Written by Aduubo
I OWN NOTHING. KILL LA KILL IS OWNED BY STUDIO TRIGGER AND KAZUKI NAKASHIMA. MHA IS OWNED BY TOHO ANIMATION AND KOHEI HORIKOSHI.
Many buildings of all sizes passed by as Izuku stared out the train window. There were so many rooftops that he began analyzing them, mapping out the shape of it. In his head, Izuku could already determine which perch points would help him scale the large skylines in record time, possibly within seconds. In all of the years he had been living in Musutafu, this was the first time he got to really appreciate how it all looked. Whenever he boarded the train for school, his head was either in deep thought, his phone, or his notebook, stirring up many ideas on what he could do to improve his quirk. There were no breaks when it came to UA. Granted, Izuku recalled plenty of times he had days off to relax. But with Ryuko being there with him, there was always this rushing thrill she brought with her that made even the most mundane things exciting.
The inspection soon stopped once the man-made infrastructure was cut off by nature, the lights from the streets and billboards fading. A sea of green now occupied the space outside of Musutafu. It was only a matter of time until they reached Kizugawa, the city near the festival and the highlight of the night.
"Whoa!"
Ochako turned around in her seat to get a look of the view. Just like back in the forest, she was enamored by it all. These parts of the prefecture were entirely covered in trees without interruption. No buildings, sheds, or even powerlines. Just nature in all of its glory. Izuku could see the pure joy on Ochako's face as she gazed upon it all.
"This is so exciting! I don't know if I can wait any longer until we get there."
"It won't be that much longer. The festival's only another half hour away," Izuku said.
Ochako smiled and looked back at the forest, spotting the Daisugi trees from afar. There they continued to stand tall and strong, just like when she and Izuku first sat on top of it.
"If this is the view I get to look at for thirty more minutes, piece of cake," Ochako winked while sporting a mighty thumbs up at Izuku. "In fact, come here for a second!"
"Oh, alright," Izuku scooted towards Ochako while she pulled out her phone, angling it towards herself and Izuku.
"Here's our first picture for the trip!"
Izuku chuckled before he put on a smile. It wasn't as extravagant as Ochako's, but it was simple enough that it didn't look forced or crooked. Ochako waited until the view of the forest behind them looked just right before snapping a selfie. Within a few quick flicks, she opened the photo in her gallery to show Izuku, with it coming out nicely. The trees somehow framed around the two of them surprisingly well. Whether Ochako got lucky with the timing or knew when to take the photo was a mystery to Izuku. She might even give Ashido a run for her money on social media if she cared to take it seriously. Ochako then tucked her phone back into her pocket, planning to send all the photos after the trip so she wouldn't spam her classmates every second.
At what felt like a moment's notice, the last thirty minutes of the ride came to a stop. As they departed from the train and walked to the festival, a food stand selling Takoyaki was spotted in a nearby park. More carts providing different kinds of foods were found as well.
"I think we're getting close. There's a lot of food stations out here," Izuku pointed out the various signs.
"Do you think they have the food carts out here so that the festival can stay nice and tidy?" Ochako tilted to the side, leaning on one foot to get a good look.
"It would make sense if that were the case. The flowers are very delicate, and the food would mess with the smell," Izuku nodded.
The two carried on past the park until they finally found the entrance, where a Pagoda gate proudly stood in front of them. Already, its towering presence sparked a joyous reaction out of Ochako.
"I can't believe it! A real Pagoda gate! It's been years since I last saw one!" Her body tensed up with glee before she ran over to inspect it. She was only a child when she last saw this before moving into her apartment.
Ochako gently felt the surface of one of the beams. Already she could tell that a coat of lacquer was applied to preserve the wood outdoors, and then waterproofed. "They really made sure to take care of the wood. I'm impressed…"
The textures definitely looked like it aged, but the brown color was still rich and vibrant. This meant that the gate had been standing for a long time, thanks to the hard work from the owners! Ochako couldn't have been happier to find this out. While she was working on her analysis, Izuku curiously peered over her shoulder to watch.
"Really? How could you tell?"
"They basically put on coatings of a bunch of sealants to add protection and waterproof it. It's some things I picked up from watching my dad do work around the house," Ochako chirped.
"That's so cool! I think you're more than ready to help with your dad's business when you become a pro," Izuku smiled.
"That's the idea!" she giggled and stood up before walking to the concession stand. "This trip's already off to a good start!"
Izuku and Ochako purchased tickets and walked past the Pagoda gate. There they saw that the Hydrangea festival lived up to its name and reputation. Everywhere the two looked, there were flowers in sight. They could be found occupying a walkway, corners of a street, or taking form in large bushes. The paths ahead were covered in rows upon rows of beautiful colors that added life to the area. With what felt like all the time they had in the world, Izuku and Ochako stopped to marvel at a few dozen flowers amongst the hundreds. It was nothing short of amazing; the smooth and soft texture of the petals grazing against their fingers, and the rich honey-vanilla smell to their noses. This prompted Ochako to pull out her phone and snap some more photos for the collection.
She was especially ecstatic about the flowers. "Aah! They're all so beautiful!" She took in the wonderful scent, savoring every second of it. "I can't believe you managed to find out about this place!"
"I got lucky. I found it when I was at a farmer's market with Ryuko, Yaoyorozu, and Todoroki," Izuku shrugged with a chuckle.
Hearing that had a few gears in Ochako's head moving, making her look at the flower a little intently. While she had nothing to claim, knowing Matoi was there at the market made things add up. Ochako brushed it off and eagerly looked back at Izuku. "Well, I'm glad you did. Or I would have missed out on coming here."
The festival also harbored a history center, which meant there were a lot of old buildings that were open for exploration. There the duo found many relics like ceramics, dolls, photos, and many more as they checked out more and more buildings. They even found a Japanese anti-american/british propaganda poster, which the two discarded quickly. Izuku figured this might have been something All Might wouldn't want to see even though he was Japanese.
Overall, the area was a lot less crowded compared to Musutafu. Izuku and Ochako grew to love the peace and quiet. There were no cars, no shouting, and no villains. Just other travelers like enjoying the festival like they were. Ochako was already impressed with how authentic the entrance looked. Everything about the atmosphere was engaging.
Amidst the entire trek, she could feel that supper time was drawing near as her stomach growled. The sound was loud enough to catch Izuku's attention before he heard his own call for nutrients. In the corner of their eye, they spotted a soba noodles concession vendor. It didn't take long for them to decide on what they wanted to eat.
After ordering, they sat together on a bench in the outside park, happily slurping the noodles to get their fill. The settling sun behind them paved the way for a gorgeous orange sky. The other visitors of the festival were excited for the upcoming night view of the city once it comes. Izuku finished his meal pretty quickly, with Ochako right behind him by a close second. The way her appetite made her such a speed eater shocked him.
"Aah! That was so good!" she exhaled as steam puffed from her mouth.
"You sure can eat when you're hungry," Izuku blinked twice.
Ochako tossed her bowl in the trash before stretching her arms. "I still am! Somewhat! You know what could really help wash it down? Something sweet!"
She turned to her left and pointed to a vendor about 10 yards away. It was a little ice cream stand with a decent assortment of flavors. Izuku understood and nodded silently with a small grin, thanking the vendor before moving onto their next destination. He looked up at the menu, analyzing each of the items.
"One order of Mochi ice cream please!"
Izuku whipped his head to the side with wide eyes. "That was quick!"
"Hehe, I've got kind of a sweet tooth. I know what flavors I want," Ochako giggled while tilting her head. "What are you gonna get?"
Izuku wrapped his thumb and pointer finger around his chin, giving it some thought.
"Hmm… I'm not sure. I was going to pick the mint chocolate, but there was a flavor that Ryuko suggested that I'd try. What was it?"
"Yo, Izuku. You should totally get the Green Tea one."
Izuku squeaked with steam popping out as he turned red out of nowhere.
"So, you know that your name "Midori" translates to Green, right? It turns out that Uraraka's first name, "Ocha" translates to tea. So…" Ryuko spoke coyly while tilting her head. She gave him a moment to piece everything together before getting the reaction she wanted; him being absolutely embarrassed.
"Oh my god, Ryuko! W-Why did- N-No! Oh my gosh!"
"...Green tea."
"Huh?" Ochako tilted her head.
"Ryuko said Green tea."
"Oh, I love that flavor! Wait, are you okay?"
Ochako noticed the clear hue on his face, along with him wrapping his face into his palm. Izuku then chuckled, like he was in a situation that was absolutely ridiculous. "Umm… I probably shouldn't say."
"You're really not good at hiding your discomfort, you know," Ochako placed her hands on her waist, unimpressed. She was either really good at reading him, or he really was obvious with his emotions. Granted she did notice Izuku was a lot calmer, much less frantic and flustered than before.
"I know how crazy Ryuko can get. If it's something she suggested, I wanna know more about it!" Ochako pouted before giggling. "I could just ask Ryuko tomorrow if you don't tell me. So you might as well, silly. It can't be that bad, right?"
Ochako playfully nudged Izuku, reassuring that there was nothing he needed to be worried about. And she was right, it wasn't bad at all. It was only ice cream that coincidentally is a combination of his and Ochako's names. Nothing he could control. Izuku took a deep breath and let his mind clear.
"Well… Midori means green. And part of your first name, 'Ocha,' means tea. So…"
"So?" Ochako raised a brow. She wasn't as well versed in wordplay like Ryuko was, so it didn't click with her right away.
"Midori and Ocha…"
Her eyes widened upon coming to the realization. Starting from her neck, red started filling up and changing the pigment on her skin. She began to shake and muttered gibberish, as if her brain was shutting down due to embarrassment. Izuku giggled sheepishly. Even though he too was embarrassed, it was still cute to see Ochako being so flustered. It was worth it in the end.
"Sorry. You know Ryuko. She always likes to joke around."
Ochako's face felt so hot that she thought she was streaming. She cursed at Ryuko in her head, as she could probably guess what the Kamui wielder was plotting. Izuku turned back to the menu so that he could give Ochako some space. To keep things from being awkward, he figured he'd just go with mint chocolate like always.
"Excuse me!"
Izuku stopped, and the man behind the counter turned his attention to Ochako.
"I-I'll take the green tea ice cream, please!"
"Sure thing, ma'm."
While the owner turned around to scoop the ice cream Ochako wanted, Izuku was taken back. He thought that he had screwed up big time and made the date super awkward. The fierce look in Ochako's eyes, with her brows curving over them delicately proved otherwise. The blush was still evident on her face, but she pushed past it all with a smile. She was actually into it!
"Here you are, miss," The man handed Ochako her ice cream. "Have you decided yet, sir?"
Izuku set his attention to the owner. There was a wind of happiness that breezed through him, making it easier to now decide what he wanted.
"I'll have the green tea ice cream too."
Uraraka couldn't avert her eyes from Izuku. Her heart rate was accelerating every second she looked at him, but it also stirred conflict in her. She was left troubled, unable to find out why she felt this way. Izuku paid for his ice cream before he caught Ochako's gaze on him.
"What?" he asked curiously.
Ochako squeaked as her face turned red again. "N-Nothing! Let's go sit down!" she quickly ran back to the bench. A chuckle emerged from Izuku's lips as he followed her.
For the last remaining hours until nightfall, Izuku and Ochako continued to explore and see more of what the festival was known for. Ochako seated herself in front of a bush of Hydrangea flowers again. She felt so lucky that she was able to experience this, and it was all thanks to Izuku. Ochako watched as Izuku was looking at a different set of flowers. Many of the good things that have been happening to her lately was because of him. Izuku saw something in the corner of his eye and went over to Ochako to show her. He then made the daring move of grabbing her hand since it was something he wanted her to see quickly. It was a dragon statue under an old temple.
Izuku knew how much Ochako valued historical landmarks and brought it to her attention right away. He always did put others' interests above his own. That's who he was. Ochako wanted to feel happy, but something was stopping her. The discomfort she felt earlier became more irate, which bothered her more. But she toughened it out, keeping a bright smile since she didn't want to ruin the rest of the festival with a sour mood.
Minutes turned into hours as the fields of flowers and greenery swayed in the gentle breeze. The sun had finally set as decorative lamps illuminated parts of the walkways where most of the visitors wandered about. Izuku then realized that the final event was on its way. This was the nighttime view of the city like what Yaoyorozu described to him.
"It's getting dark! Hurry, let's get to the cliff!"
Ochako raced behind him as they made their way through the clearing to a cliffside edge covered in grass. And stretching for as far they could see in front of them were yellow sparkles coming from Kizugawa. The glow was soft and angelic, twinkling like the stars. It was all so mesmerizing. Two sights of red lights could be seen moving in the streets, contrasting the ones above.
Izuku and Ochako refrained from speaking while they gazed upon everything. The few audible gasps that came from the two were enough to convey how they felt. Words did not need to be exchanged. Many of the other guests of the festival gathered around the area to take in the wondrous sight as well.
Kizugawa held a very modest look; most of the infrastructure consisted of square buildings varying from sizes of small or medium. Not a single skyscraper was in sight. This was a polar opposite to Musutafu, which stood tall, keeping things flashy for the people and the heroes that live there. But here there were no heroes or villains. Just ordinary people like how society used to be. It brought a very homey kind of vibe to everything and it was every bit as beautiful as Yaoyorozu described.
After all the years he hid in his room, Izuku never thought he'd get to explore as much as he does now. Ochako shared the same sentiment as she rarely had the chance to leave her apartment due to the limited budget she maintained with precious care. The festival was everything that she could have ever hoped for when she made her eventual return to nature, and she got to experience it all with Izuku.
Wrapping her hands together in a tight knot, Ochako slowly closed her eyes and took the air in. After what she considered rejuvenating herself with the atmosphere, she opened her eyes again.
"It's all so beautiful. Everything about the festival is perfect. Too perfect even."
Izuku looked in Ochako's direction and was a bit perplexed about what she said. "What do you mean?"
"It all feels so unreal. I'm either struggling with money, food, and having a proper schedule since I'm always stuck in my apartment. Yet I get to visit an amazing place like this," Ochako looked straight up into the moon. "Feels like it's being wasted on me, to be honest."
"I think I can see where you're coming from. I wouldn't have known about the festival if it weren't for Yaoyorozu." Izuku took a deep breath and focused back on Kizugawa. Seeing nothing but light echoing throughout the night brought clarity to him. "We've all been working so hard the last few months. I think this is a good reminder of what's out there besides hero work and that we should still take it easy every now and then. So no, I don't think that it's being wasted on you."
Ochako let his words sink in as he went and did it again. No matter what someone's issue was, Izuku would always try to come up with something positive to say. He always tries his best for is why the guilt settling within Ochako was rapidly expanding. She knew something that Izuku had been suppressing during their time here. Moments that would have had him be a red stuttering mess were now absent; whether they'd get close to each other, touch hands, or even when they got ice cream, Izuku simply laughed it off this time. He changed, even if he didn't know it yet.
"Yeah. No better place to relax than at the Hydrangea festival," Ochako said. "Thank you for being the one to show me.
"Of course," Izuku responded happily.
Ochako wrapped her hands together behind her back, a little plan was hatching in her head. "I'd even say the way this festival was planned is like a soap opera or shoujo manga."
"A shoujo manga?" Izuku chuckled, a wave of nostalgia suddenly washed into his mind. Somehow he remembered this from the young days of reading Kacchan's shoujo manga. He wondered if Kacchan even still had them. Given how moody he's been lately, it wouldn't have been surprising. "How do you figure?"
"Well… there's the wonderful smell from the flowers, the beautiful cliffside view of the city, everyone else being in their own world, leaving us alone in our own. And the lights…" Ochako walked to the far side of the cliff. She took the center stage under the moon, blocking Izuku's view of the city. Its light shined through, making it appear as if her skin was glowing. There was such an ethereal look. Her small brown locks cascaded down her shoulders. Izuku could have sworn that she did that so that he'd only focus on her. It definitely did the trick. She then turned around to face him, her smile blossoming.
"It's the perfect place to confess to someone, right?"
Suddenly everything had stopped completely. Izuku was caught off guard, his eyes a bit wide. The ambient noise of the forest and the distant Kizugawa had fallen silent. Any attempt to steel himself had failed.
Ochako's gaze lowered, while her grin didn't falter. "But I know I'm not meant to be the one."
Izuku felt hairs rising on his skin. Everything she said had completely put him on high alert. Using his tactical mind, he tried to figure out a way to disprove that with words. Yet nothing came up. "Ochako? What are you…?
"There's someone else, isn't there? I'm right, aren't I?" Ochako pressed him.
"I…" he barely managed.
She couldn't be. Ochako was going to be the one. She was the one he crushed on at the beginning. The reason Ryuko had been steering him towards her. That's what he invited Ochako to the festival for. Her instead of-
Izuku felt a small bundle of air in the back of his throat, released into a gasp. Ochako was right. She saw right through him. There was no way he could lie. Nor should he. It would just make things worse if he did. "You are." Izuku then wrapped his fingers into a tight fist, feeling ashamed of himself. "I'm… I'm really sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" Ochako said whole heartedly. "If anything, I should be apologizing. I sort of just sprung that on to you."
"But I was basically leading you on! I brought you all the way out here to the festival, only to not follow through with what I meant to do with it," Izuku shouldered the guilt, which Ochako saw from a mile away. Her smile only widened from that exchange.
"You didn't. But you still showed me the amazing things that the festival had to offer. You could've canceled the entire thing, but you stuck with me because you knew that I'd enjoy it here. I'd say that's hardly leading me on," she reassured to put his troubles to rest.
Izuku didn't know what to feel. Should he be confused? Ashamed? Grief-stricken? Everything was just all over the place. Strangely enough, this was near to how he felt when Ryuko turned him down. Thankfully, Ochako's words were able to ease him up.
With now a clear head, Izuku decided to ask a question himself. "So, how'd you know?"
"I took a bit of a gamble. But I knew my chances were really high, just like how I knew that you liked me. But that's not the case anymore. While we were hanging out today, I noticed that you had changed a lot since we first met. You don't freak out as much as you used to and you've gotten way more easygoing." Ochako brushed her hair behind her ears. "You didn't feel anything more than what we already had."
"But–" Ochako locked eyes with Izuku as the winds blew through her locks. "for what it's worth, I liked you too, Izuku."
"What?" Izuku asked. "You knew I liked you, but you're not angry with me?"
"Of course not. The last thing I want is to be rude to you. And…" Ochako leaned her head forward, watching as her hands tightened their hold on one another. She nearly choked, as if she didn't want to admit it aloud. "...I would have said no anyway."
A flurry of thoughts started to cycle on why that may be. The one he detested the most, but also knew was the most realistic, would be that she already had a boyfriend. But how? Was it a secret relationship? Did he just barge into another couple's life? Immediately, he shook himself out of his personal rut.
'Sheesh, Izuku! Get a hold of yourself! You're being superstitious!"
So much so that his vocabulary continued to thicken without his awareness. Izuku however didn't bother asking, not wanting to divert the conversation into a game of twenty questions.
"You're probably wondering why." Ochako said, which Izuku nodded to. She read him like a book again. "When I started realizing that I had a crush on you, in the beginning, I felt fireworks. You're such an amazing guy. There was a thrill in my heart whenever I would think of you for inspiration. But after a while… there were emotions that started to come up. Ones that I couldn't control."
Ochako looked fixedly into Izuku's eyes and continued, "Every time I saw you with another girl, it made me feel weird. My head would get very hot and itchy, and I think there was this feeling in my stomach that felt as if my quirk had been reversed and increased gravity. There were times I needed to stop and sit down."
"At first, I thought it was just me being jealous. Typical stuff that I thought I could handle. But even then, I started getting distracted during class, and when I'm training. I was having so much trouble focusing, it felt that I was falling into a sinkhole. It was when I realized that… I didn't know how to handle my feelings. If I couldn't handle that, then I had no idea what I was going to do if I were to get into an actual relationship."
Most people would have already fallen to the ground with a broken heart, but not Izuku. He looked at her rather apologetically, like he held certain responsibility for what was happening to his friend. He looked down dejectedly, feeling guilt washing over him.
"O-Ochako… I didn't know. I didn't mean to cause you so much anguish. I-I'm so-"
"There you go, putting others above yourself. Even when it isn't your fault."
Midoriya gasped as he looked up to find that Uraraka had begun to look at him again, but with her smile returning.
"You did nothing wrong, Izuku. I don't know how to properly handle my emotions. I guess it was because I've always been living under so much stress. Wondering how to get by without having to rely on my parents. They're going through enough as it is. I think that's where it all comes from. I want to keep working hard to provide for them one day. And I can't afford any distractions. Literally."
The little joke she slipped in started to crack Izuku as he couldn't help but chuckle. The two of them soon exchanged laughs over Ochako's expense as they both knew of her money problems. Somehow, this eased whatever tension that stood between them. It was small, but it helped significantly.
"All in all, I just don't think I'm ready to commit to dating. You deserve so much more than that, Izuku. After knowing how you felt today, I was certain that I had to step in. That's why I confronted you. I didn't want to risk putting you in a position where you had to lie for my happiness." Ochako turned away from Izuku, not being able to face him. "I'm sorry, but my family comes first."
Thanks to the bullying during his entire childhood, Izuku firmly had reason to believe that ANY kind of confession he would perform, he would get rejected. But this was different. He soon found himself…smiling? This rejection is something he never would have expected. He let out a low, but heartfelt chuckle which surprised the brunette. She looked over her shoulder towards him.
"You were struggling all this time, and I didn't know because you were thinking how I would feel. And you were willing to keep your parent's happiness over yours," Izuku took a couple steps to join Ochako by the edge of the cliff. By the time he stood close, she oriented her entire body in his direction. "You're going to be an amazing hero, Ochako. And I'll tell you as many times as you need me to."
The moment fell silent for the two as the wind began to blow past them, washing away all of the heavy burdens they had been carrying during these months. A shaky smile formed on Ochako's face, followed by tears forming in her eyes. She soon waddled over towards Izuku before launching her arms around him in a full embrace.
It wasn't long before the boy felt warm droplets stain his shirt, and an even shorter time before he too began to feel the same emotion. He returned her embrace before the dams in his eyes burst.
"O-Ochako, stop it. You're going to make me cry."
"Funny how that works. I imagine that I would be saying that to you," Uraraka giggled into Izuku's shoulder, which he reciprocated with a chuckle.
They stayed in this position for as long as possible, feeling a sense of comfort in one another that neither of them wanted to let go.
"Thank you for being so understanding, Izuku. Heh, I've said this so many times, but you really are an amazing friend. And I'll continue to say it as many times as possible."
"You're welcome, Ochako. I know you want to try and help your family on your own, but we'll always be more than happy to help if you need it, okay?"
The brunette nodded and stayed close to Izuku for just a bit longer. But they knew it couldn't last forever.
And with that, the two separated from their embrace and walked back to the train station. Both sported happy looks on their faces. Ochako turned her head to see that Izuku was looking up into the stars, though unsure if he was admiring the beautiful night sky, or secretly hoping.
"You know, Izuku; Don't feel bad about not getting a girlfriend. It happens to a lot of people. At least you aren't in Mineta's shoes," Uraraka consoled Midoriya, spurring a laugh out of them both.
"Besides, I'm pretty sure there's another girl that happens to like you… and may be interested in dating you," Ochako added with a knowing grin, knowing for certain that there was someone else interested in him.
"You think so?" Izuku snickered in between his words. "What are the chances of that happening?"
Uraraka looked up into the ocean blue sky, her mind flashing back before Izuku would ask her out to the festival. While everyone was packing up – all ready to go, she got a brief glimpse of Matoi within the crowd. The poor girl was slumped in her arms, staring aimlessly in a straight line. That was the look of someone grief-stricken with love.
"A lot sooner than you think."
To Be Continued…