Chapter 2: Something Just Like This (Part I)
Doo- Doo- Doo….
Doo- Doo- Doo…
Doo- Doo- Doo-…
Doo- Doo- Doo…
…
…
…
Why am I even trying…?
May 3, 2XX1. 17:30. Heights Alliance Dormitories. 2-A Dorms.
"…Midoriya…?" Kyoka slowly went out of hiding and started to inch towards Midoriya.
His head shot up, in surprise.
He's such a mess.
Snot drooping from his nose.
Dirt all over his face.
Tears falling down on his freckled cheeks.
The moonlight seemed to have shone through his tears, making his freckles more prominent.
It's honestly not something Jiro saw much when it came to Midoriya.
Those freckles really suit his personality.
Or what she thought would be his personality…
Because what the green- haired teen displayed, just now…
Just goes to show just how much she doesn't know about her classmate…
Did the others even know of this?
No.
No, if they did, Mina would've definitely spilled the beans?
But what if Mina didn't know either?
Then who who did?
Maybe Uraraka?
No. No, even he wouldn't tell Uraraka about this kind of stuff.
It was way too personal...
Heck, she couldn't even reveal to her classmates that she was a music nerd.
That is, until Jamming-Yay busted her last year.
Then…
That would mean, she walked in on something that she wasn't supposed to see, nor hear!
Oh God, what should she do now?!
Why can't she help herself sometimes?!
Oh God Oh God OH GOD OH GOD OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD-
"J-Jirou-san…?"
She jolted from her haywiring thoughts, and directed her eyes downwards, towards her distressed classmate.
"Di- did you hear all of that…?" Midoriya looked up to her, with his puppy dog eyes—that shone in the moonlight—and in it, she can see the hope that she will say 'no'.
She wanted to say 'no'.
But after hearing what he did just now. And the thing he did after that.
How could she…?
She used her left hand and rubbed her right arm. She directed her gaze somewhere else. She didn't know why she was blushing, but she was.
"Y-yeah…" she managed to stutter between audible whispers.
Apparently, audible enough for him…
His shoulders drooped in disappointment, and he dropped his forehead on his knees again. He tightened his grip on his legs and hid his face some more.
"O-oh… oh…" she could hear the disappointment in his muffled voice. He knows she can hear him.
' Shit! Think of something!'
"U-uhm! I-I think y-you're voice w-was b-beautiful!" she blurted out.
And realization struck her.
' Fuck! Not like that!' she started to use both hands to scratch her head.
She kept on furiously scratching thinking of a way to take back what she just said, and at the same time not be offensive when she takes it back.
Hehehe…
She stopped scratching when she heard the chuckling from behind her. So she looked over her shoulder, and saw how Midoriya's shoulders would shake. How he still hid his face, but she could still hear the laughter.
"Hahaha…" the laugh became louder and clearer to Kyoka.
"Hahaha..." Midoriya lifted his head, his eyes closed. His cheeks still stained by the dried tears from earlier. His face—even though, it was still covered in dirt—showed amusement for the first time since today.
That's how it looked like to Kyoka.
To Midoriya…
He needed this, he needed to let loose…
He couldn't remember the last time he actually laughed…
And he didn't care…
He needed this…
"HAHAHAHA…"
Kyoka turned around to Midoriya, not really getting why he's laughing…
But whatever's making him laugh must be really contagious.
Kyoka felt something well up inside her throat that she needed to release…
"Hehehe…" she started to chuckle.
And soon, the two hero-in-training, burst out and started to laugh like there's no tomorrow. Not really caring if they're literally just next to their dorms, nor do they care if their classmates heard them laughing like crazy.
HAHAHAHAHA...
They continued to laugh for a few seconds, until they started to run out of breath and was soon followed by pants and coughs.
Clearing their throats for a moment, letting a few stray chuckles out of their mouths.
After that, another awkward silence took over the two of them.
Unbearable, to say the least.
Seeing that Midoriya, wasn't going to leave the tree—or go inside the dorm—anytime soon, Kyoka started walking slowly to the green- haired boy, making sure not to trip and fall on the small crater he created. She stopped at his left and picked the guitar shells, piece by piece, scattered by her feet, and settling the pieces in one of her hands, before she sat down next to him. Shuffling for a moment, and making herself comfortable before laying the back of her head against the tree and staring up to the moon.
She looked to the side to get a better look at her classmate.
Head pointed down, eyes staring directly at his knees, hands wiping the tears and snot he had shed, a moment ago. Unfortunately, the dirt seemed to have spread even more, as he used his hands to wipe the tears of his cheeks.
Seeing that he didn't notice how dirty his face seemed right now, let alone wipe it from his face, so she pushed her head off the tree and using her unoccupied hand, she reached within the pocket of her black jean shorts, and pulled out a lavender handkerchief.
He didn't seem to notice her make the gesture, so she took him by surprise. A small smile plastered on her face, as she turned to her side and softly placed her handkerchief on his left cheek and used it to wipe the remaining tears and dirt on the left side of Midoriya's face.
He looked at her, with his widened eyes questioning the action. She couldn't help but let out a small giggle at his obliviousness.
It took a few seconds to finish cleaning the left side of his face, so once she was done with that, she used her handkerchief to touch his right cheek and make him slowly face her, his eyes widened some more as his green orbs stared at her sparkling indigo ones. But she didn't seem to notice it as her attention was focused on cleaning the other side of his face.
' W-why is she doing this…?' Izuku was starting to be frantic about his current situation.
Once she was finished, she removed her handkerchief from his face and moved back a little to look and admire her work.
"Good as new." She grinned at him. There was still some traces of dirt, but they were more or less visible now. Her smile beamed as bright as the moon.
He touched his right cheek, it was drier than when he attempted to wipe it with his hands. He smiled back at her.
"T-thanks… Jiro-san." He seemed to be in a lighter mood now.
"Don't mention it." She said to him as she hid her handkerchief back to her pocket.
After she had done that, she turned her attention back at the green- haired boy saw the way his body didn't revert into a ball, but just let his legs sprawl on to the grass and placed his back against the trunk of the tree.
Good. He seemed more relaxed now.
She looked at the pieces she had on her hand, he messed up the guitar good.
She would've been mad at this, she would've been mad at anyone who disrespects their musical instruments, but that would've made her a hypocrite.
She sat back next to him, turning her head, so she fully faces her classmate.
"You play?" She asked him.
Midoriya lost his smile. And directed his gaze downwards to the grass. Interlocking his hands, between his legs, pressing and rubbing his thumbs together. Avoiding eye contact.
"Y-yeah…" He stuttered.
"Who taught you?"
This is the question Jiro really needed to hear. Whoever taught Midoriya how to play, must be one of the best. She held onto hope that it's one of the 'Deep Dope' band members. Midoriya knew so much rare people than she could count, so it's pretty much safe to assume that it could've been one of them. Or maybe all of them.
"I've never heard someone play the guitar so…" She searched for the right word to describe how Midoriya played the guitar, but gave up after a whole minute. "…beautiful."
She spot a small smile appear on his face.
"Don't get me wrong, the others play well, but…" Again, she can't seem to find the words she needed after hearing him sing. "…you're different."
She gestured her hands around the air, as if she was actually holding and playing a guitar.
"The timing on when the notes play or- or how the notes are played to perfection. It's- it's just-"
"Unbelievable?" her classmate cut her off.
She looked at him, eyes widened for a moment before returning. "Y-yeah…"
He planted his head against the trunk and looked up to the sky. His face had a small, and indescribable smile. "Yeah…"
His eyes seem to reminisce for a bit, until he slowly closed them. He breathed in and out before turning his head to face her and opened his eyes.
"That's actually how my mother played hers…"
Kyoka's eyes widened, when he said that. She hadn't expected his mother to be the type to play the guitar, let alone hold an instrument. Then again, that's what she thought first about Midoriya as well.
"Your mother taught you to play?"
He looked up at the sky again.
"Yup."
"I… I don't get it…" her eyes bore into him as she looked straight at him, even if he didn't even bother to bat an eye at her. "If your mother was so good, then how come I haven't heard those kind of music in any songs I've listened to? I would've remembered, trust me."
"Well she's really musically gifted…"
He can't help but feel the nostalgia coming back to him. He remembered how he asked her why she didn't pursue a life of music and fame. The only answer she gave him, that day…
"But she never really considered music to be more than just a hobby. Even if she did, she said that she would rather stay at home and spend time playing music and singing songs for me…" He and his mother are known to have bigger tear ducts than the average person, so it's no surprise to see a few droplets drag down his cheek again. "…just for me."
He seemed sad about it…
She knew she needs to stop asking about it, but she needed to know. He can swear at her later or maybe even ignore her after this, but she really needed to know.
"A-and that song? D-did she used to sing that to you?"
Midoriya smile faded the moment she asked him that question, his interlocked hands started to slowly tighten their grip to each other, and he held his head down and let his bangs cast a shadow over his eyes. His hands shook as their grip tightened.
He lightly shook his head. "No…"
She should've stopped. She knows that now, but in the end she still asked him.
' I never learn.' Kyoka thought.
"It… it was a song I made." Midoriya blurted out.
The surprises just kept on coming. Her jaw almost dropped to the ground when Midoriya said those specific set of words in that specific order.
"I… I didn't know you write too…" Kyoka kept her widened eyes directed to her green- haired classmate.
She can feel her jaw hurting, possibly for leaving her mouth open for so long.
"I usually don't… Never really had an inspiration to write one… but…"
He hesitated and kept on taking deep and shallow breaths.
"After… after Uraraka-san told me what happened…" He raised his legs and put his elbows on top of his knees, raised his forearms and just slammed his head against his joined hands. She can see his tears glistening under the moonlight. "I suddenly found myself writing that song…"
She can hear his sniffs and soft whimpers. She didn't get why he had been so distant ever since their first day in Second Year. There had been plenty of factors and different influences as to why he could have been, but it was only finding out that Bakugo and Uraraka were now a couple, did he finally break.
And finally…
She gets it now…
It was so obvious… and she didn't see it…
The signs were there, ever since last year. Midoriya was closer to Uraraka than anyone ever was, he was even closer to her even when she and Bakugo started to hang out more. They would've been a fool to think that nothing would develop between the two of them.
Midoriya loved Uraraka.
And Uraraka loved Midoriya.
But no longer did she feel the same way.
The world is such a cruel place.
"I would've understand, if it was someone else…"
She heard him murmur between his whimpers and sniffles.
"But, out of all the other guys she could have chosen…"
She can hear him take a rapid and shallow breaths. He was starting to hyperventilate.
"She chose him…"
The way he had implied to Bakugo was said with so much anger, sadness, wrath, and disappointment.
She figured that he and Midoriya had some history, given their interactions the previous year, but not to the point where she thought Midoriya would've still hold a grudge against him up to this day.
Just goes to show just how much she knows about the two of them.
Just goes to show just how much she knows about him.
She saw and heard him activate his quirk, once again.
Green lighting emanated from him and it surrounded his entire physique. His hair waved as the lightning moved erratically and danced to his person.
Her eyes widen as the saw the slow change of color of the lightning.
It began to move more erratically and the green outline it usually had, had slowly turned darker.
She couldn't move. She didn't know what she could do to make him stop, at this point.
The lightning stopped being green at this point and black started to slowly take over. The glow became red in color.
It was moving and dancing into an even bigger erratic motion.
It was sprawling all over the place.
Where did she see this kind of lightning before?
She looked how it seemed to emanate directly from his left arm.
She looked directly into his eyes. Those rage filled, bloodshot eyes.
She saw how those emerald orbs slowly succumb to anger and how the color was eaten by a whirlpool of red. Tears kept on streaming from his eyes, and it didn't looked to be stopping anytime soon.
"It's. Not. Fair..."
He kept on clenching his fist until his nails dug into his palm and crimson red fluid sprouted from where his nails had dug to.
She saw how the blood dripped from his right palm, and how the red fluid slowly pitter and patter to the grass.
' Do something!' her inside voice internally screamed at her. ' Don't let him do something he's gonna regret!'
He needs her.
He needs a hero.
Izuku didn't know that he was actually activating his quirks at the moment, and he didn't care one bit about it.
The only thing that mattered right now, was getting back at his tormentor. The one who made his life a living torture dungeon.
The one who kept killing him.
He would feel his pain.
He would beat his face to the ground, break his teeth, and stomp on his torso until he spills his guts.
Until he vomits on the ground.
Until he begs for his life.
He won't stop, until-!
He felt something…
A warm feeling…
A warm feeling wrapped around his hand…
The lightning subsided…
Until it disappeared completely…
He didn't know why that made him stop…
He didn't know why his heart felt lighter…
He didn't know why that comforted him so much…
Why this warm feeling seemed to be the thing he had been yearning for…
It dawned to him how cold this world seemed…
And this feeling on his hand was his only source of warmth…
He wanted to feel more of it…
He needs it…
He looked down on his left hand and found someone else's fingers interlocking his.
How the fingers felt so gentle and petite compared to his.
He slowly looked up to see the owner's face, only to find his purple- haired classmate.
Her right hand was placed comfortably and interlocked with his left, while her other hand was enclosed on her chest—around where the heart should be.
He looked at how her features were showing how scared she was when he displayed his anger. At the same time, he saw the concern she had in her eyes.
Pathetic…
He just displayed a side of him unbecoming of a hero…
In front of Jiro, of all people…
He looked at her and he found a feeling, deep inside him, start to well up and is just waiting to burst…
He sucked in his breath, hoping that it'll prevent more tears from breaking out…
He failed.
He bit his lip, hopping that it'll prevent him from sniffling like a child that got separated from his parents…
He failed.
In the end, he almost pounced at his purple- haired classmate and quickly and tightly wrapped his arms around said classmate. His hands gripped the cloth of her shirt, like there's no tomorrow.
He pushed his head to her shoulder and just let the tears stream down from his eyes and just let her shirt drain them.
She knew this would happen, sooner or later, and she was prepared to face it and take responsibility for it. Her shoulder's started to feel wet from all the tears he's letting out, but she didn't care. The wails that he's making seemed louder to her, because of her quirk, but she didn't care.
She didn't hesitate to return the hug, letting one hand rub and pat his back, while the other caressed his hair, in a sort of motherly fashion. She gently pushed his head more, onto her shoulder, and kept on repeating to rub his back and caress his hair.
It was almost a shock to how soft and how smooth it was, considering that it was one of the curliest hairs she had seen in her lifetime.
But, now's not the right time…
He kept on crying, as she leaned in on his ear and she made soft shushing noises. It was almost a whisper…
A gentle and calming wind…
She slowly started to hum a small lullaby...
The sound and the tone was incredulously calming… and beautiful…
His cries slowly died down, until all that was heard was his soft sniffling and scared whimpers…
His tears slowly came to a stop…
"It's… not… fair…"
She couldn't help but let some tears stream down from her eyes. She suddenly shut her eyes and lightly shook her head. She shouldn't shed tears, at the moment, she needed to be strong.
For him…
"I know…" She replied with a light rub on his back.
"I just… I just don't know…" He said in between whimpers, "I don't know what to do anymore…"
She lightly leaned on his shoulder.
' Me too…' She thought, solemnly.
"J-Jirou-san…?" He sniffled.
She paused for a moment. Contemplating on what she could do for him, at this situation.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"Can… can we stay like this…?" He tightened his hug, a bit.
"…Just… Just for a moment…?"
She let her mouth curl into a small smile, and let a giggle escape from it. She found it amusing that he had to backtrack for a bit and had to say something to convince her to stay in the position they were in. He was just too much.
Finally the air felt lighter and comfortable for her to respond with her usual confidence.
"We can stay for as long as you like, Midoriya."
The question was so innocent, and fitting for someone like him.
But even if it was just for a moment, she missed that old Midoriya…
The sweet, innocent, cinnamon roll that everyone in their class had come to know him…
They need him back…
She needs him back…
It might've not looked like it, but like everyone else, Jirou was one of those people who found comfort whenever she's around the sweet cinnamon roll, that is Izuku Midoriya. He was one of the people that didn't care if she acted tomboy-ish or just downright "not attractive", as she would put it. Midoriya had actually found her pining on the rooftop—through a couple of eggnogs— on the Christmas Party they had at the dorm and she went on and on about how she was so different compared to the other girls in their class.
She can never forget what he said to her that day…
"Is there actually a problem with being different? I know that what sets you apart from them can sometimes feel… terrible, but it shouldn't feel like that. I think most of the time, it's what makes you so great, Jiro-san. Because, that's who you are."
She had heard it from her parents plenty of times, some were from her other relatives, but none of them really made an impact and made her try and love who she is.
It was only after Midoriya had said it that she started to become more comfortable with being herself. The way she acted around others, how she seemed to apply lesser make up nowadays. It was all because of him.
This was the least she could do for him.
"Thank… you…" she heard him say, softly…
Her smile grew, as she looked at him for a second, and directed her eyes upwards. To the stars in the sky and the moon shining above them.
She'll help him until he's back to normal. She can at least promise that…
10 Minutes Later…
The minutes passed like it was the slowest turtle in the world. She had lost her feeling in her legs after 7 minutes had passed. She tried not to complain about the position they were in, for the sake of her green- haired classmate.
But what about her?
How much more can she endure this?
It only took her another 3 minutes to break and tried to ask her green- haired classmate if they could get into a much more comfortable position.
"Uhm… Midoriya…"
No answer…
"Maybe, we could change to a better position?" She still seemed to be hesitant. "I can't feel my legs."
Again, no answer…
"Midoriya?" She called out to him once more.
And a third time was not the charm she hoped for.
She heard something…
"….zzz…."
A light snore…
Soft, but enough for her to hear what it was.
She then saw how Midoriya's shoulders heaved, and how it repeated in time with the snoring she was also hearing.
It didn't take long for the purple- haired student to come up with the answer.
' This… guy…' She gritted her teeth and a tick appeared on her forhead, in annoyance.
The guy just went on and slept directly on her shoulder, without even warning her.
She shouldn't be angry, she knows that, Midoriya's gone through a lot, and he deserves a good and peaceful sleep…
But not like this!
The feeling in her legs suddenly came back to her, probably the effect of the boiling anger that was starting to bubble inside her. She tried to push up from the ground, but her classmate wasn't making it easy, not to mention that he was literally putting all of his weight onto her whole person at this very moment.
Nevertheless, she tried anyways. At first, she tried getting up once more using just her legs, but to no avail.
On her next attempt she tried to loosen Midoriya's grip on her shirt, she reached to her back and managed to grab one of his hands and she took the time to admire just how calloused it was, and how the scars on his hands managed to make it rough but at the same time it seemed soft. Getting back to the task at hand, she yanked on the hand, hoping it would let go of the piece of clothing, she kept on yanking but alas, she couldn't get it to budge.
She heaved a sigh, in annoyance. She took the long way, by slowly removing each finger on Midoriya's right hand that clung onto her shirt. To her surprise, it was working, but she was going at a snail's pace.
But she'd rather take that than nothing at all.
Alas, she finally removed his right hand from her shirt. She tried reaching for the other hand, but she was having trouble reaching said hand.
' Time to improvise…' she sighed at the thought.
She pushed his right shoulder with as much force as she can. His body flailed to her right, and her hand was literally the only thing that was keeping his head balanced and straight. She momentarily let go of it, his head dangled down, and she rotated her right arm so her shoulder was under Midoriya's left arm, whose hand was still clinging to her shirt. She then wrapped her right arm around Midoriya's upper back and her hand clung to his side.
Her cheeks flushed when her hand made contact.
' W-wow. He may not look like it, but he's actually ripped underneath all that clothing…'
She found herself staring at him for too long, she shook her head—her cheeks were burning, like a volcano—and focused on getting herself and Midoriya back inside.
Using all of her strength, she pushed them both off the ground and they just barely kept their balance to stand upright, at least that's what the case is for her green- haired classmate.
' He's heavier than he looks…' she strained to keep him balanced up.
She pushed him upright so his arm was on her right shoulder, with much gusto.
Once she found the right balance adequate enough for her to walk and at the same time, drag Midoriya's butt with her back to the dorm.
' Easy part's done, now for the hard one.'
She heaved a big one before taking the first step.
Without realizing, her foot slipped on the crater, Midoriya created earlier, she and Midoriya then fell to the ground, face first. She had a nonchalant face as she fell with her green- haired classmate and most of his weight landed directly on top of her.
She slowly looked up, her stained face clearly not showing any hint of amusement, and she planted her chin to the grass and dirt. She spat a few blades of grass that somehow found her way into her mouth.
' I hate my life.'
"I FUCKING GET IT, OKAY?!"
The ash blonde's scream was heard all over the dorm, but even then, his classmates continued their pointless chatter—they had either gotten used to it, or they had gone deaf from this high decibel screams. Nevertheless, they still covered their ears.
"Hehehe, sorry Bakugo." Kaminari said as he removed his hands from his ears, and inserted his pinkie finger in one ear to get rid of the wax and the brief ringing.
"We just can't believe that you got a girlfriend first, before us." Sero picked up his bitten pizza from the paper plate that was on the coffee table.
"And Uraraka, of all people!" Mineta exclaimed. He had been ignored ever since he decided to sit with them.
Bakugo and his group—which consisted of Kirishima, Kaminari, Sero, and Mineta—simultaneously turned to look at Bakugo's new girlfriend and the group of friends that she had surrounding her, from the sofas.
They watched the sweet and gentle smile she kept displaying around everyone she's with, including Bakugo. A cute and innocent face like hers, can make it hard to believe that it can ever scrunch up to anything serious.
Just go to show just how true the quote, 'Don't judge a book by its cover' really is.
At first glance, she didn't seem much to him. She gave off a vibe of being really girly on the outside, but after the Sports Festival, Bakugo started to look at her from a different perspective.
She's determined, hard-working, selfless, and just downright 'hardcore', as Bakugo would put it. She is, undeniably, one of the best people Bakugo knew, and one of the very first people who obtained the respect of the "King Explosion Murder". He still has to work on his hero name.
But after a lot of self- discovering throughout that one year they had at U.A., Bakugo found a feeling that no one—not even himself—was expecting to surface from someone as stubborn, rude, and just a plain asshole, like him.
He found love.
He didn't know how it all started and, if body language was anything to come by, he feels like neither did she. It just sparked into a full blown fire after Deku's-
…
…
Deku…
Bakugo knew he'd done something really really personal now. It was gonna come bite him in the ass, sooner or later.
After everything that's happened to him, Bakugo can't really blame his childhood 'friend' if he's out for some blood. How could he?
Bakugo just stole the very first friend that guy ever had in the longest time. And the very first love interest he's probably not gonna get over, for a long time. Maybe for as long as he lived.
She caught him staring, and she looked back at him and waved at him with those studded fingertips she uses to activate her quirk. They were definitely not hard, like everyone in school keeps murmuring about. In fact, it was actually softer than her actual hand, something Bakugo would caress every time they would hold hands.
He quickly turned to look at his lap, clenching his fist and hiding his flushed and embarrassed face from the group that he's with.
"Man, you might've just gotten one of the best girls here in school. Right next to Yaomomo and Asui." Kaminari commented his arm slung onto the back of the sofa.
"How did you guys even get together?" Kirishima asked to the ash blonde.
"It's complicated…" was the only response he could give.
"Still can't believe its Uraraka of all people." Sero looked back at the short and brown haired girl.
"Yeah. Midoriya had a crush on her, didn't he?" Kaminari blurted out.
Just like that, the air in their group suddenly became tense and silent. Bakugo, had his head down and clenched his knees. This didn't go unnoticed by his hot- blooded friend.
The tension in the air was as thick as Fat Gum that you didn't know if you could even cut it with a knife.
Why did this guy have to be so dense, even when he's not overloaded?
"We still don't know that. It's just something we saw, Midoriya can be pretty anxious around anyone he comes across, especially if they have a quirk." Kirishima stated.
"Yeah, wonder what made him so obsessed with analyzing quirks though." Sero added.
"Hmph. Whatever it is, it's creepy and perverse! I have never felt more naked whenever he would stare at me for hours, mumbling about something!" Mineta had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, as if he actually disapproves with Midoriya's 'perverse' actions.
"You are the last person I want to hear that from." Kirishima looked unamused.
The door suddenly slammed open and a foot extended from the doorway.
The room fell silent and startled by the loud noise. They simultaneously looked at the source of the noise.
It was Kyoka Jiro that had been the one to appear at the doorway, she had dirt all over her face and she's carrying someone on her shoulder. The person had black curly hair with green highlights, was immediately recognized, even if his head was dangling by his shoulders. She was panting heavily, and her face was practically bathing in her own sweat.
Their goggled class president quickly and swiftly ran up to the two.
"What is the meaning of this, Jiro-san?" He quickly berated the girl with his robotic jazz hands while people just kept on looking at the three.
She rolled her eyes at him, "I saw this guy sleeping on campus, and I figured I should bring him back before the worms get in his ears." Not technically a lie. He was on campus when he fell asleep.
"But why would someone like Midoriya fall asleep on campus. Not even he is that clumsy." He readjusted his glasses. "Plus, why was he outside anyway?"
"Dude, if I knew I would've told you already."
' Sorry Prez, but I don't think Midoriya would forgive me if I just told you all a very personal secret he's been hiding, for God knows how long.'
"Well at least you've brought him back, safe and sound. Now then, let me get him up his room." Iida was about to grab Midoriya's arm so he could sling it up his own shoulders. At least, that's what he intended to do, until Jiro stopped him.
"Don't bother." She stopped the class president with her left hand. "His hand's clung to my shirt like glue. He won't let go."
"Oh, well at least allow me to accompany you to his room." Iida had started to put his classmate's arm around his shoulders, before the purple- haired girl stopped him again.
"No need, I know my way around this place."
"Nonsense! I certainly can't allow you to take him back on your own. It would be a trait unbecoming of a hero if I didn't help others in need!" He exclaimed, with extravagance.
"I said, I can handle it Prez."
Iida was surprised by the look his classmate was giving him, her eyes had so much ferocity in them, telling him that she desperately needed to do this. Like a wild predator incapable of sharing a prey.
So he stopped and let her be.
She sighed and started walking up to the elevator. "You guys can go back to celebrating, don't wait up for me." She strained to drag Midoriya with her.
She felt the eyes that stared at them as they waited for the elevator.
The sound of dinging had never been so much louder than she had heard it before. The room was so quiet.
The elevator's doors couldn't have been slower as she struggled to get herself and her green- haired classmate into the elevator. She looked at the pairs of eyes that stared at them, as they slowly disappear from view as the doors slowly closed itself. She then pushed the button that should lead them to the second floor.
It was probably the only thing that Bakugo managed to hate about the curly haired nerd, at the moment.
The way his girlfriend looked so worried when that Deku suddenly entered through the door with that punk rock girl. He recognized that blank stare, his girlfriend was giving that earlobes girl.
It was probably the same one he's giving to the sleeping nerd until they disappeared from sight.
He was sure, but it was unclear whether that was the case…
But he was sure…
So sure….
That his girlfriend still hasn't gotten over that green- haired nerd…
…
God…
Being jealous sucks…
After exiting the elevator, it was just a simple tread down the hallway to Midoriya's room. Jiro internally cursed when she remembered that his room was actually at the very end of the hallway. Her luck and her patience were both treading on thin fucking ice.
Why did she refuse Iida's offer?!
At last, she finally reached the door she had longed for. She can barely keep her left hand from shaking and opening the door knob like she would be expecting a prize on the other side.
She fully opened the door and expected it to be filled with All Might figurines, merchandise, posters, bed sheet or whatever memorabilia he had in his room last year.
Surprisingly, it almost looked like a normal room. His room still had some All Might merchandise, like the figurine he had on his desk and the only All Might poster in the room. It kind of felt wrong. She didn't know why it felt that way to her, but she was so used to the green- haired cinnamon roll on being such an All Might fanboy, that whenever he wasn't seen with anything All Might related, it just felt so out of character for him.
But should it be out of character for him to have instruments displayed in his room?
His room has the basic instruments down.
An electronic drum set—that was placed in the corner of the room—the headphones were just on the seat. A bass guitar—it was placed just by the closet. An electric guitar—that was on a guitar stand by a wall opposite his bed. And a mic, that just laid on its stand near the drums.
Her eyes spot an empty guitar stand, presumably the place of the acoustic he smashed earlier.
She looked at the sleeping boy next to her.
She knew next to nothing about the boy, and so did the others. So who was she to know if his room is so out of character for him?
She enjoyed the sight of his room for a bit, before actually trying to get him to his bed. Which is easier said than done.
His iron grip was still on her shirt and she needs to remove it, immediately.
Seriously, by tomorrow, Fat Gum could actually wear her shirt.
She laid his face onto his pillow and reached to her back and tried to pry his hand away.
' C'mon, Green, you gotta work with me here.' She strained to remove his fingers but it was working, to say the least.
She joyfully removed his index finger from her shirt.
And finally she stop holding the breath, that she didn't know she was holding onto in the first place.
She sighed in exasperation and got a roamed around his room for a bit to get a closer look.
She dragged her hand around the strings of his guitar, and toyed around with the sticks of the drums for a bit—twirling it around her fingers, occasionally throwing it in the air and catching it.
Her eyes found two notebooks at his desk.
One was his Hero Notebook.
' Volume 17? This guy just doesn't stop.'
But what really caught her attention was the other notebook.
She pushed the Hero Notebook aside and got a look at the other notebook's title.
Songs for the Future. Volume 1
She knew she shouldn't look.
But he's sleeping and it's not like he could know that it was her that flipped his notebook.
Because she won't flip it in the first place.
Yeah! Yeah, she won't do it, because even though Kyoka Jiro is a musician herself, she can't just cross someone else's privacy like crossing some border that leads to a different country.
She continued to speak to herself that she didn't need to see it, as she walked slowly to the door…
Her feet came to a stop…
Who was she kidding?
She needs to see this!
She grabbed the notebook just as quick as she dashed to his desk.
She opened the cover and the second she got to his first song her eyes immediately widened and her adrenaline stopped.
She saw the title…
Winter Story/ Fuyu no Hanashi
She was more baffled by how he had designed his lyrics.
It was well formatted, and just above the chords needed to be used…
It was nothing like the way she writes songs. Her chords were all over the place, her lyrics weren't even clean nor were they well formatted, not to mention she would doodle on the corners. Heck, she doesn't even try and finish even one song.
But this…
She's so ashamed to call herself a writer.
Her eyes spot the bits of paper left, presumably from when he ripped the page from the notebook. Her fingers slowly dragged against it and she felt the many pages he had ripped just by creating this one song.
This song…
It was what he sang earlier…
Seeing as there were no other songs before this one, leads her to believe that this is the first song he's ever created…
The lyrics were designed to express the way he feels, deep down his heart, and no doubt that he would create more songs this way.
She was almost jealous…
She flipped to the next page and saw the continuation of the song. She continued flipping the pages until she came to a blank one that just had a title in it…
Mom's Song
There's nothing written yet.
Meaning he's only started.
She didn't get it at all…
He could've been a good enough member to be in the band for the Cultural Festival at U.A. last year. Heck, she can tell that he's good enough to even replace her as a lead singer last year. He's more than welcome to join the band, with his skills he easily takes a spot in the band.
But he didn't take it…
….
Or he did want to…
But something stopped him…
LAST YEAR…
Heights Alliance Dormitories. 1-A Dorms.
They were discussing on what they could whip up as a presentation at the nearing Cultural Festival. So far, the best idea that they had was a band performance, with dancers to accompany said band.
The dancers and the effects members were easy to find, but the band was a bit tricky.
They needed a lead singer first.
Not a lot of people know about Jiro's singing voice, but all of her classmates already know of her musical habits…
So she can expect herself to be voted as the lead…
She can't do that!
She has stage fright!
She needed a way out, or maybe a way to hide…
She slowly separated herself from the group, heading straight towards the stairs.\
"Why not Jiro?"
Fucking Jamming-Yay.
Her classmates simultaneously looked at her.
She became a blushing and mess when all eyes looked at her.
Her confidence. Gone.
Her ability to make eye contact. Gone.
Her jacks. Gone haywire.
Yup, she can't perform. She can't even face all her classmates.
"W-w-wh-wh-w-hwha—WHAT?!" She stuttered, almost rivalling Midoriya's own stutters.
The electric chair pointed finger guns at her, "C'mon! You'd do great! You've got the rocker and the musician vibe already!" He grinned widely at her.
"H-hey, this is different! I'm used to playing for myself. I can't handle crowds!"
"That's why it's called a band! You don't perform in a band alone, y'know!" Kaminari kept grinning at her and gave her his trademark thumbs up.
"B-but…" She needed something to retort them with, she's coming up with a blank.
"J-Jiro-san…"
She heard her green- haired classmate clumsily called out her name. She looked up and saw his freckled face. And the gentle smile he's giving her.
"You can do it…"
"M-Midoriya?" She looks so confused. "Y-you don't know that…" She looked down on her feet.
"Of course I do." He gave her an even bigger smile. "Because you're Jiro-san. You're practically one of the coolest person I've ever met."
Her eyes widened and her head slowly looked towards the freckled student.
"If anyone can put a smile into someone's face. It's you Jirou-san, and no one else."
"Midoriya…"
"Please, Jiro-san…" His face slowly contorts into a sad frown.
"She need this…" He begged.
She didn't know who the green- haired boy was talking about, but whoever it is, he or she seems really important to the boy.
Plus, no one can resist those puppy dog eyes that green- haired boy was giving her. It's almost like he's begging to be adopted.
She bit her lip. She was gonna regret this. She just knows it.
"F-fine! I'll do it!"
She saw Kaminari's face lit up and quickly ran up to her and put his arms around her shoulders.
"Whoooohooo!" He screamed alongside her other classmates, the active ones. "If that's the case, then I'm your front man. I can handle the guitar, just as good as you do…"
He waved his arms around the air and performed some air guitar, as he continued to ramble to her.
She wasn't listening, as her attention was on the green- haired boy.
She looked at how his bangs shadowed over his eyes, and how his fist seemed to clench in frustration. He bit his lip, almost as if he wanted to restrain himself…
She's never seen him like that before…
PRESENT…
She didn't know why he had done that, the first time she saw it.
But now, she knows…
The way he seemed to explode when he sang earlier, was proof enough already. How he poured his heart into every lyric he sang, how he cried when he started to play and sing…
He wanted to sing in the band, that day…
He wanted the world to know who he was...
That he's more than just a one trick pony.
But he sacrificed that wish, for her…
He knew more than just to want something, more than that, he knew how to help other people…
He saw that she needed to do this to overcome that small fright, and she did…
He entrusted her to put a smile on the face of a little girl with ruby eyes and silver hair…
She didn't let him down when it came to that…
But the need to do what she did, was still there…
He still wants to sing, to play, he knew that he needed to come out of his shell…
But he couldn't do it, because he deemed her to be more important…
Her eyes could no longer hold the tears she kept…
She hugged the notebook tightly against her chest…
He became her hero the second she played on that stage…
He had sacrificed a wish that was waiting to be fulfilled that day...
For her…
…
No…
She wiped her tears with her arm…
She needs to atone for it…
She needs to pay him back…
He's done so much for her, and for other people without asking for something back…
' Maybe it's my turn to be his hero…'