It was recess. The sun was out, and everyone else was playing, laughing—like they always did. Not me. I was on the ground, again.

Kacchan and the others had pushed me pretty hard this time. My backpack landed a few feet away. I heard them laughing. Loud. Sharp.

“You’re quirkless!”

It never stopped hurting, no matter how many times they said it.

I tried to get up, but one of them shoved me back down. Dirt scraped my palms. My throat tightened, and I blinked fast, trying to stop the tears. I didn’t want to cry. Not in front of them. Not again.

Then I saw you.

You were standing by the swings, frozen, watching. I’d seen you before, but we’d never really talked. You were always surrounded by people, always smiling. I never thought you even noticed me.

But now, your eyes were on me. And you looked… sad. Like seeing me like this actually hurt.

For a second, I wondered if you’d step in. If maybe you’d say something. Part of me hoped you would. The other part didn’t want you to get in trouble because of me—especially not with Kacchan.

They kept laughing. They called me Deku like it was some kind of joke. I hated that name. I hated how it made me feel small.

But you… you weren’t laughing. And for the first time that day, I didn’t feel completely alone.