It was February 15th. Valentine's day came and went. The girls of UA had given their gifts to the objects of their affections. Those who had some anyway. It may have been the top school for heroes in Japan, even the entire world. However, the students were still teenagers and as such, things like valentine's day resonated with them. A few coupes had gathered in the lobby of the 1-a Dormitory, Heights Alliance and were enjoying each other's company. Izuku Midoriya was sitting on the couch with his girlfriend, Mina, stroking her hair as she reached up and force fed him chocolates.
While this was happening, Class 1-B's president, Itsuka Kendou was having coffee in the kitchen with her girlfriend, Momo Yaoyorozu, class 1-A's vice. They had grown closer during an internship together, and after bonding and dealing with unaddressed feelings, they ended up as a couple. Not very many students in the hero course were dating, but those two couples were genuinely agreed upon as being loving and well adjusted. Even Monoma was begrudgingly civil about Itsuka and Momo. Itsuka's best friend, Setsuna Tokage was more than happy to not only egg her friend on towards dating Momo in the first place, she still actively teased the couple months in.
Watching the two pony-tailed paramours with a dejected and far-off look was Jirou. She hadn't really had a valentine to give a gift to. She supposed she could have given something to Kaminari. He was her friend, after all. She may have teased him, hit him with her quirk when he was out of line, and laughed at him, but he was a good friend still. Koji was also an option, and a far gentler soul. He barely spoke but was more than happy to offer Jirou words of encouragement regarding her music, same as Kaminari.
However, the one she wanted to give of her heart to was already spoken for. She was her friend. She was the smartest girl in their class, and the most beautiful. She was also happy with someone else. The hearing heroine was beside herself and could only watch from afar and scroll through her playlist.
"What am I even doing here? I should just go back to my room instead of stalking."
She hated feeling all this. The heartbreak, the loneliness, and worst of all, the jealousy. She couldn't bring herself to hate Itsuka. The girl was fantastic to Momo. She teased her girlfriend a little but was just genuinely supportive, loving and strong, mentally and physically. She wasn't without weakness, but they were only human after all.
Jirou was roused from her thoughts by the door to the building opening and another 1B student entering. She dreaded it being Monoma. That dude was an obnoxious, one-note lunatic and she found it hard to believe he was truly out to be a hero. He seemed a bit unhinged to her. Not in a truly villainous way as much as a "How does anyone even like this guy?" Way. She could say the same of Bakugou, but he at least mellowed out.
The one who entered was not Monoma or any of the other 1b students who had apparently entered the one night. Instead, it was Tokage, wearing her green, wavy hair down to her shoulders, as always. She was dressed in a black leather jacket, a Jurassic park t-shirt, and Khaki pants, along with tan sneakers. The outfit seemed a bit too casual for February, but she didn't live too far, so Jirou could let it pass. Besides, she had other things on her mind now.
"Watchin' anything exciting?" the taller girl asked. She had come here with Itsuka, tagging along with her friend to find people to flirt with and possibly tease the orange-haired girl more about her relationship. At least that's the reason she gave. She had run back to her dorm to grab something, apparently. What it was, Jirou wasn't really concerned. At least not until the green-haired girl had taken a seat next to her and asked her that question.
"It's cool. You don't have to say anything. Just making conversation. Don't mind me." She smiled. It reminded Jirou of Ashido's a little bit, but more crooked, a bit of something Jirou could recognize within herself but couldn't quite put a finger on. Well, she could. She just had a lot on her mind at the moment.
Jirou sighed and looked briefly at the other girl before returning her attention to the couple in the kitchen while the faint sound of choking and laughter could be heard from the couch.
"Huh? Oh. You. Hey…. nothing… was about to go back to my room…later." The rocker girl was about to get up from her perch and isolate herself, maybe play some somber song she had on her mind.
"You like Yaoyorozu, right?" Setsuna had many qualities about her. She was sociable, inquisitive, and bright. Tactfulness was not her forte.
"I…Are you joking?" Jirou was visibly flustered but tried to cover it up with sass and attitude. They were cornerstones of her personality as well as her chosen method of defense in matters such as this.
"Most days, yeah. But do ya?" The green-haired 1B student wasted no time in prodding with a smirk on her face.
Getting even more flustered and defensive, Jirou shot her quirk out towards Setsuna before stopping, relaxing, and mumbling an apology under her breath.
"Alright! Alright! Chill there, Jack attack." The 1B student held up her hands in surrender, smiling sheepishly.
The musician hero sighed and looked over to the other teen beside her. "….I'm that obvious, huh?"
"Yeah, a bit…but I can also sense this thing. Itsuka seems happy. I couldn't take that from her, even if it hurts, you know?"
Jirou looked at Setsuna again, detecting something familiar in the girl's tone and body language. She remained focused on the puckish 1b student.
"I know what it's like. Best friend. Utterly enamored by this great girl who is so smart and fun and amazing. But they choose someone and it's not you… and you're so hurt, and it just gets worse because you feel guilty as heck for not being happy for them."
Jirou stared, her mind scrambling for the right response. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't empathy and understanding from a chatty girl she had previously not though much about.
"…Hey…. Tokage, right?" she asked.
"Yep."
"Can…Can I ask you something?" the teenage rocker exhaled.
"If it's to shut up. I make no promises." Setsuna chuckled. There was a sassiness to this girl that Jirou could appreciate if she was in the mood to.
"Not what I was going to ask…but yeah, didn't think so." Jirou spoke in a low voice, tryng to lift herself with some effort.
"What did you want to ask?" the other girl asked. She seemed less chipper now and more concerned, sympathy and attentiveness painted on her wide-eyed face.
Jirou looks up at Setsuna, and then back to the floor. "Do you resent them? Either of them?"
Setsuna held off on answering, looking at the purple haired girl until she was finished speaking.
"... I... I wanted to dislike Kendou. I really wanted to. I felt like I had to…it's how people work…with stuff like this. You get angry…get jealous…wish for things to turn in your favor…" She takes another glance at the orange-haired girl from class 1B chatting away happily with her tall, raven-haired girlfriend. Jirou couldn't help but feel tears in her eyes, no matter how hard she fought. "But, you know...I see her with Momo… how clearly happy they are together… And I just can't do it…ugh! What's my deal?" Jirou sighed again, wiping away the tears and trying to look less wounded than she actually was, to no avail. "You know?"
"Nah. I have no hard feelings against Yaoyorozu. I was hurt... guess I'm still dealing with it. But she seems like a genuine sweetheart. Her and Itsuka...they seem like a great match. And that's what stings about it, isn't it?"
Jirou looks at Setsuna, drained and tired, but attentive. She barely knew this girl but she was hanging on every word. She didn't expect the words to be of any help, but seh could hope, even if she kept telling herself that she couldn't rely on others to solve her issues.
"I won't lie to you. I feel lonely at times, like I'm just covering up my fears of being alone by constantly putting myself out there…but we're young! We have time to figure this out. No rush."
Jirou wasn't intending to put her problems on anyone. She didn't expect them to know. She was still having trouble feeling too much better. She exhaled and looked at Setsuna. "I guess so…."
"Sorry if I didn't help. I don't expect you to feel better after a single conversation." The green-haired girl laughed. She wasn't kidding. Jirou's feelings would take a lot of time and effort to deal with. Still, this conversation helped and Setsuna's laughter elicited a small smirk on her companion's lips and a tiny sensation in her heart that she thought very little about.
"It's fine. You tried."
"Well, I'm willing to keep if you'll have me…what's your full name?"
"Forward aren't you…" Jirou stated flatly. "Kyouka Jirou."
"Well then, Kyouka Jirou…" Setsuna pulled out a small box with a card attached and a pen. The card was simple and white with a stylized stegosaur in the corner. The girl jotted some things down on the card, then handed the box and card to Jirou.
"It was nice talking to you. Anyway, sorry to jet on you like this, but I have some stuff to take care of. Would you mind holding on to this for me?"
"Sure…" Jirou said blankly with a hint of confusion, taking the box. And card as Setsuna tucked the pen back into her jacket pocket and grinned.
"Thanks! You rock! Catch ya later!" she chirped skip happily and skipped off. Jirou shook her head. She was reminded of the pink girl sitting on the couch with her boyfriend. Jirou shook the box out of curiosity and opened it up, noticing homemade chocolates in the shape of dinosaurs, prompting the punk girl to raise an eyebrow, then read the card. A blush crept across her face.
"From Setsuna Tokage to Kyouka Jirou" was written in a blank space at the top of the card. In the bottom right corner was a curved arrow, indicating that there was something on the back. Jirou flipped it over and read the message on the back. "I made these and thought I could give em to a cutie. Was going to just take them home and eat them myself, but you looked like you needed them more. Enjoy."
Below the message was a phone number. Jirou's blush deepened and her eyes widened as her jacks stood on end. She stared ahead at the entrance to the dorms, where Setsuna had exited, then back at the card, as her heart skipped a beat. A small, soft smile crept onto her lips. It may have been the day after, but it still made Jirou's Valentine's day.
