Blossoms of the Dark

CXX Shouto: Dance

It's been weeks since my birthday.

Since then, school workload has intensified, especially in preparation for midterm exams.

I'm convinced that the teachers collaborated and decided to punish us students by passing out exams every other day for one and a half weeks.

But now that exams are finally over, it's mid-February, and I've got other problems.

Selene-chan has been slightly off-kilter.

It's small, subtle differences. When I call her name, she flinches every so slightly before answering me. When I touch her, she stares at the contact for a moment longer than usual. More strangely, whenever I offer to join her for lunch instead of joining Iida and Midoriya, she makes an excuse and says that it's better if I eat with them instead of her. Never has she refused eating with me. And how do I ask her why she's behaving so oddly? She'll deny flinching and staring, and her excuses are viable. That sunrise, she said she would be more honest with me. Instead, she's hiding something, I think irritatedly. Whatever it is, I will find out.

This is what occupies my thoughts as I sit in an elaborate wooden chair by a cloth-covered restaurant table at an evening event organized for elite Pro-Heroes and business investors. Dad brought me here, thinking it would be a good idea to meet prospective heroes I might collaborate with in the future and businessmen who might sponsor their products via publicizing me. I think that's the same explanation that the parents of the few other teenagers I spot gave their children. They're making more of an effort than I am at interacting with others. Because Dad brought only me to this party, I'm bored and waiting for this event to end. If I had a manga with me, I could tolerate it, but no. It would be rude, he said. So it's fine he is disrespectful, but it's problematic if I am. The hypocrisy!

Although, I should do something now before Dad returns from the washroom. I glance around until my eyes land on the snacks counter. Might as well eat something, since dinner will be served two hours from now. What's the chance there will be takoyaki? I stroll over, to see the outline of a familiar figure. White hair tied in a chignon, cream gloves and choker with maroon lace matched with a maroon and cream body-hugging gown. Speak of the devil and the devil will come! Selene-chan is attending this function, too. Suddenly, my long, tiresome night is energized with life. She has two plates in hand, one already piled with food and the other in the process of being piled. Grinning, I approach her with the intent to make a joke about her voracious appetite, but that grin drops when some random dude sidles up to her.

I can't hear what he's saying, but given Selene-chan's frown and attempts to lean away from his touch, he's harassing her. For a second, I wonder why she hasn't hit him with her cane yet, until I realize that she doesn't want to make a scene. Not here, where everyone wants to keep their image clean. I can't help her outright, either, so I implement the go-to method, one I've used before: the boyfriend method. Just as creep invades her personal space again, I push between them, intentionally shoving him aside, and reach for a green apple. "I was wondering where you had gone," I say, taking a bite out of the apple. "These are good. Here, I'll hold that plate for you, sweetheart." She is stunned to see me and appalled at my calling her by that endearment. "Play along," I whisper.

She nods slightly and passes me the plate. I put a few apples, some clementines, and - would you look at that - dates. One of my favorite fruits. A strong hand grips my shoulder and turns me around angrily. It is the creep. "Hey! Don't cut in!"

"Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there. I was looking for my girlfriend," I defend myself, nonchalantly. For emphasis, I take another bite out of the apple. Selene-chan snickers behind her hand.

"Girlfriend? Who? This girl? How did someone like you land a bombshell like her?"

I'm about to retort, but she beats me to it. She's stopped snickering and gives the creep a cold glare. "What is it to you? I've already told you I'm not interested in spending the evening with you. Now, if you will excuse us." She loops her arm through my free one and gestures that we should leave with a slight pull.