Hikari: 『Volume 2 - Omakes』

◆My Baby Academia III◇

"Where do babies come from?" Ejirou questioned, plopping down onto a cushion next to Yuga who ate a more refined dish different from his classmates, a napkin neatly tucked into his sailor's shirt.

Mina cleared her throat. "When a boy and a girl love each other waaaay too much -"

"I... don't think now is a good time for this conversation," Momo quickly interrupted, covering Mina's mouth as she sat down with her own plate of food.

Katsuki scoffed under his breath, taking himself to the timeout corner where his makeshift prison used to stand and sat down on its side, making the All Might plushie sit next to him. There was no way he was going to eat with those boisterous extras, looking down at the Saba no Shioyaki he saw Miyuki prepare for him.

His gaze moved away from his plate towards the half-and-half girl as she walked over to where Izuku sat on the big green couch in that stupid apron of his, a bowl of Nattou in her hands. She smiled at the green-haired boy, and Katsuki's grip on his chopsticks turned to iron when Izuku smiled back then proceeded to share a laugh with her over some joke he didn't hear clearly.

Damn Deku.

Despite himself and his attempts not to, he saw exactly what Tsuyu meant when she talked about them having a 'strong chemistry' and being... parents together. Even so, it made his gut churn and Katsuki averted his gaze from them to his grilled fish, lips pursed in silent contempt.

That nerd didn't belong in that picture with her, least of all in a position where he was placed below him as some kid. If anyone was going to stand beside her in that way, Katsuki thought, it definitely wasn't supposed to be Izuku -

"Firecracker."

His eyes snapped up from the fish to see Miyuki in front of him, her expression clouded with concern as she knelt down in front of him. He scowled, not liking to see her so worried, but at the same time a warmth spread through his chest at hearing his nickname.

She just calls him by his first name, he thought victoriously.

"Is everything all right?" She asked, eyeing the cardbox jail he sat on. "You're sitting so far from everyone."

"They're too loud," he replied, and Miyuki chuckled lightly. "What? What's so funny?"

"You were the loudest out of them all half an hour ago," she answered. Miyuki crossed her legs, smiling softly as he blushed. "Sorry, I'll let you eat."

A comfortable silence ensued as they sat together eating their breakfast. Katsuki constantly glanced at the All Might plushie between them, resisting the urge to look at her - and he didn't know why. He wanted to talk with her, but there was something about his classmates' presence not too far from them that made him feel more conscious than he already was of his actions.

"Y-You didn't answer me," Katsuki spoke up out of the blue, still looking down at his food. His round face turned a warm red when he felt her eyes on him. "Last night. When I asked you..."

She nodded, humming softly. "Yeah, I remember what you said," she answered and her cheeks tinted a light pink. "It's been on my mind all morning."

"...A-And?" He asked, feeling stupid for asking this question again. He put down his chopsticks, heart beating wildly in anticipation of her response. "Why do you?"

Her lips curved into a bright smile, little crows feet forming at the corners of her eyes as she did. "I don't," she replied. His eyes widened. "Usually, a person can only show as much love as they've received, but... you're both my friends. I don't care for either of you more or less than the other."