11 AM, Courtyard. After Training.

You shifted uncomfortably, your heart racing as you met Aizawa's piercing gaze. The usually calm aura around your mentor felt charged with tension, and you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were somehow to blame for the change. No matter how much you tried to focus during training, guilt gnawed at you like an insatiable beast.

“It’s like you’re not even trying anymore!” Aizawa's voice cut through the air, firm and unwavering. “You need to pull yourself together, or you’re going to fall behind.”

Each word felt like a dagger, but you couldn’t bring yourself to argue. Instead, you looked down at your feet, suddenly fascinated by the dirt on the floor. Memories flooded your mind—laughing, training side by side, those quiet moments where Aizawa had offered guidance rather than scorn. Now, it felt like a chasm had formed between you, deepened by the grief you carried alone.