[19] Leader

I walked through the gate, feeling their eyes on my back. Once I was out of sight, I allowed myself a small smile. First contact with the media: successful.

The halls were starting to fill as I made my way to class. I caught snippets of conversation, most of it centered around the reporters outside.

"Can you believe how many there are?"

"I heard they're here because of All Might."

"Do you think we'll be on TV?"

I slid into my seat just as Aizawa entered the room. He looked even more tired than usual, if that was possible.

"Alright, settle down," he grumbled. "I know you've all noticed the media circus outside. Do not engage with them. You're here to learn, not to be celebrities."

His eyes swept the room, landing on me for a moment longer than the others. I met his gaze steadily, my expression neutral.

"Now," Aizawa continued, "let's get down to business. Your first task will decide your future."

The class tensed. Another surprise test?

"You need to pick a class representative."

The tension broke like a popped balloon, replaced by a surge of enthusiasm. Hands shot up all around me, voices clamoring to be heard.

"Oh! Me! Pick me!"

"I was born to lead!"

"I'll be the best rep ever!"

I leaned back, observing the chaos. A class representative, huh? It could be useful. A position of authority, a chance to shape class decisions...

Iida's voice cut through the noise. "Silence, everyone! This is a position of great responsibility! We must approach this decision with the utmost seriousness!"

Trust Iida to turn a simple election into a constitutional crisis.

"I propose we hold a democratic election!" he continued, chopping the air for emphasis. "It's the only fair way to choose!"

Tsuyu put a finger to her chin. "But we've only known each other for a few days. How can we make an informed decision?"

"Yeah," Kirishima chimed in, "and what if everyone just votes for themselves?"

Iida adjusted his glasses, looking smug. "That's precisely why the one with the most votes will be the most suitable! They'll have earned the trust of their peers!"

I had to admit, it wasn't terrible logic. For Iida.

Aizawa, already halfway into his sleeping bag, waved a hand dismissively. "Do whatever you want. Just have it done before my nap's over."

I wrote down Yaoyorozu's name. Smart, capable, and easy to manipulate if needed. Perfect.

The votes were tallied, and I stared at the board in disbelief.

Izuku Midoriya - 9 votes

Momo Yaoyorozu - 4 votes

I scanned the room, trying to read my classmates' faces. Uraraka beamed at me, giving a not-so-subtle thumbs up. Iida nodded solemnly, apparently approving of the democratic process. Even Bakugo seemed... less murderous than usual.

Yaoyorozu looked surprised but pleased. She caught my eye and smiled. "Congratulations, Midoriya!"

I smiled back. "Thanks, you too! Vice president is a big responsibility."

Aizawa's tired voice cut through my thoughts. "Alright, there you have it. Midoriya's president, Yaoyorozu's vice president. Now, let's move on to today's lesson."

As we returned to our seats, I caught snippets of conversation.

"Makes sense," Kaminari was saying. "Midoriya's got that whole reliable vibe going on."

Asui nodded. "Plus, he's always helping everyone out. Remember how he saved Uraraka in the entrance exam?"

The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chatter, but today it had a different flavor. I could feel eyes on me as I sat down with my tray, my new status as class rep apparently making me more interesting than Lunch Rush's buffet.

"So," Kirishima said, leaning in with a grin, "who'd you guys vote for?"

Iida straightened up, as if he'd been waiting for this question all day. "I cast my vote for Midoriya. His performance during the battle training and his conduct in the dorms clearly demonstrate his leadership potential."

I nodded, playing the gracious winner. "Thanks, Iida. That means a lot coming from you. Actually, I voted for Yaoyorozu. Her analytical skills are off the charts."

Momo's cheeks pinked slightly. "Thank you, Midoriya. I'm honored by your confidence in me."

As the others chimed in with their voting choices, I found my gaze drawn to Iida. His quirk, Engine, had caught my attention during training. Something about it nagged at my memory.

"Hey, Iida," I said, cutting through the chatter, "your quirk reminds me of a pro hero I've seen. Ingenium, I think. Any relation?"

Iida's face lit up like I'd just told him he'd won the lottery. "Indeed! Ingenium is my older brother, Tensei Iida. He's an exceptional hero and my personal role model."

The table fell silent, all eyes on Iida. He continued, practically glowing with pride.

"My brother has always been my inspiration. His unwavering dedication to heroism, his commitment to helping others - these are the qualities I strive to embody every day."

I nodded, filing away this information. "Having someone like that to look up to must be incredible."

Iida adjusted his glasses, his smile softening. "It truly is. Being here at U.A., surrounded by such talented individuals, I feel I'm one step closer to following in his footsteps."

Before I could probe further, an ear-splitting alarm cut through the air. Panic rippled through the cafeteria as an announcement blared:

"Security level three has been breached. All students evacuate immediately."

Iida turned to a nearby upperclassman. "Excuse me, what does level three mean?"

The older student's eyes were wide with fear. "It means someone's broken in! This hasn't happened in years! We need to get out now!"

In an instant, the cafeteria descended into chaos. Bodies pressed against each other, everyone scrambling for the exits. I lost sight of my classmates in the crush.

A cry of pain cut through the noise. "Ow!"

I recognized Momo's voice and pushed through the crowd towards her. Finding her being jostled by panicked students, I pulled her close, using my body as a shield. We were pushed towards the windows, and I maneuvered us so her back was against the glass, my arms on either side of her.

"Shit," I muttered, surveying the chaos. "This is getting out of hand." I looked down at Momo. "You okay?"

She nodded, a bit breathless. "Yes, thank you."

I turned to look out the window, trying to spot the supposed intruder. What I saw made me want to laugh. "Are you kidding me? It's just the press!"

Momo twisted to look, her eyes widening. "You're right! But how do we tell everyone?"

An idea struck. "Can you make a megaphone?"

She nodded, understanding immediately. Without hesitation, she began unbuttoning her shirt, her quirk activating.

I turned away, giving her privacy, and grabbed the megaphone as soon as it materialized. Taking a deep breath, I raised it to my lips.

"EVERYONE STOP!"

The effect was instantaneous. The crowd froze, startled by the amplified command.

"Look outside," I continued, my voice firm and authoritative. "It's just reporters. There's no danger. Now act like the future heroes you are and exit calmly."

A student by the window confirmed my words, and the tension visibly drained from the crowd. Crisis averted.

I turned back to Momo, ready to thank her, but paused. She was staring at me, wide-eyed and unmoving.

"Momo?" I said, touching her shoulder lightly. "You with me? We should head back to class."

She blinked, seeming to snap out of it. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she buttoned her shirt. "Right. Yes, let's go."

As I headed back to my desk, my mind was already racing ahead. The press breaching U.A.'s defenses was concerning. Those barriers were supposed to be top-of-the-line. Either security was more lax than we'd been led to believe, or...

No. Surely not. But the possibility nagged at me. What if this wasn't just overzealous reporters? What if it was a test? Or worse, a distraction?

I'd need to look into this. Quietly, of course. No need to raise alarms if I was just being paranoid. But if there was more to this incident, I wanted to know about it.

The rest of the day passed with no more incidents. As we packed up to leave, Momo approached my desk.

"Izuku," she said, her voice low, "I wanted to thank you again for earlier. In the cafeteria. That was... impressive."

"It was nothing. You're the one who came through with the megaphone."

She ducked her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "Well, it was your idea. We make a good team, don't we?"

"We do," I agreed, seeing an opportunity. "Actually, I was hoping we could meet soon to discuss some ideas for the class. Maybe tomorrow in my room?"

Her eyes lit up. "That sounds great! What kind of ideas?"

I leaned in, lowering my voice conspiratorially. "I was thinking about organizing some extra training sessions. To help everyone improve their quirk control and combat skills. What do you think?"

"That's brilliant!" she exclaimed. "We could tailor the sessions to each person's quirk and fighting style. I'd be happy to help design the training regimens."

"Perfect," I said, allowing a hint of excitement to color my tone. "Your analytical skills will be a huge help. Let's flesh out the details tomorrow."

As she walked away, clearly thrilled about the project, I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile. Extra training sessions. A chance to observe my classmates' quirks up close, to catalogue their strengths and weaknesses. To shape their development.

Back in my room, I pulled out my notebook, the one I kept separate from my hero analysis books. Time to update my plans.

Under "Class Rep Duties," I added:

Organize extra training sessions (observe quirks, assess weaknesses)

Build trust with classmates (esp. Yaoyorozu, Iida, Todoroki)

Investigate security breach (possible weak points in U.A. defenses?)

I paused, tapping my pen against the page. The security breach bothered me. It seemed too convenient, too easy. Was I being paranoid, or was there something more going on?

A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. "Midoriya? You in there?"

Uraraka's voice. I quickly closed the notebook, sliding it under some textbooks. "Yeah, come in!"

She poked her head in, smiling brightly. "Hey! A bunch of us are going to watch a movie in the common room. Wanna join?"

"Sure," I said, returning her smile. "What are we watching?"

"Some old superhero movie. Should be fun to see how they got it wrong, right?"

I laughed, following her out. "Sounds great."

For now, I'd play along. Watch cheesy movies, bond with my classmates, be the leader they all thought I was. After all, the best lies always contained a grain of truth. And who knew? Maybe I'd even enjoy myself a little.