Chapter 42: Izuku Midoriya and Honami Ichinose
Ichinose kissing me left me so genuinely surprised that I was left in a daze for the remainder of the Sports Festival. Every time my mind wandered off to something else it would come back to the moment where she suddenly kissed me without warning. I just… couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that it happened and that she was the one to do it. Not that I thought anyone else would have ended up kissing me instead of her, but even still that was…
… My first kiss with someone around my age. Sure, my mom would sometimes kiss me on the cheek or my forehead when she wanted to show affection for me. But this was completely different. Not only was it by someone who I was not related to in any shape or form, but it was by Ichinose of all people! Why would she kiss me?! Unless… unless…
… Unless… she actually has… 'feelings' for me… nah couldn't be. There's no possible way that she actually likes me that way. She was clearly uncomfortable around Nagumo and found it the best way to get him to leave her alone. It would make sense by that logic that if she pretended that I was her boyfriend then that would make him back off and it did! Yeah! That had to be all there was all to it! But as I thought just that alone in my bed way past my bedtime, my phone rang as I grabbed it without wasting a single second to see who texted me. And to my utmost surprise, it was from-
'Hey Deku. Can't wait for our date tomorrow!' Ichinose's text read as my mind read the word 'date' over and over again on repeat as I laid in bed with my eyes wide open and what was unmistakably cheeks flushed bright red.
"It… can't be right?" I muttered to myself as I would try to take my mind off things but no matter how much I did, I couldn't stop thinking of Ichinose and before I knew it, it was morning, and I hadn't gotten even a wink of sleep. I should have been exhausted but I couldn't be more awake as I used my arms to get out of bed and into my wheelchair. I then put on my school unform before leaving my apartment behind and making my way to AN, all the while thoughts of Ichinose flooded throughout my mind as it seemed impossible to think of anything but her. And with just a few minutes to spare-
'Creak.' I reached the classroom and opened the door which produced an audible 'creak' that everyone within the classroom took note of and particularly a girl with short brown hair and tanned skin that I had become acquainted with over my tenure at AN. A girl by the name of Kayano Onodera and the look in her eyes made me realize instantly that I should be running for the hills right about now. But since I could barely move my legs, I was left sitting in my chair as she slowly approached me with a devilish grin on her face. And before I knew it, she closed the gap between us.
"Finally… finally! You finally have a girlfriend, Midoriya!" Onodera yelled out with stars in her eyes as she was enjoying every second of this. But I tilted my head out of confusion as a nervous seat became evidently clear to me. I had a feeling where this was going, and I didn't like it.
"W-What do you mean by that? Last time I checked, I'm still single." I replied with a nervous smile on my face. But in response, Onodera let out a haughty laugh before continuing.
"No need to lie, Midoriya. You sly dog. Not after you charmed the pants off of the most popular girl in school! Now tell me all about it! From that kiss you two shared on the bleachers and anything else that you may have kept a secret! I must know all the details at once!" Onodera spoke with a pen and paper in her hands as she was intending to write every single word down that I said regarding the topic. It was then that it became abundantly clear to me that she saw me and Ichinose's kiss. My worst fears had come true, and I hoped that no one else saw!
"P-Please tell me no one else happened to see me and… you know who… kiss?" I whispered with a face that certainly as bright red as a tomato as Onodera pondered on the thought with a smile on her face.
"Hmm… I don't think anyone else saw it. At least, I didn't notice anyone else looking at you two around me. Though I was just barely able to 'make out' … haha… you two in the bleachers. There could have been someone else there but I'm not entirely sure since I had to squint to even notice you two." Onodera admitted with a laugh after she finished speaking as I breathed a sigh of relief that it seemed like she was the only person who noticed me and Ichinose ki-
"But that doesn't really matter since I filmed the entire thing and posted it onto YouTube." Onodera continued as my eyes shot wide open upon hearing her words. Just when I thought that it couldn't possibly get any worse! You've got to be kidding me!
"Delete that video right now!" I demanded with a horrified look on my face. This made Onodera contemplate on whether to do what I told her for a moment until she-
"… Nah. You know, tons of people really eat stuff like that up. That video already has a few thousand views! Sooner than later, that could double, maybe even triple and then I'll be raking in the dough! I'm going to be profiting off of you two. Sorry not sorry." Onodera replied with a gleeful smile on her face while closing her eyes. But even if her eyes were open, she wouldn't be able to see the person approaching from behind her. And before she knew it, that same person's finger flicked her right on the back of her head. This incurred an 'Ow' From Onodera as I knew who that person that finger flicked her was without even having to hear her voice.
"I'm terribly sorry, Midoriya. This numbskull clearly has no clue that even if she profits from this video, it will do her no good because the only currency that is accepted here are 'points.' Which means no matter how much you steal from him, it's completely useless, Onodera." Hasebe spoke before bowing to me. She then turned her attention to Onodera, but the latter was still confident in herself.
"You seem to misunderstand me, Hasebe. You see, I already know that whatever money I get from it won't amount to anything around these parts. But! I'm thinking into the far future! You know there are videos that get millions and even billions of views! If I could somehow get those numbers, then who knows how rich I can become?! I might not even have to work a single day in my life if I can achieve something on that level! Then I'll become famous, and everyone will remember the name 'Kayano Onodera' until the end of time!" Onodera replied with a smug smile on her face before being lightly karate chopped on the head.
"If you really think something like that's going to happen then not only do you need your eyes checked but that head of yours too. You know, you really should start wearing those glasses the head doctor prescribed for you." Hasebe suggested while recalling the both of them greeting the Head Doctor who happened to be well versed in all forms of treatment. Though that wasn't much of a surprise for him because he had well over a hundred years of experience of doing all kinds of work as a doctor. But of course, I wasn't aware of that fact yet.
"Never. I hate wearing them. Every time I go outside, they fog up. And just a little bit of water on the lenses makes trying to see out of them a nightmare that I never want to experience again. To put it simply, I'd rather die." Onodera replied with a serious tone of voice as it was made evidently clear to me that she hated wearing glasses. Onodera usually acted so nonchalantly so whenever she was like this then there was no doubt that she was dead serious. But even still I didn't want her eyes to suffer. So, I suggested an alternative.
"You know you could just wear contacts, right?" I replied but this made Onodera blink her eyes a few times out of surprise before replying.
"Huh. I never thought about that. Maybe I'll do that instead. Thanks, Midoriya. I owe you one." Onodera admitted with a small smile on her face.
"Does this mean you'll delete the video?" I asked as my face lit up with joy knowing that I could potentially cash in on that favor now. But before I knew it-
"Not a chance in hell." Onodera replied with a smile of her own as my hopes were swiftly dashed. Well, it was worth a shot.
"Don't worry. I'll make her delete the video whether she likes it or not. It's not like that other video of yours turned out a profit so why bother with this one?" Hasebe replied before turning her attention away from me and onto Onodera as the latter smiled while sweat dripped from her forehead. Seeing this made me confused, just what did Hasebe mean by that 'other video?' I intended to get an answer out of them, so I asked them about it.
"What do you mean by… the 'other video?'" I asked as Hasebe blinked her eyes a few times out of surprise as she muttered 'Wait, you didn't know?' All the while Onodera smiled even more suspiciously while sweat continued to trickle down her brow. This lasted for a few more seconds until Hasebe nudged her elbow against Onodera's arm. This made the latter let out a squeal of surprise as she accepted this outcome soon after.
"So… remember how you fought that faker from America?" Onodera asked as I instinctively recalled my encounter with The Deep. Even though our fight had taken place over two months ago, it didn't really feel all that long ago. I then nodded before she continued.
"The thing is… I recorded the entire thing and posted it onto YouTube. However, I wasn't able to earn a single dime because it was quickly demonetized right when it reached a couple thousand views. Then the video exploded in popularity as it soon reached a million in the span of a day! But shortly after that it was taken down by that American corporation that creates all that merch for their heroes. Ugh, what was their name again?" Onodera explained before ending on a question that I had an answer for.
"You mean Vought International?" I replied as she nodded a few times while saying 'Yeah! That's the one!' Before continuing.
"That basically sums things up. But yeah… I guess I'll delete that video for you if you really want me to. I do owe you that favor after all. And after everything that happened… it's the least I can do to repay you for it." Onodera admitted while scratching the top of her head a few times with a face that was ever so slightly blushing. This made my eyes go wide as I didn't expect her to do that for me! I knew full well that Onodera was a very stubborn person that had a huge ego to boot but it seems like she actually cares!
"Well, look at that. You do have a heart hidden somewhere in there." Hasebe commented with a smug smile on her face. In response, Onodera replied with 'shut up.' Before making her way back to her seat. But in the midst of that, she noticed Mii-chan looking at her before she averted her gaze as soon as their eyes met. This confused her as Mii-chan wasn't the type of girl to get nervous around her. Does that mean she was looking at someone who was standing right next to her. A reaction like that couldn't have come from staring at Hasebe then it had to be-
"Sorry Mii-chan. Looks like your knight in shining armor has been whisked away by another girl. There, there." Onodera spoke while patting Mii-chan on the head as the latter's face grew bright red.
"C-Can we p-please not talk about that. It's r-really really REALLY embarrassing." Mii-chan admitted with a whisper while I made my way to my seat and noticed her. This made her look in the opposite direction as I wondered what could have made her give me that reaction. But as I took my seat, I looked around the classroom to notice many of my classmates staring at me and chatting with each other. Just seeing that made it crystal clear to me that my kiss with Ichinose was the talk of the town and that no matter how much I wanted to keep that a secret the beans had already been spilled.
In the midst of looking around, I noticed one person in particular who had his head face down on his desk. That person being Sudo. I assumed that he hadn't gotten much sleep because he tended to do that when he was exhausted much to Chabashira's displeasure. But this time, it wasn't because he was tired. No. There was a completely different reason to why he was avoiding making every contact with me or anyone else. And that reason was-
'Horikita didn't look at me even once when I was running. Not only that… but she…' Sudo thought internally as he recalled working his butt off in the Sports Festival only for Horikita to be preoccupied with something else every single time. And to make matters even worse, Onodera had managed to run noticeably faster than him during the two-hundred-meter sprint. Her response to him being beaten by her was a decisive 'Heh' with the smuggest smile he had ever seen. Just thinking about it made him feel less than a man.
"Damn it." Sudo muttered with a faint whisper that went unnoticed by everyone else other than Ike and Yamauchi. The former asked 'Did you say something?' But Sudo responded with nothing at all. But this made Yamauchi let out a quiet chuckle.
"So much for getting you know who to notice you." Yamauchi commented while Ike let out a fake laugh and said, 'Good one.' This made a vein bulge from Sudo's head as he remained with his head face down on the desk. And then…
"I hate you guys." Sudo replied while Ike and Yamauchi laughed at their friend's misery. Though since I was at the other end of the classroom, not to mention the fact that they were whispering to each other made sure that I couldn't hear a single word of their conversation. But in the midst of looking around the classroom, I noticed that two people were absent. The first was Karuizawa, but she explained why she suddenly freaked out during the Sports Festival not too long after it ended. She worked really hard, so she must be taking the day off to recover.
As for the other person, that was Shiina. I texted her the other night since we were going to hang out after the Sports Festival ended. But I couldn't find her. Not only that but she never responded to my texts. Which is something that she had never done in the past. I wanted to believe that maybe she was just exhausted like Karuizawa was but, something didn't feel right. That's why since she wasn't here, I felt compelled to ask Horikita about it who happened to be prepping for the upcoming lecture.
"Hey, Horikita. Did you happen to see where Shiina went after the Sports Festival ended? We were supposed to hang out, but I wasn't able to find her. She hasn't been responding to my texts either. Do you know if she's okay?" I asked while Horikita turned her attention away from her notes and looked at me. But she didn't seem all too happy to see me. I wondered what was up but before I could respond, she beat me to the punch. But instead of answering my question she-
"Midoriya, I want you to consider the following… What is Shiina to you?" Suzune asked as I tilted my head out of confusion over what she just said. What is Shiina… to me? She's a friend. A very important and precious friend who helped me out when I really needed it. Why would she be asking about that now? But even knowing that… was that how I really felt about her? Or was there more to it than that? I quickly began second guessing myself and before I knew it-
'DONG!' The bell rang loudly like it always did as Chabashira entered the classroom and homeroom began shortly thereafter. But I was struggling to pay attention. Something that rarely ever happened to me before. And even when it did, it was a very rare occurrence, and it would be due to me racking my brain over something. Just shortly before this all I could think about was Ichinose but now all I could think about was Shiina. No matter how much I attempted to pay attention, my mind would come back to what Horikita said what felt like moments prior-
'Just… what is Shiina to me?' I thought internally as before I knew it; time had passed by in a flash and school had ended for the day. And the person who greeted me right when I made my way out of the classroom was none other than Ichinose.
"Let's go, Deku!" Ichinose replied with a cheerful smile on her face as I blinked my eyes a few times out of surprise. I wanted to get my mind off of Ichinose after thinking about her all night. But I didn't expect what made me stop thinking about her was thoughts of Shiina. I just couldn't understand how that happened for the life of me. I knew why I was so focused on Ichinose, she kissed me after all. But why couldn't I think of nothing but Shiina for the majority of the day? Though I couldn't find an answer to that question and before I knew it, our date had begun.
My date with Ichinose began shortly after we left AN behind for the day and our first destination was the movie theater. (The same one that me and Sakura went a few months ago.) I didn't exactly have fond memories of it, considering that this is where I learned about America's heroes and how 'manufactured' they seemed to be. Not only that but just remembering that brought back memories of Sakura. Knowing full well that those days that I got to spend time with her being long gone put me into a melancholic mood. And Ichinose noticed this.
"Is everything ok? We could see another movie if you want. This one's probably not your thing." Ichinose spoke as she already had brought tickets for a certain romantic comedy movie. But I shook my head in refusal since the movie wasn't the problem. It was the memories that flooded back to the front of my mind. But I didn't want to worry Ichinose, so I discarded those thoughts of Sakura. I doubt wherever she is, that she would want me depressed because of her. I wasn't able to reciprocate her feelings so being happy is the least I can do for her.
"No, I want to see the movie. But… thanks for asking, Ichinose." I replied with a smile that was a bit forced as I struggled a bit to conceal my memories of Sakura, so I chose to focus on Ichinose. In response, her cheeks became slightly red as she nodded with a smile before helping me into the theater and into our seats. There were a few ads for other movies and one for Vought International, (That one in particular reminded me of when I briefly met Homelander not too long ago.)
'You know, I just couldn't believe it. I was… so… caught off guard when you said that… she died. But you know, you did your best champ. She's in a better place now. Everything's going to be alright now. After all, I'm here.' His apology from back then was so fake that it enraged me to the very core of my being over simply reminiscing his words. But it wasn't just what he said that was fake. His whole demeanor and everything about him were so fake. Homelander was this world's All Might, the symbol of peace.
But that couldn't be further from the truth. Homelander may have had blonde hair and spandex that symbolized the flag belonging to the United States of America. But he wasn't a hero like All Might was, just a faker trying to pretend to be someone like him. I couldn't stand the thought of someone so deserving of the title 'the world's greatest superhero' to even be considered as such. But there was nothing I could do about it. I can just barely move my legs and half the time they don't even listen to my mind's commands. Even more than that…
… Homelander might be someone pretending to be a superhero but so was I. So, I have no right to critique him when I'm just as undeserving to even call myself a hero anymore. This left me with no choice but to stare into space as Homelander's fake smile was shown across the big screen until the advertisement ended. Shortly after that, the movie began, and it was exactly what I knew it was going to be. A romantic comedy where after trial and error the guy finally gets the girl of his dreams.
However, I could just barely pay attention to the movie. Not because it was predictable. All the All Might movies I loved as a kid ended with him beating the villain and saving everyone in the end. So, I didn't mind a straightforward flick like that. But no matter how much I attempted to pay attention to the couple in the movie, I couldn't help but think of Shiina for some reason. I couldn't understand why everything went back to Shiina again and again. I was so fixated on her as I stared aimlessly at the screen. Ichinose noticed this and put her hand onto mine to snap me back into reality.
"Ichino- I muttered before being cut off by the person in question suddenly kissing me on the lips right at the same time the main couple in the movie reunited with each other and were about to live their 'happily ever after.' But while I was sure that the couple's love for each other was earned by their preservation and dedication to each other, could I really say the same about me and Ichinose? I… don't think I can. Ichinose is really sweet, kind and an all-around good person. But do I really feel love for her? I couldn't find an answer to that question as our lips separated from each other. Ichinose flashed me an affectionate smile before saying-
"How about we go back to my place after this?" Ichinose asked with a whisper as I felt like I had no choice but to nod in affirmation since she was being so nice to me. But this time was different. Ichinose didn't need to kiss me. She wasn't trying to make Nagumo back off. This was something that she wanted to do. Was I wrong? Does Ichinose actually… love me? I mean, why else would she kiss me not once but twice. And not just a kiss on the cheek but one on the lips, something that was exclusive for lovers. My mind was a mess trying to process all of this to the point of short circuiting.
But am I just fooling myself? Am I trying to reject the notion that Ichinose has feelings for me? Because if she does… and I don't feel the same way about her… then…
… It would be just like what happened with Sakura all over again. I didn't want that to happen again. To leave someone who loved me with a broken heart. That's why I kissed Ichinose on the lips. It was so sudden that her eyes went wide before she closed them as she reciprocated my feelings. That's right. I have to find some way to love Ichinose. If I can love her then she'll be happy. I don't want to deprive her of happiness, so I must fall in love with her! So, why? Why when I'm kissing her like this…
… All I can think of is Shiina?!
It wasn't long after the movie ended that Ichinose led me back to her apartment. It was the first time that I had been in another person's apartment during my tenure at AN. Not only that, but it's not just anyone's apartment, it's Ichinose's place.
"Make yourself at home." Ichinose whispered into my ear as she helped me onto the couch in her living room. She then walked away and presumably entered her room. But while she was gone, I took note of how nice her apartment was. Her apartment was the same as mine in terms of size. However, there were so many more accessories here that weren't present in mine. Vases, some fine arts hanging on the wall and scented candles. I was so taken aback by her exquisite taste that I felt kind of embarrassed over how simple my apartment was in comparison.
The only things I really had to show off were my All Might memorabilia that I meticulously recreated from my old world. (Though no one would be able to recognize him because All Might didn't exist in this world. The only exception being Horikita because I told her about him, but I digress.) But in the midst of me admiring her apartment, I heard Ichinose return as she took a seat right next to me on the couch. But before I could look at her, she wrapped her arms around me and held me close to her chest. Her breasts pressed against my back as I could only gulp in response to this level of physical contact. I remained like this without moving a muscle until-
"Deku, I have a confession to make. Remember way back to when we first met? You might not remember this all too well, but I called you by your name 'Izuku Midoriya.' You hadn't yet told me your name. But even still I knew it. To be honest, I've known about you for quite some time. Ever since you and Horikita's brother fought each other on that night so long ago. The truth is… I was there that night." Ichinose admitted with a whisper as my eyes went wide as I took in what she said and thought back to our first encounter.
'Honami Ichinose. It's a pleasure to meet you at last Suzune Horikita. And you must be Izuku Midoriya. Thanks again for saving me. You are really awesome!' I was so caught off guard by her praising me like that, that I didn't put two and two together! That means she's telling the truth! She must have seen the whole fight or lack thereof that I had with Manabu! Back then, I thought for sure that there was no one there, but it would be wrong to assume that just because I didn't see anyone there. I can't believe it! She's known about me since back then! But before I could say anything in response-
"I bet you're pretty surprised by that. It was really just a coincidence that I was there, honestly. But when I saw you defend Horikita like that from her brother, I was amazed. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. But to tell you the truth… I was a bit jealous of Horikita. I wanted someone strong enough to defend me. To be… my hero. And you're exactly that person for me, Deku. Which is why… I want us to do something together." Ichinose continued as her last words put me into a nervous sweat. There was so much subtext hidden behind them that I instinctively turned my head around only for my eyes to shoot wide open as I noticed what Ichinose had on.
"I-Ichinose… d-do… what?" I asked while stuttering uncontrollably as I fell onto the couch out of sheer surprise over seeing what Ichinose was wearing. Or it would be more accurate to say what little she was wearing, because she was wearing nothing but black lingerie that only covered her most private parts. But even still, it left very little to the imagination as I couldn't help but stare at what was concealed by her choice of clothing. This made Ichinose smile along with what I said as she hovered above me. And as each second felt like an eternity, she eventually answered my question, in a way that left everything crystal clear.
"Let's… make love… Deku." Ichinose declared with an affectionate smile on her face. I was so taken aback by her words that I struggled to comprehend them. Except that was wrong. I knew what Ichinose was asking me to do. But it was so sudden that I didn't know how to react. It was still technically our first date. And now she was asking to do something… so… erotic. But it wasn't just her words, the entire atmosphere had changed and became hard to breathe. I struggled to catch my breath as I sat there while blushing profusely. This surprised Ichinose for a second as her smile vanished only for it to return not a moment later.
"It's okay. You don't have to hold anything back. I want you to touch me. I know you have some… harsh memories of a certain someone forcing you to do something you didn't want to do. But still, I'm granting you permission to do whatever you want to me. I want you to make me into a woman. It's what I want from the bottom of my heart. But whatever happens next, I'm leaving that up to you. But… don't you want this? Don't you want me… Deku?" Ichinose asked with a seductive smile as she breathed in and out while her breasts were so close to me, they were on the verge of hitting my chest.
It's not that I didn't think about something like this. I was a guy after all. And Ichinose was a beautiful woman. Perhaps one of the most beautiful I had ever met. I couldn't deny how attractive she was, and her proposition was certainly tantalizing. She gave me her permission, then maybe this is okay. I want to love her. No, I have to love Ichinose. And the only way to prove that I love her now is to make love to her. I can't reject this. This is something most guys my age would kill to get. But even more than that, I can't reject Ichinose's feelings. I already did that once and I still feel horrible over it.
"I-I… want this." I replied as I lied through my teeth while Ichinose's smile grew wider as she whispered, 'Then touch me.' I gulped down some of my saliva out of reflex over being so nervous. I had never touch purposely touched another woman in this kind of way. The only exception being Kushida, and she forced me to touch her. But this was completely different. I wasn't being sexually assaulted here. Ichinose was allowing me to choose what I do next knowing full well how much I must have suffered because of it.
I then took a deep breath to steal my resolve as I began to move my arm as my fingers were closing the gap between my hand and her breasts. She continued to breathe in and out as her breasts were practically begging to be shown affection. But as inched them ever so closer to her what Horikita told me earlier today played on repeat in the back of my mind. 'What does Shiina mean to you.' Even now, my memories of Shiina persisted while Ichinose was like this, exposing herself for me, because she was in love with me. That much was undeniable now. But even still I-I-I-
'I haven't met a single hero in my life until I met you! You gave me the strength and courage to make a change! Gave me the power to smile in spite of it all! Gave me the power to smile every single day! Now it's my turn to be the one to make you smile!' Shiina's words that she borrowed from Jiro and made her own flooded back to the forefront of my mind. Even though she told me to smile, and I should be smiling for Ichinose so that I could reciprocate her love for me, I can't!
I just can't smile! I don't even need to look in the mirror to realize that I'm not smiling! Ichinose's reaction was all I needed to see. The pained look on her face which instantly reminded me of Sakura. Realizing what I had just done made me reach my breaking point.
"I'm… sorry. But… I lied. I… I… just can't do something like this with you… Ichinose." I admitted while I gritted my teeth as tears dripped from my eyes. Once again, I had deprived a girl of their love for me, and I had nothing to show for it. I felt truly and utterly pathetic over it. But I couldn't help it. What I feel for Ichinose… is not right. It's not that I don't want her. I could make love to her right now and fulfill her with nothing but happiness. But that would be a lie! Because all we would be doing is making love! Not actually 'feeling' love for each other!
And that's the truth of the matter. I realized it for quite some time now. But what I feel for Ichinose is not really love. Ever since I met her, I was reminded of Uraraka. The way she acted so cheerful, and bubbly reminded me so much of that wonderful girl I used to know. But that's exactly why what I'm feeling for her is so very wrong. Because these feelings aren't what I felt for Ichinose, they are feelings I felt for Uraraka. I was in love with Uraraka, that's the truth of the matter.
However, that's not the case anymore. I don't know when it happened, but sometime not too long ago, something changed. It's been a while since I thought of Uraraka. And the person that I have been thinking her place was the person who acted just like her… and Shiina. It… it can't be. Was what I was feeling the whole time, that this was wrong, was because of how I felt for Shiina. If that's the case, then there's no doubt about it. I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but I had fallen in love with another person not named Ochako Uraraka. Except that person wasn't named Honami Ichinose. She was named…
… Hiyori Shiina. But as soon as I realized this, Ichinose's face grew more hopeless looking. Like all her efforts had been all for naught despite how much she tried. And before I could say a word, she beat me to the punch.
"Why… why don't you love me, Deku?" Ichinose asked as tears welled up in her eyes and dripped onto my face. Just hearing her broke my heart as I struggled to reply to her. But I had to be honest with her. It was my lack of honesty that got Sakura killed. If I had rejected her then maybe she would still be alive today. I didn't want Ichinose to share a similar fate. So, I had no choice but to tell her the truth.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… but… I just can't. I want to love you. I really really do. You are such a kind and wonderful human being. Your words have warmed my heart time and time again. But… my heart has been stolen by another person. So, I can't reciprocate your feelings because there's nothing left for me to give you." I admitted as I gave her a reassuring smile while propping myself up and wiping her tears away with my fingers. But unbeknownst to me, my confession had only made Ichinose's worst fears come true.
"T-Then… the person you love… it's Shiina isn't it?" Ichinose asked as my eyes went wide for a second as I wondered how she knew that. But Ichinose knew that because it might have well been written all over my face So, she took a deep breath before continuing.
"The truth is… I suspected as much. Which was why I was determined not to lose to you. I thought that if… we made love together then you would be able to fall in love with me. But… that was incredibly naïve for me. Because it's just like you said. You heart has already been stolen by her, hasn't it?" Ichinose replied as even more tears welled up as she couldn't stop herself from crying. I felt incredibly bad for her. But I couldn't deny her the truth. So, I admitted it to her.
"That's right… I'm sorry but… I'm in love with Shiina." I confessed as I knew from the bottom of my heart that what I felt for Shiina was love. This was because unlike Ichinose, I had never met someone quite like Shiina before. Sure, she shared similar attributes with others that I had come to know. But Shiina was an entirely different person from Uraraka and Ichinose. I thought I only viewed her as a friend. But that changed and now I love her. I'm so desperately in love with Shiina that I want to shout it at the top of my lungs the next time I see her.
But that's neither here nor there. Right now, the person facing me is Ichinose. And I don't want to leave her with a broken heart. But what am I supposed to do to prevent that?! I haven't been in this sort of situation before. Where I had to reject someone who loved me. I wasn't given that chance with Sakura and the result was her sacrificing her life to save mine. But even still I must try! Ichinose means too much to me! I can't just leave her like this!
"Ichinose… I want us to still be friends if that's okay with you. I like you a lot… I really hope you are able to find someone who loves you. But I'm sorry… I just can't be that person for you. I'd be depriving you of true love… and I'd rather die than use you like that. But you're so beautiful and kind. I'm sure that someday you'll find someone you can love who will feel the same way about you. I'm sure of it. But until then… I want to do everything I can to help you get through this." I admitted while maintaining my reassuring smile. But no matter how honest I was, Ichinose wasn't smiling. She looked so… sad and defeated. And then…
"Midoriya, I appreciate those words. You are… so kind to me even when I don't deserve it. But… I can't just move on that easily. I still love you. And that's why I need to be alone for a while. It's probably going to be a while before we next see each other… but when we do… I'm going to smile again. Just… wait for that, okay?" Ichinose replied as her bangs hid her eyes that were still oozing with tears. I knew that I couldn't do anything more for her, so I had to abide by her wishes and leave. But when I made my way out of her apartment and closed the front door shut…
… All I could hear was her crying. In the end, I wasn't able to do anything to save her. But that made sense because not only am I not her hero, but I could also never be her hero to begin with. I was never going to be a person who would use Ichinose and discard her like trash once I was done with her. Only a monster would be capable of doing something to such an innocent and generous woman. But there is still something I can do. Not for Ichinose, but for the girl I'm in love with. That's why I grabbed out my phone and called her.
'Ring… ring… ring…' The phone rang as I patiently waited for her to answer and after I thought it would go voicemail… I suddenly heard something that shook me to my very core.
"Deku… help… me." The voice of someone that was unmistakably Shiina's said as my eyes shot wide open as I began to gasp for breath. I couldn't help but panic as I had no clue what to do in my current state. What was I supposed to do when I could just barely walk?! But before I could say any words to reassure her. The other person on the line, who wasn't Shiina, beat me to the punch.
"Oh, 'Deku' what a wonderful nickname that suits someone as useless as you are eloquently." The voice of someone who was all too familiar spoke as I gritted my teeth in response. I knew who it was by just hearing his voice. That person's name was-
"What have you done… Nagumo?!" I replied as I clenched my free hand that wasn't holding the phone so tightly while I awaited his response. He was silent for a few moments until I heard his audible laughter. But this only enraged me.
"Talk! If you so much have laid a finger on her, I'll- I snapped back only for me to be cut off before I could finish speaking by Nagumo.
"You'll… what? Kill me? Just like how you killed that monster from before? Maybe back then you could have but I honestly doubt you're capable of harming me in your sorry state." Nagumo replied as I couldn't argue with his words. I might still have Obliterator but I'm a sitting duck if I can't move my legs properly. And he knew this, which is why he was the slightest bit scared of me. I took a deep breath as I knew my anger wasn't getting me anywhere before continuing.
"What do you want?" I asked with a voice full of nothing but hostility.
"What do I want… you already took that away from me. You see, no matter what I do the person I wanted is forever in love with you. I can't change that anytime soon. So, in the meantime, I'm going to take away this little girl who's oh so very in love with you. Equivalent exchange if I do say so myself." Nagumo replied before giving out a haughty laugh as I gripped the phone so tightly that I could break it in two if I used just the slightest bit more pressure on it. But I couldn't let that happen. Not when he hasn't told me where he and more importantly Shiina is.
"I'm not going to let that happen. Tell me where you are… NOW." I demanded as my tone of voice did very little to hide how angry I was. And this only made Nagumo laugh even more before continuing.
"You know what… sure! Remember that ol karaoke place where we first met? I'll be waiting for you along with Shiina on the rooftop of that building. You have an hour to show up… or she may take a nosedive onto some hard concrete. Your choice… hero." Nagumo replied before suddenly ending the call as I wasted no time in moving the wheels of my wheelchair forward. But I recklessly moved them to the point that I fell out and landed onto the concrete. I groaned in pain as I looked at my knees that were bleeding.
However, what Shiina would receive would be far worse than that. But there was very little for me to do for her. So, if I can't be the one to save her…
… Then I'm going to have to rely on people who can save her. But as I realized just that, I would soon come to know that this was just the prelude to the next act that would signal many twists and turns before there would be any light at the end of this long tunnel. But I didn't know that at the time. But even though I wasn't prepared in any shape or form over what would happen next…
… I was going to find a way to save Shiina no matter what.
To Be Continued…
Next Chapter: Hostage Situation
Go Beyond!
Plus Ultra!