Todoroki-kun to Koi no Yamai
[3 b ]
Shouto Todoroki enrolled in UA with specific ambitions in mind. His goal was to become the Number One Hero of his generation while using only his mother's quirk. This feat alone would cement that he will have officially surpassed his father in the future. The moment that he emerged from his father's shadow and distinguished himself from being more than Endeavor's son was the prize that his eyes had been set on since the moment he was recommended to attend UA.
Nothing mattered more than his studies and training. Shouto was so focused that he didn't give anything else a passing thought. Despite his disinterest in the social aspects of his school life, Shouto wasn't so blinded by objectives that he was unaware of the people around him.
Naturally, Shouto had respect and admiration for the staff at UA. He wasn't one to volunteer his opinions but he did take notes and pay close attention to the mannerisms and wisdom of pro-heroes.
Additionally, Shouto had a mental catalog of noteworthy classmates. He may not have greeted or interacted with them, but he knew of the standout students by name. These students who seemed like exceptions amongst their cohorts not only had formidable quirks but they showed signs of creativity—brilliant minds that could find out-of-the-box ways to manipulate their abilities.
There was Izuku Midoriya, who suspiciously appeared to have All Might's favor. There was Katsuki Bakugou: a student who was as powerful as he was rash. And finally, there was Kagome Higurashi, a girl whose appearance and demeanor belied her studiousness and vigor.
Outside of noting her skills with her wind-controlling quirk, Shouto hadn't given Kagome much thought. She was just another stepping stone in his path to be the next Number One hero. That was until—.
[ "My greatest secret is how much I want to hold Todoroki-kun!" ]
Todoroki-kun.
That was his name.
But...
Shouto's narrowed his eyes. His hands remained in front of his face, his fingers interlocked in a thoughtful pose.
He was waiting for this intermission to end. He heard his classmate's proclamation and said nothing because he felt nothing. He felt no need to question her confession. He also felt no particular animosity for anyone who wanted to hold him back.
It was a rat race to the Number One slot so he didn't blame anyone for how they clawed their way to the top.
All Shouto knew was that he wouldn't allow anyone or anything to get in his way. He was not daunted and carried through the rest of the period the way that he usually did: digesting lessons and taking notes of highlights.
His second surprise of the day came when the lunch bell rang and his desk was suddenly surrounded by several classmates who rarely gave him the time of day. When a hand slapped against the surface of his desk, Shouto looked up and found Denki's wide grin. Eijiro, Mineta, Izuku, and surprisingly Tenya made up the rest of the assembly at his desk.
Strange.
"...you have some business with me?" the dual-haired teen questioned.
The blond's grin widened as he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to gesture towards the door, "Sure do! Let's chat, buddy."
Shouto suppressed and conceded without a vocalized fuss, but his face betrayed controlled irritation.
The next thing that he knew, his usual solitary table was occupied by a handful of classmates. "Be honest," Denki, who sat directly across from Shouto, began without beating around the bush, "How are you going to answer Kago-rin?" The other students wore varying intensities of curiosity.
"Answer...?" Shouto stoic expression shifted to mild surprise before hardening with resolve, "If she challenges me directly, I will not back down."
"Man, I never knew Todoroki was the kinky type," Mineta's shamelessness made Izuku blush, and Tenya point and admonish him in the background, "It's always the quiet ones."
Meanwhile Eijiro sweat dropped and wore a bemused smile as Denki chuckled, "Dude, you're so thick. What does Kago-rin see in you?"
Eijiro, the most amicable of the group, took it upon himself to smile and explain, "Todoroki, I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure Kago-rin isn't looking for a fight."
"Is that so...?" Shouto's tone and movements were detached as his attention was on separating his chopsticks to begin partaking in his lunch.
"See that?!" Denki pointed at Shouto as he effectively removed himself from the conversation, "How can she be into a guy like that?!"
Izuku wore a sheepish smile while he scratched the back of his head, "I-I'm sure she has her reasons... I was more curious about finding out what Todoroki-kun thinks of Higurashi-san..."
Tenya clutched his chin thoughtfully, "And as Class Representative, I wanted to ensure that the two only participate in school-approved activities but it seems this will be a non-issue..." He watched as Eijiro snorted juice through his nose after Denki revealed that he had been sure that Kagome had feelings for him all this time.
"Pfffft, you? What gave you the idea?!" Eijiro questioned after his snickering ebbed.
Denki's hand slammed against his chest as he explained, "K-Kago-rin always laughs at my jokes!"
Despite the liveliness at his table, Shouto's expression remained unchanging. His mind was focused. He even ate his meals with purpose and conviction.
Not once did his eyes stray to the table not far from his own.
If they did, he would have noticed that pair of blue eyes that sought him out.