✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. nanako's pov .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿

THE date came a lot sooner than I would've liked. usually I'd have more time to prepare and practice flirting with mama so I can get straight to the fuc—

funny conversations. yes.

"nanako!! are you ready for your date??", mina asked as she entered the room.

she looked me up and down. "damn girl! lookin like a whole meal!"

"thanks mina~", I said as I twirled a bit.

I decided to go with a more casual dress, despite liking the comfort of pants. I especially liked the pockets, so I asked ochako to sew them in my dresses for me before I left.

perfect for putting things that I can't hold in them. which reminds me—

"mina? where's the perfume that dabi handed me last night?"

"right here nana!", mina happily said as she handed me the bottle, to which I sprayed it slightly before slipping it into my right pocket.

"alright, if I don't come back in an hour or so, have todoroki and midoriya come looking for me", I ordered. mina nodded as we both exited out of our room.

reaching downstairs, we greeted the innkeeper. he bowed as mina walked me to the door.

"have fun and don't flirt too much!", mina teased.

I laughed before saying, "yes yes, I'm not like who I used to be. byeeee~"

sticking my hand in my pockets, I fiddled with the small perfume bottle that dabi gave me the night before today. I occasionally took it out and sprayed it for fun.

finally arriving at the designated meeting place, I peeked inside. although the outside seemed a bit old and rustic, it gave the place a bit of character.

inside, there was not much people, only two or three, not including the worker.

I looked around for a tuff of brown hair and golden orbs. catching his sight, I waved and walked over.

sitting down with good posture, I ordered a cup of earl grey tea along with a slice of mango cake.

chisaki just had what seemed like a cup of dark coffee. either that, or dark tea...?

"so, why'd you invite me here?", I asked casually.

"is it so wrong to want to see and get to know you, princess nanako?", he replied.

"not at all. but it is wrong to lie and say you're the duke of a kingdom when you're actually not", I rebutted.

"and who's to say I'm not? the burnt man? or the crusty one?", he mocked.

"they clearly said you weren't", I stated.

"doesn't mean I won't become one". 

"quite a bold statement you've got there".

"there's nothing wrong with stating what's going to eventually happen".

I took a bite of my mango cake. 'ugh, too much frosting'.

"listen nanako. from the time I saw you at the ball, I knew you'd be perfect for my plan", chisaki said.

"oh? and what's the plan?"

"I need money".

"for?", I asked as I took a sip of my tea.

"I need money to become the duke of the villain kingdom. if I can use money to buy people's trust and support, I'll eventually be a prince, then finally the king".

"what's your current status?"

"only a marquess as of currently".

"and how'd you obtain such status?"

"how? you ask. why dear nanako, when a little boy is born into rags with barely any food, you can only hope that someone rich will stumble upon his path and hopefully take him in...", I watched his golden orbs glisten. it almost makes me shiver how calmly he's telling this story of his.

"just because I wasn't born high class, I've had to hold my tongue, bow, and smile like an idiot, even when they insult me for not doing anything.

then one day, there was this man who took me in. he cared for me like a father would. he was the previous marquess, as you see now, I've inherited his position.

before he died, he told me, 'power doesn't corrupt people, people corrupt power'. and since then, I knew what I was meant to do. I needed to rid this world of sick humans.

people are sick for the recognition of heroism, sick for power, sick for money. and to bring them to light, I must take charge and eliminate all those fakes".

"but wouldn't that make you the same as those who desire power, money, and recognition from the act of heroism?", I asked, obviously confused by his hypocrisy.

"wrong. once I rid this world of sick people, I'll pass down my beliefs to the next heir, thus, taking my leave from the soon-to-be clean world", he said.

"and what does pushing me up to the throne do for you? we would be king and queen of opposite kingdoms", I said.

"and what's something a marriage, between the two kingdoms, can't solve?", he asked, almost smirking.

"so you ultimately control both kingdoms in the end?", I asked.

"and you'd be my queen, it's a once in a lifetime chance", he offered.

"hm...a promised supply of never ending wealth, doubled...sounds pretty good to me. now what do you need me to do?", I asked, agreeing without a second thought.

"really? I expected you to stay loyal to that crusty man?", he chuckled slightly.

"tomura? he knows he's just a game between my sisters and I. I have bigger plans, now that you've entered", I said, smiling.

"ah. if that's the case, then you wouldn't mind dropping everything and heading back with me right now", chisaki said. 'more like demanded', you mentally eye rolled.

you sighed, nodding your head. you excused yourself to the ladies room. you had drank too much tea and ate a little too much cake.

entering the bathroom, you took sheets of paper towels and laid it down on the floor. dipping your pointer finger in some perfume, you spelled out something on the towels.

after you finished, you exited the bathroom to see chisaki waiting right outside for you. walking with him, you continued to occasionally spray the perfume as discreetly as possible.

✿.｡.:* ☆:**:. tea .:**:.☆*.:｡.✿

dabi hesitantly walked into the ladies room. if it weren't for tomura's orders to trail nanako, he wouldn't have even thought about doing something so scandalous.

seeing the towels laid out on the floor, he quickly grabbed it before tailing where nanako and chisaki went.

seeing the general direction, he left hastily to bring back the towels to tomura and the rest.

before the perfume dried out, it said:

'2 days'