You sighed as you made up your mind. "Todoroki, I actually need to go back to my friends at this silly karaoke place. Would you mind joining me for a bit?"

Todoroki gave you a once-over, disconcerted. Why would you invite him of all people? Just because you came across each other due to that villain? Shaking his head, he dismissed those thoughts. "I'm not a keen singer," he deadpanned.

The intense gaze he set on you made your hairs stand on end. "Y-yeah, makes sense. I can't sing for my life either, so I was getting pretty bored up there."

"So do you believe that it would be more fun if I joined you?"

You were taken back by Todoroki's direct question. It made you appreciate another side to him: one that was oblivious to social interactions. "Yeah, I think so?"

He looked at his watch to check the time. It didn't take him long to decide. "Okay. I'll come with you."

"Nice! Word of warning, if my friend Chiharu pins me down, there's no need to worry. We've got a bit of a competition going on," you said as you turned around and guided Todoroki to the karaoke place.

Todoroki placed his cold hands in his pockets, humming to himself as he followed you. For some reason, he couldn't help but be amused by you. He could go home early, but he didn't mind hanging around with you for the last time. Especially when this was the perfect chance to discuss something that had been weighing in his mind.

---

Once you arrived at the neon-lit corridor on the second floor, you could hear a boy's out of tune voice as he sang a popular J-Pop song. You held your laughter back as you looked back at Todoroki, who stared back at you blankly instead. "He's pretty bad, right?" You said.

Todoroki brought his hand to his ear, signalling that he hadn't heard you.

You stood on the tips of your feet, your face next to his ear. You could smell his faint, but pleasant cologne. "I said that guy's singing is pretty bad, right?"

Todoroki nodded and then pointed to something behind you with his index finger. "Is that your friend?"

You turned around to see the now open door. Chiharu was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest. A patch of her pink dress was wet, she'd been laughing so hard that she spilled her drink. "Took you long enough, (y/n)!"

"Yeah, sorry, Chi." You were about to carry on into the karaoke room she had booked using her parent's credit card, when you remembered that you hadn't introduced her to Todoroki yet. "By the way, this is Shoto Todoroki."

"I know! We go to the same school!"

"Oh, alright. Nice to meet you." He gave your friend a small, respectful bow.

Chiharu sweatdropped. They shared quite a few classes such as English and Japanese History, but Todoroki had never noticed her. Chi then led said boy into the karaoke room before grabbing by your shoulders and pushing you aside. You were worried about what was going on with her until her signature cheeky grin broke on her lips. It was refreshing, mirroring the meaning of her name: a thousand springs.

"You idiot," Chiharu said. "You didn't tell me you'd bring flipping Shoto Todoroki. He's literally the hottest boy in my year!"

"I hope you don't mind?"

"This is amazing, despite the fact that he'd no idea who I was. I can't say I'm jealous because I know you're going through a rough time, but still..." She scratched her chin as if she had a beard. "I know! It's literally like your life's turning into a Shoujo manga."

The room was rather small, bringing the group of five girls and six boys closer together. Mio Nekoma, the girl with the cat-like face you'd met earlier today, tried to spark a conversation with Todoroki as soon as he sat down next to her. "I'd never seen you come out, Todoroki. How come you're here?"

"Oh, because of (y/n)."

"Kyaa! You just call (l/n) by her first name. How long have you two known each other?" Another girl from his school, who was sitting opposite the both of you asked. She seemed so bubbly now when earlier that day she'd openly ignored your attempts of joining in.

Your lips set in a grim line. This is the worst. I shouldn't have invited Todoroki. You wanted the floor to swallow you so you could disappear from this awkward torture.

"Hey there, (l/n). You can call me Aoi. Will you be transferring to our middle school like Chiharu?" He said, running a hand through his ocean blue hair, which framed his dreamy face like waves.

Todoroki listened in to your conversation with the athletic boy. While you didn't know, Aoi had a reputation for being a bit of a player at their middle school. Aoi placed his warm hand on yours as he asked you for your phone number. Todoroki noticed how squirmed uneasily in your chair, letting him know that you were as uncomfortable as he was in this place.

"I don't know my number," you replied, pulling your hand away and placing it on your lap.

"Are you sure? Do you think you'll remember your number if we get to know each other a little better?"

"No, I'm fine thanks." Wrinkling your nose, you stole a glance at your childhood friend waving her hands in the air as she sang to a cheery tune. Not wanting to make a scene for her, you added, "No offence but I'm not interested in going out with boys. I've got enough on my plate as it is."

"Come on, (l/n). If you won't go on a date with me, can I at least give you my number?"

Todoroki cleared his throat. "Hey, Aoi. I think (y/n) was quite clear." He then eyed you up and down, for the first time acknowledging that you were a girl who could attract other boys' attention. That fact made Todoroki's mind run wild, wondering what you had meant by having enough on your plate. It pained him to think that it could be linked in any shape or form to his own dreaded father. He could tell that you wanted to leave, particularly when you mouthed to him that you were sorry for dragging him into this.

"It's okay, (y/n)," Todoroki said.

You felt your cheeks warm up as you realised that he was, in fact, calling you by your first name. Should you call him by his first name, too? You usually didn't care this much about this sort of thing, nor what anyone else thought of you. It was different now. You felt somewhat self-conscious.

"(y/n), there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. How about we go somewhere quieter?"

Your heart soared at the thought of going off to somewhere private with Todoroki, but you kept your cool. "Yeah, sure."

---

You and Todoroki sat on the narrow carpeted stairs of the karaoke place, the music muffled by the closed doors behind you. Both of you were forced to seat rather close to each other, both his and your legs nearly coming into contact had you not held your knees close to your chest.

Out of habit and trepidation, you fidgeted with your fingers. You weren't sure of how to act when he had such a severe expression.

He opened his mouth as if he was about to ask you a question. Instead, he shook his head and declared:

"(y/n), I wanted to tell you that... you should stay away from me."

Time seemed to stop as you held your breath. You replayed Todoroki's words over and over in your head, but they still didn't make any sense to you. "Why?"

Todoroki struggled to find the right words for a few moments. Without any context, this could sound strange, but he needed to know. "Did my father hire you?"

"To do what? We're the same age, Todoroki. I'm not allowed to do any hero work yet."

"That's not what I meant," he said. "He wants us to start..."

Suddenly, you heard your favourite anime's opening tune emanating from your pocket. Even though that was your ringtone, receiving a call startled you all the same these days. The doctor responsible for your father's care had promised to call you to update you about any unexpected changes in your father's health. Recognising the hospital's number, you felt your heart sink even further. You shook your head, worried sick, yet trying to make yourself stop thinking about the worst.

"You look off. Is everything okay?"

"I need to go now." You felt your stomach churn. You stood up from the carpeted stairs, using the wall to help you up. "I-I won't cross your path again if that's what you want."

There was no chance for Todoroki to finish explaining as you dashed down the stairs. The cold winter air hit your face as you hailed a taxi. You grabbed your chest, trying to calm down the turmoil of dark emotions before you gave the hospital a call back.

By the time Todoroki had made it outside, you were getting in the car. He knew that he was fast enough to join you if he tried. Yet the boy just stood there in the street, the taxi becoming a yellow dot in the distance. He tilted his head to one side, contemplating if, perhaps, he had misread the situation.