The Proximation of Hello and Goodbye

10

"Oh, really? Who?" Izuku asks, "I might know something. I don't know much about Masa's co-workers, but I know a lot of locals because of the cafe."

"Yeah," Ena agrees. "I'm sure if they're in town, one of us will know."

"Shinobu Akaguro," Eijiro answers casually. Katsuki feels his body stiffen at the mention of the name. He can't believe that he would bring it up so casually. He really can't believe that it would be brought up at all. Eijiro tried to talk Katsuki into asking again before dinner, but he remained adamant about trying to keep Izuku out of it. He doesn't want to feel like he's using Izuku just because Masashi has a small chance of being involved.

Ena frowns, "I've never heard of him. Suki, Izu?"

Akasuki shakes her head as Izuku tilts his head. "Well, it's weird because I know someone with that name, but I didn't think he lived around here."

"Really? Would your boyfriend know anything about him?" Eijiro asks.

Izuku shakes his head, "No, if Shinobu were around here and Masashi knew of it, I think he'd let me know."

"Why is that?"

"Well, I was friends with Shinobu back in my first year of high school. We were really close, but he just disappeared one day. It's bothered me for years. I've mentioned it to Masa before, so if he knew, I feel like he'd let me know," Izuku answers. "Is he okay? Shinobu?"

Katsuki's eyes cut across to Eijiro who seems to be hiding his shock really well. What are the odds that Izuku would know Shinobu? Eijiro slowly nods, "I think so. He seemed fine the last time I saw him," he lies. He never expected that his best friend would get to be such a good liar. "Why wouldn't he be okay?"

Izuku frowns, looking at his mother as if remembering something that pains him. Katsuki doesn't like this. He clenches his fists in his lap and he feels Kyoka's hand over his. He looks at her to see her looking back at him with wide eyes. Let it happen, her eyes seem to say. He snatches his hand away and looks back toward Izuku who's sitting beside his mother. Again, he can see Inko's eyes boring into him from the outer fields of his vision. Izuku focuses on Eijiro again and sighs, "Well, I don't know why he disappeared, but I do know about some nasty rumors. You remember that villain that was arrested a while ago, Stain?"

"Yeah," Shoto answers. "He was a nasty one."

"Well, a lot of people were saying he moved away and changed his name because of the rumors that he was Stain's son. I never got to ask him about it, but it still bothers me to think about," Izuku murmurs. "I've always wondered if he made it past all of that."

Katsuki feels his heart and his stomach swap places. Did we just get relevant intel from Izuku about our target? The room is silent, he's sure that Ena, Akasuki, and Inko are unsure what to say. On the other hand, his friends are likely trying to process what they just heard like he is. Shoto leans forward, "I'm sorry to hear that."

Eijiro feigns a look of hurt, "Yeah, I never knew about all that. He always seemed so unbothered by everything. What was Shinobu like in high school?"

Izuku's solemn frown slowly turns into a soft smile, "He was pretty soft-spoken, fiercely loyal. He was the kind of friend you'd want on your side if there was ever any trouble. Smart, too. We would talk for hours about all kinds of things. I haven't come across many people that are easy to talk to as Shinobu was. Even Masa dims in comparison on that front."

His friend doesn't skip a beat with his next lie, "Sounds like he hasn't changed much then. If I find him around here, I'll let him know that you've been wondering about him."