press against the steering wheel and honk the horn. Naturally, nobody believed you, So you demonstrated. You inhaled, Silence, For exactly one second. HONK, The horn echoed across the gas station.

You exhaled, Silence again. Another inhale-

HOOOOONK.

…

The bus was quiet, For about three seconds. Then every ounce of composure inside the vehicle completely collapsed.