Training Shinso

Chapter 18: A Lovely Day & Cat Puns

I created a soft playlist especially for this chapter. 'Shindeku Mixtape' by Satan Herself on Spotify. Listen to it.

——

Saturday

The dazzling sun peeked through the thin clouds in the sky, its pleasant warmth falling on the two boys walking beside each other as they left the U.A campus. Izuku tilted his head back with closed eyes, lips turned up in a smile. The sunlight touching his hair gave it a brighter green hue, like an emerald. "It's so warm today. We picked a good day to go out." Looking back at Hitoshi, he asked, "There's a train leaving for Yokohama in twenty minutes. If we speed up, we can make it."

"Oh, we're not taking the train."

Izuku frowned, "Then how are we going to get there?" Shinso grinned and looked pointedly at the bicycle rack they were approaching. "We're cycling?" Excitement lit up in Izuku's eyes.

"Yep. I hired two bikes for us...you know how to ride, right?" Shinso said as he checked his phone for the padlock passwords before clicking the number sequence into place and taking them off.

"I haven't done it in years but yes, I can! So, you're into cycling?"

Hitoshi nodded, "It's a hobby of mine."

Izuku smiled warmly, "I didn't know that."

Smiling back, Hitoshi rolled Izuku's bike to him before turning his own around to face the road, "Well, today is about getting to know one another better."

"You're right!" Izuku beamed at him, kicking a leg over his seat and gripping the handles. "Lead the way!"

Hitoshi checked for cars before steering his bicycle into the road, Izuku following behind him. They rode in blissful silence as they made their way out of Musutafu. Once they reached a wide, empty path, Hitoshi glanced over his shoulder at the male behind him, "You good?"

"All good! Watch where you're going!" Izuku called frantically as he saw Hitoshi begin to veer sideways. Chuckling, Hitoshi turned back and straightened himself.

"Don't worry about me. I could do this with my eyes closed."

"Please don't," Izuku said with concern, earning another chuckle. He sped up so that he was riding beside him.

"So, what do you wanna do when we get there?"

"You were the one who won our bet so you decide," Izuku smiled cheekily.

"Shit, you're right. We'll see when we get there, then," Hitoshi said. The two boys cycled at a steady pace so they wouldn't become tired too quickly.

When they finally arrived in Yokohama City, they found a public bicycle rack and dismounted, locking the bikes to the poles. "There are so many shops!" Izuku noted with an awed expression highlighting his features. "Come on, Shinso!" He linked their arms and pulled him along eagerly.

"Bloody hell," Hitoshi muttered as he almost stumbled, quickening his pace to keep up with Izuku's. Glancing to the side as they strolled, he couldn't help but notice the familiar fluttering sensation in his stomach he often experienced when near the other male. He almost melted at the sight of Izuku with that radiant smile of his. It took him a moment to realise that he had turned his head to stare back at him.

Izuku chuckled softly, "What are you looking at?"

Blinking, Hitoshi came to his senses and looked ahead, "Nothing—Oh, look, I found a restaurant we could eat at later."

Izuku followed his gaze to the building. "It looks nice...But I did hear there was a cat café around here somewhere..." He spoke in an alluring voice with a quirked brow.