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It wasn't supposed to happen.
Izuku had planned everything perfectly.
Catch the 5:10 train.
Be home by six.
Finish his hero analysis before bed.
Simple.
Instead...
A polite announcement echoed across the station.
"We apologize for the inconvenience. Due to a signal failure, all services have been delayed."
Izuku sighed.
"...Of course."
He checked the departures board.
Estimated delay: 90 minutes.
"...Well."
"So much for the schedule."
Platform Seven wasn't particularly busy.
A few office workers.
An elderly couple.
A university student asleep against a pillar.
Izuku found an empty bench.
Opened his notebook.
And began making use of the
unexpected free time.
"...Midoriya?"
He looked up.
"...Hado?"
Nejire stood a few metres away, looking equally surprised.
She was carrying a small overnight bag and an iced coffee.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing."
She laughed.
"My train got delayed!"
"...Mine too."
She looked up at the departure board.
"Ninety minutes."
He nodded.
"...Looks like it."
Nejire smiled brightly.
"Mind if I sit?"
"Not at all."
She sat beside him.
"...Whatcha writing?"
Izuku instinctively closed the notebook.
"...Just hero analysis."
"Ooo!"
Her eyes lit up.
"Can I see?"
"...Sure."
He handed it over.
She flipped through several pages.
There were diagrams.
Observations.
Strategy notes.
Tiny sketches.
Questions scribbled into the margins.
"...You really write all this?"
"...Yeah."
"When?"
"...Whenever I think of something."
"...How often's that?"
He thought for a moment.
"...Quite a lot."
She laughed.
"I like that answer."
Silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
For approximately...
Eight seconds.
Then...
"So!"
Nejire turned toward him.
"I've got a question."
Izuku smiled.
"I thought you might."
"What's your favourite hero agency?"
He answered.
She immediately followed with another.
"If you couldn't use One For All for a day, what would you do?"
He answered.
Another.
"Favourite season?"
"Favourite snack?"
"First person you told about your dream?"
"If you could visit any country tomorrow?"
"Do you think pigeons recognize individual people?"
Izuku blinked.
"...I've never thought about that last one."
"You should."
"I probably will now."
Twenty minutes disappeared.
Neither of them noticed.
Eventually...
Izuku laughed.
"...Can I ask you something?"
Nejire gasped dramatically.
"My turn?!"
"...If that's okay."
"Absolutely!"
He smiled.
"What's the first thing you ever remember wanting to fly over?"
She looked up toward the station roof.
Then grinned.
"...My house."
"...Really?"
"Mhm."
"I was six."
"I wanted to know what my
neighbourhood looked like from above."
She laughed.
"It wasn't very exciting."
"But..."
She smiled softly.
"...It was beautiful."
For the next half hour...
The questions flowed both ways.
Childhood.
Heroes.
Food.
Books.
Dreams.
Embarrassing moments.
Favourite clouds.
Whether cats secretly judged people.
Which fictional worlds they'd most like to visit.
Nothing felt too small.
Nothing felt too silly.
Another announcement echoed through the station.
"We apologize for the continued delay..."
Izuku glanced automatically toward the departure board.
Then...
To his own surprise...
Looked back at Nejire instead.
"...Looks like we've got a little longer."
She smiled.
"...Good."
He blinked.
"...Good?"
"Mhm."
"I've still got..."
She counted on her fingers.
"...At least thirty-seven more questions."
Izuku laughed.
A genuine, unguarded laugh.
"...Only thirty-seven?"
She pretended to think.
"...Thirty-eight."
For the first time that evening...
Neither of them was particularly eager for the train to arrive.
By the time the station clock reached six o'clock...
Nejire had asked forty-three questions.
Izuku knew because...
Of course he was counting.
"...Forty-three."
Nejire tilted her head.
"...You've been counting?"
He looked mildly embarrassed.
"...Maybe."
She burst into laughter.
"That's amazing!"
"I wasn't trying to!"
"It just happened!"
"It usually does."
"So..."
She leaned back on the bench.
"Question forty-four."
Izuku smiled.
"I'm ready."
"If you weren't training to become a hero..."
"What would you be?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead...
He thought.
A lot.
Finally...
"I think..."
"...I'd probably be a teacher."
Nejire blinked.
"A teacher?"
"Mhm."
"I like explaining things."
"And..."
He laughed quietly.
"I apparently write enough notes already."
She smiled.
"I can see that."
"What would you teach?"
"Heroics."
"But..."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"I'd want everyone to feel comfortable asking questions."
"No matter how obvious they thought
they were."
Nejire's smile softened.
"...I think you'd be really good at that."
"My turn."
She sat up eagerly.
"Okay!"
"What made you start asking so many questions?"
She blinked.
"...I've always done it."
"But why?"
She looked around the station.
Searching for the right words.
"...I think..."
"I just like people."
He tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean..."
She smiled brightly.
"Everyone knows something I don't."
"Everyone's lived a different life."
"So..."
She shrugged.
"...why wouldn't I ask?"
Izuku thought about that.
It was such a Nejire answer.
Simple.
Honest.
Wonderfully optimistic.
A little girl wandered past holding her father's hand.
She pointed excitedly at Nejire.
"Daddy!"
"She has pretty hair!"
Nejire smiled immediately.
"Thank you!"
The little girl giggled.
Then hid behind her father's leg.
Izuku watched the exchange with a smile.
"...You do that naturally."
"Hm?"
"You make people comfortable."
She blinked.
"...Really?"
"Mhm."
"You've been talking to everyone who's walked past."
She looked around.
"...Have I?"
"You complimented that woman's dog."
"You helped that tourist find Platform Three."
"You made that little boy laugh because you pretended your drink was rocket fuel."
She laughed.
"...I forgot about that."
"I didn't."
She looked at him curiously.
"...You notice a lot."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...I guess."
"No."
She smiled knowingly.
"You really do."
"I ask questions."
"You notice answers."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Because...
She'd accidentally described both of them perfectly.
The station announcement chimed again.
"We apologize for the inconvenience. The next service is now expected in approximately forty-five minutes."
Izuku looked up.
"...Another delay."
Nejire looked too.
Then...
To his complete surprise...
She cheered.
"...Yes!"
Several commuters looked over.
She immediately covered her mouth.
"...Sorry."
Izuku laughed.
"...Were you just happy the train's late?"
She looked sheepish.
"...Maybe."
"...Why?"
She smiled.
"I haven't finished talking to you yet."
His cheeks warmed.
"...Oh."
"I've still got loads to ask."
"You do?"
"Mhm."
She started counting on her fingers.
"I still don't know your favourite dessert."
"Or your favourite constellation."
"Or whether you'd rather explore the ocean or space."
"Or-"
Izuku couldn't help laughing again.
"...You really did come prepared."
"I always do."
A comfortable silence settled over them.
This one lasted nearly a full minute.
Then...
Nejire spoke again.
"...Do you know something funny?"
"What?"
"Most people get tired of my questions."
Izuku looked at her.
"...Really?"
"Mhm."
"They'll answer for a while."
"Then they start checking their phones."
"Or changing the subject."
She smiled, though there was the faintest hint of sadness behind it.
"...You haven't."
He looked genuinely surprised.
"...Why would I?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know."
"They're just questions."
He smiled warmly.
"...Exactly."
"They're just questions."
"And..."
He looked at her with quiet sincerity.
"...I like answering yours."
For just a second...
Nejire forgot to think of another question.
That alone might have been the most surprising thing to happen all evening.
By half past six...
Platform Seven had become noticeably
quieter.
Office workers had found alternative routes.
Families had gone home.
Even the university student had finally woken up and left.
Only a handful of passengers remained.
Neither Izuku nor Nejire had noticed.
"...Question fifty-nine."
Izuku smiled.
"We're nearly at sixty."
"I know."
She grinned.
"I feel like it deserves to be a good one."
He folded his notebook closed.
"I'm ready."
She thought for a long moment.
Long enough that Izuku started
wondering if she'd finally run out.
"...Okay."
"If you could relive one day of your life..."
"Just to experience it again..."
"Which day would you choose?"
He didn't answer immediately.
The smile on his face softened.
"I think..."
He looked down at his hands.
"...The day I met All Might."
Nejire nodded.
"I thought you might say that."
"But..."
He continued quietly.
"I don't think I'd change anything."
"I'd just..."
He laughed to himself.
"...like to feel what that hope felt like again."
She smiled.
"...That's a beautiful answer."
"My turn."
"Question sixty."
She clapped happily.
"Ooo!"
"Milestone question!"
Izuku chuckled.
"If you could fly anywhere in the world right now..."
"Where would you go?"
She answered so quickly it was almost automatic.
"...Here."
He blinked.
"...Here?"
She nodded.
"Mhm."
"I like where I am."
He laughed.
"That doesn't count."
"It absolutely counts."
"You said anywhere."
"I choose this bench."
She smiled brightly.
"Good choice."
For a little while...
They simply watched the evening settle over the station.
The sky slowly shifted from blue...
To orange… To deep violet. The lights along the platform flickered on.
One by one.
"You know..."
Nejire said quietly.
"I was really annoyed when the train got delayed."
"Were you?"
"Mhm."
"I had plans."
"I was going to get home."
"Eat."
"Read."
"Sleep."
She smiled.
"...This turned out much better."
Izuku looked at her.
"...Yeah."
"It did."
Another announcement echoed overhead.
This time… Different.
"Attention passengers. Service has now resumed. The next train will arrive in approximately five minutes."
For the first time all evening...
Neither of them smiled.
"...Oh."
Nejire looked down the tracks.
"...Already?"
Izuku checked the departure board.
"...Looks like it."
Neither of them moved.
After a minute...
Nejire sighed dramatically.
"...I still have questions."
Izuku laughed.
"...How many?"
She counted silently.
"...Twenty-seven."
"Exactly?"
"I rounded down."
He smiled.
"...That's generous."
She looked at him thoughtfully.
"...Can I ask one more?"
"Always."
She hesitated.
For the first time all evening...
She looked almost… nervous.
"...What's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to you?"
Izuku sat very still.
Of all the questions she'd asked...
This one somehow felt the hardest.
He thought back through the years.
Teachers. Friends. Mentors. His mother. All Might.
Then...
A smile appeared.
Quiet.
Fond.
"...Someone once told me..."
He looked down at his notebook.
"...that I make people feel safe."
Nejire smiled.
"...That's true."
He looked back up.
"And..."
"...someone else told me..."
"...that I ask good questions."
She blinked.
"...Who said that?"
He smiled.
"...You."
Silence.
Just for a heartbeat.
Then Nejire laughed.
Not loudly.
Just… warmly.
"...Well."
"I'm glad I said it."
The sound of an approaching train echoed through the station.
Headlights appeared in the distance.
Passengers slowly stood.
Gathering bags.
Checking tickets.
Preparing to leave.
Nejire stayed seated for another moment.
Then smiled.
"...I've got one final question."
Izuku chuckled.
"I thought that was the last one."
"I changed my mind."
"Of course you did."
She grinned.
"...Would you maybe..."
She scratched the back of her neck.
"...want to miss fewer trains together in
the future?"
He stared at her for a second.
Then laughed.
"...I'd like that."
She smiled so brightly it seemed to outshine the station lights.
"...Good."
The train rolled gently into Platform Seven.
Neither of them minded anymore that it had finally arrived.
Because somehow...
The delay had taken them exactly where they were supposed to be.
The following Thursday...
Izuku arrived at the station ten minutes early.
Not because he expected another delay.
Old habits died hard.
He simply preferred having time to spare.
He adjusted the strap of his backpack.
Looked up at the departure board.
Everything was running exactly on
schedule.
"...Good."
Then...
"...Midoriya!"
He turned.
Nejire hurried across the concourse,
waving enthusiastically.
"You made it!"
He smiled.
"So did you."
She slowed to a stop beside him.
"...Looks like no delays today."
"Mhm."
She looked up at the departure board.
Then back at him.
"...That's a shame."
Izuku laughed.
"...Just a little?"
"...Maybe a little."
Their train wasn't due for another eight minutes.
Without discussing it...
They walked to Platform Seven.
The very same bench was empty.
Nejire pointed triumphantly.
"It's free!"
"I think it's our bench now."
Izuku sat beside her.
"...Our bench?"
"Mhm."
"We had a whole adventure here."
"I suppose we did."
Nejire reached into her bag.
"I brought something."
She held out two canned coffees.
"I remembered you liked this brand."
Izuku accepted one, surprised.
"...You remembered?"
She looked at him as though he'd asked the world's silliest question.
"Of course."
"You remembered I like asking questions."
"I remembered your favourite season."
"You remembered I like strawberry mochi."
"So..."
She shrugged.
"...I remembered your coffee."
He smiled.
"...Thank you."
For a while…
They simply watched trains come and
go.
People hurried past.
Announcements echoed overhead.
The evening sun bathed the platform in warm gold.
Then, almost inevitably...
Nejire spoke.
"...Question sixty-two."
Izuku laughed.
"We skipped sixty-one."
"I know."
"I'm keeping you on your toes."
"What happened to sixty-one?"
"It's in quality control."
He laughed so hard he nearly spilled his coffee.
Half an hour later...
Their train had come and gone.
Neither of them had boarded it.
The announcement echoed through the station.
"The next service will arrive in fifteen minutes."
Izuku blinked.
"...Nejire."
"Hm?"
"...Wasn't that our train?"
She looked down the tracks.
"...Oh."
A pause.
"...I think it was."
They looked at each other.
Then...
Burst into laughter.
"We forgot to get on it!"
"I can't believe we actually missed it!"
"I was asking about your favourite childhood book!"
"I was answering!"
Neither of them could stop laughing.
Once they finally caught their breath...
Izuku shook his head.
"...You know..."
"What?"
I've spent years planning everything."
"Timetables."
"Schedules."
"Routes."
"And somehow..."
He smiled at her.
"...you're the first person who's ever
made me happy to miss a train."
Nejire's expression softened.
"...Really?"
He nodded.
"...Really."
She looked out across the tracks.
"...Can I tell you a secret?"
"Always."
"I knew that train was ours."
Izuku blinked.
"...You did?"
"Mhm."
"I looked at the board."
"You didn't say anything."
"I wanted to see if you'd notice."
"...That's cheating."
She giggled.
"I know."
"...Did you want to miss it?"
She smiled.
"...Maybe."
"...Why?"
She turned toward him.
"Because..."
"...I wasn't finished spending time with you."
For a moment...
The busy station seemed to disappear.
No announcements.
No footsteps.
No rumble of passing trains.
Just the two of them...
Sitting on the same bench where a delayed train had first introduced them to each other.
Izuku smiled.
"...Neither was I."
Nejire's answering smile was impossibly bright.
"...Good."
She gently nudged his shoulder with hers.
"So..."
He looked at her.
"...Question sixty-three?"
He laughed.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
As another train rolled into Platform Seven...
Neither of them even glanced toward the doors.
For the first time in their lives...
They had somewhere they'd rather be.
Three months later...
Thursday.
5:00 p.m.
Platform Seven.
"...You're early."
Izuku looked up from his notebook.
Nejire walked toward him carrying two iced coffees.
"I know."
He smiled.
"So are you."
"I know."
She handed him one of the drinks.
"I remembered."
He accepted it gratefully.
"...Thank you."
She sat beside him on the now very familiar bench.
Their bench.
Neither of them had ever actually called it that.
They simply...
Always ended up there.
"So..."
Nejire smiled.
"Question one hundred and forty-two."
Izuku laughed.
"We're over a hundred now?"
"I've been keeping count."
"...You have?"
She pulled a tiny notebook from her bag.
Every page was filled with numbered questions.
Some had ticks beside them.
Others had little stars.
A few had "ask later" scribbled beside them.
Izuku stared.
"...You actually made a list."
She looked proudly at the notebook.
"Of course."
"I didn't want to accidentally repeat one."
He laughed so hard he nearly spilled his coffee.
"...That's incredible."
"I know."
An announcement echoed across the station.
"The 5:10 service is now boarding."
Neither of them looked up.
Nejire was busy asking whether squirrels would enjoy flying if they could.
Izuku was taking the question far more seriously than anyone reasonably should.
"I think..."
"...they'd probably panic at first."
"Mhm."
"But eventually..."
"...they'd start showing off."
She nodded enthusiastically.
"Exactly!"
The train arrived.
Passengers climbed aboard.
Doors opened.
Doors closed.
The train departed.
Neither of them noticed.
A station employee walked past carrying a radio.
He slowed as he recognized them.
"You two again."
Nejire looked up.
"Oh!"
"Hello!"
He smiled.
"You missed another train."
Izuku blinked.
"...We did?"
He checked the departure board.
"...Oh."
"So we did."
The employee chuckled.
"I've been seeing you here every
Thursday for months."
"I was beginning to wonder if you actually intended to travel anywhere."
Nejire grinned.
"We do."
"Eventually."
"...Usually."
Izuku rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Sometimes."
The employee laughed.
"I thought as much."
"Have a good evening."
"You too!"
As he disappeared down the platform...
Nejire looked at Izuku.
"...Question one hundred and
forty-three."
He smiled.
"I'm ready."
She rested her chin on her hand.
"...How many trains do you think we've missed?"
Izuku pretended to calculate.
"Hmm..."
"At least..."
"...Nine?"
She shook her head dramatically.
"Too low."
"Twelve?"
"Still too low."
He laughed.
"Okay."
"You tell me."
She smiled.
The same bright, infectious smile he'd first seen on this very platform months ago.
"...Not enough."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
The evening breeze drifted through the station.
People hurried home after long days.
Announcements echoed overhead.
Another train approached in the distance.
Izuku looked around the platform.
Then back at Nejire.
"...Can I ask one?"
She gasped.
"My favourite words."
He smiled.
"...Do you think..."
He looked down the tracks.
"...if that first train hadn't been delayed..."
"...we'd still have become friends?"
Nejire thought for only a second.
Then gently shook her head.
"...No."
He blinked.
"...No?"
"I think..."
She smiled softly.
"...we would've become friends
eventually."
She nudged his shoulder with hers.
"The delay just..."
"...helped us get there sooner."
Izuku looked at her.
Then laughed quietly.
"...I like that answer."
"I know."
"I was hoping you would."
Another announcement echoed through the station.
Another train rolled into Platform Seven.
Another train rolled away.
This time...
Neither of them even glanced toward the doors.
Because somewhere between one delayed train...
One hundred and forty-three questions...
And countless cups of coffee...
Platform Seven had quietly become their favourite destination.
And neither of them could imagine being in any hurry to leave.