As the sun settled against the deep waters, the I-Expo came to an end for today.
However, in front of a coffee shop, Luke and others still found themselves in the venue, instead of getting ready for the party tonight.
Not many had stayed, though.
Bakugo and Eijiro had gone back to the rooms that UA had booked for the students. Todoroki, Fumikage, Hanta, Ojiro, Yuga, and Sato couldn't be seen there as well.
"What's going on?" Midoriya asked, seeing Luke surrounded by the girls.
"I know what it is," Kaminari commented, smiling slyly. "They can't decide who should be dating him…"
"Ahhh…" Mineta complained. "Why Luke's so lucky…"
Tenya shook his head before nudging his glasses. "Something's off," he said, seeing the looks on the girls' faces. "Luke's in trouble."
"Let me try something," Shoji said. At the end of his appendages, many ears sprouted. In this way, he could hear their conversations even from far away.
"It's not…" Midoriya felt troubled over eavesdropping.
Kaminari and Mineta gave Shoji a thumbs-up. "Welcome to the group…"
Shoji frowned at both of them. "Don't make me think it over…"
…
On the other side, Luke matched all the girls' gazes, a queasy feeling bubbling in his heart.
Just when you need Nyx the most… he complained within, she's never around… Sigh!
But someone had to keep an eye on Kazuho, Luke knew. In such cases, given Nyx being a bird and a Beyonder of Seer Pathway on top of that, she had a better advantage.
"Luke," Momo began, crossing her arms over her chest. "Melissa has something to ask you… I hope you will answer honestly. Generally, such matters are private, and we have no right to demand any explanation from you. But we are representing UA here. Any stain on your image will tarnish UA's image as well. I can't have that…"
Inwardly, Momo sighed. She was trying not to let him know that she was interested in the answer as much as others as well. Perhaps, more?
Luke frowned. In his mind, he went through everything, but couldn't come up behind this sudden confrontation.
Did she figure out something about my plans today?! Luke asked himself, bewildered.
Despite knowing that it was almost impossible, he also didn't know the full extent of the machinery available at Melissa's disposal.
What if there were a device that could listen to people's thoughts?
Even if Luke could take all precautions and had planned many steps, he wasn't invulnerable to everything.
Melissa stepped forward, her heart beating out of her chest.
Seeing him today on the field, looking like All Might, had stirred something within her.
No matter how she thought about it and how much she tried to think reasonably, she couldn't come to despise him for the lecherous act she had seen him doing in the afternoon.
"Are you dating someone?" Melissa asked.
Uraraka was still alright, instantly feeling curious about the question herself.
Kyoka, Tsuyu, and Mina frowned, though. This wasn't the question they had been expecting to get an answer to.
Unlike Mina, Kyoka had no interest in Luke's love life, if he had any, which she was almost sure wasn't the case. But Momo was her best friend and…
The worst reactions came from Toru and Momo.
They were just one more question away from snapping at Melissa to come right to the topic. However… if they were being honest with themselves, then they too wanted to know the answer.
On the other hand, Luke stared at Melissa, going red.
This — This — wasn't a question he had expected anyone to ask of him. Of course, Aina kept asking him the same question almost every day, but she was Aina, so that was OK…
Luke licked his lips.
He looked around to spy Nyx.
When he couldn't, he brought his gaze back and found Melissa staring right into his eyes, making him blush even more.
[Oh, my god! Get a hold of yourself! She's so much younger than you, old man!!!]
Miss Justice's voice rang within Luke's mind, making him let out a breath.
Yes. She was right. Why was he feeling so flustered in front of a bunch of teenagers? That's what girls were like, right? Momo had mentioned it…
"I am sorry," Luke apologized, smiling gently to not break Melissa's heart. "I cannot date you. Studies and training keep me busy… so…"
[Nice! That's how you do it! Make sure to tell her that she's beautiful…]
"You are beautiful," Luke added.
[Not like that! What are you?!!]
In front of him, jaws had already dropped.
Even Momo was looking at Luke as if she had never seen someone so stupid.
Melissa had gone red. Here she was — about to confront Luke at one moment — in the other, she was getting rejected… Rejected?!
Sighing, Kyoka took matters into her hands.
She went to Luke and slapped him on the side.
"… What?!" Luke asked, almost losing his balance.
Then, Kyoka blurted out everything Melissa had seen — the pink-haired girl walking out of the same bathroom as him.
Alarm bells rang in Luke's mind like never before.
If he weren't a Clown, then his entire face would have lost color by now, almost screaming that Melissa's doubt wasn't a doubt, but the truth.
But even Luke knew more than a Clown, he needed to be a Swindler.
"Melissa… isn't lying," Luke said, shocking the living breath out of the girls. Behind them, the boys stumbled back, Kaminari and Mineta's jaws dropping.
"Please, listen to me," Luke said, feeling the daggers on him. He projected images in everyone's mind, given his Swindling abilities, redirecting their thoughts. "I was in the Men's bathroom. Suddenly, a girl barged in. She must have a bad stomach… Anyway, Nyx was so surprised that she instantly flew away, and then the girl ran out too…"
"Then why were you adjusting your clothes…" Melissa fired back instantly.
Luke looked at her, bringing out a red blush. "I was in the bathroom…"
For a moment, all the girls and boys looked at Luke with blank expressions.
Then, together, they broke out in a fit of laughter, an image of Luke fumbling to pull up his pants popping up in their minds.
And Luke couldn't help but lampoon within. There goes my perfectly crafted All Might's cool fanboy image… Sigh!
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