[31] Hearts and Minds

After my conversation with All Might, I knew I needed to expand my network. Nejire, with her connections to the Big Three, a top hero and her own formidable skills, was an obvious choice. At least that's what I told myself as I pulled out my phone and sent her a quick text.

"Lunch off campus today? My treat."

Her reply came almost instantly. "Sure! Meet you at the gate at 12?"

I smiled. Step one, complete. Now for step two: presentation.

Back in my room, I stood before my closet, considering my options. I needed to look good, but not like I was trying too hard.

I settled on a pair of dark jeans, a fitted white t-shirt, and a green bomber jacket. My emerald earrings went in next - a gift from mom, and a signature look by now. The silver ring on my right hand completed the ensemble.

I hesitated, then reached for the cologne Aunt Mitsuki had given me for my birthday.

As I headed downstairs, I heard voices from the common room. Might as well make an entrance, I thought. Get some feedback before the main event.

I stepped into the room. "Hey guys, what's up?"

The chatter died down as heads turned towards me. Mina's jaw dropped. "Midoriya? Is that you?"

Jiro's eyes widened, her earphone jacks twitching. "Whoa. You clean up nice, wonder boy."

"Looking sharp, bro!" Kirishima gave me a thumbs up.

Ochaco's face turned pink. "D-Deku! You look... different."

Iida chopped the air enthusiastically. "Midoriya! While I applaud your attention to personal grooming, I must remind you that as a U.A. student, you represent our school even off campus!"

I chuckled. "Relax, Iida. It's just lunch with a friend."

Kaminari sidled up to me, grinning. "A friend, huh? Must be some friend to warrant the full makeover treatment."

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Just Nejire."

That got their attention. Mina squealed, "Nejire? The cute one with the blue hair? Midoriya, you sly dog!"

"It's not like that," I protested, though not too vehemently.

Ojiro spoke up, his tail swishing curiously. "I didn't know you were close with the upperclassmen, Midoriya."

"We've trained together a few times. It's always good to network, you know?"

I glanced at the clock. "I should get going. Don't want to keep her waiting."

As I turned to leave, Jiro called out, "Have fun on your date!"

"It's not a date," I said over my shoulder, but I could hear them giggling as I left.

I spotted Nejire waiting by the gate, her blue hair catching the sunlight. She waved enthusiastically as I approached.

"Izuku! Wow, you look great!" She circled me, eyes sparkling. "New jacket? And is that cologne? It smells nice! Where are we going for lunch? Oh, I know this cute café that just opened up downtown, they have the best-"

I held up a hand, chuckling. "Slow down, Nejire. How about you tell me about this café on the way?"

As we walked towards the café, Nejire's enthusiasm bubbled over. She described the place in vivid detail, from its pastel décor to its extensive tea menu. I listened attentively, filing away bits of information that might be useful later.

"Oh, and they have these little sandwiches shaped like cats!" Nejire exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Isn't that adorable?"

I nodded, allowing a small smile. "Sounds charming. How did you find this place?"

"Yuyu told me about it," she replied. "We go there sometimes after patrol."

The café was just as Nejire described – quaint and cozy, with soft music playing in the background. We found a table near the window, and I pulled out Nejire's chair for her.

"Such a gentleman," she giggled, sitting down.

I shrugged, taking my own seat. "Just being polite."

As we perused the menus, I decided to steer the conversation towards more useful topics. "So, Nejire, how's your work study with Ryukyu going?"

Her face lit up. "Oh, it's amazing! Last week, we took down this villain who could control plants. You should have seen Ryukyu in action – she's incredible!"

I leaned forward, genuinely interested. "A plant-controlling villain? How did you counter that?"

Nejire launched into a detailed account of the fight, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke. I listened carefully, my mind already analyzing the tactics used and how they could be applied or countered.

Our food arrived – a selection of those cat-shaped sandwiches Nejire had mentioned, along with an assortment of pastries. I had to admit, they were pretty cute.

"So, Izuku," Nejire said, biting into a sandwich, "are you excited for the Sports Festival? It must be nerve-wracking, being a first-year."

I nodded, seeing an opportunity. "It's a big event. I've been training hard, but I'm curious – what was your first Sports Festival like?"

Nejire's eyes took on a distant look. "Oh, it was intense. I remember being so nervous I could barely eat that morning. But once I was out there, instinct took over. It's exhilarating, you know? Showing everyone what you can do."

"Any advice?" I asked, taking a sip of my tea.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... don't get too caught up in the competition. Remember, it's not just about winning – it's about showcasing your skills to potential mentors."

I raised an eyebrow. "Mentors? Like pro heroes scouting for interns?"

Nejire nodded eagerly. "Exactly! That's how I got connected with Ryukyu. She saw my performance and reached out afterwards."

Valuable information. I made a mental note to research which pros typically attended the festival.

As we continued eating, I steered the conversation towards her classmates, particularly Mirio and Tamaki. Nejire was more than happy to chat about her friends, and I found myself genuinely enjoying her stories.

As we finished our food, Nejire's eyes suddenly lit up with an idea. "Hey Izuku, instead of heading back to school right away, want to go somewhere else? There's this place I've been dying to check out!"

"Oh? Where's that?"

She grinned mischievously, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. "It's a surprise! Come on, it'll be fun!"

Before I could protest, Nejire was dragging me out of the café and down the street in the opposite direction of U.A. Her hand was warm in mine, her enthusiasm infectious.

"Nejire, wait," I said, trying to keep up with her energetic pace. "We can't just—"

"Sure we can!" she laughed, looking back at me with sparkling eyes. "Live a little, Izuku! The world won't end if we're not back at school right away."

I found myself chuckling, allowing her to lead me through the bustling city streets. This wasn't part of my plan, but maybe it could be an opportunity to learn more about Nejire, to strengthen our connection.

After a few minutes of weaving through crowds and ducking down side streets, Nejire came to an abrupt stop in front of a nondescript building. A worn sign above the door read "Shimura's Oddities and Antiquities."

"Ta-da!" Nejire exclaimed, gesturing grandly at the shop. "I've walked past this place a dozen times on patrol, but I've never had the chance to go in. Doesn't it look fascinating?"

I studied the dusty windows, filled with an eclectic assortment of items. Old books, strange-looking devices, and what appeared to be a stuffed two-headed cat. It did look interesting, I had to admit.

"Alright," I said, nodding. "Let's check it out."

Nejire beamed, pulling me towards the entrance. A bell tinkled as we entered, and the smell of old books and incense hit us immediately.

The interior was even more cluttered than the windows suggested. Shelves crammed with curiosities lined the walls, and tables overflowing with knick-knacks filled the floor space.

"Wow," Nejire breathed, her eyes wide as she took it all in. "This place is amazing!"

I nodded, my gaze sweeping the room analytically. Despite the chaotic appearance, there seemed to be some order to the madness. Books were grouped by subject, artifacts by origin.

An old man appeared from behind a towering stack of books, his eyes magnified comically by thick glasses. "Welcome, welcome! Feel free to look around, but please, don't touch anything unless you intend to buy it."

Nejire nodded eagerly, already flitting from one display to another. I followed at a more sedate pace, examining items that caught my eye.

A dusty tome with the title "Forgotten Quirks of the 21st Century" piqued my interest. As I carefully flipped through its pages, Nejire's excited voice called out.

"Izuku, look at this!"

I turned to see her holding up an ornate hand mirror. Its frame was adorned with intricate carvings of what looked like mythical creatures.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, tilting it to catch the light.

I moved closer, examining the craftsmanship. "It is. Any idea what those creatures are supposed to be?"

Nejire squinted at the carvings. "Hmm... this one looks like a dragon, and that might be a phoenix? Oh, and I think that's a kitsune!"

We spent the next hour exploring the shop, Nejire exclaiming over every new discovery and peppering the shopkeeper with questions. I listened and observed, filing away potentially useful information.

As we explored the shop, I noticed Nejire's gaze repeatedly drawn to a small display near the counter. Curious, I followed her line of sight to a simple silver band with a faint blue sheen.

"See something you like?" I asked, moving closer to the display.

Nejire jumped slightly, as if caught. "Oh! It's nothing, really. Just a pretty ring."

I studied the ring more closely. It was indeed attractive, but nothing particularly special. Just a well-crafted piece of jewelry.

"It matches your hair," I observed.

Nejire's cheeks tinged pink. "You think so? I mean, not that it matters. It's probably expensive anyway."

I glanced at the price tag and raised an eyebrow. It was pricey, but not unreasonably so. An idea formed in my mind.

"How much for the ring?" I asked the shopkeeper.

The old man shuffled over, adjusting his glasses. "Ah, good eye! That's a lovely piece. It's priced at..."

He named a sum that made Nejire's eyes widen. "Izuku, you don't have to—"

"I want to," I said. "Consider it a thank you for taking care of me when I was in the infirmary."

After some haggling (because old habits die hard), I handed over the money. The shopkeeper carefully wrapped the ring in tissue paper and placed it in a small box.

As we left the shop, Nejire clutched the box to her chest. "Izuku, I don't know what to say. Thank you so much!"

"It's nothing. I'm glad you like it."

We walked back towards U.A. in comfortable silence, the afternoon sun warming our faces. As we neared the gates, Nejire suddenly stopped.

"This was really fun," she said, turning to face me. "I'm glad you agreed to come with me."

"Me too. It was... unexpected, but enjoyable."

Nejire bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before leaning in and placing a soft kiss on my cheek. "Thanks again, Izuku."

Before I could respond, she was skipping through the gates, waving over her shoulder. "See you later!"

I stood there for a moment, my hand unconsciously touching the spot where her lips had been. This day had not gone according to plan at all.

Shaking my head, I turned and headed back to the dorms. I had a lot to think about, and not just about the information I'd gathered.

As I entered the common room, I was met with a barrage of questions from my classmates.

"How was your date?"

"Did you kiss?"

"Are you and Nejire a thing now?"

I held up my hands, chuckling. "Whoa, slow down. It was just lunch, guys. Nothing special."

After 15 minutes, I escaped the common room's interrogation and headed for the kitchen, my throat dry from all the deflecting. As I entered, I spotted Momo standing by the counter, staring blankly at a cup of water.

"Yaoyorozu?" I called out softly.

She startled, nearly spilling her drink. "Oh! Midoriya. I didn't hear you come in."

I grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "Everything okay? You seemed pretty lost in thought there."

Momo hesitated, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup. "I'm fine. Just... thinking about the Sports Festival."

I leaned against the counter, studying her face. There was something off about her tone, a tension in her shoulders that hadn't been there earlier.

"How was your lunch?" she asked suddenly, her voice forcedly casual.

Ah. So that's what this was about.

I shrugged, taking a sip of water. "It was nice. Nejire showed me this interesting antique shop."

Momo nodded, her eyes fixed on her cup. "That sounds... fun."

"It was," I agreed, then added, "Though I think I prefer our training sessions. It's easier to have a real conversation without all the distractions."

Her head snapped up. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really. In fact, I was thinking... after the Sports Festival, maybe we could go somewhere? To celebrate or commiserate, depending on how it goes."

The tension in Momo's shoulders eased slightly. "I'd like that. Did you have somewhere in mind?"

I thought for a moment. "How about that new hero museum downtown? I've been wanting to check it out."

Momo's face lit up. "Oh, I've heard about that! They're supposed to have an excellent exhibit on the first heroes."

"It's a date then," I said, then quickly added, "Figuratively speaking, of course."

A faint blush colored Momo's cheeks. "Right. Of course."