AN: EYY! SUP GUYS! I'M BACK WITH ANOTHER ONESHOT. THIS TIME WITH OUR RELIGIOUS FEMALE IN CLASS 1-B, Shiozaki Ibara!
I HAD PLANNED TO DO THIS EVERY SINCE I FIRST PUT OUT Univesal Language, PUT STUFF HAPPENED, AND IT'S NOW JUST OUT.
PS. THIS TAKES PLACE MONTHS BEFORE All Might DISCOVERS IZUKU.
"Welcome to Golgotha, freshest flowers all year 'round."
Ibara Shiozaki greeted blankly behind a desk as their shop's bell chimed, signaling the entrance of another customer.
A meek looking boy with green hair nervously entered the shop. It was clear to anyone that it was his first time being in a boutique.
Shiozaki smiled. "How may I help you today?"
The boy looked unsure. "Uhm, well, what flowers would you give to someone?"
The girl raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I'll need more information to help you." she said. "Gender?"
"E-Eh?"
"Gender of the receiver please." Shiozaki professionally asked.
"A girl."
"Age?"
"S-Same as me, 15."
Shiozaki nodded. "Purpose?"
The green-haired boy paused and blushed. "I-I got a letter in my locker this morning. T-Told me to meet her in the cafe nearby."
She nodded. The girl used her quirk and brought two flowers on the desk. "I recommend Gardenias, or Red Carnations, or perhaps even both."
"Uhm, what's the difference?" Izuku asked. "I'm sorry but I don't know anything about flowers."
Shiozaki shook her head. "No, it's fine. Believe it or not many customers come here without the knowledge of flowers, and thus is my duty to help them." she said. "Gardenias mean something akin to secret love, whilst Red Carnations symbolize love, and admiration."
The boy nodded. "Never knew flowers had deep meanings…"
"Well now you know." Shiozaki told him. "So? What'll it be?"
He pondered for a moment. He then saw a beautiful flower resting on the shelf.
"Hmm, What's this?" The customer asked.
"Oh that?" Shiozaki used her quirk and brought the flower to her desk with the other two. "This is an Alstroemeria or a Peruvian Lily. A flower to represent friendship."
The green-haired boy nodded. "I'll take it."
Shiozaki raised an eyebrow. "But I thought you were meeting someone at a cafe?"
"You're right, but I don't plan on starting a romantic relationship." he said. "I-I guess I'm not ready for those kinds of stuff yet. But no one said we couldn't be… friends."
There was a subtle glint in the boys eyes that Shiozaki noticed, but only for a split second.
"So I think Alstroemerias would be perfect for the occasion, you know, cause I'd rather be friends with that person." The boy scratched the back of his hand sheepishly. "I-I wouldn't want them to think that I accepted their letter without knowing them first just because."
And for the first time in their encounter…
Shiozaki smiled.
Then she laughed. With her arms clutching her stomach as she bent over a little while laughing.
The boy quickly became flustered. "Wh-wha? S-S-Sorry I don't know what c-came over me!" the boy tried to defuse, but to no avail as Shiozaki was still laughing.
Embarrassed, he covered his face with his hands. "P-P-Please stop laughing! I-It's embarrassing but I was just really thinking…" the boy trailed off.
Shiozaki then wiped her eyes with her hands. She then looked up at the boy.
'I'm a little taller than him now that I notice.'
She stood up to her full height and dismissed the thought.
"You're a nice guy." Shiozaki complimented him with a smile.
The boy blushed once more. "I-I-I don't know what you mean by t-that. T-Thanks I guess…?"
Shiozaki laughed again, as Izuku bought the flower and left.
All the while, Shiozaki kept her eyes on the door.
'He was pleasantly adorable.' Shiozaki remarked. Then she remembered something the boy had said.
He was going to be at a cafe.
Now commonly. Shiozaki liked seeing people giving flowers, and being given flowers, it gave her a very satisfying feeling when their flowers had brought good outcomes.
And seeing as her shift was going to end in no less than half an hour, she had an idea.
'Maybe I'll stop by the cafe later and see how he's doing.'
An hour later, she finally got the chance to go out.
Shiozaki picked up her bag as she went out the door. Her shift was done, and it was time for her mother to take over.
"I'll be back as soon as I can mom!" She said.
She heard a faint reply. "Take care!"
After walking for a bit, she finally came upon the cafe she was looking for.
And there the boy was. The boy with green hair and freckles who had bought flowers from her earlier and...
It was just him?
The boy was sitting there, listening to music with an empty cup of coffee on the table, the flowers on his side, and yet no girl?
Subtly, Shiozaki could hear the faint murmurs of the others in the cafe.
"Poor boy, got stood up."
"Honey, when you grow up, never be the girl who hurt this boy okay?""Daddy, what's he doing alone?""Shh, don't speak about others that loudly son.""He even bought flowers too."
A feeling Shiozaki couldn't put a finger on, rose inside her. And before she knew it, she was walking towards the boy's table with a smile on her face.
The boy noticed as she was walking down. "You're the girl from the flower sho-"
"Hey! Sorry I was late, I had to help out in the shop for a bit before I could go out." then Shiozaki communicated with Izuku through her eyes.
'Play along'
Shiozaki chuckled. "I didn't keep you waiting did I?"
The boy nervously shook his head. "N-No, not really." he took the headphones out his ears and set them aside. "S-So uhm… you going to order or… somethi-"
Shiozaki then called out. "Excuse me, one regular cup of green tea please, thanks!"
For a moment, silence took over the both of them. Shiozaki being… her, and the boy flustered and squirming.
"U-Uhm… so miss flower lad-"
"Shiozaki Ibara." She said. "It would be less suspicious if we knew each other."
The boy nodded. "Midoriya Izuku." he said.
"Alright then, Midoriya-san. May I ask a question?" Shiozaki started. "Why are you here? Alone?"
"W-Well how do I put this…" Midoriya scratched his cheek. "I… I got stood up?"
"That was evident from the start." Shiozaki facepalmed.
Just then, her beverage arrived. With a nod she thanked the waiter as he went back.
She calmly sipped her tea. "I'm curious as to why someone would send a letter, and then proceed to be absent." she said. "There has to be an explanation, perhaps she was busy? An emergency maybe? Or maybe even-"
"Shiozaki-san, I'm sorry but I think this was just another prank."
"A prank? Does this even count as a prank anymore? Playing with people's fee-" Shiozaki's eyes widened. "Wait, another?"
Midoriya gave her a sad smile and nodded. "The third time in four months." he told her. "Anyways, why did you come here Shiozaki-san?"
"I was walking down the street and saw you here by yourself. Curious, I walked in and knew what happened in a matter of seconds." she told him. "But on the bright side, you're not alone anymore."
"Y-Yeah, I do have you to thank for that." Midoriya said.
Shiozaki raised an eyebrow. "But why would someone do this to you? What have you done to them?"
"I-It's fine really, I'm used to it." Midoriya tried to reason.
"That's even worse! No one should be used to such treatment." Shiozaki sighed and took another sip.
"Really It's fine, I actually thought that the letter was another prank."
"If that's the case, then why did you even bother going? Or even buy flowers for someone who might not even show up?"
Midoriya put his hand behind his neck and leaned back. "W-Well… it might be far fetched, but if there's even a slim chance that the letter wasn't a prank and a girl did show up. I would come everytime just to tell that girl to be friends instead."
He sighed. "Even if no one shows up, I'd wait until it gets dark just in case the girl did show up. And I'd hate for the girl to embarrass herself."
"But in turn, you'd be the one making a fool of yourself." Shiozaki bluntly said.
"And I'm fine with that." Midoriya told her. "If I make a fool of myself, I'll still be treated the same. For the other party though, she'll probably be sad that her effort and courage to give the letter and find out I didn't even show up was all for nothing."
Shiozaki eyes widened.
"Even if I'd end up waiting for nothing, just the small chance of maybe making someone happy, giving them closure, it makes the wait worth it." Midoriya solemnly said. "Even if it isn't worth the trouble…"
He looked towards at his cup. "Still, I… I just don't want to make anyone sad."
Shiozaki then realized just what Midoriya's mindset was.
He cared more for others than he did for himself. Rather than becoming disheartened due to repetition, he took every chance and used it.
One who would sacrifice himself for the sake of others happiness.
Shiozaki clasped her hands and bowed her head.
"Oh lord please bless this kind and misfortunate soul so that he may have better encounters in the future. Amen." Shiozaki smiled at Midoriya. "There, I have faith that things will turn out for the better for you."
Midoriya scratched the back of his head. "G-gee, thanks."
Shiozaki shook her head. "You're welcome! Seriously, the lengths you go for people you don't know that well."
"I could say the same for you Shiozaki-san."
Shiozaki paused. "E-Eh?"
"You helped me even though you hardly knew me. But now I do, and… I'm g-glad I bought these flowers b-because…" Midoriya grabbed the flowers at his side and offered them to Shiozaki.
"Y-You said Alstroemerias symbolize friendship so…" Midoriya looked at anywhere but Shiozaki. "P-P-Please take these as a token of my gratitude."
Shiozaki's hands took the flowers and gave Midoriya the most genuine smile she could ever.
"Midoriya-san… Thank you!" Shiozaki said.
"Y-Y-You're welcome." Midoriya shakily said. "N-Now I guess I've taken up too much of your ti-"
Shiozaki grabbed hold of his wrist. "Now now, no need to rush. I've just got here. Let's at least eat shall we?"
Midoriya blushed. "I-I don't think that's-"
*Growl*
Midoriya turned into a tomato.
Shiozaki smirked.
His words may lie, but his body was truthful.
"See? You're hungry, I guess that would've happened if you waited here for a while with nothing but coffee." Shiozaki took a look at the menu. "Come on, let's eat."
Midoriya reluctantly agreed, it didn't help that he too was famished.
Shiozaki pondered a bit. "I think I'll have a parfait."
"I-I'll just get a slice of cake."
"A cake?"
"Y-Yes, some say I have a bit of a sweet tooth."
"Didn't take you for a cake guy."
"W-What do you mean?"
"I thought you'd prefer something like strawberry milkshakes or the like."
"N-Not that there's anything wrong with strawberry milkshakes b-but- Hey! W-Why are you laughing?"
And so the two spent an afternoon at the cafe, celebrating their newly created bond.
"Well, I think this is where we part Shiozaki-san."
After time had passed, the two decided that it was time for them both to head home.
"You know Midoriya-san, I had fun. Definitely not the afternoon I was expecting, but it was fun getting to know you." Shiozaki offered her hand.
"I-It was nice to know you as well." Midoriya shook her hand.
"May we meet again!" Shiozaki waved Midoriya farewell as he saw his figure getting smaller and smaller.
It was only then that Shiozaki once again looked at her flowers, the Alstroemeria given to her by Midoriya Izuku.
No doubt she would put the flowers in a vase in her room to remind her of this very day.
The day she met one of the most kind individuals she could ever come across.
A tragic yet angelic figure of kindness, one that was simple yet complex in personality.
And then she smiled.
'May the lord make our paths cross once again, Midoriya-san.'
AN: SO! HOW WAS IT? LIKED IT? DID YA? DID Shiozaki Ibara FEEL A TAD OUT OF CHARACTER?
NEVERTHELESS THIS WAS FUN TO WRITE, I'M SLOWLY GETTING MY GROOVE BACK.
REVIEWS ARE VERY MUCH SO APPRECIATED. THANKS A LOT.
SIGNING OFF… ZacFF.
