The Calm Before a Storm of Words

I shake my head, chuckling awkwardly as Inasa's laughter slowly fades away. "It's not that," I mumble bashfully, trying to downplay my earlier enthusiasm. "I just- I took the habit from a friend. It doesn't mean that-" But Inasa is too quick to pounce on my words. "No!" he vehemently denies, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's passion! You were totally into it, talking about using your shadow for distractions and messages." This time, he does strike a pose, one hand on his hip and the other gesturing dramatically in the air. For a second, I think he's going to freeze in that stance, but he quickly drops his arms and grins at me. I roll my eyes, trying to appear nonchalant despite my growing embarrassment. "You're something else, you know that?" I say, attempting to deflect the attention. Inasa beams with pride. "Hey, someone's got to bring out the best in you! So, let's settle this once and for all: who do you think would win in a fight between All Might at half his strength and Best Jeanist... inside a jeans shop?" I blink, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "Uh, I... I don't know," I admit, playing along. "I think All Might's experience would give him an edge, but Best Jeanist's Quirk could be really useful in a confined space like a jeans shop." Inasa scowls, his face reddening. "No way! Best Jeanist's got this! He could just make a bunch of jeans and-" The sound of approaching footsteps interrupts our heated debate. Inasa's parents, dressed in casual outfits, walk towards us with warm smiles on their faces. My parents, similarly attired, follow closely behind. The two sets of parents exchange greetings, and I can sense their surprise at seeing their children socializing so easily. Inasa's mom, a gentle-looking woman with a kind face, turns to my mom. "It's great to see our kids getting along so well! Yoarashi can be a bit... extreme sometimes, and we worry that he might, uh, scare off other kids." My dad chuckles. "I think we've had similar concerns with our son. But it seems like they're hitting it off just fine." As the parents chat, I let out a childish "humpf" and look away, trying to hide my embarrassment. Inasa, however, seems completely at ease, chatting with his parents and mine as if he's known them forever. As we stand there, Inasa turns to me with a mischievous grin. "Hey, you can call my parents' phones anytime you want, okay? We can hang out again soon." I nod, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden offer. I know myself well enough to realize that I'll have a hard time finding the courage to make that call, but having my parents meet Inasa's is definitely a good starting point. As we part ways, Inasa's mom turns to me and smiles. "Take care, dear. It was nice meeting you." I smile back, feeling a bit more at ease. Maybe, just maybe, this chance encounter will lead to something more.