Jiro isn't the only one who can build someone's confidence.
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any of the characters.
After waking up, Midoriya apologized for fainting on them.
Jiro spared Midoriya from any further embarrassment, by allowing him to wander off on his own.
"Did you really have to tease him like that, Mina?" Jiro asked.
"Hey, I was just having fun and I know Midoriya, he's so innocent and honest that he'd be the perfect person to tell us how beautiful we are." Mina said.
"Yeah, if he could stay conscious." Toru commented.
"Yeah, fainting inside that store might not be the best thing for him." Mina said.
"Speaking of which, we should probably go there now." Yaoyorozu said.
As the four of them left to shop, Midoriya had decided to revisit a familiar spot.
Midoriya had sat down, thinking about what had happened during the last time he visited the mall and how much things had changed since then.
"I basically got taken as a hostage, the last time I was here." Midoriya thought.
"I've grown stronger, but so has the league." Midoriya thought.
"I just wish that we could stay one step ahead of them, like they seem to do with us." Midoriya thought.
Midoriya caught what he had done, once again.
"Well, at least I'm getting better at keeping my thoughts to myself." Midoriya said, sadly.
"I owe Jiro, she's doing so much for me and yet… I couldn't even work up enough courage to hang out with her and our own classmates." Midoriya berated himself.
Midoriya stood up, with a look of determination on his face.
"Jiro wants me to be more social, it's the least I can do." Midoriya thought.
As Midoriya took his first step forward, his stomach began to growl.
"After I eat, of course." Midoriya thought.
Later.
After he had eaten, Midoriya managed to locate the girls, who were finished with buying their bathing suits, much to his relief.
"Alright, I've talked to them before, I have to just act polite and try to remain calm." Midoriya thought.
"Hey." Midoriya said.
"Hey, we thought that you went home." Toru said.
"No, I just had some shopping to do, plus I didn't want to get in your way." Midoriya told them.
Each of them pretty much knew that what he said was only partially the truth, but no one commented on it.
"Where's Jiro?" Midoriya asked.
"She's still in the store since she hasn't decided on what to wear." Mina said.
Midoriya nodded, in understanding.
"I've been meaning to ask you about the two of you." Mina said.
Mina made her way closer, staring at Midoriya with a questioning look on her face.
"What is really going on between the two of you?" Mina asked.
"What do you mean?" Midoriya asked.
"Midoriya, you don't have to hide anything from us, we're your friends and you can tell us anything." Yaoyorozu said.
"Kyoka won't tell us the truth, anyway." Toru said.
Mina and Yaoyorozu turned and glared at Toru.
"I thought that he would appreciate my honesty!" Toru exclaimed.
Midoriya slightly chuckled at Toru's reaction.
"It's okay, it might be nice to talk about it, but can we keep it just between us for now?" Midoriya asked.
The girls agreed and sat down to listen.
"Before you make any assumptions, you should know that Jiro and I aren't together." Midoriya said.
"The why do you keep spending so much time together?" Mina asked.
"Because… I asked her to teach me to be more confident." Midoriya admitted to them.
"That's what all of this is about?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Yes, she's basically been giving me lessons on how to act more composed and in control." Midoriya said.
"Is fainting part of those lessons?" Mina quipped.
"I'm still learning." Midoriya replied.
"Anyway, after I met her mother, she started teaching me how to internalize my thoughts." Midoriya said.
"Wait, you met Kyoka's mom?" Toru asked, in surprise.
"Yeah, when we went out, the other day." Midoriya said.
"She introduced you to her mother." Yaoyorozu stated.
"Are you really sure that the two of you aren't dating?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"I'm pretty sure." Midoriya said.
"The point is, Jiro has been able to help me with so much, haven't you noticed how I'm muttering a lot less?" Midoriya questioned.
As they thought about it, the three girls were surprised to find that he was right.
"Wow, I never would have guessed." Mina said.
"You haven't been writing stuff down in your notebook either." Toru said.
"Still, why Jiro?" Mina asked.
"I gave you those awesome dance lessons, so I would've been more than happy to teach you how to be more aggressive." Mina pointed out.
"Because, you would've made it into a lot more of a spectacle." Midoriya said.
Midoriya had obviously wanted to let her down, easy.
Mina immediately went into her dance routine, pretending to trip and fall in order for Midoriya to catch her, which he did.
"Midoriya, I didn't know that you were so bold." Mina teased him.
Midoriya just rolled his eyes and helped her to stand.
"Do you see what I mean?" Midoriya asked.
Mina just smirked and giggled to herself.
"Okay, point taken." Mina said.
"So, is that why Jiro invited you to hang out with us?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Yeah, she wanted me to get to know more about our classmates, other than your quirks." Midoriya said.
"Speaking of which, Jiro has been in there for awhile." Mina said.
"Midoriya, you should go and check on her." Toru said.
Midoriya was about to refuse, but remembered what he was trying to learn and who he was dealing with.
"I'll be right back." Midoriya said.
Midoriya made his way through the store, avoiding the glances of the other customers.
Finally, he spotted Jiro, who was peering around the store from behind a curtain.
"Jiro?" Midoriya asked.
Jiro stepped back and hid behind the curtain to avoid being seen.
"Jiro, what's wrong?" Midoriya asked.
"Nothing, I'm just still getting changed, it just took me awhile, that's all." Jiro lied.
Midoriya wasn't fooled and instead sat down, outside of the changing stall.
"Jiro, what's wrong?" Midoriya asked, again.
Jiro had rarely ever heard that stern tone of voice come from Midoriya, but when he used it, she knew that he was serious.
Jiro sighed and sat down on the opposite side of the wall.
"I don't think that I look good." Jiro admitted.
Midoriya was taken aback by her sudden statement.
"What?" Midoriya asked.
"It's just that… I feel like there is nothing to me." Jiro said, sadly.
"As bad as it sounds, even Mineta doesn't have anything to say about me and granted I wouldn't want him to but… I don't know, there is just something insulting about the fact that even the guy who is obsessed with girls doesn't even acknowledge that you exist." Jiro said.
Midoriya remained silent for a moment, looking at the wall which separated them before he spoke up.
"Then that's his loss." Midoriya said.
"What?" Jiro asked.
"If he doesn't even notice you, then it's his loss for ignoring someone as wonderful as you." Midoriya said.
"Jiro, I realize that we've only just recently become friends, but I feel like I know you well enough to say that you are such an amazing person and that it shows." Midoriya told her.
"When I admitted to your mother that you were beautiful, I meant it." Midoriya said.
"You're kind, you're courteous, you've brought so many people together just with your voice alone and you're able to do it all and still be a hero by every definition of the word." Midoriya said.
"I might not know much about what makes someone attractive, but I do know that no matter what, you are still beautiful." Midoriya said.
After his speech was over and done with, Jiro was sitting there with a blush on her face and her heart racing faster than ever.
"I'm ready." Jiro said.
Midoriya didn't know what that meant, but he still stood up and waited in front of the stall.
Jiro stood up and slowly pushed away the curtain, allowing Midoriya to see her.
Midoriya was surprised to see her wearing the bathing suit that Mineta and Kaminari had once admitted to imagining her in.
Jiro didn't look at him, still embarrassed by his sincerity.
Midoriya, to his own surprise, wasn't nervous or embarrassed even slightly.
When he looked at her, it was the same Jiro he had known all this time.
Midoriya stared in awe, smiling a genuinely happy smile.
"Jiro." Midoriya said.
Jiro looked up, meeting his gaze.
"You're gorgeous." Midoriya said.
