"Here he goes again…"
Tetsutetsu sighed as he watched Mineta's over-the-top reaction, covering his face in exasperation. How did their class end up with someone like this?
"Not just Kaminari and the others, seems like a lot of people recognize us too."
Kirishima grinned as he glanced at the crowd around them.
"Speaking of which, the training camp is in the last seven days of summer break. Isn't it a bit early to start shopping now?" Tetsutetsu asked.
"There's no other way," Hagakure, the one who suggested the trip, chimed in. "Once summer break really kicks in, everyone will be busy with their own stuff. It'll be hard to get together like this again!"
"That's true." Ojiro nodded in agreement.
"Alright, makes sense!"
Hearing this, Tetsutetsu dropped the issue. Just then, Kirishima walked over with a grin.
"You should check out some fitness equipment while we're here. Maybe we can find something together?"
"Sounds good!" Tetsutetsu laughed heartily. Besides, with Kaminari stuck in his current situation, there's no way we'd be shopping with him anytime soon.
Not that it really mattered, even without all the fans around, Kaminari would still leave with Kyoka and Momo.
"Since everyone wants to buy different things, how about we set a meeting time and then split up?" Kirishima suggested, looking at Shoji, Tokoyami, and the others.
"Agreed!" Ashido eagerly raised her hand.
Since no one objected, Kirishima pointed at the large clock nearby and enthusiastically declared, "Regroup here at 2:43!"
With that, everyone scattered in pairs or small groups, heading toward their destinations.
Meanwhile, Kaminari, still signing autographs and taking photos with fans, remained stuck in place.
The only ones left standing in confusion were Midoriya and Uraraka, who watched the scene unfold in stunned silence.
"Everyone… moves so fast."
"Yeah…" Uraraka nodded.
As the two of them exchanged awkward glances, Kaminari's situation finally started to improve.
While the crowd seemed large, in reality, only twenty or thirty girls had gathered around him—though, admittedly, they were all young and cute. Hehe!
"Phew, everyone, Kyoka and I are going to start shopping now. Hope you understand. Thank you, thank you!"
Keeping a composed smile, Kaminari made his way toward Kyoka and Momo, who had been waiting for him just outside the crowd.
Since fewer people had asked for their autographs, they were able to get away much sooner.
That said, a few boys still hovered nearby, clearly drawn to Momo's beauty, occasionally stopping to chat with them.
The whole atmosphere remained friendly and harmonious until Kaminari casually walked up, smoothly placing himself between Kyoka and Momo before leading them into the shopping mall.
"Crack!"
"Crack!"
…What was that sound?
It sounded like glass breaking.
Also… why did some of those boys suddenly clutch their chests as if they were in pain?
"O-One girl wasn't enough… but he actually… took TWO shopping?!"
"And one on each arm?! This is… this is too unfair!!"
A short, chubby boy, only about 1.6 meters tall and drenched in sweat collapsed to his knees in utter despair.
He stared blankly at Kaminari, Kyoka, and Momo's retreating figures, his expression completely at odds with the bright, sunny weather.
"Looks, talent, fame, wealth, strength, women… Every time I see a guy who has it all, it just reminds me how unfair the world is…"
Tears of pure envy streamed down his face.
Unfortunately, Kaminari was completely oblivious to his existence.
---
"Kaminari, what do you want to buy?" Kyoka asked, walking beside him.
"A pair of outdoor shoes. I already have a pair at home, but since we're here, might as well get a new one."
Turning to his right, Kaminari looked at Momo and grinned.
"What about you, Momo? A rich girl like you probably doesn't need to shop for herself, right?"
"That's true."
Wearing a pink and white dress, Momo gently brushed aside a few stray strands of hair that had been blown by the summer breeze.
Her every movement exuded grace and elegance.
"But I want to experience buying something with cash myself. I've been thinking about it since yesterday."
"Have you decided what to get?" Kyoka asked curiously. Kaminari also glanced over, interested.
Momo nodded slightly before responding.
"I want to buy a teacup for drinking black tea."
"Even though I have many fine tea sets at home made by renowned artisans, I think it would be a meaningful experience to drink from the first cup I ever bought myself, even if it isn't expensive."
"Oh."
Kaminari and Kyoka exchanged glances, amusement flickering in their eyes.
They had to admit, Momo was really likable.
No arrogance, no bad habits, none of the spoiled behavior you'd expect from a rich kid.
Just then, Kaminari's golden eyes sharpened as he noticed something in the distance.
Midoriya Izuku—being led away by a man in black.
"That guy…?"
Something about him felt strangely familiar.
The sense of déjà vu was undeniable.
More than that, the man's presence clashed completely with the mall's lively atmosphere.
Kaminari frowned.
It wasn't appropriate to just leave Kyoka and Momo behind to chase after him. Instead, he glanced down at the Pikachu following them, alongside Momo's Vulpix.
"Pikachu, did you see that man in black? Follow him immediately but be careful not to get spotted. Also, turn on the video feed and stream it to my phone."
Under Kyoka and Momo's puzzled gazes, Pikachu nodded before darting off into the crowd.
"Kaminari, what's wrong?" Kyoka asked.
"I just… thought that guy looked familiar."
He pulled out his phone and stared at the live feed appearing on screen.
"Do you want to go check it out?" Momo asked.
Kaminari thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"Let's keep shopping. No need to change our plans just because something looks familiar. Besides, I already sent Pikachu to follow him. If anything's wrong, we can handle it then."
"Also, that guy seems to know Midoriya."
Kyoka and Momo exchanged glances but didn't press further.
With that, the three of them resumed shopping.
Kyoka picked out a suitcase, since it was too bulky to carry, she arranged for home delivery.
Momo found a black teacup she liked and paid for it herself. Though inexpensive, the purchase made her smile.
"Now that you're taking it home, it's probably going to be the cheapest thing in your entire mansion, huh?" Kaminari teased.
Momo only laughed.
Just as they were about to head to the shoe store, Kaminari—who had been checking his phone periodically suddenly stopped.
His golden eyes narrowed.
"Kaminari? What's wrong?"
Kyoka and Momo looked at him curiously, unaware that countless jealous boys were glaring at Kaminari for getting their attention.
But Kaminari's expression remained serious.
Then, it quickly returned to normal.
"Nothing. I just… finally saw his face."
Lowering his voice, he muttered,
"I have seen that man in black before."
Turning to the girls, he said, "Can you two pick out a pair of shoes for me? I'll pay you back later."
"You're going after him?" Kyoka asked, worried.
"Is it dangerous?" Momo added.
Kaminari simply shook his head, declined their offer to join him, and walked away.
"If that guy was really electrocuted back at USJ… why is he here now?"
As he sprinted through the streets, doubts swirled in his mind.
"What the hell is he doing with Midoriya…?"
***
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