Chapter Text
The UA Sports Festival had just ended, with Iku claiming 2nd place. Katsuki won 1st, Tokoyami won 3rd, and Shoto at 4th. Things got really heated between Iku, Shoto, and Katsuki, and Sōko spiraling out during the final event did no good for the girl either. The following day, she spent her time calming her mind again. She called some of her classmates to hang out with. Tenya was busy, so he declined. However, Uraraka, Momo, Deku, and Tokoyami accepted the invite. She made a group chat for the five of them, and asked them in the chatroom if they could also invite Shoto and Katsuki for her.
---
Group Meet Up! (5)
izuku
huh? are todoroki and Kacchan still upset?
iku
Well... I did apologize to Katsuki, and had another quick conversation with him before I went home yesterday... but I just feel like he won't say anything, you know?
Momo
And for Todoroki? I mean it's understandable-
iku
Just wanna treat him to something, I guess
Tokoyami
Oh? More than just an apology?
iku
I've got more than enough money to share. I don't mind using it to buy him nice stuff.
👀(1)⁉️(1)
ura-vity
heyyy can I also get some nice stuff?
😭(1)
iku
Haha, sure. I'll treat you all at a nearby mall.
💗(1)
Momo
Oh! You don't have to be so generous, Iku.
iku
Nono, I insist. I know I used my quirk way more unexpectedly yesterday, so consider this as my way of calling it even...
Tokoyami
If you truly insist, then alright
izuku
so, where are we going?
iku
There's apparently a "convention" in Omotesando Hills.
ura-vity
we're going to Tokyo?? that's far- especially if we're gonna go out rn
Tokoyami
Not to mention the time. It's 9:30am.
Momo
And a 2-hour trip...
iku
Don't worry. I can get us there in a few minutes.
⁉️(2)
izuku
are you considering using your quirk for this-
iku
Well, no. I can just ask my father if we can use a private jet to get there.
ura-vity
sorry your family owns A PRIVATE JET???
Momo
That's quite impressive, actually. How do you all manage to acquire a jet?
Tokoyami
I was going to wonder why you're not so surprised, but then again.
Momo
Hm?
izuku
okay- nevermind all that! i'll go message Kacchan. Tokoyami, can you and Uraraka message Todoroki?
Tokoyami
Alright.
ura-vity
already messaged!
iku
Oh, that's great. Say, let's all meet by Takoba Beach Park.
✅(1)🫡(2)💗(1)
---
At that point, Iku also messaged "S". She asked them for the jet, in which they couldn't say no to. They asked her why she chose to go to the mall rather than to a park. Iku wanted to see something else at that place, but didn't want to be left alone with Sōko. "Safe trips, child," the voice texted. A few minutes later, there was a jet floating above the rooftop. Iku climbed up and got inside the jet, sitting down soon after.
She looked at her phone and skimmed through some news regarding the place. There were mostly topics related to the convention she mentioned, but one was about a lurking figure that would steal valuables from people without leaving a trace at night. That was why she wanted to go. To investigate. She also knew some people who lived near the area, so she had an idea of what could happen once they arrived there.
Eventually, the jet reached the beach park and Deku was already there. They waved at each other, the boy entering the aerial vehicle. He seemed embarrassed. "Wow," he reacted, "you really were serious about having a private jet... I'm shocked. I- I mean! This probably just means your family's in a really good financial condition, and I'm glad to know of it-" Iku lightly chuckled. "Is this your first time in a jet?" Deku nodded. "This just feels really new, but this is really cool!" He sat across Iku's seat.
The interior composed of 2 pairs of individual seats, facing their pair, along with a long couch behind the seat Iku's sitting down on. There was a built-in coffee table on that couch, and for the four solo seats, they were reclining chairs. The view would be pretty if they looked to their sides as circular windows were there. The place was quite clean, and well-ventilated. A dark gray carpet accommodated their walkway, and this was simply one area of the private jet.
"Should we fetch the others?" Iku asked. "Huh? I mean, if that's okay for them and for the pilot," he answered. "Alright. Tell them we'll just go to their houses, so ask them their addresses," Iku instructed. "Got it!" He then messaged them in the group chat and got the necessary information. "Okay, I'm gonna go tell the pilot this. By the way, there's some snacks in the other room if you feel hungry." Deku shook his hands. "It's fine! Thank you for being really hospitable, Iku." Iku smiled at him and nodded, before making her way to the pilot to direct him about where else to go first. They then made the flight and got Momo, Uraraka, and Tokoyami in the jet.
"WAHHHH!!" Uraraka burst out, her eyes unable to rest as she grinned looking around the interior. "This place is so big! And these seats are so comfy! The flooring, I really like it! And look at that!" She pointed at a figurine on the coffee table. "I'm... I'm so envious..." she muttered, her energy draining out. "Uraraka," Momo reached out to her. "If you ever feel like it, you can go visit my place!" Uraraka paused for a moment. "Really?" Momo nodded. "Of course! You're my friend, so you're free to go there. Just make sure to text or call me beforehand so I can get everything ready." Iku lightly chuckled. "Alright, let's settle down now." The others nodded before sitting down. Momo and Uraraka were on the couch, while Tokoyami, Iku, and Deku were at the solo seats. "Say," Iku remembered, "did Shoto or Katsuki respond?" Deku looked away. "About that..."
"OI!" That was Katsuki's voice. Iku subtly flinched. "Oh, Katsuki- when did you arrive?" She asked, not having even sensed his presence. "Just arrived," he muttered some things after, before taking a seat across Iku's seat, making Deku be seated just a few feet to his right. "Well, I'm glad you're here. And Shoto?" Iku glanced at Tokoyami. "He said he had some matters to attend to today, so he can't make it," he answered. "Oh. I see. That's alright, then." She then glanced back at Katsuki before clearing her throat.
Katsuki heard her. "What?" Iku lightly chuckled. "Nothing. There's just a little something under your chair," she answered. He glanced down before seeing a rectangular-shaped present. It was wrapped in red wrapping paper with some cute stars and shapes as its print. "What's this for?" The blond asked, shaking the box. "Just open it," Iku replied before looking at the pilot at the front, who checked in. She gave him a thumbs up as a go-signal and the jet was soon to fly off to Omotesando Hills.
Deku and Tokoyami exchanged glances before focusing on Katsuki. He removed the wrapping paper carefully, his grumpy expression still vivid on his face. Then, his eyes widened for a bit. "This..." It was a mountain gear set, packed with a set of notebooks. The paper quality was firm, and it felt smooth to the touch. He looked at her before glaring for a moment.
"Why'd you get me these?" Deku, too, was surprised. He knew that Katsuki enjoyed mountain climbing, but never really mentioned it to Iku. "You seem like the type of person who might want it. Well, do you like it?" Katsuki glared for a bit before sighing sharply. "I mean, I guess." Iku tilted her head. "No thank you's?" The blond growled. "Okay, fine. Thanks for the gift. Still don't know how the hell you found out about me mountain climbing, but whatever." After he settled the gift back on the ground, the jet took off and everyone chattered while on the way.
In just a few minutes, they briskly arrived at the area. One by one, the group went down the jet and looked around. The place was buzzing with noise. There were tourists, cosplayers, locals, sellers, and more. More importantly, everyone was checking out the prices. Brands in the place were ever so luxurious, and with the Cosplay event taking place, Iku and the group saw some cosplaying as actual Pros like All Might, Star and Stripes, and Edgeshot. "Hey, that guy really did well in cosplaying Best Jeanist!" Deku exclaimed. "Kind of feels invigorating that we're here. Thank you Iku for the invite," Tokoyami said. "Hah, I really just wanted to brush some doubts off my head," Iku explained.
Uraraka saw a nearby stand with a bunch of food, books, and plentiful merch. She tugged on Momo's arm as she pointed at the items. "Look at those! I feel hungry now..." Momo lightly chuckled. "Didn't we have some chocolate earlier at the jet?" Uraraka nodded. "But there's mochi here, and I really like mochi! Can we buy some?" The black-haired girl glanced at Iku. "Hey, Iku," She called, "Me and Ochaco-san are going to buy some food." Uraraka cheered in the back. "You guys can go on ahead." Iku nodded her head. "Catch you guys at the center," She said.
It was then Tokoyami, Deku, Katsuki, and Iku who were lurking about. Deku kept looking at the cosplays, praising the quality of their outfits and the way some even acted like the characters they were. "Oi, sha- Iku." That was new. Katsuki called Iku by her first name. She looked over his direction. "Mhm? What is it?" He spread his arms and glanced at the place. "Why are we really here?" He asked, subtly cautious of them being in a somewhat far place from Musutafu.
"I mean, it's like I said. I just really want to calm down for a bit today. Unwind a little. You guys got invited since I felt like you all would need it, too," Iku explained some more to the blond. "Bakugou," Tokoyami called, "Would you like to go check some of the stalls and stores? Would be nice to get some souvenirs," He mentioned. "...Where are we going?" Tokoyami pointed towards the east. "Eh, why not. Let's go." The two walked away, but not before Tokoyami waved at Iku and Deku. The two waved back.
Deku glanced at Iku, who changed expressions near instantly. She seemed to be in a serious mood, pulling out her phone as she checked where they were at. "Iku?" He called her. Forgetting him to be there, she subtly flinched before shutting her phone. "Ah, sorry. Can you keep a secret?" She asked him, scratching the back of her phone gently. "I mean, I can. Are we here for a different reason?" He asked her. She glanced around before nodding slowly. "There's been news about a phantom thief. Er... someone who has been taking people's valuables every night. Considering the wealth of the locals here, I felt interested to check in, so here we are now."
"That's actually kind of alarming... what about other nearby cities? Are there articles about that too?" Deku asked, intrigued over the situation. She shook her head. "They're honestly not even close to the rate of theft here, and it's only been brought up by media last month. Though, I'm well aware of when this might have started," Iku elaborated. Deku clasped his fists. "I'll help you with this. Do you already have a lead on where to go from here?"
"Yup. There's a report of a nearby store with an alleyway. Bunch of criminals have apparently used that as a new base, and for some reason, the police here can't get through."
"What about the Pro Heroes here?" Asked Deku. "They can't locate the people nor any malicious activity whenever they get too close," Iku responded. "And as for how I am aware despite the lack of information by the media..." She quietly chuckled. "I had a friend who moved too soon here." Deku's brows raised. "A friend? When did they come here?" She rubbed her chin, remembering when exactly. "Around 4 years back? Since Pros can't even locate the area, I have a feeling he might be included in this."
"Cloaking quirk? Hides everything? And maybe even has an alarm within a radius to alert them about an incoming hero or official?" Deku thought out loud. Iku nodded. "That's how I'm presuming it to be, too. But I don't think he's working alone at this point." Deku scratched his head. "But then... why would he be doing this?" Iku shrugged. "Eitherway, once we get to the place, just act natural. I have a feeling it's more than just heroes that there'd be an alarm over there," She exclaimed. "Alright. Let's go!"
As the others were busy in Omotesando Hills, Iku and Deku were having a short trip to the alleyway nearby. It was quite cramped, as opposed to the spacious vicinity they were in just a few minutes ago. Iku looked around before grabbing an empty, crushed soda can on the ground. "Huh... didn't expect him to leave the place thrashed like this," she mumbled to herself as she and Deku continued to walk through the alleyway.
"So, uh, Iku—" Iku shushed him, glancing at the boy for a moment before looking forward again. "I won't be answering any questions from you right now. I told you this earlier." Deku sighed before nodding his head. She then took a deep breath before using her quirk, the shadows spreading out within the thin pathway. Her eyes opened wide as she sensed the surroundings. She sensed the presence of one, no. Two nearby anomalies, and both were on their left. She guessed right that this was the place.
Could this really be the place? I mean, I guess she did say that not even Pro Heroes could find it. But what if what she read was all a hoax and- Deku's thoughts rambled until Iku called out. "Kou-kun! It's me, Iku!" He looked shocked over her suddenly making a fuss. "Kou-kun?" Iku lightly nodded. "I'm more than sure that he's here and-" Suddenly, Iku's arm vanished into thin air, which spooked Deku. He flinched back before sensing something behind him. He quickly turned around but saw nothing. As he turned back, he disappeared out of nowhere. Iku lightly giggled before pulling her invisible arm back, revealing a guy with light purple hair.
"Shh.. you're being too loud..." The guy, whose name was Kouyou, said to Iku before letting go of her wrist, the arm becoming visible again. "So, how've you been?" Iku asked Kouyou, which made him embarrassed and look away, fidgeting his fingers as he did so. "W-well, let's talk inside first, okay?" He said before raising an arm up against the side and seamlessly walking through the wall.
Kouyou's fit didn't change much, Iku thought to herself. He always favored light clothing, and the cute little accessories that he wore like wings, a halo, and a circular pendant were still quite evident on his attire. His eyes, one green and the other blue, gleamed ever so brightly too. He was quite short too for his age, which wasn't far off from Iku's age.
Iku followed Kouyou inside and saw the place, piled up with numerous materials. There were items scattered all over, such as jackets, limited-edition bags, and food, along with a few of the belongings that were recently reported to be missing. She glanced to her side and saw Deku, who was being forced to stay put on a couch by an ambiguous person with furry arms and a mask to cover their face. Though seemingly hard to recognize, Iku knew just who the person was. "Suzume!" They looked back before letting go of Deku, waving at the girl. The two walked towards each other before doing a quick high five.
"Well, well! I didn't expect Little Miss Iku to go here. Then again, I did get some insight from—" Iku shushed Suzume from speaking further. "Oh, right. Anywho! What brings you and your cute friend here in Tokyo? The fest ended just yesterday, yeah?" They asked Iku. She nodded her head, smiling. "I was curious over the news I saw online about some thief scurrying around the place... so..." She and Deku looked at Kouyou before he raised both his wrists. "Oi!! I'm doing this for a good cause, I promise!" He seemed flustered.
Iku lightly chuckled before crossing her arms. "Alright, tell me why you're taking stuff when you can buy these yourself." Kouyou started to fidget again. "About that... I can't really buy anything anymore," Iku raised her brows. "Can't buy? Did your dad's business go downhill or something?" He shook his head. "Not exactly..." He was hiding something. Deku stood up from the couch. "Sorry for interrupting, but why are you stealing then? And how are you so confident of just taking things that aren't yours?" Kouyou sighed in defeat before gesturing to them to follow him to another room. Suzume nudged Iku's shoulder and whispered, "There's more to it than him taking these, actually. There's a few people in another room who also don't have much of a place to call home, so they're staying here," they explained. Iku didn't know what to say. "There are other people here? How come I didn't sense them... wait, 'also'? Are you implying-"
They finally reached the other room as Iku and Suzume continued to discuss with each other. "Um... don't report me to anyone, alright?" Kouyou asked, his voice trembling a bit. Deku didn't have much of a choice at the time since he was mostly just there to accompany Iku. He and she nodded before Kouyou touched the side of the wall and revealed a big cork board filled with notes and various other information. "Uh, I know it's weird. I shouldn't be having a room discussing materials or stuff like these, but given my background... er, my family's background, I'm kind of aware of what's authentic material, what's valuable, which can be sold, which to keep... all the like."
Suzume cleared their throat. Kouyou's face reddened. "Since I don't have much to do while I'm suspended from college—"
"YOU'RE SUSPENDED? Why?!" Iku reacted. "Listen, I-" Suzume butted in. "Went out of his way there too, trying to swap out all the old stuff with some newer things, just to get suspended since no one believed that he was doing that to help the facilities." They lightly snarked. "HEY!" Kouyou sighed before hiding the corkboard with his quirk again. "So let me get this straight: Your family's rich, you're in college, but because you were swapping stuff, you got suspended? Why? Are you okay? Also, are your parents worried? After all, getting suspended from school is kind of bad, so..." Deku kept asking him questions.
"It's fine... I can manage." He then decided to change the topic. "Say, wanna know how my quirk works?" Deku was lost, and he knew there was more to it besides the circumstances he's in, but went along with it. "Sure, if it'll make you feel better. "
"Well, I can alter light and refractions, and depending on how much light is refracted, the items also act like they ceased from existence when really, it's all an illusion," he explained to them. Deku commented, "Oh, so that's why you managed to hide these from the public really well then-" Their conversation got cut short early as they overheard a loud crash from outside. "Shoot, stay here, you two," Kouyou said as he sprinted towards the window, noticing a Pro hero chasing after a criminal.
The criminal seemed to be... dashing towards the building they're at! "Skyrim," he called out to Suzume, "we need to get that guy out of here." Suzume nodded before charging out the door and heading towards the entrance, their quirk ready. Kouyou looked at the Pro, who was about to approach the area, before making an illusion of the criminal running in the opposite direction. The Pro was confused but followed the illusion, giving Suzume some time to get the real criminal out in the open.
Deku and Iku watched the two perform before Deku tapped on Iku's shoulder. She glanced at him. "Iku, can I ask you some stuff about them? Alone..?" Her brows raised before glancing at Kouyou, then back at him. She already had a feeling on what he would ask her, so she gave an answer, "I met them when I was younger. Suzume's a good person, don't worry. Kou-kun, too. There's some people taking shelter in this place, and that's why he's been taking stuff left and right. Though I still can't determine why he can't just use some of his savi-" Kouyou spoke, "My parents kicked me out." The two were shocked to hear it. "You got kicked out? What happened?" Deku asked, a look of concern on his face.
"I mean, they didn't want me to constantly spend money on others... and when I got suspended, they decided it was time for me to just go." Iku clasped her fist. "They just considered that was a good idea?" Kouyou noticed her feeling upset for him. "Hey, it's fine. I'm already 20 so it's okay. Just need to find a way to... I... I don't know." He deeply exhaled before sitting down on the floor, hugging his knees.
The two felt bad and decided to get close to comfort him. "Your parents weren't friendly to begin with, honestly," Iku consoled him, patting his back. "I would know. I still remember how they treated you whenever you had to go back home." Kouyou weakly chuckled, a tear dropping down his eyelid. Deku looked at Iku. He definitely had more questions in mind. "I don't really understand why they'd do that to you, honestly," Deku added, "especially with a very great quirk like yours."
Kouyou tilted his head. "My quirk's great...?" The green-haired boy nodded his head, a bright smile on his face. "It reminds me of one of our classmates' quirks, but yours has such a cool twist! You could definitely use it for performances or for projecting a form of hologram if you wanted to." The purple-haired guy felt a bit happier over hearing that.
"Though," he said, "I don't think that can help me make a huge living right now." Iku came up with an idea. "Kou-kun, if it would make you feel better, I can help you and everyone else here." Kouyou quickly looked at Iku. "Really? How?" She scratched her neck before pulling out her phone and messaging someone.
"Oh, who are you texting? Please not the police... they wouldn't be of any good here..." Iku laughed. "Why the hell would I call on authorities when they can't even do their jobs right? I'm calling on my sensei," she said, a lovely smile on her face. "Sensei? You never mentioned you had one. O-oh yeah, how are your parents doing? Sorry for not asking earlier."
"Hm? Oh, they're on another trip until December, or something. Parents will be parents, I guess. Anyway, how many people are here?" As Iku asked, Suzume went back inside, dusting their hands off on their pants. "Alright, crisis averted! Oh-" They noticed the three on the floor before dashing towards them and kneeling. "You alright, Kou-san?" He nodded his head. "Do you think we can maybe... bring the items back? To you know... the people we took them from?" He asked them. They looked confused and made a long "uhhm" sound to further present their confusion.
"Listen... I don't really recognize all the faces where we took these things. Also, why are we-" Iku made an eye signal to them, which they understood instantly. "...Why are we giving them back when we can just post them online anonymously and then return it to the ones who claim the items? Risky as fuck, but since ya wanna return it..." Deku lightly smiled over that resolution. "That's honestly a really good idea! How about it, Kouyou-san? Do you think we can do that while Iku and..."
"Sensei."
"While she and her sensei help the others residing here? Actually, how would they help them?" Deku mumbled at the end to himself.
"They've got their ways, don't worry a thing, Deku," Iku reassured as she finally got a go-signal from S. "Anyway, how many people again, Kou-kun?"
"Around 24..."
"And how long have they been staying here?" Kouyou swiped his hand on air and revealed the corkboard again before looking back at Iku. "Longest one who stayed is 2 months, shortest is 5 days. What's your sensei going to do after this?" Iku finished typing down a message before responding, "They'll be getting a few vans over to escort them someplace safer. Free of charge since I'm the one who asked the favor." Kouyou and Suzume cheered. "Ah, to be one of the favorites... I envy ya for that sometimes, Iku," they said to the girl, before the four finally stood up from the floor.
Iku's phone started ringing. It was Tokoyami. "Oh, Deku, we have to go back." Suzume looked confused. "Back? Are you out with some new friends? That's cute," they commented, lightly teasing her. "Shut up... they're..." She glanced at Deku before rolling her eyes. "Yeah, I guess I'll call them friends." Deku was surprised. "Wait, are we friends?" Iku didn't respond and instead answered her phone. "Moshi-moshi, Tokoyami."
"Where are you and Midoriya?" he asked her. "Oh, we took a quick stroll around. Don't worry, we'll get back in a few minutes." Tokoyami hummed in response. "Uraraka wants to go to the main event here, but she really wants you and Midoriya to be here first. Yaoyorozu too." Iku looked at Kouyou and the phone simultaneously, wondering if he'd want to go out and join them. He shook his head rapidly, however, insistent on not joining. Iku quickly sighed before responding back to Tokoyami, "Don't worry, we're on our way." They then hung up.
Suzume tapped their boot against the floor in a thinking pose. "Sooo... What's your plan now, Iku?" She hummed for a bit before glancing at Kouyou again. "Like I said earlier... some vans will appear, you and the others will get brought to a small, safe building, and the rent and other basic necessities there will be free of charge so you and them don't have to worry much. As for the stolen items, I've already asked sensei to get someone else to picture those and post them online for the owners to find them. They'll be delivered to their houses by a different group for anonymity's sake," Iku explained to the three.
Suzume glanced at Kouyou before mumbling, "Anyway..." The two gently pulled her close for a quick group hug. She didn't know how to react to this but returned the hug nevertheless. She pulled away after a few seconds, staring at Suzume. "Sorry... It's just been a while since we had a nice talk like this. Dunno when you'd let me get all mushy again, sooo took my chance," they explained. Iku sighed before faintly smiling. "Just ask me beforehand, okay? I hate these sorts of surprises." Suzume nodded in agreement. "Will do! Okay, you two should get going now. Wouldn't want your newfound friends to think you got kidnapped or something, right?" They lightly chuckled.
"Aha.. yeah, sure." She glanced towards Suzume's ruby necklace before asking one last question. "Still the same one?" They saw where she was looking before smiling. "Yup! Looks like I only got it yesterday, huh?" Iku chuckled before nodding. "Glad you take good care of it." Deku and Kouyou simply stayed silent. "Alright, let's get going. See you soon, you two," Iku waved as she grabbed Deku and cast shadow wings behind her and Deku's back. "Woah, you can do it on a second person now?" He asked her. "Mhm, hold on though. You won't be the one maneuvering things."
And so the two left and quickly flew back to the main venue. They dropped down by a cosmetics shop before Iku de-shaped the wings back to their original state. They looked around and saw the others: Momo, Uraraka, Tokoyami, and Katsuki. Momo and the other two waved, while Katsuki simply crossed his arms and looked at the central part of the place. Uraraka sprinted to Iku and jumped a bit, an enthusiastic expression visible on her face. "Let's go!" Iku lightly chuckled before nodding her head, happy that she wasn't being asked where they went, before making their way to the line.
The line was a bit long. Iku counted approximately 14 people ahead of them. “How long have you guys been staying here?” She asked the four. “Not too long, actually. Or at least, I didn’t feel like we’ve been waiting for a long while,” Momo answered, checking her phone. Her brows raised. “Oh, would 10 minutes count as long or normal?”
“Depends, actually,” Deku replied. “How long was the line when you guys showed up here?” He asked them. “Twice the length from now actually–” Uraraka responded. “Hmm... should I just pay double so we can cut?” Iku thought to herself, though it was too audible to be just an idea. “I-I don’t think you can just throw your money around like that!” Uraraka exclaimed. “Oi,” Iku called, “I have enough for VIP tickets and a week-long stay here. Well, more than enough. I don’t think this would be much trouble for me.” She then walked past the line, some confused as to why she was going ahead of the rest.
She made her way to the counter and slid her card to them. “6 tickets, please. You can charge triple since I cut the line,” she confidently said. The people at the back were flabbergasted, but considering how she was going to pay thrice the amount, none spoke in retaliation. “O-oh, alright!” The clerk grabbed the tickets from a drawer below and handed it to Iku, using the card she gave and swiping it against a card reader, charging her thrice for the tickets. “Enjoy your time at the main event, miss!” He greeted Iku. The girl walked back to the five.
“Alright, let’s go inside.” The rest were speechless but they still cheered anyway, following Iku past the entrance.
The place wasn’t as crowded as they had anticipated, which was great news for them. Just like what they saw outside earlier, there were also stalls inside. The group walked towards a stall and saw the prices. Uraraka shuddered over how they were way more expensive than the ones outside. “Eughh... that’s..” She looked away, hugging herself as she rubbed her hands on her arms, as if trying to warm herself up. Katsuki cleared his throat. “Alright, I’ll be honest: I don’t know what the hell’s going to happen here. Mind telling me, Iku?” Iku glanced at the blond before lightly chuckling.
“Okay, okay. There’s a big cosplay competition here, and the winner gets a big cash prize,” she briefly explained to him. “Oh? Are we participating in it?” Tokoyami asked. To the others’ disappointment, she shook her head. “With a prize at stake, people would be more willing to put in effort on their work. And I wanted us all to see how well people can make their costumes for the sake of money.”
“ Erhm erm I would have taken that offer if I knew –” Uraraka said, coughing midway. “Oh wait! Look!” Deku pointed at the All Might cosplayer walking up on stage. Katsuki also looked, impressed by how well the muscles looked. “Let’s get a closer look,” Iku said as she walked towards the railings, blocking the audience from getting closer to the stage. Some of the audience were cheering over the quality, while a few were snapping photos.
“Up next is a dashing, quite daring hero! Introducing Yuuka Kiku, cosplaying as Mirko!” The audience jeered and applauded as the cosplayer strutted some poses that Mirko would do. “The design on her cosplay is actually really close to what the real Mirko wears... There’s even the metal bits around her hips, and the crescent-like symbol on her chest also radiates light well!” Deku commented. “Hmm, could be more so just glitter splattered around evenly to make the effect that it reflects any light,” Iku gave her own insights. Momo and Uraraka also had their own chitchat. “Her make up’s really pretty, I like it!” Momo exclaimed. Uraraka nodded. “The horns on her wig are so cute too!”
A few more cosplayers showed up, half of which were Pro Heroes while the others were characters from various shows. Iku glanced at the rest of the group and asked them, “which ones did you guys like most?”
“The All Might one was especially amazing for me. You can’t just replicate the way the muscles are toned, you know? And he even used one of his earliest outfits! I love the details on the cape, the stripes, the way it all just seamlessly blends together like he’s the real deal!”
“Alright, Deku, enough complimenting on All Might... biased as hell...” Katsuki commented, crossing his arms. “Well, what about you, Bakugo?” Tokoyami curiously asked him. “I liked the one who did Edgeshot. I think him also having a quirk similar to Edgeshot himself was what made me really like his performance on stage. The hair was also on point, so there’s that too.”
Momo tilted her head. “I think that was a girl...” Katsuki was stunned. “THAT WAS A FEMALE?” Iku laughed. “Yeah, you could tell from the body physique, paired with her hands, eyes, and there was a moment where she pulled the mask off for a second. You could see her jawline at the time, and she would no doubt be female because of how the shape was.” Katsuki grunted. “No way was that guy a girl...”
“If it’ll make you feel better, I also was surprised to know that the Edgeshot cosplayer was female,” Tokoyami said. “Oh, good,” Katsuki sighed with relief after hearing that. “Now, what about you? Which one had the best fit out of all the ones that went up on stage?”
Tokoyami thought for a moment. “I think-” All of a sudden, the host of the event spoke. “Alright, alright! I’m sure everyone’s been waiting to hear who the winners of this year’s Cosplay Convention are. Am I right?” The audience cheered in response. “But before all that, I would like to thank our sponsor of the year– Kaneko Incorporation!” Iku subtly flinched over hearing the sponsor.
“Yes, we would like to hold our utmost gratitude to Kaneko Incorporation for making this big event possible! Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to have such a grand event such as this today. So with that being said, let’s proceed with the winners!” The audience cheered once more.
“Coming in third place, we have... Hayasaka Kaori, cosplaying as Lady Nagant!” The crowd applauded as the cosplayer walked back up on stage, bowed, and waved at everyone before taking her spot someplace in the center. “Next off, we have... Kita Hana, cosplaying as Edgeshot!” The crowd only reacted more enthusiastically.
“ Holy shit she really was female .” Katsuki mumbled. Deku, Iku, and Momo chuckled over hearing him realizing that it was real. “And taking the number one spot... give a big round of applause for Mutō Danno, cosplaying as All Might!” Everyone jeered and applauded, but Deku seemed to cheer a bit louder than the rest. Iku lightly giggled seeing him so excited over the cosplayer, before rewinding and remembering the cosplayer’s name. “Wait... Mutō-san?” She glanced at the cosplayer, who seemed to look away the moment she looked at him. She didn’t know how to process all of this.
The event ended shortly after, and the rest decided that it was time to go back to their respective abodes. Iku called for the jet again, and everyone got on. They sat down in their seats and the others chattered with each other again. Iku sighed as she looked at the window, seeing the clouds pass by ever so smoothly. Deku noticed how silent Iku became and called her.
“Iku,” She immediately looked back at him, a faint smile on her face appearing. “Yes?” Deku recalled the events that happened today. “Do you miss them?” Iku paused. “I don’t. I mean, I can’t miss something or someone that I still am in contact with, so no.” Deku nodded. “I see... if you feel like you do, or if you feel troubled, I’m always here!” He said with a smile on his face. Seeing him smiling made Iku smile subtly too. A genuine, yet subtle smile. “Thanks, Deku.”
Thus, Iku got them all home safely, one-by-one, and came to an end to their short trip to Omotesando Hills.
—
Group Meet Up! (6)
iku added Katsuki to the group chat
Momo
Oh? But the event already ended.
iku
Doesn’t matter much
I want everyone who was there to be here.
ura-vity
oh speaking of!! where were you and deku at earlier? we called you a few times before you picked up
Katsuki
yeah, where were you two at?! we already did a bunch of sightseeing at the place but you two were nowhere to be found
izuku
we went to visit some of Iku’s old friends, that’s all!
nothing more, nothing less... just a trip down memory lane, yeah!
Tokoyami
The way you say it makes it feel as if it was more than just visiting some friends.
izuku
i swear though we really weren’t up to anything bad–
iku
I think that’s enough explaining from you, Deku.
Anyway, he’s not wrong. I did take this trip for two reasons.
Momo
Are one of those just to, maybe, have some alone time?
😆(2) 🙄(1)
iku
Technically, I did want alone time. Not in whatever twisted way you’re thinking of, though.
🤫(1) 🤭(1)
ura-vity
sureeeeee because you were just taking a stroll for a long while and then suddenly you had friends to meet up with
iku
Not lying. If you don’t believe that, then that’s your own delusion feeding you.
Katsuki
even i’m not that stupid to think that iku would just invite friends someplace and just mess around
izuku
did you just call yourself stupid...
Katsuki
Not my point. I’m not stupid. I’m just saying how stupid in general it is to see that there’s something going on between you two.
Tokoyami
There’s always a chance.
iku
TOKOYAMI?
Tokoyami
My apologies. I’ll refrain from speaking.
😭(2)
Katsuki
alright, enough chitchat. there’s still the rest of the afternoon and I want to work on some other things now.
Momo
Oh? Already?
Katsuki
wouldn’t you have your own things to do too, Yaoyorozu?
Momo
Well yes, but there’s still plentiful time for us to talk here.
ura-vity
if he’s busy then we should let him do his work, right?? oh also do you like the gift iku gave??
??
bakugou???
iku
I don’t think he’ll bother himself to answer that, so I’ll take the silence as “yes”.
izuku
how did you actually find out that Kacchan likes mountain climbing? i don’t think any of us got to ask that earlier.
iku
...I have my ways.
Katsuki
Are you stalking me or something
iku
.....No.
Tokoyami
Now I wonder if you’re very insightful or just have a lot of connections...
iku
Don’t linger onto that much. I’m just good at guessing.
ura-vity
oh yeah? can you guess where i’m at right now?
iku
I might disappoint...
You are in your house.
😆(2)
ura-vity
wh- OBVIOUSLYY but where in my house?
iku
Basing on how comfortable you are in texting... perhaps your bedroom? If not, you’re resting with your stomach against the couch in your living room.
😲(1)
ura-vity
wait no cause you’re actually right on the second part
OKAY you’re good at guessing then
Momo
Or Iku has a camera in your house...
😭(1) 😄(1)
iku
I respect everyone’s privacy here. I wouldn’t do such.
❤️(2)
ura-vity
aaaaa yao-momo don’t scare me like that 🙁
izuku
well, even if she does scare you like that, it’s not real anyway!
Katsuki
Alright, I’ve read enough. See you guys Monday or something.
Tokoyami
Oh, I thought you already left.
Katsuki
I read on the convo time-to-time. Don’t act like I can’t multitask.
Tokoyami
That’s true. Carry on with multitasking, then.
izuku
oh wait guys i actually have to go– getting called by mom, seems urgent
see you guys on monday!
❤️(4)
ura-vity
bye!! see you guys too
❤️(3) 👋(1)
dad and mom calling me to work on something outside our house
also wanna know about what we did hehe
iku
Tell her that you got to ride a jet.
ura-vity
obviously ill say that!
😄(1)
okay okay bye byeeee!
Momo
Since everyone’s going, I guess I’ll have to return to my studies. See you all on Monday!
❤️(1) 👋(1)
Tokoyami
I’ll be taking my leave too. See you guys.
❤️(2)
—-
And just like that, the big event was truly, absolutely over. Iku felt relaxed during the day and went to tell S about what happened. Thus, the day came to an end. The following week was going to be a big turn for Iku and the rest of 1-A, though.