Viridian: The Green Guide

Chapter 57: Friendship: Part II

Inko held her breath as she tiptoed back into Izuku's room and put his phone back on his pillow. Sure, the shower was still on, so it was very unlikely she'd get caught, but still, it was better safe than sorry. Whatever funk Izuku had been in for the past few days hadn't let up yet and Inko knew that she just needed to be patient and let it pass, but...she just felt so helpless. It was like when Izuku was diagnosed all over again! He'd just barricaded himself in his room and wouldn't tell her how she could help!

She hadn't meant to invade his privacy. She hadn't! It was just that when she'd decided to grab his laundry when he got in the shower, his phone had started vibrating. It was obviously a phone call, so she checked the caller ID so she could tell Izuku when he got out! That was it! That was all she was going to do!

But then the phone had stopped vibrating and the screen had lit up with the missed call notification:

Denki Kaminari

3 missed calls

Izuku didn't have many friends. Inko knew that. With what had happened at that school, it was a wonder he'd found the courage to make friends with Kaminari at all, but...had something happened between them? Even if it hadn't, maybe Kaminari would know why Izuku was so upset? Inko would even take him just being there for Izuku at the moment, so that he didn't have to feel so alone.

...so she may have borrowed Kaminari's contact information.

What Izuku didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right? And she could always apologize later! But Inko didn't know what else to do and it couldn't be healthy for Izuku to completely isolate himself from his friends like that! She forced her guilt down under a layer of determination as she shakily typed out the number in her own phone now that she was safely back in the kitchen.

The phone rang quite a few times before someone picked up, "...Hello?"

"Um..." Inko winced. Was there a non-awkward way to introduce yourself to your depressed son's best friend? "Is this Kaminari?"

"If you're calling about my car's extended warranty, I have bad news for you." The boy said seriously. "I can't drive."

Inko snorted before she could help herself, shocked that Kaminari's sense of humor was every bit as bad as Izuku had warned her about. When she finally managed to stop laughing after a few seconds, she gasped, "Sorry, I didn't get the chance to introduce myself. I'm Inko Midoriya, Izuku's mother, and I am definitely not calling to ask you about your car's extended warranty."

"Oh!" There was a scramble on the other end of the phone and Inko winced as something crashed. "Ow. Um, sorry! I could've sworn you were a spam call, so I was just trying to...well, kinda spam you back? It was just supposed to be a joke, but you're not! Not that I thought you were a joke, just a robo-caller, but um..."

"Are you ok?" Inko asked, holding back a giggle before forcefully reminding herself that her son's friend might be hurt. "Did you fall?"

"Um...no. My homework might need to be reorganized, but uh...I'm good." Kaminari laughed hesitantly. "What about Izuku? Is he ok? I haven't heard from him and he's kinda been ignoring my texts...which is fine! I'm really not trying to be clingy, not that taking to my friend's mom is really helping my case, but I'm just worried because I didn't know if something had happened to him. "

Inko sighed, "I was actually hoping you could tell me. Izuku...well he hasn't been himself for a few days now. I've been trying to cheer him up, but haven't had any luck. Did you two get in a fight or something?"

"Not that I know of..." Kaminari said slowly. "But, uh, I think...well, I might know why he's been so...well, not a friend, but someone we know, she...she got caught up in villain attack and she, uh, she didn't make it."