Author's note: Hi readers, I'm so sorry for another delay. To be honest, I had trouble trying to write this chapter. It was a complicated one for sure. But I have no excuses and I sincerely apologise especially after I said I won't take that long to upload a chapter.

I haven't posted my final artwork anywhere even though I had finished it a few days ago. I feel that I had to at least give you guys something for compensation of my mistake so, therefore, here it is. Hope you enjoy it! (I encourage you to zoom in)

P.S. I might make a short story based on this fan art... Not confirmed yet but it may be possible!

Thanks for waiting patiently for this chapter to arrive and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for reading!

--

Shock was written all over Shoji's face.

"What did you say?"

What happened to my friend? What had they done to him?

Immense worry fell on Shoji's heart. Lifting weights was minuscule in comparison to what he was feeling now.

"What did you-" Shoji raised his voice initially but stopped halfway.

Shoji hated these types of scenarios. Cheering up a depressed person is like arguing with a two-year-old child. It is nigh impossible to communicate effectively. Moreover, one wrong word may drastically change the situation. Some phrases may have positive connotations but may be inferred wrongly, especially someone who is depressed. You'll never know what they might interpret your words into.

He cannot pull tokoyami out of his emotions. The best thing he could do now is to cause Tokoyami to open and receive.

Tokoyami had his face buried in his hands, but he wasn't crying.

"Don't worry about me. Please don't."

His voice was soft and broken.

"It doesn't matter. I understand."

Shoji said softly.

Tokoyami revealed and lifted his head up in surprise. It wasn't the response he had expected.

He wasn't sure if he had started off well, but he definitely got a listening ear.

" You... You do? "

" No. Not completely. That's why I need your help."

"No, there's no need for that. Why can't you just get on with your lives and-"

"A simple question... That's all I ask for."

Tokoyami looked at him, awaiting his response.

Shoji took a deep breath.

"Fumikage... Are you de...

Depressed?"

(it was made to look like Shoji was going to say "dead" )

"What makes you say..."

Tokoyami cut himself off, as if he remembered something.

Something unpleasant.

"... No, I don't." he ended.

A blatant lie.

Shoji's heart sinks as he saw Tokoyami's eyes water ever so slightly.

Even his eyes were betraying him.

" Is it dark shadow...?"

Tokoyami avoided his eyes, as if accepting defeat.

--

How could I almost forget... Him?

He helped me so much, even after leaving me

He thought back his actions, feeling guiltier and guiltier by the second.

Even when Shoji talked about Dark shadow, I didn't even realise that I had forgotten about him. I was so preoccupied with trying to hide the news that I completely forgotten about his existence.

An image of dark shadow in his quirk form giving a thumbs up appeared in his mind.

A tear trickle down his face.

He couldn't imagine Dark shadow in his human form, he only could imagine looking into a mirror.

That's because he never really knew dark shadow that well. A stranger could never tell the difference between two twins but a mother identifies them like two separate children.

"If only I knew him better..."

Dark Shadow had saved him countless times in his lives... Even after his death. Tokoyami would've been insane without him, he would've become the very thing that tried to destroy him... the entire class, and the world.

Tokoyami flinched as he realised he said that out loud. He glanced at Shoji, revealing his sorrow. Shoji saw his tear-streaked face and had a small gasp.

"Oh no, what have I done..."

With that, Tokoyami turned and sprinted off.

With each step, his heart fell... Deeper and deeper with guilt and despair.

Now EVERYONE knows and now EVERYONE suffers. Why did I come back?

Why?

Dark Shadow, why?

Why?

Wh..

I wished I knew him better.

That sentence kept inserting itself in his thoughts, as if trying to tell him something...

His head aches.

It hurts...

It hurts so much...

*thup*

??!!!

Everything stopped.

But his legs were still moving.

They weren't touching the ground.

.

.

.

.

.

.

He was lifted up by 4 big muscular hands, hugging him. It was unlike the last two times that such hands hugged him. It's gentler and thoughtful, if an arm could be thoughtful.

Tokoyami's small body was now wrapped around Shoji's arms.

"You've done nothing wrong, there's no need to escape."

He wriggled in Shoji's arms, attempting to escape.

"NO! DON'T GET CLOSE TO ME, I'VE DONE ENOUGH HARM-"

"I am perfectly fine, in fact, I am feeling much better after you opened up your feelings."

Tokoyami stopped struggling.

"It's OK Toko, we're all fine."

His heart calmed down slowly as if Shoji's embrace absorbed his negative karma.

"Tokoyami, why are you running away from us?"

"W... What are you scared of?"

I'm scared of hurting you...

I don't want to see you cry.

Shoji held Tokoyami for another full minute.

"Shoji, I'm fine now."

Gradually, the grip loosens and his feet felt the floor once again.

Once again, he is reminded of his short height.

Tokoyami turns to face Shoji, his cheeks a little wet.

"Thank you, I'm feeling much better."

Shoji nodded his head in reply. They continued their walk to their classroom, since their physical education class was over and going to the sickbay was a lie.

They trodded in silence until Shoji broke it.

"Are you going to spill the beans?"

"When the time is right."

Tokoyami had little to no intention of revealing anything. He didn't feel like talking any more.

They were the first to enter the classroom. Shoji had to message Aizawa Sensei the reason of his disappearance for the entire lesson. Class resumed as per normal after that...

...

Ectoplasm walked into the classroom. It was math lesson. Imagine his horror when they were learning a new chapter today.

He already had a hard time trying to cope with the chapters everyone should've mastered by now... He did not have enough room for more.

Turning his head, he glanced at Todoroki, who was sitting right behind him. He looks completely fine and unwavering. Todoroki looked at him, causing him to turn back.

Ughh, so I'm the only one struggling here...

He placed his hand on his head, feeling a wave of sharp pain arriving.

He opened his eyes, the words on the blackboard now shifting and twisting as if he was dyslexic. He furrowed his brows, trying to tolerate the annoying headache he was feeling.

Ectoplasm took notice of Tokoyami's actions, thinking to himself.

Ahh, Tokoyami is struggling yet again. This is an important chapter that he needs to grasp onto.

"Tokoyami, do you understand what I've written?"

"Yes... ... No."

With that, he started to explain more in-depth.

Tokoyami suddenly realised something...

Actually, I don't have to learn anything else, I won't have much time left anyway.

However, the headache did not fade away...

In fact,

" Grrr..."

He had to grimace softly, tolerating the sudden pain. His teeth were gritting in his closed beak. He had to grab his feathers tightly, plucking out some feathers in the process.

Ectoplasm looked back to see Tokoyami not looking at the board.

"Tokoyami, pay attention! You didn't understand my teachings and yet you dare ignore my explanations?"

By then, all eyes were focused yet again, on Tokoyami. This time, he wasn't aware. He didn't care.

It flared painfully, a growing sensation he felt before. Ectoplasm finally noticed, changing his tone immediately.

" Hey Tokoyami, what's wrong? Are you sick?"

The pain was in the downward trend of a sine wave, allowing him to give a reply.

"I'm fine... I'm —"

It shot back up.

"I'm... Yeah, yes I might be a little."

"I think you should go to the sickbay"

Ectoplasm said with a hint of worry in his voice.

He slowly stood up, placing his hand on the table to support his body.

"Who wants to accompany Tokoyami to the sickbay?"

"No, there's no need for that. I can manage."

"Tokoyami, I don't think—"

But Tokoyami had already made his way to the door, stumbling in the process.

"I'm fine."

He opened the classroom door and walked out.

But when he closed the door, the sound that it made amplified, causing what felt like vibrations in his mind.

"Ughh, what the hell."

Using one hand to grab his head and another to support his body using the wall, he trodded along the hallway.

His vision distorts further as the hallway twists and turns, slightly changing colours with each angle.

That's when his pain climaxed, worsening his vertigo. He let out an audible groan. With each step, he felt heavier and heavier...

I... I can't, I c...