5

Raindrops

Izuku was waiting at a bus stop. He was wearing his signature red boots, black cargo pants, a loose belt, a white collar shirt, and his green unzipped hoodie.

Deku's eyes fell on the sidewalk. They scrunched up recalling his conversation with Uraraka.


"Hey, Deku!" She ran up to him, as he got his shoes out of the locker.

"Hm, oh Uraraka." He smiled, turning to her.

She had a delightful grin, and swayed back and forth, on the balls of her feet. "Iida was thinking, that we should hang out this weekend! What do you say?!"

"This weekend? S-Sorry, I have plans with Kyouka." He didn't notice the subtle dread in her eyes. "I know, how about next weekend? We could go to the mall or something, all of us!"

"A-All of us?" That meant Jirou too, didn't it? Her eyes were shadowed, but she lit up her face. "Sure! Sounds fun! We haven't hung out in a while, so we just thought that... Hahaha." She laughed off.

He rubbed his chin in thought. She had a point. "Hey, how about we walk home together." She grew cheerful eyes at his words. "Kyouka is pretty easygoing around everyone, I don't think she'll mind."

Uraraka subconsciously skid back with one foot. "Ugh, a-actually Iida and I were going to visit his brother, he's still recovering at the hospital, so..."

"Oh, I should go too, I was worried about Iida when I heard about his brother-" about to begin his caring, innocent, blubbering that Uraraka enjoyed hearing, but now every word was a thorn hidden under the rose of his paragraph.

"It's fine, really!" She waved her arms in front of herself. She walked away from the conversation and the internal situation she was facing.

"Uraraka?"


"She was definitely acting weird."

The bus stopped and opened.

He lifted his head up. He saw her beginning to walk out the steps. She grinned and let out a skip as she spotted him. She was rocking the punk aesthetic. A purple choker, a white tank top with an album cover of her favorite band, a black jacket that barely passed below her ribcage, ripped up jeans, and black boots.

"Yo, Izuku." With a wave of her fingers.

"Hey, Kyouka."

They began to walk on the busy street. "Were you waiting long?"

"No. I just got here." He smiled at her. 'I actually came an hour earlier...'

They headed into the arcade. "Why'd we come here?" Not that she was complaining. She walked further inside, then turned to him.

He gave an innocent answer. "Because they have music-based games, kinda like a warm up!"

She cracked a grin before laughing. "Damn, you're really into that supportive crap, huh?"

Deku didn't feel insulted though. Her voice was sincere. His lips curved gently.

"But thanks, I do appreciate it." She had that quiet, endearing, smile.

"...Kyouka-" He caught his accidental affection gasp. "Y-Yeah, don't mention it."

"Hey, let's play some Zombies!" She ran to a game with two pistols. "You know, have some fun before the 'concert.'" She teased.

'Her eyes had a gleam of spring. I didn't see the melancholic, aloof, sarcastic side of her everyone knew. This was someone I wanted to know better, the side of Kyouka I talked about in my notebook.'

"W-Wait up!" He finished his inner monologue and joined her.

She playfully rolled her eyes, back to her snarky attitude. "What was up with you, I thought you were on pause for a moment. Don't tell me you also ramble mentally?" She smirked, seeing the shy guilt in his tinted cheeks. "You do?" She nudged him with her elbow. "So what was it about?" She enjoyed messing with him.

He grew more flustered but answered. "I guess..." He was looking down but forced himself to face her and smile, even through the nerves. "I guess, I just want to remember this."

Kyouka let out a shocked peep. She suddenly felt smaller, stopping her teasing. She was holding the toy pistol with both hands, one finger tenderly on the trigger. She clutched it. She stared at it for a moment, before looking away, embarrassed. "I... I wouldn't mind remembering this too."

He nodded.

And they began to play at the arcade.

'He really is into this supportive stuff, huh.' She smiled to herself.

They killed a few hours and Zombies at the arcade.

"Hey, let's go play some dancing games!" Her voice had a natural musical upbeat rhythm. She grabbed his hand, dragging him along to the fun tempo.

"Eh? B-But I'm not that good-"

"It's easy, just relax and have fun!" She inserted a few coins into the game and stepped up onto the dance floor. "Come on, Izuku!" With a full-blown smile. She reached out her hand to him.

His green eyes grow into emerald orbs of admiration. 'Her voice... It sounds so angelic.' "Y-Yeah!" He stepped up, taking her hand and joined her.

They played a few songs. Deku was a fumbling mess but had fun. Jirou was swaying her hips to the music.

After, they played a few more games, especially the guitar one, then they decided to leave.

They were close to the exit. "That was fun!"

"S-Sorry, because of me, we were barely able to finish any songs. I'm not that good at those games."

"It's not a big deal. I got to play some of my favorite solos." She played air-guitar, as they left.

"Ara? It's raining?" Izuku held out his palm. Droplets slid past his fingers and splashed. The clouds shrouded the city with a growing stream.

Kyouka stepped out and splashed on a small puddle. She twirled around on the heel of her boots, back to him. "The rain is great, huh?" She wondered, staring up, trying to catch the image of the endless raindrops.

He stared up with her and agreed. He lowered his gaze back down to her. "K-Kyouka." A dearly whispered note. Her amethyst eyes were reflecting the sky and rain, with a surreal glimmer.

"Hm..." She stopped her sky gazing and looked back at him. A blush spread across her cheeks and her earphone jacks squirmed. She crossed her arms, with a forced, look away, pout. "Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer?" Her stomach was beating drums and pounding it from her heart. She kind of did wish they had a picture though, today was fun.

"Heh? No, sorry." He dropped his head. "I, um, I got lost in your eyes."

She rubbed one arm, then uncrossed them. "You're such a softy." She walked towards him with a grin. "Don't apologize for everything." She pulled out her phone.

"Nani? Kyouka?"

She locked her arm around his neck, bringing him down in a headlock. "Say cheese!" She lifted her phone at the both of them.

And click

A photo in the rain. Both of them with cheerful grins.


Midoriya and Jirou ran, to try and escape the heavy rain. They laughed, stepping on the bus. The bus driver grumbled at the squeaky shoes and wet stomps.

They sighed, sitting down. The heater was on and they enjoyed the warmth before their stop.

They reluctantly got off, close to Jirou's home.

They walked at a brisk pace. "I can let you borrow an umbrella." She yelled over the rain.

"Thank you." He replied just as loud.

She opened the front gate of her home and led them to the front door. She unlocked it, and they entered.

"Make yourself at home." She took off her shoes and jacket. Izuku copied her, placing his shoes next to hers. "Wanna chill until the rain dies down?" She mumbled, walking into the living room.

"S-Sure, but what about your parents?"

"Huh? Them? They usually go on tour together. Won't be back for a few days." She began to walk up the stairs. "I got, um, my guitar, in my room."

"Oh, r-right" He remembered the real reason they were supposed to hang out. They lost track at the arcade. 'I mean it was a date, I think.' He followed her up to her room.

"A-Awesome." He was bewildered by the number of instruments in the room. A drum set in the corner. A few electric and bass guitars on the wall. 'Even the tambourine is here...' "You actually play all these?" He cheerfully asked.

"Yeah, the basics." But it was shy. She twiddled her earphone jacks together.

"Wow, you're really cool Kyouka." He smiled warmly at her.

And that gave her courage. "Thanks." She returned the smile, picking up the guitar on her bed. "Let's go out in the veranda. There's some shelter. We should enjoy the rain some more, right Izuku?"

Deku followed her, closing the sliding door behind him.

A rush of the cool weather surrounded them. The wind swept a few strands of her hair around.

"The city looks amazing." He mused, leaning on the railing.

"It does, doesn't it?" She was leaning on the corner, sharing his rainy skyline view. She smirked to herself. She lifted her guitar. She took a deep breath. 'Now or never.'

The pebble-like sound of the raindrops, resonated with the gentle acoustic cords strummed.

Izuku perked up, his eyes peeled away from the city, to her.

Her eyes were closed, she let herself unravel with the rainy melody. Her shoulders rose to each gentle strum and dropped, switching her fingers up. She hummed absently to her own tune. Hitting a different chord, her eyes opened slightly, tenderly focused on her passionately slow rhythm.

He gulped.

'It was a simple song and few different chords, but the beauty in her unspoken lyrics were better played, besides the droplets in harmony, and I thought,'

"You're beautiful..." Unknowingly, speaking his thoughts, as she brought her song to a stop.

"Huh?!" She shot her eyes to him, but her instant tantrum stopped. The glaze of his rain shaded eyes tugged at her heart. Her lips curved up a little. "Geez, what are you talking about?"

Midoriya heard the sincere vocal wondering of her words. He reaffirmed himself and walked up to her.

She was leaning on the railing, looking away, gripping her guitar.

"I, um, Kyouka," He tried to explain. She slightly faced him. "I really like you!" He rushed out, eyes shut.

She gasped with wide eyes, now facing him completely.

He dared to open them. "Ara?"

Her eyes held a liquid shine, about to spill, her cheeks were pale to the rain but held a cold blush, and her lips had a heart played, quivered, smile. "You idiot." She croaked weakly, but earnestly. "Aren't hero's supposed to be confident when they confess?"

His eyes grew, then softened. "Yeah." He attempted again.

He placed his hands on her tense shoulders. Both just as nervous. Their eyes met and he respoke his words. "I l-like you, Kyouka." He felt her shoulders given in.

"I like you too, Izuku." Her face was flustered, but she forced herself to keep her composure. She closed her eyes and leaned slightly towards him.

He almost flinched back. 'A k-kiss?!' His grip on her shoulders tightened slightly before he resolved himself. He tilted his head and closed his eyes.

'When our lips met, I believed, I was tasting the emotions behind the gentle notes of her song.'

Kyouka laid her guitar to the side, as she pressed her body on Izuku. Their clothes were damp and squished together. Her fingers clutched the fabric of his collar. His hands slid down her shoulders, to her slim waist. He leaned on her, her back arched behind the railing. The faces were tempting the weather, and it graced them with gentle droplets on their skin as their lips embraced.