First Sight

54: Serendipity

"I like you, Izumi."

The greenette stood there in awe as she wasn't 100% she heard what Shoto just told her. 

"E-Eh?" 

"I know this is sudden and unexpected, but I really do like you, Izumi." Shoto said calmly. 

Izumi heard him say it again, but just when she thought she would feel relief or joy, she felt nothing. Her heart wasn't beating out of her chest, she didn't feel her body get warm, nothing, she felt completely nothing. 

"I-I-" 

She was tongue tied and wasn't sure what exactly she was feeling or thinking at that moment. She had the thought of wanting to like Shoto, but Katsuki kept coming back to her mind. 

'I shouldn't be wavering about this, even just thinking about this... I still can't get Katsuki out of my mind.' she thought.

"You don't have to answer me now." she looked back up at him. 

"Huh?" 

"This was unexpected for you, I'm sure, so you shouldn't feel like I'm pressuring you. I will wait for your answer." Shoto said. 

"Ah- I-I see... I-I'll think about everything..." she mumbled. 

"I hope this doesn't cause us to act like strangers if you can't accept me." 

"Eh?" 

"You always surprise me in some way, Izumi, and I certainly don't want that side of you to disappear because of my feelings for you." Shoto said. 

"R-Right... I... understand..." she said, not really sure what to say. 

"I hope you do have a good rest of your evening, I need to attend to something, excuse me." Shoto said, smiled and left.

Izumi stood there in shock, did this really just happen to her? She'd never been confessed to like this before, so it was all new feelings to her. 

'Does this mean... I really do like Kacchan if I can't feel anything for Shoto? I don't wanna decline Shoto, but I keep getting the memories of the past. But...' she thought and remembered the bet all over again. 

"If you can just finish this year as just Bakugo's friend, nothing more, then we'll leave you alone once we graduate. But if you can't, well, you know what'll happen." 

She dropped to her knees and clutched her hands over her chest. 

'Why? Why can't I be happy for once?'

After some time the greenette had been gone, Mina got a little worried. 

"I hope Izumi's okay, she said she was just getting some fresh air, right?" 

"Yeah, that seems odd." Mina and Kirishima said. 

Katsuki heard them from across the room and instantly got worried something had happened to her. 

"Sirius." 

The Secretary stood up along with the blond and everyone looked at them. 

"She might've gone for a walk, but we'll go look for her first. All of you may remain here, we will let you know where Miss Toshinori has gone." Sirius said, and it went silent in the room as the two men left.