The next day at U.A., things felt slightly different for Jiro. She couldn't quite explain it, but the time she had spent with Izuku in the park had shifted something inside her. She kept replaying his words in her head, the way he had looked at her—so nonchalant, yet honest in his own way. There was more to him than the laid-back persona he carried, and she found herself wanting to dig deeper.
In class, she caught herself glancing at him more often than usual. Izuku, as expected, was the same. He stayed quiet, detached, and completely uninterested in what was going on around him. The earbuds were in as always, his face blank as he tapped his fingers on the desk to some invisible beat.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Jiro quickly gathered her things, debating whether or not to approach him again. Before she could make a decision, Kaminari and Mineta had already slid up beside her, talking loudly as usual.
"Hey, Jiro! Wanna hit up the arcade with us later?" Kaminari grinned, clearly eager to hang out.
Mineta nodded excitedly. "Yeah, and maybe we can grab some—"
"I'm busy," Jiro cut them off, her eyes still lingering on Izuku. Her abruptness surprised even herself, but she was too focused to care.
Both boys blinked, slightly taken aback, but quickly brushed it off. "Ah, no worries," Kaminari said, giving her a playful salute. "Catch you later then."
As the classroom emptied, Izuku got up from his seat and made his way out, his skateboard tucked under his arm as usual. Jiro bit her lip, hesitating for just a second before she decided to follow him.
---
Jiro trailed behind Izuku discreetly, curious to see where he was heading. It didn't take long before she realized he was on his way to the skate park, the same place where she had first seen that side of him—free, unguarded, and so unlike the Izuku she knew from U.A.
When she arrived at the park, she kept her distance, watching as he skated effortlessly around the ramps and rails. His movements were smooth, precise, and full of the kind of energy that contrasted sharply with his usual nonchalance. There was a passion there, hidden beneath the surface, and she couldn't help but admire him for it.
As she leaned against a tree, Jiro's eyes scanned the park and eventually landed on his skater friends—Kaito, Ren, and Emi—hanging out on the side, watching Izuku pull off tricks with ease.
Kaito, the loudest of the group, shouted, "Yo, Deku! You're killing it, man!" He fist-bumped Ren and Emi, clearly impressed with Izuku's skills.
Ren, who was more reserved, just nodded in agreement. "Yeah, man. You're on fire today."
Emi, the only girl in the group, sat cross-legged on the grass, her eyes following Izuku's every move. "He always is. Just doesn't show it when he's at that hero school of his."
Jiro listened to them from afar, realizing how different they all seemed from the people at U.A. They didn't see Izuku as a hero or a student with pressure weighing him down. They saw him as one of them—a skater, a friend, and someone who didn't need to prove anything to anyone.
For a moment, she felt like an outsider watching this tight-knit group, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. There was something magnetic about the way they all interacted, something that made her want to understand Izuku better.
---
As the sun began to set, Izuku finally took a break, sitting down on the grass with his crew. Jiro, after a moment of hesitation, decided to approach. She wasn't sure what she would say, but she felt drawn to him, to his world outside of the hero training.
"Hey," she said as she walked up, her voice casual but a bit nervous.
Izuku glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. His friends looked at her curiously, especially Emi, who tilted her head slightly.
"Yo, isn't that the girl from your school?" Kaito asked, grinning. "What's up?"
Jiro gave a small nod, feeling a bit awkward under their gazes. "Yeah, uh... just thought I'd come by. I've seen you skate before. You're good."
Izuku shrugged, still leaning back on his hands. "Thanks."
Emi smiled at Jiro, her energy more welcoming than the guys. "You skate?"
Jiro shook her head. "Not really, no. I mostly play music."
Ren, who had been silent, glanced at Jiro's guitar case, which was slung over her shoulder. "What do you play?"
"Guitar," she said, tapping the case. "Mostly rock stuff."
Izuku looked at her more closely now, as if seeing her in a new light. He didn't say anything, but there was something in his eyes that showed he was listening more intently than before.
"You should play sometime," Kaito said with a grin. "We could use some live music while we skate."
Jiro smiled slightly, feeling a bit more comfortable now. "Maybe I will."
---
As the night wore on, Jiro found herself sitting with the group, talking and laughing in a way she hadn't expected. Izuku didn't say much, but she could feel him warming up to her presence. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but it was there.
At one point, as the conversation shifted to other topics, she caught Izuku glancing at her, a quiet curiosity in his eyes. She smiled softly at him, and for a brief moment, she thought she saw the slightest hint of a smile in return.
Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as unreachable as he seemed
