PLASTIC FLOWERS ( k. bakugou )

chapter 35

‘ et tu, brute?  ’

━━━━━

The palatable smell of the curry dish wafts throughout the expanse of the cafeteria and Yuko relishes in the smell. Lunch time was all moans of pleasure and wide smiles enjoying the euphoric bliss of the food.

"Hey Shouto," she began with that smile of hers, always an appropriate beginner to numerous conversations. "You up for some dessert?"

"Dessert?" he asked and chewed on another piece of vegetable, a potato. "Lunch Rush didn't provide dessert."

A cat-like grin was the only response to his comment and Yuko soon runmaged through the contents of a miniscule canister she brought. Out came a box of what seemed to be something, embellished with cut out paper clouds pasted on top of the baby blue surface of the box.

"What's that?" Shouto asked, gesturing to the box and Yuko let out another grin as she unlatched the edges of the box to reveal the content.

With a sheen that looked as if it might reflect even the iridescence of the sun, golden caramel and underneath a succulent canary layer partnered with box shaped jellies that looked like jewels.

"A pudding," she answered and pushed the box forward. "I heard somewhere that friends shared food and stuff and sweets and I would have given Uraraka or Katsuki, but Uraraka likes mochi so I'll make that for her and Katsuki has a thing for spicy food."

"You like cold food, right?" she asked. "I figured you'd like it."

Wordlessly, he used his spoon to cut a layer and savored the sweet taste. Although the euphoric bliss from the taste of sweets was something that required universal appreciation, Yuko knew that Shouto would not admit it anytime soon. So instead of gloating in glee with the possibility of pushing her friend away, Yuko bit her own emotions away and merely pasted her lips together in a tight smile that would have sent anyone scurrying away.

She was content with the small smile that he made after he took the first taste, the edges of his lips curved upwards. A scene to behold and in that moment, Yuko didn't want to share it with anyone, like a greedy thief that found the most breathtaking of treasures.

But then something dampened her mood like a rain cloud amidst the summer sunshine, when he lightly pushed the box away and looked at her with a blank expression on her face.

"Jeez," she said and made sure to avert her eyes from him. "If you didn't like it, you should have just told me."

"Yuko," he said as if ignoring her whimsical comment. She did not like this. At all. "Is something wrong?"

She almost stood up from her seat, incredulous. "Why would you ask me that?"

His expression remained hardened but there was something, something she didn't miss. A brief look of suspicion, concern and then guilt. Guilt?

He was guilty? Of what?

"Yuko, it's just that I've been going back to the Noodle House- the one where you worked in and it's been a week and I haven't seen you once. The boss told me you've stopped going to work and they're- your colleagues- are worried."