MHA: SHADOWS IN UA

I woke up to the weight of fatigue pressing against my body.

My limbs felt heavier than usual, as if the exhaustion from last night had settled deep into my bones.

The moment my senses fully returned, a dull ache flared along my shoulders and neck—a lingering souvenir from that bastard's grip.

My fingers twitched as I stretched, joints popping in protest.

The bed beneath me felt unusually stiff, or maybe that was just my body refusing to cooperate.

Either way, I forced myself upright, running a tired hand through my hair before swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

The air in my room was still, save for the faint hum of the ceiling fan overhead.

Pale morning light filtered through the curtains, casting long streaks across the floor.

I pushed myself to my feet and made my way to the mirror, barefoot against the cool floor.

My reflection stared back at me, a familiar face and then, my gaze dropped to my neck.

I lifted a hand and traced my fingers over the faint marks.

The bruising wasn't severe, but I could still feel the ghost of the man's grip tightening, could still hear the way my breath had been forced from my throat.

It hadn't been long since it happened, yet the memory played back as vividly as if I were still there.

I clenched my jaw.

Last night was humiliating.

The kind of thing that clawed at the back of your mind, digging in deeper the more you thought about it.

Having some nameless nobodies get the better of me.

Having being threatened every single time, treated like I'm their dog.

I exhaled through my nose, doing my best to shake the irritation off. Getting pissed wouldn't change anything.

Instead, I turned my focus to the other problem. The man.

Although he was a bit familiar, I didn't recognize him.

Not from the manga, not from any background knowledge I had of the League's movements.

He was just... there. Probably just another piece of the puzzle that had never been shown in the grander picture.

Or he was just an extra. To be honest, I couldn't tell.

Trying to remember something while pressuring my brain won't work besides it's not like I'll remember every single detail of the story.

Besides, the League of Villains never really showed the dirty work.

The manga had kept things tight, focused on the big events, the moments that made headlines.

I was always curious to how Shigaraki did those crime and led those villains, can't believe I'm on one of those jobs.

Another harsh reminder of the reality I'm living.

And right now, that meant dealing with a man I knew nothing about.

I turned away from the mirror and grabbed my phone from the nightstand, swiping the screen to life.

A new message from Kurogiri sat at the top.

[Potential targets]

My gaze flickered over the details. A list of locations—places the man had been seen frequenting.

I rolled my shoulders, stretching out the remaining stiffness.

Last night's irritation still lingered, but I buried it beneath something far more productive.

My life depends on it.

I slipped my phone into my pocket and let out a slow breath as I walked to the bathroom to shower.

By the time I made it downstairs, the smell of breakfast had already settled into the air.

Yumi stood near the counter, rinsing a cup, while my father sat at the table, flipping through the morning paper.

The TV murmured in the background with a news anchor talking about some pro hero dispute.

Yumi glanced up when she saw me. "You took your time getting up today."

"I needed it," I said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"You also came back late," she added, passing me a cup of tea. "Anything we should know?"

I took the cup and held it for a second, letting the warmth settle in my hands. "Nothing serious, I just met up with someone."

She hummed, not entirely convinced.

Ruki, still flipping through the paper, spoke without looking up. "You don't usually go out that late."

"It was kinda sudden" I said.

It wasn't a complete lie, just enough to keep them from worrying.

But wait, what I said, wouldn't that make them more worried?

Ruki eventually set down the newspaper and started eating.

"I understand it now, Azaria," my father said between bites, chewing thoughtfully as if he had just cracked some great mystery.

I barely looked up from my tea. "What's that?"

"You're seeing a girl, aren't you?" He smiled as he pointed the fork at me "All the girls in UA are falling for you and you've bagged yourself a girl."

"...what?"

I blinked as I stopped mid-sip, my fingers pausing against the rim of the cup.

Ruki just nodded to himself like he was completely convinced. "Ah, I kinda forgot you're at that stage." He smiled. "My boy is becoming a man."

I stared.

Was this real life?

I came back late once, and this was the conclusion he jumped to?

Is that what he really thought I was doing last night?

Leaning in slightly, he lowered his voice as if sharing some ancient wisdom. "Later in the day, I'll teach you how to get your game on. Pass on some Arashi techniques—just as my father did for me, and his father before him."

I blinked again.

What the hell was this man talking about?

My brain short-circuited for a second.

Our lives was hanging by a thread, I was being watched by one of the most dangerous men in existence, and my father thought I was sneaking off to get laid?

I'm trying hard not to risk our lives and he thinks I'm fucking?

And this was what he thought I was doing?!

Of all the possible explanations, this was the one he settled on?

The absurdity of it almost made me laugh.

I mean… now that I thought about it, why wasn't I doing something like that?

The thought came unbidden, slipping in before I could push it away.

It always feels like I'm living on borrowed time here.

I had no idea how long I'd be alive.

Shigaraki could wake up tomorrow and decide I was useless.

AFO could snap his fingers, and my body would be found in some ditch.

At any moment, I could die.

Wouldn't it make sense to enjoy something while I still could?

..sex was one of my sins, after all.

One of the things that had led me here.

And if this was my hell, my punishment for what I'd done, shouldn't I at least indulge while I was suffering?

After all… wasn't that one of my sins that brought me here in the first place?

I rubbed my chin absently, turning the thought over in my mind.

Then—

A shift.

It was subtle, barely perceptible, but my instincts screamed at me anyway.

I turned my head—

And met her eyes.

Yumi.

Sitting calmly across the table, a faint, knowing smile on her lips.

But her eyes?

Terrifying.

I could feel the sheer weight of her unspoken words pressing down on the table, and suddenly, Ruki's enthusiasm faltered.

A moment of silence stretched between them.

Then, Yumi exhaled, shaking her head as she reached for her drink.

"At least tell us next time," she muttered, taking a slow sip. "I almost stayed up waiting."

That made me pause. "You didn't have to do that."

She gave me a look, one that was half exasperation, half amused. "And yet, I did."

"You heading out again?" Ruki winked.

"Yeah. Meeting a friend," I said, standing up and grabbing my phone from the table.

Yumi glared at Ruki as she crossed her arms. "This friend have a name?"

"Yeah," I said, walking toward the door. "But I doubt you'd know them."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but there was no real suspicion. Just curiosity.

"Be safe," Ruki said.

"Always," I replied.

I stepped out, letting the door close behind me.

***

The ride to the city was quiet, the low hum of the cab's engine filling the space between me and the driver.

My hood was up, my face half-hidden in the reflection of the tinted window.

The city passed by in a blur of glass and concrete, the morning rush still in full swing.

Kurogiri's intel had led me to one of the wealthier business districts—polished streets, sleek office buildings, expensive suits walking in and out like they owned the world.

Not exactly the kind of place I expected to tail someone connected to the League's business.

The cab slowed to a stop near a café across from one of the taller buildings.

I paid the driver and stepped out, adjusting my hoodie as I glanced around.

People in sharp suits walked in and out of the building, some chatting, others locked into their own worlds.

The entire area oozed wealth, like a different breed of people lived here.

Then, I spotted him.

The man emerged from a black car, adjusting his sleeve as he strode toward the building's entrance.

Neat, composed, not a hair out of place. His suit looked tailored, the kind that cost more than some people's annual salary.

He didn't have the cautious air of someone involved in shady dealings, no nervous glances, no hesitation.

If I hadn't been given this job, I wouldn't have thought twice about him.

Yet, something bothered me.

I knew that face. I just couldn't place it.

My brows furrowed slightly as I leaned against a lamppost, watching him disappear through the revolving doors.

'No use dwelling on it.'

I needed a spot to wait him out.

I turned and crossed the street, slipping into a café that had a perfect view of the entrance.

The place was quiet, filled mostly with professionals typing away on laptops.

I ordered a coffee, grabbed a seat by the window, and pulled out my phone—pretending to scroll as I settled in for what I knew would be a long, boring wait.

And it was.

Minutes stretched into hours.

I sipped my drink, changed positions a few times, even flipped through my phone like a normal, disinterested customer.

But nothing happened. The man never reemerged.

'Spying is boring as hell.'

Two and a half hours of sitting in this café, blending into the background, pretending to work.

At this rate, I was starting to feel like an actual office worker.

I was starting to think this was a waste of time when, finally, something shifted.

Movement.

The man stepped outside.

He wasn't in a hurry.

He moved with the same ease as before, but this time, instead of heading back to the sleek black car, he strolled toward a different part of town—a less polished one.

I straightened slightly, watching as he stepped into another vehicle. Not the luxury sedan from before.

Interesting.

I waited a beat before standing, stretching slightly as if I'd just finished up work.

Then, I slipped outside and flagged down another cab.

"Follow that car," I muttered as I slid into the backseat.

The driver shot me a look, skeptical.

I sighed and pulled out extra cash, dropping it onto the front seat. "Don't ask questions, just drive."

That changed his mind real quick.

And just like that, the real part of the job began.

———

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