The little meeting that Izuku had was a date. A date with Ochaco. Mina wasn't surprised, neither were her friends.
"I'm surprised they didn't tie the knot earlier." Sero snorted. Ashido started sitting at her regular seat at Bakugou's table. Ochaco and Bakugou were missing from the scene. Ochaco was sitting with Midoriya and friends. She would too, but she wanted to give them space. Kiri also invited her over. Mina didn't think Bakugou was even in the lunchroom.
She found herself at ease with the red-haired man. They became each other's confidants. Something Mina would never admit is that Kirishima became her new Midoriya.
It wasn't a secret. Everyone could tell the inseparable pair from the first term didn't hang out as much. The sparkles were gone. The chemistry, gone. The only times you could publically catch them together is in a group of people, like the study sessions 1-A held each week. They spoke here and there. They always seemed happy to see each other. However, something felt wrong.
Mina couldn't put her finger on it, why interactions with Izuku had decreased over the week, she didn't know. Izuku probably wouldn't either. It wasn't on purpose! Fate seemed to get in her way every time she made her way to talk to him. She accepted it and left it alone. Well, she thought she did.
"They're not married, idiot," Jirou snorted. "They're just going out."
"Yeah, yeah," Sero yawned while he picked at his food. "Same thing."
"Still would have never thought Izuku would be the first person to get with someone," He fiddled with his milk carton.
"I mean, we were first," Kaminari waved from his arm from across the table. One of his hands rested nicely on Jirou's shoulder.
"Oh," Mina yawned. "I forgot about you guys."
"Congratulations, by the way!" Kiri smiled.
"We've been together for a while now-" Kaminari huffed.
"Oh-" Kirishima shrunk in his chair.
"Anyways!" Jirou clapped her hands together. I always had a feeling they'd get together! Since winter break! Don't you agree, Mina?"
Mina had forgotten to tell the girl about what went down the past few weeks. She made a note to do it later.
"Uh, yeah," She smiled. "They are cute." She looked back at Izuku's table. The pair were close together. They were peering over a book, probably Izuku's quirk assessment journal. Mina never got to see it.
He promised her that they would go through it one day together. The offer still stood. It felt too foreign, though, just like everything else.
That feeling of guilt when she saw the two of them together had long passed. She felt happy that she wasn't in the way of her friends.
That was enough, or was it? This entire time she kept telling herself things were okay, things were enough. What if one day her unresolved feelings sprout up again? Then what? She listed her feelings for Midoriya as unclear for the time being.
"I'm glad you're doing better after that night, Mina," Kaminari beamed. She rose her eyebrows, taken aback but nodded. Kirishima shot her a look of confusion, but she mumbled. "long story,"
---
She opened up on her run with Kirishima. They began running together. The fang-toothed boy could keep up with her, so she didn't mind his company.
One early morning, they were jogging together. The pair decided to take a break before heading back to the dorms for a shower and to get ready for school.
That whole morning Mina felt anxious. After careful consideration and consultation from Toru, she decided to try and rekindle her relationship with Midoriya. They were drifting, and this time it was no one's fault. She wasn't going to lose Midoriya for the second time.
However, it was easier said than done. Ways to talk to him today plagued her mind while she ran. The reason why she ran and why she pulled Kirishima along was for a welcome distraction.
They were resting now, but a certain freckled hair boy couldn't leave her mind. She stared aimlessly at his contact photo, thinking of what to say.
"Mina?" Kirishima called. "You ready to head back?" He had finished stretching and peered over her shoulder. She quickly shut the phone off.
"Yeah, yeah, of course," She mumbled. "Give me a second." She turned away from her friend, which only made him worry more.
"Hey, are you alright? You don't seem the same since the break. Even yesterday felt a bit off," He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You can talk to me, you know,"
She needed this.
"Can I rant for a bit?" She asked. He nodded.
She started rambling. Most of the conversation was about what happened that weekend. She talked about the restaurant, leaving, the talk with Izuku, the confession, all of it. Kiri stood quiet the entire time, listening intently. Then she talked about where they are now.
"I'm sorry for ranting like this," She rubbed the side of her elbow awkwardly. "I would have never imagined that I would be pouring my secrets out to you."
"Don't sweat it," He shrugged. "It's the manly thing to do, be there for someone in need."
"I just," She said at once. She stared at Izuku's photo again before turning to Kirishima. "I know I can't have him. I accepted that, I think. I'm not avoiding him. I don't think he's avoiding me. So why does it feel like we're farther apart from when we started?"
"Hmm," Kirishima hummed. "Let me put myself in Deku's shoes."
He paused for a moment. "I would have trouble trying to talk to you since I got a girlfriend now, and I know you aren't over me. He probably doesn't want to hurt you."
"We're back to square one," she sighed as she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm over it, I think. I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to butt in their relationship. I don't want to be the crazy ex. I don't know how to be there without things being awkward."
"Well," Kirishima yawned. "The way I see it, you both care a lot for Ochaco. So much so, you put her happiness over yours. Have you stopped to consider how Uraraka even feels about all this? Does she even know you have feelings for Izuku?"
"I mean- no," Mina started. "It was pretty obvious, though." Mina kicked a rock at the base of her shoe. She was telling the truth. Mina's feelings for Midoriya were as plain as day.
"If it was so blatant that you had feelings for him, how come noone pointed it out?" He added. "Everyone seemed to be rooting for Uraraka and Deku to get together. Why weren't you in the mix?"
"Because I told everyone we were friends," She paused. Then it hit her. She caused this.
It was always Izuku. Since day 1. She was in denial every time her friends brought it up and egged her own. In a way, she was helping Ochaco get with Midoriya the entire time. Was it fair for her to be mad she pushed everyone away?
"I didn't realize I liked him the whole time until the last day of the semester last year." Her voice has grown small, and she stared down at her sneakers as she tried to process the epiphany.
A firm hand found its way to her shoulder once again. She tried to struggle from the grip because it was too hard.
"Sorry, I activated my quirk on accident," He chuckled. He retracted his hand and let it lay awkwardly at his side. "I think this talk with Uraraka could give closure, clear some things up."
"Alright, Kiri," She sighed. "I'll try and talk to her sometime this week. No promises." Thanks for listening! You're the best. She finished her stretch and started making her way back to the house.
He smiled and chased her back to the dorms.
---
The plan to talk with Ochaco wasn't smooth. Practical exams crept closer by the day, so she spent her free time sparring with her friends. Was she guilty of using practical exams as a means of avoiding the girl? Yes. Would she dissect that now? No.
She came back from a late-night sparring session with Kaminari and his friends when she found Ochaco in the kitchen alone. She was cooking something for herself, and her friends were making their way upstairs. If anything, now would be the perfect time to talk to her.
She strolled over to the kitchen and peered over her shoulder.
"What are you making?" She hummed. Ochaco flinched, but when she turned around, her shoulders relaxed.
"Oh, It's just you, Mina," She scratched her head. "What's up?" The brunette went back to stirring the pot.
"Nothing much, just hungry," She hummed. "What'ya making?"
Uraraka tossed the spoon to Mina. "Taste it," It's my family's recipe for mac and cheese. I hope I'm doing it right."
Mina brought the spoon to her lips and tasted the food. "It's fine," She hummed. "Just needs salt." She added. She went to drop the spoon in the sink since Uraraka couldn't use it anymore.
"Thought so," Ochaco hummed. She tossed some salt in and stirred the mixture once again. She took the lid and covered the pot. "There, it should be fine. I'll let it finish cooking."
She untied her apron and folded it between her arms. "You want a plate too?" The horned girl nodded. "Gotcha." Uraraka made her way to the cabinet and grabbed an extra bowl.
Ochaco was always like this, always happy to help, didn't mind sharing, a kind girl. Mina was forever indebted to her.
"Congratulations, by the way." Mina spat. It was an accident. She could've sworn she said it in her head.
"Congratulations? For what?" She rested the apron down on the counter.
"Oh, you know," Mina rocked on the balls of her heels and smiled. "You and Izuku!"
"Oh!" Ochaco gasped. She then brought a hand to her mouth to cover her shock. "You know about that?"
"Everyone knows," She nodded awkwardly. "Word tends to travel fast in class 1-A." She gave a friendly wink, and that seemed to shake the zero-gravity user out of her trance
"Right," She let out a sigh and let her fingertips touch together. All but the last pair. "We didn't plan for it to get out like this."
She mumbled. "I didn't want you to find out like this,
Did I hear that right?
"What do you mean?" Mina started. "Who's we?"
"Well, you see," Ochaco paused. "I was kind of wary about the whole thing. I suspected something was going on between you and Deku. He kept saying nothing was, so I believed him."
Ouch. Nothing went on between Mina and Midoriya. In a way, she was right. Mina just had feelings for Deku. He didn't.
"I see the way you look at him, Mina. It's the way I see him." There was a pleading in her voice, which was weird. Why would Ochaco have to beg?
"I see the way he relaxes around you. I was a little jealous. I wanted him to be himself with me," She paused. "I'm sorry."
"Woah, woah," Mina patted her shoulder. "Why are you apologizing?" Her eyes danced over to the pot on the stove. Instinctively, she reached over to turn it down.
"I don't want our meal burning on us," She chuckled. "I guess this is the time to say I did have feelings for Izuku."
"Right," Ochaco nodded. "Just know Mina, your happiness means a lot to me."
Mina almost made a face of uncertainty but nodded along.
"I told him that day I rushed out of the restaurant," Mina added. "He turned me down. "
A soft silence fell between the pair.
"I'm alright, though!" Mina flailed her arms. "Don't worry!"
A sympathetic smile spread on Ochaco's lips. "If you say so," She hummed. "I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable at all." Her voice was a bit faint, like a whisper. However, the intent was there.
"Same here, same here," Mina butted in. "I won't lie, dealing with everything that happened was hard at first. However, I feel like things are better now. You don't have to walk on eggshells in your own relationship for me, Ochaco. Enjoy yourself. You deserve it."
Mina's lips curled into a genuine grin.
"Thank you," Ochaco mouthed. It was quick, but she awkwardly hugged the horned girl. Mina didn't hesitate to embrace her back.
"Now come on, I'm starving, and I'm pretty sure the food is ready," She chuckled as Ochaco spooned out servings for the two of them.
They ate silently at the bar until their heart's content. The entire time Mina reflected on the conversation that occurred.
Weirdly, it was so simple. It was so easy. The shocking thing was, Ochaco knew she had feelings for Midoriya. Though, you couldn't count it as mind-blowing when people would point out Mina's pining. Ochaco knew this and was hesitant about her own feelings towards the boy.
Mina put it together then.
If this talk had occurred earlier, Ochaco would have likely put her feelings aside for Izuku.
Mina could have had him.
Simple. However, life wasn't simple.
Her heart did tighten at the realization that things could have been within her grasp. She would have had a better chance at going for Izuku. The feelings of jealousy and nausea in her stomach when she saw the pair wouldn't exist. She could have run her fingers through his hair and whisper, "My Midori," without worrying she's crossing lines.
She could have still shared a cup of cocoa with Midoriya on nights where the two couldn't sleep. Those awkward calls, long hugs, morning jogs. She could have had it all.
She didn't have it, though, and it was okay. There was no tightness on her chest when reminiscing about memories she never had. No sign of bitter thoughts on what it could have been.
Those lingering feelings of hers started to fade. Izuku continued to drift away in the wind, but this time, her heart didn't ache too much at the thought of him. For the first time, she'd be happy to sit from the sidelines and silently cheer him on.
A/N: The end of an era...or is it??? How'd yall like this chapter? Thanks for 8k reads!(It's 8k at the time of writing this). Comments are appreciated! It makes my day reading them. The next chapter is another talk to tie up loose ends, then the epilogue. The epilogue will surprise you, at least...I hope it will. Oh and this is the epilogue for part 2 not the book...for now...i might just end the book at the epilogue....who knows.