Chapter Text
Since he was a child, Izuku has always been a hopeless romantic.
He found it weird why he loved romance, given the way his parents' marriage ended. They used to be a happy family, but everything changed when his dad, Hisashi, asked for a divorce when Izuku was just five years old. Since then, he only lived with his mom. His mom mayhaps always smiled whenever she was with him, putting on a strong front, but he knew that his mom shed tears in the stillness of the night over the outcome of their or her life.
Izuku's childhood—whole life was anything but happy. It didn’t mimic the wonderful stories found in shoujo mangas or romantic novels. No, it was frankly, terrible. He was bullied for his whole life, called names, and nobody liked him. Izuku had lost count of the number of times he tip-toed or lying through his teeth to his mom whenever she noticed the bruises and wounds that marred his body every time he came home. He didn't want to make her worry and give her another burden to shoulder but the pain and tears glistening in her eyes made it clear that he hadn't succeeded.
Perhaps that's the reason why he liked romance. It's his way to escape from the turmoil that was his life. Drowning in the world of fiction where the main character was adored by all and found their happily ever after was a much-needed escape from his own dreary reality. But his fascination with the lovely fantasy as a source of escapism faded as he grew up.
As time went by, life kept punching his gut, pushing him further down until he hit rock bottom. The once bright flame inside him dimmed, leaving him on the brink of being swallowed by the icy waters of the river on a cold day in winter.
But he's fine. At least right now he's in a good place. He found kind and genuine friends who were always there to support him. He also attended his dream university, a prestigious institution in Tokyo. He made it to his chosen major, free from any bullies though he could still hear snickers behind his back, and finally experienced a few romantic relationships he once fantasized about as a child.
But, of course, his life was never going smoothly. There was always a minor hiccup, a tiny pebble creating waves in his already chaotic life.
Like right now.
His green eyes followed the movement of a couple, a man and woman, hastily getting off the bed with panic and fear clearly written on their faces. The woman hastily covered her bare body with the blanket, their disheveled hair a clear indication of their passionate makeout. Izuku looked at the man—who was sadly his boyfriend—as he approached him with unsteady legs, forgetting to cover his manhood. "Izuku! Izuku, my baby, this is not like what you think."
The man in front of him, Hirose Ogihara, was Izuku's senior and his boyfriend of four months. They met during their time in the student organization especially when Izuku was one of the campus festival committees. Ogihara showed obvious interest in him, as he actively pursued him and threw flirtatious jokes as well as assisting him with his tasks. Izuku who was single for nearly a year after his messy breakup, fell for the bait.
"Baby, this is a mistake! I—this is an accident." He said in panic as Izuku hadn't shown him any reaction. "I can explain this!"
Izuku's brow furrowed as he clenched his fist at his side, fighting to keep his emotions in check. "Okay. Then explain this."
"This... we..." Ogihara stumbled nervously. "It's a mistake. We're too drunk! Yeah, and I—we... it's... I thought she was you! Haha, yeah! You!" He stammered.
Izuku gave him a not-amused stare. "It was me?" He asked with a flat tone.
"Yes! I kissed her thinking it was you. I thought you were here this whole time. Then you suddenly appeared! This is just a mistake Izuku, I—"
"You kissed her thinking it was me? Since when do I have long red hair?"
"I—I—it's a mistake! What I meant is... I was too drunk to realize it! It's just a silly drunk mistake!"
"Was it also a mistake when you used my card to buy... Calvin Klein's women's underwear?" Izuku's finger danced over his phone screen before he showed his debit card transactions from the past month. The man in front of him stared in disbelief, pupils shaking as he stuttered, mouth moving like a fish gasping for air.
"It's... it's for my sister! My sister!" He claimed and Izuku couldn't help his mocking scoff.
"Last time I recall, you had no sister. Was I mistaken or do you never tell me you have a sister?" Izuku asked.
His question rendered him speechless. Izuku could see the sweat start forming on his forehead, either from their intense sex activities earlier or because he was struggling to find another excuse, Izuku didn't know. "Did I say sister? No! I meant my cousin! Yes, my cousin! Haha, she asked for my help so I—"
"You bought an underwear set for your cousin using your boyfriend's card?" Izuku concluded his words, each word tinged with disbelief.
"I—My card was declined! I tried to buy it using my card but I couldn't! Hence why I used yours. It's not that expensive and I will pay you back so—"
With each word he spoke, his excuses grew increasingly ridiculous. Izuku's right eye twitched in annoyance, anger coursing through his body as he gritted his teeth while enduring the nonsensical babbling of this sorry excuse of a man.
"You do know it's fucking weird that you buy your cousin a bra and an underwear?" Izuku hissed. "And do you know fucking said cousin is also weird?"
"I—she's not my—"
"Then who is she?" Izuku cut him quickly but he shook his head. "No, don't answer my question. I'm not interested in hearing your excuses anymore. Our relationship is over. Make sure to return my money."
"Izuku! Wait! Izuku! What do you mean it's over?!" He screamed.
Izuku paid no attention to the yelling. He hurried towards the front door, but Ogihara grabbed his wrist, forcing him to come face to face with his furious expression. "You're breaking up with me?! How could you do that?! I already said sorry!"
"For your information, you haven't apologized to me. All you do is give me pathetic excuses that sound so ridiculous I would burst out laughing if the situation were funny." Izuku hissed as he pulled his own hand from Ogihara's grasp.
Ogihara gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'm sorry! This was just a mistake! We weren't even having sex! We were just kissing and you're already overreacting like this!"
"Overreacting?! I'm overreacting?!" Izuku shouted loudly in incredulity. Was this man serious? He's taking his money and cheating on him, yet he has the audacity to downplay it as a mere mistake and claim that Izuku is overreacting?!
"You've stolen three hundred thousand yen from my account for your side chick, and then went behind my back with her! Just kissing? Did you seriously think that not going all the way with her meant it's not cheating?!" Izuku yelled.
"I promised I would return your money! You're so stingy! And I already said it was a mistake! You're so uptight, geez!"
Izuku felt an overwhelming desire to strangle Ogihara, which is quite unusual considering he's known for being the most forgiving person that ever walked on the planet. But he's reached his limit and is done with him.
"I said what I said. We're done. We're over. We're breaking up. Don't ever try to contact me again and return my money back." Izuku spatted before he walked again.
A cruel chuckle echoed in the room, causing Izuku to pause in his tracks.
"Fine. I couldn't care less. Actually, I'm glad I don't have to stick around with you anymore. You know, Izuku," his name was spoken with such malice that it made Izuku shudder. "It's amusing to see you wandering around the campus, so confident like you're all that. Do you know what your ex-boyfriend said about you? He called you plain and boring who couldn't even satisfy him. He was so bored on your dates and ashamed to be seen with you because you're ugly."
Izuku's gaze faltered, he bit down his lip, determined to hold back the tears threatening to spill. The revelation cut deep, and he won't let this bastard relish in his pain.
"That's why he cheated on you! You were meant to be cheated on, Izuku. At first I thought your reaction was funny and pathetic. Blushing just because a mere flirtation joke? It's such a good entertainment to me, especially since you're too gullible. You're just as what he said, and it's why I cheated on your boring plain ass."
Choosing to stay silent, Izuku walked out of the dreadful apartment. He praised himself for not breaking down until he reached home. Sitting motionless on his bed, with tears flowing down his face, he kept questioning himself.
What did he do for the world to keep causing him so much pain?
"He did what?!"
Izuku winced at the sound of Uraraka's scream, watching as the brunette lunged forward and nearly toppled onto his side of the table if Iida hadn't stepped in. The navy blue-haired boy huffed as he gently placed Uraraka back to his side, his mouth poised to reprimand her. "Please prevent from jumping on Midoriya, Uraraka-san."
"Iida, hush!" Uraraka swatted her hand and looked back at Izuku with a resolute gaze. "That ugly man dared to cheat on you?! Where does he live? Let me give him a piece of my mind." She said, punching her palm, prepared to fight Ogihara, but Iida was quick to pull her back.
"No fighting please." Iida sighed. "But I do agree that I should know his address too so I can give him a piece of my mind either. But just to make it clear, it will not involve any punches." He said while pushing his glasses back.
With a huff, Izuku gave a wry smile to his two best friends. "Thank you, Iida-kun, Uraraka-san. It's okay, you don't have to talk with him. I'm afraid you'll end up with a headache from dealing with his stubbornness."
"That's why we resort to violence!"
"No, we do not!"
"Iida-kun, don't be such a pussy."
Iida gasped loudly. "Stop saying such a prudent word! And no! I'm not... a scaredy cat!"
Uraraka snickered. "If you're not a scaredy cat, then why can't you punch that jerk?! Punch him!"
"I won't do that!"
"Then I will."
"Uraraka-san!"
As he watched Iida and Uraraka argue, Izuku couldn't help but smile. Meeting them in college was a blessing, as he never would have guessed that he would end up with two amazing friends who had his back no matter what. He met Uraraka first, the bubbly girl who saved him from tripping over his own feet due to nerves on his first day of college. Then came Iida, but their first interaction was off to a rocky start. Iida found him too jittery and timid, causing disruptions in class due to his muttering and stuttering. The three of them then reunited for a group project, which brought them closer. Uraraka admired him for his unwavering determination, while Iida apologized for his initial rudeness and acknowledged his insightful remarks and diligent work ethic.
Through all the ups and downs, the three of them have always been helpful and always offered comfort to whoever needed it.
"I think you're drunk, Uraraka-san," Iida said as he pointed to an empty glass on the table.
"That's the point why we came here, Iida-kun!" Uraraka shouted to make herself heard over the booming music blaring from the loudspeaker in the club.
"I don't even know why we need to go to this club." Izuku shrugged as he downed his beer.
Uraraka sighed. "That's because we need to make the most of our free time before the college begins! Deku-kun, you were always so busy with classes and club activities that I hardly ever got to see you outside of class last semester! I only managed to meet you when you collapsed!"
"Well, I need the experience and it would help my CV."
"Ugh, you two made me feel like the stupidest girl alive. Why do I have to be friends with literally two of the smartest people on our campus?!" Uraraka groaned. "Enough about campus talk! We're here because we want to hear about your breakup!"
"I already told you everything." Izuku slumped on the sofa. "He cheated on me because apparently, I was too plain and not fun to be with."
"And he's wrong! You're anything but plain. You're handsome, thoughtful, smart, funny, supportive, your freckles are pretty, and—"
"Uraraka-san, you literally told me that I was plain before." Izuku pointed out and Uraraka spluttered. He quickly waved his hand, "It's okay, really. You don't have to try to flatter me. I'm well aware that I'm plain and boring. That's what my ex-boyfriends always told me whenever we break up..."
Uraraka and Iida exchanged worried glances. Izuku, on the other hand, downing in his beer. Through his blurry vision, he gazed at the vibrant lights full of colors filling the club. The disco ball in the center of the dance floor captivated the entire room with its shimmering sparkles.
"Midoriya..." Iida started but Izuku quickly shook his head.
"I'm fine! Seriously. You two might be wondering why I sell myself short, but to me, it's about acknowledging my weaknesses. I can't blame them for losing interest in me. I mean, I can be pretty boring, after all. And I guess my idea of romantic relationships didn't match theirs. So in the end, there's only separation awaited." He shrugged, trying to look as casual as possible.
Internally, Izuku couldn't help but laugh. The lies he spouted to his best friends to ease their worries about him were truly impressive. It had been three weeks since his breakup with Ogihara, yet the words he had spoken still lingered in his mind like he was there. He knew he was plain and boring but was that a good enough reason to hurt him? Did Haru see him as too dull when he cheated with his senior? Did Ryu disappear for four months because he found Izuku too boring to be with? Did everyone he had been romantically involved with think he was too boring to be with?
At the end of the day, Izuku will always be the useless, boring, and plain Deku. Nobody would ever love someone as worthless as him.
"But still, it's not good to keep downplaying yourself. You may think that you are just plain, but you should also realize that there is something else inside you that draws people to you. Like me and Uraraka-san." Iida said, followed by Uraraka's excited nod.
"Thanks..." Izuku gave Iida a tired smile.
If there's something else inside me that draws others in, why do I always end up being left behind and rejected by everyone?
Before Izuku could even mull about the question, a loud commotion erupted in the club. The trio turned towards the entrance, where a crowd had formed around a mysterious newcomer. Izuku tried to squint his bleary eyes amidst the haze of colorful eyes but failed to make out the figure.
"Is there a celebrity or something?" Izuku asked.
"No..." Iida squinted his eyes. "No, I don't think so. Oh! Ah!" He yelled.
"What? What?!"
"It's Todoroki!"
Izuku's heart skipped a beat as he caught the name Iida uttered. Anxiously, he scanned the now dispersed crowd, spotting the person sporting distinct two-toned hair, towering above anyone else. Despite the lighting making it hard to distinguish the original color, Izuku could still recognize them.
"Todoroki?! Todoroki Shoto you mean?!" Uraraka shouted as she turned her head.
"Yeah. Last I heard, he was participating in a student exchange program in England. It seemed that he has already finished it and is back in Japan now."
"That's so cool. I also want to join the student exchange program but apparently, my grades weren't good enough to qualify." Uraraka pouted. "I thought you would join that program, Iida-kun."
"I planned to, but unfortunately I had a family emergency. My brother got into an accident, so I had to fill in as the company's representative." Iida explained. Izuku remembered the time when he hardly ever saw Iida around campus because his brother had been in a car accident and was receiving intensive care at the hospital.
"Ooh. I see." Uraraka nodded. "What about you, Deku-kun?"
"Me? Well, I missed the registration deadline for the program due to my busy schedule. It's a shame since I've been waiting for this since my freshman year."
"But then again, the majority of the exchange student participants were full of rich people. Todoroki was the sole heir of Endeavor Corp., right?" Uraraka asked as she poured another bottle of beer into her glass.
"Yeah." Iida snatched the bottle much to Uraraka's chagrin. "One of the biggest finance companies in Japan, only seconded to All Might Corp."
"All Might Corp! You worked as an intern there last summer, right Deku-kun?"
Izuku smiled bashfully. "Yep. Yagi-san was kind enough to let me work alongside him. It's the biggest opportunity I ever had in my life."
"Aaah! I'm jealous!"
Iida nodded with a smile on his face. "But Midoriya did catch Yagi-san's attention after you joined his business seminar. You asked him questions about his insurance program and even gave him new ideas to improve his insurance products!"
Cheers erupted loudly from the opposite end of the club, as voices cheered for a certain Todoroki. Izuku gulped down his beer, determined not to look over at the commotion.
"They're loud. I guess it's fair, they hadn't seen Todoroki in a long time. I mean, even with his aloof and cold personality, many people were still eager to get close to him. I'm sure he would attract even more fans once the juniors got to know him at the start of the school year." Uraraka sighed, already imagining the headache she got the moment the school year started.
Izuku blinked. "I never knew he was that popular." He said absentmindedly.
The green-haired boy jumped when Uraraka clapped her hands loudly. "Right! If I'm not mistaken you never cross paths with Todoroki, right?!"
Iida's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, really? You never had any classes with Todoroki-kun before?"
"No."
Uraraka gasped. "Then you never met him! Oh my god, Deku-kun, let me tell you." The brunette quickly sat next to Izuku and forced his head to look at the corner he desperately wanted to ignore.
"Do you see that boy with two-toned hair? You probably can't see his face clearly, but trust me when I say he can give supermodels and celebrities a run for their money with his looks alone. He's truly attractive, it's almost a shock he didn't pursue a modeling career with his face. His name is Todoroki Shouto, the heir of Endeavor Corp and the prince charming of UA University!"
He knew.
Even without Uraraka's explanation, Izuku already knew Todoroki, probably longer than anyone else in the room. He already knew his attractive features, from his perfectly divided red and white hair framing his face to his captivating heterochromatic eyes that took his breath away. Even knew the burns on the left side of his face that he always tried to hide, the burn that seemed to add to his charm rather than diminish it.
Of course he knew. He was his first love and his biggest heartbreak.
Todoroki has always been popular since his high school days, though he's certain that he's always been popular since childhood, thanks to his striking looks and renowned family background.
"He's a lot richer than Iida-kun! And he's also smart too! His only weakness is his cold personality but it only made him look cooler like those male lead in Shoujo comic!" Uraraka excitedly said.
Izuku chuckled. Todoroki definitely can passed as a shoujo manga male lead. He too has the same opinion as Uraraka back then, even now actually.
"From your description, he does sound dreamy."
"He is!"
"But well, we never shared the same classes. I never bumped into him in hallways." Izuku shrugged, trying really hard to look as casual as possible.
"Really? That's quite crazy! Especially since he enrolled in the same year as us. I thought maybe you've shared classes with him in freshman year or something." Uraraka exclaimed.
"Yeah... weird." Izuku laughed awkwardly. They didn't know that Izuku tried hard to avoid Todoroki every time he submitted his classes at the beginning of the semester and always turned around when he saw his bicolor hair from afar.
"Todoroki is actually a delightful person to converse with. Especially when we talked about our class materials. I've had the chance to be in the same class with him multiple times, and he consistently excelled in his assignments. He's also really pleasant to work with in group projects." Iida told Izuku with a pleasant tone.
"He seemed... nice!" Izuku laughed and drank his beer. Ugh, he felt drunk, it seemed like he already hit his alcohol tolerance.
"He is!" Iida agreed. "I'm sure you'll like him if you meet him! And who knows, maybe you could melt his ice too! Sometimes he does act too cold."
Izuku shook his head. "No way. I don't have that kind of power."
"Nothing is impossible, Deku-kun!"
The freckled boy only snorted. "Right... but right now I'd rather stop poking my nose on someone else's business. I've had enough dealing with boys and whatsoever." He sighed. "Except you, Iida-kun."
"Oh, you're right. I shouldn't ask you something like that when your relationship just ended." Iida agreed.
"It's fine. But to be honest, I don't think I will ever cross paths with him. We would probably never interact since our friend circle is too different and..." Izuku halted. Iida and Uraraka looked at him with questioning looks and he quickly finished. "And we're just too different! Our personalities are like two sides of a coin, we probably would clash."
Izuku should shut his mouth. Because every word he said always came back to bite his ass. He would unknowingly set a jinx to himself.
Uraraka hummed. "But, it won't always clash I think? Don’t you remember the term opposites attract?"
Izuku laughed awkwardly. "I know but, it's just too unlikely." Please shut up Izuku.
"You never know." Uraraka shrugged.
"I guess..." Izuku drank his beer, once again ignoring the commotion behind him, making sure not to peek at the heterochromatic boy to avoid any eye contact with him. It's a silly thought, just a product of his overthinking brain.
He has successfully avoided Todoroki Shoto these past three years in college, and he will do it again for just another year.
Remember what Izuku said about jinxing himself? That he should shut his mouth so his words won't come and bite his ass? Yeah, he should shut his mouth. Probably needed to sew his mouth shut for good measure.
The sight of the dual-haired boy he desperately tried to avoid was there, in his classroom in the flesh. He was sitting in the back row of the classroom, surrounded by their classmates as they talked with each other. He pressed his lips into a thin line and dug his nails into his skin to steady himself. The pain forced him to move from his spot and he quickly sat on the front row.
He tried to steady his breathing, his thoughts reeling with lots of questions that he felt almost lightheaded. He was certain that Todoroki's name was not on the roster when he signed up for this particular class. Izuku had deliberately chosen this class session. This class has many participants so it was divided into two sessions. The primary one was scheduled for Wednesdays at 1 pm. He knew people would choose that class instead of the Friday 6 pm slot, the one he was currently attending.
He had already checked the class roster beforehand, and there was no sign of Todoroki Shoto's name on the list. He was confident that he would favor the crowded class over this one since the time schedule was much better.
Running his fingers through his hair, Izuku let out a slight huff. Four classes. Four classes in this semester that he would share with Todoroki. Izuku couldn't complain about the other three classes, as they were mandatory classes required for everyone. But this was an elective course, with two different class schedules and somehow he's still in the same class as Todoroki?!
"Oh, Midoriya. I never thought I'd see you in this class."
Izuku looked up, his tired eyes brightened up as he saw someone in front of him.
"Shinsou-kun!"
The boy with luscious violet hair and prominent eye bags winced at the loud voice. He gracefully took a seat next to Izuku, placing his bag on the chair beside him. "Yeah."
"Oh boy, I never thought I would see you here!"
"Neither did I. That's why I'm asking you first."
Izuku gasped and nodded. "Right!" He said, his distress over Todoroki vanished the moment he saw one of his friends. "I took this class because I thought it would be quieter. There are a total of fifty students in the main class, I'd imagine it would be crowded. Besides, I quite like evening classes."
Shinsou nodded, agreeing with Izuku's reason. "Same. I know people won't choose this class because it is held on Friday night, that's why I chose it. I don't want my class schedule to be so jammed between the weekdays."
"Hah, true. I'd probably break my back if I had chosen Wednesday's class. I have three other lecture courses on that day."
Shinsou whistled. "Three lecture courses in a day? That's tough."
"I had four courses in one day in my second semester. It was hell, there's no break except the lunch break." Izuku shivered as he remembered the painful memory.
"I mean, it's kinda like high school, no?"
"Worse."
Shinsou snorted and his lavender eyes flicked to the back row of the classroom and hummed. "Seems like Todoroki chose this class too."
Izuku stiffened. "Y...yeah."
"Thought he would choose the other class. But I think it makes sense since he doesn't like crowded places." Shinsou shrugged. "All his efforts were gone to the drain though, since wherever he goes he will always attract crowds."
"You seem to know a lot about him. Are you two close?" Izuku asked curiously.
"I won't say we're best buddies or something. Probably something like 'kinda-friend' is more correct since we shared lots of classes since freshman year. We sometimes hang out while waiting for our classes and choose to be in the same group together plenty of times."
"With your description, you might as well be one of his close friends, Shinsou-kun." Izuku pointed out.
The purple-haired boy hummed. "I guess. I mean, I was invited to his famous winter party."
Izuku frowned. "What winter party?"
"It's just a small party the Todorokis had during winter to mingle with rich people. I've met lots of people wearing coats that could easily cover the cost of an apartment here. Even your friend, the blue-haired bespectacled boy was also there."
Huh, Iida was there too? He never told him or Uraraka about that. But then again, maybe he did but he forgot and tuned out the conversation the moment Todoroki's name was brought.
Izuku was about to talk again but stopped as suddenly the classroom door was shut. A disheveled man with long, unkempt hair with heavy eyebags that could rival Shinsou's walked in. Noticing that it was his lecturer, Izuku grabbed his notebook from his bag behind him and discreetly glanced at Todoroki in the back. To his surprise, the other boy had already looked at him. Their eyes locked for a moment before Izuku broke their eye contact swiftly.
"Welcome to my Friday class, Human Resource Management-MD321. My name is Aizawa Shota, call me Aizawa sensei, sir, or whatever as long as you call me politely." He said with a monotone voice.
"Final grade will consist of various components. Quizzes, individual essays, midterm exam, and for my final exam the grade will be entirely taken from a group project." He said.
Izuku found it difficult to focus on Aizawa's teachings, as his mind was still preoccupied with the captivating heterochromatic eyes. Despite his best attempts to pay attention, Aizawa's voice became a white noise that faded in and out, trying to compete with Izuku's internal monologue. His hand mindlessly copied the words on the screen in front of him while his mind failed to grasp any of the content. He made a mental note to reread the material later at home.
"Please choose the person in charge of this class so I can send you the groupings on week four. Class dismissed."
As Aizawa wrapped up his lesson and made his exit, Izuku scrambled to pack his notebook and stationery in a rush. Shinsou watched the scene unfold with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Why the hurry?" He asked.
"Um, I need to go to the bathroom! Yes, bathroom! And then go home to eat something because I was starving." Izuku said.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Todoroki packing his belongings into his bag as he made his way to the front of the classroom. The intensity of his unrelenting gaze bore into Izuku's face, he felt like there was a phantom sensation on his cheek. He did not want to have any conversation with him right now. Not now, not ever.
"See you in the next class, Shinsou-kun!" Izuku said and ran out of the class.
Izuku mayhaps shared the same class as Todoroki, but that doesn't imply that he must interact with him. Todoroki has a circle of admirers, surely he won't want to talk with his former admirer who once confessed his feelings in high school right? All Izuku had to do was treat Todoroki as if he was invisible. It should be a piece of cake, he had those experiences in high school already.
Yeah, good plan.
You know, something about a good plan is that while it's good, the reality doesn't always align perfectly with it. At least it's not as smooth as he originally thought.
His breath hitched as he stared at the email forwarded by the new class representative about their group for their final project. His green forest eyes were fixed on the name that was in the same group as him, refusing to look away nor even blink. He tried to refresh the app several times, but to his dismay, the damn name was still there.
Todoroki Shouto's name sat snugly 2 spots above his own name.
"This is so not happening." He hissed. Out of everyone in class he could have been grouped with, it just had to be Todoroki that ended up in his group of four. Talk about rotten luck.
Izuku grumpily stuffed his phone into his pocket and stomped off. He made a beeline for the vending machine by the campus building, craving a coffee to clear his head.
It's been a month since the school year began. During that time, Izuku has been doing his best to steer clear of any interaction with Todoroki. Especially since he's sharing four classes with him. He's fully aware of Todoroki's attempt to talk to him, evident with the way he tried to sit near him, or tried to approach him after class or even call out his name. He's pretty sure he saw Shinsou raise a curious eyebrow one time after he ignored Todoroki's call.
Izuku opened his orange juice, changing his mind as he was not going to have a stomachache since he just remembered he hadn't eaten that day yet. "This sucks. I think something shifted during the summer break given how many misfortunes I had from this month alone." He mumbled.
"Is that misfortune involving me?"
Izuku yelped and simultaneously choked when he saw the man he desperately wanted to avoid was now standing beside him.
"Wha—what?!" Izuku coughed.
His eyes widened as he saw Todoroki casually sauntering beside him and inserting a coin into the vending machine. It was quite comical to see the son of a wealthy conglomerate buying a cheap coffee. But enough of that, it seemed that Todoroki had overheard his mumbling before.
"Can I stand next to you?" Todoroki asked as he grabbed his coffee and looked at Izuku.
"Er, sure. The space is spacious and I don't own the space anyway. You're free to stand wherever you want." Izuku stammered nervously.
Izuku had expected Todoroki would stand at least a meter or two away from him. He never expected them to be standing this close, with their shoulders almost touching! He chugged his orange juice, eager to finish the bottle and leave.
"You've seen the group's assortment?" Todoroki asked, breaking their awkward silence.
"Yeah..."
"Was that why you looked so miserable?"
Izuku jolted. "Eh? Err, what?! What are you talking about..." He laughed stiffly. But Todoroki only downed his coffee as his answer.
"Your expression looks miserable, it's like someone just stepped on your precious book or something." The man pointed out.
"It's not! This miserable expression has been my default expression for years. So, it's no surprise!" Izuku laughed awkwardly.
"You still haven't answered my question."
The freckled boy gulped. "I look miserable because... I've got this essay that's due tomorrow." Not completely a lie. He did have an essay due tomorrow.
"Yamada-san's lecture's essay?" Todoroki asked.
"Yes... Have you finished it?"
Todoroki shrugged. "I already wrote like 75% of it. I will continue it later."
"Well, lucky you." Izuku huffed.
"Have you not done it at all?" He asked. "While it's not that difficult it was certainly time-consuming."
"Haha yeah... I haven't started anything for that essay and you’re right, it would take so much time. Especially finding the correct journal to use. And you know how mentally draining it was to skim through a hundred journals for your essay not to mention there are limited journals I can use on the internet. It's frustrating when the good journals are locked and you need to pay for it which is bad for me. Since I'm broke and I refused to pay a single cent to read those digital papers. Every day I'm grateful for those who created the website to unlock those paid journals. Like wow, you guys are lifesavers!" Izuku rambled without stopping.
A deep, soft chuckle broke through Izuku's onslaught mutters causing the freckled boy to jolted and stop talking. He glanced through his fringe, watching the amusement twinkling in Todoroki's mismatched eyes and a soft smile grazing his lips before Izuku flicked his gaze away.
"You never changed, Midoriya." Todoroki softly said.
Izuku bit his lips, cheeks reddening slightly. "Well, I heard about that many times. I have tried to minimize my crazy mutterings given how many people hate it but... old habits die hard."
"I always thought your mutterings were endearing."
Izuku snorted. "So far, only four people in total didn't mind my mutterings including my mother. So I'll still try to reduce my mumblings for everyone's sake."
"Their loss." Todoroki shrugged. "They never knew how fascinating your thoughts of process are. Especially since it sparked that iconic historical class debate."
Izuku groaned. His shameful memory he desperately wanted to bury now taking his whole brain. "Ugh, don't remind me of that... I had to write a 5-page apology letter for something I didn't do wrong!"
"Yeah, but you did embarrass him in front of the class."
“For a good reason!”
Todoroki laughed quietly. “And that good reason caused you to spend hours in the detention room.”
Hearing Todoroki's laugh made Izuku gape in surprise. He rarely heard that soft, barely there laugh. Only very few times he heard it and it was years ago. He quickly turned away, clenching his clammy fists as he felt that familiar sensation once more. That damn sensation. The heat on his cheeks, the rapid thudding of his heart in his chest, and the funny feeling in his stomach he felt like throwing up.
He needed to get out of here.
"Well, speaking of an unfinished essay, I need to do it right now! They won't finish by themselves, won't they? Nice to talk to you. Goodbye, Todoroki!" Izuku quickly left but Todoroki's response rendered him stiff.
"Huh, so you still remember my name? Thought you forgot." Todoroki jabbed.
Izuku grimaced. He turned around to face Todoroki, who was looking back at him. It was the first time he had truly looked at him since they met again. All this time, he had been quick to shift his eyes, avoiding to looked at his once object of affection. Todoroki, who was already handsome, now seemed to be on a whole new level of attractiveness. His once-lanky build and arms were now filled with perfect proportions and muscle that complemented his frame. His boyish features were gone, replaced by a defined jawline, all accentuated by his luscious lips and thick eyebrows. He was so devastatingly hot.
"Of course I do. You're extremely popular here it would be weird if I forgot your name."
Todoroki stared at him and his body slumped. "Right."
Izuku couldn't figure out why Todoroki seemed so disappointed. He couldn't grasp it. Why did he look like that? Why did he look so crestfallen? Why did he sound so sad? It all just made his head throb and his stomach churn.
"W... well it's nice to talk to you. But I really need to go. I think the orange juice is doing something to my empty stomach. So, um look forward to working with you on the group project?" Izuku ended their conversation with a questioning tone. But without waiting for Todoroki's answer, he quickly fled.
Izuku let out a loud groan as he stretched his body, his bones cracking loudly in the room. His cheeks flushed as he noticed some of his classmates were watching him. Shinsou watched him amusedly.
"Slow down old man." He teased.
"Shut up..." Izuku huffed.
"You should drink some milk. Not only does it boost your calcium intake, but it also helps with your height." Shinsou smirked as he avoided Izuku's feeble attempt to swat him.
"You're so insufferable."
"That's my middle name."
"You don't have any middle name."
"Starting from now, yes I have." Shinsou chuckled as Izuku threw him a dirty glare. "Don't look at me like that. You're not intimidating at all."
"I am intimidating. You've never seen my anger yet." Izuku shook his head. Shinsou snorted and Izuku swiveled his head, "Don't laugh!"
"Yeah right, I'm not believing you. Your angry face is equivalent to those little fur friends, the bunnies. You remind me of an angry little bunny." Shinsou cackled as Izuku pushed him until he almost fell from his chair.
"You're so annoying! Stop teasing me!" Izuku pouted.
"See? See?! This is what I meant when I said that you didn't intimidate me at all. You're literally pouting right now." Shinsou flicked Izuku's lips as he returned to his seat.
"Is this your 'annoying Midoriya day'." Izuku sighed. He glared at Shinsou when a 'yes' reply came from the guy beside him. "Sometimes I wonder why I befriended you."
"You should be glad you have a friend like me, you loner." Shinsou jab with a teasing tone.
"You, out of all people should not be saying that. You're just as a loner as I am, dickhead."
Shinsou shrugged. "I have more friends than you thought." He said as he perked up when he saw someone. "Like that guy over there."
Izuku followed his gaze and his stomach lurched at the sight of Todoroki entering the classroom. Clad in expensive branded clothing that could easily buy Izuku's entire wardrobe, Todoroki looked really good it pissed Izuku off. But honestly, Todoroki could wear a trash bag and still outshine supermodels with his looks.
"I thought you said you two are not friends." Izuku quickly shifted his gaze away.
"Yeah. But I will admit that we're friends just so I could prove that I'm not as loner as you." Shinsou nodded.
"You're so petty."
"Yeah, that's my middle name."
"How many middle names do you even have?!"
"A lot." Shinsou shrugged.
"I'm really—"
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor interrupted Izuku's words, followed by a soft thud in front of him. His green eyes widened as he caught sight of a tuft of red and white hair in his peripheral vision. He frowned.
Why was he sitting here right in front of him? He always sat at the back, it's one of the reasons why Izuku always chose the front seats. Why the sudden change?
Seemed like even Shinsou was confused with his new seating arrangement too. "Hey, Todoroki. It's weird seeing you here." Shinsou talked to him. Izuku restrained himself from placing his hand over Shinsou's mouth.
Izuku froze as Todoroki turned around, his clear teal and grey eyes looked at Shinsou before they shifted to... him. "What do you mean?" he asked with his oh-so-deep voice.
Shinsou blinked. "I mean, you were always sat at the back of the classroom. And now you're here, at the front. It's quite surprising." He said and Izuku agreed internally. "What, you're not in a good mood to entertain your group of friends?"
Todoroki frowned. "They're not exactly my friends..." he trailed off. "I'm just trying to find a... change of scenery." He said and to Izuku's horror, his heterochromatic eyes flicked to him before it went back to looking at Shinsou.
"Huh, okay then. Well get ready for an earful of his non-stop ramblings from the bunny next to me," Shinsou teased as he glanced at Izuku.
"You..."
Todoroki nodded. "It's fine. I'd rather hear useful ramblings than someone screaming their head off."
"Yeah, honestly same. I'd rather hear his mutterings. It's nice." Shinso agreed.
Izuku rolled his eyes. "You're always complaining about my ramblings. Don't try to act like you always like it, mister hundred middle names!"
"I can still be annoyed by it and find it nice right? Besides your mutterings often helped me during my exam."
Izuku’s jaw slacked open. "But you're complaining to me when I helped you with your exam. Shinsou... I'm hurt."
Shinsou looked at Izuku with deadpan eyes. "You're so dramatic.” He sighed. “Fine, how about I buy you chocolate milk as my thanks? You know, to help your calcium levels and give you a few inch—OW!" He winced as Izuku punched his arm.
"You two are really close," Todoroki commented, causing Izuku and Shinsou to look at the said boy. Izuku halted his punches at Shinsou and blinked.
"I guess? I'm forced to be his friend though." Shinsou chuckled. "He's suddenly talking to me back in our freshman year when nobody wanted to get close to me since I looked scary."
Izuku looked at Shinsou, smiling a bit at their memories. At that time, not many people were willing to interact with Shinsou. The student orientation day turned into a spectacle when Shinsou got into a confrontation with a senior who demanded he move from his spot at the canteen. Shinsou didn't hold back when he called out the rude senior, labeling him as a coward and a loser for attempting to assert his seniority. This led to the rude senior and his cronies tormenting Shinsou for the entire semester. People steered clear of him, wary their back would painted red for befriending him and Shinsou himself wasn't known for being particularly friendly. Everyone except Izuku.
"Well, you looked lonely," Izuku mumbled.
"Eh, I couldn't careless," Shinsou said flatly. His lavender eyes looked at Todoroki who listened to their conversation in rapt attention. "He looked like he was on the verge of fainting when he asked to sit beside me. His face was so pale I actually thought he was dying. But the first impressions can be deceiving because within the next hour, he started reciting everything about his favorite idol. And from then on, he followed me around like a lost puppy, trying to be my friend." Shinsou explained.
As Izuku persistently pursued Shinsou, the two of them finally became friends, and in turn, he was introduced to Iida and Uraraka. When the rude senior finally graduated, Shinsou started hanging out with some of his classmates, having been introduced by Iida and Uraraka with whom he sometimes shared classes.
"Midoriya does have that knack of making people be his friends. Even the quietest ones." Todoroki agreed.
Izuku pursed his lips as Shinsou raised an eyebrow. The purple-haired boy was about to ask Todoroki to elaborate but thankfully Aizawa entered the classroom before he managed to ask.
Izuku was quick to left the classroom as soon the class ended, not wanting to answer any questions from Shinsou regarding his relationship with Todoroki.
"Do you guys want to watch a movie with me? There's a movie I want to watch." Izuku asked as he walked side by side with Iida and Uraraka.
Iida shook his head and gave Izuku an apologetic face. "Sorry Midoriya-kun, but I have to go to my company. Something came up."
"Oh, it's fine Iida-kun! I hope you solve whatever problem in your company." Izuku reassured and he looked at Uraraka. But seemed like the girl had the same answer as Iida.
Uraraka clasped her hands together as if in prayer then bowed her head with a regretful look. "I'm sorry Deku-kun! Unfortunately, I won't be able to join you since my family's shop has made a lot of money from last year and we're planning to celebrate it at a nice restaurant."
Izuku swallowed his disappointment that nobody was available to hang out with him, but he quickly put on his best smile for Uraraka since she shared some good news with them. Uraraka's parents run a moderately successful heavy equipment company that unfortunately faced a period of stagnation. Uraraka worked hard to get into a prestigious university just so she could help her parents after she graduated. Izuku understood her hardship really well since he too knew the difficulties of financial struggles since Izuku wasn't wealthy either.
"Congratulations Uraraka-san! I'm happy your company gradually getting its recognition again!" Izuku cheered.
Iida nodded. "Yes, congratulations. I know you've been really concerned about your parents. At least you can take a breath of relief."
"Thank you guys! Someday I will treat you two to a fancy restaurant when our company returns back to its glory days!" Uraraka said gratefully. "And sorry again Deku-kun, really. We can hang out sometime later though!"
"Yeah. We can eat something good later when we're free." Iida said.
"It's fine. I'm just going to watch it by myself. And yeah, we can hang out some other time! Maybe we can eat ramen together or something." Izuku agreed.
The three of them bid goodbyes and Izuku, with a deep sigh, finally went to the closest cinema in the mall near his university. He walked while listening to his favorite singer's new album, occasionally humming as his eyes observed the scenery around him.
As autumn set in, the weather's temperature dropped from the scorching summer heat. Izuku tucked his hands into his jacket pockets, quickening his steps.
In all honesty, Izuku has no interest in watching any movies today. He didn't even know what movies were playing at the cinema right now. The only reason he asked Iida and Uraraka was because he didn't want to be alone. He's currently not in a good mood. He fumbled his recent quiz and his water heater was broken—not a good thing since he's in need of hot water as the weather gets colder.
Not to mention the whole Todoroki's thing. Since their last 'talk', Izuku has become relentless in avoiding the guy even more. Unfortunately, Todoroki's persistent attempts to get closer to him weren't making things any easier. Izuku wanted to bang his head on the wall when Todoroki sat in front of him and started talking to Shinsou, who was seated beside him.
Izuku really didn't understand why Todoroki tried to talk to him. It's just not something he's accustomed to. He's the quiet, shy type who prefers to keep to himself, minding his own business. He always kept his own bubble and personal life. Even during his high school days, Izuku had to put in a lot of effort to break through that bubble.
So why did Todoroki try to get close to him?
Was it because he felt bad? Especially given their last proper interaction...
Izuku tightened his hold on his bag, frown deepening with his thoughts. He quickly shook his head, unwilling to dwell on what would cause another influke of decreased mood.
Lost in his thoughts, Izuku made his way into the cinema and glanced around at the pretty empty crowd. Make sense, since it's a weekday and looking at the movie list, there are no big movies currently playing except for one anime series he had previously read about.
"Midoriya?"
His breath hitched as he heard a familiar voice behind him. Whirling around, his green eyes widened at the sight of Todoroki. "T...Todoroki?!"
The dual-haired boy blinked. "It surprised me to see you here. You want to watch a movie too?"
"Um yeah. Are you going to watch or already finished watching a movie?" Izuku asked.
"I was about to buy a ticket."
Well shit, what's with his luck these days?
"I...I see..." Izuku cleared his throat. He stood rigidly in front of the self-ticketing screen, his mind going completely blank at the mere presence of Todoroki. He glanced at Todoroki, jolting when the said boy was already looking at him.
"If...if you want to buy a ticket then go ahead! I don't mind, sorry I got in your way." Izuku said as he stepped aside.
"What movie are you going to watch, Midoriya?"
"Eh?" Midoriya looked up, surprised. "Movie huh... Um, I don't know..." He answered truthfully but not without shame filing his insides.
"You don't know?" Todoroki lifted his eyebrow.
"Yeah. I mean I came here without any plan. I don't really want to go home, and both of my friends are busy at the moment so here I am! Alone!" Please shut up Izuku. "I should've checked the currently playing movies list before. But, alas here I am."
Izuku felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he shut his eyes. He was usually able to keep his mutterings in check, but somehow whenever Todoroki was around, his control went haywire. The fact that Todoroki didn't respond to his mutterings only added to his embarrassment.
"What movie do you want to watch, Todoroki?" He quickly added, trying to break this uncomfortable silence.
"Hm... I kind of want to watch this horror movie, but at the same time I want to watch the new Detective Conan movie."
"I see..."
"What's your opinion? Which movie should I watch? The more enjoyable one?" Todoroki asked.
Izuku blinked. "Well, have you read or watched the Detective Conan series before?"
"Yeah."
"Hmm… in hindsight, horror movies have consistently attracted large audiences because people love the thrill of watching scary movies or listening to scary stories and ghosts. People watch horror movies to get scared, that's their source of enjoyment. However, for a horror movie to be truly enjoyable, it needs to have a compelling plot and good effects, including haunting sound effects and a chilling soundtrack, ghosts that are able to make you piss on your pants, and well-executed jump scares. Oftentimes, not a lot of horror movies succeed in meeting these criteria, so they fall short and it feels like you watched a low-quality indie film instead. That's why it's important to read the plot and watch the trailers first before watching a horror movie." Izuku rambled passionately.
Todoroki smiled, "So in conclusion we should watch Detective Conan instead?"
"Detective Conan is a well-beloved series in Japan and their movies were marketed as a stand-alone so you could still enjoy it without reading the series. However, it's much better to familiarize yourself with the series beforehand to get the gist of the character especially if the is about the Black Organization. With solid plots and impressive animation, choosing a Detective Conan movie over an unknown horror film is definitely a safer bet." Izuku concluded.
"So Detective Conan it is," Todoroki said as he bought his ticket.
Izuku winced as soon as he finished talking. He rambled again. He's always been a bit passionate whenever he talks about movies. He's a movie nerd after all. It's humiliating. This is so humiliating. "Ugh, sorry Todoroki. I rambled again. I swear I didn't mean to."
"Hm?" Todoroki asked. "Hey, what's the best seat to choose?"
"Middle, center. Since my eyesight is not that good, I usually choose the middle, near the front row, but not too front. Like E seats. If your eyesight is good you can choose seats near the back rows." Izuku answered. "Anyway, I keep rambling to you even when I clearly said I'm currently trying to lessen my mutterings. I'm sorry because somehow you were always the victim of my ramblings and… now I did it again."
"It's fine, Midoriya." Todoroki calmly said as he finished his payment and waited for the physical tickets to come out of the machine. "Besides your mutterings really helped me. So thank you."
"Oh, um, your welcome?"
Todoroki grabbed his two tickets and gave one of them to Izuku. "Here you go."
"Oh, thanks." Izuku grabbed the ticket absentmindedly.
He blinked once.
Blinked twice.
Thrice.
"HUH?! WHAT'S THIS?!" Izuku's eyes widened almost comically as he stared at the ticket in his hand.
"Ticket," Todoroki replied simply.
"I know it's a ticket! But why do you buy this for me?! You don't even know what I'll watch!"
"Then what movie do you want to watch?"
Izuku clamped his mouth shut. The deadpan stare from Todoroki only caused him to shrink even further. "Well..." He trailed quietly.
"Exactly," Todoroki said before he went to the snack stand to buy popcorn and drinks. Izuku followed behind with his head hung in defeat. So he will watch this movie with Todoroki? The plan he had to cheer himself up ended up busted since he would spend his time with one of the reasons for his declining mood.
"Do you want a caramel or salty popcorn?"
Izuku stood beside Todoroki while he was opening his wallet. "Um, I like caramel... caramel popcorn is the best."
"What about a drink?"
"I like Milo," Izuku mumbled before he took several bills and gave them to Todoroki. "Here, you paid for my tickets right?"
“It’s on me.”
Izuku gaped. “What?! What—no! No way! Let me pay you back!” He balked. He’s not going to let himself be in debt to Todoroki.
“You don’t have to.”
“Ok…okay then let me pay for the snacks—“ Izuku’s words died down as he looked at the finished transaction at the cashier. Todoroki turned around, holding a big bucket of sweet popcorn and two drinks. “Todoroki…”
The said boy gave the still-stunned Izuku his drink before he sauntered ahead toward their assigned theater studio. “Let’s go Midoriya.”
Izuku broke through his reverie and quickly trailed behind Todoroki. “Please let me pay—“
“You don’t need to. I had lots of money to spare.” Todoroki told Izuku with such ease it made Izuku want to throw him a row of insults over their apparent wealth differences.
“But—“
“Great, the studio has already opened.” Todoroki ignored Izuku’s plea and the green-haired boy could only press his lips in frustration.
This is not what he had in mind to spend his self-cheering day.
“The movie is pretty great,” Todoroki said as they left the cinema and walked side by side.
Izuku suppressed a groan as he walked behind Todoroki. He couldn't focus on the movie at all. He was too busy panicking over how close they were, their shoulders constantly brushing whenever he moved and their fingers occasionally touching as they both reached for the popcorn.
He just wanted to go home and have a long shower while mulling over the turn of events today. He couldn't understand why Todoroki had suddenly decided to insert himself back into his life after years he tried to avoid him. Not to mention, aside from his own avoidance, Todoroki had never made an effort to reach out before. Not that he would willingly interact with him, but... still weird.
"It's already seven p.m.," Izuku said as he looked at his watch. "I need to go home and eat dinner."
"Do you want to eat dinner with me? Since we're both still at the mall, it's more convenient." Todoroki asked.
Izuku scrunched his nose. Having dinner with Todoroki after spending the whole day with him while he should've been actively avoiding him? Nope, not a chance. Not to mention he's broke.
"Um, no, sorry Todoroki. I don't really have lots of money right now. I only have enough money to watch the cinema and the snacks." He rejected.
"I can pay for you."
"No way! You've already paid for my ticket and snacks. Which I will pay you back by the way." Izuku tried to grab his wallet from his bag.
Todoroki frowned. "It's fine. You don't have to really. I want to treat you."
"Todoroki, I don't want—" Izuku stopped as he noticed something, or more accurately, someone. He felt a sharp pang in his chest as he watched two men walking with their hands intertwined. The distinctive brown hair with a touch of red was a dead giveaway that it was Ogihara. And snug fitly in his arm was a boy, a pretty boy with a pretty face and delicate frame, a far cry from Izuku. They looked so compatible, that everyone could see that they were a couple, unlike when Ogihara was still in a relationship with him.
"Midoriya? Are you okay?"
Izuku took a sharp breath, the realization hitting him that Todoroki was still by his side. "Yeah. I'm fine. I just saw someone I know." He reassured.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Really really sure.”
Todoroki was about to ask but Izuku was quick to walk away. It's not that Izuku was hurt because of any lingering feelings he still had for Ogihara. No, his feelings had vanished the moment he caught him cheating. Or perhaps his feelings had faded long before that betrayal. He was simply shocked and felt pitiful, and utterly pathetic. The fact that his cheater ex was quick to move on to another relationship, while he was left grappling with the aftermath of their relationship, especially after Ogihara's insults and the bitter truth of his failure as a romantic partner.
God, he's truly pathetic. Was this the reason why he has been bullied throughout his life?
"Midoriya!" Todoroki ran before he stopped beside him. "You're walking so fast I can barely keep up with you." He said, not showing any sign of difficulty in keeping up with him.
"Sorry. I just want to go home."
Todoroki looked at Midoriya with a hint of concern swimming inside his mismatched irises. "Are you sure you’re really okay?"
Izuku tried to muster a genuine smile. "Yeah. As fine as I can be."
"Izuku? Is that you?"
A wave of curses flooded Izuku's mind as he heard the all-too-familiar voice. He and Todoroki spun around to find Ogihara and his new boyfriend staring at them. Ogihara's brown beady eyes met Izuku's before flickering over to Todoroki, disbelief written all over his face.
"So it is you. I was sure I misheard your name being shouted in this place. But it looks like I was mistaken after all." Ogihara said. He flicked his eyes to Todoroki again. "Even more surprising when it's Todoroki who called your name."
Izuku gritted his teeth. "Is there any problem?"
Ogihara chuckled. "No. I only said it was shocking that he wanted to be with you."
A deep frown etched on Izuku's face. "What do you want? If you're here just to cause trouble then don't bother coming here at all. Direct your attention to your new little boyfriend over there." He spat scathingly, the word boyfriend filled with so much venom it made Todoroki stiffen a bit.
"Oh? You're jealous?" Ogihara laughed. It sounded so horrible and mocking. His arm tightened around his new boyfriend's shoulder. "You should be. His face is far more pleasing to the eye and he's way more fun than your boring self."
The heat of shame spread across Izuku's face as Todoroki's gaze bore into him, making him feel exposed and vulnerable. The last thing he wanted was for his ex to reveal his vulnerabilities in front of Todoroki.
“Shut your mouth, Ogihara.” Izuku hissed.
Ogihara turned his eyes on Todoroki, his face twisted into a woeful expression, as pitiful as he could possibly muster. "I don't know how he managed to snag you, but as someone who has been with him for quite some time let me offer a piece of helpful advice. It would be good for you to leave him immediately, as his boring personality is so tiresome that you would prefer to drift off to sleep than waste your precious time with him. Also, his skittish behavior paired with his plain face is just going to turn you off."
Todoroki stayed quiet, and apparently, his lack of reaction was translated to genuine curiosity in hearing more of Ogihara's bullshit to Ogihara. "I mean, look at his face, compare him to my boyfriend and you'll see the difference. They say that seeing your partner's face can make you feel happier. But not for me. His face does nothing to ease my stress. He's so plain it's almost painful to look at. Not to mention the scars on his hands. They're so ugly, it repulses me."
Izuku trembled uncontrollably, his fist clenched so tight it turned white with the force of his grip. Emotions bubbled up within him and Izuku wanted nothing but to surge to Ogihara and unleash his pent-up fury with a single, powerful blow.
"He's also sucks at sex. He killed my boner after hearing his moans." Ogihara let out a rancid laughter.
Izuku could feel his tears start blurring his vision, each venomous word he spoke seared his heart like a dagger. He wanted nothing more than to leave, burying himself under his blanket where he felt safe.
"Are you done?" Todoroki asked coldly. The ugly laughter subsided, and Ogihara looked at Todoroki, only to recoil at the sight of the dark, hostile expression on his face.
"The amount of crap you keep spouting is literally made my ears hurt. All I can gather from the garbage you're spewing is that you're a pathetic loser who loves getting off from insulting someone just to make your tiny dick bigger." Todoroki snapped.
Izuku gaped, eyes widening in disbelief at the sudden stream of dirty and rude words coming from Todoroki. Past Todoroki was known for his respectful and polite demeanor even when he was angry. So this unexpected outburst was truly shocking.
"What did you say?!" Ogihara barked out angrily.
"You heard me."
"I'm here trying to give you advice and instead you're insulting me?!"
"That's not an advice. It's just you spewing your insecurities to me."
"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Ogihara snarled as he grabbed Todoroki's jacket collar.
"What the—let him go!" Izuku quickly tried to pry Ogihara's hand away.
"What? do I hit the nerve? I don't even insult you like you insult Midoriya." Todoroki gave him a lazy smirk. "Also you have the audacity to call Midoriya ugly as if you're attractive. Take a good look in the mirror before you start commenting on other people's looks."
"Just because you're handsome and rich doesn't make it okay to fucking humiliate me like this!" Ogihara gritted out, his face reddening resembling a pig.
Todoroki's mocking tone dissipated, and his heterochromatic eyes went darker as he looked at Ogihara. "Doesn't feel good right, when someone insults you?"
"Please stop..." Izuku whispered, almost pleadingly. Unfortunately, Todoroki paid no heed to his plea. He continued to exchange insults with Ogihara, who was gradually hysterically enraged. His voice grew louder, in an attempt to intimidate Todoroki, but to no avail. His arms thrashing around, eager to land a punch or two to Todoroki's face. The crowd had swelled, with numerous phones raised in the air to capture the impending brawl. Izuku felt a drop of sweat trickle down his forehead, breath labored and on the verge of a panic attack due to the overwhelming attention, they were attracting people, with Izuku at the center of it all.
"Please stop! Please..." Izuku whispered.
Todoroki, noticing that Izuku was shaken visibly, halted his argument and finally chose to back down. He circled his arm around Izuku's trembling shoulder before fixing his still intimidating eyes on Ogihara. "Stop bothering Midoriya or I will ruin your life."
Todoroki ushered Izuku from prying eyes, not before commanding the unwelcome audience to delete their video. They entered an empty bathroom, where Todoroki attempted to calm Izuku. His hand moved in a soothing motion on Izuku's back, lips moving, murmuring reassuring words and repeatedly guiding him to take slow deep breaths and comfort words of its okays.
"Breath. It's fine Midoriya. I'm here. It's okay, no one here except me. No one will see you, no one will bother you." Todoroki whispered.
Izuku followed Todoroki's steady breathing as he scanned his surroundings, trying to ground himself. A minute passed, then two, he finally heard Todoroki's soft voice with his warm breath gently tickling his ears. His body felt the warmth from Todoroki's embrace and the scent of his luxurious cologne filled his senses. Gradually, the world came back to him, and he could finally breathe.
As he regained his senses, Izuku gently moved away from Todoroki's embrace. Despite the dizziness that washed over him, he stood his ground. Todoroki stood nearby, arms poised to support Izuku should he fall.
"Are you okay?" Todoroki whispered, as if he was afraid if he raised his voice for only one decibel Izuku would crumble down.
"I—I'm okay. Thank you Todoroki." Izuku reassured. "I just want to go home."
"Are you sure? If you're still dizzy we can wait here first."
Izuku shook his head, smiling faintly. "No, I want to go home right now. Thank you Todoroki."
"Let me drive you home."
"To—"
"I insist. I can't let you go home in this condition." Todoroki cutted in, with a demanding tone.
Izuku didn't have any energy left to argue so he simply nodded in resignation. As they made their way to the parking lot, Izuku absentmindedly stared at Todoroki's broad back. Todoroki had done so much for him today. From paying for his ticket and snack, to protect and defend him from Ogihara, then comforting him during his impromptu panic attack, and now offering to drive him home.
Todoroki kept going out of his way to help him and he couldn't wonder why. Why does he do this? Did he do this to everyone he met? Todoroki had a kind heart so he probably did this to help everyone. Izuku was not special at all. He's just overthinking it.
They reached Todoroki's car, an expensive black sleek sports car that Izuku had only ever seen in online photos or on Pinterest. Todoroki held the door open for Izuku, letting him enter first. But before getting in, Izuku paused to speak with Todoroki.
"Todoroki, I haven't thanked you yet for all you did today. Thank you for defending me from Ogihara and for driving me home." Izuku bowed to show his gratitude. "Also thank you for paying for my ticket and snack, I will pay you back."
Todoroki sighed. "Midoriya, you don't have to pay me back. I did it because I wanted to. And everyone would defend you from that scumbag ex of yours."
Midoriya smiled. "Not everyone. But I insist. I just don't want to feel like I'm indebted to you..."
Todoroki stayed silent. Before he finally relented. "Fine. How about treating me to lunch or dinner? Maybe we can eat together after our class."
Izuku balked. "Wh—what?" Dinner?!
"We can go out somewhere and you can treat me to something nice, hm?" Todoroki smiled.
Izuku's mouth opened and closed. He couldn't bring himself to eat with Todoroki. He's not sure how he felt about spending time with him alone, having to talk and face him while eating. But...
Just this once, he will allow it. Todoroki had helped him a lot today. It was the least he could do to repay him.
Besides, his crush had died down years ago. Hanging out with ex-crush and ex-friend for probably two hours will be fine.
Izuku decided to bring Todoroki to a cozy ramen spot that he often visited with Iida and Uraraka. There was a cold soba that Todoroki liked on the menu, which was just as tasty as the rest of the menu items. This ramen spot was his favorite because not only was it close to the campus, but it was also cheap and delicious. Even Iida, who has a refined palate and probably has eaten ramen made by the Michelin star chef still loved the ramen here.
"This is a nice ramen shop," Todoroki commented after they finished ordering the food.
"Yeah. The food here is delicious too so you don't need to worry."
Todoroki smiled. "Well, I'll believe you for that."
"This ramen shop is a gem for sure. I can bet that you will return back here to taste all of their menus. They are all so good."
"How did you even find this place?"
"By chance. I stumbled on this place while I was trying to familiarize myself in Tokyo in my freshman year. I was hungry so I entered this shop without any thoughts. Then, the rest is history." Izuku told him.
"From the smell itself, it already looks good. I can't wait to eat it." Todoroki sniffed the air for a bit.
"I'm sure you will like it!" Izuku agreed.
Then, silence filled the room. Todoroki scanned the restaurant, taking everything in while Izuku shifted uncomfortably, biting his lip.
"Are you okay now? I mean after that incident a week ago..." Todoroki asked.
Truth to be told, Izuku was far from okay. The insult Ogihara said continued to haunt him, playing over and over inside his head like a broken record. The insults about his face, how unsatisfying he was, and his scarred hands that made him feel repulsed kept echoing in his mind on a loop. Did his exes see him in the same way? Did his friends share the same opinion? Was that how Todoroki saw him before?
But he couldn't say that. Not to Todoroki especially.
"I'm fine."
Todoroki scrutinized Izuku for a bit before he tilted his head. "Were you two have a bad breakup? Why was he so eager to hurt you?"
Izuku snorted. "I mean, if cheating and stealing my money meant a bad breakup, then yes."
The grey and teal irises in front of him widened. "What? He cheated on you?"
"Yeah. Caught them about to do it on his bed." Izuku said bitterly. He sighed, feeling the anger start to bubble inside him again. "It's fine though... I mean, it's hurt but... I just don't want to think about it. He's been distant for weeks and I caught him buying women's underwear. It's pretty obvious that he cheated."
Todoroki stared. "And even if he's the cheater he's still trying to blame you and insult you?" He asked lowly but full of contempt.
"Yeah. It's... I won't lie and say that it's not hurt but, I guess it is what it is." Izuku shrugged, not wanting to elaborate on his sentence. He wanted to say that he understood why Ogihara cheated but he knew it would cause another debate with Todoroki.
"So you still like cold soba?" Izuku steered the conversation away.
Todoroki nodded, "Yeah." he answered. "I'm surprised you still remember that I like to eat cold soba."
"Hard to forget when you eat soba every day. You're going to become a human soba." Izuku joked.
Todoroki smiled. "Says you, Katsudon lover. You still like them?"
"Duh, of course." Izuku puffed his chest. "That's my number one comfort food. I found a lot of restaurants that sell a good Katsudon at a cheap price too!"
"You should invite me sometimes," Todoroki suggested.
Izuku paused. "Huh, do you like Katsudon?"
"Midoriya..." Todoroki shook his head, an exasperated expression visible on his face. His forehead creased as he closed his eyes. "Just because I like soba doesn't mean I hate and couldn't eat every food aside from soba."
Izuku blushed, realizing how silly his question sounded. "Sorry, it's just you're always eating soba back in high school that the thought of you eating something else is foreign to me! I mean I ate Katsudon every day too but I was still eating some other food like ramen or curry back then."
"Well, I guess the fault is on me." Todoroki chuckled. "I don't know how I survived back then, eating those sobas."
"Yeah, I'm surprised you don't have any health complications after consuming those sobas every lunch."
"That's not what I meant. It's just those sobas have atrocious taste so I was honestly shocked I managed to eat them for three whole years." Todoroki clarified.
Izuku stared, utterly taken aback by what he had just heard. "Todoroki... seriously, you're too obsessed with soba." He chuckled in disbelief.
"I love them."
"You sure do."
"Speaking about high school... I didn't see you in our reunion."
Izuku's cheerful smile faltered, giving way to a solemn expression as the tip of his mouth curved downwards. The gleam of amusement in his eyes vanished as quickly as it had appeared. His heart began to race, the sound echoing loudly in his ears while his palms grew clammy with anxiety.
"Reunion... no I never attend them," Izuku answered quietly.
"Why?"
Izuku frowned. Did Todoroki really just ask why? Wasn't it obvious?
"Why would I come to a place full of my past bullies?" Izuku asked, unable to contain the malice tone seeping through.
Just like that, an uncomfortable silence filled the now cold atmosphere. Todoroki, noticing the hostile reply from Izuku, promptly fell silent. His expression twisted into a grimace, as he seemed to just realize how dumb and insensitive his question was.
Izuku on the other hand pressed his lips, cursing himself for losing his cool. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to get angry... I never went to the reunion. What I said before was true and also I don't think they would appreciate me going there."
"No. It's fine. It's my fault for asking an insensitive question like that, given that I know how bad the bullying was in high school." Todoroki apologized.
"Have you... have you been to the reunion?" Izuku asked quietly.
Todoroki nodded. "Once. I went there because... well I guess I'm a bit curious..."
"Curious about what?"
Todoroki seemed taken aback, his hand nervously scratching his neck. "Just curious about how our ex-high school mates doing."
Oh. oh.
Izuku felt like his foot had stepped on a small Lego block, sending a shockwave of pain through his nerves into his brain. Todoroki's words felt like a wake-up call, a stark reminder of his painful and bitter past. Todoroki admitted his curiosity about his high schoolmates, all while with a nervous expression.
Todoroki was curious about his ex-girlfriend's current life. Todoroki and his ex may have broken up, but she still remained a significant figure in his life, sitting snugly in the hall of fame of Todoroki's special person in his life. Unlike Izuku.
This is why Izuku refused to come to the reunion. Aside from the reluctance to meet his high school bullies, he also doesn't want to meet... her. The thought of watching the interaction between Todoroki and his ex, possibly reigniting memories of their once cherished memories was something he desperately wanted to avoid.
"I see."
The silence between them is deafening and Izuku thanked the luck that the food came at the right time. Izuku tried to initiate a lighter conversation, sometimes laughing a little too loud and overly exaggerated to dispel the awkwardness of the moment. Todoroki responded with a faint smile, occasionally chiming in with comments.
Izuku showed a wobbly smile, trying hard to bury his ugly thoughts and overwhelming emotions that made him want to throw up.