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“Honey, aren’t you going to eat?” All heads on the table turned to look at the young lady. Raised eyebrows and scrunched noses were easy to ignore, however, for said lady had grown used to her family’s behavior towards her when it came to… pretty much everything. She was able to keep her eyes glued to her fork; her pupils moved left and right, up and down, as she observed the gold object as though she was seeing it for the very first time in her life.
“I’m not hungry, mother.” It was merely a mumble, yet at the silence that had fallen upon the room after the question was making it very easy for it to be heard, perhaps even echo in the room. From the corner of her eye, Kyouka saw her mother’s lips parting, yet the woman wasn’t able to speak, for her husband was faster.
“Jirou Kyouka… if this is still about him…” He spat the last word, stopping the sentence mid-air, and Kyouka couldn’t help but laugh. She could almost imagine how the image of her friend in her father’s head looked more like that of an elf or a monster even, a creature that was nowhere near human anyway, than the true sight of the blonde young man.
“If you would just let me–” Kyouka said, after she was able to get herself together, but—of course—she didn’t get to finish her sentence.
“Enough is enough Kyouka. I'm not obligated to put up with your nonsense.” Her father was a man of honor and he couldn’t let his only child hang out with the son of a rival now, could he? Kyouka wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid frown off her father's face. If only he knew. “We’ve talked about this a hundred times already. You’re not allowed to get near that man again, he has a bad influence on you.”
“Just because he speaks his mind and doesn’t just say yes to whatever his parents say?” She was choosing her words carefully; one wrong move and she was doomed, she would be sent in her room and wouldn’t be able to get out of it for weeks. “And I don’t understand why you’re worrying so much over it. I’ve said it so many times already; there’s nothing going on between us!” She swallowed the lump that her own words had brought to her throat and tried to keep her head up high so the tears that had welled up in her eyes wouldn’t fall. They didn’t need to know how much it hurt to say such thing.
It wasn’t entirely a lie, however, because there really wasn’t anything going on between them. What they felt and what they thought about each other, what they dreamed of and what was—sadly or thankfully—were two completely different things. So she kept her emotions hidden, just like she’d been doing for the past few weeks.
She would be strong, just like he was.
“Yet! There isn’t something going on between you two just yet! I see how you’re always looking at him dear cousin. Who are you trying to fool?” Oh dear, and Kyouka was wondering when the snake would open its mouth. There she sat, her very ‘dear’ cousin, looking down at her as though she was some sort of miserable, homeless cat, those hurt creatures you usually only saw on the street. Kyouka narrowed her eyes, hands instinctively curling into fists.
Stupid, selfish, cocky slug. She never knew when to keep her mouth shut, did she?
As much as she’d love to make a sarcastic remark at her cousin’s words, her father’s fists collided with the wooden table and everyone’s breathing hitched. “In your room, young lady! None of us can afford to constantly watch over you; if you aren’t hungry, you might just leave the table right now!”
She didn’t need to be told twice. No matter how hurt she was, in no way was she going to let it show. She’d promised herself she’d stay strong.
She didn’t usually break her promises.
————————————————————————
“Hey, Denki! Where are you going? Wait up!” Said blonde young man winced as the all-too-familiar voice of his cousin erupted from the house. For a moment, he thought of ordering his horse to start running despite the man running up to them, but he stopped himself; Izuku could be annoying, but a fool he wasn’t for sure.
Denki cursed under his breath. Great. Now he wasn’t going anywhere. “You aren’t running away, are you? There’s no way I’m going to let you leave me all alone with your parents!” He complained as he took short and quick steps towards the blonde. “And how is it that your horse is so calm and quiet when you want it to be and mine just keeps on being–”
“What do you want Midoriya?” Denki massaged his forehead with one hand while he held his horse’s reins tightly with the other. “Yes, I was actually just about to leave. Sadly not permanently, so you needn’t worry about that. What do you want?”
“You were fighting with your dad again earlier, weren't you? You know, I’ve been thinking… uncle isn’t very pleased, should I say, with your behavior the past few days, isn’t that right? You’ve been hanging out with a Jirou, haven’t you? Let’s see, what was her name again–?" The words spilled out of the short boy’s mouth as though they were water running down a waterfall. Denki tightened his hold on the reins and visibly gritted his teeth; though, the other didn’t seem to notice. He felt his blood boil under his skin, his breaths became short as though he’d just been running and his eyebrows almost seemed to be touching one another, so furrowed as they were.
“Excuse me?” He growled, and at the harsh tone of his voice, Izuku’s mouth closed, making his muttering stop. If he were to be honest with himself, Denki never found it pleasant or interesting like his aunt and mother would say; to him, it was as annoying as having to listen to the constant buzzing of a bee all the time. “It would be appreciated if you would stop being so nosy and talk about things that aren’t your goddamn business.” He said and turned his horse around. Just as he was about to give the brown animal the sign to start running, he said over his shoulder.
“Kyouka. Her name is Kyouka.”
————————————————————————
“You see those birds? Yeah, those two. Look at how they’re flying around each other. I bet you’ll see little birdies around here in a few weeks, maybe even sooner.”
The glow of the afternoon sun above their heads was warm on their skin. There, deep in the forest not many dared to get close to, was their special, little hiding spot, the place where they could come and talk with each other for hours on end. At times they talked about their families—the two seemed to have similar problems with their parents—and sometimes they merely talked about the weather. Other times it was innocent flirting, and even though Denki wanted to shout it to the world, Kyouka refused to admit it. Small, innocent touches here and there; nothing too much, but nothing too little either.
Kyouka slapped him on the shoulder. Though, she couldn’t help but smile at that wild imagination of his. It never ceased to surprise her. “Are you seriously telling me this?” She might have had been joking, yet her eyes were somewhat serious… or, well, tried to be.
“Well, what do you want me to tell you?” He asked, titling his head to the side. She, in return to his small smile, turned away from him, already perfectly able to feel how dangerously hot her cheeks had become. She gulped, hoping he wouldn’t notice the way her face had flashed crimson.
“Why don’t you start with the reason you came here in the first place?” She was able to calm her racing heart, even if only for a little while. She felt proud of the question she’d come up with. Huh, let’s see what you’ve got, Mr. whose-name-mustn’t-be-said, according to her family.
He chuckled. “Well, I…” He closed his mouth and turned away from her, placing his hand over his mouth and closing his eyes. She raised an eyebrow, allowing a quiet ‘yes?’ to leave her lips. She urged Denki ahead with a gentle nudge of the knees. “You don’t want to hear it.” The tone of his voice was still as playful as before, yet…
Kyouka’s heart skipped a beat as she realized there was a hint of seriousness in his words too. She looked down at her hands, who were now covered by small, almost invisible, drops of sweat. She wiped them on her dress and sighed. “You know you–” She started, but he interrupted her.
“I just wanted to see you again.”
Okay. Now that was indeed something she wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted to hear… If she was pink before now she was probably red all over; her cheeks, her neck– heck, even her ears, all felt like they were on fire. She gulped, a stupid effort to get rid of the new lump in her throat. She rubbed her feet together, trying to ignore the fact that her heart was beating so hard and rapidly it felt as though it would jump out of her chest at any moment.
“Kyouka, I–I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now, I–”
Her shoulders tensed when he took her hand in his. He squeezed it and not once did he look away from her eyes as the next words left his mouth. “I–I like you Kyouka. As in; really, really like you. No, not just like. You–" Denki took her other hand as well. He brought them both to his lips and after giving each a quick peck, he took another deep breath.
“Every time I see you, I always end up running after you. And at the beginning you were a sarcastic, heartless woman I would have never, ever thought I'd be able to be friends with. But—but after all this time, I just—you’re so complicated and smart and funny, even if you deny it; and you’re so pretty I can’t tear my eyes off of you, no matter how hard I try.” She could feel his hands trembling, and if it hadn’t been for his own anxiety, she was sure he would have noticed the tears that had welled up in her eyes. “Every time you’re in the same room as myself, I want to hold you and kiss you and it’s driving me insane. Insane, you hear?!” He closed his eyes shut, unable to look at her.
“I think–I think I’m in love with you…” He said finally, his eyes still shut. “Please don’t hate me…”
Kyouka was… well. Speechless would be the best way to put it.
She almost did it.
She almost opened her mouth and told him everything that was going on inside that head of hers. ‘I love you too, idiot. You’re so stupid it hurts but the past few weeks, you’ve been all I’ve been thinking about. Your laugh, your smile, your jokes, your voice, your face, you hair—God, your hair—all those light slaps on the head I give you sometimes are all just because it’s the only way I’ll ever get to touch them. I’m so weird, aren’t I? I want to run my fingers through your hair and wrap my arms around your neck and just let you hold me, and I just want to feel my lips against yours as crazy as it may sound. I’ve grown mad, can’t you see? And it’s your fault and yours only.’
But she didn’t.
She was a Jirou and she knew what would happen if they were to even try and make it work. It was too risky, too dangerous, so much like the both of them but so much against the rules. It was madness; it was like they were meant for each other yet at the same like they were never meant to be. Their families were rivals, hated each other for generations on end. She couldn’t encourage him. As much as she wanted to, deep down she knew that… she shouldn’t.
They shouldn’t…
“I like you too, Denki.” His eyes not only opened but they opened wide. However, instead of looking at her like she was an alien, he was looking at her as though she was the eighth wonder of the world. For the love of God, if he would just stop being like this, maybe it wouldn’t be this hard. She smiled at him, though her smile was small and probably more than just slightly sad. “I really do, but… but we aren’t like everyone else, you understand that, don’t you? I wish we could… I just wish our families… I wish things were different, I really do, but– What are you smiling for?”
He only chuckled, shaking his head. Kyouka’s heart skipped a beat. Were those tears at the corners of his eyes? When would she be able to see him smile so bright again, really? Maybe it had been better when all there was were slight touches, playful shoves and kisses on the cheek, maybe it was better when they’d been keeping their feelings to themselves.
The young lady didn’t get to get too lost in her memories, for her train of thought was stopped when she felt a hand touch her head. She looked at him in surprise as he caressed her raven locks, but soon, she relaxed, leaning into his touch. He slowly but steadily lowered his hand and he was now caressing her cheek instead, that same smile still on his lips.
It took everything in her not to place her lips on his right then and there. It was mere centimeters, if only she could just–
“It’s just… you’re being so… predictable right now.”
Kyouka’s eyes opened so fast and she slapped his hand away so instinctively that she, too, was surprised. “You–You–"
“Yes?” He dragged out the word. His smile widened, allowing his teeth to show.
“Nothing.” She put some distance between them and made an effort to stand up. It wasn’t that easy to do so, however; sitting on the ground—with or without a rock under you didn’t matter, regardless of what Denki said—in the dress that she wore, was making it very, very hard for her to get up again. Without wanting it, she let out a quiet gasp when she saw his hand. She took it, though she scrunched her nose up. Why was it that men always wore both more comfortable and convenient clothes than women? “Thanks.” She said when she was finally on her feet. “I need to go.”
“You’re just fine. More than fine may I say.” He said as he watched her dust herself off. He winked, something she rolled her eyes at.
“Whatever you say.” She muttered.
“I’ll walk you to your horse.” He said, but stopped when she shook her head.
“No, I’ll be fine on my own. Besides, you have to go home too, remember?”
He seemed ready to refuse, but—much to her surprise—he didn’t. “Alright. I’ll see you around then.” He said and offered her a small smile, which she returned.
“Yeah. See you.”
————————————————————————
The meeting in the forest, that day when he confessed his feelings to her was only four days ago, yet still felt like eternity to the blonde man. He took a sip from his wine, and tried not to let the fact that she was just standing right there, across the room—so close yet so far away—affect him. It was hard, however, when neither the nonsense of Izuku and the sweet taste of wine on his tongue were enough to make him tear his eyes off of her.
“Hey, are you even listening to me?!”
Denki blinked twice and turned his head to the side, only to see Izuku glaring daggers at him. He shook his head, giving his friend an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I’m a bit tired. You were saying…?” Izuku rolled his eyes.
“Tired? Head over heels would be a much better way to put it if you asked me." He joked, though he was obviously still pissed. He folded his arms across his chest and glanced at the young lady Denki had been gazing at since the time they’d got to the dance. “Why don’t you just talk to her?”
Denki was about to ask himself the same thing for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, when he remembered Kyouka’s words and stopped himself.
‘I like you Denki; but I’m sorry, we can’t be together.’
He bit his tongue before he said anything he’d surely regret. Instead, he shook his head, putting on one of his best smiles.
It wasn’t as bright as his genuine ones, but it would have to do.
“Ah, she’s probably busy. I don’t want to bother her, you know?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
Izuku raised an eyebrow, though he couldn’t say he wasn’t surprised. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, an arm wrapped around his shoulder.
“Hey, hey, hey. What are my favourite boys doing, huh?” The young lady, whose arms were around the boys’ shoulders, flashed them one of her familiar, blinding smiles. Izuku blushed, already able to picture how many heads had turned their way.
Denki was the one of the two who was able to get pass the shock and answer her.
“Mina! You came after all!” He, in contrast to the green-haired boy—whose legs felt like jelly so embarrassed as he was—didn’t have any problem with physical contact, especially when it came to close friends such as her.
“Well, my aunt isn’t mad at me anymore and she let me come!” Mina said.
“W–Wasn’t she angry about that portrait?” It was Izuku who asked; his cheeks by then having turned back to their normal color. Surprise faded and curiosity was more than glad to take its place. “I thought you broke her favorite portrait a few days ago.” He said and Mina threw her head back and laughed.
“Oh but I did! And dear Lord, she was furious.” She shook her head at the memory. “Let’s just say that I have my ways.” Denki raised an eyebrow.
“Is that so?” He asked.
“Jirou! Would you stop staring?!”
Said young lady teared her eyes off of Denki and looked at her cousin instead. “I wasn’t staring.” She said, although the lady who had exploded at her didn’t seem convinced. Himiko rolled her eyes.
“Sure, sure you weren’t.” A roll of her eyes was enough to make Kyouka sigh. “Ah, the music started again. Won’t you dance at all tonight, cousin?”
Kyouka couldn’t help but roll her own eyes at that. “Why does it matter so much to you whether I dance or not anyway?” She said.
Himiko brought her drink to her lips and let the liquid slide inside her body as though it was a snake, waiting for the glass to become empty before she removed it from her mouth. “If you’re just going to keep on staring at him so openly, you might as well go talk to him.”
Kyouka’s cheeks turned red.
“You’re just so--”
“Yes?”
Kyouka inhaled and exhaled through her nose, her fingers grabbing her dress and lifting it up just slightly, so she would be able to walk with ease, not saying anything.
“Hey, where are you going?” Himiko’s wide eyes were all she saw before she started running. She didn’t know why or how she even got to him as fast as she did, but once she found herself standing in front of him, Kyouka decided that there wasn’t going back anymore.
She grabbed his arm—ignoring the protests of Izuku and Mina—and pulled him close. Her right hand resting on his left shoulder and the fingers of her left hand intertwined with his, Kyouka found herself dancing to the not so slow beat of the song with the one person she’d promised not to even look at that night.
Denki seemed to be just as surprised, and perhaps that was the only reason she wasn’t exactly panicking as much as she should have. The stares of the other dancers burned like fire at the back of her neck, but the young lady didn’t let that discourage her.
“You…” He muttered, blinking down at her. “God, Jirou, what are you–?”
“I don’t care.”
“What?”
She closed her eyes. “I said; I don’t care.”
He placed his hand on her waist and leaned in, touching their foreheads together.
“I see now.” He said. His smile was too small, only for her to be able to see. “You did it, you might as well enjoy it, right?”
She held her breath, warning the tears that had welled up in her eyes to stay where they were. “You could say that…” She said.
He chuckled. “Our parents are staring at us.” He whispered and tightened his hold on her waist. “I don’t think they have the guts to–”
“Everyone is staring.”
“You’re crazy.” He shook his head, but he didn’t dare to look away from her eyes. “You– you can’t just–”
“I’m sorry for what I said.” She bit her lower lip, for it was trembling and she’d rather have the earth to open up and swallow her than let him notice. “It’s just… I worry too much about what others think.”
“It’s alright.”
There was silence, before he lifted her chin with his fingers. She reminded herself to breathe, but as he ran his thumb across her cheek, she found herself unable to do something as simple as that.
“Jirou Kyouka…” He said, voice louder than the mumbles and whispers they’d been exchanging until that moment. “Will you do me the honor of…” His lips brushed with hers, the movement so light that the hair on her hands rose and her eyelids fluttered closed.
“Dancing with me?”
The kiss was gentle, just two pairs of lips moving against one another. He ran his fingers through her hair and brought her body closer to him. Deepening the kiss, he felt deaf; there was no music anymore, all he could hear was their sighs and occasional, quiet gasps. Kyouka felt her knees growing weak; she wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him, afraid of her legs giving up on her.
“They might–” He mumbled against her lips, but she cut him off.
“If I don’t even care… is that really such a crime?”