[A/N]: Thank you so much for all the kind and funny comments. They always make me smile and laugh, so thank you again. Over time, I'm going to go through the book and fix all those strange blank spaces. Please wish me luck.
One by one, you and your classmates stepped out of the shop.
Some of you were still browsing inside, so the rest of you just waited.
You were standing next to Todoroki.
Between you and him, Todoroki was usually the one with a staring problem. It was a wonder that only Midoriya was aware of Todoroki's crush on you.
But right now, you were searing holes into the side of Todoroki's head.
"Todoroki?"
He was trying his best not to look at you. "What is it?"
Your tone was no different than normal. You spoke in constant monotone.
Todoroki knew better.
As of this moment, you were done with his bullshit.
You meaningfully raised your right hand. In your grasp, you held a bag containing your yukata and other accessories. One of those accessories were the sandals that Todoroki had literally outrun you for.
"Todoroki cannot continue purchasing items for me."
At this, he turned. "What...? Why not?"
"Please allow me to return the favor." You knew Todoroki wouldn't let you buy anything.
So, instead, you asked him, "What does Todoroki want to do?"
"What do I... want to do?"
"Yes."
Todoroki went still. His eyes unfocused and he frowned a bit. He looked... confused.
You tilted your head. "Is something wrong?"
"Ah, sorry." Turning away, he said, "It's just... no one's asked me that before."
"Why?"
Todoroki's jaw tightened.
Endeavor.
"I don't know."
"That is okay."
When Todoroki got the courage to meet your eyes, his own wide with shock, he felt all his worries slip away.
You understood him. Without questions or reservations, you understood him.
Todoroki wasn't ready to talk about his past.
But like you always said, that was okay.
"Let's do whatever Todoroki wants to do."
From the bottom of his stomach, butterflies flew up his throat and past his lips. The butterflies tugged at the corners of his mouth and touched the edges of his eyes.
"Sure," Todoroki began softly, "I just... need to think about what to do."
"Okay. I will wait."
"...Thanks."
"Hey!"
You and Todoroki broke eye contact to face forward.
Kaminari came bounding up to the two of you, all smiles. "What'd you guys buy?"
You opened your bag and showed it to Kaminari.
He peered inside. "Huh? Iida's cat stuff is in here."
"It is not Iida's cat stuff. It is Shinsou's."
Kaminari's smile was frozen on his face. "What?"
Kaminari remembered the first time he officially met Shinsou. The guy was just as handsome as he was rude. Unfortunate.
It had also been the first time you extended your help to Shinsou. You'd literally dragged Kaminari along with you.
He had been the one to get you out of Shinsou's hair. Temporarily, anyway.
"I think you've just gotta take 'no' for an answer. It can't be helped. If he doesn't want it, then he doesn't want it."
The way Kaminari broke it to you had been a little harsh, but it was only in your best interest.
Maybe Kaminari hadn't been harsh enough.
He screeched, "Shinsou!?"
You nodded. "Shinsou."
Todoroki's mood soured again. "Shinsou..."
Kaminari started shaking you by the shoulders.
"You can't keep doing this!"
"What have I been doing?"
"Don't give me that!"
"What am I giving you?"
"Stop that!"
"Stop wh–?"
Kaminari went to sit in a corner. Mushrooms began to grow around him.
He sobbed, "No one listens to me!"
From a distance, Tokoyami turned up his beak and solemnly recited, "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me..."
Kirishima ran to hug him. "Aw, Tokoyami, that's not true!"
Tokoyami's feathers fluffed up in alarm.
He backed away. "Wait, wait, wait–!"
In Kaminari's corner, Bakugou shuffled over to kick him in the butt.
"Quit growing shrooms in front of someone else's store!"
Kaminari clung onto Bakugou's leg. "You don't understand! I told him so many times, and– and then he goes and–!"
"Get off me, shithead!"
Kirishima audibly gasped. He was trapping poor Tokoyami in a bear hug.
"Bakugou, be nice!"
"Fuck off!"
Tokoyami wheezed, "The darkness! It closes in!"
Kirishima let go. "Oh, whoops!"
The other boy fell to the floor. He was a small heap of black feathers.
"Sorry 'bout that, Tokoyami!"
"I was... making a Queen reference..."
"Huh? The Queen of England isn't real, silly goose!"
Tokoyami didn't even know what to say to that.
You appeared next to Kirishima. "Tokoyami is not a silly goose."
Thank goodness. At least someone was defending Tokoyami.
"He is a silly crow."
Tokoyami felt your betrayal in the depths of his deep, dark soul. "None of you are seeing Heaven!"
"What is Heaven?"
A few more of your classmates left the shop and you wandered over to them. Thank fuck. Now Tokoyami could catch a break.
Asui looked up at you. "Ribbit. You're done early."
"What did Tsuyu get?"
A long time ago, Asui had insisted on everyone calling her by her first name. It'd taken you some time, but you had eventually gotten used to it.
You hunched over a little.
"...You don't have to do that."
"Do what?"
"I can just speak louder."
"Why?"
Jiro walked up to the two of you. "She's not that short."
Asui gave her a look.
A short distance away, Kaminari snickered. "Jiro, you're not much taller."
Her earlobes immediately went for his throat and he screamed.
Meanwhile, Asui showed you what she bought.
Tiny green frogs were scattered around on the fabric.
You poked at the soft cotton of the yukata. "There are many Tsuyu's. Tsuyu pattern."
"Yep. Ribbit. What about you?"
A moment of clarity told you to conceal the cat yukata. It seemed to cause havoc whenever someone saw it.
So you buried the cat yukata under all the other stuff in the bag and just pulled out your rain yukata.
Asui put the tip of her finger onto her lip. "I think you're sort of like a frog too."
You tilted your head. "I am?"
"Frogs like rain. They come out during rainy weather."
"I see." You straightened your back.
Then, with all the poise and grace you could muster (which wasn't much), you said, "Ribbit."
All at once, Hagakure sprinted over and Ashido looped her elbow with yours.
"So cute!" cooed Hagakure. "Say it again, say it again!"
Ashido pouted. "You should talk about yourself more. I didn't know you like rain!"
You blinked.
I should talk about myself more?
You tended to show, not tell.
To talk about yourself was something that had never occurred to you.
"Here."
You craned your chin over your shoulder.
Yaoyorozu was showing you her empty palm. In a flash of light, a little paper doll manifested from her skin.
You turned to take a closer look at it. "What is this?"
"A teru teru bozu doll. These are usually hung by the window to pray for sunny weather." With her other hand, Yaoyorozu plucked the doll by the skirt and suspended the doll in the air. "But when you hang them upside-down, they become a wish for rain."
Asui held up her satchel as an example. Another one of the dolls was hanging from a keychain. Like Yaoyorozu said, the doll was upside-down.
Your pupils, now blown wide, switched back and forth between the two dolls. "A wish for rain?"
Yaoyorozu giggled softly. "Yes."
She took your wrist and placed the doll down into your palm. "Please take it."
"Okay. Thank you." Staring at it intensely, you let the doll sway in the fading summer breeze.
I wish for rain.
Asui nudged you to get your attention.
You faced forward again and glanced down.
Asui was offering you her keychain.
In her distinct blunt manner, Asui told you, "Mina's right. You really should talk about yourself more. I have a lot of these in my room, so take this one."
You shook your head. "I cannot accept Tsuyu's personal belongings."
"Well, if it's mine, then I have the right to give it away."
Ashido and Hagakure started pumping their fists and chanting, "Take it, take it, take it!"
You looked around you.
Yaoyorozu was smiling kindly, Asui was fixing you with her usual no-bullshit stare, and the other two were happily cheering you on.
You were surrounded by their grace.
"...Okay. Thank you."
Asui smiled. "Good. Ribbit."
Ashido and Hagakure whooped and hollered.
As you pocketed the keychain and the other doll Yaoyorozu made you, the girls burst into chatter about where to go next.
In the beginning of the school year, the girls had taken you under their wing. Yaoyorozu and Ashido had invited you to sit with them at lunch. Before then, aside from following Shinsou around, you'd sat all alone.
Ashido had been quick to forgive you for scanning her for information without her consent. In fact, she was one of the main reasons why you stopped bothering Shinsou. The lesson you learned from Ashido had helped you understand why you had to back off of Shinsou.
Though you didn't sit exclusively with the girls anymore, they were still fond of you in all your innocence.
You were their favorite boy.
Someone slung an arm around your shoulder. "Hey, guys!"
The girls whirled towards the new person.
"Kirishima!"
Gentlemanly and kind, Kirishima was the girls' second favorite boy.
You slightly tipped your head to the side. Kirishima's hair was poking your ear.
"Hey, Kirishima."
Grinning, Kirishima passed his bright eyes over you and the girls. "What did you all buy?"
Ashido eagerly raised her folded yukata. "This!"
The main color was the same blue-ish green as her Hero costume. It was decorated with pink flowers.
Hagakure's yukata was covered in cutesy bear patterns.
Asui held up her frog yukata.
Kirishima doled out plenty of praise for each one of them.
Then he turned back to you and asked, "What about you?"
"I did not buy anything. Todoroki and Yaoyorozu bought it."
She averted her eyes. Blushing a little, she tucked some hair behind her ear. "Ahem."
Kirishima laughed. "That's Yaomomo for you. By the way, Yaomomo, you gotta let us buy you something."
Yaoyorozu let out a soft chuckle through her nose. "How about a drink? I could do with some tea right about now."
The moment she finally admitted to wanting something, the other girls whisked her away.
You blinked. "Yaoyorozu has disappeared."
With that, Kirishima returned his attention to you. "What did she buy you then?"
You showed him.
As soon as he saw your yukata, his face lit up. "I love drinking rain!"
His head flew forward.
Bakugou had shown up to smack Kirishima on the back of the head. "Explains why you have no brain. The amoebas fucking ate it."
Kirishima wasn't fazed whatsoever. "Bakugou, my man! What's an amoeba?"
"God, you're hopeless."
You explained, "Although naegleria fowleri is known widely as a 'brain-eating amoeba,' it is technically not an amoeba. It is a shapeshifting amoeboflagellate excavate."
Kirishima smiled. "What?"
Bakugou rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, smartass. It's just easier to call 'em by the colloquial name."
"Wait, Bakugou, you actually knew that?"
"Duh."
Your eyes went round. "Bakugou thinks... I am smart?"
His expression froze. His brows were cinched and his lips slightly open.
Then he roared, "No!"
Kirishima wrapped his arms around the both of you. "Aw, Bakugou! You guys are finally getting along!"
"Shut the hell up!"
While those two argued, you basked in your glory.
Bakugou thinks I am smart.
When you remembered something, you snapped back to reality.
Kirishima never told you what he got.
You took this chance to ask, "What did Kirishima and Bakugou buy?"
Bakugou never passed up a chance to insult. "Nothing. Everything in that goddamn store fucking su–"
Kirishima clapped his hand over Bakugou's mouth. "We're right in front of the store!"
Bakugou's eyes went fully white. He tore his head away, and throwing it forward, he sunk his teeth into the thick skin of Kirishima's palm.
Kirishima did not react as much as he should've.
He just chuckled. "That tickles!"
You didn't know how to tug Bakugou off Kirishima without taking some of Kirishima's skin.
So you said simply, "No biting."
That made Bakugou stop.
He barked, "Fuck am I, a dog!? Get your ass over here!"
The chase didn't last very long.
Bakugou tossed your limp body into the same corner Kaminari had been rotting in.
You weren't able to catch a break here either.
Kaminari grabbed you and shook you like an Etch-a-Sketch. "You! What's going on with you and Shinsou, huh!?"
"I am... trying to... befriend him."
"Dude, seriously! I told you before! If he doesn't want help, then–"
"Shinsou accepted my offer."
Kaminari's head jerked forward, eyes wide.
He raised his sunglasses. "He– he did?"
"Yes."
This caught Bakugou's attention.
He had been shuffling away to go who-knows-where, but he decided to tuck himself behind a wall to listen in.
Bakugou did not like Shinsou. Not one bit. The last time Bakugou saw him was when you were caught in a physical altercation with some assholes who had been talking shit about Bakugou. Shinsou had been lurking behind a corner, watching everything unfold. He'd come out to taunt Bakugou once the fight was over.
Bakugou narrowed his eyes.
What could you possibly want with Shinsou?
Kaminari's scream was so loud that it made everyone look to see what was happening.
"You fought Shinsou!?"
There was an uproar.
Most of your classmates weren't huge fans of him, but they understood Shinsou was doing what he could to win.
Though they were no less shocked to hear that you fought him.
You, who froze up on the sports festival stage because you couldn't bear to fight.
Your classmates gathered around you, peppering you with questions.
Yaoyorozu was at the forefront of the group. She and the other girls had just come back from getting drinks.
Yaoyorozu's brows pinched together. Her mouth fell open.
She was mortified.
Earlier, you did tell her, Todoroki, and Midoriya about inviting Shinsou, but you never told them how you managed to win him over.
Todoroki was already by your side.
He stood there, gazing down at you. His fists were trembling with how hard he was curling them.
"He hit you?"
Your blank eyes quickly flicked between Todoroki and Yaoyorozu.
They had spoken at the same time.
"Nope."
Your savior was Kirishima.
He moved to stand in front of you. His hands were raised palm-side outward in a calming manner.
"Don't worry! Nothing bad happened. If anything, Shinsou was the one who got hit!"
Everyone else was visibly surprised.
The loud chatter got even louder.
No matter how tall you got, or how much experience you accumulated, you would always be the class baby. Naturally, everyone was worried about you.
Iida and Midoriya rushed out of the store. They'd stayed behind to help clean up the mess Iida had unintentionally caused with all the cat yukata.
Iida raised his voice. "What is going on here?"
Everyone was huddling around a corner of the building. Save for Bakugou, who listened in from his spot against the wall. His hands were in his pockets and his lips in a contemplative frown.
Midoriya went on his toes to look over everyone's heads. "What's happening...?"
You were sitting in the corner. Kaminari sat next to you whilst Todoroki was stood on your other side.
In front of you, Kirishima was trying his best to pacify everyone.
Kirishima stepped aside.
Smiling down at you, he gave you a hand. "Wanna tell everyone what happened?"
You stared.
Kirishima is always helping me.
Your cold hand met his, warm as his smile, and he pulled you to your feet.
"Yes."
And so you did.
"My wish was to invite Shinsou to our festival outing. He did not accept my invitation. However, Mr. Aizawa issued him an order to attend. Shinsou's wish was to understand my position as a Heroics student. Therefore, I engaged in a match with him. We were supervised by Mr. Aizawa."
Curious murmurs filled your ears.
Your classmates were glancing from you to one another.
Sato said slowly, "Shinsou... wants to be a Hero?"
"Seems like it," replied Sero.
Midoriya was panicking from his place in the back of the crowd. "Seriously? You fought Shinsou right after the exam!?"
Before Midoriya could ramble any further, Bakugou cut in, "Did you beat his ass?"
Iida gasped. "Bakugou!"
You saw Bakugou in the back, a few meters away from Midoriya.
Bakugou held your stare. In contrast to everyone else, he was perfectly calm.
You thought about Bakugou's question.
By definition...
"Yes. I beat his a–"
Your jaw was forced shut. Iida had stuck his fingers beneath your chin and closed your mouth before you could finish that sentence.
A delightfully evil grin tore Bakugou's face in half.
Every blue moon, he had something good (?) to say.
This was one of those times.
He rasped, "Nice."
Iida started swinging his free hand up and down. "Stop encouraging him to be vulgar! And violent!"
"Only if you take that stick out your ass. It's been there since the first day of school. Fuck's sake."
"Stop!"
You paid no mind to the argument.
Rather, you were staring into space.
Bakugou has given me approval.
You began to pace around.
Iida inhaled sharply.
His neck cracked with the speed at which he whipped his head towards Bakugou. "What have you done!? Now he enjoys being vulgar! And violent!"
Bakugou threw his head back and cackled. "Good, good! It's all coming together!"
"What are you planning, you criminal!?"
Kirishima gave Iida an exasperated grin. "He's just messing with you. Don't think about it too much."
"But what if he's serious? What if he has this awful– no, diabolical plan to take over the world and–"
"You sound a lot like Todoroki right now. Haha!"
"I'm being serious!"
After a few words from your peers, the crowd dispersed.
Not all of them left though.
Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were either inspecting you or lightly scolding you. Todoroki stood by, silently nodding along.
You stared blankly.
Then you turned your cheek.
The other three kids nearly backed off. Your cuteness let you get away with a lot of things. A ridiculous amount of things.
Not this time.
At this point, Midoriya was basically on his knees, begging you to have some more self-preservation. Hypocrite.
He banged his fists against the floor. "Please...! You can't keep getting away with this!"
Todoroki remained silent. He was using the back of his hand to cover the faint blush on his face. He could only nod.
Yaoyorozu angled her chin upward and crossed her arms. She had to be strong for the three of them.
"Regardless of whether or not you fought Shinsou," she began critically, "he would have gone on Mr. Aizawa's orders. Why did you fight him?"
You blinked.
Actually, that was a good question.
Why did you fight Shinsou?
The only answer you could think of was, "I wished to prove that... I have changed."
The trio fell quiet.
Their expressions became curious, searching.
You understood their silence as yet another question.
Your gaze fell downward. "...My performance during the sports festival was inadequate. I–"
"That's quite enough."
You looked up.
On Yaoyorozu's gentle face, there were no traces of a frown or a crease between her brows at all.
She took your limp hands into her own.
Your hands weren't soft, they didn't bleed, but what did Yaoyorozu care?
These hands were yours.
That was all that mattered.
"Don't you dare think that you're inadequate. Don't you dare."
Your eyes widened.
You never said that you felt that way.
But Yaoyorozu knew anyway.
Todoroki stepped closer. "Right. It's not like I did well either... I almost killed Midoriya."
Midoriya got to his feet. He was chuckling. His intense battle against Todoroki had become a pleasant inside joke.
His laughter faded as he took on a more serious expression. "Our past, our circumstances, our inexperience... those things don't define us. Our decisions do."
He breathed in. "You chose to keep going. Even though you don't like fighting... even though so many people kept doubting you... you chose to keep going."
Midoriya grinned. "To me, that means a lot more than anything else."
And then there was a solar eclipse.
Your eyes were telling your friends what your lips could not. Gold surrounded your dark pupils, like the ring around the Moon.
Yaoyorozu squeezed your hands.
Midoriya's breath left him.
Todoroki smiled.
Blinking away the sunshine, you replied quietly, "Midoriya is correct. And Yaoyorozu, and Todoroki. My previous performance... It has no bearing on my character."
You raised your voice and declared,
"I am not my failures."
Midoriya sniffled. "Yeah!"
You were quick to give him a tissue. "Tissue."
Yaoyorozu and Todoroki looked at each other. Then they exchanged a fond laugh.
If you were the Sun, your friends were sunflowers.
No matter where you were, they would be smiling at you.
"Hey, you guys!"
You glanced past the three of them and they turned around to see.
Kirishima was waving. "We're gonna hit up a few more shops now!"
The rest of your peers were milling around Iida. They were bustling with excited chatter while Iida pored over his paper map.
"You coming?"
You walked towards Kirishima.
Behind you, Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Todoroki followed.
Their swinging hands, balled into fists, held tightly the bits of happiness you'd given them.
"Yes."