An Encounter at the Hospital

Class 1A filed into their classroom, chatting nonstop about their rescue training with All Might.

" That was some exciting rescue training, right," Sora said stretching her arms up.

" And cold," mumbled Yuu as he rubbed his arms, attempting to warm himself up after their little excursion to a snowcapped mountain.

" UA has a multitude of different exercises, and they afford to have them. I wonder just how much money they had spent on this one?" Whisper tapped his chin in thought, wondering just how rich their principal was.

Aizawa entered the class, prompting everyone to stop chatting and take their seats immediately. None of them fancied being told off by their homeroom teacher.

Aizawa complimented their effort, a rare treat especially since he didn't point anything ' irrational ' with their work that day. " Moving right along, we'll be having Parents' Day next week," he said with his so-ever stoic complexion.

" That's a super normal school event!" The whole class chorused together.

" Even the Hero Course has gotta do stuff like that?" Even Kirishima was befuddled by the sudden activity.

The class grumbled as Aizawa passed them notices to be signed by their guardians. As Yaoyorozu passed him his, Yuu looked down at the paper before him, a worried look visible on his face.

Aizawa proceeded to explain that they ought to be writing letters of appreciation for their parents or guardians, which they will be reading out loud for them. This is gonna be one hard letter to write. Thought Yuu as he looked back at his friend across the class, her eyes glinting happily. It must be easy for Sora though.

________________

It was almost time to leave and the class was rather chaotic as all of them began talking about the coming event. " I can't wait for my Grandma to come see the school," chimed Sora happily as she began gathering her things, waiting for time to tick by and for her to be free. She couldn't wait to tell her grandmother about the event.

" I'm not sure my parents would be willing to come though, they would say they're busy." Yuu heaved a tired sigh.

" Hm... then what if Grandma acted as your guardian during the event? I mean, she is almost like one, considering how much time you spend at our house," Sora pointed out with a wide smile.

" Is it possible though? I mean, she isn't my legal guardian."

" We'll have to ask Aizawa about this later on," said Whisper as he pondered on the idea.

Before Yuu could express his worries any further, his pocket buzzed. Dipping his hand in it, he fetched his phone, only to find his mother calling him, incurring a surprised look. His parents never called him unless it was an emergency. Trivial talks about how he was fairing and whether or not his day was fine were beyond them.

" Hi," he answered the call, only for his eyes to widen and then fall on his friend. Sora's heart sank in that moment and her throat went dry as Yuu lowered the phone.

" Aunt Yui was..."...

________________

" Grandma!" Sora cried out as she flopped on her grandmother's bed while the older woman rubbed her head apologetically. She was clad in the hospital pajamas and leaning back on a mountain of pillows.

" Sorry for worrying you."

" Sorry doesn't cut it! I told you to leave it to me!" The girl rebuked, tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes.

As Yuu told her, Yui was fixing the roof when she slipped and fell down, hurting her back in the process. Apparently, their neighbors, Yuu's parents, went to pay her a visit and found her sprawled on the ground. They hurried her into a hospital and tried getting to her granddaughter but didn't get through to her, so they called the one person they knew to always be beside her, Yuu.

" It's really nothing. I will be better in a day or two, you know we heal fast." Her grandmother tried to calm her down.

"Nah uh! I'm not having that! You're resting well until the doctors say it will be alright to leave!" The girl said crossly as she tucked the duvet she had messed up when she jumped on her grandmother back around her.

" About that..." A medic standing beside her grandmother's hospital bed interrupted. It wasn't until the woman spoke up that Sora noticed she was there. " They say the damage is not that much. She didn't break any bones and she should be fine and walking about in less than a week, so there is no need to worry."

" See. I told you." Yui smiled as she patted her granddaughter's head, ignoring the pout she was wearing. " I can even go back home right now."

" Um, that would be impossible." The medic cut again. " Even though they say you're fine, they want to monitor you for a couple of days first, just to be sure. After all, with your age-"

" Okay, I get it. No need to remind me." Yui interrupted with a hint of annoyance laced in her voice before she looked back at Sora. " That means you'll be on your own for two days..."

" Oh, don't worry about that, I'll be fine. You just have to think about yourself."

" But... maybe I should ask the Seijins to have you over for a few days." Yui held a hand to her jawline.

" Grandma, please. There is no need to trouble Yuu's parents."

" But that way, my mind would be at ease." Yui insisted.

" Excuse me, Shirogane-san." The medic piped in again, leaning towards her. " We've been waiting for you to fill in some paperwork for her."

" Of course," Sora said as she stood up and followed the medic out and back to the reception. Seeing how the elevator in their ward was out of order, they had to take the one in the ward across from theirs.

After finishing with the papers, Sora made for Yui's room. She ought to make sure her grandmother was comfortable and provided with everything she might need for the night before she had to leave when the clinic hours were over.

" Maybe I should get her some water and a snack for later," she considered as she stopped before the vending machine in the corridor. " Tea too, Grandma could never do without her afternoon tea."

Just as Sora bent down to grab what she had bought, a voice took her by surprise. " Shirogane?"

Sora shot up on her feet so abruptly the bottles of water and tea slid out of her arms. Todoroki was quick to bend and grab them before they hit the ground. " Sorry, I must have startled you."

" Oh, no. Not all. Thank you." She assured as she took the two bottles from him and added them to the sweat bread she had just bought.

" It's just, I was surprised to see you here."

" Grandma hurt her back when she fell down the roof. Nothing serious though."

" Oh, so that's why you left pretty early today, and in a hurry too. Hope she gets better."

" Thanks." Sora gave a sheepish laugh before her eyes blinked, looking up at him curiously. " Why are you here, Todoroki? Don't tell me you're still hurt or something!"

" No, I'm really fine. It's just, my mother is a patient here and I came to visit her," he stated rubbing the back of his neck.

" Oh, oh... hope she is fairing well then." She offered a genuine concerned smile. She heard his conversation about his father with Midoriya before, she knew of his familial situation, though not because she wanted to.

Noticing the boy was still standing there, she promptly stepped away from the vending machine. " You want to buy something, right? Sorry for keeping you."

" No, it's alright." He approached the machine just as a door nearby flung open.

" Come on Shoto, just how long it takes for you to buy my drink?" A white-haired woman with red streaks in her mid-twenties peeked from behind it before she held a hand to her mouth as her eyes found Sora.

" Um... hello." Sora tried to greet her politely.

" Oh my, are you Shoto's classmate? I think I've seen you during the sports festival."

" Shirogane Sora, pleased to meet you." She bowed at her.

" Oh, you're the girl who worked along with him at Dad's agency. I'm Shoto's older sister, Fuyumi. Nice to meet you," she said placing both her hands on Todoroki's shoulders and pulling him closer. " Thanks for taking care of my brother."

" More like he was the one taking care of me back then."

Todoroki's sister smiled broadly at her. " Would you like to join us?"

" Nee-chan?"

" What? Mom would love to meet your classmates." Fuyumi's smile shone brightly.

Sora looked worriedly from Todoroki to Fuyumi. She didn't think it polite to turn down the offer, but she didn't want to cause any trouble to her classmate.

" Oh come on, greeting won't hurt," said Fuyumi to a stoic Todoroki as she took the goods from Sora's hands.

Sora then was shoved into the room and was face-to-face with a white-haired woman. Her grey eyes bore deep sadness, but nevertheless shone bright. She was gorgeous, Sora thought. And her aura was kind and soothing. She could never bring herself to believe the woman standing before her was the same who marked Todoroki's face. Just what she had been through...

" Mom, this is Shoto's schoolmate, Shirogane Sora-san." Fuyumi introduced her happily.

" Excuse my intrusion." The girl bowed.

" Oh no, not at all. A classmate of Shoto, I'm pleased to have one. Just, sorry for the circumstances." The woman gave the warmest smile Sora could have ever seen.

She is so kind! I know now where Todoroki got that from!

" No! Not at all!"

" Can you tell us a few things about Shoto at school? He doesn't talk much after all."

" Nee-chan..."

" I hope that my son is being good to all of you. I know he may seem stern and cold."

" Mom..."

" Not at all, Todoroki cares for all of his friends and he's the kindest soul I might have met. He's a precious friend of mine," Sora told her and the woman wore a relieved smile on her face.

" But what luck." Fuyumi smiled as she embarked on emptying a bag of laundry onto a shelf. " First we have Shoto visiting on a school day, then we have Shoto's classmate. Though, any special reason for visiting, Shoto?"

The boy dipped his hand into his pocket as he clutched something. " Nope, nothing at all."

Sora blinked twice as she looked at him. Could he have come for the Parents' Day notice? Thinking back to his relationship with Endeavor, it made total sense that he would be asking his mother instead. But the reaction he just gave... Hesitation? Regret?

" Todoroki..." she whispered as she nudged his side. " ...Tell her. You came all the way here to tell her about it, right?"

"... Nope..."

" You don't lie to me, you know I can see what you really want to do." Todoroki truly wanted to give her the notice. But...

" I can't ask her to do that," he said crumpling the paper in his hand.

" You might come to regret it."

" What are you both talking about?" His sister asked, veering towards them.

" Nothing." Todoroki quickly pulled his hand out of his pocket, albeit, the sheet of paper clung to his hand and fell by his feet.

" What's that?"

" It's nothing!" But before he could reach it, Fuyumi beat him and unfolded the paper. After skimming through it, she looked down at Todoroki with a smile.

" A notice about Parents' Day?"

" Oh...?" His mother craned her head.

" You don't have to bother about that." He tried to get it back from her but she kept it out of her brother's reach. " Give it back here."

Now looking at him like this, Sora thought as she watched Todoroki trying to snatch the paper back, he really seems more like the youngest sibling. She could hardly contain a snigger at that.

" Shoto, sorry... I don't think I can attend..." his mother spoke up, her voice laced with guilt.

" It's no big deal... really..." Now Todoroki seemed to regret bringing the paper.

Uh oh. Sora looked at Fuyumi, the only one who could solve the dilemma now. " I know, I can attend in your place, Mom!" She said clapping her hands together.

" What about work?" Todoroki shot back.

" I think I can afford a day off. Oh, and I will be recording the whole thing."

This isn't helping! Sora screamed inwardly. Todoroki didn't seem fond of the idea too. But as she looked at the woman on the bed, Sora could tell just how much she longed to see her son during the event. Sora recalled just how excited her grandmother was for every Parents' Day she attended during elementary, never missing any of them despite being busy. This woman who was denied that simple joy...

Todoroki snapped when Sora held onto his sleeve, whispering. " Put up with it, for the sake of your mother."

Todoroki looked back at her then at his mother before inhaling deeply. He too could not dream of making her sad. Not again." Fine." Sora gave him a broad smile at that. " But you'll have to check with the school."

" Aizawa, right? I'll make sure to give him a call."

Just as the visiting hours were about to end, Sora excused herself and headed down the corridor to go back to the other ward. " I will see you on Parents' Day!" Said Fuyumi after her as she and Todoroki made to the elevator.

Sora smiled widely at her and continued her path to her grandmother's room. She opened the door just as her grandmother hung up the phone. " Oh, Sora. Just in time. The Seijins said they would be glad to take you in for a couple of days."

Sora froze.