The story of a hero in my hero academia

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"Hi Hiro" said a guy with red hair styled into something that looked like a permanent scowl.

Hmm... what was his name again? It started with an "R", but I still can't remember it.

He must've noticed the confusion on my face because he said "I'm Ren. We've been in the same class for two years."

Everyone started laughing.

Ugh. I'm still terrible at remembering names, especially of people I don't care about.

"My bad, man. I'm just not good with names."

After that, everyone started introducing themselves kind of awkwardly.

Honestly, I thought they were going to send me straight to hell for that.

I sat down, and to my surprise, the mood started to lighten. Everyone slowly began to get along.

This isn't half bad, you know?

Maybe I really am the one who built walls around myself.

After dinner, a guy named Chris asked "So Hiro, what do you think about tomorrow's tournament?"

Everyone turned to listen.

"The odds aren't bad. Even the team quality has improved so I think we've got a good shot" I answered truthfully.

Since I started practicing, people began calling me a genius because I could even beat opponents twice my size.

After that, top teams and schools started reaching out to me, but I turned them down.

It wasn't because of loyalty or anything — I just don't want to invest too much time in kendo.

But people started calling me a "loyal guy" and I never corrected them.

Some good athletes from other schools even transferred to mine, drawn by my strength and charisma.

People began saying I was the strongest in my generation — I've never lost a single match, after all.

"So, do you think you can win your way to the top?" another guy asked.

"Well, I haven't lost yet. That must mean something, right?" I replied.

Come on, let me hype myself up a little.

"Oooohhh!" the class echoed in unison, playing along.

After a while, the conversation shifted to our dreams.

When it was my turn, Chris asked "And you, Hiro — what's your dream?"

"I want to be a Hero" I answered without thinking.

Everyone nodded, eyes sparkling a little — like they believed it too.

Then it was Shinso's turn. He looked at me with a complicated expression and said in a quiet voice

"I want to become a Hero too."

For five full seconds, there was total silence.

Then the laughter started.

"Come on, Shinso, with your quirk? A hero?"

"Haha, I give it five years before you turn into a villain!"

They kept laughing at Shinso like it was all some big joke.

No. I can't stay silent.

"Are you seriously belittling someone just for having a dream? Just because his quirk is darker, or more 'villain-like'? You don't get to decide who someone should be" I said, my voice rising in anger.

I paused to catch my breath, then continued

"There are people out there who became villains only because people like you pushed them into it!"

Then I turned toward Ken — the one who had mocked Shinso the most — and stared at him with a cold, sharp glare.

"And you, Ren" I added, and I could hear him gulp.

"You're laughing at someone's dream? You know what the highest goal you'll probably reach in life is? A normal job. Like being a teacher."

The room went dead silent.

Then — "Pfft—HAHAHA!" Shinso burst out laughing, really loudly looking at me and then at Ken.

I turned around and stared at Ken.

Shinso, still laughing, said "He wants to be a teacher in the future."

Damn. I messed up.

The kid was on the verge of crying.

You see why I don't like hanging out with 12-year-olds?

Well, the damage is done — nothing we can do now.

At least I noticed that two people didn't laugh at Shinso.

Hmm... what were their names again?

Oh yeah — Souta and Mio.

Maybe not everyone is a lost cause after all.