Taste of Your Lips

Chapter One

Midoriya Izuku is panicking.

He's pacing in his office, mumbling to himself. Can he do this alone? What if he embarrasses himself? Kacchan would throw a fit if he ever embarrasses himself and their restaurant. If Kacchan is here, or Ochako or Eijirou or someone not him, this will probably turn out great. What if they ask for a sample? Or an on-the-spot dish? Can he cook? Oh my goodness, he's a chef and he can't cook? Would he ever have the guts to face his business partners again? What if-

"Please tell me you are not panicking." Izuku helplessly turned to the voice. Shinsou Hitoshi is at his office door, lips pursed and is probably stressed by him. Hitoshi sighed when Izuku showed him his panicked eyes and quivering lips. "Here." he said as he handed Izuku his phone. "Bakugou." He simply added.

Izuku exhaled, "T-thank you, 'Toshi."

"You're panicking, you stupid Deku." the man on the line- Bakugou- Kacchan said immediately. "We all knew you're a wuss, but I didn't know you are this wuss."

"Kacchan..." Izuku's grip on the phone tightens. "Why did you leave me here? Why are you letting me handle this? I'm not the PR. I can't do this right." He rambled, but more than the rambling, he is truly, truly terrified.

He can't do this. This isn't just about him. It's about Yuey, their restaurant. Whatever he does or say would reflect their business. Kacchan's not him. Ochako's not him. Eijirou's not him. What if he does something wrong? It's not just his business that he's taking with him. He's taking his business partners to the fall. He can't do that to them.

"Oi, Deku." Izuku snapped back to reality. He's sure, he's been rambling on the phone and Kacchan heard him. He readies his ear to the shout, Kacchan doesn't like his rambling. He thinks it's annoying. "Breathe." the man on the line- Kacchan simply said. "You are Chef Deku, co-owner of Yuey Restaurant Chain, one of the best restaurants there is in the world."

Izuku blinked twice. There's no way Kacchan just said that to him. "Kacchan..." he called him, "are you sick? Are you dying? Why are you being like this? I'm getting more terrified." He rambled again, but noticed that he's calming down.

"I hate to fucking say this, but you are the man behind our menu. If there is someone better to interview about the nooks and crannies of our business, it's you."

"Kacchan... I'm really more terrified of you now than the interviewer."

"Fuck you." was all he heard before a beep.

He chuckled to himself as he stared at the phone in his hand. Despite his words, Kacchan is his business partner and bestfriend. The guy knows exactly how to calm him down.

"Better?" Izuku looked up at the guy.

Chef Hitoshi is in his uniform, sitting on the couch in Izuku's office. Shinsou Hitoshi is the Junior Executive Chef of Yuey Main Branch. Izuku and him met in culinary school. Izuku graduated earlier and started a business with Bakugou Katsuki, Uraraka Ochako and Kirishima Eijirou. They are Shinsou's senpai by four months.

"Yeah." he answered, handing Shinsou his phone back. "I just don't want to mess this up." He said, sighing. "You know how I am, when I start rambling, I continue rambling. What would the interviewers say if I ramble in front of them?"

"You'll do fine, Chef." Shinsou stated with a small smile. Shinsou seldom smiles so when Izuku saw it, he cheered up more.

Kacchan cheered him up, then Hitoshi. He can't let them down.

Izuku checked himself once again. He looked presentable on his chef uniform. He even wore his newest one. He gathered his things- from his laptop to old menu designs to their individual portfolios. He's got the whole story of Yuey Restaurant Chain in his head, ready to take the interviewer.

When he finally reached the VIP Room- a special room in their restaurants used by customers that wanted privacy, he inhaled deeply and did an internal cheer for himself.

He can do this. He can do this. He can do this.

He bowed his head as he entered, "Hello, good morning. Sorry for making you wait." walking up to the interviewer, holding up his hand for a handshake and slowly looking up to meet their eyes.

And oh boy, how he wished he never looked up.

The smile plastered on his face vanished instantly. The Gods must hate him. Of all the people on this planet, it would be him. He gulped, his eyes meeting the man's heterochromatic eyes.

The man smiled, then enveloped him in a hug. "No. I'm sorry for making you wait." Izuku heard him say.

Izuku felt his skin on his skin- he felt his warmth. He inhaled his usual scent, woody with a hint of mint. He heard his heartbeat, slowly synching with the beat of his own. He felt him in his hug, and Izuku knew that moment that he may feel different, yet he's almost the same.

He felt his panic once again. This time, for a very, very different reason than earlier.

This guy- this man in front of him is no other Todoroki Shouto. Shouto from High School. Shouto from the Journalism Department. Shouto all the way to college. Shouto from his memories. Shouto from the past.

Todoroki Shouto, his first love.