Chapter 3: Incompetence
…
…
…
…everything's going to be okay…
…mom…
…you're going to be okay…
No… mom don't talk like that!
…I am so proud of what you have become…
Mom, stop… stop saying these things…
…I couldn't have asked for a better child…
Stop mom... you're gonna get through this…
…I… love you…
I love you too mom! So please! Just stay with me for a moment! The heroes are gonna get here soon!
…
You'll see mom! We're going to get through this together!
…
Mom…?
…
No… no, don't you do this to me!
…
Mom?
…
Mom?! No… mom!
MOM!
May 4, 2XX1. Heights Alliance Dormitories. 2-A Dorms.
A certain curly- haired boy's eyes shot open, in reflex, and he quickly pushed himself up from his pillow to a sitting position on his mattress. He was startled by a mysterious black shadow covering the majority of his field of vision, he could only see through his peripherals.
He grabbed what seemed to be the corner of the object and slowly pulled it away from his vision. His eyes widened and was surprised that he felt a sticky and tugging feeling on his forehead when he started to pull it away from him, or rather his forehead. He was expecting it to be just a normal sticky note, so he just went and tugged it off his forehead.
But what he didn't expect was a masking tape to be the one that was attached to his forehead.
An audible ripping sound was heard and a stinging pain was felt right at the center of his forehead. His bloodshot eyes turned to look at the tape and saw some strands from his bangs were glued on the tape.
' Un… believable…'
What a way to start the morning, eh?
He took a look around his surroundings, his eyes landing on the familiar instruments around the room. His eyes wandered to the empty guitar stand in his room, he pondered and looked around his room for a bit before his face contorted into a frown.
Last night, he actually smashed that guitar…
' Stupid…' Izuku mentally berated himself.
He was more curious as to how he got back in his room. If his memory serves him right, he was right outside with Jiro before he…
He…
…
Slept on her shoulder…
His face turned beet red at the thought, it must've been really embarrassing for Jiro to carry him all the way to his room. Not to mention the look on Ashido's face.
' I'm going to have to apologize to her later.'
He lifted his arm to scratch his head only to feel the texture of a paper crumpling on the back of his head when he planted his hand on it. He retracted his arm and saw the paper stuck on the palm of his hand, he scowled.
Irritated by the fact that this may have been a prank, he stared at the paper in his hand with so much anger. It took all that he's got to not rip the paper into a million shreds while using 50% of his power. He groaned in frustration when he flipped the piece of paper and his face suddenly shifted of that in shock. Shocked at the contents of the letter.
Midoriya, meet me downstairs once you've taken a bath and a change of clothes.
We're going to Wookies at 12:00.
By that, I meant just the 2 of us.
-Jiro
What a way to start the morning, indeed.
Truth be told, he hadn't really expected anyone to try and invite him to anything, let alone talk to him, lately. He had been really distant to his peers ever since the big news, and Jiro was definitely not what he was expecting when it came down to try and talk to him. He had at least expected Iida, Yaoyorozu, Asui, Kirishima, Uraraka, maybe Todoroki, maybe even Bakugo to try, but not Jiro. It's a Sunday—Izuku knows that much—and if he knows anything about her, she would rather stay here at the dorms to either sleep or play some instruments.
Which begs the question: Why would she go out of her way to do this for him?
Izuku shook his head, he was getting ahead of himself. He's not even sure if she is doing this for him.
But is there really another reason for it?
Guess he's about to find out.
It took him a while to notice that his breathing had become erratic, and he placed a hand on his chest and slowly inhaled and exhaled in succession. Soon he stabilized his breathing, and his vision seemed to be clearer.
He looked around his room for his desk, found the furniture he looked for just behind him. He then looked at the digital clock that lay atop his desk. He looked at the time and it showed-
His face expression immediately changed into that of shock.
11:55
' Oh crap.'
"No, I'm telling you Mina, Captain America is one of, if not, the best super hero in the whole wide world!"
Two students had found themselves talking to each other as they walked the hallways of the second floor of their dorms.
The sharp- toothed student had engaged himself in talking to his pink middle school friend. The two of them had been aware of the frequent random conversations they would strike up with each other, it was weird that they seemed to talk more often, nowadays. Well, more often than last year.
Their topic for the day is: "Who is the very best hero in the whole world?"
"So you're telling me All Might isn't enough to qualify as the best in the world, Kiri?" Mina quirked an eyebrow and gave him a little pout, as she rebutted Kirishima's earlier statement. Her eyes wandering to Kirishima's shaggy hair, she almost felt disappointed that they weren't horn buddies for today.
The red- haired boy's eyes widened as the question had caught him off guard. He quickly looked at the pink- skinned girl and started to wave his hands in the air. "O-of course not! All Might was included in the Top 10 Heroes of the world, before he retired! He's as manly as they come! Without a doubt, a true hero at heart and soul! I-it's not like I'm saying Captain America is greater than All Might, in every way! I-it's just that-!"
His rambling subsided as his ears picked up a noise coming from Ashido's direction. She had her eyes closed as she used a hand to clamp her mouth, while her arm wrapped on her stomach.
She was snickering.
He knows what's coming next…
"HAHAHAHAHA! You should've seen you're face, Kiri!" She pointed directly between his eyes, making his pupils cross to look at her index finger. "HAHAHA! You're always so easy to embarrass, hehehe!" Ashido put her hand on her mouth again.
Kirishima could no longer sustain a groan, he had failed once more. He promised himself that he would no longer get teased by Mina liked this. He didn't get that whenever Mina would seem to be disappointed with his statements or with something, he would always try and take back what he said, and just try to make her happy.
And he always looked like a fool doing it.
In the end, she would laugh it off, like always, and he would get teased once more.
He can't help smile a bit. He must have really looked like an idiot.
But as long as it's her, that's fine by him.
Seriously, what is up with him lately?
"Wanna go to a pizza place later?" Ashido had cut his thoughts off.
He looked at her with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.
Another weird thing he found whenever he was with her, she would always try and ask him out if he wanted to go somewhere with her and it would always be brought up at random in their conversations. He didn't know why he was so embarrassed about it, it's not like she's asking him out on a date, right?
' Right…?'
' Wait, has she been asking me out on dates this whole time?!'
He looked back at her and saw the expecting look she had in her golden irises—like a child showing a bad drawing to a parent— and how they shone in the sunlight as she stared right back at his crimson ones. He had always found the dark color of her scleras, so mesmerizing. How they seem to dance against the light and how her golden irises pop out more in the field of darkness.
It is just so…
So…
Beauti-
"Kiri, you're staring at me again." Ashido couldn't help but let out a giggle at the boy's adorable antics, this caused the red- haired boy to blush once more. She had found him staring at her eyes for way too long than a normal person should. It's not like she was bothered by it, in fact, she kind of likes the attention she gets from him.
Plus, it's not like she's any better.
They heard some footsteps in the distant hall, and they were gradually getting louder. They looked at the direction of the sound and found their familiar freckled face friend, who had a distressed look on his face while he carried a bag on his shoulder and a towel on his other hand.
"Midoriya…?" Kirishima mused.
He quickly went past them, leaving a trail of dust behind and powerful gust of wind that blew the two students' hairs back. They held an arm out until the wind was no longer felt and their hairs ceased to move with the wind.
They looked back at the stairs the green- haired boy, presumably, took down the first floor. They had their eyebrows quirked as they both showed curiosity in what the green- haired boy's plans were.
They looked at each other and blinked at the same time.
They saw each other's hair.
PFFFT! HAHAHAHAHA!
12:05 P.M.
GAME!
"AAAAAAAGGGGHHHH! STOP USING HERO IN THIS GAME!" The sound of Mineta whining was heard all over the dorm, as he threw a controller directed at his best friend's face.
They were currently sitting at their dorm's floor, playing a video game projected from a 60 inch flatscreen TV that U.A. provided. As it turns out, Kaminari had been flooring Mineta on the game and it was only a matter of time before one of them raged.
"Dude, you were using Joker in that battle, I don't know how you could be so bad at playing as him." Kaminari dodged the controller at the last second before it hit his forehead.
"WE HAD TEN MATCHES AND YOU WON THEM ALL! USING HERO!" Mineta exclaimed.
"So?! It didn't say that we aren't allowed to stick with one character." Kaminari quirked an eyebrow at the grape like student.
"IT'S THE FACT THAT YOU KEEP USING HERO IS WHAT PISSES ME OFF YOU DUNCE!"
"No! You're just really bad at this game! You could've used Kirby and still lose the next match!" The blonde raised his arms, as he exclaimed. "And don't try to deny it! You kept using Zero Suit Samus just so you could stare at her tits!"
"AM NOT!"
"ARE TOO! If you aren't, then why the hell would you pause the game every minute and use the camera mode to zoom in on her ass?!" That struck a nerve, as Mineta was visibly taken aback by the statement. "And PLEASE! Stop spamming her down B!" He repeatedly pressed the button on the controller that had the letter 'B' embedded on it.
"Ngh…!" Mineta fell silent, a tear is comically seen in his eyes. The rage inside him, burning by the second and in a desperate attempt, he tackled his friend and a cloud of smoke erupted as they duke it out. Their arms and legs were seen coming out of the cloud as audible sounds of the two perverts hitting each other were heard once they retracted those arms and legs back in the cloud.
' Fucking idiots…'
In the kitchen area, a familiar scowl was imprinted on a familiar face with deep red eyes and ash blonde hair. He was currently rolling a sheet of nori in which rice, vegetables, fish, and some condiments are inside of said nori. Today was Bakugo's turn to cook the meals, a day in which everybody always looked forward to, even Yaoyorozu. His classmates, to this day, did not know why someone like him could probably be one of the best cooks in the world, as they never really considered him to be someone who could really cook rice at all.
"So, what's on our menu today, Katsuki?" He heard his girlfriend's bubbly voice just behind him, he looked over his shoulder to gaze at her wide eyes. She was seated on a bar stool; she had her arms on the nook, and her head was on her arms. She was clearly enjoying her front row seats at Bakugo's cooking show.
He momentarily closed his eyes, and he sighed. He looked back at the wrapped up sushi he is about to cut into several even circles. "Sushi, onigiri, and katsudon." He didn't so much as bat an eye on her.
He remembered the last time he had indulged his classmates by taking all of their meal requests, they had almost ran out of ingredients in stock. He didn't know why he didn't just outright refused all of them and stuck with the menu he originally planned. But just looking on their eyes back then, he just can't help but look at their begging eyes.
After that, it had become a habit for Bakugo to not look in anyone's eyes when cooks for the dorm. Seriously, he had nothing to eat except one piece of celery that he found in the fridge, while his classmates just ate their meal in ecstasy.
" 'Katsudon'? Let me help you!" Uraraka dropped from the stool and ran over to her boyfriend. He was startled when he suddenly saw her next to him the next second.
"W-wha-?! Why?!" Bakugo exclaimed as she suddenly ran around the kitchen looking for the ingredients used to make the meaty dish.
"Katsudon is one of Izuku-kun's favorites, right?" He can't help but widen his eyes. He knew that his childhood 'friend' had been avoiding not just her, but everyone when he had heard that the ash blonde teen and the cheery brunette are now a couple.
He felt a sting in his chest. No, it was more like it was crushing whatever it was inside him. He can't help but grit his teeth some more and turn his attention back into wrapping up some more rice, vegetables, and fish inside a nori.
"Hey, uh Katsuki?" Uraraka called out to him but he didn't bat an eye. "Where are the bread flakes for the beef?" She had three containers out, some salt and pepper she laid across the counter just next to Bakugo. Each container had an egg with its shell still intact and the plastic that contained the flour no longer had its cut out hole folded nor did it have a clip to keep the said hole folded.
Bakugo silently leaned to the right and turned the knob for the sink and water flowed from it. He thoroughly washed his hands before vigorously whipping both of his hands dry.
He then reached up on one of the cabinets and silently gave his girlfriend the ingredient she needed. She can't help but raise an eyebrow at his unusual silence. She looked at him as he continued to slice up some more pieces of sushi.
"Katsuki?"
He stopped cutting the sushi roll. He was hesitant, at first, he didn't know whether to look at her directly or just outright ignore her again. He knew that'll only anger her some more so he gave her a look through the side of his eyes. It was the best that she's going to get.
But she's not gonna have any of that.
She used her left hand and softly touched Bakugo's far cheek and softly turned his head to her, making sure that his surprised eyes kept on looking directly at her concerned ones.
"Are you okay?" She softly said.
His eyes slowly soften and he grabbed her small hands, with his calloused ones. He leaned for a bit on the hand before responding. "It's nothing, alright?" He slowly dragged her hand away from his cheek before turning back to the dish he's making.
She knew he was lying, doesn't really take a genius to know that. She'll let it slip, for now. Although, she is hurt that he still can't trust her enough to let her help him with his problems.
They were a couple, right?
They should trust each other enough with their own problems, right?
Right?
"Woah. Midoriya, what's with the get-up?" Kaminari suddenly spoke as he paused from shaking Mineta by the collar. Mineta struggled as he was lifted from the ground and his physical strength wasn't really the best.
The couple simultaneously turned their heads to look at the freckled boy.
He was panting hard, it was as if he was hurrying to get to the lobby, his hair is still damp and some water dripped from the end of each strand of his hair. He was currently sporting a green polo with the characters 'ポロ' written on the chest area, a black hoodie that had thumb holes on the sleeves—which he took advantage of, to warm his hands— dark navy blue jeans, and white sneakers.
"Where are the others?" He asked in between pants.
Kaminari shrugged, "Either went home, roaming round campus, or went shopping."
"Jiro-san said that we would go somewhere?"
Both Mineta and Kaminari looked at him, confused written all over their faces. "She didn't tell me about it." Kaminari looked at him.
Midoriya blushed and started to scratch his head. How was he supposed to say what their intentions are, without anyone thinking of it the wrong way?
"Well- uh… did she go outside already?"
Kaminari shook his head. "Nah. She's probably still in her room at this time."
It was like a boulder had been dropped on the freckled teen's head, as it suddenly dropped and his shoulders sagged. He let out an exasperated sigh.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. She doesn't wake up until 2 P.M."
"O-oh…" His head seemed to droop some more.
He had been rushing for nothing at all.
What a way to start the morning. Or is it the afternoon?
"Why do you ask?" He heard Kaminari ask him.
He just gave him a half-assed smile and waved his hand in the air. "It's nothing." He dragged his feet to the ground as he slowly, and depressingly, walked away from the crowd and walked up the stairs.
"What's up his butt?" Mineta asked his blonde friend.
Kaminari shrugged once more, "Dude, how should I know?"
"And what's with Jiro asking him out? I mean, seriously? He can do much better than her!" Mineta declared.
"Dude, give the guy some respect, at least. A girl asked him on a date, something not all of us can get in life."
"Hah! That's just because you haven't seen my master's touch!" Mineta had a smug look on his face.
"I'm gonna assume, that it involves grabbing their chests…"
The statement was right on target, as Mineta had stopped talking and he avoided looking at Kaminari's eyes.
Bakugo wasn't dumb, he saw the way his girlfriend had looked at the nerd when he implied that he and their purple- haired classmate are going out somewhere.
Seriously, why was he getting jealous over it?
He knew she won't get over that nerd that easily. He just needs to wait.
But for how long?
He can't exactly be angry at his childhood friend. A lot of things had happened to Izuku.
He had done a lot of things to that green- haired nerd.
Having Uraraka as a girlfriend is the one heap in the pile that might have broken him.
He can't be angry at him.
'Fucking Deku…'
He can't exactly be angry at her.
He accidentally slept on her shoulder last night, for crying out loud!
It was only fair that he was the distressed one this time, assuming that she was actually the one that carried him back to his room.
Where was he anyway?
He looked around him and he found himself stranded in the halls of the dorms. He did not know which floor he's in, at the moment, but considering that he saw Ojiro's first name embedded on a plaque attached to one of the doors, he assumed that he's in the third floor. He looked around some more and was shocked to find himself in front of a certain door, which led to a certain room, with a certain someone sleeping in it.
Kyoka Jiro
What was he doing here?!
Did he unconsciously go here on his own?
His face had a look of tiredness, as seen through the bags under his eyes.
He needs rest, and being in front of the room of a certain purple- haired student would not help him.
Why did he even think of going here in the first place?
Regardless, he needs to go back to his room, change, and get some shut eye…
*Click*
…
…
…he opened the door to her room, didn't he?
' AAAAGGGHHH! WHAT AM I DOING?!'
He suddenly found his foot moving forward and entering her room.
He can't seem to take control of his body, it was as if there was something else that he needs to do.
And that something was inside her room.
' STOP! STOP IT! STOPIT! STAHPIIT!'
Too late, he's in her room.
When he fully opened the door and found himself inside said room, his face immediately contorted to that
His wide eyes stared at his surroundings in awe.
Every month, it seemed like his purple- haired classmate keeps on getting more and more instruments in her room. His eyes caught a lustrous silver flute on her desk that was definitely not there last year. He even saw just how much posters the girl had attached all throughout the walls in her room. Most of the posters were definitely from her favorite band in existence, which went by the name, 'Deep Dope'. He saw some Present Mic posters here and there, which made sense, since he used to be a musician before switching careers.
He walked even deeper in the room and his eyes caught a lump, covered in the sheets of the bed. He already knew who it was, and he just can't help himself. He found his feet dragging him closer to the bed. His eyes cast down on her covered form, as he slowly lowered himself and got a closer look at her. She suddenly turned and her face is now inches away from him. It startled him, as he seemed to be frozen in place, and his cheeks made a slight tinge of pink. He got a closer look at her features.
She had never looked so peaceful.
Her slow and soft breathing, her closed eyes, her silky purple hair, her slender neck, along with her shoulders.
Her lips…
Oh how her lips slightly open and close as she inhales and exhales. He had never seen someone be this laidback, and at the same time be so…
So…
Beautiful…
' Beautiful…?'
His eyes suddenly looked down on the floor, as he bit his lip, and his eyes felt something inside them sting…
He had the same thought about someone else once…
Why was he thinking about that now?
It was over…
She already has Bakugo…
What more can she ask for?
His hands balled up to a fist.
Tears threatened to fall out of his eyes.
Not fair…
"Midoriya…?"
He was suddenly cut off from his own thoughts and visibly jumped when he heard someone say his name.
He was surprised to hear a voice. He slowly looked upwards and saw the tired look of the person who he was unbelievably, temporarily, annoyed with.
Her vision was blurry and just outright too bright to her own liking. Realizing that her eyes were just watering, it signaled her to rub both of her eyes with her hands. She felt some dirt in her eyes and she carefully dug the dirt out of her canthus. She looked to her side again and saw the familiar green- haired, freckled face classmate of hers. He had the same flustered face that she had come to know well ever since she had met him, not that she was complaining. In fact, she kinda found his reactions to be a bit cute.
In a friendly manner.
How she guessed that he was the one in her room, she didn't know.
' A feeling, I guess…'
Now onto business.
"What're you doing here…?" She rubbed her eye some more and her eyelids refuse to open more than a measly inch.
His ability to make contact has left the building and he soon became a stuttering mess, "W-well, u-uh—y-y-you s-see, J-Ji-Jiro-s-san, I-I-I w-wa-was j-just, u-uhm—i-it's d-de-definitely n-not wh-what i-it l-looks l-li-like, J-Jiro-san-!"
"Midoriya, calm down. Just breathe for a moment." She sat up on her bed, knowing that she wasn't going to get a straight response from the green-haired boy unless he calmed down.
He seems to have taken it the wrong way as he indeed stopped talking, but was soon replaced by a hyperventilating type of breathing. Jiro had an unimpressed look on her face.
"…slower." She added.
He was not relaxed whatsoever, "Y-yeah! I-it's j-just t-that—i-it's—!"
"Midoriya."
She had a firm tone to voice out her command, not to mention her soft grip on his hands, both were enough to make him stop fumbling on his words and make him close his chatter mouth.
"Now, I'll ask again…" She slowly said and Midoriya rapidly nodded, to which she just sighed. "What are you doing in my room?"
Before he could say even one syllable, Jiro had put her finger on his lips and made a shushing noise.
"Just give it to me straight."
The way she was looking at him was definitely not helping him in anyway, but he nodded nonetheless. Trusting him enough, she slowly removed her finger and looked at him, waiting for an answer.
He slowly inhaled and exhaled before answering, "I-I j-just, wanted to know if you were ready…" He had broken his eye contact with her halfway on the explanation and his hands fumbled around with each other.
She looked at him with much confusion, as seen with the raised eyebrow on her face. " 'Ready'…?" She contemplated for a bit on what he said.
Tick
Tock
Tick
Tock
Tick
Tock
Ding!
"Oh my GOD! I am so sorry, Midoriya!" It was her turn to be flustered as she hurriedly went out of her bed sheets and immediately to grab something from her wardrobe. Izuku just looked at her with curious eyes. "J-just, wait for me down the living room and we'll go there together, okay?!" She had a towel hanging on her shoulder and she had the attire that she would wear in both hands.
"Uhm… You don't have to hurry, it's still pretty early-!"
She cut him off, "Just wait for me down there, it won't take long!"
With that said, she sprinted out of her room and down the hallway. Déjà vu.
He took another second to look around her room and the only other thing worth noting was the violet lava lamp she had on her desk. With nothing to do, he soon went out of the room and followed the hallway and down the stairs to the living room.
12:14 P.M.
Yume wa mitandayo / I once dreamed about before
Umareta / A safe quiet place
Toki no koto / When we were born.
"Ready to go?"
The green- haired slowly opened his eyes, the interconnecting sounds of the music playing and the melodious voice of the song slowly faded until the lyrics and the music was all a blur. His attention had been brought to the person who had asked him a question. He lifted his head and found the familiar purple- haired girl that he had been waiting for. He closed his eyes and got up from the couch. He placed his fingers on the clip- on earphones that had been hooked on his ear and he removed both from his ears—the music and the voice slowly faded until it was no longer heard by him—he settled the device so it hangs by the collar of his polo. He looked at the girl in front of him.
She was clad in a white hoodie which was under a jean jacket, black jeans, and her usual black sneakers.
"Let's go." He smiled.
She can't help but give a smile of her own. She quickly grabbed his hand and brought them to the door that would lead them out of their dorms.
The boy can't help but let his face turn reddish, due to the gesture the girl had done, but he knew she didn't mean anything by it. He just continued to smile as they ran across the pavement on their campus and went their way to the gates of their school, they would soon arrive to the station where they would ride the train they needed to get to their destination.
Their school had been less strict with letting the students out of the school, with a good reason as well. Ever since the defeat of All For One and the League, the crime rates and villainous actions around the whole globe had come to a big drop. Things seemed calmer and people slowly felt more comfortable to go outside of their houses without the fear of looking behind their backs every few seconds.
The world has become so peaceful.
Deep down, Izuku knew this 'peace' will not last, there will always be the next big calamity.
When that time comes, he will be ready for it.
He has to…
As the future 'Symbol of Peace'…
The sound of the train activating its brakes had awoken him from his temporary trance. The girl had felt him jump a bit when he had heard the metallic vehicle. She had looked up to him to see what expression he's making. To her surprise, she can't read it.
He was surprised by the train and his face looked the part, but his eyes were somewhere else…
He was staring a thousand miles somewhere, with no direction and no sense stopping…
It was like he wanted to just keep on running to a path with no end, nor beginning…
Lost…
He was lost…
She wants to bring him back…
Utsukushiku ikita ne / We lived such a beautiful life
Shikyuu no machi / In a city of wombs
Bokura te wo tataite warattanda / A smile etches on our face, we won't cry
It was only when the announcer had said that they would soon arrive at the ward, in which their destination belongs, the boy recalled an incident the previous year.
An incident the boy has tried to push into the back of his mind for a very long time…
He could never forget the face of that man…
A pasty complexion; wrinkles spread all across the eyes, mouth, cheeks, down to the neck. A scar that went across his mouth, and his eye…
He could never forget the way those crimson orbs stared at him with so much hate…
How those eyes seemed like they were going to cry tears of joy, once he had removed the green- haired boy's head from his shoulders…
That smile…
He can't forget that…
"I heard what happened to you on that shopping mall, last year…"
He turned his attention to the girl who sat next to him, her hand still interlocked to his.
"Uraraka told me that you've been attacked by a villain…" She twirled her lengthy earlobe around her index finger. "It may not have been such a good idea bringing you there." She let out an awkward chuckle.
He found that statement peculiar. If she knew, why did she suggest going there the first place? He had been too scared to go anywhere near that mall—and so have been many people, but eventually they all slowly decided to turn their heels and go back.
"I guess I just want to give you some semblance of what it's like back there." She tightened her grip on the hand of the boy. "It's changed so much since the last time the whole class went there, and I want you to see that too." She looked directly into his eyes.
In all honesty, he wanted to go back there and give the mall a chance once more.
He just can't find the courage to go back there again…
But maybe, just maybe…
It'll be different this time…
"Okay." He gave her a smile.
That comforting smile that he always gave was all she needed.
She was almost satisfied with the results, when she suddenly remembered to ask something to the freckled- face teen next to her.
"You watch Tokyo Ghoul?"
The question had actually caught him off guard, as he suddenly turned his head towards the purple- haired girl.
"H-how di-did you kn-know?" He barely managed to stutter the words out.
"I kinda heard the song you played on your phone, earlier at the dorms." She scratched her cheek and gave an awkward smile.
He really should stop listening to those songs in full blast.
"Never really pegged you to be the kind of guy who watches that." Jiro murmured.
"To be perfectly honest, I hadn't watched a lot of it." He said, which caught the girl's attention. "I just really found the songs to be good, and how it reflects on the show."
"So you liked their second opening too, huh?" She found herself smiling widely. "Not many people found that opening to be good."
"I know." He looked out the window once more, the sun shining across the sky…
" 'No matter what lyrics or melody the song may give you, you can't force others to hate or enjoy it… It will always depend on the person listening to the song whether they liked it or not.' "
Jiro smirked. "That's some quote you have there."
"It was my mom's…"
Enogu wo nomishita / We drank the paint until the last drop
Niji no iro kawatta / The rainbow above turned to blood
Dakishimeraretakunatta / All we long for in life is just to be held
1:00 P.M. Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall. "Wookies"
The two teenagers found themselves past the automatic sliding doors and a simple metal detector, and inside the mall.
Their eyes wandered everywhere…
From the different food stalls to the luxurious of jewelry stores…
It had been exactly like they remembered it…
Noisy…
Busy…
Bustling…
But full of life…
Children hanging out with their friends, teenagers buying the various clothing options, and families filled with radiant smiles all over their faces…
Not minding that their hands had not been given the chance to even separate one finger, they continued to hold each other.
It almost felt like an eternity to them…
A world where people are so happy…
Where they couldn't see a child cry…
Nothing but blinding smiles all across their faces…
They found their lips slowly curl upwards…
They had been dying to see this…
A result of a traumatizing war…
"We're coming with you, Deku-kun."
"Huh?"
"We've thought about what you said Midoriya-bro."
"Yeah, and that we've all got something or someone to fight for."
"But for us heroes, we fight for everyone. Midoriya-kun, we want to fight alongside you in this battle."
"Midoriya, we want to protect everyone as well. We want to protect them with a smile on our faces. Telling them that everything would be okay."
"Everyone…"
"Deku-kun, what we're all trying to say is…"
"WE WANT TO BE A DEKU!"
If this was to be the result of that war, then they would join and win it for eternity if they have to.
A pregnant silence was all that was heard for a moment, before the purple-haired girl decided to break it.
"So, what do you want to do first?"
Izuku looked at his date—er, classmate that asked him to hang out.
"Uhm… how about you? What do you wanna—"
"Nope!" She quickly brought a finger up to his lips. "This day is for you, so you decide on what we should do first!" She had a wide grin on her face.
So she did decided to do this for him.
He honestly felt bad. He never liked it when people go out of their way to do something for him, it always felt like he was forcing them to do something that they did not want to do in the first place.
' Stop thinking that way!' He mentally slapped himself. ' You've already indulged her up to this point, why stop now?'
"Uhm… I'm kinda hungry." He bashfully scratched his cheek with his index finger.
Jiro put cupped her chin and hummed, "Well, where do you wanna eat?"
Izuku can't take this anymore! He's never been one to take initiative in trips! "You know what? You pick this time!"
"Huh?!" Jiro was obviously taken aback. "Didn't you hear what I just said?! This day is for you, so you should pick where you wanna eat!"
"I've already decided on what we should do, now it's your turn to decide where we should eat." He looked at her with those calm eyes boring into hers. "It's only fair that we enjoy it together."
Again, Jiro can't help but be in awe of how much nonsense this boy is always talking about. Maybe that's what made him such a great hero to everybody.
She let out a small smile.
Very well, she'll play his game for now.
She looked around to find something that would be enough to fill their need for sustenance. Her eyes laid on one stall with tables around its area.
"Well, um… I'm kinda craving for some crepes."
"Crepes it is!" Izuku rushed over the stall, with Jiro in tow. Weirdly enough, he was kind of carving for some of that thin pancake sweetness too.
Fortunately for the both of them, the stall had no line so they were free to take their time on picking something to order and get it immediately. They both looked up on the different selections of topping that would be added on the crepe, if they would like ice cream or whipped cream, if they liked their crepes to be plain or chocolate. The variety of the combination is near endless. They saw the look the employee was giving them will he preheated the pan and melted the butter. Feeling a bit embarrassed that they had made the employee wait for them to select the crepe of their choice, Izuku immediately picked a crepe quickly as to not inconvenience the employee any longer.
"I-I'd like a normal crepe, whipped cream, with matcha toppings p-please!" He didn't intend to say that loudly, but since he did he let go of Jiro's hand and went to on a chair and laid his head on the table.
Jiro just sighed, and shook her head in disappointment. That cinnamon roll was always so insecure about the people around him.
She decided to make a selection as well. "Normal crepe, whipped cream, chocolate toppings please."
"Dine-in?" the employee asked as he started to poor the pancake batter on the two pans and spreading it thinly with a wooden spreader. It had always fascinated her how they always do that in a circular motion.
"Yes please."
She waited in silence as the employee now flipped the crepe and waited for a quick moment before asking the girl a question. "You two are from U.A., right?"
"Yep."
"Wow. I recognized you both in that Sports Festival last year. That friend of yours has some guts, I'll give him that." Jiro was surprised, she didn't know that some people actually recognize her from that festival, she didn't even make it in the finals. "Then I saw the news a few months ago, when the villains started an uprising…" He pondered.
"You kids are crazy. With crazy quirks…" He rolled crepe and placed it on its packaging— with the stall's name written on the center of the package—and placed it on a circular rack for it to stand. "Must be nice to have one…"
"You're quirkless…?" Jiro stared at him.
"Yeah..." He took one strip of a matcha Kit Kat and grated it just above the whipped cream, green shaving can be seen falling on the white surface. "Kind of ironic, really… We were humans before all this quirk business, and now it looks like we're the freaks."
Jiro can't help but feel bad about that. True, a time before quirks they were humans, and nothing more. But when the age of quirks emerged, those that are not born with it are treated as the odd ones out. They were the same once, yet it's the quirkless ones who are outcasted. It's not that uncommon to see someone commit suicide, and it shouldn't come as to anyone's surprise that majority of those suicide rates are quirkless people.
This world is unfair…
Outcasts those that are different…
Hurts those who are righteous…
Sometimes gives praise to those who are unworthy of it…
"Your order."
Jiro looked at the two luscious meals before her eyes. Identical but different at the same time. One had been the matcha flavored crepe that Izuku asked, it had a bar of matcha Kit Kat stuffed in the whipped cream, and shavings of some of the green Kit Kat on the cream. The other had been hers, 2 short bars of chocolate stuffed the same way as Izuku's crepe, and chocolate syrup lay on the tip of the cream, like snow on Mount Everest.
She snapped out of her trance, and put her hand inside her pocket to fish out her wallet. The man stopped her.
"You can pay me later, looks like your friend needs you right now."
She stared at the employee for a moment, before looking behind her shoulder and found her classmate covering his head with his arms on the table. A slightly peaked up from his arm before flinching and hiding his head back his arms, once she turned her attention to him. Seriously, this guy is like a little puppy.
"I'll pay you, okay?" She took the crepes by their racks.
"Don't worry, I'll still be here even after you're done."
She looked back at the employee before turning on her heels and walking to the table her classmate is curled up on. She placed the food on the table and gently tapped his arm with her finger.
"Hey, Green, food's ready."
He looked up at the call of his classmate and looked at the desserts laid out before him. Jiro sat across from him and took the chocolate crepe and removed one of the bars of chocolate from the cream and bit off the piece that was covered with the cream. Izuku seemed like he was looking at his crepe the way he would look at some complete stranger. No ability to make eye contact whatsoever.
Needless to say, it irritated her. It was just food, what was the big deal?
"Green?" She called out to him.
"Y-yeah?"
She eyed his dessert and how he refused to even move the rack closer to him. "What's wrong?"
He knew this question was coming, yet he had his head lowered down where he can only see his knees. He played with his thumbs and fingers for a bit, before mustering up the courage to look up to the girl in front of him. He was looking at all the wrong places; her hair, cheeks, ears, nose, mouth, forehead. He had literally kept looking at every part of her head but he can't look at her eyes.
"I was too insecure, wasn't I?"
"You kind of were, yeah."
Izuku's head dropped at Jirou's bluntness. Though he should've expected that, she was never one to sugar coat things much. He awkwardly chuckled.
"So what's up?"
"Nothing it's just…" He sighed, his eyes showing disappointment and exasperation.
"…I just…" he looked away from her.
"Green, talk to me."
He took a peek at her, before complying and turning his head back to her direction.
"Am I too annoying?" He looked briefly to her eyes before looking somewhere else. "W-with my stammering and stutters?"
She looked at him, not really knowing how to respond to what he asked her. It was the first time she's heard the green- haired boy be so self-aware of his stuttering habits. She was stuck.
' How do I respond without him thinking that I feel forced to say that, while at the same time make him feel satisfied with it?'
"Well at times it can be annoying, but considering that I don't know much about you, I can't really judge. Plus, I kinda prefer it that way, you're kinda cute when you're all timid."
Both students' eyes widened at the words that came out of the girl's mouth.
' Did I just say that?!'
The boy just had a flabbergasted face and quickly turned red and turned his attention to anywhere else. Even the girl did not know what she just said, she had not meant to say those words out loud. Her cheeks flushed as she nibbled the chocolate bar, her earphone jacks unconsciously bumping against each other.
' I was thinking about something to say, but my mouth moved on its own! When have I ever thought that he seemed cute about it?!'
"U-uhm…" She heard him stammer. "T-thanks, I-I guess…" Like her, he nibbled on the bar of matcha Kit Kat.
This trip is starting out to be just great. They were both socially awkward, so she thought that might've been a good thing, but she was clearly wrong.
"I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to just say that all of the sudden." She said.
Midoriya looked at her with a worried expression. "I-it's okay!" he waved his hands at her, his cheeks still had a faint red color to them. The action, startled her for a bit. "A-actually, that's the first time I've heard someone say that about me. So thanks…"
She shyly looked at him, he was scratching his cheek with his index finger. She looked somewhere else, her cheeks still tainted with red. "D-don't m-mention it. Please."
They sat and ate their food in silence, no words were exchanged after that awkward conversation. Midoriya fished out his wallet and took out five 100 ¥ coins. Jiro noticed this and decided to say a word.
"I-I'll pay for it!"
"Let me do it. To make up for the trouble of you planning this." He gave her another smile.
She's annoyed that whenever he would smile at her she can't seem to find the strength to disagree with him. She watched him get up from the chair and to the stall to pay the employee. She was starting to see a pattern here.
Izuku went to the stall and looked left and right to look for the employee but found no one. He felt like panicking, until he heard a grumpy voice.
"Down here."
He looked down a bit and saw a guy, with an angry look on his face. He had long golden-blond hair—tied to a braid—and the bangs part in the middle framing his small face, and he had a strand of his hair sticking out. Honestly, that ahoge was the first thing Izuku saw when she looked at the man. He was so intimidated at how those golden eyes of him seem to bore into his soul.
Izuku was startled when the man suddenly slammed his fist on the counter. He heard the sound of metal clanking against the wooden counter.
Izuku was surprised to see that the right arm of this employee was fully made of metal, not that uncommon to find these days, if people are born or have lost a limb.
"You're probably thinking that I'm a midget, HUH?!" The blonde man exclaimed.
"W-what?! N-no, sir! Never would I think of someone that way, regardless of their height."
The guy clapped his hands—well hand and artificial hand—together and put his normal palm on the forearm of the metal one and lightning emerged from the contact his hand made on the metal surface.
"STOP CALLING ME A SHRIMPY BEAN SPROUT! I'M STILL GROWING, DAMMIT!"
Izuku was confused, he had said none of those things. He was more fascinated when the metal that was the forearm of his artificial limb, suddenly became elongated and the now elongated forearm went past the artificial hand and the tip was as sharp as a sword.
"W-wait! Y-you must've misinterpreted what I said!"
"Nah, I heard you clearly!" The blond man vaulted the counter and pointed the sword-arm at his face. "I AIN'T NO MIDGET!"
Izuku quickly activated his quirk, lightning emanated from his person. He turned his heels and dashed, making sure to grab the girl with him on the way. Jiro was surprised when she felt someone make contact with her wrist and the next thing she knew she was flying in the air like a kite.
"HEY! GET BACK HERE YOU ASSHOLE!"
"EDWARD!"
"Crap…"
Hitori ja… / I can't do any…
…Arukenakunatta / …of this alone anymore
1:30 P.M. Kiyashi Ward Park
The two teenagers were found in the park, the green- haired boy panting and looking more distressed—he had his hand on the trunk of a tree— while the purple-haired girl just looked at the boy while she fixes her hair.
"I'm… sorry… Jiro-san…" He said in between pants.
"It's okay, I had a feeling trouble would happen sooner or later." She flicked a leaf off her head.
The boy just looked at her. "What's that… supposed… to mean?"
The girl just smirked at him and giggled. "Because I'm with you, you idiot." She found herself smiling wider. "Things are never really dull when I'm with you."
She laughed, the boy not knowing if he should be insulted by that statement. Sooner the boy also found himself chuckling and laughing with his classmate.
She wasn't wrong though, trouble always seem to find him and the people he's with…
' Trouble?'
' People I'm with?'
"Mom!"
"Everything's going to be okay…"
He stopped laughing, and his head slowly dropped and looked to the ground. This did not go unnoticed by the girl, who now had her face contorted into a worried expression.
"Green? Are you okay?"
He paused for a moment before answering. "…Yeah, yeah… I remembered that I actually need to go somewhere…"
"Oh, well let me come with."
"Actually…maybe it's better for you to go back."
She had not expected that response at all, the day was still early and they had some time before they needed to go back to the dorms. So why? He's going away, and he doesn't plan on stopping. She was here for him, so why won't he let her help him? She wanted to reach out for him and tell him that he doesn't need to deal whatever he needs to deal with alone, she wanted to tell him that today.
' Who's to say you can't do that now?'
Waraiatteitanda yo / We smiled and laughed at our sick past
Omocha ni ai wo sasagete / Devoting such love to all those petty toys
Furaresaru kodomotachi wo / I wish we could destroy
I kantan na kotoba de kowashitai / The untouchable children using simple words
1:55 P.M. Musutafu Memorial
In the end, Jiro had come with him. He didn't know what came to his mind and he let his classmate come with him here. It wasn't any of her business and yet she wants to stand by him.
He can't help but smile at the thought.
' Who's the idiot now?'
They crossed the many tombstones that lay on the dirt to hold a memory of the families' lost loved one. They would see and hear some family member sniff and cry and wail while they stood in front of the slab of stone stuck to the ground. Jiro looked at her classmate, she knew that Midoriya must be visiting someone he had lost, which would explain the idea why he doesn't want her to come. It was a really personal business, and she just trespassed in that said business. Why is it that her judgement always seems to not lead to the result she always wanted?
She didn't noticed that the boy had come to a stop in front of one of the stones. He had his head down and his bangs covered his eyes. She saw his shoulders tremble and his teeth gritting against each other, his lips trembled as tears slowly streamed down his cheeks. She went closer by his side and saw the name embedded on the stone.
He can't help it, he didn't want to visit here in the first place, but he did it anyways.
Why did he decide to visit here anyways?
The last time he went here was on the day of the funeral.
Months had past and not once had he visited this grave.
He didn't find any point in visiting. It wasn't going to bring them back.
Which now begs the question…
Why now?
Why not then?
Why not the day after the funeral?
These were the questions that he asked himself back then as well.
He didn't want to remember. As simple as that.
He thought it wouldn't hurt as much as it was back then.
But all that confining he did back then only served to dull the pain.
He can still remember them.
Their love.
Their guidance.
It hurts…
It hurts so much to just remember…
The tears that were shed…
How she said 'sorry' to him that day…
She didn't want to say that to him…
She still wanted her son to hope…
But how…
He can remember her smile when he said that he had a quirk…
How she seemed happier than he is…
Shoufu ga hi wo hanatta / The prostiture set fire
Tooku no machi de dareka ga / And in that long gone town of lies, someone…
He won't forget her…
Jiro wanted to let him know that she won't let him bear the pain by himself…
He won't forget her smile…
She held his hand tightly…
She won't let him deal with it all…
Not this time…
He won't forget…
Shindayo…
Midoriya Inko
A/n:
Song used: Munou (Incompetence) by österreich, aka the opening of Tokyo Ghoul √A.
Please note that I am new to , so if the chapters seemed like they were pulled out of a grinder, my inexperience would probably explain it. Although, I have already posted this story in AO3 as well, I figured that I needed insights on different sites in order for me to improve my writing.
So if it isn't too much trouble, tell me what your thoughts are on the story, if there's some elements in which I can improve it on and the like.