Taste of Your Lips

Chapter Five

Izuku watch as the guests occupy the dance floor. His eyes wander from each pair, watching as they move to the music.

Izuku and his team-his main branch team- were catering an event. As the party reaches half-way, Izuku decides that it's time for the Executive Chef to make his appearance and answer the guests curiosity about the food. Izuku is used to this already. It's probably three years ago when this started, mingling with the guests as a guest himself.

He sighed. He still hasn't talked to Kacchan yet. Of course, even if Kacchan said that he shouldn't ask questions, he will still ask questions.

Yesterday, his bestfriend left an old photograph of him and a single stalk amaryllis on his desk. No one, except Izuku and Shouto, knows about the flower and the picture. As well as the words written on the back of the photo. He can't help but wonder if Kacchan and Shouto have contact. Are they talking? What are they talking about, then? Is Shouto asking Kacchan for favors, hence the flower and picture? Is Kacchan trying to help Shouto? If so, then why? What is really happening?

"Midoriya?"

Izuku's train of thoughts got interrupted when he heard the voice. He turned and saw Jirou Kyouka. The latter is offering Izuku a smile, so Izuku tried his hardest to return it. First Shouto, now Jirou. It's not like he doesn't want to see the old classmate. Jirou is connected with Yaoyorozu Momo for they are in a relationship, and Momo is Shouto's bestfriend. Izuku can't help but think that it's a matter of time and he'll find himself face to face with Shouto again.

"Jirou-san." He greeted, his eyes checking behind her.

Jirou offered him another smile before saying, "I'm here alone."

And Izuku let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He winced toward Jirou, the latter smiling once more in understanding.

The silence stretched between them. They remain there, standing while watching the guests mingle or dance or laugh with one another. It feels only yesterday, they were like that too. It feels only yesterday that the graduation ceremony happened.

Izuku wanted to ask, how is she, for old times' sake or so that the awkwardness between them would subside. But he can't open his mouth, scared that his voice would give him away. Ever since Shouto came back, Izuku's mind is full of questions. Does Jirou know? He bet she knows since Shouto isn't like him that would try to hide what really happened to them to his friends. Is she mad at Izuku, disappointed?

He also wanted to ask, is Shouto doing fine? How is he? How come he's onto photojournalism? What happened after everything? Did it really all in vain? Did it really go the way Shouto wanted it to be? Does Shouto hate him? Did Izuku make a mistake?

Izuku wanted to cry.

"Hey, Midoriya..." Jirou called, testing the waters. She turned to him and pursed her lips. Izuku turned and met her eyes. Jirou saw the raw emotions Izuku's been trying to hide. Sadness and regret mirrored each other's eyes. Jirou backed down, then smiled. "Are you really sure that you're not going?" she decided to ask.

Izuku pursed his lips in a thin line. He saw Jirou swallow the words she's been trying to say. Jirou's holding back, he knew Shouto must've told them what happened. His forehead creased when he realised what she had asked him. "Not going where?"

"The magazine, UA Magazine." Jirou started. "Todo- the representatives and the class presidents were in charge, they are publishing a magazine centred around our batch in UA." she explained. "It'll be ten years next year since we graduated."

"I- I haven't heard about this."

"They are-" Jirou swallowed, "They are holding a photoshoot in UA this coming Saturday. And an after party the same night." Todoroki-kun's in charge, she wanted to add.