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"Midnight-sensei, I'm heading out for my appointment now. I probably won't be back for lunch, but I'll be home by afternoon at the latest."
Pulling the door open, Konata turned her head toward Midnight, who was lazily lounging in the living room watching TV.
"Have fun, then." Midnight didn't even glance her way, eyes fixed on the screen as she waved a hand casually.
"Oh, and don't waste your money. You barely have enough to cover your own expenses. Save the gifts for when you've got your hero license and an actual income. I'll be waiting."
Konata paused, stunned for just a second, before flashing a big, bright smile in her direction. Without another word, she turned and stepped outside.
The agreed meeting time was just around the corner, and rare as it was to have a full Class 1-A outing, she couldn't risk showing up late.
"She has a little money now, and not even a thought of buying herself something new. Not even a new outfit, yet she talks about buying me a gift..."
Back in the living room, Midnight muttered under her breath, the sound of Konata's fading footsteps lingering faintly. Then, with a sigh, she stretched into a more comfortable position on the sofa.
"Well, if she's not coming back for lunch, I guess that means no need to cook. I'll just order takeout again."
It was noon, and the sunlight outside was dazzling. The sky was a pure, spotless blue with only a few lazy white clouds drifting by.
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By the time Konata arrived, she somehow still managed to be the last one there. At least she wasn't late, but compared to those who'd shown up five, even thirty minutes early, she was without question the straggler.
"Oi, Konata, what took you so long?" Kaminari called, confusion clear on his face as she approached, notebook and pen in hand.
"Pikachu, do you have a problem?" she deadpanned, rolling her eyes. "Fine. I'll forgive you for calling me out if you tell me what kind of gift you want. You've got three seconds to decide. No answer? I'll just get you a Poké Ball."
"Eh? Wait—Konata-chan, you don't have to do this," Tsuyu said gently, placing a finger to her lips. "Didn't you say money's tight? Buying gifts for everyone will be expensive."
"Tsuyu, please." Konata puffed up her nonexistent chest proudly. "Three days is all it takes to see someone change. From today forward, call me… the evil rich girl."
"I think 'little rich girl' suits you better," Kaminari muttered, still clearly salty about the Pikachu nickname.
"Okay, Pikachu. Your gift will be a Poké Ball," she replied with a perfectly flat expression, scribbling it down in her notebook.
"Hey, hey, that's not fair! At least tell me what a Poké Ball even is!"
"The kind that can trap you inside. Next. Tsuyu, what do you want?"
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At the edge of the group, Midoriya stood quietly, watching the others joke and laugh. Seeing them so carefree lifted his mood… until his gaze caught on the girl with the notebook.
And his heart suddenly sank.
Just for a split second, under the bright midday sun, her shadow seemed faint. So faint it was almost invisible compared to everyone else's.
The warm sunlight bathed her in an otherworldly glow. For an instant, her entire form seemed blurred, her edges indistinct, as if she might vanish at any moment. Her shadow flickered, dim and ghostly.
By the time he blinked and looked again, everything was normal, like nothing had happened. Maybe it was just his imagination.
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"Izuku, your turn. What gift do you want?"
Her voice pulled him back to reality. Konata stood in front of him now, casually twirling the pen between her fingers.
"Before you answer, let me make this clear—nothing too expensive, and nothing… explicit." She jabbed the pen in Mineta's direction. "That pervert had the nerve to ask for something disgusting, so I'm sending him a copy of The Eunuch's Guide to Life. Free of charge."
Midoriya looked down at her—she was a head shorter than him—and hesitated for a moment before asking quietly, "...Anything? I can ask for any gift?"
"Of course," she replied without hesitation. "As long as it's something I can afford."
Konata tilted her head back, staring up at the clear blue sky, her tone suddenly carrying a tinge of melancholy.
"I thought my little savings stash would be more than enough… turns out, I'm broke. Seriously, why is durian so expensive?!"
Midoriya took a quiet breath, his eyes locking with hers. "Then… what I want is something special."
Konata froze for a moment, her face instantly darkening as a thought crossed her mind.
"You're not about to ask for something gross like that grape pervert, are you—"
"When I become a hero," Midoriya said, steady and certain, "I want you to give me your blessing."
She blinked, then rolled her eyes. "Izuku, did you learn that line from Midnight-sensei?"
"I'm just trying to—"
"Fine, fine," Konata cut him off, snapping her notebook shut and tucking it into her pocket. "When you're officially a pro hero, I'll bless you or whatever. Happy now?"
Turning on her heel, she walked away, her voice drifting lazily back to him in the summer breeze.
"If you won't tell me what you really want, I'll just pick something myself. Everyone gets something, so don't try to be special."
Midoriya stayed still for a long moment, his eyes lifting to the bright summer sky.
The weather was perfect. Summer break was almost here. Training camp was right around the corner.
In times like these, everything should be nothing but bright and good.
At least, that's what he wanted to believe.
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Because the shopping mall was just too big and everyone had different things they wanted to buy, the group split up not long after arriving. They agreed to meet back at the same spot after a set time.
Originally, Asui Tsuyu was going to tag along with Konata Izumi, but Konata politely turned her down. It wasn't for any strange reason—just that Konata had way too many things to buy, and if Tsuyu followed her around, she'd end up acting as her pack mule. And no matter what, Konata refused to exploit her very first friend in this world like that.
If only Todoroki Shoto were here, she thought with a sigh. She remembered that he still owed her a favor. Having him carry everything for her would've been the perfect use of that card. What a pity.
Of course, if she asked Midoriya Izuku for help, he'd probably agree in a heartbeat. But Konata didn't want to be too close to him right now. She had a gut feeling that he'd already begun to vaguely notice something—and if he hadn't, he wouldn't have said such a strangely serious thing to her before.
She'd secretly asked the system about it and learned the hard truth: her maximum stay in this world was one month. She could leave earlier if she wanted, but she could never extend her time.
In other words, at most, she could only stay in this world until the end of the Forest Training Camp. The time she had left—the life she had left—was no more than a month. And that month was already feeling painfully short, considering how much she still wanted to do.
After thinking it over, Konata stopped in a relatively crowded area, glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention, and then quietly spoke to the system in her heart.
"System, is there a way to extend my time in this world? A single month is just way too short. Can you make it longer?"
Her question was almost tentative; she didn't really expect much from the system that barely spoke, always responding with cold, mechanical text.
But to her surprise, the system actually replied.
[The maximum extension is ten months. Would the host like to consider this option?]
"Wait—I can actually extend my stay?"
Konata's eyes lit up with genuine excitement. But her very first thought upon hearing this wasn't joy—it was panic.
"Oh, crap… How am I supposed to explain the delay to my classmates? What about the gifts I promised to buy them…?"
However, before she could fully process that thought, the system followed up with its next message—one that made her expression freeze.
[The host may choose to marry the protagonist and conceive his child. During the ten months of pregnancy, the host will be granted an extended stay in this world. The upcoming Forest Training Camp provides an excellent opportunity. To increase the success rate, this system will freely provide nighttime assault strategies, medicinal aids, and related equipment. Please make good use of this chance.]
For the first time, the system's usual cold interface erupted with text—large, bold, red, and flashing, as if desperate to grab her attention.
Konata twitched at the corner of her mouth. In that moment, she finally understood the true source of that terrible nightmare she'd once had.
Without hesitation, she muted the system entirely in her mind.
Pulling out her wallet, she counted the crisp bills inside and fell into deep thought. She had once considered herself to have a decent amount of savings. But after accidentally catching a glimpse of Yaoyorozu Momo's wallet earlier—a wallet stuffed with thick stacks of 10,000 yen bills—she realized that her funds were barely a drop in the bucket.
Especially when she'd heard Yaoyorozu casually explain that it was just some "pocket money" her grandfather had shoved at her before leaving the house. In that moment, Konata had felt an irrational urge to beg the girl to sponsor her. If she had more than a month left to live, she might have seriously considered it.
By comparison, she now realized just how pitiful that "generous" 100,000 yen from All For One really was. She used to think it was a huge amount. Now, it felt laughable—like someone was giving up their life over a few scraps.
With nineteen gifts to buy—one for each classmate—plus one for Midnight-sensei, her budget had already taken a brutal hit. On top of that, she needed to save enough money to live for her final month and still wanted to buy gifts for All Might and Aizawa-sensei.
The math just didn't add up.
"At least nobody asked for anything too extravagant… otherwise I'd really be in trouble," she muttered as she carefully counted the bills again before tucking her wallet back into her pocket.
After orienting herself in the maze of the shopping center, she headed toward the fruit section first. She had never bought fruit before and had no idea about the prices. At first, she'd planned to send a whole box of durians to Bakugo Katsuki's house as his gift.
Then she saw the price tags.
"…Yeah, no. One durian will have to do."
She thought about how rich Bakugo must be—always gifting her the most expensive fruit without batting an eye. She remembered the multiple durians she'd received from him, though she could never bring herself to eat them. Midnight-sensei had ended up finishing every last one.
Grimacing at the price but swallowing her pride, Konata bought a single durian and carried the bag in her hand. That was when she realized she'd made a stupid mistake.
"...Shouldn't I have bought this last? The smell is going to stick to me everywhere I go…"
She sighed, then scanned the crowd for a solution. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward toward a young man in a black hoodie, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, the hood pulled low over his face. She stopped directly in his path, blocking him, and thrust the bag toward him with the casual air of someone making a completely reasonable request.
"Mind holding this for me? Thanks."
Shigaraki Tomura: "..."
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The Hero Killer Stain Incident — also known as the Hosu City Incident.
Although the hero killer was ultimately captured by the authorities, by coincidence—or perhaps not by coincidence at all—his ideology attracted a wave of malicious individuals who rallied together.
Shigaraki Tomura hated it. Every last bit of it.
Those people, drawn by Stain's warped ideals, had nothing to do with him. The thought of strangers flocking to him, thinking they shared some connection, made his skin crawl. Disgusted and restless, he decided to take a walk on his own.
Originally, he'd only planned to wander around the shopping mall for a bit before heading back. But then, purely by chance, he caught sight of them—students from U.A.'s Class 1-A. Among them was someone who stood out in his memory: the one who had inherited All Might's will—Midoriya Izuku.
And then, just as he was about to turn away, a figure suddenly stepped into his path.
When his gaze fell on the girl blocking his way, his expression changed ever so slightly.
If there was anyone in this world who had ever made him feel a sliver of true fear, it was this girl—this much shorter girl now staring straight up at him.
His face was expressionless, cold. He didn't know what game she was playing, but if she thought he'd be scared to make a move here, in a crowded shopping mall full of potential hostages, she was wrong, terribly wrong.
The girl calmly extended the bag she was holding—a bag containing a durian—right toward him, her expression one of pure expectation.
"We're basically old friends now," Konata said matter-of-factly. "Helping a friend out is just basic courtesy, don't you think?"
After a long pause, maybe realizing that standing there like this for too long would draw attention, Shigaraki finally slid one hand out of his hoodie pocket, carefully gripping the bag with only four fingers.
Seemingly unconcerned about the possibility of an attack from behind, Konata turned and walked forward, leaving him to follow silently, durian bag in hand.
"You know who I want to kill most," Shigaraki said flatly.
"Nope," she replied without even looking back. "And I don't want to know. Now, let's go. Next stop—clothing section."
His eyes narrowed.
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
She stopped, turned her head slightly, and arched an eyebrow at him.
"I'm just asking you to carry a bag. No need to keep whining. You're a villain, aren't you? At least try to look the part. And seriously—your lips are dry. Ever heard of lip balm?"
Shigaraki's face darkened instantly.
"Are you looking to die?"
"You might not be able to kill me," she said lightly, "but you could probably kill dozens of people around us. I'm aware."
"Is that so…"
After a thoughtful pause, Konata tilted her head and smiled.
"Then how about this? Help me carry some stuff, and in exchange, I'll consider giving you a chance to kill me. Fair trade, right?"
His brows furrowed tightly.
"You're serious?"
"Of course," she answered without hesitation.
"Come on. It's not like you've got anything better to do right now. And look at it this way—if you're wandering around alone, someone from Class 1-A could spot you. I know you could probably kill them all in a flash, but still."
"You… really are courting death."
Konata blinked, a faint, unsettling smile curling at her lips. "Bruh, can you not? You sound like some discount young master in a third-rate xianxia novel. What's next—'How dare you offend this young master, kneel and kowtow or perish under my Heaven-Slaying Sword'?" Her tone was calm, almost too calm, but her gaze carried that jagged edge, sharp and dangerous. "I'm not afraid of dying. Doesn't mean I want to. Whether you can actually kill me… well, that's on you. But don't worry—when the time comes, I'll make sure you get your perfect chance."
In her heart, she silently added: After I take down All For One.
"So? Deal or no deal?"
And so, in the middle of the enormous shopping mall, an oddly mismatched duo began wandering from store to store.
Of course, no one paid much attention. To outsiders, the young man in the hoodie just seemed a little antisocial—nothing more.
Naturally, they ran into a few of Class 1-A's other students along the way, but Shigaraki kept his distance, avoiding any unnecessary trouble. After all, very few of them actually knew who he was by appearance.
As the shopping spree continued, two masters of deadpan banter slowly started talking—and when two conversation killers collide, the atmosphere turns… indescribable.
Like when Konata casually remarked:
"You know, you've gotta stay positive. Maybe those two didn't die. Maybe they're just… sleeping forever."
To which Shigaraki flatly responded: "..."
Or when she asked:
"So, do you villains ever, I dunno, run out of money?"
And he replied, voice dry:
"No idea. But Kurogiri nags a lot. I broke a few bottles of liquor once, and he wouldn't stop lecturing me for a whole goddamn week. It was annoying."
In some strange way, they were evenly matched—both perfectly capable of killing a conversation in a single sentence. And if not for the fact that they stood on opposite sides, Konata thought, maybe… just maybe, they could've been good friends.
Yeah. She was serious.
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Okay, be honest, guys—are you on Team Happy End, Team Neutral End, or Team Bad End? Personally, I'm leaning towards Happy End because my heart can't handle pain… but then again, tragic endings have that chef's kiss flavor. Neutral end? Feels like ordering plain toast. What about y'all?
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