Midori the Girlfriend

The True Goal

Break up? Why? I don't understand...

I don't want to chain you.

Chain me... Shoto you're not...

I want you to choose me. Without hitches, without fall backs. I want that commitment from you. So I'll give you time, give you space, and you give me an answer when you're ready.

Gran Torino stared at the young girl as she stared soullessly at the blank monitor of the TV. Looking between it and her he sighed heavily and picked up the remote tapping her on the forehead with it.

"If you're gonna space out in front of the TV, kid, you might as well turn it on."

Izumi snapped out of her daze at the tap, and glanced at Gran Torino with an almost broken look. 

"Gran Torino? When did you get here?"

"When? I've been standing here for the past fifteen minutes watching you play at being a corpse."

"I'm sorry..." She lowered her head. "Guess my mind is preoccupied. I've had entirely too much time to think."

Todoroki and Iida had long left the hospital, Iida getting transferred to a hospital in his hometown, and Todoroki released since his injuries were only minor. The room was empty and lonely without them there, and was giving her way too much time to think, which is exactly what Shoto had wanted.

She could understand a bit of why he'd done it. She knew he wasn't happy with their situation and the fact she full on admitted to loving not only him, but Bakugo as well. Perhaps it was that final ice pick that had brought them here. He was giving her space, but also giving himself some to heal. Bakugo had done the exact same thing.

"You're entirely too much like Toshinori," Gran Torino told her poking her in the head. "Always thinking, and always apologizing!"

"All Might?" Her lips curved a little in response. "Really?"

"Don't look happy about it kid. You worship that man far too much for your own good." He pulls a chair up by her bed and sits. "So what's going on in your head that's putting that look on your face."

"I... mmmph." Izumi looked down at her hands in her lap. She twisted and played with the fingers in a nervous habit. "Shoto broke up with me."

"Your partner..." that didn't make much sense to him. "Do you have any idea why?"

"Sort of..." She rubbed her head, messing up her hair and groaning. "It's complicated and confusing and I really don't want to get into it. It just threw me off."

"Then forget about it."

"Eh?" Izumi looked up in surprise. "Forget?"

"It was his decision to break up with you. You've more important things to concern your time with than to worry about a broken heart." He pointed his cane at her. "I was gonna tell this to you before, but your partnership with the boy was showing promise so I ignored it. Now that it's done you don't need the extra clutter in your already busy brain. Frankly in your position you don't need to be concerning yourself with romances, and boyfriends."

"My position... ah... All Might said something similar right before the Sports Festival. So you're saying I should concentrate on school and becoming a hero rather than the emotional baggage."

"Precisely... at least that Toshinori showed sense to tell you that." Gran Torino stroked his chin. "Let's get your mind off it, and watch some TV." He grabbed the remote and flipped on a channel.

~On Screen~

The interviewer sat at her desk, notes spread out in front of her and she waited for the cue from the camera crew before putting on her smile.