Written by Aduubo, Buckichamp, and PKSpartan.
The day was over with the last class ending. Maybe it was ending a little too fast, especially for Ryuko. She had an uncontrollable urge to shake her foot as the clock ticked by. Every sound of the hand moving dulled out everything else. And it just kept getting faster and faster. When Ryuko started wondering if she was going insane, all thoughts were put to rest once she saw Yaoyorozu's hand touch her desk.
"We'll be waiting for you. But take your time if you must. There's no hard feelings if you feel that you can't do it today.."
Momo looked towards Todoroki, both nodding to each other before leaving as well. Ryuko had the whole day to let the plan settle, but it all still felt way too brisk. Thankfully, there was someone who helped make her feel that she had all the time in the world.
"So… are you sure you're ready?" Izuku asked Ryuko, who hummed in response.
After thinking everything over the evening prior, Matoi knew this couldn't wait any longer. If they could have more people backing them, the better. Though to say she was comfortable with the idea would have been stretching it.
She was scared.
She'd hidden so much from her classmates, but they still were willing to try and extend a hand. Given all that their class had been through and the trust lent out by Yaoyorozu and Todoroki, Ryuko felt as ready as she could be to reciprocate it.
"Thanks for coming with, by the way."
"Are you kidding? Where else do you think I'd be?" Izuku chuckled softly while Ryuko nervously grumbled.
Then she felt his hand grasp hers, a sensation she'd come to recognize rather quickly.
"I'll be there for you. I promise," Izuku reaffirmed.
Ryuko's heart was beating a million miles a minute. Could she not have this happen every time she saw his eyes and that adorable face?
"Y-yeah," she nodded as they were finally at their destination.
"Ready?" Midoriya asked.
The girl took a deep breath before steeling herself for the conversation ahead.
"Ready."
Izuku and Ryuko walked down to an empty classroom, making sure that nobody saw them when they entered. After closing the door quietly, they found Todoroki and Yaoyorozu seated at a few desks.
"Thank you both for coming," Momo greeted as she stood up, with Todoroki following suit.
Izuku and Ryuko looked at each other, with the girl reaffirming that she was prepared. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was the right thing to do.
"So, what do you already know?"
Yaoyorozu glanced at Todoroki and assured that she'd take the lead here.
"When I overheard that you told Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida that you were a recommended transfer student, I already suspected something. Because you weren't present at the recommendations test."
Ryuko's eyes widened, seeing that she basically had been discovered from the get-go. Whatever strings Mikisugi pulled to initiate the transfer, Ryuko was questioning it under her breath, nearly outright cursing it. Was his plan that easy to poke through? Or did he not take into account that there'd be brainiacs at UA? If that's the case, how is he still hidden under Honnoji's – no – Satsuki's nose?
"But, that's all I know right now. You've covered your tracks well up until what happened at Honnoji," Yaoyorozu concluded.
"We started wondering more when that girl brought up your father," Todoroki added.
Ryuko nodded, acknowledging everything that the both of them said. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for what she was about to say.
"You got me. I wasn't admitted to UA as a recommended student under a transfer program from Honnoji. It was a cover so I didn't have to explain how I got here."
Yaoyorozu nodded as her suspicions were confirmed, not out of pride, but more that she was able to find the right trail immediately. This string of luck could be beneficial going forward. Ryuko then proceeded to explain how the transfer program was arranged. She paused in between some of her lines. She might despise Mikisugi to a degree, but she wasn't about to blow his cover at Honnoji. Nudist Beach was the only name dropped from her lips, no one else's. The main goal of the transfer was to solely keep her and Senketsu away from Honnoji's influence.
"How did you end up in Honnoji in the first place?" Todoroki inquired.
"I went there to find the person who killed my Dad eight months ago," Matoi spoke in a low tone. Izuku could only look on as Ryuko continued. This was her choice to talk and he knew this needed to be done on her own. He'd be there if she needed it.
"But you weren't able to find out the truth," Momo grimly said without even having to be told.
A deep growl seethed through Ryuko's clenched teeth as she would then recall her battles with Satsuki. "Satsuki hung it over my head like a damn carrot on a stick. I almost died so many times doing whatever stupid trials she kept throwing at me. I just wasn't strong enough to wring it out of her."
"T-That's terrible," Yaoyorozu gasped, placing her fingers against her lips. To say that Matoi's story introduced any melancholy into the moment would be an understatement.
"So that's why you agreed to coming to UA in the first place. To get prepared for revenge," Todoroki started to piece things together.
"Yeah, at first," Matoi admitted, her hands clenching tighter. She felt ashamed about how aimless her goal actually was. All Might truly opened her eyes to where her future could really go. "I was obsessed. I wanted to beat her. I never really thought I'd be a hero like when I was a kid. I even thought of ditching UA to go back to that damn madhouse."
"But that changed…" She stopped, her voice softening when she first turned her head to face Izuku. Then she looked towards Momo and Shoto
"It all changed when I met all of you."
Ryuko felt her tears welling up, as did Yaoyorozu. But Ryuko continued.
"I hadn't been in a place damn near supportive as UA has been in years. My relationship with my dad was broken. I didn't understand why he was so rough with me way back when I was a kid and shipped my ass off to Gakuin boarding school. But you all and so many people changed my life for the better," Ryuko said as her voice started to crack, small droplets of tears running down her cheeks. "I started seeing that being a hero could be my escape from my old life as the leader of the Kanto gang and a wanderer. That's part of why some folks in our class weren't happy with me. And for good reason."
While she didn't call anyone out by name, Yaoyorozu knew immediately that was an acknowledgement to her.
"I'm sorry that I had been lying for so long, and for causing so much trouble."
"I should be the first one to apologize," Momo spoke up, with Matoi's gaze meeting hers. She was choking on her words. "I know I was the one you were talking about… and I never should have treated you that way," Her arms extended out and wrapped around Matoi's shoulders.
In this moment, relief had washed into Ryuko's being. Izuku always told her that the class will always accept her. No matter what happens. Even when they have to take things one step at a time. She just needed to remember that. Ryuko let what Yaoyorozu said sink in as she returned her embrace.
A small smile formed on Todoroki's face while Izuku was wiping a few tears from his own.
"I think that's enough then," Shoto said. "I don't have a lot of words, but I hope we can help when you need it. If you'll allow us to."
"Of course," Ryuko nodded through the tears as Yaoyorozu let her go.
"And you know I'll be there," Izuku finally chimed in from her left. "Always."
Yaoyorozu created a tissue box for herself, Midoriya, and Matoi to share. There was so much baggage her classmate was dealing with, yet she never could have pieced this all together. She was just glad to know they could help. "Thank you for telling us this, Matoi. I know that when the rest of the class learns about this, they'll be behind you just like we are. You're one of us. Never forget that."
"Thanks guys," Ryuko wiped her eyes and handed off some tissues to Izuku.
"And if you both have the time, we'd like to treat you to something," Yaoyorozu followed up.
"Really? With what? Izuku asked.
"There's a really nice farmer's market downtown that Todoroki suggested that we'd visit after this whole emotional adventure. It'll be a good place to unwind for a couple hours before ending the day. Would you like to come with us?" Yaoyorozu proposed.
Izuku and Ryuko took a brief second to stop and contemplate. They needed to think this through since they actually had plans tonight. A chance to spend time with their classmates sounded really nice. They then looked to each other to decide their final answer.
"If I'm quick enough, I think I can let mom know we'll be out so that she doesn't have to cook dinner," Izuku pulled out his phone.
"Count us in," Ryuko gave a thumbs up.
"Wonderful! This will be fun," Yaoyorozu said with joy. "We'll go home to change and reconvene at the farmer's market! I'll text the addresses to you both. Don't be late!"
After a short trip home, Izuku and Ryuko hopped off the train as they reached their last stop. With the guidance of GPS, it only took a short walk until the two teens were at the entrance of Hirasawa Fish Market. What they saw in front of them was an infrastructure that wasn't too big, but lanes that were formed by carts spanned for what could be miles. It was filled to the brim with food on display, signs, and super compact crowds of people.
"Looks like this is it. Yaoyorozu said this was the place," Ryuko looked down at Izuku's phone and back at the sign.
"It's a lot bigger than I thought. Guess I got used to being downtown so much," Izuku looked around.
Izuku had never seen anything like this. He only knew that his mom made stops here to pick up food for specific meals. The market reminded Ryuko of the slums, except that it was a lot cleaner here. Little to no litter on the ground, and not one sign of anyone out to pickpocket or rob them. There was a pleasant vibe that Ryuko got from this place. She'd love to take Mako here one of these days.
And just like the slums, the densely packed crowd was formidable. It was definitely gonna be hot as hell here. Thankfully the two were dressed for the weather. Izuku wore his trademark "shirt" t-shirt and a pair of black shorts, while Ryuko was dressed in a white t-shirt and inset short leggings.
"Oh good! You both made it!" Yaoyorozu called from a distance as she approached the duo.
"Yo, Yaomomo!" Ryuko waved up high so that Momo could see them in the crowd.
"Good to see you, Yaoyorozu," Izuku greeted.
"Sorry for the delay, I got held up on trying to figure out what to wear," Momo rubbed the back of her head. She wore a nice purple sundress with a white shirt underneath.
"That dress looks really nice on you," Izuku complimented.
"Caught wind of the heat wave too, huh?" Ryuko jokingly asked. "Lookin' good."
"Thank you both," Momo bowed slightly. She always loved hearing compliments on how she dressed. "You should try on a sundress too, Matoi. I think you would look dashing in it."
Ryuko shielded herself from the idea by waving her arms in front of her. "Huh? It's not really my style, though. Dresses for a ball are one thing, but what you're wearing?" Matoi gestured at Yaoyorozu briefly. "That's more fit for nice and proper girls like you."
Little did Ryuko know, she had just unleashed the beasts.
"And you're saying you aren't either of those?"
Soon the girl was bombarded with both Izuku and Yaomomo getting up in arms about what she said. They were nearly face to face with her, shining a bright light that was nearly blinding.
"W-What is happening?" she stuttered and tried to cover her eyes.
"Ryuko, you're one of the nicest and most proper people I know!" Izuku exclaimed.
"The fact you entertain the idea of the opposite is absurd!" Yaoyorozu joined him.
"You have manners, you get along with almost everyone in school, and you're passing the classes!" Izuku added.
"W-Well, that's because you've been helping me pick up the slack," Ryuko dismissed the compliment.
"That's not the point!" Izuku got up in Ryuko's face.
'S-So close…!' The gears in Ryuko's eyes began to spin as she looked at his emerald green spheres.
"You were always willing to learn and practice! Even when things got hard! Like that time you couldn't figure out English," Izuku said.
"H-Hey, you didn't need to say that out loud," Ryuko blushed out of embarrassment.
"That was rough," Senketsu chimed in.
"Shut up," Ryuko tugged on Senketsu's eye.
"You've improved greatly over the last few months, Matoi! Don't you forget that!" Yaoyorozu said.
"Okay! Okay! You win! I'll try the dresses!" Ryuko surrendered and fell to the floor. She let out a guttural sigh, finding her friends' assertiveness and enthusiasm to be exhausting to a point that she had to give in. Ryuko could only imagine what'd happen if Izuku hadn't passed the role of class rep to Iida.
"Good. Glad that's settled then," Momo stated as she and Midoriya exchanged glances proudly. "Now, I think we're only missing Todoroki-"
"There you guys are."
Everyone jolted as they were caught off guard by the timing of the voice. It turned out to be Todoroki, who appeared with a nearly finished popsicle in his hand.
"Where the hell did you come from?!" Ryuko shouted.
"The popsicle stand back there," Todoroki gestured towards the cart nearby.
"When did you do that?" Izuku wondered.
"Ten minutes ago."
"Wait, have you been here the whole time?" Yaoyorozu asked him.
"Yeah. Why?"
Everyone stared at Todoroki in silence. He then looked himself over, wondering if his popsicle dropped onto his clothes.
"Wow, Todoroki got here before us," Izuku said.
Now that everyone was acquainted, they set off into this new world that was the Farmer's Market. Going past the aisles with the basic kinds of food, there was a plentiful amount of cool stuff that wouldn't have been seen in a grocery store; from rural souvenirs, street food that weren't sold in restaurants, and the strangest of them all, cooked bugs. Izuku, Ryuko, and Todoroki stared blankly at an abundant gallery which consisted of fried crickets, tarantulas, grubs, and scorpions. Yaoyorozu only gazed at them with a hint of reluctance, more so out of foresight she may very well one day have to eat them.
Luckily for her, she wouldn't have to keep looking for long as Ryuko took the initiative to wander somewhere else. To their pleasant surprise, there was much more that the market was offering. Ryuko stopped to take a look at the antiques imported from many regions of the world. Some even being from Germany, like the shop that she visited in Honno City. Ryuko then picked up a German beer stein which looked strikingly similar to one that her dad owned. Come to think of it, the whole area gave off an old-timey feel like back at home. For someone that practically lived in his lab, Ishin liked to keep a lot of old relics. Why? Did it remind him of what once was? Ryuko knew that her German heritage was tied to her late mother. Could it have been him keeping it all to remember her by?
After all the time Ishin spent neglecting Ryuko, who the hell knows?
'Shockingly', thinking about her father wasn't something that she wanted to do right now. Ryuko set the item of the past down so that she could get back to being immersed in the current setting. She couldn't believe that during her time as a wanderer, there was so much of the world that she was missing. Cart after cart, Ryuko began to consider the possibility that she'd buy something.
Coincidentally, she stumbled upon a stand that sold a variety of fruits, lemons getting their own basket alongside them. Not even a second passed before a move was made. "Excuse me, ma'm. How much for the lemon?"
Upon taking notice from afar, Izuku raised an eyebrow. Why would Ryuko only buy a single lemon? Before he could possibly theorize, Ryuko went and took a big bite out of it. Not a hint of twinging from the likely sour taste. Izuku felt his arms dangle lifelessly parallel to his body as she gulped it down. That was a raw lemon. And she just ate it like an apple. He was beyond dumbfounded by the sight, but strangely felt that was in line with what Ryuko would do.
While she ate, Todoroki walked over to the stand that sold bowls of Soba. "They sell Soba here? I like Soba," he looked over the counter.
"You actually like things? I'm surprised. Must be good," Ryuko jested, joining him to inspect. But something else soon caught her attention, taking form in golden brown delectables. "They have croquettes here too?! Potato, Menchi-Katsu, Kabocha? Curry? This place has everything!"
Ryuko moved past Todoroki and gazed upon plates that showed varieties of the fried bread rolls. She wondered how they compared to Sukuyo or Inko's cooking. With the money that she had been saving, there was only one way to find out.
Izuku watched as Ryuko and Todoroki were checking out the food on display. Even though he'll never understand eating raw lemons, Izuku always found joy in watching Ryuko have fun. Granted, he saw her like this almost every day. Yaoyorozu then gasped nearby, which pulled Izuku's attention away. He turned around to see that she was looking at a flier on a bulletin board.
"I forgot that it was this weekend!" Yaoyorozu exclaimed.
"What's happening this weekend?" Izuku stood next to her.
"The Hydrangea festival. A Fujinomori shrine will be hosting it. I wish I could have gone!" Yaomomo locked her arms together in a huff.
"Hydrangea? I'm guessing it's about the flowers. How come you can't go?" Izuku asked curiously.
"I have plans with some friends of mine from prep school. They're visiting from overseas. I should have suggested that we go to the Hydrangea festival!"
"Aw, that's a bummer. Have you been there before?" Izuku took a closer look at the festival's flier.
"Yes, and it's one of the most magical things I've ever been to. Every June, anyone attending will get treated to all of the flowers 's rows upon rows of beautiful colors for everyone to see. The red and blue flowers are among the most vibrant," Momo recollected the last time she was there. "And when the sun falls, we're treated to a beautiful scenic view of the city."
"What was it like?" Izuku stepped closer to her, his curiosity literally drawing him in.
"When I first felt the gentle breeze of the wind, it completely changed the dynamic," Momo wrapped her hands together as her lips curved, beaming brighter than the few times Izuku had ever seen. Besides all of the cool things he was hearing, he loved seeing how passionate others can get. And with that gleeful look on her face, he knew that there was something special that he had to know. "I felt like I was in a different kind of world. The soft distant sound of the cars on the road, and the city's bright lights bathing in the blue night sky? It was all… comforting."
Izuku inhaled sharply, as he could only process what Momo just told him. Just imagining the red and blue flowers seemed lovely. He had grown to love those colors more and more over the past few months. And the last thing she said…
Comfort. It reminded him a lot about Ryuko.
He stared at the date of the festival, thinking ahead. He and Ryuko were free that weekend. Over the last few weeks, he'd been juggling a lot of responsibility, not to mention the mental and emotional baggage that had been weighing on him as well. There were so many thoughts running through his head, he didn't know what to put at the top of his priority list; worrying about school, the potential threat of All for One, Honnoji Academy…
And most important of all, a particular someone.
Izuku turned his head, his gaze fixed on Ryuko. She was laughing, probably because of Todoroki's dry humor. But, that wasn't what he was focusing on. It was her smile. It was the only thing that he could see clearly among others.
Izuku turned back to the bulletin board and snatched the Hydrangea festival flier off of it.
"Oh? Midoriya? Are you planning to go to the festival?" Momo inched over towards him slightly with intrigue.
"Y-Yeah," Izuku nodded, staring at the date intently.
"Ah! You're going to have a wonderful time! Will you be inviting Matoi and anyone else?" Momo asked.
Izuku paused for a brief moment as his cheeks turned red.
"For now, I think I'm just going with one person."
Yaoyorozu's fingers touched her lips as she let out a drawn out gasp. Things were finally getting a move on! The entire class was wondering when something would happen but Momo understood that Midoriya would like to keep this under wraps. She quickly looked over her shoulder, seeing that Todoroki and Matoi were still occupied. Momo then looked back at Midoriya with a smile.
"Do you know who you'll be asking?"
"I think so. I'm still trying to figure things out," Izuku answered.
Yaoyorozu giggled at his response. "I'm sure you're not the only one. But, whatever you choose to do, I'll be rooting for you. Good luck."
"Thanks," Midoriya neatly folded the flier into his pocket.
Izuku and Momo turned around and found that their friends returned with food offerings, as well as extras for themselves.
"Just couldn't resist, huh?" Momo chuckled.
"The food here is killer," Ryuko quickly leaned in closely to whisper. "Well, not as good as his mom's, but still," she gestured to Izuku while wiping her lips.
"Phew, you nearly had me worried there, Ryuko," Izuku joked.
"Well, I think we've had enough of the market for today. We should return to our homes," Momo suggested, which everyone agreed with.
Soon, they all boarded the next train, as it turned out to be what they used to get here. Izuku sat beside Ryuko like always. He found himself glancing at her, paying a lot more attention to her looks; her light skin covered by waves of dark blue hair, and the red streak that contrasted it. He then remembered the red and blue flowers that Yaoyorozu described.
"What?" Ryuko eventually caught Izuku staring as her cheeks turned a mild red, but her expression remained joyful. She wasn't sure whether to feel embarrassed or not since she had gotten so comfortable with him.
"N-Nothing," Izuku answered and looked straight ahead.
Ryuko was a bit confused with Izuku's behavior. She looked to Senketsu for a bit of guidance, but he chose not to say anything. He knew exactly what was happening, and he wanted Ryuko to find out for herself.
Soon, Izuku and Ryuko's stop came and the two got off. Shoto and Momo lived further away, so they stayed on the train.
"Todoroki, Yaomomo, thanks for the trip today. It was really fun," Ryuko smiled.
"No problem. Thanks for coming with us," Todoroki nodded.
"And thank you both for being open with us today. We'll be behind you if you ever need anything," Yaoyorozu said earnestly with a bow.
"We'll try not to make you work too much," Izuku said. "Good night."
"Take care," Yaoyorozu waved before the train doors closed.
Izuku and Ryuko began their trek back home, returning to Danchi and entering the Midoriya residence. Now that things were done and over with, it was time to relax back at home. Today has truly been eventful. Ryuko was able to slowly unload some of the baggage she carried and got a fun trip out of it. Never before did she think that she'd get this close with Todoroki, much less Yaoyorozu. Sure, they patched things up during the internships, but this was a huge sudden step in their friendship. Just when Ryuko thought that she'd been surprised enough, she and Izuku found Inko plastered on the couch with a large fan in front of her. The two looked at one another with curiosity before greeting Inko.
"Um, we're home!" Izuku called out while he and Ryuko took off their shoes. He made sure to use his indoor voice this time.
"Welcome home! Did you both have a good time today?" Inko said a little wearily.
"Same as ever," Izuku answered. "Are you okay, mom? You sound tired."
"I'm fine. The AC unit in the building broke, so I bought this fan to fight the heat," Inko leaned her head back on the couch.
Ryuko was surprised to see Inko being so exhausted. The Midoriyas' were always so full of energy. It must be very hot today, yet somehow she and the others didn't notice during the day. Poor Inko must have been working hard the past few hours. Izuku was quick to run into the kitchen and fetch a cold glass of water for her before rejoining Ryuko.
"We should probably give your mom some space. I'd hate to hog that fan from her," she suggested.
Izuku glanced at Inko before nodding back at Ryuko. His mom looked like she needed more time alone before going to sleep. Inko would have been too dozed off to question why they were going up there.
"I'm gonna hang in Ryuko's apartment for a bit! We have some homework that we need to go over," Izuku turned around and went back to put on his shoes.
"Okay…! Be safe!" Inko weakly waved them off.
Izuku and Ryuko walked up the flight of stairs and plopped themselves onto the couch. It was a little bit too early to be calling it a night, so they had some time to hang out. The only curveball being that it was 26 degrees and the AC unit was broken. This should be a cinch, right? One hour passed with Ryuko rolling along the floor with her forearm resting over her forehead. Izuku wasn't faring much better as he was still seated on the couch fanning himself. They were practically fighting for their lives.
"Man, why now does the AC unit in this whole building choose to break? I'll pay for everyone if the repair guy can fix it faster!"
"Look on the bright side, Ryuko. It'll cool back down to a nice 21 degrees this weekend. It's a perfect time to get out there and see the world," Izuku spoke cheerfully.
"Well, I'm looking forward to it. It can't come any sooner," The girl whined.
"You can say that again," Izuku said before he took his eyes off of Ryuko.
A bubbling burst of warmth seized him. "About the weekend…" He paused and held out a little flyer, which caught Ryuko's attention as she sat back on the couch. With a quick move, Izuku presented it to her so that she could look it over while he explained.
"A Fujinomori shrine down in southern Kyoto is hosting the Hydrangea festival this weekend. Every June, hundreds of hydrangea plants blossom. A lot of people that go there say everything bursts with color once that happens."
"Oh really? That's so cool," Ryuko responded with intrigue. Whoever took the photos in the flyer definitely deserved a raise. The presentation of everything helped really sell the beauty of the flowers. So much that someone that wasn't well versed in flowers like her was being drawn in.
"A-And it's said that when night falls, the view of the city is really breathtaking." Izuku paused again and turned his eyes away from Ryuko. He used the pure white pamphlet to hide the saturating red hue on his face. Air was sucked in deeply through his nose and his eyes were shut tightly. To say that he was nervous would be underselling it. Izuku fought villains, trained with the number one hero and the strongest girl he's ever known, and managed to get himself on top of a rival school's hit list. He should be able to ask this simple question, right?
Except it wasn't simple like when he and Ryuko would usually hang out. This was much more than that. With what seemed to be a herculean task, Izuku knew one thing for sure. Wanting this was the easiest decision he ever made and he was going to pursue it. Izuku slowly opened his eyes before lowering the paper.
"It's only a one hour train ride from here. So… umm - do you want…to go see the flowers…with me?"
Ryuko's eyes burst with life, a small gasp escaping her lips. Izuku occasionally messed with locks of his hair before hiding his face again.
The girl's heart began pounding wildly in her chest as her cheeks glowed red. All that was coming out of her lips were only "umms" and shaky breaths. She and Izuku had hung out together plenty of times in all kinds of places. But the way his eyes weren't able to face her head on and how his beet red ears poked out from behind the pamphlet…
'Is he…'
'Is he asking me out?'
She fumbled with her hair a few times, stroking the red streak in it. Ryuko took a few breaths and blinked before coming to the hardest decision of her life.
"I'd love to, Izuku. But I can't. Sorry."
Izuku's eyes widened upon hearing this. He knew he wasn't going deaf and he definitely knew that the heat wasn't making him delusional. Ryuko clearly said no. Yet he still didn't know what to exactly think.
"Oh. Umm, how come?"
"I-I'm actually busy with something that weekend. I forgot to tell you. My bad," Ryuko chuckled sheepishly from the weak excuse she just made up.
"Really? Where are you headed to?" Izuku asked.
"It's…personal. I can't exactly say. Sorry."
Ryuko tried to make that sound as casual as possible, but there were still hints of melancholy in her voice.
"N-No, it's okay. I understand," Izuku responded softly.
Things were quiet between them now. This should be something they could easily move on from, but neither of them would budge. Izuku didn't show it, but his mind was completely scattered, still trying to figure out what was happening. There was a whirlwind of emotions that he didn't understand. Could it be from confusion? Or even a heartbreak? Part of him wished that Ryuko would catch on and ask him about it like before. Deep in the back of his mind, something was telling him that maybe he ought to persist more on the matter.
"You should ask Uraraka to go with you to the festival," Ryuko pitched to change the mood.
"Uraraka?"
"Yeah! It'd be perfect for the two of you. You could make your move right there."
"Oh. Right…Umm, yeah!" Izuku faintly remembered that Ochako was free that weekend. Ryuko was right. That just may be his chance to confess to her. "Well, hopefully things'll work out. It'd be embarrassing if she said no," Izuku chuckled.
"You'll be fine. I've seen the way you two look at each other. She'd be crazy not to say yes," Ryuko quipped, but blushed again.
Izuku looked down at the brochure in his hands. "Yeah." Part of him felt thrilled that he could bring Ochako to see the beautiful flowers with him. But another felt off. Not that it was any of his business, but he never knew that Ryuko had something else going on. The vagueness of it also gave him some troubling vibes, but he was far too tired to dive into it. He should probably sleep it off for tonight. Today was quite long and emotional, and the last thing Izuku needed was to let his thoughts linger.
"I'd better get going. I'm starting to get a little bit sleepy," Izuku stood up, stretched and yawned. "See you tomorrow?"
"Like I'd miss your Mom's cooking," Ryuko jested before escorting Izuku to the door.
"Mhm. Good night," Izuku said.
"Good night," Ryuko responded before closing the door. Trembling could be heard on the knob, which made her let go of it, only to find that her hand was the culprit. She clutched at her wrist, hoping to ease the pain she felt. Maybe she should…
'No. I…It's nothing. I should just sleep.' Ryuko thought to herself before rushing off to bed.
Izuku watched every moment that the clock ticked, lightly tapping his finger in sync with it. Once the class was dismissed, his moment to finally break the question to Ochako had come. Ryuko could see the way he braced his shoulders and heard him exhale deeply. He was getting ready. Something about it made her want to look away, but her protective nature intervened.
Uraraka packed her things and left the classroom. Izuku stood up from his seat, as it was a cue to talk to her. He took a deep breath. This was it. Upon immediately feeling anxious, Izuku turned to face Ryuko for reassurance. She simply smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
Like always, Ryuko knew how to give him a confidence boost. A grin crept up on Izuku's face before he reasserted himself.
"I'll see you back at home for dinner then?"
"You bet," Ryuko chuckled. "I'll help your mom prepare in the meantime."
"Thanks, but don't do too much work. I can still help out," Izuku said.
"Just go," Ryuko waved him away.
Izuku nodded and got a move on, closing the door behind him while he searched for Ochako. Thankfully he didn't take too long, as she was just going down the stairwell. Ryuko stayed in the classroom until Izuku wasn't in her sights anymore. She kicked her feet lightly, letting the sound of the taps echo throughout the room as she was the only one there. Senketsu's eye darted around. He had been confused ever since what happened last night.
"Ryuko?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm getting up. Don't worry, I'll make it back in time to help Inko," Ryuko stood up from her chair. She hung her back over her shoulder and left the classroom in a quick fashion. The timing of her response was way too close. It's like she had that specific set of words ready on quickdraw.
'That's not what I was going to ask about,' Senketsu mulled. He wanted to speak further, but the dazed, almost tired look in Ryuko's eyes told him that she wasn't going to listen.
"H-Hey, Ochako! Wait!" Izuku called out.
Uraraka stopped before she went down the first step, looking back to see Izuku jogging towards her. He placed himself at the railing, but didn't appear out of breath.
"Did you just run all the way down here?"
"Yeah, why?" he asked.
"How are you not tired?" Ochako leaned to the side to look past him.
Izuku turned around and looked down the hall. There was quite a distance between the stairwell and the classroom, about 50 meters. Yet he crossed it without exerting a single breath. If he had done this during the first week of school, he would have been fighting to breathe.
"I'm not sure, actually."
It was amazing how much his endurance improved thanks to training with Ryuko.
"Heh. Then again, I shouldn't expect anything less from the guy who got third in the Sports Festival," Ochako chuckled. "So, what's up?"
"Oh! Uhh, right. The Hydrangea festival is being hosted this weekend on Sunday night," he pulled out the flyer and handed it to her. "There's gonna be flowers over there that will bloom during the season. It's going to be so cool!"
"Oooh, that does sound cool!" Ochako said as she looked the flyer over. "Is anyone else coming with us?"
"Nope. I was actually wondering if you'd - like to go and see it with me," Izuku asked while adorning a mild blush.
Ochako hung on Izuku's question, feeling her cheeks turn into a similar but warmer tone of color. Her heart started beating quickly, and suddenly the flyer in her hands felt really heavy.
"U-Umm… Lemme see if I'm free that weekend!" she looked into the flyer to hide her face.
"Sure, take your time," Izuku chuckled.
So far, so good. He didn't screw up here. This was feeling easy, a lot easier than he anticipated. His hands weren't shaking, and he wasn't stuttering in between his words. Izuku was even able to maintain eye contact with Ochako.
Ochako peeked up from the flyer to see if Izuku was watching her. Thankfully he was looking away, yet looking almost totally relaxed while doing so. He probably did that to not put any pressure on her. Ochako always did admire how thoughtful Deku was, but she still should give an answer.
"S-So… My schedule is free," She took a big gulp before forming her next set of words, lowering the pamphlet so she could face him properly. "And…I'd love to go to the festival with you."
Her words sounded earnest and sincere, much like the heartfelt look in her eyes. Izuku felt his entire day lighting up, with a smile growing on his face. Ochako actually said yes!
"Awesome! Uhh, I'll text you if I see anything. We'll be taking a train ride over there on Sunday," Izuku said excitedly.
"S-Sure, sounds good," Ochako responded.
"Well, I better get going. I need to head home and help my mom and Ryuko prepare for dinner," Izuku moved down the stairs quickly. "See you tomorrow in class!"
And just like that, Izuku was already gone, almost as fast as when he approached. He even forgot to take the flyer back from Ochako. She held it close to her chest, feeling her heartbeat.
"Yeah, see you."
Meanwhile in Kyoto, an elderly woman was tending to a vast row of flowers, pouring water to nurture them. Inside the bud, a tiny flower had already formed with sepals slowly opening around it. It was only a matter of time until it blossomed into a mature flower. The Hydrangea festival was approaching. And with each passing day, things would only get quieter.
Ryuko wasn't as energetic as she normally was. During class, she hadn't made a comment that would raise Aizawa's blood pressure, or raise her own when getting ticked off by another student. It seemed that she was rather… tame. She'd even turned in early before desserts when she had dinner over at Inko's. Ryuko would still show signs of activity with a few outbursts and there to avoid suspicion. But there were only two people she wasn't able to fool. Izuku was concerned about this new behavior of hers, yet he too felt lost, not finding the energy to ask her about anything.
What would have been something they'd talk about, a small ridge kept them from doing so.
It was now 4:00 p.m. Sunday, June 12. Ochako stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom of her apartment, checking to see if she needed any final touch ups – beyond her long eyelashes, the cute natural pink blush on her face, and fair skin – before her date with Izuku. She didn't look too plain, right? Not that Izuku minded of course, but ever since Matoi had been there, she felt like she always needed to step up. Then one thing came to her mind. For the first time, thinking about Matoi didn't immediately make Ochako feel a pit in her stomach. Instead, it raised a question.
Why did Izuku ask her out instead of Matoi? After everything that had happened, she would have been the obvious choice. Those two had been together for a long time. They always had each other's backs. Not that Ochako wasn't thrilled to be spending time with him though. The idea of him asking her to go with him to the festival alone just left room for a few curious thoughts.
Izuku and Ryuko had just gotten off the train and walked the rest of the way towards Ochako's apartment. Things were quiet during their trip, which Ryuko felt bad for. It had been an awkward week since the night he asked her about the festival. And now she wasn't even giving him the right pep talk before his date.
'Some friend I am,' Ryuko sneered in her head.
Izuku looked over at Ryuko, seeing that she was staring blankly ahead. Even with how things are right now, she was still his friend. "Thanks for walking with me to Ochako's, by the way."
It was small, but him speaking to her had left a big impact. Ryuko wondered if her heart had skipped a beat. She couldn't help but let the corner of her lip tug upward. "For sure. I wasn't gonna let you walk out in the big city all alone," she gestured towards the large buildings that loomed over them, which Izuku laughed at. It was a pleasant feeling for Ryuko to know her jokes still had an effect.
"I appreciate it. Good to know that you've always got my back."
"Always," Ryuko said, feeling her voice brighten more.
Before they knew it, the duo had reached Ochako's apartment and would then walk with her to the train on route to the festival. But during the little trip, they never stopped talking. With some fun banter being traded back and forth, as well as stories being told about their classmates, Ryuko was having a good time. They could just stop at a nearby park somewhere and talk for hours, and she'd consider that time not wasted. But the joy that Ryuko regained would soon come to a stop as they reached the station. It was time for Izuku and Ochako to go.
"I'll see you two later," Ryuko quickly said, not wanting to drag things out.
But before boarding the train, Izuku stopped at the door and turned around with his arms wide open towards Ryuko.
"Huh? What are you doing, Izuku?" the girl asked.
"What? I can't properly say bye to my best friend?" Izuku smiled at her.
Ryuko sported a small blush. "Heh, look at you being so outspoken. Still though, that's a funny way to say bye,"
"Well, it's also my way of saying thanks to those that have helped me all this time," Izuku blushed as well; partly because he kind of looked like a goof standing there with his arms out for so long. But there was something else too. Ryuko looked down and held her hand close to her chest, gripping at her shirt. Her lips curled into a crooked, yet endearing smile. The pounding ache in her heart was back. Her body screamed at her to go with them. To go enjoy the night with them. And maybe possibly…
…
Her smile dropped.
The Kamui Wielder looked back up at the One for All user, her grin returning before she walked into his embrace. It was firm and warm. She hugged him as hard as she could since she didn't want to leave.
"You two have fun, alright?"
"We will. We'll be sure to take pictures so that we can show you later," Izuku spoke softly.
"Can't wait," Ryuko responded before pulling away reluctantly. There was a tearful exhale that slipped in between her words.
"See you, Ryuko," Izuku waved before stepping into the train. Ochako did the same out of courtesy.
"Yeah, see you later," Ryuko waved back.
And with that, the doors closed, and the train went off. She could feel the wind pulling lightly, almost as if she was being beckoned one last time. But soon it stopped. Ryuko's hand slowly ceased its movement before plummeting to her side in defeat. She then looked down at her feet, her hair pooling around her face.
"Ryuko, are you okay?" Senketsu asked.
"Mhm," she answered.
"But your pulse is acting up."
"Yeah, I know," Ryuko said, her voice being relatively shaky. Senketsu could sense that she didn't want to hear any more out of him, at least not right now. It'd be better if he waited until Ryuko got back to the apartment.
She soon turned around and began making her way back. The walk back home felt long like her old wandering days. It was just as lonely too. Curiously, Ryouko thought she had moved on from ever being lonely ever since Ishin cast her away. Yet here she was, back at the same spot. The only difference being that Senketsu was there with her.
Ryuko later returned to Danchi and immediately walked up to her apartment, slowly easing herself inside. She felt strangely spent, despite hardly exerting any energy. This was evident in how she barely took the effort to kick off her shoes and stumbled into her bedroom. Senketsu promptly returned to his original form so that Ryuko could hang him up on the wall. With everything finally out of the way, she collapsed on bed. Her feet clawed at the mattress as she climbed under the blanket, not even changing out of her clothes.
"Ryuko, I'd like to ask something."
The girl ceased her actions without saying a word.
"Why did you let him go?"
Ryuko remained silent for a moment. What she was going to say next would hurt her greatly. But, it's what she felt was the truth.
"I've carried a lot of bad baggage with me ever since I've known Izuku. So many things have gone wrong because of me."
"Good things have happened too," Senketsu said with a trace of surprise. He couldn't believe that he had to say this to her. Then his tone shifted, becoming sympathetic. "I don't get it, Ryuko. You love him."
"And so does Uraraka. They're a perfect match. Even if he does love me, she's better for him."
Ryuko finally climbed into bed and pulled the covers over herself.
"All those years of being with Izuku, walking next to him, being by his side. That may be all over now. But, he'll be happy."
She attempted to sleep it off, but found tears dripping down her cheek and soaking the pillow. Small sobs and hiccups could be heard as Ryuko curled up in her bed. She thought that she could live with it. She thought that she could make it through the night knowing that Izuku was out with Uraraka. Ryuko drew her new green jacket more tightly around herself, holding on for dear life – for the last time. The only positive memory that she carried from her childhood was now gone.
To be continued…