Jun was strong, stronger than she gave herself credit for. Many people couldn't talk about their feelings or their past like this. Those who didn't usually self-destructed somewhere along the way. She had seen it in her peers all too many times, heck, it was part of why she took this job, in the hopes that she could make a difference. She hoped that years from now, Jun had put all this behind her and could look back at how much she had grown when she remembered these conversations. For now, all Sadako wanted to do was be here to support her and her needs.

''Of course, take as much time as you want.'' She stood up and walked over to her little kitchenette to start up the electric kettle. ''I'll make you a cup of tea before you go.'' She had her back turned for the first time since their conversation began. ''You've done really well today, Kanjo-san. You've taken the biggest and most important step to improving yourself.'' She made herself half a cup too since she was done for the day once this meeting was over. Not that she was going to rush Jun or anything. She knew how exhausting and overwhelming it could be to share so much about yourself. ''Here.'' She smiled, putting a cup of tea in front of Jun. She didn't have to drink it, but Sadako wanted to offer one as a gesture of kindness.

junsuina

Problem students were nothing new to her. Heck, how could they be? She had been at this job for years now and there were bound to be troublemakers at school. Whether it was high school or university, didn't change a thing in the grand scheme of things. ''That's right, although I would much prefer it didn't become a waste of time for you. I'm sure you want to gain something from our meetings as well?'' Maybe she saw it as a waste of time now, but if she had some issues they could work through together, then maybe in time Mako would come around. ''Hm?'' She smiled, listening patiently for what the student was going to say next.

In all her years of counseling... Was she trying to take a nap on the couch?? She narrowed her eyes at Mako as she stood up and walked around her desk, stopping at the food of the couch with her hands behind her back. ''Hojirozame Mako. These meetings are not for you to sleep through. First and foremost, they have been organized for your sake, for your benefit. Your ability to study and by extension, become a pro hero is being called into question. The school could have grounds to expel you with enough transgressions and disrespect. I'm here to stop that. I don't want that for you. I believe in your potential, but I need you to work with me to show the administration that you have what it takes. Unfortunately for you, that means we're going to have to talk for a little while.'' She shrugged. ''You're free to hate me, or give me a bad review. I just care about helping you.''

She left room for the student to respond, before asking her another question, getting to the heart of the issue. ''Why are you falling asleep during class?''

Hojirozame Mako

For once, she was glad that the student she was seeing today wasn't being called in because of anything terrible. Sure, she kept falling asleep during class, talked back to her teacher and probably didn't listen to them either... But! At least it wasn't because she had gotten into a super-powered fight with someone, or gone through trauma in a villain attack. At least not as far as Sadako was aware. Mako was a curious case, classic delinquent on paper, but she hoped to find some underlying reasons as to why she was acting the way she was.

''Hello, Hojirozame Mako I presume?'' She smiled warmly from the window. ''Please, have a seat. I'm Gotoh Sadako, the school counselor. Would you like anything to drink? I can make tea, coffee, or get you a glass of water.'' Small as she was, especially compared to Mako, she always wanted to come across as friendly and nonthreatening. This was a counseling session after all. Technically, Sadako wasn't one of the teachers, she just worked closely with them, but it allowed her to take a different approach with the students. ''I want to start by asking, how are you feeling?'' If Mako wanted something to drink she was going to get her a drink and put it next to the little table by the couch she could sit or lie down on. Even if Mako didn't respond or want anything, Sadako grabbed a cup of black coffee for herself. ''You've been called to this meeting because you've been falling asleep during class.'' She wanted to reconfirm the events with Mako. The fact that Mako had said a few unprofessional things to a teacher, to her that was the lesser problem, Sadako was much more interested in the fact that she fell asleep during class. ''In your own words, could you describe your quirk to me?''

Hojirozame Mako

''Cooking can be a personal thing.'' Was all she added, she wasn't about to admit that she ate cheap takeout food more often than not. She did want to get better at cooking, she just didn't have the time to really focus on bettering her technique. ''The rats?'' She laughed at the idea. The odd rat with a quirk might grow that big these days, but he made it sound like it was an infestation. ''I found it was a bit like Tokyo, if you do visit my advice is leave the touristy areas when you go out for dinner and try to find something more local.'' She hadn't been much farther west, but she would love to go back to America someday, maybe on her next vacation.

''You're on Iphi's shitlist?'' She smirked at Lone Wolf. ''You must have done something pretty stupid to end up there.'' She teased, downing what little was left in her energy drink. ''I'll help 'spirit' this party then!'' She smiled at May, accepting a new drink. Unlike Mai she didn't have a patrol to go on, just paperwork to do back at the Ouros Agency.

''Surely that means the students are improving, right?'' She offered a little shrug at Lone Wolf's comment about needing more elaborate traps. ''Fish-related trauma too. As if the Elementalist wasn't enough,'' She let out a sigh. ''UAU just can't catch a break.'' She looked down at her glass. ''Well, alcohol is a good start.''

lonewolf
Nurse May
Yanai Hebiru
Shirayuki Mai

Jun's self-esteem issues were significant. It was impressive that she had gotten so far in UAU, all while bottling up what Sadako could only imagine was a storm of intensely violent emotions. Had her thoughts been eating away at her? If so, for how long? Jun had been notable ever since her first year, but she was never aware of just how much this girl was putting on herself. Pressure to succeed, lack of self-esteem, anxiety and fear when getting close to others. It wasn't sustainable, she needed help. At least so long as she insisted on pursuing heroism, but why? Why was she pursuing heroism if the job brought this many hardships on her?

When Jun protested she didn't speak against her, she simply let her speak her mind, hopefully easing some of the pain, if even just a sliver. When Jun asked her hypothetical question, Sadako mulled it over, but she kept her attention on Jun instead of letting her thoughts drift. ''I believe in people.'' Putting someone in a coma in the hospital was rough, but she couldn't keep punishing herself like this. ''I believe we will make mistakes we end up regretting, but I also believe we can all change for the better. You have shown that you want to change and that, to me, makes you brave. Let's table the discussion about treatment for now, think about it until next time, okay? Try not to be too hard on yourself, Kanjo-san. To err is human.'' She smiled reassuringly.

junsuina

''Yeah..'' She said solemnly with a soft nod, acknowledging Jun's hardships with her quirk and her emotions. They came in here from time to time, students who struggled with quirks and emotions, especially when their quirk was directly powered by them. She even had colleagues, pro heroes who still struggled daily. If only there was one, simple cure and she could just give it to Jun. Something to take all the pain away, she wouldn't hesitate.

''Have you known Kaida-san for long?'' She wrote something down again, but continued to keep her relaxed and friendly focus on Jun as she talked. ''Perhaps it has to do with how well you know a person. Touch is based on trust. If you can trust someone and know they aren't going to do anything unpredictable, perhaps then your anxieties don't flare up?'' It was just a hypothesis, but it was food for thought. ''Do you trust me, Kanjo-san? Place your hand on my desk if you do.'' She leaned forward and would place her own hand on the desk, next to Jun's if the student felt like it. Their hands weren't touching, but they were within proximity of each other. ''Does this activate those same fears? Is it closeness, or specifically touch?'' She was starting to get a feel for what Jun was going though, at least enough so that she knew how to proceed.

''Are you familiar with exposure therapy?''

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