Ice, Fire, Love, Explosion: Season 2 | My Hero Academia

Chapter 17: A Lot More Alike

3rd Person POV

The first day of school at U.A. High had begun for the school's second and third years.

Within the hallways walked second years Hitoshi Shinso and Haruka Fukumoto, dressed in their school uniforms just as the rest of their fellow U.A. students. They had just exited the 2-C temporary classroom and were on their way to Class 2-A.

"You didn't need to escort me, you know." Shinso gave Haruka the side-eye, like a younger brother annoyed by his older sister. "Hmph!" Haruka looked away from him as she crossed her arms, her ocean blue curly hair bouncing on her shoulders. "It's the polite thing to do. Besides..."

The turquoise-eyed girl softly grinned, her eyes painfully shimmering in the bright light instead of being hidden behind a pair of glasses, since she had decided to wear her contacts today. "Chiha was a bawling mess. If I hadn't escorted you out at the time I did, she would've only gotten more emotional."

"Kimura's been like that since the first day of school, though. I kinda expected it to happen." Shinso huffed a chuckle, before his eyes narrowed upon remembering the other tearing-up girl... and he started to hypothesize a reasoning as to what confused him. "I also noticed Ikeda fighting back tears. Didn't you say she worked as a maid when she was little?"

"What you're guessing is correct— Yeah, that's why she can keep in her emotions when needed." Haruka nodded as she crossed her arms, glancing down at her walking feet with a relieved smile, "Honestly, with how emotional Chiha can be... it's reliving Reine can keep her emotions in when needed. That way, she can be there for Chiha."

Glancing up from her coral pink sneakers, Haruka's heart jumped and she froze when she was met with the Class 2-A temporary classroom door to her right. After the previous third year's graduation ceremony, classes were now in session... meaning class was currently going on for 2-A.

"Well, this is it. Your new happy-go life." Haruka declared as she shut her eyes and forced her hands onto her hips. Shinso halted next to her, and he turned to her with a smirk—

He sharply gasped under his breath. He felt his entire body stiffen up and his heart begin to pound a million times faster.

From Haruka's shut eyes... tears were forming.

To say Shinso was blown away was an understatement. Out of all their time they've spent together this past year as close friends... he's never seen her cry before.

"H-Hey, Fukumoto, don't—" He stepped forward and went to place his hand on her shoulder, starting to panic. However, he softly gasped when she fell forward and her arms were thrown around his neck, her face falling into his shoulder.

Haruka slowly lifted her face from his shoulder and pressed her chin to his shoulder, intensifying her grip around his neck as tears fell from her shaking eyes. "Make sure to kick all their asses for me. Especially that stupid redhead's."

Shinso blinked in shock, before he huffed a chuckle with a loving smile and embraced her back. "That's one thing I won't miss: You complaining about him 24/7." At his words, Haruka's cheeks blazed red and she quickly shoved him off her, glaring away from him and crossing her arms with an angry growl.

While the tears from Haruka's shut eyes began to dry up, Shinso crossed his arms and suspiciously raised a brow. "Do you like him?" he honestly asked. He had been wanting to ask her that ever since the Cultural Festival, but he wanted to respect her boundaries... And also because Reine threatened him to keep quiet, just as she did to Chiha. But now that he was switching classes and would rarely get to see her in-person anymore... why not ask.