Summary - It's nearing the end of Hitomi Kanetsukabe's birthday when she stumbles on a surprise.
A/N: I STARTED WORKING ON THIS IN APRIL. I FINISHED WRITING THIS IN JUNE. IT TOOK ME SO LONG BECAUSE OF ALL THE ART I DREW AND I STARTED AT A NEW UNI I'M SORRY I TOOK FOREVER I'M LIKE 2 WHOLE MONTHS LATE 😭
Ahem. Anyways. Happy (very very late) b-day to my favorite blueberry 3
This is another Ghostomi fic. Still in the hyperfixation 9 months later ✌ 😗 So yes she is a pro hero in this again. BUT quick FYI: this fic and the last one have no connection. When I write these one-shots I don't really think about any kind of continuity between them, so they're all kind of their own standalone stories. With that out of they way, ENJOYYYYY 😁❤️
‼️Small content warning‼️: VERY VERY minor allusions to adult activities. They are like, SUPER vaguely implied and not explicitly stated at all, but I thought I'd still put a small note for it anyway just in case. Use your own discretion.
Art -
Add /29vvtmh7qbc to the DeviantArt Stash URL.
"Will that be all you're purchasing today?"
He moved his gaze from the woman with bubblegum pink hair to stare down at the items laid out on the counter. Three cans of beer, a pack of rice crackers, and a melon bread. He began to nod, but before he could even get a word out, another employee with hair in a braid appeared behind the counter, presenting him with a slice of cake in a plastic container.
"Some of our cakes today are also on sale…!" she exclaimed. She seemed a bit breathless as she flashed him a wide smile. "Would you like a piece? This one is 50 percent off."
Her coworker looked confused. "They are? I don't remember-"
She was cut off as the other woman elbowed her, the one with the braid continuing to smile.
"50 percent off, huh…" he hummed, mulling it over. It looked like a piece of strawberry shortcake. "If it's that much of a discount… I guess I can buy it."
The woman with the braid grinned, beginning to put his items in a bag as the other one rang him up.
"Okay then!" the pink-haired one exclaimed. "Your total will be 1435 yen, sir."
He placed two 1000-yen bank notes on the counter, grabbing the plastic bag. "You can keep the change."
Once he was given the reciept, he turned away from the register, making his way to the door. As he yawned, he heard the two women begin to whisper to each other.
"That guy is super handsome, don't you think?"
"Definitely. Why do you think I gave him the discount on the cake?"
"Wha-! I knew those weren't on sale…!"
"Awww, don't worry about it. Who knows, maybe it'll make him wanna come back here…"
Their conversation faded as he finally exited the convenience store, the sky a dark blue, almost black. He heard the soft click of a woman's shoes before they suddenly stopped, prompting him to look down.
His eyes met that of a familiar silver and he blinked.
"…Ah."
Standing before him was Hitomi Kanetsukabe, known to the public as the Veiling Hero: Blue Moon. She was dressed in a white off-shoulder sundress, with long, loose sleeves and a flowy skirt that reached just above her knees. Short, 1-inch heels were on her feet while a sun hat adorned her head, covering her stark blue hair.
He blinked, staring at her for a few more seconds. Most times he saw her she was in her full hero costume. There were the rare times he saw her in a magazine or ad campaign, modeling clothes or styled to promote a brand's product. But those were different from seeing her dressed casually, on a normal day.
Like today.
He couldn't look away. Like this she looked… cute. Pretty.
Her eyes finally seemed to widen in recognition and she tensed, opening her mouth as if to speak. But she let out no sound, and instead he saw her look behind him, seeming to gain a panicked look on her face. She suddenly grabbed his arm, making him grunt as she pulled him down the sidewalk.
"You come here…!"
She walked briskly as she dragged him with her, making an abrupt turn into an alleyway. She pushed him against the wall, caging him in between her arms. Her eyes seemed to narrow as she looked up at him.
"So it is you. What are you doing here, Ghost?!"
He blinked, raising a brow and gesturing to the bag in his hand. "What does it look like?" he snorted. "I was buying stuff at the convenience store. It's a coincidence I ran into you."
Hitomi squinted at him. "And how do I know you didn't just steal that stuff? Or threaten the people inside?"
Ghost let out another snort. "Oh, come on. You know that's not my style, bluebelle. Not for something as mundane as rice crackers. I even have the receipt if you don't believe me." He looked her over, staring at her dress. "You're not even in your costume, so it's not like you're on duty. Why are you interrogating a citizen on his day off?"
"Even if I'm not in costume, that doesn't mean I'll ignore a villain when I see one! You've got multiple charges against you and you think I wouldn't do anything?"
Ghost stared down at her again, taking in the fact that the top of her head only reached up to his shoulders, even with those heels giving her an extra inch. He looked to the side, letting out an exhale almost akin to a laugh.
Hitomi's eyes narrowed as she leaned closer towards him. "Are you seriously laughing right now?!"
Ghost let out some quiet chuckles, his shoulders shaking slightly. "…I can't take you seriously right now. Not when you're so short… and you're trying so hard to be intimidating in a cute dress with flowers on it."
Her face flushed slightly as her eyebrow twitched. "I'm not that short! 160 centimeters is decently tall for an Asian woman, especially a Filipino one!" Her eyes flashed a bright cerulean and she raised her fist in a threatening manner. "And just because I'm in a sundress doesn't mean I won't totally kick your-!"
Growwwwwwl.
Ghost and Hitomi's eyes both widened at the noise, the source seeming to be her stomach. She immediately pushed herself off him and slumped against the opposite wall, her head hung low in shame.
Ghost let out another chuckle, seeing her cheeks were a faint red. "Seems like someone's hungry."
"Shut up!"
"Oh, and I don't doubt that you'd still kick my ass in that outfit. I just found the image of it kind of funny. The dichotomy, you know?"
"I said shut up!"
Ghost let out a few more snorts and chuckles as she slowly crouched down to the floor in embarrassment, holding her cheeks. He stepped towards her, bending forward to try and see her face. Though it was largely covered by her hat.
"Wanna get something to eat?"
"What makes you think I wanna go anywhere with you?!" Hitomi immediately snapped back with a glare. Her face had a hue similar to a tomato. "I can find someplace on my own, so just-"
Growwwwwwl.
Hitomi hid her head in her arms. "Ugh…!" She waved her hand at him erratically, in a "go away" gesture. "Just- Just leave. Before this gets any more mortifying."
Ghost smirked, grabbing her hand. Hitomi gasped as she was suddenly pulled up from the ground, stumbling towards him. He steadied her by her shoulders, giving her a smug grin.
"I know lots of good places to get food."
"Why would you even want me to go with you?" Hitomi shot back, though her ire seemed to be fading.
"I'm bored. Come on, let's hang out."
She looked down with narrowed eyes and flushed cheeks, crumpling her skirt in her hands. "I'm… not going with…"
Growwwwl.
Ghost let out a laugh this time as he pulled his hands away, putting them in his pockets. His shopping bag from the convenience store swung slightly at the movement. "Listen to your poor stomach. Are you really gonna torture it more by trying to deal with me before you eat?"
Hitomi eventually huffed, turning away and crossing her arms. "…Fine," she grumbled. "But when this is over don't think I'm just gonna let you walk away scot free."
He shrugged, brushing past her to walk further into the alley. "Sure. You've done so well with that in the past."
He heard her growl behind him (like… actually growl— her friendship with that pro hero Dynamight was made obvious by that) until eventually, the click of her heels seemed to follow behind him, echoing down the small alleyway.
Her sun hat entered his peripheral vision as they walked. "So where are you going?" she huffed, clutching the bag strap of her purse tightly. He noticed her bag was on her side furthest from him. Probably because she was worried he'd pickpocket her.
"Depends," Ghost said. "What are you looking for?"
She was silent for a few seconds. "…Ramen. And I want someplace quiet. Where I won't get noticed by a lot of people."
"Hmm…" He turned over all the ramen places he knew in his head, soon coming up with a destination. "I know just the place."
He made an abrupt turn into another alley and Hitomi followed after him. Things were quiet between them for a bit, their footsteps echoing as they walked through the dark and secluded areas of the city.
"So," Ghost eventually hummed, "what are you doing out at this hour, anyway? It's not like you're working…"
He glanced over at her to see she was giving him an incredulous glare. "…Are you seriously asking that?"
"I'm trying to make small talk," he said with a shrug. "It's the polite thing to do."
Hitomi rolled her eyes, sighing to herself as she brushed some of her hair back behind her ear. "…I was out with a friend earlier. We parted ways a while ago… but I didn't want to go home yet, so I was just wandering around. I wanted to find some good food…" She sighed again tiredly. "But I'm not in the mood to be recognized anymore today."
"Guess we better stick to a discreet route, then," Ghost chuckled, making another turn. As Hitomi followed him her stomach made another loud growl, causing him to let out more chuckles.
Her voice sounded like a strangled yelp. "Oh my god…!" She hit her fist against her stomach, covering her abdomen with her arms. "Shut up…!"
"No need to abuse the poor thing, bluebelle," he laughed. "It's desperate enough."
Hitomi seemed to grit her teeth as she held her stomach. "You shut up. I don't need to hear you lecturing me. I shouldn't even be with you right now."
"And yet here you are." He paused, staring at the path that now forked off in two different directions. He glanced between them, deliberating it before heading towards the one on the right. "Should be this way."
As he walked the only sound he heard was his own footsteps, making him think for a moment that she'd stopped following him. Soon, however, the familiar click of her heels drew closer and he glanced back at her with a smirk.
"You're the one that decided to trust me."
"…This ramen place better be good," she grumbled as her stomach let out another growl. "If it's not, I'm punching you in the face."
"Hey. Violence isn't always the answer, you know. Didn't they teach you better than that at your fancy old hero school?"
"I don't wanna hear that from you," Hitomi grumbled, speedwalking past him. She got a few feet ahead of him and Ghost paused, watching as she passed by a trash can.
"Bluebelle."
She paused, glaring at him over her shoulder and he pointed down another alley with a smug smile. "We're going this way."
She seemed to flinch, scurrying after him as he walked down the new path.
"…Shut up."
"I didn't even say anything."
"I don't care. Shut up."
Ghost shrugged and they made their way down a few more alleys, making turns, crossing some empty streets. As they walked, Hitomi's stomach growled several more times, causing him a few more laughs which only earned him more glares from the pro hero.
He kept stealing glances at her every now and then, taking in how her floral-patterned dress swayed as she walked, how her shoes tapped against the pavement, the way the flap of her hat bounced slightly with each step.
He was so used to seeing her in her hero costume, carrying that inherent serious demeanor of a pro. Of course, there were always the times she'd let her emotions get the better of her, like when he provoked her enough… But even in the passing glances he'd get of her in advertisements or magazines when she was out of costume, there was still a sense of professionalism.
But like this… something felt different. More relaxed. And he couldn't say he disliked the new atmosphere.
"I'm still kind of wondering…" Ghost said slowly, "why you decided not to work today. It's rare to see heroes take days off, even on national holidays."
Instead of being annoyed or angry this time, Hitomi looked… surprised.
"Oh…" She seemed to hesitate for a second, pulling her hat down. "…It's my… birthday."
"Ah." Ghost's half-lidded eyes widened.
Her birthday.
It was… today. He vaguely recalled hearing somewhere that it was on the 11th of July.
That was why her demeanor seemed so different. It was probably why she was wearing such a nice sundress as well. Because it was a special day for her. She even mentioned that she'd been with a friend, too.
"…I see," he finally said.
"You… didn't know?" Instead of her usual ire, she sounded timid.
"I'm pretty sure I've seen somewhere that it was around this time." Ghost chuckled as they turned down another street. "You seem disappointed that I didn't remember. Believe it or not, bluebelle… I'm not as obsessed with you as you are with me."
And the glare was back on her face. "I am not obsessed with you!"
"Oh, really? When's my birthday, then? Because unlike yours, it's not exactly public information."
She seemed to flinch, struggling to speak. "I…You- You told me yourself that it's in August!"
"Uh huh…" He remembered telling her something like that once. "…And I told you that years ago. Pretty sure it hasn't really come up again since."
"Wha-!" Now her face looked like a tomato again. "I only remember it because of all the other stuff you said to me then! You said those things to make a point! Having that kind of bomb dropped on you isn't something people just forget, you know…!"
"Suuure," Ghost drawled. He flashed her another smirk. "Like I said. Obsessed with me."
Hitomi raised her fist, again in a threatening manner. "I'm so close to punching you. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't arrest you right now."
Ghost stopped, right before the exit of the alleyway that led into a large street. "If you do," he said smugly, "you can forget about eating anytime soon." He saw her fist loosen slightly. "Not only would you have to waste your time chasing me… you'd have to deal with all the legal processes too. If you catch me. And we both know you've never had much success on that front."
Hitomi bit her lip, letting her hand fall to her side as she looked away. "…this ramen better be the best in the city."
"I don't know if I'd say 'best'…" he laughed, "but it's up there."
He glanced back and forth to see if there were any people, stepping out onto the sidewalk when he found none. "Now come on. Should be a 10-minute walk from here."
A tall blonde woman adjusted the sunglasses that sat at the top of her head as she and Hitomi retreated to the shade of a tall tree. After leaving the restaurant, they'd made their way to the nearby park.
"You're completely sure you didn't wanna take that food with you?"
Hitomi pulled her hat further down her head, glancing around. No one seemed to have noticed her, luckily. "Nari, we already left the place. I'm sure. I wasn't much of a fan of it, anyway. You saw it, I didn't even take more than two bites."
Her best friend frowned. "Yeah, and that was because people started swarming you! Not to mention the management did nothing." She crossed her arms, kicking a stray pebble with her boot. "A place that 'fancy' should have better customer service than that."
Hitomi sighed softly at her friend's frustration. "You don't need to get so upset on my behalf. It comes with the job sometimes… I'm used to it. Besides- I did eventually get those fans to stop. And it was an excuse to leave that place and it's crappy food, so it's a win-win?"
Nari's shoulders relaxed. "If you say so…"
They both jumped slightly at the sound of a loud ringtone, the tall blonde fishing around in her purse and pulling out her phone. She gasped as the screen lit her face. "It's… my agent! Why is he calling at this hour…?"
Hitomi's eyes widened. "What?! Nari, take it! It might be important!"
Nari gulped nervously and with a nod, she answered the call, turning away as she brought the phone to her ear. Hitomi leaned back against the tree trunk as her childhood friend stepped a few feet away to talk to her talent agent, the bluenette looking away for good measure to give her some privacy.
She continued to glance around the park, readjusting her hat at the sight of some passerby. They were in a pretty secluded area… but Hitomi didn't want to take any more chances after what had happened at the restaurant. She didn't know if she had the energy.
Eventually, Nari hung up, trudging back to Hitomi with a frazzled look on her face.
"So what was it?" Hitomi asked.
The blonde took a deep breath, placing a hand on her chest as she exhaled. "…He got me an audition this Saturday. There's this new anime being produced that's based on a shoujo manga… and he thinks the adaptation will be really popular because of how high the manga sales have been. He's sending me a script to practice tonight."
Hitomi gasped. "Are you serious?! Nari, that's amazing news!"
Nari nodded slowly. "He even said this could be my big break… if I happen to get one of the main roles, that is."
Hitomi grabbed her best friend's hands, bouncing slightly in her heels. "This is huge! You have to start rehearsing as soon as possible!"
"Eh?!" Nari blinked as Hitomi continued to squeeze her hands. "Wait- Hold on! Today was supposed to be about your birthday…! We can think about that later-"
Hitomi shook her head. "No, Nari. This is super important for you. Besides, we already spent a lot of today together. I didn't really have anything else planned after dinner, so… you should go home and practice! You barely even have a week to get ready for that audition, so you should spend as much time as possible preparing!"
Her best friend looked hesitant. "Are-Are you sure? After that terrible dinner, I don't know if we could end your birthday like that…"
Hitomi shook her head once more. "We're not. We're ending it with the news that you have an audition for a big new voice acting role. And that's definitely a positive note to leave things on, right?"
Nari seemed to think it over for a few seconds until she finally wore a grin of her own, engulfing Hitomi in a tight hug. "I guess you're right," she laughed. "Thanks, Hitomi."
Hitomi squeezed her arms around her in response. "Of course. You'll kill it at that audition, okay? I can't wait to see your name in the PV announcement!"
"You don't even know what it's for!" Nari said as they pulled apart.
"No, but I can make a guess. A popular shoujo manga that doesn't have an anime yet."
Nari smiled, giving Hitomi one last hug. "I'll do my best. And happy birthday, Hitomi."
"Yeah, yeah. Now get going so you can start practicing."
She rubbed Nari's back, giving the blonde a soft pat. "And say hi to Yoshiho for me. I love the gift she got me."
"I'll pass the message along." Nari wore another grin, sending her a wave as she walked down the path. "See you, Hitomi! I'll text you."
"See you." Hitomi had a large smile of her own, waving back and watching as her childhood friend exited the park. Once her dirty blonde hair eventually disappeared into the crowd, Hitomi readjusted her hat and stepped away from the tree, making her way towards another exit.
Since dinner had been such a disaster…
She might as well find someplace else to eat while she was still out.
"Hold on a second."
Hitomi's eyebrow twitched as she stared at the buildings and lights outside the alleyway, her expression one of annoyance. And suspicion.
The tall man (villain) she called Ghost paused, just a few steps shy of the alleyway's exit. He glanced back at her over his shoulder and Hitomi's eyes narrowed.
"I wanted to find someplace quiet to eat," she said slowly, scanning the signs of the few buildings in view. "And you decide to take me… to a red-light district?!"
Ghost blinked, a look of realization crossing his eyes. "Oh… yeah. That's my bad for not mentioning it earlier." He bowed his head slightly, as if he were apologizing. "Don't worry, we're not eating anywhere here."
Hitomi squinted at him, clutching her bag strap and taking a step back. "Then what are we doing here?"
Ghost pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Just passing through. The ramen place I'm taking you to is past this area."
"And we couldn't take any more alleys like we have been for the past 15 minutes?! I can't help but feel suspicious of this, you know!"
"The buildings here are too close together for there to be many alleyways that would take us to where we're going. And the few alleys that are here… well." Hitomi flinched slightly while Ghost wore a bored look. "Let's just say that 80 percent of the time you'll probably find people there doing something indecent."
Hitomi huffed. "Couldn't we just… go around?"
"If we do, it'll probably take another extra 30 minutes. Maybe more. It's best to cut straight through."
Hitomi bit her lip, pacing around in a small circle as she thought it over. Ghost could be an obnoxious, annoying pain in the ass at times… but he was never the type to be inappropriate. At times she would even think he was… chivalrous (and she could thank his sister for raising him right in that aspect).
But to be in a place like this with him was just…
Hitomi's face flushed and she shook her head, slapping her cheeks to snap herself out of it. He probably wasn't even reading into it as much as she was! Judging by the way he spoke so casually about this place, it seemed like he hardly cared at all. The thought probably didn't even cross his mind.
"We can go around," Ghost's voice piped up behind her. "If you're that apprehensive. Sorry. My fault I didn't run the route by you earlier."
As if on cue, Hitomi's stomach let out another loud growl and she clutched her stomach with a grimace. She was so hungry. Damn it, she wasn't just hungry, she was starving!
"I don't know if I can wait another 30 minutes," Hitomi stuttered, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "But- ugh! To be seen in a place like this, let alone with a villain like you?! I'm starving- and I just wanna eat- but I don't know if it's a good idea-! How can we even be discreet if there are no alleyways? I can't be seen here! But I do not have the patience to take a longer route! That shitty dinner was awful enough! I just-!"
She was cut off when she felt a heavy cloth draped over her shoulders and a hood was pulled over her hat. Hitomi froze, looking up to see Ghost standing next to her. He'd given her his jacket.
Ghost bent down so he was eye level with her, holding a finger to his lips. "If you don't want people to notice you, don't rant so loudly like that." His lips twitched up in a slight smirk, but he seemed serious as he readjusted the hood over her head. "Word of advice if you wanna be discreet. Cover up any bright colors."
He stepped back and stood up to his full height, readjusting his own baseball cap on his head. "And relax a bit. If you're tense, it just makes you look shifty. Which will draw more attention to yourself. Don't want that, right?"
Hitomi shook her head slowly.
"Okay." He stole another glance outside the alley, assessing the street. "There's less people today… Probably because it's Monday. So, you alright with passing through? Or do you want to go around?"
Hitomi clutched his jacket, staring down at the ground. Her cheeks burned and she could feel her heartbeat speeding up.
He… probably hadn't thought much of bringing her here. That much was clear from how dismissive he was when they'd arrived.
He didn't think much of it, but he could see her apprehension at being in this place, at being seen here, and… he was looking out for her. Giving her his jacket, calming her down, even offering an alternate route because he could see she was nervous.
And not only that… but this whole time, he'd gone out of his way to take her somewhere to eat. Just because she was hungry. He was taking her to get ramen, just because that was something she said she wanted.
Hitomi bit her lip, staring down at the ground.
"If- If it's like this…" she mumbled softly, wrinkling her skirt between her fingers, "I guess… it's okay to pass through."
"You sure?"
She finally seemed to snap back to her senses, waving her arm at him frantically. Though her other hand still kept a tight grip on his bomber jacket. "Only-Only because I just want to eat already!" she spluttered angrily. "I still can't be seen with you in this place! So keep a three-meter distance away from me! No less than three meters!"
"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled. "Though, try to keep up. Wouldn't want you getting lost." With that, he finally stepped out onto the street and Hitomi waited a few seconds before following after him. She made sure to maintain that three-meter distance, keeping an eye on him as they walked through the area. Much to her relief… there weren't many people, just as he'd said.
Still though, Hitomi couldn't help but glance around nervously, noting the bars, host and hostess clubs, and love hotels all throughout the area. She clutched Ghost's jacket tightly over her shoulders, covering up her dress.
As they walked down the sidewalk, Hitomi stared at him from behind, a small blush on her cheeks. His shopping bag swung at his side, making her wonder what kind of items he would put himself out in the open to buy.
Up ahead they neared a hostess bar and Hitomi saw some women greet him from the entrance, trying to invite him inside. He only gave them a small wave and continued forward, totally relaxed. Not flustered or interested at all.
There was a light feeling in Hitomi's chest as she saw him turn down a few other women (and even several men) as they walked past all the clubs and shops. She couldn't describe what it was. Like a weight that would sink in each time someone looked at him only for it to be lifted when he didn't pay them any mind. Almost like… relief.
Hitomi blinked, covering her hand with her mouth. Her skin felt hot to the touch.
Relief?!
No, no… that's not right.
That can't be it.
Why would I even… feel that way?
Hitomi shook her head, speeding up in her steps when she realized she'd lagged behind. She felt relief because… he wouldn't get distracted! He wouldn't get pulled in by all the entertainment in a red-light district, meaning they wouldn't spend longer than they had to here and risk her being seen. It meant she would get her ramen as soon as possible, just as he'd promised!
It definitely… wasn't… because seeing people eye him made her feel… jealous…
Hitomi shook her head again, trying to snap out of it. Nope. No. She wouldn't think about it.
Instead, she stared at his back as they walked, observing his outfit. It'd been a shock to her to find him out of that villain costume she was so used to seeing, which was why it took her a bit to recognize him.
Along with the navy blue baseball cap he was wearing, he also sported a black long-sleeve compression shirt, gray pants, and worn-out sneakers. Hitomi also recalled seeing he was wearing different earrings back when she had him pinned to the wall earlier, along with a silver necklace.
For a guy like him… he sure… cleans up nice…
Hitomi gulped, clutching his olive green bomber jacket and tugging the collar to cover the bottom half of her face. There was the faint scent of honeysuckle that filled her nose.
Up ahead she saw Ghost look over his shoulder, the man smiling when he saw she was still following him. She had a feeling her blush had gotten worse.
I just… don't understand him.
I don't understand him at all.
…
"This is the place."
Hitomi glanced around the area, a look of apprehension on her face. After passing through that red-light district, they'd arrived at a small plaza with tiny shops, a garden, and an area filled with tables and benches.
"Here?" Hitomi said slowly, staring at the buildings lining the street. "It seems like everything's closed…"
Her stomach let out a low growl and she winced, shooting him a glare. "Actually, now that I think about it… making me walk around for 25 minutes and getting my hopes up for food, just to take me to a place that's closed seems like the exact kind of thing you'd do to piss me off…"
Ghost snorted, walking near the area with the tables. "Relax, bluebelle. It's my day off. You can take it easy with the baseless accusations." He pointed past the gazebo, at a small building with curtains and lanterns hanging from the entrance. Hitomi noticed there were some dim lights on inside. "We're getting your ramen there."
With a gasp, she ran past him, her heels clicking against the ground as she approached the tiny shop. Her stomach growled at the prospect of food so close within her grasp and she looked past the curtains, glancing around. All she saw was a countertop, some empty stools, and what looked like a paper screen covering the entirety of the area past the counter.
Hitomi turned back to Ghost with a raised brow when she heard him stop behind her. "There's no one here."
"There is. They're all just behind that screen." He gestured to something outside. "Come over here."
With a huff, Hitomi stepped away from the curtains and followed him to a tall, rectangular machine built into the wall over on the side. It looked somewhat like an ATM. He tapped the surface and a screen turned on, lighting both of their faces.
"This is the order kiosk," he said, pressing a few buttons. It showed a large list of pictures of different ramen. "There's another one on the inside, but we'll stick with this one. So, you can pick what you want to order here, and make any extra adjustments you might want for your food. Once you pay, it gives you a ticket here—" he pointed at a small dispenser at the bottom— "and sends your order to the kitchen back inside. They'll call the number that's on your ticket, and once you give it to them over at the counter, that's when you get your food."
"Ooo," Hitomi hummed, tapping the screen. Ghost watched as she made her order (a tonkatsu ramen), eventually making it to the payment screen.
And then Hitomi blinked, squinting up at him. "This isn't just some scam thing, right?"
Ghost shrugged. "Hey, that's rude to the hardworking employees inside."
"I have a right to be suspicious…!" Hitomi shot back. "You took me here. That's reason enough for me to be more than a little wary."
Ghost leaned back against the wall, gesturing to a small slot on the side. "It takes cash, if you're that paranoid."
Hitomi stared at him for another few moments before eventually sighing, reaching for her purse. She glanced up at him again, her eyes narrowing before waving her hand at him in a "go away" gesture again.
"I don't want you near my wallet. I never said the three-meter distance was over, you know!"
She saw him snort and roll his eyes, but he pushed himself off the wall, walking away. Once she was sure he was far enough, Hitomi took her wallet out of her purse and made the payment, taking the receipt and her order ticket out of the tray. As she waited outside the curtains she saw him make his own order, paying for it with some bank notes. He grabbed his ticket and stopped beside her, the two in silence for a few moments.
Hitomi glanced up at him, seeing him yawn. The bill of his hat shadowed his tired eyes, and she noted how his hair was down instead of being tied back as usual. Soon, they heard the clangs of pots and pans and the sizzle of a grill past the paper screen. Faint, muffled voices could also be heard.
I guess… he was being genuine about this place…
"So…" Hitomi began slowly, fidgeting with her hands. Ghost glanced down at her and she looked at the ground, pulling down her hat. "How'd you find this place…? Any particular reason you took me here?"
Ghost crossed his arms, the bag around his wrist swaying slightly. "I had some business in Barasono once. You know, the place we had to pass through to get here."
Hitomi's face flushed and she stepped back in shock, clutching his jacket that was still around her shoulders. "You had business… in that place?"
Ghost raised a brow at her before letting out a chuckle. "What's with that reaction? You jealous or something?"
Hitomi spluttered, waving her hands at him. "N-No! I'm not!"
Why was she even getting flustered in the first place? It shouldn't have mattered to her, not one bit!
"I- I don't care what you choose to do for fun…!" she stuttered, looking away. "Whatever you do is- is your business. It doesn't concern me."
It didn't matter to her. Not at all…!
Ghost leaned forward so that he could see her face, making her cheeks flush further.
"The business I had there," he said nonchalantly, "was meeting with a broker on the third floor of one of the bars."
He let out another chuckle as he brought his face close to hers. "What did you think I was doing there? You're not imagining something dirty about me, are you?"
Hitomi's face flushed down to her neck and she turned away, pulling the hood of his jacket back over her head. "I'm not! Shut up!"
He continued to laugh behind her and she bit her lip, looking down at the ground in shame. Curse her stupid mind!
"Well, before you so rudely interrupted me," he continued, "I was gonna say that when I was done with my meeting in Barasono, I wandered around for a bit before ending up here."
Hitomi looked back at him timidly to see he was staring up at the tall post lamps in the center of the plaza. "There's a serious lack of CCTVs around here… Probably because it's so close to Barasono and it's kind of hard to find this place if you don't know about it. This shop is open pretty late and the kiosk system they have allows for plenty of privacy and quiet. Perfect place for introverts. And people who may want to use a bit of discretion, like you and me." He glanced down at her with a smirk. "Just what you needed, right?"
She looked down, pulling the jacket collar up to cover her face. "I… I guess…"
Ghost was… by all intents and purposes, someone she heavily disliked. He did and said things that made her really mad, not to mention how frustrating it was that she was never able to catch him, and at times their fights got pretty nasty. She still remembered the time he'd given her a bloody nose and a sprained ankle and she'd given him a black eye and a dislocated jaw in return. She didn't like him.
But then there were the times he did things like… this. Showing his thoughtfulness, his care… Taking her feelings into account, going out of his way just for something she wanted, giving her his jacket.
It made Hitomi wonder if he was really that bad at all. Then she'd have to snap out of it and remind herself that yes, he was bad, in fact he was so bad he was a wanted criminal. It didn't matter how much his actions might have confused her, how much he flustered her, or how much he made her heart flutter-
"Number 22! Your order is ready!"
Hitomi snapped out of her thoughts as a voice rang past the curtains, the quiet chatter of the kitchen filling her ears. She peeked inside and saw a window of the paper screen cover was partially open, only enough that she could see the hands of the person behind it. She stepped inside, presenting her ticket on the counter through the small opening and a tray was soon pushed towards her. It had a bowl of her ramen, some napkins, a disposable pair of chopsticks, and a soup spoon.
She grabbed her tray as the person behind the screen called Ghost's number, soon feeling him stop behind her. She blushed as he reached over her shoulder, presenting his ticket.
"Nice, right?" His voice was soft by her ear. "Even when you go to get your food, they don't see your face."
"H-Hey!" she spluttered, hitting her fist lightly against his chest. It felt firm and he didn't even flinch. "What I'd say about the three-meter distance?! It's not over until I say it is…!"
Ghost raised a brow as his own tray of food was pushed towards them. "You didn't say anything when we were waiting. Can't you be more consistent?"
"Three-meter distance!" Hitomi stepped back with her tray in hand, exiting the ramen shop with a huff. She sat down at one of the tables, slapping her cheeks with a grimace.
Make my heart flutter?! she thought angrily. Be real! You hate his guts!
She had to remind herself of that. No matter how much he confused her. It didn't matter how much kindness he showed her, how much she didn't mind being around him when he wasn't being totally insufferable. She wasn't supposed to like him.
"So is the three-meter distance over yet?"
Hitomi glanced over her shoulder to see him standing three meters behind her, his tray in one hand while the other still held his bag.
"You're still wearing my jacket, you know."
She glanced down at the jacket around her shoulders and turned away, feeling a blush on her cheeks. That was happening way too much around him today. With a huff, she pointed at the spot next to her. "…You can sit here."
She wasn't supposed to like him.
But like this… she couldn't help but want to be around him. Especially after all he'd already done for her tonight. If it was his day off… then just this once, it was fine.
It… couldn't be that bad, right…?
…
"Judging by how quickly you're scarfing down those noodles, I'm guessing you like it?"
Hitomi coughed, hitting her chest to move the noodles stuck in her throat.
"I'll take that as a yes."
She turned to Ghost with another glare. "You made me choke on purpose…!"
He only sipped some of the broth on his spoon nonchalantly. "You're the one inhaling your food."
"You heard how much my stomach was growling. I was starving…!"
"It wouldn't kill you to slow down, you know."
Hitomi glared at him for another few seconds before finally turning back to her bowl, picking up some of the noodles with her chopsticks. He noticed how she ate a bit slower this time.
"The food is… good," she mumbled softly. "It's really good, actually. I'm surprised the shop's not more popular…"
Ghost picked at some of the pork in his miso ramen. "Like I said, it's hard to find. Though they get a lot of traffic from the people in Barasono."
Hitomi hummed before continuing to eat her ramen, taking bite after bite, sip after sip. Though she had slowed down, she didn't stop to take any pauses in between at all.
"Man, you're really hungry, aren't you?" Ghost laughed softly. "I've actually been wondering… Why didn't you get anything to eat while you were out with your friend earlier? I heard something about a 'shitty dinner,' but…"
He saw her visibly tense, her hand frozen in place while her shoulders stiffened. It made him raise a brow, awaiting her answer.
She lowered her spoon, wearing a small frown. "I… um… I did go to a restaurant with my friend, actually. I just… wasn't able to actually eat earlier because I kept getting approached by fans."
Ghost blinked, putting down his own spoon. "You know you don't have to entertain those people, right?"
"I-I know!" Hitomi spluttered, rubbing the back of her neck. "I did eventually get them to stop… but it made me lose my appetite. And the food wasn't that good, anyway. I just wish we got to try some of their wine at least…" She sighed, resting her cheek against her hand and swirling her chopsticks around in her ramen. "It's not something I expect you to understand. Being a public figure that people look up to. There are things I'm definitely grateful for, don't get me wrong…! I don't want to take the things I've been blessed with for granted. It's just that… sometimes I wish I could go outside without having to try so hard to hide myself or please people. Especially with this hair."
She held a piece of her blue hair in between her thumb and forefinger, staring at it thoughtfully. "It's not that I hate it… but it happens to be one of my most noticeable features. Sometimes I wonder what it would've been like if I'd inherited my mom's brown hair, or even just gotten my dad's darker blue instead of my hair turning out like this. Where the pigment ended up mutating and stuff."
She let go of her hair with a sigh, shaking her head. "Jeez, what am I doing telling you all this stuff? Letting my mouth run again." She let out a huff, leaning forward to eat more of her ramen.
Ghost watched as her hair hung dangerously close to the broth, reaching a hand towards it. He held it between his fingers, making Hitomi pause.
"I really like your hair, actually," he hummed, rubbing his thumb against the soft strands. "It's how I know it's you. And it's why I call you 'bluebelle.'" He tucked it behind her ear, watching her cheeks flush. "It was about to fall into your ramen."
"Y-You could've just said so…!" Hitomi stared down at her food with furrowed eyebrows. "And… and anyone with a brain could've figured that name out!" she huffed. "Like I haven't heard nicknames based on my hair before. You could be more creative than that. Katsuki's one of the few people who actually went for something other than my hair."
"You mean the guy with the ridiculously long hero name? Great Explosion Murder God Dynamight, right?" He laughed softly. "He seems like someone who'd come up with crazy nicknames."
He saw her wear a small smile as she laughed as well. "You should've heard what he called all our classmates back in high school."
"Can you give an example?"
"…Raccoon Eyes."
Ghost snorted. "Let me guess. Pinky?"
"Yup," she snickered. She turned back to her food, finally continuing to eat her ramen while Ghost stared at her. Eventually, he reached for the plastic bag he'd brought from the convenience store, pulling something out.
"It's not some fancy wine…" he said as he set down a can of beer in front of her, "but you can have this."
Hitomi squinted at it, making no move to touch it. "I feel like I should be suspicious of this."
Ghost rolled his eyes. "You've been accusing me of all sorts of stuff tonight and none of them have been true. You saw me come straight out of the store." He grabbed his own can, popping the tab open and taking a few big gulps. Surprisingly, it was still decently cool for having been out of a fridge on a summer night for more than half an hour. He wiped his mouth, swinging the can nonchalantly. "See? I didn't do anything to it."
"To yours, maybe…!" Hitomi grabbed the unopened can and popped the tab, pushing it into his chest. "If you wanna prove it, then drink the one you gave me first!"
With a snort, he grabbed the can and took a sip. "There." He held it out to her with a raised brow and a smirk. "If you wanted a kiss, you could've just asked instead of going about it indirectly."
Hitomi's face turned beet red and she snatched the can from his hand. "Don't think so highly of yourself!" she hissed. She brought the can to her lips and Ghost watched as she gulped it down for a solid 5 seconds. He almost thought she drank the entire thing until she slammed it down on the table, sloshing around the rest of the beer that was left inside. "Every time you seem to make yourself bearable…" Hitomi's fingers tightened around the can as she glared down at her ramen. "…you remind me of why I don't like you in the first place."
Ghost sipped his beer nonchalantly. "Last time I checked most people don't sit down to have dinner with someone they 'don't like' willingly. They usually only do that if they feel like they have to. You could leave at any time; it's not like I'm forcing you to stay."
"Don't talk to me."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I said don't talk to me…!"
With a scoff, she picked up her chopsticks and continued eating her ramen at a fast pace. Ghost only shrugged, returning to his own food and eating at a leisurely pace. He only had about a fourth left of his portion by the time Hitomi finished hers, the pro hero pushing her tray out of the way and burying her face in her arms. Without even looking, she reached for her beer can and pulled it towards her with a quiet groan.
"…I can't believe I'm here with you."
"Like I said," Ghost said as he chewed some pork, "you can leave whenever you want."
Hitomi was silent for several long moments, leaving him to assume she was just ignoring him. Eventually, though, she glanced up from her arms timidly, staring up at him. He thought briefly that she looked cute.
"But… you asked me to hang out with you. It seems rude to leave while you're still eating."
Ghost snorted, nearly choking on his own noodles. He covered his mouth with his hand, suppressing the cough building in his throat. "Bluebelle." His voice was muffled against his palm. "For someone who claims to hate me, your actions don't seem to be very consistent."
Hitomi's bottom lip jutted out slightly in a pout and she looked back at the table with a slight tint to her cheeks. "I was just thinking to myself…!" she stuttered, tapping her fingers against her can of beer. "You… have no reason to be nice to me like you are right now. But… you still took me here, to get food that I wanted, just because I was hungry. And… there's a lot of other stuff you did tonight for me, even though you had no obligation to." She sat up straight, her eyes still trained on the table. Ghost saw her grip tighten on the can, almost as if she was nervous.
"I just wanted to say… thank you," she mumbled, clearly struggling to get the words out. "So… thanks. I appreciate it."
Ghost hummed, leaning forward to meet her eyes. "…Are you drunk? The only time I'd ever hear a 'thank you' from Blue Moon is if she's delirious."
And… there was the expression he was used to seeing directed at him.
"What?!" Hitomi snapped. "I'm perfectly fine! It takes more than one can to get me drunk, I'm not a lightweight!" She looked away from him, clutching her beer can so hard Ghost thought she was going to crush it. "I was just trying to be grateful and of course you go and ruin it…!"
She brought her hand up to her forehead, wearing an agitated expression as Ghost finished the last of his ramen. "I just don't understand you! One minute, you're actually tolerable, sometimes even nice to me, and I can imagine being friends with you. And then the next minute you go fuck it all up and act so insufferable and I can't stand being near you!"
Her hand curled into a fist and she grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him towards her with a glare. Their faces were only mere inches apart. "It'd be easier if you were never nice to me at all and just acted like the villain you are that hates me, instead of confusing me all the time! No matter what you do I just can't wrap my head around it! It just… It just drives me crazy…!" She held his gaze for a few seconds, soon seeming to falter as the furrow in her eyebrows relaxed slightly. Her head fell against his chest and she continued to grip his shirt tightly, wrinkling the fabric.
"You don't even understand… how much it drives me insane. I don't get you. You say that my actions aren't consistent… but to me it feels like yours aren't either. So many times you'll make me trip over my own feet and laugh at me for it… but then other times you'll treat me like you did today. I don't get it. Why… why even bother being kind to me at all? Isn't it easier to just… antagonize me like you're supposed to?"
Ghost stared down at her, feeling her breath against his chest as she fell silent, her grip loosening on his shirt. He reached for her wrist, wrapping his fingers around it. Hitomi slowly lifted her head and his lips quirked up in a small smile as he stared down at her.
"…I do what I like," he said softly. She blinked, confusion on her face as he rubbed his thumb against her wrist. "It's something we used to say in the League a lot. 'We do what we want.'" Hitomi let go of his shirt and his hand moved to hold some of her hair, making her suck in a breath.
"I live as I please," he continued, rubbing his thumb against the strands. It felt incredibly soft as he smirked. "Sometimes… you get in the way of that. I'll admit, it is annoying when I have to deal with you while I'm working… which is why it's so funny when you get mad." Hitomi immediately glared at him, nearly pulling her head away before he continued. "But when you're not in the way, well… I don't see the issue with being a little bit nicer. Just a little." He shrugged, finally letting go of her hair and picking up his bowl.
"Besides, it's your birthday. Might as well be. As a treat." He drank the rest of the broth that was left, hearing her huff beside him.
"You're… such a weirdo," she mumbled softly.
"Says the pro hero eating dinner with the villain she calls her 'sworn enemy.'" Ghost chuckled dryly as he set his bowl down, wiping his mouth. "Honestly, I'm flattered you think so highly of me. Most villains don't get the privilege of seeing the same hero twice, let alone how many times I've seen you."
Hitomi punched his arm, making him jolt slightly. "I've never called you that! When have I ever said such a thing?!"
"Pretty sure you have at some point. Considering how often you yell that you hate me."
Hitomi grit her teeth, looking down at the table and gripping her can of beer tightly. Ghost just moved his tray out of the way and rested his cheek against his hand, staring at her.
She'd taken off her hat when they'd started eating, showing off her hair. It was tied back into a bun, with a crystal and rose gold floral barrette clipped at the top. Probably to go with her sundress that had flowers all over. And judging by the mascara on her eyelashes and the shiny look of her lips, it looked like she'd put on makeup today, too.
…Must have been some pretty good lip gloss to be able to stay on even after eating ramen.
With a tiny huff, he looked away, reaching into his plastic bag. He pulled out the container with the slice of cake, sliding it towards her. "You can have this, too," he said, placing the plastic fork he'd received right next to it. "Since it's your birthday. Birthdays aren't complete without some cake."
Hitomi was silent, squinting at the dessert.
"I didn't do anything to it."
"S-Still!" she whined. She pulled the top off the container and ripped open the plastic wrap holding the fork, taking a piece off the cake and holding it out to him. "It's for my peace of mind!"
Ghost just raised a brow. "I already told you…"
"Don't argue and just do it!" Hitomi suddenly grabbed his chin, making his eyes widen as she pulled his face towards her. He nearly choked as she fed him the piece of strawberry shortcake, her fingers squishing his cheeks as she pulled the fork back.
She didn't move her hand, only staring at him with narrowed eyes as he chewed. With a swallow, he returned her gaze with half-lidded eyes, annoyed. "See? Nothing. You're so dramatic."
With a huff, Hitomi let go of his face, turning back to the table. "Peace of mind," she said again. "I have a right to be cautious considering you're a villain."
Ghost rubbed his cheeks with a roll of his eyes.
"But… um. Thank you. For the cake." Hitomi squirmed awkwardly, eating a small forkful. "Strawberry shortcake is… actually my favorite."
"Now I'm regretting giving that to you after the way you yanked my face," he sighed. "Could've dislocated my jaw. Again."
Hitomi just blushed beside him, continuing to eat the cake. "…Sorry," she mumbled.
"I'll let it slide," Ghost replied, resting his chin back in his hand. "Since it's your birthday."
"…Thanks."
…
Hitomi placed the empty container and fork on the tray next to her ramen bowl, letting out a satisfied sigh. In all the hecticness at that crappy restaurant, and her agonizing hunger earlier, she'd almost forgotten about cake. So, it was nice that Ghost had been around to…
She looked next to her, at the man she'd spent the last hour and a half with. At some point while she was eating her slice of cake, he'd placed his head in his arms, his hat left on the table while his hair hung loose against his cheeks. His eyes seemed to be closed, his mouth slightly open as he breathed softly.
Is he… asleep?
Hitomi slowly leaned down, resting her own head in her arms as she stared at him. The bags under his eyes were like a perpetual feature on his face, making her wonder how much sleep (or lack thereof) he was able to get on an average day. He had a sharp jawline and thin eyebrows, which seemed to be relaxed at the moment. His brown hair was messy and unkempt against his cheeks, the black underside of the tips visible. From what Hitomi understood, the black part of his hair was completely natural. Probably a genetic part of his quirk, considering the files on his sister (who apparently had a similar quirk to his) containing photos showed her having that same black color coloring a portion of her bangs.
Hitomi continued to observe him, unconsciously pouting her lips.
Honestly… up close, he's not a bad-looking guy…
She immediately blanched at the thought.
Oh, what am I thinking?! It's because we're constantly trying to kick the crap out of each other and he's always got that mask on his face— Of course he'd look 'nicer' when we're like this! That doesn't mean I actually think he's… he's…
She stole another at his face, biting her lip.
Okay… maybe he is a… a little handsome.
Just a little.
…I'm probably drunk. That's why I'm thinking that.
She wasn't.
She knew she wasn't, because she knew it took her at least two, maybe two and a half tall cans to actually get her tipsy. But believing so made her feel more okay with the idea that the man (villain!) right in front of her was attractive.
Hitomi sighed, closing her eyes.
Why are things even like this between the two of us…?
Why does he have to do things that almost make it seem like we're… friends?
If things had been different… if he'd never been a villain… would we have been?
Friends…?
Hitomi opened her eyes back up, only to see indigo eyes staring back at her.
"Enjoying the view?" Ghost asked.
She blushed and immediately shot herself off the tabletop, leaning back. The sudden force caused her to jump back farther than she meant to, making her flail her arms as she felt herself start to fall off the bench seat. Hitomi yelped, stuttering and spluttering before Ghost suddenly caught her wrist, stopping her from hitting the ground. He pulled her back to the table, her head hitting his chest and she grabbed his other arm to steady herself.
She panted softly (both from the panic of the sudden fall and her embarrassment), her face bright red as she kept her eyes glued to his shirt. Her hand was squeezing his bicep and he still held her wrist. She could feel his breathing from the way his chest rose and fell against her forehead.
A loud vibration sounded from her purse and Hitomi squeaked, finally realizing the embrace (oh Jesus Christ, embrace?!) they were in and jumping back. She grabbed her purse and stumbled off the bench, her legs shaky and her face hot as she grabbed her phone and pulled it out.
"H-Hello?!"
And she fucking stuttered answering the call in front of him. Just kill her already.
"Hitomi!" Her younger brother's voice sounded against her ear. "I knew you'd still be awake."
"O-oh. Hey, Toku," Hitomi coughed, fanning her face. "What's up…?"
"You saw my happy birthday text, right…?"
"I did… Thanks, by the way. But why are you calling?"
She heard her brother sigh. "I was actually gonna come over when you and Nari were done with your dinner. But something ended up happening at work, so…"
"It's okay," Hitomi reassured him. "Pretty standard for pro heroes."
"I know. I still wanna come over, though. I know it's a bit late— and technically not your birthday anymore—"
At that Hitomi pulled her phone away from her ear briefly to see the time. It was 12:34 AM. She returned the device back to her ear.
"—but I still want to visit! It's been a while, y'know."
"Oh… okay. Are you calling because you want to visit… um… now?" Hitomi asked unsurely.
"Well, if I can."
"No…!" Hitomi spluttered. She glanced back at the table to see Ghost staring at her, making her blush and she turned away. "Um… not right now. It… it wouldn't be a good time."
On the other end she heard her brother let out a small scoff. "Why not? It's past midnight, so I don't see how it'd be a bad time…"
The line suddenly seemed to go silent.
Hitomi blinked, nearly pulling the phone away from her ear to check if he'd hung up before she heard him speak up again.
"…Oh. You have someone spending the night, don't you."
Hitomi choked, her blush worsening. "What the-! No!"
"No no, I get it. You don't wanna be disturbed, so I'll come tomorrow morning. I don't need to see that. Use protection if you want or whatever."
"You've got it all wrong! I'm not even at home, I'm out! And I don't need to hear that from my younger brother, I'm 24- 25 years old!
"Oh, so you're on a date then. Which will probably end the same way."
Hitomi was going to pass out from poor blood circulation. Because all the blood was going to her face instead of everywhere else.
"It's not like that!" She held back the urge to scream at him because it was so late.
"You sound flustered, so I'm most definitely right."
Her brother let out a snicker. "Just make sure you're dressed— same goes for whoever you have spending the night— by the time I come over. See you tomorrow morning!"
"Toku-!"
The line clicked and the words "Call Ended" flashed at the top of her screen, meaning he'd hung up. Hitomi stared at her phone in disbelief for a solid 5 seconds, until with a blank, dead look in her eyes, her head tilted back and her legs gave out.
She sank to the ground, her skirt nearly brushing against the bricks before she felt arms hook under her own, keeping her from falling completely. Hitomi stared up blankly, seeing Ghost was staring down at her.
"Don't let your dress touch the ground," he said, "or you'll get it dirty."
Hitomi blinked tiredly at him. Mortified couldn't even begin to describe how she was feeling.
"If I asked you to kill me," she said slowly, almost like a robot, "could you do it? Please?"
Ghost just snorted, raising a brow. "I'm not going to kill you just because you're embarrassed. Why would I do that?"
Hitomi covered her face with her hands, letting out a muffled squeak. "Then leave me here to die! I need to find a hole I can crawl into so I can decompose in peace!"
"…You really are dramatic." With a huff, he pulled her up, guiding her back to the table.
As soon as Hitomi sat down, she let her head fall to the tabletop with a groan. Ghost just rested his head in his arms again, staring at her.
"Your brother really embarrassed you, huh?" he chuckled softly. Hitomi didn't move at all. "And so quickly too… I'm curious about what he said. Maybe I can try the same thing next time."
She immediately tensed, looking over at him and blushing when she saw how close their faces were. No. No no no no. No way in hell could he know Toku had insinuated they were out on a date and that they were going to- going to-!
The thought of that was going to make her combust!
With a gasp, Hitomi pushed herself up from the table, rushing to grab her things. "Well-! I- I really need to go home!" She couldn't even take the time to cringe at how her voice cracked, only gathering her stuff in her arms and placing her hat on her head crookedly.
Ghost sat up straight as she readjusted her bag on her shoulder. "Wait-"
"Um… thanks!" Hitomi stuttered, picking up the tray that held her ramen bowl and other trash. "This was… um- uh- nice…! Yeah- nice! Sometimes you're nice to hang out with!"
'Nice.' That was the word she'd use to describe it. Not- not romantic, or sweet, or anything! Just- nice. Nice didn't mean much! Nice didn't imply anything else was going to happen…!
Ghost lifted his hand, almost as if reaching out to her. "Hold on…"
She smiled crookedly as she stepped away from the table, nearly dropping the tray. "But I really have to go now! After all, it's late…! I- I can find my way back home through my phone's GPS. So… um… bye!"
With a grimace, she turned away and sped walk to the trash near the ramen shop, tossing all the garbage inside and leaving the tray on top. Ghost watched in disbelief as she ran out of the plaza, down the street that would lead back into Barasono.
He sighed, rubbing the side of his head and tousling his hair slightly. "She… she took my jacket…"
His green bomber jacket was around her shoulders, fluttering slightly with each step. She'd grabbed it in all her haste to leave.
With a huff, he stood up from the table, gathering up all his own trash onto his tray.
"Well… I guess it's okay for her to take something of mine," he said with a soft chuckle. "That would make us even…
Since I took something of hers."
The next day -
Hitomi rushed to the door at the sound of a ring.
She flung it open, gasping when she was suddenly wrapped in a hug. Her feet lifted off the ground slightly and she stared at her younger brother with a smile. "Toku…!"
"Happy belated birthday, ate!" He squeezed her tightly, making her tap his arm rapidly.
"Too much! Too much…!"
"Ah! Sorry." He set her down and she took a deep breath, raising a brow at him.
"When are you gonna stop doing that?" Hitomi snorted. "I told you so many times one wrong move and you'll probably hurt something in my back."
Toku shrugged, stepping into her apartment and taking off his shoes. "But I like hugs. Not my fault I'm strong." He flexed his arm with a proud smile.
Hitomi just grimaced, turning away and walking over to her kitchen while her brother crashed onto the couch in the living room.
"Well, learn to hold back," she said as she grabbed the plate of lumpia on the table. "Especially since it feels like you got stronger since the last time I saw you."
Toku splayed his legs across the entire couch, his head on one of the throw pillows. He ran his hand through his dark blue messy hair. "I got my hammer equipment updated. It hits heavier than my old one."
"Oh! That's cool." Hitomi placed the plate on the coffee table, sitting down by his legs.
Her younger brother immediately sat up at the sight of food, grabbing a piece of lumpia and shoving it into his mouth. "Oh yeah," he said, looking around. His voice was muffled as he chewed. "So where's the guy you had over?"
Hitomi spluttered against the juice she was drinking.
"You didn't kick him out just because I was visiting right?"
She coughed against the back of her hand, wiping her mouth and shooting him a glare. "Why are you so convinced about that? No one was over last night!"
Toku grabbed another lumpia roll, chewing nonchalantly. "But you were definitely with someone. And so late at night, too."
He shrugged. "Maybe you went to a love hotel or something."
Hitomi's face flushed, recalling how she'd strolled past several with a certain someone the night before. It was probably a coincidence Toku had brought them up, but it was still embarrassing to think about nonetheless.
"I didn't do anything with anyone!" she scolded, holding back the urge to confiscate the lumpia she'd brought for him out of spite. "Not romantic, sexual, or otherwise!"
"But you were with someone." He wore a smug grin. "That part's true, at least."
Hitomi threw her arms up into the air with a frustrated groan, leaning back against the couch and crossing her arms. "Fine. I was with someone! But nothing happened. So there!"
"That's too bad," Toku said as he reached for her juice, only for Hitomi to slap his hand away. She was too annoyed to share any. "If you'd brought him and he was still here, I could've done the 'protective brother' act on him. I've never gotten to do that— since the only other person you ever dated was Bakugou. Wanted to intimidate them or something."
Hitomi laughed dryly. "'Intimidate,' yeah right. He's almost six feet tall. You're not scaring him when you're only five foot eight."
Her younger brother glared back at her. "Rude."
Hitomi shrugged, getting up when she heard her phone chime on the kitchen countertop. As she picked it up and read through the notification, Toku's voice sounded again behind her.
"By the way, can I borrow some cash?"
Hitomi squinted at him over her shoulder. "You are perfectly well-off as a pro hero. Why do you need that?"
"I just wanna get something from the vending machine downstairs. It's old, so it doesn't take my card. I'll wire you however much I take."
With a sigh, Hitomi stuffed her phone in her pocket and made her way to the hallway that would lead to her bedroom. "Fine."
She pushed the door open and reached for her purse she'd left on her dresser, pulling out her wallet. As she closed the bag, her eyes caught sight of a dark bomber jacket that'd fallen to the floor by the dresser.
She gasped, eyebrows furrowing as she picked it up. "Oh no… what is this doing here?"
It was… Ghost's jacket.
She bit her lip, folding it up and hanging it on her arm as she exited the room. She must've grabbed it in her hurry to leave… and been too embarrassed to even register that she'd taken it.
She tossed her wallet into her brother's hands, taking a seat next to him and holding up the jacket to stare at it.
I can't just keep it forever… it doesn't belong to me.
But… how am I going to return it…?
Toku's eyebrows raised. "That looks like a men's jacket." He gave her a knowing look. "Nothing 'romantic' happened, huh? I don't know… seems pretty chivalrous for him to leave you with that."
Hitomi spluttered, cradling the jacket against her chest. "I told you already it's not like that! I just grabbed it by accident because I was rushing to get home…"
Except she made sure not to mention that Ghost had, in fact, given her his jacket beforehand. Toku didn't need to know that.
Her younger brother just snickered, looking back down at her wallet and opening it up.
"Huh…?" He blinked a few times. "Hitomi… You don't have any cash."
Hitomi wore a confused look. "What do you mean…? I know I put some in a few days ago…"
She glanced at the wallet, eyes widening when she saw the pocket where she usually kept all her cash. It was empty.
The jacket fell limply into her lap as she snatched the wallet from Toku's hands, panic soon setting in. Empty… Empty! All her banknotes were gone!
All her coins were still inside at least… and she felt the slightest relief to see her credit cards remained untouched. But then… where had the cash…
The answer came immediately.
Hitomi's eyes narrowed and her mouth fell open in disbelief as she thumbed through her wallet one last time. No cash in sight.
"That fucking asshole!"
Toku flinched at her sudden yell as she stood up and threw the wallet onto the coffee table.
Of course… Of fucking course it was him! It had to be! She knew she had put in at least 5000 yen in her wallet, and none of it was in there. It'd still been there when she'd been at that restaurant with Nari, before she'd ran into him. But now it was gone!
Back when she'd bought her ramen, she'd used her card. She hadn't used her cash. Because she thought she might as well trust him.
But clearly, she was wrong.
She'd had her money before running into him. But afterwards, when she knew she hadn't used it at all? It suddenly wasn't there.
Meaning Ghost had stolen it from her.
And knowing him, he'd probably used what he'd taken to buy his fucking ramen. After all, she'd seen him use banknotes to pay!
"Hitomi…?" Toku reached for her unsurely, poking her arm.
Hitomi's hands clenched into fists as she stared at her wallet. "I'm going to kill him! He's so dead!"
"…Who?"
"Who else?!" Hitomi growled. "Ghost! He stole 5000 yen from me!"
Toku's eyes widened. "That's who you were with last night?"
Hitomi ran her hands through her hair angrily, pacing around her living room.
"That… that… jerk! I can't believe him! After all that talk about being nice to me because it was my birthday, he had the nerve to- to still steal from me! What is wrong with him?!"
Toku wore a tired look as she continued to pace. "Um… he's a villain?"
He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ate… I keep telling you he's bad news. Maybe now you'll finally listen and get over your crush on him?"
"I'm not crushing on him!" Hitomi shot back. "He's just… confusing! But that doesn't matter because I hate him! He's such a… such a…!" Her face grew red as she held her hands up, as if she was trying to strangle something. "An asshole! I can't believe him!"
Toku watched as she kept pacing, grabbing another piece of lumpia off the plate. "Okay… I agree that it sucks to lose your money." He stared at his sister with a grimace. "But… it's only 5000 yen. You've got boatloads of money compared to him. I get being annoyed, but… are you really going to get this angry? Over 5000?"
Hitomi pointed at him with a glare. "It's about the principle!" she hissed. "After everything last night, he still had the audacity to steal! From me!"
Her fingers tangled through her hair as she stared at the floor. "That… that… Ugh! He put on some gentlemanly, chivalrous act- just to steal from me right under my nose! He probably did it when he gave me his jacket! He distracted me with his stupid face and thoughtfulness to take my money!"
Her eyes fell on his jacket next to Toku on the couch, and with a growl, she stomped towards it, picking it up. "I was going to try and figure out how to give it back to him, but- forget it! He doesn't deserve it! He's not getting his fucking jacket back! It's mine now!"
She pushed her arms through the sleeves and stalked towards her room, yelling another "That fucking asshole!" before slamming the door shut, making the apartment shake. Toku stared at the door as he heard her muffled scream (probably into a pillow), a look of disbelief on his face.
With a huff, he grabbed the last piece of lumpia, taking a bite as he turned on the TV with the remote.
"That's… a real roundabout way of saying she wants to keep his jacket."
A/N: I'M SO SORRY. I'M SO FUCKING SORRY I TOOK TWO WHOLE EXTRA MONTHS TO GET THIS OUT I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THIS LATE WITH IT FUCK I'M SORRY. 😭
I wanted to get this out last month. But then school started and things got so busy and hectic it was September before I even realized But happy (very very) late birthday to Hitomi! Hope you guys liked this and that the wait was worth it haha :,)
Also as much as I love love love Ghostomi I feel like I gotta remind everyone Ghost is still… a villain XD He's gonna cause Hitomi trouble no matter what hehehehehe 👹
But now that this is finally out I'm gonna try to get back to work on the main fic! School has made me busier than before but updates will resume for that. Stay tuned :) ❤️