They were free at least. Free from UA High School for the rest of the day. Free from their classmates interrupting them for the rest of the day. Free from being separated from each other for the rest of the day.
Free to enjoy the Deep Dope concert at last.
"I'm just... exhausted..." Jirou then muttered.
Midoriya barely heard her, but she was just loud enough for him to decipher what she had said.
"Are you alright, Kyouka?" Midoriya asked.
"Yeah, I'm just mentally drained from, um, stuff. School stuff, y'know?" Jirou stumbled out. "I'm not tired. I just need a break from thinking about school, that's all."
"Same here," Midoriya added.
The two of them continued on their way to the concert venue. Given that the venue was in the same city as the school, it was a rather simple path they had to follow to reach the venue. Many people surrounded them - including some fellow Deep Dope fans - as the city bustled with people going in every which direction. Still, they were five minutes away from there. Although the sun was still out now given it was in the middle of the afternoon, it would be well into the evening by the time they walked home.
"Kyouka, something's been bugging me recently."
Jirou's heart fluttered. Was this the opportunity she was hoping for?
"I, um, was just wondering - never mind," Midoriya said.
"Never mind what? You know you can tell me anything, right?" Jirou said.
"Neve - hey, look!" Midoriya pointed towards something in front of him.
A huge, indoor arena was now sitting in front of them, just across the street. The exterior of the building was filled with glass windows. Covering some sections of the arena's exterior were large, colorful banners of various bands, sport teams, and celebrities. One of the banners - the first one that they both noticed - was all black. In white letters was the words 'Deep Dope,' followed by 'TONIGHT' right below the band's logo.
Jirou had been to this facility plenty of times - it was one of the city's most well-known venues. Midoriya, on the other hand, had never been there, although he had seen it plenty of times before through pictures.
"This place is stunning!" Midoriya said.
"It's a world class facility alright. One of the few places that deserves to host Deep Dope," Jirou added. Although Midoriya figured it was one of Jirou's classic quips, she really meant it. She could think of countless venues that were not good enough for Deep Dope in her eyes.
Once they had finally taken the whole place in, the two of them looked around to see they were in a sea of Deep Dope fans. Everywhere they looked, there was Deep Dope attire to behold. Most of the fans appeared to be in their twenties or thirties, while a small portion of them were older. Besides Midoriya and Jirou, there were very few teens in the vicinity. A swarm of people, including Midoriya and Jirou, were now stopped in their tracks from the crosswalk traffic director at the street corner. While Midoriya looked in awe at all of the fans surrounding them, Jirou looked towards the ground. While Deep Dope consumed her thoughts, the words of Midoriya rung in her head.
"Something's bugging him... I hope it's not the whole date thing... crap."
The crosswalk director then motioned towards them, indicating their side of the road could cross. Now at the venue, all of the events were viewable to them, and now the show would really begin. There were several lines formed all over the outskirts of the venue - some for food, some for merchandise pop-up shops, and another very long line for an autograph sweepstakes of some sort. All of this was like home for Jirou, while all of this was like entering a new country for Midoriya.
"Where should we go first, Kyouka?" Midoriya said.
"You're the rookie here, so you decide," Jirou grinned.
"Hmm... can we get food inside?" Midoriya asked.
"I mean, you can get food inside... but you'll miss a good part of the concert. So I'll just say no, not really," Jirou said, her grin turning into a smirk.
"Maybe now that he's actually here, that thing that's bugging him won't be on his mind... hopefully," Jirou thought to herself.
The two of them then moved into one of the shorter lines to grab some food before the concert. Thankfully, the lines seemed to be moving quickly, which Jirou anticipated since the venue was known for having some of the most efficient procedures. It was just another reason for why she considered it a fit place for Deep Dope to perform.
"Hey! Dope shirts there you got there!" Midoriya and Jirou heard from behind them.
They did not recognize the two people standing behind them - a guy and a girl - but they both looked like high school students. Both of them also had on Deep Dope shirts, with the guy also wearing a black Deep Dope hat.
"Deep," Jirou responded to them.
"Thanks?" Midoriya said, confused by Jirou.
"Oh, that's a Deep Dope-ism - you say 'Deep' instead of thanks when you talk about Deep Dope. I should've told you that," Jirou said, trying to hide her blush.
"We all start somewhere, right Hina?" The guy said.
"I think I've sure done a deep job learning about them, Alex," the girl named Hina quipped back.
"All those concert dates sure do add up," Alex said.
"I'm sure you two know what he means, you must've had plenty of concert dates as well!" Hina said.
The two of them grabbed each other's hand, intertwining their fingers, and moved onto the next line. Midoriya could not help but watch them walk away together, eyeing Jirou's hand before quickly glancing to the ground. Jirou tried distracting herself by reading the menu board yet again, but the words "concert date" kept ringing in her head. Concert date. Concert date. Concert date.
Date. Date. Date.
"We just can't get away from that stupid word!" Jirou thought to herself. "How are Alex and Hina so smooth and in sync? I couldn't imagine just holding hands like that!"
The two of them then reached the front of the line and received their food moments later. Finding an open bench, the two of them quickly ate their food - partially from the excitement from entering the venue, but also from the anxieties of being together. Once they were done, Midoriya took both of their empty cartons and dumped it in a nearby trash can. The two of them then peeked around in a few merchandise pop-up shops, but decided to not make any purchases. With all of the preliminary events out of the way, it was time to enter the building.
"Oh wow... the lines are long!" Midoriya said.
"Yep, but they usually go fast. It'll take five minutes at most," Jirou said.
A thought then flashed in her head.
She looked down at her hand.
Then, she looked at Midoriya's hand.
"Well, if I can't say it..." Jirou mumbled.
"Did you say something, Kyouka?" Midoriya asked.
Jirou grabbed Midoriya's hand. Her palm laid on the top of his right hand, her fingers gripping the sides of his hand. Their arms brushed together from Jirou's stiff movements.
They looked into each other's eyes. Not a smile nor a frown was present on either of their faces.
"Um..." Midoriya spilled out.
"So, what was bugging you earlier? I don't think you ever told me. I'm all ears," Jirou said, twirling her jack with her other hand.
While Midoriya's face got redder and redder as he searched for the right words, Jirou thought back to the time when he spent the night at her house earlier in the year. The way she had touched his hand as she fell asleep... but this was even better for her.
"Nothing's bugging me now," Midoriya finally said with a feint smile.
As they moved forward in the line, the two of them used their other hand to grab their phones for their tickets. Once they were scanned, they entered the building, and they then searched for their section number. During the process, Midoriya slid his hand around so that his palm touched Jirou's palm. Their fingers slid into an interlocking position. Despite that, they had reminded silent. But finally, Jirou broke the silence.
"This section right here," Jirou said, again using her opposite hand to point towards the board with their section number.
The two of them then entered the actual concert area. Midoriya was in awe from seeing a real stage for the first time, while Jirou smiled at seeing one of her favorite places in the world again. They went all the way down to the bottom of the seating bowl, right in the center.
"Wait..." Midoriya said.
"Front row, center section. You're welcome," Jirou grinned.
"Ky-Kyouka..." Midoriya loosened his hand from Jirou's.
"Izuku - "
He embraced Jirou into a tight hug.
"Aw, you dweeb," Jirou said, returning the hug without missing a beat.
"How - How did you get these seats?" Midoriya said, loosening from the hug.
"Well, it definitely helps having parents who know everyone who works here," Jirou answered. "But Izuku, I'm honestly surprised you even know that front row seats are the best seats, since you've never been to a concert, y'know."
"Um... All Might interviews and conventions... I've always wanted to experience front row seats!" Midoriya said.
The two of them took their seats. No one else was in the row with them at the moment. Jirou then slid her hand over to Midoriya's once more, and Midoriya wrapped his hand around Jirou's. Now it was time to wait for the concert to start. As much as they were ready to hear Deep Dope live, they were also soaking in the current moment as much as they could. Even if they refused to admit it aloud.
"Oh, Izuku. Enjoy sitting down now while you can," Jirou said.
"Why?" Midoriya said.
"You don't sit during a concert. You stand. And yell. Especially for Deep Dope. Especially in the front row."
"Really? Why?"
Jirou tried to hold back her giggle. "You'll see."
Midoriya grinned, eager to experience what Jirou insinuated. Jirou also grinned, eager to see Midoriya experience Deep Dope live. Sure, listening to Deep Dope was always a blast for Jirou, but listening to them live was on another level.
As the final few fans filed into the arena, the lights on the ceiling above turned dark. Purple lights on the stage began flashing. A roar of cheers and 'Deep Dope' chants began to echo across the arena.
"Woah," Midoriya said.
"Stand up!" Jirou motioned.
The purple lights on the stage then became solid, all lit up to illuminate the stage. Smoke then poured out from the sides of the stage, and then, four figures emerged. The crowd roared so loud that you would have thought that All Might had just defeated All For One. However, that had not been the case.
Deep Dope had entered the building.
Nothing could compare to this moment for Jirou.
"Shizuoka!" The lead singer then yelled. "Are you ready for some dope action?!"
"Deeeeeeep!" The fans across the venue then yelled, including Jirou and Midoriya. Jirou was impressed by his quick learning.
The concert then began with the song that every Deep Dope concert opened with - Welcome to the Deep Zone. Almost all of the fans screamed the words of the song right on back, but Deep Dope's vocals still drowned everyone else out.
"Welcome to the Deep Zooone!" Deep Dope concluded, with the crowd erupting in cheers and applause.
Jirou gave a quick glance over to Midoriya. He was in awe - his eyes shining, his mouth agape.
"Enjoying the moment... this is more than enjoyment!" Midoriya thought.
"The power of Deep Dope, huh?" Jirou smirked.
"Dope!" Midoriya said.
Following the opening act were the songs Symphony of Dopeness, For Whom the Deep Tolls, and Deep Dope Syndrome. Using the words 'Deep' or 'Dope' in the title of their songs was one of the signature parts of the group. Jirou had memorized every song down to the title, lyric and tempo, while Midoriya tried his best to learn as much as he could in the moment.
Next up was Deep Renegade,Under the Dope Bridge, and Dope Wrench. More and more songs played without rest, without intermission, and even without a comment from the group. They were absolutely relentless - nothing would stop them. Song after song continued to rule the night, with no fan stopping their screams either.
"Don't wanna be your dope wrench!" the lead singer concluded, as the audience yet again roared in approval.
Midoriya and Jirou could feel the rumble throughout their entire bodies - from their feet, to their chest, to their ears, and to their brain. Everything was loud, and everything was right. This was the true Deep Dope experience.
Jirou gave Midoriya's hand a squeeze. Midoriya looked over with as big of a smile as he could give. They had not stopped holding each others hand since the start of the concert. Midoriya then yelled something, but the noise of the crowd and Deep Dope drowned him out. Jirou tried her best to read his lips, but it was to no avail.
Deep Dope then played Highway to Dope and a few other songs, making their total right around twenty songs. Then, all of the lights went dark. Jirou's heart thumped faster and faster.
This was it.
The grand finale.
"HEROES. ARE..."
"DOPE!" The crowd roared. They saved their best for last. A signature song for the signature moment.
Everyone in the crowd - even Midoriya - yelled every single word to the song. The song dedicated to heroes around the world. Deep Dope's message to all heroes. The dopest song of the group praising those who are the dopest.
Deep Dope delivered yet again.
The group's drummer and guitar both had their own solos added near the end of the song - a live only add-on - before the closing lines of the song played.
"HEROES ARE DOPE! YEAH!"
Somehow, the crowd managed to applaud and cheer even louder than they had done at any other point during the concert. True to Jirou's prediction, she and Midoriya stood the entire time. There was no way their adrenaline would let them even think about sitting.
"Thank you Shizuoka! Stay deep, stay dope!" The lead singer closed, as the group rolled off the stage.
The next twenty minutes after the concert was rather disorganized, as Midoriya and Jirou tried to find their way out of the arena like everyone else in attendance. Once they were finally outside, greeted by the cold winter night, the two of them once again held hands as they began the trek back to UA. They wished the concert could have gone on even longer, but the buzz they had was unlike anything they had ever felt before.
"So, what did you think?" Jirou said.
"Hands down the best event I've ever been to! Thank you so much, Kyouka! This was such an incredible night!" Midoriya said.
"You're welcome, green. Anything for a fri- friend..." Jirou then trailed off.
"Uh, friend?" Midoriya asked.
"I mean... well, I... wait, what are you uh'ing about?" Jirou asked.
"What are you st-stuttering about, Kyouka?" Midoriya responded.
The two of them stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, now away from the bulk of the crowd. They let go of each other's hand. All they did was stare into one another's eyes, illuminated from the moon above.
"Hey - what were you trying to say during the concert? I didn't hear you," Jirou then asked.
"Oh! You didn't hear me? Shoot, I thought you did." Midoriya said.
"Listen, I might have a hearing-based quirk, but it's not so good that I can hear someone in the middle of a concert," Jirou chuckled.
"I just... I was just saying that this was an awesome date."
Jirou's eyes widened. She could feel her heart thump.
"You said this was a date, right?" Midoriya said.
Jirou was dumbfounded. No words came to her mouth. Nothing. None. She was frozen in the moment.
But then she finally, somehow, found the right words for the first time.
"Izuku."
"Kyouka?"
"I'm sick of this whole date thing. I'm sick of thinking about whether this night was supposed to be a date or not," Jirou stumbled.
"Oh, I, um - " Midoriya tried to interject.
"Izuku, I... I like you. I mean, I really like you... a lot, Izuku."
Jirou looked downwards. She could feel her face heat up in the midst of the cold night. But she had finally found her chance.
She could not even think about what Midoriya was going to say.
"I - I can't believe it!" Midoriya yelled after about a minute.
"Wha-what do you mean?" Jirou asked, finally looking up at him.
"I like you too, Kyouka," Midoriya said after gaining some composure. "I've never, um, felt this way about someone before... but I really like you."
"You do?! You..."
Jirou was interrupted as the two of them stepped forward and hugged yet again. This was the longest, tightest, and most emotional hug yet.
"Yes..." Midoriya said.
"Wow..." Jirou said as they separated. "We really both like each other, I - I'm so happy, Izuku."
"I can't believe it... I'm so happy too, Kyouka," Midoriya said.
The two of them grabbed each other's hand, intertwined their fingers, and headed towards UA.
Izuku Midoriya and Kyouka Jirou - a new era begins.
A/N: It finally happened. Finally! It took 25 chapters and almost two years, but they finally admitted they liked each other!
While I've always had the outline of how I wanted the confession to occur, I really struggled to find the right way to do it. It's something that I've really been trying to get right since this story first began in November 2021. It's the most important moment in a slowburn, in my opinion. I hope it was enjoyable and worth the wait!
But in case you were wondering, this story is far from over. This story does not end with this confession. We still have a ways to go, so buckle up - a new era begins for Kyouka Jirou and Izuku Midoriya in Chapter 26! (And soon enough, the reasoning behind the title of the fic will be revealed!)
Thank you to each and every person who has read When Our Passions Unite so far - I hope you'll continue to read as I'm very excited to write Midoriya and Jirou as a couple. I have so many ideas and I can't wait to tackle all of them! Chapter 26 will hopefully be out soon, so make sure to follow and favorite so you'll know when the next chapter is dropped!
I also appreciate every single comment I've gotten. They truly mean a lot to me! They give me a motivation that I just cannot otherwise attain - knowing there are readers who enjoy what you're writing is a special feeling. And I hope moving forward, I can continue to deliver the best fanfic I can possibly write for all of you!
Thanks again for reading, favoriting, following, and commenting! See you next time for Chapter 26 of When Our Passions Unite!