A month later,
Aldera Junior High,
After school time...

Third Person's POV

A short, small girl in black sailor uniform for female student silently packed her belongings into her favourite yellow backpack while her other classmates were busy chattering. Since it was after school time, the students were very hectic, couldn't wait anymore either to hang out with their buddies or went straight home.

Well, our protagonist chose the second choice. She had no reason to go somewhere else after school, considering that she had no friend to hang out with.

Izuku Midoriya, stood there frozen like a mannequin, patiently waiting for her classmates to leave before she did. She didn't really like crowds so she would always wait until all of them left the classroom, leaving her alone in there. Her eyes tailed the figures of the teenagers, loneliness clouding her face.

Feeling that everyone wasn't around anymore, the female greenette hung the big golden yellow backpack on her small shoulders and proceeded to walk out of the classroom...

Until a certain ashen blonde boy stopped her. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Deku?" Katsuki Bakugou, also known as Kacchan by Midoriya cheekily spoke up, his arm blocking the door to stop Midoriya ftom leaving.

"Ka-Kacchan..." The fragile teenage girl timidly muttered. She stared at her so-called childhood friend in fear.  "Have you forgotten your daily duty? You're my toy so stay still." Bakugou exclaimed smugly before he shoved Midoriya's fragile body to the ground with brutal force. Poor girl lunged back and landed on the floor pathetically. The blonde delinquent's friends just smirked behind him, happy to see their prey suffering.

"N-No, Kacchan... P-Please, don't do this..." The green haired-girl pleaded, tears escaping her shining emerald eyes. "Shut your damn mouth up, Deku. Be a good girl you are and let me do you..." Bakugou began lightening up some small sparks in his palms, ready to attack Midoriya.

Midoriya sat up herself and frantically scooted far away from the mad man, tears kept flowing down. A rush of realization suddenly hit her, causing the words of someone she trusted with all her heart flashed before her eyes.

"You should fight him back if you want to prove him that you're not weak and useless like he thinks, Midori."

Midoriya shut her eyes tightly, seeping in the words that echoed in her mind. She slowly opened her eyes again, seriousness filling in them. She clutched the strap of her bags firmly before quickly stood up and ran toward Bakugou at full speed, causing the boy to suddenly jumped aside out of instinct, same as his friends. She successfully made it out alive without scratches or bruises on her body anymore.

The three delinquents stared at their prey running away dumbfounded. "W...What just happened...?" The male with jet black hair asked in confusion. Bakugou growled in anger and yelled loudly, "Why are you two scums still standing there?! Go after her, idiots!"

His two friends panickally nodded and went after Midoriya as their 'leader' said, afraid that they would get beaten up instead.

"That damn Deku, I will definitely kill you!" He cursed under his breath, hatred overwhelming in his heart...

.....

A few minutes after running,
On way back to apartment...

Midoriya's POV

"Hah... Hah..." My breathings hitched as I continued to run and run from Kacchan as far as I could. I took a last glimpse of behind me and as I wished, Kacchan and his friends were not in my field of vision anymore. "I did it..." I spoke out, feeling extremely relieved, my body leaning against the electric pole to catch my breath, sweats drenched my school uniform.

Ugh... If I stay there for too long... I wonder if I will return home in one piece.

Kacchan had been bullying me ever since I was diagniosed Quirkless. He was actually my childhood friend. But he changed after he developed his Quirk...

But lately, he had went overboard! He would touch me my body somewhere very, very private that I always returned home with puffy eyes. I felt hopeless... I felt so dirty... I couldn't do anything to fight back.

But now... Now is different. I started to build up courage and successfully ran away from him! I did it!

Thanks to Shiki-san's support and words of encouragement...

Ever since Dabi disappeared from my life one month ago, I had experienced extreme mental breakdown. But Shiki-san's presence gave big impact to me and influenced me postively... I managed to move on and forgot about Dabi.

"Hah..." I still panted heavily even after taking a break from marathon-like escaping trip. While I was resting myself, I felt someone tapping my shoulders, causing me to jump in surprise. "Eeek!" I squeaked horribly. My voice was the worst in universe.

"Midori?" A husky voice called out my name. I suspensely turned my head to behind me and my eyes immediately lit up when I recognized the hooded man standing before me.

"Shiki-san!" I cheerfully chirped out at the light blue haired-man staring at me. "What are you doing here, kid? Shouldn't you be at home already?" He asked, tilting his head curiously.

I scratched my mossy green hair, smiling nervously. "U-Um, actually... Yeah, Shiki-san! I-I finally got to escape from Kacchan! T-thanks to your advice!" I changed the topic quickly, not wanting to get scolded by him. It had happened before. Shiki-san got mad at me for returning home late since back then, there was a serial killer hunting teenage girls as his victims.

Shiki-san raised an eyebrow and walked closer to me. "Did he touch you somewhere?" He stared at my body intently, hatred darkened on his face unknownly. His cold fingers were already brushing against my porcelein skin but I didn't mind it. That was his habit when he was worried. "No, I managed to flee from him in time." I said, smiling warmly.

Shiki-san hummed in understanding, his burning vermilion irises softened up a bit. He removed his slender fingers from my freckled face. "Good." He whispered.

"Are you okay? You look paler than usual, Shiki-san..." I aired out my worry. He shook his head and gripped my wrist all of a sudden, a finger remained untouched. "Let's get ice cream... I'm craving for sweets right now." He grumbled.

Sparkles shone in my eyes as those magic words left his mouth. I eagerly nodded, agreeing with Shiki-san without hesitation. He had always treated me to ice cream whenever we hung out during the day.

I like spending time with him at night better... It's very fun to talk to him with no one else around, only us.

Now that I recalled it, two weeks had passed since we became "proper friends".

All this time, we were comfortable referring to each other as "close accquaintances".

It took time to get to know him better... He didn't talk much about his past or himself. He was very quiet...

Kinda remind me of Dabi-

NO.

FORGET ABOUT HIM ALREADY, IZUKU! YOU HAVE TO MOVE ON!

"Midori?" Shiki-san called me out, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Y-Yeah, let's go!" I grinned at him widely. He heaved a soft sigh and led me to the nearby ice cream shop.

Oh yeah... I keep wondering why he refused to call me "Midoriya". He told me before he didn't like being so formal so he ended up calling me with nickname. Does that mean "Shiki" wasn't his real name?

He never mentions his full name too... Such a mysterious guy. Maybe he just wanted to remain anonymous.

Well, whatever. Whoever he is, I will accept him. Because he is a good guy.

"Midori, stop your mumbling." Shiki-san shook his head in annoyance. "S-Sorry." I figdeted, sweating a bit. "Seriously, you should be aware of yourself more. Your action really reminded me of someone important..." He murmured the last sentence, causing me to tilt my head puzzledly. "What are you saying? I couldn't make up what you were saying the last part just now..." I said in curiousity.

"Nothing. Let's hurry up and get our ice creams. I can't bear these walking corpses anymore." Shiki-san exclaimed, his red eyes tailing the passer-bys around us.

He is as mean as ever...

I pushed open the door, making the ball rang loudly as a signal customers had entered. "Welcome!" The male seller welcomed us with a friendly smile tugged on his lips. "You always called people around walking corpses. Does that mean I am one of them too?" I jokingly asked him when we were carefully choosing the favourite flavours of our ice creams.

"You're different from the rest of them. You're special." Shiki-san frankly stated, his red eyes fixated on the menu glued on the rainbow-coloured wall. My heart skipped a beat when he utteres those words, faint pink shades tinted on my face.

H-huh? Why am I feeling like this? I-It can't be- That's impossible! Shiki-san is my friend! I was just moved by his kind words, that's all!

Right...?

Shiki-san... my only friend...

Did I... Really see him as... Friend?

"Midori, have you chosen your flavour?" Shiki-san's voice brought me back into reality. "U-Um, I want the oreo one." I told half-yell at the seller. "Then I will have the same one as her." He casually said. I looked at him strangely.

Hm, he won't have his usual blueberry flavour? That's strange. Maybe he wanted to try out something new.

"Two Oreo Ice Cream, huh? Come right away!" The seller who was around his forty energetically exclaimed as his hands skillfully scooped the ice cream into two big cones. I watched him in excitement.

"Here, one for this cute Miss and one for you, lucky Mister." The adult man with sunset coloured-hair grinned as he handed over the ice creams, one for each of us. I eagerly took it from his hand. "Thank you!" I bowed to him to show grateful I was.

"How much these two cost?" I asked, already taking out my purse. "200 yen!" He answered, making a peace sign. I nodded and pulled out two 100 yen coins from my All Might-patter purse and gave them to him. We both then walked out of the shop. "Come again later okay!" The seller shouted happily.

I only smiled as I enjoyed my oreo flavoured-ice cream. "Let's stop there..." Shiki-san said, pointing to a wooden bench near a cherry blossom tree. "Good idea! Let's go!" I grabbed his hand and dragged him there.

The two of us sat on the newly-painted bench next to each other. "So yummy." I talked to myself. I could feel a pair of eyes staring at me so I snapped out, and then looked at Shiki-san. As expected, his eyed were glued on me.

"Shi-Shiki-san...?" I nervously spoke up but he kept his gaze at me. He dangerously narrowed the gaps between our faces, making ny heart beat faster. He suddenly licked the corner of my lips.

"HUH?!" I blushed madly out of embarrassment before he distanced his face from me back.

"Sh-Shiki-san?! Why did you--" 

"You got ice cream on your face so I licked it away." He immediately explained, placing a finger on the corner of his chapped lips. "J-Jeez, you can just tell me..." I pouted, still blushing red.

Shiki-san, my only friend, is really an unpredictable man. I could never know what is in his mind... But those traits of his is what drive me closer him and peaked my curiousity.

I want... To get to know him better.

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