New Faces and Old Fears

I stood frozen, my mind racing to come up with a response as the four pairs of eyes continued to scrutinize me. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel my face growing hot with embarrassment. Before I could muster up a greeting, Katsuki's face scrunched up in a frown. "Ohi," he said, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and hostility. "Who are you?" I took a deep breath and bowed hastily, my arms at my sides. "I'm... I'm (Y/N)," I stammered, trying to introduce myself. "I've just moved here with my parents. Please take care of me." The response was met with silence. I risked a glance, and my eyes landed on Katsuki, who was predictably scowling. Tsubasa and Inaba looked lost, their faces a picture of confusion as if waiting for Katsuki's reaction to understand the adequate way to treat me. Izuku, on the other hand, was a different story altogether. He was beaming with a wide smile, his eyes shining with excitement. "N-Nice to meet you," he bowed, his movements a bit awkward but endearing nonetheless. "I'm Midoriya Izuku! I-If you need help around here, you can ask us whenever you want!" I couldn't help but smile gratefully at his warm welcome. He spoke pretty fluently for a three-year-old, and his kindness was a balm to my frazzled nerves. The other three didn't look much on board with the idea, but Izuku seemed to be speaking for himself. I bowed again, trying to play it cool. "Thank you, Midoriya-san," I said, trying to use the honorifics correctly. Izuku's face went bright red as he stuttered out a reply. Maybe he wasn't used to being addressed as Midoriya-san. I wondered if the nickname Deku existed already or if Katsuki's cruelty had yet to earn him that moniker. As I stood there, trying to make small talk, I couldn't help but wonder why their parents had left them alone in the park. Were they just nearby, watching from a distance? Or had they abandoned them for some reason? I pushed the thought aside, reminding myself that this was an anime, after all. Things like that didn't happen in anime. Katsuki, however, seemed to be seething with discontent, his scowl deepening by the second. I had a feeling that I was in for a wild ride with him. Tsubasa and Inaba seemed to be waiting for Katsuki's cue, their faces neutral but their eyes darting between us. Izuku, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself, his smile still plastered on his face. "D-do you like it here?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. But before I could say anything, Katsuki interrupted, his voice laced with venom. "Yeah, what's it to you?" Izuku shot him a warning glance, but I just smiled weakly. "I-I like it so far," I said, trying to deflect the tension. "The park is really nice." The conversation hung in the air, awkward and stilted. But as I looked at Izuku's hopeful face, I knew that I had to try harder. Maybe, just maybe, I could make some friends here after all.