I truly blew it.
"Honestly, what on earth were you thinking…?"
"I… I have no excuse."
I was still reflecting on the morning's events—specifically, the fact that I'd punched my subordinate in the hallway. When after-school hours arrived and the heavy air of regret finally settled, that young brat was the first to bolt from the classroom. Thus, I found myself being guided home by Midoriya instead. Since they were childhood friends, I figured he was the best choice for a navigator. It wasn't that I couldn't find my own way home, mind you, but both Himiko and my parents have strictly forbidden me from wandering the streets alone. Why they insist on such a thing remains, quite frankly, a mystery to me.
Regardless. I followed Midoriya out of the building. We swapped our indoor slippers for outdoor loafers at the shoe lockers and stepped out into the air. As we reached the school gates, my eyes landed on Himiko, crouching and leaning against the fence. It seemed she had gone out of her way to come and collect me. I suppose I needn't have troubled Midoriya after all…
"Well, I heard the gist of it over the phone. Getting into a fight on your second day after transferring? That's a big no-no!"
"Ngh… I-I'm sorry, alright…?"
With a look of sheer exasperation, Himiko reached out and pinched both of my cheeks. It was humiliating to have my face toyed with like this in front of a classmate, but as I was the one in the wrong, I had little choice but to endure her whims.
Wait—hey! Don't kiss me! Why are you sealing my lips while staring Midoriya down?!
There were other students heading home all around us! Could she not cease this embarrassing display? Such things should be reserved for when we are alone…!
"Pwah…! Honestly, Himiko!"
"Hehe. I had to show him. After all, Madoka-chan is my fiancée!!"
Her voice was entirely too loud. She shouldn't shout like that with such a wicked look on her face; she's going to intimidate the other children. Midoriya, standing right there, had completely frozen up!
Good grief! Himiko always has to go and assert her claim over me the moment we're in public. Does she not realize how mortifying it is for me to be kissed in front of everyone?
"So, who is this boy? Is this another affair? Even though you have your Toga right here…!?"
"I am having no such affair, you fool! My subordinate left early, so Midoriya was simply showing me the way home!"
"Huh? You mean… this was an after-school date?!"
"N-No! Absolutely not!"
She grabbed my shoulders with startling force. H-Hey now… Why did she look so utterly disgruntled? I wished she would stop pouting and glaring at me like that. This was a misunderstanding—a complete leap in logic.
"Hmph! You're always making friends with boys so quickly…! First it was Tokoyami-kun, then Bakugo-kun, and now it's this 'something-谷' kun?!"
"I told you! Why must you be so jealous?! You and I are betrothed! Therefore, I shall have eyes for no one but you!"
"U-Um… Madoka-san…?"
"N-Ngh… Mmph! S-Sorry, Midoriya…! This girl is my fiancée, Toga Himi—mmph!"
Ngh…! Why must you steal my lips again, Himiko?! I can't explain a thing to Midoriya if you keep this up. Will you not stop this persistent kissing? The weight of the surrounding gazes was becoming unbearable! There were already students stopping in their tracks to stare at us. This is hardly a good influence on the youth!
"…Haa… Nice to meet you, Midoriya-kun. I'm Toga—Himiko Toga. Madoka-chan and I are fiancées who have sworn our futures to one another, so please don't get too close to her, okay…?"
"Eh? Ah…! U-Um…! Y-Yessir—er, ma'am!?"