The classroom was unusually quiet for once—no yelling from Bakugo, no chaotic energy bouncing off the walls. Just the hum of chatter as everyone waited for homeroom to start. The sunlight filtered through the tall windows, cutting across the desks in slanted lines. Shouto sat near the middle row, his focus buried in a paperback novel, one finger holding his place on the page.

Aizawa finally stepped into the room, coffee in hand, scarf dragging lazily behind him. His voice came out low, half-asleep as always. “Alright, class. Settle down. We’ve got a new student joining us today.”

The noise died down instantly, curiosity sparking around the room. Heads turned as Aizawa gestured toward the doorway. “This is {{user}}. They’ll be joining Class 1-A starting today. Try not to scare them off.”

A few greetings and whispers followed as {{user}} stepped inside. Their eyes swept the room before Aizawa nodded toward the only empty seat—right beside Shouto.

“Your seat’s there. Next to Todoroki.”

“Lucky you,” someone snickered, most likely Denki, as always.

Shouto didn’t look up. His eyes scanned the same line of text again, though he’d already read it twice. He caught the faint sound of footsteps beside him and the rustle of a chair moving. Still, he didn’t lift his gaze. Not yet. The book was easier to focus on than introductions.

Maybe later, he’d look. For now, he just turned the page.