𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔯𝔱𝔶-𝔱𝔴𝔬

word count: 449

Midoriya POV

"Midoriya-kun? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Sorry? What?"

Todoroki shakes his head and gives me a tiny smile. "I was asking you if you wanted to go to Starbucks."

"Oh. Sorry, sure."

"Is something bothering you, Midoriya-kun? You seem to be distracted."

"I was just wondering what happened to Kacchan... he hasn't been at school all week."

"Oh, yes, Aizawa-sensei wanted to speak to him after class last Friday, didn't he. I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe he has to take time off, for health reasons perhaps?"

I fall silent, thinking.

After the school dance, Todoroki asked me to be his boyfriend. I said yes, because I wanted to fill the aching void of being without Kacchan. Todoroki and I hang out after school almost every day; we usually study at Starbucks.

I feel terrible, because I don't pay attention to Todoroki as much as I should. He's sweet, he buys my drink for me, and helps me prepare for our upcoming exams. But still, I constantly find myself thinking about Kacchan.

We sit at a table in the cosy, warm Starbucks cafe. I take a sip from my Peppermint Mocha and open up my textbook. Todoroki sits across from me and does the same.

"Are you going okay with the English translations?" I ask him.

"Not too bad. Are you?"

I furrow my brow and tap my pencil on my temple. "Not great... the active and passive voices mess me up."

"Oh, those aren't that hard," he says. "I'll help you with them."

He slides the textbook away from me and starts explaining the verbs in a soft voice so we don't bother the other tables around us.

I tuck my hands into my sweater sleeves. Though it is heated in Starbucks, the air outside is frigid, and it's predicted to snow very soon.

My phone vibrates on the table with a text message.

I discreetly pick it up and swipe it open. I nearly drop it in surprise when I see the contact's name.

Kacchan.

I haven't gotten a message or call from him since the night of our phone call. The message is simple.

We need to talk.

I curse myself when I see that I've left my read receipts on.

I see the three grey dots flicker, disappear, then re-appear.

Please.

I bite my lip. Should I ignore him?

"Midoriya-kun, is everything okay?"

I glance up at Todoroki. "Um, sorry, I just got a message..." I study his features. Fluffy candy-cane hair, bi-coloured eyes, his scar, a smooth jawline...

I'm being unfair. I can't use Todoroki to distract me from what I really want.

Okay

I want Kacchan.