Blossoms of the Dark Continued

CCXVIII Shouto: Daydream

Trigger Warning: 

- crude language

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My classmates and I rush to evacuate civilians from the premises.

Well, perhaps rush is not the right word.

With so many people confused about what's going on, it takes some time to convince them to leave.

One elderly man with double forearm crutches hobbles to reach one of the shuttles that will transport the civilians out of the city. I stroll over to him and give him company. The driver of the shuttle catches my eye, and I raise my palm, telling him to wait.

The man weakly says, "Thank you for your help, hero. But tell me why kids as young as you are involved in all this? Shouldn't the experienced Pro-Heroes be here?"

I smile reassuringly as I help him up the steps of the shuttle. "The heroes are here. A gang of villains has been hiding nearby, and there's a good chance the city might become a battle zone. While they're neutralizing, us students are tasked with getting innocent people like you to safety."

"You're such a good kid."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Here, have a biscuit," the man says, as he rummages through his pockets for something. I am about to tell him that it's all right, when he finds whatever it is he is looking for. He passes me a plastic pouch with two vanilla macarons. And his business card. "If my bakery survives, come by sometime. I'll treat you and your friends for free."

His kindness makes my grin widen. "Sure, Sir. I'll make sure your bakery remains unharmed, no matter what."

I step back, letting the shuttle doors close. The bus drives away until it is nothing more than a speck in the distance. The pouch and card rest in my hands. I know someone who will savor any dessert without hesitation. Well, almost. I scan the confections from all angles, checking for the presence of nuts. None. Excellent. And I pocket them in my pants.

Whenever I close my eyes, Selene's parting face is the first thing to appear. She must be in her room now. Watching the seconds tick by, hoping for good news. I wish I could call her, comfort her. But in the briefing, the first thing our superiors told us was to avoid all digital communication with the outside world. This was supposed to be an ambush, and if the villains possessed any tracking software, the element of surprise would be lost.

Turning around to assist the next passengers onto the next vehicle, my gaze falls on Bakugou. He is engaged in an argument with two middle-aged women, who are not having it with his crass demeanor. I interfere, defusing the situation and personally escorting the woman to their ride. When I return, Bakugou glares at me, unimpressed.

"What's going on, Icy Hot? You've been smiling to yourself all day. The others might not see it, but it's starting to creep me out."

There is no harm in telling him. He had already figured out a long time ago about my romantic feelings. And he had been a huge help when the assault happened. "This morning, Selene indirectly told me that she loves me."

Bakugou raises his eyebrows before scoffing. "Okay. The airhead actually read between the lines. Amazing. That explains why you're so giddy. Did you tell her that you feel the same?" I shake my head. His eye twitches and mouth opens to explosively rage at me. But at the last second, he presses his lips together. "Why the hell did you not confess, idiot?" he hisses.

Part of me enjoys the fact that he cannot vent his anger out on me outright. As rude and ill-tempered as he is, he respects secrets. I answer, "I want to do it properly. Make it special for her." I pull out the pendant from my chest pocket. Seven petals made of lapis lazuli. Center of white pearl. "This was the present I gave her for her birthday. When I told her that I would be coming here, she took it off. Made me promise to come back. Put it around her neck. I couldn't let her down now, could I?"