MHA Universe, Earth, Japan, Musutafu.
Shortly after the decision to invite Momo to the chat was made, Tatsuo wasted no time sending her a text.
Soramoto Tatsuo: Hey
However, because classes were still in session at U.A., Momo did not get back to him immediately. In fact, she waited until the last class was over to respond to his text.
Yaoyorozu Momo: Good afternoon, Tatsuo-Kun
Yaoyorozu Momo: I didn't expect to hear from you so soon after you, Sakura-Chan, and Hanekura-San said your goodbyes.
Soramoto Tatsuo: yeah, well, I had something to tell you
Soramoto Tatsuo: But it wasn't something I could say with everyone around, you know?
Seeing that text, Momo, sitting in the backseat of her family's limousine, widened her eyes while feeling her cheeks heat up. A moment later, however, she shook her head forcefully.
"No, calm down, Mommo." Momo said to herself while staring down at her smartphone. "It's obvious to everyone that Sakura-Chan likes Tatsuo-Kun. So, there's no way he would want to say THAT to me."
Immediately after saying that, Momo raised her left hand and placed it on the left side of her chest.
"But why does my heart hurt after saying that?" Momo asked herself softly.
A few moments passed before Momo realized that she had not responded to Tatsuo's text. So, she quickly shook off the feeling and began to type on her smartphone.
Yaoyorozu Momo: I suppose that makes sense
Yaoyorozu Momo: So, what is it you would like to discuss?
Despite having just tried to dissuade herself, Momo could not help the slight expectations she felt as she typed her last message.
Soramoto Tatsuo: Actually, I'd rather not talk about it over text messages
Soramoto Tatsuo: Over the phone at all, really
Yaoyorozu Momo: Is it so important?
Soramoto Tatsuo: Yeah
Soramoto Tatsuo: It's the kinda thing you tell someone in person
Momo's heart skipped a beat when she read that. The thought that Tatsuo might do what she was thinking quickly solidifying in her head.
And in a loose sense of the word, Tatsuo would be doing exactly what Momo was thinking. However, the romantic undertone that was filling her mind could not be further from the truth.
Yaoyorozu Momo: I see
Yaoyorozu Momo: Then, would you like to meet up sometime?
Soramoto Tatsuo: Talking to smart people makes everything so much easier
Soramoto Tatsuo: How about this weekend?
Soramoto Tatsuo: There's a nice café near the city center that has a pretty good atmosphere for private conversations
Yaoyorozu Momo: I'm afraid I'm not too familiar with the shops in that area
Yaoyorozu Momo: My family tends to get most things delivered
Yaoyorozu Momo: So, there is no reason to go out for coffee or things of the sort
Soramoto Tatsuo: …
Seeing the ellipses, Momo realized just how out of touch with common people she was. Yet, that did not stop her from continuing.
Yaoyorozu Momo: But I will make time to meet with you this weekend
Yaoyorozu Momo: Please send me the address and the time you would like to meet
Yaoyorozu Momo: Then, I will check my schedule before getting back to you
Heart fluttering, Momo waited for Tatsuo to send the address and the time he wanted to meet while imagining a gentle smile on his face as he confessed to her. And such a sweet daydream made her cheeks flush with shyness.
*Beep!*
The sound of her smartphone's alert pulled Momo out of her daydream, making her shift her attention to Tatsuo's message, which, just as she expected, contained the location and time for the meeting Tatsuo wanted to have with her.
Immediately after checking the time, Momo opened up the calendar on her phone and checked her schedule. And when she saw that she was free, she almost squealed loud enough for the driver to hear, despite the privacy glass separating her from the front seat.
"I can't believe this is really happening." Momo muttered to herself, the thought of Tatsuo and Sakura being an item tossed to the back of her mind. "I've known Tatsuo-Kun for almost three years. Yet, he never seemed interested in me. I mean, sure, I could tell that he thought I was beautiful, but there never seemed to be anything beyond that."
Reaching that point, Momo held her smartphone to her bosom, completely forgetting to let Tatsuo know that she would be available.
"And to be honest, I didn't really see him as much more than a handsome young man, either." Momo continued while blankly staring at the car's ceiling. "But with every meeting, I noticed more about him… His intelligence… His wit… His fashion sense… An eventually, his strength… Though, I didn't really understand just how strong he was until we enrolled in U.A."
Just like that, Momo was lost in her recollections until she reached her home. And even then, her head was in the clouds, confusing the servants who greeted her upon her arrival. In fact, it was so bad that the servants informed her mother, a more mature and more voluptuous version of Momo, about her strange behavior.
Curious to know what had her daughter acting so strangely, Momo's mother made her way to Momo's bedroom to talk to her about it, mortifying Momo to no end. And even worse, Momo's mother had no intention of leaving until she got to the bottom of the situation.
When Momo's mother eventually left, she wore an amused smile as she stepped through Momo's bedroom door, leaving Momo sitting on her bed completely embarrassed.
"Oh, and by the way, Momo-Chan." Momo's mother said over her shoulder from just outside the bedroom door. "If you've already done this, then you can disregard what I'm about to say."
Hearing that, Momo raised her head, trying not to hide her face.
"You should get back to Tatsuo-Kun." Momo's mother continued, doing her best not to laugh at her daughter's embarrassment. "I'm sure he won't wait forever."
Immediately, Momo paled. Because of her daydreams, she had completely forgotten to reply to Tatsuo.
*Clatter!*
Moving with urgency to pick up her smartphone, Momo leapt from her bed and hurried over to her desk, where her smartphone was charging. However, in her haste, she managed to knock over nearly everything else on her desk in the process. Then, while ignoring the mess she made, Momo hurriedly replied to Tatsuo's text, letting him know that she would be free to meet him on the weekend.
Meanwhile, Momo's mother, seeing how panicked her little girl was, could not help laughing aloud as she walked away from Momo's bedroom to return to the work she had been finishing before she received the report from the servants.
Time passed quickly after that, the rest of the school week passing without issue. Though Momo found herself daydreaming during class, most of the teachers and her classmates noticed.
However, no matter who, or how many times, they asked her what was on her mind, Momo never gave them a straight answer. Luckily, Most of the teachers, with the exception of Nemuri, who was hungry for gossip, left her alone with a request to pay attention in class.
As for the other students, most of the boys were uninterested. But the girls, namely Toru, Ochaco, Kyoka, Mina, and Asui, bombarded Momo with questions with the attitude of I'm going to find out what you're hiding or die trying.
But as previously mentioned, the week eventually came to an end. And Momo was able to proudly say that she did not let the secret slip. Though, she had no idea why she wanted to keep it secret in the first place.
"Seriously, it's not like this is a d-d-date." Momo muttered to herself while wearing a set of red, silk pajamas as she looked through her wardrobe for an outfit to wear. "At least, Tatsuo-Kun never called it a d-d-date. But if he's planning to confess like I think he is, then it can't be anything but a d-d-date, right?"
Continuing to talk to herself, Momo sifted through her clothing, quickly picking up and discarding outfits a she did so.
"This is too formal. We're only going to a coffee shop." Momo muttered while putting an outfit back on the rack. She then picked up another and scrutinized it for a moment before putting it back as well. "No, this one looks like I'm trying too hard. I don't want to come off as desperate."
During the week leading up to today, avoiding questions from her female classmates and teacher was not the only thing Momo did to pass the time. In fact, she actually spent a lot of time reading women's magazines, focusing most of her attention on dating and the kind of fashion for different scenarios. And because of what the magazines said, she was agonizing over what to wear this afternoon.
In fact, Momo was so focused that she did not even notice when her mother entered the walk-in closet right behind her and pulled a dress off the rack, only reacting when the dress was pressed into her hands.
"Wear this." Momo's mother said, though it sounded more like an order. "It shows off your best assets. Meaning, it will take that young man's breath away."
"Mother!?" Momo squeaked in surprise. "When did you get here?"
"That's not important right now." Momo's mother replied. "Just get ready. If you don't hurry, you'll be late. And Yaoyorozus do not do late."
Hearing her mother's stern tone, Momo rushed out of the closet instinctively. Then, she sat down at her dressing table where a servant applied some light makeup before the same servant helped her put on the dress her mother picked out.
"Wear these, too." Momo's mother said as she handed over a pair of black pantyhose, a pair of black leather boots, and a black leather belt.
Before long, Momo stood in front of the full-length mirror in her room looking at herself wearing the outfit her mother coordinated, a red sundress with a black belt wrapped around her waist, her legs covered by black pantyhose, and a pair of ankle-high black boots.
"Perfect." Momo's mother said with an approving smile. "Now, go bring back a son-in-law for the Yaoyorozu family."
As she spoke the last line, Momo's mother patted her daughter on the shoulder.
"Mother~!" Momo squeaked in response. "I never said this was a d-d-date. So, there's a chance that you're just overthinking things."
"Hmph! Even if it's not a date right now, that doesn't mean it won't end up that way." Momo's mother shot back. "Now, don't mess this up."
"Mother~…" Momo whined as she turned away from her mother.
Watching Momo leave, her mother's expression turned calculating.
"Though they are only rumors, I heard that young man took down someone that should have been dead… Someone that All Might had to give his all to take down in the past." Momo's mother said quietly. "If possible, I don't want to let him slip away. Momo-Chan, you have to do your best."
After climbing into the car, it only took half an hour for Momo to reach the coffee shop where she was supposed to meet Tatsuo. And shortly after getting out of the car, she saw him through the coffee shops window making arrangements with one of the baristas.
"Oh no! He's already here." Momo muttered while taking her smartphone out of her purse to check the time. "Don't tell me I really ended up being late."
When Momo saw the time on her smartphone screen, she let out a sigh of relief. Then, after putting the phone away, she checked herself out in the window's reflection before entering the shop.
*Ring!*
{BGM: "Girl in the Red Dress" – Gregg Karukas}
Upon opening the door, the sound of smooth jazz music completed the atmosphere Momo was expecting when she peered into the café. At the same time, the bell drew Tatsuo's attention to the door. Naturally, that caused him to see Momo. And when he did, his eyebrows rose while his eyes glinted with amusement.
"Good afternoon." Momo said politely after approaching Tatsuo. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"This is some kinda coincidence, isn't it?" Tatsuo asked with a smile.
"Huh?" Momo intoned in confusion.
"I'd say." The female barista replied with a giggle. "This old song really suits the person you were waiting for perfectly."
"Ain't that the truth." Tatsuo added with a short laugh.
"I'm sorry, I'm terribly confused right now." Momo said, her confusion only growing.
"Anyway, since my date is here, mind showing us to the room?" Tatsuo asked.
'Date? He called me his date!' Momo squealed internally as her face reddened to a worrying degree. 'So, this really is a date!'
"Of course." The barista replied while smiling slyly at Tatsuo after seeing Momo's expression.
In response, Tatsuo only shook his head at the barista, who started walking towards the private room. At the same time, he patted Momo on her shoulder to pull her out of her daydream before gesturing her to follow the barista.
Even more embarrassed after letting Tatsuo see her like that, Momo nodded quickly before following the barista, leaving Tatsuo to once again shake his head before following, as well.
About three minutes later, Tatsuo and Momo, having already placed their orders, were seated across from each other in the private room. And while Tatsuo was calm as ever, Momo was so nervous that she had no idea what to do with herself.
Luckily, Tatsuo's assassin training made him a great conversationalist. So, he had no trouble breaking the ice.
"That song was called 'Girl in the Red Dress'." Tatsuo said casually.
"Huh?" Momo intoned in confusion once again.
"The song that was playing when you walked in… it was called 'Girl in the Red Dress'." Tatsuo repeated. "That's why the barista and I said it was the perfect song for the situation."
Now that her mind had time to catch up, Momo's eyes widened in surprise. Then, she could not help giggling at the coincidence.
"I suppose it really was the perfect song." Momo said while gesturing to her dress. "I wonder what Mother will think when she finds out after I get home."
"That makes it sound like she picked out your outfit or something." Tatsuo said with a smile.
"She… did…" Momo replied after lowering her head in embarrassment. "She said…"
After that, despite Tatsuo's supernatural senses, he was unable to hear what Momo said. But he decided not to ask her to repeat herself. Judging by all of Momo's reactions since she showed up, he could already tell she was having a massive misunderstanding.
'Then again, it's not really that much of a misunderstanding in a sense.' Tatsuo mused. 'I mean, I will be confessing something to her. It's just not the confession she thinks it is. *Sigh* I hope things don't get weird after this.'
The next few minutes passed with Tatsuo and Momo engaging in small talk, which helped Momo relax. However, when they received their coffee and the server left, the atmosphere surrounding Tatsuo changed, making Momo nervous once again.
"Momo-San…" Tatsuo said in a solemn tone. "Like I said the other day, I've got something important to talk to you about."
"P-Please, go on, Tatsuo-Kun." Momo said, her tone quite stiff.
Before starting his explanation, Tatsuo took a deep breath. Then, he launched into his explanation about the [Dimensional Chat], his, Alfonzo's, Akatssuki's, and Sakura's true identities, the [Mission] that brought them to this world, and the identities of the other members of the [Chat].
At first, when Momo heard Tatsuo's explanation, she thought he was pranking her, making her quite uncomfortable and more than just a little resentful. However, as time passed, she started to realize, despite how outlandish his explanation sounded, he was dead serious. And despite having trouble believing if what she was hearing was true, she found herself drawn into his explanation.
So drawn in, in fact, that she was not just a passive listener. Momo asked quite a few questions during Tatsuo's explanation, increasing her understanding of the subject.
"So, now that you've heard everything I know, I have to ask…" Tatsuo said once his explanation, which was nearly three hours long, was finished. "Yaoyorozu Momo-San, would you like to join the [Dimensional Chat] and gain the ability to see other worlds?"
"*Sigh* You know, this was not what I was expecting when you said you had something to talk to me about, Tatsuo-Kun." Momo said while smiling wryly. "Honestly, I thought you were going to confess to me… Which, to be honest, made me feel rather guilty. Especially since I knew how much Sakura-Chan liked you."
"Yeah, I could tell you were thinking something like that as soon as you walked into the café." Tatsuo replied while leaning back in his seat.
"Then, you actually did confess to me." Momo continued in a slight huff. "But it was nothing like what I expected. Honestly, when you first started, I thought you were either making fun of me or had gone completely insane."
"Yeah, I could see that." Tatsuo replied with a nod.
With that, silence fell in the private room with the two just looking at each other. But the silence did not feel awkward or oppressive. Instead, it was quite comfortable.
"Thank you." Momo said.
"For what?" Tatsuo asked curiously.
"For helping me be more self-confident." Momo replied. "Not just you, though. Hanekura-San, Sakura-Chan, and Alfonzo-San… All of you have been patient with me."
Tatsuo only shrugged his shoulders in response. He didn't think any thanks were necessary. But he didn't think she would accept it if he said it was nothing. So, he just remained silent.
Meanwhile, Momo took a deep breath. Then, she looked Tatsuo in his eyes.
"I accept." Momo said, a slight blush dusting her cheeks. "Please allow me to join this [Dimensional Chat]."
Hearing that, Tatsuo smiled. Then, he used his smartphone to navigate to the [Mission] section of the [Dimensional Chat] and sent an invitation to Momo. An invitation that Momo wasted no time accepting. And as soon as she did, Tatsuo, Alfonzo, Akatsuki, and Sakura received [Notifications] simultaneously.
{[Notifications]
-objective #6 has been COMPLETED }
{[Notifications]
-Mission #4 has been COMPLETED
-Would you like to return to your home Universe? Yes/No
-If "No," you may remain in the current Universe for 71H 59M 58S before being returned automatically.}