78 Chapter 78: Intersecting Feelings

Creek

Trying to slowly enter the classroom so he didn't disrupt anyone, Suijin slowly slid the doorframe to the left.

Unfortunately for him, the doorframes made an earscreeching sound as their wheels spun across the oldened tracks.

Thus by the time he was finished, he looked inside to see ALL of his classmates eyes locked onto his location.

'You've dealt with WAYYYY worse than this.' Trying to psych himself out of his nervousness, the boy took a step into the room, letting the doorframe slide to a halt.

"Nice of you to join us, Suijin."

The boy was about to walk to his seat now that the majority of the eyes that were on him had left.

But his attention was grabbed by a voice that would normally be intimidating.

Looking below, the image of a yellow caterpillar with an unshaved face coming out of it dispelled that image of intimidation.

Instead, Suijin gave a timid "h-hey" in response to his unique teacher, already used to his antics since they were already nearing the end of the semester.

"Go look through my desk, the papers with your name are what you need to complete within a week. Ask your classmates for help, and don't bother me."

Being as brash as usual, Aizawa assigned Suijin work before closing his eyes and backing up until his entire body was under his desk out of sight.

Suijin shook his head, walking to his seat and sitting down, wettling himself before he went and got his work.

But as he was pulling out his papers, a voice pulled him out of his own stupor.

"You're back."

The boy looked up, making eye contact with Tenya and Momo.

"Y-Yeah I'm sorry for being so late."

It was a reflex to apologize for things regardless of whether you're at fault or not, unless it's too serious. Suijin used to do it very much; his logic was that 'It saves time and trouble.'

But currently, both of the two had confused expressions on their faces when they heard Suijin's apology.

"What do you have to apologize for?" Momo's confused voice brought out an even more apprehensive one from Suijin.

"F-For…."

The boy took a second, then one more than normal, before his mouth was rendered mute.

What was he apologizing for?

Tenya, choosing to take charge, said, "Don't worry about not being here; we are just happy since you are now. Apparently, we will have some kind of big event happening soon, and with the work from the last few weeks, we could use our V.P."

Momo seconded his words, nodding with a relieved expression that made Suijin 'smile', a warm feeling rising up from inside of him.

The feeling of being needed.

The boy put on an excited expression as he brought out his notes, making a copy of the ones that Momo lent him.

After he got his papers and started skimming, he chose to get familiar with the content he'd missed these past few days.

Thus, that's how he spent an hour and some change, diving back into schoolwork, wanting to catch up with his classmates and not be left behind.

When he was in the middle of working, with the class quiet due to this being their study block and the rest of them having tired themselves out, Aizawa woke up, as apparent by his tall figure that seemed to spawn in the classroom.

"Alright."

His calm voice woke up the sleeping students, causing some, such as Kaminari, to have to wipe up any residual drool that slipped from their mouths.

"Summer break is approaching. But since none of you need thirty days, well, be going on to a Summer Break Forest Lodge."

"ALRIGHT."

"LETS GO!!!"

"HOT SPRINGS!"

"Fireworks."

Suddenly, Aizawa spoke up again in a more menacing tone, "But should any of you not pass your final exams…."

"Your stuck in Remidial Hell!!!!!"

As fear stuck on some of his classmates faces, horror eteched up in Kaminari, Mina, Sero, and Mineta, and determination welled up within Suijin.

He'd Pass!

The boy looked around, surveying the varying expressions from his classmates, and resolved himself to not be left behind, seeing the impassive look from Tenya.

"I-I'm Going to Fail!" As Kaminari was whining to nobody in particular, Suijin felt a tap on his arm and saw a sight that made his heart jump.

With her distinct pink skin coupled with her black eyes and horns, he was stunned by the sight of Mina putting on the most pitiful and adorable expressions he could.

Like a kicked puppy, she asked him, "~Suijin—Help Meeeeee."

The boy had to stop himself from agreeing to her instantly, and he thought back to his own situation.

How could he help her if he didn't even know the content he'd have to teach her?

Before the boy could struggle with the internal debate between his heart and mind, Momo saved him.

"Well, then do you want to join me in a study group so we can all study together?"

She said so in a general tone, speaking to the entire class as she noticed multiple of her classmates complaining about needing help.

'Plus, teaching people helps me consolidate my knowledge.'

Thinking so, Momo really didn't mind teaching the entire class, and as she thought so, praise from all directions came towards her with affirmation.

She even heard someone calling her a "goddess," though she didn't even entertain the notion.

As expected, some declined, Bakugo complained that he didn't need anyone else, and Kirishima said he'd go with Bakugo to study together, Sero chose to join them.

Then there was Shoji, who politely declined, but from what Momo caught, that was all.

After discussions, they decided that tomorrow in the library they'd all meet up, choosing to use the fact that it was a weekend to get the place to themselves.

And as Suijin went to ask the librarian if that was fine, elected by the three of him, Tenya and Momo, his mind was drawn back to one particular person.

The sight of her involved what he'd forgotten, and suddenly he remembered his phone.

Suijin had gotten his phone back after, apparently, those girls navigated their way to the hospital.

From what he heard from them, they saw the class group chat and noted the hospital he was at when his classmates were discussing when they would meet him.

Thus, Ale, Mera, and Siphone went to the hospital before handing his phone over to one of the nurses, and they left right after that.

It was when he was going through his messages that he saw a certain text.

Mina-[When we meet, I have something to tell you.]

The boy wanted to groan when he realized that the text came in during the sports festival where he didn't have his phone.

He'd resolved himself to respond to her and explain so she didn't' feel that he ignored her, but had forgotten about it until now.

So having gotten permission, the librarian, Suijin, searched the halls to look for the distinct pink features.

He looked out the window, seeing some of his classmates talk in front of the building at the top of the steps.

And as he saw one of them, Momo waved goodbye before wallking to her Limo he saw the familiar face he was looking for.

The distinctive mane of hair was so comfortable.

Suijin pushed off the glass, rushing to the stairs before flying down, not caring for safety or decorum as he hoped to catch Mina before she left.

"W-WAIT!"

Standing in front of the opened glass doors, Suijin rested his hands on his knees as Mina, who was about to put her hand on the rail and start her descent down the UA steps, turned around.

Once he compiled his breath, Suijin let the door swing shut, walking to her, disregarding the feeling of his heart taking off as he got a good look at her.

He didn't know where he should place his eyes on her uniform, which had her distinct style with the blazer tied around her waist, giving her a Mina-Esq feeling.

Or her lips, a darker shade of pink than her skin, yet supple-looking. In the midst of his thinking, the teenager momentarily thought about how they'd taste.

'!!!'

The boy instantly snapped himself out of such tempting thoughts not wanting to ruin his plans.

He looked at the confused girl, redying himself before saying, "At the s-sports festival, You texted me, and I didn't respond…"

At the slight downcast of her expression, one he could tell easily due to the amount of time he's studying them, he scolded himself.

'Not like that, you idiot!'

Suijin quickly shouted, not wanting her to get the wrong idea, "I-i DIDN'T HAVE MY PHONE WITH ME. I let someone borrow it and thus couldn't respond."

Suijin almost let out an "yeah" when he noticed the small smile that tugged at her lips with their misunderstanding resolved.

So continuing, "So you wanted to talk to me about something…."

The boy thought about what it could be, running over his mind so much that he missed another expression he would've saved to his mental folder of [Mina's Lovely Expressions].

The growing redness on her pink skin was unknown to everyone but the girl herself, and when she remembered just 'what' it was she was going to tell him, she spittered out, "i-it's nothing!"

Suijin noticed the hands that were outstretched from her, spinning from side to side to dismiss his question.

But determination grew as the boy resolved to stop being so wimpy.

'I don't care if she rejects me; I refuse to live in regret!'

Thus, with confidence that even got Mina caught up in it, making her forget about her apparent embarrassment, he said, "Then I have something I want to tell you."

The boy looked like he was struggling for the right words before he just let them flow out of his mouth.

"Mina, ever since I met you, my life's changed. Every day I think of how I was before—wimpy, small, weak. But you, everyone else as well, but most importantly, you, brought me out of that."

He pinched his bicpes, saying, "Your jokes, your smile, your raidantness scared away any darkness that was lingering on me; your warm smile became all I wanted to see, day in and day out."

With unwavering determination, Suijin continued, his words tumbling out with an intensity that surprised even himself. 

"Mina, I Like Y—-"

BBBRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG

The bell, signaling the closing of U.A. facility, told everyone that stayed after to leave the school, interrupting Suijin in his speech.

Suijin watched as the widening of Mina's eyes and the glare from the sun reflected off of her back, painting a tapestry of all the things perfect in life.

He couldn't stop his mouth once he finished, so his lips lifted unwillingly, not that he could conceal his true thoughts.

"~Astonishing."

Mina looked at him, her face too red to notice, but her brain was working at full capacity.

The girl spun around, not letting Suijin see her face, before she abruptly spread her arms and legs, letting theme extend in all four corners.

"Don't you just love the sun?"

Looking at her, he couldn't help but agree.

"Yeah~."

Mina turned around, letting him see an extatsic expression, and two words flew out of Mina's mouth.

"Thank You."