Chapter Text
Aizawa was on medical leave due to injuries sustained while on a mission. So, Principal Nezu hired Luluci as a substitute teacher until Aizawa recovered. It was quite exciting for Luluci, to have the chance to help raise the next generation of Pro Heroes. Her excitement only grew as she read the files on Class 1-A. From Kirishima's chivalrous nature to Koda’s love of animals to Momo’s intelligence, they all seemed like such bright young minds and she couldn't wait to meet them.
But then she came upon the file of one particular student: Mineta Minoru. Judging from the file, Mineta seemed to be a normal student—surprisingly intelligent and cooperative, quite skilled and creative with his Quirk despite his dwarfism. Yes, nothing seemed out of the ordinary…
…but then she read the words, “Student has a history of sexual harassment”.
All the excitement Luluci felt before instantly vanished and was swiftly replaced by anger. The one thing she couldn't stand was perverts and sexual predators. Just the thought of it brought back some very painful memories, reminded her of that horrible day. Her anger that only swelled as she read about his misdeeds. His file read less like that of a hero-in-training and more like a sex offender in the making. To think that someone like this was in the Hero Course? No, this could not stand. This would not stand. This was a problem that needed to be corrected, prevented, nipped in the bud before it grew out of control.
She would not let another monster like him be created.
The Next Day…
Mineta couldn't help but be nervous as he made his way to the classroom. Their substitute teacher, Miss Luluci, had asked to see him after class. Under normal circumstances, being alone with the hot substitute teacher would be a dream come true for Mineta.
But something about Miss Luluci gave Mineta pause. With the other students, she was all smiles and sweetness. But for him? Nothing but animosity-filled glares, especially when he made his usual inappropriate jokes. Now you’d think he’d be used to getting dirty looks from girls. But the way Miss Luluci looked at him was different. Other girls looked at him whth a mix of disgust and annoyance. The way Miss Luluci glared at him felt… personal. Like she genuinely hated him. And it made him wonder what her deal was. Why did she seem to have it out for him specifically? They only met just today! Surely, he hadn't done anything to upset her... right?
Mineta made it to the classroom and opened the door to find Miss Luluci sitting at her desk. “You wanted to see me, Miss Luluci?” he asked.
“Indeed, I did,” Luluci replied. “Come in and take a seat.” Mineta did as instructed and sat in the chair in front of the desk. “Do you know why I called you here?” she asked.
“Um, am I in trouble?” Mineta asked. “Well, whatever it was, I didn't do it!” he paused, then added. “Well, I probably did it, but it was an accident and—”
“Calm down,” Luluci sharply interrupted. “You are not in trouble. Not yet, anyway. Though that may change depending on your actions going forward.” She pulled out Mineta’s file and placed it on the desk. “Now, I've read your file and everything seems in order. However, there is one point of contention I feel needs to be addressed. Namely, your history of sexual harassment.”
Mineta cringed in his seat as Luluci kept speaking. “Allow me to be perfectly blunt: There is nothing I despise more than a perverted, lecherous scoundrel, and you fit that mold to a T. Peeping in the girls' locker room, attempting to spy on the girls in the hot spring at the Forest Training Camp, your so-called ‘prank’ at the Sports Festival. Such conduct is wholly unbecoming of an aspiring hero, and by all rights, warrants your immediate expulsion from the Hero Course if not from U.A. as a whole. And believe me, were the decision up to me, that is exactly what would happen.”
Luluci sighed a bit before continuing. “However, as a substitute teacher, I doubt I have the authority to make such a decision. But make no mistake, such behavior will not be tolerated in my classroom. Furthermore, should I receive even one complaint from any of the girls involving you, I will take the necessary course of action, up to and including your immediate removal from the Hero Course. Do I make myself clear?”
“But I haven't done anything!” Mineta protested.
“And I can assure you that I fully intend to keep it that way,” Luluci bluntly replied.
“But why?” Mineta asked. “Other boys my age are perverts too. Why am I the one being singled out?”
“Because other boys do not have a record of sexual harassment,” Luluci replied.
“Oh, come on!” Mineta whined. “Okay, so I take things a step too far. So what? It’s not like—”
“‘It’s not like I’m actually hurting anyone’.” Luluci interrupted, shooting Mineta a rather terrifying glare. “Is that what you were going to say?” She rose from her seat and made her way towards Mineta. “‘So I spy on women in showers and locker rooms. What’s the big deal? It's not like I'm actually forcing myself on anyone. So what if I tricked the girls into wearing cheerleader outfits? It was just a harmless prank. All in good fun, right? I'm just a guy, I can't help it. Women are just too sensitive.’” She was right in front of Mineta now, leaning down to look him right in the eye. Mineta felt himself shrinking under her fierce azure gaze.
“I have heard such excuses before, Young Mineta, and I can assure you they're all equally worthless,” Luluci said, voice dripping with a cold fury. “Voyeurism is still a form of sexual harassment. Even if you are not physically assaulting someone, you are still violating their right to privacy, which is incredibly demeaning and degrading to them. There is nothing harmless about harassment. It may start small at first, but it can soon snowball into much more serious actions. And I know this from personal experience.”
“What… do you mean?” Mineta worked up the nerve to ask. Luluci walked to the window, staring outwards for several moments before speaking again.
“When I was young, I went to a private school along with my best friend Ellien. We both had the same teacher, a retired Pro Hero. He was charming, polite, and well-liked by most of the students and staff. Everything seemed normal at first, but it wasn't long before we noticed something off. It started small, at first, with inappropriate comments dressed as ‘compliments’, invasive and uncomfortable questions about our bodies. But then it escalated into unwanted touches that he brushed off as ‘accidents’. And he seemed particularly fixated on Ellien. It was degrading, and made us feel like we were just objects to him. We tried telling other teachers about what he was doing, but they dismissed our claims, always telling us ‘He’s just overly affectionate’ or ‘That’s just how he is’ or ‘You’re imagining things’. We felt isolated and alone, and every day with him wore us down bit by bit. But then one day, everything changed.”
Mineta listened as Luluci recounted her tale. As she spoke, a nagging sensation formed in the back of his mind. Something about the teacher’s actions felt a little too familiar. “What happened?” he asked, though part of him was unsure if he wanted to hear the answer.
Another sigh escaped Luluci. “I was getting ready to head home when I heard what sounded like Ellien crying. I opened the door to the classroom and I…” Luluci closed her eyes and shuddered, a tear falling from her face as the memory of that day still burned within her, vivid as the day it happened. She spoke again, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice.
“…I walked in to see him trying to rape Ellien.”
The words hit with the force of a Detroit Smash. Mineta’s eyes widened with abject horror as a chill ran down his spine and his stomach curled in disgust, an emotion he didn't feel often. He wanted to say something, anything, but couldn't find the words. Because really, what the hell could you even say to something like that?
Taking a moment to collect herself, Luluci continued on. “I just lost it. I attacked him in a rage, and the police had to intervene. His teaching license was suspended.”
“Did they… did they catch him?” Mineta asked. They had to have caught him, right? No way in hell would they let him get away with something like that.
“At first, he tried to claim that I was the attacker,” Luluci replied. “That he was acting in self-defense. But a Pro Hero got involved and an investigation was formed. It turned out that Ellien and I weren't his only victims. He had been harassing other girls and threatened them to keep silent. With all the evidence against him, he was arrested and sentenced to jail. The school was sued for negligence. Its reputation never recovered.”
She finally turned to face Mineta. “You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this. It's to show you the type of person I want to prevent you from becoming. You might think I'm just out to get you, but I am trying to help you. I don't want to see you become someone like him, someone who would use their position of authority as a Pro Hero to take advantage of someone.”
She walked towards Mineta and knelt down in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “While I do find your actions reprehensible, I believe that unlike him, you're not beyond redemption and you still have a chance to grow and be better. I do think you have the potential to be a great hero, and I would hate to see that potential ruined due to your own vices. So, in the future, please try to think about how your actions may affect others. Even if you think your actions are harmless, to anyone who is a victim of harassment or assault, they are anything but. So do you think you can do that for me?”
For once in his life, Mineta didn't have anything to say. Part of him wanted to argue, to assert that he’d never become someone like that. But after hearing Miss Luluci bare her heart and soul to him, hearing her divulge a painful part of her past to him… it just wouldn't feel right to keep arguing. “Okay.” he finally said.
At that, Luluci flashed him a hopeful, but genuine smile before pulling him into a hug. “Thank you, Mineta,” she said. Mineta froze in place. He wasn't used to girls other than his mother hugging him. She let him go before patting him on the shoulder. “Now, I'm sure I’ve taken up a lot of your time, so why don't you run along now?”
Without saying another word, Mineta got up and left the classroom. As Luluci watched him leave, she hoped that what she said got through to him, or at the very least would make him think about his actions in the future. She truly wanted to believe that he could be a better person.