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Mikan Tsumiki didn’t have a lot of friends.
Something she though did have, was a lot of mental health problems.
And nobody to talk to.
She did have a couple of… decent acquaintances, but no one that actually cared about her.
But, who is she to blame them? Mikan was a girl with social anxiety, a lot of bullies, an ugly face, no confidence, no friends, insomnia, a tendency to escape getting hurt by being sexually harassed and therefore assumed that was everything people wanted from her and a tendency to trip. A lot.
She was that girl lowest on the popularity rankings in Hopes Peak academy.
This particular night, Mikan couldn’t sleep. It wasn’t sometime unusual for her, she did practically never sleep more than 4 hours per night, but this night she decided to actually do something about it.
And that something was to go to the cafeteria at Hope's Peak and walk away the tiredness. And maybe also drink some milk. And maybe just sit there, and think about all of her stupid problems and why they bother her when she should just ignore them.
When Mikan sat in the cafeteria, she did not expect someone else to show up.
And definitely not Ibuki Mioda.
Ibuki was one of the girls in Mikan's class that she almost never talked to. In contrast, Ibuki talked to almost everyone, but Mikan would just run away.
Ibuki was one of the pretty girls in Mikan’s class.
One of the very pretty girls.
Out of Mikan’s league, kind of girl.
“Hello, Mikan,” Ibuki greeted.
Mikan was surprised about how calm and soothing Ibuki’s voice could be. In school, she was usually talking loud and cheerfully, a little too loud for Mikan sometimes, but right now, it was pretty relaxing.
Mikan must have looked as surprised as she felt, because Ibuki started giggling. Her laugh was also calm and very cute.
“Don’t look so disappointed,” She smiled friendly. “Can’t a girl say hello to her friend?”
“Yeah, sure, but-” Mikan stuttered. “Friends? I mean, if you really want to, I’m not saying I don’t want to be you friend, that would be really-”
Ibuki sat down at her table and put a finger to Mikan’s lips. “You’re quite funny,”
“That’s just my social anxiety, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Mikan started to apologize when Ibuki took away her finger.
“Why are you apologizing?” Ibuki asked and smiled.
Mikan blushed and could still feel exactly where Ibuki’s finger had been. Shit.
“I’m so sorry, I’m going to stop,” Mikan stuttered.
“Have I mentioned that you are really funny?”
Why are her eyes so hypnotizing?
“I think you have,” Mikan swallowed.
Why am I still talking to her? She is probably bored, I should stop, shit, shit, shit, she is going to hate me, she probably won’t forgive me-
Mikan couldn’t help but tear up at the thought. I can’t cry in front of her, I’ll look pathetic, shit. Mikan bit her under lip hard, so that she wouldn’t think about something else, and soon she could feel an iron taste in her mouth.
Ibuki had stopped smiling and looked worried. “Mikan, you are bleeding,”
“What! Sorry-”
“Stop apologizing!” Ibuki snapped and stood up. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry, that was probably not the best solution,” Ibuki sat down again, but this time next to Mikan, and not on the opposite side of the table.
Mikan could feel the warmth from Ibuki, and couldn’t stop blushing. Ibuki noticed that she blushed, and smirked.
“Are you blushing?” she asked, even though the answer was obvious.
That small tease was the last for Mikan, the tears started rolling down her cheeks and when she realized she cried, she cried even more because of how pathetic she is.
Ibuki didn’t say anything this time, she just hugged Mikan. Ibuki’s arms were so warm and Mikan felt like she was protected for the first time. No bullies, no anxiety, nothing. Just Ibuki’s embrace.
“It will get better, trust me, I know,” Ibuki whispered in Mikan’s ear and Mikan put her head on Ibuki's chest. Ibuki stroked her slowly on the back and put her head on top of Mikan’s. Mikan felt like she could fall asleep like this, and she's pretty sure she does. Ibuki stroked her hair and hugged her harder, and at some point she whispered something more, but Mikan didn't catch it.
She wakes up at the sun rising, but doesn’t move. She is unsure if Ibuki fell asleep, but if she did, Mikan doesn't want to wake her up. But this time, it’s not like before, like she is afraid of Ibuki hating her. This time it’s more in a caring way. Ibuki should also get to sleep.
Mikan doesn’t really wake up, but she can feel Ibuki waking up after a while, and then she hears some of her classmates walking into the cafeteria. Shit-
“Naw, that is adorable,” she can hear Sonia’s voice say.
“I know, don’t wake her up,” Ibuki chuckles and once again stroked her back.
“Yo, are you dating?” Akane says.
“No, we just ended up like this,” Ibuki shrugged, or more tried to, since Mikans head is on her chest.
“Well, we aren’t going to interfere,” Mikan can almost hear Sonia wink as they go away.
Dating Ibuki?