"Hey, Izu-ku." His name escaped her lips in a soft moan, had he always been attracted to her lips or did it only worsen after their kiss? He is sure he fell asleep, but with how intensely he's watching her, it feels like she never left.

"Why are you staring at me?" She pouted, tilting her head and looking away, hands hidden behind her, "I'm not- I'm sorry!" he hears himself before even thinking about saying anything. She grins wide. blinking her eyes and moving in closer, "I'm just pulling your leg, you can look at me all you want." 

"Oh..." she gently seizes his hand in her palms, caressing them with her thumbs as she observes his reaction, "Did you love it?" she whispers, and he's confused. 

"What?" he asked, she pulls her hand back and then slowly brings her finger to his lips, "Our kiss." she smiled, and while he struggles to answer she wraps her arm around his torso and draws him near to her face, "Come on, I won't be mad, tell me you loved it... IF you did not, I could give you another." she gazed into his eyes, "If you liked it, we could take it further." 

"What do you... mean by that?" 

"Don't you wanna be with me?" She muttered, a slightly disturbed expression taking over her lovesick gleam. "Don't wanna spend your life with me, is it?" 

"I do!" 

"THEN, why are you hesitating?!" she screamed, pushing herself off him, she clenched her fist and glared, the soft look in her eyes vanished into thin air and he could not believe how fast things had shifted. How quickly she changed. 

"I'm not!!" He held on, "I want to be with you!" 

"Really?" She loosened up, stopping still from putting more distance and looking up, "You really wanna be with me?" at first, he didn't understand why she'd appeared hurt, why it looked like she had thrust a knife in her chest and dragged it across her skin. 

She shouldn't do that to herself. "Yes."

"Okay," she replied. 

"Izuku!! Baby, you'll be late for school!" his eyes snapped open and he stared at his mom standing by his bed, she'd never had to wake him up since elementary. He quickly sat up, wiping away the sleep and getting out of bed.

"Did you sleep enough Izuku?" Inko fretted while following right her son, "Yeah Mom, I did." He lied, he couldn't fall asleep the night before, bringing his toothbrush out and squeezing out some toothpaste, he spared no time to think, or else he risked missing school. 

"Alright, come down and have your breakfast after you're ready." his mom stepped out of his room, and he rushed out with his face still wet and quickly dropped his uniform on his bed before taking off his clothes.

Running to school had been a good exercise and a solution to forgetting the dream he had, he'd barely remembered it until he saw her concerned face look at him as he rushed to his seat and briefly avoided her wondering eyes, he had a minute left till their classes began. She faced him from the front row, shaking her hands to wave a 'hi' excitedly, were his cheeks red yet? How long could he keep it from heating up?

He sheepishly grinned and gave her a shy thumbs-up to gesture he was feeling good, though he doubted it. She grinned wide and proudly nodded, swiftly turning around when the door slid open and shutting down their small conversation. He just shouldn't think about his dream when they interact. 

But, he ends up doing the exact opposite. 

"So, what did you do after getting home yesterday?" She leaned in, and he jerked back, "I-I think I went to sleep after having dinner." 

"Oh, you slept early then? I couldn't sleep at all." she laughed, taking up the empty seat beside his desk, and nervously smiled, "In my wonderland, that idiot was still chasing me."

"Oh..." He dreamed of her, and she dreamed of someone else. "I couldn't sleep either so, you're not alone." he smiled. "I know! I knew I could count on you." Perhaps, subconsciously he knows she's unreliable, she's insecure, and she needs connections, and out of everyone in their class, he could be the easiest past the point that he's bullied constantly. Hence, why he is avoided. 

Should he let himself get any closer to her?

"You've spaced out again, was my shenanigans too troubling?" 

He looked down, his thoughts winning over her voice and silencing her words from ever reaching his brain, ever since he's thought about it from the beginning of his class and to the end of it, the more he felt he could trust his dream, maybe he shouldn't entertain her and hurt them both when it's over. 

"Hey...?" She peered over, raising her eyebrows and frowning, "It's kinda scary when you space out to this extent, something is wrong. Did Katsuki do something to you when I was away or something?"

"No." He answered, lowering his shoulders and putting on a serious tone, "I was just thinking..." he explained, keeping the details to the minimum. 

"Okay? What is wrong then?" She shook her head and stayed seated despite the bell going off mere seconds later, it was time for class again. He softly smiled and reassured her, "It's nothing, let's talk after school."

She had no choice but to leave amidst their conversation. 

The entire time he watched her, she had a sad look on her face, and if he had to guess thinking about whatever was causing him to withhold information, he didn't want to. If they kept going, he is sure their friendship would develop into something else, and while he was not against them being... more than friends, he has to think if it would affect them negatively. 

They are still too naive, and small, and every time someone sees them sitting together, they'd give a look that's devoid of anything good, he is dragging her down. 

Even if she won't admit it. 

He should just be alone. 

It shouldn't be too hard to leave her all on her own after school, he can just blend in and make his way home alone, in the long run, avoiding letting her get involved with him, but isn't he being overdramatic, and still hurting each other? 

Was he jealous she dreamt of Kaachan? No... he can't be. He knows she hates and dislikes him if not more than himself. Is he just... doing this to hurt her?

But, she hasn't done anything wrong to him. She is his best friend. 

"So, wanna tell me what's on your mind?" He could not escape in time, though he managed to get past her to the entrance of their school, she caught up, and he did not have the heart to keep going with his plans. 

Because as much as he wants to cut ties, he is desperate for a connection too.

They had reached the vicinity of his neighborhood and inched nearer to his home as they walked side by side, she hadn't gone into the deeper details right from the start, however, he wished he had some time to think. 

Her lighthearted jokes were clearing up some of his unease. 

"Oh no, it's nothing. Really, I promise you shouldn't be worried." he looked down at his shoes, slowly picking up his pace for no valid reason, and she stopped following him once she had enough of his gloomy mood, "Hey! Don't dodge my question!" she yelled, fed up with his tactics. She began to rage. 

"I'm not," he answered. 

"Yes, you are. You know, you are acting a lot like those old friends in my life." she strained heavily at the word 'friends', holding a healthy dose of poison in her voice, "This was exactly how they acted when they were to leave me." She pressed her lips together, blinking her eyes furiously, "Did I do something wrong?" 

"No, of course not. Why would you think that?" He felt she was about to cry any moment, and he grew concerned very quickly, fully facing her and hoping to clear up the misunderstanding. 

"Then, why won't you answer me? I wanna know what's bothering you, or else I'll think I MUST have done something wrong to upset you, we've only been friends for just a week or less, and I don't want a repeat of the past." surely, her eyes had started gathering eyes. 

"You haven't done anything bad! Don't think that way." He stepped closer, worried when the tears started to stream down her face, "I can't help it!!" she screamed, moving back to maintain the distance, "Are you like the left of them as well? I thought we were good friends! Are you about to leave me as well?"

"No!! Why would you..." 

"If not, then why?" she sniffled, wiping one of her eyes. "You wanna know why, I took the first step to befriend you?" she sheepishly smiled, "because I thought you wouldn't leave me and we would be friends for a long time, you are so much better than the rest yet they put you down and hurt you cause you are one of a kind, and they don't want you to get any better."

"I'm sorry if I overstepped your boundaries and didn't consider your feelings, I guess... I was confused. I don't know, but honestly, I can't be surprised when it's come to this so soon, I must have made you very uncomfortable." she chuckled, "I hope you can forgive me."

"No... why are you saying that? I don't want to stop being friends with you," he had to stop things from escalating, he had to, "I won't leave you, I promise." he grasped her hands into his, and if he had been in his previous mindset, he would have blushed and let her go. 

But after hearing her feelings, how could he? He understood her.

"You promise...?" she looked up, gently holding onto his hands, "Yes! Even after we graduate, and get jobs, I'll be friends with you."

She giggled, "Well, you got yourself a fan." She grinned wide, pulling him close into a hug and tightening her arms around him, "Hmm, I don't deserve you, Izuku. My cutie pie..." she muttered softly under her breath, "I love you..."

It couldn't be a lie, he can't sense it being a lie. Eventually, she released him from her embrace and stared down, "Why are you so cute?" she blushed, and drew in some distance.

"I hope it wasn't too awkward. I'll see you tomorrow." she glanced at the street beside her and started walking away. Even though they went the same way, today, they both had gotten themselves flustered and gotten closer than yesterday.

"Y-yeah..." he squeaked, watching her run down the pathway once she was far away from him.

Why was he expecting another kiss?