Angels (book 2)

10

'Wait is this...'
The boy thought eyes widening.

"I Kinda like you Ejiro!!"
She said with her eyes tightly closed and a blush on her cheeks

'A confession?!'
............................

Kirishima's mouth opened and closed.
He really didn't know what to say, he'd been on the other side of this situation not long ago and all he wanted was the other person to return his feelings.
All he wanted was for her to accept him and love him back.

He liked Ami, not in that way, but she was his friend, she was sweet and funny and pretty.
But she wasn't Mai.

He still loved Mai, even though he knew she was six feet under. Even though she was gone.
He loved her and he knew that he always would.
Isn't that normal? You never forget your first love, right?

He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his red hair, it was down around his face like he normally wore it after showing.

"Well I..."
He looked at Ami's hope filled eyes and grimaced.
"Listen I... I like you Ami you're very sweet and smart and totally beautiful. But...."
He sighed as he watched a bit of the hope drain as she stood waiting for him to finish.

"I- I'm not ready... I'm super sorry but... Me and Mai... Well I kinda, I kinda loved her."
He said gulping.

Ami's eyes widened and she let out a small gasp.
"Oh I-"

"I feel like it's too soon to move on... And that's my fault, it has nothing to do with you."
He said with a small smile.

"Oh god I'm sorry."
Ami said with a concerned look written across her danty features.
"Are you okay? I'm sure you took her death really hard."

Kirishima nodded.
"Yeah I did, I totally did. I don't know if you remember but I was completely shut down for weeks."

She thought back to his sudden change in behavior. How when she first started the hero course he was weird and quiet.
'So he was mourning?!'
She thought In realization.

"I hope this doesn't make things weird, you're one of my best friends and I don't want to hurt you."

"No! I get it! Besides we're going to be going to school together for years! It's not like you're going anywhere! If you decide you're ready then I'll be right here waiting."
Ami promised with a smile, standing on her tippytoes to plant a small kiss on the boy's cheek.

His face turned even more red as he watched the girl walk back indoors. He lightly touched his cheek with his fingers and couldn't help but remember Mai.
She never did anything like that, but they had shared that one magical kiss the night before her death.

It hadn't been his first. No Kirishima's first kiss was wasted during a game of spin the bottle.
But it was the first kiss with Mai and the only kiss he cared about,

Until now.

......................

Memories?
That was new, it was the first time Mai had ever been set off like this. It felt like her mind had been thrown out of a moving car only to hit the pavement and get run over by another vehicle.

She grabbed the sides of her head and Alma noticed the girls struggle.
"Angel? Are you alright?"
Aphrodite asked as Alma stood and walked to Mai.

"I-I don't know-"
Mai said, her face contorting into a pained expression.
"I think I- I remembered something..."
She whispered her unseeing eyes slowly opened and showed her milky grey eyes.

Alma looked at Aphrodite who tilted her head.
"You remembered something?"

......................

"Today we have some guests here to talk about work studies."
Aizawa said with a yawn. That much was already obvious, considering the three third years were standing right in front of them.

"These students are here to explain how work studies are different from internships. As third years they all have had personal experiences with them so I'll let them take over."
Aizawa continued droning.
"Of course if you haven't yet received your hero license aren't permitted to join a work study until you finish the course by gang Orca."

Ami deflated slightly while Shinsou punched his desk in frustration.
Another obstacle in his way, another thing holding him back.

Kirishima turned around and gave Ami a smile and thumbs up which made her feel a little better.
Bakugou was staring out the window and Todoroki was listening intently to Aizawa as he spoke.

"Introduce yourselves."
Aizawa said and this caused the thin boy with black hair stiffen, he nervously scanned the younger students then started muttering about potatoes before giving up and turning to face the wall with a gloomy expression.

"Hi! I'm Nejire Hado! Let's talk about work studies- oh wow! Why are you wearing a mask? And what happens to your face?"
She pointed at Shoji then Todoroki with a curious expression, she questioned other students while bouncing around like a middle schooler.

"Don't worry! I'll explain!!"
The tallest of the three said, and a few remembered him from when Mai broke his nose.

He held up his hands in a weird pose.
"THE JOURNEY AHEAD!!!!"
He shouted enthusiastically and the stuff stared, waiting for him to finish.
He laughed at the students.

"You were supposed to say 'is full of difficulties."
He explained, a smile still prominent on his face.

"You seem confused- Oh! I know!"
The boy perked up.
"How about all of you guys fight me!"

........................

The students held their guts, their thoughts ranged from the possible internal bleeding they might have and their embarrassing defeat, to the fact that a literal streaker had jumped from the ground while shouting "POWER!!" And hitting them in their weakest spots.

He looked around with a smile as he put his pants back on. He wasn't naturally strong like many of the students in front of him.
It was because of nighteye and his work study.
That's what he was trying to show the whispering first years in front of him.

"I know the thought of working as an actual pro against real villains is scary, and that there is a possibility that you or someone you know could get seriously hurt."
Mirio said after explaining his quirk.
"But you'll never actually think you're ready until testing your quirk in actual combat. You guys already know that. Which is why you guys are even allowed to get your licenses as first years!"
He said with a smile and a thumbs up.

"Working with actual pro heroes is an experience that's worth any struggle if you want to be a pro! And I really recommend it!"
Nejire said walking up with the quieter boy behind her.
"You really learn lots of stuff!! Right Tamaki?!"
She said and the boy shrugged and muttered to himself keeping his head down.

"Also..."
Mirio said his smile fading slightly.
"I'm sorry about what happened after the licensing exam... I know that it's been hard on all of you."
He said with a sympathetic smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Him and Mai had barely been acquainted but he knew she would have been a great hero.
No he knew that she was a great hero.