The park's cherry blossom trees had already started blooming, painting a distinct picture with their delicate colours and fragrant smell. You glanced up to the street clock, where your friend had told you to wait at noon. It was already one o'clock. You pondered whether her secretiveness surrounding today had anything to do with a surprise. Perhaps, it was a gift to congratulate you for securing a place at U.A.'s hero course?
As a brisk gust of wind blew past you, cascades of petals blew by with it. You were about to reach out for one when you noticed someone walking towards you. Shoto Todoroki. It gave you a funny feeling, seeing him three months after you had vowed not to cross paths with him ever again. Especially after the abrupt argument you'd had with both your father and uncle. What a way to shatter the joy of receiving an acceptance letter.
Todoroki wasn't the best with faces nor names, with anything other his objective of becoming a hero and his hatred for his father taking the sidelines in his life. Truth be told, he couldn't even remember your surname, and so had unexpectedly opted to call your attention by your first name so he could get this over and done with as soon as possible.
"Hey, (y/n)." He stopped in his tracks in front of you, tilting his head to one side as he gave you a once-over. The muscles in his face tightened, but that grimace soon disappeared, leaving his pale face devoid of any emotion. "Why did you want to meet me here?"
You furrowed your brows, confused as to what he meant. "What? No, I'm meeting my friend today."
"I see. Did you not send me this message?"
Narrowing your eyes at Todoroki, you read the text on his phone. If you hadn't allowed your friend to share your phone number with the boy, you wouldn't want to arrange a meeting with him. "No way. I never use flower emojis."
Another gust of wind blew past you, carrying even more pink petals, some of which got stuck on your hair. If this was Chiharu's surprise, you'd make sure to get back at her later.
Todoroki held his ground and let out an almost inaudible, yet drawn-out sigh. He had come all the way here because, in his eyes, you had asked him to. And understanding that you didn't wish to see him today only reinforced his desire to distance you and your family from his own. "Can I use this time to talk to you?"
So you tell me to stay away from you, and then ask me to talk to you? Bruh, I'm glad I never got my hopes up. You averted your gaze from Todoroki; although direct as ever, you couldn't wrap your head around him.
"Yeah, I guess you can."
The boy's expression turned a more serious. "Are you aware that my father will invite you to live with us? You must decline his offer."
The memories of opening the U.A. envelope rushed back into your mind. Though still bitter, you had argued against moving into the Todoroki household enough to come to accept it. Your ever-pragmatic uncle had made it crystal clear to you. With your family's delicate economic situation and your father's feeble health, they could not afford to move to Musutafu City with you. Nor were you allowed to live on your own, as you were underage. You could not attend U.A. unless you accepted Endeavor's generous proposal to host you for the time being.
"Yeah, I know about it. I don't agree with it, but I have to take the offer."
Todoroki gave you a pained look. He had known his father for long enough to predict that you moving in with them was filled with the most awful ulterior motives. Todoroki believed that if he managed to put you off, he would save you a lot of suffering. Suffering he had personally endured for years, one so deep and soul-crushing that had left his mother in a psychiatric facility.
"Todoroki, sometimes, you just have to swallow your pride and make hard decisions," you continued, echoing your uncle's words. "I need to live with you if I am to go to U.A."
"Please, this is not about pride. Do you have the remotest idea about why my father is doing this?"
"I do. Your father put mine in hospital. More than that, Endeavor almost killed my dad in that blaze," you raised your voice, taking a step towards Todoroki.
The half-and-half boy took a step back, leaning against the street clock. He remembered how kind you had been to him when you first met... If he was in your place, he would be consumed in hatred.
Noticing Todoroki's hands balled into fists and the veins coursing his tense jaw, you took it down a notch. You spoke softly, sounding almost defeated. "Endeavor is only honouring his word, so I can become a hero. Is that too much to ask?"
"I'm sorry about your father. I should have known. I can't bring myself to see his work on the news. But (y/n), I need you to understand. I refuse to be a tool for that scum of a father. Just... don't come any near me if you don't want to get hurt."
Another blast of wind ruffled your hair. Todoroki's blunt words resounded in your ears as you heard a bicycle bell nearing you two. Chiharu stumbled as she got off the bike, put it aside by the fence, and then gave you a discreet thumbs-up. Not even your friend's lively attitude could lift the sour mood.
After Todoroki excused himself, you found it hard to find the strength to scold your friend. You just didn't have it in you. Chiharu meant well. She was only trying to help you, in her own way.
You almost took your thoughts back when she caught you by surprise; she pinned you down to the ground. She held both your wrists down as she exclaimed, "Gotcha! Chi two, (y/n) three! Now tell me how it went! Did you confess to Todoroki yet?"
You pushed her back, careful not to put in too much energy as you were yet to become used to your current strength. "And what on Earth should I be confessing about, Chi?"
"Oh, dear. I guess being dense is part of your charm." Chiharu jumped in and hugged you. Your back stiffened as you had expected her to try to pin you down once more, but after a moment you reluctantly gave into your friend's tight embrace.
---
The following weekend arrived fast. You were in a book shop when some knocking on the shop's window distracted you. You looked up to see who was calling your attention, only to recognise Aoi, Chiharu's ex-classmate, waving you hello. He had his blue hair held back in a half-ponytail, making you notice the silver piercings on his ear as he walked up to you.
"What a coincidence. We meet again. Guess what?" Aoi put his hand on the bookshelf, effectively trapping you while you hugged a thick book closer to your chest. "I saw you last week. I saw you with Todoroki at the park. You always say no whenever I ask you for a date, and yet you went on a date with him? That's quite unfair, wouldn't you agree?"
You ducked under his arm and moved away from him before storing the book on the history of healing type quirks back in the wooden bookshelf. "We didn't go on a date. Chi set Todoroki and me up."
"Chiharu did...? Oh, yeah. I remember she mentioned that." Aoi ran a hand through his luscious hair before biting his lip. "I can picture Todoroki acting all stiff and superior when he's just emotionally constipated. Trust me, he thinks he's too good to talk to people. That's why he was the arrogant ice prince, and I was the cool merman king of school."
Aoi's obviously annoying, but to go as far as to call himself a merman king? This boy lives in a funny world, that's for sure. You stifled a laugh.
However, you did not believe that Todoroki was like Aoi described him, though it was true that Todoroki hadn't spoken to you much since you started living at his house, three days ago.
Todoroki had ignored you for the most: he ate his meals in his room, and every time you went to the training grounds, he would clear out. Yesterday, when he was doing some washing in the laundry room, he left as soon as you placed the basket with your clothes by the washing machine.
Todoroki had asked you to stay away, and you hadn't complied with his request.
Sighing, you looked back to the blue-haired boy. "Hey, you... Everyone matures at least a little after middle school. Stop mocking him like that."
"Oh, have I upset you, (y/n)? Sorry," Aoi said, brushing his comment off. "Anyway, at least you're cute, and you can gain popularity when you become a hero. If I knew you were applying to U.A. earlier, I would've tried for their entrance exam instead of Shiketsu High."
"Sure, sure. I am very sorry for you. I'm off then!"
"Come on, where's the fun in that?"
You swiftly made a peace sign with your hand and began to hurry away across the book shop. You still needed to buy some more stationary before Monday - your first day living out your dream, attending the prestigious U.A. Moving past the fact that you would be living under the same roof as Shoto Todoroki, you were excited to no end.