My Hero Academy 1: Bomb Boy, Momo

The Proposal

A week has passed since the combined training between class 1a and 1b. Momo found herself home, visiting her parents for a business dinner for the weekend.

Momo finished fixing her hair and went to stand in front of the full length mirror in her room. She adjusted the full length red dress that she wore. There, everything was perfect.

She left her room and headed down the long hallway, heading toward the double set staircase. It took a few minutes but she finally arrived at the grand dining room. Her mother was already there.

Her mother looked toward her with a nervous smile. "Everything will go over smoothly." Momo assured her mother.

"I hope so." Her mother tucked a strand of her long black hair behind her ear. With a nervous twitch, she fixed the satan green dress that she wore. The white pearls that her mother was wearing glinted from the light of the chandelier dangling above them.

Her father entered the room, his body turned slightly to face those behind him. Momo felt her lips twitch when she saw Iida and his parents. That was an unexpected surprise. She wondered why Iida never mentioned this to her.

"Ah," her father's eyes lit up when he saw his wife and daughter. "And here are my two beautiful women. I would like to introduce you to my wife and daughter." Momo and her mother exchanged pleasantries with Iida and his parents.

Afterwards, they took their seats at the large dining table. Momo found herself seated across from Iida. He offered her a small, painful smile. "I'm sorry about this. I tried to stop it," he whispered to her. Why would he try to stop a business proposal and why was he sorry? This kind of thing happened frequently between her father and prospective business partners.

Her father cleared his throat. "I believe a merger between our two companies would benefit the future greatly."

"Indeed," Iida's father agreed. "And the surest way would be a marriage partnership. Normally, I would offer one of my other sons but since Tenya is in the same class as your daughter I decided he would be a better fit."

"Marriage!" Momo choked out. That was why Iida was sorry? Because this was a marriage partnership?

"We're not thinking of marrying you off yet. We're introducing you two today with the hopes of marriage for the future," her father said nervously, avoiding her eyes.

"Just try to get to know each other. We can decide in the future," her mother reasoned. "You know your father and I married under the same conditions. Normally relationships like this don't turn out but it did for your father and I."

Iida looked between her and the adults. "May we have a few minutes?" Momo's father nodded. Iida got up from the table and walked around the table and offered her his hand. Momo took his hand and lead them outside to the patio.

"I can't believe they did this!" Momo seethed. "I can't believe you knew about this and didn't tell me!" She whirled around and poked a finger at Iida, her calm composure gone.

"I'm sorry," Iida bowed low in an apology. "I tried to stop them or even to get them to delay the merger. I'll talk to them some more."

Momo sighed. Nothing was turning out like she wanted. "Why must we go through this when we don't have feelings for each other. This kind of relationship will only make people suffer, despite what my mother says."

"I'll try to talk to them," Iida said once again.

Momo's phone buzzed from inside her clutch. She had forgotten that she even had a hold of it.

A merger can still happen. Ask your parents for an intermission period of sorts. Her phone chimed once again with another incoming message. Don't be too hard on him. Also, give him a chance.

Momo's eyes widened and she looked around the garden. The texts were from Jiro. If Jiro was texting these, that meant the girl was here, hiding somewhere while listening in on the conversation.

"Is something the matter?" Iida asked.

"I think we have a spy. Jiro's here, somewhere."

Iida looked around, copying Momo in her surveillance. "There," he pointed toward the rose bushes. Three sets of hands raised to show their position. Before Momo could text Jiro, she received a text.

Elaina, Hagakure, and Ashido are with me. I had overheard Elaina talking to Bakugo about tonight so I followed her and wound up being followed by Hagakure and Ashido. Bakugo decided to stay behind, said this wasn't his thing. Her phone chimed again with another message. Elaina says that your words hurt him. And to also remember your conversation at the tea shop.

Momo's eyes widened with the message. She turned to Iida. "You like me?" She said a bit shocked.

"I respect you," Iida answered without hesitation. "You're brave, a brilliant student, diligent in your studies and in your hero work. You have my utmost respect and admiration for how far you have grown."

Momo felt herself blush. It wasn't a confession but a whole lot of praise. She couldn't believe he said all that with a straight face.

Momo felt her shoulders slack and she released a breath. "What should we do?"

"About the intruders or our parents?"

"Our parents." Momo wasn't worried about the girls. Their surprise visit actually helped to calm her down.

Iida put his hand to his mouth in thought. "I've already tried refusing but was denied. Maybe we should just be friends and pretend to date until we can figure out a more permanent solution?" His words were shaky and unsure.

To be honest, that was probably their best solution for now. She just hoped that this would end without anybody getting hurt.

. . . . .

Nezu looked toward the two men in his office. He was about to deliver news that Toshinori would disapprove of. "Earlier this week, Miss Takahashi visited my office with a suggestion." Toshinori perked up with his words. "I already had Aizawa to check on this to see if it would be possible."

Toshinori broke in on his speech. "What are we talking about? What did my daughter suggest?"

Nezu turned his beady eyes onto his friend, knowing that he won't take this news very well. "She offered to use her quirks on Eeri to bring back Mirio's quirk. After she develops hers' more and that Eeri's quirk stays in its weakened, dormant state. Aizawa will be present of course."

Nezu watched as the color drained out of his friend's face. "What now?"

Aizawa put a hand on Toshinori's shoulder. "It was her idea and it's a good one."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"That's why I'll be there," Aizawa said simply. "And it won't happen until the future. Takahashi is still working on perfecting her quirks."

"You should support her. This is beneficial not just for Mirio but to her and Eerie as well," Nezu added.