A student - hardworking and shy - was constantly bullied. This student in the superpower academy Produce University was dubbed an outcast despite being part of the Top Quirks.

Produce University was a product of people that were more than the normal human being. These people were born with powers; an inheritance they get since birth which is developed once they reach their teenage years. They would not live the normal life and will be sent to PU to hone their powers. Their schooling is like the typical school setting with an additional set of evaluations through battles where students harness their powers and fight their way through survival. In those battles, the Top Quirks were chosen; a group of the most powerful students in the university.

And in Lee Chaeyeon's case, she was a Top Quirk but she was picked on by many because she didn't win battles through her powers but through physical fights, which were considered unspecial by the majority, especially the faculty. However, the university president Professor Kim Eunyoung saw potential in her, including her right-hand Professor Bae Yoonjung. They were the most respected professors in the university and they made the verdict to put Chaeyeon as a Top Quirk, causing silent questions and suspicions by students who knew nothing about being a Top Quirk themselves.

Today, Chaeyeon was surrounded by some classmates. She was in Section A where students were very competitive and some of them would do the worst to get to the top, especially the famous MND trio. In Chaeyeon's case, the trio she was facing were her them, her top haters.

"I'll never know what the professors see in you, Lee...but you're not worthy to become a Top Quirk."

Chaeyeon yawned, causing the trio to get angry. Despite the tenacity they showed, Chaeyeon was unmoved. "It's getting redundant, don't you think?"

"Oh, no...in fact…" One of them drew her fist. "...we're a trio you should be afraid of."

"How can you even be a Top Quirk without showing any powers?!"

"True power is within." Chaeyeon shrugged while pointing at her chest where her heart was. "Can we not do this? I don't want to fight."

"Heh...who says about leaving without a fight?"

Chaeyeon gulped but as she saw a fist drawing to her face, she dodged it. Many punches and kicks came in but Chaeyeon dodged every one of them, leading to the trio's frustration. One of them caught Chaeyeon and another member helped her. The leader cackled as Chaeyeon was pinned by lava and ice.

"I told you, Lee…" The trio's leader created a lightning ball on her hand. "...don't mess with us because we're a trio you should be afraid of."

Chaeyeon gulped, spitting. "Yah, Lee Chaejeong! Are you really going to destroy a student with no powers?!"

"Excuses…" Chaejeong muttered and charged.

Chaeyeon struggled beyond her limbs as she had to be quick. Chaejeong was drawing closer as her lightning ball grew. Something inside Chaeyeon grew that she managed to remove herself from the rocky clutch, just when the lightning ball was inches away from her face.

The next thing they knew, Chaeyeon was up a tree as the trio were injured because of Chaejeong's lightning ball.

"What was that?!"

"Shut up, Chanju!" Chaejeong cussed and made another lightning ball. 

Chaejeong aimed at Chaeyeon again, leaving the latter to wonder how to do what she did earlier. She gulped and tried to flinch, covering her head with her arms…

...until the lightning ball was stopped, inches away from her face.

"H-How?!" Chaejeong was in a rage and shot another lightning ball.

"Minji, let's help Leadernim!" Chanju spat as she threw an ice ball.

Minji shot a fire ball and three energy balls aimed at Chaeyeon, all the while she was blocking the first lightning ball Chaejeong threw. Chaeyeon gulped and tried drawing her left hand to the three energy balls, leaving her to stop all four energy balls. The three were shocked whereas Chaeyeon wowed of herself.

"Where should it go?" Chaeyeon asked and threw the energy balls away.

Like four baseballs, the four energy balls were thrown back to the trio, creating a large explosion. Chaeyeon couldn't believe what she had done, especially when the smoke cleared and she saw the trio groaning in pain.

"Lee Chaeyeon!"

Chaeyeon yelped and was shocked again when she was already facing Professor Bae. She herself couldn't believe what she witnessed but most of all, she couldn't believe that Chaeyeon held more potential than she had ever imagined. However, she returned to reality as Chaeyeon groveled her apologies out.

"Get up, Lee." She demanded and Chaeyeon got up. "Follow me."

Chaeyeon nodded and followed the professor. 

She's hoping that the trio will forget through their injuries.

+++

In the history of Professor Bae's career, she was never fazed in witnessing the students' powers. She and Professor Kim were in charge of it, after all, and they always know how each power impacts each student based on many factors, especially family background. 

This was a special case. Professor Bae was really impressed with Chaeyeon's potential.

"What brings you here, Professor Bae?" Professor Kim spat. "And why did you bring Chaeyeon?"

Professor Bae commanded Chaeyeon to sit and talked with Professor Kim at one corner.

"I saw Chaeyeon beating the MND trio up with telekinesis and teleportation." Professor Bae whispered, shocking Professor Kim. "Chaeyeon never showed any signs of powers...until now."

Professor Kim looked back at the student, seeing her looking at the flower pot. It was at that moment their eyes went wide when the pot floated. 

"Put it down, Chaeyeon." Professor Kim demanded and the latter yelped, causing the flower pot to break.

"I'm so sorry, professors." Chaeyeon groveled. "I didn't know that I could do this, I swear."

The two sat, facing the student. It was then that Professor Kim talked. "Do you know what it takes to become a Top Quirk, Chaeyeon?"

"Powers?"

"No. Character." Professor Bae interjected, leaving Professor Kim to nod. "Even if you're born having them, they're superficial. It causes great change in the outside world but in this university, they're an indicator of confidence."

"However, confidence without character is dangerous. You, Chaeyeon, have a different problem…" Professor Kim continued. "You have character without confidence."

"So...what does it mean?" Chaeyeon asked. "Are you going to expel me after kicking the asses of those who bullied me?"

"We don't expel students, Chaeyeon, even if one cannot hone their potential. Once you get in, you can't just get out. The world outside ostracizes us for being different. Your escape could harm you and your loved ones.." Professor Kim explained. "We know about your family background, Chaeyeon. It seems you belong in a psychic family."

Chaeyeon nodded. She was reminded of her father who had teleportation, her mother having telekinesis, Chaeryeong having teleportation, and Chaemin having telekinetics. They had full control of their powers and even if she had one, she would be sent to PU because she couldn't control it.

That left her with little to no signs of powers...until the fight happened.

"Don't worry, Chaeyeon. You won't be expelled." Professor Bae spat. "We're going to tutor you."

"W-What?!" Chaeyeon was shocked.

"Why are you shocked? You're a Top Quirk!" Professor Bae snapped. "I teach the twelve of you every Friday!"

"I know, ma'am. It's just that I couldn't believe that you'll be tutoring me with my powers." Chaeyeon spoke. "You even included Professor Kim in this."

"Aish! It's my job as the president of this university. I'm only exclusive for the Top Quirks." Professor Kim added. "If you can really dig deep and control that power in you, you will be able to hone your battles more efficiently and put your spot as a Top Quirk in its highest glory."

"This is why we always considered you as a Top Quirk, Chaeyeon." Professor Bae asked. "Now that you discovered it, will you be accountable to handle your responsibility in controlling it?"

Chaeyeon nodded, not because she was pressured but because she wanted to make up for her professors' trust and because she wanted to prove herself.

"Then it's settled." Professor Kim stood up. "You will attend the usual training with your fellow Top Quirks but you will remain for extra training. Professor Bae will be monitoring your progress."

"Yes." Chaeyeon nodded then bowed. "Thank you."

The professors dismissed Chaeyeon and the latter ran out of the office, yelling. "I'll replace the flower pot!"

The professors couldn't help a chuckle and cleaned the mess up. Chaeyeon was running towards her locker when she winced, yelping as her hand got burned.

"Yah, Kang Hyewon!"

Hyewon waved and gave a peace sign. A hand held Chaeyeon's burning hand and got it healed. "Thanks, Minju."

"We saw you going out of Professor Kim's office." Minju spoke. "Did the MND trio bully you again?"

"Why did you ask me when you already know?"

A beam of light blinded Chaeyeon, leaving her to wince and rub her eyes. She adjusted her vision and a glaring cheetah met her view.

"Don't say sarcastic remarks to my girlfriend."

"Sorry, Chaewon." Chaeyeon got her turn to do a peace sign.

Chaewon and Minju shared a kiss, making Chaeyeon and Hyewon react. Chaewon would've blasted a light beam again when Minju deflected it and made it vanish into thin air.

"Love, why did you do that?" Chaewon pouted.

"Don't use your powers when it's not important." Minju spoke.

Their ground rumbled with a little lightning. Not only that, a cherry blossom zoomed past them and hid behind Hyewon.

"Nako! Hitomi!" Minju reprimanded them. "Not you too, Sakura!"

"What? Is speed really that wrong?" Sakura raised.

"You're starting to sound like Eunbi." Nako mumbled.

"Spoke too soon." The group gasped as Eunbi was already there. "Your voices rang in my mind." She then got closer to Chaeyeon. "Hi."

"H-Hey, Eunbi." Chaeyeon waved.

"Too much gayness in the air." Sakura whiffed it off. "Must be Yuri."

Their zone froze. A duck waddled with her cute girlfriend as everyone was still. She then changed the members' positions and with a snap of her finger, they were unfrozen.

"Choi Yena, you bastard." Sakura huffed as she got her finger out of her nostril.

"Whoops." Yena chuckled then draped an arm around Sakura. "If you didn't say about the wind, then I wouldn't have done it."

"Calm down, love." Yuri blew a cool breeze with a flying kiss.

Yena turned around with a giggle and indulged. But then, her teeth gritted because the wind was freezing. Luckily, Hyewon blasted a fireball on Yena's face and the time-controlling duck relaxed.

"Ha! Peking duck!" 

"That's not funny, Yujin." Yena wiped the black off her face. "Get your girlfriend in control. Her freezing wind almost stiffened my face."

"You don't say that to the very Top Quirk." Yujin hugged her. "Right, Wonie?"

Wonyoung had a cold smile and hugged Yujin back. There were students who admired Yujin that Wonyoung froze them with her glare. Literally.

"Don't make me waste my fireballs, Won." Hyewon spoke and blasted the frozen students to normal.

"Now that we're all complete, let's go." Eunbi led their group, pulling Chaeyeon with her.

They were the Top Quirks in their sector. PU has four sectors and each of them had their own lineup of Top Quirks. They were the only sector to have 12 members while the others had 11.

It was another fact to why Chaeyeon was looked down despite being a Top Quirk. The cut of traditional numbers made her the outcast. That wasn't the case for her fellow Top Quirks. Chaeyeon's fearlessness in battling students without powers proved that she was more powerful than she thought she was. At least, that's what Wonyoung always told her.

"Hey...it's okay." Eunbi whispered to Chaeyeon as they walked. "We're here for you. I'm here for you."

Chaeyeon blushed as Eunbi stole a kiss on her cheek. The rest would be cooing as she thanked Eunbi with a nod. As they go to eat as a circle of friends, Chaeyeon knew that Eunbi was right.

They were there for her. That is why Chaeyeon was eager to work hard in controlling her powers so she could not put the members' protection to waste.