Blossoms of the Dark

LII Shouto: Tea

We arrive at the train station just in time.

We board the train, and to her mock surprise, there is no first-class compartment because it's a metro train. She makes an exaggerated shocked expression, with eyes wide open and hands covering her mouth. Before she can open her mouth to make some teasing comment, I pull her with me to two empty seats. Most of the compartment is empty. Just two ladies deep in conversation and a boy a little older than us focused on his phone.

Hanada-chan leans back so that her back rests completely against the cushion. She closes her eyes and rests her head on the top of the seat, face raised toward the roof. I watch as her hair changes immediately from raven black to gradient black, grey, and white as a ray of sunlight shines across her face. She feels me staring and opens her eyes. "What happened?" she asks as she lifts herself from the seat to face me.

"I was watching your hair change color."

She looks at her hair and then the setting sun and puts the pieces together. "It happens instantly," she comments as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

I ask her something I've been wanting to know for the past few hours. "Why did Aizawa-sensei hold you back during Lunch?"

She looks a little surprised. "Oh, that. He wanted to meet me in private to discuss my match with All Might yesterday. He wanted to give some feedback."

"What did he say?" I'm curious now.

"Well, it wasn't as cutting as Bakugou-san's or Midoriya-san's. But it was embarrassing nonetheless."

Now I really want to know. "Go on. What's that colloquialism? Spill the tea."

She snorts and covers her mouth to stifle her laughter. "I get the feeling you're going to tease me if I tell you. As payback for what I did earlier."

I smirk in amusement. "It's that embarrassing? Then maybe I will."

She mutters, "I'm going to regret this." With a deep breath, she begins. "Once the class left, you included, Aizawa-sensei woke up. Just as I was about to leave, he held me back saying, 'Hanada, wait. There's something I need to talk to you about.' So I waited. Very leisurely and catlike he got out of his sleeping bag, yawning, stretching-"

"What did he want to talk to you about?" I interrupt her, knowing that she's stalling.

She lets out a sound of irritation. "You have no taste for drama. Fine. He showed me pictures from my trial. Ones where I walked through the labyrinthine hallways, tried to carry the weapon through the door, dimmed the lights, and my series of traps that activated when All Might burst in. There was also one where I was lying casually on a slab of rock, drinking from my thermos. I really thought I was doing something impressive there. I thought I was showing how confident I was in my abilities. Sensei didn't think so. 'Don't get so cocky during battle. Especially against Pro-Heros. You look arrogant and pedantic when you do that. You've got potential, so don't waste it with that I'm-better-than-you attitude. Otherwise, no matter how much talent you've got, no hero is going to want to work with you,' is what he said. He did commend my strategy and tricks, saying that it wasn't every day someone put All Might through such a challenge, but he put greater emphasis on my pride." Her eyes have narrowed and lips have thinned by the time she's finished.

So Aizawa-sensei reached the same conclusions I did ... I don't think this is just a coincidence and should be brushed off. A teacher and I both think that Hanada-chan's pride is a precarious strength and weakness. It can alternate between confidence and ego so easily, it's detrimental. I look at Hanada-chan for a long time before saying, "I don't think he was wrong. I noticed something similar, too. Now, I don't think it's as bad as Aizawa-sensei is saying it is right now, but I agree that you should hold back a little of your pride. Use it as a strength, but don't let it turn into a weakness."

She looks for a long moment and sighs. "I suppose you're right." She buries her face in her hands and groans.

I let out a small burst of laughter. "Did admitting I was right hurt your pride?" She says nothing, so I take that as a yes. I let out an even greater burst of laughter, bringing the attention of the two ladies to me. Hanada-chan groans again and lightly shoves me without looking.

I don't stop laughing during the entire ride and sneak a flower from her hair. Hanada-chan looks thoroughly done with me as she leaves. 

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