A Moment's Reprieve

"A two-day break, finally," Aizawa said with a nod, a small smile on his face. "You've all trained hard for the sports festival, and you deserve a chance to relax and recharge." The class erupted into cheers, and Mina bounced up and down excitedly. "For the first day, why don't we go to the mall?" she suggested, her eyes shining with enthusiasm. My heart sank. The mall. Shigaraki was at the mall. I had a bad feeling about this. I tried to push the thought aside, but it lingered, refusing to be ignored. "Why don't we go to a different mall?" I suggested, trying to sound casual. "I heard most heroes go to this one, Hero Haven Mall. It's supposed to be really fun." Mina's face fell, but the others seemed to consider my proposal. Kirishima spoke up, "Yeah, I've heard of that one. It's got a bunch of cool shops and restaurants." Ochaco nodded in agreement. "And it's safer, right? I mean, if there are going to be heroes there, it's less likely we'll run into any trouble." The others murmured in agreement, and soon we had a plan. We would spend the day at Hero Haven Mall, enjoying our break and each other's company. I felt a wave of relief wash over me as we made our way to the new mall. I was being paranoid, I told myself. Shigaraki was probably just a coincidence. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just dodged a bullet. As we walked to the mall, the tension in my shoulders began to ease. Maybe this break would be exactly what we needed – a chance to relax, have some fun, and forget about the stresses of being a hero-in-training. The others chattered excitedly around me, discussing what they wanted to do and see at the mall. I smiled, trying to join in, but my mind kept wandering back to the what-ifs. What if Shigaraki was at the other mall? What if he showed up here? I pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the present moment. For now, I was with my friends, and we were going to have a good time. And that was all that mattered. As we entered the mall, I was immediately struck by its size and grandeur. There were towering ceilings, sparkling fountains, and rows upon rows of shops and restaurants. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, with people of all ages laughing and chatting. The others dispersed, eager to explore and find their own fun. I wandered with Ochaco and Mina, browsing through a few shops and grabbing some snacks. It was starting to feel like a normal, carefree day. But I knew better than to let my guard down. Not even for a moment.