Blue Butterfly | Amajiki Tamaki

| 18 |

2nd POV

"These four teams have advanced to the final event!" A row of cards on the gargantuan projector flipped over, revealing the sixteen participants for the following round, Midnight flaunting her scarlet whip in the air. "We've prepared a few recreational games after for those who have lost but anybody can participate, though those who are taking part in the next round, I suggest you rest and get ready! We shall now take a break, please go ahead and enjoy lunch!"

There was a raucous drum interspersed between thundering cheers, the first years huddling together as they sauntered out of the stadium. Nejire threw her hands in the air and stretched, letting a huge languid sigh out of her system, Mirio following suit with one of his hearty laughs.

"Finally, I thought this would never end," Nejire groaned, eyes flickering to her forest-green vest that was painted in an ugly mush of dull colours. "We got shot a pretty bunch of times."

"You're right, but we did stay in second place and that itself is accomplishing," Mirio whirred in satisfaction, his fingers weaving through his flattened cowlick. "But all that running got me hungry, thank Plus Ultra for lunch!"

"I'm starving!" Nejire erupted. "They better have udon!"

"I'm fancying some ramen right now." Mirio shrugged nonchalantly.

"Pfft, udon's the way to go," Nejire argued, flipping a blue lock away from her face. "Right, [Name]-chan?"

You sometimes hated it when Nejire lobbed the attention onto you out of the blue, causing you to jostle on the spot at her euphoric holler. "U-Um... I prefer [f/d]*..."

"Hah, guess [Surname]-san's not on your side," Mirio mocked.

"But she isn't on your side either." Nejire childishly stuck her tongue out at the tall blonde, crossing her arms across her chest. "Udon is clearly the best at a time like this."

"Ramen."

"Udon."

A bolt of electricity sparked between them, both swivelling on their heels to face Tamaki, staring at him expectantly. The dark-haired teen jerked upright in discomfort and nervously scratched his cheek with his fingertip, lips curling downwards to answer.

"... S-Soba?"

"Tamaki, you traitor!" Mirio shouted comically, his beady ovals pricking with tears. "You have abandoned your friend in such a situation!"

"E-Eh?" He retaliated, raising his trembling hands. "I-I didn't mean to..."

Albeit his sarcastic sulking, the tall blonde draped a friendly arm around Tamaki's neck and a bellowing cackle fled his lips, showing his pearly white, signature smile. "Just kiddin' Tamaki! You've really got to loosen up, dude, don't be so uptight."

"... I-I'll try..."

"Aha! Good! Remember: the journey ahead will be full of difficulties! If you start working on that mentality of yours then there's no doubt that you'd be one of the best heroes out there. Heck, you're already the best hero there is to me, Tamaki!"

"Mirio..." Tamaki felt touched and speechless by his best friend's magnanimous words, fidgeting with his fingers from the tinge of embarrassment swelling in his chest. "I-I'm not that great... but thanks."

"Just saying the truth dude, now let's head to the cafeteria!"

Before Tamaki planted a hefty step forward, a cascading wave of realisation dawned on him, his gloomy expression darkening ever so slightly for a nanosecond. "Uh—er—um, sorry guys..." He craned his head to the side to peer at you with a shy gaze, his timid action fleetingly spurring ripples of heat to creep onto your cheeks. "... I have to talk to [Surname]-san, could you two head on without us?"