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MHA Paragon 2.0 Chapter 31: Milk Run
🕑 Added 2025-01-25 19:53:55 +0000 UTCMina stepped aside, making room for my Mother, who glared up at me with her hands on her hips, "After all, my son couldn't keep himself out of trouble."
I clicked my tongue, "You can't seriously be blaming me for what happened. I was the one who got attacked, remember?"
"Mhm," My mother huffed, clearly not satisfied with my answer, "That may be the case, but you decided to stay at the school instead of coming home."
"I told you it was complicated," I muttered in response, "I couldn't come back home until I was sure I had everything under control."
"It took you an entire week to get everything 'under control'?" My mother asked skeptically, and I could only look away guiltily, "That's what I thought!"
"I'm sorry, alright," I answered, apologizing, "I'm sorry I didn't come back home; I'm sorry I didn't call you more and tell you what was happening....I had a lot on my mind, and I couldn't leave the school until I figured it all out."
My mom stared at me for a long moment before sighing, "Fine, Kenji, you're a grown man now. If you say you need space, you need space. I won't pry and force you to tell me....but I'm still your mother. I'm allowed to worry about my only son."
"I guess I can deal with that," I replied with a smirk, thankful to move past the serious moment, "Can I come inside now?"
My mother opened her mouth to reply when she seemed to have a second thought, and I saw her eyes glance over at Mina, who had been awkwardly standing off to the side, trying not to intrude, "Actually, we're out of milk How about you run down to the convenience store and buy some."
"Do I have to do it right now?" I asked with narrowed eyes, wondering what my mother was scheming.
My mother grinned, "Yes, and take your little friend with you."
Before Mina could react to being volunteered, my mother practically shoved her out the door, and I stepped up to catch Mina before she could fall, trying to catch her balance, "Alright, you two have fun now. Don't take too long or do. I don't mind."
Before I could respond, the door was shut in my face, and a second later, I heard the thud of the lock sliding into place, 'What the hell just happened?'
"Um, you can let me go now."
I blinked before glancing down and realizing I was still holding Mina against my chest when I caught her, "Oh my bad."
Mina took a step back as I let her go, though she seemed more entertained than annoyed, "Well, that was something."
"Yeah, that something is called my mom being melodramatic," I snorted before turning around and walking back towards the stairs, "Come on, let's go."
"Huh?!" Mina blinked, "W-where are we going?"
"Weren't you listening? We gotta get milk!" I called back before glancing over my shoulder, "Though I'm pretty sure that's just an excuse for my mother to play matchmaker."
"M-matchmaker?!" Mina asked, confused, "Y-you don't really mean?"
I shrugged, "I mean, probably. You're the first girl who has ever come looking for me."
Mina jogged to catch up with me, her face still a mask of confusion, "First girl? You haven't dated anyone before?"
"Nope!" I answered, popping the P, "Just don't get put off by her eagerness; she means well."
"A-alright," Mina muttered in response before falling silent as we walked down the stairs and reached the street.
Growing bored of the silence, I decided to take the lead, "So...how the hell did you end up at my house?"
Mina stumbled, missing a step as my question caught her off guard, "W-what do you mean?"
"What do you mean? What do I mean?" I asked with a grin as I glanced at Mina, "How did you even find out where I live? Are you some type of stalker?"
Mina snorted, "You wish. I got your address from the school's public records. It wasn't that hard."
"Oh yeah, definitely not a stalker," I muttered under my breath before cracking a grin as Mina glared at me, "It wasn't like that! I was looking for your number to add to the class group chat."
"Group chat?" I echoed, confused.
"Yeah, I made one the day after the attack. I wanted to make sure everyone was okay and didn't feel isolated," Mina replied matter-of-factly.
"That's...very kind and thoughtful of you."
Mina raised an eyebrow at me, "Why do you sound surprised? What type of person do you think I am?"
"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the first real conversation we had, you ended up asking me whether or not I was a breast or ass man and used yourself as an example." I answered with a straight face, "Now, I'm not shaming or anything, but first impression."
Thankfully, Mina didn't seem offended by my response. Instead, she just smiled slyly, "Well then, if we're being honest, I only did that to make sure you weren't a womanizing man whore."
"Hey!" I exclaimed suddenly, glaring at Mina, "I have nothing but respect for women!"
"Okay...but what about being a manwhore?" Mina asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm a lover at heart," I replied with a shrug.
"But you've never dated anyone before?" Mina asked, still suspicious.
I grinned, "I said you were the first girl who's ever come looking for me."
Mina blinked, and I could see her mind come to a screeching halt, "H-huh?"
I could only keep a straight face before I started laughing, "Oh god, that was too good! Y-you should have seen the look on your face!"
Mina's pink skin darkened before she glared at me, "You're an asshole, you know that, right?"
"Oh come on, lighten up a little bit," I replied with a chuckle before nudging Mina with my elbow to no positive effect, "Look I'm sorry alright, how about I buy you a snack to make up for it?"
"Throw in a drink, and you have a deal," Mina countered in a heartbeat, and I opened my mouth to reject her proposal before I shrugged, "Fine."
"Yes!" Mina grinned as she pumped her fist into the air before grabbing my arm and pulling me along, "Come on, let's go!"
"Hey!" I protested but Mina ignored me powering on and dragging me behind her. My vocal protest stopped when my eyes glanced down and watched Mina's powerful stride which emphasized some of her more bountiful assets.
"Are you staring at my ass?" Mina asked glancing back at me, though I didn't bother to hide my leering gaze.
"Me, no, I would never," I replied shamelessly while tracing the outline of Mina's curves squeezed into a pair of athletic shorts which hid nothing.
"You're lucky I don't burn your eyes out," Mina growled though I could hear the smile in her voice.
"If you do I wouldn't have any complaints with this being the last thing I see," I muttered with a sly grin which only made Mina roll her eyes.
---
"I don't remember agreeing to buy you three snacks," I pointed out glancing down at the pile of snacks Mina dumped on the counter next to the singular carton of milk I had selected.
"Well I let you stare at my ass for two blocks, so just shut up and buy me food," Mina snapped back with a mischievous grin.
"Other men have paid more for less," I replied helplessly with a shrug before reaching into my pocket and digging for my wallet. As I pulled my wallet out to pay the doors to the convenience store slid and three men walked into the store.
There was nothing noteworthy about them, they were average-looking, with average builds and average clothing. They were so ordinary that my eyes almost slid off them. My brow furrowed as I resisted the strange compulsion to look away from the group of men and instead focused on their appearances.
After a second I could feel something pressing against my mind trying to influence it, but the instant it recognized the unwanted intrusion I felt my quirk respond.
One of the men grunted stopping mid-stride as he grabbed his head in obvious pain and I watched as the illusion cast over the three men disappeared revealing their true appearances.
My eyes widened as I stared at the three robbers a distinction I made easily due to the ski masks pulled over their faces, and the guns gripped in their gloved hands.
The man who had faltered made eye contact with me and snarled, "How the hell did you see through my veil, Kid?!"
Before I could respond the man straightened up as he cocked his gun and leveled it at me, "Answer me damnit!"
The man's scream seemed to break whatever obscuring effect his quirk had as Mina and the quirk turned towards the commotion and froze seeing the three armed men that from their perspective had suddenly appeared out of thin air.
