You may help me wear it, I had wanted to say.
We look away from each other. Todoroki-kun hides the rose and necklace inside his jacket and he turns his body to face the front of the room. I do the same. We don't look at each other or say anything at all.
A few minutes of this pass, and I feel awkward.
We're just friends. So why are we behaving as though we were having a clandestine meeting and we were nearly caught? I'm certain this isn't how friends behave.
Despite my thoughts, I do nothing to act upon them. Instead, I open my comfort novel, The Cruel Prince, and continue reading it for the seventeenth time. I'm at the part where Jude vows, "'If I cannot be better than them, then I will become so much worse,'" when I see a shadow fall on my book. The shadow speaks.
"Good morning. My name is Yaoyorozu Momo. What's yours?"
I look up from my book to see that girl with her dark hair tied back smiling at me. So the girls are actually following through with their plan.
I return the smile. "Good morning. My name is Hanada Selene."
"Hanada. As in the Hanada Group of Companies?"
I have an idea of where this is going to go. "The very same."
She bows down. "You're affiliated with one of the world's most renowned corporations! It is a pleasure to meet you."
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Todoroki-kun look at me.
"Please, you do not have to bow. And the pleasure is mine," I say not wanting to gather unnecessary attention.
"I didn't think that someone from such a prominent family would attend U.A. to become a hero. But it's inspiring."
Not knowing what to say, I simply smile.
Just then the bell rings, and she leaves to return to her seat. She calls back, "I'll talk to you later."
As soon as she leaves, Todoroki-kun leans toward me and whispers, "You're related to the Hanada family? I didn't know that."
I whisper back, "I am their adopted child, but yes. I thought you would have figured that out by my last name."
He rubs his nape. "For a moment I did make that connection. But, I also thought that there may be other families with the last name Hanada, so I didn't want to make that assumption."
"Hmm. When you had first introduced yourself, I had figured you were Endeavor's son. And after the short display of your fire quirk during the Apprehension Test yesterday, my guess was confirmed."
He diverts his eyes. "You knew that I was his son ..."
He seems unnerved by my statement. Much more unnerved to be simply embarrassed. He doesn't like to talk about his father, I realize. I console him. "I only knew this because I knew your father's name. The true names of heroes are not revealed much to the public. I assure you, it's only because of my position in society that I learned his name. If it eases you any bit, then I won't discuss him in front of you or with anyone else. Not unless you want me to."
He looks at me for a few seconds with an unrecognizable emotion in his eyes. He whispers, "Thanks. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome, Todoroki-kun."
He faces forward again and a few moments later so do I. I maintain an expression devoid of expression, but my thoughts roil.
Todoroki-kun seems to be hurting. He wishes to distance himself from his father. He does not want to be affiliated with him. Just like how I wish that I was not affiliated with the Hanadas.
Neither of us has a good relationship with our father figures.
Neither of us wishes to have any connection with our father figures.
Neither of us shares happy memories with our father figures.
Neither of us wants to live the life we're living right now.
We're very similar.
Is this why I entered his dream all those nights ago?