It was a normal day at U.A., or at least, it seemed so. When the end-of-day bell rang, everyone rushed outside the school: everyone but Mato. The boy grabbed his backpack and walked towards the laboratory.
(She should be here....)
Mato knocked at the door. No answer. He knocked again. No answer.
"Fine, I'm coming in anyway."
SBAM!
Mato opened the door with a kick. As expected, he saw Mei Hatsume. She was working on something Mato didn't quite understand.
"Hey, Shirakawa!" she said.
"I knocked twice," said Mato. "Why didn't you answer?"
"Sorry, I was so focused on working that I didn't hear ya!"
Mato got closer. "Everything inside here... is your work?"
Mei thumbed up.
"You really are smart, I guess..." Mato sighed.
"Let's not waste any time," Mei said as she placed her instruments on the table. "Let's go outside!"
Mato nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
__________
Mato and Mei were walking side by side outside school.
"So, what class are you?" Mei asked.
"1-B."
"Cool! I'm in Class 1-H!"
"Where do you want to go?" Mato asked, looking at the sky.
"I was thinking about the cinema or the supermarket," Mei replied.
"Why not both?" Mato proposed. "I'm buying."
"I've got my own money, I can pay for myself."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Fine, then we both pay for ourselves."
"Deal."
(I have to think about a question to get to know her better... I've never flirted with anyone...)
"So," Mato tried to ask. "What's your favorite dinosaur?"
(REALLY? HER FAVORITE DINOSAUR? WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?)
"My favorite dinosaur is the Tyrannosaurus Rex!" Mei replied.
"Really? Mine too!"
"Whoa, we have the same tastes!"
(She likes dinosaurs... that's fine, but think about something better to ask, Satoru.)
"Oh, and by the way, I think we should stop calling ourselves by our last names," Mei suggested.
"What if I call you Hideki and you call me Mei?"
"That's okay, I guess," said Mato.
__________
Supermarket
"Here we are," said Mato. "What are you goin' to buy?"
"Dunno," said Mei. "I'll look for some technological stuff to upgrade my gadgets."
Mato rubbed his chin. "I don't know why, but I expected that."
"But first," said Mei. "Let's grab some lunch. I'm starving."
"Great idea, Mei," said Mato. "I'm starving too."
"What are you going to order?" Mei asked.
"Uramaki, hosomaki, and thirteen nigiri."
"You have a clear idea of your tastes, huh?"
"Yep."
The two of them entered the sushi.
"You make the order?" Mei asked. Mato nodded.
"For me, seven uramaki, nine hosomaki, and thirteen nigiri," said Mato.
"Same for me!" Mei added.
The two of them sat at a table.
(What should I say now? Should I compliment her? Should I try to start a conversation? Or should I wait for her to speak up...?)
"Mei, I..." began Mato.
"You can call me Mei-chan," she said.
"Only if you call me Hideki-kun."
"Deal."
"So, I was about to say... that your hair is really good."
Mei blushed a bit. "Really? You like my hair?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks for the compliment!"
Mato ventured a question. "What do you like about me, Mei-chan?"
Mei looked at the ceiling and placed her index finger on her cheek. "Mmmhhh... let me think about it..."
Mato looked at the table, hoping Mei would say something nice about him.
"I like your determination," said Mei. "And your strength, too."
"What do you mean?"
"Days ago, during the Sports Festival, you were the only one I saw determined from the start to the end. During the 1v1 matches, you were the only one I wanted to watch fighting from the start to the end. And when you won, I was the first one jumping in the air, celebrating your victory. Now, a lot of heroes will surely call you to join their agencies. In short, I admire you for your character and determination!"
Mato gulped. "Oh. I... I appreciate it."
"Hey, I see you blushing!"
Mato covered his face. "No! I'm not blushing, I swear!"
(Yes, I am.)
"Here are your orders, dear customers," the waiter arrived with the food.
"Thanks, waiter," said Oro, grabbing the chopstick.
"Enjoy your meal, Hideki-kun," said Mei, starting to eat.
"Enjoy your meal, Mei-chan," said Mato.
__________
A few times later...
In the supermarket, Itsuka was walking alongside her friends: Pony, Shiozaki, Yui, Setsuna, and Kinoki.
"I'm really having fun with you, girls!" she said.
"Yeah, me too, Itsuka," said Setsuna.
Pony shook Itsuka's shoulder. "Hey, Itsuka, isn't that Shirakawa?"
Itsuka turned and saw Mato walking alongside Mei. She immediately got jealous.
(Who's that girl? Why is she with Hideki-kun?)
"I didn't know Shirakawa-kun had a girlfriend..." Setsuna said.
"Yeah, me neither," said Kinoko.
"He's not the type of person who tells his secrets to the people he knows," noticed Shiozaki.
"Itsuka, you have a crush on Shirakawa, right?" Yui said.
"Yeah..." Itsuka replied. "That's why I'm very, very jealous right now..."
"Don't be a fool, Itsuka," said Setsuna. "Maybe she's just a friend."
"Yeah, Setsuna's right," said Kinoko. "They're not even holding hands."
"The only thought of seeing Hideki-kun with another girl who's not me pisses me off..." Itsuka narrowed her eyes.
Mato, on the other side of the market, yawned.
"What do you think we go to the cinema now, Mei-chan?" he proposed.
"Yeah, let's go," Mei said.
"Just give me a second," said the boy. "I have to tie my shoelaces."
Mato tied his shoelaces. When he turned to do so, he noticed the group of girls far away.
(Oh, crap, crap, crap! If they see me with another girl -- especially Itsuka -- I'm done for!)
"Just kidding! No need to tie my shoelaces!" Mato got up and grabbed Mei's hand, dragging her away.
"See? They're holding hands!" Itsuka yelled. "That girl stole my boyfriend!"
"Calm down, he's not your boyfriend," said Shiozaki.
"In my mind, he is."
Mato ran away -- he wasn't cut out for gossip.
__________
A few hours later, at night...
Mato and Mei were stepping out of the cinema.
"It was a great movie, don't you think so?" said Mei.
"Yeah, it was," said Mato. Suddenly, the boy stopped.
Mei noticed. "What's going on, Hideki-kun?"
Mato looked at the floor. "Mei-chan, do you think an incredibly guilty person could become a hero?"
Mei took a step closer to him. "It's kinda difficult, but I guess it could happen."
"Do... do you think I can become a hero, even if I committed sins in my life?"
"Yeah, sure you can."
Mei grabbed Mato's hands, whose gaze was still on the floor.
"Mei-chan, there's something I had to tell you earlier, but I was afraid."
"What is it, Hideki-kun?"
Mato raised his gaze and looked into Mei's eyes. "I like you."
Mei's eyes widened. "You... like me?"
"Why do you think I asked you out yesterday? I wanted to make a good impression on you."
"You already made a good impression on me the moment you won the Sports Festival. Or even before, during the cavalry battle."
For a moment, there was silence. They both looked into each other's eyes.
Mato rolled his eyes. "I was expecting a ki-"
Mei kissed him on the lips.
(Oh, so this is how kissing a girl feels like... her lips are so warm... well, I guess there's always a first time. And you never forget your first time.)
In that moment, Satoru Akiyama and Mei Hatsume fell in love with each other.
Chapter 22 - End